This is the Iwata Tourism Association. Nice to meet you all!! Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture, is a city in the western part of Shizuoka Prefecture, located about halfway between Tokyo and Osaka. It is also known as a "sports town" and is also the home of professional sports such as the Jubilo Iwata of the J.League, the Shizuoka SSU Bonita of the Japan Women's Soccer Nadeshiko League, and the Shizuoka Blue Revs of Japan Rugby League One, where "sports Town planning" and "health promotion through sports" are promoted. ◆What is Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture? ◆ The population is about 160,000. There are interchanges of the Tomei Expressway and the Second Tomei Expressway in the city, and it is about 3 hours by car from Tokyo and about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Nagoya. The gateway on the Shinkansen is Hamamatsu Station or Kakegawa Station. Transfer to the Tokaido Line and go to three stations in Iwata City (Iwata Station, Toyotacho Station, Mikuriya Station) for 10~15 minutes. 　Since ancient times, Totoumi Kokubunji Temple and Toei Kokubu have been located and developed as the center of "Totoumi Province (Toto Traditional Japanese straw raincoat Kuni)". More than 900 Kofun Tumulus from the Kofun Tumulus period still exist, and it is a "town" where history is told. In the Edo period, it flourished as the "Mitsuke inn" of the 53rd order of the Tokaido Highway. In recent years, in addition to the textile industry, which is a local products industry, it has become an industrial city for metals, automobiles, musical instruments, etc., and the agricultural output is one of the highest in the prefecture, and it is famous for greenhouse melons, tea, white onions, shrimp-shaped potatoes, Chinese vegetables, and Shirasu (whitebait) marine products. It is an area where urban and rural areas are developing in a balanced manner. ◆Introduction to sightseeing spots in Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture◆ 【Mitsuke inn】 It is a Shukuba town located almost in the center of the 53rd order of the Tokaido Road (the 28th Shukuba-juku), and there are still some alleys along the highway that enter Yokomachi, and there are many shrines and temples scattered around, and you can feel the remnants of that time and the atmosphere of the Shukuba-juku. Other, the area is dotted with attractions such as the oldest surviving wooden pseudo-Western-style elementary school building in Japan, the Iwata Bunko (each national historic site), the Mitsuke Tenjin Naked Festival (Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Festival), the Mitsuke Tenjin Yanabi Shrine, where the legend of Taro Shippei's spiritual experience remains, and the former Akamatsuke Memorial Hall, which is a designated cultural property of the prefecture and city. In 2022, the former Mitsuke School and Iwata Bunko were certified as "Shizuoka Heritage Sites" along with "Mitsuke Inn" and "Mitsuke Tenjin Yanabi Shrine" as "the crystallization of Shizuoka people who are passionate about modern education". 【Ryuyo Marine Park】 It is a seaside park with a marine center with sports facilities and a multipurpose plaza. The vast site has tennis courts, baseball fields, playgrounds, roller slides, auto camping grounds, etc., making it a spot that even children can enjoy. At the auto camp site, you can buy local products, and "Shiosai Ryuyo", which also has a restaurant, BBQ facilities, and bathing facilities, is adjacent and has been well received. The Ocean Center also offers experience menus such as SUP. 【Nagisa Exchange Center, Fukuda Fishing Port Area】 "Nagisa Exchange Hall" is located in the Fukuda Fishing Port harbor overlooking the magnificent Enshu Nada. It is a food court where you can enjoy raw Shirasu (whitebait) bowls and kamaage Shirasu (whitebait) bowls while looking at the sea. Other, there is a "sandbox for everyone" where you can enjoy beach soccer and beach volleyball, and an "event plaza" where you can hold outdoor events. There is a fishing spot where you can enjoy fishing in front of you, and the Toyohama Coast just to the east is a surfing spot with good waves that hold a national surfing tournament. On the other hand, Fukuda Fishing Port has a thriving recreational fishing boat industry as well as the famous "Shirasu (whitebait) fishing", and it is also a base for offshore fishing in Enshu-nada by fishing boats. 1~2 minutes from the fishing port, there are many "Shirasu (whitebait)processing places", and customers come from far away to buy Shirasu (whitebait). 【Shigahana Park】 This park, which has the legend of the opening of the mountain by Kobo Daishi, has a promenade and Athletic Maintenance, and you can enjoy the nature of the four seasons, such as cherry blossoms and azaleas in Spring, forest bathing and bird watching in the New Green in early summer, and autumn leaves in autumn, making it ideal for hiking and walking. From the Observatory, you can see Enshu Nada in the distance, and it is the first sunrise spot on New Year's Day. 【Yamaha Stadium】 [Yamaha Motor Communication Plaza] It is the home stadium of Jubilo Iwata for soccer and Shizuoka Blue Revs for rugby. It is about a 15-minute walk from the north exit of JR Mikuriya Station. On match days, many fans from Japan and abroad visit. In addition, there is a corporate museum called "Communication Plaza" right next door to Yamaha Motor Headquarters, which is an attractive place for industrial tourism where you can experience Yamaha Motor's products and history. 【Ruins of Toe Kokubunji Temple】 Excavations began in 1951, and the following year it was declared a National Special Historic Site. Kokubunji Temple had a seven-storied pagoda, an auditorium, a middle gate, and a cloister centered on the golden hall. In addition, the ruins of the seven-storied pagoda and other major temples have been discovered, and they have been designated as National Special Historic Site in the 1952 (Showa 27). In the Maintenance Project for the 2022 (Reiwa 4) Degree, the Auditorium and the wooden base of the monks' chamber located on the north side of the Ruins of Toe Kokubunji Temple were Maintenance, and in the 5th year of Reiwa, the wooden foundation of the Golden Hall, the central building of the temple, was Maintenance. In the Golden Hall, the foundation stone that supports the pillars of the building and the stone staircase installed in front of the platform are also planned to be restored. It is a valuable historical heritage that tells us that Iwata was the center of this area. ◆Specialty products of Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture◆ Iwata City's specialty products include shrimp-shaped taro, Iwata tea, aloma melon, white onion, and Koro-kaki (persimmon). Locally grown ingredients are known for their freshness and taste. Seafood such as Shirasu (whitebait), wild tiger puffer fish and white grilled grilled white eel are also popular, and Shirasu (whitebait) in particular is a gastronomical delicacies that swims in the fast currents of the nearby sea. These specialty products are also popular as souvenirs and thank-you gifts for Furusato Nozei. ◆Festivals and events in Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture◆ 【Fufu Hachimangu Festival】 It is held every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of October in the Nakaizumi area. Elaborately decorated festival floats are towed around in each town. It is a festivals full of emotion with the sound of drums and flutes, and dashing shouts. 【Mitsuke Tenjin naked festival】 It is a grand festival of Yanahime Jinja Shrine and is now designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset. It is held every year on the Saturday and Sunday just before the 10th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. The highlight of the festival is the time from 9 p.m. to midnight on Saturday night, when the naked parade and the passing of the Mikoshi (portable shrine) are held, and from 1 a.m. the next day. Naked men parade through the area of the old Tokaido route and Mitsuki in four groups called ladders, and then head to the worship hall of Yanabi Shrine. In the worship hall, the enthusiasm increases with each new group, and a fierce parade (demon dance) continues. At midnight, all the lights in the area are extinguished, and the climax is reached when the Mikoshi (portable shrine) crosses through the pitch black darkness. ◆ Disseminating the Information of Shizuoka Prefecture Iwata City ◆ In Iwata City, you can feel the history and culture that has been nurtured over a long period of time. In 2022, Iwata City's "Teraya Irrigation Water" was registered as a World Irrigation Facility Heritage Site, adding another historical story that Iwata City is proud of. In 2023, it will return to first place in Japan in the ranking of cities and towns that come to mind as a "sports town", and its brand image as a "sports town" has become established. 　Even so, the charm and power that cannot be fully described in this posted are still alive in the history and culture of Iwata, the nature of the sea and mountains, industry, and people's lifestyles. Best regards will continue to send out recommended Information on COOL JAPAN VIDEOS!

Nice to meet you all and welcome to COOL JAPAN VIDEOS! This is the Hayakawa Tourism Association. Hayakawa-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture, is a town located in the southwest of Yamanashi Prefecture, and is the only "town" in Japan with a population of less than 1,000, with 947 people (as of April 1, 2024), making it the least populated town in Japan. It is also a Rich in nature town surrounded by Akaishi Mountains mountains, and it is a Rich in nature area surrounded by large and small waterfalls and Valleys. Hot springs are also abundant, and Nishiyama Hot spring, which has a history of 1,300 years of hot springs, is home to the world's oldest inn certified by the Guinness Book of Records. ■■■History of Hayakawa Town, Yamanashi Prefecture In 1956, Hayakawa Town was formed by the merger of six villages: Motodate Village, Goka Village, Suzurishima Village, Miyakogawa Village, Misato Village, and Nishiyama Village. In 1960, the population increased to more than 10,000 due to the influx of people involved in hydroelectric power generation construction, but the population has since declined and is now "the least populated town in Japan". ■■■Introduction to sightseeing spots in Hayakawa Town ・Akazawa Inn It flourished as a lodging place for Rest stop for pilgrims to Mt. Shichimen, and still retains the remnants of the Edo period. In 1993, it was recognized as a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. ・Station of the inn Shimizuya It is a tourist information center and rest area that has been renovated from an old accommodations in Akazawa Inn. Specialty products and crafts of the region are sold. ・Bentendo waterfall It is a waterfall at the back of the Hagoromo Trailhead to Mt. Shichimen and is known as a place for ascetics. In winter, you can see the icefall where the waterfall freezes. ・Hayakawa Local History Museum It is a document building that retains the exterior of the Village Hall of Misato Village. The traditional culture, crafts, and history of Hayakawa Town are on display. ・Yushima's Great Cedar Tree Legend has it that it was planted 1,200 years ago, and it is the largest cedar tree in Yamanashi Prefecture at Sanno Shrine. In 1958, it was designated as a natural monument designated by Yamanashi Prefecture. ・Hayakawa Valley In the Valleys that stretches from the Arakura area to the Narada District, you can see the beautiful scenery of the four seasons, such as New green in Spring, autumn leaves in autumn, and Icicles in winter. ■■■Hayakawa Town Specialty Products Hayakawa Town's proud Specialty Products, Hakuho miso, Fresh sweet potato konnyaku, and Dried potato stalks, are exquisite gourmets that can only be tasted here. In addition, "Oboko dolls" that have been handed down in this area since ancient tradition are recommended for tourism in Hayakawa Town and are also designated as prefectural designated folk crafts. ■■■Popular events and festivals in Hayakawa Town ・Akaishi Mountains Hayakawa Edible Wild Greens Festival Every year in May, the event is held at the Hayakawa Town People's Sports Square, and the main stage features Drum performances and song shows. Bake sale shops and food stalls are lined up at the venue, and Mikoshi (portable shrine) passing is also held. ・Okuyamanashi Hayakawa Autumn Leaves and Food Festival Every year in October, it is held at the Hayakawa Town People's Sports Square surrounded by autumn leaves, and Specialty products and seasonal foods in Hayakawa Town are gathered. ■■■Sightseeing in Hayakawa "Japan's least populated town" is packed with rich nature, deep history, Specialty products, events and charm. There are different ways to enjoy your trip in Hayakawa Town, such as "heal your fatigue at the Hot spring", "Experience the Nature of Hayakawa Town at the campsite", and "Enjoy the local gourmet food of Hayakawa Town". Best regards so that your trip to Hayakawa Town, Yamanashi Prefecture will be an unforgettable memory for everyone, and we will send out recommended Information on Hayakawa Town!

This is the Shinshu Chowa Town Tourism Association. Nice to meet you all! Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture is a town rich in nature and history in the center of Nagano Prefecture. ◇History of Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture In Chowa Town, where the Nakasendo Highway, which connected Edo and Kyoto, passed during the Edo period, there are two Shukuba-juku, Nagakubo-juku and Wada-juku, and it is a tourist spot that still retains the remnants of that time. ・Nakasendo No.28 Wada-juku The Shukuba-juku is located at the foot of Mt. of the difficult "Wada Pass", which is about 800 meters Elevation the Nakasendo, and many travelers I nourished my energy here. The nationally designated historic sites "Wada-juku Main Camp", "Rekishi no Michi Shiryokan Kawachiya", and "Daikokuya" are lined up and you can enjoy the atmosphere of the Edo period. ・Nakasendo No.27 Nagakubo-juku In the Edo period, there were as many as 43 Shukuya (inns), the second largest of the 26 Shukuba-juku inns in Shinano. In addition, Hoshidan Pass in Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture, has been a production area of Obsidian stone since Long time ago, and many people have lived there. Obsidian, which is sharp and easy to process, was used as a material for Stoneware for 30,000 years. ◇Introduction of sightseeing spots in Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture◇ ・Utsukushigahara Highlands It is a Lava plateau that spreads around a Oogashira of 2,034 meters Elevation, and offers spectacular views of mountains such as Mt. Fuji, Yatsugatake, Gari and the Northern Alps. You can also see the idyllic scene of cows grazing on the Utsukushigahara Highlands. The evacuation tower "Tower of Beauty", which is installed in the center of the plateau to protect climbers by ringing a bell when fog occurs, is also a symbol of the Utsukushigahara Highlands. ・Roadside Station Marumero Station Nagato Fresh local vegetables and Specialty products are also a great spot to buy Souvenirs. In June 2020, we opened Markets Kokuyo, a direct sales shop with an exterior where you can feel the atmosphere of the Edo period. ・Kokuyo Water In the Toll road toll station of the Wada Pass, the not far from Famous Water Plaza is spring with water filtered by Obsidian bedrock. It has been selected as a "One of the 37 best waters in Shinshu". ・Nagato Hot Spring Yasuragi no Yu It is a facility where you can enjoy a day-trip hot spring adjacent to the Roadside Station "Marmelo no Eki Nagato", and the spring quality is sodium sulfate Hot spring, which is one of the "three most beautiful spring qualities in Japan". There is also an open-air bath and a Minamoto hot spring "Hagama bath". ・ Wada-juku Hot spring Fureai no Yu A day-trip Hot spring facility located in a corner of the vast sports park "Yuyu Park". The quality of the spring quality is "calcium sodium sulfate Hot spring. You can enjoy the scenery of the four seasons from the open-air bath. ・Obsidian Experience Museum You can learn the results of excavations in an easy-to-understand manner from actual Stoneware, anime, models, etc. ・Hoshikusokan You can learn about the state of Obsidian mining in the Jomon period, which was revealed by excavations, in an easy-to-understand manner through projection mapping, which directly projects onto the strata. * Those who enter the museum need to register at the Obsidian Experience Museum. ・Blanche Takayama Ski Resort Slope for skiers only, boasting 80% clear skies. There are various mountain trails and it is a ski resort that parents and children can enjoy. *The 2023-2024 season ended on March 31. ◇Event Information of Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture◇ ・Otaya Festival It is an annual festival held every year in January at Furumachi Toyoke Grand Shrine. Five festival float decorations are dedicated in the town. ・Wada-juku Shukuba Festival It is an event that reproduction the history and culture of Wada-juku during the Lunar Bon Festival period, and is visited by many tourists. At night, lanterns illuminate the Shukuba town. ◇Specialty products and specialties of Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture Chowa Town's Specialty Products include Dattan-soba noodles and fried rainbow trout. Specialty products nurtured by the rich nature of Chowa Town delight many tourists with their fresh taste. ◇Enjoy your trip to Chowa Town, Nagano Prefecture Chowa Town is a cityscape where you can enjoy the rich nature and atmosphere of the Edo period. We will send out recommended information so that you can enjoy your trip to Chowa Town in Nagano Prefecture, so please follow us. We sincerely look forward to your visit.

Speaking of ancient Japanese costumes, kimonos! It's a kimono walk in the castle town of Kitsuki Castle in Kitsuki City, Oita Prefecture! There are many samurai residences in the castle town, and if you enter wearing a kimono, you will get a very good taste!

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the city The 41st Urayasu City fireworks festival 🎆 A fiery strong fireworks. Urayasu's fireworks everyone was shouting "Kagiya!" and Tamaya and Kagiya were worried and looked it up. It seems to be the name of a fireworks master who was active in the Edo period ... Kagiya seems to be a popular fireworks master who has grown to become a purveyor of the Edo shogunate! I learned about "Tamaya" and "Kagiya" for the first time from the Edo period!

The Oi Shrine Grand Festival is also called the "Obi Festival" and is a festival in which the god of Oi Shrine returns to the old shrine site (inn) once every three years. Today, for three days including the second Sunday in October, a gorgeous festival is held in the town of Shimada where dainu, daimyo processions, Kashima odori, street stall dances from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue, and ground dances are held. Especially on the last day, all of them form a large procession together with the mikoshi procession, and they slowly parade for a whole day for a round trip of about 4 km from Oi Shrine to the inn. Due to the appearance and swing of the dainu at this time, as well as the unique form of Kashima Odori, the obi festival has come to be counted as one of the three strange festival in Japan. In addition, since the Edo period, first-class entertainers from Edo have been invited to choreographed dances in each town, Nagauta, and shamisen, and Nagauta in particular is also called "Nagauta Festival" because the iemoto of each school competed for throat.

No season is offseason for Japan. In summer there are so many thing to see and do here. Last weekend I enjoyed thousand light festival at Kawagoe where the warehouse area was looked absolutely gorgeous for the lights and other stalls and stage activities. Everyone was enjoying and most of the local people wear traditional cloths too. It was truly a delightful experienced.

This time I want to recommend Kawagoe. This small town of kawagoe is known as condo (little edo) because till now this place offers the old days feeling. Its kind of time traveling. A great experience indeed. Yesterday I went once again because I was hoping to see another interesting part of this place and I was right. It looks like a place coming out of fairytale.

Continuing from yesterday, at "Ouchi-juku" in Minamiaizu, Fukushima Prefecture. It was a historical place that made you feel as if you had traveled back in time.

"Ouchi-juku" flourished as an important road post town connecting Aizuwakamatsu City and Nikko Ima City in the Edo period. Even today, the remnants of the Edo period remain as they are. It is said that it is actually living as a store and residence in order to take over this landscape. The photo was taken from a small hill. The sight of more than 30 private houses with thatched roofs lined up was a masterpiece.

Just some more photos to wrap up our trip to Nikko. I took a bunch of photos of different monuments and buildings that seemed important or had lavish decorations. I can't make out what the writing on the monument says but I can at least make out the kanji for heart (心). I also liked the golden palanquins inside the the building in the forth photo, although I'm not sure if they were used at some point or are simply for decoration. The other photos are from Futarasan Chugushi Shrine (二荒山中宮祠神社) located in front of Lake Chuzenji. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go inside the shrine but I was at least able to take some nice photos of the torii gate. Apparently it has a kagura hall as well and the entrance to Mt. Nantai is located inside the shrine as well. And finally, just an assortment of food that I haven't posted yet. All of it tasted great. It was definitely a trip I'm never going to forget!

Some more photos from our trip to Nikko. There were so many awesome monuments, landmarks, and buildings that it'd be impossible to fit it all into one post. I was so glad that I had my mobile battery with me because I was taking so many photos that I was just burning through my battery lol. I really liked how the incense burner looked and I tried looking up how old it was but I wasn't able to find anything about it, only the one in front of Tokugawa Ieyasu's burial site. I would have liked to use the chozuya as well, but unfortunately it was closed off due to covid. I also liked seeing the sake barrels as well as they always brighten up shrines. The "Ippon Toro" lantern was interesting as well. I'd never heard of Empress Tofukumon'in before either, so it gave me some interesting things to read about Japan's Edo Period. Apparently she helped rebuild prominent temple in Kyoto and collected art and pottery from famous artisans of the time and even those of the past. Some buildings I'd have to look at a map to know their names but there was definitely no shortage of decorations. Unfortunately we weren't able to take photos inside some of the main buildings, but a few of them had ceiling paintings done by famous painters. Many of them were birds, and I'm not an expert, but I think they were mostly cranes and they were all really beautiful.

Continuing on from yesterday's post... On the second and final day of our trip we woke up and ate a light breakfast followed by some udon and soba at a nice little restaurant on the way to the Kirifuri Highlands (霧降高原). We were originally planning on hiking up to the observation deck around 880 meters up the mountain, but it proved to be a little farther than we thought it would be an had to stop at around 650 meters as there was a massive staircase to reach the observation deck and not everyone in the group was up for the challenge lol. Not having the proper gear didn't help much either. Most people had on snow shoes and they could easily trek through the snow but wearing just boots or tennis shoes we were a bit under-equipped and decided it'd be better not to overdo it. We got to see some really amazing views and talk to an 85-year-old man who told us what gear we should buy if we're planning on hiking in the snow, about how the dam located on the mountains across from us rises and falls during the day/night, and how this was his ~60th time climbing the mountain but the woman he came with has done it more than 300 times. She had to turn back early that day, but those are some impressive numbers! After enjoying the outdoors we headed over to Nikko Edomura/Edo Wonderland (日光江戸村) and had a blast exploring the theme park. We arrived at about 2pm so we got a nice discount on our all-day passes. Walking around we got to see all of the different buildings that gave the theme park its Edo-Period-feel. We also got to see the oiran procession (花魁道中) which was really awesome as well. It seemed like they tried to make it as accurate as possible too. The way the courtesan walked was in the traditional figure eight style which, from what I've read, is not easily done, so I assume that this is a sort of special type of profession as she was doing it (to my untrained eye) perfectly. One funny thing was that the girls in red in front of the courtesan had to slouch somewhat because they were too tall and the theme park obviously can't employ children to play the role like they would have traditionally. We also got some temporary "tattoos." They got some cute Nyan-mage tattoos and I got a Shinsengumi tattoo lol. After that we watched a really awesome performance inside of the ninja theater, but we weren't allowed to film or take photos so I don't have anything to post unfortunately. It was really cool seeing the ninja actors jumping off of rooves and fighting though. On top of that we also tried out the ninja maze where I was unfortunately the last one to make it out as I got unlucky and hit a dead end at the last part of the maze. This was a really fun experience as there were a lot of hidden and revolving doors that you had to find to escape the maze. We also did the shuriken experience and I managed to get 3/5 but I gave one of my shuriken to my girlfriend in the hopes that she would stick one in the target but unfortunately she wasn't able to lol. I guess I was technically 3/4 because of that. Overall the whole trip was a blast and we got to make some awesome memories out in Tochigi. I definitely recommend it as a travel destination!