NAHA Sightseeing; 2nd Day in OKINAWA

This hotel RAKUCHIN in NAHA city was so reasonable, we liked it. If you don't mind its location, please let us recommend it without hesitation.

One of our themes in this trip was to visit 9 places, which was placed on the World Heritage List in OKINAWA. So today was first day to do that.

1st one of the World Heritage List; Sonohyan-utaki Ishimon( Stone Gate of the Snohyan Shrine)

This likely was the place to pray for the King's safe trip.

2nd one of the World Heritage List; Shurijo Castle

I think it was most outstanding in world heritage of OKINAWA.

Construction Style, custom and culture etc., totally different from Japanese castle. It seemed to be strongly influenced by Chinese. I didn't know that China appointed the man to King of RYUKYU kingdom.

We took a rest at cafe, which was famous for BUKUBUKU-Cha(tea). It was so unique and healthy.

3rd one of the World Heritage List; Tamaudun( Tomb of successive royal family)

GAJUMARU tree covered it and created holy atmosphere.

TAMAYA restaurant gave us yummy SOBA lunch today.

Soup itself was lighter than yesterday's one, and maybe better than it for me.

We prayed for a peace at Peace Museum and Tower of HIMEYURI this afternoon.

About dinner, CHURASAN-TEI was today's restaurant.

UMIBUDO seaweed was so nice, perfect ending of 2nd day.

Our First Trip to OKINAWA

We had big plan at the end of this year to visit OKINAWA.

Today as first day was just moving day though, we were so excited by everything.

At HANEDA airport, we found favorite cafe 'NENRINYA' which was famous for its Baumkuchen. It was so nice to eat, so please try it if you had a chance.







Because of beautiful weather. We could see a distant view of our city NUMAZU from the airplane. Meandering KANO river was easy to be found.










Our first destination in OKINAWA was DEN-SOBA, because so starving...

We loved OKINAWA-SOBA so much. Superb balance of juicy pork rib and light flavored soup.





We picked YUUNANGII for dinner. RAFUTE( Simmered pork rib with sweet soy sauce), Deep-fried GURUKUN(fish) etc., everything was fine.

This GOYA CHANPURU was my wife's best bid tonight. It was good start as first day.

ERUMON and KOKAGE

I was surprised to see her now December.

I seemed to be ERUMONHIRATA mayfly's female dun. Her body size was about 12mm, looked bigger than what I saw before.

KOKAGEROU's female spinner on car bonnet.

For several reasons, I can't have time to be there now. But these mayflies remind me of fishing anytime. Give me a chance!

No Light Day

As one of my daughter's kindergarten's recommendations, today was the day of 'No Light'.

It's purpose was to save electrical energy and contribute to ecology.

Due to this no light day, we had good and romantic dinner today.

Two Big Mistakes...; 3rd trip to TENRYU

Today's fine weather brought me to TENRYU river again.

Arrived there around 11;30 and took a lunch first. So starting time was approximately noon.

1. Dry fly( below AKIHA dam)

At the first hole, FUTABAKOKAGEROU mayfly's hatch were seen and there were several rises.

So I tied Dry fly first. One good fish(over 40cm) rose to my FUTABA emerger parachute, but he stopped sipping it. It was definitely my mistake to spook him. I should do stalking so carefully...

I got several good reaction for dry fly though, couldn't hook them up. It was a kind of stressful situation, but was fun to see good reaction for dry fly at TENRYU river.

2. GASSARA's rapid hole

sammy-san's hit fly 'LTM' gave me a first luck at second hole called GASSARA. It was so small but precious first fish for me today.

It looked not good condition at this hole, so I moved to next hole.

3. UNNA hole; many mayflies

This famous hole was new to me, but looked so good condition. Because many mayflies were seen there.

This was a kind of HIRATA family. I thought SATSUKIHIMEHIRATA mayfly's female spinner. It was first time to see for me.

And this big mayfly, about 18mm, surprised me. It was new to me also.

I guess this is CHIRAKAGEROU mayfly's dun. If you have better guess, please let me know.

I did wet fly fishing there, but got no luck.

4. Below AKIHA dam again

As last hole of today, I picked first hole again because it looked better condition than others today.

I got good strike of big boy to my wet fly surely! But lost tension soon, because of tippet break... It must be damaged at previous hole by contact with big stone. I should have checked it carefully...

After that I got three small bows by wet fly and LTM indicator fishing. Two big mistakes gave me unsatisfactory feeling a lot.

Gathering Fallen Red Leaves

It was so nice weather today. So we went to Mt.KANUKI(small mountain) to gather Red leaves.

She was glad to be there, because she had something to make it with them.

This is one of her works. So nice, isn't it?

Only two...; 2nd trip to TENRYU

It is a kind of unusual for me to go fishing on weekend.

Weather was so beautiful today.

Since usual hole was so crowded, I went AYUTSURI hole as book-san's advise. It was new one to me.







Still FUTABAKOKAGEROU mayfly was main drifter there also. This is DD, drawn dun. But there was no rise, so my dry fly had no chance to be used...






Yellow partridge gave me first luck today also. He was not huge, but had handsome face.

After that I moved up to usual hole again, and missed one fish, caught small one by indicator fishing.

That's it for today. I hope another chance to be there would come to me soon...

New ornament of this year

During my absence for business trip, my wife and daughter decorated Christmas tree with ornaments.

This panda is new one of this year, which was made by my daughter and me in her kindergarten's event this autumn. Its material seemed to be clay of wood, so should be nature friendly one.

Something Yellow Part2

I'm not sure this hair wing dun looks like FUTABAKOKAGEROU mayfly or not for fish. But I like it and hope it works.

Something Yellow

Based on new findings in last fishing trip, tonight's tying theme was 'something yellow'.

I forgot to write in the previous article, but the crane fly(GAGANBO) was also seen at TENRYU River last time. And according to book-san's fishing report today, there was likely good reaction for GAGANBO dry fly. It must be good news, so I'm looking forward to next trip.

Wet is hot now; 1st trip to TENRYU river this year

For several reasons, I took a day off and headed for TENRYU River C&R section today.

It was so sunny and warm day today.

My yellow and partridge wet fly #16 gave me first luck. It was my first one by wet fly.









Several kinds of shucks were dominate in its stomach.






This small yellow mayfly's hatch (I guess FUTABAKOKAGEROU's female dun) was seen there. And it number got increased in the evening.



















2nd one was caught by same pattern. Maybe its body color yellow matched dun's color.








It was first time for me to catch OIKAWA fish(Japanese native fish) by fly!





3rd one was small, but caught by Quill Gordon wet fly! It was definitely fun to catch the fish by my hand made fly.



And my most favorite wet fly Professor #8 gave me the last one!



Overall, fish size itself was smaller(around 14inches/36cm) than last year though, I had good time with my first wet fly fishing today.

Japanese Salmon; Report from my friends

This year, I planned to go Salmon fishing with my friends, and we applied for KIDOGAWA River Salmon fishing. But only two of us, curryman and O got a right to be there. So we three could only see them off...

But they did good job, got 11 salmons per day! Congratulations!!

We had a party to celebrate it today at curryman's house. They were so delicious!!

I can't wait next year anyway, please give me a luck!

Harvesting Rice

In her kindergarten, there is parents' association. As one of its activities, 'Harvesting Rice' was took place today.

Even it was raining lightly from morning, many parents joined it.

About her, she reaped rice well with a sickle.

I think this experience helps her to know Japanese traditional dietary culture.

Professor

This fly 'Professor' has been one of my most favorite flies, since I saw it in a fly fishing magazine long time ago. Especially I like its color balance very much.

I tried to tie it first time today, but had a difficulty to shape its wing because of Mallard Duck material's less stiffness.

I would like to keep tying this pattern for my progress.

Quill Gordon Wet

My tying fever seems to be turned on completely.

To tie Quill Gordon Wet, Wood Duck material is necessary. Since it costs expensive, I tried Light Cahill dry fly also to share the same Wood Duck material.

But this time, it should be called 'Ugly Cahill', needed more practice...

About Quill Gordon Wet fly, it was a little difficult to strip peacock feather as body material. I thought I was almost satisfied with the right one, but found the problem about body tying...

MONKAGE Wet?

Just for change,　I tied this wet pattern tonight. This color of turkey biot body is my favorite.

Silver March Brown; my first try for it

After 2.5months interval, Silver March Brown wet fly was my first tying theme.

Because of its simpleness, it was so difficult to keep each material's balance, especially for small hook size like #12,14.

They are not in perfect shape yet, but I hope they work fine in near future.

FUJI Speedway

It was first time to be there, FUJI Speedway for us. Our purpose was to see my bike friends participating road bike race and cheer them up.

She were rooting for them a lot. I was not sure the reason why she needed a stone for it.

After that, she did practice to ride her bike by herself without supporting wheels. Getting better surely.

It sounds great if we took in same bike race near future.