Even now, mochi or “rice cake” is an indispensable food for The New Year.
But usually we d'ont make rice cakes at home.
In the year-end party of the neighborhood association we enjoyed “mochi-pounding”.
However, mochi-pounding is not so easy.
The wooden mallet is heavy, and mochi is sticky.

Edogawa Ward is a waterfront ward situated at the eastern edge of Tokyo.
Last week, The Edogawa PC Learning group for senior citizens held the exhibition of the work.
There were many superior craft goods based on PC arts like AutoShape techniques.
And the area has tradition about the craft goods like wind bells and the town is famous as goldfish's home.
Such excellent works were created from modern technique of the PC and the tradition of the craft goods production.

A wind bell with the design of the goldfish.

Lanterns

What do you think this building is?

A temple? No.
A Japanese-style high-class restaurant? No.
A rich villa? No.

This is a Youth Hostel.
You can stay here at 3300 yen per one night.

http://yh-kyoto.or.jp/utano/index.html

If you are interested in Soba-Uchi or “how to make handmade soba; Japanese buckwheat noodles", You can participate the course of the Soba-uchi.
Those courses are held here and there in Japan.
I participated in the course that the civic group of environmental preservation sponsored.

Even in the heartland of Tokyo, there are some showplaces of the cherry-blossom.
Particularly, I recommend Ushigafuchi mort: near the subway station Kudan-Shita.

Photo by Kirara.

Magician with a pretty girl.She was the assistant chosen from many spectators.

Another photo.Magician in kimono.

Dear　readers in NY city of Mellow Club site. I wish you a Happy New Year.(Japanese version:愛牛湯へ法被入否the same pronunciation of English one★)For example 愛牛 pronounce "I wish" and means "my favorite cow".

This year is the year of cow according to the twelve zodiac signs in Chinese astrology.

I enjoyed a Japanese traditional magic show in the next town this afternoon.The photo shows a scene of the show.

★the Japanese version was created by K.Wadagaki,Doctor of Law ,in Tai-syo era.(in 1914)

　

The get-together of the neighborhood association was held in the nearby coast.
And we enjoyed a beach seine.

However, it had begun to rain the nets were pull up earlier than the schedule.
So we had a poor catch of fish.

After that we enjoyed Tempura-Party.
But we had to go to buy some fish for Tempra because fishing was very poor.

Tono district where is located in the boundary in Kyoto-prefecture and Nara-prefecture is a quiet mountain village.
In this district you can see some simple and gentle stone images.
Access wise the place is rather inconvenient.
You can take a bus service from Nara-station, but bus runs only four times a day.

The trail is a mountain path of 1.7 kilometers between two old historical temples (Joruriji-temple and Gansenji-temple)

Here and there of the path, there are some uninhabited stalls.
You only insert a 100yen coin in the hanging box and take vegetables or fruits that entered a plastic bag.

The seller trusts you.