Kobe Suma Sea World

Kobe Suma Sea World is a modern edutainment aquarium in Kobe.

It consists of Orca Stadium, Dolphin Stadium, and Aqua Live.

Orca Stadium features Orca performances.

I love Orcas with their beautiful black and white bodies as well as 

their highly social, cultural, and empathetic nature.

I was fascinated by them when I saw a film where one orca catches a seal, and they all gently share it 

with each other and the calf.

I really enjoyed watching their huge bodies soaring through the air and crashing back 

into the water with massive splashes, and synchronized swimming with their trainers. 

Aqua Live features several distinct zones themed around the concept of "The Life of Water". 

At Local Life and Rivers, you see the natural scenery and freshwater environments of the Seto Inland Sea 

and the Rokko mountain streams.

Himedai, or lavender jobfish, (scientific name: Pristipomoides sieboldii) is a prized deepwater food fish. 

It has a clear, white flesh with a delicate, sweet flavor.

It is excellent served raw as sashimi, or prepared by grilling, steaming, or deep-frying.

Tropical Life

Tropical Life Ocean features a large ocean tank filled with a variety of sharks, rays, and others.

Coral Reef Ecosystems display vibrant coral reefs, schooling tropical fish, 

and educational insights regarding international coral reef conservation efforts

Jellyfish Life displays mesmerizing floating and glowing jellyfish.

 At the Dolphin Stadium, Dolphins offer  light and adorable shows

different from the powerful Orca performances.

They launch high into the air, do backflips, spin, and play synchronized swimming.

Kobe Suma Sea World is right in front of the beach in Suma Seaside Park.

It's so relaxing to watch and listen to the crashing waves.

All the photos in this post are from the May 15 archive.

Heloo everyone. It has been a long time since I've focused on my offline life, 

as prolonged intense heat waves have taken a toll on my energy.

I'm still feeling a little tired, bu I wanted to check in and say hello.

I'm looking forward to slowly catching up with your blogs and reconnecting with you all.

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Saturday's Critters

Under the leaden skies

We are currently in the middle of the rainy season, Tsuyu, or Apricot Rains.

I visited some places in Kyoto on a cloudy break in the season.

The Old Mitsui Family Shimogamo Villa was originally built in 1880, then relocated and

 extended in the south of Shimogamo Shrine in 1925.

 It served as a shared villa for the Mitsui family, one of the most prominent and influential

 merchant conglomerates in Japanese history.

 

You can sit on the traditional tatami mats and watch the garden covered with moss

and dotted with baloon flowers, which is one of the seasonal blooms.

The residence features a moss garden with a gourd-shaped pond that mirrors 
the deep green hues.

There is a winding stroll path along the water’s edge.
You can look at the historic three-story Taisho-era residence.

The third-floor watchtower is restricted to those who book a special program or dining plan.

As you see in the photos, natural tones appear much richer 

when the sky looks dull, heavy, and dark gray.

The Hydrangea garden is on the west side of the main garden within the villa grounds.

Hydrangeas are the floral symbol of Japan's rainy season.

At the ponds in the Kyoto Botanical Garden, green reflection becomes dense and dramatic, transforming the landscape into a peaceful sanctuary.

With a little of sunshine for a few seconds, colors turned vibrant emerald.

In the Lotus Pond, there is a harmonious blend of greens composed of 

fresh maple leaves, lotus leaves, and iris blades.

 I’ve enjoyed this humid yet relatively cool period before our notoriously brutal summer sets in.

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Green-scented, wind-fragrant May

風薫る/Kaze kaoru is a seasonal term traditionally used in Waka and Haiku, Japanese poetry.

 It describes the refreshing breeze that blows through fresh greenery, carrying the scent of flowers and plants.

It signals the start of the pleasant early summer right before 梅雨 Apricot Rains, about a month and a half

 rainy season.

May is a season of "green scent"— fresh, crisp aroma arising from young, lush vegetation. 

Probably because of the high moisture content of the thriving new leaves,

I feel soaked in the dripping essence of  foliage when walking in the greenery.

Sparkling or dancing light  and reflection.

Bentobox-like small, rectangular, shallow basin sits nestled inside a larger, natural pond.

As the gentle, rhythmic ripples moves across its surface, the reflection of the surrounding

foliage start shimmering.

The window became a leafy veil, with the trees outside painted on the glass.

In Nara Park, deer are very active and transitioning from their winter to summer coats, 
often looking patchy as they shed.

The breeze in early May often carries these scents of Wisteria, Rhododendron, or Yellow Roses.

So free and comfortable in the balmy air of May!

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Mosaic Monday