Cherry Blossoms in Tamba City

 Here comes cherry blossoms season in Kansai Area. I drove to Tamba City to see and shooting photos of the view.
 There are many cherry trees along Kakogawa River in Tamba City,  I enjoyed driving on Route 175 and 483. It was really ethereal and amazing scenery.

 Very long lined cherry trees. It is a part of "Furusato Sakura-dzutsumi Kairo", which is long chain between Setouchi Inkandsea and Sea of Japan by the Hyogo Prefecture. It completed 19 years ago, and then cherry trees grow up decently. Of course, not all trees could be grow because Somei-Yoshino cherry is very weak for some kinds of diseases. If one tree caught the disease, neighbour trees might die one after another. Fortunately cherry trees are fine in the mid and northern Tamba City.

　

 This is an another spot, Kuramachino in Tamba City. These trees are clearly older than ones on bank of Kakogawa. They say those trees are about 50 years old. Old cherry trees show dynamic beauty like waves and vortices with glaceful and comlplicated branches. 

 It is at same location, Kuramachino aka "Tamba Shōnen Sizen-no-Ie". Many people had picnic under those trees. I suppose Kuramachino is the best spot for cherry blossoms in Tamba City. It is worth to visit.

Skylum AI photo processing app for drone photos; AirMagic pre-order until March 20

Skylum anounced drone photo editing app AirMagic release March 21. It is automatic editable app like Photolemur. If you are interested in it, check the website,https://skylum.com/l/airmagic-checkout
I think the sky enhance effect and haze removal effect are useful for landscape photography, too.

Plum Garden in Nakayama Temple, Takaradzuka City, Hyogo, Japan

 Nakayama Temple in Takaradzuka is well known as devotion to safe childbirth since ancient times.
Many pregnant women and their families come a long way, my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother did, too. There are always visitors one after another, especially massive visitors thronged there on ceremonial days "Inu-no-hi"(dog day in chinese zodiac).
However, my purpose is not doevotion to easy birth, but looking plum blossoms there this time. The plum garden in Nakayama Temple is well known, too.

  There are 1k apricot trees on the temple. Each tree and is maintained very well. Of course garden, too. I couldn't find any over grown apricots nor gabage.

 The another future is gorgeous buidings. They can be seen through the year differently plum blossoms. hehe...

Old Port Village, Sakoshi in Ako City, Hyogo, Japan

Sakoshi is a small port town but it has various features, e.g. the lenegends of historical person Hata no Kawakatsu and the ceremony "Funa Matsuri" of Ōsake Shrine, beautiful landcape of the inlet and ilands, the street with old traditional houses, and special oysters growing with benefit from Chigusa River.

 View from Mt.Chausu. That island at the center is the sanctuary of Ōsake Shrine. Buidings for the ritual are barely seen on the island.

 Numerous old "Ema" in Ōsake Shrine. Ema is dedicated pictures for gods on wooden bords, they are usually drawing a horse or othe familiar spirits of gods, portraits of samurai, scene of wars or events and so on. There are pictures of ships and  "kagura" dancers particularly in this shrine. It seems to be relative to the legend of Hata no Kawakatsu as an originator of "sarugaku" theater. Regarding the legend, read the artcle on the wilipedia. It is based on Zeami's treatize hundreads years later.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hata_no_Kawakatsu
Hata no Kawakatsu is very interesting person who stimulate my imagination, but I stop describing before it gets too long...

Main street in Sakoshi town. Sakoshi developped as the important port of shipping trade in the 17-18th century.

 Old sake brewery. It smells sweet inside. I bought a bottle of sake there.

Aayabe-yama Plum Forest, Tatsuno City

Aayabe-yama is located in Tasuno City, and is very close to Aboshi Area in Himeji City. Thus this area is very influenced from Himeji ecconomics and culture rather than Tatsuno and Ibo Area. The Plum Fprest is known as view spot with plum blossoms and Seto Inland Sea.

There are 20,000 plum trees planted on the mountain. Unfortunately the blossoms are too early at the best today. White plums will blossom in next week or later.

Himeji is seen over hazy sky....

Feeling a early spring...
These rocks on the right side is an ancient tomb. There are 16 small tombs on the Aayabe-yama. They were build about 1,500 years ago.
BTW, those plum fruits are picked by local grannies in the summer. I can imagine it is so hard job on steep sloope...



Using National Route2 is easier and toll free, but I really hate local rough drivers among Shima section in Himeji City, Sanyo toll expressway is better than feeling stress.