A Grand Sumo Tournament is held once every other month.

This year, Hakuho won the January Grand Sumo Tournament and Asashoryu won the March Grand Sumo Tournament. Both are in the highest rank in Sumo, called Yokozuna. Their match-up draws the attention of people.

Asashoryu gets off to a rocky start; he lost on the first day!
You can't take your eyes off the Tournament.
Take the Sunrise Sumo Tour!

* Book Now! Sunrise Sumo Tour Tokyo Tounament

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* Hotels in and around Ryogoku

* JAPANiCAN Travel Guide - Ryogoku area

During Golden Week holidays, I went to Hitachi Seaside Park, Ibaraki for "Nemophila Harmony," a flower festival held until May 25th, 2008. 4.5 million blue nemophilas are blossoming over the "Miharashi No Oka", a hill commanding a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.

Nemophilas are annual flowers. It's a combination of two Greek words nemos (small forest) and phileo (love). It's also called baby-blue-eyes; surely, the transparent-blue flowers look like pure baby's eyes.

As it has been colder this year, the flowers are late in blooming; only a third of them opened when I went there.

Nemophilas might be their best in mid-May. I want to see them in that time, again!

Access to Hitachi Seaside Park, Ibaraki from Tokyo
[by train]
It takes about 70 mins. From JR Ueno station to Katsuta station by Express train of Joban line.

Then take the Ibaraki Kotsu Bus, and get off at the "Kaihinkoen Nishiguchi (Seaside Park West Gate)" or "Minamiguchi (South gate)" stop (about 15 minutes by bus).

[by bus]
It takes about 2 hours from Tokyo station bus terminal by Ibaraki Kotsu Bus heading toward "Tokai, Hitachinaka", and get off at the "Kaihinkoen Nishiguchi (Seaside Park West Gate)"

Umishibaura-eki is a train station on the JR Tsurumi Line in Yokohama.
It is a terminus station of Umishibaura branch line.
It's first time to visit there even it is my home town!
As you can see the photo, the one-way platform is located on the waterfront of Tokyo Bay.

The station is located on the land of the Toshiba Shibaura Factory, the principal manufacturing plant of Toshiba. Only employees of Toshiba corporation and invitee are permitted to go through the entrance gate.
But, there are a ticket disposal box and automatic ticket machine in the staion. So we can pass the ticket wicket just for form.

In this station permise, there is a small park named Umishiba Park.
From this park, we can view the Tsurumi Tsubasa Bridge and the Yokohama Bay Bridge!
While a waiting for next train leave this station, we spend a refreshing time there.

Day 2 (Sep. 3)

The ferry has arrived at Tomakomai port early afternoon. As they said, I find it rains.
I went to Toyako-lake, the town of G8 summit 2008 being held.
It also has been raining there. I decided to stop today, as they said it will be sunny tomorrow, and directed to a camping site in Niseko. After a while, I realized that I was in Iwanai, a town on the Japan Sea side. I had passed the camping site, because of rain and fog.
There is no good place to camp in around Iwanai, I go down to south. The rainy crowds have gone and it got to be night. Suddenly, a fox has crossed the road. The tire didn't hit her fortunately. You should drive slowly and be careful for animals at night. Finally I arrived at Setana, where ferry to Okushiri isle departs, set my tent up. (305km run)

Day 3 (Sep.4)
It is beautiful fine day. I drive to Hakodate. You can feel seashore near if you move clockwise. (In Japan, Left Lane Driving) I had crossed to Oshamanbe, a Pacific Ocean side town being famous of crab.

I reached to Hakodate at noon. Kaisen-don (a large rice bowl with Sashimi) and squid sashimi were my lunch. Squid is so popular in Hakodate.

I couldn't go to Mt.Hakodate. Motorcycle is prohibited and the cable car fee costs much. Anyway the town is so beautiful. It is similar as San Francisco of cliffs and sea ports.
I left Hakodate to Sapporo.

Camping in the park(Free) at Kutchan, a town below Mt.Yoteizan, a guy who has been traveling around Hokkaido for 3 months asked me, "You must have been quit your job and came to Hokkaido, haven't you?". I denied with a better smile. (472km run)

It is the souvenir from a famous rice producing area of Japan--
Tome city Miyagi-prefecture. A friend who went there for a business
trip brought it to us. It is a kind of cake with moderately sweet
anko (bean jam) between the soft rice crackers. I think it goes with not only
Japanese tea, but also coffee and tea.

The Tome city is known for a rice producing area from old times, and the
rice field that produces several kinds of Japanese rice, such as
Sasanishiki, Koshihikari and Hitomebore, extends all around there.
And a factory producing cards of Japanese digital cash is there, too
By the way, it is the hometown of famous manga artists (cartoonists):
Katsuhiro Otomo known for "AKIRA" and
Shotaro Ishinomori known for "Kamen Rider" and "Cyborg 009".
Therefore, Shotaro Ishinomori Memorial Museum is located in this area.

How to access to Tome City?
It takes two and a half hours by Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Kurikoma-Kogen Station in the Kurihara city which is about 30 minutes by car from Tome city. Or you can get off at Sendai Station, and take a highway bus for just one and a half hour to the city.

Enjoy "Rice Farming Diary - from the small rice field in Tome, Miyagi"
The rice farming process in Tome city, Miyagi in real time.

Go to Tome area page and get more sightseeing information!

When I hear "Sendai", I remember "Gyutan (cow tongue)" at first. Sendai is well known for cow tongue food ...and I'm a person who loves to eat.

I went to Sendai, Miyagi Pref. couple of weeks ago. Sendai is the largest city in Tohoku region. It takes 1 hour and 40min. from Tokyo by JR Tohoku Shinkansen "Hayate".

As soon as I arrived Sendai, I went to Gyutan restaurant right away!
I ordered a fashionable "ladies' Gyutan lunch (950 yen)".

At dinner, I ate a gorgeous "Kaisendon (bowl of rice topped with sashimi. 2,600 yen)" in Sendai station restaurant. It tasted wonderful and even a photogenic look!

There are Gyutan Street and Sushi Street restaurant rows in Sendai station. It is very convenient, especially if you don't have enough time to eat while waiting for your next train.

Our new blog "Rice Farming Diary - from the small rice field in Tome, Miyagi" started last week!

I had business activities at Tome City about fifteen years ago. One of the reporters of the blog was, at that time, in charge of study tours for the junior high school students at a town office.

Please keep watch on how delicious rice is made!

Is there anyone who missed viewing Cherry Blossoms this spring time in Tokyo or Kanto area ?
Don't be disappointed! You can still enjoy many kinds of flowers blooming more and more in this wonderful season !
As one of my recommendation, I would like to introduce you Shibazakura(Moss Pink, Mos phlox) at Hitsujiyama Park, Chichibu in Saitama prefecture which is now blooming.

Moss pink is commonly called "Shiba-zakura" in Japanese which can be translated as "lawn cherry blossoms" because they are stretching out like lawn on the ground with the beautiful pink and white colored flowers just like Cherry blossoms.

It 's just the carpet of flowers, Moss phlox of white and pink.
The area extends to about 16,500 square meters covered by several kinds of Shibazakura.
Beautiful patchwork of flowers ...!

(*) These photos were taken on May 3rd ,2006

It is quite popular, so there are many people coming especially on the weekends and National holidays(Golden Weeks.)
If you go early in the morning, there might be fewer people.

Hitsujiyama Park
Open hour : from 8:00am to 5:00pm
Addmission fee of Hitsujiyama Park : JPY 300

Shibazakura Festival on the Shibazakura Hill at Hitsujiyama Park
From Apr.4 till May 8 ,2008
Shibazakura blooming around from middle of Apr until beginning of May depending on the weather condition of the year

Access to the Hitsujiyama Park from Tokyo
It takes about 90 mins. from Seibu Ikebukuro station to Yokoze station by Tokkyu express train of Seibu Ikebukuro Line. Cheaper trains take about 2 hours.
(There are also other nearest stations such as Seibu Chichibu station (Seibu Chichibu Line) and Ohanabatake station and Chichibu station (Chichibu Railways Line))
About 30 mins walk from Yokoze Station to the Hitsujiyama Park.
You can go there in a day. It is good for hiking !

Recommendation nearby

Last rainy Sunday, I visited the peony garden next to Ueno Toshogu Shrine.
It is still slightly early to enjoy peonies but I could see some beautiful flowers.

Over 200 types peonies are planted in the calm Japanese style garden.

At the end of the garden, you can post your "Haiku"(a Japanese style short poem)

I found a heart shape strange flower!

Spring Peony Festival until May 11
Peony Garden at Ueno Toshogu Shrine
Admission for peony garden: JPY 600

Hello!
Today, I introduce you our brand new tours!
Become a Samurai, a Ninja or even an Ikebana Master, Experience the deepeness of Noh Playing! You can get a unique opportunity to immerse yourself within a deep Japanese cultural with Sunrise Tours!

Ninja and Samurai Tour    /JPY 13,900

On one-day spectacular tour, get a chance to "travel back in time" just as if you were within the center of action of a Kurosawa movie or maybe playing the counter role to Toshiro Mifune by joining this unique chance of trying on real samurai armor, ninja costumes and learning within one day demonstration and " live" personal trial the basics of traditional sword fighting or spying techniques:
in just one day, get on a clandestine operation as a true ninja master or proclaim full allegiance of service to a feudal lord. After a full lecture on everything you wish to know about the samurai and ninja world, put on your gear and get into action within the center of a decisive battle scene!

* What is Ninja?
* What is Samurai?

Noh: Traditional Japanese Theater Tour on May 23    /JPY 39,000

On May 23rd,2008, get into the deep soul of Japan through a wonderful evening journey into the Noh theater world, one of the earliest and most traditional Japanese musical and dance drama form existing unchanged since the 14th century and classified by the UNESCO as a world cultural heritage legacy.
With origins tunneling in time as far as earlier folk-type drama entertainment directly related to Shinto rituals, the Noh theater genre later appeared and blended into a unique type of play dramas composed of song and dances.
Codified and unchanged since the 14th century, Noh actors (mostly men) depict through dances and songs the human drama expressed through the severe aesthetic appearance of their masks. With this evening tour, deepen into one of the cultural "pearl" of traditional Japan and enjoy within one incredible night the exquisite ambiance of a Noh play drama at the prestigious Nogakudo stage right within the elegant Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel in Shibuya!

*What is Noh performance?

Half-day Ikebana Experience    /JPY 25,000

Within one of the most reputed school of flower arranging in Japan (Sogetsu school) adventure yourself, in one half-day, the essential of ikebana in just one morning:
the perfect culture experience plan if you are a bit tight up with the schedule of your journey or if you are definitely looking for an unforgettable moment!

With a history of more than 600 years from the teachings of a priest in Kyoto who had great capabilities in arranging flowers, ikebana, the traditional art of flower arrangement has for aim to represent in an ascetic simplicity and serenity the harmony of the universe according to a set of codified rules respecting the purity and order of natural elements.
Finding origins from a Buddhist ritual of offering flower to the spirits of the deceased, ikebana developed into a proper art appreciated within the nobility in a first time then later on among all levels of society with different schools and styles arising until today.

Ikebana is usually found decorating the toko-no-ma, or the alcove in rooms of most Japanese traditional houses. Find a harmonious deepness and serenity with yourself being one with a nature assembling a perfect balance for a memorable moment.

* What is Ikebana?

Full-day Japanese Culture Experience
   -Ikebana, Kimono & Tea Ceremony-     /JPY 30,000

The full course for a memorable immersion within culture and tradition!

A unique and rich opportunity in just one day! Very convenient if you have a tight journey schedule in Japan or if you just want to experience something different or culturally deep, this full day Japanese culture experience will allow you to seize in one grasp the three most popular traditional arts of Japan: ikebana flower arrangement, kimono wearing and the way to ritually drinking Japanese green tea in a tea ceremony.

Start first with the ikebana, flower arrangement demonstration in the morning followed
by a lunch. Experience, then, the techniques of wearing traditional kimono and enjoy
your new fashion in a real-time action by being one of the center members of a traditional tea ceremony in which you will be given a chance to understand the ceremonial greetings and methods of drinking tea unchanged since the 15th century.
Free pick-up & drop-off, lunch & English service guide included!

* What is Ikebana?