Aomori : The "Blue Forest"

Aomori City is located in Aomori Prefecture in the north of Japan. From Tokyo, you can travel by plane or train. Take the JR Tohoku shinkansen from Tokyo to Hachinohe, then transfer to a limited express for Aomori. Total travel time is about 4 hours. That description of Aomori is proving to be incredibly accurate. After a very wet winter & a rainy spring, the trees and forests all around Aomori prefecture are incredibly lush and green. There are two things in Aomori that are absolutely worth seeing, though. First, and near the station in a rather splendid modern building, is the Nebuta museum, host to some of the giant illuminated floats that parade through the city during this annual festival. Aomori-ken sits at the very top of Honshu. Getting there on the train is as easy as you could hope: Shin-Aomori is the current terminus of the Tohoku Shinkansen, so you can leap on a Hayate service from Tokyo or, like me, catch it from Morioka, where the Akita mini-shinkansen line meets the Tohoku service (Morioka, incidentally, seems like a rather pretty little city with some nice gardens and the remains of a castle). 

Iwaki Mountain behind the Aomori city

Aomori JR Station

The train covers quite a distance from Morioka to Aomori, but with very few stops it's quick. Like many towns that get linked to the Shinkansen, Aomori has an older station (called, well, Aomori) and the new Shinkansen one (Shin Aomori) outside the town. At Shin Aomori you will find every conceivable type of car rental depot and just about nothing else, so your best bet is to jump on the Ou Main Line service to Aomori (a couple of minutes) or Hirosaki (quite a long way – be sure to get an express, or it'll take forever). They are huge and absolutely stunning. Secondly, Aomori is the major link on Honshu with Hokkaido to the north, and the traffic back and forth used to travel on huge rail-ferries such as the Hakkoda-Maru. Now the ships have been replaced by a tunnel, and soon the Shinkansen will go through directly, further relegating Aomori's importance.

The Aomori Prefecture Museum

In the tracks of the ruins, there are groups of housing, warehouses, 

the symbolic 3 story Horitate pillared buildings replicates. 

There are museums as well.

Sannai Maruyama Ruins

In the Sannaimaruyama ruins, the most focused is the “6 pillared building”. 

The building size of the open space between the pillars, the width, and the depth, 

all are unified into 4.2 meters, 2 meters, and 2 meters.

The Hakkoda-Maru, though, has been preserved as a museum: inside you can wander through the bridge and accommodation, and boggle at the deck that held three complete trains per journey. The atmosphere is actually quite overwhelming, especially when you see the ship's crew filmed before its final voyage – there's a real sense of an important part of the community ending up out of time and passing on. The northernmost prefecture on Honshuisland, Aomori is endowed with abundant nature,including the well-known Mt. Hakkoda, Lake Towada, a large dualcrater lake surrounded by beech forest with wild animals, and Oirase Stream, astriking mountain stream with over a dozen waterfalls. Also, theShirakami-Sanchi (Shirakami Mountains), a World Natural Heritage site, isspread across 130,000 hectares on the border between Aomori and Akitaprefectures. Facing both the JapanSea and the Pacific Ocean, Aomori is blessed withvarious seafood which never fails to draw gourmands. Its most popularattraction is the Nebuta Festival, which brings in about 3 million visitorseach year. 

For history enthusiasts, the Sannai-Maruyama Ruins – the largestarcheological site of the Jomon Period (about 10,500-300 BC) – is a recommendeddestination. Aomori has a number of tourist spots,including outstanding natural sites such as Mt. Hakkoda and Lake Towada. Roadsfor buses and cars, as well as climbing routes and paths have been improved inrecent years. Mountain cable cars are built so that children and the elderlycan explore them too. However, note that it is a heavy snowfall area and youneed to wear suitable winter clothing. The capital of the prefecture of the same name, Aomori is a modern city, with active shipping and fishing industry. It is a good access point for visitors to the Tsugaru Peninsula, Shimokita Peninsula, and Lake Towada. One of the popular attractions in this area is Nebuta Matsuri or Nebuta Festival, which is held from August 2 to 7 each year. Another recommended spot is the Aomori Prefectural Folklore Museum. 

Nebuta Festival 

The ‘Sleeping Devil’ parade Show from Aomori-ken

Nebuta Festivals are celebrated inseveral northern regions, mainly in Aomori prefecture. The Aomori NebutaFestival, which is celebrated annually from August 2-7, is the most recognised.Over 20 gigantic three-dimensional Nebuta (papier-mache dolls) depict ancientwarriors, legendary creatures or Kabuki characters that illuminate the nightwith bright colours. Today, the Nebuta floats are made of a wood base,carefully covered with Japanese paper and lit from the inside with hundreds oflight bulbs. Quite a few spirited dancers (called “haneto”) in nativeNebuta costumes, surround the floats and dance to the tune of flutes andbeating of drums. For those who missed the Aomori NebutaFestival, there is an exhibition hall, Neputa No Yakata, that displays threefloats all year around in Goshogawara city. Situated 25km west of Aomori city,Goshogawara is another site of the Nebuta Festival – this one is called “Neputa.”It is said that the name came from the local direct “neputai,” whichliterally means “sleepy,” and the festival itself is a”sleepless festival” that prays for safety and a good harvest. The 3 displayed Neputa, at 22m high andweighing of 16 tons, will be moved for 1.5km around the city from August 4-8.There is also a studio where visitors can see the work in progress and have ahands-on experience. 

Cherry Blossom in Hirosaki Park Sakura

In Hirosaki city, a central part of Tsugaru district, crowd-pleasing events include the Hirosaki Neputa Festival(characterised by 60 small and large fan-shaped floats) and Hirosaki CherryBlossom Festival. Throughout the year, there are several flower festivals heldin different cities throughout Aomori. Nebuta no Sato is a comprehensive facility that provides information about Nebuta festival, the fire festival representing Aomori. Special floats made of paper, in the shape of fan, dolls or animals, majestically march in Nebuta festival. Fantastic Nebuta festival is held once every year in August. This is the place to see Nebuta if you missed the festival. Nebuta no Sato holds Nebuta marching show every day so that visitors can experience the punch and dynamism of Nebuta. Nebuta hall exhibits eight big Nebuta and one Hirosaki Nebuta. Nebuta-no-Sato also has a park called Wanpaku square where kids can play with a variety of equipment freely. Beetles and stag beetles are found in the park, which are quite rare in these days. In addition to knowing more about Nebuta, visitors could also enjoy the nature in the park. 

The Mostfamous Onsen and delight in Aomori 

There are a number of onsen (hot springs)with good reputation and high spring quality in Aomori. Koganesaki Furofushi Onsen is one of the most popular and is often featured in magazines and TV programs. Its name “furofushi” means “immortality” in Japanese. Bathers can see the wild waves of the Japan Sea while soaking in their outdoor spa, with a view of the distant horizon and a splendid sunset.For more information about the onsen. Enjoying local delicacies is a must during your journey. Aomori is known for its abundance and high quality seafood. Ohma tuna, one of the best grade tunas, is caught at Ohma Port facingthe Tsugaru Strait that connects the Japan Sea with the Pacific Ocean. These tunas feed on fresh Pacific sauries, sardines and squids, and are sold almost exclusively to high-end sushi restaurants. Other seafood like squids and scallops caught in adjacent sea are also tasty. 

The famous Aomori apple fruits

Aomori Prefecture is Japan’s largestapple producer – there are approximately 60 kinds of apple varieties, thanks toits significant difference in temperature and improved cultivation methods,which are shipped seasonally. You can try apple picking in several farms, butthere is a charge. Aomori boasts the largest share of apple production in Japan. The famous Fuji apples were first planted in the prefecture. There are a number of hot springs, where you can relax and enjoy beautiful nature even in winter. Oirase Keiryu in Towada city is a famous river for its majestic waterfalls. There is a four-hour trekking route alongside the river, where visitors can immerse themselves in beautiful landscapes featuring trees, rocks, cliffs, and many more nature beauties. In summer, many people come to Aomori to see those beautiful floats parade during Nebuta Festival.

Here we end our trip with at the Sannaimaruyama ruins. In Akita/Aomori, most of the facilities are in business as usual however, people there were saying that “those visiting have decreased about half”. In Akita or Aomori there is no fear of the nuclear radiation at all.

Kamchatka : The most beautiful places on the planet

Kamchatka is known as the magic land of volcanoes and geysers. There are just few areas in the world where geysers can be found and it is generally. accepted that Kamchatka is the most beautiful one. Located closer to Los Angeles rather than to Moscow, Kamchatka peninsula can be reached by air only. Simply said, it is more convenient for Americans than for Moscovites to travel there. Kamchatka was closed for tourists for military reasons, since Russians explored it in the 17th century. Half of the territory of the peninsula is still controlled by the Army. However nowadays most the main tourist sights: volcanoes, hot springs, Valley of geysers are open for the foreign tourists. Right now you have the unique possibility to explore Kamchatka – don’t miss the chance. 

View when driving from Yelisovo airport to 

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

This land is a true phenomenon. Firstly, it is really aged country. One can feel the timeless power of the nature there, staying in the sight of the thousands years old volcanoes. At the same time Kamchatka is a runaway youngster. The land is still full of the energy, which is running out to the annual earthquakes and frequent convulsions. The breath of Kamchatka can be felt in the pulsating hot springs. Kamchatka breathes like a marathon runner. I hope it won’t stop running soon. The number of reasons to explore Kamchatka is equal to the number of people visiting it. The fishermen are going there to catch the salmons, the hunters – to fight with the bears. The scientists are coming to produce unique experiments. The alpinists are trying to pass the routes, which have never been passed before. The tourists are coming to see all these famous volcanoes and geysers. These visitors are so different, but they are similar in a way. Any person who has ever been at Kamchatka wants to come back to this Earth best destination. I guess, Kamchatka is an Edam for a Man – the rough and uncomfortable cool land.

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, with volcanoes Avachinsky

The best time to go to Kamchatka is a period from July to September. There is no whole Kamchatka weather forecast. It can be cold in Heysers, Kamchatka in Russia. Heysers, Kamchatka the mountains while you are swimming in the warm shore bays. As most of the sights accessible at Kamchatka are in the area of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city, we provided the average temperatures info in this city. Please note, that nights are cold even in the summer time (I guess, you’ll need up to –10 C sleeping bag if you plan to sleep in the tent). The weather is very changeable. You have to be prepared to any weather conditions. Speaking about July-September period - one should has equipment to feel comfortable if it is +18 or –7. If you are going to Kamchatka be prepared for the rains. My friends and I spent two weeks at Kamchatka (end of July, 2001) and it was raining 5 days out of 14. Besides morning dew in the mountains is like a small rain itself.

Cliffs “Three brothers” in the Avachinskaya bay

Kamchatka is a peninsula at the north-east of Russia. It is washed by Bering sea and Sea of Okhotsk of Pacific ocean. There are 28 active volcanoes and about 160 extinct ones. There are about 200 mineral water springs and 160 of it are the hot water springs. Most of the volcanoes, hot water springs and geysers are located at the eastern part of the peninsula. There are more than 14000 rivers while only two rivers are considerably large – river Kamchatka and river Penjina. Most of the rivers remain open during the wintertime. There are about 4 hundreds glaciers at Kamchatka. Most of them are located in the mountains and accessible by the helicopters only. The fauna of Kamchatka is typical for this type of climate. The bobcats, sables, minks, wolfs, foxes, brown bears and many other animals can be found at Kamchatka. The sandpipers and seagulls as many other typicall birds of northern territories can me met there. The ocean is full of cods, flounders and different types of crabs. The different types of the salmon dominate in the rivers. The flora is quite usual for northern territories either. However there is a phenomenon of giant plants. In the area of volcanoes and hot springs the usual plants grow to the giant ones. It remains all the same, but the size is multiplied.

Lenin square at Petropavlovsk-Kamcahtkasky city

Kamchatka has no ground connection with the mainland. No railways or roads lead to Kamchatka from the rest of Eurasia. The Navy and fishermen mainly use the seaport of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. There are no regular passenger ferries to anywhere from this port. The only possibility to get to Kamchatka or leave it is the air flight. The airport is located in 20 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the village called Elyzovo. So the airport called “Elyzovo” airport. There are daily flights to Moscow, several flights a week to Siberia, Saint Petersburg and Alaska. To book your flight, you can use WayToRussia.Net Airline Tickets reservation service. It is hard to get around Kamchatka by yourself. There are two reasons – permissions required and the lack of public transport. Most of the area of Kamchatka is the closed and secured area. Some of it 

Sovetskaya street at residential area in 

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatkasky 

Kamchatka peninsula is quite deserted. There are just 440.000 people living over there (360.000 of that number live in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky). Most of the people work for the Army or employed in the fishing industry. Russians came at Kamchatka in the 17th century. They colonized this land quickly and soon become the dominant ethnos. Nowadays natives form only 3.5% of the total population. The native ethnos: Koryaky, Etelmeny, Chukchy, Eveny, Aleuty. Their traditional way of life was influenced much by the industrialization and Russian culture, so most of them lead usual Russian way of life. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is the capital and only city at the peninsula. Built like a base for Russian Navy the city has poor infrastructure. However the only airport at Kamchatka is situated near the city, so it is a starting and final point for any tourist visiting Kamchatka.

Old light house nearby Petropavlovsk port.

The locals call the city just Petropavlovsk or even PK. It is very easy to move round the city. There is the main street leading through Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky along the bay all the big shops and sights can be found there. Most of the offices and banks and shops open from 10.00 to 18.00. Meanwhile, there are many daily shops. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky provides few possibilities to promenade with the pleasure. Kamchatka do. However if you up to walk round the city just take the main street and you will see all the main sights. All the main squares in soviet towns were called after Lenin. But for the last 10 years almost all of them were renamed and redecorated. Things seems to be the same in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, there is still Lenin’s square with the monument of Lenin in the center of it. Local skaters occupied a small area just near the square. To get there face the monument and go to the right, pass building of the local administration and the skaters hub will be at your left. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is an ocean port, gaunt along the shore, but there is just single 200 meters long embankment. There are several 24h cafes over there. The only way to get to Kamchatka is the airway and the only airport at Kamchatka is in the village called Elyzovo in 20km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

A part of the beach area in Avacha Bay, 

Kamchatka peninsular

The only public mean of transport in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is a bus transport.The green municipal buses operate all over the city. There is always a conductor inside the bus. There are also privately owned buses of different colors and models. They are operating at the same routes as city buses. The most popular mean of transport is the minibus (locals call it “mykreek”) – privately owned minibuses. These minibuses operate at the same routes as city buses. So if you want to stop the passing by minibus wave with your hand and don’t forget to tell to the driver where to stop. There are several hotels in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and no hostels. Hotels are usually full in the high season, so you better reserve the room beforehand. All the hotels accept cash only, rubles. Do not leave valuable things and money in the rooms, stealing is spread over. There are several restaurants and cafes in the city, generally eating out is not popular in the city. All the hotels propose own cafes, where you can eat.

As you see, it’s possible to do and see a lot here on the cheap, especially in winter, and with a bit of time and courage you can get to some extremely remote places that have very rarely been visited by travellers before. However, it is of course true that hiring a helicopter will get you better views and photographs of Kamchatka’s stunning natural beauty, as well as getting you out to some places that are almost impossible to access on your own. However, Kamchatka’s people are extremely friendly, and I feel that even without a helicopter you will come away with lots of happy memories and a better understanding of the people and place than if you had spent your entire time in the air!

Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk : Between the two countries

Going to Sakhalin Island is require a patience, a love of exploration and a good command of Russian… or lots of money. You can fly to the territory capital, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk,(During under Japanese rule from 1905 to 1946 it known as Toyohara), from mainland Russia through Moscow and Vladivostok or from Japan through from Sapporo and Tokyo, though I arrived and left by ferry from Wakkanai port. I arrived on the twice-daily ferry runs from Vanino, the terminus of the Baikal-Amur Mainline railway in Russia, to Kholmsk. Tickets (under $100) can supposedly be reserved by phone (7 421 37 57708), though that only marginally shortens the 11-hour-long line at the station. I left on the infinitely more comfortable ferry from Korsakov to Wakkanai, Japan. Tickets can be reserved from $170 at Sakhalin Fantastic (7 4242 420917, 7 4242 744163in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Ulitsa Lenina 154).

The view from up here was impressive, and gives you an 
idea of just how small Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk is.

Locals travel around Sakhalin by hitchhiking, but others may want to use the buses or trains, though neither have much coverage outside the several major cities. There are hotels in the larger cities. In Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, it pays to have reservations as the hotels are numerous but frequently book out. If you travel to Nogliki, do not stay downtown. Use the infinitely cheaper hotel by the train station. The city’s most famous and authentic Japanese restaurant (179 Lenin St) is run by Yutaka Miyanishi, a man in his 70s, who came to Russia in the early 1990s. There are delicious (and economical) bento lunch boxes available as well as a good collection of sushi and sashmis. Furusato, which means homeland in Japanese, also has Asian seating arrangements. (A lunch for two without alcohol would cost around 3000 roubles)

The view from a hotel looks nice in the evening sun until you pan the lens back 

and see what the view is really like!, This is typical of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

The city’s central park is one of the largest in the Russian Far East and leads straight into the taiga. There’s a small amusement park and a zoo within its premises as well as a toy train. You can also take a long stroll on some of the wooded paths. If the hike to Chekov’s Peak took away all your energy, sit back by the lake and take in the peace of a summer evening. There are also many stalls where you can get shaslik or Russian kebabs. Residents of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk are very proud of the city’s Chekhov centre (Kommunistichesky Av), a premier venue for plays and concerts. There is a very active theatre scene in the city and it’s worth catching some of the island’s most talented performers on stage. Gorny Vozudkh (mountain air in Russian) is one of the premier ski resorts in the Russian Far East and is very popular with skiers and snowboarders across the region in the winters. It’s also a nice place to get a panoramic view of the city all year round. Take the cable car up to the top to get a great view of the city that lies on a valley.

Sillhouette of a piece of equipment left over from Soviet times, 

when this was (so I’ve been told) a serious skiing facility. 

Further up the road is an abandoned ski jump.

A dominant feature in the Russian Far East is the island of Sakhalin. Once assumed to be a peninsula attached to the main land until someone managed to sail around it, today Sakhalin is the centre of a blooming oil and gas industry. Historically, as with the Kurils, Sakhalin has been claimed and fought over by both the Russians and the Japanese. During the Cold War the strategic location north of Japan and not that far from US territory in the form of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands meant Sakhalin was used by the Soviet Military to assert their authority in the region. Probably the most tragic example of this was the 1983 shoot down of Korean Airlines Flight 007 which strayed into Soviet Airspace and was shot down by a Soviet Sukhoi Su-15 Interceptor flying out of Sakhalin. The Soviets believed the Korean airliner was an American spy plane at the time of the shoot down.

Derelict displays at the old military museum

A street mural paying homage to Lenin in Korsakov

Even today in these post-Soviet times and the growth associated with the oil and gas offshore, reminders of the Soviet time are everywhere, particularly in architecture. Large drab, grey concrete, apartment complexes are everywhere. Significant military infrastructure, most of it appearing run down, lines the main road between the port of Korsakov and the main town of Yuzhno Sakhalinsk. At one military compound beside the road tracked amphibious vehicles by the dozen appear to be rotting away. In the heart of Yuzhno Sakhalinsk a military museum and function area is decaying, bricks falling off the building, the once proud military vehicles on display are now covered in graffiti and surrounded by empty beer cans and vodka bottles.

Heroes Square, Yuzhno Sakhalinsk

The founder of Uniter Socialist of Soviet Republic(USSR), 

Vladimir Illich Lenin Stute in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk

As with many Russian towns, Yuzhno Sakhalinsk has a giant Lenin Statue in the centre of the city and elsewhere numerous monuments to the soldiers who fought and died in various conflicts of the Soviet era. And again in common with most of Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church represents the majority in Christianity. The Orthodox Churches use significant amounts of Iconography within the churches, much more so than Roman Catholic or more contemporary Protestant Churches. I was also lucky enough to catch a traditional Russian folk performance in the park, with Cossack-style dancing and sword wielding, bear fur hatted men in uniform strutting there stuff beside traditionally dressed Russian women. This was my first travel experience to Russia, and whilst there was no shortage of wealth on display in Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, particularly with the oil and gas developments, there were certain images that were exactly what I expected from a remote Russian experience. Run down Lada cars, drab buildings, homage to Lenin, and similar powerful icons of Russia’s past history were never far from the eye.

The 1980's Russian car has slightly damaged

The old Japanese administration building is now a museum

The Russian-Japanese conflict in this area is intriguing. Sakhalin itself was at one point divided roughly in half with the northern half Soviet controlled and the southern half Japanese controlled. The city of Yuzhno Sakhalinsk was once the Japanese prefectural capital of Toyohara.At the end of WWII, after the Atom Bombs had been dropped, the Russians saw their chance to capitalise and took the southern half of Sakhalin and the nearby Kuril Islands. The southern most Kuril Islands sitting very close to Japan are still subject to controversy today. Whilst they are firmly under Russian control the Japanese still lay claim to them creating political tension to this very day. There are still remnants of the pre-1945 Japanese occupation of southern Sakhalin, the most notable being the building which today houses the local museum, still complete with the crest of the Japanese Royal Family on it’s doors.

La Perouse Strait, a sea border between Russia and Japan, 

this sea route heading to Wakkanai, Japan

Japanese fishermen on the boat at the sea defecting to Japan.

So YOU want to visit Sakhalin?

1) There is a substantial airport at Yuzhno Sakhalin.
2) Regular flights from Moscow, Seoul, Vladivostok and else where land there.
3) Airlines servicing Sakhalin include Aeroflot, Vladivostok Avia and Asiana Airlines.
4) Ferries from northern Hokkaido to Korsakov port are available.
5) You will need to carefully check and comply with Russian Visa requirements for your nationality. Some aspects of the Soviet era die hard……

Kanazawa : Explore the history of Ninja and Geisha.

Kanazawa, my first stop, was probably the trip I enjoyed the most for its quaint, old town feeling. It had some 300 thousands people, a far cry from the 12 million-odd residents in Tokyo. I arrived at the bus terminal that departed from Shinjuku, at an outrageous 7.00am, and decided to cab it straight to the Kenrokuen, as numerous references to it as the star attraction of Kanazawa granted it top priority, and the buses did not run until 8.30am. I also had no interest in freezing my poorly-clad ass off at the terminal where most people would mistake me with my backpack and shabby outfit.

Kenroku-en garden in fall season

Perhaps the most famous place in Kanazawa is Kenroku-en, a traditional Japanese garden and commonly held as one of the three most beautiful. So Kenroku-en it was - the name literally means "Garden of the Six", referring to spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views, six attributes that make up a perfect garden according to a Chinese theory - delightfully quiet in the wee hours of the morning, where I took some shots, and went to the Saison-kaku villa close by, a traditional house built by a Maeda lord for his mother. The rest of the day was a crusade to visit all nearby attractions, which ultimately culminated in my walking round in circles in various vain attempts to find the loop bus which i had purchased an all day pass for. By the end of each day trip, my legs were killing me (considering the travesty of a stopover at Seoul where i had to run. 5km to reach the transit flight gate in Incheon Airport, in 20 minutes, just days before) and the public sento at my Ryokan was a welcome reprieve that soaked away the aches and made me eat the words I once uttered "hot baths are for ninnies!.

Traditional tea house in Kanazawa

Protected by the surrounding mountains, Kanazawa could prosper even during times of war and chaos. It became the stronghold of the Ikko section when they driven me of Kyoto. Later the Maeda clan came in control, and under their rule Kanazawa became a major cultural center outside Kyoto and Edo. They had a great influence on the city, and the Maeda symbol can still be seen everywhere. For those who do not like gardens, Kanazawa's is the best attraction for people who to know about the history of Geisha and Samurai districts. Unfortunately in Teramachi district, which sadly, are not covered by the local "Furrato" bus -- the community loop bus, and hence is a giant pain in the ass to get to and back. The Geisha districts though, are lovely, and they have an air of antiquity and peacefulness, untainted by modern society.

Myoryu-ji Ninja Temple

I took a trip down on the first night, and had the luxury of walking along the streets, alone. (Hardly anybody ventures out after 8.00 or 9.00pm). Strolling alone the stone pavements, taking in the cool crisp air, and hearing faint laughter of, perhaps a geisha in one of the tea houses was surreal. The Nagamachi districts though, were a little of a letdown, although the famed "long streets" as it is named, do look quaint. The Nomura Samurai house, like the Shima Geisha house, was tiny, and offered an appetizer to the stylistic beauty of the houses in the days of tatami mats and wooden sliding doors. Don't be deceived by the pictures though, these districts are more like tiny satellites that cover less than the area of your average football stadium. I went to Myōryu-ji, or as it's commonly called, the Ninja Temple. This Buddhist temple was constructed to be a military lookout and defense post as much as a place of worship. It has a large number of tricks to fool the unsuspecting enemy who tries to enter. Everything from three meter deep trap-holes in the floor, many hidden rooms and stairs to a place to hide under the stairs and stab whoever passes by in the feet. In the middle of the temple, easily reachable from almost any room is a well. According to legend there is a secret tunnel from the well to Kanazawa castle. I don't know if the temple ever stopped any enemies, but the builders must have had a fun time!

Nomura Samurai house(Left), and Shima Geisha house

From my view, Kanazawa was like a tasty treat, not quite a full on immersion program like Kyoto is, but it had some plus points with the Garden and Geisha districts which are not swamped with Gaijin tourists, unlike Kyoto and Tokyo, possibly because of the time it takes to bus over to Kanazawa and the cost of Shinkansen it is hefty (2x the cost of a bus). If you do decide to visit this quaint town, best way to stay in a Ryokan (murataya at katamachi is good value, clean comfortable and has a nice Sento bath). I missed out on the ninja shrine and other attractions at Teramachi, which is probably worth a visit, the former requiring advanced reservations, and I didn't feel much inclination to visit all the museums either as not all of them were worth the time and money. The 21st Century Museum, supposedly too, is worth a visit, although i didn't venture into it and simply admired it from a distance.

Harbin : The Ice City

Saint Sophia Church, It's the most popular landmarks

in Harbin and Heilongjiang Province in China.

Harbin, well known as the ‘Ice City’ is the capital city of Heilongjiang Province in China. Western style architecture especially, Russian brought Harbin another name ‘Oriental Moscow’. Harbin that does not have long history is known for the snow culture. Since it is covered in snow most of the time of the year, lots of snow festivals are conducted here. Tourists both from home and abroad come here to visit these two-month long festival. Usually Ice and Snow festival starts by January 5th and lasts till the end of February.

Places where you can find ice artworks during winter are Harbin Ice and Snow World, Ice Lantern Garden Party, and Sun Island Scenic Area. Harbin Ice and Snow World with ice sculptures, beautiful night scene and good recreational activities is the largest ice art exhibition in the world. This exhibition has different theme every year that enable visitors to understand the exhibit very easily. Make sure to see the exhibits at night when all of the sculptures are illuminated giving the area a fantasy- world look. Other than the exhibits, you also have ice maze, ice bar and restaurant and even an ice hotel. The Ice Lantern Garden Party that is held in Zhaolin Park is a wonderful example of locals’ talent in making use of the available resource, snow. Their ability to carve traditional Chinese lanterns out of ice blocks deserves appreciation. You can also participate in the activities such as hitting ice monkeys, sitting on ice boat, skating and can even watch bone- chilling swimming event. If that is not enough then participate in the Harbin Ice Festival night party where you can enjoy different performances. During Ice Lantern Garden Party, ice carving competition is held in which artists from all over the world participate. The Ice Lantern Party has 7 Guinness World Records and that makes the event very important and certainly worth a visit. 

 Zhaolin Park, during the winter this park houses ice sculptures for the festivals, 

but during the off season, it is a pleasant stroll as well.

Sun Island Scenic Area is definitely the best spot during summer. The main island and its small other islands offers eye-appealing views such as crystal clear waters, rockeries, beautiful flowers and buildings. Sun Island Scenic Area that is divided into three sections has 20 scenic spots. In the Animal World section, there are Deer Garden where you can see plenty of spotted deer in their natural environment, Squirrel Island where you can feed lots of squirrels and Swan Lake where you can see varieties of swans and ducks flapping their wings happily in the water. It is an excellent section where children can enjoy. The Flower Garden, which is located at the centre of the island, is divided according to 12 zodiac signs. The third section has Ice and Snow Section, Russian Section, and Memorial Garden. In the winter, Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo is conducted here.

Yabuli International Ski Resort, the most famous ski track in China.

Being the biggest and the best ski resort in China, the Yabuli International Ski Resort has attracted many professional skiers from around the world. Located at high elevation, it has temperature of -42 degree F and has fine snow suitable for skiing. The Yabuli International Ski Resort has training centre for alpine skiers and also hosts several skiing competitions. This is an excellent place to escape from summer heat and taking part in activities here such as hot-air balloons, gliders, and mini golf etc offers much fun.

Russian Town nearby Songhua river it's located in the center

of the city.

Zhaolin Park located at the northern end of Zhaolin Street was built in honor of General Li Zhaolin. With HuaGuo Mountain in the east, Meigui Mountain in the west, Xiaonan Islet in the south and glass flower cellar in the north, the park offers beautiful scenery to its visitors. An artificial lake with small bridges blends into the view and enhances the beauty of the park. Here in the park, there are small gardens to wander around such as Yingyu Garden, and Dingxiang Garden. Also, there is an open- air theatre, skate ring and playground for recreational activities. The flower and fish exhibition hall in the park proves to be very informative and is an excellent place for kids. It is here in this park that Harbin Ice Festival and Ice Lantern Festival are held annually. 

Since Harbin is one of the coldest places in China with an average temperature of -13 to -25 degree Celsius in winter, travelers should carry heavy layered winter jacket with them. It is worthy to mention that travelers need to carry small denomination bills as there is a chance to be cheated with counterfeit bills, especially in cabs. Those who have never experienced winter, visiting Harbin during ice festival is a perfect idea.