Samegai Baikamo in Maibara city Shiga prefecture

Samegai Baikamo in Maibara city Shiga prefecture

Samegai station is a first station from Maibara to east.
Samegai has a Jizo river and Baikamo.

Baikamo is a water plant, its flower is white and same as plum blossom.
Baikamo is growing in the cold and clean river, and seldom to see this plant in Japan's.

From Samegai station 10minutes walking, you can arrive Jizo river and find Baikamo flowers.
Jizo river's water is selected as Famous 100 waters in Japan.
Samegai is also Shukuba-machi of Nakasendo, Samegai has the vestiges of Shukuba-machi.
Samegai is a tourist destination, the beauty of Baikamo, refreshing feel of a clear stream, and the vestiges of the post town.

Baikamo is full bloom from middle of July to early of August.
Now is the best season for Samegai.
Jizo river has Baikamo and Hariyo fish.

Hariyo
Hariyo is inhabiting Japan, Europe, North America.
Hariyo is living in East of Shiga pref. West of Gifu pref. It is a hard-to-find fish.
It is 4-7cm length, flat body, color is mouse color and black spots. You can observe swimming Hariyo in Jizo river.

Baikamo is lighted up from July 20 to August 4.
19:30-20:30.
Night Baikamo is also very beautiful.

Next is Samegai trout breeding farm.
This farm has 83 ponds and breeds 1.25milion rainbow trouts.

It is in a Samegai valley, using Souya River.
You can fishing trout, and eat it at the restaurant.
Detail information is from HP. : http://samegai.siga.jp/

Return to JR Samegai station, in front of station, Samegai Water Yado is opened from 2002.
Gift shop,restaurants are existing it.
I buy Sake, Samegai Water Yado Liquor.
This liquor is fantastical taste.

JR Samegai is convenient, lots of train are stopping in this station.

Osaka Tenjin Festival

Tenjin Festival

Tenjin Festival is a one of Japanese Big three Festival, others are Tokyo Kanda Festivals, Kyoto Gion Festival.

Tenjin festival starts since 951 year.
This festival continues from end of June to July 25.
July 25 is a main event, that is Ship parade and Fireworks.
Main place is around Okawa river side.

Access
From JR Kanjyo Line Sakuranomiya station, JR Tozai Line Osaka Tenmangu station,
or Osaka castle north end station, about 10 minutes walk to Okawa river.
From Keihan train Line Tenmangu station about 5 minutes walk to Okawa Rivera.

Schedule
July 23
Gal Mikoshi Circumambulation in Tenjinbashisuji Mall

July 24 Yoimiya
7:45 Tenjin Festival stars with bell
8:50 Hokonaga-Shinji starts
16:00 Moyooshi-Daiko-Ujichi Circumambulation
16:30 Dondoko ship in the river
Hokonaga-Shin return the Hoko
18:00 Suijyo Takigino
18:40 Moyooshi-Daiko enter shrine
19:00 Shishimai enter shrine

July 25 Honmiya
13:30 Pray peace and prosperity
14:30 Shinrei-Igyo starts
15:30 Rikutogyo
18:00 Hunatogyo : Ship parade
19:00 Hono Fireworks
20:30 Moyooshi-Daiko enter shrine
22:30 Kangyo Festival

Gal Mikoshi
This is Young girls shouldering Mikoshi.
Selected 80 girls shoulder Mikoshi.

Gal Mikoshi Circumambulation in Tenjinbashisuji Mall at July 23.
This Mikoshi is also held in July 24 and 25.
Please see Gal Mikoshi.

Gion Festival is elegant festivals, Tenjin Festival is bustling festival.

Recomended Course
At July 24, see Yoiyama, Moyooshi-Daiko-Ujichi Circumambulation.
Stay overnight at the hotel.
July 25, see Gal Mikoshi in Tenjinbashisuji Mall.
At 15:30, see ship parade.
At 19:00, see fireworks.

Please enjoy water festival in Osaka.

That's it.

Kyoto Umekoji Park

Kyoto Umekoji Park

Umekoji Park is near the Kyoto station, about 15minutes walk along JR Sanin line to Tanba-guchi station.

This park has Kyoto Aquarium, Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum.
It is a big park, 117,133m²、start from 1995.

Main park consists of lawn garden, central park, Forest of Life, Suzaku-green house.
1st to go to Kyoto Aquariums, this Aquqruim is built March 2012, and a complete artificial seawater aquarium.

This aquarium, including the Special Natural Monument, giant salamander in Kamogawa, including penguins and Cape and Gomafu seal, will be exhibited about 15 000 animals about 250 species.
Entrance fee is 2000yen, including dolphins show.

Next is Suzaku garden, Inochi forests, Entrance is 200yen.

Suzaku garden has a beautiful Japanese style garden, which are lawn garden, stream, lots of flower trees.
The back of the garden, there is a "Forest of Life" which reproduced the nature. You can see fish and insects, frogs, waterfowls in this forest.


About 100m from Suzaku garden, you can arrive Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum.

This museum is built as a Steam Locomotive Museum in 1972.
We can ride SL(Steam Locomotive).

SL steam train's starting time schedule: 11:00、13:30、15:30
Saturday & Sunday,holiday, special trains are added.
For instance, Sunday morning 2 trains are added.
Entrance: 400yen, SL riding: 200yen.

SL riding is about 1km and 10 minutes riding.
Cargo car is open Car.
SL is burning coal, and lots of smoke.
Sounding whistle,it is a wonderful riding.
Umekoji has many also SL trains.
You can see driver seat, and steam car.

Good points of Umekoji park are available to see lots of JR trains near here,
,big park, and convenient from Kyoto station only 15minutes walking.
Only this garden is available to see lots of train and no entrance charge in Japan.
This garden is good for young family with children.

That's it.

Journey of firefly watching in July

Journey of firefly watching in July

I would like to inform the spots for firefly watching in July.
Firefly is usually seen from early June to middle of June.
But cooled area, we can see firefly early July.

Kyoto area
Kibune river north of Kyoto city.


Hotaru stone near the Kibune-guchi station of Eizan railway is a firefly spot .
Hotaru stone is 5minutes walk from Kibune-guchi station.
Hotaru stone is a big stone in the Kibune river,
around this stone area, we can see Genji firefly from middle of June to early July.
Number of fireflies is not many.
At June 30, I found only 5 fireflies.
Best time is 20:00-20:30.
Please see Hotaru stone area video : http://youtu.be/sVOedB3wbyY

Nagano prefecture

Midori pond in Shiojiri city is a firefly spot.

About 15minutes walk from Midori pond JR station, we can arrive Midori pond.
This area we can see a Genji firefly from middle of June to early July.

Around this area is a countryside, and near this pond hot spring is existing.
Tagawaura hot spring has a day spa.
Go to this hot spring, and enjoy day spa.
Around this hot spring, you have a good feeling, and heal fatigue.

Aoki pond in Ono city is a firefly spot.

In the pond, you can see a Genji firefly on the boat.
From JR Yanaba station,40minutes walk is necessary to arrive this pond.

On the pond, some spots are firefly spots.
Seeing firefly is from early July to early August.
Rent a boat needs 3000yen, at firefly season hotels are full booking.
Booking hotel and reserving boat are necessary for seeing beautiful fireflies.
JR Itoigawa line does not have enough train, so detail planning is necessary for seeing firefly.

Niigata prefecture

Yahiko hot spring between Niigata and Nagaoka,is a firefly spot.

From JR Yahiko station, only 500m walking is necessary to this hot spring.
Genji firefly is seen from middle of June to early July.

Number of fireflies is not many.

When you go to see firefly, please bring Insect repellent.
Lots of mosquito are these firefly spots.

That's it.