EXCITING YAMANASHI AND MORE

Nabana-No-Sato (The Village of The Field Mustard) is located in the city of Kuwana in Mie Prefecture. It is one of the largest flower-theme parks in Japan (https://www.nagashima-onsen.co.jp/nabana/). You can enjoy the different kinds of the flowers in all four seasons. It is also known for its amazing illumination displays.

More cherry blossoms at Myosenji.

Chanting of the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (Namu-myoho-renge-kyo) was going on.

Weeping cherry trees were blooming at Myosenji Temple in the city of Chuo in Yamanashi Prefecture. Myosenji Temple belongs to the Nichiren sect of Buddhism.

The Saruhashi (monkey) Bridge which spans the Katsura River, located in the city of Otski in Yamanashi Prefecture, is called one of the three unusual bridges in Japan together with the Kintaikyo Bridge in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the Kiso-no-kakehashi Bridge in Nagano Prefecture. Because the banks of the river are so steep and high above the river, that the bridge is characterized by its absence of piers and supported by wooden beams that protrude from the banks alongside.

Kawazu cherry blossom trees are blooming. The Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival is held along the Kawazu River from February 1 to March 5 in the town of Kawazu in Shizuoka Prefecture, located on the Izu Peninsula. The Kawazu cherry blossom (Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’) is derived crossing naturally between the Oshima cherry blossom (Cerasus speciosa (Koidz.) H.Ohba, 1992) and the Kanhi cherry blossom (Cerasus campanulata (Maxim.) Masam. & S.Suzuki). [https://kawazuzakura.jp/; https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6314.html; https://en.japantravel.com/shizuoka/kawazu-festival-tokyu-resort-cherry-blossoms-izu/19376].

Furoen Garden is specialized in collecting Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) trees. It has more than 20 varieties of Japanese apricot and some other species. The blooming season of the Japanese apricot trees in the Kofu area just began at around the end of January, so only several varieties started blooming. Yet, you can feel that spring is coming. (http://www.furouen.jp/english)

Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume) trees started blooming.

Lake Sai Icing Event 2023 was held during 1/28~2/05 at Wild-Bird Forest Park for the first time in three years. Structures made of tree branches were watered and naturally frozen. Frosted objects with icicles were amazing! Come over next year.

The first shrine visit of the year, Hatsumode, although it is January 5th, not January 1st.

The new year 2023 has begun.