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) , 2 hours to Nagasaki station by JR express train, transfer to Shimabara Tetsudo with another half an hour to Chijiwa, Unzen.
Let me note that Unzen is a wonderful Onsen (hot spring) spot with rich food culture and beautiful scenery, surrounded by sea and mountains.

*I appreciate Tanaka-san in Unzen City, for providing me these photes and information.

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 established as park of a project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Emperor Showa’s reign.

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)

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 is the huge grass field, which is kept by burning grass every spring (It is called `Noyaki‘). 

The only dissapointment is these artificial windmills, which are spoiling this beautiful scene.  Out of that, Aso is fantastic, with the blessing of nature. Also, I should add that this caldera supplys abundant natural water to 600,000 people living in Kumamoto. (If you live in Kumamoto, you have no need to buy bottled water !).

To visit Mt. Aso from JR Hakata station, 1′30” to Kumamoto Station, another hour drive to Aso National Park. Or, about 2 to 3 hours drive from Hakata (Fukuoka).

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. 

Northern area of Okinawa Honto (main island=big island) welcomes visitors with double colors: emeraldgreen ocean and deep green mangrove forest.

Gesashi’s mangrove forest lies on the eastern coast of the big island. From Naha city, it takes 2.5 hours by car (via route 58 and Okinawa express way); but it’s worth visiting.

The area is designated as natural treasure, but visitors can see three different kinds of mangrove shrubs from the walk path.

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Check out Okinawa Tour Guide Blog and find out more.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/marshcnet/

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 “god of the hearth” at Nakijin Castle ruins.

Every region has a legend related to its origin. Here in Okinawa, we believe in a legendary creator named Amamikiyo who descended to build an island with homes for “gods” to settle.

“Gods in the nature” is called Utaki in the local dialect and there are many of those sacred prayer areas in Okinawa. Utaki is usually located in a forested grove and looked after by the area’s high priestess or “noro”.

What you find here in this picture is Seifa Utaki in Nanjo city (former Chinen village). It is the most sacred prayer site on Okinawa. In the Ryukyu Kingdom era, new kings acceding to the throne visited the site first after making a brief stop at Sono-Hyan Utaki, which is located right across from their residence Shuri castle. The site was also used for the inauguration of Ryukyu Kingdom’s highest ranking priestesses, Kikoe Ogimi who held extremely important advisory positions within Okinawa’s ancient society.

Large triangular shaped space is created by two huge rocks.
Going through this nanural tunnel, you will come to the most sacred prayer site on Okinawa island.

Many local residents still visit here to pray with offerings (right). On the tray, mandarine oranges, round shaped rice cakes (Mochi), Awamori, water and rice are placed.

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Are you interested in Okinawa, Japan? If you wish to hire a professional English speaking tour guide, please check the following Okinawa Tour Guide bilingual blog for more information.

http://blog.livedoor.jp/marshcnet/

The monkeys prefer an early morning bath on cold winter days. So I woke before dawn and made a visit to the bath, but didn’t see any monkeys. Nore did I on several more visits throughout the morning. Apparently it just wasn’t cold enough.

Once everyone else was up, we went to the dining room for breakfast. We could see the monkeys out and about through the windows in the hallways and rooms of the minshuku. They were everywhere– except for in the bath. There was even one hungry-looking monkey outside the dining room window, staring wistfully at our breakfast.

We had a traditional Japanese breakfast: gokokumai gohan (white rice with five grains); kamaboko (fish sausage); umeboshi (pickled plums) and takuan (pickled daikon); miso soup; enokidake mushrooms in sweetened soy sauce; nori seaweed; and an onsen tamago (hot spring poached egg);

Here is the onsen tamago cracked open- beautiful, isn’t it? It is flavoured with soy sauce and poured over the rice, and eaten with the nori. Delicious.

I had scared away the hungry monkey when I opened the window to get a picture (not sure if the other diners were relieved to see it gone or pissed off at me for chasing it away). But while I slipped away to the bathroom, another monkey (apparently a slightly more evolved species) took its place. My pals were kind enough to capture the moment on my camera.

Breakfast finished, we made a final check of the rotemburo and decided to give up waiting for our monkey bath.

Instead we took pictures of the ones that were on the roof outside the hall window.

They didn’t seem bothered by us, even if we opened the windows and leaned out for a better view. As long as we kept a reasonable distance, they mostly ignored us, showing only the occasional sign of mild curiosity.

Finally, I hung out a bit too far, coming within a couple metres of this one, who showed her displeasure by screeching. Taking the hint, we stopped bothering the monkeys and got ready to go.

Before leaving we talked with the owner of Korakukan, an interesting (to say the least) fellow. Even if I wasn’t with a group of Japanese, I would probably have understood him: he communicated mostly through jokes, wild gestures, and dance, with the occasional hug thrown in. He said he likes having so many guests from around the world, except for one thing- foreigners don’t know how to pack. We bring way too much luggage, apparently.

And finally we did some monkey poses for the camera. We’re not quite as cute as the real things, are we?

And then we made the long walk through the mountains and back to the van, waiting to take us Karuizawa.

For more about Japanese macaques, see here.

For more Jigokudani pictures, see my Flickr Magic Journey Tohoku/Sinetsu Photo Album.

See the previous post for more about Korakukan.

Korakukan Jigokudani
0269-33-4376
Jigokudani, Yamaouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano-ken