Colored vending machine?!

Autumn leaves are almost over, but there are something else that has gradually changed their color during autumn and can enjoy throughout the winter. Vending machines! Now there are more red buttons for hot drinks. To get hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate or even soup, press red buttons.

During winter time probably you won't get thirsty during our walking tour, but hot drinks will certainly warm you up! (If you are joining us during summer, we strongly recommend you to carry a bottle or two of cool drink.)

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

Myth: Imagination of Japanese Art

Probably you know the name Amaterasu, the sun goddess, from the Japanese mythology. Or you had a chance reading a Japanese folk tale... And you might have wondered how the characters in those stories look like.

An exhibition held in Nara Prefectural Museum of Art is a good chance to get to know them! Titled "Myth: Imagination of Japanese Art", this exhibition exhibits paintings depicting a scene from Japanese mythologies, folk tales, and history.

Duration: ~ 2009.12.24
(closed on Mondays)
Admission: Adult 1000yen, Grade10-college student 700yen, Grade1-9 400yen
Hours:9:00~17:00 (Fridays and Saturdays till 21:00)

Nara Prefectural Museum of Art is located behind the prefectural office building of Nara. You can see (and we can point to you) the office building during our daily walking tour.

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

New Maiko Debut

A new Maiko debut in Ganrinin-town, Nara's Gion! The new charm of the town is named Kikuchiyo (菊千栄 in Japanese). The poster above is put by her senior Geiko's fan club, Kikuno-kai, to celebrate her debut~. All the good wishes to her success!

Ganrinin-town is just a street or so away from Sarusawa pond which is part of our daily walking tour.

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

Sweet joy at tea ceremony lessons

I take a tea lesson twice a month.

I like the lessons, for I can be in a completely different atmosphere from my daily life.

Another pleasure is of course “sweets”.

We can get seasonal sweets at shops and each sweet has a name.

I enjoy guessing the name of the sweet at each lesson.

Can you guess the name for the sweet in the picture?

“Autumn mountain”

Yellow and red are the colors of the leaves and it has a whole chestnut inside.

You can enjoy autumn colors in Nara Park until the middle of December.

-Sumie
NARAWALK Guide

(posted by proxy)

A strange tree

I found a strange tree with many white pieces of paper on its branches on the way to Kasuga Grand Shrine.

They seem to be Omikuji (fortune) paper but why did peple tie them on this tree?

It is standing more than 200 meters away from the main building where Omikuji are sold.

Yoko
-NARAWALK guide

(posted by proxy)

25 Regrets of the Life

"25 Regrets of the Life" is a book written by Dr. Shuichi Otsu who practices palliative treatments. He has supported more than thousand terminally ill patients. In his book, he shares with us what he has learned from terminally ill patients - that is...What People Regret at the Last Moments of Their Lives. He has listed 25 regrets he often hears.

One of the 25 regrets is this...

"I regret that I didn't travel to the places where I wanted to visit."

Are you travelling?

(The book is only available in Japanese.)

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

Free Museum Admission On Kansai Culture Day

Attention~ if you like going to museums and want to save on admission fees! November in Kansai region (that is Nara, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo etc) is especially good time for you to come! Many of the museums in Nara, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Shiga, Mie, Fukui, Wakayama, Tokushima, Tottori prefectures are admission free throughout or on certain days of November. This month long event is known as Kansai Culture Day.

Most of museums scheduled their free day on Nov. 14 & 15.
Here is a list of museums free on those two days. (not complete one. There are just too many to list all...)

Nara
Nara National Museum
Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography(JPN link only)
Hakomotokan Konya

Kyoto
Insho-Domoto Museum of Fine Arts
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (special exhibition not free)
Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum(JPN link only)
Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum (special exhibition not free)
The Tale of Genji Museum

Osaka
National Museum of Ethnology
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics
Osaka Castle (only on Nov. 14)

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

Red Leaves

Autumn is here. Leaves have started to turn their colour... At the same time, it's getting chilly in the early morning and in the evening. Bring light jacket to warm yourself up. And the day time, it's a perfect-for-walking temperature.

Sue
-NARAWALK guide

Antique Fair in Nara Park

"AOZORA KOTTO-ICHI," an open-air antique fair will be held in Nara Park for the first time. Antique lovers, come and dig up?! something unique to take home with you.

Dates:
Nov. 7-8, 14-15, 21-23
10:00 ~ 17:00
will be held in rain too!

Place:
Ukigumo Park in Nara Park
(It's near Todaiji Temple. If you're going to the temple, you'll notice. It is also along our regular tour's route. If your are joining our tour on those days, you'll be sure to know where the event is held!)

Sue
-NARAWALK guide