Manju is one of Japanese traditional sweets which is a bun stuffed with sweetened bean paste. (Source: Wikipedia) Inaba-no-shirousagi of Tottori Prefecture is a kind of such manju but having a shape of a rabbit. Access: Shin-osaka (shinkansen 0:30) Himeji (express train 1:40) Tottori @ “Inaba-no-shirousagi” means the white rabbit of Inaba, the old name for the… Read more →
Webmaster visited Eihei-ji Temple last week. Eihei-ji Temple, one of the famous zen temples in Japan, was founded by Master Dogen in 1244. Even today, more than one hundred monks are in training. (It is prohibited to take any photo of such monks.) Access: Osaka (express train 2:00) Fukui (bus 0:35) Eiheiji @ Before visiting the temple, Webmaster… Read more →
Katsudon is a bowl of rice topped with a pork cutlet, one of popular Japanese food. Normally, the cutlet is wrapped with a beaten egg with soya-based sauce. (“Common” katsudon (Source; Wikipedia)) However, in Fukui Prefecture katsudon is not like this. The cutlet is simply dipped in Worcester sauce. (It is called sauce-katsudon by visitors from outside, but local… Read more →
Webmaster visited Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. Most of the Japanese land is geologically new, and the distribution of the geology of Mesozoic is very limited. Fukui Prefecture is one of such rare areas and the fossils of dinosaurs are dug up. Access: Osaka (express train 2: 00) Fukui (local train 0:50) Katsuyama (bus 0:15) @ The monuments of… Read more →
Webmaster visited Yokokan Japanese Garden this week. Access: Osaka (express train 2:00) Fukui (walk 0:15) @ Yokokan is a stroll-type landscape garden designated as Place of Scenic Beauty. It was a former residence of the feudal lord Matsudaira. Please let me share some beautiful scenes of the garden. … Read more →
Webmaster visited Fukuyama Castle last week. Access: Shin-osaka (shinkansen 1:10) Fukuyama (walk 0:03) @ The castle is next to the railway station of Fukuyama. The stone walls and turrets of the castle A castke gate and stone walls A maple tree with autumn leaves The donjon. It was reconstructed and inside is… Read more →
Webmaster visited the five-story Pagoda of Myo’oin Temple in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Access: Shin-osaka (shinkansen 1:10) Fukuyama (bus 0:10) Kusado-ohashi (walk 0:15) @ This pagoda was built in 1348 and designated as National Treasure. It is 29.1m high. Can you imagine this wooden pagoda is standing for more than 600 years? Close-up of the pagoda… Read more →
Chrysanthemum is one of popular horticultural flowers in Japan. Many varieties have been developed in the history. Even today, many chrysanthemum lovers grow it and exhibitions are held in many places this time. Webmaster visited Odawara Castle this week for one of the exhibitions. Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 0:37) Odawara (walk 0:10) @ It was fine today… Read more →
Autumn has come! Webmaster had a day trip to Mt. Nasdake yesterday to enjoy an autumn scene. Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 1:10) Nasu-shiobara (local train 0:07) Kuroiso (bus 1:00) Sanroku-eki (ropeway 0:04) Sancho-eki (walk 1:00) Chausudake Peak @ Unfortunately it was foggy but many hikers visited there. Mt. Nasudake is an active volcano. Some fume, of… Read more →
Webmaster had a business trip to Izu-oshima Island and had a short visit to Izu-oshima Volcano (Mt. Miharayama) this week. Izu-oshima is a volcanic island south to Tokyo. (Source: Wikipedia) Access: Tokyo (local train 0:08) Takeshiba (walk 0:02) Takeshiba Pier (ship 2:00) Motomachi Port (bus 0:25) Mihara-sanchoguchi (walk 1:00) @ (Miharayama) The ship to the island departs… Read more →