Place I Have Been, Virtually, This Week

 
Image: good doggo posing for Sakura Season pics in Matsuda (Kanagawa Prefecture), Japan

It's moments like these that I live for on the HeyGo tours.

For my new subscribers, I recently stumbled upon a virtual touring company called HeyGo. They do livestream tours around the world, and I have long been fond of Japan, and so I started going along as people walk through the streets of Osaka or Tokyo or in the countryside. Cherry Blossom season is just beginning in Japan, so I've been following a particular guide, Eriko, as she travels (often with her mom) around the Japanese countryside.

On Sunday, Eriko was in Matsuda Town at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Nishira Park ( 西平畑公園). The park's parking lot has a view of Mount Fuji. We were once again quite lucky to see it on a clear day.


Image: Fuji-san showing off her icy peak, framed by early-blooming Kawazu (ornamental) cherry trees.

For reference, here's Wikipedia's map showing the location of Matsuda:'



The festival grounds were crowded. But, Erika is a pro at keeping the camera trained on the sights, so I only noticed the number of people in passing. Erika is particularly fond of the color combination of the pink cherry blossoms and canola (rapeseed) flowers. This is the second tour we've been on with her this year where she showed off the brilliant yellow canola blooms.


Image: cherries and canola (a nice alliteration.)

The other tour I went on, on Saturday, was with a new-to-me tour guide, Toshi. Toshi took us to two different places, the Oyama Shrine (山神社,) in Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) Japan and then just down the way to Gyokusen Inmaru (aka Kanazawa Castle Park). 

The shrine's grounds were my favorite part (and, apparently, the only thing I took any pictures of.)  But, I was very enamored of the stepping stones and zig-zag bridges, which reminded me of the Japanese garden here in St. Paul at Como Zoo. 


Image: Oyama Shrine's zig-zag bridges, apparently called yatsuhashi, eight bridges,(八橋).

I took a bunch of pictures of the scenery of these grounds, but probably the most delightful moment was when we were joined by a pair of ducks.


Image: ducks in the shrine's pond. Birder friends, ID? I have no idea.

Probably someone in the chat ID'd the particular type of duck this is, but I have been turning off the chat function. I used it when I first started doing HeyGo a LOT. It is strangely thrilling to be able to say, "Hey, Toshi-san, what's that to the left?" and have the guide turn and try to identify what it is you're curious about. I really can make a person feel like they are actually visiting Japan (or wherever.) However, the problem I have with chat is twofold. First, there are always annoying people who pop on to a tour and don't seem to know even where they are and so they'll ask, "Where are we?" And, I dunno, my patience for that kind of stuff waxes and wanes. The second issue I have with chat is that it's a moving scroll off to the side and I am already trying to take in video that is sometimes jostling along as someone walks. I don't need that kind of vertigo-inducing malarkey.

The shrine is dedicated to this dude, who is depicted here in a rather atypical fashion. I don't know why, but I don't associate these kinds of statues with Japan. 


Image: a guy on a horse, ffs.

But, to be fair, parts of this shrine--the gate in particular--were designed by a Dutch guy. At any rate this guy was Maeda Toshiie a general during the Sengoky period and beyond. He has famous wife who is also enshrined here, Maeda Matsu. Apparently, because their relationship was so dynamic and influential, people often come here now to be blessed with a happy marriage (of equals, one might assume.) At any rate, it's kind of cool to see this lovely place dedicated to an original "power couple" of ancient Japan.

The Gyokusen inmaru was fascinating, if only because I spent the entire time trying to figure out what was up with the grass and the trees. The trees, I eventually figured were being shaped. The grass? I'm still not sure if this is intentional (as in seasonal) or if this is part of the construction that is ongoing.


Image: what is up with this grass?

As a Minnesotan, I have seen grass that looks like this? Every spring, but it seems unusual for Japan which is much more moderate in terms of its temperature. So, I dunno. Experts out there are welcome to correct/explain.

If you're curious where in Japan Kanazawa is, here is another handy Wikipedia map:



So, that was my weekend BEFORE I fell on the ice. Today is "What are you reading?" Wednesday, and I am not reading much at all at the moment. But, while resting my back in bed, Shawn (my wife) and I did manage to binge ALL of the first season of "Staged," which is a comedy starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen during the pandemic, directly following their success in Good Omens (which I loved.) I feel like, if you wanted more of their chemistry, this is a wonderful way to get it. Highly recommend. The reviews are mixed about season 2, but I am up for giving it a try.