Photos

of trips to the Great Outdoors, from Iwakuni, Japan

SETO INLAND SEA: 5/29/98

• Lighthouse
  This lighthouse on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea was one of the highlights of the boat trip to Etajima, for me anyway!
  
  KINRYU NO TAKI PARK, OTAKE:
  
• Sign-map of the park 4/28/98
  From what I can tell from this map, it looks like there's camping and quite a bit more at this park. We went there for an Earth Day clean-up, and worked on the streambed area, up to the footbridge. Didn't have time to completely check the place out on this visit, but it seems beautiful and very rural.
• Waterfall 4/28/98
  There was time for a little recreation! Groups headed off on a hike up to this beautiful waterfall, which is shown on the map above.
  
  YOSAKA DAM:
  
• View of bridge from top of Yosaka Dam
  The Yosaka Dam area is beautiful, and has much to do. There is camping, hiking, fishing and boating. There are amusement parks with mini-putt, etc. (Oct. '96)
  
  SEVEN FALLS:
  
• The steep trail down
  We went hiking to all seven of the Seven Falls, with the Farkas family (civilian American family). Candy Farkas took this picture of Paul and Ashley coming down the trail. This little hike, like most other hikes here in Japan, was VERY steep. (Jan. '97)
  
  MOMINOKI FOREST PARK:
  
• John at Mominoki Forest Park
  We went on a sledding trip in February. This is our son John, climbing back up the hill with his sled, for another go at it! It's a beautiful area; there is sledding and skiing (downhill and cross-country) in the winter, and camping, hiking, biking, etc. in the summer. (Feb. '97)
  
• Ashley with a Tanuki statue
  This Tanuki was outside the restaurant in the lodge at Mominoki. We had a good lunch there, which was even better because it warmed up our cold bodies after a morning spent in the snow. (Feb. '97)
  
• Paul and Ashley hiking at Mominoki
  There is a paved hiking/biking trail, roughly circular, and about 6 Km long. We had a nice picnic, then about an hour hike, for Mother's Day! And, yes, it WAS what I wanted to do! (May '97)
  
  OSHIMA ISLAND:
  
• Coastal view on Oshima Island
  I took this view of a little town on a bay, while we were biking around Oshima Island. In the foreground, you can see the terracced fields; along the shore is a cemetary, which is hard to make out in the scanned photo. (Mar. '97)
  
• Another bay on Oshima Island
  This view was so pretty, I just had to put it in! You can't really make out the town on the bay, but just look at that water! (Mar. '97)
  
• Katazoe Beach on Oshima Island
  The kids and I went on an end-of-summer beach trip, with Outdoor Rec. This is a very pretty area, with clean, clear water. (The water isn't as cold as in California, nor as warm as in No. Carolina, but comfortably cool.) There were LOTS of jellyfish, though; mostly small, clear, non-stinging ones, but there were some HUGE ones, too. Ashley got stung by one :-( There were other critters in the water, too- hermit crabs, and fish of several kinds and sizes. (Aug. 20, 1997)
  
• Secluded bay on Oshima Island
  We found this nice little beach on Oshima, when we took a family drive. We took the dog, and he enjoyed running and digging in the sand, and fetching sticks in and out of the water! (Oct. '97)
  
• Rice Harvest
  When we visited Oshima in Oct., it was rice harvest time! The yellow fields of rice were quite scenic. This photo shows how the cut rice is hung to dry. (Oct. '97)
  
  THREE PEAKS:
  
• Ashley and Paul climbing up the 'B' trail
  I don't know if any picture can give you an idea of how steep this trail was, but that's my over 6 foot tall husband, right behind my under 5 foot tall daughter, and he's WAY below her! Some parts had chains to pull yourself up the steep crevices! (April '97)
  
• John, at the top of the third peak!
  If you look right below John, waaaay down, there's the building by the parking lot, where we started our so-called hike! It was a very hazy day; I'll bet the view is great on a day when you can see!!! (April '97)
  
• Paul on his way down the trail.
  The natural rock steps on the trail were, half the time, as high as our kneecaps or even higher. By the time we were headed down, our legs were very sore! Still, down was easier than up! (April '97)
  
  NISHIKI RIVER RAFTING:
  
• A raft and group of folks at lunch stop
  We had a group of three rafts, and spent the day paddling down the river (this, as oppossed to "floating"- it WAS called a "Float Trip", after all!) It was a good time! What is it about having a paddle in your hands and being surrounded by water, which seems to bring out an urge in people to get everyone and everything around them soaking wet??? Oh well, we just ended up going in for a swim in the river anyway! (Aug. '97)
  
  THREE FALLS:
  
• Umezu no Taki Waterfall
  This is a double waterfall at Three Falls. There is a nice swimming area below. A sign near here says of this view: "The view must make you believe that nothing is comparable with the work of nature.". (Oct. 21, '97)
  
• Small shrine (Buddhist?) in grotto
  This is along the path through the gorge (the "Abysmal Riverbed for Buddha" according to the sign), along the river. This is an easy walk, though not "handicapped accessible" due to the stairs. But it's short and an easy walk through a very pretty area. (Oct. 21, '97)
  
  

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