Nov. 11th 2007 : Youganji temple festival --- Shinagawa-ku

*Please click photo for larger image


There is “Koku-zou-son” near Shinagawa Shrine and every year they have big festival in April and November.
The weather was not so good but I went to see the festival of the temple on 11th and also festival of Shinagawa.



Taking a look of those small festival shops on the way to Yougan-ji Temple where the “Koku-zou-son” bodhisattva (one of the rank in Buddha) is placed is so fun because it has a lot of variation.



“Koku-zou-son” is known if the children visit there and pray between their age of 13 to 15, they will be given a luck and wisdom. Those kids rang the bell when they pray.


This is a sign board of festival at Yougan-ji.
Nobody can miss it with this large letters.



I recognized a paper box craftsman’s shop on the way home which I wrote about it on Oct 21st diary.



One of the young man helping this festival told me there would be a traditional live band music in 30min time but I had no enough time to stop by and listen to it… so shame.
People were making a long queue in front of the sticked Japanese sweet “Dango” shop to get their reasonable nice Dango.

You still can see a lot of traditional culture around Shinagawa-juku of Toukaido road.
Please try to visit there sometime!!

Nov. 7th 2007 : Flower Museum --- Chiba city

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It was really fine day today. I went to “Flower Museum” in Chiba city.
The place is close from Tokyo downtown. We took a bus from Inage Station and took just 15min. I remember this location we used to collect clams here but now it totally changed to this flower garden with variety of plants at this wide space.


Photo left: cosmos, center: celosia, right: celosia and begonia


Photo left: celosia, center & right: edible chrysanthemum


Photo left: holly, center: floral clock, right: flower in geometric pattern

There is a restaurant in a building for resting. From their window, I could see a view like a tropical place with red coral flower and there is a glass house behind it for tropical and subtropical plants. I also found a poinsettia which I choose for decoration for this month.

Photo left: glass house full of tropical plants, center & middle: Decoration with poinsettia


Photo left: Needle chair, right: Christmas table setting

There were interesting things like chair and dress made with needle tree. There are many other attractive displays.

Info)
“Flower Museum” opened on April 2nd 1996 in Chiba city.
They have glass house, exhibition building and Resting house and front, center and back garden with 920 kinds 74,000 pieces.
Close on Monday. Entrance fee is Adult: 200 Yen, Kids under 15: 100 Yen. Quite reasonable to enjoy!
Web site: http://www.cga.or.jp/004020/main.html (Japanese only)