2013-07-31

YUYA-DON in Starlight Hotel, Ashibetsu City !

by Kazu

Candle Art Festival is to be held in Canadian World of Ashibetsu City this weekend !

Before posting about festival, I would like to introduce an attractive lunch menu in the restaurant "Moonlight" of Starlight Hotel, Ashibetsu City.

Grilled chicken with the soy-sauce-based sauce thickened with flour is on the rice bowl. in such hot summer, it inspires our body ans soul.  
The poached egg called "Onsen Tamago" in Japanese gives the rice bowl a sophisticated sweetness and a twist. Your satisfaction is guaranteed !
Besides, the Candle Art Festival in Canadian World celebrates the 20 anniversary this year.
Seven thousand huge candles are lit on the hills of the park and they makes the drawings on the surface of the hill. Candles are lit by kids. Of course, the fireworks on your heads shake your soul and body as if they falls on your head ! Please visit Canadian World this weekend ! August 3(Sat.), 18:00~.

2013-07-30

Japanese Horror Story "Strings Player HOICHI without ear" 2 !

Words by Kazu

Photos by the municipality of Bibai


Please thank the staff of Bibai City enough !
They kindly approve us to post the photos of the fantabulous event on July 27(Sat.).

On the left is Japanese traditional dancer Mr. Narusuke HANAYAGI who is playing as the master monk of the temple that the protagonist HOICHI is working for.    
Japanese drum called "Tsutsumi" gave a nice twist to the story-telling.
Mr. Narusuke HANAYAGI is playing as the ghost of Heike Dynasty.
It had been raining until just before the show. But the rain stopped just before the show and the performance was conducted in mysterious atmosphere.
 This is the story-teller and singer Mr. Damon Kogure. Everybody calls him Damon Kakka which means his excellency in Japanese.
 The master monk is writing the sutra on the body of HOICHI except for his ear.
Damon Kakka is reflected on the surface of the pool.
Narusuke's son and the apprentice are dancing and expressing the wave of the sea that swallowed the people of Heike dynasty including the young scion.
His excellency Damon played various kinds of role in the story.
Japanese strings Biwa is the key of the story. The real sound of Biwa gave the reality to the story.
" Dancing can not be kept the shape like the works of art but it inspire and attract the people who watch him dancing,"said Mr. Narusuke HANAYAGI.
The fog came down from the mountains and gave a mysterious atmosphere to the whole performance.
The master monk regretted and blamed himself that he should have written the sutra on the ear of HOUCHI, too.
All the audience were charmed by the dance and story-telling albeit the story is very famous and known by most of Japanese. Everything was fantastic and the chorus of the frogs around there contributed to the performance so much !

2013-07-29

Yakitori Fukuyoshi in Kotoni !

by Kazu

After the event of Japanese horror-story-telling and Japanese traditional dancing like an illusion in Bibai City, we came back to Sapporo City and dropped by the branch of Yakitori Restaurant Fukuyoshi headquartered in Bibai City. The branch is near JR Kotoni Station.

Open:
Mon.-Sat.
16:30-2:00(Last Order 1:30)

Sun. & holidays 
16:30-00:30(Last Order 00:00)


The URL is http://www.fukuyoshi.tv/tenpo/kotoni/
The branch near JR Sapporo Station and our flat is closed at 11:15 on weekday, so we had to come to the area for skewered &grilled chicken. Of course, the night supper should be wrapped up with the buckwheat noodle soup topped with grilled chicken.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
We have already done a quick bite near the venue of the festival but became eager to eat skewered & grilled chicken and noodle soup at 23:00 at the night.
The dressing of this salad is basically garlic and salt. It was so nice as a starter at 23:00.  
 As I had to drive our car to my condo, most of the skewered & grilled chicken and pork were made for taking-out and my wife ordered the buckwheat noodle soup just after our arrival.
This is grilled liver of chicken. The sauce was a little bit sweet and fit the original taste of too heavy to eat grilled liver to a T.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
Among the various kinds of menu in the restaurant, I strongly recommend this fried chicken with special flavoring. It may be to tough to eat at midnight but it can beef-up your soul and body in the night !                                                                                                    

2013-07-28

Japanese Horror Story "Strings Player HOICHI without ear" !

by Kazu

Japanese traditional horror story "Biwa Strings Player Mimi-nashi HOICHI " was performed by the Japanese traditional danc-master  Mr. Narusuke HANAYAGI and Japanese singer and commentator His Excellency Damon KOGURE in Arte Piazza, Bibai City.
The details of the beautiful garden and sculptures can be seen on
http://www.artepiazza.jp/

Damon Kogure is described precisely on
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_Kakka

He sang songs that fit the horror story to a T and told the story.
 The stage for dancing was near the white sculpture like a gate.

In the darkness and artificial fog after a shower like a squall in south-east Asia, the atmosphere was so nice to tell the story.
                                        
 It is the story of a blind monk who plays the Japanese traditional strings Biwa, telling the sad story of Heike Dynasty kicked out by Genji Dynasty in ancient era of Japan. He was invited by the ghost of Heike Dynasty and his story-telling strike the chord of the ghost. The superior of the monk felt something wrong and recognized the fact. He wrote the sutra on the body of Hoichi except for the ear. The sutra prevented the ghost from recognizing the existence of Hoichi but the ear could be recognized because the sutra was not written. The ghost tore up the ear of Hoichi and brought it to his master.                                                                                                                                                        
The sound effect and the atmosphere was perfect with the chorus of the frogs around there. It was prohibited to take photos during the performance, so I can not post the photos of the play. I hope the municipality of Bibai kindly would clip the scene and post on their web. Please pray for the fortune !
It was so beautiful and solemn night in the outskirts of Bibai City.

2013-07-27

The Biggest Sunflower Park in Hokuryu Town !

by Kazu

In Sunflower Park Golf Club, you can play park golf watching sunflowers in full bloom.

The park golf club is located between Hokuryu Junior High School and the roadside station "Sunflower Hokuryu" beside the route 275. The club has four course and is available for 400 Japanese yen per day.
Shiny sunflowers are waiting for you !




On the right is the opening ceremony of "Sunflower Village" on July 20.
The Brass Band of Hokuryu Juniror High School create so comfortable harmony to listen to.

The last attraction of the ceremony was "rice cake present." Totally, rice cakes of 60kg  are delivered to the guests in a few minutes.
"The Sunflower Festival is held from today through August 24. Please come again and again !"said the chair of the tourism association of Hokuryu Town in the opening speech. The sun flowers in each block of the park will be in full bloom in different timing. Please enjoy the scenery like in Andalucia of Spain !





Above is "Moulin Rouge".
Do you feel the power of sunshine ?

2013-07-26

Northwest Hills in Biei Town !

by Gen, Kamikawa Sub-prefectural Office of Hokkaido Government

Biei Town has the famous skyline of mountains such as Mt. Tokachi(dake) and beautiful hilly field like patchworks.

Beautiful flowers are blooming in this season.


Sunflower fields are also in Hokuryu Town in Sorachi sub-prefectural area but those flowers on the hill are a little bit different from Hokuryu Town.
The flowers on the highland can be appreciated in chilly breeze from the mountains. It's so comfortable that I forget the time passing by.
It is not so hot and humid so far this summer but even so, the highlands and the hilly fields are so comfortable to stay. Please come and see the beautiful scenery in Biei Town this weekend !

2013-07-25

Light-emitting Insect Festival in Numata Town !

by  Kazu


Please come to the village of light-emitting insects in the outskirts of Numata Town. Light-emitting Insects Festival is held next to Horoshin Hot Spring Spa since the beginning of July and continues through August 4(Sun.).
Light-emitting insects are the symbol of summer.
They fly slowly and the light from their bottom is the flare of their lives that they are burning up.
The loci of the lights invite you to the another world.  The facility is located at the foot of a mountain.
Hot spring spa Horoshin Hoat Spring Spa is next to the facility and the camping site is near here.  Various kinds of insects are in the forest around the facility.
These the insects called "Hotaru" that are emitting light from their bottom. Please check out the facility at
http://www.town.numata.hokkaido.jp/kankou/matsuri/hotarufestival

2013-07-24

Sun Set Project in Hiyama, Again !

by HIYAMA Sub-Prefectural Office of
Hokkaido Government

Thank you very much for nice response to "Sun set project in Hiyama".
Today, please enjoy the beautiful scenery of the coast of SETANA Town.
 "SANBON-SUGI Rock" above is the symbol of SETANA Town. The rock is the namesake of the shape like the three cedar three.

A seagull is flying on the sea. It's a beautiful shot.  
This is not the morning glory in Austrakia. But it is also so beautiful with the sunlight.
 This area is good for scuba diving in daytime but I do not recommend to do that in the night.
Can you see the silhouette of the shrine? It is OHTA Shrine called "The shrine stands at the most dangerous place"
 It will be fine tomorrow. Such beautiful scene can be seen from the shrine.
This is "Cape Benten". The beauty of the ocean and the coast can be appreciated around here.
Living in the town along the coast may bring us something different in our lives. Hit the road and go to beach but please be careful near the ocean!

2013-07-23

Yakiniku Restaurant Gankomatsu, again !

by Kazu

It is 30 degrees in Celsius in Sapporo City and Iwamizawa City. Is it hot in your neighbors ?
The hotter, the better before a chug-a-lug of beer in a frozen pint.
If you ran out of power, please beef you up in this Yakiniku BBQ restaurant "Ganko Matsu" which means "stubborn pine tree" in Japanese.  
The BBQ restaurant is not profit-oriented and almost pro-bono work, considering the service and the quality meat provided by the stubborn owner.
The surface of the tables may be a little bit oily, so please visit the restaurant in appropriate attire.
The owner has sons but he lost his wife some years ago because of a certain disease. We were the only guest in the BBQ restaurant on that day and we talked with him for a while, having delicious grilled meat.
The air pressure in the barrel of beer and the frozen pint were well-controlled by the owner and sometimes he gave us "a service"pint after talking about his effort to provide with the quality meat collected from all over Hokkaido Island for a while
This is Jingisukan-flavored lamb. Don' you think that each piece of lamb is so thick ? The owner cut the block of meat after getting order from the customers. Considering the price,  this restaurant is pursuing to provide the best quality meat for competitive price.
Needless to say, incredible!
Rib steak and calbi were also so thick and so tasteful. The owner knows the all about "meat" after his pilgrimage all over the Japan, seeking for the best meat.
I strongly recommend you to try the BBQ restaurant in Iwamizawa. Yo should go and if you talk about Japanese yakiniku BBQ restaurant in Japan, it is the "must" to have the grilled meat in this restaurant.    
The pork intestine is also huge and well-cared and well^flavored.

Can you recognize the size of each piece of the meat ?  I am eager to let the people in Hawaii try the meat because they also eat the high quality meat. Thanks God, it's fantabulous meat and it will become my new TGIF and M.
The owner of the restaurant is on the left. He fights for providing with the best quality meat for reasonable prices and making ends meet everyday ! Kudos to the owner !