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Last week, Sheila N. shared her kimono dressing experience. This week features her husband, Doug. For more information about their recent trip to Japan, check last week's post . * * * * * Dear Readers, Thank you for your nice comments about last Friday's kimono wear! I am glad you enjoyed participating in this experience. Today we have photos of our friend Tamami who lives in Tokyo. Doug and I met her when she was a student here at Central Wyoming College. One of Sheila's hosts, Tamami arranged the kimono dressing adventure. She chose to wear  a green kimono which belongs to her mother. Note the pink clip at the nape which the teacher used to measure and to temporarily secure items. This bin contains the under kimono garments for Tamami.  See last week's post for more detail. Tamami's kimono and obi Tamami's obi has an intricate carriage design. Tamami fully dressed in her kimono and obi. Now, it's Doug's turn to g...

Vending Machine April 2012 Today, Sheila shares some vending machine photos. Vending machine outside a plumbing shop April 2012 In the late 70s vending machines ( seen in this previous post ) were commonly seen on the side of the road. The machines sold cigarettes, beer, soft drinks, snacks, nectars, and magazines. Note: the magazines were the "adult" variety. More on Japanese vending machines on this post by Michael Weening.

Tokyo Sumo Stadium mural Tokyo, Japan April 2012 Sheila sent this week's photos after she saw this post.   She wrote, "In Tokyo, we walked by the Sumo stadium, and just as we were there, a bus load of Sumo wrestlers arrived to participate in a tournament. I wish we could have watched them perform!"       These photos clearly show the traditional hair style for sumo wrestlers. These "top knots" are called chomage . Researching this, it was interesting to learn that the sumo wrestlers rank is reflected in their hair style and that the Sumo Association hires a hair dresser, called a tokoyama, to prepare the wrestlers' hair in this style for tournaments. Some interesting information on sumo hair dressing can be found here . I also learned that lower-ranked sumo wrestlers are required to wear kimono and geta when then are out in public from this site . The author gives detailed information on sumo wrestling in a previous post . ...

Hello everyone, I am honored to be a guest blogger on Nancy's Foreign Friday blog! My husband Doug and I recently visited Japan, the land of my ancestors. Many of Nancy's photos that we have all enjoyed are still typical of Japanese culture and scenery. Of course, things have changed since 1980 when she was there, but one of the traditions that has not changed is the beauty of the kimono. Most people wear "modern" clothing; however, various kinds of kimono are still worn by men and women to formal occasions, such as weddings, graduation, New Year’s Eve, tea ceremonies, and visiting. Usually when a girl wears a kimono, her mother or grandmother help her dress and learn the proper procedure. However, this tradition is not as strong as before, so some women attend kimono-dressing classes instead of learning from a family member. Doug and I began our trip to Japan with a visit to a former student of Central Wyoming College. Her name is Tamami. Since she did no...

Fortunately, I had nearly a month to prepare my house for my recovery. I obtained all the necessary equipment (walker, cane, bath bench, etc.), laundered and removed all the throw rugs, and made sure I could move about my house with the walker when I returned from the hospital. I practiced using all the devices and found what did and did not work.  By practicing, I found obstacles that would have been frustrating to handle after the surgery and devised ways to eliminate or reduce the problem areas. For example, the bathroom doorway was not wide enough for the walker with the door in place, so I took the door off the hinges and stored it in the guest bedroom.  My hairdresser loaned me a device with handles that slipped under the sofa cushions. It would allow me to safely get up off of the sofa. Even though the device was adjustable, my sofa was still too low to allow me to stand without bending my operated knee. I had to find a way to raise the sofa. Since my sofa ...

Today's post features more photos that Sheila (no blog) took on her trip to Japan (April 2012) with her husband, Doug. Images show the unique restroom features available in Japan. Sign outside a "family restroom" I'm not sure if this is a seat for crying babies or a changing table. Anyone care to guess? Don't we all wish this would happen! Train restroom Note the "Seat Cleanser" sign Another restroom with wipes to clean toilet seats Even a button that automatically lowers the toilet seat.  This restroom offered a bidet and instructions  on how to use it. It's clear that Japan has nicer public restrooms than most countries.