Study Tour

It's already December! But we don't have the first snow of this year yet. I attended a study tour yesterday. First we went Shogawa river to enjoy cruising. There are 2 cruise courses, 70min and 25min. We enjoyed 25min "short pleasure cruise". On the deck it was a little bit cold(10°C), but the view was very nice.

Last, we visited Ainokura Gassho-Zukuri Village. The combination of Gassho-style house and pampas grass is nice. Of course the village covered with snow is very beutiful.(Ref. 23rd January 2022) "Every season has distinctive scenery, so please visit here at least 4 times." our guide said. Today's lunch…out of focus…Deep-fried char was very delicious. I ate whole, my first experience!!

Toyama Municipal Family Park Zoo

I'd like to introduce a zoo, "Family Park" in Toyama City.(about 20 min from Toyama Station by car) There are about 100 kinds of animals in a huge ground.

There is a swamp for dragonfly in the zoo.Can you see a dragonfly? Walking around the swamp, a dragonfly was approaching me and perched on my arm!

This zoo is famous for artificial breeding of rock ptarmigan. Rock ptarmigan is a medium-size bird in the grouse family and the official bird of Toyama Prefecture. This is a female rock ptarmogan with winter fur. Oh "Smile for the camera!"

This is a male rock ptarmigan. Please take a look at his beak. It's green…" "He really likes komatsuna, Japanese spinach." a zookeeper said. The zookeeper worried about releasing into the wild…no Japanese spinach in the high mountains.

13th November 2022

Takase Shrine

The other day I visited Takese Shrine in Nanto city ,Toyama Pref.(about 1 hour from Toyama Station by car) It is said this shrine has a long history.(more than 2,000 years!?)

Do you know Temizusha? It's a place to purify your body before proceeding to the Haiden, the shrine's main building. Before pandemic the dippers were placed at the Temizusha. But I only found three long banboo tubes there.

I saw some families cerebrating "Shichi(7)-Go(5)-San(3)". In Japan we celebrate children when they turn 3, 7 years old(for girls) and 5 years old(for boys). Because3,5 and 7 are lucky numbers in japanese culture. Families go to a shrine to give thanks for their good healh and to pray for their happy future.

This is golden "Nade-Usagi", nade means pat and usagi means rabbit. It is believed that people can get rid of pain by patting the corresponding part of the rabbit which you want to be cured. Oh you can see alcohol-based hand sanitazer! Temizusha without dippers and hand sanitazer are the shrine's new nomal!?

30th October 2022

The end of healthian-wood tour, we enjoyed making bath-salt. There are 13 types of secnt.The instractor advised us " Don't mix several types of scent." It was a little bit difficult for me to choose 2 types of scent. This is my bath-salt with sweet-orang and Lavender-fine essential oil. Oh nice conbination for my body!

PAT2022 Excurtion in Takaoka

The World Festival of Children's Performing Arts in Toyama, 2022 was held in Toyama city. The participants from abroad enjoyed a half-day trip to Zuiryuji Temple in Takaoka city.(about 30min from Toyama Station by car) This temple was built about 360 years ago and designated as a national treasure in 1997.

Oh he noticed a roof ornament!! This large roof ornament used to be placed on top of the Main Hall, which is located in the back of the temple complex.

This corridor is about 300 meters long and designated as an important cultural property. The contrast between the white of the walls & the shoji screens and the darkness of the wooden boards is quite beautiful!

Next we drove to the Shinminato Bridge(center of the photo). But our schedule was pretty busy, so we could not drop in this Kaiwomaru park.Kaiwomaru is the name of the sailing ship.Very beautiful ship! There is a tour of the ship.

6th August 2022

Japan Tree Climbing Championship 2022

Japan Tree Climbing Championship 2022(JTCC2022) was held in Toyama today. Toyama Prefecture is famous for the Tateyama Mountain Range and Kurobe Gorge. So there are a lot of huge trees in Toyama Prefecture. But this competition was held in Baba Memorial Park in Toyama city, only 10 min from Toyama station by car!

Strolling around Iwase

Fine and warm yesterday! It was nice for strolling. This time I went to Iwase (Please refer to Tour3) ,about 30 min from Toyama Station by tram. Iwase is famous for Mori & Baba residenses.This is the Iwase Canal near Iwase town.

This is the Urakata's Well. What is this? A Canadian in Toyama talked about this well passionately. So acutually this time's purpose was to find this well. It was very difficult to find this well according to the rough map…"This well, in a sense, is deeply connected with the history Iwase" he said.

I found a unique vending machine. "Fish bait" vending machine, Iwase town is close to the nice fishing spot!! Instead of a fish bait, I bought "Dorayaki",or a Japanese red bean pancake. This drayaki is very famous in Iwase. Please try!

From the tram station to the center of Iwase town, it takes about 10 min on foot. How about riding on this "Boule Baas", it's free of charge.Oh please check the service status.

This time I had lunch at " kichen& cafe GAREGARE" near the tram station. Please take a look at the table! Without the doubt, the cafe's owner loves cars! This is White shrimp pizza.White shrimp is one of the Toyama's specialties. It was very delicious!

23rd May 2022

World Heritage Site- Suganuma

We enjoyed traditional Japanese song & dance "Kokiriko". It is said this song is the oldest Japanese traditional one in Japan. Very nice melody! There is a famous Soba-noodle restaurant in Gokayama. I tasted soba and Gokayama-tofu.

Spring has come!

Many cherry blossom trees are in full bloom in the Toyama's plain areas. This time I visited Toyama Folkcraft Village in Kureha hill.(Ref. Tour2) Toyama Folkcraft Village is located at the foot of the hill. From the top of the hill(77m above sea level), you can enjoy a panoramic view of Toyama city and the Tateyama Mountain Range. This place is also famous for cherry blossoms.

It was sunny day, but a little bit hazy. Unforrunately I couldn't see the mountain range.

There are the five hundred stone buddhas, called " Gohyakurakan" near the top of the hill. They look happy in the sunlight to me!

There are a nice tea house in the village. You can enjoy Macha green tea and seasonal Japanese sweets at a reasonable price(\430).The green one represents blacken and pink one represents cherry blossom. Oh spring has come!

 

 

 

9th April 2022

Wood carving town - Inami 2

Inami used to be a temple town of Zuisenji Temple. This is the main gate of the temple, Sanmon. This gate was built in 1809. You can enjoy beautiful wood carvings of this temple. Ok, here is a quiz for you! You can see 2 types of wood carvings. Which do you think is difficult to carve, the right one or the left one?

This time I tried to carve Guinomi-sake cup by myself.Only with this chisel!(of course I hit it by a hammer) It was very difficult for me. Sorry I forgot to take a picture of my finished product…The guide said "It's very difficult to carve geometric patterns." Yes, the previous quiz's answer is the left one.

22nd March 2022

New Pot Whisky

Have you ever tasted New Pot Whisky? Fresh distilled whisky is called New Pot Whisky. You can taste this New Pot Whisky at this restaurant on company grounds. I tasted 3 types of New Pot Whisky. Roast beef and this strong whisky (alcohol content is 60% or more, so be careful!!)made a good combination. This tiramisu using sakekasu, or sake lees, was also delicious.

World Cultural Heritage - Gokayama

Look at those icicles! The longest one was more than 1m long!! I found a small snowman with hands and a nose made of icicles. It was cute!

Japan's best wood carving town-Inami

Today I'd like to introduce Inami, Japan's best wood carving town.(about 1 hour from Toyama Station by car) Even though the population of this town is about 8000, there are about 200 sculptors! Wander through old streets, you can find many nice wooden works.

How about making your own Guinomi, large Sake cup, by yourself! Only using chisels and wooden mallets! Don't worry, of course under the guidance of the craftsman.

Let's go to Sake brewery.Have you ever seen these green balls? These are Sugidama, ceder ball.

Let's taste Sake with your own Guinomi and a cup. Please check the difference by yourself!

Lunch time! We visited a famous restaurant ,Tozanso,in front of Zuisenji temple. It was delicious! Oh we needed to go for a walk for better digestion!

16th January 2022

Today I'd like to introduce Johana in Nanto City, Toyama Pref. (about 1 hour from Toyama Station by car) Johana used to be a temple town of this Zentokuji temple. This is the Zentokuji temple's gate.

This main hall,Hondo, was built in 1759. Because of protecting this building from heavy snow, it was covered with sheets. So we could not see the appearance. But inside the building, the preaching of a monk is held twice a day all year round! It was a beautiful weather yesterday. From the temple gate, we enjoyed the nice view of the mountains.

Johana flourished as a place to produce silk fabric. But now, this company is one of the last two companies. Do you know "Shike Silk"? Usually one silkworm makes one cocoon and turn it into raw silk. But only a few percent of cocoons are made by 2 silkworms and produce "Shike Silk".

"Shike Silk" has unique knots, so the latest weaving machines' speed is not suitable for "Shike Silk". These old looms are used in this company to produce unique fablic.

There are many paths and slopes in Johana. It's nice for strolling and enjoying old town's atomosphere. Oh, we were a little bit tired. "Let's go on a coffee break."

May 2022 be a happy and without-Covid year for all of us!!!

9th January 2022