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Jazz Concert

I went to a Jazz concert organized by La Casta in Omachi city. The admission fee was only one thousand yen! La Casta offers us a garden. It was awesome as usual. Unfortunately, it started to rain as soon as the chairperson introduced the singer and players to us. We ran into the building and went to the large room. They gave us fans and cold refreshments for free. We had not only rain, but also thunder. Furthermore, we experienced blackouts. In a terrible situation, the concert began….
Surprisingly the singer had a powerful voice. Without a microphone and an electronic piano, her voice was OK. Her voice reached the people in the back. It was husky and beautiful. She sang songs with only a guitar, but we were impressed with her voice! She changed a song in the program and sang a song related to the rain. She hosted the concert and told some jokes. We really enjoyed the concert very much in spite of the rain. La Casta gave all of us towels which had eucalyptus’s smell last.

Concert in Garden of La Casta

I went to a concert in the open air, held in La Casta in Omachi which offers us a beautiful garden and aromatherapy. The entrance fee was eight hundred yen. We didn’t have to pay an additional fee for the concert! How generous they were! About the concert, a Chinese instrument which has two strings was played by a Chinese performer and a Japanese pianist accompanied him. Their music was beautiful and it released my stress.
As for La Casta, the garden is cleanly kept. You can see various flowers in each season. To see the garden, you have to make a reservation in advance. They can accept about one hundred guests in one day which means they are taking a good care of the garden. Unfortunately it’s closed from late November to early April. They also have a beautiful building. It’s a two-story building and it’s connected to a four-story building which is like a tower. The 4th floor has a fine view of the countryside.
La Casta sells aromatherapy and body care goods. You can make your original fragrance by mixing your favorite scents. I learned citrus and flowers make a good scent from the shop keeper. They care a lot about organic plants when they make their original goods. They offer us samples of shampoo and conditioner. I have an allergy to cosmetics, but their goods are OK for me! They are a bit expensive, but I would like to buy them. They have various kinds of goods such as bath salts, gel for legs, aroma candles, etc.

Azumino Fireworks Show

I went to see Azumino Fireworks Show on August 14.
I was very surprised because so many people came to see the show. I parked my car near Tazawa Station and took a shuttle bus to the park. It was the third year for the fireworks show. The news announced that the Azumino Fireworks Show is the second biggest in Nagano. Compared to the Suwako Fireworks Show, which is considered to be the biggest one in Nagano, it’s much easier to get a good seat. Fireworks are a summer staple in Japan. The sound of fireworks reminds me of summer. Large flower-like fireworks burst into the night sky. I can’t forget it. I went there with my foreign friend. She was also impressed! We saw fireworks imitating the four seasons of Azumino. There were also cartoon characters and special messages to precious friends and relatives. I would like to see the show next year as well.

Hotaka Shrine Festival

May 2 to May 17, 2009

This huge festival takes place only once every 20 years, so don’t miss it! The entire wooden shrine was rebuilt after 127 years and the festival is being held to welcome the God back into the new shrine.

During the 15-day festival, there are a ton of different things taking place at the shrine.

**Performances every day from 5 to 8pm, upon the shrine’s large stage (only a few highlights are listed below)

**Around 100 life-sized dolls are displayed upon the shrine’s grounds. Normally kept in a museum, the dolls depict scenes from traditional Japanese folktales. (Lit daily until 8pm)

**A variety of food and entertainment booths

Event Highlights

May 5: <3pm> Children’s Parade (6pm if rain)

May 10: <5:30 to 7pm> Traditional music and dancing
<7 to 8pm> Taiko performance

May 16: <5:30 to 7pm> Traditional music and dancing

Note: No performances on May 8

**Stop by the excellent Visitor Center located next to Hotaka Station for more information.
English-speaking staff is usually available.

Access

By Train: Take the Oito-sen Line from Matsumoto to Hotaka Station. The shrine is an easy 5 minute walk from the station.

By Car: Streets surrounding the shrine will be closed during the festival. While several parking lots are available in the area, expect them to be full, especially during the Golden Week holidays.