This is my another favorite song.
When I was at university, I belonged to Broadcasting Society,
where I did a kind of Disc Jockey.
I listened to many English albums
although I couldn't understand as much as I can now.
I happened to find this music and remember the day.
This is for you!
I hope you like it too!!
2 more days in 2011!
Please finish unfinished things before 2012 comes!
I went to a concert with my sister yesterday.
The singer's name is Masaharu Fukuyama.
He is also an actor, song writer and entertainer.
My sister is a big fan of him and I started to listen to his songs.
During the concert, we saw a video looking back his 2011.
Of course, the video included the scenes of the East Japan Disasters on 311.
And what he did was also shown.
About 17,000 people at concert hall watched and nodded, sharing the same feeling and emotions.
As one of them, many memories and emotions came up in my mind.
At the end of the year, there are many TV programs and events, looking back the year 2011.
Some scenes and facts are new.
Now we can hear the true voices of people who suffered.
I guess all the Japanese share the same feeling right now.
Japanese will never forget the year 2011.
My life was changed a lot this year.
At some points, I felt nothing moved on.
But when I looked back, my life was changed dramatically.
However, I didn't expect this change.
I was reluctant and not determined.
I was like drifting.
But when I was watching the sufferers doing their best, and people supporting them.
I thought I could do more!
I decided to be willing to give as much love, talents and whatever I can give as possible next year!
And I'll be more proud of myself as Japanese!
Japaneses are known as modest.
We don't boast of ourselves.
Although we get praise, we tend to refuse it.
For example,
If something bad happens, it is my fault.
If something good happens, it thanks to you.
I believe this is good but I guess we'll change in the future.
I like to boast of being a Japanese.
And I like to tell many people all over the world how wonderful Japan and Japanese are!
I believe Japan will change!
I also like to become a person who can move and touch people's feeling because I was moved and touched by many people who did their best during their hardship.
I don't know what I can do now. I just decided!
That's my next year's resolution
At the end, I like to introduce the song of Masaharu Fukuyama.
The theme of this song is `KIZUNA' meaning `bonds or ties'.
KIZUNA is also the them of this year for all Japanese.
The title is `Kazoku ni narouyo' meaning `let's become a family'.
Although the song is Japanese, please enjoy the music!
Please have the BEST 2 more days in 2011!!!
Today We had the first snow in this winter in my area.
Snow changed to rain and didn't stay.
It's very cold these days. It's colder than previous winters.
When I was small, it was very cold and snowed a lot.
I did snowball fighting and made a snowman with my friends at school.
These days I do pottery-making a lot.
My another pottery were ready.
Those dishes were wrapped by straws and burnt in kiln.
The places where the straws are located become brown color after they were burnt.
But it is very difficult to wrap them by straws.
By the way, I also painted this handkerchief underneath the dishes.
This is a beer cup.
When beer is poured, the bubble of beer becomes smaller in this cup and the taste becomes milder.
I can't wait to drink beer in this cup!!!
This is a set of small bowls.
When you hold them, you realize the shapes are not perfect.
But I love them!!
Before I start making pottery, I have to think what I like to make in advance.
On the other hand, When I paint, I just start painting without thinking too much.
They are very different but I like and need both.
Our life is similar to pottery-making, I think.
We make a plan in advance although we can change in process.
But the foundation is very important.
Nobody starts building a house without blueprint.
I always feel I can be grounded and concentrate on this moment while I'm making pottery.
It is said that when we are grounded and focus on this moment, we can attract things we want and our reality is moving forward.
Actually, I can get a direct contract as a tour guide with my most favorite company!!
Travel agents are always in the middle between guides and clients.
I'm very lucky!!!
I'll do my best and do each job with my whole heart.
Yes! We had rather big earthquakes yesterday. Actually we have tremors every day and get used to them Please check this site. You'll be surprised how frequently we have tremors! http://www.jma.go.jp/jp/quake/quake_local_index.html
So I was a kind of surprised at receiving mails to ask how I was. But thank you very much for your thought!!
When I saw the news yesterday, it was M6.1 and the epicenter was off Chiba prefecture, northeast of Tokyo. It was actually big but after 311, our nerves are a kind numbed. Many programs about earthquakes are on TV everyday which remind us of always getting ready for big ones.
Under this current situation, I'm thinking of my career. I may end the career as a tour guide. It's not only because I have no tours but also I'm getting scared at escorting foreign tourists in this current situation. The longest tour is about 2 weeks and we travel all over Japan. I can't guarantee even my safety so I can't guarantee others. I'm sorry but this is my honest feeling now. There are other guides who are waiting for tourists' coming back. But I think and feel I did enough. I like to move on the next stage. I'll update my situation in this blog or by mail.
Thank you very much for having been my guests! Our friendship will be forever.
March 14th is the White Day in Japan. Do you know the Day?
It is the Day when boys and men who received chocolate on the Valentine's Day return something sweet to girls and women. I guess it's Japanese tradition created by confectionery companies.
For students, it is another very important day! The Valentine's day is a Very Special Day for girls whose love is one sided. Those girls decide to give chocolate to a favorite boy and tell her love for him. Then his answer will be heard a month later on this White Day with something sweet like candies and cookies. If he doesn't love her, nothing will be returned. Poor girls.... It's very unique tradition maybe only in Japan. Japanese girls and women are patient enough to wait for a month to hear the answer.
Male office workers also return something to women if they got chocolate on the Valentine's Day. Men are often ostentatious and try to return something more expensive than what they received.
Except for the Love and the Chick cookies, these are from my friends who traveled in Paris and LA. So much cute sweets in my room!!! Have a Sweet White Day!!!
A year will have passed since Eastern Japan Great Earthquake. It was 2:46pm, March 11th.
It was raining past 2 days as if Japan was being purified. It is a beautiful day today although sun can't be seen clearly yet. I could wake up and am writing this article now. Like this, the fact we can do daily things without thinking is actually very happy, which people often forget. Whenever I can't find happiness and feel stuck, I come back to that day and think what I like to do if I know my world would end soon.
Many survivors still live in a small temporary house. People who evacuated from the Fukushima nuclear power plant can't go back home and can't bring their things with them because they don't have enough spaces to keep them and also their possessions are contaminated.
And many family members live separately because they evacuated in separate shelters and they didn't think enough time to try to live together. Of course, the house is not big enough.
We can't solve the power plant problems yet. Our government decided all the nuclear power plants should be stopped by this April. But some people and organization disagree, saying what about our economical growth when all stop.
But I like to ask them what you will do if Japan disappears due to these power plants. Peace should be placed before economical growth.
Right now, many experts are working on free and clean energy. If we can use energy free, the authorities which have got profit can't get anymore. But the period when only a few can devour profit is over, The new period when we can coexist peacefully is coming. We are pursuing and building such a world right now. I believe Japan will change dramatically in the next decade. The meaning of happiness is going to be changed soon and people really start enjoying their life truly.
It is a peaceful day today because all the Japanese have peace in our mind and send love and compassion to the survivors and the devastated areas. Our country is filled with love and peace.
I heard the repeated local announcement while I was writing, which said This is the first year since the disasters. Please check and walk the evacuating route. Talk about what we will do when disasters take place with family members. Prepare and check the emargency items.
It was truly terrible and sad but we try to move on and make the most effective use of that experience.
Not only for Japanese but also Everybody all over the world, we never know what will happen next moment. Please live each moment like this is the last moment.
Keep love and peace in our heart and thought and ACT!!!
March has started!! So MANY things happened last March in Japan. One year will have passed since the earthquakes and tsunami. Each day of this March was overlapped with each day of last March. I live each day sincerely from my heart.
March 3rd is Hinamatsuri, Doll's Festival Day in Japan! Most families with girls display `Hina-ningyo', special dolls for Hinamatsuri. and pray for young girl's growth and happiness. If you are interested, please check this site! http://japanese.about.com/library/weekly/aa022501a.htm
When I was born, my grandparents presented a whole set of Hina-ningyo. and relatives presented dolls.
I was going to be one- year old soon! I wore a kimono, celebrating Hinamatsuri!!
I was one-year old with my big and little brother. My little sister wasn't born yet. When she was born, she was presented a new set of dolls by our grandparents and relatives.
I'm not a girl anymore but I'll celebrate Hinamatsuri with my friends!!!
This is the explanation of each doll.
This is the special song for Hinamatsuri, Dolls' Festival.
＜the Japanese lyrics of the first part＞
Akari o tsukemashou bonbori ni Ohana o agemashou momo no hana Go-nin bayashi no fue taiko Kyo wa tanoshii Hinamatsuri
＜English meaning＞ Let's light the lanterns Let's set peach flowers Five court musicians are palying the flutes and drums Today is a joyful Doll's Festival
