Yes, the blog is still active and alive (albeit with less frequency). This feature covers 3 seasons…
…starting with autumn.
Autumn is still warm enough for the beach…
… but perhaps not what you imagined (this is the in the heart of Tokyo).
Greg and I walked across the Rainbow Bridge at the northwest tip of Tokyo Bay…
…to find a huge Strider Cup competition.
With great intensity and high adrenaline… these young riders were released from the gate…
…and traversed the obstacles…
…to reach the finish line. This was great fun.
The ginkgo trees turn bright yellow in autumn.
The views throughout the city are stunning.
Every citizen has a camera (and some have helpers).
Autumn comes late in Tokyo. These photos are from December.
This is my favorite.
This bonsai garden is beautiful…
…which brings many wedding parties. This group is positioning for a family photo (the lack of railings terrified me).
The setting is beautiful.
This wide shot adds perspective.
The area around Mt. Fuji is one of our favorite destinations.
We visited a nearby active volcano…
…with a hotbed of activity.
We were provided moist towelettes to help shield the sulfur smell.
Kayla and Dan joined us in January during their winter break.
We visited Kyoto…
…and of course Mt. Fuji.
February brings spring training for baseball…
… and I was there to cheer for my favorite team, the Swallows.
One of the nice benefits of spring training is the small stadiums and closeness to the action.
Yamada-san is the star player (he was named the Central League MVP in 2015). I was fortunate to capture his home-run smash.
Here’s the coach in his post-game interview (with team mascot Tsubakuro listening in).
33 year old Curaçaoan–Dutch outfielder and power hitter, Wladimir Balentien, blasted 3 homeruns over the 2 games I watched during the weekend (Japanese teams are permitted to have up to 4 international players).
And to my surprise, the players moved straight into agility drills and batting practice after the game.
In early March, Lynda, Greg and I traveled to Yamagata prefecture via Shinkansen (bullet train)…
…to the charming village of Ginzan where winter brings heaps of snow.
Thanks to plentiful hot springs, these travelers warmed their feet along the sidewalk.
We also visited Zao, which is known for snow monsters created by high velocity winds whipping up the mountain.
The views are spectacular.
This family posed by a Buddha statue.
Here’s what it looks like in the summertime (Internet photo).
The chairlift does not reach the mountain top. That’s me, working my way to the summit.
The previous photo was safely taken from here.
With much effort, I reached the peak. I’m certain, this is where all the wind enters the world.
Back in Tokyo in late March, it was prime cherry blossom season….
…with colorful views throughout the city…
…which brings out the big lenses…
…and lots of smiles.
From autumn, to winter, to spring, and soon into summer, we relish all the seasons. Enjoy a few bonus photos below. ts
Ukrainian Tom 