Ume blossom: Feb. 13-14, 2021

We had fine warm days in this week.

I visited Hanegi Park twice to enjoy ume (Japanese apricot) blossom.

 

The park holds ume festival every year at this season.

It was cancelled this year to avoid motivating people to gather in the place under the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Most trees have already opened flowers.

 

The white flowers made good contrast with the blue sky. (See the top photo)

 

The pink flowers were beautiful. (See the 2nd photo)

 

I felt good smell of ume everywhere in the park.

 

There seemed less people than usual year, but many families were enjoying flowers.

 

I found only one picnic party in the park on Feb. 13.

 

The ume blossom in the COVID-19 era was impressive.

Mt. Fuji (without snow) in new-year season: Jan. 10, 2021

It was a fine winter day.

I had a quick visit to Shizuoka Prefecture; I saw good scenes of Mt. Fuji from the trains during my trip.

Mt. Fuji is usually covered with snow at the season. The situation is different this year.

The northern and eastern sides of the mountain were covered with snow. This is a photo of eastern side taken from the Odakyu Line.

The scene was different, however, in the southern side. There were few snow on the mountain surface. The mountain was still brown.

This is a photo taken from Mishima City.

This photo was taken from Fuji City. (See also the top photo)

Mt. Fuji stands behind factories in the city. (Se4e also the 2nd photo)

It may be the first experience for me to see such Mr. Fuji at the new-year season (if my memory is correct).

Some parts of Japan --including northern Japan areas and Sea of Japan-side districts -- are suffering from heavy snow disasters this winter. The circumstances in Mt. Fuji look quite different.

 

 

Mt. Fuji in twilight Jan 3, 2021

There are about 100 km from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji.

We can see the nation’s tallest mountain from many places in Tokyo.

Still, it is becoming difficult to see “good scenes” of Mr. Fuji as we have more tall buildings in the metropolis.

I met across a beautiful scene of Mt. Fuji in twilight during my walk in Setagaya City, western Tokyo.

It was a scene from a spot near Setagayadaita station of the Odakyu Line.

Mt. Fuji stands behind the Odakyu Line. 

I found many people taking photos.

 

 

 

 

 

New Year scenes under COVID-19: Jan 1-3, 2021

  

A Happy New Year !

2021 started as  the COVID-19 pandemic continued.

The scenes of the new year were quite different from the ones seen in the previous year.

Many people refrained from going back to their home towns. Planes as well as long-distance trains had fewer passengers. Many shops in Tokyo ceased operations in the period.

Tokyo’s people seemed to spend their times in and around their homes.

 I had walks in various areas in western Tokyo during the first three days of the new year.

I found hundreds of people making a line in the Setagaya Hachiman Shrine in Setagaya City, western Tokyo. (See also the top and 2nd photos)

There was a sign to ask people to keep distance from other visitors in the side entrance.

People were also making a queue in Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya. (See also the 3rd photo)

Many people seemed to be praying safety in the new year.

I dropped in the Daita Hachiman Shrine (see the 5th photo) the Rokusho Shrine during my walk.

People enjoyed flying kite in Hanegi Park in Setagaya.

Some of Ume (Japanese apricot) trees began to open flowers. (See also the 4th photo)

The weather was good in the new-year days.

 The combination of white and pink flowers and the blue sly was beautiful.

 

Tokyo's Christmas under Covid-19 pandemic: Dec. 23-24, 2020

Japan is now in the 3rd wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

More than 3000 cases are reported every day after mid-December. Nearly 1000 cased are reported in Tokyo.

Restaurants are asked to close a few hours earlier than usual. People are asked not to make unnecessary visits and to refrain from join gatherings.

The scenes of Christmas season are quite different from ones seen in ordinary years.

The Shinjuku Station, the busiest railway terminal in Japan, was not so crowded.

I found various Christmas trees – big and small and; natural and artificial ones – in many commercial facilities in the area. There were few people around such Christmas trees. (See also the 3rd photo)

I also found and entrance of restaurants were decorated with Christmas plants. 

Many shops, including Kyodo’s Daiso, sold Christmas goods. (See also the 2nd photo)

The shops also made decorations with Christmas trees. (Se also the top photo)

The decreases of visitors were smaller in the facilities in residential areas than in the business center areas like Shinjuku and Shibuya.

We will have the new year in about a week. The new year decorations were sold while Christmas decorations are displayed in the shop.

 

 

 

 

Leaf fall and autumn color: Nov. 19, 2020

Autumn deepens.

The leaves have started to fall from some trees. The colors of the leaves have started to change in other trees.

I walked Hanegi Park in Setagaya City (Ward) and surrounding areas to enjoy the season. 

The ground was covered with fallen leaves in the park. People as well as dogs were walking comfortably. (See also the top photo)

The gingko trees have already changed their colors. (See also the 2nd photo)

The garden of the Setagaya Shrine was covered with fallen gingko leaves.

The sumo ring in the shrine was also covered with fallen leaves.

People were walking on the leaves in the walking paths nearby.

The scenes of the world have changed quite a lot by the coronavirus this year. Still, the seasons change as usual.

Lucky cats @ Gotokuji Temple: Nov. 1, 2020

I am always trying to send good luck messages in my blog (and in my other communications to my friends). 

This feeling is especially strong this year as the coronavirus pandemic continues around the world.

I visited Gotokuji Temple, or Cat Temple in western Tokyo to take photos of the fortune cat. The cat is believed to invite good fortune. The legend was originated in the Edo period.

People get lucky cat dolls every year. The old dolled are placed in the temple after new ones are purchased.

There are thousands of lucky cat dolls in the temple.

I found many visitors there. Foreigners probably from India and Russia were included. They are likely to have been staying in Japan for months. (See also the top photo and 2nd photo)

New metallic cat statue was built recently in the temple. (Se also the 3rd photo)

The season is turning to late autumn.

I hope new signs of recovery from the pandemic, such as developments of the vaccine, will appear as soon as possible.