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nicolaocoffeeandsandwich · 8 months

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#coffee #sandwich #fruit sandwich #kusatsu city #shiga prefecture #espresso #cafe #lunch

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city-cost · 1 year

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Evenings in Kusatsu Onsen, 2017.

The hot spring in Gunma Prefecture, central Japan, recently ranked top in a list of the best 100 hot springs in Japan.

https://www.city-cost.com/blogs/City-Cost/G6ay3-features_kusatsu_machi_gunma

#japanese culture #japan travel #onsen #places #hell yeah japan #winter wonderland #romantic japan #romantic destinations #japantrip #mood #japan pics #japan photography #asia #moody #nighttime

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maigeiko · 2 years

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Geisha exist all over Japan...

Geisha exist all around Japan, not only in Kyoto!

Notes: -> If a city/district is crossed out, that means the Hanamachi is defunct. -> If there is no city listed under a prefecture name, that means I don’t know of any cities in that prefecture that have or had Hanamachi -> Hyperlinks lead to entries on this blog tagged with that specific city -> The content you see here is undergoing changes, since there is always a possibility that I find more informations 1: Hokkaido region 1. Hokkaido Asahikawa 旭川 Hakodate 函館 (Yunokawa onsen) Muroran 室蘭 Otaru 小樽 Sapporo 札幌 2-7: Tohoku region 2. Aomori Aomori (Asamushi onsen 浅虫温温泉) Hachinohe 八戸 3. Iwate Hanamaki onsen 花巻温泉 Oshu (Isawa onsen 石和温泉) Kamaishi 釜石 Morioka 盛岡 4. Miyagi Sendai 仙台 5. Akita Akita 秋田 Yuzawa 湯沢 6. Yamagata Sakata 酒田 Tsuruoka 鶴岡 Yamagata 山形 7. Fukushima Aizuwakamatsu 会津若松 (Higashiyama onsen) Fukushima 福島 Nihonmatsu 二本松 (Dake onsen) 8-14: Kanto region 8. Ibaraki Mito 水戸 9. Tochigi Nasu onsen 那須温泉 Oyama 大山 Utsunomiya 宇都宮 10. Gunma Ikaho 伊香保 Kusatsu 草津 Maebashi 前橋 Minakami 水上 Sarugakyo onsen 猿ヶ京温泉 Takasaki 高崎 11. Saitama 12. Chiba Kisarazu 木更津 13. Tokyo Rokkagai: Akasaka 赤坂 Asakusa 浅草 Kagurazaka 神楽坂 Mukojima 向島 Shinbashi 新橋 Yoshi-cho 芳町 Outside the Rokkagai: Hachioji 八王子 Maruyama-cho 円山町 Otsuka 大塚 Shinagawa (Oi 大井/Omori 大森) - formerly known as Konnyaku-jima 蒟蒻島 Famous Hanamachi: Fukagawa 深川 Yanagibashi 矢作橋 Yushima tenjin 湯島天神 Other Hanamachi: Araki-cho 荒木町 Dogenzaka 道玄坂 Fujimi-cho 富士見町 Gotanda 五反田 Hakusan 白山 Himono-cho 檜物町 Kobusho 講武所 Nihonbashi 日本橋 Shiba 芝 Shibaura 芝浦 Shintomi-cho 新富町 Shitaya 下谷 Yoshiwara 吉原 14. Kanagawa Atsugi 厚木 (Iiyama onsen) Hakone 箱根 Kamakura 鎌倉 Yokohama 横浜 Yugawara onsen 湯河原温泉 15-23: Chubu region 15. Niigata Nagaoka Onsen 長岡温泉 Niigata 新潟 Shibata 新発田 (Tsukioka onsen 月岡温泉 ) Jôetsu (Takada 高田) Yuzawa 湯沢 16. Toyama Himi 氷見 Asahi 朝日 (Tomari-cho) 17. Ishikawa Kanazawa 金沢 Kaga (Yamanaka onsen 山中温泉) Katayamazu Onsen 片山津温泉 18. Fukui Awara Onsen 芦原温泉 Fukui 福井 Obama 小浜 19. Yamanishi Kofu 甲府 20. Nagano Kamiyamada togura 上山田戸倉 Suwa (Kamisuwa Onsen 上諏訪) Yudanaka Onsen 湯田中温泉 21. Gifu Gero Onsen 下呂温泉 Gifu 岐阜 Takayama 高山 22. Shizuoka Atami 熱海 Fujinomia 富士宮 Hamamatsu 浜松 Ito Onsen 伊東 Izunokuni (Izunagaoka Onsen 伊豆長岡) Shimoda 下田 (Izushimoda Onsen) Shizuoka 静岡 23. Aichi Anjo 安城 Gamagori 蒲郡 (Mitani Onsen) Hotei 布袋 Inuyama 犬山 Kochino 古知野 Kônan 江南 Nagoya 名古屋 Toyota (Asuke 足助) 24-30: Kansai region 24. Mie 25. Shiga Hikone 彦桹 Otsu 大津 26. Kyoto Kyoto 27. Osaka Osaka 大阪 Imasato 今里 28. Hyogo Arima Onsen 有馬温泉 Kinosaki 城崎 Kobe 神戸 29. Nara Nara 奈良 30. Wakayama Shingu 新宮 Shirahama 白浜 Wakayama 和歌山 31-35: Chûgoku 31. Tottori 32. Shimane Matsue 松江 (Tamatsukuri onsen 玉造温泉) 33. Okayama Obara 小原 Okayama 岡山 34. Hiroshima 35. Yamaguchi 36-39: Shikoku region 36. Tokushima Komatsushima 小松島 Tokushima 徳島 37. Kagawa Kotohira 琴平 Takamatsu 高松 38. Ehime Matsuyama (Dogo onsen 道後温泉) 39. Kochi Kochi 高知 40-47 Kyushu region 40. Fukuoka Fukuoka 福岡 Kurume 久留米 Tenjin-ka 天神下 41. Saga Takeo 武雄 Ureshino Onsen 嬉野 (tag exists but tumblr doesn’t recognise it - therefore a “search” link) 42. Nagasaki Nagasaki 長崎 43. Kumamoto Kumamoto 熊本 44. Oita Beppu onsen 別府 45. Miyazaki 46. Kagoshima Kagoshima 鹿児島 47. Okinawa

#MG

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japan-tourists-spots · 5 months

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Best Time to Visit in Japan to See the Seasonal Attractions

Japan is a stunning place to visit all year round; the seasonal attractions are most enjoyable during particular periods of the year. The ideal times to visit Japan to experience each season are broken out here:

Enjoy the reading:

Spring (March-May)

Japan is a popular travel destination in the spring when cherry blossoms abound. The duration of the cherry blossom season varies based on the locale, although it usually lasts for two weeks. Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are a few of the greatest locations in Japan to view cherry blossoms.

Other seasonal attractions that you might take advantage of are:

Shibazakura, also known as moss phlox, are pink and white flowers that bloom in patterns resembling carpets. Japan's top locations to view Shibazakura are Hitachi Seaside Park and Fuji Five Lakes.

Nezumisha, also known as rattail grass, is a kind of grass that, in the spring, takes on a silvery white hue. Japan's top locations for nezumiha viewing are Enoshima Island and Mihama Beach.

Summer (June-August)

In Japan, summer is a hot and muggy season, but it's also a time for lots of festivals and festivities. In Japan, the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and the Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo are two of the most well-known summer festivities.

Summertime in Japan is a great time to visit for various outdoor activities, including swimming, bicycling, and hiking, in addition to festivals. The Okinawa beaches and the Japanese Alps are two of the top locations in Japan for summertime outdoor sports.

Autumn (September-November)

Fall is another well-liked season to go to Japan because of the changing foliage, which turns the nation's landscape into a vibrant mosaic of red, orange, and yellow. The duration of the fall foliage season varies based on the location, although it usually lasts for two months. The Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) in Kyoto and Nikko National Park are two of the greatest locations in Japan to view fall foliage.

You may take advantage of additional seasonal attractions like:

Fall festivals, or matsuri, are celebrated across Japan. Two notable ones are the Jidai Matsuri and the Takayama Matsuri.

Hot springs, or onsen, In Japan, onsen is a well-liked means of rest and renewal. The chilly autumn months are the best time to visit. Hakone and Kusatsu boast some of Japan's top onsen.

Winter (December-February)

In Japan, winter is a chilly and snowy season, but it's also a time for many winter sports and pastimes. In Japan, snowboarding and skiing are two of the most popular winter activities. Hakuba Valley and Niseko are two of the greatest locations in Japan for winter sports enthusiasts.

You can enjoy other seasonal attractions, such as:

Illuminations: Throughout the winter, a lot of Japanese towns and cities have lighting festivals. The Osaka Hikari Renaissance and the Caretta Shiodome lighting in Tokyo are two of the most well-liked lighting events in Japan.

Snow festivals: During the winter, Japan has several snow festivals, such as the Yokote Kamakura Festival and the Sapporo Snow Festival.

Conclusion

In the end, we can say that the country has a lot to offer everyone, from its dynamic cities and welcoming populace to its breathtaking terrain and rich cultural heritage. Looking for the best Japan tourists spots? You can connect with us here, and you will get the best guide.

#places to visit in Japan #Japan itinerary #holidays to Japan #Japan tourism #Japan travel #Japan tourists spots

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mybeingthere · 2 years

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"Shinichi Sawada was born in 1982, in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. After several years at a special school, he was transferred to a boarding school in the city of Kusatsu where he was diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder. At the boarding school, he began attending a pottery workshop. In 2001 the head of the workshop arranged for the construction of a small cabin located in a remote area a few kilometres from the main building. It is in that secluded spot, in complete quiet, that Shinichi Sawada produces his sculptures.

He fires his pieces in a large earthen kiln that is lit just twice a year. As a result, his sculptures acquire a natural sheen and a distinctive reddish-brown colour, lighter or darker depending on the flames. Then he places them on shelves in his own self-made studio that he visits only twice a week. His works are studded with many spikes that invest the pieces – demons, monsters or masks? – with a fanciful and at the same time frightening beauty.

The artist unhurriedly fashions each spike and attaches them one after another to the bodies of his sculptures. It is still not clear whether Sawada is following some image that has already formed in his mind, but the way he works – at a calm, measured pace, without hesitant pauses – suggests that he has a clear idea of what the finished piece should look like. He manages to complete even large sculptures in four or five days. Perhaps his works are allusions to ancient civilizations, such as the Jōmon culture. Perhaps these fantastic beings are the product of a personal mythology inspired by protagonists of age-old Japanese legends: beasts, ghosts, spirits.

His work has something in common with the masks of the Noh theatre, manga characters and African tribal art."Shinichi Sawada. Images from the Depths of the Mind from the collection of the Outsider Art Museum (Amsterdam, Netherlands).

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kokiafans · 1 year

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KOKIA in flashback - 2008

We have made it to 2008, the year of KOKIA's 10th anniversary! She celebrates this milestone and her new-found independence accordingly with multiple (!) new albums: the anniversary album The VOICE (with a Japanese and European release), the album Fairy Dance which she records in Ireland, and Christmas gift, a Christmas album (with once again a Japanese and European release). We also get the complete collection 1998-1999, gathering all her songs from her Ponyo Canyon era.

She also returns to Europe, this time performing not only in Paris, but also Brussels, Belgium. She draws 1,800 people to her performances in France, expanding her scope there.

At the end of the year, she travels to the United States for her Music Gift project, where she hands out 10,000 copies of the single Music Gift by herself dressed as Santa in New York City, in memoriam of the 9/11 attacks. She includes a new version of remember the kiss on this; Remember the kiss (dedicated to "New" NY).

◆ Lives and events ◆

February 16 ＋0°C snow music festival 08 (Niigata, Tôkamachi, Echigo-Tsumari gathering hall Kinare) ※ Charity event for recovery after the Chûetsu offshore earthquake

February 23-24 KOKIA Live in Naeba Prince white notes Vol.2 (Naeba Prince Hotel Chatelaine)

【KOKIA European Tour 2008】 March 22 - Best-of, Paris, La Mutalité March 23 - VIP, Paris, Café de la Danse March 25 - Intime, Brussels, Le Botanique

【KOKIA The VOICE~10th Anniversary concert】 April 11 - Osaka, Osaka Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan, arts hall April 16 - Tokyo, Tokyo International Forum Hall C

April 21 20th peach blossom viewing festival (Niigata, Kariwamura 2nd gymnasium) ※ 2 performances in 1 day

May 11 Sakae Minami music festival '08 (Aichi, Yaba Park)

June 28 (July 13/August 16/September 14/September 15) Afternoon tea party with KOKIA (Tokyo, Club PASONA Omotesando) ※ Event exclusive for members of the KOKIA fan club, club ancoro. 5 tea parties in total

July 12 KOKIA special concert in Ario Nishiarai (Tokyo, Ario Nishiarai) ※ 2 performances in 1 day

July 26 Gion Kashiwazaki festival fireworks stage ~restoration support concert~ (Minatomachi beachside park, sunset dome)

August 2 SURFSIDE RADIO '08 in Fukuma beach (Fukuoka, Fukuma beach SURF SIDE CLUB) ※ Live recording broadcasted by CROSS FM

August 3 Marinoa City Fukuoka presents FM Fukuoka Summer Special ~Summer Mari '08~! (Marinoa City Fukuoka) ※ Live recording broadcasted by FM FUKUOKA

September 27 Fairy Dance~KOKIA meets Ireland~ (Roppongi STB139 Sweet Basil) ※ 2 performances in 1 day

September 28 Troubadour LIVE for TENSEI (Tokyo, Katsushika Symphony Hills) ※ charity concert to help Tensei Iwata, who is battling a disease called idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy)

October 4 TOKYO Music Marathon music festival in Tokyo International Forum supported by Victor 80th anniversary (Tokyo International Forum Hall C)

October 13 KOKIA Special Live in Ario Soga (Chiba, Ario Soga) ※ 2 performances in 1 day

November 2 Azabu University festival 2008~KOKIA concert (Kanagawa, Azabu University)

November 8 Ritsumeikan University School Festival UK with JP~2 way love special screening after the presentation, KOKIA LIVE & TALK (Shiga, Ritsumeikan University Biwako Kusatsu Campus)

November 16 KOKIA Christmas gift Concert 2008 (Tokyo, Dai-ichi Seimei Hall) ※ Extra performance on November 20

November 21 My Space cafe presents at Spuma escala party vol.2 (Shibuya Spuma)

November 30 LOVE FM AIR-STAGE World AIDS day Fukuoka (Fukuoka, Tenjin IMS, IMS Plaza) ※ Live performance broadcasted by LOVE FM

December 15 Apple Store Shibuya in-store live (Apple Store Shibuya)

December 23 Uta no Chikara tour '08 ('The power of song') (Fukuoka, Gate's 7)

December 24 ZIP-FM Xmas Square KOKIA LIVE (Aichi, SUNSHINE SAKAE) ※ Live performance broadcast ZIP-FM

December 25 Uta no chikara tour '08 ('The power of song') (Annex Hall of The Museum of Kyoto)

December 26 KOKIA Kokoro no akari live ('light in the heart') (Annex Hall of The Museum of Kyoto)

◆ Releases ◆

February 20 Release of original album The VOICE (Victor Entertainment and others) ※ CD to commemorate her 10th anniversary. Simultaneous relesae in Japan, Europe and Asia.

July 16 Release of concert DVD The VOICE 10th anniversary concert (Victor Entertainment)

September 24 Release of the album Fairy Dance ~KOKIA meet Ireland recorded in Ireland (Victor Entertainment) ※ First album recorded overseas

October 22 Release of the French edition of Christmas gift (Wasabi Records)

October 22 Release of the French edition KOKIA COLLECTION (Wasabi Records) ※ Collection box of 3 albums: Christmas gift, The VOICE and aigakikoeru (listen for the love) (French edition for each). The French release of Christmas gift is ahead of the Japanese release.

November 12 Release of Christmas album Christmas Gift (Victor Entertainment) ※ First Christmas Album

December 3 iTunes Store exclusive distribution of the EP Love Tears (Victor Entertainment) Mini album with 4 songs, including Arigatou... (from KOKIA 2007) ('Thank you...') and Watashi ni dekiru koto ('the things I can do').

◆ Other releases ◆

January 23 Release of the single Tatta hitotsu no omoi ('Only one thought') (Marvelous Entertainment) ※ Opening theme of the animated TV series GUNSLINGER GIRL - IL TEATRINO-

September 17 Release of best-of album KOKIA complete collection 1998-1999 (Ponyo Canyon) ※Album collecting the best of from her Ponyo Canyon era.

◆ Books ◆

April 11 Release of the KOKIA 10th anniversary book KOKIA 10th memorial book ※ Lavish memorial book talking about her 10 years as KOKIA and half her life as Akiko Yoshida. Includes a DVD with bonus footage and her first directed movie, Ojiichan no chuuripu ('Grandpa's tulips').

◆ Other ◆

May 27~ Sang the main song for the 'promise version' of the TV commercial for Mitsuya Cider

Fiscal year of 2008 Winner of the Ningenryoku taishou ('Grand prize of social grace') Won due to the song Watashi ni dekiru koto ('the things I can do'), created to encourage people struck by disaster

December 9 Appearance in the Nippon TV national network series Dare mo shiranai nakeru uta (songs no-one knows that make you cry') ※ Episode introducing and self-accompanied piano performance of Watashi ni dekiru koto ('the things I can do')

December MUSC GIFT project Handed out copies herself in New York of her CD MUSIC GIFT, including Remember the kiss~dedicated to "New" NY, the song that she initially wrote after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and recorded anew in New York with the choir from the New York church

The album The VOICE wins the Domestic World/New Age Award at the ADLIB sponsored ADLIB Awards 2008

◆ Videos with links to watch ◆

Opening theme Tatta hitotsu no omoi ('just one thought') for the 2008 series GUNSLINGER GIRL -IL TEATRINO-

#KOKIA #25 years of kokia in flashback

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azflashjp · 2 years

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【ゆるキャラ】ふくちゃん（滋賀県、草津市社会福祉協議会）

頭に乗っているのは、草津市の花・アオバナ。

"Fuku-chan" Kusatsu city in Shiga.

#japan #green #yuruchara #kigurumi #mascot #costume #滋賀県 #草津市 #ふくちゃん #社協 #ゆるキャラ #着ぐるみ #マスコット #ご当地キャラ

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prismatranslates-cue · 7 months

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Bath Lovers Club (Honoka/Yuuki/Rie)

Honoka: It’s time for us to begin.

Rie: Indeed, the hour has arrived. Come, let us choose the path of destiny we shall walk!

Yuuki: Me first, me first! From Ooita Prefecture, I nominate “Beppu Onsen Water”! It’s the bestest for relaxing after an exhausting day!

Rie: Hmph, an interesting move… As for myself, I bring “Noboribetsu Onsen Water”! It confers resistance against frigid climes, as befits waters from the depths of Hokkaido!

Yuuki: Noboribetsu, huh...what about you, Honoka?

Honoka: Today, I want to try this! “Kusatsu Onsen Water” from Gunma Prefecture! It works wonders for your skin!

Yuuki: Alright then. How shall we settle this?

Honoka: It’s all about which effect we need the most, right? And my skin needs this Kusatsu water!

Rie: No way! Surely this Noboribetsu water from the north is superior! What even is the point if you are not warming your body in the warmest waters that boil through even the coldest lands?

Yuuki: If you care about warming up then Beppu water would be even better!

Honoka: But skincare!

Rie: But warmth!

Yuuki: But relaxation!

Honoka: We’re just going in circles like this…

Rie: Yeah...and we’ll get in trouble if we don’t go get in the bath soon.

Yuuki: We’re the only ones left who need to take a bath today.

Honoka: Okay, I know!

Honoka: Noboribetsu is way up north, Beppu is way down south, and Kusatsu is right in between. So why don’t we meet in the middle, and go with Kusatsu Onsen Water!

Rie: And why should we “meet in the middle” like that?!

Yuuki: This is tyranny!!

Honoka: Look, we need to hurry up and get in, so let’s just go with mine for today!

Rie: Ugh, fine...

Yuuki: You win today, but tomorrow it’s mine and Rie’s turn, you hear?

Honoka: Sure, sure~

Honoka leaves.

After a moment, Honoka comes back.

Yuuki: Huh? Something up?

Rie: Did you add your onsen water that fast?

Honoka: Someone already emptied out the bath!!

Fin

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Notes

Beppu, Noboribetsu, and Kusatsu are all cities known for their natural hot springs. Hot springs are believed to have different effects depending on the characteristics of the water such as temperature, acidity, and dissolved minerals.

Yuuki's comment about her Beppu onsen water also being superior for warming up is likely based on the area having the famous "Hells of Beppu", hot springs known for their extreme near-boiling temperatures (and other unique characteristics).

#CUE #Honoka Tsukii #Rie Maruyama #Yuuki Tendo #Link Story #Tsukii Honoka #Maruyama Rie #Tendo Yuuki #QC by Budder #QC by Shiku

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wendellcapili · 8 months

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30 years ago, i became a japan ministry of education (monbusho) research scholar at the university of tokyo (todai) department of comparative literature and culture (1993-1995). i took classes in the literatures and cultures of the edo, meiji, taisho, early showa, and postwar periods. in nihongo. God knows how i got through these courses. simultaneously, i was studying for a diploma in japanese language, culture, and affairs at todai’s international centre in hongo. meanwhile, i was living in todai mitaka ryo, west of the city centre. i was changing trains four times early in the morning and another four times in the afternoon and early evening. but i managed to be selected as the foreign student representative to todai mitaka ryo’s student council, the meguro chapter of unesco in japan, and japan’s olympic center. when it got colder, on certain weekends, i was skiing with other todai students in kusatsu, in gunma prefecture. I was working out in the gym four times weekly and jogged 8-10 kilometers daily. i was young, driven, and very determined. seriously.

#university of tokyo #universityoftokyokomaba #todai #todaikomaba #tokyo #japan

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kawajiiima · 2 years

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Kusatsu Hotel

I went to Kusatsu City in Gunma prefecture. Kusatsu is famous for its hot spring. I’ve been there for the first time with my parents and my sister’s family. I stayed at Kusatsu hotel, which was built more than 100 years ago. Because of its age, we can hear the sound from the next room. However, the dinner and breakfast have never been better in the last several years for me. The room charge was expensive, but I am satisfied with the hotel’s quality.

#Kusatsu #hotspring #travel #gunma #family

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spst-haru · 2 years

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[ 花色水面］ . . . 花の妖精たちが彩る静かな庭園の池。 . . . ==================== 📷 2022.07 Kusatsu City Aquatic Botanical Garden Mizunomori, Kusatsu, Shiga . Canon EOS Kiss M2 💠🍃💠🍃💠🍃💠🍃💠 ==================== . . . #japan #shiga #kusatsucityaquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori #aquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori #kusatsucityaquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_hanakagenoike #kusatsucityaquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_hanakagepond #aquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_hanakagenoike #aquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_hanakagepond #kusatsucityaquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_waterlily #kusatsucityaquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_suiren #aquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_waterlily #aquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_suiren #kusatsucityaquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_santacruzwaterlily #aquaticbotanicalgardenmizunomori_santacruzwaterlily #滋賀 #草津市立水生植物公園みずの森 #水生植物公園みずの森 #草津市立水生植物公園みずの森_花影の池 #水生植物公園みずの森_花影の池 #草津市立水生植物公園みずの森_睡蓮 #水生植物公園みずの森_睡蓮 #草津市立水生植物公園みずの森_パラグアイオニバス #水生植物公園みずの森_パラグアイオニバス #水の妖精が咲く #water_fairy_blooms #花が咲く庭園 #flowers_bloom_in_the_garden #花色水面 #flower_colored_waters_surface #canoneoskissm2 (草津市立水生植物公園みずの森) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChsO-sGPM9H/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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tofu-sennine · 3 years

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#Japanese spring #hot spring #kusatsu onsen #kusatsu spring #kusatsu city #hotel

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redsamuraiii · 4 years

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What I meant when I say I want to live in Japan.

I do not mean the bustling mega city of Tokyo or any other big cities in Japan. I mean the slower pace of life in the countryside in a small town. I remember exploring Shiga Prefecture on my last few days of my trip, wanting to experience the average everyday life of a small town of Kusatsu and Hikone where there isn’t any tourists. It’s not entirely rural but it’s not entirely urbanized like Tokyo either. It’s perfectly balanced between modernity and nature. You don’t have to farm your own food in your backyard but you have the basic necessities of some provision shops, small and less crowded shopping malls, bookstores, cafes and the lake, mountain and grassland is within walking or cycling distance.

What I observed there is that they hardly touch their phones, much less glue to it when they walk around like those living in the city. They’re really in the moment, talking to their friends, cycling alone saying hello to passer-by or even drinking coffee while reading a book in a cafe or chit-chatting with no phone or lap top in sight. They’re not particular about your occupation, whether you’re highly paid or doing something glamorous. To them, work is just part of their lives and not all of it. They have something to look forward to everyday after work and appreciate the simple things in life. The problem with living in the city is that you’re never satisfied with everything you have as you have the urge to want more and more, making yourself unhappy and stressed.

When the pandemic is over, I hope to discover more of the less traveled path in Japan, visiting and staying at the small towns and countryside which is why I am learning Japanese to enable me to have a simple conversation with the locals when I travel. I remember talking to a young barista who was keen in learning in English that she took the opportunity to talk to me in simple English while I was struggling to read the menu in Japanese just to order a coffee. Her English isn’t perfect but it’s comprehensible and understandable to put two and two together, which is more than I can say about my proficiency in Japanese! I may be able to know what to say to them but I may not be able to understand what they say in return! (Still got a long way to go!)

#japan #rural japan #japan city #tokyo #osaka #hikone #kusatsu #living in japan #marie kondo

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zoneplex · 3 years

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