2011年9月 のアーカイブ

Mt. Tateyama Japan Northern Alps

2011年9月30日 金曜日

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The cablecar starts at Tateyama Station and climbs the slop of  24 to 29 degrees in 7 minutes to reach Bijodaira. The altitude difference is 500 meters. Passengers change to the bus to get to Murodo in 50 minutes. Murodo is 2,450 meters above sea level.

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The right is Oyama, 3,003 meters high. The center is Onanji, 3,015 meters high.

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Mikurigaike pond and Raichozawa

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Mikurigaike pond

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Jigokudani, where volcano gas is erupting. Sometimes warning announcement is voiced saying, “Volcano gas is accumulating today.  Please be careful and keep on the designated walking path.”

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Dense volcano gas and steam rise violently.

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Rindoike pond

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Midoriike pond

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Hikers are walking on the designated walking path.

World Heritage Gassho-farmhouse Ainokura Village

2011年9月27日 火曜日

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Ainokuro village of Gassho Farmhouses

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Folk museum of Gassho farmhouse

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Inside the gassho farmhouse

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Souvenir shops of Gassho houses

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Parking lot for buses and cars

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The whole view of Ainokura Gassho Village

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Goheimochi dumplings are cooked and sold in front of the customers.

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Gun powder was made and sent to Kaga-Han as a tax.

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Gun powder

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Rice harvesting. Rice reaping by machine and sickle

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Rice drying

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Lumber was one of the important business in the past.

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Colorful egg plants, Hananasu are dried and on sale for decoration.

Kutani Kosenkama Pottery Kiln

2011年9月20日 火曜日

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Potter’s wheel room to throw clay shapes.

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Shaped clay items are put on the shelves for drying.

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Kutani pottery has about 350 years of history.  Different styles and techniques are characteristic for each era.

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The room to demonstrate throwing technique for visitors.

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The kiln to fire shaped clay products. Electricity and red pine firewood are used for the kiln. Red pine firewood is for to get a pale color.

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Clay form shrinks 10 per cent from the original after firing.

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Painting experiment is provided for applicant.

Gold Leaf workshop in Kanazawa

2011年9月14日 水曜日

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99 per cent of Gold Leaf produced in Japan comes from workshops in Kanazawa. This is the final process of cutting gold leaf into two types of dimensions. one is 1o9 mm square, the other is 127 mm square.

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Bamboo stick is used to transfer gold leaf to a handy work stand.

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Delicate skills are required to remove the gold leaf.

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To cut gold leaf into standard dimensions by using bamboo cutting frame. Bamboo cutting tools are used to avoid static electricity. The craftwoman sits still to do her job. When I guided foreign tourists to this workshop, Do her legs become numb ?  asked some tourist.

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Gold leaf folding screen is on display. Gorgeous !!

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3 piles of gold leaf Sake marital cups for martrimonial ceremony. To use for San-San-Kudo ceremony.