It's not only rainy and windy, but also warm here in Shimoda this morning.
This is Kawazu Sakura tree in a parking lot in Shirahama.
It has just started blooming.
This season Sakura blooming in Izu peninsula is too late due to the coldness.
Is the warmth this morning a good helper for them to bloom?
This afternoon I went to Shirahama shrine with my family.
It was a first vist of this year for us.
We, Japanese visit shrine at the beginning of new year to pray our health and happiness.
As we are in the new year holiday there were a lot of people there.
Click here to see the picture which I took today.
Pension Sakuraya in Shimoda, Japan
This morning I took my daughter to the school and went to Shimoda downtown after thatn.
When I was driving in downtown I found out the dried fishes out of shop on the road.
I asked him to take pictures, and he told me that he waked up at 2:00 am every day.
"Every day?"
I said and he answered.
"Yes, because I have to start to make dried fishes to provide them to the travellers before noon."
"Really?"......
On last Friday I went to Toi town in Izu city, on the other side of Izu peninsula, with my wife and her friends.
Long time ago there used be a lot of gold mine in this peninsula, but Toi gold mine was the largest one.
We can get into the mine by walking and there are museum and suvenir shops.
Here is a web page of this gold mine museum, which I have just made tonight.
You can see all pictures on the web page on facebook album here.
Pension Sakuraya in Shimoda, Japan
During summer, as we are very busy we can't go anywhere with my children.
However, when we have a time I go to the beach for swimming with my children twice or 3 times a summer.
I was going to the beach today again, but it was cloudy. So I decided to go to the aquarium with my son, Yuuki.
It was a second time for him to go there.
My son was very excited and happy today.
Every year we have a Fireworks Festival in Shirahama in this season.
The rainy season sometimes is not over at the middle of July, so we have to be worry about the weather.
But this year it had been already over at the beginning of this month, we didn't need to worry about it.
Shirahama Fireworks Festival is very famous of this firework on the water.
It was very beautiful.
Last night, when I was looking for the photos in my computer I found out this photo.
I took this photo in June 2003. It means I took this 8 years ago.
In those days my daughters were 7 years and 4 years old, and I used to go to many places with them. But now they don't.....
Anyway I took this photo at Shimoda park in Shimoda city.
Yes, Ajisai ( Hydrangea ) Festival is taking place from June 1st to 30th.......
Continue reading "2011/06/02 Ajisai (Hydrangea) Festival in Shimoda" »
Today it was warmer than yesterday.
After I prepared the room, bath and everything for our customers I went to Ogasaki Wing to take pictures for the webpage "Walking Guide in Shirahama" on our website.
The distance between Sakuraya and Ogasaki Wing is about 6 or 7 kirometers, and it takes about 1 hour by walking.
Before getting to Ogasaki Wing there is a steep staircases like this photo.
It was really hard to climb up this carrying the bike on my shoulder.
Today Shirahama Beach Walking Guied Part 2 was completed.
In these web pages I was going to use the photos with people or my families, and I was looking for the good photos for each place.
I have a lot of photos which I have been taking in Shirahama since 10 years ago.
I selected some photos for this guide, but actually it seems like my lovely son's photogallary.
Check out Shirahama Beach Walking Guide from Part 1
You can click the links to go to Part 2 down this page.
Now it is 9:00 PM in Shimoda, Japan.
We have a cold and strong wind like typhoon outside. The weather forcast says it would be snowy tomorrow morning, but we can't expect it because Shimoda is very warm.
By the way, yesterday when I was walking in Shirahama I went to Shirahama shrine.
And then I found out a tree with a lot of pink blossoms like this photo.
Now in Kawazu town and Minami-Izu town Sakura festa is taking place, but the color of blossom is different from theirs.
I was wondering, but I went to my friend's house to ask about it.....
Continue reading "2011/02/11 New kind of Sakura "Shirahama Ikona" at Shirahama shrine" »
I have been thinking to make this for several years because we have a lot of foreign customeres from all over the world and most of them don't understand Japanese.
And I started to make it this week at last.
I was thinking it would take a long time for it, but actually I was right.
It took one day to make a map with photos, and it took looooong time more than 3 days to make this web page after that.
Anyway I have just finished the 1st page tonight.
Would you like to see it?
Fuuuu, I am getting tired......
Yesterday we had an opening ceremony of Sakura (Cherry blossom) Festival here in Izu peninsula.
In Japan the most famous Sakura blooms in April, which is called "Someiyoshino".
But Kawazu Sakura is different from them and it blooms for about one month!
Yes, it is very famous for its long blooming and pink color.
This Kawazu Sakura festival is taken place from February 5th to March 10th in Kawazu town and Minami-Izu town every year.
Continue reading "2011/02/06 Kawazu Sakura Festival 2011 has started in Izu!" »
Today it was sunny and very warm here in Shimoda, so I went for walking.
I took this photo at the tip of Mihogasaki cape.
It takes about 20 minutes by walking from Sakuray.
As the air was very clear I was able to get the beautiful scenary with Izu seven islands on pacific ocean.
Of course we can see Shirahama beach on the other side.
This season it is very good for walking, because we can take good photos of the ocean and the naturre.
This morning, as I woke up a little later than usual, I took my daughter to her school by car.
When I left my house the sun had just risen up on the horizon.
So I went to the beach behind Shirahama shrine to take photos.
By the way, now in Shimoda there are many people who got influenza after last weekend.
My daughter had already got it on last Friday or Saturday, so this had prevented her from going to school.
And my wife has had fever at last.
Are you going to visit Japan this winter?
Please be careful not to get influenza.
You should bring or buy a flu mask and wash your hands every time.
I took this photo at around 7:30 am at the different place from yesterday.
It was sunny this morning, and there was no big cloud in the sky.
That's why I was able to take a photo with shinning sun and there was a golden road on the sea.
Do you see the island under the sun?
That's called "Toshima" island.
It takes about 1 hour and 35 minutes by ship from Shimoda harbor.
Do you know what the circumference of that island is?
It is only 8 kilometers and only 300 people live there.
80 % of that island is covered with camellia trees and the amount of production of camellia oil is best in Japan.
There is no beach in that island, so the most popular sports are diving and fishing.
Would you like to go there?
Last night we had a lot of thunder at around midnight.
I cut the power of my computer in a hurry, but it was not big deal and there was no problem.
And this morning it still was cloudy here in Shirahama, but I was able to see Izu Seven Islands on the horizon.
It was sunny over those islands, I guess.
By the way, when I went to kindergarten to pick my son up I found out the flowers there.
Continue reading "2010/12/07 Izu Seven Islands & Narcissus ( Daffodil ) Festival in Shimoda" »
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....
Continue reading "2010/05/27 An article about Pension Sakuraya on Tokyo Notice Board!!" »
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....
This morning I went to the primary school with my daughter and children for walking.
After we arrived at the school I went to Itado area in Shirahama alone.
When I was walking on the small road in the farmer's field ithe pink tree has appeared suddenly in front of me.
This tree has already had a lot of blossoms and buds.
This tree is called "Kawazu Sakura".
Next month we will have Kawazu Sakura festival around Shimoda.
It means one year would had already passed since last festival.
"Time flies like an arrow."
Today it was sunny too.
The air temperature was going up and up and very hot at last.
This morning I went to Shirahama post office and went a little futher to Ogasaki Wing.
Ogasaki Wing is located at the entrance of Shimoda city on Rout 135, and this is one of good view points in Izu peninsula.
From this points we can look over Shirahama Beach, Suzaki peninsula and Izu seven islands.
I show you the photo of Shirahama beach taken from this point. .......
Continue reading "Sunny again in Shirahama - - Ogasaki Wing View Point" »
When I went to Shimoda I went to Shimoda park to check the blooming of cherry trees.
This year it has been cold in these days, so Sakura trees started to bloom slowly.
But I was able to see some trees have already bloomed in this park.
There are a lot of cherry trees on the river side in Shimoda downtown, but I don't know if I can go there soon because we will be busy this week.
Today it was very beutiful day.
When I saw the ocean from our pension I could see Izu Oshima island clearly, so I desided to go to Mt. Nesugata-yama by Cable car with my wife and son.
It's only 3 minutes by calbe car to get to the top from the cable car station near Izukyu Shimoda station.
As I was thinking we could get very beutiful senery from the top of mountain like this picture........
Continue reading "Sakura is fully blooming. - - Shimoda Ropeway (Cable Car)" »
Have you ever gotten on this train?
This train is called Limited Express Train "Super View Odoriko".
If you travel to Shimoda with small child by train from Tokyo area I recommend you this train because this train has a particuler space for children.....
.
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.....
.
Continue reading "69th Black Ship Festival 2008 - Official Parade " »
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......
Continue reading "Are the cherry blossoms still blooming over here? - - Mt. Amagi" »
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.....................
Continue reading "Foot Spa ( Bath ) in front of Izukyu-shimoda station" »
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. ......
Continue reading "Minami Sakura and Rape blossoms Festival 2008 was finished ..." »
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 ......
Continue reading "The Fireworks Festival 2008 in Shirahama will take place on ....." »
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. ......
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.....
Continue reading "Suzaki Walking Trail in Shimoda, Cape Tsumekizaki " »
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