Waiting for dawn on the beach in Chigasaki. From across the Miura Peninsula came the bright light of 2025. Clear weather again this year. The sea shines in the first sunrise of the year. The tip of the Boso Peninsula looked like a mirage. What a beautiful view!
Walking on the beach at sunset on Culture Day. People spend a peaceful time in the setting sun. Three portable shrines are parading along Southern Beach. Is it the autumn festival? This year is coming to an end.
I traveled to Saga from last year to this year. Karatsu, Kashima, Saga, Imari, Genkai-cho, Ureshino Onsen …. The prefecture is small, but it has more history (Saga Domain: Yutoku Inari-jinja Shrine), culture (Imari, Arita, Karatsu ware), and food (Nori seaweed, Saga beef, squid, sake) than I expected. The quality of sake is particularly high. It ranked last in this year’s prefectural national attractiveness ranking, but I feel like “Huh?.”
The equinoctial flowers have bloomed. Hot days continue, but the season is changing. The wind is somewhat cool today. Little autumn seems to have come. Here are my summer memories. I will miss the summer heat soon.
Spring has finally arrived at Azuma Mountain, and I will love this year’s cherry blossoms. Mt. Fuji was obscured by clouds and the Izu Peninsula was hazy, but the calm atmosphere created a quiet spring. I heard a the sound of Japanese nightingale for the first time this year.
I stood on Cape Takakura, the southernmost point of Tanegashima. Yakushima can be seen in the west. The Portuguese once landed here and introduced guns to Japan. A monument stood quietly on the shore where they landed. The Tanegashima Space Center can be faintly seen beyond.
Two years ago, I visited Iwate in winter and saw the magnificent view of Mt. Iwate from Morioka and Hachimantai. I looked at Mt. Iwate from Kaiun Bridge and watched the sunset from the snowy ruins of Morioka Castle. The cold in Hachimantai was severe, but the blue sky and Mt. Iwate bristling across the snowy fields were amazing.
The new year dawned. This New Year’s Day is also nice and sunny. It’s warmer than usual and the surfers look comfortable. This year’s Oriental zodiac is the dragon. The year of the dragon is said to be a year of transformation and upheaval. I wish you all the best.
One day at dusk. Horribly red-hot clouds reminiscent of dragons appeared in the sky over Chigasaki. I fell in love with nature’s beauty for a while. Mt. Fuji was quietly watching.