My Last Run of 2017

This morning, I could go for a nice run - my last time for the year.  It was a cold day - even snowed a bit in western Tokyo.

The entrance of Koganei Park from Itsukaichi Kaido.

People were looking at their smart phones - Pokemon Go?

Entry path to Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum.

One of the buildings of the museum.

Koganei Country Club - nobody was playing today.

Tamako Cycling Road.

Sakai Water Treatment Plant.

Inokashira Park Zoo.

Inokashira Benzaiten Shrine - the pond is getting drained again.

The water level is getting low - the pillars of the bridge look longer.

Pipes that are used to drain the pond.

The boat rental place has no boats.

Another facility in the park for draining.

Swan Boats have been removed from the pond for draining process.

The water level of Kanda River is higher than usual for the drained water is pumped into it.

More pond boats being stored by Inokashira-koen Station.

A Run in Snowy Nanto and Oyabe

My last time to run on snow for the year was yesterday morning in Nanto and its adjacent Oyabe, Toyama Prefecture.  It snowed the day before, so it was very beautiful.

Rice and other vegetable fields were covered with snow.

A road direction sign.

Amazingly, most of the side walks were shoveled.

Hokuriku Expressway.

More snow-covered rice fields.

Kasuga Jinja in Oyabe.

A cute traffic poster - "Stop" at a crosswalk.

A water level control gate of Oyabe River.

A local Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temple had a smart triangular device at the entrance to avoid snow.

A local elementary ground was completely covered with snow.

A pretty white heron.

An Otani-sect Buddhist temple in Nanto.

 Snow Plows - must have been busy the day before.

Solar panels must not be so effective with snow collected on them.

Oyabe River seen from Kawasaki Bridge.

A little tree and green leaves showing out of snow.

I ran on this snow by Tabikawa River.

More beautifully snow-covered fields.

Fukuno Elementary School.

Kadomatsu - New Year's ornaments at my hotel entrance.

 

My feet were completely soaked, but it was very satisfying.

An Early Morning Run to Osaka Castle Park

This morning, I ran to Osaka Castle Park from my hotel in Yotsubashi.  It was still dark at 6:00 am.

Right by the castle were banners of the 150th anniversary of Meiji Restoration.

Looking through Sakura Gate to the main castle building.

Many people doing Radio Taiso.

The sunrise seen from the castle ground.

The moat and the main castle building.

High rise buildings of Osaka Business Park.

Oteguchi Entrance.

 The entrance way leading to Oteguchi Gate.

Osaka is the candidate city for World EXPO 2025.

Nakaoe Park playground close from the castle park.

Honmachi Bridge - the oldest existing bridge (1913) in Osaka.

A NIce Lunch-Time Walk in Asukayama Park

I took a nice walk in Asukayama Park at lunch time.  It was a sunny winter day.

Another crazy cherry blossom out of season.

The playground seen from the former residence of Shibusawa Eiichi.

Shinkansen Tracks are close by.

A tea room used to be here - was burned by an air raid in 1945.

Kabuto Inari - moved from its original location in Kabutocho in 1897.

A big Camphor tree.

The library.

A Toro has Tokugawa Shogun family emblem.

Bankoro, built in 1917 by Shimizu as a gift for Shibusawa's 77th birthday.

A statue of Shibusawa stands by Bankoro.