Anna Matsushita

  Even now, when I look back on it, it was a most peculiar encounter. It happened nearly 40 years ago.   To call it an "encounter" may be overstating it, as I merely caught fleeting glimpses of the man in two different places. Yet, to this day, it remains a mystery that lingers in my mind.   In the early 1990s, I travelled to the United Kingdom for a year-long university exchange programme. A friend who had helped me arrange my plane tickets and Eurail pass accompanied me on the journey.   We flew with Aeroflot Airlines. After an overnight stay in Moscow, we set off for Heathrow Airport. Upon arriving at Heathrow, we boarded the Piccadilly Line underground train and headed towards our destination—a youth hostel nestled within Holland Park, right in the heart of the city.   It was late summer, and the park itself was alive with the sounds of music festivals. Simply staying there, one could enjoy operatic performances and concerts wafting through t...

Scotland: The First Encounter with Haggis and Whiskey   On a family trip to Scotland many years ago, we ventured into the crisp embrace of the Scottish Highlands. Despite it being late August, the weather was already chilly, rendering our summer attire woefully inadequate.   Our journey began in Edinburgh, and after some sightseeing, we boarded a train heading towards Inverness, where a newly opened hotel awaited us. Upon our arrival, the hotel manager—a gracious and attentive woman—greeted us warmly. She shared a wealth of information about the hotel's facilities as we settled into our rooms. Keen to shake off the stiffness of the long train journey, we decided to take a refreshing dip in the hotel's pool.   By dinnertime, we were led to the hotel’s restaurant, where a three-course meal awaited. The manager, ever attentive, pointed out that the salad vegetables were freshly harvested that very morning from a nearby farm.   When the main course arrive...

  Our local shrine’s festival resumed for the first time in three years. Streets were once again jolly with illuminated lanterns. Kids were playing wood flute and drums to add festive feeling. They were performing the music in front of train station. People enjoyed the music in the evening.   I assume that the shrine must have planned the festival when the number of corona patients were decreasing daily – at least until June 2022. People must have put much effort into the preparation, looking forward once again to practice the music, drew out the portable shrine (Omikoshi) ready to be carried around the town, and float to carry the music bands.   Before COVID-19, the festival was like these;   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oWNuFH-CIg https://youtu.be/97cu-n3QXrc I watched the children playing music with somewhat mixed feeling. By the time the festival started, the number of COVID-19 patients were increasing at tremendous speed. I was tracking onl...