雑煮 Zouni

this is zouni;a special soup of new year.

each region has individual zouni.

our zouni is very rare. white miso and sweet red beans in rice cake.

i love it.

 no zouni no new year.

御節料理 Osechi

on new year day we eat osechi. it's a traditional japanese food for new year.
it's made until new year eve. because housewives don't need to work for new year.
i love osechi very much.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 謹賀新年

for new year season we decrate Kadomatsu（門松) in front of the gate of house.
but i live in a small apartment. so i bought a very small one on my bookshelf.

年越しそば Toshikoshi-Soba

in japan we have a custom to eat buckwheat noodle on 31th December, New Year Eve.

青春１８きっぷ Seishun 18 kippu

Today I get a JR(Japan railway line)ticket.
It's Seishun 18 Kippu. 1 day free, 5 times for the period.
it's 11500 yen. so 2300 yen each day. only 2300 yen you can go from tokyo to kyushu.
this time 10th Dec to 10th Jan. we can get three times in a year.
spring, summer, winter.
I'm 35 years old. I'd like to use super express Shinkansen. but i'm poor.............
but not but the trip with the ticket. we can get out from train on the way.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seishun_18_Ticket

Kodo 香道

Kodo is the japanese art of appreciating incense and involves using incense within a structure of codified conduct.

It's a very nice fragrance.

後北条氏 The late Hojo clan

This is the tomb of Hojo Ujimasa and Hojo Ujiteru in Odawara.
They were ordered HARAKIRI for the responsibility of the siege of Odawara 1590.
The late hojo clan governed almost all konto region. 
Finally the clan surrendered to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
at the time they had meeting endlessly. but it didn't reach the decision.
we call endless meeting to no decision Odawara byoujou.
It's the same expression at Congress of Vienna: Der Kongress tanzt, aber er geht nicht weiter