Nasukarasuyama City Museums What does a museum and 2020 Olympics have in common? Mioko

The first museum we visited in Nasukarasuyama was Nakagawacho Batchohiroshinge Museum.  The autumn special exhibition 60th anniversary was a commemoration of a French painter PAUL JACLAY.

Here is some history about the building's architecture. The building was designed by Kengo Kuma, who was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright  He used fire-resistant wood to build the Bato Hiroshige Museum. Cedar grown in nearby mountains was used for the roof to create an image representing the evening shower in one of the artist’s most famous works. Stone, craft paper and other local materials feature prominently in the building. Kengo Kuma is also designing the 2020 Olympic stadium.

 The museum is a site that displays the traditional ukiyo-e prints of Utagawa Hiroshige.
 

 Kengo used wooden louvers made of local cedar to materialize this superposition of layers. The cedar was treated with fireproofing and rot-proofing processes to allow us to use it on the roof. 

 Beautiful fall foliage behind the building. The colors were so bright and vivid.  It made me smile just to stand and look at the beauty.

Kengo Kuma's work is greatly influenced the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.  

We also visited  Yama'age Kaikan Museum.  

We watched a movie which showed the Yama'age Festival.  The movie showed all the magnificent mikoshi (similar to a float in the USA) used in the festival and how they were made. 

The famous robot “Kansuke Grandfather” explains the festival in a fun and interesting manner in Tochigi.

Kansuke Grandfather Robot

 A miniature drama of the mountain climbing festival that scales the actual stage and cityscape to 1/5. 

The museum has replicas of the mikoshi which is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as a portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between the main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine.

Toyota Motor Corporation in Midland Square Nagoya Japan - Koichi

YES, Christmas has started being celebrated in Japan.  All the malls, train stations, grocery stores, etc are playing Christmas music and are fully decorated for the holiday season.  I'm happy to be here to see how they celebrate Christmas.  Christmas music is sung in English which I find odd?  I asked my Japanese friend why in English.  The Japanese just love American music they know the name of the song in Japanese but not the English words to the song.

 
Visited the Toyota Motor Corporation  Showroom in the Midland Square Nagoya.

This Lexus was about$150,000!  Marlon looks good in it though.

Quality check.  The paint was above the normal showroom paint job.

 

 2020 OLYMPIC MASCOTS

 TIME FOR DINNER AT SOLO PIZZA.  LOOKING FORWARD TO TASTING THIS PIZZA AND HAVING A FEW BEERS WITH THE GUYS.

One had basil and fresh mozzarella, the other prosciutto.

 Sausage pizza

We dined outside.  Nice setting.

Yoyogi Park~cherry blossom viewing

As we walked to our next destination which is Yoyogi Park, the cool air felt good. I'm glad we are there early with happy crowds of hanami watchers amidst the blooming sakura.

-Many locals among the blue tarps, as sakura season is the public school holiday as well.

Marking their hanami spot with balloon monkeys.  2016 is the year of the monkey.

 -It was fun watching this group of hanami watchers trying to play a game of Twister. 

-We took a stroll around the area where dog owners walk their pets within a fenced area, and playful dogs were running around playing.

-The main area had lots of entertaining people. I heard happy sounds and cheerful laughs. As we got closer I could see why.

- As we walked around people watching, all the happy people put smiles on our faces.

 

-Holding the hand of Marlon while strolling around and looking up at the sakura will be a moment in this adventure I will never forget for the rest of my life.

-Spending time with my BFF Teresa on this once in a lifetime vacation will always be in my memory forever. I could not ask for a better friend.

-Ric, wow, I can't say enough about all his hard work in planning every detail to make our dream come true of being in Japan. 

 -by luck, we even got to see the place where the 2020 Olympics will be held.