Mt. Yoshino (Nara)

This long overdue, so sorry I was busy with my son for his school preparation, we only have 1 weeks for that as the Grade 2 finished, a week after, his on Grade 3 already. But, at least he can write and speak Japanese already so, we’re not worried anymore. Anyway, let’s get started.
We had a great time viewing the Sakura (Cherry blossom) in Mt. Yoshino, Nara.

Mt. Yoshino is well known from old times for the best cherry blossom site in Japan.
It covers all over the mountain paths around 8 kms, from the north end to the south of Omine Renzan mountains.
It is also a base of Omine spiritual mountain walk for decipliants. A path between Yoshino-Omine and Yuya is called Omine Okukudou and is still used for religeous training.
The spiritual site and path in Kii, including Mt. Yoshino, was approved as one of UNESCO World Heritage.
This means the area is registered in the World Heritage List per World Heritage Treaty for the purpose of maintaining the area as an indespensable property shared by all humans.
The whole Mt. Yoshino is registered as World Heritage: You can walk and visite various World Heritage Buildings including Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, Kinpu Shrine, Kinpusenji Temple and Yoshimizu Shrine.

You can also visit a variety of historical sites such as a temple of Ennogyoja (Ennnoozuno), historical site of Nanchou, Yoshitsune, Saigyou and Basho.
Not only spring Cherry blossom but hydrengea, autumn leaves and snowing landscape are also magnificent.

With around 30,000 cherry trees decorating the mountain range, Nara Prefecture’s Mt. Yoshino is proudly regarded as “Japan’s best cherry blossom site.” The appearance of the cherry blossoms of these “sacred trees” continuously planted over 1,300 years across the mountainside dotted with World Heritage Listed temples and shrines, takes on an almost otherworldly beauty. While walking around this mountainside cherry blossom park of Mt. Yoshino, we introduce you to Hanakueshiki Festival, which is its main ceremonial event of spring, as well as the World Heritage Listed temples and shrines located here.

Rather than a free standing mountain, Yoshinoyama is a north-facing mountain slope. It is divided into four areas: the Shimo Senbon (lower 1000 trees) at the base of the mountain, Naka Senbon (middle 1000 trees), Kami Senbon (upper 1000 trees) and Oku Senbon (inner 1000 trees) at the top of the mountain. Visitors can enjoy the cherry trees as they ascend the mountain, passing Yoshino’s touristy town with its various temples and shrines, and enjoying hanami in the parks and viewpoints along the way.

The Shimo Senbon (lower) area encompasses the base of the mountain around Yoshino Station and the lower part of the town. The Yoshino Ropeway bypasses the steep ascent between the station and the town, but waiting times for the ropeway can get very long during the peak of the season. Lots of cherry trees are planted along the road up to the town, making the ascent on foot an attractive alternative to the ropeway.

The Naka Senbon (middle) area covers the rest of the town along the ridge of the mountain. This is where the majority of Yoshino’s accommodations, shops, restaurants, temples and shrines are found, including Kinpusenji Temple and Yoshimizu Shrine. The view up the mountain from Yoshimizu Shrine is particularly famous.

Towards the top of the Naka Senbon area lies the Naka Senbon Park, one of the most attractive spots for holding hanami picnics under the trees. The park spans several small hills that are covered by cherry trees and offer views onto even more cherry trees. Especially in good weather, the atmosphere here is delightful.

Further up the mountain in the Kami Senbon (upper) area, the town begins to thin out. Kami Senbon tends to be a little less crowded and slightly quieter than the lower parts of the mountain, and several small parks provide nice places to take a break. The most famous panoramic view of Yoshinoyama can be enjoyed from the Hanayagura View Point, about one hour on foot from the upper ropeway station.

The Oku Senbon area has by far the fewest cherry trees and does not offer any views of the cherry tree covered mountain slopes. However, the trees here bloom about a week behind the rest of Yoshinoyama, so it may be worth visiting if you are too late to see the blossoms along the lower slopes. The best hanami spot in the Oku Senbon area is the Takagiyama Observation Deck roughly a 90 minute walk from the ropeway station.

And, we didn’t know the bus we took is going down the mountain is not going to the train station. oh my, our boo boo experience. We have to ride again a bus going back to the top of the mountain and down to the Train station.

I had a time took a video from the bus and walking down the mountain, i hope you like it.

This is my first time to edit video and i don’t know if this is right in editing. anyway, for personal use only. 

 

Thank you for visiting….

***bye***

Snow Monkey (Nagano, Japan)

I feel sick today nevertheless, i need to post blog. Sick of eating too much hahahaha… but, seriously, my tummy really hurts. Because we eat snacks at the Dessert Buffet. Who can refused cakes and ice cream a lot of variety I will just post it another time.

so, let’s get started… But before we start, i just want to share this lovely and cute folded towel in Disneyland hotel.

It was Trigger and Winnie the pooh… We took train from Tokyo to Nagano Station and Nagano train again going to Yudanaka, Nagano.

Nagano (長野市 Nagano-shi^?), the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshū.

As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 387,146 and a population density of 460 persons per km². The total area is 834.85 km².

We check-in in Suminoyu Hotel, Nagano from Yudanaka station they pick us up going to the Hotel. Take a look of our Hotel. It was very traditional Japanese style.

Our Hotel I will say highly recommended, really… the staff our friendly and they will really feel you at home. So, we arrived in the Hotel around 2pm so, a bit early rest for a while and we go onsen (hot spring) around the area.

An onsen (温泉^?) is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As avolcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism.

Onsen come in many types and shapes, including outdoor (露天風呂 or 野天風呂 roten-buro or noten-buro^?) and indoor baths. Baths may be either publicly run by a municipality or private (内湯 uchiyu^?) often run as part of a hotel, ryokan or bed and breakfast (民宿 minshuku^?).

Onsen are a central feature of Japanese tourism, typically found out in the countryside, but there are a number of popular establishments still found within major cities. They are a major tourist attraction drawing Japanese couples, families or company groups who want to get away from the hectic life of the city to relax. Japanese often talk of the virtues of “naked communion” (裸の付き合い hadaka no tsukiai^?)^[1] for breaking down barriers and getting to know people in the relaxed homey atmosphere of a ryokan with an attached onsen. Japanese television channels often feature special programs about local onsens.^{[citation needed]}

The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by the symbol ♨ or the kanji, 湯 (yu, meaning “hot water”). Sometimes the simpler hiragana character ゆ (yu) is used, to be understandable to younger children.^{[citation needed]}

Roten-buro outdoor onsen at Nakanoshima in Nachikatsuura, Wakayama

Indoor onsen at Ōfuka Onsen

Traditionally, onsen were located outdoors, although a large number of inns have now built indoor bathing facilities as well. Onsen by definition use naturally hot water fromgeothermally heated springs. Onsen should be differentiated from sentō, indoor public bath houses where the baths are filled with heated tap water.^{[citation needed]}

The legal definition of an onsen includes that its water must contain at least one of 19 designated chemical elements, including such minerals as iron, sulfur, and metabolic acid and be 25 °C or warmer before being reheated. Stratifications exist for waters of different temperatures. Major onsen resort hotels often feature a wide variety of themed spa baths and artificial waterfalls in the bathing area utaseyu (打たせ湯^?).

Onsen water is believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content.^{[citation needed]} A particular onsen may feature several different baths, each with water with a different mineral composition. The outdoor bath tubs are most often made from Japanese cypress, marble or granite, while indoor tubs may be made with tile, acrylic glass orstainless steel. Different onsen also boast about their different waters or mineral compositions, plus what healing properties these may contain. Other services like massages may be offered.^{[citation needed]}

People often travel to onsen with colleagues, friends, couples or their families.^{[citation needed]}

Alright, too much information… as you know we loved hot spring it’s really help to our body and warm up. We ate late lunch or let say snacks at the store Udon (Nagano Specialty)

and as we walk by around the area you saw the Soft boiled Egg Onsen (hot spring).

Amazing right, that’s really hot water. Anyway, we tried as well the feet onsen in front of our hotel. Look my lovely princess she keeps on laughing her big brother bec. the water is too hot.

As we came back to our hotel time for dinner. We didn’t expect the food in hotel how generous they are. They served breakfast and dinner. Very tasty and a Japanese Style and we didn’t know which one will be first to eat hehehe… My hubby says you most eat the one in front of you and round the clock, from right to left. Take a look below.

The Japanese macaque (/məˈkɑːk/;^[2] Macaca fuscata), also known as the snow monkey, is a terrestrial Old World monkey species native to Japan. They get their name “snow monkey” because they live in areas where snow covers the ground for months each year – no other nonhuman primate is more northern-living, nor lives in a colder climate.^[3][4] Individuals have brown-grey fur, red faces, and short tails. Two subspecies are known.^[5]

In Japan, the species is known Parsazaru Nihonzaru (Nihon 日本 “Japan” + saru 猿 “monkey”) to distinguish it from other primates, but the Japanese macaque is very familiar in Japan, so when Japanese people simply say saru, they usually have in mind the Japanese macaque.

They are so cute with their red face. They not that wild monkey of course don’t feed them that’s the golden rule.

As we go back to our hotel, we completed the 9 Hot spring in the area.

We bought this towl in our hotel. They call it Junyoku Special Towel. At the nine Sotoyu Public baths and Takayakushi Shrines. The Ten Seals can also be stamped on the Junyoku japanese towel, which is available as a souvenir. If all the 10 seals are stamped on your towel, it is said you will be rewarded with divine favors such as the expulsion of evil spirits, safe delivery of babies, and perpetual youth and longevity. It has become very popular amoung tourist like us.  Below are some Public Hot Spring.

We really loved to stay here and for sure will coming back with the same hotel as well. Love it, highly recommended. You will not regret to stay in this hotel.

Now, I just need to take a rest for a while. While writing this blog i go lie down for couple of minutes and back to write. 

***Bye for now ***

Asakusa trip

Before heading to our real trip in Tokyo, we had 3days and 2nights at the Asakusa area. We took the bullet train from Osaka to Tokyo. We left in our house around 7am, and I still have time to eat breakfast in McDonald.   
 

Then, took a local train from the main station, Tokyo to Asakusa station I think we transfer twice, and the 2nd train doesn’t have elevator it was under renovation… Hubby tired lifting our luggage. 3 luggage I think more than 20kg, poor hubby right… That’s why we don’t want to travel in Tokyo because some old train station don’t have an elevator, not convenient for the traveller with a toddler.  

We arrived at our destination around past 12noon at Asakusa View Hotel, exhausted and we had to find something to eat especially for the kids for lunch. Luckily, Asakusa area there are a lot of eateries which we can’t decide, hehehe

http://www.viewhotels.co.jp/asakusa/

  
  

Rest for a while in the hotel. My hubby is excited about this area the Kappa-bashi is the kitchenware kitchen tool shops.

Kappabashi Dougu-Gai is a shopping street with more than a century-long history, located between Asakusa and Ueno in the shitamachi or old downtown area of Tokyo. The street, running 800 meters north to south, is lined with some 170 specialty stores offering Japanese, Chinese, and Western tableware and lacquerware, Japanese confectionery and bread makers, kitchen tools and utensils, food ingredients and packaging supplies, and more. The beauty is that even ordinary consumers can buy professional appliances and implements. Japanese kitchen knives and faux food samples are a favorite of foreign customers. 

Website:http://www.kappabashi.or.jp

  

We choose the hotel because they said (tv program) the breakfast is delicious, but, sad to say there is nothing special (sorry to disappoint) but, the location is really accessible. Or maybe, because we tried many hotels in our countries, that’s why our standard is high (?). 

Below are the sightseeing around Asakusa Area

 
 Kaminari Gate (furai shrine gate)

Built by Tairano Kinmasa in the 5th year of the Tengyou Era, this gate was originally located in the Komagata neighborhood. During the Kamakura Era it was dismantled and relocated to its current location. It is believed that that is when Wind God and God of Thunder were enshrined within.

At first they were to guard the temple. These two guards were worshipped with the goal of guarding against destruction from storm, flood and fire. They were seen as a kind of benevolent deity. Then it is surmised that the worship was for peace and tranquility, and abundant crop.

The current gate replaced the gate which was destroyed by fire on December 12, 1865. In 1960, after 95 years, the gate was reconstructed thanks to contributions by the founder of Matsushita Electrical Industrial, Kounosuke Matsushita. It now stands proudly as the main gate at of Sensou Shrine. It is famous nation wide as the face of Asakusa.

Website:http://www.senso-ji.jp/

   

 Nakamise Avenue

This roughly 250-meter-long path leading from the Kaminarimon (“Thunder Gate”) to Hozomon (“Treasure House Gate”) of Kinryuzan Sensoji Temple (also called “Kannon-sama”) in Asakusa is lined on both sides with close to 90 shops and stalls selling Edo-style trinkets and souvenirs.

  

Sensoji Temple

Founded in 628, Sensoji Temple is the oldest temple in Tokyo. Many people believe that the Asakusa Kannon deity enshrined here has the ability to bestow benefits on earth, and around 30 million visitors from throughout Japan and abroad visit the temple every year. It was the epicenter for the development of Edo culture, and these traces still remain today. Many seasonal events are held including the Hozuki (Chinese lantern plant) Market and Hagoita (wooden paddle) Market. The huge lanterns hung at Kaminari (Thunder) Gate are very famous throughout Japan.

Website:http://www.senso-ji.jp/about/index_e.html

   
   

TOKYO SKYTREE, at 634 meters high, is the world’s tallest free-standing broadcasting tower. The TEMBO DECK, located 350 meters above ground, commands a panoramic view of the Kanto region, and even Mt. Fuji in the distance when the sky is clear. At night, the tower is illuminated alternately in the beautiful pale blue “Iki” and violet “Miyabi” themes. Tokyo Solamachi, the neighboring commercial complex, is home to more than 300 establishments including a planetarium, an aquarium, and shops, which constantly transmit trends and information. TOKYO SKYTREE is a world-class landmark of Tokyo.

 

 Asakusa Engei Hall is the district’s only theater dedicated to rakugo. Besides this form of comical storytelling, it stages a variety of entertaining acts such as manzai and mandan stand-up comedy, magic, acrobatics, papercutting, and music.

The open year-round facility, as a rule, has no intermission between day and night acts. Spectators are welcome to show up at any time, leave at any time, and enjoy the traditional Japanese entertainment of rakugo for as long as they like.

   
 

Ueno Park (上野公園 Ueno Kōen?) is a spacious public park in the Ueno district of Taitō, Tokyo, Japan. The park was established in 1873 on lands formerly belonging to the temple of Kan’ei-ji. Amongst the country’s first public parks, it was founded following the western example as part of the borrowing and assimilation of international practices that characterizes the early Meiji period. The home of a number of major museums, Ueno Park is also celebrated in spring for its cherry blossoms and hanami. In recent times the park and its attractions have drawn over ten million visitors a year, making it Japan’s most popular city park.

Website: http://www.kensetsu.metro.tokyo.jp/toubuk/ueno/index_top.html

  

She loves chasing the bird. Drop by in the shopping street as while just look around. 

   
 
And i just want to share the train station connect which i always get dizzy looking at it…  

 

Ok, let’s park for awhile… Will post the next trip soon…

Thank you for your time reading/visiting my blog.

***bye***