Iwate Prefecture: Jodogahama, Rikuchu Coastline National Park

Sunrise at Jodogahama (浄土ヶ浜) beach, a scenic beauty along the Rikuchu Kaigan (Rikuchu Coastline) National Park in Iwate Prefecture. It is famous for its white pebble beaches and jagged rock formations. I visited this place back in 1987. This area was amongst some of the worst hit by the 311 earthquake and tsunami along the coast of Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures.

Anything Uniquely Japan

Taru Coffee Canister on sale at Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo (Jun 2019)

This is modelled after the traditional Komodaru sake barrel used in celebratory events.

Paper sleeve for spoon (Jun 2019)
Will be much appreciated by those who like to place their fork & spoon on tissues rather than directly on tabletop.

Automated underground bicycle parking system at Kyoto station (Aug 2017)
Understand that Singapore was piloting a similar system at Kampung Admiralty in 2017.

Priority Elevator for the elderly, expecting mother, child in stroller & handicap

@ Osaka station (Sep 2017)

Tempura Rice Burger @ Lotteria, Kyoto Station (2 Sep 2017)

Highly-addictive Limited Edition Butter-flavoured Chips

X-L size Vending Machines

Karuizawa: Shiraito Falls, Nagano Prefecture, Nov 2011

Shiraito Falls, Karuizawa

(Panaoramic view above is a combination of 3 photos)

Shiraito Falls (白糸の滝), Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

We visited Shiraito Falls on our 2^nd trip to Karuizawa in November 2011.  Our first trip to Karuizawa was spent skiing at Prince resort, one of the ski resorts which is nearest to Tokyo. The popular resort town of Karuizawa is located in the east of Nagano, just a little over an hour away from Tokyo by bullet train.  It is a resort area well frequented by Japan’s imperial family in summer.

There are 2 different waterfalls in Japan by the name of Shi-ra-ito (“white threads”) - one in Karuizawa and the other, south-west of Mt Fuji near Fujinomiya in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Shiraito Falls in Karuizawa is a beautiful curtain of water of only 3-meter high, but is amazingly spread out over a 70-meter wide arch.  Just by standing in front of the Falls gives you a surround and calming effect.  The Falls has its source from the ground water of nearby Mt Asama, which spills out of the rock surfaces, making the flowing water appears like fine white threads from which the Falls gets its name. The area is also popular for its maple trees in autumn and for its abundance of wild vegetables in spring.

The Falls is a 5-minute leisurely walk from the car park along the road – ideal for those who are not able to trek long distance into the wild to view waterfalls.  You should not miss this magnificent Falls if you are in Karuizawa.  There is a sign near the Falls warning hikers of bears in the area and the advisory is for trekkers to make noise e.g. switch on their radio, talk amongst themselves, if they trek into the forested area away from the Falls.  Bears are said to be afraid of noises.


Smaller cascading waterfalls along the stream leading to Shiraito Falls

Stream leading to Shiraito Falls



Mt Asama is 2,568 m high. It is Japan’s highest triple-cratered active volcano situated on the boundary between Nagano and Gunma prefectures.

Video of Shiraito Falls:

Charcoal Grilled Iwana Fish (River Trout)

Mount Fuji: Oshino Hakkai (忍野八海) + Masu-no-ie Inn

I spend my holiday in Tokyo every year with my family.  During our holiday there in December 2012, our getaway from Tokyo was Oshino town, the main objectives being to experience staying in a 200-year old thatched-roof inn “Masu-no-Ie” and exploring nearby Oshino Hakkai.  It was a memorable breakaway from Tokyo. We enjoyed the nature and relaxed pace there as well as the magnificent views of Mt Fuji.

Oshino Hakkai

Oshino town is located in the Fuji Five Lake region in Yamanashi Prefecture.  The key tourist attraction at Oshino town is the picturesque eight-spring ponds - Hakkai (literal translation is “Eight Seas”).  The melting snow and rainwater of nearby Mt Fuji filters down the mountain through porous layers of lava beds and emerges as crystal-clear spring water in these ponds.  The photos below show one of the bigger ponds – the Naka-ike (Central Pond).  You can find trouts (masu), chars (iwana) and grass carps swimming amongst the water plants in the pond.




The Naka-ike, the central attraction of Oshino Hakkai

The souvenir and retail shops are strategically located such that access to the Naka-ike can only be made via these shops. The must-try snacks are the freshly-roasted senbei, grilled mochi (rice cake) with red bean paste fillings and the macha ice-cream. 

Senbei (rice cracker) store that roasts senbei on the spot



Kami-no-Mizu (Sacred Water)

Next to the Naka-ike, visitors can drink the “Kami-no-Mizu” (translated as sacred water) from these 3 “dragon” taps.

The site has been designated as one of the 100 best water sites in Japan due to the abundance of quality water as well as the scenic views of the ponds and Mt Fuji.



Lunch at Ikemoto Teahouse at Oshino Hakkai



Grilled Iwana 



We enjoyed our lunch of Yamakake Soba noodles and grilled iwana (char) at the Ikemoto Teahouse which has a table that directly overlook one of the ponds – see photos above and left. The soba is made from buckwheat flour milled daily using the water wheel – see photos below.  The Yamakake Soba is actually soba in soup topped with freshly-grated nagaimo (mountain yam).  The soba is firm and the nagaimo topping is creamy.      



Water wheel-powered milling machine that churns out the buck-wheat flour to make soba

Masu-no-Ie Inn

We put up at Masu-no-Ie for a night. The inn is run by a grandmother, Hitoko Osada in her 70s, her eldest son and daughter-in-law. Hitoko opened the inn with her late husband in 1966. 

Masu-no-Ie: a 200-year old thatched-roof inn in Oshino with a magnificent view of Mt Fuji

It was a pleasure strolling around the inn’s compound which comprises sprawling garden with ponds, spanning about 2 hectares. The inn, the water wheel hut and the pond with Mt Fuji in the background, is a must-see spot in Oshino. See photos below. Awesome views right ? Many visitors to Oshino Hakkai are also drawn to Masu-no-Ie because of these picturesque sites. The inn is only about 10 to 15 minutes leisurely walk from the Naka-ike if you walk by the stream.
  

 Trout Farm at Masu-no-Ie

 

Common sight in Oshino - bright orange corn hanged out to dry 

 

 

Dinner at the inn was excellent, comprising farmed trouts served in various ways - as sashimi, deep fried and grilled with salt, rice fried with nozawana, and grandma Hitoko's pickled cucumbers.

A night stay at the inn cost 8,500 yen per person and includes a good breakfast and dinner.  Note that payment is by cash only and reservation has to be made via phone call.  For more information on the inn, you can go to www.afp.co.jp/Masunoie.

Getting There From Tokyo

From the Shinjuku Express Bus Terminal, you can take the Keio bus (Fuji Kyuko) which brings you all the way to Oshino Hakkai.  It takes about 2 hour (no toilet break) and cost 1,755 yen per person (one way) with purchase of 4 tickets.  Alternatively, you can take the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station to Otsuki (about 1 hour), then take the Fujikyu Otsuki line to Fujisan Station (about 50 minutes). From the station you can take a taxi or the Fujikyu bus to Oshino Hakkai bus stop.

Taking the Keio bus is easier and a lower cost option, but it may be more interesting to take the train and you can get to see more of the countryside. If you choose to take the train, you might want to take the Keio line (Shinjuku Keio station) to Takaosan-guchi station and then change to JR Chuo line from Takao to Otsuki station.  Train fare on the Keio line is lower than that on JR.  I took the Keio bus to Oshino but returned to Tokyo via train.

Fujikyu Otsuki line starting from Fujisan station

It was a pleasant surprise to find that the train cabins were painted colourfully both inside and outside with the “Thomas Train” theme

Useful Links

http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/scenic/mtfuji/fuji_02.html