The Osaka castle ume garden has 880 trees. It is only 4 stations away with the loop line from Umeda station (the main railway station in Osaka). You must get out at Osakajokoen station. After that you have around 20 minutes walk through the castle park to reach the ume garden (there are many maps on the way so you will not get lost).

Judging by what we saw last weekend the full blossom this year will happen most probably during the first week of March (but considering the many different varieties present in the garden it is really difficult to predict).

Here is a view of part of the garden from above:

There were crowds but it was not overcrowded as sometime happens with such events:

And here are the photos from the ume trees themselves:

There was and ume trees market. You could actually buy the trees on the photos bellow. They were selling and many ume bonsai trees (I will make a separate post for them).

The Osaka castle itself in background:

I hope we can make it next week again to the castle so I can take photos from the full blossom :)

Kenrokuen garden is one of the must see gardens in Japan. We saw it before during the beginning of the spring (first half of February) so we didn’t expect to be much different at the end of January – but we were completely wrong. Here are the pictures from our “early spring” trip and below are the photos from yesterday (3oth of January 2011). I will just let you enjoy the photos – and Yes, I strongly recommend to visit Kenrokuen during the winter, the spring or any other season you can afford to do it. You will not be disappointed!

First, the tea houses/souvenirs shops just before the entrance to the park (they serve also good udon and soba in some of them):

A view toward the castle which is just in front of the park:

And let the Kanazawa Kenrokuen garden winter fairy tail begin :)

First – the approach to Shinjuku station – just after a rain. Alive and full of lights as usually:

Getting closer:

Almost there:

And here the fairy tail starts – The Shinjuku Southern Lights 2010-2011:

The “enchanted” forest:

The penguins temple :)

View toward the station from deep inside of the Southern Lights:

The pyramid of lovers. You enter with your loved one inside and close the electric chain so the lights can turn on:

A view towards the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building:

Another glimpse of the “enchanted” forest:

If you wish to see the other part of Shinjuku – Kaubukicho (where you should not go with your wife ;) ) follow this link from my last year Tokyo visit.

This is the main entrance. After it there is almost a kilometer long street covered in light arcades. Every year the design is different. The crowds are big but never monsters. You have a nice classical music in the background.

One important point about Kobe Luminarie is that it has nothing to do with Christmas. The timing is just a coincidence. The main reason for the creation of the Luminarie was to help reinvigorate Kobe after the devastating earthquake of 1995. The entrance is free but even now there are people with boxes collecting money from the visitors. I think the main purpose of the event nowadays is to commemorate the victims of the earthquake.

After the entrance street comes the “citadel”:

The previous year the structure was much more “light” in comparison with the more robust from this one. Here is a picture for comparison:

The new one indeed looks to me like a citadel – build to resist and defend weather the old one is more like a castle from a fairy tail story.

Anyway – in both of the “castles” you can enter:

In the center of the castle there is a small temple with a “golden” dome:

We couldn’t reach this year the “golden” temple but the last one in it there were many small bells. The people were throwing money and trying to hit some of the bells. Every time they succeed you could here the sound of the bell. By the way it was not easy at all to hit one – theey were just too small so one had to use many rounds of “munitions” – especially the kids (sponsored by their parents). I suppose this was one of the strategies to raise additional funding for the event.

If you want to see photos from inside the “castle” please follow the links to 2009 Luminarie – link 1 and link 2 (the same as in the beginning of the post).

Here are several more photos from the intricate pattern of the “citadel” and the surroundings:

The easiest way to reach it is Suma beach JR station – after that around 15 min. walk direction toward the mountain. The temple has both cherry and momiji (Japanese maple) trees so it is very nice to visit it both during the sakura and during the Koyo period.

The following photos are mainly from the Sumadera’s momiji (maple trees) but the complex of shrines is worth visiting at any time of the year. Actually this is one of the most beautiful temples you can find in and around Kobe.

First the read leaves momiji:

The yellow one:

And all the rest:

The next several photos are from around the red pagoda:

Not a momiji but still nice – you can see this type of grass in many of the shrines gardens:

Just a glimpse of some of the many shrines composing the complex:

The final set of photos. It was sunset and I was trying to catch the sunlight in the momiji leaves.

Enjoy:)

This time it is from Sasayama (篠山) Hyogo prefecture. It takes around one hour by bus from Kobe – Sannomiya but you can reach it with JR railway also. We stayedd in Unitopia Sasayma (ユニトピアささやま) – a nice hotel with big lake in front (actually the lake was under reconstruction but this didn’t kill the charm of the place at all it just make it look more surreal).

The hotel is situated in a narrow valley and you must walk almost 1 kilometer from the parking before you reach it. All the photos are from this path.

Here is the first one – no photoshop was used in this photo or any other of the rest.

Koyo in its best – the autumn leaves beauty of Japan.

The above pictures are of momiji (紅葉) – the Japanese maple tree. Another spectacular Koyo tree is the Chinese sequoia:

And a small forest of them:

The next pictures are from different momiji trees. Even though they belong to the same area and most probably they are exactly the same species – the variety of colors and their configurations is unbelievable.

Not a momiji tree but still present in every koyo composition (unfortunately forgot the Japanese name):

The momiji, the Chinese sequoia and the satured red bush. What is missing for the Koyo picture to be complete? The parsimon tree of course :) :

Sasayama late November – you can already see frost in the morning:

Another morning shot – the frost was melting under the rays of the sun and transforming into morning mist:

And yet even more Sasayama Koyo photos:

And for the end something different – a little bit of Sakura – a flowering cherry tree and spring snowflake:

Almost forgot – there were many birds in the area. So if you are an ornithologist and decide to visit Sasayama – do not forget to take a camera with you:)

It takes around 25-30 min from the center of Kobe to reach the winery (with the school bus). Basically you have to take a long tunnel starting from Shinkansen Kobe station and once you are out of it you are on the other side of Rokko mountain. Then another 15-20 min ride and you are there – the Kobe winery:

The main building of the winery is actually a complex of hotel, restaurants and other facilities. There are playgrounds for kids and even a small lake with with something like boats on it:

The next photo is from inside the complex – one of the restaurants:

Here we tried the first really good Kobe wine – the Benediction Riesling 2008 (white wine):

Kobe’s Benediction (at least the white one) is really good. I strongly recommend it. There were also some red wines but you better avoid them. Later there will be some more photos of excellent Kobe wines but for now let’s go to the vineyard itself:

Yea – a real vineyard in the center of Japan. I don’t think it is any different form the same from France, Spain or Bulgaria.

The Riesling grape was already collected but the Cabernet Sauvignon was still there:

Another great thing about Kobe winery is that near the main building there is a huge barbecue place. It can easily accommodate several hundred people. This is where we spend most of the afternoon. I must admit though that my memories form this afternoon are slightly blurred as a results of several bottles of Kobe rose and white wine but here are the photos.

First, some of the main culprits (for my blurred memories) – the white Kobe wine:

And the rose:

Both white and rose Kobe “Choice” whines are excellent choice. The only problem is that you can find them very rarely in the local shops. As a matter of fact the only shop in which I remember they were selling them is one of the foreign food shops in the center of Kobe (Sannomiya). Even though now I will be looking more carefully for these wines and hopefully I will find some additional selling spots in Kobe.

The next photo is still from the BBQ place and it is strictly not for vegetarians:

Just to mention that during the most of the BBQ the kids were playing in the nearby playground under the supervision of the teachers so no obstructions in the wine consumption process. In general Kobe winery is very children friendly place and if you could find a dedicated parent to supervise the kids until you become familiar with the local wines I am sure you will enjoy it a lot :)

Just one last photo taken in front of the BBQ place:

Nice scenery. The house in the base of the hill is almost the same as some European old houses (Poland).

In conclusion – if you are near Kobe – visit Kobe winery (with or without kids either way is OK).

Kobe wines – white and rose – excellent, red – be careful (rather avoid, at least the one named simply ‘Kobe Wine’).

Who are HeartCatch PreCure? A bunch of super girls who are fighting evil forces, of course. BTW the evil forces often take the form of a nice looking guy.

But enough speaking – here are the photos (and the movies). All of them are from yesterday (Monday) during the live HeartCatch PreCure show in Harborland (Kobe).

First, the two most important HeartCatch PreCure girls – the Cure Marine (キュアマリン, Kyua Marin) – the blue one and Cure Blossom (キュアブロッサム, Kyua Burosamu) – the red/pink one:

And a closer view – Cure Blossom:

And Cure Marine:

Just in case you have any doubts about the ability of HartCatch PreCure to drive crowds wherever they appear:

As a matter of fact – all the seats were occupied already one hour before the start of the show.

Here come the movies. In the first one HeartCatch PreCure fight and defeat some of the evil creatures:

Click here to view the embedded video.

As you can see the fight is quite tough. They definitely use some sort of martial arts.

In this one they are looking for their friend who was meanwhile kidnapped by their enemies:

Click here to view the embedded video.

In the last one – the evil forces are finally defeated. Everybody is happy and dancing:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Even more photos from the show:

Aren’t they the cutest anime girls in the world? :)

Anyway it is difficult to miss it.  It is located in the very center of the city and almost every main street leads to it. For example if  you start walking on big street, coming from the main railway station – sooner or later you will reach it. In the beginning it resembles just another shopping gallery but once you enter you will see the difference. Here are the photos from our February trip.

Crabs – I never saw bigger variety than here. The prices of some of them were also impressive!

And crowds everywhere. After all what gonna be a Japanese fish market without them? :)

The market is composed of many small fish shops but toward the end the pattern changes – you enter the “red lamps” district.

Originally the market was fish and vegetables. Now you can still find some vegetables shops toward the very end.

Kanazawa is a great city. We are looking forward for our autumn leaves viewing trip.

As usual there were a lot of food, drinks (beer) and of course dances.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Actually some of the food – frozen, white, sweet liquid in the form of sausages was distributed for free. On the next picture you can see what is happening when it arrived in the center of the festival.

Just one more picture of the dancing people:

It is really nice that both old and young people are participating. There are many local festivals like this in Japan every year and I thing they are one of the reasons to keep the communities “healthy”.

The official Obon Odori finished around 9:00 p.m. but after that the people started many small hanabi’s (fireworks). Here is a picture from our own one:

Proud to say that we were the last to stay in the park. It was almost 11:15 when we finally finished with the fireworks. I was really surprised that the people leaving in the neighbors didn’t call the police (some of the firecrackers and small rockets were really very noisy). But it was Obon Odori night after all and may be even the policemen themselves were celebrating somewhere :)