JAPAN, GIFU, HIDA-TAKAYAMA

PHOTO SPECIAL - Takayama Festival float storehouse - Yatai gura

2011-09-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

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The Spring Festival is just around the corner!

2011-04-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

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A view on recent events & Takayama

2011-03-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

Save Takayama project

2011-03-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

OMG what is happening with Japan? Such a peaceful and safe tourist haven and now this…Earthquake, tsunami, nuclear disaster! A trio made in hell. Talking about riders of the apocalypse. Ok we’re missing one, but where these three are, the fourth one isn’t far. Let us honestly hope it doesn’t come to that. It might be inappropriate and selfish to talk about someone’s finances in these moments.

Afraid of entering Japanese restaurants?

2010-08-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Today i found this really interesting topic on the famous japan-guide.com forum. Someone wrote about being afraid of entering a Japanese restaurant if there are no western people/tourists already inside. Whoever the person is, it is an honest and brave statement. You can't just admit that so easily even though I think every one of us felt uneasy like that at first. This is what the person

Takayama Museums of Fine Arts and those more peculiar ones

2010-07-09T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hida Takayama is most known by it's fabulous festival. But what many people don't know, Takayama offers much more for you to see. And it is not always Japanese traditional arts, culture or architecture. Takayama offers everything from a World Antique Gallery with an impressive exhibition of antiques from all over the world; Museum of Art with an exhibition of glass and Art Nouveau; truly unique

The evening proccesion

2010-05-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

On the evening of the 1st day of the Spring festival, a night floats procession is held. Floats are paraded through the town, illuminated with nothing but the simplest lanterns. It's a main attraction of the first day. Rare are such sights in our short lives. We don’t get to observe them just like that. It doesn’t happen. You have to know exactly about such special events or just

Before the festival

2010-05-03T14:11:00.000-07:00

Before witnessing it my self, i had no clue how big an endeavour preparation for the festival is. It literally includes half of the town’s people. And especially all the people living and working in the historic area. Takayama festival asks for organization efforts equal to organizing a mid size army invasion. People roll up their sleeves and get on with the work, all the time in the back of

Takayama Festival

2010-04-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

THE BEST PHOTOS of SANNO MATSURI in TAKAYAMA, SPRING 2010. The photos were taken by our skilful on-site reporter : ) His VIP pass enabled him to get inside of one of the Yatai - festival floats, and take exsclusive photos, hard to be found on the World wide web. Our reporter even rolled up his sleves and helped with bringing the floats out of their storages and getting them ready for the

Takayama Cherry Blossom Report 2010.

2010-04-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

Just a few days ago, all the sakura in Takayama were asleep. A wonder of nature, waiting to happen. The ancient 1100 years old Garyu Zakura ~ The lying Dragon, and a tiny-little-less ancient, 450 years old Shokawa Zakura, together with myriad nameless, unnamed & uncharted trees, unseen behind temple walls, hidden within secret garden or growing wild, someplace free. Waiting impatiently...

The word "Sashiko" means...

2010-04-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

The word “Sashiko” means, "Stitching ~ Embroidery." The Hida-Sashiko Company employs stitching to produce unique arts and goods. This exclusive stitching technique offers both beautiful clothes patterns and long lasting artefacts that could be passed from generation to generation. We carry antique materials dated back to the Edo Period, the age of the Samurai. The Sashiko technique

Sarubobo; a luck made of plush

2010-04-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

A famed, bright red, baby monkey doll from Japan. Takayama’s key souvenir. It is everywhere. So pleasant it is. I have it in my car, my father’s car, several cell-phones, chopsticks, towels, a Hello Kitty Sarubobo, pencils…..well you get the point. It is everywhere in my house. And it is not even suppose to be a lucky charm for men. In the old days it was a protector charm for little girls and

Springtime in Takayama

2010-04-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

April, 2010. Space odyssey? Nope. Merely springtime arriving to Takayama. Slowly day by day, flower bud per flower bud. Takayama…At the moment set calm and asleep between the Hida mountains. A bit boring and too quiet at first glance, but never disappointing. Never. It is just too beautiful. If you are looking for a rest from everyday rush, Hida Takayama is a place for you. Come here with your

Travel to JAPAN

2010-03-15T12:07:00.000-07:00

I don’t need to be a visionary to know that you will be arriving to Japan by plane. Arriving here by boat would be very cool I guess, but who has enough time to travel by ship? This ain’t 17th century no more. And I believe the black ships are still not so popular around here. So arriving here by plane it is. You bought the ticket, boarded the plane, probably flew around half the globe, landed…

Fumiyao

2010-03-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

The strangest thing happened to me. As I was walking from Nishi-funabashi train station toward my house, I heard someone running behind me. And then “sumimasen! Sumimasen!” Several thoughts crossed my mind in a second. What is it now? It was dark. I was tired. Already thinking of my warm bed futon, and now this. What could it be? Wait it gets even more confusing for my tired mind. I realize it is

So dark. So cool. so shameless. A Japanese woman.

2010-03-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

Sushi and a cold beer go well together

2010-03-04T13:56:00.000-08:00

About what to eat and drink in Japan…What you must try; what you really shouldn’t miss out on; what would minimum daily food expenses be? The offer of various foods in Japan is vast. That is why so many questions considering food are asked. Every day people come out with another set of questions. Some most unique and peculiar. And some aren't answered enough no matter how many times you post on

Beautiful Takayama on YouTube

2010-02-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

Just a few scenes of Takayama's Old Private Houses - Furuimachinami to give you a clue how it is to walk around here.Tanoshii!

And now for something completely different… The Japan's flying circus!

2010-02-21T03:31:00.000-08:00

I would like to write a few tips about Japan for those who are not that experienced with travelling yet. Always had a wish to write a Japan guide. Lonely Planet! Frommer’s travel guide! Guide Michelin bite my shiny, metal ass …!!! But…humbly I must admit and accept that I don’t have the experience and the knowledge to compete with others who are writing about the matter. My trips

The Takayama festival - Matsuri

2010-02-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

Besides all the “smaller” events, shrines, streets, bridges and hidden corners of Takayama. Which are best discovered alone or in close groups. Takayama has several crown jewels to present. The biggest and most famous of all are the Spring and Autumn festivals. The Matsuri. Takayama festival is a big thing. In and outside of Japan. In fact before writing this post, I wondered, “is it

Nippon hajimete Or Japan for the first time

2010-01-21T13:21:00.000-08:00

There are many resources about Takayama on the web. Countless blogs with shorter or longer reviews, summer or winter photographs, various trip advisers telling you when to visit, where to eat, in which ryokan to sleep and which train to take so you could quickly jump to another destination on your rush trip throughout Japan. Well that is all fine. If it suites your needs and ideas how Japan trip

Japan, Gifu, Hida-Takayama

2010-01-12T11:54:00.001-08:00

HIDA-TAKAYAMA I love Hida Takayama. The whole Hida Takayama area, in the far north of Gifu prefecture has «that» something. The magic. I don't know how others feel about it but I know it is there. It is in the trees, mountains and the rivers. All three together create something special. Nature is calming and soothing. You look up and your eyes meet the calming green. The moist Japanese green of