Beautiful time in Tenkawa, foliage with snow.



NANYU SAI. South of Nara has great potential

Dear Friends and Readers.

I would love to share with you last weekend event called Nanyu sai festival.

This festival organized by Nara Prefecture office promoting and discovering great things around south of Nara. South of Nara has deep history since older capital than Kyoto was Nara in AD7-8th century. and life of south Nara are very unique and interesting.

Boys and Girls Taiko from local area (Kawakami).  Yamabiko Taiko team !!

This festival is not formal like this. This was opening ceremony. Many governors attend this special events.  

It looks like Olympic ceremony, many airplane cross the sky and splay white line upon us.  

This was our booth for selling Tenkawa's souvenir. water, kuzu, rice cracker...etc. 

many idol group performed on stages. this was Nara's popular women's unit. 

 

Gourmet soup called "Ton jiru" pork meat base soup with lots of vegie. only 150 yen per bowl. so tasty. 

Selling grilled fishes. So yummy from river around Kawakami area. just grilled with salt. simple is the best. 

Some booth sells just sweet potato for 100yen each. what a bargain.

This was my mate promote "maki" traditional pine type of plant. This plant originally for buddhism's household. now, new way of usage. Flower arrangement. Love this type of idea.

This unit for walking assist machine. it displayed at Daiwahouse booth. $3000 per month lease. 

my mate was making hand crafted paper at paper booth. Nice experience for children an families.  

This was air jumping machine stood conner of this festival

There were so many other things was happened include woodcutter contest, so many village chaaractor was there and other many many things. I was so busy doing my project with my mate who was entry village lunch box contest.  It was so much fun to do some project with friends.

It's called "Ten-cha" You add hot tea while you eat this bowl. great concept. 

Thank you for reading. Here is official site.

http://nanyousai.jimdo.com/

Most popular souvenir in Tenkawa.

Dear Friends and Readers.

Have you ever heard "DA RA NI SU KE" ?
It's a eastern medicine of digestion, loss of appetite, hangover, etc. Daranisuke has history of 1,200 years which means one of oldest medicine in Japan.

Most popular destination in Tenkawa called Dorogawa onsen district owns Daranisuke factory and provides O.E.M brands at each Dorogawa onsen hotels and 

What's Daranisuke ?  

Daranisuke shop window. 

Daranisuke on parade in shop windows.

This store as well. Daranisuke fever.

There are more hotels in Dorogawa onsen district and more Daranisuke. 

Very interesting. Have you ever heard sight seen destination owns medicine as souvenir ?

The other day, First time I saw one of ingredient of Daranisuke called Kihada (Phellodendron amurense).

Tree bark has color of yellow. Kihada means yellow skin. Quite rare to find kihada in Tenkawa now these days.

Of cause taste is bitter but it won't taste much when you take as medicine.

Thank you for reading !!

Makoto

Delicacy of Japanese vol.1 >>> TOKONOMA WOODS

Dear Friends and Readers.

Tenkawa is little snow last week at Dorogawa district.
Sanjo gatake is also snow covered.

Today, I would love to share about traditional house's guest (drawing) room in Japan.
In my house in Tenkawa also has a room called "Tokonoma".A part of Tokonoma (tatami room) has unit in one side of wall, framed by decorative woods and lifted floor about 20cm. It is like a gallery space in western way that normally, scroll calligraphy and/or paints and flower arrangement. Of cause there are many different manner and rules by different house styles. but more blend into culture and lifestyle.

Tokonoma uses best decorative woods, concept is clear that owner welcomes best room in the house. it's Omotenashi. 

Wiki said that, In this connection I may added that one of the most known American architect called Frank Lloyd Wright got influenced by Japanese architect and using this concept into fire place.

Fireplace built best decorative stones with welcoming warm images. Stunning conceptual transformation.

In village of Tenkawa, Tokonoma's wood supplier still remains. Mr Nasako who lived Tenkawa for many generation dose supplies these woods.

Master of Tokobashira, Mr Nasako showed me his collection in his storages.

Very unique woods, Mr Nasako selected from large area of Nara deep forrest. 

Sprit help crackless wood beams. 

Not only form of woods, Master understands plant deceases and reasons.   

Master told me that this woods had bad decease from where dimple of this wood. 

Spirals and different texture and colors. Variety of woods available around this region.  

Master's house uses shape for best reasons..

Tokonoma is not poplar in city lifestyle, but in regional area still has many houses owns tokonoma,
Very interesting for me.

Thank you for reading.

M.M.

Stunning foliage, natural color.

Dear Friends and Readers.

I just want to share these photos with you !!

We have autumn festival in Tenkawa this weekend. Lots of people come to see colorful landscape.
You got to see in your eyes.

Cheers

On the way from Tenkawa council to Mitarai gorge. 

This maple leaves got orange color. 

This is just around conner of Mitarai gorge. So much different color. 

I love contrast purple, yellow and green...so eye catch.

Red is so bright and strong.

I believe this is one of heavenly time in Tenkawa.