Back Again and around and about.

Well here we are again back in Japan for another few months and I'm back at school this time in Shinjuku, more later, the busiest train station in the world.

 It's still very cold at night but spring has certainly arrived.

Our house, typically jammed up against all the others.

I took a walk on Sunday around our area and below are some photos that give you a bit of idea of what it is like.

Very soon it's going to be children's day and our neighbour is getting in early with the carp kites. If this was Australia he would be the neighbour with the biggest Christmas tree lights.

Cherry blossom everywhere.

Although there are factories here and there, there are still wonderful old and surprising things. Diagonally across the road from the house is a little temple that's about 800 years old. Our little road is this old too and was build as part of the Kamakura road to allow samurais to hurry to the old  capital at the time of the Mongol invasions.

 The road is very narrow only just wide enough for one car, or two samurais.

Many of our neighbours are enthusiastic gardeners and grow a great range of vegetables. It's still pretty cold so there are only the onions etc at the moment but the ground is being  prepared for many other things. Planting will start in a few weeks. People rent part of old rice fields and have huge garden plots. much like the plots you see/used to see along the rail lines in England.

There are also many rice fields.

Quite a few splendid old houses with beautiful traditional gardens.

Also wonderful gates.A

Villages and little settlements are only a short walk apart but some of the older shopping streets are looking a little sad. Falling population and the rise of convenience stores and big supermarkets has meant the end of many little shops. There are now about 1/4 as many places still going compared to when I first visited the area 25 years ago.

Speaking of convenience stores the quantity of them Japan is truly astounding. For instance there are  8 within 7 minutes walk of our house, and we live in the outer suburbs/country. Companies own 10,000 or more stores and talk of opening more each year.

So these streets are referred to as "Shutter Town." A sight and name you see all over Japan.

 A surviving electrical store. About the size of a two car garage. It's a wonder it's still going, perhaps the cartoon characters help.

Stopped for a few quiet ones and a snack at local little "izakaya" or drinking shop.
Here's the specials of the day.

Amongst these:
A curry set lunch $12.
Fresh grilled herring $6.
Fresh sardines $4.

And the last one: whale, a steal at $6 a plate.

Actually quite hard to find these days, no-one is eating it eat as we well know.