Take a walk from the top to the bottom of Akiu Otaki Big Waterfall

akiu big waterfall bottom
akiu big waterfall viewpoint
akiu big waterfall viewpoint

As you enter the temple next to the Botanical Garden, you will find a place overlooking the famous Akiu Otaki Big Waterfall.   Before that, there is something to write down.   There is a store selling various herbs at the entrance.  Among them was a tree of eye drops found in the real botanical picture book in the garden.  ‘Tree of eye drops’ is just the name of tree.  When the bark of the tree was boiled, it turned into a pink liquid, and drinking it helped with eye fatigue. I felt a bit bitter but healthy.

akiu big waterfall walking
akiu big waterfall walking

A trail extends to the bottom of the waterfall. The bottom of the waterfall was wider than I expected. I’ve come a long time ago, but at that time I had a narrower memory, but has it collapsed?
As the waterfall runs down east, if you try to take a picture, it will be backlight or strong shade  unless it is early in the morning.

 

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Akiu Botanical Garden only where delicate waterfalls can be seen

akiu botanical garden
akiu real botanical picture book
akiu real botanical picture book

Although it is close to the border of Yamagata prefecture, I arrived in about 30 minutes from Sendai city due to the development of transportation.

The botanical gardens have wonderful flowers, fresh greenery and autumn leaves in each season(closed in winter), but in

sudare waterfall
sudare waterfall

addition there are two wonderful waterfalls that cannot be seen unless you enter here.  A typical tourist will return home after seeing Akiu Otaki Big fall near here, but let’s step on the fallen leaves and find your wonderful autumn here.

Gallery (click photos)

chourou lake3
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Craft Balloon Festival

akita-nairiku railway
craft balloon ignition
craft balloon ignition

During craft balloon festival people return from urban to reunite with family. Their wishes drawn on the balloons by themselves will come true with craft balloon lift-up.  People including  tourists participated releasing balloons.  It was a fantastic moment !

craft balloon releasing
craft balloon releasing

 

Many balloons stay in the night sky and eventually disappear into the mountains.
What will happen to the balloon blown away at last ?  “Maybe falling in the deep mountains”, local people said.
*) Caution
It was too cold not to stay venue long time.

balloons stay in the sky
balloons stay in the sky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Construction of snow house

snow mountain
snow house
snow house

‘Snow house’ named as ‘KAMAKURA’ in Japanese is a famous play spot among children. They enjoy eating something and playing games in the house.  The water God is enshrined inside for wishing coming Spring to bring a lot of water to fields.
Even if not during festival period, we enjoyed a permanent  ‘snow house’ in a huge refrigerator.  Children inside surround fireplace and look warm, but never warm rather cold !

 

Just then, people were constructing snow houses here and there in YOKOTE city.   First making a snow circle mountain by hand, next making a side hole.

snow field
snow field

 

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Tug of War

snow life
tug of war
tug of war

To tell the truth,  we could not participate in the tug of war because of Craft Balloon festival held on the same night, so enjoyed tranquility in advance of fight in front of ropes enshrined in the center of town.

KARIWANO is a small town. The residence are divided into 2 groups at this event and fight.  Tourist participant is free but no guarantee of accident.

At the next time challenging the exciting match,  I would like to make a question, “How do you ensure equality on volume of participants between 2 groups?”

Japanese style hotel 'shouho-en'
Japanese style hotel ‘shouho-en’ near Kariwano

 

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Amekko Market

amekko-market
candy-selling
candy-selling

‘Amekko’, meaning candy in local pronunciation  language, helps us healthy to protect catching  a cold especially in winter season because licking candy makes your throat moist.
Furthermore in this market, all elements of products and culture in OHDATE city are found.

 

 

 

 

akita-inu(1)
akita-inu(1)

Akita dog(inu) is a friend of hunting and famous for ’Faithful dog HACHIKO’ statue on Sibuya scramble crossing waiting several years for his owner return.   OHDATE is focusing on breeding Akita dogs.  This was the first time to look at such a lot of Akita dogs on the parade in the festival !

craft work 'Magari-Wappa'
craft work ‘Magari-Wappa’

Long winter season made people trapped in deep snow produces ‘craft  work using Akita beautiful cedar’ , the effect of which is bactericidal and moisture proof for food.


The best detour

Huge dram, the radius of which is about 2 meter, could call thunder to make it rain wishing for a good harvest. That’s why a dram became huge.  You can enjoy the demonstration and self-playing all season except for summer festival.

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NAMAHAGE Festival

namahage drams
namahage parade
namahage parade

NAMAHAGE Festival held during 3 days is composed of Shintoism, ‘Drama where NAMAHAGEs visit your home’, ’’Ancient dram music’ and NAMAHAGE parade.  A lot of kinds of NAMAHAGE are found and they were told to come here from north foreign countries.
Coordination in advance of early check-in and early dinner in your hotel and transportation to reach the venue are strongly recommended for the best place to enjoy NAMAHAGE Festival.

namahage festival venue
namahage festival venue

’Drama where NAMAHAGE visiting your home’

This video is one scene of NAMAHAGE festival.  NAMAHAGE could visit your home to scold lazy children in winter season because they stay away from the fireplace. After scolding, Japanese SAKE is served as a sigh of gratitude.

’Ancient dram music performed by NAMAHAGEs’

Ancient dram music was played and performed in the heavy snow ! Except for in the winter season, you could enjoy these performance in the theater near hot-spring town. Take care of your place or positioning if you would like to record real performance in the festival.


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taking a picture of Steam Locomotive (Tori-Tetsu ?)

steam locomotive approaching
snoe removal train
snow removal train

There are various categories of railfans.  ‘Tori-tetsu’ is a railroad photography enthusiast, ‘Nori-Tetsu’ is a ride lover, ‘Nomi-tetsu’ is a person who rides and drinks, ‘Mama-Tetsu’ is a mother who enjoy railway with her children, etc.  By the way, there was a railway study group in every high school.  Japanese people really like railways.

Steam Locomotive connected to Niigata revived only on Saturdays and Sundays one round trip a day.   If you are ‘Tori-Tetsu’, find a suitable crossing point !

tou no hetsuri shrine
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