alafista.com » Saitama

Today’s Japan Photo: Chouchin 提灯

Alafista — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:57:53 +0000

For Today’s Japan Photo, we will be visiting Hozenji Temple (法善寺) in Nagatoro, Saitama prefecture to see these beautiful Chouchin (Japanese paper lantern). These lanterns are commonly seen at the entrances of buddhist temples, traditional festivals and even many bars and restaurants such as izakaya, the traditional Japanese inns.

Image Credit: Lost in Japan, by Miguel Michán

Today’s Japan Photo: Mitsumine Shrine 三峰神社

Alafista — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:59:36 +0000

For Today’s Japan Photo, we will be travelling to the top of Mount Mitsumine in Saitama Prefecture to visit a Shinto shrine that is more than 2,000 years old - Mitsumine Shrine 三峰神社.

Image Credit: Nobythai Flickr

In the mythlogy it was founded around the 1st century. But it is true that this shrine has been here since ancient times. It enshrines Izanami (a god) and Izanagi (a goddess) and according to Japanese folk legends, the couple created the land of Japan.

Today’s Japan Photo: Chichibu Yomatsuri 秩父夜祭

Alafista — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:11:05 +0000

For Today’s Japan Photo, we are going to participate in the Chichibu Yomatsuri 秩父夜祭 in Saitama Prefecture.

Here’s the description of the photo taken from Mainichi Japan as well:

Floats decorated with paper lanterns are pulled along a street during the “Chichibu Yomatsuri” (Chichibu Night Festival) in the Saitama Prefecture city of Chichibu on Dec. 3, 2010, as colorful fireworks explode in the background. The festival, which boasts a history of more than 300 years, is known as one of Japan’s three largest “float pulling” festivals, along with Kyoto’s Gion Festival and Gifu Prefecture’s Takayama Festival. (Mainichi)

Today’s Japan Photo: Kashiya Yokochou 菓子屋横丁

Alafista — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 01:53:08 +0000

For Today’s Japan Photo, we will be visiting Kashiya Yokochou 菓子屋横丁 in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture. It is a small backstreet alley where a dozen stores sell traditional sweets and snacks, most of which are priced at less than 50 yen.

Image Credit: JapanTimes

Among the sweets sold are various candies, rice crackers, sugar coated, deep fried cookies (karinto) and sweets made of red bean paste and sweet potatoes. It is a wonderful place for trying some traditional Japanese sweets, while experiencing the nostalgic atmosphere from past decades.

Teacher Arrested For Filming Videos of Elementary School Girls In Toilet

Alafista — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 08:04:42 +0000

Here’s a news story of another creepy elementary school teacher and this time it is in Saitama Prefecture. He was arrested by the police after he allegedly hid a camera in a girls’ toilet of his school in an attempt to video his students. When questioned by the police, he said: ”I like girls and I wanted to take a peep video of them.”

According to coworkers, the teacher—identified as Satoshi Nagahama, 29—regularly came into work early. It is alleged that on Sept 10, he arrived before his coworkers, entered a fourth floor girls’ toilet and affixed a miniature camera to a pipe using tape. Schoolgirls noticed the camera and reported it to the school, who in turn informed police.

Wondering how police managed to catch this creepy pedophile? When they were checking the camera for evidence, they found photos of the accused stored in it! LOL

Source: JapanToday

The conclusion of this news story is that if you are planning to do something evil with your camera, buy a new CF Card to store the images. LOLOL

Man Arrested For Cutting Woman Pants On Train

Alafista — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:26:29 +0000

We have heard some stories of chikan doing weird things to teenager girls on trains rides but this is the first time I heard someone cutting up a woman’s pants. A man was arrested in Higashiyamacho, Saitama Prefecture, on Sunday for cutting a woman’s pants while she slept on a train.

Police identified the suspect as Koji Takahashi, 57, who claims to be a construction worker of no fixed abode.

According to police, Takahashi made three incisions, each around 10 centimeters in length, while the 20-year-old woman was sleeping at 6:40 a.m. on a train between Kitasakado and Takamatsu on the Tobu Tojo line.

When the victim realized her pants had been cut, she followed Takahashi as he got off the train at Takasaka. The woman then reported the situation to station staff who detained Takahashi until police arrived.

According to police, Takahashi told station staff, “She was stretched out on the priority seat taking up all the space, so I got mad at her.”

Source: JapanToday

Definitely the work of a chikan, even though he came up with a lame excuse that he was trying to punish her for taking up the priority seat. Who in the world would carry a scissors onto the train unless it was already pre-planned.

Driver Robs Student After Hitting Her With Car

Alafista — Mon, 03 May 2010 07:08:37 +0000

Its bad enough to be knocked down by a car from behind, but this poor a 20-year-old student was also robbed of 190,000 yen by the driver who caused the accident on early Sunday morning Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture.

According to the statement given by the student to the police, she was on her way home after her part-time job. She was then knocked down by the car behind. The approximately 50 year-old driver then came out of the car and asked her if she was okay. He then proceed to punch her in the face before taking her bag containing 190,000 yen and her cellphone, and driving off in his car.

Source: MSN Sankei

Maybe the driver was thinking that since he was already in trouble, might as well commit another crime. I hoped that the student managed to see his car plate number.

Today’s Japan Photo: Hitsujiyama Park 羊山公園

Alafista — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:35:47 +0000

For Today’s Japan Photo, we will be visiting Hitsujiyama Park 羊山公園 in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture. IF you love pink flowers, this park is a must-visit!!

This particular photo was taken by flickr user an.yonghua. I just love how the flowers are presented in different shades of pink all over the garden. The flowers usually bloom until the Golden Week holidays, so its a good place to visit after the season of sakura blossom is over.

Lucky☆Star Economic Impact on Washimiya Town

Alafista — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:09:48 +0000

We all know that Lucky☆Star has brought about a great change to the town of Washimiya, with its Washinomiya Shrine recording over 450,000 Visitors on New Year. But exactly how huge has the anime franchise impacted that town and its people?

According to this news report from Mainichi Mantan, the anime franchise is estimated to have brought over 1 billion yen! (Starting from when the town was first featured on the anime back in 2007.)

Source: Mainichi Mantan

Its not that surprising considering more and more otakus are flocking to Washinomiya Shrine every year, and that the town had been cashing in on the fever as we had read over the past years: Lucky☆Star Sake, Lucky☆Star Engine Oil, Lucky☆Star Street Lamps, etc.

Washinomiya Shrine Record 450,000 Visitors on New Year

Alafista — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:52:28 +0000

It seems that Lucky☆Star fever has not subsided because a record-breaking 450,000 visited the shrine on the first three days of the new year

The growth in attendance is just staggering — when the anime first started airing, 90,000 folks visited the shrine in 2007. Then it grew to 300,000 in 2008, and onto 420,000 in 2009 and 450,000 in 2010.

Source: Mainichi Mantan

Saitama is just a really cool town to live in, not only you get the Lucky☆Star otaku temple, you also get crazy folks that constantly appear on the news doing weird hilarious stuffs. LOL