I Go to Tochigi Prefectural Museum

June 15th is  "The Day of Tochigi Prefecture."

To cerebrate the day, many local museums and art galleries are admission free on the day, on one day before the day and on two days before the day.

My wife and I went to Tochigi Prefectural Museum today for free.

Tochigi City in the Middle of Rainy Season II

 It was raining whole day long during the day of Tochigi Prefecture, on June 15th.

The city has kept old buildings, streets, bus services and museums.

Those old fashioned styles went well with new city buildings, such as a Starbucks Coffee and a Cainz Shopping Mall.

I Go to Tochigi City in the Middle of Rainy Season

 June 15th is  "The Day of Tochigi Prefecture."
To cerebrate the day, many local museums and art galleries are admission free on the day.

Even local train company offered us a one-day free ticket.

I got a free train ticket, then jumped in a train that was supposed to go for Tochigi city.
About a 40-minute train ride brought me to a wonderful historical old town.
I walked around the old town alone with my camera and an umbrella.

I Go to a Cafe, Tomotina

In the middle of rainy season, I paid a visit to a river side cafe 'Tomotina' with my wife.

The cafe is located near Ohya Stone Park and a local quarry.

The walls of the cafe were apparently made from the stone dug out of the quarry.

They served us delicious vegetable dishes and good smell coffee.

Chinowa Kuguri Ceremony

A large ring or Chinowa made of grass is erected on the pathway leading to a shrine.

Worshipers at the shrine pass through the ring as an act of purification from misdeeds, impurities, or bad luck.

Participants pass through the ring reciting a verse invoking long life and avoiding diseases.

Ceremonies of passing through the ring, sacred music and dancing are dedicated to the shrine on the ceremony day.

Hydrangea Flowers and a Dragonfly

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The picture on the left was taken a few weeks ago at Isoyama shrine.



The following picture was taken at the same place ten years ago, June 2005.

Rina, left on the photo, is now a college student was an elementary school kid at that time.

Rina and Kiyono in 2005

I Go to Isoyama Shrine in Kanuma City

We are still in the middle of rainy season.

I picked up a sunny day among this rainy season and headed to Isoyama shrine which had tens of hundreds of hydrangea flowers at its garden.

Those pictures show how I take photos usually.










The shrine was preparing to hold a hydrangea festival.

Though we went there just several days before the festival period, the flowers were in full bloomed.

Cafe F & Burmese Vegetable Soup

 It's been in the rainy season in Japan since the beginning of June.

The rainy season will continue until mid July.

During the season, we don't have 100% rainy days.
It's sunny day today, it rained yesterday,  that the way it goes.

The other day, my wife and I picked up one of not-raining days and went to “Cafe F” which is famous for its Burmese vegetable soup.

The soup tasted, a bit spicy though, very good with well cooked beans, eggplants, carrots, tomato and minced meat.

They decorated inside of the cafe with beautiful hydrangeas that were currently in its top season.