Kanmuriyama Park

A couple weeks ago a good friend of mine invited us to a picnic playdate at Kanmuriyama Park in Hikari, Yamaguchi Prefecture.  The park has traditional Japanese gardens, a beautiful Koi pond, a nice little hike, and a playground for the kids.  At this time of year, plum blossoms fill the hillside with color.  There was a stage set up for many weekend events including a Japanese tea ceremony, a Japanese dance, and a flee market.  We were there on a weekday while the big kids were in school, so we got to see some beautiful uncrowded scenery.

View entering the park.  The pond is full of giant koi.

Entrance to the playground

Hillside hike half in bloom with plum blossoms

Looking down at the koi pond

Beautiful decor inside a meeting area/tea room where we ate our lunch

We found this bridge on the back side of the hill and had to figure out where it went...

View of the beautiful shrines across the bridge.  The rope hanging on the Torii gate (red gate) is a "Shimenawa",  a maker of the boundary of something sacred.  A few more of these ropes were around the area, marking sacred entrances to the shrines and sacred trees. 

Here my friends are washing their hands in a "purification trough".  These are used to clean faces and hands before approaching the main hall of a Shinto shrine