Well, someone asked for more pictures, so here goes!!! This is Hiraizumi and Morioka, sister city to Victoria, BC:

This is a beautiful, large garden in Hiraizumi called Motsu-ji. There used to be a large temple complex here, however it is long gone.


This is the temple that was constructed on the grounds, it is now all a very large park, with walking paths around the pond and detailed descriptions of where each building was, and what it was for.


Rock garden on the pond.


Koi the size of my leg!


Amazing lotus flowers, a huge garden of them. In the season, they also have an enormous iris garden, unfortunately not in bloom while we are visiting.


Spunky trees across the pond. Everthing is meticulously groomed, we have seen countless tree groomers in action!


A very cool red umbrella outside one of the shops in the garden area.


Walking through the town of Hiraizumi we are surrounded by mountains.


Some of the many temples in the Chuson-ji temple complex...

Wood carving in the side of a building.

Now to Morioka, this is the totum pole in Iwate-koen park, presented my Victoria BC, in a collaboration between a Native North american chief and a local woodcarver.

Designated a National Monument, this is the famous 300 year old rock splitting cherry tree outside the Court House. It is said that it sprouted from the crack in this huge granite boulder, and that it`s pushed its way through over time.

The Mitsuishi Shrine where the demon`s hand prints are in the three rocks. The myth is that these handprints were left by a demon to seal its promise to do no more wrong.

Resting! We cycled around Morioka all afternoon!

Very cool rock!

Hachiman-gu Shrine.

The amazing meal we enjoyed at the Steak House in Morioka - so tasty, and literally melt in your mouth! Absolutely incredible!