BarnesHaven: April 2014

Wednesday

Thursday

Takachiho Gorge

Waterfalls cascading from precipitous cliffs. A village of myths, known for Yokagura, traditional sacred music, and dancing.

Takachiho is located in the northwestern part of Miyazaki Prefecture, in the center of the Kyushu Mountains. The town is on the border between Oita and Kumamoto prefectures, through which the Gokase-gawa River flows.

The Takachiho Gorge is a V-shaped gorge, created by the Gokase-gawa River, which eroded the Aso lava. Red-tinted precipitous cliffs rising up on both sides of the gorge extend for a long distance. Manai-no-taki Falls, 17 meters high, is a popular highlight because of the clouds of spray that rise up from the falling water. The gorge has a 600-meter long walking trail, which is decorated with mountain cherry blossoms and the flowers of Japanese azaleas and wisteria from spring till early summer, and red and yellow leaves in fall. Thus, you can enjoy fine views of the four seasons.

Takachiho is associated with the myths and legends of the founding of the nation. There are many interesting sightseeing spots connected to the myths dotted here and there, including Takachiho-jinja Shrine, Kunimi-ga-oka Hill, and Amano-iwato-jinja Shrine. At Takachiho-jinja Shrine in the evening, you can enjoy the Yokagura Dance, which has been handed down from generation to generation in this district. Kagura is traditional sacred music and dancing dedicated to the gods. The towering Chichibu cedars, estimated to be 800 years old, are splendid. The top of Kunimi-ga-oka Hill commands an excellent view of Takachiho City and the mountains surrounding it.

Source: From JNTO

I love Japan!

April 02, 2014
Freedom.
Travel.
Happiness.

Nagashi Soumen ( 流しそうめん)

Some restaurants offer nagashi-sōmen (流しそうめん flowing noodles) in the summer. The noodles are placed in a long flume of bamboo^[2] across the length of the restaurant. The flume carries clear, ice-cold water. As the sōmen pass by, diners pluck them out with their chopsticks^[2] and dip them in tsuyu. Catching the noodles requires a fair amount of dexterity, but the noodles that are not caught by the time they get to the end usually are not eaten, so diners are pressured to catch as much as they can. A few luxury establishments put their sōmen in real streams so that diners can enjoy their meal in a beautiful garden setting. Machines have been designed to simulate this experience at home.
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