🌸 Monthly Blog – March Highlights
Hello everyone! How are you? In Japan, the cold winter has finally come to an end, and the cherry blossom season is over.
This year’s Sakura were, as always, breathtakingly beautiful.
I hope you enjoy reading about my highlights from March.
🎿 A Longtime Dream Come True
I took a break from my studio and online exercise classes to join my grandson’s family on their first visit to the Hirugano ski resort. This was actually a long-held dream of mine. Thirteen years ago, we built a small lodge in Hirugano. In summer, it is a cool and refreshing paradise, but in winter, it becomes a quiet world covered in snow.
When I was a high school student, I joined a ski trip for the first time and fell in love with the crystal-clear scenery of white snow and blue sky. I remember thinking, “One day, I want to ski with my family.” That dream came true. Then I had another dream: “To ski with my grandchild one day.”
❄️ First Snow Experience in Hirugano
It was a 3-day, 2-night stay, and we were lucky to have wonderful weather. At the “Kids Land,” which felt almost like a private playground, my grandson had so much fun sledding and riding a snow bike. It was their first time seeing snow, and they were absolutely thrilled.
My husband and I also did a little skiing.
We think our grandson will want to try skiing next year, so we practiced a bit in preparation. For that, I need to keep my legs strong and healthy!
🌄 Bokka no Sato
On the afternoon of the third day, we visited Bokka no Sato during the winter season. The weather was perfect again, and we could clearly see the beautiful mountains— Mt. Hakusan, Mt. Bessan, and Mt. Dainichigatake. It was such a breathtaking panoramic view. My daughter’s family was also amazed and excited. I truly wish you could all see it too.
🦀 Crab Trip
We stayed at our favorite inn, “Kouya.” My husband has been visiting since he was 22 years old—that’s 53 years ago! And I have been going there for 45 years since we got married. It has been a very special family tradition, and we used to visit almost every year until COVID-19 happened.
The cheerful and warm landlady, who felt like another grandmother to us, passed away three years ago. We felt a little sadness, but the delicious crab and warm atmosphere remained the same, which made our hearts feel full.
And this time, I am proud of myself! For many years, I had the bad habit of eating too much crab and not being able to sleep…But this time, I managed to enjoy everything in moderation, and even had crab rice and miso soup for breakfast! ↑
The next morning, we took our usual walk along Satsu Beach and did radio exercises. And of course, I also collected a year’s supply of pinecones in the pine forest!
🏯 Izushi & Eirakukan Theater
On our way back, we stopped by Izushi as usual. We enjoyed the famous “Sara Soba,” and this time, we also took a relaxing walk around the old town. We visited the historic Eirakukan Theater, which has recently gained attention as a filming location for the movie Kokuhou. Even on a weekday, it was lively and full of visitors.
Many people seemed to be on an “excursion” to the film location, and everyone looked very excited! My son and I, who had seen the movie, kept saying, “This is that scene!” My husband, who hasn’t seen it, was also very interested.
We fully enjoyed the oldest traditional theater in the Kinki region.
As for the soba, we chose a restaurant called “Katsura” from among about 40 options. We waited for 30 minutes—quite rare for us—but it was absolutely worth it! It was the most delicious soba we’ve ever had.
＜My Grandson Learned to Ride Without Training Wheels＞
My grandson’s training wheels are finally off. On a peaceful riverside along the Kamogawa in Kyoto, watching him practice with his dad was so heartwarming that I found myself replaying the video over and over again. We had even borrowed the campus of Kyoto Institute of Technology (sorry about that!) to practice. So I had been thinking, “It’s only a matter of time,” but…
To our surprise, he managed to ride all by himself without anyone holding the bike even once.
Kids these days learn so quickly, probably because they grow up riding balance bikes without pedals. When we were children, there were no bikes made just for kids. We used to ride big, heavy bicycles, pedaling while standing. The joy and excitement I felt the moment I first learned to ride is still vivid in my heart even now.
< Punch-kun >
Lately, I watch a monkey named Punch-kun from Ichikawa City Zoo on Instagram. Once you start watching, you just can’t stop!
Thank you for reading today as well. I hope you’ll enjoy next month’s highlights too!
Nosalin
