As we progressed into the water more and more, the water became clearer and could see some fish around. My two friends seemed to be enjoying their first snorkeling experience.
Because they looked ok and I wanted go in deeper and further, so I told them I’m going to go look what it’s like as if I was taking them later, and went out on my own.
The first and strongest impression I got from the water there was that I could see absolutely no trace of live coral. Perhaps they were covered with sand because of the strong waves and tide brought by the typhoon and I simply could’ve missed them, but it was sad.
Undoubtedly the water was so much clearer than that of Tokyo, but because some time ago I watched this show on TV that there have been projects to bring back coral around this area and supposedly the coral eggs from Kerama flow into this area I was expecting to see more coral.
I swam as many thoughts swirled in my mind, and then suddenly I saw this long figure swimming, or snaking right in front of me. Sea snake!! Although I do know that unless I mean harm to it, it won’t attack me, but it’s not really anything you feel lucky about seeing.
I turned around and went back to my friends: both of them looked a little tired so as I reported what it was like further off, we sat on the beach and appreciated the sata-andagi (Okinawa doughnuts) we bought at the supermarket before coming to the beach. Like I wrote a while ago, the salt inside my mouth fades away painted by the sugar of the andagi. It’s one of the best moments of life for me – having andagi while watching the ocean.
Then the sugar turns into energy in my body, and I thrust myself into the water again. This went on for a while over and over until finally people were gone and the sun as well. I wanted to watch the ocean turn orange and red and the sky too, but I did remember that since we cancelled the accommodation on the other island we were supposed to be on, we had to look for accommodation for that night.
So we turned around to get back to Naha. On the way back, I got an e-mail from my friend telling me, “It looks like the plane isn’t flying anywhere because of the typhoon. Sorry, but I can’t catch up with you guys this time.”
Wwwhaaat????
He lived in Tokyo until last month, but moved back to his hometown in Kyushu (that’s the biggest southernmost island of Japan) and we were supposed to meet up in Okinawa!
Why did this damn typhoon take away almost everything that I was looking forward to!?
I really felt powerless in front of the mighty power of nature, and got back to Naha in despair. The memory makes me feel a bit blue even now.
Uh so, that’s about it for today. I know it’s becoming a long series but I am going to finish writing, mixing some other stories too.
29 September, 2006
28 September, 2006
The Water at Sesoko
"NO SWIMMING" so it says, and the same message was spelled out on the sad and sympathetic expression on the parking lot keeper’s face. I was wordless, but soon remembered seeing a few people splashing in the water as we crossed the bridge. So we snaked around looking for a place we could swim – we came this far, we couldn’t (or I couldn’t?) turn around with nothing. Before long, we found a car going down a narrow road on the hillside and I was like, “That has to be it!” and followed it.
There it was, just like I suspected, a nice hidden beach probably only the locals know. This one faced the main island which was only yards away and thus prevented the big waves from the open water to come in. It was relatively safe even on a day a giant typhoon was approaching and swimming was allowed. Hurray!
Although small and didn’t even have anything that I could call a parking lot, it still had a beach house which we call “umi-no-ie” and there were actually quite a bit of people around.
In seconds I was dressing myself in my new snorkeling outfit – my brand new mask, snorkel, boots, gloves and fins – and darted down into the water as if cooling down my pounding excitement.
Yeah it was pretty wavy, but not to the extent that I couldn’t enjoy myself. Actually, it wasn’t a problem at all. The new fins had stronger kicks than my previous cheap set, and even though I first felt heavy with them I could definitely feel the difference in the propulsion. I could really feel like I was swimming... more like, gliding in the water.
As I felt glee in every kick I made, the other two came into the water. It was totally their first times to wear any of the snorkeling stuff, so I gave a brief lecture on the tools and how to snorkel. I especially stressed the point not to try to stand in the water whenever they felt tired. It’s okay if you’re standing on the sand, but you can easily harm the coral reef misunderstanding, or rather misfeeling you’re standing on some rock.
As far as I could see there weren’t any coral around in that area though and the water was pretty muddy too, because of the swell the typhoon was bringing. I could’ve gone a bit further if I were on my own, but my friends were both beginner beginners so I suggested practicing in the shallower sand first. The first thing I taught was it’s easier to float on the surface and breathe with the snorkel rather than trying to find a place you can stand on your feet and stick your head above water.
Secondly, I taught them how to clear the mask and empty the water that’s gotten into the snorkel. As soon as we got finished with that part, we proceeded to a deeper place from where we were practicing, which the water came up only to your waist.
All right, I think I’ll stop here for today with my snorkeling lesson.
There it was, just like I suspected, a nice hidden beach probably only the locals know. This one faced the main island which was only yards away and thus prevented the big waves from the open water to come in. It was relatively safe even on a day a giant typhoon was approaching and swimming was allowed. Hurray!
Although small and didn’t even have anything that I could call a parking lot, it still had a beach house which we call “umi-no-ie” and there were actually quite a bit of people around.
In seconds I was dressing myself in my new snorkeling outfit – my brand new mask, snorkel, boots, gloves and fins – and darted down into the water as if cooling down my pounding excitement.
Yeah it was pretty wavy, but not to the extent that I couldn’t enjoy myself. Actually, it wasn’t a problem at all. The new fins had stronger kicks than my previous cheap set, and even though I first felt heavy with them I could definitely feel the difference in the propulsion. I could really feel like I was swimming... more like, gliding in the water.
As I felt glee in every kick I made, the other two came into the water. It was totally their first times to wear any of the snorkeling stuff, so I gave a brief lecture on the tools and how to snorkel. I especially stressed the point not to try to stand in the water whenever they felt tired. It’s okay if you’re standing on the sand, but you can easily harm the coral reef misunderstanding, or rather misfeeling you’re standing on some rock.
As far as I could see there weren’t any coral around in that area though and the water was pretty muddy too, because of the swell the typhoon was bringing. I could’ve gone a bit further if I were on my own, but my friends were both beginner beginners so I suggested practicing in the shallower sand first. The first thing I taught was it’s easier to float on the surface and breathe with the snorkel rather than trying to find a place you can stand on your feet and stick your head above water.
Secondly, I taught them how to clear the mask and empty the water that’s gotten into the snorkel. As soon as we got finished with that part, we proceeded to a deeper place from where we were practicing, which the water came up only to your waist.
All right, I think I’ll stop here for today with my snorkeling lesson.
27 September, 2006
NO SWIMMING!?
At this very moment the Japanese society is quite excited socially and politically about this new Prime Minister (after a rather long reign of five years by Koizumi) Abe and his Cabinet. Every news program and gossip shows try to predict how they’re going to function and are trying to poke at every downside it has or trying to come up with ridiculous nicknames, but I don’t care. What will be, will be. I am going on with my own Okinawa story.
As we drove straight north from Naha on the highway, the surroundings change from houses to thick forest. This is the so-called “Yambaru” forest unique to Okinawa (and of course, Yambaru is Okinawa language). Once you come out of the Yambaru, you drive along the coastline seeing the water on your left. By the time we got by to the coastline the rain has stopped, but I could see thick dark layers of typhoon clouds and I must say I felt the threat of typhoon attack.
One thing I couldn’t help but notice as we drove along the coast was the number of road constructions going on. Constructions here, constructions there... everywhere. I’m not 100% sure if it was because of these constructions or of typhoon, or of both, the beaches didn’t have its original clarity and some worse parts I could see construction sand and dirt flowing into the sea. I felt sad.
Because it was a one-lane road and there was a car coming behind us, we couldn’t stop the car to closely examine the situation, but I did feel something that wasn’t good. A lot of dilemmas in a place like this, I suppose.
People come for clear blue water and tropical resort, but comparing to the big cities the facilities aren’t “modern” enough so they complain. Those complaints urge Okinawa to commercialize and undertake constructions and so on, but then the beauty of the nature people come for is more and more ruined. I dear hope it won’t be too late when people realize that this vicious cycle would come to a point where no one can return or put things back. It’s likely that if the current situation goes on, all they’re going to have is nothing different from what we have in giant cities.
Going back to my trip: Sesoko Beach on this sort of an isolated island connected with Okinawa Main Island with a bridge. Technically, it means that we’ve gone to an isolated island. Anyway.
When we crossed the bridge, beautiful water spread on both sides of us and, just, who cannot be hyper!? All we had to do was to follow the road leading us through sugar cane fields, and what we’ll see would have been a load of cars parked at the parking lot with people people and people...
WHERE ARE THEY!!!!???
And what!? “NO SWIMMING ALLOWED” ???
But we came all this way!
To be continued.
As we drove straight north from Naha on the highway, the surroundings change from houses to thick forest. This is the so-called “Yambaru” forest unique to Okinawa (and of course, Yambaru is Okinawa language). Once you come out of the Yambaru, you drive along the coastline seeing the water on your left. By the time we got by to the coastline the rain has stopped, but I could see thick dark layers of typhoon clouds and I must say I felt the threat of typhoon attack.
One thing I couldn’t help but notice as we drove along the coast was the number of road constructions going on. Constructions here, constructions there... everywhere. I’m not 100% sure if it was because of these constructions or of typhoon, or of both, the beaches didn’t have its original clarity and some worse parts I could see construction sand and dirt flowing into the sea. I felt sad.
Because it was a one-lane road and there was a car coming behind us, we couldn’t stop the car to closely examine the situation, but I did feel something that wasn’t good. A lot of dilemmas in a place like this, I suppose.
People come for clear blue water and tropical resort, but comparing to the big cities the facilities aren’t “modern” enough so they complain. Those complaints urge Okinawa to commercialize and undertake constructions and so on, but then the beauty of the nature people come for is more and more ruined. I dear hope it won’t be too late when people realize that this vicious cycle would come to a point where no one can return or put things back. It’s likely that if the current situation goes on, all they’re going to have is nothing different from what we have in giant cities.
Going back to my trip: Sesoko Beach on this sort of an isolated island connected with Okinawa Main Island with a bridge. Technically, it means that we’ve gone to an isolated island. Anyway.
When we crossed the bridge, beautiful water spread on both sides of us and, just, who cannot be hyper!? All we had to do was to follow the road leading us through sugar cane fields, and what we’ll see would have been a load of cars parked at the parking lot with people people and people...
WHERE ARE THEY!!!!???
And what!? “NO SWIMMING ALLOWED” ???
But we came all this way!
To be continued.
26 September, 2006
To the Beach on the Main Island
Giving up taking the tiny cessna that can only carry 9 passengers at a time, we headed to Sesoko Beach on the Okinawa Main Island after renting a car. We wanted to get a car at the small airport but we were sent back to the big one to get the car. The place we were carried to on a micro-bus was the world famous DTS located next to the airport. Needless to explain, the duty free shops.
I was just a bit confused thinking, “so is this where we get the car?” but as soon as we entered the building we found the counter right there. The thing I didn’t appreciate so much during the process of renting the car was that after we filled in the papers, they took our baggage to carry them for us (this part was ok) and lead us through the name brand shops to get to the parking lot. This was the only passage to the car. Yeah, I know it’s cheaper cuz no tax, but... so commercial.
But too bad, we weren’t interested in them the slightest bit so we walked straight to the parking lot. As we waited, it suddenly started to pour. The weather was rather calm that I had completely forgotten that we were under typhoon attack. Our faces made grimaces but thankfully the rain didn’t last. It was more like a squall than a typhoon, that was over by the time we got out of the DTS.
From the point, all we had in our minds was Sesoko Beach. Follow the car navigation guys, we’re on our way to paradise.
I was just a bit confused thinking, “so is this where we get the car?” but as soon as we entered the building we found the counter right there. The thing I didn’t appreciate so much during the process of renting the car was that after we filled in the papers, they took our baggage to carry them for us (this part was ok) and lead us through the name brand shops to get to the parking lot. This was the only passage to the car. Yeah, I know it’s cheaper cuz no tax, but... so commercial.
But too bad, we weren’t interested in them the slightest bit so we walked straight to the parking lot. As we waited, it suddenly started to pour. The weather was rather calm that I had completely forgotten that we were under typhoon attack. Our faces made grimaces but thankfully the rain didn’t last. It was more like a squall than a typhoon, that was over by the time we got out of the DTS.
From the point, all we had in our minds was Sesoko Beach. Follow the car navigation guys, we’re on our way to paradise.
25 September, 2006
Went to Tokyo Game Show 2006!
Sorry, I know I haven’t finished with what I started, but I just want to say I went to see the Tokyo Game Show 2006 yesterday Sunday, this time not as one of the regular visitors but as media!! I will report the details on my website Japan Mode but let me give you my honest impression here: despite it is said to have gathered the largest number of visitors since it has started, I didn’t get so much of excitement out of it. I don’t know why – maybe it’s because PS3 isn’t so “new” in myself anymore, and maybe it’s because some of the mobile phones have high-tech games that are more high-tech high spec than the very first PlayStations. I guess part of it was because although it’s the Game Show, the mobile booths including KDDI (au) NTT DoCoMo and Vodafone (or Softbank) stood out quite conspicuously. That’s my honest comment. I’ll write about the rest on my site.
My travel notes will have to take a break today. Hopefully I’ll restart it tomorrow. Sorry and Thanks!
My travel notes will have to take a break today. Hopefully I’ll restart it tomorrow. Sorry and Thanks!
22 September, 2006
Cancelled? So what?
I was so shocked to see those four kanji saying “all boats cancelled” that I collapsed on the spot and sat there for a little while like a ragged doll. My friends who were also looking forward to this trip drooped their heads, but seemed like they switched their minds rather quickly and set out from the lobby complaining yet somewhat light-heartedly. As for myself, I was still trying to figure out a way to get to the islands cuz I felt kind of responsible for bringing them this far but not beyond, as much as I wanted to enjoy the island myself.
!?
I soon remembered that you can also go to that island by different means. It’s three times expensive and it’s super small, but there’s a plane!!! I clutched the phone as I anxiously called the airport, and then the answer I got was like a gift from Santa Clause.
“Yes, it’s still flying.”
Guys, we’re off to the airport!!
So now, we got to the airport with high spirit (especially myself) and headed straight to the tiny tiny ticket counter at the very corner of the lobby.... just to find out that everybody else who were supposed to take the plane decided to cancel. ALL of them. I guess they feared to welcome the giant typhoon on a remote, isolated island that’s barely on the map.
It was then when a chubby white guy came along accompanied by an interpreter who kind of resembled Horiemon (that’s the ex-chief executive if Livedoor). It looked like he was going to this island no matter what. Soon I learned that he’s a professional diver. But he was despairing that even if he did make it to the island, there’d be no boats to take him off the coast to dive.
Seeing him, I felt the responsibility of bringing my friends who have never by then been to Okinawa and came along just because I asked them and it was their first time, and not only that, they’re first time skin divers. Concerning their safety, I understood that I had to be patient and give up on going to a place that could be very dangerous.
If I am to give up, do so manly! So now, we decided to rent a car. I thought that we could at least enjoy Naha City sightseeing and perhaps swim just a bit in the calm water of the main island Okinawa.
So next week, the story goes on to the looong story of my useless resistance.
!?
I soon remembered that you can also go to that island by different means. It’s three times expensive and it’s super small, but there’s a plane!!! I clutched the phone as I anxiously called the airport, and then the answer I got was like a gift from Santa Clause.
“Yes, it’s still flying.”
Guys, we’re off to the airport!!
So now, we got to the airport with high spirit (especially myself) and headed straight to the tiny tiny ticket counter at the very corner of the lobby.... just to find out that everybody else who were supposed to take the plane decided to cancel. ALL of them. I guess they feared to welcome the giant typhoon on a remote, isolated island that’s barely on the map.
It was then when a chubby white guy came along accompanied by an interpreter who kind of resembled Horiemon (that’s the ex-chief executive if Livedoor). It looked like he was going to this island no matter what. Soon I learned that he’s a professional diver. But he was despairing that even if he did make it to the island, there’d be no boats to take him off the coast to dive.
Seeing him, I felt the responsibility of bringing my friends who have never by then been to Okinawa and came along just because I asked them and it was their first time, and not only that, they’re first time skin divers. Concerning their safety, I understood that I had to be patient and give up on going to a place that could be very dangerous.
If I am to give up, do so manly! So now, we decided to rent a car. I thought that we could at least enjoy Naha City sightseeing and perhaps swim just a bit in the calm water of the main island Okinawa.
So next week, the story goes on to the looong story of my useless resistance.
21 September, 2006
Typhoon Attack
Maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but I did go to Okinawa!! Who cares about the typhoon which was actually said to be the biggest in the past decade. Who cares... orz
It really literally directly hit me right on the spot. And I’m going to report everything here on this blog.
The night before the trip I was so caught up with the huge load of unfinished projects at work, and I ended up taking the last train which naturally carried me home on the day of the trip. Good thing I had most of the things packed ready in advance. I double checked my luggage while I watched the news and weather forecast on TV, slept for 3 hours and took the earliest train to Haneda Airport.
Part of it because it was very early in the morning, but mostly because it’s this time of year, the beginning part of my trip (I’m still in Tokyo here) was a bit chilly and I needed a jacket to pull over. My two companions were already there at the airport waiting or me, and as soon as we checked in we bought breakfast and sat down to eat. I think we had some onigiri (rice ball).
Although I am a big fan of traveling, I am by no means a fan of flying. I can never get used to that awkward floating feeling you get when the plane takes off.
For two hours from Tokyo to Okinawa, I got a really good sleep not really caring about the other two. I have to say I was exhausted, but the short but deep sleep rejuvenated myself enough to feel excited about the trip.
Because from Okinawa to our destination island we had to take the little jet boat, we headed straight to the port in Naha as soon as we got off the plane. But it didn’t take seconds to realize that there were hardly any people around, whereas usually the place is crowded even at this time of year. Needless to explain, the sign at the ticket counter said “zen-bin-ke-kkou” which of course means, “all boats cancelled”. It didn’t even show the slightest bit of sympathy of any kind. My mind went blank. It became so blank. By the time I realized I was almost attacking the staff with questions only allowing him to squeeze out, “it doesn’t look that bad from here, but the water is pretty rough off shore.”
DAMN TYPHOON!!!!!!!
What in the world do you mean “all boats cancelled”!!!??
I am so going to use this phrase as part of the next four-character-idiom! :-(
And what action did I take then? That’s for tomorrow.
It really literally directly hit me right on the spot. And I’m going to report everything here on this blog.
The night before the trip I was so caught up with the huge load of unfinished projects at work, and I ended up taking the last train which naturally carried me home on the day of the trip. Good thing I had most of the things packed ready in advance. I double checked my luggage while I watched the news and weather forecast on TV, slept for 3 hours and took the earliest train to Haneda Airport.
Part of it because it was very early in the morning, but mostly because it’s this time of year, the beginning part of my trip (I’m still in Tokyo here) was a bit chilly and I needed a jacket to pull over. My two companions were already there at the airport waiting or me, and as soon as we checked in we bought breakfast and sat down to eat. I think we had some onigiri (rice ball).
Although I am a big fan of traveling, I am by no means a fan of flying. I can never get used to that awkward floating feeling you get when the plane takes off.
For two hours from Tokyo to Okinawa, I got a really good sleep not really caring about the other two. I have to say I was exhausted, but the short but deep sleep rejuvenated myself enough to feel excited about the trip.
Because from Okinawa to our destination island we had to take the little jet boat, we headed straight to the port in Naha as soon as we got off the plane. But it didn’t take seconds to realize that there were hardly any people around, whereas usually the place is crowded even at this time of year. Needless to explain, the sign at the ticket counter said “zen-bin-ke-kkou” which of course means, “all boats cancelled”. It didn’t even show the slightest bit of sympathy of any kind. My mind went blank. It became so blank. By the time I realized I was almost attacking the staff with questions only allowing him to squeeze out, “it doesn’t look that bad from here, but the water is pretty rough off shore.”
DAMN TYPHOON!!!!!!!
What in the world do you mean “all boats cancelled”!!!??
I am so going to use this phrase as part of the next four-character-idiom! :-(
And what action did I take then? That’s for tomorrow.
14 September, 2006
Help me out!!
Well no one can except for the mighty all mighty god of weather.
The typhoon is coming straight to me, as if it’s aiming only, or as if we are the opposite ends of a magnet.
I am flying to Okinawa no matter what, but it’s literally hitting me!!!
How can it do this to me!!? I am (still) sooo looking forward to it.
This is more than too bad. I need better help than sympathy.
I was going to update some photos on my website (or maybe I still should).
Dunno how it’ll end up, but I have not given up my last hope and am not canceling at all.
Change your mind and go somewhere else, stupid idiot typhoon!!
So the next update here will be September 21, that’s a week from today.
Let’s wait for my words then.
The typhoon is coming straight to me, as if it’s aiming only, or as if we are the opposite ends of a magnet.
I am flying to Okinawa no matter what, but it’s literally hitting me!!!
How can it do this to me!!? I am (still) sooo looking forward to it.
This is more than too bad. I need better help than sympathy.
I was going to update some photos on my website (or maybe I still should).
Dunno how it’ll end up, but I have not given up my last hope and am not canceling at all.
Change your mind and go somewhere else, stupid idiot typhoon!!
So the next update here will be September 21, that’s a week from today.
Let’s wait for my words then.
13 September, 2006
Getting there!
Friday is coming, minute by minute!! How can I not be happy!? Friday about this time of the day I am going to be in Okinawa. The Kerama Islands!! And I’m so damn sure I’m going to be wiped out from the very first day swimming and splashing in that clear blue water.
I do have to say that the amount of the work I have is more than I can handle by Friday, but I will win this battle. Man, I’ve got to cuz I bought a new mask, new snorkels, new fins and marine boots and gloves and everything I need for this vacation. Especially the fins, I am so excited about actually swimming with them on cuz I was having this no-enough-kind of feeling with my older ones. So happy!
But I can’t be so carried away cuz like I wrote in the entry for August 31st, the corals and the water and the beach in the Aka Island of the Keramas is all messed, and I have to see how bad it is with my own eyes. Personally it’s a huge mission.
When I actually see it, how I feel, think and what I do... all of that I am not sure at this point, but I will report it here sometime soon.
BTW I won’t be able to post anything 15-20 September (cuz I’m off to paradise) and my website Japan Mode too, will not have new postings 15-18.
I do have to say that the amount of the work I have is more than I can handle by Friday, but I will win this battle. Man, I’ve got to cuz I bought a new mask, new snorkels, new fins and marine boots and gloves and everything I need for this vacation. Especially the fins, I am so excited about actually swimming with them on cuz I was having this no-enough-kind of feeling with my older ones. So happy!
But I can’t be so carried away cuz like I wrote in the entry for August 31st, the corals and the water and the beach in the Aka Island of the Keramas is all messed, and I have to see how bad it is with my own eyes. Personally it’s a huge mission.
When I actually see it, how I feel, think and what I do... all of that I am not sure at this point, but I will report it here sometime soon.
BTW I won’t be able to post anything 15-20 September (cuz I’m off to paradise) and my website Japan Mode too, will not have new postings 15-18.
12 September, 2006
Don’t you dare come, typhoon!
It got really hot again until yesterday morning, but then it cooled down quite a bit last night and today. Now I’m starting to feel like it’s vacation season :-)
But it’s been raining quietly the past few days and it seems like Tokyo will have nothing but rain and cool air brought by rain for the following week or so. For me, being person who’s taking a day of to enjoy a four-day-weekend in Okinawa, there’s another thing that concerns me a bit.
Yes it’s the typhoon month. I don’t hate it just because it’s disturbing for my vacation, but because it’s a killer in a very bad way for my family back in Kagawa, every year.
My family runs a cafe on a commercial street, and suffered a pretty big damage last year from typhoon. Last year, water flooded into the building and destroyed the commercial fridge which is quite huge and expensive so they had to get a new one. I just hope they won’t have to suffer anything like that again.
But then, you can’t do anything with natural disasters and even if you could, I feel it’s morally not right. In the end, all I can do is to pray it won’t directly hit my dear and near ones... and myself as well! Okinawa lies in the typhoon zone, getting the biggest damage in the country every year and the number that hits the islands isn’t small.
Let’s hope it won’t come... just please not this weekend!
But it’s been raining quietly the past few days and it seems like Tokyo will have nothing but rain and cool air brought by rain for the following week or so. For me, being person who’s taking a day of to enjoy a four-day-weekend in Okinawa, there’s another thing that concerns me a bit.
Yes it’s the typhoon month. I don’t hate it just because it’s disturbing for my vacation, but because it’s a killer in a very bad way for my family back in Kagawa, every year.
My family runs a cafe on a commercial street, and suffered a pretty big damage last year from typhoon. Last year, water flooded into the building and destroyed the commercial fridge which is quite huge and expensive so they had to get a new one. I just hope they won’t have to suffer anything like that again.
But then, you can’t do anything with natural disasters and even if you could, I feel it’s morally not right. In the end, all I can do is to pray it won’t directly hit my dear and near ones... and myself as well! Okinawa lies in the typhoon zone, getting the biggest damage in the country every year and the number that hits the islands isn’t small.
Let’s hope it won’t come... just please not this weekend!
11 September, 2006
Five Years
Today’s September 11th and it’s been five years from that dreadful incident... I was living in Osaka at that time, and when I was watching TV the program suddenly changed to news showing the WTC.
I was extremely shocked to see the scene. It took me a while to comprehend what was going on, and I could not keep my eyes off of the TV screen.
What we see today on the news, have narrations and have been edited and have music and subtitles and all that, but what I was and the world was seeing at that exact time, was the raw, live New York. I remember how the rawness scared me. Because we’re so much used to the “edited” version of whatever incident that the news is talking about, it was really scary to see something that no one knows would happen the next second. Plus, I couldn’t forget the tension and anxiety, of “I could be one of them.”
There are several films made on the incident, shown in theaters and on VHS/DVD. Honestly, I have a feeling it’s still too early, but perhaps it’s about time to face it, maybe.
Undoubtedly, its impact on Japan is huge like it is in most parts of the world. It’s so huge that I can even say that the history can be separated at 9.11.2001, before and after. Many things that we chose not to look at are now things we have to face, like the SDF issue and Japanese sense of crisis and so on. Although little, things are changing bits by bits.
And I’m sure things will change even more, even clearly when we have our new Prime Minister in ten days. How should Japan be? How would it become? What do you think?
Last but certainly not the least, let me pray for all those who had been changed their lives by the incident.
I was extremely shocked to see the scene. It took me a while to comprehend what was going on, and I could not keep my eyes off of the TV screen.
What we see today on the news, have narrations and have been edited and have music and subtitles and all that, but what I was and the world was seeing at that exact time, was the raw, live New York. I remember how the rawness scared me. Because we’re so much used to the “edited” version of whatever incident that the news is talking about, it was really scary to see something that no one knows would happen the next second. Plus, I couldn’t forget the tension and anxiety, of “I could be one of them.”
There are several films made on the incident, shown in theaters and on VHS/DVD. Honestly, I have a feeling it’s still too early, but perhaps it’s about time to face it, maybe.
Undoubtedly, its impact on Japan is huge like it is in most parts of the world. It’s so huge that I can even say that the history can be separated at 9.11.2001, before and after. Many things that we chose not to look at are now things we have to face, like the SDF issue and Japanese sense of crisis and so on. Although little, things are changing bits by bits.
And I’m sure things will change even more, even clearly when we have our new Prime Minister in ten days. How should Japan be? How would it become? What do you think?
Last but certainly not the least, let me pray for all those who had been changed their lives by the incident.
08 September, 2006
The (explanation of the )Village of Shirakawago
will be shortened cuz I’m super busy and just can’t manage to find myself the time to go into details.
My bad, I am so sorry for those who’d been looking forward to it.
So, well.
I hear it’s the best to visit the village in the wintertime when the snow is deep deep deep.
The traditional Japanese wooden houses have very dark brown colors, so the color contrast between the housed and the white snow (and the snow is really white here cuz it’s in the mountrains) is amazingly beautiful. I have seen it on TV and in pictures, and surely it is wonderful.
Want to visit there sometime. I also heard on a TV show that you can spend a night in those World Heritage houses. Cool.
I hadn’t really revealed yesterday that I have never been there. There are so many places in this country that I’ve never been to or don’t even know about, even though it’s rather a small country as compared to many others around the world. I guess that means there’re lots for me to enjoy in this small country.
My bad, I am so sorry for those who’d been looking forward to it.
So, well.
I hear it’s the best to visit the village in the wintertime when the snow is deep deep deep.
The traditional Japanese wooden houses have very dark brown colors, so the color contrast between the housed and the white snow (and the snow is really white here cuz it’s in the mountrains) is amazingly beautiful. I have seen it on TV and in pictures, and surely it is wonderful.
Want to visit there sometime. I also heard on a TV show that you can spend a night in those World Heritage houses. Cool.
I hadn’t really revealed yesterday that I have never been there. There are so many places in this country that I’ve never been to or don’t even know about, even though it’s rather a small country as compared to many others around the world. I guess that means there’re lots for me to enjoy in this small country.
07 September, 2006
Japan Countryside Guide
Ladies and gentlemen, we are back to my special Japan Countryside Guide. I didn’t really mean to make it a “countryside” guide, but since I mentioned the word “hinabita” last time I guess I’ll stick with that.
But come to think of it, many of you reading this aren’t likely to be Japanese or fond of Japanese language and customs. So even if I did introduce you guys my favorite rustic areas you’ll have a bit of a hard time in that sense. Some of you might be like “so who cares!? Rustic rules!” but many of the others probably want to have a small peek into the tasteful and traditionally culture-rich “hinabita” places safely and comfortably.
In that sense, my top recommendation would be Shirakawago which is one of the World Heritages we have in Japan. This place is pretty famous so some of you may have gone already. I’m not good at explaining the beauty of it so this’ll sound something like an extract from a leaflet, but anyway the gassho-style houses with thick thatched-roofs are just amazing. It’s a small village surrounded by mountains but the landscape is awesome. See here for some pics (page bottom).
That was super short, but I’ll go into it deeper tomorrow.
...And maybe come up with some remoter places.
But come to think of it, many of you reading this aren’t likely to be Japanese or fond of Japanese language and customs. So even if I did introduce you guys my favorite rustic areas you’ll have a bit of a hard time in that sense. Some of you might be like “so who cares!? Rustic rules!” but many of the others probably want to have a small peek into the tasteful and traditionally culture-rich “hinabita” places safely and comfortably.
In that sense, my top recommendation would be Shirakawago which is one of the World Heritages we have in Japan. This place is pretty famous so some of you may have gone already. I’m not good at explaining the beauty of it so this’ll sound something like an extract from a leaflet, but anyway the gassho-style houses with thick thatched-roofs are just amazing. It’s a small village surrounded by mountains but the landscape is awesome. See here for some pics (page bottom).
That was super short, but I’ll go into it deeper tomorrow.
...And maybe come up with some remoter places.
06 September, 2006
The Gogai Morning
I was going to re-start with the Japan Countryside Guide today, but I just remembered that today September 6th 2006 was the longed day in Japanese politics, society and history.
I suppose it’s pretty huge issue since some of the overseas media have been focusing on this for quite a while now, but anyway Princess Kiko, the wife of the Emperor’s second son gave birth to a boy this morning at 8:27am at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo.
Some of you may be like “so, what about it? It’s just another happy prince in the country” but you’ll be surprised how much the media – like every kind, all channels and all papers are sooo excited. I would even say they’re almost insane. Because I just got out of bed and my mind was still in a snooze mode, it took some seconds for the news to sink in but I was clapping before I realized I was. I was happy to hear that both the mother and child are in good health, and I was happier to hear that it is a boy.
It’s not like I’m particularly a rightist or an imperial family advocate, but the Japanese imperial family has been going on for 2,600 years on the father’s side. I hear it’s the only family line in the world that’s like that for so long, and it’ll be disappointing if that had to stop after all that history.
The basic issue hasn’t been solved, though. It’s just postponed for a little while. It’s quite clear that even if we postpone the issue now, the same problem will come up some time in the near future. But on the other hand, if it turns out that emperors/empresses from the mother’s side are enabled, it feels like in the long perspective the blood of the imperial family would die out.
If we are to value the “imperial-ness” of the family and to protect and maintain the family line, I think it’s quite reasonable to bring back the former imperial lines that had been driven out from the family by GHQ half a century ago, because it’ll ease the succession issue and enable the to maintain to some extent the “pureness” of the imperial line. It’s only like bringing back the nuclear families into one big family. The real one and only value of the imperial family is the blood, so in that sense it makes more sense than accepting the mother’s line whatsoever.
Either way, I just hope that an issue like this that brings this much trouble to the imperial family would never rise again.
BTW “gogai” is an extra issue of the normal newspapers.
I suppose it’s pretty huge issue since some of the overseas media have been focusing on this for quite a while now, but anyway Princess Kiko, the wife of the Emperor’s second son gave birth to a boy this morning at 8:27am at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo.
Some of you may be like “so, what about it? It’s just another happy prince in the country” but you’ll be surprised how much the media – like every kind, all channels and all papers are sooo excited. I would even say they’re almost insane. Because I just got out of bed and my mind was still in a snooze mode, it took some seconds for the news to sink in but I was clapping before I realized I was. I was happy to hear that both the mother and child are in good health, and I was happier to hear that it is a boy.
It’s not like I’m particularly a rightist or an imperial family advocate, but the Japanese imperial family has been going on for 2,600 years on the father’s side. I hear it’s the only family line in the world that’s like that for so long, and it’ll be disappointing if that had to stop after all that history.
The basic issue hasn’t been solved, though. It’s just postponed for a little while. It’s quite clear that even if we postpone the issue now, the same problem will come up some time in the near future. But on the other hand, if it turns out that emperors/empresses from the mother’s side are enabled, it feels like in the long perspective the blood of the imperial family would die out.
If we are to value the “imperial-ness” of the family and to protect and maintain the family line, I think it’s quite reasonable to bring back the former imperial lines that had been driven out from the family by GHQ half a century ago, because it’ll ease the succession issue and enable the to maintain to some extent the “pureness” of the imperial line. It’s only like bringing back the nuclear families into one big family. The real one and only value of the imperial family is the blood, so in that sense it makes more sense than accepting the mother’s line whatsoever.
Either way, I just hope that an issue like this that brings this much trouble to the imperial family would never rise again.
BTW “gogai” is an extra issue of the normal newspapers.
05 September, 2006
Tears from Time Leaping
So here’s the digest of the movie I craved to see.
Usually when I watch movies (never to forget I’m a big film person), I measure the quality of the movie by how many times I got goosebumps. The more goosebumps the better the movie is. Well for this movie Toki o Kakeru Shojo (literally means “the girl who leaps time”) I got it three times and that would count as a lot. I think I got it twice for Saving Private Ryan. Additionally, there are levels of goosebumps like a soft little one, to really shivering level, and this time I got two big ones and one middle-scale.
In yesterday’s description I could only tell you how popular it is, so today I’ll try to get to what’s so popular a little more precisely and the storyline as well as personal comments.
The main character of the story is Konno Makoto, a high school student living in Shitamachi (old downtown) Tokyo with her parents and her younger sister Miyuki. She loved to play baseball with two of her classmates and moreover very best friends – Mamiya Chiaki, the cheerful clown of the class, and Tsuda Kosuke, a bright student aiming for medical college.
One day when Makoto was cleaning a classroom with another good friend Hayakawa Yuri, she stumbled in the chemistry experiment room and goes through a weird experience. The same afternoon on the way back home, her brake broke at a railroad crossing and she crashed into the train – supposedly. This is when she first experienced “time leaping”.
As days passed she got the hang of time leaping, and started to enjoy her special ability fulfilling her little desires such as eating the pudding that she wanted to but had been eaten by somebody else in the past, or to go to karaoke as many times as she liked. From one point, however, when one of her buddies Kosuke was confessed love from a younger girl in the same volunteer club, the strong bond beyond gender between Makoto, Chiaki and Kosuke started to change.
It’s really... itchy, it’s young. Very heartaching, too. It’s hard to describe this feeling you get watching this movie... it just squeezes your heart. By using this small prop of “time leaping” the movie fully brings forth the sweet fragile memories and feelings from your youth with great impact. I can even say it’s like the Japanese version of The Butterfly Effect.
The director of this movie is Hosoda Mamoru, who actually directed Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle till the middle (in the end, Miyazaki changed his mind and took over the job). So feeling-wise, or taste-wise or however you’d describe it, it’s sort of like a successor movie to Whisper of the Heart (trusting it’s recognition as a Ghibli film).
Personally, the most striking was the pureness of Makoto. How pure? Well, I guess the first *Nobita-naki (geez I bet this is truly Japanese) in my film-life explains it all.
*Nobita is a character from the national manga Doraemon, and he cries like a water
fountain exploding.
”Time leaping” can take Makoto in the past and in the future. The first half of the movie illustrates that with a touch of comedy, and even those who are kind of reluctant in watching SF movies can enjoy it with much laughter. But as the story proceeds towards the latter half, the movie reveals its true vision and values when all the time – time that is supposed to have piled up, the memories that should have existed, the stolen memories – all fall heavily upon Makoto and makes her realize what changes and what does not.
Having said that, I believe that the main theme of this story is that there is nothing that does not change over time. Time moves on and people move too. That’s probably why people seek for things that don’t change.
By the way, after I wrote yesterday I did a little more research about the movie and the cinemas that show it: well, it turned out that although the number of theaters showing has increased, the number of the actual films is the same. That means, that when some place starts showing, some other place stopped showing. So, if you live in Japan and understand Japanese and happen to live near a movie theater that shows this movie Toki o Kakeru Shojo, you are super lucky. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT! Or if any of you are engaged in the international film industry, please do buy it and show it overseas!
...don’t sound like probable conditions, huh?
Usually when I watch movies (never to forget I’m a big film person), I measure the quality of the movie by how many times I got goosebumps. The more goosebumps the better the movie is. Well for this movie Toki o Kakeru Shojo (literally means “the girl who leaps time”) I got it three times and that would count as a lot. I think I got it twice for Saving Private Ryan. Additionally, there are levels of goosebumps like a soft little one, to really shivering level, and this time I got two big ones and one middle-scale.
In yesterday’s description I could only tell you how popular it is, so today I’ll try to get to what’s so popular a little more precisely and the storyline as well as personal comments.
The main character of the story is Konno Makoto, a high school student living in Shitamachi (old downtown) Tokyo with her parents and her younger sister Miyuki. She loved to play baseball with two of her classmates and moreover very best friends – Mamiya Chiaki, the cheerful clown of the class, and Tsuda Kosuke, a bright student aiming for medical college.
One day when Makoto was cleaning a classroom with another good friend Hayakawa Yuri, she stumbled in the chemistry experiment room and goes through a weird experience. The same afternoon on the way back home, her brake broke at a railroad crossing and she crashed into the train – supposedly. This is when she first experienced “time leaping”.
As days passed she got the hang of time leaping, and started to enjoy her special ability fulfilling her little desires such as eating the pudding that she wanted to but had been eaten by somebody else in the past, or to go to karaoke as many times as she liked. From one point, however, when one of her buddies Kosuke was confessed love from a younger girl in the same volunteer club, the strong bond beyond gender between Makoto, Chiaki and Kosuke started to change.
It’s really... itchy, it’s young. Very heartaching, too. It’s hard to describe this feeling you get watching this movie... it just squeezes your heart. By using this small prop of “time leaping” the movie fully brings forth the sweet fragile memories and feelings from your youth with great impact. I can even say it’s like the Japanese version of The Butterfly Effect.
The director of this movie is Hosoda Mamoru, who actually directed Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle till the middle (in the end, Miyazaki changed his mind and took over the job). So feeling-wise, or taste-wise or however you’d describe it, it’s sort of like a successor movie to Whisper of the Heart (trusting it’s recognition as a Ghibli film).
Personally, the most striking was the pureness of Makoto. How pure? Well, I guess the first *Nobita-naki (geez I bet this is truly Japanese) in my film-life explains it all.
*Nobita is a character from the national manga Doraemon, and he cries like a water
fountain exploding.
”Time leaping” can take Makoto in the past and in the future. The first half of the movie illustrates that with a touch of comedy, and even those who are kind of reluctant in watching SF movies can enjoy it with much laughter. But as the story proceeds towards the latter half, the movie reveals its true vision and values when all the time – time that is supposed to have piled up, the memories that should have existed, the stolen memories – all fall heavily upon Makoto and makes her realize what changes and what does not.
Having said that, I believe that the main theme of this story is that there is nothing that does not change over time. Time moves on and people move too. That’s probably why people seek for things that don’t change.
By the way, after I wrote yesterday I did a little more research about the movie and the cinemas that show it: well, it turned out that although the number of theaters showing has increased, the number of the actual films is the same. That means, that when some place starts showing, some other place stopped showing. So, if you live in Japan and understand Japanese and happen to live near a movie theater that shows this movie Toki o Kakeru Shojo, you are super lucky. YOU HAVE TO SEE IT! Or if any of you are engaged in the international film industry, please do buy it and show it overseas!
...don’t sound like probable conditions, huh?
04 September, 2006
Here we go again,
going off track.
I got myself started with Japan Countryside Guide last week, but I’m afraid I’m going off track again.
This is all because I went to see this movie called Toki o Kakeru Shojo which is a hidden boom in Japan right now.
Do any of you guys know this movie?
It’s a sequel to the movie with the same title shown in 1983, only that this one is an animation whereas the initial one was a live movie. Anyway, it’s shown in only nine theaters in Tokyo including the ones that aren’t really showing it yet but is going to. At this very moment, there’re only three places where you can see it.
As a country as a whole, 43 theaters is showing /are going to show it (not to mention it was 17 until a little while ago... in the entire country, believe it or not) and so, that naturally makes this a mini-theater mini-film.
Nevertheless, it proves to be the longest-running animation hit in theaters this summer, when there were other big ones like Gedo Senki (Tales From Earthsea), Brave Story (another good one), Pokemon and Cars all shown in more than 300 or 400 cinemas.
It wasn’t even advertised in a huge manner to begin with, but rumors and reputations by those who went to see it spread surprisingly rapidly, and well too, especially on the Internet. So some of you outside of Japan may have heard about it.
I was one of those who were influenced by word of mouth (or net) and being a film person I had to go see it. It was actually my second time heading to the theaters when I really got to see it: the first time I went there a couple of weeks ago, I had know choice but to stand and watch it even though I was there half and hour before the movie started. Now, I knew it was popular and one of my friends told me that he went twice and he couldn’t get a seat so he never got to see it. So I did expect some line even thought it has been a month since my friend went... but holy... I haven’t seen theaters be like that for a loong time. This is when I committed to take revenge.
Anyway, with the lesson from my last visit I learned to get there way ahead of time. Forty-five minutes before showing. I wanted to get there earlier, but with work that was the best I could do, and with great luck I slid myself into the line to get a seating ticket.
Um, this has become a long preamble... think I’ll go into the contents tomorrow.
I got myself started with Japan Countryside Guide last week, but I’m afraid I’m going off track again.
This is all because I went to see this movie called Toki o Kakeru Shojo which is a hidden boom in Japan right now.
Do any of you guys know this movie?
It’s a sequel to the movie with the same title shown in 1983, only that this one is an animation whereas the initial one was a live movie. Anyway, it’s shown in only nine theaters in Tokyo including the ones that aren’t really showing it yet but is going to. At this very moment, there’re only three places where you can see it.
As a country as a whole, 43 theaters is showing /are going to show it (not to mention it was 17 until a little while ago... in the entire country, believe it or not) and so, that naturally makes this a mini-theater mini-film.
Nevertheless, it proves to be the longest-running animation hit in theaters this summer, when there were other big ones like Gedo Senki (Tales From Earthsea), Brave Story (another good one), Pokemon and Cars all shown in more than 300 or 400 cinemas.
It wasn’t even advertised in a huge manner to begin with, but rumors and reputations by those who went to see it spread surprisingly rapidly, and well too, especially on the Internet. So some of you outside of Japan may have heard about it.
I was one of those who were influenced by word of mouth (or net) and being a film person I had to go see it. It was actually my second time heading to the theaters when I really got to see it: the first time I went there a couple of weeks ago, I had know choice but to stand and watch it even though I was there half and hour before the movie started. Now, I knew it was popular and one of my friends told me that he went twice and he couldn’t get a seat so he never got to see it. So I did expect some line even thought it has been a month since my friend went... but holy... I haven’t seen theaters be like that for a loong time. This is when I committed to take revenge.
Anyway, with the lesson from my last visit I learned to get there way ahead of time. Forty-five minutes before showing. I wanted to get there earlier, but with work that was the best I could do, and with great luck I slid myself into the line to get a seating ticket.
Um, this has become a long preamble... think I’ll go into the contents tomorrow.
01 September, 2006
Japan Guide | Enjoy the Countryside
Today we’re having rain all day that we haven’t had for a while. It’s a whole lot cooler than yesterday. Looks like summer is surely leaving this country. One of my colleagues caught a cold for sleeping nearly naked till last night. Careful! The season is changing.
Yesterday I wrote about my shock about the reality the isolated islands of Okinawa are facing, but today I’m going to switch my mind on a lighter and more pleasant topic.
So, enjoy the countryside.
Let’s see, why don’t we start from Tokyo periphery? A typical guide would most likely lead you to Nikko, a historical and natural area located several hours north of Tokyo. Of course, it’s a beautiful place very easy to access: you can reach there easily and directly from terminal stations in Tokyo like Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, plus it’s going to be the foliage season soon so it is in fact a great destination this time of year. There is also the amusement park Edo Wonderland with a magnificent recreation & re-enactment of Edo Period where you can enjoy the townscape and townspeople of several centuries back in history. It has great ninja shows and attractions, too.
Yet, if you want to explore a more unknown rustic place and just spend a slow relaxing time, I recommend an area called Nanasawa in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is an area in the mountains rich in hot springs, retaining the townscape of good old Japan. Although it is not as known as some other hot spring resorts in nearby areas, it is also accessible from Tokyo without any hassle. All it takes is a little more than an hour from Shinjuku, using Odakyu line and bus. Few people who know this secret spot are big fans of this spot.
As I was writing, I just realized how the term “rustic” is deeply associated with Japanese identity. We say “hinabita” in Japanese, and the synonyms include the following: idyllic, carefree, pastoral, rural (landscape), village-like, calming, peaceful, un-secularized, plain, somehow nostalgic, fond, harmony b/w human and nature... etc.
My definition of “hinabita” includes all of these, but is deeper and more discreet, I feel.
I plan to feature entertainment spots too where you can just scream till you lose your voice and dash around till your legs don’t move anymore, but I’m pretty sure that “hinabita” would become one big theme in my Japan Guide.
Yesterday I wrote about my shock about the reality the isolated islands of Okinawa are facing, but today I’m going to switch my mind on a lighter and more pleasant topic.
So, enjoy the countryside.
Let’s see, why don’t we start from Tokyo periphery? A typical guide would most likely lead you to Nikko, a historical and natural area located several hours north of Tokyo. Of course, it’s a beautiful place very easy to access: you can reach there easily and directly from terminal stations in Tokyo like Shinjuku and Ikebukuro, plus it’s going to be the foliage season soon so it is in fact a great destination this time of year. There is also the amusement park Edo Wonderland with a magnificent recreation & re-enactment of Edo Period where you can enjoy the townscape and townspeople of several centuries back in history. It has great ninja shows and attractions, too.
Yet, if you want to explore a more unknown rustic place and just spend a slow relaxing time, I recommend an area called Nanasawa in Atsugi City, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is an area in the mountains rich in hot springs, retaining the townscape of good old Japan. Although it is not as known as some other hot spring resorts in nearby areas, it is also accessible from Tokyo without any hassle. All it takes is a little more than an hour from Shinjuku, using Odakyu line and bus. Few people who know this secret spot are big fans of this spot.
As I was writing, I just realized how the term “rustic” is deeply associated with Japanese identity. We say “hinabita” in Japanese, and the synonyms include the following: idyllic, carefree, pastoral, rural (landscape), village-like, calming, peaceful, un-secularized, plain, somehow nostalgic, fond, harmony b/w human and nature... etc.
My definition of “hinabita” includes all of these, but is deeper and more discreet, I feel.
I plan to feature entertainment spots too where you can just scream till you lose your voice and dash around till your legs don’t move anymore, but I’m pretty sure that “hinabita” would become one big theme in my Japan Guide.
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