A Trip to Shiga Region, Matsumotoshi in Nagano Prefecture
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CONTENTS
We as the JAPANKURU team went to the Shiga region in Nagano prefecture. This less known area had many to explore, the Shiga Canyons, the great rift lowlands, the fossil museum, and the local agriculture. There’s lots to talk about the place but let me briefly introduce a part of it.
Shiga region, Matsumoto, Nagano
This little region located towards the centre of Nagano is an area within the city of Matsumoto.
In case you are not familiar with Nagano, this prefecture is located in the Chubu (the central) region of Japan's main island.
The place is famous for those monkeys bathing in the hot springs at Jigokudani and Hakuba, one of the top ski destinations in Japan. It has also hosted the winter Olympic games back in 1998.
One of our favourite destinations, the Daio wasabi farm is also located within the prefecture.
Nagano has long been one of the favoured destinations in Japan amongst the tourists.
When we say Shiga, we are not referring to one of the other prefectures in Japan, but a smaller community located within the city of Matsumoto, close to the centre of Nagano.
This place is one of the interesting places that we've been to recently, and I wanted to briefly introduce you to what we have been through there.
The Zen experience
We started off with a Zen experience at the Tokoji temple.
We only took the meditation session there, but for those who want to do more than just that, they offer options such as mountain trecking and other zen training courses.
We even had a little visitor at this temple.
He was acting as if he belonged to the temple for years, protecting it, but he was only a little one.
The stay at the Kominka
Let's start with this.
When we were there in Shiga, we stayed at a Kominka 【古民家：こみんか】.
This is one of the traditional forms of houses in Japan and you can still find many of these houses all around Japan.
Some are reformed into cafes, restaurants, shops, etc, but these ones had their interiors renewed into an accommodation.
Some of them kept their old looks, but some of them had totally refurbished their interiors, just like these ones here.
Each one of these places has its theme and uniqueness to it and it's interesting just trying different places.
The Cialthon
This is a made-up word in Japanese using the two English words Social and Marathon.
The purpose of this is not to compete with one another but to socialise through this activity.
Local towns and cities mainly carry out this event for anyone to participate and to get people to know the area.
We also participated and went all around the Shiga region.
Here are some of the interesting spots we've found.
The Shiga canyon
The Jizo statues at Hofukuji.
Bio cafe Coudo, pizza, doughnuts, and a chillaxing atmosphere at a Kominka. (Official webpage)
The Shiga fossil museum (link).
The great Ginkgo tree.
It was a magnificent tree that we saw but the local people told us that it's even a better site once it's in full autumn colours.
It was all a very nice experience with many interesting things to see.
This event in Shiga was held by the community of "Shiga ni Kimasho" 【滋賀にきましょ：しがにきましょ】 which translates to "Come to Shiga" and the Cialthon committee.
We will be covering in detail about this place soon, but this should do for now as an introduction.
Stay up to date by checking our main page at JAPANKURU.
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Hi, I'm Jpn/Aus, currently living in Taito City, Japan. That's near Asakusa & Ueno. A local expert. Enjoying the diversity. I like culture, food... pretty much everything old or new. Find me on Instagram or Facebook and share your opinion!
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Kansai (関西) is a region that includes Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga Prefectures. Kansai contained Japan's ancient capital for hundreds of years, and it's making a comeback as one of the most popular parts of Japan. Kyoto's temples and shrines, Osaka Castle, and the deer of Nara are all considered must-sees. Plus, the people of Kansai are especially friendly, making it a fun place to hang out.
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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KYUSHU
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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KAGOSHIMA
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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