Three Cruses in Japan

I truly enjoyed cruises at three different locations: the Kanmon Strait between Kyushu and Honshu, Kobe Port facing the Seto Inland Sea, and Uradome Beach facing the Sea of Japan.

All three were completely different.

The Kanmon Strait cruise was on a small boat and lasted only about ten minutes, but I enjoyed the broad view and the sea breeze.

In Kobe, I took a large passenger ship that could accommodate 500 people. It was very comfortable. I enjoyed looking at shipbuilding sites and submarines.

Near Uradome Beach, I took a small boat through the islands. The waves were slightly rough, probably because it faces the Sea of Japan. To be honest, I was scared because the boat was quite shaky and passed very close to the rocks. I could really feel the movement of the waves. It was scary, but exciting.

The painting below is titled, “Seaside Wind,” Acrylic on canvas, 13”x18”, 2026, ©Kikuko Sakota Art

Let It Shine

The other day my younger brother signed up for a gospel concert. I was really surprised because I thought he was the last person who would go to a concert. He has never shown any interest in music. I really wanted to go myself, so I couldn’t resist joining him.

During the concert, a workshop was held where both the singers and the audience sang a song, “This Little Light of Mine.” Katakana pronunciation guides were provided so that all of us could pronounce the English lyrics, and Japanese translations were added so that we could understand the message. Repeatedly singing “Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine,” I felt optimistic, uplifted, and encouraged.

The painting below is titled, “Light in the Green”, Oil on canvas, 11”x11”, 2025

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