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Sagano Doll Museum (Saga Toriimoto, Ukyo-ku)
Dolls are not just playthings for girls in Japan. March 3rd, is the Doll
Festival (Hina Matsuri), where families display their collection of historical
dolls. The dolls, representing the imperial family, are dressed in gorgeous
costumes, and accompanied with miniature kitchens. The Doll Museum has a
huge collection of elegant Saga dolls, cute chubby Gosho dolls, pint size
Kamo dolls, and mechanical toys. |
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Arashiyama Park Spend the day in the country. Arashiyama
Park is a public park along the Katsura River, crossed by the Togetsu-kyo
bridge. The "bridge that leads to the moon" might seem strange
with cars on it, but you'll recognize it Japanese woodcuts. In May, the
bridge is the site of the Mifune Matsuri boat festival with period costumes.
It's beautiful scenery at any time of year. Bring a picnic lunch. |
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Cormorant fishing (Arashiyama) Traditionally,
cormorants were used to catch river fish, and you can still see this amazing
technique. Around dusk, your wooden "viewing" boat leaves the
dock on the river. The ukai fishing boats are manned with three people
one to pole the boat, one to spot the fish, and one holding the cormorants
on a leash. It's an unforgettable experience to watch the cormorants dive
for fish, the darkness illuminated by burning logs to light the river. You
can watch cormorant fishing in July and August, and it's an outing for kids
who can swim. |
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Arashiyama Monkey Park (Iwatayama) This mountain
is populated with tons of macaque monkeys. Watch mothers grooming their
babies, other monkeys rushing up to greet the tourists. Don't feed the monkeys
out in the park. There is a special "refreshment hut" where you
can feed the monkeys bananas or peanuts through wire-mesh windows. |
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Hozu River Trip Take a two hour boat ride down the Hozu
River, from Kameoka to Arashiyama. The wide lazy river flows through wooded
mountains, under bridges, with a little bit of white water for excitement.
(To get to Kameoka city, take the JR Sagano line, or take the Sagano
Trolly Train (March - Dec.) from Saga Station.) |