It's definitely unlike my first year in Japan, whereby incomparably I had way more free time than now, however, I do not wanna miss the beautiful colours of autumn, so after careful planning, some of the weekends outings are actually made possible!
Two weeks ago, Ahmet told me this fabulous place called the
Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum (日本民家園) located inside Kawasaki, so as a reward of me finishing the preparations of my Monday seminar presentations earlier than scheduled, we headed straight off to this awesome place.
It's an open-air museum of the old Japanese Folk House from all around Japan. One of the most famous folk-house in the museum is the traditional houses which was originally located in
Shirakawa-go, Gifu-ken. It is Japan's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, well known with their architecture style known as the
gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り). You see, it snows so much in Gifu, so, this unique design allow the house to withstand the heavy snowfall.
Except beautiful scenery, it also exhibit stuff that the olden days people used. Like this below, was used to decorate the praying altar.
And olden days lantern.... not much changes since then.
Besides this museum in that area, it also has an art gallery, science museum, observatory deck. Definitely a recommendation if you wanna spend a day off inside Tokyo but away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Two weeks later today, it's a celebration after a mentally and physically tired weeks. Except the seminar presentation, also had to prepare another presentation as part of a course assessment. Then two exams the following week. Until yesterday, finally finished all my duties as an obedient and proud member of my lab to help out in an external exhibition in Yokohama. (Yeap! we won the university category presentation, more on that later). Further I was down with a flu, and still am, I think the definition of the word "tired" is unquestionably under-rated in Malaysia. Talk about tired-ness, I never knew the exact meaning until now.
Rambling asides, despite the weariness and the flu, with my early Christmas present's first outing, we went to Rikugien Gardens (六義園) located in Komagome Station.
Starting from yesterday up to 13th December, this beautiful garden is extending their operation time up to 9pm in conjunction of the "light-up" event.
What else could I say? Breathtaking scenery!
Sad to say, although very much like to hang out longer till deeper in the night before the starting of another busy week, sleepy-head and the flu just would not leave me alone. Maybe it's time to pay the docs a visit to make sure I am free of the ongoing violent attack of H1N1 here. Oyasumi. :)
