2025.5.8

Happy Birthday to Me!

Another year has passed. How fast time flies!

It was fne today.

I stayed and worked at home today.

During lunch time I went to the nearby shrine to thank for the past year and ask for the next year.

To commemorate my birthday I published my 164th ebook about sunlight pictures of April today.

To my glad my 163rd ebook became No.1 in Japan.

At night I attended a live event to anounce my presentation next Sunday night.

It was a nice birthday.

2024.5.8

Happy Birthday to Me!!

It started with my best Spanish friend whose birthday is May 7 to celebrate each other's birthday at midnight when it is May 7 in Europe and May 8 in Japan by video calling. It was fun to catch up.

I could get up early and cooked red bean rice which is a typical celebration food.

I saw the beautiful Angel's ladder in the evening.

I enjoyed dinner with wine and dessert.

To my delight not only in Japan and Spain but also in the USA my 119th ebook has been No.1.

Today is the new moon.

It is a good time to start something and I joined International Women's Peace Group.

2023.5.8

It is my birthday.

In the morning it rained heavily and many people were late because of the traffic delay.

In the evening it became fine and I saw the beautiful sunshine.

To my glad my 78th ebook has become No.1 in Japan.

To show my appreciation I started the present campaign.

 

Today is tora no hi (寅の日), Day of Tiger when is a good time to spend money because the money you spent would be back. So I paid monthly fees and other things and bought some foods and shoes.

I was surprised to receive many birthday messages. Thank you so much.

2022.3.10

It was fine.

Today is my dead mother's birthday. There were some online friends whose birthday is today too.

It seems my Spanish friend is visiting Dubai. Mayve visitiing Expo.

2016.5.8

Happy Birthday to Me!

It is a new year beginning for me.
This became another unforgettable birthday.

There was a big event. I joined the one of the biggest Kimono Fashion Shows in Yokohama. Hoshoen (芳裳苑) group challenged the Guiness Record for the most models in a Kimono Fashion Show.
This was the third time for me to join their kimono fashion festivals. First in Yokohama in December 2013, next was in Kyoto in October 2015, and this time.  I believe last year at Toji (東寺)Temple where is the UNESCO's World Heritage Site they already broke that record because there must be around 500 models.
This time they had this kind of fashion shows for three times at Fukuoka, Yokohama, and Nagoya to have 1500 models in total.
This was held to celebrate their CEO Mr. Omori's (大森) 20th anniversary of his position. There was a big party of about 200 people. I met some model friends and enjoyed the delicious course dinner with an entertainer's show.

I sent an invitation to many friends and some of them came to see the event which became a very nice present for me.

As per my friends' request, here are some of the pictures I took today.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, those who sent me messages and shared time with me.
You made my day very special.

2016.1.15

It was very cold and cloudy.

Today is my dead father's 81 years old birthday. I usually gave him a present with a card and we celebrate it together.

After work I went shopping but could not find what I wanted.

2015.12.8

It was cloudy.

There was a year-end luncheon.

December 8.  What do you think of this day? Pearl harbour? Or John Lennon?
I think of my high school classmate's birthday. I have three close classmates. My birthday is May 8 and two of them were born in July and the other is December 8.  And finally we became the same age again. In five month I become one year older than them again.
Happy Birthday!

2014.5.8

Happy birthday to me!

It was fine today.

I had lunch with my teacher of university.  It has been a long time since we happened to see each other at a post office of Shinjuku. He treated me.

At the office I got a bouquet of pink roses by chance. How lucky I am!

I got many massages from my friends by various ways such as phone call, Skype, letter, card, e-card, mobile short messages, long messages, emails, Line messages, and Facebook post.

Birthday is a good time to know how happy to have good friends.

Thank you my dear friends.

2013.5.8

Happy Birthday to Me!
It's been a year since I published my first essay "Florida Report."  How fast time flies!
It was fine today, and Mt. Fuji was so beautiful which makes me very happy from the beginning of the new year.
I went to the shrine first, massage second, beauty salon third, bookstore fourth, sushi restaurant fifth, meeting sixth, and finally ate cake at the Yokohama Sheraton.  I did my favorite things and met many people. 
I got some birthday cards, a present from UK, many email messages and face book messages and I could chat and SKYPED with my special people.
I am very glad to have such nice friends around the world.  Thank you very much everyone for being my friends.
There are many things I want to accomplish this year. Wish me luck!

2012.5.8

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday.  For me it was a very special day this year because I published my first book.  It's been about 20 years since I wanted to publish a book.  From March 1992 to March 1993 I was in Europe and had wonderful experiences and hoped to share them with many people by publishing a book in Japanese, English, and Spanish someday. 
From 2006 to 2008 I had a chance to go to Florida, the USA as a JOI (Japan Outreach Initiative) program coordinator.  It's been 10 years since the JOI program began, however there are only less than 40 Japanese people who were coordinators in Japan.  Therefore I decided to write about this experience to share them. 
My dream is to be a bridge between Japan and other countries.  I hope many people will read my book and understand the US society.  You can order the book from my website too.
Today I took a day off to renew my driver's license, and attend the party.  I had a good day.  Thank you so much.

１０月２０日（jyugatsu hatsuka）： October 20

Today is the 77th birthday of Empress. 77 years old is called kijyu (喜寿).
There are some milestone birthdays in Japan. They are 20 (hatachi:二十歳), 30 (misoji:三十路), 40 (yosoji:四十路), 50 (isoji:五十路), 60 (musoji:六十路), 61(kanreki:還暦), 70 (koki:古稀) , 77 (kijyu:喜寿), 80 (sanjyu:傘寿), 88 (beijyu:米寿), 90 (sotujyu:卒寿), 99 (hakujyu:白寿), 100 (momojyu:百寿), and 120 (daikanreki:大還暦).
How about in your country?

６月８日（rokugatsu yoka）： June 8

It slightly rained. Outside it was rather cool, but inside the office it was hot and humid. We are afraid of the hot summer coming without having air conditioning.

It's been a month since my birthday. One of my colleagues invited me for lunch. When I was in Florida my host mother often told me about "extended birthday." So it is nice to have someone celebrate my birthday some days later.
We went to the coffee shop to have delicious sandwiches. She treated me and gave me a hand made necklace too. It is very beautiful and I liked it.

Today is 2 of my cousins' and 1 of my friend's birthday. I sent them e-greeting cards. How do you celebrate somebody's birthday?

５月８日（gogatsu yoka）： May 8

Happy Birthday to Me and My Friends!!

It was very fine and warm today. I went to the beauty salon (biyoin: 美容院)to have my hair cut and perm and to the hospital(byoin: 病院) to see my father.
I like my birthday because many friends around the world think of me and send me messages and presents. I received a package from my good friend from Venezuela today. Before opening it, I thought it was a birthday present. But to my surprise it was a Christmas present. It took nearly 5 months from Venezuela. How far!

Today is Mother's Day. How about in your country?

２月２６日（nigatsu nijyuroku nichi）： February 26

It is 100th birth anniversary of Taro Okamoto (岡本太郎：1911-1996). He is a famous artist from Kanagawa(神奈川). His father is Ippei Okamoto (岡本一平), a cartoonist. His mother is Kanoko Okamoto (岡本かの子), a novelist. He has lived in Paris for 10 years when he was young.　He made a symbol of the Osaka Expo '70. It is called taiyo no to (太陽の塔), the Tower of Sun.
It is 55th birthday of Keisuke Kuwata (桑田佳祐) of Southern All Stars. He is a famous musician from Chigasaki(茅ヶ崎),Kanagawa. He became a cancer of the esophagus last year and stopped his activity for a year and came back on New Year's Eve.
There were two NHK TV programs tonight. One is a documentary film of Keisuke Kuwata. The other was a drama series of Taro Okamoto.
Happy Birthdays!

十二月二十三日（jyunigatsu nijyusan nichi）： December 23

Today is a national holiday called Tenno tanjobi(天皇誕生日), Emperor's Birthday. He became 77 years old.
There are some milestone birthdays in Japan. 77 is one of them. It is called kijyu (喜寿). Other special birthdays are 20 (二十歳：hatachi), 60 (還暦：kanreki), 70 (古稀：koki), 80 (傘寿：sanju), 88 (米寿：beiju), 90 (卒寿：sotsuju), 99 (白寿：hakuju), and 100 (上寿：jyoju).
Do you have any special birthdays in your country?

五月八日（gogatsu yoka）： May 8

Happy Birthday to Me!

I arrived at Nagoya (名古屋) around 6:20 am. I went to the hotel which I booked for the night to ask to keep my baggage during my trip to Ise and changed the clothings. I ate breakfast at the coffee shop (喫茶店： kissaten), though I do not drink coffee. There I ordered the morning set cost yen 580 because it was May 8 (58). Hahaha...
I got on the Kintetsu express train bound for Ise at 8:10am and arrived at Shimaisobe (志摩磯部) at 10:10am.
I have visited many places such as Amanoiwato (天の岩戸), Gegu (外宮), and Naigu (内宮). They are parts of Ise jingu (伊勢神宮), Ise Shrine, where is one of the most famous shrines in Japan.
The weather was fine and everywhere was so beautiful.
After that I went back to Nagoya to meet my old friends from the 44th Peace Boat cruise and had nice dinner. And after that I met another friend from Expo '92.
I had a very nice birthday.　　
Thank you everyone those who thought of me and sent me gifts, messages, greeting cards and shared precious time on this special occasion.