Mishima Taisha (Shinto Shrine) / my hometown Mishima

ばぁばが歌っている歌のグループや他の文化グループのコンサートが市の図書館であって、ジュリと一緒に見に行ってきました。私も前の街の大学で歌を歌っていたから、気持ちよさそうに歌っている母の姿が羨ましかったし、とても輝いて見えて本当に感動しました。
It was my mom's singing group's(and other cultural groups') concert at the library today. I was really glad to see my mom singing so lively and happily.

バスに乗って向かいました。
バスの中の親切な案内放送、それにバス停が進むごとに変わる自動の料金表、ボタンを押すと「次止ります」と言ってくれる放送、ジュリはどれにも興味津々でした。
We went to the library by bus, Juliett was really curious, she was excited hearing the announce for each stops(which tells the next stop names and also it tells things like "you should get off this bus if  you would like to go ....."), seeing the electric bus fare board which changes prices every after a few stops, and the button to let the driver to know that we would like to get off the bus. When you press the button, the announce says "we will stop at the next stop." Very kind. :)

自転車で通った高校。
This is my high school, we passed it by bus.
I biked to school for 3 years, but on rainy days I went to school by bus.

三島駅です。

大学に通っていた時、毎日のように利用しました。
主人の四国お遍路もここからスタートしたっけ。
This is Mishima station. Col started his pilgrimage from this station.

この駅前にあった英会話のジオスで約１１年前に主人と出会いました。
思い出の場所をジュリに話しながら歩きました。懐かしいなぁ。。。
まだ看板残っていたよ！
This is where I met Col for the first time. Actually we met at his classroom in the building. I told that to Juliett, it was fun to walk around with my daughter, it would have been so great if Col could have come with us though. Next time we all will do our nostalgia walk. :)

そのあと、三嶋大社まで散歩。
私の出身地三島市は富士山の湧水で有名です。溶岩を伝って湧き出る湧水があちこちにあって、きれいな水にしかやってこないというカワセミも見られるんですよ。
町にはきれいな川が流れていて、そこに沿って人が歩けるようになっています。ジュリとばぁばと一緒にのんびり歩きました。
We walk to Mishima Taisha(Shinto shrine).
Our city is famous for spring water which is thawing water from Mt.Fuji. We have ponds and beautiful rivers in the city. The water is quite clear and we can see kingfishers which are the city symbol birds.

三嶋大社。
ここは小さな頃から初詣、受験祈願、厄除け、などなど、何度も何度も足を運んだ大切な場所です。ジュリも戌の日のお参り、お宮参り、そして前回の七五三、以外にもカナダに越す時に挨拶に行ったり、何度も訪れています。すごくお世話になっている特別なところ。
They will have their annual cherry blossom festival in a few weeks at Mishima Taisha, but we saw some weeping? cherry trees blooming. They were very beautiful.
I had lived in Mishima city since I was 6 years old to 28years old(I lived in Kanagawa while I was in university though). I have come Mishima Taisha many many many times, it is hard to explain/write about each visits, so I won't do that.  Juliett has visited there many times too(when I was 5 months pregnant, 100days after birth, new years, before moving to Canada, and the 3 years old celebration).

まだ桜が咲いていないかなぁ。。。なんて話していたのだけれど、枝垂桜が咲き始めていました。
Aren't they beautiful? We love cherry blossoms.

ジュリは池の中に大きな鯉がいたり亀がいたりするのが面白かったみたい。
Juliett was interested in the Koi (carp) and turtles in the pond.

Chozaya  we clean(wash) our hands and mouth with water in the basin before going into the main shrine.

Maiden

Honden(main shrine)

We buy lucky charms(amulets) here.

People buy 'Omikuji '(strips of paper which have fortunes written on).
If it(the fortune) wasn't so good, you tie it on the ropes and hope it will be better. 

This is a famous tree, Osmanthus Fragrans.
It is more than 1200 years old, and it is a natural monument in Japan.

These are 'Ema' which people write their prayers and wishes on wooden plaques.

長い間日本を離れて、改めて見てみるとその建物の造りの美しさに感動します。
今日はとても新鮮な目で見ることができて、改めて故郷にある三嶋大社の素晴らしさを感じました。
I was impressed by the buildings(shrine) which had beautiful details. I thought I was so lucky to have such a beautiful hometown.

上のいくつかの写真はきっとカナダの友達や家族、そして主人が興味を持つかなと思って撮ってきました。
カナさんもご主人も懐かしいかな。また三島で会いたいね。

三島の街中の下水のふた。桜でかわいい。
Pretty manhole covers. 

An old style post box.

camellia

川に沿って歩いて駅に向かった様子を数枚。
なかなかいい街です、三島市。
I will add a few more photos that I took while we were walking by a river back to the station. Juliett loved walking by the river, she picked some flowers and leaves, touched the water, it was a really nice and relax walk. I liked it too.