Emperor's birthday / Christmas Eve

December 23 is the national holiday to celebrate the present Emperor's birthday. The day fell on Sunday this year. So, the next Monday has turned to a holiday today.

I again prepared New Year’s postcards spending for a whole day. Choosing pictures, fixing layouts on PC and refilling color ink in the printer ink cartridge were all tough but interesting seasonal works to me. It takes few more hours to print out all one hundred cards.

I don’t upload 2008 New Year’s postcard lest I spoil those who are waiting for it. So, instead the card pictures, I upload our pet or a bunny rabbit video. Please enjoy watching it.

New Year’s postcards

The time I should prepare New Year’s postcards has come.
Most Japanese have a custom of sending them to their friends and relatives. This is similar to the Western practice of exchanging Christmas cards.

The post office guarantees to deliver the greeting postcards on the first of January if they are posted within the time limit, from December 15th to 24th.

I have made it a rule to send those postcards printed with family pictures since I got married. I heard some of my friends were looking forward to receiving a New Year’s postcard with our family pictures every year. I’m glad to hear such comments.

Today, I looked into the year 2007 pictures’ folder of my PC to select appropriate pictures for the New Year’s postcards. I haven’t decided what pictures I would use yet. I have one more weekend before the due day. I can spend hectic but exciting season to design the postcard for waiting everyone.

I show you the year 2007 New Year’s postcard.

It says, "I wish you a Happy New Year" in Japanese.

Igashira Park in Mohka

I attended a tennis tournament again last Sunday. The tennis court is located next to a big park, called Igashira Kouen. It was held at the same place as I attended two months ago.
After being defeated at the quarterfinal, I walked around the pond alone and took pictures of the blue sky, colored leaves and birds. I upload a few pictures of the beautiful scenery of the park instead of those of tennis matches this time. :-)

Sunny Day in the Park.

When I was taking a picture of my daughter Emi and bunny rabbit Nobi, a scene of a couple talking each other caught my eyes. They looked so happy that I wanted to take a few pictures of them together with Emi and Nobi. I always think that sometimes a picture tells far more things than words do. Those two pictures are examples of that.
You can imagine many happy stories of them.
What did they talking about?
Can the couple be happier in future than they are now?
Of course, it’s none of my business. But, they seem to be enjoying the happiest moment.
Far more happier than the couple I took pictures posted on this blog on August 26, 2006.

Hot Air Balloon International Championship

“Tochigi Hot Air Balloon International Championship” was held from November 21st to 25th in Utsunomiya city.
I got up early in the morning yesterday, even on Sunday and went to the taking-off place of the race, Kinu River with two daughters, Emi and Rina. The taking-off place is just 15 minutes away from home by car. It was sunny but freezing cold morning.

When I lived in Tokyo, about 20 years ago, I once rode a hot air balloon with my colleagues. I remember that it was also freezing cold in the morning.
I had come all the way from Tokyo to Watarase Swamp in Tochigi prefecture midnight. In the next morning, we prepared the flight before dawn and lifted off just when it was dawning. We watched the sunrise from the sky. It was amazingly beautiful.
I thought it was cold when we were flying because of the wind. But I could not feel the wind blowing while flying. Do you know why? The reason is simple. The hot air balloon flew at the same speed as that of the air or the wind.
Anyway, I was just a spectator of the race this time. I could not enjoy the view from the sky, though I enjoyed watching colorful balloons in the beautiful autumn sky. It’s worth getting up early on Sunday morning!

Business Trip to Tokyo

I went on a business trip to Tokyo last week to attend a seminar on semiconductor production process engineering. I’m a member of software development department of semiconductor equipment in my company, CANON.

Even being on the wrong side of forty, I feel satisfied with learning something new. I like playing tennis, web surfing, taking pictures, biking, camping, … Last but not least, learning new things or acquiring new knowledge always gives me great satisfaction.

I can’t post pictures of the seminar but instead, post the pictures of Tokyo in which I lived for eighteen years.

Hijiribashi bridge from the platform of Ochanomizu Station

View from Kanda station

Locomotive park in front of Shinbashi station

Kamosu Jinjya in Matsue

Hi guys, I've uploaded my favorite pictures on this site again. I took those pics in Matsue during my trip from Oct. 17 to Oct. 23. No need to say about the beautiful lake, the castle and the quadricentennial drum festivals, there are wonderful old shrines and temples in Matsue.
Pictures of Kamosu Jinjya(Shrine) follow,

Kamosu Jinjya(Shrine) is about half an hour bike ride away from my family’s home. I went there on sunny Thursday. There were few tourists. I walked in the site of the shrine alone. They were holding an autumnal harvest rite.
Kamosu Jinjya is written ‘神魂神社’ in Japanese.
The meaning of Japanese charactors ‘神魂神社’ is ‘the Spirits of God Shrine.’
---神 :God, ---魂 :spirits, ---神社:shrine
Isn’t it cool?

Halloween Party

I usually go to a pub, Lion’s Head to drink beer with my friends on Wednesday. But it was too crowded for eight members at pm 9:30 on October 31, the day of Halloween. The owner of Lion’s Head made it a special day for the pub; a customer who wears Halloween clothes gets a chance to draw a lottery for presents.

We wanted to go there but changed our mind to go to a nearby pub to have a small Halloween party. We enjoyed drinking beer and talking. I upload some pictures at the party.

It’s becoming colder and colder in Utsunomiya these days. I’ll wear gloves while going to my office by bike in the morning soon. Ski season is coming closer to Utunomiya. :-)

Drum Festival in Matsue, Japan

'Water City', Matsue

I was able to spend a wonderful autumn vacation in Shimane prefecture for the first time in 25 years. I met my family members, visited historic places and autumn festivals.
I've uploaded pictures I took in Matsue city during my trip, from Oct. 17 to Oct. 23.
In the picture follows, a construction workers' boat and a pleasure boat in which several travelers are on board are cruising slowly on the castle moat.

About an hour pleasure boat trip takes you around Matsue Castle. As you float along the canal, you can see beautiful sights of Matsue Castle, old Samurai Residence and pine tree streets. You will also travel under 16 famous bridges that span the castle moat.

Matsue Castle is nicknamed the "plover castle", it is one of the few remaining medieval castles remaining in their original wooden form, and not a modern reconstruction in concrete.

Most Japanese castles have been damaged or destroyed by war, earthquakes, or other causes. Since a large part of their construction was wooden, fire was a major hazard. Matsue castle was built after the last great war of feudal Japan, so it never saw a battle.

The construction of Matsue Castle began in 1607 and finished in 1611, under the local lord Horio Yoshiharu. In this year 2007, the local government celebrates four hundred year anniversary of the beginning of the construction of Matsue Castle. Next weekend, I'll upload pictures of Dou Gyoretsu drum festival commemorating the anniversary.

Staying in My Hometown Shimane

I took a week off and came back to my hometown Matsue city, Shimane prefecture last Wednesday. I'm staying in the house in which my mother, my brother and my sister live. It's the top season for autumn festivals here in Matsue. I bought a bike right after arriving at Matuse station. I rode the bike, went many places and took a lot of pictures of the festivals last five days.
To my regret, I haven't brought back a data connector between a camera and a PC, so I can't upload those pictures now.
I'll go back to Tochigi tomorrow and show you them on the blog in a week or two.

Tennis Tournament in Mohka, Igashira Park

I attended a Mohka tennis club tournament today with my friends. One club team consists two doubles teams and one single team. Each club team which wins more than two matches out of three wins against its opponent club. In the preliminary league competitions, we battled against two clubs.

The result of our club was terrible. We lost all six matches (lost against two clubs, all three team matches). As a result, we can’t go on a winners’ tournament next week.
Only losers’ tournament waits for us next week. Saaaaaaaaaaad!

Tennis courts are in the beautiful forest park called Igashira-Kouen in Mohka city, Tochigi prefecture. As I wrote you, visitors on my blog before, it is a beautiful place. Even game losers can enjoy walking around and taking pictures there.
Pictures of a persimmon tree and flowers beside the tennis court follow,

Today is Health and Sports Day in Japan.

Today is Health and Sports Day or Sports Day. It's a national holiday in Japan. It’s held annually on the second Monday in October. It commemorates the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics being held in Tokyo, and exists to promote sports and an active lifestyle.

I was born in 1959, so I was five years old then. To tell you the truth, I don't remember the live Tokyo Olympics. Of course I know many famous scenes of the Tokyo Olympics, but most of them are scenes I watched on TV after the event.

Anyway, in spite of Health and Sports Day today, I haven't done any sport today. Even I didn't go anywhere outside my condo, just stayed home. I got up late and had late breakfast. Then I made a video of pictures I took yesterday in Kanuma, Tochigi prefecture. This time, I used “Photo Story 3 for Windows” instead of “Windows Movie Maker.” One of my web friends, Pachipro recommended it. It is quite fast, easy to use and capable with enough functions to make videos. Thanks Pachipro.

I still have had a slight backache since few months ago. I wonder I can recover the pain completely. Many athletes have some troubles on the part of their body. Professional athletes sometimes should retire in their early age. Luckily I'm not a pro-athlete. I want to continue sports like biking, climbing, playing tennis and skiing more several decades. lol

Autumn sceneries in Kanuma, Tochigi prefecture follow,

Business Trip to Ohita

I left Utsunomiya at AM 9:11 for Haneda airport to take a plane to Ohita prefecture in Kyushu isle. I have to work at Canon Ohita branch for coming three days from Monday to Wednesday.

Kyushu isle is located in south of Honshu main isle. It was heavily raining at Haneda airport but it’s not raining here in Ohita.

After arriving at Ohita airport, which is surrounded by the sea, I took a hovercraft to the outskirt of Ohita city. The vehicle could run both on the surface of the sea and on the land seamlessly. It’s cool!

The hovercraft is lifted by downward blasts of air which create a cushion of air between the hull and the land or water. And it is driven forward like an airplane by the thrusting force of the propellers mounted on it.

I had few hours walking around the city alone in the afternoon. Now I am staying in a hotel near JR Ohita station and typing in my note PC.
An occasional business trip refreshes me by seeing different scenery and eating local foods. It's fun to me.

Today is Autumn Equinox Day in Japan

It’s Autumn Equinox Day today. Autumn Equinox Day falls on around September 23 and is a national holiday.
Memorial services take place at temples and people make visits to graves to comfort the spirits of their ancestors. Especially, Japanese elder generation perform the ceremony on the holiday.

It has been cooler in Utunomiya since a week ago. The morning glory flowers on my balcony keep their shapes till the evening.



I had nothing special to do today, so I just relaxed and took some pictures of the flowers at home.

Today is Respect-for-the-Aged Day in Japan

Today is the national holiday of Respect-for-the-Aged Day, which honors and shows respect to the aged. I don't know there is a similar holiday in other countries.
Do you know how many people aged 80 or older in Japan?
According to figures released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the number has topped 7 million, almost 4 times as many as the population of Tochigi prefecture. I'm not sure that I can outlive 80, but I want to be a man being able to do anything he wants to do, even aged.

Midori Ishii, she is a famous dancer in Tochigi, now living in Tokyo held a performance in Utsunomiya city today.
She was born in Utsunomiya in 1913 and now 94 years old.
Her daughter is also a dancer, made a speech and explained some parts of her dances choreographed by her mother.
All dances including her apprentices’ were splendid.

Actually, my wife went to the performance instead of me.
I think being involved in one’s work at that age should be respected.

Happy Respect-for-the-Aged Day!

The picture on the top left was taken in Tokyo in 2006 when she was 93 years old.
Photographer: unknown

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Sports Festival in Junior High

I went to the junior high (from 7th year grade to 10th year grade) sports festival yesterday.
It reminded me of the days I was a junior high student. It had been a fun not only to join its competitions, but also to spend for hours and hours to prepare the festival with classmates.
Thanks school guys for showing your efforts, smiles and twinkling sweats for us.
I enjoyed a lot.

Tennis Tournament in Kiyohara Industrial Park

On the first Saturday of September, Kiyohara Industrial Park (KIP) association in Utsunomiya holds a tennis tournament.
Every KIP company team consisting three doubles can attend the tournament. I attended the tournament with my five colleagues last year and a year before the last, but couldn’t win.
This year is different. I’ve become a very strong tennis player… I want to say so, but actually I can’t say.
I asked four colleagues including two freshmen to join my team. All of them are very good tennis players. Luckily, they all said “YES” to join my team.
We attended the tournament and, as a result, “WON” yesterday.
We got a trophy, a certificate and forty bottles of beer as a prize of the winner.
The taste of the beer I drunk yesterday was excellent!

"Julia, Ocean Child, Beach, John ..."

I made a video with pictures in Ajigaura beach and John Lennon music.
Please take a look!

Hot Days in Utsunomiya / World Athletics Meet in Osaka

It’s been very hot days here in Tochigi. I didn’t feel going out and do anything this weekend. I just stayed home and watched TV.
Do you know World athletics meet or the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics began last Saturday in Osaka, Japan? I’ve watched the competitions on TV.
The 100 final, scheduled tonight, features world-record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica and American Tyson Gay. It’ll start in few minutes. It must be an exciting race!

The morning glory in my balcony bloomed four flowers this morning. Its vines are creating nice summer shade on the fence.
All but this one goldfish died of summer heat. I changed the goldfish’s pot smaller one.

Ocean Child

“Julia”: John Lennon

Half of what I say meaningless
But I say it just to reach you, Julia

Julia, Julia, ocean child calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia

Her hair of floating sky is shimmering
Glummering in the sun

Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me
So I sing a song of love, Julia

When I cannot sing my heart

I can only speak my mind, Julia

Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me

So I sing a song of love, Julia

Hum hum hum hum …calls me
So I sing a song of love for Julia

Julia, Julia