Decided to go back to Gyoda again this weekend. We had such a good time last time we went we decided we wanted to check out the cherry blossoms this spring. Managed to visit some really nice places. We originally wanted to use the rental bicycles that they have in front of the station but we got there past noon and all of them were taken unfortunately. Fortunately for us, it ended up getting a bit colder later on so it actually worked out. We got lucky as there was a really convenient sightseeing bus that rolled through the station to all of the major places in the city every 45 minutes or so. We checked out the cherry blossoms at Gyoda Castle and they had the Hanachozu (花手水, pots of flowers floating in water). We were able to see a few of these throughout the city which was nice. They also had traditional umbrellas on display in a few areas around the castle which was really pretty. After Gyoda Castle we visited the Sakitama Burial Mounds which had some really beautiful views of the cherry blossoms. There was also a flock of herons flying around the area but I wasn't able to get a very good photo of any of them. Luckily we got some great photos of the cherry blossoms and the main mound and had a really enjoyable time. We also stopped by Suijo Park and there were some food stalls in the area, but we got there when everything was just about closed so we only got to see a few of the vendors. We managed to get a really tasty lemonade and a latte though. Both tasted really good. Surprisingly there were a lot of cosplayers at the park. We probably saw like 20-30 people cosplaying using the bridges and cherry blossoms in the area. On the way back to the station we managed saw this river during the bus ride and so we backtracked a little bit after getting to the station (about 5 minutes walking) and got to enjoy some really phenomenal views of the cherry blossoms along the river. There were hardly any people there as well, surprisingly. Overall it was a really awesome time!

Folding screen cherry blossoms seen from the window of the exhibition

Cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji The cherry blossoms at the foot of Mt. Fuji are about to bloom, so I'm looking forward to it. I took this photo in the park of Chureito in Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture.

Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, along the Imagawa River. It is a beautiful place where beautiful flowers bloom throughout the four seasons. In addition, Japanese items such as Shigaraki tanuki figurines and tiles are placed, making it a picturesque photo spot. In spring, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and there are also weeping cherry blossoms and white cherry blossoms, so you can fully feel the four seasons of Japan while strolling. It's also nice to be able to enjoy it for free.

This red spider liliies was taken at the "Sakai Ontake Mountain Natural Forest Park" in Gunma Prefecture. I walked around the park and took pictures of red spider liliies that I had always wanted to photograph from various places lol. This is one of the best shots I've taken!

Awaji Island It is an early-blooming rape flower. It was a warm sunny day and it felt good.

Daffodils illuminated by the sunset surrounded by snowdrops at the Kyoto Botanical Garden in Kyoto

This is the autumn leaves taken at Otaguro Park. The reflection of the pond was very beautiful.

Spring is definitely coming.

Speaking of autumn events in Japan, autumn foliage hunting! I was healed by the sight of a couple taking a walk together under the bright red autumn leaves!

Was walking past a park in Arakawa the other day and came across this interesting statue. I think the name is read as Honda Takatomo (本田 貴侶) but it was difficult to find any information. I kept finding stuff showing the same statue but instead of "聖なるもののリピドー" they all show "聖なるもののリビドー" I'm not sure what the differences are though. Perhaps there are multiple statues in different locations? All the ones I saw referred to this statue in Arakawa though so maybe there's a misprint or something? Also I'm not sure what "リピドー" or "リビドー" means, but if anyone has any idea about what the statue's meaning is I'd love to hear it! Either way it's a nice looking statue. I always enjoy finding things like this around different parts of Japan, they really add to the atmosphere of the city.

It is a park called Tove Jansson Akebono Children's Forest Park. Parking and free parks are free. It is lit up once a year. I don't do it now, but I will be Instagrammable in Moomin's park even in the daytime.

【In the Urban Forest】

Group attendance at school on a snowy day. Colorful rain gear was shining in the snowy landscape.

The winter morning sun shone in the park where the first snow fell, and the long shadows of the trees were very beautiful.

In a park I found by chance. I don't have any sense of the land. I have no idea where.

After a sudden snow fall the Wako Jurin park in Saitama prefecture looks like this.

Managed to stop by Ueno Zoo the other day for a little bit and while I didn't get to see much of the animals because we were short on time, we did get to see a few of the attractions around the park. The first one is "Sala Thai" a gift from the Thai Government to mark the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Japan, as written on the plaque. The second one is the five-story pagoda of the former Kanei-ji Temple. The pagoda was built in 1631 and rebuilt in 1639. Besides that are just some photos of the scenery around the park, and you can see some of the autumn colors on the trees and even in Shinobazu Pond. We also managed to get some tasty lunch. This looks like steak but it was actually like a pork-steak cutlet type of thing. It tasted great though. Hopefully I'll have some more time to actually see the animals next time I go lol It's was registered as an Important Cultural Property in 1911.

[English/Japanese] This time, I'd like to continue my introduction to manners. This time, it's about manners when using leisure facilities. Manners at amusement parks At our Japanese language school, we have field trips several times a year. The locations include amusement parks, zoos, and other facilities. For this reason, we go over the precautions in class before the field trip. In this article, I would like to introduce some of these precautions. Tattoos are more common among international students compared to Japanese. Many leisure facilities in Japan refuse to accept people with visible tattoos. At one Japanese language school, there was a case where a student was not allowed to enter the facility because they did not check beforehand. Some facilities will allow you to enter if you are invisible, so you may want to carry a jacket even in the summer. However, this is not possible in the case of swimming pools, so give up using the facilities. Also, many places prohibit taking pictures using selfie sticks and live streaming of social networking sites. Be sure to check the precautions beforehand before you go. Onsen（hot spring）Manners It is difficult for even Japanese people to understand all the rules and manners of hot springs and public baths. For this reason, I often hear from international students that they have yet to try them because it seems too difficult to know how to enter. So what kind of rules and manners are there in onsen and sento? The first thing you must do before entering an onsen is to take a "kakeyu," which means to pour hot water on your body to remove dirt from your body before entering the onsen. There are also other things to keep in mind when washing your body. In hot spring facilities, the chairs used for washing your body are shared. Be sure to wash the chair well before putting it away when you are done using it. Also, women should tie their hair up when they enter the onsen. Do not put anything other than your body in the hot spring. The same goes for towels. Leave your towel in the luggage area or put it on your head. If it is your first time in a hot spring, be careful not to stay in the hot spring too long. If you are not used to hot springs, you may get sick. Hydrate frequently while bathing. Even Japanese people sometimes forget the detailed rules, so most onsen facilities have written instructions on how to enter the onsen. There are also YouTube videos that show you how to get in and out of the onsen, so please check them out. Manners in the Park Lastly, I would like to introduce the manners of the parks that are closest to us. I often hear foreigners talking about how parks in Japan are not very free. There are sometimes foreign students who get into trouble in the parks, so it is important to learn park manners as well. One of the most common problems I hear about is foreign students taking fruits and nuts from trees planted in the park. The trees and flowers planted in the park basically belong to the park, so you should not take them home. There are also many people who break the branches of cherry trees during the cherry blossom season. There is a Japanese proverb that says, “Fools who cut cherry trees. Fools who do not cut plum trees." If you cut off an important branch of a cherry tree, it may start to rot. Never cut cherry blossoms, no matter how beautiful they are. Also, I am sometimes asked by students if they can play soccer with their friends in the park. In most parks, you are not allowed to use a ball. Therefore, if you want to play soccer, you need to make a reservation at a local ground. For more information, ask your school teacher or a Japanese person close to you. These are just a few of the things I introduced here. Please be sure to check the website of any leisure facilities you wish to use. Our school offers related classes before and after the field trip. It is a popular way for students to deepen their understanding of Japan, not only by playing but also by learning. I hope that everyone will try to learn about Japanese culture from various places in Japan. This time, I will continue to introduce manners as before. This time it is manners when using leisure facilities. Amusement park manners The Japanese school conducts field trips several times a year. Locations include amusement parks, zoos, and other facilities. Therefore, we will check the precautions during class before the field trip. In this article, we will introduce some of the precautions. Tattoos are more common among international students than among Japan people. Many leisure facilities in Japan refuse people who have tattoos where they can see them. In one Japanese school, students were not allowed into the facility because they did not check in advance. If you can't see it, some facilities allow you to enter the park, so it may be a good idea to bring a jacket even in summer. However, in the case of a pool, this is not possible, so give up using the facilities. In addition, many places prohibit taking photos using selfie sticks and live streaming on SNS. Be sure to check the precautions in advance before going. Onsen manners It is difficult for even Japan people to understand all the rules and manners of hot springs and public baths. For this reason, I often hear from international students that they have not yet been able to take on the challenge because it seems difficult to get in. So, what kind of rules and manners are there in hot springs and public baths? First of all, what you need to do before entering the hot spring is "kakeyu". "Kakeyu" is a hot water that is poured on the body for the purpose of removing dirt from the body before entering the hot spring. It also means getting your body used to the hot water by doing "kakeyu". There are other points to be aware of when washing your body. At the hot spring facility, the chairs used to wash the body are shared. When you're done using it, be sure to wash the chair thoroughly before putting it away. Also, if you are a woman, you should tie your hair when you enter the onsen. Please be careful not to get anything other than your body in the hot spring. It's the same with towels. Leave your towel in the luggage storage area or put it on your head. If you are entering a hot spring for the first time, please be careful not to soak in the hot spring for too long. Some people sometimes get sick if they are not used to hot springs. Drink water frequently while bathing. Even Japan people may forget the detailed rules, so most hot spring facilities have precautions for how to enter. Also, some of them are published on YouTube, etc., so please take a look. Park manners Finally, I would like to introduce the manners of the park that is closest to us. I often hear foreigners say that there is little freedom in Japan parks. There are international students who sometimes cause trouble in the park, so be sure to learn the manners of the park. One of the problems I often hear about international students is taking nuts and fruits from trees planted in parks. The trees and flowers planted in the park are basically from the park, so do not take them home. In addition, many people break the branches of the cherry blossoms when the cherry blossom season comes. There is a Japan proverb that says, "An idiot who cuts cherry blossoms, an idiot who does not cut plums." If you cut off an important branch of a cherry tree, it may start to rot from there. Never cut it, no matter how clean it is. Also, students sometimes ask me if I want to play soccer with my friends but can play it at the park. Most parks are not allowed to use balls. Therefore, if you want to play soccer, you need to make a reservation for a local ground. For details, please ask your school teacher or a Japan close to you. These are just a few. When using leisure facilities, please be sure to check in advance. At our school, we offer classes related to before and after field trips. You can not only play, but also learn, so it is popular that it deepens your understanding of Japan. I hope you will learn about Japan culture from various places in the Japan.

From green to red Changing seasons

The last of the photos that I took at Asukayama Park. The first one was a nice statue of Shibusawa Eiichi and the second and third were taken at a shrine inside the park. I had to do a little bit of research to learn more about the shrine, but I was already quite sure it was an Inari Shrine because of the fox statues, but apparently it's called (I believe) Kabuto Inari Shrine Ruins (兜稲荷社跡), although I could be wrong about the reading for the first kanji. I liked that the shrine had a really small wooden shrine of what I believe was what the original shrine actually looked like, and the stone lanterns were aesthetically pleasing as well. I foolishly forgot to take a picture of the torii gate unfortunately... The last two photos are the statue of Shibusawa Eichi (which took us forever to find lol) and the plaque below it. I can only make out a few characters that are written on the plaque but there's another plaque on the back of the pedestal (which I forgot to take a picture of), so if you're visiting the park be sure to look at that if you're struggling to read it as well lol.

Naritasan Park Gradation of shining autumn leaves

Some more photos from Asukayama Park! The first monument is a bit difficult for me to read so I had to do a bit of research, but it seems to be a commemorative monument signifying the planting of various trees throughout the park to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration, and as such, was constructed in 1968, so it's about 50 years old, probably one of the newer monuments of its kind within the park. When I was walking back around the area I saw the dance stage from a different angle and managed to take a photo of the participants through a nice gap in the trees. There were a lot more participants this time so I stopped and watched it for a little while again. At the other end of the park I found this statue of a woman which is actually a statue of the "Goddess of peace" and it was erected in 1974 to wish for world peace and happiness. Even cooler, it was erected by the famous sculptor Seibo Kitamura who erected the "Peace Statue" at Peace Memorial Park in Nagasaki. Really cool to see his works all the way in Tokyo as well!

Mountain~

Some more photos I took at Asukayama Park the other day. I really liked this statue of Avalokitesvara, as I felt like it was really well crafted. I included the description to this monument as it's hard to read what is carved onto the stone and it's written in older Japanese too so my friends couldn't even read it lol. I think it has something to do with a poem about cherry blossoms although I could be wrong about that. It's pretty cool seeing the older Japanese from hundreds of years ago though. Even if I can't read it it's interesting to see how the Japanese language itself has evolved throughout the years. I'll be posting more photos of this place tomorrow as well!

Went to Asukayama Park near Oji Station yesterday. I've passed by the area many times and seen the gondola leading to the top but never knew what was up there until now. It's a really big park dedicated to Shibusawa Eiichi, known as the father of capitalism in Japan. The park has a bunch of monuments and cultural properties to check out so I managed to take a lot of photos and I'll be uploading them over the next few days. I chose a good day to go it seems too, as there was an event going on. It involved some traditional dances (I think from the Oji area), and it involved some sort of sash that kind of reminded me of a kimono obi, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. They had a taiko drum as well but it seems I didn't make it in time to watch them playing, I only heard it in the distance when I was walking to the park. I thought it was really cool seeing all the different monuments though. Many of them were several hundred years old and the Japanese on them was also and older form, so it was hard for me to read a lot of them lol. It was a really enjoyable experience though, so I'll upload some more photos tomorrow!

Gradation of ginkgo trees

【You can come at the door anywhere】 ~ It is a park with doors everywhere. You can come from the door anywhere you have ~ (laughs) We are waiting for you with special seats~ ♪ ~ When such an era comes, I wonder if there will be traffic jams at the door everywhere (laughs). ~ Location: Akebonoyama Agricultural Park Place:

This photo was taken at Showa Kinen Park. The theme is reminiscence. When I shot him crouching, he seemed to be assuming something, so I made a darker retouch to match. Looking at this photo, I sometimes remember that day, so I chose the theme of "reminiscence".