Enjoyed a Winter Night at Morioka Illumination Bright 12.29.2022

Morioka's new event "Morioka Illumination Bright", which is held for the first time this winter, has started on December 16th. Sachiki-san and I went to the main venue, the square in front of Morioka History and Culture Museum.

According to the executive committee, the venue is inside Morioka Castle Site Park, so it's OK to walk with your dog, but when it's crowded, please be considerate, such as carrying your dog in your arms. Sachiki-san is now 20kg. I can carry him in my arms for short distances.

The venue has a tunnel of light that people can walk through and domes of light that people can enter inside, which make me excited.

The event is to be held until February 18, 2023.  Illuminations are also lit up at each shopping street in the city. So, I think I'll go around those shopping streets with Sachiki-san.

Morioka Illumination Bright 2022-2023

https://www.moriokaillumi.com/

Walked a Full Circle around Takamatsunoike Pond 12.27.2022

A month and a half ago, when I took Sachiki-san here to show swans, he walked near the parking lot only. However, today he walked a full circle of the promenade around the pond. The circumference of the pond is about 1.4km.

Sachiki-san became 6 months old about a week ago. Recently, Sachiki-san's walks have been getting longer and longer, and I feel like he has grown.

When we came last time, there were still few swans and waterfowl. Moreover, Sachiki-san was more interested in people walking than birds, so he didn't see swans, but this time there were many swans and waterfowl. Sachiki-san listened to the bird's voice nearby, and he seemed looking at them with a feeling of "What are they?"

I have never saw swans so close. When they stood on the ice and I saw their whole bodies, I was amazed at their size.

Takamatsu Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kurashi/midori/koen/1010492.html

Took a Walk in the Snow-covered Morioka Central Park 12.17.2022

When Sachiki-san saw snow for the first time in his life, he played with it and didn't take a walk well. However, he has experienced walking on snowy roads several times, so now he walks without playing the snow so much.

When the roads around my house are covered with snow, it becomes difficult to walk and time for a walk becomes shorter, so Sachiki-san and I took a two-hour walk in Morioka Central Park.

Morioka Central Park was a snowy world. The snow that fell the day before yesterday was still there.

The way Sachiki-san runs is somewhat like a rabbit.

He greeted the dogs he met on the way.

Children visit the artificial hill, which can be said to be the symbol of the park, covered with snow to play sledding.

Sachiki-san also climbed the hill.

Walking, running, greeting, I wondered if Sachiki-san was tired. He fell asleep as soon as I put him in the cage on the way home.

Morioka Central Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/shisetsu/sports/koen/1006914.html

There were Squirrels at the Iwate Prefectural Sports Park 12.10,2022

Iwate Prefectural Sports Park is located about 6 km northwest of the center of Morioka city. On the site of 24.4 hectares, there is an athletics stadium that accommodates 30,000 people, a soccer/rugby field with two grounds, tennis courts, a sport climbing field, and a baseball field.

A wide road passes through, but cars cannot enter. The sidewalks are also wide, so many people walk their dogs.

There are big trees in the park and squirrels are often seen. On the day I walked with Sachiki-san, I saw total of 5 squirrels crossing the road or climbing trees.

There are two squirrels in the photo below.

Sachiki-san likes people, so he did not see squirrels, but running people.

The Iwate Prefectural Sports Park
https://iwate-sposhin.jp/undou/

The Stone Walls of Morioka Castle Site were Magnificent 12.3.2022

Morioka Castle Site Park is located in the center of Morioka city. This is a nationally designated historic site and has been selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Castles and Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks. This is also a park where many people take their dogs for a walk.

There is a waterside in the park, and it is a park where you can feel the change of seasons such as cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, but as this is a castle site, it has magnificent stone walls. In winter, the leaves from have fallen from the trees and the visibility has improved, making it possible to see the stone walls well. Winter is recommended for viewing the stone walls.

In fact, the name Morioka Castle Site Park is a nickname given in 2006 to commemorate the park's 100th anniversary. Its official name is Iwate Park. For me born in 1961, the name Iwate Park is still familiar.

The Nakatsu River runs alongside the park, and the road along the river is named "Victoria Road" after its sister city, Victoria, Canada. This road is also a road I want to take a walk with Sachiki-san someday.

Morioka Castle Site Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kurashi/midori/koen/1010491.html

Had a Good View of Mt. Iwate from Mt. Iwayama 11.25.2022

When Sachiki-san and I visited 20 days ago, the weather was not so good, and we could not see Mt. Iwate clearly. However, today we could see the snow-capped Mt. Iwate well with the blue sky in the background.

Someone called out to Sachiki-san from the landing on the stairs of the Seiichi Kajima Memorial Observatory in the park, so I gathered Sachiki-san up in my arms and walked up the stairs.

The people who talked to Sachiki-san left Morioka Hachimangu Shrine in the city area and walked up the mountain for about 40 minutes along the walking path. Sachiki-san and I always come by car, but it would be nice to be able to walk up someday.

From the observatory, we could see the city of Morioka spreading under our eyes and the snow-capped Mt. Iwate.

Iwayama Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kurashi/midori/koen/1010493.html

Went to Morioka Kippushi Water Neighborhood 11.23.2022

Sachiki-san and I went to Kippushi near Morioka Station, between the Kaiun Bridge over the Kitakamigawa River and the Asahi Bridge to the north.

It opened in September 2019 with public toilets, a lawn area, and restaurants. However, some restaurants have unfortunately closed due to the spread of COVID-19 infection.

We went in the morning before the restaurants opened, and an owner of a restaurant, who was preparing to open, petted Sachiki-san. He said he liked animals and wanted to own a large white dog.

There are several restaurants with outside tables, so I asked the owner if there was one that allowed dogs. It seems that there is, so I would like to visit again and check.

Spent a Happy Time in Morioka Central Park 11.12.2022

Morioka Central Park is located about 3 km southwest of the center of Morioka city and about 1 km from Morioka Station. It is a vast park with an area of 28.6 hectares. There are facilities such as Study Museum of Archeological Site, Iwate Museum of Art, Morioka Children's Museum of Science, and Morioka Memorial Museum of Great Predecessors. There is also an artificial hill and an enclosed dog park. Many people take their dogs for walks in the park. However, dogs can only be walked on the park paths and not on the lawn.

Even though we came to a large park, Sachiki-san sniffingly smelled the ground near the parking lots for a short time, and returned to the car.

After returning to the car, I opened the car hatch, and I sat in the luggage space with Sachiki-san and spent a happy time watching the dogs coming and going around.

Morioka Central Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/shisetsu/sports/koen/1006914.html

Went to Takamatsunoike Pond to See Swans 11.9.2022

Takamatsunoike Pond is located about 3 km north of the center of Morioka City. The area around this pond has been developed as Takamatsu Park and has been selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Sites. There is also a rose garden and a peony garden. When I was in elementary school, half a century ago, the pond was covered with ice in the winter and was used as a natural skating rink. After the ice no longer covered the pond, swans began to come flying. Swans have already arrived this year, so I took Sachiki-san to the pond to show him swans. 

However, Sachiki-san was more interested in the ground and passers-by than swans.

A woman said petting Sachiki-san, "Your face looks like a princess." Indeed, Sachiki-san's forehead is Fuji-bitai, hairline is in the shape of Mt. Fuji, which is synonym for a beautiful woman. Samoyeds look like this at some period in their puppyhood. Samoyed owners call it a monkey face.

Sachiki-san can now walk up and down the low steps in the park.

Takamatsu Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kurashi/midori/koen/1010492.html

Saw a River at Kichiman Park 11.6.2022

The Kitakami River running north-south through Iwate Prefecture, merges with the Shizukuishi River coming from the west near Morioka Station, and the width of the river widens. There are wide riverbeds near this confluence point, and the riverbed a little downstream is a park.

There are no facilities such as toilets, but the spacious park is suitable for walking.

Sachiki-san saw a river for the first time since he started living with me. It was probably the first time in his life.

He seemed to have little interest in the river.

We had a good view of Mt. Iwate.

Visited Mt. Iwayama, however, ……… 11.5.2022

Sachiki-san and I visited Iwayama Park, which is located about 3 km east of the center of Morioka city.

The park has observatories and walking paths, and you can overlook the city area of Morioka and Mt. Iwate. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't very good that day, and the top of the mountain was covered with clouds. But part of the foot of the mountain was shining in the sun.

The autumn leaves were at their best, but Sachiki-san didn't walk far from the car, so we stopped walking early and went back to the car.

Iwayama Park
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kurashi/midori/koen/1010493.html

Enjoyed Autumn Leaves at Shirataki Shinsui Park 11.1.2022

Sachiki-san and I visited Shirataki Shinsui Park (Shirataki waterfall park) located about 4km east of the center of Morioka city. 

The old highway, called Miyaokaido, which connected the castle town of Morioka and Miyako on the coast in the Edo period, runs through this park. It is a little surprising that this old Miyakokaido is displayed on Google Maps.

Because it is a quiet park in the mountains with few visitors, I was able to enjoy the atmosphere of the road in the Edo period.

It was a little disappointing that there were wooden arbors and bridges that could not be used because they began to corrupt.

We visited here on November 1st. The autumn leaves were beautiful. The leaves on the trees started to fall and I could see the waterfall. This waterfall is not a waterfall where the water falls powerfully, but the water flows over the rock face.

Got a Dog and Started a Blog 11.1.2022

This era is said as the 100-year-lifespan period, but the average life expectancy of a 61-year-old Japanese man seems to be only 21 more years.

Ah, only 21 more years?

But healthy life expectancy is much shorter. I'll probably only be healthy for another 10 years or so?

The rest of the time is surprisingly short!

I've always wanted to have a dog. If I don't get a dog now, I won't be able to take responsibility for it until the end of its life.

So, I decided to have a mofu-mofu, fluffy Samoyed boy.

I named him "Sachiki (happiness comes)" in hopes that both he and I will be happy. I call him "Sachiki-san" with respect, and I call myself “Sewanin”, a caretaker.

Sachiki-san is from Hokkaido. I visited Hokkaido on August 26, 2022, to welcome him.

Sachiki-san is 5 months old now. It's been two and a half months since he and I started living together.

His vaccination program was completed this month and he has just started taking walks in various places.

From now on, I would like to go out together and write down my memories on this blog.