Beppu Today, Dec 27th, Kadomatsu

   Last week, I showed Mr. Kumahachi Aburaya in Santa suits. Now he puts on his regular clothes.
 

    At the entrance of Beppu JR station, Kadomatsu was put up. Kadomatsu are new year's decorations made mainly from bamboo and pine branches, sometimes with ornamental cabbages or nandia or such that provides added color. You can see them at the front doors of shops, company buildings and houses until the beginning of January.





Kadomatsu at Beppu JR Station



Kadumatsu at Takegawara Onsen

                                                                                                (GH)

Beppu Today, Dec 23rd, Christmas Hanabi Fantasia

  It was very cold but the Fantasia attracted many people in and outside Beppu. The fireworks today were for families and some of them were in the shape of Santa Claus, Christmas Tree, reindeer and etc. 
  The photos were taken from Mochigahama Beach.
  The fireworks will be held tomorrow (Dec 24th) again.



Beppu Tower is pictured right



Santa's face



a reindeer

shape of heart

                                                                                              (GH)

Beppu Tdoay, Dec 21st, Mr. Kumahachi Aburaya dresses up as Santa Claus

   When you visit Beppu, Mr. Aburaya who is the father of Beppu tourism welcomes you in front of JR Beppu station. Until Dec 25th, he is in Santa suits.


                                                                                          (GH)

Beppu Today, Dec 19th, Tohsuisai in Beppu Park

  Tohsuisai started on Dec. 15th (Sat) in Beppu park. I visited there today.

   It was 5:10 pm when I arrived in the park. 
   The lights were turned on. The park showed another face.
People began gathering to see the illumination.

  At 5:50 pm, the castle of light emerged from the dark.
The silhouette of Mr Tsurumi and Global tower against the sky enhanced the beauty of the illumination.

                          (GH)

Beppu Today, Dec. 13th The scenery under the morning sunshine

    We are often surprised by how familiar scenes can be transformed by the early morning sun.
It was just before sunrise on the day Club Harmoney called at Beppu Kokusai Kankohko (Beppu International Port), the scenes from the port were beautiful.



The cruise ship and the sunrise.



A sunrise color and Mt Takawaki



The color of mountains was impressive.

                                                                             (TG/GH)

Beppu Today on Dec 12th, Beppu Municipal Museum

  I visited Beppu Municipal Museum this morning.
It is a seaside museum with a line of pine trees behind the building.


Beppu Bay seen through the pine tree branches.

The front view of the museum.

 

Camellias were blooming by the entrance.



The sign says,
BEPPU MUNICIPAL MUSEUM GUIDE
Japanese Paintings, Western Paintings, Bamboo Crafts and
Important Cultural Assets Designated by Oita Prefecture,
Replicas, Documents and Photographs related to Hot Springs.



Beppu bay is seen from the Lobby

 

IRORI (or a fire place) and Tatami room
were featured in the Lobby.

  There were seven exhibition rooms for Western style paintings/sculptures, Beppu modern paintings, the excellent works of THE BEPPU ASIA BIENNALE OF CONTEMPORARY ART,
Japanese style paintings, the works by the local artists, and manga features Beppu and bamboo crafts.
All works were wonderful.

  There were also many photos that were taken several decades ago in Beppu.
The old utensils, agricultural instruments and the tools for extinguishing fire that were used by the local people made me travel back in time.

   Beppu Municipal Museum opens from 9AM to 4PM (please enter by 3:30).
It closes on Mondays.

   Next to the museum, there is a famous sand bath.

The entrance of the sand bath

The big sign of the sand bath

                                                                                            (GH)   
  

Beppu Today on Dec. 10th, a cold morning.

 The weather had changed completely from yesterday and it was sunny today.
On the way to Kannawa, Mt. Tsurumidake was slightly covered with snow and the air flew down from it was chilly.



Mt Tsurumidake center and Mr Ohgiyama front.

Mt Tsurumidake and camellia flowers.
From this time of year to the end of March,
it is the season for camellia flowers.
You can see the flowers in the parks
 and  the hedges in the street.

  In Kannawa, I took some pictures of Yukemuri (or you have already know, "misty smoke of hot springs").
Yukemuri scenery is familiar to me but every time I see them I feel a mysterious sense or a wonderful power of nature.

                                                                                                                      (GH)



Beppu Today on Dec 9th, Kannawa and a Concert

  It sleeted this morning. When I got up, the temperature in an unheated room of my house was 5 deg C.  The idea came to me was that I wanted to see Yukemuri (misty smoke of hot springs) in Kanawa from the observation deck , because Yukemuri is remarkable and beautiful on a cold day.
  The air was cold and clean and Yukemuri was seen clearly.
  The mountains were lightly dusted by snow.

   In the afternoon, I attended Beppu citizen orchestra concert at B-ConPlaza.

The orchestra that was founded in 1995 consists of musicians who are mainly living in Beppu.

B-ConPlaza

Audience waiting for the concert to start

     The program featured short pieces by Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Verdi and etc.

Live music fascinated the audience. We are looking forward to the next concert of next year.

    It was a good day today.

Program

                                                                                                                                      (GH)

    

Beppu Today, Scene of Beppu with Global Tower

  According to the research of foreign tourists who visited Beppu, the nature was one of the things attracts them to Beppu.  Beppu faces the bay and the mountains lay behind it. Yukemuri (or clouds of white steam from sources of hot spring) makes the scenery of Beppu fantastic.
  This morning I drove the route in the mountainside that shows you great views of Beppu with nature.
I put Global Tower in all pictures because it makes the scenery more interesting.
I hope these pictures pass on you the wonderful Beppu with nature.




Lot of trees in the city. Ohita city is beyond the Beppu bay.



I'm not sure but... the iron tower is probably a hot spring well .... (??)



contrast between Yukimuri and Global tower is interesting.

The long building undet the tower is B-ConPlaza



A small white building on the hill is Bussari to near Jissoji soccer ground.

                                                                                                             (GH)

Events in December 2012

Beppu Christmas Hanabe(firework) Fantasia 2012

      Date : December 23rd and 24th
      Time: 20:00 - 21:00
      Place: Spa beach (main site) and Matogahama park etc.

6th Beppu Tohsuisai

      Beppu Park will be illuminated from 2012 Dec. 15th (Sat) to 2013 Jan. 18th (Fri).
      The Lighting ceremony is 18:30 on Dec. 15th.
      
                                                                                             (GH)
    

Fantastic world of lights 2012

The illumination presented by the Suginoi Hotel was upgraded to 1,100,000 LED bulbs' power this year. The number is 1.5 times more than last year. (See pictures of last year at  http://beppuftio.blogspot.jp/2011/12/fantastic-world-of-lights.html)
It is worth visiting to see them especially during the Christmas season.

Suginoi Hotel is located in Kankaiji Onsen area. It it15 minutes bus ride from JR Beppu station. Please ask details at any FTIO office.

(KO/AW)