[English/Japanese] The day before yesterday, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced that cherry blossoms had bloomed in Tokyo. In Japan, the weather forecast at this time of the year tells not only the temperature and weather, but also the cherry blossoms. Hanami, a traditional Japanese event, began 1,300 years ago and is popular among foreign tourists. In this issue, we will introduce the etiquette of Hanami. (1) The star of the show is the cherry blossoms Cherry blossom viewing means eating and drinking under the cherry trees. Cherry trees are very delicate plants. When eating, do not place a sheet at the base of the cherry tree. The base of the cherry tree is where it breathes. Please place the sheet away from it. Also, do not break the branches of cherry trees just because of their beautiful blossoms. Cherry blossoms are a plant that easily decomposes. You may also have to pay a fine for "damage to property" if you break a cherry blossom branch. Please be careful. (2) Rules of the park During the holidays at this time of year, the number of people viewing cherry blossoms in the park increases greatly. Some of them are also lit up at night, making them popular date spots. Each park has different rules, so be sure to check the park's rules before going hanami. For example, some parks prohibit the bringing of alcoholic beverages, while others do not allow the use of fire. Also, be sure to take your trash home with you and clean up properly before you finish your hanami. Even though it is spring, the nights can get very cold, so be sure to take warm clothing. (3) Cherry blossom motif goods Cherry blossom viewing is not limited to parks. During this season, you can see many cherry blossom-inspired decorations in the city and in stores. At cafes, you can enjoy cherry blossom latte art and pink-colored cakes. At general stores, you can find products with pictures of cherry blossoms. Since they are only available during this season, they are popular as souvenirs. Please look for them! Hachioji, where our school is located, has many famous cherry blossom viewing spots. Some parks are lit up at night, so be sure to visit them! The Japan Meteorological Agency announced that cherry blossoms had blossomed in Tokyo the day before yesterday. In Japan, the weather forecast at this time of year tells not only the temperature and weather, but also the state of the cherry blossoms. The traditional event of the Japan, "cherry blossom viewing", began 1300 years ago and is popular with foreign tourists. This time, I will introduce the manners of cherry blossom viewing. (1) The main role is cherry blossoms Cherry blossom viewing refers to eating and drinking under the cherry blossom trees. Cherry is a very delicate plant. When eating, do not put a sheet on the base of the cherry blossoms. The base of the cherry is the place to breathe. Lay a sheet at a distance. Also, you should not break off branches just because the cherry blossoms are beautiful. Cherry is a perishable plant. Also, if you break a cherry tree branch, you may have to pay a fine as a "property damage crime". Let's be careful. (2) Park rules On holidays at this time, the number of people watching cherry blossoms in the park increases a lot. In addition, some places are lit up at night, making it a popular date spot. The rules differ from park to park, so be sure to check the rules of the park before cherry blossom viewing. For example, there are places where alcohol is prohibited and fire is not allowed. Also, take your trash home properly and clean it properly before finishing the cherry blossom viewing. Even in spring, the nights are very cold, so don't forget to take measures to protect yourself from the cold. (3) Goods with cherry blossom motif Cherry blossom viewing is not limited to parks. During this season, you can see many cherry blossom-inspired decorations in the city and shops. At the café, you can eat cherry blossom latte art and pink cakes. In general stores, products with pictures of cherry blossoms are lined up in the store. Since it is limited to this season, it is also popular as a souvenir. Please look for it. Hachioji, where our school is located, has many famous cherry blossom spots. Some parks are lit up at night, so be sure to visit them!

Japan 100 Famous Castles and Sakura Castle Cherry blossoms in Sakura Castle Park

Gem Exhibition Winter starry sky in Tsumagoi Village. There were very large diamonds and brilliant stars scattered all over the place.

A edgeworthia chrysantha that blooms at Yabitsu Pass in Hadano City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

In the Chichibu Basin, fog often occurs at night when the air near the surface cools, and a sea of clouds is formed to cover the urban area. It is attracting attention as "the closest sea of clouds from the city center".

Drive to Sakaki Isomae Shrine in Ibaraki Seems to be able to get rich

Kawamosan / Tokyo

In the middle of summer, in the Ogasawara Islands, South Island. The contrast between the vivid green and blue is truly paradise. Feeling like you've come to the end of the earth.

Yakiniku Yakiniku Yakiniku Ushimiyagi@Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo YAKINIKU GYUGUJOU＠Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan Yakiniku Ushimiyagi Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Udagawacho 12-9 Jules Shibuya 5F YAKINIKU GYUGUJOU Joule Shibuya 5F, 12-9 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

I happened to see it in Okutama, It is an icicle like a lying woman.

Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Oarai Isosaki Shrine Torii gate of Kamiso A winter morning produced by a good scale group

It was taken at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.

Beautifully decorated Yokohama China town during chinese new year using red lantern, chinese hoardings and lantern dragons.

This photo was taken at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. ? When I visited for the first time, I was attracted by the beauty of the five-storied pagoda on the site and took this photo. We were able to get a glimpse of 1500 years of history.

The shrine and its nearby area at China town, Yokohama were well decorated with lights and lanterns before the Chinese new year. It looks very beautiful and charming.

Just some more photos to wrap up our trip to Nikko. I took a bunch of photos of different monuments and buildings that seemed important or had lavish decorations. I can't make out what the writing on the monument says but I can at least make out the kanji for heart (心). I also liked the golden palanquins inside the the building in the forth photo, although I'm not sure if they were used at some point or are simply for decoration. The other photos are from Futarasan Chugushi Shrine (二荒山中宮祠神社) located in front of Lake Chuzenji. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go inside the shrine but I was at least able to take some nice photos of the torii gate. Apparently it has a kagura hall as well and the entrance to Mt. Nantai is located inside the shrine as well. And finally, just an assortment of food that I haven't posted yet. All of it tasted great. It was definitely a trip I'm never going to forget!

This photo was taken in Tachikawa Green Springs, Tokyo. It was Christmas, so I took a picture of a stuffed animal costume costume as Santa in my hand.

Some more photos from our trip to Nikko. There were so many awesome monuments, landmarks, and buildings that it'd be impossible to fit it all into one post. I was so glad that I had my mobile battery with me because I was taking so many photos that I was just burning through my battery lol. I really liked how the incense burner looked and I tried looking up how old it was but I wasn't able to find anything about it, only the one in front of Tokugawa Ieyasu's burial site. I would have liked to use the chozuya as well, but unfortunately it was closed off due to covid. I also liked seeing the sake barrels as well as they always brighten up shrines. The "Ippon Toro" lantern was interesting as well. I'd never heard of Empress Tofukumon'in before either, so it gave me some interesting things to read about Japan's Edo Period. Apparently she helped rebuild prominent temple in Kyoto and collected art and pottery from famous artisans of the time and even those of the past. Some buildings I'd have to look at a map to know their names but there was definitely no shortage of decorations. Unfortunately we weren't able to take photos inside some of the main buildings, but a few of them had ceiling paintings done by famous painters. Many of them were birds, and I'm not an expert, but I think they were mostly cranes and they were all really beautiful.

Famous Dragon Dance during Chinese New Year Festival at Yokohama's famous China Town. The dragon dance is very cute, funny and interesting. It was a vibrant and colorful festival.

Vibrant and colorful attire, graceful performers ,jolly faces .... Every good things were present during the 38th Samba festival of Asakusa.

Took a trip out to Nikko, Tochigi over the three day weekend and had an incredible time. The purpose of the trip was to celebrate my girlfriend's sister's college graduation so we wanted to make it as memorable as possible. I don't have enough room to fit this into one post so I'll post the rest throughout the week. We started out from Tokyo and had lunch somewhere Nikko Toshogu Shrine. I'm not sure if Yuba is a local specialty but it seemed like literally every single restaurant in the area was selling it so I'm assuming that was the case. It was my first time trying it and it was pretty interesting I guess you could say. It tasted alright with the soy sauce and radish but I think I prefer normal tofu instead. Either way it was a nice experience. After eating we headed out to Nikko Toshogu Shrine nearby and man was it amazing. Everything was so lavishly decorated that I couldn't stop taking photos. The pagoda was incredibly beautiful as well and the snow covering the Nikko area made everything even more beautiful. I was lucky enough to get a really nice shot of the corridor full of lanterns while no one was walking through the area as well. I also took a photo of the torii gate at the top of the steps as it had a very strong presence and signaled the end of the long journey up the steps to reach the inner shrine. Unfortunately the main gate was undergoing repairs so it was completely covered in tarp and surrounded by staging so I wasn't able to get a photo of it, but I did get some really cool shots of the main shrine. I tried as hard as I could to get some good photos of the grave of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and while I think the photo of the gate isn't bad, I think I'd need a better camera to get a good shot of the crane and his tomb. That being said it was still really awesome to see. After checking out the shrine we headed out to Kegon Falls and I managed to get some really nice videos and some decent photos as well. I can't post the videos or I would. It was really awesome seeing the icicles surrounding the waterfall and all of the frozen scenery as well. Even just taking the lift down to the waterfall was an experience. After we left the waterfall observation deck and went back up the elevator we got some suiton (水団, flour dumplings in soup) and shared it between the three of us as a light snack before dinner later that evening. We also visited Lake Chuzenji and admired the scenery there for a bit as well. We didn't spend a ton of time here so this photo was the best I could do. I like that I was able to get the sign in the shot though so I can't complain. After enjoying the view of the lake we headed to our hotel and ate dinner and had some wine. The place we stayed at was called "Lamb Chop" (ペンション・ラムチャップ日光). The food was great and service provided by the the owners was top notch, so I definitely recommend checking it out if you're looking for a place to stay in the area. After dinner we headed back to our room and I was so exhausted I fell asleep almost instantly. And that was the end of day 1! I'll post day two tomorrow since this post is getting quite long now!

Although the samba dance is from Brazil but I saw it 1st time in Tokyo at Asakusa area. It was from 38th Asakusa Samba carnival in 2019. I was really very excited and happy to see it. Unfortunately from 2020 because of corona the event is not happening but I wish this 2022 I could see it again.

Kawazu cherry blossoms have blossomed

Snow Bear

On the occasion of Chinese new year the Yokohama China town was well decorated during pre corona situation (in 2019). It was my first chance to enjoy Chinese new year in China Town. It was really a great fun. Wish after corona it will be back in full form.

[English/Japanese] Snow is predicted to fall in Tokyo this week. In Japan, there are many tourist destinations where winter sports are popular, such as Hokkaido, but in Tokyo, snowfall is not that common and the city is not prepared to handle it. As a result, even a 5 cm accumulation of snow can cause many problems. In this article, I will tell you how to deal with snow in Tokyo. 1) Transportation When it snows, train schedules are often disrupted. Trains may be cancelled or the number of trains may be reduced, so you may be late for work. Try to leave your house early on snowy days. Roads can also be crowded, and few people buy snow tires for the rare snowfall in a year. As a result, many people drive with regular tires on snowy days, which can cause slip accidents. Try not to walk near cars on snowy days. 2) The day after it snows Unlike Hokkaido, the snow that falls in Tokyo has a high moisture content. Therefore, the day after a snowfall, the roads are often icy. Since there are many buildings in Tokyo, there is no sunlight and the snow may not melt even after a week. Some people slip on the icy roads and get seriously injured because of it. On the day after a snowfall, try to walk in the sunshine. 3)What to wear What you wear the next day is more important than what you wear when it is snowing. The roads are very slippery, so it is best to wear long boots or other non-slip shoes. You should also wear gloves because the ice can cut your hands if you slip and fall on them. A hat is also necessary to protect your head. A backpack or other bag that allows you to keep both hands free is also a good idea. If you don't have boots, there is a life hack to prevent slipping by putting an adhesive bandage on the back of your sneakers. Please give it a try. Many of the students at our school come from warm countries. Some of them have caught colds from playing in the snow because it was their first time to see snow. Please play in the snow in moderation. This time, we are planning to spread snow-melting agent in front of the dormitory. If your neighbors are having a hard time shoveling snow, let's help them out. It's also a chance to make friends with Japanese people. Also, it's best not to go outside too much on snowy days, so get your shopping done as soon as possible! Snow is forecast to fall in Tokyo this week. In Japan, there are many tourist spots where winter sports are popular, such as Hokkaido, but it does not snow that often in Tokyo, so the city of Tokyo is not equipped to cope with snow. Therefore, even if 5 cm of snow accumulates, various problems will occur. This time, I would like to tell you about snow countermeasures in Tokyo. (1) Transportation When it snows, train schedules are often disturbed. Trains may be suspended or the number of trains will be reduced, so you may be late for the company. Try to leave the house early on snowy days. Roads can also be crowded. Because of the snow that may or may not fall in a year, few people buy tires for snow. Therefore, many people drive on ordinary tires on snowy days, and some people have slip accidents. On snowy days, try not to walk near cars as much as possible. (2) The day after the snow fell Unlike Hokkaido, the snow that falls in Tokyo is moisture. Therefore, the roads are often icy the day after the snow falls. There are many buildings in Tokyo, so the sunlight may not shine and the snow may not melt even after one week. Some people slip on icy roads and get seriously injured because of it. The day after it snows, choose a path that gets as much sunlight as possible. (3) Clothing What you wear the next day is more important than when it's snowing. The road is very slippery, so wear shoes that are not slippery, such as long ones. Also, wear gloves as ice can cut your hands when you slip and get your hands. You will also need a hat to protect your head. Also, it is good to have a backpack or other bag that can be used with both hands. There is a life hack that people who do not have boots can put adhesive plasters on the back of their sneakers to prevent them from slipping. Give it a try. At our school, many students come from warm countries. Some people took off their shoes and played in the snow for the first time to see snow, catching a cold. Let's play in the snow in moderation. This time, we plan to sow snow melting agent in front of the dormitory. If your neighbors are having a hard time shoveling snow, help them. It's also a chance to get to know Japan people. Also, it's better not to go outside too much on snowy days, so be sure to finish your shopping early!

Nakagawa

Chichibu Shrine's "Oni Yarai" It is the "Setsubun Tsukina Festival" held at Chichibu Shrine on February 3 every year. A lot of demons appear, and "demon yarai" and "bean sprinkling" are performed by old men and women. When the old man and woman sow the beans while saying, "The demon is outside~", the demon retreats.

A strange festival held in the early morning of winter at Kawarayu Onsen in Naganohara Town, Gunma Prefecture "Yukake Festival" One day, about 400 years after Minamoto Yoritomo discovered the hot spring, the hot spring suddenly disappeared. The villagers were exhausted, but when one of them smelled the hot springs, he smelled boiled chicken eggs. So we sacrificed the chicken and prayed, and the hot water came out again, so we all decided to celebrate. At first, we were happy to say, "Hot water, hot water," but then we all started pouring hot water on each other by saying, "It's a celebration, it's a celebration." I'm pouring hot water on a red and white kusudama with live chickens!

The "Special Traveling Radio Gymnastics and Gymnastics for Everyone" (started in 1978) is held at about 10 venues nationwide. This photo was taken at the Edo-Tokyo Tatemonoen-mae Square in Koganei City in the summer.