Otawara, the town I live in is a rural community in Tochigi prefecture. Around 80,000 people live in the area, its a spread out community with many farms and local growers. About 50% of the area would be rice fields and there is some industry here, in fact the reason I live here is that my… Read More Otawara Street sculpture
For a country that doesn’t celebrate Christmas, Japan has a total love affair with Christmas illuminations. Even where I live in rural Tochigi prefecture, there are illuminations everywhere. Near me is a concert hall called Harmony hall, every year they deck the outside in lights or a musical & Christmas nature. Its part of a local… Read More Xmas lights in downtown Otawara
This local Buddhist festival is held at a nearby shrine in October. Complete with fire walkers. Actually a large number of the people watching also walked the fire.. maybe next year 🙂 On my (translated) maps it is called either Henshoin or Naritasan and I have no idea which is correct, maybe both. The Kanji… Read More Fire festival In Otawara
April 18th and 19th 2015 saw the annual Yatai Matsuri, a local weekend of music, food and fun in downtown Otawara, Tochigi prefecture. The Yatai festival is an annual spring festival in the calendar. Yatai are traditionally smallish, mobile food stalls in Japan typically selling ramen or other food. The name literally means “shop stand.” The Yatai at… Read More Yatai Festival 2015
Autumn in Japan is spectacular these are just a few photos from last weekend in Otawara & the Nasu Highland area.
Yoichi Matsuri is a local Otawara held in early August each year in Otawara City. The festival is in honor of our local hero Yasu no Yoichi whose bravery and marksmanship was a key event in the battle for control of Japan in the Genpei war (1180-1185). The story goes that in the battle between… Read More Yoichi Matsuri 2014
Visitors here are often surprised about what there is to do here in Otawara.. Its not so well known as many other regions in Japan and maybe you need a car to see many of the hidden gems.. I’ve been here 2 1/2 years and I’m still finding interesting and fun things in the… Read More 24 hours in Otawara, Tochigi Prefecture
April in Otawara means the Yatai festival or Yatai Matsuri.. Yatai Matsuri in Otawara is a loud, fun, musical(ish) 2 day event based around the Kanodoro in downtown Otawara… It is a local festival involving wooden floats called Yatai, which are traditionally small, mobile food stalls in Japan typically selling ramen or other food. The name… Read More Yatai Matsuri April 2014
Just Life in Japan 