Golden Week 2007 Part II

After Mother Farm and the Minshuku we took a drive around the bottom of Chiba Prefecture and headed up to visit Kamogawa Sea World. As we approached the place we came upon a traffic jam of biblical proportions. Every parking lot was filled and we decided to give up on Sea World and save that place for another day.

Instead we headed up the coast to a small marine park in Katsuura. This had a great little beach where my daughter could roll up her jeans and get her feet wet. There was also a long pier that took you out over the ocean. At the bottom of the tower in the ocean you could go down and see all the fish coming to the windows to see who was there. My daughter had a ball.

Also, on the road on the way to Katsuura we stopped at a roadway station that had quite allot of carp wind socks. This is known as "Koi Nobori" for the boys festival celebrated this time of year. Every house with a boy is supposed to fly these on a pole outside their house. Fishing villages in Japan usually have the biggest displays and look spectacular flying in the wind near the ocean.

Here is a link to the rest of the pictures:

Katsuura and Koi Nobori

Golden Week 2007

This weekend we took a trip south to visit "Mother Farm" in Futsu City, Chiba. There my daughter was able to milk a cow, hold a bunny, and race baby pigs. The farm was located up in the mountains. There was also an "agri-dome" that was built in coordination with the New Zealand Embassy. There we were able to see a Kiwi sheep herder show his skill at taking the hair off the sheep in just a few minutes. I think the sheep was having fun.

That night we stayed at a traditional "Minshuku" in Kyonan Village. This was definitely like staying at someone's home. Our room looked out right onto the beach and across Tokyo Bay. That night there was a rainstorm and the waves were pretty big. Just before sunset we spotted a submarine surfacing just off the beach. We could not tell who's it was. The next morning we had a beautiful view of Mount Fuji from the room. You can see this picture with the link below.

Here is a link to the rest of the pictures for the day:

All of the Mother Farm Pictures

Today's Trip to Mt. Tsukuba

Today we took a short trip up to Mt. Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture. This is one of the few mountains in Japan that is actually not a volcano. The whole mountain is made of a very hard granite. During the fall is the peak season when everyone heads up to see the fall colors. On a clear night you can go up Mt. Tsukuba and look all the way down to Tokyo.

We took a gondola up to the peak and I actually remembered to bring my binoculars. If there were a little less clouds I think I might have been able to find our Tech Center in Tsukuba Mirai City.

Mt. Tsukuba Trip Picassa Album

2007 04 21

Mie Earthquake Story in Mainichi

Here is the story about the quake yesterday in Mie.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070416p2a00m0na013000c.html

Big Earthquake in Mie Prefecture

There was a big earthquake yesterday afternoon in central Mie Prefecture. The center was Kameyama City, about 40 miles northwest of Matsusaka. Matsusaka is my wife's hometown and where her parents live. In Matsusaka the magnitude was 4 and did not cause any damage there. However, Kameyama City had just a few injuries and a castle wall came down.

I have automatic earthquake alerts sent to my cell phone so when I saw the map on my cell I called my Mother-in-Law right away. She did not answer with the typical "Moshi-moshi" greeting. Instead she just said, right away, "We're OK!" after seeing my caller ID on her cell since she knew exactly what I was calling about.

Being from the Mid-West, the largest earthquake I ever experienced since moving to Japan was the Big Hanshin Quake in Kobe in January 1995. This was a 7 in Kobe and a 4 in Matsusaka then too. All I have to say is that I'm lucky I went to the bathroom before the quake hit because it scared the crap out of me.

The building I work at in Tokyo is built on shock absorbers to keep the building from coming down in up to a magnitude 7 quake. However, because of this, the slightest high wind can cause the building to sway. Whenever this happens I look around to see if any of my coworkers sense this.　　Unfortunately most of the time, I'm the only one.

The cell phone just paid for itself with the earthquake alerts. Because of this, I'll forgive the cell phone company for a while for not having a signal at our house.

Aoba No Mori Park, Chiba City

Today we braved the traffic of Chiba City to visit Aoba No Mori Park. It was a very nice park with a huge play area and some very nice flowers.

My daughter made a friend right away. She is getting pretty good at that. She has told me she already has a boyfriend at school. She's only been there a week!

Also, remember to check the Picassa link to the right to see the rest of these photos we took today.

New Picassa Photo's! Check this out.

Check it out!

I now have provided a link to the right for my web page with all of our photos.

You can see everything we take now in Japan.

All Hail Google! Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!

Stones Video Below

This video below was taken about 2 months before we left for Japan. We visited Cumming, GA to see my Mom and Sister's family and spend some time before the long trip across the pond.

I have another video of the "Freeze Dance" that I will provide later of my sister, her daughter, and mine. You will not find this dance among any of her routines at Les Mills.

Anna, Daniella, & Aunt Melissa Doin' the Stones!

First Day At School

Today was my daughter's first day at school. This week she will only go for a half day at a time, coming home for lunch. Next week she will begin full days with lunch at the kindergarten. Instead of the formal uniforms that she wore at the ceremony yesterday, she is wearing her track suit that they will wear during classes. Starting in May they will wear the formal uniform to school then change to this uniform at the school.

So far everything is going pretty good. She really likes going to school. Let's just hope this lasts until graduate school at MIT.

Pre-School Entry Ceremony

Today, my daughter had her first day at school at Kobayashi Tenjin Yochien. Tommorrow she will ride the bus and be off to school each day. The video below is the roll call for the students when they call off my daughter's name.

My daughter is in Hiyoko-gumi. Her best friend is sitting next to her. I took the day off to see this. I wouldn't have missed this for anything.

I've never seen so many digital cameras and video cameras in one place at a time. It was more like a presidential press conference than a pre-school ceremony.

Also, here are some pictures from the day.

Nyuen Shiki (Pre-School Entry Ceremony)

Here they are! Kobayashi Bokujo Sakura

Today, we took the short walk over to the road that goes by the Kobayashi Pasture where they raise race horses. This street is lined with huge cherry blossom trees that bloom for only one week in the year. It creates a kind of whitish-pink flower tunnel around the street.

All over Japan right now you can see these flowers blooming everywhere. These places just make you feel that life is truly great.

Mom, you will have to plan your next trip to Japan to see this. This is truly amazing.

Kashiwa no Ha Park

On March 4th my wife made some Bento lunches and we headed out for the massive Kashiwa no Ha Park in Kashiwa City.

This was a beutiful park with huge play structures for the kids, some great huge trees and many picnic tables to enjoy some great food in the great outdoors. We are definitely going back here. My daughter especially enjoyed the swan boats.

More Pictures of the Plum Tree Blooming

Here are some more pictures of the Plum Tree Blossoms and the flower bush out front. These pictures were taken on March 3rd. As of April 1st today, most of these blossoms have long since fallen to the ground. Again, please double click the pictures to see them in their actual size.

Hina Matsuri!

Gobu Sata Shite Orimasu!

Sorry for the long wait. I have some catching up to do with everyone.

Back in early March, we had Anna's first Hina Matsuri "Princess Festival". Usually, like at my in-laws house in Matsusaka, you will have many steps of "Hina Ningyo" dolls that you display in your home's tatami room until March 3rd. Then you eat chirashi sushi with your wonderful daughter like we are here. Our dolls now are pretty modest. Someday we will have some larger ones to show. For now, she likes her little rabbit and porcelain Prince and Princess.

Here is a picture of a full Hina Matsuri display and another of me and my daughter with her Chirashi Sushi and our Hina Ningyo Dolls.