Beppu Today, 2013 April 16th, Double Cherry Blossoms

   It is said that there are more than 300 kinds of cherry blossoms in Japan,  and 80% of them are Someiyoshino that I showed you in this blog before.
   In the blog above, the top picture were taken in Beppu Park, many people enjoyed watching cherry blossoms and had Hanami parties.
   Someiyoshino in Beppu park fell about 10 days ago and now green leaves attract you.



In Beppu park

 Today's topic is about double cherry blossoms. I show you double cherry blossoms and someiyoshino below.

double cherry blossoms

someiyoshino



  The pictures below were taken at the entrance of Beppu partk.
There are double cherry tress along the street.
They are in full bloom right now.

                                                                                                              (GH)

    

                                              

Koinobori over the Sakai River

The picture below shows one of the spring features in Beppu.

About 600 carp-shaped streamers (Koinobori)  are flown over the Sakai River that runs in the center of Beppu city.

The Sakai River is decorated by the neighbors.

The carp is believed to be a lucky fish symbolizing success in life.

      Generally and originally, families with boys fly carp-shaped streamers
in their garden, wishing for good health and growth of their boys.

 This magnificent sight has been familiar to people for more than 20 years. It will last until May 5th (Children's day).                                   

 (AW)

Mt.Ogi Fire Festival

Mt. Ogi Fire Festival (Field burning), which is one of the major events of ‘Beppu Hatto hot spring festival’, is held on April 6^th this year. 

                                            ＊It will be postponed until  7^th or  8^th  in case of rain.

The mighty flame is a special attraction of spring in Beppu.

It is said that this festival has been held every year since 1976 in order to indicate the beginning of spring to the gods of hot spring. 

●　Start time : 18:30

●　View points :  Ogi-yama Golf Club

                             Global tower

                             Beppu Vista-Hot Spring Steam (the observation deck)

Please ask details at FTIO offices.                              (AW)

Beppu Today, 2013 March 23rd. Rakutenchi

 Today, I went on an outing for cherry blossom viewing to Rakutenchi that is an amusement park and known for the magnificent cherry trees in Beppu.

Amusement rides were attractive for small kids.

The park is on the hill and the scenery of Beppu was beautiful.

From the entrance, a cable car takes you to the park.
The line is single-track so your cable car and another car that comes down pass each other at the middle of the track.


                                                                                  (GH)

Beppu Today, 2013 March 19th, Cherry blossoms

 Cherry trees (SAKURA in Japanese) are now in bloom here.
I walked in the city this morning and visited three places to see cherry trees.

<Honganji temple>
 It's near TOKIWA department store.
There was only one cherry tree.
Flowers were in full bloom.
The scene of cherry flowers and  temple gate behind the tree made me relax.

<Minami Tateishi Park>
  In this park, I found three kinds of cherry trees.

    - Someiyoshino, the most common cherry trees in Japan.
       About a half (or a little less) of flowers are in bloom.
       There were kindergarten children with colorful smocks and caps.
       It seemed they were enjoying cherry-blossom viewing.
      
      

   - Shidare zakura (weeping cherry)

  - Hikanzakura (bell shaped blossom)



<Beppu Park>

      The cherry flowers in Beppu park have just started blooming in the the pictures below.

     You will see beautiful flowers at the end of this week.

     

(GH)



Fog deposit of Mt. Tsurumi

 The fog deposit of Mt. Tsurumi was seen today.
It is defined as the deposit of an ice coating on exposed surfaces of twigs by a freezing fog.
It is created under the conditions of
   - the temperature below minus five degree centigrade
   - appropriate moisture
   - a strong and cold wind.
The weather was its best and the sky was bright blue when the pictures were taken.
The contrast between white fog deposit and blue sky was very beautiful.

Fog deposit.

Contrast with blue sky

Beppu bay was seen from the mountain

The huge thermometer hit minus five degree centigrade

The snowmen made by kindergarten children were cute.


(TG/GH)

Beppu Today (Nov . 27th 2012) Minami Tateishi Park

  At the beginning of this month, the foliage season came in the nearby mountains in Beppu,
and now Beppu city is at the height of the foliage.
  Today I walked in Minami Tateishi park and enjoyed seeing beautiful colored leaves.
It was sunny and the sky was blue. I couldn't expect something more to make leaves more beautiful.



 

The contrast between red leaves
 and pine trees was beautiful

 

a ginkgo tree and the blue sky

 

a Japanese wax tree

I don't know the name of this tree

<Access to Minami Tateishi Koen(park) from Beppu JR Station>

   From Beppu Station West Exit, take Kamenoi Bus (Bus Number 3) and get off at Minami Tateishi Koen Mae, it takes 12 minutes.

   From Beppu Station East Exit, take Kamenoi Bus (Bus Number 15, 16, 17) and get off at Minami Tateishi Koen Mae, it takes about 20 minutes.                                                                                   


                                         (GH)

The foliage season 2012

The foliage season has arrived in the nearby mountains in Beppu. The pictures below were taken at  Lake Shidaka (altitude 600 meters).

The maple leaves are just changing color to yellow and red.

                 

The pictures below were taken around 'Kogen Eki' of Beppu Ropeway (altitude 500 meters). 

 

Now is a good time to see the foliage at the top of Mt. Tsurumi (altitude 1375 meters), around 'Sanjyo Eki' of Beppu Ropeway. The leaves of lower altitudes are about begin to change color. 

FTIO offices offer you information about how to get Lake Shidaka and Beppu Ropeway.

(AW)