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羽鳥慎一モーニングショー「継ぐ女神」放送後、多くのお客様から「いわき七浜漬」のご注文をいただきました。誠に感謝しております。ありがとうございました。

1/22放送後からのご注文をほぼ発送完了しました。ご注文の時から、暖かいお言葉をいただきまして、励みになりました。現在は、新型コロナの報道で、「継ぐ女神」コーナーが延期されておりますが、また、放送される際は、私どもも楽しみにしております。斎藤ちはるアナウンサーも頑張ってください。

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🌸Hanami Season 2020 Info🌸 Ogawasuwa Shrine is one of the earliest places to see cherry blossom in Fukushima Pref. It’s also my favourite shrine to visit on the coast. What can I say? I’m a big fan of red torii gates. ⛩ (Iwaki, Fukushima) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9D3so-HATw/?igshid=1uurxfxhhtka3

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are these not the birds outside the Toho in Yumoto, Iwaki, Fukushima??

wait maybe not. those were closer to the road

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I wasn’t able to go to this year’s Kohata Flag Festival, which is held on the first Sunday of December at Mt Kohata (pictured), but from seeing some of my colleague’s photos, it looks like it was amazing!! I will have to put it in my diary for next year. Mt Kohata is such an amazing, spiritual and peaceful area, totally off the beaten track in Nihonmatsu City 😌🌳🌲⛰ (at Nihommatsu-shi, Fukushima, Japan)

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1st Dec., 2017

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Another shot from the enchanting Mt Kohata (at Nihommatsu-shi, Fukushima, Japan)

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28th Nov., 2017

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Tsuchiyu Onsen has been a well-loved kokeshi-producing onsen town for over 170 years. Kokeshi are painted wooden dolls, which have been produced in Japan since the late 18th century in onsen towns in Tohoku (the eastern region of Japan).

Kokeshi were originally made and sold in onsen towns as souvenirs for visiting guests to take home to their friends and families. Throughout the 6 prefectures that make up Tohoku, there are 11 distinctive styles of kokeshi. This being said, the Tsuchiyu Kokeshi is ranked among the ‘top 3’ of the Tohoku Kokeshi.

Tsuchiyu Onsen is a lovely place to visit for a day trip. Since there are lots of onsen that you can visit for the day, it is particularly nice to visit at this time of year, so that you can get yourself warmed up after exploring the town.

So what can you do in Tsuchiyu Onsen?

1. Strike a Pose with a Kokeshi!

Try and find the 3 large kokeshi doll sisters scattered around the town! The kokeshi in the photograph below is 2m in height and weights 500kg!

Each kokeshi stands in a really scenic spots, where you can enjoy beautiful views overlooking the charming onsen town.

2. Pay a visit to the 6 Jizo

Start your walk around Tsuchiyu onsen to the 6 Jizo. You might have seen similar groups of statues in other areas of Japan. These 6 Boddhisatva figures, known in Japanese as jizo, represent 6 roads in life (hell, hungry ghosts, animals & beasts, carnage & battle, man, heaven), and are thought to protect children and travellers from life’s hardships.

After the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Buddhist statues and places of worship were destroyed in an attempt to centralize power and worship around Shintoism.

These particular statues in particular were hidden during this period to avoid their destruction. They were rediscovered in 1971. The original statues have now been relocated, and replacement statues placed in their original spot.

3. Take some photos from Takinotsuri Bridge

A little further from the 6 Jizo statues in Takinotsuri Bridge. The bridge is less than a 5 minute walk from the main street of Tsuchiyu Onsen town. This being said, standing on the top of the bridge, it is hard to believe that the town is close – you feel as if you’re in the middle of a forest!

Whether it is the view of the waterfall, or the gazing far off to the foot-bath in the distance, the views from the top of the bridge are very beautiful, and make the bridge well-worth visiting.

4. Warm Up at Tsuchiyukko Foot-bath

The foot-bath that you can see from the top of Takinotsuri Bridge is Tsuchiyukko Foot-bath. Surrounded by nature and the calming sound of the waterfall, it is a great place to relax, regardless of the time of year – although I personally love going in the winter to warm up.

Tip: Remember to bring towels with you so you can dry your feet afterwards!

5. Learn about Tsuchiyu’s History at Shotoku Taishi-do

Shotoku Taishi-do’s history stretches back to the 7th century, when a man named Hatanokawa Katsu was given the task of visiting eastern Japan in order to pray for teh recovery of the Crown Prince Shotoku – who had taken ill – and to carry out Buddhist missionary work.

It was during his time in Fukushima that Hatanokawa also became ill. His illness did not respond to treatment he was given by doctors at the time. He had basically all but given up, but one day, upon fall asleep in bed, and had an intense dream during which he was informed to dig up a bath in the area, which had healing, spiritual waters that would heal him.

Upon awakening, he dug up a pool of onsen water, bathed and was completely cured of his illness. Believing this to be a sign, he created the Buddhist temple, which he dedicated to Crown Prince (Taishi) Shotoku. This area became known as Tsukiyu (meaning lunging water) from that date, and the name gradually morphed into Tsuchiyu over the centuries.

The Shotoku Taishi-do is now visited to pray to a guardian deity, who is thought to have influence over safe childbirth, and the good education for children. The current body of

The temple was rebuilt in 1726.

Inside the temple grounds stands the Yakushi kokeshi do – a unique temple which is dedicated to the god of protecting onsen (pretty standard) and also kokeshi-making technology (very unique). It is a symbol of technological advances and mental coordination.

Tip: A kokeshi festival is held on the first Sunday, and 3rd Saturday of April every year at Yakushi Kokeshi-do.

6. Spot the Differences Between Kokeshi at Tsuchiyu Denshokan

Visit the Denshokan to view a huge selection of kokeshi dolls, and see to how the Tsuchiyu style has changed over the years, as well as learning about the different styles of the various Kijiya (woodworkers) who have made them for generations.

Tsuchiyu Kokeshi have a number of unique features. Their faces feature a little black fringe covering their forehead, a long, thin nose, and rounded eyes. Their slender body is usually striped and is painted by gently running a brush over the wood while it is spinning the kokeshi on a potter’s wheel. Tsuchiyu Kokeshi also have black hair on the crown of their heads.

I personally think that their long noses are their most easily-identifiable feature!

If you have extra time, have a wander around the town and visit some of the workshops of the town’s kijiya. If you’re lucky, you might even get to see them in action!

7. Sample Tsuchiyu’s Other Footbaths

After wandering a little further, it’s the perfect time to take another dip in a footbath to warm up before moving on to lunch, such as Tsuki no Yubuje (月のゆぶじぇ）and Omoi no Yu (偲いの湯).

8. Chow Down on a Tasty Lunch

There are a number of really great places to eat lunch in Tsuchi-yu. The place I visited most recently is called Masaharu, which sells ramen noodles with a range of spicy and not-so-spicy dipping sauces/soups. Check out the map below for some other cafes & restaurants in the area.

9. Onsen Time!

There’s nothing better after lunch than going to an onsen – and you really are spoiled for choice in Tsuchiyu. There are over 10 ryokan, many of which extend the offer of bathing in their on-site onsen to visitors who are not staying overnight.

The 10 varieties of hot spring water which flow from the source at Tsuchiyu Onsen will enable you to find a bath that is perfect for you!

Outside of the main onsen town, there are also other ryokan nearby, such as Noji Onsen & Shinnoji Onsen, which can be reached by bus. I recommend any of the onsen for visiting in the winter, but especially if they have rotenburo (outside, open-air baths).

Being able to bathe in an onsen outside whilst surrounded by snow is truly an incredible experience and one of the really special things about visiting Japan.

Shinnoji Onsen

Noji Onsen Ryokan

Here is a map of the places mentioned in this article, and including the Tsuchiyu Tourism Association, where you can get maps of the area and information.

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Spending a Winter Day in Tsuchiyu Onsen Tsuchiyu Onsen has been a well-loved kokeshi-producing onsen town for over 170 years. Kokeshi are painted wooden dolls, which have been produced in Japan since the late 18th century in onsen towns in Tohoku (the eastern region of Japan).

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Kurosawa Kirizai Geta Shop

Kurosawa Kirizai – a shop in Kitakata City where geta (traditional Japanese shoes) are made and sold – opened in 1912.

For over 100 years ago, the Kurosawa family have prided themselves on their careful use of only the highest quality paulownia wood – grown locally of course – for the construction of their geta…….

Although it may look the base portion of the shoes are made identical shapes, they are in fact subtly different, so there is actually a left and right foot! There is also a huge deal of skill and experience that goes into being able to notice the subtle variances in each piece of wood.

Traditional Geta in Kitakata

Kitakata City was once well-known for its geta production. In winter time – when craftsmen had time to focus on producing a large reserve of their stock due to being snowed into their homes – locals used to see piles of geta, stacked up outside their respective shop. There were even competitions to see who could stack up the most!

However, as demand for geta dropped throughout and following the Showa era (1926 -1989 ) one by one, the businesses involved in this industry dropped in number, until Kurosawa Kirizai was the only shop left standing.

The Last Geta Shop in Kitakata

Kurosawa make a huge variety of geta – different shapes, sizes, designs, each carefully handcrafted with the requests of their customers in mind.

Despite the drop in numbers of those buying traditional geta – as opposed to cheap plastic ones – Kurosawa Kirizai are determined to keep this tradition alive, and to keep supplying their customers with the good quality shoes that they expect and have grown to cherish over the years……..

My thoughts

During my visit, I couldn’t help but think that geta would make great a great gift to take home to friends and family (or for yourself!). They are lightweight, compact, and are very traditional.

Geta of various sizes were on sale in the shop, but customers can also have geta ordermade to fit their feet – they even paint and dye the wood as per the requests of their customers.

There are many interesting and old-fashioned shops around Kitakata City, many of which are still home to those families who have continued their businesses for generations.

Although the times are changing fast, it’s a relief to know that there are some families, like the Kurosawas, who are determined to pass on their legacies and their traditions to the next generations…..

READ THE WHOLE BLOG ENTRY HERE!

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Formed over 80 million years by underground streams and covered with stalactites and stalagmites are the Abukuma-do Caves. This 3km limestone cave network was discovered in 1969, and subsequently 600m of it has been opened to the public.

The Abukuma-do caves are said to hold the biggest variety and number of stalactites in Asia. Each area of the cave network has a different name depending on the shape of the rock formations it contains. Many individual rocks also have their own name.

The temperature inside the cave stays consistently around 15 degrees Celsius, meaning that the caves stay cool during the summer, and mild in winter – a welcome change either season!

So what can you do with a day trip to Abukuma-do Caves?

1.) Try and spot all the different shape rocks

The caves are filled with uniquely shaped limestone formations – many of which look strikingly similar to objects in the natural world. These formations have been given names according to their shapes.

For this reason, the cave is home to rocks named Dragon Palace, Mushroom Rock & Christmas Tree.

The English-language leaflet, available at Abukuma-do Caves, details the locations of each of these rocks. Can you spot them all? How about guessing what they are supposed to be without looking at the English titles?

2. Try out the Exploration Course

The 40 minute Abukuma-do Caves main course can easily be completed by visitors regardless of fitness level. For those wanting to add a bit of adventure to their visit, for an additional 200 yen, you can go on an additional 120m-long Exploration Course (which takes around 5 minutes).

The Exploration Course involves quite a bit of crouching, bending and crawling in places, so please consider this before trying it out!

Visitors on the Exploration Course rejoin back with other visitors at Takine Palace, which is the central area and highlight of the caves ; a photo opportunity not to be missed.

3.) See if you can hear all the raindrops

From any one place, if you listen very carefully, you can hear the sound of every water droplet falling throughout the cave. It’s pretty spectacular.

That being said, quite a lot of water drops from the ceiling, so I would recommend bringing a cap with you!

Visiting Abukuma-do by car:

A 35km (50 minute) drive from central Koriyama City

Visiting Abukuma-do by public transport:

The caves are a 5 minute taxi ride away from Kanmata Station. Reach Kanmata Sation by train from Koriyama or Iwaki. Staff at Abukuma-do Caves are happy to call taxis for visitors.

Price:

1200 yen (+ 200 yen for optional Exploration Course)

Opening hours:

Open all year.

Feb 1 – Feb 28 8:30 – 17:00

Mar 1 – Nov 30 8:30 – 17:30

Dec 1 – Jan 31 8:30 – 16:30

4. Check out the other caves

The nearby Irimizu Caves Network, designated as a National Natural Treasure, is also worth visiting. The caves are split into three sections, A, B & C. Visitors can explore A & B by themselves, but those exploring C – the deepest cave – must be accompanied with a guide.

Even the B course delves deep enough in the mountain for visitors to have to trudge through knee-deep water for quite a lot of it, their path lit only by the light of their torch and candles – not for the light-hearted or claustrophobic!! If you’re lucky, you might even meet some bats!

The water is around 10 degrees and you can get pretty cold afterwards, especially in autumn / winter, so visitors are recommended to go during summer. Irimizu Caves also have height / weight restrictions for visitors.

Price:

Price depends on the course you do, but it is around 500 yen per course for an adult.

Opening times:

Mar 1 – Nov 28: 8:30-17:00

Dec 1 – Feb 28 8:30-16:30

5. Drink some wine matured in the cave

Wine 100% made from grapes grown in Takine area of Tamura City is left to age in the Abukuma-do Caves. This wine is called 貯蔵ワイン（北醇). This unique aging environment gives the wine a very unique taste. You can buy this wine from the shop at Abukuma-do Caves.

There are also lots of other local products available to buy in store, such as perilla (egoma エゴマ in Japanese) paste – a speciality of Funehiki area of Tamura City.

You can even buy a cute cuddly toy of one of Tamura City’s – Orion chan.

6. Lavender Fields & Christmas Lights

From mid-June to early-July, the lavender that coats the hillside outside Abukuma-do caves comes into full bloom, and is really a spectacular sight to behold.

From Dec- March, the caves are decorated with seasonal light displays (known as ‘illuminations’ in Japan). There’s nothing much more Christmassy than seeing fairy lights on a limestone shaped like a Christmas tree!

7. Visit the observatory

The adorably named Star Village Observatory, very close by to Abukuma-do, contains both an observatory section and a planetarium. The observatory is open late every Saturday night for those wanting to do some real star-gazing after getting inspired by the daily telescope tours.

Opening hours: (Closed on Tuesdays)

Mar 1 – Nov 30 9:00-17:00

Dec 1 – Feb 28 9:00-16:30

Saturday late-night opening hours

April-Sep 19:00 – 21:00

Oct-Mar 18:00-20:00

8. Ring the lovers’ bell for good luck in love!

Perfect for couples, especially those visiting during lavender season! Take part in the local tradition of ringing the red lover’s bell outside Abukuma-do Caves entrance.

9. Try out some interesting pizzas

Yorimichi Tokoro Farm Restaurant (農家レストラン寄り道処) is a family-run restaurant that opened 4 years ago. The restaurant building has been converted form a cow barn.

Try a range of pizzas with unique flavours here, including natto kimchi, shiitake & konbu seaweed, and sweet potato & sweet bean paste. More standard flavours available as well! Take-out is also OK!