Tulips were in Full Bloom at Yukiyagawa Dam Forest Park Karumai 4. 27, 2023

Sachiki-san and I went to Karumai town with a friend, which borders Aomori Prefecture, about 100km north of our home. After driving for 2 hours, it is finally a town on the prefectural border. Ichinoseki-shi, which borders Miyagi Prefecture, is also 100km south, by the way. I realized the size of Iwate Prefecture once again.
The destination is Yukiyagawa Forest Park Karumai. Tulips are in full bloom now.

Yukiyagawa Forest Park Karumai is a facility with a windmill observatory, a campsite, tennis courts, a restaurant, an outdoor stage, etc. around the Yukiyagawa Dam Lake. 150,000 tulips blossom under the windmill observatory in spring is famous and I've wanted to go see it.

You can bring your dog into the tulip garden, but large dogs may not be allowed to enter it depending on how crowded it is. Since it was a weekday and it was not crowded, I was able to enter the garden with Sachiki-san.Even if you can't enter the garden, you can still enjoy the tulips from the outside of the garden.

We crossed the Memorial Bridge, a suspension bridge with impressive red color over the dam lake. There is a katakuri(dogtooth violet) native habitats ahead, and it beautiful flowers are blooming at this time. Unfortunately, I heard about it after returning from the bridge, so I gave up on seeing it this time, and would like to come see it sometime next year.

Admission to Yukiyagawa Forest Park Karumai is free, but some facilities as Tulip Garden etc. are charged.

A Warbler was Beatifully Singing at Morioka Hachimangu Shrine 4.15, 2023

This morning Sachiki-san and I walked at Morioka Hachimangu Shrine. Sometimes we take a walk around Hachimangu Shrine, but usually we just pass by there and walk further. This morning, there were few people walking at the shrine before 6 o'clock, so we entered the precincts. We had never entered the precincts since the New Year's visit. Three other dogs were walking in the precincts.

When Sachiki-san was sitting in front of the main shrine, a song of a Japanese bush warbler was coming.

Some bush warblers are not good at singing, but this morning's warble was singing beautifully.

Visited Morioka Sakura-matsuri Venues before a Flurry of Cherry Blossoms Dances in the Wind 4.11, 2023

The cherry blossoms in Morioka bloomed on April 3rd, 15 days earlier than average, and reached full bloom on April 6th, 18 days earlier than average. The period from flowering to full bloom is 6 days in an average year, but this year it was only 3 days to full bloom. At this rate, it's going to turn into a flurry of cherry blossoms soon.

The Morioka Sakura-matsuri (Cherry Blossoms Festival), which is held in conjunction with the blooming of cherry blossoms, will be held earlier than usual this year, from April 7th (Friday) to May 7th (Friday). The venues are Morioka Castle Site and Takamatsunoike Pond. Both are places where Sachiki-san and I sometimes go out for a walk.

On this day when Sachiki-san was off from the dog school, Sachiki-san and I visited two venues of the festival. 

First, we visited Morioka Castle Site.

Sachiki-san seemed to be more attracted by the petals that have fallen to the ground than the flowers blooming on the branches. And tries to chase them whenever the wind blows them. I'm glad we were able to come before a flurry oof cherry blossom dances in the wind.

At Morioka Castle Site, I was asked, "Did you come to Kakunodate yesterday?" It seemed that she had seen Sachiki-san in Kakunodate and remembered him.

Next, we moved to Takamatsunoike Pond. It is about 15 minutes by car from Morioka Castle Site. Although it is not clearly visible in the photo, Mt. Iwate looked beautiful.

At night, we visited the Morioka Castle Site again and enjoyed the cherry blossoms lit up at night.

We sometimes visit the Morioka Castle Site for a walk, but since I moved to Morioka in the spring of 2020 when the new coronavirus infection began to spread, I have never seen so many people.

Morioka Sakura-matsuri (Cherry Blossoms Festival)
https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kankou/kankou/1037103/1037212/sakura/1007958.html

Bukeyashiki Dori with Weeping Cherry Blossoms was full of Japanese Emotion 4.10, 2023

The cherry blossoms are blooming at record-breaking earliness in various places this year, and I can't keep up with making plans to see the cherry blossoms.

While thinking "Let's go here" and "Let's go there", flowers are blooming more and more.

One of the places I want to go to see cherry blossoms, Bukeyashiki(Samurai Residence) Dori(street) in Kakunodate, Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, was already in half bloom when I checked the cherry blossoms information.

Kakunodate is about an hour and a half by car from my house. I hurried to see it.

Kakunodate's Bukeyashiki Dori has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, and the weeping cherry trees are also designated as a natural protected species.

The pale pink cherry blossoms that shine against the blue sky are very Japanese. Then the black wooden walls are added to it, you can really feel the atmosphere of a samurai drama stage.

Sachiki-san was patted by beautiful geigi(entertainer of Japanese traditional culture)

It was a day full of Japanese emotions.