Visit Minamiuonuma

10/10/2023

Are you surprised by how many sakura we have in town? I sure was!

It’s easy to look over sakura trees when they’re not in bloom, so it was such a lovely surprise come spring to see the city filled with pink blossoms 🌸

There’s even a few places, like Zenibuchi Park, that will light up their sakura trees when the blossoms start blooming! Gazing at sakura at night is a different kind of magical, I’d encourage everyone to try it at least once once 🌸

Locations

📍Zenibuchi Park (銭渕公園)
📍Ohara Sakura Lane (大原桜並木)
📍Osaki Dam Park (大崎ダム公園)

05/10/2023

Sakura - さくら - 桜

Here are three facts about these beloved blossoms:

#1: because they are only in full bloom for about a week, Sakura have come to symbolize impermanence, renewal and transience in Japanese culture. People will gather and sit beneath the trees for hanami, where they admire the breathtaking beauty of the delicate pink blossoms, and celebrate the fleeting beauty of life as nature starts to breathe anew. 🌸

#2: The Somei Yoshino sakura variety makes up around 80% of cherry blossom trees throughout Japan! As you can see, the blossoms are white to pale pink, and bloom before the tree’s leaves have even emerged, giving them a very eye catching look 🌸

#3: come spring, you’ll see anything and everything sakura themed, from sweets, to drinks, to ads and more. But do sakura really have a distinct scent? Yes, they do! If you pour hot water over fresh blossoms, the rising steam will carry their natural scent, which is described as an elegant and sweet aroma. Sakura and subtlety truly go hand in hand 🌸

Bonus: this is my own observation, but if you ever see a row of trees lined up one after the other, often by rivers or public buildings, or even in a loose grove together, they’re almost always sakura! When they are not flowering sakura trees are very sober in appearance, so they can be easy to miss, but if you keep an eye out you’ll start noticing them everywhere 😳 🌸

Featured Locations:
📍Omatsu Pond (お松の池)
📍Kamakura Sakura Hills (かまくら桜ヶ丘公園)

03/10/2023

Yes I know, it’s very much fall 🍁 …
BUT, since spring was half a year ago, let’s revisit some of this year’s sakura shall we 🌸

The sakura throughout the city were in full bloom around mid April, while the mountain sakura bloomed a bit earlier. There were so many lovely places to admire these iconic blossoms!

Locations:
📍Uonuma no Sato,
📍Sakura Road, Dogenji Hill (by Dogenji Temple)
📍Hakkaisanson Shrine
📍Route 28 near restaurant Keyakien

🌸

21/04/2023

浦佐毘沙門堂　裸押合い大祭 ー Urasa’s Grand Naked Crowd Jostling Festival

What? A Naked Crowd Festival?

I’ll put your mind at ease right now, no one is actually fully naked. But this festival is considered to be one of Japan’s Top 3 Most Bizarre Festivals, and it sure does live up to its title. Crowds of semi-naked men will plunge themselves into freezing water then spend the night jostling each other while chanting “Sanyo, Sanyo”, and it’s a real spectacle to watch!

The festival traces its roots back to 1200 years ago to when Fukouji Temple was first built. Villagers came to pray for abundant crops, the safety of family members, and good health and legend says that the celebrations helds were the beginning of this regional tradition.

Participants will walk four wide under the covered walkway of the shrine to the sacred water spring and plunge themselves into the freezing water. This is to purify themselves and cool their spirits before they enter the main hall.

Then, they’ll assemble in a crowd within the main shrine hall and jostle each other while chanting “Sanyo, Sanyo”, which is a call to the guardian Buddha Vaishravana for blessings and protection.

The festival occurs annually every first Saturday of March, at Fukouji Temple in the Urasa area. Women are strictly forbidden from taking part in the ceremony, but all are welcome to watch. It’s definitely a unique festival worth seeing, and if you’re lucky, you may even catch one of the blessed mochi that the men periodically throw into the crowd 🍡🫢

To learn more, listen to the VOIDE story about the festival, and watch the short video for an inside view of the festivities ❗️

VOIDE 🎙️:
https://voide.tours/en/story/hakkaisan_shrine/

ℹ️:

📍Fukouji, Urasa, Minamiuonuma, Niigata
🗓️ : 1st Saturday of March every year
🕒: usually starts around 10am and goes until 11pm, but the crowd jostling begins around 7pm.

21/04/2023

浦佐毘沙門堂　裸押合い大祭 ー Urasa’s Grand Naked Crowd Jostling Festival

What? A Naked Crowd Festival?

I’ll put your mind at ease right now, no one is actually fully naked. But this festival is considered to be one of Japan’s Top 3 Most Bizarre Festivals, and it sure does live up to its title. Crowds of semi-naked men will plunge themselves into freezing water then spend the night jostling each other while chanting “Sanyo, Sanyo”, and it’s a real spectacle to watch!

The festival traces its roots back to 1200 years ago to when Fukouji Temple was first built. Villagers came to pray for abundant crops, the safety of family members, and good health and legend says that the celebrations helds were the beginning of this regional tradition.

Participants will walk four wide under the covered walkway of the shrine to the sacred water spring and plunge themselves into the freezing water while chanting. This is to purify themselves and cool their spirits before they enter the main hall.

Then, they’ll assemble in a crowd within the main shrine hall and jostle each other while chanting “Sanyo, Sanyo”, which is a call to the guardian Buddha Vaishravana for blessings and protection.

The festival occurs annually every first Saturday of March, at Fukouji Temple in the Urasa area. Women are strictly forbidden from taking part in the ceremony, but all are welcome to watch. It’s definitely a unique festival worth seeing, and if you’re lucky, you may even catch one of the blessed mochi that the men periodically throw into the crowd 🍡🫢

To learn more, listen to the VOIDE story about the festival, and watch the short video for an inside view of the festivities ❗️

VOIDE 🎙️:

https://voide.tours/en/story/nakedfestival/

ℹ️:

📍 Fukouji, Urasa, Minamiuonuma, Niigata
When: 1st Saturday of March every year
Time: usually starts around 10am and goes until 11pm, but the crowd jostling begins around 7pm.

30/03/2023

滝行 - Waterfall Meditation

Takigyō, or waterfall meditation is an ascetic practice intended to clear one’s mind, body and soul of all impurities by standing under a frigid waterfall.

In Minamiuonuma, Hakkaisanson Shrine holds an annual takigyō ceremony on the coldest day of the year, which usually falls in January.

Worshippers come from far away to participate in this ceremony. They hike through the snow to a satellite shrine nestled in the forest, then strip down to a ceremonial white robe called a gyoe. After getting scrubbed atop their head and shoulders with sacred salt, participants enter the waterfall with their right shoulder first. Each person stands under the waterfall, chanting Buddhist mantras until the head ascetic signals for them to come out.

The frigid water pounding your shoulders and head is such a powerful sensation that there is no space in your mind for anything else.

This year it was snowing heavily, and at one point the snow accumulating on the cedar tree branches fell down and froze the entire waterfall!
Participating in this ritual is certainly not for the faint of heart. Would you still be up to the challenge?

📍Hakkaisanson Shrine, Minamiuonuma, Niigata

14/03/2023

八海山尊神社⛩火渡り祭🔥

Hakkaisanson Shrine’s Hiwatarisai, or Great Fire-walking Festival, occurs every year on October 20th at Hakkaisanson Shrine. Nestled at the bottom of Mt. Hakkai, this shrine is a must see when traveling through the region. It is one of the few shrines that still carry on the seasonal traditions of shugendo mountain worship today, including this Fire-walking festival.

Historically, taking part in the Fire-walking Festival was a sign that an ascetic had attained a level of great spiritual power. Even today, ascetic mountain worshippers come from all over to participate in this cleansing ritual.

On the day of the festival, a great pyre built out of cedar wood is set ablaze and burns brightly until eventually dying down to embers. Once only coals remain, two salt paths are made between the coals and worshippers will cross over while sending up a prayer. Walking through the fire represents the cleansing of all sins and impurities.

Once worshippers have finished crossing, spectators are also allowed to experience walking through the coals! To all those seeking a unique experience, be sure not to miss this opportunity 🔥

For more information, listen to the local voice guide app VOIDE’s story about Hakkaisanson Shrine and the Fire-walking Festival. Don’t miss the 3min documentary video of the festival itself as well!

VOIDE 🎙️:

https://voide.tours/en/story/hakkaisan_shrine/

Festival Information

Where: Hakkaisanson Shrine, Osaki, Minamiuonuma, Niigata
When: October 20th every year
Times: usually starts around 10am and lasts till 3-4pm

#南魚沼市

24/11/2022

Chrysanthemums: one of Japan’s many emblems

Kiku no Hana (菊の花) or Chrysanthemums are a popular flower in Japan that signify longevity, rejuvenation and joy. They constitue the Imperial Family emblem, and the petals are also a popular side dish!

Every year the Uonuma region holds the Chrysanthemum Festival in Minamiuonuma’s Urasa area, this year being its 37th iteration. Contestant entries line booths set up in the courtyard of Fukouji Temple, an imposing Buddhist complex with a beautiful red roof. Visitors can admire the flowers for free, and prizes are awarded to the entries deemed most beautiful on judging day.
If you weren’t able to see it this year, I highly recommend looking out for it next year. Truly a lovely way to spend an hour or two of your day.

Other Information

When: usually around the end of October, early November
Where: Fukouji Temple, Urasa (5 minute walk from Urasa Train Station)
Cost: free
Visiting hours: during daylight hours

#日本観光 #南魚沼 #旅行

06/09/2022

Sangaku Marathon Kansei! ⛰⛰⛰

The Mountain Range Marathon was held this past Sunday by the Yamato Tourism Association. As its name implies, the course consisted of a 21.1km loop running through the Yamato area mountains, so it was very steep!! Participants could either walk or run, and do a half marathon or full marathon (doing the course twice).

This was the first time in three years that the marathon was able to happen since COVID started, so we were happy to have it again. People of all ages showed up bright and early on this beautiful day, from participants as young as elementary school to participants in their 80s! It got quite hot as the morning progressed so volunteers were making sure that everyone was staying hydrated and getting electrolytes as needed 🥵💦💧

There was a slight hiccup due to hornets 🐝 stinging some participants halfway through the course, which meant the event had to be shortened to a half marathon only, but overall people seem to have enjoyed themselves. I was very impressed by all those that participated, because doing this course in such hot weather is hard 😳 👏🏻

Congratulations to everyone and we’ll hopefully see even more of you next year 😤🏃🏻‍♀️

#南魚沼市 #マラソン

30/08/2022

Starting a New Series 🥳 Follow along to travel around the various temples in this area!

Nestled at the foot of Mount Kinjo, Untoan (雲洞庵) is a temple belonging to the Soto school of Zen and is renowned as the oldest Buddhist Convent in Japan. Throughout its rich 1300 years of history as the central temple of this region, Untoan has witnessed the rise and fall of powerful figures such as the sovereign lord of the Echigo region Uesugi Kagekatsu, and produced many noteworthy priests.

The temple has a saying displayed at its entrance that reads “Have you stood on the soil of Untoan?” This saying comes from the fact that roughly 70,000 stones etched with single characters from the Lotus Sutra are buried underneath the walkway leading from the Akamon (red gate) to the main temple itself. These stones are said to bring health and great happiness to all those who walk above them, so make sure to walk over this path as you make your way further into the temple grounds!

The entire temple complex is breathtaking and includes a museum of manuscripts and relics from days past. You can walk the temple grounds for free, and visit the entire complex for ¥300!
Visiting this temple is an absolute must when coming to Minamiuonuma, so please do come try standing on the soil of Untoan 🪷


If you’re curious to learn more, you can listen to the Voide audio guide and watch the mini documentary about Untoan Temple here:
https://voide.tours/en/story/untoan

#新潟観光 #南魚沼市

24/08/2022

Bike Rental Alert 🚨 🎉🚲

Satoyama Minicle: fall into the charm of your travels with every spin of the wheel ✨

「Satoyama Minicle」is a new kind of bicycle rental service offering electrically power assisted bikes. You can choose from 3 different models, and thanks to the electric power assist you can climb up any hill no problem!
A guided app recommending routes and other useful information is also available at the bike rental counter, and it’s designed so that even first-time users can easily use it.

Minicle bikes are currently available for 2-hour rental periods as well as overnight rentals.

Keep an eye out for them at the Muikamachi train station and don’t hesitate to take advantage of them to make your Minamiuonuma travels even more fun 🤩🚲💨

https://form.run/-machi-1651464751

17/08/2022

The Ishiuchi Maruyama Ski Resort officially held the grand opening for its summer season last Wednesday 🎉

Visitors can now ride up the mountain in the Sunrise Express Gondola 🚠 , where they can then grab something to eat or drink in the Austria Snow House’s “The Veranda At Ishiuchi” Café, and enjoy the view on the café’s namesake veranda⛰

There are also shaded platforms below the Snow House where guests can enjoy the breeze and stunning view of the valley, along with glamping facilities for those looking for a longer stay.

The season will run from August 12th to November 13th, so make sure to go check it out

#南魚沼市 #石打丸山スキー場 #南魚沼市 #石打丸山スキー場

26/07/2022

The summer watermelon harvest has begun in Minamiuonuma 🍉😋🍉

Yairo Watermelon is an especially sweet, bright red variety of watermelon grown in the Yairo Plains of Minamiuonuma. The local climate and abundant natural spring water from melting snow nurtures these fruits which are a popular summer treat in Japan. ☀️ Due to high demand, these fruits can fetch a high price at grocery stores in Niigata and the Kanto area 🚅, but you can enjoy delicious Yairo Watermelon without breaking the bank at the Yairo Watermelon Festival from July 27 until August 10 in Urasa! Enjoy! 😋

⚪️Event Location - Agripark Yairo
⚪️Event Period - 7/27 ~ 8/10 *or until supplies run out
⚪️Event Hours - 9:00 ~ 17:00
⚪️For Inquiries - 025-777-3988

28/06/2022

Famous Japanese Peak 🏔 Mt. Makihata (1967m)

The heat of the Japanese summer is beginning to set in, with daily highs climbing well over 30℃ 🥵
A great way to escape this sultry weather in the Uonuma Basin is trekking in the large mountains surrounding Minamiuonuma 🏔
Mt. Makihata, one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Japan, is a great hike with beautiful beech forests and rolling grasslands near the summit. And aside from the nice breeze and fresh air 🌬, there are also pockets of snow that can help you to cool down too! ❄️

The hiking trail is in the Shimizu district of the city, and the hike takes roughly 9 hours round trip. Happy Hiking!!

23/06/2022

Tsuyu, the rainy season in Japan, can put a bit of a downer on your trip here. 🌧
However, there are still plenty of great activities and scenery to enjoy despite this rainy weather. One of these activities is Zen meditation. 🧘‍♀️
Meditating with the local monks is a unique experience to Japan that can help you clear your mind during a hectic trip. 😇
Plus the hydrangea flowers and moss-covered trees around temples always look their best after a little bit of rain 🪷💦

https://youtu.be/-ks-wfY6S8M

Zazen is one of many experiences to enjoy at temples in Japan. In the rainy season Tsuyu the refreshing atmosphere of a temple's garden is also tough to beat...

21/06/2022

Fireflies in Zenibuchi Park!!

A clear sign of summer in the Japanese Snow Country is the many fireflies that dance in the night sky.
Zenibuchi Park in Muikamachi is an especially nice habitat for the fireflies, and the solar lamps lining the walkways make it easy and safe to go see these bizarre insects at night.
Enjoy!

16/06/2022

As summer vacation draws near, the Ikazawa Campgrounds 🏕 are preparing for their high season. 🌞
This campground located at the base of Mt. Makihata is adored by locals and offers a variety of equipment and facilities to accommodate all of your camping needs! 🙏
Free and auto-campsites will give you an authentic camping experience, while furnished bungalows are a great option for big groups or first-timers.
As for activities in the area, the campsites are at the trailhead to the thrilling Ura-Makihata Ravine 🥾and on the campgrounds there is also a fishing park 🐟, swimming area 🌊, and athletics field too ⚽️.
If you'd like to try camping in the Japanese countryside, you can't miss with the Ikazawa Campgrounds! 💯

14/06/2022

Congratulations to the over 1500 finishers of the Minamiuonuma Gourmet Marathon!🎉🍚🎉

After a two-year hiatus, these half marathon and 5k races were successfully held in the Yamato area of Minamiuonuma City 🏆
Despite heavy rain in the morning, hundreds of runners battled through the elements as they ran across the city, ultimately clocking some very impressive times at the finish! 👀👏
As for the "gourmet" of this event, freshly harvested Minamiuonuma Koshihikari will be sent to all participants later in autumn to give them a taste of the local food culture as a prize for their hard work 😋

09/06/2022

It is an absolutely beautiful day in Minamiuonuma City!! 🌞
To take advantage of the fine weather and see some impressive scenic views of the Uonuma Basin why not take your car for a spin on the Uonuma Skyline? 🚙☁️
Driving along this scenic road on the mountains between Minamiuonuma and Tokamachi feels like soaring through the skies 🦅, and there are a number of observation decks with benches and picnic tables where you can stop to kick back and enjoy the fresh air 🍃

07/06/2022

The Omatsu Pond and Iris Garden on the Uenohara Plateau is the perfect place to see spring flowers even during the rainy season 🤩

A short walk from Muica Snow Resort, this tranquil pond is a popular fishing spot 🐠 and the small islands covered in Japanese pines ("Omatsu" in Japanese) floating above the pond are oddly satisfying to watch.
Later in June water lilies decorate the surface of the pond 🪷, and the adjacent garden is filled with hundreds of iris flowers of different hues too 💐👀

#梅雨入り

02/06/2022

"Mizu-kagami" Reflections in rice fields 🪞

In May, fields are flooded with water to begin growing the famous Koshihikari rice crops of Minamiuonuma 🌊🌱
And to the delight of sightseers and photographers, the Echigo Sanzan Mountains and natural landscape are reflected beautifully on the water's surface✨
This is a special sight unique to the Japanese countryside, and sometimes more than just the natural scenery is reflected too 😅

#水鏡

26/05/2022

Hanami season in Minamiuonuma may have ended for this year, but here are some highlights from the top flower-viewing spots in town 🌸✨

1, 2 - Zenibuchi park
3 - Kamakura Sakura hills
4 - Mt. Rokumangi
5, 6 - Mt. Sakado
7 - Ozuki district
8 - Nagasaki district
9 - Zenibuchi Park (ft. Kometsugu-Kun)

24/05/2022

Mt. Hakkai Okura Fire-Walking Festival 🔥🔥🔥

Every year at the Sakamoto Shrine in Okura, Minamiuonuma, there is a large bonfire and fire-walking event over the red hot coals. Walking over the fire is said to be a prayer for the safety of one's family and sound health🙏

【Date】 　 May 29, 2022 (Sunday)
【Location】 Sakamoto Shrine ⛩ (八海山大倉口里宮前広場)
【Time】 9:00 am ~ 12:00 pm

The fire-walking festival will certainly be a sight to behold, and we hope to see you there!😁

19/05/2022

The ski slopes around Minamiuonuma City have gone from pure white to lush green in just one month's time! 🌿
For locals, this means that it's time to return to the fields and begin planting this year's Koshihikari rice crop 🚜🌾
Check out the video below to see how Minamiuonuma farmers grow the best-tasting rice in Japan!! 🍙
https://youtu.be/y6oAVPPQHE8

We got to see the Koshihikari rice planting process in the city famous for producing Japan's most delicious rice. Enjoy!Minamiuonuma City in Niigata is known...

17/05/2022

2022 Event Info: International Festival at IUJ 🌏🎉
⚫️When >>> May 28 (Sat) 13:00 ~ 19:00
⚫️Where >>> International University of Japan campus

Experience different cultures from around the world through presentations, interactive activities, dance💃, musical performances 🎼 and more, right at home in Minamiuonuma City with the upcoming International Festival at IUJ! 🥳
Travel across the globe with a stamp rally tour to win prizes using your Festival Passport ✈️, and then sit back and enjoy the evening performances on stage!👏
We hope to see you there‼️😁

13/05/2022

Are you a small business owner or budding entrepreneur in Minamiuonuma City?? 👩‍💼
Do you love camping and the aesthetic of a popular Niigata-based camping gear retailer?? 🏕
Well, do we have some good news for you!
The Minamiuonuma City Business Emergence Base has just opened in Muikamachi to support innovation and small business development in Snow Country!🙌 The facility's numerous bells and whistles make it the ultimate coworking space, and an open floor plan makes it possible to use the space for events, meetings, lectures and more📊📽

The facility is located on the 1st floor of Muikamachi Station and is open for drop-in use from 9:00 ~17:00 on weekdays. For more info, visit the website below (Japanese). 👇
https://m-plan.work/

26/04/2022

In celebration of Children's Day, large koi-nobori windsocks are strung above the pond in Osaki Dam Park at the base of Mt. Hakkai　every spring 🎏

Because of the park's location in the mountains, cherry blossoms here bloom later in the season and the colorful koi-nobori can be seen together with the refined pink hues of cherry blossoms in full-bloom🌸 And seeing as this is Snow Country, if you look closely you can see some remaining patches of snow too! ☃️

The koi-nobori decorations will be hanging up until early May, making Osaki Dam Park the perfect place for a short nature walk over the upcoming Golden Week holiday🎊