Great way to enjoy the sakura season. I saw many people spent their day off on pleasure boats and enjoy the view of beautiful parks and garden near the river. At the same time few love to feed birds and fishes.
This picture was taken exactly that moment when a pleasure boat was floating near skytree and one family was feeding those seabirds and you can see the blooming sakura in the background too.

[Englsih／日本語]
In Hachioji City, you can eat dishes from all over the world's cuisines.The other day, I had dal bhat at the Nepalese restaurant "Naoya", which is a five-minute walk from the school and is located alongside the Hachioji Central Library. "Daal" means bean soup and "bhaat" means rice, just like a set meal in Japan. Nepal is famous for its curry, but daalbhaat was not spicy at all, and had a gentle taste 😊I was glad to finally try this dish, which was introduced to me by a student a few years ago ✨I also tried Ras Malai cottage cheese dumplings dipped in honey for dessert for the first time, and was surprised at how sweet it was!
八王子市では世界の料理各国の料理を食べることができます。先日、学校から歩いて5分、八王子中央図書館の並びにあるネパール料理「奈央屋」さんで、ダルバート（दालभात）を食べました。ダルは豆のスープ、バートはご飯の意味で、日本の定食のようなものです。カレーで有名なネパールですが、ダルバートはまったく辛くなくやさしい味でした😊数年前に学生から紹介された料理なので、やっと食べられてうれしかったです✨デザートにラスマライ（ रस मलाई カッテージチーズの団子を蜜につけたもの）も初めて食べましたが、甘すぎてびっくりしました（笑）

Japan has a deep rooted cultural heritage and the ethnicities of this country is versatile and beautiful. When my foreigner friends wore those vibrant and gorgeous kimonos they got so much appreciation from the people around them that was overwhelming. And yes it was also my first hand experience as a photographer too.. On that day we enjoyed a lot.

[English／日本語]
Hachioji City has a market called the Hachioji General Wholesale Center. Here, you can find rare fish, etc. There is also a store specializing in halal foodstuffs, which is convenient for international students to shop. The school plans to visit this market as a field trip.
八王子市には「八王子総合卸売センター」という市場があります。ここには珍しい魚などが売っています。また、ハラル食材の専門店もあり、留学生が買い物をするのに便利です。本校では校外学習として訪れる予定です。

Had a nice relaxing golden week and to finish it off I saw some carp streamers billowing in the wind at some park along the river near Kita-senju. Had some really nice weather the past couple days too, which was great. Hope everyone had a nice holiday/vacation!

[English／日本語]
May 5th is Children's Day. On Children's Day, people decorate the outside with fish carp called Koi Nobori. Koi Noboris" are decorations to wish for the growth of children and their success in life. The Asakawa River in Nishi-Hachioji is decorated with many Koi Noboris carp streamers. The carp streamers flowing on the river are beautiful and very moving. It takes about 25 minutes to walk from the school, which is a bit far, but please go and see them.
5月5日は子どもの日です。子どもの日は「こいのぼり」という魚（鯉 こい）のかざりを外にかざります。「こいのぼり」は子どもの成長と出世を願うものです。西八王子にある浅川ではたくさんの「こいのぼり」を飾るイベントを行っています。川の上を流れこいのぼりは美しくてとても感動します。学校から歩いて25分くらいで、少し遠いですがぜひ見に行ってみてください。

東京都あきる野市にある広徳寺の樹齢300年の大銀杏

都立小金井公園のオオタカ。JR中央線の最寄り駅から新宿まで20分足らずの所にあり沢山の利用者もいる場所ながら、しっかり豊かな自然が存在しています。

[English／日本語]
The Takao Komakino Garden is a 15-minute walk from Takao Station, the next station to Nishi-Hachioji Station where the school is located. Visitors can enjoy traditional Japanese gardens such as karesansui dry landscape garden and ponds with Nishikigoi Nishikigoi carp. The school plans to visit the garden in early summer as a field trip.
学校があるに西八王子駅の隣の駅、高尾駅から徒歩15分で行ける「高尾駒木野庭園」です。枯山水や錦鯉のいる池など、日本の伝統的な庭を楽しむことができます。学校では初夏の校外学習として訪れる予定です。

Went to Rikugien Gardens over the weekend!

The weather was really nice and the flowers were beautiful.
I was hoping to see the yukitsuri, but unfortunately they'd already been taken down.
We bought some bikes recently so we decided to ride them to the park.
It's been really nice to get a bit of a leg workout in instead of riding trains all the time.
It was only about 25-30 minutes too and we were able to avoid all of the packed trains and get some fresh air.

I was pretty happy that we got to see the popular view from the top of the hill 3rd photo.
I've seen many photos of it before and finally was able to see it for myself.

I never knew that the park had turtles in the pond either, so that was pretty cool to see.
There were a bunch swimming all over the pond, sitting on rocks, etc.

We managed to spot a crane as well, but it was in a spot were we couldn't really take a good photo of it so I decided to pass and just admire it without a photo.

We stopped for a short break at one of the small cafes inside the park and got a quick snack.
I'm not a fan of manju, but my girlfriend likes them so she got a coffee and one sakura manju.
She seemed to like it, but decided to take off the flower from the top as she didn't want to eat the petals.
The melon soda float was nice too.
Definitely a nice place to visit and hoping to visit again in the fall to see the leaves after they've changed color.

日本の象徴とも言える、東京の春
思わずシャッターを切ってしまった、春色の渋谷の街
ピンク色に染まる都会が奏でた自然は、今も見ていて美しい

撮影場所: 東京都 渋谷区 渋谷 桜坂

東京都新宿区にある新宿御苑内で撮影したものです。
茶屋の横にあった八重桜が浮き立って奇麗でした。

Found a nice izakaya in Kanda today.
The name is Kakuuchi Inagaki 角打 いながき. I think that's the reading for the kanji at least...
The place had a really nice atmosphere and some really good food at very reasonable prices.
I ordered the Saba no Shioyaki さばの塩焼き, salt grilled mackerel and it was really tasty and only cost 750 yen as well.
Definitely a nice place to drop by for some after work drinks with a friend or coworker or just for lunch like I did.

It seems like they serve nikomi and oden later at night as well, so if you like that I definitely recommend it.

[Englsh／日本語]
Hachioji City, where our school is located, is a city with a rich history. Here you can experience various traditional cultures. 2 students are holding "Kuruma Dolls". School events also offer experiences that expose students to the culture of Hachioji as well as Japan.
本校がある八王子市は歴史のある街です。ここではいろいろな伝統文化を体験することができます。2人の学生が持っているのは「車人形」です。学校行事では日本だけではなく八王子の文化に触れる体験も行っています。

Was nice weather over the weekend so I did a little exploring.

Found this nice little temple near the Sumida River called Hozoin Temple 寳蔵院 in Arakawa.
I wasn't sure where exactly I was allowed to go inside the temple, and I didn't have much time anyways, so I just took a peak through the gates and snapped a photo.
It was a really quaint place and apparently it has some landscape paintings and itabi tablets.
From what I saw, it looked like there was a garden across the ground.
Maybe a rock garden or something of the sort, I wasn't able to get a good look at it though.
The area around the temple was the hunting grounds of the Tokugawa Shogunate as well it seems.
Pretty amazing to imagine there was enough greenery in the area to hunt in the past.

Also managed to stop by a nice udon/soba restaurant for lunch.
It was called Sunaba 砂場 I believe.
I ordered the kamo duck nanban udon and it tasted great.
Haven't had duck in a while, but it's always a treat.
The lady taking orders was really nice as well.
Overall a great place!

【English／日本語】
These are cherry blossoms at Shinshoin, a temple in Nishi-Hachioji. This temple was opened by the daughter of the famous warlord "Shingen Takeda". Unlike ordinary temples, it is very gorgeous with feminine decorations. Our school goes to visit it once a year. Before the visit, students learn in class about the tragic love story for which this temple was built. There are many historical buildings near the school. It can be said that Nishi-Hachioji is a very good environment for studying Japanese language.

西八王子にあるお寺「信松院」の桜です。このお寺は有名な武将である『武田信玄の娘』が開きました。普通のお寺とは違い、女性らしさを感じる装飾があり、とても華やかです。本校では1年に1回見学に行きます。見学の前に学生たちは授業でこの寺が建てられた悲恋の物語を学びます。学校の近くには歴史的な建物がたくさんあります。西八王子は日本語を学ぶ環境としてとても優れていると言えます。

目白庭園での一枚
夕暮れの水面にリフレクション

桜のフレームからスカイツリーをのぞく
隅田川に停車していた水上バスも桜色でした
場所:隅田公園

It's finally starting to feel like spring.
Loving the cherry blossoms around Tokyo already, it just needs to get a bit warmer.
Temperature feels a lot more up and down this year, but maybe it's just my imagination.

Hoping I can get out this weekend and enjoy some more views outside of Tokyo.
I'm not sure how much the cherry blossoms have bloomed in Saitama, but I enjoyed seeing all the photos and videos of the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival.

It's a bit too far/expensive for a day trip 6 hours on a train doesn't sound fun, but it'd be nice to see them one day.
From my knowledge, the cherry blossoms tend to stay in bloom longer there so it'd be nice to see them eventually.
Either way, I'm just happy spring is finally here!

[English／日本語]
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.

3Cherry 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!

東京は一昨日、桜が開花したと気象庁が発表しました。日本ではこの時期の天気予報は気温や天気だけではなく、桜の様子を伝えます。日本の伝統的なイベントである「お花見」は1300年前から始まり、外国人観光客からも人気があります。今回はお花見のマナーを紹介します。

①主役は桜
お花見と言えば、桜の木の下で食事をしたりお酒を飲んだりすることをさします。桜はとてもデリケートな植物です。食事をするときは桜の根本にシートを置かないようにしましょう。桜の根元は呼吸をする場所です。離れたところにシートを敷いてください。また、桜の花が美しいからと言って枝を折ってはいけません。桜は腐りやすい植物です。また、桜の枝を折ると「器物破損罪」として罰金を払わなければならないこともあります。気を付けましょう。

②公園のルール
この時期の休日は公園でお花見している人がとても増えます。また、夜になるとライトアップをしているところもあり、デートスポットとしても人気があります。公園によってルールが違うので、お花見をする前には必ず公園のルールを調べてからにしましょう。例えば、お酒の持ち込みを禁止しているところや火を使ってはいけないところもあります。また、ゴミはきちんと持ち帰えり、きちんとそうじをしてからお花見を終えましょう。春と言っても夜はとても冷えるので、防寒対策も忘れずに。

③桜モチーフのグッズ
お花見は公園だけではありません。この季節は街の中やお店の中にも桜をイメージした飾りを多くみることができます。カフェでは桜のラテアートやピンク色をしたケーキなどを食べることができます。雑貨屋では、桜の絵が描いた商品がお店に並びます。この季節限定なので、お土産としても人気があります。ぜひ、探してみてくださいね。

本校がある八王子は桜の名所が多くあります。夜、ライトアップしている公園もあるのでぜひ訪れてみてくださいね！

川苔山/東京

真夏の小笠原諸島、南島にて。鮮やかな緑と青のコントラストはまさに楽園そのもの。地球の果てに来たような気分。

焼肉
Yakiniku

焼肉 牛宮城＠東京都渋谷区宇田川町
YAKINIKU GYUGUJOU＠Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

焼肉 牛宮城
東京都渋谷区宇田川町12-9 ジュール渋谷 5F
YAKINIKU GYUGUJOU
Joule Shibuya 5F, 12-9 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

奥多摩でたまたま見かけた、
寝そべった女性のような氷柱です。

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

東京都立川グリーンスプリングスで撮影しました。時期が、クリスマスだったので、サンタさんのコスチュームをしているぬいぐるみを手に持って撮影しました。

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.

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.

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.