Kinwashi Tour Japan Thread

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 18:32

  Over here Hainanese Chicken Rice so famous.

  die die must eat.

   

  Over in Kagoshima the above also so famous.

   

  Satsuma Chicken?

   

  Aiya...Kampong Chicken...Lah.

   

   

  http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Longtail/BRKSatsu.html

   

   

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:09

  Satsumadori

  aka Kagoshima Game

  

  A Satsumadori rooster
  Photo © Marc King

  Text courtesy of
  Marc King
  [email protected]

  The only Satsumadori that I have seen live was of the white colour, and the rooster was stunning. (Illustrated here). Standing as tall as many Shamos, the shoulders were held apart and raised from the chest-line, with the legs free-standing at the thighs. The white had a remarkably rounded and massive head, with a large but short beak. Its spurs were enormous! The size of a man's small finger and about as long, the very look of them sent chills down the spine. The breeder friend in Germany who has the whites also had the black breasted silvers and reds, and the blacks, but he was most impressed witht he whites. Come to find out, his line of whites was the most recently used in the gamepit, the last fights ending many years ago. The other colours had been bred for the show pens much longer and had, in essence, lost some fo the fire and intelligence of the breed. My friend described a ceremony that he attended in Japan, a mock-fight (the spurs were wrapped and bound in cloth to prevent wounding) in southern Japan in which a day-long ceremony full of pagentry was taken in. He described that the whites were preferred in a time because the colour of the bright red blood on the bleach-white background was considered most beautiful.

  This bird of his was from a line know for its high intelligence. The roosters eyes were bright and very large, and he seemed to listen quietly to us, studing us as we spoke about him. The Satsumadori were bred for their leaping / slashing style of fighting and for their ability to "read" their opponent. Please note the size of the spurs! They can be very aggressive, leaping up on its keeper in the manner of the gamepit fighting style for which he was bred for centuries. My friend raved about this breed, saying that if the roosters are gently and lovingly cared for, as many Japanese breeders do, they can become very tame as pets, following their owners like little dogs, but remaining agressive toward other chickens.

   

  ---

  Satsumadori Links:

  Marc King's Satsumadori page

  Gamefowl.org

  Longtails.org on the Satsumadori

   

  ---

  

  A Satsumadori rooster from the back
  Photo ©Julia Keeling

   

  Black Satsumadori roosters
  Photos courtesy of Rico Nabong

  

  A Satsumadori cockerel with his tail spread
  Photo ©Uichiro Sakamoto

   

  Red and Grey Satsumadori hens
  Photos courtesy of Rico Nabong

   

  Red Satsu males
  Photos courtesy of Rico Nabong

   

  Two Satsumadori roosters
  Photos ©Uichiro Sakamoto

  

  Here's a flock of Satsumadori
  Photo ©Uichiro Sakamoto

  

  Another Satsu hen
  Photo courtesy of Rico Nabong

   

  ---

   

  

  A Satsumadori hen and chicks
  Photo ©Uichiro Sakamoto

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:15

  

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:16

  Kibinago sashimi

  Known by many other names throughout Japan, Kibinago are small fish, 5~10cm in length. Don't let its size fool you. This stuff is good. "Sashimi in Kagoshima?" You'll get served this. Eaten with shoyu (soy sauce) or a vinegar-miso blend, it's a must-try. The fresher the fish the more shine it has. The ones with blue-silver gils are thought to be the freshest. Eaten also as tempura and on skewers, grilled, dried and in miso soup, you're missing out if you don't try Kibinago.

  

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:19

  So this Kibinago, Kagoshima special.

   

   

  http://youtu.be/zAdG2kqH4wU

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:24

  What will be the price?

   

  Kibinago from Kagoshima.

   

  about.....http://www.flickr.com/photos/aoiakanemidori/3374716019/

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:27

  The last time we ate this Kibinago.

   

  in this way.

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/78797573@N00/449329864/?q=kibinago%20tempura

   

  there are also other ways.

   

  Below.

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:30

  what about as like this kind?

   

   

  http://youtu.be/vCVmWrdzxHU

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:47

  

  Tiny fish (kibinago in Japanese), lightly fried with fresh lime.

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 21:59

  So they got good quality chicken Satsumadori,

   So rice also not a probelm.

  So Chicken rice not a probelm I think.

   So i did order chicken rice before over there..

   

  So could  it be as like this...below.

  over here as our Hainanese chicken rice look alike.

   

   

  source

• kinwashi

  1 Jul 12, 22:06

  TRAVEL

  JAPAN NAVIGATOR

  Japan Navigator

  Japanese sake and cuisine, travel and history, literature and art, film and music by Ad Blankestijn

  The Japanese Seasons: July

  1 Jul

  July is also called Fumizuki, based on the custom that people used to write on the occasion of the Tanabata festival on the seventh of this month. Another name is not surprisingly Tanabatazuki.
  
  And indeed, Tanabata or the Star Festival is an important event this month. This festival goes back to a beautiful Chinese legend, about a Cowherd Star and Weaver Girl Star, who were in love but could not meet because they were separated by the River of Heaven (our Milky Way). So once a year, on 7/7, magpies would join their wings together and build a bridge over which the lovers could cross and meet each other... Nowadays, it is an uncomplicated festival where people (often children) write wishes on colorful strips of paper and tie these to branches of bamboo especially set up for this purpose.
  
  
  
  Tanabata is quiet and demure, quite different from the more lively Gion Festival (Gion-e) held in Kyoto this month. In fact the Gion festival is much more than only the parade of floats on July 17 - there are numerous events during the whole month of July. This a great time to be in Kyoto. Everywhere in the city you hear the Gionbayashi from loudspeakers, the music of the festival which fits perfectly with the hot and humid weather. I find it has a hypnotizing quality. And it is fun to visit the Yoi-Matsuri on the night before the float parade, clad in a light summer kimono and carrying a fan.
  
  Although in the solar calendar squarely a summer month, in the old lunar calendar July is regarded as the first of the three months of autumn. Can it get more weird? In fact, the peak of the heat falls around July 23, called Taisho (Great Heat)! A word you hear often around that date is "dog days," in Japanese doyo. There are several "doyo no ushi" days around July 20, and it is custom to eatunagi, eel, on these days, for the necessary stamina.
  
  As weather phenomena go, summer clouds (natsu no kumo) are cumulonimbus clouds and look like piled up mountains, so they are also called kumo no mine, "peaks of clouds" - a favorite subject in haiku written during this month. On the other hand, yudachi or evening showers are welcome for the refreshment they bring. In that case a rainbow or niji may appear - another symbol of summer.
  
  If you are a sportive type, you may feel like climbing Mr Fuji - nowadays the climbing season starts on July 10. In the past when the climbing was also a pilgrimage, one spoke more poetically of Fuji-mode.
  
  An old custom is Mushiboshi: during a fine day, clothes, paintings and books are taken out and aired to prevent them from being damaged by worms (mushi). At Daifukuji and Tofukuji in Kyoto this day is an opportunity to bring out normally hidden temple treasures.
  
  
  
  The flower of July is the lotus (hasu), which in fact blooms from July through August. It is important to go and see them in the morning as later in the day they close down. Temples with great lotus ponds are Hokongoin and Kajuji in Kyoto, or Toshodaiji in Nara. Another important flower is the blue or purple asagao ormorning glory, a symbol of summer. You see them everywhere in Japan, potted in alleys in downtown Tokyo, in gardens in Kyoto, and even just along the road, cared for by unseen hands.
  
  Typical July vegetables are uri (gourds) and nasu (eggplant). Pickled as tsukemono, nasu are great with sake.
  
  Talking about food, chimaki is a traditional confectionery served during the Gion festival: mochi of glutinous rice are steamed and then wrapped in bamboo leaves.
  
  Somen are refreshing summer noodles and in Kibune north of Kyoto one eats then seated on kawadoko, platforms built over a small river. At Hirobun, the thin noodles are delivered via open bamboo pipes through which water flows (nagashi-somen). Very cool! Another Kyoto summer specialty is hamo, "dagger-tooth pike conger", and indeed a fierce fish that survives the long trek from the Inland Sea to Kyoto's kitchens. It contains countless small bones and takes a special technique to prepare, but it has a subtle taste.
  
  And of course the umeshu (plum liquor) you have made the previous month is now delicious, enjoyed with a big chunk of ice in it. A traditional summer snack istokoroten, small cubes made from the gelatin (kanten) of seaweeds, eaten with soy sauce, vinegar and mustard and served ice-cold.
  
  
  

  
  

   

  The Tanabata Festival (July 7)

  30 Jun

  Tanabata is one of Japan's five traditional festivals, the gosekku, celebrated on auspicious calendar days: 1/1, 3/3, 5/5, 7/7 and 9/9. Tanabata's date is 7/7 in the old moon calendar, but as 8/7 is closer to the old date, some Tanabata festivals are held in August rather than July.
  
  As in other cultures, in Japan, too, seven is a lucky figure, so 7/7 makes Tanabata doubly auspicious. Tanabata aptly combines a romantic Chinese folk legend with the native Japanese custom of exorcising contamination.
  
  
  [Tanabata in Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, Kyoto. Photo © Ad Blankestijn]
  
  Two stars, the Weaver Star (Vega in the constellation Lyra) and the Cowherd Star (Altair in the constellation Aquila), who are lovers, can only meet once a year on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month. The Vega and Altair stars indeed stand wide apart in the clear summer sky with the whole Milky Way (in Japan seen as a river, the River of Heaven) between them.
  
  Vega was imagined to be a girl working at a loom (and therefore associated with traditional skills for women as weaving and sewing) and the constellation Aquila in which Altair stands was seen as a boy leading two cows. Because their love led them to neglect their respective duties (the lone cows wandering forlorn over the Celestial Pasture), by order of the August Gods, the pair was only allowed to meet on seventh day of the seventh month, when magpies would form a bridge with their bodies and wings they could cross.
  
  But only on clear days: in case of rain, the River of Heaven would rise and make passage impossible so that the lovers would have to wait another whole year...
  
  "But (as Lafcadio Hearn remarks in his version of the legend) their love remains immortally young and eternally patient, and they are happy in their hope of being able to meet on the next seventh night of the next seventh month."
  
  
  [Tanabata in Fukushima]
  
  In Japan the Weaver Star was fused with the legend of the celestial weaving maiden Tanabatatsume, whose task was to make garments for the Heavenly Deities, working beside the Celestial River.
  
  Her name became the Japanese name of the festival, which was already observed at the Heian court.
  
  The cowherd became a deity, who after visiting the weaving maiden, would the next morning take all evil contamination with him. Therefore he also purifies the world below.
  
  So we have a Chinese legend overlaid with a Japanese one, and a lucky date overlaid with a purification festival.
  
  To further complicate matters, Tanabata also became associated with some of the practices involved in welcoming and seeing off the spirits of the ancestors, since it fell close to the time of the Buddhist Bon Festival.
  
  But there is nothing complicated about today's Tanabata. Since the Edo period, this important festival is just a children's pastime, although a fun one.
  
  A week or so before the festival, bamboo branches decorated with long narrow strips of colored paper and other small ornaments are displayed in front of homes, schools, Shinto shrines, and (increasingly) in shops.
  
  The paper strips (tanzaku) are inscribed with wishes, often of a romantic nature. I once attended a wedding party around this time, where all guests wrote a wish for the newly wedded pair on such a strip and attach it to the bamboo twigs.
  
  The cities of Sendai (on August 7) and Hiratsuka (July 7) are especially known for their elaborate Tanabata festivals.

  
  

   

• kinwashi

  2 Jul 12, 19:41

  good things alway must share.

   

  From Okinawa.

   

  Article source.

   

  Food from Okinawa

  16 Jun

  I love food from Okinawa, not only because it is supposed to be very healthy (Okinawa is called the "Land of Longevity"), but in the first place because it tastes so good! Like all culture on these tropical islands, the old Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawan cuisine contains elements of both China and Japan.
  
  My favorite Okinawan vegetable is the goya, a very bitter gourd that looks like a grotesque, extra knobbly cucumber. Goya can be eaten in salads, made into tempura, but the most common way is to use it in a stir-fried dish called goya-champuru. Besides goya, leeks and eggs are used, and lots of tofu. What is bitter, is good for you, so goya is thought to be the secret behind the Okinawans’ famous longevity.
  
  
  [Goya]
  
  Another favorite is rafuti, tender chunks of pork stewed in a sweet brown sauce made from miso, soy, sugar and awamori.
  
  Awamori is the national drink of Okinawa, a powerful distilled drink with alcohol percentages between 25 and 30. It is very fresh and tasty, too, as it contains a lot of citric acid. It is often drunk mixed with hot or cold water.
  
  The food that really suits awamori is my third Okinawan favorite: tofuyo. This is fermented tofu, super dense and concentrated. It tastes like a strong moldy cheese and is eaten in tiny bites. It marvelously complements the awamori! Okinawan food and awamori have become very popular in Japan and in all the big cities you can find Okinawan eateries and izakaya (bar-restaurants).

  
  

   

• kinwashi

  2 Jul 12, 20:45

  So where is the famous Chicken Rice?

   

  .Yes from Amami.

   

   something like this

   

  Chicken rice anyones.

   

  

• kinwashi

  2 Jul 12, 20:52

  what about this?

   

  Amami Chicken Rice.

   

  http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6Xk9Hf8v1pFuCiLV7Zotc78umChtZxBlf451isfet2w

   

  

• kinwashi

  2 Jul 12, 20:58

  Make famous from this island.... Kyushu.

   

  Amami Chicken Rice.

   

   

  http://web-japan.org/trends/09_food/jfd090924.html

   

   

   

  THE MANY SPLENDORS OF AMAMI OSHIMA

  Explore the Island's Rich Natural Surroundings

  

  Amami Oshima is surrounded by beautiful blue ocean. (C)Amami City

  Enlarge photo

  Amami Oshima is an island lying in the southwest of the Japanese archipelago, roughly 380 kilometers from the coast of Kyushu. Bounded by the Pacific to the east and the East China Sea to the west, Amami Oshima and its neighboring islands are surrounded by a vast expanse of ocean. The island is ringed by beautiful coral reefs, and the average yearly temperature is around 21 degrees Celsius. The mild climate enables visitors to enjoy a variety of recreational activities, including marine sports and camping. Recently, a large number of visitors were drawn to Amami Oshima by the chance to witness an extremely rare occurrence when, on July 22, 2009, a total solar eclipse passed over Japan for the first time in 46 years.

  

  Kinsakubaru virgin forest. (C)Amami City

  Enlarge photo

  Enjoying the Great OutdoorsAmami Oshima is the largest of the Amami Islands, which are dotted in an area of ocean around 370 to 560 kilometers to the southwest of Kagoshima, the southernmost city on Kyushu. There are seven other inhabited islands in the group, including Kakeromajima, Kikaijima, Tokunoshima, Okinoerabujima, and Yoronto, as well as numerous uninhabited islands. Amami Oshima is the largest of these and has a population of 70,000.

  Touching down at Amami Airport after the roughly two-and-a-half-hour flight from Tokyo, visitors are immediately struck by the vast expanse of lush green vegetation that dominates the island thanks to its subtropical climate. Leisure options are many and varied: maritime sports can be enjoyed in the clear, blue ocean; strolls through virgin mangrove forests offer the chance to see rare plant species; and camping excursions enable travelers to live among colorful flowers and rare birds and insects.

  The Kinsakubaru virgin forest, located roughly at the center of the island, is a place where visitors can fully appreciate the splendor of the island's subtropical broad-leaved trees. Guided treks are a great way to see the giant ferns that grow in great clusters and seem to blot out the sky with their enormous fronds.

  

  Ohama-kaihin Park. (C)Amami City

  Enlarge photo

  Enjoying the Spectacular WatersAmami Oshima is surrounded by coral reefs and sparkling cobalt blue waters, and fabulous beaches dot its shorelines. Scuba diving off the northern coast offers the chance to see dogtooth tuna and other large, migratory species of fish. In the southern waters lie stunning stretches of coral reef, in which one can observe anemone fish and other tropical species in close proximity. Near Amami City, meanwhile, is the beachfront Ohama-kaihin Park. In addition to being a great vantage point for watching the island's gorgeous sunsets, it is also one of the places where sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.

  The calm waters of the Oshima Strait, sandwiched between Amami Oshima's southern shoreline and neighboring Kakeromajima, are also a popular location for sea kayaking, an activity that enables participants to reach an idyllic stretch of beach to which there is no overland route.

  Diverse Local CuisineThe island offers a mouthwatering variety of unique local foods. Its passion fruit and mango, cultivated in the warm southern climate, are exceptionally delicious. Other famous foods include confections and other treats made with unrefined brown sugar, an island specialty made by squeezing juice from sugarcane plants and condensing it with heat. Sweet-toothed visitors find these confections irresistible. Those with a taste for spirits, meanwhile, are likely to enjoy the island's famous kokuto shochu, a variation of Japanese traditional distilled liquor made from brown sugar and rice koji (a starter used in the fermentation process, made by adding koji mold to steamed rice).

  

  Keihan. (C)Amami City

  Enlarge photo

  One simple yet tasty local dish becomes an instant favorite of many visitors. Keihan is made by pouring chicken broth flavored with soy sauce over rice topped with steamed chicken, sweet and spicy simmered shiitake mushrooms, thin strips of cooked egg, nori (dried seaweed), and other ingredients.

  Other island specialties include the skillfully woven and uniquely dyed oshima-tsumugi textiles, the production of which dates back more than 1,300 years. Oshima-tsumugi fabrics are famous for being used to make high-quality kimono.

  The island is also known for its shimauta (island songs), folk songs sung with accompaniment from the sanshin, a three-stringed musical instrument. In recent years several singers from Amami Oshima have gained fans nationwide for the distinctive singing that they honed during their time on this subtropical paradise. (September 2009)

  Page Top

  

  • SUBTROPICAL JAPAN (MARCH 2009)

  • Street Style
  • Japan Video Topics
  • Archives

   

• kinwashi

  3 Jul 12, 18:13

  Double confirms.

  My kakis and me.

  went to River Valley Road this morning.

  soon...we are on Japan highways.

  Already got this Permit today at AA office,

  given green light.

  for one year. haha.

  

• kinwashi

  3 Jul 12, 19:19

  Things to Do in Kagoshima.

   

  peoples reviews.

   

  what say you?

   

   

   

   

   

  The one and only sand bath in the world

  

  Helpfulness

  sanukseeker 64 reviews

  

  4 more images

  No visit to Kagoshima would be complete if one missed out on a side trip to Ibusuki which consists of Saraku, the one and only natural sand bath in the world. How would it feel like to be covered by warm sand all over my body, except for my head? Well, I can't quite imagine the sensation and hence, was determined to experience it for myself.
  
  Upon reaching there, I was directed to queue at the indoor sand bath, which was fine with me since I was wearing only a yukata, hardly adequate insulation against the bitter cold. Then, I was told to lie down while the workers there piled sand on top of me, leaving only my head exposed. Imagine rows of heads sticking out of the sand--it's a pretty amusing sight;).
  
  I had to resist the urge to move at first because it felt like the warm sand was scalding my body. But hang in there. It does get better when your body adjusts to the temperature. After that, just soak in the warmth of the sand--a welcomed respite from the cold--while grinning about how this bath would do your body some good. After all, it is said to stimulate the health and increase blood circulation. At least, that was how I spent my time.
  
  Since I find it hard to keep still in one position for a prolonged period of time, I got up after 10 mins, wanting to take a break and have another go. That was my MISTAKE. When I queued up, the attendant politely told me that everyone was entitled to have one dip in the sand. Once I got up, that was it. Darn! I wish I had known this. I could have easily lasted another 5-10 mins in the sand. So, don't make the same mistake like I did;).
  
  Aside: As you turn down Chou Dori to get to Saraku, check out the signs pointing towards a free foot bath besides the sea. It was therapeutic just feeling the sand beneath the feet while enjoying the view of the mountains in front of me. Don't miss it!

  Written Feb 25, 2012

  Phone: 0993-23-3900

  Website: http://www11.ocn.ne.jp/~saraku/

  
  
  Read more: http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Kagoshima_ken/Kagoshima-975542/Things_To_Do-Kagoshima-TG-C-1.html#ixzz1zYcwczU6

   

• kinwashi

  3 Jul 12, 19:24

  Things to Do in Kagoshima.

   

  Review.

   

   

  Sakurajima

  

  sanukseeker 64 reviews

  

  4 more images

  I think it's safe enough to say that Sakurajima is the no. 1 attraction in Kagoshima and suffice it to say that the 15-min ferry ride from the Sakurajima Ferry Terminal remains one of my highlights of my 7-month stay in Japan. It's awesome to witness its majesty from a distance and even more so when I edged closer and closer to the island.
  
  I didn't have a lot of time to explore Sakurajima but even just taking the Sakurajima Port--Yunohira Observatory Loop Bus (500 yen for adults) offered some interesting sights. Just be aware that the bus runs on a schedule--my friend and I didn't realise that and had to walk to the next stop to catch another bus consequently! 
  
  I really liked the quirky Sakurajima All-night Concert Memorial Monument that was built to commemorate one memorable night in which 75,000 people gathered for a rock concert. The expansive green space near it was gorgeous; I was contented just sitting on the fence and watching Kagoshima City. It was quiet there and hence, it was cool just deriving a sense of peace and getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
  
  Another highlight was Yunohira Observatory where an in-your-face view of Mount Sakurajima awaited you. Best to just hang loose and enjoy staring into nothingness/cam-whoring, depending on the kind of person you're. Grins.

  Updated Mar 3, 2012

  
  
  Read more: http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Kagoshima_ken/Kagoshima-975542/Things_To_Do-Kagoshima-TG-C-1.html#ixzz1zYdh1Td4

   

• kinwashi

  3 Jul 12, 19:27

   

  

  Chiran Peace Museum

  

  sanukseeker 64 reviews

  

  4 more images

  The Chiran Peace Museum is dedicated to the 1036 kamikaze pilots who sacrificed their lives by flying their bomb-laden planes into American ships. As such, this is not a visit for the faint-hearted but if you are curious to understand the frame of mind of these Japanese who knew that they did not have much longer to live, I would say this is a visit well worth your time.
  
  For starters, it is a super comprehensive museum, with photographs of the pilots (both individual and group), letters, signed declarations (some of which were written in blood) and other personal belongings. I would suggest that you get an audio guide for 300 yen; it comprises recordings that illustrate the lives of some of these pilots. Listening to these recordings while looking at the faces really brought home the poignancy of the situation for me. How would I react if I were in their position? Honestly speaking, I wouldn't know.
  
  I was struck by how serene they looked in the group photos. They looked so carefree in their shots of interacting with the villagers and horsing around with one another that you wouldn't think that these people were marching towards their deaths. After my visit, I Googled the Internet and it seemed that many of these young men were putting on a brave front and could only release their pent-up emotions by crying into their pillows at night. Nonetheless, these photos were a fine display of the Japanese psyche. Their sense of duty to their society and nation was both heartwarming and heartbreaking to witness.
  
  After your visit, be sure to have your lunch at the Tomiya Inn nearby. These pilots viewed the former owner, Tome Torihama as a surrogate mother and confided in her. At this inn, you can see some memorabilia that were from the film set of the 2007 movie "I go to die for you". It made my heart a little lighter, knowing that these young men--some of whom were only 17--had someone to rely on during their final days.

  Updated Mar 3, 2012

  Phone: 0993-83-2525

  Website: http://www.city.minamikyushu.lg.jp

  
  
  Read more: http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Kagoshima_ken/Kagoshima-975542/Things_To_Do-Kagoshima-TG-C-1.html#ixzz1zYecVNlh

   

• kinwashi

  3 Jul 12, 22:35

  Home Sweet Home.

   

   

  http://youtu.be/vDN3L621ASI

   

  another.

   

  http://youtu.be/11xs9mFKObs

• kinwashi

  4 Jul 12, 21:19

  A Life In Japan.

   

  video

  http://youtu.be/k_uzw1my_Ik

• kinwashi

  4 Jul 12, 21:21

  Another very interesting place in Japan.

   

  dare to venture.

   

   where?

  Aokigahara Forest.

   

   

  http://youtu.be/4FDSdg09df8

• kinwashi

  4 Jul 12, 21:27

  So see more 
  
  Aokigahara Forest.

   

   

  http://youtu.be/vdb_W593w9I

• kinwashi

  4 Jul 12, 21:28

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHD4nhlsAFo&feature=relmfu

   

   

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkGvn9XAhlQ&feature=relmfu

   

   

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btLGQl9dc_4&feature=relmfu

• kinwashi

  5 Jul 12, 22:31

  KYOTO is another best destination to explore in Japan.

   My recommendation.

  many interesting things over here.

   

  http://www.kyotoguide.com/ver2/event/event%20currentevent-.htm

   

  Home > Kyoto Annual Events - Current Events
  

  July Event Highlights
  *Time, dates and information of the events are subject to change. 
  
  Escape the Summer Heat in Kibune
  Kawadoko Dining, the Summer Retreat 
  
  
  
  Kibune is a mountain village nestled in a steep valley north of Kyoto that has long been used as a summer retreat for the residents of Kyoto. For summer, the area is known for its unique kawadoko restaurants where traditional Japanese tatami seats have been built above the Kibune River. Wooden platforms are built just slightly above the riverbed so that diners can enjoy the pleasant sounds of the stream flowing below them while savoring an exquisite kaiseki course meal. The majority of platforms are built in front of waterfalls, giving diners a mesmerizing view. 
  
  The waters that flow from the source of the Kibune River are very pure and cold. The river is home to ayu (sweet fish) and iwana (char), and in summer, the air is full of fireflies at night. After a short walk through the natural landscape of Kibune, from the Eizan Railway Kibuneguchi Station towards Kifune Shrine, you will see about 20 restaurants lining the path. In this natural setting at Kibune, the atmosphere is very special and the Kyoto cuisine is a true delight. 
  
  Spending a day or even two, in Kibune is a perfect retreat for those ready to enjoy a completely unique dining experience in Kyoto. A joyful train ride into the misty mountain area and pleasant walk in the forest to the restaurant area is yet another attraction. 
  
  Access to Kibune: Take the Eizan Railways train from Demachiyanagi Stn. and take the train heading for Kurama. The trains have panoramic windows and seats that face out so you can easily enjoy the view as the train snakes its way slowly up into the mountains. Get off at Kibuneguchi, the last stop before Kurama, and from there it is a pleasant 2-km walk up the valley, or a shuttle bus is available. 
  
  
  
   
  
  
  Until July 9
  Hydrangea Festival at Sanzen-in Temple
  This hydrangea festival is held in celebration of the 3,000 hydrangea bushes that bloom in this temple's famous garden in June and July; 700 yen; 8:30-17:00; Access: Kyoto Bus #17, 18, get off at Ohara; Tel: 075-744-2531; www.sanzenin.or.jp/
  
  
  Until July 17
  Bell Flower Viewing Party at Tentoku-in Temple in Tofuku-ji Temple
  Tentoku-in Temple is famous for its exquisite bell flowers; The contrast between the purple and white bell flowers and the temple's simple dry landscape garden creates a beautiful scene; Special Zen lunch (reservations required: 11:00-14:00; 3,000 yen); The temple will also be open at night until 20:30; 500 yen; Access: Kyoto City Bus #208, get off at Tofukuji; Tel: 075-561-5239;www.tentokuin.jp
  
  
  Until Sept. 17
  Ukai Cormorant Fishing in Arashiyama
  
  Ukai is a traditional fishing method in which cormorants (large diving birds) are used to catch sweet river fish or ayu; Carried out on the Oi River, this event is one of the most popular summer tourist attractions in Arashiyama; Adults: 1,700 yen, children (4-12 years old): 850 yen; 19:00-21:00; Boat ride: 19:00 & 20:00 (after Sept. 1: 18:30 & 19:30); Access: Kyoto City Bus #28, get off at Arashiyama Koen; Arashiyama Tsusen: Tel: 075-861-0302. 
  
  
  Until Dec. 29
  Sagano Sightseeing Tram Ride
   
  The Sagano Sightseeing Tram route (7.3 km) runs from Saga to Kameoka along a gorgeous river gorge and passes through 8 old tunnels; No service on Wed. (except for holidays and tourist season); Tickets: 600 yen (one way); Access: JR Saga Arashiyama Stn.; Sagano Kanko Tetsudo: Tel: 075-861-7444;www.sagano-kanko.co.jp/ 
  
  
  Until Nov. 30
  Hozugawa Kudari River Run
  
  The Hozugawa Kudari is a river ride that goes from Kameoka to Arashiyama, Kyoto (about 16 km in 2 hours) along a stunning river gorge of rapids with wonderful mountain views; Boats depart every hour between 9:00-14:00 (the last boat departs at 15:30); Tickets: 3,900 yen; Access: an 8-min. walk from the north exit of JR Sagano Line Kameoka Stn.; Hozugawa Yusen Association: Tel: 0771-22-5846; www.hozugawakudari.jp/
  
  
  July 1
  Mitoshiroe Ritual at Kamigamo Shrine
  During the Mitoshiroe Ritual (from 10:00), farmers pray for the removal of harmful insects in their rice paddies; After the ritual, from 13:00, noh and kyogen performances by Kanze and Okura schools at held at Chono-ya Hall; Access: Kyoto City Bus #4 get off at Kamigamo-jinja-mae or #9 get off at Kamigamo Misonobashi; Tel: 075-781-0011; www.kamigamojinja.jp/ 
  
  
  July 7
  Mitarashi Festival and Tanabata Festival at Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine
  
  From 10:00, many stalls selling food, vegetables, and tools related to the deity are set up in front of the shrine; A special Tanabata dance is performed from 13:30; Access: Kyoto City Bus #50, get off at Kitano Tenmangu-mae; Tel: 075-461-0005;kitanotenmangu.or.jp/
  
  
  July 7 
  Tanabata Festival at Jishu Shrine
  This shrine is home to the Deity of Love; On this day, many people come here to write their names on paper dolls which they hang on a special bamboo tree as a way of praying for good relationships and romantic encounters; 300 yen (to enter Kiyomizu Temple); Access: Kyoto City Bus #206, get off at Kiyomizu-michi; Tel: 075-541-2097.
  
  
  July 7 & 8
  Tanabata Festival at Kodai-ji Temple
  A big, colorfully decorated bamboo tree is set in the precinct from 9:00 to 17:00; After the sunset, the temple is lit up; 500 yen; Access: Kyoto City Bus #206, get off at Higashiyama Yasui; Tel: 075-561-9966; www.kodaiji.com/
  
  
  July 9
  Kibune Water Festival at Kifune Shrine 
  
  During this ritual prayers are offered to the Deity of Rain; After the ceremony, matcha green tea will be served to visitors; Until Aug. 15, an elegant night time scene is created with lanterns in the shrine precinct; Access: Kyoto City Bus #4, get off at Demachiyanagi-eki-mae and take Eizan Railways to Kibune-guchi Stn.; Tel: 075-741-2016. 
  
  
  July 9-12
  Pottery Memorial Ceremony and Market at Senbon Shaka-do Temple
  During this festival people offer thanks at this temple for the pottery they are using in their daily lives (ceremony is from 14:00 on the 10th); A lively pottery market is held in the precinct of the temple during this festival; 10:00-20:00; Access: Kyoto City Bus #50, get off at Kamishichiken; Tel: 075-461-5973.
  
  
  July 21 & 27
  Cucumber Purification at Jinko-in Temple
  In this cucumber purification ritual (7:30-16:30), people come to this temple and write the name of their illness on a special piece of prayer paper and wrap it around a cucumber; The cucumber is then brought home and rubbed on the body and buried in the ground (to remove illness); 1,500 yen for cucumber and prayer; Access: Kyoto City Bus #9, get off at Jinkoin-mae; Tel: 075-491-4375.
  
  
  July 21 & 22
  Yoi-miya and Motomiya Festival at Fushimi Inari Shrine
  
  During the Yoi-miya Festival (July 21) and Motomiya Festival (July 22), Inari Shrine worshippers from all over Japan visit the shrine's headquarters to pray; At night, a number of lanterns in the precinct will be lit up; Access: JR Nara line, Inari Stn. or Keihan Fushimi Inari Stn.; Tel: 075-641-7331; inari.jp/
  
  
  July 25
  Shishigatani Pumpkin Service at Anraku-ji Temple
  
  Pumpkin service and special public opening of the temple's treasures; On this day, temple visitors are given some cooked pumpkin as a way to keep illness away; 500 yen; 9:00-15:00; Access: Kyoto City Bus #5, get off at Kinrinshako-mae; Tel: 075-771-5360.
  
  
  July 25
  Temple Treasure Airing at Shinnyo-do Temple
  On this day, a special ceremony is held and roughly 200 of the temple's treasures are aired out and displayed to the public; Biwa (loquat) tea is served free of charge throughout the day; 9:00-15:00; Access: Kyoto City Bus #5, get off at Shinnyodo-mae; 500 yen (canceled in the event of rain); Tel: 075-771-0915; shin-nyo-do.jp/
  
  
  July 26 & 27
  Cucumber Purification at Gochizan Renge-ji Temple
  In this ceremony people write their name and age on a cucumber; It is believed that illness can be overcome by first rubbing the cucumber on the body and then burying it in the ground; 1,000 yen (including cucumber); July 26th: 12:00-20:00, 27th: 6:00-18:00; Access: Kyoto City Bus #26, get off at Omuro Ninnaji; Tel: 075-462-5300.
  
  
  July 26-29
  Mitarashi Festival at Shimogamo Shrine
  
  In the popular Mitarashi Festival, people put their feet in the cool waters of the stream running through the shrine and pray for a healthy life; 5:30-22:30; Access: Kyoto City Bus #205, get off at Shimogamo-jinja-mae; 200 yen; Tel: 075-781-0010;www.shimogamo-jinja.or.jp/
  
  
  July 31
  Sennichi Mairi Thousand-time Shrine Visit at Atago Shrine
  
  On the night of the 31st many people walk up Mount Atago to visit Atago Shrine (home to the Deity of Fire Protection); It is believed that a shrine visit on this night is equivalent to 1,000 visits; A special ceremony at the shrine begins at 21:00; Access: Kyoto Bus get off at Kiyotaki; Tel: 075-861-0658; www.atago-jinja.com