Wasabi Kit Kats!

Behold! Wasabi flavored Kit Kats! They definitely have the initial taste of Wasabi followed up with an over-whelming white chocolate taste.

Togarashi Kit Kats. We use the seasoning on noodles all the time, not sure how we feel about them in Kit Kats.

八人ケ岳公園 A beautiful park in Nagasaki Prefecture.

If Google translator is to be believed, this is 8 People Mt. Kensington Park. Whatever the name, it's beautiful! Very, very beautiful!!! Family picture beautiful!

Imagine how beautiful this picture would be if a real photographer took it!

My horrible directions to this park are to drive along Rt. 206 north from Nagasaki and look for a tiny little sign that reads "八人ケ岳公園" on the left side of the road. From there, keep following in impossible narrow windy road way up a mountain where one false slip of the wheel will send you careening to a certain death. Only then will you find this park and turn around and go back down.

New Kit Kats!

I'll admit, I had no idea who this character was until I saw these Kit Kats in Tokyo yesterday, but here it is. The flavor is Strawberry Milk. That little bear trying to sell them to you is Rikkuma. From what I have found on the internet, I'm guessing this is something along the lines of Hello Kitty. I think I'll have to learn more about this bear because, according to Wikipedia, this bear likes relaxing. I too like relaxing!
Royal Milk Tea Kit Kats! These came out on Monday. I haven't tried them yet as they are white chocolate and, well that's just wrong.
These Cookies Plus Kit Kats are not new, but they are new to me. I forgot about them, but I found them in the same place as the flavors above.

I took all the photos above with my web camera, so once I get back to having my camera cable, I'll post some more photos.

四本堂公園 Shihondo Park

This park is quite beautiful and off the beaten path.

The top of the park has a turret lookout building.


One of the things you can see from the turret is Saikai Park.

The park is well maintained.

The playground left a little to be desired.
There was also a campground here. I can't say that I'm all that familiar with Japanese campgrounds. These campsites seemed very close together. I saw a sign with a 3,000-yen price on it. I was driving it at the time, but that may be the price for a night of camping.

This park is about 4 km off 206 in the Seihi area. Very pretty!

Imari Athletic Park

I love the athletic parks here! The ones I have been to have all been free and they are all very well-maintained.

Some dirt tennis courts.

A really nice track.

Marked running courses go throughout the park.

I didn't see it, but the map listed an archery range too. The pool that I saw didn't look like it had been used recently.

Ryumon (Dragon's Gate) Dam

It is beautiful country here! You can see signs all over leading you here. Why not follow them?

That's the dam, of course.

Above the dam.

Next time we'll do the trails!

Porcelain Park in Arita

This park actually has a different name, but I can't remember it right now. Anyway, it's in Arita and it's behind a big blue building on a hill.

There is porcelain on display all over this park, we were walking by all of it on the way to the playground!

This playground reminds me of the point courses up in the Kanto area where you race through.

The rollerslide.

Karatsu Kunchi Festival

Karatsu Kunchi is a neat festival! I went this afternoon and it continues tomorrow in the town of Karatsu.
Floats that are between 5 and 6 meters high and weighing between 2 and 5 tons are paraded throughout the streets of Karatsu in Kyushu.
Standing atop of the float were several guys who were throwing something -- rice maybe -- at the men closest to the float. There were people playing flutes and drummers providing a beat under the floats.
It looked like pulling these floats was very hard work.

The picture above is of several of the floats lined up waiting to be pulled out of the sand.

If you're interested in this festival, just head to Karatsu and look for the throngs of people. You can't miss it! It's similar to a festival I caught up in Kawasaki.

Huis ten Bosch under a full moon

I took this photo tonight of the full moon over Huis ten Bosch. It was beautiful this evening!