Utsunomiya Hachiman Yama Koen

We got to Utsunomiya midday Thursday and soon four of us were off to see a large park in central Utsunomiya located on an elevated area. Even on a Thursday it was impossible for Fukuda-san to find parking so he dropped three of us off and left us to enjoy the park. A sunny day and everyone wants to enjoy the outdoors. Parents and children were everywhere including enjoying lunch (obento). As in many Japanese parks there was quite a nice play area for kids. And of course it was sakura (cherry blossom) viewing season. The vendors selling various unusual food items were present in certain areas of the park. I would love to make the rounds and try something from each vendor, but the organ responsible for such extravagance can only stretch so far. For example, I love ika or roasted squid. Japanese people think I am really strange since I probably enjoy a larger variety of foods than even they do.
The photographs of this visit can be seen on Picasa at Hachiman yama.