Ray's Rabbit Hutch

Cafe Ochanoma in Utsunomiya

2012-01-29T20:20:00.000+09:00

I'm standing in front of the Cafe Ochanoma entrance.

The other day, when I got a day off work for the first time this year, I lunched out with my wife Kiyono at Café Ochanoma.

The Café is located in a very quiet place near Kamagawa river, just five-minute-walking from our condo.

They provided well-balanced meals with ample seasonal vegetables.

Those dishes were not spicy, not too salty nor oily. They tasted like traditional Japanese grandma-homemade dishes.

Cyclamen Flower Blooming in My Home

2012-01-22T18:44:00.000+09:00

I bought a pot of cyclamen in the beginning of last month.
The flowers have been blooming and brightening our living room since then.

They look really lovely, aren't they?

My wife Kiyono went to ballet class, my daughter Rina went to Ekiden(long-distance relay road race) practice and I went to tennis practice this weekend same as usually weekends.

Yes, nothing special has happened today.

OTARIYA "Between Winter and Spring" Festival in Futarasan Shrine

2012-01-15T19:54:00.000+09:00

Kibunatoy fish are sold for1500yen, US$20, in front of Futarasan Shrine.

As legend goes, a long time ago in Utsunomiya city, a bad disease or a smallpox had spread across the city.

When people didn't know how to cope with it. A guy living in the city fished a yellow carp in Tagawa river.

He gave the fish to a sick person. The sick person after eating it got over the illness immediately.

After the incident, people in the city buy a toy fish with a yellow body, a red head and green fins and decorate it in their house to prevent contracting diseases in the new year days.

The yellow toy fish is called Kibuna in our city.

Nooks And Crannies in Hong Kong

2012-01-09T19:52:00.000+09:00

Night scenes in Hong Kong were beautiful as I hadexpected

While, looking around small mom-and-pop shops or having a bite at an eateryin off-streets mesmerized me very much.

Shop keepers were all in all friendly.

Foods served at those eateries were sometimes seemed as delicious as at top class restaurants.

Spending 2011 year-end holidays in Hong Kong

2012-01-04T15:23:00.002+09:00

Center: Wax Doll of Bruce Lee

Leaving Macau, stayed only two nightsthough it was very meaningful, we headed for Hong Kong.

It took just one hourby express ferry. We turned in disembarkation cards again, then we stepped inon Hong Kong island.

We took a taxi at the ferry terminal and went to the hotelin which we would stay for three nights in the early evening.

Throwing all our luggage into our hotel room,we took a free shuttle bus from the hotel to the nearest station and got on thesubway to the center of Hong Kong downtown.

At first, the center of downtown seemedlike Ginza area in Tokyo to me. Big department stores, jewelers and famous designer shops were disappointing us abit.

But, we found later that the scene from theharbor area to the river and the scene from the top of Victoria Peak were awesome.

We waited for a tram car going to the top of Victoria Peak over one hour though, it was well worth for waiting.

At Harbour City Ocean Terminal

View from a Ferry Going to Hong Kong Island

View from Victoria Peak at Night

A Happy New Year! / Spending 2011 year-end holidays in Macau

2012-01-01T18:43:00.000+09:00

I left Utsunomiya for Narita International Airport by car in the early morning on December 24th.

It took five hours from Japan to Hong Kong by air.

After arriving in Hong Kong, we took an airport express train, a taxi and an express ferry.

Finally we got to Macau in the same day evening.

We spent our Christmas in Macau eating Chinese food, looking around ancient town streets, historical monuments and several World Heritages.

Macau had been a Portuguese colony in China and handed over in 1999.

It lies on south-western China, bordering Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the south.

We visited Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral.
The cathedral was built in 1602 and destroyed by fire in 1835.
The picture taken there follows.

At Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral

Every Chinese food perfectly suited our palates.

An Alpaca Baby Was Born in Bell Mall.

2011-12-18T19:58:00.000+09:00

When I went to Bell Mall Shopping Center the other day, I found a new alpaca baby there. One of Bell Mall staff who was in charge of taking care of alpaca family said the baby was just born one month ago and her name was not decided.

At first, I felt strange that there were alpacas in Shopping Mall but now I never fail to see them every time I go shopping there.

Now, the family consists of dad, mom and two sisters.

Fudan Café

2011-12-11T22:06:00.001+09:00

The other day, I went to a cool restaurant called Fudan Café near our condo with my wife Kiyono.

We enjoyed delicious food and a comfortable atmosphere in the late afternoon.

We live in the center of downtown in my city. So, there are quite a few restaurants within walking distance.

Maybe it’s impossible to visit even one-tenth of them in a few years.

Mt. Fuji and The Tokyo Sky Tree

2011-12-04T20:56:00.001+09:00

On the contrary to a cold rainy day yesterday, it’s crisp clear and sunny day today. On a day like today, the first thing I do in the morning is taking a look at Mt. Fuji from the south west window of my condominium. It’s there today as usual.

So, what’s different today from a usual sunny day? … I found the Tokyo Sky Tree at the time of sunset. Yes, it can be seen from Utsunomiya!

The Tokyo Sky Tree is currently the tallest tower, 634.0 metres (2,080 ft), in the world.

Tennis Tournament and Foggy Morning View from My Condominium

2011-11-27T17:54:00.001+09:00

I took part in the Kiyohara Singles Tennis Tournament with my five tennis friends today. The result was terrible. I got beaten in the first round and other two guys did the same.

While thinking why I got beaten and how I had to cope with the opponent, I left the tennis courts before knowing the results of the rest of my friends’ matches.

Spending much time in practicing, I know, could be an answer but It’s not so simple for me.

Spending too much time in practicing means, at my age, injuries of knees, shoulders or elbows.

How should I practice effectively within a limited time? That’s the key.

Maybe, … I haven’t had enough pieces of advice since my tennis club had closed almost two years ago.

I may have to find a good tennis coach or should ask a lot of advice from well-skilled players.

That could be an answer in my case, couldn't be?

I have decided myself to ask advice from now on.

The 25th Utsunomiya Marathon

2011-11-20T18:55:00.001+09:00

Rina and 351 female runners took part in the 5 km women's long distance race of the 25th Utsunomiya Marathon at Kiyohara Industrial Park (K.I.P.) today.
She won the race.
The Utsunomiya Marathon holds 2 km, 3 km, 5 km, 10 km and 21.1 km races for both men and women.
Congrats Rina! Great job. I'm proud of you!

To tell you the truth, I didn't go to K.I.P. to watch her running. I practiced playing tennis as usual. My wife Kiyono went to Tokyo to meet her parents and elder daughter Emi.
I guess that her two friends, one of them finished 3rd, and her field and track club coach of her high school watched the prize awarding ceremony.

I wish I could have seen the ceremony.

Kikusui-Sai Festival

2011-11-13T18:35:00.001+09:00

The other day, I happened to meet an autumn festival called Kikushui-Sai near my condominium. I’ve lived in Utsunomiya city for more than fifteen years, but it’s the first time for me to see the splendid autumn festival.

Many people wearing traditional samurai clothes marched with horses in the central Utsunomiya city. It’s very beautiful and they held mind boggling Yabusame practices.

Yabusame is a traditional Japanese mounted archery in which an archer on a running horse shoots wooden targets.

Why haven’t I seen the festival for years?

Twenty Roses

2011-11-06T23:19:00.000+09:00

November 3rd ,three days ago, came to us a bit different from usual year, with this year marking our 20th wedding anniversary.

I married Kiyono at a small church in Chiba prefecture on the national holiday(Culture day in Japan), November 3rd in 1991.
It’s not too long ago, just twenty years or two decades ago.

We had a party to cerebrate the anniversary at a small restaurant called ‘AG Café’ on the top of a hill viewing Utsunomiya city.
On our way back home, we dropped in a local flower shop and bought big size red roses.

How will 30th anniversary come to us? What will I be thinking of? Where or which country shall we live in?

Maybe, I don’t know. The answer is blowing in the wind.

Track And Field Competition in Kanto, 2011

2011-10-30T20:07:00.000+09:00

Rina runs right side on the track. Her grandpa cheers her up loud.

Rina went to Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium in Tokyo to attend the track and field competition in Kanto.

Kanto includes Tokyo and six prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa.

The population is said to amount approximately one third of the total population of Japan.

Rina was nominated from Tochigi prefecture as an athlete of 800-meter-run and 1,500-meter-run this time.

Rina’s competitors were so strong that she finished XXth out of YY members.
XX and YY are secret numbers withheld by Rina’s earnest request.

Anyway, she had a wonderful experience. Congrats. Rina.

Bike Festival in Utsunomiya

2011-10-23T19:37:00.000+09:00

We had a bike festival today and yesterday.

They arranged a bike road race or Criteriumrace, an imported bike exhibition, bike parts shops, a live concert, street performers,… you name it.

Weather was not perfect, but I enjoyed them as one ofbike fans.

Monkey Show Was Held Next to My Condo.

2011-10-16T19:29:00.001+09:00

When I went out to a shop in front of my condo to buy some bottles of beer, a guy was doing a street performance with a monkey.
The monkey did imitating human actions, jumping bars and walking on stilts.
We call the monkey show Saru Mawashi in Japanese. It’s usually carried out in New Years Day or at festivals.
I don’t know why he’s doing Saru Mawashi now.
Did Utsunomiya civil servants planed it to attract tourists? It has still been a mistery.

It’s Health-Sports Day or Sports Day Today.

2011-10-10T20:46:00.000+09:00

Sports Day falls on today in Japan; it's a national holiday held annually on the second Monday in October.

My wife and I went cycling to Bell Mall which is the largest shopping mall in Utsunomiya city. It's sunny warm day perfectly fitting for cycling.

At bell Mall, they keep alpacas in its front space. Every time I visit there, it’s my pleasure to see how alpacas have grown up comparing the last time.

On our way back home we dropped by a newly opened noodle soup restaurant “Miyakoya” to which my colleague highly recommended to go.

Taste was nice and they were reasonably priced.
Yes, it’s worth visiting.

2011-10-02T19:37:00.001+09:00

I went to Takanezawa Green Park located in northeast of Utsunomiya to play tennis and to see a cosmos flower field.

I played tennis from 8:30 in the morning to 4:00 in the evening.

I've been very exhausted by playing tennis so long.

During a short lunch break, I took several pictures of cosmos and red spider lily (Higanbana in Japanese).

They were very beautiful, weren’t they?

My Favorite Summer Scenes

2011-09-25T19:05:00.000+09:00

The day before yesterday is Autumnal Equinox Day; the length of day and night is the same on the day. I’m happy to have cooler days from now, but at the same time, I feel sad that sever hot days have gone.
For my memory of this summer, I upload two pictures I like. I took both pictures after a weekly practice of tennis game in August.

By the way, I was defeated at a tennis match two weeks ago not only by the skill of the opponent but also, I guess, summer heat and fatigue of business trip to Taiwan.

Today, again, I had tennis match with CANON members against ASHIKAGA bank team. I took part in a singles match and won today!
Summer heat and travel exhaustion didn’t help my opponent today.

Hibiscus Are Blooming Both in Taiwan and at Home.

2011-09-18T21:15:00.000+09:00

Hibiscus Flower at Home #1

Hibiscus Flower at Home #2

I came back from Taiwan last week. It was a wonderful business trip. I enjoyed beautiful Taiwanese scenery, delicious food, unique religious buildings and colorful flowers. Though it was my first trip to Taiwan, strange to say, I felt everything seemed familiar to me.

One month ago, I bought a short hibiscus tree. It had a lot of flowers.
I found beautiful natural hibiscus trees in Taiwan.
Which flowers do you like more? ... I can’t tell it.

Hibiscus Flower in Taiwan #1

Hibiscus Flower in Taiwan #2

Another Business Trip. Where Am I Going to?

2011-09-11T20:31:00.002+09:00

I went on an oversea business trip again last week, following the trip to South Korea last time.

Where did I go?
Maybe, I’ll tell you about it next time.
The view of Mt. Fuji from the sky was surprisingly beautiful.
I’m happy to share those pictures with you, tonight.
The itinerary was stuffed with bunch of work. I’m tired of the trip and today’s tennis singles match in the scorching weather. I’ll go to bed soon. Good night! zzz

Business Trip to South Korea #4

2011-09-04T20:58:00.000+09:00

On the final day of my business trip to South Korea, I had a half day free time walking around capital Seoul with my colleague.

We had put our baggage in lockers in Seoul station. Then we went to Namdaemun Market and Myeongdong Cathedral on foot. It took just fifteen minutes from the station.
The cathedral was very beautiful. I took not a few pictures in it.

Business Trip to South Korea #3

2011-08-28T18:32:00.010+09:00

Office staff working for our subsidiary took us to nice restaurants everyday after work.

Yes, Korean foods and drinks suited my palate very much. Some foods were too spicy, but all in all, they were delicious.

I enjoyed every meal and atmosphere of the restaurant in Korea.

Sunflower Field in Mashiko

2011-08-21T19:59:00.003+09:00

I went to a sunflower field in Mshiko town near Utsunomiya city with my wife the other day. It took about half an hour by car. The flowers were in full bloom attracting visitors. I’ve never seen that many sunflowers blooming in one area. The scene was amazingly beautiful.

I had thought that there were plenty of people to view the field. But, twenty to thirty staff members took care of only about ten visitors including us.

They didn’t ask us an admission charge of the field nor a parking fee. We spent only 100 yen (1.3US$) for local vegetables.

On our way back home, we stopped over pottery shops to look ceramic wares. But it’s too hot to spend enough time to choose an appropriate one. Maybe we’ll buy next time.

Miya Matsuri Summer Festival in 2011

2011-08-14T21:08:00.002+09:00

Miyamatsuri Summer Festival 2011 fell on a rainy day again this year.

Tens of thousands of people came to Odori Avenue in front of Futarasan shrine to watch the bustle of festival one week ago. I also went out to watch it with cans of beer and cameras.
It was a great fun to me.

Business Trip to South Korea #2

2011-08-07T17:09:00.000+09:00

After landing on Gimpo International Airport, my boss and I took a taxi and headed to Suwon; about 30-minute-ride brought us to the hotel we had booked.

Suwon lies approximately 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Seoul. It houses one of CANON subsidiaries and many Samsung Electronics factories.
It was heavily raining.
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Business Trip to South Korea #1

2011-07-31T19:01:00.003+09:00

I went on a business trip to South Korea with my boss. The work itself was very meaningful and the time after work there was also very wonderful.

The only bad thing during the trip was its weather.
Rain, rain, rain, rain, cloudy, and rain.
I saw a clear sky only from an airplane.

Summer Festival

2011-07-24T21:34:00.000+09:00

The other day, I took pictures of summer festival participants in front of my condo.

When I checking pictures, sometimes, I realize myself how little I know about Japanese traditional festival clothes and gears. For example, what are the wood sticks they are holding in the first picture, how do they use them and purposes?

Are there special meanings of the hats and caps they are wearing in the fist and the second picture?

Please tell me if you know some.

JAPAN Wins The FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP GERMANY 2011

2011-07-18T20:45:00.000+09:00

In the early morning today, Japan won the world cup football game in Germany.

I got up early and watched TV. It was a very exciting game.

I was happy to watch the live game.

People Celebrate Tababata, A Japanese Star Festival

2011-07-10T20:08:00.002+09:00

On my way from office to home on July 7th, I found bamboo trees decorated with colorful streamers, stars and small pieces of paper on which children wrote their wishes.
Those were Japanese traditional star festival decorations. I remember that I celebrated star festivals when I was a kid and that I wrote wishes and put them on a bamboo tree.
But, I can’t remember what kind of wishes I had at that time.

According to legend, the Milky Way separates two lovers Princess Orihime and Cow Herder Hikoboshi, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month. Tanabata celebrates the meeting of the Orihime and Hikoboshi.

-------------------Legend of Star Festval----------------------
Orihime (Weaving Princess), daughter of the Tentei(Sky King), wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa (Milky Way). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet and fall in love with anyone.

Concerned about his daughter, Tentei arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (Cow Herder Star) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa.

When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and married shortly thereafter. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tentei and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven.

In anger, Tentei separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again.

Tentei was moved by his daughter’s tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if she worked hard and finished her weaving.

The first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river. It is said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies cannot come and the two lovers must wait until another year to meet.
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Miyaichi-Sai, Summer Festival Is Held in Utsunomiya Today.

2011-07-03T21:10:00.002+09:00

When I was taking a nap this afternoon, I overheard a sound of drums from outside. I got up, took an elevator to the ground floor and jumped out of my condo to see what’s going on outside.

Men and women, young and old, they were, not doing anti-government protest nor shouting against nuclear power plants, but they were enjoying their first summer festival in Utsunomiya, though it's still in the middle of a rainy season.

The scale of the festival was not so big as Miyamatsuri festival due in early August but I was able to get energy from them.

A Looooooong Cake

2011-06-26T20:15:00.001+09:00

The other day, when I walked around a nearby shopping mall alone, I happened to find people making a very long strawberry cake together.

I asked them what’s going on?

A guy told me that they were making a 1000m-long strawberry cake to celebrate a five-year anniversary of Yataimura or a Japanese style pub mall.

After completion of making the 1Km-cake, I was presented two pieces of cake from them.

I brought them back home and enjoyed the yummy cake with my family.

One Day Weekend

2011-06-19T21:14:00.004+09:00

Due to the big earthquake hit in Japan, my office was closed for a whole month from March 11th to April 10th. To compensate the one moth none-working period, the employees have to work even on Saturdays. So, my weekend is only today.

I played tennis in the morning, came back home, cleaned up my computer and took a rest for several hours at home. I should get up very early tomorrow as usual and head for my office. Sigh.
My body always complains me to get two days weekend.

Cactus Flowers

2011-06-12T20:54:00.001+09:00

Three big cactus flowers bloomed at the same time in my house last week. The same cactus had only one flower in early May.

It gave us wonderful atmosphere same as last month.

Unfortunately, those flowers were in full bloom only for two days.

The name of the cactus is “Bijyomaru” in Japanese. The Japanese name literally means a beautiful lady.

I don’t know who named it but the cactus fits the name to a T.
Don’t you think so?

Track and Field Competition

2011-06-05T22:09:00.000+09:00

I went to see a prefectural high school track and field competition a couple weeks ago.
My younger daughter 16-year-old Rina took part in 1,500m race of the competition. She could barely join the sixteen-member-finalists of the race. Then she ran through the goal line as 16th.

She has been a member of track and field club since she was a junior high student.
Yes, she keeps practicing long distance running over five years.
But, she couldn’t beat her own record that she got when she was 13 years old.

Like many women athletes, she seems to be struggling against becoming rich female body.

Business Trip to Mitsukaido

2011-05-29T19:57:00.004+09:00

I went to a Canon affiliated company in Ibaraki prefecture on business from last Monday to Thursday. I stayed in a small town called Mitsukaido.

I only walked around in the town in the early morning and after work at night.

Strange to say, I rarely met people in the town. The town seemed like a ghost town.

Music Days in Utsunomiya

2011-05-22T21:37:00.004+09:00

We’ve had a series of music concerts at the front yard of Futara-yama shine, or Banba-Hiroba, next to my condominium since a month ago.

From the world famous sax player to unknown amateur singers, I often ran into a mini concert when I was walking into or out of my condo.

I enjoy the moments of coming across a concert and listening to the live music with other passers-by.

About Saxophonist Sadao Watanabe

Born on February 1, 1933, in Utsunomiya, Japan; son of an electrician who played and taught the biwa, a four-stringed Japanese lute; married Mitsuko Itoh, 1957; children: Mako.Education: Graduated from the Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, 1965.

Started playing clarinet in his teens, later picked up alto saxophone; formed a “Jafro” band (jazz and African music), joined pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi’s Cozy Quartet, worked with Big Four Band, c. 1950s; became leader of Cozy Quartet, 1960; performed and recorded with Chico Hamilton and Gary McFarland in New York, 1965-66; returned to Japan, formed a quartet, started a jazz school, 1966; performed at Newport Jazz Festival, 1968; began hosting radio program, 1969; performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1970; organized Bravas Club festival (later known as Kirin the Club), 1985-; toured North and South America, Europe, and Africa, 1990-92; organized charity concert for Great Hanshin earthquake victims, 1995; toured Brazil, 1995; visited Tibet, 1996; toured Southeast Asia, 1996; traveled to Kenya, India, and Tibet to film the documentary, Sadao Watanabe Explores the Last Unknown Regions of the Earth, 1997; published his book of photographs, Vanishing Tibet, 1998; toured Europe, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, 1998; toured with Four Beat Band, 1999; worldwide tour to celebrate 50 years playing jazz, 2001.

Awards: Swing Journal, Best Japanese alto saxophonist, 1959-1987; Sluing Journal, Jazz Man of the Year eleven times, 1968-87; Art Festival Grand Prix Award (Japanese Grammy) for Sadao Watanabe Recital, 1977; Ministry of Education Award, 1986; City of Los Angeles Citizenship Citation for promoting friendship between U.S. and Japan through music, 1988; Honorable Cultural Award, Tokyo, 1995; honorary doctorate degree, Berklee College of Music, 1995; Medal with Purple Ribbon, Emperor of Japan, 1995.
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Utsunomiya Museum of Art

2011-05-15T19:10:00.001+09:00

My wife and I went to Utsunomiya Museum of Art last Sunday.

The museum is located in a forest of northern part of Utsunomiya city. It takes just half an hour by car from my condominium.

The collection of the museum includes world-famous paintings drawn by such as Marc Chagall, Rene Magritte and Vassily Kandinsky. Marc Chagall is one of my most favorite artists.

Needless to say its rich collections, the location of the museum gives a wonderful impression to us.

A Cactus Flower

2011-05-08T20:33:00.004+09:00

A cactus flower bloomed several days ago. I don’t know how often a cactus blooms but I’m lucky enough to have been able to see the flower only two weeks after I had bought it.

The first picture was taken the day I bought it. The bud was already slightly colored pink.

The left picture had been taken one night before it bloomed. The size of a bud became pretty big.

During the flower was blooming, the whole atmosphere of our condominium turned as bright as its color of the flower.

Memory of Matsue Castle

2011-05-01T21:46:00.002+09:00

Like every city does so, my hometown Matsue city has changed a lot in several decades. How has it changed? It became easier to drive, having wider streets, tourist friendly signs and information offices, having lots of well-known franchised shops like McDonalds and Starbucks, and newly built attractions for tourists.

I’m happy and proud of seeing those changes but, at the same time, I feel sad that well known narrow streets disappeared, small parks I used to play were replaced with tall buildings’ site and large supermarkets drove away small mama-and-papa shops.

I took the first picture from a Matsue-Ohashi bridge viewing Mt. Daisen to the east. There must not have been such big electricity towers.

Second picture was taken at the front yard of Matsue Castle. There were play fields and tennis courts there thirty-five years ago. I used to play baseball with my classmates after school. That was great fun to me at that time. But now, ball games inside castle site are prohibited.

Castle tower viewing from an opening between cherry blossoms is a few exceptions of unchanged scenes in downtown of Matsue.

I realize that I can go back to my current home town but can NOT go back to the city I lived forty years ago.
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On A Rainy Day In Matsue City

2011-04-24T20:23:00.001+09:00

I have never spent days in Matsue, about 90 minutes from Tokyo by air, in April since almost thirty years ago.

I usualy go back to my hometown Matsue in summer. Flowers in my family’s garden in April were quite diffret from those in summer. In the same way, it’s always sunny and hot in summer, on the contrary, I had both a rainy day and sunny days last time.

Plants and flowers viewing at my family’s home in a rainy day were new to me, so they were very attractive to me.

I took pictures in my family’s garden using a cellphone-built-in camera. I think quality of pictures taken with a cell phone becomes far better than a few years ago.

Don't you think so?

Cherry Blossoms at Night

2011-04-17T20:41:00.002+09:00

Night viewing of illuminated cherry trees is popular in Japan.

I walked to Futarasan or Futara-yama shrine last night; Several big cherry trees were in full bloom there. I also was able to see the full moon behind cherry blossoms.
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I'll Be Back to My Office Tomorrow.

2011-04-10T22:06:00.002+09:00

It took exactly one month to resume work.
General affairs division and administration division members have been restoring our offices with help of general construction companies since several days after the earthquake on March 11th.
Most of rubbles were cleared and the infrastructure such as electricity and water was almost back, according to the email from my boss. So, all engineers including me are allowed to go back to our offices tomorrow.
I feel half happy and half worried about stepping in the same building from which we barely escaped at the day of the disaster; we still have aftershocks everyday in my city.
But, sooner of later, we should confront it. That is tomorrow.

By the way, using this long days off, I went back to my hometown Shimane prefecture for a couple of days. I met my mother, my brother and my sister there. I enjoyed earthquake-free short holidays.

I show you some pictures taken near my mother’s house using a cell-phone-built-in-camera.

New Books and an Old Book

2011-04-05T13:47:00.000+09:00

Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March.
April 1st is the beginning day of a new semester.

My elder daughter Emi left us and moved to Tokyo, about 110km from Utsunomiya city last week. She lives in her college dormitory now. Her new college days have just started.

At the same time, younger daughter Rina became a second grade high school student. The other day, Rina brought back new text books for second grade students.

The contrast of an old book that was used by Emi for a whole year and new books that Rina got is quite interesting, isn’t it?

Perigee Moon in Utsunomiya, Japan

2011-03-28T18:38:00.007+09:00

According to CNN news, the moon was said about 14% bigger and 30% brighter one week ago. Having read the news, I looked up at the sky from my room, found a slightly bigger moon and took a couple of pictures of it.

It’s very beautiful, isn’t it?

I’m wondering how long it will take my office to recover? My boss sends emails regularly about how operations to restore the office rooms were going on. He said the day before yesterday that part of electricity supply was back but water was not back yet .

Sigh.

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(CNN) -- If the moon looks a little bit bigger and brighter this weekend, there's a reason for that. It is.
Saturday's full moon will be a super "perigee moon" -- the biggest in almost 20 years. This celestial event is far rarer than the famed blue moon, which happens once about every two-and-a-half years.
"The last full moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," said Geoff Chester with the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington. "I'd say it's worth a look."
Full moons look different because of the elliptical shape of the moon's orbit. When it's at perigee, the moon is about 31,000 miles (50,000 km) closer to Earth than when it's at the farthest point of its orbit, also known as apogee.
"Nearby perigee moons are about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the moon's orbit," the NASA website says.
This full moon will rise in the east at sunset and should look especially big at that time because of what's known as the "moon illusion."
"For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects," according to NASA.
Even though it may look close enough to touch, Saturday's full moon will still be at a healthy distance -- some 211,600 miles (356,577 km) away.
As rare as it is, it may be worth a look. Miss it and you'll have to wait until 2029 to see it again.

Utsunomiya Central Park

2011-03-20T22:50:00.010+09:00

All employees in my office including myself have been told to stay home till repairing our office damaged by the quake should complete. We don't have to work.

More than a week has passed since the earthquake on March 11.
Yes, I know: the damage is too severe to repair it within a week.
I got an email from my boss last Friday, saying that it might take another one week to repair the office at a usable level.

I recently feel tired of staying home and watching TV news about the quake or firefighters’ work against the nuclear power plants.
I think it’s true that not a little Japanese want to look brighter side of things as well as understanding current situations.
So, I went to Utsunomiya Central Park to see flowers today and yesterday.

Plants and flowers, of course, didn’t care about the quake or N-plants at all. They were just blooming as beautiful as they had been one year ago.

Damages Done by The Earthquake in Utsunomiya

2011-03-13T09:56:00.006+09:00

Thank you for kind messages. We are receiving messages, encouragements, offers and supports from many countries. These kindness will help us and our lives. I never forget you guys.

The sign says, "DANGER: Do not come close." in Futara-yama shrine.↓

The wall of a parking lot has fallen and hit the car.↓

Gravestones have fallen over in a cemetery.↓

A Powerful Earthquake Hits My Town, Utsunomiya.

2011-03-12T07:21:00.005+09:00

When I was working, suddenly a strong quake hit my office. My colleagues and I hid ourselves under each one’s desk.
In the meanwhile, not part but the whole ceiling in my office room collapsed and fell from the above.

White dust smoke covered our room. I heard one of women in the office was crying. After the big trembler ceased, I heard a voice asking me help. I removed a big fragment of ceiling covering his desk and rescued him who was trapped.
Then, I saw that some PC monitors fell but still kept emitting lights between broken ceiling boards on desks in the dark.
My boss, my department manager, a division manager who was holding hands of crying woman, colleagues and I barely escaped from the 4th floor of the building in a heavy white dust smoke and various piles of rubble.

On hearing a big sound of falling the ceiling and having kept my body in a small space beneath my desk, I thought a death myself as reality for the first time in my life.

I was very scared at the time but all my family members are safe.

Emi Passes College Entrance Exam.

2011-03-06T20:50:00.003+09:00

Congrats to Emi on passing the exam!

Emi holds certificates of passing exams.

Emi has successfully passed her college entrance exam; Sophia University is the name of the college in Tokyo. The college is her most favorite one and she was studying to target the college for a whole year.

To celebrate the outcome, we, my family members went to an Indian restaurant named ‘Gitanjali Mahal’ where she requested for lunch last Saturday.

We also had a lunch party in an Indian restaurant named ‘Taj Mahal’ when Rina, my younger daughter, had passed a high school entrance exam exactly one year ago.

To be honest, I prefer ‘Taj Mahal’ to ‘Gitanjali Mahal’ in terms of its food taste, furniture in it, its music and an overall atmosphere.

But, anyway we were all happy to have been able to have the occasion together.

Flowers of Cineraria Are In Full Bloom

2011-02-27T20:52:00.001+09:00

It's sunny and warm day again in Utsunomiya today.
Thanks to the warm weather these days, flowers of cineraria in my room are in full bloom right now.

I walked to a shine next to my condominium. Not only cineraria but a couple of cherry trees were in full bloom.

The building behind the flowers is the condominium in which we are living.

Flower Buds of Cineraria

2011-02-20T21:23:00.000+09:00

I went to a flower shop just in front of my condo to buy some flowers the other day. I found a grass pot that was full of flower buds. I didn’t know the name of the grass at that time, but without hesitation I bought it back. Then I put it on a same size empty glass pot and put it on a window frame at home. It seemed that the grass pot was floating in the air.

After that, I found its name, ‘cineraria’ on the web.

I’m looking forward to its flowers blooming.

It’s A Sunny Winter Day.

2011-02-13T21:23:00.001+09:00

Last Friday, February 11th is the National Foundation Day of Japan. It was a national holiday in Japan. So, today is the final day of three-day weekends.

I wanted to do a lot of things but did little for three days. It snowed both yesterday and the day before yesterday. I just got relaxed at home for two days.

It’s a fine day today; I headed to tennis courts by car, but snow still covered the courts.
I couldn’t play tennis but trees and park fields covered with snow near the courts were beautifully shinning in the morning sun light.

It was worth visiting for me even without playing tennis.

Pigs In A Car

2011-02-06T20:30:00.001+09:00

When I was driving on my way home from tennis courts, I happened to be behind a two-story-truck which carried lots of pigs today.
One of them was seriously staring at me for several minutes, so I was obliged to take his pictures when I stopped for traffic signals.
Of course, I didn’t know what was in his mind.
But, I felt a lot of things in my mind.

The signs behind the truck say “From Our Green Stock Farm To Your Dining Table.”

A Party with My Colleagues

2011-01-30T20:17:00.002+09:00

I had a party for welcoming a new comer to our department in my office last Friday. The restaurant just one minute from JR Utsunomiya station is famous for serving chicken dishes from Miyazaki prefecture. We had the party there. Miyazaki is now getting attentions for its bird flu infected chickens. The farmers there are unwillingly killing tens of thousands of chickens to prevent from spreading the disease across Japan, according to news reports.

The first dish they served was raw chicken meet. The colleagues seemed to enjoy eating the food, but I did not.
The guy who planed the party told me that he had decided the restaurant before the news of the bird flue were reported.
I thought he could have ample chances to change the place after hearing the news.

I didn’t enjoy the food but had a nice time talking and drinking with my colleagues.

A New Pair of Sneakers

2011-01-23T21:41:00.001+09:00

I bought Rina a new pair of sneakers a couple weeks ago. She was very delighted to have them. I’ve always bought her new shoes for jogging when her old ones had worn out. I thought jogging shoes were the best choice for her. Because she is a member of an athletic club in her high school and likes running very much.

But, recently, the idea seemed not always true to her. She said that she sometimes wanted to wear cute casual shoes like her classmates were wearing at school.

I realized she has become matured a bit.
The shoes she is holding are the ones she really wanted to wear.

Snow Covered Utsunomiya

2011-01-16T21:11:00.001+09:00

It had snowed in my town last night. Even on Saturday, I worked till midnight yesterday and barely came back home by bicycle in the snow.

On the contrary, it’s sunny day today.

The town is covered with a one-inch-thick snow blanket and is shimmering in the morning sunshine.
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Mt. Fuji Viewed from My Balcony

2011-01-10T21:19:00.003+09:00

On sunny days, especially in the morning or in the evening, I can enjoy viewing Mt. Fuji from my new condo. Mt Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.

Although it’s located about 200 km away from Utsunomiya, I can take full size pictures of Mt. Fuji using a camera with x20 lens.

Before moving in current condo, even I’ve been living in the same city for almost 15 years, I can’t remember I’ve ever seen Mt. Fuji.

Viewing Mt. Fuji has become one of my favorite pleasures at home.
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I Wish You Have a Wonderful Happy New Year.

2011-01-01T22:42:00.003+09:00

We moved in here on December 26th last year.
I was so busy preparing to move that I even couldn’t find a minute to do my weekly blog update on last Sunday.
Finally, a super hectic week for putting tons of chaotic cardboard-boxes in order has almost ended
I’m planning to be relaxed and enjoy new year holidays from tomorrow till my office starts an operation on January 5th.

I wish all visitors to my blog enjoy new year holidays and have a wonderful happy new year.
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Moving to a New Condo

2010-12-19T18:22:00.004+09:00

We are going to move to a new condominium in Utsunomiya next week. It’s located just twenty minutes from here on foot. We have been living in our current condominium since March in 1996 when we moved in from Tokyo.

Since several new higher buildings were constructed in front of our residence, the daytime when we can get sunlight in our rooms decreased a lot and the view from its balcony became far worse than before.

Those triggered me to buy a new one.
Empty rooms get a lot of sunshine and the view from the rooms is excellent.
We can’t wait for the day of moving.

A view from the balcony of the new condo.

Emi And Her Close Friend At Their High School

2010-12-12T18:35:00.004+09:00

My wife Kiyono, my daughter Emi and her close friend went to Emi’s high school to feed fish which were kept at her high school.
I didn’t go with them, but Kiyono took a video for me so I could see the scene of their feeding.
I trimmed a few pictures out of the video.

Emi is recently very busy studying for her college entrance exams scheduled in the coming January. So, it’s hard for her to find an ample fun time with her friends. Nor can she find a fun time at home.

Since I rarely see Emi’s big laughing recently at home, somehow I was relieved by seeing such a loud laughing and the scene they enjoyed feeding fish.
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The Site Of A Traffic Accident

2010-12-05T18:46:00.002+09:00

I happened to come across the site of a traffic accident on my way to Futara-yama shrine yesterday. When I passed-by there, several firefighters and police were checking the car and asking people involved in the accident.
Apparently, the car had caught fire and firefighters had put it out before I saw them.

After coming back home, I checked the web site of a local news paper about the accident. It said that luckily nobody were seriously injured.

I firmly decided I would never do speeding, though this feeling would disappear in several weeks. lol

The Season For Autumn Leaves

2010-11-28T20:09:00.001+09:00

I played tennis today with Rina and some of my friends in Kiyohara Industrial Park.

The leaves there were at their peak color.
I enjoyed the changing colors of autumn leaves and, of course, playing tennis.

To tell you the truth, I've had a shoulder pain since early September this year.
I usually play tennis three to four times a week, but now I do only once a week.

I'm happy to think that even only once a week to play tennis is far far better than never.

Hot Air Balloon Competition in Utsunomiya

2010-11-21T19:47:00.000+09:00

When I played tennis at Shirasawa Green Park today, I happened to see many hot air balloons in the sky. They were flying so far away that I could barely see them like dots in the sky.

I remembered “Tochigi Hot Air Balloon International Championship” held in my city three years ago. That had been a wonderful experience to me.

I upload two pictures I took today and a video I made three years ago.

The Town I lived For 10 Years

2010-11-14T19:39:00.012+09:00

Picture #1

Picture #2

Picture #3

I went to Omori, Tokyo at the end of October. Omori is the place I had lived for ten years before I got married. There are a lot of memories at the town.

Picture #1
Sanno elementary school has buildings and a hard surface athletics track field. An athletic meeting was held on the day.

Picture #2
The tree at the flower shop grew faaaaar bigger than before. I think they could not cut the tree down, instead they caved their shop wall. lol.

Picture #3
There were quite a few public bath houses in Tokyo long ago. The bath house I visited several times was still standing there.
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Preparing For Entrance Exams.

2010-11-07T19:13:00.002+09:00

I took a lot of pictures of Emi, one of my daughters, the other day.
When I take a picture of a person, I usually say “Smile, please.” But it was different last time.
I said “Be Smart.”
Why?

The pictures are to be used as ID photos for college application forms. Most of Japanese colleges, I guess, don’t accept an ID picture with a smile.

Entrance exams are scheduled in January and February next year.
Emi is very busy studying these days.

I really hope that Emi will pass her most favorite college’s exam, knock on wood.

2010 Japan Cup Cycle Road Race in Utsunomiya

2010-10-31T19:24:00.002+09:00

The Japan Cup, a road cycling event which has been held every October since 1992, was held in Utsunomiya city on October 23 this year.
My wife and I went to downtown Utsunomiya to watch the 35 kilometer long Criterium race for the first time.

I go to my office by bicycle everyday. It takes me about half an hour in the morning and another half an hour at night. I think I know “riding a bike” better than anyone around me in my office. But the road race was quite different from what I had thought before.

I’ve never seen such men who run that fast in front of me. It was very exciting event. They ran so fast that I missed chances of perfect photo shots many times.

I’ll take better shots next year!

Baby Alpaca in ‘Bell Mall’ Becomes Bigger.

2010-10-24T18:12:00.002+09:00

The other day, Rina and I went shopping for Rina’s new shoes at ‘Bell Mall,’ the largest shopping mall in Utsunomiya city.
'Bell Mall' staff keep alpacas near the entrance of the shopping mall. The alpaca couple living there gave birth to a baby girl in the end of June this year.

The five-day-old baby alpaca had looked frail and was walking clumsily in June. But, we found her become bigger, cuter and walking with steady steps this time.

I think watching the new born alpaca must be a fun to most of the visitors to 'Bell Mall.'

Chic Cafe In Kanuma City

2010-10-17T19:30:00.004+09:00

I took a day off from work and went to Kanuma city with my wife a couple weeks ago. Kanuma city is located west of Utsunomiya. It took us about forty minutes by car.

It was a beautiful raining autumn day.
We visited a cool coffee shop named “Kyo-Cha-An.”

They served us delicious light meal and excellent flavor coffee with yummy dessert.
The shop was decorated with old Japanese displays and furniture, so it seemed like a little antique shop.

I think the shop is one of must-visit shops in Kanuma city.

Nobi Left An Empty Rabbit Hutch.

2010-10-11T17:01:00.000+09:00

Our pet rabbit Nobi passed away peacefully on last Thursday.

She was six years old, lived with us almost five years. She has left us an empty house of her own and plenty of wonderful memories.

We knew a live animal should die soon or later as well as other pets we had taken care of such as turtles, flogs, fish, ants and beetles.
But we never thought of it for Nobi, no, no we didn’t want to think of it.

The day suddenly fell on us and it became reality on Oct. 7th.
To perform a funeral, my two daughters and I went to a forest near Utsunomiya Museum of Art: we call it a rabbit museum because of its well-known rabbit statue in our city. It was raining on Saturday.

Business Trip To Tokyo

2010-10-03T19:36:00.003+09:00

I made a business trip to CANON headquarters in Tokyo to attend the seminar of software development technology last week.

The seminar was fruitful for my daily work, but not interesting enough to post an article about it on my blog.

On my way to the headquarters, I made a short visit to Ebisu which was one of my most favorite towns in Tokyo. There were a lot of beautiful flowers and high rise buildings.
I took pictures for a couple of hours there.

If you like taking pictures and have a chance to visit Ebisu, never miss to visit Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. You can enjoy watching a bunch of pictures.

What Do You Do In The Morning Everyday?

2010-09-26T20:43:00.002+09:00

The first thing I do in the morning in summer is to pick up a newspaper at the mail box, then go out to the balcony to count the number of flowers blooming everyday.

I read the newspaper and take a glance at morning-glory flowers once in a while before my wife gets up. I like doing that.

I feel the summer is passing when the number of flowers decreases.

Recently, the number of flowers has decreased very much and the size of flowers has also become smaller than that in the top season.

Yes, autumn is coming in my town Utsunomiya.

Track And Field 800-Meter Race

2010-09-20T20:53:00.005+09:00

Rina won the women’s track and field 800-meter race the day before yesterday.
Congratulations Rina!
But, she told me that some skilled athletes did not come to the race and that’s the reason why she was able to win the race.

Judging from the time record, it seems true in certain way. She earned the time record of 2 minutes 33 seconds this time, but she ran at the record of 2 minutes 27 seconds one year ago.

She has become taller, bigger and heavier these days. As many female teenage-athletes feel, I guess, Rina feels it hard to beat her own time record at her younger age.

By the way, the third Monday of September is a national holiday ‘ Respect-for-the-Aged Day’ in Japan. We should honor and show respect to the aged today.

But, forgetting everything about the respect-for-the-aged day, I played tennis with my friends in northern resort area of Tochigi prefecture today.

I was happy to be able to play tennis in such a beautiful mountain resort and refresh myself.
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Making Red Beet Salad

2010-09-12T19:34:00.004+09:00

I ate red beet salad the other day. It’s very delicious. So, I tell you how to make red beet salad today.

1. Sow seeds in rainy season in a plant pot on the 4th floor of your condo.
2. Forget everything about sowing the seeds and wait just for one month.
3. Remember that you sowed seeds a month ago.
4. Watch the grass carefully everyday till the roots become red and bigger enough to eat.
5. Prepare black sesame dressing for the red beet.
6. Eat them with smile. That’s all.

We Won The Tennis Tournament.

2010-09-05T22:18:00.002+09:00

We won the Kiyohara Industrial Park (KIP) tennis tournament 2010.

KIP holds a tennis tournament on the first Saturday in September or on the last Saturday in August every year.
A team consists three doubles, all members should be working in KIP, can attend the tournament.

We participated in the tournament last year, but we became runner-ups.

I asked five brave colleagues who were very good at playing tennis to join my team and to win the tournament together.

Some of them were the same as the last year's team members, the others were newcomers.

We won the tournament, then got a trophy, a certificate and a prize (about 90US$ wroth coupon) for the winner.

One of the team members, Mr. Ikeda accidentally broke the trophy.

Hinomisaki Light House

2010-08-29T20:51:00.005+09:00

I went to Hinomisaki light house when I stayed in Shimane prefecture.

It took me an one-hour train ride and a forty-five-minute cycling from Matsue city to the light house via Izumo Taisha station.

It’s amazingly beautiful. The wonderful color contrast between the blue sky and the white building and the view of the ocean made me forget everything of a tough 8 km bike ride in the scorching sun light.

I've Come Back From Shimane, My Hometown.

2010-08-22T19:16:00.004+09:00

I had spent Obon holiday season in my hometown Matsue city, Shimane prefecture for ten days and just came back the day before yesterday by airplane.
I met my mother, my brother and my sister-in-law living in Matsue city.

Obon is a Buddhist festival to recognize ancestral spirits in Japan.
It is believed these spirits return to their families during the period.

We invited a monk to the house and asked him to recite a religious sutra for ancestral spirits.

Before my father passing away, we had never invited a monk for Obon ceremony, nor had we been such a religious family at all.

During this Obon season, I took a ten-day-off from my office, adding a five-day-paid-holiday to my company’s predetermined five-day-Obon-holiday for every employees.

I stayed there so long that I could have really been relaxed.

Left: my mother, Center: my sister-in-law, Right: my brother

Miya Matsuri Summer Festival in Utsunomiya

2010-08-08T22:06:00.002+09:00

Miya Matsuri Summer Festival is held in the center of Utsunomiya city in early August every year.

Many people, young, old, men, women wearing Yukata come to the center area of the city to watch parades of decorated floats, eat and drink street foods.

My elder daughter Emi is too busy for studying to go to the festival. Younger daughter Rina went there wearing Yukata with her friends.

I didn’t have a chance to take pictures of Rina in Yukata but took some pictures of decorated floats and young guys carrying a Mikoshi or portable shrine.

Piano Concert

2010-08-01T21:11:00.002+09:00

My wife Kiyono has started taking piano lessons once every two weeks since January this year.

Last week, she participated in a small piano concert with other piano learners and a teacher.

The concert was arranged by the piano school to which she goes.
It was the first time for her to play the piano, Chopin Nocturne Op.9 No.2, in front of the audience.

Most of the participants of the concert seem to enjoy their opportunities to play in a concert hall, just as I enjoy opportunities to take part in local tennis tournaments.

I’m not cut out for classical music though, it’s fun to listen live music. Kiyono and other eager learners did great jobs.

Lavender Field

2010-07-25T22:11:00.003+09:00

A couple weeks ago, I went to a lavender field in Shirasawa Green Park near Kinu river.
It looked beautiful and smelled nice.

People working for Shirasawa park maintain various beautiful flowers, for example, lavender, poppy, field mustard, cosmos, cherry blossom, …

I’ve never met people in charge of gardening in the park but I know the work must be hard.
Thanks guys there for keeping beautiful flowers all the year around.
I really appreciate your efforts.

A Summer Festival Season Has Come In Utsunomiya.

2010-07-19T19:56:00.001+09:00

Rainy season has been over here in Tochigi and a summer festival season has come.
Ten-nou-sai summer festival is the first summer festival in the year in Utsunomiya city.
We had it yesterday and the day before yesterday.

After practicing tennis with my colleagues as usual on Saturday, I went to the center area of Utsunomiya city and took some pictures.

Upper House Election in Japan

2010-07-11T21:52:00.003+09:00

We have an upper house election today.

According to TV news, the ruling Democratic party of Japan appears to have suffered a major defeat. The ruling coalition is said to lose its majority in the chamber.

I think most Japanese don’t seem to be satisfied with today’s politics.

Then, which party, or who can change Japan to the right direction that we hope?

We need a powerful politician having a strong leadership and knowledge.

A woman is entering a local elementary school gym arranged for a voting station.↓

Flowers Blooming By The Roadside

2010-07-04T21:14:00.000+09:00

It’s still in the middle of the rainy season in Tochigi prefecture.

I think it takes more two to three weeks before we have hot summer days.

Even these sultry rainy days, just short walking near my home brought me a nice discovery or tiny flowers blooming by the roadside.

Sheared Alpacas and Their Five-Day-Old Baby

2010-06-27T20:08:00.004+09:00

I went to ‘Bell Mall,’ the largest shopping mall in Utsunomiya city with my wife Kiyono to see alpacas today.

Luckily, we happened to see their newly born baby. The staff said it had been born just five days before.

The father is pure white and the mother is dark brown. Mysteriously, the baby is not light brown but is exactly the same color as its mother.

Poppy Field

2010-06-20T21:08:00.001+09:00

The local meteorological agency declared last week that this year’s rainy season in Tochigi prefecture had started.

It was sunny and sultry day today.

I went to a poppy field located northern part of Utsunomiya city with Rina today.
It took us about thirty minutes by car.

The top season of the flowers seemed to have passed, but still we could enjoy seeing colorful flowers.

After coming back home, Rina immediately went to a shopping mall alone to buy her favorite serial comic book scheduled to sell today and a small father’s day present to me.

The present was frozen sweets. That was delicious. Thanks Rina.

But, the main reason she instantly left home for the shopping mall was, doubtlessly, the comic book … lol

Kiyono Published A Book

2010-06-13T06:54:00.003+09:00

My wife Kiyono published a book again about English cool phrases with two other English teachers.

This is a second time for her to publish a book. One of coauthors is Mr. Matsuno who was also my English teacher about twenty years ago.

Congratulations Kiyono and Mr. Matsuno on publishing the new book.

I’m very happy: Kiyono did a great job and my English teacher still vigorously keeps publishing new books like two decades age.
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“What Am I?”

2010-06-06T21:09:00.002+09:00

“What Am I?”
“A dog, a rabbit, a sheep, a camel or a goat …”

“No, no, I am an alpaca.”

An alpaca came to Banba-Hiroba open space, the center of Utsunomiya city, from Nasu Animal Kingdom with dogs, rabbits and other animals yesterday.

I had nothing special to do yesterday so I went to Banba-Hiroba and took some pictures.
Isn’t it cute?

It is said that alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights at an altitude of around 4,000 m in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile.
Alpaca fiber is used for making knitted and woven items including blankets, sweaters, hats and gloves.

Nasu Animal Kingdom in Tochigi is at far lower an altitude than that of those countries.

Alpacas attract maney tourists in Japan these days thanks to their increasing popularity by TV broadcasting.

Kiyohara Industry Park Tennis Tournament

2010-05-30T19:24:00.004+09:00

A tennis club I belonged to for twelve years closed in the end of March this year.

After the closing, my weekly tennis routine has changed a little. I used to play tennis on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the club.

I couldn’t do that any more, so I looked for colleagues who play tennis. Then, I found a group of people who practice and play tennis on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Without hesitation, I asked them to join in the group and I have become a member of the group.

Two weeks ago, I attended to the Kiyohara Industry Park Tennis Tournament with one of the members and got a prize of doubles consolation tournament winner. The prize was about 18US$ wroth coupon.

It’s fun to practice in a new group and with new members.

Unchanged Scenery of Matsue City

2010-05-24T21:58:00.004+09:00

I’m posing in front of a bus stop in the downtown of Matsue city. ▼

Downtown of Matsue city has changed drastically in the past few decades but scenery in the suburb, near my mother’s house, has not changed a lot.

Rice fields, birds, the view from the hill top where I used to go and a small shrine seem almost same as those in the decades ago.

Above all, unchanged spirit and kindness of my mother, my brother and my sister attract me and make me come back to my hometown even such a hectic itinerary.

A small shrine near my family home. ▼

A bird, heron in a rice field. ▼

A view from the hill top where I used to go. ▼

‘Dance Of Dragon’

2010-05-16T20:37:00.002+09:00

On our way to my hometown Matsue city, we stopped over Yokokawa Service Area for taking a short rest.
I found a guy who was making sweets in front of the people there and selling.
‘Dance Of Dragon’ is the name of the sweets.
The way of making the sweets seemed like a way of making noodles in China.

Chinese make hand-pulled noodles using a flexible dough that can be stretched easily.
The dough is stretched until it looks like a long, thick rope.
The rope is folded in half, and stretched back to its original length, again and again.

The man in Yokokawa SA used special dough with honey and made fibers far thinner than Chinese noodles. Then, the man wrap up a variety of ground nuts with the honey taste fibers.

Are you asking they were delicious?

Sure, they were. I had never tasted like them before.

Golden Week in Shimane

2010-05-09T20:06:00.010+09:00

I went to my hometown Shimane prefecture during the Golden Week and stayed there on May 2 and May 3.

Golden week: the period from April 29th to May 5th when there are four national holidays in Japan.

My mother, my brother and my sister-in-law live together in Matsue, a capital city of Shimane prefecture.

Shimane is located about 1,000 km southwest of Utsunomiya.

During this Golden week season, it becomes very hard to take air tickets, so I drove all-night-long my car to the town, to be exact, it took us seventeen hours.

It’s really tough to drive so long hours but we had a very meaningful moment together with family members.

Flowers and a butterfly in the garden of my mother’s house.↓

Hanamizuki Festival 2010

2010-04-25T21:06:00.004+09:00

Annual Hanamizuki Festival was held near my home today; It takes just one minute on foot to the main stage of the Festival.

Hanamizuki is the name of a tree whose white, red, pick or yellow flowers bloom in late April after the cherry blossom season.

The festival is not celebrated nationwide but is celebrated locally, especially, at least I know, in east part of Utsunomiya city.

People in the city enjoy the beginning of a short warm season, just one month before the rainy season.

They used to have a motor bike show, I love very much, in the festival but they don’t have it this year because of, I guess, financial problem.

Around the Hanmizuki Festival season, I can feel a nice spring breeze while riding on my bicycle.

Kinu Green Park

2010-04-19T19:14:00.001+09:00

I went to Kinu Green Park to take flower pictures yesterday.

Kinu Green Park is located near Kinu river in the eastern part of Utsunomiya, about thirty minutes driving from my home.

It becomes warmer and warmer in my town, the field mustard flowers in the park were beautifully in full bloom.

As it was clear sky, we could see Nasu mountains far away to the north from the park.

Cherry Blossoms

2010-04-11T19:14:00.001+09:00

I go to and back from my office by bicycle, feeling full of spring atmosphere these days.

On the way from home to my office, there are cherry trees. Only for about one week in April, they have amazing beautiful flowers on their branches.

Yes, it’s hard to go to my office by bike on a rainy day.

But, being able to do good exercise and lots of seasonal beautiful scenery prevent me from giving up an every day thirty-minute biking journey to my office.

I show you cherry blossom pictures that I took today and yesterday.

I'm Back On My Feet.

2010-04-04T20:18:00.003+09:00

Suffering from a terrible stomachache and loose bowels last week, I took a three-day-sick-leave from my office. I had intravenous drips for two days.

And what is worse, I have had a backache for the first time since almost two years ago.

Now, I’m back on my feet and healthy enough to play tennis again.
Since I haven’t had such a long sick leave before, I really feel the importance of good health more than anything else.

It has nothing to do with my physical condition, I made a fake picture on the web site for fun.
Please take a look.

The Final Day Of My Tennis Club Has Come.

2010-03-28T19:53:00.002+09:00

I have been playing tennis two to three times a week for twelve years on the top of a building. But, the tennis courts are going to be closed in the end of this month due to lack of members.

It is said that Japanese economy hit the bottom and is now on the way of recovering. Do you think it is recovering? I doubt it.

The close of the tennis courts shocked me and other members very much. My tennis coach will be laid off in three days and have to find a new job. I guess finding a new job at his age is not easy. So, I can’t help sympathizing him.

I’m now thinking to take a rest of playing tennis for a couple of weeks and start a tennis-club-hunting in the middle of April.

Perhaps, playing tennis in the new place with new members could be fun to me in a sense.

Left: Me Right: Tennis Coach, Mr. Yuzuki

Center: Me, Back Left: Ms. & Mr. Soma, Back Center: Mr. Yuzuki, Back second from the right: Mr. Nakagawa, Back Right: Hikaru or son of Mr. Yuzuki
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Indian Restaurant ‘Taj Mahal’

2010-03-22T21:05:00.004+09:00

To celebrate Rina’s passing her high-school entrance exam, I went to a nearby Indian restaurant ‘Taj Mahal’ and have lunch with my family.

My two daughters Rina and Emi enjoyed the dishes very much; beforehand, I had not failed to ask a waitress that food be not-too-spicy for kids.

I found again that my seventeen-year-old elder daughter Emi has become able to eat a lot of food, more than the portion for one person.
That must be one of the reasons that she amazingly became bigger for the last one year, I understand.

They displayed many Indian antiques and paintings. They also played Indian music as a BGM in the restaurant. It was nice atmosphere as we visited last time.

Though you may feel the prices are a little expensive, I guess it is worth every penny.

Congratulations Rina On Graduation and Passing The Exam!

2010-03-14T21:22:00.006+09:00

The Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March. Rina, my younger daughter, graduated junior high school last week.

She is going to go to the same high school as that of my elder daughter Emi goes to.

I was very relieved that Rina passed the entrance exam. Because, even just one week before the exam, she kept going to tennis school, kept morning jogging and kept watching TV anime program seriously.

I could not go to her commencement ceremony, but I heard Rina was very happy to have been able to attend the ceremony with her close friends and teachers.

Congratulations Rina on both her graduation and passing the entrance exam!

Hina Dolls Wait For A Display.

2010-03-07T20:37:00.003+09:00

Most Japanese families having girls celebrate Hinamatsuri Festival on March 3rd by displaying Hina dolls at their homes. We have not been an exception of it for seventeen years since our elder daughter was born.

But, we were very busy handling a lot of chores last couple of weeks. So, we haven’t displayed Hina dolls this year.

One of headaches is water leakage from the wall of our condominium. We had to move tons of goods in one room to the other for repairing the wall.

The construction workers are scheduled to come again tomorrow. They said it would take more three to four days to complete. Sigh…

I took the picture a few years ago. The doll is now in a dark closet with other dolls, waiting for being displayed again, maybe, one year later.

A Spring Day in Futara-yama Shrine

2010-02-28T22:11:00.005+09:00

It’s been warmer and warmer in Utsunomiya.

It had been raining in the morning, so I gave up playing tennis and lazily took a morning nap after eating breakfast.

I slept for a couple of hours and got up around noon. Luckily, it cleared up in the sky.

I went to Futara-yama shrine to feel a spring breeze. It’s about a ten-minute-biking away from my home.
Going up along stone steps, I found several religious people and lots of pigeons as usual.
A small difference was that I found a full-bloomed white plum tree in the shrine yard.
It’s beautifully blooming in the sacred and warmer spring atmosphere.

I couldn’t ask for a nicer spring afternoon like today.

I’m sure that an exciting cherry blossom season is coming soon.

Quiz "Guess Who He Is"

2010-02-21T21:20:00.007+09:00

One of my office workers asked me to find some pictures of my own which were taken when I was a small child.

The office worker was in charge of designing my department’s web page. About one hundred people are working at the same department.

The web page contains a monthly quiz that shows some pictures taken at their younger age and guess who he is or she is.

The answer of the next month quiz is me.

Can you answer the quiz correctly by just seeing those pictures?