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) , [...]

Gomar’s The Beautiful JAPAN MOMIJIGARI（Viewing the autumn leaves)

November 30, 2007 - 10:47 am by Gomar in Others, Travel  

I introduce colored leaves of Kyoto and Tokyo this time.
Giouji(祇王寺,Giouji Temple)　at Saga Kyoto
The scenery which I look at 360 degrees where, and is bright red.

Jojakkoji(常寂光寺,Jojakkoji Temple)　at Saga Kyoto
It is the noted place of colored leaves eminent in Kyoto here.

Showa Kinen Park(昭和記念公園) at Tachikawa City Tokyo
There were such a beautiful colored leaves in Tokyo.
The park was [...]

Gomar’s The Beautiful JAPAN Shakotan Peninsula,Hokkaidō

November 28, 2007 - 11:17 am by Gomar in Others, Travel  

This is Shakotan Peninsula (積丹半島, Shakotan hantō).
Shakotan Peninsula is located in the northwest of Sapporo,Hokkaidō.
Though it was the sea of Hokkaido, The transparency of the sea was like the sea of Okinawa.
Shimamui Shore(島武意海岸,Shimamui kaigan). Here is chosen as “100 selections of Japanese beaches”.

Kamui Cape(神威岬,Kamui misaki)

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 [...]

Scenic Masterpiece of Kyushu 1, Itsukishima, Hirado

August 23, 2007 - 6:05 pm by izumi in Others, Travel  

Itsukishima is part of Hirato city, Nagasaki, and is placed in the west end of Kyushu island.  It takes four hours from Fukuoka city, but is absolutely beautiful. The reason why the sea is so blue and transparent is because this is not the place to swim. 

With the Style, Artistic Californian Resort Hotel in Hakata/Fukuoka

August 11, 2007 - 11:39 am by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

If you’re seeking a most sophisticated hotel in Hakata (Fukuoka), my recommendation would be With the Style, an artistic Californians style resort hotel near Hakata Station. You can stay or just visit for lunch to escape from the city’s heat wave.

Food is wonderful, with the Western look and Japanese taste.
(Hakata/Fukuoka is on the sea, gifted [...]

Cool yourself with `Shirokuma’, white-bear-ice!

August 10, 2007 - 7:56 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others  

Shirokuma literally means white bear, but here it means a bowl of shaved ice with condensed milk syrop and freezed colourful fruits.

It is a speciality of Kagoshima, as I introduced in my previous article as the mecca of Shochu, distilled spirit.
Kagoshima’s summer is realy hot, since it places in the southernmost prefecture of Kyushu Island, [...]

Cool yourself with Shochu-on-the-rock? Shochu (Distilled Spirit) boom of Kagoshima

August 9, 2007 - 6:32 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others  

Shochu (distilled spirit) is one of the main Japanese alcoholic beverages following Sake.

Kagoshima is the largest, popular, and traditional Shochu mecca, providing 155,900 kiloliters in 2006 (July 2006 to June 2006), which is the record high, with an increase for the 8th consecutive year!
Satsuma Shochu (meaning Kagoshima Shochu, Satsuma is the old name of Kagoshima) [...]

Cool yourself with noodle? Enjoy summer food culture of Japan!

- 3:08 pm by akko@hakata in Culture, Others  

`Japan has four seasons’ is a very common plain sentence when people introduce Japan, which should also be explained as, Japan has four seasons to enjoy different seasonal food!
Not only beer and shochu-on-the-rock, cool noodle is the main summer food for lots of Japanese people, or even Messiah for those suffering from the crazy heat [...]

Sweets Theme Parks

August 7, 2007 - 6:34 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Food, Others, Travel  

For many women in Japan, Sweets Theme Parks are paradice! It’s like an amusement park of sweets, offering not only cakes and puddings, but also the place to relax and talk!
During summer season (-Aug.31), they offer special varieties to cool us. Each shop is competing very hard to attract customers, with beautiful looking, delicious sweets, [...]