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.

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.

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/