Osechi

We had our New Year's eve meal, osechi, from 6:30 tonight. We always eat downstairs on New Year's eve with the whole family. This is an old photo. We basically had the same thing this year except for the fried chicken. Aunt and Baba made potato and carrot wrapped in beef slices. We eat our own osechi upstairs for the first three days of the year.

Check here for posts and more photos of osechi, the new year's meal.

Mt Fuji at Sunset New Year's Eve

Click to enlarge the photos.

Kagami Mochi

Yesterday, Baba asked us to buy one of these. We ended up with three. I bought one for us upstairs and she had asked Aunt to buy one, too. Kagami Mochi is displayed at this time of year. It will be eaten in ozoni, a vegetable and meat soup. The mikan on top is plastic.

Check out Kids Web Japan-- Kagami Mochi

Click here for mikan.

Click on the label below for more posts about the New Year holiday in Japan.

Plastic into Oil

Garbage is now treasure. This kind at least. Akinori Ito created a machine that turns plastic back into oil.

Click here to see this video from the United Nations University in Tokyo.

Sukiyaki

Check this post from 2006.

Kimono Rental Catalogs for Coming-of-Age Day

In 2012, Big Sister will dress up in a kimono for Coming-of-Age Day. Check Kids Web Japan and the labels below for more information about the day.

Rental catalogs are coming to the house already. If we make arrangements early, we can get a discount. We're not sure what her schedule will be like so we will wait. The catalog above comes from Yamato Kimono Rental. The photo below is from their catalog.

The kimono above and the one below come from Sakura Eternity. There are many different styles. Click on the photos to enlarge them so you can see the patterns of the kimono, the accessories, and the models' different hairstyles.

Merry Christmas!

I can't say that Christmas decorations are everywhere. But some products change their packaging seasonally. Like these chocolate chip cookies.

Click on the label Christmas in Japan below to see other posts about our Christmas in Japan.

Winter Solstice & Eclipse

We were supposed to be able to see the eclipse here in the evening. It was cloudy and rainy where we live, so there was no moon viewing for us. It was the winter solstice and we did what we usually do.

Check this post and this one to see what we do on the winter solstice.

Click on the label below for posts about yuzu.

Now This is Broccoli

Frost on broccoli leaves.

Not Broccoli After All

The farmer wasn't transplanting broccoli in this post. It was cabbage!

The NutCracker at Dream Hall

Big Sister and I went to see The Matsuyama Ballet Company perform The Nutcracker last night.
We booked late so we had to sit in better, more expensive seats on the main floor for the first time. I have to say we prefer the cheaper balcony seats. I guess we're just used to them.

This postcard posts other performance dates later this week.
Check their website here.
Click on the labels below for other posts about The Nutcracker. One post includes the Japanese lyrics to "Silent Night".

Around and Over and Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree

Down the street surrounded by apartments, houses and a parking lot, these chestnut trees stand.

Just a couple of chestnuts remain on the branches with bright yellow leaves. Clear blue skies overhead today.

Looks like a lot fun under the chestnut tree. Unless you come up on a chestnut. Ouch!

Click on the labels below.

First Broccoli of the Season

 

Cut, purchased and cooked today. Broccoli soup yum!

Still Blooming After All These Years

Great-grandfather's mums are blooming again this year. I transplanted these from a pot into the ground. Check this post.

There are still chrysanthemums in a pot outside the gate. Here they are today:


They are in the second pot between miniature bamboo and Mexican heather. The mums are blooming, but they're scraggly. We had a very hot, dry summer this year. (The Mexican heather did much better than the mums and I did!) Click on the labels below for more posts about chrysanthemums. There are chrysanthemum festivals and competitions here.

Missed the Gingko

We didn't get out to see the gingko trees this year. Have a look at older posts by clicking on the label below. Click on this photo to enlarge it.

Happy Labor Thanksgiving!

Click on the label below for older posts. And see what Kids Web Japan has to say about it here.

Our View Saved!

We kept our eyes on the height of the rooftops of the new houses waiting to see if they were going to block our view of Mt. Fuji. They don't! The clouds lifted for a while this morning and we saw we still had our view.

Houses Going Up

The houses are going up fast.

We're hoping the rooftops will not reach to the top of those poles!

Transplanting

This 85 year old farmer transplanted some broccoli seedlings today. At least I think it's broccoli. I didn't interrupt him to ask. I just watched him dig up the seedlings in one area of his field to transplant here.

He made a hole with one hand,

placed the seedling in the hole with the other hand,

and pressed the dirt around it with both hands.

When the tray was empty he went back to get more. He stopped along the way to look at other vegetables.

Using a hand tool, he dug up more seedlings to transplant. He used this tiller to prepare the soil, but he has touched every seed, seedling, plant and vegetable in his field. He does all the work himself. His wife sometimes helps in the field. She usually stays at the vegetable stand.

He transplanted this whole section. He covered up the tiller at the end of the day.

He still has more seedlings to transplant.

Note the shape of his footprint. Click on the photo to enlarge it. When these vegetables are ready in the winter, he will sell them at his vegetable stand. Click on "vegetable stands" in the labels to see other posts. Click here to find out what it really is.