Ume blossom @ Hanegi Park: Feb. 16, 2013

We have a cold winter this year. The temperature often went down sub-zero in Tokyo in January. Snow stayed more than a week in mid-January in the city.

It was still cold today, but the light is brighter than a week ago.


I visited Hanegi Park @ Umegaoka. Ume (Japanese plum) blossom had just started.

The sky was so blue.　Spring is around the corner.

Tortoise walk@ Nodai Museum: Jan. 26, 2013

It was a cold day. I had a walk to Food and Agriculture Museum of Tokyo University of Agriculture (Nodai Museum). The museum has aquarium (a garden) and there are various plants and animals from Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas.

Various monkeys in the cages often made sounds to ask foods. Chameleon and other lizards were staying silently just under heating lights and getting warm.


Today’s surprise was an exercise of a tortoise. The tortoise was nearly a meter long. It usually stays in a small cage, but sometimes has walks in the plaxce.


It attracted visitors including a baby. Most people stayed more than 10 minutes around the tortoise.

An open air market was held in front of the museum. Organic foods attracted local visitors.