Monday, November 26, 2012

Keihanna Commemorative Park


Kansai Science City or Gakken Toshi was established to design to help the advancement of creative science, research, arts as well as to promote new industries in 1995. It is located in a border region between Kyoto, Osaka and Nara prefecture, so it is also called  けいはんな学研都市 (Keihanna Gakken Toshi)
A line of Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) along the avenue and spacious cityscape always make me feel like I was driving somewhere in a foreign country.



けいはんな記念公園 (Keihanna Commemorative Park) was also opened to commemorate the establishment then. It is about 20 minutes’ drive from my house.







This park consists of another park called 水景園 (Suikei-en) which features water scenery and natural grove to explore and wander. I’d be happy if you enjoy seeing some of beauties I introduce here, though I know you are admiring your gorgeous autumn color yourself now.
















































Through a framework of metal lattice architecture of a pier of the pedestrian bridge, you can see big granite rocks and maple trees.

Here larvae of fireflies are raised so if you are lucky enough, you can see fireflies flying and flickering in late May or early June.


This bridge is called 観月橋 (the moon viewing bridge) and on the harvest moon, there is an event to enjoy the beautiful moon with some music concert.











There’s a small plot inside Suikei-en, where they grow rice and provide small children with traditional agricultural experiences to plant and reap rice. 

When I was small, the sight where reaped rice was being dried under the sun for some time like this was quite familiar in my neighborhood. I remember well that  a winnowing wind blew off chaffs of rice out of a thresher and made a pile of them in no time. I wonder how many of you know about it.





outside the park



I wondered what it was that looked like floating object in the air at the upper left of the picture at first. 
It is a street lamp, maybe or maybe not.  



35 comments:

  1. Oh I have been wondering for a long time what the Gakken Toshi looks like because I often see JR West trains bound for Gekken Toshi at JR Amagasaki station. What a beautiful park it is! i love the stilness of the pond.

    いやはや、びっくりしました。素敵なところですね。尼崎で乗り換えてそのままここに一度行ってみたらよかった、と思います。秋の田んぼも素敵です。なかなかこんな情景には出会うことができなくなりましたね。

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    1. このメタセコイアの並木道が好きです。まもなく落葉しますが、春の新緑に始まって、豊かな緑になり、赤褐色に変容して美しい景観を造りだしています。この通り沿いにある、政府の鳴り物入りで設置された「私の仕事館」は巨額の赤字となり、税金の無駄使いだと批判が集まり一昨年閉鎖になりました。売却を図りましたが買い手がつかず、結局京都府に無償譲与となるようです。こういうのたくさんありますよね。関西国会図書会館西館もこの通りにあります。
      水景園は既存の里山と池を利用して、手頃な散策コースがあり、まあ、見た目もきれいな幕の内弁当?という感じですね^^

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  2. Such a lovely park--so artfully designed, giving all the pleasure of nature in a composed context. It looks like a place of serenity that would inspire creativity. Is it next to the Science City? If so, I think it's marvelous that a park was built next to a place of science and industry.

    I have never experienced rice being planted or reaped, but the way you describe it is poetic, and I like that they are keeping that experience in the park where city children can experience it.

    My first thought was that the object in the picture was a flying saucer! The clouds are beautiful. That park would be a wonderful place for a painter or poet.

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    1. Science City is an unincorporated city newly developed in a region which extends to parts of eight adjoining official cities in three prefectures. The park was built in it as well as other major facilities or research institutions.
      I myself am not so much interested in artfully designed parks but it's near from my house so sometimes I come here.
      Machines replaced manual labors in farming so I don't think I can see the scene I was familiar with as a child any more. The sight in the shot brings me a memory with a smell of burning chaffs. Thank you for coming, Jen.

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  3. I love this rejion too. I take a walk in the commemorial park with my dog time to time, though it is prohibited to go in the Keisui-en park with dogs. I like to see the snenes which show happiness and calmness for many families there.
    Your photos are soothing and well captured the charm of this place. Thank you for this.

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    1. Your dog must be very happy here. It's a good place to have fun playing or taking a stroll. I realize the cherry trees are growing year after year. Well, I'm supposed to have the first grandchild next spring, so I'm looking forward to taking him here someday.

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  4. How breathtakingly beautiful, cosmos! Thanks for introducing all the beauties here. I love those colors, the autumn foliage, the water and its reflections, the leaves on the bench, those cherries... your pictures and your words, they all transport me to a peaceful and a quiet world. The farm is very interesting, though I have heard about the rice reaping process but I have never got to do it or see it myself. It is a nice activity to indulge in, I think, as the sweetness of hard work of harvest is more when you do it yourself. The flying object in the last picture looks so much like a space ship, that is a wonderful perspective of capture!

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comments, Arti. Those red ones are not cherries but gamazumi (viburnum). They are edible and feast for birds.
      My parents were not farmers but they had rice paddies and had someone grow rice for us. I liked to go and see rice paddies and would watch people reap the rice with a sickle. I remember they let me do it for fun. Good old memories.

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  5. the first pictures seem to show a staircase of water. I like that idea. I feel sure I must have seen other waterfalls like this, but I can't remember any.

    I do love it when running water is harnessed by man in beautiful designs.

    That's a beautiful sky in the last photos.

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    1. This terraced-paddy-field-like basins connect the upper pond with lower pond and makes beautiful scenery. In the basin with stones enclosing, some carps are swimming. There are also stepping stones so that we can cross the water and take a closer look at them.

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  6. 近くにこんなに素敵な公園があるのですね。知りませんでした。1,18,19の画像のようにこの広々とした街が好きで京都へ行くときはここを通過して山田川(でした?)から京奈和道に入ります。メタセコイアの並木道、気持ちいい!でも、街に活気がないのは残念。京阪奈プラザ以外はすばらしい国立国会図書館ですら閑古鳥の鳴く有様で、山を切り開いてまで作った街がこれではもったいない。今後の発展を祈ります。

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    1. ほんとにそうですよね。ただ、ノーベル賞受賞者になられた山中教授が奈良先端技術大学院大学で例のiPS細胞の研究をされたのが面目躍如ですけどね。もっと続いてほしいですね。

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  7. Cosmosさん こんにちは! 
    すっかりご無沙汰してしまいました。秋も深まりましたね。

    犬猫と一緒に 我が家の庭に座り 隣家の庭に たわわとなる柿を眺めながら
    「さびしさに 宿を立ち出でて ながむれば いづこも同じ 秋の夕暮れ」と詠んだ歌人を想ってます(笑)
    そんな日々に Cosomos さんが週末見つけられた 大切な秋景色が 私の心を癒してくれます。

    この秋、健康には自信があった私ですが、Menopause によるトラブルに 少々凹んでいました。(@Д@;
    幸い専門医が近くに見つかり 乗り越えられる自信が ようやくつきました。いつまでも能天気でいられないものですね。

    可愛い いたづら坊やの猫ちゃんはお元気ですか? ご家族皆様のご健康を祈っています。


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    1. 大丈夫ですか?いい専門医が見つかって良かったですね。私は更年期と言うのをあまり意識せずに終わったような気がしますが、つらい方もたくさんおられると聞いています。体調と相談して、だましだまし?乗り越えられることを祈っています。
      クーはトトロ並みに太ってきたようです。主人がメロメロに甘やかすので・・(と責任転化^^;)。でも当のクーは甘えるのが大の苦手で、抱っこはさせません。ただ、餌の時だけは猛烈に付きまといますが。それでもやはり我が家の癒しの元ですね^^ 

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    2. cosomosさん 温かいお言葉に感謝します。 ありがとう。
      おしゃられる通り、これからの身体の不調はだましだまし乗り越えるのが一番良いと考えています。良い薬がある今 本当に幸いです。
      クーちゃんは お父さんの秘蔵子なのですね♪ トトロ並みとは素晴らしい! 私は鏡もちのような猫が大好きです。我が家のナツは米俵ほどの重さがあるのに、私の膝の上に溶けるように寝ます。脇を抱きかかえると体の力を抜き、ヌラヌラと垂れ下がるので、移動させるのに難儀してます(笑);´Д`A ```

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  8. Gorgeous autumn colours!

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  9. Beautiful park and colors of autumn. Here all leaves are off the trees now..
    I like the nice reflection in the water in the last picture to left.

    Hope you enjoy this colorful days
    Hugs from north:-)

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    1. Here, we still have some more time to enjoy autumn colors.
      Bundle yourself up and stay warm, Tania!

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  10. That floating object is a flying saucer. The aliens heard that Japan is the most beautiful place in the universe during autumn, and they came for a visit. :D

    The drying rice always reminds me of a horse. I can see lots of it in Gunma. ^^

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    1. Oh, you see lots of it in Gunma? They are without rice in the husk, right? Dried rice straws are essential materials for shimenawa (braided straw ropes for the decoration of New Year), mulch or other purposes in farming as well, so I think they save some.

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  11. Hello, cosmos.

    Lovely and heartwarming your works..

    Thank you for your visit.
    I thank for your usual and hearty support.
    The prayer for all peace.

    Have a good weekend. ruma❃

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  12. Cosmos,your Autumn colours are splendid and I'm sure there is little in the world to match the beautiful colours of Japanese foliage at this time of year. I'm surprised to see so many mature trees growing since 1995! Your memories of threshing seem very similar to mine when I watched threshing on my Grandfather's farm,our grain was oats.
    It's very interesting to see this city.
    Thanks for sharing your lovely photos.

    Enjoy your week!
    Ruby

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    1. Ruby,they made use of grove and pond that had existed long before. The first two shots of the park was completely newly built one in 1995 and behind the grove at the back of the shots, there is that Japanese garden I featured here. The bare trees are cherry trees planted when the park opened and are growing and beautiful every spring.
      When I read the poem "Ode to Autumn" by Keats, the phrase "thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind" reminds me of my memory. Thank you for your comment, Ruby.

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  13. 京阪奈にこんなに大きな公園があるのですね。観月にはいい場所のようですね。光台とちがい住宅が見えないですね。でも最後の写真は、住宅がなく、空が大きくて気持ちいいです。

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    1. この通りは知っていましたか?母の入院していた病院がこの通りにあるので、10カ月ほど通いましたが、その間この並木の風景の移り変わりも目にすることが出来ました。
      けいはんな記念公園は小さい子供連れの家族が多いです。桜の木も大きくなってきて見ごたえがありますよ。その隣が水景園になっています。池を周り、里山を通って一周できますが30分程で、規模は小さいですがちょっとした散策にはいいですよ。

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  14. コメント遅くなってすみません。
    水に映る秋色は何とも美しい!! でも、人も車もほとんど写っていませんね。これはシャングリラのように隠されたユートピアのようです。お写真、とっても素晴らしいです。

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    1. 4車線の真ん中にもメタセコイアが植えられているので、余計広く感じます。うつくしい都市景観をデザインしているようです。おっしゃるように、あまり人通り、交通量は多くないようです。広々としているから余計そう感じますね。コメントありがとうございます。

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  15. Those persimmons certainly caught my eye! They have been a favorite autumn fruit of mine since childhood. With the native North American variety, you have to wait until the first severe freeze to be sure of a sweet taste. If picked too soon, they make your mouth pucker. Such a reflective post, this one is.

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    1. Oh, they have? Here some variety is like that. We pick up and peel and hang them to dry. They make sweet dry fruit and one of decorations offered for the New Year. Here temperature dropped sharply. Take good care of yourself.

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  16. ✿✿°•.
    Imagens lindas.
    Imagens super lindas!!!!
    A natureza é sempre bonita.

    Bom fim de semana!
    Beijinhos.
    Brasil
    ¸.✿°°•.¸.¸•°♡⊱╮╮

    Отговор

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    1. Thank you Magia for coming! Your smile always makes me smile too.

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  17. Greetings from snow-covered Finland! ^.^

    The park looks very beautiful. Those stone "steps" in the lake are so pretty! Do I see susuki near rice?

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    1. Yes, they are susuki. Susuki season is rather long, changing colors from September to December
      I know your country is snow-covered now.
      Stay warm, Ekaterina.

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