Yoyogi International Graduation Ceremony

On Wed 8 June Yoyogi International School held their graduation ceremony at the Yoyogi Seishonen Center.

As usual it was a terrific event and somewhat emotional as we reflected on how quickly our children were growing up.    We were relieved that this year Hannah joined her class onstage.  Here she is at the left with Rin-chan performing 'You are my Sunshine'.

Video:  You are my sunshine...

Video:  ...my only sunshine

Proud parents:  Rin-chan-mama and Rika.

Video:  Koneko-san

After a moving speech from Mrs Muir the Principal, the whole school sang 'We are the world' together.   This was a touching moment, (although one that is best shared visually).

Komoso

On 5-Jun at the Opera City we had a real treat - a Komuso monk playing shakuhachi.

The Komosos were mendicant Zen monks of the Fuke sect who wandered Japan playing the shakuhachi and covering their heads with straw baskets ('komo') to symbolise their detachment from the world.

They would play shakuhachi for alms as this monk is doing.

Video:  Komuso

Later the komosu rebranded as 'komuso' (priests of nothingness) which is a much cooler name.   For more on their remarkable history visit komuso.com the website of the International Shakuhachi Society. 

Related Posts 

- Shakuhachi Odyessey - Myoanji  (20-Nov-10)  link

- Shakuhachi Odyssey - Asahi Falls (11-Jun-11)  link

Video:  Hannah with Komuso

Biker Chick

May 21-22 was a lovely late spring weekend.   I tried to look after Hannah and give Rika a rest.

First going to the shop by bike to get breakfast

  then to Yoyogi park

After 4 years of sleeping on a futon on the floor,  we finally ordered a bed.   Partly to reduce the risk of  furniture falling us if we have an earthquake.

   Hannah helped us clean up the floor and assemble the bed.

Hakone

Last weekend we took a trip down to Hakone to relax for one night at an onsen hotel. 

Clever Rika managed to book us seats near the front of the Romance Car VSE express.

We stayed at Kowakien, about halfway between Hakone Yumoto station and Hakone town / Lake Ashi.   The 220 room hotel is located in a l0,000 m3 Japanese garden.  This lovely site was formerly the  Mitsui family holiday house.

Hakone Kowakien Hotel

View from hotel, NE down the valley.  The ridge ahead to the left is the North rim of the caldera of the Hakone Volcano which is about 10km across.   The hotel is on the north side of one of the mountains  in the middle of the caldera (resurgent lava dome).   Hakone Yumoto,  literally 'Hakone source-of-hot-water',  is down the valley out of sight to the right.

Hannah and Rika in the hotel after dinner.

On Sunday the weather was lovely so we decided to do the classic Hakone round trip.  First we took a bus to Hakone town on the shores of Lake Ashi.

Hannah and Rika at the Bus-stop.

On the lake-front at Moto Hakone looking west to Mt Fuji.   Lake Ashi  is the south side of the caldera and was formed about 3,000 years ago when an eruption dammed the river outlet.

Next leg is the 'Pirate Ship' across lake Ashi to Togendai.

We got to have our photo taken with a real pirate

Hannah and Rika on the deck.

Hannah was briefly disappointed when we didn't have a 100 yen cointo use the binoculars on the boat.

We had a nice lunch at Togendai on the lakefront.  Amazingly for a Sunday afternoon there was only one other group in the restaurant.   We then went for a short ride in the duck boats.   Hannah drove, I provided power and Rika encouraged us.

Then we took the ropeway from Togendai up to Owakudani.

Looking west from the ropeway to Mt Fuji.

Owakudani, was the 'high-point' of the day.

We could enjoy the panoramic view south-west to Mishima and Saruga Bay, and west to Mt Fuji.   The ridge in the foreground is the west rim of the caldera of the Hacone volcano.    Owakududani itself is a volcanically active area with steam vents, sulpher and bubbling pools....

But more importantly, ice-cream!

Finally we took ropeway from Owakudani to Souzan, cable-car to Gora and finally switch-back railway down to Hakone Yumoto by 4pm to catch our train home.

Hakone volcano from the NW

Neco Sampo

One think Hannah likes to do in the weekend is to take Minimi to Yoyogi Park for 'neco samp' ('cat walking').  

Minimi quite enjoys this.  Although rather than walking he prefers to be carried, either in Hannahs harness of on my shoulders. 

 

Enjoying the late afternoon sun in the park.

Wii Dancing

Last weekend Kyo-chan came to stay.   Here is Kyo-chan and Hannah playing a dancing game on the Wii.

Hannah now has some cool dance moves.  Perhaps from her Friday afternoon ballet class.

Rice Planting at Ikadaba

Golden week started with a holiday on Friday (Showa day).  We went down to Ikadaba for 3 days to help with rice planting.   We plowed and flattened the rice paddies on Friday, and planted the seedlings on Saturday.

Hannah with Baba

Hannah on the rice planter.

After work kareoke with the Wii.   This is Baba showing how good she is at singing enka and dancing hip hop.  Well done Baba!  Respect!

Medium resolution 4mb for 19s

High resolution 9.5mb for 19s

We planted rice seedlings that we seeded back in Apr.  This is Hannah helping nee-chan with the seeding.