Today, after we finished cleaning up the gurst rooms we went to Shirahama shrine.
Most Japanese visit a shirine or a buddhist temple as a first time of new year to pray for comfort and health on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd January.
This is called "Hatsumode", the first visit shrine of new year.
That's why there were a lot of people at Shirahama shirine today and were some women in Kimono.
After praying we took a photo in fron of Haiden (hall of worship) all together.
How have you been?
We had a lot of customers last year at Pension Sakuraya in Shimoda.
We appreciate it very much.
In Japan we, Japanese cereblate the new year's day on January every year.
It is considered by most Japanese to be one of the most important annual festivals and has been celebrated.
At Sakuraya we decorate the room and many places in the building with the flowers like this.
In all Japanese style rooms we put the flower pot with the seasonal flowers and the leaves.
Let us wish you and yours a happy and healthy New Year.
As it had been cloudy and sometimes rainny in these days we couldn’t do it.
But actually we could set up "Koinobori" at last yeseterday.
We, Japanese decorate Koinobori to pray that sons or grand sons grow up healty and strong.
According to the story of china, when the carp finishes climbing up the waterfall it become a dragon at the dragongate.
So Japanese parents hung Koinobori up in the sky for children rise up like a dragon in the future.
Anyway I am showing a picture of today’s beach…..
At 5:10 am my mobile phone made me waked up.
Today it is a Dondo-yaki day in Shirahama.
It take place in this season everyyear in many places in Izu peninsula.
As my daughters have never seen it, we went to see it to the beach.
Somebody ignited it at just 6:00am. ……
In Japan, we, Japanese set up "Koinobori", Carp shaped flags, from April to the early month of May.
Koinobori are flown traditionally to celebrate "Children’s Day" takes place on May 5th.
We, Japanese decorate Koinobori to pray that sons or grand sons grow up healty and strong.
According to the story of china, when the carp finishes climbing up the waterfall it become a dragon at the dragongate.
So Japanese parents hung Koinobori up in the sky for children rise up like a dragon in the future.
Last year it was a first time of Children’s Day for my son, so his grand father bought it for him…..
In these days it is a little cool in the night and early morning.
I took a walk as usual this morning and went to "Itado port" in the northern area of Shirahama.
And I found some people were working there.
I took this photo at 7:30am.
The pink things in this photo are nets to get "Ise Ebi".
The fisher men usually set these nets in the bottom of sea in the afternoon, and next day…..
Today I went to Ito city, where it takes about 50 minutes by car, to see the Fire Festival of Mt. Omuro with my son.
Before getting there we had a taraffic jam but we could get there at around 11:30.
From just noon this festival started with the sound of fireworks.
Last year, a couple from Oklahoma in the United states stayed at our Pension on December 1st.
And this time we were very surprised that we got the present with some cards and photo from them by mail.
This is a "Dream Catcher" which made by the Cherokee Nation Native Indians.
According to several native american tribes, Dream Catchers are believed to trap the evil which is floating around in the air, much like a spider’s web snares everything in its path.
These our guest stayed at our Pension for only 1 ngiht, but they said in their letter,
"Thank you for being more than the perfect host, for also becoming our friends." or "Had to thank you for your wonderful hospitality."
We appreciated it very much and it is also our plesure.
Thank you very much, Doctor and Madam.