三重ツーリング ２

After lunch at a barbecue restaurant we visited Ise-Jingu shrine, the main shrine of the Royal family.
http://www.isejingu.or.jp/shosai/english/index.htm
There were a lot of visitors. The weather was becoming worse and I thought I wouldn't take good photos of the shrine.
We didn't have enough time to visit gift shops along the Okage-Yokocho street.
We just visited the shrine and prayed for our happiness.

 Too many people on the Okage-yokocho street.

The Isuzu Riv. is running in front of the shrine.
 Water looks very clear.
The visitors must pass over the bridge which is guarded by Eishi ( soldiers for the Ise Jingu shrine ).

Leaves of trees are not colored yet.  The shrine is surrounded with the forest.
Trees are old and some trees are over a thousand years old.

We are not allowed to take a photo of the main shrine of Amaterasu the sun goddess.  Eishi are watching us.

Uji Bridge was taken away by water when typhoon hit Ise City in the last year.
They rebuilt the bridge.

 We can't take a picture of the main shrine but can take photos of other smaller shrines or buildings. Those are there from the ancient time.

After visiting the shrine we drove along the Ise-Shima-Skyline road to see landscapes but the weather became worse, we had rains and couldn't see cities or the ocean. So I didn't take any photos of the views from the mountains.
We said bye-bye to Curry san at the parking area in the mountain and drove to home.

三重ツーリング 1

On 24th in Oct. my hubby's internet friend Curry san invited us to Matsusaka. He said that he had found out a unique barbecue restaurant where they serve Matsusaka beef, the most expensive beef in Japan.
We left home at 7:00 A.M. and arrived at Kusatsu Parking Area on the Meishin Express Highway, in Shiga Pref. to see other friends from Hyogo and Osaka.
Then an unknown man who looked 60's years-old spoke to us to ask if we were the group who were going to Matsusaka to eat beef. He wished to join us.
He has a red colored Porsche and drove from Akou to Kusatsu with his wife.
Btw we have some rules of our touring.

1. You have to register at Minkara Website.
2. You have your address, handle and blog on Minkara Website.
3. You have to have European automobile.
4. You have to use your European automobile in our touring.
5. You can bring your family or friends IN your car when our touring.
6. You are around 50 years old.
7. You have to call us with our handle, don't use our real name.
8. Enjoy driving and talking about cars and foods.

Our leader Go san explained those rules to him and said " you meet the requirements except being a member of Minkara, but you said that your son knows how to use Minkara so you can register after you will go back home tonight.
So you are welcome to our group."

So we got new friends ( he and his wife ) and went to Mie Pref.
Curry san was waiting for us in front of the restaurant.

This shop was a chain of barbecue restaurants 一升びん. They have revolving counters in their shop and we can take plates of meat and vegetables from revolving counter and grill materials on stove. A shop clerk counts plates on our tables when we check out.
Matsusaka beef was very soft and delicious but terribly expensive.

今日は誕生日

もう半世紀生きてしまったわ。

丹後

ハヤブサ、カモメ、屏風岩

あ、トンビも入ってた（笑

秋祭り

静かな田園に太鼓と子どもたちのかけ声が響いて来ると、子ども神輿（左端）を先頭に、神輿と蒲団太鼓の屋台が国道をやって来る。自動車はその間、寛容に停まって待っている。

神輿や太鼓は昨日から村の全集落を訪問し、秋の収穫の喜びの感謝と次の年の豊作を願って来た。

 子ども神輿と神輿が先に宮入をする。蒲団太鼓はまだ行く所がある。

 一度大鳥居の前を通過して、川向こうの最後の集落へ行く。

 遂に屋台が境内に宮入。ここでさらに声を大きく歌って、太鼓を神様に見えるように高く掲げる。
手の力だけで差し上げる太鼓屋台の総重量は１トンを超える。支えるのは５０人にも満たない。

 無事に「さっしませ」が終わると、お神楽が舞う。伝統的なストーリーを持つ５つの舞を天狗と獅子がユーモラスに演じる。

来年はお当ではなく普通の参拝者として見たい。

お祭

播州名物蒲団太鼓。

曼珠沙華

間子の曼珠沙華を見に行ったら、たくさん観光客が来ていました。
コープの月刊誌に紹介されたので、押し寄せたみたいです。
お気に入りのお店とかも載っていたので、客が押しかけるだろうな、と思うと不安です。

間子の皆様、お騒がせしてすみません。