A green blind made of the bitter gourds

This morning,the weather forecast has announced that today the temperature is going up just like in summer in Tokyo area.Yesterday,it was raining here and so  the maximum temperature was14.3 degrees but it will be 25  degrees today though the average is 18.4 degrees !!There will be a difference of more than 10 degrees.

We are very worried about this summer season without sufficient electricity as electric supply will be cut around 15% of consumption of  last year.
In 2011 the highest temperature was 39.8c and 39.4c in Saitama prefecture(near
to Tokyo).
The areas of having lasted the temperature over 35c were Gunma for
30 days, Gifu 27days, Gunma , Saitama and Yamanashi for 26days.
I am afraid lots of  people will suffer especially the old and the invalids.
The government said the big demand must save 25% so it will affect
 working people and the industry.

I am sure many houses and the public offices will have green blinds made of bitter gourds to cut the sunlight this year more.
Actually last year,I attended to a lecture organized by the ward office to learn  how to grow bitter gourds at home. They gave me 4 seedings in May and I really enjoyed watering and taking care of them.
Unfortunately  I stayed in UK for 1 month during the summer  , so they withered as my husband was too busy at that time..
However,  it was also very  lucky as I could eacape from the hottest  summer in Japan !!!

                                                            
                                                                           

                                                                            

                                                                                    
                                           
                                        (2012 April 24  )       For the beginners, the bitter gourds are good.
                                                         The students  tried to grow them at the primary school last summer.
                                                      
                                              http://nanapi.jp/26371/ (explanation of how to grow them) 

                                                   
                                    
                       

Sakura now!

Once the wind blows , it scatters the flowers just like falling snow.
Now ,most of the  normal Sakura flowers have dropped from the trees  here ,  we call them Ha(leaf)- Zakura(Sakura) so we can still continue to enjoy its beauty .
Just before the full bloom , beautiful verdurous  leaves are comming out .
 We can see the dark pink stamens ,pistils and calyxes after the flowers drop.
My loved aunt who taught me flower arrangement and tea ceremony when I was young  enjoyed  the Sakura at this period . She loved to see the fresh green, pink and dark pink color of  the Sakura at once.
Moreover we may see the beautiful Sakura carpet below!
 The flowers floating over the river have lasted over  2 weeks but now only things that are  floating are trash!

Today I found very beautiful double-flowered cherry tree at the residential area here.
They looked just like carnations!!
                                                                          

                                                                             

                                                                       Her favorite Sakura.
                                                                                 

                                                             Could you see the floation flowers?

                                         

                                                                 
                                        This Sakura tree is very unique as originally 2 kinds of sakura trees have been growing together then now 2 kinds (dark pink and pink ) of flowers on a branch!]

               
                                                                              

manga (cartoon) of Sankei newspaper

We were all very disapponted in his diplomacy.One of the measure newspapers  showed it on April 11 .

                                                    「 Yuki-chan, it was  very good diplomacy!! ...for Iran」
                                              

                                     「The storm of   Criticism for  Hatoyama's diplomacy」
                                    「 He was satisfied to have been there.....」

The Kamakura Daibutsu (The Great Buddaha statue in Kamakura)

This seated Buddha  is known by the familiar name of the Kamakura- Daibutsu
which  is a national treasure, and it is   the principle deity of Kotoku -in
temple. Daibutsu means  a large statue of Buddaha and it is usually cast in
bronze. Two of the most famous statues are found in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture  and Nara
. Construction of the Daibutsu  began in 1252 and continued for approximately  over 10 years.
The hight including the pedestal is 13.4m, the hight of the cast is 11.3m the weight is 121t.

You can enter and see inside the cast.
In 1498 a  very  big earthquake attacked Kamakura area, Tsunami flushed away
the building placed  this Daibutsu.

                                                  

                                              President Obama enjoyed the green tea flavoured ice cream in Kamakura  
                                           when he was a boy.
                                           




                                             

Sakura is now out of bloom

 When the  Sakura flowers start to bloom,we are  very happy.In the  early April,most schools start their new grades and the new recruits start to work during the full bloom so we would  like  the flowers to  celebrate  with us.Unfortunately,the bloom of the Sakura only lasts for 1 week,so when it starts to scatter,we are apt to feel sad.

During the WW2,　lots of  young Japanese men were taught and trained in the army to die gracefully just like the Sakura.
How cruel it was and also how silly we were then!Nowadays, many old Japanese soldiers are proving that the war was completely wrong.Their lives were  lighter than feathers for the military　authorities ,they had no human rights and no hope .
We can never afford to duplicate the same error in the future.

I heartilly remember 1 Japanese old  lady, Ms Hatsume Sato(90) who had given a lecture at  the Singapore University 6 years ago  told me that 'Although  the war is  countries  fighting  among  themselves  ,the scars lefy by the wars would heal only by the human touch with  a warm heart ."
Now I am supporting the activity of AGAPE WORLD  www.agapeworld.org .as the founder ,Keiko C Holmes OBE  has been  staying in Japan.
I published it on March 12( http://macromacrobiyoko.blogspot.jp/2012/03/agape-world.html)

I also wrote about it on my blog in Japanese to teach the historical fact to young generation.

http://ameblo.jp/yokoabiko0502/entry-11184549346.html
http://ameblo.jp/yokoabiko0502/entry-11213200243.html(I showed the articles of THE STRAITS TIMES on February 15 2012)
http://ameblo.jp/yokoabiko0502/entry-11113666890.html
http://ameblo.jp/yokoabiko0502/entry-11204110358.html
 http://ameblo.jp/yokoabiko0502/entry-11220105560.html
http://ameblo.jp/yokoabiko0502/entry-11220979978.html

I wish you could read the Japanese language!!

                                                      Sakura just before the rain on April 13

                                                        
                                                              Sakura flowers just after the rain on April 14

                                                    
                                   

                                              The flowers were drifting on the pond on April 15
                                               We call it 'Hana Ikada' which means  a raft of the flowers!!

                                          The pink carpet of Sakura flowers on April 15                                      
                                          

                                           

                                             



                                                      
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The downtown in Atami

There are many old souvenir shops around the JR Atami station.
These lively atmosphere is the typical of the hot spring resorts in Japan.
The special products are dried seafood, pickled Wasabi (Wasabi-zuke),
fishcake and steamed small buns stuffed with red bean paste.

                                                                   

                                                                                         

                                                                                     
                                                                                

                                                                               

                                                            

                                                                                             
                                                                                     
                                                                                

                                                                The products of the front  and second rows are Pickled Wasabi.

                                                  The steamed buns of the brown sugar taste.

                                            

                                                  

Cherry blossom viewing (Hanami)

Hanami is Cherry Blossom Viewing in this season. Now cherry blossoms
are in full bloom , people picnic under the trees and enjoy eating and
drinking lively.
I prepared Hanami Bento　3 times recently.
Fortunately we can see  old sakura trees from our house, so we can do Hanami at our place!
This morning the weatherforecast  said that it's going to rain ..So I am
afraid that  all the betutiful pink  flowers will be  scattered by tomorrw. How pity!

                                                                                  at the park near our place

                                                                           

Instead of white rice I cooked bamboo shoot rice as it is now season.

                                                                   

                                                                          

Ryokan in Atami 3

At the lobby of this Ryokan , you can see fine display  of  an old armor and a long sward .

Actually these villas linked with 2 overpasses were built  around 50 years.So all the suites are various shaped and sized. You might be immersed in the real Japanese culture and tradition during your stay there...

                                                       

                                  These flowers of the drooping Sakura was almost over.