SENJU Hiroshi Museum of Art in Karuizawa

Karuizawa itself is a good summer resort with crisp air and within an easy access from Tokyo. 

But I went there only for the sake of this museum. Stunning artworks and incredible architecture are combined and the place was simply enchanting.

The linked videos show you who Senju is and how his museum designed by genius NISIZAWA Ryue looks.

And here's the entrance to his art museum in Naka-karuizawa, Nagano.

perhaps better to keep the bunny island off-the-beaten path

bunnies at the former power station built in 1929
along with the poison gas factory complex.

I happened to start paying more attention to the Okunoshima island when the island was gradually becoming well known around 2010. The first encounter to the island was not through bunnies but to learn the history of the island as part of the Geiyo Fortress and as the imperial army's poison gas factory site. The toxic gas was in fact used in China by the Japanese army when this country was waging warfare. 

Having said that, however, bunnies were hard to ignore. Anytime, at any visit, they were so cute. 

Soon the transformation of the Tadanoumi Port began because of the bunny movies on the net. The port didn't have any back then except the free parking lot which I really appreciated. Now the ticket selling complex sells touristy bunny souvenirs. The Smart Exchange system will be helpful for the overseas visitors. This is amazing to see at this small port. 

pretty but not exactly my cup-of-tea

catering to many currencies

Going to the island on the weekend is what you would like to avoid if possible. Too many humans and too much food for the bunnies. At the end of the day, humans abandon the leftover veggies for the bunnies around the island port area. They could be eaten by bunnies later but the wild bores are happily eating them, too. 

The island is not readily accessible but now I think it will be better that way to stop the surging impact by too many visitors on the island.

Humans have a tendency to cause trouble wherever they go. So let us look back at our footprints. If they are biodegradable and do not disturb the balance of ecosystem, the world would remain pristine. 

pristine like this - but remember the past contamination

TODAY'S STAR from the bunny island on June 1, 2018.

shina-chan aged five

Shina-chan whose grandfather was abandoned in the island by his human owners, survived, thrived, and now his granddaughter is a very popular star!! Native bunnies on the island are brown but you often see so called "panda bunnies." They were former pets of the humans who left them on the island. A great number of humans are coming to the island particularly on the weekend. And of course they would like to feed the bunnies but too many humans bring in too much food and it has been causing trouble in some ways. The Takehara city authorities, please be wise and do not just pursue short-sighted exploitation. Pretty please from bunnies and do not forget the dark side of the history which has to be handed down as a lesson.

And more bunnies:

And peace cranes remembering the dead:

peace cranes to the former poison gas workers
killed while working or later

sagawa museum of fine arts has a remarkable tea ceremony room under the water

The highlight of the visit to this museum has to be a tour to the tea ceremony room, away from the totally secular surroundings of the museum. The tea ceremony room complex utilized light and shadow. This one was the most sensitive, most Japanese. Photography is not allowed during the tour. You just have to go there and imprint your memory.
Please visit the sagawa art museum web site to know more.