One of my friends from Europe said.

The Oki Islands encompass four inhabited and many uninhabited islands located in the Sea of Japan 40-80 km north of Shimane Peninsula. Although they are isolated islands with poor transportation, they are very famous in Japanese history.

The Oki islands used to be a location of remote islands for the exile of nobles (Sometimes even the emperor! ) and government officials. They are mentioned in many of our history textbooks.
Nowadays, the islands are famous not only for their history even for their nature, they’re designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
You can enjoy the stunning view which includes the impressive rocky cliff coastline.

Today, let’s take a quick look at the natural beauty of the area.

1. Mount Akahage (アカハゲ山, Akahage-yama)  in Chiburijima (知夫里島)  .

Chiburijima is the smallest of the 4 major islands in the Oki Islands. It is said that this observatory is the only one in the Oki Islands where you can see the four main islands.

I felt like I arrived in some faraway European Country.

2 Sekiheki (赤壁), a sea-cliff composed of red rock, in Chiburijima (知夫里島)  .

The cliffs are 200 meters at their highest point and were originally a part of a volcano.
Volcanic eruptions and subsequent erosion have created this impressive landscape on the Oki island.

3  Chichi-sugi(岩倉の乳房杉),  Japanese Cedar, in Okinoshima(隠岐の島)  .

Okinoshima is the largest of the 4 major islands in the Oki Islands. This tree is about 800 years old and it’s a sacred tree and an object of worship.

4  Dangyo-no-taki (壇鏡の滝, Dangyo Waterfalls, in Okinoshima(隠岐の島)  .

In this waterfall where you can enjoy the mysterious sight of delicate water spilling down from a circular skylight.

It looks like a mist shower！
The water from this waterfall is one of the listed “100 famous natural water sources in Japan”. it is said that there are many long-lived people on this island because of it’s high-quality water.

The post Let me introduce the Amazing scenery on the Oki Islands UNESCO Global Geopark. appeared first on Trip Planner Japan.

It is located in northern Fukushima, in the Tohoku Region,  with an elevation of 800 m above sea level.
About 3-hour drive from Tokyo Metropolitan Area, 4 hours and a half by Highway Bus from Shinjuku(Tokyo).

The area has mountains, a group of lakes, rich flowing wetlands,  a clean river, and hot springs.
Because of the cold winters, you can also enjoy great skiing on powder snow.

Despite all these tourist resources, Urabandai is still not widely known by foreigners compare to Niseko, popular ski resort in Hokkaido.

”Recently, skiers who are tired of Niseko have been coming to Urabandai,” said the owner of one guesthouse.

One of my American friends also said, “There are so many tourists in Niseko and I can hear English all over the place. I don’t feel like I’m in Japan！In addition, prices are very expensive!”.

I think it is likely that this place will become famous among foreign Ski enthusiasts.

However, today, I want to talk about cherry blossoms in this area, not skiing.

There are many cherry blossom viewing spots in the Inawashiro area, which is easily accessible from Urabandai.

Here, the cherry blossom season is usually about a month later than in Tokyo, and is enhanced by the view of the lake and mountains.

🌸1. Bandaisan Ranch（磐梯山牧場）

There are about 200 cherry trees (Somei-Yoshino) in the Bandaisan Ranch, and you can see the splendid cherry blossom road every spring.

The rows of cherry trees stretch for more than a kilometer, you can walk for more than ten minutes enjoying the flowers.

You can see the view of Mt.Bandai , which is listed on the 100 famous mountains in Japan.

On the other side of the mountain, you can see Lake Inawashiro, Japan’s 4th largest lake.

Rows of cherry trees are common in Japan, but cherry blossom trees with a view of the mountains and lake are kind of rare.

⇒ See detail

🌸2. Sakura-touge（桜峠）

More than 3,000 cherry trees are located on this mountain path. The cherry trees that bloom here are an uncommon variety of cherry trees called Oshima Sakura which has a darker pink color.

The tree planting began in 2001 to celebrate the birth of Princess Aiko to the royal family. There are about 800 trees along the Meguro River which is one of the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo, so as you can see this pass is on a very large scale.

Beyond the cherry blossoms, you can see the mountains, making it a very photogenic place.

⇒　See detail.

🌸3. Kannonji River Cherry Trees（観音寺川さくら並木）

The small river is lined for about one kilometer on both sides with cherry trees (Somei-Yoshino). It is  the most famous place to see cherry blossoms in Fukushima Prefecture.

This small river curves gently to the right and left, flowing quietly with clear water in its natural state without any bank protection work.

It is my opinion that cherry blossom photos are more beautiful with the addition of greenery.

🌸4. Hanitsu Jinja（土津神社）

The shrine honors Aizu’s first feudal lord, Masayuki Hoshina, built in 1675.

This area was controlled by the Aizu clan during the Edo period. Who were defeated by the new government forces in the civil war at the end of the Edo period.
The shrine building was  lost at that time, but was later rebuilt in 1880.

Masayuki is the half-brother of the third shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a historical figure who is respected for his intelligence and other qualities.

This shrine is known for its autumn leaves and cherry blossoms. You can also visit the graveyard of the Matsudaira（=Tokugawa) family, lords of the Aizu Clan.

Where to stay?

After you have enjoyed Cherry Blossom Viewing in Inawashiro Area, I recommend that you to stay at a nice guesthouse in front of a beautiful lake in Urabandai. The location is wonderful!

Bandai Lakeside Guesthouse is a small accommodation with a great view of Lake Sohara and Mt.Bandai.
It is the best place for canoeing, cycling, and trekking in Summer.

They have a craft beer tap in their dining room. You can enjoy a tasty beer after your outdoor activities.

There is a spectacular observatory within walking distance of this guesthouse.

・　Urabandai tourism official website.

The post Let’s Go to Lake District of Japan ”URABANDAI” and Enjoy Cherry Blossom Viewing! appeared first on Trip Planner Japan.

He was a master of the craft who ruled over the architectural world of the Showa Era, and was referred to as “The Kenzo Tange of the East, and Togo Murano of the West”.

The Nissay Theatre in Hibiya Tokyo, often mentioned as one of Murano’s masterpieces, occasionally holds free architectural tours, so I decided to drop by.

A guide kindly explained a great deal about Murano’s nearly paranoid-level commitment to his style, so I’ll be introducing this unique architectural space while adding what I learned.

First, the entrance.

It’s rumored that some of the mountains in Spain disappeared because of the sheer amount of beautiful, white marble used. Murano was very particular about eliminating the border between the floor and the reception counter in the photo, and so it looks almost as if it has grown up from the floor.

From trash bins and stands to ash trays, nearly everything located within the theatre was originally designed by Murano.

And the red carpet of the stairs leading to the theatre floor is not actually placed on the floor, but the marble has been hollowed out and the carpet embedded. (!)

The handrail with its elegant, delicate curves, was created with the image of “a gentleman reaching out to a lady.”

One of Murano’s famed architectural pieces, the elegant spiral staircase.

Apparently, Murano was very particular about the back of this spiral staircase being perfectly smooth, and didn’t overlook even the smallest of irregularities.

If you touch it, it really is incredibly smooth, and you can almost hear the groans of the tired workers from the time it was made.

The ceiling inside the theatre is akoya pearl oyster, and the walls are glass mosaic tiles. Together they create a wide-open, dreamy space that almost makes you dizzy.

It is said that no matter how hard the skilled craftsmen worked, the task of sticking the tiny pieces of baked glass onto the wall only progressed about 10cm(3.9in) per day.

And apparently, during the final check, Murano was displeased with this corner of the theatre door marked in the photo and personally added a small accent. From the eyes of an amateur, the need for the accent is a complete mystery…

When looking at the way the chairs are aligned, perhaps a number of people feel it’s a little “insane” or “like a nightmare.”

Murano was famous as an extreme perfectionist. When taking a tour of another of his works, the Meguro Ward General Government Building, a guide said that Murano looked up at the ceiling 7 floors above himself and said “I need to move that 10cm to the right…” or something along those lines. (That eyesight is nothing to laugh at, either…!)

I asked the guide, “Weren’t there any craftsmen at the time devastated after hearing that?” to which he replied, “Well, he was a god, so…” It seems everyone at the time followed Murano unwaveringly.

The pure passion and desire to create something truly good along with an extraordinary level of perseverance created a piece of architecture which is still cherished today.

That being said, the ‘perfect’ structure originally envisioned by the master Murano has been partially altered due to unavoidable circumstances such as creating a barrier-free space, the addition of LED lighting, etc.

Although I’m not personally connected to the architecture, even I thought “Murano must be rolling over in his grave over these changes…” and felt a bit worried. If you stop by sometime, I recommend you stop and take the time to take in all the details of the building. I think it deserves to be a world heritage site.

The number of buildings left by Togo Murano is decreasing, but some remain, so if you ever travel around Japan you should definitely add them to your list of sights to see.

The post Hibiya’s “Nissay Theatre”, Designed by Showa’s ‘Architecture God’ Togo Murano appeared first on Trip Planner Japan.

Holy mountain, Mt. Fuji is also Power Spot

Kudaka is an Island of Prayer and Sacred Ritual in Okinawa.

Takuhi shrine, Shimane. This shrine is dedicated to the deity of safe sea voyages.

The post What is a “Power Spot” in Japan? It is a Kind of Travel Destination that Japanese People Really Like appeared first on Trip Planner Japan.