Under the flower arch

under the flower arch
Originally uploaded by shoko.

It has been almost two months passed since I last updated myself,,, sorry. It was a pretty good spring day even though it's kinda too early to have such temprature. This year, we had the full bloom of cherry blossom at the end of march! I went to "Shinjuku Gyoen" with friends, one of the public parks in center of tokyo, where's famous for beautiful thousands of cherry blossom trees in spring. Among skyscrapers, it was quite surprising to find such a vast park filled with pale pink trees in a cluster.
Of course, bunch of people came to see flowers, not only from Japan, but we heard so many different kind of languages spoken by visitors. (both of my friend majored in linguistics, so they told me the difference "Hey, that's portuguese." "That's Russian", hats off!!) Great spring holiday!

Go sailing!?

Go sailing!?
Originally uploaded by shoko.

From 13 to 18 March, Japan International Boat Show was held at Yokohama, and I visited only because I didn't wanna waste free tickets... Poor me,,, Yet, this was first time to see boat exhibitions, to tell the truth, I was really surprised that what a small engine thrust a huge boat!! I realized how much I didn't know of outboard motor when I was in charge of the business.
Many crowd gathered around motorboat, jet-ski (it's so cool!!), more than that, not only for floating leisure, lots of high-tech fishing boat were displayed and people congregated to see what's new. I thought only few rich people who can afford to have "boat", but for a lot more various purpose, boat industry does a service and attracts people. It made me feel like going sailing!

at Omotesando

at Omotesando
Originally uploaded by shoko.

I saw this man on the way to another wedding party (2nd of this year :D) at Tokyo. As you know, he's still a politician even after he resigned the governer of Nagano pref. where become famous for stopping patronage-driven public project. I couldn't help stopping to hear him despite I hurried aroung, because I'd just gave up attending his lecture held by almuni assosiation club due to schedule. His policy brought on active debates over its pros and cons, and I'm not 100% advocates of his way, but I think it's great progress of Japanese local autonomy that break with precedent by open expression of one's opinions. In Japan, there's still luck of manifestation. Oops, no intention to speak about politics, I just wanted to show off this pic, "hey I saw a celeb!!" .

Happy Bloom!

Happy Bloom!
Originally uploaded by shoko.

First time on this year, I had a big wedding party. One of my colleague just got merried at Disneyland!! Of course there were Mickymouse & Minniemouse and lots of other pretty features, which I missed unfortunately... Anyway, it's quite nice to have happy time with friends together, besides, I have a few more in this first half of year!! Hmmm, I've got to catch a wave!?

Classical Music..

02-11-07_2328.jpg
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Today orchestra I belong held half-annual concert! We had plenty of audience which we've never achieved since our orchestra started, as much as the hall is filled with people. Program was "Nutscracker" (full piece) and Symphony No.5 of Tchaikovsky. Though we're not sperb enough to move people by our sound, there were many families in the audience who said they enjoyed the program which is organized with story-telling. Not only the audiences, it is us that who's most enjoyed music itself!! Almost one year has passed since I joined this group, and I invited my friend for the first time. Kindly she gave me this beautiful bouquet and encouragement, that is somewhat really delightful.

Anyway but backwards

If you are Mac users,
click!!

If not,
click""

I like something that let me feel genuine humanity, that's why I use Mac for long time. and this may become another my favorite...

Monster's Inc!?

Motorazor
Originally uploaded by shoko.

The 2nd day of new year is one of the biggest shopping day in Japan. It's similar as the friday after Thanksgiving. People crash to shops and department stores to get "Hukubukuro" (fortune bag) which includes varioius valuable goods worth more than the value. Maybe it's same that people tend to enjoy shopping after a huge holiday when they are filled with satisfied feeling caused by long days off.
Like the rest, I bought what I longed to get!! Ray, I got it!! Personally, I don't like multifunction celler because I can hardly have chance to use full of them. So this on really fulfilled my needs. LIghtness, slimness, and stylish design. Thankfully, this mobile has predictive transform function even in English text messaging. I'll be able to blog this from cell phone in near future...

Happy New Year

NEW YEAR YOSE
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Wonderful new year is coming. Thanks you for all the kindness of reading this, and please encourage me this year to keep blogging. In the last two years, I went to Japanese traditional variety entertainment ("Yose") in New Years holiday with my family. In Yose, a variety of artist do performance, as short comic chat ("Konto"), storyteller's performance ("Rakugo"), magic, marionette, etc. Especially in New year season, they provide lion dance ("Shishi-mai"(photo: from Kunitachi city) ) which is usually performed only in happy occasions like holiday, festival and so on. Though it still tell us classy sense of humor in Japanese original culture, nowadays we could hardly have chance to see these old-fashioned entertainment. To absorb different culture is important, but futhermore, I want to learn, feel, and know more mother culture.

AKAFUKU

AKAFUKU
Originally uploaded by shoko.

So long, I promised to visit my friend in Nagoya-area, the third largest metropolitan area in Japan, but just recently I could make it for the first time in two years. One of my colleague works at factory in Mie, and another friend who's been working nere her, so I made them friends, and ask them to be together during the weekend trip. As I was born and grown up in northern half of Japan, I have only few time to go middle-southern area of the land. So, this was the first time to eat "Matsuzaka-meat", the best brand of Japanese meat, and also first time to visit famous "ISE" shrine,the most sacrosanct shrine which is like "Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano" in original Japanese religion. What is interesting, they rebuild shrine in every 20 years to keep sanctity, so there's always enough space to be able to build same size structure next to the existing shrine. It also become nice way to hand down traditional architectural techniques for long time, On the approach of the shrine, many food shop stand in a row. Of course we stop by, have some tea with tasty sweets. (this is famous sweets named "AKAFUKU" ~ red fortune~ made from red bean & rice cake)

Chicago!!

Chicago's elevated railroad
Originally uploaded by shoko.

We don't have custom to take long vacation in Japanese business scene, I think I need one at least once a year. That is why I went to Chicago in late November. My friend kindly toured me around, so I could enjoy almost all of great site of Chicago. Streets were fantasticly decolated in Christmas color, and what is better, it wasn't cold!! Global worming wave came over the city, too... I went to two of the best view of chicago, Sears tower & John Hancock Center and could enjoy having cocktail. Chicago is also famous for modern architecture, the walking tour we took told us various insights about shape of window, material of walls, and history of the city itself. Not only the tour, I really enjoy first-time ice skating, (sorry for my friends who couldn't enjoy themselves because of my dangerous toddling), getting tasty Chicago style pizza(thanks Giordano's!), an visiting Evanston to take a look at campus, even in short weekend.

A cool cell phone I found my friend using while wating in line for John Hancock building observatory, which wasn't introduced to Japan yet, finally landed on Japan in Dec. I gotta get it...

Nagatoro

SUNNY NOV.
Originally uploaded by shoko.

On sunny november weekend, I joined orchestra camp at the far end of Kanto plain. Though too early to see red leaves, the air was clean and a little colder than that of city, it was great to spend time just consentrating on music. We had quite a good time practicing in such a beautiful environment and even sometimes making fun with our instruments. At night, we had ensemble competition within our club, and our congenial cello team won the award!! This is a photo of headstream where we strayed from the route on our way back. Off -road always brought me additional neat aspects of life.

Moment of felicity

EEL
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Eel rice bowl!! It's one of the most favorite food. Moreover, this is not usual eel, softly baked up, tender texture, but rich taste. Besides, you'll find another sheet of eel in the middle of rice. Awesome!
After work, my frisnd and I went to famous long-standing eel restaurant at Tsukiji, where lots of Tokyo's traditional cuisine is located. We've longed to come for last few month, and finally could make it. Well, needless to say, it was so delicious. I'm so happy and it blowed off bit of bind at office.

Nessun Dorma

the Turandot
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Since the Olympic gold medalist, Shizuka Arakawa won the world title by ice skating on that music, the opera "Turandot" was catapulted into the limelight. Before that, I have long been prefered music and performing art, the Turandot was one of my must-see opera, along with "La traviata". Wonderfully, I had chance to face the histric(!) stage. Music and songs were literaly awesome, but more than anything else, I was really moved by mise en scene managed by Zhāng Yìmóu, including decorative stage sets which well represents oriental gorgeousness, fantastic light effects that drug us into the tale, and exotic makeup & costumes that made the show much more dramatic. During acts, I couldn't turn my eyes off the stage. Despite the princess role couldn't move due to illness, her voice was increadiblly specutacular. Wonderful night, I gotta work for those mind refresh.

lights after storm

lights after storm
Originally uploaded by shoko.

On the day not so much to do, should you go home earlier. I was so lucky to get this affable evening sky. Strange but interesting that people assume dusk in different time in different place depending on their own latitude. For me, it is dusk that always brought me a little sadness to have to give up playing outside, with a combination of sattle fear of nights and some relief to go home. How long has passed since those days...

Autamn BBQ!

Autamn BBQ!
Originally uploaded by shoko.

It was the only sunshine day in this week today. We went to barbecue in near playground. On alternate weekends, I play cello in community orchestra which is mainly consisted of coval music lover in my city. Our annual concert become a little more popular than before, and gradually accepted by local people. Today at the BBQ, we had some local guests (two families) who say they are great fan of us. Food supply team brought us not only common BBQ ingredients, but also expensive seafoods, as scallop, turban shell and urchin!! From the start, it was a hassle to kindle a fire, but we found handling trouble together itself became a fun, throughout lunch we enjoyed grilling, eating, chatting, and even playing tag with kids. Thanks to it, I become a Ashputtel with smorky flavor by dusk...

Mind of Blue

Mind of Blue
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Yesterday, I was able to leave office earlier, and went to listen Jazz session at Aoyama with a friend. Though it was drizzling, there'd already been lots of people when we get there, and soon the show started. Music played by the Japanese piano trio has variety of tastes, jazz mixed with Latin, Tango, and even has influence of classical music. One of his blues named asian title reminds me the world of Hayao Miyazaki movie. (usually music composed by Joe Hisaishi) He well created his original beauty of jazz. To my surprise, two special friends of the musisian invited on that night were, former concertmaster of NHK symphony, Tsugio Tokunaga, and one of leading Japanese conductor, Michiyoshi Inoue. So lucky to share the great fun with them together.
It was too exciting to end up night groove, my friend and I had to go for another round. Despite it's in the middle of week, we enjoy drinking and talking till late night...

Amazing blue

Amazing blue
Originally uploaded by shoko.

Blue clear sky and water soothed to the mind and the body. I had vacation in Guam this summer. This was my first visit to tropical island where I longed to go swimming, drinking tropical cocktail, trying every other kind of luxurious thing. (Haha, since I was poor in my schooldays, I couldn't travel just for escape out of real life.) Though it was rainy season, my friend and I had sun-blessed days there. We did parasailing (!!!) , the experience floating in the air over the endless sea was much more than great. Around a small island next to mainland, we dived into shallow water, then found tons of various beautiful fishes with colorful bodies. It was SO amazing! It's like totally Nemo's world!! I should have brought waterproof camera(>_< I got relief from stress during vacation. Well, back to work..(until next holidays...)

Inspired by...

Reacent movie really moved me, a film called "RENT" which has been on broadway for 10 years!! Actually I did know only name of it, the fame, but I didn't know what's the story tells us. Brilliant songs, thought-provoking theme, and the charactors' youthful passions really moved me. There's only this. I gotta forget regret, or life is mine to miss. No other road, no other way, no day but today. That is why I'm here now.

Early spring trip

original spa building
Originally uploaded by shoko.

It has been almost over a month since I last updated myself. Not because my workload was to hard to write, but I was busy enjoying series of holidays. In the middle of April, when yearly budget planning settled down at last, I decided to visit my friend in Shikoku island. This was my first landing to that area, and after exhausting week, it was fascinating trip set me free from stress.
My friend, she has been living there for a year on business, took me eat famous noodle "Sanuki-Udon", and places of interest. We went to a few spa, one is located in deep ravine, you can see and hear natural river flow next to you, feeling water splash on your face. The other one is famous as the oldest spa in Japan, Dogo spa. Though nowadays it become a tourist attraction, the place is originally local bathhouse that heals people's tirdness. There has some hall for tourist which reminds the place was loved by the old-day sophisticated, at the same time, there are many local people who seems daily enjoying bath time at the spa.
Beside spas, we went to a shrine named "Kompira-san", famous place that you need more than a thousand staires to get to the main building. (It's also known as the place first Kabuki performance was held.) It was high time to see great cherry blossom lines and feel warm and flesh spring breeze. As derives from its name, ("Kom-" means gold in chinese charactor.) I got a golden charm for healty and happy life.

Spring Blossom

Spring Blossom
Originally uploaded by shoko.

That was beautiful serene day when I took a walk in my birthday. A main street in Kunitachi, where my home university campus is located, is an great avenue of cherry. I went to stroll around to free my body and mind from busy cramming days. The blossoms were not at their best, actually it was too early to enjoy full bloom, but warm sunshine and spring wind tempted people out. Though spring festival were planed to the next weekend, there were already lots of families and friends going for a stroll. I remember, it wasn't so popular to enjoy natural flowers in the States, and find it interesting that Japanese love to celebrate a new season coming and that they are very sensitive to sattle change of nature. I'm not saying Japanese are more artistic than the other world, but such that the climate and life of living things are related from so long ago. Maybe that's great virtue of culture.