Nagano
JP info
2024.04.03
Following last year’s opening of the “Old Chusha Public Hall” in Togakushi, a place with 2,000 years of history, the “Thatched House” will open as a guesthouse for rent. At “Thatched House,” which will serve as a new base for sightseeing in Nagano, including Zenkoji Temple and Obuse, as well as visits to Togakushi Shrine, guests will enjoy a new type of French cuisine centered on “Togakushi spring water” created by a chef who has honed his skills at Michelin-starred restaurants.
Togakushi is a 40-minute drive from Nagano Station and 30 minutes from Zenkoji Temple. Togakushi is a sacred place of nature worship with a 2,000-year history. Togakushi is a place where people and nature coexist in harmony.
Its majestic nature is designated as a national park, and its historical townscape is designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. Togakushi Shrine is famous throughout the country, and Kutouryujin, the god of water, is also enshrined here.
Two vacant houses in the villages of “Naka-sha” and “Ho-ko-sha”, two of the five shrines of Togakushi Shrine, were revitalized as a restaurant and hotel guest rooms (3 rooms). We carefully deciphered the story of the original architecture and aimed to create a minimalist, noiseless space while preserving the traces carved over time.
This pure spring water is the origin of the Togakushi faith. The water produced by the mountains at an elevation of over 1,200 meters has no peculiarities, is very soft, and brings out the potential of all ingredients. The water is also used to produce carefully selected Shinshu ingredients such as Togakushi vegetables, river fish, and wild game grown in an environment with a large difference in temperature.
We have stripped away the elements and kept things carefully simple so that you can enjoy the taste of the water and ingredients themselves. We prepare dishes that are gentle to the body and soul.
At awai Togakushi, we shine a light on resources that are unique to Togakushi, carefully decipher them from a new perspective, and strip them down to the bare essentials to bring out the intrinsic appeal of the materials themselves. We create an environment that allows our guests to open their minds and bodies and feel “Togakushi”.
“I speak English” key ring。Promoting the creation of an environment where foreign tourists can easily talk
Satisgift, a new service that supports foreign souvenirs in Japan
Launched “Koransha Arita ware clock”, the 70th anniversary model of rhythm clock
One of the largest in Japan, 800,000 tulips! “Sakura Tulip Festa 2020” held in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture (April 1-April 26)
Opened “Tokyo Station International Clinic,” a clinic specializing in the medical needs of foreigners, on December 1 at the Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station, where all staff can speak English and Chinese.
Perfect for indoor play with family and friends! !! Card game “IRO TO KATACHI” made by volunteers of BANDAI NAMCO Group started pre-order sales through cloud funding
Nara
Countrywide
Kagawa
Kyoto
Countrywide
Renewal and reopening of the resort hotel ‘samana hotel Yakushima’ on Yakushima Island with spectacular views.
Kagoshima
[Hoshinoya Karuizawa] Tanada Lounge, an extraordinary all-day lounge where you can enjoy the changing of time and seasons, is now open.
Nagano
Tokyu Hotels New brand hotel ‘Storyline SENAGAJIMA’ opened.
Okinawa
[Kyoto Chanoyu Meihonotei] A cafe where you can experience matcha green tea in the tea room of the historical building Meihonotei opens in Kiyomizu, Kyoto.
Kyoto
【awai Togakushi】Grand opening of a dispersed auberge utilizing historical architecture in Togakushi, a sacred place of nature worship.
Nagano
Limited edition original gin ‘NISHI-GIN’, jointly produced by a group of restaurants in Nishijin, on sale from 25 November.
2024.12.20
Nippon Kodo launches limited-edition incense and incense burner sets with a ‘Snake’ design, the Chinese zodiac sign for 2025.
2024.12.18
Winter special parfait at the Unjo Saryo café in the Tale of Genji Museum, Uji, Kyoto.
2024.12.16
OnigiriBurger ‘Eel Kabayaki – Double Eggs’, newly launched as part of Kansai International Airport OnigiriBurger 1st anniversary menu.
2024.12.13
[New Furano Prince Hotel]This year’s plan to enjoy a snow fairy ‘zebra finch’ birdwatching experience and a lunch set with a zebra finch cake plate.
2024.12.11
Third FUKUCHA brand shop ‘Uji Store’ opens.
2024.12.09
Hiroshima
Art
Simose Art Museum, located in Otake City, Hiroshima Prefecture, has been awarded the prestigious Versailles Prize as the “Most Beautiful Museum in the World.”
The award ceremony took place on December 2 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, marking a historic moment for the museum and Japanese architecture.
The Versailles Prize Website:https://www.prix-versailles.com/2024
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Food
December sees the arrival of a number of Christmas breads. The Snowman with his cute smiling face is a sweet loaf with two different flavours: pudding cream and chocolate cream. It is a heartwarming treat with flavours that both children and adults can enjoy.
Also back this year is the popular Japanese Stollen, which was a big hit last year. This is a special cake that can only be tasted at Kimuraya, using Japanese-inspired ingredients such as persimmons, figs and koshi-an (sweet bean paste). Please take this opportunity to try Kimuraya’s limited edition Christmas bread.
Hiroshima
Art
The Hiroshima Museum of Art is hosting the exhibition “ZIPANGU: Contemporary Artists Who Defined the Heisei Era” (November 2, 2024 – December 22, 2024). This showcase brings together works by some of the most prominent figures in Japan’s contemporary art scene, including Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, Makoto Aida, Yoshitomo Nara, Chiharu Shiota, Izumi Kato, Akira Yamaguchi, and Miwa Komatsu. The exhibition has already garnered significant attention, exceeding 10,000 visitors.
HYAKKEI covered the dialogue between contemporary artist Takashi Murakami and Sueo Mizuma, the curator of this exhibition, held at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima. We also conducted an exclusive interview with Mr. Mizuma.
The discussions centered on the aspirations behind the ZIPANGU exhibition and offered forward-looking insights, not only into Japan’s art world but also into the rediscovery of value within Japanese culture by its people.
Osaka
Food
Event
From 25 Oct (Fri) to 8 Dec (Sun), 2024, a pop-up shop for miffy café tokyo will be held in Umeda, Osaka.
Hiroshima
Travel
Culture
Two types of paper seals made exclusively for autumn, ‘Chrysanthemum and Tanzaku’ and ‘Autumn Leaves and Candles’, have been available since Monday 9 September at Daisho-in Temple on the World Heritage island of Miyajima. Quantities are limited and will run out as soon as they are gone.
Kyoto
Restaurant
Event
On selected days in September 2024, the wedding venue Kyoto Art Grace Wedding Hills will offer a ‘Hanari Otsukimi Afternoon Tea’, where guests can enjoy sweets and savouries inspired by the moon viewing on the fifteenth night of the month.
