Chez Slimey -Haiku Moment-

Oni no Shitaburui

slimey — 2008-05-04T18:06:00+09:00

This ravine is filled with rocks of various shapes and sizes. New green leaves were very beautiful.

Naorai-sai

slimey — 2008-05-03T17:55:00+09:00

"Naorai-sai" was held at Sada Shrine. Some Shinto ritual and special prayers were held in the traditional way. This photo is one of the shot of "Akugiri-kito", which is the special traditional dance of prayers to sweep away all evil.

Carp streamers

slimey — 2008-04-29T23:44:00+09:00

There were many carp streamers over Iu River.

Azaleas along shiomi Nawate

slimey — 2008-04-28T23:39:00+09:00

I found azaleas in full-bloom in the walled garden along Shiomi Nawate. Orange-red flowers were shining against the sun. Many people stopped by to take pictures.

Opening to the public once every 60 years

slimey — 2008-04-27T23:28:00+09:00

We are now allowed to enter the main shrine of Izumo Taisha. The god is in "Okari-den" temporarily because the main shrine needs repair. It is strictly prohibited to take pictures of the inside of the main shrine.

Doudan azaleas

slimey — 2008-04-22T23:16:00+09:00

Yushi-en is a Japanese garden which is famous for many kinds of peonies. I went there to see peonies, but I also could enjoy azaleas. Flowers above photo is one of the azaleas, called "doudan".

Gyo-i-kou

slimey — 2008-04-21T22:50:00+09:00

I drove to Mitoya town to see green-colored cherry blossoms, "Gyo-i-kou". Their color were too quiet to catch the public eyes. But I like this cherry blossoms very much.

Old camellia in Yaegaki Shrine

slimey — 2008-04-12T22:23:00+09:00

There are many camellias in Yaegaki Shrine. Many "Omikuji" (fortune slip) were tied up to a camellia near the main shrine. In front of the Torii gate, the old big camellia, Renri-Tamatsubaki, is standing. It is said to be planted by the Goddess long, long time ago.

Cherry blossoms along the Tamayu River

slimey — 2008-04-09T22:22:00+09:00

The weather was not so good today. But little children was playing under a cherry tree.

Cherry blossoms along the Hii River

slimey — 2008-04-08T18:35:00+09:00

The row of cherry blossoms along the Hii River (at Kisuki town in Un-nan City) is one of the "100 best cherry blossoms in Japan".

Matsue Castle in spring

slimey — 2008-04-08T12:34:00+09:00

Matsue Castle is famous for not only cherry blossoms but also camellias. There are many kinds of camellias in "Tsubaki-dani" (literally, camellia valley) area. A staff picked up some kinds of camellias in Tsubaki-dani to arrange at the entrance of the castle keep.

Cherry Road

slimey — 2008-04-06T18:19:00+09:00

"Cherry Road"(at Shimane town in Matsue city) is a prefectural road along the Japan Sea coast. We can enjoy cherry blossoms against the Japan Sea.

Weeping cherry tree in Senjuin Temple

slimey — 2008-04-03T17:53:00+09:00

The weeping cherry tree in Senjuin Temple is in full blossom. It is more than 200 years old.

Hina dolls

slimey — 2008-04-03T11:10:00+09:00

"Hinamatsuri", Girls' Festival, is March 3rd. But in some area, it is held under the old calendar. Yasugi is one of the area where people celebrate "Hinamatsuri" in April. Various kinds of old and new "Hina" dolls are displayed in about 100 private houses and shops along the street. "Hina" dolls of this picture are about 70 years old.

Old camellia in Mangan-ji Temple

slimey — 2008-04-01T17:43:00+09:00

There are many kinds of camellia in Mangan-ji Temple. This camellia, "Mangan-ji Tama-tsubaki", is about 450 years old. It is said that this camellia was planted by Motonari Mouri, one of the warlord in the Warring States period.

Tsukushi in my backyard

slimey — 2008-03-31T17:24:00+09:00

It is a year since I moved to Matsue. I'm surprised to find there are "Tsukushi" (fertile shoots of field-horsetail) all around my backyard. I pluck them to eat at dinner almost daily. But they comes out one after another.

A grey heron in the rain

slimey — 2008-03-30T17:22:00+09:00

I sometimes see a grey heron near the moat. Today it was standing still on the pipe bridge in the cold rain.

Are they cherry blossoms?

slimey — 2008-03-17T14:53:00+09:00

When I passed by a nearby shrine, I found this tree was in almost full blossom. It may be a kind of cherry tree but I don't know the correct name of it. (I'm sure that it isn't "Somei-Yoshino"). Anyway light pink blossoms were very beautiful.

A white-eye

slimey — 2008-03-17T11:51:00+09:00

A white-eye were flying around the plum blossoms in my next-door garden.

Smoke haze

slimey — 2008-03-12T18:50:00+09:00

It was very fine day today. There was no clouds in the sky. I thought I would be able to see the beautiful sunset. But when I went to Lake Shinji, the setting sun vanished in the haze. There was no afterlight at all. According to the news, today's weather phenomenon was not "Haru-gasumi" (spring haze) but "Enmu"(smoke haze).