Hiroshi Ebisawa Architect & Associates

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

Yuya “Kotohiki-kairo”

Yuya “Kotohiki-kairo” is located in Kannonji city, 30 minutes from Seto-ohashi Bridge, in the center of the Mitoyo area, western Kagawa prefecture. Five minutes away from the center of the city is the Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海,).

Beautiful sunsets, set against white dune and green pine forest, are renowned at the beach in the Kotohiki Prefectural Park

Saitagawa river.mouth and Ariake-hama beach

The Onsen was planned on a peninsula, between Saitagawa river.mouth and Ariake-hama beach.

At the planning period, many public and privately operated hot spring projects had been developed in Kagawa Prefecture as usual. Most of them were multifunctional health centers or cure-house styles. Yuya “Kotohiki-kairo” was a rare exception to the rule, and is the first facility to concentrate on hot springs as its only interest.

Alternating between different outdoor baths, getting in contact with hot water and cool air is a therapy rarely practiced these days. As guests learn the process, they begin to fully enjoy the benefits of the Onsen. Although, it took a few yeas before attracting local bathers, “Kotohiki-kairo” has increased its number of arrivals steadily.

Inner bathing area opens up into outer bathing area. Guests can enjoy continuous yet changing scenery.

Architect, H. Ebisawa planned to set dramatic effect to make bathers enjoy sequence of beautiful sunset sceneries reflecting on the water in the Kodai-hinoki Urushi-buro （古代桧漆塗り風呂）or Old Japanese Cypress bath coated with japan.  

Under the awful condition of facing to seashore, over 350 tons of natural rocks were brought into for both in men’s and women’s outdoor baths. All different outdoor baths were skillfully laid out for enjoy excursion of bathing.

The bathhouse is connected by a 35 meter long corridor to the eating areas. Guests can enjoy the changing scenery as they move through the walkway.

Rate-table

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Hime-DECO  hearty box

At this point, Hearty&Hearty does not deal with any international shipping methods.
However, we are considering to implement international shipping methods in the near future.
So please stay in touch with Hearty&Hearty.
Hearty&Hearty -hina-

At this point, Hearty&Hearty does not deal with any international shipping methods.
However, we are considering to implement international shipping methods in the near future.
So please stay in touch with Hearty&Hearty.
Hearty&Hearty -hina-

Onsen&onsen-pools are equipped with this Michinoeki.

Michinoeki Kitsuregawa is one of the few roadside stations in Japan, which are equipped with Onsen (indoor & open-air) and hot-spring pools.  When taking an indoor&open-air bath, neither swimsuits nor any single item of clothing are allowed.  However, when opening the door to the swimming pools, never forget to put on your swimsuit! 

The quality of Kitsuregawa Onsen is said to be one of the best in Japan to make your skin smooth and beautiful. 

Our family had never appreciated Onsen & “onsen pools” at Michinoeki Kitsuregawa before.

Isn’t is great to soak yourself in a good Onsen even while you let your kids play with water in a hot-spring pool??

That’s why we decided to spend one afternoon at Michinoeki Kitsuregawa. 

When opening the door to the pools, you have to put on a swimsuit.

We took an indoor & open-air onsen separately. (my husband & my elder son: male side, my younger son and myself: female side)

Then we got together at “onsen pools” with swimsuits on.  My elder son played in a hot-spring pool for kids.  My younger son with a diaper was not allowed to go into the swimming pool.  So I had to carry him in my arm at the swimming pool area.  He could take an indoor & open-air bath, though. 

My husband and I couldn’t get fully relaxed at this kind of Onsen and hot-spring pools because we were busy taking care of two boys – help them change their clothes, go back and forth between bath and pools.  However, our skin got obviously smooth!!  And I was very happy to hear that my elder son really enjoyed this experience of taking a bath and a swimming pool at the same time.

Michinoeki Kitsuregawa　(on Route 293, Sakura-city in Tochigi)

http://www.city.tochigi-sakura.lg.jp/michieki.html#onsen

 This series of the one of the largest and most notable fashion festas started in 2005 and since then it has hosted these events biannually, some of which were held even in Beijing China. 

This time with the theme of  “Back to the Classic Future”, there were 22 fashion brands and so many top models, actors, TV personalities, idols, and even politicians with  burning passion and heat.   And there were more than 30,000 audience ,which was the record high of the 11- year history of  TGC.  There were also singing performances of singers and idols and appearancesof surprsze guests and performers, such as Anna Tsuchiya (土屋アンナ), May J, Erika  Sawajiri(/沢尻エリカ), AKB48, BlUE MAN GROUP, and others.     Hiroshi Mizohata(/溝畑宏), the current commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency and Becii Cruel who is one of the most popular Internet idols loving  Japanese pop, anime, and stuff,  showed up and jointly made addresses  in which they declared that they would  make every effort to promote the splendor  of Japanese fashions. 

The event also hosted auctions a part of whose sales was going to be donated to Miyazaki Prefecture which suffered from serious damages of  Foot-and- mouth disease of cows just recently. So,  Hideo Higashikokubaru(/東国原英夫)、the current Miyazaki governor,who used to be a comedian,  turned up on the stage and   extended his gratitude.

The management of the festa declared they are going to host the next TGC event in February   2011 in Nagoya, the capital of  Aichi prefecture located in the central area in Japan, for the first time in the history of  TGC.

SAMURAI GUITARIST

MIYAVI is making a guest appearance on a song by Good Charlotte.The song is “Like It’s Her Birthday” from the band’s upcoming album “Cardiology,” which goes on sale in Japan on October 27, ahead of the U.S. release. On September 7, the song will be available as a digital single in Japan.

Good Charlotte

The band apparently has a lot of respect for Japan, so they were looking for a cool artist to collaborate with. Their record label’s staff recommended MIYAVI after seeing his concert in New York, so the band’s members watched his concert videos and went to a live performance. They decided to go forward with the collaboration, and on August 26, Good Charlotte and Miyavi met in person for the first time in Tokyo.

MIYAVIremarked that he was initially offered just to do a solo part, but he ultimately ended up doing the whole song. He also expressed his desire to work with Good Charlotte again, if an opportunity arises.

Name: Norakuro Manga Museum
Address: Morishita Bunka Center
3-12-17 Morishita, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-0004, JAPAN
Phone: +81-3-5600-8666
URL: http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~norakuro/sub1/index.htm
Business hours: 9:00-21:00
Closed: First and third Monday of each month, New Year’s holidays
Admission: Free

Norakuro Manga Museum was established in the Morishita Bunka Center in Koto Ward based on the fact that Suiho Tagawa, creator of “Norakuro,” a manga with a black dog as its hero, spent his youth in Fukagawa. “Norakuro” is a national manga which was run as a series in Kodansha’s “Shonen Club,” from 1931 to 1941. In 1965, the “Norakuro Manga Complete Collection” went on sale to great acclaim and in 1987 an anime featuring the grandson of Norakuro-kun,” was broadcast. Original drawings and sketches are on public display at the Norakuro Mange Museum. Norakuro goods are also on sale.

On the way to the museum from Morishita Station, you will find a street called “Norakuro Road” where sign boards of Norakuro images are shown and various kinds of character goods are selling.

Rubber stamps of “Norakuro”.

Suihoh Tagawa (/田河水泡) (February 10, 1899 – December 12, 1989) was a Japanese artist. He was born Chuutaroh Takamizawa (/高見澤仲太郎,) in Sumida, Tokyo. He graduated from Fukakawa’s municipal Rinkai Jinjo elementary school in 1911. In 1919, he joined the Japanese Imperial army, and left in 1922. In 1925, he graduated from Nihon Bijutsu Gakkoh (”Japan School of Art”). In 1926, he became a rakugo author. He began producing comics in 1927. He gained a regular assignment selling comic stories and adopted the pseudonym Awa Takamizu, which was later corrupted into Suihoh Tagawa. Suihoh literally means “water bubble”. In 1931, he began the long-running series “Private Second Class Norakuro” for the anthology magazine Shonen Club about a black and white dog in a dog army. Although at first intended to have only a brief lifespan, its immense popularity urged Tagawa to continue producing the strip. He has won numerous awards and is recognized as one of the pioneers of the Japanese manga industry. In 1988, he produced the autobiographical “Watashi no Rirekisho” (”my résumé”) for the Japanese Sankei Shimbun newspaper. He died in 1989 at the age of 90.

Norakuro (/のらくろ) is a Japanese manga and anime created by Suihoh Tagawa. The central character, Norakuro, or Norakuro-kun, is a black and white dog. The name Norakuro is an abbreviation of norainu (/野良犬stray dog) and Kurokichi (/黒吉, the name of the dog, literally meaning “black lucky”).
Norakuro strongly influenced Machiko Hasegawa, the author of Sazae-san, who apprenticed with its author Suihoh Tagawa.
There is an excerpt that appears in the sixth Kramer’s Ergot comics anthology which is the only example of Tagawa’s work published in English.

 
History

In the original story, Norakuro was a soldier serving in an army of dogs, in the ‘fierce dogs brigade’ (猛犬連隊 mohkenrentai). The story began in 1931, and was clearly based on the Japanese Imperial army of the time. The artist, Suihoh, had served in the Imperial army from 1919 to 1922. Norakuro is gradually promoted from private to sergeant in the stories, which are humorous episodes.
Norakuro stopped during World War II, but after the war, due to the popularity of the strip, he returned in various guises, including a sumo wrestler and a botanist.
Pre-war animated films based on the military Norakuro, and two post war animated television series of Norakuro, in 1970 and 1987, have also been produced. In the 1970 series, the voice of Norakuro was played by Nobuyo Ōyama, also known as the voice of Doraemon.
During the 1980s and early 1990s Norakuro was the mascot of the Physical Training School (Tai-Iku Gakko) of the Japan Self Defense Force. The Physical training school is the Japanese near equivalent of the US Olympic Training Center.

＜Reference materials＞
Japan Anime Tourism Guide published by Japan Tourism Agency
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 
Contact Us at : http://www.tenkai-japan.com/cooltours/

Rock band LUNA SEA announced their return. During the Hong Kong press conference the band confirmed the reunion and announced their first concert tour in ten years. The tour, named 20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot will start on November 27 in Germany and will likely end with a 2days performance at the Tokyo Dome in December.

* Ryuichi Kawamura (河村隆一, Kawamura Ryuuichi?) – Vocals
* Yasuhiro “Sugizo” Sugihara (杉原有音 Sugihara Yasuhiro) – Lead guitar and violin
* Kiyonobu “Inoran” Inoue (井上清信 Inoue Kiyonobu) – Rhythm guitar
* Jun “J” Onose (小野瀬潤 Onose Jun) – Bass
* Shinya Yamada (山田真矢 Yamada Shinya) – Drums

LUNA SEA had indicated that they would be announcing something big at the press conference. Because of the use of the word “REBOOT,” fans expected the band to be reuniting, and their hopes were confirmed with the news of the world tour. LUNA SEA explained that they held the press conference in Hong Kong because they had announced their breakup there back in 2000, but many fans worldwide were still able to watch the conference due to a live online broadcast through Ustream.

LUNA SEA has announced six dates for the tour. They also intend to introduce some new songs during the tour.

* 11/27 – Bochum, Germany (Ruhrkongress)
* 12/4 – Los Angeles, United States (Hollywood Palladium)
* 12/11 – Hong Kong (Asia World Expo)
* 12/18 – Taipei, Taiwan (Taiwan Trade Center)
* 12/23 – Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Dome)
* 12/24 – Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Dome)

LUNA SEA Press Conference in Hong Kong

Anniversary of the 100th BD of KEWPIE

The exhibition commemorating the 100^th birthday of KEWPIE is now being held at Utsunomiya Museum.  KEWPIE was originated in the illustration by Rose O’Neill in U.S.A.  Since then, Kewpie has got popular all over the world.

New year Card, 1935 Japan

Today I put my younger boy in a stroller and went to appreciate tons of Kewpies from different countries, different eras. When my friend held her baby up to the Kewpie poster, he stopped crying and smiled at Kewpie!  Both Kewpie and a baby have a cute poochy belly, don’t they?

The exhibition:

Anniversary of the 100^th Birthday The World of Rose O’Neill KEWPIE

Open until September 5^th

Utsunomiya Museum of Art

^{http://u-moa.jp/jp/index.html}

 Access) 25 minutes by bus from West exit at the JR Utsunomiya station

From the parking to the museum, you can walk through a beautiful wood and grove.

A Cozy Japanese Inn “Miyano Onsen” in the “ninja” town.

Miyano Onsen in Koka celebrates its 110^th anniversary this year. The small Onsen inn with only 10 guest rooms has started construction for its renovation and expansion since last year. Its outdoor grand bath, as a part of renovation, was begun remodeling on January 20 and finished in the end of February. Their project was stepped into the next stage of accommodation expansion plan with all Japanese-style 13 guest rooms on February 4.

New annex “Zenrinbo” (善住坊） was completed on August 15, 2010. The first floor is used for dinning area and three guest rooms are laid out on the second floor.

“Koka”, known as the cradle of “Koka-ninja”, is a small town far from 1.5km south-west of JR Konan Station in Shiga Prefecture. A small remote bathhouse “Miyano Onsen” is located in this “satoyama” town. Satoyama is a Japanese term applied to the border area between mountain foothills and arable flat land. 

The small Japanese inn is elegantly laid out in this grassy remote “satoyama” town and can accommodate only 45 guests now. The chef changes his original menu seasonally and serves characteristic and tasty local dishes to his clients.

Most visitors to Miyano Onsen usually visit “Koka-ryu Ninja-yashiki” or old residence of “koka ninja”. It used to be a residence of Mochizuki Izumo-no-kami, one of the ninja readers among the 53 Koka Families, built in the Genroku Era (1688-1703).

“Koga-ryu Ninja-yashiki” is looked like an ordinal house.

“Ninja-yashiki” looks quite ordinal on the outside, but is strategically designed to trick and entrap against any enemy broking into inside, such as “donden-gaeshi” or a reversal door, “otoshi-ana” or a pitfall, a set of “Kakushi-bashigo” and “Kakushi-beya” or a hidden ladder and shelter, and other devices.

It is recommendable to stop by and enjoy Onsen after sightseeing of “Koka-ryu Ninja-yashiki”.

■General Information

■Tariff for 1 person

＊The above prices include two meals, service charge, and tax, but exclusive 150 yen local tax for bathing.

〈For quick bathers〉

■Entrance fees for grand bath

＊    The above fees do not include 50yen local tax for bathing.

■Entrance fees for private bath in 1 hour

＊    The above fees do not include 50yen local tax for bathing.

As a certified guide-interpreter in English and also a writer of the website “Cool Japan Guide”, I will be very happy to accompany you to this wonderful ninja world in Shiga.

Thank you for your kind cooperation, I am looking forward to your contacts.

Please Contact Us/お問合せ

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TOKIO , the main MC of "24HTV 33" They are popular male idol group.

 This long-running popular  annual TV charity show of  NTV(Nippon Television Network Corporation, 日本テレビ)　and its affiliated TV stations nationwide  started in 1978 and this was the 33rd one this year.   Each time popular stars, singers, actors, athletes and others show up and perform and various sub-directoryprograms in the two-day long (about 26.5 hours) program.They sang, danced, acted, joined social welfare activities, marathon , triathlon of  a visually- challenged girl, and so forth.

a specific collection box fo "24HTV"

TOKIO ,a popular male idol group was in charge of the main MC od the show. And the currently most popular young female idol group,AKB48,  Ryoko Yonehara(/米原涼子) a popular actor,and other well-known celebrities and TV personalities were hosts of the show. Some famous Korean stars cooperated with the programs as well.  

"Nippon Budokan" in Tokyo, the main venue of the show

Each time this show has a special subject of the year and this year’s is “Thank You”(/「ありがとう」).  A lot of people in the show  expressed their gratitude and　talked about thanking someoneand mutual help.  Some athletes and TV personalities tried a challenging sport activities and some of them surpringly bested the world records of those sport activities,such as  trying to make ten-strikes as many as possible withen one minute, and  trampoline-dunks.

Every year the show appoints one runner who is a TV personality as a runner to try a long and tough  the double distance marathon of  85 km to encourage suffering people spending the term of the show about 26 hours with breaks.    Sometimes  the runner  is able to reach the goal at Nippon Budokan, the main venue of the show in Tokyo in time, and sometimes the runner can’t make it by the end of the airingterm of the show.  Last year the runner couldn’t reach Nippon Budokan withen the term of  the airing time.

This year the “chosen runner” was  Ai Haruna(/はるな愛) a shemale Tvpersonality who is rapidly becoming popular and selected as “the best shemale of the world”. “She” (or “he”?)　is the first shemale runner in the all the history of the  “24HTV”.   Actually, she had made it to reaching the goal about 10 minutes before the show was over so dramatically, and  energetically and zealously  welcomed by so many audiences of  MCs, other performers, staff, and even passers-by. The grand finale of the show with her arrivial at the goal was quite impressive.  

Ai Haruna, this year's selected runner of the 85 km-long marathon in "24HTV"

Currently we have three Imperial Villas in Japan.  Suzaki Imperial Villa in Shizuoka, Hayama Imperial Villa in Kanagawa and Nasu Imperial Villa in Tochigi.  We used to have an Imperial Villa in Nikko as well.  Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa was built in 1899 for imperial prince Yoshihito who would be Taisho emperor.  He was poor in health so that he needed to stay at some of the health resort.  The summer weather in Nikko was suitable for him and the officials (mainly ministry of Imperial hold) decided to build it for him.  After the world war two, due to the new constitution introduced, Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa was abolished in 1947.  However, one of Tochigi authorities maintain the property as one of parks in Tochigi.  You should go there while you are here in Tochigi, Japan.

“TIF2010″ has been the biggest live event of  popular female idol groups ever held .http://www.tif2010.com/

There were totally 8 venues on whose main one  live performances were done. At some venue, there were tent booths of selling related items and idols hosted shake-hands events. And at some venue, dolphin shows hosted by idols were done and at some other one, live broadcast of TV programs were done. Some venues were free of charge and any casual passer-by was allowed to join in. Shinagawa Prince Hotel and its related buildings became  big and hot venues of this passionate summer festival with so many visitors of  idols’ fans.

Totally more than 40 young female groups paticipated and performed with zeal and passions at the event.  They were as follows;　(the each English translations in the blanks are not necessarily the formal English name of the group)

○アイドリング!!!（/Idoling!!!） ○さくら学院（/Sakura Gakuin） ○東京女子流（Tokyo Girls’ Style） ○Tomato n’ Pine 　○ぱすぽ☆（/PASSPO）　○バニラビーンズ（/Vanilla Beans ） ○腐男塾（/Fudanjuku) 　○ももいろクローバー（/Momoiro Clover） ○YGA 　○アフィリア・サーガ・イースト（/Afilia Saga East）　○私立恵比寿中学（/Shiritsu Ebisu Chuugaku） ○ディアステージ・オールスターズ（/Dear Stage All Stars） ○中野腐女子シスターズ（/Nakano Fujoshi Sisters） ○みにちあ☆ベアーズ（/Mini Cheer ☆Bears）　○桃知みなみ（/Minami Momochi） ○LOVE BOWLERs  ○わた☆チュー（/Wata☆Chu） ・・・and more・・・

The broadcasting  of the TV program will be done at  ” Ch. 191 スカチャンHD191″ , “Ch.181 スカチャン181″, and “Ch.801 スカチャンHD801″ of   Sky perfecTV! on the scheduled two dates.

Black and red fabulous gothic atmosphere.
There are many bats and roses ornaments.
It’s like a den on vampires.
The atmosphere,dishes and drinks are awesome!
Why don’t you go to this place?

 Romantic Village is the place to meet my needs above, with no entrance fee!!

The kids had fun splashing water

My kids and I enjoyed the village with some friends today.

The kids began with splashing water at a small fountain.

 They all ran around the indoor-kids-space later on.

These roses are just 150 yen

We found beautiful flowers at the flower market. 

I’m sure you’ll find your own happiness at Romantic Village.

If you are a beer person, just taste craft beer!!

I’d love to go back to the village again to appreciate fireworks on September 11^th.

Many other events are often held there.

Romantic Village website (Japanese)

 http://www.romanticmura.com/play/

TEL：028-665-8800　FAX：028-665-8678

(Access)

35 minutes by bus from West exit at the JR Utsunomiya station