SHIKIMIKIE

I kind of don't want the rain. But you know, there's nothing we can do. So I say, let's just take pictures and get it over with. Also, at some point, someone's been waiting for this moment so let's not spoil it for them. 

Nakayama Station

Drunk People on board

I kind of like the weather because it's not too hot. And I like the sound. But I don't like that it's wet. Gracious goodness. Anyways. I may have said that a million times already. 

violet colored flower 

Gloomy Sagamihara

It's the rainy season and it's not fun to be outside but yeah let's make the most out of it anyways. Stay dry. Also, it's July. Who saw this coming? Ciao! 

So I don't know if I already told you about this but this is like my go-to-place when I was young-er. LOL. So yeah we usually go here once or twice a week and stuff so yeah this place is really memorable for me so I'm glad I found some pictures and that I get to share some of the moments to y'all.

I seriously love the flowers in this place. Or generally the flowers in Japan. I don't know. It's just that I don't get to see as much here. I kind of like flowers. Because some flowers are kind of fragile so seeing them bloom makes me think that there's someone taking care of it and that someone is doing a great job. Getting sentimental all of a sudden, huh? LOL.

Tulips! :) Oh! Can you see the playground? My sisters and I used to play there and stuff! LOL. I wish I was a kid again. Si kids! Stop trying to grow up or something. Enjoy your childhood while it lasts.

How cute! :D

I don't know what the guy outside is up to so yeah. LOL. On the other part of the park, there's actually a jungle. Well, people call it jungle but it's actually a woody place (woody place?) and there are some stuff in there which you have to complete and stuff. Something like, zip lining, wall climbing, rock climbing, and all other fun stuff. It's kind of hard to explain but yeah. Whatever. Near the jungle is actually a tower and yeah not actually very high but high enough to have a good view of the city.

Sagamihara Koen is really a big park because on the even other side of the park, there's a flower garden/museum that you can enjoy. Yeah there's just a lot to enjoy in this place. There's also a fountain in which kids usually shower naked and stuff. Like, even when it's too cold, they would still run around there.

So yeah! Oh there's also a pool and a spa/onsen there :) You just have to find it though because if I tell, you might still get lost anyways. I heard that they're renovating the building where the pool is at though. Mmm... So yeah! That's all. :)

Since I don't really have anything to do, I usually ride my bike and stuff. And so I took these pictures of Sakura. I believe I was with my sister Mika this time. My looks haven't changed much, yeah?

When I say to people that I came from Japan, most likely, they would assume that I'm from the city. Yes, I have been to the big cities before. But what I am frustrated about, is that it seems to me that some people don't know anything beyond that. Japan isn't only about tall buildings and stuff. It's also about nature, earth, and fields. Just so you know, I live in a place where it's not so modernized (yet) although apartments are now slowly replacing the fields, there are still a lot of fields that can be seen and there's no denying that I live quite far from the busy city of Tokyo.

That apartment that you can see from the picture above is totally non-existent way back 2008. It used to be a field. Can you see the spring onions? Amazing right? It's just so nice to see things like that. Just a thought though, would that little field be placed here in my place (Manila), there wouldn't be anything left because of the thieves. In Japan, you can leave it with full confidence and still have it the next day.

A view from a nearby place. I used to bike around a lot so I'm really very familiar with the stuff around my place. Let me tell you a short story. I have a grandma neighbor who used to bring me to this place to pick up crops. She always called me to help her to sort of give back to our presents from the Philippines. Strawberries and lettuce are just some of the examples of the crops she used to give us. Unfortunately, when my sisters came back from Japan this year, they told me that she already passed away. :( I'll definitely miss her. I actually thought that in our neighborhood, she'll be the first one I'd talk to when I go back to Japan and proudly say to her that I've already graduated college.

This place. I used to pick BLACKBERRIES from this place. Like, I just can bike around and be satisfied with the gifts of nature in this place.  Where in the city can you do that? Everything comes with a price there. But not here. Oh I miss JAPAN.

Bamboo trees! I miss seeing them! I used to cross this street when going to the bus station/supermarket.

My place to be! THE PLAYGROUND! When I was younger, there's even a swing where my real grandmother used to ride with my sister (still a baby) on her arms. There also used to be some sort of square thing with little squares where you insert yourself and stuff. Sad to see it gone.

I used to bike a lot here and just play alone. Usually, when we go back to Japan (around March-June), students are in school so there wouldn't be much people in here. I usually am alone here relaxing and eating chips. FATTY! LOL. I usually lay on the slide and look up the sky and wait for the sun be gone. And sometimes I go here and just pick dandelions and just blow it like crazy.

Such a great view.

Notice how the sky is so blue? I miss that.

I believe this is some sort of preschool. Awesome mountain view, aye? I also used to bike around this place because my mom used to ask me to get something to the supermarket/drug store and this is one way to get there. But there's also like, a shorter way but the thing is the road is steeper.

This is the steeper road. The thing is it's way down going to the supermarket and way up going home. Imagine going home with all the stuff you bought? I actually wonder why I don't loose weight when in Japan. Like, it's all walking and biking and stuff there. But of course it comes with more eating. FAIR ENOUGH.

This is actaully the gate to get into the AMERICAN MILITARY BASE. When it's SAKURA SEASON, there's just a pretty row of CHERRY BLOSSOMS. It's actually prohibited for normal people to enter this place (SMALL AMERICA) but I've been inside like, probably five times my lifetime. My mom is friends with some Filipinas who are married to navies and yeah. And when it's like their OPEN HOUSE, they allow people to shop around. For me, I usually bike around here (not inside of course).

Sorry if this post is a little bit messy. I just don't know how to express my longing for Japan is a very coherent way. All pictures are courtesy of my sister from her last trip to Japan this year (April - May 2012). I noticed that this post became kind of my personal experience than actually introducing the other side of Japan. LOL. NO REGRETS!