picturelearning Wishes You HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013

Dear Readers, It has been a long time since I last posted. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish the Autumn Series. I had them prepared until West Japan but not further down south to Kyushu. Anyway, I am glad that I was able to covered more than half of Japan. Recently, work has caught up and occupied most of my time, thus lesser time for blogging. Anyway, I am so happy that many has gave me encouragement and I am glad that my blog has benefited and entertained many people. I will try my best to at least publish...

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Visit Japan: Where to View Autumn Leaves in West Japan

  Source: Japanican.com   Takao Visit the Jingoji Temple in Takao. It greets you with autumn leaves on both sides of the stairs as you walk up to the Jingoji Temple. Arashiyama Arashiyama is a rural town at the outskirt that have many calm and tranquil environment. Take a stroll, or cycle around the town while listening to the crisp leaves your step on. Enjoy its chill air in the autumn and serenity of the ambience. Koyasan A temple town where you can also experience the lifestyle of a monk by...

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Visit Japan: Where to View Autumn Leaves in Central Japan

Source: Japanican.com Kanazawa Visit the Kenrokuen, one of the three most beautiful landscape garden in Japan. Shirakawago Famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old Takayama The Takayama Festival, held in spring and autumn, is considered one of Japan's best festivals Lake Kawaguchi The largest among the Fuji Five Lakes. Great view of Mt Fuji alongside the autumn colors on the hills. Tateyama Kurobe Take a tour to the Kurobe dam, then...

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Visit Japan: Where to View Autumn Leaves in East Japan

Source: Japanican.com Mt Takao View Tokyo, Mount Fuji and Yokohama from the 頂上 choujou peak at 599 meters from sea level. Rikugien Garden Enjoy the nicely arranged with 湖 mizuumi lakes, 木 ki trees and 丘 oka small hill for only 300 yen Nikko Iroha Road A terrific view making your drive up winding 道路 douro road is a main access connecting central Nikko and Oku-Nikko enjoyable. Sengokuhara Refreshing view along the vast field of ススキ susuki eulalia grass. Tsurugoka Hachimangu Near...

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Visit Japan: Where to View Autumn Leaves in Northeast Japan

Source: Japanican.com Oirase Keiryu Enjoy the onsen. The best known include Sukayu Onsen (酸ヶ湯温泉), Goshogake Onsen (後生掛温泉) and Toshichi Onsen (藤七温泉) Kakunodate Enjoy autumn leaves viewing in this samurai town. Chuson-ji Temple The real attraction at Chūson-ji is the Konjiki-dō. Built in 1174, in wood, 25square meters, it has been lacquered all over in gold, complements the autumn leaves golden color. Naruko Gorge 100m deep gorge with a total length of 2.5km along the Arao gawa River. The sight from the...

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Visit Japan: Where to view autumn leaves in Hokkaido

Where to view autumn leaves in Hokkaido?   Source: Japanican.com   Sapporo Maruyama Park A beautiful park next to the Hokkaido Shrine. When you visit the Shrine, do remember to try the free red bean pastry. Taste great. Jozankei Thirty minutes outside Sapporo. There is a great selection of onsen at Jozankei. Relax after autumn leaves viewing. Lake Toya Around the lake, you will find 58 great sculptures. It will definitely make your walking tour more entertaining. Hakodate Onuma Park Known for...

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Visit Japan: When to View Autumn Leaves in Japan

When to view autumn leaves in Japan? Source: Japanican.com Autumn leaves viewing is at its peak during the end of Oct and beginning of November. 偶然に guuzen ni Coincidentally, the peak time for autumn leaves viewing is in this week. Same week this post is published. You could go for autumn leaves viewing at almost every part of Japan without disappointment. Enjoy 紅葉狩り momijigari autumn leaves viewing from Hokkaido to Kyushu. This is the time where autumn leaves viewing time overlaps throughout Japan. 紅葉 Momiji...

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Autumn Leaves Viewing in Japan

Dear Readers, Next week is the Autumn Leaves Viewing Week.  I will introduce a series of articles about autumn leaves viewing. Learn about When to view autumn leaves. Where to view autumn leaves throughout Japan Why view autumn leaves  Don`t miss the 紅葉狩り momijigari autumn leaves viewing.   Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Goog...

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Nara Mascot

Nara Station Sento-kun is the Nara Mascot せんとくんは奈良のマスコットです。 sento kun ha nara no masukotto desu. How to Say MASCOT in Japanese The mascot for Nara is a young Buddhist with antler. Related articles Male Deer vs Female Deer (picturelearning.org) Nara Deer Week (picturelearning.org) ...

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How To Say I Love You to a Japanese Girl with Success

The key to saying I love you to a Japanese girl with success is indirectness. How to say I love you to a Japanese girl and yet being indirect? And why shall I say I love you to a Japanese girl when I meant it but have to be indirect? I love you is a 3 letter word. I love you is a simple 3 letter word. There is a also a simple version of I love you in Japanese - 愛してる Aishiteru. 4 letter word. Slightly longer, but definitely not hard to pronounce. Although this sounds like a pretty simple way to say I love you...

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Mackerel Fish

Somewhere in Nara My lunch is rice and mackerel. 昼ごはんは御飯とサバです。 hiru gohan ha gohan to saba desu. How To Say MACKEREL in Japanese サバ saba Mackerel fish contains the omega fatty acids EPA, DHA and ALA, which are good for brain growth....

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Japanese Culture: Why Japanese Like Moss

What is moss? Moss, to put it simply in laymen term, small green plant that grow on wet and shaded soil. You can find them under tree shades which is also usually wet since it is not exposed to direct sunlight, thus the ground moisture is not easily evaporated.   Is moss a weed? Some consider moss as a weed. Moss is a weed when you try to grow grass, and your grass lost to the moss. But well, if you are growing moss, grass will be the weed. It mostly a matter of perspective. Personal experience...

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Umemori Sushi

Somewhere in Nara How about some sushi? 寿司はいかがですか。 sushi ha ikaga desu ka. How To Say SUSHI in Japanese 寿司 Sushi are also rated like hotels. They are rated in to 3 categories: Expensive - 松 Matsu Pine Moderate - 竹 Take Bamboo Normal - 梅 Ume Plum ...

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Toothpick

Somewhere in Nara Pick a tooth with a toothpick. ようじで歯をほじる youji de ha wo hojiru How To Say TOOTHPICK in Japanese Some ようじ youji toothpick and disposable chopsticks contain carcinogens (a bleach used to manufacturing toothpicks and chopsticks), which is harmful and may cause cance...

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Japanese Food: Matsushima Fish Market

Japanese Food (Washoku) in Matsushimakaigan  When you travel to Japan, there is a place up north called Sendai. Near to Sendai coastline, there lies a small town called Matsushimakaigan. There are some good 和食 washoku Japanese food that you should try in Matsushimakaigan. If you are visiting the Masamune Wax Museum in Matsushimakaigan, you surely need to visit 松島さかな市場 matsushima sakana ichiba Matsushima Fish Market behind the museum. There are various おいしい oishii delicious food inside Matsushima Fish market....

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Lunch in Nara

Somewhere in Nara My lunch 私の昼ごはんです。 watashi no hiru gohan desu. How to Say LUNCH in Japanese The tips to good weight management Breakfast like a king 昼ごはん hiru gohan Lunch like a prince Dinner like a pauper ...

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Japanese Rickshaw

Somewhere in Nara You need considerable energy to pull a rickshaw. 人力車を引くのにすごい力が要る。 jinrikisha wo hiku no ni sugoi chikara ga iru.  How to Say RICKSHAW in Japanese What is the difference between 人力車 jinrikisha rickshaw vs trishaw? 人力車 jinrikisha Rickshaw is powered by human on foot. Trishaw is powered by human on a bicycle. Related articles Reinvented Retro-Style Bicycle Rickshaw Gets 'Round (treehugger.com) Eclipse: Facelifted rickshaw gets a unique woven design (ecochunk.com) The pedallers...

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Charming Charm

Kasuga Taisha, Nara Hey charming, would you like a charm? 魅力的な君、お守りはどうですか。 miryouku teki na kimi, omamori ha dou desu ka. how to say CHARM in japanese Charm, instead of meaning attractive, it also means an amulet. In Japan, people buy お守り omamori charms from shrine or temple to kept in nearby themselves to get blessing for marriage, work, exams, etc. Some お守り omamori charms are to prevent accidents, sickness or death. Some お守り omamori charms are to bring good luck. Perhaps you would want to go to a fortune...

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Fortune in English

Kasuga Taisha, Nara Don`t understand Japanese? Don`t worry, we have fortunes in English. 日本語ができない？心配しないで、英語のおみくじがあるよ。 nihongo ga dekinai? shinpai shinaide, eigo no omikuji ga aru yo. how to say FORTUNE in japanese おみくじ omikuji fortune is different does not require a fortune teller. You will shake a bundle of sticks, and only one will drop out. There is a number on the stick. You will get your おみくじ omikuji paper fortune based on that number. Related articles Fortune teller (timesunion.com) More then lottery...

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Kasuga Taisha Shrine`s Lantern

Kasuga Taisha, Nara Kasuga Taisha Shrine has a lot of lanterns. 春日大社はたくさんの提灯があります。  kasuga taisha ha takusan no chouchin ga arimasu how to say A LOT in japanese There are not only たくさんの takusan no a lot of lanterns inside the shrine, but also all along the way in the park leading to the shrine. Some are golden, some are bronze, some are stones. Related articles Lantern festival kicks off in Shanghai (photoblog.nbcnews.com) Travel Penang: Kek Lok Si Temple (www.picturelear...

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Family Day at Kasuga Taisha

On the way to Kasuga-Taisha Shrine  Family day in the park. 公園で、家族と一緒に過ごす一日です。 kouen de, kazoku to issho ni sugosu ichi nichi desu. Draw together with your family. 家族と一緒に絵をかきましょう。 kazoku to issho ni e wo kakimashou. how to say FAMILY in japanese 家族 kazoku family also means FAther Mother I Love You...

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Cute Nara Boy

Somewhere in Nara Watch out! Car is coming! 危ない！ 車が来てるから。 abunai! kuruma ga kiteru kara how to say WATCH OUT in japanese When you see someone in danger. Shout it out loud "危ない abunai Watch out!!!!" You may save a life. ...

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Stuck in a Pillar

Todaiji, Nara Oh God! Someone please help this kid. オー！誰かこの子供を助けてください。 oh-! dareka kono kodomo wo tasukete kudasai. He is stuck. 引っかかっているよ。 hikkakatteiru yo. how to say STUCK in japanese The hole size in the pillar is said to have the same size as the Buddha`s nostril. By going through the pillar, some say it is for enlightenment, some say for happiness and some say it is for getting rid of evil. Whatever the significance, it is for good. Most small children will get through easily. There...

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The Great Buddha

Todaiji, Kyoto At the front door of the Todaiji temple. 東大寺の玄関で  todaiji no genkan de  You will see the Great Buddha once you enter the temple. 入ったら大仏が見えてきます。 haittara daibutsu ga miete kimasu. How to Say GREAT BUDDHA in Japanese The 大仏 daibutsu Great Buddha is a bronze statue that span 48 feet high and weigh 500 metric tonnes...

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