Kinwashi Tour Japan Thread

• kinwashi

  5 Feb 16, 21:16

  

  NATIONAL

  Mount Sakurajima erupts in fiery blast

  Mount Sakurajima, a volcano that overlooks the city of Kagoshima, erupted Friday with a fiery blast that sent lava rolling down its slope. The Japan Meteorological Agency said Sakurajima, which is about 50 km from Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai nuclear plant in Kagoshima ...

• kinwashi

  5 Feb 16, 21:20

  Families near Japanese volcano Sakurajima evacuated as major eruption level raised

  PUBLISHED : Saturday, 15 August, 2015, 10:13pm

  UPDATED : Sunday, 16 August, 2015, 6:38am

  
  

  1. Feb 2016

  • 

  An aerial view shows Mt. Sakurajima in Kagoshima, southwestern Japan. Photo: Kyodo

  Residents near the Sakurajima volcano on Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island, evacuated to safer places Saturday after the government raised its alert level to 4 on a 5-point scale, indicating a major eruption could be imminent.

  Level 4 is the highest ever for Sakurajima, located just 4 kilometres away from the centre of the major southern port city of Kagoshima, since the current volcanic alert system was launched in 2007.

  Kyushu Electric Power's Sendai nuclear power plant, which Tuesday became the first to be rebooted under tighter safety rules adopted in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, is located just 50km from the volcano. No abnormality has been reported at the plant.

  The alert was raised to 4, meaning people living in the area should prepare to evacuate, from 3, which restricts entry to the mountain area. In response, the Kagoshima city government issued an evacuation advisory for areas near the mountain, affecting 77 residents, all of whom left the areas by evening.

  Workers at Kyushu Electric Power'ss Sendai nuclear plant in Satsumasendai, southwestern Japan, applaud as the company begins supply of electricity generated by nuclear power on Friday. Photo: Kyodo.

  Many earthquakes originating from the volcano have been recorded since 7am Saturday and an increase in crustal movement was also observed, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, adding those are signs indicating magma has risen to near the volcanic vent.

  The agency warned of the possibility of an eruption emitting large amounts of ash and pyroclastic flows within 3 km from Sakurajima’s Showa vent and the Minamidake summit.

  “It would be no surprise if it were to erupt at any moment,” an agency official said.

  The meteorological agency believes an eruption of similar magnitude to one in 1986 may occur. Six people were injured by the 1986 eruption which emitted large amounts of volcanic ash that fell on residential areas up to 3km away.

  But the agency has not observed signs indicating a surge of magma equivalent to an eruption in 1914, in which 58 people died or went missing. Sakurajima was an island until the 1914 eruption, which emitted so much material as to join the volcano to Kyushu.

  Demonstrators protest against the restart of the nuclear reactor, in front of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's official residence in Tokyo earlier this month. Photo: EPA

  There have been some 690 eruptions from the Showa vent of the 1,117-metre volcano since the start of this year, with the plume reaching an altitude of some 4,300 metres on May 21.

  The volcano last had a major eruption in August 2013, spewing volcanic ash 5,000 metres into the sky.

  Evacuees moved to evacuation centres set up by the city government or other places including relatives’ homes.

  Residents carrying luggage were seen arrived at the centres after the evacuation advisory was issued.

  “I’m concerned if an eruption may damage my home,” said Yoshiko Ikeda, 87.

  “I have lived in Sakurajima for more than 50 years but have not imagined we would have to evacuate,” Emiko Miyashita, 80, said.

  The city government displayed the alert in Japanese and English in electric boards at the ferry landing as foreigners in the area may not have reached the information.

• kinwashi

  5 Feb 16, 21:27

  Breaking News Today.

   

   

   

  Sakurajima volcano (Japan): new vulcanian explosion this morning

  Fri, 5 Feb 2016, 10:38

  

  Eruption of Sakurajima volcano this morning (NHK)

  After several months of unusual calm, the volcano had a moderately strong vulcanian explosion from the Showa crater this morning. An ash plume rose to approx. 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude.

  Until the end of Sep 2015, Sakurajima had been producing such explosions, of varying intensity, at rates of typically 3-5 or more per day. This activity ceased around 28 Sep 2015 and until now, the volcano had only manifested surface activity in the form of minor ash emissions, degassing, as well as, very rarely, minor explosions. Whether the volcano is back to its previously typical behavior with more frequent and stronger explosions, as it had been during most of the recent years, remains to be seen. [less]
• kinwashi

  5 Feb 16, 21:28

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• kinwashi

  5 Feb 16, 21:32

  • Only a few spots is enough, for Sakurajima.

     

    http://www.travel-around-japan.com/k97-02-sakurajima.html

     

    Popular spots in Sakurajima

    • Yunohira observatory /1/  : Yunohira is a small peak 373 meters high, and is located about 2.5 km west of Kitadake peak.
      It is the popular observatory to see the main peaks of Sakurajima at a short distance.
    • Kurokami buried Torii Gate /2/  : Kurokami is a district on the east side of Sakurajima.
      The eruption in 1914, a volume of volcanic ashes filled this district. The Torii gate about 3 meters high in the Shinto shrine also was filled almost-totally.
      It has been preserved to transmit the intensity of the eruption to posterity.
    • Arimura observatory /3/  : It is the observatory on the south foot of the volcano.
      The lava flown down by the eruption in 1914 formed the rough field.
      A walking trail is set up.
    Edited by kinwashi 15 Sep `12, 7:49PM
  • 15 Sep `12, 7:51PM

    Sakurajima volcano

    Sakurajima is an active volcano, and is just east of central Kagoshima city.

    It is a volcano towering in the center of Kagoshima Bay, and was originally a volcanic island.
    The volcanic activity started about 22 thouthand years ago, and the volcano is still very active.
    Since recorded history, it has erupted more than 30 times. Especially, the eruptions in the 1470s, 1780s and 1914 were very great.

    The eruption in 1914 changed the map of Kagoshima.
    The lava flowed down to the east and filled the narrow channel.
    At last, the volcano island had attached to Oosumi Peninsula.
    Over 1 meters of The volcanic ashes fell around the volcano, and the agricultural crops were completely destroyed.

    "Sakurajima" is the name of the volcanic island.
    It is about 12 km from east to west and about 10 km from north to south in width.
    The formal name of the volcano is "Ontake".
    Ontake has main 3 peaks. They are Kitadake (1,117 m), Nakadake (1,060 m) and Minamidake (1,040 m).

    Small villages are dotted along the coastline.
    And farming is run on the land of volcanic ashes.
    Sakurajima-daikon is a huge and turnip-shaped radish. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest radish.
    Sakurajima-komikan is a small mikan (seedless and easy-peeling citrus) within 5 centimeters. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's smallest mikan.

    To visit Sakurajima, the ferry connects between Kagoshima Port and Sakurajima Port on the west coast of Sakurajima.
    It is operated frequently, and it takes only 15 minutes.

  • 15 Sep `12, 7:53PM

    http://www.travel-around-japan.com/k97-01-kagoshima.html

     

    Popular spots in Kagoshima city

    • Museum of Meiji Restoration /1/  : The museum introducing Meiji Restoration around 1868 and Satsuma Domain.
      The images and documents about advanced Satsuma Domain and samurais are displayed.
    • Toshimichi Ookubo statue /2/  : The bronze statue of Toshimichi Ookubo.
      He was a samurai born in Kagoshima city, and was one of the persons who overthrew feudal Edo government and founded the Meiji government in 1868.
      He hold important positions such as Minister of Finance and Interior Minister, but he was assassinated in 1878.
    • Takamori Saigou statue /3/  : The bronze statue of Takamori Saigou.
      He was a samurai born in Kagoshima city, and was one of the persons who overthrew feudal Edo government and founded the Meiji government in 1868. And he became the General.
      But considerable disagreement about foreign policy occured, so he went into opposition in 1873.
      He founded a private school in Kagoshima, and many hot-blooded young men gathered.
      However, the members who had aggravated a grievance against the government rose in revolt in 1877.
      When the revolt was suppressed by government troops, Saigou chose death at Shiroyama hill.
    • Saigou Cave /4/  : The cave where Takamori Saigou died in 1877.
      He had stayed in this cave for his last 5 days in the revolt against the government.
      Saigou and his last troop had taken refuge in this cave. Many of his partisans had already been killed, so he admited his defeat there.
      And he ordered his friend to cut off his head. He was gone by his friend's sword.
    • Shiroyama observatory /5/  : Shiroyama is a hill located to the north of central Kagoshima city.
      Kagoshima Castle was set up on this hill from 1601 to 1614.
      And Saigou troop was destroyed here in 1877.
      The hill is 107 meters high, and the observatory has a nice view of central Kagoshima, Kagosima Bay and Sakurajima.
    • Nanshu Cemetery /6/  : Nanshu is the art-name of Takamori Saigou. (Nanshu Saigou)
      This cemetery has 2,032 tombs of the members of Saigo troop. Saigou's tomb is in the center of the cemetery.
      Around this cemetery, there are Nanshu Shrine and Nanshu Memorial Museum.
    • Sengan-en garden /7/  : The ruin of Shimazu family's villa and its Japanese garden.
      The garden was built in 1658.
      It is about 5 hectares wide, and is near Kagoshima Bay.
      Sakurajima and Kagoshima Bay are its borrowed landscape.
    • Shouko-shuuseikan /8/  : The museum introducing Shimazu family and local industries in Kagoshima.
      The building was built as a machine factory by Nariakira Shimazu in 1865 during a period of national isolation.
      It is in the site of Sengan-en.
    • Board Walk /9/  : The promenade along Kagoshima Port.
      The trails are made of many wooden boards.
      It is the nice scenic spot on the waterfront.
    • Tenmonkan /10/  : The downtown of Kagoshima city. It is also the largest downtown in the southern Kyushu Island.
      There are many shops and restaurants.
      Many streets have arcades to protect against volcanic ash and strong sunlight.
    Edited by kinwashi 15 Sep `12, 7:53PM
  • 15 Sep `12, 7:54PM

    Kagoshima city

    Kagoshima city is the capital of Kagoshima Prefecture, and is located roughly in the center of the prefecture.
    It has a population of over 600 thousand people, so it is the largest city in the southern part of Kyushu island.

    It is on the east side of Satsuma Peninsula, and faces Kagoshima Bay.
    Straight in front of the downtown, we can see activeSakurajima volcano. Often its volcanic ash comes down in this city.

    The scenery that an active volcano is close to a large coastal city is similar to Naples (Napoli) in Italy.
    So Kagoshima is sometimes called the "Napoli of the Orient".

    (Kagoshima city has "Napoli Street", and Napoli city has "Kagoshima Street" (Via Kagoshima).
    Kagoshima has a sister city relationship with Napoli.)

    In the middle of the 14th century, Shimazu Family built a castle, and this city had developed since that.

    In 1549, Francisco de Xavier (1506-1552) from the Society of Jesus landed here, and he first intoduced Christianity to Japan.

    In the middle of the 19th century, Nariakira Shimazu (1809-1858, the 28th lord of Shimazu Family) generated some industries using the Western advanced technology during a period of national isolation.
    He constructed reverberatory furnace and blast furnace, then form the foundation of modern industrialized nation.
    The advanced culture created many progressive samurai, so they overthrew the feudal government.
    Takamori Saigou (1828-1877) and Toshimichi Ookubo (1830-1878) were the prominent samurais and politicians.

    Kagoshima had been a castle town, but the old town had been destroyed by the bomberment by Britain in 1863, the civil war in 1877 and the air laid in 1945 during the World War II.
    So this city hasn't many historical spots.

  • 15 Sep `12, 7:57PM

    http://www.travel-around-japan.com/k97-01-kagoshima.html  
    Photo by Kagoshima City 
    Photo by Railstation.net 
    Photo by Kagoshima City 
    ©JNTO 
    Photo by Kagoshima City   
    ©Kagoshima Prefectural Tourist Federation/©JNTO 
    Photo by Kagoshima City 
    Photo by Kagoshima City  
    Photo by Kagoshima City

• kinwashi

  6 Feb 16, 22:42

  Sakurajima Volcano Erupts Spectacularly In Southern Japan

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  Published on Friday, 05 February 2016 19:21

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  Lightning flashes above flowing lava as Sakurajima, a well-known volcano, erupts Friday evening in southern Japan. Japan's Meteorological Agency said Sakurajima on the island of Kyushu erupted at around 7 p.m. (1000 GMT). (Kyodo News via AP)

  TOKYO: One of Japan's most active volcanos erupted spectacularly Friday evening with a fiery blast that sent lava rolling down its slope.

  Japan's Meteorological Agency said Sakurajima on the southern island of Kyushu erupted at around 7 p.m. (1000 GMT).

  Japanese television showed an orange burst out of the side of the volcano, near the summit, accompanied by lightning-like flashes. Dark gray smoke billowed into the sky.

  The Meteorological Agency banned entry to the area, expanding an existing no-go zone around the crater to a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) radius, according to public broadcaster NHK. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

  Friday's eruption, while dramatic, was average compared to Sakurajima's past eruptions, Kyoto University volcanologist Kazuhiro Ishihara told NHK. The mountain's last major eruption was in September.

  He said rocks spewing out of the crater were expected to fall within the 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) zone from the crater. Smoke and ash rose 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) into the air, about half the height measured in 2013 in one of the mountain's biggest explosions in recent years, he said.

  "I don't think there will be any serious impact from the explosion," Ishihara said. "But of course we must keep monitoring the volcanic activity."

  The Japanese archipelago sits atop the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin, and has more than 100 volcanoes. The 2014 eruption of Mount Ontake in central Japan killed 57 people.

   

   

   

  --AP

• kinwashi

  6 Feb 16, 22:47

  AMAZING GIANT RADISHES

  BY JENNIE LONDON

  

  The Sakurajima Radish is known as the “Largest Radish in the World.” It has produced radishes at a standard weight of 13 pounds and is capable of reaching 100 pounds! This traditional variety of daikon radish has a round basketball-like shape, unlike its longer and skinnier daikon relatives. Daikon radishes were introduced to Japan over 1,300 years ago, and there are over 120 varieties with unique characteristics cultivated regionally. During the Edo Period (1603-1868), daikons became extremely popular, and today 90% of daikons are produced and consumed in Japan. However, the regional varieties have slowly been replaced by the F1 hybrid variety called Aokubi. Aokubi and other F1 hybrids now account for the majority of the daikon production. 

  The Sakurajima Radish represents one of the few regionally cultivated varieties of daikon still being grown in Japan. Named after its place of cultivation, the former island of Sakurajima in Japan's Kagoshima Prefecture, the radish is thought to have been grown since at least 1804 and most likely before this date. Sakurajima was the southern most island in the Kagoshima Prefecture with volcanic soils where rice would not thrive. In place of rice, the mammoth white radish was grown in mass amounts as a commercial crop and hauled to Kagoshima City to trade for straw. At the height of its production, as much as 500 acres would be planted each year.  

  

  Although the region has a long history of volcanic activity that began to impact the production of this magnificent radish. Sakurajima is a composite of mountains with three peaks that express volcanic activity. The first recorded volcanic eruption occurred in 963 A.D. Smaller eruptions occur constantly. Sometimes 1,000 eruptions can occur in a year, although larger eruptions have been recorded in the 1400s, 1700s and more recently in 1914. 

  

  1914 volcanic eruption at Sakurajima in Kyushu, Japan

  The 1914 eruption instigated lava flows that lasted for months. The lava connected Sakurajima Island to the Osumi Penninsula by a thin isthmus, attaching it to the main land and taking away its island status. The enormity of the 1914 eruption significantly decreased the land available to grow the staple crop. Since 1955, ash has been dropping consistently and has created challenging growing conditions. As a result, the growing area was decreased to as little as 3.5 acres by 2001. In August of 2015, the Japanese Meteorological Agency gave the volcano a Level 3 (Orange Alert), warning people that the volcano is active and should not be approached.

  As a traditional crop, it continues to have a key role in Japanese cuisine. Sakurajima Radish can be pickled in a salt brine and used as a tsukemono, or “pickled things.” The large radish is known for having a sweeter and firmer flesh than other daikon varieties. It also stores well in potato-like storage conditions. Therefore, it is well suited for simmering and for being used in soups, as it will keep its structure and firm texture. While the Sakurajima Radish is no longer a key commercial crop of the region, it remains a beloved traditional crop. Recently the growing area has begun to expand again for its production.

• kinwashi

  6 Feb 16, 22:54

  Source.

  http://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en/special_kagoshima-city04.html

   

   

  Despite being a southern country, Sakurajima Island does get snow, and if you travel a little further you can see 10 thousand cranes and frost-covered trees. Kagoshima is filled with beauty in the winter and turns into a flower-filled paradise in the spring. Let’s take a closer look at the beautiful nature in Kagoshima!

   

  It snows in the southern country! Sakurajima Island in winter

  

  The winter monsoon that blows in from the East China Sea brings snow into the usually warm Kagoshima City. Seeing Sakurajima Island covered with snow is a winter tradition in Kagoshima City.

  Yunohira Observatory(top) and Arimura Lava Observatory in a field of lava

  Sakurajima Island has one of the most active volcanos in the world. The mountain has three main peaks: Kita-dake, the northern peak which stands at 1,117m tall, Naka-dake, the middle peak standing at 1,060m and Minami-dake, the southern peak which reaches 1,040m. The “Yunohira Observatory”, located in the forth station of Kita-dake, is the closest place to the crater that is accessible to the public. Here you can see the marks of volcanic activity carved into the rough surface of Kita-dake and in the field of lava rocks strewn below.

  “Arimura Lava Observatory”, located at the foot of Minami-dake, is a place where you can actually feel the volcano. You can hear the rumbling of the crater and see the unusual scenery woven by the field of lava rocks and black pine trees.

  “Sakurajima Visitor Center” is a mini museum where you can experience the history of Sakurajima Island and understand the mechanism of a volcano through high-definition monitors and dioramas. The center sells souvenirs that you can only find in Sakurajima Island, such as bowls of Sakurajima Yoganyaki-ware. Be sure to stop by when you visit Sakurajima Island.

  • Sakurajima Visitor Center

  The volcanic island which is home to both the largest and the smallest in the world.

  Sakurajima is home to about 4,500 people who co-exists with a volcano; a rarity in this world. Making use of the unique features of the land, the people of Sakurajima are growing the largest and heaviest Japanese radishes and one of the smallest kinds of oranges in the world.

  

  The heaviest Japanese radish in the world is “Sakurajima Daikon”, which grows large in heavily pumice-laden soil. The Guinness World Record holder weighs 31.1kg (about 68.6 pound) and measures 119cm (about 46.8 inches) around the middle.

  One of the smallest kinds of oranges in the world is the “Sakurajima Komikan”, which can be as small as 5cm (about 2 inches) in diameter. Despite their size, they are very sweet and grow abundantly. Several hundred kilograms of these can be harvested from a single tree from late November to late December.

  

  Enjoy running with the beautiful scenery of Sakurajima Island

  

  Every December, participants can take part in the popular “Running Sakurajima” event. There are 3 courses: 5km (about 3.1 miles), 10km (about 6.2 miles) and half marathon. All courses are fully-equipped with a first-aid station, so even beginners can enjoy running safely.

  The “Kagoshima Marathon”, which will be held for the first time on March 6, 2016, is “a marathon race to feel everything about Kagoshima”. The race runs along Kinko Bay and through Tenmonkan, the biggest business street in southern Kyushu, and “Shuseikan”, a World Heritage Site. Both of these events will be accepting applications for their next race this summer. Applicants from overseas are welcome.

  • Kagoshima Marathon

  Let’s go see 10,000 cranes!

  

  • Kagoshima Prefecture

  

  When visiting Kagoshima in winter, head a little outside of Kagoshima City to see 10,000 cranes. The Arasaki area in Izumi City is located about 25 minutes from Kagoshima-Chuo Sta. by Shinkansen and is home to one of the largest populations of overwintering cranes in the world. Cranes start arriving around late October when the rice farming season ends, and by mid-November the rice paddies and vegetable fields along the ocean are filled with over 10,000 cranes, including hooded cranes and white-necked cranes.

  The Izumi City Crane Observation Center is open for a limited time every year from November 1st to the 4th Sunday in March. The Centre helps visitors get up close to observe the ecology of cranes and watch them dance and eat. At “Izumi City Crane Museum, Crane Park Izumi”, you can learn about cranes and the relationship between cranes and humans. From December 1st to the end of February, a sightseeing bus runs between Izumi Sta. and both the Observation Center and the Museum. A discount ticket set (adult 1,000 yen) is also available.

  • Cranes in Izumi City

  

  Izumi City is located near the boundary between Kagoshima Pref. and Kumamoto Pref. and many country samurai (warriors who were engaged in farming during peacetime) lived there during the period of the Satsuma Domain. Today their residences remain exactly as they were at that time. Many tourists take advantage of a tour package which includes both a walking tour of the town and a tea ceremony in kimono (5,500 yen). The package has the added benefit of including a kimono and an obi (a belt) as a present.

  Take a sightseeing tour around the town in an ox-drawn carriage

  • Izumi City Samurai Residences
  • Kimono Experience(Japanese)

  See frost-covered trees in Kirishima Kogen Highland

  Frost-covered trees of Mt. Karakuni

  In the Kirishima mountain range that spreads over the boundary between Kagoshima Pref. and Miyazaki Pref., you can sometimes see frost-covered trees between December and March.

  Mt. Karakuni (1,700m) is especially famous for frost-covered trees and is a highly popular destination for trekking courses in the winter. The area around Lake Onamiike (1,241m), the highest crater lake in Japan, is also famous for frost-covered trees and the path to the top of the mountain is well maintained, making it easy for beginners to hike up the trail.

  Lake Onamiike surrounded by frost-covered trees

  The area around the “Ebino Eco Museum” in the Ebino Kogen Highland on the west side of the Kirishima mountain range is another famous spot for frost-covered trees. If the conditions, including the temperature and fog, are right, you can see frost-covered trees after a 5 to 10 minutes walk from the museum. You do not need hiking gear as long as you have a snowsuit. There is a bus that takes you to Ebino Kogen Highland from Kirishima Jingu Sta. on the JR Nippo Line.

  • Ebino Eco Museum Center

  

  The Takachiho Farm at the foot of the Kirishima mountain range is highly recommended for families. You can see cows and sheep in a vast natural setting and experience milking and making butter.

  

  Hitsujigaoka Observation Deck, which commands a view of Sakurajima Island and Kinko Bay on a sunny day, is a popular spot for couples. The saying goes that any couple who sees Sakurajima Island from the observation deck will be together for a long time.

  • Takachiho Farm (Japanese)

  

  The huge camphor tree in the Kamou Hachiman Jinja Shrine in Aira City next to Kagoshima City is lush and green even in the winter. This tree, estimated to be 1,500 years old, is the biggest camphor tree in Japan, at 30m tall and measuring 24.2m around the trunk. The spot where it grows is known as one which flows with mystical energy.

  • Huge camphor tree in Kamou (Japanese)

  Let’s go to see the spring flowers a step ahead!

  Rape blossom field by Lake Ikeda

  Although it does snow in the winter, Kagoshima is still the southernmost prefecture of mainland Japan. Spring arrives early and you can enjoy a variety of spring flowers from late January to April and May.

  The area around Mt. Kaimon, which is called “Satsuma Fuji” because of its beautiful shape resembling Mt. Fuji, is a famous spot for rape blossoms and the entire foot of the mountain is awash in yellow in January and February. The rape blossom field by Lake Ikeda, the biggest lake in Kyushu at 15km (about 9.3 miles) in circumference and 233m (about 764 feet) in depth, is a great place for photos.

  • Rape blossoms in Ibusuki

  White-eye sucking the nectar of Taiwan cherry blossoms

  There are 14 flights per day from Kagoshima Airport to Amami Oshima. In early January, Taiwan cherry blossoms with gorgeous deep pink flowers start to bloom and in February you can enjoy flower-viewing in the “Amami Natural Forest” in Tatsugo Town.

  

  “Yoshino Park” in Kagoshima City is a flower park with about 70,000 trees. Of the 140 different kinds of trees there, about 800 trees make up 12 different kinds of cherry blossoms. Cherry blossom viewing starts as early as February and lasts until May, but the peak viewing time is in early April. The contrast between the late-blooming cherry blossoms and colorful azaleas is quite vivid.

  The cherry blossoms of Isoyama are only open to the public during cherry blossom season

  “Isoyama” is situated next to “Sengan-en Garden (Iso-Teien)”, a popular tourist spot in Kagoshima City, and is only open to the public during the cherry blossom season. This garden of cherry blossoms has been carefully protected since the times when samurais ruled (12th century – 19th century).

  • Cherry blossoms of Isoyama (Japanese)

  

  The last of the spring flowers to bloom are the Kyushu azaleas, which bloom on a high mountain in Kyushu. The best time to see them is from late May to early June in Ebino Kogen Highland and from early June to late June at the top of Mt. Karakuni.

  

  Yakushima Island is a place where you can fully enjoy the rich and beautiful nature and is registered as a World Natural Heritage Site. It is situated 60km (about 37.3 miles) to the south of the southernmost tip of Kyushu. Almost all the areas of Yakushima Island are mountainous and the climate is vertically distributed. Mountaintops, such as Mt. Miyanoura (1,936m) (about 6,351 feet) the highest peak in Kyushu, are cool temperate zones where the temperature is lower than that in the northern areas of Sapporo in Hokkaido. Conversely the foot of the mountain is essentially a subtropical zone.

• kinwashi

  9 Feb 16, 12:16

  Source Japan Realm

   

  February 8, 2016   Cuisine, Entertainment   0 Comments

  Japan Getting First Sakura Pepsi in Preparation for Cherry Blossom Season

  

  Despite Japan making a sakura “cherry blossom” flavored and colored everything, this is actually their first rendezvous with the Pepsi soda.

  In Japan there’s sakura flavored Kit-Kats, cookies, French fries, frappuccino, cake, popcorn, mochi, ice cream, *takes breath* energy drinks, tea, and potato chips. So why on Earth is there no Sakura Pepsi? Well, finally, it has arrived and it is crafted by Japan’s infamous company, Suntory.

  Personally I think my favorite Japanese soda is still Lemon & Lime Coke, but I am more than open to trying Japan’s new Sakura Pepsi.

  

  The soft drink will be available to Japan in various locations across the nation beginning on March 8th, just in time to prepare for the blossoming of the cherry blossoms. As reported by Suntoryand Rocketnews24, the black, pink, and white bottled drink decorated in sakura pedals will have a sweet sakura aroma and taste.

  Sakura Pepsi will be retailing at 140 yen (US$1.20) each, which will only be purchasable throughout the spring/cherry blossom season in Japan.

  Japanese Pepsi Co. and Suntory, if you can hear me, just know that I’d be honored to review this soda to help spread the fantastic cherry blossom culture internationally. Okay, honestly my curiosity is just killing me and I want a flower inspired Pepsi..

• kinwashi

  9 Feb 16, 12:21

  

  Chocolate ramen from Mensho Tokyo. Photo: Twitter

  FOOD

  Home

  Food

  Japanese chef creates chocolate ramen for Valentine’s Day

  FEBRUARY 8, 2016 FOOD, FOOD NEWS

  BY AGENCY

• kinwashi

  9 Feb 16, 12:25

  Life | Fri Feb 5, 2016 11:49am EST

  A sweet treat for Valentine's Day? Chocolate ramen

      TOKYO - Chocolates are a must for most on Valentine's Day and one Japanese restaurant is taking it further by offering ramen, the popular noodles in soup dish, with generous servings of the confectionary.

      At Mensho Tokyo, noodles are served in a lamb broth, with savory ingredients such as slices of pork, spring onions, black pepper and -- chocolate.

      "The ramen tastes of chocolate when you eat the chocolate part, but after mixing it well, it becomes a new dish with a balance in the flavor of the chocolate and the soup," store manager Yoshitaka Ando said.

      "It not only creates an unusual ramen but one that is also delicious."

• kinwashi

  9 Feb 16, 12:28

   

  • LIFESTYLE

  A sweet treat for Valentine's Day? Chocolate ramen

  Chocolates are a must for most on Valentine's Day and one Japanese restaurant is taking it further by offering ramen, the popular noodles in soup dish, with generous servings of the confectionary.

  • Posted 06 Feb 2016 00:50
   
  • Updated 06 Feb 2016 06:37

  • PHOTOS

  Screengrab from a Reuters video of chocolate ramen.

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      TOKYO - Chocolates are a must for most on Valentine's Day and one Japanese restaurant is taking it further by offering ramen, the popular noodles in soup dish, with generous servings of the confectionary.

      At Mensho Tokyo, noodles are served in a lamb broth, with savory ingredients such as slices of pork, spring onions, black pepper and - chocolate.

      "The ramen tastes of chocolate when you eat the chocolate part, but after mixing it well, it becomes a new dish with a balance in the flavor of the chocolate and the soup," store manager Yoshitaka Ando said.

      "It not only creates an unusual ramen but one that is also delicious."

  - Reuters

• kinwashi

  9 Feb 16, 13:06

  

  Enjoy Japanese spring with cherry blossom sweets

  Food, Products & Services, Shopping 2016.01

  • 

  Japan has culture to appreciate the four seasons with sweets. Many sweets with a cherry blossom motif, one of the most famous flowers in Japan, come out in spring. These various pink sweets are not only beautiful but are also absolutely delicious!

  Spring-themed sweets start to appear in sweets shops in town and a sweets section in department stores after the middle of February, as if to show the arrival of spring. We will introduce some of the sweets with an attractive cherry blossom motif.

  Sakuramochi

  “Chomeiji” (right) popular in Kanto region and “Domyoji” (left) widely known in Kansai region

  Sakuramochi (cherry blossom rice cake) is a popular cherry blossom sweet. “Chomeiji”, originated in Tokyo, is made by kneading flour into a thin dough and baking it, then gently wrapping it around bean paste (sweet paste made from cooked red beans). On the other hand, “Domyoji”, which is also called Kyoto-style Sakuramochi, is a ball-shaped rice cake which has grains of rice remaining, filled with bean paste and wrapped in cherry leaves pickled in salt.

  Sakura manju

  

  This is a steamed sweet where bean paste is wrapped in dough made from flour. There are ones with pink dough and ones that have salted cherry blossom on top.

  Sakura yokan (Cherry blossom bean jelly)

  

  Cherry blossom bean jelly is made by coloring a sweet white bean paste, made from white kidney beans, into pink with food coloring and setting it into square by agar. Some of them have salted cherry leaves and blossoms mixed in them and others have two layers combined with other flavors.

  Cherry Higashi (dry sweets)

  

  Higashi is a Japanese confection where dough, consisting of mixed of rice flour and sugar, is formed in a mold and dried. Ones with the shape of petals and buds of the cherry blossom come out in spring.

  Not only Japanese confections but Western sweets with a theme of cherry blossom are also popular during this season. They do not only imitate the shape and the color but some of them use cherry blossoms as an ingredient, letting you enjoy its taste and aroma.

  Macaroon (left), chocolate (center), chiffon cake (right)

  Most cherry sweets are sold for a limited period of time from mid-February to around April. Why don’t you enjoy the taste and the beauty of Japan which is available only in spring?

• kinwashi

  9 Feb 16, 13:09

  Destination, Food, Kyushu & Okinawa 2015.08

  • 

  Kagoshima Prefecture, the largest prefecture in Kyushu, is surrounded by ocean on three sides and is rich in nature with rows of mountains. In its central city, Kagoshima City, you can enjoy unique cuisine from different areas of Kagoshima Prefecture and learn and experience the ways of appreciating them. Let’s take a look at a variety of gourmet meals that use fresh local ingredients born of Kagoshima’s rich natural environment!

  Kagoshima’s “Kuro”, or black, is a Japan brand

  

  One way to enjoy gourmet food in Kagoshima is to look for the “Kuro” mark, which means “black”. One famous “Kuro” product is “Kagoshima Kurobuta”, the most popular brand of pork made from Berkshire pigs.

  Kurobuta was first produced in Kagoshima around 400 years ago. The Shimazu clan, which ruled Satsuma (the former name of Kagoshima Prefecture) at that time, popularized it and it became known nationwide around the mid-18th century. Tokugawa Nariaki was the father of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, and he is said to have been very impressed with the pork. He is quoted as saying, “This is a delicacy indeed. It not only has an exquisite taste and body but is also nutritious.”

  

  Kagoshima Kurobuta are mainly fed on Satsuma-imo, or sweet potatoes. As you can tell from the “Satsuma” in its name, these sweet potatoes are a local specialty of Kagoshima Prefecture. Satsuma-imo makes the pork fat’s melting point higher, so when you cook Kagoshima Kurobuta at high heat is has a less greasy and uniquely refreshing texture. The fat in the lean meat contains a lot of vitamin E. You can enjoy its mouth-watering flavor in a variety of dishes including Shabushabu and pork cutlet.

  • Kagoshima Kurobuta Pork Shabu-shabu

  

  You may also want to try “”Wazzeeka-don”” (upper left), which is only available in Kagoshima City. “”Wazzeeka”” means “”impressive”” in Kagoshima dialect and Wazzeeka-don is highly recommended in Kagoshima restaurants. Kagoshima Kurobuta is cooked in “”Waazzeka”” style and served over a bowl of rice. The ingredients and seasoning differ in each restaurant; some combine it with seafood and others may use eggs.

  Ramen lovers are recommended to try Kagoshima ramen with its pork and chicken bone soup base. Noodle thickness and toppings vary by restaurant and many places use a nice mild-flavored broth.

  

  “Kagoshima Kuroushi” is a Japanese brand of beef. This fine and high quality sirloin is so tender it can be cut with chopsticks.

  

  “Kuro Satsumadori”, or Kuro Satsuma chicken, is becoming more and more popular as the “third Kuro of Kagoshima”. It contains a lot of amino acids, which add flavor, and does not get tough even after cooking or grilling. Even when eaten cold, it still tastes delicious.

  Kagoshima is a treasure house of fresh fish

  

  In Kagoshima City Central Wholesale Market, the fish market facing Kinko bay (also known as Kagoshima bay), fresh fish such as amberjack are gathered from the nearby sea. Kagoshima is the number one producer of amberjack in Japan. You can enjoy delicious fish in any season here.

  

  Another fish you can enjoy in Kagoshima is “Kubiore Saba”, a kind of mackerel which is a local specialty of Yakushima Island. Many people love its firm meat and excellent consistency.

  

  People in Kagoshima also love pond herring which are caught in the sea on the west side of Kagoshima Prefecture. Pond herring are delicate fish which are sensitive to environmental changes and can only live in clean water. You can only eat them as sashimi at their production site.

  Experience sushi-making at a “Sushi School”

  At “Sushi Sayaka” in Kagoshima City, you can experience sushi-making at an actual restaurant using fresh local fish. This is a popular program and over 1,000 people have participated in this class since it opened in March 2015 (Reservation required for a group of more than 10 people. cost: 3,000 yen per person).

  Sushi School

  • Sushi Sayaka

  

  “Satsuma-age”, minced fresh fish deep-fried in oil, is a local specialty of Kagoshima Prefecture which also has “Satsuma” in its name. There are many kinds of Satsuma-age, from ones mixed with seasonal vegetables to ones that have cheese in them. It is still delicious cold, but the freshly fried ones are particularly delicious. You can buy them in specialty stores and delicatessens in the city or enjoy them warm at Kagoshima Airport or Kagoshima Chuo Station.

  Sweets that pass on the tradition of the samurai period

  

  The sweets in Kagoshima are made according to the traditions from the Satsuma period. “Karukan” is an excellent sweet which is popular for its beautiful look and fluffy consistency. It is a steamed sweet made from ingredients such as high quality Japanese yam and it is said it was first made by order of Shimazu Nariakira (1809 – 1858), who had a reputation as a wise ruler.

  

  “Jambo-mochi” are round rice cakes of 3 – 4 cm in diameter which have been skewered on sticks and grilled, then smothered with a warmed sweet sauce. It is said that the word Jambo is derived from “Ryambo”, meaning double sticks. Two sticks are used at all times, representing the two katanas that samurai warriors carried at their waist. You can also eat them at Senganen Garden (Iso Teien), one of the tourist spots in Kagoshima City.

  “Ikomochi” (left) and “Fukurekashi” are sweets used for celebrations

  Brown sugar, made by boiling down sugar cane juice, is a local specialty of Amami Oshima in Kagoshima Prefecture. The sweets made using this brown sugar have a simple, comforting sweetness and have been made for hundreds of years. In the past, every family used to make their own.

  

  These sweets go very well with teas made in Kagoshima. Kagoshima has a warm climate and fertile land, so their tea leaves are harvested the earliest in Japan. “Chiran-cha”, or Chiran tea, is the most popular Kagoshima tea because of its deep flavor.

  

  “Shirokuma” shaved ice is popular among tourists who “want to taste an authentic flavor” when they visit Kagoshima City. The original one consists of condensed milk poured onto shaved ice and topped with fruit. Many new variations have been created, including ones in a cup or on a stick, and Shirokuma is now a popular treat all over Japan.

  2000 different brands can be found

  

  Sweet potatoes were brought back from Ryukyu (now known as Okinawa Prefecture) by a fisherman in Minami-Satsuma in 1705. They became established in Kagoshima due to their ability to resist droughts and typhoons as well as their suitability for growing in volcanic ash soil.

  “Satsuma Shochu Liquor” is a distilled spirit brewed in Kagoshima which is made from Kagoshima sweet potatoes and water. It meets the World Trade Organization’s “Satsuma Shochu” standards as a certified “Geographically Indicated” product. Other “Geographically Indicated” products include Bordeaux for wine and Scotch for whisky. There are more than 2000 different brands of Satsuma Shochu and it is a local specialty of Kagoshima that is also exported overseas.

  

  Make with affection as if it is your own child

  At “Satsuma Gojugura” brewery of Hombo Shuzo, shochu is made by hand from malt using a traditional production method. The chief brewer attends to it at all times to keep an eye on the fermentation process and the temperature. This brewery has a tour where you can see the distillation process, including the preparation steps where fresh sweet potatoes and mashed soy are added, and enjoy shochu tasting. Shochu goes well with many foods as it is very refreshing in the mouth. It is recommended to enjoy it mixed with water and chilled overnight in the refrigerator. This is called “Maewari”, and you can try it at home and enjoy its mild flavor.

  

  • Hombo Shuzo (Automatic translation)

  Recommended gourmet tour

  Market dining hall in Kagoshima-City Central Wholesale Market

  

  This famous dining hall is located just outside of the Central Wholesale Market. You can enjoy “Kubiore Saba” here and the Sashimi set meal is also popular.

  Tenmonkan

  

  For those who want to try a variety of gourmet foods in Kagoshima, we recommend “Tenmonkan”, the busiest street in Kagoshima. You can stroll around at your leisure, eating freshly fried Satsuma-age and enjoying Kagoshima tea and sweets. Matcha ice cream and crepes made with Kagoshima matcha are also delicious.

  Kagomma Furusato Yataimura

  

  In Yataimura, which was remodeled and reopened in April 2015, there are 25 shops standing side-by-side which feature a variety of food. There are shops that serve traditional local cuisine and unique ones that create new Kagoshima flavors from traditional local cuisine. What all of these shops have in common is that they all use carefully selected local ingredients made right in Kagoshima.

  • KAGOSHIMA GOURMET (PDF)

  After you have fully enjoyed gourmet food in Kagoshima City, you may want to relax in a hot spring bath. In the upcoming October issue, we will introduce some famous and unique hot springs. Stay tuned!

• kinwashi

  12 Feb 16, 20:29

  Kagoshima City, which is the largest city in southern Kyushu, has a temperate climate and attracts visitors with its abundance of nature, wide variety of delicious foods, wealth of hot springs, and unique samurai culture. See its appeal and highlights in a series of four installments. First, take a look at the spirit and culture of the samurais of Satsuma (former name of Kagoshima)!

  The home of samurai culture, which can be accessed with a non-stop trip

  Kagoshima City is the central city of Kagoshima Prefecture, which is located at the southernmost part of Kyushu in Japan’s mainland. It can be directly accessed from Seoul, Shanghai, Taiwan, or Hong Kong on a non-stop flight in just 90 to 180 minutes. It can also be accessed easily from within Japan as there are flights from all across the country including 23 round trips a day from Haneda Airport. When taking a JR line, it takes less than 90 minutes to travel between Hakata (Fukuoka) and Kagoshima-Chuo Station on the Kyushu Shinkansen. It can be reached directly from Shin-Osaka in just a little over 4 hours.

  

  When visiting by plane, you will be greeted by a spacious bright sky upon landing at Kagoshima Airport. Take a trip where you can almost feel as if you are with the samurais of Satsuma, which were filled with a valiant and enterprising spirit while also being able to love nature and beautiful things!

  Sengan-en is where you can experience both the culture and aesthetics of the samurai

  The garden of Sengan-en that has skillfully incorporated natural scenery

  Located in the Iso area, which is about 30 minutes by bus from Kagoshima-Chuo Station and commands a view of the calm Kinko Bay and the grand Mt. Sakurajima, is Sengan-en (built in 1658 and also known as Iso Teien), which was the villa of the Shimadzu Clan, who had ruled Satsuma (the former name of Kagoshima) since the 12th century. It is also famous for its seasonal flowers such as the Taiwan cherry blossoms in mid-February and the Siberian irises in June.

  

  The Goten, which overlooks the garden that was built to make Mt. Sakurajima look like a man-made garden mountain and Kinko Bay look like a pond, gives you a glimpse of how the daimyos of the past lived as it has rooms that were used by the lords of the successive generations.

  Sengan-en was used as a guest house of the Shimadzu Family and Kagoshima City, and was visited by many people such as members of Japan’s Imperial Family, Prince Nicholas II of Russia, and Prince Edward VII of England.

  

  On the grounds are six hundred types of wild plants, a device known as the “Takamasu”, which is used for controlling the level of the water in the pond, and a rare shrine dedicated to cats. The nearby Shoko-Shuseikan museum has traditional craft art such as Satsuma Kiriko glassware and Satsuma earthenware.

  

  There are many events such as annual festivities associated with the Shimadzu Family and those filled with traditional culture held at Sengan-en. The photo is of a “Kyokusui no Utage” event (held every April) with the participants dressed in formal samurai clothes.

  

  Tin Gate was the original main gate. Only the lords and their successors could pass through the center. Others had to pass through a small entrance on the left side.

  Sengan-en has guided tours in languages including English and Chinese (reservations required) and a teahouse where visitors can enjoy green tea and Japanese sweets.

  Sengan-en is a perfect place for experiencing Satsuma samurai culture with structures and gardens where traditional Japanese styles are in harmony with those from the nearby China and Ryukyus (current Okinawa Prefecture).

  • Sengan-en (Iso Teien)/movie
  • Sengan-en (Iso Teien)

  The decision of the wise lord who brought about the Industrial Revolution in Japan

  Japan’s oldest Western-style machine factory in existence / (C)K.P.V.B

  Shuseikan, which is right by Sengan-en, was built by the twenty-eighth lord of the Shimadzu Clan, Nariakira Shimadzu (1809 – 1858), who was renowned as a wise lord. It is where the first modern industrial work in Japan took place.

  Nariakira felt a sense of crisis towards Western expansion into Asia and believed that the development of industry that incorporated Western science and technology was necessary. Therefore, he promoted rapid modernization through developments of iron and glass making, medicine, fabrics, shipbuilding, steam engines, and so on. This area, where many remnants of this movement can still be found, is the birthplace of Japan’s Industrial Revolution.

  The remains of a reverberating furnace that was used for melting iron at high temperatures and making cannon barrelsUsed at the Kagoshima Spinning Mill, which was the first Western style mechanized spinning factory in Japan.

  Shuseikan was destroyed by fire once but was rebuilt in 1865 as a machine factory with Dutch machine tools that did work such as metal processing and the repairing of ships. Engineers were also invited over from England as the first spinning mill in Japan was built. It is said that a hundred weaving machines were in operation during the height of its prosperity.

  The samurais of Satsuma filled with the spirit of enterprise as they willfully chose to face difficult situations eventually played a central role in the Meiji Restoration (around 1868), which significantly changed Japan with political rule being shifted from the Tokugawa Shogunate to the Meiji Government.

  A foreigner’s residence that an English engineer lived in

  The Shuseikan project, which a domain lord took over himself, was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015 as the Former Shuseikan and a Site of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution. It is also highly praised around the world.

  Satsuma Kiriko glassware and Satsuma earthenware are famous for their elaborateness and beauty

  The Satsuma spirit also lies in the traditional craft arts of Kagoshima City. The crystal glass craft products of Satsuma Kiriko glassware, which the Satsuma Family was involved in to make products that could be shipped overseas, is one such art form.

  Satsuma Kiriko glassware giving off a magnificent brilliance

  Nariakira built a laboratory for colored glass inside Kagoshima Castle and was able to produce colors such as crimson, indigo, purple, and green. The deep red here was the first to be developed in Japan and was praised as “the crimson glass of Satsuma”.

  The process of cutting Satsuma Kiriko glassware

  Satsuma Kiriko glassware has been fading for over a hundred years since Nariakira passed away, but Satsuma glass art, which is descended from the Shimadzu Clan, revived it in 1985 in the Iso area, which is associated with the art form. It is characterized by and adored by fans overseas for the uniquely engraved patterns on transparent glass stacked with colored glass as well as the gradations of the colors.

  • Satsuma Kiriko glassware

  

  Satsuma earthenware, which was started about four hundred years ago by the seventeenth lord of the Shimadzu Clan, Yoshihiro Shimadzu (1535 – 1619), consists of both “white Satsuma” and “black Satsuma”. White Satsuma has fine crazing on a milky white surface with detailed illustrations of objects such as animals and plants painted in various colors including red, blue, green, and gold. It was first exhibited at the 1867 Paris World’s Fair and was acclaimed for its artistic quality.

  

  Black Satsuma is earthenware made for the common people. It is characterized by its deep black luster produced by the iron-rich volcanic soil and its rustic features. On the left center of the photo is a cup for warming shochu known as Kuro-joka. On the right side is a conical cup known as Sorakyu, which cannot be placed on a table. It is said to have been named so after the terms “sora” (here you go) and “kyu” (bottoms up) before all of the shochu is drunk.

  “Rokugatsudo” summer lantern festivals with fantastic lights

  A “Rokugatsudo” lantern festival dedicated to Nariakira Shimadzu at Terukuni Shrine / (C)K.P.V.B

  There are many festivals that are deeply associated with the Shimadzu Family in Kagoshima City. The Rokugatsudo lantern festivals, which are said to originate from the nineteenth lord of the Shimadzu Clan, Mitsuhisa Shimadzu (1616 – 1695) are summer festivals that are held in June in the old calendar (July in the Gregorian calendar) at shrines and temples in Kagoshima Prefecture. The lights of the lanterns with colorful and brilliant paintings on them are fantastic. They are held almost every night in Kagoshima City all throughout July. Please be sure to visit one if you plan on going to Kagoshima City during this season as there are also busy stalls that are set up at night.

  • “Rokugatsudo” lantern festivals/movie
  • “Rokugatsudo” lantern festivals

  Recommended model courses that easily let you experience the land of the samurais

  • Recommended model courses (PDF)

  Terminal in front of Kagoshima-Chuo Station

  

  Kagoshima-Chuo Station. The rooftop Ferris wheel commands a panoramic view of the city.

  Museum of the Meiji Restoration

  

  Various exhibitions using high-tech instruments such as robots to show in an easy to understand way the roles that the samurais of Satsuma (Kagoshima) played in the history of the Satsuma domain and the Meiji Restoration. There is also a replicated room of Tenshoin (Princess Atsu) (1836 – 1883), who was the adopted daughter of Nariakira Shimadzu and the wife of the thirteenth Shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

  • Museum of the Meiji Restoration (PDF)

  Monument commemorating Xavier’s stay in Kagoshima

  (C)K.P.V.B

  A monument commemorating the Spanish missionary Francis Xavier, who visited Japan in 1549. Kagoshima is also the first place in Japan where Christianity arrived.

  Shiroyama Observation Deck

  

  Located on a small mountain at an altitude of 107 meters, overlooking sights such as Mt. Sakurajima and Kinko Bay. Also a recommended spot for night views.

  Tenmonkan

  

  The hottest entertainment district in southern Kyushu, lined with cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, boutiques, and more. Named after Meijikan (also known as Tenmonkan), which was a facility built in 1779 for astronomical observations.

  

  The City View Bus is a good way to travel when sightseeing in Kagoshima City. The one-day Welcome Cute ticket (1,000 yen) for visitors from abroad is a money-saving and convenient pass that lets you on busses, streetcars, and a ferry to Mt. Sakurajima.

  • “Welcome Cute” (PDF)

  (C)K.P.V.B

  Kagoshima City has monuments of samurais everywhere you go with many sights such as the Road of the history and culture with its stone walls and beautiful flowers. Freely use your Welcome Cute and take this chance to explore.

• kinwashi

  12 Feb 16, 20:32

   

  Hamada Howa's

  "Dining hometown thirteen" in the 1964 Open. Second generation, Hamada Howa's seems more full of "banded blue-sprat Love". 
  "Banded blue-sprat is a small fish, you will admire its beauty very beautiful and shining.. Tanegashima, Yakushima, Koshikijima (Koshikijima) well caught by Kagoshima typical fish around, fish hometown. One but fish that are caught all year round, is about may to July is delicious with Whirlpool millet Nago. small when is 100g is 17 to 18 animals, but I will 100g is 7-8 animals when large. taste is bland elegant. I do not get tired to eat morning noon evening. I "today, banded blue-sprat want do not eat" is not that. we are crazy about enamored (laughs) ".

  Sashimi of fresh banded blue-sprat is shining in silver

  Banded blue-sprat that I love also Hamada's. I wonder what is the kind of way to eat?

  Sashimi is get in the vinegared bean paste

  â—� sashimi 
  "banded blue-sprat as it is to enjoy the raw is the best taste of, first, it is sashimi. Take the head of the fresh banded blue-sprat, judgment by taking the internal organs and bones in the hand, it Serve rounded themselves. That the judge banded blue-sprat but it says that the "Obiku", the old man is not used, such as knives, I was doing at all everyone hand.

  Sashimi is miso, vinegar, but you eat vinegared bean paste made with sugar, how vinegared bean paste of Kagoshima is a little sweet. Vinegared bean paste rather not you eat one by one piece to put in a dish, it is also good to eat over Dobatto the vinegared bean paste on top of the dish lined sashimi. Eat delicious is perhaps a good primitive way to eat (laughs). Those who Kagoshima Prefecture large region, and also or is a way of eating that "slap in the face burnished". Put in the mouth by pinching the raw banded blue-sprat in one hand not judged, I dodge the head that good. Banded blue-sprat is freshness in life, it bruises to or immediately only becomes red. Freshness is not good and can not be a sashimi. So, it may be the most luxurious thing to eat in the sashimi. In Akune of market it begins Seri from around 5 am, but fishermen who think the speed of your ship, I'm to be landed together in that time. So it the performance of the ship of the engine is also or left and right. "

  Eaten whole "tempura of banded blue-sprat"

  â—� banded blue-sprat tempura 
  without or take the head and internal organs, as it is fried with a batter in raw banded blue-sprat. 
  It is the "bone also soft, you can eat a whole until the head and internal organs. I'm sardines and saury is also bittersweet I eat the internal organs. But there is no bitterness in the banded blue-sprat. To eat as it is with the Yuzu salt and green tea salt It is delicious. also is good fried chicken. "

  Thing with the "Kibisuki" of Akune enter vegetables three or more

  â—� Kibisuki 
  "Sukiyaki is a dish that beef was Amakaraku boiled in sugar and soy sauce in the Meiji era, because beef is high, the mackerel and sardines, which easily enters the hand in the port city was using instead of beef. In this neighborhood is using the banded blue-sprat I had to "Kibisuki." Once upon a time is Toka seine, along with the vegetables in the pot of according to the nets containing the Warishita made ​​because I did not have only sardine TokaKibinago. with sugar and soy sauce Turn on the acne Meiko.'m ripe Once the surface is white. please with the beaten egg. how to eat to become Yanagawa pot style if you put the eggs in a pot is free. eat to "love yourself because it is cooking that is please ", I might be a little unkind cuisine. I mean seasoning Warishita but will vary by store and creator, easiest way to when to do at home is to use the soup for noodles I (laughs) ".

  Once through the moderately fire, if allowed preferably under the beaten egg

  Hamada-san, is also addressed to the town planning by using the banded blue-sprat "Kibisuki". It has been committed also to be provided in the city a dozen stores to "Kibisuki" from December 2011.

  "Become rich in the world, because now beef enters the hand easily, I have become" is better beef than banded blue-sprat, "but, also spread by Toka remember the old days, that the body in good cuisine I've been I want to. banded blue-sprat is, carbohydrates are the three major nutrients, fat, protein-rich, it is because the best ingredients also to the body. is recognized as a regional gourmet, speaking of Akune as "Kibisuki" to I want to be as they say. young generation "Oh, Kibinagoka. 's No," also many people that, do not eat too much of the banded blue-sprat. to such people what, I want you to try to eat all means. It's beautiful it delicious taste, 100 people have thought that you are able to impress with 100 people. I to repeaters are also many. Tara delicious to eat in the store, I think that will eat at home. the good news, "Kibisuki "is gradually penetrate into the region," to eat once, we have an increasing number of us to say that the addicted have "people. I I think that was truly good." Kibisuki "is because you can be at home, it as the entrance of the banded blue-sprat cuisine, I think you'll enjoy the banded blue-sprat in a variety of eating from there. acne I'm a small town rich town, with the aim of making the town integrated with nature ".

  

  

  

  Take the head of the fresh banded blue-sprat, judge also taking internal organs and bone by hand. Miso, vinegar, get in the sweet vinegared bean paste of Kagoshima unique made with sugar

  

  

  "Tempura of banded blue-sprat" does not or take the head and internal organs, as it is fried with a batter in raw banded blue-sprat. Get whole with a yuzu salt and green tea salt

  

  

  "Kibisuki". Vegetables and put together acne Meiko to pan Warishita has entered made with sugar and soy sauce, get with the beaten egg Once the surface is white

  

  Taste of banded blue-sprat continue to tell from 1964

  Store the parlor was calm of the center. There is also, boasts a cuisine with fresh seafood frying in Akune Port cage. When such as sea urchin bowl festivals and Ise shrimp festival will be held in Akune, also appeared deals menu. Although the cuisine of fresh banded blue-sprat there is also a single item, you want to enjoy sashimi, tempura, Kibisuki stick "banded blue-sprat Zanmai set meal" in 2,300 yen. Japanese, Western also rich variety of table d'hote menu.

  Shining is only wound To Quruli "banded blue-sprat sashimi" 1,000 yen. Get in the vinegared bean paste

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  Meals hometown thirteen

  Street address	Kagoshima Prefecture Akune port town 82-3
  phone	0996-72-1420
  Sales	11: 00-14: 00/17: 00-22: 00
  Holiday	Indefinite
  seat	130 seats
  card	Yes
  Parking Lot	Yes
  URL	http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/tomi13/

  

• kinwashi

  12 Feb 16, 20:36

   

  Yusuke Harada

  Koshikijima (Koshikijima) shopkeeper Yusuke Harada born. KaraKibinago is he was not eating well seems to childhood. 
  But was eating may be "sashimi, the Mom was due to make good, from a little plus soy sauce to mash bottled, I did grabber and those obtained by one Nitachi in whole put the banded blue-sprat. Banded blue-sprat, in Koshikijima since the ingredients in abundance from a long time ago, but I do might eat Once you get the island's people, maybe you do eat to buy Shiren'ne (laughs) ".

  Sashimi of the banded blue-sprat is, drop the head, take the bone fielding by hand

  When to have passed, Harada-san cuisine of the road. After that has been the work also on the island outside, it was opened a "Tokiharu" in 2002. It is written as a "banded blue-sprat cook" in the received business card. 
  "Only kiddle Nikki wrote just (laughs)".

  Nevertheless it is said, who showed a variety Nakibi of your cuisine.

  Leave a milt and Mako tore from the back to the spawning season of spring and summer

  â—� banded blue-sprat sashimi 
  dropped the "head, usually burns do split from more of the belly, is the timing of Whirlpool, I delicious and taking the back leave the Mako and milt. In Koshikijima, I do eat too much in the vinegared bean paste. Anyway freshness because there is a good, sweet taste of fresh banded blue-sprat, I'm I want you to feel as they taste. I do also used sweet soy sauce in the house. since mash fit well, it issues a mash soy sauce. "

  Only banded blue-sprat was crispy, sweet stand out in the sauce not sweet.

  Make in what was to pickled banded blue-sprat that judge "banded blue-sprat bowl"

  â—� banded blue-sprat bowl 
  "fresh banded blue-sprat is, as it is but to be delicious to eat as sashimi, I also good to pickled in what the combined soy sauce and mash not very sweet. Your bowl of millet that topped the pickled on top of the rice is. Fan the morning we put the things you pickled from. today, Nikki also put was the pickled milt and Mako ".
  Moderately only soaked the taste, but also a different taste and sashimi.

  "Kibinagopiza" and "charcoal-grilled of banded blue-sprat"

  â—� Kibinagopiza 
  "banded blue-sprat you are riding on the pizza that was also in pickled. I firmly Nikki with a taste than that of a little while ago of millet of your bowl." Banded blue-sprat to be flavor of the mash is good well with cheese.

  â—� banded blue-sprat grilled 
  ne thing is often eat grilled in "Koshikijima. Over the salt put on the fire, please eat button activates Sugin baked. Burnt YasuiKen, to Ikan'yo. Idly Shitoru customer Once release the eye is, "burnt in Boke' and plugs, Gararuddo ('ll be angry fishermen) to the fisherman," I also or say that (laughs). " 
  Per browned on the surface, Tabegoroda about was the crisp is, only in the Hokuhoku.

  â—� banded blue-sprat shabu 
  so good soup stock can be taken from the "banded blue-sprat, keep with the taste to the soup, and the shabu-shabu. Since the soup comes out from the millet Nago to shabu-shabu, and not from ate banded blue-sprat, vegetables put Sasen'yo. then, udon, I Ya further rice. I is delicious soup stock be in anchovy train, take really good soup is from the raw millet Nago ".

  "Salted banded blue-sprat" delicacies. Things to offer from ask them to taste a few animals as shown in the photograph (500 yen dish 1)

  â—� banded blue-sprat salted fish 
  I Ya that the "raw banded blue-sprat fermented and salted. Because salinity's about 30 percent, mold also It does grow, I have even Dondake. Was based fermented at room temperature and put in a bottle vase of a long time ago how to make following the, one month is fermented outdoors, then leave in the refrigerator. salted fish is, well Dekin'ne because banded blue-sprat is small, internal organs and not the time for the rainy season from the season - spring of Whirlpool. "

  It was our out those that lay nine years. Personality salty stronger in aroma and taste that there is entanglement, but the best thing as a side dish of shochu. 
  "You should kiddle unbearable for lovers of delicacies. But the menu Nikki wrote 500 yen, it Shitoru to get tasting 1-2 animals in the beginning. If you want to eat in it, put out To Dawn. A lot, even I so it does eat (laughs). I followed, I. I delicious and fry salted fish and butter and new potatoes to "Inca of awakening (varieties of potatoes)," to be or using this salted fish as a seasoning. "awakening of the Inca I "is not lost because there is a dark taste in banded blue-sprat, you lose the taste of banded blue-sprat an ordinary potato."

  Well, speaking of banded blue-sprat, fish that usually, Toka bland taste, is said Toka taste was refreshing. However, in the story "banded blue-sprat taste is strong" but also received the word .... 
  "Banded blue-sprat is actually I'm strong taste fish. Soup also to take, but it do not beat him in the various cooking because there is a strong taste. For example, I do lose the flavor of curry can make fried curry flavor. Normal I want to tell everyone have been not the image has Koshiki Island banded blue-sprat of taste, the personality of the banded blue-sprat in. things out to my right in the banded blue-sprat dishes but I do might be put on Oran'yo. left (laughs). Koshiki banded blue-sprat of the island is really delicious. "

  So, I wonder why the the banded blue-sprat of Koshiki Island delicious? 
  "The Koshiki Island banded blue-sprat is delicious is, I Ya most of the reason is that there is a good freshness. Since banded blue-sprat of Koshiki Island medium is can be seen in particular transparent, I'm blue without silver. Fishing grounds from the port of Koshiki Island I it's about 10 minutes by boat. past it was by Catching in the seine, I've done about banded blue-sprat folds to Toko of the ferry. but, I also changed by fishermen to obtain. banded blue-sprat is I do Ya win in a gill net, net banded blue-sprat is I'm I put to sea water crept immediately ice was removed from. at that time, the important is that the salinity of the sea water, in order to keep the freshness, I gonna do squid and not adjusted to the situation at that time. but it Ya'm also been demonstrated in scientific, fishermen'll do due to do with intuition from the old days. weakened banded blue-sprat become red around the eyes, I'm belly is red. is over the timing of the rainy season from spring, spawning delicious it burns in O'packed with Mako and milt to belly in time, I particularly susceptible to weaken. I spoil the night and which was caught in the morning. then I, the fishermen brought me carefully banded blue-sprat, to cook I guess Ya my job to not drop the freshness. the purchase fish from putting in one more time thin salt water, leave side by side to bat Mita ones. useless when the fish come into contact with each other to put in a ball I think what. it is the freshness of Iikibi Meiko Nikki with a scales. there is of like slime and touching, I'm there I see something like a small black powder much invisible to the eye. freshness and bad scales fallen It takes ".

  Make a variety Nakibi of your cuisine, Harada-san that you are trying to convey to the inside and outside. Its driving force is I wonder what the? 
  "Koshikijima and Iebakibinago. Is to make a living's many fishermen banded blue-sprat. The millet cook to cook using the Meiko is I Oran and regrettable. I also to depend still thinking, the possibility of banded blue-sprat I think that infinity ".

  

  

  

  Desert by hand dropped the head.Usually is split from the better of the belly, is the timing of Whirlpool, leaving Mako and milt for taking the back (photo). Get in the mash soy sauce

  

  

  "Banded blue-sprat charcoal-grilled".Put on the fire, if multiplied by the salt, if not over bake. It way of eating that has been eating well in Koshikijima

  

  

  "Banded blue-sprat bowl". The banded blue-sprat in the pickled in what the combined mash and soy sauce, put on top of the rice. Also it milt and Mako rides by time

  

  Highest in the taste of the banded blue-sprat fresh steamers Island

  Kushikino about 50 minutes by high-speed boat from the Port, in the diet treatment in front of Satoko Kamikoshiki Island, enjoy the fresh seafood of Koshiki Island. Among them, superb fresh banded blue-sprat frying in Koshikijima is, taste is also exceptional. First of all want to taste in with sashimi and, pickled "banded blue-sprat bowl". Pizza to use grilled and pickled also delicious. In addition, salted fish is a delicacy irresistible for lovers of shochu. "Kagoshima Japanese beef curry" 1,000 yen addition, there is also a Western menu.

  "Your bowl of millet of steamers" 1,000 yen. Put on top of the rice in the pickled banded blue-sprat that judge morning.

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  Tokiharu

  Street address	Kagoshima Prefecture Satsuma Sendai Shisato Machisato 1624-1
  phone	09969-6-3928
  Sales	12: 00-14: 00/18: 00-21: 00  ※ the presence or absence of banded blue-sprat dishes that confirmation by phone
  Holiday	Indefinite
  seat	26 seats
  card	Improper
  Parking Lot	Yes

  

• kinwashi

  12 Feb 16, 20:39

   

  Hirano Shihomi's

  It is located along Route 3 "Road Station Akune". 'S East China Sea spread in front of the eye. 
  "The more visible rocks in the sea when calm, the water is clean and do you'll have clear" for us to talk with the Shihomi Hirano.

  Far to Koshikijima (Koshikijima) also appear sea of this neighborhood is where the banded blue-sprat are caught well. I wonder also visible figure here KaraKibinago? 
  "Appearance of the squid will be or look, but unfortunately banded blue-sprat is I do not look (laughs)".

  When the sashimi, cut the head and tail first with a pair of scissors

  Banded blue-sprat, but can not see him swim in the sea, the restaurant can get a fresh millet of our cuisine. The had you introduce this, it banded blue-sprat sashimi, grilled, but Kibisuki.

  Wash well take the internal organs tore belly with scissorsRemove the spine open in finger

  â—� banded blue-sprat sashimi 
  who showed the place where desert in the kitchen. 
  From dropping the head and tail in the "scissors, stomach takes a cotton put the scissors in. After you clean rinse the inside, put in parallel to wear the nail, I take the bone tore towards the tail. fresh banded blue-sprat is I very delicious, I am bone is hard to take (laughs). you Serve wrapped flipping open the body. I vinegared bean paste goes well. it seems there are more to eat in the vinegared bean paste with locals. out also, vinegar, miso, we have been served the vinegared bean paste formulated, and more at the original sugar. instead of desert off the one animal, but it is interesting also because sashimi to eat whole the one animal. "

  Completion of sashimi

  The effect of the only nice Puritsu and crunchy, intertwined sweet and sour taste of vinegared bean paste.

  Bake in the audience itself "banded blue-sprat grilled"

  â—� banded blue-sprat grilled with salt 
  "is a style that I am burned banded blue-sprat, which had been the salt to the audience itself. Please burn care not burnt so small."

  Along with the sound of crackling, wafting the smell around. 
  And is eaten is more of "next to the table, Welcome also those who asked and hung in the aroma. Such as when the organization's can eat become Mie you, wrapping station the entire of the road to the smell of millet make your grilled or are you (laughs). "

  Surface is burnt and crispy, soft is in. Fair salty delicious.

  Cook with lots Warishita can dolls each vegetables dried bonito "Kibisuki"

  â—� Kibisuki 
  implications of town revitalization of Akune from December 2011 also rice, who also made ​​"Kibisuki" that is up to the menu in the city of a dozen shops. 
  "In the soup stock, dried bonito cut into thick, mirin, those that lay put the dark soy soy sauce, is Warishita for Kibisuki. Sugar I do not put".

  This dish also, put in a pot the ingredients, such as vegetables and banded blue-sprat on their own, style that get through the fire. 
  "Banded blue-sprat is a semi-transparent that it is raw, is a good time to eat After the whole becomes white. It is better not too much through the fire."

  Taste of Warishita is steeped moderately in the body. If it is allowed preferably under the egg as sukiyaki, but more mellow taste.

  Local "Kibisuki" in the sale as cooking but, likely he had eaten from long ago in Akune. 
  "Acne in the town of fishing, because the meat is in the simple did not enter in hand, seems to have done the sukiyaki with a banded blue-sprat that are easy to eat. I, I childhood was good meat (laughs) . banded blue-sprat is smaller I fish was eating on a daily basis from time. to the sashimi is also, without the use of such tools on their own, the I I had to eat again by hand. banded blue-sprat that judge yourself, family I I was happy I am to ask was to eat. if the acne you, or would not it Sabakeru by hand banded blue-sprat? ".

  For banded blue-sprat, who taught Also talk. 
  It "banded blue-sprat is also delicious tempura, think you also dried fish in Akune. Will also allow it to enter the miso soup. Banded blue-sprat has been increasing since December position, it is around May to July is a delicious they contain eggs in the stomach. banded blue-sprat that fat was riding in when it's cold is also delicious. calcium also to abundant because you can eat a whole, is nutritious. Some people who have for the first time to eat banded blue-sprat, please say "it was delicious." in Akune freshness I because you can eat the Iikibi Meiko of. fresh banded blue-sprat is are you a sparkling body is transparent! ".

  In the "Station Akune Road", while watching the sea sparkling, that get a banded blue-sprat sparkling, it is possible to spend a luxurious time.

  

  

  

  From dropping the head and tail with scissors, take a cotton put the scissors in the stomach, desert by hand and put in parallel to see the nail. Get in the vinegared bean paste

  

  

  "Grilled". Get baked banded blue-sprat, which had been the pre-salt in a charcoal fire. If burnt moderately, the surface is crispy, soft Among

  

  

  Dried bonito cut into thick in the dashi, mirin, those which lay put Koikuchi soy sauce Warishita. Get with the eggs so as not too much through the fire

  

  With views of the East China Sea Itadakukibinago

  Facing the East China Sea, which is also the fishing grounds of the banded blue-sprat, restaurant stand in excellent location "station Akune of the road". Such as sashimi of horse mackerel and squid, it is possible to get while watching the sea a menu with fresh seafood that has been caught in Akune. Banded blue-sprat is, sashimi, grilled, is also eaten in the set menu also separately and Kibisuki. Processed products also sell, such as fresh fish and dried fish in product building.

  Banded blue-sprat sashimi and millet make your grilled can eat "Kibinagogozen" 1,050 yen.Banded blue-sprat sashimi and millet make your grilled single item of yen each 262.

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  Road Station Akune restaurants

  Street address	Kagoshima Prefecture Akune Okawa 4816-6
  phone	0996-74-1400
  Sales	10: 30~17: 00  ※ product sales is 9:00 to 19:00 (October to March is to 18: 00)
  Holiday	None ※ December 31-January 1 vacation
  seat	60 seats
  card	Improper
  Parking Lot	Yes
  URL	http://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/n-michi/michi_no_eki/kobetu/akune/akune.html

  

• kinwashi

  12 Feb 16, 20:46

  So the above is one of the delicacy from Kagoshima.

  Must try , similar to Anchovy (Ikan Billis) over here but they are bigger in size.

   

  Kibinago (Silver Striped Herring / Blue Sprat)
  

   
  The kibinago is a small fish in the round herring family. Summer is the best season for harvesting kibinago, but they can be caught all year round. Because their transparent bodies resemble glass artwork, they are also called "jewel fish". The most popular kibinago cuisine is sashimi prepared by hand, in particular a dish called "chrysanthemum", made by arranging the sashimi in the shape of a chrysanthemum on a platter and garnishing it with vinagered miso (soybean paste). Other common dishes include kibinago tempura and broiled salted kibinago.

• kinwashi

  15 Feb 16, 21:21

  UNESCO. Heritage site Yakushima.

   

  

  Enjoy trekking in the mystic forest of Yakushima Island

  Kyushu & Okinawa, Trivia 2015.02

  • 

  Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, a place many Japanese people long to visit. The mystic forest of Yaku-sugi, or Yaku cedars, covered with moss wraps around and welcomes visiting travelers.

  Head out to the mysterious island of Yakushima!

  Yakushima is an island located in 60km (37.3 miles) to the south of the southernmost tip of Kyushu island. With a climate ranging from subtropical to cool-temperate, its diverse and highly unique ecosystem and beautiful nature have been highly regarded and Yakushima Island was registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1993. It is also called “the island of ancient forest and water” because of the huge Yaku cedars, which are over 1,000 years old, moss and abundant water system.

  

  Yakushima Island has a lot of rain throughout the year and it is not unusual to see high altitude areas covered in snow during winter. Many local buses stop running, so please pay careful attention to the bus schedule.

  

  To access Yakushima Island, fly directly to Yakushima Airport when coming from Osaka and Fukuoka. When coming from other areas, go to Kagoshima by airplane or Shinkansen and then change to an airplane or a high speed ship or a ferry. When using a ship or ferry, please keep in mind the following: it takes about 55 minutes by bus from Kagoshima Airport to the boarding site of the ship or ferry, the schedule changes depending on the season, the ship or ferry will be cancelled in case of bad weather, and you need to confirm the destination as there are 2 boarding sites of the high speed ship in Yakushima Island.

  • JNTO Practical Travel Guide (PDF)
  • JAL
  • Tane Yaku Jetfoil (Japanese)
  • Ferry Yakushima 2 (Japanese)

  Fascinating trekking course

  While in Yakushima Island you may want to try trekking. We will introduce 3 courses for those at beginner to intermediate levels.

  • Yakushima Tourism Association, PDF Guide download page (Japanese/ English/ Korean)

  Course 1: Yakusugi Land

  

  This is a popular course where even beginners can enjoy the great nature of Yaku cedars. You can see Yaku cedars, which are over 1,000 years old, as soon as you get off the bus. There is a big river running through the course and the view from the bridge gives a fantastic atmosphere where the beauty of the forest and the gorge blend together. The trail is well-maintained and it is safe for children to walk, too.

  Yakusugi Land

  Required time: 4 courses ranging from 30 min. – 2 hrs. 30 min.

  Access: <Bus> Anbou ~ Yakusugi Land, 2 round-trip services per day, about 40 min., 740 yen 
  <Taxi> about 30 min. from Anbou

  Note: 300 yen donation for the maintenance of the forest (high school student and above, optional)

  Course 2: Shiratani Unsui-kyo Gorge

  

  Shiratani Unsui-kyo Gorge with the fantastical view resembling a movie scene. It is said that the forest in the anime film “Princess Mononoke” by Hayao Miyazaki, one of the top directors in Japan, was inspired from this place. The altitude is 600m (1969ft) at the entrance and about 900m (2953ft) in the forest of Princess Mononoke.

  

  If you are feeling confident and your body is up to it, try going as far as Taiko-iwa in the innermost forest. The grand sight of the deepest part of the forest of Yakushima Island spreads before your eyes.

  Shiratani Unsui-kyo Gorge

  Required time: 3 courses ranging from 1 hr. – 5 hrs.

  Access: <Bus> Miyanoura – Shiratani Unsui-kyo Gorge, 5 round-trip services per day, about 30 min., 550 yen
  <Taxi> about 30 min. from Miyanoura

  Note: 300 yen donation for the maintenance of the forest (high school student and above, optional)

  Course 3: Round trip to Jomon-sugi

  

  The symbol of Yakushima Island is Jomon-sugi or the Jomon cedar that is estimated to be around 2,000 years old or more. The course to visit this Jomon-sugi is 10.7km (6.7 mile) long one way from the entrance of the mountain and it takes about 10 hours for a round trip. If you are a good walker, it is possible to make it a day trip, but if you are not confident with your physical strength, it is recommended to stay one night at Takatsuka lodge standing ahead of Jomon-sugi. However, it is an unattended shelter and therefore you need to bring your own food and bedding.

  

  More than half of this course is the tram road that was being used to carry wood until about 50 years ago. Wilson stump that stands half way on the course is popular because if you look up from inside of the stump, the cut edge resembles a heart shape.

  Round trip to Jomon-sugi

  Required time: 9 hrs. 30 min.

  Access: <Bus> Miyanoura or Anbou – Yakusugi Shizenkan. Change to Arakawa Tozan Bus and get off at Arakawa Tozan-guchi. If you want to make it a day trip, you want to take the first bus that leaves Yakusugi Shizenkan at 5:00 am (4:40 am for relief service). The ride from Yakusugi Shizenkan to Arakawa Tozan-guchi is about 40 min., 870 yen (Not in service from Dec – Feb)
  <Taxi> It takes about 5 min. from Anbou, about 30 min. from Miyanoura, to Yakusugi Shizenkan. Take Arakawa Tozan Bus from there.

  Note: Please purchase a round-trip ticket for Arakawa Tozan Bus from a tourist information center, at the airport or in town, or from a large accommodation facility by the day before you want to walk on this course. In addition, there are no convenience stores that are open for 24 hours in Yakushima Island. There are bento shops that are open from around 4 am in Miyanoura and Anbou and you can buy lunch on the day you walk on this course (Reservation required on the phone or over the counter by the day before. Many of them do not speak English, so consulting your accommodation will be a good idea. )

  Cautions regarding trekking

  

  Climate and gear

  The difference of the average temperature between the level ground and the summit area of Yakushima Island is about 11 degrees Celsius (19.8 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, there is about 10,000 mm of rainfall in a year in the mountainous area. You get sweaty easily and it often rains, so you must take quick-drying clothes and rain gear. Make sure you put a change of clothes and your cell phone in a sealed plastic bag. Take both water-proof sports shoes and hiking boots. Gloves are also convenient to have. Also make sure to submit a mountain climbing registration form to a tourist information center at the airport or in town, a police box or a postbox located at each entrance of the mountain before you enter.

  The protection of the environment

  In order to maintain the ecosystem and the natural environment, please make sure to take your own trash home and to respect the No Entry signs. There are limited bathroom sites. Bonfires in the forest are prohibited.

  Departure time

  Leave early and arrive early is the basic of mountaineering. Make a manageable schedule with plenty of time. Also check the schedule for the bus home in advance.

  Lodging

  You can only stay at designated mountain lodges during the hike. If you want to stay at a lodge, you do not need to reserve in advance and it is free to stay, but you need to bring your own food and bedding as the lodges are unattended.

  Are you prepared now? Let’s head out for some trekking in beautiful Yakushima Island!

• kinwashi

  15 Feb 16, 21:25

  Yakushima became the first World Heritage site in Japan in ...

  www.yesyakushima.com/world-heritage-yakushima/

  Yakushima Unesco Map ... One fifth of the island is registered as a World Natural Heritage Site of Natural ... Yakushima gained World Heritage status in 1993.

  World Heritage - Yakushima Experience

  www.yakushimaexperience.com/yakushima...2016/world-heritage-park

  In December of 1993 UNESCO officially recognised a large part of Yakushima as aWorld Heritage Site. Approximately 10,747 hectares are under international  ...

  Yakushima, Japan - Lonely Planet

  www.lonelyplanet.com › ... › Kagoshima Prefecture › ÅŒsumi Islands

  Designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1993, Yakushima is one of the most rewarding islands in the Southwest Islands. The craggy mountain peaks...

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  Images for yakushima unesco world heritage siteReport images
• kinwashi

  18 Feb 16, 20:12

  Cherry Blossom Yoghurt in Japan

  FEBRUARY 14, 2016 BLOGSONJAPAN

  SOURCE: JAPAN AUSTRALIA Spring in Japan means sakura (æ¡œ) or cherry blossoms and sakura-flavored food and drinks. A tell-tale sign that spring is soon on the way is when cherry blossoms start appearing on food and drinks in Japan. Early to mid-February is usually the time when sakura flavoured food and drink starts rolling out and hitting the supermarket and convenience store shelves and refrigerators. You can find many different kinds of food and drinks containing sakura at this time of the year in Japan. Some of my favourites are the sakura drinks from Starbucks Japan, and sakura mochi (桜餅). A new sakura product recently caught my eye, so I just had to share it with you all. Sakura flavoured yoghurt. We picked up this four-pack of yoghurt from our local AEON supermarket with its pretty cherry blossom design. Not only does it look like spring, it tastes like spring as well with its sakura flavour. The yoghurt contains cherry blossom leaves and is a pale pink colour. Sakura petals and leaves are a seasonal ingredient used in a variety of Japanese foods, desserts and drinks. How does it taste? Really good! It has a light cherry flavour and the cherry blossom leaves give it a nice saltiness. Check it out if you are in Japan and want an early taste of spring.

• kinwashi

  18 Feb 16, 20:15

  Spring-themed sweets start to appear in sweets shops in town and a sweets section in department stores after the middle of February, as if to show the arrival of spring. We will introduce some of the sweets with an attractive cherry blossom motif.

  Sakuramochi

  “Chomeiji” (right) popular in Kanto region and “Domyoji” (left) widely known in Kansai region

  Sakuramochi (cherry blossom rice cake) is a popular cherry blossom sweet. “Chomeiji”, originated in Tokyo, is made by kneading flour into a thin dough and baking it, then gently wrapping it around bean paste (sweet paste made from cooked red beans). On the other hand, “Domyoji”, which is also called Kyoto-style Sakuramochi, is a ball-shaped rice cake which has grains of rice remaining, filled with bean paste and wrapped in cherry leaves pickled in salt.

  Sakura manju

  

  This is a steamed sweet where bean paste is wrapped in dough made from flour. There are ones with pink dough and ones that have salted cherry blossom on top.

  Sakura yokan (Cherry blossom bean jelly)

  

  Cherry blossom bean jelly is made by coloring a sweet white bean paste, made from white kidney beans, into pink with food coloring and setting it into square by agar. Some of them have salted cherry leaves and blossoms mixed in them and others have two layers combined with other flavors.

  Cherry Higashi (dry sweets)

  

  Higashi is a Japanese confection where dough, consisting of mixed of rice flour and sugar, is formed in a mold and dried. Ones with the shape of petals and buds of the cherry blossom come out in spring.

  Not only Japanese confections but Western sweets with a theme of cherry blossom are also popular during this season. They do not only imitate the shape and the color but some of them use cherry blossoms as an ingredient, letting you enjoy its taste and aroma.

  Macaroon (left), chocolate (center), chiffon cake (right)

  Most cherry sweets are sold for a limited period of time from mid-February to around April. Why don’t you enjoy the taste and the beauty of Japan which is available only in spring?

• Sfikian

  20 Feb 16, 03:53

  Originally posted by ALN:

  same with other industry la

  e.g. delifrance… so many foreigners… want to order in malay or mandarin also cannot liao….

  but if no foreigners, then likely price will go up…

   

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• kinwashi

  23 Feb 16, 21:44

  ALN...you know him?

  He also love Japan

  (Alvin).

  long time no see.

   

  Autumn in Japan, when the blue sky stretches on forever, is the best season to take a drive through nature. The coast of Nagasaki Prefecture in Kyushu, with its beautiful views of a varied coastline and greenery and dotted with Catholic churches that are on the Tentative List for World Heritage Sites, is one of the most popular areas for driving in Japan. This Web Magazine introduces a driving route in which you can bask in light, wind, and beauty that starts from Hirado, which is a water gateway to Japan deeply associated with Christianity, and leads to Nagasaki City along a seaside road with an open feel.

  Hirado: a window to a world filled with light

  Blessed with abundant sunlight, a warm climate, a varied coastline and good ports, Nagasaki Prefecture has been prospering as a window of Japan that opens to the world under an open and genial climate. There are plenty of sites to see, including Christian historical sites that have been placed on UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites and many natural parks. When you visit a beautiful and grand church and drive along the coast with the deep blue ocean and green islands in view, you may leave your daily worries far behind.

  

  The road trip begins in Hirado, a city that has prospered as a gateway to Japan from the Middle Ages, where you can feel the expanse of the sea. When you cross the vermilion-colored Hirado Bridge, which clearly contrasts against the blue sky and the surrounding greenery, and head to the Hirado Port area, you will see St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church (no. 1 on the map), green and white with a beautiful spire. It is a gothic church with a sharp silhouette stretching toward the heavens. The interior of the church is awash in light that is reminiscent of the heavens, with a high ceiling and sunbeams that enters through the windows and reflects on the white walls.

  

  After leaving the church, head west across the northern end of Hirado Island and cross Ikitsuki Bridge. When driving northward on Ikitsuki Island, you will see a white lighthouse at the northern extremity of the island called Obae Lighthouse (no. 2 on the map), its whiteness emphasized by the blue sky. The 360-degree panoramic view of the ocean from the cliff on which the lighthouse stands is breathtaking, making you feel like you are being swallowed by the blue ocean and sky.

  

  When returning in the direction you arrived for about 10 minutes, you will arrive at “Shiodawara Cliff”, made up of rows of hexagonal basalt columns that protrude from the earth. You will be amazed by the grandeur and wonder of the natural sculpture created by the waves and wind. After traveling southward along the west coast of Ikitsuki Island, you will re-enter Hirado Island and travel south on Prefectural Road 19 and then southeast on Prefectural Route 60, where you will arrive at “Himosashi Church” (no. 3 on the map), with its Romanesque architecture and beautiful white exterior, in a little over an hour. The interior of the church, with its white pillars that have a strong presence, creates a solemn atmosphere.

  

  “Hoki Church”, a 10 minute drive toward northeast on Route 383, is a brick church with the longest history in Hirado that is on the Tentative List for World Heritage Sites. From this church, you can return to the Hirado Port area, containing historical sites including “St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church” (no. 1 on the map), in about 25 minutes by driving north on Hirado Island.

  • Nagasaki Prefecture Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Hirado Tourist Association

  St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church

  Address:269 Kagamigawacho, Hirado-shi, Nagasaki
  Access:Approx. 50 minutes by car on Route 204 from Saza IC on NishikyÅ«shÅ« Expressway. 
  

  • St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church (Hirado Tourist Association website) (Japanese)

  • Himosashi Church (Hirado Tourist Association website) (Japanese)
  • Hoki Church (Hirado Tourist Association website) (Japanese)

  The Kujuku-shima Islands, encompassed by the sea and sky

  

  The next day, head out from the urban Hirado area to “Nagushiyama Park” (no. 4 on the map), which commands a beautiful view of the Kujuku-shima Islands, consisting of about 200 islands. First, take Route 204 southeast and then southwest for a total of about 50 minutes. Next, continue onward to Prefectural Route 18. Five minutes after entering Sasebo City, switch at the junction to Prefectural Route 139 heading north, and drive northwest along a mountain path. In about 20 minutes, the blue sea and green islands will appear in front of you – the Kujuku-shima Islands. Turn left just before the beach and drive about 1.5 km along the sea to reach the entrance to Nagushiyama Park. You’ll arrive at the park where you can climb the observation deck. Each island of the Kita (northern) Kujuku-shima Islands is large and expressed in “masculine” terms; fittingly, the view of the islands is full of majesty.

  

  Drive southward and then eastward on Prefectural Route 18 along the sea, and then drive further southward on Prefectural Route 139 and Prefectural Route 11 along the sea toward the urban Sasebo City area. In a little over an hour from Nagushiyama Park, you’ll arrive at the “Saikai Pearl Sea Resort”. This is the port of departure for the ships that cruise the Minami (southern) Kujuku-shima Islands. The harmony of the layout of the islands and the clearness of the water creates a perfect scene of beauty. As you stand on the deck of the ship, feeling the sea breeze and surrounded by the blue sea and sky, “wonderful” will be the only word to describe your experience.

  

  After finishing the roughly 50-minute cruise, drive eastward for approximately 10 minutes to reach the urban Sasebo City area. The symbol of Sasebo “Miuramachi Church” (no. 5 on the map) will welcome you. After admiring the majestic view of the gothic church that once served as a landmark for ships arriving at the Port of Sasebo, head for “Tenkaiho” (no. 6 on the map), an observatory that represents the Minami Kujuku-shima Islands. The trip there consists of an approximately 25-minute drive southwest from the urban area, and then southward on Prefectural Route 149. From the observatory, you will have a graceful view of the Minami Kujuku-shima Islands, in which small islands are scattered over the sea. With autumn having arrived, it is the best time to view the Mexican aster flowers, which are said to number approximately 150,000.

  

  Afterward, head out to Ishidake Observatory, an observatory situated at the top of Mt. Ishidake that can be seen on the way back to the urban area. You might want to visit this area after dark. This is the place where the sunset scene at the beginning of the movie “Last Samurai” was filmed. The scene set by the silhouettes of the islands against the sky and the sea at sunset resembles an ink-wash painting. As you watch the appearance of the Minami Kujuku-shima Islands and the setting sun, you will feel as if your heart is gently melting.

  • Sasebo Convention & Visitors Association “SIGHT Sasebo” (Japanese. Automatic translation to English, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese and Korean available)

  • Nagushiyama Park (Japanese)
  • Saikai Pearl Sea Resort
  • Miuramachi Church (Nagasaki Prefecture Convention & Visitors Bureau website) (Japanese)
  • The Eight Views of the Kujuku-shima Islands (Sasebo Convention & Visitors Association website) (Japanese)

  Seaside drive to Nagasaki, the city of prayers

  

  The route connecting Sasebo and Nagasaki is a seaside drive that represents Kyushu. You can take an exhilarating drive while viewing the sea and feeling the wind. Start from the urban Sasebo area on NishikyÅ«shÅ« Expressway and head south on Route 205, then take Route 202; you will arrive at Shin-Saikai Bridge after about 40 minutes. The area near the bridge has been developed as “Saikai Bridge Park” (no. 7 on the map), and you can see large whirlpools under the bridge that are said to be one of the three largest in Japan. After crossing the bridge, drive westward and continue on to Prefectural Route 43. After driving for about 20 minutes, turn left; soon after reaching the opposite side of the peninsula, you will see the entrance to the Limestone Cave. With scenery that reminds you of how ancient the earth is, you will feel your heart calming as you walk inside a cave surrounded by thick silence.

  

  After exiting the cave, drive south along the coast on Route 202. In a little over 40 minutes, you will see “Shitsu Church” (no. 8 on the map), which is on the Tentative List for World Heritage Sites. The simple white external appearance gives a pure impression, and the rustic interior with its warm wood soothes the heart. If you drive further south for about 10 minutes, you will reach Kurosaki Church, with its beautiful brick exterior. The interior of the church features a beautiful contrast between a wooden arch and white walls, creating a solemn atmosphere.

  

  Drive further south on Route 202, passing Inasayama Park, one of the three major night views of Japan, to the urban Nagasaki City area; this takes about an hour and 20 minutes. “O-ura Tenshu-do Cathedral” (no. 9 on the map), which is the oldest wooden churches in Japan and on the Tentative List for World Heritage Sites, is particularly outstanding. This gothic church, with its green colored spire and surrounding trees and its white exterior wall creating a sharp contrast, provides a tropical atmosphere. The interior, illuminated by the light coming through the stained-glass windows, is also beautiful.

  

  After observing the church, you can drive to various sites in the city, such as the Nagasaki Peace Park, which was constructed as a prayer from Nagasaki for a world without nuclear weapons, Urakami Cathedral, a brick church rebuilt after being damaged by the atomic bomb, and “St. Kolbe museum” associated with Father Kolbe, who was martyred in a gas chamber in Auschwitz concentration camp. After sunset, drive to “Inasayama Park”, approximately 10 minutes from the downtown area. The view of the arch of Nagasaki Bay and the soft city lights of Nagasaki from the observatory that commands a panoramic view of the city impresses the meaning of peace upon the heart. 
  
  *Churches are places for prayers and faith for people. When touring churches, please be considerate and show moderation.