sad

Back in 2008, we visited the Karasuma peninsula and saw 13 hectares (about 32 acres) of lotus blossoms!

We were in awe and amazed by the beauty of this area.

(photo from the Kyoto Newspaper) This is what the area looks like recently...all the lotus roots have disappeared.

They aren't too sure what caused it to die off (global warming, disease, maybe other reasons) but how sad is this?!

kusatsu

On Sunday, we went to Kusatsu. From Osaka to Kusatsu it takes about 1 hour by train. We then hopped on a bus that took us to Mizunomori
--a botanical garden in an area called the Karasuma hanto(Karasuma Peninsula), on the banks of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.

After arriving at the park and paying our admission (300 yen a person--about US$3), we headed to the hasugunseichi (the area where the hasu (lotus) grows).

This area is HUGE! about 13 hectares...about 32 acres...of lotus. Looking to the left.

And to the right. Lotus flowers and plants stretched as far as my eyes could see.

The weather was hot (about 36C = 96F), perfect for water skiing, which is what these people were doing on Lake Biwa right outside of the lotus patch.

There were many people, some sketching, but many photographing. One lady was trying to balance on a tiny rock while holding her umbrella trying to photograph a lotus blossom with her cell phone. I kind of chuckled when I saw her do this.

This botanical garden also had the largest lily pads I've ever seen. Wanna play hopscotch?










There were also tombo doing their "thing".

Inside the air conditioned Lotus Hall, I sat slept through several documentary films about the hasu (lotus). Actually, before I fell asleep, I learned that a lotus flower only lives for 4 days. One thing you should know is that the lotus flower is best viewed in the morning. The first day it opens a little then closes. By the fourth day, it opens so wide that it cannot close, the petals begin to fall off and then the yellow cone in the middle dries up to become the seeds, which replant themselves in the fall. The root becomes lotus root, which is edible, and then the process starts all over.

The botanical garden also had an atrium with many tropical plants. I saw many things that reminded me of home. One was this mango tree.

We shared kakigori (shave ice), no rainbow here. Satoshi chose melon.

Back at the JR Kusatsu station, I noticed these ubagamochi, which are a famous item in Kusatsu. They are soft white mochi wrapped with sweet bean paste. They are supposed look like a mother's breast, which is what I think "ubaga" means.

Lunch was at a Chinese restaurant--Asakusa. I ordered their reimen (cold noodles). This really hit the spot.


All in all it was a great day.

Satoshi was impressed by the size of the lotus patch, though we both wished we hadn't picked the hottest day of the year to go.

Hope you have a great week.

Mizunomori
1091 Oroshimo-machi
Kusatsu, Shiga
Phone: 077.568.2332
Open 7:00-17:00 during the Summer & 9:00-17:00 during the rest of the year