This blog is made by staff of J-Hoppers Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. We usually write about travel information on Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. Also you'll see information about other guest houses and backpacker's hostels and local information like events or festivals. We are very happy if we could enrich your stay in Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka.

February 29, 2008

Sumo

Sumo is a competitive contact sport where two wrestlers (rikishi) attempt to force one another. There are six Sumo tournaments each year: three at The Sumo Hall (or Ryōgoku Kokugikan) in Ryōgoku, Tokyo (January, May, and September), and one each in Osaka (March), Nagoya (July) and Fukuoka (November). Each tournament begins on a Sunday and runs for 15 days.

I want to inform the foreign people that one of the tournament will be starting in Osaka shortly.

Date: Sun. March 9th - Sun. March 23rd
Venue: Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium - Osaka

Recentrly Professioanal Sumo has been getting an international flavor with Rikishis from foreign countries.
The first foreigner to win the top division championship was Hawaii-born Takamiyama in the 1970s. He was followed by fellow Hawaiians Konishiki.
Both of the current yokozuna, Asashoryu and Hakuho, are Mongolian. They are among a group of Mongolian wrestlers.
There are currently 59 wrestlers officially listed as foreigners.
There were 19 foreigners in the top two divisions.

Here are the part of listing for foreign wrestler. Hope you can find a rikishi comes from your home country.
If yes, why don't you wattch the matches in Osaka Tournament.


Mongolian:Hakuho Asashoryu (Yokozuna)
Brazilian:Takaazuma (Nishi 24maime)
Chinese:Soukokurai (Nishi 4maime)
Chinese:Nakanokuni (Higashi 9maime)
Korian:Kasugaoh (NishiMaegashira9 maime)
Rossian:Wakanoho (Higashi Maegashira 4maime)
Rossian:Roho (Higashi Maegashira 6maime)
Tongan:Minami-no-shima (Higashi44maime)
Georgian Kokkai (Nishi Maegashira5maime)
Czech:Takanoyama (Nishi48 maime)
Bulgarian:Koto Ohshu (Higashi Ozeki)
Kazakhstan:Kazafusan (Nishi38 maime)
Estonian Baruto (Higashi Maegashira 7maime)
Hungarian:Masutohoh (Higashi 61maime)

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Posted by Ken at 9:37 PM 0 comments  

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February 4, 2008

Cherry foretaste ...



You can't wait for Cherry Blossom ? I can't either, but Nature send us some help to keep patient until April with ... Plum Blossom ! Actually flowers are so similar that on my first year in Japan I've been mistaken and thought it was Cherry blossom ... f(^_^;) Plum blossom starts from around now and last until middle/end of March. So let me introduce you some good places to enjoy plum blossom ...

In Osaka area :

* The best place of all is surely Tenmangu Shrine. It will hold a Plum Matsuri from 10th of February to 9th of March
100 trees in its precinct
open from 9:00 to 17:00
special exhibition of bonsai, 500 yen
on the 17th and 24th of February, you can experience yourself handicraft made of fabric, 300-500 yen, 10:00 to 15:00
on the 2nd and 9th of March, you can experience yourself handicraft made of paper, 500 yen, 10:00 to 15:00
on every saturday, sunday and national holidays, you can eat a special "plum bentou", 2000 yen including bonsai exhibition ticket, you have to order it at least 3 days before
Tenmangu station on the JR loop line

* Osaka castle park
open 24h a day, free, 1250 trees
Osakajokoen station on the JR loop line

In Kyoto area :

* At Kitano Tenmangu shrine there will be a little matsuri on the 25th of February
2000 trees
open from 10:00 to 16:00
600 yen including tea and cake

* In the Nijo castle park
130 trees
open from 8:45 to 16:00
600 yen

* Kyoto Botanical garden
open from 9:00 to 16:00
150 trees
200 yen

And if you look for something more "offroad", you can try :

* Ishiyama temple
open from 8:00 to 16:30
400 trees
500 yen
If you climb up the mountain there you will probably find a beautiful view of Lake Biwa
from Osaka : take a Keihan train at Kyobashi station (linked to the loop line) bound to Sanjobashi station in Kyoto (40mn, 400 yen), then ...
from Kyoto : take a Keihan train from Sanjobashi station to Ishiyamadera station (40mn, 540 yen), then walk 10mn toward south.

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Posted by pascal at 9:16 PM 0 comments  

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January 27, 2008

Onsen

It's been very cold recently, and I feel like saying
"I'd love to go to Onsen(Japanese Hot springs).." almost every day.

When I took a bath yesterday, I was very surprised
because I found a chilblain on middle finger of my foot!
I used to have it heaps when I was a child, but I haven't had in ages.
"..Now I should go to Onsen..."

Anyway, I always feel happy as a Japanese when I take a nice Japanese hot spring.
I went to Kinosaki Onsen last year, one of famouse Hot springs spot in Hyogo(next to Osaka).
It's a small,but very histrical and artistic town,and there are a lot of hot springs there.
So we can enjoy many places with Yukata style.

It's also reknowen for fresh seafood, especially crab in winter.
Of course I had. We ordered one of course memu of crab,
and they served about 8 types crab dishes, sashimi,Kani miso,boil,steam,Tempura, and so on.
They were all very tasty, but every dishes were more bigger than we expected.
We're completely full and hadn't even though looking at crabs for months since then..

However,I'd love to visit there again.
I recommend you to stay a night and relax if you're interested in there.
(It's 2.5hours by train from Osaka.)
http://www.kinosaki-hotsprings.com/index.php

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Posted by nori at 9:36 PM 0 comments  

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