Japan's tropical winter hotspots, tabi socks, and a writer interview

The beaches of Okinawas Zamami Island.

This post covers the best Mediterranean and tropical winter vibes near Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan's split-toe tabi socks, and an interview with an elderly Japanese writer.

But first a little about Japanese brushes that are used heavily in the New Year for celebratory calligraphy and more. An old Japanese saying states "Kobo fude o erabazu", meaning that Kobo Daishi, the eighth century priest known for the excellence of his calligraphy, wasn't particular about what brush he used. This must undoubtedly have saved the great calligrapher a lot of time and trouble, as the baffling variety of brushes, or fude, available here makes selection rather difficult.

Less than 15 craftspeople living and working in or around Kyoto make brushes full-time. The most difficult thing about brush-making is gathering suitable materials. Even the fleeces from Chinese sheep, bred specifically for brush-making, cannot be used in their entirety. The rarest, and therefore the most expensive, of these materials, is hair from the Vietnamese deer. Once plentiful, these animals were among the many casualties of the war in Vietnam. These days, their coarse, precious hairs are rarely used by themselves, but are added to the center of brushes to give them strength. Quality hair from the backs of the necks of Chinese sheep is also expensive, as are the long hairs from Chinese weasels and Japanese white raccoons.

The best of the best animal hair for the most exclusive brushes used the neck hairs from rats that lived on sea ships. The salt made the brush hair perfect! Today, there is maybe one man who hunts rats in the marshlands at the north end of Lake Biwa. These hairs lack the salt air touch but are still considered the finest Japanese traditional brushes.

For a superb selection of brushes and everything else you will need to go with them be sure to visit Saiundo, which has been supplying many of Japan’s finest artists for centuries. Saiundo's one-room small shop, a tiny world in itself, displays all the supplies necessary for traditional Japanese painting — brushes (over a hundred kinds), inks, paints, water containers, brush holders, and handmade washi paper. The loyal customer base of this age-old business includes quite a few of Kyoto’s most famous painters and more than a few internationally famous artists and designers (just flip through their guest book and then add your own name). Saiun-do is on the south side of Aneyakoji Street, one and a half blocks west of Teramachi Street. Tel: 221-2464.

The rest of this custom Japan private tours planning post covers:

Japan's sub-tropical winter destinations
Japan's split-toe tabi socks
An interview with a Japanese writer

Content by Japan travel specialist & designer Ian Martin Ropke, founder & owner of Your Japan Private Tours (YJPT, est. 1990). I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. I work closely with all of YJPT's Japan private tour clients and have a great team behind me. I promote YJPT through this content and only advertise at www.japan-guide.com, which has the best all-Japan English content & maps! If you are going to Japan and you understand the advantages of private travel, consider my services for your next trip to save time & have a better time. Ian Martin Ropke (unique on Google Search) is also a serious nonfiction and fiction writer, a startup founder (NexussPlus.com), and a spiritual wood sculptor. Learn more!

Tropical winter beach basecamps across Japan

Not all travelers who come to Japan in the winter months, Dec, Jan, Feb, choose to do winter things. Some like to get to the tropical worlds of Japan, where even in winter the air is warm and pleasant and so are the surroundings. These destinations are similar to say the Mediterranean Riviera. The top winter tropical destinations in Japan are: 1. The Izu Peninsula, an hour west of Tokyo; shark scuba diving, hang gliding and warm air in winter. 2. The Shima Peninsula, which is home to Japan's most sacred shrine: Ise Grand Shrine. Also famous for its pearl divers and great seafood year-round. Lots of pampering here! The Shima Peninsula is about 3 hours from Kyoto or an hour south of Nagoya. The famous Tobu pearl divers are here, and lobster is on nearly every menu. 3. Okayama Prefecture is home to olive trees (planted late but they have thrived), orange mikan mandarins, and old farmhouses near the Inland Sea (which is sheltered and thus much warmer than Kyoto or Tokyo). 4. Last, but not least, Japan's southern Okinawa Islands are super great in winter for snorkeling, diving, river & sea kayaking, and sunsets. The local cuisine and music and general culture of Okinawa is completely different from the rest of Japan. The people are different too! [This is also true of Hokkaido, which super popular in winter and summer.]

The Izu Peninsula: The Izu Peninsula resort area is the premier weekend getaway for affluent Tokyoites. The peninsula, known for its mild sub-tropical climate, offers serious hot springs (many overlooking the ocean), stunning pine decorated coastlines, a lot of beaches, hang gliding, hiking, old farmhouses and great contemporary art museums. Mount Fuji, 50 kilometers to the north, is a common sight in winter, when the air is clear. FYI: The first cherry cherry blossoms in all of Japan are at Kawazu on the Izu Peninsula. Top Izu Peninsula attractions:

The 9th century village of Shuzenji
The Irozaki coastline at the tip of the peninsula
The geological wonders of the Jogasaki Coast
The walking trail to the 7 Kawazu waterfalls
Sea views and hang gliding from Mount Omuro
Marine tours at Dogashima, SW tip
Lots of hot springs and fresh seafood year-round

Shima Peninsula, Mie Prefecture: The Shima Peninsula (志摩半島) is home to Japan's top-sacred Ise Shrine or Ise Grand Shrine. It's also where the Toba pearl divers are, and a huge aquarium to boot. The menus are rich in fresh seafood, especially local lobster. And the nighttime coastal strolls are beyond amazing. The area has great ryokan inns and hotels and resorts and lots of hot water. It's the Riviera weekend and getaway destination for the affluent of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka and Kobe. From Kyoto allow for about 3 hours by train (Kintetsu is best). Ise is only an hour from Nagoya by train.

Okayama Prefecture: Okayama Prefecture is really warm and pleasant in Japanese winters and it's only an hour from Kyoto, less from Osaka. You can find old farmhouses here (sleep in them too!), visit the museum packed willow lined canals in Kurashiki. Okayama's most famous traditional attraction is Korakuen Garden, ranked as one of Japan's top three landscape gardens. Okayama Castle is located just across from the garden. Okayama was also the setting for the popular fairy tale about Momotaro (the Peach Boy). Other Okayama Prefecture highlights:

Bicycling across the Kibi Plain
Naoshima art island & Ando Tadao architecture
The mountaintop castle at Bitchu-Takahashi
The old and charming Buddhist port town of Onomichi

The tropical worlds of Okinawa: Head to the deep overview of the islands of Okinawa on this website to learn more about tropical winter interludes after skiing or city sightseeing in Tokyo. Learn more!

Japanese tabi socks for geisha, maiko and you!

Worn in elegant, thong-like sandals called zori, tabi are uniquely Japanese, an indispensable part of kimono fashion. The origins of tabi date back to the Asuka (6th century) or Nara (7th century) period. In the beginning, these unusual socks were not split toed nor were they made of cloth. The primary material for early tabi was deer or monkey skin. In the Kamakura period (1185-1333) tabi made of animals skins became a prized form of clothing for samurai warriors so that they could walk easily in mountainous or rough terrain. It was also in the Kamakura period that the split in the toes originated in order to accommodate the growing popularity of thonged zori sandals.

In the Edo period, as skins became scarce, silk and cotton tabi came into vogue. During the height of the Tokugawa shogunate, there was a law for nearly everything, and unless you were over 60, you needed permission from a daimyo or lord to wear tabi, and you could only wear them between September and February. It was also in the Edo period that different colored tabi became popular. White continued to remain the overall favorite for formal kimono, while solid dark colors were favored for everyday wear.

Early tabi were fastened at the ankle with string. Later tabi used buttons and then metal clasps. Today, tabi are either made of cotton, satin, or in some case stretch nylon.

Fundo-ya (分銅屋足袋): The last hand-sewn tabi shop in Kyoto: Though most modern-day tabi are machine sewn, until only quite recently, many Kyoto tabi were still sewn by hand. Kyoto-tabi are particularly popular among people who regularly wear kimono. And many kabuki actors and tea masters routinely order dozens of pairs of tabi, which they will used in their performances or ceremonies. Before World War II, there were 35 tabi shops in Kyoto. However, with the dramatic drop in the kimono business tabi shops vanished one by one. Today, Fundo-ya, which started doing business in 1864, is the only hand-sewn tabi shop left in Kyoto. The shop’s large showcase at the corner of Sanjo and Sakaimachi street displays a number of dazzlingly white tabi along with various color models. Inside the shop, you can see workers busily hand sewing tabi. But these are not hired help: they are family members. The current forth-generation owner, restarted the business after the war and employed a number of seamstresses. However, in the rapid growth years of the 1960s and 70s, all the workers eventually left, leaving the owner and his family to continue. Fundo-ya, uses stretch-and-shrink-resistant cotton for its tabi. To make a tabi that perfectly fits the foot, an extremely high level of expertise is required. In all there 12 different work stages, each requiring detailed attention and time. Although overall demand for hand-made tabi has decreased, they are much more durable and comfortable than machine-made tabi, and continue to enjoy a loyal following among kimono wearers. Recently young people have also expressed an interest in colorful tabi, which they wear with jeans. Fundo-ya or 分銅屋足袋 is located on the northeast corner of Sanjo and Sakaimachi streets in the old center of Kyoto. Closed on Sundays, and national holidays. Tel: 221-2389.

A Talk with Yasuhiko Tanaka freelance Kyoto writer & researcher

This interview with Yasuhiko Tanaka, a successful freelance Kyoto writer & researcher, took place in August, 2001 on the west side of Kyoto.

YJPT: Would you tell us a little bit about your background?

YT: I grew up next to the famous Inoda coffee wholesaler and cafe on Sakaimachi just south of Sanjo. My grandfather was a doctor. As is so common in Japanese families, I tried to follow in my ancestor’s footsteps. And so I took the examination to get in to Kyoto Prefecture Medical University, but I failed. This was during the war. And at this time one of the few people who could avoid going to war were teachers. I didn’t want to become a soldier, so I took a course to get a temporary elementary-school teaching license. Then I went on and got a full license at Ritsumei University. I made my living as a teacher until about 1974, when my father died. A few years before my father died, I started to seriously write books about subjects that interested me. Eventually, I quit my day job and became a cram school teacher, which allowed me to write in the daytime and write at night.

My first book, published by the Kyoto wo Katarukai [Kyoto Discussion Association], which I and some friends founded, was a photo essay that showed different parts of Kyoto as they changed over the years. We published the book in 1972, with a total print run of 400 copies. It sold out almost immediately. Today, I am still proud of the fact that this book can be found in major libraries in England, the US, Canada and Germany. Since I was a young boy, it had always been one of my dreams to become a famous writer. It was a great feeling to actually see my books lining the shelves of bookstores.

YJPT: What other books have you published?

YT: I have published about 40 titles over the years. My most popular title, Kyoto Goriyaku-san no Anaba, sold nearly one million copies. This book was all about the special powers of Kyoto’s shrines. To write the book I interviewed the head priests of more than 300 shrines. The book was very popular because people could use it to find the best place for their special needs. For example, if they needed luck for an examination I told them about the best shrines for that purpose. Or if they needed a good-luck charm for protection against fire or accidents, they could use the book to find the best place for that. It was no surprise that the book was so successful.

After the book became a bestseller, a number of people called me to ask me where the best place was to pray for the return of a run-away family member. In Japan, people have had the habit of simply evaporating [johatsu suru] or vanishing to avoid responsibility for various things. In general, it was husbands or fathers who evaporated the most, and, as you can imagine, this caused great difficulty for the remaining family members.

One day I got a call from a woman who wanted to know where she should pray for the return of her daughter’s evaporated husband. I told her about a little shrine called Kikuno-san, near Nijo Kawaramachi, that was well-known for answering such prayers. The place was a little hard to find, but it was the best place in Kyoto. The next day the same woman called back and, at first, I just assumed that she couldn’t find the place and wanted better directions. But that wasn’t it at all. She was calling to thank me! Apparently right after she prayed at Kikuno-san, her daughter’s husband returned. The same thing happened another time when I was taking calls on a radio show. Quite amazing really.

YJPT: Are there any other books that you would like to talk about?

YT: Another book I published was all about earthquakes in Kyoto. In the book, I listed every earthquake in Kyoto that was historically recorded. After the book was published, a newspaper reporter came to my house and started asking me my opinions about earthquakes in Kyoto. I told him that the records showed that there was a major earthquake every 30 years. The next morning, one of the headlines in the morning paper read: “Big earthquake in Kyoto every 30 years!!!” After that I got lots of calls from other papers, and a few days later a headline in a major evening paper said: “Historian predicts next major Kyoto earthquake!!” That was an unforgettable moment for me.

YJPT: What book are you working on now?

YT: Right now, I am writing a book about Kyoto’s legendary beautiful women. Over the years I have collected many stories about Kyoto beauties and a whole bunch of black-and-white photos of Kyoto women. I bought these old postcards of geiko and maiko at a used bookstore.

I am very curious about the history and life of women who became famous because of their beauty. I want to write about why we have so many beautiful women in Japan. Hirobumi Ito, a former prime minister of Japan, once said in a famous magazine interview that he thought Gion geiko were perfectly suited to being the wives of Japanese prime ministers. This woman’s photo is exhibited in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The title of the photo is “Japanese Beauty.” She is still alive and I’m sure that she is still as pretty as ever. If I showed these photos to older Japanese men that they would all think they are extremely pretty women. What do you, as a foreigner, think of these women when you look at their pictures?

YJPT [looking at the photos]: I think their hairstyles are unique. But with all the make up, I can’t say that I find them beautiful in the way I find modern women beautiful. Maybe if I showed these photos to my grandfather, he might think these girls are pretty. But somehow, the longer I look at these photos, I begin to see features that I find exquisite. Like this woman’s nose or this woman’s mouth. Indeed, they are exceptionally fine women.

YJPT: What is it that you love about Kyoto?

YT: For me, the best thing about Kyoto and, in a way, the Kansai region, is the food. Compared to eastern Japan, our food is lightly flavored and great emphasis is given to color and the subtle changes in the seasons. I always think about this as I am passing Nagoya on the bullet train on my way to Tokyo.

I also love rainy days in Arashiyama. And the special feeling of sitting in front of the stone garden at Ryoan-ji Temple. Nowadays it is always quite crowded and noisy there. But I still go. Another place that I return to often and always find to be inspiring is the Old Imperial Palace grounds. I also love to go to places like Kumogahata, north of Kyoto. This is an area that far too many tourists miss out on.

When I was a young boy, about 9, I lived on the south side of Yoshida Shrine for about a year. Although I only lived there for a year, the entire area around the shrine was my special playground. I still dream of going back and do when ever I can. There is something about the area that still expresses the old days.

Japan's sub-tropical winter destinations
Japan's split-toe tabi socks
An interview with a Japanese writer