The color red to ward off evil spirits

Nara-machi Museum

Nara-machi, a quaint, nostalgic, and charming town close to Nara Park, 

is a town of Koshin faith.  

Monkeys made of red cloth are hanged from the eaves of each house 

as substitute monkeys for protecting families inside from diseases and disasters. 

Since the ancient times, red color is believed to be a lucky color to ward off evil spirits. 

The number of the red monkeys show how many people inside they protect.  

An old townhouse, renovated and re-purposed into a gallery cafe

Apart from the scapegoat monkeys.....,

red is eye-catching.

Kafka in Nara-machi?  

I like it when red color is used as an accent.

I chose some unpublished photos in which red spices up the landscape.

The town was getting busier toward the holiday season.

Kobe-ohashi Bridge connecting downtown Kobe and man-made Port Island

So many countries have stepped up fight against the epidemic of the novel coronavirus.

Knowing the fact that about 10000 people dying of influenza in Japan,

I have to be more cautious as unknown disease is frightening. 

But what I've been doing is my habitual preventive measures

when flu and colds are going around.

Personally, flu and noro-virus are more threats in reality so far.

In addition to what is written at Healthy Habits to Help Prevent Flu,

I keep handy packs of alcohol-based sterilized cotton in my bag 

in case soap and water are not available.

Inside the house, I use humidifying air cleaner.

About 50% humidity is thought to make viruses much less active.

More importantly, enough sleep, balanced diet, and exercises

would be necessary not to lower one's immunity.

The first torii gate to the Kasuga Grand Shrine
This photo was published in A snow day in Nara Park, 2011.
No snow yet in this winter.

Be safe and take care of yourself, everybody worldwide.

Linked to Mosaic Monday

Hidden beauty of Japan off the beaten track

Time is fleeting. While I was engaged in this or that and wanted to have a trip but didn’t have enough time to plan ahead, an advertisement of a bus tour provided by a tourist bureau caught my eyes, “Symphony of five hidden superb views with autumn foliage and snow capped Northern Japanese Alps”. I booked with my husband right away and in two weeks I was in a bus heading for the border area of Nagano and Niigata prefectures.

On the second day, we got into a micro bus and explored around Itoigawa. Itoigawa is a small rustic city located on the coast of western Niigata, where the mountains of the Northern Japanese Alps meet the Japanese sea. Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line is a major fault that runs from the city of Itoigawa on Japan Sea through Lake Suwa to the city of Shizuoka on the Pacific Ocean.  Fossa Magna also lies to its east.  On October 23, 2004, a powerful earthquake shook this region.  It was the largest disaster in terms of scale and impact since the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

 Fudotaki Falls

The Fudotaki Falls is a beautiful, three-tiered, 70m tall waterfall surrounded by the forest on three sides. It is very cool during summer and dim even in the daytime.  The environment around the waterfall is home to a variety of wildlife including wild Japanese serow.

Mt. Myojyo

Mt. Myojo, with its massive face of white limestone, was formed from coral reefs which date back at least 300 million years. It contains a wide variety of marine fossils. The mountain was originally located south to this place, but tectonic movement carried it to its current place. The peak located behind the rock wall is 1188 meters high.  (Source: here)

 The rock wall itself is about 450m high and is popular with rock climbers.

We walked to Kotaki-gawa Jade Gorge viewing the surrounding foliage.  The Kotakigawa River winds through this gorge along the foot of Mt. Myojo and, as its name suggests, it is home to large jade deposits. 

Kotaki-gawa Jade Gorge

Until quite recent years, jade artifacts excavated in Japan had been thought to be imported from Burma. However, discovery of the large jade deposits here in 1938, coupled with the discovery of large jade-working villages throughout the Itoigawa region, completely overturned this thought. Now evidence suggests that most if not all of jade artifacts since the ancient times were produced here and distributed across the country.

Because of the minerals dissolved into the water, the water color is beautiful blue. The Kotakigawa Jade Gorge has been designated as a National Natural Monument and removal or damage of any plants, animals, or minerals from the area is strictly prohibited.

Takanami-no-ike Pond

Takanami-no-ike Pond is at the 540 meter-high Hakuba foothills.  A giant fish has been sighted successively.  It is affectionately called “浪太郎　Namitaro (wave boy)” or “翠　Midori (jade green)”.

 I was so charmed by these simple beauties that I forgot myself until I realised time was running out.  The tour conductor told us we could spend (only!) 30 minutes here.

Water is clear and crystal.


Looking up, the sky is clear blue.

Since I spent leisurely, I couldn't reach to the point where Mt. Myojyo is reflected on the water.  I missed the chance on such a rare clear day without fog as the locals said.

But I felt better later when I could photograph Mt. Myojyo soaring by the Takanami-no-ike Pond from the bus window.  (The photo above)

 The mountains were the stage of Nagano Winter Olympics.

Our bus ran through rice paddies after harvest along the JR Ooito Line and entered Hakuba Village, Nagano.

Oide Suspension Bridge on the Hime River in Hakuba Village

Clear stream, small wooden suspension bridge, houses with thatched-roof, Japanese pampus grasses....
I think this is the place dear to the Japanese people's heart.
(Look at the zoomed image on the top, too.)

Let's wind clock back to the first day of our trip.  When the sun was low in the west, we reached Ryujin Lake made by Omachi Dam after driving through Takase Gorge. Because of the crumbled granite and sulfur contained in the water, the water color is emerald green but the color soon changed in the declining sun. It was about 8 hours after the bus left Namba, Osaka, and the travel distance of the day was about 500 kilomieters.  

The brocades of autumn foliage is aglow in the last ray of the sun.

Have you joined a bus tour organized by travel agencies?  My husband and I often travel by car or by train individually, but once in a while we enjoy a bus tour.  As merits, it’ easy because you just come up to the required meeting place and it’s cheaper even when you use optional hotel.  As for disadvantages, there is usually only 20 to 30 minutes for you to stroll around at each destination. Being unable to walk at my own pace is the hardest thing for me. I was either taking photos or running out of the bus and mostly sleeping in the bus.  All in all, I am quite satisfied to be able to see such hidden treasures of Japan in an eventful week.

Five days later after coming back from the travel, I met Jenny and her husband T for the first time in person.  I felt like seeing an old friend of mine like my English teacher long ago. She has such an air to make me feel familiar to her. My Japanese friends who are also Jenny's blog friends and I had a good time to share the places we love with them, leisurely strolling around Nara Park, feeling soft sunlight in the cool and crisp air and talking softly or cheerfully. 

At Isui-en Garden, Japanes maple leaves have started turning colors to welcome them.

At Ukigumo Park, heart-shaped Chinese Tallow leaves were still vibrant to please them.

This is not belated Halloween but reflection on the old handmade glass at the Hyoshin-tei, Isui-en Garden

 We are the Friends of the same generation with young and playful heart.

Keep tuned to An English Travel Writer for Jenny's trip to Japan.
She'll be back to England after visiting New Zealand and California.

 

This post is linked to Our World Tuesday.

Road bridge over Ara-ike Pond in Nara City

View in the west: five storied pagoda of Kofuku-ji beyond lush green of Chinese tallow trees and weeping willows

One of my favorite roads in Nara City, Japan, is a curving road bridge over Ara-ike Pond.  Suppose you visit Nara Park for the first time and you drive south this road, your expectation would be hightened to see the castle-like antique Nara Hotel in front or five-storied pagoda in the west.  

Do you spot road signs, "Watch out deer!"

The road is very nice for walking as a gateway to Nara Park.  You see the panoramic views from east to west over the road over the pond.　In the east side, you see the deep landscape framed by the lush green of summer along the pond: Mt. Kasuga behind Mt. Mikasa beyond Ara-ike Park and the pond.

Framed view in the east

Framed view in the west

Various trees line up on both side of the road including many numbers of cherry trees, Chinese Tallow trees, and so on, so you can see different colors in each season. In early April, the area is brightened up from pale wintry colors to pink by the blooms of cheery trees.

Winter

Early April

In autumn, especially fabulous colors of Chicness Tallow trees are eye-catching.

I love this curve.

The three photos below including this were used in Spectral Colors ofChinese Tallow Tree.



When you look down on the west bank of the pond, there are many young Chinese Tallow trees.  They shine in the late afternoon glow over the darkening water.

Now you are seeing my favorite road through the green curtain of weeping willows at Ara-ike Park as well as the roofs of Nara Hotel on the opposite side of the road.

Note: There is no such a place named Nara Park officially on the map.  Nara Park is a spacious area blessed with nature where  there are many historical and cultural assets, temples and shrines including World Heritage Sites,  parks, gardens, brooks, ponds, museumas, public offices,  about 1200 roaming wild but tame deer, and so on.  How about spending your whole day by exploring Nara Park on foot?   Deer will welcome you, bowing.  I bet you'll never get tired with new discoveries, wonder, and joy one after another.

This post is linked to Friday My Town Shoot Out

Thank you, Mersad, for hosting.

Mysteriously radiant Atera-blue

On the day one of our summer trip to Kiso, my husband and I left our home, Nara, at 6:00 a.m.

About six hours later, we were driving across the Atera Bridge leading to the Atera Gorge, Nagano.

The remnants of the forest railway & the sparkling water flowing through the granite rocks and boulders

When  we entered Okuwa Village, I was caught by the aqua-blue water of the Atera River which adjoins the Kiso River. No one except the local forestry officers was allowed to enter this gorge till the forest railway was abolished in 1965.



Atera Gorge runs about 15 kilometers covering variety of landscapes including falls, rapids, stunning rocks, and crystal-clear waters running through granite rocks.

We drove off and hiked  in the forest for waterfalls and to be bathed in the negative ions.  This suspension bride is a gateway to the forest adventure.

Kiso is noted for the Japanese Cypress.

There were a lot of steep steps to climb to reach the place where I took this photo of the waterfall. 

another suspension bridge in the forest



Leaving the forest, we walked along the road by the river.

 

The water is so clear that you can see the riverbed.

The white granites on the riverbed make the water shine transparent blue at the shallow places
and emerald green at the deeper places.

Be careful!

The water seems to have been less clear because of the early morning downpour of the day but I thought it still was radiant and beautiful.  It is said that the water restores its crystal clear Atera-blue on its own in two days even after torrential rain.