Art Tower Mito - Japan

Mito city in Japan is a little north of Tokyo and can be reached easily by train. In Mito there is an interesting art gallery building which I was able to see briefly. Below are photos of the tower and the complex which has different art displays throughout the year. Mito is a small city compared to Tokyo but has an urban feel which is no doubt supported by hotels. Mito is also the city to one of the three most beautiful Japanese gardens in Japan which I'll post about later.

Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art - Chiba

The Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art in Chiba prefecture Japan provides a nice location for viewing art and for taking a stroll in parklands and gardens.There is also a restaurant and shop which provide views of the parklands and museum. Below are photos of the parklands, gardens, museum and restaurant building.

The art collection is reasonably good and it even has some Picasso paintings, Chagall, Magritte and other painters. The temporary exhibitions can be found at different times of the year and vary in content.

In summer sunflowers can be found in the parklands.

The Kawamura Museum of Art building (below) sure has a different look to it than most Japanese art galleries.

Below is the restaurant building which overlooks the large pond area.

Part of the walking trail which the museum provides for visitors.

Shiroyama castle - Tateyama Chiba

Shiroyama castle can be found in Tateyama city in Chiba prefecture Japan. It sits on top of a hill in a park in the city and is a smaller castle than the more well kown castles. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get better photos of it due to serious rain falls caused by an approaching typhoon. There are other sights in Tateyama and accomodation can be found throughout the Boso peninsula area in which Tateyama is situated.

Bandai Dali Museum and Goshiki-numa lakes

The Mt Bandai area in Fukushima prefecture in Japan is a very nice place to visit for nature and outdoor activities and to see the Dali art museum that features some of Salvadore Dali's art. The museum is called the Morohashi Museum of Art and houses a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions.

Below are photos of the museum building and of Goshiki numa lakes which are small lakes that change colour and can be found opposite the museum by crossing the road. Row boats can be taken for a row and large Koi fish can be seen and fed. A walk by the lakes is possible via a track that is frequented by tourists.

Matsumoto to Shinjuku in Spring

Matsumoto to Shinjuku in Tokyo is a very nice train trip worth taking not only for the destinations but also for the views. In early Spring the snow capped mountains are a sight and even Mt Fuji can be seen if you are looking for it. The photos below were taken from the train so the quality is not so good.

Below and above Mt Fuji can be seen from differnt locations on the trip.

Zenkoji temple in Nagano city

Nagano city in Japan has a famous temple called "Zenkoji temple". The temple complex has a few different sections and a long entrance lane with shops which can be seen below in the photos. The temple houses the first buddhist statue that supposedly came to Japan, however it cannot be seen and only every 6 or 7 years a copy can be seen as part of a special festival.

Matsushiro Imperial headquarters from the outside

The old Imperial headquaters bunker tunnels in Matsushiro town, Nagano prefecture offers some history for travelers to enjoy. Below are photos of a view from above the complex looking over part of the town and of external entrances that cannot be explored up close.

The photo below is looking back into the mountains, and the bunker complex is to the left as the hill runs past the left side of this photo.

Below is a closed off entrance to the Matsushiro tunnels which is blocked off by a big gate.

Below is another entrance to the Matsushiro tunnels that is blocked off with a gate. Notice how the cement exterior was never finished, and this entrance is quite close to the other entrance.

The bunker complex sits below this hill where the above entrance photos were taken.

The snow capped mountains can still be seen in April even though spring can be quite warm.

To see photos of the tunnels inside my previous post can be seen.