Our peaceful Golden Week

Japanese government made the ETC (electronic toll collection system) discount day on weekends and holidays this year. Whenever you go by car on the express-way, you pay 1,000yen only.
Then we decided not go far away by Ikuzo (our car's call name)　in order to avoid a hideous traffic jam.

And I also wanted to introduce Satolela papa a nice place I happened to find a few weeks ago.
It took 40 min. by car from our house.

This is the place called Rokudo-yama park.
It is the part of hilly area called Sayama Kyuuryo.
Satolela papa grew up in the country side in California. So he loves nature.

I tell you!
Don't forget children's mind! Be curious! That's keep you young!

Not only him but also Satori seemed to be excited a lot.

I love nature, too. But Leila......
Of course I believe she enjoyed going strange places with us, but you know, she is not picnic type dog. She was bothered with those dried plants around her feet.
Satolela papa called it "camouflage footsie".
When we got tired, we sat under the trees. And there was a nice couple sitting together in the shade of the trees.　Less people, nice air and green around us. We really appreciate the nature.

Children's Day　(May 5) is originally called Boy's Festival. It's a day to celebrate children in general. Families with boys display special dolls or flying carp-shaped streamers.
And on that day, people customarily take baths in iris leaves. Because people believed the fragrance of irises drive evil spirits away. Actually those leaves are known to be medicinal.

The last day of Golden Week, we went to the Shinsen-gumi Festival.
Shinsen-gumi was a group of samurai warriors dedicated to defending the Tokugawa Shogunate at the end of the Edo period. There are lots of fans of the group. I am one of them.
At the festival, there were many people who wore their costumes.

They got into character. ;-)

This is the main site of the festival, "Takahata-fudo"(Cetaka is enshrined)

Satolela papa seemed to have been interested in a Japanese sword demonstration.

Ten-nen rishin-ryu (style)


I wonder what he was thinking about?

We also visited the model garden show place. We didn't take Satori & Leila this time.

Because we didn't think they would be happy to be taken around on such a hot day.

　

We could have glasses of iced tea with yummy cakes.

What a nice holiday we could spent together!!

written by Arwen