Sound of Summer

Summer evening walk to a local shrine at northern Hyogo.

We are surrounded by this overwhelming sound of cicadas.

This is the sound of summer in Japan.

Angie walking up to a shrine.

She is making sure I am following.

Angie climbing down from the shrine.

She seems to find it harder to walk down the moss-covered steps.

Old primary school at sunset.

JP summer is slowly going.....

Obon Week

August is a holiday season but it is also the time for remembrance.

6th August for Hiroshima and 9th August for Nagasaki,

where memorial services are held every year.

Then we have OBON (13-15 August), that is, 

a Buddhist commemoration of ancestors whose spirits return to the family.

So people return to their parents or hometown

to receive the spirits of the loved ones  remembering and commemorating

and send the spirits back on 15th August.

The last day of Obon also coincides with the day Japan surrendered and ended WWII.

***

But August is not only about remembrance,

We have AngieDad's birthday.

So we had this birthday cake made locally.

Yesterday we had a gathering with friends whose westies came from the same breeder.

Yukimaru retuned to Tokyo for Obon

 Yukimaru lives in Sendai and returned to Tokyo for Obon.

Friends decided to meet up and welcome back Yukimaru.
Its been a year since we saw him last.

Angie

10 two-legged and 9 four-legged gathered, and here they are:

JKC Champion Non & her daughter Hime

Non

Hime

Dharma

Abby & Eve

Abby & Eve are Lady's daughters.  

Eve received JCK International championship title this year.

 After lunch we attempted to take group photos,

but soon realized it is almost impossible to capture all 9 westies at once.

From left, 13 year old Pinky, Yukimaru, and Dharma

From left, Abby, Angie, Eve and Lady, another JKC International Champion

We had a wonderful time with 9 westies
and look forward to our next meeting!

The Summer is starting....

Tokyo is still in the rainy season, but the temperature and humidity are rising rapidly.

This is the hardest time for Tokyo westies and we are taking extra care for their health & wellbeing.

We also look forward to our summer break next month when we escape to the countryside.

The Takeda Castle is one of our favorite places near AngieDad's hometown in Hyogo in western part of Japan.

The Castle is built on top of a mountain with 15-minute climb.

It is the perfect place for a picnic or an outing.

Here are some photos of the place from last year.

     Many steps...
     Angie opting for the side walk avoiding the steps....

                             





                     More steps!
                     Now she has given up and Dad carries her

Nearly there...., at the base of the castle. 

A few more steps left! 

Voila!  

The 16th-century castle has the spectacular view. 

In winter it is surrounded by the clouds below the mountain.

This is the Machu Pichu of Japan.

We made it!

Angie feeling and sniffing medieval wind..... 

Princess Westie

When I used to live in London, I was never interested in Harrods branded products.

They were for tourists and the Japanese!

Now living in Tokyo, with a westie

I wanted this Princess Westie Towel badly

because it looks like Angie.

This one does not seem to be available from Harrods on-line shop.

so I had them sent by a friend from London.

This is the best she can do this morning.

Aren't they alike? 

She needs  a tiara next time.

Today Angie is on her way to Summer Camp in Chiba.

She will be swimming, running and playing agility games

with other friends and her trainer.

Enjoy the camp, Angie.

We will miss you...

JP Westies - Annual Gathering

I can not quite go to

NY Tartan Day or Canadian Westies walk.

But we have a big Westie party in Tokyo instead.

Westie Group Photo 2011

Every year in November, JP westies get together in the suburb of Tokyo.
Over 300 westies, young & old join forces from all across the nation.
Some travel by car for hours, others fly in to participate.

We have games, picnics, tents, and shops.
Most of all, having the day all to ourselves with so many westies.
This is Heaven.

Getting ready for Group Photo

In order to fit into the group photo above,

quite a lot of efforts go into it.

Group Photo from the rear

Never sure if each westie manage to be photographed,

however you've got to do this.

This is the day when JP westies are held high close to the sky.

Group Photo 2010

This year the westie party is taking place on 11th November.

If you are in Tokyo, do join us!

JP Westies - where we are

We are almost half-way into 2012.

At the beginning of the year, I was anxious to find JP Westie's figure for 2011

by JKC (Japan Kennel Club).

Last year our life was severely affected by the big earthquake.

All dog shows were cancelled in Japan from March - June,

and the nation was not in a state to enjoy or breed dogs.

The above chart shows annual registration numbers with JKC for pure-bred dogs in Japan
and 2011 is by far the lowest.

Continued decline in registration numbers may be due to JP market saturation,

or less interest in pure-bred dogs,
or increase in adoption....?

Westie registrations have declined as well, but in a more sharp manner!

Westie, or terrier breeds are adored in Japan, 

but liking them does not mean owning one necessarily.

JP owners are not getting westies
maybe because there are fewer breeders recently?
or because it is not trendy any more and people prefer other breeds?

Breed Ranking

In the 90's, westie breed was ranking around 20th for popularity in Japan,
but it has steadily slipped and it is below 30th now.

This means even in Tokyo you do not run into westies often....

Angie today

'Am I becoming a rare breed in Japan?  I hope to see more westies!'

Angie goes to Japanese Ryokan (inn)

When the two-legged go to Japanese Ryokan (inn)

Saryosoen, Sendai 2009

On arrival you change into Yukata, a casual kimono,

and take a hot spring bath

and take it easy

Dinner is served privately in your room
and it is sheer luxury

Some Japanese Ryokans can receive four-legged guests
so Angie stayed at Ryokans a few times

Shuzenji, Izu 2012

Japanese Garden

Angie takes a stroll at the Japanese Garden with Dad
and then takes an open-air bath

Hot spring experience

Angie in Yukata

Like Mom & Dad she changes into Yukata

Angie's Dinner

Angie's dinner is served (with menu signed by the chef!) which are

Tofu hamburg with vegetables, egg and soy milk soup, black rice risotto

Waiting...........

She is not quite used to the three food bowls  

Ryokan meals are beautifully arranged

and she finished them all in the end

Japanese Ryokan with hot spring is a wonderful experience 

no matter how many legs you have

A short break at Mt. Fuji

Golden Week has started and

we visited Mt. Fuji lake district last weekend.

It's only 100km south east of Tokyo with easy access.

Mt. Fuji is 3333m high

but today we will only go up to the 5th station.

 Angie is wearing an official football uniform.

Japan won the Women's World Cup Final in 2011.

This is a must-have item for Tokyo Westies for London Olympics this summer.

The 5th station of Mt.Fuji was pretty much covered with snow and still cold,
but we had gorgeous sunshine.

Wild Bird Forest Park

Spring prevails at the foot of the mountain.

This was a breath-takingly beautiful park with flowers in full bloom.

For a minute I thought/I wished Rainbow Bridge may be a place like this....

only we did not see dogs here.

Next to the park lies Jukai (Sea of Trees) 

 the vast natural forest that sits on lava from Mt Fuji.

It is so big that one must be careful not to be lost.

We chose the easiest trail for the short legged, ( I meant for Angie!)

Lake Kawaguchi with Mt Fuji

After the trail, we went to Lake Kawaguchi

that still had Sakura in full bloom.

Angie was getting comfortable after a good exercise.

Good weather, good air, beautiful nature,

we all enjoyed this short break.

Chidorigafuchi April, 2012

Long awaited spring has come to Tokyo

This is Chidorigafuchi, the Imperial Palace moat
with SAKURA (cherry blossom) in full bloom

We missed the SAKURA season last year 
due to the 3.11 earthquake and the Fukushima uncertainty


Both events changed our values and life styles
Tokyo westies now react to quake pre-warning sounds from mobiles and TVs
and they go to their crates or under the table
'a new normal' has emerged 

So, spring was especially important this year

I took Angie for a walk to a park with cherry trees near us. 

The Japanese cherish SAKURA 

both in full bloom and when falling.

 Sakura epitomises 'natural course of life'

And a blossom petal lands on Angie's face!  

a beautiful spring moment 
that we wish to repeat many many years with her...