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Home: Gary J. Wolff's Blog: Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, April-June, 2019

Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives
April-June, 2019


This page shows archived posts for Gary J. Wolff's blog from April-June, 2019.

Enjoy...

Cheers, 
Gary




June 27, 2019 - Another rough night in Tokyo

This pic was taken around 7:30 am at a Tokyo bus stop. I could've sworn he looked just like one of my Japanese university students... laughing icon

Passed out Japanese student in Tokyo
Passed out Japanese student in Tokyo




June 8, 2019 - Are you a Twit Face? laughing icon


Are you a Twit Face?




May 19, 2019 - Spring 2019 Tokyo Flowers

If you ever find yourself too stressed out, I hope these beautiful flowers will help soothe your soul as much as they have mine...



Spring 2019 Tokyo Flowers
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)




May 16, 2019 - Why are the Japanese growing light bulbs on rice terraces in Wajima, Ishikawa?

In March 2007 the powerful Noto earthquake hit this area, injuring more than 300 people and causing 1 death. As a memorial, people initially placed millions of candles around the rice fields in Shiroyone Senmaida (1000 rice fields, 千枚田), where the rice terraces slope down toward the Sea of Japan.

Due to the popularity of the spectacle, the candles were later replaced with solar LED lanterns—and the tradition continues today. Every year the lanterns are installed at the end of September and are left up through March when work on the rice fields begins again.

The fields remain lit for about 4 hours after sunset, changing colors from pink to green, gold, and blue every 15 to 30 minutes. The 4 colors represent the 4 seasons of Wajima, which is located at the tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.

solar LEDs in Wajima, Ishikawa rice fields
Solar LEDs in Wajima, Ishikawa rice fields
(photo credit: Getty Images)




April 30, 2019 - Spring flowers at Hitachi Seaside Park (ひたち海浜公園)

This amazing 200-hectare park, right on the Pacific coast and only 2 hours from Tokyo by train, is without question one of the most remarkable parks I've ever seen. The park is most famous for its 4.5 million "baby blue eyes" flowers (nemophila), whose translucent-blue petals peak every spring during Golden Week, drawing TOO many tourists. The park features blooming flowers in all 4 seasons including a million daffodils, 170 varieties of tulips, narcissuses, poppies, roses, zinnias, sunflowers, kochia (summer cypress), and cosmos flowers. The park also includes cycling trails on an exclusive right-of-way and a small amusement park with a Ferris wheel.
Park website: https://hitachikaihin.jp/en.html

Baby Blue Eyes flowers
Baby Blue Eyes flowers
View my entire Flickr album here:
Hitachi Seaside Park (ひたち海浜公園) 




April 21, 2019 - Japanese target bird golf (ターゲットバードゴルフ)

Target bird golf is a fun sport among elderly Japanese who use a badminton birdie (shuttlecock) for the golf "ball." The folks in this video were enjoying a round of target bird golf along the banks of the Shin-Nakagawa river in Tokyo on Sun. morning April 14, 2019 during the peak of cherry blossom season.


Japanese target bird golf (ターゲットバードゴルフ)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video at YouTube here.)

I was 1st introduced to target bird golf 6 years ago on the banks of the Edogawa river. Here's my video I made that day.




April 16, 2019 - Today's inspirational quote

"Live your second childhood today and mentally relive the days when as a child you ran free, when there were infinite possibilities of what you could feel, accomplish, and see in the world. Allow for the energy of your remembered freedom to thunder through you, and you will free yourself from the false obstacles your adult life has put in your path. Today is the day to play!"

—Michael Bernard Beckwith—




April 9, 2019 - 2019 Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossoms (千鳥ヶ淵の桜)

After all these years, Tokyo's Chidorigafuchi Park is still one of my favorite cherry blossom viewing spots. If you get a chance, please check out the rest of my pics at Flickr.

2019 Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossoms (千鳥ヶ淵の桜)
2019 Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossoms (千鳥ヶ淵の桜)
(Click link above to view entire photo album.)




April 2, 2019 - Here’s a retirement speech you don’t want to hear from your boss:

"As a symbol of our gratitude, we'd like to present you this special gold watch to serve as a reminder of your many years with the company. It needs a lot of winding up, is always a little late, and every day at quarter to five, it stops working." laughing icon




Japan-Texas ebook cover thumbnail
A FREE download at Smashwords



Pattaya ebook cover
Only $1.99 at Amazon
(¥214 at アマゾン日本)




Alaska ebook cover
Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥340 at アマゾン日本)



Summer 1974 hitchhiking trip ebook cover
Only 99¢ at Amazon (¥105 at アマゾン日本)


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GW's road trip ebook cover
Only 99¢ from Amazon
(¥114 at アマゾン日本)




new Climbing Mt. Fuji book
Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥343 at アマゾン日本)




Only $2.99 at Amazon
(¥343 at アマゾン日本)