A forest of the University of Tokyo.

 Taking a walk is my favorite time when I become so frustrated. Especially, I like doing it in a forest of the University of Tokyo or To-dai Noujou, located near my home in West Tokyo. What makes it so special place for me? First of all, it's so quiet and peaceful because there are not so many people, and moreover, cars are prohibited from entering besides the specific ones for working inside it. As I across a main gate, no more noisy sound follows me. Birds sing in a shade of trees, small insects go back and forth on brown soil.

 Although it's originally a research field of the University of Tokyo, I've hardly seen someone investigate something. For me, it's like a park to relax.  Here, I found a bunch of lotuses both full bloom and ready to bloom.

 Wow, their leaves are much bigger than my hand :)

You can find many old wooden architecture here and there. Surprisingly, some of them are still in use. In Japan, it's difficult to maintain such old buildings because of repeated huge earthquakes and its culture. Generally speaking, Japanese like something new. Shinto, one of two major religions in Japan, regards newness as an important matter. I think that's a reason why they destroy and create almost the same thing frequently. But, personally I prefer to live with old things :) Visiting there is to confirm who I am, what I like, and how I want to live. I'll be back there soon ;)

Eating in and out of my home :)

 A friend of mine sent me a box filled with delicious mandarin oranges a week ago. Fruits make my life rich! :)

 It's my lunch sometime ago. Sitting in front of my dining table and eating silently is a small pleasure of my daily life. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can't skip any of them at all. These days I prefer to eat Japanese food cooked myself. To make my ability sharpen, I show up some restaurants that my friends run every now and then, and ask them how they cook and so forth.

 The last one was taken yesterday, when my friend and I went to a Korean BBQ restaurant in Shinjuku, Tokyo. When I decided what to eat, he smiled and told me, "You don't have to order such a budget-friendly meal today". "Why not?" "Because, I got a bonus last night. And guess what? Let me pay all for today!"  That's why we both took beers at that time :)

Cakes and Japanese Sweets :)

 Lately I have begun to realize how delicious Japanese sweets are. The beauty, the colors, and the taste. To understand better, I try to get some whenever I found a sweets shop near my home.

Ordinary, they wrap sweets with Japanese traditional paper which is usually printed the name of a shop, or nature things such as leaves and flowers. When you open up, then,

 Here it is :) I'd like to introduce one by one, but I'm not sure the details yet since I'm new in this field. I'll keep buying and eating weekly basis, so let's talk about it later on ;)

 Also, I try not to forget to take cakes every now and then so that I could stay my sense sharpened. Well, that might be my excuse for eating so many cakes :D Those are from my neighbor's patisserie by the way, I used to drop off and buy cakes four times a week, haha.

 And ice creams. Although I wasn't a person who eat it frequently, I get more accustomed to having it this summer, especially in the hot humid evening. Reading books while taking it bit by bit brings me a wonderful night time. I have to take care not eat too much such a night :)