I Eat Sweets at Kanmangafuchi

There was a small restaurant near the Kanmangafuchi bus stop. Hikers started trekking from this point to river trails. 

We took about half an hour rest at the restaurant eating sweets after having had our wonderful trekking.  

Since the tastes were good, the atmosphere was perfect and the shop owner was friendly, I highly recommend everyone to visit the restaurant if one has a chance to visit there. 

I Go to Kanmangafuchi Abyss in Nikko

Kanmangafuchi Abyss is just five minute drive from famous bridge Shinkyo in Nikko city.

There are lots of Jizo or guardian deity of children along the trekking path beside a river. They are also called Bake Jizo because so many numbers that hikers may miscount the number of them. 

I Go to Utsunomiya Central Park

 

It becomes colder day by day. 

As time goes by, the color of leaves turns beautiful. I went to Utsunomiya Central Park to see how the park had changed its scenery these days.

I Go to Kusatsu Onsen, Hot Spa Resort

My wife and I stayed at "Kusatsu Village Hotel" in Gunma prefecture. The hotel was deep in the forest. We walked around the forest in the morning, even it was raining.

There was a pond near the hotel, blooming beautiful flowers. 

I Go Hiking up to Mt. Komaru

I cannot say that it was a mountain climbing but you can say that it was a hill hiking. Because, the mountain was equipped very long steps from the parking lot to the top of the Komaru-yama, or Mt. Komaru.

You can easily go up to the top of Komaru peak.  

Here is the top of Mt. Komaru. This route goes to Mt. Akanagi, height of 2,010m.

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.