Saturday, July 04, 2009

at North end


Creek in front of ...
Originally uploaded by shoko.
Recent change of policy, my boss start allowing to going out to research. Fortunately I had a chance to go Hokkaido. After the job, local staffs brought me to famous northern part, Abashiri. The place was famous for prison, but we have to admit just its roadside sceanery is full of fresh green. Field, forest, mountains, everything. They took me another interesting sight, Kitahama station, the platform is facing ocean, but the most interesting was inside the station. Though no one knows who starts pasing own business card, every side of the wall are occupied by visitor's business cards. I added one of them for memory, then finished the one day trip.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Blooming!


Blooming!
Originally uploaded by shoko.
Spring comes again. Year after year, it seems that warm season coming early. Strange change of temperature also can be felt in these days. Well, this year, it was quite chilling at the end of March after worm February, and the cherry just waiting to bloom became suddenly silent. On the 2nd week of April, warmth (a little too warm) coming again, and they all start blooming.
Though I hate chilly season, I cannot stop worrying health of the earth...

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Southern Resort....


Southern Resort....
Originally uploaded by shoko.
In October, I decided to get a little vacation to Ishigaki. This was the first time for me to visit Okinawa, the southest islands of Japan. The small island was easy to drive around, and always fascinated us with indescribable scenery (here and there) and wonderful nature.
During the stay, we step farther to Iriomote island which is 20 minutes sailing. Iriomote island is famous for untouched wilderness, we canoed up the river in jungle (I got soaking wet), rode buffalo truck to Yufu-island, which is accessible only when the tide is out, then took a rest on the beach. I nearly forget to mention local cuisine, Soki-soba, Awamori-taste cocktail, and others. This is no doubt that I must go there again.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Cinderella catsle at Halloween


Cinderella catsle
Originally uploaded by shoko.
It has been over 5 years since last time I went to Tokyo Disneyland. Suddenly the idea hit us, old classmates at Riverside, and went to immerse "Walt's wonderland". Though being well grown up, still girls cannot attract various dreaming world. One difference from our childhood was greediness, and we made a new record that numbers of attraction in a day, 15!!!! Hey, isn't it great? Well, I must confess that at the end, it became night. If I choose one of the best, I say Haunted mansion which was specially decorated during Halloween season by the style of Nightmare before Christmas.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

At Kurokawa


In front of Onsen
Originally uploaded by shoko.
One of the best part of this trip was "Kurokawa spa", where is famous as spa in tasteful nature. We stayed beautiul annex located alongside river. At Kurokawa, you can buy spa-passport which allows visitors to take 3 different hotel's spa among variety of Onsens in the village.

Not only spa, foods (again! laughter..) which is full of fresh and local vegetable are too great to forget words to describe. I have to add even breakfast was awesome so that we ate too much in the morning.

Summer Trip2


Humm, yammy
Originally uploaded by shoko.
We moved up to Kumamoto for sightseeing. Kumamoto was once governed by many famous histrical charactors, and there is "Kumamoto catsle" which is counted among the most beautiful three catsle in Japan. Not only its appearance, recently restored interior was also amazingly magnificent.

Of course, we cannot stop finding local delicious foods here, too, where famous of raw horse meat (photo), and musterd lotus root. Needless to say, they were very delicious!!

After trottering downtown, we drove ahead to Kurokawa, hidden scenic spa spot inland Kumamoto. On the way, we stopped at Aso mountain, which is famous as caldera volcano.Unfortunately, it started raining, and we can hardly see the crator, but we enjoyed fresh milk icecream.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Summer Trip1


Blood Pond!?
Originally uploaded by shoko.
For the summer golden vacation, I went to Kyushu (The southern island in Japan) trip with my friends. It's fantastic!!! I totally was refreshed by driving, chatting, and delicious local cuisine.

Entering the island by flight, we landed at Kagoshima, where the shouthernmost pref. in Kyushu. Kagoshima is famous of "Shochu", a kind of Japanese Sake, and also great menu of food, raw slice of "Kibinago" (pond herring) with ponzu sause, and famous "Satsuma-age" which I felt astonishingly different from that I ate at Tokyo, of course this local one was better!

After eating dreaming dinner, we rushed into super-express, Tsubame, and went to Kumamoto, the next distination. I have to add gorgeousness of the train, the seats are really wodden, with elaborative embroidery, and the blind is made by rush, which is also famous products in Kyushu. I've never seen such a rich-taste car!

Monday, May 05, 2008

Kiyomizu buried green


Kiyomizu buried green
Originally uploaded by shoko.
On the next day, we visited Kiyomizu in fresh green. It was very hot day even in May. In the morning, we went to 33-gendo, where hundreds of statues of Buddha are installed, (unfortunately, photo restricted), it was really overwhelming. Bu-bu-du-ke.

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Guggenheim Art!?


Guggenheim Art!?
Originally uploaded by shoko.
At Tenryu-ji, famous temple at Arashiyama, Kyoto ,we met great "DARUMA" picture at the entrance. Even though it may be drawn in old days, it appeals us beyond hundreds of ages.

Of course, its garden is also breathtakingly beautiful. Though it was unbelievable, we stayed almost half of this afternoon in the room of temple just looking at the garden.

RANDEN ~Kyoto local train~


RANDEN ~Kyoto local train~
Originally uploaded by shoko.
In the vacation called "Golden", regular members of my trip came to Kyoto, Arashiyama. Since Kyoto has alternative face of tradition, I'd never come to Arashiyama area yet, so this was the first time to get on Randen.

Buying on-the-go cuisine at Kyoto station, we had a comfortable lunch at the bank of Katsura-river. After that, we went to see tidy gardens.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

mixture of beauty and silence


mixture of beauty and silence
Originally uploaded by shoko.
Spring is coming. What I like the most is flowers alongside water, which remind us interruction between nature and the art. What ancient Japanese people were good at is, I always suppose, to harmonize artificial materials (buildings, gardens, roads, etc.) with the grace of nature. Thanks to them, we could have such a lovely life in the neighborhood.

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Africa Fever!?


farewell party
Originally uploaded by shoko.
Recently, two of my friends left for South Africa on business. One is my colleague, and the other is a girl who I work with hard together in college life. She was (still is!?) pretty aggressive, self-assured, and that made her company let her go to the most prospective emerging market. Her friends gathered to have farewell party at night of April in Daikan-yama, and there became a sort of reunion. Some are now working abroad, the others are active on various industry in Japan. It was quite interesting to hear story of different market, different culture, and different style of hardworking(!) towards what they believe their own best. I'm pleased with being one of them!

At any rate, is Africa evolving so fast that two of young prospective friends assigned to work there? Should I follow them? (laughter)

Sunday, March 09, 2008

All orange supporters


All orange supporters
Originally uploaded by shoko.
I rarely watch soccer game even in TV, but for the first time, went to soccer stadium with friends who took me out with free tickets. That was a newly renovated open stadium, and sunny weather brought us comfortable fresh spring air among the excited spectators. Japanese professional soccer has several different league, and this game is (I believe) played by teams in second top league. Unexpectedly, watching live game was very exciting, and by the end of the game, we were shouting together among the enthusiastic atmosphere. The winner was team of my town. Whatever the sports is, I should have tried going to stadium much earlier... It was that much fun!!

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Haven't taken photos so long..

Meeting people is quite interesting. Last few months, since I've been assigned new job, I could have great opportunity to meet some exciting people.

My boss, who love to run (he runs between meetings!), also hold the post of executive, so we have little chance to see him usually. Last time we saw him, however, we had enough time to know his kind personality. He is quite easy person to talk instead he is in higher position, nimble, at the same time let us feel largeness in his conversation which filled with love to people. Rumor sais he's less clever, though I found that misunderstood his generous way.

Another fascinating person was used to be a researcher of state-of-the-art technology, who is posted to operation manager because of his impressive skills both in technology and management. It is what I didn't know that I was posted to this job at his reccomendation even though I had only a few chance to work with him in last 3 years. I asked lots of things of the business and technology, and he kindly answered all the questions I had, moreover gave me some important advice to have vision of the business.

Though I usually do not like to write about work, since recent meetings stimulate my mind, and seems as important change period in my life, I mentioned it in here.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Wish your new year!


Water's edge
Originally uploaded by shoko.
As roll of waves, happiness, business, and strength of will going toward the future comes and back in turn in one's life. The year 2007 was such a fulfilling year, I could do what I believed it should be, and fortunately I could share that with many people who worked with me, which result in plus-bonus and job transfer.

(In 3 month I haven't updated myself, unexpectedly I got a new assignment, at the same time I received high rating in my previous project.)

Though I wondered if I see current job as any inevitable step of my life, now I felt sure it was necessary for me to have these last 3 years in order to make sure I could do something at least, and to start off what I really want to be. 2008 must be good new year to me.

Sorry, I wrote about myself too much. This photo I took in last Dec. when freiends and I went to Yumigahama, Izu in Japan. Lots were girls talk, and sometimes about life, but all the time it was quite fun. Every time I met my friends, most are working girls in frontline, they give me a great power. Thank you girls, and may god bress you in 2008, too.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

thinking life plan

New phase of my life may be coming. I started working for 3 years, which was not what I thought to be in my old days, but to be enought to content with. Still I have strong feeling that I have to change.
Last night, I met a friend of UCR after long interval, and we talked about many good memories in California when we both tried to figure out how to create "myself" through studying, struggling in different country. From that standpoint, time has passed at the same time we matured. One of the what we lose is passion for living that I understand there's a way for easy living as long as I could get a salary, another is a dream to design my future. I rarely bring work home, because I always do my best in my workplace so that I was so exhausted when I come home, and that completely separate work itself from my life. Even as a part of job experience that would contribute my future profession, I didn't see my current work relating to the life. For me so far, work is only a means of earnings.
However, I used to have something I wanted to do. Now should have been only a pass point toward the "Ideal myself". Did I really develop myself via what I'm doing now? It's high time to rethink blueprint of my life.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Visiting Ancient Capital


Horyuji
Originally uploaded by shoko.
It is terribly hot this summer. I personally think it's one of the outcome of ongoing global warming, but whatever the reason is, memory of my summer vacation is "Hottest!!". Considering my financial condition, I gave up to go abroad, instead I went to the trip visiting national history. One of my friend's granma living in Nara, the ancient capital of Japan (6-8century). From nothing, some great people made this field into a country ruled by low. In Nara, we could find lots of evidences they tried to structure the country with the help of Buddism. Of course, we enjoy the trip just as entertainment, eating tasty foods and enjoying lantern festival. Anyway, I learned one important thing, don't visit Nara in Summer.(laughter)

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Fireworks!!


Fireworks
Originally uploaded by shoko.
In summer, fireworks exhibitions are seasonal tradition in Japan. When I was a kid, I was really looking forward to the night of mid-summer, usually held near river, along the bank there were lots of night stalls which were quite tempting.
It has long been since I moved from my hometown located near river, this summer, I went to fireworks exhibitioins with friends for the first time since then. It was a surprise for me that they blasted off nothing to do with edge of water, though it might be common for inland cities... In huge fields usually used as race course, number of people, families, friends, are sitting around chatting, eating, and even drinking. It was fun night!

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Funny group..


Funny group..
Originally uploaded by shoko.
Several years have passed from univ. graduation, friends of those days gathered and had a trip to celebrate one of member's marrige. Some are still in Tokyo, others are working different parts in Japan, therefore we met in the middle of each location, Hakone. Each works on different industry spending one's own life in various way, though it was funny that we found each other nothing different from our school days. In addition, it's not often that I could have thought-provoking communication (sometimes become controversy ^^;) which comes from interesting stories & ideas in each life. Thanks to it, the trip intellectually stimulates my sagging brain. Maybe each member's future will change dramatically, I've got to give as good as one gets.