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Just Life (in Japan): April 2014
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Just Life (in Japan). Wednesday, 23 April 2014. Kodomo no hi) is one of the Japanese National Holidays that occurs in Golden week. It takes place on the 5. Day of the 5. Month Or May 5. The day was originally boy’s day but has become over time children’s days. In 1948, the government decreed this day to be a national holiday to celebrate the happiness of all children and to express gratitude toward mothers. Oak) leaves —. Are traditionally served on this day. Monday, 21 April 2014. Visitors here are ofte...
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Just Life (in Japan): Spring in Otawara and Cherry Blossom..... or is it Plum?
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Just Life (in Japan). Sunday, 29 March 2015. Spring in Otawara and Cherry Blossom. or is it Plum? So I investigated, there are hundreds of sites with details and at least 8 major differences, but the main ones are:. Petals: They are both similar in shape, BUT importantly, and easy to recognize, Cherry blossoms have a small split at the end of each petal – not so for plum. Both can be pink or white, but Cherry can also be a yellowy colour. So can you work these out? Japan 2015 Cherry Blossom Viewing map.
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Just Life (in Japan): July 2014
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Just Life (in Japan). Wednesday, 23 July 2014. Senkakuji is a small Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple in Minato-ku district in Tokyo not far from Shinagawa station. It is famous for the graves of the 47 Ronin one of Japan’s most well-known stories and the most famous story of the Samurai code of “Bushido” – courage, loyalty and honor. The ronin felt the injustice of the entire event and plotted carefully over almost 2 years to avenge their master, even though they knew by doing so they would have to lose their li...
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Just Life (in Japan): August 2014
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Just Life (in Japan). Sunday, 24 August 2014. Nihonbashi Bridge, Tokyo. Nihonbashi bridge is a very historic site in Tokyo. Nihonbashi actually translates to Japan Bridge. It is in the Chuo district of Tokyo and has linked the areas on either side of the river at this site since the 17th century. It was initially a wooden bridge and was first constructed in 1603. During the 17th century the Nihonbashi bridge was known as the Edo bridge and was the eastern terminus of the. Roads which ran between. The goo...
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Just Life (in Japan): February 2015
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Just Life (in Japan). Saturday, 21 February 2015. Japanese Skunk Cabbage or Zen plant. In Japan this plant is known as the Zen plant because it looks like a monk praying, at least that’s what I gather. As its name suggests it is allegedly a smelly plant, although I couldn't smell anything but I didn't get too close. It lives in wet marshy ground and where I found them today, there was still ice on the ground. It uses its smell and additional warmth to attract insects so ensuring pollination. I've been cu...
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Just Life (in Japan): Yatai Festival 2015
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Just Life (in Japan). Sunday, 19 April 2015. April 18th and 19th 2015 saw the annual Yatai Matsuri, a local weekend of music, food and fun in downtown Otawara, Tochigi prefecture. The Yatai festival is an annual spring festival in the Otawara calendar. Yatai are traditionally smallish, mobile food stalls in Japan typically selling ramen or other food. The name literally means "shop. Each Yatai, comes from a particular area of town and its "team" drag it through town during. I was born in the UK and lived...
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Just Life (in Japan): Nikko
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Just Life (in Japan). Sunday, 21 June 2015. Nikko National Park is in Tochigi prefecture and about an hours drive from home. It a huge area containing many interesting sights, walks, historical buildings and other tourist spots. Nikko is a town within Nikko National Park which is probably most famous for its World Heritage temples and shrines. The shrines here are famous for having the tombs of the first and third Tokugawa Shoguns located here. The first Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa. Is also buried in Nikko.
louozinjapan.blogspot.com
Just Life (in Japan): June 2014
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Just Life (in Japan). Sunday, 29 June 2014. I recently saw a program (in Japanese unfortunately) about Japaneses Kokeshi Dolls and despite not being a Doll person, I became fascinated with this traditional Doll. In Kinugawa yesterday at a small local shop with a beautiful collection of Kokeshi Dolls and ended up buying one. Are handmade wooden dolls, traditionally fro Northern japan. They are armless and legless and a simple cylindrical design with a relatively large head. This is my first one . 6 Tokyo ...
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Just Life (in Japan): January 2015
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Just Life (in Japan). Saturday, 24 January 2015. The 58th Tokyo craft fair was held in late January on the 11th floor of the Takashimaya Department store in Shinjuku. I had to go to Tokyo for another reason, and wasn’t really so close to Shinjuku, but the concept of this fair really interested me. It was based around crafts that were common in Tokyo during the Edo period and that were still being made in the traditional manner by master craftsmen. Traditionally made Calligraphy Brushes. Ive visited Daoji...
