Heiwa Kannon (平和観音）

Heiwa means 'peace'.

Heiwa kannon was erected praying peace and safe in Nirasaki city in 1961. The Kannon is one of three Kannon in Kanto area and keeps an eye on our happiness from the southernmount of shitsiriiwa (七里岩).

This year, the kannon will come to fifty-year-celebration. Though the kannon has been there for fifty years, it keeps beautiful looking because people try to protect it as the repayment for peaceful life.

Romantic night with fireflies

When I was a child, my grand mother used to take me to Kotagawa (小田川) where fireflies are often found in Nirasaki city. Today, I went to Hotaru Matsuri (Fireflies festival) after a long separation.

The festival became bigger than that in 10 years ago because people seldom watch fireflies in other places compared to the past. We could watch small green lights in darkness, which made us feel romantic. Protectors of fireflies told me that fireflies would die in three days after glowing. How short and their lives are! Their lives are just express Japanese culture (In France, fireflies don't glow and fly.) Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures of their faint glow. I thought that their glows send us their sadness.

After we enjoyed romantic feeling, we tried to make 'Hotaru-kago (ほたるかご-a cage for fireflies). Local uncle illustrated how to make it. International students from France and Uzbekistan made it together. Not our nationalities but characters showed up the performance.

The festival brought me back old memories, and told my friends traditional Japanese culture.

Mt.Amari （甘利山）

Mt.Amari (1,731.4m) is one of 'mountains in Yamanashi', which rises in fron of South Alps. From the middle to the end of June, people climb Mt.Amari to enjoy watching communities of azaleas. The fascinations of Mt.Amari is beautiful scenery of azaleas, Mt.Fuji, Mt.Yatsugatake, and Mt.Hohoh. If you are lucky, you could see these mountains with a field of clouds. Also, Mt.Amari is popular as a mountain which has some precious alpine plants.

In addition, there is a pond 'Sawara-ike (さわら池) on the side of Mt.Amari. The pond is secretly known for the legend 'Sawara-ike Densetsu (さわら池伝説）'. The legend tells... A long ago, an old honed woman came to Mt.Amari, and turn into a big snake when she got into the pond. One day, children of lieges lived in Amari place went to the pond and were lost in the pond. The lieges got angry and covered it with trees of Sawara. The snake turned into a red cow in order to hide but ran away to somewhere... People believe that a sword which was used by the lieges is still buried in the pond. The legend makes the atmosphere arund the pond more mysterious.

Shimpujo-Ato (新府城跡)

As I wrote on the last post, Shimpu is a historical place in Nirasaki. Shimpujo-Ato (新府城跡-the trace of the Shimpu castle) is the most important evidence of the history, which was registered as a national cultural property.

When Takeda Katsuyori (武田勝頼）lost at the War of Nagashino (長篠の戦い), he moved the central place of force in order to prepare against the next invasion. The Shimpu castle was constructed by Katsuyori at that time, but he set fire to the castle before it's completed. After that he escaped to Tano （田野-甲州市 Kosyu city at present）and committed suicide, that was the fall of the Takeda family.


The Shimpu castle is the last one of the Takeda family. The particular construction represents their strength. The castle was built with forts and fosses but stone walls. The castle keep still remains and tells us the history of the family.

Shimpu Tohgenkyo （新府桃源郷）

Do you know the place of Shimpu （新府）? Shimpu means 'new central place of force', which is compared to Kofu (the old central place of force -甲府,古府） where Takeda Shingen (武田信玄) controlled. So, Shimpu was the place where Takeda Katsuyori (武田勝頼) lived as a central place controlled.

Shimpu is famous as a peach farm. Peach trees set fresh peach in summer, of course, trees bloom brilliant pink peach blossoms which looks a big pink carpet in spring! Pink (the colour of peach blossoms) makes a beautiful contrast with yellow (the colour of rape blossoms), blue (the colour of sky), and white (the colour of snow on mountains)! Unfortunately, I couldn't take a nice picture to appeal it...anyway, a lot of people come to enjoy late 'Ohanami (お花見-a picnic under the blossoms) in the best season.

If you miss the season to enjoy watching peach flowers in other places, you should come to Shimpu because the peach trees bloom the latest in Yamanashi.

Waniduka no Sakura (わに塚のサクラ）

There is an excurrent cherry blossom at the centre of tumulus on the Nirasaki hillside. It is said that the tree is about three-hundred-year old and classified into Edohigan cherry blossom.

People have believed that two theories as origins of the name of the tree. The one is; the tumulus is called as the grave of Takedaoh (King of Takeda) who was Yamatotakeru (hero of Japanese myth). Waniduka is written in Kanji as a tumulus of King (王仁塚）. The other one is; the shape of the tumulus is similar to mouth of Wani (鰐-old name of shark).

The Sakura is printed on the total tour booklet of Nirasaki. In this year, some news programs talked about it, which made it get famous nowadays. The best season to enjoy it is from the end of March to the middle of April. The tree will be lighten up among the limited days from dusk to night time. A lot of cameramen visit and take photos of the tree and Kayagatake (茅ヶ岳）with snow. The tree stands and blows flowers at the centre of field ,which looks so grand and attractive!!!

MY JOB!

From April, I have worked at the city hall in my hometown. Since I was hired as a clerical staff, there were lots of possibilities to be posted. Hopefully, I could be in charge of tourism at the commerce and tourism section, which interests me a lot!!! The reason why I decided to work as a civil servant is because I wanted to contribute to make the city attractive:)

On 1st April, I got the ID card and declared to work for the city. I had to start working as same as other seniors, of course, working carrier shouldn't appeal to result of any work. What I have to do was to know and study the city. Even though I am a citizen, I didn't know anything enough to guide the city for tourists. The total tour booklet would be my textbook for the moment...

And...I will upload some sightseeing spots on this blog in order to introduce you and to make use for my work!

Graduate traveling to Hakone

They are members of the wind orchestra of Yamanashi University. We went traveling to Hakone as a graduate traveling.

We wanted to feel like putting on the ritz, so we booked a Japanese Inn where we can enjoy taking a hot spring and drinking. Of course, the schedule was set on the day when all of us can join it...And yet, we just decided the Inn. We drove to Odawara and dropped at Sakana centre, a beach, Hakone Yumoto station, and so on. Since it was a bit snowy and so cold, we felt a special feeling to go into a hot spring. At night,
drinking party was really an exciting time!

On the second day, though it was snowing hard, we enjoyed as much as we wanted to. We went to Ohwakudani to eat a black egg for rising longevity. At the museum of glass, there was a kind of festival for an experience of Masquerades. (the picture of the right side) After that, we rushed to Hakone Yunessan in snow. Around the time when we left Hakone, a warning of heavy snow was given to people in kanto area...

It would be the last time to play the goat, which was the phrase we repeated on our way home. I felt a bit sad to think of graduation. But, we won't forget the traveling I believe!!

My new hobby...?

This is a 'toy camera'. It is a kind of camera but it doesn't have flash and zoom functions. Can we take good photos with it? Yes, we can:) Toy cameras make it possible to take nuanced pictures with the simple structure.

I started writing just like an advertisement...anyway, 'toy camera' seems to be getting popular even among professional cameraman. My friend who is immersed in taking pictures inspired me to be interested in camera. Though I can't afford to buy a single-lends reflex camera, I wanted to buy something cool. I bought a 'toy camera' as a start of the second camera to take a bit nuanced photo:)

And yet, I'm a BEGINNER for taking pictures. It's difficult to find a nice object around me. At first, I'm trying to take heaps of pictures until I can enjoy it. After that, I would like to say 'my hobby is taking pictures', which is my target. Unfortunately, I can't show you my improvement because the camera is analog one...

DONE!

For the fourth students, the most heaviest task is a graduate thesis. Though some universities don't impose the task, we cannot graduate from the Yamanashi University without submitting the thesis.


I decided the theme last year, which was supposed to go well. The theme of my thesis is "Melody and Tone in Language and Music" which is related to my hobby, music. But, I couldn't handle it and job-hunting at the same time. Because I am a person who is a kid myself, I had to reject anything fun from my head!!!

It was soooooooooooo tired and hard to spend long time on one topic. But, I could act from a fellow feeling of International Culture Course. Every time I go to Uni, we cheered ourselves up and made us rush to work. Surely, thanks to my professor, I could submit the thesis. Also, I could keep working and finish it with my friends in the course. When I bound the thesis, I achieved a sense of accomplishment! Thanks everyone!!!

And...good job, I had done! I want to deserve a little reward for me:)