Category Archives: Photos

Hokkaido Shinkansen’s service started two months ago in March 2016 by JR Hokkaido. It operates between Shin-Aomori Station in Aomori Prefecture to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in Hokuto-shi, Hokkaido, covering approximately 148 kilometers. Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station is Japan’s northernmost Shinkansen Station located in the middle of one of the largest rice producing areas in Hokkaido. Early summer is the rice planting season here in Hokuto-shi and the rice fields that surround the brand-new Shinkansen track is now turning to green and a brilliant green bullet train runs through the rice fields. JR Hokkaido currently provides 13 round trips per day and 10 among them run even further to Tokyo Station through Tohoku Shinkansen … Continue reading →

The 7th Chokai Plateau Rape-blooms Festival was held in Yurihonjo-shi, Akita Prefecture, in May 2016 at an 18-hectare rapeseed field which was once a vacant farm land. Approximately 5 million rapeseed flowers were in full bloom and attracted approximately 10,000 visitors this year. The festival is part of the initiatives to make use of the empty farmland, produce rapeseed oil and vitalize the local economy. A non-profit organization (NPO), Akita Nanohana (rapeseed flower) Network, planted a high-yielding rapeseed variety called kizakinonatane here. The festival was held for 11 days starting from May 17 this year and was organized by the committee consisting of the NGO and the Yurihonjo-shi Government. On … Continue reading →

Sumo is the hot topic in Matsumoto Highland Agricultural Corporative (JA) in Nagano Prefecture right now. Yes, seriously, the Japanese-style traditional wrestling is receiving quite a bit of attention here because of the JA Matsumoto Highland Sumo Club established by some of the JA members who were inspired by the continued efforts of Mitakeumi, an ex-professional sumo wrestler born in Nagano Prefecture, to cheer up the people of Nagano Prefecture after the volcanic eruption of Mount Ontake in September 2014. The club members had the first practice on May 21, 2016, on the sumo ring in Matsumoto-shi. Their initial goal is to participate in the West Japan Businesspeople Sumo Championship … Continue reading →

Echizen Washi is a type of Japanese paper with a 1,500-year history manufactured in Fukui Prefecture. Echizen Washi no Sato (Echizen Paper & Culture Museum) in Echizen-shi, Fukui Prefecture, is the place where you can have a first-hand experience of the paper-making tradition and culture. In one of its most popular facilities, Papyrus House, you can create your original Japanese paper with your own hands. Another popular attraction here is Udatsu Paper & Craft Museum where you can actually see how local artisans make Echizen washi papers using traditional tools. Every year, the museum attracts approximately 150,000 visitors. In Papyrus House, you’ll see many visitors enjoying traditional papermaking processes on … Continue reading →