chikyu-biyori... style JAPAN

I went to library to return books on rainy sunday.

I always go to "Hamayu Library" in Hamamatsu city.

This is the latest library had been buit 4 years ago.

Library is definitely open on the weekend and holiday in Hamamatsu.

I don't know they have same schedule in all library in Japan.....

How about in a foreign country?

Is library open on sunday?

I love books in really, and also picture books.

Therefore, I continue read picture books to my children.

So, 5 years and 2 years children became love books.

They are looking forward to go to library very much!

Go throught the entrance door, Immediately there is a gate.

Every library's book has a security tip. If you tried to go out without official procedures,

the buzzer will sounds rings.

To be sadness, it is problem that some people act very bad for books. It is like,

 takes away library book, gets book duty and destory some pages of books and so on.

This library has only 1 floor, but looks so large and has lots of bookshelf  into a room.

End of the room there are DVD shelf,CD shelf and study room, cafeteria. 

I wish I could look around every bookshelf  to say "Yahoo!"....

However, I always go to picture book place direclty,

which is opposite side from this phot.

And then, I couldn't do any othre shelf like always.

                                        Here is children book place.

Wide space, well-lighted, easy to select books.

There are much book as a children book.

I told you before that I love picture book from long time ago.

I think it is art expressed by short sentence and beautiful picture.

Besides, it has to inspired children's pure mind and rich imagination, and

keep their mind to book.

Excellent book is really fantastic I swear!!

There are many famous picture book writer in Japan,

I love Shinta Cyo san !!

He was born in Tokyo, and passed away 2005.

He wrote a lots of awesome books!

Don't you think his picture is unusual?

Story is also very strange, it seems not made by adult....How can I say,

But when I read his books to my children, they always laugh out loud.

Some picture books are just has surface story and thin content.

Shinta Cyo san's books are not that kind boring book at all.

His pure soul spread out before us.

One more my favorite writer is Koji Suzuki san.

He was born in Shizuoka prefecture. ( This is the prefecture which has Hamamatsu.)

His picture is different from others at all, story is also funny too.

When I read his book, it makes me that I am in kind of wonder place.

This one is my chidren loves too.

How about picture book made by France?

To my dissapointment, library has only few of them.

This is Franch old books isn't it? ↑↑

Ｍｏst of Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｌｉｂｒａｒｙ ｏｗｎｓ ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ book written by Françoise.

In Hamamatsu, you have to make card in this phot in order to use library.↑

Each person can rent 12 books during 15 days.

In my family, we are 4 members, so we have 4 cards. 4x12=.....48!

I can rent 48 books at once!

It is impossible to read all 48 books in really, too heavy to bring them back to home.

I deeply feel how am I happy with lots of books in my life!

When you rent book, the person in charge of rent and back books who will

proceed the order in the service counter.

On the other hand, you can rent books to use this machine by yourself.

When you put all books on the bottom of rack,

machine read code whole books at once.

( back side of book, there is a special seal has a code)

 And then, put your card into machine, you can get a receipt for rent.

This is the all order to use machine.

Very easy! Quick!

How about library near by your home?

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This is Miso soup. ↑

Miso soup is necessary for daily meal in Japan.

Kelp and dried small sardines puts into water, then make it boiled.

It became like fish stock soup. Add ingredients,

Add a seasoning it called Miso in the end.

Japanese people uses Miso everyday same as soy sauce.

I tried to make this Miso in this time.

It was first time in my life.

One of neighbor gave me Miso before, It was of course great taste.

So I asked her that can I join in to make miso when you make next time.

Miso's main ingredient is soybeans.

It is possible to eat without cooking, or It became to source

of Tofu, Soy milk and Soy sauce, Miso.

We can't miss Miso definitely!

When we make Miso, We have to put this soybeans to water during a night for

their form should be back to normal size.

When their size became to double size as before,

We cook them with lots of boiled water until get very soft.

So big amount, how hard job it was!

Bu the way, another most necessity ingredient for making Miso is ,

"KOJI". ( melted rice)

We make a "KOJI" with breeding from microbe like a mold.

We uses this "KOJI" for making Japanese sake, Miso and pickled vesitable

Which is fermented foods.

I don't know very well, But maybe there are many kind of these bacterium in

all over the world like the bacterium of yogurt.

I went to "KOJI"shop at first time.

Well,,, from now on, I did't know this shop is exist in somewhere in Japan.

I think many Japanese dose't know about this shop.

"KOJI" shop has a special technique of put "KOJI" bacteria to rice or wheat.

We have to bring our rice before a week when we start make Miso.

And then, their breeding finished, they make a phone call for pick it up.

We brign back our rice with "KOJI", start to make Miso at neighbor's house.

At first, loosen the block of "KOJI" by hand, mixt with salt, put on the floor be flat.

It is fantastic such a small life is in here!

I look it very carefully, there is a white spots like a mold.

We leave "KOJI" with flat for all night.

And next day,,,,,,

We smashed cooked soybeans by food mixier.

Long time ago, people should had to this order by their hand, but now

it is very fast. How useful it is.

Add water which uses cooked soybeans to mixier.

We make very very soft in this time.

We mix smashed soybeans and "KOJI".

This is the all order for making Miso. Don't you think so easy??

I was surprise becasue of it was too fast to make!

I seems I can make MIso every year

But one of the reason was.... the neighbor prepared everythig in advance for me.

Thank you so much!!

At last, We put Miso to an airtight container.

My daughter and her friend came back from kindergarden.

They are interested in well maded Miso so much.

They had never seen this condition of Miso before.

"What is this"

We have to make them sleep more than a year in order to make work "KOJI" bacteria.

Put a lots of salt on safeces prevent from get moldy.

6 months later, the color should be cange to brown color like Miso.

I will introduce when it done in this blog!

I made 10kg Miso in this time.

This is almost same amount which

my family use during whole year.

I hope it became yummy~

I desplayed girls dolls before on March 3, celebrate the Girls festival.

We called "Momono sekku".

"Momono sekku" is only for girls, We displayed dolls. ( But this is for family who has a girl.)

From long time ago, when you still coutinue displayed this dolls after on March 3,

we said daughter can't marry at certain age.

Therefore, prevent from this bad things,( I don't know this is really bad or not at nowadays.)

most of familiy put this dolls before the day and put them back before on March 4.

( Our culuture has a typical idea about the age of marridge. Especially for women.

It was like from 22 to 29 before.

However the age became changeing to older and older. So, This way seems dosen't make

sence anymore. Just for cutoms, we still continuing.)

Does somebody noticed already?

I mentioned about "Momono sekku" at last year in this blog,

At that time, the dolls were smaller than this size.

I have 2 kinds of  dolls  which have 7 stages. This is the one of it.

When I and my sister was child, our grandmother bought this for us.

At every year we displayed this big one because of we loved.

However when I get adult I perfer to display simple type rather than gorgeous one.

And then I started use simple one that my mother bought when I was born.

It is only prince and princess.

But, my parents said " You sould keep big one in your house, we don't have enough

storage room for 7stages dools."

Then, They send lots of boxes to me!

Threfore, I display this gorgeous dolls in my house after 25 years absence.

I think my dolls feel so so happy that they are introduced in this blog to all over the people

now!

I will introduce a member of this dolls in this great chance.

At first she is the main character, princess. ↑

Her kimono called "Jyu ni hitoe" related to 1000years ago's kimono for women.

There are 12 layers inside!

Behind of her head, there is a light we called " Bonbori".

There is a real candle inside in old time, but now it's just an electric light.

And next, He is prince. We called "Odairi sama" in this festival.

People made this dolls images like, princess come to his place for marry.

She is a lady-in-waiting for princess. We have 3 of them. ↑

We called " San nin kanjyo".

They play music, read Japanese poem, protect princess and teacher for princess.

They could everything, kind of perfect women.

This is "Gonin bayashi". ↑

They are boys. Their hair style is different from adult.

1 of them play big drum, 2 of them plays small drum and 1 play plute, 1 sing a song.

This is young noble, right minister, we called " Udaijin".

He protects prince, and we have one more left minister, called" Sadaijinn" who is very old

man.

They were always together with prince, sometimes they helped prince 's love romance.

There are some tools for princess, which is chest, mirror and cage for carry princess.

In this picture, there are Japanese heating appliance , "Hibach", tools for tea ceremony, and

cow car.

Girls doll had started in the Heian period in Japan. In that time girls played with this dolls.

When the Edo priod came, people started to display this dolls,

tools and dolls chenged to gorgeous more than Heian period.

In spring season, we have a some antique dolls exhibition at old castle or old house in Japan.

These dolls were only for noble person's daughter before.

We have more simple dolls too. When you start reseach about simple one,

It also has so interesting history.

For example, This is "Nagashi bina" it oldest girls doll version.↓

They made by paper or straw, people throw it into a river.

We have also "Turushi bina" in East side of Shizuoka prefecture. The name of city is Inatori.

People make a small dolls, and they put it string one by one.

Inatori is near by Izu. Izu is famous place as a hot spring and fishing port.

People wait tourist with hanging down "Turushi bina" at entrance of Ryokan( Japanese style

hotel). It's so beautiful!

By the way, cold wave come to Japan, it not only Hamamatsu, we are still get so cold

everyday. But when I see girls doll, I can feel the spring will come soon.

I walk outside, the plum and peach flowers are blooming now.

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I went to post office today.

In a while, I didn't go post office because of most of time I spend for internet.

I always visit post office only few times. I definetely buy a commemorative stamp everytime.

I just love put these stamps on envelope, collecting in not my hobby.

By the way, today's stamps are motiveted by "Keroro captain" on above.

I don't know about this animation,

but somehow it looks cute..

Most of commemorative stamp is sheet

type like in this picture in these years.

I bought bitter taste's one  too.

Miyagi prefecture version from "scenery of journey" series.

↓ Maybe, there are same stamps in all over the world like this.

We are now the season of strawberry.

I remember the difference taste when I ate strawberry in France before.

It seems the season of strawberry was early summer in France.

There are various kind of strawberry at vesitable counter in grocery stores.

The grocery store which I always go, collected a well known strawberries from Japan.

The famous species are "AMAOH",

"TOYONOKA", "AKIHIME" and so on.

There are some kind of species

"MOMOICHIGO", "ASUKA ruby"

which I never heard.

Each by each isn't same form, taste.

Sour of not so sour, or how sweet it is.

Please eat and compare!

That's why they call "Strawberry festival".

Good Business!

All of their flesh is so soft, it like melting in

my mouth.

I wrote donw before, when I introduce Japanese peach in summer, Japanese people loves

 soft, sweet and sentistive stuffs so much.

Perhaps.

So, Japanese strawberry get more and more soft, seach size evolve into perfect as a sweet.

They grown up each strawberry to bigger and better tast. And then sell it with wrapping like a

snacks.

I'm not sure it exist at abroad??

Speaking of sweets, We have a typical Japanese cake " Strawberry shortcake".

I swear, definitely this is special Japanese cake.

There is a whipped cream and strawberries between sponge cake,

wrapped by pure white whipped cream.

Put a strawberry on it.

It seems can hear the voices "My country has a same one", However, Japanese shortcake

is extremely soft and lightly.

When you eat it, you can feel sensitive sweet, like you eating air or snow.

100% Japanese are familiar with shortcake. You can see most of cake shop.

Please try this also!

                                                  ↓Strawberry shortcake

Japanese strawberry is not only fruits, but also close to sweets snacks as I said.

Farmer plants them at hothouse.

( That's why the best season is earlier than normal condition.)

We have a kind of event, it called " hunting strawberry".

People pay entrance fee to farmers for go inside, and they can eat it as much as they want.

There are many strawberry hot house in Hamamatsu. They start announcement about this

event from now every year.

This is the scenery of strawberry hunting.

This is for almost kids, not only for adults. It's like a leisur industry.

You can see various kind of hutnig event in Japan not only for strawberry.

For example, "grape hunting", " pear hunting", " apple hunting", "orange hunting",

and so on....

Every system is same as strawberry's.

But nowadays, these events are getting donw rather than my childhood time.

"AKIHIME" in my garden.

The flowers are in bloom!

I expect that we can eat tons of

strawberry!

I can't wait!!

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"Gruuuuu!!! I am Monster!!"

This is my daughter.

"Setsubun" is the third of Februray in Japan.

"Setsubun" is the day means to devide the seasons. According to to the calendar,

the spring will come from the next day of "Setsubun".

The people thought that the bad spirit ( we call "Jyaki") can easily come into daily life

 at the time seasons start to chenges from long time ago.

That's why special event which is exorcise bad spirit still going on.

"Jyaki" is about illness, disaster and starvation and so on.

Ancient people were afraid of them a lots.

And then, people made a "Oni" as a symbol of those bad things.

I think "Oni" is quite interesting existance.

It's perfectly evil!

At any rate he is bad guy.

Appearance is also make us very frightened.

....like this illustration?

I took a long time to find out suitable picture.

Their skin's color is red or blue, has a bull's horn on their head and

wears tiger's tusk and fur.

He holds a iron's bar, rowdy monster!  

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

Wander from the subject of "Setsubun".

Oni appear at many Japanese events.

Not always "Setsubun".

Oni is always villain.

The person will be a hero who exterminated Oni.

However, we have rare story it like,

" To tell the truth, Oni is faint-hearted, unexpectedly good guy

and in the end Oni feel regret and said so sorry to the people."

Because of people might be felt Oni is too poor to killed by hero

everytime.

Therefore, you can see this different kind of images with Oni.

                                                          ↓Hurray!

Oh yes, Do you know the heroine of "Urusei-yatsura" ( this is Japanese comic.)

who is quite popular among the world.

Her name is "Ramu-cyan".

She should be also Oni.

Her father is Oni. His appearance is classic style's image of Oni.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

 Now back to the "Setsubun" story.

I wrote before that we will do event which exorcise bad spirit on the third of februray.

The event called "Mamemaki" (scatter parched beans.)

We scatter parched soybeans which believes has a special power from long time ago.

Why parched beans?

Because of prevent from beans grow up after scattered.

 Exactly like this phot.

We put beans into square box made by wood.

We call "Masu" about this box. We scatter beans toward to "Oni".

We believe that Oni will come up after get dark.

So, "Mamemaki" should be at night time usually.

We shout "Oni is out! Luck stays inside!"

At first, from inside of house to the outside,we scatter shower of beans.

And then from the inner room to the entrance, we scatter a little beans

again and again. Forced out Oni to outside.

According to the first pidture of this article, It's ok whether somebody wears Oni mask with

playing role of Oni or not.

In a word, important thig is "Spirit".

 "Mamemaki" is typical event at kindergarden in this season.

Neighbor wears Oni mask, and visit my daughter's kindergarden.

Children will scatter beans to Oni.

However, my daughter planing to absent from that day with pretend to be ill.

Becase of the player make frightened children in really.

 "Gruuuuu!! I am Oni~~!!"

Suddenly tiny Oni coming up!

 She is fine if tiny Oni like her will come up

to kindergarden.

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Every day is still cold in Hamamatsu.

Maximum temperature is 12℃, minimum is 2℃ now

I feel so cold when  I turn on the stove in the morning, and I hold my 2years son at midnight

when he start crying.

At that time, This kimono is so useful. We called " Hanten".

"Hanten" is special kimono in Japan, it came into fashion among the people at

the Edo period.

This is waist-length jacket, we used to be wear on top of kimono.

There is a cotton inside. That why so warm!!

( By the way,we have a different kind of  "Hanten" which doesn't have cotton inside.

When the time was Edo period, Carpenters, craftmans and firefighters wore this kind of

"Hanaten" very well.)

We can buy this new style "Hanten" in these days. This is a checked pattern.

A cuff has elastic band, there is a many pockets. It is good for housekeeping.

And the front side has a buttons not strings.

In really, I wear this type now.

There is a cotton inside, so so warm!

When it get duty, I can wash by myself.

With Japanese moral sense,

maybe, It's no problem if you go to garbege bump with wearing "Hanten" ,

but not for shopping.

This is for kids!

I bought this to my daughter at old kimono shop.

This is better than anyone's else in my family.

I thought that this is so cute!

It's remind me of a little boy who appear in the old tale.

It's 3 years since she wore.

Getting small .....

My son wears "Hanten" too.

But he has never wear at daytime in order to he is the person who is sensitive to the heart.

I made him wear "Hanten" for taking a picture by force.

He loves to wear the time after took a hot bath and catch a cold.

It seems he likes this warm taste at that kind of occasion.

Economy is booming in Japan in these days.

Wear "Hanten" getting popular not use an air conditioner often.

Thus, there are various kind of "Hanten" now. 

On the one hand, it is western teste which like I wear.

On the other hand, you can see very Japanese taste's "Hanten".

The price is about ...from 8000yen to 5000yen for the adult,

about 3000yen for the kids.

A person who hate gets clod, shall we wear "Hanten" together

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Continue from last week, I 'll introduce yours to Hiroshima again.

The first picture is Hiroshima castle.

It started building from 1589, and then 2years later, the lord "Terumoto Mouri"

started live in here.

After that, Hiroshima castle was the symbol of Hiroshima during long time.

But, when atom bomb was dropped down in August 6 1945,

Hiroshima castle was also destroyed.

Present castle tower has been rebuilted after World War Ⅱ.

There is a moat and gate around the castle. It's park now.

Anyway, Hiroshima is so convenience for sightseeing becasue of there are

Hiroshima castle and  the skeletal domed building for memorate the atom bomb

at the city center.

There is a Miyajima ( Miya island) which is acknowledged as a world heritage too.

I think Hiroshima is a great sightseeing place.

Opposite side from Hiroshima castle,

there are baseball stadium, pool , and planetarium, museum and so on.

It is a gymnasium on the right side of above's picture.

It was designed by SUMO wrestler's hair style.

The hair style called "MAGE".

When you turn to next corner,

you can see this scenery....yes,

I took a picture from passanger seat.

Let's enjoy drive with me.

Population of Hiroshima is

1,170,000 people.

Unexpectedly, big city, there are

many high building.

City center of Hiroshima has a tram.

I 'm get used to see tram from childhood, that why I don't feel any special with tram.

However, it's rare to see such a sight in Japan.

Tram is so popular among the turist.

This tram is new type, there is a also very old type.

The tram is still running which re-started few days after the atom bomb dropped down .

I couldn't happen to see old type in this time. It's sad....

But they runs many.

By the way, the parking garage is kind of fun I always use when I do shopping.

There is an underground of high building,

at first, drive into underground in this way.

Along the sign, drive to the building you want to go, and get parking ticket.

Go ahead more, there are an alphabet letters entrance from A to F.

You can park wherever you want.

There is a stuff at every booth, he will guide your car. Like this!

When you get off your car, enter into the door,

there is a such a place like this picture ↑.

You can go to underground city directly from here.

Your car is put on a belt conveyer, sliding the side,

housed in a parking garage. ↓

I can't smell the typical stinky smell with exhaust gas at all.

It's no problem even if you are not good at parking.

When you spent 2,000yen for shopping, the fee will be free with 2 hours.

  How useful isn't it?

The person who working at here, he asked me that why I take a picture such a place.

I answerd " Because of it's rare! ".

He explained to me" The head building of MATSUDA's parking garage is more incredible than

hereThe car will go up in a moment not sliding."

But I couldn't figure out what he wanted to say me!

( Hiroshima is the head city for MATSUDA. MATSUDA is the name of famous car maker in

Japan.)

When you go home,

there is an unhebited booth with

opposite side .

Put the ticket into the machine,

your car will be came up with

sliding from the entrance which

has a car sign on top of the door.

 Shopping was so fun today too!

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I took a various pictures when I was in Hiroshima at New Year's day.

This isn't introduce famous place of Hiroshima, Sorry,

I just want to show yours where I always go in Hiroshima.

Please enjoy to read this is normal Hiroshima citizen's life

The first picture is the entrance of the department store which placed at city center.

An entrance hall built in wellhole style like 10 floors,

It's so comfortable big space.

Depend on the season, the decoration has been changed.

Now it was New Year's decoration , you know!

There are many stores, hotel, offices and restaurants in this building.

It's also connected to large underground city.

I'm addicted to 100yen shop at this city in these days!

There are many goods which looks like not 100yen.

This shop is so popular.

There is a lots of people everytime!

Girls tends to admiring goods, like

french taste(?).

Therefore, those goods are also

popolar at here.

On the other hand, cute japanese

goods are also popular in these days.

That's why, half of goods is franch

taste, lest of half is japanese taste

in this shop.

We moved middle of city by car,

and then, we ate lunch at restaurant of hotel.

Entrance of hotel , they decorated the new years decorative pine, we called " Kadomatsu".

This hotel called " Oriental Hotel Hiroshima".

I love this restaurant, " New York Cafe".

We called " Viking" (this is a strange word isn't it??) about "buffet-style".

(If you have a plan to visit Japan, I prefer, you had better remember this word.)

When you ordered main dish, after that, bread, soup and salada, drink, dessert

are buffet-style in this restaurant.

The price is about 1800yen.

Buffet-style for dessert isn't

rare in Japan.

Especially, cake, pudding and coffee

are so yummy in this restaurant.

You can also enjoy chatting at large

space with eating delicious lunch!

You can get food many times as much as you want. Not one time!

Waiter bring new cake, macaron and pudding from kitchen one after another.

The person who loves sweets,

don't you think want to visit here once??

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A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank you for checking Miko's blog in this year!

It has been over a year since I started blog, still I have a lots of topics

in my head.

Please enjoy my blog from now on!

Anyway, I came around new year's day at my parents house

which is located at Hiroshima-city, Hiroshima prefecture.

From December 31th to January 1st, Hiroshima had a heavy snow.

I enjoyed scenery of snow after a long interval.

( Yes, Hamamatsu doesn't have a snow at all !)

My kids excited their first snow in their life,  I said many times

" you have to go home, It will be cold soon, Be careful!"

But it was too excited to come home!  

They had been continue rolling snowman,

 it became too big to put up snowman's head on it.

Hiroshima city located on the southwest from Hamamatsu.

Here is warm place, but around my

parents house has a big snow about

once a year.

Because of there is a secluded

place in the mountains.

My mother decorated entrance with new year's style.

Shellfish in front of flower arrangement and small Kite on the wall

are lucky ornaments.

Family and relatives were came around,

we ate "Oseti" ( festival food for the New Year) together.

We drink a sip of Japanese sake  for a toast in reallly.

It called " Otoso".

However,  there are many young people who doesn't

drink Japanese sake, so we drink a toast with champagne

in these years.

I think "Oseti" is good with wine and beer.

Children are looking forward to get " Otoshidama".

Children are given about 3000yen small money by adult at New Year's day

from long time ago.

Above picture is " Potibukuro" ( tiny envelop).

Adult put new money into this small envelop and then give it to children.

Children can get "Otoshidama" from uncle, neighbors and so on.

And then, they goes to city for buy toys which they really wanted to buy

in this day.

But they already got Christmas present before the New Years'day.

Besides,parents bought toys to them normaly.

Therefore, they are not so excited with "Otoshidama" anymore.

When my father was child, "Otoshidama" was the only money he could use

with free once a year.

Now, this custom was changed completely.

......But   when they get "Otoshidama", they hold envelop with both hands and bow,

It seems they are still very Japanese!!

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