FIREWORK FESTIVALS

Speaking of Japanese Summer, I think of fireworks. In Yamanashi, a lot of firework festivals are held every year. I would like to introduce to some of them.

■ Yamanakako Hōkosai 山中湖報湖祭 (Firework festival of Lake Yamanaka) August 1 (19:30～21:00)
・Firework festival of Lake Yamanaka on YouTube

■ Lake Kawaguchi on-the-lake festival 河口湖湖上祭 (Kawaguchiko-kojōsai) August 4 (20:00～20:30) &5 (19:30～21:00)
・Lake Kawaguchi on-the-lake festival 河口湖湖上祭　on YouTube
EDIT :
・Lake Kawaguchiko's "Kojōsai" fireworks festival (FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO Sightseeing information site)
・Access Guide (FUJIKAWAGUCHIKO Sightseeing information site)

■ Shinmei no Hanabi Taikai 神明の花火大会 (Firework festival of Shinmei) August 7 (19:30～21:00)
・神明の花火大会(2008) HD1280x720p版 by AQUA Geo Graphic on YouTube
EDIT :
・神明の花火大会　Shinmei-no-hanabi-taikai　The Fireworks of Shinmei on '日本吉 nippon-kichi'

■ Nanbu no Himatsuri 南部の火祭り (Firework festival of Nanbu) August 15 (20:00~21:00)
・Firework festival of Nanbu on YouTube

■ Isawa Onsen Hanabi Taikai 石和温泉花火大会 (Isawa Hot Springs Firework festival) August 21 (19:30~21:30)
・Isawa Hot Springs Firework festival on YouTube

■View FIREWORK FESTIVALS 花火大会 on Google My Maps

View Mt.Fuji from Lake Motosu

Would you know what is printed on the reverse side of one thousand yen notes (or old five thousand yen notes[used from 1984 to 2007])?
If you have it now, please check it on.

You are able to see Mt.Fuji & its inverted reflection on the surface of the lake on it. The reflection is called "Sakasa Fuji 逆さ富士."

The image is made on the model of a picture which was taken at the edge of Lake Motosu 本栖湖 by KŌYŌ OKADA 岡田紅陽 (1895-1972) and is called "Kohan no Haru (Spring by the lake) 湖畔の春".

■Photos on the WEB
Mt.Fuji from Lake Motosu, on Flickr

■ EDIT :
・BUS TIMETABLE(Fujikyū Bus) (Fuji Station / Shimobe hot springs / Motosuko - Shojiko - Kawaguchiko station - Fujikyūhighland - Fujiyoshida station) Japanese version only / The nearest bus stop to Lake Motosu is Motosu Iriguchi 本栖入口 or Motosuko 本栖湖.
・Lake Motosu excursion boat 'MOGURAN もぐらん' (translated by Yahoo!Japan Translation Service)

■Shiki-no-Mori Oshino Park Koyo Okada Photo Museum　四季の杜 おしの公園　岡田紅陽写真美術館 　(Japanese version only)
The admission fee (only Permanent exhibition) is Adult : 500 yen / Elementary & Middle school student : 300 yen / preschool-age : charge-free (the other exhibitions : extra costs).
HOURS: 9:00-17:00 (Entry permitted up to 16:30)
CLOSED: The regular closing day is Tuesday, the day following a national holiday (except Saturday and Sunday), during the year-end and New Year holidays (December 28 to January 1) and so on. When Tuesday falls on a national holiday, the museum will be closed instead on the following day. But because these are with some exceptions, please view Closed days calendar on the above link for details (Procedure : visiting the museum ご利用案内 → 休館日カレンダー[yellow button]).
ACCESS : a) Take about 15min from Kawaguchiko I.C.[Exit] (Chūō Expressway) via National Route 138 by car
b) Take about 30min from Gotenba I.C. [Exit] (Tōmei Expressway) via National Route 138 by car
c) Take buses bound for Uchino 内野 or Hirano 平野 (via Uchino) from Fuji Kyūkō Line Fujiyoshida Station and drop off the bus at Shiki-no-Mori Oshino Kōen bus stop. You have immediate access to the Museum from there.
d) Take buses bound for Fujiyoshida Station or Kawaguchiko Station (not via Zentana 膳棚 (Oshino Hakkai 忍野八海)) from JR Mishima Station and drop off the bus at Oshino Iriguchi 忍野入口 bus stop. The museum is 10 minutes walk from the bus stop. But if you take buses via Zentana, drop off the bus at Shiki-no-Mori Oshino Kōen bus stop. You have immediate access to the Museum from there.
BUS TIMETABLE(Fujikyū Bus) (Japanese version only) Shiki-no-Mori Oshino Kōen bus stop is between Oshino Iriguchi and Omiyabashi お宮橋 / Zentana (Oshino Hakkai).
・ Fujiyoshida Station - Oshino Hakkai - Uchino
・ Mishima Station - Gotemba Station - (Yamanakako / Oshino Hakkai) - Fujiyoshida Station - Fujikyūhighland - Kawaguchiko station

■View View Mt.Fuji from Lake Motosu on Google My Maps

■Reference data
新旧お札・逆さ富士の不思議 on "地域探検！ナビィシティー" (Japanese version only)

Climbing Mt.Fuji

Do you remember what I said to you about the climbing condition in the Southern Alps the other day? I heard, this year, there are a lot of snow on climbing routes in the vicinity of the summit of Mt.Fuji, too. Therefore, though Yamabiraki 山開き ceremony will be held today, Yoshidaguchi Trail 吉田口登山道 is permitted (to climb) only up to 8 1/2th Station(8.5合目)and three climbing routes in Shizuoka Pref are also under the similar conditions. According to newspapers, the concerned people are removing snow and, as early as today early evening, you would be able to start to climb up to the summit on the Yoshidaguchi trail, but full-opening of the other three is nowhere in sight.

■INFORMATION
・Fuji Visitor Center
・Climbing Mount Fuji on "japan-guide.com"
・Climbing Mount Fuji: Guide for Getting Lost in Japan on "The Gray's in Japan"

■EDIT (July 1, 2009)
Right now (at noon July 1st), you can climb up to the summit of Mt.Fuji on the Yoshidaguchi trail due to removing snow, but the other three routes in Shizuoka Pref remain shut down in the vicinity of the summit and, because descent routes (from the summit to the 5th station) remains shut down due to potential avalanches, the climbing (ascent) route will be used as descent route FTTB.

■EDIT2 (July 5, 2009)
- Information -
・Mt.Fuji Navi (Lodge / Access Map / Traffic Information)
- Closure Areas-
・Yoshida(-guchi) Trail : the descent route from the summit to the 5th station (the ascent route will be used as descent route FTTB)
・Fujinomiya Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 8th station to the summit
・Gotenba Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 6th station to the summit
・Subashiri Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 5th station to the summit

■EDIT3 (July 8, 2009)
From today at noon, the blocked descent route on Yoshida(-guchi) Trail has been opened.
- Closure Areas-
・Fujinomiya Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 8th station to the summit
・Gotenba Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 6th station to the summit
・Subashiri Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 5th station to the summit

■EDIT4 (July 9, 2009)
Tomorrow (July 10 at 0:00 A.M.), all of the blocked route on Subashiri Trail and the blocked route from 8th to 9th station on Fujinomiya Trail will be opened.
- Closure Areas- (July 10 or later)
・Fujinomiya Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 9th station to the summit
・Gotenba Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 6th station to the summit

■EDIT5 (July 10, 2009)
- Information -
・Mount Fuji Guide (Mt.Fuji News (update) / Travel / Event / Forum etc )
- Closure Areas- (July 10 or later)
・Fujinomiya Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 9th station to the summit
・Gotenba Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 6th station to the summit

■EDIT6 (July 13, 2009)
Tomorrow (July 14 at 0:00 A.M.), all of the blocked route on Fujinomiya Trail will be opened.
- Closure Areas- (July 14 or later)
・Gotenba Trail : All along the ascent & descent routes from the 6th station to the summit

■EDIT7 (July 17, 2009)
Today (at noon on July 17), all of the blocked route on Gotenba Trail will be opened.

■EDIT8 (July 25, 2009)
How to apply the climbing mountain certificate of Mt. Fuji (Yamanashi Prefecture Tourist Association)

* If you'd like to get the up-to-date information, please refer to Fuji Visitor Center.

WARNING! Although the rainy season has been over in Kanto region, Yamanashi & Nagano, the weather conditions have still continued to be poor. When climbing, you have to put on the appropriate clothes and carry the proper equipments. Please beware of your physical condition & the weather.

Osamu Dazai

Today's topic is about an author who have been associated with Yamanashi, Osamu Dazai 太宰治(1909-48). This year we've had and will have centennial celebrations of Dazai's birth in various places of Yamanashi.
from wikipedia

Dazai is famous for his novels, "No Longer Human (人間失格 Ningen Shikkaku)", "The Setting Sun (斜陽 Shayō)", "Run, Melos! (走れメロス Hashire Merosu)"...etc. He who was born in Aomori Prefecture in 1909 and at his puberty got the idea of being a author, went up to Tokyo and then sat at feet of Masuji Ibuse 井伏鱒二. In 1939, he married Michiko Ishihara with whom he'd had a marriage meeting in the previous year through the intermediation of Ibuse and, though for a short time, he lived in Kofu where there were Michiko's parents' home. In his works that he wrote at this time, "Several scenery of Mt. Fuji (富嶽百景 Fugaku Hyakkei)" is popular. After that, he migrated from Yamanashi to Mitaka in Tokyo, but, every time he had a chance, he went on a visit to Yumura Onsen(hot springs) and so on in Yamanashi. He and his family moved to Kofu after Bombing of Tokyo in March 1945. Furthermore, as one misfortune followed another, they were bombed out by the airborne attack at Kofu in July of that year. In 1948, he committed suicide together with his mistress, Tomie Yamazaki.

View Osamu Dazai 太宰治 and Yamanashi on Google My Maps (You can find events and spots associated with Dazai)

***** Reference data *****
・Kofu city's site on centennial celebrations of Dazai's birth
・The sightseeing guide's site of Kofu city on Dazai
・The article of Yamanashi nichinichi shimbun news paper on centennial celebrations of Dazai's birth
・Wikipedia's articles associated with Dazai

EDIT
Photo collection　"Osamu Dazai in Yamanashi Pref 山梨県の太宰治" on "flickr", shot by Datsu (You can see Tengajaya 天下茶屋 where Dazai wrote "Several scenery of Mt. Fuji", Mt.Fuji's view from there, a stone monument located on the place of his now-defunct house, Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Literature...etc)

AJISAI flower

Shot at my garden

Ajisai あじさい 紫陽花(hydrangeas) are flowers, which please our eyes, in rainy season. And just today, the Meteorological Agency announced that rainy season had started in Yamanashi prefecture.

I'll introduce some beauty spots in Yamanashi.

***** Nanbu Hydrangea Festival 南部あじさい祭り *****
The festa is held at Utsubuna Kōen (Park) うつぶな公園 in middle & late June every year in Nanbu-chō 南部町. This year it'll be held from June 13 to 22 . We'll see 70 species & about 25 thousand blooms, brought up by volunteers. The admission fee is 200 yen (Showing the ticket, you can be admitted as many times as you wish during the festa. / Middle school age and under are free of charge). Shuttle buses will run between Utsubuna Station and the park from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sat & Sun only（June 13，14，20，21).
View 南部あじさい祭り Hydrangea Festival in Nanbu-cho on YOUTUBE, shot by Yamanashi "Home of Mt.Fuji" Sightseeing Net 富士の国やまなし観光ネット
The blog : Minobu Hatsu 身延発　by Taku Taichō 拓隊長 (Japanese version only) shows various kinds of Hydrangea at Utsubuna Park. According to Taku Taichō, the flowers are in the early half-bloom stage right now.

***** Myōhōji temple 妙法寺 (in Masuho-chō 増穂町) *****
The temple has been called "Ajisai Dera (hydrangea temple)" as a term of endearment and we'll be able to see 20 thousand blooms at the peak of their beauty in the temple grounds. Every year, Ajisai Festa is held at the temple. This year, it'll be scheduled for from June 27 to July 5. Something like an admission fee, which is called "Ajisai administrative & raising cost", is 200 yen.
View Ajisai Festival at Komurosan-Myōhōji 小室山妙法寺あじさい祭り on YOUTUBE, shot by Yamanashi "Home of Mt.Fuji" Sightseeing Net 富士の国やまなし観光ネット

***** Hōkōji temple 放光寺 *****
The temple is in Enzan, Kōshū city and famous as the temple of flower. This year the best time to see the flowers will be from middle June. The admission fee is Adult : 300 yen / Child (elementary school student) : 100 yen.
The site of visitor center in the city

***** Keitokuin temple 景徳院 *****
The temple is in Yamato-cho, Kōshū city. This year the best time to see the flowers will be from early July.
The site of visitor center in the city

View Ajisai map on Google My Maps

EDIT
***** Tenjōyama Ajisai Kōen 天上山あじさい公園 *****
About 100 thousand ajisai flowers will bloom along walking trails at the top of Tenjōyama(otherwise known as Mt. Kachi Kachi) from middle July to middle August. You can reach the mountain's top by riding a ropeway from the east shores of Lake Kawaguchi. One way cost of the ropeway for adult is 400yen, for children is 200 yen. The round-trip cost for adult is 700 yen, for children is 350 yen. The operating hours : 9：00～17：20 (in summer season)*Operating hours vary seasonally.　On a sunny day, you may be able to see Mt.Fuji from there.
・The brochure of Lake Kawaguchiko Mt. Tenjo Ropeway (PDF)
View Hydrangea of heavens mountain (Tenjōyama) promenade 天上山遊歩道のアジサイ on YOUTUBE, shot by Yamanashi "Home of Mt.Fuji" Sightseeing Net 富士の国やまなし観光ネット

- PHOTOS on the web -
・"Mt.Fuji, Yamanashi kachi-kachiyama ropeway" taken by miwa**, on Flickr
・"Frozen Fuji" taken by thoth037, on Flickr
・"Fuji-yama with Clouds, an Infrared View" taken by aeschylus18917, on Flickr
・"Kawaguchiko" taken by art.reyu, on Flickr