A Letter from Blue Sky and Sea - Izu Shimoda Photo Diary

Souvenir of Shimoda

This morning, when I went to Shimoda station, I found this in a souvenir shop.

This Japanese means "I became to love Izu very much."

Yes, this is a cookie for a gift.

At that time I found the another similar name "I went to Izu."....

Beautiful sea /Shirahama Ohama Beach

Today it was a really beautiful day !!

Besides it was very hot, the sun gave us great sunshine.

When my wife, son and I went to Shimoda, I took this picture at the bus stop "Shirahama Kaigan" with my son, Yuuki.

While I was taking a picture he cried "Umi, umi !!"many times. "Umi" means "Sea". 

Then I show you the picture of today's beach. ...

Good wave ! in Shirahama

After I went to the school to pick my daughter up, we went to the beach for a while.

Today we could see a lot of surfer in the beach, because they had good waves for surfing.

Probably they were satisfied with these waves.

I want to see the picture that I took .....

Rainy season "Tsuyu" will come soon.

Today my children and I went to the beach after 10 days.

In the beach we could see a lot of seaweeds which were taken up from the sea by big waves.

By the way the rainy season "Tsuyu" has already visited in south Kyushu area.

In most of Japan the rainy season lasts from the beginning of June to the middle of July ...... 

Dandelion and Roly-poly

After check-out of guests my wife and son took a walk for a while this morning.

My son found a flower of dandelion. This is his favorite flower.

And after that he found a bug at the side of street.

It was ......

See Crab in Shirahama

Today it is 3rd day for the students from the United States.

This morning I went to the beach to get crabs with students, professor and his assistant.

Of course this is a first time for them to get crabs by bamboo stick, but when we started it one of them caught the crab at first. ......

Exploring and Sea caving at Shirahama beach

From yesterday, the students who came from the United States are staying at Sakuraya.

Today, on a second day, they had Exploring and Sea caving at Shirahama beach.

So I got into their exploring in this afternoon.

They started to walk from south area of the beach.

In this picture the professor are explaining about the sea animals and the other things on the rock....

Summer has come to Shirahama beach.

Yes, summer has come to Shirahama beach at last.

Today it was a hottest day this year.

I thought that there were some people swimming at the beach, so I went to take pictures to Shirahama Chuou beach.

Yes, I was right. I could see many people swimming........

Shimoda Station was changed to "Sekisho"/67th Black Ship Festival 2006

Do you konw what Sekisho is ?

Sekisho is a one of checkpoints where the goverment of Edo era stopped every traveller.

During  Black Ship Festival the Railway Company, "Izukyu Line" changes Shimoda station like this picture every year.

And there are many people wearing costumes of Edo era....... .

Jasmine Festival at Ryosenji Temple

Today It was rainny day but I went to "Ryosenji Temple" in Shimoda, and I found a lot of flowers blooming.

Now "Jasmine Festival" is taking place in this temple, and about 1,000 trees of Jasmine are blooming on both side of a small path.

From today "Black Ship Festival" is held in Shimoda city, so many foreigners were in the city.....

67th Black Ship Festival from Tomorrow

Tonight, when I went to Shimoda I found that a ship was decorated a lot of beautiful lights at Shimoda harbor.

"Well, Black Ship Festival will take place from tomorrow.... ."

I was going to take a piciture of that ship later, but when I went back to the harbor 2 hours later again, the decorations had already been finished.

So I am going to show a picture that I took 2 years ago.......

Students from Kanagawa Pref.

In Shirahama we accept a lot of students of Junior high school, who come to have experiences of nature of Shirahama every year.

Yes, this is similer to a summer camp.

Today, the first school of this year, 200 students came from Yokohama, and stayed for one night.

This is a picture that I took an openning ceremony in Itado area of Shirahama.

And they started to observe a sea after lunch. .......

Yuuki, it's a sunny day !!

How many days couldn't we get sunshine like today ?

It was good for my son to walk outside today.

I was going to take a picture of my son standing on a chair, and said,
"Cheers ! Yuuki !"
He made his face like a monster.
And his mother was watching him worring.

By the way I went to Mt. Takane in Shirahama today too.......

I love putting stamps !

Yesterday a man who came to check the vending machine gave us stamps with magnet.

My son loves putting something on a refrigerator, and he is pleased with these stamps.

In these days it has been cloudy, rainny and cool outside, so we cann't go out to play. .....   

Mt. Takane Walking Map / Shimoda: Shirahama

As I wrote in this weblog I went to Mt. Takane which is highest mountain in Shimoda yesterday.

Then I remember that I was going to make a webpage of Mt. Takane hiking with a guide map.

So I decided to make it today, but I could make only map like this.
Because I wanted to make not only simple map but also map with pictures.

It took long time, so I couldn't make all webpage today.

The route to the top of Mt. Takane is not difficult, so if you would like to go there please use this map.

Spot lights on the sea / Mt. Takane in Shirahama

This morning I went to the school with my children after a few days.

On the way to the school I was thinking, "Well , where am I going today ?", and decided to go to Mt. Takane which is a highest mountain in Shirahama.

Then I changed my route and started to go up the mountain.

When I arrived at the top of Mt. Takane, I could see a beautiful view.

The sun lights were coming down from the sky and made the sea "Stage".

This stage with lights and shadows was really misterious. .......

"Joren-no-Taki"fall in Amagi

This is a most famous and biggest water fall "Joren-no-Taki" in Amagi in Izu peninsula.

In Japan, most of Japanese know this fall, because a Japanese singer "Sayuri Ishikawa" sing about this fall in her song.
That's why a lot of people want to visit this fall to see it.

This fall is 25 meters high and 7 meters wide and selected one of 100 falls selection in Japan. ......

"Shun no Sato" in Shimoda

"Wao, this is a biiiig radish !", my son said.

This is a shop "Shun no Sato" where local farmers are selling various products.

I was surprised that about 500 farmars are providing.

We sometimes go this place to buy many kinds of things ...... .

Foggy day in Shirahama

It was foggy day today after a long time.

When I went to the school with my children this morning it was cloudy. But it was changed rainny and foggy at noon.

I took this photo at the bus stop "Shirahama kaigan" on the way to Shimoda.

We can see Shirahama shrine overthere, it seemed like an island on the sea.

I am showing you a photo that I took at the same place same time last year......

I am cooking, dad !

"What are you doing, Yuuki ?"

After we finished to clean dishes of guest's dinner, when we saw my son he was doing something with a pan.

- - - -

Hey ! Look at me ! Do you know what I am doing ?
Yes, I am cooking a beafsteak with a pan !

Are you thinking why I knew how to cook with pan ?

Because I have been watching that my dad had been cooking since I was a baby and knew how to cook. .......

Yes, sunny day !!

We had been waiting for sunny day like today.

When we were in the room of south side it was really hot, but the wind was a little cool outside.

When I went to the beach a lot of lifesavers were there.
During Golden Week they have a tournament every year.

In the beach there were a lot of people who were taking a walk, sleeping under the sunshine and surfing. .......

Wasabi Soft Cream

Have you ever eaten this ice cream ?

When I went to Amagi I found this "Wasabi Soft Cream" at "Michi no eki" which is one of Rest areas.

Recently we can see and eat Wasabi ice cream at many places in Japan, and most of them is mixed with Wasabi.

But they provide it topping Wasabi on the top of vanilla soft cream.
Yes, it was really fantastic and lovely taste !!......

"Sashimi" cooking

We sometimes serve this dish of "Sashimi" when our guest order it for dinner.

Today's  contents are Kasago, Tuna, Sea Urchin, Squid, Katuo, Ise ebi and etc.....

These contents are changed depends on fishes which fissherman has.

Befor serving it I took this photo because it seemed really delicious.
The price of this dish would be 3,000 yen
for 2 people.
Would you like to order it ? .......