Yamada Ike no Kouen

Yamada Pond Park is a decent walk but probably not too far of a bike ride from the seminar houses. This park was at the top of my list of things to find in the area upon arriving to Japan because on Google Earth it was noticeably the largest patch of green in Hirakata. A morning excursion in the right direction led to a nice half hour or so of breathing in the fresh air, looking out across the water, smiling up at trees with still-green leaves, and stretching alongside other Japanese folks exercising in the park. Here are a couple pictures of this short visit to the pond, there will certainly be more to come!