Sporting a dappled-purple flower ring on head she stands. Perhaps I will be in love tomorrow. ---Author unknown (late 7th century)--- My favorite 和歌(Japanese short poetry) from 万葉集(Ten-thousand leaves)紫のまだらの 蘰 ( かづら ) 花やか…

"Have you read Shakespeare?" If asked to a scientist, this question would be equivalent to a question "What is the second law of Thermodynamics?" being asked to a humanities major. Snow said. When he asked back the people, who were thought…

The two cultures - 0) This is the game. 1) You can't win. 2) You can't get even. 3) You can't get out of the game. This is the ingenious way of describing the four laws of thermodynamics by C.P. Snow. The zeroth law was actually the fourth…

Along the approach to the shrine we stumbled upon a gate to a garden. Since my mother in law came all the way to visit us it's not bad to go with her to somewhere we have not been. I paid 1500 yen for admission for us three at the gate. We…

Went to Meiji-shrine with my mother in law who came from Ibaragi to see how we get by in our temporary house. Over the towering shrine gate is foliage in soft and young green. The wine and sake barrels are displayed along the approach to M…

The relocation of the U.S. Marine Base Futenma in beautiful Okinawa is now in deadlock. It seems no one in Japan wants any US Base in their neighborhood. If we add up all these individual opinions, the only conclusion will be that Japan do…

After an enjoyable dinner of a delectable うな重(a bowl of teriyaki eel on rice) that came with modestly sweetened sauce on it at 寿平, a cozy, old eel restaurant, we were strolling back to our home in that perfect temperature of the sprin…