woolhorse E

Snow, rain, some time sunshine

shima — 2007-01-13T23:38:54+09:00

On January 7, I saw golden temple in snow by lunchtime TV news and I wanted to see the temple in snow.

Took Hankyu line to Kawaramachi and bus to the temple.

What? There is no more snowing but raining and I forgot umbrella!

After go through the entrance, on right side, that is the place to see the temple in good view.

I took some photos in rain.

Soon after I am leaving the place, sun is coming out of cloud and start sunbeams shining left wall of golden temple!

It was so nice the gold wall is really blighting.

Happy new year!

shima — 2007-01-13T23:21:16+09:00

Dear visitors,

Later part of last year, I could not re new the pages.

I reactive the page more in this year.

Thanks,

Carp

shima — 2006-08-22T21:18:10+09:00

Ohkawa River is starting from Kema Rock and run through city center of Osaka.

When I ride on bicycle along Ohkawa, I saw group of people.

A boy operating very bent fishing rod and surrounding men are giving him instructions 　 you should lay down the rod more deep or such.

It looks very big carp.

Finally, person at side catch the carp in to net and pull up on land.

It is big one!

Measuring tool is carried from some where and measured it as 88 cm!

Soon after taking photo, the carp released to Ohkawa again.

weaving factry

shima — 2006-08-13T22:25:08+09:00

The members of weaving club visited a weaving factory in south of

Kyoto bordering to Nara on August 9.

In several decades ago, this area produce KAYA(woven net hung over sleeping peoples to protect from mosquito) which then changed into manufacturing of KANREISHA, very course nets to be used on agriculture field such as tea, to protect from frost. However, all those products were replaced by Chinese products which are cheaper and the area has no competition due to high manufacturing costs.

The company converted in to the production of woven wall covering as well as FUSUMAGAMI, covering of FUSUMA.

The first step for weaving is start by warp preparation, very even warp tension distribution over all warps is very essential to determine quality of woven fabric.

They use very old warping machine which however suitable to wind very fine and easy to break yarns.

They have also sectional warper.

150 warps on creel were wound as one section and repeat 10 times.

1500 wound warps on the drum is now rewind to beam.

They produce all fabrics on 24 air jet and 10 riper looms.

Production of total Japanese wall covering is 700 million square meters however woven wall covering have only 1 %!

Main reason will be, woven can easy to get stain and difficult to remove those stains, seams to next covering stay very clear, etc. And they have 14 steps in manufacturing which make costs higher.

However, all wall covering products in this factory are using natural fibers or fibers made from natural materials. Glue using to laminate paper is starch. Therefore there is no use of evaporating chemical matters which will cause thick house symptom.

It is matched products fit to environmental friendly. Also the products are biologically solving.

It is my opinion that the materials are made from plant which absorb CO2 during glowing, therefore when those are burning, but environmental load are plus minus ZERO as those are biomass.

Woven wall covering made from natural materials having air permissibility, absorb

dusts in air, giving tender of nature and environment, we have to put more attentions on to this woven wall covering。

Lotus flower

shima — 2006-07-28T13:55:23+09:00

From JR Kusatsu station, there is bus connection to Biwako museum where you can see aquarium of sweet water fishes and historical exhibits around Biwako.

Next of the museum, there is Water plants garden and I could see fully blossomed lotus flowers all over the water surface.

Since the size of lotus flower is big, outside exhibition is only possible to get nice feeling of the flowers.

Ajisai (Hydrangea)

shima — 2006-06-20T20:46:45+09:00

Ajisai is the flower that became very beautiful after rain.

The colors of the flowers get more bright and deep.

I like to see Ajisai in rain.

Pattern in nature

shima — 2006-06-11T09:06:37+09:00

When I get it to nature, I am seeing also the patterns created by nature.

Such as, trace of insect on leafs, spider nets, flower like fireworks, etc.

Often, I became very hot when I got such patterns.

Ｈｙｄｒａｎｇｅａ

shima — 2006-06-09T22:27:01+09:00

Hydrangea

Because of the rain of yesterday, the flower, hydrangea in my small garden, got more deep colors.

Hydrangea is become more beautiful with rain.

Small garden became full of hydrangea in this time of the year.

Hyounosen Mountains

shima — 2006-06-05T18:20:04+09:00

Last 4-5 years, I visited Hyounosen in this time including finding of edible wild plants.

Last year, I missed this chance and I wanted to go this year.

Even weather is not stabled.

Normally, people from

Osaka

Kobe

, they climb from Youka side but our group always approaching from Wakasa/Tottoriken side.

About 1,000m from sea level, there is place called “Wakasa Hyounosen Camp place”.

It is so nice place to view and enjoy atmosphere in nature.

The place is very similar to Grindelwald in

Switzerland

where I have been 8-9 times thought there is no Eiger North wall.

Surrounding by grand view of mountains, I asked the goroup to let me prepare European style breakfast because it is very nicely fit to the atomsphere.

There are 3 different courses to approach Hyounosen Top thus can you can select according to conditions and level of each person.

I have quite worry about this accommodation like camp site, lodges, hotel, etc.

Because there are only very few peoples are using this place.

And I expected that very near future, local government will decide to close here.

Please use this very nice place。

http://www.hyounosen.or.jp/camp/index.html

Our companions are very skill to kook those editable wild plants and made Tempra.

I was enjoyed very much!

Good strawberry

shima — 2006-05-29T12:46:04+09:00

As I wrote in Japanese blog, the strawberry on Kay 21 was not yet fully ripened.

The owner of the firm invited me to visit in weekend to get ripened strawberry.

So, I visited on 26^th after adjusted business schedule.

Strawberry is like that of the photos.

And got fully ripened strawberry full in basket!!

He planted many other vegetables and so called dessert peas that can be eat without cooking, are ready for eating.

I have seen as first time that broad beans are growing toward to sky!

Just taken out Japanese white radish was very tasty.

However, last year, his firm have problem because it is positioned back side of

Rokko

Mountains

and therefore foreign origin raccoon attached his firm and all sweet potato that all his friends were expected the harvest was completely eaten by raccoon!

They eat only inside and left the skins of the potato。

If somebody knows how to prevent the attack of the raccoon, please comments.