Perfect Fit like Cinderella's Foot

My eyesight seems to be gradually worsening so I bought Wellington-style reading glasses called “Paperglass”.

These reading glasses were manufactured by Nishimura Precision Co. in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, which is famous for the manufacturing of eyeglasses. The product was one of the Good Design Best 100 in 2013. The reading glasses of “Paperglass” are measured 2 mm in thickness when folded. These are revolutionary eye glasses.

These are small and useful eyeglasses but it’s just too much work for me to take them out of the case and put them back into the case every time I use.

To put them in and out of the case more smoothly, I realized that I can use my “King Jim Pensam Pen Case -Slim-“ in which these eyeglasses can fit perfectly.

This pencase has a flap with embedded magnet and it can simply be fixed to the inside pocket of a jacket.

It looks like this. I think it is so-called “Cinderella fit” in Japan that the eyeglasses accidently fit perfectly in a pencase.

T.S

Recommendation of ethnic restaurant in Fukui City “Kaori-bana”

Sometimes I have an urge to have ethnic foods of “Kaori-bana”. At the “Kaori-bana”, you can enjoy eating various ethnic foods such as Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Indonesian, Korean, Mexican, Cajun, French, Italian and Japanese-style Asian foods etc.

And the prices are quite reasonable. As it is relatively near from my house, when I want to eat out and I often go to the “Kaori-bana” anyway. Because they serve so many kinds of food and there must be something you want to eat.

But be careful when you order food, as its portions are big.
So you may not be able to finish it by only girls.
The staff asks you “Can you eat up all?” if you order too much, though.
It is a small restaurant which has only a counter and two tables, and it is always crowded,
so you should make a reservation by telephone even just before you go. (H.S)

Green Curry Croquette 

Guacamole 

Thai-style Shrimp Ajillo 

Crisp Fried Noodles with red curry 

Khao Man Kai (Thai-style Chicken and Rice)

Pork Saute with cassis orange sauce 

Winter Scenery in the Center of Fukui City

It is now at the end of January, it started snowing
and the whole town and its street trees are covered with a thin layer of snow.
It's breathtakingly beautiful.

Fukui Prefecture is known as one of the cities which get so much snow during the winter time.

On January 31st, 1963 (40years ago), the greatest snow depth recorded for 1963 in Fukui was about 213 centimeters. And it was about 196 centimeters in 1981.

Can you imagine how much it usually snows during the winter in Japan? Let’s see the snow fall ranking by prefecture and let’s also find what’s the result for Fukui Prefecture. 

According to NAVER matome, “Snow Fall Ranking of Prefectures in Japan
*conducted research with date of Japan Meteorological Agency”.
Average snow fall from every December from February, 2004~2014.



1st.Yamagata 636cm
2nd Niigata 578cm
3rd Akita 532cm
4th Fukushima 475cm
5th Nagano 423cm
6th Gifu 416cm
7th Aomori 409cm
8th Hokkaido 383cm
9th Toyama 333cm
10th Fukui 323cm



As you can see, Fukui Prefecture has been ranked in the 10th.
Compare to the result, it has not snowed much this year in Fukui and other prefectures.


We had so much snow in Fukui exactly 6years ago today.
I would like to share a video of "suzuki250sb"
I think this is the winter of Fukui!

It has not snowed like this since then.

It’s good that we don’t have much snow so we can drive and/or walk safely
but it seems that something is missing for the winter in Fukui.
I wonder if it snows more by the end of February.

T.F

Things I found around Kochomon (Natural Arch along Echizen Coast) on Echizen Coast

I went to Echizen Coast last week. I stopped the car by Kochomon for a while and watched waves. Just watching waves was enjoyable as same as watching the bonfire. It was a little windy but it was pretty warm and the waves were calm for Sea of Japan in winter. Therefore, I was able to get close to the sea and enjoy watching it.


A baseball was covered with barnacles and looked like a blowfish.


It was around lunch time, so I had a crab meat rice bowl at “Rest Ujou”. “Seiko-crab” is female crab and the name is used in Fukui.


Grilled mackerel set meal the person I went with ordered was plentiful and had an impact. Moreover,


I was surprised at the elaborated bathroom in this restaurant. There was a small garden called Tsubo-niwa in the bathroom. The picture above is Japanese-style toilet (squat toilet).


There was a western toilet as well but the garden was the traditional Japanese one.

T.S

Cats like high places |The first tower for cats

I have two cats. One is a male orange tabby “Gil” and one is a female black and white “Miiko”. Last year, I finally bought a tower for cats I have been wanting.

After thinking which one to buy, I placed an order and received the goods safely several days later. Well, now, are the cats going to play on the tower? As a result, they showed almost no reaction for many days…

So, I used silver vine as when I put a pet door and forced to put them on it so that they could get used to it. Still, they did not show that much interest as I expected.


And when I began to regret that I might have wasted money, they have started spending more time on the tower.


Specially, Miiko liked the tower and recently she always takes a nap on the top of the tower!
Now they scratch the hempen roped poles of the tower and chase a mouse toy running up.
So I’m happy to see that the tower is absolutely necessary for them now.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Is there something below?

                                     
                                       Gil seems to be relaxed in the house.

                             
                                   Miiko is on the top, Gil is in the lower level.
                                   It shows their power balance?

                             
                                    Miiko likes looking out of window from here,
                                    because birds come flying.

                     
                                   Miiko occupied Gil's room.


The tower for cats I bought was this one. 　　　　　　　　
I wanted one with a hammock but they didn’t have one for the size I looked for.
Hammocks are nice, aren’t they? It’s just an owner’s one-sided feelings and not cats’ though… (H.S)

"Power Spot" in Yamanashi, Japan -Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine- Part-2

As I introduced in our previous blog that Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine is such a beautiful place to visit and you can see large and tall trees there. Today, I would like to introduce how this shrine was opened.

According to the shrine’s records, when Yamato Takeru-no-mikoto (the ancient Japanese emperor) visited Otsukayama shrine during his expedition east, and he worshiped Mt. Fuji from there. He declared that worshiping the mountain sprit of Mt. Fuji from the north is good. Then a small shrine for Mt. Fuji was built in the area where Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine is located now. This was the beginning of the history for this shrine.

 

Otsuka shrine is in an out-of-the-way area. It is indescribable, but once you walk in, you will most likely feel the strong energy from this area. If you have a chance to visit Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine, how about stopping by Otsuka shrine as well?

 

 

T.F

King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man

 

As everyone knows that this is the song by King Crimson. Takefu Commercial High School Wind Band played the song with contrabass duet for contrabass for the 37th Tannan District Bind Band Ensemble Contest held at Imadate Arts Hall in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture on January 14th, 2017.

 

It was very cool!

 

T.S