It’s about that time, eh folks! Feb 6th to 12th is Sapporo’s Snow Festival or Yuki Matsuri! We’ve all heard about it: amazing snow sculptures that tower over the crowds as the snow falls all around… it’s pretty impressive and a little magical. I hear what you are saying… “It’s such a long way to…
In a world not so far away lies Gero Onsen, a hot spring resort in the middle of Gifu Prefecture. It has been named one of the top three hot spring resorts since the Edo Period. As long as I have been in Japan, I had been wanting to head up to Gifu prefecture to…
Of all of the Momiji trips I have gone on, the place that impressed me the most has to be Koya-san, Wakayama. In mid-November, 2010, I joined the Wakayama JET contingent on a weekend tour of Mt Koya (aka Koya-san), the home of Shingon Buddhism which was introduced to Japan by Kobo Daishi in the early 800’s….
Shirahama is situated in Wakayama-ken, a prefecture full of amazing coastlines, beaches, and onsens – the perfect summer getaway. Since it is a popular place to visit in summer, be prepared for crowds, or visit slightly off season. Shirahama beach is a beautiful ‘Australian’ white sand beach with palm frond shelters and clear, blue water….
Tottori is situated on the Sea of Japan, with the Sendai River running through it. Japan’s largest sand dunes stretch 16 km along the coast of Tottori-ken, and they are the main sightseeing destination. I have visited Tottori City twice now – in spring and in winter. It was lovely in both seasons, but with…
Situated on the edge of Lake Shinji, Matsue is a beautiful city with canals and a river running through it. Matsue has a mix of modern cafes and stores, while also maintaining traditional houses and buildings. We spent a day exploring the older part of the city around the castle…
After living in Japan for a few years now, I am still adding to my list of ‘must do’ in Japan, and attempting to cross a few things off too. During February’s three day weekend, I was happy to finally visit the snow monkeys…
Festivities in Kobe’s Chinatown during the first weekend of February celebrated Shunsetsu, and the start of the year of the Rabbit. Beginning February 3rd with the new moon (to end January 22nd, 2012), Rabbit years are said to be for catching one’s breath after the dynamism of the Tiger. This year’s Rabbit is associated with the element metal, so the fluffy bunny may have a bit of a sharp edge (perhaps dulled a little by the fact that it’s yin metal, not yang this year)! Nankin-machi was thronged with visitors all weekend long, and on display were performances of dance, acrobatics, tai chi, as well as the famous lion and dragon dances.
Miyajima is one of the Nihon Sankei, one of the three most scenic places in Japan, and is definitely my favourite place. Miyajima is situated just outside Hiroshima and is reached by ferry.　The ferry takes only about 10 minutes and you can soon see what the island is most famous for – the giant red torii (shrine gate) floating in the water.