Japan Cup Cycle Road Race 2016

Japan Cup Cycle Road Race was held on a road in front of my condominium home the other day.

My wife and I went out to watch the race

Thousands of passionate spectators lined the roadsides of central Utsunomiya city on the day to see the exciting bike race

Team TREK led the race from the beginning to the end.

The guy, second from the left was the winner of the race.

I Take a Stroll Along Omote-sando Street to Shinsho-Ji Temple

I guess that houses, hotels and shops along Omote-sando main street to the temple were preserved by the local government.

The architectural style of those buildings must be a traditional Japanese one.

I felt as if I were transported back in time to the middle of  Showa era or the 1950's.

The only silver lining of cancellation of Taiwan trip was that we could enjoy our short visit to Shinsho-Ji temple in Narita city.

I Go to Narita-san Shinsho-ji Temple

The scene I was taking a photo.

After having canceled the trip, my wife and I went to a famous temple near Narita International Airport just half an hour driving distance.

Contrary to the weather in Taiwan, it was sunny gentle on the day in Narita city.

Every buddhist building there was elaborately designed and decorated.

It can be said "totally awesome. " 

Journey to Taiwan Is Cancelled

I had been planning to take a one-week-break from my office and go to Taiwan.
But the flight to the country was unbelievably delayed due to a typhoon directly hit the island.

My wife and I asked a ground staff about a prospect of flights: she said that the severe tropical storm would probably affect another couple of days because of the slow moving speed.

So, we cancelled the journey, a reserved parking lot and came back home by car.

I ever have experienced long delay of flights but it was the first time for me to cancel the travel itself.

I Go to Mushroom Mountain

 Two hours driving brought my wife and me to a hot spring area located north of my home town.

We visited a local temple and walked into a mountain trail from the backyard of it.

Unexpectedly, we found various mushrooms here and there.

The mushroom in the left picture was the biggest one.

I guess that the weather and the temperature at that time fit their ecological system perfectly.　

I Have Breakfast at 'Just Cafe'

 My wife and I went to 'Just Cafe' to have breakfast in the early rainy morning the other day.

They served excellent drinks with beautiful drawings on the top of them and delicious foods.

There were only two groups of customers, a mother and her daughter and us.

We spent a quiet and congenial morning hour hearing just drops of rain from outside.

Which Country Are We In?

It seems as if I were in Turkey.

But, my wife and I just went to a Mosque located in Yoyogi Uehara, Tokyo the other day.

The Mosque was open to everyone regardless of his or her religion.

The building was very beautiful both inside and outside.

When we went there, about a dozen of people who seemed Islam were gathering to pray.

Two Tokyo Sky Trees, The One is Seen in 2016 and the Other was in 2009

View from the condominium in which my parents-in-law live

I went to the Tokyo Sky Tree with my wife last month.

The weather was not clear and sunny on the day though, we enjoyed seeing the huge tower and shopping at the town near the tower.

The pictures below were taken in autumn, 2009.  The guys in the picture, all loved to take photos.

I walked around Tokyo with them viewing and taking pictures of the partly-built Sky Tree. 

The pictures were my precious memory that the tower was still under construction. 

I Go to JP Tower Museum

JP Tower Museum held exhibitions of
"The University of Tokyo Collection",
"Naval Architecture in Imperial University"
and
"The Count of Clouds: Mount Fuji Through the Eyes of Masanao Abe" when we visited.

Since photo taking was prohibited inside the museum, I took just a snap shot in the empty room viewing Tokyo railway station.

They had amazing collections and show them free of charge.

Definitely, it is worth visiting.

It is said that Tokyo Railway Station opened on December 20, 1914 with only four platforms.

Currently, it is the busiest station in Japan in terms of number of trains per day (over 3,000),

I Go to Tokyo Stock Exchange and Its Museum

My wife and I went to Tokyo Stock Exchange in Kabuto-chyo, Tokyo the other day.

There are two major stock exchange places in Japan: one is in Tokyo and the other is in Osaka.

The place was rather quiet than I previously expected.
The stock trade is executed through computer systems these days of course, no people are shouting, calling and running at the site.

I Take a Ride on a Tramcar in Tokyo

Tokyo is famous for its wide spread subway systems. People are able to go wherever they want  in downtown Tokyo by them.

But, they still have tramcars which run rather slow comparing with cars and underground trains.

My wife and I took a ride on an Arakawa-Line car.

I don't think it is difficult to replace them with high speed trains or subway, though I hope Tokyo keeps those classic cars running which run for more than a century.

It is said that the Arakawa Line started its operation in 1911.

What a history it is!