Ayako's busy day.

 Ayako went to the hospital to check her diabetes in the morning. In the afternoon, she went to receive shiatsu or manual pressure. And in the evening, she went to her ceramic art class. I stayed at home all day. I first posted my report on our tour to China on Facebook. Herman, my friend in Nayoro, a Chinese American, responded my report soon after I had posted it, saying he was glad that I could enjoy the tour in spite of the unpleasant political conflicts between Japan and China. In the afternoon, I worked in the garden, digging out weeds. The weather was fine and it was very humid.

We went to Sapporo to take back our cat.

We went to Sapporo to take back our cat we had left in Haruna's house while we were traveling. Haruna, her son Keita, and Haruna's husband Hideto were at home. Our cat was well. We returned at a little after noon.

 

 

 In the second day in China ( August 25, Saturday ), we went by bus to Suzhou or Soshu 120 km west from Shanghai. It took about 2 hours, and our party were 15 tourists and a guide and the driver. The city of Suzhou has a population of 2350,000, which was more than that of Sapporo and far bigger than we had expected. It seems that every city we know is far bigger than almost all the cities in Japan. Suzhou was a lagoon city, and it is called "Venice in the Orient".

I went to print the photos I had taken in China.

  It was a wet day, though it didn't rain so much. In the morning, I went to Furusato Noen.

Returned from Shanghai.

 We had to wake up at 4 a.m. to catch the plane to return straight to Shin Chitose International Airport. Our Chinese guide, Mr.Ko said he had asked the reception of the hotel a wake-up call for us at 4:00a.m., but in our room, we didn't hear it. I was afraid if they didn't make the call to any room our group of Japanese guests stayed in, so I went down to the reception to tell about it. A receptionist simply said we would check our system. Later I knew the phone didn't ring only in our room.
 We traveled in China for the first time. For some reason or other, I had been reluctant to go to China. One reason was, of course, had something with the modern history of the relation of Japan and China. There have always been disputes about so-called "historical recognition" of Japanese people, or that of some Japanese right wing politicians. In addition, there is a very hot terretorial dispute about Senkaku islands.      

We will leave for China this afternoon.

  Travel to China - we are going to China for the first time. But there is a territorial dispute between Japan and China, and it is reported Chinese people in many cities are demonstrating against Japan. In Korea, the president took a very agressive act, landing on a little island which, Japan has claimed, is Japan's territory. We have never been to Korea, as we are reluctant to go. We hope the world will be more peaceful.

Preparations for going on a tour to Shanghai.

  The weather forecast in Shanghai is not good - thunder rain tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Does the territorial dispute between Japan and China or Japan and Korea affect our travel?  I don't know.  A Japanese woman journalist named Miss Mika Yamamoto was shot to death in Syria. How terrible!  The world is not peaceful.

I stayed at home and watched semi-final games of high school baseball.

  In two days, we are foing to leave for to Shanghai to travel, so I didn't go out to avoid getting tired. I watched the high school baseball games on TV. Osaka Toin beat Meitoku Gijuku from Tokushima by the score of 4-0. And Aomori Kosei defeated Tokaidai Kohu from Yamanashi by 9-3. The final game will be played between Aomori Kosei and Osaka Toin for the second time in a row.
  I tried to study about Shanghai on the Net, but the names of places and people were were written in Chinese characters which I didn't know how to pronounce. I tried to study in English, but it was difficult to find which spelling corresponded to which Chinese characters. When we write something about China, we should write the names of places and people in katakana, which can closely be pronounced in China.

A warm day today,too. The first school guard after the summer vacation.

  It was an unusually hot day in Hokkaido. Here in Tomakomai, the temperature rose as high as 28 degrees, and in the house the thermometer was always indicating 30 degrees. Ayako found an electric fan upstairs and set it on the heater, which was not, of course, lit up. I felt hot even in the early morning, when I stood at the crossing as a school guard.

It was humid, as if not like in Tomakomai. Cucumbers in Furusato Noen had grown too big.

  It was very hot and humid today. In the morning, I went with Ayako to Furusato Noen to sow the seeds of autumn daikon. Tomatoes were not ripened yet, but, on the contrary, cucumbers had grown too big. We picked them and snap beans. We will have to harvest potatoes after we return from our travel in China next week. Ayako presented some of the cucumbers to Mrs.Mizutani next door.

The last morning of the radio gymnastic exercise, and cleaning up the festival venue.

  In the morning, I went to do the radio gymnastic exercise. It was the last day of it because today was the last day of the summer vacation of the primary school. After having lunch, cleaning the venue of yesterday's Obon dance festival was begun. We, men officials, took down the tents, carried back the tables and chairs, and did other things. We finished cleaningup at 9:30, and returned home. I was tired.

Obon dancing festival.

 The weather was cloudy but it didn't rain. We held our Obon dance festival at 6 chome minipark, and I wored as the chairperson of the executive commitee. In the morning, we started the preparation. We first set up three big tents for using as stalls. Then, we carried up Japanese drums and set some PA system on the tower in the center of the park. Then we decorated the tower with flags of many countries of the world and other ornaments. Many little girls came and danced in a circle wearing colorful kimonos and they looked so cute and beautiful. The children's dance began at 6:30 and ended at 7:00. Then the sinior people whose avarage age was over eighty danced in kimono. After that, general people danced till 8:30.
  The people lined in front of every stall where they sell spit-roasted chicken meat, oden, edamame, etc.
We closed the festival at 9:00, and drank some sake and beer in the tents, and returned home at about 10:00.  

Tavel to Shanghai, China, next week.

  Ayako went to Sapporo to see her sister, Emiko, and her husband, Mr.Shimizu. I stayed at home studying about Shanghai, which we are going to visit next week. By the way, when we study about China, I always have difficulty because the way we read kanji is different from that in China.

Territorial issues - Senkaku Islands and Uotsuri Island and northern territory.

  Unpleasant news - 14 people from Hong Kong landed on Uotsuri Island, one of Senkaku Islands, claiming to the islands. Five days before, South Korean president also visited Takeshima Island off the coast of Shimane prefecture. Both Senkaku Islands and Takeshima are parts of Japan, Japanese government has claimed. There are always no good solutions for territorial issues, and historically, it often caused wars. We don't want to have wars with any countries. What should we do?
  In the evening, I attended the monthly meeting of the neighborhood association. We talked mainly about the Obon dance festival scheduled on Saturday this week. I must work as the chairman of the organizing committee.  

I went with Ayako to Sunagawa to visit the temple there.

  It was a very hot day. In the morning, at 8:30, Ayako and I left home by car for Sunagawa on the highway by way of Sapporo. We first went to the cemetery to see the site where Kamada's family tomb had been abolished this spring. There was only vacant space with weeds growing. Then we visited the tomb of mass grave in which the ashes of Kamada's ancesters were buried, and prayed in the front of the tombstone. Next we went to the temple and we asked the monk to chant a sutra and prayed. We had lunch at a restaurant in the supermarket in Mikasa and returned home at about 3:00. 

Haruna came with her two kids and Chiaki's two.

  It was the hottest day here this summer. The temperature was over 27 degrees. We were going to Sunagawa today, but we didn't, because Haruna said she was coming with her kids and Chiai's two boys. At about 10:30, they arrived. They were Haruna, and her son Keita, daughter Minori, and Chiai's sons Tokio and Arashi. They talked, played games, and returned to Sapporo in the evening.
  High School baseball games in Koshien were all cancelled because it rained heavily in and around Osaka, and many rivers there were flooded.

It rained almost all day. The London Olympics ended.

It was raining all day, and had to stay home. I watched the closing ceremony of the London Olympics, and it seemed as if it were a spectacular music show. On TV, Olympic news had continued to be reported day and night for these two weeks, but it has ended after all. The sports program  is now focused on high school baseball. It was pitty that two teams from Hokaido, Sapporo Daiichi and Asahikawa Kogyo had been defeated.

The final day of the London Olympics.

  Japan won two gold medals in men's boxing and men's free style wrestling and a bronze medal in women's volleyball. The total number of the medals Japan won is 38, including 7 gold, 14 silver, and 17 bronze, which is the most of all the medals Japan had won in any other Olympics Japan has participated in. Congratulations !

Sapporo Daiichi was defeated by Sasebo kogyo.

  I watched high school baseball games today,too. Fukushima Seiko Gakuin won over Nichidai Sanko, the defending champion by 2-1, while Sapporo Dai-ichi, the representative of south Hokaido was defeated by Sasebo Kogyo High School by 5-3. Another representative of Hokkaido, Asahikawa Industrial High School will have a game tomorrow.
  I walked as far as the Tomakomai river this afternoon. I saw flowers along the path, in which there were some autumn flowers. Autumn will come soon.

High school baseball at Koshien is now under way.

  I am relieved from the stress of yeaterday's colon fiber scope examination. Today, I took a rest staying at home all day. I watched high school baseball games on TV, which began at Koshien the day before yesterday. 11 games have finished so far, and Sendai Ikuei and other 10 teams won their first game, but two teams from Hokkaido, Sapporo Daiich and Asahikawa Industrial High School, have not got in the game yet.

Colon fiberscope examination - all day in the hospital.

  The result was good - no problem in my colon, but I was quite exhausted. In the morning, I woke up early and watched London Olympics. Japan won two gold medals in women's wrestling.
  At 9:00, Ayako drove me to the hospital. Befor leaving home, I did not eat anything but took a tablet of physic which had been given by the hospital. In the hospital, there had been four people who were waiting for the same examination as mine. We were given 2 litter of liquid cathartic which we had to drink every half an hour. We had to clean up our colon. After having cleaned up the large bowels, I was given drip infusion. At about 2:00, I was invited to the examination room. I was unconscious of anything after that.   

Samurai Japan was defeated by Mexco. Tomorrow again I have to take a colonfiberscope examination.

  The weather was fine but I have been feeling depressed almost all day. In London Olympics, Japan's men's succer team was beaten by Mexican team by 1-3.  What is worse, I am going to have to take colonfiberscopic examination tomorrow. I took the same examination three months ago, but the doctor could not make the endoscope reach deep enough into my colon. Dr.Iga said I should have my colon examined by the medical center director Dr.Miyazaki, because there is suspect of cancer. I could not have usual meal, but only special food given by the hospital. I also had to take the medicine for loosening the bowels.

Nadeshiko Japan beat France by 2-1, and decided to advance to the final.

  The rain stopped in the early morning. I went to bed last night at 9:15 earlier than usual, and woke up at 1:00 a.m. this morning and watched a semi-final succer game between Nadeshiko Japan and the French team. The game was very exciting, and finally the game ended in Japan's victory by the score of 2-1. Nadeshiko will fight for the Olympic champion against USA on early Thursday morning.
 In the afternoon, I went to the dental clinic and had my false teeth mended. Sachiyo had arrived home in California and called us on Skype. She had stayed in Tokyo and Shikoku for a week.
  It was August 7th today. In Hokaido, Tanabata festival is held on this day, while in most other places, it is held on July 7th, one month earlier. In our neighborhood association, we gathered kids in 6 chome mini-park and divided them into groups of 10 members. Then, we let them visit door to door in the neighborhood, where they were presented candies and snacks by the residents. After they returned to the mini-park at about 7:00 p.m., we had a small fireworks show. 
 

Rainy in the morning, today,too. In fencing and floor exercise etc. Japan won silver medals.

  "Medal rush" continues in the London Olympics. In fencing, men's foil, Japan team fought against the Italian team in the final, and Japan was defeated in a very close bout, but Japan won the silver medal. In track and field, Murofusi won the bronze medal in the hammer throw. In gymnastics, individual, Uchimura won the silver medal.

Rainy in the morning, cloudy in the afternoon. Samurai Japan beat Egypt by 3-0.

  The radio calisthenics was canceled this morning because it was raining. I woke up very early at 1:30 a.m. because a quarter-final game of the Olympics between Japan and Egypt were going to be televised. The game was very exciting and the result was Samurai Japan's victory by 3-0. Japan will advance to the semi-final against the Mexican team on Tuesday. I felt sleepy almost all day.

I stayed at home all day today. Nadeshiko Japan won over Brazil by 2-0.

 The weather was cloudy, but, today I was tired and sleepy because I stayed up through last night to watch on TV the women's succer game between Nadeshiko Japan and Brazil. I tried to sleep at about 10:00 pm., but I couldn't, so I kept watching TV till the succer game started.The game was very exciting. The Brazilian team was always very aggressive, so the Japanese team was forced to be defensve. But in the first half, Ohgimi kicked the ball passed by Sawa into the goal, and in the second half, Ohno scored, and finally the Nadeshiko won by the score of 2-0.

I go to raidio calisthenics every morning.

  It was cloudy today. I went to 6-chome mini-park to take part in the radio calisthenics at 6:30 a.m. There are about 30 to 40 people, about half of whom are children, every morning. It is pleasant to do the exercise in the cool morning air.
  In the morning, Ayao went to the dental clinic, while I went out for my rutine walk to the Tomakomai river.
  In the afternoon, I went to Furusato Noen, and picked some cucumbers and daikon.
  In the evening, I watched Fighters' baseball. Fighters beat Tohou Rakuten by 7-0, and Fighters is in the first place in the Pacific League.

Uchimura won the gold medal in gymnastic individual.

  Kohei Uchimura won the gold medal in the gymnastic individual for the first time since 1984, when Koji Gushiken had won the gold medal in Los Angels Olympics. Japanese swimmers are doing good jobs and have got about 10 silve and copper medals so far.
  Ayako drove Arashi back to Sapporo in the afternoon. After she had returned, we went to eat out sushi to celebrate Ayako's 74th birthday.

It was a wet day today. Toio returned home to Sapporo alone by bus.

  I got up at 4:30a.m. and watched a succer game Nadeshiko Japan vs. South Africa. First I was going to watch it live before midnight, but the game seemed to be unexciting because Japan had already been qualified to advance to the final stage and the win of the game was unnecessary. So I recorded it and I watched it in the early morning. The result of the game was a scoreless draw.
  The rain stopped in the afternoon. Ayako drove Tokio to Tomakomai bus terminal and let him ride the bus for Sapporo. Tokio would have a succer game tomorrow in Sapporo. Arashi will stay with us another night and tomorrow Ayako will drive him to Sapporo.