Soba (buckwheat) Noodle 我自己做的蕎麥麵

I made buckwheat noodle at a mixing rate of 80% soba flour and 20% wheat.

I cut every string at 1.3mm or 0.05inches.

Happy Birthday

Thanks for all who have been supporting me!

Moon Cake and Fish Sauce 月餅和魚醤油

Ｉ enjoyed tastes of moon cakes sold at Tokyo. 

I am going to make Thailand noodle soup.

Park in autumn 秋天的公园

 In daytime the sunshine is strong as if people could get sunburned. Leaves have not changed their colors yet.

I found a stone gate with the carved moon and sun.

中秋明月和十六日的月亮 Full Moon and Super Moon

The following two photos are the full moon at August 15th on the lunar calendar or September 27th on the solar calendar. 

 The followings are tonight's moon. This moon is bigger and blighter than ordinary full moons.

Well Preserved Old House

 I enjoyed a good landscape of rice fields waiting for reaping the good harvest.

 This house is used as a suitable location for a rich family in movies and TV dramas. The thatched roof is marvelous.

 This entrance was for high-ranking officers only.

According to a local legend, it is said that there was a stone on the highest peak of these mountains and it keeps shining by day and night.

Sweet Chestnuts

Even now the sunshine still keeps its power in summer, fall has gradually spread and we suddenly notice the arrival of fall.

 The skin color is vivid maroon, eloquently expressing all growing processes since spring.

Big Waves

Last Sunday, I went to the coast for walking.　To my surprise, the coast was very windy due to a typhoon coming close and big waves often reached the road.

Summer dance festival 盂蘭盆會舞

Our city held the dance festival last night. A tower is built in the center of the dance site. On top of the tower, a band plays music with drums and flute, beside them a singer sings dance songs. A lot of lanterns are hung from the tower like the spokes of the wheel. Many dance teams are organized by various groups such as women of a community, workers of a company, child sports team. Last night we luckily had the first cool winds in quite a while. People gathered the site really enjoyed the special night. 

Too hot summer and a little autumn 一百零一個太陽

 A temperature often rises more than 35℃ or 97°F！ I cannot spend a single day alone without an air conditioner. The temperature has risen year by year. Let`s make an effort to stop the global warming.

 A fruit of pomegranate is coming bigger under the summer sunshine.

I saw the yellow flowers this afternoon named "ominaeshi". They have taken some heat from me. More than a thousand years ago, people in this country chose each seven flowers which symbolizes spring and autumn. This flower is one of seven autumn flowers. 這黃花叫"女郎花",象徵秋天.

Cherry blossom pictures in the museum 東京國立博物館的櫻花繪畫

I went to the Tokyo National Museum yesterday. It will take a few more days until cherry blossoms open. In the museum, I enjoyed cherry blossoms in pictures in advance.

Spring Cakes 春陽點心

This is made of white bean powder and sugar.

 The shape of this cake is a butterbur sprout. It opens in early March. Tasting this bud shaped candy with green tea, people conceive the arrival of spring with eyes and a tongue.　這個點心的形狀是蜂斗葉(款冬) 蕾。

This is a cherry rice cake using a salted cherry leaf. The leaf keeps fine fragrance, makes us feel spring has come.　這個稱呼櫻餅，用糯米做的，表面用一片櫻花葉子包裝。

Old School 中世的学校

This school was established more than 500 years ago. 

Both sides of the gate have a pair of red and white plum trees. The red one is in full bloom, welcome visitors with its sweet smell.

This wooden building is a Confucius's Mausoleum the oldest in existence in Japan. 這是日本最古的孔子廟。

Restored ruins of ancient kilns 古代登窯遺跡的復原

These ascending kilns were built in the middle of 8th centuries to supply loofing tiles for Buddhism temples.

八世紀中葉為了向佛教寺院供給屋瓦,這些登窯建築了。

More than 1200 years ago, craftsmen threw firewood from this semicircle fire hole.

This site were used to keep baked tiles.

Kettle 水壺

This is aｎ iron kettle hung over the hearth.  Water boiled in this is very smooth. 

 Boiled water is ladled with a bamboo dipper. This type of dipper has been used at a tea ceremony.

This type of teapot is used commonly at home to serve green tea. 茶壺

New Year's first fire 新年的火焰

People make a huge tower-shaped object using bambooｓ after the New Year period lasted about two weeks. 在迎接新年後，各社區的人們用長竹做這樣大的一個塔。  到了晚上，和迎接了新年的吉祥物一塊燒掉這個塔。

In the evening, it is burnt with ornaments which were used to welcome New Year.　

Children bake rice cakes above its embers. Cakes are rounded and stuck to a branch. The aged say eating the cake baked with this special fire assures good health during the year. 孩子們都烤些插在小樹枝上的圓糕吃。圓糕叫繭玉，傳說吃了這個就能保證新一年裡的健康。