We have had extremely hot summer and the temperature is above 35 degree even in September. It is not easy to grow the wild grass but we are happy to get well-satisfied result of fringed orchids, or crane orchid which gives us coolness in the garden under the scorching sun. We call the grass Sagiso, meaning the flower of the white heron. We cannot see the flower without feeling the wonder of nature.

Bon Festival

Coffee Break
◎Thank you for your message of support.  Yes it was a traumatic experience with the earthquake striking at 4.35am on Sept. 4th with the epicentre at Darfield 40 km west of Christchurch. It was a 7.1 magnitude quake, the same as the Haiti quake. It lasted 30 seconds and had a wave like impact that made it almost impossible to scramble out of bed into a safe position - Greg had to walk down a passage way to the childrens bedrooms and was thrown against the walls as he tried to reach them  We were very fortunate that none of us suffered damage (apart from a few broken plates) - the pharmacy was OK as was the Curator's House which had undergone  major earthquake strenghtening  10 years ago.  However many other people were not so fortunate - 100,000 homes have been damaged  or destroyed, two billion dollars is the estimated cost of replacing or repairing the buildings and infrastructure of the city.  Even three days after the event we are experiencing regular after shocks of up to 5.2 magnitude- there were one hundred such shocks yesterday and it is leaving many people and especially children in a state of shock. However we have been so lucky that there have been no deaths.It was lucky that the quake took place  at a time when shops were closed and therre was no traffic on the streets. The central city and the neighbouring town of Kaiapoi  have been cordoned off and schools and services have been closed down until safety inspections have been carried out and power, water and sewerage services restored..
 
Everyone- including geologists and earth quake specilists was caught out by the location of the epiocentre . It was expected that any earthquakes would occur along the fault lines a long way west of Christchurch or in the North Island but not on the Canterbury plains which have an understructure of greywache shingle. In fact apart from Christchurch and places within a 50 km radius of the city New Zealand has been unaffected by the disaster.
 
We have been most grateful for the messages of support and offers of help from friends both in NZ and overseas.Many thanks for thinking of us - we are all well and feel confident about the future. It has all happened during the first few days of Spring with daffodils bursting into bloom along with camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias - a colourful reminder that life goes on no matter what Nature  does to us.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　--Colin and Noela Knightd, Christchurch,New Zealand--

◎Thanks for your kind message Tak

This has been a very bad earthquake - the same strength as the one that hit Haiti in January.  Our city centre has been badly damaged, as have several eastern suburbs of Christchurch.  THANKFULLY, Kate and I are fine (if a little frightened!), and our house survived the quake with only damage to the interior

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　--Tom and Kate Gregg, Christchurch,New Zealand---

◎AAs always, thank you for bringing the seasonal culture in the different locals areas in Japan to our attention.  Your excellent photos, perceptive description and lively songs, allow us to participate in these event as if we were there.What more could one wish for ?
By the way, I have just heard from our mutual friends,  Fiona and Wayne Dale, that they survived the earthquake in Christchurch without any damage to their home.  
   In two days time, we are leaving for a 7 -weeks trip to Europe; France, Spain and Germany, to catch up with our daughter Susan, who lives and works in London.   She will and the rest of the family us in Spain.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　--Claus & Michiko Jehne, Brisbane, Australia--

◎What wonderful photos and you obviously enjoyed your visit to the memorable Festival. It’s good to know that you are keeping in good health and continue to lead such an interesting life. With all good wishes,

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　--Ian Hall, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
◎　Thank you for your excellent  English description of  the  Japanese festivals--Gion and Bon.

You are the only  person I know  who dared to attend Gion Festival.  It is the TV event for my sister  although  she  has lived in Kyoto for many years. She was amazed at your vitality. We will be looking forward your next year's report from Gion under the guidance of Ms Hasegawa.

For me Bon  is neither happy family gathering time, nor neighborhood folk dance party (bon odori) . I remember it as my mother's  busiest time: she  was a seamstress for the kimono shop and used to sew  many yukatas for Bonodori. I can still clearly see the picture  in my mind  of her  working so hard in the hot and stuffy  room . Once the summer kimono season is over, she is less hard- pressed for the deadline, but kept herself busy with sewing more expensive, sometimes ridiculously  expensive silk kimonos  for special occasions like Japanese dances, tea ceremonies , weddings and so on.  

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　----------------------------------------------------

暑中お見舞い申しあげます。My husband was quite amused  by the Japanese custom of "暑中見舞い”。He cannot imagine the  most unpleasant combination of  high temperature and  high humidity of the Japanese summer.  Although I am now living in the area of the best climate in Canada (mild winter and cool summer), we have had a big concern about forest fires since the beginning of the summer. This July was one of the driest months and over 300  forest fires are burning today in this province. Right now many families are on evacuation notice and alert. Normally the forest on the back of our house is my pride and joy :it is almost   beautiful woods described  in "Lady Chatterley's Lover", but  the possibility of forest fires strikes fear in  us   living near huge tracts of forests. Let hope we all survive this unusual summer. 

　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　--Haruyo  Hazelton (nee Konishi), BC. Canada--

◎Thanks for your recent message which arrived soon after our return from Australia, We had a most enjoyable, low-key and restorative holiday. Warm weather of around 27 degrees of dry heat which was strong contrast to the zero temperatures in the coldest and wettest Christchurch winter for many years. I hope you are not finding the hot/damp Kobe summer too difficult and are keeping good health.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　--Burt and Jocelyn Fifield, Christchurch,New Zealand---

◎Thank you for the June and July pictures and messages.  We were gone most of June on a trip to England and Europe.  Of course we saw Japanese tourists everywhere. 
 
The pictures with the fog at the Kobe Arboretum were absolutely beautiful.  We always enjoy your web site and are amazed at all the traveling you do.  Please keep us on our list. 
 
                                                    ---Joe and Susan Bacskay　 Phoenix, Arizona, USA---                                                  
　◎We certainly enjoyed your pictures and our memories of Eitakuji,Sanda-city and unfortunately your theme music captures our NZ winter season also.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　---Rex and Jocelyn Johnstone,Christchurch,New Zealand---

◎Linda and I are in Kona on the Big Island (Hawaii), visiting our  daughter and son-in-law.  The weather here is perfect, so it was  interesting to be reminded that this is tsuyu in Japan.  The flowers  are indeed beautiful this time of year.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　----Don Lorentz, Seattle, Washington,USA----
                     
We look forward to receiving your message (Click and send your comment, please)　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

BGM is 'Owara-bushi (Song for Kaze-no-bon)'

The Bon Festival folk dances (bon-odori) are held in various parts of the country. On the evening of 1st of September Tak visited Yatsuo, small town in Toyama pref, to enjoy Kaze no Bon, literally translates to Bon Dance of the Wind.This festival, having a history of about 300 years, is recently becoming a popular tourist attraction.Tak has been hesitated to join being afraid of hustle and bustle, in spite of his many years' ardent wish. Very fortunately two of his old students proposed to support him by providing the stay.He was very happy to enjoy the unique festival.


Tak arrived at Yatsuo in the afternoon and he found the festival had already started. On his way to the lodging, he saw the dancing demonstration at the upstairs of a traditional townhouse.



T

At the end of August we visited the city of Yonago, Tottori pref, where one of our sons and his family live. One day we went to Yonago Water Birds Sanctuary and found white heron flying high in the sky.



We remembered the days when we visited New Zealand and went through South Island with our good friends, Burt & Jocelyn Fifield in October of the year 2004. We will never forget the magnificent sight of heron at the Sanctuary. Then we heard Maori people believed white heron is the messenger of the Gods.
When evening fell, the streets were decorated with paper lanterns, and long rows of young men and women, their faces covered by low-brimmed straw hats, danced simultaneously to rather melancholic music. This particular style of music is also unique to the region, using an otherwise rare instrument, the kokyu . A well-aged female voice and a traditional shamisen often accompanies the kokyu.



On his way back to the lodging Tak saw the demonstration of the dancing in the precinct of a shrine.