In Japan, while spring is the time for viewing “sakura” (cherry blossoms), Autumn is Japan’s most colorful season. It is the season for a good long walk to take in and enjoy the colourful scenery, bathe in secret or exotic “onsen” (hot springs) to relax body and soul and explore the autumn flavours at the table.

“Kouyou” (紅葉)  in Japanese literally means ‘red leaf or leaves’, but is widely used to describe both the autumn color changes of deciduous trees and the leaves themselves. In autumn, Japanese maple is famous for its red leaves, but you can also enjoy the yellow leaves of ginkgo and beech trees.

Each year, starting in late September, the “kouyou front” (紅葉前線) slowly moves southwards from the northern island of Hokkaido until it reaches the lower elevations of central and southern Japan towards the end of November. In Japan, enjoying trees awash in beautiful colors is called “momiji-gari” (紅葉狩り). “Kari or gari” (狩り) usually means “hunting” or “gathering”, but here it means appreciating leaves vibrant with autumn foliage, “kouyou”.

Famous spots for autumn leaves are scattered across the country, especially in mountainous regions, parks, temples and gardens. Below is the list of top 10 destinations for momiji-gari. (* Based on 2007′s ranking).

1. Arashiyama (嵐山) – Kyoto Prefecture
2. Nikko (日光) – Ibaraki Prefecture
3. Hakone (箱根) – Kanagawa Prefecture
4. Kourankei (香嵐渓) – Aichi Prefecture
5. Minoh (箕面) – Osaka Prefecture
6. Higashiyama (東山) – Kyoto Prefecture
7. Oohara (大原) – Kyoto Prefecture
8. Oirase-keiryuu (奥入瀬渓流) – Aomori Prefecture
9. Shosenkyo (昇仙峡) – Yamanashi Prefecture
10. Okutama (奥多摩) – Kyoto Prefecture

So how many famous spots for momiji-gari you been before?. Which of these famous destination spots that you love to go to?.

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Japan : Autumn Red Leaves (紅葉) 2008

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The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama are one of Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The site is located in the Shogawa river valley stretching across the border of Gifu and Toyama Prefectures in northern Japan. Shirakawa-gō (白川郷, “White River Old-District”) is located in the village of Shirakawa in Gifu Prefecture. The Gokayama (五箇山, “Five Mountains”) area is divided between the former villages of Kamitaira and Taira in Nanto, Toyama Prefecture.

These villages are well known for their houses constructed in architectural style known as gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り). The Gassho-zukuri, “prayer-hands construction” style is characterized by a thatched and steeply slanting roof resembling two hands joined in prayer. The design is exceptionally strong and, in combination with the unique properties of the thatching, allow the houses to withstand and shed the weight of the region’s heavy snowfalls in winter.

* For more photos, please checkout my Flickr album set

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Japan : The World Heritage Shirakawa-go (白川郷)

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Yakedake, 焼岳 (with the height above sea level of 2455m) is a volcano that erupts most actively in Northern Japanese Alps in recent years. It erupted many times until 1963 in the Meiji era. Nowadays, white smoke can be seen from far which consists of steam that contains hydrogen sulfide.

大きな地図で見る

Listed as Japan’s Top 100 famous mountains, since the last eruption at 1963, nowadays Yakadake is famous among mountain climbers. Climbers able to hike to the peak and make it back to the mountain foot within a day. Due to the volcanic activity surrounding Yakedake, it’s a blessing for hot spring around Okuhida, Hirayu, Nakao, and in the Niibo areas.

* For more photos, check out my Flickr photos

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Japan : Mount Yakedake, 焼岳 (2455m)

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Facts about Norikura

Norikura marks the end of the Skyline Road, the highest in Japan with an elevation that at times exceeds 3000 metres Introduction Norikura (乗鞍) is a plateau around Nagano’s western border with Gifu. It ranges in height from 1,400 to 1,500 m, and is surrounded by white birch, plum and larch trees. Mt. Norikura-dake near the plateau contains Ushidome Pond, which was formed by a volcanic eruption. It is surrounded by evergreen trees, and its surface reflects their green leaves and the 23 peaks of Mt. Norikura-dake. In Ichinose Pasture, located almost in the middle of Norikura Plateau, dairy cows are put out to graze from early summer till the autumn. There are lots of walks to enjoy around the pond. The time required for them ranges from 40 Minutes to 1 Hour 20 Minutes. On the walking course near Zengoro-no-taki Fall, you can go near enough to the waterfall to be showered by spray. Shirahone-onsen Hot Spring in the north of Norikura is said to have been opened about 600 years ago. The hot water is milky and contains pure hydrogen sulfide. It is drinkable and retains heat, making it good for ailments of the stomach and intestines.

How to get there

Matsumoto is 2 hours 40 minutes from Shinjuku Station by Limited Express by JR Chuo Honsen Line. It takes 30 minutes by the Matsumoto Dentetsu Kamikochi Line to get from Matsumoto Station to Shin-shimashima Station. A Matsumoto Dentetsu bus takes 40 minutes from Shin-shimashima Station to Odakimae or 55 minutes to Shirahone-onsen Hot Spring.

Photos

The ray of morning sunlight at Kamikochi camping site

Sunrise mountain view at Kamikochi Camping site

The famous Kapabashi bridge, 河童橋

Wild flowers at Norikura

Wild flowers at Norikura

A twisted tree branch at Norikura

The mirror reflection lake of Ushitomeike, 牛留池

The serene hiking path at Norikura

One of the main attraction of Norikura is this Bantokoro waterfall, 番所滝

The greenery of Norikura

** For more photos, click here

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Japan : Norikura, 乗鞍

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Every March 15th is the famous Hounen Matsuri, 豊年祭 (Japanese Harvest Festival) celebrated at Tagata shrine (田県神社) of Aichi Prefecture. Hounen means rich harvest in Japanese, while a matsuri is a festival or holiday. The Hounen festival and ceremony celebrate the blessings of a bountiful harvest and all manner of prosperity and fertility. The Tagata shrine which is frequently referred as the “penis shrine” holds the Hounen Matsuri annually.  It’s a festival that celebrates fertility and renewal. It’s a famous festival amongst foreigners visiting Aichi Prefecture.

The festival starts with celebration and preparation at 10 a.m. at Tagata Jinja, where all sorts of foods and souvenirs (mostly phallus-shaped or related) are sold. Sake is also passed out freely from large wooden barrels. At about 2pm everyone gathers at Shinmei Sha for the start of the procession. Shinto priests say prayers and make blessings on the participants and mikoshi which are to be carried along the parade route, as well as the large wooden phallus.

Tagata Jinja is believed to be about 1500 years old, due to discoveries in 1935 of an ancient sword and extensive pottery fragments. These days the shrine is surrounded by suburbia, but until recently it was surrounded by a forest called “Agata”, a name believed to have derived from the name of one of the rulers of the local area during the end of the Yamato period (approx 3rd-5th century AD). These rulers were warriors who settled the area from Nara as the emerging feudal Japanese state defeated and displaced indigenous Ainu tribes and pushed its frontiers to the east. According to the official history of the shrine, the daughter of the feudal lord was called Tamahime, and was bethrothed to Takeinadane. The tradition holds that Takeinadane was killed in a distant battle and that his wife and children (and powerful father in law) developed the area. Tagata Jinja stands on the site of Tamahime’s residence, and she is the principal deity (called kami in Japanese) enshrined here.

Enshrined as Tamahime-no-mikoto, she is worshipped in the main sanctuary of the building called the honden. This is the main shrine building. Behind and to the left of this structure, you can find another building called the Shinmeisha which contains a large number of natural and man-made objects, almost all of which are either shaped like a penis or have some phallic theme. It is important to understand that the worship is not of the phalli, but instead a worship of the earth, of the power that nature has through renewal and regeneration. It is this context that provides the phallus with its significance.

How to get there

Komaki is both easy and cheap to get to from Nagoya. From Shin Nagoya station (beside JR Nagoya station) take the Meitestu Inuyama line to Inuyama station (30 minutes). At Inuyama station, change to the Komaki line (platform 3) and catch any train south. Tagata Jingu Mae is the third station. Come out of the station and walk south (left) down the main road. On March 15th, however, it will just be a matter of following the crowd.

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Tagata Jinja Hounen Matsuri (Penis Festival)

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Beautiful Japanese White Ume Flowers

Pink Ume Flowers

Pink Ume Flowers

* For more photos, please check out my flickr photo set

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Spring 2008 : Japanese Plum (Ume) Blossoms

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Japan is a country with strong heritage of culture and traditions. In a year, there are so many different types of festivals celebrated throughout Japan. One of such festivals is the hadaka matsuri (裸祭り) or literally means naked festival. Participants wear a minimum amount of clothing; usually just a traditional underwear or fundoshi (Japanese loincloth). Hadaka matsuri are held in dozens of places throughout Japan every year, usually in the summer or winter.

For Inazawa City (稲沢市), Hadaka Matsuri is celebrated at the beginning of Spring. Men aged between 23 to 43 years old come to Inazawa City in the hope of touching a naked man to ensure their good luck for the coming year. Since 767BC the Sacred Naked Man, aka Shin-otoko, has walked this seasoned route through thousands of sweaty, desperate men to reach the Kounomiya Shrine. Shinto tradition believes that the Sacred Naked Man absorbs all bad luck and evil deeds from the men who touch him. This ritual is said to commemorate the end of a plague during the ancient time where it is believed the Sacred Naked Man will take on the illness from the community and is then expelled from it.

It is a great honor to be chosen as the Sacred Naked Man. If chosen, he must undergo elaborate purification rites by shaving off all the hair on his body. He then sets off through the streets, besieged by up to 9000 men, all desperate to touch him. During this time, he is pummeled, chased, pulled over; is bruised and must spend an entire day in the thick of a heaving mass of loin clothed bodies while completely naked. When he finally arrives at his destination, the crowd jostle to grab any available part of his body for an hour or more before he can pay his respects to the Shinto deity of the shrine. Once he is dressed he is then shooed out of town to rid the town of all evil.

大きな地図で見る

* For more photos, check out my flickr set

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Hadaka Matsuri (naked festival)

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It is very rare to have snow in Nagoya. However, whenever it snows, usually it is quite heavy and most of the time it will cause major disruption. It has been snowing since this morning and it is still snowing now. Let’s hope it will be a bright and sunny day tomorrow.

* For more photos, check out my flickr photo set.

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Heavy Snow hits Nagoya

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Do you love to watch Japanese TV programs?. Yes?. I have good news for you. Now it is possible to view your favorite Japanese TV programs with KeyHoleTV. KeyHoleTV (キーホールテレビ) is the next generation of content distribution by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. KeyHoleTV is a currently under the research and development for TV broadcasting by using the P2P technology. Besides streaming live TV program, individual also can stream live personal video to the public by using KeyHoleVideo. Users can also view online TV streaming on their Windows Mobile OS devices.

Installation Process

1. Step 1 : The installation is very simple. Download the installation file for KeyHoleTV from here.

2. Step 2 : Click to install the setup file.

3. Step 3 : Launch KeyHoleTV. Select the channel that you would like to watch, and click the WATCH button to start viewing.

Eventhough the quality of the video is not very good, but as long as it is free, I don’t think anyone would want to complain. Now please excuse me, I have my online TV programs to watch.

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Watch Japanese live TV programs for FREE with KeyHoleTV

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Nagoya Motor Show is an annual event. Usually it is held after the biggest motor show in Japan, which is the Tokyo Motor Show. Nagoya is the city where the headquarter for one of the largest car manufacturers in the world – Toyota. Thus, Nagoya Motor Show is the showcase for the latest car technology and gadgets, especially in the area of car navigation system. Below are pictures and videos of kawaii girls and innovative cars found at Nagoya Motor Show 2007.

* More photos available in my flickr album set

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Nagoya Motor Show – Kawaii Girls and Innovative Cars

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