Satoshi Nihonyanagi
Welcome to my blog, Green Tea Club !
I'll show you all the beauties and goodies in Shizuoka through this blog.
If you have any inquiry, please feel free to post your messages on it.
Hope to see you around in Shizuoka !
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09/09/2011 [Fri]
Make your day at Acty Mori in Autumn [Morimachi]
If you like to spend a day in the great nature in this coming autumn, “Acty Mori” in Mori Town, Shizuoka, is definitely for you. Located along the beautiful “Ota River” and surrounded by mountains, Acty Mori would surely provide you with unforgettable time and memories.
Mori Town ( or Morimachi ) is known as a little Kyoto in Shizuoka, which has dozens of cultures and traditions for itself and lots of temples and shrines as I’ve ever introduced before. Click here for these information.
Now what can we do specifically in Acty Mori ? Hand-made local crafts such as Japanese paper making, dyeing, Enshu devil-tile, and ceramic art are one of the most popular activities in it. I actually saw kids making Japanese paper fan and other ladies turning and shaping potteries. They looked so serious during the making but when I talked to a girl after her work, she just gave me a big smile as if saying “I made it !”. Impressing.＾＾ You can also purchase made-up products for the gift.
Other activities are as follows ：
Mountain bike, Putting Golf, hiking, tennis, canoeing, harvesting, making soba noodle, BBQ, camping, swimming, and shopping etc.
When I visited there last time, because it was in mid-summer, many families were playing around the water. In autumn, it would become more fascinating with red leaves. Telling furthermore, there is a humongous dam, “Ota-gawa Dam” and “Kawasemi Lake”. On its way, “Tomodake house”, a village of fleeing Heike family can be found. Though only one house stands there, I love the place because it always takes me to the world of more than 800 years ago.
Shopping in Acty is also fun ! Not only souvenirs but local vegetables are sold in the store. Amazingly fresh, needless to say. And very good for visitors for BBQ ! Golf fields are well-cared and lots of limited events has been planned. Cottages are also available if you like to stay overnight. I’ll introduce the details next time !
Acty Mori
Access ： 30 min by car from Fukuroi IC of Tomei Expressway.
17 min by bus to “Acty Mori” from Enshu Mori Sta. of Tenryu-hamanako Railway. ( Transfer to Tenryu-hamanako Railway from JR Kakegawa Sta.)
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Posted by Satoshi Nihonyanagi at 09:53 Permanent Link Trackback ( 0 ) Comments ( 0 )
09/02/2011 [Fri]
One day in Shuzenji [Izu City]
That day, because I’d been invited for lunch by a married couple from Malaysia, I visited Shuzenji to meet them for an interview with a man for photo-taking. It’s always exciting to meet new friends, isn’t it ? Nervous and unsure at first, of course, but soon we could open up to each other and have a pleasant talk like a long-time friend.
Anyway, lunch. What do you like for lunch ? Seafood is absolutely fine in Shizuoka, especially in Izu Area but would be rather too common, I thought, because they were meant to stay 3 nights in Izu. Maybe something peculiar to Shuzenji……Oh, right, Kuro-mai would be fine.
Kuromai, literally black-rice, known also as Kodai-mai ( ancient rice ), is one of the specialties of Shuzenji. Sweet and sticky. Anyway, we visited “Meshi-ya Mizu” for the memorial lunch. The picture is “Hanaguruma Meal” ( ￥1,280 ) . Each dish looked very decent and that bountiful, I think we all felt happy enough with it.＾＾
After lunch, we strolled toward the stream. This area, I believe, has one of the most traditional atmospheres of old Japan. Crystal-clear stream in the center of the town, red bridges and rails, Ashiyu foot spring, bamboo forest, and sometimes ladies in Yukata or Kimono.＾＾ Shuzenji Temple is also popular ! It’s believed to have been established by Kukai, a Buddhist priest, also known as Kobo-daishi. A temple with more than 1200 year history ! We prayed right in front of Hondo main hall and walked along the stream. We talked and talked until we walked through the bamboo forest.
By the way, we were there on the day for the video shooting of “Enjoy Shizuoka”. It’s a twitter-based website with videos, messages and other information. The movie is still in the make. I’ll let you know when it is updated.
Anyway, we had very fruitful time in Shuzenji and I really hope they liked Shizuoka so much as to bring some friends from Malaysia someday !＾＾
Shuzenji Temple, Ashiyu foot spa & Bamboo Forest
Access from Shuzenji Station ： 10 minutes by bus to “Shuzenji Onsen”
Admission ： Free
Meshiya-Mizu
Access from Shuzenji Station ： 10 minutes by bus to “Shuzenji Onsen”
Lunch ： Shuzenji Soba Meal ―￥1,050／Hana-guruma Meal ―￥1,280
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Posted by Satoshi Nihonyanagi at 17:38 Permanent Link Trackback ( 0 ) Comments ( 0 )
09/01/2011 [Thu]
Information about Mt. Fuji trails from the 5th to the summit [Information]
Information about Mt. Fuji trails from the 5th to the summit
Conditions of trails
Due to the predictable inclement weather caused by unstable strong wind and lowered temperature, and closing of mountain huts, Mt. Fuji trails on Fujinomiya Route, Gotemba Route, and Subashiri Route are to get into winter cessation for the safety of climbers.
• As for Yoshida Route, please refer to Road Management Department of Yamanashi Prefecture .
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08/31/2011 [Wed]
A wonderful waterfall in the middle of Izu Peninsula ― Joren Waterfall [Izu City]
Ok, now I took a bus from Odaru-iriguchi in front of “Kawazu Seven Falls” to get to the next destination, “Joren Falls”. I often stop over it when I take a lovely drive through Izu Area because it’s located just in the middle of Izu and good as the rest spot for drivers. The parking lot is spacious enough, some souvenir shops and restaurants stand around, good walking trails are prepared, and what’s more, a spectacular waterfall, “Joren Waterfall” can be found if you take a further walk down the mountain.
Again, be sure that you are wearing shoes for walking because the trail is rather steep and slippery around the river. It takes only a couple of minutes to walk down, though. Just get yourself prepared to walk up ! It’s kind of back-breaking to me.＾＾；
“Joren Waterfall” is not only for sightseeing. Activity as well. Actually, fishing ! There stands a hut where you can have fishing rods and bait, and that day, I saw lots of people lowering bamboo fishing rods or sometimes someone trying to land the struggling trout. Even beginners can enjoy it because they release trout into the river regularly. All trout you may catch can be taken home. No extra charge. They also clean your catch for a bit of money so as to get ready for BBQ. Another pleasure is that you can see the Wasabi Field along the river. It’s richly cultivated for the pure water. And wasabi shop is beside the walkway. It’s fun just to look around.＾＾
Now, Joren Waterfall, one of the best 100 waterfalls in Japan, marks 25m high, 7m wide and 15m deep. And, believe it or not, it is traditionally believed that there lives a beautiful Joro Spider in the water pocket. Why spider ? Old tales tell that some men were caught by a silky spider web and taken into the water. A man even saw a stunningly beautiful woman beside the water. Here, I strongly advise you not to turn around and keep your back facing the waterfall. Especially cool guys. She might want you in another world. No wonder I found a web on my foot.＾＾
Enjoy your summer, anyway ! Good day !＾＾
Joren Falls
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Posted by Satoshi Nihonyanagi at 14:02 Permanent Link Trackback ( 0 ) Comments ( 0 )
08/29/2011 [Mon]
Hiking in the mountain ― Kawazu Seven Falls [Kawazu]
After seeing off the Suruga Bay Ferry, I took Tokai Bus to get to “Kawazu Seven Falls”. You can directly reach the main gateway for Seven Falls from “Odaru-guchi” bus-stop but in my case, I took the opposite way and this course is the very one generally most recommended by local hikers because you have only to hike DOWN the mountain. Remember the stop “Mizu-tare”. Here is the map for you with my footsteps marked down. Please open the PDF.
Now I began to walk from Mizutare bus stop and soon found the first waterfall “Kama-daru” ( Kettle Waterfall ). Be sure you are wearing shoes for hiking because the trails are partly very steep and slippery.
←Kama daru Waterfall
Kawazu Map (701KB)
Besides “Kama daru” waterfall, there are naturally other 6 falls as the name “Seven Falls” says. I saw, in order, “Ebi-daru” ( Prawn Waterfall ), “Hebi-daru” ( Snake Waterfall ), “Shokei-daru” ( First-sight Waterfall ), “Kani-daru” ( Crab Waterfall ), “Deai-daru” ( Confluent Waterfall ), and “O-daru” ( Large Waterfall ). Sorry that I can’t show you all pictures in the report. Maybe you can visit and see all of them with your own eyes.＾＾
Shokei-daru waterfall →
Odaru Waterfall
On your way, you will find an adorable shopping street ? where you can buy local products and souvenirs. I was very excited when I found Miyama stag-beetles sold there in cages. Miyama is something for Japanese boys, I definitely believe !
The walkway is well arranged from Syokei-daru (④) to O-daru (⑦). In case you wear sandals for some reason, it will be best to reach “Odaru-guchi” stop by bus and stroll to Shokei-daru. The statue of Odoriko there is well known as a symbol of Kawazu Seven Falls. Ryokans including Amagi-so stand around the walkway. The picture in the right is the O-daru, by the way, the largest waterfall among seven falls. 30m high and 7m wide. Overwhelming, isn’t it ?＾＾
Now, after all, it took me about 1 hour to walk through the trails and finally, I got to the Odaru-guchi bus-stop. I took the bus bound for Shuzenji passing the famous roadway “Kawazu Seven Falls Loop Bridge”. I was meant to visit the next destination, “Joren Falls”. Ever heard of Japanese famous song “Amagi-goe” ? I guess you not.＾＾； Anyway, it’s become so popular for the song. I’ll report it next time.
Have a good day !＾＾
Kawazu Seven Falls
Access ： JR Mishima Sta. → Shuzenji ( by Izu-Hakone Railway ) → Mizutare or Odaru-guchi bus stop ( by Tokai Bus ), Or
JR Atami Sta. → Kawazu Sta. ( by Izukyu Railway ) → Mizutare or Odaru-guchi bus stop ( by Tokai Bus )
Join us in Twitter φ(・ω・ )
“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾
Posted by Satoshi Nihonyanagi at 09:09 Permanent Link Trackback ( 0 ) Comments ( 0 )
