I start this week with a very essential addition which has no importance at all from our mission's point of view:-))) You might remember this airplane: two weeks ago I asked our expert (Füleky András) to provide information. Unfortunately, our expert proved to be incompetent, but another aviation professional (Szabó Balázs:-) helped us out. The basic information is as follows:
The airplane on the picture is a Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando, which was in use by the American Air Force as a transport plane. Tha Japanese Air Force bought 12 of them from Taiwan. They was in use from 1954 to 1978, then they went back to the USA, and several of them flight currently, as well. The particular plane standing in the park came from the Iruma basis in 1980.
And to fully astound András: the plane can carry 50 passengers (and the 4-people staff), its length is 23.27 m, width (span) is 32.9 m. Its dry-weight is 14700 kg and the maximum total weight is 22000 kg. It has two Pratt&Whitney R-2800-51 radial engine (each has 18 cylinders, 2000 HP). Its maximal velocity is 433 km/h, and finally, its operational radius is 4750km .

On Monday we visited the famous Ghibli Museum (they made several typical Japanese slyle cartoon, e.g. "Sprited away" and such like). The museum is also meant to be a place with special Ghibli-feeling, showing typical scenarios from famous comics, but we were not so impressed.

Kanda sensei and his wife seem to symphatize with us, as they invited us again, this time for dinner. Sensei's wife, Shige san, had also practiced aikido for "a while" (15 years, as it turned out;-)

A picture on the shopping street in Tokorozawa. Girls and guys in school-uniform, flags, bicycles, everything. Unfortunately, you can not listen to the musik. These streets are very noisy, and there are certain melodies that are very similar to good old Hungarian pioneer songs. So you can walk along the street with the nostalgic times of summer camps in your mind... I don't think this was the effect expected by the advertising professionals.

Several aikido pictures. One of our favorites: Hiromi. She is just 16 years old, she has practiced aikido for 10 years (she started in the kid's class), and she is very-very strong. She likes laughing loudly and she is enjoying her physical power all the time (no, I did not change the picture accidently, this nice girl is she!).

Suzuki Koshin sensei, who is quite popular in Hungary. He holds us one practice a week, and he takes part of one or two more: one can learn a lot from him.

On Sunday Hiroaki sensei took us to several dojos we have never visited before. This is the first one (Tanashi dojo), in the underground of a big building.

The other dojo (Tachikawa) is located at a much stranger place: on the 3rd floor of a big shopping center. You walk among the shops, and at once you can see people practicing aikido beyond the next glass wall...

The dojo from inside. As it is a rented place, the mats have to be placed down before practice. We enjoyed the practice very well.

We planned a mountain trip for Monday again, and it was rainy again, as usual. These wild places within the mountains are very attractive to us. I hope, we will able to spend a whole day here. We have not too much time left.

Before turning home, we found a nice shinto gate and altar in a small valley.

We spotted this holy place located in the middle of the river from the train in Agano, and, despite the rain, we got off to take some pictures (only for you, guys!). I don't know what kind of Buddha it can be with this music instrument, but the place itself had a nice atmosphere.

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