My colleague got signed book (Terry Prachett, Hat full of Sky) for me !

Oh Haggis !

Edinburgh Castle

Look at this beautifil castle !
Although my friend,Gavin, said, Edinbugh is too sightseeing city, to me, this city is still enchanting city.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy, Marvin

Left photo is Mr.Marvin in the movie, "The Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy".
He always seems to be depressed !
His head, eyes give you this impression.
Well, then, appearance can speak more, I would say.
Cheer up, Marvin !

The map for site walk around Ironbridge.

Ironbridge in Shropshire

Sankan Shion

This kanji character gives you the idea that three days are cold but the rest of a week is warm in spring season.
In March, April, the weather is not stable but changing cold season to warm or hot season. Old knowledge says in this transition period, typically this old sayings can apply correctly.

Earthquake

Big earthquake hit Japan again.
This time it is island of Kyusyu, southmost island of Japan.

Peaceful Sunday morning became nightmare for the residents there.
TSUNAMI warning was issued but canceled at noon.
Newspaper said, one died, 400 people was injured.

Keichitsu - a signal for Spring -

This kanji character,"Keichitsu", is pronounced like "Kay Ti Two", which imply a signal for spring coming.
During winter, all worms, insects sleep under ground but once they catch the hint of becoming warm, they will get up and out from underneath.
As a human being, yes, you can see many plants flowering around your home and know spring is coming. Amazingly, small worms can know it coming as well.

Even if there is more cold weather hanging around, spring certainly is coming near you.
When I hear this word on TV news program in Japan, I used to feel the season changing.

Today, 5th of March, is "Keichitsu" in Japan.

Now I see snowdrops flowering and crocus has started flowering around my home in UK.
Spring is coming in England, too.
Yes as worms do, you sense it and need to get up and out for --- holidays!!!

Highland, Wild but fascinating country

Highland
I have just flown back from Inverness, where I have enjoyed very much seeing wild life, wonderful but severe nature. And I can never forget to have met friendly people who are struggling to live there.

Why this season ?
You might see lots of people going around there when it is warm or milder than now.
This is not my intention of visiting and seeing there.
In this season, of course, the weather was NOT nice but you have lots of view which you can NOT in good season in stead. Deer with big antlers, Highland cows, deserted loch with mountains. No visitors except us. Completely isolated but calm and quiet land.
My friend said the weather in Highland will change every 5 minutes and did indeed like what he said.
He said he likes the gradation of remote view of mountainous area, with which I was fascinated soon.

Friendly friend
My Scottish friend having moved from England invited me to Inverness.
He had been telling of Scotland, Scottish, Nature, Rivers,etc for about, yes, 2 years. So I was there in order to check what he said was the real before my imagination exploded inside my mind.

Gaelic information
My friend spotted at the street name, said if I can pronounce it. Of course not, it is very difficult to speak. Gaelic sounds like Russian to me. But this could add coziness to the scenes. Although there are NOT so many Gaelic info comparing to Wales, you could enjoy more if you got some knowledge of them in advance. Thanks to my Scottish friend I did not need it this time.

Good season or bad season
I wanted to see salmons jumping from low to high at small water fall but no chance this time. If you could choose the season to go around, then of course you could see it but with a plenty of sightseers from around the world.
I have never regretted to choose this bad season even if I could not see any salmons jumping. I hope people from other countries don't destroy good nature in Scotland.

Bad Scottish
Finally I need to write this.
My friend said that he found about bad Scottish manner. I remember he said three but only two I remember now.
- Chewing gums
In Inverness at some streets, you shall find many chewing gums spit and made stains on the pedestrian way. This is very bad.
- Bad Scottish drivers
I could not see many bad Scottish drivers but he insisted there are plenty of.
Bumper to bumper or drive fast or NOT change the lane are what he said I think.
Of course this is a bit of laughing things which you shall have the same in your own country.

At this moment they are living there under wild and severe weather in deserted area.
Nature is wild but people are friendly and tough.
I hope I could share this with people in Japan. Scotland ,where you need to visit.

Snow Festival in Sapporo, Hokkaido

Sapporo Snow Festival
The Sapporo Snow Festival, the biggest winter event in Sapporo, began on 7th Feb 2005 up to 13th Feb, 2005.
This festival is dated back to 1950. Then current, students of local junior schools and high schools built 6 big miniature models made from snow on high street in the city.
Since then, building such models became favourite event for citizens in Sapporo in Hokkaido and also one of big attractions across Japan in Winter.

This year is the 56th Festival.
During this period, you can see over 100 snow models varied from small crab of ice to big scale castle of ice.

In Winter, the temperature in Sapporo usually remains less than zero but this festival surely can make you warm.

The book by fans for fans

The book titled [The Plot Thickens... Harry Potter investigated by Fans for Fans.] is the compilation of essays written by fans,that is an array of people with different backgrounds.
You might ponder deeply while you read this.

Hi Hi Puffy

Do you like Japanese cartoon ?
Here's latest one from U.S.A !

You can see LIVE scene they are singing and dancing on that website.

The title ? [ Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi ]

Crap Jobs

According to the book titled [Crap Jobs], followings are in the top 3.
Have you noticed that ?

1: Phone Sex Line Operator
2: North Sea Ferry Cabin Cleaner
3: IT manager

IT manager is the 3rd in the position !
Hmm, interesting ?

What is a ‘barrier-free’ vehicle?

One of my colleagues asked this question, which is ”What is a ‘barrier-free’ vehicle?”

Here's my answer and I hope I should be correct.

---
This "barrier-free" means "no blockers or no obstacles”, especially in using vehicles in this case.

Recently in Japan, the percentage of senior persons occupied in population has been getting bigger and bigger.
Every manufacturer of any vehicles takes account of this fact.
Seniors can be dominant customers to those vehicle manufactures in very near future.

So eliminating any obstacles for a senior to use a car must be essential.

For example, any gauge in front of you must have larger letters.
The sensors to sense a wall, car, children playing behind the car when you drive backward might be help for seniors.

"barrier-free" is a Japanese coined word, I guess.

Tokyo Motor Show

The 38th Tokyo Motor Show opened to the public on Wednesday.
This time, it's featuring commercial and barrier-free vehicles.

The earthquake

The quite heavy earthquake hit the north west area of Japan ( Niigata Prefecture ) on the 23rd October.
What's going on in Japan ? Typhoon and the earthquake ! Too much !
I have put the info on my website as well as the map of Japan. But I believe many residents there thought that one is enough !

UK weather ? It is heaven !

Halloween

This season, toward the end of the month, I think many people here are alerted.
In addition to an umbrella, you might need to wear water-proof coat as well !

Asda, the big superstore here, allegedly, will ban the teenager to buy eggs this season with the concern of abusing them.

I hope this will not come up in other countries or otherwise bring the egg-proof coat together !

Following to the previous day

Mega-typhoon heading for Honshu

A large and powerful typhoon that has brought strong winds and heavy rains to Kyushu and part of Shikoku Wednesday may directly hit Shikoku and Honshu later in the day, the Meteorological Agency said. As of 10 a.m., Typhoon No. 23 was located about 100 kilometers east-southeast of Miyazaki and moving north-northeast at 45 kilometers per hour, according to the agency. The atmospheric pressure at its center was 950 hectopascals, and it packed winds up to 40 meters per second.

The typhoon is expected to approach Shikoku and central Japan to the Kanto district that includes Tokyo Wednesday night, and may directly hit one of these areas.

Over a 24-hour period until Thursday noon, the typhoon is expected to bring 350 millimeters of rain to the Tokai district comprising Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures, 250 to 300 millimeters to Kanto, Koshin, Kinki that includes Osaka and Kobe, Shikoku and Sanin, and 100 to 150 millimeters to the Sea of Japan coast of Tohoku region and Sanyo in western Honshu.
(from Mainichi Daily News)

The 23rd !

According to Mainich Daily News in Japan, the season's 23rd typhoon is set to approach the Kansai area after hitting Kyushu on Wednesday, the officials said.

How awful it is to have 23 typhoons in one season !
Worse than this, it is not the end of season, having another one is likely.

Don't forget you can experience an earthquake as well there ;)