Monkey Show Was Held Next to My Condo.

 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.

Music Days in Utsunomiya

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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“What Am I?”

“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.