Mt Myoko

Myoko village is at the base of Mt Myoko. There are four ski resorts around the base of the mountain.

Signs on the Snow

Some signs were in English - thank goodness, but the red conveyed the message.  Apparently the ski patrol do confiscate passes when skiers venture under the lift line or through the trees.  The arrows were fairly self explanatory - black is black, but red runs are the same as blue (intermediate) runs at home.

Trees and Snow

It was lovely skiing through glades of Beech trees. Myoko was apparently the first international ski resort in Japan in the 1930s.  It took off in the economic boom of the 1980s, but when the economy crashed people stopped skiing.  It was obvious there had been little investment in infrastructure since, but the lifts were clean and efficient and no queues.  

Winter Break- breakfast view

For my winter break (2days + weekend)  I visited the Myoko ski region and stayed at A.I.R. Myoko in a small village/ski area called Akakura Onsen. Above is the view from the breakfast room (fabulous apple porridge for breakfast) - out to Mt Myoko and the ski runs. Below is the  front of the guesthouse.  As with most local places it had aprivate onsen with hot mineral water, looking out to the snow.
A highlight was an eight course vegan (yes vegan) degustation meal prepared by Joel Bennetts a chef visiting from Australia.  It was divine - especially the slow cooked carrot with sweet potato, lentils and burdock chips.  It was elegant and tasty with complex and complementary flavours with amazing technique design and "plating" - and vegan.  

Check out some of the food pictures on Joel's instagram- the hozuki sorbet (gooseberry) was the perfect palate cleanser between savoury courses and the dessert.

Winter Break - In the Snow

For many reasons I am glad of our "Winter Break"- a long weekend at the end of February.  So I have headed to the mountains, to an area called Myoko. The snow today was amazing (fresh dusting of powder) - but a bit like an Australian spring yesterday.  It's amazing to be among the deciduous maples and birches - so different to the mountains at home. 

Connecting with people from Falls Creek and Hotham - six degrees of separation!  

Always happy to be skiing!!!  and its even better when you can soak in an Onsen at the end of the day!!!!!!!!!

Plum Blossom Picnic

Plastic Picnic!  Check out the amount of packaging in this family's plum blossom picnic!  They are not out of the ordinary! and they are out and about and enjoying family time. BUT The amount of plastic and packaging here does my head in!!!!!!

Plum Blossom and my office

There are two plum trees at the front of the school (the white one is just visible here) and  I am pointing out my office which is on the top floor on the left.  The winter has been better than I thought, with blue skies most days.  However I am glad it is nearly over.

Plum Blossom 3

The plum blossom festival was at Hanegi Park in Setagaya Ward, which is the ward where I live.  It is the most residential ward in Tokyo and you can get a sense of the suburban locality in the background of this photo.

The closest station to the park is Umegaoka Station - Ume - as in plum blossom.

Plum Blossom Festival - Part 2

The plum blossom festival was an all age event!

Plum Blossom

The Setagaya Plum Blossom Festival is being held for a few weeks in a park near where I live. So on Saturday I cycled over to see the blossoms and take part in the festivities - food and performances and florists/nurseries selling flowers, plants and bonsai. There were plum themed foods - but I had a roasted cob of corn!  (The plum pickles are sour)

The pink and white blossoms on over 600 trees were at different stages of flowering, but beautiful.

Not in Laos

At least once a day I say to myself "I'm not in Laos now".  That is especially true when I see work men in hard hats, with safety clothing and flashing lights such as these tree pruners.  They are using a crane and a cherry picker - very un Laos where the pruner would be in the tree with a hand saw.

Ginza Lights

More Ginza lights.

Chanel

Tokyo is amazing at night - especially the modern buildings.  The Chanel building in Ginza has an amazing led display on its facade.  At the moment it has a video graphic based on a moving treble clef.

Final Fantasy

Wandering (not lost - exploring) near Shinjuku on the weekend I admired the textures of this modern building, then as a wandered further found this egg like building in the foreground.  A whole new world of which I know nothing.  It was called Artina and is apparently " a big thing!!" a destination !!

It housed a cafe and a room with a water feature and a retail outlet with figurines and stuff (merchandise).  It is apparently connected to a Japanese designed science fantasy video game called "Final Fantasy" - of which I know nothing.

Magical Pumpkins

Yayoi Kusama loves pumpkins.  In her art they are like soup cans to Andy Warhol.  

"I love pumpkins," the artist explained in a 2015 interview, "because of their humorous form, warm feeling, and a human-like quality and form. My desire to create works of pumpkins still continues. I have enthusiasm as if I were still a child.”

There was a magical mirrored installation of these yellow and black spotted pumpkins in dark room in the gallery. It was mesmerising and magical. 

It snowed on Saturday- but not Monday

There was a light dusting of snow on Saturday afternoon.  Unfortunately there was only a sprinkling this morning, so no snow day.  I had to go to work!!

Jeweled Pumpkin

A glowing pumpkin.  A divine work of art at the Yayoi Kusama Gallery.

Trying to Snow

It has been trying to snow in Tokyo today.  Sleet really, a bit snow like at times and there is a thin layer on cars that have been sitting in a parking lot all day, but nothing on the ground.  I am hoping the snow predicted for Sunday night /Monday morning will be enough for a "Snow Day" on Monday - no school as the buses to St Mary's (the nearby boys school) can't go up a small but steep hill - I would suggest  leaving the students at the bottom of the hill - but that is not the process - and I want the snow day!!!

There's more!

Very excited and happy to discover another Itoya store directly behind the one I have visited a few times in Ginza.  Another six floors of heaven for a stationary nerd! You can by your own 'hanko" or stamp to sign documents in an official manner.

The Apple Store

I have a new mobile - an iPhone XR- yeahhh.  Thank you to Hanji at the Apple Store in Omotosando for setting it up for me and for Robert who explained the various (expensive) models to me.  Both were lovely young men, with great English and excellent, but not over the top sales skills.   First photo with the new phone - Hanji.

Packaging

It looks like a mess, but it is my daily struggle - to unwrap my onigiri.  Its a japanese rice paper ball - in the shape of a triangle.  From the Family Mart convenience store where I go to buy my lunch it is wrapped in several layers of plastic which require deconstruction.  The layer of seaweed to be wrapped around the rice is wrapped in its own plastic envelope, inside the plastic wrapping of the entire triangle.  Plastic, plastic, plastic!!!

Tod's Omotesando

Omotesando is a tree lined promenade, the location for high end fashion and jewellery stores is busy all day and night, but glows in the evening.  TODs is high end Italian shoe boutique. The building was designed by Toyo Ito (I visited his Museum in my October break). On a winter Sunday night it as easy to see how the building 's i skin of criss-crossed concrete braces and glass  mimics the trees lining the street. And no I didn't buy any shoes - just admired the building.

Spring is Coming

A lovely morning at Yoyogi Park this morning. Spring is in the air, the cherry blossoms are in bud.

The park was busy with runners, cyclist, dog walkers and a group of blind and diasabled people on fun run with helpers/guides - lovely.

Dolls

Kokeshi are wooden dolls with no arms or legs.  They have a long tradition and have become collectors items.  They usually have floral patterns and smiling faces, although the one on the right doesn't look too happy.

Old and New

Modern and traditional architecture exist side by side in the Tokyo suburbs.  Glass and wood next to one another, with similar design elements.

So much snow

The snow last weekend was constant on Saturday and Sunday night.  It was amazing to see the depth of the snow on the cars and buildings on Sunday morning and amount by the road on the trees as we drove out in the afternoon.  Loving the snow in Japan!!!