It was fine.
The end of June, that is, half of 2017 is over. How was your half year?
Mine was very nice to have started learning new things, met new people, and been to USA and Europe.
Today we went to Yakumo town where is the only town faces both the Pacific ocean and the Japan sea.
We visited the city hall, the primary school, lunch center, resource center, and the panorama park.
At night we had a dinner party.
It was a nice day.
It was fine.
In the morning we visited Hakodate City Hall and in the afternoon Hokuto City Hall.
We ate very delicious lunch at the famous seafood restaurant near the port.
After work we visited the Trappist Monastery, and I went up to the Lourdes cave too.
It has a nice view.
We ate softcream which was delicious.
At night we enjoyed delicious local foods with local sake.
Then we took the tour to see the night view from Mt.Hakodate, 334 meters high which is one of the three most beautiful night view spots in the world.The other two are Hong Kong and Naples.
It was a very nice day.
It was raining this morning.
I left home earlier than usual to go to the Haneda airport to get on the 9:30 flight to Sapporo.
It has been a while since I went to Hokkaido, where is located in the northern part of Japan, last. They have a variety of delicious foods which I am very looking forward to tasting.
At the airport I tried the automated baggage checkin machine for the first time which was very interesting. They said they introduced them about two years ago. I used the domestic flights last year but have never noticed them before. Is this because of the difference of ANA and JAL?
The view from the plane was very nice, the day 5 moon in the blue sky, white snow-like clouds, green and brown grounds, white coastal line, white cotton-candy-like clouds, and blue ocean.
When I was a primary school student, how I wished to be a flight attendant.
We arrived at Shin-Chitose earlier than schedule and took the train to Saporo. There were ticket holders at each seat which I have never seen.
At Sapporo we ate ramen.
We visited the Hokkaido prefecture government for two hours.
Then we headed for Hakodate by train. It took about four hours to get to Hakodate so that we ate supper in the train.
It was a long day.
It was slightly raining in the morning, but to my lucky I did not use the umbrella.
I took more than 30 minutes earlier train than usual.
However when I got to Shinagawa, all the trains stopped due to the signal check in Oshiage. I chose to use JR up to Hamamatsu-cho and walked to Daimon.
There were so many people at Shinagawa station.
After all I got to the office almost the same time as usual. So disappointing.
At Tokyo Midtown they are having Mid Day Week Events from June 23 to July 2.
July 2 is the mid day of the year. I will go to Hokkaido from tomorrow to July 1. When I come next time, it will be already over.
I had two meetings and got many things done at work.
At the meeting I was surprised to hear about our colleagues' sudden life change events. One will go to New York to accompany with her husband. The other had to give up studying abroad due to mother's sickness.
There are something we cannot do by ourselves.
There was an invitation email for two museums for 9 staffs. To my lucky I became the one.
It was slightly raining in the morning but became fine.
In the evening I had an appointment at Roppongi station where I use every day. There are two lines, Oedo Line and Hibiya Line. She was going to come from Shinagawa where I usually do. Therefore I sent the way to come from Shinagawa to Roppongi with some pictures. She was very glad to get my information. So I became happy too.
From today the program in charge started and it lasts for two weeks. Usually I become very busy for these two weeks during tve program but this time I will be busy for the first week only.
This week I will go to Hokkaido for four days. It has been a long time since I went there last. We will visit the southern part this time.
There are many delicious foods there such as crab, prawn, squid, scallop, salmon, herring, salmon roe, sea urchin, and so on. I am looking forward to visiting Hokkaido soon.
It was cloudy.
I went to Shinagawa to meet somebody. When I got to the meeting point, I happened to see my colleague who used to be a junior high school teacher like myself.
I went to a cafe at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel with a friend whom I met at the lucky Shrine tour in March. There I met three new ladies whom I felt strong connections.
We ordered special cake sets and enjoyed talking and eating.
After that I went to see the "Beauty and the Beast" in Yokohama finally. It was a really nice movie. I recommend you to see if you have not seen it yet.
It was fine
I had a very busy day.
First I walked to the station.
I went to Hinodecho to get massage in the morning.
To my interesting the massager said my body has been changed. I wonder this is because of Reiki or the radio gymnastics I started about a month ago.
Then I went to Shinjuku to have lunch with ex- JOI coordinator at Noni cafe. We enjoyed eating healthy foods and talking.
We and another friend attended the lecture by Mr. Makoto Oki who is the CEO of Morinda Japan.
We measured AGE. To my surprise my friend's AGE was about half year of his actual age. He said he exercises a lot.
After that my friend and I attended the company tour. There she measured AGE.
Her AGE was far much older than her actual age. She has been sick.
After that I went to two banks. One of them was on the 24th floor and the view was nice.
I went to Shinagawa and visited the Aqua Park to kill time. It is nice to have a yearly passport.
I had dinner with my advising professor at a restaurant. It happened to be the one I was going to go with my friend next month.
It was a nice day.
It was fine and hot.
I went out for lunch with my colleague whose birthday is the same as mine.
At first we were going to try one coin lunch according to the foreign student's recommendation list.
However when we got there, it was full and it seemed there were only men. So we decided to go to the other place.
I thought of a restaurant nearby and we went there.
When I went there last month with other colleagues, the lunch course was yen 1000 plus tax, and it was very nice. Therefore I took my colleague.
However there was not a course of yen 1000 but 1600 plus tax.
So I asked the owner and he said he raised from this month.
We were very lucky last time.
We ordered what went want to eat and enjoyed eating and talking.
I wished to go to see a movie tonight but coud not.
It was cloudy but when I got to the campus, I saw the ring around the sun.
After work I went to Shibuya to attend an OM. Shibuya has been changed a lot for the past few years, and it became very difficult to find the proper exit. I thought I had enough time to be there, but I arrived just in time.
The project seemed interesting.
On my way back I bought a bottle of fruit juice which I do not usually buy. I felt like doing something I usually do not.
It was a rainy day.
Today is geshi (夏至), summer solstice, one of nijyushisekki (二十四節気),
the 24 solar terms. The last one was boshu (芒種) in June 5 and the next one is shosho (小暑) on July 7. Geshi literally means to reach summer. It is the longest daytime day in a year.
After two days off I had a rather busy day today attending a meeting at MLIT in the morning and English seminar at the office in the afternoon.
I had lunch at a restaurant where I visited last week with a professor. They have four lunch menu and we ordered their recommendation. There are salad, dessert, and drink bar you can have as much as you want to.
They served rooibos tea which color was very beautiful.
I enjoyed eating and talking.
It was fine.
I took a day off to attend Reiki fourth degree. This is the one day seminar to learn how to perform Atunement and become Reiki teacher.
There were 10 participants today. Seven were first time learner and three were repeaters.
Before making two working groups, we tried to make some groups. One of them was blood types. most of us were O type. Next was A type. Usually majority is A type in Japan
The other category was the current address. Majority was from Tokyo, next was from Kanagawa. Two came from faraway.
We practiced the atunement over and over.
And we became Reiki teachers!! Congratulations!
It was such a nice feeling to achieve something.
Reiki originally started in Japan, but it became popular from Hawaii, US mainland, and Europe. There are about 5 million to 10 million Reiki healers around the world. About 30 years ago it was brought to Japan again and became popular and popular. It is one of the self-healing methods. You do not need any instruments but your hands. It is possible to perform beyond the distance.
I am looking forward to practicing to others.
On my way back, I dropped at Yokosuka-chuo to go to some banks.
I saw the nest of swallows in front of ATM of the bank.
Then I went to supermarket to buy sushi for dinner to celebrate.
I bought some young corns which I have been interested in eating by reading someone's post of Facebook the other day.
It was a nice day.
It was fine.
I took a day off.
To my lucky or unlucky I can read emails to the office address anywhere, I could check them before leaving and even on the trains too in spite of my taking a day off.
I went to Shinagawa to attend a seminar of Reiki 3 which was very nice.
When I got off at the Shinagawa station, there were so many people going to attend stock holders meetings at the hotels. There are many meetings at the end of March, June, September, and December.
I felt to have pipeline incomes is very important.
After the seminar, I visited a kimono shop. There I saw a special dying technique called Suminagashi(墨流し). Not only watching but also I could try to make some designs of handkerchief dropping ink and drawing lines by comb which was a really amazing experience. I am very glad to have made the only one in the world handkerchief.
It was cloudy in the morning but became raining.
I felt glad to have visited the lighteningbug festival last night.
The third Sunday of June is Father's Day in Japan.
My father has already passed away in 2015. So this is the second Father's Day without Father.
If he is still alive, there is something I can do which I did not know two years ago.
It is Reiki healing. I wished if I knew it while my parents are still alive!
Today I went to learn Reiki second degree for the second time. I like to do it to others and that to know they feel good. I like to be done too. I enjoyed hearing many experiences and being connected with participants .
It was fine.
I went to Takanawadai to learn Reiki 1st degree for the second time. It's been about a month since I went to learn for the first time. There were already something I forgot. We can come to learn again and again without paying extra charge, so I hope to come as much as possible to master everything.
This morning I happened to see the post about lighteningbug festival in Kamakura on my friend's Facebook timeline. I checked about it and knew it will lasts until tomorrow.
So after the lesson I headed for Kamakura via Yokohama.
I was in Kamakura last Sunday when the festival started so I wished I knew about it at that time.
I got to Tsurugaokahachimangu (鶴岡八幡宮) around 8:10 pm or so. There were many people waiting for entering the pond garden.
There were more lighteningbugs than I saw in the Woods of Koajiro where I visited on June 4. They were so nice.
I recommend you to visit if you have time tomorrow night.
It was fine.
I walked to the station this morning because I was going to have dinner out.
After work I went to Tameikesanno. There was the Izakaya (居酒屋), where you can dine and drink, that I have wanted to visit for two years. I went there with my kimono related friend.
As usual I used the coupon of 59% off. So we paid for yen 3,380 for 12 dishes. They were all delicious.
We enjoyed eating, drinking and talking.
It was fine.
I went to the nearby shrine before getting on the train and Izumotaisha Tokyo branch before going to the office.
In the morning my colleagues and I went to check the newly opened hotel and its restaurants. Since it is the walking distance from our institution, if the budget meets I want to recommend this hotel to the researchers and scholars who come to our institution for the academic meetings.
There are 400 rooms, either single room or twin room.
There were many useful facilities.
The view from the higher rooms were wonderful.
Five of us had lunch together.
After work I went to Ikebukuro to attend OM of WGN.
It was a great opportunity for me to get to know someone that I have known by name for a while. She is a successful billionaire.
I met my friend whom I happened to see yesterday morning and we had dinner together.
It was a nice day.
It was cloudy.
In the morning at Roppongi station I happened to see my friend whom I wanted to see. She said she thought of me last night and was going to send me email. Tomorrow night there is OM in Ikebukuro and she invited me to join.
I think I can attend.
After work I went to see a movie "Suka Bro" in Yokosuka. Suka means Yokosuka, Bro means brother. It is a movie produced by Mr.Junichi Yagi who is my senior at high school. It was shot at many places in Yokosuka, and many actors and actresses have some relationship with Yokosuka.
When they started filming, they were recruiting extras.Therefore I wanted to participate too, but I could not.
I saw a friend from high school in the movie.
I hope to join next time if there is a chance.
I liked the song "NICE TO MEET YA."
It was a rainy day.
My morning train delayed again.
There were two meetings today at the office, and a disaster training in the morning too.
Every year we practice this kind of trainings twice, and this was smaller than the one in fall.
Today's situation was the big earthquake. First we hid under the desk to protect our brain. Then we evacuated to the first floor. We prepared the small spaces using the cardboards. I was in charge of ushering those who cannot go home. But there were not so many participants today.
Participants were distributed a bottle of water and some foods but asked not to open them because this is just a training.
There was an email system to check the safety too.
After that there was a demonstration of how to get drinks from the vending machine without electricity.
After work I went to Shinagawa Prince Hotel to attend the opportunity meeting.
I am not interested in at this moment but who knows what will be in the future.
It was cloudy.
I got an earlier train but there was a problem on the overhead wire of the train and it stopped long. In addition to that there were some passengers who felt sick in another train and to save them that train stopped for a while and other trains had to stop to wait for them. Usually it took about two hours and 10 minutes or so to get to the office, but today it took more than three hours and 40 minutes or so that I felt tired from the morning.
It was cloudy in the morning, but became very fine in the afternoon.
I went to Kimono-style Miya early in the morning to get hairset and dressed.
Today's kimono is Oshima tsumugi (大島紬) which looks white from the distance but actually there are many pinstripes of many colors.
Obi is zenmai tsumugi no fukuroobi (ぜんまい紬の袋帯) and has also many colors.
Tho overcoat is organdy.
After that I went back to my car to leave the luggage, and headed for Kamakura to have lunch at Raitei (檑亭). Nearly 30 people attended this luncheon.
After lunch we enjoyed walking in the garden and taking photos.
After that we went back to the Kamakura station by taxi. I met a friend who lives in Kamakura, and visited Tsurugaoka hachimangu (鶴岡八幡宮) shrine and had Japanese sweets. We walked around Komachidori (小町通) and visited some shops. It was only three hours short visit but we enjoyed talking and eating.
It was a nice Sunday.
It was fine but rather windy in the afternoon.
I went to Yokosuka in the morning.
Once I came home to receive the re-delivered goods.
Then I walked to Miurakaigan where I usually go by car. I passed through Komatsugaike where I haven't been to so many years.
I went to coffee shop with my ex-colleague of my teacher's age. It is located near the big hotel Mahoroba. The name is Thida which means the Sun in Muyako Island's dialect. The reason we went there was it is his student's coffee shop. It has been there since 2011 but I did not realize at all.
I ordered their specialty, Mango pancake which was very tasty.
To my interesting we knew each other about a week ago through Facebook by comment about lighteningbug.
After saying goodbye, I visited the Mitsumine shrine where I did not know until my friend posted to Facebook.
At night there was a thank you party for our local community head who served for four years. I worked with him for two years from 2014 to 2016.
It was a nice day.
It was fine.
I walked to the station this morning to drink at night.
After work three colleagues and I went to Ginza to have dinner at the Akita dining Namahage. Akita is located in northern Japan and famous for delicious rice and beautiful ladies. Delicious rice creates delicious sake.
I have been interested in this restaurant for a long time because there are performances of Namahage, the messanger of gods.
I got a coupon of 51% off, which means yen 6,000 course dinner of 9 dishes plus a glass of sparkling sake of yen 680 became yen 3,300. We ordered additional sake. So it was yen 4,500 per person.
When Namahage walked around, we heard babies and children were crying and crying.
We enjoyed very much.
It was raining in the morning. Therefore I wore rain coat and rain shoes, and had a long umbrella. However when I arrived at Roppngi, it was fine.
I got a half day off to receive the new driver's license.
After that I went to banks in Yokosuka.
I did not have enough time to have lunch
so I bought mini chocolate croissant and tea for lunch.
In the afternooon there were still many things to do and I overworked again.
The moon was so beautiful tonight that I took a picture. Tomorrow is full moon.
It was fine but slightly rained at night.
They said the rainy season has set in.
I had a rather busy day and overworked again and came home around 11pm.
On my way back I joined two webinars but just listened because I was on the train most of time. In Japan we are requested not to talk by cellphone in bus or train.
In the afternoon I attended an English lecture about "Language and Meaning" which was very useful.
Learning is interesting.
It was fine.
I was going to leave the office earlier to receive the re-delivered goods, but there were lots of things to do and I had to overwork until 8:20 pm or so.
Yesterday I received the books I ordered from Amazon. Today I read it on my commuting train. It is a book about how to live to realize the annual income of Yen10,000,000 by traveling around the world once a month. It is recommended by James Skinner. There are many photos inside.
I hope to visit those places in the near future.
It was fine and hot.
In the morning I went to Kimono-Style Miya to have my hair set and dressed. Today's kimono is Monsha (紋紗), obi is ra (羅), and haori coat is transparent cloth called organdy.
I went to the Chinatown to have a luncheon for those who love kimono. About 250 people got together. There were 8 dishes.
After that I went to Yamashita park and enjoyed seeing beautiful flowers and the final match of the boat race.
Then I went back to Miya.
After coming home I went to Koajiro no mori (小網代の森), Forest of Koajiro. It was about 8 pm when I got to Misakiguchi. There were 8 minutes until the bus comes so I decided to walk. Totally I walked for 2 hours. I saw some lightning bugs but not so many. I wanted to take their pictures but could not. Instead I took pictures of the beautiful moon. While I was walking there, the wetland reminded me of Florida.
It was a nice day.
It was fine and hot.
I got up early and went to Kimono-Style Miya to leave my luggage for tonight and left for Shinjuku to attend Morinda's monthly meeting. Since I got there earlier, I could sit in the 4th floor which is the main floor of the event. There were still some time so that I changed the items of my monthly order to the new Te Mana cosmetic set which has a special campaign until the end of this month.
In addition to that I could get some products using my accumulated points.
As usual I measured my TruAge.
After that I went out for lunch with Noni friends at a curry shop.
Then I went back to Kimono-Style Miya to have my hairset and dressed Kimono. Today's kimono is called Oumi chijimi (近江ちぢみ), and obi is fujifu (藤布).
There has been the 36th Yokohama Port Opening Festival -Thanks to the Port 2017- since yesterday.
We enjoyed watching fireworks from the boat calked yakatabune (屋形船) hosted by Kimono-style Miya. Nearly 40 beautifully dressed ladies joined the event and we had a good time together.
Thank you so much always for inviting us such interesting events.
It was fine.
Yesterday two new staffs joined to our office. Therefore the layout of desks was changed and I had to move. After work I moved to the new place, and from today I started at the new environment. The desk is brand new which is good. The telephone is new but has less functions so I need to be accustomed to.
Since one staff leaves at the end of this month, and the other will leave at the end of next month or so, there will be another layout change again next month.
These days there are many contract-based staffs. Usually their contract is one year and renewable up to three years. However I feel this way is a waste. For staffs they need to find another job. For institution they lose the knowledgeable staffs and have to find the replacement and teach them from the scratch.
I hope this vicious circle will be solved soon.
A new month has started. June is rokugatsu(６月),the 6th month. The other name is minazuki(水無月) which means without water month though usually June is in a rainy season.
I went to the shrines near my house and office in the morning for otsuitachimairi (お一日参り),for the first day visit.
It was slightly raining in the morning. At lunch time it became fine. Therefore I decided to leave the umbrella behind and went out for welcome luncheon at a Mexican Restaurant for two new staffs.
We enjoyed square meal.
When we were going back, it started raining heavily. We could use the underground way up to the nearest exit from our office, but for the last 100 meters or so I had to rush and was caught in a shower. I felt bad because I had the umbrella but left it after seeing the sunshine. I should have brought it.
On our way to the restaurant we saw many long waiting lines for the museum and restaurants. We saw many flower decorations in front of newly opened shops.
Today is the first day, and taian kichijitsu (大安吉日) which is a good day to do anything. So that is the reason of newly opened shops.
I hope to visit these shops when I have time.
