Nakasendo Walk (16) Shiojiri (30/69) -Niekawa (33/69): Sept 17, 2016 (off Tokyo)

There are 25 shukuba stations of Nakasendo in Nagano Prefecture (Shinshu in old name). I walked the first 13 stations in the eastern part of Nagano this spring. It was from Karuizawa, the 18^th station from Nihonbashi to Shiojiri, the 30^th.

I resumed my walk today. It was from Shiojiri to Niekawa, the 33rd station.

Shiojiri is an important transportation hub. The roads and railways from Tokyo, Nagoya and Niigata areas meet here. 

The rails go eastwards to Tokyo and westwards to Nagoya from JR Shiojiri Station. The window’s decoration is grape design.

The area grows good grape and produces wines. They had “the Grape Festival” as September and October are the harvest season.

There are many grape fields along the roads. (see also the 2nd photo from the top)

Grape picking services were offered in many farms.

I also saw the fields of lettuce, cabbage and other vegetables.

There is an archaeological site at the side of Nakasendo on the way to Seba, the 31st station. It is called Hirade remains. The houses of Jomon era (B.C 13-B.C.4 century), Kofun era (A.D. 3-7 century), and Heian era (A.D.8-12 century) are rebuilt. (see also the 3rd photo from the top) 

The grape fields spread around the remains.

There remains a set of milestone in the area. The rice fields behind were shinning gold.

I walked into the area of Seba station. I saw houses as well as vegetable and rice fields spread in the narrow lands between the mountains (see also the 4th photo from the top). 

Autumn flowers were beautiful at the side of the road. 

There is a legend that Minamoto Yoshinaka, one of the heroes in the 12^th century (late Heian era) washed his horse in the well here. The overflowing water was clean and cold.

I saw many fields of soba (buckwhest) on the way to Motoyama, the 32^nd station. The flower is white.

Soba was eaten from ancient days, but it was the Edo ear when people began to cook soba as noodle. The new style started here in Motoyama.

I walked southwards and arrived Sakurazawa area.. There is a stone monument at the side of the road.

It says: the starting point of Kiso road, down to south. (see also the top photo)

Kiso is a deep valley between the mountains.

There are 11 shukuba stations in Kiso road. I arrived in Niekawa, the first station of the Kiso road and the 33^rd station from Tokyo’s Nihonbashi.

Sumo@Ryogoku：September 11, 2016

Many Japanese people sometimes go to sumo tournament. I am one of them.

I went to kokugikan or sumo hall in Ryogoku to see the first day of the autumn tournament.

Flags were raised along the street from JR Ryogoku rilway station to Kokugikan. 

I saw many people walking to the hall. Others were waiting the sumo wrestlers coming in. There were many foreign tourists.

I watched sumo from a box seat in the ground floor. Each box has four seats. We can enjoy foods and drinks there while watching the matches. It was my first such experience.

Families enjoyed not only the sumo tournament but also the foods and the atmosphere of the event.

Sumo wrestlers made big sound when they crashed in the fights. The color of their skins turned as they played the matches.

There were ceremonies of the first day including the speech of the president of Sumo Association.

People went out swiftly when the matches were finished.

Outside the building, the dram was played at the top of the tower. 

I really enjoyed the day.

Keihin Canal and Seaside Park@ Oi area: September 4, 2016

There are many canals and seaside parks around the Tokyo Port.

I walked along Keihin Canal in the southern part of the port. Today’s walk was from Oi Central seaside Park to Shinagawa Seaside railway station.

The canal’s water was dirty decades ago, but it has become cleaner. I saw sea bass and other fish jumping and people enjoying fishing.

There are many warehouses along the canal.

The Tokyo Monorail Haneda Line runs along the canal.

People enjoyed BBQ in the Oi Central Seaside Park. 

Kids ware playing at the seaside.

I also found walkers and cyclists.

Shinagawa Seaside station area was developed about 20 years ago.　Tens of office and residential buildings gather there.

All are summer-end scenes.

Kamaishi and Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture: August 20-21, 2016 (off Tokyo)

Nearly five years and six months have passed after the Great East Japan Earthquake. I visited the quake-hit areas several times after the disaster. I traveled again to the Sanriku coastal areas of Iwate prefecture, which were severely hit by the tsunami disaster.

I first visited Unosumai district in Kamaishi City, where more than 500 people were killed or missing. The construction works are under way everywhere. The lands are being raised. (see also the 3rd photo from the top)

New school is being constructed.

Still, many temporally houses remain.


There are more new houses and shops built than November 2015, when I visited here last time. Rebuilding the hardware elements of infrastructure -- lands, roads and houses -- seems to be moving ahead.

Questions remain. Even if they build new residential areas, it is not sure whether people come back to live here. The future prospects of local communities and economic recovery are not clear.

People’s ties are more important than before, many people say. Local community activities are reviewed. 

Traditional performing arts play important role.

I attended one of the gatherings and talked with local people. We enjoyed Tiger Dance together (see the top photo)

The situation of Otsuchi Town is similar. 

The town hall was washed out by tsunami and many people, including the town manager, lost their lives. 

The ruin of the town hall still stands. It is not determined whether to preserve the building as a monument or to clean it up.

There are construction works in many places. Construction machines are everywhere.

New roads have been built at the higher places. 

The question of "yes, rebuilding hard infrastructure is going ahead, but redeveloping soft infrastructure is far behind" also remains here.  

I visited a small garden at a side hill of a mountain. The “Bellgardia” garden was developed and is owned privately by Mr. Itaru Sasaki.

He built a telephone box after the disaster. 

The line is not connected. People come here to talk to the victims or to talk to themselves. It is called “the telephone of window” (see also the 2nd photo from the top)

He also opened a micro library called “the liberally of the woods”. The community’s children come here and read books.

The place works as an information center and a gathering place of the community. It is not open to the tourists.


Again, I have learned quite a lot in my visit to Iwate.






See also


Sendai, Ishinomaki@Tohoku; Sept 17-18, 2011

Save Iwate @ Morioka and Sanriku Coast (off Tokyo): May 10-11, 2014

3 years after the quake @ Iwate (off Tokyo) : May 10-11, 2014

Four and half years from the quake: Sanriku, Iwate: Oct. 31-Nov.1, 2015

Autumn Scenes @ Iwate Prefecture: Oct 31- Nov. 1, 2015

Traditional performing arts of Tohoku @ Zojoji Temple: March 12, 2016

Budapest: August 4-6, 2016 (off off Tokyo)

I visited Budapest for the first time in about 20 years. I found many changes –- political shift, economic reforms and the integration into the EU -- during the period

The Danube River flows between Buda and Pest, two main regions of the city. The Chain Bridge is the oldest one which linked the both sides. It was built in 1873.

People enjoyed a summer evening on the Freedom Bridge, which also links both sides of the city. 

I saw tourists and local people walking in the riverbank along the river.

The river flow slowly under the bridges..

Buda Castle is a complex of palaces, churches and other buildings on a hill in the western side of the river. It was first built in the early 13th century. (see the top photo)

The Matthias Church is probably the most famous building. The roofs were covered with modern ceramics. They were renovated around 2000.

The scene from the hilltop was beautiful.

The Pest part has many historical buildings including the parliament and St. Stephan Cathedral.

The Vaci street in one of the main shopping streets. There are many fashionable shops and restaurants with western European brands. It seemed to symbolize the economic integration with the EU.

Hungary was ruled by the Ottoman Turkey about 150 years (1541-1699) and by Austria (Habsburg family) more than 200 years (1699-1918). It was practically controlled by the Soviet Union after the World War 2.

The Hungarian Revolution in 1956 was crushed by the tanks of the Soviet Union and its allies.

There is a monument of the move just in front of the parliament building (see the 2nd photo from the top). The statue of Prime Minister Nagy Imre, who supported the revolution moves and was later executed, stands near the parliament. 

Europe faced a serious refugee crisis in 2015. Hundreds of thousands of refugees arrived in Hungary last year. The stations were overflown with them. Many pictures of the crisis were delivered from Budapest to the world.

The inflow of the refugees decreased this year because of EU’s stricter regulation and cooperation with Turkey.

Still, the problem remains unsolved. Hundreds of refugees stayed in the Eastern Station of Budapest. (see also the 3rd photo from the top)