Morning Glowries

There is the smoking deck on the 2nd floor.
This year, we had planted Mornig Glowries.
It began to bloom one by one.
In the middle of July, much more flowers will bloom.

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens in June 2013

Koishikawa Korakuen had built in early EDO period.
It's takes less than 20 min. on foot from Hotel Niwa Tokyo.

 The main gate of this park.

As this gate is usually closed, you have to enter from the west gate in the opoisit side.

There are small mountains, valleys, pond, bridges, and old Japanese houses in the park.

Now the irises are in full bloom.
There are 660 irises here!
You may be able to enjoy them until the end of June.

When I looked at the irises, Spot billed duck "Karugamo" famillies came out.
The chicks were so cute!

Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens

Kanda Matsuri 2013

In May, the two big famous matsuri (festival)  " Kanda Matsuri", "Sanja Matsuri" had been held in Tokyo.
Especially Kanda Matsuri is one of the three largest festival in Japan.
It has been held from Edo Period.
Here is a report of Kanda Matsuri, May 14th to 15th.

On the privious day of 14th in parish towns, people get togather and prepare the Matsuri.

They set up their own Mikoshi (Portable shrine) by themselves

and prepare for the Shinko-sai on the next day.

Shinko-sai on the 14th.

Shinko means Kami (God) on the portable shrine and floats parade the parish towns.

They start from Kanda Myojin in the morning and parade to Otemachi, Marunouchi, Nihonbashi, Akihabara. Then they go back to Kanda Myojin again in the evening.

Unfortunately it rained all day.

The people of the parade were wearing rain coat on their traditional attire.

Mikoshi Miyairi on the 15th.

Unlike the previous day, it's sunny!

More than 100 portable shrines are carried into Kanda Myojin Shrine.

Onna-Mikoshi which all the carriers are female

The  parishioners who carry the portable shrine wear the same Hanten (Uniform).

The design of the Hantens deffer according to their town.

Children also carry a small portable shrine.

The Mikoshi jam.

Each Mikoshis are waiting for going into the Kanda Myojin Shrine.

The break time

The crowds in front of the shrine gate.

Just one more effort!

The crowds in the shrine

Finish carring at last!

All the carriers clap their hands to celebrate their mission accomplished.

The representatives of parishioners pray in the shrine pavilion.

The next Kanda Matsuri will be held in 2015.

[Access to Kanda Myojin from Hotel Niwa Tokyo]

   By train/  2min. from JR Suidobashi sta. to JR Ochanomizu sta. 5min. from JR Ochanomizu sta. on foot.

   On foot/ About 20min. on foot.

    

The backseat role

The trees in our courtyard are getting green in recent weeks.
Their colors are deepening day by day.
It's very beautiful.

The stream in the courtyard needs to clean 3 or 4 times a month.

First, brush away the fallen leaves and mud. 

After the bottom surface become clean, put stones back carefully by hand.

This ordinary work is continued all year round by our maintenace staff.
They are going to be more busy for the new season in order to attract our guests by the lovely view.

Narcissus of hope

There is a small garden on the 3rd floor of our hotel.
Last week, one narcissus has bloomed there.

That narcissus was brought from Kamaishi in Iwate prefecture where had been struck by the Great East Japan Erthquake.

It used be raised by the aunt of Mr. Sadaharu Furukawa who is the massage volunteer in Kamaishi.

His aunt had affected by the Tunami and remain missing.

That was the only thing which Mr. Furukawa could find after his house was swepted away by the Tunami.

Last November, Ms. Shirasu of RESULTS Japan gave 8 piece of the narcissus bulb to one of our sales staff and asked us to grow.

We wondered if they will grow properly after they were damaged by seawater.

But the one of them thrive and bloom at last!

We were touched by the strength and vitality.

We wish much more narcissus will bloom next year.