Awata-matsuri festival

The Awata-matsuri festival was held last weekend at Awata shrine in Kyoto, a festival with a history of over 1,000 years.



Last year, this festival had been cancelled due to COVID-19. Knowing that this festival would be resumed this year on a smaller scale, I went to see it. Since it is not a famous festival, there were not many spectators outside the neighborhood, so I felt very safe.



Last Saturday evening, "Yowatari" ritual procession was held to purify the route of the portable shrine for the next day, and the floats were paraded through the town with large lanterns lit.



These large lanterns were revived in 2008 for the first time in 180 years.



The students of Kyoto University of the Arts created the lanterns of Isotakeru no Mikoto and next year's zodiac sign, the tiger, in 1/2 scale. There were three of them, including the one made last year.
It was impressive to see the students involved in the making of the lanterns earnestly pulling the large lanterns.



Hopefully next year we can overcome COVID-19 and the festival can be held on its original scale.
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New updated - "Sound Level Analyzer PRO" ver 4.0

"Sound Level Analyzer PRO" has been updated to ver 4.0 today.

"Sound Level Analyzer PRO" is an integrated sound measurement app that includes sound level meter and a variety of noise analysis tools.

This app is a more advanced version of the standard noise measurement app "Sound Level Analyzer" and the free app "Sound Level Analyzer Lite".

It can measure the sound level of environmental noise, specific sound sources, music sounds, etc. in real time, and examine their maximum level, minimum level, time average level, etc.

　　

It has powerful sound analysis capabilities, including real-time frequency spectrum analysis, time-varying level display over time, and sound level statistical analysis (histogram and time-rate sound level). It can also be used for multifaceted analysis of the sound characteristics and frequency trends of a sound source.

＃ Frequency spectrum analysis（1/3 octave-band analysis, FFT）
　　

＃ Time-varying level display


＃ Sound level statistical analysis (histogram and time-rate sound level)
　　

＃Examples of general environmental noise and noise level:
　　130dB : Engine sound of Airplane
　　110dB : Horn of Car
　　100dB : Noise of passing train
　　 90dB : In loud factory
　 　80dB : In the train, Vacuum cleaner
　 　70dB : Noisy office, Noisy street
　 　60dB : Quiet Car, Normal conversation
　 　50dB : Quiet office
　 　40dB : In the library, Quiet residential area
　 　30dB : Outskirts of midnight, Whisper
　 　20dB : Sounds of rubbing leaves

*Note: The standard noise measurement range is 30 to 130 dBA, and the measured value (Leq) is about 30 dBA in a quiet room. Noise levels are never measured at 0dBA even in very quiet environments.

If you are interested in this app, please click the following link to display on the product information of App Store^TM.



P.S. (October 28, 2021)
New updated to Ver 4.1. Minor bugs have been fixed and internal processing has been improved. In addition, we have confirmed that this app works properly on the latest OS "iOS 15.1".

Fujibakama and butterfly

I was walking along Teramachi street in Kyoto when I came across an exhibition of Fujibakama (Eupatorium japonicum) at Kodo Gyoganji Temple.

This Fujibakama is an ancient species that originated in Kyoto over 1200 years ago.

Among the many Fujibakama flowers on display, I found a beautiful butterfly in a large pot!



This butterfly appeared to be a female Indian Fritillary. The leopard print wings were very eye-catching.

She was engrossed in sucking the nectar from the flowers, even though I was watching her very closely.

It is said that this type of butterfly ingests pyrrolizidine alkaloids, a chemical found in the nectar of Fujibakama flowers, and stores it in its body to protect itself from enemies and as a source of sex pheromones. She may have been intoxicated by this ingredient.

I was very healed by this beautiful butterfly.
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Thanks for the 9th anniversary of TOON establishment.

Our company celebrated the 9th anniversary of establishment on October 11 today.

With the current pandemic of COVID-19, people around the world are forced to shift to a new lifestyle. As the social environment changes, we will make every effort to provide services and tools that support the creation of a more comfortable living environment.

Thank you very much all for your support and gratefulness.

October 11, 2021

TOON, LLC.

"Jugatsuzakura" in Kyoto Gyoen.

The declaration of a state of emergency throughout Japan has been lifted on October 1, and I hope that the COVID-19 pandemic will gradually come under control.

I went for a walk in the Kyoto Gyoen Imperial Garden on a sunny day. It's been half a year since I came here to see the cherry blossoms in early spring.

On the east side of "Demizu no Ogawa" creek, pink flowers were blooming! Just like the scene I saw this spring.



The flowers are called "Jugatsuzakura," a type of cherry blossom that blooms in two seasons, early April and October through winter.

I was able to see it bloom at just the right time. I think it is a new tree that was planted five or six years ago, but I didn't know that it also blooms in autumn.



This pretty pink flower has healed my heart. It is still in its early stages of blooming, so we will be able to enjoy these pretty flowers for a while.
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