First Day at Kindergarten

April 8 - 2009

Today officially Eirfan become a kindergarten student. This is the event called the Entrance Ceremony, it's difficult to translate the meaning in English. The ceremony is the opposite of graduation ceremony. There is no class for this day, just the ceremony to celebrate new academic year and introducing new students too. But Eirfan is in the 2nd grade out of three grades here and only 2 new student for this grade, one for each class. Eirfan is in "aka 1 kumi" or "Class Red 1".
Due to academic year here starts from 1st April.....he was born on 15th March....so he is one of the youngest student in his class.
After all the student & parents seated, the ceremony started with the kindergarten song. It's a cute lovely songand it's about the kindergarten's life.



Eirfan was sitting in the front line on the left side. He keep on sitting while other student sing the song and his class teacher keep on remind him to stand up. At the foreground of the video there is a girl that don't even want to stand at all and cried on the floor.

Eirfan's seat being changed from the middle seat area into the front seat due to he will need to be introduced later.


Eirfan being introduced by his class teacher.


Greeting from all the teachers and the headmaster.


Time for him to moved to his class and the parents being introduce to some other related peoples and speeches.

After the speeches end and it's time to for the parents to go to their kid's classroom. When I reached EIrfan's class, his class teacher asked the parents to stand behind their kid but.... I can't find Eirfan hahaha, all of them looks the same and while I was looking for him, Eirfan noticed me and came to me.

Finally his 1st day at Kindergarten ends, from now on he will be going to his kindergarten by bus.

Sakura at Heiwa Park

April 5 - 2009

Sakura fever has come!! This is the time that everyone enjoy the beauty of sakura. Sakura only blooms once a year and total blooming period is about 2 weeks. The most beautiful moment is when it's on full bloom and during the time that the petals start to fall.
Sakura tree can easily found here in Japan, even at the road side. Most of the public parks also got sakuras. For a start we went to a park nearby our apartment. The park is call Heiwa Koen ( Peaceful Park ), as the name itself there is a large area of Japanese cemetary beside the park. We picked this park because it's near & the parking is free. Who doesn't like free things right?
When we arrived, the park was already crowded with peoples. Most of them picnic under the sakura tree and enjoy the food and beer. Well, Japanese people seem can't live without beer. The best part here is the walkway under the sakura tree. Eirfan, Yuri & Eiqmal enjoyed running around.

Let's hanami♪


Eirfan under the sakuras


Eiqmal enjoy running along the walkway


It's hard & tiring to chase them running here and there.


Due to Eirfan & Yuri keep on running, Eiqmal got most of the shots.


On the way back to the car


I didn't bring along the tripod so i put the camera on the ground for this family shot.

Click for the full set pictures during this trip.

Sakura at Nagoya Castle

March 28 - 2009

We start our sakura hanami ( sakura viewing ) at Nagoya Castle. Even we need to pay for the parking & entrance ticket, the view of sakura with the castle is worth of spending. The castle are was crowded with peoples to enjoy the sakuras. Everyone enjoyed taking pictures with sakuras. Some of the are students from the graduation ceremony, they came in with kimono outfit an it is really shows the beauty of Japan.
My kids enjoyed their first contact with sakura.

Under the sakura tree.


candid of Eirfan & Yuri while they are watching the sakura.


Short rest on the manhole.


I asked them to smile..but this is what i get.


My angels


Well..family shot is a must.

Wandering at Nagoya Port

March 21 - 2009

It was a fine sunny day and we can't decide where to enjoy the sun with clear blue sky. Finally we end up went to Nagoya Port. This is the 2nd time we went to the port, the first time was in December. This time we walked from the Garden futo until the Nagoya Port Aquarium area.
There are many things to explore here.

Yuri giving her pose with the flowers.


Eirfan also posed with his kind of style.


With the propeller... big but not huge enough, i've seen larger propeller back at my workplace.


The bridge seen is the highway, somehow this view really reminds me of Yokohama ( viewing Bay Bridge from Minato Mirai )


Eiqmal is still slow with his walking and always being left behind.


With the exploring vehicle at Antartica. The ship for this exploration is an icebreaker ship. ( top picture)


Crossing the bridge & heading to the aquarium side. The building in the background is the Nagoya Port Building.


Take five a while and enjoy their drinks.


Interesting post box in front of Nagoya Port Aquarium.


Posing at the aquarium's entrance before heading back home.

Nagoya Argricultural Centre

March 17 - 2009

Finally spring has come and the colourful season of flowers has begun. In Japan, before everyone enjoy the beauty of sakura, they enjoy the beauty of "ume" or plum flowers. the tree it self is not as big as sakura but the colours are similar.
So this time we headed to Nagoya Argricultural Centre here in Tenpaku ward. It's a free public flower farm. Actually we went here on the weekend few days back but it was too crowded with long queue of cars until the main road. So the weekdays is the best. The main attraction here is the ume, but by the time we came here most of it already gone.
But there are a lot more to see than ume. What i like most was the rape blossoms, the yellow flowers with the blue sky is just beautiful. We also enjoyed the milk ice cream that being produced from cows here. Tropical flowers also can be seen at the temperature house and other flowers being change by the seasons.

big map


Yuri at the entrance decoration


Eirfan with his pose


The flowers are so low


Yuri was excited with the flowers


Found a full bloom and just nice for a family shot.


Eiqmal with his walking style.

Enjoying the milk ice cream.




The best spot for photo shoot that we found during this trip. The yellow rape blossoms are just great.





Eirfan with the milk cow


Eirfan said.. " Look! it's a F1 car" hahaha...

Full slideshows from flickr