I celebrated Christmas 2009 and the New Years in the Netherlands with some of my family. While there I visited an aunt, sister of my Mom, I had never met before. Family quarrels happen in a lot of families and we are one of them. I have no idea what all happened. My grandfather ( ... Continue Reading
After New Years I went to Stockholm with my son Maarten to see where he lives. He does cancer research at the Karolinska Institutet for his Masters for 8 months. He lives again in one room after living in a bigger apartment, but it is still quite big. It also snowed in Stockholm ... Continue Reading
Yesterday, I arrived in the Netherlands. I will spend the Holiday Season here with my family. And it was snowing! What a beautiful way to start the Holiday Season! Continue Reading
The “zaimoku” in the name Zaimokuza means “lumber,” and the “za” generally means a guild of merchants and artisans who did business under the patronage of the large shrines, and temples in the Kamakura (1185/92-1333) and Muromachi periods (1335 ... Continue Reading
I’m back again in Japan. I have been in the USA for the graduation of my oldest son from UCSD and youngest son from USC and in The Netherlands for the celebration of my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday and for visiting and being with my middle son. I got a very bad cold ... Continue Reading
Coming-of-Age is a young person’s transition from adolescence to adulthood. Since 1948, the age of majority in Japan has been 20; persons under 20 are not permitted to smoke, drink, or vote. Coming-of-age ceremonies, known as “seijin shiki”, are held on the sec ... Continue Reading
Odawara Castle is a landmark in the city of Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture. It was the stronghold of various daimyo, powerful territorial lords during the Muromachi period of Japanese history. Odawara Castle had very strong defenses, because it was situated on a hill, surrounded ... Continue Reading
The Tsukiji fish market is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind. The market is located in Tsukiji in central Tokyo, and is a major attraction for foreign visitors. On the picture, where you see t ... Continue Reading
On New Years Eve we also went to the Hongakuji temple on our way back home. This temple is beautifully decorated with lighted lamps “akachochin” (red lamps) and “shirochochin” (white lamps). This is the Ebisu-do Hall built by the 1st shogun Minamoto Yorit ... Continue Reading
This is a special time in Japan and a lot of people take their days off to visit family and to go to the shrines and temples. Even banks and post offices are closed for several days, so, you have to be prepared. (We ran into this problem 2 years ago and in Japan a lot is paid by ... Continue Reading
