"Sensho Kitamura"（染匠きたむら）ー Kimono Rental Shop (Kyoto) ①

Look at that beautiful two young ladies! This is Kyoto (Higashiyama).They're from Hong Kong .(Ryu 劉 and her friend). They're enjoying sightseeing in Kyoto.

Let's dress up with beautiful Kimono and take a walk in Kyoto, shall we?

Who cast a spell on them?  I'd like to reveal the trick with you.  Let's go!

Look, is this the shop which holds the key to clear up a mystery? Come on, let's explore!

Check it out! She's gonna turn into princess!

The girl is just in the middle of getting dressed of Kimono. The lady  (right side) is helping her dressing Kimono.She is the manager of this shop,and professional master of dressing Kimono.Her name is Mrs.Kato.She is tieing Japanese Obi(belt).  Obi is very long, and the design is very beautiful.

Want to look more? To be continued .....Don't miss it!☆

New Year's card ー 2011 is the rabbit year in Japan

Snow rabbits and nandina tree.They're real feeling of winter.  New Year greeting card with this kind of illustration is often used in Japan.

These kind of illustrations are also used for our New Year's card. They are believed to bring happiness.

This is "Kagamimochi".

 This is "Osechi".

This is"Otoso".

These three things ( Kagamimochi,Osechi.Otoso) are "Must" things when we celebrate new year in Japan.

"Kagamimochi" is a large,round rice cake offered to the gods at New Year's.

"Osechi" is Japanese traditional New Year's cuisine.The box resembles bento box.

"Otoso" is sake. Otoso is drunk to flush away the previous year's maladies and to aspire to lead a long life.

Nishijin Kimono Showー Kyoto

                                                                                                                

Good evening. I went to Kyoto today. There was a small Kimono Fashion Show at Kyoto Nishijin（西陣）Textile Center.（ My husband and I happend to be passing by the place when the show started.）
"Nishijin Weaving" is typical traditional craft in Kyoto. It's very famous in Japan. "Nishijin" is a name of an area in Kyoto. This traditional craft has long history,over 1200 years. This weaving industry has  grown under the influence of Jacquard weaving technique in France,Lyon. The character of "Nishijin Weaving" is, for example, the brilliant coloring. And  we can feel a sense of season from each design. Today Kimono population is dwindling in Japan,but Nishijin Kimono is of high value even now.

Mt.Yoshinoー ②Restaurant "Hatsune"(初音）

After you enjoyed the great scenery of the mountain,why don't you take a rest at this charming restaurant? "Hatsune"（初音）　is the name of this restaurant.It means " First sound" in English.(The name is related to Japanese traditional musical instrument.) This is one of the most wonderful restaurant in Mt.Yoshino.
You can have great meal as viewing beautiful nature we have here.

Hatsune web site   http://www.hatune.yoshino.jp/  

Gorgeous meal is set on a tray.Fresh vegetables in season are mainly used in every dishes.

Persimmons are now in season. It's very juicy. And momiji leaves create the autumn atmosphere. They are in good harmony. A delicate sensibility is one of Japanese cuisine's character.

Deep-Fried vegetables ("Tenpura" in Japanese) in season are on this small bamboo basket. They are yummy. Lustrous red Momiji leave create antumn atmosphere.

You can enjoy appetizing meal in a very relaxing Japanese-style room. This restaurant commands a fine view of nature. From the window,colourful autumn mountain presents a grand spectacle.

And after you enjoyed main dish,how about japanese sweets? This sweets is called "Kudzukiri" in Japan. We eat it with black honey syrup poured over it.(left small bowl on the tray.)
This sweets is like transparent noodles.These noodles are made of herbs(We call them"Kudzu".),sprouting in the mountains.Arrowroot has great effects on our health,so it is very popular as an ingredient for cooking in Japan,such as kudzu rice cake,kuzu noodle.(Honestly, the best season is summer,I think.)

This is "Kudzu rice cake". We pour black honey on the cakes,and dust them with soybean flour("Kinako" in Japan.),and eat them. They're so good.

Mt.Yoshino ー ①Beautiful mountain where maple, gingko trees vie for our attention with their beauty

      I went Mt.yoshino 3 days ago.

     Mt.yoshino is famous for its beautiful scenery.

      This is one of UNESCO World Heritage National Park.

      In Spring and Autumn,a lot of people visit there.

      (In Spring,many people visit there to see beautiful cherry blossom.) 

      The whole mountainside was ablaze with scarlet-tinged leaves.

      The  history of this mountain dates back to the 7th century.

     This mountain has a long history.

      Many historic event happend,
      and many historical people visited this mountain.

      For example,

      Yoshitsune,Japanese famous samurai,
      hid in this mountain about 1000 years ago,

      because  he  was defeated in battle,and he had a very narrow escape.

      The history of Mt.Yoshino is interesting.

      I would like to show you some of photos of this mountain.

This tree is called "Momiji" in Japan.

In autumn,many mountains are ablaze with scarlet-tinged Momiji leaves.

Mt.Yoshino is one of them.They are so beautiful.

This is the road to summit of this mountain,lined with beautiful Momiji trees.

This road is good hiking course,too,so is very popular among middle-aged people.

In autumn,we can enjoy the autumn color of this mountain,

and in april,the whole mountainside is covered with cherry blossoms.They're wonderful.

http://www.yoshinoyama-sakura.jp/english/index.htm

This website above is about Mt.Yoshino.
If you need more information,please check this site. 



Hime, playful,and ladylike

Good evening!
Her way of sitting is so elegant.(No one trained her to do like that.This is by nature.)
Now is the end of November,It's getting colder and colder here,Yoshino.
So I dressed  my cat a knit wear.I am always careful about air condition of her room.
Her water vessel is always full of water.If water is running short,it's not good for her health,especially for her kidney.

She occupies the sofa as if she owns the place.Sometimes I tell her to move. Sometimes she moves reluctantly.
When she steps onto the dining table,I scold her. She never repeat mistakes.
2 years have passed since she came to our house. We maintain a friendly relationship.

My little cat "Hime"

Her name is "Hime".She is 2 years old, Scottish Fold.
She is so cute,smart,sometimes naugty,temperamental,wild,and warm-hearted.
Her bearing is so refind,noble by nature.
She seems to keep a little distance from us (like any other cat).This is the difference between dogs and cats.
Dogs rush to us when we call them,but Hime gives us reluctant answer,for example,wags her tail tiredly,and she doesn't budge an inch.
That's why my husband can't understand her.He likes dogs very much,because dogs rush to him whenever he calls.But cat is,kind of,self-important,haughty animal by nature.Cat never moves even when she is called.
He sometimes complains about her."She always keeps her back to us." "She is like a celeb."
My husband loves Hime.But sometimes it seemes that he can't understand her,because Hime is temperamental,and too cautious by nature.
It gets colder in November,so I gave her a blanket,heated the room with a heater for her.She is sleeping innnocently now.