Winter Scenery in the Center of Fukui City

It is now at the end of January, it started snowing
and the whole town and its street trees are covered with a thin layer of snow.
It's breathtakingly beautiful.

Fukui Prefecture is known as one of the cities which get so much snow during the winter time.

On January 31st, 1963 (40years ago), the greatest snow depth recorded for 1963 in Fukui was about 213 centimeters. And it was about 196 centimeters in 1981.

Can you imagine how much it usually snows during the winter in Japan? Let’s see the snow fall ranking by prefecture and let’s also find what’s the result for Fukui Prefecture. 

According to NAVER matome, “Snow Fall Ranking of Prefectures in Japan
*conducted research with date of Japan Meteorological Agency”.
Average snow fall from every December from February, 2004~2014.



1st.Yamagata 636cm
2nd Niigata 578cm
3rd Akita 532cm
4th Fukushima 475cm
5th Nagano 423cm
6th Gifu 416cm
7th Aomori 409cm
8th Hokkaido 383cm
9th Toyama 333cm
10th Fukui 323cm



As you can see, Fukui Prefecture has been ranked in the 10th.
Compare to the result, it has not snowed much this year in Fukui and other prefectures.


We had so much snow in Fukui exactly 6years ago today.
I would like to share a video of "suzuki250sb"
I think this is the winter of Fukui!

It has not snowed like this since then.

It’s good that we don’t have much snow so we can drive and/or walk safely
but it seems that something is missing for the winter in Fukui.
I wonder if it snows more by the end of February.

T.F

Things I found around Kochomon (Natural Arch along Echizen Coast) on Echizen Coast

I went to Echizen Coast last week. I stopped the car by Kochomon for a while and watched waves. Just watching waves was enjoyable as same as watching the bonfire. It was a little windy but it was pretty warm and the waves were calm for Sea of Japan in winter. Therefore, I was able to get close to the sea and enjoy watching it.


A baseball was covered with barnacles and looked like a blowfish.


It was around lunch time, so I had a crab meat rice bowl at “Rest Ujou”. “Seiko-crab” is female crab and the name is used in Fukui.


Grilled mackerel set meal the person I went with ordered was plentiful and had an impact. Moreover,


I was surprised at the elaborated bathroom in this restaurant. There was a small garden called Tsubo-niwa in the bathroom. The picture above is Japanese-style toilet (squat toilet).


There was a western toilet as well but the garden was the traditional Japanese one.

T.S

Cats like high places |The first tower for cats

I have two cats. One is a male orange tabby “Gil” and one is a female black and white “Miiko”. Last year, I finally bought a tower for cats I have been wanting.

After thinking which one to buy, I placed an order and received the goods safely several days later. Well, now, are the cats going to play on the tower? As a result, they showed almost no reaction for many days…

So, I used silver vine as when I put a pet door and forced to put them on it so that they could get used to it. Still, they did not show that much interest as I expected.


And when I began to regret that I might have wasted money, they have started spending more time on the tower.


Specially, Miiko liked the tower and recently she always takes a nap on the top of the tower!
Now they scratch the hempen roped poles of the tower and chase a mouse toy running up.
So I’m happy to see that the tower is absolutely necessary for them now.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Is there something below?

                                     
                                       Gil seems to be relaxed in the house.

                             
                                   Miiko is on the top, Gil is in the lower level.
                                   It shows their power balance?

                             
                                    Miiko likes looking out of window from here,
                                    because birds come flying.

                     
                                   Miiko occupied Gil's room.


The tower for cats I bought was this one. 　　　　　　　　
I wanted one with a hammock but they didn’t have one for the size I looked for.
Hammocks are nice, aren’t they? It’s just an owner’s one-sided feelings and not cats’ though… (H.S)

"Power Spot" in Yamanashi, Japan -Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine- Part-2

As I introduced in our previous blog that Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine is such a beautiful place to visit and you can see large and tall trees there. Today, I would like to introduce how this shrine was opened.

According to the shrine’s records, when Yamato Takeru-no-mikoto (the ancient Japanese emperor) visited Otsukayama shrine during his expedition east, and he worshiped Mt. Fuji from there. He declared that worshiping the mountain sprit of Mt. Fuji from the north is good. Then a small shrine for Mt. Fuji was built in the area where Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine is located now. This was the beginning of the history for this shrine.

 

Otsuka shrine is in an out-of-the-way area. It is indescribable, but once you walk in, you will most likely feel the strong energy from this area. If you have a chance to visit Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine, how about stopping by Otsuka shrine as well?

 

 

T.F

King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man

 

As everyone knows that this is the song by King Crimson. Takefu Commercial High School Wind Band played the song with contrabass duet for contrabass for the 37th Tannan District Bind Band Ensemble Contest held at Imadate Arts Hall in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture on January 14th, 2017.

 

It was very cool!

 

T.S

The Japanese film “OKINAWA : The Afterburn”

I was so disappointed when I heard the news that an Osprey crashed in the sea off Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture last December. Actually, I was afraid that this could happen at some point. I have visited U.S. Air Force’s Kadena Base in Okinawa for their festival before and gotten inside an Osprey which was opened to the public. Thus I was concerned with the safety of the aircraft. The Osprey in front of me was just huge and I felt coercive pressure. “Can such a huge aircraft takeoff and land vertically? Can it keep it’s balance?” Many questions came to my mind as I didn’t know about its function. When I got into the Osprey, a monitor image kept airing that how Osprey has wonderful functions and it is like a dream aircraft…

By the way, going back to a little while before the accident, the screening of “OKINAWA : The Afterburn” was held at a movie theater Theatre Cinq in Fukui City. It was held by a voluntary film club “Mini-Kinema-Fukui”, which received the “Fukui Shimbun Culture Award” with Natsu Miyashita(Writer from Fukui) last year. The film is a full-length documentary directed by an American director John Junkerman, who studied in Japan. The producer Tetsujiro Yamagami started a film production company when he was thirty two and he continues to make films on the theme of Okinawa. After the showing of the film, his talk show was held too.

In the film, a former Japanese soldier and a former U.S. soldier who actually fought the ground war in Okinawa appeared and talked about their own frightful experiences. While I was watching the film, I had to face the act of folly called war which humans become not humans. Also, I was surprised to see one of the criminals of the rape of a schoolgirl by U.S. servicemen in Okinawa in 1995 appeared and gave an interview about the crime. The principal offender assaulted a woman again even after returning to the U.S. and finally killed himself. I was overwhelmed the unreasonable situation of Okinawa that they have to accept such a brutal person.

It was just one-hundredth screening of “Mini-Kinema-Fukui” that day. They continue their activities because they want to introduce films in different genres that would not be released in local areas. If you have the opportunity, please come to their screening this year. (H.S)

Feel Japan / The Oldest and Largest Bonsai Exhibition of Ume (plum) Trees with Blossoms in Japan

Nagahama Bonsai Exhibition of Ume (plum) Trees with Blossoms has been started since 1952, and it’s the 66th time this year. About 90 bonsai pots out of 300 are displayed in the traditional Japanese room and some of them are as tall as about 3meters. There are also old ones which are about 400 years old. There are many visitors every year coming to see these amazing plum trees.

 

This year’s exhibition is held from January 7th until March 12th at Keiunkan in Naghama City, Shiga Prefecture. Keiunkan is an 8-minute walk from Nagahama train station.

As soon as you walk into the building, you can see the displayed beautiful plum trees in a traditional Japanese room filled with so much fragrant smell (they smell flowery).

Not only you can enjoy looking at the plum trees, you can also enjoy the atmosphere which let you feel Japan. This time of the year in Japan is very cold, so I recommend you to dress warmly if you visit.

 

The video was taken at Nagahama Bonsai Exhibition of Ume (plum) Trees with Blossoms last year.

 

T.F

Triangular Rimmed Ancient Mirror Decorated with Gods and Animals Chocolate

Fukui newspaper, January 8th, 2017

I see, this is the bronze mirror which was made with chocolate and it looks exactly the real thing. Isn’t this interesting? There have been workshops held by Mr. Fujikawa, a curator in Fukui City History Museum who helped me with the shooting the Buddha statue exhibition was held a while ago. The workshop for this year will be held on February 11th and 12th. I wonder if he let me take a video of the workshop...
T.S

Recommendation of fried skewer restaurant in Fukui City, Japan “Kiju”

If you would like to eat fried skewers in Fukui, you should visit Kiju .

Even those who do not like deep-fried food may enjoy the fried skewers at Kiju.

Each skewer is bite-sized, the batter is thin and women will be happy with those things.

The restaurant has a relaxing atmosphere, they have many kinds of drinks and

tables at the back, so groups can visit it as well.

I usually reserve Kiju course (3,980 yen/tax excluded) and always that’s good enough for me.  According to the season, they serve ten kinds of fried skewers individually at the right time, so you are able to eat following one another at a right pace.

Please visit Kiju when you happen to come to Fukui. (H.S)

They serve seafood, meat and vegetable fried skewers using seasonal ingredients one after another.

Even you’re full, you can enjoy a delicious side dish and rice with soup for the last. 　

Happy New Year -2017-

2017 has just begun!

This time of the year is always the best time for anyone to start something new,

restart something and/or start all over anything.

Do you have anything which you would like to achieve in this year?

 

For Hatsumode (the new year’s visit to a shrine), I visited Asuwa shrine in Fukui City.

This area is a recommendable strolling course in Fukui City.

As you walk up the stairs of “Atagozaka”,

there is “ Fukui City Atagozaka Tea Ceremony Museumwhere you can enjoy

Japanese traditional green tea “Maccha” and learn about Japanese tea ceremony.

 

In front of the museum, there is

“Fukui City Akemi Tachibana Literature Memorial Museum” where you can enjoy the Tachibana-no-Akemi’s Dokurakugin (reciting poetry for my own pleasure).

 

And about a minute away from Akemi Tachibana Museum, there is a traditional Japanese restaurant, “Hanase” where you can enjoy the excellent traditional Japanese food that is pleasing to the eye, as well as to the palate.

 

After walking up a few stairs from the restaurant, there is

“Shinpu-kan Atagozaka Martial Arts School”.

 

And a little further up, there is a small observation deck and the entrance of the shrine.

You can take a break seeing the great view of Fukui City and then enter the shrine.

 

Asuwa Shrine has over 1,500 years of history.

The shrine’s crest has the sun, the moon and a star together which is rare for a crest.

 

In the precinct, there are drooping cherry-trees which will bloom gorgeously during spring.

 

Therefore, I can recommend you to take a walk from Atagozaka to Asuwa shrine.

 

 

T.F