2012年5月 のアーカイブ

Takayama Miyagawa River

2012年5月29日 火曜日

Extremely long-arm goblin, Tenaga and long-leg goblin, Ashi-naga are displayed on the railing of Kaji-bashi bridge.  Te-naga and Ashi-naga folklore is handed down in Japan, which represents the god of immortal.  There is another folk tale about the creature. This creature was regarded as a hobgoblin,a ghostly apparition, Yokai in Japanese. The creatures with their weird long arms and long legs are said to do wrong to people. So, two different traditions about Te-naga and Ashi-naga.  There is a shrine to dedicate the creatures in Nagano prefecture.

Ashi-naga and Miyagawa river.

 

Te-naga, long-arm goblin sits on the Kaji-bashi bridge railing.

Te-naga and Asi-naga sculptures were made by Yoroku Taniguchi, a sculptor of the late Edo Period.

Red colored Naka-bashi bridge crosses over the Miyagawa river.

The bridge has a decoration of Giboshi, which is modeled after the shape of onion flower.

Takayama Jinya, administrative office of Tokugawa goverment is over there. The bridge connected Jinya and old merchant town in the Edo Period.

Morning markets in Takayama

2012年5月27日 日曜日

Jinya-mae morning market started open about 200 years ago. The market opens every day morning until noon throughout a year selling vegetables,fruits,  flowers, processed food, pickles, souvenirs, etc.

Farmers’ wives sell long green onions called Negi wrapped with used newspaper, flowers, etc.

Rice cake called Tuki- Mochi, apple juice, pickles, etc. are sold on the stall.

Small shrine is located near Miyagawa morning market.

Miyagawa market is open along the Miyagawa river. The banner says Miyagawa morning market in Chinese characters.

Souvenirs are sold.

 

Snow walls in Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

2012年5月26日 土曜日

Tourists are walking between huge snow walls, wich are 14 meters high at high point.

Snow walls is about 200 mters long. Sightseers enjoy walking.

Drawings on the walls will disappear soon together with snow. Maybe acceptable graffiti.

Tateyama Ropeway runs 1,700 meters long having no support pillar between the two stations.

Ropeway wires run in the air and look massive.

Snow stripes from the ropeway look artistic, but it’s the nature that makes them.

Kurobe Lake is calm and serene reflecting the emerald-green, which is surrounded with high mountains. The Kurobe dam was built about 40 years age to supply electricity for rapid industrialization at that time.

 

Water-filled Paddy fields in Shirakawago

2012年5月15日 火曜日

Paddy fields are filled with water, ready for rice planting. Mountains over there are snow-capped Mt. Hakusan, one of the three sacred mountains in Japan, which is about 2,700 meters high, and the source of the Sho river. The Sho river runs west of the village, and supply abundant water for a paddy field. Green, water, snow and a paddy field produce a beautiful scenery once a year.

Gassho Farmhouse Iwase-ke

2012年5月4日 金曜日

This Gassho farmhouse was built about 300 years ago. This Iwase-ke Gassho farmhouse is the biggest of all Gassho farmhouses reserved at present. There are about 200 Gassho farmhouses left in Shirakawa-go and Gokayama area. This house is designated as a national important cultural property.

In front of Iwase-ke, skunk cabbages, called Mizubasho are in full bloom.

One of the room is built in the shoin style of traddtional samurai style architecture. It has an alcove and staggered wall shelves. The Samurai officers from Kaga clan stayed in this house for regular inspection about the area land in the feudal period.

Broad Japanese cypress and ceder board sliding doors, called Obi-do are used to partition the rooms.

The steep ladders are installed to get to the 3rd, 4th and 5 th floors.

The third floor, fourth floor and fifth floor were use to silkwarm raising.

Paper sliding doors are installed for light.