The Kuzakai Highland was already Autumnal with the Ears of Silver Grasses Bearing 9.4, 2025

On my way from my home in Kamaishi City to Morioka City, Sachiki-san and I stopped off at the Kuzakai Highland Roadside Station.

This area is at a high altitude, and there are woods behind the roadside station, offering a cool, sheltered walk from the sun.

The midday temperature was 24°C. It was very comfortable in the woods.

Beyond the woods, silver grass grew thickly, its heads swaying in the breeze, creating a truly autumnal landscape on the highland.

I sticked to Sachiki-san closely on the cool highland (lol).

The lower world is still hot, but autumn is approaching.

Rode a Gondola at Appi Kogen 10.12, 2023

I went to Appi Kogen for the first time in 34 years.

In the past, I went for skiing with my colleagues, and this time for riding on a gondola ride with Sachiki-san.

Dogs are allowed riding on the Appi Kogen gondola. Dogs up to about the size of a golden retriever can fit in the space between the seats facing each other.

Sachiki-san didn't seem to like going into the building where the gondola boarding area is. Because it was his first time to enter such a building and there was a lot of noise from the machines. But he was staying relaxed and calm on the gondola. Maybe it's because he is used to be in my car.
The gondola kept moving slowly when getting on and off, so I held Sachiki-san in my arms as we got on and off.
It takes approximately 15 minutes to reach the mountaintop gondola station. The area around the station is called Sky Area, where there is a dinosaur park, observatories and an athletics area, etc. It's also good for walking with a dog.

Sachiki-san roared at the dinosaur that moved and made sounds. It's his first time seeing it.

There are wooden paths and stairs leading up to the summit of Maemoriyama, making it easy to walk.
Mt. Iwate could be seen clearly from there.

Appi Kogen was originally a ski resort, but now it is called an all-season resort with various facilities, and even when there is no snow, the gondola operates, and this time I was able to ride it for half the price. Sachiki-san was for free.

Visited to Kuzakai Highland to Escape the Summer Heat 7.23, 2023

The rainy season ended on July 22, six days earlier than normal. As soon as the rainy season ended, the weather forecast says that the hot summer days will continue. Although it is rare for Morioka to have a tropical night, a night when the temperature does not fall below 25 degrees Celsius outdoors, recently the temperature does not drop much even late at night, so days that it is difficult for Samoyeds to go out for a walk will continue.

Today Sachiki-san and I visited a high-altitude place in looking for coolness for a walk.

There are several high-altitude places around Morioka, the closest one to my house is Kuzakai highland, which is about 700 meters above sea level. It can be reached in less than 30 minutes by car. The altitude difference between the city and Kuzakai highland is about 600m, and the temperature is about 4 degrees Celsius lower than the city.

We arrived at 11:30 a.m.

The weather was slightly cloudy. The temperature was 23 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, Sachiki-san looked he did not get so hot.

Recently, bears have been appearing one after another in Iwate Prefecture.
If we meet a bear, I wonder if Sachiki-san will bark and drive the bear away.

There is a roadside station Michino-eki Kuzakai Kogen in the Kuzakai highland.

Original soft serve ice cream and ramen are popular.

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

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