Matsushima Bay's Kanejima

When I took the harbor boat cruise in Matsushima Bay in April 2006, the boat I was a passenger on passed by many of the islets that dot the bay (there's about 200 of them).

The boat passed one of the larger ones and it was only today that I found out that it has a name.

Thanks to Muza Chan's Gate To Japan blog, I now know that it is called  Kanejima (or “bell island"). This is because when waves pass through 4 natural arches, they make a bell-like sound.

Above, Kanejima in Matsushima Bay in 2006. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nagasaki Fountain of Peace

Above, the Fountain of Peace in Nagasaki Peace Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Muza-chan's Gate To Japan blog has the story of the Nagasaki Fountain of Peace.

The Fountain of Peace is located in Nagasaki's Peace Park, which includes the hypocenter of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city on August 9, 1945. The section of the park where the hypocenter is located is referred to as "Hypocenter Park."

Above, the front of the Fountain of Peace. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nagasaki Peace Park also includes the huge Peace Statue, Museum and Peace Memorial Hall.

To read about the Fountain of Peace, go here.

Japan Travel Website Muza-chan.net

One of the more interesting Japan travel websites I've found is one by Muza-chan from Bucharest, Romania.

About Muza-chan:

I started the muza-chan.net website in November 2007, a few weeks after my first trip to Japan. At the time, I had in mind a travel journal, written for my Romanian friends. But after a while I received a lot of questions, so I also started to write about the Japanese customs and traditions I observed. Soon, I added several other topics, like history, travel tips, pop-culture... 

During the last 6 years, I visited Japan about a month per year… somehow I feel at home there, as if a part of my soul was always there. It is a place I love and where I feel loved... 

I want to show you the Japan that I see and many times I feel that I can do more through photos than through words…

Her website is easily-navigated and is sorted by topic. She also has a nice photo gallery to peruse.

A lot of people agree with me on her site as she has over 36,000 Twitter followers!

To view Muza-chan's site, go here.