しょぶ 園 Shobu Flower Gardens summer 2008

This is a beautiful Iris Garden Park (しょぶ　園) near Yokosuka; I visited this Park several times during the summer 0f 2008 and enjoyed every moment.


During one such visit, while walking toward the Park, up a hill and through the residential area, I noticed a man grooming his bonsai trees inside his garage (the garage door was open). He must have had 50 bonsai trees - some very old and valuable - they were all sculpted and pruned immaculately.

I approached him and expressed my appreciation for his care of these small trees. He said that this was his hobby - I thought he was a professional, but as often is true, the hobbiest had a true appreciation for his passion.


Afterwards, I proceeded to the Park, crossing a moat filled with koi. The Iris gardens within the Park were expansive as you will see in the pictures below.


Garden Park Entrance

Iris fields:

The Park is open from 9:00 am - 7:00 pm
Admission Adults 300 yen Children 100 yen

Access:
Keihin → Shioiri Station by bus
Get off at middle school 15 minutes walk from Ikegami →

If by car
→ Yokohama Yokosuka Yokosuka road interface
5 minutes


橫須賀市立

Website:
http://www2.ocn.ne.jp/~shige/syobuen.htm

Kinchakuda Park in Hidaka City, Japan 9/27/2008

The Park is partially encircled by the Komagawa River. I took these photos while visiting on 27 September 2008. Kinchakuda Park in Hidaka City, Japan has very beautiful Cosmos and Cluster Amarylis flowers.

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CLICK ON EACH PHOTO BELOW:



Cosmos Field


Kinchakuda Park Garden


Cosmos Field


Cluster Amaryllis

Kabuki-za and Japanese National Theatre (February 2009)

I returned to Japan for 2 months in Jan - March 2009 and it was my great pleasure to do so. I have a few pictures to share, all involving traditional Japanese cultural arts. Performances I attended, dance and music, were with my dear Japanese friends.

The Tokyo Japanese National Theatre dance performances were spectacular and lasted for over 6 hours. Each performance included a single dancer accompanied by four or five shamisen musicians. After the performances, my shamisen sensei and her friends and I enjoyed visiting at a nearby cafe. Then we puzzled our way through the interconnecting train routes to return to Yokohama and beyond.

Although no pictures could be taken of the performances, I did get one cool shot of this exhibit in the National Theatre lobby. One dancer was dressed exactly like this statue, although most dancers were beautiful Japanese ladies dressed in nearly equally beautiful gowns.

The Kabuki-za theatre, located in Ginza Tokyo, is the most fameous in all of Japan. Unfortunately this great theatre is scheduled for demolition soon and will be replaced by a high rise office building.

I attended one of the most fameous plays here in February with my koto sensei and friend Kodama san.

I am posing near one of the many art masterpieces in the lobby of Kabuki-za.