Japanese April 7-9,2007: My home
	April 7 In the beautiful season of cherry blossom, I visited my mother in home by alone. Express Sonic will take me to Kokura. On the way up, the train stopped at a small station to wait the other side train on the single-track railroad.
Through the train window, I could see beautiful green barley field and yellow rape flower bed.
	I changed the train to Shin-kansen at Kokura. I looked out with a coffee can in hand. Fukuyama Castle is always on my mind. The cherry of the castle was so beautiful that I wanted to stop over.
I arrived at Himeji. As I had some time for train change, I walked out of the station building. The street was crowded with cherry-blossom viewers.
	At the end of the main street, I could see Himeji castle in the distance. When I was a kid, the castle was called national treasure, but it is now called "World Heritage Himeji Castle" as you may know.
I got on Kishin Line, a local line that passed through local scene like bamboo bush and cherry forest and rape flower field.
	I arrived at Hon-Tatsuno station, my destination. Full bloomed cherry welcomed me as well.
I headed to my mother's home by crossing Ibo river. Whenever I look up Red dragon fly people's hotel, I feel I have come home at last.
	I was relieved to see my mother in good health. after a while I returned back to Himeji and got out from south gate. In the square was a white egret monument like this.
I will join an alumni meeting this evening at Himeji Castle Hotel.
	Twenty nine alumni and alumnae, out of 71,who graduated the high school in 1961 joined the meeting. Some were dead and we paid one minute’s silent tribute to them. The meeting was started. I first joined this meeting and met many dear old friends.
April 8 On the beautiful Sunday, I visited Tatsuno park to enjoy the cherry blossom. Just after we got out of home, we found many cherry blossoms soon. many viewers were enjoying the day.
	The flower in the park was at its best. White Somei-Yoshino species and pink weeping-cherry were very good.
A banner in the flower.
	Lanterns.
Tatsuno castle
	Cherry petals scattered in the trench of the castle was just like Japanese Kimono pattern.
Many viewers were enjoying the beautiful day quietly.
	I was very much relieved to find that my mother could walk healthy. It was very good to have a good time with my mother.
We got back home and my mother prepared me a special lunch. Thank you very much.
	April 9 I will go back Oita today. We got out home earlier than scheduled in order to visit Himeji castle. A manhole cover was of design of white egret playing on the water front.
Very large pansy flower bed attracted my attention foe a while.
	We took a nostalgic-design one-coin bus.
	Himeji castle in the flower.
	We entered my mother favorite tea room and enjoyed good tea. I talked about my visit to Phoenix city in Arizona. Himeji and Phoenix are sister cities. The tearoom there was built by the efforts of this tearoom master and he attended the completion ceremony in Phoenix, he said.
I also visited Phoenix to see my friend and looked the tearoom. Lovely Confeito,a type of small candy made by crystallizing sugar around a poppy-seed core.
I have visited Himeji castle many times taken by my parents. It was very good that the castle was registered as a World Heritage.
It was very good to see my mother spending her healthy days by alone. It was also good to see my old colleagues at work time. I have had a good three-day trip this time.