I Go To Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho

On our driving way from Grand Teton to Boise in Idaho, We coincidentally found a National Monument "Craters of the Moon."

It is said that the Monument and Preserve encompass three major lava fields and about 1,000 km2 of sagebrush steppe grasslands to cover a total area of 2,893 km2.

We stayed only a couple of hours there but enjoyed weird and scenic landscape.

U.S.A in August 2023, Dubois

The town of Dubois looked like those in Arizona or Nevada where I stayed about 15 years ago with my two daughters and wife.

There were many mountains which had no threes or were almost grassless. It was hot in daytime and very cool at night and morning.

U.S.A in August 2023, Great Falls

I am staying in in the U.S.A. now.

Great Falls is located on the Missouri River in the heart of Montana state.

Downtown Night Market is held near the hotel we stayed. The festival started August 11 on Friday.

Art, crafts and art vendors, art demonstrations, food vendors, live music and more gathered along the street of downtown.

Kaiwomaru Park and Japan Sea Center

We went to Kaiwomaru Park in Toyama prefecture located near Toyama bay. 

The name of the ship is Kaiwomaru, it is also called "Lady of the Sea."

The ship began as a merchant training vessel.

It is said that she has raised 11,190 young sailors since February 14th, 1930.

She is now a museum ship.

I Take Breakfast While Viewing Tateyama Mountains

Views from the hotel restaurant we stayed in Toyama city were very nice. We could see beautiful Tateyama Mountains at a breakfast table.

Following movies are collections of running trams in Toyama. I did not ride on them but they seemed to be newer body and louder approaching announces than that of in Osaka.

I Go To The Great Buddha of Takaoka

 

The Great Buddha of Takaoka is the third largest in Japan, reaching a height of nearly 16 meters.

The current Buddha made of Takaoka bronze was completed in 1933.

The Buddha is situated next to the Daibutsu Temple in the middle of a residential area in Takaoka town center.

I once visited there by a tram from Kanazawa station more than forty years ago.

I Go To Myojyoji Temple in Ishikawa Prefecture

Myojoji is the head temple of the Nichiren school of Buddhism in the Hokuriku region. It is located in Ishikawa prefecure.

 

The temple is set on sprawling, green grounds with a centerpiece five-storied pagoda completed in 1618.

The temple has ten nationally-recognized "tangible cultural property."