EXCITING YAMANASHI AND MORE

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

Saruhashi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saruhashi_Bridge

Arch bridge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_bridge

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. (https://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.

Merry Christmas. The Christmas organ concert 2022 was held at the Togen Hall in the city of Minami (south)-Alps in Yamanashi Prefecture on 12/24/2022.

Players: Tetsuya Kan (pipe organ) and Eisuke Yamamoto (trumpet)

Featuring the Akiha Nakashima Quartet, December The End Of The Year Jazz Concert 2022 was held at the Nagasaka Community Station Hall in the town of Nagasaka, the city of Hokuto, in Yamanashi Prefecture on 12/18/2022.

Members of the Akiha Nakashima Quartet: Akiha Nakashima (alto saxophone), Junichiro Okuchi (piano), Ryohei Komaki (double bass), and Gene Jackson (drums)

FYI

https://dukesoftware.appspot.com/saxophonist/Akiha_Nakashima/

More colorful ginkgo leaves which are about to drop.