Shinya Ota

I like Chinatown in Honolulu. Smell of Chinese spices, meat, fresh produces, lively conversations… I like the atmosphere of the town. It is just a few blocks away from Hawaii state art museum and the statue of father Damien stood in front of the government building. It is my routine to go to Chinatown after seeing the statue and watching the latest exhibition at the museum.  My father, who passed away in 2022, would buy grilled belly pork for his snack at his room in the evening. My mom…….

I’ve fallen love with Hokkaido since my visit last October. I want to visit various places of the island. But I wanted to visit the city of Sapporo again but in spring this time. I flew to Chitose on May.11 and will leave on May.13. That is a trip of 2nights & 3 days. 

I am now staying City of Sapporo, the seat of Hokkaido to enjoy beautiful Autumn season. I visited the city about 35 years ago around that time of year. As it was just overnight stay for business, I do not remember now. During the Covid-19 travel restrictions, I stayed my town for over two years except Hiruzen, Okayama this summer. ….

I and my young brother went to Hiruzen Kogen, north of Okayama area to see our relatives. We got on a Nozomi super express bullet train from Shin-Yokohama bound for West Japan

I visited Shanghai from May 20 until May 26 for business. I do not remember exactly how many times I had visited the city. It could be over 10 times.  Every time I visit there, I would always realize the city is changing at a rapid pace. It’s been almost 10 years since I visited last time. 

I made a visit to Takahata, a town of some 22,000 bordering Yonezawa city to its west in Yamagata prefecture. They produce rice on the flat area and peaches, pears, apples, grapes, cherries, etc., on the hilly areas. Takahata town is the largest producer of ”Delaware grapes” in the nation. With its abundant gifts from nature, the town has been called as “Mahoroba” in ancient Japanese word, or a fertile land surrounded by hills and Mountains.

Yonezawa is the seat of Yonezawa clan which governed the south part of Yamagata in the Edo period. The land was no so fertile. With large servants to feed and frequent orders for supports in terms of labor and money from the Tokugawa shognate, they were under financial difficulty all the time. Uesugi Yozan, load of the clan, has been admired as a leader to turn around the situation through furugality …..

I’ve never seen beautiful beach like this before.  White beach, clear water, palm trees swaying in the winds. it is never an exaggeration to say ” heaven in this world”.  The beach was

The city along the Yangtze river is a starting point of many cruises to the Three Gauges Dam. It is known as mountainous city. The center of the city is occupied with modern high buildings. But It still keeps the atmosphere of old Chinese city, which Shanghai has lost now.  During my stay, I

I flew a direct flight to Kona, the Big Island by JAL. I’ ve been here before in july, 2001 by JAL. But I arrived at Hilo, the eastern town in the island that time. I remember the flight flew along east side of the island shore line, which was black and smoke from lava flowing into the waters. This flight touched down the airport soon after the land appeared.

I headed to the ferry terminal in Sheung Wan soon after I grabbed some dim sums at Lin Heung Kui in the rainy morning.

This small island was once a step stone for Jesuit monks to spread Christianity to East Asia. I wanted to visit the historic are of the former Portuguese colon….