Matsumoto - my town (Blog)
Matsumoto Girl at the Olympics
I have been just watching the finals of the Olympic Ladies Figure Ice skating. Congratulations to Kim Yuna from Korea who is clearly an exceptional skater and to Mao Asada up against such an exceptional opponent….But It is also great to see that half of the top 8 places were Japanese if you include #4 Mirai Nagasu a girl whose mother comes from right here in Matsumoto.
Mirai if you’re out there…Come and vist your mother country and your mother’s hometown again sometime soon. And best wishes to your Mom healthwise at the moment.
Skiing at Nozawa Onsen, Hakuba and Norikura
We have had much snow in ski resorts in and around Matsumoto this season.
I went skiing in Nozawa Onsen on Feb 7 and Hakuba Happo-one on Feb 11.
Nozawa Onsen is located in Japan’s deepest snow area. In the ski resort, the snow was 3.3 meters deep (in 2006, it was 5.2 meters deep!).
Feb 7 was just after heavy snow, so we enjoyed new deep powder snow
Hakuba is getting popular among foreigners, especially Australians. We visited a hotel whose owner is also an Australian. We were little surprised that even McDonald’s exists at the top of the gondola. Hakuba Happo-one, where the Downhill and Super G courses of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics exist, is two hours far from Matsumoto downtown.
In Norikura Snow Resort, which is only one hour far from Matsumoto downtown and also popular for great power snow by high altitude (1500-2000m), an event “Children Day” was held today. Under the beautiful blue sky and white peak of Mt. Norikura (3025m) of Japan Alps, many children and parents enjoyed some events including snowmobiling.
Funny drunk
In life you get to witness few memorable events. Like Del Boy falling through the bar in Only Fools & Horses?
I was on my way home in the car after a long day. Unusually, I took a short cut down sleazy street (Urumachi), loathing the pimps and prostitutes that blight the neighbourhood. I spotted one lady of the night trying to proposition a falling down drunk. Not one of our city’s best-policed areas, sadly.
Our drunk obviously escaped Venus’ clutches. A hundred yards up the street
our paths re-crossed, and timber…he fell head first into our local spring like he’d been attacked by a crocodile! The spring is barely a foot deep, but somehow our hero managed to dunk himself from head to toe, before falling out again, head first.
This was a comedy move Billy Connolly couldn’t have worked. Just wanted to share (and yes, the staggering drunk did toddle away ’safely’ - dripping). Funniest thing I have seen for ages. And sorry, no video.
Carrying a portable shrine in “Candy Festival”
In the coldest season, Matsumoto has a hot festival – Ameichi, which means “Candy Market” Festival.
The festival started 430 years ago, during the Warring States Period when samurai warriors had fights!
Now, the main streets in Matsumoto are closed to car traffic and more than one hundred thousand visitors walk and enjoy the festival.
This year, Jan 10, I carried a portable shrine (mikoshi) for the first time. The shrine didn`t look heavy, but it was very heavy. Although 16 people carry one shrine, I had pains in my shoulder.
After carrying it, we had delicious sake and soba.
There are also many other events in the festival – taiko performance (see the right photo), traditional costume parade, Japanese candy exhibition, tug-of-wars, and darumas (fortune dolls) sold by only kids.
It is a fun event that celebrates the start of a new year.
Samurai
There’s a really interesting and factual discussion on the background and changing story of the ‘Samurai’, which doesn’t often fit with the image we have nowadays. People often ask about the castle in Matsumoto (and how come it’s still there!). Understanding what the Samurai were and how they ‘fit in’ to Japan’s overall history goes a little way to getting the bigger picture.
The programme was broadcast on Dec. 24th on the “In Our Time” show, BBC Radio 4. You’ll find a link here http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/inourtime/inourtime_20091224.shtml which you can listen to online or download, but as time passes you may have to look in the archive under ‘history’. You will also find the podcast on iTunes.
One aspect the programme touches on is the importance of local lords making a procession to/from Edo. Just south of here is one of the key toll/postal roads, “Nakasendo” and the fascinating villages that dot its course. My own favourite is Naraijuku. Worth a visit any time of year.
Happy listening, and a Happy New Year!
Great Snow Came to Ski Resorts!
Global warming is even affecting Matsumoto. People working in ski resorts were sighing over little snow until mid-December and some ski areas’ openings were postponed.
But! Since Dec 16th, the temperature dropped to around -10 centigrade and great snow came.
In Hakuba, 74cm of snow fell in downtown. More than 1 meter of natural powder snow fell in mountain areas.
Norikura Highland Hot Spring Ski Resort in Matsumoto fully opened on December 19th.
See our Winter Activities page and enjoy great snow!
Yamaga go up
Matsumoto’s ambitious little football club, Matsumoto Yamaga (aka “Gans") had a stand out season 2009. Besides being the first non-league club to kill a giant in The Emperor’s Cup, they found their circuitous way into the league proper via a series of post-season round robins & plays - explained in admirable simplicity and detail right here - http://welcome.city.matsumoto
.nagano.jp/modules/contents08/index.php?id=18
Please do post your comments to Tim Morley’s excellent review of 2009/preview 2010 as we want to encourage this freelance correspondent to share his thoughts as the new season develops. Trust me, the fame will not be going to his head - he will still only travel on local trains!
Well done Yamaga, thank you Tim, and all the best for 2010.
Jim
Christmas Carols Evening with Santa
For those wanting to soak up or let out a little of the Christmas spirit on Christmas Day (25th December) come along to Agatanomori Park and enjoy Singing Carols listening to the Matsumoto Grace Choir and a few other items from the Community.
Carols will be sung in Japanese English Portuguese Korean and one in French.
For Kids Come early at 5 pm and you can take part in some fun activities and games and decorate a large Christmas tree in time for Santa who will come at 6pm to relax after another hard Christmas’s work.
Then join with everybody for the main event.
Try Christmas treats from around the world. Panatone from Italy and Brazil, Roast Chicken from Australia and New Zealand, a Gingerbread house from America and many other things.
Anybody with a little Christmas spirit to let out in a song or such contact us so we can schedule you in.
All kids will go home with a small gift from Santa and can also get a photo with him in his sleigh.
Entry is free
But a donation box will be available for those who’d like to support this event put on by local volunteers.
For more information or enquiries; e-mail matsumotochristmas@gmail.com or call 090 4159 1979
Shamisen Concert
Do you know the shamisen? It is a traditional Japanese musical instrument used from the 16th century. Its origin is the sanshin, which uses snake skin, of Ryukyu (current Okinawa) islands.
Tsugaru shamisen is one of playing styles which incorporates a lot of improvisation and flashy fingerwork, similar to bluegrass banjo.
On December 23rd, the “Tsugaru Shamisen Xmas Love Concert” will be held at Classic-Kan, along Nakamachi Street. Classic-Kan is a pun of kura, which is a traditional Japanese building. You can enjoy hot shamisen music by a young shamisen player Yamaguchi Hiroshi in this kura.
Time: 14:30-, 18:30-
Price: 3,000 (Advance sale: 2,500)
Contact: Kikuoka Matsuno Shamisen Shop in Nakamachi 34-4433
In Nakamachi, there is also a small concert hall called Shamisen Geiyukan where you can listen to live shamisen music and hauta songs every Sunday and national holiday. Hauta is a kind of pop music sung by geisha since the edo period. Shamisen Geiyukan is featured in Michelin Green Guide Japan this year!
Harquebuses Shooting Event
On October 25th, a harquebuses shooting event was held at Matsumoto Castle.
Harquebus collectors wearing 16-17th century samurai style dress carried their harquebuses and were shooting in the garden of the castle. The sound of harquebuses was very loud and powerful.
They were cool to watch, but I imagined how those arms had killed numerous people during the Middle Ages. I hope these kind of arms will not be used in real life any more.
Harquebuses shooting events are held in May and October annually at Matsumoto Castle.
“International Cafe” event
I participated in an event called “International Cafe” with my friend. The organizers are Christians, but their purpose of the activity isn’t missionary work. Because personal relationships and connections are important to them, they open the cafe temporarily and invite people to the cafe. They believe that meaningful contact between people, Japanese and foreign, is valuable. For instance, they say that our bodies are vehicles, like cars, and that our real inner person is like the driver of the car. Even though you have a car crash and your car has broken, you may be OK, and your spirit is still alive. In other words, the real you inside is more important than the outer body.
They are pretty friendly and most of them speak English and Japanese fluently. Unfortunately, when I visited them, not so many visitors came. I brought a new friend there and she was interested in the event. This is a good thing. I hope I can see many people and communicate with them next time.
Climbing a Volcano from Kamikochi
I climbed Mt. Yakedake on September 21st. Mt. Yakedake is an active volcano that you can see above Taisho-ike pond in Kamikochi. It took 4 hours to climb to the peak from Kamikochi, and 2.5 hours to go down to Nakanoyu Hot Springs. From Nakanoyu I caught a bus. From the peak, it takes about 3 hours if you return back to Kamikochi.
Mt. Yakedake is a popular mountain because it’s an active volcano in the Japan Alps, and it’s just a day-hike from Kamikochi. From the top of the mountain the view of the Japan Alps is fantastic. I saw vapor coming out around the peak and felt that the earth is really alive.
Photos: View of Hotaka Mountains and Kamikochi from the top of Yakadake / Morning at Kamikochi
BANFF Mountain Film Festival World Tour Coming to Matsumoto
BANFF Mountain Film Festival (BANFF MMF) World Tour came to Norikura Plateau, Nagano last Saturday, September 12th. I went there as a volunteer staff member.
You might not know what BANFF MMF is. It is the world-renowned outdoor short film contest held in Banff, Canada. After Banff, the world tour starts and about 200,000 people watch the films about mountain, nature, adventure, and environment in the world.
Unfortunately, heavy rain poured at Norikura on that day, so the screening was held inside (last year, it was held outdoors, under beautiful stars and Milky Way!). However, more than 200 people gathered at Norikura Tourist Center.
The films were cool, exciting, and interesting.
In Japan, outdoor sports are now gaining popularity among young people, so, most of the audience were hip young outdoor lovers.
In some scenes, like when a rock climber succeeded in climbing a really difficult rock wall after many failed attempts, the audience clapped together. I enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the films.
BANFF MMF will be held also in downtown Matsumoto (Nagano-ken Matsumoto Bunka Kaikan) on October 11th.
The tour will visit major cities in Japan. Because Matsumoto is a mecca for outdoor sports in Japan, it comes to Matsumoto twice this year.
The Intersection of Paintings and Photographs
The exhibition of “The Intersection of Paintings and Photographs” at Matsumoto City Museum of Art is stunning. I think this exhibition shows how artistic viewpoints are changed by the progress of photography. Firstly, photography introduces a new way of seeing nature for many artists. Because the photos of nature reflect in the paintings of some artists, they stay at forests to capture nature and a life style of a country side in their art. The introduction of photography was effected on the creation of Impressionist art. Then, photography starts to use modeling as a new tool for art. Modeling creates many materials for artists. For example, an artist is able to see Mary Magdalene as a real woman by having a model. Even a classical motif can be displayed as modern art through photography. This exhibition shows how photography has been influenced in today’s art.
This exhibition is until Sept 27, Sunday.
Street theatre - mulitple sightings
If you went for a walk around town last Sunday, you’d have been excused a few double takes! Not an ordinary Sunday by any stretch of the imagination.
Seventeen different acts took part in “Daidogei”. No idea what it means, but the result was superb. At nominated locations throughout the afternoon, street performers of all shapes, sizes and styles did their thing. It was difficult to catch all that was going on due to the diversity & eye-catching nature of the performances – you really didn’t want to leave one before it finished..so you missed the start of another one or got stuck at the back of the crowd. Nevermind, all part of the experience, bumping into friends in the process.
Never mind; half-hour stints meant acts moved around and you could catch them somewhere else. Casually walking around, you were likely to bump into something quite extraordinary.
The Pterodactyl lookalike “Nani-sole” was my favourite: cameo moment was this weird thing leaning down to peck an old guy on the shoulder, as he waited for the lights to change. Poor soul leapt out of his skin!
The Chinese acrobats were a big draw – some incredible strength & agility. At one point the lad was in a crab position with the acrobat doing a handstand on his hands…amazingly he lifted her from there in balance to standing.
Members of “Le Circque des Gueux”, appearing at the Performing Arts Centre all week, showed snippets of their show. The mime act was particularly entertaining in front of the Kura on Nakamachi; the pair of Finnish girls showed off their balance and power down on Frog Street, gasps from the crowd.
I missed a pair of walking eyes, but found mime/statue artist Shiva sweating in the sun by M-Wing, resplendent in all white. Loved the moment he `shushed` the election campaigners.
Another mime/clown further up the street was busy scaring the ladies; passers by were encouraged to get the autographs of five clowns, though I don’t know what the prize would have been.
A pair of masked characters on “blades” (like the South African athlete) – only a lot taller, trailed a massive blade-wielding dude scaring children…but they did wait for the green man to cross the road! Sensibly, the Wraith-looking thing by the river got security to help him across a zebra crossing. Never realised how much of a stride you have on stilts – these things can shift. Guess motorists don’t usually look up, up for pedestrians!
Art in the Kura
There’s an art exhibition taking place in a traditional Kura, or storehouse, until Wednesday (Aug 12th), on Nakamachi Street (parallel to the river, one street over closer to the main post office). It’s on your right, on the corner of the second turn to the right, with a well/open space in front of it. Admission is free.
In the exhibition you will find interesting and unconventional works displayed by 13 artists, three of whom are local - Chiaki Misawa, Junko Kiuchi, Emi Matsuda. The remaining artists are all from the Nagoya area (Norikazu Ishihara, Shoji Ohtsuka, Yuto Sugihara, Yukihiro Hiyashi, Ikuko Hayashida, Teruaki Miyaguchi, Maya Morioka, Yukiji Yamamoto). The three local artists all speak English and are around or about during the exhibition - why not ask them to give you a tour/explain what they’re all about? 
Even if you are not much into art, check out the venue. From the second floor you have a bird’s eye view of traditional no-nail roof construction, as well as appreciate the coolness of the interior. When you are done, refresh yourself with the spring water while you check the map for ‘what next?’
23rd (Sun) - Street Performances throughout Matsumoto Downtown
Street performances by artists from around the world will be held throughout downtown Matsumoto for one day!
Date: August 23rd (Sun)
Time: 13:30 - 18:30 See Japanese Timetable.
Places: Matsumoto Station, in front of Parco, Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre, Nawate Street, Nakamachi Street, Takasago Street, and many other places. See Japanese map.
Charge: Free, but please leave a tip if they perform well.
The Japanese name of the event is Matsumoto Machinaka Daidogei.
Also, the world-famous French modern circus group “Cirque Baroque” will perform Le Cirque des “Gueux” at Matsumoto Performing Arts Center on August 27 and 28.
Come shake your Bon-Bon!
No, seriously.
Summer’s the season for festivals in Japan and if you check on the Events Calender there’s a huge one coming up at the end of the month. It’s time for Matsumoto Bon Bon!
This event shuts down central Matsumoto as hundreds of residents fill the streets to dance. It’s a good excuse for everyone to get outside and drink and revel (but being Japan, revel safely - this is definitely a kid-friendly event).
The festival lanterns went up on all the main streets over Marine Day weekend and Bon-Bon fever has been subliminally planted into everyone’s heads through constant replay of the Bon-Bon theme at grocery stores, shops, and from humming coworkers. I saw a couple groups practicing their dance routine over the weekend - we’re gearing up for a great festival, so definitely come join us this Saturday!
Ondekoza at Matsumoto Castle!
If you’re in the area and didn’t have a chance to check out the Taiko Festival yesterday, make sure to check out the last day on Sunday! I watched most of Saturday’s festival, and it was amazing. All of the groups were spectacular (or just darn cute, as was the case with a couple of all-kid teams).
Definitely not to be missed was the guest pro team, Ondekoza. Not only was the playing exceptional, but they threw in a lot of humor too - and you didn’t need Japanese to understand it. The performance on Saturday featured a fight between shakuhachi (Japanese flute) vs. drum vs…kendama?! (kendama - a child’s toy) It was a rhythm war that was both hilarious and incredible. You’ll have to see it to believe it - I think it was my favorite performance of the whole day. They also used some unique tools and styles of playing, such as hitting bamboo drums, playing while doing sit-ups, and playing with what appeared to be the sticks used to beat out futons. They’ll be playing again on Sunday from around 7:45pm, but show up early if you want to try to get seats - despite the rain today, the seating was full by about 7.
If you saw Saturday’s performance and there were some groups that you really loved, you might be able to check them out again on Sunday. The groups are basically switching stages, with some groups from Saturday’s evening performance playing in front of Parco and the groups who played in front of Parco moving to the Castle Stage for Sunday (plus some additional groups).
Fundoshi! Muscled Buns of Steel! Big Drums!
That’s right, it’s time for the 22nd Annual Matsumoto Taiko Festival!
Nineteen teams from all across Japan will be playing this weekend around Matsumoto Castle. On both days there will also be a massive performance by multiple teams playing a single song at once, and some unique drumming featuring a style of taiko that involves playing on bamboo.
Here’s the basic schedule:
7/25 (Sat)
13:30 - 15:50: Various taiko performances in front of Parco
16:30 - 21:00: Taiko Festival at Matsumoto Castle!
7/26 (Sun)
13:30 - 15:50: Various taiko performances in front of Parco
16:30: Taiko Festival start
19:45: Special Performance by Ondekoza (watch out for fundoshi, a kind of traditional underwear. And also a REALLY HUGE DRUM)
20:45: Special Multi-team performance
21:00: End
I’m a member of the Kojyo Taiko team, a local Matsumoto group! Everyone’s been preparing for months, so it’s going to be a great event! If you’ve never seen taiko before, you should definitely come. You can feel the sound from the large drums vibrate through your bones! Come over and check it out!