【Alley】 Take a short walk in the mountains A bridge was built Behind it is The autumn leaves were beautifully colored.

During this Christmas time Minatomirai area of Yokohama is not only well decorated with lights but also there is a laser show, and a christmas market. The whole area looks heavenly beautiful.

Visited a Chinese restaurant in Akabane called Maraeki 麻辣駅, Malaeki? over the weekend and got some spicy Szechuan noodles 四川風麻辣麺. The photo looked really good and they had tan tan noodles as well but I wanted to try something different. Unfortunately, I was not the biggest fan of the flavor. I think the noodles were great, and the bok choy tasted good as well, but for me the soup wasn't exactly what I was expecting. That being said I don't think it's that the flavor was bad, just that it simply wasn't for me. I enjoy spicy ramen, and the "麻辣" part of the name is "mala," apparently a spicy, numbing sauce made of Sichuanese peppercorn, chili pepper, and other ingredients simmered in oil. I went in not knowing this and paid the price I suppose. The noodles weren't actually that spicy in my opinion, but like I said, the flavor just wasn't for me. I think for anyone who enjoys Chinese food though it's a great place as it's quite affordable and the other dishes we ordered fried rice and xiaolongbao steamed buns, although not pictured here, tasted great.

[English/Japanese] Yesterday, the Kanji characters representing Japan for this year were announced. This event is held every year. Incidentally, this year's kanji was "gold. Why do you think this kanji was chosen? The reason lies in the fact that the Olympic Games were held in Tokyo this year. Japan won more gold medals than any other country in history, which is why they chose this kanji. So what else was popular this year? Let's take a look at Japanese culture through what was popular this year. Maritozzo Maritozzo is a pastry that originated in Rome, Italy. It is a round loaf of bread with a lot of cream in between, and is eaten as breakfast in Italy. This year, Maritozzo has become a big hit in Japan. Many cafes and convenience stores lined up their stores with Maritozzo, and many people queued up to buy Maritozzo. In Japan, it is not uncommon for sweets from other countries to become popular in this way. For example, last year it was tapioca from Taiwan, and before that, macarons from France. It is said that Japan is an island nation with a strong desire to learn about the cultures of other countries. Perhaps this is reflected in the food we eat. Movie Box Office Revenue In this year's global box office ranking, live-action movies from China and the U.S. are ranked from first to fifth. So, is it the same for Japan? The Japanese box-office ranking is completely different from the global ranking. From first to fifth place, all live-action movies are based on anime or manga. Last year, the anime "Demon Slayer" rewrote the top spot in the all-time box office ranking. Although there are many teenagers who visit theaters, there is not that big a difference in the age of the audience. This means that people of all ages are watching anime movies. That is how widespread anime and manga are as a culture in Japan. The Real Two-Way / Showtime The words "real two-faced" and "showtime" were nominated as buzzwords this year. These two words refer to Shohei Ohtani, who is active in the American big leagues. In this way, words related to baseball players are often chosen as buzzwords. When it comes to sports in Japan, many foreigners think of sumo wrestling. However, few people know that baseball is actually the most popular sport in Japan. When I tell this to foreign students, they often say, "I thought soccer was more popular than sumo." Do you share the same opinion? In this article, I introduced some of the things that were popular in Japan this year. I would like to continue introducing them in the next issue. By the way, our school holds an event to introduce what is popular in our country. It is a good opportunity to learn about the trends in different countries and to understand different cultures. Please let us know what's popular in your country. Yesterday, the kanji for this year's Japan were announced. This event is held every year. By the way, this year's kanji was "gold". Why do you think this kanji was chosen? The reason is that the Olympic Games were held in Tokyo this year. Japan won the most gold medals in history, so it became this kanji. So what else was trendy this year? Let's get in touch with the culture of Japan from what was popular this year. Maritozzo Maritozzo is a sweet that originated in Rome, Italy. It is made with plenty of cream sandwiched between round breads and is eaten as breakfast in Italy. This Maritozzo has become a big boom in Japan this year. Maritozzo was lined up in many cafes and convenience stores, and many people lined up to buy Maritozzo. It is not uncommon for sweets from other countries to become popular in Japan in this way. For example, tapioca from Taiwan last year and French macarons before that. It is said that Japan is an island country and has a strong desire to learn about the cultures of other countries. This may be reflected in food. Movie box office Looking at this year's world box office rankings, Chinese and American live-action films are ranked from 1st to 5th. So is it the same with Japan? Japan's box office rankings are completely different from world rankings. Surprisingly, from 1st to 5th place, all are live-action movies based on anime and manga. Last year, the anime "Demon Slayer" broke the first place in the all-time box office ranking. Movie theater users may be among their teens, but there is not much difference by age. This means that people of all ages are watching animated movies. It can be said that anime and manga have permeated as a culture in such a Japan. Real Dual-wielding/Showtime This year's buzzwords "Real Dual-wielding" and "Showtime" were nominated. These two words refer to Shohei Ohtani who is active in the American major leagues. In this way, words about baseball players are often chosen as buzzwords. Many foreigners think of sumo wrestling as a sport in Japan. However, few people know that baseball is actually a sport that is often seen in Japan. When I told this story to international students, they said, "I thought soccer would be more popular if it was anything other than sumo," and "I don't know much about what kind of sport baseball is." I answer. Do you all agree with me? This time, we have introduced some of the things that have become popular in Japan this year. I would like to continue to introduce it next time. By the way, at our school, we hold events to introduce what we do in our own country. It is a good opportunity to learn about the trends of various countries and understand different cultures. Please tell us what is popular in your country.

【Autumn leaves seen from a distance】 If you look closely, The autumn leaves that were a little faded From a distance It was very beautiful.

Recent black-and-white photos

This beautiful christmas tree is situated inside the "Mark IS" shopping Mall in Minatomirai area of Kanagawa prefecture.

"The Snowy Scenery of Togakushi that Overwhelms" The huge cedar trees of Togakushi Shrine Okusha in Nagano Prefecture are always overwhelming. When I came early in the morning, it was as cold as -8 °, but the moment I saw this cedar avenue, I forgot the cold and stopped to look at it.

【Kiyomizu-dera Temple】 Lit up.

A very beautiful christmas tree in the minato mirai area of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Went to Ootoya for lunch today and got a nice Alaska pollack set meal with vegetables pickled in black vinegar すけそう鱈と野菜の黒酢あん定食. Cost 920 yen and it tasted great. I really like Ootoya because it's a nice place if you're looking to eat some traditional Japanese food and I'm surprised it's actually not more popular. The food is always great and you even get to choose the types of rice you want and how much. It's pretty reasonable cost-wise considering what you get as well. The ordering system is really convenient as well. With the electronic ordering tablets it's easy to add something to your order and they have English as well so if you're not confident with your Japanese you don't need to worry about it

【Arashiyama Yusai-tei】 Let's !️ go to Kyoto≡┏ ^o^┛

The very beautiful christmas market in Yokohama. So many people gathered here to enjoy the christmas lights in the sea side area and also to enjoy different kind of food. The photo was taken from Yokohama red brick warehouse christmas market.

I photographed Mt. Nakadake from Tengugajo Castle in the Kuju mountain range in Oita Prefecture. The view from the top of the mountain is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and various expressions are shown by sunlight and clouds.

This ropeway leads to the top of mount Zao. A beautiful destination for winter lover.

Magestic view of mount Fuji. The snow caped mount fuji with early blooming pink cherry blossom. It also tells you the end of winter and the beginning of Spring. The photo was taken in month of February in Matsudayama herb garden in Kanagawa prefecture

A nice Christmas tree I found near Akabane Station. I'm pretty excited for the holidays. I like the romantic format of Christmas in Japan much more than I do the spending time with family version in America. There's something about the cold weather that makes it feel romantic spending time together with the person special to you. Another great thing about this time of year is all of the buffets! I love going to the buffets and trying all the different food. It's a much different style than the U.S. too which is fun. I can't say I don't miss eating a nice Christmas ham or turkey with some stuffing basically the same as thanksgiving lol, but what's awesome about the buffets is they always have some sort of prime rib or king crab, one really special item that everyone lines up for lol. One thing I miss is the holiday portion of Christmas back in America, but the New Years holiday in Japan more than makes up for it. Also the illuminations in Japan are always awesome. Places like Ginza, Tokyo Station, etc. always have incredibly beautiful showings. Didn't get to go to any last year, but this year I'm hoping to be able to visit at least one!

[English/Japanese] Can we see Japan from the contents of Japanese people's bags? The contents of Japanese people's bags. Continuing on from the previous article, I would like to introduce some of the things you can see in Japanese people's bags, such as their lifestyle and culture. 1 Cosmetics and hair elastics Compared to other countries, Japanese women are said to reapply their makeup more often. Have you ever felt that many women fix their makeup when they go to the bathroom? Also, women with long hair may have hair elastics in their bags. This is because when eating noodles such as ramen, it is against etiquette not to tie your hair up. Let's all be careful when eating noodles. 2 Sweets Many people carry snacks in their bags for when they get hungry. I think this is common in many countries. However, in Osaka and other parts of Kansai, there is a unique culture regarding sweets especially candies. According to a TV program, 10% of people in Tokyo have candies in their bags, while more than 80% of people in Osaka have candies in their bags. There are many episodes of strangers from Osaka especially older women talking to you and giving you candies. There are many reasons for this, but Osaka is a city of commerce and communication is very important. For this reason, handing out candies is said to be one of the ways of communication. 3 Fans（sensu） Fans are a popular souvenir. Many people carry them in their bags during the summer. In the past few years, handy fans have become popular, and I have seen many people wearing them around their necks. However, handy fans are large in size and require batteries. In comparison, fans（sensu） are very compact and easy to store in a bag, so they are still very popular. Fans come in a variety of patterns and can be purchased at 100 yen stores. Please try using them not only as souvenirs, but also in your daily life. Extra: Stuffed animals Japanese people are said to be overworked. The daily commute is packed with trains, and the stress is just too much. I've heard that more and more people are putting cute stuffed animals in their bags to relax for a while. It is said that if you gently touch the stuffed animal in your bag when you are sitting on the train, you will feel less stressed. In Japan, a lot of stuffed animals with characters such as Kitty and Pokemon are sold. You should definitely try to find your favorite stuffed animal. Have you had a chance to learn about the life of Japanese people? By the way, our school has a dormitory on the floor above the school, so you don't have to stress about commuting in the morning and can concentrate on your studies. We also offer online school explanations, so please feel free to contact us. Can you see the Japan from the contents of Japan's bag? ② Continuing from the previous article, I would like to introduce the life and culture of Japan that can be seen from the contents of the bags of Japan people. 1 Cosmetics and hair elastics Compared to other countries Japan it is said that women have to fix their makeup more often. Have you ever felt that many women fix their makeup when they go to the bathroom? Also, women with long hair may have a hair elastic in their bag. That's because when eating noodles such as ramen, it is a violation of manners if you do not tie your hair. Let's all be careful when eating noodles. 2 Sweets Many people put sweets in their bags when they are hungry. I think this is common to all countries. However, in Kansai, such as Osaka, there is a unique culture regarding this confectionery especially candy. According to one TV program, 10% of people in Tokyo carry candy in their bags, while more than 80% of people in Osaka carry candy. It is common to hear episodes where people in Osaka especially elderly women who do not know talk to them and give them candy. There are many reasons for this, but Osaka is a city of commerce and values communication. Therefore, it is said that handing out candy is one of the ways of communication. 3 Fan A fan that is also popular as a souvenir. Many people keep it in their bags in the summer. Handy fans have been all the rage in the last few years, and I've seen a lot of people hanging them around their necks. However, in the case of a handy fan, the size is also large and requires batteries. In comparison, fans are very compact and easy to put in a bag, so they are still very popular. Fans come in a variety of patterns and can be purchased at 100 yen shops. Please try using it not only as a souvenir, but also on a regular basis. Extra Stuffed Animal Japan people who are said to be overworked. The daily commute is stressful with crowded trains. I have heard that the number of people who put cute stuffed animals in their bags has increased recently, wanting to heal even a little time in such days. When you can sit on the train, you can gently touch the stuffed animal in your bag to relieve stress. Japan, many of the characters such as Kitty and Pokémon are sold. Please try to find your favorite stuffed animal. Japan have you been able to get to know people's lives? By the way, our school has a dormitory on the upper floor of the school, so you can concentrate on your studies without stress on your morning commute. We also offer online school explanations, so please feel free to contact us.

Fuji from Lake Yamanaka If you wait for the sunset at this place on 2/11, you can meet Diamond Fuji

Fuji from Lake Yamanaka If you get off the express bus, this scenery

I found a Saitama fair in Ueno station and they were selling my favorite sweets 十万石まんじゅう!! I highly recommend this to anyone going to Saitama 😊

The beautiful cityscape along with the great view of Mount Fuji from the cruise in Yokohama red brick cafe cruise

Enjoying the blue hours and christmas market in Yokohama red brick warehouse. The photo was taken from Osanbashi International Cruise Terminal.

【Toji Temple Light Up】 It was a very beautiful light-up. Out of time I couldn't take a slow picture It's a shame.

Enjoying the blue hours and christmas market in Yokohama red brick warehouse. The photo was taken from Osanbashi International Cruise Terminal. During day time I also see the famous mount Fuji from the Cruise.

Beautiful Yamagata station. The train is ready to go to sendai.

Moon through the gaps in the leaves

Went to a restaurant in Shinagawa called Ogasawara Shoten. They had some really tasty yakiniku and the drinks were really cheap as well. I ended up getting some sort of kalbi set, I don't remember the name but you can see what it came with in the picture lol. The yakiniku tasted great but the grill was a little too hot at first so I had to turn the heat down. I had to flip my meat over really fast to make sure it didn't burn at first 😂. It was a fun experience though. After I got it turned down though I had a nice relaxing meal. The miso soup was nice as well it all tasted great to be honest and afterwards they had a free coffee service which was a nice way to end lunch. They had a pay pay campaign going on as well, so I got a nice discount for using it. Really handy app