Pigeons in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square

ダルバール広場の鳩

Kathmandu

I want to write about Kathmandu’s Durbar Square today. And before it, first I should learn about Kathmandu.

Kathmandu is located in the northwestern part of the Kathmandu Valley whose size is almost same as the Kofu valley in Japan. Five mountains surround this valley and the average elevation is 1,400 meters above sea level. The valley is bounded by Patan, Lalitpur & Bhaktapur. Patan is a beautiful city which deserve to visit!

The quake in Kumamoto

熊本の地震で

Fore-shock

The strong earthquake hit Kumamoto prefecture on April 14. When I learned it, it was just after 20 mins of the first quake. We thought it was the first quake but it turned be a fore-shock. Next morning the main shock whose magnitude was 7.3 occurred.
The aftershocks have been occurring more than 550 times. Nearly 100,000 residents have been evacuated.

Stolen

People say that Japanese are very well-disciplined but cruel thief stealings have been happening in vacant destroyed houses. It is quite a sad thing.

Food supply

Food and water, toilet paper shortage at shelters grew worse. Even the government carried to Kumamoto, landslides cut off traffic routes and Emergency supplies haven't reached people. I don't know this kind problem always happens in such situations...

Nepali women outfits

ネパール女子のお洋服

Girls' cloths

I asked my Nepali girl friend Pun is a professional dress maker. Thease are her works.


Pun's works... beautiful

Accutally I had no idea about women's dresses in Nepal before I visited Nepal for the first time. Now after I have been there twice, what I think about Nepali young gilrs' wearing style is that there are not big differences between each other.



When I met my Nepali friend's mum, she was wearing a traditional dress. it have may be a sarry. She told me that she had joined a wedding party before we met so that may be a formal dress.

Stomach

One thing I noticed was... her stomach was out.
Since commonly we Japanese elder women don't wear skimpy dresses, I was surprised to see it a bit. But it was nice and I liked it. It looked beautiful on her.

Kurta Suruwal

Normal outfits of adult women wear are called Kurta Suruwal above. It is composed by a shirt and pants, the Nepali equivalent of the salweer kameez). Putting a scarf on neck is common.
I have never tried them but I want...! Next time I visit Nepal, defnately I will ask Pun to make Kurta Suruwals for me! My legs easily feel cold even summer so this is my style.


All of them are Pun's works. Awsome!


You can have a kuruta suruwal made to order. It takes only three days. Pun's shop is located in thamel, Kathmandu. If you like, let me know and let me connect you and her!


Pun's catalog of Kurta Suruwal. There are many bright colored dresses!

glittering!

女子の洋服

友達のプンはお針子です。これ彼女の作品（上記のものも全部）

ネパールを訪問するまで、ネパールの女性の洋服のイメージって全然ありませんでした。 2回ネパールを訪れて、若い女性の服装について思うところは、あまり大きな違いはないということです。

ネパール人の友達のお母さんにお会いした時、お母さんはこんな感じの伝統的な洋服を着ていました。結婚パーティに行ってきたのだと言ってましたので、正装ですね。

おなか

ひとつ気になったのは、おなかが出ていたことです。
日本の年輩の方が露出の高い服を着ることはあまりないですから、ちょっとびっくりしました。でもとてもきれいで、すてきでした。お母さんにもよく似合っていました。

クルタスルワール

女性のふだん着は、クルタスルワールと呼ばれます。シャツとズボン、ズボンとシャツの組み合わせを呼ぶネパールのsalweer kameezと同じ組み合わせです。ショールも掛けます。
まだ試したことないんですが、次回訪問した時は絶対作ってもらおう！足が冷え性なので、わたしにぴったり！すてき！


3日くらいで作ってくれるそうです。あ、オーダーメードですね。カトマンズのタメル地区のはずれにお店があります。 興味のある方はお声がけください！つなぎますよ。

KathmanduTown in Tokyo

リトルカトマンズ

From Korea to Nepal

A few months ago I watched a TV program about Nepal in Tokyo. The show is Tamori Club. Tamori who is a toastmaster of this show visits Okubo area. Okubo area is a famous with its Korean town is located.

Almost ten years ago, Korean drama shows made a blockbuster hit in Japan and triggered the Korean entertainment industry to takeover Japanese one and Okubo area transformed an old unsafe area in Tokyo to a entertaining Korean town where Japanese girls and ladies flooded out of shops selling Korean stars items.

And now " KathmanduTown" has joined there. Tamori mentioned that there are more than 2,000 Nepali people are living in Okubo. Totally more than 36,000 Nepali live in Japan according to a survey last year.

I visited Okubo to check it. When I went out of Shin-Okubo station, I didn't see anything more likely Nepal. After I walk a few minutes, I found a drugstore that was supposed to be located near so called "Islam Street" .

FOOD and SPICE CENTER BARAHI

When I watched the TV show, I got so excited and decided to visit there immediately. I expected quite a lot of Nepali things.

Strong earthquake hit Kumamoto in Kyushu of Japan

Just 40 mins ago, the strong quake hit Kumamoto prefecture. The magnitude was 6.5. Now again an alert of another strong shake has been just given.

More than ten houses were allegedly collapsed so far and rockfalls occurred. Fires are breaking out too.
A TV breaking news has been reporting about many times aftershocks afterward.

The focal depth is 10 km and it is sallow which is almost same as Hanshin-Awaji-earthquake in 1995.One of my friend who used to be there told me a piano in her room almost flew to the corner of her room at that time. It is horrible...