Fujinomiya (off off Tokyo): Sept.17, 2012

I visited Fujinomiya City in Shizuoka Prefecture.

The city locates at the foot of Mr. Fuji and we can enjoy close scene of the mountain when the weather is good. It was unfortunately rainy and I could not see it.

The city is also famous for Sengen Shrine (official name is Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha). The shrine is the head of about 1300 Sengen of Asama shrines in Japan. The shrines worship Mt. Fuji and other volcanos.

There locates Wakutamaike pond in the shrine. Fresh water from Mr. Fuji comes out from the ground here and composes a pond. The water is said to be one of the most clean waters in the region.


I saw many water birds swimming.

Sri Lanka Festival@ Yoyogi Park: Spt. 8, 2012

It is still hot in Tokyo, but the season is changing into autumn.

The sun moves lower now than summer. The leaves of some trees started to fall. The cicada sounds are not so laud as summer days.

I visited Yoyogi Park to see Sri Lanka Festival. Tens of curry restaurant as well as tea, pepper and fork craft shops were open.

There were thousands of Japanese, but I also found many Sri Lankan as well as Indians (and maybe Pakistanis and Bangladeshis) there.

Indian (and Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) foods are becoming more and more popular in Japan.

I usually do not pay attention to the difference between Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurant.

Today, I recognized it is Sri Lankan.

The taste was modified so as to fit Japanese people. I enjoyed it.

Local dance and other performances were played. A PR balloon was floating over the festival site.

Dubai Airport (off off Tokyo): Sept. 2, 2012

I felt as if I was walking in a shopping mall when I was in Dubai International Airport.

It was my first time to stay in Terminal 3, which opened in 2008. There are 14 shops, 24 restaurants, Prayer rooms, medical centers and other facilities in the departure (third) floor.　I walked around a few hours.

The airport was in full operation even midnight (I arrived there around 23:00). Thousands of tourists were walking up and down.

Many tourists were sleeping in sleeping chairs.

The selection in the shops and other facilities shows the popularity (or competitiveness) of goods. My finding included:

Smart phones: Apple, Samsung
Digital screens (Airport facility): Samsung, LG
Digital cameras: Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm
Sport goods: Nike, Adidas, Puma

Watch: Omega Swatch, Seiko

Toilet: Toto

Coffee shop: Starbucks, Costa

Rio: Favela and town (off off Tokyo): April 28, 2012

I enjoyed walking in the beach last time I was in Rio de Janeiro (about a month ago). I also walked downtown Rio this time.

We find favela in many places in Rio. I saw a big favela just behind the Central Station. Another favela was beside the highway from the airport to the central.

It is reported that -- There are about 600 favelas in the city: More than 20% of Rio’s 7 million people live in favelas. Almost all electricity is stolen in favela. Many crimes are reported. The governments and police are eager to clean up the areas.

The central city was busy and messy. People sold foods and daily necessities in the sideways of Av. Presidente Vargas and Av. Rio Branco, the city’s main streets. There were some businesspeople in business suits, but most people wore casuals. The face of modern city and the mess of the developing country coexisted there.

Corcovade’s huge Christ is seen from many places in the city.

Subway was crowded. But it was safe enough and convenient.

Shower of cicada sounds@ Hanegi Park: Aug 19, 2012

The buzz of cicadas is heard from early morning till mid night everywhere in Tokyo. We feel we are in a shower of cicada sounds at this season.

I visited Hanegi Park in Setagaya Ward to through myself into the “shower of sound”. It was a hot sunny day. The sky was blue.


The park has deep woods. Various kinds of cicadas, including brown cicada and min-min zemi, were making sounds. It was noisy, but I enjoyed it.

The cicada spends years as a larva in the ground, then comes up over the ground and becomes adult. It can live only a few days as an adult cicada.



I found some cicadas staying in the tree. They were making sound with all their efforts (to find their partners).

There were many small holes around trees. They were where the cicada larvae came up from the ground. Many empty shells were sticking in the large leaves of tulip trees.

Fireworks@ Tama River: Aug.18, 2012

Firework has been and is a popular summer event in Japan. Firework event in Sumida River in the Edo period was often drawn in Ukiyoe and written in literatures.

Today, people hold many firework events in and around Tokyo. Famous ones include the events held in Sumida River, Tama River, Tokyo Bay and Jingu Gagien.

I enjoyed today Tama River’s fireworks. I did not go to the site as it was (supposed to be) too crowded. I enjoyed the event from a place a few kilometers from the river field. The fireworks beyond Tokyo’s buildings were not bad.

New York (off off Tokyo) : August 10, 2012

I visited NY for the first time in 7 years. I have many new findings whenever I visit the city.

I walked up and down the streets along 5th and 6th Avenues in the morning. Business peoples were quickly walking to their offices. Tourists were wandering slowly and cheerfully. Residents were making their daily walks with their dogs.


U.S. flags were visible. They were flying in front of skyscrapers.

I could not help but feel "I am in the center of the world". Whether you like it or not, the US is a hegemon country and NY is the center of its prosperity.

The structure of the town is unchanged. But renovation were taking place everywhere (buildings, stores etc.)


I found far more Starbucks shops than seven years ago. I saw ZARA and H&M stores attracted many people than brand shops. Uniclo’s ads were in subway stations.


I saw many nail salons. Open-air market was set in the inner court of the Rockefeller Center and organic foods were sold.

The town looked safer and cleaner than seven years ago. Taxies were better.


People enjoyed jogging, cycling and walking with their dogs in the Central Park. The sounds of birds were heard. Huge rocks showed their faces in the ground. Droppings of horses were naturally on the roads. The skyscrapers over green trees were impressive. It is the scene of the Park.

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).