Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Early Mornings
It's been a while since I've been motivated enough to pull myself out of the futons and push myself out into the frosty air - but I'm glad I got out in the pre-dawn for a solo run this morning. Just as the sky begins to get light there is an ethereal quiet over the town, the mountains blend with the sky and Mt. Fuji looms in the semi-darkness. And all this was mine alone - not another soul on the road....
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Strawberry Picking and Ganbanyoku in Izu
Yesterday I met up with an old friend, Naoko, who I haven't seen in a few years. We have kept in touch, and decided to finally get together yesterday for a day of anything. She suggested strawberry picking followed by trying out a ganbanyoku (hot stone slab) in Izu-Nagaoka (Izu).
Strawberry picking here is an interesting experience - not the same as apple picking in Canada. Here, we paid 1500 yen each at the strawberry "office". We were given a slip of paper with the number 31 on it, and told to wait in our car behind the white truck #25, and to follow that same truck which, when a few cars were waiting, led us trough the neighborhood and to the miniature greenhouse number 31. In this little greenhouse were four longish rows of neatly groomed strawberry bushes. Each person (eventually about 25 people) was given a little plastic cup with a bit of sweet dip in it for the strawberries. People walked around picking and eating the berries. It was all you could eat, but you couldn't actually take any home with you. I had about 15 strawberries in total - worth it for the fun we had in the "berry bushes".
Naoko and her Strawberry - you can see the little plastic dishes she is holding (one is mine):
After we'd had our fill of strawberries, we drove a few kilometres to the "Guho no Yu" onsen/ spa, where we spent a couple of hours in the bath and ganbanyoku. The ganbanyoku was fabulous. I'm not sure whether these are popular in North America, but they've quite taken off here. A ganbanyoku is a room with hot stone slabs that you lie on - the heat seaps into your body, warming you almost from the inside out. You sweat profusely, but it is somehow a different quality of heat than in a sauna, and it's very relaxing. You can see the spa with the ganbanyoku here:
http://www.4115.co.jp/2617/bathroom.html
We also did a little shopping at a new Uniqlo that had opened up and stopped for a very filling pasta dinner at Cannery Row in Mishima. By the time I parked my little Pajero Mini back in its usual spot and climbed up the stairs to my apartment, I was relaxed and at satisfied. And very, very sleepy:-)
Strawberry picking here is an interesting experience - not the same as apple picking in Canada. Here, we paid 1500 yen each at the strawberry "office". We were given a slip of paper with the number 31 on it, and told to wait in our car behind the white truck #25, and to follow that same truck which, when a few cars were waiting, led us trough the neighborhood and to the miniature greenhouse number 31. In this little greenhouse were four longish rows of neatly groomed strawberry bushes. Each person (eventually about 25 people) was given a little plastic cup with a bit of sweet dip in it for the strawberries. People walked around picking and eating the berries. It was all you could eat, but you couldn't actually take any home with you. I had about 15 strawberries in total - worth it for the fun we had in the "berry bushes".
Naoko and her Strawberry - you can see the little plastic dishes she is holding (one is mine):
After we'd had our fill of strawberries, we drove a few kilometres to the "Guho no Yu" onsen/ spa, where we spent a couple of hours in the bath and ganbanyoku. The ganbanyoku was fabulous. I'm not sure whether these are popular in North America, but they've quite taken off here. A ganbanyoku is a room with hot stone slabs that you lie on - the heat seaps into your body, warming you almost from the inside out. You sweat profusely, but it is somehow a different quality of heat than in a sauna, and it's very relaxing. You can see the spa with the ganbanyoku here:
http://www.4115.co.jp/2617/bathroom.html
We also did a little shopping at a new Uniqlo that had opened up and stopped for a very filling pasta dinner at Cannery Row in Mishima. By the time I parked my little Pajero Mini back in its usual spot and climbed up the stairs to my apartment, I was relaxed and at satisfied. And very, very sleepy:-)
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Yokohama, in HDR
As Tracy described below, we had a wonderful few days away (to celebrate her birthday!), and we decided to spend them in the port city of Yokohama. While we have both been here a few times in the past, we hadn't ever really done more than quick shopping trips, so this time we decided to stay and really look around.
As expected, the food was great (Mexican, Italian and of course Chinese in Chinatown!), the temps pretty mild, and the hotel baths hot.
I took my little LX1, and have been experimenting with the resulting shots after work... Some shots I used a tripod and got a wide range of exposures, some I set the camera to 'auto bracket' 3 exposures (handheld), and a few I shot a single image in RAW format, and converted that to HDR. Each method has a different result, and my results even using the same method varied widely. Hmmm. Furthermore, the sky of the two night scenes suffered some wierdness when I resized them for the blog. I might replace them with better ones when I get home.
Here is an example of a single image caught in RAW, and then converted to HDR, then compressed with tone-mapping:
I tried that one with a set of exposures, but the wagging flag looked blurry, so the single RAW was the way to go. This ship is moored next to the ferry pier at Yamashita Park.
This ship is moored a kilometer or two away just in front of the Landmark Tower (65 stories?). The image was 3 shots at +1, 0, and -1 auto bracketed. While slight, you can see the man's image is blurred as he moved during the shooting:
After hot outside rooftop baths back at the hotel, we went out to see the 'nightview'. Despite the chilly breeze we found a few quiet places to take in the skyline. This image is from a bridge looking back to the Queen's Square. One of those boats had a restaurant on it, but it was just too cold to think about eating on the water!
We walked as far as the boardwalk on Minato Mirai 21 island, where I took this one in several exposures and a tripod as well:
There you can actually see the Landmark Tower, and almost count the floors!
We are looking forward to going back sometime, maybe in the summer, and I'm sure we both are eager to explore past the waterfront and Chinatown. Stay tuned for a few HDR views of that area soon!
As expected, the food was great (Mexican, Italian and of course Chinese in Chinatown!), the temps pretty mild, and the hotel baths hot.
I took my little LX1, and have been experimenting with the resulting shots after work... Some shots I used a tripod and got a wide range of exposures, some I set the camera to 'auto bracket' 3 exposures (handheld), and a few I shot a single image in RAW format, and converted that to HDR. Each method has a different result, and my results even using the same method varied widely. Hmmm. Furthermore, the sky of the two night scenes suffered some wierdness when I resized them for the blog. I might replace them with better ones when I get home.
Here is an example of a single image caught in RAW, and then converted to HDR, then compressed with tone-mapping:
I tried that one with a set of exposures, but the wagging flag looked blurry, so the single RAW was the way to go. This ship is moored next to the ferry pier at Yamashita Park.
This ship is moored a kilometer or two away just in front of the Landmark Tower (65 stories?). The image was 3 shots at +1, 0, and -1 auto bracketed. While slight, you can see the man's image is blurred as he moved during the shooting:
After hot outside rooftop baths back at the hotel, we went out to see the 'nightview'. Despite the chilly breeze we found a few quiet places to take in the skyline. This image is from a bridge looking back to the Queen's Square. One of those boats had a restaurant on it, but it was just too cold to think about eating on the water!
We walked as far as the boardwalk on Minato Mirai 21 island, where I took this one in several exposures and a tripod as well:
There you can actually see the Landmark Tower, and almost count the floors!
We are looking forward to going back sometime, maybe in the summer, and I'm sure we both are eager to explore past the waterfront and Chinatown. Stay tuned for a few HDR views of that area soon!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Yokohama Photos
Yokohama was great fun - lots of big-city sights, restaurants and other "things of interest". I hadn't been to Yokohama in at least five years, so it was a bit nostalgic walking around familiar places; it was also rather disconcerting, though, to see that so much had changed in what, to me, is such a short time.
Our first stop in the big city was Yokohama station, where we found a Yodabashi camera and did some good browsing. From there we took the train two stops to Kannai, where we had a great Mexican dinner and frosty margaritas. Our hotel was also in Kannai, which is a pretty "happening" part of Yokahama and within walking distance of cool areas like the Minato-Mirai shopping area(The Futuristic Port), China town and Yamashita park. We spent all our time in these places, enjoying the sights, lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in Queen's Square, and taking photos when the weather and other conditions allowed.
After walking around Chinatown all day when my feet were already tired from the previous day's walking, so when we found some Chinese shoes in one of the shops, I couldn't resist - my heeled boots were much better off being carried, anyway!
This is the Yokohama Bay Bridge taken from the Sea Bass ferry from Yamashita Park to Yokohama station.
Despite the chilly weather we made sure enjoy the night view of "Minato Mirai" with Landmark Tower and the ferris wheel. We did get some better night shots and Brian is working to make them HDR photos before posting.
Our first stop in the big city was Yokohama station, where we found a Yodabashi camera and did some good browsing. From there we took the train two stops to Kannai, where we had a great Mexican dinner and frosty margaritas. Our hotel was also in Kannai, which is a pretty "happening" part of Yokahama and within walking distance of cool areas like the Minato-Mirai shopping area(The Futuristic Port), China town and Yamashita park. We spent all our time in these places, enjoying the sights, lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in Queen's Square, and taking photos when the weather and other conditions allowed.
After walking around Chinatown all day when my feet were already tired from the previous day's walking, so when we found some Chinese shoes in one of the shops, I couldn't resist - my heeled boots were much better off being carried, anyway!
This is the Yokohama Bay Bridge taken from the Sea Bass ferry from Yamashita Park to Yokohama station.
Despite the chilly weather we made sure enjoy the night view of "Minato Mirai" with Landmark Tower and the ferris wheel. We did get some better night shots and Brian is working to make them HDR photos before posting.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Yokohama for the Weekend
We've somehow survived the first couple of weeks back at the office - whew! Gotta love the weekends...
This weekend we are going to Yokohama. Neither of us has been there in years, and actually I really like that city (even better than Tokyo for sure). We've even decided to take Monday off and make a three-day weekend out of it. Yokohama is not very far - just a few hours on the local train - but it will be nice to spend the weekend and get the most out of our days there.
This weekend we are going to Yokohama. Neither of us has been there in years, and actually I really like that city (even better than Tokyo for sure). We've even decided to take Monday off and make a three-day weekend out of it. Yokohama is not very far - just a few hours on the local train - but it will be nice to spend the weekend and get the most out of our days there.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Warmer Winters
It's all in the news - this winter has been unusually warm around the globe. There are concerns that polar bears are soon to be an endangered species due to loss of habitat.
I feel guilty, then, for savouring the mild weather. Shizuoka prefecture generally has a very mild climate anyway, but this year it's been even warmer. It's much easier to be motivated to run or ride in the chilliest moments before dawn when "chilliest" is still above zero.
I feel guilty, then, for savouring the mild weather. Shizuoka prefecture generally has a very mild climate anyway, but this year it's been even warmer. It's much easier to be motivated to run or ride in the chilliest moments before dawn when "chilliest" is still above zero.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Healthful Eating
The weekends just go by so quickly! Brian is still unable to ride, but luckily he has had enough indoor projects to keep him occupied. While he was re-painting mirror frames and reconfiguring our computer set-ups on Sunday, I spent a few hours cooking.
This is part of our New Year's "health plan". In order to help avoid diet-disasters such as eating lunch at McDonald's and ordering a large Pepperoni Pizza for dinner, we are trying to keep our fridge stocked with already-prepared and easy-to-prepare food.
After grocery shopping, I washed and chopped some fresh vegetables and placed them in Ziplocks in the fridge; I threw some meat, vegetables and curry paste into the slow cooker and set it on high for three hours; while that was on the go, I made a pork and bean dish that can be modified tomatoes and spices (or not) as the week goes on.
We now have enough healthy options for the week ahead - but maintaining the discipline to prepare things every weekend is not very likely:-)
This is part of our New Year's "health plan". In order to help avoid diet-disasters such as eating lunch at McDonald's and ordering a large Pepperoni Pizza for dinner, we are trying to keep our fridge stocked with already-prepared and easy-to-prepare food.
After grocery shopping, I washed and chopped some fresh vegetables and placed them in Ziplocks in the fridge; I threw some meat, vegetables and curry paste into the slow cooker and set it on high for three hours; while that was on the go, I made a pork and bean dish that can be modified tomatoes and spices (or not) as the week goes on.
We now have enough healthy options for the week ahead - but maintaining the discipline to prepare things every weekend is not very likely:-)
Sunday, January 14, 2007
U3 and Portable Apps
I'd heard about portable software programs, such as the Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email program, but I'd never really looked into it. A Christmas gift from Bernicky however prompted a bit more research.
My Christmas gift from Bernicky was a Sandisk U3 Smart Drive. This drive came with some U3 software already installed, and with the U3 Launchpad (start menu). The programs on my U3 Smart Drive are portable -they are stored on and run directly from the little drive. You can install new programs very easily by following the directions in the Launchpad and from the U3 website. There are a wide variety of programs available, and the U3 is completely user friendly - you don't actually have to do anything if you don't want to, and there is a Launchpad Tour offered when you insert the drive which walks you through how to use the device.
I've been using my U3 drive compulsively - as we have two apartments and multiple computers, this drive has been a boon. I now check my email only from my U3 drive using Thunderbird, so wherever I am, I have the email I've received and sent in one place. I only use my portable Firefox browser, so I always have my bookmarks and my browsing history and passwords are remembered only in this portable browser. My browser at the office is totally clean of any personal information (whew! Never again will I have to answer uncomfortable questions, like, 'What does the Hot Male Model website have to do with work?'":-)
Seeing how cool it was to be portable, I did some more research into portable applications, and found the Portable Apps website. These programs are not compatible with the U3 system, but they have more flexibility in that they can be run directly from any portable data device (a flash drive, an iPod, etc), and they are very very cool. If you go to the Portable Apps homepage here, you can see the wide range of software (all totally free, by the way) that can be run from your portable device.
Yesterday while we were out shopping I saw a good deal on a 1GB USB flash drive, so I picked it up to give Portable Apps a try. The verdict? Very easy to do and smooth to run. Just go to the Portable Apps page, and download the Suite - both the Lite and the Standard comes with a lot of cool software (word processor, Firefox browser, anti-virus, etc), and best of all it includes a start menu, so when you open your portable device you see a little menu of programs and actions.
The verdict? I highly recommend either buying a U3 Smart Drive or simply installing a Portable Apps suite on any other usb drive and giving it a try!
My Christmas gift from Bernicky was a Sandisk U3 Smart Drive. This drive came with some U3 software already installed, and with the U3 Launchpad (start menu). The programs on my U3 Smart Drive are portable -they are stored on and run directly from the little drive. You can install new programs very easily by following the directions in the Launchpad and from the U3 website. There are a wide variety of programs available, and the U3 is completely user friendly - you don't actually have to do anything if you don't want to, and there is a Launchpad Tour offered when you insert the drive which walks you through how to use the device.
I've been using my U3 drive compulsively - as we have two apartments and multiple computers, this drive has been a boon. I now check my email only from my U3 drive using Thunderbird, so wherever I am, I have the email I've received and sent in one place. I only use my portable Firefox browser, so I always have my bookmarks and my browsing history and passwords are remembered only in this portable browser. My browser at the office is totally clean of any personal information (whew! Never again will I have to answer uncomfortable questions, like, 'What does the Hot Male Model website have to do with work?'":-)
Seeing how cool it was to be portable, I did some more research into portable applications, and found the Portable Apps website. These programs are not compatible with the U3 system, but they have more flexibility in that they can be run directly from any portable data device (a flash drive, an iPod, etc), and they are very very cool. If you go to the Portable Apps homepage here, you can see the wide range of software (all totally free, by the way) that can be run from your portable device.
Yesterday while we were out shopping I saw a good deal on a 1GB USB flash drive, so I picked it up to give Portable Apps a try. The verdict? Very easy to do and smooth to run. Just go to the Portable Apps page, and download the Suite - both the Lite and the Standard comes with a lot of cool software (word processor, Firefox browser, anti-virus, etc), and best of all it includes a start menu, so when you open your portable device you see a little menu of programs and actions.
The verdict? I highly recommend either buying a U3 Smart Drive or simply installing a Portable Apps suite on any other usb drive and giving it a try!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Under Construction
January is the coldest month in Shizuoka prefecture, but so far we've had downright springy weather. The days are getting longer of course, but that phenomenon is usually masked by clouds, cold and rain; this year the lengthening is obvious because of the dry sunny weather and the warmer temps. In Japanese custom, our doors and windows are thrown open for the morning hours to allow the exchange of air and to let in the warming sunlight no matter how cold it is outside, and so far we haven't cheated at all, allowing accurate notice of each sunrise.
Last weekend's visit to the local shrine yielded my own photo of the lantern, which I hoped to show an extended dynamic range using a program called Photomatix (from a single RAW exposure). The forest is still green, and this is almost 500 meters above sea level:
After that visit we took a tight rocky track up the mountain and over to the next prefecture's border (Kanagawa). Tracy was driving and had some fun driving her jeep in 4wd-low range, creeping over ruts and rocks the whole way. The waterfall we found halfway up was beautiful, but it didn't photograph well, so I won't share it here; maybe Tracy caught a better pic.
I have been resting my legs, particularly my knee, after self-diagnosing anserine bursitis:
I think I seized the holiday break's riding opportunities too hard, and really overdid it. It's been three weeks without riding and two of barely leaving the house (because of the 3 flights of stairs!), but it is getting better now. Inspiration to heal completely before trying again came in the form of an update from the builder making my custom bike frame... a few pix of the progress, this shot revealing the breezer-style rear dropouts (original patent held by the Wright Brothers) and the internal cable routing on the top tube:
I don't know the ETA yet, but I plan to be 'ready to ride' when it does!
Last weekend's visit to the local shrine yielded my own photo of the lantern, which I hoped to show an extended dynamic range using a program called Photomatix (from a single RAW exposure). The forest is still green, and this is almost 500 meters above sea level:
After that visit we took a tight rocky track up the mountain and over to the next prefecture's border (Kanagawa). Tracy was driving and had some fun driving her jeep in 4wd-low range, creeping over ruts and rocks the whole way. The waterfall we found halfway up was beautiful, but it didn't photograph well, so I won't share it here; maybe Tracy caught a better pic.
I have been resting my legs, particularly my knee, after self-diagnosing anserine bursitis:
I think I seized the holiday break's riding opportunities too hard, and really overdid it. It's been three weeks without riding and two of barely leaving the house (because of the 3 flights of stairs!), but it is getting better now. Inspiration to heal completely before trying again came in the form of an update from the builder making my custom bike frame... a few pix of the progress, this shot revealing the breezer-style rear dropouts (original patent held by the Wright Brothers) and the internal cable routing on the top tube:
I don't know the ETA yet, but I plan to be 'ready to ride' when it does!
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
A Shrine Photo
The first day back to work yesterday went pretty smoothly - it wasn't as hard to get back in the groove as I'd thought!
Over the holidays we managed to do some driving in place of riding and took some photos here and there. Brian's been working on his making them into HDR shots, which hopefully he'll post soon. For now, here's a simple photo from our Hatsu-Mode (first shrine visit).
Over the holidays we managed to do some driving in place of riding and took some photos here and there. Brian's been working on his making them into HDR shots, which hopefully he'll post soon. For now, here's a simple photo from our Hatsu-Mode (first shrine visit).
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Back to the Grind
Saturday rained hard all day - which meant enforced bed rest for Brian, whose knee pain is slightly better now. Sunday we went for a drive in the mountains and practiced with our cameras. Yesterday, our final day of the long winter holiday, was restful.
And today brings us back to the office, where certainly there is a lot of backed up work waiting to be handled!
And today brings us back to the office, where certainly there is a lot of backed up work waiting to be handled!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Gotemba Kogen illumination
We're quite lucky that the Gotemba Kogen is so close to us. In warmer weather we frequently stop for a post-ride beer, and though we do stand out a little with our helmets and bikes in tow, we are well-enough recognized that the manager often chats with us as we soak up the sunshine and quaff a brew on the spacious "lawn" of the beer hall.
This winter weather of course is much too chilly for outdoor eating and drinking, but there are several restaurants offering the same great beer and lots of great food including an all-you-can-eat option. This, combined with a free shuttle-bus from our nearby station, made the Kogen the perfect choice for dinner with a couple of friends.
However, winter also brings the unfortunate but popular "illumination" to the Kogen. A few years ago, they began putting up decorative lights in the winter and each year they just keep getting more and more gaudy. Who'd want to see this tunnel of lights instead of the stars that they obscure? Well- just about everybody! The Illumination is a great attraction and people come to the resort from all over Japan. They come by car and by tourist bus; they come in twos and threes, and in droves. As a result, when we arrived for dinner on Thursday night (sans reservation) we had a 90 minute wait to be seated!
We decided to have a beer while walking around and viewing the bright lights of the small city...
Illumination at the Gotemba Kogen Resort in Gotemba city:
Ok, I suppose it's not that bad. And, I have to say, dinner at the buffet restaurant was fantastic as usual.
To see the Gotemba Kogen site in English, click here.
This winter weather of course is much too chilly for outdoor eating and drinking, but there are several restaurants offering the same great beer and lots of great food including an all-you-can-eat option. This, combined with a free shuttle-bus from our nearby station, made the Kogen the perfect choice for dinner with a couple of friends.
However, winter also brings the unfortunate but popular "illumination" to the Kogen. A few years ago, they began putting up decorative lights in the winter and each year they just keep getting more and more gaudy. Who'd want to see this tunnel of lights instead of the stars that they obscure? Well- just about everybody! The Illumination is a great attraction and people come to the resort from all over Japan. They come by car and by tourist bus; they come in twos and threes, and in droves. As a result, when we arrived for dinner on Thursday night (sans reservation) we had a 90 minute wait to be seated!
We decided to have a beer while walking around and viewing the bright lights of the small city...
Illumination at the Gotemba Kogen Resort in Gotemba city:
Ok, I suppose it's not that bad. And, I have to say, dinner at the buffet restaurant was fantastic as usual.
To see the Gotemba Kogen site in English, click here.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Peaceful Days
Ahh...
A big sigh of relaxation. I've been back for a week now, we don't go back to work until Tuesday (the 9th), and we don't have to do much of anything between now and then.
This is the first long holiday that we haven't had plans of some kind - either camping, epic bike trips, or just a few nights at a ryokan/onsen. But all this time at home - cooking, organizing, reading, sleeping and eating - has been great.
Brian's knee, unfortunately, is still too painful to do any kind of activity, so I've been taking solo bike rides in the mornings and then settling in for the rest of the day.
Yesterday we bought some flowers just to practice taking photos - a nice way to spend an hour or two.
Tonight will provide a little variety to our quiet days - we're going up to our favourite beer hall and buffet restuarant (appropriately called a "Viking" restaurant!) tonight with a couple of friends who are also in town for the holidays. Won't be much good for any "New Year's Resolution" diets, but it should be perfectly enjoyable just the same!
A big sigh of relaxation. I've been back for a week now, we don't go back to work until Tuesday (the 9th), and we don't have to do much of anything between now and then.
This is the first long holiday that we haven't had plans of some kind - either camping, epic bike trips, or just a few nights at a ryokan/onsen. But all this time at home - cooking, organizing, reading, sleeping and eating - has been great.
Brian's knee, unfortunately, is still too painful to do any kind of activity, so I've been taking solo bike rides in the mornings and then settling in for the rest of the day.
Yesterday we bought some flowers just to practice taking photos - a nice way to spend an hour or two.
Tonight will provide a little variety to our quiet days - we're going up to our favourite beer hall and buffet restuarant (appropriately called a "Viking" restaurant!) tonight with a couple of friends who are also in town for the holidays. Won't be much good for any "New Year's Resolution" diets, but it should be perfectly enjoyable just the same!
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Kneed for Recovery
The weather has been warm and pleasant here in Susono - perfect for some good riding. For me, at least; Brian, unfortunately, has a bad knee which he thinks is bursitis probably brought on by single-speeding with a too hard a gear. Brian changed his rear cog a few weeks ago to something more challenging, and all the mashing up hills must have taken its toll. He changed back to an easier gear and we rode together today for the first time this year - which resulted in some serious pain tonight and the realization that riding would be out of the question for a while.
Ice, ibuprofen, and immobility are on the menu for the rest of the holiday; as for me, I'll mix my rides with runs, and try to be humble about it.
Ice, ibuprofen, and immobility are on the menu for the rest of the holiday; as for me, I'll mix my rides with runs, and try to be humble about it.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Hatsu-Hinode
Happy New Year!
In Japan, this is the most significant holiday, often celebrated over three days from the 1st to the 3rd of January. It is a time for family and tradition: businesses close up tight, salary men actually get some time off, and families gather for food and drink. The New Year also marks a fresh start and represents a welcome opportunity to begin anew.
With new beginnings there are also a few important "firsts" - hatsu-mode, the year's first visit to the shrine which is usually carried out at midnight on December 31st; and hatsu-hinode, the first sunrise marking the beginning of a new year.
Though we have been a little slack with our first shrine visit, we made sure to wake up early this morning, pack a thermos full of hot cocoa and drive up to Hakone to watch the sun rise over lake Ashinoko.
Hatsu-hinode 2007:
As the sun came over the mountain, the little boy behind me prayed furiously for "a lot of money". His prayer, I'm certain, was focused on the day ahead as it is customary to give money (O-toshidama) to children on New Year's day; O-toshidama can sometimes add up to a few hundred dollars by the end of the day, so this little boy may well have his prayer come true.
I didn't pray for anything in particular, but as the sun rose upon a new year and with the boy's prayers in my ears, I thought of my various New Year's resolutions, and decided that it would be wonderfully simple to worry about nothing more than the day ahead.
In Japan, this is the most significant holiday, often celebrated over three days from the 1st to the 3rd of January. It is a time for family and tradition: businesses close up tight, salary men actually get some time off, and families gather for food and drink. The New Year also marks a fresh start and represents a welcome opportunity to begin anew.
With new beginnings there are also a few important "firsts" - hatsu-mode, the year's first visit to the shrine which is usually carried out at midnight on December 31st; and hatsu-hinode, the first sunrise marking the beginning of a new year.
Though we have been a little slack with our first shrine visit, we made sure to wake up early this morning, pack a thermos full of hot cocoa and drive up to Hakone to watch the sun rise over lake Ashinoko.
Hatsu-hinode 2007:
As the sun came over the mountain, the little boy behind me prayed furiously for "a lot of money". His prayer, I'm certain, was focused on the day ahead as it is customary to give money (O-toshidama) to children on New Year's day; O-toshidama can sometimes add up to a few hundred dollars by the end of the day, so this little boy may well have his prayer come true.
I didn't pray for anything in particular, but as the sun rose upon a new year and with the boy's prayers in my ears, I thought of my various New Year's resolutions, and decided that it would be wonderfully simple to worry about nothing more than the day ahead.
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