Koiwai Farm Makiba-en was Preparing for Spring 3.14.2023

Koiwai Farm, which is known for its dairy products, has a tourist facility called "Makiba-en" where you can bring your dog.

At restaurants in Makiba-en, dogs are allowed only at the tables in front of the restaurants. There is also a dog park of 6,000 square meters.

Dogs cannot be brought into the animal areas or buildings, but Makiba-en is friendly for the people with dogs, where poop boxes (exclusive trash cans) are installed.

On the day Sachiki-san and I visited, the admission fee was the winter season fee. The dog park was also still closed for winter, but it was a weekday in early spring, so Makiba-en was not crowded, and we were able to take a leisurely walk while seeing at Mt. Iwate up close.

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. 

Takamatsunoike Pond Turned into a Snowy Field 2.6. 2023

Morioka had heavy snow five days ago. When Sachiki-san and I went to Takamatsunoike Pond, I couldn't tell if it was a pond or a snowfield. Swans and other waterfowl were gathered in the narrow remaining water surface surrounded by ice covering the pond.

Sachiki-san now walks 2 to 3 km in one walk, but this time we walked about 1.4 km on the promenade around the pond, which took about an hour. The walking speed is slow, but Sachiki-san was busy sniffing around the snowy road.

The weather was fine, and I could see Mt. Iwate well.

Takamatsu Park

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

Visited Morioka Hachimangu Shrine for New Year's Visit 1.5.2023

Sachiki-san and I visited Morioka Hachimangu, the stutelary shrine of Morioka, for New Year's visit.

We tried to go on the 4th avoiding the crowds on the first three days of the New Year. However, when we went around noon on the 4th, the car park at the shrine and car parks around the shrine were full. Moreover, the road in front of the shrine was under temporary traffic regulations, so we gave up on the New Year's visit and started again before 7 o'clock this morning. The car park and precincts of the shrine were not crowded.

At the shrine, I vowed, "I will take care of Sachiki-san until the very end." And I bought a set of charms as proof of that. It is a set that one charm has printed Chinese characters and the other has an embroidered illustration of paw. So Sachiki-san and I each can bring it.

When I bought the charms with Sachiki-san held in my arms at the shrine office, Sachiki-san was quiet, so the person at the shrine office said, "It's not a stuffed dog, is it?"

Morioka Hachimangu Shrine was built in 1680. Various events are held throughout the year, such as Hadaka-mairi visiting naked in winter, Chagu Chagu Umakko horse festival in early summer, and Dashi floats and Yabusame horseback archery in autumn.

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