field mustard and a butterfly!

In the front yard of our church, we found a butterfly sucking nectar from a field mustard. It was so springlike scene!

weekend food!

I'll show you what we enjoyed eating this weekend!

First, Saturday's lunch. We enjoyed crouquettes at nearby restaurant.


And then we went to Kyoto to see our friend Utsuki san. She served beautiful dishes for us!
This is chub mackerel sushi and Japanese ginger sushi. It was wonderful!

This is called kudzu-kiri. It was made from kudzu starch. We enjoyed it with brown sugar lump.

At last, we enjoyed green powdered tea with steamed bean-jam bun.

We were very happy to meet such wonderful food this weekend!

Obama's speech last night

I listened to Mr. Obama's speech on race yesterday. I was impressed with something in his words. I didn't know what was it at once. So I went to the Huffington Post web and found the transcript. I printed it out and brought with me today to read it on the train. For me, as an English learner, it is rather difficult to catch the whole meaning right away, but I think I should read it, and I'd like to know what it means. Is race issue still existed in the U.S. or even in our country? I think, yes. And we should know the fact. Not only the current situation but also the relevant history. I'd love to learn about it.

an amazing meeting!

Takao and I went to Kyoto last Saturday. It was perfectly sunny day so we thought we could enjoy walking around there.

We first visited Kiyomizu temple and started to head to Yasaka shrine. Our eyes were grabbed when we passed by a beautufil house. The house owner was just in front of the entrance and was watering the plants. So I said, "Good morning!" then she said back, "Good morning!" with her beautiful smile. Then I added, "What beautiful trees you present!"

She said "Thank you" and went on to detailed explanation about how she created her amazing works. She turned out to be a truly artist!

I told her about my plan to go to NY to be a volunteer at a nursing home and my hope to bring Japanese culture to the residents. To my big surprise, she said, "Oh I just came back from New York 4 days ago!! I joined the International Artexpo New York 2008!"

As you may imagine, we became good friends soon! She invited us inside and showed her great works. We enjoyed chatting for hours, about her creative life, my plan to go to NY, our early lives and so on!

I thought it was miracle! It started just greeting to each other and went on to a good friendship!


Her name is Utsuki Nakano. She has her own website written in English.
Please look at her amazing works. I'm sure you'll like them! She always feels and knows what nature talks!

I'm going to New York again!

Hi everyone!
I have big news to tell!
I'm going to New York again!!!
This time, I'm going to be a volunteer at a nursing home in Brooklyn. I don't know how thankful I am to this opportunity. After talkingwith Takao about my dream of being a volunteer at a nursing home in NY, things progressed so swiftly. It was as if it was not only my will but also some great power's will. A lot of people have helped me to turn my dream into reality in many ways, writing recommendation letters, encouraging me, listening to me, giving me ideas, sharing their dreams with me, sharing my pain and joy together, and just being with me.

With all the help, I'm given the opportunity to go to New York again and am going to stay there for a year.

I don't know what I can do for the residents. I just want to do my best. I just want to give my whole heart to them. I think there's no other way I can do for them but just be sincere to them.


I'm so thankful to all people around me in Japan. Takao, his family, my mother, members of the senior choir, music friends, and English learning friends. They always back me up.

Oh, I don't know how to describe my current feeling.
I just feel like saying thank you not only to people around me but also to all things around me, birds, flowers, the winds, the sun, the sky, and even the ants busily working on the street!!!