Attended the "Glory to the young musicians! The Hayama town new graduates' recital". 16 recent music major graduates of high schools, universities, and grad schools (people graduate in March in Japan) performed for the townspeople. Some were really impressive, despite their youth.
High school orchestra reunion/rehearsal (3rd time). 11 people participated in the end. Here is the list of the instruments we played (some people played more than one instrument): piano (3 people), violin (3 people), viola (1 person), cello (2), double bass (1), recorder (1), flute (2), oboe (1). Of course one person played only one instrument at a time. Some used easels(!) because they forgot to bring their music stands.
Another unexpected & unbelievable Christmas (or spring) present! Lots of goodies from Fukuoka (Kyushu) by the overnight refrigerated delivery service. Thank you very much, Mrs. S! (I think we should 'fast' after the sabbatical.)
My husband's latest hobby. He started to learn how to play the double bass last fall in Charlottesville and is continuing his (mostly) daily practice in Hayama. (I have no objection to that except for the size of the instrument.)
The "Tokyo Midtown" (a newly developed urban district including business offices, shops & restaurants, parks & museums, hotels & residences etc.) had its grand opening only last year (March 2007). Of course it was my very first visit there. We had a great lunch in a superb restaurant on the 4th floor with a fantastic view.
Wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets). Kimi-shigure (the yellow one), Kusamochi (the green one), and Gyuhi (the pink one). All for myself! It's my paradise here! (Would somebody stop me?)
Only 3 minute walk from home. The Hayama Onsen (hot spring) is the "Ashiyu" footbath. You can also buy some hot water and take home.
Spring flowers in Kamakura (the weeping cherry of the Tokeiji Temple, the red & white camellia of the Jochiji Temple, and the edgeworthia chrysantha of the Enkakuji Temple).
High school orchestra reunion/rehearsal (2nd time). This time, three woodwind players and a pianist. Played duets, trio sonatas (many of them!) and some quartets for three hours. Got tired....
Rumi Fujii did a remarkable job in translating "Why men don't listen & women can't read maps" and "Why men lie and women cry" (by Allan & Barbara Pease) into Japanese.
My husband has ordered a new tailored suit just in time for (yes, you guessed it right!) my niece's wedding in April.
Attending my niece's wedding in a beautiful Kimono is one of my dreams-come-true. I visited a 'Kimono rental' store in Yokosuka and reserved this one for the April 5th wedding.
My sister-in-law's bicycle literally expanded my horizons. I enjoy riding on it to see this beautiful ocean in Hayama.
What do you think this picture is? It's the Yellow Sand (together with some pollen) on my husband's BMW. In spring, the Asian dust-storm carries the yellow or gray colored sand from the desert of northern China all the way to Hayama, Japan. Occasionally, these particles are observed in Hawaii. Do they reach Charlottesville? I don't know.
The Ogasawara-style equestrian archery technique as well as the martial spirit has been handed down in the Ogasawara family from father to son since 1187 (over 800 years!). We visited the Dojo (training area) and watched how contemporary people practice. Incidentally, one of the board members of the Ogasawara-style association is my middle school classmate Mr. O., so he showed/explained us the essence of the art. Thanks, Mr. O.!
My nephew's 13th birthday. With the delicious lunch his mother prepared and the beautiful cake his sister baked/decorated, we all had a wonderful time.
It rained all day. Sometimes poured heavily. With thunder and lightning and hail. The heavy rain/flood warning was issued in the evening. (I tried to take a picture of the rain in Hayama but failed.)
P. is a graduate student at Universiry of Groningen (the Netherlands), currently visiting Sokendai. He speaks seven languages: Slovenian, Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. Also trying to speak Japanese right now.
My husband is working on the electric fish at UVa, but currently in Hayama, his research animal is the swallowtail butterfly. When you use a vertebrate animal, you have to follow the animal care/handling rules strictly. You have to submit your protocol on how and where you get the animal, how you feed and keep the animal, how you design the experiments in a humane way, how you kill and dispose the animal in a humane manner, and so on. Compared to that, butterflies seem to be easier to handle.
Hooray! My mother-in-law's 81st birthday! To celebrate this wonderful occasion, we went to "Unahei" (a well-known Unagi (= eel) restaurant in Tsujido).
My sister-in-law wanted to get rid of her old bicycle (but it would cost to trash it). So, I've got a free bicycle and independent mobility (+ daily workout)!
There are many fine pastry/cake shops in Hayama. So far, I've visited three most popular ones and one 'hidden' place. The "Shigitatsu-tei", "Ile de St. Louis" (famous for its Clafoutis aux cerises = cherry custard pie), "Kajibe", and the "Brown Sweets". Each shop has its own specialty and they are all goooood.
Participated in a guided walking tour through Futagoyama mountain and Moritogawa river, sponsored by Kanagawa Pref. Futagoyama mountain (located between where my husband works and where we live now) is the second highest (207.9 meters, not 2079 meters) mountain in Miura Peninsula. Our volunteer guide Mr. S., an active member of the Moritogawa nature conservation group, taught us ca. 80 different tree/plant names. (How many do I remember? Three, maybe.)
It took me a while to figure out that this ' mark after e is not an apostrophe but an (acute) accent above the letter e.
A super-fresh Kinmedai Alfonsino (1.5 kg = 3.3 lb.) arrived. By the overnight 'refrigerated' delivery service. Enjoyed with my parents-in-law. Thank you very much, Mr. S.!! (Are we eating too much in Japan?)
"The interpreters and the Japanese postwar diplomacy" by Kumiko Torikai is a study on the role of the Japanese conference interpreters in the U.S.-Japan relationship after the WWII by means of extensive interviews with five Japanese pioneers in simultaneous interpreting.
Attended the last lecture of Prof. K., president of Sokendai (where my husband works), who will retire at the end of the month. The lecture title was 'SUBARU telescope and me'. SUBARU is one of the world's largest (8.2 meter) optical-infrared telescopes. Prof. K., the former director of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, was the project leader of building SUBARU in Hawaii.
The last day in Japan for S. We visited the Enoshima Aquarium. It's totally different and new from what I remember (well, that's my elementary school field trip some time ago...). It's bigger. It's brighter. Lots of interesting and fun displays. More shows (but don't compare it with the Sea World in San Diego. There is no Shamu).
Wore Kimono (second time in my life. Thanks again, Miss K.!) and went to Sankei-en (Japanese garden), Yokohama. Enjoyed the fragrance of the plum flowers (and the dumplings).
Listened to the 8th annual concert of Ensemble Radiant (Ninomiya). After playing J.S. Bach and Shostakovich, the ensemble accompanied Mr. Nakasaburou Shinnai, a living national treasure of Japanese Joruri (Shamisen and singing/storytelling), and three other Shamisen performers, in a piece called 'Yuki-onna' (snow lady). It was a powerful collaboration between a string orchestra and the Japanese traditional Joruri performance. What an innovative program!
Still not driving in Japan. The roads are still too narrow (I guess they won't change) and my husband's BMW is still too big for me (I guess that doesn't change either unless he changes the car). So, how do I survive here? I'm getting a huge help from the weekly Seikyo food coop delivery service in terms of the grocery/supply shopping. This system is actually one of those things I wanted to try anyway while I'm in Japan. It's sort of like the Mennonite vegetable delivery but what they have are not only the vegetables and fruits but also milk and breads, cakes and sweets, beer and wine, fish and meat, specialty from Hokkaido or Fukuoka or wherever, underwear, socks, toilet paper, toothbrushes, kitchen utensils, vitamins and supplements,....basically, everything you need!