Snow & Election: Feb. 9, 2014

Tokyo had the heaviest snow in 45 years last night. The amount of snowfall was 27 cm. Traffic system was paralyzed. Some people were injured in a fall.

The roads were covered with snow in the following morning.

People clear away the snow from the sidewalks of main roads. The snow remained in the walking passes even in the afternoon.

We had an election of Tokyo Metropolitan Government governor. People moved carefully to the voting stations. I voted in an elementary school.

Former Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe, backed by the ruling LDP and Komei Party, defeated former PM Morihiro Hosokawa, who opposed to resumption of nuclear stations in the country, and other candidates. The new governor is expected to host the Olympic Games in 2020.

Traditional houses in Minka-en @ Ikuta Ryokuchi: Feb. 2, 2014

It is still cold, but signs of spring are seen here and there. Sunshine hours are getting longer and the sunlight is getting brighter.

I visited Nihon Minka-en, or an open-air museum of Japan’s traditional houses, in Ikuta Ryokuchi (green zone) in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture.

About 30 houses are there. Most of them were built in the Edo, Meiji and Taisho era (more than 80 years ago) in Tohoku (northern Japan), Hokuriku (Sea of Japan coastal area), Kanto (around Tokyo) and other areas in Japan. They have been moved from original places to the museum.

There are several gassho-zukuri houses. They are from Gifu-Toyama boarder area, where they have heavy snow. The houses have steep roofs so that the snow easily drops from the house. The roof is made with straws.

Most houses have fireplaces inside. People took meals and had communications around the fireplaces.

There spreads woods outside the park. They include a wood of Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood). People enjoyed walks with their dogs.

They also have a museum of Taro Okamoto (1911-96), a famous modern artist who was born in Kawasaki City. His impressive works were displayed.