"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

Camping in Ibaraki Prefecture

I went camping with my family to Ajigaura beach in Ibaraki prefecture last Wednesday. I was able to take a lot of pictures of the beach side and the Pacific Ocean view. The route from Tochigi to Ibaraki was not crowded; it was an enjoyable three-hour-driving.

But, as far as camping, it became the toughest one for me. Why was it? Because it was too hot both day and night. Can you imagine four people are sleeping in one tent at 33 degree centigrade (92 Fahrenheit) without an air conditioner or fans. Furthermore, you were kicked and hit by kids every hour and enduring continuous mosquito bites.

What is worse, I suffered from diarrhea due to drinking tap water at the camping site. I’ve almost recovered from it but I don’t have enough appetite yet. I knew Ibaraki was hotter than Utsunomiya but I couldn’t imagine that much.

My Recommendation
Simple. It’s better to avoid camping on too hot day! Or, you can’t sleep.

Do you have any recommendation on hot day camping?

Scorching Summer in Utsunomiya, Japan

It is said that the Utsunomiya castle was burnt down in 1868 as a result of the war between the government forces at that time and the anti-government forces. Recently, a group of citizens were driving the reconstruction of the part of the castle and it was finished this year.

As I haven’t visited there so far, I decided to go to the newly reconstructed castle with Rina.

I had thought it would be crowded since most of Japanese companies and schools were in summer holidays this week. But luckily it was not.

I took pictures and enjoyed walking in a burning hot day. We stayed in the castle park for a couple of hours and, on our way back home, we ate cups of ice candy together.

I love this burning Japanese summer!

This hole is for shooting arrows.





I guess this hole is for gun shooting.







Yummy, ice candy. It's the "Summer delight!"

Videos, "Traveling in the American West."

I’ve finished editing two more videos of travel in the States last April. It took me a lot of time. The reason is simple. I put too much pictures (about 2,000) into short two videos.
While editing, every time I change the order of pictures, duration of pictures, music, and titles, my PC freezes for few minutes. Sigh.
I’m not satisfied with the quality of uploaded pictures on YouTube. But, I think it’s bearable.
I featured Japanese POP singer Hikaru Utada as background music.

I’m glad you watch those videos.

#1



#2


#1 (1st day to 6th day) Music:Hikaru Utada/ Exodus '04
Places we visited
Needles, NV/Colorado river.
Williams, AZ/Route 66, The Grand Canyon.
Kayenta, AZ/The Grand Canyon, Monument Vally.
Page, AZ/Monument Vally, Mokee Dugway.
Bryce, UT/Hoseshoe Bend, Bryce Canyon.
Zion, UT/Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park.

#2 (6th day to 13th day) Music:Hikaru Utada/ Traveling (Bahiatronic Mix)
Places we visited
Zion, UT/Zion National Park.
Las Vegas, NV/Zion National Park, Fremont Street.
Las Vegas, NV/The Las Vegas Strip.
Los Angeles, CA/Santa Monica, Hollywood, UCLA.
Anaheim, CA/Disnyland

Miya Matsuri Summer Festival in Utsunomiya

The Japan Meteorological Agency said that the rainy season in the Kanto region ended on last Wednesday. My long waited summer has finally come!
We have exciting summer festivals everywhere in Japan. The summer festival called Miya Matsuri was held today and yesterday in Utsunomiya. The first Saturday and Sunday in August are the days for the festival.
I haven’t gone to the festival for nine or ten years, because I always went back to my hometown, Shimane during the festival. This year, daughters are excited to be able to go to the festival.

Do you know what’s the most fun for young girls in summer festival? Most of young girls love to wear traditional clothes, “Yukata.” They are kind of summer version of Kimono. My two daughters wearing Yukata, went to the festival with their own friends separately. They bought sweets, frozen pineapple, candy and goldfish. After that, they took Purikura pictures. I asked them what they did and what they bought. Believe or not, things they bought and did were amazingly the same.

Before going to the festival, Emi prays to the small shrine next to our condo.




Rina has a dark suntan, since she attended an athletic competition today till four o’clock.
A hectic day, wasn’t it?

Upper Purikura pictures: Emi and her friends. Those of Rina and her friends follows.