Monday, November 24, 2014

I Get a New Camera, Nikon CoolPix P600

The Red Circle Mark Points a Swimming Pool


I bought a new camera, Nikon CoolPix P600 the other day.

I took a test shot of swimming pool from home on a rainy day.

The picture shows rings of rain drips clearly on the surface of water.

The camera has given me quite satisfying quality pictures so far.


Saturday, November 15, 2014

Cafe Tetto Grande

Chinese bell-flowers are blooming in the garden of the cafe.

Japanese furniture are placed inside the cafe. 

Taking a day off, I went to Cafe Tetto Grande in Mohka city with my wife a couple weeks ago.

The cafe was built by having renovated Japanese old farm house.

The cafe had a pretty big roof as was usual an old local farm house had.

There were beautiful flowers in its garden.

We ate pasta, Indian curry with rice, home made bread and fresh vegetable.





Sunday, November 9, 2014

Yabusame, Japanese Traditional Mounted Archery Is Held





Yabusame ritual is a Japanese traditional mounted archery.

An archer on a running horse shoots three special arrows successively at three wooden targets.

The ritual was designed as a way to please and entertain the myriad of gods that watch over Japan, encouraging their blessings for the prosperity of the land, the people, and the harvest.

It was held next to my home the other day.
Two archers shot three times each; one archer lost the targets three times and the other hit all of them.




Monday, November 3, 2014

Japan Cup Cycle Road Race in 2014




Japan Cup Cycle Road Race was held in my town the other day.

Seeing the race as close as one meter away from them was far exciting than seeing from the top of a building.

I felt the wind of the cycle racers this year.


Sunday, October 26, 2014

Happy Birthday to Kiyono



We celebrated my wife, Kiyono's birthday the other day.

She got flowers as a birthday present from her close friend and a present from me.

We have to thank God for being able to have the day together peacefully; luckily there are no single Ebola virus infected patient, civil wars, nor lots of jobless people in my country.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

I Go Hiking at Senjyogahara Marsh and Yunoko Lake

Yunoko Lake

Yunoko Lake

The river runs through Senjyogahara Marshlaned
Okunikko is the best place to visit in autumn. There were lots of plants painted with autumn colors. 

It is said that the colors usually first arrive in the high elevations of Okunikko around early October, reach Lake Chuzenji in mid October and the Irohazaka Winding Road in late October.

Due to the popularity of Nikko's autumn scenery, traffic to and within the Okunikko area can get very bad during the peak of the season. 

To reduce the crowds, it is advisable to avoid weekends and to go early in the day.
My wife and I left home before seven o'clock in the morning and came back home before sunset.







Monday, October 13, 2014

Leaves Turn Red in Nikko Mountains



My wife and I went to Oku-Nikko moor one week ago.
It took us two hours driving from home to the mountain side area.

Nikko is famous for magnificent shrines and temples, and beautiful lakes and waterfalls.
The area was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1999.

Becoming cooler day by day, leaves in the mountains wear colorful makeup without forgetting every year.








Sunday, October 5, 2014

Mt. Fuji and Wild Birds


a wild pheasant in the garden of the facility


We were able to see Mt. Fuji in short clear-up moments from my company's recreation facility we stayed.

There were wild birds at the facility's garden.




I could have taken a picture of the top of Mt. Fuji in a fraction of a second then it disappeared in the wink of an eye.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Flowers in Hakone Wetland




 It was slightly raining when my wife and I visited Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands in August.

Lotus flowers and other pond-side flowers were beautifully blooming.

It took us almost half a day to walk around every part of  the botanical garden.

Since very few people were visiting there, I felt as if I were the owner of the garden.






Sunday, September 21, 2014

Wild Insects in Hakone Wetland

A mantis on a lily is looking at me.

A gold beetle is on a flower.


I went to Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands to see its native plants and species with my wife.

Hakone town is located near Mt. Fuji. It took us half a day to get there by car.

There are various kinds of plants and insects in the area.
A pellucid hawk moth is having flower honey.


Monday, September 15, 2014

Burger Shop in Fussa City


DEMODE DINER is the name of a burger shop in Fussa city of Tokyo.
I went to the shop with my wife on our way back from my company's recreation facility in Hakone.

McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's are ubiquitous franchise burger shops in many counties, I guess.
That's also true in Japan.
So, it's sometimes very hard to find a ma-and-pa burger shop in Japan too.

The shop offered good taste dishes and comfortable atmosphere on a rainy day afternoon in western Tokyo area.


Sunday, September 7, 2014

Cactus Flowers Bloom





The cactus at home had two buds a couple weeks ago for the first time since I bought it several years ago.

The buds became bigger and bigger everyday.

A few days before blooming, the color of the buds slightly turned pink.

Finally, it bloomed last week.

The flowers were unbelievably beautiful; the flowers kept their shape only two days, after that they withered.



Sunday, August 31, 2014

Top Season of Hibiscus Is Going by




It's cooler in the morning and at night these days in my town.

I feel that the top Season of hibiscus is gradually going by.

Even cooler temperature, a gum tree at home has had new two leaves for the first time in one year.

Taking care of plants at home is really fun and joy to me.