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

Shirahama Ohama Beash - 07/12/2008

Today is Saturday.

As the weather was very good and very hot here a lot of people come to Shirahama.

It had been almost cloudy in Shimoda until yesterday but it was a really summer today.

I want to get into the water too.

Let's go for swimming to Shirahama beach!

This year we had a lot of days which was cloudy and rainny in Shimoda.

But when I waked up this morning it was very beaufitul day today!

So I went to the beach to take pictures.

Blue sky and blue sea, they made me very happy!

When I was taking pictures there I found someone on the beach.....

Lifesaver in Shirahama beach

"The 21st Japan National Lifesaving Individual Championships" will take place in Shirahama for 2 days after tomorrow.

So many lifesavers are staying at Sakuraya.

As it would be sunny tomorrow they will be able to have a good competion.

Pension Sakuraya in Shimoda

The rainny season started in Tokai area today.

The weather forcast said, Tokai area (Shizuoka, Aichi, Nagano .... ) had gotten into the rainny season on June 2nd.

The average of starting the rainny season would be the middle of June, but it is earlier than lsat year.

I took this picture at Shirahama Chuo Beach, next to Shirahama Ohama Beach.

There are a lot of stones and many kinds of sea animals.

Pension Sakuraya in Shirahama

It was very hot today! - - Shirahama Beach

Before I went to Shimoda downtown I took some pictures on Shirahama beach.

We had an heavy rain yesterday moring but it was very hot today.

I was thinking that there were some people in the water before getting to the beach but there was nobody
who was swimming today actually.

A silent beach "Shirahama Ohama Beach"

Pension Sakuraya - A family running guest house in Shimoda, Izu peninsula

Surfers in the sunrise - - Shirahama Beach

I waked up early in this morning and went to the beach.

Today it was a cleaning day for the beach, and all local people gathered on the beach to clean up the beach.

I took this photo when I was cleaning.

Some surfers were in the sea under the sunshine, but they didn't good waves this morning.

Pension Sakuraya: A hostel in Shimoda.

69th Black Ship Festival 2008 - Official Parade

Today it was a 2nd day of Black Ship Festival.
My son, my daughter and my wife went to Shimoda, and took some photos.

After the ceremony in Shimoda park the official parede started at 11:00 am.
Over 400 people walked in Shimoda downtown for this parade.

They are the sailor men of the US Navy.....

  .

Fireworks - 69th Black Ship Festival 2008 in Shimoda

The Black Ship Festival started to take place in Shimoda today.

This is a fireworks which is a main event for the 1st day.

My family and I were going to see this fireworks with our customers.
They arrived at Sakuraya at around 7:30 pm and departed from Sakuraya at 7:45 pm.

But when we arrived at the parking lot near the Shimoda harbor it had been occupied.

So we moved to the other parking lot, but we could see the beautiful fireworks there.

<Link> Black Ship Festival in Shimoda

Pension Sakuraya: A family inn in Shimoda

Let's play surfing together!! - - Shirahama Ohama Beach

Golden Week had finished yesterday and the children started their classes from Today.

And also I started to go for a walk with children as usual.

On the way to the school I said "Good bye" and went to the beach today too.

When I got to the beach I found a couple who has just come to the beach, and they were preparing for surfing.

The sunshine in the morning was very comfortable.....

Are the cherry blossoms still blooming over here? - - Mt. Amagi

Last Sunday we went to Mishima for shopping all together.

I think the last time which I went to Mishima with my family was 2 years ago.

This is a picture over looking Shirahama, which I took at Ogasaki Wing, the entrance of Shimoda city.

It was sunny and gorgeous day, but we had strong wind. So we could see the white waves over there.

We started to go again to get to Mishima city......

 

The clouds in the sky - - Shirahama Ohama Beach

In these days the weather is changing day after day.
So it is difficult to know the weather of tomorrow.

This morning it was sunny here in Shirahama but it became cloudy after around noon.

However I could see Izu seven island over that ocean clearly.

But they had a little good wave there were many surfers getting in the water.......

Foot Spa ( Bath ) in front of Izukyu-shimoda station

In Izu peninsula there are many places which have Onsen ( Hot Spring ).

Shimoda is also very famous for Onsen.

If you come to Shimoda by train you find big palm trees in front of the station building.
And you can touch the natural hot spring like my son Yuuki under the trees.

"How is the water, Yuuki?"

" Too hot, dad! "

I show you another Onsen which you can find there.....................

It was huge storm, almost typhoon in Shimoda!

How do you think about this?

It started to rain last night and came to Shimoda with strong wind.
My daughter didn't have classes of the school today because of this strong storm.

It seemed like a movie the big wave coming over that protection from the wave.

I show you the picture of this port, which I took under the sunshine.......

Ice Cream on The Beach

Today it was very warm here in Shirahama.
So I went to the beach with my children.

Before that, we went to "Family Mart" near the beach to buy ice cream and ate it on the beach.

There were some surfers in the water but they don't have good wave today.

I show you the water of Shirahama beach .......

Blue Sky and Blue Sea came back again!

"Beautiful, gorgeous and fantastic!"

Yesterday it was rainny and the sea was grey, but the blue sky and blue sea came back again today.

When I went to Shimoda I took this picture on the way to the beach.

"I don't want to live in the big city. I love the beautiful sea like this!", my daughter said today....

Very cold and rainny in Shirahama

It had been very cold here in Shirahama since 2 days ag0.

I heard that they had snow in Aomori Pref. and somewhere else.

Yes, it was almost winter today, but I found some surfers in the sea.

Aren't they cold?
I can't belive it!

Sand Ski on Shirahama Beach

"I have nothing to do, dad!"

My daughter Hikari is in a spring holidays.

"Well, let's go to the beach after cleaning up the guest room today!"

It was very warm and we didn't have a wind here in Shirahama today.

When we got to the beach my children started to run on the sand without shoe. .....

Swimming in the sea - - Shirahama Beach

Yesterday as my daughter went to her friend's home I went to pick her up in the afternoon.

After that we went to the beach to take pictures.

We had a strong storm here the day before yesterday, that's why they had big waves in Shirahama.

When I was holding my camera I found a family who was staying in our Pension.......

The Babies of Cherry - - Kawazu Sakura

I heard that there are some cherry trees "Kawazu Sakura" which have cherry blossoms in Kawazu town now.
As the blooming was very late this winter they are still blooming.

This is a same kind of cherry tree which is in front of the entrance of Pension Sakuraya.

After blooming this tree already has a lof of cherry now. ....

   

It's too cold!! - - Shirahama Ohama Beach

Today it was very warm too!

So I went to Shirahama Ohama Beach with my son Yuuki.

When we arrived at the beach we got of the shoes and started to run to the waters soon.

Actually the water is too cold, but my son was very excited there.....

Low tide in Shirahama, Shimoda

Today my son Yuuki and I went to "Shirahama Chuou Beach" by car.

When we were going down the hill to Route 135 we found the blue sea after about 1 week.
In these days we had not be able to see the sea and the mountain clearly.

After parking our car at the parking lot near the beach we got into the beach soon.
When we got to the seaside the tide was at its lowest and there were rocks along the beach side.....

 

Horsetail and Today's Shirahama Beach

Have you ever seen this?

It's called "Tsukushi" in Japanese (Horsetail in English).
I took this photo in Minami-Izu town yesterday.

We Japanese feel a spring with this horsetail.
Yes, spring has come in Izu peninsula.

I show you today's Shirahama beach .......

Minami Sakura and Rape blossoms Festival 2008 was finished ...

Minami Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) and Nanohana (Rape Blossoms) festival which started on February 5 was finished yesterday, March 10.

As my wife wanted to go to Shimoda for shopping my son and I went together and we went to Minami Izu town to see the flowers.

In Shimogamo there is a big field of rape blossoms and when we got to this field my son started to run into the rape blossoms. ......

 

Yuuki's favorite place is .......

It was yesterday afternoon.

When I was working in my office my daughter, Hikari came to my ofiice and said,

"Come on, dad! Hurry up!"

Before that my children, Akari, Hikari and Yuuki were playing together in a dinning room downstairs.
And I heard that Hikari said to my son Yuuki,

"Are you sleepy, Yuuki?"

So I knew why my daughter called me and I went to the dinning room with my camera soon ....

The Fireworks Festival 2008 in Shirahama will take place on .....

Have you ever seen "The Fireworks in Shirahama"?

It had been held on the second Saturday in every July until last year.

But the typhoon came to Shirahama directly last summer on second Saturday, so they had to change the date to August 26.

I don't know that's why, but the fireworks 2008 will take place on ......

   

The Sand on The Beach in Shirahama

This afternoon, when I went to Shimoda for shopping I went to the beach to take photos before that.

And when I was going to take a photo hanging my camera I noticed the sand around me.

Look at this photo!

As we had a strong wind today the wind made an art on the beach. .....

 

A Small Port "Itado" in Shirahama

Last night we had a strong wind and heavy rain here in Shirahama. Yes, it seemed like typhoon.

But today it was very beautiful day, so I went to the small port to see the ships with my son, Yuuki.

It takes about 40 minutes by walking from Sakuraya.
There were many kinds of small and big ships.

Yuuki said,

"I want to get on that ship, dad!"

I understand him but there was nobody and we couldn't get on without permission. ......

Suzaki Walking Trail in Shimoda, Cape Tsumekizaki

Last week I went to Suzaki Walking Trail for the first time with my son, Yuuki.

I moved to Shimoda 15 years ago but I have never been there.

There is a bus line from Shimoda station but we went there by car this time.

The walking trail is 2,8km. I think this is not long but we can walk on the seaside looking Izu seven islands and ships going across the sea.....

Sotoura Beach and Shirahama Beach

As my son, Yuuki wanted to go somewhere we went to the beach today.

Have you ever been to Sotoura Beach in Shimoda?

This beach is located between Shirahama and Shimoda town and it takes only 3 or 4 minutes by car from Sakuraya.
There is a parking lot in front of the beach and it is free except busy season, so it is very convnient to park and play on the beach.

In addition this beach is a big creek so they don't have big wave here.
It is very helpful for the children who don't like big wave.

We came back to Shirahama beach after that.....

 

From the Top of Mt. Takane in Shirahama

Today it was really beautiful here in Shimoda. I can't believe that there were black clounds in the sky yesterday.

This afternoon I went to Mt. Takane, the highest mountain in Shimoda, with my son, Yuuki.

I took this photo on the top of this mountain. I could see Izu Seven Islands clearly over Shirahama beach.

I am showing the photo which I took on the other side .......