Travelog for: Toki

Sakura is full blooming This is Shinto shrine near hanachan's house.
The sky is blue. It's a beautiful day.
This memorial monument is for military horses in equisition. Twig of Sakura was offered to it.

Shamijima - It used to be a small island in Seto Inland Sea, but today the island is connected to the main island by land reclamation.
Here we came in sight of the Seto Ohashi Bridge. Yes, we have crossed the bridge already.
The trains run through the lower, the upper is the express motorway.

Dear Mom,
How have you been? Today, I was watching the photo book of 3.11 Earthquake & Tsunami. (just watching, I can't read)
I wonder if people in the stricken area of Oklahoma start smiling again? I hope so.
Japanese people in Tohoku are still halfway through the post-earthquake & Tsunami restoration and recovery. I wish disaster victims in both countries get back their happy days.
love,
Toki

P.S.
We had much rain during last 2 weeks. It's a rainy season called "Tsuyu". Today it still hard rains with thunder.
And now the rain stopped and The sun shines.
Oh, Mom, can you see?
Rainbow

The lighthouse of glazing "Setoshirube"
This lighthouse is called "Setoshirube". It means the pilot of Seto (inland sea). They say that the only crystal lighthouse in the world. The whole of lighthouse emits red light by internal illumination in the night.

They say that severe heat of this summer is abnormal
It's unbearable to go out from the air-conditioned room in the daytime. In the evening, we finally started 
Mt. Yashima is a flat topped mountain in the east side of Takamatsu city. We drove to the top. It's about 300m high.
Wow!!

Oboke and Koboke The beautiful valleys located upstream of the Yoshino River.

And we are going to Kochi-city, where we can eat fresh and delicious fish. But it's a little bit early for dinner. So we decided to stop at the small zoo on our way.
This summer is terribly hot and humid. Because of it, many of animals didn't appear in a daytime. Probably they were hiding in their shady place.
Finally we ate Sushi!
Of course, it was great!

waiting for the boat for the island Inujima

Oh... we were in a wrong place. Our boat is coming to the next pier
Run there!

from the window of the small boat
(forgot to take pictures of our boat...)

Inujima Seirensho Art Museum --- the remains of a copper refinery on the island
Inujima is one of the large-scale art project set in the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

The night view of Sakura cherry blossoms at Ritsurin Garden
It's the another world

Kochi-Jo (Kochi Castle) --- nickname "Hawk Castle"
This Samurai Warrior on Horseback is Yamanouchi Kazutoyo, feudal lord of Kochi in the 17th century.
The Castle was completed in 1611. After 100 years, in 1727 it was mostly destroyed in a large fire.
Now we can see this castle which reconstructed between 1729 and 1753 in the original style.

Greetings from Kochi city,
Toki

Ekin Matsuri --- Ekin Festival
Kinzo, the painter, was born in Kochi in 1812. He was called "Ekin".
Some of his artworks are blood-soaked scenes from Kabuki.
This evening, on the third weekend in July, his folding screens on dramatic subjects are displayed at night by candlelight in the streets of Akaoka.
After dark, it will be a little scary.

On my way home...
I'll see you soon, Michelle<3
love,
Toki