6 & 6 in 2018 - July Report

This is the month to report on a new project. I started and finished a bag using the sleeve of a silk kimono and old handkerchief.  I finished the ends of the drawstrings with little buttons I made from the same kimono piece.  

I have already started unpicking the sleeve of another kimono to make a second bag. Stay tuned...

You can see my 6&6 in 2018 progress here and  check out who is joining in this month on Meredith's blog here.

Monday Morning Star Count - Week 12, Hot Hot Hot

Year Two of the temperature quilt  

Week 12,  July 15 - 21 

93, 95, 95, 97, 95, 93, 97

Sarah at Sarah Did It! is continuing to host us on Wednesdays, so please check out the temperatures around the world.  Feel free to join it! 

I am reporting the high temperature each day.  My Year Two temperature/color (Fahrenheit) scheme remains the same: 

100 + Brown 

90-99 Red  

80-89 Orange 

70-79 Yellow  

60-69 Green  

50-59 Blue 

40-49 Purple 

30-39 Pink 

20-29 White 

10-19 Black  

Keizo Koyama Art Museum and Two Shrines

On the same grounds/in the same park as the castle there are some other attractions.

To get to the art museum and the artist's studio building, I followed the signs.

 I came across this older looking shrine before I found the museum.

No shoes and no photos inside the museum.

After the art museum, I went back to the viewing platform.

Normally, I like zoos, but I decided not to go because of the heat.

Kaiko Shrine was next.

Outside of the castle area, I saw this old train.

A long hot but very interesting day.

Komoro Castle

The summer time Seishun Juhachi Kippu (five all day tickets on JR trains for 11,850 yen) is available from July 20th - September 10th).  Last weekend I decided to go to Nagano with my cheap ticket. 

Komoro Castle was founded by Takeda Shingen on the grounds of two earlier castles (Otome Castle and Nabebuta Castle). Sengoku Hideshisa became the lord of the castle in 1590.  Later his son Tadamasa expanded the castle. Komoro is designated as one of the top 100 castles and is an Important Cultural Property. 

The castle park is only about a 5 minute walk from the Komoro Station. It was a hot day, so there were very few people around.  I bought the 500 yen ticket, which included several museums on the grounds. 

This was a small museum, all in Japanese, no photos allowed.

It was interesting to watch the kyudo (Japanese archery) demonstration.

Another little Japanese language museum, no photos allowed.

On the other side of the train station, the Otemon Gate is located.

(If you are interested in Japanese Castles, check out my Castle Page to see links to posts about the castles I've visited.)