This boy was touching behing of this female farmer,
who is actually a man dressed like a woman^^ 
This was a small festival, but the atmosphere was very nice. 
Miki, the photographer found it’s sad as she only saw 2 kids during this festival. 
Taken is Onda Festival (significant intangible fork cultural asset of Nara prefecture)
of Hakusan Shrine in Noyori, Uda city. 
Copyright(C) Miki

→Miki’s twitter← (English is OK)

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Today, I would like to focus on a column written about baseball player Kazuhisa Makita, from the Saitama Seibu Lions.

First let me tell you about his career. Makita took an active part as an ace in his university league, and after graduation he was hired by a company called Nippon Express, which is distinguished in the field of baseball – they usually field a very strong team to represent the company. He played actively here as well, but in his second year he suffered a terrible ruptured ligament.

However, after intense rehabilitation, Makita returned to the team in fine form. Later on he joined the Saitama Seibu Lions. His career with the team began as a starting pitcher, but in halfway through the season, he was ordered to change his position to closer. Rising to the challenge, he won the rookie of the year award.

In one day’s column, Makita shared his feelings about his injury, and about being ordered off the mound and into a new position. Today, I would like to focus on his injury and near loss of his career. I was impressed by something that inspired him and led him toward positive results. That was “positive image training”, orchestrated by a team trainer.

What if this batter hits my pitch?

What if I walk this batter?

When he was in critical situations, he tended to drive himself into a corner. But after the training, he could adjust his mental outlook…

Even if the batter hits the pitch, a fielder will surely catch it.

Even if I walk the batter, it will be ok unless the bases are loaded and it forces the man on third home.

This positive thinking method generated good results. By having such a training program and witnessing it in action, that positive thinking method made things much better. Makita clearly came to realize that positive thinking really can change your life.

The NIKKEI 02/01/2012 by Kazuhisa Makita (Saitama Seibu Lions)

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Today, I would like to introduce an article about Ibaraki people’s love for rice crackers.

Ibaraki prefecture is famously known for Natto in Japan, and the place has the 10th biggest consumption of natto in Japan according to investigation results of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in food.

This article also covers consumption of other food, and the results for Ibaraki were as follows; dried seaweed #1; fruit/vegetable juice #4; tea #5; other drinks #2; sweets and snacks #5.

Obviously, the results showed higher soft drink consumption of the prefecture than others. For this reason, the article went through investigation results a bit further on the assumption that people in the prefecture may enjoy tea time than people in other areas so that their soft drink, sweets and snack consumption becomes a lot more than others.

As a result, the writer of the article realised that Mito city is also ranked as No.3 rice cracker consumer!

"kanamas" some rights reserved. flickr

In fact, when the writer visited local supermarkets in the prefecture, a quarter of these premises were filled with wide variety of snacks, candy, biscuit, chocolate and rice crackers etc. Especially, rice crackers were even categorised separately from snacks and entitled to have some special rice crackers section!

Wow, it sounds incredible～   I would be happier if I could have such a wide variety to choose from every time I go to supermarket, but being customer-friendly is only one reason why they have such a huge collections?

Well, the secret is that Ibaraki prefecture seems to have tea time twice a day at 10 o’clock and 15 o’clock.  And tea time can always be fulfilled with sweets or snacks, so sweets and snacks consumption in this area automatically increase accordingly.  Also, according to a lady, who married into a family in this area from other prefecture, Ibaraki people never give up seeking best rice crackers, which always go well together with their tea!

So, the writer’s guess was correct   But this is understandable.  If we could have refreshment time twice at 10 and 15 o’clock, work efficiency will also improve～.  Anyway, mystery solved!

What do you think about today’s article?

I’m looking forward to hearing from you ^_^

Source: web R25

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This little boy led his father to this place by the hand^^  
It seems this ginkgo is seed bearing Ginkgo. 
Taken at Takagi Shrine in Gose city. 
Copyright(C) Miki

→Miki’s twitter← (English is OK)

This is JAPAN Style!

This is a weekly headline round-up of the posts titled [Japan after Quake] on our Facebook page.

[May 7] With no nuclear power, providers fire up thermal plants but remain wary of glitches

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20120507p2a00m0na011000c.html

If Japan faces a scorching summer this year, resulting in increased use of air conditioning, the nation will have to depend on thermal power plants to meet electricity demands. However, many of these aging thermal power plants are over 40 years old. With reserve power supplies practically down to zero, the sudden halt of even one power plant could result in a major blackout — leaving power suppliers treading on thin ice.

[May 8] Dual Japanese disasters inspire artists

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/arts-entertainment/22053/dual-japanese-disasters-inspire-artists.html

A new art installation at the Japan Foundation Centre explores issues related to the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan last year.

[May 9] Japan’s tsunami-hit Fukushima famous for ramen

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eatndrink/view/1199980/1/.html

Kitakata Fukushima Prefecture, Japan: Apart from being known for having bore the brunt of last year’s earthquake and tsunami, there stands a popular ramen shop in the Japanese prefecture of Fukushima.

[May 10] After The Quake, Japanese Shop For Survival

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/10/152346466/after-the-quake-japanese-shop-for-survival

Walk into any large Japanese retailer nowadays, and you might think Japan had become a nation of survivalists.

[May 11] [Japan after Quake] Japan’s Softbank Carrier Unveils Earthquake-Proof Floating Cell Towers

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2012/05/japans-softbank-carrier-unveils-earthquake-proof-floating-cell-towers/

To protect its invaluable telecommunications network the next time around, Japanese carrier Softbank will deploy an emergency balloon network.

[May 12] [Japan after Quake] Engineer who survived tsunami plans floating car

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120511f3.html

A former Toyota Motor Corp. engineer who almost died in the March 2011 tsunami is developing a floating vehicle in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, to give drivers a better chance of surviving similar disasters in the future.

[May 13] Tsunami-hit city back in full bloom for Mother’s Day

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201205110064

NATORI, Miyagi Prefecture–With business in full bloom, carnation growers in this tsunami-stricken city are once again busy shipping their flowers prior to Mother’s Day on May 13.

This is JAPAN Style!

Taken in front of the prayer’s hall at Omiwa Shrine.
Copyright(C) Miki

→Miki’s twitter← (English is OK)

This is JAPAN Style! 

When Miki, the photographer went to the backyard of this temple…
Taken at Akishino-dera Temple. 
Copyright(C) Miki

→Miki’s twitter← (English is OK)

This is JAPAN Style!