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

Sunrise in Shirahama

"It's 6 and half o'clock, dad !"

My daughter, Akari said to me and made me get up this morning.

"Oh, my god ! I have to prepare your lunch box !"

My daughters go to the school at around 7:00am every morning, so I had to prepare the breakfast for them at first.
Last night  I went to the bed at 1:30am, but I slept for too long time.

My daughters are waked up by my wife every morning, but Akari was worring if I can get up earlier than usual.  That's why she got up by herself this morning.

By the way I have a fever now, probably I have a cold instead of my wife.
I have a lot of things to do, but..... .

Kawazu Sakura in our garden

As in these days it had been very warm here in Shirahama, Sakura tree could have a Sakura blossoms.

We have several trees of Sakura in our garden, but this Sakura is about 8 years old, which is near the entrance.

Last year this tree had only 10 flowers, but it has a lot of buds in this stage this year.

We look forward to seeing all of Sakura blossoms.

By the way my son had cold from yesterday.....

Shirahama in the afternoon and the night

Today we had a little wind but it was very beautiful today.

How was your town ?

I took this photo on the rocks at the southern area of Shirahama beach.

The sky was really blue and the sea was shinning under the sun.
As I had a meeting in the night, I took a photo at the beach too..... .

A Fire Festival of Mt. Omuro

Today I went to Ito city, where it takes about 50 minutes by car, to see the Fire Festival of  Mt. Omuro with my son.

Before getting there we had a taraffic jam but we could get there at around 11:30.

From just noon this festival started with the sound of fireworks.

My children at Shirahama beach

"Where are you going?" My daughter Akari asked me.

"I'm going for shopping for guest's dinner."

"Me too !"

Actually I was in a hurry because I had to prepare the dinner.
But at last I decided to go to the supermarket with my daughters Akari and Hikari, and my son Yuuki. 

In my mind I was going to the beach with them to take a photo.

 

Kawazu Sakura Festival

From today, February 10th, "Kawazu Sakura Festival" is held in Kawazu town until March 10th.

I usually go to shopping to Shimoda, but today, I went to the supermarket in Kawazu town and saw this festival with my son, Yuuki.

In order to the information of Kawadu Sakura blooming , that I found through the internet, almost of every trees did not have Sakura bloomed.
After walking wiht my son I found one of trees, that had the flower of Sakura...
.

A silent beach, Shirahama

It was strong windy yesterday, but today it was really silent in Shirahama.

There were only 2 couples in the beach. One of them was walking along the beach side and sometimes taking a photo.

When I was taking a photo I noticed one thing.

It was about 3:30pm. The sun was setting .....

Rape blossoms in Minami Izu

Today it was sunny, so I went to Minami Izu (Southern Izu) to take a photo of rape blossoms.

This place is a gate of "Shimokamo Onsen", there is a big field of rapes.

We have "Cherry and rape blossoms festival" in this area every year and "Rape blossoms wedding ceremony" will be held in this field on February 12th, Sunday. It is real wedding and 1 couple will be married.
　Would you like to see the photos of this wedding? (Japanese only)

A ship on the ocean

When I went to the beach and holded my camera to take a photo, I found a couple.

They were walking slowly together.

I guess they are travellers and came to Shirahama to have a slow time.

Could they have a lovely time in this afternoon?

Dream, over the ocean

A time is going as usual...

Something is changing while I do'nt realize.

What is there under that cloud?

What is there over that ocean?

A cloud is going toward that blue sky...

A dream is coming slowly from over that ocean.....

 

Secret cave and Sand ski in Touji beach

My wife said to me " I want to finish my work of accounting, so please be with Yuuki for 2 days."

That's why I went to Kawazu and Amagi mountain with my children yesterday.

I had an appointment in Shimoda this afternoon, so I wanted to go and decided to go to Touji beach.

Yes, they have a Secret cave and Sand ski in Touji.

Snow in Shirahama

"It snows this morning !"

When my wife said so, I got up soon and saw outside.

Yes, there were a lot of snow around our Pension.

"I go to take photos."

After I said so, I went to the beach with my camera.
I could take a photo of snow in Shirahama beach after about 10 years.

Kawazu Sakura

When I got up this morning it was very cold in Shirahama, because it snowed.

"When does the spring come this year?"

When I saw the snow this morning I thought like that.

But the spring had already come in Kawazu town next to Shirahama.

Many ships in Shirahama

It was very strong windy today.

In the winter we sometimes have windy day like today.

Especially west wind is really strong. That's why many ships come to Shirahama beach to wait this wind finish.

I heard that about 500 ships go through over Irozaki cape a day, it is very dangerous for these ships when the wind is strong.

Camellia and sea - Shirahama beach

It was heavy rainny day yesterday, but today is sunny. The carpenters started to break the roof again from this morning.

By the way when I went to the postoffice, I went to the beach to take a photo. Then I found the tree of "Tsubaki" (Camellia) by the sea.

The color of red of Tsubaki and blue of sea are really beautiful.

Jetfoil from Shimoda to Izuoshima and Tateyama

From this month, February this Jetfoil goes to Izuoshima and Tateyama in Chiba Pref for 1 month.

In this season "Tsubaki (Camellia) Festival in Izuoshima and Kawazu Sakura(Cherry blossom) Festival in Kawazu and Minami Izu are held, so this ship is operated from February 8th to March 14th.

The first Jetfoil was build by The Boeing Company in 1975.

 

Yes, I am studying... .

Hello, I am Yuuki.

Today it was rainny in Shirahama, so I was in my house all day.

After school my sisters came back to home and teached me how to write on the paper.

At that time my sister said to my mother .........

 

A secret cave in Shirahama

Today it was very warm, so I went to this place to take a photo.

I walked down the small road in the bush from Route 135, there are big rocks and I can find this cave.

(You can see the photo of rocks and sea, that I took last January in the main page of our website.)

It is a really fantastic place here, but probably most travellers do not know it.

Do you know where it is?

Sakuraya's building will be under repair.

From tomorrow we will start to repair our building.

This time we will repair the roof, the walls outside and the walls of inside of Japanese style rooms.
So we can not be able to accept the reservation until March 20th.

But we accept the reservation of only February 10th, Friday and 11th, Saturday.

After all construction we are looking forward to meeting you again at renewed Sakuraya.

Please understand our situation. Thank you very much.

"Inubashiri" embankment in Shimoda harbor

Actually I went to take a photo yersterday and was going to post this photo last night.

But I had new year party last night and I came back to my home at around 1:30am.
Besides I drunk so much, so could not post this photo.

This place is "Inubashiri" embankment in Shimoda, near Shimoda blanch of Japan coast guard.
In Summer a lot of people come here for fishing.
There is a rental house of fishing tools, pole, food for fish, bucket and etc, so we can rent it 1,500 yen if we do not have any tools for fishing.

But this house was closed yesterday, probable they open it during summer.

When I went to this embankment one of them told me, "I could get a lot of sardines yesterday, but today ....... ."

Why don't you have a good time there when you come to Shimoda?

The pheonix palm tree and aloe in Shirahama, Shimoda

Today it was sunny and beautiful too, so I went to take a photo.
This is one of my favorite place in Shirahama, near the gate of Shimoda city, "Ogasaki Wing".

In my home country, Miyazaki Prefecture in Kyushu, we can see a lot of palm trees in many places, for example, at the main street of Miyazaki city, on the road from airport, along the river and etc.

I had been watching this scenery since I was born.

When I moved here 12 years ago, I found these trees at many places in Shimoda too.

That's why I love Shirahama and Shimoda.

Flower Field of Narcissus

My son Yuuki and me took a walk around our Pension  under the warm sunlight today.

After that we spend a time at the flower field of Narcissus "Suisen".

We found some melons, "Hayato Uri" in Japanese, that we cook it for pickles of Miso every winter in the field.

It was very slow time and slow day today.

Aloe's flower in Shirahama

Have you ever seen this flower?

Have you ever eaten it?

This flower is Aloe, very delicious flower!

As this flower has honey in each small one, it is very sweet. That's why many birds come to get it and we sometimes eat it as Tempura.

Now in Shirahama, the Aloe festival is held at Itado area.

Suisen Festval at Tsumekizaki cape in Shimoda

Since yesterday afternoon, it has been sunny and beutiful in Shimoda.
Today my son Yuuki, my wife and me went to Tsumekizaki in Shimoda to see "Suisen Festival", the flowers of Narcissus.

In this photo we can see the light house on the cape, small creek and Izu seven islands in Pacific ocean behind my son.
Suisen flowers are blooming but .......

Yes, beautiful day, Shirahama beach!!

I was looking forward to today's weather.

It was cloudy everyday last week, so I could not take a photo of the beach.

But I was very happy that I could do it at last.

Look on the top of that island!

 

It is very cold outside but my children are ....

Today it was very cold and rainny in Shirahama.

When I was watching TV news in this morning a lot of students were going into the gate of University to take the examination of Nation University through the falling snow.
In according to this TV news,  the English Listenning Test started from this year and all
of students who want to get into the National University have to take it.
I think that it is good for them but really hard for them and their parents.

I love this car!

Hello, I am Yuuki.

I am pleased with this my sister's car, and I sometimes play with it in the kitchen.
Especially, when my dad and mam are busy, I play alone.

Recently I can go ahead, and I often fall and cryed.  But I start to ride on the car again. Because I love this car!

Have you ever seen these dolls?

These dolls are witch, doctor, nurse, boxer, father and girl with bikini in the center.

These dolls are made of soil.

The height of these dolls are about 5 centimeters. If you drop it on the concret, it would be broken.

Do you know where these dolls are from?

Do you know the flower "Suisen"? - Shirahama beach in Shimoda

When I went shopping I went to Shirahama beach to take a photo of winter flower.
Do you know  this flower?  Have you ever seen it in Japan?

This flower is called "Suisen" in Japanese, it means Narcissus or Daffodil.
In Shimoda we have "Suisen Festival" in every winter at Tsumekizaki cape. (It takes about 15 minutes by car from Sakuraya.)
There is a right house on the hill and small creek in front of the flowers, so we can see and feel the beautiful Japanese local nature with Pacific Ocean and Izu seven islands, and  it would be good experience for you.
Please see the photos that I took there a few years ago.
Suisen Festival

Yuuki in Shirahama beach

It was cloudy today in Shirahama, but my son "Yuuki" and I went to the beach to take a walk.

Yuuki loves the sea and the water. When I took him near the sea, he suddenly started to walk toward the water.  I took  him back  but he  repeated  it again and again.

After that he found the cap of juice bottle and started to play with it lying on the sand. Lovely baby, Yuuki!

"Hello, everybody! My mother bought me this yellow cap. It looks good on me, right?!

"By the way my father posted the photos of Yunessun where we went 2 days ago into Sakuraya's Webpage. Please check it out. You can see the photos of my sister and me!"

Hakone Kowakien Yunessun