Spot Report

Spot report – Fukui Dinosaur Museum (2017-11-25)

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 →

Spot report – Yokokan Japanese Garden (2017-11-24)

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 →

Spot report – Fukuyama Castle (2017-11-19)

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 →

Spot report – Five-story Pagoda of Myo’oin (2017-11-18)

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 →

Spot report “Mt. Nasudake” (2017-10-09)

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 →

Spot report “Izu-oshima Volcano” (2017-10-05)

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 →

Spot report – Shibata Castle and Japanese garden Shimizu-en (2017-09-07)

Webmaster visited Shibata Castle and Japanese garden Shimizu-en in Shibata City last week.   Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 2:15) Niigata (express train 0:23) Shibata (walk 0:20) Shibata Castle @   Shibata Castle was the castle of feudal lord Mizoguchi in Edo Era. Free admission. It’s closed from December to march.     Omotemon Gate built in 1732 which is designated as… Read more →

Spot report – Ichishima Sake Brewery (2017-09-06)

Webmaster visited Ichishima Sake Brewery in Shibata City last week. This brewery was founded in 1790. http://www.ichishima.jp/eng/   Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 2:15) Niigata (express train 0:23) Shibata (walk 0:10) @ If you are not a large group with more than ten persons, reservation is not required.     They have three exhibition rooms for touristic visitors.   The first room… Read more →

Spot report – Castle town Murakami (2017-09-05)

Webmaster visited Murakami City last week.   Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 2:15) Niigata (express train 0:48) Murakami @   Besides salmon, Murakami is known as an old castle town. Some touristic spots Webmaster visited are shown below.   Maizuru Park (Maizuru-koen) where three thatched samurai residences are exhibited.               Black Wall Street (Kurobei-dori)    … Read more →

Spot report – Iyoboya Salmon Museum (Iyoboya-kaikan) (2017-09-03)

Webmaster visited Iyoboya Salmon Museum (Iyoboya-kaikan) in Murakami City this week. This is a museum/aquarium on salmon.     Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 2:15) Niigata (express train 0:48) Murakami (walk 0:20) @ Admission:¥600 for adult. Closed on year-end holidays.   A figure of salmon near the entrance   Video theater near the entrance showing the ecology of salmon and the culture… Read more →