I visited Deko Yashiki for the first time ever yesterday. I don’t know why it has taken so long for me to go! Deko Yashiki is a collection of 4 houses (and families) who have been making local crafts for hundreds of years. You can visit their workshops, learn about folk legends and beliefs, andContinue reading Photoblog: Deko Yashiki Village Folk Crafts
Tsurugajo Castle, Aizu-Wakamatsu City, is a must-visit for anyone visiting Tohoku this spring. Located just 2.5 hours from Tokyo, Aizu-Wakamatsu is an historic city which looks absolutely amazing in cherry blossom season. Tsurugajo Castle - originally constructed in the 14th century - has passed through the hands of many local rulers. The castle was mostContinue reading Cherry Blossom at Tsurugajo Castle
A couple of weeks ago, I attended a samurai-themed monitor tour from Tokyo to Aizu-Wakamatsu City! (Monitor tours are trial tours that are run in order to gain feedback about a tour that is in the process of being planned or made.) This Samurai Train Tour is supposed to take you on a journey fromContinue reading Samurai Train Tour
This blog post is about everything Soma! Soma City is an awesome, historical city on the coast of Fukushima Prefecture. It’s famous for its strawberries and its beautiful shrines, so please consider visiting next time you come to the Tohoku area of Japan! So where should you go in Soma City? Baryo Park & NakamuraContinue reading Visiting Soma by the Sea
Tsurugajo Castle is a popular spot to visit among tourists coming to Fukushima. Whether you’re discovering the samurai history of Aizu Wakamatsu City in the castle museum, relaxing while taking a sip of freshly-prepared matcha at Rinkaku Tea Ceremony Rooms, or snapping some photos from the observatory on the top floor of the castle, TsurugajoContinue reading Tsurugajo Castle & the Meiji Restoration
When I visited Okuaizu the other day, I saw lots of beautiful ‘fringed irises’. I’m not particularly knowledgeable about flowers, but I’m pretty sure I’d never seen these flowers before coming to Japan. Seeing them in Okuaizu instantly reminded me a photograph I saw when I first moved to Fukushima Prefecture. At that time, IContinue reading Fringed Irises at Kozoji Temple in Iwaki
Introducing the Yanaizu Naked Man Festival On the evening of January 7th every year, crowds of men, dressed only in loincloths, get ready for Yanaizu’s Naked Man festival or Hadaka Mairi (Literally translates as ‘Naked Temple Visit’). They cleanse their bodies, and march through the streets of Yanaizu to Enzoji Temple, almost completely exposed toContinue reading Yanaizu Naked Man Festival: What You Need to Know
Happy New Year! I hope you had a good holiday. I didn’t make it to the New Year’s festival at Mt Iwatsuno, due to sudden snowfall in Fukushima - I’ll make sure to go next year - but I did visit Nakano Fudoson! I’ve really wanted to visit Nakano Fudoson for a long time, andContinue reading Nakano Fudoson New Year Traditions
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I had a nice break, and I’m excited for the new year. I’m planning on going to Mt Iwatsuno’s Gankakuji Temple on January 3, as there is a special Buddhist celebration called the Daibontensai held annually on this date. I discovered Mt Iwatsuno by accident recently. I didContinue reading Mt Iwatsuno’s Gankakuji: Amazing Buddhist Mountain Temple
Tsuchiyu Onsen has been a well-loved kokeshi-producing onsen town for over 170 years. Kokeshi are painted wooden dolls, which have been produced in Japan since the late 18th century in onsen towns in Tohoku (the eastern region of Japan). Kokeshi were originally made and sold in onsen towns as souvenirs for visiting guests to takeContinue reading Spending a Winter Day in Tsuchiyu Onsen
