瑠璃光院 Rurikoin temple

瑠璃光院
Rurikoin temple is famous as a photogenic spot.

But it is opened twice in a year. Spring and Autumn.
That's why it is always packed.
I recommend you to go there early morning.

If you want to go there from Osaka, you should take Keihan line and change trains at Demachiyanagi 出町柳 station. You must take Eizan line and get off at Yasehieizannguchi 八瀬比叡山口 station.

湯田温泉 Onsen - A Good hot spring area in Yamaguchi prefecture

Yuda Onsen湯田温泉 has good hot springs.
It located in Yamaguchi prefecture, western Japan.

Its hot water makes your skin good.

Yuda onsen has great histories.
Heroes of the end of Edo era had meetings there and planed their mission to make Japan great.
One of the heroes, Kaoru Inoue was brought up there.
So there are some places have relations to him.

One of the greatest poet, Chuya Nakahara was gave birth there.
That's why there is a museum about him

If you want to go there, you must keep in mind that you can't use transportation IC cards to get train. It is not usual in Yamaguchi prefecture.

Amazing place Fukuoka

I wanna introduce Fukuoka because I visited there recently.

Fukuoka is the biggest city in Kyushu island.

If you arrived there by plane, you can get to center of the city by train from the airport easily.
It needs about ten minutes!!
I was really excited because Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo are more far from airport.
Osaka: about 1 hour
Nagoya and Tokyo: about 40 minutes
It is amazing!!

[Prices]
I think prices in Fukuoka is not so expensive. The administration fee of museums' contemporary exhibition is worth of paying.
And restaurants and bars that local people using are also not so expensive.
However restaurants for sightseeing are not cheap. For example yatai at Nakasu.

[Public security]
Not bad. But you must be careful about clip joint.

[Dishes]
Fukuoka has many delicious dishes!!
Ramen, Mentaiko(spicy cod roe), Mizutaki and so on.
They are not so expensive. The price of ramen starts from 290 yen.

[Highlight]
There are many historical things.
Fukuoka had been a center of Japan for communicating  with other Asian countries.
So one of museums has the gold stamp which was a symbol of the emperor's power.
That's why some museum introduce relations about ancient Japan with Asia.

There are many good temples and shrines.
Some of representative examples includes Jotenji temple, Sumiyoshi shrine and Kushida shrine.
If you go to Dazaifu, you can visit Dazaifu tenmangu shrine and Komyozenji temple.

Oct.2018

銭湯 Sento ~Japanese style public bathes~

Do you know "銭湯 sento"?

It is Japanese style public bathes.

Traditional style one has a steam boiler for making hot water.

But these days some "銭湯 sento" don't have a steam boiler but have a gas water heater.
They are called as "スーパー銭湯 Super sento". It is new style of "銭湯 sento".
There are many "スーパー銭湯 Super sento" in Japan recently.
In Japan, using a steam boiler isn't allowed without license. That's why "スーパー銭湯 Super sento" is increasing.

How to take a bath at "銭湯 sento"
Don't wear a swim suit.　And you must wash your body before taking a bath.
When you take a bath, please don't put your towel in hot water. Generally it is considered to be discourteous.
If you have a  tattoo, you may be prohibited to take a bath.
Many Japanese people associate tattoo with "ヤクザ yakuza, Japanese style mafia".

I heard a rumor that those who have a tattoo can go to "銭湯 sento" in South of Osaka because there are many "ヤクザ yakuza".
If you have a tattoo, there are some possibility that you can go to "銭湯 sento" in South of Osaka.

Day of the Samurai

Samurai is Japanese traditional warriors.

They worked out hard  to protect their king, load, "将軍 Shogun" the Tycoon, their state and "天皇 Ten nou" the emperor.

They had a lot of things related to honor.

In order to understand easily, you can image it like a Knight.

Of course you know, they have already disappeared in Japan.

But even now, many Japanese people still have "武士道 Bushi do".

"武士道Bushi do" points out discipline.

It is the one of reasons that Japanese people worship religions by halves nevertheless Japanese society maintains public order.

Say "Good bye" in Japanese

Japanese has some sentences for saying Good bye.

For example "さようなら Sayounara"、"じゃあね Ja ane" and so on.

They are the same in almost all situation. ("さよなら Sayonara" is a casual style of "さようなら Sayounara".)

If you want to say Good bye forever, you can say them.

But of course, we also say "さようなら Sayounara" in casual situations.

"じゃあね Ja ane" is more frank than "さようなら Sayounara".

And we have "またね Matane".

We say it when we want to say "See you soon".



By the way,  In Japanese Business scenes, Corporate warriors say "お先に失礼致します Osakini siturei itasimasu".

It is translated literally that I will leave work(the office) earlier than you.

It means just "Good bye" or "See you tomorrow"

If you are said that, please feel free to reply "お疲れ様です Otsukaresamadesu".