from December 2003 to December 2004

Go back to the Index of Things of Japanese

In these days, I am enjoying eQSO and EchoLink and CWCom.
so I have apportunities to speak with many people around the world.
This pages is a bit of information of here in JAPAN and about me for the people who I've met on eQSO, Echolink, CWCOM.
I hope you will enjoy this page.
Apr.2004

A year of my area. ----- topics of the month on 2004. ------

/ 2003

冬：Winter 　　初冬・・・・・滑川山龍正院 Dec.14 2003

滑川山龍正院 仁王門
The gate of temple where is near The New Tokyo International Airport in Narita city in Chiba Japan.





おしめ縄
檀家の人々によって毎年1月8日に新しいしめ縄が掛けられます
A huge rope of the gate is made by straws.














仁王門に冬の日差し
昔、仁王門の周りを願い事を念じながら百度回る慣習がありました。
The gate with gentle setting sun.
We had the custom that we round 100 times around this gate praying one's wish when I was a child.

Cherry trees are full in bloom here in near Tokyo Japan. Folloing pictures are a buddhist temple of my home town where is near The New Tokyo International Airport in Narita city in Chiba Japan. March 28. 2004 滑川観音境内 坂東28番の札所	The name of this buddhist temple is Namegawa Kannon. I took these pictures on March 28. 滑川観音本堂
We enjoy cherry blossom for about a week in near Tokyo area. After flower petals are falling , Cherry trees have many fresh leaves all over in the begin of April. We also enjoy the cherry tree's fresh leaves, We call it HAZAKURA in Japanese, HAZAKURA means " leaves cherry " literally. 銘木の花弁

Azalea is full of flowers here in near Tokyo at the end of April. April 28,2004. 道端にて

There is a special holiday season in Japan at the end of April. It is called " Golden Week ".
There are four holidays during Golden Week. The first holiday is on April 29. This holiday called Midorino-no-Hi.
It means " Greenery Day " in Japanese. Originally, it was a celebration of Emperor Showa's birthday.

The second holiday is on may 3. It is called Kenpo kinen-bi. It means " Constitution Day " in Japanese.
It is a little similar to Independence Day on July 4 in the United States.

The third holiday is on May 4. This holiday is very interesting, because it is not a traditional holiday.
It was started a few years ago, so people could enjoy Golden Week more.

The last holiday is on May 5. It is called Kodomo-no-Hi. It means " Children's Day " in Japanese.
Many houses display very large, cloth flags. Each flag looks like a giant carp.
sorce of above discriptions is NHK radio English program's text ( Shin-kiso-2, 2004 May)

very large, cloth carp flags. It is called Koi-nobori in Japanese.
since the carp is regarded as a courageous fish because it swims upstream past waterfalls
and many other obstacles.
May 5 is boy's festival. The parents hope that their children grow up strong and healthy.





海岸で鯉のぼりを偶然見つけ、写真に収めました。
於：茨城県日立市
This is a koi_nobori that I found at seashore by chance.
He was swiming in the bright blue sky.
This is only one carp on a pole.
but Koi_nobori is usually several carp on a pole.
here is a song of koi_nobori in Japan.
(Following are my translation, so there may be some mistakes.)

Koi_nobori is higher than the roof.
A big-male carp is father.
A big-female carp is mother.
And small-boys carp are their children........

In May, many weeds grown up highly day by day. so I am tired cutting weeds and grass in my garden. but some weeds has small and cute flowers. almost of it's color are yellow or white or blue. It was very cute so I have been left them without cutting. I don't have much knowledge about weeds so I don't know the name of them. May 30, 2004.
dandelion
	雑草かな？

We will have the rainy season this year too.
It began on June 10 and ended on August 2 last year.
Last year was not normally, long term than usual. How will it be this year?
I don't like rainy days.
June 1, 2004.

Weather forecast announced that the rainy season of this year began on June 6.
June 7, 2004



佐倉市 旧堀田邸の紫陽花。

Hydrangea is coming out in rainy season in my area. I don't like rainy day but hydrangea with rain is very beautiful.
this hydrangea has several kinds I hear. I will take some more pictures later.
June 2, 2004

This is also hydrangea. The figure of flower's petal is a little different from above. June 12, 2004

This is my next door's hydrangea. They are good at growing flowers.

Above is my another next door's hydrangea. June.20, 2004	This is a last year's photograph of the same tree as a left photograph. June 2003 It was very beautiful with some drops of rain.

７月は七夕。短冊には子供たちの願いが沢山。

Star Festival, also called "Tanabata," is a colorful festival annually celebrated on July 7,
although it is held in some localities a month later.
People set up bamboo branches in their gardens and tie colorful strips of paper written their wishes
as an offering to the heavenly lovers---the Weaver Star Vega and the Cowherd Star Altair, who cross
the Milky Way to meet once a year on this evening.

Above description is refered to the " A Birds-Eye View Of Japan " published by Japan Travel Bureau, Inc.



Tanabata festival of both of city, Sendai and Hiratsuka is very famous in Japan.
Sendai city is in Miyagi prefecture / Northern part of Japan and Hiratsuka city is in Kanagawa prefecture / Central part of Japan.
There is nice explanation about Tanabata Festival and also lots of articles about things of Japanese on following website. so please check it out.
This is Tanabata.

	I took this picture on July 4, Sunday at a museum in Chiba city ( our next city ) Children's wishes written on a strips of papers are like this, I want to be a professional foot ball player. I want to have a high score grades at next exam. I would like to have a pretty girl friend.
"Tanabata," bamboo branches

Weather forecast announced that the rainy season of this year ended on July 13.(around Tokyo area)
I heard the chirring of cicada at my garden on July 16 for the first time of this year
Hot summer season has been started here in near Tokyo Japan. / July 20, 2004

		Fortunately we have lots of sunshine in June, July and August. so sunny vegetables grow up well. My parents are farmer and they give us lots of sunny vegetables in July. They live in a country where a district of paddy fields and majour crops are rice. These sunny vegetables are not for sale, just for themselves. Giving us those vegetables is one of my parents joy. I went to my parents house and picked up lots of fresh vegetables. (left picture) pumpkin, watermelon, cucumber, tomato, broccoli, eggplant, some beans / July 17, 2004
tomato	Grape will be harvested in a month.		Paddy fields is extended around my parents house. July 17, 2004.

Summer festival has been held at each residential area over here in Japan.
Childrens are now in their summer holiday which is the longest holiday of the year.
They are looking forward to going out to their area's festival.
Carrying out "portable shrines", looking "Bon dance", buying some foods at stall are their great pleasure.

	Ladies wear a "KIMONO" dance "Bon dance" at summer festival.
portable shrines	festival car "Dashi"

Bon holiday is just around corner over here in Japan.
Obon is a festival to commemorate the deceased ancestors.
Please visit the this nice Link "Obon page" for more information.

	Rice is ready to crop in around Narita city in Chiba prefecture, Japan . (took this picture on Aug.28 2004)
	Sports day is a big event of Junior High School in Japan. My daughters were so busy practicing their dance. The sports day was held on 11th September this year. Sep. 11, 2004
	Japanese pear. It is the season of Japanese pear now. It is very delicious,very sweet and juicy fruit. There are several kinds of pear here in Japan. I know "kosui" and "hosui" in Japanese. .( kosui ) is literally means "happy water" ( hosui ) is literally means "lots of water" Sep. 9, 2004
	A Morning Glory is literally means "Morning" "Face in Japanese. Morning glories usually bloom in end of July or begining of August. I forgot to water the flower pot so the soil was dried out. I have been watering the pot in morning on early September. The seeds have sprouted at once and bloomed on early morning,September 10. They will have seeds and the seeds fall in the pot and they will come out next year again. Sep. 10, 2004
	Chestnuts Chestnuts are ready to crop in a week around my area. Sep. 18, 2004

Chrysanthemums are at their best in October in Japan.
Chrysanthemums is ( KIKU ) in Japanese

November 3, 2004

	Unfortunately we had lots of rain and typhoon in Sep. and Oct. in this year. so vegetables did not grow up well. My parents are farmer who live in a country where a district of paddy fields. I went to my parents house and picked up lots of fresh vegetables and fruits. (left picture) leeks (with mud), radishes, sweet potatoes from left / November 3, 2004
	Left side is oranges, (MIKAN). right side is persimmons.(KAKI) / November 3, 2004 The tree with lots of persimmons on it's branches is very beautiful. I like the color of persimmons. Persimmons were very tasty and oranges were a little bit sour.
Many Japanese oranges have grown on the branch. We call them " MIKAN "

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Japanese Pampas Grass / November 9, 2004
Blown on a wind, it shakes and It's shines serve as a typical scene of autumn. One of the seven flowers of autumn in Japan.
Japanese Pampas Grass is ( SUSUKI ) in Japanese.

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Cherry Tree / November 11, 2004
My area is now full of Autumn color.
These pictures are the same tree in different season.

Nobember 2004
March 2004

Leaves are extremely beautiful now in my area.

I received two pieces of paper "Kadomatsu" from our municipal office. Municipal office gives all citizens this paper Kadomatsu for decorating gates or doors. I will put up the papers on the gates in order to celebrate New Year. I usually put them on our gate a few days before the New Year's day. Kadomatsu is ornaments made of pine trees and bamboo trees. For more informations of the Kadomatsu and Shogatsu is here.

I went to Mejiro in Tokyo for a errand of my daughter on December 19, Sunday. I found a ornament that celebrate a new year in the town. I didn't know that type of ornament. That are simple structures. so I may make them by myself.

a ornament in Mejiro, Tokyo	ornaments made of pine and bamboo trees

from December 2003 to December 2004

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