VISIT LASEM, the small town with great culture

Hi, my name is Indah. I'm Indonesian. I have father, mother and one sister. They are in Indonesia now. Now i'm in Turkey for study. My house is located in north Java seashore. In Lasem, central Java province exactly. At the past time Lasem have trade harbour. Alot of traders from Arabic, China, Europe came to Lasem. Some of them live in Lasem. Arabic traders live at east side of babagan river. While Chinese traders make houses a long Babagan river. Arabic traders buit a mosque and live surrounding that mosque. the place surrounding mosque now is known as Kauman. On there they built madrasah (Islamic school) for learning Islam and Qur'an.

Big mosque of Lasem

The chinesse traders built little chinatown a long the river. If you walk to Babagan, Karangturi or Soditan village,you will find a lot of chinesse houses with high wall. Beside that there are three beautifull temples. They are konghuchu temple ( konghuchu- one kind of Chinesse believe). Then, you will find heritage and beautifull ornament, statue, and architecture product of Chinesse.

one of Chinesse temple at lasem

Every 5 years usully there is Konghucu festival. They perform awesome Liong and Samsi (Nian-kirin ) attraction. One of popular Chinesse heritage in Lasem is Batik Lasem. Batik is a kind of clothes fabric. batik is motif fabric originally from Indonesia. There are many kind of motif batik from all over Indonesia. But Lasem has unique motif. Its unique motif is cused by assimilation of Chinesse culture and java culture. The motif of Batik Lasem is inspired by Chinesse culture (dragon, phoenix, tiger, cloud) and sea product (algae, seaweed, fish, scalope, ect). The famous kind of Batik Lasem is Batik Tiga Negeri ( Three Nation batik). 

Batik Lasem

This kind of batik is influence by 3 culture,they are : Chinesse, Solo Palace and Jogja Palace. Batik tiga negeri consist of 3 colour they are red, blue and yellow. The red colour of batik Lasem is very special. It is look like red chicken blood. At past time there is no one could made the same red colour, just only from Lasem.

Activities that you can do in Lasem :

1. Painting Batik

 in Karangturi, Babagan and Soditan village you can join the painting activities directly. You can use Canting and black candle to paint batik. It is not as easy as seen.

A woman painting batik using canting

some tourist make a pattern

2. Visit Chinesse temple

The other Lasem unique culture which hide at top of Kajar hill is Buddist community. At top of Kajar hill in Lasem,there is  beautiful vihara-Buddist temple. There is a big sleeping Buddist statue there and small miniatur like Borobudur temple.

Fence of vihara

great Sleeping Buddist Statue

3. Visit ancient chinesse house

this house's name is Opium house because at Holland colonial time, Chinnese trader selled opium.

in front face of ancient house

at behind yard there is chinesse tomb.

4. Visit chinnese cemetary hills

The place name is Bugel Hill. Chinesse believe that more higher the tomb located,it is better. And the tomb is face to south chinesse sea, at north side. because their anchestors their homeland is China.

5. Eat Lontong Tuyuhan

Lontong Tuyuhan ( chicken with spicy coconut milk)

Lontong is steamed rice covered by banana leaf. We can eat this on side of ricefield with greatview of green ricefield and hills. The soft windy make it better. The peace atmosphere of the village can relax your mind.

Bugel hill from Lontong Tuyuhan site

6. See the beautiful sunrise at Gedong Beach

this is virgin beach. Its still natural. But the sun rise here very beautiful with relaxing condition because a few people know this beach. its good for meditation or relaxing your mind.

7. See the awesome sunset at Binangun-Bonang Beach

Bonang reef

awesome sunset

Amazing road with sea beside it.

Beautifull sunset at Binangun beach

8. Enjoy Lasem coffee

Lasem coffee

Each region have different kind of soil that make the taste of coffee each region become different. Lasem coffee dark, strong, but light aromatic.

This is the art of cigarette painting. After they drink up the coffee then they use the coffee grounds to paint their cigarate. People say the taste of cigarate become more strong and better.

So that is Lasem, small town with great culture. The harmony of javanesse, chinesse, moeslem, and buddist culture. If you want to visit Lasem send a mail to me kaila_arras@yahoo.com . We can walk arround Lasem using "dokar" or ponycart

Accomodation :

hotel : 50.000 - 100.000 IDR

How to get Lasem :

• from Jakarta : 12 hours using bus ( 150.000 IDR) 
• from Semarang : 3 hours using bus from Terboyo bus station (20.000 - 45.000 IDR)

HAPPY HOLIDAY