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.