Recently, I took the train to Numazu Station and visited the Imperial Villa, which is the former summer home of the Imperial Family. The Imperial family stopped using the summer home in November 1969, and the City of Numazu developed the property into a memorial park, which opened in July 1970.
The entry fee for both the house and the grounds is 410 yen. It is walking distance from Numazu Station or you can park a car for free.
This is the maid's meeting room.
Guard's room
Both rooms
The Prince's tricycle
Kitchen
Back Entrance.
This room was called Jojikankisho in the Taisho era. It was for the Chamberlain or Men-in-waiting.
Looking out the window
This room was called Togu Daibushistu, for the men waiting on the Crown Prince. Later it was used for praying. Every day the Emperor prayed to his ancestors.
During the Taisho Era, this was used as an office. Later it was called Shuzenshitsu, a room for providing food or tableware.
Originally, this was used as the anteroom to the offical guest room. Later it was used for dining.
This room was the Official Guest Room. The special Japanese paper called Maniaishi is applied at the top of the walls. The paper is hand made from a rare type of vegetable fiber called Ganpi mixed with powdered stone paste. It is strongly resistent to fire, fading, and vermin.
Together, the next three rooms are called Gozasho and are for living, sleeping, and dressing.
The Billiard room was added in 1925.
This is the Emperor's Bath, but has no bathtub. A lady in waiting poured water over the emperor, who was wearing very thin clothing.
This is the original telephone from the Meiji Era.
Outside this house, there is still much to see.
The hot water room
There was a group of kindergarten children, all in matching shorts and hats outside.
Air Raid Shelter
Looking out over the water.
It's a beautiful place and I can kind of imagine being here for the summer.
Japanese Pattern 13
Christmas Treasures progress
Tanabata is celebrated in my area of Japan on July 7th. Other areas, such as Hokkaido and Sendai, observe this event on August 7th.
Tanabata is a famous summer festival, which has been celebrated in Japan since the 700's. The story behind Tanabata is that the weaving princess Orihime and the cowherder Hikoboshi met, fell madly in love, and married. Their love was the only thing that mattered and they neglected their work duties. Orihime's father, the king of the heavens, was so angry that he separated them to opposite sides of the Milky Way. Orihime became the star Vega and Hikoboshi became the star Altair.Orihime was heartbroken and cried day and night, which did not get her back to her duties of weaving. Her father was moved by the tears and allowed the couple to meet once a year at the MIlky Way on Tanabata.
In my town, there is a four day festival, which falls in the rainy season. This year it has been very hot, but no rain fell on the festival days. I went to the festival mid-day on Friday and there were no crowds. In the past, I have gone on Saturday when it is very crowded. The festival is held on two streets. One is a covered walkway street, called Ginza. The other is a regular street that is closed to traffic during the festival.
There are many vendors selling "festival food". I saw the fried seasoned spaghetti noodles I like, but I did not buy them.
All along the covered walkway street, there were decorations hanging from the top.
As I was getting ready to take this picure, a baby popped out.
It was amazing to be able to walk without bumping into anyone or anyone bumping into me! If I go next year, I am definitely going on Friday!
The regular street had the decorations on platforms in the middle of the street. If it started raining, they could move the decorations easily.
One of the things to do on Tanabata, is to write your wish on a paper and tie it to this decorated bamboo branch.
This is the tanabata shrine.
This town has a professional soccer team, so there is evidence of this everywhere, all over town.
This soccer ball was covered with hand written messages.
After seeing all the decorations, I walked home and was quite happy. I took a long walk, I didn't spend any money or eat any junk food. It was good!
We met yesterday and started a new project. I was having so much fun that I neglected my photography duties. I apologize for not having better pictures this time.
Show and tell - one stitcher finished her drawstring bag (front and back).
Four of us started a new project - a cover for a Clover circular thread cutter. We basted the shape onto the fabric and designed what we would stitch on the fabric, then started the stitching.
Tea Time
I took a picture of mine after I got home. The real color is the same as the other three. I plan to make a scissors fob with the squares.
If you are wondering, this a what a Clover Circular Thread Cutter looks like.
(I will take more and better photos next time!)
I am so thankful that my friend's niece invited me to her dance performance again this year. It was different this time, in that the main story was danced by professional dancers and the dance school students filled in with the other parts. I was told that the orchestra was made up of university music students. It was a fabulous show!
I loved the show and am grateful I was asked to attend!
