Holidays Part 7, Keihanna Commemorative Park


けいはんな記念公園 Keihanna Commemorative Park

At last we've come to the end of the holiday series of posts. And really, it's nothing but lovely pictures. Cheers! But before I launch into those, just one little story for the next photo.

Elmer's Dragon

龍 ~~ Dragons

The new year is the year of the dragon and my 24th birthday. In other words, I'm a dragon (this sentence taken out of context is rad). Okaasan gave me the dragon bell in the photo above since it's my year, and I told her how I'd been obsessed with dragons as a kid and what a great gift it was. Surely, this obsession came from all the books I read, and was read, as a kid. This made her ask, have you ever read the ones with Elmer in them?

I was shocked. I've never met anyone in America other than my family who knows of those books - my dad had read them to me as a child (just like they'd been read to him as a child) and I'd loved them since. Apparently, the books are much more popular in Japan. Okaasan had read them to her own kids when they were children. I figured this was something I had to photo and share with my dad.

Right, serendipity covered, back to the park.

Keihanna Commemorative Park

Okaasan, Adam and I all went to a wonderful park in Seikachou, the city in Kyoto Prefecture where Okaasan lives. It's definitely the nicest park I've seen inside of a Japanese city, but, I've got not so much to say about it, but a lot to show.
The shadows of Okaasan, Adam, and I
A large bridge elevated well above the water
Terraced falls
I think I remember Okaasan saying these columns were flown in by helicopters
Nature hidden in a city
Koe from above
Adam, fish whisperer
竹馬 ~ Take-uma ~ Bamboo Horse ~ Stilts
This statue had something to do with Galileo, but.. mostly, it's cute
Some modern art built into the park. Note the little statues playing on the beams
The moon came out and stood between some trees
It may look like autumn, but all that red is overripe fruit, not leaves
The sun lowers
The art installation and bridge
Evening overtaking the lake