Monthly Archives: September 2018

Outdoor

Relax in Totsukawa village★

A few days ago, I went to Totsukawa village♪ Totsukawa village is the biggest village in Japan in the southernmost part of Nara prefecture. Away from the city, I came to countryside, where healing world of the mountains.

Most amazing place is “Tanize suspension bridge” which is a tourist attraction representing the Totsukawa. Enclosed in wire mesh and rising 54 meters over the Totsukawa River, the bridge built in 1954 to connect the villages of Uenochi and Tanize. Though quite safe, the swaying motion can be scared, or fun, depending on your mind.

When I happened to pass people who came from the opposite side on the way, the bridge was really swaying! The bridge is quite long, terrific attractions. It was very scared and my legs froze.

After I reached to the opposite side, found a good feeling teahouse! I ordered “rice cakes” and a bottle of “ramune soda drink”. I spent a while watching the scenery for a while. Daydreaming at the cafe is my pastime.

Then I went to several hot springs and healed my body. Totskawa hot spring is good for your skin and warm from body core. In the outdoor bath, I could feel nature, so the fatigue blew away. I recommend you to enjoy hot springs in various places in Totskawa, you can also choose a long stay or a day trip, so come over Totsukawa ☆ 彡

Uncategorized

Tatami mats

Traditional Japanese-style rooms have floors of tatami mats. The mats are made of straw and rush and consist of a thick base and a soft, smooth surface that covers the base. The tatami mats are approximately 180 by 90 centimeters (6 feet by 3 feet). As tatami mats have a standardized size, they can be used to measure room sizes. Then, one mat is referred to as 1 jo and the size of a six-mat room, for example, is expressed as 6 jo. In addition to six-mat rooms, four and a half-mat rooms and eight-mat rooms are the most common in Japanese houses.

The longer sides of the tatami are bordered with cloth. In the old days, the colors and patterns of the cloth depended on the status of the family, but people can chose their favorite colors and patterns freely today. When we walk in a tatami-matted room, it is bad manners to step on the borders. This is because the borders damage and wear easily if they are stepped on.

Tatami mats Feel smooth and never get damp. They are the ideal material for floors in Japanese houses as the humidity is high all year round due to the climate. We can always keep tatami mats in good condition by simply having their surfaces periodically replaced by expert tatami makers. We can enjoy the refreshing scent of woven rush when the surfaces are replaced.

The program of [Experience tatami mats with a craftsman] (No298) give you a chance that you watch closely the artisanship of tatatmi and you make your own mini tatami mat.

 

 

 

 

* Please check our hands-on experience program
http://nara-experience.com/detail/index/298&ml_lang=en