Roof Tile Cracker

These are the sweets my wife and I chose to buy as souvenir from Kagawa prefecture. The brown one is called "Kawara Sembei"(Tile-shaped hard cracker). This is really hard so that I won't recommend it for older people without strong teeth and jaws. I like it because it maintains the shape in my mouth for quite a long period, maybe 30 minutes to 1 hour, during which I can enjoy the taste. - MT

Koinobori (Carp-shaped Streamer)

A Koinobori is carp-shaped streamer which is made of cloth and hung on a rope to catch the wind. It is the symbol of strength and hope and displayed in Japan to celebrate boys in a family. The fifth day of May is Boys' Day and the people display Koinoboris to make wishes for happiness of the boys.

I found this couple of Koinobori-shaped porcelain at a shop in Takamatsu City, Kagawa prefecture, during a business trip. - MT

Hikiyama

Ohtsu City also has a traditon of Hikiyama, decorated cars drawn by men when they have Ohtsu Festival in October. I visited Ohtsu Festival Hikiyama Exhibition Hall before going home and made this efuto.
- MT

Ohtsu-E

Ohtsu is the capital city of Shiga prefecture, Japan. It is famous for Japan's largest Lake Biwa. Unknown to me was that the people in Ohtsu have produced Ukiyoe-like pictures of their own since Edo era. I imitated one of them to make this efuto.
- MT

Basket of Flowers

These Spring flowers were given to my wife and me when we went to a Tokyo auditorium to conduct Seicho-No-Ie lecture meeting. After the meeting I sent this efuto to say "thank you" to the person who arranged the meeting.
- MT

Is Food Better Than Flowers?

A Japanese saying goes that dumplings are better than flowers. It seems to mean that beauty comes after necessity. Well, I would say that this is sometimes true but not true in other times. There are many Japanese sweets that are made to resemble flowers and other natural lives. In such cases beauty comes before necessity.

These dumplings that I bought in Matsuyama City, Ehime prefecture, are good enough to just watch. - MT

Action makes difference.

Action makes a difference. If you want to get something, you need to act. Planning alone, no matter how thorough it may be, does not bring about change.
- MT

Compare them.

Some say you cannot compare an apple with an orange. But they are so similar, aren't they? Similarities bind, while differences discriminate.
　- MT

How to cut an apple?

There are many ways to cut an apple in half. Each way is unique and no better or worse than others. Enjoy the diversity.
- MT

Old Age Value

If old age has a value, this is because the passage of time brings about harmony among many.
- MT

Flowers Just Give.

Flowers attract bugs to pollinate and bear fruits, which give nutrients to propagate seeds, which, then, sprout and grow to bloom. They just continue to give.
- MT

Your Friend, everywhere.

I was almost asleep when I saw this sleepy face in front of me in an airplane.
- MT

Color Shines.

What if there's no color? Different colors enhance each other's characters. Don't worry about being different.

- MT

Don't give up!

I've been experimenting twitter.com and twitpic.com for a few days and decided to use it, maybe just for fun. You can post a very short message or an image to share. If you're interested, please visit me there at:

http://twitpic.com/1oitf

- MT

My First Overseas Trip

For my readers I have prepared 39 photos that were taken in the summer of 1970 when I went to Brazil for the first time. If you're interested, please visit the "First Overseas Trip" album. And if you recognize any of the persons in the photos, please let me know.

- MT

Turtle-Shaped Manju

This is our souvenir from Shizuoka City. A turtle is regarded in East Asia as carrying a good luck because it lives a long life. I am not very concerned with my age but bought it because of its unique shape and the color. It is a bun stuffed with azuki-bean paste.
- MT

Hinamatsuri Dolls

Hinamatsuri is usually celebrated around March 3. These hinas (dolls) I found at a shopping center were about one month ealier to appear. That's why I drew them on efuto.
- MT

Named Cow Produces More Milk

An interesting research on relationship between man and animal has been published in the recent issue of Anthrozoos magazine, a friend of mine in London kindly told me. It essentially says that cow produces more milk when treated huamanely and with respect.

BBC report on this is:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/7854745.stm

- MT

Ikinari Dango

This dumpling has a funny name, "ikinari dango." "Ikinari" is a Japanese word for "suddenly," and "dango" means dumpling. It contains sweet bean paste and boiled sweet potatoe. It tastes good, especially when it is still warm inside. My wife bought it when we were in Kumamoto City. I enjoyed it twice -- when I drew this efuto and when I had one.
- MT

Firefly Bottle

I saw this Firefly bottle on the shelves of a convenience store after seeing a movie. The bottle was attractive with the shape and the color, reminding me of grape juice. I grabbed the bottle and saw the price tag only to return it to the place where it had been. "Five hundred yen for a bottle of juice... No way...," I thought. The same amount can buy three bottled-juice of any kind. I went to other shelves but could not find any alternative.
- MT