Osugi shrine and Lake Kasumiga-ura

Osugi shrine, located in Inashiki city in Ibaraki, is unique shrine of  "Yume musubi" in Japan that makes your dream come true.
This shrine is also famous for its beautiful architecture.

It's rich in ornament.


It's really colorful, isn't it?
 

It seems a clip of Japanese old tale.
 

Golden dragon that braces the roof.
 

Green dragon that  guard the pole.


Sacred tree "Saburo Sugi".


And cat!!!!!!
 

I could pet her little bit.
 

After visiting the shrine, I went to Lake Kasumigaura, second largest lake in Japan. It takes less than 15 minutes from the shrine.
 

I was really scared when I took this photo because it was big windy day and there was no bar between lake and the road. I could see Mount Tsukuba on the opposite shore.
 

This is the road. So dangerous.....
 

I want to get there again when it's sunny and calm day. It might be so wonderful if I can see Mt. Tsukuba clearly.

Nanzen-in, japanese style garden near Nanzen-ji temple in Kyoto

Nanzen-ji temple is very famous for its big gate "San-mon" and the great view from there. The temple has beautiful japanese style garden "Nanzen-in".


This is my favorite alley located between Keage station and Nanzen-ji temple.  I think every japanese might feel nostalgic by seeing such an alley.


This is one of Japanese garden style that strolls garden with a central pond.  

Looks so cold? That's right. It was extremely cold.
 

Behind the pond, there's small waterfall.
 

Building on the left is "Hojo", a square room, 1 jo (about 3.03 meter) on a side. On the other hand, there's a shrine with emperor Kameyama
 

Before the gate, there's water channel.
 

It's dangerous because there's no fence and easily fall.

Ryotan-ji temple in Hikone city

After seeing Hikone castle, I went to Ryotan-ji temple, family temple of Naosuke Ii and Mitsunari Ishida. Both of them is famous in the history of Japan.
 

I met nobody en route to the temple. In the temple it seems there's also nobody so I came close to scream when a staff came out from the office at reception.


There's nobody in the temple, too...
 

Japanese style garden with stones. The stone with red scurf shaped like Buddha statue.


This is traditional style "Shakkei", borrowed scenery, incorporating background landscape into the composition of a garden. I think early spring shows much better scenery.
 

The room face to the garden above. I think it'll be a haunted room at night.
 

 Information:

View Larger Map	Address	1104 Hurusawa-cho, Hikone, Shiga, Japan
	Open	9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
	Close	None
	Fee	Free
	Web site	http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/spot.php?id=1205 (Japanese only)

I met "Hico-nyan" at Hikone castle - representative "Yuru chara" of Japan

"Yuru chara" is heartwarming mascot-like character that devised for PR purposes by local government.
Hico-nyan is Hikone city's Yuru chara. He's very popular in Japan that is born to promote Hikone caslte's 400th anniversary for castellation.

He looks a cat("nyan" means mew in Japanese) so I really wanted to meet him for long time and finally I had a chance to go to Hikone castle early this year.
 

There is a room for meeting to Hiko nyan. It said everybody needs to stand in line waiting to enter the room.
 

But I didn't need to wait so long time. So many people sat down silently and waited for the moment.....
 

He's comiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg!!!!!
 

He moved so slowly to make good photo opportunity.
  

Can't you take a nice photo because of big audience? Don't worry, staff made us replace our position each other. Now there's nobody between Hiko nyan and me!
  

The biggest event is grooming by staff.
 

After meeting him, I walked up to see tower of the castle.
 

 The tower is great location overlooking Lake Biwako. It seems the sea.
   

Under the castle, there is a japanese garden called "Genkyu-en".
  

I had a tea at the tea room in the garden. I had Hikone's famous confection "Umore-gi" as snack to go with tea. It was fantastic.
   

Information:

View Larger Map	Address	1-1 Konki-cho, Hikone, Shiga, Japan
	Open	8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
	Close	None
	Fee	Adult: 600YEN(Including Genkyu-in)
	Web site	http://www.hikoneshi.com/en/castle/

Waterweed Exhibition 2013 at Tsukuba Botanical Garden

I have tropical fishes in my house. Since I like Bonsai and Japanese style garden, I'm interested in waterweed so much.
I went to see Waterweed Exhibition 2013 held at Tsukuba Botanical Garden.
 

I have a same size tank but I cannot imagine to make such a cool view.
 

When I look at it closely,  it seems rocky hill.
   

Nobody knows what's happened in the back. 

I tried to take photos with iPhone4S.  

Drastically photosynthesizing. Shrimps enjoy and play with oxygen.
   

Long way to somewhere in the forest.  

I really want to try to make "Terrarium" with Ishizuki bonsai...
   

Looks like a cave.
 

Field of perl grass and road covered glossostigma.


When I see someone's aquarium, I want to try something new with mime.

Cat lovers should go to Matsuyama art museum!

I really love cats. Since I live in a rented flat, I can not have them. When I want to touch cats too much, I go to "cat spot" where communally owned cats live.

Now I found great museum for cat lover "Matsuyama art museum" in  Sosa-shi, Chiba prefecture.
 

There are many statues in the garden.
 

It's like the world of "Princess Mononoke"
 

Gazebo. I want to have a nap here.


Stone shaped like a fish. Is it cat's food?
  

Art work of cat makes me excited. 

At the garden in front of the museum, I finally found a cat!!!


Kitty is also there!
 

Cats are free to walk in the museum, too.
 

After I went around in the museum, museum owner served me a cup of tea. As I said to her I really love cats and found there in a cat magazine, she called her cats to the garden.
 

Mii san. She is the boss of this museum.
 

He had longhair when he was a kitty but it changed to shorthair after molting in summer.


 All cats were abandoned when kitty. He is father in raw of all cats.
   

The museum is surrounded by rice paddy. Old brother goes there and gets crawfish as kitties' toy.


The boss always looks sharply at me but I could pet her without being attacked.

The museum holds "Cat exhibition" every year. Over 2000 cat lovers come to the exhibition.
 

The owner said I should come again with lunch box and spend whole day next time.
  

There is a great spot worth going to for cat lovers even it's out-of-the-way place.
 

Information:

View Larger Map	Address	630 Matsuyama, Sosa-shi, Chiba,  Japan
	Open	10:00 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. (On July and August, 18:00 p.m.)
	Close	Monday to Thursday (Open only Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
	Fee	800YEN
	Web site	http://www.konoki.com/ (Japanese only)