Issue 9, September/October 2007 Is a Publication of the Aichi Prefectural Government San Francisco Office What’s Up Aichi －Timely Tourist Information On Aichi Prefecture And The Surrounding Central Japan Region－

Nagoya Neighborhood Navigator: the 18th and 28th of every month, the Regional specialties, such as ceramics, Osu District temple fair is the sight of a 60-stall and traditional snacks, such as the local antique flea market, where you can favorite, uiro, a subtly sweet steamed rice From the top of Midland Square Tower, haggle over all manner of curio. In addition cake, are also on sale here. You can also Nagoya can look like a sprawling, to Osu Kannon, a number of smaller have a personalized stamp made with anonymous mess of random buildings and shrines and temples dot the neighborhood, your name carved in Japanese characters. aimless thoroughfares. Even at street level, many of which have English signs And don’t forget to drop by one of the it can be easy for travelers, set spinning by describing their long history. many trendy clothing stores to pick up the rushed pedestrians and overwhelmed by latest in Japanese fashion or a t-shirt with signs written in unfamiliar characters, to On the east side of the temple, you’ll find an amusingly bemusing English slogan. get more than a little disoriented in one of Muneharu karakuri, one of the district’s Japan’s largest cities. But Nagoya is several hand-carved mechanical dolls that Whether it’s the historic sites, the unique actually made up of many distinct come to life periodically throughout the day arts, or the shopping, the Osu district is neighborhoods that enable visitors to to depict literary scenes and historical sure to have something to offer every experience the metropolis in bite-sized figures. You can catch all four karakuri traveler, so be sure to include the portions and get a feel for its unique performances if your timing is right. Watch neighborhood in the agenda for your next character. the stately Lord Tokugawa Muneharu ride trip to Nagoya. his bull at the top of the hour every two hours from eleven o’clock to five o’clock A Hike Through History on the and then make your way to the Nobunaga Magome and Tsumago Nakasendo and Hakusetu Inari karakuri, which perform at alternating hours from ten to Early fall is an ideal time to escape the city seven o’clock on the east side of the and make a trip to the mountains to enjoy shopping arcade. A short walk to the north Japan’s turning seasons. The brisk brings you to the Saneiketsu karakuri, mountain air is especially invigorating after across from Parco department store, from the hot summer, and the earthy scent of which the region’s three proud samurai freshly fallen autumn leaves is unbeatable heroes emerge to delight crowds with their aroma therapy. colorful garb and gallant poses at noon, three, six and eight o’clock. A quick train ride from Nagoya takes you Osu performers take their art to new heights to Aichi’s more rural neighboring The karakuri are not the only entertainers prefectures of Nagano and Gifu, where One such neighborhood is the Osu in the Osu district; an eclectic mix of street you’ll encounter the ancient post towns of district, where perhaps more than performers converges at Fureai Plaza on Magome and Tsumago, two true jewels of anywhere else in the city visitors can the corner of Higashi Niomon Dori and central Japan. witness a fascinating blend of the Shintenchi Dori every Sunday. You’ll know traditional and contemporary Nagoya. you’re in the right place when you see the Slightly secluded from the tourist hotels district’s official greeter, the mechanical and major transportation hubs, the Osu Maneki Neko, a giant white cat who district is often overlooked by transitory waves his paw to welcome guests every visitors to the city, but the colorful day at noon, three and six o’clock. And on neighborhood shouldn’t be missed by October 19th the neighborhood hosts the anyone with an interest in history, the arts, 30th Annual Street Performance Festival and Japan’s three major religions: featuring off-kilter spins on traditional Buddhism, Shinto and shopping. performing arts and other acts that you’ll A classic depiction of the Magome Nakasendo have to see to believe. Take the Tsurumai subway line to Osu Magome and Tsumago are the best Kannon station, come out of exit 2, and The main draw for many visitors to Osu is preserved of the 69 ancient post towns on follow the fragrance of incense to Osu the shopping, and tourists in search of the the Nakasendo highway, which was a trail Kannon temple, the district’s most perfect souvenir would do well to visit the that linked Kyoto and Edo, or present-day famous site. The bright red Shinto temple hundreds of independently owned shops Tokyo. While its roots go back over a dates back nearly 700 years and was that line the neighborhood’s streets. thousand years, the Nakasendo enjoyed moved from its original location in Second-hand garment stores are the prominence during the Edo era when local present-day Gifu prefecture to Nagoya in ideal place to pick up a kimono or other lords and their entourages traveled it on 1612 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who sought to traditional clothing items and still have official visits to the shogun’s seat of power. protect his newly built Nagoya Castle. On enough money for your plane ticket home. The post towns flourished as places of respite and refill for the tired bands of hearth that might have been used to cook Autumn Hachiman Festival draws travelers. for hungry travelers during the trail’s hundreds of thousands of visitors from all heyday. Climb the short stairway to over the country. Thanks to rigorous preservation efforts, Kumano Shrine, about a quarter of the today’s travelers can get a glimpse into way through your hike, and feel the history Eleven elaborately decorated, centuries Edo period Japan in both of these towns, of the trail while surrounded by its old floats (yatai) are displayed from and their proximity to one another makes it 500-year-old trees. The tea house ruins, morning to late afternoon before being possible to see them in the same day on about halfway through the five-mile trail, pulled through the streets during the either side of a hike through history. The are a perfect place to stop and eat those yomatsuri, or evening festival, the highlight short, manageable walk along the passage snacks that you bought back in town, or of the event. The ornate floats are made that links these two age-old towns enables save your appetite and savor them along even more majestic by the soft light of you to retrace the steps of travelers from with the soothing sounds of the Odaki and hundreds of lanterns. The yomatsuri takes centuries past and still have enough Medaki waterfalls just before you enter place on the first evening of the festival. energy to enjoy the charm of the towns Tsumago. themselves. As you wrap up your hike, take your time Begin your hike in either of the wandering down the main street of towns—they are just a few minutes apart Tsumago, the more meticulously by train on the Shinano express on the JR preserved of the towns. Inns of historical Chuo line from Nagoya (roughly 45 significance, such as Tsumago Honjin minutes). Travelers who wish to follow the and Waki Honjin, have been converted highway’s ancient route from Kyoto to into museums that allow visitors to see Tokyo should detrain at Nakatsugawa how traveling lords would have spent their station and take the half-hour bus ride to nights during the Edo period. The Magome. 500-year-old Kotoku Temple, just off the main path, is a perfect setting for quiet Stroll along the stone roads in downtown contemplation, and the Tsumago Castle Magome and duck into a cozy noodle shop Ruins, the site of a major battle in 1584, to fill up on Magome’s famous soba are the best vantage point from which to noodles and buy some of its other proud admire the town and reflect on your trek traditional snacks for the road. The gohei just before catching the bus back to mochi (grilled rice cakes smothered in Nagiso station for the train to Nagoya. Floats brighten the autumn streets of Takayama sweet miso sauce) and kurikinton (a savory chestnut and sweet potato dessert) Upcoming Festivals Limited express trains depart Nagoya are perfect autumn treats for your mid-hike station and wind their way through the break. Seto Pottery Festival picturesque Gifu mountainside on the JR th th Seto City, September 8 and 9 Tokai Takayama line. The trip to Takayama takes just over two hours with 10 One of Japan’s premier pottery towns departures daily. invites visitors to celebrate its proud tradition. Wander through the streets Unrefined Sake Festival observing artists at work and bargaining Okazaki City, October 15 for one-of-a-kind souvenirs in a town where life has revolved around ceramics Visit Kumano Shrine to get a taste of the for over a thousand years. unrefined doburoku sake brewed by local

Today’s Nakasendo path through Magome families and shared generously with Seto can be reached in 40 minutes from visitors to the festival. Nagoya station. Once you are ready to start your hike, you’ll have no trouble finding the entry to Takayama Autumn Festival the Nakasendo—there is plenty of signage. October 9th and 10th If your timing is right, you’ll see local farmers harvesting their rice in the outlying Takayama, in the mountainous Hida region Aichi Prefectural Government fields before you lose sight of the town and of Aichi’s neighboring Gifu prefecture, is San Francisco Office enter the trail. one of Japan’s best preserved towns. c/o JETRO San Francisco 235 Pine Street Suite 1700 The first leg of your hike is just hilly The Takayama Festival, which takes San Francisco CA 94104 enough to break a light sweat before you place in both spring and fall, is considered Phone: 415-392-1333 ex 252 enter the cooler cover of cedars. Mother one of the three most beautiful festivals in ¥ Fax: 415-788-6927 Nature provides plenty of scenery, but the country. Held in Old Town Takayama, Email: [email protected] along the way be on the lookout for other where narrow streets are lined with quaint Akihiro Oyaizu, Douglas Shelton sites of interest. Stop at the rustic water shops in which the townspeople proudly wheel house and take a peek at an old create traditional crafts and foods, the