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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Cape Shiosezaki at OGA Peninsula

geosite fullscene
godzilla rock
godzilla rock

You can find Godzilla natural sculpture. and his tail, etc. at Geosite of Cape Shiosezaki.  Wind was very very strong !
Stopping by at this cape could be a good approach to OGA Peninsula and ‘NAMAHAGE’ Festival !

 

 

 

 

geosite boat rock
geosite boat rock

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Sacred fountain origin of fresh water

sacred fountain
water-share-system
water-share-system

You can reach sacred site through 15min. walk from the entrance of public water plant.  Fresh water is mild, soft and warm in winter, maybe surely cold in summer.
It’s amazing that drinking water is supplied to all residence in Oga city from this spring in the manner of spirit of equality through circle distributer.

 

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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 !

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Torioi-Kannon Temple where asking for immediate death without suffering when you are dying

monkey hiding from eagle
torioi kannon
torioi kannon temple

Torioi-Kannon Temple is one component of Western Pure Land.
Since no one wants to suffer when they die, the ’Korori’ Kannon faith was born. People are fine(‘pin-pin’) just before they die, and when they die, they want to die lightly(‘korori’). In Japanese, this is called pin-pin korori.
You can listen to the fun story of the monk. However, although it is in Japanese.

There are famous sculptures you should not miss in this temple.  One of them is a monkey hiding from a eagle.  It is said to have been made by Hidari Jingoro, a famous sculptor of the Edo period. However, it seems that there are about 100 works in the whole country, and the authenticity is unknown.

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Crafts made in the snowy winter at Mishima Town

craft2 in mishima town
craft1 in mishima town
craft1 in mishima town
araft material in mishima town
craft mqaterial in mishima town

A basket woven from mountain grape skin is a luxury item.   It is difficult to find out good quality of skin in the mountains and  it takes huge time to knit a delicate basket.  Each work is tagged with the villager’s production name.

There are various other materials for the basket, and there is also a light material called Hiroro.  Her Majesty the Empress Emerita visited and bought one.

It is also famous for the production of paulownia chest of drawers. It is said that paulownia was light and had a moisture-proof effect, and the chest of drawers was closed tightly, so even if it was flooded, the clothes inside did not get wet. Also, in this region, as soon as a girl is born, plant a paulownia tree and make a paulownia chest of drawers with a tree that has grown when going to the bride

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This one piece of picture!  Local train passing on the bridge

train passage on the bridge
tadami river bridge
tadami river bridge

There are various places to take a scenic view on the Tadami Line, but this is a must.
Tadami River First Bridge !

 

time schdule of train passage
time schdule of train passage on the bridge

 

 

 

 

 

Park your car at roadside rest area and walk 10min. to the viewpoint.  Many photographers are on standby.  Check time table of train passing on the bridge.

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Fresh Soba worth waiting in line for eat at Yanaizu

soba menu
soba new season
soba new season

In late autumn,  the pasting “The first product of the season appears !” is indicated at the entrance of Soba restaurant here and there.  Buckwheat that bloomed small white flowers in the summer is harvested in early autumn and good scent of the first product of season comes out.  Usually the locals are waiting in line for eat.  Feel the fall with your tongue in the mountains.

waiting for soba
waiting for soba

 

 

tenpura
tenpura in soba restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

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