making buckwheat noodle@ Chiran

Chiran (知覧) is one of the most popular area 

for tourists in Kagoshima.

 You will find the building with Japanese traditional style 

along the road.

Here, you can experience making buckwheat noodle.

The fee is 2,650 yen per person for 4-servings.

You can choose to carry them out or eat there.

waterwheel

makes us feel cool

The symbolism of the restaurant.

"Fukiagean" has been loved by local people ;))

Here is a kitchen

It has just renovated! 

how lucky we are ;))  

In a traditional way, buckwheat is made with these tools.

First...wash your hands

Then wear the apron and cloth to cover your head.

 All ingredients are flower, buckwheat flower,
 fleshly-grated yam and water.

That's  very simple and healthy.

mix until moistened.

Called"Kikuneri"

named after this shape of kiku, chrysanthemum in English.

Roll each thinly into a circle　●○●

Then into square　■□■

Making bigger, but little by little.

It is not easy to make it the same thickness.

Fold the dough and cut it into strips.

In the beginning,

 It is very difficult to do the same width　;P

Many children and tourists has been experienced ;)

Lots of foreigners as well! 

People who experienced this course

will receive one's diploma;)

We got it! yay!

This machine is buckwheat mill.

We had lunch what our handmade buckwheat noodle:)

You can choose hot noodle with soup or cold one with dipping sauce

What did we order is...

Cold one:)

The restaurant is traditional Japanese style,

but you can stretch your feet.

So don't worry you don't need to sit on one's heels.

The manual will tell you the recommended way 

to eat buckwheat noodle.

1. Try it straight. 

Enjoy the taste itself.

2.  pour soup and... 

Enjoy dipping the noodle in the straight sauce.


3. Add thinly sliced leek and horse radish. 

finish off a meal with　"soba-yu" 

Add cooked liquid (in the square-shaped pot) into the sauce.

Out side of the restaurant, 
This is dedicated to the God of Water.
clean water is necessary to grow buckwheat.

The Fukiage-hama Sand Festival

The Fukiage-hama Sand Festival ( HP in English) 

has been held every year since 1987.

2011 it is held from May 1st to May 15th.  

It is my first time, 

we went there by car. 

There have some large parking spots 

and has shuttle bus service from parking to the site.

More than 90 sand sculptures are displayed.

Out of them, 11  top artists from in and outside of Japan 

are invited to come and compete 

through their spectacular creations.  

The theme of this sculpture is "Osaka". 
Made by Kagoshima citizen 

There is an section of contest for
 local elementary and junior high school students. 

He is professional artist, Bruce Phillips from US.

This title is "Future of Japan".

We could see some demonstrations.　

"INUIT SLED DOGS" by Karen Fralich
This is one of my favorite work.
It is sculptured by Canadian female artist. 

This work is expressing one scene of 

the Japanese fairy tale "Momotaro" :)

This event supports for reconstruction of Tohoku earthquake. 

Lots of people were writing comments to the suffers.  

and charity boxes are placed some area.

Although it was raining day,

many people visited:)

I found another attractive side of cost area.

Hana Kagoshima 5 ~Guri-bu COLLECTION~ @ Yoshino Park

Enjoy findings Guri-bu!

You may get feel affection for and will miss him

 when leaving the park,

just like so did I :P

 Stone Guri-bu

  Smiling  

Winking 

 　Signboard as well

He is so popular:)

Say cheese ;))

We took photo of them,

Guri-bu and Sakura: his girlfriend

One more!

We met friendly man☆

 

There are many Guri-bu goods,

Collaboration Guri-bu X  Shochu, Kagoshima specialty. 

 At the lunch time, there are some events on the stage.

There are some food stands.
Even Family Mart is there!

Yoshino Park has some athletic facilities.

Of course we enjoyed :))

Next article is this:)
Sand and Flower Festival

Hana Kagoshima 4 @ Yoshino Park

Some area in the park 

introduces Kagoshima agriculture 

"Tanokan-sa" stone statures: 

God of agriculture

you can see them at the path on the rice paddies 

in southern Kyushu.

Kagoshima is famous for the production of 

Kurozu: Black vinegar.

Kagoshima meet such conditions:

moderate climate, supply of rice, clean spring water. 

"Daikon Yagura "

You can see this as one of the winter features in southern part of Kagoshima.
Local Daikon Radishes dried in winter roughly 10 days for pickles.

Here are Pigs! How cute <3

Dried Onions, 

this reminds me of my gramm's house :)

You can experience of making a chopstick cases.    

Didn't think that we got into so much.


Enjoy:))