Festival Fun for All

How to be a Native - Step Four

Celebrate summer: festival style.

Portable lighted displays.

If you want to have some fun in the city then visit Hachioji (八王子市) during their annual summer festival, which is the first weekend in August (Fri-Sun).  It was held every year for 50 years until the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which caused it to be canceled for that year.

The fireworks as seen from my
balcony.

The festivities really begin about one week before the festival though when Fujimori Park has their fireworks show.  Most of the fireworks are paid for by donations from local businesses.  It starts out with fire walking (people walking over red hot coals) and then you can see both typical and special fireworks in the shapes of smiley faces, anime characters (Hello Kitty) and hearts.

  

The festival is huge, spanning from the heart of Hachioji (near the train station) and radiating out to the edges. It is mainly held along the street Route 20. 

The festival is a celebration of traditional Japan, so you can see many people wearing yukatas (summer kimonos).

Traditional dancers dressed in
yukatas (summer kimono).

Part of the traditional experience includes Buddhist and Shinto religions, which provide dashi (parade floats) and mikoshi (portable shrines). 

A dashi (parade float) used

for performances.

The dashi are pulled through the streets by volunteers during the day and in the evening hold performances.  Each dashi competes with each other through the telling of stories where demons, dragons and spirits battle for the most dramatic performance. 

A mikoshi (portable shrine).

The mikoshi are carried throughout the city.  Certain clothing called happi is worn while pulling or carrying these floats/shrines. 

The roads are closed for performances such as taiko drum shows, traditional dances, ice sculpting and more.

Female drum performance.

The sidewalks are filled with food, game and toy booths.  The main foods sold are shaved ice, chocolate covered bananas, baked potatoes with butter, fried noodles and fried balls of octopus.

Drum performance.

You can win prizes at the game booths such as toys, phone accessories and even goldfish.  You win goldfish by using a paper fan to try to “scoop” them into a bowl.  The trick is to do it quickly enough so that the paper doesn’t disintegrate from the water and weight of the goldfish. 

Food, game and toy booths.

An example of a toy booth is one that sells masks of popular anime characters. 

Since there are many small businesses along Route 20 they also set up booths, selling whatever that shop specializes in. 

One of many traditional displays.

Here's a video of the festival by photojpn. 

Lions, Deer and Flying Orangutans, Oh My!

How to be a Native - Step Three

Roam among the animals.

   Looking for an awesome zoo to visit?  Then skip that too crowded, well-known Ueno Zoo (上野動物園) and visit Tama Zoo (多摩動物公園) in Hino City (日野市).  It’s bigger and far more interactive.  It has large, open spaced habitats, allowing for a more natural setting for the animals.  Plus it gives visitors an almost safari type experience.  There are even guided tours. 

I'm cute.  Come see me!

   The zoo is divided into four sections: 

   The first and largest section is the Asiatic Zone, which features animals native to Japan and other parts of Asia.  Here visitors can watch elephants bathe and peacocks roaming along the paths. 

They have their own personal shower.

   There is even an orangutan skywalk, which allows them to climb across from the orangutan forest to their main habitat.     

Here is a video by sunpo2012.

Me enjoying the view of the lions.

   The African Zone is by far my favorite.  It has the largest, most open areas and the Lion Bus.  Visitors can ride a bus through the lion habitat and get up close and personal. 

Someone is hungry!

   I loved it because it made me feel like I was walking among the lions.  During some feeding times, they will hang meat from the bus and you can watch them tear it off.  A little bit terrifying but definitely exciting!  

A butterfly in the hand is worth a great
picture.

   If you want to see the most beautiful part of the zoo then go to the Insectarium.  This is a large greenhouse type of building, which lets in sunlight, allowing visitors to take in the multitude of flowers, hummingbirds and butterflies. 

   The butterflies are very friendly, always giving people an up close view of their beauty.  The sight of thousands of butterflies among so much greenery makes this a “take your breath away” place.

     

The Insectarium in all its glory.

   The Australian Zone unfortunately doesn’t have that much to see.  There are plenty of kangaroos, but the koalas are kept in a building in unlit viewing areas. Visitors are separated from them by a window, which means you have to fight for a good spot to see them. 

This is the best picture I could get.
They're very shy.

   Here is a map of the zoo (top) and one of travel directions (bottom).

Map from Tama Zoo website.

Map from Tama Zoo website.  I've added English translations to certain locations.

The Ultimate Mountain (And Monkeys)

How to be a Native - Step Two

Head for the mountains.

What is the most visited mountain in Japan?  Not Mt. Fuji.  It’s Mt. Takao (高尾山) located in Hachioji (八王子市). There you can climb a mountain and do fun things, like see monkeys and eat strange food. 

Canadian synchronized skating coach
Marilyn Langlois and members of the
Japanese synchronized skating team
reach the top of Takao. 

The reasons why Mt. Takao is the native’s (and my) mountain of choice:

Easy access.  It’s the only mountain in Japan with a train station at the bottom of it.  Take either the Chuo or Keio Line to Takaosan-guchi Station.  Just walk out of the station, turn right and start climbing.

It’s the only mountain in Japan with its own chair lift and funicular railway (a mini train) that goes halfway up it.  Perfect for getting an aerial view of the mountain.

Langlois and her friend ride the chair
lift.

If you decide to walk then you can visit one of the small shops along the way and treat (or challenge) yourself to sweet potato ice cream.  It’s really made from sweet potatoes and may take some getting used to, but it’s definitely worth trying.    

Takao has the Monkey Park.  This is just up the path from the railway and lift.  There is an entrance fee but it’s worth it.  An attendant will talk about the monkeys and perform jumping and rope walking tricks with them.     

Here is a video showing Monkey Park by crystyra.

There are eight hiking trails, three of which lead straight to the top.  Trail 1 will take you to the Monkey Park and Yakuoin Temple.  From there you can take Trail 4 and see the suspension bridge.  Trail 6 leads to a cave and beautiful waterfall.  There are also several small shrines throughout the trails.

There is a restaurant at the top called Beer Mount.  It’s all you can eat and drink for two hours with a stunning view of the valley below.

Langlois and her friends enjoy the
view of Tokyo from the top of Takao.

From the top of the mountain on the winter solstice you can see Diamond Fuji, which is the sun setting directly over the top of Mt. Fuji.  You can also see the whole of Tokyo spread out before you.

Special Event:                    

During November, there is the Momiji Festival (maple tree).  It’s held at Yakuoin Temple.

The Natives Like Nature

How to be a Native - Step One

Springtime view from over a bridge.

Go to a park.

Although I left Japan three years ago, I still cannot stop praising Showa Kinen Park (昭和記念公園) in Tachikawa.  This park is Disneyland for nature enthusiasts.  The beauty and limitless activities are unrivaled.  There is more to see here than I can say and no amount of pictures could ever capture the true feeling of amazement one gets in person.  But my favorite parts cannot go unmentioned. 

Flowers shaped like a star.

What captivated me the most were the floral displays.  They are everywhere; in all shapes, sizes and colors.  They are treated as living artwork, changing with the seasons. 

Cherry blossoms in the spring. 

The best is the cherry blossom trees.  They are one of the symbols of Japan and capture the idyllic moments that people dream of.  Sitting under them while surrounded by a multitude of other brilliant flowers can make anyone forget the outside world exists.  They are where you enjoy a bottle of sake wine with friends. 

Purple cosmos next to the open field.

For fields of glory, there are the cosmos and tulip sections.  Paths wind among them, allowing you to take in their expanse of color.  

Purple field of flowers near the open field.

What also makes Showa so special are all the little things you can find like the creative landscape and architecture dotted with sculptured art.  You can spend hours discovering something new.  My favorites, such as the animal statues, the crazy slide, the moon stairs, and the mist zone are in the Children’s Forest.   
  

The crazy slide in the Children's Forest.

Dragon sculpture in the Children's Forest.

Best of all you can see gardens within gardens.  The Japanese Garden is closed off from the rest of the park, making it a peaceful place to visit.  But the real treat is the bonsai trees in the back.  Each tree is different, with designs that make you appreciate the hard work people put into making them.

A bonsai tree in the Japanese Garden.

The observation areas in the Japanese Garden.

To get there take JR Chuo Rapid Line to Tachikawa train station.  Exit at the North Gate ( 北口) and follow the street under the monorail to the park entrance.  The park is free on April 29, Showa Day.

The fountain at the Tachikawa Gate Plaza.