MEGA ESSAY

KUMAMOTO


Introduction
I like Kumamoto very much. I was born and grew up in Kumamoto until now. I'll introduce festivals, foods, famous people, sightseeing spots amd leisure spots of Kumamoto. All is my recommended things. Please enjoy it.

Festivals
●Yamaga lantern festival
"Yamaga lantern festival" is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. Women put their head on lantern(made by paper) and dance around the main street in Yamaga. It hold 2 days between "Japanese Obon". The light from lantern is slightly blight. It looks heavy, but it's very light because of paper. Visitors(Customers) enjoy women's dancing with "Yoheho bushi" that Yamaga's original music.

●Hinokuni Festival
Hinokuni Festival is the one of famous festivals in Kumamoto. It is held from August 11th to 13th every year. Many people dance to famous folk song of Kumamoto called "Otemoyan" in the center of the city.
In 13th, the big event is held. It is fire works.
You can watch ten thousand fire works. They are very beautiful. You should go.


●Myoken festival
Yatsushiro city has Myoken Festival. It is famous festival in Kyushu. It's hold in November. There are many kind of people. They walk in the city. The main character is Game. Its head is turtle and body is dragon. It has red hair on body. If you get them in the road and put them in your wallet, you can be rich.






Foods
●Ikinaridango
Ikinari dango is traditional sweet in Kumamoto.
It is the thing which bean pastes and sweet potatoes are wrapped in dough of flour.
The recipe is very easy. Even when unexpected guests visit you, you can serve it to them soon (in Kumamoto dialect "ikinari" ). So, this sweet is called "Ikunari Dango"
It is very delicious.




●Horsemeat
It's one of a original features who lives in Kumamoto. We eat HORSE MEAT!! We eat it with soy source or roast it a bit with soy source added garlic. It suit ables to eat with alcohol. Many drunk loves to eat it. But it's a little expensive to eat basashi. It's a kind of gorgeous dish.



●Chikuwa
Hinagu town in Yatsushiro has Chikuwa. Chikuwa made from fish. Its shape is like a tube. Chikuwa means "bamboo ring". First, ground fish is rolled around bamboo. Second, it's baked. Finally, bamboo is pull out. The shape is round so its name is Chikuwa. Hinagu has many chikuwa shops.



Sightseeing spots
●Yamaga
Yamaga is very popular place about hot springs and an important cultural asset.
. There is a "Yatiyo-za" that is Japanese old style theatre. Once upon a time, Kabuki is played there. Sometimes Kabuki actors come to play it and we can watch it now.
And hot spring is soft water. If you touch it, you feel like clammy. It made our skin clean and beauty.


●Aso
Aso is most famous sightseeing spot in Kumamoto.
It has many good nature, food, hot spring place to visit and so on.
Mt. Aso is very famous. You should eat ice cream cone. You can enjoy the monkey show.
Depends on the season, you can enjoy picking fruits.
Every time you go to Aso, you can have good experiences.
Aso is my recommended spot.


●Hitoyoshi
Hitoyoshi is a nice sight seeing spot in Kumamoto. It is famous for hot springs. There are many hot springs. It is also famous for farms. Tere are many cows in the city. If you go to there, you can drink fresh milk. It is very rich. Please go to Hitoyoshi if you can go.


Famous people
●sport
Maki
Seiichiro Maki is a professional football player from Kumamoto. He is also one of representative of Japan. He played in the world cup in Germany.
He also loves his hometown Ogawa. He sometimes meet the chair person of his hometown. He takes part in event in Kumamoto. He got married recently. I hope his sprint.


●Comedian
Cream stew
Cream Stew is famous comedian in Japan. It group has two members, Arita and Ueda. They are from Kumamoto. They graduated from high school in Kumamoto which famous for be inteligent. Them comic skits and gags are very amusing. Recently, we often see them on TV. They are popular comedian.


●Historian
Natsume Soseki
He is one of the most famous novelist. It's a evidence, why he is so famous. He printed as a 1000 yen bill by be praising his great novels.
He lives in Kumamoto because he loves Kumamoto. When he arrived here for the first time, he calls Kumamoto "Capital of light". Half of his Haiku(poem) is made in Kumamoto.



Leisure spots
●Mt. Kinpo
Mt. Kinpo is 665 meters above sea level and it is a volcano. Did you know that?
It is the mountain which is symbol of Kumamoto City and it is known that Mt. Kinpo was used in the one scene of Soseki Natsume's novel "Kusamakura".
You can enjoy the night view of Kumamoto City in the evening.
I recommend watching sunset and night view from there.




●Amakusa
Amakusa is west of Kumamoto. It has beautiful sea. If you go to there, you can eat many kind of fish and shellfish. They are delicious. In summer, you can swim in the sea. Amakusa has many beaches. They are very beautiful and you can be relax.



●Kikuchi valley
Kikuchi valley lies in north of Kumamoto prefecture. We feel cool because the air is very fresh. If we feel hot in summer, you go there. Kikuchi valley is also cool during summer. The nature is plenty. The water is very clean. It is chosen as best 100 water in Japan.



Conclusion
What do you think about Kumamoto? I think it is a very nice place to live or visit. I will find the good points of Kumamoto more and I want to introduce it for you.

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