to Niigata City and Tochio, my native town (2)

(April 19, Saturday)

It was a lovely morning.
The blue sky was very beautiful.

I walked to the beach.
On the way I saw beautiful cherry blossoms.

Wow! The sea, too, was so blue and beautiful!
Sado Island was seen.

I boarded a local train to Nagaoka, not Shinkansen.
Then I took a bus to Tochio.

(my yuki-tsubaki in Niigata)


(cherry blossoms on the way to the beach)


(on the beach)

to Niigata City and Tochio, my native town (1)

(April 18, Friday)

Last Friday I got up earlier than usual and hurried
to catch the Jo-etsu Shinkansen.

When my train arrived at Yotsuya Station, it was announced
that all the trains on Chuo Line would be cancelled because of
some trouble with fixed signals at Musashi-sakai Station.

All the passengers were forced to get off the train.
Anyway, I managed to arrive at Tokyo Station.
I took the 10:12 Shinkansen to Niigata.

I was looking out of the window and enjoyed rice fields country.
Farmers were preparing to plant rice shoots.

I spent a very busy day, because I was planning to go to
my native town, Tochio, the next day.

I was born and brought up there until I became 18 years old

(from the window of the Shinkansen)






(in Niigata City)

going home, to Niigata

It was cloudy in the morning and began to rain
in the afternoon.

I waited for koharu's coming home from school
on the corner of the street.
I was wondering if she had taken an umbrella with her.

There she came! She was walking with her umbrella
over her head.
She started to run as soon as she noticed me on the corner.

When koharu's mother came home I said good-bye
to them and walked to my apartment.

I made a long detour and enjoyed walking in the rain.
I walked 12000 steps today.

I'm going home --to Niigata-- early tomorrow morning.
See you next week.

(today's flowers in the rain)

today's Tamagawa-josui

My apartment faces Tamagawa-josui as I often writes.

When I open the window of my room I see Tamagawa-josui
in the first photo below.

What a beautiful day!

Every living thing along Tamagawa-josui is now shining with
plenty of light.

This is the season of fresh green, isn't it?

Ginza, in Tokyo

A cold, cloudy spring day
Strolling, talking and eating in Ginza
Who can ease her grief?

I met her at Tokyo Station at noon.
We went to Ginza and had a delicious lunch
at a restaurant.

Late in the afternoon we went to Fugetsudo Ginza
and enjoyed "Afternoon Tea," which was much more
substantial than that I had enjoyed in England.

We talked looking at passers-by on the vehicle-free
promenade of Ginza.

It is one year and four months since her husband
passed away.

She was trying to overcome her grief.
She was trying to live a new life by herself.

On the way to Tokyo Station, I saw a new curving building.
Is a curving building stronger in earthquakes than
an ordinary one?