June 6 - Kobe Shinrin-Shokubutsu-En (forest botanical park)

We made a reservation to stay at "The Village of Happiness Kobe" tonight, June 6.
The place was initially built for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Elderly people can stay there with small expenses. 
We don't suffer from any disabilities but we still don't have to pay much for the accommodation compared with other hotels.

According to the price list on the website, they will charge you for a twin-bed room with no meals are as follows:
One person over 65 or physically handicapped of Kobe citizen: 2,800 yen
One person over 65 or physically handicapped of non-Kobe citizen: 3,100 yen
One person under 65 of Kobe citizen: 5,700 yen
One person under 65 of non-Kobe Citizen 6,200 yen

These prices apply for Saturday nights, National holiday's eves, July 20 to August 30, and Dec. 31 to January 2.

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Just for an example, if you reserve a twin room Maiko Villa Kobe Seaside Hotel, a privately owned, for one night stay on Saturday, June 13, you will have to pay 13,500 yen per person.   This plan is not included any meal.  Two people's expenses will be 27,000 yen for one night stay.
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My husband and I reserved an annex building named "Aozora" which can be translated as "blue sky" of the Village of Happiness Kobe.  We actually paid 1,700 yen for supper and 1,300 yen for breakfast, and 8,000 yen for accommodations.   You may think that the building has no roof, but don't worry, they have a roof. 

We went to "The Jungle Onsen hot spring" in the village, so we paid another 1,260 yen, though.






On our way to stay there, my husband and I visited Kobe Shinrin Shokubutsuten (I couldn't find its official English name, but if I translate, Kobe Forest Botanical Park.  My husband wanted to walk slowly, and I wanted to see the whole park.  We walked separately for more than 2 hours.  I took many pictures there.

June 1 - Chikusa Kogen, Shiso City, Hyogo

Yesterday, my husband and I drove to Chikusa Kogen (Kogen means "plateau") in Shiso City, Hyogo Prefecture, which is a 2-hour drive up north, to visit the place where the Kurinsou or Japanese Primroses are growing.

I took all the pictures below with my NIKON SLR (Single Lens Reflex) D3300 and Tamron Lens (18-270mm). 

Kurinsou
 

According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Kurinsou or Japanese Primrose is one of the threatened flower species which can be found in Hyogo Prefecture.

The wooden board says "Kurinsou colonies"

Kogera or Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker

The front gate

There were a few staff members at the front gate and they gave us a map.  The map showed three courses, and they suggested that we take the second one.

Course 1)  Start at the front gate, and walk towards areas Route1, Route 2, Route 3, and Route 4.  There are many ups and downs throughout the course.  It has a total length of 2,000 meters.   (Recommended to trained walkers)

Course 2) Start at the front gate, and walk towards area Route 2, Route 3, and Route 4.  The total distance is 1,500 meters.  (Approx. a 60-minute walk)

Course 3)  Start at the Event Area and walk towards Route 3.  (Good choice for small children or elderly people)

Wisteria

 

 

Yamaboushi or Kousa Dogwood

A dragonfly was resting on the twig.

I wanted to take the shade of another dragonfly.
  

They divided this place into seven areas and each one is named after the seven Gods of Fortune such as 大黒天(Daikokuten),　毘沙門天(Bishamonten),　恵比寿(Ebisu),　布袋(Hotei),　寿老人(Jurojin),　福禄寿(Fukurokuju), and 弁才天(Benzaiten).

My husband was standing at the sign board of 大黒天(Daikokuten).

It is important to protect the colony as it is. 

Rocks and ridges were everywhere.  My husband was so into (or absorbed in) taking photos while walking.  I noticed that he was likely to stumble several times.  Sometimes, I couldn't concentrate on taking pictures.  I walked behind him, and warned him to watch his steps carefully.

We took a five-minute rest on the bench.

The sign board says "You can find a Moriaogaeru or

Forest Green Tree Frog's egg here."

 

I noticed the egg easily because it was more than 10 centimeters long.

 

 

We were fully satisfied with our one day visit to the Japanese Primrose colony.  We were lucky to see the small pink flowers which had been registered as one of the threatened species.

 

My husband got really tired of walking around taking pictures. The uneven terrain exhausted his leg muscles quite a bit.  We visited there on June 1, but after that, he stayed in bed for three days (until June 5) to rest his legs.