I had a letter from a friend of Izu in Shizuoka prefecture that Kawazu cherry blossoms had bloomed.In Osaka, the first snow and first ice were observed 17 days later than usual. That’s the degree most people aren’t even aware of. It may be that the real winter does not come as it is.

河津桜は日本一早く咲く早咲き桜として有名です。それにしても小正月もまだ終わっていないこの時期の開花は早すぎます。今年は大阪も東京も初雪、初氷が例年よりも2週間以上遅れて観測されました。冬温かいのは有り難いですが、地球温暖化の影響ではないかと思うともろ手を挙げて喜んでいるわけにはいきません。

We have the tradition to say that the three days from January 14 are called petit New Year’s Days, and to be reluctant to leave the New Year. And we celebrates the 20-year-old youth on 15th day, Adults’ Day, in the central day. The day is uncertain now. Dondoyaki, Festivals Fire, is one of the events during that period.

小正月は１月15日の行事ですが、14日から16日の期間をそう呼ぶこともあります。鏡割りと言って、正月に飾った鏡餅を細かく割って焼き、小豆粥に入れて食べる習慣がありました。また15日は成人の日で20歳に達した青年たちをお祝いする日ですが、今は１月の第２月曜日に定めらています。どんど焼きは、左義長といって小正月に催される火祭りのことで、地方により様々な呼び方があります。

Roubai is a flower that blooms ahead of spring. The name arrived because the flowers seemed to be made of wax. The English name is a winter sweet. Because it has a sweet and soapy scent.

春の花々の先陣を切って蝋梅が咲きました。石鹸の香りを含んだ甘い香りが漂っています。

Toka Ebisu is a festival to thank Ebisu God for one year’s safety and pray for rich harvest, big catch, or thriving business. It is held around January 10th at Ebisu Shrines throughout Japan, it features a fancy festival to boost the economy.

A snow photo arrived from Jinan, China. A lot of snow news arrives from all over Japan too. When we watch its fantastic scenery, every one of us wants to visit there, but people who live there are hard.

今日は１月10日、戎祭りの日です。大阪の今宮戎にはこの寒さの中大勢の人が訪れています。「商売繁盛で笹持って来い」の掛け声が鳴り響いています。

A cold wind blowing from the sea hits the lighthouse on the cape and it sounds as if sad.

アメリカとイランの全面対決が避けられそうで一安心です。

Casablanca is also called the Queen of lily. The original species is a wild lily of Japan. It is Casablanca that European who was fascinated by the beauty brought them to the Netherlands and breeded them. Nowadays it is popular as a present flower and can be obtained all year round.

January 7 is one of the seasonal festivals, the day called Jinjitsu. In addition, there is a habit of eating porridge containing seven typical vegetables of this time, and so it is also called the seven herbs day.

The New Year’s mochi has also become completely firm.  Many companies will start their work in 2020 from today.  I wish the success of the Tokyo Olympics and world peace.

Morgenrot is German and it means a morning glow where a ray of red light shines on the mountain line from the eastern sky early in the morning when the dawn is not over, and the mountains and clouds are dyed red. It is one of times when the mountain looks most beautiful.