A Magician "Karakuri-Doll"

I've seen a popular magician "Karakuri-Doll" passing by many times for these two weeks.

Karakuri-Doll, 50, is well-known for not only his magic technique but also his comical character.


Actually, he seems to be from Urawa, and his office is just close to the yakitori shop Riki.




When I saw him, I didn't feel any brightness as an entertainer.


But I'd like to cheer him to bring a lot of laughter to our town. (^^)

Mini-Performance Day

This week is Eigonoie mini-performance days.


This is our annual event that elementary school students perform in front of their parents.


On Wednesday and Thursday, 6 graders in my class showed three different performances: pair conversation, present what he or she did in summer, and a tongue twister "Betty Botter."




The event was almost successful!!


Students must have practiced hard to make their performance better and better.


Especially I was so surprised that some students showed a tongue twister "Betty Botter" perfectly.

"Betty Botter"

 

Betty Botter bought some butter

"But," she said, "the butter' bitter"

If I put it in my butter,

It will make my batter bitter

"But a bit of better butter,

That would make my batter better"

So she bought a bit of butter

Better than her bitter butter

And she put it in her batter

And the batter was not bitter

So 'twas better Betty Botter

Bought a bit of better butter

Can you say perfectly?? (^o^;)





Actually I was much more nervous about this performance than students.


Now I feel relief at their wonderful performance.


I'm so pround of them.

New REGAL Shoes

I bought a new REGAL business shoes yesterday.

This is the fourth shoes that I've ever bought at REGAL store in my life.



I like not only the designs of REGAL shoes but its comfortableness.

The REGAL shoes have never raised any blisters on my feet.

And what I have to refer to REGAL is their perfect high-quality service.

All the staffs seems to be well-inculcated how significant the great deal of hospitality is to satisfy customers.




I believe good shoes takes me to a good place.


My new shoes must motivate me to walk to work in a positive way.

A Journey Beyond Space & Time

A dizzling video was projected onto the facade of the nearly 100-year-old Tokyo Station Marunouchi building on September 22 and 23, marking the completion of five-year restoration work there.

The display "TOKYO STATION VISION" used the state-of-the-art 'projection mapping' technology to project moving images onto the red-brick building.


The theme of the 10-minute show is "A journey beyond space and time," including scenes of a belching steam locomotive, crowds of people and fireworks.


The red-brick building, designated in 2003 as an Important Cultural Property of Japan, was built in 1914, but partially damaged during air strikes in 1945.


Work to preserve what remains of its original structure began in 2007.




If you miss the light show, have a look at the following video.

The renovated building will open to the public from October.

Promising Footballer

One of my students Ryo Matsutaka is a member of Urawa Reds Junior Youth team, and this summer he went to Spain for practicing soccer.


His dream is to be a professional soccer player, so watching Barcelona's game must have inspired him.


To join any foeign team, English is needed for him.




I teach English, and he'll give me his uniform in return when he become a professional footballer.





Here is the souvenir he bought.

Can't read Spanish, but perhaps its a cookie with chocolate.

Miracle Pine Tree

The tsunami-ravaged city of Rikuzentakata cut down the lone pine tree that survived the March 11, 2011 tsunami and came to symbolize hope for disaster survivors.

The words 'cut down' do not seem appropriate in this case but rather 'put a tree to rest.'


It is said that the spirit of trees called "Kodama" has dwelt in trees since ancient times.


This miracle lone pine tree could have also kept delivering silent words of hope to people overwhelmed by tragedy.


It was a powerful source of encouragement for disaster survivors, but in December of last year it was confirmed by experts to have died because its roots had been exposed to too much briny seawater.


As there was danger of the tree collapsing in a typhoon or from lightning, the city government decided to make it into a less dangerous monument.


The tree is to be returned to its spot here in February next year, after the work is finished.






This pine tree has a strong meaning in many ways.


My favorite artist Seiji Fujishiro recently completed his artwork "陸前高田の奇跡の一本松 (Miracle Lone Pine Tree in Rikuzentakata)", which is now exhibited in Ginza Kyo Bun Kwan.

I can't find any words to tell my deep emotion.


Do Kodamas lead every victim's soul to heaven...?

Odoru The Final

Today I watched "踊る大捜査線 THE FINAL -新たなる希望- (Bayside Shakedown The Final -New Hope-)."

This is the final of the Odoru series, and I've completed watching all.


It featured situations involving the differences between police bureaucrats and rank-and-file officers as well as other matters associated with the police as an organization, such as power struggles between headquarters and branch police stations.


Especially the strong friendship between Aoshima and Muroi moved me so much.



Don't miss it!! (^o^)>

To the Doraemon Age

Doraemon is supposed to be born on September 3rd, 2112, meaning that yesterday was his 100 year reverse birthday.

Happy birthday, Doraemon!! ＼(^o^)／





Celebrating his birthday, on the other hand, one simple question occured and it confused us.


Our civilization has been improved, but is it really possible to produce Doraemon and his many useful tools in the next 100 years...?


I mean, our speed of progress is too slow to reach what we call "Doraemon age."





The answer lies in the final of Doraemon manga, which was actually imitated.

That is the first page of the episode.



If you want to read everything of this episode, go to my former article below.
→http://eh-take.blogspot.jp/2011/07/doraemon-final.html

Venus the Two-Faced Cat

She is not a work of photoshop or painted but a completely real.

Venus, the two-faced cat, has become an internet sensation.


As you can see her two different color of eyes and two different colors, the right side of the cat's face contains solid black fur and a green eye, and the other side contains ginger fur and a blue eye.





Many reports about Venus refer to the cat as a "chimera."

In mythology, a chimera is a mishmash monster made up of parts of different animals.

A feline chimera is a cat whose cells contain two types of DNA, caused when two embryos fuse together.

Venus' DNA has not been tested, so this cannot be confirmed.





And a blue-eyed cat is typically a Siamese or else a cat with a lot of white on them.

But Venus appears to have only a white patch on her chest.





If you're interested in Venus, go to her Facebook page below.
→http://www.facebook.com/VenusTheAmazingChimeraCat

That's Too Wild

Popular Japanese comedian "Sugi-chan" had his thoracic spine broken as he jumped off a 10-meter diving board at a pool during the filming of a television show.

Sugi-chan, 39, is expected to take some three months to recover from the injury.


He is the icon of temporary hit.


Is he fading out...?




Anyway, he must be wild!!