NEW YEAR 2008@ Canal City Hakata

January 7, 2008 - 5:00 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Others, Travel  

Canal City Hakata has no new year holiday !

Shimekazari (decoration for welcoming New Year, fixed on the top of shops’ entrance) in Hakata is very unique.

These are very common in here.

*Kyushu Tourism Information Site will also help you discover the charms of Kyushu !

NEW YEAR 2008 @ Kushida Shrine, Local Shinto Shrine of Hakata

January 6, 2008 - 6:21 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Food, Others, Travel  

KUSHIDA SHRINE

This is the most famous shinto shrine in Hakata city, and worshipped by Hakata locals.
(Hakata is a traditional merchants town, and is a part of Fukuoka city).

RELIEF OF CHINESE ZOADIAC

This is the relief of Chinese zodiac, which is said to have more than 3000 years of history. The twelve animals are imaginary, [...]

HITA LOCAL SOUVENIORS, Pottery, Food, Geta, and…

- 8:34 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Food, Others, Travel  

Tenryo Yaki is one of the local pottery in Hita, and is famous for gracious coloring and design, using maple leaves (Craftmen use real maple leaves).

Variety of dishes for lots of use.

Hita is also famous for making good GETA !

Decoration for New Year.

Plum jam, Plum pickles. (Hita produces good plums!)
The green one is YUZU KOSHO. [...]

Guinness World Record `Torii (Shinto Shrine Gate)’ is in New Year fashion @ Chijiwa, Nagasaki

December 27, 2007 - 6:38 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others, Travel  

This is the world largest Torii (Shinto Shrine Gate), in Chijiwa of Nagasaki prefecture, East end of Kyushu, where Onsen (hot spring ), food, and nature is all so wonderful !

Torii gate is decorated in New Year celebration style.

This is the normal style :>

More information here (Japanese, but with many images)

Access

From Hakata Station (Fukuoka) , [...]

Sugar Bunnies, Sweetest Doll House of Sanrio! & Christmas Eve @ Canal City Hakata

December 25, 2007 - 8:59 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others  

The latest doll house from Sanrio :>
These characters are named `Sugar Bunnies’ and are very popular among Japanese little girls, and among their mommies !!

*More information at Sanrio Website (Japanese).

*I found this at Sanrio Shop in Canal City Hakata, the largest shopping mall in Kyushu.7

Canal City Hakata on Christmas Eve.

TOKYO BAZZAR helps you shop in Harajuku & Asakusa!

December 20, 2007 - 4:45 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Travel  

Tokyo Bazaar, a palm-size shopping map was issued on Dec. 14 by Portal Japan. Inc., for forign visitors enjoying shopping in Tokyo ! This Tokyo Bazzar map offers you visual entertaining information, to help you find coolest Japanese items in unique shops. It has only English version. But never mind if you don’t speak English. [...]

Hello Kitty Land (Harmonyland) -2-@ near Beppu, Oita

December 15, 2007 - 4:24 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Others, Travel  

More Photos of Pallade (Characters Show)

Sanrio characters (HelloKitty, Little twin stars, Usahana, Cinnamon, etc.) and dancers attract guests with dances and songs. Children can join the dance at the end of the show. (12:30-13:00).

INFORMATION

-Harmony Land is about 30 minutes drive from Beppu Station. From Hakata(Fukuoka) to Beppu is about 2 hours by JR express [...]

Hello Kitty Land (Harmonyland) -1-@ near Beppu, Oita

- 4:11 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Others, Travel  

There’re two Hello Kitty theme park in Japan, one is in Tokyo and the other is here, with the name, `Harmony Land’. This is the perfect place to bring your little children, to spend the whole day in a Hello Kitty World!

Swinging Coffee Cups. You can choose your favorite character. There’re some other [...]

A beginning of the year event of BUDO（the Japanese martial arts）in Nippon Budokan of TOKYO

December 14, 2007 - 12:14 pm by Hishi in Culture, Others  

　I introduce the event that people training BUDO（武道 the Japanese martial arts）perform every year for New Year holidays. It is “The cutting of the New Year’s rice cake ceremony / The BUDO beginning(鏡開き式・武道始め)” performed in Nippon Budokan(日本武道館) in “Coming-of-Age Day(成人の日)” on the second Monday of January every year.

　This is an event in the beginning of [...]

December’s DAI-KU concerts in JAPAN

December 10, 2007 - 6:45 pm by Makiya_rappa in Culture, Others  

In Japan,there are a lot of concerts of ‘Beethoven’s Symphony No9 ”Choir”‘ in December as a Japanese common usage event.

This symphony is called “DAI-KU”  that means “9th” , in Japan .On almost December’s weekend,everywhere,  many DAI-KU concerts  are performed  by  not only some  professional orchestras but also amateur orchestras.

I participate in an amateur orchestra called ‘ The TACHIKAWA Orchestra’,and its concert [...]