Spreading the charms of Fukui to the world! - Visiting Ichijodani Asakura Clans Ruins Part-2 - Let more foreigners come visit Fukui!

Source：Travel Information of Echizen and Wakasa in Fukui Prefecture from Fukui Tourism Guide

 

There are many places that are very interesting and attractive for people to visit in Fukui. However, I often hear that not too many people visit Fukui. I would like more people to know about our beautiful city and come here to visit.

 

As I introduced in our previous blog (part-1), Julia, an intern from the USA at the Hotel Riverge Akebono, and I had a chance to talk about why not so many people visit Fukui.

 

She said that there are amazing places in Fukui but most of the places are difficult to get to. Even she wants to go to some places in Fukui by taking public transportation but there are no English signs and/or announcements on them.

 

When I took a local train in Fukui the other day, there was English guidance but not on local buses in Fukui. To visit many interesting places in Fukui, we need buses to reach them if we don’t drive, so I started remembering what Julia said. Some visitors from overseas would be ok going there without any English guidance but I’m sure for many of them it can be inconvenient. I had the same experience in the USA. There was no Japanese guidance on buses and trains and it was very inconvenient for me. After a few years, I was confident enough to ask people because I learned English, but before that, I did not event want to take buses and/or trains even though I wanted to go to many interesting places.

 

I hope people take what Julia said seriously to solve these problems and more people will want to visit Fukui.

 

Stay tuned for Part-3!

 

T.F

 

 

You can see some tourist attractions and the directions to these places from the webpage, "Hotel Reiverge Akebono, Tourist attractions around our hotel".

Made by Julia during her internship, this webpage has directions that are easy to follow.

She researched these tourist attractions, before visiting them and experiencing

the charms of Fukui herself. I'm sure that this map will help you get around easier.

 

There is also a Japanese version of this webpage(only available in Japanese).

However, some of the places which are introduced on the Japanese webpage

are different to the English version that Julia made.

Takefu Chrysanthemum Doll Festival and OSK Nippon Revue

I went to the Takefu Chrysanthemum Doll Festival in Echizen City after a long time. Speaking of the Takefu Chrysanthemum Doll Festival, it’s a very familiar event in Fukui. When I see an announcement about its opening, I feel that autumn has truly arrived. On the other hand, I thought that it always had finished before I was aware. This year, it has been held from October 5^th to November 5^th. 

When I got the site, I found the facilities have greatly improved. “Daruma Doll Square” supervised by Satoshi Kako, who is a famous picture book author from Echizen City, was completed. There are cafe and bakery in a new facility which is next to Echizen City Culture Center. In the main building for chrysanthemum dolls, there are countless numbers of chrysanthemums dressing dolls in many scenes of a popular NHK historical drama. 

Also, for the first time, I saw the stage of OSK Nippon Revue, which is another main event of the festival. The OSK Nippon Revue, which is called one of the three major girl revues in Japan, was established in 1922 and they are active and based in Osaka. The stage is titled “OSK Symphony” and they show a glammorous one-hour revue. There are “Beauty And the Beast” dance, flamenco, jazz dance, funny hip-hop dance featuring Fukui dialect and line dance. Even more than the great songs and dances, Yan Rin, who is playing a male part, is so cool and good looking. And female part dancers’ cute smiles made me feel comforted. 

While the show, Yan Rin and other members came down to the audience seats, so you can feel much closer to them. Their one-month performance at the festival is a grueling schedule that they play twice on weekdays, three times on the weekends and days off is only one day. Furthermore, I was touched by Yan Rin’s greeting at the end “We have practiced very hard for a long time to show great stage to everybody here.” I wish I could go to see them again before the final day. If you want to go to see them, please enter the center early because there are many fans from Osaka there. (H.S)

    

      There were still a lot of buds, so it will be more beautiful in the latter half. 

                    

                                     The lead role, Naotora Ii.  

Naotora, when she was a trainee priest. 

                                      The leftmost is Naomasa Ii. 

       Artisans of growing chrysanthemums come all this way from Yamagata                 Prefecture. 

Huge Yan Rin is waiting for you at the Echizen City Culture Center, where is

the hall of the OSK Revue. 

Recommendation of izakaya in Fukui City “Kunten”

*Izakaya means Japanese style pub Today, I will introduce an izakaya which has a little difficult name to read. The izakaya is located in a corner of Katamachi area, where is a restaurant district in Fukui City. Those who have visited the Kunten say that everything is good there. So I have always wanted to go and I finally went there the other day.

The first thing that I was surprised when I entered the izakaya was the number of the menu written on the blackboards. It has gone beyond izakaya and I could call “Bistro where you can eat Japanese food as well” because they have many Italian and French menus. In addition, all of those are delicious. Especially the penne was much better than Italian restaurants around here.

In fact, the woman owner cooks all dishes by herself at the izakaya and the staff is all women. As it is a small izakaya, it’s not noisy and the dishes are served at an appropriate time so I think that it’s a good one to enjoy meal and drink over conversation with friends.

It is a popular izakaya, so you should make a reservation before going. I would strongly recommend the Kunten. It is a really good izakaya. (H.S)

                                                    The entrance

The customers sitting at the counter are thinking what they will order while looking the blackboard menu.

                                                   An appetizer

                                   The Gorgonzola penne is superb.

                      Clams and shrimps fried in garlic oil with baguette.
                      I had it with red wine.

 

Spreading the charms of Fukui to the world! -Visiting Ichijodani Asakura Clans Ruins Part-1-

It just so happens that by coincidence I had opportunity to join a tour visiting

Ichijodani Asakura Clans Ruins with the president of the Hotel Riverge Akebono,

Mr. Shimizu, and the intern of the hotel, Ms. Julia Coslian,

the manager of Fukui City Hospitality and Tourism Promotion Office

(the information is only available in Japanese), Mr. Takama

and his staff member, Mr. Juancho Santamaria in June 2017.

 

 

Julia is from the USA and is a university student majoring in hospitality and tourism.

She had worked at Hotel Riverge Akebono from May to July of 2017 as an intern.

During her time here, she has learned the charms of Fukui and the spirit of Omotenashi

(hospitality).

 

The purpose of visiting Ichijodani Asakura Clans Ruins was for Julia to see

the ruins and experience the charms of Fukui and Japanese history.

The town, which was rebuilt, can show visitors how people used to live in

the Warring State Era. Mr. Shimizu, Mr. Takama and the guide explained the history

of the ruins to Julia so she was able to learn why the ruins were built,

who lived there, and more.

 

Let’s see how Julia felt about visiting Ichijodani Asakura Clans Ruins,

and Japanese/Fukui language and culture.

 

Stay tuned for the next blog!

 

T.F.

 

 

You can see some tourist attractions and the directions to these places from

the webpage, "Hotel Reiverge Akebono, Tourist attractions around our hotel".

Made by Julia during her internship, this webpage has directions that are easy to follow.

She researched these tourist attractions, before visiting them and experiencing

the charms of Fukui herself. As I mentioned in our blog, it can be difficult for tourists

to get to some great places in Fukui, so this map that Julia made will help you

get around easier.

 

There is also a Japanese version of this webpage(only available in Japanese).

However, some of the places which are introduced on the Japanese webpage

are different to the English version that Julia made.

The fifth collection of tanka by Machi Tawara called “I am Mario” (2013)

*Tanka means a 31-syllables Japanese poem. 

I read the book “I am Mario” sometimes before I go to sleep.

Every tanka is lively and I feel overwhelmed with her remarkable talent in creating tankas. 

Machi moved to Ishigaki Island from Sendai City after the Great East Japan Earthquake with her son, who was 7 years old. After a while, she noticed that he hasn’t been used his game machine and said to him “You don’t play a game lately, do you?” Then he replied “Because I am the Mario now, mom.” The book title was taken from this conversation. Since he came to Ishigaki Island, it seems that he came to think he himself was the game’s main character by spending time in nature.

Here is her tanka about that.

“I am Mario now” since we came to this island, my son stopped playing a game 

Talking of Machi’s son, now there is a collection of sayings on the internet. And his

sayings had been a popular topic on Twitter. He seems to have a good taste in choice of words, which may be because of a gene from his mother. 

Additionally, I will introduce some other tankas which are about life in Ishigaki Island from the collection. 

Short winter is gone like a part of paste and the island’s beaches open in March

A shower gets the island wet like crunchy straws are falling

Daily life like Orion Beer is always in the fridge is not bad and my 40’s passes

The day I did snorkeling, I thought humans are creatures on the upper half of the earth

School of fish turns around quickly and smoothly like dropping oil on a mass game  

In June, kids of the island practice in a rice field not for planting but harvesting           

My son is sleeping with a reward of the day, which he saw a crested serpent eagle  

While I can see everything through the eyes of a traveler, I see the blue of the sea 

By the way, Machi Tawara is a person who has a deep connection to Fukui Prefecture.

Because she used to live in Echizen City in her junior and high school days. Also,

she is a big fan of brothers and a cousin’s band “Kiiyama Shoten” from Ishigaki Island, like myself, so I have a sense of closeness very much. In Ishigaki Island, she was on the radio together with the members of the Kiiyama Shoten. Currently, she lives in Miyazaki City because of her work but she sometimes visits ‘home’ Ishigaki Island.  

　　　　

As for the cover of the book, the work of a textile designer from Ishigaki Island, MIMURI is used. The colors are very beautiful and bright. The image is exactly the same with vegetation in Okinawa and Ishigaki Island. The colors are very beautiful and bright. The image is exactly the same with vegetation in Okinawa and Ishigaki Island. (H.S)

Machi Tawara talks about “I am Mario” (Only in Japanese)

The 12th Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display -The most popular fireworks display in Fukui - Fireworks (Hanabi) Festival in Fukui 2017, Part 6 (Final Episode)-

*This is a digest version of the 12th Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display I made. Please enjoy.

 

In Fukui Prefecture, there are many popular fireworks displays including Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display. The three other most famous ones beside the Echizen one are Tsuruga fireworks and Mikuni fireworks displays which are held on the sea, and Phoenix fireworks display which is held by a river in the center of Fukui City.

 

Out of all the fireworks displays in Fukui, I personally thought that Tsuruga fireworks display is the most popular one in Fukui because they shoot 13,000 fireworks on the sea and they also have Toro nagashi (sending off the spirits of the dead on lanterns floated on the waters of the sea). According to "Fireworks display 2017" (*only available in Japanese), Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is the most popular one.

Source: The photograph of Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display from the website of “Fireworks display 2017” (https://sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/spot_87293.html)*only available in Japanese

 

I was surprised at the fact that Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is the most popular one, not Tsuruga one. When I went view the Echizen fireworks I realized some reasons why the Echizen one is so popular.

 

Firstly, the location of the fireworks display is great. The location to view it is extended over a large area. Therefore, the festival-goers can enjoy viewing the fireworks not only at the venue but also at several places such as the riverside, bridges, streets and mountains around the venue.

 

Even if festival-goers don’t view it at the venue, the fireworks look beautiful.

 

Secondly, since festival-goers can view the fireworks from anywhere in this spacious venue, overcrowding isn't a problem.

And as a result, it does not get crowded as much as it does at venues of Tsuruga, Mikuni and/or Phoenix fireworks displays. Therefore, festival goers can enjoy it comfortably as well.

Of course, at the venue and the area right around it gets extremely crowded though.

 

Thirdly, the loop street is close to the Takefu train station, so it’s very convenient for the festival goers to take trains as well. Also, next to the train station, there is a supermarket so they can buy some snacks and drinks as well.

 

Lastly, one of the friends of mine from Echizen City said that Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display is held in the area where is surrounded by mountains so the sounds of the fireworks echoes in Echizen City. Therefore, the sound of the Echizen fireworks is one of the highlights.

 

When I went view the Echizen fireworks, friends of mine found a great space for all of us. It was on the famous loop street called Nishiki Machi overhead crossing near the train station in the middle of Echizen City. We sat comfortably, enjoy our snacks that we bought at the supermarket near the Takefu train station and viewed the fireworks without any problem. Where we sat was very close to the venue (riverside) so the fireworks looked large and powerful.

 

Please enjoy viewing the Echizen City Summer Festival Fireworks Display if you have a chance.

For more information, please check Official Website of Echizen City Summer Festival.

*only available in Japanese

 

T.F.

A local dish in Fukui “Volga Rice”

When you think about popular local dishes in Fukui, I guess the first one you think of is “Pork cutlet with sauce topped on rice”. In Fukui, there are other popular local dishes such as “Buckwheat noodles with grated radish”, “Salted mackerel in rice-bean paste” and “Grilled mackerel sushi”. But today, I will introduce the “Volga Rice”. Volga Rice is a kind of a rice omelet topped with pork cutlet. There are many theories about the origin of the name. For example, it’s from the Volga in Russia or Volgana Village in Italy etc.

 I went to the most popular restaurant for Volga Rice “Yokogawa Bunten” in Echizen City. In fact, I ate the Volga Rice for the first time on the day.

 

Yokogawa Bunten is located just in front of Soja Daijingu Shrine. It may be hard to find for people coming for the first time but you can park in the precincts or in front of the restaurant. If both are full, you can park in free city-run parking lot.
Yokogawa Bunten opens at 11:30 a.m. I arrived at the Yokogawa Bunten early and strolled in the precincts. I used to come there in my high school days. As far as I remember, the precincts were more spacious but now they look relatively small.

When it opens, a female staff called me “Please come in”. She was friendly and it made me feel relaxed. And then two women came over and I asked them “Where do you come from?” They came from Tokyo and Nagoya but their hometown is Shirayama, Echizen City. Also, we graduated from the same high school. We had much in common and had lunch together.

Their aged parents are in nursing homes and they visit hometown to see them on the same day at least once a month. I asked them “Is Fukui a good place for you? and they said “Of course, it is great. We think so year by year. After all, it has few natural disasters and doesn’t snow much recently. But fresh food is a little expensive.” I was surprised to hear that few disasters and high prices. Indeed, I am living in Fukui, on the contrary, there might be invisible parts.

By the way, the Volga Rice was different from what I expected. Actually, I imagined a big volume but it was quite plane, the portion was right, the cutlet was thin and soft and the tomato sauce was good. I recommend a large portion for men. Writing this makes me feel eat it again. You can eat Volga Rice in many restaurants and cafes in Echizen City. Each restaurant or cafe has its own recipe, so why don’t you find your favorite Volga Rice? (H.S)

Seven recommended restaurants and cafes for Volga Rice in Echizen City

                                   The entrance of Yokogawa Bunten

                            　Inside Yokogawa Bunten 

                                Here is the Volga Rice!

                                Looks good, doesn’t it? 

                            A flag of Volga Rice is hanging under its eaves.