Year-end Atmosphere

(Nakamise Shopping Street in Asakusa)

(Ameyayokocho Shopping Street in Ueno)

(Electronics Quarter in Akihabara)

I went to Tokyo to take pictures of the year-end atmosphere. I selected Asakusa, Ueno, and Akihabara. I am foolish enough to walk into a crowd. They have been decorated and were ready for the New Year.
The Nakamise shopping street in Asakusa is of course crowded; especially crowded with foreign tourists. A boy passing by was telling his mother that he guesses one-fifth is foreign people. It seemed also to me so, though a second look confirms that it was not so much.
The Ameyayokocho shopping street in Ueno was full of people buying New Year’s food. A lot of news cameramen were taking pictures on their steps. Several policemen were watching at both ends of the street. I was not able to walk straight. We should not move against the flow of people in such a situation.
Akihabara (Akiba in short) provided various topics this year. I will write about Akiba separately.

In Asakusa I dropped in at Kamiya Bar for lunch. Kamiya Bar is said to be the oldest bar in Japan. Try “Denki-Bran,” a kind of brandy-based cocktail. Denki means “electric.” This is a bar with the common touch and you can be open and friendly with people next to you, even if it is the first time. I enjoyed a glass of Denki-Bran and a glass of Kamiya-Wine and enjoyed chattering with strangers. So, I was taking pictures, feeling a pleasant buzz.

Greeting Card

I was busy to print New Year’s cards yesterday. We must post the cards by Dec. 20 (I’m not sure) in order to have them delivered on Jan. 1. Not in time…..

Most Japanese exchanges New Year’s cards like Christmas cards. This helps to keep in touch with friends and relatives living far away. But it takes much time to write a lot of cards more than hundred; many people ask a printing company to print their own cards. Many of them use a greeting template. They are bit matter-of-fact. Women in general seem to make unique cards decorating with photos and clip arts.

It is “etegami” that is popular with elderly women regardless of season. An “etegami” is a postcard with a picture. The below cards are sent from a very close friend, who has just started to draw a “etegami” on her own. I like them. These cards soothe people’s heart.

Horse Race

Today a Grade-I horse race named “Arima Memorial” was held. This was the final race of this year. Attention was focused on whether the triple-crown horse aged three, "Deep Impact", gets the forth crown or not. The result disappointed devotees. But I was lucky to make a little money on the race.

A star horse named “Oguricap” appeared and won his retirement race, Arima Memorial, in 1990. That ignited a horse racing boom in Japan. Horse-racing fans increased among young people including women. The bad image was improved that workers used up all their fortune or living indulging their weakness for horse racing.

Horse racing is a big business (about three trillion yen) in Japan. Japan Racing Association (JRA), a special public corporation, manages the horse racing. There are many famous farms raising thoroughbred horses in Hokkaido. This photo was taken at a farm in Hidaka, southern part of Hokkaido.

Merry Christmas!

The Japanese in general like festivals. Regardless of religion, we enjoy a Christmas event. Fathers who work hard till late at night will try to go home early in order to have a good time with their children. Christmas is a big event also for young couples.
We would eat some fried chicken and fancy cake. Also I would place a present at the bedside of my children, saying I would ask a Santa Claus for your present. But after entering a primary school, some of their friends said there were no Santa Clauses…..

I live in Yokohama. Yokohama Minato Mirai 21 (MM21) area is a nice date spot. Beautiful illumination attracts young people. The photo below was taken after the Xmas. Stare at the photo, and you can see a Xmas tree at the mast.

Declining Birthrate

The declining birthrate is a big problem in Japan. Today’s paper says that births are expected to fall below deaths for the first time since 1899. The total fertility rate was 1.29 in 2004. One of the reasons is a tendency to marry later. I think social support to raise children is not sufficient.

This week I was busy for baby-sitting. It’s my pleasure not only to communicate with children but to support working parents.

Kamikochi, Entrance of “the Japan Alps”

There are many mountains and rivers in Japan. Especially in Nagano prefecture, located at the central part of Japan, there are a lot of high mountains; they are called “the Japan Alps.”
It is only once that I have climbed a mountain higher than 3,000 meters. The mountain is “Oku-hotaka-dake” (3,190 meters, the third highest mountain in Japan). Walking from Kamikochi to Karasawa, famous as a base camp for climbers, we stayed at a cabin. Early the next morning, we started to climb and reached the top of the mountain before noon. What a wonderful view it was. We were able to see a lot of mountains rising above the clouds. Heaven! After having a lunch at the top, we got down the mountain. The photo below is “Hotaka Mountains” seen at Kamikochi. I really recommend you to walk along the Azusa River in the photo. Fresh green in June or autumn color in October is recommendable. The paths along the river are flat. You can enjoy beautiful sceneries.

Near Kamikochi there are some clear ponds. The photo below is “Tashiro-ike in the morning.”

Autumn comes first to Hokkaido.

Hokkaido is a big island located in the northern part of Japan. In Hokkaido, autumn is short and winter lasts nearly half a year. It is a little different from the other areas of Japan; it doesn’t make us feel narrow. Fields and roads are rather wide.

The highest mountain in Hokkaido is Taisetsuzan. Autumn comes here first.

Kyoto in Autumn

The temple in Kyoto I recommend most is Jojakkoji Temple located at Sagano, western area in Kyoto. You can see the autumn color of leaves everywhere in the temple grounds and have a quiet time sitting on a bench.

This autumn I went to Kyoto and visited some temples not so popular, that is, not so crowded. Even on weekdays streets are full of travelers in this season. I visited a small temple called Jikishian located at northern Saga. This was added to my favorite autumn leaves view points.

I love Mt. Fuji.

From my window I can see Mt. Fuji on clear days. After moving to this house, a big tower has been built to interrupt a nice view. Also from the room where I had lived before, I was able to see Mt. Fuji. After having moved to the room, a bank was built next to our apartment to shut out a nice view.
Mt. Fuji is 3,776 meters; the highest in Japan. I haven’t climbed Mt. Fuji yet; maybe impossible…..
Last month I went to Lake Kawaguchi, located at the north of Mt. Fuji, enjoyed seeing autumn color of leaves.

This photo is taken from Izu Peninsula, located at the south of Mt. Fuji.