Hinamatsuri (Hina Doll Festival) in Hita, where Edo merchants’ life still exist

March 2, 2007 - 9:08 am by akko@hakata in Travel  

Hita is a place which flourished in Edo period (Samurai Time), about 200-300 years ago.
It was actually the center of Kyushu, culturally, economically and politically,
and still protects and cherishes its tradition, just the way it was.

Hinamatsuri (Hina Doll Festival) i(Feb.15-Mar.31) is the event you can enjoy the most beautiful season of Hita, by [...]

Flea Markets of Kyoto (2)

February 25, 2007 - 1:58 am by Yuk in Travel  

I went to Garakuta-ichi and Tedukuri-ichi. These are a different kind of market from Kobo-san and Tenjin-san that I wrote an article at last time. In these markets, the kind of the stall is limited. In Garakuta-ichi, only antiques stalls stand, and handmade goods and crafts line in Tedukuri-ichi.
Should go to Garakuta-ichi at early morning!?

Garakuta-ichi [...]

Chinese New Year at Yokohama Chinatown

February 18, 2007 - 12:00 am by kiokitok in Travel  

The Chinese are everywhere in the world. They often build Chinatown and make their living on their own. In 1858, Japan opend its door to other countries. Port of Yokohama was opened in the following year. Various countries created their settlements there. The Chinese too moved to Yokohama as the [...]

Flea Markets of Kyoto (1)

February 16, 2007 - 6:55 pm by Yuk in Travel  

Kobo-san, Tenjin-san, Garakuta-ichi and Tedukuri-ichi are typical flea market of Kyoto city, but these are not same. In Kobo-san at To-ji Temple (Flea Market) and Tenjin-san at Kitano-tenmangu Shrine (Flea Market), there stand more than 1000 stalls hoping that it would attract the ennichi (a shrine or temple fair) crowd (people who pay homage [...]

St. Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2007 - 12:00 am by kiokitok in Culture, Food  

Approaching February 14, the Japanese media start discussing about St. Valentine’s Day. There is absolutely no religious meaning. It is the day when the Japanese think about an important topic for young, love. Moreover, it is definitely the day when the most amount of chocolate is consumed in a year.

Girls give Honmei [...]

To Know Tokyo Is To Love Tokyo - Edo-Tokyo Museum

February 9, 2007 - 11:34 pm by kiokitok in Travel  

Hanging around Tokyo, you will be able to find out lots of historical sites and objects, especially from Tokugawa Shogunate. Yet, there are no other sites with all those collection of artifacts than Edo-Tokyo Museum. It is just a museum with a lot of artifacts. Thus, you may not be able to [...]

Utaki - the sacred site in Okinawa

February 7, 2007 - 7:10 pm by marsh in Travel  

Is it “god”, “kamisama”, “hotokesama” or “noro”? –How different is Okinawa’s religion?
Okinawan people believe in the spiritual world and honor various “gods” in the nature. For example “god of the hearth” or “god of the well”; they also worship their ancestors’ sprits; and of course there is Shinto, Buddhism and Christianity.

Hinukan or [...]

nclex in tokyo japan

February 5, 2007 - 10:13 am by janjen in Travel  

do you have package for nclex in tokyo japan?

Setsubun

February 3, 2007 - 8:37 pm by kiokitok in Culture, Food  

The Japanese love to have seasonal celebrations. February 3 is known as Setsubun. Setsubun literally means the division of seasons. They used to celebrate every division of seasons. However, they now celebrate only February 3 as the change from winter to spring.
They had already celebrated Setsubun on February 3 before the [...]

The Street of Kyoto (2) ; Higashioji-dori 1

January 29, 2007 - 5:43 pm by Yuk in Culture, Travel  

It is Higashioji-street which runs north and south before the Yasaka-jinjya Shrine is at the end of Shijo-dori where I gave an account last time. Its another name is Higashiyama-dori. Shijo-dori has been since Heian era, but Higashioji-dori which was built after 1889 is a new trunk road. Especially I don’t think that it interested [...]