Cherry-blossom viewing

Spring is the time for cherry-blossom viewing in Japan.  It is late blooming this year more than 7 days.  Japanese people enjoy that they drink and eat with their family or friends.  We visited Negishi shinrin park in Yokohama having lunch box Kana made.  The day was really perfect weekend it was sunny and almost no winds and cherry-blossom was full bloom.

Fukushima nuclear power plant

My home town is Iwaki in Fukushima where there are the nuclear power plants.  My parents and my sister live there and it's 40 km from the plants. When the plants damaged on March 11, they were not forced to stay at home and to evacuate from their area by Japanese government but cars of Iwaki city council had been running with announcement to people to stay at home. At that time, water had stopped and foods in supermarkets had been shortage for the earthquake.  There were no public transport that railways and highways were seriously damaged, and petrol ran out at all over the city. Many people wanted to use their cars to get water and foods and to leave their home but they couldn't.  Anyway when they need water and foods, they had to go out , and at the same time they were frightened by nuclear radiation.
On March 16 midnight, my family finally evacuated from Iwaki city.  They were not sure, if they had enough petrol to reach my home in Yokohama. But luckily, they were able to arrive here...
Now life line like water, foods and petrol in Iwaki have recovered but still many aftershocks and nuclear problems has continued.

After-school lesson

Many kids in the nursery where Kana goes tend to go after-school lessons like swimming, piano, dance.  I suggested her if she would like to do it like other her friends, but the answer was asways "No" with the reason "Is mammy close to me...?".
She likes to learn addition and Chinese character (Kanji) at home by workbooks published by Kumon company for long time.  But the other day, it was so difficult for her that it confused her brain.  The level of the workbooks had reached high level for her to study by herself without any support.  Then I suggested her to go to Kumon that when I was young, I experienced for almost 7 years and Ken as well for some years. Unexpectedly the great answer returned and she said she wanted to study not only arithmetic but also Japanese.
I was not supposed she would go Kumon such early point, but it is good time to start the after-school lesson as she interested in learning.
Yesterday was the day to go to Kumon for the first time.  She was a little nervous but kept concentrating and the teacher praised her good work.  On the way home she seemed to be satisfied with the work and enjoy it!!

Hakone - Fujiya Hotel

Fujiya hotel my mom had requested for long time and we stayed luxuriously is in Miyanoshita where it takes 30 mins by Hakone Tozan train going through fabulous vista and switchbacking some times.  It is constructed by 4 buildings built in the different age, and many famous people such as the current emperor and empress and Charlie Chaplin and Helen Keller stayed in this historical hotel.

We participated the tour that the hotel organize it to show some part of area of the building and to introduce their history. And then, Kana enjoyed swimming at the pool with her grandfather.

Our stay plan included breakfast at the main dining "The Fujiya" I was awaiting for having it in the classic and graceful atmosphere I had never been. We were able to chose from American breakfast, and French toast accompanied by hand made strawberry jam was really delicious.

After having breakfast, We headed out to see Mt. Fuji that is one more main event for my mom who had not seen it every time when she came to Hakone.  We went back and forth around Motohakone by bus to find a nice view spot, then finally we found out nothing is better than Ashino lake in Hakone to see Mt. Fuji.

Lunch at Shinagawa

I was supposed to enter Chelsea College of Art & Design to study interior design in London almost 10 year ago.  That was given up to work for a IT company. Those days, I was looking for either possible way study or job at the same time, I was thinking if I gained a work permission, I would take the chance.
The college arranged pre-English course for foreign students. Most of students in the course were teenagers so I made friends with some people in their 20s.  We used to have lunch to chat and share our worries with, and have home parties at each flat and house.  It was definitely precious time for me to spend with such people but I just have gotten in touch with them only by new year card once a year ever since I came back to Japan.
A few weeks ago, I could contact to one of the friend by Facebook!! We used a message function of facebook to tell how we have been doing and to make a plan for a lunch out.
The friends who hasn't seen for 10 years came along at Shinagawa.  I was wondering I could recognize them but they have not changed at all.  Only the differences were 2 little girls there with their mothers who is me and one of my friends.
While children were playing, we talked and talked each other about our recent life.  One of them who is attractive and has full of energy has succeeded as a interior designer and spent busy life happily.
I was influenced by her and on my way home I was thinking how I should make the rest of my life.  I will be 40 years 1 month later....

Hakone - Yumoto Fujiya Hotel

 

We spent a great time at Hakone last week that my parents gave it as a present for Kana who will go to school from April .

We took JR Tokaido line From Yokohama to Odawara and then changed it to Hakone Tozan Tetsudo line in Odawara.  An hour and a half travel to Hakone Yumoto is not too bad to have a fun in a train, actually my daughter was enjoying it with her grandfather.  I had made a reservation for lunch buffet at Yumoto Fujiya Hotel located just in front of Hakone Yumoto station as we supposed to arrive around lunch time.  It costs 2500 yen per each, but our group of 4 people were discounted to 2200 yen with a coupon of GOURNAVI (English, Japanese).  It was absolutely delicious from appetizers to desserts and better than I had expected.  My stomach was full utterly and then definitely my dinner of that night was skipped.

Pillowcase

Kana had not used a pillow until a few month ago.  While she is sleeping in her bed,  she keeps rolling over from the side to the other side and from top to bottom.  She is always not the same place in her bed and doesn't seem like to put her head on a pillow.  Every early morning she gets into my bed and falls asleep again deeply with touching my soft and cozy velvet pillow that is her favorite.  Ever since she was a baby, she loves soft and smooth cloth like velvet.  I thought if I put her pillow made of velvet on her bed, she could fall asleep in her own bed nicely and could keep staying at the same place.
I bought a velvet plain pillow case and made a some stitch and ironed on the flowers which I got them at 100 yen shop called Daiso.
Kana will have a lovely dream with her soft toy dog on her pillow tonight too......