The end of April, which means a third of 2015 was over. How was it ?
It was cloudy but warm today.
After work I went to Yokohama to get my body massaged. I make it a rule to go there once a month. Since I traveled by night buses last weekend, my body was so stiff and legs were swallen that she was so surprised to see me. It cost yen 8000 for nearly two hours, and I felt my body became light.
It is a national holiday called Showa no hi (昭和の日), Day of Showa. It used to be Emperor Showa's birthday.
From today so-called Golden Week starts. However I go to work.
I did not notice the train schedule was different from weekday until I got to the station. Though I missed a train, I arrived at the office earlier.
On my way back too, it took shorter time than usual.
It was fine and very hot like summer again though it is still April.
Yesterday it became a summer day which is over 25 degrees centigrade, which is the heat of July.
We are worried if we can survive the summer or not.
From tomorrow so-called Golden Week will start.
However our office will open tomorrow, so I will work this week as usual.
I am glad to hear that Kei Nishikori, a Japanese tennis player became a champion at the Barcelona open for two years straight, and he made a record for the Japanese tennis players' world championship for nine times.
Congratulations!!
It was fine and very hot like summer.
I came back from Shikoku this morning around 7:10 and went to work directly.
It was a long day.
Three of my friends ran for city council members at Yokosuka Kanagawa Prefecture, Nagareyama Chiba Prefecture, and Yaita Tichigi Prefecture yesterday. And it seems they were elected.
Congratulations!!
It was misty in the early morning, but became fine and very hot.
The morning service at the main temple started at 6 in the morning and with a priest we chanted the sutra and he talked and it lasted for half an hour.
Breakfast was very volumy.
I have visited from No. 37 to No.43 temples, and driven for 315.2km.
There were two big touristic places, one is Shimanto River, the other was Ashizurimisaki Cape.
The roads were sometimes very narrow and other times very comfortable freeway.
I saw many walking pilgrims called arukihenro (歩き遍路) on the way here and there.
Since the distance between the temples were so long in Kochi, I really respect them.
In total I drove 711.2 km for three days.
Now I am on a night bus bound for Shinjuku via Naruto.
I am glad to have completed visiting the temples in Kochi.
Picture 1 Shimanto River
Picture 2 Statue of John Manjiro
Picture 3 Ashizurimisaki Cape
Picture 4 Ashizurimisaki Cape
Picture 5 Couple Ceder Tree
It was fine and very hot.
I wanted to go to Ashizurimusaki, but I couldn't. I visited from No.28 to No.36 temples.
I canceled the hotel in Ashizurimisaki in the evening and now I am staying at the inn of
the No. 37.
I am looking forward to attending the morning sevice tomorrow.
It was fine and very warm.
I arrived at Tokushima around 6:30 am, and ate breakfast, and went to rent a car.
I wished to visit No. 24 to 31 temples, however I could only visit from No.24 to No. 27.
In total I drove 216.6km. Each temple were located in the mountains, so it took more time than expected.
I saw many people walking to visit these temples. I really respect them.
I am staying at the Super Hotel in Kochi. This hotel does not use a room key but the 6 digit number to open the door.
There is a hot spring bath,
but it is used for both men and women for the designated time respectively.
For ladies there are five small amenity goods to choose.
There is a parking lot, but it costs yen 700.
I went out for dinner. The first place was full, and I went to the second place. I chose four different shell fishes and three different tasting sake and a tosa sushi roll. I thought I could use the coupon, but it was only available with cash.
I walked 16443 steps today.
Picture 1 Couple rocks
Picture 2 Mirokudo cave where Kukai (空海) got his name, sky and sea
Picture 3 Muroto light house
Picture 4 water of Konomine temple
Picture 5 Dinner at Kochi
It was fine.
I am now on a night bus bound for Shikoku to pilgrimage 88 temples.
This is the third time for me to use this bus but the inside is different from the last time and it is a little bit spacy and the blanket is provided. The route seems different too, and we will stop at Yokohama tonight.
Last time I finished visiting temples in Tokushima.
This time I hope to finish visiting temples in Kochi and some in Ehime.
Kochi is very wide and from the beginning I gave up visiting on foot.
So I will rent a car and drive.
Tokushima (徳島) used to be called as Awa (阿波).
Kochi (高知) used to be called as Tosa (土佐).
Ehime (愛媛) used to be called as Iyo (伊予).
Kagawa(香川) used to be called as Sanuki (讃岐).
It was cloudy and became rainy.
It was a pay day. So I went to banks to withraw money and deposit to other banks. Some banks are near the office but others are near my house. On my way home I dropped at Yokosukachuo station to deposit some money to banks because the ATM of near my station closes earlier and when I get to the station, it would be closed.
The ATMs in Yokosukachuo ststion open till 9 pm.
I was so surprised to see the high tower building was under construction. I don't remember when I went last time, but at least in December there was nothing there.
It was cloudy.
The other day I arranged my new kimono to be delivered tonight between 8 pm and 9 pm.
Usually I came home around 8:45 pm or so. Therefore I was wondering if I would be in time or not. The delivery person has known that I usually come home late, so he came to deliver the goods around 8:45 pm and I could receive it without any trouble.
There was something I want to use near future. So I am glad to receive it tonight.
It was cloudy in the morning but rained heavily in the afternoon.
One of my colleagues from the Andian and Amazonian Pavilion of the Expo 2005 visited me at my university for lunch. It's been seven years and a half since we met each other last in Venezuela.
It's been 10 years since Expo 2005.
There were many changes in this 10 years.
We enjoyed the reunion.
It's been 23 years since the Expo '92 started.
It was fine but became cloudy.
I went to the Kimono-Style Miya to be a kimono model in the morning.
I wore two kimonos.
One is a formal wear called homongi (訪問着) which I got as a present of the last lucky three digit of the new year's card to commemorate the third year anniversary of Miya's opening in Yokohama. I used my own sash called fukuro obi (袋帯) which I bought about a quarter century ago.
The other is a casual wear called tsumugi (紬) which I got as a present of the fortune drawing called fukubiki (福引き) on the new year's day event at Miya this year on January 1. I used my dead mother's sash which must be bought more than 30 years ago.
When I saw the design of the roll called tanmono (反物), I remembered this sash and decided to make it as a kimono.
I feel very lucky to have got these two kimono this January by chance.
Kimono is a wonderful Japanese national costume I proud of and I want to introduce this beautiful Japanese culture to the people around the world.
I was asked to be a model twice at the Kimono fashon show at the Toji (東寺) temple in Kyoto in this fall. Toji is one of the UNESCO's World Heritages. So it is a great honor to be a part of the big event.
Since walking in Kyoto with wearing kimono has been one of my dreams, I am very looking forward to joining that event.
If you have a chance, please come to see that event.
It was fine.
I went to Shinjuku to attend a monthly lecture in the afternoon.
Then I went to see a movie to a newly opened theater, but it was so crowded that the one I wanted to see was sold out, so I gave up.
Instead I went to print out the pictures of the first tea ceremony at last.
I printed 105 pictures for the participants and it cost yen 3150.
After that I went to Ginza to have dinner with my friend from Expo 2005. It's been seven years since we met each other last in Orlando, Florida.
We enjoyed eating, drinking, and talking.
It was fine.
I took a family care leave (介護休暇:kaigo kyuka)for the first time today.
I took my father to the hostital and he needed to visit three departments. It took all morning.
Then we went out for lunch, while waiting I bought some clothings for my father using the creditcard I recently got.
I wanted to use that credit card at the pharmacy but they did not accept JCB card.
After coming back, we had a meeting with 4 persons in charge who take care of my father.
Then I went to tea lesson. It's been a month since I went there last time. We practiced thick green tea procedure called o koicha (お濃茶).
After coming home I cooked dinner after a long time.
It was a long day.
It became fine finally but cloudy in the evening.
I went to the local shrine before going to work.
After coming back I went to pick up my father. I had never been there before. I tried to come back from the same route but it became one way road on the way and I had to go back to the route. Then I got stuck in a narrow road. I asked a woman how to go to the main street. She was kind enough to lead me to the main street.
Thank you!
It was another cold rainy day.
I went to the Sarutahiko shrine to see the big annual festival in the morning before going to work.
There I met some acquaintances.
I asked for the goshuin (御朱印), the red stamp. At first they offered me the printed version or already written one, but since I wanted to have it directly on my stamp book called goshuincho (御朱印帳), I asked the person to write. He was kind enough to grant my request because in spite of
rain I visited there all the way.
I returned the old charm I bought last time and bought the new one.
By dedicating some money called hatsuhoryo(初穂料), I got a talisman called ofuda (御札), red bean rice called sekihan (赤飯), dedicated foods to gods called osagari (おさがり) or shinsen(神饌), and salt in return.
This is the first time for me to visit there on the big festival day.
I walked to the office about 3 km for 30 minutes or so.
It was another cold rainy day.
It takes about two hours and a half to go to the office and another two hours and a half to come back every day. That is about five hours per day.
It may seem waste of time, but I enjoy commuting because I can do many things using my smart phone.
Today I made some reservations on the phone in the morning and watched some video lecture in the evening.
How convenient it is!
It was fine.
I went to see movies in Kawasaki. There was a movie I wanted to see but when I got to the theater, it was full.
So I saw "Into the Woods" instead.
After that I saw a Japanese movie titled "Kaze ni tatsu lion (風に立つライオン: A Lion standing in the wind)." It was a long movie. There is a book and a song of the same title written by a a singer song writer Masashi Sada.
Then I went to a beauty salon to have my hair cut.
After coming back,
I went to grocery shopping and election for a govenor.
It was another cold rainy day.
I went to a monthly meeting in the morning in Kannai.
Then I ate lunch with friends and visited the shrine.
And I attended the afternoon meeting.
After that I went to Kimono-style Miya to talk about the events.
And I walk to China Town to have a high school reunion via the Yokohama studium where there was a Tulip Festival.
At a Chinese restaurant we could order anything and drink anything for less than yen 3000. There was an order stop for alcholic drinks for two hours or so, but regarding foods and soft drink it seemed unlimited.
So it was very reasonable.
We enjoyed eating, drinking, and chatting.
It was another cold rainy day.
After work we had a party among staffs of two colleges. We work in the same floor but this is the first time for us to have a gathering.
I was surprised to know there are many people who likes outdoor sports such as climbing mountains.
It was fine but very cold.
Yesterday it snowed and sleeted in Tokyo. They say it's been five years since we had snow in April last.
Today I went to the post office and banks to help the international student to open the account.
At a bank they required the cellphone number to open account, and at the cellphone shop they required the bank account.
So I recommended her to get a prepaid cellphone.
I remembered my difficulties when I tried to get a credit card in the USA, and my colleagues' to get a driver's license and a car insurance.
To live abroad is full of challenges.
It was a cold rainy and snowy day.
It is rare for us to have snow in April.
I had the orientations for those who joined the university from this April and those who joined in the middle of the last academic year all day long today followed by a welcome party.
It's been 11 months since I started working.
They say there are 80 new teachers and 35 new staffs this year. So it is about one tenth of all the teachers and staffs were changed.
At the party I was surprised see my ex-colleague.
We had worked for less than one year in the different departments, but I remembered her name and face and we enjoyed talking.
At the party there was an attraction of cutting tuna of about 52.3kg.
There were many foods and drink, and I enjoyed the cakes very much.
It was a cold rainy day.
I went to see the entrance ceremony at the Tokyo Art Theater in the morning. It is a big place. I had to go up to the fifth floor by escalator first, then changed to the elavator to upper floor. In the afternoon I saw many people waiting in the line to take a picture in front of the board saying entrance ceremony at the gates.
I went to the Toshima Ward office to help the new international student to register. There were so many people waiting. We needed to visit three sections, and it took more than three hours and and a half. I knew the tree of the ward is someiyoshino cherry blossom today.
It was rather warm.
But they say it will be cold again from tomorrow too.
Now is the season for entrance ceremony. We will have it tomorrow.
It was a cold rainy day.
I went to the Kimono-Style Miya to attend a cherry blossom viewing and lunch event wearing Kimono.
I did not want to wear the new kimono on a rainy day and walk around, but to our lucky it was not raining so much when we were outside.
There were about 25 participants. We had lunch at the 70th floor of the Landmark Tower in Sakuragicho.
However unfortunately we could not see the beautiful landscape of Yokohama today.
We ate a lot and took many pictures.
After coming back to the shop, there were surprises. One was a small souvenir, and the other was a free roll for kimono or haori coat to appreciate their third year anniversary.
After coming back, I went to grocery shopping.
At night I attended the monthly meeting for community representatives. Since I went there wearing kimono, everyone was surprized.
It was cloudy and rather cold.
I went to a monthly meeting in Shinjuku. It lasted longer than usual.
I went to see the exhibition of Louvre at the National Art Center Tokyo in Roppongi.
There were so many people.
Then I went to see cherry blossoms at night so called yozakura (夜桜) in Ueno park. There were so many people enjoying the party under the beautiful cherry blossoms.
I went to have dinner at a restaurant in the hotel where the great writer and doctor Mori Ogai (森鴎外) wrote his first novel Maihime (舞姫).
It was a place where I found in the new year while I was visiting the Seven Lucky Gods in Yanaka.
It was a cloudy and windy day. Strong wind was blowing all day long.
I hope the cherry blossoms would still remai.
At night I watched a movie "MIB 2" on TV.
It was fine and warm today.
Yesterday was April Fool. Did you tell a lie?
One of my friends from Expo 2005 posted her recent condition with a photo on her Facebook and she looked happy so that I sent her a message to congratulate.
Half of the story was true, but the other half was a kind of dreams she wished. But it sounds like very realistic.
Many successful people often say "talk your dreams as if they are already becoming true . "
Because she did so and I replied, and we enjoyed chatting during my commuting time in the morning and could catch up each other.
It was a kind of the side effects .
To do something brings unforseen gifts.
It was a rainy day.
One fourths of the year was over and another month has begun.
April is shigatsu(四月), its old name is uzuki (卯月).
This is the begining of the new academic and fiscal year in Japan.
There was an orientation for the new graduate school students.
I went to the nearby shrine before going to work.
I make it a rule to visit there in the morning of the first and the 15th of each month as much as possible.
At the station I happened to see my friend after a few month.
She has just finished visiting the 88 temples in Shikoku by four times.
She went there with her friends by plane and used a taxi.
I am glad to see her and listen to her experience.
