I have not posted for a long time... in some reasons...

A week ago, I found I am pregnant!

I am so excited, but a little worry about my new baby to grow without any problem.
Every morning and night I talk to him/her to be relax and grow.

Amazing!
I have worked on for almost 2 years to conceive, however, it did not work. I decided not to focus on making baby because I realized I have other things before having another child.
Then, I found my period was pretty late.

Hope to have a safe delivery in Summer.

Friend?

How do you end up relationship with your friend?
I feel something strange these days, I think somehting is going on. Something is happening very silently...
I am trying not to care, and see what will happen next.

What would you do if your co-worker wants to be a friend with you?
I see a work place just as a place to work, not a place to make close friends because I want to focus on my work. Maybe this is selfish, but I just want to keep my cycle of life.

Am I strange?

Study something new!

Hi there. I have not had a chance to writing a post.

I happened to start studying on Internet Marketing a couple of week ago. In fact, I am just reading a very basic book of this kind at this moment because I need to study...

I was asked to translate a web page for English speakers, however, translating is not a simple transposition of words but expressing in different language. I want to do a good job and make a good business web page. This is the reason for study.

Though I already have a B.A., have a family and work as a language staff, I want to look to different area which I have never thought about.
The company I work for gave me a chance to explore and study about something new.
One teacher of mine taught me "Young people have a heart of Challenge".
This is a challenge for me, and reading book and studying really brings a spirit I used to have in University. This is not bad:) I want to stay young!
I do not know how it is going to be, and how much I can do. Fortunately, I have a co-worker who knows about Internet Marketing well and also understands English. So it will be OK.

I really feel I am a lucky person.
I know it is going to be tough, and hard work. I will make it!!!

Insomnia

Thinking about life too much, is it bad? good?

My friend has been insomnia since February...

I do not know what to say to her...

Castle lovers

Very interesting that more and more people, not only old people but young women, are visiting castles these days. A new trend now in Japan is Sengoku Busho which means gennerals of Sengoku period. Sengoku period is the warring state period in 16th century in Japan. Dramas and games about this period and generals have been popular regardless of age or sex.

One of reasons is Taiga Drama made by NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, Japanese Broadcasting coporation). This is long-term historical fiction drama and has long history since 1963.
Actually, it has a lot of impact on Japanese.

Castles are beautiful as artistic buildings and guardens along with are also the highlight. Many people have Hanami party at castle gardends.

Evrey time I go back to my hometown, I visit the nearest castle where I frequently visited during my school days.

Somehow, this place heals me...

then I realize I am very Japanese...

Family gathering at zoo

On 5th, called Children's Day in Japan, my parents-in-low took us to a zoo which does not charge for children to enter on this day. This zoo is at a mountain, so kind of large and has a lot of animals, monkeys, elephants, lions, kangaroos and etc. Children can ride horses, feed sheep and ducks, and touch small rabbits and chicks.


Worker were giving out a piece of bread to adults and children, however, animals were too hungry to wait to be fed. They sneaked into my arms and took my pieces away...:( My daughter was a little bit frightened.


My daughter was excited because of animals and grand parents. She seemed to like her grand parents a lot! and I like it:) She hold their hands and watched animals, and my husband and I walked together. It is rare and fresh for me to walk only with him side by side.





Her grand father was very very happy about walking with his grand daughter. On the way out of the zoo, he asked " Which animal do you like?", " I like giraffe!" she answered, so he bought a giraffe cushion for her. That was really quick! She gave him a big smile:)


Sometime, I feel alone in raising child, however, there are people who really love and care her. I had better rely on grandparents more, maybe.

Surprising Cherry Tree

Look at this tree.

This breaks a big rock and keep growing to bloom flowers.

This is telling me "constant dripping wears away the stone".

Many a little makes a miracle...

Iron Will

Last Friday, my husband borrowed a movie "Iron Will".

This story is based on a dog-sled race in 1914 of true story.
It describes a parents-son relationship, human and animal relationship and media and society along with the race.
I felt Will (a main character)'s strong determination to win the race for his father who died in a mushing accident. He and his father are very close, and his father wished his son to study at a university. However, his family did not have enough money to study at college, then he decides to run the dog-sled race which his father wished to attend. Will's pure and upright attitude really inspires heart of event sponsors and people of America who read articles written by a newspaper reporter.

See Wikipedia, Iron Will, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Will (optional description here) (as of Apr. 20, 2009, 05:16 GMT).

I really recommend to watch this movie when you loose your goal and heart to move on.

My husband watched already three times; he first watched this 8years ago and 5years ago and this time. I guess these times are when he got lost and tried to move one step forward.

Mobile Phones for teens

As the same with other developed countries, the mobile phones situation in Japan has been changing every day. According to a research done by Benesse Corporation about mobile phones among teenagers, over 93% of high school kids have their own and 29% of elementary school kids have phones either with family or of their own. The percentage increase age by age, but number of holders increase differently based on sex. At age 10, only about 30% have phones among both boys and girls; however, at age13 (only after 3 years) the percentage jumps up to 49% for girls, but stays 31% for boys. Then at age 16, 94% of girls and 87% of boys and at age 18, both of sexes reach as high as 93%. What is more, the manners among teenagers are different from that of adults.
The research reports that 80% of teen users enjoy phones either taking pictures or movies and downloading music and playing games when adults use phones for communication both private and business. Elementary schoolchildren use phones often when they need to call family, whereas junior high schoolchildren use them mainly to exchange e-mails with friends. Again, girls exchange e-mails more often than boys and junior high schoolchildren use e-mail function than high schoolchildren. They answer e-mail right after they receive them. They do not mind if a person who is in front of you starts answering or writing a reply by his/her phone.

“They consider face to face communication and communication by phone is equal. Therefore, some attitudes which are not acceptable to elders are natural among teenagers,” says Akira Sakai, a professor of Otsuma Women’s University. Though there is a difference between junior high schoolchildren and high schoolchildren, both of them obviously have different perspective from elders.

I understand that mobile phones are so popular that it is hard for kids not to look at or hope to own under peer pressure. However, time of school days never comes back. They have their job such as study and student clubs to get themselves into shape and learn teamwork and harmony.　It is not too bad to use or own mobile phones. Yes it is useful and has a lot of information. Nevertheless, they have things to do before having their own phones. Schooldays should be the basis for living a normal life as a member of society. I would allow my daughter to have one when she has certain knowledge and keeps a good standard in school (no absence, study hard, and make good friends).
Some schools ban to bring mobile phones; however, since most of high schoolchildren have their own phone, schools need to teach and educate on advantages and disadvantage of mobile phones. Teaching at home is a must. Sakai commented regarding this research, “It is very interesting that sense of teenagers today; we need to look into minorities who feel discomfort and doubt on some attitudes, and then take those into topics to discuss in the school education”.

Cakes before flowers? Early Cherry Blossoms

It is a spring time!
Most Japanese love "Hanami". Hanami means viewing and enjoy the beauty of flowers, but we usually say it as viewing cherry blossoms in springs. People gather with friends and co-workers to enjoy food and drinks under the trees, even at night (Yozakura). Some parks put small lamps that illuminate cherry blossoms.
"Hamani" seemed to start about 1,200 years ago in imperial court, and then became popular in the Edo period. The cherry blossom is at their best only for two weeks, poems would be written praising the delicate flowers, which were seen as a metaphor for life of Samurai, luminous and beautiful yet fleeting and ephemeral.
We have the cherry-blossom forecast to inform when the cherry blossoms will come out everyday. Since Japan is slender island from north to south, the forecast starts usually from the middle of March to the end of April.
However, the time of cherry blossom seems to come gradually early every year. .
The cherry-blossom front has already arrived at Iwate today, but it is kind of too early for Iwate; we usually hear the news of cherry blossoms at the end of April.It must be because of the global warming... It is over 20°C today.
It is so nice to have early cherry party and shorter winter, still it is not good.
Am I strange to care about global warming while enjoying early cherry blossoms?
I do not want the earth to have a life like cherry trees. No way.

Influenza type B is still around!!

Last week was "influenza week".

A teacher of my daughter's nursery school called me during my work on last Monday because she had a high fever of over 39°C. I immediately went to the nursery and brought her to a clinic I usually go.

The doctor tested for flues and waited for 15 minutes. I was told that she got influenza type B. Since then she had to stay home and rest until fever was gone.

The doctor gave her "Tamifuru"which is a killer medicine for the flue, however, it might cause side effect. My daughter got better because of the medicine, but she started to say something weird and cried so hard for almost three hours. I wondered why and consulted with the doctor, she told me to stop the medicine. Then she was back to "usual" for the day, however, the following morning, she again had a little fever and looked exhausted.

Then I wen to see the doctor to ask for different medicine. I just wanted her to get better to attend an entrance ceremony on Saturday.

Friday afternoon, when I was at home to prepare her to go the clinic, her teacher of the nursery called me to inform the entrance ceremony was cancelled due to the wide-spread of influenza type B. She was not the only one.

During weekend, she got really better and was able to go to the nursery on this Tuesday.

Yet still, many kids are still absent due to the flue.

Please wash your hand and gaggle after coming back to home!

Turtleneck Sweaters

Spring is just around the corner, but in Morioka, it is still chilly. It was snowing yesterday...oh God. It is situated in latitude 40 degree north like New York, Paris and Rome. The lowest temperature is around -10, and the highest reach only 0 in the middle of winter.


In this season, for a person who has poor circulation like me, a turtle neck sweater is the savior.
I wear it from late September to April everyday.
I have white, red, black, brown, blue, pink and gray. Some colors I have more than one.
I like wool washable sweaters which are relatively thin. So I can put cardigan on when it is still cold.

What is your favorite winter outfit?
I wonder how long I got to wear sweaters this winter...

Cherry trees are blooming at southern part of Japan...

Space Travel

Koich Wakata, Japanese spaceman who is working now in space, updated his official blog on 20th and published today.
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/koichiwakata_blog/archive/2009/03/24

He in those pictures looked excited and doing his job.

I am solely "the arts" person, and I feel dizzy when I see numbers and symbols of science.

So space is like too far away...
But if, by any chance, I can go to space travel, I want to see the blue earth which floats in space...

Letter From First Love

"Hello, how have you been?... It's been already 16 years since we broke our relationship..."

How would you feel if you receive a letter from a first lover who was apart long time ago?


Do not worry too much.
It is not a real letter from your lover.
There is a website that creates you a letter from your first lover. It's been a while since the site started this service and its access has been increasing week by week.

http://letter.hanihoh.com/　(Japanese Only)

When you access to its homepage and answer several questions and it creates you a letter from the lover for a second.

It is programmed based on analysis and tendency of so many people, it is somehow a very "realistic letter"...

Yes, I tried. Some parts doesn't match, but some does.

It knows my personalities, tendency, and attitude towards love(lover).

"Are you still writing a poetry?" and "You used to say 'Guys damp girls so easily! You are not like them aren't you?' Though I said 'yes', I got a case of the jitters'"

Words and phrases are not exact but I used to say these.


" Please stop killing cockroaches by hand and be happy:)" says the last.
That made me laugh:)

Favorite Baseball Comic

Ever since I was a junior high school student, I have liked "Touch".

This is very famous baseball comic in Japan and popular in all ages.　This has comedy, romance and sports spirit.

Main characters are twin brothers and one girl, who are living next to each other since they are babies.

Touch (manga), http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Touch_(manga)&oldid=277845734 (last visited Mar. 18, 2009).

I am reading it now, I do not know how many times I have read it.

I realize that my perspective toward this story change. When I read it in junior high, I just read as a love story and that's it. I liked the drawing. When I read it in 20's, I was reading it as I recalled my memory in the past and considered it only as a fiction that was nothing to do with my life.

Then now, I can see a lot more than I did in the past; feeling of each character and sensitive relationship among characters. Brotherhood, friendship, love, dream...etc...

As my husband has a younger brother whose personality is very different from his, I see some common point in the character of twin brothers. I am trying to catch and understand how the elder figure is like.

I could see the heart of brothers and the girl. They like and treasure each other. Their caring hearts are beautiful. Basically, it is comedy, so not always love and romance. It has seriousness sometimes like a spice.

If you have time, give it a try.

Re-save data of VHS tape on DVD

This is kind of surprise that a software will be released on this April from e frontier, Inc. This software enables us to transfer VHS or 8mm video tape data on DVD or Blue-ray.
The software cost only 12,390 yen.
Several months ago, my father-in-low was talking about 8mm video tapes that he recorded years ago when his sons were young.
He has many tapes and wants to re-save them as digital data; however, he was said that it would cost 10,000 yen on every 10min.

10 minutes for 10,000 yen!
This is a little too much even important memory are in it. He told that he taped some animations like Ultra-Man series. Then it is not necessary. You can buy DVD...
But then, now this miracle software will be at stores and makes easy to transfer all data to DVD cheaper.

I also have some VHS tapes that I was thinking to throw away, bit I can save them:)
This software is so necessary for the electrical transformation.
My parents-in-low actually gave us a video camera that can save data on a compact disc (maybe mini-DVD) a month ago, and said, "Our parents also gave us a video camera when our second son was born. They must feel the time never come back. And we feel so, too."

Thank you, we do not have second one though...

Trip to Sendai

Blue and clear sky, warm temperature and sunny Sunday, yesterday was a just perfect to day for drive.

My husband took us to Sendai.

Sendai is 2.5-hour drive away (on superhighway) from Morioka.

It is a biggest city in Tohoku area(North East Japan).

He took us to Aoba castle where Masamune Date lived.

See Wikipedia, Aoba Castle, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aoba_Castle (optional description here) (as of Mar. 16, 2009, 05:37 GMT).

I did not know a lot about its history, however, the view from a outlook point was very nice.

She was shrieking and squealing with laughter:D We enjoyed the sun and view.

After that, we wet to eat "Go Around Sushi". Sushi is one of my favorite food!

My daughter was happy to see sushi running on belt conveyor and eat seaweed roll

I liked nigiri of a big scallop, chihiro shrimp and sea bream.

We enjoyed this short one day trip:)

Highway Revolusion

Japanese superhighways cost a lot.
Unlike the U.S., it costs a lot of money to drive on superhighways in Japan. For instance, if you drive from Tokyo to Nagoya, it would cost around $80 plus gas fee.
Because of this, we cannot travel far by car.

A new superhighway system will start in Japan; it discounts the expressway toll and it would start from 28th of this month. This only charges 1,000 yen per a ordinal car with ETC(Electronic Toll Collection) as long as you drive on a superhighway.
This is definitely a good news for me whose hometown and relatives are miles away.

Although it limits only weekends and official holidays, it makes a big difference.

This is one of additional economic policies that the government have been working on. However, it is not an easy process to make all toll stations to activate according to the policy within a month. No wonder today's news say the system will be carried out step by step, and be done by the start of "Golden Week".

Originally I was planning to visit my hometown with my daughter by Shinkansen (a supreme express) in the end of April, but because of this new system, my husband might join us.

I feel my relatives and families are getting closer.

This will really change our weekends and vacations!
Now I need a better and comfortable car...

Just Cold? Watch out!

I have been sick for several days.

Since last Thursday I have had sore throat and stuffed nose.
I thought it was just a cold and could get better as time goes, so I did not take any medicine.

On Sunday night, I suddenly felt dizzy that I could not stand, or walk. I felt strange that something happened. I went to sleep, but I still felt dizzy even I was lying.
That was horrible...!
I was throwing up several times and felt so bad. The world was turning around...

"Oh my god, what is this, what is going on? Do I contract a serious illness or something?"

After a heavy vomit I somehow could fall asleep.

In the following morning, I woke up and still felt strange and slight of dizziness, therefore, I went to a hospital I usually go to and saw a doctor.

He said it was because of cold.

Since I have been sick and the dizziness started suddenly, a germ might have gotten into my ear and caused dizziness.

My dizziness surely got better gradually and I was able to eat light dinner.

Hum, cold... scary.
You should not make a light of a cold.

Wash hands and gargle, a way to go.

Time to go to bed

My daughter is a night owl.

She does not look sleepy until 10 o'clock.

I know it is because of us;( We are also night owls.

Last weekend I made up my mind to put her sleep earlier.

I have been watching her, so I know her tendency toward sleep. She needs almost an hour to fall asleep. Therefore, I started to take her to the bed room around 9:30.

We come home at 6:00.

Dinner at 7, and take a bath with her around 8 and enjoy bath-time (important!), put ointments to her sensitive skin and put pajamas on. All has to finish by 9:20.

It is not easy for me, an working mother, however, I have tried to shift my schedule ahead of time and to keep regular hours.

Last few days, she could follow me and go to bed and fall asleep at least 10:30 p.m..

Yes, it is still not early or healthy for 2 year old, but it is on the process to reach our goal of 10.

Since she has sensitive skin and sometimes wakes up in the middle of sleep, this is good place to start:)

Let us keep on trying!

Films

Japanese movie "Departures" won Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and "La Maison en Petits Cubes" won the Best Animated Short Film award in the 81st Academy Awards celemony.

It is great that Japanese films are approved of in the world of film!!

I saw the director, Mr. Yojiro Takita, on TV interview and watched his film in the past. This was about media, and the main character was a TV reporter. It was only minutes that run on the screen, however, I somehow felt his perspective.

It was kind of serious and raising a question.
How the media should really be and what is the real world of media...
I studied about media and communication, so it is eye-catching for me.

There are difficult questions, but important.

Anyway, I definitely want to watch "Departure" and "La Maison en Petits Cubes".
Have you seen them?

Is outfit so important?

" You should dress better!"
I was told by an elder when I was talking about my mother and sister.

Whenever I visit to my mother's house, she tells me " You should wear better."

My mother is a kind of person who care what to wear and makeups, and so is my elder sister, but not me.

I do not think I wear old-fashioned outfits, but I just do not care about what to wear.
I feel outfit is not that important compared with inside of the person.
Besides, I am a little busy to care enough about my outfits.
Maybe I put being busy as an excuse...

I want to know how to manage time and organize things for husband and a child to be better-dressed wife and mother;)

I will work on it, but if someone has an idea, please help me!

Unpredicted

Last Saturday, my daughter's nursery school held performance.

I was supposed to take time and enjoy preparing for this exciting event.

However, I found my husband had to go business trip and it has been snowing a lot more than I expected!

This means I could not park my car on the ground of nursery school and had to find space and do preparation all by myself in the morning!

Oh my God!

However, when I went to the nursery to pick her up on Friday evening, I met my only mum-friend and she offered me a parking space at her house.
Thank God!

When one shuts, another opens!

Thanks to the friend, even though it was snowing and we were little late, I was able to take her to the nursery with the friend's daughter without a big trouble:)

My daughter's class did "Three Little Pigs".

Children were divided into three groups by their height (maybe month). We could see the difference among them, small, middle and big pigs. They were all cute.

This was a second time to perform in front of many people for my daughter, she did a great job at her age!

I surely saw her growth.

I took some pictures... somehow, my micro SD did not saved and it saved only pictures I took on the way home after the performance:'(

Oh my God!

Plus I am not sure if I recorded in video camera well...(Triple oh my God?!)

This weekend...

My daughter's nursery school will hold an event that children perform plays and songs.

I heard teachers have taught them acting and singing for about a month.

I really look forward to watch it:) She will play "Three Little Pig" and she is a middle one.

I will put some pictures of it on later!

Soup curry

I was not a curry eater. I mean, I did not choose to eat curry. I just did not.
Most Japanese like curry, and rare to find who hate curry.

Ever since I became a pregnant, I have started to eat curry regularly.
I was able to eat curry even in morning sickness period. I could not eat most of food, but curry. This is interesting.

The other day, my friend told me that she was engaged. So I took her out for lunch to celebrate.

When we went out was Saturday lunch time, many restaurants were full.

Then we found soup curry restaurant which has seats. This is a kind of famous one, I think.

This is "Chicken and vegetable curry with Nan".

It was very nice and delicious. The Nan was good. This is not Japanese traditional home dish, but soup curry. The name of this restaurant is Buzz curry and cafe.

I liked this kind.

I realized that me not was curry eater, paid for curry.

Amazing!

Valentine's Day?!

How did you spend your Valentine's Day?

This time, I made truffles for my friends whom both my husbands and me are close to.

We got together and enjoy tea and played card games!It was fun!

HOWEVER,

I was too busy to take time to get any present for my husband...

So I said to him "Sorry that I could not prepare anything for you".

"Never mind" he replied.

Yesterday, on Sunday

My husband asked me to make temaki sushi. This sushi is not nigiri, but used seaweed to roll rice and ingredients such as egg and fish.

I prepared egg, cucumber, cram paste and natto.

He came back a little late, when I was trying to put our daughter to sleep.

I just warmed up soup and push dish on a table so he can help himself.

HOWEVER,

When I came back to living room, he said " I wanted Tuna Roll, I just ate all cucumbers with mayonnaise..."

Sushi I made was not he was expected... He wanted to eat tuna salad roll!!!

Oh my goodness!

Sorry, but I always appreciate you...

Morioka Cold Noodle

Do you eat cold noodle in winter?

Yes, I do!

Last Saturday, my husband took me to a Restaurant whose Cold Noodle is very famous.

This Cold Noodle is called "Reimen" （冷麺）in Japanese.
We sometimes go and eat at this restaurant and also enjoy grilled slices of meat.

Last week, the restaurant held "Noodle Festival". It is not an event outside, but they serve noodles and grilled meat dishes cheaper.

This cold noodle which is put in the soup is very “elastic”. This really makes people addicted. Some people are hesitated to eat for the first time, but once they slurp up one line of the noodle they can never forget its elasticity. Then they somehow come to eat Rei-men from time to time.

The soup is so delicious! It is little sweet and you can put KIMCHI to make it spicy. This matches this noodle amazingly.

It has boiled eggs and pear on top. They serve water melon instead of pear in summer.

Fruit in noodle!?

Yeah, believe me, this is exquisite!

Holiday

February 11th is Holiday in Japan.

What kind of holiday? It is National Foundation Day.

National Foundation Day, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Foundation_Day&oldid=242776195 (last visited Feb. 10, 2009).

We usually put our national flag on the gate of our houses.

Since I am living in an apartment, I do not do this now, however, old fashioned Japanese house put flag to celebrate National Holiday.

How do you celebrate your national holiday?

I want to share this...

Which browser do you usually use?

I use this browser and RSS reader at my company.

http://shareon.jp/

This is a good stuff and recommend you to try.

This browser has RSS and COMBOO as plug-ins.

This Comboo is a original and interesting part of this browser.

With this software, you can make your original desktop screen.

You can cut a part of web page and put on your screen like widget. It has detail explanation on its homepage.

I actually cut a calender from Yahoo homepage and put on my screen.

You might find some points that need improvement though.

It is still worth trying:)

Celebrating the coming of spring!

February 3rd-we celebrate this day for the coming of spring.

It is called " SETSUBUN" meaning the day before beginning of spring.

Setsubun, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Setsubun&oldid=268659360 (last visited Feb. 6, 2009).

On this day, we do the bean-scattering ceremony from young kids to old grandmothers and eat as the same number of beans as their age. If you are 50, you should eat 50 beans! We throw beans to rooms of our house chanting "Demons Out!, Luck In!", and sometimes father disguised himself as demon to be a target of kinds.

My daughter celebrated this day and enjoyed the bean scattering at her nursery school with school mates. To prepare for this day, kids were makeing their own demon's mask and bean box.

She really like this mask and box, so she ask me " Where is my demon?" whenever I pickher her up at the nursery.

She is smiling with demon mask today, too:) I hope not she become a little demon...

Role of the first lady

Ever since President Obama swore in the office, people and media have been keeping their eyes on his governance.

Same to the First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama

Every step and every move they take, people and media are with them...

There are pros and cons on the first lady taking an action on politics, however; if you are people of America and want to make a difference to make it better place to live, what would you do?

I feel she also wants to change America, she is his wife...

I am not a resident of this country, but I wish this country recover the power and energy to achieve American Dreams.

Am I the only one think this way?

Chocolate and Valentine's Day

I love chocolates!

Talking about chocolate, I recall Valentine's Day in my school days.


In the West, people celebrate on February 14th and express love for each other by exchanging Valentine's cards and presenting flowers and gifts.






In Japan, this is one of special days when girls declare love and give a chocolate to boys they love. Many girls do it on the day for the first love confession.






Then the boys who received a chocolate returns a gift to the girl on a day called "White Day" which is on March 14th.





For me, I was not brave enough to do. I made chocolates to give every year though and ate by myself.


Of course they tasted bitter...

Mobile phones in Japan 1

I used to stay in the US for business around a year. I had moble phone to communicate, but the pohone was only for verbal communication.

No mailing function was avairable.

That was almost 8 years ago.

I settled Japan returning from the US, I started using Japanese mobile phones.

Japanese phones are very originative and stylish, though they are not that popular in the world.
The industry has been developing ever since it was released to our daily lives.
We have three major carriers, Docomo, Au and Softbank. They have improved and developed their original services and monthly fee options.

According to a survey, Docomo customers are satisfied with its good quality of talking condition and a large area of it.
The popular I-Phones are sold only at Softbank, though they are not working in full scale. The functions are limited. Softbank is also famous for a reasonable monthly fee. The cheapest basic fee is 980 yen (about $10) per month.
Au has stylish phones and famous for good quality in music play.

There are camera phones and TV phones.
Camera phone takes with 5.1 mega pixels. It takes very good quality pictures and ones with 8.1 megapixels are available at shores from this fall.
Another has so called “One-Seg (1 Seg)” function. You can watch TV with good view on your phone.

Three carriers are quite competitive to attract users with better equipment and services. That is why; Japanese phone service and quality have gotten better and better.
Of course, it is still improving and getting better.

Mt. Iwate

Morioka- the place I live.

This city is located in northern part of Japan mainland. Morioka is situated in latitude 40 degree north like New York, Paris and Rome.

What I and my husband really like about this city is Mt. Iwate.

This is a picture of the mountain.

Morioka-city is a ordinal country side, from my point of view, but its nature is good.

You can see ditail of Morioka and Iwate prefecture from this following site. http://www.iwatetabi.jp/en/index.php

Though our daughter is too young to climb this high mountain, we want to try someday.

Favorite beverage

What do you drink to make yourself relax? Herb tea? Coffee? Juice?

I drink cocoa to refresh and take a rest.

I sometimes feel exhausted and dizzy due to my work and parenting two-year daughter.

At those time, I take time to have a cup of cocoa.

One day I read a blog introducing how to make cafe mocha at home.

It is very easy and reasonable! Mix instant coffee and cocoa powder and pour hot water. The ratio and amount is at your will.

I like 1:2 and put some milk or cream to make it milder.

Give it a try.

Power of Speech

President Obama has become in charge of the United States of America, and he is the first African-American president. His “Yes, we can!” and “Change” are very famous even in my country, Japan. These words are simple but powerful.

A book with CD which collected President Obama’s speeches is sold over 400,000 in only 2 months in Japan. Its publisher says this book is their second-bestseller. I was personally impressed by his speeches which he delivered in different occasions.

It seems that people buy the book for studying English, but want to buy its following version because they are moved by his speech. Actually, he inspires the hearts of Japanese as well as people of his country.

I liked his thought that we, whether Democrats or Republican, need to cooperate to rebuild America. Yes, they are all American.

I wish we, Japanese, have such a leader as President Obama...

I am hoping he actually "Change America" and the World!

Nice to meet you!

Nice to meet you!

I open my blog to introduce what I love like such as my family, my neighbors, my work to enjoy communication through the net.

Feel free to visit and comment!