Do you remember once I mentioned S-Pulse Dream Ferry when I wrote about Fishing Park and S-Pulse Dream Plaza ? This time, divided into 7 or 8 stories, I will report my small trip using “Izu Dream Pass”.

The morning was very clear. The blue sky and crystal-clear ocean welcomed me as if they had been expecting me. I set foot in Marine Terminal, that is in the picture above, got the “Izu Dream Pass” and headed for the Ferry named “Fuji”. Over the Shimizu Port could be seen spectacular Mt. Fuji. No better day !

This Ferry connects Shimizu Port with Toi port in about 65 minutes, accommodating 450 people and more than 50 cars. I stepped in it and walked around to see the inside. There were mainly 2 types of seats. One for personal travelers, the other for families. I didn’t take neither of them. Not time to sit at ease. I rushed out on the deck to look around for pictures. Suddenly, the sound of whistle. Announcement in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. Time to say good-bye to Shimizu Port. I’ll be back soon. (*´∇｀)ﾉｼ

I went to some places for interviews. The store ladies were so friendly to answer all my questions. Some of the staff in the ferry speaks Chinese or Korean and part of English. On the guide-board are written Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean so that visitors from abroad don’t get lost. Even free English guidebook is available at the store. She was so kind to talk about me to the Captain and so lucky I was, I could talk with him. He told me many specialized things such as the decision of operation or cancelation of the Ferry and its time, sailing conditions, radio relay on the ocean and his various experiences during operations.

Then suddenly, one of the crew yelled.
What do you think I saw ?
Next time, I’ll show you what is in the Dream Ferry.

Good day !



S-Pulse Dream Ferry
Access ： From JR Shimizu Station East Exit,
Free Shuttle Bus is available.

I make it a point to introduce Japanese customs or traditions of the month when I write about monthly event information but September……it may be the most peaceful but boresome month of the year.
This time, I bring up a Japanese peculiar holiday, “Respect-for-Senior-Citizens Day”. The holiday originally came on September 15 but according to the law amendment called “Happy Monday”, it was shifted to the third Monday of September. That is, September 20 falls upon it this year. There are some hypotheses about its origin. The most elementary theory is like this：
In a small village, a mayor opened a drinking party on September 15 every year after harvest season. This drinking party had a profound meaning for young people. To carry on the senior’s knowledge, to respect seniors and to celebrate seniors to make the village better. The custom became prevalent in most part of Japan and in 1966, Sep 15 was designated as a national holiday.
Now, here is the event information in September.

Ise-Ebi Lobster Festival is, to be exact, not a festival but a service for the fishing season of Ise-Ebi Lobster. Enjoy your stay in Izu Area and taste the luxurious dinner.

Enjoy your September !

A new tour bus service has begun, for a limited period, from JR Shin-Fuji Station for visitors who’d like to enjoy a simple tour to Mt. Fuji.
This tour bus leaves Shin-Fuji Station at 10:45AM. Now, where is it taking you ?

1．Mt. Fuji ― 5th station of Fujinomiya Trail.
Enjoy a short hike and you can surely say “I’ve just tried Mt. Fuji Climbing” ! Japanese highest mountain is always ready to welcome you.
2．Shiraito Falls
Feel the spectacular view of natural beauty. You will be surrounded by the dignified but graceful waterfalls that have been created by the snow water from Mt. Fuji.
3．Fujisan Hongu Sengentaisha Shrine
Come and see for yourself the oldest shrine in Tokai Area. This is originally the very first point that climbers visit to prey for their safety before leaving for Mt. Fuji.

Only 3 stops, that enables you to see each point with sufficient time. Personally, I don’t like too-busy-to-look-around tours. I’m sure you can enjoy each spot better than other tours if you want to take much time walking around. The bus is scheduled to be back to Shin-Fuji Station at 17:00. If you have JR Pass, why don’t you come to JR Shin-Fuji Station and try this bus tour. The details are as follows：

Mt. Fuji Regular Tour Bus ： Departing from JR Shin-Fuji Station Bus Terminal #6
Operation period ：　Aug 7 – Aug 15, Sep 1 – Sep 20, 2010
Tour Bus Fare ： ¥3,500／adults ¥1,750／children
Tour Time ： 10:45 〜 17:00 (Scheduled to be Back to Shin-Fuji Station )
※ Only I bus available per day
※ Reservation required. ( Available on the day if not fully occupied )
Fujikyu Shizuoka Bus ： TEL 0545-71-2495

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This information has been given by Fujisan Tourism & Communication Bureau, where once I reported about Ninja and Charming Visitor Certificate. Please confirm the past article from here if you’ve got time.
I attach PDF for this Tour Bus just for your image. Unfortunately all info is written in Japanese. If you have any inquiry, please feel free to ask me or Fujisan Tourism & Communication Bureau.

Feel Mt. Fuji around !
Good day !＾＾

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾

I’m so busy in summer. Too many events and fireworks here and there. Not easy task to plan schedules for research and report.
This time, very lucky to me, I could go to the fireworks display at Nihondaira. Remember once I reported Nihondaira, as one of my favorite place in Shizuoka ? If you haven’t read it, please see it from here. (o＾▽＾)o The view from there is really spectacular.

Nihondaira Festival is held in July every year in the garden of Nippondaira Hotel, which is located on the top of Nihondaira. The garden is extremely beautiful as you can see from the picture above !
We arrived at the garden around 18:00. Small events were almost finished and people began to open picnic sheets to occupy their space for watching fireworks.
We did, as well, on the grass. Exclusively good point.
Night was coming up. The garden had already been packed as potatoes in a truck. Over the crowd could be seen the exquisite view with Shimizu Port.

Suddenly, a fire ball was set off from the ground. A flower in the night sky ! And in a second, colorful flowers bloomed one after another.

Now, enjoy the extravagant fireworks in the picture. Fireworks display of Nihondaira is one of the largest festival in Shizuoka. About 10,000 of fireworks are set off with fantastic music every year. I kept taking pictures, though sometimes my sight went outside the screen of digital camera for the overwhelming sound of BANG BANG !

With clear sky and a slight wind, it was the best day for fireworks. Have you ever seen Japanese Fireworks, by the way ? Firework craftsmen try to become so creative every year that we can’t see it without getting excited.

The fireworks display lasted for more than 1 hour. Wild applause continued even after the festival had ended.
By the way, you can enjoy the garden and the fine view free of charge. If you’ve got a chance to go to Nihondaira, be sure to drop at the garden of Nippondaira Hotel, or stay overnight at Nippondaira Hotel, to get the city of Shimizu for yourself !

Enjoy your summer !＾＾


“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾

After we had reached the very top of Mt. Fuji, we took a sufficient rest in or around the hut and started, finally, at 7:40, to climb down from Gotemba Trail. It was very smart for us to take Gotemba route because it was much easier to walk down. As you know, the Fujinomiya Trail has many large rocks in the pathway that eventually causes ache in the knee for physically overloading to your legs by your weight and the backpack. On the other hand, Gotemba trail, though partway the same as Fujinomiya’s, it will have tons of volcanic ashes and drastically fractured rocks that becomes like a cushioning material to your legs and what is more, that makes us considerably cut the time to walk down the mountain. This happy-go-lucky route is generally called “Osuna-bashiri” – Sliding on the sand – that enables us to travel 2 meters with one single step.

Now, see the difference in the picture.
At first, you will walk on a trail like this. Please be very careful not to let any rocks down below because it sometimes happens that one single small stone brings bigger stones to hit and injure somebody.

Climbing down the trail, soon you will find that the rocks are fractured into gravel or even sand. Now is the time ! Ready ? Go ! ! You see my feet in the sand ? Very easy to tread in and out. Just like a runner in the Olympic, you can feel the wind. Oh, and maybe you need to be advised that it’s better to wear spats not to let sand in your shoes.

We could have kept on the Gotemba Trail but we changed the route back to Fujinomiya Trail through the crater of Mt. Hoei. This volcano erupted in 1707, still active, and it is said that the volcanic ashes reached as far as Tokyo. The view from there is magnificent but somehow scary for its too vast sight or too desolate land.

I felt the power of nature when I found a flower that I didn’t know even its name. To the Mt. Hoei, you can enjoy a short hike from the sixth station of Fujinomiya Trail. It will take an hour from the 6th, 2 hours from the 5th. Climbers often enjoy this route before or after Mt. Fuji climbing season.

At 13:00, we all arrived safe and sound at again the gate of 5th station. Nothing was better than our party having returned without any sickness or injury. Everything that I went through in this tour has absolutely become good to me and I believe everyone with me and all other climbers feel the same, and I’m sure that this is the very thing that Mt. Fuji attracts millions of visitors.
Please take good care of yourself when you challenge this mountain

Good day !＾＾!

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾