Sao Paulo (off off Tokyo) : August 8, 2012

I moved from Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo. The city was large, messy and energetic.

Sao Paulo is the largest city not only in Brazil but also in southern hemisphere. The city is splawling in every direction. I realized it when I saw the city from my plane.

Tall buildings stand around the domestic (Congonhas) airport. I felt as if the plane is landed through buildings.


The city’s traffic jam is famous. I realized it when I was packed long time in a car. It was messy. I was informed many business execitives go to their offices by helicopters. (Many buildings have heliports on their roofs.) 

Avenue Paulista is the main business street. Modern offices and commercial buildings stand along the street. There are also schools and cultural facilities. I saw many students waiting their buses sitting in the stairs in front of the school.

Sao Paul has less tourism resources than Rio. But I felt the city was more sophisticated than Rio.

I also walked Japanese and Asian towns in the Liberdade area. The town was old, but many Japanese and Asians were enjoying shopping and chattering there.

Rio: beach and town： July 29-Aug.6, 2012 (off off Tokyo)

I visited Rio de Janeiro. The city is farthest in the world from Tokyo, as Brazil lies in the opposite side of the earth from Japan.

Copacabana and Ipanema are ones of most famous beaches in the world. I walked along the beach, which made me feel happy.

White sand, blue sky and sea, sunshine, rocky hills, and beautiful girls – the scenes were impressive.

I naturally hummed “Copacabana” and “The girl from Ipanema” while walking.


I visited here about 18 years ago. The beautiful scene and open-minded atmosphere of the beach is unchanged.

But I also found some changes.

Shower spaces were constructed under the ground in the beach (better facilities). Beach volleyball coats were everywhere.

There were, of course, many nice-body girls, but I also found far more matured ladies in bikinis than 18 years ago. The scene may reflect the development ot maturity of Brazilian society.

There are more police stations than before. Horizontal bars and other training facilities were placed in the beach. Rental bicycle stations were set along the beach.

I also visited Rio’s “must-visit” places.

A huge Christ statue on the Corcovado Hill was one of them. The Christ is always watching down the city.

There were many people on the hill top when I visited. The scene of the city and port (one of 3 most beautidful ports in the world) was so nice.

Pao de Acucar or Sugar Rock is another Rio's symbol. The cable car to the peak was built in the early 20th century. Amazing!

I saw cathederals, business streets, Samba site (to be uses in the Carnival), market and other places in the central city.

Houses are built not only in the flat places but also on the hills. Slums spread in some parts of the city. I also visited Maracana studium, the world's largest fotball site (under renovation works).

I also visited the legendary Bossa Nova birth place. It is said that Bossa Nova was first played in a small dead-end street called "Beco das Garrafas" near Copacabana.

There stands a famous "Bossa Noba & Companais" shop at the corner of the street. I thought of the sound and geniuses (Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joan Gilberto).

Anti-nuclear demo @ Yoyogi Park: July 16, 2012

It was March 11 of 2011 when Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred. Japan stopped the operation of all 50 nuclear reactors after the disaster. 

Then, the government decided to restart nuclear plants in June 2012. The operation began again at Kansai Electric Power’s Ohi nuclear station in Ishikawa Prefecture on July 1st.

Opinions still divide widely between pro- and anti- nuclear groups.


A large anti-nuclear demonstration was held in Tokyo today.

Thousands of people joined the march. Men, women, young people, old people and children were included. Many of them were from Fukushima, Osaka and many other regions outside Tokyo.

It was the largest anti-nuclear demonstration ever held in Tokyo. The organizers announced about 175 thousands peopled joined the event. (The police announced it was about 75 thousands).

“We do not need nuclear generation”, “We oppose to the restart of Ohi plant” and other slogans were heard everywhere.

Politics were also seen. Civil servant unions as well as Social Democrat Party were highly visible among the participants. NGO groups were not so vivid. "Keep Article 9 of Japanese Constitution" was also found in signboards.

It is true that anti-nuclear feeling is widely shared among Japanese people. It is also true that people want to use enough electricity.


Discussions were often held in the TV and other occasions. Most of them were unfortunately not so constructive enough.

Various aspects are found in anf behind nulcear issue.

Ocean’s day @ Odaiba: July 16, 2012

Today is Ocean’s day. So, I visited Odaiba in Tokyo’s Bay area.

It was a hot summer day. The sky was blue so was the sea.


I dropped in Museum of Maritime Science. Soya, an old Antarctic search ship was tied up there. The ship was used half century ago.

I also visited a huge shopping and amusement center and Toyota Motor’s exhibition center. Various eco-friendly card were displayed. Chinese and many foreign tourists were there

Morning Glory market@ Iriya: July 8, 2012

Tokyo has many flower market events. A morning glory market at Iriya, near Ueno, is one of the most famous ones (along with Asakusa’s Hozuki or Japanese lantern market).

The market started in Shingenji temple or Kishimojin in the Edo era. It developed in the Meiji era.

About 60 stalls were open in the street in front of the temple. Thousands of people were in the street.

Market was also open in the temple’s garden.


It is still rainy season and we had a heavy rain in the morning. I visited the market in the afternoon, so the flowers had already withered.

New flowers will be open tomorrow morning. We can expect the flowers throughout summer and until autumn.

Komazawa Olympic Park: June 30, 2012

Today was a hot summer day. The temperature went up to 28 degree.

I visited Komazawa Olympic Park in Setagaya ward. There are sports fields, gymnasiums, swimming pool and other sports facilities in the park.

Tokyo held the 18th summer Olympics in 1964. Some games -- volleyball, Wrestling, succor and hockey – were played here.

Tokyo planned to hold the 12th Olympics in 1940 (it was cancelled because of the World War 2). Komazawa was planned to be the main stadium.


There were many people enjoying their summer times. A cycling school was held for children. Old people were enjoying gate ball. Joggers and cyclists were everywhere.

Tokyo has experienced big changes with historical events. They included The Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, bombing of Tokyo in 1945, the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and the Bubble economy in the 1980s.


Nearly half century has passed after the Tokyo Olympics.

Sangenjaya: June 24, 2012

Sangenjaya is one of major terminals in Setagaya Ward, western Tokyo. It is about four kilometer west from Shibuya.

We find both old and new faces of the town like other terminals,


There are old shopping areas in several places in the area. There also spread newly-developed buildings. 27-story Carrot Tower is a landmark of the town and is a good example of new faces of Sangenjaya. The tower is so called as its outside is carrot color.

They hold open-air market every weekend. I found Carrot Tower behind the market.

I visited Setagaya Park about 15 minute walk from Sangenjaya. People enjoyed the sunshine on the lawn.

Hydrangea @ Fuchu Open Air museum: June 23, 2012

Ask me the images of June in Tokyo. The answers may include rain, the summer solstice, firefly and hydrangea, not June bride or father’s day.

Today was fortunately a fine day (though it is still rainy season in Tokyo), so I visited Fuchu-no-mori open air museum in Fuchu City to enjoy hydrangea today.


There are about 10 thousands of hydrangea plants in the place. Purple, blue, pink and white flowers were fully open. I found various kinds of hydrangea flowers.

Fuchu is about 20 km west from Shinjuku, Tokyo’s largest commercial area. The capital of Musashi country was placed here in the 7th century. The city is famous for Tokyo Racecourse and Okunitama Shrine.

It is midsummer season. We have about 12 and half hours of daylight in Tokyo at this season. The sun rose at 4:25 am and set at 7:00 pm on June 21, the summer solstice day, according to the Meteorological Agency.

Iris Fields @ Meiji Shrine: June 10, 2012

Rainy season began in Tokyo.

Japanese people traditionally enjoy iris in this season the season. I visited Meiji Shrine’s iris fields.


Hundreds of purple, light purple and white flowers were open in the wet fields.

There are three kinds of iris flowers in the fields. They are Ayame (Iris sanguine), Hana-shobu (Iris ensata var. ensata) and Kakitsubata (Iris laevigata).

 It is easy for professionals to make difference between the three, but not for me.



The fields were made in the order of the Meiji Emperor. Many visitors enjoyed the flower.

I also walked around Meiji Shrine. There were many foreign and Japanese visitors as usual. It was also usual to see a wedding ceremony. They held a special Bonsai exhibition in the entrance space of the main shrine.