My Sakura App tells me to head for the Mikamine Park in Miyagi, so off I go! And its glorious weather today, yay. Planted with 750 trees and 48 types of Yoshino cherry, weeping cherry and Yaezakura, the park features the most cherry blossom trees in downtown Sendai, allowing viewers to enjoy hanami (cherry blossoms viewing) for a month. I met Ernie and his owner, and got permission to take the pooch pic…adorable! Felt like the ‘female dogist’ in Japan, rather than NY 🙂

Yamadera (山寺) is a scenic temple located in the mountains northeast of Yamagata City. The temple grounds extend high up a steep mountainside, 1,000 steps. Well I probably don’t need to tell you that I didn’t climb, but sent droney up instead. The temple was founded over a thousand years ago in 860 as a temple of the Tendai sect under the official name Risshakuji. I would like to spend more time in the area generally (lots of lovely villages) and in Yamagata too in future.

Just after leaving Yamadera, saw this scene I liked on the Tachiya River ….

You drive through heaps of tunnels as you meander through the hills, and there are babbling brooks with ice melt flowing down the river systems. I was struck with the beauty of the NICCHU hydro-dam, and I loved the female sculpture, in the Otoge Pass. It was built between 1979 and 1992 to serve three purposes: energy supply; a water reservoir for agriculture and serves as a very important barricade against flooding water from striking the local area and its inhabitants.

Last stop for the day @ Tsuruga castle in Aizuwakamatsu which is surrounded by cherry trees. Castle was built in 1384 and changed hands many times between different rulers of Aizu. It was destroyed in 1868 in a rebellion against the newly formed Meiji government which had put an end to Japan’s feudal era. The castle was one of the last strongholds of samurai loyal to the shogunate. I can see ‘Shintaro’ (reference from 1960’s childhood TV program) battling it out! As it happens, the castle was rebuilt in the 1960’s too. I’m always tempted to do an arty farty shot…this one below leapt out at me as I passed the lake to the side of the castle.