Splendid Performance!

I like Mitsuko Uchida; each tone is clear and yet powerful, performance is emotional, and interpretation is very convincing!

Hakone Cycling

Finally I achieved one of my dream "go over Hakone by bicycle", I went to Odawara by train carrying my bike an a bag.

Started at Odawara

Azalea (again) in Horai-en (蓬莱園), Kowakudani (小涌谷)

Highest point of National Route 1

Hakone Shrine

Lake Ashi from a road

Today's lunch was wakasagi soba

Going through Sengokuhara

Scenery of Lake Ashi, Golf courses and Mt. Hakone from Nagao pass (911m high)

Very unfortunately, couldn't see Mt. Fuji clearly because the light was from behind

Mt. Fuji from Ashigara pass (759m high)

Prefectural Route 78 (a road to Ashigara pass) was so steep that I had to walk my bike up.
After the pass the downslope was so steep as well that I had to break almost all the time. After going down the pass, Route 78 in Kanagawa side was so nice. It's straight and going down but not so steep; Transportation is no so much.

Sunset of Sakou River

I went back from Shin Matsuda Station. It was very tough. I biked 84.49km and passed the three mountain passes... I was so tired. I don't wanna do this again for a while :P
What I find today is , it's gradient, not altitude, which counts.

Kyushu Tour -- Day 6

Homemade Yogurt with soy powder, green tea powder, blueberry jam, citrus jam and banana inside

A fairly maintained garden of my Family home.

Sakurajima erupted and my car was heavily covered with ash. 

Kyushu Tour -- Day 5

Express Hayate arrived at Karegawa Station

Hisatsu-line (肥薩線) was build inland to avoid canons in Japan-Russia war, according to my dad.

Kirishima-Jingu (霧島神宮) shrine

Kirishima soba here

Prayed at the power spot of the former Kirishima Shrine

Ebino Plateau (えびの高原)

This night we enjoyed BBQ at Family home garden.

Kyushu Tour -- Day 4

Kumamoto Castle

After visited Kumamoto Castle, I decided to "revenge" Aso, since the forecast said afternoon would be fine.

Wide view of the field of Daikanbo

Today volcano activity was very active. Shortly I felt sick and coughed a lot. Just after I saw everything, the danger level shifted to the maximum and everybody including the staff evacuated from the crater.

Komezuka

This day, I saw my dad for the first time after six years in Kagoshima. Here are what he told me:

• Don't change your mind easily; strongly stick to your belief: apologize sincerely if you find it wrong,
• Don't speak of a taboo topic even to your close friends, even if it might be true.
• Have natural salt, sesami, and use G.U.M before tooth-brushing.

Kyushu Tour -- Day 3

Colorful azalea (tsutsuji) on the hill of Twister-Hell (Tatsumaki-Jigoku), Beppu

Driving Yamanami Highway.

Kokonoe "yume" big suspension bridge

After a while stated raining, so I just went to Aso-shrine: I gave up going to Mt. Aso and Takachiho...

Aso Shrine in rain

Kyushu Tour -- Day 2

Dazaifu-Temmangu (大宰府天満宮)

I'm very impressed at the fact that they gathered many additional place, an amusement park for kids and even a national museum next to Dazaifu. The main street to the shrine was crowded lively with those who enjoy souvenir shopping.

Kinrinko, Yufuin

Yufuin has so many foreign visitors, mainly from Korea and China. I think here already has become too famous and lost its isolated feeling.

The room in Suginoi Hotel, Beppu was unnecessarily gorgeous. This hotel also had a lot of foreigners.

Kyushu Tour -- Day 1

Sara-udon (Chinese hotchpotch with crispy noodles) at Kotoki (紅灯記)

Statues of saints left broken and meltdown, damaged by the atomic bomb, at Urakami Cathedral

Sunset scenery of Kuju-ku_Islands (九十九島) from Ishidake observatory (石岳展望台)

 Mizutaki at Iroha (いろは)

This day was on the very day of Hakata-dontaku but I missed it because I spent a lot of time for a trip to Sasebo...