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LTE introduced in Gokanosho!

In telecommunication, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for high-speed wireless communication for mobile phones and data terminals, based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA technologies. (from Wikipedia)

It’s a huge breakthrough, finally we said good-bye to very-low-speed wireless communication! LTE was introduced in Gokanosho today, by the Japan’s biggest telecommunication company Docomo. So travelers who are planning to visit Gokanosho are recommended to choose Docomo for the target of data roaming.

LTE ROCKS!!

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Gokanosho -Lost In Time- on ABC iView

A 14-minute film titled “Gokanosho -Lost In Time-, made by a team from Griffith University, Australia, is up on ABC iView until 10:00 am 22 Mar 2017. I performed on this film as kind of a storyteller. Though I made a lot of mistakes in speaking English, cos it was a total documentary through the whole filming process. We made no take-2, actually! Anyway, I am sure this film will help you learn about what Gokanosho is. Enjoy.

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/grad-season-2017/ZW1096A005S00

French tourists’ visit to Gokanosho

Last year, we had a couple of French tourists visited in Gokanosho. I just helped them make a reservation for staying at a Minshuku – Japanese guesthouse -. They wrote down a brilliant blog about their journey and stay in Gokanosho. Thanks Sandrine and Florent! I wish I could write a composition as beautifully as you do.

https://www.smartrippers.com/fr/article/immersion-dans-le-japon-autrefois-a-gokanosho

Volcanic Alert Level Reduced at Mt Aso

Japan has reduced the 5-scale Volcanic Alert Level from 2 down to 1 which is the lowest, following the constant monitoring and surveys done after its last biggest eruption occurred in Aug 2014.

Hopefully, we will be able to go up to view the beautiful crater at Naka-dake, one of the five peaks that comprises Mt Aso, soon after everything is clear. According to the report, the road, cable car and evacuation shelters have been badly damaged and should take a while to restore everything as what they used to be.

Volcanic alert level

Trail improvement and Fukujuso

What are we expecting in February? It’s Fukujuso! In English they are called “Yellow boots” or “Amur adonis”. So happy we have those beautiful flowers coming out right now up in a particular mountain in Gokanosho. The flowers have some beautiful language such as “Eternal Happiness”, “Bring Happiness” and so on. And they are strictly protected by prefectural laws to prevent them from being stolen by heartless people.

We went for Mt Iwaudo located in the southern area of Gokanosho to improve the trail for trekkers’ safety who are expected to visit very soon, and spread a net surrounding the colony of the Fukujuso flowers in order to protect them from wild deer. We were exhausted carrying heavy tools and materials, but it was nice seeing some beautiful flowers coming into bud.

Ninja

Ninja, you might know they existed back in history of Japan.Yes, they are gone after “Meiji restoration” happened in the late 19th century, along with the end of Samurai’s era. But their techniques have been passed on by the descendants to Ninja and even Ninja lovers up until today! Here at Hinokuniya (火之国屋), a friend of mine runs a very unique and interesting business, “Ninja Activity”, instructiong a variety of Ninja techniques such as “Fire power”, “Shuriken (Ninja star) throwing”, “Blowgun” and so on which are modified to be safer version to ensure your safety. I am also one of the instructors here. Click on the link and see what the Hinokuniya Ninja Activity is like.

http://fire-land.jp/english/

Happy New Year!

Happy New year!
Hope you all had great New Year days. In Japan, the period of the first three days of January is called “San ga nichi”, happy holidays. Most of stores used to take three days off 30 years ago, but nowadays many of them are open and many customers go for shopping. I miss those days.

On the 1st Jan., we went up to “Minegoshi Pass”, one of the highest passes in Gokanosho, to admire the first sunrise of the year which is considered very happy. We enjoyed making rice cakes in a traditional way (totally hand made!), hanging out with a bunch of neighbours and relatives under the lighting devices that we brought up until the sun shows up.

Finally, the first sun rises up. We make a wish towards the sun in Shinto way (it doesn’t matter if you are not a Shinto believer.), hoping for the better days through the year. We say “The whole year’s plans are (to be) made on New Year’s Day / New Year’s Day is the key to the whole year” in Japan.