Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Walking around the Ginkaku-ji temple

I walked around the Ginkaku-ji temple.


"Road for philosophers" is a famous alley in Kyoto.
I love to walk along the road and the river.

But before the stroll, I went a small restaurant.

"Issen-Yoshoku"
This is an original form of Japanese pizza "Okonomi-yaki".
Put mouse cursol on this photo for the larger image.


...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Very old temple (500 years old!)

At the short stay in Kyoto, I visited the Ginkaku-ji temple.
It was first time for me, although I have climbed the mountain
behind the temple. (The mountain is famous as "Daimonji Yaki".)



The Ginkakku-ji temple. It was originaly a cottage for the Japanese
general, Yoshimasa Ashikaga (1449-1473).


The main building ("Kannon-den"). It looks quite old!


Sand garden. It looks solid and is quite different from the another
famous Kyoto sand garden in the Ryoan-ji temple.


...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Old house in Kyoto

I had a chance to stay an old townhouse in Kyoto.
The house is located at the northern side of the Kyoto imperial garden.


The house is called as "Shokoku-An".
Let's go inside.


Small garden with a wooden terrace.


Traditional low table ("Chabudai") in the living room.
It is so quiet. Although the recent concrete houses was sealed up and keep for quiet,
The house was surrounded by the natural quietness in Kyoto.
Actually, I got up in the next morning due to a light sound of drizzle.

...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Go to the underground world

This day, I went a special exibition of the underground world
held at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
(Miraikan), Tokyo.

"Special Exhibition "UNDERGROUND
- Adventure in the darkness created by Imagination and Science"
http://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/e/event/2007/0922_plan_01.html

I enjoyed it. It was a kind of collaboration between art and science.


I arrived the museum in the morning.
I found Mt Fuji behind the buildings.
Note that the front-left mountain is a monument, not Mt. Fuji.


This is a symbol for Miraikan, named "Geo Cosmos",
a large spherical screen.


Inside the special exibition of underground world.
It is like a white labyrinth.


...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)

Happy new year!

Happy new year!

I had busy year-end and have quiet new year.
Many japanese people send new-year celebration cards
(called as "Nenga-jo") to their family and friends.
Normally, the cards should be posted until Dec 25, but I finished
them on Dec 31. ...Sorry for the late arrival of my cards.

Then, I ate the year-end noodle ("Toshikoshi-soba").
It is a Japanese traditional dinner at the year-end day.
Eating the long noodle, we thank and pray the long peaceful life.




This is my new-year card.
Cheerful cat at a tea saloon in Kyoto.


...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)

Sunday, December 23, 2007

I want DVD...

Recentry, two DVD titles of Japanese animetion are produced.

First, "Conan, the boy in future" DVD-BOX is released in 2008.
The reservation is accepted by Amazon and so on.


未来少年コナン 30周年メモリアルボックス (期間限定生産)

Many people at the age of 30-40 know well. Yonger people may not?
The stage of story is the Earth after a future world war.
Living people at the world was impressive for me.
They cannot abandon their technology ruining the world.
Plastic material created by the former world is energy source for them...

Another title is related to "Space life in future".
機動戦士ガンダム 劇場版メモリアルボックス

This is the well-known "Mobile Suit Gundam".
Movie version (6-7 hours) are collected.

I was low-teen when the movie was presented at theaters.
Not only me, but most children love Gundam. Why?
I guess that the reality on their life in space impact us, as told at the
beginning of the movie; "ordinary people was born, grown, had babies,
raise them and died in the space."

Hmmmm....
I want them....


...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)

Year-End-Party

We had the year-end-party with labo members.
In Japan, the party is called as "Forget-A-Year Party".
However, I would not like to forget many things learned at
an EM workshop, hold for these three days.
I also would not like to forget bad news in this year.
I simply enjoyed the party with talking the topics in this year.


A tree at the station


...Continued to original entry (translated by Google)