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 !
Main content starts here.
02/01/2012 [Wed]
Izu Shaboten Park１ ― Capybara no Yu ( Capybara in the bath ) [Ito]
“Izu Shaboten Park” is a theme-park located right beside Mt. Omuro in Izu Kogen Highlands, Ito City, Shizuoka. There you can find one of the hottest animals this season in Japan. It’s “Capybaras” and of course they are by no means typical capybaras. Believe it or not, they bathe in the open-air hot water, and funny thing is that their faces look like old gentlemen in hot spa to me.＾＾； They take their time in it until they get tired of it, the very scene you can see in such a great onsen resort as Izu Peninsula.＾＾
Capybara’s bathing time begins from 10:30 – as long as they like to be in. Basically around one hour, they say. While they are munching breakfast, the keeper gives us an interesting description of Capybaras. Of course, in Japanese, though. So I’ll here talk about it in English.＾＾
Capybaras live in South America and considered as a kin of rat. They eat vegetables such as cabbages, potato and carrots, and grow more than 50kg ! “Capybara” originally means “a ruler of the field” and it does look so dignified as the name says.＾＾；
They say that capybaras basically like to be around water but their taking bath is totally another story. Once, they say, while the keeper was washing the floor with hot water, capybaras somehow flocked together around it. He wondered how it would it be if he filled a basin with hot water and the next moment, he saw capybaras bathing in it and thought that’s the very scene of Izu, the largest hot spring resort in Japan ! Now, capybaras of Shaboten Park are so famous and popular as to gather visitors from across Japan ! Please stop by to see them when you visit Izu area by any chance.＾＾
Izu Shaboten Park
Access ： 40 minutes by #6 bus from JR Ito Station ／ 20 minutes by bus from Izukyu Izu-kogen Station
Admission ： ￥1800／adult, ￥900／student ( 6 – 15 ), ￥300／children over 4 years old
Open Hours ：
9:00 – 17:00（ Mar 1 〜 Oct 31 ）
9:00 – 16:00（ Nov 1 〜 End of Feb ）
※Capybara-no Yu bathing can be seen every day from 10:30 until Mar 31
※English brochure available at the reception desk
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01/26/2012 [Thu]
Event Information in February [Event Information]
It’s freezing outside today. The weather report said it snowed much in Tokyo yesterday. But these are by no means negative things about us. Look at this picture taken only 2 hours before ! Mt. Fuji finally has got snow enough as it should be in winter. Even we, living in Shizuoka, always are impressed by the sight of overwhelming Mt. Fuji every morning !＾＾ Also we know a small spring is coming next month. Enjoy events in Shizuoka in February as well ♪
Event Information in February.
As I often suggest, feel free to contact us beforehand so that you don’t lose time by like waiting for the bus or being stuck on the street.
Have a good day !
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 17:27 Permanent Link Trackback ( 0 ) Comments ( 2 )
01/25/2012 [Wed]
A Geo-Park in Ito City – Omuroyama [Ito]
Today, I introduce one of the most enigmatic mountains in Japan located in Ito City. It’s Mt. Omuro ( or we say “Omuroyama” ). See its appearance first. Weird, isn’t it ? No trees, no animals, just grasses.
This mountain was created by the eruption of 4000 years ago and is counted as one of the most evaluated geological assets of Izu Peninsula. 580m in height and a huge crater is seen on its top. Torii gate in the picture indicates there is a Sengen Shrine on it. Visitors can go up the mountain only by the lift.
You might be more surprised if you hear that Omuroyama is totally burned out once a year, on the second Sunday in February. Accordingly, this year, it falls on Feb 12th, and by this mountain-burning done this season, it can be let make a brand-new young shoots in spring. The first picture is the one taken on Jan 19 this year but when I visited there last summer, it was like the pictures below ! Wonderful, isn’t it ?＾＾ Mt. Omuro has been designated as a national natural treasure in Japan.
in early summer
Now, let’s see what’s up the mountain. The crater is 300m in diameter, 1000m around, and 70m deep. It took me about 30 minutes to walk around. You can also walk down the crater and play archery at the bottom. Sengen Shrine is on its way.
From the top of Mt. Omuro, if weather permits, you can see Mt. Fuji over the mountains. Recently, they say that they can see even the Sky Tree in Tokyo ! I wish I could have seen it last week. Anyway, Omuroyama changes with season and the view as well varies depending on the time you overlook, just like a living creature.
Mt. Omuro is located in the middle of Izu Kogen Highlands in Ito City. Lots of attractions and fancy pensions ( private resort inns ) are around it. Please refer to the following for further information.＾＾
Mt. Omuro ( Omuroyama )
Access ： 40 minutes by #6 bus from JR Ito Station.
20 minutes by bus from Izu-kogen Station of Izukyu
Admission ： Free ( ￥500 for lift riding )
Open Hours ： 9:00 – 16:15 ( Oct 1 – Mar 5 )／9:00 – 16:45 ( Mar 6 – Mar 15 )／9:00 – 17:15 ( Mar 16 – Sep 30 ) ※Open 7 days a week
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“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾
Posted by Satoshi Nihonyanagi at 10:45 Permanent Link Trackback ( 0 ) Comments ( 0 )
01/20/2012 [Fri]
Strawberry Picking in Shizuoka [Information]
One of the most popular fruits this season in Shizuoka is absolutely strawberries and we have lots of strawberry farms where you can enjoy the picking as many as you can eat. Today, I’ll introduce some of them in Shizuoka.
Central Area
Strawberry Picking zone around Kuno district
Strawberry greenhouses & Suruga Bay & Izu Peninsula
Definitely the largest strawberry zone in Shizuoka. There are more than 50 strawberry farms and hundreds of greenhouses on the mountain along the Kuno coastline, which I would say, “Strawberry Kingdom” ! ＾＾ It’s close to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, the national treasure, and also enchants your eyes with wonderful views of Suruga Bay and Izu Peninsula over it.
In Kuno District, 2 strawberry farm societies are major. Also, please see the detail for the access etc from my old report.
Kuno Strawberry Picking Society ( Japanese Only )
Maruzo Strawberry Picking Society ( Japanese Only )
Period ： Jan 1 – early-may
Western Area
Hamamatsu Fruit Park
Pick out any fruits by yourself and enjoy them through the year ! Hamamatsu Fruit Park provides you with various experiences of seasonal fruits picking such as apples, oranges, berries, plums, cherries and the like in the vast area of more than 100 acres. Strawberries are the most recommended this season. For details, please see my report.
Hamamatsu Fruit Park ( Japanese Only )
Period ： mid-Dec – late-Apr
Izu Area
Ema Strawberry Picking Center
Access ： Tokyo → Mishima by JR → Nirayama by Izu-hakone Railway → 10 minutes by taxi
Open Hours ： 9:00 – 16:00
Strawberry Picking Period ： Dec 10 – May 6
※ Booking required for a group of more than 20 members
Website ( Japanese Only )
Izu-nagaoka Strawberry Picking Center
Access ： Tokyo → Mishima by JR → Izu-nagaoka by Izu-hakone Railway → 10 minutes by bus to “Nagatsuka” bus stop
Open Hours ： 9:00 – 16:00
Strawberry Picking Period ： Jan 2 – May 6
Website ( Japanese Only )
There are more other strawberry farms in Shizuoka. Please feel free to contact us from here when you like to try it in Shizuoka.
Have a good day !＾＾
Join us in Twitter φ(・ω・ )
“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾
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01/18/2012 [Wed]
Recommended New Year’s Events in Shizuoka [Information]
Brand-new year has got started and it’s getting colder and colder in Japan. Today, I’ll introduce some hot events of Shizuoka Prefecture in this season. Details can be found from our old reports linked together with “from here”＾＾
Atami Baien Plum Blossom Festival ( Jan 1 – Mar 4 )
Atami Baien is one of the largest plum gardens in Shizuoka. You can reach there by bus from JR Atami Station. As of Jan 17, plums are just beginning to bloom and will be best in February.
As you know, Atami is one of the largest onsen spa resorts in Japan and very accessible from Tokyo or Nagoya and Osaka. Actually, it takes only 50 minutes from Tokyo by Shinkansen high-speed train. Please find more about Atami from here.
Atami Baien Information ( Japanese only )
Tourist information of Atami City_English Ver.
Kawazu-zakura Cherry Blossom Festival ( Feb 5 – Mar 10 )
Sakura cherry blossom is generally known as a Japan’s symbolic flower basically recognized as the one in spring, but Kawazu-zakura is not the common one. It opens up even in cold weather and established as one of the most precocious species of cherry blossoms that normally blooms in late-Jan – early-Mar. More wonderful with Nanohana rape blossoms ! Also enjoy a variety of local gourmets at food-stalls that are crammed with along Kawazu River !
Kawazu-zakura cherry blossom Festival is held between Feb 5 – Mar 10. Those who are coming by car, please prepare yourself for taking time in traffic. Trains are more recommended. For further information, please reach from here.
Kawazu-zakura Festival official website ( Japanese only )
Hina-no Tsurushi Kazari suspended hina-doll ornament Festival ( Jan 20 – Mar 31 )
Hina-doll’s Festival is a Japan’s traditional event for girls on Mar 3. Generally, parents set up a display of Hina-dolls to celebrate their daughter’s growth and here in Higashi-izu Town, they have their own heritage culture. They make small figures by hand and suspend them in the rooms, wishing their daughter or grand-daughter to grow disciplined. Hina-no Tsurushi Kazari Festival is held between Jan 20 – Mar 31. Higashiizu Town is also well known as a landing port of Kinmedai alfonsino as well as Shimoda. I hope you enjoy it, too ! Details are available from here.
Hina-no Tsurushi Kazari official website ( Japanese only )
Join us in Twitter φ(・ω・ )
“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾
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