The Sakura cherry blossoms started opening in Tokyo on March 21, five days earlier than average. Best viewing is expected to start around March 31. In most of the rest of Japan, however, the blossoms are expected to open closer to their average schedule. In Kyoto, they are predicted to start opening on March 30. (First Sakura opened in Tokyo today on 21 March 2017) The Japanese cherry blossom, or Sakura (桜), has long been adored by people across the globe. It is regarded as a symbol… Read more

To the north of Karuizawa there is a famous Onsen called Kusatsu, one of the few oldest Onsen in Japan boasting the greatest amount of discharging hot spring water. Although Kusatsu Onsen had been known as such famous, accessibility from cities like Karuizawa were poor until the end of Meiji period (1868-1912). In 1914 (Taisho period) a private railroad company called "Kusa-Karu" (Kusatsu - Karuizawa) Electric Railway started a narrow gauge field railway service between Karuizawa and Kusatsu (55.5km, 21… Read more

Karuizawa (軽井沢) is an upmarket mountain resort town (population 19,939 as of October 2016 ) at the foot of the active volcano Mount Asama in Nagano Prefecture. Located at an altitude of roughly 1000 meters, the town provides a pleasant escape from the summer heat. (Mount Asama, 2568m) Karuizawa was first "discovered" and promoted as a mountain resort by Western residents of Japan in the late 1800s. Today, many wealthy urbanites own a second home there. Thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen it takes little more than… Read more

Hole lotta choice of holes ....　… Read more

Once a beautiful wooden town in historical times, Nagoya is one of the few modern Japanese cities to have been carefully planned and zoned. In fact, the city is a spacious, well-planned, urban center that oozes prosperity due to the location of Japan's largest company - Toyota - in the town as well as a substantial number of blue-chip precision-engineering companies driven by Toyota's success. (Toyota Lexus) 12 years ago Nagoya's new off-shore… Read more

Monkey Island = Sarushima (猿島) is a small island located off Yokosuka, Kanagawa-ken. It is the only natural island in Tokyo Bay. It's said that the name came from a legend of the famous Buddhist priest Nichiren was saved and safely guided by a white monkey on his stormy Kamakura-bound voyage in 1253. No monkeys living on this island now. Sarushima was used as a battery by the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period (… Read more

Sakura Cherry Blossoms Blooming Forecast 2017 according to Japan Weather Association as of March 15. The forecast date of Tokyo area is 23 March as shown in upper column (compared to last year's actual date of March 21)… Read more

Fuji-san was wrapped by thin snow this morning Hope no more thick snow to hinder your life ....… Read more

As there are many volcanoes (officially110 active volcanoes since 2011, out of them a few are considered dangerous) in Japan, there are many volcanic hot springs and many legends or mythologies related to hot springs have been passed down. For hot springs that have a long history, the record of their use is also found in old literature. (Dogo-onsen) According to Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan), Shoku Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan continued), Manyoshu (Collection of Thousand leaves) and Shui Wakash… Read more

Mount Fuji from Misaka Pass on Lake Kawaguchi in "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" by Hokusai Katsushika (The Fuji reflects in Lake Kawaguchi seen from the Misaka pass in the old Kai province : Yamanashi-ken) Hokusai (1760-1849) had a long career. He produced most of his important work after age 60. His most popular work is the ukiyo-e series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji", which was created between 1826 and 1833. http://blog-imgs-87.fc2.com/s/k/b/skbjkjsk/640px-11-Sunset_across_the_Ryogoku_bridge_fr… Read more

Yuki-chan was called by her teachers after school Teachers told her that in order to successfully proceed to next grade she cannot avoid this special physical exam... She was more than happy to accept their order and requested more meaningful tests... In fact she has anticipated that this c… Read more

Natsuki-chan is graduating from her High School today.... She wanted to thank her most liked teacher for always taking a nice care of her .... So, she has been thinking what she could do on her very last day after the class .... She is well aware what her teacher has lon… Read more

Japanese Serow ("Kamo shika"), the endemic species of Japan (Slow moving, even sluggish at times, the Japanese Serow likes to rest in sunshine when it can) It comes as a considerable surprise to visitors to Japan to find that the country is home to quite a number of large a n i m a l s. Kamoshika or Japanese Serow is among more than 100 species of mammals native to Japan, there are even two species of bears, a monkey, a large deer, and a rather strange creature, rarely heard of outside Japan. http://blog… Read more

Flowers are a wonderful way to add some color to any room. You could just drop flowers into a vase and fill it with water, but where's the artistry in that? Instead, you could consider a more stylized way to create your arrangement - that is " Ikebana ", the Japanese art of flower arrangement. "Ikebana" is the art of beautifully arranging cut stems, leaves and flowers in vases and other containers that evolved in Japan over seven centuries. And now… Read more

Jonangu, which literally means ‘the shrine south of the capital,’ was built in 794 at south of the ancient capital : Heian-kyo to protect the capital and ensure the nation’s peace. It enshrines the deity of the nation’s territory, the deity of bravery, and the female deity of safe c h i l d birth and c h i l d rearing. Successive emperors and retired emperors visited the shrine to pray against calamity striking from inauspicious directions, and to pray for the peace and security of the imperial court. http:… Read more

Omizutori (お水取り) is the commonly used name for Shunie (修二会), a series of events held annually from March 1 to 14 at Todaiji Temple and at many temples in Japan during February and March. This collection of Buddhist repentance rituals has been held every year for over 1250 years, making it one of the oldest reoccurring Buddhist events in Japan. Omizutori is performed at Nigatsudo Hall （二月堂), a sub-complex of Todaiji, which stands not far from the temple's main hall on the slope of a hill. Nigatsudo literally means "secon… Read more