Sakura-ebi shrimp drying @ Fuji River (off Tokyo): April 25, 2015

Sakura-ebi, a small shrimp of three to five centimeter, is a seasonal delicacy in Japan. It lives only in Suruga Bay in Shizuoka Prefecture and fishermen are allowed to take it a few weeks in spring and autumn respectively. The Yui port in Yui region in Shizuoka City boasts the biggest catch landing.

Some of the landed shrimps are eaten fresh. Others are frozen or dried to sell.

I visited the river field of Fuji River, where the shrimp were dried in the sun. It is, of course, possible to dry the shrimp in the machines. However, it tastes better when it is dried naturally.

The shrimp turns pink as it loses the water inside. It looks like a pink carpet when I saw it from a distance.

You can see Mt. Fuji over the shrimp when you are lucky. Today, I was not.

At Yui port, tens of fishing boats were tied up. There was an open-air restaurant of Sakura-ebi, and tens of people were making a line.

I had Sakura-ebi lunch. It tasted good.

Godzilla @ Shinjuku; April 18, 2015

It was about a week ago when Godzilla appeared in Shinjuku. I went there to see it today.

The Godzilla head is placed at about 50 meter high on a building of Toho, a cinema company that produces Godzilla movies. As Godzilla’s height is estimated about 50 meters, it is “real”.

It was at the center of Shinjuku Kabukicho. Toho’s old “Koma” theater was closed in 2008 and a new cinema-shopping complex was built. The operation started on April 16.

Huge Hotel Gracery with more than 1000 rooms was also built and will open in a few days. The Godzilla head will be seen close from some rooms.

There are many visitors, including foreign tourists, in the area. Many of them enjoyed taking pictures of Godzilla.

Kabukicho is one of the busiest and most controversial amusement spots in Tokyo. 

Shops with variety of economical goods and interesting souvenir attracts foreign visitors. 

It is also true that sex shop and other morally questionable industries prevail. Crimes and troubles are often reported.

The situation is better than years ago, when the conflicts of mobsters were often reported. Japan, not China, was the economic giant Asia at the time and Kabukicho was said to be the biggest entertainment area in Asia.

Policemen were walking around the area and the announcements, which call for the attention of visitors not to listen to the soft words of pullers-in, were made.

Spring flowers and fresh green @ Baji Park; April 12, 2015

The season of most popular cherry (somei yoshino with light pink flowers) is already over. Now, we have other spring flowers.

I visited Baji Park in Setagaya today to enjoy the spring afternoon. The blossom of yaezakira, a cherry with stronger pink flowers, was its peak. Many families were reluxing.

I saw a group of Asian people enjoying a picnic under cherry trees. The event is more and more internationalized.

Tulip, pansy and other spring flowers were also open.

Fresh green was growing on the trees. The day is becoming brighter.

Cherry Carpet @ Gotokuji Temple: April 5, 2015

The cherry blossom days are finishing. The flower started to fall silently.

I visited Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya Ward and found the ground covered with pink cherry flowers.

Flesh-green leaves appeared in many trees.

The season is turning from early spring to mid-spring.

High-school baseball @ Koshien (off Tokyo): March 29, 2015

I went to Koshien baseball stadium in Nishinomiya, near Osaka, to see a high-school baseball game and shout out for my old school. 

It was a quarterfinal game of the Spring National Baseball Tournament (official name is “The National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament”, which nobody knows) or “Senbatsu” tournament.

It was my first visit to the stadium in 41 years. The last visit was to see the Summer National Tournament. 

I found that the facilities as well as the mood of the stadium had changed a lot.

It was rainy. We watched the game in rain coats or with umbrellas. The game stopped when the rain was heavy. Ground keepers worked hard to restart the game.

There were part-time students selling beer. The sales was … terrible.

The fortune was not upon us. However, my juniors played a good game. I hope today’s game would become a good step towards summer tournament.

I had a good time. Thanks, my high school juniors.

Hanami@ walking paths, parks: March 28, 2015

Cherry blossom started a few days ago in Tokyo. I visited walking paths and parks in Setagaya Ward, western Tokyo, to enjoy the flowers.

There are hundreds of cherry trees along Kitazawagawa walking path. Many families and groups were enjoying foods, drinks and talks under the trees.

The butterflies flied and the birds sang.

The Hanegi Park was also crowded with families and other people.

Spring ＠Roka Park: March 22, 2015

We had the Spring Equinox Day this weekend. I visited Roka Park in western Tokyo to find spring scenes.

Many flowers were open. They included (early blossom) cherry, field mustard (or rapeseed), saxifrage, magnolia, violet, pansy and dandelion.

The combination of white, yellow, pink and green (saxifrage, field mustard, cherry and leaves) was impressive. (The top photo)

Japanese nightingale　(warbler)　began to sing.

People enjoyed the spring day. Some were enjoying picnic while others were jogging.  The dog-run field were crowded with various dogs and their owners.

Miho @ Shimizu (Off Tokyo): March 7, 2015

Mt. Fuji has become a World Cultural Heritage site in 2013. Exactly speaking, the site’s name is “Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration” (I did not know). I visited Miho no Matsubara, a part of the World Heritage site, in Shimizu district of Shizuoka City today.

Miho no Matsubara lies in a small peninsula (Miho Peninsula). There are thousands of pine trees in the sand beach. We can see a good panorama of Mr. Fuji when the weather is fine. It was unfortunately cloudy today.

Many pine trees do not stand perpendicularly, but incline to the north, the direction of the land. It is because the wind from the sea is strong.

There is a legend of an angel and her cloths in the region. A pine tree which related to the story is preserved.

There were many tourists from all over Japan.

The walk path which connect Miho no Matsubara and the Miho Shrine was also wonderful.

Shimizu is also famous for its football team “Shimizu Spuls” and a nationwide famous cartoon girl “Chibimaruko-chan”. Both were displayed in the wall of the JR railway Shimizu station.

Chinese tourists@Ginza:Feb. 14, 2015

Chinese New Year started today and many tourists arrived in Japan.

I visited Ginza, one of Tokyo’s busiest commercial areas and a popular place for Chinese visitors, and indeed, found many tourist there.

A parade of buses stopped at the corner of Ginza and tourists got off. They walked straight to shops like Laox (electronics good owned by a Chinese company) and Uniqlo fashion store.

Some of them dropped in Ginza Karen bag shop and bought big suitcases (to carry what they bought).

The main road is vehicle free. Families, couples and other tourist were sitting in the chairs after their shopping (top photo). Some of they were playing games with their smart phones. kids were running behind.

One corner of the area is under construction for redevelopment. The place will be change into a new commercial, business and cultural complex. A tourist office for foreigners is planned to be open in it.

With consumption by Japanese people decreasing, Japanese shops are keen on expanding their business for foreign tourists.

After enjoying shopping, the tourist got on the buses and moved to next places.

Signs of Spring @ Tamagawa River: Feb. 11, 2015

It is still winter, but signs of spring appear. The daytime is getting longer. Ume (Japanese apricot) blossom began.

I walked the riversides of Tamagawa River today.

It was a sunny day. Many people enjoyed walking, jogging and cycling.

I saw boys playing baseball and football games(the top photo). Baseball moms and succor moms looked more excited than their kids.

Ground staff members were doing ground-keeping jobs for busy season.

I also find people operating a drone flying machine. 

Others were flying kites and enjoying fishing.