Opening to a large crowd of keen skiiers/boarders, and with a 50cm base, fun was had all round.

Altitude: 1,300m－ 1,450m
Longest Run: 1,000m
The Steepest Grade: 25 degrees
Average Grade: 11 degrees
Difficulty Level: Beginner 50%, Intermediate 40%, Advanced 10%
5 Runs 3 Lifts 1 Conveyor Belt

There is an outlet shopping center, “Gotenba Premium Outlets”, near Gotenba Interchange and an amusement park, “Grinpa”, down from Yeti.
View Yeti Ski Resort in a larger map

Japanese inn ‘Taisho-kan Hosen’

While a large scale renovation had been carried out, a next door neighboring Japanese inn ‘Hosenso’ that was used as vocational resort house for Meidensha co. was purchased by R & M Resort co. Including site of this  acquired inn, their total land became 118,000 square meters that is more than 3 times larger than existing site.

Using this additional site, they accelerate their basic philosophy of providing facilities open to all arrivals, including day trippers without stay over night, all at once.

The new site was mainly renovated for day trippers. Some old facilities within the Hosenso area had been out of use while used as the vocational house, and therefore these old facilities are scrapped, excluding its main house and 3 guest houses. The main house was tried to preserve its Taisho Era appearance and just slightly repaired and named as ‘Taishokan Hosen’.

The renovated ‘Taishokan’ has a café & Bar ‘Milk Hall’ on the first floor, and a banquet hall ‘Kanemoto-ro’ on the second floor. 3 guest houses are provided for guests in middle rank prices after the renovation.

A new facility ‘Bakery & Café’ is additionally built as a symbol of open-door policy accompanied with foot bath terrace. Outdoor stage for multiple uses and a day spa ‘mahora’ with 3 treatment rooms, and museum are also newly built. A walking path and other facilities in the ‘Hosen Garden’ is also well maintained.

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■For travelers from overseas

As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I am very happy to introduce ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ in Shizuoka Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yoshina Onsen Resorts, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contact.

Please Contact Us/お問合せ

■Introduction of the specialist for Onsen design

I would like to introduce one of the best Japanese architects, Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa, who is specialized in Onsen facility.

Please contact: http://www.e-koubo.co.jp/

View Larger Map

Semi-western A in the west house	Semi-western B in the west house

The new management draws a distinct line for renovation of guest rooms, depended on their prices of demand. Verandas are remodeled for providing better observation of the river from the most popular 7 guest rooms in the west guest house. Although, new bed and furniture are arranged, other parts, such as open-air bath and living area are only partially renovated almost similar as for maintenance. And partial renovation is done on other 6 rooms in the annex.

Western single in the annex	Western twin in the annex

On the other hand, total renovation was done for 3 of old Japanese style rooms mainly used for drivers and guides for tour buses. A new western style room with open-air bath and 2 western style single rooms are newly provided. Demand on single room is not bad in resort hotel, as shown at Akakura Kanko Hotel that average occupancy rate is over 68%.

Gyoki-no-yu outdoor public bath	Kodakara-no-yu charter Onsen

A part of Onsen facilities are slightly renovated. Women’s out door bath was changed to charter Onsen for family use. And an outdoor public bath is provided for switching use at the timetable for men and women.

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■For travelers from overseas

As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I am very happy to introduce ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ in Shizuoka Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yoshina Onsen Resorts, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contact.

Please Contact Us/お問合せ

■Introduction of the specialist for Onsen design

I would like to introduce one of the best Japanese architects, Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa, who is specialized in Onsen facility.

Please contact: http://www.e-koubo.co.jp/
View Tofuya Reasort & Spa in a larger map

Although, it could be said ‘revitalization of a long-established Japanese inn’ in a straightforward expression, why took over by Akakura Kanko Hotel. Rare natural beauty of surrounding area was the key of take over for a one of the well-known resort hotels in Japan. They were interested in its potential attraction of the long established old inn.

A number of guest houses are built along ‘Yoshina-gawa’ river in the precinct and an original atmosphere of Japanese scenery is still preserved there. A part of facilities were required to be renovated and also its surrounding nature was not kept well. However, the old inn could be able to regenerate again if proper renovation and struck-and-build are done while preserving its valuable and attractive facilities.

Key point of the renovation was choosing which facilities must be kept untouched and which would be remodeled. Original inn was consisted of three guest houses; the main house was built in 1960, the annex in 1987 which was connected with the main house through the corridor, and the west house in 1991. The guest rooms were 30 and could accommodate 173 guests altogether. A large amount of investment were required if total struck-and-build, including maintenance of surrounding nature, was done. The new management had also considered that tasteful appearance of 400 year-history of long established inn must be kept.

After a long and careful consideration, the first impression is one of the key factors for arrival guest so that the existing old main guest house must be dismantled and a new entrance hall would be constructed for creating authentic atmosphere of resort hotel.

The new entrance hall with approach was come to the fore front rather than deeper area of the old guest house. Spacious in height and floor space, a lobby lounge with hearth, library, reception, and souvenir shop are laid out in the new entrance hall. Arrival guests now can check in while enjoying a cup of welcome drink at the lobby lounge.

A large amount of investment was put on the remodeling of Japanese restaurant ‘Kaiseki-chaya Mizuoto’. Old timber of beams and posts from the Edo period house were reused for creating new atmosphere in a thatched roof building. And a terrace deck with an outdoor fireplace and bar was additionally built along the river. The Japanese restaurant was reborn as really a resort style eating place.

Not only renovation of facilities, but function of service has been changed. Last time, all arrivals must take their shoes off at the entrance before step in to the guest house, but all guests are now putting their own shoes or ‘geta’ or Japanese clog. The old main kitchen was moved to beside of the Japanese restaurant, because almost all of breakfast and dinner are served at the renovated restaurant.

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■For travelers from overseas

As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I am very happy to introduce ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ in Shizuoka Prefecture. If you have something to ask, like to make reservation, or need English speaking tour guide when visit to Yoshina Onsen Resorts, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contact.

Please Contact Us/お問合せ

■Introduction of the specialist for Onsen design

I would like to introduce one of the best Japanese architects, Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa, who is specialized in Onsen facility.

Please contact: http://www.e-koubo.co.jp/

View Larger Map

Unified regeneration of 2 long-established Japanese inns to one current style Onsen & spa resort in creating a great deal of Japanese atmosphere 

‘Tofuya’, one of the long established Japanese inns in ‘Yoshina Onsen Resort’ renamed as ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’ and restarted its business under the new management ‘R&M Resorts co. on November 3, 2010. The new management company is one of the groups under famous resort hotel, ‘Akakura Kanko Hotel’ in Niigata Prefecture.

The long established Japanese inn was totally renovated and employ management know-how in the resort hotel industry from the famed resort hotel in Japan, under the new concept ‘Authentic Japanese Resort harmonized in Tradition and Modern’.

As well as constructing of a new reception house, its annex building built in 1987and west house built in 1991 are remodeled while trying to make good use of these buildings as much as they can.

Although, number of total guest rooms is reduced to 23 from 30, its total premises are expanded because the new management purchased a neighboring Japanese inn ‘Taisho-kan Hosen’.

Yoshina Onsen Resort is located in Yoshina, Izu city, Shizuoka Prefecture. It is well known as ‘Kdakara-no-yu or good cure hot spring for sterility lady ’. It is in a mountain village along Yoshina-gawa river where is surrounded by rich natural forest of Mt. Amagi.

Buddhist temple ‘Zenmyoji’ & Ieyasu Tokugawa’s mistress ‘Odai-no-kata

The chemical properties of hot spring water are simple and weak alkaline.

The output of hot spring water is 500 liters in a minute and its temperature ranges from 44 to 55 centigrade. The hot spring has prospered in long years as an Onsen for visitors to Zenmyoji Temple. It is said that ‘Gyoki’, a famed Buddhist great teacher and the founder of the Zemyoji Temple, discovered the hot spring in 724. The good cure hot spring for lady has become nationally known since ‘Oman-no-kata, or an Ieyasu Tokugawa’s mistress, was given two babies after stayed and prayed for being blessed with children.

There are only three Japanese inns　 such as ‘Sakaya’ and ‘Hosen’, including ‘Tofuya’, all which have more than 400 year-history, and source of hot spring used to be owned by each inn. But all three sources are now under the joint control of the Yoshina Onsen Business Association.

 [Five ranking to evaluate hotel’s performance through the grapevine]

＜Reference materials＞

http://www.tfyjapan.com/

Monthly Hotel Ryokan June 2011

http://ja.wikipedia.org/ 

http://www.jalan.net/

■For travelers from overseas

As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I am very happy to introduce ‘Tofuya Resort & Spa-Izu’  in ‘Yoshina Onsen Resort’, Izu city, Shizuoka If you have something to ask, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contact.

Please Contact Us/お問合せ

■Introduction of the specialist for Onsen design

I would like to introduce one of the best Japanese architects, Mr. Hiroshi Ebisawa, who is specialized in Onsen facility.

Please contact: http://www.e-koubo.co.jp/

View Tofuya Reasort & Spa in a larger map

Construction work on a ”life-size” statue of the Gundam fictitious giant combat robot was opened to the press in Shizuoka City on Wednesday ahead of a public showing following last year’s similar event in a Tokyo seaside area.
This time the 18-meter-tall robot will stand near JR Higashishizuoka Station holding a Beam Saber, a signature weapon of Gundam in a popular sci-fi animation series, according to toy company Bandai Co. which leads the project.
Bandai started the project to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of its plastic model series featuring Gundam and other combat robots and picked the city, southwest of Tokyo, as the site for the exhibition starting July 24 as it has a key factory for components of the models dubbed ”Gunpla.”

==Kyodo  more>>

Joe Odagiri

Joe Odagiri, (born February 16, 1976) in Tsuyama, Okayama is a Japanese actor.Commonly known just as Odajo, and also known for unusual hairstyle and eclectic style of dressing, he is the epitome of ‘cool Japan’ known as much for his persona as his work.

The show reunites Odagiri with director and screenwriter Satoshi Miki, whom he worked with on the popular mystery series “Jikou Keisatsu” in 2006 and 2007.

“Atami no Sousakan” begins with the disappearance of a school bus and four high school girls. Still unsolved three years later, the case gets revived when one of the girls reappears. Odagiri plays a sharp national investigator searching for the truth behind the incident, which leads back to a seemingly peaceful town.

Atami is located in the far eastern corner of Shizuoka Prefecture at the northern end of Izu Peninsula. The city is set on the steep slopes of a partially submerged volcanic caldera on the edge of Sagami Bay. The name literally means “hot ocean”, a reference to the town’s famous onsen hot springs.

Real Grade Gundam in Shizuoka Image（C）創通・サンライズ

The Real Grade Gundam will appear in Higashi-shizuoka park near JR Higashi-shizuoka station from July 24 to January 10, 2011.

Real Grade Gundam in Shizuoka Image（C）創通・サンライズ

The 1/1-scale, 18-meter-tall statue of the Gundam will have the “Beam Saber” which is typical equipment of the robot in a right hand.

2010 marks the year that GUNPLA (Gundam Plastic Models ) celebrates 30 years.

Gunpla 30th Anniversary – Introduction movie

Do you know what is “Sukiya Zukuri (数寄屋造り)” ? It is one of the Japanese traditional architectural style. “Sukiya” is not sukiyaki, it is built in the style of a tea-ceremony house. “Suki (数寄)” originally means delight in poems(waka), tea-ceremony, flower arrangement and those elegant pursuits. It means the house built accordance with their taste synonym for tea-ceremony house.

sekitei_garden

We stayed at Sukiya Zukuri hotel called “Seki-tei (石亭)” in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture. It is high class Onsen (hot spring bath) hotel. What a peaceful and beautiful place it is…

sekitei_room

We stayed at independent spacious room with nice view. In the garden, there are many trees and stone lanterns.

sekitei_onsen1

sekitei_onsen2

Lounging in the extra touch outdoor bath, you will feel cosmos in the silence.

sekitei_dishes

Ticking down slowly…

A 36-year-old hotel beside the Lake Hamanako revived under the New Name “The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako”

The Distant View of The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako

One of the famed resort hotels in Japan, the Entetsu Hotel Empire, stopped its business on January 6, 2009. The 36-year-old flagship hotel under the Entetsu Hotel Group had accommodated with over 10 million guests since its opening in 1972. On June 29, 2009 however, the old hotel was reborn as the Hotel Wellseason Hamanako after six months renovation work.

The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako.

Among many attractions for hotel clients, such as nice eating places and rooms in various types, we are especially interested in seeing their new Onsen facilities. The Onsen bathhouse named “Hanasaki-no-yu” or Flower Blossom Onsen is newly opened for hotel guests. The new Onsen is also provided for one day travelers so you can enjoy quick bath without stay overnight.

A Guest Room of the Hotel Wellseason Hamanako.

“Hanasaki-no-yu” is consisted of three different areas named “Hinoka-no-yu” or Japanese Cypress Bath, “Shakkei-no-yu” or Rock Garden Bath, and “Daidara-bocchi-no-yu.”

The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako; Men's Outdoor Bath in the hotel garden.

“Hinoka-no-yu” or Japanese Cypress Bath is built for gentlemen that has an outdoor bath widely open to the hotel garden and an inner bath.

The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako; Inner Bath and Outdoor bath for Ladies.

The bath area for ladies is named “Shakkei-no-yu” or Rock Garden Bath that is also consisted of outdoor bath and inner bath.

The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako; Spa area has a various types of Onsen.

“Daidara-bocchi-no-yu” is a spa area consisted of outdoor bath, three kinds of saunas, herb bath, and other various kinds of baths. It has separated areas for both men’s and women’s.

One more attractive bath named “Hitotoki-no-yu” or Well Season Bath within annex area is also newly built, but it is not available for one day travelers. The Onsen is only provided for hotel guests stay overnight.

The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako; The Onsen in the annex is availabe only for hotel guests.

Already more than six months have past since its renewal opening.  We can hear good reputations among their clients. According to the website rating provided by RAKUTEN, overall evaluation point is 4.33 of 5.00. That of JARAN rated 4.4 point. Excellent hotel!

＜Rating on the “JARAN” Website＞

＜Rating on the “RAKUTEN” Website＞

■General Information

■Fee for a quick bathing (Inclusive tax)

View The Hotel Wellseason Hamanako in a larger map

Life-Size Gundam

The Life-Size Gundam will be erected in front of Japan Railway’s Higashishizuoka Station in Shizuoka’s Aoki ward by July.

Shizuoka city calculates that the 1/1-scale, 18-meter-tall statue of the Gundam robot will bring 40 billion yen (US$440 million) into the local economy.

As part of the 30th anniversary of the Gundam anime franchise, the statue stood on the artificial island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay in summer 2009 and attracted 4.15 million visitors.

The duration of the statue’s stay in Shizuoka is still to be determined, but the city estimates that the statue can attract 900,000 visitors and 40 billion yen over the course of 300 days. According to the city, 9,600 jobs will be created for security, maintenance, and other operations at the site. More details about the exhibit’s duration and related events will be announced at the end of March.

After the statue’s initial stay in Shizuoka, there are plans to move it to another prefecture. However, it is slated to be eventually stationed near Shizuoka’s Bandai Hobby Center, the production factory for Bandai’s Gundam plastic model kits.

Bandai Hobby Center

The Center offers tours to visitors. On the tour, the visitor sees a video presentation of the complete Gundam plastic model production process,followed by a presentation on the Center’s unique moldcasting technologies and commitment to manufacturing,as well as its environmental activities.

Bandai Hobby Center
500-12, Naganuma, Aoi-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka
Tel:054-208-7520

Map:Bandai Hobby Center

View Bandai Hobby Center in a larger map

The city plans to officially announce the relocation with Bandai NAMCO Holdings, the parent company of Gundam’s anime studio Sunrise, at the beginning of the new year.

The Bandai Hobby Center, the production factory for Bandai’s Gundam plastic model kits, is located in Shizuoka.

The statue will remain on display at Higashishizuoka from July of 2010 to May of 2011, and then be moved to another prefecture. It will eventually be erected near the Bandai Hobby Center.

more>>

Gundam roars in Odaiba

Map: Higashishizuoka

View Higashishizuoka Sta. in a larger map

View BAPE STORE Shizuoka in a larger map