Notes to Myself

Privacy Filter

The last time I was in Japan I was looking for a 'privacy filter' for my PSP. They're basically the same as the plastic sheets you can buy for keitai in Japan - they stop you being able to see the screen unless you are looking at it more or less straight-on. But the only one I could find was 1200 yen - what a rip-off!

But after a further six months of annoying people sitting next to me peering at my PSP screen on the train, enough was enough. So this time I shelled out the £6 for this wonderous piece of privacy kit!

I have to say it works pretty well, though it does obscure the screen output very slightly. I'm sure I'll get used to it and take satisfaction in blocking out those unwanted viewers.

Yoshino Sakura

Following my visit to Kobe, next on the list was Yoshino in Nara. Yoshino is mountainous area famous for sakura blossoms which gradually move up the mountains during the spring.

The train journey from Kyoto to Yoshino was spectacular. As you move away from the city and into the mountains you are suddenly surrounded by fields, beautiful bamboo forests and rivers.

Yoshino itself wasn't bad either! Take a look at the amount of sakura that was blooming on the lower parts of the mountain. Again, it was a shame about the cloudy weather but even so it was well worth the trip.

Association

At work today I got out some sembei I brought back from Japan. They didn't go down so well with my colleagues but I love sembei!

Anyway, when I started biting into that crispy goodness I almost immediately felt the urge to have a cup of coffee. Why? Because every week I used to have coffee and sembei after calligraphy lesssons with my teacher in Japan.

Even after many years have past I imagine this associative thinking will still be present. It's such a powerful sensation. I imagine it's because it reinforces habitual behaviour, something familiar and comforting.

That reminds me, even though I make a cup of tea at work every morning I barely touch it. Why do I bother?

Kobe 2008

Here are some of the photos I took a few weeks back on my first visit to Kobe.

Early in the morning I 'scaled' Rokkousan, the mountains overlooking Kobe. Where the cable car stopped, buses waited to take sight-seers right to the top of the mountain. The weather at the top, however, was absolutely atrocious and you could bearly see 30 metres in front of you with the mist and cold swirling winds, nevermind a beautiful view. A real shame.

Back in Kobe city I visited 'Merikan Park', named can you believe after America - what kind of spelling is that? A memorial serves to show the destruction caused by the huge earthquake that hit Kobe. You can see concrete ripped apart and lamp posts at uncomfortable angles.

In the end I didn't go to the famous 'foreigners town' or China Town but instead headed to Osaka for a friendly tennis match with a friend. I got a real lesson losing 6-2, 2-2. After that, I arrived in Kyoto after midnight. Quite a hectic day.

> Kobe Photo Gallery
> Photo Gallery Index

Lovers' Tricks

Are you ready to be rich again?

Himeji Sakura

Here's the first set of pictures from my spring trip to Japan, Himeji castle grounds covered with sakura. Even though the weather was poor, it was still a beautiful place to visit, particularly with the sakura in full bloom.

> Himeji Castle & Sakura
> Photo Gallery Index

Out of Space

This week I've been busy settling back into work and at home I've been playing the excellent Mario Kart Wii. It's already Thursday and I'd planned on so many blogs!

I was going to upload photos from the trip but I brought back over 10GB's worth of photos! This is mainly due to the fact that I was shooting in RAW+JPEG for much of the time. I've now run out of hard drive space on my external drive so I'm having a bit of a drive reshuffle. I hope to start processing and uploading some images soon.

Back Home

Yesterday I arrived home safely, though at times I wondered if I'd ever arrive. This time the problems started before boarding the BA's 747.

A technical problem was announced. Just as on the journey to Japan there were announcements every half an hour promising we'd be boarding soon. They said there was a technical issue and that they had to find a spare part, replace the old one and perform tests.

Delays are hard enough to swallow but when you see the next BA flight take off before you when it was supposed to take off 3 after, you really get frustrated. That's two times in a row the earlier plane was the worse option.

A few hours later and the plane which was scheduled to use our departure gate arrived. In a stroke of genius, BA moved their plane out to another area of the airport. We had to walk to another gate, wait another half an hour and then get on buses to take us to the plane.

On arrival at Heathrow the pilot praised his staff and as if to seek thanks said that they were under no obligation to have been on our flight and had they not swapped with the crew from another flight our service may have been cancelled. I can't believe he even mentioned it.

That was one of the worst holidays in terms of pure bad luck. Here's hoping the next one will be better.

Kansai 2008

As tonight is my last night in Japan this time around it's time for a quick recap of the last couple of weeks. Well, let's start with the first week.

I arrived in Tokyo bagless thanks to BA and the fiasco at Heathrow's new Terminal 5 and had to rush around buying clothes and even tennis shoes before setting off for Kansai the following morning.

The shikansen took about four hours to arrive in Himeji. Apparently there isn't much to see except for the castle but that's the reason I went and despite the poor weather I wasn't disappointed. Although the castle itself is amazing - one of the best original castles left in Japan - I was more impressed by the castle grounds and the sakura which was in full bloom.

That night I met up with a friend in Kobe and we went to an izakaya. Man, I love izakaya! It was my first time to visit Kobe and I spent the following day seeing the sights. Taking a cable car to the top of the nearest chain of mountains, Rokkousan, proved a let down as the weather at the peak meant that you could barely see 30 metres in front of you, nevermind beautiful views over Kobe and Osaka.

At the sea-front there is an area preserved from the Kobe earthquake. You can see concrete which has been torn apart and lamp-posts at strange angles and it gives some impression as to the size and power of the earthquake.

On the way to Kyoto I stopped off to meet a tennis acquaintance in Osaka. I had to borrow his racket for a quick match as mine was still in my suitcase which was god knows where at the time. I have no excuses though as the racket he lent me was the same model as my own (technially I could moan about the strings but I played pretty well so I won't!) I lost pretty badly but as this guy has won the Osaka singles tournament before (I'm not sure at which level or age group) I didn't mind quite so much.

Though that night I stayed in Kyoto I went to Yoshino in Nara the next day, an area very famous for sakura. Although it was still a little early for the full bloom higher up the mountain, the lower areas were almost in full bloom. If you are in Japan around April time I suggest you pay Yoshino a visit. You get to see beautiful scenery on the train ride there alone, including mini bamboo forests that line the tracks.

On the last day I stayed in Kyoto and browsed a market near Shijyou which full of all sorts of weird and wonderful seafood. In the afternoon I went to Fushimi Inari, somewhere I have always wanted to visit. There are hundreds upon hundreds of red torii - the red gateways you find at shrines - lined up like dominos. The weather was awful but it still didn't spoil the experience. I didn't have time to see all the torii but next time!

I'll save the second week of my trip for next time.

Mario Kart Wii

It so happened that soon after my arrival in Japan Mario Kart Wii was released last Thursday. I was surprised to find that it was released just one day later in the UK - and from what I can see it doesn't seem to be sold out. The US IGN website says there are still 10 days to go until the game is released - what's going on there, then?

The game here is readily available but the steering wheel, or 'handle' as the Japanese call it, is sold out. I wonder how good the game will be with these controls. Also, I can't help but wonder if it's going to be too similar to previous games.

I've watched the intro video a hundred times in Yodobashi but it's hard to tell how good a game is without actually having a go for yourself. Have any of you bought it yet? Any impressions concerning the controls or the games in general?

Hokaben

Ueto Aya is just as lovely as ever (the wiki image is a terrible picture) and plays a lawyer in a new Japanese drama, Hokaben, which started this week. Yesterday she was on morning TV with the other stars from the show promoting the series. In the end I missed the first episode which aired last night.

I never really got into Japanese dramas but for Aya I could make an exception. A few years back when I was living in Japan I remember watching her in Ace o nerae, a tennis drama with awful cgi.

Shrine Shock

After buying my lens at the strange little shop (last post), I took a walk through Ochanomizu. It's a relatively quiet area which provides a nice change of pace. As you walk up and down the hilly roads you are presented with an array of love hotels, shrines and old buildings. 'How Japanese is that?' I thought, as I took a photo of a love hotel which faced a small shrine.

I came to what I think was Yushima Shrine. Apparently students flock there to make prayers about passing their exams. You write your wishes on a small wooden board and hang it up with the others. I've never seen so many of them before - the stack of small messages was easily a metre in depth and they were many hanging boards (I don't know the correct term).

In front of the shrine itself, people threw a few coins into the money box and said their prayers. A scruffy looking man peered into the huge money box and reached in as far as he could - his arm disappeared up to his shoulder. The next thing you know, he is standing there with a wad of Japanese yen! He quickly rifled through it before dashing out of the shrine grounds. Everyone was too shocked to even move.

Someone made the remark that he wouldn't go to heaven or something to that effect. I wonder what circumstances this guy found himself in. I must be a softy as I sympathised with him without even knowing his story.

Rather than the money theft, what really shocked me was the fact that people give Japanese notes to the gods. Starting with the smallest 1000 yen (5 pounds) note, we aren't talking about small amounts of money. The other thing was that the box was pretty deep. For that guy to have grabbed money must mean that the pile of money in that box is huge!

Mansion Shop

The cheapest place I could find to buy a Canon lens on the Internet was a shop in Ochanomizu. A lot of these cheap shops require you order products in advance, then you either have the item delivered to you or go to pick it up. I chose to pick up the lens and pay by cash.

The building was called Oka Mansion which struck me as a little odd as mansions are normally flats. However, inside there was a board listing lots of companies. On the 9th floor it really was a normal mansion, the only difference was that some of the doors had signs on them. It looked like I was in the right place.

When I walked into the 'shop' there were two small rooms (not to mention the sink!) acting as a cross between a small office and a small storage area. A man came out and produced my Canon lens. All I could hink was 'Dodgy!' Apparently there are lots of shops like this but I'd never been to one before so it felt strange handing over a wad of cash in a pokey little flat.

Octopus Golf

On Saturday the poor weather that had plagued my trip to Japan lifted to reveal blue skies and warm sunshine, perfect for golf. My friends keep taunting me about how I've brought the English weather with me, but in that case this was the second time I'd also brought perfect golf weather!

We drove passed Tokyo Disneyland on the way to Tako Golf Course in Chiba, very close to Narita International Airport. Tako can mean octopus in Japanese and although the real meaning in this case was different I guess most of the people who first go there have the same little chuckle about the name.

Golf in Japan is totally different from my experiences in England, so far at least. Everything is about perfect service and it really is a smooth not to mention quick blaze across the perfectly refined course.

We got in our 'electro-magnetic' golf buggy, pressed the start engine button and off we went. The buggy follows a preset course on a little path so all you have to do is hit start and stop. Compared to the other day this round of golf was physically no effort at all!

My only complaint is that you can finish 9 holes in less than 2 hours and you have little choice as there are other people behind you. I wanted to take my time and enjoy the sounds of the birds crying and frogs croaking.

After the first nine holes you have a lunch break whereas in England you play straight through. Very luxurious.

Even though I knew the cost beforehand it still shocked me when I handed over 20,000 yen - 100 pounds for a round of golf and a sandwich!!! I can't get over it.

At Last

My luggage finally arrived today - a whole week late and with half of my holiday already finished. What a joke.

I feel sorry for another lady who was in the same predicament who said that she was going to leave Japan last Friday... I wonder if she`ll ever see her bag again.

I`ve got so much blogging to catch up on, but where to start?

Kansai

Full reports to follow shortly but just a quick note to say that I'm now travelling in Kansai and having a great time, albeit still without my luggage. What are BA playing at?

It didn't occur to me until I set off to Tokyo station to catch the Shinakansen that it was rush hour. You'd think that having a suitcase would give you some stability on the train but you'd be wrong. With the number of people who forced their way on your legs slide bit by bit across the floor almost like you're on ice.

In Osaka this evening I boarded a train bound for Kyoto. It was 11:30 at night and yet there wasn't a single spare seat down. More than half the poeple were men in suits - I can only guess if they were on their way home from being out drinking or from work - the rest were girls in their 20s. It seemed like a strange combination with few exceptions.

Hmm, I wasn't going to write this much but there you go. I'll answer everyone's comments to my previous posts ASAP, just not tonight.

BA Blunders

When I heard that a full service was going to resume at Heathrow's Terminal 5 yesterday, the day of my flight to Japan, I had a feeling things wouldn't run smoothly.

Arriving at the new terminal by car it certainly didn't look like anything special. When you get inside, though, it's much more impressive. It's most unlike most people's image of Heathrow in that it's clean and well presented.

Checking in was painless and boarding went smoothly as well. It was only once everyone was on the plane that we were told that something wasn't right - all of the luggage onboard had to be 'security checked' one by one which would take around 45 minutes. We were kept content by a drink and customs declaration forms for our arrival in Japan. After 45 minutes we were then told that it would take another half an hour. Not surprisingly, that time elapsed and that plane still hadn't budged.

Two and a half hours after our scheduled departure we were allowed to take off. The flight was the usual long and gruelling test. The most interesting point of the flight for me was that the man sitting next to the window near me didn't get up to go to the loo the entire time. That's 12 hours and believe me, he was drinking quite a lot! I'm sure he must have been about to explode but just didn't want to ask if he could get passed.

At Narita a list of 40 passengers was pinned to a board near the conveyer belts for British Airways flight BA005. It said that each of the listed passenger's bags was not on the plane. Guess who's name was on it?

I queued up and was told that my suitcase had been forwarded on to the next British Airways flight, which was due to arrive within an hour (because it hadn't been delayed before take off it effectively caught up with us). Some of the other people weren't so lucky as they were simply told that their suitcases would be forwarded to their hotels when they arrived in Japan - just not today.

One British guy said to his Japanese wife, 'It's at times like this that it makes you proud to be British.' His wife simply answered 'Kawaisou.' which means something like 'I feel sorry for you.'

The next flight arrived and the conveyer built piled up with bags but my suitcase didn't appear. So it turned out I was in the same position as the people who'd left without their bags but was delayed by an extra hour! In all, I reckon I was delayed by a total of five hours and ended up leaving Narita without my suitcase.

All my clothes and toiletries are in my case, not to mention tennis gear including my racket.

London Sakura

It's not just Japan which has cherry blossoms. I guess this must be a different variety from those in Japan but here's a road lined with cherry trees which have just started to blossom near my house in London.

I am looking forward to the 'real' cherry blossom experience in Japan though.

JPLT Results (UK)

For some reason it didn't occur to me that the results might arrive on a Saturday, but there was the envelope waiting to be opened. My heart raced as I opened it and peered in.

I can't tell you the relief and joy of seeing not just the marks sheet but also an A4 certificate inside. A certificate for the Level 1 Japanese Language Proficiency Test with my name on it! Yes, a pass!

It may not have been the greatest passing mark in the world but it was well worth the effort I spent raising my grade by the 5% or so that it did since last year.

I was secretly hoping for a pass but even so, it's just unreal. It's still sinking in.

Thank you to all of you who have helped me towards this achievement, I really appreciate it.

Fingerprints

When I was booking my flight to Japan the travel agent warned me that upon entry to Japan foreigners must now have their fingerprints and photographs taken. Is this following in America's footsteps?

I can only imagine how much longer immigration is going to take, not to mention feeling like a terrorist despite having done nothing wrong.

Have you experienced this yet? How was it?

Working Hard

When I came across this article I was quite surprised. Do managers in London really work that much overtime? I wonder how many people were involved in this survey and in which sectors they work.

Then I thought of my 'poor' Japanese friends who work at least two hours overtime for no extra pay every day. I'm sure they think that English people are slackers. In terms of giving good service to customers I can see why Japanese people sometimes think that English people lack professionalism.

What I'd like to know is the productivity of the average Japanese worker. Surely it cannot be possible to work close to maximum efficiency for 12-14 hours a day. Is being at work more important than doing work?

Mishi Mishi

The last couple of times I've called home on the phone my dad has answered, 'Hello, mishi mishi.' He has taken quite an interest in Japan lately and must be getting a little eccentric in his old age. I don't have the heart to tell him that he should be saying, 'Moshi moshi...' which is how Japanese people answer the phone.

Where on earth did he learn that, anyway? Should I correct him or continue to pretend that I haven't noticed? I'm hoping he isn't answering the phone like that all the time!

Sony NWZ-A818

Though I've been content with my Sony Ericsson W850i Walkman phone as my mp3 player for some time I've fallen in love with another device, the Sony NWZ-A818 Media Player. Look how small and slender this piece of kit is!

Last year my heart wavered slightly and I considered buying the ever-popular iPod or iTouch but there was one thing which bothered me about them - the fact that you can't control them easily without taking them out of your pocket. Call me fussy, but being able to skip tracks and control the volume through my pocket is one of my main requirements for an mp3 player.

Things were great back in the days of MD players which had those neat remote controls which you plug your earphones into, but for some reason that's gone out of fashion.

Though you can check out the specifications of the Sony NWZ-A818 on the Sony website some of the key features are:

-Transfer media via Windows Media Player or drag & drop
-2.0" QVGA (320x240) screen
-30 fps video playback + JPEG viewer
-8GB capactity
-Plays MP3, AAC, WMP and WMA
-Plays MPEG4 & AVC (H.264) Baseline video
-Battery life of approx. 33hrs music!

The player can play your music from folders on the device - unlike the w850i and I suspect iPods, too. This is great as you have the best of both worlds. If you've got your mp3 tags sorted then you'll have access to your music by artist, genre, year etc., while if you don't you can still simply drag and drop your music onto the player and play it with no problems without all the tracks being listed solely under 'Untitled'.

In short this is a fantastic media player!

Japan Results

I was reading a message board earlier today and found out that the JLPT results have been released in Japan. That's about a day or so earlier than last year.

I guess this means that those of us in the UK will have to wait until the end of the month until we find out our results just like last year. Fingers crossed the system will be faster this year - I don't want to wait any longer!

Spring Blossoms

Apparently today was to be the day that most people would call in to work sick. It's certainly a season when it's easy to feel low. It's cold and miserable, there's a lull after all the Christmas parties and everybody seems to be sick.

We all need something to look forward to and keep us driving forward. For me, that shining light on the horizon is Japan again. My saviour! I plan to visit in early April and hope to catch some of the cherry blossom season. I can't wait!

www.jlpt.mobi

The perfect domain for a mobile Japanese Language Proficiency Test site:

www.jlpt.mobi

This domain is now open for bidding.

www.gaijin.mobi

When the mobi domains became available I registered a few domains. I've decided to try GoDaddy's Domain Name Aftermarket to auction off the first of these domains:

www.gaijin.mobi

It's a great domain to have but I don't have the time to devote to developing a new site at the moment. I'm sure most of my readers will know that this commonly used term means 'foreigner' in Japanese. I was thinking a parody site might be good fun.

Any potential buyers? Place your bids!

Kit Kat Little

Thanks to a friend's kind gesture, I've received a parcel containing a few goodies from Japan. Amongst them we have my favourite Hi-Chew sweets - in yoghurt flavours - and something I've never seen before, Kit Kat Little!

Kit Kat Little (or Little Kit Kat?) come in white and pink as shown on the packet. It looks like they represent sakura - are they limited edition? On the bottom of the packet it says 'lucky little'. So what's so lucky about them? On the back of the packet it says that you can check your luckiness rating by counting the number of white and pink little kit kats you have and then visiting www.breaktown.com

If you go to the Kit Kat shop you can see just how many different Kit Kat products you can buy in Japan. Check out the golf club bag!

Here's one of my old posts - Banana Kit Kat

Dirty Minded

Do you think there is really much difference in the rate at which people's hair grows? Mine certainly seems to grow at an ultra-fast pace!

The Japanese say that people whose hair grows quickly are dirty minded. What do you make of that?

Japanese Water

It first struck me as odd when I put my special Japanese water bottle on the exam desk at the JLPT site at the beginning of December.

Why was I still refilling the Japanese Suntory Natural Mineral Water bottle that I'd originally bought on holiday in Japan at the beginning of November?

We are well into January and I'm still rinsing out my little water bottle and refilling it - filtered water these days, I'll have you know! It's become something of a personal treasure. How weird.

Spring Cleaning

Even though I 'dusted' my PC not long back just look at the state it was in when I opened it up this afternoon. It was time for some early spring cleaning.

A Japanese friend asked me why we have 'spring cleaning' whilst in Japan everyone has a big clean up over the New Year. My answer was that it's a time for starting afresh and that it's starting to get a little warmer so you can open all the doors and windows. What would your answer be?

New Year (Jp)

Japanese New Year

A bit like taking the JLPT, New Year's Eve gets me thinking about the World time differences. As we speak Japan has already thrown aside 2007 to welcome 2008. If you are in Japan then I wish you a Happy New Year. Hatsumode at Jingu, anyone? Enjoy Oshougatsu!

For people in Europe there is still the whole evening to party until and indeed through the countdown. How are you spending New Year's Eve? Whatever you do I hope you have fun and that 2007 brought many good things.

How was your 2007?

Personally I've a very positive year. I set myself a few challenges and whilst I still don't know the results of some of my ventures, I'm more than satisfied with the effort I've put into most parts of my life this year. There is always room for improvement, mind you!

Work has been good, with an internal job move; relationships have developed and I've made new friends; and my hobbies have all developed to some degree, particularly tennis, photography and a commitment to the gym. I also treated myself to two visits to Japan and have made efforts to maintain and advance my Japanese.

I'm not a great fan of New Year's resolutions but I'll definitely have to reconsider my focus for the New Year.

A few messages:

Japanese friends,
Thanks for all your help with Japanese this year. At times I miss Japan but I having good friends here too really helps and I appreciate the fact. To those of you in Japan, I'm sure I'll be seeing you again in the near future...

Tennis friends & nakama,
As small as it may seem, one of the most defining moments of the year for me was when one of you said my backhand was better than my forehand. I finally feel comfortable and have got a grasp of the double handed backhand. 2008 is the year my serve will also mature and that's a promise.

University friends,
I wish I could be with you all tonight but have fun! Thanks for putting up with me and my occasionally outspokenness during the year. The pancakes were a good idea in the end ;)

Colleagues,
It's a cliche but without you guys work just wouldn't be the same. Keep the laughs going into the New Year!

Family,
As always, thanks for all the support. May the New Year bring you much happiness.

Kill Bill

It was the first time that I had the chance to see Kill Bill the other night. It was a strange film and the experience was made even more weird watching it with a group of Japanese friends, as a great deal of the film in set in Japan.

We were half watching the film whilst having a Nabe party. When everything the action moved to Okinawa everyone suddenly took a greater interest in Kill Bill.

The finale was set in a strange restaurant and had all my friends saying, 'You don't get any shops or restaurants like that in Japan. It looks like something from Studio Ghibli's Sen to Chihiro.' Apprently Quentin Tarantino is an anime fan so these comments might not be far from the mark.

Everyone was in hysterics at Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu speaking Japanese and to be fair it was funny. Lines like, 'Our battle hasn't yet been finished!' needs a certian amount of fluency and force to carry off. When I thought about it though, they were doing really well, especially if they don't speak any Japanese at all.

Valuables

When commuting and when travelling around London in general for that matter, I keep a close watch on my bag. Maybe I go too far but when I think I might nod off on the train I hook my bag around my leg so no one can just grab it and do a runner. When I do this I'm reminded of Japan.

When I was there at the beginning of November I was surprised again and again by the way people leave their belongings lying around. For example, at coffee shops people who are on their own leave all of their possessions on the table or on their seat while they pop off to the toilet.

On one particular train ride a girl sat next to me sending e-mails(texts...) on her mobile phone. She decided to go to sleep and just left her expensive phone perched on top her bag which was on her lap! Unbelievable. I almost felt like telling her she should be more careful but then again perhaps she doesn't need to be.

Japanese Maids

A trip to the unique Donki in Japan, apparently more properly 'Don Quijote', will leave you feel dazed and confused. Even though the shops themselves are big, often with four or five floors, every narrow aisle is so packed with items that there's barely room to move. You can buy practically anything there.

During my last visit I wandered into a section full of costumes. There were all sorts on offer, from police uniforms to stewardess outfits. Without a doubt, though, most were Japanese maid costumes. Here you can see one for 9000 yen, which equates to about £40.

On another floor I passed by a maid cafe! If only I'd had the guts to go in. But one guy on his own? Or is that better than two guys?

Japan Centre II

The Japan Centre in the West End of London must be doing a roaring trade as they've opened up a second shop right next door. I took this picture a couple of weeks ago but forgot about it until I was looking through the photos on my phone.

The strangely named Value Store is the new home for Japan Centre's travel agent, Japanese supermarket and book shop. Apparently, the old building has now got a bigger restaurant and sushi bar.

I went into the new shop today and it was much more spacious. The book shop massive much less cramped and there seems to be a larger selection of magazines - great if you are willing to pay £12.50 for a magazine which costs 700 yen in Japan. I found some 1500 yen JLPT past papers for £16!

Ebi Chilli Man

Since coming back from my most recent trip to Japan I've been too busy to go through the pictures I took. Let's get back on track with something I hadn't seen before, ebi chilli man!

You've probably seen or heard of niku-man (meat in a bun of sorts) and may have seen me sing the praises of pizza-man, but ebi-chilli man (spicy prawn)?

After chomping this down my opinion: stick to niku-man and pizza-man!

JLPT 2007

At last the day of this year's JLPT arrived and it was time to test our mettle. It was warmer than the past couple of years but the rain soon started to fall, casting an even gloomier atmosphere over the exam site. Still, a bit of rain never hurt anybody.

The exam papers were a really mixed bag full of tricks and surprises, some good, some bad. My vocab study really paid off and I actually had a good stab at the words/kanji paper. On the other hand, the 100+ homonyms I learnt in preparation for part of this paper proved fruitless!

Again the listening paper seemed harder than I was expecting - did I underestimate it? Part of is that I expect to score very heavily and a lapse of concentration for even a split second means you your chance of getting the right answer.

Finally, the reading and grammar paper surprised me. The grammar section was very easy compared to last year, not nearly as many little tricks and most of the grammar appeared to be from the standard lists (bar a couple of sneaky questions. To make up for this, I can't say for sure how I faired on the long reading passages. There was something about them... perhaps just the pressure? Last year they seemed difficult until I bought the paper mid-way through this year and tried the questions again.

All in all, I feel like it went better than last year, but it's very hard to tell. It all depends on the longer reading sections. Fingers crossed!

At the end of the test I got talking to the exam invidulator. He was an Italian guy with a strong accent. I can only imagine his Japanese accent - he told me that he studies Japanese at SOAS, where the exams were being held in London. The last thing he said was,

'I was looking at you guys' answer sheets and everyone gave different answers.'

I guess that goes to show that level one is no walk in the park. That reminds me, the guy next to me kept looking over at my desk - I got my revenge by blowing my nose ;). He was either finding things very tough going or a piece of cake. During the reading/grammar paper he finished remarkably early and was just staring at the walls. Come to think of it, this time around was the first time I finished the reading/grammar paper.

How did the rest of you fair? Only 3 or 4 months until the results come out and we all know for sure.

JLPT Cramming

JLPT takers: I just wanted to wish you luck with your final day of preparation. Are you going to cram the whole day or take it easy like I intend to do? I'm not overly-confident, far from it, it's just that I'd rather relax a little the day before the exam.

My cold is a little better today which is great. The weather is better in London, too, brightening my spirits. I can't wait till I'm all better and this test is over!

Confident Speech

When I met a Japanese friend the other day he said that my Japanese had improved and that I sounded more confident. Maybe it was because I'd spend a couple of weeks in Japan, he guessed.

When I first arrived in Japan for on my latest trip my Japanese was pretty rusty. With speaking in particular, fluency can come down to confidence. There's no way that my Japanese could have improved that much in two weeks but when you start to feel more confident and cut down on hesistation, you start to speak more fluently and your Japanese sounds more natural.

Unfortunately for me, speaking doesn't feature as part of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). With exactly a week from today until the exam, there's not much time left to prepare. I'm going to stick to my study plan and see what happens.

Canon 40D

Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera

My yearly digital compact camera upgrade went a little differently this year with my decision to move to a fully featured digital SLR. Though I'd actually planned on buying a Nikon D80, I soon changed my mind after arriving at Yodobashi in Shinjuku (Tokyo, Japan). A few days later and I'd purchased the recently released Canon EOS 40D.

Canon EOS 40D

Canon 40D key features:

• 10.1 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• 6.5fps, 75 JPEG image burst
• High precision 9 point AF
• 3.0" LCD with Live View mode
• EOS Integrated Cleaning System
• DIGIC III processor
• Image Stablisation lenses

Lens Kits

There are two lens kits available but the more expensive kit, the Canon EOS 40D + EF-S 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens, provides you with a superior lens and greater flexibility with increased zoom compared to the 18-55mm non USM lens kit (appox. £850 online). To top things off I was actually given a second lens by an acquaintance, a Canon 200-300mm telephoto lens!

Fabulous Features

When you try out the high speed shooting mode you get blown away. Although it depends on the lighting and so on this camera really can shoot a lot of high quality pictures in no time at all - useful for say, Wimbledon, for example.

The other special features are the Live View mode on a massive three inch screen, where you can use the LCD screen to take pictures like on digital compacts and the inbuilt anti-dust cleaning system. When you also consider the image stabilisation lenses, you have all the latest popular DSLR features.

With ISO settings up to 3200 I simply can't get over you can take such great photos in low light. Of course, the IS lens helps with this, too. Very nice.

One thing I did notice was that images are not that sharp compared to my other cameras. Although you can change the settings via Picture Styles, the default settings don't give overly-crisp images. Presumably that's because a greater level of post-processing is anticipated.

The build quality of the camera is excellent. It feels heavy and rugged, with waterproofed seals and great ergonomics. One thing I would say is that this isn't a small camera and can feel heavy when carrying it around all day.

Mount Fuji Golf

The day after I arrived in Japan a typhoon washed out my Saturday plans. On the plus side, after the typhoon had passed the following day weather was outstanding. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and the temperature was a comfortable 20-25 degrees Celcius. The perfect conditions for a spot of golf.

My friends and I got up early and hit the road heading through Kanagawa-ken on our way to Izu in Shizuoka-ken. As we approached Odawara a magnificent landscape unfolded, dominated by a snow capped Mount Fuji.

I've seen Mount Fuji on numerous occasions but this was by far my clearest sighting so far. Even my Japanese friends were blown away and said that you very rarely if ever get to see Fuji under perfect conditions. Throughout the day we kept turning around, pointing and saying, 'Wow!'

As we got further and further from Tokyo we became surrounded by the beauty of rural Japan. Rice fields skirted the roads and small rivers peppered with huge rocks flowed down from the mountainsides. We drove further into the mountains upon reaching Shizuoka and followed a tiny winding road that led through a small onsen village. If we didn't have a car navi I doubt we would have made it to the course at all.

The golf course was incredible - just check out these views! Can you spot the ball in this picture? I don't think I've ever been surrounded by such scenery, topped off by the ever present Fuji, towering on the horizon.

This was my second time playing on a full-sized golf course. It wasn't all that tiring thanks to our petrol powered cart! Great fun! We whizzed along the little paths like golf playing go-carters. The service and hotel/clubhouse facilities were top notch. You do pay for it though: approximately £75 for one round of golf.

We finished the day off by witnessing a stunning Mt. Fuji sunset and then by bathing in the on-site outdoor onsen. This was one of those magical days that you couldn't have worked out any better.

End of Japan

For me it wasn't taking off or even landing in the UK that marked the end of my Japanese experience. Maybe it was even as far back as when I was waiting for the Narita Express, surrounded by other foreigners? But it really struck me that everything was decidedly non-Japanese once I had reached the airport.

You immediately notice characters like Mr Yahata. Even less extreme examples seem odd - when people at the check-in desks just start speaking in English like it's perfectly natural, for example.

Once I'd checked in and blazed through security, I had a good two or three hours to spare before my flight. In the duty free shops and Dotour I noticed the staff weren't upholding the normally high standards of Japanese service.

When buying a coffee and a sandwich the guy serving me didn't even bother telling me the price once I'd ordered. He simply pointed to the till. Staff in the shops nattered away in informal Japanese not even acknowledging the fact that some foreigners might understand them. I even started to miss people saying 'irasshai-mase' as I walked into the shop!

At the departure lounge I noticed two guys wearing jeans and smart blazers. 'Ahh, I'm almost back in England already,' I thought.

Autumn Colours

Calligraphy - 紅葉 (Kouyou/Momiji) - Autumn Colours.

Death Awaits Us

Sadly, my calligraphy teacher's cat died earlier this year. He and his wife were telling me how they'd like another cat but wouldn't be getting another because it would be unfair should they pass away. What a sad thing to say. I found this shocking as my calligraphy teacher looks so young and still runs in marathons, yet it turns out that he'll be 70 next year! Although death could come at any minute for any of us, at what age do you really start to consider death? It never used to bother me but contemplating it freaked me out.

Jamming Session

Meguro by Night

The other night my friend and I were wondering around Meguro, an expensive part of town in Tokyo. We came across a door way with a sign in front of it advertising a music bar/gallery. Looking through the suspicous door all we could see was a long corridor with some stairs leading downstairs at the end. An old man appeared behind us and told us in English that we should go inside.

Yakitori

The reason we were out was that I fancied a bite to eat. Even though it was already one in the morning there were plenty of places serving food and we chose a great looking yakitori restaurant. The food was delicious, including the practically raw wasabi chicken (my friend asked if it was raw before ordering and we were told it was boiled, though in reality this only cooked the outermost millimetre of each cube of chicken!). My images of garlic mixed with chicken turned out to be whole chunks of garlic, not the best choice I've ever made. After some beer and atsukan (hot sake) we made our merry way back down the road.

Music Bar

We returned to the mysterious door we had passed earlier and decided to go in. Down the stairs was a small smoke-filled room filled with tables and chairs crammed in. There were a few paintings on the wall but this was definately more a place of music than of art: an even smaller room connected to the main one housed a full sized drum kit and several instruments.

My friend got talking to several drunk Japanese guys and coincidentally one had the same name as he did. The Japanese guys claimed to be producers and directors, but of what, I wasn't sure. Stretching the truth ever so slightly, my friend introduced me as a photographer. One of the guys seemed to take great interest in this:

'What kind of photography do you do?'
'It's just a hobby, actually. I work with software.'
'Computers?' he looked crestfallen.
'What kind of work do you do?' I asked.
'Wedding photoshoots. Let's work together!'
'I'm not that good really...'
'That's OK. What are you doing next weekend?'
'I'll be in England,' I said. He frowned, confused.
'I'm actually on holiday so it might be a little difficult...'
'Yes, a little difficult,' he said, seriously considering the situation.

Jamming

Before we knew it someone was sitting behind the drums and another guy had picked up a guitar. My drunk photoshoot producer friend stood up and requested a harmonica. He blasted a few notes before declaring that it was in the wrong key. Being someone with no knowledge of music I was suitably impressed.

The next thing we knew, three of four people were jamming away with solo pieces from said drunken harmonica playing photoshoot producer. They were really really good! Every now and then, our soloist put aside his harmonica and did some freestyle singing! He sang about many things, from the people in the room to world peace!

It goes to show that there are all sorts of interesting places hidden amonst the streets of Tokyo. If you're brave and go inside these small doorways you never know what you'll find.

Nomikai

I'd almost forgotten how fun nomikai ("drinking meeting") were! Yesterday I went out with a few friends to an izakaya in Roppongi.

Roppingi is full of foreigners, a very strange place to be. Never-the-less, it was near my friend and her colleague's office so that's where we went. We met at a famous shop on the corner of the crossroad called Almond. It's a place were many people meet -a bit like Hachikou at Shibuya or Studio Alta at Shinjuku.

Inside the izayaka I was surprised by the reggae music which seemed to jar against the decor and general atmosphere with the place. We all sat down, had a kampai over four glasses of beer and ordered some food.

I was quite amused by the Ritz buscuits and jam which came with our deep friend camembert cheeze, but perhaps that's normal?! We had some pretty good food, though my stomach was soon busy trying to process too much alcohol.

We had beer, sangria, red wine and white wine. Talk about a recipe for a disaster! Of course, I was completely plastered after a short while but I'm always surprised by how quickly I recover - is it my cursed high metabolism again?

That reminds me, Japanese use the term me-ta-bo, presumably from the word 'metabolic' as an indirect way of saying somebody is fat! I tried to explain the correct meaning with my limited Japanese but I started to think, 'What's the point?!'

As the shuuden or last trains drew closer we headed back to the station. With one of my friends I went on for more drinks in Meguro - a second drinking party is typically referred to as a nijikai. In the end though, we decided we were drunk enough and order soft drinks and more food! Behind us, a group of Japanese 30 somethings were enjoying a goukon. I wonder if anyone hit if off. Hmm, I've never been to a goukon ;(

The evening was great fun, though my head is slightly disgruntled with me this morning.

Hot Body

On the Yamanote line last night one of my friends said everybody must be wondering why I was wearing tennis clothes? I was puzzled until I realised that he meant why hadn't I changed? Come to think of it, must Japanese people I see carrying tennis gear are wearing their normal clothes. I often see girls wearing skirts and heels while lugging around their tennis bags - impressive effort. Is it so odd to leave your house already wearing shorts and a T-shirt?

My friend went on to say that the second thing that everyone must have been wondering was why I was wearing just a T-shirt and shorts. Because even though it was the evening it was still 16-18 degrees, that's why! I looked around and saw people wearing jumpers, jackets and even one high school kid wearing a scarf! I know I'm 'hot' even in London but compared to the Japanese I'm like the guy from the Fantastic 4. I do suffer in during the Japanese summer but must cope more easily with winter.

Rush Hour

In all the time I've spent in Japan I've tried my best to avoid rush hour. Today, however, I couldn't help but get caught up in the rush at Shinjuku. Woah would be a good word.

I particularly enjoyed arrived on the Odakyu Line platform. Actually there were two platforms with people queueing up on either side. The queues were so long that you couldn't walk in a straight line down the middle and had to zig zag you way down the platform!

People were waiting for the second or even third trains displayed on the notice board. I too chose this sacrifice and took a slower train (express instead of rapid express!) but in fairness it wasn't too bad as I managed to get a seat. Good thing too, as I haven't mastered sleeping standing up like these Japanese folk have and I was out like a light.

Lost in Japan 2

Some of you will remember my lost adventure trying to find a shop in a Japanese city with the help of a stranger. Well, it's happened again!

I was trying to find my way to my friends' new house in Tokyo. It was drizzling after heavy rain on the day I arrived but I'd long since given up with my umbrella. With a case in tow I dragged myself up hills, past schools and parks until finally I had to admit to myself that I was lost. How can that be? I'm normally great with maps! Must have been the jet lag, ahem.

Anyway, I decided to make my way back to the main road to start again when I saw a lady leaving her house. I asked if she could help me and she came over, holding her umbrella. She thought she knew roughly were the place was. Her husband appeared out of nowhere and the three of us consulted my soggy map.

A third man came walking towards us. 'They must have friendly neighbours in this area,' I thought. Only he was with the man and his wife. Moments later another man and a woman appeared! The woman said, 'Oh, I thought we had a guest - but obviously not (spying my suitcase).'

So there were now six of us walking down tiny Tokyo roads trying to find my friends' house! Talk about embarrassing. The husband explained to me that his company was going out for drinks so they must have been colleagues. We found the right house after 5-10 minutes. I thanked them all and waved them a fond farewell.

If anybody in the Japanese government is listening, let's start naming all the roads in Japan!