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Mikuni Sunset Beach in Fukui Opening for the Season!

2018.06.28

Places to visit

I visited Mikuni Sunset Beach in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture. The beach will be opened for the season on July 1st. Even it was before the beach opening, it was very hot, and many people were in the water swimming.

 

I would like to introduce 3 of my favorite points of the beach.

 

 

Mikuni Sunset Beach

The sunset at the beach is one of my favorite points of the beach.
The name of the beach is “Mikuni Sunset Beach”, so literally, you can see stunning sunset there.

 

 

The sunset at Mikuni Sunset Beach

After 6 p.m., it started getting darker and cooler.
As the sun started going down, the sky turned to orange and it looked beautiful.

 

 

The sunset at Mikuni Sunset Beach

After another half an hour, the sky turned to pinkish color and then the sun went down completely.

 

It is soothing and refreshing just to keep looking at the sky and the ocean at the beach with the sound of waves.

 

 

Mikuni Yua Port

Another favorite point of Mikuni Sunset Beach is that there is a hot spring called “Mikuni Yua Port” next to the beach. Since this is not a hotel, the price is not as expensive as staying at a hotel. It is 500 yen for visitors who are 13 years of age and older, and 200 yen for the ones between 3 years old and 12 years old. There is a footbath outside of the building and it is free of charge.

 

Without making reservation, anyone can enjoy taking a bath in a hot spring. The opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., so the visitors can even enjoy the beautiful sunset and amazing hot spring at the same time.

 

It is only a 5-minute walk from Mikuni Minato Station to “Mikuni Yua Port”.

 

Address:

2-18-1 Shuku, Mikuni Town

Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture 913-0056

 

 

I’m sure that most of the people from Fukui’s favorite point of the beach is to be able to enjoy Minikuni Fireworks Festival closely there. Every August 11th there will be a splendid display of fireworks at Mikuni Sunset Beach. The video above is taken last year (August 11th, 2017). The fireworks hot directly off the water are amazing.

 

If you have a chance to visit Fukui, how about visiting Mikuni Sunset Beach?

 

T.F

The iris flowers at Daian-zenji Temple in Fukui City will be in full bloom soon

2018.06.11

Places to visit

On June 7th and 10th, I went to the Daian-zenji temple to see the iris flowers. On the morning of the 7th, the flowers were in bloom partially, but they became to bloom much more in recent 3 days. Actually, the half of the iris flowers were in bloom, and they might bloom fully in a few days.

 


June 7, 2018 (Thursday)

 


June 10, 2018 (Sunday)

 

By the way, we can also see the inside of the 350-year-old temple with this iris festival admission ticket, but it may become impossible to see that familiar old cathedral soon.
Big restoration works of the temple that will take ten years will begin next year.
T.S

 

Wearing kimono for the first time-Bhutanese family in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture

2018.05.27

Places to visit

As we introduced in our previous blog that I visited Nishiyama Park and Nishiyama Zoo with Mr. Ugen Dorji’s family.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji is studying at University of Fukui as a teacher trainee from Bhutan since around October of 2017. And at the end of March of 2018, his family arrived in Japan as well.

 

Today, I would like to introduce Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture which I visited with his family.

There are restored warrior's residences, menchant's houses and craftsman's houses which were rebuilt with some of the archaeological remains found there.

 

restored warrior's residence

They were rebuilt like the old ones as much as possible, so you can feel as if you are in the Warring States Period.

 

 

in a restored warrior's residence, Mr. Ugyen Dorji's son and wife are looking at a Japanese fence hanging from the ceiling

Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s family was curious to see what they had in the restored residences and houses.

 

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's sister looks very happy wearing kimono for the first time in her life

In the restored town, there is a place where you can try the kimono dressing experience.

 

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's sister and wife are smiling wearing kimono, his 2 years old son is ruuning in front of them with his regular clothing

Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s sister and wife were very excited to wear the kimono for the first time in their lives. The kimono which they wore that day were the ones the women from the Warring States Period would wear to special places and/or events.

They said that the kimono was heavy for them, but they enjoyed walking around the restored town with it. With the traditional kimono and the old town, they felt as if they were in Warring States Period.

 

 

Mr.Ugyen Dorji's sister and wife are sitting on the stage outside

They mentioned that the kimono which they wore that they were similar to traditional Bhutanese clothing.

 

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's sister showed me how people dance in Bhutan

His sister showed me how they dance the traditional dance with the traditional clothing in Bhutan.

 

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's wife looks very happy with big smile

We talked alot, laughed, and had a great time.

It was interesting to know that there are some similarities as much as there are differences between Bhutan and Japan. I found a big didfference between us that in Bhutan, people usually wear traditional clothes when they go to schools, a city hall or any other government offices. In Japan, although some people wear kimono for ceremonial occasions such as weddings, funeral, the New Year and so on, almost no one wears kimono or any other traditional clothes for those places on a regular basis. And one of the interesting similarities between us is that many people use smartphones, take selfies and use social networking services alot just like we do in Japan.

 

 

Mr.Ugyen Dorji's sister is having matcha green tea
Mr.Ugyen Dorji's wife is holding a matcha green tea cup with big smile

After they tried the kimono dressing experience, they had matcha green tea.

 

 

Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins sign on the street
the entrance of restored town and its prices and opening hours

Ichijodani Asakura Clan Ruins are surrounded by beautiful nature, so you can feel refreshed and learn about Japanese history at the same time. If you have a chance to come to Fukui, you must go there!

 

 

T.F

Visiting Nishiyama Park and Nishimaya Zoo in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture!

2018.05.18

Places to visit

As we introduced in our previous blog that I visited Echizen Matsushima Aquarium with Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s family.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji is studying at University of Fukui as a teacher trainee from Bhutan since around October of 2017. And at the end of March of 2018, his family arrived in Japan as well.

 

Today, I would like to introduce Nishiyama Park and Nishiyama Zoo in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture which I visited with his family.

Nishiyama Park is famous for azalea flowers.

Nishiyama Zoo is well known for lesser pandas (also called red pandas).

 

 

street in Sabae City in Fukui Prefecture

We headed for the park and the zoo after visiting Echizen Matsushima Aquarium. It takes about an hour from the aquarium to those places. It was such a beautiful day, so it was a perfect day for going for a drive as well.

 

 

a 2 years old boy from Bhutan is eating a soft serve ice cream

It was getting so hot that we needed to take a break. We stopped by Michi-no-eki Nishiyama Park (Road Station Nishiyama Park). Mr. Ugen Dorji's son had a soft-serve ice cream.

 

 

I had an Azalea flavored soft-serve ice cream. Not only the color was cute, the taste of it was very sweet and nice! (The video above was taken by a GEN staff in May of 2015)

 

In this building, there is a café and a local product shop (they sell local vegetables, lacquer wares, eyeglasses and so on). Also, there is an elevator which takes visitors to the second floor. On the second floor, there is a small bridge connected to the park and the zoo. The visitors can enjoy walking on the bridge and watching the scenery.

 

At the zoo, cute animals welcome the visitors.

 

 

black headed squirrel monkey and 2 years old boy from Bhutan

Squirrel monkeys were very active, and they kept moving around. They were so cute that we could not help watching them for a while.

 

 

red crowned cane
a Japanese 2 years old boy from Bhutan is getting excited by looking at a red crowned crane for the first time

It was the first time for Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s son to visit the zoo, and of course to see a red-crowned crane was the first time for him as well.

 

 

a lesser panda, red panda

One of the symbols of the friendly relations between Japan and China is lesser pandas (red pandas), and they are very popular at this zoo.

 

It has been about 34 years since the first lesser pandas (red pandas) were given by the Beijing Zoo in 1984. They’ve been well taken care of at Nishiyama Zoo and they’ve been also loved by many visitors.

 

 

Mr.Ugyen Dorji's son and sister are looking at azalea flowers

As we went on, we saw some beautiful azalea flowers. Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s sister loves flowers and she grows azalea flowers in Bhutan, so she was so excited to see the flowers there.

 

Nishiyama Park is famous for azalea flowers. It’s stunning when 50,000 of azalea flowers are in full bloom. It looks like a large colorful carpet. The azalea flowers are usually in full bloom in the beginning of May. It was in the end of April when we visited the park and zoo, and not every azalea was in full bloom. It was little too early for all the flowers to be in full bloom.

 

 

in front of a water fountain

There is a large lawn and a water fountain in the park as well. Some people were playing with balls, running, having picnics, taking a walk, and some people were just sitting and enjoying the beautiful weather. I saw many people of all ages at the park.

 

If you have a chance to come to Fukui, you must go to Nishiyama Park and Nishiyama Zoo in Sabae City, Fukui! I’m sure it will be a refreshing and fun experience for you.

 

T.F

Visiting Echizen Matsushima Aquarium in Fukui Prefecture!

2018.05.11

Places to visit

As we introduced in our previous blog that I visited FPDM (Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum) and Seidaiji Temple to see Echizen Daibutsu (the great Buddha of Echizen) with Mr. Ugyen Dorji and his family.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji is studying at University of Fukui as a teacher trainee from Bhutan since around October of 2017. And at the end of March of 2018, his family arrived in Japan as well.

Today, I would like to introduce the sea in Fukui and Echizen Matsushima Aquarium in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture which I visited with his family.

 

They were very excited to visit the aquarium for the first time in their lives.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's son is staring at fish in the beautiful fish tank

As soon as we entered the aquarium, his son’s eyes were glued to swimming fish. He kept staring at them.

 

Mr.Ugyen Dorji's sister is standing in front of jelly fish tanks

There is no ocean in Bhutan, so everything was new to them and they were amazed by everything they saw in the aquarium.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's sister, son, wife are looking into a fish tank
they touched a shark

There was an area where visitors can touch sea animals. They touched a shark and an octopus there.

They nervously touched the octopus and they said that it was very soft.

And they said that the skin of the shark was rough.

 

let's go to the sea

We headed to the sea after touching the sea animals.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's sister is looking at the Sea of Japan
Mr. Ugyen Dorji's sister is very happy seeing the Sea of Japan

Mr. Ugyen Dorji’s sister had seen the sea before when she visited India, but she said that the sea in Fukui is much cleaner and more beautiful.

It was the first time for his wife and son to see the sea. They were staring at the sea quietly and feeling impressed by it.

 

Mr. Ugyen Dorji's son and a girl are standing in front of the large dolphin tank
Mr. Ugyen Dorji and a girl are looking into a large dolphin tank

His son loves fish, so every time he saw dolphins and fish, he was very excited.

 

penguins are taking a walk
penguins walked into a small park

At Echizen Matsushima Aquarium, besides watching fish and touching the sea animals, you can also see dolphin performances, penguins marching out to a small park, otters eating lunch, short 3D movies and so on. If you have a chance to come to Fukui, you must go to Echizen Matsushima Aquarium!

 

T.F

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