Tazawako Kogen Snow Festival 2011 (Announcement)

Tazawako Kogen Plateau Snow Festival will be held from February 18th -20th, 2011, at Tazawako Ski Area. This festival is best known for the snow sculptures and firesworks. It is also a great chance for you to see two traditional new year's festival of Semboku City.

Last year Kecchi-zori Taikai  ("butt-sliding contest") was added to the festival and brought participants from neighboring prefectures. We have been calling  it "an international contest", hoping to welcome more international participants! So far we haven't had any applicants from other countries yet--- maybe it is your chance to be the first one enrolled!

Participating in such event will give you an unforgettable experience on your trip to Japan. You will meet many locals and tourists from other prefectures!

In the contest, you will be competing the time as a team of three people and/or an individual participant. Upon registration, you will be given a thick plastic bag, a brandnew fertilizer bag, to sit on to slide down the slope.You are prohibited to use any waxing agent.  Downhill will be held on Friday and slaloam on Saturday. You will be required to participate on both 2 days, Friday and Saturday.

The following videos are to give you an idea of how the contest will be done.

Downhill

Slaloam

If you wish to participate or have any question, please write to us: sasaki@tazawako.org or info@tazawako.org .

Tazawako Hotel Ischia's Standard Room

Tazawako Hotel Ischia has been mentioned more than a few times on this blog. Although it has been mentioned as a good event venue, it is surely a good hotel to stay at. :)

Tazawako Hotel Ischia's Standard Room

Ischia’s standard rooms are twin-bed rooms (two single-beds). From most of the rooms, you can see a view of the lake. The price ranges from 11,500 to 12,600 yen.

There are only a few hotels located on Lake Tazawa that offer natural onsen in the facility; however, with the shuttle bus service of Hotel Ischia, you could visit Taenoyu Onsen, one of the most popular Nyuto Onsen inns. It is a great option for those who are concerned with the difficult accessibility or the high demand of reservation in Nyuto Area.

Hotel Ischia is pet-friendly as well. It is one of the few places where you can have free wire-less internet sevice.

Tazawako Dragons Visit Mizu Festival in Iwate Prefecture

As a dragon is a symbol of Lake Tazawa, it is also a symbol of Ryusendo in Iwate prefecture. That is why the dragon floats of Tazawako Festival are invited to join mizu (water) festival there.

This year the mizu festival was held on January 9th. Two dragon floats of Tazawako were transported to Iwaizumi-cho, a town known for Ryusendo, one of the most beautiful limestone caves of Japan. The dragons from two prefectures meet for a re-union once a year.

Mizu Festival in Iwaizumi-cho town in Iwate Prefecture

One of the main attractions in this event is mizu-harai, in which a group of young men and women perform a Shinto ritual to get purified and ward off the evil spirits by soaking in the freezing river. (Top 6 pictures) In late afternoon, each dragon is dragged around town by local volunteers like high school students and reunited in main street.

The festival is held annually in Iwaizumi-cho town in Iwate Prefecture . To go see the beautiful limestone cave (ryusendo) and the mizu festival, please visit their website (Japanese).

     

Komakan's Special Deal from 6,980 yen

Komagatake Kanko Hotel （駒ケ岳観光ホテル） is a popular hotel in Tazawako Plateau area, which is located within half an hour from Nyuto Onsen area. It is one of the largest hotels in Semboku City, whose maximum occupancy limit is 560 people. That is why it is known for many group travelers.

Komakan's Hotel Facility

Komakan offers affordable plans for your family and friends with prices starting from 5,000 yen. Check the plans from here.

 

A special deal for this year is an accommodation with two meals (dinner and breakfast) with a fresh (alive!) abalone and beef shabushabu (a dish in which slices of meat are cooked in hot water and enjoyed with dipping sauce.) The price starts from only 6,980 yen per person. (Weekdays only. )

World Premier of IRIS's Theatrical Version!

IRIS-THE LAST, The theatrical version of Korean Drama IRIS has been just released on January 8th. Before the nationwide theatrical release, there was a premier screening in Akita City!

It was an exclusive event, which invited only 400 people like staffs and volunteers involved in the location shooting in Akita as well as public audience selected out of 4000 applicants.

 

The opening ceremony was a performance of Namahage, a traditional ritual from Oga peninsula, which also appeared in the film and drama.

Photo courtesy of Semboku City

After the screening some IRIS related goods were handed out to the audience. It contained a few film flyers, IRIS photo cards, and a mug with printed Tazawako scene!

We hope many more people enjoy IRIS, and it will become a good introduction to Akita’s beautiful scenery!