Tojinbo coast

After 20 minutes' bus ride from Awara-Onsen hot spring in Fukui Prefecture,
you reach famous sightseeing spot as its beautiful coast line called Tojinbo.
In winter, Japan sea is ofter often very rough with strong North wind.
Thus, it may be pretty hard to stay on the coast for a long time because of coldness.
However, it is worth wihle seeing the beautiful scenery with whitecaps.
Then, go back to Awara-onsen and enjoy the warm hot spring there.

Eihei-ji Temple in Fukui Pref.

After riding a train to the north from Kyoto for 2 hours, you enter Fukui Prefecture.
Eihei-ji (temple) is one of the high lights for travellers in Fukui.
The temple is usedfor Zen priests to practice asceticism. Therefore, it is different from the ordinary sightseeing of temples and shrines to observe the temple. You will see some monks who are actually practicing asceticism in the temple.
Enjoy the solemn atmosphere there.

Niseko @ Hokkaido No.2

While you are enjoying skiing or snow borading, take
a second to have a look at snowy ground around you.
You may find some footprints on snow.
It is fun to imagine what kind of animals walked there.

Also you may realise that the snowy land is not only
for you to ski and do snowboard but also for animal
to live.

New year in Japan

When you walk around in Japan at the end of the year and the beginning of the new year, you surely find some New Year ornaments on the streets, such as Sime-Kazari hung on the front door and Kado-matu put on the ground by the front door.

The shape and materials of these ornamants are different by the regions in Japan. It is fun to walk around looking for different kinds of ornaments and to know the meaning of them.

The signigicance of the ornaments are slightly different by different shapes and materials.
However, there is a common wish of all. That is "Happiness". Although it may be fun to have a party with fire works on new year day, it also makes you feel good to have a peacefully solemn start of New Year in Japan.