T.G.I.F: Festival of Lights, Yugawara Onsen

For those of you who missed out on the fireworks and festivals that make Japan's summer famous, this Saturday there will be an Autumn festival entitled "Festival of Lights" at Yugawara Onsen. The parades and festivities begin and continue from 7pm. As well as a drumming performance at 8pm, there will be fireworks from 8.20pm. 

Yugawara Onsen can be reached from Yugawara Station by shuttle bus. Yugawara Station is situated on the Tokaido Line. The nearest shinkansen station is Atami. Once at Yugawara station, take the bus bound for Fudonotaki (不動の滝) for 8 minutes then walk 1 minute to the onsen. Just follow the crowd. 

The Yugawara Onsen Facebook page has some pretty spectacular photos and videos if you want to see what the festival entails. Also, click the image below to visit the Yugawara Onsen website (Japanese)...

Happy Friday!

Travel Log: Hanagasa Dance Festival, Ito

Last Friday night, I participated in the Hanagasa Dance Festival in Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture. I was taken to a dress shop in the town of Ito and dressed in a beautiful black kimono and then briefly taught the necessary traditional Japanese dance moves I would need for the parade. Many different troops of people made up the parade of dancers who moved through the streets of Ito to the tune of a 25-minute-long traditional Japanese song. After the song, we took a five minute break and then began again. The parade route took a little over one hour to complete so you can imagine I was tired by the end! Enjoy some snaps below...

Tops Tuesdays!

I saw this floating around on Tumblr and decided that it would be totally awesome if it actually existed. The title of this sweet bread is "Black Melon Pan" (meaning 'black melon-flavoured bread'). Does any one know if and where it is being sold in Japan? Leave a comment!

T.G.I.F: Formula 1 at Suzuka Circuit, Mie-ken

If you have a need for speed or are feeling a bit fast and furious, this T.G.I.F. post may be just for you! This weekend in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture (50km south of Nagoya), you can enjoy the thrills and excitement of a Formula 1 race. The race is being held on October 7th and you can purchase tickets by clicking on the image below. The best way to get to the Suzuka Circuit is to take the shinkansen to Nagoya Station and take the special direct limited express train ("Suzuka F1") to Suzuka Circuit Ino Station (takes about 40 minutes and costs 2,500yen one way). Seat reservations are mandatory. Also check out this link for more information.

Tops Tuesdays!

For this more sombre and serious edition of "Tops Tuesdays" I would like to share an article I have found on RocketNews24.com. Japanese author Haruki Murakami has written an passionate appeal to both Japanese and Chinese citizens for peace during the Senkaku Islands dispute. Currently both countries are waging a territorial war over the ownership of the Senkaku Islands which lie between the two nations. Racial tension between the two countries has been on the rise lately. Recently, a Chinese high school in Yokohama cancelled its Chinese celebrations and parade over fears of conflict with local Japanese residents. When Murakami--the author of such popular works as 1Q84 and Norwegian Wood--heard that books by Japanese authors were being removed from Chinese books stores, he wrote this plea. The team at RocketNews24 has translated Murakami's essay into English.

Below are a few excerpts from the essay of particular note:

"As a Japanese, as a writer, I fear that the dispute over the Senkaku islands, and even the recent troubles involving Takeshima, will do little but destroy the cultural world that we have all worked so hard to create over many years, and dig up the path that we have laid, brick by brick. 

"...[I]f we show restraint, and, however quietly, that we value, respect and continue to love what it is that we have achieved over many long years of hard work, then it is we who undoubtedly reap the rewards in the end."

It's a beautiful essay and you can read the full translation here.