Monthly Archives: July 2008

Photo Gallery: Yamato Awa Odori 2005

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The Yamato Awa Odori is going to be held next weekend with some performances on Friday but most of the street festivities on Saturday and Sunday. I have attended this festival twice and this is a photo gallery from the first time in 2005. The Awa Odori is a very lively and fun festival so if you get a chance I highly recommend goiing to see one.

The festival is not held in Yokohama but in nearby Yamato City. From Yokohama Station it takes just 21 minutes on the Sotetsu Line. Make sure you take the train heading for Ebina though.

Train Timetable.

Fireworks in Yokohama Summer 2008

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There are going to be several fireworks displays in Yokohama this summer. Here is a list of the bigger ones starting from tomorrow.

Minato Mirai Yokohama
July 20 — 19:30 to 20:40 Launched from barges off Yamashita Park, the fireworks can best be viewed from Rinko Park, Red Brick Warehouse and Yamashita Park accessible from Minatomirai, Bashamichi and Nippon-Odori stations on the Minatomirai Line or if you don’t mind walking a little, the JR Sakuragicho Station.

Number of fireworks: 6,000

Kanagawa Shimbun, Yokohama

Aug. 1 — 19:15 to 20:30 At Rinko Park near Minatomirai Station on the Minatomirai Line.

Number of fireworks: 8,000

Tsurumi River, Yokohama

Aug. 23 — from 19:30 At Tsukuno Park near Tsurumi Station on the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line.

Number of fireworks: 1,000

Kanazawa, Yokohama

Aug. 23 — 19:00-20:00 At Umi-no-Koen (Sea Park) in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, near Umi-no-Koen Shiba-Guchi, Umi-no-Koen Minami-Guchi and Nippon-Odori stations on the Seaside Line.

Number of fireworks: 3,500

Tour of Zoorasia Video

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This a video of Zoorasia for those who want to know what they can expect of this zoo before they go or perhaps to remind themselves of what a good time they had when they were there. The video is not the best in the world and does drag on a bit but you do get to see and here what Zoorasia is like. When I was there though it was much quieter. I love to go to these places on weekdays. Anyway, thanks to Andrew Shuttleworth for making and sharing this video.

[vimeo]402059[/vimeo]

For more information about Yokohama’s Zoorasia be sure to check out our guide to Zoorasia.

Sagami Odako Matsuri

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The Sagami Giant Kite Festival is held in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture during golden week. It is usually held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 5th and 6th. O-Dako loosely translates as large kite. There are many kite festivals held throughout Japan but this is one of the more spectacular ones.

You will be able to see five or six kites measuring up to and over 14 metres squared and weighing almost a ton take flight by the banks of the Sagami river. Its quite an amazing sight and it takes many men to control them. The kites are all handmade in the traditional style using bamboo for the framework and some pretty sturdy japanese paper as material. At the end of the festival the largest of the kites is set afire.

This festival has been held since 1830 and while there are many such festivals around Japan this one is famous for the sheer size of the kites.

How to get there
From Yokohama Station, take the Sotetsu Line to Ebina Station and then change to the JR Sagami Line to Sobudaishita Station. It should take less than 60 minutes including transfer. From Sobudaishita you can either take the shuttle bus or walk for about 20 minutes. Just follow the crowd.
Train timetables.


O-Hanami -Cherry Blossom Viewing

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Literally translated “O-Hanami” means looking at flowers. These days however it refers to the blossoms of the Japanese cherry tree which usually bloom in early April in Yokohama. With its origins reported to have been back as far as the Nara Period (710-784) today O-Hanami is now a popular excuse to sip sake or beer from early morning to late at night under the pink or white blossoms. The blossoms only last for one week and some say that they are a symbol for the transience of life. In Japanese cherry blossoms are called Sakura. There are many great places in Yokohama to see cherry blossoms.

Here are three locations that are highly recommended..

This gallery is from Mitsuike Koen in Tsurumi.

2006 Aomori Nebuta Photo Gallery

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It’s hard to believe it has been nearly two years since I went to the Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori. I remember it was extremely hot and we stayed one night in a tent and woke up at about 5AM with sweat poring off me. The Nebuta Festival in Aomori is definitely one of the most impressive festivals I have been to in Japan and I have been to a few. While I was there I went to another Nebuta Festival in a nearby town which has the tallest Nebuta in the world. What is a Nebuta? They are these gigantic lanterns that are pulled or carried during some festivals in Japan. Aomori is the biggest of the Nebuta Festivals.

Yokohama Nogeyama Zoo

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Yokohama\'s Nogeyama Zoo

Nogeyama Zoological gardens opened their gates to the public on April 1st, 1951. According to the website it is home to about 100 different species (about １416 creatures).

The red pandas are one of the most popular animals at the zoo and they are one of the first animals you will see upon entering. Unlike Zoorasia, Nogeyama Zoo is very compact. An advantage of this is that you can see some of the animals up close. You can really understand the power of the tigers as they stalk around their cage. On the downside you can’t help but feel sorry for the larger animals who really don’t have much room to move around.

There is also a petting zoo for children where sometimes you can have a snake draped around your shoulders. If you are brave enough don’t forget your camera.

Opening Hours: 9:30 – 16:30 (No entry after 16:00)
Closed on Mondays (Tuesday when Sunday or Monday is a public holiday).

Tickets
Admission is free.

How to get there
Nogeyama Access MapFrom Yokohama Station, take the JR Negishi Line to Sakuragicho Station and then you have to walk for about 15 minutes. Click image for for map.

Address:63-10 Oimatsu-cho, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi, 220-0032
Phone: 045 231 1307
Fax: 045 231 3842

It’s open all year round except on Mondays (Tuesday when Sunday or Monday is a public holiday) and some other special days including from December 29th to January 1st. Please check official site (Japanese) or call if you are unsure. Unfortunately the only English on their site is a map of the zoo which I am pretty sure you can pick up at the zoo itself.

For train timetables and prices click here.

Kabuki

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Kabuki is a very famous Japanese tradition that has its roots in the beginning of the 17th Century. It has transformed a lot since then though. Originally performed by men and women of dubious moral character it soon became the domain of mature male actors only and entertainment for aristocrats and plebeians alike. The government claimed to be fighting against loose moral values but the popular belief is that they were really trying to suppress the radical ideas that were being promoted through these performances.

Kabuki Picture

While Kabuki today seems very rigid and unchanging this was not always the case. In its heyday Kabuki was a very dynamic art form with new plays being written almost every week whereas these days the same kabuki families repeatedly perform the most popular of these plays time and time again adding only slight changes to the performances which would be impossible for a layman to notice.

Kabuki is usually divided into three categories.

  • Shosagoto (Dance)
  • Sewamono (Common people)
  • Jidaimono (History Story)

While the Jidaimono are usually very grand with splendid costumes the language used is very complicated and is difficult even for Japanese people to understand. The Sewamono usually have less extravagant costumes but the stories are no less famous. One of the most famous of them being the ghost story “Yotsuya Kaidan”.

There are several places around Tokyo where you can attend a Kabuki performance, the most famous of which is the Kabuki-za. The National Theater also holds performances in a more modern theater. Even though most seats provide you with a good view of the stage many prefer the more traditional but cramped Kabuki-za.

Earphone Guide: You will be able to rent an earphone guide in English or Japanese at some theaters.

Tickets: Kabuki is still popular in Japan and therefore it is often very difficult to get tickets to the performances. You must book ahead for sometimes the tickets for the following month will be sold-out within hours of going on sale. If you are desperate you still probably be able to get tickets for the 4th floor balcony in Kabuki-za for around 2000 yen, without the use of the earphone guides however.

Nure Ochiba – Fallen Wet Leaves

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In Japan the average man works very hard for his company, often putting in extremely long hours, and coming home very late at night. There is a loyalty to their employer that is very hard for an Irishman like me to understand.
Unfortunately for some of these men, they sacrifice their own interests and personal successes for those of their company and when it comes to retirement time they often find themselves at a loss when trying to fill time.

Some of these retirees have no hobbies or interests of their own because they have been living and breathing their companies for the previous 40 or 50 years. So at this time they often adopt the hobbies and interests of their wives and start spending almost every waking hour with them. The wives, having become accustomed to having free time during the week realize that they have now become servants to pander to their husbands almost constant needs.

This term “nure ochiba”, which means “wet fallen leaves”. is referring to the retired husband. Perhaps it means that the husband was once a strong vibrant leaf playing an important part on a great tree. Now he has been replaced by a younger, stronger leaf because the tree can no longer use him so he ends up sticking to his wife’s shoe.

This situation causes tension and can often strain, what has been up to now, a happy relationship between a man and his wife. Perhaps companies should provide some training and guidance to help the men make the transition into retirement more smoothly.

[Previously published July15-July21 2005 issue of Tokyo Notice Board.]