Ikaho Kanko Hotel (伊香保観光ホテル) used to be a reputed modern hotel in Ikaho Onsen, Gunma-ken. Located in a center of a popular Ikaho Onsen, the hotel was built in 1929 mainly for expats and foreign tourists. In 1998 the Hotel was designated as a "Tangible Cultural Property" of Japan. However due to difficulty in keeping such Onsen resort business in good shape for long they had to shut down in 2007. Remains partly intact is its 3 storied building with 27 Western/Japanese mix rooms. http://blog-imgs-87.fc2.com/… Read more

Sado Island (佐渡島, Sadogashima) lies off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, and is one of Japan's largest islands. Due to its remote location, the island served as a destination for political exiles. The three most prominent figures sent into exile to Sado were the former Emperor Juntoku, the Buddhist monk Nichiren and the founder of Noh, Zeami Motokiyo. ( "Sanmaido in Sado"… Read more

Otoko-no-ko (男の娘, written as "Otoko-no-musume"or "Male daughter"）, refers to a male crossdresser as woman. The term originated in Japanese manga and Internet culture in the 2000s, but the concept reflects a broad range of earlier traditions and examples of male drag-wearing in Japan, such as onna-gata (女方) in kabuki theater, (Tamasaburo in Kabuki) and in the career of cross-dressing entertainer Akihiro Miwa. http://blog-imgs-87.fc2.com/s… Read more

Gozan no Okuribi (五山送り火), more commonly known as Daimonji (大文字), is a festival in Kyoto. It is the culmination of the Obon festival on August 16, in which five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city. It signifies the moment when the spirits of deceased f a m i l y members, who are said to visit this world during O-Bon, are believed to be returning to the spirit world - thus the name Okuribi (送り火) (roughly, "send-off fire"). The origins of the festival are obscure, but it is believe… Read more

Rishiri (利尻) is an island in Hokkaido… Read more

Located high in the Kitayama mountains north of Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine in Izumo, Shimane-ken, Gakuen-ji was for centuries the biggest temple in Izumo Province. Though much reduced in size now and difficult to reach, Gakuen-ji is however well worth the effort to visit. Gakuen-ji Temple's origins lie in the 6th century, which puts it among the oldest temples in the country. During the reign of Empress Suiko, who rul… Read more

One of the most important holidays in Japan is "Obon"(お盆). It is a three-day Buddhist holiday in the summer when spirits are said to re-visit their f a m i l y homes. This year, 2016 it will be from August 13th to 15th (The exact date varies by region). It is not a national holiday, though most people have time off work and many businesses are closed. (Bonfire at Tsumago juku=妻籠宿 盆の迎え火) Every region also has different methods of celebrating "Obon". There are hundreds of variations on the bon-odori (dan… Read more

Built d e e p within the serene forest at the top of Mt. Kurama is Kurama-dera Buddhist temple, known as the protector of all northern Kyoto area. There has a myth says that the big-nosed half-bird, half-human "Tengu" lives in there. The temple is believed to hold special spiritual energy, attracting people from Japan and all around the world to visit and meditate on its grounds. Though strongly associated with Buddhism, many scholars of Japa… Read more

This year's rice crop maybe good So far climate is favorable in southern Kanto plains ... hope no severe typhoons come until harvest season ....… Read more

Nine hundred years ago, in Japan, a blacksmith’s daughter gave birth to a baby boy. Some said the boy’s father was a god, but most said his father was an evil spirit. But one thing everyone agreed on – that the baby was different from other human c h i l d r e n. He was an unusually large baby, and had been born with long hair like a wild man’s, and big sharp teeth. He had the strength of twelve men, and he grew far more rapidly than other babies did. Soon everyone began calling him Oniwaka, which means ‘devil’s c h i l d’. As a **********, Oniwaka was always getting into trouble, fighting… Read more

The highest mountain in Japan… Read more

The Awa Dance Festival (阿波踊り) starts today until 15th August as part of the Obon festival in Tokushima-ken on Shikoku. Awa Odori is the largest dance festival in Japan, attracting over 1.3 million tourists every year. "Awa" is the old feudal administration name for Tokushima prefecture, and "Odori" stands for "dance". Groups of choreographed dancers and musicians known as "ren" (連) dance through the streets, typically accomp… Read more

Daisen is a volcanic mountain in Tottori-ken with an elevation of 1,729m (5,673ft) (A view from Kagikake-pass) A complex volcano, made by repeated volcanic activity over thousands of years.… Read more

Dewa Sanzan ("3 mountains of Dewa") are 3 sacred mountains in Yamagata Prefecture, each with a shrine on or near its peak. The mountains are named Haguro-san, Gas-san and Yudono-san and remain centers of mountain worship. Representing birth (Haguro-san), death (Gas-san) and rebirth (Yudono-san), the mountains are usually visited in that order. Hagurosan is a gently sloping mountain with an elevation of 414 meters, and lies between 2 rivers. Among the 3 Dewa mountains, the Shrines on Gassan and Yudono are far removed from civ… Read more

Once again it was Hita-city, Oita-ken, Kyushu 38.1 deg c (below picture is Osaka Itami Airport) A "road mirage" can often be seen at airports (Aircraft All Nippon Airways B787 at RJOO)… Read more

There used to exist more than 50 sex museums called "Hihou-kan 秘宝館 (House of Hidden Treasures)" across Japan until recently. They were located in amusement centers in popular sightseeing spots or onsen resorts, and usually ran by individuals. They date back to the 1960s–80s; more recently such type of amusement resorts for elder men have declined and most personal sex museums closed. There remain only a handful of such places in Japan now. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- " Hi… Read more

Kiri-ishi, Minobu-cho, Yamanashi-ken (山梨県南巨摩郡身延町切石) was 39.2 deg c the hottest spot in Japan She shows how you overcome this summer's heat in Japan… Read more