2014/9/28
Yesterday morning, it was cloudy in Kodaira.
I checked Mt. Fuji on the Internet.
Wow! there was no cloud in the sky.
Against the blue sky, Mt. Fuji looked really beautiful.
I said to myself, ”It's the time to go to Kawaguchiko
to see Mt. Fuji.”
I hurried to Kokubunji Station.
I changed trains at Takao for Otsuki.
I happened to sit next to an Italian couple on the train
to Otsuki—Mr. and Mrs. F from Italy.
I asked them if they spoke English.
They said yes and we started to talk in English.
They asked me to help them to buy tickets for Kawaguchiko
at Otsuki Station.
“We have been in Japan only for a week and we are leaving
Japan tomorrow.
We want to see Mt. Fuji at Kawaguchiko before leaving Japan.
We have no plan there.
Would you mind if we go with you and spend the time
in Kawaguchiko with you?”
I said, “ Of course, NOT. I'll be very happy to spend
this lovely day with you.”

First we went to かちかち山 by ropeway.



I was surprised to find many people from abroad there.
I heard several languages spoken there.
We went up to a little higher place.


I had onigiri and they bought 「たぬき団子」for lunch.
Then we walked along Lake Kawaguchiko.






We walked on, crossed 河口湖大橋 and walked
along the other side of Lake Kawaguchiko.
We took them to my favorite hotel 富士レークホテル
and had a tea break. What a happy time!
We were just in time for ホリデー快速 at 4:00.
I said them good-bye and got off the train at Tachikawa.
We enjoyed talking a lot in English.
They showed me pictures of their family—their two sons
and their parents.
What a wonderful day I had!
I walked 16712 steps in a day.
2014/9/26
Last evening, I went to Tachikawa Cinema
and watched an Indian movie.
The original title is “English Vinglish”.
Japanese title is 「マダム イン ニューヨーク」
I was interested in the Japanese title and decided
to go to Tachikawa and watch the movie.
I've never been to New York.
I wanted to know how an Indian lady who could not
speak English at all would live in New York.
What an interesting movie!
The heroine is a quiet, sweet tempered housewife.
I'm sure almost all housewives will agree with her.
What an attractive housewife she is!
Please read the following pages,
if you'd like to know more about this movie.
http://eiga.com/movie/80110/critic/
http://madame.ayapro.ne.jp/intro.html



2014/9/24
On the day of equinox (yesterday),
it was a beautiful day.
I couldn't stay indoors.
I left my apartment as soon as I finished my housework.
Where did I go by myself?
It was to 大國魂神社 in Fuchu City that I went.
I wanted to know about the shrine.
I knew nothing about it.
I went there by bus.

First I cleansed my hands here.



I prayed silently at the main shrine.

Then I paid 200 yen and visited 宝物殿.

No cameras were allowed there.
I watched a DVD of 「くらやみ祭」 of 大國魂神社
in 宝物殿.

On the way back, I enjoyed a street performance
「猿回し by 太郎倶楽部」.



I laughed a lot.
I was happy to see many little boys and girls.
They were all excited to see the performances
by the monkey.
I had a very good day.
I walked 12784 steps in a day.
2014/9/21
Autumn has come earlier this year.
彼岸花 along Tamagawa-josui has suddenly come out!
I was surprised to find 彼岸花 had already come out
when I was walking along Tamagawa-josui yesterday.
Oh, how beautiful you are, 彼岸花!
I wonder why you don't have any leaves.
Anyway, how glad I am to see you again, 彼岸花!



2014/9/18
Today SY-san and I went to 三菱一号館美術館
in Marunouchi, Tokyo and Vallotton’s (ヴァロットン)
paintings and print-makings.


I did not know about him, nor have I seen his artworks before.
(Wikipedia--You can enjoy some of his works.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Vallotton
I was very interested in his works.
There was something sharp, pure, warm, or cynical
in his paintings.
三菱一号館美術館 is a very nice museum.
I love it.
(in the courtyard)


Then we walked to 二重橋.
(正門石橋・・・めがね橋)

(正門鉄橋・・・ふたえ橋)

SY-san used to work around 丸の内 when young.
So I followed her and enjoyed walking with her.

We had a happy autumn day.
I walked 16240 steps in a day.
2014/9/15
What a lovely day!
Yesterday I joined ‘Green Road Walking Club’
and enjoyed walking in Yokosuka.
(schedule)
小平駅 ⇒ 高田馬場 ⇒ 品川駅 ⇒ 堀之内駅 ⇒
浦賀駅 ⇒ 浦賀の渡し船場(東浦賀側)⇒ 浦賀の渡し船場(新町側)⇒
愛宕山公園 ⇒ 浦賀奉行所跡 ⇒ 燈明崎・浦賀燈明堂 ⇒
川間トンネル ⇒ 開国橋 ⇒ ペリー通り ⇒ ペリー記念館
京急久里浜駅 ⇒ 品川駅 ⇒ 高田馬場 ⇒ 小平駅
We 20 members met at Kodaira Station at 9:00
and arrived at Uraga Station at 11:00.
Wow! A festival was going on!

We walked to 浦賀の渡し船場 and crossed 浦賀港 by a small boat.



Here was another procession!

We had onigiri-lunch at 燈明堂 looking at the beautiful sea.


We left 燈明堂 at 1:30 pm and walked for 京急久里浜駅.

We walked through 川間トンネル and walked along ペリー通り
to ペリー記念館.



Then we walked along 花の道 to 京急久里浜駅.
I arrived at my apartment at 5:30pm.
I was tired but a good tired.
I walked 20597 steps in a day.
2014/9/10
On my way back from Wednesday English Class at KIFA,
the thunder suddenly rolled in the sky and the rain came
down in buckets.
I opened my umbrella but it was such a heavy rain that
I was thoroughly soaked.
There was a police box on the way and I asked the policeman
to let me in there.
He was kind enough to say, “Stay here until the rain stops.”
What a relief!
Thank you, policeman!
A heavy rain warning has been issued for many cities in Tokyo.
I hope we'll have no damage.
(yesterday's photos, tamagawa-josui)

