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Ryuso-ga-taki waterfall in Fukui Prefecture – One of the best 100 waterfalls in Japan

2016.07.31

Places to visit

The waterfall is located deep in a side road away from the main road in Ikeda Town,
Fukui Prefecture. As you come near to the waterfall, you can find it makes a roaring
sound made by the powerful falling water. It was chosen as one of the best 100 waterfalls
in Japan, which is the only one in Fukui Prefecture.

 

Usually waterfalls have legends, and also about the waterfall like many others, it is said that an ascetic monk called Ryusobou used to live nearby, and a dragon used to live in the waterfall basin and climb into the sky going up the waterfall.

 

Indeed, it is a mysterious and secluded spot.
It’s nice to have a passing thought about a legend at such a cool waterfall in the hot summer, isn’t it? It seems to be beautiful in autumn also, when the leaves change color.

 

On the way to the waterfall, there is a narrow section so please drive with care.
You can park on the road just before the waterfall and there is another parking space
after passing it. (H.S)

 


The contrast between lush green of the trees and the waterfall which water flow freely is beautiful.

 


As you go down a few stairs, the waterfall basin is right there. I touched the water and it was cold and so refreshing!

 


It would not be an exaggeration to say that the symbol of Ikeda is this “Kazura(Vine) Bridge”. I hear that it is a little scary to cross it.

 


Flowers by the roadside near the Kazura Bridge. I feel immediately at ease. As I was walking around Ikeda, I felt nostalgic somehow. Maybe it’s because original scenery of Japan still remains there.

A pottery studio that swallows rear their young

2016.07.28

Nature plants and animals

I visited the pottery studio of Kazunobu Maeda, who is an Echizen-yaki pottery artist,
to take photographs and interview today.
There, I found a parental swallow conveying food busily and its baby birds waiting for it,
which is not to say that I found them usual under the eaves, they were inside the studio.
It seems like an ordinary scene to Mr. Maeda who is working everyday there.

 

Mr. Maeda, making pottery diligently very close to the swallows.
T.S

 

Kyoto Aquarium / Dolphin Show Part-2

2016.07.27

Kyoto and Nara

During visiting Kyoto, how about having fun and soothing time with cute dolphins

at Kyoto Aquarium? It is approximately 15-min. walk or, 8-min. ride on a bus, taxi or

car from Kyoto station.

You can see many sea animals including many kinds of fish, jelly fish, crabs

and everything in between in the large fish tank all over the wall in the aquarium.

Beside the sea animals, you can also enjoy the dolphin shows.

 

This is a part of the dolphin show.

You can see cute dolphins jumping, swimming and making cute gestures. Please enjoy!

 

Please see below for more information

Kyoto Official Website

Access Map for Kyoto Aquarium

GEN Staff Blog Kyoto Aquarium / Dolphing Show Part-1

 

 

T.F

Belgium-France-Canada co-production movie “Kokoro” filmed in Oki Islands in Shimane Prefecture

2016.07.26

Movies

A French friend of mine mentioned about the movie in her recent e-mail.
I hear that the movie is based on a French novel “Le Coeur régulier” published in 2010
and it is a Belguim-France-Canada co-production.
In the movie, a Japanese great actor Jun Kunimura plays one of the main characters.

 

The movie was shot in four countries and the scenes in Japan were shot in April last year.
The location is the cliffs called Sekiheki(Red cliffs) in Oki Islands, Shimane Prefecture.
In fact, in the original, it was set in Tojinbo Cliffs in Fukui Prefecture, but they didn’t give permission to film due to its story.
So the staff went location hunting all over Japan and found the cliffs in Oki Islands.

 

The novel is based on a true story, which is about a former police officer who has rescued
people commit suicide by jumping from the Tojinbo cliffs.
The model is Yukio Shige, who is called “Mister Please Wait”.
If the Japanese translation publishes in the future, I would like to read it.

 

The movie has already released in France but will be released in Japan next year
and it also may be shown in some film festivals.
I am looking forward to seeing the movie in Japan. (H.S)

 

“Tree Picnic Adventure IKEDA” is a place filled with smiles

2016.07.25

Places to visit

 We just visited “Tree Picnic Adventure IKEDA” in Ikeda-cho in Fukui Prefecture.

 

We looked the adventure park over beforehand for a video shooting in September.

 As a former climber, I became very excited seeing all these activities

and wanted to try them myself.

 

キッズコース

The course for children in the adventure park area is only for children (the participants must be taller than 110cm and ones' weight must be lighter than 40kg).  Instructors stay around and keep them entertained.  I found an interesting part of this area was that there were no parents keeping their eyes on their children.  Because their safety is insured with the strong wires and there are also instructors staying with them entire time during the activities, parents feel safe leaving their children and they can enjoy participating their own activities.

 

 

Another course called “Discovery Course” is more challenging, located at a higher place from the ground than the other one and it is for older ones (the participants must be taller than 140cm and the ones’ weight must be lighter than 100kg). The course is much longer than the other one and there are 38 exciting activities.  The climbing wall which has walls that keep moving around looked a bit difficult.  

 

“Mega Zipline” is one of the symbol activites at the “Tree Picnic Adventure”.

Hanging from the wire and sliding down over the woods looks so refreshing.

The participants looked nervous before sliding down, but by the time they reached the goal, they were smiling.

Speaking of which, all of the participants at every activity had big smiles on their faces.

“Adventure Boat” is a river rafting with a boat for four people.  There is a ramped part at the start spot and it looked a bit scary, but they still had smiles on their faces.

There were stylish signs standing in the park.

 There were statues of owls, dogs, lesser pandas and everything in between animals.  The owl in the picture above was placed on the way to the “Mega Zipline”.  Half of this statue is bare wood and looks like Cubism art.

　

 

 

T.S

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