Beautiful garden in a Japanese-style lodging

Today, we went to visit a ryokan, Japanese-style lodging, which is called "かげつ Kagetsu".

One of the views of the garden

Kagetsu is a ryokan famous for having beautiful garden arrangement.
Because the garden itself is the pride of Kagetsu, they specially only serve about 36 rooms, all for the purpose of having nice views of the garden that can be seen from inside the rooms. Every room has its own unique view of the garden!

Inside-room hot spring bath

Like most ryokan, there are hot springs in this ryokan. Whether it is an open bath, or indoor bath, they have it!
Even there are certain rooms that have their own indoor hot spring! VIP feels!

One of the rooms that we visited

If you ever get the chance to come to Yamanashi and want to get a feel of Japanese garden, why don't you try to stay a night at Kagetsu in Fuefuki City?

Kofu Dousojin Matsuri

Today, we are given the chance to visit Yamanashi Prefectural Museum which is located in Fuefuki City.

Actually, there is an event that is being held until February 26 2018, named "Kofu Dousojin Matsuri". In this event, you could see a lot of ornaments that were being used to mark "Hey, this place is being protected by the Gods" back in the old days.
I wrote back in the old days, but actually there are some regions which still do it even until now, and that is including Yamanashi Prefecture.

A lot of ornaments were used, and the ones that really got my eyes were "四神 Shijin" which literally means Four Gods; and "The Three Wise Monkeys".

Byakko the West

Seiryuu the East

Suzaku the South

Genbu the North

You could see more photos on our instagram (life_in_yamanashi)!

Ocha

Kofu Dousojin Festival

Hello Everyone,

Today we went to Yamanashi Prefectural Museum. In the museum, there is a Kofu Dousojin Festival. Maybe you'll ask "What is Dousojin?", I'll try to explain as much as i can explain.

A little bit different with the usual Japanese Festival, this festival is hold in the museum. And the Dousojin meaning is "The road of God", Dousojin is just like a display with so many shape and made by stone or wood. The shape of Dosoujin is usually shaped as Japanese Mitology Animal. In the Dousojin there is a hope that the bad things will go away if it displayed.

Pepi.

House Momoen, The Earliest Ohanami in Japan.

Hello

The atmosphere inside the House Momoen

Today, we had visited House Momoen in Fuefuki City, Yamanashi Prefecture. This place claimed as the earliest place where you can do Ohanami, even in February. When i entered this place, it felt like i was on a total spring day! The vinyl house was kinda surrounded by the Peach Blossoms.

This image is not Cherry Blossoms

I was experienced to do a Tea Ceremony. Not the true one, because we're still clear as sky about Japanese Traditional stuffs, we did just a little detail when we do Tea Ceremony. So, if you're can't wait for spring, this place is worth a visit.

The stage where the Tea Ceremony held

Thank you for reading!

Pepi.

Only in Yamanashi, the earliest Hanami in Japan!

Today, we got the chance to visit "ハウス桃宴 House Momoen".

Peach blossom

Here, you could see peach flower in blossom, even in February! That's why this place is called the earliest hanami (flower-viewing) in Japan!

It was the opening day when we visited, so we got to see koto performance (Japanese traditional music instrument) and could get a taste of real maccha.

Koto

Ocha

Saiko-Kawaguchiko Ice Festival

Today, we got the chance to visit Saiko Lake that is located in Fujikawaguchiko Town.
You might have guessed, but we were heading for Saiko Lake for one reason!

樹氷まつりーIce Festival

An ice festival (樹氷まつり Juhyou Matsuri) is being held in 野鳥の森公園 Yachou no Mori Kouen in the area of Saiko Lake. There, you could see a lot of ice-made objet d'arts, and for me, who does not get a lot of chances to experience snow, they were really cool!

If I have to translate it, I guess it'd be
"The Roar of Dragons"

All of the artworks in this festival are not naturally formed, which might be a turn-down for some people, but in my honest opinion, the fact that it is made with a method that I think is very simple, and can only be done with the help of mother nature itself, is very attractive in a sense.

How the objects are made

They put some wooden objects on the ground, but those objects are not just your usual objects. Those objects serve as the "molds" for the artworks that later would be formed. Water then would be sprayed over the molds. Those water, with the help of the coldness of winter, would then little by little be frozen and be covering the wooden objects, forming huge, ice-made objects, just like the picture above. That is why the name of the festival is 樹氷 Juhyou, as it literally means ice-covered trees!

There are food stalls and a ramen shop too in the area, so you could enjoy the objects without the fear of being starved! Or if the weather is good and you want to go a little further, you might want to go around the Saiko Lake, as you could see a breath-taking view of Mount Fuji!

Ocha

Saiko Lake's Frost-covered Tree Festival

Hello guys,

February is the peak of the winter season. There are so many winter festival held in this period. In Yamanashi, there is Saiko Juhyou Matsuri a.k.a Saiko Lake's Frost-covered tree festival. This festival is held from 27th January until 12th February. The venue of Frost-covered tree festival is a place named Yachonomori Park, very close to the well-known suicide forest, Aokigahara Forest.

Festival's sign tower

"Welcome to Yachonomori Park in Saiko Lake!"

Theme: "Juunigaoka". Juunigaoka is a hill's name located in Fujikawaguchiko Town.

The frost-covered trees which being exhibited here are themed about various theme, such as amanashi Prefecture theme, Dog year theme, Tokyo 2020 Olympic theme, etc. For me personally, it was awesome. I'm excited to see light blue colored ice combinated with the Japanese pride, Mount Fuji. And if you try to go there and share some experience with me, I'll be very happy to hear it.

Pepi.