Tours on Golden Week

Golden Week (GW), one of a few of Japan’s holiday periods where we have a national holiday on 29 Apr followed by 3 holidays in a row in the beginning of May. And when Saturday and Sunday are located between (or the beginning/end of) these holidays, we Japanese people can enjoy a longer holiday, that could go on for a week or up to 10 days. And many office workers are ‘allowed’ to use their paid holidays to make it a long holiday, then touristic spots get packed.

29 Apr – Showa Day （Former Emperor’s (1901-1989) birthday)
03 May – Constitution Day
04 May – Greenery Day
05 May – Children’s Day

Though Governors of big cities insisted that people should not go out during GW to prevent the spread of COVID-19, people are fed up with staying at home!

Fortunately, I ran a couple of tours to Takachiho Gorge and Mt Aso during Golden Week this time. The first one was on 3rd May, in the middle of GW. What I saw there at Takachiho Gorge and Mt Aso was lots of tourists! Not only Japanese but also some foreigners who should be living in Japan were seen here and there. I had expected that people would not go out being scared of the further spread of the virus, but they didn’t seem to be worried about that. Yes, we are Japanese who are well disciplined not to bother anyone around. WE believe we can get through this by wearing a mask and frequent hand washing, until the vast majority of us get vaccinated.

03 May – Takahiho & Mt Aso tour

The second tour was run on 6 May, which was for a family.

Shoot me an email or text massage. And I’ll take you on a great tour.

Email: schingo.tk@gmail.com
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A couple of tours done in March

I am alive! And I’ve been safe and healthy here.

In March, I was lucky enough to have run a couple of tours for 2 foreigner-groups who live in Japan. A 2-day Gokanosho tour and a Takachiho & Mt Aso tour.

Gokanosho tour

Ogata-ke, House of descendants to Heke refugees

With Mr & Mrs Matsuoka, innkeepers of Heike-so

Takachiho & Mt Aso tour

Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to do any tour in April though, I’m supposed to do a couple of Takachiho & Mt Aso tours in May.

I haven’t got vaccinated yet, but I’ve been very careful not to get infected with COVID by wearing a mask and washing my hands frequently. Luckily enough, we haven’t had anyone tested positive to COVID here in Gokanosho (approx. 250 people).

If you would like to join a guided tour, Text/Call me. I am available here. I would be pleased to be of help to you.

Present Situation & Tour Photos, 18 Mar 2020

Present stituation

Given this situation due to the COVID-19, schools, universities and colleges are closed and big events are requested to refrain from holding by Prime Minister Abe. And we have lost most of foreign tourists who visit other countries.

However, I still had some foreign tourists who wanted to join my tours and I successfully ran all those tours and they enjoyed it.

Here in Japan, we have relatively fewer infected and dead compared to many other countries, thanks to their hard work who work at medical centres and our efforts of keeping hands clean with soap and alcohol and wearing a mask when go out. Actually, I haven’t got infected though I have had the chances to go visit touristic places.

We have alcohol bottles set at many entrances of restaurants / convenience stores / department stores / any public buildings for hand washing. I would like to tell you that this is considered to be the way we Japanese have practiced to keep ourselves clean and healthy. And I believe this is the best way to protect yourself and people around you. Follow us.

Let me show you how I enjoyed running tours in February and March despite this situation, as follows.

Tour Photos

We enjoyed some Wagyu “Red beef”, our local beef of Kumamoto!

The largest bronze statue of Buddha in the world.

with the legendary blooming plum tree “Tobi Ume”

Above are a DJ group “VIZE” from Germany. Check them out on Spotify!

Viewing Mt Sakurajima at Arimura lookout

June ’19 Digest

Been a while since I had posted a blog last time!

I am alive. Here are some of the photos of the tours I did in June 2019.

Gokanosho

Yatsushiro

Kumamoto + Hitoyoshi

Takachiho

Mt Aso

Oita (Kuju / Yufuin / Beppu)

June Digest

Japan has entered a rainy season. Downpour is causing floods in many places of western Japan. Please check out the weather forecast in your area and if it’s bad, just stay inside or go to a nearby safe shelter. However, it is expected that the rainy season is going to be over next week in Kyushu. Stay focused on the weather forecast.