Daley-sensei's Adventures in Himeji, Japan.

I don't actually have too many photos of Osaka Castle, because my camera didn't charge properly the night before and died within my first five shots. I did what I could with my iPhone, but it's only a weak substitute for a proper camera (even to my very basic camera). The grounds surrounding the castle were very nice, with cherry trees everywhere! There was even a plum tree garden, though unfortunately I missed their blooming season by a few weeks (I'll try going again to see the plum blossoms next year!). Perhaps I am a bit jaded due to living next to an amazing castle, but Osaka Castle wasn't anywhere as impressive as Himeji Castle.  I also visited the Osaka City Zoo, which was a surprisingly nice little zoo. They had very nice little exhibits for the animals, versus teeny cages like at Himeji's Zoo. I got to see some cute Red Pandas, a Hippo exhibit with an underwater viewing tank, and a very amazing walk-in aviary full of herons and water birds buildi...

I haven't been to Nagoyama Temple in awhile, but today was a beautiful sunny day, and since it's about 10 minutes away by bicycle, I couldn't resist! Nagoyama is absolutely stunning during cherry blossom season! I know everyone crowds into Himeji Castle for cherry blossom viewing, but I definitely think Nagoyama's cherry trees are of comparable beauty; perhaps some might find the idea of flower viewing in a cemetery depressing, but wow, this is probably the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen! Also, there were cats everywhere. Would they be considered temple cats or graveyard cats? Can you spot Himeji Castle (in its scaffolding)? The cemetery extends for quite a ways around the main temple, and there were cherry trees everywhere!  A small garden nestled between the hills of graves. You can see the city stretching out behind it! I love how, at certain angles, the main temple seems to float above a sea of cherry trees.  ...

Because when you're bored on a Sunday with beautiful weather, who wouldn't decide to go visit Mt. Shosha again? Especially with it being 15 minutes away from Shirasagi Residence... there's really no excuse! The weather was fantastic, with only a slight haze due to the pollution (the jury's out as to whether this pollution has been coming from China or not). We ran into a few groups of other ALT's who were having similar thoughts as us, which made for a very small world. All in all, it was a nice way to spend the day! So, without further ado, here's a bunch of photos from today's hike! I've gotten a lot better with my camera since the last time I came to Mt. Shosha. Practice really does make perfect! Though I am still an amateur, these are the best of my unaltered photos.