富山桜旅１(Spring Trip to Toyama 1)

あちこちで桜の満開が報じられるものの、天気が落ち着きません。

4月6日、桜が満開の富山に出かけるつもりでホテルを予約していましたが、6日は雨予報。急遽、ホテルを解約し、さほど値段の変わらない別のホテルで翌日の予約を取りました。

While we heard of blooming cherry blossoms, the weather was so unsettled that we had only a few chances to see beautiful cherry blossoms. We had planned to go to Toyama, first, on April 6 but it was supposed to be rainy on that day. We therefore canceled the first reservation of a hotel and looked for another hotel to stay in on April 7.

4月7日、穂高でも紅梅から桜へと花が変わるなかを出発。

On April 7, we left Hotaka, even where red plum blossoms were at their end while early-blooming cherry blossoms were fully blooming.

大糸線で大町を過ぎるとまだ雪が積もる景色。それでも糸魚川が近づくと満開の桜風景に。糸魚川で北陸新幹線に乗り換え、二つ目の駅、富山を目指しました。

Between Omachi and Minami Otari, there still was snow. Yet around Itoigawa, cherry blossoms were in full bloom. We took a Hokuriku Shinkansen in Itoigawa to head for Toyama.

左：天気の回復が予想より遅れていて、富山に到着した時には雲が多めでした。

中央：それでも桜は予想どおり満開で、そんな桜の横を、予定していた富岩運河クルージングに乗ろうと環水公園に急ぎました。

右：最終便3:30のチケットを手に入れ、一時間ちょっとの待ち時間を使って環水公園を散策しました。

left: When we arrived at Toyama, there were still quite a lot of clouds in the sky, for the recovery of the weather was later than expected.

middle: Cherry blossoms were as we expected in full bloom. We walked fast by fully blooming cherry blossoms to Kansui Park, where we planned to take a cruising along Fugan Canal.

right: We purchased the last chance of cruising on that day, 3:30 p.m. ticket. As we had more than one hour before the cruising, we took advantage of it to sightsee the park.

公園中央に、展望台のある塔が両側に立つ橋がかかっています。

There was a bridge with two towers with observation decks in the middle of the park.

今の天皇・皇后が皇太子時代に植えられた桜だそうです。

They say that these cherry trees were planted by the present emperor and empress when they were the crown prince and princess.

展望台からの眺め

A view from an observation deck in one of the towers.

桜並木の手前にあるスタバは、公設公園内のスタバ第一号として有名だそうです。クルージングまで一時間あったので試してみたかったけれど、すごく並んでいたので止めました。

Starbucks Coffee Shop on the left was famous to its being the first one in Japan built in a public park. We went there to try but there was such a long queue, we gave up.

チケットとクルージング船

クルージングを待っているあいだに晴れて来ました！

Our ticket of cruising and cruising boat.

While waiting for the departure of cruising, we got more blue sky!

中央：中島閘門

右：閘門操作室（国指定重要文化財）

middle: Nakajima Lock

right: The control cabin of the lock (Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property)

運河からの桜風景

View of cherry trees from the boat.

ホテルは通常のビジネスホテルより気持ち広く、設備も完備していて良かった。駅に近いし、値段も安いし、無料のウェルカムアルコールドリンクや無料朝食がついているので、また来る機会があればここに泊まろうと思う。

夕食は駅のそばの開店寿司店で。富山の海の幸を頂きました。

Our hotel turned out to be a fine one with a little wider room than usual with a good set of anemity and fully equipped facilities, not to mention a good price, free welcom alcohol drinks and free breakfast. We will happily stay here again when we have another chance to come here.

For supper we enjoyed of the blessings of Toyama Bay.