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A Japanese noodle from the Edo period in Saitama!? The Ippon UdonIt's hard to really imagine what ippon udon (一本うどん, or single noodle udon) is going to be like when you just hear the name of the dish. Of course, an ordinary bowl of udon will look something like what you'd get at Usami-Tei Matsubaya in Osaka, the originator of the popular kitsune udon: a tangled of noodles piled on top of each other in a nice warm broth made of katsuo-bushi【鰹節：かつおぶし】(bonito flakes) and konbu【昆布：こんぶ】(Japanese Kelp), with a soy sauce based flavor.
That's not exactly what you're going to get with ippon udon... but there's no point sitting and wondering about it when it's about to be placed right in front of you!
Let's go to see for ourselves.,That is one massive piece of ... udon?
We weren't really sure what to call it, but they call it an udon noodle, so it must be some kind of udon.
Taking a look at what is inside, there's the big ol' piece of udon, shredded spring onion, and an onsen tamago (温泉たまご), A.K.A. a Japanese soft boiled egg. At first we thought there might be something coating the outside of the noodle, since the color and texture looked so different from what we expect to see as udon. But no, that's just what happens when you cook a giant noodle in broth, apparently.
The broth seems quite dark, but the flavor isn't overly strong, and the noodle's texture... is kind of like mochi【餅】 rice cake, actually. If you venture over to Gotetsu to try your own bowl, we recommend you try it as it is first, then break the egg yolk and taste the difference. It makes the dish more rich and creamy, and milds down the flavor a bit.. mmm. Then, mix in the spring onion to add a spicy bite!
Enjoy the changes in the flavors!,For those who are curious about why Gotetsu (ostensibly a shamo chicken restaurant) made this one-of-a-kind udon, we have to go back to the original theme of the parking area.
Remember how this venue, called the "Onihei Edo Dokoro", is a reproduction of the fictional Edo town seen in Shotaro Ikenami's popular novel? And you know how Gotetsu is a restaurant in that town? Well, that fictional restaurant's specialty is the mysterious "ippon udon." So, even though this dish has a questionable history of actually existing (some say it was real, some say there's little evidence), the owners of Gotetsu thought it was important to develop their own ippon udon, and give visitors that authentic Gotetsu experience. It literally took them three years of development to get to a dish they believed customers would enjoy.
So that's why everyone is making a fuss about this udon! Not only does it look... amazing? But the restaurant worked hard to bring visitors an authentic experience.
So next time you travel towards Saitama, don't forget to stop by at this unique parking area to try the udon from the past!
Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 🗾#kanto#food#udon2019.06.12
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The Must Go Destination in Chiba! Tokyo Aqualine and the UmihotaruDriving under water? Umihotaru is a parking/ service area that exists on the surface of the Tokyo bay.
This tunnel underwater cost 1.44 Trillion JPY and took 30 years to construct, with 20 years of planning and 10 years to do the work, and opened on 18th of December, 1997.
The pipeline consists of the bridge that’s 4.4km long and a tunnel built using the Shield Method for 9.5km long, and lies 60m below water surface.
A facility that exists right above the center of the tunnel is called “Kaze no To” meaning “The Tower of the Wind” is there for the purpose of exhausting the air.
In 2017 it was elected as one of the “10 of the world's greatest tunnels” by CNN,This pipeline connects Chiba and Tokyo’s capital area with a shorter travel distance. That’s 65min down to 20min getting from Haneda Airport to Kisarazu.,Umihotaru, designed to look like a big cruise ship is five stories high, with
Level 1 - 3 being a car park.
Level 4 being a shopping and sightseeing floor.
Level 5 being a restaurant floor with a observatory deck.
If the weather is good you will have a panoptic view overlooking at the Tokyo Bay and Mt Fuji.,Address: Umihotaru, Shimachisaki, Kisarazu, Chiba
Open Hours: 24 hours
Official Website,The view that you get from the Umihotaru is also another pleasant sight.
You can see Mt. Fuji towards Yokohama, Kawasaki direction.
You should be able to see the Tokyo Tower and the famous Sky Tree as well.
You should be able to see the aeroplanes crossing in the sky as well.
Plenty more photo location near by as well.
Especially if you’re renting a car, Umihotal is one of the must go spots!,At the 4th level of Umihotaru is the shopping and sightseeing floor.
You’ll find so many local produce here as well.,Hope you liked this article on the Aqualine and the Umihotaru. :)
Chiba's Mount Nokogiri (鋸山): Stand on a Saw Tooth and Get a Look at Hell
The Tateyama Fireworks Festival: A Must-See Event, Right over Tateyama Bay
Hotel Nikko Narita: A Convenient Airport Hotel with a Luxury Feel#kanto#tour#aqua line 2019.06.0651
Kanamara Festival The Extremely Unique and Interesting Penis Festival in JapanYes… just like the title states!
This article will be introducing a festival that many people seem to avoid talking about.
That is the penis festival in Kawasaki, Japan. This traditional name of this festival is “Kanamara festival(かなまら祭り)”. (in Japanese mara means penis),On the first Sunday of April every year, thousands of tourists head to Kanayama shrine (金山神社) to join a crowd of people along with the lively atmosphere to
join an extremely unique festival and only unique in Japan, Kanamara festival, also known as penis festival. Sounds interesting, isn't it? Japan is a country rich in culture and traditional festivals, and the penis festival I am referring to is really a festival that keeps you from blushing but is also relaxing with laughs when going with friends and relatives.
Kanayama Shrine (金山神社)
神奈川 県 川 市 川 崎 区 大師 駅 前 2-13-16
2-13-16 Daishiekimae, Kawasaki Prefecture, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture,Although it is a festival for many people who can be considered quite insensitive, this festival has lasted for more than 50 years and has become a unique culture only in Japan. This festival hasn’t been faded or forgotten but has attracted more participants, especially foreign tourists.,
There are quite a few activities that you can participate in this festival.
First one is the "precious" palanquin, there will be 3 of them marching, each carrying "precious" gods of different sizes: small, medium and Large.
The palanquin will walk while shouting: '' dekaimara, dekaimara '' (meaning, big penis).
In addition to the march, you will also see small street markets selling products that are in the shape of a penis. You’ll find items like earrings, hangers, and don't forget to buy penis candy to lick along with your friends or to take selfies.
After walking around for a while, if you start to get hungry, don't worry, because there's a whole series of fast food shops, (at affordable prices around 30 - 500 yen / product).,That was one interesting festival wasn’t it.
Going to Japan and experiencing unique cultural festivals may also be an interesting thing to do! Hope you will have moments of comfort and joy with your friends and loved ones when participating in a festival.#kanto#culture#tokyo 2019.06.0690
Why are there so many cats in Enoshima?Do you love cats? I do!
For those cat lovers out there, Enoshima is definitely the closest island to visit from Tokyo.
Let us give you a brief overview of the island.,An island only a short distance away from the mainland of Japan, off the Shonan coast, in Kanagawa. An hour and a half to get to from Tokyo station by public transport.
The island is only 0.41 km² wide and holds a population of 367 people.,The island is famous for its fishery of whitebait, and octopus and many other fish. (← scroll down in the link page to read about the delicious the “Shirasu-don” and “Tako-senbe” in this article.)
The sunset by the beach is another scenery that you don’t want to miss if you’re there.
But… Cats!
The island is famous for the number of cats within.,The island is famous for the number of cats.,Why are there so many cats on the island?
Well, we reckon that it’s due to the following 3 reasons.
,As we’ve mentioned earlier, the island is famous for its fishery, so there seems to be plenty of food for the cats to live on.,The island has 4 main Shinto shrines (the main one being Enoshima Shrine), with some consisting of a few smaller seperated shrines. Since Shinto, just like many other religions, considers the killing of a living being a sin, the cats don’t get exterminated.,The people on the island care enough for the cats that they not only don’t mind having cats around, but they all take care of them as a part of the community.,So, if you’re a cat lover like us, take some time to relax and sit down with a cat that you find on the island, and watch the sun go down together.
We’ve been working on many articles on Enoshima and the surrounding area lately. If you're interested in learning more, find detailed information here:
1. Kamakura and the “Kamakura Kokomae Station” - Where the huge Buddha statue sits, and where the famous railway crossing from the anime/manga Slam Dunk can be found.
2. Island of Hydrangeas - Enoshima Island is also famous for its hydrangeas, and there are many locations nearby to see these lovely plants.#kanto#tour#enoshima 2019.06.0681
Head to Kamakura & Enoshima Island for a Fun Getaway from TokyoWhether you’re planning your next visit or you’re already here in Japan, sure you might have Tokyo all planned out, but do you know about these two spots just a short trip from the big city? Kamakura City and Enoshima are two destinations you can’t miss near Tokyo.
Kamakura is known as “The Kyoto of the East,” and is most famous for its "Daibutsu" (大仏), or huge Buddha. Run right over to Enoshima, and the area is so like Miami Beach that they're even sister cities! So a trip to the area gives you the best of both worlds. Plus, for those big fans of the manga Slam Dunk (we know you're out there!), you're bound to enjoy yourself in the setting of so many important scenes.,You can get to Kamakura and Enoshima straight from Haneda Airport using the shuttle bus if you're ready to relax right off the bat. Otherwise, just catch the train over from Tokyo. To get into the heart of things you’ll need to change to the Enoden Line at Fujisawa Station, which you can take over to Enoshima station. This takes about an hour and a half from stations within Tokyo.
The question is, shall we start from Kamakura? Or shall we go right to Enoshima? The Odakyu Line will take you from Katase-Enoshima Station into Kamakura, or you can get the Enoden from Kamakura over to Enoshima Station, so it's an easy trip between the two areas!
The Enoden Line will take you through some beautiful scenery on the way in from Kamakura, but don't push it and leave Kamakura City too late. You should definitely try to make it in time for the sunset by the beach in Enoshima.
So, what are we waiting for... let’s start our tour!,
Located 10 minutes away from the Enoden Line's Hase Station（長谷駅）is this gigantic Daibutsu!
This Great Buddha is a Japanese national treasure. It weighs in at 121 tons, and stretches up to 11.4 meters (37.5 ft) in height.
(Of course, if you're on a search for huge Buddhas around Japan, the biggest one made of stone is on Mount Nokogiri!),One of the unique features of this Daibutsu in Kamakura is that you can actually get inside of it. It's definitely worth 20 yen to take a look around. You can be one with the Buddha without ever reaching enlightenment.,
Kamakura Daibutsu（鎌倉大仏）
Location：〒248-0016 4-2-28 Hase, Kamakurashi, Kanagawa. Google Maps
Phone: 0467-22-0703
Hours:
April to September, 8:00 - 17:30
October to March, 8:00 - 17:00
(Last entry is 15 min before closing.)
Prices: Adults: 200 yen | 12 and Under: 150 yen
(Seeing inside the Daibutsu is an additional 20 yen.)
Daibutsu Entry Hours: 8：00 - 16：30
(Last entry 10 min before closing.)
Official Website,Hasedera Temple was originally built the Kamakura Era, which means that it dates back to the 1100s! (Even more intriguing, there are legends saying that it originates from 500 years earlier than that!) It is located in a spot with a great view out front, looking out over the ocean and the whole local town.,From this fantastic viewpoint, during the summer you will be able to see 2,500+ hydrangeas, and during the autumn season, the area gets surrounded by Japanese Maples with leaves blushed bright red. Flower-viewing might be a big part of Japanese culture, but going out to admire the beauty of autumn leaves is immensely popular as well. There's even a word just for it, "koyo" (紅葉).
There are three jizo statues to find within the temple, and finding all of them brings you good luck! Instead of wishing you luck searching them out, we'll just say "ganbatte!" (頑張って), "you can do it!"
長谷寺（長谷寺）
Location：〒248-0016 3-11-2 Hase, Kamakurashi, Kanagawa Google Map
Phone：0467-22-6300
Hours：
March to Septemer 8:00 - 17:00
October and February 8:00 - 16:30
Price: Adults: 300 yen |12 and Under: 100 yen
Official Website,Houkokuji is another temple nice to visit in summer. The surrounding groves of bamboo keep the area nice and cool. Of course, we mean the temperature, but it looks pretty cool as well.,The temple serves a delicious bowl of matcha with a side of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets, in the garden of the bamboo forest.
Houkokuji Temple（報国寺）
Location：〒248-0003 2-7-4 Jomyoji, Kamakurashi, Kanagawa
Price: 200 yen for entrance and 500 yen for a bowl of matcha.,The jinja, shrine, that represents Kamakura!
The Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine was built in 1063 by Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, a Japanese Shogun of the time, by transferring a division of the Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine from Kyoto over to the area, creating a new branch.
Since the shrine owes its creation to the Minamoto family, the historical figures have become "ujigami" (氏神) at Tsuruoka Hachimangu, or local Shinto deities.,If you're wondering how your trip to Japan is going to turn out, don't miss out on this chance to get yourself an omikuji fortune. Hopefully the results will bode well for your return trip as well!
Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine（鶴岡八幡宮）
Location：〒248-8588 2-1-31 Yukinoshita, Kamakurashi, Kanagawa Google Maps,The entrance to the Goryo Jinja Shrine is closely located to the Enoden Line. So close, in fact, that you can grab a shot of the train tracks, and the train itself, from within the shrine grounds. This shrine is also one of the parts of Enoshima famous for its beautiful views of many different hydrangeas.
This lovely shrine filled with flowers is conveniently located between Kamakura's Daibutsu Grand Buddha, and Hasedera Temple, so stop by on your way between the two spots.,The Kamakurakokomae train station is now a fairly well-known spot in the area, since it's been attracting more and more Slam Dunk manga and anime fans in the past few years. Kamakurakokomae (鎌倉高校前) means "in front of Kamakura High School", a school that served as a model for one of the settings of the popular manga, and the high school itself has had problems with tourists forgetting that it's actually a functioning school! So, to all the Slam Dunk fans out there, instead of breaking into a high school, please enjoy this train station as an iconic spot in a beloved story.
Kamakurakokomae Train Station（鎌倉高校前）
Location：〒248-0033 1-1 Koshigoe, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa,One of the top beaches around Tokyo, where many Tokyoites come to surf, swim, and enjoy the great weather. If you're thinking about renting a car and driving all around Japan, the roads along the coast also make a nice driving route to see the whole area and the beaches.,On top of all the fun in the sun, if the weather conditions are good, you might even be able to see Mt. Fuji accross the water!
Yuigahama Beach（由比ヶ浜）
Location：〒248-0014 4 Yuigahama, Kamakurashi, Kanagawa Google Maps
Official Local Government Website,Fresh Shirasu-Don! A delicious delight from the local oceans. Shirasu (白子) is the Japanese name for whitebait, little fish that are usually eaten whole. The "don" in shirasu-don means bowl. In the case of dishes like this, it's a bowl of rice. Enoshima is famous for this dish of little fish on rice, and enjoying them raw is a real delicacy of the area.
Just to let you know, you won’t be able to eat the fresh shirasu from January to March, because shirasu fishing is prohibited during this season. However, you can still get cooked shirasu-don during this season, so don’t be disappointed. The little fish are pretty tasty even when they're cooked all the way through.,Other kinds of seafood are also famous on this island, including...,Another snack to try when you get to the island is tako-senbei. Tako means octopus, and you might have already tried "senbei" crackers elsewhere in Japan. (There are stores like this one in Tokyo that sell huge varieties!)
Grab one of these large octopus crackers on the way before your stroll around the island, and enjoy the chewy octopus and crunchy cracker surroundings. (Do make sure you don't end up eating in crowded areas and covering everyone in cracker and octopus crumbs. This has been enough of a problem in recent years that local authorities has set forward official rules about it.),
Hope you liked our recommendations! With all the beaches and hydrangeas, if Enoshima seems like a good place to spend a lot of time, there's plenty more to do.
Take a look at a few of our related posts for more things to do around the area, or more details on places we've already mentioned, to plan your next trip to Kamakura and Enoshima.
Trip to Memorial Spot of Slam Dunk in Enoshima/ Kamakura
TOP THINGS TO DO ★ Bringing lucks home~ Gokuraku-ji (極楽寺)
Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 🗾#kanto#tour#kamakura 2019.06.0450
Take a romantic walk along Enoshima's Shichirigahama Beach, and enjoy the beautiful...Looking for a romantic spot near Tokyo to go out on a date? Enoshima's Shichirigahama Beach might just be the perfect place for that.
(Plus, make sure to check out our previous article on Enoshima to find even more to do on the way!),Lots of visitors head to this particular neighborhood to get a good view of the Kamakurakokomae Station (鎌倉高校前駅), which is famous for being depicted in the extremely popular basketball manga Slam Dunk. Getting a good view of the real-world scenery that acts as a backdrop for the most dramatic moments of your favorite story can be tons of fun, so definitely check it out if you're a Slam Dunk fan.
But the fame of that mundane station means that people ignore the scenic beauty of the area! You don't want to miss out on a view of Shichirigahama Beach, with the sun casting a soft glow on the water and the train tracks that run along the coast. You can even get over there by hopping on and off the Enoden train line.
If you or your significant other happens to be a basketball-playing Slam Dunk fan, too, the combo of fun sightseeing spot and romantic sunset might be the perfect day out!
Kamakurakokomae Station/Shichirigahama Beach
Google Maps,It's also nice to see the Enoshima from the top of the cliff.
The combination of the cliffs and the sunset makes it even better, with the contrast of the shade and the lighting.,Stay 'till the evening.
Since you're here for the day, why not spend a bit more time on this island?
Want to see more of the surrounding area?
Check out the articles below for more to do.
- Japan's Island of Hydrangeas: The 5 Best Places to See The Flowers of Enoshima Island, Kamakura
- Shop at Yokohama Mall JOINUS to Get a One-Day Train Pass and Travel around Kamakura and Enoshima
- Trip to Memorial Spot of Slam Dunk in Enoshima/ Kamakura
(Learn more about Slam Dunk's connection to the area!),Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU!
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 🗾#kanto#tour#travel 2019.06.0342
4 Japanese Fireworks Shows for Beach LoversYou'll get a good idea of what it means to the people of Japan by just watching a few Japanese movies or dramas. When the setting is summer, you know all of the characters are headed to the beach, and there just has to be one super-dramatic scene at the fireworks festival! Do the main characters have their first kiss!? Well, we'll never know, but you too can enjoy the natural drama of fireworks exploding over the ocean this summer if you head to any of these great fireworks festivals on the coast! If you've never seen a Japanese fireworks display before, you may be pretty wowed at the length and scale of their shows. Find yourself a comfy spot in the sand, then lay back, relax, and enjoy the hour+ of really well-executed explosions.
(Although, if you're looking for romance and fireworks aren't your style, you could always visit a Tanabata festival instead.),This is a smaller scale event when it comes to Japanese fireworks display, which means only... 2,500 fireworks? That doesn't seem all that tiny to me. The show is set off over Kamakura's famous Yuigahama Beach, so everyone can sit in the soft sand and get a good view of this small display, admiring the colorful lights over the water. This year's theme is "a fireworks festival created by everybody," so do your part and pay a visit!,71st Annual Kamakura Fireworks Festival
Location: Yuigahama Beach, Zaimokuza Beach
Date/Time: July 7 | 19:20 ~ 20:10
Access: 5 min. from Enoshima Electric Railway's Yuigahama Station or Wadazuka Station, 15 min. from JR Kamakura Station
Official Website,Here at Japankuru, we're so taken with the fireworks set off over Tateyama Bay each year that we wrote a whole article dedicated to just that festival. Aside from the fireworks, Tateyama Bay is famous for its great view of Mt. Fuji across the water. It's been chosen as one of the country's "100 Best Views" of the mountain, and the best view is during sunset. Get there at the right time and with the right weather, and you'll see the sun setting right into the mountain's peak. Once the sun has set, though, it's time for fireworks! The Tateyama Fireworks Festival is a pretty huge fireworks display, with more than 10,000 fireworks set off over an hour and fifteen minutes. Throw on a yukata and find a good place to sit on the beach before it gets too crowded.,Tateyama Fireworks Festival 2019
Location: Hojo Coast
Date/Time: August 8 | 19:30 ~ 20:45
Access: 5 min. from JR Tateyama Station
Official Website,This festival is unique in that it doesn't just take place over the course of one or two hours, once a summer. The festival is broken up into lots of parts scattered throughout the seasons, so whatever time of year it is when you visit Atami, you can probably check out a little chunk of the festival. The event originally started when the Atami area wasn't doing very well, and the colorful fireworks were a way of cheering up the populous, but it's been going on for over 60 years now. The layout of Atami, with mountains surrounding the water where the fireworks are set off, creates a basin that encourages echos. It makes the whole experience very dramatic.,Atami Fireworks Festival 2019
Location: Atami Bay
Date/Time: 20:20~
Spring: 6/16, 6/29
Summer: 7/26, 7/30, 8/5, 8/8, 8/18, 8/23, 8/30
Autumn: 9/16
Winter: 12/8, 12/15
Access: Atami Station
Official Website,This fireworks display has been going on since the Taisho Era, the early 20th century. Nowadays many still come to relax on the beach and enjoy the fireworks going off over the water. The fireworks come in a variety of types, with some meant to represent azaleas, the city of Tsu's official flower.,
Tsu Fireworks Display
Location: Akogiura Coast
Date/Time: July 27 | 19:45 ~ 21:00
Access: Shuttle bus from Tsu Station.
Official Website
Image Source: Tsu City Tourism Association,Can you just imagine yourself in that one Japanese drama, now? Enjoying a magical evening under the colorful fireworks, with the lights flashing across the water...
No matter who you plan to go with, a night out on the beach enjoying the fireworks sounds like a pretty good way to spend a summer evening to me.
If you'd rather enjoy the season some other way, though, there's so much else you can do in Japan. From art exhibitions in Tokyo, to hydrangea flower-viewing, or even a trip to Okinawa; Japan is your oyster!
Be sure to look out for more exciting articles every day at JAPANKURU! 🐶
Or add us on Instagram and Facebook to share your pictures of Japan. 💖🗾#kanto#entertainment#fireworks 2019.06.0320
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