◆◆ “Kansai, the Essence of Japan” Vol.16 (August 27, 2010 ) ◆◆
This newsletter is sent by Organization of Kansai Unity to introduce various must-see tourist attractions of the Kansai region in Japan. ( http://www.kansai-japan.net/en/ )
Contents:
◆ Online Video Clips Introducing the Attractiveness of Hyogo Prefecture
◆ Information on Art & Culture
◆ Kansai Guide by Foreigners Living in Kansai : Nara & Tokushima
◆ Recommended accommodation : Hotel Riverge Akebono in Fukui City
◆ Useful Information : Koyasan Ticket, an Economical Pass to Visit World Heritage Mt. Koya
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◆ Latest Information(1) : Online Video Clips Introducing the Attractiveness of Hyogo Prefecture
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Hyogo Prefecture has a wide variety of tourist spots such as Himeji Castle, Kinosaki onsen hot spring, the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum and fascinating Izushi Town.
To introduce these popular tourist attractions, as well as the latest information on gourmet attractions & shopping in Kobe City, online video clips featuring Hyogo Prefecture are now available. (Hyogo Prefecture and the Hyogo Tourism Association prepare these video clips in English and Chinese).
For example, video clips highlighting tasty-looking Kobe beef and a refined atmosphere of onsen resorts will arouse your appetite for enjoying local specialties and visiting popular tourist attractions of the prefecture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB-8vvzuXnc （English）
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTg0Mzk4MzU2.html （Chinese）
http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/english/video/ （English）
http://www.hyogo-tourism.jp/simplified/video/ （Chinese）
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◆ Latest Information(2) : Information on Art & Culture
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The Art & Culture website communicates the attractiveness of art and culture in the Kansai region.
The latest information on contemporary artworks found around the Kyoto Station is now posted on the website!
◇ Will Kyoto Station Be the Next Center for Contemporary Art?
http://www.kansai.gr.jp/e/art/report_detail_62.html
http://www.kansai.gr.jp/e/art/index.html （Art & Culture）
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◆ Kansai Guide by Foreigners Living in Kansai(1) : Nara
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Spots recommended by Marlene Dubois (from France), a coordinator for international relations residing in Nara Prefecture:
◇ Basara Matsuri
Every year, the streets of Nara get invaded by wild Basara dancers!
In the heat of summer, you will be able to see a parade of dressed and made-up dancers from all around the prefecture dancing around Nara City streets.
The event is free and takes place the last Saturday and Sunday in August.
http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara_e/dd_aspx_menuid-1650.htm
◇ Slunicko
Nara is a small town compared to other capital cities in the Kansai area, but you might be amazed by its level of internationalization.
Pronounced “slunitchko”, the word means “little tiny sun” and is mainly used by children in the Czech Republic to talk about the sun.
This word has been chosen by a Café owner in Nara’s Mochiidono Shopping Arcade as a name for her shop.
It is decorated as a child’s room with things the owner brought back from her trip to the Czech Republic and Turkey.
The sweets are homemade and the price/quality ratio is quite good.
There are a lot of good cafés around Nara’s arcades, but you might want to try this one after a trip around Nara City’s temples and sanctuaries.
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/manbowmanbow007/50646083.html (image)
Spots recommended by Travis Hubbs (from Canada), a coordinator for international relations:
◇Hasedera Temple
While typically a temple famous for the flowers that are on its grounds, Hasedera is an excellent place to visit all year round.
The spacious temple offers lots of opportunities for photographers, and one could spend hours wandering up and down the mountainside where Hasedera rests.
Visiting in the off-season means you may not to get to see all the flowers, but one can experience a tranquility and beauty that many visitors may miss out on.
◇The READY Cafe
Located on the second floor of a row of buildings placed in the narrow avenue between the Higashimuki Shopping Arcade and Konishi Sakura Dori, The READY Cafe has served as an important gathering spot during my time in Nara City.
All drinks on the menu are 500 yen, and the sheer variety of what’s available is staggering.
Most nights you will see the owner himself behind the bar, and is a popular but intimate place for both foreign and Japanese residents, as well as more than the occasional tourist passing through town.
http://naracafe.com/blog/?itemid=293 (image)
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◆ Kansai Guide by Foreigners Living in Kansai(2) : Tokushima
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As the latest information from Tokushima Prefecture, Andrew Dahms, a coordinator for international relations, introduces his firsthand experience of the Awa Odori dance festival, one of the most exciting events held in the prefecture!
◇Sitting on the eastern edge of Shikoku and just two hours from the major cities of Kobe and Osaka is Tokushima Prefecture.
Known for the whirlpools of the Naruto Straits and food products such as sudachi and sweet potato, this small prefecture is also home to one of the largest dance festivals in not only Japan, but the entire world - Awa Odori.
Every year from August 12-15, Tokushima City is swept up with Awa Odori fever.
Stages are erected in major parks and promenades, the streets are lined with lanterns and market stalls, and the entire city transforms into the one giant stage.
Over the four days of the festival, it is visited by more people than its resident population, and for a brief time this rural prefecture becomes as busy as the largest cities in Japan.
The secret behind the dance's popularity is its simple yet captivating form.
The basic steps are easy enough that anyone can learn them straight away, but the colourful yukata and fanciful group formations of the professional dancers, the haunting melody of the yoshikono and the beat of the taiko drums are sure to steal the heart of all who see it.
Awa Odori is the quintessential summer festival, and there is something here for everyone.
Next time you're near Shikoku, take the time to cross the waters and come have a look - you won't be disappointed.
◇Awa Odori Dance Hall
Here, visitors can enjoy the dance the whole year round.
There are daily performances by the hall's own dance troupe and professional dance troupes, a museum showcasing the history of the dance and the clothing and instruments used, a gift shop, and a ropeway that can take you to the top of nearby Mt. Bizan.
http://www.awaodori-kaikan.jp/
◇Niwaka-ren
Want to try your hand at dancing?
Then thy not join Niwaka-ren, a public dance troupe that meets each day of the dance from August 12-15, at 18:30 and 20:30 outside Tokushima City Hall and the Higashi Shinmachi Arcade.
Participation is free and no experience or equipment is necessary!
http://www.city.tokushima.tokushima.jp/kankou/awaodori/niwakaren.html
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◆ Recommended accommodation : Hotel Riverge Akebono in Fukui City
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The Hotel Riverge Akebono is an urban resort hotel located in Hama-machi, an area reflecting the cultural and historical richness of Fukui City.
At its spacious bathhouse, guests can enjoy relaxing time bathing while overlooking the city’s beautiful natural landscape.
The breakfast buffet, offering a wide variety of Japanese traditional home cooking, also receives great acclaim from guests.
For guests who want to enjoy dining elsewhere, the restaurant area conveniently located nearby the hotel is recommended.
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◆ Useful Information : Koyasan Ticket, an Economical Pass to Visit World Heritage Mt. Koya
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Koyasan Ticket is a rail/bus pass consisting of a return railway ticket to Koyasan Station (by Nankai Railway), a two-day pass for buses running to the Mt. Koya area, together with discount admission tickets to selected tourist spots and shopping coupons at designated souvenir shops.
Use of the Koyasan Ticket allows you to save 17% off the regular total.
You are highly recommended to use this economical pass to visit Mt. Koya, which is located in an area registered as a World Heritage Cultural site.
http://www.nankai.co.jp/global/english/traffic/ticket/koyasan/index.html
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Issued by: The Organization of Kansai Unity
Address: 11F, Osaka International Convention Center (OICC Grand Cube Osaka) 5-3-51 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka
(Website) -> http://www.kansai-japan.net/en/
(E-mail) -> info@kansai-japan.net
(Back numbers) -> http://www.kansai-japan.net/en/mailmag/
◇What is Kansai?
The Kansai region comprises 10 prefectures: Fukui, Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Tokushima, and Tottori Prefectures. Befitting one of the best tourist destinations in Japan, Kansai is full of tourist attractions, including five UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites.
http://www.kansai.gr.jp/place_e/kansai/index.htm
◇What is Kansai Unity?
The Organization of Kansai Unity was established on July 1, 2007, comprising 10 prefectures, four ordinance-designated cities, and 6 economic organizations in the Kansai region. The purpose of the organization is to help Kansai develop into an attractive and energetic region by taking advantage of the overall strengths of the region.
