JAPAN ~ Kamikochi Kappa Bridge - Hodaka range - Chubu Sangaku National Park ~

....  Wonderful and probably the most iconic view of the mountainous highland valley Kamikochi...  Kappa Bridge situated in the center of Kamikochi  (literally "upper highlands") is the perfect place to see the Japanese Alps... a pristine mountain valley carved out by the glacial water of the Azusa River and surrounded by some of the tallest peaks of Central Japan's Northern Alps... stunning mountain views, crystal clear waters, and well-placed food huts, makes it one of the most popular and best Japanese Alps hiking areas... Kamikochi is busy with tourists throughout its open months, but probably the most crowded in October when the autumn foliage comes to life... with great special "Matsumoto Castle" postmark also located in Nagano Prefecture...  Thanks a lot Asami!【ツ】

Approximately 18 km in length, Kamikochi is a high mountain valley located in the Northern Japan Alps in Chubu Sangaku National Park.

It is surrounded by tall mountains, including Nishihotakadake (2909 m), Okuhotakadake (3190 m), Maehotakadake (3090 m) and the active volcano Yakedake (2455 m).

Chūbu-Sangaku National Park is a mountainous park and was established around the Hida Mountains and encompasses parts of Nagano, Gifu, Toyama and Niigata prefectures. It was designated a national park in 1934.

There are many points in the Hida Mountains within the park that are above 3,000 m.

Stamps:

New Year - Year of the Rooster
(Issued 16-11-1992)

Definitive
(Issued 0303-2014)

??????

JAPAN ~ Great Buddha of Kamakura ~

... Beautiful view of one of Japan’s most famous historical landmarks... an imposing and fascinating Buddha statue that gives a feeling of calmness and peace... this Buddha is seated in the lotus position with his hands in the gesture of meditation, his eyes cast downward in peaceful contemplation...  it is hollow so visitors can view the inside to observe the workmanship of this 760 year old statue...  today, Buddhists of all traditions and travelers from all over the world come to visit the Great Buddha... Thanks Yuki!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a bronze statue of Amida Buddha, which stands on the grounds of Kōtoku-in Temple. With a height of 11.4 meters and weighs 121 tonnes it is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. At one time, the statue was gilded. There are still traces of gold leaf near the statue’s ears.

The statue was cast in 1252 and originally located inside a large temple hall. However, the temple buildings were destroyed multiple times by typhoons and a tidal wave in the 14th and 15th centuries. So, since the late 15th century, the Buddha has been standing in the open air.

Stamps:

Definitives
(Issued 03-03-2014)

Japanese Traditional Cuisine
(Issued 01-11-2017)

1977 Nature Conservation 18. February
(Issued 18-02-1977)

JAPAN ~ Genbaku Dome - Peace Memorial - Hiroshima - UNESCO ~

... A postcard of a stark and powerful symbol of the most destructive force ever created by humankind... but also a symbol of hope and world peace🕊️☮️🕊️...  it expresses also the hope to the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons.... an important piece of Japans history... 1.7 million people visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial  in 2017... must have been a sad and moving place to see... Thanks so much dear Gian Luca and Raffaella for thinking of me while on vacation... ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ) I hope you had a great time exploring Japan!!

This ruin, which was known until the devastating bombardment as the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, commemorates the victims of the atomic bomb "Little Boy". This bomb was dropped on 6 August 1945 above Hiroshima by the U.S. Army and exploded 150 meters away from this building, 600 meters above the ground. 69% of Hiroshima's buildings were destroyed.

Japanese people call it the "Genbaku Dome". ("Genbaku" means "atomic bomb".) It is located in the central part of Hiroshima city. The Nagasaki bombing caused, according to the commemorative plaque, 73,884 fatalities and left 74,909 injured.

The park that now surrounds this monument has various other smaller monuments, to honor special groups of victims. There is also a museum where you can see the effects of the bomb on humans and artefact's.

In 1996, it was inscribed by UNESCO on its list of World Heritage Sites.

Stamp:

International Letter Writing Week
(Issued 06-10-2017)

JAPAN ~ Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama - UNESCO ~

... First of two great UNESCO sites... a picturesque evening view of a wonderland of beautiful landscape with traditional farmhouses... it almost feels too beautiful to be real... this village is one of the most popular tourist spots where tradition lives on... really unique and different with mainstream Japanese architecture...  Big Thanks dear Gian Luca & Raffaella!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Shirakawa-go is famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. Gassho-zukuri means “constructed like hands in prayer,” as the farmhouses’ steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. The architectural style is designed to withstand the large amounts of heavy snow the area experiences in winter. The roofs are made without nails, and provide a large attic space used for cultivating silkworms.

Shirakawa-go is situated at the foot of Mt. Haku-san in northwestern Gifu Prefecture. It is a quiet mountain village with rice fields and a river running through it. 114 thatched roof stand together in the village.

Shirakawa-go and neighboring Gokayama village were declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1995.

Stamp:

 International Letter Writing Week
 (Issued 06-10-2017)

JAPAN ~ Sukeroku Print ~

... Today we start our journey to Japanツ... with a beautiful print of one of the most popular and famous plays in Kabuki theatre.... "Sukeroku or Flower of Edo"... it takes you deep into the "floating world" of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters, a world of gorgeous courtesans, young heroes, and dastardly villains... the play is still regularly performed...  with great "International Letter-Writing Week" stamp... an annual series since 1958, with the aim of contributing to the world peace by encouraging cultural exchange amongst people of the world through letter writing... I think this also an important reason for us postcard swappers to continue our hobby and maybe making this world a bit better place through all our friendships!!💖💖... Thanks a lot Gian Luca & Raffaella!!【ツ】

Sukeroku is a play in the Kabuki repertoire, and one of the celebrated Kabuki Jūhachiban ("Eighteen Great Plays"). The play is known in English as The Flower of Edo.

Though the plot of Sukeroku is largely fiction, some sources indicate that the characters, and plot, may have been inspired by reality. There may have been a Kyoto- or Osaka-based merchant named Sukeroku in the 1630s who was associated with a courtesan of the Kyoto Shimabara named Agemaki. Some accounts have it that Agemaki became a nun after her affair with Sukeroku, while others tell of a double suicide.

Print: Sukeroku, No. 16 from the series Eighteen Great Kabuki Plays (Jûhachiban no uchi)
Japanese Edo period 1852.

Stamp:

International Letter Writing Week
(Issued 06-10-2017)

Japan ~ Nikko National Park - UNESCO ~

...Beautiful waterfalls framed by autumn colors... Nikko is especially worth visiting in the autumn when the leaves change from green to deep reds and oranges.... the popularity of colorful foliage attract thousands of hikers and nature lovers... Ryuzu Waterfall is one of the first spots in Nikko to see autumn colors.... it's at it best early October... Autumn is also my favorite season of the year♥... Thanks a lot Tomoko!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ

"Ryuzu Falls, Nikko National Park"
Nikko National Park is a 443.06 square mile park located on Japan's Honshu Island and was established in 1934. Within the park are many historical Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Nikko  is the third largest city by area in Japan. With only a population of about 90,000 people, most of it is in the national park.

The Ryuzu waterfall at Yugawa river pours into Chuzenji Lake, going on for about 210 meters before falling into a plunge basin where it splits into two. The waterfall is named “Ryuzu" (dragon’s head) because the falling water resembles a dragon.

“Shrines and Temples of Nikko” were registered as a UNESCO WHS in  1999. This site recognizes the 103 buildings and structures all over Nikko and their surrounding natural setting.

Stamps:

Japanese Folktales
(Issued 20-11-1973)

Modern Japanese Art
(Issued 22-02-1980)

JAPAN ~ Blakiston's Owl -Shiretoko National Park - UNESCO ~

... Beautiful view of one of the rarest breeding birds in Japan... and most endangered species in the owl family... it decreases in number mainly due to habitat loss... Blakistin's Fish-owls are losing the wood and the fish they need... Shiretoko National park is considered to be the last pristine wilderness remaining in the country...
Thanks a lot David!!【ツ】

Shiretoko National Park was established in 1964 and is located on the northeast peninsula of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. One of the most remote regions in all of Japan, much of the peninsula is only accessible on foot or by boat. The word "Shiretoko" comes from an Ainu word "sir etok". It means "end of the Earth"

The salmon and trout that breed in the sea off Shiretoko are an important food resource supporting the terrestrial ecosystem with rare birds such as Blakiston's fish owl, Steller's sea eagle and the white-tailed sea eagle, as well as brown bears.

The Blakiston’s fish owl is a large eagle owl, with a wingspan that can reach up to two metres long. They can be find in Siberia, northeast China and the island of Hokkaido in Japan.This owl feeds primarily on fish, even larger ones. It also catches crustaceans, amphibians and birds such as grouses, and sometimes bats in flight.

 In 2005, Shiretoko was added to the list of world heritage sites for the irreplaceable value of the peninsula's ecosystem and biodiversity.

Stamps:
?????

Marine Life
(Issued 05-07-2017)

JAPAN ~The Paradise of Far East~

Lovely postcard that shows the most famous landmarks of the country (JP-383875)... Thanks Sayaka!!


Colorful stamp: Emblem and woman (Issued 23-06-1975)
and duck stamp.

Left up: Himeji-jo Castle
Left Down: Ohtorii of Itsukushima, Miyajima
Center Up: Aoi-matsuri Festival, Kyoto
Center Down: Tohji-no-toh pagoda
Right Up: Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion
Right Down: Grand view of Mt. Fuji & "Hikari" Bullet Train of Shin-Kansen

JAPAN ~Ukiyo-e print~

Immediately when I found this great postcard (JP-239751) in my mailbox I knew from which country it came...This beautiful and delicate artwork is so typical from Japan...Thanks Yuki&Eri!!:D

With nice stamps too!

Ukiyo-e (literally "pictures of the floating world") is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints (or woodcuts) and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters. It is the main artistic genre of woodblock printing in Japan.

JAPAN ~Kotoji Lantern-Kanazawa-Ishikawa~

...And with this wonderful wintery garden scene (JP-224091)I'm saying goodbye to 2011...It was a great "postcard year"... I want to thank all my postcard friends because without you all I couldn't made my blog and a big thanks to all visitors (over 31.000-from 171 countries)...I hope to see you all again in 2012!!

~~~~~~~GELUKKIG NIEUWJAARR~HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Gerda :D:D~~~~~~~


With great stamps too.Thanks Asuka!

Kenrokuen is classified as one of Japan's "three most beautiful landscape gardens". Kenrokuen features various ponds, streams, waterfalls, bridges, teahouses, trees, stones and flowers. The water for the many streams and rivers of the park is diverted from a distant river by a sophisticated water system constructed in 1632. The name Kenrokuen literally means "Garden of the Six Sublimities", referring to spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views, which according to Chinese landscape theory are the six essential attributes that make up a perfect garden.

JAPAN ~Kinkakuji Temple-Kyoto-UNESCO~

Great card from Japan (JP-190331) arrived today...Another wonderful example of the typical architecture of their temples. This ones two top floors are completed covered in gold leaf... And its reflection in the pond is such a beautiful sight... With as extra bonus that it's also a UNESCO site! Thanks Lyo!!

Nice stamp too!

Kinkakuji Temple, which as originally erected in 1397 by dybast Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, is harmonious with is back mountains and gardens.Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. That is one of Kyoto's "must-take-a-look" for foreigners.

JAPAN ~Mt Fuji ~

This is an amazing view of a sunrise on Mount Fuji, a stunning red glow!! The name of the card is "The Goddes Mountain at dusk"... Seeing the sun rise above Mount Fuji is a symbol of good luck.(I hope this also applies for seeing it on postcards!!!:D:D Thanks Mari!

Great stamps too!

Mount Fuji is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people.

JAPAN

... A typical japanese view...

I've got mixed feelings about receiving this nice card... I'm partly relieved that things are "relatively" normal in some places, like sending and receiving post. But to see all that devastation news makes me so sad.I feel so sorry for the people who have been affected by all of the disasters... all the people there who don’t know where their families are and have lost their loved ones.

Thanks a lot Lily for this great card and I'm so glad to read on your blog that you are safe!!:D



The spring view of Asakusa Temple and Sumida River.
By Kunitoshi Utugawa (1847-1899)
Series: "The Sight of Edoa". Ukiyo-e

JAPAN ~Mt Fuji and Lake Yamanaka~

Wonderful mountain view in an amazing blue sky... with the added touch of a rainbow... I think I would have liked it even more without that "added" rainbow... (JP-154928)
Love the cute stamp too!!

Mount Fuji is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people.

Lake Yamanaka is located near the base of Mt Fuji with its unobstructed views of Mt Fuji mean it is a very popular location to view and photograph Mt Fuji. Lake Yamanaka is part of Fuji Five Lakes system and is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

JAPAN ~Mt Koya-Autumn colors at Fudo Hall-UNESCO~

A typical lovely view of Japan arrived today...A nice temple surrounded by beautiful nature...The red and orange colors of the leafs are just wonderful... It is known as one of Japan's holiest mountain range and seems to be a unique spiritual place... You can feel the spiritual atmosphere just by looking at this card...
Lovely but really tiny stamps!

Mount Koya is a mountain in Wakayama prefecture to the south of Osaka. It is the center of Shingon Buddhism – a buddhist sect which was introduced to Japan in 805 by Kobo Daishi (aka Kukai), one of the most significant personalities in Japan’s religious history. There are over 100 buddhist temples standing in Mount Koya area. And one of the main attractions there is staying overnight in a temple.

Fudo Hall, a small temple hall which houses a statue of Fudo Myoo, one of the Five Wisdom Kings and protector of Buddhism. The statue is said to be carved by Kobo Daishi, one of the most important figures in Japanese religious history.

JAPAN ~Hiroshima-Unesco~

This postcard represents a sad part of human history...


The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) was the only structure left standing in the area where the first atomic bomb exploded on 6 August 1945. Through the efforts of many people, including those of the city of Hiroshima, it has been preserved in the same state as immediately after the bombing. Not only is it a stark and powerful symbol of the most destructive force ever created by humankind; it also expresses the hope for world peace and the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons.

JAPAN ~Yakushima-Unesco~

JAPAN ~Yakushima-Unesco~
Originally uploaded by gerda_dager

Located in the interior of Yaku Island, at the meeting-point of the palaearctic and oriental biotic regions, Yakushima exhibits a rich flora, with some 1,900 species and subspecies, including ancient specimens of the sugi (Japanese cedar). It also contains a remnant of a warm-temperate ancient forest that is unique in this region

JAPAN ~National park Yoshino Kumano~

JAPAN ~National park Yoshino Kumano~
Originally uploaded by gerda_dager

Sent by Yoko. View of the National park Yoshino Kumano

JAPAN ~Shiraito-no-Taki waterfall~

JAPAN ~Shiraito-no-Taki waterfall~
Originally uploaded by gerda_dager

Sent by Tamako.View of Shiraito-no-Taki named the White tread waterfall on the lower slopes of Mount Fuji.Literally thousands of small streams trickle in a large arch and it creates a vast white cascade nearly 200m wide.

JAPAN ~Kurashiki riverside~

JAPAN ~Kurashiki riverside~
Originally uploaded by gerda_dager

Sent by Keiko, an evening scene of Kurashiki riverside . She lives in Kurashiki-Bikan-chiku.