When I got out of Kakegawa Station, it was so sunny outside. Walking to the south, I headed to one of my favorite places, “Kakegawa Kachoen”.
Once you step in it, you may feel like just as if you’ve got lost in exquisite paradise. A cute owl welcomed me at the ticket desk. Not stuffed ! It’s real !! I dashed through the entrance gate before I could stop my heart from leaping.
Funny penguins walked across, pelicans got their heads up just as if they were the kings and queens in the water.
The humongous Glasshouse comes next. From the endless flowers over my head came enchanted scent. And the mouth-watering smell from somewhere ! Yes, time for lunch !! Maybe I needed to satisfy my stomach before walking around. I stepped in the Buffet as my instinct led.

In the buffet, there are about 40 kinds of dishes. You can eat as much as you can, for 60 minutes. Not to become too greedy this time, I picked decently balanced dishes on the plate. All tasted so good ! No wonder under such spectacular flowers.＾＾ I went so far as to try one of the weakest vegetable for me. What was it ? Please guess from the picture above.＾＾

After the fabulous lunch, I went outside area to see “Flight Show”. Though falcon show was canceled due to too windy weather, an owl and a secretary bird appeared in front of the audience. The owl flied on the very edge of our head to be fed by the trainer. So powerful and impressive that I stepped back despite myself.
Funny thing was the secretary bird named “Kick”.

See the pics.

He likes snakes. In finding the prey, he dashes to it and kicks its head until it dies. Seeing the demonstration with a rubber snake, we burst into laughter. I knew he had been really serious but that caused me unstoppable laughter.
Flight Show starts daily from 10:30, 13:00 and 15:00( information as of July, 2010 ). About 20 minutes for each Show.

There is a large pond in the open area and a long promenade over it. Not bad for a walk in such a beautiful day. Water birds such as Swans, Cranes, Ducks and other birds can be seen along the pathway. I could see pelicans in the deep through the way. The gate was closed though because pelicans had not been ready for us yet. Peaceful moment. Chirps around woods. I strolled along it, and got in the Glasshouse.

Kakegawa Kachoen
Access
From JR Kakegawa Station ： 10 minutes on foot (or 2 minutes by taxi)
Admission ： ¥1,050／adults, ¥525／Children under 12
Opened ： Every day from 9:00 – 17:00 ( Please enter by 16:30 )

Buffet As much as you can eat for 60 minutes
Opened ： 11:00 – 15:00
¥1,500（Weekend&Holidays） ¥1,000（Weekday）／Adults
¥800（Weekend&Holidays）¥600（Weekday）／School Children
¥500（Weekend&Holidays）¥500（Weekday）／Age 3 – 5

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾

The first fireworks festival in Shizuoka, on July 3rd, was held at last by the lake “Hamana-ko” in Bentenjima, Maisaka, Hamamatsu City. The beginning of Summer !
You know what ? We’ll have more than 70 festivals with fireworks this summer in Shizuoka. I attach the information about the fireworks of July to the bottom of this article. For August will be updated soon.

Anyway, let me report what I saw.

Heavy rain on that day. My sneakers and jeans were soaked to the skin. No wind, no thunder fortunately.

I asked the staff if they could make a go or no-go decision. She said, “We’ll make it no matter how much it rains”. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear, maybe.
Downpour in the night. Starved. No shelter to eat in though many food-stands “Yatai” were around.
But all bad things were whitewashed by the first sight of sparking.

Ｂａｎｇ！　Ｂａｎｇ！！　Ｂａｎｇ！！！
｡o○o。.★.。o○o。.☆.。o○o。.★.o○o。.☆.。o○o。.★.。o○o。

ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆
ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆
ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆
ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆


Noisy but somehow cozy. Violent sound vibration reached me, pulsating my body with indescribable sensation. With awful rain out of my mind, I stared into the dark sky, listening to the sound of fireworks going off, looking for the spectacular flowers of a moment.

By the way, here at Bentenjima, you can enjoy digging clams “Shio-hi-gari” until the end of August. Crabs and hermit crabs around are so cute ! The best time is shown in the PDF.

(13KB)

Hamanako is one of the summer resorts in Shizuoka. Very famous for clams, more famous for eels.
There are many sightseeing spots around Hamanako. You can find some of them from the website below. I, myself, will become more positive and active to visit many spots to report you everyone !

Good day ！＾＾

Hamamatsu Tourist Information Center ： Hamamatsu Daisuki Net

Maisaka Cho Tourist Association

Firework Festivals in July (79KB)

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾

There are many images about Japan. Mt. Fuji, Geisha, Ninja, Onsen, Green Tea and Sushi. I’m very proud that all above can be experienced in Shizuoka ! And what I wanna show you today is one of these images in Japan. Now, let’s follow my footsteps.

From Shuzenji station, I took the bus from #6 and got it off at “Shuzenji Sogo Kaikan” to drop at Shuzenji Tourist Association. It is in the bricked complex hall. A cheerful lady attended me to chat with. So heart-warming atmosphere I could feel from the office. She handed me 2 brochures, both written in English, Chinese and Korean. Good maps in them. No way to get lost, I believed.

With 2 guidebooks in hand, I walked up to Shuzenji Temple. Very magnificent but decently harmonized in the nature. You can’t expect something flashy or gorgeous here. Just like old days in Japan, it stands still, unchanged, to remind us of what is most important in our lives. Nature tells, I’ll bet !

Shuzenji Spa area has a very long promenade along the river that goes though the town. Walking along it is just fun ! Can you hear the voices of the stream ? Feel the crystal-clear air ? Scent of greens ?
Now, follow the pictures.

ﾊ──ｏ(*≧∇≦)ﾉ──ｲ

The red rails could become a symbol of Shuzenji Spa. There is a foot-spa in the middle of the river. Free of charge. Please enjoy the real hot-spring, listening to the sound of river-stream.

Breeze through the bamboo grove almost made me forget that I’d been at work.＾＾；　　
There are many Japanese hotels around the river. I followed the pathway all the way to the end of promenade and went up the small hill through the local residential area to see the grave of Minamoto-no-Noriyori, a historical man of Kamakura era.

Nature makes various kinds of “Shuzenji” throughout the year. In autumn, maple leaves will make another face of town from the one I’ve showed you today. Please don’t miss any opportunity for Shuzenji !

Have a good day !＾＾

Shuzenji Tourist Association
Access ： From Shuzenji Station, take the bus from #1 or #6 as far as “Sogo Kaikan”.
Shuzenji Spa
Access ： From Shuzenji Station, take the bus from #1 or #6 as far as “Shuzenji Onsen”.
Or 10 minute walk from Shuzenji Tourist Association

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ^^