Exploring Kumamoto, Japan

We heard that the nemophila flowers were in full bloom, so we headed to Kuju Flower Park on May 12th. Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Eg5nUT3TT1KdtBzH8 Many kinds of flowers were blooming all over the spacious garden. We went to see the nemophila flowers, but what impressed us the most were the Livingstone daisy fields. We also went to this park on April 11th during cherry blossom season. The following photo was taken then, and just a month ago the Livingstone daisies were still lush and green in the seedlings. Photo  2025/4/11 We were amazed to see how it had transformed into a beautiful flower garden in just one month. The nemophila was just about to reach full bloom. The sight of the nemophila flowers swaying in the wind was wonderful. At that time, I learned for the first time that there was a white nemophila. We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in May. It was a good opportunity to take a photo in a field of nemophila. We went on a weekday, but it was still very crowd...

When a couple's children grow up, it's natural that they stop going to the zoo. After we had grandchildren, they begged us to go, so we went to the Kumamoto City Zoological and Botanical Gardens on Children's Day (May 5th) for the first time in a long time. Locaiton:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/1c6d6XFHroLLcVVL7 The Gardens opens at 9:00 a.m., but there is already a long line by 8:30 a.m. Once inside the Gardems, there was a long line in front of the attractions in the amusement park zone. Attractions seem to be much more appealing to children than animals or plants. In fact, we had visited the Gardens three days earlier with our four-year-old grandson. I thought there would be few people there because it was a weekday, but I was wrong. There were a surprising number of elementary school children there. I think they were on a welcoming school trip. The Gardens is large, safe, and a suitable place for an elementary school trip. The plant zone around the clock tower is a great p...

It has been 30 years since we lived in Kumamoto. We had always wanted to go to the Carp Streamer Festival (Koinobori matsuri in Japanese) in Tsubetate Onsen someday. However, we had heard that the festival was terribly congested with cars on holidays, so we avoided it, but this time we finally got to see it in person. It was about noon on a weekday when we arrived. There was no traffic jam and we were able to park smoothly in the free parking lot. It was well worth the trip. When we got out of the car and saw the countless carp streamers swimming, it was such a spectacular sight that my wife and I both exclaimed, "Wow!" Date: April 11, 2025 Location:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/J9cRWzcSfRXq3m5g9 Other photos: This is a short 4K video I took at that time. I hope it conveys a little bit of what the carp streamer festival is like. I think it's best to see it with your own eyes rather than watching a video. This year's festival will run until April 24th, 2025. 　

Today is April 14. Kumamoto Prefecture was hit by a series of major earthquakes on April 14 and 16, 2016 (the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake). It has been 9 years since the earthquake. The main damage was in Mashiki Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, but there was also extensive damage in other areas, including the collapse of the Aso Ohashi Bridge here in Aso City. In Aso Shrine, the tower gate, a nationally designated important cultural property, was completely destroyed. The sight of the collapsed gate was a shock to many people. It took seven and a half years of post-disaster restoration work for the tower gate, which was completed in December 2023. We visited Aso Shrine for the first time after the restoration was completed. The tower gate was restored to its splendid appearance. Location:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/aVLuKGHjEortcBuDA On the day of the festival held during the cherry blossom season, tatami mats are laid on the road in the shopping street in front of the Aso Shrine. This is a u...

I watched the cherry blossoms in the San-no-Maru Park of Kumamoto Castle every day. The following photo was taken in late March (March 29) when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The cherry blossoms were shining white.   March 29,2025 Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2P4VR1kZqSEFVLuz9 The following photos were taken daily after they were in full bloom.   April 2,2025   April 3,2025 This year, after the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, the temperature dropped to midwinter levels, so the blossoms seemed to last longer. After the temperature recovered, it became spring weather and the cherry blossoms began to fall.   April 6,2025   April 7,2025   April 8,2025 The following video shows a series of photos of the cherry blossoms on April 7, 2025, taken approximately every hour from the time the sun begins to rise in the early morning until the sun sets. Depending on the direction of the sun, the cherry blossoms show various appearances. A Day of Cherry B...

The cherry blossoms in Kumamoto City, which had remained in full bloom for a long time, gradually began to fall as April began Cherry blossoms at San-no-maru Park 2025/4/3(Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LgSmaKrAn2B93puU6 ) In the evening, the wind grew stronger, and cherry blossom petals were dancing like a snowstorm at San-no-maru Park. 2025/4/2 (Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/o9uiZSzaSfUxgb8q8 ) Cherry Blossoms Beginning to Fall at San-no-maru Park (4K Video) The row of cherry trees below San-no-maru No. 2 Parking Lot isn’t very crowded. It might be a hidden gem for cherry blossom viewing. 2025/4/3(Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/KoS3vLSismnTMdgb7 ) Let's explore inside Kumamoto Castle. The cherry blossoms and Kumamoto Castle viewed from Miyuki-zaka slope. During this time of year, Miyukizaka is extremely crowded with tourists during the day. 2025/4/2(Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/P572RDLeEr7WPXJFA ) 2025/4/2 The cherry tree-lined path of Hokke-zaka slope . The ch...