Good Autumn Days

Small persimmons under a mass of cirrocumulus 

This kind is astringent and not suitable to eat raw even when its fruits are  fully ripe. People peel and hang them under the eaves for three weeks. Dried ones are very sweet. 

I found cosmos flowers. I love to see them. What makes you feel that you are in Autumn?

 

Happy Mid-Autumn Moon Festival 桂花纔開了

The 6th of this month is the 15th of August in the lunar calendar. 

 Silver Osmanthus

Golden one has just opened.

 😊

    'I say. You don't know what it's meant to me to have you chaps up here.'
    'We've had a grand time, Harris.'
    Harris was a little tight.

    'I say. Really you don't know how much it means. I've not had much fun since the war.'

    'We'll fish together again sometime. Don't you forget it, Harris.'

    'We must. We have had such a jolly good time.'

    'How about another bottle around?'

    'Jolly good idea,' said Harris.

    'This is mine,' said Bill. 'Or we don't drink it.'

    'I wish you'd let me pay for it. It does give me pleasure, you know.'

    'This is going to give me pleasure,' Bill said. 

                                                                                               -Fiesta-

                                                                 😄

I love to recall this conversation.

Wishing you all good health and happiness.

The Rice Is Ripe

 

The rice harvest time has come. TV news says the crop is still good in spite of the record high temperature this summer. 

The boiled grains are lustrous and smell sweet. You can enjoy this special flavor only within a few month after the harvest.

News also says breed improvement must be hurried to catch up with the rapid warming, which is amazingly exceeded our expectations.

Wooden Three-Story Villa in Nikko

The villa is opened to the public now as a memorial park.

This garden consists of moss, bamboo grass and cedar.  I love the designed simplicity.

A round window gives you a new outside view.

Many wooden pillars support the building.

Big red pine tree

You can hold a tea ceremony party in some rooms.

400 year old weeping cherry tree

 

Big And Small Waterfalls In Nikko

This summer is too hot. See a waterfall in Nikko, a well known sightseeing place. 

I took a 10 minute walk in the morning and arrived at the observation deck. I just saw a few people. 

   I did hear the sound of water across the valley.  

    

On the way back, I found a horse farm. Horses didn't care about the strong sunshine. I have never noticed that. They are kept for Toshogu Shrine festivals.

This cabin is a Japanese archery target area. You can see two round targets under the violet curtain. Have you ever seen yabusame, horseback archery?

 

The temperature in the center of city was still more than 30℃. I went to this cool place. Small waterfalls and mountain breezes were scattering cool water molecules around here. The stream was too cold to put a hand in for a long time. I was able to enjoy the natural coolness. 

Be careful of heatstroke!

Stay Healthy and Enjoy the Summer

How have you been? 

Everyday the temperature goes up to 36-37℃ or around 100°Ｆ. The highest temperature of Japan was renewed last week at 41.2℃ or 106.2°Ｆ.  The ministry of environment very often issues a heatstroke alert all over the country.

This summer I am enjoying the best harvest of blueberries I have ever had.　藍苺

A fruit of persimmon is growing well. 柿子

High temperatures may keep an orchid in good condition.

The flowering duration is incredibly long.

Happy August to You!

Grilled Eel and Hydrangea

 

People have an old custom to eat eel in Mid July. That day, the day of the ox, is fixed with the lunar calendar every year.  Nowadays you can enjoy eel at some fast food restaurants both at Japan and abroad. 

The special soy sauce is served in a center cup. I put it a little on the eel to enjoy the rich taste. Wasabi is in a top left cup. That is very fresh and keeps sweetness. 鰻魚蓋飯

Hydrangeas are at their best at the ruins of a castle.

This site is on the top of a small mountain. I felt cooler in the comfortable breeze. 
 

Cold Soba In the Summer

Cold soba will refresh you on hot days. The upper left tempura is a mix of onion and carrot. 

Do not forget to take protein at another meal so as to maintain your energy.

Happy July to you!

 

Scientific Art

 

The new gate of Omika Jinja shrine

This traditional architecture can be said an excellent complex of structural mechanics and artistic effect.  

You can feel art in functional beauty such as shapes of airplanes, cars, chairs and forks. Function and beauty is a mutual complement. 

These small parts support the roof weight. You shouldn't forget traditional architecture has been improved by modern science.

What is This? 帶孩勾玉

 

Ancient stone beads are called magatama, made between B.C. 3000 and A.D. 600. The size is 3 to 5cm. They were used as accessories and ritual tools.

The general shape is comma. But the upper two are not general. This type is called "magatama with its children". This black big one has 6 C-shaped small magatama, one on the left side, three on the right and two on the top. Though it has been said this special type is a symbol of fecundity, the exact meaning has not been discovered yet. These two are not old, made in A.D. 6 centuries.