Sunday Kimono 16- Some no Komichi

Last Sunday I visited the Nakai neighbourhood for the Some no Komichi festival
which highlights the art of art dyeing and screen printing in the Nakai area of Shinjuku where traditionally kimono cloth was draped across the river to dry.  The 50-60m lengths of fabric draped over the river on a sunny Sunday were spectacular and I loved the kimonos these two ladies were wearing as they wandered the streets and stopped on the bridges to admire the colourful spectacle.

Snow photos

 It was beautiful!  So great being on the snow on a blue sky day.  Wonderful to be skiing past deciduous trees with white bark standing starkly in the middle of a ski run.

The neighbourhood - Sazasen

Sazae-san is a character in a Japanese manga series by   Machiko Hasegawa from the post war era.  While Astro Boy became famous in the west Sazaesan and her family remain unknown.  However they are celebrated in Sakurashinmachi, the neighbourhood where the author lived.  The characters greet you at the train station and on a mural at the main intersection and cartoon images decorate the power boxes in the street and other places.

Winter Break - Nozawa Onsen

Great views form the summit of Mt Kenashi at Nozawa Onsen ski resort. The Sea of Japan is in the far far distance.  There are plenty of trees on the mountain, but Mt Kenashi means Mt Hairless.

Tuesday Travel Tips 3

I like this one - hope I don't see a crocodile on the train.

Winter Break - Nozawa Onsen

Back from a four day winter break, where I took the opportunity to visit the Japanese Alps and ski at Nozawa Onsen.  Friday was a perfect blue sky day and the snow at the top of the mountain was beautiful, silky smooth powder to glide over.  A great day in a gorgeous location - the birthplace of skiing in Japan, 101 years ago.  This photo above is looking down over the lower middle third of the mountain, the village is under the mist/cloud and it another mountain range in the distance.

Below is a panaoroma from the other side of the mountain, taken on the amazing Skyline hometrail.

Sunday Kimono 15 - Waiting for the Train

After a Sunday of shopping these ladies in their kimonos are heading home on the train.