 Most viewed - SAITAMA 埼玉県 |
Dokkyodaigakumae Station (Tobu Railway from Asakusa) east exit. Get out here to walk to Soka-Matsubara.5 views
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From Dokkyodaigakumae Station's east exit, walk on this main road to Soka-Matsubara. Short walk.5 views
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From Hyakutai-bashi Bridge, I first walked north along Soka-Matsubara.5 views
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Soka Matsubara pine trees may have been originally planted as early as 1683 by government official Ina Tada'atsu (伊奈忠篤) in the Fudaba Park area where there was a river boat dock.5 views
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Nakazone Bridge over Ayase River.5 views
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Green pines against the blue sky are therapeutic for the eyes.5 views
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Turtle sculptures.5 views
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The northern end of Soka-Matsubara has this ring.5 views
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Northern end of Soka-Matsubara. From here, walk 1.5 km to reach the southern end of Soka-Matsubara pine trees.5 views
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Monument says 今様草加松原 mean "Modern-style Soka-Matsubara" in reference to current efforts to preserve the pine tree path in modern ways.5 views
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Northern end of Soka-Matsubara.5 views
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Soka-Matsubara pine tree path.5 views
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Pine needles and pine cones.5 views
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Hyakutai Bridge has steps and a narrow slope for pushing bicycles. Not wheelchair accessible. 百代橋5 views
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Hyakutai Bridge is decorated with small relief sculptures like these pine cones.5 views
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Going up Hyakutai Bridge.5 views
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View from Hyakutai Bridge. This road goes to the train station straight ahead.5 views
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Along the pine tree path is this monument for the Japanese bush clover planted by the late Donald Keene who first visited Soka in 1988 to give a keynote speech at the Oku-no-Hosomichi International Symposium.5 views
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Walking south along Soka-Matsubara pine trees.5 views
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About Soka Matsubara as a Scenic Place Along Oku-no-Hosomichi. It's one of the 25 designated Scenic Places along the Oku-no-Hosomichi extending over 12 prefectures.5 views
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Non-stop pine trees on Soka-Matsubara. Probably the longest pine tree path I've been on.5 views
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Harp Bridge to Matsubara Ayasegawa Park across Ayase River.5 views
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Matsubara Ayasegawa Park 5 views
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Walking further south along Soka-Matsubara.5 views
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Directions and distances.5 views
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Yatate Bridge includes a narrow slope for walking your bicycle. Not wheelchair accessible. 矢立橋5 views
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Northern view from Yatate Bridge.5 views
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Spiral steps up the wooden watchtower.5 views
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Post towns along the Nikko Kaido Road to Nikko.5 views
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Near the watchtower is Soka-juku Basho-an, a visitor information center.5 views
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Statue of Kawai Sora (河合曾良), Matsuo Basho's travel companion for his Oku-no-Hosomichi five-month journey on foot to Tohoku and Hokuriku Regions. Statue built in 2008 to mark Soka's 50th anniversary.5 views
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How to make Soka senbei rice crackers. At least 10 steps.5 views
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Soka senbei shop on the old Nikko Kido Road.5 views
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Tofukuji Temple was first built in 1606 by Okawa Zusho who once served the Hojo Clan in Odawara, Kanagawa.5 views
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Tofukuji's bell tower.5 views
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Tofukuji's bell tower dragon wood carvings. 5 views
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Okawa Honjin lodge monument in Soka-juku, Nikko Kaido Road. There was also another Honjin in Soka-juku. 大川本陣跡碑5 views
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Ancient pottery found in Soka.5 views
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A few implements from the Okawa Honjin lodge.5 views
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Documents related to traveling on the Nikko Kaido.5 views
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Replica scroll painting of Matsu Basho and Kawai Sora who visited Soka in 1689.5 views
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Factory equipment5 views
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Senbei production equipment.5 views
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Senbei production equipment for roasting and drying.5 views
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Japanese soldiers returning from the war gave these gifts to their well-wishers. From the 1930s. These are ceremonial sake cups. 兵隊盃5 views
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Pink pay phone in Japan. Now obsolete. Took only ¥10 coins.5 views
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Push button phone widely used in Japan until the early 1990s.5 views
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Soka Station history.5 views
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Model of AKOS shopping complex in front of Soka Station.5 views
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Enomoto Dairy Farm yogurt is made of real milk. No preservatives. Website: http://www.enoboku.com/5 viewsFrom Ageo Station west exit, take the local bus to the Azeyoshi bus stop. Takes 30 min. Most people come by car or bicycle. Address: 736-1 Azeyoshi, Ageo, Saitama
埼玉県上尾市畔吉736-1
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These cows are 6 to 14 months old. At 14 months, they move to the adult cow shed for artificial insemination. The farm has 60 to 70 Holstein cows for milk.5 views
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Each cow/calf has an electronic tag for management purposes.5 views
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Kids' play area with donated tricycles, etc.5 views
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Milking machine is a robot operating 24/7. Each cow produces 20 to 30 kg of milk per day. 授乳所5 views
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However, I noticed that the cow kept moving and couldn't stand still, so the machine had to keep trying until it attached to the nipples.5 views
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Explanation of the work done at a dairy farm. On weekends, you can pay a fee (¥2200) to try and milk a cow manually and feed some hay. Reservations required. at least two days in advance.5 views
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Hay for cows.5 views
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Rolls of hay. ロール置き場5 views
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Way to the riverside flowers blooming in April to May.5 views
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Behind Enomoto Dairy Farm is Arakawa River and this cycling road lined with spring flowers.5 views
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Nemophila (baby blue eyes) in late April.5 views
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Rapeseed blossoms (nanohana) were made into a maze.5 views
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Strawberry Candle flowers. Pretty name. People were allowed to pick these flowers and take it home.5 views
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Kitamoto Nature Observation Park is spread over 26.7 hectares and home to a variety of plants and animals, including over 1,700 species of insects and 160 species of wild birds.5 views Lots of marshland where birds can nest. Walking paths are provided for visitors. The park includes a nature study center, a library, and guided tours on weekends.
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Saitama Nature Study Center is a visitor's center with park staff, park maps, a small library, nature exhibits, meeting rooms, and park offices. Open 9:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. (Till 7:30 pm on weekends and national holidays.) Guided tours start inside.5 views
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Inside Saitama Nature Study Center with nature exhibits.5 views
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Chinese peacock butterfly. カラスアゲハ5 views
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Boardwalk and reeds where birds and fish can live.5 views
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Heron.5 views
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Endangered flower species named golden orchid. Vulnerable (VU). キンラン（金蘭）5 views
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Dainty flower.5 views
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In front of the Saitama Nature Study Center is china root or Smilax china. サルトリイバラ5 views
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The procession route is on the old Nakasendo Road (closed to traffic) starting at 1:30 pm at Okegawa Elementary School. Here's Princess Kazunomiya's banner in front of her palanquin.5 views
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Princess Kazunomiya on her palanquin in Okegawa-juku. The procession route is on the Nakasendo Road from Okegawa Elementary School to Kido-ato. 5 views
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Members of the Princess Kazunomiya procession are introduced on stage at around 2 pm. The procession ends at around 3 pm at Kido-ato (木戸跡). Thanks to A. Shimamura for these photos.5 views
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While walking on this main road to Soka-Matsubara, you will soon see the large arch bridge over the road.4 views
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Where the Soka-Matsubara pine tree path intersects with a major road at two locations, there's a large arch bridge to enable pedestrians to keep walking non-stop along the pine trees.4 views
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This is one of the two arch bridges. Named Hyakutai-bashi (百代橋), 62.5 meters long, 3.5 m wide. It has steps and a narrow slope to push bicycles. Not wheelchair accessible.4 views
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By 1877, Soka-Matsubara had 800+ pine trees. In the 1930s, Soka-Matsubara had over 700 pine trees. However, by the 1960s due to vehicle exhaust fumes, the number of pine trees shrank to 60.4 views
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Stone bench.4 views
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Back to Hyakutai Bridge. This is near the halfway point on the Soka-Matsubara path.4 views
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Northern view of pine trees from Hyakutai Bridge.4 views
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Southern view from Hyakutai Bridge.4 views
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Soka Matsubara goes along the Ayase River. 綾瀬川4 views
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Northern view from Yatate Bridge.4 views
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Going up Yatate Bridge.4 views
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Picture tile on the bridge depicting a samurai procession on the Nikko Kaido in Soka.4 views
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First floor of watchtower has a few exhibits explaining about Soka-Matsubara and Soka-juku post town.4 views
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Watchtower is free and open to the public.4 views
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Soka senbei rice cracker birthplace monument in Osen Park, Soka, Saitama. Soka was a rice-growing area and farmers first made rice crackers as a snack. 4 viewsThey were later sold to travelers when Soka-juku was established and became a cottage industry. They also used soy sauce from Noda. 草加せんべい発祥の地の碑
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Shinmei Shrine 神明神社4 views
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Tofukuji Temple gate.4 views
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About Tofukuji Temple Hondo main hall wood carvings. 4 views
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About Tofukuji's bell tower.4 views
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Original road marker in Soka-shuku, Saitama on the Nikko Kaido. 道標元標4 views
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Scale model of the Okawa Honjin lodge in Soka-juku.4 views
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Former classroom used as a meeting room.4 views
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Movie actor from Soka named Okawa Heihachiro (1905–1971) (aka Henry Okawa) who made it to Hollywood. He was in "The Bridge on the River Kwai" movie. 大川 平八郎4 views
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Japanese soldier's bag and boots from 1930s.4 views
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Old telephone.4 views
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Enomoto Dairy Farm is a real dairy farm with cows and calves to produce dairy products. Their gelato is super popular and really good. Educational for kids to see live cows, what they eat, how they are milked (by machine), and where milk comes from. 4 views
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The calf shed is where calves and cows are raised until they reach adulthood.4 views
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These adult cows will give birth soon. Do not feed any of the cows or animals. They are already well fed.4 views
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How milk is produced. 1. The cow's udders are disinfected. 2. The milking machine sucks out the milk to a pipe going to a tank. 3. The milk is cooled. 4. The milk is transported by tanker truck to the factory where it is processed and packaged into m4 views
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Barbecue area on the left.4 views
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This machine quickly spins the hay roll as it wraps it with vinyl.4 views
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Rolls of hay wrapped in vinyl.4 views
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Nemophila (baby blue eyes).4 views
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Rapeseed blossoms (nanohana) in late April.4 views
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Evergreen tree named Castanopsis. Leaves are green on the top, but brown on the underside. Produces acorns. スダジイ（すだ椎 Castanopsis sieboldii subsp. sieboldii）4 views
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My YouTube video (three parts) of the 2009 Kita-Urawa Awa Odori dance festival held on September 5, 2009.4 views
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Matsuo Basho monument3 views
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Soka-Matsubara pine trees north of Hyakutai-bashi Bridge.3 views
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A local group was formed in 1976 to replant pine trees. Their efforts was successful with 500+ trees planted. Vehicular traffic through the pine trees stopped in 1982. Thankfully, it's now pedestrians only.3 views
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Northern view from Hyakutai Bridge.3 views
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Straw bands are wrapped on the tree trunks to catch harmful insects.3 views
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Such a pleasant walk along Soka-Matsubara.3 views
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Fudaba-kashi Park on the southern end of Soka-Matsubara also has this rebuilt watchtower. 3 views
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Map of Soka-Matsubara and Soka-juku post town, short walk away.3 views
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On the 2nd floor, Hinamatsuri Girl's Day dolls.3 views
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2nd floor hallway.3 views
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Old telephone from 1931. Soka started telephone service in 1918. Only 60 phone numbers at first. By 1953, 431 people had a telephone number.3 viewsデルビル磁石式壁掛電話機
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The calf shed is where newborn calves are raised. 育成舎3 views
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Cow feed.3 views
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The adult cow she has this milking station where the cows are automatically directed to the milking machine. 授乳所3 views
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The milking machine uses red light beams and sensors to detect the nipples and attach the milking tubes. 3 views
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Types of cows. The cow's excrement and urine are converted into fertilizer for growing vegetables, etc.3 views
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Marmot that you can pet. Be sure to wash or disinfect your hands afterward.3 views
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Calf in the pasture. 放牧場3 views
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Park entrance. The park is open to the public from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (until 7:30 pm on weekends and mid-summer.) Closed Mon. unless it's a national holiday. Free admission. Parking available. 15 min. by bus from JR Kitamoto Station (JR Takasaki Line3 viewsAddress: 5-200 Arai, Kitamoto, Saitama
埼玉県北本市荒井5-200
埼玉県自然学習センター
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Marshland and reeds provide habitats for nesting birds. We saw Little Grebes nesting here.3 views
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Posters explaining the work done at the dairy farm, anatomy of a cow, and the life cycle of cows. At the dairy farm, cows are fed, cow shed is cleaned, hay is made, and cows are milked.2 views
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The dairy farm's backyard has Arakawa River.2 views
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The shed also has pigs. These are mini pigs, not baby piglets. You can touch them. The fur is stiff like a hard brush. After touching, wash your hands.1 views
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