Summer haiku, Voice lesson, Tokoname, Made in Hawaii Festival

It has been a very hot summer in Hawaii, but I remember how humid and HOT Tokyo can be.
This little pocket park, dedicated to this statue gentleman (I wish I could remember who it was),  was near our apartment in Akasaka.

Full of trees at the peak of their greenery, it was hushed and still, so the droning of the cicadas (semi in Japanese) was hypnotic.

And when you looked closer at the branches and bushes, you could see  so many cicada shells!

A cicada shell;
it sang itself
utterly away.
(Basho poem, translated by R.H. Blyth)

More shells.
And of course, one of Basho's most famous haiku:

Shizukesa ya
Iwa ni shimiiru,
 Semi no koe

Translation by Donald Keene:
Such stillness-
The cries of cicadas
Sink into rocks.
****

Here's Penny trying to figure out how to get into the bag.
We were going to take her to puppy day care, but she thought if she could get into the bag, we would take her for an outing.

Today was my voice lesson at Shimizu Voice.  If I go early enough, the parking lot is much emptier and I can have my lunch at the Korean market downstairs, although I never eat it all.
Today was Bibimbap, vegetables and meat over rice.

Another fun and challenging lesson with a perceptive instructor.

We had an early
supper at Tokoname

  The Happy Hour Vegetable Tempura French Fries are good.
 

The Made in Hawaii Festival starts today.
Our friend usually has a table where he sells the leather items he tools, and R wanted to buy new eyeglass cases.

We couldn't find his table, but there were over 475 booths!
Shell leis..

...even a Christmas booth.

Thought we'd try some famous Molokai Bread.  Apricot Pineapple to have with breakfast coffee.
Glad I'm downsizing.  There were so many interesting and beautiful items for sale, all handcrafted in the Islands.