No Live Reptiles in the Mail

Japan Post does not allow mammals or birds to be sent by mail, and starting April 1st, live reptiles will also not be accepted for mailing, on animal welfare grounds. Customers had raised concerns and animal rights activists criticized the service online. With temperature control and food unavailable, it is considered animal abuse. 

I had no idea that reptiles were allowed to be sent through the mail.  I’m glad the practice will soon be prohibited. I’m curious to know if it is allowed in other countries.

Work In Progress Wednesday

Mill Hill Frosty progress

Japanese Pattern 30

Stitch Group Sunday

On Sunday we met for the first time in 2025. First, we worked on our stitcher’s omamori.

Then, we started a new project, making yo-yos for a coaster.

We will continue working on this project next time.

We enjoyed sweet bean and mochi soup, a traditional new year food, for tea time, along with tea and other sweets.

This is the start of another great stitching year!

Monday Morning Star Count

I moved my chair to make enough floor space, then taped the quilt backing to the floor. After layering the backing, the batting, and year three of the temperature quilts, I started pinning. The batting is Warm & Natural cotton batting.

When I finish pinning, I will start the hand quilting. This will be much less intensely quilted than the hexagon bedspread I recently finished.

Yesterday morning I felt my room moving a little and thought it might be an earthquake.  I checked the JMA website, and there was a small earthquake where I live.

You Can’t Drive the Ambulance

A 46 year old man was arrested by police in Kuki, Saitama Prefecture for stealing an ambulance. 

According to police, Hiroshi Hirata called 119 on Monday evening, complaining of stomach pains. Three paramedics treated Hirata, who was drunk, and determined he did not need to go to the hospital. Hirata became angry and threatened the paramedics with a knife, then went outside and stole their ambulance. 

Police found Hirata and the ambulance in a drugstore parking lot about 100 meters away. Of course, they arrested him on the spot. Police quoted Hirata as saying, “I thought I would go to the hospital on my own”.

I think it’s always a bad idea to steal an ambulance, but especially when drunk.

First Shogun’s Path of Worship Tour - Eating and Sleeping

Day 1 - Morning Tea House

Day 1 Box Lunch

Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel

View from hotel lobby 

My room

Dinner Day 1

In the round covered bowl - Unagi (eel) over rice

Breakfast Day 2 - Hotel buffet with many choices, both Japanese and western foods, no photo

Lunch Day 2 Enfrance in Hotel Shomeikan, Mishima

The courses were brought out one at a time. (I traded my meat items with another person).

Dinner Day 2 - Atami Izusan Hotel Suiyoutei Izu buffet 

There are food stations around the dining room, and yes, I ate too much!

Atami Izusan Hotel Suiyoutei Izu - Japanese style hotel 

This hotel room for me alone is bigger than my apartment. It’s several rooms that can be closed off with sliding doors. This type of room is made for a family or group, with a closet full of futons that could be pulled out at bedtime.

Breakfast Day 3  - Hotel Buffet - see dinner day 2

Lunch Day 3 Cafe du Chemin in Atami

Crab quiche and salad

Fish over vegetables

Dessert and coffee

Thanks to everyone who planned and carried out this great trip!

Friday Finish

One of my friends asked me to make three eating aprons for her father, to protect his shirts. I made these three.

Another friend asked me to make otedama, using fabric from her husband’s ties. 

I filled them with beans.

I have an elderly friend who lives in a care home and I try to make her little things that fit in an envelope.  This week I made this felt heart pin. 

Day 3 of the First Shogun’s Path of Worship Tour - Atami

(You can read about Day 1 here and Day 2 here).

After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, we were on our way. On this day we were on our way to Izusan Shine - up 837 steps. 

First stop was the historic Hashiryu Hotel Spring. It is one of three major ancient springs in Japan, discovered around 720 CE. The name “Hashiriyu” means “running springs”, derived from the unique way the hot water springs from the mountains and runs down to the coast.

This is how it looks inside.

We stopped here for a wood carving class with Hitoshi Yamazaki, a Buddhist carver, who created a Shinto piece for us.

The wood is camphor, with a wonderful smell.

Looking out - the red roof building is our hotel from the previous night.

The carving class was about an hour and a half.  As we cleaned up, we enjoyed coffee.

This is my carving. We were each given a little box to keep our carvings in.

 

On our way again.

Izusan Shrine dates to the 5th or 4th century BCE, making it one of the oldest in the Izu Penninsula. The primary god enshrined is Izu Daigongen, an amalgamation of Honomusuhi no mikoto, Izanagi, and Izanami. Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed here for the restoration of the Minamoto clan.  Later, Tokugawa Ieyasu also revered the shrine for good fortune. Now it is also known as a power spot for love and relationships due to the legendary encounter between Minamoto no Yorimoto and Hojo Masako. 

We had another ceremony here, then visited the Shrine Museum.

The final part of our tour was lunch and a feedback session. It was a great trip, and I learned a lot!

On Saturday, I will have one more post from this trip, about hotels and meals.