Thousands of dolls placed on the stage (Suzaka Art Park / 須坂アートパーク)

In Suzaka city, there are a museum called Suzaka Art Park. It takes an hour by car from Matsumoto city, and they displays print arts and do...

A special festival day for the girls. "Hina matsuri / ひな祭り" (Suzaka Art Park / 須坂アートパーク)

March 3rd is a day for girls in Japan. It is a festival day to wish the girls to grow up safely and healthy. Few days before this day com...

The kids jumping around (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen/地獄谷野猿公苑)

Even the day was cold, temperature of this day was -6 degrees in Celsius, 21 degrees in Fahrenheit, the kids were playing around joyfilly. ...

How wonderful living with sweet family (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen/地獄谷野猿公苑)

At the park, I saw a lot of families were living together. They seemed all staying close. Most of them were grooming each other. ...

Snow monkeys, the animal who enjoys hot spring (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen/地獄谷野猿公苑)

Before the heavy snow fall in January, I went to a park called "Jigokudani Yaen-Koen/地獄谷野猿公苑)". This park maybe famous to foreign people, ...

Glazed frost, the crystal-clear trees covering the mountain. (U-hyou/雨氷)

At the end of January,  a rare phenomena had seen in Matsumoto city. The phenomena is called glazed frost, "U-hyo/雨氷" in Japanese. ...

The city in the snow (Matsumoto city/松本市)

The snow changed the city a little bit. Ordinary things seemed little different. This is the flog statue made by students of Shinsyu...

The cute brothers met at Matsumoto Castle (Japanese Shiba inu / 柴犬)

At the day I went to Matsumoto castle, I met cute brothers. They are Japanese dog breed called "Shiba inu (柴犬)". The owner t...

Castle in the snow (Matsumoto castle)

In middle of January, heavy snow fall in all around Japan. It was Monday morning, what I saw was white world. Cars, houses, buildings, and...

Sending back God and fortune dolls to the sky: 2 (San-ku-ro/三九郎, Matsumoto/松本市)

At the night of January 10th this year, San-ku-ro (三九郎) festival had held at a temple called Toku-un-ji temple (徳運寺). High tow...

Sending back God and fortune dolls to the sky: 1 (San-ku-ro/三九郎, Matsumoto/松本市)

At January 10th of this year, a festival called "San-ku-ro (三九郎)" had held in Mtasumoto city. It is a festival which burns New Year's deco...

Thanks giving festival in shrine (Takemizuwake-shrine/武水別神社)

Have you ever heard of Thanks giving festival in Japan? At the end of November and beginning of December, there are Thanks giving festival...

Lion dance at festival day. (Ame-Ichi festival/飴市)

In January 9th and 10th, a festival called "Ame-ichi" held at Matsumoto every year. As these days are at end of New Year's holiday, people...

New Year's marathon relay race, the seasonal tradition in Japan winter. (Hakone Eki-den/箱根駅伝: Second day)

On the second day, I could see the top team of the race. The top team was Aoyama Gakuin University. This team started as a top, and ke...

New Year's marathon relay race, the seasonal tradition in Japan winter. (Hakone Eki-den/箱根駅伝: First day)

On January 2nd and 3rd, most famous marathon race is held in Japan. This race is called Hakone Eki-den (箱根駅伝). "Eki-den (駅伝)" means "m...

Happy new year with most beautiful mountain in Japan. (本栖湖/Lake Motosu, 中央道/Chu-ou dou highway, 厚木/Atsugi)

Japan has few days holiday in end and beginning of the year, I moved with a car running through a highway, Chu-ou dou highway(中央道). This h...

Thousands of candle lights in the bamboo lamp (Azumino Kami Akari/安曇野神竹灯, Hodaka Shrine/穂高神社)

In the beginning of December, the festival called Kami Akari (神竹灯) held at Hodaka shrine (穂高神社) in Azumino city. Kami akari means "Ligh...

Do you know wasabi and how they grown? (Daiou Wasabi-en / 大王わさび園)

When eating Japanese food, you may be see green paste added to plates. They are called "Wasabi (わさび/山葵)". Wasabi, Japanese horseradish ne...

Meiji-mura museum 5: Western world brought transportation technology (Shinagawa lighthouse/品川燈台, steam train/上蒸気機関車, Uji-Yamada Post office/宇治山田郵便局 )

Inuyama city, where Meiji-mura park placed, is in the mountain. As there were a lake in the park, I was surprised when I saw a light house...

Meiji-mura museum 4: Meiji era, Churches came to Japan with western culture (St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral / ザビエル天主堂, St. John's Church / 聖ヨハネ教会堂)

As feudal government in Edo era closed the country from abroad for few hundred years, Christianity were also stopped in Japan. When the Me...

Meiji-mura museum 3: Classic hotel which watched modern times of Japan (Teikoku hotel TOKYO / 帝国ホテル)

In the year 1890, Teikoku hotel (帝国ホテル) had opened in Tokyo. The time period in Japan was Meiji, Japan was coming near to western world. ...

Meiji-mura museum 2: An instrument brought to Japan, tracking silk road. (Biwa / 琵琶)

Walking around in the park, I heard a sound of an instrument. Going inside of a famous author's house, I met an old man playing instrument ...

Meiji-mura museum 1: Meiji era, the time when Japan met western world (Meiji-mura museum / 明治村)

Japan uses special chronogram. When emperor of Japan pass away, one era ends. Now we are living era named "Heisei (平成)". The era was "M...

Color red, covering everything (Yohashira shrine / 四柱神社, Trees in Matsumoto city)

In the middle of November, we Japanese goes to shrine and wishes the children to grow healthy. We call the event Shichi-Go-San (七五三). "Sh...

The castle in autumn (Matsumoto castle/松本城)

Leaving Okamiya shrine (岡宮神社), I went to Matsumoto castle (松本城). The weather was so good! People seems having fun. Not only, people, ev...