みんなさん、一つご報告あります。昨日新潟県燕市で行われましたある二次審査に参加させて頂きました。そこで平成28年4月17日のつばめ桜祭り「第74回 分水おいらん道中」で桜太夫のおいらん役として選ばせて頂きました。外国人のおいらん役は歴代初だそうで大変光栄に思います。みんなさん、当日ご都合宜しければ是非見に来てください♪(*^^)

Yesterday I had the honor of getting elected for a position as an Oiran at the Tsubame Sakura Festival in Niigata scheduled to take place on the 17th of April. Among 64 applicants we were three girls who ended up with a position as Oiran in the parade, and in the 74 year long history of the festival it is the first time that a foreigner has been chosen for this role. This sure will be a great chance to experience a Japanese festival and see the Sakura at the same time!! For those of you who are in the vicinity it would be fantastic if you have the chance to come see the parade on April 17th!

分水おいらん道中のおいらん役に選ばれた初の外国人は・・・大使館の元研修生でした！　4月17日の開催です（新潟県燕市）http://bit.ly/1QUQ1t8
Posted by Royal Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo on Thursday, March 3, 2016

• All blogposts from the Tsubame Sakura Matsuri
• Elected as Oiran for the Tsubame Sakura Festival! 第74回 分水おいらん道中のおいらん役に！
• The Tsubame Sakura Matsuri: Cherry Blossom PR & Last Minute Preparations
• Behind the Scene of the Tsubame Sakura Matsuri Festival - The Oiran Dochu
• Geisha vs. Oiran: The Characteristics of the Japanese Courtesans
• Try it yourself: An Oiran (花魁) Costplay Experience in Japan
• All blogposts about Festivals

Just a couple of hours by train from Tokyo lies the historic little village Chichibu (秩父). Referred to by some people (especially if you talk to locals) as “Kanto's Tibet” this place holds an interesting history reaching back more than 2000 years. One of Chichibu’s most famous tourist spots is the Mitsumine Shrine (三峰神社), which is hidden far away up in the mountains behind Chichibu.

Hi everyone! Today I just wanted to share this information from the Norway-Japan Society about their 2016 Study Grant. For more information about the society please check out their website

日本・ノルウェー協会は、2016学年度に1ヶ月-1年間にわたりノルウェーに留学する20歳以上の日本人、あるいは日本に留学する20歳以上のノルウェー人を対象に、奨学金を給付します。
 専攻科目・資格不問。帰国後、英文の報告書を提出することが求められます。

The Norway-Japan Society Study Grant 2016
The Norway-Japan Society offers up to two study grants of JPY200,000 for the year 2016.
Applicants are to be 20 years old of age and above. Applicants must also be either Japanese who will be studying in Norway or Norwegian staying in Japan to study, for the period of 1 month to 1 year in the study year 2016.

Application papers:
Applicants are requested to make application documents explaining his/her purpose of study, study duration, and what he/she plans to do after studying in Norway/Japan. Applicants should also explain his/her financial sources. These documents must be submitted by email.
Certificate of the last academic qualifications is required either by secure email directly from the issuing educational institution or original by post. Please note we will not accept certificate of academic qualifications by email from the applicant.
Please be reminded that all documents need to be written in English.

Email address:
information@norway-japan.org
Post address:
The Norway-Japan Society
c/o Royal Norwegian Embassy, Information section
5-12-2 Minami Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0047

Application deadline:
March 31st, 2016

Application procedure:
Completed applications will be reviewed by The Norway-Japan Society. The result of the evaluation will be notified to applicants in May prior to the General Meeting. The successful applicant will receive the grant money after the start of his/her study is confirmed by The Norway-Japan Society.
The grantee is required to attend our General Meeting in May or alternatively to write a thank you note to be read up at the General Meeting. Upon completion of the studies the grantee is also required to submit a written report.

The Ultimate Sakura - Cherry Blossom - Forecast for Japan 2018
Top Tokyo Hotels to Enjoy the Cherry Blossoms

Before & after

As the old saying goes; monkey see, monkey do! In Jigokudani - literarily Hell's Valley - the monkeys have learned to enjoy bathing in the hot spring, and if you visit the valley you can see both young and elder monkeys monkeying around or just soaking in the hot water. Although these monkeys belong to a very common Japanese species called macaque, the monkeys living in the snowy areas of the country are more often referred to just as that - “snow monkeys” (スノーモンキー). You can find macaque monkeys all over Japan, but it is only the snow monkeys in Nagano's Jigokudani that are known to take hot spring-baths, a peculiar sight that attracts visitors from all over the world.