tanabata

Tommorrow is 7th of July, many Japanese wish it will be a beautiful wether , especially at night , because we have a fairly tale as follows.

******
Once upon a time a beautiful woman lived in the bank of the Milky Way which shined in a night sky, her name was Orihime , and a daughter of an Lord of the Heaven. She followed orders of her father ,and worked very hard as a weaver every day.

As for the cloth which Orihime weaved, it was wonderful, and the Lord of Heaven admired her working.But to his pity, the daughter worked too hard to spend time for herself- like putting on her make up, and dating with a boy friend.

So he decided to let her marry Hikoboshi who was also hard worker ,lived in the west of the Milky Way ,and a cattleman . Then Orihime and Hikoboshi began new life in this way.

However, after their marriage , they were enjoying everyday, actually it was too much, they didn't work any more. At first the Lord of Heaven let them do, but finally he got angry, and said to them to live separately - made Orihime live in the one side of Milkyway ,and Hikoboshi live in another side. And the lord of Heaven said to them "If you work very hard, I will let you meet at the night of 7th July "

Orihime was so sad, but decided to work very hard, Hikoboshi as well.

However, when it rains on July 7 when two people longed for it, the volume of water of the Milky Way increases, and Orihime cannot go to the opposite bank.
*****

The father was so strict , wasn't he??? Once a year???

Now in Japan, we wish the good weather, and same time we make a wish ,writing it on small piece of paper, and hung the bamboo tree on 7th July.



So we can see the bamboo with papers in many place in Japan, there are tanabata festival in some place.

minus ion and Kamikochi

Three or four years ago, the word "minus ion (actually it is japanese English, in real English it means negative ion)"　was akind of a boom If you go near waterfall, you can refresh and relax, we say it because munus ions happen naturally. It may reduce your stress. Then many products was on sale, for example bottle of water, air conditioner and so on. Actually "minus ion" is not nomenclature, is not chemically demonstrated. But now many Japanese people know this word, and recognize its function.

Last Sunday I went to the highland basin in Nagano prefecture called "Kamikochi" where is the gate of Japan Alps, sorrounded many mountains, and known as a beautiful scenery. There are some walking area ,some of them are by the river, during summer season many people go to the summer resort escaping the big city.










I am not sure about minus ion ,but surrounded the nature made me feel relax and better, although we got soaked because still it is Tsuyu(rainy season.)

Live camera in Kamikochi

Hidetoshi Nakata

Hidetoshi Nakata.... He is a very famous football player, actually my favoriteI mentinoned about him sometimes on this blog. Today,, just 2hours ago we got a news which made me so shocked and sad. On his official website, he anounced his retirement as a player. Many people thought he might retire Japanese national team, but never expected he decided to retire. On TV news program the news has been treated as a breaking news.


He is the very first football player who play in Europe for the first time. Since he was a junior high school student, he has been always a member of national team of his generation. He is so stoic and so severe to himself, sometimes to the other players, that's why he sometimes seemed to be isolated. But most of his fan -including me have been support him, and on his side. After the match vs Brasil on FIFA world cup more than 50000 emails were sent to his website.
He is so smart as well as he is a great player, the way of his doing something is always cool. He can speak many languages so fluently, he is engaged in management of one Japanese sweets manufacture.

I am really sad, and to my pity, I never seen his play at the studium. Many people think it too early to retire. But I am happy that I could have been watching his play. I want to say Thank you and Good luck to him.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060703p2a00m0sp025000c.html