Rice, Yahiko Mountain, the view and the Park!

So I was telling you all in a previous post that the rice season is on. Well here are a few pictures. They flood the field then plant little riclet babies in them. The little riclet babies are grown in big white green houses. Once they are started and the field is flooded they are ready to go. It's kinda cool when it's all done because the field looks like it has a green fuz glow. I can't tell you how beautiful the countryside is.






I decided to venture forth close to home and into the mountains on the west coast.
It was an awesome hike going up Yahiko Mountain!!!





At the top the view is amazing you can see a good chunk of the prefecture. At least my end of the prefecture. Then you can take other little side hikes to get to different look outs. I figured I might as well since I was already up there. At one end you can see the ocean and Sado Island. (I really want to go to Sado Island in August for break at least for 2 days or so. It supposedly has really nice white beaches and clear blue water.)I ate lunch up here and blew bubbles. A little boy came over and enjoyed chasing them and pointing at them as the floated around. I got quite a bit of sun today too. ^___^








Then you can do a little hike up to the other side where you can see southward on the west coast. Here you can see the mountainrange that kinda meaners along. This part was my favorite. Also here at this view is a shrine. I went to three mountain shrines. This one where the view is, the Yu shrine and the Yahiko shrine.
I tried to piece this together a little so you could get a better scale of view.






Then the Park, and the Yahiko shrine:I watched kids play in the water. I even got my feet in there!







At the shrine there where bonzai displays of different sorts. It was so rad!






Today was pretty rad. Then on the way home I saw another gaijin. So I got closer for a better look. Turns out it is a girl from my training group. We exchanged numbers and I'll probably go back up to Yahiko on Monday since there's no school so we can do see the art museums. Plus I think something is going on because I saw several banners with 5/5 on them. The rest was in kanji so I don't know what, but perhaps it would be a bad idea to be in a place where something may be going on. Anyhoo it was cool to find someone from my group. Turns out she's pretty close and she knows her way around Niigata City very well. I haven't been up there yet but would like to. I want to see the ocean again!

Today was a lovely day!