#Niigata trip

[motto-refresh]

『麒麟山温泉』

阿賀野川を臨む露天風呂、また食べたくなるお料理に満足。家族団らんの宿

どうもmottoです。

今回は冒頭にあるように温泉の話です。

30歳を過ぎて今まで感じなかった肌トラブルや体調の変化、腰痛、肩こりに悩む今日この頃です。変化を受け入れて自分と付き合っていこうと思います。

さて今回ご紹介するのは新潟県阿賀町にあります『麒麟山温泉　雪つばきの宿古澤屋』さんです。

子供が小さいこともありなかなか宿泊の予定を立てられない中、ご縁で某宿泊予約サイトより前日に予約を取る事ができました。

一泊朝食つきのプランで予約出来ました。

11月の初旬でしたので紅葉🍁も始まりとても素敵な外観、期待感が弾みます。落ち着いた純和風の造りで館内は木造２階建て、昭和１０年以来、創業当時の佇まいだそうで、館内も味のある雰囲気。お庭、玄関とお手入れされている感じが好印象でした。フロントを過ぎ長い通路を2、3曲がりながら進みます。黒い玉砂利の洗い出し仕上げに欅の根木が島のように配置された通路を通ります。職人さんは難儀されたんだろうなぁと考えている合間にお部屋に到着。

部屋に入るとお茶の香り。居心地がいいです。

「ほっ」と一息つきながら窓の外を見ると目の前に阿賀野川の絶景。流れの強弱に目をひかれながら野鳥を観察ができます。タイミングが良いと阿賀野川対岸にSLが通るようです。観てみたかった😢　川岸から少し離れてポツンと島が、印象的です。　個人的には中が岩なのか土なのか気になりました。　夜にはライトアップもされるようでした。綺麗です。

高低差がある立地故なのか階段が少し多めです。年配の方や車椅子、松葉杖の方は事前に連絡するなどの注意が必要かもしれません。　しかし客室が12部屋ほどのようでしたので館内はゆったりとした時間の流れです。　私も小さな子連れでしたが周りの目を気にする事なく過ごせました。　また、露天風呂つきのお部屋もあるようですし、プランによれば夕食・朝食がお部屋で頂けそうです。　移動量減らし気兼ねなくすごせそうです。重ねて事前連絡による確認が必要そうです。

それではいよいよ温泉へ！

先ずは大浴場、入って直ぐに気づきました。「匂いがしない。」　あれ？！　100%天然温泉のはず♨️ 半信半疑で温泉に浸かってみると「ピリッ」とした感じで温泉だと分かります。そして若干の塩味がありました。（⚠️飲泉はできません。）　温度はややぬるめですが効能を堪能するにはもってこいな感じ！

そして透明で綺麗な温泉がなんだか嬉しい。お湯の汚れが少ないようで20部屋以下の宿泊施設の最大のメリットと再確認しました。

さぁ露天風呂へ！

露天風呂も温泉が澄んでいて綺麗！　そして、阿賀野川の眺望を堪能できます。　こちらの露天風呂は珍しく、下から温泉が湧き出てくる仕様です。　川の音、風や虫の鳴き声、野鳥のさえずりを景色の一端として楽しむという、古澤屋さんの想いあるコンセプト。心身共に癒されリフレッシュできますね。私は宿泊中に５回も入浴しました！　　阿賀野川を目の前に四季折々の風情を楽しめる数少ないお宿です。何度でも来たい！その様に思いました。

【泉質等のご紹介】

ナトリウム－塩化物・硫酸塩温泉（中性低張性低温泉）

浴用の適応症

★一般的適応症

神経痛、筋肉痛、関節痛、五十肩、運動麻痺、関節のこわばり、うちみ、くじき、慢性消化器病、痔病、冷え性、病後回復期、疲労回復、健康増進

★泉質別適応症

きりきず、やけど、慢性皮膚病、虚弱児童、慢性婦人病、動脈硬化症

私個人としては、坐骨神経痛気味なので腰痛、ふくらはぎ、脛などの箇所で痛みや凝りが和らいだのを実感しました。

はぁ〜〜いい湯で��た♨️

皆さんもぜひご参考にしてみて下さい。

それではまた！

[nlgrhm]

Asaino Shrine in Agano city, Niigata, Japan.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/tEdJSfKALIA

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https://www.youtube.com/@nealgraham

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#walking #japan #niigata #japaneseshrine #japanesecountryside #japanwalk

[redheadinjapan]

The Trip to Tsubame-Sanjo Was A Hit! *Activity Archive*

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Tsubame-Sanjo, two cities just south of Niigata City. It’s only 20 minutes by Shinkansen or about an hour by local train if you want to take the really cheap route. But don’t let Google Maps trick you: the Shinkansen is only 1,600 yen from Niigata City if you get a non-reserved seat, almost half of the reserved seat price they show. Whatever route you choose, though, a trip to Tsubame-Sanjo is definitely worth it as there’s plenty to do.

Tsubame and Sanjo are known for their metalwork. Flooding in the area made farming difficult, so residents took to making nails to compensate. This work eventually led to more of the crafts we got a chance to see, the first of which was tsuiki copperware at Gyokusendo. After finding copper in nearby Mount Yahiko, Tsubame artisans started crafting copperware. At Gyokusendo, we got a tour of the workshop where they still make pots today as well as a special chance to make a copper plate. Unfortunately, while the tours are open to anyone, the crafting experience isn’t–at least, not yet. For now, it’s only for special events, but it might one day become something you can add on.

However, just the tour itself was fascinating, as you can learn about the history of Gyokusendo and the artisans’ process for making pots. If you’re interested in knowing more, I have an article on the Edge of Niigata website that talks more about copper making, its history, and its present. (https://edge-of-niigata.com/blog/3493/)

After all that hammering, next on the schedule was lunch. At Kamameshi Shogetsu, we were treated to the traditional dish of their name, kamameshi (literally, “kettle rice”). As the translation suggests, the central dish typically includes rice and seafood cooked in a kettle. Cooking it this way burns the bottom of the rice a little, which adds a crispy texture to the dish. This type of meal used to be eaten by groups out of the same pot, but at Kamameshi Shogetsu, you get a serving all to yourself, which is good because you might not want to share. On top of that, it comes with sides ranging from the more typical miso soup to egg custard and some very good sashimi.

The next two stops on our trip to Tsubame-Sanjo had us taking a look at iron metalwork. While Tsubame is known for copperware, Sanjo leans more towards ironwork. Our first stop, the Tojiro Knife Factory, was still in Tsubame, but it was a good introduction. We talked to their main blacksmith while he worked before checking out parts of the factory. In the end, the blacksmith showed us some engraving, the hardest part of knife-making at Tojiro since one mistake could ruin the product. He even made us each a souvenir metal keychain with our names. The only downside was parts of the factory were closed and not many people were working because it was the weekend, so definitely go on a weekday if you can. 

After that, we finally made our way across the tracks to Kaji Dojo in Sanjo where we made a letter opener from a nail. Kaji Dojo has several different forging experiences, of which paper knife making is the most expensive, but that's not saying much since it’s only 1,000 yen. While we were a little short on time and the forgers didn’t speak much English, they were very helpful and made sure we all got a nice final product.

Our day ended with another copper experience, this time including some engraving. the instructor had us practice with scrap copper before moving on to the real thing: a leaf chopstick holder. We each got a small flat copper leaf that we first engraved with a chisel to make veins, then used a rubber hammer to bend it just so to make it stand. Surprisingly, I found the engraving to be one of the hardest things we did that day. It took me nearly all of my practice pieces to somewhat get it down, and even then the first few lines on my leaf were shaky. However, I did manage to hammer mine so it wasn’t too wobbly without much help, though the instructor still made a few adjustments. The final step included bending the stem and tip of the leaf up slightly so that your chopsticks don’t go rolling off.

My trip to Tsubame-Sanjo was an unforgettable one. Not only did we get to experience the rich history of metalwork in the two cities through tours and firsthand experience, but by the end of the day, I had a nice collection of souvenirs to take home too. I still don’t know what to do with them all, but I’m happy to have them to simply decorate my new home. And the best part of all these places is that they’re mostly along the Yahiko line, so they’re not too hard to get to.

My souvenirs:

If you’re thinking about a trip to Tsubame-Sanjo, here are links to all the places mentioned:

Gyokusendo- https://www.gyokusendo.com/en/ 

Kamameshi Shogetsu- https://goo.gl/maps/y6k3tDoq5uTv2LQ1A

Tojiro Knife Factory- https://www.tojiro-japan.com/open-factory/ 

Kaji Dojo- https://kajidojo.com/ 

Leaf-making- https://www.hashioki.work/

[instant-delusions]

.·:*¨༺𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔥𝔦

wind pillar || shinazugawa sanemi × f! reader

cw! - sanemi behavior, smut (public sex, degradation, unprotected sex)

requests : open

nsfw under the cut

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

green fields, red roofs, a little path leading into a forest. little girls wearing cream colored yukatas while walking hand in hand, chatting happily. those little scenes pass you by quickly, as you sat next to shinazugawa sanemi on the infamous mugen train. it was quiet and empty, probably because of everything that happened here before.

ten minutes ago, sanemi and you boarded mugen train for a mission all the way in niigata prefecture. a snowy, mountainous region, which means excruciating work for your body. niigata - that's a long, three hour ride - obviously, you instantly claimed the window seat of your booth and with an exaggerated sigh, the pillar sat next to you, reading through some details of your mission. and since then, it's been unbearably quiet.

you met sanemi six months ago - mitsuri dragged you along to one of the hashiras drinking parties. obviously, she noticed you eyeing the wind hashira with a blush and instantly pulled you into the women's bathroom. "sanemi?" she sqeaked with a quick twirl, it's no use denying, so you nodded with a bashful smile. quickly, she filled you into his relationship status and gave you a brief overview of his character, "he's a challenge, (y/n). you're gonna love it, though, I know your type, he's that... times a million." with a new-found confidence, (after two peptalks from your friend), you downed another sake shot and made your way over to sanemi, who stood outside, smoking a kiseru.

"that's impressive" you commented, after he puffed out the smoke in a circle. watching it disintegrate into the night, he spoke "it's nothing. my dad, that wretched bastard, could do jellyfishes." turning to look at you, he gave you a lopsided grin. "don't have a good relationship with your dad?" you asked. that question painted the rest of the night, both of you drunkenly talking about your parents for hours, refusing to leave the inn.

the train stopped at the first station of your trip, thirty minutes have passed. you watched as the only other person in your wagon left and nobody else entered. "so it's just us two, huh?" you said, looking at sanemi with a slight twinkle in your eyes. he looked back, watching you blink seductively, and sighed, "what the fuck are you implying, (y/n)?". leaning back, he studied you, waiting for one of your annoying replies. "I'm just saying..." you started, voice barely above a whisper, trailing a vein on his muscular arm, "nobody else is here." you purred into his ear. quickly, you pulled away and turned your attention back to the scenery outside, "not like your would do it here" you added, waiting for him to snap. sighing, he shuffled closer to you, grabbing your waist, "you really think I won't fuck you on this train, bitch? I'd have you bouncing on my cock at the imperial palace, I don't give a shit." sanemi lifted you onto his lap, so you could feel his hardening cock pulsing beneath you, "bet you'd like that, whore, hm?" he pressed, you kept your lips shut, just slightly grinding against his dick with soft rolls of your hips. impatient, he grabbed your face, lowering you dangerously close to his lips, "I asked you a fucking question." you could feel the air of his words blowing against your mouth. "yes" you said, immediately pressing your lips against his. nibbling on his lower lip, you wrapped your arms around his neck, pressing him closer to you. slowly, he pressed his tongue through your lips, intertwining it with yours, as he moved his hands from your thighs to flip your skirt over, revealing your soaked underwear. "fuck" he rasped, you could feel his dick twitching through his pants.

as you busied yourself undoing his belt, sanemi peeked outside. fortunately, he couldn't see the next station, but decided to hurry anyway. "quick", he whispered hotly against your ear as you freed his fat, pulsing cock. you spit into your hand and began to jerk his girth, watching pre drip down, as he pushed your panties to the side, burying two of his fingers inside your wet pussy. instantly, he pressed his other hand over your mouth to muffle your moans and pulled his fingers, coated in your juices, out. "sit down, pretty girl." sanemi insisted and you wasted no time, navigating his cock to your pussy. feeling his head against your entrance, you sank down, biting one of his fingers to muffle your shout. although you're soaked, the stretch burned ; he filled you to the brim and you were sure he'd penetrate your cervix before your ass even met his balls. impatiently, sanemi pressed his hips up, to bury himself completely in the ecstacy that is your pussy. he wasted no time and started thrusting quickly, the noise echoed obscenely against the walls of the train, mixing with the rattling against rails. quickly, he found your clit, rubbing it in circles, while watching your tits bounce at his brutal pace. your juices dripped down his balls, onto the seat, while you drooled against his hand. as your pussy clenched and pulsed against his dick, your thighs started to tremble and your back arched deliciously, you felt like you were falling down, before an unearthly orgasm hit you. feeling the way your pussy spasmed, sanemi rasped curses under his breath and with a few, messy, thrusts, he spilled his warm, sticky cum deep inside you.

"tickets, please!" the conducter shouted as he entered your wagon. both of your hair was messy and you opened the window to get rid of the smell, although the wind was icy. you're so glad you packed double the amount of panties you usually would.

-

↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ : giyuu x reader smut ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

U.A. High School Field Trip Around Japan: Day 3 Translations

This is Day 3 of Shonen Jump’s special commemoration of My Hero Academia reaching one hundred million copies worldwide, which is being rolled out daily across one-week in each prefecture’s newspaper.

The schedule:

April 4th, Day 1: Hokkaidō & Tōhōku regions

April 5th, Day 2: Kantō region

April 6th, Day 3: Chūbu region

April 7th, Day 4: Kansai region

April 8th, Day 5: Chūgoku & Shikoku regions

April 9th, Day 6: Kyūshū & Okinawa regions

April 10th, Day 7: Nationwide release

You can see the illustrations on their website here, where they are released digitally the day after the newspaper release.

Here we go!

Note: As I mentioned, the illustrations are available on the official site, but they are all rather small, which makes them hard to read, so in this post I have included photographs from fans which I used for my translations. Every photo was available publicly on twitter and I have credited the posters, but please be respectful and don’t draw undue attention to these fans. If anyone contacts me wishing for their photo to be removed, I will do so.

Chūbu Region

Niigata

Photo credit: twitter user kz555ing

Ashido: "Cuteness is justice!" Todoroki: "Cuteness is justice? Then this Kannon is a good omen for heroes." Asui: "'Cuteness' is profound, too."

Class 1-A is visiting Sado Island's Chokokuji Temple, where a 20-foot tall rabbit statue has been erected to show appreciation for the temple's domestic rabbits tended by the priests, who roam the grounds freely. Just behind Todoroki actually stands a second, much smaller rabbit statue. The goddess of mercy, Kannon, is carved into the rabbits' chests.

Toyama

Photo credit: twitter user MazeHistory

Tokoyami: "The torrential flow of power liberated from prohibition... Those of us who have freed a once-sealed power feel the same, don't we, Todoroki?" Todoroki: "No, not particularly."

They are visiting Kurobe Dam, the tallest dam in Japan at 186 meters (610 feet).

Ishikawa

Photo credit: twitter user ESORA_artwork_

Iida: "There are approximately 180 shops in here!!" Kacchan: "Tell me which one's got the tastiest stuff." Izuku: "That's gotta be all of them!" Kirishima: "Daaamn, there's no way you can go to all of them in one day." All Might: "Looks like those boys are having fun, doesn't it?"

This is Omicho Market in Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa, a very busy market with fresh seafood, vegetables, fruit, and local specialties!

Fukui

Photo credit: twitter user mlluv1

Izuku: "Sauce katsudon originates in Fukui prefecture! ︎ The deep flavor comes from the sour sauce seeping into the cutlet! You could say the sauce is saving the cutlet, and the cutlet is saving the sauce. It's a food that embodies the concept of being able to save to win and win to save. I don't think it's an exaggeration to call it the soul food of heroes. Ahhh! I can't stop thinking that I want everyone in Japan to know more about this..." Uraraka: "He's saying it's tasty."

One of Fukui's specialties is "sauce katsudon" wherein the pork cutlet is battered, coated in crumbs, deep fried, and then coated in a thick, sweet, tangy, savory sauce. "Katsu" means cutlet but it is phonetically identical to the word for win--the same one that's in Katsuki's name. Izuku is such a nerd, dear god. Special thanks to @pikahlua for saving my skin with Izuku's dreaded mumble-speech!

Yamanashi

Photo credit: twitter user MARINJIJI

Mirio: "There's... A RIPE PEACH! There's... RIPE GRAPES!" Kaminari: "The Yamanashi Prefecture Tourism Ambassador Hero...!" Sero: "Have we got a chance!?" Kirishima: "Sempai, you went out of your way just for this!?"

Yamanashi is one of Japan's big fruit providers with many orchards and vineyards, specializing in grapes, plums, and peaches. Mount Fuji is visible in the background! But Mirio... what were the ripe grapes!?

Nagano

Photo credit: twitter user hirom_1107

Hagakure: "Ojiro-kun! You really can't see it!?" Jirou: "I can see it!" Ojiro: "It's 'cause I've got a tail, isn't it. I wonder if they're feeling territorial..."

They are at Jigokudani Monkey Park with Japanese macaque (snow monkeys), who love to hang out in hot springs in the winter.

Gifu

Photo credit: twitter user some_mitsu

Iida: "Everyone!! Assemble here for a group photo!!" Uraraka: "Let's all do the gasshō pose, okay!!" Sero: "That's great!!"

The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama are part of a World Heritage Site protecting the traditional gasshō-zukuri houses unique to the area. The style is named for the arch of the roof looking like hands in prayer; the area gets substantial snowfall every year, and the shape of the roof and structure of the walls are optimal for protecting the integrity of the house. I got to see and step inside this style of home at the Japan Open-Air Folk Museum, and they are absolutely incredible. The informational placards said that in years when the snow piles high enough, the second story windows are used as entrances!

Shizuoka

Photo credit: twitter user sugar_eraser

Yaoyorozu: "The reason Mount Fuji looks blue is because its size is so great that one must view it at a distance. This distance puts a thick layer of air in-between, scattering the light and causing the mountain's surface to appear blue. The sky is blue for the same reason." Ashido: "Yaomomo's like a walking encyclopedia!" Aoyama: "A beautiful blue mountain, you say? Why, there's one right here~!"

Viewing Mount Fuji from Shizuoka's famous tea fields. Shizuoka provides 40% of Japan's green tea! I've had a few varieties unique to their area, they were very flavorful and soothing. Aoyama is bein' vain because his surname means "blue mountain."

Aichi

Photo credit: twitter user Hrkn1500

Satou: "All right, all right, now this is what I've been waiting for!" Yaoyorozu: "It's delicious!" Todoroki (thinking): "Half-Sweet Half-Salt..."

They are eating Ogura toast, a dish originating in a Nagoya cafe in 1921. Ogura jam is a sweet spread made out of adzuki beans, and it is often served with butter -- the butter being salted is the source of Todoroki's stroke of genius. I've had it several times, it's tasty!!

That's all for Day 3! See you soon for Day 4.

[nijigasakilove]

Gonna miss these girls so much 😭. Some may say this season was a step down in quality, disagree completely. Didn’t even notice the studio change and I liked the girls solo camping. Fitting that we end the season with them all together for a group camp!

As someone with a lot of family from New Orleans, seeing the girls get all excited about eating frog meat was pretty funny. Fried Frog legs are great lol. I’ll have to try Frog Karaage one day.

The Inuyama girls are so unserious 💀 them freaking out over their grandma using pork in the family recipe had me dying.

Nadeshiko’s screensaver showing the gradual blooming of the Sakura tree is such a cool idea!

Loved hearing that Rin and Nadeshiko are planning some further out trips. I would love to see the girls explore other parts of Japan since it’s been kinda localised so far. Hokkaido would be cool, Kyushu, Niigata on the west side of Honshu too! Lots of cool places for them to explore. Sadly with the show basically caught up to the manga now it’ll be a while.

Still, thank you to the studio for giving us a fun ride! I’ll miss them 😢

review: https://myanimelist.net/reviews.php?id=528223

[yridenergyridenergy]

Do you have a travel blog/page on instagram documenting your travels in Japan, where we can see your experience, specially that you go to lots of concerts, and it might be helpful to plan a full travel around that? What do you do other than seeing the concerts, and do you have a list of cool trusted places?

I have a personal Instagram account on which I share local and travel highlights irregularly, but I don't even specify where most of those things were, so good luck using that to guide your trip...

That being said, if you want any tips for some locations, I can help with anything other than restaurants, so feel free to ask!

So far, I visited the following Japanese areas:

Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Itsukushima, Kouchi, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Nagoya, Shizuoka, Tokyo/Kawasaki/Yokohama, Yokosuka, Kanazawa, Nagano, Sendai and Sapporo.

Had/have plans for Tottori, Wakayama, Utsunomiya, Hita and more. I guess that the main area that I never visited where Dir en grey tours is Niigata.

[inukag]

Sooo I went to Japan for 2 weeks! It was amazing! Extremely hot but I still enjoyed everything and want to go back ASAP 😭

I wanted to share the Inuyasha merch I’ve been able to find! Which is not a lot, lol. Urusei Yatsura's Lum was EVERYWHERE (especially thanks to the recent reboot) and I also saw Ranma 1/2 stuff quite a bit, but Inuyasha was nowhere to be found except in Nakano Broadway...

Starting from top left: A doujinshi I found at a Mandarake, a CD with some of the opening/endings and a pack of playing cards with art from the second movie. Below that I have a Inuyasha acrylic (found that one in a Animate at Ikebukuro), a small shippo figure and volume 4 of Yashahime (with Momo on the cover 🥰). Then below that I got 2 volumes of the wide ban edition of the manga (1 and 30 so the first and last volumes) and the Shonen Sunday S magazine with the latest Yashahime manga chapter. Above that there's Hisui from a Yashahime gachapon and above the beautiful miko Kagome figurine ♥

She's supposed to sit on a bottle so I cut the top of a plastic bottle, added some wrapping paper and a scrunchy to make some kind of base for her to sit on! I've always wanted that figurine but it's super expensive online so I'm glad I found her at a decent price. The world needs more miko Kagome merch 🙏

This is the back of the inukag doujinshi I bought, I haven't been able to find that artist online 🤔 If anyone know where I can find them, let me know!

Funny thing, the only time I saw the Yashahime gachapon was at Tokyo tower. I tried it really hoping I would get either Moroha, Hisui or Kohaku and not the others so I'm very glad I got Hisui! 3 out of 8 is not good odds lmao.

I KNOW there's some actual Inuyasha gachapon out there but I never saw any! Even that Yashahime one was mostly empty 😭

I also visited Niigata, the home city of Rumiko Takahashi. In the Manga and Anime museum there I bought this special fan that was released for the 35th anniversary of Takahashi's career. There was also the same for Maison Ikkoku and Ranma 1/2. I thought it was a really cool find!

Anyway, Japan let me down a bit in terms of Inuyasha merch but everything else was great (except the weather, seriously don't go in Japan in the summer it's too hot). I definitely want to go back in the spring and see the cherry blossom. I'd also like to visit the south more, like Osaka and Hiroshima.

Yashahime might be a disaster but it's actually thanks to that series that I met the amazing girls I went on this trip with, and for that I am so thankful. We went through hell following that series every week but we ended up with forging really strong bonds and traveling with them felt like being with family!

The real Inuyasha sequel was truly the friends we made along the way 😌🌈✨

[corvid-language-library]

I logged out for like 10 days because I've been wasting my time playing Pokemon and doing Sporcle quizzes instead 😅 Not that it's wasting my time given I've been having fun! And I've been playing Pokemon in Japanese and learning lots of new words, so I'd say it's a pretty productive way to spend my time actually!

Anyway, some updates:

I booked my next trip last week, so during Golden Week I'll be going to Tsuruoka, Niigata and Koriyama! I don't have much in the way of plans yet, although I have a few ideas about things I want to do. We'll see what happens though.

I think I'm acquiring a taste for matcha? I've been sampling the seasonal doughtnuts at Mister Donut, which are matcha flavour, and then I got some sakura/matcha wafer things from the supermarket and they were actually pretty nice. The sweetness of the sakura kinda offsets the bitterness of the matcha. I'm now obsessed with wanting to bake matcha/sakura cupcakes but alas, no oven, boo

I've been trialling an actual physical bullet journal rather than my usual excel spreadsheets because I wanted to take more time away from my laptop but I keep forgetting to use it, oops

I'm still considering/debating my future plans. It's kinda complicated, I might make a post about it. Basically I'm thinking of returning to the UK after my visa runs out and then going on to Norway, but there are lots of things to consider.

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: Camping in Niigata has Tomura sick. Worse than he ever thought, worse than the road trip to get here had him feeling. He doesn't know why until Gigantomachia crashes through their hideout, announcing to them and the world that Tomura is pregnant. Tomura needs to talk to Dabi about this, but first he has to deal with Sensei's doctor trying to meddle. Does he even want this? Even if he does, what does that mean for the League? For their dreams? Can his body even hold out for him to find out? ~ Dabi never wanted to be a father, never thought he would be alive long enough to see it ever happen, but Tomura is pregnant and needs him. He needs to decide now if his revenge is worth it if it means being an absentee father. His worries don't end there though, as this pregnancy seems to be taking everything from Tomura. Dabi has to walk a tightrope of keeping his omega safe and healthy, keeping the doctor in their pocket, and keeping Hawks far away from his mate. Easy, right?

Author: @myakasama

Note from submitter: If you're reading this Myaka ily <3

[uenodivision]

Aranai's Thoughts on Niigata Division

Seiji Tsukimoto

Aranai groans at the picture of the police chief. "Oh great, the Chief of the fucking police, himself. As if having that cop from Kanazawa in this tournament wasn't bad enough!" Aranai sighs. "Thankfully, unlike that cop, this one doesn't know me, I don't think. I've done some work in Niigata, but I don't go there since most of my customers in Chubu hail from Nagoya, where that monk and his clique reside. Still, I suppose I'd better watch myself since another cop is snooping around. Ugh..."

Lyall Shiba

"Ha, this guy makes me laugh. Mainly because, for a cop, he's not too bad. And I'm not just saying that because Kaoru in Edogawa has got a thing for him. ...What? Surprised I know about it? Don't be! I mean, it's kinda obvious! Whenever the girls and I are out, she'll sometimes get a call on her cell phone. If it's this guy, Spider Girl's eyes will light up, she'll suddenly get red in the face and then excuse herself for a while.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not making fun of her anything! It's actually kinda cute seeing the resident hacker trip over herself for a guy! For a while there, I was worried I was going to have to do what I do to Sumire and find an excuse to get her and this guy a reason to meet each other. Thankfully, she's not as clueless or brainless as Sumire is and isn't afraid to take a leap!"

Ayumu Hayami

Aranai frowns at the photo of the paramedic. "I'm going to say this right now: I really don't like this guy. Why? Because more than once I've seen him here in Ueno. And it's not because somebody's sick or in danger of dying. No, the reason this guy is here in Ueno is because he's got a thing for Shisuta! ...Yeah, you heard me right! The paramedic is who a year away from being four decades old has a crush on a woman who is f'ing 13 years older than him! What the hell kinda shit is that? I'm not a lawyer like Boss Lady is, but I'm pretty sure dating someone who is a decade older than you is breaking some sort of rule. And if it isn't, then it needs to be! I'm telling you now, I'm keeping a close eye on this guy. If he does anything to Shisuta, they're going to have call a paramedic for him when I get through with him!"

Valor Guard

"Ugh, is Boss Lady asking more and more cops to join this rap tournament or something? Or do they just not have enough to do at the f'ing police station? Because there shouldn't be a reason for so many cops to be joining some rap tournament! I know not every team here is full of law-abiding citizens, but I didn't realize that meant that every cop and their brother needed to form a rap team to arrest them!

"Ugh, and knowing Boss Lady, she's gonna wanna form an alliance with these guys like the ones from Kanazawa. Ugh, hopefully, someone deals with them quickly. Either that, or they become too preoccupied with whomever they're chasing to deal with us..."

[redheadinjapan]

Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel Blends Nature With Art *Activity Archive*

Nestled in one of the three largest gorges in Japan, Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel has been turned into an exhibit of art and nature. The 750-meter tunnel includes four different sections, three of which branch off from the main tunnel and one at the very end, where you’re sure to get some interesting photos, especially if there aren’t too many people. While it’s not as big as I thought, it does make for a fun half-day trip.

The tunnel’s location in Tokamachi makes it a little difficult to get to, but it’s about 2 hours from Niigata City by car on the toll roads and 1.5 hours from Joetsu. You can use trains and buses to get there, but since it’s a 30-minute walk from the closest bus stop, that’s definitely something to consider. Once there, it’s relatively easy to find and only around 1000 yen to get in. The four sections of the tunnel are open to the outside, giving you wonderful views of the gorge’s rocks and river. However, it’s also an art exhibit with unique and interesting experiences in each section, as well as in the main walkway of the tunnel. 

The main tunnel is rather dark and lined with different sections of colorful lights, which is why it is sometimes called the Tunnel of Lights. In some areas, they even play music meant to increase the mystery and curiosity but may come off as a little creepy to some, especially in the dark. The tunnel’s first branch-off is rather plain, allowing you to simply enjoy the gorge and its interesting rock formations. The next section is a stark contrast, with white and black stripes painted on the walls to create an almost warped appearance. A mirror structure sits in the center to reflect the paint and block the view of the gorge, though you can walk around it and even go inside where there’s a hidden bathroom with a one-sided mirror. The third section is more open, almost like the first but the walls are dotted with mirrors backlit by orange lights. They called them waterdrops, and while I’m not sure orange made me think of water, they were pretty cool.

The last section at the end of the tunnel is Panorama Station. This section is in most pictures you’ll see if you look up Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel as it’s the signature location. Next to the tunnel’s opening is a shallow pool of reflective water, allowing you to capture stunning photos of your silhouette against the gorge and reflected back in the pool. We were lucky enough to be there on a less crowded day, making it easy to get pictures of just us, but even the pictures with other people in them tend to turn out nice. Just be careful in the water and consider bringing a towel, since it can be cold and while the sides are very shallow, the middle can be up to your knee in some places.

Given the more remote location, there’s not much in terms of restaurants and shops in the immediate area. However, there is one small shop nearby that sells some snacks and souvenirs and even has a small foot bath on the second floor. The foot bath is surrounded by sloping wooden ceilings that lead up to a window and set of mirrors, which allow you to see the gorge’s river even from inside. It’s certainly a nice resting place after walking to the end of the tunnel and back. 

If you’re looking for somewhere nice to spend some time where you can be close to art and nature, Kiyotsu Gorge Tunnel is a great option. Between the unique views in each section and the beautiful views of the gorge river–both inside and outside the tunnel–it’s certainly one place in Niigata to put on your list if you have the time.

[natsu-tte-noodle]

A3! Translation - Regional Tour Instablam Posts (Spring Troupe)

And we’re done!!  Special thanks again to @moonlight404-translates​ for looking over it and helping me with things I wasn’t sure of, and also to my roommate who idk if they want to be tagged but they solved the きばばり mystery!

Citron was, as I’m sure you gathered, the reason I went in reverse troupe order lolol, but getting his done was super satisfying

Sendai - Zao Fox Village

Sakuya

Thank you for coming to our Sendai show run! It was fun getting to meet the cute foxes too! We’ll come again! #Mankai Company #Spring Troupe #Grateful

Masumi

#fox #sleeping

Tsuzuru

The first time they surrounded me was scary, but little by little I came to feel attached to them. I’d like to try writing a story about the tale of the kitsune someday too. #Sendai play run #thank you

Itaru

It’s cool, kind of like it’s my familiar. …is what someone said. I guess you can understand what they mean? #Sendai #Foxes all over

Citron

Ktne!!!! WOW!!! Beetroot! (1) It mUst be the god Inari in disguys! (2) #Sand die kitn (3) #Kawaii #Shitoronz Trip

(Kitsune!!!! WOW!!! Cuteness overload! It must be the god Inari in disguise! #Sendai kitsune #Cute #Citrons Trip)

Chikage

Our Sendai play run has come to a close. Thank you. I chauffeured us to an establishment that homes foxes. #MANKAICOMPANY #Spring Troupe #Sendai #Fox

--

Nagoya - Tebasaki

Sakuya

Thank you for coming to our Nagoya show run! We had tebasaki for our wrap party, but… It’s tough to eat them cleanly… I’ll practice! (4) #Mankai Company #Spring Troupe #Grateful

Masumi

#tebasaki #tough to eat

Tsuzuru

Of course, when you go to Nagoya, you have to have the tebasaki. The older man at the table next to ours told me, “You’re crap at eating these!”... #Nagoya play run #thank you

Itaru

Beer and tebasaki. The greatest pair there is. #Nagoya #Actually I’m good at eating them

Citron

Flied chinken winks!! (5) I wsnt to aet my fill~! #Chinken winks are godlike food #One fishes to show their homeland (6) #Shitoronz Trip

(Fried chicken wings!! I want to eat my fill~! #Chicken wings are godlike food #One wishes to show their homeland #Citrons Trip)

Chikage

Our Nagoya play run has come to a close. Thank you. When you pair tebasaki with alcohol, you can’t stop. It’s a problem. #MANKAICOMPANY #Spring Troupe #Nagoya #Tebasaki

--

Osaka - Takoyaki

Sakuya

Thank you for coming to our Osaka show run! At a break between shows, we all ate takoyaki! Everyone in Osaka is really good at grilling takoyaki…! #Mankai Company #Spring Troupe #Grateful

Masumi

#takoyaki #burnt my tongue

Tsuzuru

We had a competition to see who could grill the best takoyaki. As for the result… I’ll leave that to your imagination. #Osaka play run #thank you

Itaru

When you go to Osaka, the number 1 thing you can’t skip out on is the food. I’m the type that waits for someone to just make food for me. #Osaka #Hard to toss the original sauce but #I’m team salty mayo

Citron

We made spinng spinning spng DELICIOUS takoyaki~! #Takoyaki party with everyone #Much obliged (7) #Shitoronz Trip

(We made spinning spinning spinning delicious takoyaki~! #Takoyaki party with everyone #Much obliged #Citrons Trip)

Chikage

Our Osaka play run has come to a close. Thank you. I had some takoyaki with an extremely spicy sauce. Classic (8) sauce, salt and the like are good, but I like this too. #MANKAICOMPANY #Spring Troupe #Osaka #Takoyaki

--

Niigata - Italian (9)

Sakuya

Thank you for coming to our Niigata show run! I ate Italian for the first time, and it was delicious! I want to eat it again if we come back to Niigata! #Mankai Company #Spring Troupe #Grateful

Masumi

#Italian #pasta or yakisoba mystery

Tsuzuru

We ate Niigata’s soul food, “Italian.” It’s a flavor I think my little brothers back home would like. I’ll try giving it to them sometime… #Niigata play run #thank you

Itaru

I ate it with lots of cheese. It tastes great. Maybe I’ll ask Omi to add it to the dorm menu. #Niigata #Best local cuisine

Citron

A mysterious rasta! Shaydee~! (10) #Knee gutter Italian #I ate 3 plates #Shitoronz Trip

(A mysterious pasta! Shady~! #Niigata Italian #I ate 3 plates #Citrons Trip)

Chikage

Our Niigata play run has come to a close. Thank you. The Italian I’ve always wanted to try. Maybe I’ll look for a super spicy Italian next. #MANKAICOMPANY #Spring Troupe #Niigata #Italian

--

Fukuoka - Yatai (Food Stalls)

Sakuya

Thank you for coming to our Fukuoka show run! At night, we went to a food stall district, but There were good smells coming from all over, I couldn’t decide which shop to go to #Mankai Company #Spring Troupe #Grateful

Masumi

#food stall district #lots of people so its packed

Tsuzuru

I gathered my courage and went to the food stall district, but it went deeper than I expected… #Fukuoka play run #thank you

Itaru

No arguing it, this is a place that stimulates your appetite. Motsunabe, gyoza, tonkotsu ramen… there’s a lot of temptations. #Fukuoka #Went with horumonyaki

Citron

Here is a Fukuokan culture past slime!!!! (11) #I fish to become a Kyushu man (12) #Junchan (13) #I fish to see you again #Shitoronz Trip

(Here is a Fukuokan cultural pastime!!!! #I wish to become a Kyushu man #Junchan #lets meet again #CitronsTrip)

Chikage

Our Fukuoka play run has come to a close. Thank you. The shochu you drink at the food stall district is amazing. Of course, spicy cod roe for an appetizer. #MANKAICOMPANY #Spring Troupe #Fukuoka #Food stall district

--

Notes:

1. Citron writes “ぎゅーどん!” (gyuudon), which was most likely supposed to mean something like “cuteness overload,” but in reality means “beef bowl!” So I went with a food that kind of sounded like “so cute”

2. Inari is a popular figure in both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs. Their messengers are foxes, and there’s a popular belief that Inari herself can turn into a fox, but these foxes are usually white.

3. Citron uses the wrong kanji for Sendai. This also happens for Niigata and his own name.

4. It looks like the correct way to eat tebasaki is to twist them in half and then use your teeth to slide the meat right off the bone.  It does seem pretty tough if you’re not used to it!

5. Instead of 手羽先 (tebasaki), Citron writes 出っ歯先 (deppa saki), with the kanji for “bucktooth”

6. The “to want” verb ending in Japanese is “たい” (tai).  Citron replaces it with 鯛 (tai), which means “sea bream.” He does this a few times throughout his posts.

7. Citron is imitating the Kansai dialect here.

8. It doesn’t actually say “classic” anywhere, but it’s sort of implied and it doesn’t really make sense without it

9. I feel like I kind of have to explain this one lol - イタリアン (Italian) is actually a yakisoba dish. It combines yakisoba with Italian-style meat sauce.

10. He writes 闇, which usually means “darkness,” but if he got the kanji right he probably meant it in terms of “black market”

11. Citron says きばばり (kibabari, which means nothing as far as I can tell) when he may have meant 気晴らし (kibarashi, pastime), so with that in mind I made the first half correct and threw in a random word that rhymed with time for the second half lol

12. A Kyushu Man (九州男児, kyuushuu danji) is sort of a “classic ideal man.” There are positive and negative aspects to this archetype, but Citron’s most likely referring to the image of a brave man with a strong sense of justice (etc.)

13. Lots of yatai have names that end in -chan. I’m honestly not sure if Citron’s making a mistake here or not, but he has the right idea at least.

[redsamuraiii]

The places that inspires the artists ateliersento of their new graphic novel, “Festival of Shadows” by Tuttle Publishing

“Most of ‘Festival of Shadows’ takes place in the countryside, in the valley where Naoko - the main protagonist - lives. The place is fictional but the backgrounds are inspired by the region of Niigata where we lived, on the west coast of Japan: old wooden houses, rice fields and mountains, etc.⁠⁠

"Oddly, during our current trip in Tokyo, we often come across details that remind us of our daily life in the countryside: narrow streets of old buildings lined up, small retro tea rooms, flowering trees, small trains and small level crossings.⁠⁠" The kind of atmosphere that we tried to transcribe in Festival of Shadows."⁠

[konradnews]

New Nihonkai Ferry offers driving plans for September through November. Coupons for onboard restaurants and goods are also available.

Venus Travel has launched the “My Car Plan” for September through November, which includes round-trip New Nihonkai Ferry fare, car transportation, and local accommodation. Destinations include Akita, Niigata, Sado Island, Shinshu-Nagano, Hokuriku-Kanazawa, Kansai-Chubu, and Setouchi/Shikoku, and itineraries of up to 14 days can be selected (one night accommodation is included). Applications are…