 |
 |
February 17th. They got the gold medals. In 1972, I was a third-year high school student living in a boarding house in Mito City. At the time, I was in the middle of taking university entrance exams. The Sapporo Olympics were being held.
I watched single femail figure skating on TV. I was particularly captivated by Janet Lynn (from USA), who won the bronze medal. She was very attractive. So I wrote her a fan letter in English. Well, I was prepared for it, but I never received a reply. Is she still doing well?
At the time, I never dreamed that a Japanese person could win a gold medal in figure skating.
They got the gold medals in figure skating pairs, Riku Miura, Ryuichi Kihara, RikuRyu pairs at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
I got up early, and I was watching it live. Their performance was captivating. I was so moved. My eyes welled bit. I think I was even more moved because I had watched the entire team performance and the preliminaries.
 |
 |
 |
February 16th. A ｗhole of celery. I had dumplings and vegetable soup, sliced tomatoes, fried eggs, homemade round bread, and cafe au lait for my breakfast.
My younger brother gave me a ｗhole of celery.
I made a salad with potatoes, ham, celery, and boiled beans for my lunch. I also made celery salad.
I made celery and tofu soup for my evening meal, and of course I munched on two stalks of raw celery.
 |
 |
February 15th. Birthday party. I had sekihan for my breakfast and my lunch. It was delicious.
In the evening, Seven of my junior high school classmates went to the usual izakaya to celebrate Hideo's and my birthday. This time, Hideo and I turned 72. I don't drink much alcohol usual. I didn't drink any alcohol at all this time, I started off with the sashimi platter set meal.
Well, we just drunk and talked together, but it was fun.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 14th. Canon Camera Co., Inc. CANON LENS 135mm 1:3.5 No.74434 I made fried rice, fried eggs, sliced tomatoes, granola yogurt, and cafe au lait and ate them for my breakfast.
I made a charumera with lots of vegetables for my lunch.
I had vegetables soup, grilled atsuage, and sekihan for my evening meal. My cousin made this sekihan and gave me.
Today I modified the lens in the photo on the left. The hardest part was making the parts that control the aperture click mechanism(second row photo), but it was still an easy job and took me just three hours in total.
The nameplate reads Canon Camera Co., Inc. CANON LENS 135mm 1:3.5 No. 74434, but no other details about this lens are known. I purchased it on Yahoo! Auctions in 6th February 2026 for 763 yen (including shipping).
The lens is made up of three elements: convex, concave, and convex, with an aperture between the second and third elements. It has 10 aperture blades and operates normally. There is a 31mm diameter screw on the rear of the lens barrel, but it is not a mount for a Canon camera. It is unclear what the lens was used for. I remounted an M42 screw mount on the rear of the lens barrel. I use it with my digital camera via a bellows.
I also worked on modifying the SANKYO KOHKI W-KOMURA UNIAUTO f=28mm 1:3.5 No.8230712, but this is not yet complete.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 13th. Three of them are Nyoirin Kannon. I made vegetable soup with boiled eggs, konjac, burdock, carrots, and aburaage stew, and pork spare ribs stewed rice bowl for my breakfast. I also had inarizushi and ebideeko.
I went to Mt. Hokyo in the afternoon. I didn't climb to the top today. At the foot of the mountain, there is a walking trail called Hokuto no Michi, where there are seven stone Buddha statues. Three of them are Nyoirin Kannon(如意輪観音).
The photos in the first row Buddha statue is the oldest of these and the inscriptions are illegible. It worn by wind and rain, and is covered in moss. It must be hundreds of years old. The newest one was made in the late Edo period. I think this was the base of the Jyochuko(女中講) for hundreds of years.
The Jyochuko is religious organizations formed mainly from the Edo period through the early Showa period by women in farming and fishing villages to pray for safe childbirth, child rearing, and the safety of the community. Also known as the Jyuukyuuyakou(十九夜講) or the Koyasuko(子安講), women would take turns visiting homes to worship the Nyoirin Kannon Bodhisattva, chant sutras, and socialize, and they also served as a place for women to relax and exchange information.
Anyway, to me it is a fascinating place both as a historical heritage and as a subject for photography. In addition, for a few minutes after 3pm, sunlight filters through the trees, creating a lot of soap bubble bokehs.
Today was my third visit and I finally got the photo I had in mind.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 12th. A photography contest in Bando City. It's warmer today than yesterday.
I made potato, tofu, and vegetable soup for my breakfast.
Last year, I entered a photography contest in Bando City. I heard that if you're selected, you'll get a prize fee. I received a notice from the organizer, the Bando Commerce and Tourism Division, that I had been rejected. However, a 500 yen gift certificate was enclosed as a participation prize.
I'm definitely going to win this year. So, this year I'm looking for a subject to photograph in Bando City. When I started looking, I realized that there are plenty of photogenic scenes close by, without having to go far.
I put a computer part up for sale on Yahoo! Auctions. It looks like it'll sell. But only for about 200 yen.
The repair of the used GITZO R.No.4 tripod has been completed. The rubber has also been replaced. The missing screws have been restored and a wooden handle has been attached. The previous owner had put a mark on one of the legs because the screw had been stripped and hardened. This could not be repaired but the tripod is still usable.
I made vegetable soup and pork spare rib stew rice bowl for my evening meal.
 |
 |
February 11th. It's so cold. I made a Charumera with lots of vegetables, chikuwa, and a boiled egg for my breakfast.
I made a bowl of stewed pork spare ribs and vegetable soup for my evening meal.
It's so cold today that I don't feel like going out anywhere. I don't feel like doing anything. I've sorted out the lenses I have in stock.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 10th. A used GITZO R.No.4 tripod. I made a stew of pork innards and vegetables for my breakfast. I buy pre-cooked pork giblets stew from the co-op and double the amount by adding vegetables I have in stock. I eat half of this and the rest the next day. This cuts the salt content in half, as too much salt raises my blood pressure. Many pre-cooked and instant foods are high in salt, which can quickly raise my blood pressure if I'm not careful.
I made hot sandwiches with pork and maitake mushrooms, standing them on the kitchen windowsill to dry.
In February 2024, I purchased a used R.No.4 tripod from the French tripod manufacturer GITZO on Yahoo! Auctions for 3,010 yen (including shipping).
In February 2024, I purchased a used R.No.4 tripod from the French tripod manufacturer ZITZO on Yahoo! Auctions for 3,010 yen.
The previous owner had used it heavily and it was already in tatters. One screw was missing and the rubber was peeling off. So, I did not use it much untel now.
It's made of aluminum alloy and is sturdy. It's also heavy, weighing about 5 kg. However, it's easy to use. It's the most reliable tripod I've ever used. I wouldn't take it into the mountains, but I want to keep it with me on the plains. So I decided to reper it by myself.
In the afternoon, I carried the GITZO tripod and walked to my lens factory. I removed the rubber, overhauled it, thoroughly cleaned the screws and applied new grease. I replaced the wooden parts at the ends of the legs with homemade parts. I couldn't find a screw of the same specification as the missing screw in my inventory. Of course, I could buy one somewhere, but it would be expensive. So I had to cut the threads again to match the screws I had in stock.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 9th. The sasanqua seduces to me. I wake up early in the morning and I went to my best shooting point of Mount Fuji before sunrise. I took a picture just after sunrise. I thought I can see cleary Mt, Fuji in the mouning because It was snow yesterday. But it was not so cleary.
My wife made our breakfast, I made cafe au lait.
I went for a walk in Yasaka Park and took some photos of a camellia sasanqua. The bright red flowers of the sasanqua bloomed standing out against the gray landscape in winter, as if inviting me to take their photo. I took some photos with the motif "The sasanqua seduces to me."
I made a dish of boiled radish and small shrimp known as Ebideko. My wife made a stir-fry of vegetables and pork. Those were our lunches.
In the afternoon, my wife and I went to visit my father-in-law at the nursing home in the neighboring town Sakai machi where he was staying. He was in much better health than we had imagined. Our visit was only 15 minutes long, but it was very meaningful.
Afterwards, My wife went back to Ueda, so I took her to Kawama Station.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 8th. It snowed. My wife made our breakfast, I made cafe au lait.
In the morning, my wife and I made hand-kneaded bread using domestic wheat flour. It was a simple round loaf, but it has a delicious wheat flavor.
The snow had stopped, so I went for a walk in Yasaka Park. I took some photos and a photo of an old Kodak camera against the snowy scenery.
A female cosplayer was making a snowman and taking a selfie. She allowed me to take her photo. I simply asked her to stand there and look at the sun, and she struck a perfect pose in an instant. She's a true cosplayer. I also got her permission to post the photo on the web.
My wife made our lunch. We also had the bread we baked in the morning.
We visited my brother-in-law to hear on my father-in-law's recent situation. He was released from the hospital on the 4th and moved into a nursing home in the next town. We talked and ate big strawberries together.
My wife made okonomiyaki for our evening meal.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 7th. My wife went to her favorite Hair Salon. I made grilled atsuage, slice tomato and lettuce, apple, granola yogurt, vegetable and harusame soup, and coffe au laite for our breakfast.
My wife went to her favorite Hair Salon. That was why she came back to Iwai.
I walked in Yasaka park, and took some photos. Ah, it was cloudy so there was no good light. I photographed with Asahi Opt.Co, Japan Super-Takumar 1:1.8/55 No957104. On bad weather days, I think there are good photos that can only be taken on that day, but today it didn't go well.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 6th. the MERRELL Chameleon 7 . I woke up before dawn, and I made a hot sandwich with ham, cheese, carrot, onion, and cabbage for my breakfast. I left them propped up against the kitchen windowsill to dry. I also had lettuce, tomato, apple, and cafe au lait.
I took this photo with the sunrise in the background because the sandwich made out well, the sunrise was beautiful, and I wanted to test my Petri lens. I photographed with PETRI CAMERA CO.,INC. C.C.Auto Petri 1:3.5 f=28mm No,132878.
I liked the design and the color of the MERRELL Chameleon 7 Storm Mid Gore-Tex Mid-Cut Trekking Shoes J31127 Men's Size 26cm Orange a few years ago. The soles were a weak point. They had no grip. So I coud not use them for trekking. I used them for walking around town, but the heel soon became perforated. They won't accept repairs. I left them for a while.
Today, I tried repairing them using a material used to make mouthpieces. I heated the mouthpiece material to make a jelly, sealed the perforation, and molded it. I'm not sure how long it will last, but the hole is now sealed.
My wife came back from Ueda, so I picked her up at Shimizukuen station 3:30 pm. Then we went our favorite a thai cuisine restaurant Coppun Cafe in Moriya City, I had Red Curry Rice, and my wife had Pad Thai for our evening meal.
It has become a routine every two months for my wife to come home from Ueda at 3pm on Fridays and go to Coppun Cafe for dinner.
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 5th. The Agfa Ansco PD16 Clipper. I made two servings of dumplings and tofu and vegetable soup for my breakfast and my lunch.
Today is deep cleaning day. I always start with the rooms on the south side and work my way north. Because, It's in the order of frequently used rooms.
I won the Agfa Ansco PD16 Clipper for 1 yen in Yafuoku. The Agfa Ansco PD16 Clipper was manufactured in the United States (e.g., in Binghamton, New York) from the 1930s to the 1940s after Germany's Agfa acquired the American company Ansco. It has a simple mechanism with a fixed focus, a single-speed shutter (approximately 1/60 second), and a bulb (B) mode. It can take 15 images with a 616 roll of film. However, this film is no longer manufactured, so there is a way to use 120 rolls of film with some ingenuity.
I won the bid for 1 yen, but shipping from Nagasaki was 1,410 yen. I'm not sure if it's really worth 1,410 yen.
Thursday is Torisen Senior Discount Day, so I went to there to buy groceries.
I had squid tempura and tuna sushi rolls that I bought at Torisen. I also made and had cabbage soup.
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 4th. My regular eye check up. I had vegetable soup, anko mochi, and cafe au lait for my breakfast.
I went to Ishikawa Eye Clinic for my regular checkup. Previous checkups had not shown any functional decline. However, a medical examination and test showed a slight decline in the function of my right eye. My doctor prescribed eye drops.
I made grilled chicken for my evening meal.In
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 3rd. The Mamemak ceremony.I had vegetable soup and inarizushi for my breakfast.
It was the Setsubun Festival at Yasaka Shrine. I went to the shrine to take photos several times today. I checked the position of the sun, the focal length of the lens I would use, the best shooting position, and so on in the morning.
I had instant ramen with lots of vegetables and added an egg for my lunch.
The Mamemak ceremonys were held at 2, 3, and 4 o'clock. At 2 o'clock, general entry applicants threw fukumames, at 3 o'clock, people born under the same zodiac sign as this year, known as "Toshiotoko," threw fukumames, and at 4 o'clock, children threw fukumames.
I looked forward to the most is the Mamemaki ceremony at 3 o'clock. Because they throw fukumames wearing "裃 Kamishimo." Kamishimo is a formal attire for men that consists of 肩衣 Kataginu and 袴 Hakama.
Just before 3 o'clock, I set up my photo equipment and waited for the ceremony.
Suddenly, a man wearing a black mask and weared all black clothes on a bicycle called out to me in English. I was surprised. He was Michael sensei. Noriko sensei was not with him. However, I wasn't as nervous as before and was able to understand about half of what he was saying. He didn't come to here for Mamemaki, but heard Kanda Bayashi on his way back from the library and came here.
When the Mamemaki ceremony began, I stopped talking to him and got absorbed in taking pictures. I was sorry for Michael sensei, he backed home by the time I finished taking photos.
Yesterday, clouds prevented me from seeing the moonrise. Today, I was able to capture the moonrise overlaid with the chimneys of the paper mill RENGO. I installed an app on my smartphone that shows the movement of the moon in real time. Without it, it would be difficult to capture a scene like this.
I had braised pork spare ribs added a baked potato for my evening meal.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
February 2nd. See you at the paper mill. This morning, I made two servings of yakisoba noodles with lots of vegetables. I had one for my breakfast and packed the other in my lunchbox.
At Yasaka Shrine, people were preparing for tomorrow's Setsubun Festival. I walked about 3 kilometers in Yasaka Park and took a few photos of the camellia sasanqua flowers. I used an Ernemann Detektiv Aplanat 1:6.8 f=13.5cm No,435699. And I also used a sturdy Zitso tripod. It's heavy, but it's easy to use and I've started using it more often because it allows me to accurately position and angle my camera.
Then I went to the edge of the pond in Yasaka park and took some photos with my old Kodak camera.
Finally, I shot some photos of the paper mill RENGO after sunset with a 500mm telephoto lens. Today is a full moon. I had imagined a composition where the full moon overlaps with the chimneys of a paper mill, but it was cloudy and I couldn't get it.
 |
 |
 |
February 1st. I'm sleepy. I'm sleepy because I've been getting up early for the past few days. I can't get up early. But this morning, Miya-O woke me up. She was hungry and couldn't wait.
I made tofu and sausage soup, granola yogurt, and cafe au lait for my breakfast.
I had zoni and cafe au lait for my lunch.
I had curry rice, grilled atsuage, apples, and tomatoes for my evening meal.
Tatsuya Kimura releases this page. Since Mon 05 Oct 1998. All Rights Reserved.