Trees and Ponds, "Water Garden" in Nasu Highland

Even though, the "Water Garden" seemed like a natural landscape, it actually was a man-made garden.

The garden was created in 2018. It was designed by Junya Ishigami who has received lots of awards including the Japan Institute of Architecture Award and a new architecture prize, the Obel Prize, which noted that Water Garden was regarded as an "influential idea that could redefine the future path of architecture."

It is said that the Water Garden was originally forest, which first became rice paddies, the next pastures and then became a current form of the garden with 318 trees and 160 ponds. 

Miyakawa Morning Market at Takayama City

 

When I went to Takayama city, I felt that the city looked similar to my hometown Matsue city.  

Both cities keep traditional Japanese culture and nature, and also both have beautiful rivers and streets.

Takayama Festival was added to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.

I want to visit there again in the season of Takayama Spring or Autumn Festival. 

I Go to Shinji-ko Lake in Matsue

We had the first anniversary of my mother's death at a hotel viewing Shinji-ko lake.

Most of my family members gathered at the party of the anniversary.

We went to Shimane Art Museum before going to the party.

The garden of the museum was beautifully matched with the scenery of the lake.

I See 'Izumo Kagura' Performance

Hinomisaki shrine is located half an hour drive from the center of Izumo city or quarter an hour from Izumo Taisha shrine.

After we payed visit to Izumotaisha, we went to Hinomisaki shrine to see Izumo Kagura performance with my wife, my daughter and her husband.

Is is said that there are two major types of kagura: mai and odori.

Mai consists of slow circular movement, stressing quiet and elegance.

Odori consists of quick leaping and jumping, stressing activation and energy.

I Get On Board A Sightseeing Ship in Shimane

When I went to Hinomisaki seaside town in Shimane, we got on board a sightseeing ship early in the morning.

We could see a beautiful white lighthouse, called Hinomisaki-Toudai and coastline, from the sea. 

The ship tour was free for everyone who stayed in the hotel, called Vila Izumoya, near the port.

We enjoyed the thirty-minute ship ride far more than I had expected.