• Daily Life

    Enoura Observatory: Putting the WOW! Into OdaWOW!ra

    Enoura Observatory, a short trip from the center of Odawara and which I had never heard of before Mrs. Kangaeroo dragged me up to earlier today, is simply sublime and a breathtakingly beautiful gallery well work the trek to get there. The installation created by New York-based, Japanese-born architect Hiroshi Sugimoto is stunning from the point of entry through to departure and filled with stunning designs along the way. And the mountaintop location with spectacular vistas, which blend with some of the works on display, creates a complementary effect that truly makes this a must-see for those with the time…

  • Daily Life

    Castle In The Air

    From Atami, we backtracked only the old Tokaido route to the castle town of Odawara. We were delighted to be presented by a garden full of flowers again, this time the hydrangea and shobu, both plants that bloom around now when the rainy season hits. Mrs. Kanageroo had never climbed the keep of the castle, so we headed upstairs through the concrete recreation of the once crucial fortress in feudal times and enjoyed the glorious view it gave of the once strategic city. Greater things awaited, though, so we didn’t linger for long, but were there for just enough time…