HOT Japan yesterday (OCtober 28) : 27.4c Kumagaya-city, Saitama-ken ... and Tokyo was 26.1c However, in many places, definitely Autumn colors are getting darker.... Kinkakuji, Kyoto not quite yet http://blog-imgs-84.fc2.… Read more

Kagoshima City Centre (鹿児島市内) in Souther Kyushu Island A city with 605,575(May2015), nicknamed " Naples of the Eastern world ". Climate is warm, and Volcano Sakurajima is active.… Read more

"Eve-chan" graduated from a High School in Shizuoka, started working at Cafe in Tokyo and made quite a big money( 30,000 yen a day). The Cafe she worked was : "No-pan kissa". She soon became an idol of the Cafe, and also a famous AV gal in Nikkatsu Adult movies and a star-stripper. (Eve-chan and real photos of No-pan kissa in 1980's) At "No-pan kissa"(ノーパン喫茶, literally "no-panties cafe") waitresses wear short skirts and nothing underneath. Customers of these establishments are happy to pay a hefty premium… Read more

Ke-Arashi (気嵐), Sea Fog　 Amaharashi Beach (雨晴海岸), Takaoka-city, Toyama-ken / October 26, 2015… Read more

This is another "Kaki" or oyster. In Japan, Oysters(牡蠣) and Persimmon(柿) are the same pronunciation : "Kaki". ( Intonation is different ; "牡蠣" is a falling, "柿" is a rising intonation, kanji-spelling is this different.) At this time of a year both Kaki are in their best now. Oysters, the popular delicacies of the sea can be savored in a number of different situations and preparations. They can tradition… Read more

Sapporo, Hokkaido and Sukayu-onsen, Aomori-ken had 19cm snow overnight ... This picture is Biei-town (美瑛町) a town near Furano-city(富良野), Hokkaido… Read more

Some people say that the colored leaves of Kaki (Japanese Persimmon) are the most brilliant Autumn foliage. Unusually, the kaki fruits are ripe when the leaves have mostly fallen off around October - November. (It's the main harvest season). The persimmon is a sweet, slightly tangy fruit with a soft to occasionally fibrous texture, has a high tannin content which makes the immature fruit astringent and bitter. Th… Read more

Sapporo snowed today. Very windy, too. The rest of the land of rising Sunny .... South Japan warm ! Morning/Night time gets cooler .... Tomorrow Tokyo forecast Low 11/ High 19c ..... Mount Fuji is 3,776m ... Pai-chan is 5ft 7inches ...... Good Night now ...... It's Autumn yet ..... zzzzzz… Read more

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan(西山温泉慶雲館) is the world’s oldest hotel(company), according to Guinness World Records. An inn situated at the foot of the South Japanese Alps in Yamanashi Prefecture. The history of the Keiunkan inn dates back 1,300 years to the year 705AD (the 2nd year of the Keiun era=慶雲時代), when Fujiwara Mahito(藤原真人) founded the inn. Because it was founded in the Keiun era, the inn was thus named Keiunkan. The hot spring has flowed freely without interruption since then and is lo… Read more

Ninen-zaka, Kyoto (京都二年坂) Gently sloping lanes that lead down from Kiyomizu-dera(清水寺) Temple toward Nene-no-Michi (ねねの道) Lane.… Read more

The Autumn Colors have reached Yake-dake (2,455m) of the (Japanese) Northern Alps Yake-dake (焼岳) & Taisho-ike (大正池) October 21, 2015 Birch is always impressive throughout a year .... Momiji (Japanese Maple) colors are getting deeper toward November... Forgot to tell you ... Japanese persimmon tree leaves also become such bright r… Read more

Lake Chuzenji (中禅寺湖, Chūzenjiko) is a scenic lake in the mountains above the town of Nikko(日光）. It is located at the foot of Mount Nantai=男体山(2,484m), Nikko's sacred volcano, whose eruption blocked the valley below, thereby creating Lake Chuzenji about 20,000 years ago. It drains through the famous Kegon Waterfall (華厳の滝). Chuzenjiko' shores are mostly undeveloped and forested except at the lake's eastern end where the small hot spring town of Chuzenjiko Onsen (中禅寺湖温泉) was built. Another popular waterfall, Ryuzu W… Read more

Tomono-ura, Fukuyama-city, Hiroshima-ken (鞆の浦) A prosperous port, harbor listed as one of Japan's top 100 scenic and historical, natural places… Read more

The Jidai Matsuri (時代祭) is a festival that takes place every year on October 22, the anniversary of the foundation of the Japanese ancient Capital, Kyoto(京都). It consists of a large parade that travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Jidai Matsuri is Japanese for "Festival of Ages", and the participants of the parade are dressed in accurate costumes from almost every period of Japanese history, as well as famous historical figures. There are about 2,000 participants and it takes two hours to watch the entire proce… Read more

Kodaiji, Kyoto 　京都高台寺 Formally identified as Jubuzan Kōdai-ji (鷲峰山高台寺 Jubuzan Kōdai-ji), is a temple of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism in Kyoto, established in 1606 by Nene (often known by the title Kita no Mandokoro), the widow of Toyotomi Hideyoshi(豊臣秀吉), to pray for her late husband.… Read more

At Japanese Onsen Ryokan (温泉旅館) in general, a charge goes by a number of persons instead of per room. If 1 person costs ¥15,000/day(approx.$125), next person adds another ¥15,000 plus 8% tax, plus a nominal charge like ¥300-¥500 of Onsen tax will additionally be billed. Some Onsen hotels do not accept guest traveling alone. Not all Onsen Ryokan look like this "Nara-ya", some are big concrete building with hundreds of tatami-floored Japanese futon rooms, or modern Western style hotels, some are very small f a m i l y-run Guest house etc.etc. http://blog-imgs-84.fc2.com/s/k… Read more

Miyama-town, Kyoto (京都府南丹市美山町) 250 old houses along Yura-river are all thatched roofs.… Read more

Momiji-gari ( 紅葉狩り) = Leaf peeping ”Momiji=もみじ=紅葉 (Momiji and Kōyō are spelled same as "紅葉" in Kanji, means "Acer palmatum" or "Japanese maple") + "Gari or Kari =狩り" literally means "hunting". Actually people don't "HUNT" momiji but "view and enjoy" momiji. Every year as soon as Autumn arrives many Japanese become fidgety. They want to go out for "Momijigari" , a Japanese traditional habit of going out to visit scenic areas where leaves have turned red. Autumn is such a special season f… Read more

Pai-chan after School… Read more

Autumn is perhaps the best season to travel in Japan weatherwise. Soft sunshine (less UV) and lower humidity compared to the other good time of spring. Many colorful flowers and abundant fresh fruits all contribute to a most pleasant season of a year .... And ..... around this time every year most Japanese High Schools and Colleges will hold an annual cultural event called "Bunka-sai" or "Daigaku-sai"(in case of Universities/Colleges). It offers a good opportunity for students to display their cultura… Read more