「みち草」してってよ・・・。赤提灯の「カアちゃん」みたいな挨拶ですみません。
各方面で優れた方々と言うのは実はとんでもない「みち草」の名人が多かったと聞きます。
ましてや私のような凡人は同じ人類として、優れた方の何倍もの道草を頂かないと秤のバランスが取れません。
卓球、登山、ボート、水泳、スキー、利き酒、薪割、アマチュア無線、アウトドア−・・広く、浅く、遊んでってネ。

「幸三郎の世界」ページに戻る

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Please see previous diary entries here

March 14th (Sat) Sunny

It's quite something; I somehow woke up. Just as I was about to look at my phone to check the time, my alarm went off.

That's quite something, but if you ask me if I don't need an alarm, on a cold morning, even if it rings, I don't want to get up.


I also had in mind that I wanted to apply the underglaze and glaze to the pottery pieces I bisque-fired yesterday and put them back in the kiln today.

So, perhaps because my plan for today was so clear, I wanted to get up even earlier to start working.


You might think that pottery work is better in the cold because you're dealing with fire, but such warm and cozy work is only a small part of the time.

Most of the work involves cold water, so ideally, I'd prefer to do it when the water has warmed up.

Anyway, as planned, after unloading the bisque-fired pieces, I applied the underglaze, applied the glaze, and set them back in the kiln. The whole process was completed by noon.


After lunch, I went for a walk along a warm walking path. The cherry blossom buds along the Minuma irrigation canal, which I passed first, were only about 30% open, with the tips starting to turn a little green.



March 13 (Fri) Cloudy

It's been cloudy since this morning. When I woke up, the eastern sky was clear, but there was a beautiful sunrise. I thought, "This means bad weather..." The sunrise until around 6 AM really seemed to foreshadow the day's weather; there was some weak sunshine, but it was a chilly day. This year, I was aiming for four All Japan Masters Ski Championships, including entries in cross-country skiing, which I've been working on since last year. However, the low-altitude cross-country skiing was cancelled due to the rapid snowmelt caused by the recent extreme heat. Since there was a gap in my schedule that would have normally led me to the ski resort, I scheduled pottery firing today.

The temperature was just right, so it was warm and comfortable to be near the kiln after lighting it.

Since it was bisque firing, the process involved turning off the fire at 750℃, and it was finished by 3 PM.


I didn't notice any particular abnormalities, so I'm confident that everything is going smoothly.






March 12 (Thursday) Sunny

After esophageal cancer surgery and anti-cancer treatment, you are required to undergo follow-up examinations for five years under a set program.

In my case, I am required to undergo 15 endoscopic and CT scans over five years, and the data is managed by the government as a huge volume of data.


Four examinations per year in my first and second years, three in my third year, two in my fourth year, two in my fifth year, and so on for a total of 15. If all goes well, I will graduate.

I'm still in my second year, so I will have four examinations this year as well. Today is my first examination of my second year.


I've also had a gastroscopy for adult disease screening, and here they offer over an hour of rest after the examination.

In other words, the test is performed under almost complete anesthesia, so you won't remember any pain during the procedure, making it much easier than a regular health check.

But maybe it's because of my age... Since my usual diet is mainly breakfast, skipping breakfast is the hardest part.


All the tests are finished and I can go home around 3:00 PM... So, as a reward for my hard work today, I went to a sushi restaurant.


I got off at Urawa Station and went to a slightly upscale conveyor belt sushi restaurant. I had seven plates... and I was already full.



Wednesday, March 11th, Sunny

The temperature has dropped a little for the village, making it a crisp morning. But the sunshine is shining, so let's have some fun outside.

I thought about digging into the flower bed by the front door, or even digging around in the soil, but the wind was surprisingly cold, so I gave up.


Last weekend, our ski club, Nijukaishi Alpine SC, held their final training camp of the season.

One of my friends works as a first-class architect, creating complex designs using CAD and other tools, but his hobbies are more primitive.


He sometimes sleeps in his car, just like me, and seems to enjoy woodcarving in his free time.

The other day, I brought a ton of cypress shavings to the training camp dormitory and asked if anyone wanted any.

I immediately brought back a plastic bag full of shavings.


I've enjoyed floating cypress lumber in the bathtub to soak up the scent, but today I tried scattering these sawdust around.


I really enjoyed the scent.

It was quite a chore to clean up (lol).

March 10 (Tuesday) Rain... Snow... Sunny

It was raining in the morning, but as time passed, large snowflakes began to fall.

The weather forecast predicted that it would clear up and clear up in the afternoon, and that's exactly what happened.


Every morning, my amateur radio station is on the air while I eat breakfast.

I've been having a lot of trouble lately. The other station is oscillating S, but sometimes the modulation isn't coming through. In other words, the radio meter is responding at full scale, even though I'm supposed to be talking, but I can't hear what they're saying...


Finally, today I solved the problem by consolidating the cables I'd previously connected with connectors into a single cable.

First, remove all connector wiring.

Each connector has eight connecting wires, each color-coded differently. Each wire is soldered according to its performance.


It seemed to be completed, so I connected it, but the radio didn't respond. I reexamined the performance of the connecting wires and carefully redesigned it from scratch.


I reconnected it and asked, "Please let me know the modulation report." I received reports of 5-9 (best performance) from all parties.

After a quick cleanup, we celebrated the completion with a glass of wine.

March 9th (Monday) Sunny

Gas dampers... are something we rely on a lot in our daily lives, but their existence may not be widely known.

Even though the hatchback of a familiar car is quite heavy, with just a little effort to lift it, it opens and stays open with ease.


I've had fun building boat trailers using used car parts, and I've used gas dampers everywhere.

Car-mounted ski carrier bags are attached to the roof of cars, and people usually use a stepladder to load and unload skis.


If I could just slide the case up to where I'm standing, I'd be able to easily load and unload skis, even though I'm not very tall.

I designed and built a ski bag with this in mind, and I used this gas damper.

However, after years of use, it deteriorated, the gas leaked out, and it no longer supported the load, so I ordered a new one online and it arrived.


I made an attachment out of metal plate to fit the slightly different length.


For a while, I'll be able to comfortably take my skis in and out of it, and my friends will be teasing me about it being a missile launcher... and I'll enjoy it.

March 8 (Sun) Snow to Cloudy

It was our last morning at Minshuku Kurata, our training base for the Nijukaishi Alpine SC.

Last night, the club expressed their gratitude to Kurata for their support over the past 40 years.


Unfortunately, as predicted by the weather forecast, snow and wind arrived early in the morning, making for a bearable final training camp.

Perhaps the club was feeling a little flustered by the new training camp structure. While preparing for camp, we suddenly realized, "Oh no! We forgot to bring batteries!"


It seemed like the camp would be canceled, but then a friendly club offered to let us use their drills and other equipment.

I immediately expressed my gratitude and told the camp manager, "Of course, he's exempt from camping!!" With everyone's agreement, we were able to proceed.

It was a morning practice, and the first half was spent in a blizzard and strong winds. However, the slopes were solid, so we were able to practice well while taking good care of ourselves.


I also had an hour left, but I voluntarily left practice to watch and closely observe the young people's skiing.


On the way home, I felt extremely sleepy, so I parked my car in a safe place in the mountains and took a few minutes of deep sleep! That made me late getting home, but I arrived just after 6:00 p.m.

March 7 (Sat) Cloudy to Snow

The morning temperature was warm enough to feel like early spring in a guesthouse area.

The thermometer on the road leading up to the ski resort read +1°C, so I knew it was coming.


Around noon, the wind direction changed and snow began to fall.

The wind also got stronger, forcing the gondola to the summit to stop running.


We were practicing with our poles set up, but this problem became apparent when we were waiting for the lift.

As the temperature dropped and the wait time for the lift increased, our warmed bodies began to cool down.

I voluntarily stopped practicing before 3 o'clock. I hope the weather is good tomorrow.







March 6 (Friday) Sunny

This weekend is Nij?kaseki Alpine... My ski club's final training camp of the year.

The recent snowfall seems to have improved the ski resort somewhat, but I can only hope it ends safely.


My biggest concern is the snow at the cross-country ski resort. Unlike the Alpine resort, the snow melts at a lower altitude, which is a huge problem.

I arrived a little early to check the conditions there, so I went to the XC ski resort. I see... it seems they've given up on the course near the parking lot that was used last year.


Originally, this was the site of a ski resort called Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort, and during the skiing boom, the lifts even reached the shoulders of Mt. Hotaka.

In other words, there's still plenty of snow if you climb higher.

That's why they're currently clearing snow from the roads within the ranch all the way to the venue.


It seems the efforts of everyone involved in organizing the event are no joke.


This evening, the organizing committee announced that this year's cross-country skiing event has been canceled! What a shame!

March 5 (Thursday) Sunny

The strong westerly wind that had been blowing since yesterday still occasionally swayed the branches of the trees in the garden this morning.

However, the sunshine was already incredibly strong, and even without opening the windows, the warm sunlight was still warm.


In winter, once Thursday rolls around, it feels like the weekend already, as most people plan to leave the next day, Friday.

Also, despite the unexpected warm weather recently, I hear that many ski resorts across the country are struggling with a surprising lack of snow.


First of all, the All-Japan Masters Tournament, which will be held next week, will be held as scheduled, although the Katashina Village Board of Education, which is in charge of organizing it, has said that the tournament may require some course adjustments.

The only grass tournament I signed up for, the Rossignol Cup, had a lottery draw, but all four members of my club who signed up were selected, so everything went according to plan.

And the Tokyo Ski Masters, which will likely be the final tournament, will be held in Niigata, so I thought it would be fine, but surprisingly, it looks like the snow is melting faster than expected... it's all uncertain.


The wind died down in the evening, so I set off for my usual walk.

Even though the scenery is so peaceful, they say the weather will start to deteriorate tomorrow.

March 4 (Wed) Sunny

As the morning sunlight streams into the living room, my home is already in full bloom.

And the bonsai I've been training since last fall has sprouted new leaves, providing a refreshing visual experience.


I had some shopping to do and other things I needed to do in the morning, but... why?! When I tried to exit from the right, the road was blocked by power line construction.

When I tried to exit from the left, the road along the bus route was dug up, causing a huge traffic jam. Could it be that construction work to use up the March budget has begun?


The other day, a skiing friend gave me the powder that's the base for that yellow mustard. Apparently, the main ingredient is mustard seeds, which resemble rape blossoms.

No wonder the flavor blends so well with rape blossom soup.

I tried making it into mustard vinegar miso, and it was delicious. I even added so much regular natto that I almost cried... (lol).


This week's ski club training camp will be the last of the season. Due to circumstances on both sides, the guesthouse that has been our training camp host for many years will also be closing.

I am truly grateful for all the years that have passed. I hope that you, my uncle and aunt, stay healthy and happy for many years to come.

March 3 (Tuesday) Rain

I knew it would rain today, so I planned to sleep in for the first time in a while.

Even so, I woke up around 6:00, but I enjoyed a second sleep and got up around 7:00.


Unlike recently, I've been feeling physically and mentally energetic, so I'm keeping an eye on how things go today, even though I've been doing Nordic training for two days.

Fortunately, I only have a few pleasant muscle soreness left.


I've entrusted all my payments, including occasional online purchases, special orders, and hotel reservations, to Japan Post Bank.

However, my pension and all the other essential payments I make come from the Shinkin bank. I've been using a little bit of my savings to top up my savings at Japan Post Bank.


I hope I can continue to survive frugally as I have.

I've been going out a lot lately, so I've been ordering meals delivered, and today they arrived.

There was a small Japanese sweet called "sakura mochi" next to it. I'm grateful for the precious food that helps build my body.

March 2 (Monday) Sunny

I was able to wake up feeling refreshed after a relaxing soak in the hot springs at Oigami Onsen last night.

I had breakfast at 7:00 and set off again for Hotaka Ranch.


In any case, the situation at this venue is threatening the holding of the All Japan Masters Cross-Country Skiing Championships, just two weeks away.

Around 10:00, members of the Katashina Village Board of Education, the tournament organizers, came to inspect the site, intending to make a decision after viewing the site.


Well, I was practicing alone, but it seemed they had come to a decision and headed home.

In other words, it seemed that two committee members had gone on a snowmobile inspection to investigate the possibility of holding the event in the upper area.


The two of them looked rather sour and said they wanted to return to the town hall to discuss the matter further before making a decision.

Everyone's gone now, but it's lunchtime, so I'm preparing dinner....

It seems that ski resorts everywhere are struggling with a lack of snow, regardless of the heavy snowfall.

March 1st (Sunday) Sunny

I woke up at the roadside station, Raiden Kurumi no Sato. They serve breakfast starting at 7:00 AM, which is nice.

I immediately ordered the grilled fish set meal. It was so delicious I ate it all, and I feel like I'll be able to ski with energy again today.


After dinner, I headed to Katashina Village in Gunma Prefecture. The cloudy skies from yesterday were still lingering, which made me a little worried, but the sky cleared up completely.

I arrived in Katashina Village around 10:00 AM, and immediately found some local children at the cross-country ski resort on the site of the old Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort, where I greeted them and joined them.


No matter how many times I try, I can't seem to get the skiing I want, but I'm determined to enjoy it at my own pace without rushing.

By lunchtime, everyone had left, so I relaxed while eating lunch alone.


I'll come back tomorrow and practice using classical running techniques.

I was surprised at how much snow melted in Sugadaira yesterday, but it's also pretty bad here. It looks like the competition won't be possible unless we change the venue.



Saturday, February 28th, Cloudy

Breakfast at 6:00 AM! This is a so-called B-class ski tournament in Tokyo, so there are a lot of participants.

Therefore, they're probably making various efforts, but it's not very efficient considering how much time it takes.


Also, in this slalom competition, sometimes everyone gets to ski a second run. And since it's based on the official Masters system, each class is divided into groups in strict five-year age increments.

My class was the 10th men's group, meaning it was a battle between the 80-85 age group. My club had two members, my senior Seki and myself.


The clubs I had to beat included two members of the Mita Demons who just turned 80, and the Musashino City Ski Federation, which had three formidable opponents.

In the first run, I came in second, and Seki came in third... so I got off to a good start. In the second run, Seki came in first, and I came in third, but in total time, Seki from my club came in first, and I came in second, for a complete victory.


The awards ceremony ended just after 4:00 p.m., when the sun was already setting. I then returned to my lodging, changed, and left before 5:00 a.m.

I arrived at the roadside station, Raiden Kurumi no Sato, around 6:00 a.m., but I was so exhausted I didn't feel like drinking or anything and went to bed.

So I wasn't able to write my diary.

February 27 (Friday) Cloudy

The weather continues to be unsettled, neither sunny nor rainy.

The temperature is still reasonably high, so it won't interfere with morning activities.


Today is the day to take out the household trash, so I quickly took care of that after dinner.

Today I'm heading to the mountains, but I haven't loaded any gear into the car.


I had packed everything I needed to pack yesterday, so all that was left was to load the car. My ski gear for the competition and two sets of Nordic skis, which I'm planning to take afterwards.

We left after 9:30. I'll probably stop for lunch along the way, so this will be the limit of my time.


From National Route 122, I enter Gunma Prefecture and take National Route 354 to Takasaki, stopping for lunch at a roadside station in Tamamura along the way. After merging with Route 17, I head to Nagano on Route 18, and from near Karuizawa, I take the Sunrise Asama Line to the Sugadaira trailhead.

From the trailhead, I can see Mount Asama, a familiar sight in winter, with most of the snow melting and the mountainside visible. It looks like the snow is melting early this year.

I arrive at the inn at 3:00 and head to bed early in preparation for tomorrow's club slalom.

February 26 (Thursday) Cloudy

My alarm woke me up at exactly 5:45 AM. But it was dark outside the curtains, like I'd set the wrong time.

When I pulled the blackout curtains, it seemed the sky was overcast with thick clouds. Huh?! Why...?


The weather forecast, which had predicted sunny skies today, lied again. And when I looked at the morning forecast, it said, "Sorry, but it'll clear up in the afternoon..."

Well, I'll forgive that. Thanks to that, I'll finish reading the book I'm almost finished reading.


I'm leaving for the ski resort tomorrow, but I haven't packed my skis in the car yet. After the SL race, I'll move to another ski resort and practice cross-country skiing for two days.

So I waited until the afternoon when the sun would come out. Oh no... it's almost 3 o'clock and the sun still hasn't come out!!


This means I'll have to load my slalom skis and two sets of XC skis just before tomorrow's departure.

It was already almost time to go for a walk.

In the end, it was a gloomy, cold day.

February 25 (Wed) Rain

I wonder how many times I've had to renew my senior driver's license. Even if seniors have no accidents or violations, their licenses are only valid for three years.

...and so, I've already gone to my fifth senior driver's license, a form of bullying.


Bullying...especially for seniors, comes with cold rain like today, a designated training location far away, and a mugging for 6,600 yen, though I don't know what it's for.

There are many reasons why people continue to drive even in their senior years. Especially on days like today, people say, "Take public transportation..." but I'm sure there are elderly people who continue to drive because that's not possible.


I'm lucky, so I managed to get there by taking two buses.

Until now, the course was held at a police station, but for the first time in about 10 years, it was held at a regular driving school.


It felt a bit strange to see young people about to get their driver's license and older people telling them to give theirs up in the same waiting room.

As always, I took the course for a full two hours.



February 24 (Tuesday) Partly Cloudy

The number of miles driven during the winter is decreasing every year. To me, this is a sign that winter activity is decreasing.

It's not just winter, but it's definitely a decrease in car travel throughout the year overall.


I've always had my engine oil changed at the designated mileage. Until last year, this usually happened just before the winter season.

My car has 235,500 km on it. While it was lifted for an oil change, I observed the condition of the underside of the car.


This spring will be my 12th vehicle inspection. I plan to have my vehicle inspected again this year, so I'll be inspecting it at every opportunity.

I've noticed that my oil has been dropping a lot lately, so I'll add some oil improver and use it as a reference for my next inspection.


A neighbor of mine lives right in front of the garbage dump, and he makes stickers for a living. When I went to throw out the trash, he showed me his new sticker.

He said he'd give it to me if I wanted it! So I took it and put it on my car right away.

"Wow! It gets me excited before I drive..."

February 23 (Monday) Sunny

Oh no! I set my alarm, but my phone... didn't ring.

Thankfully, when I woke up, it was already light outside... and warm. I overslept by 45 minutes.


It's my third day back from Hokkaido, and I'm probably still tired from the 24-hour wait at the airport.

Last night, I went to bed at 8:30, prepared for this morning, but I ended up sleeping for 10 hours, even though I woke up to go to the bathroom.


When I came down to the living room, the sun was already shining brightly, and the air conditioner's heating felt pointless.

And since I missed my usual radio exercise time, I ended up doing the radio exercises I have on YouTube on my computer for the third day today.


At the end of autumn, I dismantled a potted tree that had gone dormant, reducing the roots and creating a bonsai.

And today, with the warmth, I discovered new leaves sprouting from the dead branches, and before I knew it, the first spring wind had arrived.

At this rate, I'm worried about how hot this summer will be.

February 22 (Sunday) Sunny

I predicted another pleasant day like yesterday, and it turned out to be just as pleasant.

I should have pushed through my fatigue and waxed my skis yesterday, but I was confident in today's fine weather.


Recently, the sun has been shining more and more, and there's been no cold wind, making it ideal for waxing skis.

Although it's been a bit cloudy, the warmer temperatures mean it's not a problem at all.


Many of my friends are skiers who have stopped using the iron to work the wax into their skis.

Perhaps this is due to the changing times, which has led to easier and quicker waxing. Sales of pre-applied wax are also booming.


I'm thinking of switching to something similar, but this Hotto wax isn't particularly cheap. I'll stick with it until I use it all up.

Looking at it, it took quite a bit of time to tune up my slalom skis, giant slalom skis, free cross-country skiing, and classic cross-country skiing.



Saturday, February 21st, Sunny

I didn't sleep as well as I'd hoped in the airport lobby. I was drowsy, wanting to get home quickly and sleep in a warm bed.

I went to bed just after 7:00 last night and slept incredibly well. I woke up once to go to the bathroom, but I managed to get 12 hours of sleep.


As I was preparing a late breakfast, the morning sun shone into the living room, giving me a pleasant feeling of spring.

If the flight hadn't been canceled, I would have gone to the ski resort for a club training camp as planned, but I'm glad I took the day off.


Thanks to that, I'm going to pretend I didn't have any plans for today and just relax all day.

I went to the Yamato Transport center to ask if my skis had arrived, and they were already there. Apparently, the parcel delivery service arrived before me.


After shopping, lunch, and watching a historical drama, the sun still seemed warm.

I put on my spring training clothes and went for a walk. It felt great.

And the plum trees scattered throughout the area were in full bloom.

February 20 (Friday) - A Calm Day

I spent the night at New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido's largest airport.

Actually, that night, there was a bit of a commotion between passengers and airport staff.


New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido's flagship airport, has experienced frequent flight cancellations due to weather conditions.

This airport serves many regional airports in Japan, making it quite busy.


Flight cancellations due to storms are often necessary here. However, this airport is inherently prepared for such unforeseen circumstances, yet has no plan for dealing with them!

In extreme cases, passengers who are forced to spend the night in lobbies or other areas have even been reported on the news. This is a normal practice at airports in any country.


Airports generally shut down after the last flight, so passengers with nowhere to go due to canceled flights are asked to leave...

No joke, the airport staff and about 50 foreign passengers, including myself, who were unaware of the situation, asked me, who speaks Japanese, to negotiate.

"Staff, have you been treating passengers with such a ridiculous attitude every time something like this happens?! Delays and cancellations happen at every airport in the world, but in those cases, passengers come first!!"

The employee also understood this well, saying, "As you said, passengers should directly appeal to our higher-ups..."

For now, please take responsibility for finding a place to sleep for me and the other 50 passengers. It seems there are still some ridiculous airports like this in Japan.

February 19th (Thursday) Blizzard

We checked out early, expecting bad weather, and sure enough, it was a fierce blizzard.


At this rate, our flight reservation was in jeopardy.

Even the express train to the airport was 30 minutes late and packed to capacity.


Unfortunately, it was cancelled.

We decided to vent our frustrations in the airport lobby.






Wednesday, February 18th: Cloudy with Snow

No matter where I head from the hotel, I pass in front of the Sapporo Clock Tower. However, there's always Chinese being spoken, making it difficult to take photos in peace.

Today, I was able to take a photo with the clock tower for the first time.


Today's weather forecast is cloudy with snow... but it should be fine in the morning. The outer course I skied on yesterday at Classical Ski Resort was already rock hard, so I didn't feel very good, so I looked around the park.

I built a course by myself in a vacant lot where a large circuit could be made.


Although we took breaks along the way, we were able to create a wonderful course in about two hours.

Those coming here from tomorrow onwards, please feel free to use this course and enjoy it.


Now, for the evening session... well, I prefer to go to bed early. I guess the atmosphere is limited to this area.

The shops in Susukino open at 6pm, and older guys don't like to hang out that late.

It started snowing heavily, so I said goodbye to Susukino.





Tuesday, February 17th, Sunny

I woke up this morning wondering if yesterday's snowfall was still continuing. Oh no! It was a clear, blue sky and a beautiful sunny day.

It seemed like the city of Sapporo had put on a light coat of paint to welcome me yesterday, as the winter scenery was truly beautiful.


The famous Sapporo Clock Tower, located right behind the hotel, shone beautifully in the morning sun.

After this, I walked three subway stops to Nakajima Park.


Once you pass Susukino, the snow on the sidewalks remains, creating a truly picturesque snowy townscape.

Today, I enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the park on classic skis.


On the way back, I took the Namboku Subway Line from Nakajima Koen Station to Odori, two stops away.

Tonight, I'm having a drink at Hanamaru Sushi Restaurant.

Tachipon...? A new ingredient, and it's delicious! .

Monday, February 16th, Sunny

I went to bed early last night, so I think I got a good nine hours of sleep.

I didn't set an alarm, hoping to wake up slowly. I woke up at 7:00.


Boarding passes these days are completely unrefined. The back of my meal delivery slip is blank, so all I have to do is print out the boarding form and scan the QR code.

I thought I wouldn't need this form anymore, but it seems I still need the QR code, as I was asked for it when boarding.


Today's flight was at 12:30, so even though I took my time heading to Haneda, it was still two hours early.

After enjoying the airport observation spot on the 6th floor rooftop and having lunch, we boarded the large jet.


New Chitose Airport was sunny, which was great... but as we boarded the train to Sapporo, the weather turned to snow, and the city was completely covered in snow.

The view of the intersection in the city... it reminded me of the crosswalks at ski resorts in the Kanto region.

First, we stopped off at a nearby izakaya to say hello to our arrival in Hokkaido.

Sunday, February 15th, Sunny

Continuing from yesterday, we were blessed with good weather for pole practice.

Practicing slalom with poles, which is something we don't usually do as practice, was really fun.


Some of our club members had participated in the All Japan Class B Championships, so this was pole practice for the so-called "leftovers," so we decided to take this opportunity to try slalom.

Some of our friends from our friendly club said they would love to join us if we were doing slalom, so we had a very enthusiastic practice session.


And thanks to the good weather, the ski resort was packed with more visitors than usual, making it a very lively event.

I was hoping for an efficient practice, but as a result, I had to wait for the lifts, which made it a bit silly, but for me, it was a good break...

And so, the fun practice ended before I knew it.

I have plans to go to Sapporo tomorrow, so I returned home early to pack for Hokkaido, and my busy day came to an end.

Saturday, February 14th, Sunny

It felt like it had been a while since I had the chance to practice poles on a spacious practice barn.

And most importantly, the view was great... the barn was bathed in plenty of sunlight, which was fantastic.


This barn was also a great environment, with ample space to set up intervals.

There was no sense of rushing during individual practice.


For me, it was the best practice environment of the year.







February 13th (Friday) Sunny

Leaving my house under cloudy skies with no sign of sunshine, I arrived at Kazo, on the edge of Saitama, and found a clear blue sky.

While listening to the radio, the announcer lamented that the clouds above the Shibuya studio never cleared.


So, I set off for the ski resort today in high spirits. I made sure to check the house and lock all the doors.

Since I'm planning to return home on Sunday and head to Hokkaido on Monday, I stopped by the Kuroneko Yamato center to have the skis I'll be using shipped to my hotel.


In the spring-like sunshine, my work today required travel, so for the first time in a while I took the Jobu National Highway, taking the southern route around Mount Akagi to Katashina.

It's fun to change up your route every once in a while for a change of pace.







February 12th (Thursday) Cloudy, then sunny

Happily, the morning temperature has risen by one point each week this week.

However, a lingering front off the south coast delayed the weather recovery today.


Since there was no sunshine this morning, I spent the day heating with the air conditioner on.

Since I didn't have any work outside, I spent the day drinking coffee and reading a book... a relaxing day.


Even after noon, the sun still shone occasionally, but the clouds didn't clear up.

After lunch, I watched Papillon on NHK's BS Western Movie Theater.

Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman... it was a great movie.

It was already 3:30, but when I went out for a walk, the sky was brightening from the north.

It was a bit disappointing, but I missed the daytime sunshine.

Wednesday, February 11th: Rain, then Cloudy

The morning temperature dropped a little, but it felt much more bearable.

Today is a national holiday, but some of my radio buddies are on the regular shift, so I'm on air with them.


As expected, since it's a national holiday, morning traffic seems quite different than usual.

Places that are usually congested seem to be flowing smoothly today. And even though it's only just after 7:00, it seems like it's already raining in Tokyo.

There are still a lot of clouds around my house in Kawaguchi, but there's no sign of rain. The forecast predicted it would rain around 10:00...and that turned out to be true.


After cleaning up after dinner, I stopped watching the morning drama, but then I saw "Hospital Radio" hosted by Sandwichman.

It was recorded at Saitama Cancer Center, where I was hospitalized until last year and still go there five years later, working toward a full recovery, so I listened with nostalgia.

All three patients who appeared were very positive.

So it was comforting to watch. However, in reality, there are many patients who say that despite doctors doing their best, they are in despair.

Cancer can affect anyone these days, and as long as it is detected and treated early, there is nothing to fear. The scariest thing is when patients themselves run away, saying they are "afraid to know."

Tuesday, February 10th, Sunny

The morning temperature had eased a bit, and by the time the sun came out, the temperature had risen enough to herald spring.

The flowers I bought from the florist yesterday to paint were still in bud, not yet big enough to paint.


I left them in the sun, and the buds quickly opened and began to bloom into beautiful flowers.

I wonder if my beloved calendula will grow big enough to be painted by this weekend.


At the Olympics, I watched the Nordic men's and women's classical sprint qualifying rounds, a competition I hadn't really been interested in until now.

Wow, it was so dynamic.

I've been doing alpine skiing for a long time, but I feel like the Olympic athletes' skiing is on a whole other level.



February 9th (Monday) Sunny

I got home late last night, so I ate dinner, finished various chores, and went to bed late.

I turned off my alarm and went to sleep, but I didn't wake up once, waking up just as the sun was rising.


In other words, today's activities were two hours behind weekdays, so it was quite a busy day.

I was planning to go to Sapporo next week, so I needed to get some work done in advance.


After finishing all the laundry and doing the necessary shopping... I couldn't look it up online and was in a hurry, so I had to get there on foot.

I went to two specialty stores in a large shopping mall, and although this may be against the rules, I asked the store clerk, "If you know of any specialty stores in the area, could you tell me about them?"

The store told me, and when I went there, I was so grateful to find that the variety and quantity of products was far greater than those at large shopping centers.

By noon, the sun was shining brightly, and by evening, the heavy snow had melted.

February 8th (Sunday) Snow

I was hoping for a clear day today, given the cloudy skies yesterday, but it seems a little snow fell overnight, and the slopes were covered in 10cm of fresh snow.

I was hoping for clear skis, but snow fell during the afternoon pole practice, and the low temperature made for a tough session.


GS practice was on the relatively gentle Erro-bahn, but the temperature was low and visibility was occasionally poor.

I didn't change my set, but I carefully de-la-paged the run to make the run wide and safe, and I think it turned out to be a good practice.


I returned home late in the evening, and it seemed that Kawaguchi had also snowed, as the whole area was covered in snow.

I think the snowfall at my house was about 10cm.

This time it snowed on the mountain, and even when I got home, it was haunted by snow. I'm sick of it.



Saturday, February 7th, Cloudy

This is the first pole practice day of the season for my ski club.

Unfortunately, the weather forecast predicted a cold wave, with numb hands and feet.


As for the snowpack, at this time of year, the snow was like a potato, made up of chunks of snow from stomping on the piste in the morning.

I decided to restrain myself and only ski two runs this time.


Everyone was captivated by the giant icicles that Marunuma is famous for, appearing from the restaurant window.

I'm hoping that the forecast of heavy snow tonight will be wrong.



February 6th (Friday) Sunny

On the road from Oigami Onsen to the former Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort... I'm probably the only one heading there.

This year's All Japan Masters Ski Championships Cross Country venue was indeed deserted.


I did some warm-up exercises and started off with the idea that today's free skating would be the best.

Up until now, I've been self-taught, both in this free skating and in the classical skating I did at the Kurohime competition! That sounds good, but these days, you can find all the necessary technical knowledge online.


The only thing left to do is to internalize the knowledge I've acquired. Having come this far, I have no choice but to push myself as far as I can.

However, some members of the LINEgroop XC-Ski Study Group I started this season have been training me from the basics since my student days. I'd like to somehow get some of their help before the next one.

My goal this time was to conquer the three slopes, and although I'd conquered two, I wanted to conquer the steepest one yet...

I started from the bottom, gradually increasing my altitude, and finally managed to ski from the very top.

February 5th (Thursday) Sunny

It looks like we'll be hit with another cold snap this weekend.

This week, I'm heading to Marunuma Kogen, my home slope, for a club pole practice camp on both Saturday and Sunday.


I'm leaving a day early, relaxing at Oigami Onsen today, and planning to go cross-country skiing at Hotaka Ranch Ski Resort tomorrow.

The north side road I always take on Akagi is usually icy and shiny at this time of year, but there's no snow now and the sunlight is soft, making me feel like spring is here.


Then, when we arrived at Sonohara Dam downstream of the Katashina River, the water level was also significantly lower, but the lake surface was completely frozen, making us worry about how cold it would be at night.

We arrived at our lodging at Oigami Onsen just after 3:00 p.m., soaked in the wonderful hot springs, and went to bed early again.





Wednesday, February 4th, Sunny

The temperature rose again today, becoming a very warm day that continued into the evening.

I was forced to vote absentee again for this weekend's House of Representatives election.


For last week's mayoral election, my ballot arrived on Wednesday, and I left on Friday, so I was able to vote absentee with ease.

However, for this election, my voting ticket still hadn't arrived this morning. Since I was leaving tomorrow, I went straight to the absentee voting station.


You can receive your voting ticket by identifying yourself with your My Number card and filling out the necessary documents.

The necessary documents...the print is too small to read. As I was writing the date, the attendant said, "That's your date of birth."

My colleague, also completing the procedure at the table across from me, said, "Yeah, I guess this form was made by a child."



Tuesday, February 3rd, Sunny

It was chilly this morning, but as the day progressed, the sunlight steadily warmed, bringing with it a spring-like feeling.

By around 10 o'clock, the temperature outside the glass window had reached a tropical level, making it comfortable even shirtless.


I laid two sheets of newspaper in the sun and gave myself a haircut with clippers.

I can't remember the last time I had my hair cut, but it might have been my first haircut of the year.


When I cut my own hair, I always worry about leaving any hair behind, so I've come up with some clever ideas, like being meticulous and checking with two mirrors.

Today, we had plenty of time and it was exceptionally warm... After careful and thorough work, it looks like we won't miss a single patch of grass.

Today, as the sun began to move west after 3pm, my head suddenly started to feel cold.

When I went for a walk, I made sure to keep my head warm so I wouldn't catch a cold.

February 2nd (Monday) Sunny, then cloudy

I made an effort to get plenty of sleep at the ski resort lodgings and successfully completed the competition.

I usually take the local roads home, but yesterday I took the highway. There was no traffic, so I got home at 5:00.


For the first time in a while, I enjoyed sleeping in. The clear winter sunshine filtered through the gaps in the blackout curtains, and I woke up just after 8:00.

Breakfast finished after 10:00, and since my meal delivery hadn't arrived this week due to a mishap, I went to the supermarket to buy some groceries.


At this time of year, even I tend to make mistakes if I don't check the schedule regularly.

It's probably just a misunderstanding on one of my parts, but it turns out that my meal delivery won't be arriving this week. I've been asking for online communication instead of phone calls for a while now, but old habits just don't go away.

I was feeling a little low on energy, but I went for a walk. It was beautiful sunshine all day, but by 3 o'clock the sky was covered in clouds.



Sunday, February 1st, Sunny

This photo was taken near the giant slalom start at the top of Mt. Omatsu, the highest peak at Sugadaira Ski Resort.

The view was great today, and from the start, the finish line could be seen at the foot of the mountain to the lower left.


Competing in such beautiful weather is truly enjoyable, and it's a moment when I think, "Ah, I'm so glad I'm skiing."

The start house was quiet and majestic again today.


Giant slalom is all about speed. I tried my best, but I'm still not used to the speed.

Even with such beautiful weather and good conditions, I wanted to push myself even harder, but I still need more practice.

I skied safely and enjoyed myself...and it was truly fun.

I didn't win a medal, but I received a certificate for fifth place and returned home in high spirits.

Saturday, January 31st (Sunny)

Today is the slalom competition at the FIS Masters Ski Championships, the only International Ski Federation-sanctioned competition in Japan.

Last week, I developed shingles, and although it was a mild case, I tried to conserve my energy.


So, although I knew this week's competition was important, I couldn't be completely sure, so I focused on driving safely.

The weather was clear and windless...perfect conditions for the start of the competition.


In the slalom, the winner is decided by winning two runs. Amidst all the ups and downs, I received a medal?a bronze for third place?and was very happy.

Even at home, I was able to recharge my batteries with 10 hours of sleep.

Naturally, I'll be in bed after 8 o'clock tonight and ready to compete in tomorrow's giant slalom.



January 30th (Friday) Sunny

It was beautiful weather. After breakfast, cleaning up, and checking my house, I left home at 10:00.

Today, I'm heading to Sugadaira Ski Resort in Nagano Prefecture, just like last week. Today is a travel day, so I just need to arrive at my ski resort lodging by the evening.


I took National Route 122, Route 354 in Gunma Prefecture, Route 17 from Takasaki, and then Route 18, which branched off to head towards Usui Pass.

I waited at the front of the line at the traffic light entering Annaka, and a car entering at the change in traffic light got ahead of me when my light turned green.


Hey, hey, this is a national highway... Why am I driving at a slow 30km/h? And there's a one-lane no-passing zone ahead.

In the blink of an eye, about 20 cars are lined up behind me, and I'm getting annoyed.

I hold on tight, this old lady (I'll call her a damn old hag) has been driving at a slow 30km/h for 15 minutes while passing through Annaka.

Wow, what a sight!

January 29th (Thursday) Sunny

There was a forecast of snowfall again this afternoon, but the day was uneventful.

Please spare me the weather delay. Last week's snowfall during the convention was a nightmare... I hope it clears up this time.


Although it didn't become severe, I did indeed suffer from shingles. My doctor advised me to stay calm and wait for recovery.

I'm feeling better every day, but I want to be in top condition for this week's convention. So I'm trying to rest as much as possible.


That said, maybe it was a bad time to be watching TV. I tend to prefer NHK and don't watch much commercial TV.

However, this public broadcaster devotes a considerable amount of time to the political campaign broadcasts of House of Representatives candidates.

I would like to hear the candidates' opinions seriously, but there are also people who say, "Hey, come on... you don't need to appear..."

Well, I guess I'll have to be patient for a while.

January 28th (Wednesday) Cloudy

Yesterday, the temperature was low, but the sun was shining and it was so warm. But today, the clouds obscured the sunshine.

As a result, I spent the whole day with the air conditioner on heat.


I was diagnosed with shingles yesterday, but today it's still mild and I haven't experienced any particular symptoms. My doctor told me to stay calm.

Well, it's cold, so as you suggested, I've decided to skip today's pool plans and read instead.


By the way, the sudden House of Representatives election and the previously scheduled Kawaguchi City mayoral election have turned into weekly elections.

However, since I'm away this ski season, I'll be voting absentee in the mayoral election today.

Also, next week is the House of Representatives election.



January 27th (Tuesday) Sunny

It was quite chilly this morning. However, with the sunshine, the temperature gradually felt better.

Our house is already 20 years old. We had a 20-year inspection conducted by the Hinoya Group.


When we were considering which construction company to use to rebuild our house, we chose this company, which meets ISO international standards.

Since then, we have completed 5-, 10-, and 15-year inspections, and today we had our 20-year inspection.

The interior and exterior conditions are closely observed and compiled into a checklist.

Then, the specialist inspector photographed the underground conditions through the basement access hatch. All inspections were completed without any significant findings.


While traveling around the country skiing, I started to feel something was wrong with my body. About four days ago, I started to feel something strange in my stomach area.

I had a gastroscopy in December and nothing was found... but gradually, I started to feel itchy on my left side... and yesterday I noticed a red rash.

When I looked at it today, it was clearly a case of shingles.

I immediately went to my doctor and got a prescription for medication. They say the lack of pain is thanks to the fact that I had already received the preventive vaccination.

Monday, January 26th, Sunny

My alarm went off at my usual time at home. I turned it off and went back to sleep.

I finally woke up two hours later. It's not like this usually, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to wake up.


I told my radio friends that I'd woken up feeling refreshed and ready to chat over breakfast.

Even young people said that yesterday's giant slalom was a very tough competition, but it was even tougher for me.

But I cheated and woke up around 7:00, and the first thing I had to do was loads of laundry... I guess I'll have to do it three times today.

The sun is a blessing in the dry, clear winter weather of the Kanto region.


I had enough time to stop by the local supermarket before noon to stock up on groceries.

In the afternoon, I went out for my usual walking route while it was still warm.

I went to bed a little earlier tonight, so I think I'll be able to work from home as usual from tomorrow.

Sunday, January 25th - Snowstorm

This morning at my lodging in Sugadaira, the scenery outside was a stark contrast to the previous day, a pure white, deep snowscape.

And the amount of snow was incredible?nearly 30cm had accumulated near the lodging.


We had breakfast at 6:30 and left for the competition slopes just after 7:00.

It took just over 10 minutes to carry my skis from the lodging, and on a snowy day like today, it was quite a strenuous undertaking.

By the time I reached the lift ticket booth at the bottom of the slope, I was exhausted.

Inspection had already begun, so I was able to ski in, but the blizzard made it impossible to properly check the course.


I didn't even practice pole skiing, and only did yesterday's slalom, and today's giant slalom, even in bad weather. I thought it might be okay to try it, depending on the situation.

Well, I treated it as practice and completed the course without pushing myself too hard.

Sometimes competitions like this happen.

Saturday, January 24th, Sunny with occasional clouds

Well, I wonder how today will go. I'm competing in this competition straight away without any pole practice.

And this competition is in the 70+ division... I'm not aiming to win or get a top time in my class, just treat it as practice.


And because of the gap in my time, I was at a disadvantage, starting from a few places further back without any points.

So I was able to skate more comfortably. On the other hand, many of the people who went for it fell into unexpected traps and had to retire.

Although the number of skaters who advanced to the second run was significantly reduced, the starting order was 30-person flip... and because of the flip, I started second.

When we started, the slope was beautiful and still uncrowded after the women's group had finished, so we were able to enjoy ourselves to the fullest.


Even in this second run, some skiers got really excited, and although I finished second from the back, I finished 16th overall in my class, half a point back.

Tomorrow is the giant slalom, and I'm looking forward to finishing off the race with a good feeling.



January 23rd (Friday) Sunny

Even in my fully protected car, it felt like it had been a while since I'd felt this cold.

That said, it wasn't so cold that my bottled water froze and I couldn't boil water like I used to.


Roadside Station Kurumi no Sato Raiden is often used for live coverage of ski competitions in eastern Nagano Prefecture.

It was a clear day with no wind, but the bone-chilling, dry cold was something you don't experience in the snow-covered Katashina Village.

The weather forecast predicted heavy snowfall in this area, but there was no sign of snow at all.

Today, I only traveled to my lodging at Sugadaira Ski Resort, and with this fine weather, I was able to stay warm without heating.


I finished the book I was reading in between skiing, so after breakfast, I spent some time relaxing in the car, writing my thoughts about it.

So, with all that going on in the morning, it was already lunchtime? I ate Shinshu miso ramen from the food in the car.

We set off for Sugadaira Ski Resort, following a path that looked like it might be covered in snow.

January 22 (Thursday) Snow, then Sunshine

Last night I was invited to attend a New Year's party at Seiichi's house.

It was a small gathering of just five people, but it was quite a lively gathering.


This was my second time staying at Seiichi's house.

Although it was only a party of about five people, it felt quite lively.

I also had my first meeting with the president of Katashina Ski Resort, which I occasionally visit.

Not only is he a ski resort owner, but I realized he's also a man who has put the know-how of hospitality into practice throughout his career.


I also became friends with him on Facebook, and I'm looking forward to it.

Today, with all the snow, I decided to take it easy and head towards Ueda.

Instead of taking the shortest route through the mountains, I took National Route 17 to Maebashi, then drove diagonally to join Route 18, and stayed at the Toomi Roadside Station tonight.

January 21st (Wednesday) Snow, then Sunny

After a front passed through the Japanese archipelago, a strong cold wave moved south and is expected to remain for a long time...

Even in the roadside station parking lot, snow started falling at midnight and accumulated to about 5cm, so I prepared myself for the weather today.


I arrived at the ski resort, but visibility was poor, and there was no sunshine like yesterday.

I decided not to push myself too hard and canceled today's alpine skiing.

Then I practiced free (skating) cross-country skiing.

Come to think of it, this was probably my first time cross-country skiing on fresh snow. I had a wonderful time skiing.


After descending the mountain, I was having lunch in my car at a roadside station when many of my ski buddies knocked on the car and greeted me.

Seiichi also knocked on my car and invited me to a New Year's party at his house.

I wrote my diary entry a little early and will be taking a bath before he invites me over.

January 20th (Tuesday) Lightly Cloudy

A cold wind blew on the slopes, and although there was sunshine, it wasn't warm at all.

Still, I skied downhill on a relatively bright slope using GS skis, but the low temperature made my fingertips tingle.


I'd been skiing nonstop for about two hours on the bright, aerobic slopes, but I decided to call it a day.

My boots are relatively soft, but even so, they're difficult to take off after coming back from the freezing cold slopes.

Next, I'll go check out the condition of the cross-country slopes I checked yesterday at the Katashina Village Board of Education office.

From here, it's about 40 minutes from Hanasaki no Yu, and then on to Hotaka Ranch.


The roads have been cleared of snow, but they're still hard because no snow-melting agent has been sprayed.

It's a shame that only two students from Oze High School were at the All-Japan Cross-Country venue.



January 19th (Monday) - Partly Cloudy

The fine weather we had until yesterday is starting to turn a little cloudy starting today.

After cleaning up after breakfast, I checked the house, turned off the air conditioner's timer, and even turned off the water heater's warm setting.


I also made sure to water the potted plants...

Well, my usual considerations when going out haven't changed much.

I left home at 9:30 and first stopped at a gas station to fill up my tank... 140 yen/L, thank goodness.

After a leisurely ride, we arrived at Katashina Village Roadside Station at 2:00 PM, where we decided to take a dip in the hot springs.


How unusual! In just 30 minutes, I was able to meet up with three of my skiing buddies, all here for the first time in ages.





Sunday, January 18th, Sunny

This week, the pole camp was canceled, and I also had to take a cognitive function test to renew my senior driver's license.

In the end, I took a week off from skiing, but starting tomorrow, I'll be heading to the mountains and making my own adjustments.


For the first half of the week, I'll practice slalom and giant slalom at my home slopes, even though I won't have poles.

Since ski waxing is difficult in the mountains, I applied a base cold-weather wax today as a relief.

As time passed, the wind shifted to the north, making the weather colder.

The weather forecast predicts that temperatures will remain low across Japan for a while as cold air moves south.


I'm determined to retreat to the mountains... and then head to Sugadaira for actual combat.





Saturday, January 17th, Sunny

It was a relatively warm morning. The warm weather that had continued until today is expected to suddenly turn cold starting tomorrow afternoon.

While I was firing the kiln and plotting the temperature rise, I realized that this was my first kiln of the year.


While the snowy mountains had been experiencing steady snowfall, things have been a bit sluggish lately... The first alpine skiing event starts next week, but this week's pole practice has been canceled due to a lack of snow.

If I were a younger, more dedicated ski fanatic, I would probably be traveling around searching for ski resorts with good conditions to practice at.

However, in a long life, there are always years like these, and they will likely become more frequent with each passing year.

If it doesn't work, I'll just accept it and plan to fire some pottery today.


This would be the perfect time to fire pottery, but the long-awaited ski season has prevented that luxury.

Today, I thoroughly enjoyed firing some pottery this winter.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's firing.

January 16th (Friday) Sunny

TV and radio have been buzzing with breaking news since the morning.

Apparently, Yamanote Line trains have been unable to operate from the first train.


However, this power transmission problem appears to have affected not only the Yamanote Line, but also the parallel Keihin-Tohoku Line and trains to the Shonan area.

Well, it's not just someone else's problem, but if this had happened yesterday, I would have been affected, and if it had happened tomorrow, it would have had a major impact on the dates of the University Entrance Exams.

Some trains were able to resume service later, but they soon went down again, resulting in a suspension of service for almost half a day.

Recently, even with a crisis management system like Japan's, even minor mistakes have caused significant damage.


It was a bit of an embarrassing accident.





January 15th (Thursday) Sunny

The government has released the actual situation regarding recent cancer treatments by unifying statistical data.

I wasn't able to see all the data, but even in treatment settings, data-based treatment decisions are becoming more prevalent.


For elderly people, a completely meaningless dementia function test has long been administered when renewing their driver's licenses.

Today, as part of that, I walked 20 minutes from the station to Warabi Police Station.

Accidents involving drivers confusing the accelerator and brake pedals, which are completely unrelated to cognitive function and are caused by insufficient vehicle performance, are still occurring frequently.

"Humans are erroneous animals" is a fundamental tenet of occupational safety regulations. I'm infuriated that they're subjecting a three-year-old to such a stupid test, making the same mistake as the Land Transport Bureau's serious mistake of allowing someone who makes such a mistake to drive a clutchless car.


I console myself that even as I get older, I'm still living my life, even though I'm being subjected to such a ridiculous test, and I'm still following the rules of adulthood and upholding social order...?

It was a bit of a detour, but I was able to calm myself down by going to Akabane, even though I'm sure it was a nuisance for Loach.



Wednesday, January 14th, Sunny

This morning's temperature is relatively warm for my body, which is used to the cold.

However, with this sunny spell and low humidity, hand moisturizer is essential.


Last year, I was hospitalized. I also observed the nurses' work every day. Yes, they always protected their hands and wore rubber gloves.

I'm old-fashioned, so disposable rubber gloves always seemed a little strange to me. But once you get used to them, they start to seem natural.

It's been a year since I was discharged from the hospital, and I've adopted the habit of wearing disposable rubber gloves. Even this winter, I always wear them when washing dishes and other things.

Thanks to this, I haven't suffered from cracked hands this year. Also, since I'm being so careful, I'm also constantly applying moisturizing cream, which is probably effective.


A reasonable skiing plan. The skiing schedule won't put too much strain on my body, especially since this is the year I need to renew my driver's license and tomorrow is my dementia test, so I'm staying home this week and going to the pool, so on this day I took a rare chance to relax in the pool.

The weather in the Kanto region was calm and sunny, with stable winter weather. Wild birds were bathing in my garden, and titmice and Japanese white-eyes seemed to be waiting their turn.

It seems that visitors to my apartment are coming in early this year, looking for spring lodgings.

January 13th (Tuesday) Sunny

Compared to yesterday's cold, today's temperature is uncomfortably warm, and a look at the weather chart once again confirmed my point.

The winter-like pressure pattern of high pressure in the west and low pressure in the east has long been a staple in Japan. However, perhaps due to climate change, this will not last long.


Anyway, I was determined to start pottery in my studio this morning.

The temperature is a little high, but that doesn't affect the coldness of the clay.

I'm kneading the clay, but it's already so cold that it's making my blood pressure rise all the way to my head.

I tried to make five sets of coffee cups today, but one of the saucers failed.


The important thing here is to attach the handle to the bowl later, but the drying time of each part and the timing of attachment are crucial.





Monday, January 12th, Sunny

I'm still not used to our regular morning routine this year. I woke up to my alarm at 5:45 AM.

Oh! It's still dark. I turned on the light, got dressed, and headed to the living room.


Once I get this far, I'm used to it, but it's a morning ritual that guides me.

I make tea, read the newspaper, take my temperature, blood pressure, etc., and confirm that my health hasn't changed since last year.

After some radio calisthenics, I prepare breakfast. I guess this is where I need to use my brain a little more... I wonder what ingredients I should use for miso soup today. Oh, I bought a ton of green onions...

I was supposed to communicate with my radio friends while eating... However, since today is a holiday, I decided to go to table tennis club practice.


Although today would normally be a rest day between ski practice sessions, the weather was not suitable, so I refrained from skiing.

At times like these, I'm grateful to be able to practice with my table tennis friends from home.



Sunday, January 11th, Sunny

The morning temperature was a little high... but it felt quite warm for me, having just returned from the mountains.

However, the wind was strong, so it felt quite cold outside.


The inter-prefectural women's ekiden was held in Kyoto. This tournament is interesting because it features mixed teams, including junior high and high school students.

In the first half, the powerful Nagano team had an absolute advantage, and perhaps thanks to their daily training in the mountains, they dominated the undulating terrain.

However, in the second half, Hyogo and Osaka showed superior skills, and after a dramatic comeback, they decided the match in a one-on-one battle.


Today in Kyoto, conditions were also difficult, with flurries of snow and strong winds.


It's already past 3 o'clock. The wind is blowing quite hard, but I went out for my daily walk.

Yes, this course is hilly...I enjoy it as if I'm running a Nordic competition course.



January 10th (Saturday) Sunny

I'm staying at the Sanrakuso, a hotel directly managed by Itoen Hotel in Oigami Onsen, with three friends from my ski club.

We got a weekday discount for consecutive stays...meaning two nights and four meals, plus all-you-can-drink alcohol at dinner? It all came to just 11,400 yen.


Since the beginning of January, I've switched to traditional alpine skiing.

Last week, I switched from skis to ground-skiing skis, and it felt perfectly natural. I enjoyed them yesterday for the first time in a while.

After watching the pole practice of our friendly club, the Marunuma Kogen Racing Team, I'm gradually getting into the alpine mood.


Today's weather forecast is sunny... but a heavy snow warning has been issued again. I'm amazed at the Japan Meteorological Agency's "boy who cried wolf," but I really hope it snows heavily.


My plan for today is to transport the delayed firewood and store it in my firewood storage rack while the weather is good.

I hitched the trailer loaded with firewood I'd brought to the hotel parking lot to my car and headed home on the highway for the first time in a while.

I joined a major transport company's convoy of vehicles traveling at 80 km/h to safely transport the firewood to my house, and by the afternoon, I'd finished storing it in the rack.

January 9th (Friday), Sunny

It's morning at Itoen Hotel and Oigami Onsen Sanrakuso. It was a fairly chilly morning, but the weather is hard to predict early in the morning.

After breakfast, our three friends set off at their own pace. Today's parking lot at Marunuma Ski Resort is empty.


I decided to park early at the sunny Kogen Station parking lot.

It's just the right time for some sunshine, and it's warm and windless, so I take my time getting ready.

From here, it's just a few minutes to the first lift station, and this is probably the closest point to the lift station from the parking lot.


It seems like it's a bit unusual, but the largest restaurant in the ski resort is closed.

Apparently, this is part of work style reform, and they're giving employees the day off, even in the middle of the season.

I'll be skiing until 2 a.m. and heading to the thatched roof house to pick up firewood. I'll be gone for a while... Stay healthy until spring.



January 8th (Thursday) Cloudy

I left first thing this morning... I was supposed to leave my house at 8 a.m., but I ended up being about 15 minutes late.

The weather forecast this morning warned of a "snow warning for the Tone-Numata region!" So, I guess I won't be able to pick up firewood.


Sure enough, by the time we were driving along National Route 50, Mount Akagi seemed completely shrouded in snow clouds.

However, by the time we entered the road north of Akagi, the sky had cleared up.

At the firewood storage area in Katashina Village, the weather was calm and clear, a relief!


Just as we hurriedly loaded the firewood onto the trailer and felt relieved, the wind picked up and snow began to fall.

We were lucky enough to get everything done.

The thatched roof was also newly re-stained this New Year, and it looks lovely.



January 7th (Wednesday) Cloudy

When I woke up, it was still dark outside, so I didn't notice. Just after 6:00, I glanced out into the garden and saw traces of snow on the balcony.

It had stopped snowing, but it seemed like it had snowed so much that the whole area was covered in white.


And as the weather forecast said, the Kanto region would be mostly cloudy today, and the lack of sunshine would make it even colder.

I figured there was no point relying on the air conditioner in the living room, so I decided to go ahead and crank up the wood stove in my studio.

I decided to make a shallow saucer for a bonsai pot I had been planning to make out of cold clay.


Even after lunch and well into the afternoon, the sun still lingered in the clouds.

I prepared myself fully and set off for my walk.

The cold wind made my eyes water and my nose relentlessly ran...



January 6th (Tuesday) Sunny

It was a chilly morning, but the sunshine kept it warm in the living room. The wind was especially cold.

That's right... today was the first day to take out the trash since New Year's. The collection area was literally a mountain of trash...


Coincidentally, railway photographer Seiya Nakai was covering Aomori's railways today.

Among the various domestic competitions for masters ski athletes, the one at Owani Ski Resort in Aomori Prefecture is an important one.

I've participated in the competition many times, and since I usually travel there by train, the heavy snowfall is always a problem for me.

However, today's broadcast showed the train operations of the Konan Railway Owani Line, which runs almost parallel to the JR line.

I've never actually seen it in operation, but I was able to see some impressive footage of the snowplow.

As I had imagined, the snowplow was indeed impressive.



January 6th (Tuesday) Sunny

It was a chilly morning, but the sunshine kept it warm in the living room. The wind was especially cold.

That's right... today was the first day to take out the trash since New Year's. The collection area was literally a mountain of trash...


Coincidentally, railway photographer Seiya Nakai was covering Aomori's railways today.

Among the various domestic competitions for masters ski athletes, the one at Owani Ski Resort in Aomori Prefecture is an important one.

I've participated in the competition many times, and since I usually travel there by train, the heavy snowfall is always a problem for me.

However, today's broadcast showed the train operations of the Konan Railway Owani Line, which runs almost parallel to the JR line.

I've never actually seen it in operation, but I was able to see some impressive footage of the snowplow.

As I had imagined, the snowplow was indeed impressive.



January 5th (Monday) Cloudy, then sunny

Although the isobars across the Japanese archipelago are weak, the weather chart shows a winter pattern. This means the Kanto region should be blessed with pleasant sunshine and clear winter skies.

But for some reason, the Kanto region is covered in thin clouds, making the sunshine difficult to come by.


It seems there's cold air overhead, which is causing cloudy skies and a colder day without sunshine.

In winter, my front porch gets plenty of sunshine around noon, making it perfect for waxing skis...

The sun finally began to peek through the thin clouds in the afternoon.

The shadows of the sun's rays had already started to fade, so the sun's rays were about to disappear.

Tomorrow's forecast doesn't look very promising, so I decided to wax my skis while I still can.

The weather forecast looks like it'll be a while until it clears up.



January 4th (Sunday) Sunny

All things considered, this is the second day since I put on alpine skis since the start of the season.

The day before yesterday I used SL skis, and yesterday I used long GS skis for the first time in a while, but I felt a great sense of joy in being able to ski without any problems.


Contrary to the weather forecast, it seems that snowfall continued on the mountain until last night, so it's probably the best run for skiing on fresh snow.


I decided to go home today to cherish the feeling I had finally gotten to experience.

Driving in the opposite direction from the ski resort, I passed many cars heading towards the resort, and it felt like I was going the wrong way.

I drove through the villages for a while, enjoying the scenery almost entirely covered in fresh snow on my way home.

Once I left the mountains and entered the so-called metropolitan area, the sunshine became so warm and the scenery so urbanized that I no longer remembered it had snowed.

The journey usually takes four to five hours, but today the road conditions were so good that I was close to my house in three and a half hours.

To my surprise, there was still snow around my house, and even my balcony was covered in it.

January 3rd (Saturday) Snow

The snow that started falling yesterday afternoon seems to have continued through the night.

Today we were supposed to enjoy the fresh snow, but it hadn't stopped snowing yet.


My energetic friends got ready in the morning and headed to the ski resort. I had planned to take the day off.


I was watching the Hakone Ekiden on TV, but by around 10:00, the sky had begun to brighten.

I thought I could go skiing, so I got ready and arrived at the ski resort around 11:00.

However, the weather didn't improve, and we ended up skiing in the cold until around 3:00.

But most importantly, today I used my long skis for GS for the first time in a while, and they worked flawlessly, so I felt great.





January 2nd (Friday) Sunny

The weather may have been declining, but it was sunny, but the temperature was low.

I arrived at the ski resort after 9:00 AM, barely managing to get into the large parking lot.


I quickly got ready and hit the slopes. It had been a while since my last alpine ski... I was a little nervous, but after years of experience, I felt at home on the second run.


The Blue Course is my home for basic skiing, and despite the light snowfall, I was able to practice without any problems.

I practiced nonstop until around 11:00 AM, had an early lunch, and then wrapped up the afternoon with just an hour of practice to avoid feeling too tired for the next day.

My friend had an old ticket to Shakunage Onsen, so I asked if I wanted to go. I immediately agreed.

It's been a while since I've been able to relax and enjoy the hot springs.





Reiwa Year 8 (20 25)

 New YearAkeMashiteoto MedetougoThank you for

We hope you will enjoy this year as well We look forward to seeing you





〜 ... January 1st (Wednesday) Sunny It was a calm, sunny day. 
A new year has arrived, and I would like to extend my congratulations to everyone on their continued success.

Once again, we have come around to the Year of the Horse...or rather, the Year of the Horse.

Coincidentally, I have now reached my seventh year as the oldest man in the world.

I am grateful to all of you for allowing me to remain healthy and happy despite the many ups and downs I have experienced.

Today, I am leaving for the ski resort, and on New Year's Eve, I will exchange New Year's greetings with my skiing friends.



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