Japanese December 26-27, 2003: Local hotel
As we wanted to heal our one-year-accumulated physical and mental fatigue, we visited a local hotel in Downtown Oita. We reserved the hotel through the Internet. Our room is on the 18th floor. Beppu Bay spreads just in front of the large window and a steel works is at hand on the other side.
A lovely flower vase welcomed us in the room.
	The room was simple but very spacious (45 square meters.) On the wall are the paintings of Australian Aborigine arts. They are very good as we got a Christmas present of the same kind calendar from our Australian friend recently.
We soon got out of the hotel to look around central Oita in the year-end. They sell so many New Year goods.
	We returned to the hotel and enjoyed "Welcome drink" coffee served with a large quantity of fresh cream.
The familiar landscape of Oita looks fresh through the wide-opened window from the 21st floor restaurant.
	The scenery turned to night like this, it was a reflection of the landscape on the big mirror of the wall.
The hors d’oeuvre of cod and crab meat was so tasty that we were very glad.
	This is the dessert. Red strawberry and chocolate mousse were good as well.
We enjoyed sound sleep until late in the morning. The morning sun sends its first light to downtown Oita. On the right is a high tower crane to construct a high building.
	Mt Takasaki is at hand from the window. The mountain range behind Beppu spa is turning morning red.
After the smorgasbord type breakfast, we walked down to Oasis Hall in which next year's NHK drama panels are exhibited. They will broadcast "Feudal Lord Sourin Ohtomo and its era."
	About 450 years ago, Oita was called Bungo and was well known to the western world as an independent country together with Japan, the panels say.
The old buildings of Ohtomo were restored by computer graphic technology.
	There were so many old buildings called "Ohtomo Main Building" or "Okuraba", the storage houses.
The New Year has already arrived here in Oasis Square.
This is out Oita, through the hotel room. Mountains, Beppu Bay, and blue sky make a grand view in front of me. From far left, Mt. Kuju, Mt. Yufu, and Mt. Tsurumi are covered with snow on the tops.
	Well, we will go home.
I found another "New Year" at the entrance hall of the hotel. Although it was just one night, we fully enjoyed the year-end.