More On Kyoto (May 2009 Trip cont'd)

Fireworks and Yakata-bune

If you come to visit Japan during summer, get ready for the heat and steamy air, sometimes a sudden thunderstorm, lightening and rain. Tokyo summer is said to be hotter (average 33 to 36 degrees Celsius) than other cities in tropical countries, such as Singapore or Jakarta. Maybe it is due to crowded street and many high rise building that use air conditioning 24 hours non-stop, creating hot air from their exhaust system.

It is, however, the most perfect time to enjoy one of the biggest fireworks you will ever see. Top firework makers display their latest development, usually includes an elaborated new shape, color, size and movement.

Last weekend we went to stay at a hotel in Asakusa just to enjoy the Sumida River Firework Festival. The festival started from 7 to 8:30 pm. This time other relatives from my husband's side also joined us in the trip, making a group of 12 people altogether.

This year, Sumida River Firework being the biggest firework held in Tokyo, attracted about 950,000 visitors. People watched from the street nearby, some from the river banks, others from the top of the buildings. Those worried about the noise or unable to leave their house, can watch a 90 minutes full coverage of the firework festival live on TV.

The day after firework festival, we rented a yakata-bune from 11 am to 2 pm, crusing Sumida River up to Tokyo Bay, floating at the Bay just near Odaiba, having lunch and drinking, enjoying a little party inside the yakata-fune.

Yakata-bune can be rented at reasonable price, from 120,000 Yen, which includes a 3 hour trips and lunch (sashimi and tempura - Japanese style or a Western style of buffet) for a minimum of 12 people. You can ride a yakata-bune which is open for public and pay by the number of people. The ride is fun and relaxing, when the sky is clear blue with a little wind. It can be pretty scarry when the weather is unpredictable, but then this is all part of the adventure.

http://sumidagawa-hanabi.com/index_eg.html

Held every year on the third Saturday of July - don't miss it!

For other great photos of Fireworks at Sumida River, click below:

http://www.hagafoto.jp/index.php?option=com_photostock&Itemid=33&task=list&view=list&thumbsize=large&lightbox=1&curbox=&phrase=CT2006-07-1&showtitle=rollover〈=en

Auto Camp At Chichibu Yugure Campsite

In Japan summer holiday for schools starts from the third week of July, of which the third Monday happens to be a National Holiday, the Marine Day. National law establishes Marine Day as a day of gratitude for the blessings of the oceans and to hope for the economic prosperity of maritime Japan (ref. Wikipedia). The third Monday was chosen so that the people can enjoy a long weekend with their children who will start summer vacation during this period.

This year we chose camping for a start. Some people like caravan style, bungalows, backpacking or others, but our favorite is car camping or here it is called "auto camp". All you need is a car with a big enough trunk to put your tent, cooler box, a set of table with chairs and some fresh food for the length of stay.

Children can learn a lot from camping through nature walk, fishing, cooking, learning about team work when making a tent, sharing chores or from just being a part of every activities. Just about two hours from central Tokyo, there is a nice campsite just at the gorge of Oku-Chichibu, called the Yuugure Campsite, one of our favorite spot to visit during summer.

http://www.chichibu.ne.jp/~yuugure/index.htm

There, you can do hiking (from beginners to advanced - up to 6 hours to reach the top of the mountain), fishing for wild fish or home grown fish released in the river, swimming, baking your own bread/pizza in a real Italian type of oven, and just 20 minutes drive from the campsite, you can enjoy a hot bath in a natural hot spring water (onsen).

My daughter caught 7 fish in 3 hours - two of which are wild fish, called "iwana". It was such a thrill for her to be able to catch a very rare fish, that even the adults rarely get to catch one. The fish that we caught are 15 altogether and we have them cleaned and then charcoal grilled... yum!

Extremely Cheap - Japanese Bento

From what used to be over 700 Yen

to as low as 298 Yen!!

A slowdown in economy has taken effect on department store. "People spend less", "there are very few shoppers", "fewer people go to department store" ... these slumber conditions force department stores to take a new strategy to draw customers attention by introducing extremely cheap bento. In the case of department stores, these bento are like lost leader, made not to make profit but mainly to attract customers to come.

A staff in charge at the department store said on an interview that "the more we make these bento, the less profit we make ... we can actually lose mony... but we have to do it as a strategy to bring customers back".

Following the same strategy are convenient stores and chain stores, like Seiyu (which is now owned and run by Walmart), where they introduce good quality bento at a very cheap price.

In the past I used to tell friends that food in Japan is expensive, well.... that may not be the case now, if you buy these bento. They are indeed extremely cheap for such a quantity and quality - consider they are made and sold in Japan!

Watch a video below (in Japanese) about how department stores in Japan fight the battle of surviving through bargaining bento boxes :

http://www.fnn-news.com/news/headlines/articles/CONN00158685.html

Come To Tokyo July 22, 2009, For Partial Eclipse

Photos are copied from NAOJ.
Other related website, for those interested in astronomy and its technological development:

http://subarutelescope.org/

Click above Title for info about Total Eclipse or click

http://www.nao.ac.jp/E/Outreach/TotalEclipse2009/index.html

My Favorite Cycling Track

I usually begin cycling from Nishi Tokyo, just near where i live, and follow a (two way return) of 35 Km cycling track. Along the way you can see a hill, some colorful vegetable farms, nice cafeterias (for lunch/tea time, i recommend "Cafe Kaze No Symphony"), many parks and a large artificial lake with various natural habitats. By the lake is Seibu Dome, where you can watch baseball match of Lions, a major Japanese baseball team owned by Seibu Group.

This cycling track is great for those beginners, especially women, because there are many shades along the way and you can find parks, trees and bench where you can rest for water or snacks.

To visit Cafe online:

http://www.geocities.jp/cafekazenosymphony/

Come To Odaiba To See Gundam

First, some of you may ask, what is Gundam. Here it is check it out, it is on Wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam_Evolve

What has Odaiba got to do with Gundam? Well, come and visit Odaiba online to know more!

http://www.aquacity.jp/en/index.html

Then, watch this gigantic Gundam (the Gundam Project) displayed in Odaiba.

(without music & up-close)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM6nUX57gCg&feature=yva-title

(with music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajm7lZgZpJQ&feature=response_watch

(Gundam moves)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykamCJsKFBI&feature=related

More about Gundam and its related products (hm... this one i am afraid is in Japanese only) but just let me know if you have any troubles understanding.

http://www.gundam.info/

Enjoy!

Nanzen Temple (continued)

This is not a concrete but sand, piled together to produce a shape of mountain.

Kyoto is famous for its beautiful colors in spring and autumn.  In most temples there are various type of trees, like cherry blossoms, maple trees, that change colors with the coming of new season.   

These colors reflected in the pond make beautiful pictures.  Unfortunately when i was there, most trees were lustfully green - a beautiful color but less gradation of various colors that you would be able to find in autumn.

If you come in summer, the color of leaves are even greener than springtime.  Weather will be hot and humid, therefore it is best to walk in sandals and wear short sleeves.

Kyoto Day 1 - Nanzenji (Nanzen Temple)

Priests in this temple artistically design the sand in such a way to replicate water and land.    This laborious process takes place every month and in some harsh weather like heavy rain or storms, remaking may be needed.  You can see the gradation made by brushing the sand finely to produce such a shape.

Landscape around the garden is beautiful and serene with many tall trees, many of which are cherry blossoms, pine, maples and other Japanese trees, most of which are more than a hundred year old.    On a very crowded day, it is difficult to enjoy the garden so it is best to go on a less crowded day - such as weekdays in early spring.

A Trip To Kyoto

You probably have already heard about Kyoto famous for its temples, beautiful colors in different seasons, fabulous delicacies and famous geisha, geiko, maiko dances.... well, just recently i went there again, for the third time.

http://www.princehotels.com/en/kyoto/

I stayed at the Grand Prince Hotel, just off Kokusaikaikan station.    The location is off Kyoto central station, a little far according to some people, but i like the place a lot.   It is far off the busy traffic of the city, so you can go out for a stroll for fresh air, listening to birds singing and watching a lower mountain just across the window from the hotel.     Another plus point of this hotel is that you can check in your luggages at the Kyoto central station - where the Hotel Luggage Check In and Transfer Service Center can help you out for free.  

The only limitation of this hotel is that you need to take 2 different subway trains to get there.   I suggest that you get an English train and subway maps when you arrive at Kyoto central station.

Here are some of my visits during a 2 night/3 days stay in Kyoto - covering my favorite spots:

*Nanzenji 

*Kyoto Studio Park (Toei Uzumasa Eigamura/Movie Land)

http://www.eigamura30.com/english/index.html

*Kinkakuji

*Ryoanji

At Kyoto Studio Park, both local and foreign visitors can dress up like a samurai, traditional Japanese King or Queen, a geisha, or just a local girl in kimono and enjoy taking photos at the man made town picturing the old days of Japan.   The best way is to make reservation early and to arrive a few minutes before the time reserved.   I was only 2 minutes late arriving and i lost my reservation to dress up as "oshin" for the day.... hiks ;(

For more photos of the trips, read along ....  hopefully you will love Kyoto like i do!