Sat., March 12 – Sun., March 13, 2011
* From and to Kansai
One-night stay with four meals.

Meet at Itami Airport in Osaka and/or JR Shin-Kobe station (transfer to the airport via courtesy bus)
Whirling waves of Naruto tour.
Seafood of Naruto Strait.
Viewing ningyo joruri

Dinner at “Ihawa”, a Japanese restaurant.
“Konjyaku-monogatari-gumi” a group of Awaodori dancers will perform in the parlor of the restaurant.

“Ryozenji temple” the first site – “Gokurakuji temple” the second site – “Konsenji temple”, the third site pilgrimage tour on foot (about 5 km)

Lunch at a Japanese restaurant in Tokushima city.

Tour participation fee (per person): 48,000 yen
Only dinner　meal with Awaodori dancer(March 12th）JPY 28,000-

Additional charge for single use of a room: 3,000 yen

Note: The tour will only operate with over 15 people .

・ One-night hotel stay in a standard-twin room.
・ Meals (One Breakfast at the hotel), (Two lunches at Japanese restaurants), (One dinner in the parlor of a Japanese restaurant with a group of Awaodori dancers, about 1 hour)
・ There will be no tour conductor present.

Co-organizer: Zenkoku Ryoriryotei Kumiai（National Association of Cuisines and Traditional Japanese restaurants）, Tokushima Ryoriseikatsu Eiseidougyou Kumiai (Niigata Traditional Japanese Cuisine Restaurants Association), Tokushima Ryorigyo Kumiai Rengokai (Tokushima Food Business Association), Ifys Co., Ltd., Adventure Japan Inc.

Tour Leaflet PDF >>

All-time story of Men and women…
Let’s go to “Bugraku (Japanese traditional puppet play)”!

“Bugrake” is a traditional Japanese performing art with more than 300 years of tradition and it　has also been designated as a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO…
You may think the performance will be difficult to understand and may be too high (both in formality and price) to enjoy?
Well, you would better to watch it once.
It is amazing entertainment that brushes off your worries in an instant burst.
Listen to the emotional and unique narration of Tayu (the narrator) and the playful tunes of the Shamisen (a three-stringed musical instrument) that sounds powerful and gentle depending on the narration.
Enjoy watching the breathtaking feminine charms of a female puppet that is manipulated by puppeteers.
Puppets are alchemized! disappear! And they also fly away!?
It is pretty, graceful, delicate, gorgeous, dynamic and funny.
All of these adjectives and more describe the performance…

Let’s go to “Bunraku”!

Bunraku performances consist of three operating roles these are Tayu, the narrator, Shamisen, and the puppeteers. As for puppeteers, three people operate one puppet; one puppeteer manipulates the puppet’s head and right hand, one the left hand, and one the feet. From the day that a program is decided to the actual performance, backstage is very busy.

When a script and casts are set, Kashira (The heads) are assigned. Each Kashira will be operated by a chief puppeteer. At the “Kashira-beya (room for the heads), kashira-garari (staff in charge of the heads) repair, repaint the heads and put make up on every head. A full-scale repair treatment that takes all the aleurone off the heads, puts wood patches in them, and repaint the heads as well as new heads. This is repeated every 20 years, so there are some dolls that are 100-years old! Kanjuro Kiritake who finds the head that he will operate in the next performance. It is impressive that he carefully and thoroughly watches the head from right to left, from top to bottom, from side with angle and vis-à-vis. Then Kazura (the Wigs) and Tokoyama (hair stylists) create wigs and put the hair up, including putting in hair accessories. Copper and aluminium are used for the base of the wig, then, plaited hair is sewn onto the base. It seems that every hair style and hair accessory reflects the interpretation and style to suit the age of the doll.

The costume room is crammed with a lot of piled-up costumes. There are only two differences in the costumes for the dolls compared to human’s costumes. They have openings in the back so that the puppeteer can insert his hands, and they are also smaller than life-size costumes. Isho-gakari (costumer) creates the costumes right from the dyeing to the sewing; every stitch is made by hand. Up to 70-80 dolls appear on stage in one performance. Isho-gakari makes some alterations to the costumes such as putting some cotton into the costume for more volume. They also prepare a serious of vanity items such as Obi (sash) and Obijime (obi band).

From the scenery to the art of the costume, they devote a great deal of time and care to the performance. Everything involves special art and technique!

Osaka / National Bunraku Theater

• 1-12-10, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
• Tel.: 06-6212-2531
• Total number of seats: 753
• http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/english/index.html (English)
• http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp (Japanese)

Photo by Yuji Tozawa

While it has been reducing, Shiogama, Miyagi pref. still has the largest volume of raw tuna caught each season. In Shiogawa fishing harbor, there is Naka-oroshi Ichiba”, the market that is popular among local people. As well as attracting people’s attention as a tourist spot. In its 1,500-tsubo (about 5000 square meter) wide site, many fish such as tuna, bonito, Urato Islands-farmed oysters, flounder, shrimp, and crab are offered. They are caught in the surrounding sea and are on sale along with many processed sea foods. You can listen to the haggling between the shopkeepers and customers and experience a lot of high spirits here.
Mr. Matsuoka from the shop of the same name, cuts a 60kg-weight gigantic tuna by using several kitchen knives of different lengths and his own entire body strength. He has been doing this work for 30-years.
”Anyone can cut this tuna within 10 days. But the difficult part is how to identify the quality of tuna. You should judge the quality of tuna by only watching its tail, so you need to keep on studying, even after several years on this job.”

• address 1-20-74, Niihama-cho, Shiogama city
  (10 min. walk from Higashi Shiogama Station of JR Sengoku line)
• Tel; 022-362-5518
• Open hour: 3:00 – 13:00 (Saturday – 14:00, Sunday and holidays: 6:00 – 14:00)
• Closed at the bon holiday and new year
  ＊Open hours and closed day are subject to change. Need to check.
• http://www.nakaoroshi.or.jp/

In Japan’s top Sushi town Fully enjoy sushi made with tuna
“Sushiya no Yamataka (Yamataka of Sushi Shop)”

It is said that Shiogama is a town that has the largest number of sushi shops per 1㎢. Around Honshiogama station, which is near to Shiogama fishing harbor, there are many sushi shops dotted around that offer unique dishes using fresh local fish including tuna . “Sushiya no Yamataka” is located in Marine Gate Shiogama, they offer a hearty “Kaisen Don (rice bowl with various raw fish) at 1,050 yen an ”Ultimate Maguro Don (rice bowl with raw tuna)” which is full of Otoro (fattest tuna meat), Chutoro (medium-fatty tuna) and Akami (lean meat) at 2,625 yen, and “Maguro Zanmai” nigiri sushi made from raw tuna fish at 2,625 yen. The shop also offers tasty a la carte tuna dishes such as Kaubi-yaki, Yukke, Ganniku Namero. It is also fun to watch spanking sushi a performance done by the shop owner.

• address Marin Gate 2F, 1-4-1, Minato-machi, Shiogama City
  (10 min. walk from Higashi Shiogama Station of JR Sengoku line)
• Tel; 022-367-9343
• Open hour 11:00 – 21:00 Open everyday

Shrines that Protect salt production, fishery and agricultural industries
“Shiogama shrine, Shiwahiko shrine”

The Shiogama shrine is proud of its 1200-year history and its main shrine and front shrine are recognised as a nationally important cultural property. It enshrines three pillars of huge gods, and among them, Shiotsuchi-ojino-kami is believed to be the god who taught people how to make salt. Many people from all over Japan visit the shrine praying for fortune of war, large catches of fish, safety at sea, prolongation of life, traffic safety and easy ,safe deliver of babies.
The adjoined Shiwahiko Shrine is believed to be the god for the nation’s development, higher productivity and industry promotion, also agriculture.
In the shrines grounds, about 500 kinds of plants including Shiogama Sakura (Shiogama cherry tree) are growing there, they change their colors every season. And are in full bloom every year in early May.

1-1, Ichi Moriyama, Shiogama City
(15 min. walk from Hon Shiogama Station of JR Sengoku Line)
Tel; 022-367-1611

http://www.shiogamajinja.jp