Hi everyone! The weather in Fukushima is slowly getting less freezing, which means 2 things… That Hanami season is drawing near!! That this year’s ski season is almost over! 😦 I’ve actually injured my wrist so haven’t been able to go skiing or snowboarding this year. That being so, I want to make sure anybodyContinue reading Half-Price Ski Passes & Snow Shoe Trekking?!
Here you’ll find information about visiting the snow & winter festivals happening in Fukushima over the next couple of weeks. Please note the time tables listed below are the 2019 winter season time tables. Skip to the festival you’d like to know about by choosing from the list below: Ouchi-juku Snow Festival Tadami Snow FestivalContinue reading Fukushima Snow Festivals Guide 2019
In this article, I’m going to introduce you to a number of traditional Japanese inns (ryokan) in onsen towns throughout Fukushima where you can experience the magic of private rotenburo outdoor baths. What are Rotenburo? ‘Rotenburo‘ translates as ‘open-air bath’. The word refers to onsen baths that are located fully or partially outside. Depending onContinue reading Rotenburo Heaven - Private Open-Air Baths in Fukushima
Next Monday, the annual Tug-of-War Festival will be held in Aizu Bange Town, a small town just a short drive from Aizu-Wakamatsu City. I attended this festival last year and had lots of fun, so I wanted to share some information about the festival for people considering going this year! Basic Information: The festival’s nameContinue reading January 14: Aizu Bange’s Tug-of-War Festival
Hi everyone! I hope you have all had a good Christmas break. This is my first day back at work! During the holidays, I spoke to members of the international community here who either currently live in Fukushima or who have lived here, and asked them what they love most about the prefecture. They providedContinue reading “Why We Love Winter in Fukushima”: Local Recommendations
I’m going to jump right into it: 6 Reasons to Go Skiing in Fukushima this winter! 1) Access from Tokyo Some of Fukushima main ski resorts can be reached in just 2.5 hours by train (shinkansen and local) & bus 2) Long Ski Season Being the third largest prefecture in Japan makes for a variedContinue reading 6 Reasons to Go Skiing in Fukushima (& Where to Go)
The best time for going to see the picturesque naturally-forming ice sculptures, known as ‘shibuki-gori‘ is swiftly approaching! Lake Inawashiro is one of the only places in Japan where you can see shibuki-gori, so make sure to pay Lake Inawashiro a visit this winter! What is Shibuki-Gori? Shibuki-gori literally translates into English as ‘ice spray’.Continue reading Lake Inawashiro’s Shibuki-Gori Ice Sculptures
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
One of the questions I am asked the most frequently is how to reach Ouchi-juku, especially during the annual snow festival held in this historic post-town. The information about accessing this festival is predominantly written in Japanese, so I thought I would post this blog article about how to access the festival. Next year’s SnowContinue reading Getting to Ouchi-juku Snow Festival 2018
