Pat's Blog

KODOMO NO KUNI (CHILDRENS’ WORLD)
Welcome to the wonderful fun, discovery and adventure of the Children’s World here in Kagawa!
This is such special place for parents and children with a multitude of interesting things to do with ‘flight’ or aviation as the theme throughout the expansive, modern buildings and grounds.




Children’s World has three wings; all located within large grass fields and flower gardens opposite the airport the West Wing, the main Central Wing with its Jungle Gym Tube and the Cycle Center, (adults, 200 yen fee required) and the East Wing. There’s just sooooo much to do for kids here from mountain bike riding with a great cycle 700 meter route around the periphery of the Takamatsu International Airport. The mobile Children’s Center goes around many towns in Kagawa for Kodomo No Kuni





At the entrance and reception area there are explanation brochures in English and other languages for foreign visitors.




Then there’s the Flying Plaza with 5 large athletic play structures modeled on aircraft.
Open from 9:00~5:00 (till 6:00 during summer vacation an closed on Mondays but closed in September for maintenance.
http:www.sanuki.or.jp






So what’s in the impressive main building? Lots of stuff … science workshops with instructors on hand, a baby corner, music studio, computer workshops, air walks, galleries art studios, child raising information corner, and more.




Play structures that climb and twist their way to the ceilings and outside, lots of fresh air and greenery. There’s even a real YS11 propeller plane to play around in. And a Kotoden train car.




My favorite is the Space Theater (capacity 200) which is kind of like a planetarium with a stunning movie theater projected onto a 20-meter dome and enjoy some really brilliant special effects. The have some great movies and the Internet site have the details of the programs and times.





Thank you to the staff who allowed me into the Space Theater to take these photos.

So if you’ve nothing to do when in Takamatsu please take a look at this great place. 3209 Yusa, Konan-cho. Takamatsu City. Keep all them cards n' letters coming in! I'll be back with Cathy in a week or so with more interesting stuff about our great city, Takamatsu. Until then ...

Sanuki Kodomo no Kuni
3209 Yusa, Konan-cho, Takamatsu-shi, Kagawa-ken, 761-1402
TEL(087)879-0500 FAX(087)879-0396
Website : http://www.sanuki.or.jp
  

This is the big summer event in Takamatsu and follows right after the Fireworks Festival held the previous day. The festival is essentially a welcome back for the ancestors who are believed to revisit every time on this day each year. A time to appreciate their sacrifices and a time of great movement throughout the country with people rushing about or going home for the 3 day usually unpaid but usually given a vacation.

Paper lanterns decorate headstones in graveyards; expectations run high that the summer’s heat will now die down and in the evening people dance in competing groups along the Cho Dori or Central Street. This year there were a couple of ripping thunderstorms just before and this cooled down the streets for the evening.



Living here for so long, one becomes accustomed to the dance but have no doubt that those seeing it for the first time must be taken by the color, energy, loudness of the music, stage presentations etc. This is high-energy stuff, flat-out hard dancing in the heat and people give it all they’ve got and are judged on performance, originality, and creativity. And creative they can be indeed … especially the kids’ groups.



Looking around I saw plenty of foreigners for the party and no doubt at the world famous Awa Dori in neighboring Tokushima Prefecture there are even more. Events like this are meant to be experienced, viscerally if you like, and Takamatsu can accommodate a larger tourist population with the addition of many well-located hotels, some pretty cheap and still others world class. All are pretty good and there’s one to suit a budget so we welcome you in August 2012!
To the west side of Cho Dori (Central Street) is the Cho Koen (Central Park) and here another aspect of the evening takes place with stage performances, contests and the dancing groups tuning up. Some fiddling with hairstyles, adjusting costumes, etc.


The park also has a lot of colorful Yatai (food stalls) selling everything including noodles, pancakes, fried chicken, corn on the cob, and of course my favorite; beer! (see picture number 1) Another favorite food at this time of year is ‘kaki gori’ or shaved ice topped with flavoring. This really is an easy one to slurp, drink, and munch on a summer’s evening. I just love it with condensed milk on top …