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The tallest castle in Japan, "Katsuyama Castle"

2015.11.30

Life in Fukui

There is “Katsuyama Castle” standing quietly and majestically under the moon light.

                         

The official name of this powerful castle is “Katsuyama Castle Museum”. 

 

It is 57.8meters tall and it is the tallest one in Japan.   

 

Tada Kiyoshi, the businessman from Katsuyama, Fukui prefecture, a founder of a taxi company  had this castle built.  

 

He also had the tallest five-storied pagoda in Japan built and the colossal Buddha of Echizen. 

 

He made a great contribution to his home town, Katsuyama, Fukui prefecture.

 

If I become rich I hope to do the same for my hometown as Mr. Tada did.

T.F

Autumn trees at a Japanese great Zen temple, Eilheiji.

2015.11.29

Places to visit

 

In the beginning of November, we visited Eiheiji temple.

 

I thought that it might be too early to see autumn leaves there because many leaves were still green.  But I felt autumn from the some autumn leaves on  the surface of the river and the moss carpet.

 

Meanwhile, there was a maple tree with flaming red leaves and the color was standing out in front of the monochrome heavy building.

 

T.S

Word of the Year 2015

2015.11.25

Charms of Japan

Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year is a pictograph
called the “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji.
Because it was the most used emoji globally in 2015.
The term “emoji” is a loanword from Japanese.
I feel that characters to express feelings are going back to hieroglyphics. (H.S)

A day trip to Kyoto, Japan. Japanese sweet factory, "Otabe", green tea and the river rafting.

2015.11.24

Kyoto and Nara

We went on a company trip to Kyoto.

 

It was pleasure getting to know our co-workers from all over Japan.

 

Everything was fun and memorable, from the MC (our co-worker) on the bus who made us laugh really hard, visiting the Japanese traditional snack factory, “Otabe”, having Japanese traditional lunch at a gorgeous hotel, Hozu-gawa river rafting in Hozu-kyo Gorge and to walking around the city.

 

The river rafting in Hozu-kyo Gorge was my first time and it became one of the most exciting experiences in this trip! I could not take my eyes off the beautiful scenes. 3 boatmen were on the boat. One of them told me that he wanted to become a fire fighter but he loves looking at people smiling. So he decided to be a boatman. To be a boatman takes time like he has experienced rowing boats for more than 10 years and he knows every location of rocks in the river.

 

The boatmen rowed the boat, entertained us with jokes, explaining us about Kyoto and Hozu-gawa river and everything throughout our river rafting which was about 2 hours!! They amazed me with their knowledge, kindness, humor and strength!!!

 

T.F

Samurai ( Japanese warrior) hairstyle, "Chonmage" (a topknot) on the old house

2015.11.23

Places to visit

A decoration looks like a “Chonmage” (a topknot) on the roof of an old house standing in the area where it looks like one of the scenes from once-upon-a-time story.

This decoration used to symbolize that residents of this place were really Samurais (Japanese warriors).

It might be a pride of Samurais who lived in the shadows in the mountain village.

I was at “Senkono Ie” in Sakai city in Fukui prefecture.

T.S

Senko-no-Ie

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