Ohya Festival in Tochigi

“Festa in Ohya 2006” is the official name of the festival. It was held on October 28th and 29th. I wanted to go to Nikko area but I thought it would be very crowded and I did not want to be held in traffic jam. So, I chose to go to rather closer place to my house.
Walking around Ohya area, having lunch near a river, eating snacks while walking, watching kids' performances and buying fresh vegetables in a sunny autumn day were great fun to us.

Elementary school children played Wadaiko on the stage in Ohya-Keikan park on Sunday 29th of October. Their performance was cute and excellent.




People tied an Omikuji after praying their hope in the site of Takisan-Jihouin shrine near Ohya-Stone museum.
Murasaki Shikibu, or the Japanese Beauty Berry, which produces small, round, purple berries, is in season.
Its name, literally translatable as 'purple master of the ceremonies', is said to have been named after the Heian Period writer, "Murasaki Shikibu."
The plant's 2-3 millimeter in diameter berries turn a lustrous purple in autumn.


Mountains in Ohya area are very unique. It's said that Ohya stone was formed by the volcanic eruption about 20 million years ago.

We had lunch near this river seeing the fantastic cliff view.

The final day arrived. Goodbye my car.

The car has been my companion since May of 1996. It has run 76801km for over ten years. Thanks a lot.
Sometimes, I felt you are real part of my body or a friend. You could go everywhere, even narrowest roads which other cars couldn’t go into. You were waiting for me even smallest parking space where other cars couldn’t park in.
You were not good at speeding. While going up slopes, you ran slower than fifty kilometers per hour even on the highway. I'll never forget you. Goodbye Nissan March.

Best Season For Sports.

We won Mohka Tennis Club Tournament last Saturday. It was a very nice day for any sport, especially for tennis. I live in Utsunomiya city though, I attend Mohka city tennis tournament very often. Why?
The reason is quite simple. Tennis players’ skill in Utsunomiya city is far higher than that of Mohka city.
We received a trophy, a certificate, yummy Tochigi pears and socks for tennis. No doubt, I choose Mohka tennis matches.

Back left:Mr.Souma, Back center:Ms.Souma, Back right:Mr.Nakagawa, Front right:Ms.Tajima, Front left:me!
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Another Business Trip to Mizonokuchi in Kanagawa-ken

I went to Canon Employee Training Center in Mizonokuchi, Kanagawa-ken, a half an hour train ride from Shibuya last week.
Even raining, I took a walk and took several pictures after lunch. I usually do a light exercise or playing tennis after lunch for ten to fifteen minutes in Utsunomiya. When I have to go on a business trip, walking and taking pictures refresh me after lunch.

Hijiribashi bridge in Tokyo

Hijiribashi bridge built in 1929 over Kanda river between Yushima in Bunkyo-ku and Surugadai in Chiyoda-ku is said to be one of the most beautiful bridges in Tokyo. I went to Tokyo on business last Wednesday and had a time to visit Ochanomizu after work. I walked around the town and took pictures. Though shops and Meiji university’s campus were changed, Hijiribashi bridge seemed unchanged.

Kuri Gohan or Boiled Rice With Chestnuts

I bought three packs of peeled chestnuts, vegetables, mushrooms and soybeans’ taste source.

Cutting the vegetables and mushrooms into pieces, washing four cups of rice, putting them into a rice cooker with water and off course chestnuts, turn the cooker's switch ON.
Waiting for forty-five minutes, perfect autumn food will be ready.

Here comes Kuri Gohan or boiled rice with chestnuts. Deeeeeeeelicious!

A Japanese Pop Star

I spent this three days weekend rather lazily, watching TV, sleeping until noon and eating.
When I was a high school student, I liked to listen to the music especially Japanese pops, folk music and rock music.

One of my favorite artists is Yohsui INOUE. I think he is now in his late fifties. I watched his concert on TV this weekend, which was held this summer in Setagaya, Tokyo.

He still keeps a clear vocal sound and an energetic singing style. His unchanging way of singing for over thirty years impressed me very much.

Image Stabilizer technology

I was working for Nikon, in the development center of camera department.
I changed companies almost ten years ago from Nikon to Canon. I was engaged in developing Image Stabilizer technology. At the final day as a Nikon employee, I gave a speech to everyone working my department. I remember the speech, something like this,
“I’ve been happy to be working as a member of Nikon to develop new cameras.”
“I chose this company because I liked cameras and liked to take pictures a lot.”
“I’ll never, ever forget the days working with you and days at this department.”
Oh, good old memory! I was in Tokyo not in Utsunomiya.
At that time, digital cameras and Image Stabilizer technology are not common. Recently, most of people take digital photos using a camera or a cellular phone. It’s becoming hard to find a person who uses a film camera. Now, I’m happy to know some of my friends using a digital camera with Image Stabilizer technology.
Recently, I checked US patents database and found twelve US patents I invented have been registered, ironically, after I left the company.
Those remind me of my hard working days and are still connecting me to camera industry.
You can find my patents on the US patent search site. Just copy the following seven digits numbers and paste it in.
6445882
5809353
5771405
5740472
5940631
5930530
5881325
5761547
5748995
5724617
5678069
5678068

Summer Heat Continues.

It’s been still very hot in Utsunomiya. I played tennis with my colleagues for a whole day yesterday.
One of our company’s optical equipment development centers is located in Kiyohara Industrial Park in Utsunomiya.

Luckily, KIP association arranges tennis tournament several times every year for all employees working for companies in KIP. Comparing to other tennis tournaments, it’s a bit different. It’s free of charge and even KIP association gives a winner, finalists, and semi-finalists a prize. Why it’s possible? Because, I guess, companies subsidize KIP association.
Our tennis team couldn’t win though, we got a prize. (^o^)Y

Sano Premium Outlets

Sano Premium Outlets produced by Chelsea Japan Co. is really nice place. Especially, buildings and flowers are beautiful. There are various shops. Godiva, Benetton, Jaeger and Columbia Sportswear are examples of them. It takes about one hour from Utsunomiya by car. Even you don’t buy anything, you can enjoy looking around and taking photos.

Cellular phones have changed ways of communication.

At the restaurant, a couple didn’t talk a single word just looked each other’s eyes. If so, it’s quite usual. But, situations have changed a little recently.
A couple sitting face to face look each one’s cellular phone’s display. Each of them didn’t say a word and doing web surfing for almost 20 minutes. Occasionally, they seemed to receive web mails and sending back reply mails, still they kept looking the phone’s display.
Don’t you think it’s very strange, do you? Cellular phones gave a lot of benefits to us but we seem to forget something more important......

The last day of my sixteen-day vacation

Today is the last day of my sixteen-day long summer vacation, sigh.
Time flies really fast. Tochigi, Tokyo, Matsue, Aichi and Nagano are the places I visited.

Final two days are relatively calm. I visited Utsunomiya Museum of Art. Off course, Chagall and Rene Magritte paintings are wonderful. But, Ishida Tetsuya’s paintings are very impressive to me. Those paintings have very unique special atmosphere. I don’t want to pin up any of his copy, though impressive image long stays in our mind.

Anyway, I should get up early tomorrow. Tons of untouched works and more than one thousand emails are waiting for my come back!!
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Natsu Matsuri is a Kids' wonderland.

When I was a small kid, one of my most favorite things in summer is to go to Natsu Matsuri or summer festivals that are held in small Japanese shrines or temples.

Kids can play games, buy toys, eat sweets, and watch strange shows.

Many of those exciting events are still existing in some downtown Tokyo.

Visiting summer festivals was as important for me as swimming in the sea, camping with friends, or watching big fireworks.

A small summer festival in downtown Tokyo

Rina eats an apricot candy. Behind her, you can see colorful small balloons. Kids try to fish balloons with a hook and a paper made line. This picture was taken in Tabata, Tokyo.

St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral

On my way back to Utsunomiya, I visited St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral. It has a typical Gothic structure with a large rose window more than four meters in diameter above the front entrance. The glasses in the picture were in the back side of the wall.
The Cathedral was built in Sanjyo Kawaramachi, Kyoto in 1890. It was brought into The Museum of MEIJI-MURA in Aichi prefecture.

Inside the Cathedral

Sunlight going through glasses beautifully illuminates the flour.

We Pick Some Vegetables Before Breakfast.

My younger daughter Rina is standing on the left. My mom is on the right. They meet only once a year. “How big you have become!” is the first words my mom says to my daughter every year.

The first work of the day is picking some vegetables before breakfast. My mom, my brother and my sister have a small vegetable garden next to their house. Breathing fresh morning air and a light work before breakfast can be a good start of a day.

My mom becomes eighty-one years old this summer. I feel she becomes smaller than she was a year ago. On the contrary, eleven year-old Rina seems to grow every day.

A Hiding Praying Mantis, What Are You Waiting For?

A hiding praying mantis, what are you waiting for?
What are you thinking of?
Maybe it’s a cicada or a butterfly. You seem to be enjoying this summer heat. I wish you a good luck and delicious meals.

Veeeeery hot day. Sunflowers look up the sky.

My weeklong trip in western Japan was over. The sunflowers were looking up the sky in the garden of my parent's house in Shimane prefecture.
Flowers, vegetables and insects were almost as vivid as they had been a year ago.

The only difference is my father. He was not there this summer. He had passed away of pneumonia last year.

Even he was bedridden and hardly spoke, I felt comfortable staying beside him and looking him while I was there.

Roads, buildings and even shapes of rivers have changed. The sunflowers don't care the changes growing higher and higher.

Who is Scott?

He is a poet, a painter, a traveler, a wonderer, a singer, an archeologist, an English teacher, , , and what else? He is really multi-talented guy. Oh, last but not least, I should not forget to say that he was and is still “my friend.” He left Japan for Australia in May 2006. I talked about various topics with him. Biking, sports, travel, music, science, arts, politics, medicine, , , , I can’t remember all.
Thanks Scott. I’m proud of having meaningful time with you and other members for a whole year. I post two of your paintings, which you gave me as presents, on the web to share them with my friends.
I heard that Scott, you are going to attend a ten days meditation session at a Buddhist temple in Thailand this summer.
May Buddha bless your wonderful brightest future!