Yokohama Navy Exchange was where?

Happy new year to all friends.
Yokohama is new years morning, highest temperature of here is 50F.

I amlistening to favorite musics.
Wally-san, I owned 280Z of used car,too. I spun on a rainy day and crashed. Fortunately, there was not the injury.

Happy New Year!

Is it true that you in Japan celebrate the New Year's holiday for three days?

We have very warm weather here in NYC also - in the 50'sF - and in western Massachusetts there is absolutely no snow on the ground!

Steffi-san, Arigatou Gozaimasu.

Yes, we celebrate three days in Japan from the New Year. Japan, congratulation for three days is carried out from the new year. The period is called "Sanganichi".
We go to shrine in the meantime, or there are also many people who drink from daytime at home.

Moreover, Sanganichi has a custom in which do not clean up. Spring cleaning finished end of the year, and rest the New Year.

The winter break will be until 8th. Many Japanese go for homecoming or trip. Freeway and the airport are great congestion.

Are your father sleeping in Foreigners Cemetery of Yamate? The gate of the cemetery was closed before. It is opened now.
Was your father a musician?

I like NYC. The town has vigor.
And various races work and live there.

By Kaoru

I like Shogatsu !!

Drinking for three days and not having to clean up. Sounds good eh Wally ?

Thank you for your interesting explanation.

I think the Emperor was once an important part of the New Year's celebrations there. Is that still true

Also, in Japan, do they still give little envelopes of money to children as gifts? I seem to remember that.


Yes, my father is lying at the Foreigner's Cemetery. I recently got a letter from the director there, asking for a donation of money, which I have sent. They got my address from my son, Jeff, who visited two years ago.

It seems the cemetery is private, with no support from the government or anyone else. It is completely voluntary and independent, and they need funds to keep up the grounds, which according to pictures my son took, could use some attention.

If anyone else has any connection with this historic and memorable place, it seems like a worthwhile place to support.

And yes, NY is very alive, busy and interesting - it is an international city, very different from most other American cities. Many people live here from all over the world, with some public schools having children from dozens of countries. These people often live in communities - ie, a Russian community in Coney Island, Italians in City Island, big Chinatowns in various boroughs, Dominicans in uptown Manhattan, etc. Because of this, we have wonderful restaurants and can eat foods from most countries of the world.

We used to have a Japanese community in my area, but they have moved away to towns in New Jersey or Westchester. The Japanese companies maintained apartments for their employees, who would stay for a couple of years, then move back to Japan when their children were old enough to go to high school.

Are you planning to come here?

Arigatou Gozaimasu

Even now, there is celebration of the Emperor's new year in the Imperial Palace.
Since people who participate in it are advanced age, attendants are decreasing in number.

There is a custom of giving children pocket money in the new year. Itcalls "Otoshidama",
It was 500 Yen when I was kid.
Now, it is 5,000 Yen to 10.000 Yen. Parents' pocket become light by it.

Foreigners Cemetery of Yamate is a famous place. It will be managed by the Yokohama city. Many people visit holiday.
There are especially many sightseeing persons from Tokyo or other prefectures.

I enjoyed the North American travel in May of 2002. I arrived at NY international airport. It is the flight for 16 hours from Japan to NYC, I went to Grand Zero first.
There, it was many photographs and bouquets.
I had sadness.

Since the Statue of Liberty had terrorism's possibility, was not able to go.

I Walked Central Park for several hours.
A long time ago, the "The Edie Duchin story" which Tyrone Power and Kim Novak starred was remembered. It seems that the casino was located in Central Park those days.
I love this movie.

My children are son and daughter.
They are learning at the private university.
If they graduate, I will visit US again.

Been there, done that!

Kaoru san:

After the kids' graduation, please add Missouri to your list of places to see in the USA.
Lake of the Ozarks has fish, swimming, water skiing, caves, beautiful parks and excellent chow (dinner.)

Konnchiwa, Eric san and all,

There are 1950s Hayama and Nagisa Hotel in Zushi. This hotel was already closed.
I studied near the boy's school. Did someone stay at this hotel?

http://www.hayama-npo.or.jp/column/olddays/olddays.htm#

http://www.nn.em-net.ne.jp/~sz_tomo/nagisa/nhotel.htm

I am also from Missouri. Please add St. Louis when you visit. There is much to see and a short drive from the Ozarks.

Well...not to be out done you may also add New Hampshire to your visit ! We have great...Hmmm...I'll come up with something..

Lobster!!!!

Welcome Larry....
Yes we have good Lobsta..[regional dielect]
Ever have raw live Lobsta ?? me neither..
My wife grew up in Portsmouth NH where there were more Lobster fishermen you could count..She had so many lobsters that she got tired of them as the fridge was full of them...
Also in colonial days, lobster was considered "trash food" and was fed to prisoners, who complained about being fed too many lobsters ! They were so pleantyful that you could pick them right off the beach.
Every so often the offshore guys snag a monster lobster, some over 20 lbs, and a hundred years old. Occasionally someone will buy one and have it thrown back, just as a kindness to its venerable age...[there tough also...]...the "chickens" are the best
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 Lbs.
There is a debate as to how to cook them. Plunge in boiling water. Or slowly raise the water temperature.
Oh and lobsters are not red. Only when cooked. they are brown/green, except for the very rare blue ones.
So when I ship lobsters to Wally they will arrive, alive and uncooked..so don't through them away if there not red.
Don't laugh, its happened.

One day at our Sannotani house in the 1950s, my mother answered a knock on our door from a young Japanese salesman who had live lobsters in a bamboo tub. Mom asked our maid Masako, to interpret, asking how they should be prepared.
"Plunge into boiling water," the salesman said.
My mom responded, "Wouldn't that be rather crule?"
"Oh no," the salesman said vis Masako. "They're used to it."

I think your Mom was right, Eric - it does seem cruel - even if they are "used" to it! (So funny.)

Wonder if there's any way to kind of knock them out before cooking them? Probably not. Is there any other animal that gets boiled live before being eaten?

Wonder if there's any way to kind of knock them out before cooking them?

Some books recommend driving the tip of a sharp knife into their brain to kill them before dropping them in the pot of water. Cruelty to animals aside, killing them first sure makes it easier to get them in the pot!

Is there any other animal that gets boiled live before being eaten?

All manner of other crustaceans and shellfish are boiled live. At least the ones that aren't eaten alive! With sliced myoga and green onion, a little ponzu, and a dash of tabasco... my mouth is watering ;)

Peter:
I am not an expert when it comes to evaluating Hokusai prints. But I am sure you will find stuff online. You must remember that there were many editions of woodblock prints. Those that survived until today may be worth more than hundred thousand dollars depending on the quality. You can tell if it's a copy or an original woodblock print by looking at the back: to see if the ink bled through the paper. Also the markings are important. The reprints don't have names of the carver, the signature of the artist and their stamps. Check out Richard Lane's "Hokusai," a very comprehensive guide to Hokusai's prints.

Charlie Houghton attended St. Joseph College before, during, and after WWII, moved to Kobe and then came to the US, worked for Dupont in Delaware. Anyway, I thought he was in your class at St. Joseph's. As for Ike Shapiro: yes he was president of the Japan Society in New York and later worked for the Noguchi Museum among other places.
As for Hokusai, I just remembered that he once lived in Negishi and painted several scenes. There is a wonderful woodblock called "Clam Diggers Off Honmoku." You can recognize the coastline: the cliffs of Ichinotani, Ninotani, and Sannotani. It should be available online.

Thank you Honmukujin-san
I appreciate the information, and while i have researched this for years i remain confused. I know about the bleed through, and the paper but there still remains so much that is mysterious.
I have contacted art dealers around here only to find that I seem to know more than they do.
My one consulation is that the "Great Wave" that I have is a modern print and worth maybe a hundred bucks. This other one I sure would love to know if it is my ticket to "palm tree city". It sure looks "right".

Now the madness begins in New Hampshire. I think I'll get out my banjo and sit on a street in Manchester and see who wants to buy my vote. Oh yes, I have my price.
One mocha almond brownie. A big thick one..!!
and a glass of milk..