Quick little monkeys (Nagoya Part 1)

Last weekend Satoko and I visited Nagoya. She had several friends to catch up with including Mariko, who lives in NZ with her husband Grant and two lovely girls Kiriko (3) and Kauri (6). As seen above, they're quite a handful!

For 2 months each year Mariko brings the kids to Japan. They stay at Mariko's mother's house, and because the kids go to school while in Japan, they are truly bilingual - keeping up-to-date with both the language and the culture.

Anyway, they soon tired me out, but I felt a strange loneliness when they weren't around. Could it be that kids are addictive? I look forward to seeing them again, and can't wait to be a daddy myself now. (Gasp!)

Satoko and I really enjoyed staying with Mariko's family, so I hope we can return the favour somehow, someday. Mariko arigatou!

Three little girls from school: extracurricular

It's not me, ok? Japan is obsessed with schoolgirls. I suppose even Japanese schoolgirls might be obsessed with schoolgirls. Anyway, Satoko and I sauntered through Yoyogi park last weekend, and to get there you have to run the gauntlet of J-goths, gosu-rori (goth Lolitas), b-boys (breakdancers), rock bands, boy bands, and as shown above, girl bands.

Most tourists get photos of the goths. These kids probably commute every weekend from their towns in the country. During the week they look like your average Jimmy or Suzy (Junichi or Suki), and then just to be different (like everyone else) they head to the big smoke wearing the most outlandish and elaborate costumes they can fashion. Last weekend I noticed a kind of head/nose-bandage/mask-thing was the latest mode.

These girls caught my eye, not because of their quite average performance (and average looks - although the one on the left is cute in a more adult way) but because of the attention they were receiving. Mostly none, that is, except for a few photography otaku (geeks) that had all the gears. Expensive cameras on tripods with huge zoom lenses (compensating for other inadequacies) were trained on these girls less than 3 metres away.

As we left later the show was over, and the otaku were squatting red-faced with excitement as they collected the girls' autographs. Everyone's got to have a hobby, I guess.

Footnote: I suppose I should fess up and thank Sean for sending five large (but not inadequacy-compensating) computer texts to feed my Apple 2 emulation hobby. I too am another happy otaku ...

The joy of spring (Spring Part 1)

Pink and white blossoms softly raining down are a bit reminiscent of weddings, so the timing seemed perfect this weekend when Satoko and I made another visit to the temple where we are planning to be married in September. Before that we had a chance to check out a chic Japanese restaurant we are considering for the reception, and caught up with Satoko's friend Lisa on her home turf: Akasaka. Desirable turf it is too, with enviable architecture both old and new. Sakura (cherry blossoms) were in full bloom; tourists here today saw Japan at its best.

For those of us who live here, it's like nature's own end-of-winter ceremony - admitting defeat after months of relentless, bitter cold. Yatta!

Nice vice city (Spring Part 2)

Even the city I work in, Ikebukuro - not known for it's beauty - is suddenly snap-worthy, and possibly even picturesque! It's nice to see my namesake "West Gate Park" with a dash of natural daytime colour, rather than just the obligatory nighttime neon.

Spring's first act (Spring Part 3)

My local park now. One day it's thermals and a jacket, the next it's sandals and a singlet! The trees burst into bloom, and people head to parks everywhere to enjoy hanami (flower-watching), often with the traditional accompaniment of nihonshu (Japanese sake/rice-wine).

Winter's last gasp (Epilogue)

Just for comparison - here's my local park one month ago.

Menu for the first spring outing (Part I)

Recently the weather has been quite unpredictable. For instance it's been raining more than 3 times a month, and that signals the beginning of spring. Graf organised a gathering for hanami (flower-watching) in a park near his appartment (near Ebisu). So with a forecast for fine weather, Satoko cooked up a storm in the morning - yakisoba (fried noodles), onigiri (sushi rice rolls) and nikujaga (sweet and salty meat and vegetable stew).

We headed to Naka-Meguro (a futile attempt at name translation would be central-black-eye) and met up with him and his friends. Unfortunately the flowers were rather uncooperative - just a handful of early bloomers - and are expected to fully blossom next weekend, so with the temperature dropping we decided to move the festivites to Graf's pad.

FrieNZ (Part II)

In addition to Graf's many fine friends, the Auckland Massive was represented by myself, ex-transplants Satoko and Yusuke, and his flatmate Zane. Yusuke's GF Manami and Satoko's friend Lisa were also witness to the festivites and shenanigans. Plenty of eating and drinking ensued, with much conversation of both frivolous and hilarious nature. Only one casualty was observed, and a temporary one at that: Chinatsu - with more red wine in her than blood - was taken to a cell and coaxed into having a nap.

We were in part celebrating Graf's approaching birthday, so it was nice to catch up with his crowd on his home turf. Mine is always the worst level of Japanese ability there, so it's a great environment for me to be in. A kick in the pants to remind me that one day I want not to be worst Japanese speaker in the room. (I could just wait until Zeal visits next I suppose ...)

When Australians Attack (Part III)

Scott, a new addition to the menagerie, sure turns heads - Lisa's in this case. For some reason she was permitted to look in one direction only, and for some reason we all found this quite amusing. Scott's another GABA (English school) refugee, former linguistics scholar, funky house DJ, and goodness knows what else. He also sports a few good Japanese comedy impersonations - a sure way to win over a crowd here. I'm sure Lisa's still laughing.