Misaki and the Manyo Sports Area Lavender Field
戸倉上山田のラベンダー畑は見事に咲いています。温泉街から自転車で約10分のところで千曲川の側、周辺の山々の背景で、良い香りのラベンダー広がっています。
娘の美咲ちゃんを連れて、今年の畑の具合を見に行きました。また綺麗に咲きだしました。説明看板がありました:
「大勢の皆さんにお楽しみ頂く為、
6月30日（土）まで観賞のみとさせて頂きます。
摘み取りはご遠慮ください。
摘み取り期間は7月1日（日）～シーズン完了まで、
お一人様30本までとさせて頂きます。」
日本は花を観光で使い過ぎの癖があるのに、
観光臭くなく（ラベンダーアイスは無いぞ！）
単純に楽しめるラベンダー畑があって、嬉しい。
（自分の国、アメリカできっとこういう畑をもっと商売用に利用しっちゃう。）
Togura Kamiyamada's Lavender field is in full bloom. A quick 10-minute bike ride from the onsen, along the banks of the Chikuma River with the green hills in the background, the lavender fields spread out before you in all their colorful glory and with their lovely fragrance.
I took our daughter Misaki down to the fields to see how they're shaping up this year, and was pleased to find them blooming so beautifully. There was a sign that said:
"In order for everybody to appreciate the lavender, please enjoy with your eyes only until 30-June. From 01-July, lavender picking will be allowed (30 stems per person limit)."
In Japan, so many times flowers are over-used for commercial purposes. So being able to enjoy these lavender plants without, for example, a lavender soft ice vendor, is so refreshing. (Back in my home country, America, there would probably be an attempt to commercialize something like this.)
No commercial vendors here, just natural bees.
