Matsumoto Castle: You 'll never regret going to see it!

Hi everyone!

Last weekend my husband and I went to Matsumoto City by car. The purpose of our visit was, needless to say, the famous Matsuoto castle (松本城、城、pronounced [jo:], means a castle). What else? Well, actually, there are some other minor touristic spots in this city but the castle is the only place worth a long trip.

Believe me, even if there are not many things to see, you'll never regret going there to see the magnificent castle.  

Photographed from the outside of the moat surrounding the castle keep

If you are interested in traditional Japanese architecture, you should never miss Matsumoto Castle, one of the four castles designated as Japan's national treasures, along with Himeji Caslte, Inuyama Caslte and Hikone Castle.

Many other castles were burnt down during World War II or demolished after the feudal system was abolished in 1871. Wooden structures need to be constantly maintained, but most ex-feudal lords who lost their privileges no longer had enough money to keep the gigantic buildings. As a result, many castles, except for the lucky four, deteriorated over time or got heavily damaged due to typhoons, earthquakes and other natural disasters. In later years they were restored but are too new to be national treasures.

By the way, do you know every Japanese castle has a nickname? Himeji Castle is called the White Heron Castle due to its pure white exterior, and Matsumoto Caslte is the Crow Castle because, as you can see, it is all black outside.

The same keep from a different angle   

Matsumoto Castle was originally constructed in 1504 by the Ogasawara Clan. Its owners had changed many times In 1590 the Ishikawa Clan, the owner of the castle of the time, began the construction of the castle keep, or "tenshu-kaku" （天守閣） in Japanese. It was believed to be completed in 1593 or 1594.

This is the main gate of the castle Taiko-mon (太鼓門), built in 1595. You need to pay the entrance fee of 610 yen for an adult, 300 yen for elementary school and junior high school students (6-15 years old) to enter the castle keep.

When there are too many visitors, entry to the castle is limited and you might have to wait more than one and a half hours. If you plan to stay overnight near the castle, I suggest that you come back next morning when the gate opens at 8:30 a.m.

When you go through the gate, you'll notice the huge rock on your left hand, called Gamba-ishi （玄蕃石）, a symbol of the power and authority of the ruler, because it required so many laborers to quarry such a big stone (3.69 meters high and 22.5 tons) from a mountain and carry it to the castle site.

Can you see the small triangular and rectangular shaped holes on the black wood wall? They are for firing guns and bows when attacked by enemies.

After Taiko-mon, you go through another gate called Kuromon (黒門）, adorned with the family crest of Toyotomi Hideyoshi （豊臣秀吉）, the liege-lord of the Ishikawa Family. It is widely believed that they made Matsumoto Caslte black modeling after Hideyoshi's Osaka Caslte to show their loyalty to him.

When entering the castle, you have to take off your shoes. You are given a plastic bag so that you can put your shoes in it and carry them around. Don't leave your shoes at the entrance!

In the castle, various precious items related to the the castle are displayed such as rifles and armors.

While many castles restored after World War II are constructed of concrete, the Matsumoto Castle is made of woods as you can see.  

The stairs are narrow and steep. Sometimes you have to wait when other people are going up and down the stairs.   

Usually the lords and their families were not living in the keep. They moved in to the castle keep only in wartime. The space where the lords stayed is surrounded by blinds and a little nicer than other areas. 

This is the view from the keep. Isn't it nice? If you like hiking and trekking, there are so many famous mountains and plateaus near Matsumoto City, such as Kamikochi （上高地） highland and Yarigatake (槍ヶ岳）peak.  For more information about mountain activities, visit the site of the National Parks Foundation. Click here (in English). 

Kamikochi highland
(Photo from National Park Foundation)

Matsumoto Castle is located in the center of the city, only 10 minute-walk from Matsumoto Station.

address: 4-1 Marunouchi Matsumoto City

tel.: 0263-32-2902
Open 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; closed Dec.29-Jan. 3.

ここからは日本語で。

日本にはたくさんの城がありますが、国宝に指定されているのは４つだけです。

その中の一つが長野県松本市にある松本城で、その黒い色から烏城とも呼ばれています。

とても美しい城で、これを見るだけでも松本に行く価値があります。

混んでいるときは入場制限があって、１時間半ぐらい待たなければならないかもしれないので、もし松本に宿泊するなら、門が開く朝８時半に行ってみたらいいですよ。

戦後に立て直された城の多くはコンクリート造りですが、松本城は木造です。中には貴重な資料が展示されています。

松本市はきれいな街ですが、市内には松本城以外にそれほど有名な観光スポットはありません。

しかしハイキングやトレッキングが好きなら、上高地や槍ヶ岳など、日本を代表する山や高原が近くにたくさんありますから、ぜひ行ってみることをお勧めします。

Tomioka Silk Mill will get registered as a world heritage of UNESCO!

Hi everyone!
みなさん、こんにちは！

Good news for us! 富岡製糸場(Tomioka Seishijo) Tomioka Silk Mill factory in Gunma Prefecture will soon become the 18th world heritage of UNESCO in Japan.

Est Cocoon Warehouse ©Tomioka Silk Mill

I have never visited the factory, but almost all the people who have learned Japanese history at school know that the Tomioka Silk Mill played sigificant role in modern industrialization in this country.

The factory was built in 1872 by the Japanese government under the supervision of French silk engineer Paul Brunat. Equipped with silk reeling machine brought from Europe, it enabled mass production of quality raw silk, one of the most important exporting items of the day. 

The silk reeling factory, planned by French ship carpenter Edmond Bastien, is 140 meters long, 12 meters wide and 12 meters high, the biggest of its kind in the world at that time.  

 

At first they had difficulty hiring female workers because of  a stupid rumor that Western people were sucking the blood of girl workers. They say someone who saw French engineers drinking red wine must have misunderstood and spread this rumor. How strange!

Anyway, about 400 girls, mostly daughters of former samurai families who had lost their privileged social status due to the abolition of class system, were collected from all around the country to work there.

Their working conditions were not bad at all. They worked 8 hours a day, had a day off on Sundays and 10 day-holiday in summer and winter. They were well paid as well. Most skillful workers were paid 25 yen, while the first salary of elementary school teachers and police officers was 8-9 yen.  (1 yen of the day is equivalent to 20,000 yen today.)

 

Unfortunately the business went into the red only eight years late, and the factory was sold to a private company. 

The silk production continued till 1987, when the factory was finally closed down because of the declining demand for silk and the competition against cheap imports from China.

Today the well-maintained silk mill and its related buildings in the site are the property of Tomioka City.  

Outside of the reeling mill ©Tomioka Silk Mill

Inside of the factory ©Tomioka Silk Mill

I heard Tomioka Silk Mill has been very busy with a lot of tourists since the designation of world heritage was announced. I'll probably wait for a couple of years until this boom calms down, but if you don't mind going to crowded places, why don't you visit there?  For more information, check the factory's official website (in English) .  Click here

ここからは日本語で。

富岡製糸場がユネスコの世界遺産に登録されることが決まりました。

富岡製糸場(とみおかせいしじょう）　　Tomioka Silk Mill
世界遺産　（せかいいさん）　　world heritage
登録する　（とうろくする）　　to register　

富岡製糸場はフランスの技術を導入した日本初の本格的な製糸場で、日本の近代化にも大きく貢献しました。

技術　（ぎじゅつ）　technique
導入する　（どうにゅうする）　　to introduce
近代化　（きんだいか）　modernization
貢献する　（こうけんする）　to contribute

工場ができたのは1872年。最初は「西洋人に生き血を吸われる」というおかしな噂のために、工女を集めるのに苦労したようです。

工場　（こうじょう）　factory
最初　（さいしょ）　at first
西洋人　（せいようじん）　Western people
生き血　（いきち）　blood (of a living person)
吸う　（すう）　to suck
噂　（うわさ）　rumors
苦労する　（くろうする）　to have difficulty

全国から約400人の女性労働者を集めましたが、その労働条件は意外にもとても良くて、一日8時間労働、日曜日は休み、そして最も熟練した職人の月給は25円だったそうです。

全国　（ぜんこく）　whole country
労働者　（ろうどうしゃ）　workers
労働条件　（ろうどうじょうけん）　working conditions
意外にも　（いがいにも）　unexpectedly
最も　（もっとも）　most
熟練した　（じゅくれんした）　skillful
職人　（しょくにん）　artisans
月給　（げっきゅう）　monthly salary

当時の警察官や小学校の先生の初月給が8－9円だったというのですから、どれほど高い給料だったかわかりますよね。

警察官　（けいさつかん）　police officer
初任給　（しょにんきゅう）　the first salary
給料　（きゅうりょう）　wage

残念なことに、8年後には赤字になり、民間に売られました。1987年に工場閉鎖になるまで操業は続けられました。今、製糸場は富岡市が管理しています。

残念なことに　（ざんねんー）　unfortunately
赤字　（あかじ）　　deficit
民間　（みんかん）　private, nonofficial
閉鎖　（へいさ）　close down
操業　（そうぎょう）　operation
富岡市　（とみおかし）　Tomioka City
管理する　（かんりする）　to manage

Recommended short trip from Fukuoka: Yanagawa, a small river town full of charm

みなさん、こんにちは！
Hi everyone!

Since my husband is from Kagoshima, the southernmost prefecture of the Kyushu Island, I have visited south Kyushu many times, but I had never had chance to go to Fukuoka located in the northeastern part of the island, until last month. My impression? It was lovely!! If possible I seriously want to live there at least for a couple of years.

What delighted me the most was foods. Despite being the biggest city on the island, Fukuoka is blessed with nature's bounty. In the center the city, such as Nakasu and Tenjin, there are so many restaurants, bars, food stalls called "yatai" that offer you great local foods using fresh ingredients.


I'm sure Fukuoka would be a nice place to live, but I have to say there are not too many touristic spots to see. Tourists usually take an excursion to Dazaifu City known for the famous Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine dedicated to the deity of learning. It is not a bad idea at all, however, I personally prefer Yanagawa (柳川), less than an hour by car from central Fukuoka.

Look! Isn't it nice? Called "town of water," Yanagawa has a 470-km network of waterways that were originally irrigation ditches.

 

To explore this small lovely castle town, taking a cruise by "donkobune" dinghy is the best way.  It is very relaxing and enjoyable.

You don't need to make a reservation in advance. Find a boat at a landing place and ask a boatman if you can ride, saying 「乗れますか　（Noremasuka?)」　meaning "Can I (or we) get on?

If s/he says "Yes," get on the boat and pay the fee to a lady who comes to collect money. We paid 1,000 yen per person for a 40 min. cruise, but the fee is different depending on the company and the length of the boat trip.

There are no fixed departure time for the trip. Normally the boat leaves when about 10 people get on board. We waited for other people to join the trip for nearly 15 minutes but no one else came for some reason. As a result, my husband and I became the only passengers on the boat. I thought we were just lucky, but the same thing may possibly happen if you go there on a weekday, when there are fewer tourists.

This is our boatman. While deftly maneuvering the boat, he explained the history of the town, the buildings seen from the boat, etc., but I could not understand only a half of what he said because of his mumbling voice. 

He occasionally sang songs to entertain us. Actually, singing seemed like an obligation to all the boatmen, but not all of them are good singers. Our boatman was ok, not great though. 

 

Every time the boat goes under the bridge, all the passengers have to put their heads down. Some bridges are dangerously low, but don't worry, I have never heard of fatal accidents.

The specialty of Yanagawa is unagi or freshwater eel, grilled after being dipped in the sweet soy sauce. It is served with steamed rice in the square lacquered box like the photo below. The yellow thing is thinly sliced egg. I don't remember exactly how much it was, but it was around 2,500 yen with a bowl of soup.

If you still have time, why don't you visit Ohana (御花）, why don't you visit the residence and garden of the feudal daimyo family, the Tachibanas? The white house below is the guest house built in 1910. The admission is 500 yen. 

To go to Yanagawa by train, take the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta ｌine (西鉄天神大牟田線）from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station (西鉄福岡駅）, and get off at Nishitetsu Yanagawa station (西鉄柳川駅）. About 45 minutes by super-express train (特急）.　

ここからは日本語で。

九州は南の方は何度も行ったことがありますが、福岡は先月まで行ったことがありませんでした。

福岡、いいところでした。何と言っても、食べ物がおいしいんです。九州で一番の都会でありながら、郊外には豊かな自然が広がっていて、新鮮な材料が手に入りやすいのでしょうね。

福岡は食事やショッピングには最高ですが、観光が楽しめるところはそれほど多くありません。

なので、観光客は有名な大宰府天満宮がある大宰府市に出かけます。でも福岡からの遠足なら、私は柳川の方が好きですね。

柳川は自動車で一時間足らずで行くことができる「水の町」。かつて用水路として町中に掘られた水路に、今は観光客を乗せた「どんこぶね」と呼ばれる小さな船がたくさん浮かんでいます。

私も乗りましたが、本当にリラックスできて楽しいのですよ。船頭さんが歌を歌ったり、町の説明をしてくれます。

お腹が空いたら、お昼は有名な「鰻の蒸篭蒸し」を食べましょう。実際のところ、これ以外のものを食べるほうが難しいかもしれません。

時間があれば、「御花」で柳川藩主立花家の邸宅と庭園 の見学はいかがでしょうか。

小さいけれどのんびり出来る魅力的な城下町。それが柳川です。福岡に行くことがあったら、ぜひ足を伸ばしてください。

The view you must NOT miss in Kyushu 1: a magnificent wisteria tunnel of Kawachi Fujien

みなさん、こんにちは！
Hi everyone!

I just came back from a short trip of Kyushu Island, the southernmost (westernmost?) of the four main islands of Japanese archipelago.

A coupe of days before the trip, I happened to see a breathtakingly beautiful photo in a book of a wisteria tunnel, entitled "One of the superb views you must see in Japan."

I instantly decided to visit there, as I happened to have a plan to stay one night in Fukuoka City, which is not too far from the private wisteria garden, named Kawachi Fuji-en (河内藤園）.

Located in the midst of mountains of Kitakyushu City, the wisteria garden is not openly advertized, because the garden's owner is worried that too many visitors may cause the damage of the trees, even if they don't do any harm intentionally.

Even so,  this hidden touristic spot is becoming known in recent years by word of mouth, and I heard that it is very busy when the wisterias are at their best.

Well, do you want to know how I liked it?

Unfortunately, the day I visited was a bit too early and only about 30 percent of flowers were in bloom.

The entrance fee differs from 300-1,000 yen depending on flowering situation of wisterias, and they charged us only 600 yen.

But look! Not too bad, is it?

In the 6,100 sq.-meter garden 22 kinds of wisterias have been planted. There are two wisteria tunnels, 80 meters and 220 meters respectively. 

 

This is the inside of the wisteria tunnel. Since wisteria clusters start flowering from the top, two thirds from the bottom were still in bud, but their best time will come very soon -- maybe in a couple of days if the weather is nice. 

If you are luckily planning to travel in the north part of Kyushu island in May, you'll see the wisterias in profusion like the photo below.

http://photohito.com/photo/578008/

If you want to have a picnic under the flowers, bring your own food into the garden. Don't expect to buy something on the spot. There are no shops, no cafés and no vending machines near the garden.

There are some rules you have to follow
1) Don't touch the trees or stand on the roots.
2) Don't leave your garbage.
3) Don't bring your pets into the garden.
4) Don't take photos using tripods on the paths including tunnels, but you can use them at the grand trellis.

Address: 2-2-48 Kawachi, Yahatahigashi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
tel: 093-652-0334
Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

If you have a car with GPS, you will have no problem, but it is hard to get there by public transport. If you don't want to rent a car, take a taxi from JR Yahata Station, and ask the driver to come back later, since it is almost impossible to hail a taxi near the garden.

Here are useful expressions

1) 河内藤園までお願いします。　　Kawachi Fuji-en made onegaishimasu  (To Kawachi Fujien please)


2) Ｘ時ごろまた来てもらえますか。　～ji goro mata kite morae masuka?  (Would you please come back around X o'clock?)

ここからは日本語で。
From here I'll write in Japanese.

先日九州旅行から帰ってきました。

先日　(senjitsu)  the other day
九州　(Kyushu)
旅行　（ryoko)  travel

北九州市の河内藤園に行ってきましたよ。

北九州　（Kitakyushu)
市　（shi)  City
河内藤園　（Kawachi Fujien)  Kawachi Wisteria Garden

旅行の数日前に偶然この藤園のことを知って、行くことを決めましたが、残念なことに、まだ見ごろには少し早かったようです。

偶然　（guzen)  happen to (know)
決める　(kimeru) to decide
残念(zannen)なことに　unfortunately
見ごろ　（migoro)  best time

数日後には満開になるはずなので、九州旅行を計画している人は、検討してみてください。
数日後　（sujitsu go) 　in a few days
満開　（mankai)  be in full bloom
計画（keikaku)する　　to plan
検討(kento) する　to consider

この藤園は宣伝していませんが、今では絶景として有名で、訪れる人が大勢いるそうです。

藤園　(fujien)  wisteria garden
宣伝 (senden)　する　to advertise
絶景　(zekkei)  a superb view
訪れる　(otozureru)  to visit
大勢　(ozei) many

ただ、行くのが難しいので、カーナビ付きの車を借りるか、タクシーに乗ったほうがいいです。

ただ　but
難しい　(muzukashii)  difficult
カーナビ　GPS
～付き　（tsuki)　equipped with
借りる　（kariru) to rent
乗る　(noru)  to take

Let's go to temples and shrines ②： Izumo Taisha

Hi everyone! みなさん、こんにちは！

What do you do when looking for a new love? Go to a singles bar? (Do they still exist?) Ask your friends to introduce someone? Become a member of  a marriage agency?

In Japan it has been a trend that girls pray for fateful encounters at Izumo Taisha, one of the oldest and most important shrines, located in Shimane Prefecture.

Why do they go down all the way to Shimane, far west in the Honshu Island, taking 1.5 hours by plane from Tokyo? Because Izumo Taisha is dedicated to Okuninushi no Mikoto, the deity who establishes good relationship over people, and naive women believe that the deities will bring them Prince Charming by visiting the shrine. 

I went to Izumo province for the first time in my life last year-end, not because I'm looking for a romance, but because 2013 was the important year for the ancient shrine.

The shrine needs to be renovated every 60 years, and the "goshintai" or a holy object in which the spirit of deity resides is moved out to the shrine building. Goshintai can be mirrors, swards, jewels, etc. depending on the shrine, but no one, except for a handful of shrine priests, knows what the goshintai of Izumo Taisha is.  It has been a big mystery for centuries. When it moves out from the shrine, priests carry it, hiding with big white cloths.

Anyway, when we visited, it was very cold and quiet, as people are usually busy preparing for the new year. If you like the serenity, year-end would be a good season for tourism, if you don't mind the coldness. 

As you already know, this type of gate, called torii, is the symbol of shrine and marks entrance to holy precincts. 23.5 meters high, this torii is generally known as "O-torii (big torii)". 

 Going down the path, you'll reach the haiden, a prayer hall (photo below). At most shrines, you first bow twice and clap your hands twice, make a wish or pray and then, bow again (only once), while you have to clap your hands  four times at Izumo Taisha.

The huge shimenawa (rice straw rope), weighing 4.4 tons, is a symbol of Izumo Taisha. Shimenawa marks god's territory, and can be seen at any shrines but this size is exceptional and rare.  

Then, advance to "honden (本殿）," or the main hall built in the oldest architectural style in Japan known as Taisha Zukuri style, and designated as the national treasure. Unfortunately, it is surrounded by wooden fences and you can't get close to it.

I took this photo from the back. The roof was completely renewed last year, and the enormous scissor-shaped finial on the roof called "chigi" was replaced with the new one. The removed chigi is displayed at the nearby shrine museum, where you can see how big it is (photo below).
  

Today the hall is 24 meters high, but when it was constructed, according to some records, it was 48 meters high, perching on the huge pillars. People were all suspicious until the evidence was found. In 2001, the base parts of the pillars that supported the hall were excavated at the precinct of the shrine. 

The original shrine was probably like the photo below. This scale model is displayed at the museum, as well as the excavated pillars.  

After visiting the shrine, why not have luch at Izumo soba, the local specialty?

How to get to Izumo Taisha:
At JR Izumo-shi Station, take a Ichihata bus bound for Taisha or Hinomisaki at bus stop No.1, and get off at Seimonmae or Izumo Taisha. Takes about 25-30 minutes from the train station. The bus comes every 30 minutes.

ここからは日本語で、簡単に。
From here, I'll write in Japanese.

出雲大社は最近縁結びの神様として注目されています。出会いを求める若い女の子たちが多く訪れます。
出雲大社　（いずもたいしゃ）　Izumo Taisha shrine
縁結び　（えんぶすび）　match-making
神様　（かみさま）　　god, deity
注目する　（ちゅうもくする）　to pay attention to～
出会い（であい）　encounter
求める　（求める）　to seek
若い　（わかい）　young
訪れる　（おとずれる）　to visit

出雲大社は最も古い神社の一つで、去年は60年に一度の改築の年でした。
最も（もっとも）　most
改築　（かいちく）　renovation

ご神体とよばれる「なにか」を社の外に出す儀式が行われて、大きな話題になりました。
ご神体（ごしんたい）　　holy obect
社（やしろ）　　shrine building
儀式　（ぎしき）　ritual
話題　（わだい）　topic of conversation

昔の出雲大社は高い柱の上に建てられていたそうです。
昔　（むかし）　ancient time
柱　（はしら）　pillers

みんな信じていませんでしたが、2001年に柱の土台部分が見つかって、本当だとわかりました。
土台　（どだい）　foundation
部分　（ぶぶん）　parts

出雲大社でお参りするには、二回お辞儀をして、4回手を叩き、最後に1回お辞儀をします。他の神社では手を叩くのは2回だけです。まちがえないでね。
お参り　（おまいり）　pray
お辞儀　（おじぎ）　bow
手を叩く　（たたく）　to clap hands
最後　（さいご）　at last
　
行く価値のあるすばらしい神社です。ぜひ機会があったら、行ってみてください！
価値　（かち）　value  (行く価値がある：worth visiting)
機会　（きかい）　opportunity　

Let's go to temple & shrines! ： Nezu Shrine (Tokyo)

Hi everyone!

If you are not particularly interested in Japanese traditional culture, almost all the shrines and temples may look the same, or similar, to you. Most of my students cannot even tell which one is temple and which is shrine.

I'm not blaming you at all. It is natural. I still remember an American guy said to me, "When I saw a gorgeous temple or shrine for the first time, I thought wow, it's great. But after visiting two or three, I was getting tired. They are the same anyway. Now I think you should not visit more than two temples or shrines on the same day."

Well, I agree. One per day is probably enough, but there are so many interesting shrines and temples worth visiting. Even today these religious places are considered as power spots. If you are a spiritual person, you may feel something.

Unfortunately I'm not very religious person and don't care about spiritualism either. Even so, I feel like visiting such places occasionally to wish happiness and health for someone, or for no special reason.

The other day, I visited the Nezu Shrine in Tokyo, well-known for the big festival that takes place in September. It is also famous for its azalea garden and many people come and see the flowers in April and May, but usually the shrine is very calm and quiet despite its historical value.

This is the torii gate of Nezu Shrine. Torii is built at the entrancence of the shinto shrine to mark a sacred precinct. If you see a structure like this, the place is not a Buddhist temple but a shinto shrine.

Shinto is Japanese indigenous religion that worships holy spirits or deities called "kami." In Shinto they say there are 8 millions of kami in this world, implying there are too many to count. It resembles Greek myth a little, but not all the shinto dieties take human forms. In many cases they are the spirits of ancestors, or even just concepts important to people such as fertility and prosperity, therefore invisible.        

The main shrine building of Nezu Shrine was built at the present location in 1706 by order of the fifth Tokugawa shogun Tsunayoshi. 

The deity enshrined there is Susanoo no Mikoto, the rowdy god of  storm. According to the myth, Susanoo is a brave hero who successfully killed Yamata no Orochi, the eight-forked serpent which was devouring villagers. Many ancient warlords worshipped this deity and prayed for the victory in wars. It is believed today that you'll be protected from evil spirits after visiting this temple.

This is the image of Suranoo no Mikoto. Looks a little like a hippie though...

Actually, while vast urban area in Tokyo was burnt down by the Great Tokyo Air Raids in 1945, this shrine miraculously survived, and it has been designated as the nation's important cultural property.  Some people say the shrine was able to keep off  bad luck by the protection of the deity.

If you want to be protected from evil and disasters, why don't you buy a charm at the shrine? 

This "Romon" or two-story gate with a roof is also the country's important cultural asset.

In the precinct, there is another smaller shrine called Otome Inari, where Uka no Mitama no Mikoto (what a long name!), a god of crops and commerce, is enshrined. At Inari shrines, a pair of fox figures are placed, instead of komainu (guardian dogs).

.

As many merchants who worship this god of commerce have offered torii gates, some Inari shrines have a vermillion tunnel called Senbon Torii (thousands of torii gate) like this. Very mysterious looking...

1-28-9 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
tel: 03-3822-0753
5min. from Nezu or Sendagi station on the subway Chiyoda Line, or Todai-mae station on the subway Nanboku line.

ここからは、日本語で。
From here I'll write in Japanese.

みなさん、こんにちは。

もし日本の伝統的な文化にあまり興味がなければ、寺と神社の違いもわからないですよね。

伝統的　でんとうてき　traditional
文化　　ぶんか　culture
興味（きょうみ）がある　　be interested in
寺　てら　　Buddhist temples
神社　じんじゃ　shinto shrine
違い　　ちがい　difference

日本には見るべき寺や神社がたくさんありますので、これから時々紹介していきます。

見るべき　（みる～）　should　see
時々　ときどき　　occasionally
紹介（しょうかい）する　　to introduce

今日は東京にある根津神社をご紹介。9月に行われる祭りと、４～５月に満開になるつつじの庭で有名ですが、普段はとても静かです。

根津神社　　ねづじんじゃ　　Nezu Shrine
行われる　　おこなわれる　　to take place
満開　　まんかい　　to be in full bloom
つつじ　　azalea
庭　　にわ　　garden
有名　　ゆうめい　　famous
普段　　ふだん　　usually
静か　　しずか　　quiet

根津神社が今の場所に建てられたのは1706年、将軍徳川綱吉の命令によるものでした。

場所　　ばしょ　　location
建てられる　　たてられる　　to be constructed
年　　～ねん　year
将軍　　しょうぐん　　shogun
徳川綱吉　　とくがわ　つなよし　name of the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

奉られている神さまは嵐の神、スサノオノミコトです。神話によると、スサノオは頭が8つある蛇を退治した英雄です。その強い力で災難からお参りした人を守ってくれるそうです。

奉（まつ）られている　　enshrined
神（かみ）さま　　deity
嵐　　あらし　　storm
蛇　へビ　　serpent
英雄　　えいゆう　　hero
災難　　さいなん　　disasters
お参（まい）りする　to visit shrines
守（まも）る　　to protect

根津神社内には、乙女稲荷という別の神社があります。赤い鳥居がトンネルのように並んでいて、面白いです。

乙女稲荷　　おとめいなり　　the name of the shrine
赤い　あかい　　red
鳥居　とりい
面白い　　おもしろい　interesting

Tokyo towns you should visit ①： Yanaka, the cats' town

If you are a tourist who visits Tokyo for the first time, you'd probably go to Asakusa, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara and Roppongi.

Many Tokyo travel guides suggest you go to Asakusa to take a look at traditional side of Japan, to Shibuya and Harajuku for young culture, to Akihabara to buy electrical appliances and experience a little bit of the Japanese otaku (manga and anime) culture and to Roppongi for a night out.

They are all nice for "beginners," but if you have already visited these places and are looking for somewhere less touristy, why don't you visit "Yanesen" area?

The name "Yanesen" (ya-ne-sen) was made up by putting the first letters of neighboring towns Yanaka　(谷中）, Nezu （根津）and Sendagi　（千駄木）.　During the World War II many parts of Tokyo were burnt down by bombing, but this Yanesen area miraculously escaped war damage despite its old downtown location.

If you visit Yanesen, you'll see what Tokyo's shitamachi (下町） is like. Literally meaning "downtown," shitamachi usually indicates the areas where commoners like merchants and craftsmen were mainly living in the Edo Period, while Yamanote (山の手） was the residential area for upper samurai class.

I recently went to Yanaka, one of the Yanesen towns.  There are actually two famous spots you should not miss. One is Yanaka Reien (谷中霊園）, a huge cemetery where the last shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu was buried. It is also well-known for cherry blossoms. If you happen to be here in April, why not enjoy flower viewing in the cemetery? 

And the other touristic attraction is Yanaka Ginza (谷中銀座）shopping street with approximately 60 small shops and restaurants. It is small, but always busy with local shoppers, tourists and cat lovers.  Why cats? Because alley cats living in this area are considered as mascots of this shopping street.

This is the entrance of Yanaka Ginza taken from "Yuyake dandan," the stairs on the way from the JR Nippori station to the shopping street.  It is said that the sunset views seen from these stairs are very beautiful, although I've never seen them.

Look! A white cat is sitting on the roof of a tempura store, looking down at shoppers... oh sorry, it is a cat figure. Doesn't it look very real?

What about this one? ... It is another fake cat.

 This is the wooden signboard of a shop called Kittens. I forgot what they are selling...

I

These two cat dolls are placed in front of a store. Traditionally shopkeepers often put a cat figure called 招き猫（maneki-neko, or beckoning cat) in their shops, since the one with the right paw raised is believed to bring money and the one with the left paw raised brings people, or customers. The cats in this photo don't look like typical beckoning cats, though.  

Strolling in the town of Yanaka,  you may feel as if you have slipped back into the good old Japan. But maintaining this unique atmosphere always requires the efforts of townspeople.

For example, this temple-like building (photo below) is actually an elementary school　（谷中小学校 Yanaka Shogakko). It was reconstructed 22 years ago, so as to blend in with the shitamachi surroundings.

 

ここからは日本語で。

From here, I'll write in Japanese.

浅草、渋谷、新宿、秋葉原に飽きたら今度は「谷根千」に行ってみたら？

浅草　あさくさ

渋谷　しぶや

新宿　しんじゅく

秋葉原　あきはばら

飽きる　あきる　　to get tired 

今度　こんど　next time

谷根千　　やねせん

谷根千というのは、谷中、根津、千駄木のこと。戦争中に空襲の被害にあわなかったから、今でも古い下町の町並みが残っているのです。

谷中　やなか

根津　ねづ

千駄木　せんだぎ

戦争中　戦争中　during the war

空襲　くうしゅう　　air raids

被害　ひがい　damage

下町　したまち

町並み　　まちなみ　　streets

下町とは、江戸時代に商人や職人が暮らしていた庶民の町で、上流武士は山の手と言われる地域に住んでいました。

江戸時代　えどじだい　the Edo Period

商人　しょうにん　　merchants

職人　しょくにん　　craftsmen

暮らす　くらす　　to live

庶民　しょみん　　common people

上流　じょうりゅう　　upper class

武士　ぶし　　samurai

山の手　やまのて　　

地域　　ちいき　　regions

先日、谷中に行ってきました。谷中で有名なのは、谷中霊園と谷中銀座商店街。

先日　せんじつ　the other day

有名　ゆうめい　　famous

霊園　れいえん　 cemetery

谷中銀座　やなかぎんざ

商店街　しょうてんがい　　shopping street

谷中銀座は野良猫がたくさん住みついていて、マスコットのような存在なんですよ。

野良猫　のらねこ　　alley cats

住み着く　　すみつく　　to live

存在　　そんざい　　existence

だから、屋根の上には置物の猫がいたり、店の看板も猫だったり。

置物　　おきもの　　figures

看板　　かんばん　　signboards

その他、谷中小学校も面白いですよ。校舎が今の形になったのは22年前。町の雰囲気に合うようにデザインされました。

面白い　　おもしろい　　interesting

校舎　　こうしゃ　　school building

雰囲気　　ふんいき　　atmosphere

下町らしさを維持するのも大変なんです。

維持する　　いじする　　to maintain

 

Furano: flowers, melons and wine

 

Hi everyone!

These past few years I spend my short summer vacation in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of the Japanese archipelago. There are a couple of reasons I repeatedly go there -- 1) It is much cooler and less humid than any other parts of Japan. The temperature in Hokkaido is about 10 C degrees lower than Tokyo. I need to escape from this obnoxious heat even for a couple of days.  2) I have a close friend living in Sapporo, Hokkaido's prefectural capital. I want to see her .  3) Foods are great. You can enjoy fresh crabs, melons, dairy foods, lambs, etc.   

If you are a hardcore ski/snowboard fan, you'd probably heard of Niseko, one of the most well-known and popular skiing resorts among foreigners for its snow quality (very powdery!) and English-speaking environment.

But don't think that Niseko is the only place worth visiting. Hokkaido is a big island -- actually the second biggest island among over 6,800 islands making up Japan, next to Honshu Island (main land). It has many touristic sites, such as prefectural capital Sapporo, old port town Otaru, historical landmarks in Hakodate City, Kushiro Wetland designated by the UNESCO as world natural heritage, and more.

This year I visited Furano, whose name became known throughout the country after TV drama series "Kita no Kuni kara" (From the Northern Country) were made 1981-2002. The touching story is about a divorced man who raises his two children in the beautiful wild nature of Furano with the help of his neighbors. The success of the drama turned the depopulated village into one of the most popular tourist sites in Japan.

I have to admit that there are no historically important landmarks in Furano. There are nothing but beautiful nature there. If you are from somewhere rich in nature, you might not find Furano interesting, but to someone living in a big city like myself, the scenery of Furano that somehow reminds me of France is very relaxing and attractive. If you are lucky, you can see Ezo red foxes. (I saw one on the roadside. Very cute!)

One of the attractions of Furano is flower fields. Lavenders are especially famous, and the fields are covered with the purple flowers from the mid to the late July. Unfortunately when I went there in mid-August, the lavenders were half dead. I took the photo below at Farm Tomita, where they had reaped most lavenders to make products. 

 

If you visit there at the right time, you can see the scenery like the photo below. I found this in a tourist information site MAPPLE.

Sai no Kuni Sasaki Farm    Photo: MAPPLE

At Farm Tomita, you can try lavender-flavored soft serve for 250 yen, if you find the lavender fragrance appetizing. 

  

To me, lavender is not something to eat, so I had melon soft serve, which tasted real melon, not artificial flavor. Very delicious. Sorry for the blurry photo (again).

Furano is famous for melon cultivation as well. At Farm Tomita's Melon House... 

...they are selling melons ...

...and products related to melons, such as melon-pan (photo below). Normally melon-pan does not taste like a melon but shaped like a melon. I don't know if they are really using melon for making their sweet buns.

In Furano the market price of a melon is 1,000 yen per kilogram. Therefore, a big one weighing 1,5 kilo is 1,500 yen. Do you think it is still expensive? We don't think so, because we know how expensive melons can be in big cities like Tokyo. If you buy a beautiful melon at Nihonbashi Sembikiya, Japan's oldest and most luxurious fruit shop, you have to pay more than 10,000 yen! For one melon!! Outrageous!!

Cherries are pricy here. Especially "Sato nishiki" cherries produced in Yamagata Prefecture are often sold for more than 5,000 yen per kilogram. However, if you buy them on the roadside in Furano, they are surprisingly cheap. (Sorry, I forgot the exact price but I think they are about 1,000 yen.)

After enjoying flowers and fruits, my friend took me to some wineries. In Hokkaido, especially in Furano and its surrounding area, wine production is becoming bigger these years. Frankly speaking, the quality of Japanese wine has not reached the international level yet, but I realized this times that vineyard farmers and wine producers are working very hard to improve the taste. I hope they will produce internationally renowned wine someday in the future.

At Housui Winery you can do a wine tasting (photo below).

OK, from here I'll write in Japanese.

みなさん、こんにちは。私はこのところ毎年、夏は北海道に旅行に行きます。涼しいし、仲のいい友だちも住んでいるので。

毎年：まいとし　 every year
北海道：　ほっかいどう
旅行に行く　：　りょこう  に　いく　go on a trip
涼しい：　すずしい　　cool
仲が良い：　なか　が　いい　　close

今年は富良野に行ってきましたよ！ラベンダーのシーズンには遅すぎたので、ラベンダーは半分枯れていましたが、花畑はとてもきれいでした。

今年：　ことし　this year
富良野：　ふらの　
遅すぎる：　おそすぎる　too late
半分：　はんぶん　half
枯れる：　かれる　　(plants) die
花畑：　はなばたけ　　flower field

ファーム富田という花畑では、ラベンダー味のソフトクリームが食べられます。あまりおいしそうに見えなかったので、メロンソフトを食べましたが、これはおいしかった！

ファーム富田：　ファーム　とみた
味：　あじ　　flavor

富良野はメロンの産地なので、安くておいしいのです。相場は一キロ１，０００円。高いと思いますか？日本ではメロンがとても高くて、高級果物店では１万円以上するメロンもあるので、私は 安いと思いましたよ。

産地：さんち　producing district
相場：　そうば　market price
高い：　たかい　expensive
高級：　こうきゅう　top quality
果物店：　くだものてん　　fruit shop
以上：　いじょう　　more than
安い：　やすい　reasonable

道端でさくらんぼを売っていました。東京だったら一キロ５，０００円する佐藤錦というさくらんぼが１，０００円ぐらいでした。安い！

道端：　みちばた　roadside
さくらんぼ：　cherry
売る：　うる　　to sell
佐藤錦：　さとうにしき　

最近、北海道、特に富良野周辺ではワイナリーが増えてきました。日本のワイン作りの歴史は短く、まだ正直、味はまだまだです。でも生産者はとてもがんばっているので、将来はおいしいワインができるのではないでしょうか。

特に：とくに　　especially
周辺：　しゅうへん　around
ワイナリー：　winery
歴史：　れきし　history
短い：　みじかい　short
正直：　ショウジキ　frankly speaking
まだまだ：　far from good
生産者：　せいさんしゃ　producer
将来：　しょうらい　in the future