Kyoto Prefecture (京都府)

 In this week, I am going to introduce about Kyoto Prefecture (:
Kyoto is one of my favourite places as well!!
I think many tourist visit Kyoto.

Kyoto is located Kansai region of the island of Honsyuu.







                                                                                                                                       


There are many temples exist in Kyoto and I want everyone to visit "Kiyomizudera". "Kiyomizudera" is literally means "Pure Water Temple" which is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. Actually, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 1994.

         
Kiyomizudera is best known for its wooden stage that juts out from its main hall, 13 meters above the hillside below. The stage affords visitors a nice view of the numerous cherry and maple trees below that erupt in a sea of color in spring and fall, as well as of the city of Kyoto in the distance. The main hall, which together with the stage was built without the use of nails, houses the temple's primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon.

This is a picture of Kiyomizudera in Spring season.

    


And this is in Autumn season.



It is really beautiful isnt it?
I couldn't visit Kiyomizudera for a long time.
I will visit there when I go back to Japan in this winter but actually I wanted to visit there in Spring and Autumn season.


When you visit Kyoto, I want you guys to buy this




 
　　


This is Green Tea Baumkuchen. It is really tasty and not too sweet. You can buy this at Kyoto station !!

Tokyo Prefecture (東京都)

In this week, I want to introduce Tokyo!!!!!!
I had been there many times and Tokyo city is always fun !!!
Every time I enjoy traveling in Tokyo (:

Tokyo is in the Kanto region on the southeastern side of the main island Honsyu.



Tokyo is Japan's capital and the world's most populous metropolis. It's also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, consisting of 23 central city wards and multiple cities, towns and villages west of the city center.

Around Shibuya station is popular shopping and entertainment area. I feel that around Shibuya station is really powerful and they shows us the latest Tokyo fashion every time I went to Tokyo!! Also there are many young people. You will see many funny people too!








Next interesting city in Tokyo is Akihabara (秋葉原). Actually I have never been to there but there are many electronics shops and they sell it cheaper than other places !! Do you know "otaku" ? "Otaku" is people who really loves games and diehard fun. I think "otaku" is recently getting the world common ward. Akihabara has gained recognition as the center of Japan's otaku culture and many shops and establishments devoted to anime and manga are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district.





、

Maybe you think why I didn't introduce Tokyo Disney Land because actually TDL is located  in Chiba Prefecture.


I hope you enjoy my blog!!!

Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県)

In this week, I want to introduce Ishikawa Prefecture where is located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chubu Region. Capital city is Kanazawa.







　　　　

I want to visit "Kenrokuen" where is in Kanazawa. Kenrokuen is justifiably classfied as one of Japan's "three most beautiful landscape gardens". Opened to the public in 1871, Kenrokuen features a variety of flowering trees which provide the garden with a different look for wach season.     




Also, I want to go "The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art" (金沢２１世紀美術館) where is in downtown Kanazawa, just few step from Kenrokuen.It exhibits works of acclaimed contemporary artists from Japan and all over the world, and is among Japan's most popular art museums.
The architecture of the 21st Century Museum is unique and distinguishes it from other museums and buildings around Kanazawa. The museum is comprised of a circular building, 112.5 meters in diameter, with no facade or main entrance. It was designed without a front or back to discourage its patrons from approaching the museum, and consequently its art, from only one direction.




Interspersed among the public spaces of the museum are some permanent installations open free to the public. These include works such as Leandro Erlich's "Swimming Pool", a pool where people appear to be underwater (entry inside the pool requires paid admission); and James Turrell's "Blue Planet Sky", an exhibit exploring light as a medium which has counterpart exhibits around the world. 





    





  




  


I want to take a photo inside and outside of the pool (:

This is so interesting isnt it?

Hukuoka Prefecture (福岡県)

In this week, I'm going to introduce Fukuoka Prefecture in Japan.  Fukuoka is situated In the northern extremely of Kyushu. Also, Fukuoka is Kyusyu's largest and one of Japan's ten most populated cities.





I often heard that food in Fukuoka is really good, so I researched what is popular food in there. There are open air food stands in Fukuoka which is called "Yatai(屋台)" in Japanese. Yatai is the city's best known symbol.




We can enjoy typical dishes at Yatai such as grilled chicken skewers(yakitori) , hot pot (oden) and most famous local noodle dish "Hakata Ramen". Hakata Ramen is what I really want to eat in Fukuoka!!!

This is Yakitori ↓↓




This is Oden ↓↓↓









And this is Hakata Ramen!!






Hakata Ramen featuring relatively thin ramen noodles in a pork bone based soup ( Tonkotsu). Also there are various alcoholic drinks in Yatai. I'm sure that  Yakitori and  alcohol must be a good combination!!!! I'm 20 years old now so I can drink alcohol in Japan!!

The Yatai is a great place to get in touch with the locals (: You don't have to care about that you can't speak Japanese because Japanese people already know that!!!! They must try to speak English. lol

Yatai can generally seat about seven or eight people and provide an atmospheric outdoor environment to enjoy various foods that are generally simple and filling.

The best place to find Yatai is on the southern end of Nakasu Island where is located in the middle of
the city. Nakasu island has a  long row of around 20 yatai that are attractively situated along the water.

This is inside of Yatai's image.




Oh don't forget that Yatai normally open at 6pm and close at around 2am except the weather is bad.

Thanks for accessing my blog!!

Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県)

In this week, I am going to introduce Ehime Prefecture where is in northwestern shikoku, Japan. The capital city is Matsuyama. Matsuyama is famous throughout Japan for its onsen (natural hot spring).
















            

Then I want to go to Dogo Onsen (道後温泉）where is the odest and most famous hot spring in Japan.This is the picture of the Dogo Onsen.





          


There are not many old Japanese style buildings in my hometown because my hometown is kind of urban side, so I really like these old Japanese style building and it must be butiful!!
 While I was researching Dougo Onsen, I found that the main building in the movie Sprited Away was modeled on the present building of the Dōgo Onsen public bathhousethis.














I want to enjoy the hot spring at Dogo Onsen and after I want to enjoy cycling on Shimanami Kaido. This is the Shimanami Kaido.





The Shimanami Kaido is a 60 kilometer long toll road that connects Japan's main island of Honshu to the island of Shikoku, passing over six small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The Shimanami Kaido is the only one traversable by foot or bicycle.
The Shimanami Kaido begins on Honshu in Onomiti City (Hiroshima Prefecture) to on Shikoku in Imabari City (Ehime Prefecture).

I introduced Hiroshima Prefecture last time, so I hope to visit both of them by bicycle (:

Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県）

In this week I am going to introduce Hiroshima Prefecture.
Hitoshima is the largest city in the Chugoku region of western Honsyuu(the lsrgest island of Japan).




I have never been to Hiroshima but my friend live in there so I want to visit there one day.
I really want to go " Itsukushima Shrine"(厳島神社） where on Miyajima source of both the island's fame and its name. "Miyajima" is literally "Shrine Island" in Japanese. The shrine is known worldwide for its iconic "floating" trii gate.



It is unique that the shrine and its trii gate are being built for over water, seemingly floating in the sea during the high tide.



The shrine complex consists of multiple buildings, including a pryer hall, a main hall and a north theater stage, which are connected by bordwalks and supported by pillars above the sea.




The water over which Itsukushima shrine is built, it is good to be aware of the timings of the tides during one's visit. At high tide the shrine and its gate appear to float above the water. At low tide, the water drains out of the bay, then we can take the opportunity to walk out and see the gate from up close.

I thought "Itsukushims Shrine" is really cool and also the shrine is listed as a World Heritage Site. I want to see at high tide the shrine in the evening and at low tide the shrine in the morning and walk under the trii gate. I can imagine that the trii gate is huge and super high.

I hope you guys enjoy my blog!!

Sizuoka Prefecture (静岡県)

Hello guys.
In this week, I am going to introduce about Sizuoka Prefecture.




Sizuoka Prefecture is located in the Chubu region of Honsyu and a medium sized city situated halfway between Tokyo and  Nagoya. Actually I have never been to there. The reason why I choose there was that Mt.Fuji is located in there.
I think many American people have heard or know Mt. Fuji but they might not know where the Mt. Fuji is located. Mt. Fuji stands on the border between Yamanashi and Sizuoka Prefecture and we can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama, especially if the weather is good and on clear days. Shizuoka has a unique climate compared with most of Japan, it never get’s very cold and soon warms up in the Spring. The water is very pure as the streams flow from Mount Fuji.



You can see the green tea plantation from the picture above. Shizuoka accounts for 45% of Japan’s overall tea production, and the prefecture is at the leading-edge of research on the benefits that can be obtained from green tea, so you can enjoy drining green tea. I want to climb the Mt.Fuji and drink deliciious green tea at the top of Mt.Fuji.

Thank you for visiting my blog!!

Iwate Prefecture (岩手県)

In this week, I am going to introduce Iwate Prefecture where I have never been to.  Iwate Prefecture is located in the Tohoku area of Honshuu island. The red area is Iwate Prefecture.

 Morioka is the capital city in Iwate Prefecture. Morioka city doesn't have many sightseeing spots but there are various styles of noodle. Then I really want to eat "Wanko Soba".

"Wanko Soba" as pictured above is a style of Japanese soba noodles. This well-known as traditional dish originated in the hospitarity spirit. Staff at a restaurant give guests the opportunity to eat and savor lots of freshly-boiled noodles.

 

The first bowl is eaten plain and server will keep topping up your empty bowl, so that there is a tall stack of empty noodle bowls appears front of the eater in the picture. There are not much soba in each bowl. The average for women is 30-40 bowls, while men average about 50-60 bowls.

I also want to visit Iwaizumi Town in Iwate Prefecture. Iwaizumi Town has Ryusendo Cave which is one of the three great limestone caves in Japan and a national natural monument. Ryusendo Cave is anything but small, the portion of the cave which has been explored stretches over 3100 meters. We can take tour and it takes about 30 minutes and we can see the length of the cave but also up several flights of stairs right into the middle of the stalactites.



We can easily see deep into the underground lakes and the water is really clear. The walking path shows off all of the points of the cave as well, including narrative signs along the way. The temperature inside the cave is cool, making it a perfect stop for hot summer days!!! I suggest you to visit there in July and August because it is summer season in Japan,

I hope my blog helps your traveling plan (;
Have a good day!!



Hokkaido （北海道）

This is my first post of my blog. I am going to introduce many cities in Japan every times in this blog. I choose the second largest Japan's island "Hokkaido" where is northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectures.

Actually I have never been to Hokkaido before but I have many friends who lives in Hokkaido. I want to visit Aoi Ike (Blue Pond) where is near the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen. The blue pond is deep blue color which it owes to natural minerals dissolved in the water. The place, blue pond recently became popular and many tourists visit there. Tourists suggested that it is better to visit there especially sunny day. This is a picture of Aoiike. It is really beautiful isn't it?

I also want to visit  Noboribetu town.  There are Noboribetu Jikoku Dani in that area. "Jikoku Dani" means "Hell Valley" in English. It is main source of Noboribetsu's hot spring water. This is a picture of  "Hell Valley".

 

In middle of October is beautiful autumn season in Hokkaido, Japanese travel guide said. After you visit the Gikoku Dani,  you can follow walking trails and about 20 or 30 minutes later, you will get to Oyunuma and flowing out of there is a river called Oyunumagawa where we can enjoy an "Asiyu" which is a natural foot bath. The water from the river is hot, Hokkaido is a cold place so Asiyu will keep you warm. 

I also wanted to enjoy high quality and freshness sea food in Hokkaido too. Anyway I hope that this blog will help your traveling in Hokkaido.