Category Archives: Japanese Scenery

Little Edo / Kawagoe with landmark buildings and temples !!

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Koedo (Little Edo) –Kawagoe (Saitama) is a sight-seeing town with the culture and aroma of Edo era, situated at only less than one hour train ride from Tokyo. There are many historical merchant houses and buildings which are still actively in use.
The main zone for tourists to visit will be “Old storehouse zone” where many old storehouse merchant houses are lined up and selling various goods in them, and “Toki no Kane” (or Tower of Time Bell) which still tells time in Kawagoe. Another area is “Kashiya Yokocho” (or Penny Candy Alley) with 22 traditional style Japanese candy stores with nostalgic taste of days gone by.

Photos : Old Storehouse Marchant House Zone, Tower of Time Bell, Penny Cndy Alley

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Onta-Yaki, the earlist remembered scene !

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Onta-Yaki is a quite unique pottery production village in terms of tradition and location. Only 10 potters’ family have handed the know-how of an art down from generation to generation within the family for more than 300 years. In addition, the village have kept un-modernized, meaning that they are still using water-powered mills (Karausu, or mortar) for clay making and pine for firing in climbing kilns. We feel the scenery between mountains at home.
The pottery made here are in folk craft styles, decorated with “Tobikanna”, or jumping marks, “Uchihakeme”, or tapping brush marks and the like, and applied with traditional straw ash-, iron- and celadon glazes..

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Ouchi-jyuku (A old posting station) in Edo period !

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Ouchi-juku was an old posting station located in South Aizu area, along the Aizu West Kaido (Highway) which was connecting Aizu and Nikko. Ouchi-juku is famous for the numerous traditional thatched buildings, where the village lead their daily life. Many buildings have been preserved as they were before the Meiji restoration. The area has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Tourists can take a trip back in time to Edo period.
A producing center of Aizuhongo-Yaki is situated nearby.

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Hatsumode, first visit of the Japanese New Year !!

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A Happy New Year !!

Japanese people visit shrine or temple nearby for “Hatsumode”, their first wishes of the new year on the first, second or third day of the year. So, the well-known shrines and temples are very crowed on the days. They generally buy a written oracle and new charms wishing “Good Luck” there. The written oracle will be tied onto a tree on the shrine grounds after reading and the old charms are returned to the shrine so they can be burned

There are many street vendors selling various foods and mascots along the front approach to the shrine and temple.

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Historical Village of Shirakawa-go in Hida

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Sirakawa-Go (literally “White River District”) is one of Japan World Heritage Sites. The area is very popular among foreign tourists as well as Japanese ones because of its tender atmosphere with the old-fashioned houses. The houses are known as Gassho-zukuri, “prayer-hands construction” style which used to be typical style at the snowy area in Japan.
In general, the region including Sirakawa-Go is called Hida Takayama where many craftworks and historical heritage are well-known. Koito-Yaki and Shibukusa-Yaki are typical examples for pottery making.

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Kumamoto-Jo, one of the famed castles in Japan

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There are many beautiful castles all over Japan. Kumamoto-jo (castle) is one of them and listed as one of the three major castles in Japan. Others are Himeji-jo (Hyogo) and Matsumoto-jo (Mtasumoto). Main castle tower (right) is 3-storied appearance-wise and 6-storied inside with beautiful “Chidorihafu” roofs. The center is Sub-castle tower and the left is Udo-yagura (turret) which was regarded as the previous main castle tower.

In this area, there are traditional Shodai-Yaki and Kouda-Yaki, which started in the mid-17th century by many Agano-Yaki potters led by the lord, Tadatoshi Hoskawa when he was transferred from current Fukuoka Prefecture.

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Ryumon Daki (Falls) near Ryumonji-Yaki in Kagoshima

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According to a local legend, it is said that the falls was named by a Chinese since the scene resembled one of the falls in China. In spite of the looks, it literally means “Dragon Gate Falls”. The size is 46 meters in height and 43 meters in width. It looks like a gentle falls to us. It has been selected as one of the 100 famous falls in Japan
In this area, Ryumonji-Yaki, one of Satsuma-Yaki family in Kagoshima Prefecture, which has had a quite long history of pottery making and been designated as the national objects of traditional craftworks by the Government.

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Cherry Blossom Viewing

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Almost all Japanese cannot wait for spring to come so we can see and enjoy cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom viewing is an annual tradition and event in Japan. Many people will have a “cherry-blossom-viewing” party under the cherry trees with a variety of foods and alcoholic beverages like sake. Many spots are crowded with blossom viewers.

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Cherry Blossom ! Spring has come in Japan

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Now, Japanese people enjoy spring time. It is a time for most plants and trees start flowering all over. Especially, the Japanese is anxious for cherry blossom of which front moves from the south to the north. In Tokyo, cherry blossom was stated twelve days earlier than that on the average year. It is quite unusual phenomenon.
We enjoy a happy time in drinking and eating together with family, friends, working associates under the cherry blossom. This is a shot of one of temples in the Ueno park which looked mysterious in lighting and full blossom.

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