Mei-Shun visited a beauty salon in Shinagawa. She enjoyed many plum trees in blossom along Joban Line. And on the way to the saloon, bright pink color jumped into her eyes — it is 河津桜=kawazu-sakura, a cherry breed which blooms in early spring. After the haircut, she met with Shin at a hotel which accommodates one of their favorite Japanese cuisine restaurant.
Joban Line was troubled yesterday by a collision between a car and a train around 18:00. All trains stopped at the nearest stations, the one Mei-Shun used at Toride. The accident occurred beyond Tsuchiura, so she managed to reach her destination. After leaving train station, she found her car “blocked” by another car. The driver said that the engine suddenly stopped. Mei-Shun tried to get out of the parking, yet had to give up soon — it was too difficult for her. Then a middle-aged man kindly helped us, pushing the broken car while instructing Mei-Shun how to turn the steering wheel. Thanks a lot, she made it.
Mei-Shun visited her mother’s home. Relaxed on lunch and a cup of tea, they saw a little, brown mouse (a Micromys minutus maybe) climb a grapevine in the garden to approach half-dried persimmons hung from a laundry pole. Although it looked very cute, mom would not like kissing it, put her winter dessert into a net basket. Well, you have already bit some, kid, they are all yours. Bon appétit!
Since Mei-Shun has lost contact with one of her hair designers, she reserved another saloon in Tokyo for a haircut. Reasons why she chose it follow as 3 Cs; convenience, contents and communication. Located in Shinagawa, reasonable price and good technique, friendly but not talkative staff. Humm. She likes it.
Kumano is famous as a place good brushes are handmade. Mei-Shun has thought it means the city accommodates the ancient shrine for a long time, that is a big misunderstanding. This city belongs to Hiroshima Prefecture. She learned it at a shop in Ginza lately.
Wrapping
Portable brush
Professor M, one of Mei-Shun’s most respected friends while a co-student of Master Mei-Shu, visited Republic of South Africa. It is his first experience to reach the southernmost country of the African Continent. They say water whirls anticlockwise there — is it true?
We visited Namari onsen (=hot spring) in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture this weekend. It takes 2 hours and a half from Ueno by Tohoku shinkansen (=bullet train). Our first trip to there found several ryokan (Japanese-style hotel) spread along a winding mountain path. Nicely alkalescent water and quiet environment give you a genuine relaxation.
They made it. Former Yama-Hoko parade of Gi-On Festival was safely held today despite raging Typhoon Nangka. 23 portable shrines were led by a number of white ban-kasa, Japanese traditional umbrellas on which town names each shrine belongs to are written. Weekdays prevented us from enjoying even serial Yoi-Yama nights this year. Dear Fune-Hoko, see you next year.
For a “trip” to Tokyo, Mei-Shun always reserves a window seat of Joban line train to enjoy nice views. Ushiku Pond soon appears on the right. Nisshin Co. factory follows with steam from Cup Noodle-shaped chimney. Many river banks serve as sport fields. And the Sky Tree of course, as colors turn from green to gray.
Mei-Shun visited Mt. Tsukuba Shrine with her mom-in-law. Sunshine, soft wind, pink and white ume plum blossoms welcomed us. And many frog stones as well, symbolic figures for this mountain.
