My son and I went to the Toys R Us toy store in Fukushima City.  They have lots of fun English learning toys!

Let’s take a look at some of the toys for kids.

This says “Namae Zukan”

Namae means “name.”

Zukan is an “illustrated reference book.”  (Basically, a educational book with lots of pictures or photos.)

Japanese fairy tales, in Japanese and English…. We know I love traditional Japanese fairy tales!

Fun English songs

More English songs…  The child pushes the button and the song plays.

The alphabet

A puzzle…

Are you learning a foreign language?  Which language?

I have learned in a classroom setting the following languages:  French, Spanish, German, Latin, and Japanese

I know Japanese the best, then French is a distant second.  I just know smatterings of the other languages.  I love languages!

On September 1st, 1923, a huge earthquake devastated Tokyo.  The death toll was about 140,000 people and at that time was the worst natural disaster to ever hit Japan.

Nowadays in Japan, September 1st is a day both of remembrance and preparation for the future.   It’s Bousai no Hi (Disaster Preparedness Day.)  On that day, all over the country people are conducting drills and thinking what they would do in case of another earthquake.

My local shopping center was selling supplies that a person would need if “The Big One” hits.

The sign says 防災 bousai=Disaster

“Sono toki” ni, sonaeteimasuka?=Are you prepared for “that time?”

Imakoso, chanto.=Right now, do it properly.

Emergency items.  The black bag is stuffed with items a person might need.

Different meals that can be eaten instantly

Does it look delicious?

How about you?  Are you prepared in case of an emergency?  Because you just never know!

Hey, there is the Fukushima City Art Museum!  A very famous art exhibit came to town.  The Dutch Masters!

Do you recognize this painting?

And that one on the right?   Isn’t she beautiful.

Johannes Vermeer painted it.

 I wonder if these girls knew that their faces would be seen by us.  I wonder what they were thinking.

Lots of fun stuff to buy in the gift shop!

Girls had music lessons long, long ago….just like today.

Do you think she is bored?  Sleepy?  Daydreaming?

Pamphlets for the next exhibit…which is now the current exhibit. You have until July third to see “Rebirth of the Wolf.”

Japan has lots of art museums to choose from!

Hmmmmm…..where should I go next………?

When we were about to leave Aizu-Wakamatsu City, my husband said he had a surprise for me.  After all, it was my birthday! And Mother’s Day!   So what could it be?

A ride on the Fruitea Train!

It’s two special cars added on to the regular train to Koriyama City.  And it’s first class all the way, baby!

It’s called FruitTea because Fukushima Prefecture is famous for its fruit, and this first class car serves delicious fruit cake!

Each passenger was served two fruit laden pieces of cake, plus coffee and juice.  Oh, and a cookie.  I know, you’re wondering:  Where’s the tea…?

The tea was in this car, which was adjoined to our car.  It’s self service drinks.

We could watch the train go down the tracks. Since it was Mother’s Day, our Fruitea car was full of happy wives, doting husbands and train-crazy sons.  (Yes, pretty much all the children were boys!)

What fun!  Here is a photo of the regular part of the train.  I snapped it as we were leaving.

That’s the Ban-etsu Line, from Koriyama City to Aizu-Wakamatsu City.  Try it.  You might like it!

This is a box of cookies with famous people from Aizu-Wakamatsu on it.

From left:  Noguchi Hideyo, a famous scientist

Next:  Gamo Ujisato, a samurai

Next:  Niijima Yae, a fearless female warrior

On far right:  Byakkotai, a group of boys who died by their own hands during a war

Me with a bust of Noguchi Hideyo, at his former doctor’s office

This is Noguchi’s former doctor’s office. It is now a charming cafe.  A great place to relax!

When we were in Aizu-Wakamatsu City, we visited this beautiful and slightly zany temple.  It was constructed in 1796.

Let’s go inside, shall we?

Up..up…up…

At the top…and down…down…down…

This temple was truly fascinating.

Like something out of a book…..

And afterwards, how about some refreshing soba ice cream?  Mmm….Delish!

You can see the famous Japanese cartoon character Sazae San visit Sazae-do Temple here.

Sazae is a word for a type of shell.  Sazae San and Sazae-do both derive their names this word.

Here we are in beautiful Aizu-Wakamatsu City!  It’s easy to get around on their bus which stops at the tourist spots.

We got off at our bus stop and walked a few minutes to the castle.

There it is!  It is called Tsuruga-jyo.   This is a replica of the the original castle.  The original one was constructed in the 1300’s and was torn down in the 1800’s.  Many samurai lived here, but the greatest was probably Date Masamune.

There is a museum of the castle’s history inside.  At the top of the castle, we can see Aizu-Wakamatsu City below us and the surrounding mountains.

This is Japan, so of course there is a gift shop.  Samurai cookies, anyone?

Tohoku crafts.

Aizu-Wakamatsu is famous for lacquerware.

We walked back to the restaurant.

Yum, lunch!  Aizu-Wakamatsu is famous for Sauce Katsudon.

Recently I had a wonderful Mother’s Day.  It was extra special for me because it was my birthday.  So it was my day double!

In celebration we went by train to Aizu-Wakamatsu City in western Fukushima Prefecture.   First we took a train to Koriyama City and then transfered to another train heading out west.  These photos are from that second journey.

Japan is so beautiful in the spring!  It’s a great time to look around.

That’s Mt. Bandai.  It’s a famous mountain, and it is also a volcano.  It had a major eruption in 1888, one of the worst in recent Japanese history.

Do you think these flowers were planted just for us?

Here we are at the train station.  Little decorations are around.  Aizu-Wakamatsu and its surrounding area is a sightseeing spot–probably the most well-known and visited in Fukushima Prefecture.

It’s an akabeko!

Next week let’s explore Aizu-Wakamatsu City.  Stay tuned!

Recently I went to Sendai City to help out a friend.   Sendai City is not in Fukushima Prefecture.  It is in the prefecture north of us–Miyagi Prefecture.  Sendai City is a major city in Japan, so during the 3/11 earthquake, Sendai was the biggest city to most significantly feel effects from the earthquake.  (Of course, Tokyo was also shaken up…but not nearly as much as Sendai, which was very close to the epicenter.)

So while I was there, I took the opportunity to look around.  I walked from the train station to the wonderful park.  It’s called Kotodai Park.

This is the great sumo wrestler, Tanikaze.  He was from Sendai.

Beautiful flowers!

Fun in the fountain.

Let’s practice our Japanese.

This sign says:

Onegai

hato ni esa o ataenaide!

hato no toraburu ga okiteimasu.

Please

Do not give food to the pigeons!

The pigeons can cause trouble.

The Loople bus is a tourist bus you can use to get around the city to the main attractions.

Here I am, walking down the street!  La la la Tra la la la la

Did you enjoy seeing a bit of Sendai City?  Maybe some day……we will be back!

This past spring I went to “Hanamiyama” in Fukushima City.  In English, that is “Flower Blossom Viewing Mountain.”

It’s a wonderful place to hike.

Lots of flowers!

Like most mountains in Japan, it has a shrine.

I didn’t go during the peak cherry blossom season.  But still, lots of lovely flowers!

And no matter what time of year, it’s nice to go hiking.

When you hike, do you wear a colorful hat?

This is the pool of water my son fell in when he was three years old.   Oops!

Tulip Season

Carpe diem!

This sign says “Hanamiyama Kouen.” (Hanamiyama Park)

I took the purple path…..whew!

Yes.  It’s not a proper hike without fish on a stick.

Gosh darnit, I forgot my water.  Silly me!  I’ll have to buy some.

Dogs are the best part of hiking.  Don’t you agree?

A map of Fukushima Prefecture.  Fukushima City (and therefore Hanamiyama Park) are located in the top light green portion.

One lip….Two lips….Three lips….

Ah!  Time to relax!

Time to head home on the bus…….

On the side of the bus, it says, “Fuku.”  福

We love Fukushima!