水元公園の四季ーThe four seasons of Mizumoto Park(December 24, 2021-No.35）
水元公園の四季ーThe four seasons of Mizumoto Park(December 24, 2021-No.35）
Tokyo Metropolitan Mizumoto Park is located in Katsushika Ward, in the eastern part of Tokyo, and is the largest riverside district park（水郷公園）in Tokyo, bordering Saitama Prefecture (Misato City). In the park, you can enjoy the aquatic landscape with rich forest atmosphere and precious aquatic plants. About 1,800 metasequoia trees（メタセコイア）, known as living fossils, and 200 poplar trees（ポプラの木） that reach a height of 20m form the largest forest in a metropolitan park. The bird sanctuary is located on the water's edge, resembling the natural environment.
The park covers an area of 96.3 hectares (about 237 acres) and it is impossible to walk through the entire park in a few hours. Rental bicycles are available, but we recommend a two-hour walk with binoculars（双眼鏡） and a camera.
Throughout the four seasons, there are various flowers such as cherry blossoms, irises, lotus, and floating heart（アサザ）, various types of waterfowl such as ducks, herons, and kingfishers, and trees such as metasequoia, poplar, and cedar. The Katsushika Goldfish Exhibition Hall（葛飾区金魚展示場） is also a recommended place.
On holidays, it is crowded with families. Many people bring their own dogs because there is a dog run facility. Also, many people enjoy fishing in the pond in the park.
It costs a lot to maintain such a large park, but with the cooperation of the general public, I would definitely like to leave it for the children of the future.
手賀沼の風景―Scenery of Lake Teganuma(December 23, 2021-No.34）
手賀沼の風景―Scenery of Lake Teganuma(December 23, 2021-No.34）
Lake Teganuma is a lake in the Tone River system（利根川水系） that straddles Kashiwa City and Abiko City in the northern part of Chiba Prefecture. The area of the lake is 6.5 square kilometers, the circumference is 38 kilometers, and the maximum water depth is 3.8 meters.
Until around 1955, Lake Teganuma was a clear lake with a large catch of eels and the like. It is said that the bottom of the water could be seen through, the children swam in the lake, and the fishermen scooped the water from the lake and drank it. After that, with the urbanization of the surrounding area due to the high economic growth, domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater were drained into the Ohori and Otsu rivers that flow into Lake Teganuma. As a result, the water pollution and eutrophication（富栄養化） of the lake became one of the worst in Japan. Chiba Prefecture and Abiko City have continued to carry out efforts to purify water and raise awareness for water quality conservation, and although there is a trend toward improvement, the situation is far from the previous water quality.
The area around Lake Teganuma has excellent cycling roads and promenades, making it ideal for walking. The course that goes around the lake from Abiko Station or Kitakashiwa Station on the JR Joban Line across the Tega Ohashi Bridge（手賀大橋） in the center of the lake is about 10 kilometers long, and has been selected as one of the 500 best roads in Japan（日本の歩きたい道５００選）. In the vicinity, there are attractions such as Teganuma Park, Naoya Shiga（志賀直哉） villa ruins, former Saneatu Musyanokoji（武者小路実篤） villa ruins, Jigoro Kano（嘉納治五郎）villa ruins, Shirakaba Literary Museum（白樺文学館）, Yamashina Institute for Birds（山科鳥類研究所）, and Abiko City Museum of Birds（鳥の博物館）.
I think it will be a good opportunity to think about the conservation of the natural environment and the development of cities, or the coexistence of nature and humans.
Teganuma seen from Teganuma Park (Abiko City)
Lake Teganuma seen from the promenade (Kashiwa City)
Whooper swan（オオハクチョウ） that came down nearby
Teganuma Hydro Plaza（手賀沼親水公園） and Yamashina Institute for Ornithology（山科鳥類研究所）
Naoya Shiga（志賀直哉） villa ruins. Naoya Shiga is a Japanese novelist. He is one of the leading novelists of the Shirakabaha school（白樺派） who was active from the Meiji era to the Showa era. Naoya Shiga lived in Abiko from 1915 (Taisho 4) to 1923 (Taisho 12). In Abiko, novels such as "At Ki no Saki"（城の崎にて）, "Reconciliation"（和解）, "God of the Little Boy"（小僧の神様）, and "Dark Night Route" （暗夜行路）were born.
South side of Teganuma taken from Tega Ohashi
Scenery of Lake Teganuma taken on August 11, 2010
Japan Now! No.4-第16回夏季パラリンック東京大会の開幕 - 勇気と夢と称賛にあふれている世界へ－2020（2021）Opening of the 16th Summer Paralympic Tokyo Games-To the world full of courage, dreams and praise（August 24, 2021)
Japan Now! No.4-第16回夏季パラリンック東京大会の開幕 - 勇気と夢と称賛にあふれている世界へ－Opening of the 16th Summer Paralympic Tokyo Games-To the world full of courage, dreams and praise（August 24, 2021)
The opening ceremony of the Paralympics was held at the National Stadium from 8 pm on Tuesday, August 24, and the 13-day sports festival for the disabled began until September 5.
Since the end of The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, corona infections have spread rapidly throughout Japan, and a state of emergency has been declared in Tokyo and other places, making it an exceptional competition that does not allow the general public to enter all competition venues. The intense heat and humidity of Tokyo continues as usual. There are concerns about whether the athletes participating in the Paralympics will be able to perform or compete safely.
The Paralympic Games have been held in Tokyo for the second time in 57 years since 1964. It is also the first time that the Summer Games have been held twice in the same city. In 1964, there were 378 athletes from 21 countries, but this time around 4,400 athletes from 161 countries / regions and as a refugee team participated, greatly expanding the scale of the tournament.
「私たちには翼がある」―この上なく感動的な開会式式典 "We have wings" - the most moving opening ceremony
The opening ceremony was held by about 700 cast members, including people with disabilities who were selected by open recruitment auditions.
There was a countdown by dancers, a march of the Japanese flag led by children, a national anthem singing, and an admission march of participating athletes. Following the first half of the wing-themed story (the main character is "One-Winged Little Airplane", played by a 13-year-old second-year junior high school girl), and a greeting from the President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Emperor His Majesty made the opening declaration. Then, the finale of the story with the theme of wings ("Decoration Truck or transformer truck?" With a picture of Ito Jakuchu（伊藤若冲）, a painter of the Edo period, appeared), and the lighting of the holy fire continued. The wing-themed story, including the girl's acting, music and dance, was drawn into the world of the story. Very great!
In the opening ceremony television broadcast, there was an explanation that "there are many athletes in the world who have become disabled due to the war, and 15% of the total population has some kind of disability."
It is said that the theme of this tournament is "to realize a symbiotic society（共生社会） in which people all over the world recognize the differences." I have no choice but to hope that the world will be at peace and that the ideal of a symbiotic society will be realized. And above all, I hope the athletes will perform at their best.
Japan Now! No.3-東京オリンピック2020（2021）の開幕と日本における終わりの見えないコロナウイルスとの闘い-－2020（2021）Tokyo Olympic Gamesa and Fighting the endless coronavirus in Japan（July 22, 2021)
Japan Now! No.3-東京オリンピック2020（2021）の開幕と日本における終わりの見えないコロナウイルスとの闘い-－2020（2021）Tokyo Olympic Gamesa and Fighting the endless coronavirus in Japan（July 22, 2021)
Wednesday, July 22, 2021
I have nothing to do and I am completely free, so I sit at my desk all day and write down the ramblings that come to my mind. Then I feel obsessed with something, which is very strange and unexplainable.
In Japan and the world where the coronavirus is widespread, it is required to refrain from activities, and it is difficult to move freely to other places and to have close contact with other people.
On the other hand, I have a bold ambition to record the facts that are happening in Japan and send them to the world in English with my poor impressions.
Of course, what is written here is just a personal impression at the time. Also, I am not always fluent in English. I think there are many points where words are lacking, but please forgive me.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is an Olympic Games scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan for 17 days from July 23 to August 8, 2021. Due to the worldwide epidemic of the new coronavirus infection, it has been postponed for one year from the schedule for the summer of 2020. The year of the event will change due to the postponement of the Games, but the name of "Tokyo 2020" will not change. And The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games will be held in Tokyo, Japan for 13 days from August 24th to September 5th, 2021.
Women's softball and other games have already started on Wednesday, July 21, prior to the start of the Olympic Games. Looking at the hot battles of the first match of the women's softball team and women's soccer team representing Japan, I think again that the Olympic Games are a wonderful and moving event.
On the other hand, what is very worrisome is the turmoil just before the opening of the Olympic Games and the spread of coronavirus infection in Japan and around the world. It is not always unpredictable what will happen to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the future, but I just hope that the celebration of peace will end safely with the excitement of Japan and the world.
Saturday, July 24, 2021
The opening ceremony of the 32nd Olympic Games Tokyo, which was extended for the first time in history due to the spread of the new coronavirus, was held at the national stadium from 8 pm on the 23rd.
There were various twists and turns and confusion in Japan before the opening ceremony, but anyway, we were able to finish the opening ceremony safely. Approximately 11,000 athletes from 205 countries, regions and refugee teams will participate. In the midst of the many difficulties that people around the world are currently experiencing, I hope that this festival of sports and peace in Japan will give people all over the world the hope of living.
In Japan, there were opinions such as cancellation of the opening ceremony and thorough simplification, and there were various opinions about the quality of the contents of the opening ceremony program. However, athletes from all over the world actually gathered in one place in Tokyo and were able to meet each other. And we can tell the world from Japan that the world is rich in diversity and that it is important for people all over the world to be more peaceful and safer, and to be physically and spiritually rich. I think that's great.
The Tokyo Games will be held for 17 days until the closing ceremony on Sunday, August 8. Summer in Tokyo is extremely hot and humid, making it completely unsuitable for outdoor sports competitions. The number of people infected with the new coronavirus is also increasing. I don't know what kind of evaluation this Tokyo Games will have in the future, but I just hope that the athletes and the people involved will do well and be safe. I support the players and the people involved from the other side of the TV.
Monday, August 9
Closing of the Tokyo Olympic Games (Sunday, August 8) -Thanks to all the athletes and participants for the best performance and great excitement.
The closing ceremony of the 32nd Olympic Games Tokyo was held at the National Stadium on the 8th. Due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, it was postponed for one year, and most of the venues became unattended, making it an exceptional tournament.
It is a sports competition held in the midsummer season, which is the most unsuitable for sports in Japan, such as intense heat and humidity, typhoons and torrential rains. The athletes were worried about whether they would be able to perform well and whether the competition would be smooth.
However, these worries seem to have ended in needless fears. In all the competitions, the athletes were able to see each other seriously competing and recognizing each other regardless of nationality or race. Japanese athletes also worked very hard and were able to win the highest number of medals in the history of the Japanese Olympics. The audience rating of the TV that aired the competition was also high, and the Japanese people's interest in the Olympic Games was higher than expected.
Certainly Typhoon No. 8 （台風８号）approached the surfing venue, which affected the surfing competition. I think the big waves made the surfing competition more dynamic. Thank you to all the surfers and everyone involved.
At this competition, about 43,000 athletes and related persons from overseas visited Japan. Unfortunately, due to the rapid spread of corona infection, the athletes could hardly interact with the Japanese, and the athletes could not see the historic sites of Japan. It seems that there were not enough opportunities for athletes and others to come into contact with "hospitality" by ordinary Japanese people. When the corona infection is over, I would like you to come back to Japan and spend your time in Japan.
At the end of the closing ceremony, the torch was delivered by actress Shinobu Otake （大竹しのぶ）and some children. She sang " STAR-CIRCLING SONG " （「星巡りの歌」）with her children, and the music of "Moonlight" by the famous French composer Debussy was played. After that, the movement of Otake and the children's hands quietly closed the spherical torch stand and extinguished the fire. I was very impressed with the " STAR-CIRCLING SONG "written by Kenji Miyazawa (宮沢賢治 1896-1933) from the Tohoku region.
This song sang a quiet, beautiful, fantastic night starry sky, and seemed to pass on the peaceful and calm night world from adults to children. This song also contrasts the vast and infinite time of the universe with the small and ephemeral human beings. On the other hand, the song seems to say that anyone, along with our ancestors and descendants, can become one with the endless universe, both spatially and temporally.
STAR-CIRCLING SONG
Lyric & Music by Kenji Miyazawa（宮沢賢治 作詞作曲）
Translated into English by Rokuro Hiraka （平賀六郎氏 英訳）
1 Oh see the red-eyed Scorpion
And the widely-spread wings of the Eagle.
Oh see the blue-eyed Little Dog
And the coiled up Snake burning bright.
Orion singing from so far away
Shines cold dropping the dew and the frost.
2 The cloud of Andromeda so far away
Looks like the mouth of a fish on the earth.
And to the north of the Great Bear's Paw
Five times the distance of this length;
Upon the forehead of the Little Bear
Shines the lodestar, our guide to the sky.
千葉市動物公園－Chiba Zoological Park(October 31, 2020-No.33）
千葉市動物公園－Chiba Zoological Park(October 31, 2020-No.33）
Chiba Zoological Park is an animal park located at 280 Minamotocho, Wakaba-ku, Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture. To get there, take the Chiba Urban Monorail from JR Chiba Station and get off at Dobutsukoen Station.
The weather was fine on this day, and a relatively large number of people came, mainly families with children. Especially the restaurant at the zoo at noon was crowded. Of course, measures were taken against the epidemic of the new coronavirus by the zoo.
It is known for breeding the red panda "Futa"（レッサーパンダの風太）, which is famous for its standing appearance. From the beginning of the park, it is said that it has been focusing on breeding primates around the world, especially the breeding of endangered rare species, and also tends to breed small animals, herbivorous animals, birds and other animals. However, from the end of April 2016, lions were newly bred, and on July 21, 2020, the fastest animal on the ground "Cheetah（チーター)" and the highly social "Spotted Hyena（ブチハイエナ）" will be exhibited at Chiba Zoological Park. The place has opened.
The two cheetahs were very active, sometimes flirting with each other and sprinting at full speed, which was very cool and never bored.
Ueno Zoo in Tokyo is very attractive because many animals such as giant pandas are bred and exhibited, but I think that this Chiba Zoo is also an attractive zoo with a distinctive exhibition and breeding method.
I don't know if the animals kept in the zoo are happy, but at least it's an important place that gives us the opportunity to think about species diversity, the importance of life and coexistence. We have few opportunities to see wild animals directly in Africa and elsewhere.
Western gorilla during a meal．（ニシゴリラ）Quiet and deep demeanor.
Surprisingly handsome western gorilla（ニシゴリラ）
A lively and talented gibbon. He or she boasts a loud voice and outstanding physical ability.
A Japanese macaque that seems to be groomed and comfortable. Who is the boss monkey?
A zebra with bright white and black stripes.
Shoebill（ハシビロコウ）, who has been a star of this zoo for a long time. He or she has a grumpy face and is almost still.
An owl with a wise face that looks like he or she can see everything.
Malaysian tapir（マレーシアバク）, who was sleeping, was about to wake up.
An energetic and pretentious giraffe.
An Asian elephant that is only aimed at the buttocks. Look over here for a moment!
It was said that the male lion was sleeping all the time. Is this the dignity of the King of Beasts? It's hard for a man!
A beautiful and fearless cheetah. We want to see them forever.
The two cheetahs were running at full speed, playing with each other. It was amazing!
What does he or she think of in a distant foreign land, Japan?
Spotted hyena who was digging a hole earnestly. He is taking a break now.
The lesser panda "Futa", who stood like a human being and predominated the world（一世を風靡した）, celebrated his 17th birthday on July 5th. If he were a human, he would be said to be close to 80 years old.
那須どうぶつ王国－Nasu Animal Kingdom Zoo(October 8, 2020-No.32）
那須どうぶつ王国－Nasu Animal Kingdom Zoo(October 8, 2020-No.32）
Nasu Animal Kingdom（那須動物王国） is a theme park-style zoo located at 1042-1 Oshima, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi Prefecture.
The zoo became a hot topic when the media reported that a rare baby sand cat was born. On this day, many people gathered in the space where the children's sand cats were exhibited and took pictures and videos. As a matter of course, everyone wore surgical masks and was silent. It makes me wonder if such a cute little kitten can survive in the harsh environment of the deserts of Africa and the Middle East.
This time, we were able to travel at a fairly discounted price using the Go-to-Travel campaign run by the Japanese government. In addition to the 35% discount on travel costs, 15% of travel costs can be purchased as coupons for goods and services. It is a policy implemented by the government to overcome the slump in travel and tourism due to the new corona virus epidemic, and it seems that tourism-related companies and people who like travel have greatly benefited. However, it may lead to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, and each person is required to act more carefully to prevent the infection.
Baby Sand cat named Amira（スナネコのアミーラちゃん）. It feels strange to think that such a cute kitten survives the harsh desert nature.
Manul cat（マヌル猫）
Ring-tailed lemur（ワオキツネザル）
Shoebill（ヒシビロコウ）
Meerkat on alert（ミーアキャット）
Lying down arctic wolf（ホッキョクオオカミ）.They have mysterious and gentle eyes.
alpaca（アルパカ）
Sesshoseki famous for Matsuo Basho's haiku（a bonus). 殺生石. The smell of sulfur was strong there. I am deeply moved when I think that the famous poet Matsuo Basho walked around here.
国立歴史民俗博物館－National Museum of Japanese History(July 28, 2020-No.31）
国立歴史民俗博物館－National Museum of Japanese History(July 28, 2020-No.31）
The National Museum of Japanese History and Folklore（国立歴史民俗博物館abbreviation: Rekihaku 歴博）is a history museum located in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture, which comprehensively studies and exhibits Japanese history, folklore, and archeology.
The museum was very vacant on that day. Although it was a weekday, the school was on summer vacation, and it would have been crowded with elementary and junior high school students every year. The museum opened in March 1983 and we were here about 20 years ago. I remember that it was crowded with many people from children to the elderly at that time. Compared to 20 years ago, the museum's exhibits have been renewed and abundant, but the reason why it was so quiet here seemed to be the influence of the epidemic of the new coronavirus infection. Infection prevention measures at the museum seemed to have been thorough, such as temperature measurement and hand disinfection.
The museum boasts a large number of exhibits and exhibition space, divided into six galleries. The first Gallery One had an exhibition about ancient Japanese society（Prehistric and Ancient Japan. Reopened March 19.2019). Even here alone, I was overwhelmed by the many exhibits. Many of the exhibits were reproductions, but they were very elaborate. The process of making duplicates was also explained in detail.
A little tired, we ate at the museum restaurant. The Jomon（縄文時代：In world history, it is the Mesolithic era or the Neolithic era.）curry rice that I had eaten about 20 years ago was on the menu, and I felt very nostalgic.
