Coming soon!

I’ve been planning to post some more pictures tonight, but I’m a bit tired and have a headache.  But it’s not stopping me from posting something.  I’ve finally gotten back into posting photos other than the picture of the week.  I’ll be working on getting my older photos on my old computer transfered to my newer computer soon.  But for a bit of a sneak preview, here’s what I’ll be posting soon:  Pictures from Yokosuka, Kawagoe, Ueno, Tokyo Tower, Shinjuku, Landmark Tower, a springtime walk around Kamakura, Samukawa Shrine, Kamakura Matsuri, Tokyo Sky Tree, Ryogoku, Tokeiji, my 35km walk from Kamakura to Jogashima, Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden, Enoshima, and more.  That’s just 2 months worth of photos from last year.

Also, I hope to do some more videos, maybe with me in them.  I want to get a new camera soon, so I’ll probably have some HD videos then.

As you may know, I took a 35 km walk from Ofuna in Kamakura to Jogashima in Miura last year.  I’m doing another walk on Thursday, but somewhat shorter.  I’ll be walking from Kamakura to Oiso (or maybe even Ninomiya), which is 20-22 km.  I also plan to do another walk sometime later this year from Oiso/Ninomiya to Yugawara.  I seem to be destined to walk the entire coastline of Kanagawa.  I’m unlikely to do any long walks during summer, though.  Too hot.

Any comments?  What are you looking forward to seeing?

My first Japanese pro baseball game

In October 2010, I was invited by my friend to a baseball game at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama.  I gladly accepted his invitation.  I’d never been to a baseball game in Japan before.  This game was game 2 of the first stage of the Pacific League Climax Series between the Saitama Seibu Lions and Chiba Lotte Marines.  I’m not a fan of baseball, but what interested me was how the fans cheered.  It was very different than anything I’d seen in Canada.  Every player had their own chant and song.  The fans would do the chant whenever each player came out.  Far from home plate, way at the back of the stadium, there’s a section where fans do a choreographed show of flag waving and singing.  Very interesting to see that.  Unfortunately for the Lions fans, they lost the game 5-4 in extra innings.  Enjoy the pictures and video of the cheering.

It's a beautiful autumn day at the Seibu Dome

Lots of people are here to see the game.

Hot dogs! Yes, I had one.

This is shortly after I entered the Seibu Dome. My seat is on the right, near 3rd base.

The players are warming up before the game.

This is from my seat. I was surrounded by Lions fans. My seat was pretty close to the field.

Looking up at the dome. The dome is actually an addition to the stadium a few years after its construction.

Fans can buy big balloons to blow up. On command, they're all released at once, and they are quite noisy.

Game over! The Marines beat the home team.

Picture of the Week 51 – Nakamura Koen

A few weeks ago, I took some pictures after a snowfall, and one of them was this path in a local park, Nakamura Koen. The change in seasons makes a big difference. It’s so green!

Exploring Japan: Enoshima Aquarium – February 8, 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve posted something for Exploring Japan.  Here’s a big one with plenty of pictures.  Last year, I went to the Enoshima Aquarium in Fujisawa city.  It’s one of the major aquariums in the Kanto area, and it has a great view of Sagami Bay, Enoshima and Mt Fuji.  This aquarium was renovated in recent years, and is also called Shin-Enoshima Aquarium.  There’s a very large tank with sharks and rays, you can walk under some rays that are swimming overhead, and you can watch the dolphin and whale show.  Yes, there is a False Killer Whale there.  I also experienced the hands-on touch tank, where I felt the skin of small sharks.  It felt like sandpaper, just like many people have said.

I’m going to keep captions to a minimum this time, so just enjoy the pictures.

Enoshima Aquarium with a very difficult to see Mt Fuji in the background.

The big tank.

The giant spider crab.

This is the view toward Izu. It's too hazy to have a clear view.

That's Enoshima. The tower is a lighthouse.

How do you find Shin-Enoshima Aquarium?  Check out this Google map:

View Larger Map

This post is taking part in “Show Me Japan” hosted by Budget Trouble.

It’s Spring…

Spring brings flowers, warmer weather, and a more positive outlook. Well, April isn’t the best month. Yes, it has cherry blossoms and newly green trees, but it also brings rain. Sometimes a lot of it, like today. There have been some heavy downpours today. Kind of depressing looking. But on the bright side, my hay fever is much better!

Picture of the Week 50 – Stormy skies

Halfway to 100! But this is not the post for one full year of Picture of the Week. This week’s picture shows rather bleak, dark skies. It looks like some cold northern city, but is Yokohama. There was a storm forming over Tokyo, but we never saw any stormy weather here. This is a very different look from all the cherry blossom pictures I posted recently.

Ichigoichielove is hosting “Show Me Japan” again.  Go check it out!