FREE concerts in Osaka
on the 12th of October, from 12:00 to 19:00
at ATC, in front of the subway station "Tradecenter-mae"
on the 12th of October, from 12:00 to 19:00
at ATC, in front of the subway station "Tradecenter-mae"
Oct 11, 2009
Oct 4, 2009
Concert in Osaka
The British singer-songwriter Steve Appleton will perform at Club Quattro on the 5th of October, at 19:00.
5.500Y, Tel. 06-6281-8181
Oct 3, 2009
Events in Osaka
Shinto treasures of Ise Shrine
until the 9th of November at Osaka Museum of History
9:30 - 16:30
800Y
Evening of Traditional Osaka Performing Arts at Yamamoto Noh Theater
Comic storytelling, geisha games, puppet theater. You can even participate !
English subtitles provided
17th of October 19:00 - 20:45
4500Y / 4000Y / 3500Y with steamed rice and japanese tea
Reservation : 06-6943-9454
Sep 15, 2009
AQUA METROPOLIS OSAKA 2009
Aqua Metropolis Osaka 2009(Suito Osaka) has been holding till the 12th of October, in Nakanoshima area, it's about 10 minutes walk from J-Hoppers Osaka.
Osaka is known as "water metropolis" because many rivers running through.
Also,Osaka has square-shaped "corridors" formed by five rivers. It is very rare in Japan, or even around the world, that such corridors of rivers exist in an urban center.
Centering on the Water Corridors, various development projects and revitalization projects utilizing the riverfronts are now underway. This is an ongoing project to redevelop Nakanoshima Park- a historical and cultural center of Osaka located at the top of the Water Corridor-as a water-oriented park, as well as a project to redevelop Hachikenya-hama as a terminal for river and land transportation.
It has many kinds events, arts, morning market, cafe,walking tour,illuminations..
They update every week and please check the website for more details:
http://www.suito-osaka2009.jp/en/index.html
Osaka is known as "water metropolis" because many rivers running through.
Also,Osaka has square-shaped "corridors" formed by five rivers. It is very rare in Japan, or even around the world, that such corridors of rivers exist in an urban center.
Centering on the Water Corridors, various development projects and revitalization projects utilizing the riverfronts are now underway. This is an ongoing project to redevelop Nakanoshima Park- a historical and cultural center of Osaka located at the top of the Water Corridor-as a water-oriented park, as well as a project to redevelop Hachikenya-hama as a terminal for river and land transportation.
It has many kinds events, arts, morning market, cafe,walking tour,illuminations..
They update every week and please check the website for more details:
http://www.suito-osaka2009.jp/en/index.html
Aug 5, 2009
Neighbour Map for J-Hoppers Osaka renewal !!
To view on a bigger PDF file, click HERE.
We J-Hoppers Osaka have just revised our neighbour map.
We added lots of useful information. As we are located in the central city of Osaka, there are tons of restaurants or bars near here.
Hope it works for your wandering Osaka and enjoy a Osakan food!
Jul 27, 2009
Japanese Baseball Game
I went to Koshien Baseball Stadium to see Hanshin Tigers game.
Since I live in near this stadium, I have a opportunity to see it very often and I can hear the fans shouting with pleasure at my house.
The crazy fans standing by me was shouting in a hoarse voice all the time. Their hoot is quite funny.
I would say that some of Osakan slangs is the most rude word in Japan. It sounds like they are picking a fight with a player. I always doubt that they really like Tigers.
There are several conventions and rules of Tigers fan.
1.At the bottom of 7th inning, all the Tigers fans release a balloon.
2.If Tigers wins, fans sing a team song "Rokko Oroshi"
3.When Tigers grabs for the chance, fans stand up and start the standing dance.
Remember Tigers is one of the most popular team of all professional baseball teams.
It could be difficult for you to get a ticket at the weekend. Even though weekday the possibility to get one is not high.
It takes about 30 min from J-Hoppers Osaka. If you have any question, or want me to help to buy a ticket, just ask me at J-Hoppers Osaka.
You can buy these Tigers goods at Tiger shop by the stadium.
P.S. I appreciate J-Hoppers Staff Shogo for giving a ticket.
Since I live in near this stadium, I have a opportunity to see it very often and I can hear the fans shouting with pleasure at my house.
The crazy fans standing by me was shouting in a hoarse voice all the time. Their hoot is quite funny.
I would say that some of Osakan slangs is the most rude word in Japan. It sounds like they are picking a fight with a player. I always doubt that they really like Tigers.
There are several conventions and rules of Tigers fan.
1.At the bottom of 7th inning, all the Tigers fans release a balloon.
2.If Tigers wins, fans sing a team song "Rokko Oroshi"
3.When Tigers grabs for the chance, fans stand up and start the standing dance.
Remember Tigers is one of the most popular team of all professional baseball teams.
It could be difficult for you to get a ticket at the weekend. Even though weekday the possibility to get one is not high.
It takes about 30 min from J-Hoppers Osaka. If you have any question, or want me to help to buy a ticket, just ask me at J-Hoppers Osaka.
You can buy these Tigers goods at Tiger shop by the stadium.
P.S. I appreciate J-Hoppers Staff Shogo for giving a ticket.
Apr 14, 2009
Let's go to Ise !
I went recently to Ise city (伊勢市）(google location) in Mie Prefecture with my girlfriend. Have you ever heard about it ? This is a very small city but a very important one in japanese history. There is the Ise Grand Shrine where Amaterasu Omikami is worshipped. Amaterasu is the God of Sun, bornt from the left eye of Izanagi, the male God who created Japan Islands with his heavenly spear (read all about this here). From Amaterasu all the Japanese people are descendants. No need to say that's the most sacred shrine of all Japan !
View from the train of rural scene
There is actually two main shrines : the inner one and the outer one. To them are attached 123 others minor ones. The two main shrines are accessible only to the Imperial family and you won't be able to approach nearer than the fourth wooden fence. Minor shrines are accessible though, and the woods around them are gorgeous.
The main shrines are completely rebuilt every 20 years, to symbolize nature cycle and keep this sacred place in perfect state. The next one will be held in 2013. It should be something huge to see ! Until then, leading up events also occur, as collecting huge wooden logs which are used for the reconstruction.
Roof of the inner shrine
In the woods of the outer shrine
Shrine of the God of Wind within the precincts of the outer shrine
Priest at the outer shrine
The queue to pray at the outer shrine
Near the Inner shrine a old shopping street offers full of restaurants to eat the local specialties : the Ise shrimp, and the Ise udon. I tried the second one, it was very good ! I also taste several seafoods directly fished in the vicinity. Mmmmmhh !! But there is not only restaurants. Of course a lot of souvenir shops, and more interesting : very very old buildings.
Fried squid shop
Fishes drying at the sun
Ise udon
Sacred decoration at the entrance of a shop
Old traditional building
Old wooden statue
We also went there to see the Aquarium of Toba (鳥羽市). By bus you can reach Toba in 15 min. from Ise. There is a one day pass (1000 yen) and a two day pass (1600 yen) bringing you to every interesting places of the area. Don't forget to buy it at the tourist information center of Ise (in front of the outer shrine), it will give you reduction on others attractions. The aquarium is mid-sized with several rooms in a range. Each one has a main big aquarium on one side and smaller ones on the two other sides. Windows are quite big, and dugongs and manatees are some of the rare species you can observe here (I LOVE the leafy seadragon). There is also several performances with animals : the classic sea-lions, or more unusually walrus ! Several "view from below" are also available, and always impressive. A small restaurant allow you to take a break if you spend long time there. Also on the lower floor a shell museum, with a large collection of splendid shells from all over the world, is not to be missed, as unfortunately do lot of people due to the "out of the regular course" location.
Leafy seadragon
Performance with a walrus
Finless porpoises
Not yet fried squid ;-)
sharks
scorpion fish
Coral
Another recommendable place in Toba is the Pearl Town on a island in front of the city. You can learn here everything about production of pearls, and of course buy jewelry. You can also see the women diving to collect them. Unfortunately for us we haven't see anything of this as the weather was very bad and we preferred to stay all the day in the aquarium.
Between these two cities another attraction is the Meotoiwa rocks. That's two rocks in the sea linked by a sacred rope. They are symbolizing husband and wife, and their union. Around them few others smaller rocks excited the imagination of local people who tried to find in their shapes some animals or whatever. As one of them is supposed to look like a bullfrog, little statue of this animal started to appear on the seaside, and now it's a real crowd of bullfrog looking at the sea ! Even the fountain to wash your hands before praying at the shrine is shaped like a giant bullfrog.
the meotoiwa rocks
At Ise, we stayed in a traditional ryokan : the Hoshidekan (星出館, staff can speak very few words of english then if you don't speak japanese I recommend to book online). I've already stayed once in a ryokan but it was a 'modern' one. The Hoshidekan exists since years ago, and it is absolutely gorgeous. All made of wood, tatami, sliding paper doors. In the middle, a little garden with greeneries, rocks, a well and a pine (this kind of garden is called a tsuboniwa). Running around it, on the second floor, an alley, one third closed by windows, one third opened on the garden, and one third as a little bridge over the garden linking rooms to a bathroom. Bathrooms are large stalls with ceramics. Tooth brush and tooth paste are provided for free, as well as yukata and linen in the room, and towels in the bathroom. Toilets are half old style and half modern style. The room was perfect : 7.5 tatami sized, with a balcony, an alcove enhanced by ink painting and flower arrangement, two thick futons, tv, phone, tea, cookies, shogi board (I would have preferred Igo though ;-) ). Everything is old but perfectly clean. Before going to bed we also could enjoyed a japanese traditional bath (shared but used privately).
the inner garden
little patio
entrance
in our room
You can have a meal at the ryokan but we preferred to eat outside. It has been a very bad idea ! At 17:00 everything close and the city look like it's dead ! We walked so long to try to find something open ... The only restaurants we found, on a saturday night, was an italian one, which was full, and two cafe with light meal menu. We ended up with a lunch box in our room ! Gladly, for the next morning we had ordered the breakfast. It's given in a large room on the first floor. Fish, Sea weeds, eggs, vegetable and of course rice and tea. Cooked by two very busy grand'ma in the kitchen just behind, it's very very good.
Before coming back home we wanted to buy some omiyage of course. We almost never could ... Everything was already closed in the 'downtown' of Ise. Under the rain it somehow looked like a ghost city ! I also run out of money and couldn't find anywhere to withdraw. A bank ATM who was accessible and accepted one of the card of my girlfriend finally saved us. And we could buy some foods in the *only* one shop opened in the main street. At least, wandering made us discovered several others ryokan in the city, all more beautiful and older than the other. Next time I go to Ise, I want to try the Yamadakan (山田舘). From the outside it's out of words. Probably run by Chihiro herself ;-)
old house in Ise city
From Osaka you can go to Ise with the Kintetsu Ltd Express, from Tsuruhashi station on the loop line to Ise main station. There is two trains per hour (timetable). It takes 1h40mn and costs 3030 yen. So you can even think about doing it as a one day trip from J-Hoppers Osaka.
View from the train of rural scene
There is actually two main shrines : the inner one and the outer one. To them are attached 123 others minor ones. The two main shrines are accessible only to the Imperial family and you won't be able to approach nearer than the fourth wooden fence. Minor shrines are accessible though, and the woods around them are gorgeous.
The main shrines are completely rebuilt every 20 years, to symbolize nature cycle and keep this sacred place in perfect state. The next one will be held in 2013. It should be something huge to see ! Until then, leading up events also occur, as collecting huge wooden logs which are used for the reconstruction.
Roof of the inner shrine
In the woods of the outer shrine
Shrine of the God of Wind within the precincts of the outer shrine
Priest at the outer shrine
The queue to pray at the outer shrine
Near the Inner shrine a old shopping street offers full of restaurants to eat the local specialties : the Ise shrimp, and the Ise udon. I tried the second one, it was very good ! I also taste several seafoods directly fished in the vicinity. Mmmmmhh !! But there is not only restaurants. Of course a lot of souvenir shops, and more interesting : very very old buildings.
Fried squid shop
Fishes drying at the sun
Ise udon
Sacred decoration at the entrance of a shop
Old traditional building
Old wooden statue
We also went there to see the Aquarium of Toba (鳥羽市). By bus you can reach Toba in 15 min. from Ise. There is a one day pass (1000 yen) and a two day pass (1600 yen) bringing you to every interesting places of the area. Don't forget to buy it at the tourist information center of Ise (in front of the outer shrine), it will give you reduction on others attractions. The aquarium is mid-sized with several rooms in a range. Each one has a main big aquarium on one side and smaller ones on the two other sides. Windows are quite big, and dugongs and manatees are some of the rare species you can observe here (I LOVE the leafy seadragon). There is also several performances with animals : the classic sea-lions, or more unusually walrus ! Several "view from below" are also available, and always impressive. A small restaurant allow you to take a break if you spend long time there. Also on the lower floor a shell museum, with a large collection of splendid shells from all over the world, is not to be missed, as unfortunately do lot of people due to the "out of the regular course" location.
Leafy seadragon
Performance with a walrus
Finless porpoises
Not yet fried squid ;-)
sharks
scorpion fish
Coral
Another recommendable place in Toba is the Pearl Town on a island in front of the city. You can learn here everything about production of pearls, and of course buy jewelry. You can also see the women diving to collect them. Unfortunately for us we haven't see anything of this as the weather was very bad and we preferred to stay all the day in the aquarium.
Between these two cities another attraction is the Meotoiwa rocks. That's two rocks in the sea linked by a sacred rope. They are symbolizing husband and wife, and their union. Around them few others smaller rocks excited the imagination of local people who tried to find in their shapes some animals or whatever. As one of them is supposed to look like a bullfrog, little statue of this animal started to appear on the seaside, and now it's a real crowd of bullfrog looking at the sea ! Even the fountain to wash your hands before praying at the shrine is shaped like a giant bullfrog.
the meotoiwa rocks
At Ise, we stayed in a traditional ryokan : the Hoshidekan (星出館, staff can speak very few words of english then if you don't speak japanese I recommend to book online). I've already stayed once in a ryokan but it was a 'modern' one. The Hoshidekan exists since years ago, and it is absolutely gorgeous. All made of wood, tatami, sliding paper doors. In the middle, a little garden with greeneries, rocks, a well and a pine (this kind of garden is called a tsuboniwa). Running around it, on the second floor, an alley, one third closed by windows, one third opened on the garden, and one third as a little bridge over the garden linking rooms to a bathroom. Bathrooms are large stalls with ceramics. Tooth brush and tooth paste are provided for free, as well as yukata and linen in the room, and towels in the bathroom. Toilets are half old style and half modern style. The room was perfect : 7.5 tatami sized, with a balcony, an alcove enhanced by ink painting and flower arrangement, two thick futons, tv, phone, tea, cookies, shogi board (I would have preferred Igo though ;-) ). Everything is old but perfectly clean. Before going to bed we also could enjoyed a japanese traditional bath (shared but used privately).
the inner garden
little patio
entrance
in our room
You can have a meal at the ryokan but we preferred to eat outside. It has been a very bad idea ! At 17:00 everything close and the city look like it's dead ! We walked so long to try to find something open ... The only restaurants we found, on a saturday night, was an italian one, which was full, and two cafe with light meal menu. We ended up with a lunch box in our room ! Gladly, for the next morning we had ordered the breakfast. It's given in a large room on the first floor. Fish, Sea weeds, eggs, vegetable and of course rice and tea. Cooked by two very busy grand'ma in the kitchen just behind, it's very very good.
Before coming back home we wanted to buy some omiyage of course. We almost never could ... Everything was already closed in the 'downtown' of Ise. Under the rain it somehow looked like a ghost city ! I also run out of money and couldn't find anywhere to withdraw. A bank ATM who was accessible and accepted one of the card of my girlfriend finally saved us. And we could buy some foods in the *only* one shop opened in the main street. At least, wandering made us discovered several others ryokan in the city, all more beautiful and older than the other. Next time I go to Ise, I want to try the Yamadakan (山田舘). From the outside it's out of words. Probably run by Chihiro herself ;-)
old house in Ise city
From Osaka you can go to Ise with the Kintetsu Ltd Express, from Tsuruhashi station on the loop line to Ise main station. There is two trains per hour (timetable). It takes 1h40mn and costs 3030 yen. So you can even think about doing it as a one day trip from J-Hoppers Osaka.
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