Himekawa Fureai Stone Park

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Apr 162014
 

Good afternoon from the Itoigawa Global Geopark! It’s becoming warmer every day in Itoigawa. The snow is melting from the mountains, feeding the many rivers and streams of the Geopark.

The largest of these rivers is the Himekawa, which flows from Omachi City in Nagano to the Sea of Japan in Itoigawa. The river cuts through the Northern Alps and a wide variety of stones can be found along its banks and those of its tributaries.

Visitors to the Stone Park enter at the mouth of the river, represented here

Visitors to the Stone Park enter at the mouth of the river, represented here

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation, and Tourism’s Takada River and National Highway Office has, in cooperation with the Itoigawa Geopark, created the Himekawa Fureai Stone Park. This park has been designed as a model of the Himekawa River and its main tributaries. As visitors walk  on the promenade, they can see examples of the types of stones which are found along that river.

Limestone

From limestone in Himekawa…

Jadeite…to the jadeite of Kotakigawa…

Yakuseki…to yakuseki…

Andesite

…andesite and more!

Stroll through the Himekawa Fureai Stone Park during your next visit to Itoigawa and witness the beauty and diversity in the earth you walk upon.

-Ishikoro

 

 

 


Himekawa River Cherry Trees

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Apr 142014
 

Good afternoon from the Itoigawa Global Geopark! Apart from the sudden downpour during the Itoigawa Kenka Matsuri, the weather has continued to be clear and beautiful.

Last weekend was perhaps the best time for viewing the many cherry trees blossoming throughout the Itoigawa Geopark. I had a bit of free time myself on Saturday, so I took the opportunity to visit the Himekawa River Cherry Tree Park.

Cherry trees line the embankment of the Himekawa River

Cherry trees line the embankment of the Himekawa River

The Himekawa River Cherry Tree Park is built atop the levee which protects Itoigawa from the flood-prone Himekawa River.

The cherry trees were in near full bloom on Saturday

The cherry trees were in near full bloom on Saturday

The cherry blossoms, called sakura in Japanese, were in near full bloom. At the park, a number of people were out walking their dogs, photographing the trees, or just relaxing as the evening sun lit the delicate flowers.

The Kubiki/Umidani Mountains

The Kubiki/Umidani Mountains

Far in the south, the Kubiki/Umidani Mountains provide a perfect backdrop. These mountains, ranging  from about 1000 to 2500 meters (3300 – 8200ft) in height, form the Gongendake, Yakeyama, Umidani Gorge, and Amakazariyama Geosites.

Mt. Kurohime (right) and Mt. Myojo (left back)

Mt. Kurohimeyama (right) and Mt. Myojo (left back)

To the west across the river, Mt. Kurohimeyama (1221m) and Mt. Myojo (1188m) were nearly as beautiful as the flowers were. Mt. Kurohimeyama, the imposing mountain to the right, is located between the Maikomidaira and Omigawa Jade Gorge Geosites. Mt. Myojo, the distant, nearly all-white triangular peak to the left, is located in the center of the Kotakigawa Jade Gorge.

There is still time during this week to enjoy the cherry blossoms, but don’t delay: They may not last through the weekend.

-Ishikoro


Rainy Festival!

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Apr 112014
 

Good afternoon from the Itoigawa Global Geopark!

Yesterday was the Amatsu Shrine Grand Spring Festival, which is better known as the Itoigawa Kenka Matsuri. I wrote about this festival in my last post, so I won’t bore you with the particulars again, I’m just going to share some pictures from yesterday’s festival:

Shrine and Cherry Blossoms

The cherry blossoms were in near full bloom yesterday, providing a beautiful backdrop to the day’s festivities.

Unfortunately, just before the main event, it began to rain quite heavily, but that didn’t dishearten the teams of men carrying their shrines:

Omikoshi

And as the shrines came down to bear upon each other, it was easy to forget the cold rain in all the excitement:

Kenka Mikoshi

Kenka Mikoshi 2

A great big thank you is in order for the men of Oshiage and Teramachi districts, their perseverance made this year’s Itoigawa Kenka Matsuri possible!

-Ishikoro

 

 

 


Amatsu Shrine’s Kenka Matsuri

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Apr 032014
 

Good afternoon from the Itoigawa Global Geopark! It’s warm and calm here in Itoigawa. Now that it is finally spring, we can look forward to beautiful cherry blossoms and spring festivals.

In particular, next Thursday (April 10th) is Amatsu Shrine’s Grand Spring Festival, better known as the Kenka Matsuri, or Fighting Festival.

Kenka Mikoshi, or Fighting Shrines, at the Itoigawa Kenka Matsuri

Kenka Mikoshi, or Fighting Shrines, at the Itoigawa Kenka Matsuri

The Itoigawa Kenka Matsuri is an centuries old festival in which two teams from neighboring districts run circles around the shrine grounds while carrying large omikoshi, portable shrines carried on poles. They then ram these shrines together in a simulated fight. Traditionally, this festival was done to ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

Preparation is underway at the shrine for next week's festival

Preparation is underway at the shrine for next week’s festival

Today, work is underway to prepare the shrine grounds for the annual event. The grounds are cleaned and readied, and stands are built on the side to accommodate the crowds that will gather to witness the spectacle.

Amatsu Shrine and Sign

The festival will be held on April 10th. Be sure to arrive before 10 am to fully enjoy the festival before the fighting begins. Hope to see you there!

-Ishikoro


Spring is Finally Here!

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Apr 022014
 

Good afternoon from the Itoigawa Global Geopark!

Although the first day of spring was over a week ago, it’s taken a little while longer for it to really feel like spring here in Itoigawa.

Ume (Japanese apricot) flowers blossom in front of Itoigawa City Hall

Ume (Japanese apricot) flowers blossom in front of Itoigawa City Hall

An ume (Japanese apricot) tree in front of Itoigawa City Hall has started to blossom, with hundreds of delicate flowers scattered across its branches.

Unfortunately, the cherry trees are only now beginning to bud, so it may be a week or more before we see them.

Stay posted for more pictures of spring in the Itoigawa Global Geopark!

-Ishikoro


New Year, New Website

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Apr 012014
 

Good afternoon from the Itoigawa Global Geopark!

We’ve started a new business year at the Itoigawa Global Geopark and, as you may have noticed, we’ve completely redesigned the website to provide you with even more information about the Itoigawa Global Geopark!

The newly redesigned Itoigawa Global Geopark homepage offers significantly more content than before

The newly redesigned Itoigawa Global Geopark homepage offers significantly more content than before

Make sure to explore our new page to learn even more about what’s happening around the Itoigawa Global Geopark!

-Ishikoro