Christmas Illumination 2007 part 1 @ Canal City Hakata

November 13, 2007 - 8:42 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

Canal City Hakata, the largest shopping & entertainment mall in Kyushu Island, has started the Special Christmas Illumination.

Chandelier of Forest 1.

Chandelier of Forest 2.

Canal (artificial, of course!).

Sun Stage, where performances are held.

There’s a way people can walk through.

Raindeers relaxing on the canal.
Canal City Hakata attract for both Fukuoka visitors and locals, especially on weekends, offering [...]

Fukuoka Motor Show 2007 /Dec.7-10

- 11:59 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Travel  

Following Tokyo Motor Show, `Fukuoka Motor Show 2007‘ is to be held soon (Dec.7-10), for the first time in Fukuoka, to focus more on Asian market.
Fukuoka is the largest city in Kyushu Island, having been the gateway to Asian nations for its geographical reason, and now is the mecca of car factories, including Toyota [...]

Obama Onsen, `Hottest Spring’ in Japan @Nagasaki, Kyushu

November 2, 2007 - 3:17 pm by akko@hakata in Others  

Several stations from Nagasaki Station (JR) by Shimabara Line, you’ll arrive at Unzen-Shimabara area.
Obama onsen (hotspring) near Unzen is `Sea side hotspring’ with the hottest hotspring of 100 degree centigrade, and plenty of hotspring, 15,000 tons of hotspring per day !

On the sea hotspring.
The best way to enjoy Obama Onsen is to stay Ryokan(Japanese inn) [...]

Mt. Aso, the world largest Caldera

October 30, 2007 - 6:49 am by akko@hakata in Others, Travel  

Out of 5 mountains of Mt. Aso, Nakadake is the only one still active.

To visit Aso Caldera is like visiting Mt. Fuji. The scene changes every second. But when you can see it, you’ll be moved !
Aso Caldera includes 18 kilometers (east-west), 25 kilometers (north-south). The present Aso Caldera was made by the big [...]

Hakata O-kunchi Festival @ Kushida Shrine, Hakata/Fukuoka

October 24, 2007 - 6:56 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others, Travel  

Hakata O-kunchi is a local festival to appreciate harvest in mid-autumn.

Parade is the highlight of this festival, and they walk through busy city-centre area to amuse local people.

What’s special about Festival in Hakata is, that it is cherished by locals, including children.
This year is 1250 th anniversary for Kushida Shrine, which is the local shinto [...]

Katchaman’s Amazing JAPAN guide at Fukui Power Spot (Sacred Place) “Eiheiji Zen Temple[永平寺・福井県]“

October 9, 2007 - 5:41 pm by katchaman in Culture  

I went to “Eiheiji” at Fukui-ken on July 21.
Eiheiji is the Zen temple that was surrounded by hills and woods.
Here is very very peaceful temple! If you are interested in Zen and Japanese nature, do come to Eiheiji! The Butsuden (Buddha Hall) July 21 2007
According to Eiheiji’s official website http://www.mitene.or.jp/~katumin/eiheiji/gaiyo/eigo00.htm, Eiheiji, the “temple of [...]

Katchaman’s Amazing JAPAN guide at Kyoto Power Spot (Sacred Place) “Kurama & Kibune”

October 7, 2007 - 12:44 pm by katchaman in Culture, Others  

The Kurama-dera (temple) is famous in Japanese history as the place of exile of Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune (1157-1189).
The temple was established in 770 by the monk Gantei from Nara’s Toshodai-ji. After seeing a vision of the deity Bishamon-ten, guardian of the northern quarter of the Buddhist heaven, he established Kurama-dera in its present location, just below the [...]

Ukai, Commorant Fishing and Fantastic Party night on Yakatabune @ Mikuma River, Kyushu

September 13, 2007 - 1:27 pm by akko@hakata in Others, Travel  

More than Roppongi, More than Shibuya, or Shinjuku…
If you’re to spend the most fantastic night…completely different from any other busy cities, I mean, your own night…then, please visit Hita!

This is Yakatabune, a houseboat, floating on Mikuma river.

Now you can see it in detail. This is quite large, and is like `a moving Japanese Ryokan’!

Dinner will [...]

Try Pearl-Picking & 99-Islands Cruising @ West end of Japan!

September 12, 2007 - 5:10 pm by akko@hakata in Others, Travel  

At the west-end of Japan, you’ll have an amazingly beautiful and unique view of Kuju-ku-shima (Kuju-ku means 99 and shima means islands, but there’re actually 208 islands, including mere rocks!), which is called Saikai Pearl Sea Resort!

What you can do here is,
1. Pearl-picking

Choose one of the pearl oysters,
Carefully, pick up the pearl.

Now the pearl [...]

Scenic Masterpiece of Kyushu 2, Mt. Aso (National Park)

August 27, 2007 - 11:58 pm by izumi in Others, Travel  

This is my most favorite scenery. My own image of Kyushu is green of mountains, and navy blue of the sea, and this is certainly the one.
I visit Aso 7 to 8 times a year, to enjoy this beautiful nature. Aso is famous for its world largest caldera, with active volcano. Another popular thing about Aso [...]