Spring - well merited.

Old chestnut tree.

Alienlike

Caterpillar, observed october at the Iwate coast.

Kitakami countryside

Other style

Waiting for the show to begin.

During the summit of environment in Kitakami.

Fisherman in Rikuzentakata

After the fight

... with only three legs left (normally, spiders have eight). But bravely waiting for the next prey (who might take the remaining legs).

Ripening rice

... and its wonderful golden-green color all over the landscape.

See here how it will be harvested.

More new houses

I will never understand why they are built so very close to each other. And it's a pity that little by little, so many rice paddies in Kitakami are eaten up by those new housing areas.

Old mountains and new plastic houses

Close to Kitakami, Iwate.

Scary!

Meanwhile, rice harvest is almost over in Northern Japan, but on our recent trip it just had started, so in many rice paddies, we saw scarecrows - but modern ones like these are quite rare.

Red spider lilly (Lycoris radiata)

This flower, higanbana in japanese, in autumn is omnipresent in Japan.

Tatami room

... where we had the pleasure to stay during our September trip to Iwate.

Army of water striders

... in the Kitakami Poem Park.

Susuki in the morning mist

More susuki grass

Autumn grass (Miscanthus sinensis)

Back in Japan

... for a three weeks holiday - Kitakami, we're coming!

Living next door to everybody

Small house neighbourhood in Uenomachi, Kitakami.

Cooling down the rice

... for chirashi sushi (scattered sushi). It is very easy to make as doesn’t require any particular ability, and the ingredients are casually scattered and layered on top of the rice.

kostbar ding

Foreign languages are often used in Japan to make things or shops fancier, usually english and french. It's rare to see a shop with such a german name ("precious thing").

Census of bus passengers

Sand graphics

At the beach of Rikuzentakata.

Strange little car

Cosy old onsen

Namari onsen, a famous hot spring in Hanamaki.

Winter in Kitakami...

... every icy street a challenge.

Snow-covered rice paddy

Kitakami nightlife

... in the heart of the amusement district.

"Max" shinkansen at Tokyo station

Queuing for the shinkansen

Helpful station master

Eno-den coming

The famous little railway line between Enoshima und Kamakura.

Contemporary japanese plastics architecture

We are leaving Japan...

... next week already, because of a surprising and exciting, but very short-term job offer back in Germany.
I will miss Japan terribly, for lots of reasons, like for afternoons like the one when I took the photo above: We spent it with friends in their big garden, which included also a lotus pond.
The preparations for the moving started very smoothly two weeks ago, only the packing was left to be done, but then I had tonsillitis for one week, without being able to do anything than staying in bed, now our son has tonsillitis as well ... I wonder how we'll manage to be ready in five days!

Evening sun

... on the lake of the Irihata dam, in the mountains above Kitakami.

Summer in the countryside

The way to school

Japanese students wear uniforms in junior high school and high school (also in kindergarten, but not in elematary school). On the first day of June, they change from winter to summer uniforme which means no jacket and short shirt sleeves.The girls wear skirts in summer and winter.

Boys in a hurry

Nice contrast to the old houses in the background.

Chic!! ...

... said my three-year-old son when he saw this young lady the other day.

This year's summer fashion

Botanic art

Our two frogs

In the comments to yesterday's post, somebody asked about the frogs around here. Here are two of them, living quietly in our little garden.

June 1st theme day: A view from my room

This is the view from our bedroom, just a few days ago: A rice paddy, just being planted.

And that's how the rice plants look today. If you're interested in how they continue their life, have a look here and here.

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85 city daily photo bloggers are participating today in this theme day. Just click on any of the links below to see what they see from their window:
Seattle (WA), USA - Manila, Philippines - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Toruń, Poland - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Seoul, Korea - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Vantaa, Finland - Madison (WI), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Omaha (NE), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Stockholm, Sweden - Grenoble, France - Lubbock (TX), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Arradon, France - Hyde, UK - Joplin (MO), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Kansas City (MO), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Manila, Philippines - Sydney, Australia - Stavanger, Norway - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - London, UK - Chandler (AZ), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Singapore, Singapore - Hamburg, Germany - Sydney, Australia - Tenerife, Spain - Moscow, Russia - Lyon, France - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Villigen, Switzerland - Anderson (SC), USA - Oslo, Norway - Evry, France - Hayle, UK - Mumbai, India - Kitakami, Japan - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Los Angeles (CA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - La Antigua, Guatemala - Paderborn, Germany - San Diego (CA), USA - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Madrid, Spain - Lyon, France - Selma (AL), USA - Shanghai, China - Baziège, France - Cologne (NRW), Germany - North Bay (ON), Canada - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Stayton (OR), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Austin (TX), USA - Hong Kong, China - Trier, Germany - Joensuu, Finland - Paris, France - Greenville (SC), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Cork, Ireland - Bastia, France - Vancouver, Canada - Brookville (OH), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Mainz, Germany - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Zurich, Switzerland

Curious house

... I have not the slightest idea what it is, and what the strange shape is for.

A bouquet to all of you in the world

Engrish on a flower wrapping paper. English (and franponais as well) is very popular in Japan, whenever somebody wants to look his products modern and fancy.

Blue power shovel, enjoying a well deserved rest

In no other country I have been I saw as many power shovels as here in Japan.

Up and away

I'll be absent for a few days (we visit one of the most southern islands of Japan), so no new posts until Wednesday. I hope this seaside shot (an algae covered mole) will console you.

Cute army

Does Japan now try to make children join the army? Of course not; but this comic style is widely used for any kind of advertisement or promotion in Japan, even when addressing grownups. Not surprising, if you look at the country's manga culture.

Dogs day out

Three small dogs waiting for their owner on a supermarket parking lot.

Fascinating fire engine

A mother-and-child-group visits the Kitakami fire station.

Fire engine with the city's mascot as emblem.

Why are you looking at me like this?

Drying...

... and dying starfishes on a fisherboat. Some of their smallest tentacles were still moving, but the rest was all dry already, too late to save them. I don't know why the fishermen don't put them right back into the water.

Big old house in the rain

In a local handicraft shop

Even if you don't need these things, they're so nicely arranged that it's really hard to resist.

Forest understorey

And under the trees, Azaleas are blooming everywhere. This is definitely the best moment of the year to take a walk in the forest.

Old farmhouse in a mountain forest

At Michinoku folklorical village, Kitakami.

Girls in spring, 2

Slightly older, but still having fun with water.

Girls in spring

Just in case somebody is afraid: The smaller girl didn't fall into the fountain.

Having fun

Elderly people having a really good time at a picknick, dancing to japanese pop songs. I guess there were some bottles of sake involved, too.

Festival theme week, end.

To finish this local festival theme week, here some photos of people enjoying the parade:

Fireworkers on duty, but not seeming to mind:
She just made him get up from his sofa to come and watch the parade with her:

More colourful couple:

Green order and security men everywhere:

Severe jury: "Did you see her, she isn't doing her dance steps properly!"

The where more interested in themselves than in the parade:

And now I'll give you a rest - I will be away for the weekend and be back on Monday, then again with normal one-picture-posts.

Festival theme week, part 3

Today, I will show you some other groups participating at the procession.

Young girls' float:

Old men walking:

Everybody is proudly giving a hand:

Harmony in blue:

Shishi Odori deer dancers:

42-year-old women, giggling:

Float with full taiko drum power:

I still wonder how there could be spectators (and there were many!) - the whole town's population seemed to participate at the festival. Probably all visitors came from other cities.

Festival theme week, part 2

In Japan, the ages of 25 and 42 are considered as important and often hard ones, where you may have to take difficult decisions and which might be important turning points of your life.

At the Esashi jinku matsuri, the largest two performing groups where the one of the 25-year-old and the one of the 42-year-old; I have been told that it's not optional to participate for those belonging to one of these age-groups, but an obligation.

Both groups had a big float on which the musicians were sitting (all of them 42-year-old, too) and were performing in the streets of Esashi in the afternoon before the big procession as well as after, until late at night.

Taiko drummers.

Orchestra members.

42-year-old women...

... and men.

There are many 42-year-old inhabitants in Esashi!

Those who are not endued with musical or dancing skills have a less exciting duty.

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Sorry for the picture overload, but I really liked this festival!

Festival theme week, part 1

I have so many nice pictures from last weeks festival that I decided to use at least some of them for a special theme week about this festival. (Although it's not exactly in Kitakami, but in the small neighbourtown Esashi, 10 km south. But Kitakami has a very similar festival in late summer.).

This festival, called jinku-matsuri (jinku means lively song, lively dance), is held during two days in early may, and probably every single inhabitant of the town is participating. The main event is a procession of dozens of groups (school, companies, banks, association and clubs, etc) including several thousand people parading through the city. The members of all groups are dressed in the same costume, and all those people perform the same dance to always the same song, the local festival anthem.

Mayor waiting for the procession to start. He is leading the group of dancers of the municipality.

A group of elderly ladies. Usually, these groups have the best dancers.

A group of bank clerks.

Housewifes dedicated to traffic safety.

Tomorrow, I'll show you the procession's special events.

For the sound of the festival, click here, here or here (I uploaded some short videos).

Carp family

Another custom of kodomo no hi is to raise the carp-shaped koinobori flags in front of the house. You see them all over Japan at this moment. The big black carp is the father, the smaller red one the mother - and then there is a small one for each boy; although some families now put one for each child.
The silk carps are also raised as decoration at lots of places, here at the cherry avenue along the Kitakami river.

Kodomo no hi

Yesterday was "Children's Day", a japanese national holiday. Until 1948, this day was only known as Boy's day. One of the customs of this day is to display sumptuos (and expensive) samurai accessories, usually a helmet (kabuto), but sometimes also swords and costumes, like on this photos.
This is on of the numerous kodomo no hi-arrangements sold in all department stores and some smaller shops specialised in such traditional stuff.

Local festival in Esashi

Photographer hunting for good motifs.

Liquor shop

... just a little run down.

Elderly people crossing

Cute, isn't it?

Enough is enough

This is the last cherry blossom photo for this year, I promise.

May theme day: City exchange

This month's theme is " Post a photo of another city (than yours)", so here it is - though it's not exactly a city, not even a village:
Fereriwo, a temporary settlement of Fulani semi nomadic herders, in the Sahel of Burkina Faso (West Africa).
I had the chance to do ethnobotanical field research there, spending every year 4 to 6 weeks at this place, during five years. It was a fantastic experience.

The women of Fereriwo. Fulani woman are said to be the most beautiful in this region.

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At least 75 other city daily photo blogs participate in this theme day, why not pay them a visit? (Due to time difference they might not all be ready when you visit them.)

Monte Carlo, Monaco - Rome, Italy - Singapore, Singapore - Tenerife, Spain - Rotterdam, Netherlands - London, UK - Montréal (QC), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Naples (FL), USA - Bastia, France - Hong Kong, China - Mazatlan, Mexico - Buenos Aeres, Argentina - Manila, Philippines - Arradon, France - Madison (WI), USA - Evry, France - Seoul, Korea - Shanghai, China - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Sequim (WA), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Budapest, Hungary - Baziège, France - Hamburg, Germany - Toruń, Poland - Nelson, New Zealand - Madison (WI), USA - Vantaa, Finland - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Mainz, Germany - Dubai, UAE - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Cork, Ireland - Stockholm, Sweden - Menton, France - Tel Aviv, Israel - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Kitakami, Japan - Stayton (OR), USA - Szentes, Hungary - Stavanger, Norway - Grenoble, France - Villigen, Switzerland - Paris, France - Hyde, UK - Moscow, Russia - Joplin (MO), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Greenville (SC), USA - Cape Town, South Africa - Asheville (NC), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Madrid, Spain - Auckland, New Zealand - Oulu, Finland - Lubbock (TX), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Vancouver, Canada - Seattle (WA), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Manila, Philippines - Lyon, France - New York City (NY), USA - Los Angeles (CA), USA - Brookville (OH), USA - Hayle, UK - Wailea (HI), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - San Diego (CA), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Cypress (TX), USA

Sunday morning, 10°C

Kitakami's famous cherry tree avenue, seen from a hill nearby.

Already at eight on sunday morning, lots of people were taking a stroll under the blossoms.

Cherry blossoms, wherever you look

Today: Cherry blossoms and sports:

Cherry blossoms and soccer.

Cherry blossoms and baseball, the most popular sport in Japan (well, perhaps second popular, after sumo).

Cherry blossom after-sports souvenir photo.

Small hanami picnic

No idea why they chose to sit there on the floor rather than somewhere on the grass! Probably to use the bank as a table.

Very important at picnics: The shoes have to be taken off, even for sitting on a plastic mat.

Finally: Hanami

I can't hide this any longer, cherry blossoming has finally arrived in Kitakami.
On this shot, you can see a neatly arranged picnic place; people often
come already in the morning, to "reserve" the best spots, by setting up their picnic equipment.
Today, full bloom is announced. Infortunately,the weather is nasty, cold wind with sometimes rain - poor tourists who come from far away by hundreds of buses, some even from Tokyo.
Why? Kitakami is officially classified the third most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spot in Northern Japan.

Another dog

This dog lives on the way to my japanese lesson. It's quite young, and very friendly. When I came by today, there was a beginning thunderstorm, and the dog was trembling with fear, pacing all the time back and forth in the rain, in the hope of getting away from the thunder. While I was talking to him and fondling him, he stopped and calmed down a little - only to run around quicker when I left.

What a life.

A perfect place ...

... to abandon old cars, even though it's in the middle of a lively residential quarter. They don't look particularly old; but they havent' been moved since many months, and have several flat tyres. And while on the adjoining parts of this parking, not the slightest little bit of gras is growing, here nature is evolving almost freely. The owners often don't even bother to remove the license plate. Apparently, the japanese law isn't excessively strict about this kind of delict.

Pet shopping cart in a homecenter in Kitakami.
In case your dog is accompagnying you, you just put it in this cart, to avoid him or her to fool around in the shop, annoying other customers and put dirty paws on the store's clean floor.
It is not meant to put in the puppies you can also buy in the store - if you purchase one, they put it in a closed cardboard box. The other day, I saw a family buying a puppy and then putting the box in the back of the car for going home; I just cannot believe how you can't take this new family member in your arms to bring it home. But probably they bought it for chaining it in the back of their house, like so many dogs live here in Japan, so it better get used to not living close to the family soon.
I will NEVER understand the japanese attitude towards dogs - either they treat them like babies, dress, hairdress and even manicure them, or the chain them up or put them in a cage, take them (not all) for a short walk once a day, and that's all.

Kaiten sushi

Our favourite kaiten sushi restaurant in Kitakami (with the very japanese name "Sushi gourmet"). You just pick up what you like from the belt, but you can also order directly through the sushi chef, if you feel you are waiting too long for the dish you are hoping for.

A sushi type which is definitely not my cup of tea: uni (sea urchin). It's considered a delicacy here.

Futons in the sun

On sunny days, the housewifes drag out all their family's bedding to expose it for some hours to the sun, to get ou the humidity accumulated in the last days. Otherwise, the futon matress and the tatami, on which it is generally placed, will soon get moldy in the humid japanese climate.
All japanese apartments have at least on small, narrow balcony - not to sit there, of course (nobody here ever sits on his balcony, just like nobody ever sits in his garden), but to dry the bedding.

The old bridge over the Kitakami-gawa

In the background Mt. Hayachine, still snow covered.

Unusual design

Many, but not all houses are grey in Japan!

Small fire engine and men in costumes

I am not sure what they were doing, but there were other cars around having been decorated in a way that indicated that probably some ceremony had been celebrated (sorry for the photo looking so misty, but I had no time to open the - dirty - car window).

After the election

The gubernatorial race is over, but here and there you still see some placards, like this one from the Democratic Party, matching so nicely with the yellow house.
Actually the democrates won, and now the 42-year old Takuya Tasso (not the one on the picture) is Japans youngest governor. The Great Sassuke (see post April 2nd) lost.

PS: Nothing new about cherry blossoms yet - but for loads of spectacular photos from cherry blossoming in Kyoto, see here.

Intruder from outer space

Even though you see those silly "space cars" so often here in Japan, they continue to make me laugh.

Ready for the cherry blossom festival

Kitakami is ready for the party - the blossoms not yet.

Sea grapes

I have eaten this very special dish for the first time yesterday evening in a small restaurant serving specialities fom Okinawa, the island in the very south of Japan.
It's called umi budo (sea grapes) and it is a delicate, light-green seaweed with small bubbles covering its branches all over. It's scientific name should be Caulepa rentillifera. When you eat it, the bubbles pop nicely in your mouth, leaving a salty sea taste. They are rich in minerals, and I read they can inhibit the growth of cancer and boost immune system.
If you want to know more about Okinawa and this seaweed, go here.

Drinking fountain with hotspring water

... seen (and tasted) in Airinkan hot spring. Slightly salty. Unfortunately I don't know the properties of this water.

Canned wine

I saw this advertisement this morning in the newspaper - is that possible in other countries too?? Sacrilège, non?

Sick pines

Almost everywhere in Japan, you can see pines dying from the pine wilt disease. It is caused by a very small, wormlike organism called the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, and has been introduced in Japan in the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, it has first spread along the coastal areas of Japan, and is now covering almost all areas in Japan, except the cold regions of Aomori and Hokkaido.

Anatoshiiso

This famous rock formation is not directly located in Kitakami, to be honest; but being only one and a half hour away, it's the closest (and most beautiful) coastal point from here. We go there quite often.

The mushroom can hunt edible wild plants

I really do like this onsen (public bathing house with hot spring), and perhaps even a little more after reading the english information about this place. I guess they just sent their japanese text through some translating program, and the result is just lovely.

Félicitations au TGV!

... for its speed world record (574,7 km/h) - but the japanese Shinkansen (here the model Yamabiko) is still the way sexiest train ever constructed, you have to admit. Compared to it, doesn't the record TGV look a little bit like a tin can?

Old hotel bus with new passenger

This old hotel bus has been abandoned (the fate of so many old japanese vehicles) in the back of the hotel parking lot. If you have a closer look, you will notice the open window and the improvised ladder. When you get closer, you discover that at least this old bus is still useful to someone. Bus recycling at its best.

The governor candidate Nr. 5

These are the official billboards for the Iwate governor election (taking place on April 8). Every candidate has his designated space. The guy top right is not a manga character, but one of the candidates, "The great Sasuke" . He's a former wrestler, wearing his mask already while acting officially as a prefectural assembly member (with special authorization) - and intends to continue wearing it if he is elected governor. He hopes "to revitalize Iwate" and wants to cut the governor's salary by 80 %.
I wonder if many people take him seriously - on the other hand, the Japanese just love manga and eccentric people.
I'll let you know his result!

April Theme Day: A public mail box

Can you find it, between the vending machines?

64 Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st April theme, "A Public Mail Box", please use the links to below to visit them. Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

London (UK) -Grenoble (France) -Rotterdam (Netherlands) -Greenville SC (USA) -Hyde (UK) -Villigen (Switzerland) -Albuquerque NM (USA) -Mazatlan (Mexico) -Montréal (Canada) -Stayton OR (USA) -Shanghai (China) -Jing -Arradon (France) -Sequim WA (USA) -Newcastle upon Tyne (England) -Seattle WA (USA) -Kim -Bastia (Corse) -Minneapolis MN (USA) -Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) -Joplin MO (USA) -Sharon, CT (USA) -Cottage Grove MN [USA] -Houston, TX (USA) -Candice & Megan -Singapore - by Keropokman. -Guelph, ON (Canada) -Menton (France) -onte Carlo, Monaco -aples, FL (USA) -Kyoto (Japan) -Tokyo (Japan) -Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) -Cape Town (South Africa) -Jakarta (Indonesia) -Kitakami (Japan) -Tel Aviv (Israel) -Vantaa(Finland) -Guadalajara (Mexico) -Auckland (New Zealand) -Nelson (New Zealand) -Tuzla (B&H) -Brussels (Belgium) -Anderson, SC (USA) -Lubbock, TX (USA) -John, Melbourne, (Australia) -Stavanger (Norway) -Tenerife (Spain) -Stockholm (Sweden) -Boston, MA (USA) -Not Strictly Seattle, Susan -New York City, (USA), Ming the Merciless -Paris [Eric], (France) -Ampang (Selangor) -Sydney (Nathalie) Australia -ailea , HI (USA) -Manila (Philippines) -Sydney (Sally) Australia -Cork (Ireland) -Saarbrücken (Germany) -Saint Paul MN (USA) by Carol -San Diego, CA (USA) -Mexico [POLY], (Mexico) -Budapest (Hungary) -Singapore (Singapore by Zannnie) -Madrid [Dsole] (Spain) -Nottingham (England) -

In Japan, you know that spring is coming when more and more children take their gameboys outside to play.

If snowfall continues ...

... like yesterday and today, they will have to reactivate this imposing snowplough engine, now exposed in Tenshochi, Kitakami's famous cherry blossom viewing spot.

How very thoughtful

In our neighbourhood, there is a nice promenade alongside a small river, crossing it several times. I was amazed to see that for the winter, old carpets have been fixed on the wooden bridges to avoid accidents. In Japan, there are really many eventualities being taking care of, by administrations or other institutions, thus saving people the trouble of having to take care themselves.

If for example you swim in a public pool, you have to respect the mandatory rest times, ten minutes every hour, generally from 10 off to the full hour. This is to avoid that people get exhausted by swimming for hours and hours, without rest. And even if you have only just arrived, you have to get out of the pool , sit on a bank and relax like anybody else.

That's Japan, too

It's very current to see such old vehicles rusting away along the roads, some of them even filled with garbage to make use of the room inside.The smaller and remoter the roads, the more. (Although it's not very often that you see a car on the top of an old bus).
Some time ago, I read an explanation for this: The Japanese consider men as part of nature, and therefore everything made by men as well. So every old car belongs to nature, too, and so it's perfectly normal to leave it in some nice forest in the mountains, quickly overgrown by plants and slowly rusting away.