Decorations in the Supermarket

I took these photos in the fresh fish counter of the supermarket.
After 25, decorations in the supermarket have changed for new year.


This is a kite for decorartion.

Mouth of the River

This is the mouth of ebigawa(ebi-river) which flows in funabashi city.
You can see fishing boats along the bank of the river.
I took this photo from the water gate.
The highway over the river is "keiyo road".

Osechi

I have alredy post about osechi ( Japanese new year's special food ).
Today I introduce you some osech.
Photo above is "Datemaki".
It is rolled sweet omelet mixed with fish paste.


Photo above is "Kuromame".
It is sweetened black soybeans.
We usually sock dried black soybeans to water, and simmer them in sweet.

Ebigawa(ebi-river)

Ebigawa is a river which flows in funabashi city.
The place where I took this photo, is close to the mouth of the river.
It is also close to funabashi fishing port .
Today it was cloudy and cold, you can see some buildings in central funabashi in the dark sky.

Takuane

This is a pickled daikon radish(Japanese radish).
It is called "takuan" or "takuwan".

I have already post about drying daikon radish under the sun .
Those daikon radishes are pickled in salt and rice bran.
It is the traditional way of making takuan.

Nengajo

"Nengajo" is a new year's postcard.
The way to make it are various, write message with brush, design and print with PC, print with stamp...etc.
Photo above is pre-printed crads.

In this time we are busy to write it.
Because we send to those cards so that they arrive on the 1st of January.

Osechi Samples

Osechi (or osechi-ryori) are traditional special foods for new year.
Originally, those were made at each home.
But in these days, many people buy it.
This photo is samples of osechi in the department store.

Pedestrian Deck in Twilight

This is north side of funabashi railway station.
In this time, The sun sets so early time.
In the dark, it looks like other place.


Award



Yesterday I recived wonderful award from (Mad) Daily Photo Tr3nta.
I'm glad to be given award from a excellent photographer and blogger like Tr3ta.
Thanks so much, Tr3ta.

In this year I'v recived award from him two times.
In this time I give this award various type of eight cool blogs.

Blue Fragments * Fragments Bleus Malyss
Valeria, vita da mamma Valeria
One Breath Josh
my Bintulu Clicks Mahmud
Yarnivore SandraD
Zakka Life Jessica
La Bella Cook Bridgett
Madison Avenue Baby Dawn

Infront of Funabashi Station

This photo is south side of funabashi railway station.
It is a view from the pedestrian deck.
I took this photo before 5 PM, so it was not so crowded.
It is getting cold, people walk fast.

Nandina (nanten) in the Bamboo Thicket

Here in funabashi, nandina(nanten) is usually planted in garden.
But, sometime it grow in wild.
Photo above is nandina in bamboo thicket.

Photo above is nandina in the garden.
The flower blooms in early summer and the fruit is produced from late fall to early winter.

Hanging Daikon Radish

Those are hanging daikon radishes(Japanese radish).
They dry daikon radish under the sun before pickle them.
This is a scenery of winter.
By the way, I have often seen daikon radish hanging in farmer's garden, but I have seen it in road side first time.

Persimmon tree in early winter

Today, It is fine.
I took a long walk, and I found this persimmon tree.
Almost persimmons are not remain on the branch, dropped to the ground,or picked off.
And some were eaten by crow.
Time is running so fast.
We will be in mid winter soon.

Illumination on the pedestrian deck

This is north side of funabashi railway station.
In this time, the town is decorated.
So I thought to take a photo of illumination.
But I take photos by cell phone camera, I had to be close to the light.

Fishing Port in Twilight

This is Funabashi fishing port .
I took this photo from the park along the waterway.
I like this place. I can relax if I see the port or waterway to the bay.
In the center of this pfoto you can see a small boat in the twilight.

Egg Vending Machine in the Evening

I have already posted about Egg Vending machine.
It is a vending machine for which my wife usually buy eggs.
Usually those eggs are sold out by evening, but on that day many eggs were remain in the early evening.
I took a photo for this blog.
Because I thought it had some atmosphere....(?)

How to Get Sashimi at Half price

I like Sashimi ( thinly sliced raw fish ).
But Price of sashimi is getting high in these days.
So I usually try to buy it at half price.

If you go to supermarket in Japan in late time, you may find sashimi sold at half price.

You can see two big Kanji symbol on the label on the package in this photo.
The word 半額 means half price. ( We pronounce it "HANGAKU" )

But I don't know actually what time they get the price down.
It is different in each days.
Of course If those sashimi are sold well, they never discount.
And, too late time those are sold out.

It depends on luck.

Woods in Early Winter

I like take a walk in woods.
Of course, with my cell phone.
In this season, I walk on the dead leaves.
The woods I went yesterday, has slopes.
I had to pay attention to my foot step, but it was good exercise for me.

Community Bus

This small bus runs this local small area.
It is small, so it can run narrow road in low cost.
We call such a bus "community bus".
Usually a unique design is painted on such bus with every route

Greeting Card

I took this photo at stationery counter in the department store.
Those card have traditionally designs.
I think it is good to send it for abroad.

Dyeing Shop

This shop gives various service such as dyeing fabric, cleaning and repair for Kimono.
And they sell various goods for fedstival.

In the photo above, those are hand made masks for festival.
Those are made of paper.

Japanese Maple

We call Japanese maple Momiji or Kaede.
We have many species of maple.
This is a Iroha-momiji (Acer palmautm), typical Japanese maple.
I t has small leaf just like a palm of baby.
The leaves have changed to red here in funabashi.

A Small Shinto Shrine with Yellow leaves

Here in funabashi, it is getting cold.
When I was about to go through in front of the shinto shrine, I saw ginkgo leaves falling by the cold wind.
Those were piled on the ground like snow.
I know winter has come here.

I took this photo in the western part of Funabashi.

Bonsai Farm

Bonsai is a miniature potted tree.
I think Bonsai has been popular in some countries.

Last Saturday, I found a bonsai farm in funabashi.
There is a lot of Bonsai in the farm.

Ginkgo

The leaf of ginkgo changes to yellow in fall.
And it drops to ground.
The leaf has a unique shape just like a Japanese folding fan.
I took this photo in a small park in funabashi.

And you can see big ginkgo tree In my photo blog of Tokyo.
Ginkgo tree in ueno park

Sand Pear Farm in late Autmn

After harvest, the sand pear farm looks lonly.
But the farmers still have been busy after harvest.
They have to finish many task before winter, plant new trees, repair trellis...
And they will prune blanch when winter comes.

Konbini Lunch

We usually call convenience store "KONBINI".
"Konbini Lunch" is a important item for convenience store in Japan.

Photo above is Onigiri.
It is called "rice ball" in English, but usually it isn't ball shaped.
I think Konbini-Onigiri is smaller than average homemade onigiri.
But Konbini-Onigiri has beautiful shape.

These are Makizushi and Inarizushi.
Makizushi is a rolled sushi.
Inarizushi is a pouch of deep-fried tofu(bean curd) stuffed with sushi rice.

These are Konbini-Bento.
Bento means packed box lumch.
I think average Konbini-Bento is oily in comparison with average homemade bento.
But it might good for young people.

Kinniku-Man

"Kinniku-Man" is a Japanese manga which was carried from 1979 to 1987 in Shonen-jump.
Kinniku-man means muscle man.
It is still popular among the fun.
Photo above is Kinniku-Man as a character of pach-slot game.

Dried fish shop

This shop is in central funabashi.
The shop sell many kinds of dried fish.
I think those dried fish are for cook soup stock.
Such shop which sell only dried fish is rare in these days.

Peko-chan as Santa Claus

The other day,when I went along the sweet shop of Fujiya, I found Peko-chan became Santa Claus.
She looks very busy.
I think She have already prepared presents for children.
But she is also in a child of 6 years old...

(Note)
Peko-chan is eternally 6 years old.

QB House

QB House is a hair cut shop chain which is maneged by QB Net Co,Ltd.
The sales points of the shop are just 1000yen, and complete hair cutting in 10 minutes.
They does not do shampoo and the shave.
After hair cut, they clean our hair with a device just like vacuum cleaner.
When we enter the shop, we buy ticket with machine which is accept only 1000yen paper money.
The comb is made of regenerated paper, and use it only one time. If we hope we can get it.
In the shop is simple but clean.
I think the shop is popular among the married men.

Negi (Japanese green onion)

Negi is a important vegetable for Japanese dish.
It is cooked as ingredient of various Japanese dishes.
If you have had "Sukiyaki", you would have it.
And we also have it as spice, for soba.udon,cold tofu, and so on.

Maneki Neko in the Kimono shop

maneki neko is beckoning figure of a cat.
This maneki neko is displayed in the kimono shop.
You can see kimono fabric over the cat.
I think the cat looks elegance.

Stone fox with Hachimaki

This small Inari shrine is located central funabashi.
It faced to a back street.
It is small but stand out around there.

This is a stone fox of the inari shrine.
The fox wears Hachimaki (Japanese head band) on the head.

Japanese sweet shop on the road side

The other day, I found it .
It is on the road side where is far from city central.
And there is no other shop around there
I wondered who visited there.
But it was stand out in the scenery around there.
Many people might stop there, just like me.

Small park

Yesterday, It was rain in the morning.
I went out to take photo after rain stopped.
This is a small park for children.
When I went to the park, noone was there

Vegetable shop

Such vegetable shop decrease in these days.
Many of people buy vegetables in a supermarket.
But I think that it is good for us to buy vegetables in a vegetable shop in town sometime.
Because they are expert of vegetables.
We can get useful knowledge about vegetbles.

I took this photo at a back street in central funabashi.