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crystal-in-nagasaki · 2 months

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the great kyushu road trip of 2023, part 3: kagoshima

Welcome to the third and final part of our Kyushu road trip adventures! After a few fun days exploring scenic and spiritual places in Kumamoto and Miyazaki, we finally arrived in our final destination of Kagoshima prefecture.

We drove into Kagoshima in the evening after spending the day in Miyazaki, and we first looked for a place to have dinner. We ended up going to a very small "restaurant," which was more like a room rented out by an old woman who cooked a single set course each night. It was really cozy and felt a lot like our grandmother was cooking us a home cooked meal. I forgot all of the courses she brought, but we had red juice made from shiso leaves, rice balls, soup, and more.

After this comforting meal, we drove for a bit longer on the country roads until we arrived in Kagoshima city, where we checked into our hostel and called it a night.

The next morning, we took my car onto a nearby ferry which crossed a small stretch of water between Kagoshima city and Sakurajima, Japan's most active volcano and an iconic symbol of Kagoshima prefecture.

The entirety of the volcanic island can be traversed by car in just about an hour, so we spent some time exploring various sights of the island before returning on the ferry to Kagoshima city.

It's not possible to go to the top of the volcano because, well, it's an active volcano, so to get a good view of it, we visited one of the many observation decks. We were able to enjoy not only the view of the volcano from below, but the view of Kagoshima city and the waterway between it and the island, which was very beautiful.

Next we headed to a famous monument called Portrait of a Shout. The statue is made of volcanic rock and depicts the rockstar Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, a Sakurajima native who held an all-night rock concert on Sakurajima in 2004. Although the population of Sakurajima is only 6,000 people, the rock concert attracted a staggering 75,000 people to Sakurajima from all over Japan. The statue was sculpted by artist Hiroshi Onari less than a year later to commemorate the event. (source)

Since Sakurajima is an active volcano and has been for a long time, you can find formations of volcanic rock all over the island, and you can buy volcanic rock souvenirs and even pottery made from volcanic ash. As we drove around the island, we also noticed many shelters along the roadside for people to take cover in were there to be a sudden eruption. It's been forecasted that there will be at least one major eruption in the next thirty years, so island residents must be ready at all times should they need to seek shelter.

I've been referring to Sakurajima as an island, but it's actually not technically an island anymore. In 1914, a huge eruption caused a large flow of lava to actually form a land bridge on the east side of the island, connecting it to the Osumi peninsula, so you can now drive onto it from the east side of the volcano. On the day this eruption happened, it buried the village below it in two meters of lava. The three-meter-tall shrine gate of Haragosha Shrine was also almost completely buried. The residents of Sakurajima decided to leave it buried there as a warning and sign of rememberance of the village, and it can now be visited as a tourist spot. Seeing the once tall shrine gate buried to the top in what was once hot volcanic rock really gives you a feel of just how massive the eruption really was.

On our next stop on the island, we visited a small shrine called Tsukiyomi Shrine, which was nestled under the volcano overlooking the sea.

After taking in the beautiful view, we next headed to some tourist shops where we came across a giant daikon statue. Since Sakurajima has quite fertile volcanic soil, they are famous for their daikon and komikan oranges. The record for largest daikon ever grown was actually from Sakurajima, which weighed 31.1 kg (about 68 lbs) and had a circumference of 119 cm (so I was disappointed to find out that the huge daikon statue was not actually true to size, haha.) According to this article, Sakurajima daikon even grow and can be harvested twice as fast as normal daikon, in just six months!

After enjoying our souvenir shopping and admiring the giant daikon statue, we returned to the ferry and made our way back to Kagoshima city for lunch, where we enjoyed a famous food of Kagoshima, kurobuta tonkatsu, a pork cutlet made from Kagoshima's special black pigs. Apparently the black pigs were first brought from the Ryukyu kingdom of Okinawa 400 years ago and became a staple of the area. The pigs are free range for almost their whole lives, and can scavenge in the forest in a stress free environment with a balanced diet. The amount of amino acids in the pork has been studied, giving a scientific seal of approval to its deliciousness. (source) But because of the care with which the pigs are raised, the pork can be a bit expensive. I think I paid about $20 for my meal, which wasn't too steep, but was about double the price of a normal tonkatsu meal.

The next stop on our gourmet adventure was a famous spot in Kagoshima city known for their shaved ice. This place is so popular that many people were lined up down the street to get a seat inside. We didn't want to wait, so we joined the slightly shorter line at the outside of the store to get some shaved ice to go. This shaved ice is called shirokuma, meaning polar bear, characterized by its topping of condensed milk and fruit. I just ordered the classic version which was admittedly delicious, but the fruit obviously was not fresh and came from a can, so that was a bit disappointing.

We decided to finish out the day by going to the beach. We went to Iso Beach, located directly across the water from Sakurajima which had a stunning view of the volcano across the water. We enjoyed swimming in the remaining day's heat and sitting on the sand relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the sea. After enjoying the beach for a while, we packed up and headed to our hostel to close out the final night of the trip.

The next morning we had a bit of a drive ahead of us, so we kept our morning adventures short. We heard about a Studio Ghibli exhibit happening at the Kagoshima prefectural center from a friend and decided to take a look. We found that it was actually the same exhibit we visited in Fukuoka the previous year, which I wrote about in this blog post. Although it was pretty much the same exhibit, it was still nice to see the work behind certain animation, and we also got to pose inside this giant Catbus! There was also a very pretty lotus pond outside the building, though the lotuses weren't in bloom.

From there we hopped back in my car and started the long drive back up the coast to the Kumamoto ferry, which we took back over to Shimabara before driving back up north to our home in Omura (aka HOMEura, haha get it?...get it?)

Kumamon even kept us company on the ferry on our way back. Once you get past the terrifying thousand-yard stare, he really can be kind of cute.

We've finally reached the end of the Great Kyushu Road Trip of 2023! It really was a ton of fun and I got to see and experience so many cool things. I really enjoyed doing research on all of the things I saw too, because I basically got to experience it all over again! I hope you enjoyed it too, and stay tuned to hear more about my other adventures! <3

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dan6085 · 3 months

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20 Must See Destinations in Japan:

1. **Tokyo:**

Japan's bustling capital offers a blend of modern and traditional attractions. Visit the historic Asakusa district, explore the trendy Shibuya crossing, and marvel at the cityscape from the Tokyo Skytree.

2. **Kyoto:**

Known for its stunning temples, gardens, and traditional tea houses, Kyoto is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Don't miss the iconic Fushimi Inari Shrine and the serene Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

3. **Osaka:**

A food lover's paradise, Osaka is famed for its street food and vibrant culinary scene. Visit Osaka Castle, Universal Studios Japan, and the lively Dotonbori district.

4. **Hiroshima:**

Explore the Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome, commemorating the tragic events of 1945. Miyajima Island, with its "floating" torii gate, is a short ferry ride away.

5. **Nara:**

Encounter friendly deer roaming freely in Nara Park, home to historic temples like Todai-ji, housing a colossal Buddha statue.

6. **Hokkaido:**

Japan's northernmost island offers breathtaking landscapes, including hot springs in Noboribetsu, skiing in Niseko, and the stunning Shikisai-no-Oka flower fields.

7. **Hakone:**

Famous for its hot springs and views of Mt. Fuji, Hakone is a popular getaway from Tokyo. Enjoy a relaxing soak in an onsen and cruise on Lake Ashi.

8. **Nikko:**

Discover elaborate shrines and beautiful natural scenery in Nikko, including Toshogu Shrine and the picturesque Kegon Falls.

9. **Kanazawa:**

Immerse yourself in traditional Japanese culture in Kanazawa's well-preserved geisha districts, Kenrokuen Garden, and the Nagamachi samurai district.

10. **Takayama:**

Experience rural Japan in Takayama, known for its well-preserved Edo-period streets, traditional houses, and the biannual Takayama Festival.

11. **Koya-san:**

A spiritual retreat, Mount Koya is home to numerous Buddhist temples, offering visitors a chance to stay in a shukubo (temple lodging) and experience a monk's way of life.

12. **Okinawa Islands:**

Explore Okinawa's unique culture, beautiful beaches, and historical sites. The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium is a must-visit, showcasing marine life from the Kuroshio Sea.

13. **Yakushima:**

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Yakushima is renowned for its ancient cedar forests and beautiful hiking trails, including the mystical Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine.

14. **Ise-Shima:**

Visit Ise Grand Shrine, one of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines. Explore the scenic coastline, and don't miss the famous ama divers in Toba.

15. **Matsumoto:**

Admire the iconic Matsumoto Castle and explore the historic Nakamachi district. Matsumoto is a gateway to the Japanese Alps and the Kamikochi National Park.

16. **Kagoshima:**

Experience the volcanic landscapes and hot springs of Kagoshima, with a stunning view of Sakurajima volcano. Sengan-en Garden and Chiran Samurai Residences offer glimpses of history.

17. **Naoshima:**

A haven for contemporary art lovers, Naoshima Island is dotted with unique art installations and museums, including the Chichu Art Museum and the Benesse House.

18. **Beppu:**

Famous for its numerous hot springs, Beppu offers a relaxing onsen experience. Explore the "Hells of Beppu," a collection of vibrant and unique hot springs.

19. **Shikoku Island:**

Discover the tranquil beauty of Shikoku, known for the Shikoku Pilgrimage, Ritsurin Garden in Takamatsu, and the Naruto Whirlpools in Tokushima.

20. **Shirakawa-go:**

Experience traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses in the UNESCO-listed village of Shirakawa-go. Visit during winter to see these thatched-roof houses covered in snow, creating a magical scene.

These destinations showcase the rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and diverse experiences that Japan has to offer. Each location provides a unique perspective on the country's history, traditions, and modern achievements.

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hirami · 3 months

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🚅 Have you ever taken the Shinkansen to the southernmost destination? No? Time to visit Kagoshima:

🌋 hirami.de/kagoshima

#Japan #Japan Travel #Kagoshima #Sakurajima #Senganen #my blog

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adventure-alex · 7 months

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🌟 Embark on an Epic Journey through Japan's Hidden Treasures! 🌟

Welcome to a remarkable expedition that unveils the secrets of Japan's lesser-known wonders. Beyond the bustling cities and iconic landmarks lies a world of enchantment waiting to be discovered.

🎌 Introduction to "Japan's Hidden Treasures" Dive into our captivating journey through the Land of the Rising Sun. While Japan's famous destinations are renowned worldwide, there's an entire realm of hidden treasures that often remain undiscovered. Join us as we peel back the layers of mystery and explore the lesser-trodden paths of this remarkable country.

🎑 Itinerary 1: Exploring Tottori's Mystical Landscapes Step into the mystical realm of Tottori, where captivating landscapes await. From the breathtaking Tottori Sand Dunes to the serene Uradome Coast, this 7-day journey promises adventure and tranquility.

🏖️ Sneak Peek: Ever dreamed of sandboarding down colossal dunes or riding camels along the coast? Tottori offers these surreal experiences and more. Read more about it here

🍜 Itinerary 2: Aomori Prefecture: Nature's Tranquil Haven Aomori Prefecture beckons with its natural beauty and tranquility. From the historic sites of Aomori City to the scenic wonders of Towada-Hachimantai National Park, this 7-day adventure promises a deep connection with nature.

🌸 Sneak Peek: Explore the historic Hirosaki Castle, take a ferry to Sakurajima's active volcano, and savor shabu-shabu or tonkatsu - just a taste of what Aomori has to offer. Read more about it here

🌿 Itinerary 3: Exploring Yakushima's Natural Wonders Delve into the heart of Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture's natural paradise. A 5-day journey takes you through ancient forests, Jomon Sugi hikes, and cultural insights that reveal the island's unique ecosystem.

🌳 Sneak Peek: Towering Yakusugi cedar trees, challenging hikes to Jomon Sugi, and a deep dive into Yakushima's culture await. Read more about it here

🍣 Itinerary 4: Culinary Adventures in Lesser-Known Japan For the foodies, we've curated two delectable destinations: Kochi and Kagoshima. Taste your way through local cuisines, from seared bonito in Kochi to Kagoshima's famed kurobuta pork.

🍱 Sneak Peek: Dive into traditional cooking classes, savor regional delicacies, and witness local craftsmanship. Read more about it here

🏞️ Itinerary 5: Immersive Experiences in Rural Communities In this segment, explore Ojika Island, Shimane Peninsula, and Tsuwano. Immerse yourself in the warm embrace of rural communities, uncovering their unique traditions and serene beauty.

🌅 Sneak Peek: Island welcomes, hidden coves, samurai districts, and a steam train adventure - just a glimpse of the immersive experiences that await. Read more about it here

Join us on this captivating journey and experience Japan in a whole new light. Discover the enchanting stories and hidden treasures that make this nation truly extraordinary.

🗺️ Get Ready for Your Adventure: Read More

Get ready to be enchanted by the lesser-known wonders of Japan - it's a voyage of a lifetime! 🇯🇵

#hidden gems #Explore Japan #japan itinerary #Travel blog #travel advice #Japan

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nilthonsjapaneselitblog · 1 year

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Week 5 Blog

I Met You After the End of the World

Oniisanbomber

Pages Read: 181 - 208

World Count: 500

Summary:

At the end of the world, what is good and what is bad? After a lot of turns and detours, Sayaka and Yamada end up stranded in the mountains while they were heading further south of Japan because they were told winter was really bad in Kyoto as well. While looking for a car or something that allowed them to obtain fuel, they came across a shrine in the middle of the mountains. They soon found out that a monk was still living there. Failing to understand Sayaka’s intentions behind her gestures, Yamada agreed upon spending the night at the shrine. Later at night, Sayaka informed Yamada that she had learned from the conversation that they had with the monk that this was actually a part of a sect. Yamada didn’t want to believe this, but soon, the monk revealed his true desires—according to his deceased master, everyone in that world was impure and needed to be cleansed by joining the dead. At this, Sayaka had no choice but to kill the monk, given that the monk wouldn’t hesitate to kill them since he had already done that to many before. Afterwards, they finally arrived at their last destination, Kagoshima.

(200)

Critical Analysis:

"Killing someone never gets any easier. Even when the monk was threatening our lives, I hesitated to pull the trigger. It was only for a fraction of a moment, but I still hesitated." This quote actually shows something very important; that Sayaka isn’t a cold murderer. In the end, she is still a young woman, and a person. While she had killed people before—later specified to be three in total with the monk—she had done so only when it was a kill-or-be-killed situation, and even then, she hesitated at killing the other person even when this had intentions of killing her or Yamada, who she cared very much, and she also got a repulsive feeling after doing so that make her throw-up.

(122)

Personal Response:

Whoa. . . I definitely didn’t expect the last person they encountered in the story to be a psycho. And yes, death keeps on following the main characters whenever they go. That said, my guess was off—thankfully—and the story didn’t have a bad ending—this was actually surprising. Yes, with these last events, Sayaka and Yamada finally arrived at their last destination in the story and therefore it ended. Though, while the story didn’t end with a bad ending, it still wasn’t very satisfying. The end of the story was open-ended. It didn’t have a concrete ending, and therefore it was left in the air what happened after they were about to settle down in the deserted city of Kagoshima. It was like the story would have a second volume—which it doesn’t. Surprisingly, Sayaka tells a part of her past to Yamada which she had kept hidden up until the very end of the story. It was the tragic story of how she had originally obtained her gun, and the first person she was forced to kill in order to survive.

(178)

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staynozawa · 1 year

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Most Beautiful Summer Destinations In Japan

Summer holidays in Japan are truly one of a kind. Escape the hustle and bustle of your city life and immerse yourself in scenic surroundings and cultural boost at some of the hill regions. It is going to be a truly magical summer of your lifetime.

Warm weather immediately calls for a mountain retreat in Japan. If you are confused about the plenty of summer getaways in Japan, then here we are.

The post presents the most scenic destinations to have the time of your life in Japan.

Yurikehama: If you have been searching for the most scenic summers in Japan, you can try visiting the Yurikehama beach on Yoronjima Island.

What’s unique about this beach is that it only appears one hour before low tide. It is a pure white sandy beach to spend some time, relax and unwind with your dear ones.

Yurikehama is on the east coast of Yoronjima Island where you can reach via plane either from Kagoshima or Okinawa.

Ishigaki Island: If you are really hoping to see clear ocean floors this summer, you can plan a trip to Okinawa.Kabira Bay has a stunning place called Ishigaki Island, where you can ride on a glass bottom boat to admire the beauty around you.

The island is mere 40 minute drive away from Ishigaki city.

Hokkaido:Nothing feels more exciting than going to high altitude during summer. You can explore Orofure pass this summer to explore majestic views.

Situated at more than 900 meters of altitude, this place is on the bucket list of those who wish to look at a sea of clouds. Both sunrise and nights are magical at this destination.

Gunma:For a dose of lush greens and serene water, you can choose Gunma prefecture. Here you can explore the Asian Niagra Falls at Fukiwari Valley. Hiking around the waterfall is truly a blissful experience during summer.

The waterfall is only 40 minute drive away from KannnetsudouNumata IC.

Nozawa:Although the breath-taking ski resorts make it a stunning winter destination, Nozawa onsen village is truly the perfect choice for summer vacations as well. You find plenty of exciting opportunities to enjoy the green season in this scenic village.

The mountain trails, fresh food at Nozawa Onsen Restaurants and plenty of fairs and festivals make your summer even more exciting.

Take a Nozawa Onsen Liner bus and roam around the town for a memorable summer experience. Besides, the season is apt for multiple adventurous activities like biking, hiking, trekking, and water rafting, and some calming experience like music camps and Yoga and meditation retreats.

Conclusion

Island country Japan has plenty to offer all year round. Both summers and winters can be truly mesmerizing. If you are planning to explore the scenic landscape and a dose of unique Japanese culture, then you must not miss the festivals and local cuisine at Nozawa.

For booking and reservations, contact Stay Nozawa. They are backed with local knowledge and years of experience to help you find the best Nozawa Onsen accommodation ski-in ski-outresorts along with transfers, lessons, lift passes and gear rentals. You can even get their help to find the best locations and accommodations during summer.

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importanttigercreation · 2 years

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Welcome to the news channel of the Angry Nature,Today we will tell you about Sakurajima Volcano,, Sakurajima volcano in Japan has erupted recently. It is located in Kagoshima, southern island of Kyushu in Japan. Most of the city of Kagoshima is across the bay from the volcano. Sakurajima was an island pre-1914. After an eruption in 1914, it became a peninsula. In 2019, it spewed ash 5.5 km high. Japan is known for its volcanic eruptions. It has over a hundred active volcanoes, more than any other country, and it accounts for nearly 10% of all active volcanoes in the world. These volcanoes belong to the Pacific Ring of Fire, a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. Japan is situated at the junction of four tectonic plates, the Pacific, Philippine, Eurasian and North American plates. Its volcanoes are mainly located in the five subduction-zone-related volcanic arcs, where the Pacific plate comes under the North American plate forming the Izu-Bonin Trench. The Philippine plate descends under the Eurasian plate, forming the Ryukyu Trench. Mt. Fuji is a 3,776-meter tall mountain, and is, in fact, an active stratovolcano. It has layers of hardened lava, creating a steep slope with a crater on the top. While Fuji hasn’t erupted since 1707, scientists expect an eruption could happen soon, and the volcanic ash could affect major cities like Tokyo. Japan’s most active volcano, Mt. Aso, it erupted recently in 2021. The Kirishima mountain range is another active volcano located in Kyushu and is famous for its natural beauty and volcanic peaks. Its highest peak, Karakun-dake, is about 1,700 meters and the range is a popular hiking destination. ATTENTION: All videos are taken from open sources. The selection is based on publication date, title, description, and venue. Sometimes, due to unfair posting of news on social networks, the video may contain frames that do not correspond to the date and place. It is not always possible to check all videos. We apologize for any errors! Thank you for watching, don't forget to subscribe our channel, We Wish you good Weather, #sakurajima_volcano #japan_volcano #angry_nature #sakurajima_eruption #lava_2022 #volcano_2022 #eruption #eruption_2022 #explosion #volcanoes

#IFTTT #YouTube

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travelingpage · 6 years

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🌍 Yakushima, Kagoshima, Japan | 📸 kubotake

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redsamuraiii · 2 years

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Tetsu Ota Michiko, 2 Man Kiro (Ep 1)

Michiko Oganeku (Tina Tamashiro) takes a break from her job in Tokyo to explore railway stations at the countryside.

Her first destination is Hirafu Station in Hokkaido where she stayed overnight at the train station inn where she met three people:

an elderly lady from Kagoshima who has never experienced cold winter and recently decided to travel after losing her husband.

a photographer and train enthusiast who sell train photos as a hobby and works part time to supplement his income.

a local inn owner who returns from Tokyo after quitting his job as a salaryman to run the train station inn.

She explores different train stations and surrounding areas, meeting different people every episode. It’s a relaxing show where nothing happens.

It’s like more “vlog” than a drama as you follow her around and it’s more “drama” than a “vlog” as she interacts with different people with different stories.

#tetsu ota michiko 2 man kiro #tina tamashiro #tamashiro tina #hirafu station #hakodate main line #kutchan #hokkaido #japan #slice of life #japanese drama #j drama #dorama

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crystal-in-nagasaki · 2 months

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the great kyushu road trip of 2023, part 2: miyazaki

Well hello again! In my last post, I talked about the first leg of our big summertime Kyushu roadtrip in Kumamoto prefecture. After this, we explored some of Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, both of which I had never been to before! In this post, I'll just talk about our adventures in Miyazaki and then cover Kagoshima in the final post.

After leaving the lovely Kamishikimi Kumanoimasu shrine in Kumamoto, we hopped in my car and headed to Takachiho, arguably one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Kyushu.

In Takachiho, there are several cool things to see, but the most popular place, which we headed to first, is Takachiho gorge. This is a large gorge cut in between the mountains with beautiful waterfalls and a river flowing through it. It was carved out over 100,000 years ago from a large eruption by Mt. Aso. Normally there are boats available for rent which you can row down the river and beneath the waterfall, but on this particular day there was a lot of rainfall increasing the water level of the river, so the boats were shut down for the day. I did make a trip back in the winter with my partner and was able to snag a boat, which I'll talk about in a future post!

After enjoying the sight of the gorge and the falls, we stopped in a restaurant for lunch and had chicken nanban. I've mentioned chicken nanban before as it's a Kyushu specialty dish, but Miyazaki is where it is best known and arguably the most delicious. We also drank mango juice with our meal since Miyazaki is known for mangoes. I thought it was delicious, but my travelling companions were from the Philippines and Singapore, so they found it lackluster in comparison to the mangoes of Southern Asia, which they argue are the best.

After eating, I got some mango soft serve ice cream at a small stand, which I also found to be very delicious much to the scorn of my South Asian friends, haha. I guess once you've had South Asian mangoes, you can never go back.

Following our trip to the gorge, we briefly visited Takachiho shrine nearby to pray and get goshuin.

We then drove across town to Amanoiwato shrine. This shrine was the main shrine complex, but if you walked down a path leading into the forest and alongside the river, you'll find the Amanoyasu Kawara shrine in a cave, which is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu.

The story of this shrine is incredibly interesting. One day the sun goddess Amaterasu became so infuriated by her brother's pranks that she was said to have hid herself away in this cave, shrouding the world in darkness. Some other gods gathered around the cave and tried various tactics to lure her out, most of which failed. Eventually the sound of their merriment outside the cave made Amaterasu curious, and when she opened the cave to peek out, the gods quickly pulled her out and returned her light to the world (source.)

We learned about this legend in my Japanese class in college, and we were told that this legend was used to explain eclipses, since it was an unexplained phenomenon in which the sun would suddenly disappear in the middle of the day. When an eclipse happened, they just explained it as the sun goddess hiding from her jerk brother. We've all been there, Amaterasu (just kidding, I love you Josh haha.)

Approaching the cave, there are more and more small stone cairns along the sides of the path. Apparently, it's said that stacking stones while praying will make one's wish come true, so it became more and more popular. The sight of many people's hopes and wishes stacked around the small cave adds to its mystical aura.

Around the main shrine grounds above the cave path, you can also hear the sound of roosters crowing and see many roosters wandering around the grounds. I heard that when the gods were trying to lure Amaterasu from her cave, they placed a rooster in front of her cave to crow and bring her out, though I couldn't find a reliable source online confirming this. Regardless, you can always find vibrantly colored roosters roaming about the shrine grounds crowing, and they are a classic symbol of Amanoiwato shrine.

From the shrines, we headed to Amaterasu railway, another local tourist attraction that ended up being one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. This attraction is an open-air train that runs along a small stretch of an old rail line that is no longer in use. The railway makes use of this line and the bridge it crosses to create a scenic ride for tourists to enjoy.

One of the charms of this ride is the whimsical use of lights and bubbles to enhance the experience. The train passes through several tunnels on its short ride, and to make the dark stretches more interesting, disco-like lights are attached to the train and flashed over the walls as the train goes through the tunnel. It was very pretty and fun.

The train continued to a bridge stretching over a large valley where it stopped in the center. We stayed suspended on this bridge for several minutes so we could enjoy the view. Meanwhile, the driver/tour guide held up a bubble blower and released bubbles across the valley. It was a really magical moment and probably my favorite of the whole trip. Watching the bubbles flow out into the scenery really put the height and depth into perspective and brought so much more fun to the moment.

After sitting and enjoying the view for a while, the train reversed back the way we came across the bridge and through the various tunnels until we returned back to the station.

At this point, our adventures in Takachiho were coming to an end, and we piled back into my car to make the several hour drive south to Miyazaki city. We arrived late and following a quick dinner at a chain restaurant, we arrived at a friend's place to spend the night.

The following morning, we got breakfast at a Hawaiian breakfast restaurant chain called Kona's, which has delicious Western-style food and coffee. They usually have them in bigger cities in Japan, so it's a rare treat I can usually only enjoy when travelling.

We then headed to Miyazaki-jingu Shrine to snag some goshuin. The shrine had many lanterns decorating the grounds, which I'm assuming were for some kind of summer festival, but there were hardly any people there that morning. We found a horse statue where you could pray and write wishes on horse-themed placards, which was really cute and charming.

Next we headed to Aoshima, an island just off the coast of Miyazaki that you can walk to over the coast at low tide, and at high tide over a short bridge (which actually felt terribly long in the blazing heat.)

Once you reach the island, there are some really unique rock formations on the shore. The place is called Oni no Sentakuita in Japanese, meaning Devil's Washboard, because the rock formations resemble a rough washboard. According to this website, the rocks were formed over 7 million years following a shifting of the tectonic plates as the sea slowly eroded the stone.

If you follow the coast of Aoshima, you will find Aoshima Shrine. This shrine is known to bring good luck in marriage to couples, so they sell many charms in pairs, one for each partner, to bring them good fortune.

This shrine is powerful for couples because of its mythological origins. Yamasachi-hiko, a great hunter and the great grandson of Amaterasu, was lent a fishing hook by his brother to try his hand at fishing. However, he loses the fishing hook and is advised by an old man to search at the water palace of Wadatsumi, the god of the sea. While at the palace, he meets Wadatsumi's daughter, Toyotama, and the two fall in love and get married, uniting the land and the sea. Eventually Yamasachi-hiko finds his brother's fishhook and returns it to him to settle their conflict. Him and Toyotama have a son, who becomes the father of Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan (in Japanese culture, it's believed that the emperors are descended from the gods.) Aoshima is thought to be the place where the couple first met and fell in love, which is why many married couples and single women come here to pray for luck in love and marriage. (source)

Near the back of the shrine, you can buy small clay disks for 200 yen each, and try to throw them into a designated area for good luck. My aim isn't great, but it was still very fun!

After crossing back to the mainland, we stopped at a small shop to take a rest from the heat and eat some food. We tried some Miyazaki specialties such as jidori no sumibiyaki, charcoal grilled chicken, and juice made from hyuganatsu, a local citrus fruit grown in Miyazaki.

Next we drove a bit further down the coast to visit Udo-jingu shrine. This was a beautiful coastal shrine overlooking the sea. The shrine seemed to be famous for rabbits, which was a nice coincidence since 2023 was the year of the rabbit.

After following the seaside path of the shrine, you reach an inlet where you can watch and listen to the waves crashing into the cliffs. There is also a small cave containing a shrine where you can pray.

Remember Yamasachi-hiko and Princess Toyotama from Aoshima Shrine? According to legend, the two came to the cave of Udo-jingu Shrine for Toyotama to have her child. However, Toyotama went into labor before Yamasachi-hiko could finish building her a hut with a roof of cormorant feathers. Toyotama asks Yamasachi-hiko to look away until she is finished giving birth, but he cannot resist and he finds that she has transformed into her true form, a giant shark. Distressed, he flees back to the sea, leaving his newborn son behind who is named Ugayafukiaezu, meaning "the one for whom the cormorant-feather roof was not finished in time." Should've gone with their second choice. (source)

Anyway, because of this legend, the enshrined deity of this shrine is Ugayafukiaezu, who later married his mother's sister Tamayori (yup, his aunt) and had four sons, one of which became the first emperor of Japan, Jimmu. And Jimmu is enshrined at Miyazaki Shrine, which we visited that morning. Full circle family moment!

So after a full day of visiting Amaterasu's family tree, we finally headed out of Miyazaki in the early evening from Udo-jingu Shrine to head to Kagoshima, our final destination of the road trip. Stay tuned for the final episode of our Kyushu roadtrip in Kagoshima!

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thisizaraisu · 4 years

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So I Just Watched “Harukana Receive”

So you might have been seeing that map of Japan listing different anime in different provinces going around, and a friend and I took it as a challenge to watch one of the anime listed for each province. Starting from the south and working our way up, Okinawa was our first destination. With five shows to choose from, I had to be very careful about my choice because this would set the tone for the entire challenge and I’m just kidding of course I picked the one with the cute girls.

Part of me honestly feels bad for Harukana Receive. It tells a very passionate story but one of the biggest issues is within the premise, because much like other sports anime it has to compete with the greats in its own genre. Ask almost any sports anime fan who the king of volleyball is, they’ll answer Haikyuu with no hesitation.

“But Glass, Haikyuu doesn’t have cute girls in it!”

That is true, but Harukana Receive does suffer from other issues as well, namely the animation. It’s not Tamayomi levels of quality decline which is a plus, but there’s definitely an over-reliance on CG animation which can really pull you out of an intense moment. I’ve seen anime like BOFURI and HypnoMic that integrate CG animation into their shows really well, so I’m not outright opposed to the idea of computer rendering animation for your anime. It’s just that where BOFURI and HypnoMic succeed, Harukana Receive kinda fails. I say “kinda” because it’s definitely not enough to kill the show, but when the ball, sand and water are all integral parts to the setting and plot of the show and they’re all so blatantly rendered in a different dimension, it has a weird way of killing the tension that the show builds by suspending your immersion in the show itself.

A point that I can’t decide is a positive or negative is that this show is melodramatic as fuck. In spite of Harukana Receive’s dedication to bikini-clad fanservice (yeah this show is honestly really good from that aspect), the characters are actually built really well and they almost feel real. There’s a lot of forced drama but it comes about from legitimate fears and past events. As I said before, the story is told in an incredibly passionate way, and even if the animation and repetitive dialogue don’t always hold it up that well, I did get a good sense of what they were going for. There are some really good emotional scenes too, like Kanata running to the airport to see Narumi off or Akari doing the shequasar dance to keep her friends together in spite of their hard-fought finals match. The second half of this show is certainly a lot easier to get invested in.

Another bonus is that Harukana Receive doesn’t really have any filler. Every named character ends up serving a vital role to the show’s conclusion. While it feels like a bit of a cheat to have both tournaments skipped through, I feel like there are only so many things you can do to keep a two-person sport fresh for 12 episodes. Structurally, Harukana Receive is a very good show, but there are a few mishaps during the delivery that keep it from being as effective as it could be. There aren’t any filler plot points but repeated animation and dialogue make it grind to a halt sometimes, and I just wish it was better at developing the tension that it could have used, because the last match honestly was hard to predict. Maybe this would have been better with just 11 episodes.

6/10

Where Is My Next Destination?

Completing an anime in Okinawa gives me just 1 of 47 Japanese provinces, so this challenge will certainly be time-consuming. However, there are some provinces that give me opportunities to not only complete something much faster than a 12-episode series, but also watch something that people have been telling me to watch for years. That first opportunity comes in Kagoshima, where I will be watching one of Ghibli’s many masterpieces, Princess Mononoke.

#anime #anime review #anime set in japan #harukana receive

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japanessie · 4 years

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Hi Shelly!, do you know why Hiro change his singing style? I know now he has a better control of his voice, but still, I miss the way he sing like in We Are Never Ever Getting Back or another old soft ballad that MFS have, sorry for my bad english :'

Hi 😊

Sorry for replying a year after you sent in your question.

I’m not too sure whether you were referring to specifically ballads or Hiro’s overall vocals nowadays.

I would give a few possibilities for Hiro’s voice.

1. Intentional vocal phrasing to suit the feel of the song

At least that’s what I deduced from Hiro’s interview with GiGS magazine for the Dec 2018 issue. I mean, when you sing a sad song, it would be fitting if your voice also mimic the sound of someone crying in pain. It’s not going to be buttery smooth like a Disney prince and princess in love. In some cases, the singer would cry for real during a performance like actress Anne Hathaway did for her rendition of I Dreamed A Dream in the movie Les Misérables.

2. Altered by constant stress, overuse & damages

MY FIRST STORY’s songs are pretty intense to sing. We knew what happened to Hiro on the 47-Prefecture Tour in 2016. Remember also how he decided to go on with the Tour on medication. There is the possibility that his vocal chords might have suffered some damages in the process and that altered his voice gradually. It didn’t happen overnight. Hiro’s voice was pretty clean when he started. Listen to the the first two CDs. By the time ANTITHESE came out, his voice has wandered into “Hoarse-ville” and hasn’t shown any sign of returning. I doubt it will go back to how he sounded when MFS started.

3. Designed by nature?

Have you heard Papa Mori sing?

Hiro is Shinichi Mori’s son who looks the most like him after all. The facial bone structures, the full lips down to the dimples! Papa Mori is famous for his distinctive husky voice which is loved by his fans. It could be possible that the husky voice is what Hiro was destined to sound. Hiro started in MY FIRST STORY as a 17-year-old and it’s possible that his body was still developing at the time.

Below video is of a young Papa Mori at age 24. This was him in 1971. An intense performance and you can hear that throaty voice too.

youtube

Now, is it any wonder that his son who looks like him the most also ends up with the same voice characteristic?

—————————————————

My 2 cents

Personally I strongly feel Hiro’s voice change is more likely the result of damages. MFS songs are intense! The screaming, the high pitch and not much room to breathe from line to line. Have you all tried singing MFS songs??

By the latter part of 2019, I had managed to watch Hiro perform live a few times pretty close (Tokyo, Kagoshima, Fukuoka) and I noticed he got quite a significant help from backing tracks for a lot, if not all, of the screaming parts. The most obvious to my eyes and ears was during the song The Story Is My Life. He was certainly faking the screaming parts. I think he and the management had decided that it was a necessary step to preserve his voice after what happened in 2016.

#reply #my first story #maifasu #マイファス #hiroki moriuchi

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happygladiatorunknown-blog1 · 4 years

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Japan Travel Destination - Yakushima Island

Yakushima is an island located off the southeast coast of Japan. It is officially recognized by UNESCO and is on the World Heritage List since 1993. Yakushima is an extraordinary tourist destination, known even as a magical island, since more than 75 percent of the place is covered with dense forests and mountains. Mountain tops are covered with snow during winters and the climate is subtropical in the coastal regions. These mountains receive heavy rainfall, which makes Yakushima's climate more humid than in other parts of Japan. The word Yakushima means Island of Medicine and herbalists around the world have been growing local herbs for various cures for a long time.

With a main road that circles the island, beautiful mountains, trails and waterfalls attract many hikers and nature lovers. Fruit gardens and museums are some of the main tourist attractions that make Yakushima a charming place. The fruit garden is located on the southwest coast of the island and offers a relaxing walk among tropical trees and fruit plants. Yakushima's museums and visitor centers showcase the island's natural wonders. They also provide a knowledge tour of the history of Yakushima เที่ยวญี่ปุ่น .

This mountainous region offers a plethora of beautiful landscapes. There are two waterfalls, "Okonotaki" and "Senpironotaki", just off the main road. Scattered around the island there are also beaches, the most famous of which is "Nagata-inaka-hama". If you visit the island between the months of May and August, you can find giant sea turtles. They come to shore to lay eggs late at night (or early in the morning, it depends on how you look at it), between 1am and 2am.

Some buses run between the main destinations on the island, but renting a car in Yakushima is practically essential. It's a long way from Tokyo and requires a ferry or flight from Kagoshima, but it's worth the hassle for those of you who are hungry for adventure.

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manjuhitorie · 4 years

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16 Hitorie’s Hitori-Escape Tour, 11/14/2019 at LIQUIDROOM in Tokyo prefecture

SND “If you don’t pay attention, it’ll be over in a instant, y’hear me..."

SND "It's been a long time since we've last been here in Liquidroom..." Crowd "Woo!! Huh? huh?" SND "It's been a while~" Crowd “Wait!" SND "Do y'all gotta problem, do ya??” *They were there in Liquidroom just a few days ago for the bonus concerts. But SND seems to want to pretend those don’t exist ~~~

SND “Wheee~ Uei~" Crowd “Wheee~ Uei~”

~~~ SND pre-(W)HERE “Ahh we’ve already reached the 16th tour date. Today WAS the tour finale, but you guys had to go and order bucket loads of tickets so, we’re out here. 2 left now.

We’re Hitorie, a band who only do good songs but.. This is a good song among the good songs. A god song worthy of god. And I want everybody here to hear it. Whether you’re laughing, crying, however you feel is just fine. I leave it to you. So please listen to this."

~~~~ SND pre-Unknown Mother Goose

"You can do it if you try, huh Tokyo! For all your efforts, from wowaka… here's a package of love..!"

~~~~

SND pre-Talkie Dance

"What the fuck, you’re not dancing a damned bit are ya Liquidroom?! For y’all misbehaving, dance to Talk Dance please!!" Yu “1 2 3 4" ~~~

“Are you having fun?! Or are you feeling angry? Anything’s fine, alright…. Let’s just go wild..!”

~~~~

SND pre-Karanowaremono

We’ve been together for 7 years. I joined the band, we changed the name from Hitori-Atelier to Hitorie, and now we’re here 7 years later. The Beatles disbanded after 7 years. The band BOØWY, and Number Girl too disbanded after 7 years. 7 years ago, I was in Nagoya, wowaka was in Tokyo, and ygarshy called me directly to say 'I'm in this sorta band right now and we're looking for a guitarist, so you come and do it.' I replied ‘Okay, understood.’ and just like that I went up to Tokyo and into the studio. At the time I didn’t know Leader’s face, I only knew him from the Skype group chat, where he told me the type of songs he wanted to play and dumped the demo mp3 files in the chat, and when I listened to it electricity ran through my veins sparks were flying, I thought about how it was so destined to cause a revolution, and that I was to be a member of that revolution… I was so so so excited. That excitement was already 7 years ago, and I’m, still excited to the bones right now. And my excitement, that electricity which ran through my veins that day, I’m going to share with everybody here right now."

~~~

Mid Polaris chorus belted out “Cause y’all are damn strong!!!!”

~~~

Crowd “One more time! One more time!” Encore MC time!

SND “Thank you everybody for the encore call~~!” Yumao *jumps out* "Yumao da yo~! Hey, it’s Yumao~!!" Crowd “So cute!” “It’s Yumao!“ So cute! SND “How much are you going to---” Crowd “YUMAO! SO CUTE!” SND “You’re wearing a nice sweatshirt aren’t cha." Yu “….Here wearing the nice sweatshirt, it’s Yumao!!✨ ” “WAHOOO!"

"..Turn around, turn around you shit c'mon, pull it up." …. *Yumao following instructions loyally* “Everybody, did you witness that? When the hood is taken off, the letters disappear from sight~” *SND acting like a magic show host*

“Our 16th show of the tour!” SND “The last time we played here Liquidroom was the show with Passpied, and then the one-man 5 years ago...” Yu “Yeah yeah.” Crowd “Awww...” SND “Shut up with the aww..! Listen to what I have to say or else! At least just for now." Yu “We’ve traveled all over.” SND “We have.” Yu “Yeah yeah” SND “Then today was supposed to be the end of it.” Yu “Yeah yeah.” SND “I don’t know how to feel about this!!" Yu “Yeah yeah" SND “After this we’ve gotta go down south again" Yu “Yeah ….Yeah” SND “It’s not as like Osaka’s done anything wrongs but. We’re not an Osaka band y’know. That’s where the problem lies.” Yu “Yeah yeah.”

Yu “Since today was supposed to be the finale, let’s look back on our tour” SND "Kyoto’s Takutaku venue!" Yu “Ah, so we’re doin’ this one show at a time? Okay!" SND “Taku t’was fuckin’ hot. Hell itself.” Yu “From then forward we learned, to prop fans on the stage.” “The reason my T-shirt is fluttering right now is because of Takutaku.” The reason we have cool heads, is because of Takutaku." SND "My first show with the role of singing the whole from start to finish....and it was in THAT. It was like playing inside of a sauna.” Yu “I also hadn’t played real shows much prior.. Though ygarshy is off doing, whatever he's doing but! SND and I were brooding ‘Were they always this painful, this sweat-inducing?!?” So later I asked yg and even he said *Yu imitating yg's monotone voice* ’…….It was painful.’"

Yu “Then we went to Okayama," SND “It was so coool!” Yu “That was what concerts are supposed to feel like! We were relieved.”

SND "Then we went to Morioka, to Sendai, to Kobe, to Hiroshima, to Sapporo…" Yumao “Woooo~sh, wooo~sh!” *Imitating their map path with his finger* "to Shizuoka…"

Yumao “In.. Sendai! Something funny happened…! May I interrupt with a bit of a newsflash?" Crowd “Wooo!" Yu "This guy (SND) was awesome during Talkie Dance today wasn't he? He pumped us up, he was like “Dance now!!!!” “Dance y'all!!!" *battle cries* Right, he was awesome! Throughout the tour we've been finding cool stuff to do and implementing it more and more. But during Sendai he did something unusual in this regard, I don't consciously hear what he says live because I’m always concentrating on my drums, but this irked me. So on the car ride home I listened to that day's concert recording and.. SND had only sorta questioned the crowd “Have you possibly.. not danced enough…? Maybe..?” wwww. The beat was hype but he was just acting dumbwitted like "I wonder..?" www.. I burst out laughing hysterically in the car!! Like HAAAHAAHA!” SND “'The fuck, he’s laughing all of a sudden and I’m the reason?!?' I said back then.."

SND "When we were in Nagoya, the stage was underground but, it vibrated like crazy...." Yu "We'll be back to shake that place up again!!!"

Then Niigata, Kagoshima...

Yu "We were in Kagoshima when the typhoon hit Japan, so we were laying low inside, plus an earthquake hit at the same time, which caused Kagoshima's volcano to go KABOOM on top of everything else. Earth was going crazy!!!! I asked the local people about it because it was crazy and they just said 'This is normal. Today's a little more than usual huh~ But don't worry~’.

Then Fukuoka, Ebisu, Takamatsu, Osaka,

Yumao "Then between Kagoshima and Fukuoka, we stayed at a vacation cottage out in Aso, and I got so drunk that I was farting around. I hung from the beams of the cottage and gave ygarsh a spook when he walked out of the bathroom.. He was roaring with laughter from that whole stunt! He didn’t stop laughing either, he laughed as he chased down SND with fireworks too, onward to when SND and I were watching TV together. yga was finicking around on his bass behind us, it was only natural to assume he wasn’t watching - yet he came out of nowhere to say "That was funny” ...When was he watching?" SND "He's an unreadable man."

Yumao "Then Shinoda became a rock musician also." SND "What? Me?" Yumao "Yeah yeah" SND "Wait, I was something else all this time? I was just talking about how we’ve been doing this for 7 years.. Was I mistaken?!" Yumao “Well, you’ve been polishing yourself up even more all these years… Shinoda is someone who never shows up to an appointment late, but he did just recently. And when he finally showed up, he was reeeeking of alcohol. At 12 in the afternoon nonetheless! So I asked him when he was drinking until, and he said “10 o’ clock AM. What a rock musician, right!!!" SND "Not a hangover or nothing, I was an old man hanging out drunk, present tense.” Yu “Then in the back of the car, the other old man who doesn’t normally talk was there whispering 'This smell…. It’s whisky… It’s kaku.. Highball… And he was drinking beer too… This is Kinmugi…. Which means….. Torikizoku.' SND “Deducing even down to the fucking place I drank at!" Yu "His eyes weren’t laughing but his mouth was. He was having fun wasn’t he. But.. the bar doesn’t even stay open until 10 AM!!! The facts don’t match!" SND “This guys fun moments in life are something unique alright." Yu “Then an hour later we heard a ‘hehe..’ from him, thinking about it again and giggling!" "Ahhh~~"

SND “Well that’s everything... There’s a lot of stuff I want to say… but… *sniffling* To put a long story short.. Don’t underestimate us!"

SND “This was the supposed finale for our Liquid tour-…. Liquid tour!???" *laughing* "Our Hitori-Escape tour... So ygarshy please give us some closure, to seal the deal! Ready..……!" yga *>>BWOON<<*

~~~~

QUEUE THE PUMP UP TAUNTS *Odoru Mannequin~~~* SND “Oh yeah, I have one question for y’all gathered here in Liquidroom! !!! Is there anybody here among the crowd who feels they haven’t danced enough! Crowd “WOOO!" "Is there!!!! Anybody who here who hasn’t danced enough!?!?!?" Crowd “WOOOOOO!" SND “...On bass ygarshy!" *solo~~~* SND “‘Everybody… one two.. One two three four!'"

~~~~~

Final words

SND “‘On bass ygarshy! On drums Yumao. Guitar, vocals: Shinoda. Music and vocals by wowaka…. Let’s meet again."

〜〜〜〜

SND tweet "Tokyo concert complete, thank you so much. Tokyo daisuki. Until next time." yga tweet "The amazing one is he who brought Yumao and Shinoda and I together, wowaka."

Comments from Hitorie’s comrades

Shibata of Wasurerannee yo.

“Hitorie, Liquidroom

Before they played Polaris I was under the impression “Ahh after a tour Hitorie have really moved on”, but the moment Polaris hit, I realized “No way in hell they have, it’s not something that simple”. I got goosebumps, and tears came down.

Tonight was a showpiece of caliber to be celebrated in the times to come.”

Kobayashi Doom, manga author and idol SND’s “Sup, Hitorie were great eh."

Hiroki, bassist of Lego Big Morl “That was wonderful. Hitorie."

Satifour of ONIGAWARA

”Hitorie were the best! Shinoda’s guitar playing proves itself amazing still! I was shook!! Plus my outfit matched with Kinta (frontman of Lego) so I had Hiroki take a picture of us, heart”’

((Hiroki pitching in: The light slashing stuff is my well-crafted handiwork.)) Satifour's artist career finds its roots Nagoya, right alongside Shinoda, Shiohigari, and cinemastaff’s Mishima. They've reunited for the Shiho anime recently as well (link) - Where ONIGAWARA wrote the ending song, and a bonus version with Shinoda playing guitar released too! The crew is back together! (song link)

Takuto Akizuki, guitarist of Kankaku Pierrot

“Hitorie were too good. They’ve got so much going on yet, They've braced through everything that’s been thrown at them, Honed themselves. And continued on for us, Thank you so much.”

Mika Arata, Hitorie’s manager

“An amazing show. Only two remaining In the tour‼️”

A bouquet sent from Passpied was displayed in the lobby, beside one from the television channel Space Shower, and...

Katoh of Luck’A Inc, who works to lovingly craft their merchandise "Hitorie, thanks "

Hitorie’s cameraman’s son was spotted the VIP seats, and Yumao’s artist mother again too!

#details and pictures also from here #https://rockinon.com/live/detail/190590 #SND's shirt has a giant coyote face plastered on the front #I feel the love

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