Mizuaoi Bloomed in the Otsuchi Town Local Assets Utilization Spring Water Area 9/3/2024

The Otsuchi Town Local Assets Utilization Spring Water Area is located south of Otsuchi Station on the Sanriku Railway.

This area was a residential area before the Great East Japan Earthquake, but after the earthquake it was developed as a park where you can observe the swanps instead of a residential area.

Otsuchi Town is rich in underground water and there were many artesian wells that would gush out water when a pipe was driven into the ground. Water continued to flow from the many wells destroyed in the earthquake, making swanps, where you can see the three-spined stickleback fish, which can only live in clear, cold water, and the Mizuaoi plant, which is a nationally near threatened species. Many other precious plants can be seen.

I heard from an acquaintance that the blue flowers of Mizuaoi-Pontederia were blooming beautifully, so Sachiki-san and I went to see them.

There are car parks and roads in the area.

While walking with Sachiki0san, deer ran by.

Played with a Siberian Husky Girl at Seagull Park 8/17/2024

This afternoon, the temperature was about 28°C, but there was no sunshine, so I thought, "This is a chance!" and went to Seagull Park, a dog park in the city, for the first time in a while.

A Siberian Husky girl was at the dog park.

It seems that owners of northern dogs think the same thing. (lol)

Since Sachiki-san became an adult, he has a hard time getting along with boys, perhaps because he thinks of them as rivals, but he can get along with girls. (lol)

This Siberian Husky girl was full of energy and kept coming at Sachiki-san, so Sachiki-san got thrown off balance. Sachiki-san got punched in the face (lol)

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.

Digging up the sandy beach at Nebama-kaigan 7.5, 2024

Nebama-kaigan beach in Kamaishi City used to be a 2-kilometer-long sandy beach, including the adjacent Katagishi-kaigan beach across the Unosumai River, but both beaches were lost due to the tsunami and land subsidence caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Of these beaches, about 500 m of the Nebama-kaigan beach was restored, bringing back the white sands and green pines of the past.

Just before the swimming season, Sachiki-san and I went to the beach in the morning when no one was around.

It was the first time for Sachiki-san to walk on the beach.

Sachiki-san was digging up the sandy beach. This is not the only place.
It is a very clean beach that is maintained for swimming, but I was a little nervous as a caretaker in case something sharp was buried in the sand.

After digging up the sand, Sachiki-san voluntarily ran on the grassy square next to the beach to remove the sand from his feet.

There is a campground at Nehama-kaigan, so let's come back soon.

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.

Hydrangeas at Tenshochi have Started to Bloom 6.19, 2024

Tenshochi in Kitakami City is known as one of the three major cherry blossom viewing spots in the Tohoku region. Hydrangeas are planted along the bicycle and pedestrian path that runs alongside the cherry blossom trees, making it a place where you can enjoy beautiful flowers even other than cherry blossom season.

Hydrangeas have started to bloom near my house, so I and Sachiki-san went to see them at Tenshochi, thinking that they would also be starting to bloom.

The bicycle and pedestrian path is in the shade of the cherry blossom trees in the morning, so even Sachiki-san, who gets hot easily, can walk comfortably.

The hydrangeas have just started to bloom, but some trees are already in full bloom.

There are various facilities around Tenshochi. (Pets are not allowed)

Took a Leisurely Stroll around Family Land at Lake Goshoko Regional Park 6.4, 2024

Lake Goshoko Regional Park posted on X that "The poppies are nearing the end of their blooming season. They are scheduled to be mowed on June 6th-7th," so I thought, "I have to go and see them," and hurried over with Sachiki-san.

I had seen the blooming and full bloom information posted on X a half month ago, but I don't act until the last minute. (lol)

Family Land is located on the western edge of Lake Goshoko and is one of the facilities that make up Lake Goshoko Regional Park. It's about a 30-minute drive from my house, which is close to the center of Morioka City.

The poppies were planted in the "Kenji Flower Bed," which is named after Miyazawa Kenji and has a statue of Kenji in the center.

Even though it was nearing the end of its blooming season, it was still beautiful.

According to the person who was taking care of the flower beds, after the poppies are mowed, sunflowers are planted.

It was a weekday morning, so there were not many visitors, and I felt like I had the large park all to ourselves.
We took a leisurely stroll around the spacious garden, which included poppy flower beds, grassy areas, and around the pond, etc.

Went to Wan Nyan Matsuri-Dog and Cat Festival Held at the Multipurpose Square in Takamatsu Park 5.26, 2024

Sachiki-san and I sometimes go for walks at Takamatsu Park. There is Takamatsu Pond, which is a sightseeing spot, and the multipurpose square etc. Recently, we come more often to the multipurpose square with a larger lawn than Takamatsu Pond.

When we went for a walk on May 25th, I saw a sign that said, "Dog and Cat Festival Entrance/Exit", so I got curious and checked it up, and found out that it was an event to be held the next day.

According to the event information, in addition to selling handmade pet clothes, accessories, miscellaneous goods, and snacks, there will also be food trucks. There will also be a rescue cat adoption event and a lecture.

So, on the 26th, we went for a walk at Takamatsu Park.

I was worried about a shortage of parking lots, so we went to the parking lot where I usually park my car around 9:30, 30 minutes before the event started. It was almost full, but I managed to find a parking lot.

As we were walking around the park, people with dogs started to gather one after another.

As for Sachiki-san, he moved to the shade of a tree to avoid the sun and refused to move from there.

On the way home, I put Sachiki-san in my car and then hurried around the event venue by myself.
There was a Bernese Mountain dog there, and when I talked to the owner, she said that the sun was strong and the dog's black color absorbed the heat from the sun, so she put a cooling vest on him. I should have put one on Sachiki-san too.

We left the park at 11:00, an hour after the event had started, but there was a traffic jam from the parking lot to the high school.

Petted by a Staff Member at Seagull Park 5.21, 2024

Near Kamaishi Daikannon, there is a hotel named Seagaria Marine where you can stay with your dog on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. This hotel has a large dog park named Seagull Park. I always thought, ''I'd like to stop by there.'' whenever I visit my mother, who lives on the coast of Iwate Prefecture.

Sachiki-san and I visited on a weekday evening. There was no one else using it, so we were able to use it without worrying about other dogs.

This is a large lawn dog park.
Even when Sachiki-san comes to the dog park, he's more interested in sniffing than running. (lol)

Sachiki-san sometimes picks up something and eat it, so I can safely watch him at a well-managed dog park.

A staff member came out of the office and patted Sachiki-san.

The fee is 600 yen per once. If you become a member by paying the annual membership fee of 1,000 yen, it is 500 yen per once.

The Gradation of Green around Hayachine Dam was Beautiful 5.5, 2024

Hayachine Dam is located in the mountains of Ohasama town, Hanamaki city, which is famous for wine and Kagura-dancing for Gods. There is a roadside station Hayachine on the shore of this dam, but it is closed during the winter. It seems that they have resumed business in time for Golden Week-the large consecutive holidays in May, so I visited to get stamps for the roadside station stamp rally with Sachiki-san. However, this post is not about the roadside station, but about the beautiful gradation of the fresh greenery around the dam, which varies in color from pale green to dark green.

As usual, Sachiki-san is the main in the photo (lol)

The ground level of the buildings built at the top of the slope is the height of the roads and parking lots surrounding the dam. From there you can walk down to near the water surface.

It was a bit hot that day, so Sachiki-san took a break in the shade of trees.