Happy Halloween!
It is already the end of October. There are only two months left.
It is cloudy and rather cool.
Did you wear any costume?
I went to Kimono style Miya to have my pictures taken.
There was a cariculture artist and he drew my portrait while we were waiting. We met for the first time, but to our surprise we have a mutual friend. It's a small world, isn't it?
It was fine.
The second day of the fall holidays.
I stayed at home all day long but had a visitor in the morning. While talking with her I realized that my turning point was 1992, working at Expo 92 and traveling around Europe for 5 months by myself.
When and what was your turning point?
It was cloudy.
I have 6 days off due to the special fall holidays for a school festival.
There are something we can do on only weekdays. So I did such things.
It was fine and very warm.
The reading week has started since yesterday.
I finished reading a book about Che which I have read at the lunch time.
My lunch time is usually from 12:30 to 13:30. I watch NHK's morning drama's rebroadcast from 12:45 to 13:00. So I only read 15 to 20 minutes per day and it took long to finish the book.
While commuting I started reading another book about Yamato Colony in Florida.
It was fine in the daytime and Mt. Fuji looked very beautiful. The other day the top was covered with snow but today it was not.
When I got back to the station, the earth was wet but I could see the beautiful moon. When I was cooking dinner, it started raining heavily. I felt lucky not to get wet.
Yesterday the ordered book "Yamato Colony The Men left "Japan" in Florida was arrived. I started reading it.
It was fine but windy.
The first cold winter wind called kogarashi ichigo (木枯らし1号) blew today.
Winter has come.
I went grocery shopping. When my father was alive, I used to go grocery shopping once a week and buy a lot then cook a lot on weekend.
However these days I have not gone shoppping regularly and cooked so much.
Tonight is the thirteenth night. (十三夜:jyusanya). Another moon viewing night. The moon tonight is very beautiful.
It was fine and cloudy.
At 7 AM there was a visitor who thought I would go to work at 7:30 without noticing today is weekend.
I stayed at home and did many things I could not do.
It was fine.
It's Friday. TGIF
I wanted to go to see a movie, but there was nothing to start at good time. So I gave up and came home directly.
At home I watched a movie on TV which I saw before but there were some parts I didn't remember.
They say for three weeks they show that series of movies.
I am looking forward to seeing them.
It was fine.
After work I went to banks. Some are local banks so I dropped at Yokosuka chuo and visited there.
After that I went to a bookstore, but I could not find a book I wanted to buy.
There is a jewelry shop where I used to ask for battery change of the watch, and I had my watch fixed. It's been about a week since it stopped so I used the smartphone to see the time, but finally my watch is back, and I am very glad.
It was already nearly 9 pm, so I decided to buy sushi for dinner.
October 22 is known for jidai matsuri(時代祭), Festval of the Ages in Kyoto. It is one of the three biggest festivals in Kyoto. Others are Aoi matsuri (葵祭) in May and Gion matsuri (祇園祭) in July.
Jidai matsuri is a festival of Heian jingu (平安神宮) and about 2000 people parade for 2km with wearing traditional costume.
Someday I hope to see those festivals.
It was fine.
Today is the day when the movie "Back to the Future" went to from 1985. During this 30 years many things imagined in 1985 were realized.
What will be next 30 years?
Today there were something I regret. First impression is usually right. So I should have followed to my first impressions.
It was cloudy.
It seems I left the earphone behind at home.
Usually I listen to the radio news on the train on my way to and from work. But I could not listen without earphone.
Not only news but also video program I could not watch today.
So I tried to read a book. But I gave up soon and fell asleep.
The suitcase was delivered tonight.
It was fine.
I took a transferred holiday of September 21.
I sent a suitcase by home deliver service to travel light. It cost yen 1412.
I left Kyoto around 10 am and arrived at Shinagawa around 1:40 pm by Shinkansen Kodama.
Whenever I go to Kansai area by Shinkansen, I make it a rule to buy Kaki no ha zushi (柿の葉寿司) for lunch or dinner. In addition to that I bought a cup of green tea jelly for dessert today. They were tasty.
It was crowded at first, but after Nagoya there were many vacant seats.
After coming back to Tokyo, I went to Ikubukuro to visit my dead best friend's house. It's been almost 15 years since she passed away. How fast time flies!
As I have started working at Ikebukuro since May last year, I wanted to visit there sooner, but I have not had a chance by now. I enjoyed talking with her husband about my friend's memory looking at old pictures.
She stays young and beautiful as she was.
I still miss her a lot.
I was surprised to hear that he lost both of his parents during the past seven years.
There was a family picture of my friend with her parents and her parents-in-law. All of them are now in another world.
I pray for their souls.
It was fine and very hot in Kyoto.
Today was the big day for me.
There was the 2015 Kimono Fashion Festival in Toji, where is the UNESCO 's World Heritage Site in the evening.
Hoshoen (芳裳苑) group decided to have a Kimono Fashion Festival at the World Heritage Sites from now on and this was the first event.
About 500 kimono models joined.
There were 12 scenes and I participated in two scenes at No. 7 and No. 11.
At No.7 scene, I wore irotome (色留), very formal kimono worn at family wedding. I used Tatsumura's (龍村) obi, sash which is high quality, very expensive, and very nice. The person who dressed me was so impressed to know it was Tatsumura product. And she said she was happy to touch it.
At scene No. 11 I wore Sahari (佐波理), which is rare and very expensive.
This was the second time for me to attended the Kimono festival.
I enjoyed wearing the new beautiful kimonos at this occasion.
It was rainy at home but fine in Kyoto.
I took Shinkansen from Shinagawa at 11:21 and arrived at Kyoto around 13:31.
I ate lunch on the train. The lunch sold at station is called ekiben (駅弁). I chose Shinagawa meibutu kaizukushi(品川名物 貝づくし) at yen 960. There were four different shell fish and it was tasty.
After arriving at Kyoto I headed for Toji (東寺) and changed to my favorite kimono. This kimono and obi are rose ensamble which I fell in love with the first sight.
After checking in the hotel, I went to Gion(祇園) by bus. There I went to a tea shop where I have long wanted to visit and ate kuzukiri (くずきり). It was rather expensive, but I am glad to visit there finally.
After that I went to eat dinner at a Japanese restaurant "Takeshibaro(竹芝楼)" and ate delicious meal with kimono friends.
There came special guests, maiko san (舞子さん) and Geiko san (芸子さん) and enjoyed taking pictures with them.
To walk around Kyoto with kimono was one of my dreams of the last few years, so I am glad to make it come true.
It was rainy today.
I got a sad news today. My professor from university passed away the day before yesterday. When I knew it by email, it was already time of the wake and I could not attend. There will be a funeral tomorrow morning, but I will go to Kyoto tomorrow and I cannot attend it either.
He was a psychology teacher.
When I was a high school student, I wanted to be a counselor so that I took entrance examinations for psychology major, but it was in vain. So I majored in International Relations instead. But I still wanted to study psychology, so I took all the psychology related courses offered there and he taught every course.
After graduating from university, when I was a teacher of a junior high school, I was still thinking of studying, and he cared about me.
When I was in the USA, he called me.
When I published the book, he was very pleased.
He remembered the things about me which even I forgot.
He always encouraged me.
I feel bad that I cannot do as much as he expected to.
Thank you for everything.
Please rest in peace.
It was fine.
They say it is "Newspaper Week." There are some special columns regarding newspaper in today's paper.
With the spreading of smart phones, people tend to read news through Internet, and less people subscribe the newspaper these days.
On the train most people are using the cellphones or smartphones and I do not see the people reading newspaper so much like before.
I myself listen to the news by smartphone while riding on the train or watch TV at home and don't have much time to read newspaper in the morning and read it at night after coming back taking time on weekdays.
When I worked at the places where subscribed several newspapers, I enjoyed reading some of them at lunch time.
Now there is a library at school, so I can read many if I wish. But I usually watch NHK's TV drama at lunch time, and read something else at office to save time.
How about you ?
It was fine.
Today I got two FB friend's requests from a friend who is already my friend. I accepted them and she started chatting. I wondered why she sent the request twice and asked. She said her ID was hacked. She started talking strange things and I doubted if it is real my friend or not. So I asked her a personal queston. And she left.
On another timeline her other friend mentioned the same thing and she fixed the problem.
We should be very careful when accepting the friend's request.
It was fine.
Mt. Fuji looked beautiful with snow on the top.
I went to the library to find the data. Our university library is one of the biggest in its kind in Tokyo, but I have not used yet.
I should make use of it.
When I got home, there was a suvenir from my brother who traveled Germany recently. It was a box of chocolates with hazelnuts. I love chocolate very much. I am looking forward to tasting them.
Danke.
It was fine.
Today is a national holiday called Taiiku no hi (体育の日), Health - Sports Day. It used to be on October 10 commemorating the opening of the Tokyo Olympic in 1964.
However it has been on the second Monday of October because of the happy Monday system since 2000.
Today is the last day of three day weekend but I had to work. So for me it was a regular Monday.
It rained in the morning. Therefore the local sports meeting was canceled.
However in the evening there was a social gathering for local people as planned. Nearly 40 people got together. I went to prepare around 3 pm, and the party itself started around 4 pm and lasted until 8 pm. There was a Bingo game and I got an apple cutter. I am looking forward to using it.
After cleaning the second party continued for those who have time, but since I have to work tomorrow, I came home.
It was cloudy and became rain.
October 10 used to be a national holiday called Taiiku no hi (体育の日), Health-Sports Day.
But it moved to the second Monday of October.
So this is the first day of three day weekend.
But our school has classes on Monday, for me it is the regular Saturday.
There was a visitor in the morning and I did not go out and stayed at home.
I cooked dinner after a while prepared for the Kimono fashion show next week, and pressed autumn clothes.
It's been a while since I spent Saturday like this last.
It was fine and rather hot.
I was going to take a transferred holiday, but there was something to do, so I went to work.
After work I went to buy tickets to Kyoto for next week. Unfortunately the one I wanted to book was full and could not get it. Instead I bought a ticket of Nozomi, the fastest bullet train, which takes about two hours from Shinagawa to Kyoto. It costs yen 13,910.
For return I could book the ticket called Puratto Kodama (ぷらっとこだま). It takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes and costs yen 10,100. I can save yen 3,810 and get a free drink ticket.
So if you are not in a hurry, I recommend you to use this special ticket.
It was very fine.
I could see the beautiful Mt. Fuji with blue sky.
I have just watched "Jobs" by my smart phone on the train. I have wanted to see the movie, but could not go while it was showing.
My commuting is very long and usually I can sit. I do many things with the smart phone while commuting. But I had never seen a movie because I cannot see it through. I have watched one hour TV programs but movies are usually two hours long so I hesitated to watch.
This time I watched the first half yesterday and the rest today, and enjoyed.
How convienient the world became!
It was fine but cool today.
There was an annual medical check today. Items were height, weight, sight, blood pressure, hearing, abdominal girth, electrocardiogram, consultation with internal medicine, consultation with health nurse, chest X-ray, blood, urine, and stool tests. We needed to bring urine and stool samples taken at home , and not to eat and drink for more than four hours.
It took about one hour in total.
It was cloudy and cool.
Yesterday we were very pleased to hear that a Japanese researcher, professor emeritus Satoshi Omura (大村 智 80 years old) would be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
And today another professor Takaaki Kajita (梶田 隆章 56 years old) was announced to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Congratulations!!
It was cloudy and cool.
After work I went to attend the reporting session of students who experienced internship in the Philippines this summer. There were two parts, and I only listened to the presentations of the second and third year students who worked about a month.
They say this is the third year of this program and this was the first time for students from other colleges joined.
When I was a college students, there were only internships of teachers and doctors.
But these days most students experience internship before graduation.
How about in your country?
It was fine and hot.
It has been 49 days since my father passed away.
In Buddhism during the seven weeks after death the dead persons are wandering between this world and the other world, and as every seventh day they are judged, we have memorial services for them. The first seventh day is called shonanuka (初七日) and we usually have the sevice just after the funeral.
Second important service is shijyukunich (四十九日), 49th day, seven weeks after death. On this day they rest in peace.
We had this 49th day memorial service last Saturday (September 26th) followed by placing urn in the tomb (納骨: nokotsu).
Until 49th day it is called kichu(忌中), in the mourning. And on 49th day is the end of mourning, kiake (忌明け).
Usually one year after the death is called mochu (喪中).
After that next important day is 100th day called hyakkanichi (百カ日).
We usually have memorial services on the first year anniversary, isshuki (一周忌), second year anniversary sankaiki (三回忌), seventh year anniversary shichikaiki (七回忌), and so on.
Today my father's soul leaves here for the place where my mother has been waiting for.
The person in charge of funeral company came here to clear the Alter we used to place the urn until last week.
It was fine.
I walked to the station to go to Shinjuku to attend a monthly meeting. On my way I found flowers I have never seen.
After the meeting I entered sushi restaurant for lunch. Lunch menu was reasonable, but I was very surprised to see the receipt because an additional one piece of sushi with shell fish cost almost half the price of lunch menu. I should have asked the price before ordering. Usually at the sushi bar two pieces are served when we order one kind of sushi. So if I order the regular piecies it cost about the same price as lunch menu which includes salad and miso soup.
In the afternoon I went to see the art exhibiton of my friends in Ginza.
I walked about 8 blocks and took a train ro Shinagawa and had dinner with my professor. I heard that my classmates have been an associate professor or a professor. If I continued studying, there may have been a different future.
It was raining and windy like typhoon this morning. So I was worried about the train delay. It went on schedule up to Shinagawa. However JR Yamanote line was totally stopped and there were so many people at the station. It was hard to go to other platform so I decided to take the toei Asakusa line, Ginza line and Marunouchi line to get to Ikebukuro. I did not have to pay because I had a commuter ticket and they offered the transferred transportation.
When I arrived at Ikebukuro, it was not raining any more.
It became very hot today like summer.
A new month has started. October is jyugatsu (十月), and its old name is kannazuki (神無月), which means the month without gods. Because all the gods get together in Izumo (出雲). So in Izumo it is called kamiarizuki(神在月) which means the month with gods.
However you need to be very careful about the calendar because they count in the luner calendar and the actual kannazuki sometimes falls in November or even in December. And the welcoming festival for gods are held according to the luner calendar.
Two years ago I went to Izumo in October and knew about it for the first time, and last year I went there in November but the actual festival was held in December. So I have expected to visit there for the festival wishing sandome no shojiki (三度めの正直) "The third is the charm. "
But since my father passed away in August I cannot visit there this year. Those who lost family member are required to refrain from visiting shrines for a year. This period is called mochu (喪中) which means being in mourning.
