The Ohta River
Trains on the Geibi Line run back and forth along the Ohta River.

Mt. Takamatsu in Kabe Town can be seen as a background.

On the last weekend night of May, about 75 electric lamps are lit in the shape of Chinese character, Dai (大) on the slope of the mountain as an event of Daimonji Festival.

The bank of the river is my favorite walking course. I go walking every day rain or shine.

Kamezaki Shrine
I go walking every day. Sometimes I drop by a nearby shrine. There are maple trees along the shrine's 156 steep old stone steps.

From late November to early December is the best time to see the maple leaves.

A memorial service, "Hoonko"
We visited my hometown,Sera and stopped by at a temple to take part in an yearly memorial service, Hoonko", for Shinran Shonin, the Jodo Shinshu founder.

Shinran (1173-1263) was a Japanese Buddhist monk, who was born in Hino (now a part of Kyoto) and lived from the end of the Heian Period(794-1185) to the Kamakura Period(1185-1333). Shinran was the founder of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Japanese Buddhism.

Nabarakyo Valley is designated as a prefectural nature park.

There are two big dams in the valley. Both dams work together to supply water to the hydroelectric power station.

At night when the electric load is small, water is pumped up to the upstream dam, Myojin Dam, from the downstream dam, Nabara Dam. In the daytime when there is much demand, electricity is produced, using water power of a 300-meter fall between the two dams.

The output of the power station is 620,000 kilowatts, which is the same level as a medium-sized nuclear power plant.

Sera in mountains
We regularly visit my hometown, Sera, in the mountains. In winter, the temperature sometimes falls to 10 degrees below zero, but summer time, especially at night, is much cooler than downtown Hiroshima.

We often stay a couple of nights at my mom’s old house. There is almost nothing new there, but many old things. Much-used wooden tables, a dressing table, chests of drawers and a wall clock are still useful. My wife likes to display old things and I like to repair them.

The 192-meter-high Mt.Iwataki is located 1km northeast from JR Kaitaichi Station on the Sanyo Line. From the station walk north crossing three streets to the old Sanyodo, now Route 151. Then walk east about 600m and turn right at a JA branch office after passing Komyoji Temple. Walk up and go through the Torii gate to the Iwataki Shrine which is situated in the Iwataki Park.

From the shrine it will take a 30-minute ascent up to the Tenbo-hiroba (open space observation) where a stone marker of triangulation is placed. The view of the Kaita Bay and central Hiroshima is breathtaking. To reach the mountaintop it will take an extra 10 minutes, but no good view is available from the peak.

Terraced rice paddies in Ini are called "Ini Tanada". It is designated as one of the 100 most beautiful tanada by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Ini can be reached in about one hour from central Hiroshima. Travel on the Chugoku Expressway, and get off at the Togouchi exit. Then take Route 186 for Yoshiwa, and drive for about 1 kilometer. Turn left at a signboard that reads "井仁棚田" which means Ini Tanada.
Drive up on the narrow zigzag road for about 4 kilometers. Just before reaching Ini Tanada you pass a narrow 180-meter-long tunnel.

Matsunoyu Onsen has a geyser close by. It rises suddenly into the air. After about a 25-minute pause, it spouts for about 5 minutes. It is said that the water is 20 degrees and comes out at up to 200 liters per minute, and at first it is colorless and transparent but gradually turns brown as it touches the air because of iron in the water.

The relatively small bathtub of the onsen is full with the brown hot water．Its temperature can be adjusted by the bulb on the steam pipe which is inserted into the bathtub. You can relax or take a nap in a large tatami room. Admission fee is 450yen. Towels can be used for free.

We started the 88 temples pilgrimage around Shikoku Island in October in 2016. We are visiting temples backwards. It is said that the pilgrimage that goes around in reverse has triple benefit compared to the pilgrimage in order, if you begin the pilgrimage in a leap year.
It is a 1,200 kilometer-long trip, so we prefer to take a monthly bus tour. We have visited 47 temples so far. To finish the pilgrimage it will take at least five more months. We carry a bag containing prayer beads, name slips, candles, incense sticks, coins for offering and a booklet of sutras. They are really busy trips.
Most of these temples are said to have been built or restored by a monk, Kukai (Kobo Daishi), who studied in China in the 8th century and brought back the teaching of Buddhism.

Karuga Town was developed along the Misasa River.

From the latter half of the Edo Period (1603-1867), it flourished as a gathering place for goods and materials, and also there was a pier which was used to carry cargo by boat to Hiroshima.

A lot of products were brought from neighboring villages. It was said many shops and inns stood side by side.

An old road,Nakagorido (now it is called Nakagori Kodo), also passes through this town.

Nakagorido:
Around 1589, Mori Terumoto made this road for transportation between his castle in Yoshida, now Akiohta City, and Hiroshima to build his new castle in Hiroshima.

Imakoyasan Temple
Since I retired last May, I have been going on more hikes, and going more often to my hometown, Sera, in the mountains where my mother's old vacant house is.

Imakoyasan Temple, which is located in Kozan in Sera, is one of my favorite spots there. It is only a 15-minute walk from a nearby shopping center and a vegetable market.

Mt.Futatsugajo
I did my first hike in 2016 on Jan. 6th.
I chose Mt. Futatsugajo because it is not only my favorite mountain, but a barometer of my physical condition which is bound to weaken year by year.

I drove up for ten minutes to the foot of the mountain which is about 80 meters above sea level, and took a 2.3-kilometer trail to the summit. It took just one hour including several brief breaks. Fortunately I had little sweat even though it was not so cold.

The climbing time was not different from a year ago. I was relieved.

The autumn leaves at Mitsudaki Falls
Mitsudaki Falls,just below Lake Hijiri, is located in the uppermost reach of the Shibaki River, a tributary to the Ohta Rive which flows through the 12-kilometer long Sandankyo Valley.

Miyamakyo Valley
On Saturday, July 20 ( Marine Day), Gansu hikers went on a stream walk to Miyamakyo Valley in Kake Town which is a 20-minute walk from the JR Kake Station.
It was really a cool and adventurous experience for them.


The JR Kabe Line between Aki-kameyama and Sandankyo Stations was closed on Dec.1,2003.