Spreading the charms of Japan to the world from Fukui

Language

Blog

%1

My must-have items for trips

2017.05.16

Travel

When I went to Miyako Island last month, I carried a microbead neck pillow for the first time. Although I have a blow-up pillow, actually that is a bother to use for me.

 

Of course, if you just let out the air of it, you can fold it compactly, but for women,
when they put air into it, their lipstick put on the blowing part and I guess they
feel uncomfortable with it. So do I and I looked for a microbead neck pillow because
it seems like the soft feel is nice to sleep on my way.

 

And I found someone who bought one for 324 yen in Daiso (100 yen shop) on the internet.
So I went to the nearest Daiso and found one.
MUJI’s neck cushion costs 1,900 yen so I think the Daiso one was a good deal.

 

It was not that fashionable but I need functionality than how it looks as it is an item for trips.
The pillow can be fastened by a hook but you don’t have to do that while using.
If you fasten it, it might be too tight for your neck ;)
I carry it in a cloth bag.(It is 108 yen in another 100 yen shop Seria)

 

I was afraid it was too much to carry but it was so light and didn’t bother me.
If you worry about misplacing it, you should attach it with a ring to your bag.

 

I usually sleep on a plane and the neck pillow is useful as I don’t get a stiff neck when
I use it. When you read, it is good as well. I am sure it’s useful for a train trip.

 

Besides that, I always carry sunglasses, an eye mask and earplugs.
If you cannot sleep at night because of a noise or something, you should use them.
About sunglasses, even in autumn or winter, when it’s sunny and you drive, they are necessary.

 

Ultraviolet rays cause damages to your eyes. And wearing sunglasses protects from getting wrinkles around the eyes too.

 

When you buy sunglasses, you should choose one with tinted glasses and low ultraviolet transmittance. Dark color lenses weary the eyes, so they are not recommended.

 

It seems there are many more useful items and I wish all of us to have a pleasant trip using them. (H.S)

 

Black-tailed gull on the Echizen Coast|At pike rocks and café Mare 2017.5.12

2017.05.15

Places to visit

 

A lot of black-tailed gulls were flying over the pike rocks on the Echizen Coast.
The pike rocks are a tiny island which rock pillars were piled up characteristically like
Tojimbo Cliffs. On the top of the rocks, Fudo Myoo is enshrined and you can get there on foot.

 

At the café Mare, where is located in the slightly south of the pike rocks, if you go the length of a wooden deck which is extended toward the sea, you can see black-tailed gulls sitting on a rock. They look about the size of a pigeon but when I see it flying near, surprisingly it is big. Its wings are over one meter when it spreads ones.

T.S

 

Related pages

Map of the pike rocks

cafe Mare

Cherry Blossom Trees along Asuwa River in Fukui, Japan

2017.05.14

Places to visit

Did you get to see the cherry blossoms this year? How was it in your town?

In Fukui City, the cherry blossoms started being in full bloom from around April 4th for about 10days. The city looks as if it has been decorated beautifully by pink cotton candy and it was amazing.

The row of cherry blossoms trees by Asuwa River which flows through Fukui City has about 600 trees and it’s 2.2km long. According to Fukui Tourism Guide, “Walk along Asuwa River and Enjoy Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom” (http://www.fuku-e.com/010_spot/index.php?id=514) that Asuwa river is listed among “Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots”. The trees are large and they look powerful so this pathway is known as one of the largest one in Japan.
There are many visitors enjoying the site every year.
If you have a chance, how about visiting and enjoying the cherry blossoms along Asuwa River.

 

T.F

Multi-tenant buildings in the daytime

2017.05.09

Life in Fukui

Although I can’t deny the facts that the multi-tenant buildings can spoil the sight, there are possibilities of fire and/or there might be some security problems, it is interesting for me to watch them. I would like to show you the photographs of the multi-tenant buildings which I took during the daytime in downtown in Fukui City.

 

雑居ビルの袖看板

Right outside of the old bar on the top floor, there is a side signboard of the building I sometimes go. I didn’t know that there are other interesting bars and restaurants in this building. A room, bar or restaurant for fortune telling is in the building which makes the building mysterious.

 

This building is very old but the small blackboards in front of the building show they are still in business.

 

These are not the multi-tenant buildings, they are just old buildings. Above the third floor, it seems no one is there but there are people on the first and second floor. I think I like the scenery that such old buildings like these have been active.

T.S

Spiritual Trip to Miyako Island, Okinawa #2

2017.05.02

Travel

The next day, I went to Atsumama Utaki first.
It is near by the town’s main street and worshipped as a god of learning.
Shinto rituals such as bumper crop festival are held there.

 

Next, finally I head off to a mysterious(?) spiritual spot where is not generally known.
It is a stone garden of Mr. Sadakichi Shinjo. He already passed away but I’ve heard there is a person who is taking care of the garden. I arrived, said hello at the door and a woman came out of the house and gave me a guide map of the garden. Admission is 200 yen.

 

As I stepped inside the garden, it was like a nature trail rathan than a stone garden and
had an appearance like a jungle. Also, there is a grass space called a circle. You can see
huge stones which Shinjo digged up all alone more than thirty years here and there.

 

The garden is quite large and there are paths going deep into a forest, so I saw only part of it. Even so, it was a strange place as if I have wandered into another dimension. It seems some people feel powerful magnetic field energy there but I felt nothing.

 

I stopped by the door again when I was leaving there, and the woman I met earlier made me hold a coral fossil. And she put her hands above the fossil. After a period of time, my hands came to feel warm under the fossil. Then, she told me “The fossil energy entered your inside of the body”. I didn’t realize at that time but I didn’t feel sleepy and tired that day after all. But it wasn’t too nervous to sleep and I could have a good sleep.

 

After I saw the garden, I went to a museum, a tropical garden and headed off to Kurima
Island in the afternoon. Kurima Island and Miyako Island are connected by Kurima Bridge.
As I crossed the bridge, the beauty of the sea leaves me speechless. In the island,
there are nice cafes and variety goods shops. Of course, there are beautiful beaches.
It is an attractive island. And I found out that Kurima Island was also a power spot
along Ogami Island after I returned to Fukui. I suppose Miyako Island chose power spots for my trip this time. (H.S)

 


Mr. Shinjo’s stone garden. There are stones more than 560.
He digged up such many stones all alone.
It may be that his faith gives the “power”.

 


In fact, bougainvaillea’s flowers are the three small white parts and
the red parts like petals are flower bract.

 


Hibiscus with such color is pretty too.

 


Dragon fruit-flavored soft-service ice cream

 


There was a goat in Kurima Island. It is female named “Kirari”.
In Okinawa, there is a custom that they eat goats on celebratory occasions
and some people raise goats for the reason.
But I think Kirari will keep alive because she is kept to attract tourists.

 


I bought a plate of Okinawan pottery. Every time I come to Okinawa, I buy one by one.
I always look forward to buying ones.

 


Okinawan liquor, awamori “Tuyumya” only available in Miyako Island in a Ryukyu glass.

 


Grilled Miyako beef skewers. It’s very good, of course!

 

A quiet beach Nagama-hama in Kurima Island. (taken on Apr. 15th around 16:30 1'02")
You see people who are snorkeling in the sea.
The beach is known that you can snorkel and see beautiful sunsets.
Few people are there and you can relax just looking into the sea.

Pages