The first day of our Summer Break with Dad. And it was perfect.

This past Spring Break the kids and I ventured out to Saikai... We discovered a few gems we knew we would want to share with Dad while he was home, and Tsugane Falls was up there on the list...

Our last trip to this hidden spot, we had it completely to ourselves! We picnicked on the rocks, splashed in shallow pools, and enjoyed the serene atmosphere of the calm falls... We hiked a bit farther up through the woods and soaked in the cool air from the surrounding mountains, trickling springs, and canopy of evergreens... And the whole time all I could think was "Golly I wish Andrew could see this..."

So we packed up a picnic of fresh fruit from the farmers market and some essential PB&J's and were on our way!

This trip we had a bit of a different experience... Aside from a Japanese couple and their sweet poodle, we again had the Falls all to ourselves... But the downpours of the rainy season had transformed Tsugane into a very loud roaring flow!! It was quite an awesome scene... We had to be much much more careful this go around with the littles... Maneuvering the slippery rocks and now deep ponds was a bit more of a challenge, but now with Dad there to help divide and conquer, we still made the day a blast!

Tsugane-otoshi-no-taki Falls is considered to be the most haunted place in Nagasaki Prefecture, however its not the vibe we get when we visit at all... You do have to park about a quarter of a mile away, and walk across a dam and unlit tunnel to get here... Legend says you can hear footsteps other then yours through the tunnel, and that there have been some spiritual phenomenons here... They aren't pretty so I won't go into detail, but apparently if you stand in the falls long enough, your soul may never be found...

The Fall is named Tsugane meaning 'Chinese mitten crab" and Otoshi which means "falling"... When the crab goes down the river to lay its eggs, it is often swept up into the rock bed under the falls...

Again, we only felt positive vibes at the Falls though, and both visits have had wonderful experiences... So maybe the souls here have found forgiveness and moved onto a better place. Maybe they have found some solace here in nature... Or maybe they enjoy the visitors...

I say this so so often, but Mother Nature is just refreshing... It can change your mood in an instant, cleanse for soul...

This is where we get to call home for a bit... And we couldn't be more thankful.

Till next time... xoxo