When I travel from A to B

What do you think when you travel from one place to another place? Some people think the place you have just visited, and other people think the place you are going to visit.

I think both of them, and feel anxious. Usually I don't know much about the destination. Besides, I'm not sure about the way I'm going. So there're few things that I can imagine correctly.

However, once I reached the destination, I feel relief. And I recognize the way I've been proceeding very clear. I like this feeling. Maybe this is one of the reason I like traveling.

The Rose

When I was in Junior High School, I went on a homestay visit to New York. It was the first time to go abroad for me.
Maybe it was the third day. There was a welcome party in the school where I went.
One student sang this song in the party. I couldn't understand the lyric, but the music was excellent. 

17 years have passed since that homestay. But I can't forget 'The Rose.' Sometime I hum a tune to myself. And this song reminds me of my days in New York.

Believe in yourself

And what really counts is to believe in yourself.
Believe in yourself, and your dream will come true.

～ Charo Episode 18

If you want to make your dream come true, you need the extra power. And it is you who can bring out that power.

Unless you can believe in yourself, it is no possibility that you can bring out that power. On the contrary, if you believe in yourself, you might draw out the extra power.

It is very difficult to avoid being depressed and losing your self-confidence. But it is very important to keep believing in yourself. 

The winners in the Olympic Games must believe in themselves. That's why they won.

The Olympic Games

I'm excited about the Olympic Games in Beijing. 

Though the opening ceremony was too much and had a lot of fakes, the games are real!!!
I've been moved so many times. And Japan got lots of medals in Judo, wrestling and swimming.

I like athletes' smile after the games, in which they do hard and seriously. They had very hard times before the Olympic Games. Because they did as much as possible, they can smile after the games.

The games will last 6 more days. What will happen next? Maybe it's beyond my imagination.

Tokyo snapshot - part 3

In this area, there are so many condos. The tall building in the center of the photo and the wide building in the left of that are also condos. If you like to walk along the river side, it's very good place. You can enjoy not only river but also the life in Tokyo.

bicycle

Life is like riding a bicycle: you don't fall off unless you stop pedaling.
　～　Claude Pepper

I agree with this opinion.
I rode a bicycle for 8 hours last weekend. It was a really hard way.
While I was riding a bicycle, I was thinking and thinking about this words. And I believe it's true. But it is not only this words but a lot more aspects that describe 'Life is like a riding a bicycle'. For example, when I had a flat tire, or when I saw a beautiful sunset at the end.

new camera

I got a new camera this week. It was an used one, but the condition of this camera is not bad. I'd like to use it and take a lot of photos, especially in Finland in September.

Lovely Cats

I met these cats when I visited the bazaar, where my friend is now selling some imported goods.

In this bazaar, a painting exhibition is held. Although this painter is not famous, his painting is something. Most of his painting at the exhibition is cats' ones. And I love these cats!!!

How do you think?

Gandhara

This song has Japanese version and English version.

A long time ago
when men were all babes
There was a land of the free
Fantasy and dreams
Were its untouched wealth
And goodness and love were real
Each man desires to reach Gandhara
His very own utopia
In the striving, in the seeking soul
Man can see Gandhara
The place of light Gandhara

I think 'Gandhara' is what each man dreams in mind. And 'Gandhara' is also a place to keep looking for.

If you keep looking for it, you might see something in yourself. That's what we need for our life.

Tokyo snapshot - part 2

Of course, Tokyo has a lot of buildings. And many of them are skyscrapers.

However, Tokyo also has a lot of parks. If you go into parks, you can hear the song of birds and the sound of winds easily.

When you go to the Japanese parks, you'll find lots of carps in the ponds. If you'd like to feed carps, you can buy food in the park. If you don't want to do it, just look at them.

Tokyo snapshot - part 1

Needless to say, Tokyo, where I live, has a lot of place to see. Museums, theaters, baseball park, shopping mall etc. But actually, you don't have to go such places to enjoy Tokyo. Just walk aroud the town. You can see casual Tokyo. And I think that's the real Tokyo.

I took this photo when I walked about the river side. This area is called 'Water frontier'. It is basically an old part of Tokyo, but it is also a new town. Many new buildings have been built recently.

meaningful

The man must say 'Today is more meaningful than any monument all over the world, because you're living today.' Then how will the woman answer? The line the man says is from famous Japanese song.

Whatever the answer is, I think most important thing is not the form or matter, but how I can spend the time or how I can feel through events.

Eastern Hokkaido - part 5

Do you know 'mosquito coils'?
It was very common to use it in summer when I was a child. But I can hardly to see it, because we use liquid type these days.

Mosquito coils usually smells strongly, so some people hate it.
But mosquito coils fit the quiant hot spring completely. This is the smell of summer!!!

Eastern Hokkaido - part 4

I visited Sanko onsen(Hot spring) near Lake Kussharo.
This hot spring was very quaint, and I found a wood-burning stove there. A wood-burning stove? It was the very first time to see a such an old wood-burning stove.

But this hot spring had not only an old equipment but also a great spa. You can feel relaxed when you bathe.  Yet sad to say, running of this spa is not good condition, so the manager is eager to sell the place.

Eastern Hokkaido - part 3

It was a long path through a forest around Lake Kussharo.
I saw some people enjoy fishing.
But it was so calm that I could think a lot of things as I was going throuth the path.

I heard of this path from the helper of the Youth hostel where I stayed.
Great information!!!

Eastern Hokkaido - part 2

Hokkaido is famous for dairy.
So there are a lot of farms. When I took a ride on the bike, I sometime met 
milk cows, who were eating grass.
And needless to say, I had excellent taste ice cream!!!

Eastern Hokkaido - part 1

I traveled Eastern Hokkaido two weeks ago.
These are the photos of Lake Mashu.

The explanation of Lake Mashu is below.

This lake has the most transparent water in the world. There is no river flowing either into it or out of it, and yet the water level of the lake never changes. A small island, called Kamuisshu（little island）, set in the lake gives a symbolic impression, Lake Mashu is almost always fogbound, and it lies mysteriously among the legends which originated among the Ainu people.

It was the third time to visit Lake Mashu. It sure is mysterious every time.
I went there by bike. I went up a steep slope for about an hour!!!
It was really hard to climb, but it is worthwhile doing.
Though you can go there by bus or car, you feel more impressed if you climb by bike.

laughing

You see, you can spend the rest of your life feeling miserable, or
you can spend it laughing. Which do you like?

- Charo Episode 15

If I have two choice, it is definately I'll choose 'laughing'.
I think the answer is same for everybody.
But it is true that somebody apparently choose 'feeling miserable'.
Maybe it is not easy to keep laughing when you are in severe situation.
Still, I'll try to spend my life laughing.

festival in Okinawa - part 3

festival in Okinawa - part 2