Rice Is Thriving In.

On Wednesday I visited the rice field to see how it is. The length was more than 60 cm. This year the rainy season lasts more than usual and there is a special concern about the lack of sunlight. The end of the rainy season was announced in the western part of Japan; it will be done soon also in the eastern part of Japan.

Near the rice field a farmer was selling fresh vegetables, so I bought a tomato and took bites out of a whole tomato. There was no freshly-picked green scent. I was disappointed. My grandfather used to grow vegetables for my family after retirement. He organically grew various vegetables such as cabbage, eggplant, cucumber, tomato, pea, green onion, and green chive. I used to help to pick up budworms from cabbages. I feel nostalgic for my grandpa’s tomato.

Biei Full of Flowers

I was visiting Biei again. Now it was full of flowers, especially lavender in full bloom. The weather was not so good; sometimes I was caught in a shower. But I was able to enjoy a three-night travel very much, because there were unexpected encounters with several people who are deeply attached to Biei. They were kind enough to take us to some places by their car. I had borrowed a bicycle to go around Biei town and hills. Just riding a bicycle to a pension on a hill had made my knees quiver. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
Fields and crops on the hills are what farmers raised with loving care. We can enjoy eating freshly-picked vegetables at lodgings.

(Colorful Garden at Farm Tomita, Nakafurano)

(Everyone Takes a Shot!)

(Trees and Potato Field, Biei)

Hozuki Fair at Asakusa

Asakusa was very much crowded also today. Hozuki Fair was held at the precinct of Sensoji Temple. This also is one f the summer images. Some people wore a yukata kimono (simple summer version). It is said that Hozuki fair was originally held at another place, Atago Shrine and green hozuki had been used for drug. Now Asakusa Hozuki Fair is famous. July 10th, the final day, is a merit day of Kannon (Deity of Mercy); once visiting on the day, we can get a benefit corresponding to 46,000 days.

(Stalls Selling Hozuki)

(Stalls Selling Hozuki)

(Hozuki Girl)

(Yukata Girls)

Summer Image, Japanese Morning Glory Fair

Every child has an experience of growing the morning glory at a primary school in Japan. At Iriya, an old town in Tokyo, near Ueno, a Japanese morning glory fair, one of the summer images, has started today. At the narrow sidewalk and the precinct of Shingenji Temple, more than fifty stalls were set up.
According to a brochure, morning glory flower was carried down as a drug by a Japanese envoy to China in the Tang Dynasty. Growing morning glory flowers for visual effect became booming during Edo period. In Meiji era, Iriya became famous for morning glory and the flowers were displayed and sold, but all the gardeners closed a business by the beginning of Taisho Era. The fair revived after the War.
Popular is “Danjuro”, whose color is the same as that of the famous Kabuki actor, Danjuro Ichikawa. I bought one pot having four kinds of colors. It costs 2,000 yen. I felt rather expensive. I selected a stall which uses eco-friendly pots. I will be able to enjoy the flowers till the beginning of November.

(Precinct of Shingenji Temple)

(Stalls at the Sidewalk)

(Sellers' Own Costumes)

(I Will Help to Water Flowers.)

(Danjuro*)

*The pure Danjuro seems to have no while edging.

The Way to Keep Cool in Summer

Air conditioner is indispensable at offices, but at home I would like to reduce the time to use an air conditioner. At the previous blog, I wrote about a wind-chime. There is another eco-friendly way to keep cool. I would like to use a paper fan or folding pan as much as possible. The paper fan’s air is gentle and easy to control; it is good to babies, the elderly, and the sick. Folding fan is convenient when going out.

(Paper Fan) (Uchiwa in Japanese)

(Fan - folded ) (Sensu in Japanese)

(Fan - spread)