punch

the punch, what I made!

hot spring

the all to the hot spring. the outer hot spring.

the Autumn leaves.

another outer hot spring, which you can rental it.

the hot spring.

HINA dolls

March the third is commonly referred to as MOMO NO SEKKU. It is on this day that families in Japan celebrate HINA MATSURI, the Doll festival, to pray for the happiness and healthy development of girls in each household.
The focus of the event is annual display of HINA dolls. There is a traditional Japanese belief that, by touching the dolls, all illness and bad luck will be transferred to them. The appearance of HINA Dolls was heavily influenced by the glamorous fashions and lifestyle of the Imperial court of around 1000 years ago.
On the top shelf are a male doll called OBINA and a female doll called MEBINA. Based on the appearance of an aristocratic couple, they are the focal point of the display.
On the second shelf , there are three female attendants. They are the ladies-in-waiting who take care of the aristocratic couple.
On the third shelf down, there are five musicians. Playing a number of instruments, they provide entertainment at banquets.
On most displays, pieces of miniature furniture are placed alongside the dolls.

Some HINA accessories belong to the descendants of the TOKUGAWA SHOGUN. Even though they are tiny, they are made from the same materials as their real-life equivalents,using the same techniques.

The lacquered box decorated in the maki-e style contains a number of make-up tools. This pair of scissors is about the size of fingertip.

The miniature calligraphy set was made in the hope that the daughters of the family would become well-educated young ladies.

The Origins of HINA dolls date back 1000 years, to the HEIAN period. Young girls in aristocratic households played with tiny dolls made of paper or cloth, called HINA. It is though that the celebration of the Doll Festival as we know it today began several centuries later,when the ancient custom of playing with HINA Dolls, merged with a seasonal purification event of Chinese origin.

In the 19th century, the Dolls festival also caught on among ordinary towns people. Some is a makeshift HINA-Dolls display using a chest of drawers. Over times, the number of display shelves increased and the decorations became more and more extravagant.

The pleasure shown by a young gril viewing HINA Dolls brings joy to her whole family. HINA Matsuri , the Dolls Festival, is a tarditional custom that strengthens bonds within each family.

tsukemono

pickles are deeply embedded in the lives of the Japanese to the extent that Japan is sometimes called a "pickle superpower" Japanese pickles, TUSKEMONO, are made by pickling the ingredients , primarily vegetables, in salt or other seasonings. they are usually quite salty. Many different types of vegetables an be grown in japan. the country is surrounded by the ocean, which means that salt has always been available in abundance. TUKEMONO made using salt were developed as a means to effectively preserve vegetables. rice is Japan's staple food. ti is rich in nutrition but relatively simple in flavours. TUKEMONO provide a perfect complement to it, and it tremendous range came to be produced. the seasonings and methods of pickling. these tukemono were pickled in sake lees.
The distinctive aroma and flavour of the alcohol are evident. Here are UTKEMONO picked in soy sauce. their rich, mellow, salty favour goes well with rice. Some TUKEMONO were pickled in mustard. they have a spicy kick! and this is NUKAZUKE arguably the most popular type of TUKEMONO. NUKAZUKE are made by packing seasonal vegetables in NUKADOKO, a bed of rice bran. the basic ingredient of NUKADOKO is rice bran , a by-product of rice polishing, salt, water and other ingredients are added, and the mixture is fermented. small pieces of vegetable are packed into the mixture. thy are removed the next day and replaced with new pieces, this is repeated daily for a week or so; then the NUKADO is ready.
you can now pack any vegetables of your choice into the NUKADOKO and leave them overnight to create mild - flavored TUKEMONO with a fresh salad-like appeal. If the vegetables are left for several days, further fermentation occurs and the TUKEMONO deepen in flavour. you can use the NUKADOKO over and over , so long as it is well tended. for this reason, NUKADOKO can be passed down from generation to generation , and the TUKOMONO made in it may very well take a favour this is unique to that house hold. the prevent the growth of mould, it should be mixed from the bottom up once a day, everyday, it modern times, the Japanese diet has become heavily influenced by western foods, but rice and TUKEMOMO remain an integral part of the menu.

masks

an extensive array of masks, some representing deities, others animals... here is a grinning face. and here's a scary -looking fox. Japanese masks are very diverse. masks play an important role in festivals. since ancient times, people in japan have be lived in a multitude of different deities. and festivals feature various deities as characters; people act out these roles wearing masks.
these characters delivering delightful dance moves are called HYOTTOKO and OKAME. they are familiar faces at some festival, which has been celebrated since around 17th century. HYOTTOKO is often regarded as a good of fire. His twisted mouth symbolizes him blowing on the fire to make it burn even more. And the plump female deity is OKAME, she is said to be a goddess of the arts who brings good fortune.

Masks become richly expressive the moment people put them on and begin preforming. This man is wearing a mask of DAIKOKUTEN, a god who brings wealth. With flowing hand ans arm movements, the wearer brings the mask to life. Japan's many deities have diverse powers. By wearing masks of various gods at festivals, people can assume their roles and dispense their respective blessings.

Another context in which masks play a major part is NOU Theatre.NOU is a performing art which uses dance to express the full range of human emotions. With minimal, high-precision movements, an actor conveys subtle shifts in mental state. Many female masks are used in NOU, Young women, fearsome crones, pure celestial maidens.

There are more than 20 kinds, each made for a specific character type. It is the NOU mask-makers who endow the masks with amazing expressiveness. the most difficult part of colouring a mask is harmonizing the light skin tone and the stark black lines of the eyes and hair. To achieve this, Indian ink is mixed aged soot. to give a deep , aged look to the mask , pigments that have been aged for three or four years are used, and several coats are applied over a period of one week, while using additional materials like soot for shading. bye employing a whole gamut of subtle techniques of this kind, an artisan breathes lift into a mask.

From festival masks to those used in performing arts... there are literally so many faces to japan masks.

Ink Bruses

A calligrapher slides his ink brush across a white sheet of paper. With these fluid brush strokes, various characters are formed some bold, others gentle. Ink brushes are essential for calligraphy, the art of stylized writing.

Common writing tools in Japan, they're simple objects, usually made from animal hair bundled together and fixed to a shaft. In Japan, there is a tradition called KAKIZOME- literally"first writing "which is observed at the beginning of the year. People express their new year's resolutions or prayers in calligraphic form. This has been a part of Japanese life for centuries.

Brushes are thought to have been invented 3000 years ago in China. They were introduced to Japan around the 6th century, along with China's writing system. During the 8th century, many Buddhist texts were brought from China to Japan,Japanese monks copied them copiously to absorb Buddhist teachings. around the 10th century, some of the Chinese KANJI characterise were simplified and evolved shape of writing brushes improved. Brush tips were lengthened, facilitating the writing of KANA that were suppler and slenderer.

Let's visit a workshop to see how brushes are made. the tips of calligraphy brushes are usually made from a mix of hair of various types and length . Each tip is specifically blended to achieve the desired effect.

the first task of brush- making is to choose and inspect the various types of animal hair to be used. During this process, the hairs are divided into groups, depending on which part of the brush they will be used for. any damaged hairs are scrupulously removed, leaving only those in perfect condition. Hairs of different groups are then mixed together, and irregular hairs are weeded out. this process it repeated until all the hairs are perfectly aligned. particular care is given to those at the very tip, so that users can execute subtle movements like sweeping strokes and sharp upward finishes. including the meticulous work of this nature, it takes from 10 days to a month to produce a beautiful ink brush.

the ink brush -making techniques are now being adapted for different uses, these are cosmetic brushes. Japanese cosmetic brushes are popular not only in japan but overseas as well. the hallmark of these brushes is the smoothness of the hairs against the skin. japan's traditional brush-making skills know no bounds. they are finding new applications which are spreading around the world.

Mt FUJI

At 3776 metres, Mt Fuji is Japan's highest mountain, and the Japanese have felt a deep affinity with it since ancient times. Its shape is the result of repeated volcanic eruptions, which began around 100,000 years ago.
Mt Fuji, a symbol of Japan, is well known worldwide. The appearance of the mountain varies constantly according to the changing seasons and even the passage of time during the course of a day.

the reasons for this are related to Mt Fuji's location and its conical shape, sweeping upward unbroken from the coastal plain. Moisture-laden winds blowing off the ocean hit the side of the mountain and are forced upwards, creating many different shapes of clouds.

For example, clouds look like a giant bamboo hat are known as KASAGUMO, literally"bamboo hat clouds". And some phenomenon,which can be seen when the sun comes up from behind the summit of the mountain, is called "Diamond FUJI". Against the sunlight, the silhouette of the mountain stands out very clearly. The appearance of Mt FUJI keeps changing , yet it remains awesome and beautiful at all times. Mt FUJI has been an object of worship for centuries. countless numbers of people have dreamed of climbing it at least once in their lifetime. In the early 19th century, some people unable to make the pilgrimage to the mountain would sometimes create a miniature version of Mt FUJI called FUJIZUKA, literally"mound FUJI"in an area close to where they lived. these mounds served as substitutes for the real thing. Mt FUJI has also been the subject of many paintings and poems.

KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI, who lived during the late EDO period, created a series of wood block prints depicting scenes including the mountain in a wide range of compositions. It is called 36 view of Mt FUJI. This is one of HOKUSAI's masterpieces, RED FUJI. It is thought that the artist managed to capture a very brief moment when Mt FUJI, bathed in the early morning sun, glows red. This is another well-known print in the series. HOKUSAI created a great sense of depth by contrasting the large barrel frame with the tiny peak of mt FUJI, that can be seen through it. From time immemorial, Mt FUJI has been etched into Japanese hearts as an everlasting presence. The beautiful mountain is really like a mother to the Japanese.

hot spring for feet

the entrance of hot spring for feet. where you sat.

and the water is hot. of course.

shrine

where you wash your hand and heart(imaging) here. explain the shrine :

the entrance.

sign

the red one is very beautiful. and the sign is lovely!

SANJYU NO TO

the SANJYU　NO TOU
this the top of it.

and look it again.

the cat!

a lovely cat! she looks at me!

and look far.

well, tired?

mountain

restaurant

the restaurant's inside, a silent place. the KAKEJIKU what I have introduced before

hot spring

the entrance of hot spring.

the hall gallery.

the plate which written as "hot spring", as a a fact , it means: the big path...

the hall which covered with TATAMI.

the entrance of hot spring for women.