From 10th January 2014

You can withdraw cash by Mastercard from ATM of 7-eleven bank again in Japan.
Although, Maestrocard is still suspended even after 10th January 2014.
Anyway, there is no 7-eleven in Tango region so please make sure you have enough cash with you before you start traveling from big cities!!
For further information before I wrote about this, you can read from the following link.
http://seasidekyoto.blogspot.jp/2013/06/got-problem-to-withdraw-money-from-atm.html

P.S. I am a Maestro card holder which is issued by one of European bank so I will update information again, when my card started working again in ATM of Japan post bank.

Watch the first sunrise of the year!

Except visiting Temple and Shrine, another New Year tradition in Japan is watch the first sunrise of the year! Many people prefer to do this beside sea and it is absolutely possible at Amanohashidate area. (Picture is from 1st Jan 2013 but you can guess I was too lazy to see the sunrise ;) )

Usually, you can take a cable car to go up to Kasamatsu park to see the sunrise. The cable car is run from 6.30 in the morning, only special for the New Year's day!!
Kasamatsu Park will be open on 1st January 2014 from 6:30AM until 16:30.

Would you like to try traditional way of how to welcoming the New Year in Japan?

Locals go to temple to ring a bell to purify from their 108 sins. Also many visit shrine to welcoming the New Year after midnight. If you are in close to Miyazu temple district, you can hear sounds of many bells from around 23:30.

Compared with lots of big cities in Japan, in Miyazu everyone can ring a bell and waiting time is not that much. If you would like to ring a bell, you can visit the listed temple. FREE of charge.

☆Kyou-ji temple(経王寺): starts 23:30

☆Nyogan-ji temple(如願寺): starts 23:45

☆Chigen-ji temple(智源寺):23:00

In Miyazu, Kono-jinjya shrine serves the most number of people visiting for wishing for the New Year. The New Year praying starts from midnight.

☆Wakinomiya-jinja shrine

☆Kono-jinja shrine

 

If you are staying at Amanohashidate Fuchu area(府中地区), Kono-shrine is located. Also I'm not 100% sure but if you would like to try ring a bell in the area, perhaps at Jikou-ji temple(慈光寺) you can try that!

Snowed!

                                        The picture is taken today's morning(14th Dec 2013).

We got a few snow last night and it melted on the street already but still I could see snow on the roof. Winter is started here!

Tips for a day tripper to Amanohashidate in winter time

If you are visiting Amanohashidate from Kyoto or Osaka as a day trip,
PLEASE make sure you going to arrive at Amanohashidate in the morning or at latest noon. Especially if you are plan to walk though Amanohashidate itself (pine tree forest).
And I don't recommend you to try visiting Amanohashidate&Ine by a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, that is tooooooooo rush. Due to sunset is earlier and closing time of everything is earlier in winter.

☆Santa Claus feeds fish! 2013☆

 

Where? At the biggest water tank of Uocchikan aquarium(魚っ知館)
When? From 23rd November to 23rd December, during this period of weekends, public holidays and 24th Dec. 
Time? 13:15

Please check about further information about the aquarium from the following page.
http://seasidekyoto.blogspot.jp/2013/01/aquarium-uocchikan.html

Timetable of express bus between Kyoto city to Amanohashidate will be change!

From 21st December 2013, the timetable will be change.
Please look out the bottom of the following link page for details.
http://seasidekyoto.blogspot.jp/2013/01/direct-bus-from-kyoto.html