"Natsu-matsuri", Summer Festival.

"Natsu" means summer and "Matsuri" festival. It refers to ceremonies of Shinto, ancient japanese "religion", worshipping "Shinreikon", the spirit of God.

Almost every city or village in Japan , it is said that there are more than 10,000, has at least one Matsuri in late summer, usually related to the rice harvest. 

                            

                             Miko no mai (shrine maidens dancing) 

At festivals held at shrines large floats are used to carry "taiko" (drums) and decorative portable shrine called "mikoshi" (carriage of deity).

 The "Mikoshi" is carried on the shoulders of bearers to be moved in a parade to the cry of "Wasshoi" (to carry harmony).

The fearsome demon also participates in the parade...

And the priest...

Many matsuri are held under the initiative of shrines or temples and have many purpose or meanings besides the good harvests: warding off evil, protection from a plague, state of perfect health, peace and longevity, harmonious marriage, fertility and family prosperity, ancestor worship, abundance and joy to all people, universal peace...

Recently a North Korean missile flew over Hokkaido, but do not worry about us, we are blessed.

Peace, happiness and common sense for everyone!

Great dinner at "みうら" Miura, sushi and sashimi restaurant in Asahikawa.

Today I am going to tell you my particular dream of a summer night: a dinner in a good sushi restaurant in Hokkaido.

Hokkaido is famous for the quality of its fish and seafood, in addition chefs here are true artists.
Indeed we can say that  it is an experience that goes beyond the purely gastronomic to become an artistic happening that excites all your senses.

If you have the opportunity, sit at the bar near the artist "Itamae San" and pay attention: watch, listen and smell while he uses the knife or manipulates the rice, any of his beautiful movements has a reason to be. You are going to feel how it makes your mouth water, unwittingly. 
And when the small masterpiece is in front of you then touch, pick it up with your thumb, index an middle fingers and finally... savor! Enjoy that climax intensely, this art don't last forever.

Recently this dream became true for me at Miura Sushi Restaurant in Asahikawa with my friend Obara San.

Let the show begin!

There is no better way to start. Raw Oyster from Akeshi (Hokkaido's east coast), wonderful specimen! Difficult to explain the explosion of flavors, a dip in the sea! Miura San the "taisho" told me it is the milk of the sea.

Sushi started with a classic: tuna sushi.

Japanese are very demanding with rice for sushi, neither too soft nor too hard. They put it this way: "funwari" (gently, airily, fluffily). Just words, since the sensations inside the mouth are difficult to explain.

Sardine sushi.

Wasabi on top.

I like blue fish, more greasy and tasty.

Shad sushi, "Kohada" in japanese. Delicious, sardine's cousin.

Watch the cut of a knife imitating the shell of a turtle.

"Tsubukai" Whelk sushi. A shellfish. Here we must bite stronger, but delicious, and beautyful. 

How is your mouth?  Would you like to try?

I recommend you also order a bottle of good "Nihonshu": japanese rice wine. Nothing better.

Miura Sushi Restaurant Asahikawa

Lake Chubetsu (dam)

Beautiful Lake Chubetsu (忠別ダム)

This lake/dam sits at the foot of Mt. Asahidake.  It is emptied in the winter and refilled from the melted snow in the summer.  The water is always clear and clean.  It's my favorite place to swim in the summer!

Every year the town cleans up the beach and gets it ready for different events.

On a nice sunny day, it is quite refreshing to just hop in and go for a swim.

The water temperature is a little chilly for some so it's not uncommon to see people wearing wetsuits.

On this day we decided to try to swim from the beach to the dam wall.

The water was cool and calm. It made for an interesting challenge :-)

We made it to the big wall!!!!!
Now it's time to go back....

6,150m swim....took about two hours....but we did it!

Next year we are hoping for some more people to join us in our Lake Chubetsu Open Water Swim :-)

An Interesting Find

On a recent bike ride we came upon this interesting backyard!

But the signs clearly read, "Private Property" "Do NOT Enter!"

The security guard too was a little scary that we decided just to take some photos and run away.

But it was such a curious place that I returned two more times! And on the third return the owner's wife said we could enter :-)

We got in!!!! And what a surprise! It was like an art museum surrounded by nature.

Everything handmade by the retired owner.

Amazing works of art!

Some a little strange....

Some a mystery....

But all very intriguing...

What goes into the mind of the creator??

Lots of creativity!

It must be ART!

Summer life.

I can assure you that in Asahikawa area there is summer, the thermometer exceeds 30 degrees (in winter it almost reaches 30 below zero ...) 

But evenings are cool.

The unstable spring has passed.

A place of contrasts, from the most absolute calm and silence to the most bustling life.

In summer, life is easy for any bug.

As it is for young,

enjoying holidays and friendship.

The earth strives to give us its fruits.

The cicada sings and dances, the ant is working all day. How will the story end this year?

Walks at dawn in Asahikawa.

Japan in Japanese is like this: 日本 "Nihon".

日 This figure (kanji) represents the sun and also means day.

It is pronounced "Ni" in this case.

本 This one is a tree with its roots. It means roots but also origin (roots are the origin of the tree), and book.

It is pronounced "Hon" in this case.

Nihon= The origin of the sun or day.

In the tourist brochures of the rest of the world: "The land of the rising sun".

In Japan it dawns at three-thirty in the summer.

When I was young I only saw sunrises after a night of "fiesta" haha.

Now I do not sleep as much as before...

And sometimes I take walks at that time.

Perhaps the most beautyful moment.

Thoughts are new and optimistic.

Common and gray places are transformed by intense colors and deep perspectives.

Last Saturday I was enjoying the cool night with my friends until very late, dawn surprised us... and I returned home from the city enjoying a magical bike ride.