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Ninja at the Yokohama Rugby Fan Zone

During the Rugby World Cup 2019 the Wallabies are staying in the city of Odawara, also home to the legendary Fuma Ninja! Join us for Ninja shows and the Odawara Booth at the Rugby Fan Zone in Yokohama Park to learn more about the city the Wallabies are based and the history of the area!

Ninja Show Dates: October 5th
Times: 13:15~13:45 / 15:25~15~45
Venue: Yokohama Park Rugby Fan Zone
Odawara Booth: 10/5 10/13 11/2

The famed Fuma Ninja of Odawara will be the basis of a stage show presented at the Rugby Fan Zone in Yokohama. The exciting stage show will feature Japanese drums and flutes, shamisen music, and more traditional Japanese music as the background for the action show.

The Fuma Ninja are one of the most famous ninja clans in Japanese history. They served the Hojo family for generations during the warring states period in Japan. The Fuma Ninja played a supporting military role during the age of civil war and were known to protect and defend everyone in society.

The Fuma Ninja have been used in Japanese pop culture staples such as video games and manga. This is an opportunity to see, feel, and experience a special part of Japanese culture and history. We look forward to seeing you at the Rugby Fan Zone`s Odawara booth!

Music Show: “Fuma Ninja, Legend of Odawara” featuring traditional music and instuments
October 19th 13:00 ~ 13:30
November 2nd 12:45~13:15 14:15~14:45

Info on the Yokohama Rugby Fan Zone HERE

Grit Cafe, a Pao de Queijo shop

Delicious pao de queijo pastries and chiffon cakes are some of the most popular sweets at this shop also featuring other tasty goods like curry puffs, rusks, tomato sauces, all natural pudding, and pesticide free black rice. Everything is made with care and select ingredients.

Suzua Coffee Shop

Established in 1956, this is a coffee roaster offering world class beans to the castle town.
The professional roasters at this shop select beans from all over the world to create wonderful original blends. Suzua Coffee continues to value the relationships and opportunity to create amazing, complex, and delicious coffee.

Sumire Cafe

A recently opened shop specializing in shaved ice and the house special, green curry. The delicious and large shaved are sure to delight. The popular green curry and tomato pork dish is available for take out as well. The relaxing atmosphere is great to enjoy lunch or an evening drink. The menu is subject to change depending on the season.

Fuma Ninja, the Legend of Odawara

"Fuma Ninja, Legend of Odawara" Show

Kanagawa Prefecture will present the stage show “Fuma Ninja, Legend of Odawara” about the Fuma ninja that served the Hojo Clan from Odawara Castle during the time of the samurai. This show will showcase the rich history and charm of the Odawara area in western Kanagawa.

In November there will be the “Kanagawa Festival in Hanoi 2019” (November 16-17) where the “Fuma Ninja, Legend of Odawara” show is also planned to be shown.

This is the second year this performance will be held. With the popularity of the ninja overseas the organizers under the tourism board are working to promote and develop the local historical connections with the ninja. The ninja have a deep rooted history with the area around Odawara City and the area. We will continue the promotion of the ninja history and culture with Kanagawa Prefecture to ignite interest in Odawara and the area.

Who are the Odawara Fuma Ninja?

The Fuma Ninja existed for many generations. The head of the clan was always named “Kotaro.” The fifth generational leader was said to have been more than 2 meters tall, muscular, sharp piercing eyes, an inverted beard, and fanged teeth. Little documentation on the ninja exist and there are many mysteries surrounding them. Recently the ninja have become popular and romanticized in pop culture. The Naruto manga has gained popularity in Japan and abroad. The Fuma ninja and fuma weapons make appearances in this popular manga. In April of 2019 the “Ninja Museum” opened in Odawara Castle park to continue the promotion and connection between the area and the ninja.

The Fuma Ninja blend into daily life, but in the shadows and away from others the Fuma Ninja continue to practice their ninja skills and hone their mental state. When enemies appear, their lord is targeted, or when the weak of society are targeted the Fuma Ninja will appear to vanquish the enemy.

Ninja Show Information

Kanagawa Festival in Hanoi 2019

Fuma Ninja Show Dates & Times
November 16, 2019 – November 17, 2019 (showtimes to be determined)

Show Venue
Ly Thai To Park, Main Stage (Hanoi, Vietnam) Free Entrance

Interesting Points
In 2018 an estimated 70,000 people gathered to enjoy the festivities and entertainment
In addition to the Fuma Ninja performance and traditional Japanese music there will be ninja experiences to enjoy. You can try a shuriken, ninja throwing star, dress as a ninja and more to feel and experience the world of the ninja.

Sake and Beer in Japan

Asahi Beer Factory, Minami-Ashigara

Asahi Beer is one of the largest and most well known beer producers in Japan. Odawara is at the foot of the Hakone mountains and the clear, clean, and refreshing water was ideal for beer making. Asahi has a large beer factory on the outskirts of town, easily accessible by the Daiyuzan train line from Odawara Station.

Inoue Sake Brewery, Oi Town

Sake is the “Drink of the Gods.” Sake is used in religious ceremonies to celebrate or commemorate different life events. There are four local sake breweries in the Odawara area producing sake and some even giving you tours to see the sake making process.
Sake shops near Odawara Station, some convenience stores, and the breweries themselves sell bottles of this local speciality. Contact us for information and access to the sake breweries.

Craft Beer, Suzuhiro Kamaboko Village

Odawara is famous for kamaboko, a traditional steamed Japanese seafood product. A local producer, Suzuhiro, decided to create a local Japanese beer that complimented the subtle flavors and tastes of Japanese food. This was one of the first true local craft breweries in Japan. The Hakone Beer brand creates seasonal beers, like chocolate around valentine`s day or using in season fruit. The beer can be found at the Suzuhiro Kamaboko Village located between Odawara and Hakone.

Odawara Castle Ninja Hall

Ninja Skills, Weapons, and History

OPENING April 20, 2019
On the grounds of Odawara Castle the recently renovated Ninja Hall has interactive and new displays sharing the history of the ninja. The famous Fuma Ninja served the Hojo family of the Odawara domain. Here you can experience and learn ninja history, ninja skills, and see ninja weapons. Odawara was home to one of the most famous ninja in Japanese history, Fuma Kotaro.

Real Ninja

The Hojo Family was once one of the most powerful families in all of Japan. They controlled a large part of Japan from their castle in Odawara. These were the times of battling fuedal lords, the time of the samurai and ninja. In these wonderful historical surroundings you can find the Ninja Hall. In the stories and documents detailing the reign of the Hojo, the ninja Fuma Kotaro is refrenced. He was one of the few famous ninja names passed along the generations. Fuma Kotaro, Hattori Hanzo, and Nagato were some of the most famous ninja in Japanese history.

The Ninja Museum and Experience Hall

The NInja Hall gives you a chance to learn about who and what the ninja did during their time. The facility also gives you the opportunity to try different ativities associated with the ninja. You can throw ninja stars, sneak around, climb through windows, and test your ninja skills.

Odawara Welcomes the Wallabies and Rugby 7s Teams

The Wallabies and Australian Sevens teams will use Odawara, Japan as their training base for the next three years for their matches in the country.

With key matches and tournaments to be played in Japan in 2018, 2019, and 2020, Rugby Australia issued an expression of interest to the Japanese market in late 2017 to establish an Australian Rugby training base in the country and Odawara was chosen for location, commitment, and quality of facilities.

Odawara, which is located an hour south of Tokyo and Yokohama by car, or 35 minutes by bullet train. The region was selected due its superior facilities and accommodation options, coupled with a strong local government commitment and support from the local community.

The arrangement provides Australia’s national teams with access to the Shiroyama Athletic Field and Hilton Odawara Resort which is equipped with elite-level gym facilities.

The Wallabies will be the first team on site when they converge on Odawara for a training week prior to their third and final Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand at Yokohama on October 27. The facilities will also be available for the Wallabies for any time spent in Japan prior to the official commencement of Rugby World Cup 2019.

The Australian Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams will initially use the facilities for pre-Olympic training camps in 2019.

“We wanted to secure a home away from home in Japan for our Qantas Wallabies and Sevens teams and Odawara was a standout submission after we fielded strong interest from across the country.

“The Odawara community has embraced our teams and there is a high level of support for Rugby and the Wallabies in the region. In Odawara, we also have a very committed and accommodating local government partner and we look forward to establishing a great friendship with the people of Odawara over the coming years.”

An Introduction to Odawara

Odawara is a regularly ignored entryway to nature and history. Sightseers searching for places or towns rich in Japanese conventional culture regularly settle on Hakone or Karuizawa, however why travel so far when this excellence is on Tokyo’s doorstep?

Most celebrated for Odawara Castle, initially implicit the mid fifteenth century and held by the Hojo tribe, Odawara is a fortune trove for those intrigued by Japan’s tremendously discussed Warring States Era. It likewise happens to be Tokyo’s nearest stronghold and keep mix, a little more than a hour away via prepare.

The château isn’t Odawara’s just distinguishing strength. It is additionally the main town inside the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, which is acclaimed for its hot springs and unimaginable perspectives of Mt Fuji. Standard transports gone through Odawara taking you to well known climbing goals, and the station is likewise served by six diverse prepare lines including the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Crisp fish is gotten and sold regular at Odawara Harbor. Kamaboko, steamed fish meat framed on a wooden piece, is a mainstream sustenance of decision for Japanese individuals, in spite of the fact that not as acclaimed outside of Japan as sushi or takoyaki. On the off chance that you get yourself snared, the Suzuhiro Kamaboko Museum gives data on Kamaboko’s history and permits guests the likelihood of making their own.

A prime area for fish and ocean sees, Odawara additionally spends significant time in salted plums and paper lamps (so frequently observed at Japanese celebrations amid the mid year months).

Make like local people and make a beeline for Seikantei. Initially the estate of an once distinguished family, it offers a look into the way of life of the old-school Japanese world class and highlights the staples of Japanese home stylistic theme. It’s staggering ocean side perspectives of Sagami Bay disregard a consummately organized conventional garden. Unwind and take in the all-common fragrance of the tatami tangle flooring while you loosen up with tea and scones.

For those going with kids, Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History is a most loved for its broad accumulation of dinosaur fossils and bug displays. At just 510 yen for each individual, this gallery offers amusement and instruction on a financial plan. In the event that the children would rather a more dynamic outing, Odawara Wanpaku Land is a free play area with discretionary paid highlights, for example, a creature stop and little themed rides; the ideal place for a family cookout.

The JR Tokaido Shinkansen takes thirty minutes from Tokyo or Shinagawa Station to Odawara. The Shinkansen is prescribed on the off chance that you need to complete a half-day or entire day stumble on a tight schedule, costing ¥3500 one way.

On the other hand, on the off chance that you have additional time or need to spare cash, you can get to Odawara from Tokyo in around 70-a hour and a half by nearby or fast prepares on the JR Tokaido Main Line (going through Tokyo, Shimbashi and Shinagawa Stations) or the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line (going through Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya Stations) for a large portion of the cost.

These trains are secured by the Japan Rail Pass, JR Tokyo Wide Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass however the Shinkansen is just secured by the Japan Rail Pass.

Odawara Art Museum

The New York Times writes about the Odawara Art Foundation….

WITHOUT WARNING, the Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto begins to sing. Moments before, he had been guiding me through his minimalist penthouse loft in a verdant neighborhood of Tokyo, explaining in a voice barely louder than a whisper why white Japanese shikkui plaster is the most beautiful surface on which to view shadows. Then, in a soaring tenor, he starts belting out Handel’s “Lascia ch’io pianga,” his strong voice echoing off the bare walls.

Spend any time with Sugimoto, and such scenes will grow familiar: It is all but impossible to know what he will do next. Sugimoto built his name on photography; his meditative, black-and-white images of everything from drive-in movie theaters and eerily naturalistic wax figures to Rothko-esque seascapes are well represented in museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Centre Pompidou, Tate Modern and the J.Paul Getty Museum. Now, a full four decades into his career, there is architecture. At 69 years old, the artist is quietly making an ambitious transition, expanding his two-dimensional vision to one that captures the world in space.

A self-described “unlicensed architect” who splits his time between Tokyo and New York, Sugimoto has brought his monastic Modernist aesthetic to life through the firm New Material Research Laboratory, which he co-founded with the architect Tomoyuki Sakakida in 2008. “Most of my ideas are illegal,” says Sugimoto, who considers it Sakakida’s job “to make it look like it’s legal.” As Sugimoto leads me from his penthouse to a second apartment below — both of which he designed — it becomes clear the firm’s name is intentionally ironic. “New materials means ancient materials. Forgotten,” he says, walking through a hallway paved with stone beams rescued from temples and past sliding doors with a traditional cedar-bark and bamboo surface. “The material usually comes first, and then I think about the design,” he says. The loft has the quality of a Mondrian: Bare white walls are set off against rectangular panels of intricately grained rare woods, a grid of tatami mats and cylindrical white calico-covered stools floating on clear legs (also designed by Sugimoto).

Odawara Guide 2019
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