SPIRIT's Diary

I had forgotten that I reserved APA Hotel in Osaka in Oct for EXPO 2025. Immediately, I cancelled it, and changed Toyoko INN my father has recommended. At one time, I thought I give up to go to EXPO 2025. Because, this month too, I spent much money such as DomoAI, AI Video generating system over 30000 yen. But after it, I got over by some reasons. I decided to go to Osaka EXPO 2025 in October. Seeing is believing.     More thinking, I had forgotten I want to watch Italian Pavilion the best.     Anyway, I want to make Japan an oriented-tourism country. As the method for it, EXPO is not bad. It's not bad for me to go to EXPO 2025 and review it.  

In Osaka, there is The Sumo Hall Hirakuza Osaka, which is the venue promote fascination of Sumo. It's near of Hanshin Railway/Kintetsu Railway "Osaka-Namba Station". The homepage is “https://hirakuza.net/”     It's said it often holds sumo shows and sumo workshop experience. And it introduces history of Japanese sumo.     To introduce sumo-related places such as The Sumo Hall Hirakuza is also to inform sumo's fascination, isn't it?     On the way going to Osaka EXPO 2025, Should I go to The Sumo Hall Hirakuza? Because I want to know about sumo more, to introduce sumo's fascination.

In Edo period, Kanjin Sumo（日本語：勧進相撲）/promotional sumo was taking place in Eko-in Temple, for 5 minutes by walking from JR Ryogoku Sta. The origin of Eko-in Temple was that no-relation buddhism in Meireki Grand Flame was buried. But few people have known it. Eko-in Temple has been famous for Kanjn Sumo of spring and autumn and Nezumi Kozo Jirokichi's grave. After Tenpo Era, Sumo was decided to take place in Eko-in Temple for each 10 days of spring and autumn. So sumo wrestlers was said, "Ichinen wo hatsuka de kurasu ii otoko（日本語：1年を20日で暮らすいい男）/the good men who can make their living by only 20 days". As the taste of people in Edo period, when they wanted to watch sumo in Eko-in Shrine, it was said they intended to walk across Shin-Ohashi Bridge and walk alongside Sumida River and walk across Ryogoku Bridge . About 4 years ago, I walked the same way, but I was tired because of detouring. There are various graves for various life, including animals. Chikarazuka（日本語：力塚）, which...

In the third day to go to Hakkenden-related place, and in the day to return to Sendai, I went to Daimaru in Tokyo. And I went to Nihonbashi Isesada and ate the eal bowl. The eal had sufficient fat to be able to eat deliciously. And it was very soft. I could eat deliciously. The value in Tokyo is very expensive. And the value of this eal bowl was over 6,000 yen. But I've thought it has sufficient value to be paid. In the third day, under very hot climate, I went to Artizon Museum in Nihonbashi. But I've not remembered very well. Because hot climate was very strong. I should have taken pictures to exhibitions.

Under very hot place, for 20 minutes by taxi, I went to former Takita Castle. In this place, fighting starvation, Satomi clans was fighting the enemy. Yatsufusa, Satomi's magical dog, bat and killed enemy's commander and helped Satomi clan. But as the reward, Satomi clan had to give Princess Fuse to Yatsufusa as marridge. However, now, in this place, I couldn't look this story at all. There is a natural observatory place, but I couldn't go to it. The taxi driver also hasn't recognized. From there, for 10 minutes by taxi, there is Yatsufusa's statue. It's heroically. There is also Satomi clan's graves nearby it. I'm impressed, because Satomi Yoshizane, the lord of Hakkenshi/The Eight Dog Warriors, has being slept. Returning Tateyama, to dodge to become heat stroke, I stayed and took a nap in the hotel for 30 minutes. After it, by a taxi, for 10 minutes, I went to Tateyama Castle. Tateyama Castle was diligent and beautiful. In it, it introduced Hakkend...

This day was sunny and too hot despite forecasting cloudy and a bit rainy. For 10 minutes by a taxi from JR Iwai Station, I went to Fusehime Rouketsu （日本語：伏姫籠穴） /Fusehime Caves. Tateyama is rural, so it's inconvenient for me because I have to use a taxi to go to Satomi-related places.     Fusehime Rouketsu is the place that Fusehime, the spiritual mother of Hakkenshi/The Eight Dog Warriors, was staying with Yatsufusa, the big and mystery dog. When she was staying there, she became pregnant with Yatsufusa's children. In this point, someone said Hakkenden may be similar to Macbeth. Eventually, these children was Jingi-Hachigyo's （日本語：仁義八行） orbs. These orbs reached Hakkenshi soon. This Hakkenshi, eight justice samurai, destroyed evils   and revitalized Satomi Clan, Fusehime's family.     Fusehime Rouketsu is surrounded by deep forests, and silent and cooler than in JR Iwai Station. The Green color of Forests' leaves was mysterious. Wh...

In the first day of travel to Kyokutei Bakin and Hakkenden-related place, I walked around in Tokyo capital. Kyokutei Bakin lived in Fukagawa, the central of Edo. But his grave is in Zojo Temple, 5 minutes walking from Tokyo Metro Myougatani Sta. Bakin's son and wife passed away before Bakin died. Bakin's sorrow was incredible. In this point, some said Bakin is similar to Mark Twain. In Zojo Temple, it was too hot but silent. But Bakin's grave can't be sufficiently maintained. The flower was corrupted. Zojo Temple may be the symbol of Bakin, so it's NG. I was likely to hot stroke; I immediately returned and bought 500ml water. Should I have poured Bakin's grave the water? For 3 minutes walking from JR Shinanomachi Sta, there is Bakin's death place. But now, it has no trace left. Bakin passed away when he wrote "Kinseisetsu Bishounen Roku（近世説美少年録）" It's said that Kinseisetsu Bishounen Roku wasn't a moralistic novel, near to modern novels. Tsu...

It's long time no see! Yesterday, I returned from Tateyama, Satomi Hakkenden-related place. The day was hot to be likely to hot stroke. But Tateyama was rural. To go to both Tateyama Castle and Fusehime Rouketsu/Fusehime Caves, I had to use a taxi. Objects in Fusehime Rouketsu was also very interiorized. It's said nobody can maintain objects on account of lack of finance, isn't it? I want to make Tateyama to be fulfilled with foreigners who love Hakkenden. Otherwise, it's no meaning for me to go to Tateyama, even being chased by a hornet. In Tateyama, there is an escaping game of Hakkenden. But it's not still famous in entire Japan. Tateyama local government should feature Hakkenden to foreigners more, by using English. I'll introduce Hakkenden and Kyokutei Bakin-related place another time with photos.

Walking from Nagamachi-Minami Station in Sendai Namboku Line for 20 minutes, there is one lunch buffet restaurant, named Nanaya. On Apr.29, I went to Nanaya with my father's introducing. But it was inconvenient because we have to pay with only cash.     We could eat macaroni salad, sweet potatoes, curry spaghetti and so on. Macaroni salad and curry spaghetti were exquisite with adding spice, and sweet potato was very sweet and delicious. But macaroni was a bit stiff.     And my main dish was nanban chicken (the fried chicken with vinegar and tartar sauce). The vinegar was a little sour, but biting feeling of nanban chicken was moderately soft. I enjoyed both sourness of vinegar and biting feelings of nanban chicken.     Unfortunately, this place is inaccessible because we have to walk from Nagamachi-Minami Station for about 20 minutes. Are there any bus stops nearby?

Walking from JR Sendai Station for 5 minutes, there is one artificial hot spring, named Topos. This hot spring is for only males and people with tattoo can't enter it. Yesterday, when returning from Tohoku Historical Museum, I went to Topos. The open-air bath in this place is radium hot springs. It makes our own body and recover from tiredness. Outside, moderate wind blew, and I took this bath and became relaxed. In this place, body scrubs put in the bathroom, so I don't need my own body scrub. So, it's useful. There is one sauna with 70℃. It's too hot, and I escaped from it promptly. After taking hot springs, I stayed in the lobby and watched Rakuten Eagles' game. Snacks were very delicious. There are own indoor clothes in this place. This cloth made me relaxed. I stayed for 1.5 hours. The value was reasonable 800 yens, using the discount.

Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku is renovating for long time now. So, exhibits in Edo Tokyo Museum can be seen in Tohoku Historical Museum. Yesterday, I went to Tohoku Historical Museum to see it.(https://www.thm.pref.miyagi.jp/exhibition/10988/) Impression of exhibits was moderate. Inconvenient points to foreigners were, ・From JR Sendai Station, they have to go to JR Kokufu Tagajo Station about 30 minutes. ・The exhibits were almost introduced with only Japanese. ・We can't re-enter it. But I was impressed to Japanese Edo culture, such as Meireki Grand Flame, Kanjin Sumo and so on. It was said, "Kaji(Flame) and kenka(quarreling) is Edo''s banner." Actually, kenka in Edo periods was almost only bicker. It was said, that people in Edo period pointed out opposite's weak point each other very fluently in bicker. The origin of Honjo Ekoin in Ryogoku is that unrelated buddha were buried in Meireki Grand Flame, But Ekoin had become the venue of Kanjin Sumo and the grave of...

I went to ophthalmology, incidentally, I went to my favorite ramen shop, named "Ramen Billy". This ramen shop is diagonally from Don Qui Houte Sendaieki Nishiguchi Honten. I could eat it since long time. This principal point of this ramen is fatty meat of char siu. Fatty meat was very soft and like melting. Moreover, the noodle of Billy Ramen is very stiff. I could experience the impressive accent. I want this shop to make more foreigners come. Because this ramen is very delicious.

My father recommended me to introduce Zuihoden Shrine (The Grave of Date Masamune) in Sendai more than Hakkenden. I'm a bit troubled. I've thought, that Zuihoden has been already famous in the world and many foreigners have come to it. But my father said that a few foreigners was coming to Zuihoden when he visited the place nearby. When I confirmed the homepage of Zuihoden, there is English sites. But why didn't many foreigners come to it? Because we can use the bus to come it, Zuihoden is accessible. Zuihoden is decorated with gorgeous golds, but doesn't it fascinate many foreigners? Anyway, I have to also study about Zuihoden again.

Yesterday was initially cloudy, but became increasingly sunny. So, as scheduled, I went to Funaoka Castle Park for cherry blossoms viewing. It's about 40 minutes from JR Sendai Station to JR Funaoka Station. In the train, many foreigners such as French was riding, but in Funaoka Castle Park, foreigners were rare. I think why foreigners don't come to Funaoka Castle Park despite beautiful cherry blossoms in that place. I walked the tough hills to Sannomaru Park of Funaoka Castle Park. But I arrived it, there were many cherry blossoms and imitation booths. Despite stopping drinking liquor, I bought Kasumi, the Japanese sake, and drunk it. I should have watched cherry blossoms carefully, and record it in this blog successfully. So I shouldn't have drunk sake. And, I bought Gyutan from an imitation booth and ate. The Feeling of biting was very crispy, and salt and pepper was good. There is a cable car to go to the top, but yesterday was out of service. I wanted to go to the top ...

In Ayashi, the west of Miyagi, there is one hot- spring venue called "Soyogi No Mori/Forest of Breeze". I went to Soyogi No Mori.     In lobby, it puts the goods of "Love Live Superstar". This tying up is very quaint, introducing "Cool Japan". Unfortunately, I didn't buy them.     There is a restaurant in Soyogi No Mori. I ate katsudon and fried gyouza in this place.     The taste of sauce of katsudon and rice mixed very well, and the fried gyouza was very crispy. I could see the view of Ayashi's town from this restaurant.     I love saunas. In Soyogi No Mori, there are two saunas. One is inside of indoors hot springs, called "Bon-Sauna". This was too hot, about 70℃, so I couldn't stay very long. The other is outside in open-air bath, called "Zen Sauna". In Zen Sauna, we can listen the relaxing music, so we can become calm down and stay longer. But this sauna is very hot too. I...