Yokote Kamakura Festival (横手の雪祭り)

The Yokote Kamakura Festival (横手の雪祭り) has a history of about 400 years. It is held every year on February 15 and 16 in the city of Yokote in southeastern Akita Prefecture. The festival features many igloo-like snow houses, called kamakura, which are built at various locations across the city.

Within each kamakura there is a snow altar dedicated to the water deity, to whom people pray for ample water. A charcoal brazier is set up to provide warmth and grill rice cakes. In the evenings (18:00 to 21:00), children invite festival visitors into their kamakura and offer them rice cakes and amazake, a type of warm sweet rice wine with zero or very low alcohol content. In return, the visitors make an offering to the water deity at the altar.

Along Yokote River, hundreds of small kamakura the size of lanterns are made. These mini kamakura are illuminated by candles from dusk until around 21:00 and create a lovely sea of lights. At the grounds of the Minami Elementary School, more mini kamakura and some snow sculptures are displayed in front of the nice school building. Children can enjoy playing with snow and riding on a snow slide.

Photo:

"Kamakura-yuki" by （社）横手市観光協会 - （社）横手市観光協会. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kamakura-yuki.jpg#/media/File:Kamakura-yuki.jpg

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Onuma Quasi National Park (Onuma Koen)

Designated as a "quasi national park" and located only twenty kilometers north of Hakodate, Onuma Park (Onuma Koen) is known for its picturesque, island dotted lakes and majestic dormant volcano, Mount Komagatake.

Onuma Park can be easily visited in either a day trip from Hakodate or on a stop over on a journey between Hakodate and Sapporo, since most limited express trains between the two cities stop at Onuma Koen Station, the central railway station.

The park's most attractive area is located between the two lakes Onuma (large lake) and Konuma (small lake) and can be explored entirely on foot. Attractive walking courses let you explore the lakes' peninsulas and islands, several of which are connected with each other by small bridges, in easy 15-60 minute walks.

It is also possible to rent bicycles (500 yen/hour, 1000 yen/day). A cycling course leads around Lake Onuma (about 10 km), but follows the main road rather than the lakeshore for most of the distance. It is a nice way to explore the area, nevertheless.

Furthermore, during the warmer seasons there are sightseeing boat tours offered every 40 minutes, lasting about 30 minutes (1100 yen per person). Other activities to be enjoyed in Onuma Park include canoeing, tennis, golf, fishing and camping.

Photo:

"Komagatake dusk" by jonny-mt - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Komagatake_dusk.jpg#/media/File:Komagatake_dusk.jpg

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Akasaka Sacas (赤坂サカス)

Akasaka Sacas (赤坂サカス) became Tokyo's newest city within a city in March of 2008. After the success of Fuji Television at Baroda, Nippon Television at Shiodome, and TV Asahi at Roppongi Hills, TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) decided to also try their hand at integrating their headquarters into the "city within a city" format.

Sacas is made up of five main buildings; the TBS headquarters, a high rise residence, a couple of performance buildings and a 39-story office building called Biz Tower. The Blitz theater caters to a young audience, presenting shows from local and international rock and pop groups. The ACT Theater on the other hand presents Broadway-type spectacles, often of international renown.

Most of Sacas' shopping and dining facilities are located in the first few floors of the Biz Tower. There is less available when compared to the other cities within a city, but nonetheless, be it Thai, French, or Japanese, there is still a considerable variety of quality international food to be found. For fans of Japanese television, interesting souvenirs are sold at the TBS shop.


 


赤坂サカスは、バローダでフジテレビの成功の後、2008年の3月汐留での日本テレビ市内の東京の最新の都市となり、六本木ヒルズ、TBS（東京放送）でテレビ朝日はまた、それらを統合することで彼らの手を試してみることにしました「都市の都市内の「形式に本社。

サカスは、5つの主要な建物で構成されています。 TBS本社、高層居住、パフォーマンスの建物のカップルとビズ·タワーと呼ばれる39階建てのオフィスビル。ブリッツ劇場は、ローカルおよび国際的なロックやポップスグループからショーを提示、若い視聴者のニーズに応えます。一方、ACTシアターは、多くの場合、国際的な名声の、ブロードウェイ型眼鏡を提示します。

サカス「ショッピングやダイニング施設のほとんどは、ビズ·タワーの最初の数階に位置しています。そこに市内の他の都市と比較した場合、以下利用可能ですが、それにもかかわらず、それはタイ語、フランス語、日本語、まだ発見される品質国際的な食品のかなり多様な存在であること。日本のテレビのファンのために、面白いお土産をTBSショップで販売されています。

Photos:
"Akasaka sacas slope" by Mayuno - Mayuno. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akasaka_sacas_slope.jpg#/media/File:Akasaka_sacas_slope.jpg

"AkasakaACTtheater" by Mayuno - Mayuno. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AkasakaACTtheater.jpg#/media/File:AkasakaACTtheater.jpg

"Akasaka BLITZ" by Mayuno - Mayuno. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Akasaka_BLITZ.JPG#/media/File:Akasaka_BLITZ.JPG

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Kappabashi Street (かっぱ橋道具街)

Kappabashi Street (かっぱ橋道具街) is a shopping street between Ueno and Asakusa, which is lined with several dozens of stores selling everything needed by restaurant operators, with the exception of fresh food.

You will find specialized stores for dishes, pots, pans, cooking utensils, stoves, tables, chairs, signs, lanterns and more. There are also a few stores which sell plastic and wax food samples, used by many restaurants in their show windows.




かっぱ橋道具街生鮮食品を除いたレストラン事業者が必要とするすべてのものを、販売店の数十が並んで上野、浅草、間のショッピング街があります。

あなたは料理、鍋、フライパン、調理器具、ストーブ、テーブル、椅子、標識、提灯などのための専門の店があります。彼らのショーウィンドウには多くのレストランで使用されるプラスチックやワックス食品サンプルを販売するいくつかの店もあります。

Photos:

"Kappabashi landmark" by User:Kentin - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kappabashi_landmark.jpg#/media/File:Kappabashi_landmark.jpg

"Kappabashikappa". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kappabashikappa.jpg#/media/File:Kappabashikappa.jpg

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100 yen shops (100円ショップ)

100 yen shops (100円ショップ) are a type of discount store that sell a wide range of products for 108 yen (100 yen plus 8 percent consumption tax). This corresponds roughly to one US dollar, making these shops a great source for travelers and residents on a budget.

Typically everything in the store costs 100 yen per item; however, they often sell smaller things, such as candy and snacks, in multiples of 2 or 3 for 100 yen. Some stores also sell selected items for more than 100 yen, which are usually priced in multiples of 100 yen. These items will be clearly marked, and, although more expensive, are usually still a good value for the price.




There are thousands of 100 yen shops across Japan, ranging in size from multi-story "department stores" to small corners in shopping malls. A few convenience store chains have even adopted the model and price everything in their stores at 100 yen. Market leader Daiso operates over two thousand stores nationwide and pursues an aggressive expansion policy.

100 yen shops are able to offer an amazing range of products, many of which are their own store branded goods, at a price that is often below the product's actual value. They do this mainly by purchasing products in huge quantities direct from manufacturers, which are often located in countries with low production and labor costs.




100円ショップが108円（ 100円プラス8％の消費税）のための製品の広い範囲を販売ディスカウントストアのタイプです。これは、これらの店の予算の旅行者や居住者のための偉大なソースを作り、およそに1米ドルに相当します。

典型的には、ストア内のすべてのものは、アイテム1個につき100円かかります。しかし、彼らはしばしば100円のために2または3の倍数で、そのようなキャンディー、スナックなどの小さいものを、販売しています。一部の店舗はまた、通常100円の倍数で販売されています以上100円、のために選択したアイテムを販売しています。これらの項目は、明らかに、より高価なものの、まだ価格に良い値通常は、マーク、およびされます。

100円ショップの何千ものショッピングモールの小さなコーナーにマルチストーリー「デパート」のサイズの範囲、全国があります。いくつかのコンビニエンスストアでも100円で、その店のモデルと価格のすべてを採用しています。マーケットリーダーダイソーは全国2000店舗で動作し、積極的な拡大政策を追求しています。

100円ショップは、多くの場合、製品の実際の値を下回る価格で、自分のストアブランド品であるその多くは製品の素晴らしい範囲を提供することができます。彼らは多くの場合、低い生産費と人件費の国に位置しているメーカー、から直接膨大な量の製品を購入することで、主にこれを行います。

Photos:

"Daiso 100Yen". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daiso_100Yen.jpg#/media/File:Daiso_100Yen.jpg

"100-Emon". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:100-Emon.jpg#/media/File:100-Emon.jpg

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Senso-ji (浅草寺)

Sensoji (浅草寺) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo's most colorful and popular temples.

The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.

  

When approaching the temple, visitors first enter through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the outer gate of Sensoji Temple and the symbol of Asakusa and the entire city of Tokyo.

A shopping street of over 200 meters, called Nakamise, leads from the outer gate to the temple's second gate, the Hozomon. Alongside typical Japanese souvenirs such as yukata and folding fans, various traditional local snacks from the Asakusa area are sold along the Nakamise. The shopping street has a history of several centuries.

浅草寺浅草に位置する仏教寺院です。それは東京の最もカラフルで人気のある寺院の一つです。

伝説が年628で、二人の兄弟は、隅田川のうち観音の彫像、慈悲の女神を、釣り、とにもかかわらず、彼らが戻って川に彫像を置く、それは常に彼らに戻っていることを述べています。その結果、浅草寺は観音の女神のために近くに建てられました。寺は東京最古の寺院作り、 645で完了しました。

寺に近づいたときに、訪問者が最初に雷門（サンダーゲート） 、浅草寺の外側ゲートと浅草のシンボルと東京の街全体を通して入力してください。

仲見世と呼ばれる、200メートル以上のショッピングストリートは、寺の第2ゲート、宝蔵門の外側ゲートから導きます。このような浴衣や扇子などの典型的な日本のお土産と一緒に、浅草エリアから、様々な伝統的な地元のスナックは、仲見世に沿って販売されています。ショッピング街は、数世紀の歴史を持っています。

Photos:

"Hozomon and pagoda, Sensoji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo" by Daderot - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hozomon_and_pagoda,_Sensoji_Temple,_Asakusa,_Tokyo.jpg#/media/File:Hozomon_and_pagoda,_Sensoji_Temple,_Asakusa,_Tokyo.jpg

"Sensoji 2012" by Kakidai - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sensoji_2012.JPG#/media/File:Sensoji_2012.JPG

"Nakamise1411". Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nakamise1411.jpg#/media/File:Nakamise1411.jpg

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