Meiji Jingu Shrine Fall Grand Festival

Meiji Jingu Shrine Fall Grand Festival will be held from October 31st. to
November 3rd.

During the Festival, the shrine holds a special event “Akarium,” in which the shrine
buildings and paths are lit up until 20:30 for nighttime visitors.
Noh programs are presented at a stage in the shrine, while a performance of
Aomori Nebuta is also scheduled at the Omotesando Avenue. Visitors may also enjoy
a lantern parade and a variety of street food stalls.
During the daytime, performances of traditional performing arts, a distribution
of mochi cakes, sankyoku concert, yabusame presentations are also scheduled.

Shinjuku: YUKI

席朝族の増加！

80年代のバブル期にはパワーブレックファーストなるものが流行って、エグゼブティブがホテルで朝ご飯を食べながらミィーテングするという優雅な光景が取り上げられましたよね。
もちろんどこまでが現実だったかは分かりませんが・・・・。

最近は席朝族という言葉をよく聞きます。景気の悪化に伴い、残業規制がひかれるが、仕事は減らないという状況解消のために、早出をしている皆さんが朝、自分の席で朝食を取っているそうです。

ちょっと厳しい現実ですが、いずれにしても朝食を取るのは良い事。
特に1杯の水とフルーツが私のお薦めです。
厳しい時代にこそ、身体が資本！美味しい朝食で頑張りましょう！


Ｍeg

Old Blue Frog

This train is displayed close by Hatchi-kou statue as one of meeting spots in Shibuya.
This train was used to work from 1954 to 1960 as the carriage of Toyoko line, and was known as the nickname, Blue frog.

Shibuya city has developed along with Tokyu-Toyoko line, and great number of people actually used this train.
There are old pictures of Showa era in this carriage.




How about riding on this train and experiencing the old days?

Shibuya:M

Ichimatsu Pattern

Ichimatsu pattern is check-board pattern. It was named after a Kabuki actor called Ichimatsu Sanogawa who used this pattern for his trousers (hakama).
It has been widely used in architectural decoration, gardens, fabrics, and interior decoration.

Meg

Chrysanthemum Exhibition in Shinjuku-gyoen

Shinjuku-gyoen is located in the south-west of Shinjuku station near Shinjuku BG. The roots of this park comes from the second house of one feudal lords in Edo era.
In Meiji era, it was changed to the research and development facility for vegetables and plants for the purpose of encouragement of new industry

In Meiji 12, it was changed to the royal park named Shinjuku Gyoen and used as a guest house with a nine hall golf course.

This park is famous of its wide garden, many plants and old buildings. There are many festivals related to the plants.
Kikku-ka Exhibition(chrysanthemum exhibition) is scheduled in November. That is one of J-traditional flower arrangements and has many fans.

http://www.env.go.jp/garden/shinjukugyoen/5_album/index.php?f=%8Be-%8D]%8C%CB%8Be

How about joining in this festival and enjoying beautiful chrysanthemum and autumn leaves?

Shinjuku:M

Another reason to quit smoking

煙草価格の大幅値上げに伴い、禁煙をする方が増えているようですね。


最近のフィンランドの研究チームの発表では、喫煙が与える害に対する新事実が見つかりました。

それによると、中年期にタバコを多く吸った場合、20年後にアルツハイマーなどの認知症を発症するリスクが吸わなかった場合の2倍以上になるとの調査結果がでたと発表されています。


またひとつ禁煙する理由が増えたのではないでしょうか？


新橋：Ｏ（禁煙１８年）

Do you like go hiking?

There is a good place for hiking and also a good place to enjoy beautiful fall leaves.

Mt.Takao is accessible within just one hour by train from central Tokyo.

The peak of the colored leaves usually comes around mid November, and a number of visitors
come to the mountain during the season to enjoy red-tinted iroha momiji (Japanese maple)
at various locations of the mountain.

The festival called "Mt. Takao Momiji Matsuri" will be held at Mt. Takao from Nov.1st to 30th.
On weekends during the festival, a variety of events are held in front of Kiyotaki cable car station
to welcome the visitors, including taiko drum performances, dance presentations, music concerts,
and street performances. Vendors sell local specialties at the Juichichome-chaya such as sake
in a box cup (masu) and Tokyo kokeshi dolls.

Shibuya: YUKI

The Earth-day market

The Earth-day market will be held in Yoyogi park near Shibuya BG on Oct.31. This year, 63 shops are schedule to open their shops. They will sell their original vegetables, food, or sundry articles. You can talk directly the producers about their products. Additionally, if you are interested in joining in the market, you will be able to open your own shop in the next market after taking the lecture of organizer. The products sold there are based on no organic or no chemical fertilizers..


http://www.earthdaymarket.com/about/

Shibuya:M

Are you planning to send the new year's greeting cards?

In Japan, Sending the New year's greeting card is more popular than Christmas card.

There is a Japanese custom which you'd better know when you send the new year's greeting card.
Person whose relative died in this year will send out the cards to let their friends know that
he(or she) is in mourning. That also means that he is not going to celebrate new year.

So if you recieved the card, you should not send the new year's greeting card to him.
Instead of new year's greeting card, you can send him a season's greetings card to show your sympathy.

Yotsuya: YUKI

Shippo pattern

Shippo pattern is one of auspicious omens motifs.
The word of Shippo originally came from Buddhist scriptures.
A round shape of Shippo means harmonious.
It is said that the word “shiho” (“four directions” in Japanese) was turned to “shippo.”


Meg