on December 28, 2017

It's a lovely day again.

The day is approaching to see
the old year out
and the new year in.

I'm sorry to say we've had more bad news
than good news this year.

Do I feel like this
because I'm getting older or
because I'm not in good condition?

Am I too pessimistic?

I hope we'll have
much joy and cheerful news
in the coming year.

Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year!

(tamagawa-josui, today)

sunny December

Here in Tokyo, we have been enjoying
beautiful weather, though it's very cold
in the morning and evening.

As I was born and grew up in a snowy district
in Niigata Ken, I can't believe it is winter now.

How happy I am to look up
at the beautiful sky!

I remember enduring the hard winters in Niigata.

We used to have a heavy snow in all the winters
from the year 1970 to the year 2000.

===============

Weather is changeable because of global warming.

Nobody can stop climatic changes.

Japan might be a country with no seasonal changes
in the near future, I'm afraid.

( 花梨 in my daughter's yard )

Christmas presents

Christmas is approaching.

My friend baked stollen,　シュトーレン,
a rich German fruit and nut loaf,
and gave one to me with a box of tea leaves.



Her stollen is delicious!
Thank you so much, Dear friend!

Today we had a Christmas party
in Friday English Class at Kominkan.

We read four Christmas songs in English,
none of which I know:

・Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
・It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas
・Winter Wonderland
・Sleigh Ride.

Then we listened to these songs sung by singers
and we tried singing them.

Our teacher brought us Christmas presents.

We had a game in English
and each of us was given a present one by one.

I won a bottle of red wine!





These were from each of members—
too much for me!



What a pleasant time we had!

to downtown Tokyo (2)

I was a bit tired but Mrs. M and I went to Tokyo Station
by subway.

Yes, we wanted to go to the Marunouchi Square
in front of Tokyo Station--丸の内駅前広場.

The Square has just opened with fresh design.

It is a splendid square!



We walked along 行幸通り toward the Imperial Palace.



We sat on a bench and enjoyed talking a lot.

(near Palace Hotel Tokyo)


Then Mrs. M took me to KITTE.
We saw a beautiful big Christmas tree!





It was a wonderful Saturday.

Thank you so much, Mrs.M!

I walked 14960 steps in a day.

to downtown Tokyo (1)

The day before yesterday, it was a lovely day
and Mrs. M and I went to Roppongi and Marunouchi.

First, we went to Suntory Museum of Art
サントリー美術館 in　六本木・東京ミッドタウン
and enjoyed セーヴル、創造の３００年（づランス宮廷の磁器）.









There was a room where cameras were allowed.







Every work looked beautiful, elegant and elaborate.

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝

We walked to The National Art Center, Tokyo.
（国立新美術館, 六本木)
and had a sandwich for lunch there.



After lunch, we went to the Exhibition of
Shinkai Makoto 新海　誠.





The exhibition rooms were
full of young people
and we could hardly
see the exhibition.

I remembered Shinkai's latest work 「君の名は。」
--the record-breaking smash.

“Shinkai's big fans are all coming here!” I thought.

Did you see the movie 「君の名は。」？
I did.