Kabazaiku Woodcrafts of Semboku City Highly Reviewed at Maison et Object in Paris, France!

As the icicles are melting fast and dripping like leaking faucets (just imagine!), we definitely feel the spring in the air! We usually don’t see the cherry blossoms in Akita until late April to early May, but we are now receiving good news about our specialty made of cherry barks!

The local news paper, Sakigake Shinpo, just reported that the Kabazaiku （樺細工）, a traditional woodcraft from our Semboku City, has been calling much attention in the international market.

Fujiki-Denshiro Shoten (藤木伝四郎商店) in Kakunodate Town is one of the leading studio in Kabazaiku making in Kakunodate town. Back in late January, the company participated in a trade fair held in Paris, France, called “Maison et Objet.” Their works received impressive reviews from international buyers including the Korean Shinsegae department store and a Swiss tea leaf company.

Mr. Fujiki, President of Fujiki Denshiro Shoten, explaining a product to a buyer
at Maison et Object, in Paris, France.

Maison et Objet is known as the France’s largest collection of interior goods. The most typical kabazaiku work is a tea canister made of cherry barks and embedded with graduation patterns of maple and walnut barks. Their most recent products that utilized the woody warmth and natural simplicity have been promoted in the exhibition and caught the buyers’ attention.

The Korean giant Shinsagae Department Store has signed a deal to import some trays and candy boxes. The Swiss tea company has signed for the tea canisters. British fashion brand, Paul Smith, is showing strong interests as well.

Semboku City’s proud traditional works are now becoming internationally obtainable! We are truly excited about this opportunity to introduce our rich culture in your countries.

Hina Dolls Displayed Until March 20 in Kakunodate

Hina Matsuri, the Japanese doll festival will be celebrated on March 3. As it is approaching, the dolls have been displayed in family homes and businesses around town – in Kakunodate, you can see various types of hina dolls from different regions and eras only in one day!

The ornamental dolls represent a scene of an emperor’s and are displayed for girls in a family. The tradition is said to have a thousand-year old history since the Heian era.

Kakunodate has served as an important castle town for many centuries. The dolls found here uniquely reflect the owner’s family history. Some traditional merchants may preserve dolls that have been passed down over generations.

Kakunodate Hina Meguri is a tourism campaign by Kakunodate Tourism Association. Many such traditional businesses are encouraged to display their collections so the beauty of the dolls is shared with the visitors to town.

Ando Jozo, a brewery of soy sauce and miso in Kakunodate, is a family-owned merchant established in mid-1800. The family has handed down such beautiful hina dolls over the generations.

Several different sets are on display inside the brick and wooden structure that was built in the Meiji era, which has been designated as Kakunodate Town’s historic site.

Another impressive display can be found at Tatetsuya, a souvenir shop near the post office. This family is also one of oldest in town and passes down gorgeous dolls. You can find 3-dimensional as well as 2-dimensional ones of a technique known as “Oshie,” or pressed picture.

The other side of town known as Nakamachi (“inner town”) is where families of higher class have resided traditionally. So, you can imagine other kinds of dolls are found there.



Hina Dolls at Tatetsuya



Take this unique shop, Neko no Mise Namekawa (猫の店　滑川）.

Yes, that’s right – this is a special store for cat-related goods! At this small shop, you can find many hand-made goods with cute kitties :) This is a place you must stop – You will find something special even if you were not a cat lover!

Namekawa also shares with you their beautiful hina dolls! They are quite interesting – the pieces were collected individually over different eras. The owner, while working with her needles, said “I didn’t really know about our dolls until a few years ago when this Hina Meguri campaign began. Some knowledgeable tourists gave me some hints – then I started to learn about them little by little.”

“A lady once pointed out that the byobu screen with Mt.Fuji painted is actually rare. We figured out that it derives from the Taisho era, when Japan was proceeding on a war footing. It represents the patriotism of that time” says the lady.

Some uncommon pieces related to Japanese folklores such as Shitakiri Suzume and Urashima Taro (left and right in photo below) – those are also considered to be from the same era as well.

Hina dolls collection at Neko no mise Namekawa

The festival will be celebrated nationwide over the weekend, but the display campaign will continue until March 20th. When you come to Semboku City, make sure you stop at places to see the dolls!

Find Your Favorite Hina Dolls in Kakunodate: Sign Up for A Walking Tour and Stamp Rally For Special Services!

February to early March is when we begin to see the decorations of hina dolls all over Japan: It is when we celebrate the girls on hinamatsuri, the Hina Festival, on March 3.

Kakunodate Town, a town known for its rustic historical scenery, is also dubbed as Little Kyoto of Tohoku. Here, you can recollects the memories from the Samurai era with the houses and items that has been passed down over generations.

From February 18 to March 20, many shops in town display their family-owned hina dolls and make them available for public viewing; meanwhile, they offer you special discounts and festival-themed souvenirs available only during this time.

Finding your favorite dolls when playing it by ear is thrilling! But, if your time is limited as a traveler, you might want to consider singing-up for a hina doll tour guided by a local person who knows the best places to stop by – so here it is:

This guided walking tour takes you to different locations in Kakunodate Town. Starting from Katsuragi (a gallery), you will be guided to several main spots in town. The tour is only 1,000 Yen (Course A: 1,000 Yen) or with lunch (Course B: 3,500 Yen). You will be given a little souvenir :) Sign up in a group of more than 2 people and 2 days ahead.

You can also have more extended experience taking a local train decorated for the festival. 

“Stamp Rally” will be held during the campaign. What is it? With a sheet with some blank spaces, you will visit different places in town and have it stamped. When it reaches 10 stamps, you can exchange it with a present at Katsuragi. At the stamping locations, you will receive special discounts and services. The places are shown in the tables in the map below.

Click to see a bigger image

Other guided activities in town? Try Kakunodate Winter Storytelling at the Iwahashi Residence.

 

Celebrate the Girls' Month - Take a Train Decorated with Hand-Crafted Hanging Hina Dolls!

Kakunodate Town will be a perfect town to walk around and see different Hina dolls between February 18 – March 20, 2012. The dolls will be displayed at many shops and available for the tourists to see at different locations. The dolls are often family owned and passed down through generations, reflecting various styles and eras, and made of different materials: clays, papers, and even ceramic wares!

To enhance your experience in this historic snow country, you might want to consider taking a local single-cabin train decorated with hand-crafted hanging hina dolls!

The Akita Nairiku Jukan Railway company is offering you this special ride. The train cabin will be decorated with paintings and drawings by local elementary school students. (Some of them are also available on view at Aniai Station.)

This campaign will continue from February 18th to March 4th, 2012, connecting Kakunodate Station and Takanosu Station. Southbound Rapid Moriyoshi 1-Go (Aniai station 9:32 – Kakunodate 10:40), Southbound Rapid Moriyoshi 3-Go (Takanosu 14:01 – Kakunodate 16:07), and Northbound Rapid Moriyoshi 2-Go (Kakunodate 11:13 – Takanosu 13:09) will be the trains decorated.

Meanwhile, another hina-dolls themed campaign will be held in Kita-Akita City as well: Hina dolls will be displayed at some Takanosu Market Street, drawings by local elementary students at Aniai Station. Also at Aniai Sation, on February 18th, there will be mochi-pounding and games at 13:30pm and lighting snow candles at 17:30pm.

If you want more hina doll festival experience, you would definitely enjoy a guided tour with craft or cooking activity! Click for more details.

Leonard Foujita Has Come - An Exhibit of the Japanese Contingent of French Art Movement Just Opened in Semboku City

“Leonard Foujita Has Come,” a special exhibition to commemorate the relocation and new construction of Akita Prefectural Museum, has just opened in Semboku City on Monday, February 6, 2012.

The exhibition displays works by the internationally renowned painter, “Leonard” Tsuguharu Foujita (藤田嗣治), whose works was known for the unique style, in which he created oil paintings using Japanese traditional painting technique.

The trademark “milky skin color” was experimented with various pigments and earned him a recognition as the most famous Japanese contingent of Ecole de Paris, a French art movement in the early 20th century. (Read more about Foujita)



"Self Portrait at Atelier" (1926)

So, why Foujita’s works are important in Akita?

Recently, Masakichi Hirano Museum of Fine Art, in Akita City has held a special exhibition on Foujita’s works. Hirano has purchased a number of Foujita’s works to support him after the death of his wife. Later, when Hirano built a museum in his hometown, Akita, Foujita painted a large mural titled The Events of Akita.

In his memories in Akita Prefecture, Foujita, in his essays written in 1942, depicted Kakunodate town as “my delightful home.”- that is why such special exhibition has been held in Kakunodate town.

This exhibition at Hirafuku Kinen Bijutsukan, in Kakunodate, Semboku City, will display collections loaned from Akita Prefectural Museum and Masakichi Hirano Museum of Fine Arts. 60 artworks by Foujita such as Japanese art, oil paintings, woodblock prints, and sketches have been selected with relevance to the scenery of Kakunodate Town.

Also noteworthy is that the exhibition displays some rare materials relating to the design concept and scheme of the new Akita Prefectural Museum building by an internationally renowned architect, Tadao Ando.

“Leonard Foujita Has Come” will continue through Sunday, February 26th, 2012., and remain open every day from 9 a.m to 4.30p.m (enter before 4:00 p.m.) The place is Hirafuku Kinen Bijutsukan in Kakunodate town, Semboku City, Akita Prefecture.

Admission is 300 yen for general adults (older than high school) and 200Yen for children (elementary and junior high school) and FREE for children under elementary school and all Semboku City residents.

Join a Traditional Hina Doll Tour in Kakunodate Town!

Hina-matsuri is a Japanese traditional doll festival that is celebrated on March 3rd. Today this thousand-year old festival is commonly celebrated as the families display the dolls on platforms covered with red fabric. The dolls are to represent an imperial wedding ceremony.

The dolls are displayed until the March 3 celebration; after that, they are usually put away in no time, since leaving it out too long is believed as a bad luck for the girl in searching of a groom. The set is commonly passed down in the family over several generations – carrying down the history of girls in the family.

In Kakunodate, a town known as “Little Kyoto of Tohoku,” you can have a tour to see such unique hina dolls that have been passed down over the generations. The dolls vary in size, materials, and numbers: A guide will tour you around and tell you interesting stories for your appreciation.

Your lunch will be served in a special bento box themed in the festival. It is followed by an activity also related to the doll festival. The activity varies on each day of the week:

Mondays and Wednesdays: Oshie (pressed picture) strap – 60 min

Sundays and Fridays: Hina doll photo frame with pressed flowers – 60 min

Tuesdays and Saturdays : Traditional hina-mochi cooking – 90 min

Date:

Saturday, February 18 – Tuesday, March 20, 2012.

Time:

9:50 – 14:30

Meet at Kura (Kakunodate Station Tourist Information Center) at 9:30

Price:

5,100 Yen (Adult) / 3,900 Yen (Child)

Includes :

Lunch (“Hina- Bento”), A Hina Dolls Tour (90 min), and Craft Activity (60 -90 min).

Maximum Capacity:

10 Persons (Minimum 2 Persons)

Reservation :

 Tabiyori (Semboku City Tourist Information Center)  

Come to Hiburikamakura, Kakunodate's Traditional New Year Festival on February 13

A traditional snow festival in Kakunodate Town, Hiburikamakura,will be held as the annual schedule, February 13 and 14. 

Hiburikamakura (火振りかまくら） is a traditional festival, in which a participant put a fire on s bundle of rice straws and swing it around his or her body, wishing for the safety and health of the family members. As dangerous as it looks, the tradition is practiced by the people of all ages - even many children accompanied by their parents! The view of many rings of flames in the contrast with snow is described as “mystic,” as it gathers many photographers from in and out of Akita Prefecture.

February 13 would be the best day to visit – the event site near the Hinokinai river offers you warm foods and various activities to watch. The local people bring in their used new year’s ornaments and charms such as shimekazari and daruma, so they will be burned in an appropriate religious manner. There will be fireworks to start and end the event.

To remember your participation in the ritual event, why don’t you get a set of charms purified by the local Shinmeisha Shrine? Only 100 sets are available for 500 Yen. Find one at Kakunodate Tourist Association booth.

For more information about Hiburikamakura event, call Kakunodate Tourist Association (TEL 0187-54-2700) or Semboku City Tourism Division (0187-43-3352).

The Epilogue of Kakunodate Winter Storytelling : Stick Around for A Quick Tour in The Samurai House !

Kakunodate Fuyuagtari  inspires you and takes you on a time travel within half an hour! When the session is over, don't just leave the house yet : Stick around for another quick tour of the Samurai House! Another experienced guide will show you how the wisdom and ingenuity of our predecessors have been excised in such simple housing architecture.

The Iwahashi Residence (岩橋家）

The house has two entrances for different purposes – one for daily use, and the other for the guests on special occasion. The family members and friends entered from the larger entrance with 3 sides facing individual rooms for different ranking in the family.



 

The place where the father used to sit,
from which he could directly see the gate.



Father was the highest rank in the family, then followed sons, mothers, and daughters. The place designated for the headmaster was the corner of the back room near the irori fireplace, from which he could directly see through the gate, so he could identify the visitor to secure the family safety.

Shitomido (蔀戸）

Before the modern heating technology was invented, warming up the house was much easier than cooling (“You can only remove so many cloths to cool down.”), so that the windows are wide and made easily removable – as in Shitomido, a type of traditional window dating back to the Heian era.

The door (seen in the picture left) opens horizontally in the middle and the upper half is supported by the hook hung from the ceiling. The lower part is removable.



From this window, the family could see the castle on top of the nearby mountain that we know today as "Koshiroyama" (古城山) meaning "the old castle mountain."

Fire was the most important yet dangerous thing to handle, so that it was the father’s responsibility to extinguish at the end of each day.

The humorous experienced guide

The guide said, “Have you seen a train worker making a salute-like hand gesture on seeing off a train? That’s not just to signal to other workers, but also to himself in order to assure the safety on the high-risk task.”

“So, here is what the father used to do.” Sitting across the fire place, the guide took the chopsticks and drew lines on the ash along the four edges.

“These are the ways for the god of fire, and now I make a cross with these sticks facing north to prevent him from entering, then with this,” inserting a spatula perpendicularly in the between, he continued “I securely seal his entrance. Now, see how it looks like: It looks like the kanji character of 'water' （水）."

Everybody leaned to take a look and exclaimed in awe. "This was a magical spell practiced by the master of the house in order to assure that he completed his task for the family safety.”

Can you see it?
The sticks and spatula look like the character, water (水）!

 

 Kakunodate Winter Storytelling at the Iwahashi Residence is FREE. During the campaign, you are allowed to enter the house, which is not allowed otherwise. Please check the details from the link and join to learn more about the beautiful town!

 

 

Kakunodate Winter Storytelling : A 30-Minute Time-Travel Through the History of "Little Kyoto of Tohoku".

Kakunodate Fuyu-Gatari makes your daytrip even more unforgettable! This 30-minute storytelling session at an authentic samurai house sitting around antiquities can take you on a time-traveling experience!

The storytelling session, Kakunodate Fuyu-Gatari, has been held every weekend twice a day from 11:30 and 13:30. It has been a popular tourist activity so that almost all the sessions are fully occupied.

Last weekend, as JR offered a promotion package deal, Kakunodate Town was crowded with tourists coming from all over Japan. Both morning and afternoon sessions easily exceeded the 25-people limit! The organizers crammed in a few more “zabuton,” seating cushions, so that the people sat side-by-side warmly, albeit packed like sardines as we say in sushizume (sushi-packed) condition!



The Iwahashi Residence (岩橋家）



Story Unfolds – from Lifestyle, Food, and the History of Kakunodate Town

The story is told by a certified historical guide. On this day, the teller was Mr. Tamura, vice president of the guide union. As we gathered in a small room at the Iwahashi Residence, the guide unfolded stories from how the life style is like in the deep north during the coldest time of the year.

“These things,” pointing at the hanging rice crackers and radishes on the back, “are the very blessings of our severe winter. Although the heavy snow may seem overwhelming and to give us nothing but a trouble, we actually are not always bothered and fed up with the long winter,” continued Mr. Tamura.

“Over the generations, the severe winter has nurtured a unique tradition of our food culture. Say, these dried rice crackers are called hoshimochi and are still popular today. The natural sweetness is addictive! And, daikon radishes are dried like this and were later smoked to be made into our famous Iburigakko. If it weren’t for the severe winter, we wouldn’t have had this profound tradition.”

Then, Mr. Tamura stressed that each family inherits a secret recipe for such pickled vegetables – the ratio of sugar and rice bran along with the temperature and humidity condition greatly contribute to the unique taste. “Today, we would like you to try the Iburigakko of the Iwahashi family and see if you like it.”

Dried Radish and mochi (left top), Mr.Tamura explaining an snow related tool (right top),
 Iburigakko (left bottom), and the certificate.

A Brief History of Kakunodate Town from the Ashina to Satake-Kita Family

Mr. Tamura continued on and told us the history of Kakunodate Town – dating back to the original settlement by the Ashina family and their close connection with the great lord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

The Ashina family has suffered from a serious misfortune in succession. One after another, the heir to the prestigious family deceased at young ages - most notably, Sentsurumaru (千鶴丸）, who became the heir at age 1 when his father died young at age 20 but soon died at age 3 because of an injury to his head at the nearby temple, Tenneiji (天寧寺).

“The temple is still present today. In fact, the rock that the boy hit his head was later used for the pedestal of a Statue of Mercy (Nyoraizo), which been dedicated to his pitiful soul. Please do stop by at the temple to take a glimpse of it.”

(Tenneiji Temple, Left)

Later, the town was taken over by the Satake-Kita family with the feudal lord, Yoshinobu. However, they also suffered from misfortunes in succession. At the last straw, a nephew of the lord Yoshinobu, Yoshichika, was taken from Kyoto to become the heir to the family.

The story told by the historical guide was meticulously intertwined and come together as we realized that history leads to how the people live today. The 30 minutes surely takes your mind away and inspires you to visit more places in Kakunodate town.

After the story session, you will be given a certificate which proves your presence in the session – all written in Akita dialect! Another 10-minute tour was held by another guide, who showed us how the wisdom and ingenuity of old men have been excised in the simple housing architecture!

Restaurante La Fuga : A Place of Satisfying Italian Cuisine and At-Home Atmosphere!

La Fuga is an Italian restaurant in Kakunodate Town. It is a popular place known for their fresh pasta and cozy atmosphere. The reputation has been widely spread in and out of Akita Prefecture. In a town known for its touristic Japanese scenery, La Fuga surely stands out as a place to enjoy satisfyign foreign cuisine!

La Fuga was established in 1986 by the current owner, the Miura Family. The chef took inspiration on his trip to Italy. He was impressed by the high quality of fresh pasta there, so that when he returned home he decided to recreate the taste on his own. After countless trials, he finally managed to come up with the satisfactory recipes!

Today, La Fuga has been introduced by various media both locally and internationally - even on the popular international guidebook, Lonely Planet!

La Fuga serves the signature house-made fresh pasta and dried spaghetti (Italian De Cecco) in various ways – from simple tomato sauce to Bolognese, and to Carbonara. The home-made pizza is a popular dish as well.

An order of fresh penne starts with a salad with La Fuga’s original dressing (that’s really delicious and appetizing). The choices include ones with salmon in cream sauce as well as eggplant and mozzarella in tomato sauce -- All of the listed are satisfying both in quality and quantity!

For your refreshment, do not forget a desert! The desert of the day was a baked apple – perfectly cinnammony, sweet and tart in balance, hiding some raisins inside!

Desert of the Day is written on the board: Cheesecake, Semifreddo Al Caffe, and Vanilla Icecream.

The space is available as a  meeting room as well. You can bring in your own food.

The Miura Family is really friendly and creates such an at-home atmosphere. With such a loving care that the couple has been providing with all friends and guests, locals and foreigners, many find this place as “a home away from home.”

On the side, the family makes the house available for a home-stay experience. They provide your own bedroom and share the kitchen. Check the details here.

La Fuga is located near Kakunodate Minami High School within a 10-minute walk from the Bukeyashiki-dori, the main street of samurai houses. They are open from 10:00 –14:30 and closed on Mondays.

Winter Storytelling at A Kakunodate Samurai House

We are in the coldest time of year, “kan,” or “the cold” as is called according to the old Japanese calendar. When the houses are covered with thick layers of snow and the temperature remains low even during the day time, it is certainly not encouraging us to go outside and play. That was even more so in the old days before the development of transportation and heating technology.



The Iwahashi Residence （岩橋家）in Kakunodate Town



So what were the villagers doing during the winter?

The villagers from the old days engaged themselves in working with craftworks such as Kabazaiku and Itayazaiku as well as making preserved foods to persevere in the severest time of year.

But, that was probably how these practices have developed into such profound traditional culture  and been passed down through generations.

Storytelling: Another Traditional Activity That We Inherited From Our Ancestors

We have many folktales and legends that have been told for centuries from grandparents to their grandchildren. The stories are also about the lifestyle of the old days. Just imagine yourself hearing such heart-warming stories sitting around the traditional fireplaces! Such experience have been recreated and available for tourists in Kakunodate Town.

Winter Storytelling at the Iwahashi Residence in Kakunodate Town:

Needless to say, Kakunodate Town, as known as “Little Kyoto of Tohoku,” is a perfect place to time-travel. Here is an opportunity in which you can hear old stories sittiing around a traditional irori fireplace at a Samurai House!

The stories are told by the professional Kakunodate historical guides and held every week from Friday to Sunday and national holidays from December to March. The story sessions are held inside the Iwahashi Residence at 11:30 and 13:30 on each day.

The session is FREE. The first 25 people can join the circle. (The space is limited.)

Arranging a session on unscheduled day and time or securing seats for a bigger group is possible through a reservation with the organizers. Sign up with them via FAX or phone at least 7 days in advance.

This “Fuyugatari” (Winter Storytelling) is organized by Semboku City Tourism Division, Kakundoate Tourist Association, and Kakunodate Historical Guides Union. Contact them for additional information.

Kakunodate Tourist Association:

TEL 0187-54-2700 / FAX 0187-54-1755

Kakunodate Historical Guides Union:

TEL 0187-55-1670 / FAX 0187-55-1680

A Delicious Bento Lunch Box at the Nishinomiya Residence! Enjoy it on the Traditional O-Zashiki Salon!

As Kakunodate town is dubbed as "Little Kyoto of Tohoku," there are many historical buildings in the area. You can find several houses built a few hundred years ago, when the area was a castle town for the Satake Clan. The samurai houses are great examples of such buildings made into a museum and shops.



Nishinomiya-ke's souvenir shop

The Nishinomiya Residence （西宮家） is one of the most popular samurai houses for visitors. Besides the museum and souvenir shop, the residence has two restaurants in slightly different styles. Restaurant Kita-kura　（レストラン北蔵） is more modern Japanese style where you can eat at table, but for more Japanese feeling, you can choose to eat at Omoya （母屋）,where you sit in Japanese tatami mat with low tables!

Here is a bento box your group can enjoy in the old building. This building was constructed during the mid-Meiji era (around 1880-1890). The quietness in the o-zashiki room on tatami mat is perfect to enjoy this delicious lunch box!

Well-balanced and delicious
 Nishinomiya-ke (The Nishinomiya Residence)'s Lunch Box for 1575Yen

Very soft pork with delicious ftuity sauce.

You will know how delicious the dish is, even though it is served cold. You may even wonder if it was meant to be served cold. Don't worry, a bento is such thing.

A Bento Box may bot be so familiar to you - It is a traditional way to serve a meal in Japan. Oftentimes, a bento box is made to go, but you can also enjoy it in a house like this. Typically, it features many different kinds of okazu (side dishes) to accompany with a serving of white rice. Here, the Nishinomiya-ke served slices of pork, fried salmon, simmered vegetables, pickled vegetables, etc. 

The items may vary depending on the availablitiy of ingredients and seasons. One double decker bento box  comes with a bowl of miso soup and hot barley tea. The price is 1,575Yen per person and available for a group of more than 2 people. Reservation is required.

Come Night Stralling in Kakunodate Now - Samurai Houses Are Illuminated for the Foliage Visitors!

The foliages are seen in Kakunodate Town now. October is when the area welcomes the largest number of visitors after the cherry blossoms week from late April to early May.

The vibrant and warm maple and ginkgo trees are so beautiful, contrasting the black walls of Samurai Houses. The Bukeyashiki-dori in Kakunodate town is a perfect place for you to enjoy walking at both day and night. The streets have been illuminated in the evenings from 16:30 to 20:00 p.m.



Foliage leaves in Kakunodate Samurai Houses are Illuminated until Nov. 20.

Foliage Illumination in Kakunodate Town

When: From 16:30 - 22:00 from Saturday, October 29th till Sunday, November 20th.

Place: Bukeyashiki (Samurai Houses) Area -  The Odano, Kawarada, and Iwahashi Residences

Contemporary Artists Exhibits at Traditional Warehouses in Kakunodate (Oct 22-30)

A-week long art event, “Neo-Classic! Kakunodate,” will be coming up on this Saturday, October 22nd through Sunday, 30th, 2011. At different places in this historic town known as Little Kyoto of Tohoku, there will be displayed a number of artworks created by the cutting-edge artists.

The admission is FREE, unless otherwise noted. The venues are open from 10:00 to 17:00 every day.

A: Arakawa-ke Kura

Carved Statue by Rei Sato, Paper Crafts by Collaborated Artists

B: Sotomachi Koryu Hiroba

Talks on How a Kyoto Artist Views Little Kyoto of Tohoku (October 22. 17:00)

Hyappai-kai (“100 Cups Party”) [October 22. 18:00]

*First 20 Adults +20. Some alcoholic drinks will be offered.

Kura will be illuminated. (October 29th. 18:00)

C: Nishinomiya-ke Komekura-doma

Carved Statue by Minakawa

D: Nishinomiya-ke Mae-kura

Artworks by Students of Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts

E: Ando-ke Kura / Zashiki

Bronze, Wood Crafts, Metal Works, and others

F: Ota-ke Komekura

Mixed Media, Carved Statue, and Performance Art (October 29)

Why at Traditional Warehouses to Exhibit the Contemporary Art?

All the venues are Kura, traditional warehouses, that are scattered around in Kakunodate Town. The beautiful structure with black bones and white stucco walls almost always pairs up with the Samurai Houses, which conjures up a nostalgic sentiment and play such a quintessential role in reminding you of its abiding tradition.

Despite the familiarity of its glorious hisoty, the fact that the town has survived countless number of major fire accidents over the centuries is rarely mentioned. The people have overcome such catastrophe with the most advanced technology of that time: Our forerunners have passed the tradition down to our current generations.

The contemporary artists believe that those modest buildings proves the such achievement of our ancestors. It also continues to questions us “what remains” and reminds us that the Frontier of Creation is a key to the future. That is why Kura itself was chosen to play a role in this Art exhibition.

(Source / kakunodate-kanko.jp)

A number of artists collaborate to work with the traditional materials and themes. What do they express to show us the next possibility? Sure it will be an interesting exhibition!

A Guided Bus Tour from Tazawako Kogen Hot Spring to Oyasukyo Hot Spring in Yuzawa City

Komachi　Kurashikku-go, a guided bus tour from Tazawako Plateau Onsen Area to Yuzawa Oyasukyo Onsen, is now available through December 25th. The tour bus is one-way, not a round trip, and it stops at many tourist attractions along the way. This is a perfect way for you to go from Tazawako to Yuzawa City, while you take a look at the heritage of Sothern Akita Prefecture!

The bus departs from your hotel in Tazawako Plateau. It will make the first stop in Kakunodate Town, which is known as the Little Kyoto of Tohoku. You will explore the Bukeyashiki (Samurai Houses) Area.

Then, the bus will take you to Rokugo-Yusuigun , an area known for the countless natural springs, and stop at Niteko Spring,  Niteko-saida.

Next stop will be A Historical Museum in Kanazawa which exhibits historical resources from the civil war (Gosan'nen-no-Eki) period. It is a short stop before lunch at Akita Furusatomura in Yokote City.  

In the afternoon, you will explore Yokote City. First is a town named Masuda to see some Kura, traditional warehouses. Michi-no-Eki Jumonji is close-by where you will be finding yourself bags of fresh fruits and vegetables.

In no time, you will be in Yuzawa City. You will take a glimpse of the summer festival and walk in the Sake brewery  in Kimura Shuzo. You could choose to get off at Yuzawa Station or continue to spend a night in another picturesque hot spring of Akita, Oyasukyo Onsen.

The tour is available on Saturdays and Sundays from October 1st to December 25th, 2011.

Reservation:

Contact Ugokotsu Bus Company: Call (0182-32-4155) or Fax (0182-32-1656).

Reserve before 16:30 pm on the day before.

Fee:

3,000Yen /Person.

Pay in CASH only on the day of departure. Lunch is not included.

Number of Passengers:

Between 2 and 42 people.

Fee due to Cancellation / Change:

You might be charged the cancellation fee if your group was the only passengers.

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