All posts filed under: Japan Travel

one of the oldest shrines in Japan – Izumo Taisha

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an excerpt from our camping car trip in 2018 Our trip to Izumo Taisha Shrine located in Shimane prefecture took place early October 2018, when the longest and hottest summer gradually started to loose force, surrendering itself to the next season, the fall. Izumo Taisha Shrine is considered the oldest shrine in Japan, in existence in the early 700s as revealed by the nation’s oldest chronicles; and has always been my ‘must see places in Japan’. The access is about a 820 kilometers drive from Tokyo, a 9 hours non-stop drive according to the Google Map which we managed to achieve in our first day of our trip. The majority of Japanese endeavor to see Izumo Taisha, as according to our history, Izumo used to be ruled by a powerful clan in pre-historic times, and plays a central role in Japan’s creation mythology. The main deity (kami) enshrined at Izumo Taisha is Okuninushi no Okami and according to the creation myths, Okuninushi was the creator of the land of Japan and the ruler of Izumo. …

a summer day..hiking…Nishizawa Gorge(Keikoku）｜西沢渓谷ハイキング

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It’s a  ‘hot’ summer, rather an ‘extremely hot’ summer. Japan, like the other countries has been encountering, perhaps due to the global warming, days over 35C continuing since early July. Outdoor activities tend to be quite dangerous from high heat but luckily, this day, August 7th was like a crevasse between the hot temperature and typhoon and a perfect hiking day with the kids, my lovely nieces and nephews and my lovely sister. 酷暑と台風の繰り返しの日々が続いています。 台風13号が上陸するか、しないか、という8月7日、私の妹と姪達と甥と一緒に「西沢渓谷」に行ってきました。東京は雨模様で台風の上陸まじか。山梨、西沢渓谷はラッキーにちょうど低気圧と高気圧のクレバスのような場所になっており、、気温も20度前後。山歩きには最高の日となりました。 西沢渓谷は勝沼ICからフルーツラインを抜けて約60分程度、東京からは車アクセスがとてもいい場所です。初級者向けのハイキングコースで渓流の脇を通りながら１０本の滝を通過しながらいく、夏でもとっても涼しいコースです。   Nishizawa Gorge is one of the most beautiful gorges of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, covering over 1250 square kilometers of densely forested mountains, dynamic gorges and crystal clear rivers in the prefecture of Yamanashi. It is a hiking course along the river, the trail takes approximately 3.5 hours to complete, along side with the 10 waterfalls spotted during the trail.                         保存保存 保存保存

Spring has arrived…|春の到来です

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Oh dear……time flies. Each month seemed busier than the previous, for reasons not prefer to mention specifically but to be blunt…’a natural ebb and flow of life’. Anyway my last post was (way) over a month ago, disengaged from the habit of blogging nevertheless it has been on my ‘to do list’. I hope to grow back into the habit of blog posting upon the arrival of spring and the beautiful cherry blossoms yet in full bloom in some areas of Japan. なんだか、、 あっという間に月日が経ち、、 久しぶりの投稿です。 気がつくと「春」。そして今年も日本列島は桜で大騒ぎ。 我が家の近辺は桜が多し。 いつも特別なお花見なぞせずですが山梨に野菜に買いに行ったついでに、、いつも素通りする「神代桜」に立ち寄ってみたら、、ほっ、ほっ、ほっ、ラッキーに樹齢2000年の桜「満開」でした！     This cherry blossom is approximately 2000 years old, ‘Jindai Sakura’ in Yamanashi prefecture.           What our small garden looks like…..    

Hokuriku Camping Car Travelog | 北陸キャンピングカー旅 ②

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The Noto Peninsula (Noto-hanto) is a peninsula which extends out to the ocean (Sea of Japan), Ishikawa prefecture. To us, Noto instantly resonates ‘fresh fish’,’good sake’ ,’salt’ and ‘rice’, basically the main food ingredients our form of Japanese food. It was my first visit to Noto-hanto, although the weather did not welcome us; sunshine-cloudy-mist-rain-gusty wind storm all in one day. According to the locals, the diversity of weather produces good crops, good fish and a flexible lifestyle; a norm in Noto Penisula.

Camping Car Travelog | キャンピングカー旅 ③

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Just about an hour away from the Jellyfish Aquarium, a stop over at the ‘Ken Domon Museum of Photography’, in Sakata City.　He is one of the pioneers of photography in Japan, well know for his snapshots and realism of the historic pre and post war period, the Showa era of Japan.

Camping Car Travelog | キャンピングカー旅 ②

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Day 2 takes us to the Tsuruoka City Kamo Aquarium, known as the ‘Jellyfish Museum’, located at Yamagata Prefecture;  a beautiful clear sky day. 旅の2日目。 山形県の鶴岡市加茂水族館「クラゲ会館」に行ってきました。世界一クラゲの種類が多いと言われている水族館で平日でも観光バスやら観光客で比較的込み合ったいました。