Sébastien Duval

🧵6/ Rainy 08:30 at #Kyoto Fushimi-Inari Grand Shrine, head of 30,000+ shrines, to feel #Shinto power through Inari (god of rice 🌾 with fox messengers 🦊). Immediate rewards: rare encounter with shrine maidens & priests, crowdless group photo at the torii gates tunnel, wish-come-true lucky charms… ⛩️⛩️⛩️

Vegan Kyoto Beaning.

Back to #Kyoto Engine Ramen to introduce real #ramen to a French traveller! I savoured #VeganRamen "Kyoto Beaning" + extra noodles; he got the standard one + extra mushrooms. His verdict: excellent, broth in France is nowhere as good! Will he move here to enjoy more real #JapaneseFood? 🙂 #VeganKyoto

Grains' chef (left) holding okacon, with me (right) pointing at it.

🧵2/ The chef of Grains (Miho's Kitchen) makes her #PlantBased eel & chicken from scratch using local soy & konjac 🌿 She sells this foundation as "okacon". #VeganNagoya #VeganJapan

Vegan eel on rice.

Vegan fried chicken.

Red miso soup.

🧵1/ Exceptional #vegan & #GlutenFree lunch at Grains (Miho's Kitchen) in Nagoya with red miso soup, unagi-don eel on rice (first time I tried vegan eel ✨), karaage fried chicken (taste close to the real thing + soft chicken texture), matcha or chocolate doughnuts… 😋 #VeganNagoya #VeganJapan

Deïmian (left) holding the book, with Tokuda-san (centre) and Kobayashi-san (right).

Tokuda-san & Kobayashi-san’s new book.

🧵5/ At Kanayama Megaliths, a local journalist interviewed us (maybe the only tour without Japanese visitors for years!), and Deïmian bought Tokuda-san & Kobayashi-san’s new #archaeoastronomy signed book in English/Japanese. Fun fact: I’m on 1+ photo of the book (as 2023 #HistoryTour guide here).

Tokuda-san explaining to the group a rock with marks revealing the summer solstice.

Inside the main rock formation now revealing that we are in the 120-day winter.

Lunching on site, with the authorization of Tokuda-san.

120-day "winter" sunset visible in a V-shaped pair of rocks.

🧵4/ At Kanayama Megaliths deep in #Gifu mountains, Tokuda-san & Kobayashi-san showed/detailed 4,500 y.o. sun/stars observation points, calendar systems that they noticed & unearthed 28 years ago: solstices, equinoxes, midpoints, leap years (!)… unaffected by #Japan many earthquakes 🌋 #HistoryTour

A burial mound of Hodota Kofun cluster, surrounded by flowers.

Walking on a keyhole-shaped burial mound of Hodota Kofun cluster.

Inside a keyhole-shaped burial mound of Hodota Kofun cluster, with Deïmian explaining to travellers on the right.

Cliff of Yoshimi Hyakuana.

🧵3/ A day trip from Tokyo let us walk on and inside 1,500 y.o. keyhole-shaped burial mounds of Hodota Kofun cluster in #Gunma and climb the mysterious cliff of 1,400 y.o. Yoshimi Hyakuana “Hundred Caves” in #Saitama! Deïmian’s storytelling & theories enlivened our #HistoryTour 👍🏻

Ancient clay figures at Tokyo National Museum.

🧵2/ Our #HistoryTour lively discussions started at the Japanese archaeology gallery of Tokyo National Museum (my favourite in Japan), at the old walls of Edo Castle (with huge stones now protecting the Imperial Gardens and Nippon Budokan), and at #Tokyo oldest (1,400 y.o.) Buddhist temple Senso-ji.

🧵1/ Guiding an exciting 12-day #archaeoastronomy tour in the Japanese countryside for a special interest group: 11 French & Belgian travellers who explored ancient civilizations in Egypt, Mexico, Peru… and extend their deep world journey led by Deïmian. #HistoryTour #JapanTravel

🧵7/ How may curators make this #Osaka tour truly exciting for everyone, not just for history buffs? My main recommendations related to storytelling (the substance is fine) and to multilingual audio (not just Japanese). Hope you'll soon enjoy it too!

My magatama in my hand, with a dark green thread to wear as a necklace.

🧵6/ I finally did this! As hands-on activity at #Osaka Ikegami-Sone Yayoi Learning Centre, we shaped & kept our own magatama, comma-shaped jewels mentioned in Japanese myths. Do they represent fangs, foetuses… or are they Power? It's a 3,000 y.o. mystery! Lovely #CulturalTourism souvenir 🙂

Wearing a costume of shaman-queen Himiko in front of her statue.

Wearing a costume of shaman-queen Himiko in front of a reconstructed Yayoi house.

Wearing a costume of shaman-queen Himiko in the lobby of the Museum of Yayoi Culture.

🧵5/ Fun time & memory trying a costume of shaman-queen Himiko at #Osaka Museum of Yayoi Culture. We took photos in the lobby and (with special authorization) inside an exhibition room. The curators liked the results, which cleared any worries regarding cultural respect. #CulturalTourism #HistoryTour

Vegan lunch.

Vegan lunch before opening.

🧵4/ Our immersive lunch was a bento of Yayoi & local ingredients. I had convinced the organizers to add a #PlantBased alternative so vegans joined (13%) and enjoyed with me Yayoi-era-inspired rice balls (same chef) plus complements by Merry Momo (restaurant I recommended). #JapaneseFood #VeganOsaka

Climbing into a reconstructed building at Ikegami-Sone archaeological site.

After climbing, inside the big reconstructed building at Ikegami-Sone archaeological site.

Curator explaining and answering questions about a temporary exhibition.

Touching and comparing ancient potteries.

🧵3/ Exclusive during our #HistoryTour: touching millennial pottery, weighting replicas, Q&A about the source of #JapaneseCulture with #Osaka Museum of Yayoi Culture curators, climbing into a reconstructed building at Ikegami-Sone archaeological site… Special connection needed; staff came to unscrew!

Curator (left) and interpreter (right) beside a reconstruction of a Yayoi home & family.

Small-scale model of early rice cultivation.

Yayoi weapons.

Wooden and pottery-based tombs.

🧵2/ Fascinating #HistoryTour in English: we saw #Osaka artifacts, learned about #Japan early rice cultivation, metal tools, first wars two millennia ago… The diversity of burials caught everyone's eye! We asked too many questions to also cover the emergence of rich/poor disparities 😓 Plan a guide!

🧵1/ Another 1-day test #HistoryTour for #Osaka Prefecture ✔️ To elevate experiences at its uniquely-specialized Museum of Yayoi Culture and 600,000㎡ Ikegami-Sone archaeological site, I gathered 17 travellers & residents from 9 countries who attended for free then provided insights & recommendations.

Lastly, the director of #Chitose Aquarium taught us about local #salmon preservation. This endeavour required laws and much scientific research to start succeeding, and is facing new challenges as the climate crisis worsens. Underground windows reveal the riverbed and wild fish! #biodiversity

I enjoyed my first time #rafting 🛶 Pure water, autumn leaves, salmon, birds, and a Japanese guide who lived in Canada welcomed us. This #Chitose route suitable for novices (request Niseko for challenging #AdventureTravel), kids, elders, and groups of ±25 is also doable on evenings (great for MICE).

Our last day in #Chitose started with a jaw-dropping #sunrise over Shikotsu lake, visible from my and all adjacent rooms at Marukoma Onsen Ryokan inn. You can easily sleep here if you book your room 6+ months in advance. #JapanTravel

Kamishibai.

My room, with tatami mats.

View of Shikotsu lake from my room.

We wrapped Day 3 at #Chitose Marukoma Onsen Ryokan, welcomed by kamishibai paper theatre skillfully introducing the origins of the inn in English, and finally slowly stargazing from the main outdoor hot spring. I’ll have to go back to test the wild hot spring too!

Me, covered by snow in a mountainous forest.

Snow! My wish came true at the very end of our hike (10 minutes before reaching the car) 🙂 Still, I’m glad we hiked Mount Tarumae early as that snow quickly turned to hail… Kudos to the organisers for spontaneously driving us to a hot spring just after 👍🏻

Lava dome topping Mount Tarumae, with sulfuric fumes.

Autumn view with Shikotsu lake on the way to the top of Mount Tarumae.

Path on the way to the top of Mount Tarumae.

Hiking Mount Tarumae active #volcano near #Chitose was tougher than expected due to many big steps going up and slippery stones going down. However, the midway autumn view then the rare lava dome with sulfuric fumes morphing as we circled around the top were rewarding & memorable 🌋 #AdventureTravel

Beets + avocado smoothie, grapes, and coffee, with the hotel garden in the background.

All the smoothies available during breakfast at the hotel.

Surprising beets + avocado smoothie for breakfast at #Chitose Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu No Uta 🫜 Others drank strawberry + pineapple + cauliflower, komatsuna + tomato + banana, spinach + kiwi… #VeganChitose #VeganJapan

My hotel room with a big bed on the left, a suspended seat in the background, and a big desk on the right.

To recover, we wrapped Day 2 at Lake Shikotsu Tsuruga Resort Spa Mizu No Uta: harp player, fireplace with marshmallows, porter who lived in Canada, unusual seat and big desk in my room, herbal sauna, quiet outdoor hot spring, restaurant welcoming vegans with early notice… Happy & grateful 👍🏻 #Chitose

We finished #canoeing in #Chitose as the sun set on Shikotsu lake (+ we saw many fish). Giving back our equipment, we saw photos of our canoeing route with cherry blossoms (no drone though) and with snowwear during snow (looked wonderful)! #AdventureTravel

Canoeing under branches.

Canoeing near yellow, orange and red autumn leaves.

I was a bit cold but happy!

Our guide made coffee on the canoe!

Blissful #AdventureTravel with #canoeing on the crystal-clear waters connected to Shikotsu lake in #Chitose… and our guide kept us warm by preparing hot coffee on board ☕

Cycling near houses. We saw a squirrel with a nut in its mouth 🐿️

Cycling between trees and autumnal herbs.

Cycling along the river.

View from the top of the first dam.

Our half-day #cycling tour along the #Chitose river and through lush forests led us to Shikotsu lake. On the way, the view from the dam was breathtaking thanks to yellow, orange and red autumn leaves 🍁 May would also be a good season to ride, with purple flowers, etc.

Priest at the bottom of the stairs leading to Chitose shrine.

Chitose shrine.

Drinkable water at Chitose shrine, perfect for a refill before cycling in the countryside.

Day 2 started at the nice #Chitose shrine, rooted in Kyoto (Fushimi-Inari shrine), host of 2 gods (rice & water), with pre-rafting blessing option. The priest welcomed us warmly and guided us while explaining #Shinto jobs to a group of 13-14 y.o. Japanese learning about many jobs today for school ⛩️

A field

We wrapped Day 1 in #Chitose with a farm stay devoted to natural pesticide-free farming & cooking (beyond organic farming: minimal intervention). Used to WWOOFers, our charming hosts discussed many topics with us. Warm inside Arigatou Farm despite -1℃ tonight.

Zoomorphic clay figurine seen from the front, mimicking a seal

Zoomorphic clay figurine seen from the side, mimicking a bird

Clay mask (left) and man clay figurine (right)

Former school, #Chitose Archaeological Operations Center greatly complemented the burial circles, with its rare local #Jomon artefacts, especially its exciting zoomorphic clay figurine (you must watch from many angles!), clay mask, and man clay figurine. Valuable during a #HistoryTour 👍🏻