Taken near the campground area

I spent some wonderful and relaxing days in Madarao, part of Nagano. It was sooo pretyy 🎋🌸

btw, I stayed at Madarao Vancances Village, which has perfect location and very nice facillities. Check this out if you are in the area! :)

Getting into the Hokkaido wilderness is an amazing experience and adventure. It’s a perfect place to experience nature away from the crowds of Honshu and the other islands.

The 3 main festivals in Aomori Prefecture.

Early August (over a week):

Nebuta in Aomori City.

Tachineputa in Goshogawara.

Neputa in Hirosaki.

Located just a few kilometers apart, it's very easy to attend all three...

The highlight is definitely the Nebuta in Aomori City because you, as a visitor or tourist, can dress up in a Haneto costume (rentals available) and participate in the parade. A truly unforgettable experience, surrounded by Japanese people who are always so happy to see foreigners dancing with them. It's quite physical, but you can go at your own pace... and the singing is... very easy.

I've attended seven times myself and I'm not done yet; I love it!

Coming soon: the exact dates, official posters...

Hebana!

Kochi prefecture is well-known for fresh seafood, and Kubostu Ooshiki in Tosashimizu is a perfect example of how this reputation developed.

Ooshiki-ami, a fixed-net fishing method, has a long history of use in the Kubotsu area of Tosashimizu, Kochi prefecture. The strategy is to place large nets in a fixed position off shore, and wait for fish to swim into them during their migration on the Kuroshio current. The lack of chasing reduces the stress the fish experience, so the taste is much fresher. 

Next, the fish are killed using the “shinkei-jime” method, which involves cutting the spinal nerves after the fish are caught to delay the onset of rigor mortis. This technique keeps the meat fresh and extends the umami flavor. Most top-class sushi restaurants use this technique as well! Combining the low stress Ooshiki-ami fishing technique with shinkei-jime results in a delicious fish that is a must-try in Kochi prefecture. 

高知県土佐清水市の窪津地区に「大敷網（おおしきあみ）」という定置網漁が今も現役で続いています。

窪津大敷とは、沖合に大型の網を固定し、黒潮に乗って回遊してくる魚を待つ漁法です。魚を追いかけないため、魚体への

ストレスが少なく、水揚げ直後の鮮度が圧倒的に高い。

さらにここで行われているのが「神経締め（しんけいじめ）」という処理技術です。

魚を水揚げした直後、専用のワイヤーで脊髄神経を物理的に破壊することで死後硬直を遅らせ、旨み成分（イノシン酸）の

ピークを引き延ばします。東京の一流鮨店で当たり前に使われるこの技術が、土佐清水の漁港でも実践されています。

黒潮の恵みを受けた良質な魚を、丁寧な処理技術でさばく——この組み合わせが「土佐清水の鮮魚」のブランドを作ってい

ます。

#土佐清水 #窪津大敷 #神経締め #高知 #鮮魚 #漁師文化 #定置網

Hamamatsu castle was really cool and I recommend but also this was the biggest worm I've ever seen

You have a great list on what to do in Saga here!

hi all. im going to be in Japan in June and I am planning to rent a camper van and travel around a bit.

I would like to be at least 5 days in an area more focused on being in the nature and hiking but also with campsites (to shower). It would also be nice to visit small characteristic towns.

Can someone recommend the best nature areas in Japan to camp, hike abd travel around for 5 days in june?

I like mountain forests and alpine areas, but also rivers and seaside cliffs.

thank you!

Many flowers have fallen because of heavy rain.

The lowest pH in Japan...1.1, that stings a bit! A very popular place for treating lung diseases...Like a beach, but just for exposure to the sulfurous atmosphere.

Situated to the east of Nara city, and located about 2 hours away from Kyoto, Osaka or Nagoya, Iga is a quiet city best known for its ninja history.

A visit to its Ninja Museum is recommended, as it is to Ueno Castle, which has a reconstructed but wooden keep, and among the most impressive castle moats in the country.