Golden Week

14 05 2009

In Japan the end of April to about the 5th of May is Golden Week.  Golden Week (GW) is basically a week of national holidays, including the Emperor’s Birthday, Showa Day, Green Day, Memorial Day and Children’s Day. 

Most people have these days off, so it’s a peak travel time in Japan, with many people either vacationing or going back to their hometowns.

Unfortunately this year, the week was broken up, and so the longest period of time off most people had was 5 days.  Some years you can be lucky and get 6 or 7.

Because it’s peak season, it’s really not the best time in Japan to travel.  It can be hard to find accommodation and trains, shops, or anywhere really is packed.  However it also usually falls on the peak of many spring blooms.
This year I made the trip out to Tatebayashi Azealea Festival.  Also because it was close to Children’s Day, Tatabayashi holds a festival to commemorate that too, so the trip was well worth it.

After arriving at Tatebayashi Station, on the Tobu Isezaki Line, there were special buses (during festival season only, 300yen) to take you to the park.  It is possible to walk to the park in about 30 minutes, but by taking the bus you can start at one end and work your way back to the station through the park and then along a river.

Entrance to the park costs 600yen, and inside there are a variety of stalls selling food, souvenirs, and small azalea plants.    The park itself contains over 50 different varieties of azaleas, and even boasts to have a plant estimated over 800 years old.  The area has been famous for azaleas since the 15oo’s, and it’s not surprising, because in full bloom the park is a wash of color.  It’s also a pleasant place to spend the afternoon under a shady tree watching people or the river.

Heading back towards the station, along the river over 1000 carp streamers are hung around Children’s day.  Carp streamers, or Koinobori, are a symbol of being strong and healthy.  Many of Tatebayashi’s large streamers are made by school groups of local children, so all are unique in pattern and some are quite artistic.  It’s a relaxing stroll along the river for about 1km.


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Golden Week and Thailand!

15 05 2007

Well, Im slowly working backwards to get this up-to-date.  Excuse my lax-ness in keeping my blog current.

Anyway.  About the first week of May in Japan is a holiday called Golden Week.  Its not a proper week holiday, but because there are about 3 or 4 public holidays in the week, most people have it all off.  The public holidays include Children’s day (formerly Boys day) and Green day (yes, the Japanese celebrate the Emperor who planted cedar trees everywhere and consequently causes great pains to hayfever sufferers come spring).    But because almost everyone has the time off, many places are very busy and crowded, and airfares overseas are very expensive.

Despite the high cost I decided to go to Thailand with one of the girls from work, Sophie.  We were only able to arrange to stay 4 nights, 5 days in Phuket, but it really was worth it.  Phuket is a tourist trap, and to be honest, I felt like I could have been at Noosa or somewhere on the Sunshine Coast – there were that many Aussies…..  Except the surf wasn’t good at all.  But it was still nice to go swimming everyday, and work on my tan.  (I only got a little burnt!)

So, what did we get up to?  Well, there was plenty of going to the beach, shopping, going to the beach, eating, drinking, going to the beach….  well, you get the idea.  We also took a day boat tour to Phi Phi Island, where part of the Beach was filmed.  I can honestly say that I have never seen water so beautiful.  It was more green than blue.  As part of the tour we also got to go snorkeling, which really didn’t tickle my fancy.  I guess I get a bit freaked out by fish…  But Sophie really enjoyed it. 

 

Another day we went into Phuket town (we were staying at Patong Beach), and did a lot of walking around.  It was quite a curious place, the style of buildings were almost out of place.  But the temples were beautiful, and we didn’t even go the the famous one in the area.

Other impressions.  Well, you could hardly tell that Patong beach had been hit by the tsunami a few years back.  Although there were some signs of damage, most places had been repaired and it was all pretty nice, well, as nice as a beach side area can be.  I have to admit, even though you pay for beach chairs, the whole atmosphere on the beach is different because of them.  Its nice that all you have to do is signal and the guy will bring you over a beer or fruit or something.  Oh, and it was so nice having so much fresh fruit!

Overall, I enjoyed the holiday very much, but I can’t say I’ll ever go back to Phuket again.  However I do think that I will return to Thailand, maybe Bangkok or the north…..

As mentioned before, photos are online here.


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