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

2010/11/26 Walking on the beach and Gorgeous sunset

I went for walking this morning after 3 days.

When I came back from Sotoura Beach I found out a dog on Shirahama beach.

"That's my friend's dog, isn't it?"

Yes, I was right. There was my friend walking, who lives in Shirahama. He is Australian and spends his holiday in his second house for one week every month.

I walked on this beach for a while and came back home.

In late afternoon, when I was cooking our dinner in the kitchen I saw a beutiful scenary through the window...

2010/08/06 Shirahama Beach looks like southern island.

I took this photo when I went for shopping.

Shirahama beach is separeted as swimming area and surfing area.

On the right side of Shirahama beach is surfing area, so nobody can't get into the water on this side.

This is it.

It looks like a small beach on the southern island, right?

I show you on the other side of Shirahama beach.......

2010/08/03 Shirahama Chuo Beach: Blue sky, blue sea and white beach

I was very surprised when I went out to say good bye this morning.

Today it was really different from yesterday.

The sun was shining, the sky was clear and very very hot.

"Oh, great! I have to go to the beach to take photos today."

After I finished cleaning up the guest rooms I went to the beach.

This is Shirahama Chuo Beach in Shimoda.

2010/07/31 Shimoda Sotoura Beach: Hot summer has come back again!

It was very hot and sunny here in Shimoda.

Yes, the hot summer has come back again after 2 rainy days.

When I went to Shimoda downtown I took this photo on the route #135.

Sotoura beach lies between Shirahama beach and Shimoda downtown, and it is cove like this photo.

So they normaly don't have big waves here and it is very good condition for small kids.

Pension Sakuraya in Shirahama, Shimoda

2010/07/29 Rainy day in Shirahama, Shimoda

It had been hot and sunny since 10 days ago, but rainy day came back at last.

When I took this photo at around 1:00 pm on the way to Shimoda downtown there were still some people on the beach.

But when I came bach from downtown there was nobody because of rain.

I want to see the bule sea here in Shirahama!

 

2010/07/28 Swimming with my son under the sunshine in Shimoda

I didn't think to do it, but as we don't have dinner for our customers today, I went to the beach with my son.

"Let's go to the beach, Yuuki."

"Really? "

My son loves swimming in the sea, but we can't go many times in summer because we are very busy this season.

It was very hot today too.

My son was very excited in the water....

2010/07/26 The water temperature is 25 degrees! in Shirahama.

As my daughter wanted to go to her friend's home I took her by car, and  went to the beach to take photos.

This morning our customer said that the water was very warm yesterday, so I asked a lifesaver about that.

She answered, "The temperature was 24 degrees this morning, so now it's 25 or 26 degrees."

It was 19 degrees one week ago, but the water is getting warmer and warmer.

I think it is very comfortable to get into the water here in Shirahma.

2010/07/24 A lot of people on the beach in Shirahama, Shimoda

It has been very hot here in Shimoda since one week ago.

The sun rises at around 4:50 every morning, and it makes my room very very very hot!!

So I wake up at around 5:00 am every day because of its heat.

I went to the top of mountain behind Pension Sakuraya and took this photo.

There were a lot of people on Shirahama Beach.

I want to get into that water to make my body cool down!

2010/07/22 A closest parking lot to Shirahama Beach in Shimoda

How do you come to Shirahama in Shimoda this summer?

Every summer many parking lots are opened for the visitors, but this parking lot is closest one near Shirahama beach.

This parking lot is operated by Izu Shirahama Tourist Association.

The operation time is from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and parking fee is 1,000 yen ~ 2,000 yen depending on the date and the parking time.

If you are a family with small children or if you have a lot of bags this parking lot is very useful, I think.

In addition, there is a convenience store "Family Mart" nearby. Oh, it's great!!

I took this photo today. It was really hot again and the sea was really blue as usual.

2010/07/20 Blue and Pink in the sky & Shirahama Beach today

"Can you see this everyday in this season?"

When our customers finished the dinner asked me.

"Yes, we sometimes can see it, but not everyday." 

After I said so I went to my room to take my camera, but the color was changed when I came back to the dining room.

In Shimoda we sometimes can see the beautiful red sunset, but its color is different in this season.

Anyway, I show you the photo of Shirahama beach, which I took this afternoon.....

2010/07/18 Fireworks Display in Shirahama, Shimoda

Have you ever seen the fireworks display?

Last night, on July 17th, we had a fireworks festival on Shirahama beach in Shimoda city.

This festival takes place in every July, on the 1st day of 3 holidays at the middle of July.

When I got to the beach with my children there had already been a lot of people on the beach and on the road nearby.

In Japan we have a lot of fireworks festival taken place at many places, but we have to see its small display very far from its place.

But here in Shirahama we can see it really close!!!

The craftsman set off the fireworks at the water's edge and the fireworks are exploded above our overheads.

It is really excited and the people on the beach cheered great shouts of joy every time.

Come and have a fun next summer.

2010/07/17 Great! Wondereful! Super! Excellent! Shirahama Beach in Shimoda

Today it is a 1st day of 3 holidays in Japan.

Japan Meteorological Agency said that the rainy season was over this morning.

We, Japanese have been waiting for it.

I went to the beach this morning and found there were a lot of people on the beach.

Blue sky, blue sea and white sand made the people happy today.

2010/07/15 Blue sky, white cloud, Blue sea and white beach in Izu, Shimoda

Have you ever been to the southern islands in Japan?

If you have never been there you don't need to go, because you can get it here in Shimoda.

In these days it has been cloudy and sunny, but sometimes we had a shower.

But I could take the beautiful photos on the beach today.

Now we are in summer.

Come and play, and spend great time here in Shirahama.

2010/07/14 Shizuoka Cola!!

Do you like soda?

Have you ever seen this?

This is "Shizuoka Cola" which is made in Shizuoka Prefecture.

I've been looking for it and found it in Shimoda downtown today.

The taste is almost "Coka Cola" but it has a little tea flavor.

When you come to Shimoda try it!

 

2010/07/10 Shimoda is very famous for Red snapper.

Have you ever eaten raw fish "Sashimi" in you country?

In Shimoda we can get very fresh fishes easily.

This is "Funamori" which is a combination of Sashimi.

The red one at the middle of this is "Kinmedai", red snapper.

Shimoda is very famous for this Kinmedai.

It's very delicious.

2010/07/04 Sunny day in Shirahama, Shimoda

Last night we had heavy rain here in Shimoda, but it was sunny today.

A family came from England went to the beach after breakfast this morning.

When I finished my work I went to the beach too.

There were some people who were swimming in the water.

2010/06/28 It was really hot here in Shimoda today!

In these days it had been almost cloudy and rainy here in Shimoda, but it was changed today.

Sunny day came again and it was very humid.

When I went to the nearest beach "Shirahama", there were some people who were swimming in the water.

They were very lucky today because of sunny in the rainy season.

I really wanted to swim with them today.

 

2010/06/21 A floating cloud in the blue sky - - Shirahama Beach

Last night we had a heavy rain here in Shimoda.

The weather forecast said that it would be rainy in the next morning, but it would be sunny after that.

I couldn't believe it yesterday, and even this morning.

But the weather was changed this afternoon like this.

I went to the nearest beach by walking and took this photo.

There were two mothers and their children who were playing there.

2010/06/19 The weather was changed this morning in Shimoda.

Last night we had a heavy rain and a strong wind here in Shimoda.

The weather forecast issued a heavy rain warning for Shizuoka Prefecture.

However, the weather was changed like this!

The blue sea came back again!

There were some surfers in the water, but they didn't have good waves today.

2010/06/16 A Wonderful Moment!! Let's go to Shimoda!!!

It takes about 3 hours and half to get this treasure from Tokyo.

Last night we had heavy rain here in Shimoda, but this morning it was changed to sunny day.

Besides the air was clear, so everything was beautiful in Shirahama.

4 minutes walking took me to this beach.

There were some people on the beach, and some of them were sitting on the sand, but some of the other people were swimming.

2010/06/04 Very warm water! Shirahama Beach in Shimoda

In these days the water temperature is getting warmer and warmer.

The temperature is normally about 18 or 19 degrees in this season, but it became more than 22 degrees now.

Because the Japan current ( Kuroshio current) is close to Japan this year.

Look at this.

You can know the condition of Pacific ocean.

I show you the photo which I took today.

.

2010/05/27 An article about Pension Sakuraya on Tokyo Notice Board!!

We were really surprised.

Have you ever seen this?

I haven't seen and read it because I live in Shimoda, not in Tokyo.

We got a parcel by mail in the morning the day before yesterday.

When I got it I didn't remember the name written on it and I didn't  know what it was, and also I didn't understand why it was sent.

After opening it I found out a letter like this.... 

2010/05/25 Good Wave in Shirahama

On the way to Shimoda downtown I took this picture.

Today it was sunny and very hot here in Shirahama.

And also we had very good waves for surfing.

So there were a lot of surfers on the sea in Shirahama.

If you would like to come to Shirahama for surfing and if you don't have board or wet suit there is a surf shop near the beach.

They have rental boards and wet suits.

2010/05/18 Picnic to Shirahama Beach

The weather forecast said last night it was very fine day and very hot today in Shimoda.

Today it was a picnic day of kindergarten.

My wife and son went to kindergarten at 9:30 AM, but I left my house after our customers checked out.

When I arrived at the beach the children had just started to play on the water's edge.

Actually I was worried about my son, because he had a cough and runny nose.

But he was unmindful and got into the water to play.

2010/05/16 Postcard from Wien

Several days ago we got a postcard from Wien in Austria.

They stayed at Sakuraya at the beginning of last April.

They came to Japan for a wedding ceremony of their friends, which was held in Kobe.

How did you feel a Japanese wedding?

I think it was great experience for you.

By the way I have been to Wien when I was a student of university....

2010/05/06 Snorkeling Point in Shirahama, Shimoda

There are many beaches in Shimoda, and this is one of them.

We can find out this beach on the way to Shimoda downtown, and also I think this beach is one of good points for snorkeling in Shimoda.

When we don't have big waves it is easy to get into the sea from the water's edge.

Today we could see the island called "Izu-Oshima" over the ocean.

It had a cloud over the top of island, and this island looked like floating on the sea.

 

2010/05/05 Light Blue Sea & Snorkeling in Shirahama, Shimoda

It was almost cloudy here yesterday, but we got a sunshine and high temperature today.

When I went to the beach to take photos after noon it was low tide.

But we didn't have big waves here, so it was very good condition for snorkeling.

We can go down the cliff from Route 135 by walk and get into the water from the right side.

If I hadn't had job today I would have snorkeled today.

2010/05/02 A Present from Sweden

Today it was sunny in Shimoda again.

As it has been beautiful days during Golden Week all of our customers are very happy.

The weather forecast says it will be hotter here tomorrow.

By the way, before Golden Week we got a green parcel from abroad.

When I found out it in a post I didn't know who sent us it.

After I opened it, I knew it was a book of cooking recipe from Sweden....

2010/05/01 Incredible! Gorgeous! Unbelivable! --- Shirahama Beach in Golden Week

Do you know it takes only 2 hours and 50 minutes to get to this beach from Tokyo?

Before getting into Golden Week it had been cold, cloudy, rainy and windy here in Shimoda.

But at the beginning of Golden Week the weather was changed and we got this beautiful sea at all.

This color is real blue which I saw on the beach today.

Have you ever been to Shirahama in Shimoda?

You should try to come and get a great nature in Shimoda!!

2010/04/25 Beautiful day in Shirahama

"Dad, I want to play outside!"

My son said so.

Since my daughter Hikari has a cold and she was watching TV in the kid's room, my son Yuuki couldn't watch his favorite TV program.

After I finished my work I went to the parking lot near the beach with my son.

My son loves to play with a toy car.

After that we went to the beach.....