One more news about Gion Festival. Nikai-bayashi, or a musical accompaniment practice, started last Friday at the community hall of Hoka Boko, one of the floats for the Gion Festival. The unique [Kon-Chiki-Chin] sound echoed through the neighborhood. I think most Kyoto people get the feeling that summer has finally started, hearing the sound. Do you know how many floats are at the festival? I will attach a good map, so you can count them. Sorry it’s a bit too small though… (Risa)
July 3rd
How are you today? I’m really excited at going to the beach party in Tottori on Saturday. It’s held each year by local JETs and a lot of people join every year. This is the first time for me to go there, so I really cannot wait. This event also features the protection of the environment. Everyone must remind themselves of reducing garbage during the weekend, and minimize the impact to the earth. I will bring a reusable products and my-hashi (chopsticks) so as not to produce unnecessary waste. Next week, I will let you know how the party went. It is a bit early, but I hope you have a nice weekend. (Takashi)
July 2nd
The Gion Matsuri is coming up soon! It’s an annual festival and is said to be one of the three big festivals in Kyoto. Actually it spans the entire month of July, but the main dates are July 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th. The downtown area is closed for pedestrian traffic only on the three nights from the 14th to 16th leading up to the massive parade on the 17th. The streets are lined with night stalls selling food, toys and golden fish, etc. You will see many boys and girls wearing Yukata, a casual type of Kimono, walk around the area and enjoy themselves if you visit then. How about making a plan to come to Kyoto during that time? (Risa)
July 1st
How are you today? It’s already July. Can you believe it? “July” makes me daydream about the beach, beach soccer/volleyball, fireworks, and watermelons. Last weekend, I went to buy a new swimsuit. So, I would love to go surfing if I have a chance this summer. It’s been a while since I last went surfing, so I really can’t wait!! In some places, beaches were opened last weekend. I saw kids jump into the water although it seemed a bit cold. In my hometown (Takeno), today is the day to open the beach for this summer season. Also the beach you can take dogs will be opened soon. It will be fun to go out for swimming if you come to Japan in summer. (Takashi)
June 29th
How was your weekend? We had miserable weather on the both Saturday and Sunday… I sat for an English exam, TOEIC yesterday. It was the first time in 4 years, so I was a little nervous. I’ve realized my listening skill is definitely declining… I will get the result in a month, so I will think about what to do after that.
I was walking on Nishiki Street after the exam, and I found super expensive yellow cherries. How much do you think they are? They are 500yen each!!! I wanted to take a picture to put here, but I saw the sign saying NO PHOTOS. If you are interested, go to a fruit and veg shop [KANEMATSU] at the Nishiki Market and check them out. (Risa)
June 27th
How are you today? Can you guess what the object is in the photo above? I found it while I was walking around the shopping complex the other day. It’s precisely designed on an object in Japanese gardens. When the water fills the bamboo container, it falls one side and makes sound. It’s believed to make animals threatened. As for this object, the water rotates in the stone part somehow and flows out from the faucet above. If you like Japanese gardens, this would be a good item. You can place it on a shoebox, for example, and enjoy a little bit of Japanese atmosphere. I hope you have a nice weekend!!! (Takashi)
June 26th
For some reason, small change is being thrown into a pond located in front of Arashiyama station of Keifuku line in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto. The coins began to be noticed about a year ago. Large and small ponds were made in time of the renewal of the station building in 2002, and they are arranged around the main entrance. The westernmost pond contains the most conspicuous amount of small change. More than 100 coins lie in the pond now. Staff working at nearby souvenir shops think that foreign tourists have probably started to throw coins in the pond like at the Trevi Fountain in Italy…, but nobody knows the real reason why people are throwing coins into the pond. I will check out next time I go to Arashiyama! (Risa)
June 25th
On the way back to home, I dropped by a shopping complex in Kitaoji. I found a nice wind bell on which goldfish is drawn. A wind bell is a reminder of summer to me. I always wanted to buy one, but I have not. This year, however, I will get one definitely!! What I’d like to get is in the photo above. It looks like a goldfish bowl, since a goldfish and water plant are painted and also the round shape makes me think like that. I believe this wind bell will ease the unbearable summer heat whenever the wind comes in. (Takashi)
June 24th
What do you think we were doing in the above picture? We, four of us, were holding hands and form a circle around a tree at Ise Shrine. It’s a really big tree, and it’s approximately 6.4 meters round (I asked Takashi to measure my arm length, and it’s 1.6 meters long, so 1.6 m X 4 people = 6.4 m, right?). I wonder how old the tree is… It must be a few hundreds old or even older than that. There are so many huge trees at the shrine, and I loved it. It’s always nice to be surrounded by nature. I feel as if I can get amazing powers from it! (Risa)
June 23rd
How was your weekend? I spent cleaning and getting my apartment ready for the rainy season. I was a bit behind for that. While I was cleaning the house, I thought it would be a good idea to put dehumidifying agents in the closet, kitchen and etc. After cleaning the kitchen, I washed the filter of the air conditioner so that I can use it whenever I need to. When all the cleaning was done, I went out to buy dehumidifying agents to the local home center. I bought a pack of agents and also found an interesting thing. It was a white charcoal called “Binchotan” which absorbs the humidity and odor. Isn’t it great? I thought it would be an ideal item to put in the shoe box(especially this sticky rainy season), so I bought one. I hope all this effort will be paid off. I’ll see. (Takashi)
June 20th
There is Kaleidoscope Museum of Kyoto near our office. A projection kaleidoscope was opened to the public on June 6th there, which was created to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the museum. Beautiful geometric patterns were projected onto the walls and ceiling of the exhibition room (look at the above picture), and visitors enjoy the fantastic mood as if they had been in a kaleidoscope. You can get more information on their site; http://www.k-kaleido.org/museum_e.html The museum has a café too, so it would be nice to drop by while walking around Kyoto downtown. (Risa)
June 19th
How are you today? I often hear that there are a lot of summer-limited-products such as snacks, beverage and etc. Two days ago, I tried one of them; a bottle of PEPSI called “Blue Hawaii”. The label says “Pineapple & Lemon” flavor even though its color doesn’t match any of these. It’s hard to imagine pineapple/lemon flavor from this clear blue!! Plus, it doesn’t taste like any of these, too. It just reminded me of a portion of shaved ice with blue syrup. It wasn’t like PEPSI at all, but it was okay as a refreshment drink on a humid day. One thing UI noticed after drinking it was the color of my tongue… It was unbelievably BLUE. I’ll try other “summer” food. Maybe ice cream will be nice. (Takashi)
June 18th
Takashi and I went to a Thai restaurant [Café Kati] for dinner last Friday. There are quite a few Thai restaurants in Kyoto, but I think it’s the best so far. Preferably more seafood menu though. It’s located in the downtown area, but I guess it’s a bit hard to find if you are new to Kyoto. Please contact me if you would like to know more details about the location. I wonder if Takashi and I write about food too much? Sorry about that! (Risa)
June 17th
Last Saturday, my friend and I went to the museum in Shiga to see the exhibition of Italian artist "Bruno Munari"(1907-1998). He was such a great artist who put his limitless imaginations and unique ideas into shapes. His picture books, for example, have got some tricks. When you open a lid on a page, something smaller appears. It's exciting to turn the pages, so it must have a great influence for kids. He, in fact, invented things for kids so that they can nourish their imagination. There are some toys. For instance, transparent sheets on which pictures are drawn. You can place one sheet on another and make one scene with a tree, mountain, clouds, car and etc. I spent most of the time at the Picture book section. I really wanted to get a copy, but it was really expensive, so I gave up... Maybe one day when I become rich... (Takashi)
June 16th
How was your weekend? I hope you had a good one. We had beautiful weather during the weekend although we are in the middle of rainy season. I went to an Indian restaurant [Savera] with friends last night. We were going to a Vietnamese restaurant, but it was fully booked when we got there, so we decided to go with Indian food. One of my yoga instructors told me about the restaurant a while ago, but it was the first time to go there. We ordered several kinds of curry and side dishes, and we liked them all. The restaurant is located on the 2nd floor in Empire Building on Kiyamachi Street now, but the owner mentioned she would move it to somewhere in Sakyo Ward soon. She hasn’t decided exactly where it is, but I am glad I visited the restaurant before that. We are planning to try the Vietnamese restaurant again, so I will let you know how it is sooner or later. (Risa)
June 13th
Look what I had for lunch today. Yes, a lot of “nutella”. I spread it on a baguette. I like the flavor and hazel nuts scent. I prefer this to peanuts butter and I would eat it almost every day when I was in New Zealand. This weekend, one of my friends and I are planning to go to a museum in Shiga. There is an exhibit of “Bruno Murari”, who is an Italian artist. He worked on picture books, woodcut prints and etc. It’ll be interesting to see his work. I hope you have a good weekend. I think I’ll be eating “nuttela” for breakfast next 2 days.(Takashi)
June 12th
We ate the specialties of Ise on Sunday. Ise-Udon for lunch and Akafuku for dessert. If you don’t know what Akafuku is (I’m pretty sure you don’t know…), see the picture below. They are rice cakes covered with sweetened red bead paste. They are said to have been sold in front of the Ise Shrine since 1707. Most people who visit Ise would buy them as a souvenir. As it was a very hot day, we ordered ‘Akafuku Gori’ this time. It is a bowl of shaved ice with green tea syrup, and Akafuku is in it. I think it’s an ideal dessert for a hot summer day. Why don’t you try it if you get a chance to visit Ise? But, remeber it is sold only in summer! (Risa)
June 11th
Starbucks started selling a new Fruppeccino, which is “Dark Mocha Fruppeccino”. It’s sweet but a little bit bitter at the same time. It’s not as sweet as “Caramel” or “Java Chip Fruppeccino”, so even if you don’t like sweets, it may be delicious. Also it seems like Starbucks will release new flavors such as “Mango and Passion Fruit Fruppeccino”. Hiroko-san bought Risa and me the Fruppeccino yesterday. Thank you so much, Hiroko-san!!! It was really good. It’s getting hotter day by day, so why don’t you drop by Starbucks in your neighborhood and have a cup of cold drink? (Takashi)
June 10th
I went to Ise, Mie Prefecture with friends on Sunday. According to the weather forecast, it was going to rain and thunder in the south part of Kansai area, but we had stunning weather unexpectedly. We visited typical tourist spots such as Ise Shrine and Meoto Iwa, and we also enjoyed eating the local specialties. Can you guess what they are? I will keep the topic until Thursday. It was a pretty long trip, but we all fully enjoyed it. Hope you also had a nice weekend! (Risa)
June 9th
How was your weekend? I stayed home the whole weekend. You may have heard that a terrible thing happened in Tokyo yesterday. At first, the man drove a truck into the pedestrian only street and hit 3 or 4 people. Then, he got out of the track and stubbed another 3 or 4 people and ran away. However, he got caught soon after trying to run away. It is really shocking, since Japan is believed to be a safe place. Nowadays, there has been a lot of news of homicides. It must be the time to re-consider about the security and tendency of recent murder cases. I hope I can hear some good news. There is one; Japan National Volleyball team grabbed a ticket to the Beijing Olympics!! (Takashi)
June 6th
Four cities were picked as finalists for the 2016 Olympics on Wednesday. Do you know which cities were chosen? Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo! The finalists now advance to a race that will finish on Oct. 2, 2009 when the winner is chosen by a secret ballot y the full IOC in Copenhagen, Denmark. The four cities have to submit their detailed bids to the IOC by Feb. 12, 2009. After that, a panel of IOC experts will visit each of the cities, tour proposed sites and meet with government leaders etc. The panel will provide an evaluation to IOC member a month before the Oct 2009 vote. Which city do you think will be chosen? Rio would be become the first South American city to host the Olympics if chosen. I think that would be great. Of course, I am interested in how strong Tokyo would be in the race! (Risa)
June 5th
I decided not to buy a bento from this week. By doing this, I can save some money and spend for something else such as Starbucks Fruppecchino!! I thought it would be troublesome to do this, but I find it fun to cook a bento everyday. I cooked 3 times this week and I’ll cook another one for tomorrow. My bento mainly consists of leftovers of dinner the night before and ingredients in my fridge. I do respect those who cook bento for their kids and partners every day. It’s very difficult to decide the menu… I might buy a book for bento ideas. You can see my today’s bento. (Takashi)
June 4th
I feel like I am an Asian food freak! My friend and I went to a Balinese restaurant [Alam Bali Café] for dinner last night. Every time we passed by the restaurant, we kept saying ‘Let’s try some day’. My impression? To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend you to go there… I am afraid that the quality of service (food itself, friendliness, promptness, and cost-performance) is unfortunately quite low. We ordered only 4 small dishes, but it took nearly 2 hours to finish our dinner. I don’t think you want to know the location and phone number etc, I won’t tell you here… Sorry this isn’t useful information today!(Risa)
June 3rd
I got a package from my friend in Australia last week. I found a new Cadbury dessert chocolate in it. In Australia and New Zealand, Cadbury produces dessert chocolate such as Fudge Brownie and Lemon Cheesecake. My friend sent me a Tiramisu flavored one. It’s really sweet and of course good. I looked up an article on Wikipedia about Cadbury products and I found out that Australia and New Zealand have way more products than others do. This makes a lot of sense because I always had a difficulty which one I should buy when I was in New Zealand. After all, I couldn’t decide, so I bought a couple of them though. When you buy chocolate in summer, be careful not to let it melt!! The heat can spoil your chocolate. (Takashi)
June 2nd
How was your weekend? I went to Kobe to see a friend and stayed with her on Saturday night. We went to our favourite Thai restaurant ‘Baan Thai’ for dinner, and we really enjoyed the meal there. I love spicy yet flavorful foods like Thai and Vietnamese, so I always try to find good Asian restaurants in Kansai area. I think the Baan Thai is my favourite one so far. It’s located just behind Hankyu Sannomiya Station, so it’s very easy of access. It’s always incredibly crowded, so don’t forget to make a reservation in advance. If you get a chance to go to Kobe, why don’t you try it? Phone; 078-391-0545 (Risa)
May 30th
The Beijing Olympic Games 2008 are taking place very soon. I don’t think I’ll go there. Instead of going there, especially for those who really would like to go, but don’t have time, there are China Towns in Japan where you can at least enjoy a little bit of atmosphere of what China would be like. There is one in Kobe where I visited last weekend. It was very lively and crowded. You can try really good Chinese cuisine at a reasonable price. What I liked most was dumplings with sesame on their surface. You can go with family, friends and eat a lot. By the time you leave, you would feel very full. Why don’t you go out this weekend? I would love to go to the one in Yokohama!! Maybe one day. Have a good weekend!! (Takashi)
May 29th
There are various kinds of dialects in Japan, and we have the Kyoto one here, too. Actually, younger people don’t speak it any more (I’ve never heard them speaking it at least), but you can still find that older people still speak it especially in traditional area such as Gion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gion) and Kamishichiken (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamishichiken) etc… Do you know the word ‘ookini’? Do you know the meaning? I totally believed it means ‘thank you’ just until now, but it doesn’t. According to the article I read, it means ‘very’ not ‘thank you’. If you have a chance to hear the phrase ‘ookini arigato’ from someone, he/she thanks you very much. It is interesting to learn languages, eh? (Risa)
May 28th
Look what I ate at the China town in Kobe!! It’s a black steamed pork bun. There is only one stall which sells this. When I saw it, one though came up in my mind; it’s not such a good idea to eat this weird black thing. However, I really wanted to try it at the same time. Even though a part of me was a bit scared, I bought one. Can you guess what makes it black? It is squid ink!!! I reckon it’s common to have pasta in squid ink sauce, but I had never tried squid ink in a steamed bun before. You can find it quite easy because the stall stands out. It looks a bit scary to eat, but it did taste good!! If you go to the china town, why don’t you try one? (Takashi)
May 27th
The rainy season has begun in Okinawa and Amami Islands since last week. According to the Meteorological Agency, it will start in Kansai area at the beginning of June. I don’t like rainy weather so much, but I can think of one good thing. There are a few temples which are famous for their hydrangeas in Kyoto. Mimurotoji, Sanzen-in, and Yoshiminedera… I would love to go to one of them at least this year! (Risa)
May 26th
How was your weekend? I went to Kobe to see the collections from the Louvre Museum. I expected to see more paintings, but there were few. The collections are from the period of Louis XV to the end of the kingship, which includes gorgeous things of Mary Antoinette. There are posh objects such as vase, dishes, golden clocks, writing desk, etc. Did you know that the belongings of Mary Antoinette hold the sign? It looks like logos of baseball teams. The museum was packed with people last Saturday. After that, I went to Starbucks and found a Kobe designed mug. I prefer the one of Kyoto. (Takashi)
May 23rd
Thanks for your advice, Takashi. I will think about it.
Do you keep a diary? I never do, but I exchange e-mails with a friend quite frequently, so it’s like a diary for me. It’s been a year since we started the mail exchange, and it is very important to me now. It always helps me clear my mind and/or sort out my thoughts when I feel a little down. I want to send my most sincere thanks to my friend… Thank you!
Sorry, today’s news has nothing to do with Kyoto/Japan… I hope you have a great weekend!!! (Risa)
May 22nd
Risa and I went to Starbucks after work. We had a chat over coffee. While I was there, I was thinking about buying a white Starbucks tumbler, for this can reduce the waste of plastic cups whenever I go to Starbucks. Also, it gives me a little bit of discount. The latter reason attracted me more. I didn’t buy the tumbler at Starbucks in Shijo, but after 20 minutes or so, I bought it at Starbucks Kitaoji. I was very indecisive because there were different sizes. I had “white chocolate mocha” today with my new shiny tumbler. I’ll recommend Risa to get a tumbler!! Why don’t you buy one? (Takashi)
May 21st
Japanese water irises called Kakitsubata in Japanese as one of Japan’s national natural treasures, have been in full bloom in Ota-no-sawa pond at Ota Shrine in Kita Ward, Kyoto. The purple/dark blue flowers are vividly reflected on the water. The 2000-square-meter pond has about 25,000 wild irises growing in clumps in and around it. Since ancient times, the flowers have attracted many people, including Fujiwara-no-Toshinari, a very famous poet in the Heian Period (794-1185) who wrote a waka poem in appreciation of their beauty. The flowers can be enjoyed until approximately May 25th, so you have got a few more days! Don’t miss your chance!!! (Risa)
May 20th
On Sunday, I had my friend around at my house. I hadn’t seen him quite for a while, but he remembered my birthday. That was a big surprise. He gave me the Spiderman underwear as a belated birthday present. I have to admit that this was a bigger surprise, because I didn’t tell him that I like Spiderman. Well, it’s quite interesting that there are so many character-designed-T-shirts, undies and etc. I think there are too many… As for designers’ brand, one of the phone companies will sell a cellphone which designed by GUCCI. There will be more and more collaboration goods and some people will be so much into those. I don’t know if it’s good or not though. (Takashi)
May 19th
How was your weekend? Takashi and I went to our workmate, Hiroko’s wedding party on Saturday. It was a huge party, and there were more than 100 people there. She was preparing for the wedding until the very last minutes, but we were glad everything went perfect. They left for Australia for their honeymoon last night, and we do hope they are having a great time there. Congratulations again, Hiroko! (Risa)
May 16th
Do you know Starbucks have different designed mugs and tumblers? I bought a Kyoto-limited-edition mug last week. It’s got a picture of the Golden Temple, colorful fans, rock or zen garden and silhouette of a pagoda. I think it’s very Kyoto like. I saw an Osaka version, and it’s got swirls and quite blue because Osaka is said a city of water and light. Not every city has its own design, but there still seems to be a lot of designs. For instance, Tokyo version has got a picture of Tokyo Tower of course. It may be interesting to pay attention to mugs and tumblers when you go to Starbucks in various places in Japan. Have a good weekend!!! (Takashi)
May 15th
Have you ever heard of the rumor; It is rude to make eye contact during conversation in Japan? I often hear Japanese people are not good at making eye contact, and I think it’s quite true… But, I have never heard of the above rumor before. According to the article by Robert Whiting, a Japanese-culture expert, that used to be the rule, back in the old days, during the Meiji and Taisho periods (the late 1800s and early 1900s), and it was considered disrespectful, especially when talking to a superior. Wow…I didn’t know the rule… People in Japan act like people in the West these days, and not making eye contact would be considered a bit odd when talking to someone…but, I now understand why they are still kinda poor at making eye contact. (Risa)
May 14th
As I mentioned in the last post, I put a photo of Osaka Castle. The wall which surrounds the castle is really big. It’s said those stones were mined and shipped from various parts of Japan. I really can’t believe all these work was done by human. An interesting thing I found about those stones is that the surface of the stone wall has thin stones which cover smaller stones behind them. This is like a cover, but these stones are still big. This surprise or secret struck.
There is one more photo of the Castle. This golden fish like statue is believed to protect people from fire and other bad luck. Nagoya castle also has these statues. I think those are more famous than ones of Osaka Castle. In Okinawa, you can see same kind of ornament but in different shape; lion like statue. Can you think of something like this in your country? (Takashi)
May 13th
Can I talk about a thing unrelated to Kyoto today? I always suffer from a symptom when I have a headache. What do you guess it is? This might sound odd, but I smell petrol fumes every time I get a headache. I take aspirin, but it cannot get rid of the smell… Actually I was suffering from the symptom over the weekend, and it was really nasty. I talked to several doctors about it before, but it wasn’t solved… They all said they never heard of the case. So, I thought it is a rare case, but apparently it’s not. I googled it and found that quite a few people suffer from the same symptoms all over the world. I do hope someone will develop a remedy very soon! (Risa)
May 12th
How was your weekend? I was supposed to laze around, but I went to Osaka to see my friend from Australia. It was pouring down on Saturday, but we went to Osaka Castle avoiding so many paddles on the road. By the time we got to the Castle, I got my pants soaking wet!! The Castle was crowded with kids (maybe elementary school trips). I’ll upload a few photos next time. We had “Okonomi-yaki” for lunch. It was the first time for her to eat it, so she was so excited that she took a video of a staff cooking it. We were so hungry, so it was like a torture while we were waiting. We could smell and even touch the okonomi-yaki, but we managed to suppress the nasty urge. I couldn’t remember the word “bonito flakes”, so I explained her that Japanese eat “saw dust”. I’m such a bad person… At least I can correct it now. Haha. By the way, “Fugetsu” is the place we went. It was really good. You can try it!! (Takashi)
May 9th
Yay! It’s already Friday! As we had lots of holidays for the last 2 weeks, so it passed so quickly.
A big festival called Aoi Matsuri is coming up on May 15th. The festival is also know as the Kamo festival, and is held at both the Kamigamo and Shimogamo Shrine. The both shrines are registered on the World Heritage list, so you might know them. The origin of the festival dates back to the time of the KInmei Emperor in 567. And, it came to be celebrated on a grand scale from the Heian Period. The name of the Aoi Matsuri originated from the tradition of offering geraniums (Aoi in Japanese) to the gods, and decorating the temple, attendees and ox carriages with geranium leaves. The Aoi Matsui is one of the three major festivals in Kyoto, so it’s definitely worth visiting. I hope we will have good weather on that day! (Risa)
May 8th
I had a relaxing time during the Golden Week. It’s always nice to have a long weekend. It’s a good opportunity to catch up with friends and have a silly chat over coffee at Starbucks. I saw carp streamers (aka Koinobori) on Children’s Day. This reminded me of my little ones. I used to live in an apartment, so I wasn’t be able to have bigger ones. However, I guess these were big enough for me at that time. On the way to the station, I saw heaps and heaps of carp streamers flattering in the wind. I saw really big ones at the corner. Actually these were visible from far!! You might know, but these different colors and sizes describe a family; parents and a boy. Usually there are 3 carp streamers. But what happens if a family has more than 1 boy? Do they have to add as the number of boys they have? I just wondered. Anyway, I hope you have a good day!!! (Takashi)
May 7th
We’re back after a long weekend. I was walking around Kyoto downtown during Golden Week, and I found the restaurants and bars have already set the dining deck by Kamo River and started to serve lunch and dinner there. It is called [YUKA], and it is one of summer features in Kyoto. How many restaurants and bars are there? What do you think? According to the article I read, there are 91! I had posh images of Yuka until a couple of years ago, but that’s not true. There are quite a few casual restaurants and bars, so you can visit there without any hesitation. Maybe you just want a coffee? If yes, go to Starbucks by Sanjo Bridge. Isn’t it nice to enjoy a coffee, soaking up the sunshine? Here is a tip for you. The restaurants and bars won’t be open during lunch time from June to August as it’s too hot outside! If you want to get more information about Yuka, visit http://www.kyoto-yuka.com/shop/map.html (Risa)
May 2nd
How are you today? Risa has a day off today. I hope she’s having a good, relaxing day. The 2nd part of the Golden Week starts tomorrow. I guess lots and lots of people are going abroad, coming into Kyoto. I guess people who visit Kyoto will have a difficulty in finding an accommodation. Also it’ll be crowded everywhere… My plan for this holiday is meeting up with my friends in Osaka at some stage, and I’m not sure what comes next. He’s in China at the moment, so I’ll call him soon. Hmm, chilling out at home sounds like a perfect plan if you don’t have any plans to go anywhere. This Golden Week is not as long as last year’s. But it’s good to have holidays!!! I hope everyone has a great time. Those who visit Kyoto during the Golden Week, please look after yourself. Have a nice weekend!!! (Takashi)
May 1st
It has warmed up in Kyoto, but I still feel a bit chilly especially when I am in the building. Takashi and I are totally opposite. He loves winter, but I much prefer summer. We have to quarrel about the preset temperature of air conditioner when it gets hotter...??? I hope not!
I feel as if it were Friday today because I am taking the day off tomorrow. Yay! I have a 5-day-weekend!!! I will definitely fully enjoy it. A bit too early to tell you, but I hope you have a nice weekend. (Risa)
April 30th
I’m back to work. I spent such relaxing time in my hometown with my family and friends. On Saturday, even though a credit card problem (I thought I lost it), I got back to my hometown in the evening. The next day, I met up with friends and had a practice session of Ultimate Frisbee. It was kind of windy that day, so it was difficult to control a disc. This sport is really tough. You have to be REALLY fit at first place. The Ultimate Frisbee competition takes place in July in Toyooka-shi if you’re interested in it. Now I have sore muscles on my legs… By the way, you can see the nice beach in the photo. Have a good week!!! (Takashi)
April 28th
How was your weekend? My boss and I went to have dinner at a ryokan/restaurant called ‘Ikumatsu’ with a client on Friday night. It was a fantastic meal, and I enjoyed it to the fullest. The dinner was rich in seasonal ingredients like bamboo shoots, broad beans, baby squid, Spanish mackerel, sweet fish and various kinds of wild vegetables. We all couldn’t stop saying “mmm…very delicious”. Apart from the excellent meal, we enjoyed the lecture about the building too. It was amazing the ryokan building had such interesting histories…I would definitely recommend you to visit the restaurant if you have a chance to come to Kyoto some day in the future. Here is the information; http://www.kyotoguesthouses.com/guesthousedyn.php?GH_ID=56 (Risa)
April 25th
It’s already Friday. I’m going to have a Monday off, so 4-day-weekend for me!! I plan to go back to my hometown, which is in the north of Hyogo Prefecture, and it looks like a dot on the map. The mighty “Google Earth” cannot show you the much details of my hometown “Takeno”. Anyway, I’m going home for a couple of days and catch up with my friends and have BBQ on the beach, which probably is banned. If so, we have to think about alternatives… There is a rock trapped between two massive rocks on the photo. You can see it on the coastline. I don’t know exactly how this happed, but I’ll go and see it, since it’s quite close from my home. I cannot wait to see the ocean!!! I hope you have a great weekend!!! (Takashi)
April 24th
One of our workmates, Hiroko is getting married next month, so she has been pretty busy preparing for the wedding. She took a day off yesterday, and she went to a final meeting with a wedding coordinator. She looked a little frustrated when she came to the office this morning…and she explained why. I can’t believe there are soooo many things to do for the wedding… How much is the average budget for a wedding in your country? It’s 3,000,000yen (US$30,000) here. It’s only for a wedding ceremony! (Risa)
April 23rd
Last weekend, I went to one of the Irish pub “The GAEL” in Gion. (http://www.irishpubkyoto.com/en/index.html) On that day, there was an International party with all you can drink deal. Also we had free fish & chips. It was so crowded that night and it was pretty hard to get to the counter to order drinks and get back to where I was sitting. My friends and I got to know some random guys from Australia, France and etc. It was a blight side of the night, but some people were really dodgy. They came up to my friends and bought them a lot of drinks. This Irish pub is pretty cool place to hang out after work or such, but please remind yourself that there are some dodgy people. Of course, not only at this pub but other places. There seems to be another International party in Kyoto in May. You can find out about it from “Why not Japan.com”. (Takashi)
April 22nd
I have been suffering from sore back and shoulders. I think they were caused by sitting all the way back from Alaska. 3 hours from Anchorage to Seattle, 11 hours from Seattle to Narita, and then 3.5 hours from Narita to Kyoto… It was a long way. I have heard that our bone structure is different from westerner’s, so we tend to get stiff neck and shoulders easily…Argh… I thought yoga might help get rid of the pain, but it didn’t work this time…so, I am going to get a massage after work tonight. I can’t wait!(Risa)
April 21st
How was your weekend? I had such a great time with my friends. I went to my friend’s birthday BBQ on Saturday, which was also my b-day party, and my friend Helen bought me a b-day cake for me!!! It was a big good surprise and I was so happy when I saw it. Maybe a bit overexcited, since I was a little bit drunk. After eating the cake, a couple of friends and I came back to Kyoto to go to another party at the Irish pub in Gion. I t was all-you-can-drink party, so needless to say, I drunk a lot. From today, I won’t drink alcohol for a while. Now I’m 27 years old, but it’s just 2-digit-number, so I don’t care how old I am. What really matters is how positively you think about getting old. Getting old means getting wiser, so I don’t care. (Takashi)
April 18th
I’m back! I am so glad I have survived the harsh Alaskan weather. It was freezing cold as expected, but I was doing ok there. I didn’t think I would see snow this winter (It’s already the middle of spring in Kyoto though…), but it snowed quite a lot while I was there. I went for a walk after work almost every night, and it was good fun, too. I have more to write about Alaska, but maybe next time… Hope you have a nice weekend! (Risa)
P.S. Thank you for writing the news every day while I was away, Takashi!!!
April 16th
I receive inquiries for booking around the end of April and beginning of May. To some people, I can offer a couple of options. However, as it is getting closer to the coming “Golden Week”, I have more difficulties in finding ryokans for some people. Nowadays, people in Japan travel to overseas, but quite a few people spend the holiday in Japan such as Kyoto. That’s the reason why. I guess lots and lots of people will stream into Kyoto that time. This year, the Golden Week isn’t that long; 4 days from April 26th to 29th as the first half. In addition to this, from May 3rd to May 6th as the second. I cannot believe it’s nearly the holiday season!!! Time flies, eh!!! (Takashi)
April 15th
As I said yesterday, I put a photo of tulips at Bampaku-Park. There were a lot of yellow, red, pink and white-like tulips there. However, what attracted most was the sight of one pink tulip standing in the middle of yellow ones. My friend described that a foreigner was standing in the middle of Japanese. Or could be a Japanese standing in the middle of foreigners in somewhere in the world. The pink tulip seemed as if screaming like, “Why me?” or something like that. Anyway, I hope you can see as many tulips as I saw at the park last weekend. (Takashi)
April 14th
Hello, how was your weekend? I went to Osaka to see cherry blossoms. It is said that the cherry blossom season is nearly gone, but I could still see some spring beauty at the Bampaku-Park in Osaka. You can see the Tower of the Sun, which was designed by a Japanese artist “Taro OKAMOTO”. It is a memorial monument for the World Expo in 1970. (By the way, this is the reason why this park is called “Bampaku-Park”.) If you are tired of seeing cherry blossoms, how about tulips? There are hundreds, thousands of them at the Park. I’ll post a photo of them tomorrow. Have a nice day!!! (Takashi)
April 11th
”T.G.I.F.” It’s the 5th day since Risa left for Alaska. We miss you heaps. We all hope you’re doing okay in Alaska where you can still see snow. Well, in Kyoto, it rains a lot this week. The cherry blossom season is nearly over. However, I have an invitation to another Hanami party in Osaka tomorrow. They think I’m going even though I haven’t said “yes” yet. This seems like I’m in already. Hahaha. I’m not sure if they will see sakura, or just drink… I’ll see how it goes tomorrow, as I’m kind of into this somehow. I hope you guys have a nice weekend!!! (Takashi)
April 10th
Can you see what it is in the canal? The white and pink sakura petals were floating on the water when I left the Sumpu-Park. It looks like a carpet, doesn’t it? I cannot stop talking about SAKURA!!! Okay, changing the subject (finally…) Recently I see lots of kids carrying a huge bag, which is as big as they are, on the way to the station. Schools start in April in Japan, which is different from other countries. I suppose term starts in September in western countries. My boss attended his kid’s entrance ceremony. This reminds me of spring, new season and new life. However, it’s raining all day here in Kyoto. I hope cherry blossoms won’t be gone because of this rain. (Takashi)
April 9th
What’s the synonym for spring and “sakura”? Yes, it’d be “Hanami”. It was the first hanami in last couple of years and of course the first one in Shizuoka. There were lots of pink lanterns everywhere. Literally everywhere. On the very day I went to hanami with my friend, there was a “Shizuoka-Matsuri”, so there were heaps and heaps of people. It was really crowded with people doing hanami holding beer can and buying food from stalls. Have you done hanami this year? The sakura season is going and will be gone soon. Hope you have a great spring day!!! (Takashi)
April 8th
How are you everyone? It’s “Shizuoka Week”, I guess. Believe it or not, I had a cup of green tea at a tea house for the first time in my life. Sunpu Castle has a cozy tea house. The small cake came with tea was just beautiful. I don’t eat Japanese cake, but this white cake was beautiful!! The tea was bitter, but also good. After sitting in a “Seiza” position, I had pins and needles on my legs. I couldn’t feel my legs seriously. On the other hand, my friend from New Zealand, they were just fine after 20-minute-Seiza. Shame on me… Anway, this is my first tea house experience. I’d like to have another chance here in Kyoto sometime. (Takashi)
April 7th
It’s very strange Risa is not here when I come to the office. She’s off to Alaska today for approximately 2 weeks. I hope she has a safe flight. I went to Shizuoka last weekend. It was the first time to go there in fact. Shizuoka is such a good place. Do you know why? You can see Mt. Fuji from the city center when it’s sunny. When I got off at Higashi-Shizuoka Station, the mountain was visible in the distance. People in Shizuoka might take it for granted, but it7s really great, don’t you think? I went to the beach called “Matsubara” where you can see both the ocean and the mountain. Please see the photo below. This beach is a stage of one of the fairy tales, “Hagoromo Densetsu”. In this story, a woman came down to the earth and while she was bathing, a guy stole her robe so that she couldn’t go back to the heaven. That guy is so mean, but it seems like he couldn’t stand the beauty of the woman from the heaven. Anyway, the beach is the stage of this fairy tale. Have a nice week!!! (Takashi)
April 4th
As Takashi mentioned yesterday, I am off to Alaska soon… I’m sure he will post something interesting EVERY DAY (it’s quite hard, though) while I am away. I look forward to reading your diary shivering in Alaska, Takashi!
I guess most cherry trees will be in full bloom in Kyoto this weekend. I am planning to go to a botanical garden with a friend on Sunday. My friend’s mum went there last spring, and she was so impressed with the beautiful blossoms. Hopefully, we will have lovely weather this weekend! (Risa)
April 3rd
My weekend starts one day earlier than usual. “T.G.I.T.”=”Thank God It’s Thursday!!” I’m taking a day off tomorrow, and going to Shizuoka to see my friend who works there as an ALT. I haven’t seen her for a long time, so it’ll be really fun to catch up with her and hanging out. We plan to go to “Izu” and probably the beautiful beach in “Shimizu”. I’ll upload a few photos when I get back to work next week. Today’s the last day to see Risa until she comes back from the business trip. Big cheer to Risa!!! (Takashi)
April 2nd
I met up with a friend from Yamagata and his mum from England for dinner last night. We had a quick drink at Ace Café before dinner, and then we went to a Shabu-Shabu restaurant, Morita-ya by Kamo River. I knew the name of Ace Café, but I never visited there before. As it’s located on the 10th floor and it has huge windows, so you get a really good view of north and east side of Kyoto city. The meal at Morita-ya was delicious, and we had a good window view of the river, which was nice, too. It is the first time for his mum to come to Japan, so I guess everything is a little weird for her. She said ‘Japanese food is wobbly’…Of course, not all of them…but, I thought she was quite right. Tofu, Mochi (Rice cake), Warabi-mochi (Sorry, I’m not sure how to say it in English…), Onsen Tamago(Japanese-style poached egg) etc… yeah, lots of wobbly stuff. Anyway, we had a lovely time last night. They are in Nara today, and I hope they are having a great time with deer there! (Risa)
April 1st
Last Saturday, I went out with my friend to see “Sanjyu-Sangendo” and “Kyoto National Museum”. The temple is famous for its 1,001 statues of Buddhist deities. The sight of so many statues put us in awe of them, as we felt as if these statues had been staring at us. We hurried to the exit after seeing enough of them. LOL Then, we were headed for the National Museum, which is across the road from the temple. This museum has got a massive garden and the statue of “The Thinker” by French artist “Rodin”. The photo is titled “The Thinker who’s deep in his thoughts and a guy who doesn’t think much and believes in his instinct”. Well, the latter one is me… Anyways, the museums collection is based on Asian things, so you might be interested in the exhibits. Have a nice day!!! (Takashi)
March 31st
How was your weekend? This weekend was overcoat weather again in Kyoto. I think we experience the coldness in the cherry-blossom time every year. I remember it was the same last year, too. It will take a little more time for the cherry trees in Kyoto to be in full bloom, I think…but, look at the picture below. It was taken at Sanjusangen-do. Isn’t it pretty? (Risa)
March 28th
How are you? It seems like cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Tokyo!! A number of people must go out to have a “Hanami” party this weekend. On the other hand, I can only see a little bit of spring in the area where I live. Some cherry buds seem to be still young to pop out. I wonder when spring comes into my place… Anyway, what is your plan for this weekend? I’d like to go see lighted up temples and shrines at evening. Everyday I see an advertisement on the train about the light ups, so I’m really keen on going this weekend. Nijo-Castle’s light up sounds really great. I’ll let you know what it is like if I go. By the way, we are going out to eat tonight. Thai food, yay!!! (Takashi)
March 27th
Sorry if you were looking forward to my BIG news…actually, that’s not really important news for you… It was decided only a short while ago, but I will be away on business from April 7th to 17th. Where to? Alaska! I believe it’s still freezing cold there…so, I asked Takashi to lend me a warm winter jacket yesterday. He kindly brought the jacket to the office today. I think I will survive the harsh Alaskan weather thanks to you, Takashi! (Risa)
March 26th
How are you? I have nothing to write about, but I found a photo of Kyoto Tower, which I took quite a while ago. This photo reminds me of the time when I first came to Kyoto by myself. I was little at that time, so it looked really tall. Now it’s still tall, but seems a bit smaller than before. Kyoto Tower was opened in December 1964. Its height is 131m including the Kyoto Tower Building. It is said that is because the population of the Kyoto city was “1,310,000” when the Tower was built. Isn’t it something? Coincidence? Risa and I thought its shape symbolizes a candle, but it was wrong. Can you guess what it’s supposed to symbolize? According to “Wikipedia”, it’s a lighthouse even though there’s no ocean in Kyoto city. It was such a big surprise for me. Even though I live in Kyoto, I don’t know what I’ve written here. Isn’t it nice to be curious?? It seems like Risa has big news to tell you guys. Please wait until tomorrow. (Takashi)
March 25th
The cherry blossoms at the Imperial Palace had finally opened yesterday! I saw the buds just ready to burst when I was walking along Kamo River on Sunday, and they made me so happy. I believe you will see the full-bloomed cherry blossoms here and there in Kyoto in a week. Are you planning to come to Kyoto in the next 10 days or so? If yes, you are lucky! Surely you will fully enjoy the spring beauty! (Risa)
March 24th
How was your weekend? I chilled out at home, watched a couple of DVDs and did the washings. Believe it or not, I was in the PJs all day long and at I took a shower at night and changed into another pair of PJs. So, this means basically I was in the PJs all day long. It was warm outside and I left the windows for a while to let the spring breeze in. However, it was noisy outside, so I had to shut the door… Bummer. I should’ve gone out for a little bit of walk. On the way to the station this morning, I saw pink plum blossoms. I was wondering why those were still in full bloom… Anyway, cherry blossoms will be beautiful when time comes. It seems like cherry blossoms are not ready to bloom yet, but soon… I love spring. (Takashi)
March 21st
It was me. I made Takashi cook the tiramisu for us. Sorry, Takashi…but, it was so yummy! The dessert was extremely popular in Japan around 1990, and every cake shop sold them. Thank you again, Takashi. Hiroko and I remember your birthday is coming up next month, so we will do something for you in return!
I smelled sweet scents from somewhere on my way to work this morning. I knew what they were, but I couldn’t find them. I am not so sure how you call them in English…Daphne? The sweet-scented flower always reminds me of the coming of spring, and I love it. What’s your favourite spring flower? (Risa)
March 19th
I cooked a tiramisu last night as somehow I ended up promising to cook one for my colleagues. I have no idea how it all began and led me into a situation where I cooked a tiramisu. Oh well. I ran around Kyoto to get mascarpone. I went to “Daimaru” first and I was shocked to see the price; 2,100yen. So, I decided to go to Kyoto Station as I know there’s one imported-goods shop there. On the way back to home, I dropped in a supermarket to buy other ingredients. I rarely drink coffee, but I bought a small bag of it, which was quite ridiculous. :-P It’s been a while since I last cooked tiramisu, so I had to follow the recipe my friend had given me before. Beating up egg yolk and white wore me out, but it was fun. When I put the cheese and egg yolk together, I had this premonition; OMG, this might be a bit too much. As I expected, some of the mixture of the cheese and eggs were left. This means I can cook a small one tonight. I’m relieved and glad that it tasted alright although the bottom layer was a bit soggy.(Takashi)
March 18th
How stupid I am. I met a friend to return some books to her on Sunday, but I forgot to take them with me… I noticed that after we started chatting at a café…so, it was kinda too late to go back home to pick them… And, I swung by a drugstore to buy a liquid detergent and softener on my way home, but I noticed I bought a body-wash instead of detergent when I got back home. Argh…what happened to me?
It’s a graduation season in Japan at the moment. There are lots of girls in Kimono on the streets in Kyoto downtown. They look very cute. I still remember my graduation day vividly. Ceremony -> party with friend through the night -> graduation trip from next day… Wow. I had an abundance of energy back then! (Risa)
March 17th
What’s up, everyone? I came back from Fairbanks, AK, on March 6th and I took a week off straight after that. What I did during that period was just chilling out at home to adjust myself back to the Japan time. I guess I’ve overcome this nasty jetlag, but I still have a difficulty to adjust myself to the warmer climate. This is because shifting myself from the extreme cold weather (I call it “Icebox”) to this spring-like-climate. I’ve got defrosted at last and you can see a little paddle around me. LOL
Anyways, it’s nice to be back in Japan. One month in Fairbanks was pretty good though. I gained new friends over there, who I’d love to keep in touch with. Without them, my life in Fairbanks wouldn’t have been the same. Now I’m back in Japan, but I’ll try to keep in touch with them. Okay, I don’t know what else to write this time (obviously my brain’s not working well at all…) , I’ll continue later on. Have a nice day!!! It’s nice and warm in Kyoto. (Takashi)
March 14th
The first half of March is already gone. It’s been quite warm here in Kyoto lately, and the temperature is like 20 degrees every day. Spring is nearly there…and, I can’t wait! What are you up to this weekend? I hope you have a good one. (Risa)
March 13th
It is often said that Japanese people are poor at asserting themselves. I think it is quite true. But, I met a woman who has the wrong idea of [ASSERTIVENES]. She expresses her opinions, but she doesn’t listen to others… As I wrote yesterday, I attended a gathering of volunteers last night. There were quite a few more visitors there, and we were seeing how they got on with the meeting. To be honest, I was not so impressed with that. I had a chance to talk with the other visitors after the meeting, and they had the same impression as me. I do believe it is important to be cooperative and sociable as well as to be assertive. It’s common sense, but I was quite shocked and upset yesterday…(Risa)
March 12th
I went to Kyoto International Community House to attend an orientation last Saturday. I was always interested in volunteering, but I was just lazy… When I was viewing their website for other purposes, I happened to find the announcement of the orientation. I got interested in a few activities, so I am going there again to get more detailed information after work tonight. If you are new in Kyoto, why don’t you visit there? They might give you useful information you are looking for. Check out the site, too: http://www.kcif.or.jp/ (Risa)
March 11th
Hay fever season has started again this year. According to a recent research, it is said that 40% of Japanese are suffering from hay fever, some very seriously. One of my workmates came to the office at 6:40-ish this morning. Why? He believes that the amount of pollen in the air is less in the early morning…I guess that’s true. He says he wants to cut all the ceder trees in Japan… I was one of serious hay fever sufferers about 10 years ago(not too bad now), so I do understand his feelings. Believe it or not, some travel agencies have launched special tours to Okinawa and Hokkaido for hay fever sufferers, as these prefectures have only a small amount of cedar pollen. And, they are getting quite popular. I hope the season will finish for the sufferers as soon as possible! (Risa)
March 9th
How are you today? I received very nice pictures from a friend in Yamagata. I wrote about Jyuhyou (also known as Snow Monsters) on this news section on January 16th, so some of you might remember. According to my friend, they have them somewhere in Germany, too. Is there anybody who saw them? Do they look similar? Here are lit-up Jyuhyou. Really pretty, aren’t they? (Risa)
March 7th
According to the Meteorological Agency, this year the cherry blossoms will open later than usual in many parts of Kansai region. March 29th in Wakayama, 31st in Kyoto, April 1st in Osaka and Kobe, and April 2nd in Nara etc... The cherry blossoms were in full bloom on Philosopher’s Path on April 4th last year, and…I wonder when the best time is to see the blossoms this year. A friend of mine is coming to Kyoto with his mother at the end of this month, so hopefully the forecast will be changed due to the higher temperatures or something. It might be the first and last time for her to visit Kyoto…so, I really want her to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms in Kyoto! (Risa)
March 6th
I received bad news this morning… Actually, I am still in deep shock. A friend of mine in New Zealand has cancer, and he is in hospital now. It is quite aggressive and quite advanced, so at the moment they are not sure if they can stop its progress. It’s been already 8 years since I first met him, but he was always nice to me. He was talking about his future plans the last time I saw him in November…I knew there were still lots of things he wanted to do… How sad it is. I went to have a breast cancer screening the other day, and the doctor said 1 out of 18 women suffers from breast cancer in Japan and 1 out of 8 in western countries. Do you regularly have a medical check-up? If not, please do so. (Risa)
March 5th
It’s snowing now. It was expected to be warm again this winter, but I think we have had more snow than usual so far. The Japan Meteorological Agency will issue its first forecast of cherry blossom flowering time today. If you are planning to come to Kyoto to see the cherry blossoms, check out the forecast on a regular basis! http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html (Risa)
March 4th
February is gone. I’m amazed at how fast the time goes by. My recent life has been kinda dull and humdrum… And, I am feeling a little unmotivated, too. When I mentioned that the other day, a friend of mine told me that I might be hard on myself. I don’t know…yes and no…
I guess you are getting sick of my news/diaries. But, here is a great news for you! Takashi is coming back in a week, so he will give you interesting and useful information unlike me. (Risa)
March 3rd
How was your weekend? I hope you had a good one. On Sunday I attended a farewell party for a friend who will be transferred to Washington, DC next month. We thought he would leave for the US very soon, but we found out he wouldn’t leave until the 20th-ish last night. Maybe we can catch up again before he leaves...so, we are planning to get together again for a cherry blossom viewing. We had a big party under cherry blossom trees at Maruyama Park in early April last year. We were cooking over the gas stove…and it was fun, but we suddenly caught in a downpour. We were waiting under a huge blue plastic sheet, but it didn’t stop raining + our arms were getting tired, holding up the sheet. So, we decided to break up the gathering around 10 p.m. although we still had lots of energy to enjoy the night. Hopefully we will have a good weather this year! (Risa)
February 28th
A friend of mine sometimes asks me to translate Japanese into English. Actually, it’s not always easy… Of course, I understand the meaning perfectly, but I often find it impossible to replace an original word or a phrase with a translation. My friend is a native English speaker, but he is amazingly fluent in Japanese…and, he gets the meaning and nuance right…but, we both can’t find a good translation…Argh…How do you translate [よろしくお願いします] in a business situation? Have you been through the same kind of experience? (Risa)
February 27th
The Japanese Doll’s Festival known as Hina Matsuri is coming up on March 3rd. Families with girls display a set of hina dolls at home in celebration of the festival. That represents the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musician in traditional dress of the Heian Period (794-1185). The Kanto region and Kansai region (Kyoto is in Kansai) have different placement orders of the dolls from right to left, but the dolls that are placed on each level are the same. The custom started during the Heian period. People believed the dolls possesssed the power to contain bad spirits. This Doll’s Festival traces its origins to an ancient Japanese custom called Hina-nagashi in which straw hina dolls are set afloat on a boat and sent down a river to sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them. The Shimogamo Shirine in Kyoto still celebrates by floating those dolls between the Takano and Kamo River to pray for the safety of children. Personally, I haven’t seen my dolls for ages, more than 15 years or so…it is said that if you don’t put away the dolls right after the festival every year, your daughter will never be married. I think my case is worse… No wonder I am still single! (Risa)
February 26th
I was strolling around Nishiki Market last Saturday. If you have been to Kyoto, you might have visited there. Nishiki Market is a narrow shopping street, lined by more than 100 shops. Various kinds of fresh and processed food including Kyoto specialties, such as pickles, Japanese sweets, dried food, and fresh seafood and vegetables etc are sold. There is a saying in Kyoto: There is no kind of food that you can’t find at Nishiki Market, and I think it’s really true. This [Kitchen of Kyoto], as it is called has a history of several centuries, and many shops have been operated by the same families for generations. Every time I visit there, I find something interesting. When I was strolling down the street on the weekend, I found a super expensive strawberry. How much do you think it was? 1,000yen (approximately $10.00)…not for one packet…it was for one strawberry! Would you buy it? (Risa)
February 25th
Welcome back, Mr Winter. You came back all of a sudden on Saturday afternoon although I was having a great time with Mr Spring. It was all a little unexpected. You brought back souvenirs from somewhere – strong wind and snow! I don’t know how long you will be staying here this time, but you’re more than welcome to stay here as long as you want!
I have started studying for an English exam, TOEIC again. I took the test a couple of years ago, but my score has already expired. Let’s see how many points I will get this time… The problem is that I forgot how to study for an exam! (Risa)
February 22nd
It’s been pretty warm here in Kyoto this week. I was surprised when I stepped out on a balcony at lunch break…We are having glorious spring weather today. According to the forecast, the temperature will go up to 15 degrees (59 degrees Fahrenheit). The cherry blossoms in Kyoto might get confused and start to bloom??? Hope you have a nice weekend! (Risa)
February 21st
I went to Starbucks last weekend, but it was packed with people when I got there. It was too cold outside to look for other options, so I decided to wait there till someone left. I was sitting on a chair, listening to music, and reading a book with my head down…but, I noticed someone called me after a while. He was kind enough to tell me there was a table for me…but, I knew a few groups were waiting before me, so, I wondered why and asked them if I could take the seat…but, everybody said yes. I felt a bit embarrassed and didn’t know what to do… I knew Japanese people wouldn't say no, but...hmm...what would you do if you were in the position? (Risa)
February 19th
The pictures of Otaru Snow Candle Festival reminded me of Kyoto Hanatoro which will start from March 14tht to 23rd. I went there with a friend a couple of years ago, and I really enjoyed it. It was very pretty. If you come to Kyoto during that time, please add it to your list of what to do in Kyoto. I’m pretty sure you will enjoy it. It will be still chilly at night in March, so don’t forget to bring warm clothes with you. Here is the URL of the site, Hanatoro, if you are interested. http://www.hanatouro.jp/higashi_e.html (Risa)
February 18th
I talked about Sapporo Snow Festival the other day. If you are a regular reader, you might remember it. A friend of mine went to Hokkaido with a group of friends on that weekend. Look at the pictures. Amazing, aren’t they?
They went to Otaru to see Otaru Snow candle Festival, too. (I forgot to ask my friend how they went there…by rental car?) I love the pictures, they are really pretty. Thank you very much for sharing your pictures, my friend! (Risa)
February 15th
What are you up to do this weekend? Anything exciting is coming up? If you are around Kyoto this weekend, I recommend you to go to Kitano Tenmangu. The Japanese plum trees have started to bloom, and they are looking very pretty at the moment. The plum flowers are not so showy as cherry blossoms, but I like them, too. You can get more information of the shrine from their site; http://www.kitanotenmangu.or.jp/eigo/index.html I hope you have a lovely weekend! (Risa)
February 14th
Happy Valentine’s Day! How do you plan to spend your Valentine’s Day? This is a popular story, but lots of women give chocolate to their co-workers in Japan. There is no obligation to give them chocolate, but I think quite a few women feel obliged to do so even though much time has passed… I was watching TV the other morning, and the TV program said the average budget for the chocolate to co-workers is about $10.00. Do you think it’s reasonable? Poor men, once they receive chocolate, they have to give back something on March 14th called White Day. How much is the average budget? More than $10.00? I guess so… (Risa)
February 13th
We had a stunning day in Kyoto on Monday. I visited Yasaka Shrine for Hatsumode with a friend. Hatsumode is the first shrine visit of the New Year, and many people go to a shrine (sometimes a temple instead) during the first, second or third day of the year. I know my one is a month or so late…but, I try to think it’s better than nothing. My friend and I drew sacred lots to learn our fortune for the new year 2008, and it said I will have an excellent luck. I think nothing special has happened yet (or I just didn’t notice?), but I hope lots of good things are coming this year! (Risa)
February 12th
How was your weekend? We had another long weekend. Saturday was very cold in Kyoto, and it was snowing almost all day. The snow accumulated even in the downtown area…but, the streets turned to slush easily. I was walking down the snowy road with a friend, and I asked her how to call SLUSH in Japanese. She was thinking for a while, but she started to explain in sentences… It was not an answer I was looking for. I did the same in my brain when I was asked the other day. Hmm…there should be a right word for slush… (Risa)
February 8th
I’ve been so busy this week… Hardly believe it’s already Friday. My workmate, Hiroko and I are both into yoga, so we went to do yoga together after work yesterday. The class was called Candle Yoga Night. We did yoga surrounded by candles…and lay down for 10 minutes or so to relax our body and soul after the practice. Our instructor put a lavender-scented eye pillow on our eyes…which was really nice and relaxing. That was definitely what we needed after a super busy day!
I talked with a lady I often meet at the yoga studio last night. She looks young, but she has teenaged daughters. She asked me what the best way is to improve their English. Hmm…I really don’t know. She also asked me how I studied English when I was a high school student, but I really don’t remember. What’s the best way to learn English? Can you tell me the answer, anyone? (Risa)
February 7th
The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of Japan’s largest winter festivals started on February 5th. Every winter, about 2 million people visit Sapporo to enjoy the festival not only from Japan but also from overseas. More than 400 snow statues and ice sculptures are displayed at Odori Park, Satoland, and Susukino Site. The history goes back to more than 50 years. The snow festival began in 1950, when six local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. The Japan Self-Defense Forces from Makomanai base joined in and built the first massive snow sculptures in 1955, and the festival became very famous all over the Japan. The festival will end next Monday (Feb.11th), but you still have got 5 more days. If you are already in Japan + you have no particular plans for this weekend, how about going to Sapporo?! (Risa)
February 6th
I’ve been thinking about what I should write…but, sorry I can’t find any topic. I will definitely post something tomorrow! (Risa)
February 5th
I am already thinking about spring… If people ask me what season I like the best, I would say autumn, but I can’t wait spring to come. Why? Cherry blossoms! There are lots of places to visit in Kyoto during cherry blossom season, so I have to make a list before it’s too late. If you are thinking about coming to Kyoto in the spring time, I recommend you to secure an accommodation now. The sooner, the better! (Risa)
February 4th
How was your weekend? I hope you had a neat one
I saw quite a few soybeans on the streets on my way to work this morning. Do you know why? I’m sure that sounds strange to you. February 3rd is a day called [setsubun] in Japan. The word literally means seasonal division, but usually the term refers to the spring setsubun. The spring setsubun is considered New Year’s Eve in its association with the Lunar New Year, so we have performed a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (bean-scattering). Pan-heated soybeans are thrown out the door, while the throwers chant [Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!] The literal meaning of the phrase is something like [Demons out! Luck in!]. The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them. Then, as part of bringing luck in, it is customary to eat soybeans, one for each year of one’s life, and in some areas, one for each year of one’s life plus one more for bringing good luck for the year to come. So, now it’s clear why there were lots of soybeans on the streets this morning, huh? (Risa)
January 31st
Today is the last day of January. Can you believe that? I really can’t. Time goes by so quickly… I keep saying this phrase for years, but I do feel so! What have you done so far in 2008? I think I will be asking myself the same question on February 29th, too. (Risa)
January 30th
Looks nice, huh? How many kinds of fish/shellfish did I have last night? Let’s count… Cod roe, turban shell, abalone, cram, squid, tuna, snapper, needlefish, fugu, monkfish, gizzard shad, filefish, octopus, shrimp, seaweed, eel, and what else… One of my friends invited me to a dinner at a Japanese seafood restaurant last night, so I joined them. It was a kind of welcome party for Roman from Switzerland. He arrived in Japan about 2 weeks ago, and he seems like he has been enjoying his trip so far. The food was really tasty, so we ate a lot – maybe too much! Talked a lot and laughed a lot, too. Roman has got one more week in Japan, so I hope he will fully enjoy his stay and make lovely memories.(Risa)
January 29th
I met with friends for dinner at an Izakaya after a yoga lesson last night. I knew only one person there, but I enjoyed the night. It was fun. Thanks, Akiko! I got back home a little late and found a letter in my mail box. There were a few pictures in the envelope, too. Good ones. They reminded me very much of the weekend. Thank you, the sender! It was very nice of you!
I just talked about the last night with my workmate, Hiroko…and, we found out that she knows almost everyone I met there. There are more than one million people in Kyoto…What a small circle of acquaintances we have! (Risa)
January 28th
Here is my weekend diary.
On Saturday, my friends and I had [Nabe] dinner together at my place. Nabe is a term referring to all varieties of Japanese steamboat dishes. We met up and went to the supermarket to buy ingredients and stuff. There are many types of nabe, but we decided to have Yosenabe on that night. Yosenabe is one of the most popular nabe in Japan. You can put whatever you like i.e. meat, seafood, tofu, and vegetables etc and cook in a pot. The broth comes to salt, soy sauce, and miso flavour, so you can choose according to your mood. As you see the picture below, it was quite a success. We ate a lot… and chatted until midnight. It was indeed a great night.
On Sunday, I just spent a relaxing day by myself. Had a bath, went to yoga, and watched DVDs. One of the DVDs made me realise how important it is to be honest with yourself again. It was not a serious movie (sort of a movie boys never like), but I thought about lots of things during the movie. When you want to cry, just cry. When you want to tell someone your feelings, just do it. It's sometimes hard to express true feelings like 'I like/love you' or 'I miss you' ...but I always want to be honest with myself. (Risa)
January 25th
It's snowing now. No wonder why I feel so cold now. Things turning to white, which is beautiful though. Very COLD!!! I'm off to Alaska on the 28th. Well, the temperature will be minus 20, 30 or worse over there. As I've been reading a book "Into The Wild" in which a youth was found dead in Alaska, I'm REALLY worried about the climate. Chris McCandless made up his mind to seek what he lacked in his life into the Alaskan wilderness. I'm not as reckless as he was, so what I need to worry about would be how to overcome loneliness. I'll have people to talk to and I'll be busy with work, but I suppose I'll miss my friends a lot.
Well, even though I read publications and surf the Internet to gather info. on the weather, I cannot really imagine what it would be like. I see people wearing thick clothes (perhaps layers of clothes). I'll see what it is like when I get in Fairbanks. :-) The killer is the loneliness... The bright side is that I might be able to see the mighty aurora. Isn't it exciting? Wish me luck so that I'll be able to get back to Japan sound and good. :-) (Takashi)
January 24th
It’s a cold wintry day in Kyoto today. Actually it’s been snowing slightly…
I’ve been thinking about sharing a flat these days, but it’s not so popular here in Japan. I don’t know why…that’s weird. Japan still carries old traditions, but there is a lot of influence from western culture. Especially young people prefer a westernized style of living, I guess. If so, why do they still live with parents? They are just spoiled? Or it’s just a culture thing…? I’ve heard that flatting is getting popular in a bigger city like Tokyo, so I guess things are getting changed… Sorry I don’t know what I am talking about…(Risa)
January 23rd
I will go back to an older topic, Yamagata! My friend took me to a Kokeshi Gallery in the Yamagata downtown. I guess you don’t know what Kokeshi is…I put the picture for you. Kokeshi are Japanese dolls, originally from northern Japan. They were first produced in Miyagi Prefecture from where Kokeshi making techniques speread to the other spread areas in Tohoku region. It is said that those dolls were originally made from the middle of Edo period to be sold to people who were visiting the hot springs in the northern Japan. I really didn’t know about Kokeshi before I visited the gallery. According to the staff of gallery, there are more than 1,100 Kokeshi dolls there. Different faces, shapes, and sizes here and there… To be honest, I star
