Looked out over the Lake-like Yamada Bay from the Yamada Bay Observation Square 5.20, 2025

The construction of seawalls after the Great East Japan Earthquake has reduced the number of places where the sea can be seen.

About 2 km from the center of Yamada town, near the Orikasa Bridge on National Route 45, is Yamada Bay Observation Square, where you can see Yamada Bay, which is surrounded by peninsulas and looks like a lake.

It is located beside National Route 45 and has a parking space and observation deck, so Sachiki-san and I stopped for a break while we were driving around.

The island on the left is Oshima. It is also known as Oranda jima(Holland Island. It is said a Dutch ship anchored there during the Edo period to supply water and food.

The island to the right of Oshima is Kojima.

The door that appears in the film ‘Suzume no Tojimari(English title is Suzume’ has been reproduced.

The station and the sluice gate that appeared in the film are also located near this observation square.

Sachiki-san also climbed up to the observation deck.

Yamada Bay is surrounded by two peninsulas and looks like a lake.

The gap between the tips of the two peninsulas seen beyond Kojima Island is the mouth of the bay.

Went to Kyukamura Iwate Amihari Onsen to Escape the Summer Heat 7.22, 2024

The lowest temperature this morning was 24.3℃. It was almost a tropical night, and it was hot from the morning!

So Sachiki-san and I went to Amihari Onsen-hot spring, located on the middle slope of Mt. Iwate, to escape the summer heat. Amihari Onsen is about an hour's drive from my house. The altitude is about 760m. It is about 600m higher than the city, so the temperature should be 5 or 6 degrees lower.

There is a Kyukamura-national park resorts of Japan called Iwate Amihari Onsen, which has accommodation facilities, hot springs, a ski resort, a campsite, a visitor center, and walking trails. You can walk with your dog on the walking trails. However, dogs are not allowed in the accommodation facilities or tents.

I parked my car in the visitor center parking lot and first walked to Amihari Onsen Ski Resort.

On the way from the visitor center to the ski resort, there was a snow shed. Seeing this makes me realize that the snow must be deep.

In front of Amihari Onsen Ski Resort.
From here, I could see the foot of Mt. Iwate clearly.

Return from the ski resort to the visitor center.

Below the visitor center is the grassy area of ​​the campsite.

We headed to the walking trail from the visitor center.

Along the way, there is the wooded area of ​​the campsite.

I wanted to go beyond the campsite, but Sachiki-san wasn't keen, so we took a break in the woods and then returned to the visitor center.

It was a cool and pleasant walk.

A Cool Walk while Admiring Hydrangea Flowers at Michinoku Ajisai-en 7.1, 2024

I had always wanted to visit the Michinoku Ajisai-en (Hydrangea Garden) in Ichinoseki City because I could take Sachiki-san there.

It is a little far from my house, but I thought "the hydrangeas must be in full bloom now," so I and Sachiki-san went out.

According to the official website, 40,000 hydrangeas of about 400 varieties are in full bloom in a 150,000 square meter cedar forest, and the promenade is about 2 km long. It is just the right distance for a walk with Sachiki-san.

The promenade is well maintained and easy to walk. The shade of the cedar trees is pleasant.

You can ride around in a cart like those used on golf courses, so you will occasionally encounter carts while walking along the promenade. (Pets are not allowed to ride on the carts.)

There is a rhododendron area, but flowers are over.

There is an admission fee (1,000 yen), but it was worth it to take a leisurely walk with Sachiki-san through the cool cedar forest and admire the hydrangea flowers.

Spacious Lawn in VIEW GARDEN Made My Feeling Wider 5.27, 2023

VIEW GARDEN is located in Shiwa, about 30 minutes by car from my home in Morioka. According to the website of the gardening company that runs it, it is a space that shapes the company's concept. There is a well-maintained large lawn, a dog park, garden trees and flower shops, a terrace and a cafe. The garden was closed for the winter and opened in April this year.

Admission is free, but there is a charge for the dog park.

I got excited about the stylish entrance.

The dog park has shade of trees. Not just here, Sachiki-san has never been to a dog park yet.

The slope with spacious Lawn offers great views. Because it is located on the slope of the mountain, you can see the scenery spreading below well. Just being in the middle of the lawn makes my feeling wider.

You might feel that you want your dog to be free on the spacious lawn, but a leash is a must.

A robot looked like a robot vacuum cleaner was moving around on the lawn.

Sachiki-san barked at the robot as if it were a "suspicious object", but when the robot approached, he got frightened and run away.

I don't have a robot vacuum cleaner at home, but I wonder Sachiki-san should react like this, if I had one.

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.

Tono Furusato Village is a World of Folk Tales 3.6.2023

"Tono Furusato Village" in Tono city, whose catchphrase is "Tono, Everlasting hometown of Japan," welcomes visitors with their dogs. The village's poster says, "Let's play with your dog" and "Awake to the nature".

Sachiki-san is just getting better at walking, so Sachiki-san and I went there with a friend before the spring tourist season started.

Enter the village through the visitor center where the reception is located. Needless to say, you can walk through the building with your dog.

Six Nanbu Magariya houses, a museum, studios, a shrine, a charcoal-burning hut, and a water mill are dotted in the village, as well as paddy fields and ponds. And the world of old tales spreads out.

There was also a cute pony and a big white horse, and Sachiki-san met a big animal for the first time.

If you go around the village once, you will walk about 1km. It seems that you can walk while enjoying seasonal events and the nature of the mountain village in each season.

You walk through the visitor center again on your way back. There is a dog paw washing area before entering the visitor center.