A newly implemented way of doing 2021 Hatsumode, the first Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year.
Even if it’s still 29/12/2020, some of Shinto shrines are recommending to conduct ahead-visit whatever at a chance we are able to avoid “三密” a closed space, a crowded place, close face-to-face conversation.
We normally go visit during daytime on 30/12 or 31/12, so it’s not a new or unusual thing to do for us.
And what I found really convenient about this year is, shrine opens a stand for a visitor to return charm of the previous year (2020), and to buy a new charm for a coming year (2021).
A charm and a paper fortune.
We both bought our fortune slips,
I got an excellent luck for the new year, like I’ve already spent all of my luck of 2021.
It says every person is different, to treat someone with disdain or to have a jealous feeling to someone is a foolish act and it only makes your heart runs dry to perish. Live each day with your best, cultivate your own skill and become spirituality rich, take strong root in soil, a time will surely come a flower to bloom.
大吉. A bit of lecture from the god.
Wish 2021 will be a calm year.
Though we are being “right in the middle” of a haze, uncertain long tunnel so far.
She chooses one out of three her fav zoos, and visits there every other week.
Today she went to Kanazawa Zoo near Kanazawabunko, and sent me photos she took.
Til she told me, I have never imagined that I can meet koala and kangaroo here in Japan.
She has been working for years for a company that teaches digital photography.
At first she was taking a class, but later she was offered an assistant job by a lecturer.
A lecturer spotted her ability as she used to work as a secretary.
Now her specialty is taking and editing photos.
Koalas 🐨
And kangaroo.
Taking a break
And Okapi-san
Kanazawa Zoo is applying a method of an exhibit that allows visitors to directly view the animals, no cages or fences that are used to shelter them.
The approach invented by Carl Hergenbeck.
That makes it possible to take photos like these.
They look different from my memory.
I haven’t been a zoo for a long time, but in my childhood memory animals are in cages.
These days there are discussions about the environment surrounding zoo animals, I have both positive and negative feelings.
I can believe they are happy, when zoo keepers care about them, playing with them.
On the other hand, I feel sorry for them when I see fast running animals don’t have enough space that wild animals do have.
It can be said to my cats too, they look outside with great interest, sniffing passionately.
Sniffing
G-san actually went outside once, and my mom somehow managed to have him back inside of the house.
Chobi tried to get out several times in the past. He looks so curious every time he gets a chance to see outside from a door or a window.
Then I think of releasing them outside, but that just gives a short term wild life, as someone must get (protect) them and they end up will be in an animal shelter again.
A zoo makes me think about various things.
That is why against many criticisms a zoo is still existing, because it teaches many things by seeing unspoken words animals telling.
I would not have cared about it, if COVID-19 had never occurred.
the long I spend time at home, the more I want to spend time outdoor.
Which actually happened because of a backyard renovation we did last year.
草取り
Most of trees have been removed, that’s given us zero maintenance expansive garden.
When I’m standing there, I’m clearly visible from neighbors and from a street.
👀
In summer, WFH sitting on a concrete block area with my earphones on.
There wasn’t much trouble.
But sometimes someone’s walking on the street noticed my existing and immediately looked away.
I started looking for a fence. Finally.
And searched on Amazon, they have a fence which costs some good ¥23,000 for a piece.
I’ll need four or five.
If I must pay that much, it’s better think about serious renovations by some company.
Then came up with the diy idea.
I went to a diy store, there was less people.
Met a very cute beagle dog ❤️ she was licking a window.
I was looking for a block, a pole and a sunshade.
There was a really nice heavy block with hole that was too heavy I wasn’t able to hold.
I bought two plastic poles, and two light weight blocks.
One side
And
The other sideHoho!!Perfect as expected!!
On April WFH begun,
we were staying home for a couple of months.
Then the situation looked like started recovering little by little, a new normal daily life.
Now I know that was too optimistic.
In fact, after summer a season was changing to fall, almost rapidly number of infected people began to increase day by day.
This morning, it was 162,000.
I thought it was 80,000 only few months ago.
Many people think “GO TO” campaign, that Japanese government aimed to boost economy by providing subsidies of up to 50 percent on travel related costs within Japan, is one of reasons of this second wave.
As 10 months would be long enough to get used to the COVID-19 emergency situation.
But I wouldn’t go out.
Keep public health rules and wearing a mask.
It’s already Dec.
I’ve been living like this, I can go on.
Basically, making our backyard more comfortable space.
Boiled apple 