The Big Sushi

Scouting

2009-01-20T14:16:00.001+09:00

Nozawa Onsen at this time is still relatively undiscovered. There are places where you can sit and chill. These little lone trips into the silence was a wonder of my stay. I miss it a lot.

Mystic Clouds

Again, the little green UFO

It's cold

Naski

Naski is the mascot for Nozawa Onsen. There's a winter vegetable grown all over here call Nozawana. It's no doubt the town took it and made the towns 'to be famous for' item. It's like a thin stringy asparagus. They have an ice cream with that flavour. Not bad actually.

Fire, more fire

2009-01-15T21:03:00.001+09:00

And what a wonderful end to the night. I spent it with Rei who came from Canada. It was warm, very warm... a little bit scorching actually. Flames, warmth, stars. I didn't want that night to end.

Nurturing the flame

Send in the "haiku" tower

Tower destroyed

Everything destroyed

The Party Begins

2009-01-15T17:16:00.001+09:00

There's a crowd, there's a film crew and it's centered around a big structure made of wood that's gonna get burnt down. The thing that makes it interesting is that there are a bunch of 42 year olds standing on top, 25 year olds guarding it and all the rest trying to burn it down. If you want to see it, come here on the 15th of January. Rain, snow or shine, it'll happen.

It started somewhere around 1863. Well, the festival did anyway. The idea goes way back when language and superstition started. See, the numbers 4 and 2 in Japanese can be read "shi" and "ni". Together, its "shini" which appropriately means "death", so all the 42 year olds of the village get to stand up on the structure and await... or avoid their 'fate' and live to see another year of their happy lives. On the other hand the 25 year olds should be ready for marriage and have established their career. That's considered a bad luck year anyway.

This is the Dosojin festival. Lots of fun to be had here.

An ode to sake

Crowding the platform

Getting in close

Into the fire

Dawn of the Fire Festival

2009-01-15T15:50:00.000+09:00

And tonight is the start of the what is possibly one of the coolest, craziest festivals in Japan. In Japanese, it's called the Dosoujin. In English, The Fire Festival. I've been trying to piece this one together for a while. A lot of things happen. First they build a 20 meter high, wooden, very flammable structure. About 3 or so families with new borns make long decorated poles for their youngest child. All the people of the village attach their best wishes and proserity for the future of that child. Everyone gathers, gets hammered on sake, have a battle, then burn everything down. There is some meaning to all of this but I need sleep. I'll do it next post.

Free sake

They ask you to please drink as much as you can. They knew I worked at the ski school so they were eager to see me pissed.

Walking a light torch down the street

These guys are wasted and fumble that fire stick damn close to you. If you plan on giving this place a visit, lest you want your ass to be on fire, I suggest you stand the hell back, well away from these guys paths.

Sake on ice

Pretending to Snowboard

2009-01-15T13:53:00.000+09:00

And pictures to remind me of a sour reuniting and lack of reasonable talk, still in chaos and grief - a partner and the sister of Kei, who recently passed. Mucking around in the snow. Nothing serious. I got some free time to enjoy the trees and the silence again though. Good things would be coming for me later that night. At this point I was becoming sick of it all. They hold on to him so tight when all he wanted was to be free.

Kei's poppy little sister.

That little green UFO is back probing her tummy.

Ah, peace at last.

The Town of Nozawa

2009-01-14T21:12:00.000+09:00

Nozawa Onsen is one of the most traditional of Japans skiing areas. Its one of the only places where the slopes are reachable by foot from the township. You ski during the morning and have lunch in town during the day and have another crack at it during the afternoon. The place isn't ultra popular yet so it doesn't really get crowded. Here's a few previews of the town.

Mail box still in use until buried in snow

Last shops before the slopes

Natural hot springs used for cooking

It usually smells like veges around here

Japanese Unkai

2009-01-13T21:26:00.000+09:00

On the top of special viewing point mountains at roughly 5 am in the morning you'll meet bunches of expensive super camera weilding Japanese folk waiting for the sun to rise above the clouds. When it does, you'll see a beautiful array of colours shining upon an ocean of clouds. Thats what "unkai" means, not to be mixed up with "unko" which means 'a shit'. Here at the ski school, it's common to see this. We wake up early and get out to have a bit of fun and snow testing before we take on students. It's quite disorientating starting with a hot sunny day at the top, freezing cold and misty day in the middle then rain at the bottom. It's just over a kilometer from the top to the bottom. The weather changes a lot between.

Japanese Unkai

Flamable and portable good luck resolution shrine

At night this shrine is going to be swayed from here to there then dropped into a house sized bon fire. People write their new years resolutions in hope that they'll come true.

Sake bearing stick people

When I grow up I'm gonna be a tank!

The cars around here have to wear tracks should they want to travel over the snow. This is the very first time I've seen one... except for the last times I've seen one.

With the pros

2009-01-11T19:28:00.000+09:00

These are my teachers. These guys jump high, spin, and scrape. It's dangerous but it's a lot of fun. They give me a lot of encouragement. They're not heroes, very humble, no ego. Well there was one fat headed jerk but there always is right? Anyway, definately good to ride with these guys if you wanna get some confidence... or loose it for good ;)

My capable teachers

Nozawa Onsen

2009-01-03T19:18:00.002+09:00

And this is Nozawa Onsen. Again. Although this time it felt as though something was missing. I guess I just bruise easily. But enough of that. Today is a holiday but I can't remember why. Me and Rob went for a scout into town. Not much to see but snow really. I picked up some nice apples :)

Yes, my hands are warm

I wouldn't recommend eating them

Can't drive through that one

Shrine before the slopes

Welcome to 2009

2009-01-01T11:26:00.000+09:00

Goodbye 2008 and welcome 2009. New years resolutions, fix myself, get on my feet, get better. I can't complain though, I'm snowboarding every day, I've got a place to stay and I'm well fed. It'll only last the season though. I've been keeping my eye on Gaijin Pot (A website for foreigners in Japan looking for a job). The receptionists get paid more than the ski/snowboard instructors. All of those hard worked qualifications are getting put to use for such rubbish pay. All good, I'm just doing it so I can snowboard every day :) Well worth it. Happy new year!

Psychadellic Moon Surface Shadow

Happy Snowey 2009

The fireworks

Pop, pop, bang

End of 2008

2008-12-31T18:41:00.001+09:00

Good bye 2008. What an interesting year. It left me with a few scars, softened by battle, not hardened. I remember telling an old friend that I didn't expect too much from life. I just didn't want a normal one. Well, I'm getting what I wished for. Things are coming right. I'm poor but well fed and snowboarding. At, this point it's just a bit hard to keep a smile on my face. It'll come. As my teacher said, "just keep moving". Best damn advice anyone could give.

Making a movie

Boarding Co-workers

Rob on Ski's

Our ugly mugs :)

White Trees

2008-12-27T17:28:00.000+09:00

Snow on trees still buzz me out. I can sit there and just watch them. There is this kind of silence in the mountains that is so serene. I imagine being on the moon, rolling about in moon dust. In the stillness I can hear my own heart beat. It brings this tranquil kind of happiness.

Merry Work For Xmas

2008-12-25T16:56:00.002+09:00

Merry Christmas Cake!!

Japan wasn't so much overrun by Christians so Christmas isn't really such a big thing here. It's just another work day actually. Luckely there were a couple of Australian buddies there at the ski school. Everyone pitched in for a delicious strawberry christmas cake. It went fast.

Lining up for the first gondola

Ok, so I take that back about Nozawa Onsen not getting crowded. It's christmas day today and a lot of people have gone ski crazy.

My awesome student

And check out my second, now 6th or 7th student! It ain't straight but she's got air! Good stuff!!

Day Two

2008-12-24T16:16:00.000+09:00

Ueno Taira Slope

Nozawa Onsen. I am glad to have found this place. The slopes are wide, it doesn't get relatively crowded and snow is great.

My second student, from Hong Kong

White trees

The Return Home

A Quick Start

2008-12-22T07:16:00.000+09:00

My Very First Student From England

When I walked through the door I was mistaken for a homeless person because of my hippy style dress. Actually it wasn't far from the truth considering home was 9,000km away across the pacific. I soon met familiar faces and was greeted warmly.

The Gondola

There was no hesitation getting me out in the field. I'm no pro boarder and the people there knew that. The first day of training was bluntly meager and rushed. Three months of learning in one day. Then I saw the list of foreigners that had booked lessons. They needed an English speaking snowboard teacher.

A snowless Hikage Gerande

To Nozawa Onsen

2008-12-19T21:57:00.000+09:00

I sneaked the local train all the way to Nagano. Very cheeky but necessary. I wouldn't be seeing trains for a while. And I arrived seeing a familiar face just stepping in. AyaP. This place is a snowy mountain and I arrived early enough to see the green on the mountain before the white sets in.

Sleepers

All these guys are pretending to sleep so they have an excuse for not giving up their chair for an elderly person.

Water wheel at Ueda

Nagano mountain range

The Yu-Road sunset

Finally escaped from slave labour and on to something I really enjoy :) I'll be here for the whole season.

Crispy Cream Donuts

2008-12-18T21:32:00.000+09:00

I got a job at the ski school I used to work at and I will be starting there tomorrow. Tonight I hung out with my good friend Hiroshi in Shinjuku. I spilled my guts on him, poor fella. We treated ourselves to Krispy Kream Donuts before I left.

Colour Change Monument (With Sound)

Lights before dark

Watch them donuts

Goodbye Shinjuku

Shinjuku

2008-12-16T21:20:00.000+09:00

Back to Tokyo. Full of lights. Energy is well used in this city. Here are billions more lights to add to the city lights. Very pretty. I had glassed that turned lights into stars. Very trippy.

Lights at Shinjuku Station - East Exit

Jamming in the street

Christmas is upon us

Blue lights Shinjuku

See ya Masaru

2008-12-11T21:10:00.000+09:00

Tsukinoniwa

And I arrived to see Masaru off. He had been fighting cancer well past his due date. So many people will miss him and he left so many gifts behind. Thankyou for everything you taught me Masaru. I will always remember.

Back to the City

2008-12-10T22:17:00.001+09:00

And on the morning of the ninth I received bad news that a good friend and adopted uncle had just passed away. This led me back into the city for one night for a night of reflection. I always enjoyed Osaka. This time was a bit more difficult.

Back to what a was used to

The moon illusion, not so illusive

Onomichi Tours

2008-12-08T22:35:00.000+09:00

Naoko's mum took us for a tour around Onomichi no mukaijima island. We met an old, 'full of energy' friend of hers just before we climbed the highest peak of the island. From here you can see all the other little scattered islands.

Me and Naoko's Mum

Onomichi Bridge

From high above

After Shopping

2008-12-07T22:23:00.000+09:00

Being in Japan again, Naoko was able to go shopping again. Not putting New Zealand down, but shopping in Auckland or Wellington, New Zealands largest cities, it's hard to find good places to find the things you want. Just walking around here, you'll find almost everything you want, exotic, fashionable, natural or whatever. So many people with so many tastes make many different kinds of shops with different tastes to open. I love variety.

Naoko posing for Mahina

Naoko's warm stubborn cat

A beach!

2008-12-07T09:16:00.000+09:00

It was small and it wasn't so beautiful, but it was a beach! It was even warm enough to get my top off. I layed there, the only one on the beach for one lovely hour. When I settle, if ever, it'll definately be on a beach. On the way back there was a giant gorilla balancing a small lady and pouring a beer at the same time.

We went for a drive to a city bearing a village kept in its traditional form, from the river throught the town, to the stone layed walls to the Greek cafe... The place was famous for "Kibi Dango", a sticky rice sweet, free with a coffee.

Onomichi mini beach

A recognizable meeting point

The leaves fell early

Old Japan

Climbing

2008-12-06T15:51:00.001+09:00

Naoko showed me around her home town. We climbed a mountain. Some parts of it, literally climbing. There are a few chains and loops on rocks to help you with your grip. No harness and I didn't spot any safety signs either. Very fun. I think we past by Senkoji, the temple with the famous vermilion lacquered red hall.

Post owl in Autumn

Onomichi

Little rock climb

Just missed the ferry

Luxury Food

2008-12-05T08:34:00.000+09:00

And to finish the day off, we set off to Okayama for a bit of 'shopping relief'. At the top of one of the many plaza's we discovered a "tropical" resturant. Gotta splash a few bucks on good food sometimes.

Icecream, strawberry honey infused loaf

Theme, Indonesia

Almost like a maid cafe :)

Itadakimasu

Beautiful Onomichi

2008-12-05T08:20:00.001+09:00

Onomichi is a coastal town with scattered islands in the way of the vast ocean. Naoko's parents live on one of those islands called Mukai Jima, which roughly translates as 'Island over there'. Here's the grit of Onomichi. I love it.

Ferry ride to "Island over there"

The city's afloat

The burbs

S for sewer? Pretty manhole.

Autumn

2008-12-05T08:09:00.000+09:00

Me and Naoko went on a mission to her old workplace at the bakery. We were greeted with coffee and chocolate from Morroco. Her old teacher decided to take us for a quick tour around Onomichi. First was the bank where he showed off his art work, then he took us to a place where an alien breed of flower was cultivated.

Colours of Autumn

Alipius Corupolis or whatever...

Another member of the family

Roughly the shape of a dog... deer?

Onomichi and Naoko!

2008-12-04T11:24:00.000+09:00

Wahooo, the first time I've spoken English in a long time. I got a call from Naoko, a good friend visiting from New Zealand. I treated myself to the first junkfood I've eaten in a month. I think I over did it.

God bless Mr. Doughnut

Onomichi station

(ラーブ) Love

As cute as can be

This is Nao-chan's uncle's beautiful little rodent. Hours of cuteness and fun :)

Hiroshima

2008-12-04T11:17:00.001+09:00

On my first night of freedom, I went to the city of Hiroshima to find an internet cafe to stay. I found one, and what luxery it was. Free icecream and amenities, hot shower, washlet toilets, free comics, playstations, internet (of course), pool, darts, massage tools and so on. It was only for 12 hours but the best 12 hours I've had in months.

Manhole Hiroshima

If you look closely, especially in the cities, you'll find a lot of art, from street lamps to railings, concrete patterns and so on. A lot of small things are crafted with colours or patterns that serve only for beautification. I like this. Here's an example. There's significance to this manhole. Sadako was one of many atomic bomb victims. She was a mile from the blast and contracted leukemia. In hospital her best friend Chizuko started making her paper cranes. Chizuko explaned that a legend told if she folded one thousand paper cranes as gift to another than she would be granted a wish. She started folding. After 800 or so her friend died. Her story spread worldwide. Paper cranes would be sent from children all over the world in hope for world peace. A memorial was made in commemoration to all of the children who fell victim to the blasts.

Trams!

Relaxed railside workers

Bye bye Shikoku

2008-12-03T10:39:00.000+09:00

Upon discovery of Kei's departure, my boss immediately ordered me to go to his funeral. Due to compliacations, I wasn't able to go there but once my boss has made up his mind, that's what is going to happen. He put me on the train and I had no idea where I was going to go. As the train started moving there was an incredible sense of freedom.

I heard news that a good friend from New Zealand had arrived in Japan. She lives in Hiroshima. Yup, that's my next destination.

The calm over the Great Seto Bridge

Onomichi, Nao-chan's hometown

Alone on the night street

Kei's last night on Earth

2008-12-01T15:18:00.001+09:00

The weather was soothing in Shikoku. This was a shot taken while still working amongst the lettuce. It was a beautiful sight. It made me want to be there, not here. Kei's departure would come tomorrow and mine from Shikoku the day after.

Venus and the moon

Last Days in Shikoku

2008-11-30T14:48:00.001+09:00

Above life, the sunsets can still be enjoyed and are much more vibrant and revealing in the less populated areas. I rode a good 6 hours today to find an Internet cafe to catch up with the rest of the world. I applied for a few jobs that gave a more viable pay check. Hopefully, hopefully.

Kagawa Sunset

Kimochi Warui

2008-11-29T14:34:00.001+09:00

Kimochi warui roughly translates as "gross", "disgusting" or "this makes me feel sick" which is exactly what what this part of the work day awards you with. You get used to it but those lettuce have been fermenting disease like curd that smells like what I would imagine rotten brains would be like. They get put into the crates you see in the photo then transported to a rotten lettuce graveyard on the hill.

Clean up

Over Kan-Onji

2008-11-28T14:24:00.000+09:00

And on a hill towards the center of Shikoku, I was given instructions to dump the rotten multch lettuce. From there I was able to grab a glimpse of this lowly populated area abundant with concrete.

Kan-Onji

Lettuce

2008-11-26T16:26:00.000+09:00

This is one of thousands of stone laid walls that will not be soon forgot. Every day I'd make boxes then climb around walls like these and stack lettuce on the truck. But before the lettuce goes in the box you gotta check it. Is it too small? Is it too big? Is it starting to rot? Have bugs been eating it? etc. All the ones you see in the picture are left to rot or grow then rot then get collected then dumped in a giant sess pit of rotting lettuce. The other good ones get sold.

Lettuce after harvest

Farming

2008-11-25T16:15:00.000+09:00

The days were long, hard and with not much reward. Tonight was different though. The boss left some meat packs which turned into Nabe (A kind of Japanese stew). I'm not a big meat eater but when you've been starving for a few weeks, this goes down really well.

Days were passing. Every night some of us would go for a mandarin hunt. They were everywhere and now was the season. That was the highlight of my stay in Shikoku. Munching on stolen mandarins.

Mysterious Blue UFO

Still working

No Beach?

2008-11-24T11:20:00.000+09:00

I was in Shikoku and I really wanted to see the beach so on our day off, me and Kobayashi-san set journey to the water in which we could always see from our workplace. Little did we know, by foot, it was a four hour journey. We arrived to find out there was no beach! Just giant concrete blocks and walls. People used this place to dump their rubbish. I think this was the projects of Shikoku. Lots of delapidated apartments, rubbish and no one to be seen. Interesting.

Pits of Shikoku, Kan-Onji

Kobayashi-San

Concrete, so much concrete

More concrete

Christmas Nears

2008-11-21T09:22:00.000+09:00

As every year starts, Christmas is not far away. Actually it's November but a good reason for a few to get a head start with the lighting. The farm is cold and my fingers freeze planting those damn lettuce. It's good being outside. Much healthier air than Tokyo.

Christmas is on

Lots of little lettuce

Working in rain kinda sux

Something you don't see in the city

The Long Journey Home

2008-11-16T18:08:00.000+09:00

On the long trip home, I took a rest at Zentsuji Temple. Just down the road, the military still operates. Just the same as any country, camo, guns and grenades. Military people get quite provoked by cameras so I thought I'd better not.

My feet were killing me. My toenail jabbed the other toe on every footstep. That really sucked. The temple was the perfect rest. Fresh water and a quite place to sit and take in the nature. The trees grew like nothing I've seen before. It felt like the atmosphere of a fairy tail roll playing game.

Zentsuji Temple Entrance

One Old Tree (No Hugging)

Enlightened Ones

Still on Earth

Konpira-dai-gongen

2008-11-16T17:40:00.000+09:00

And further up the hill is the actual Shinto temple called Konpira dai gongen. The temple sits on Mt. Zozu in the town of Kotohira, Kagawa prefecture of Shikoku. There's a good view over the northern territory of Shikoku. I couldn't help but think it'd be easy to spot ninja spies infiltrating from up this high.

It feels somewhat holy seeing the town below from so high. This is what the gods must feel like. And also what kings and queens and rulers of old must have felt like.

Konpira San

A Memorial to Greatness

Ending Autumn

Over Shikoku

Konpira San

2008-11-16T17:15:00.000+09:00

After a few days of solitary work, I needed to get out. Takahashi San was driving out of town and dropped me and a co-worker off. I misunderstood that he was coming with us. He went straight home after dropping us off. I didn't bring any money at all. It took me roughly eight hours to walk home.

The temple I was to see was on top of a mountain. Luckely there were big concrete steps to walk up, 1368 of them. I decided to climb them alone. I tend to deal with things better that way.

The path is lined with carved stone monuments of all the people that donated their earnings, time and effort to bring this place into existance.

Signatured shrines

Love moss tree

Serenity

Half point Angel Light Temple

Farewell Kei

2008-11-12T20:11:00.005+09:00

The sun warmed the land and thawed my morning chilled face. Kei had decided to leave and worked his final day today. It was in his heart to escape this slave labour and see Kyushu before renting a shop in Nozawa Onsen. I would meet him there and sell hand made hokey pokey ice cream. Before he left, Kei revealed his whole life to me. It's something that I hold with warmth. He eased my pain and soothed my soul every day with his words and actions. Unfortunately, this would be the last time I would see him. Kei, thank you for your spiritual guidance, your kinship and your company. May your spirit be free of it's bonds to Earth and disperse it's way to the universe. We will never forget you.

Kei Sato passed away in hospital twenty days after this photo was taken. He was diagnosed with cancer in his blood. He called me from his hospital bed and we could laugh about this strange life we have. He was optimistic to the very end.

里（旅人）系 Sato (Travelling Man) Kei - 25.2.1981 - 1.12.2008

My last day with Kei

Shikoku Kagawa Kanonji Udon

Yama no mizuna

Aki no owari

Clouds and Sunset

2008-11-11T08:04:00.000+09:00

Work was long at tedius today. We were putting arches in the ground to protect the lettuce from the cold weather. We were doing that aaaaaall day. We managed to keep our sanity by fooling around on our breaks.

'What I think of this job' demonstration

Lettuce below the clouds

And the clouds light up

Because I've been in the city for so long, I forgot that the sky produces sunsets. Shikoku is a relatively small island to the south. It has a small, spread out population and the place is famous for its great tasting udon noodles. This is the birth place of Hanamaru, hyaku yen udon :)

Negi (Spring Onion)

2008-11-08T07:52:00.000+09:00

And the first day of work we spent in the murky weather. It was work. It felt good to be outside even if there wasn't sun. We were picking and boxing spring onions. Nothing too interesting really. First you uproot them, then cut them, with scissors then wash them back at base. After that, they go into a box and shipped to where ever they get shipped to.

Picking the onions

Cutting the onions

Leaving Home

2008-11-07T07:38:00.001+09:00

Me and Kei headed to Shikoku to start work on the farm. It was a long trip on the bus and I didn't sleep at all. We were greeted with rain. Luckely, we didn't work the day we arrived.

Cheap Camera Tricks

The Ripple Effect

A tiny portion of what we were to farm

The Day My Heart Broke

2008-11-05T07:58:00.003+09:00

Life took a turn for the unexpected today. I have been knocked off my path and put to swim in soft sand. The comfortable place in my heart called home has invited chaos into both of our lives. It has become sad, empty and drowning in its own turmoil. She calls it a maze. And it's a damn difficult one to solve.

I enjoy a bit of chaos but not like this. I need time. Time to heal. Its natural for me to close up at times like these. This one might take a while. I'm not as strong as I thought.

Welcome to Aroni: Wednesday = closed.

Tamagawa

Goodbye Tamagawa.

Interesting Finds

2008-11-04T07:38:00.000+09:00

More walking missions with Kei led us to a few different plants and sculptures along the way. Today was inorganic day. That's when everyone throws out their old junk and big, but mini rubbish trucks zip around and collect them. Of course in Japan, many people consider last months television or toaster to be junk. Me and Kei collected a dinner set, a large m&m green hot plate, a retro blender and a few other miscellaneous items. If we had the day we could of furnished our house!

The sign of Autumn

Straight from Mars

Iron battle whale

Hiding in the rocks

Harappa By Night

2008-11-02T22:21:00.000+09:00

At night, the old school projectionists emerged and broadcast Japan of the 60's onto sheets hanging from the trees. It was an intriguing show of daily life, strange and wonderful and raw footage of things around at that time. The men giving the show for well into their 70's keeping their era alive by sharing their works. I was truely consumed by what and how it was presented. What a treat.

Old fashioned movie editing effects

Beauty from the 60's

Organic interdimentional projections

China Cats Trips Band

This band projected what looked like a giant spherical lava lamp onto the stage mast. It was achieved with layered clear plates with coloured water and oil squished between projected with an overhead projecter. Jee these guys are clever!

Harappa

2008-11-02T22:10:00.000+09:00

Lone didj

Mystical Trees

Vibrant Paintings

A few of the wonderful cooks

Harappa Festival

2008-11-02T22:01:00.000+09:00

In the rurals of Tokyo, just north of our home in Chofu, people gathered to share natural and organic wares, food and music. Kari joined us (actually, he drove us) to the Harappa festival. We spend the day dancing to the live music and folling the musical toy man. I gotta do this more often.

Kari and Kei go to the festival

The main stage

Dancing toy, musical man

magic balloon man

Around Home

2008-10-28T08:11:00.008+09:00

While Hiromi was working super hard, me and Kei were both looking for jobs on the Internet. Kei found a web site 'Volubite' which is an abreviation of half volunteer, half arbite. It was mostly farm work. We initially started looking for something close to Nagano or somewhere nice like Okinawa.

Later on I took him on the 'missions' I usually go on around the area, no particular direction, just in search of something nice. Here's what we found:

Kei at Tamagawa Sunset

The beauty above

A dream catcher

Rulers of power... lines (1000's birds pooping)

Earth Garden

2008-10-26T07:55:00.000+09:00

Today was Earth Garden day in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo. There were two special surprises today. The first one was Dachambo was playing live! So unexpectedly good. The second surprise was Kei came back! I was happy to see him again and was surprised that his English was so good. I invited him over to stay at our place until he gets himself settled.

Earth Garden :)

Dachambo

For our smile world :D

Bright Lights and Gambling

2008-10-15T08:01:00.000+09:00

I still haven't entered a Pachinko parlour yet but this is getting close. Photos are actually forbidden in gambling places but I'm an ignorant foreigner, so it's ok :) They convert real money into gambling coins to make it legal. I think all the games are like games at the circus. You don't win by chance. The're rigged to make a profit. Oh, you can win by chance, it's just you don't have much of a chance. Advice, don't play these.

Rolling ball contraption

Mechanical Horse Race

Tsutsujigaoka, yet again

Sleeping at Ikegami Temple

2008-10-13T12:35:00.000+09:00

I was the only boy amongst the girls. I slept in the girls dorm incognito. We were all boozed up but they all looked after me really well. For dinner it was free bento and green tea. We took the ones home that weren't being eaten. That was bento for the next few days. Thanks everyone!

All the girls at Ikegami Temple

Ikegami Festival

2008-10-12T12:29:00.000+09:00

A short ride from Gotanda station is the town of Ikegami. Namely the O-Eshiki is a buddhist festival commerating the passing of saint Nichiren. Hundreds of thousand of people gather to watch the performances of dancing umbrellas called Mando (meaning 10,000 lanterns). The performers come from all parts of Japan, far and wide. I joined up with Hiromi and a bunch of her friends. All girls. I was way outnumbered.

Mando

Sweets Stand

Performers

Ikegami Temple

Calm before the mission

2008-10-10T09:24:00.000+09:00

This morning we pinched a bunch of furnature from Hiromi's work in Ginza. This is the back door where she has smokos. Katsu was our driver. Mission was accomplished. A super comfy leather chair with a leg stool, a delicately carved shelf, a matching set of drawers, a dinner table with chairs, a dehumidifier, a heater, a gas cooker and a few other bits and pieces. Thanks Loikuro, and Katsu for driving.

Smoko place, Ginza

Sukiyaki

2008-10-05T09:16:00.000+09:00

Me and Hiromi were invited to the Yamanakas house for dinner. Akiko cooked the most delicious sukiyaki I have ever eaten. It went down well with red wine and truffles. Thanks for the wonderful night :)

Touru, Nanao and Akiko

India Festival

2008-09-28T17:35:00.003+09:00

Every time there's a festival in Yoyogi park, it gets crowded, as with all the areas next to it. It's just flooding with hungry people that want to shop. It's no wonder the festivals are filled with almost just that. Shops. This big scale party was full of them. Indian food. It was great.

Me and Hiromi had a bit of a falling out, mostly just mis-communication so we split up and I went my own way home. I decided to hang out in Yoyogi park for a bit, then I met a nice French girl named Julie. She became a one day best friend. We cruised around the park, had a street beer near Harajuku and an Izakaya beer in Shibuya. We made our "good journies" to each other in Shinjuku she left me with a French air, cheek to cheek kiss and a warm happy feeling. I love these kind of people.

Then is was back home to where we left off.

Me and the Hot Pepper

India Festival Entrance

Capoeira music in Yoyogi

Traditional music in Shibuya (Outside a pachinko shop)

Flower Day

2008-09-28T15:30:00.000+09:00

Another morning bike ride and some more super bright flowers. I'm sure we have some as brightly colourful as these back in New Zealand. I must have just never noticed. I'll give big ups to anyone who can name them.

Shinjuku Matsuri

2008-09-21T12:38:00.000+09:00

I was going to find a suit today. I just stumbled upon this one. I don't rightly know what it was all about. Looked fun, but I was busy.

Accupuncture

2008-09-18T12:33:00.001+09:00

For a while I've been getting accupuncture. It really hurts! If they keep doing it after a while, it releases the poisons that have been gathering up and makes your blood flow more freely. This means better health, softer muscles and general well being. It's a painfull process but very effective.

Eifu-san heats the needles.

Heated needles

The idea of this is to warm the problem organs directly. These are a kind of incense that are for heating the needles to warm your insides directly. The needles are around 12cm long.

End of a long day

2008-09-16T12:25:00.000+09:00

Crossing the bridge

Duck shinanigans

Local yakisoba for lunch

Mizuki and Masando piked out

My Waterproof Phone

2008-09-16T12:00:00.000+09:00

Around the temple there are beautiful lakes and a breed of more alien plants. Below is a picture of what it looks like beneath the surface of the water. I wanted to see if my phone was really water proof. My heart was beating fast. Turns out, it is waterproof. Yay, I can keep using my phone :)

Big pond

Crazy flowers

The fish swim left

The fish swim right

Inside Fuji Temple

2008-09-16T11:48:00.000+09:00

And inside, you pray for good things to happen and buy little charms to keep your bad luck in check or to bring some of the good type, like fortune or love or well being etc. The little wooden blocks have wishes written on them all by different people. I think they burn them every so often.

Wish blocks

Temple central hyper praying terminal

Kegs of sake

Fountain water direct from Mt. Fuji

Fuji Shrine

2008-09-16T11:35:00.000+09:00

This is the shrine specifically built for Mt. Fuji. There's a lovely temple, a river, a pond, fish, a bridge and super fresh water coming from an underground current directly from Mt. Fuji.

Fuji Shrine

Local Chooks

Bow and Arrow dude

The temple

Fuji Temples

2008-09-16T11:29:00.000+09:00

Later on we went to look at some tall trees, lion statues, concrete mail box thingees and temples...

My hippy tree hugging wife

Temple place

Mail box

Happy kitten statue

Mt. Fuji

2008-09-16T11:21:00.000+09:00

So we left our pickup somewhere close to Nagoya and travelled by car to Mt. Fuji. We didn't sleep at all. We arrived at Mt. Fuji at about 4 in the morning, all of us without sleep from the past day. Mizuki and Masando even worked the day before. It was freezing bloody cold, it was raining and about 11 hours climb to the top. It wasn't a good idea. We didn't end up climbing the mountain. But we did go for a walk and saw a bit of the fauna.

Gearing up for a breakfast walk

Plant from Venus

The top of Mt. Fuji

But not really

To Mt Fuji

2008-09-15T09:21:00.000+09:00

In the morning there was a performance being prepared but we had to leave. We were headed to meet Mizuki and Masando to climb Mt. Fuji. As we left Ako-chan came out and gave us a lunch box for our travel. That just made our day! Thanks again Ako-chan!

The Tsukinoniwa stadium.

Looking like a rock band

Ako's special lunch box

And she cut it in the shape of Mt. Fuji :)

Shunsuke's House

2008-09-15T09:10:00.000+09:00

Nagoya isn't so far from Tsukinoniwa so we payed a visit and saw Masaru in hospital. It was good to catch up with him again. Even as close to the other side as he is, he's still happy and energetic as ever.

After we stayed at Shunsuke's house. It's being featured in a magazine as one of the most organic houses in Japan. And it does have a truly organic atmosphere about it.

The entrance

The front yard

Terra at Tsukinoniwa

Ban and Birds Wedding

2008-09-14T09:00:00.000+09:00

Congratulations to Ban and Bird. They got married today. What a fancy wedding. It was kind of like a game show but very enjoyable. The food was fantastic. We went all the way to Nagoya to join this one.

Ban, Bird and the host

That's the cake!

A back pack keg, filling everyone with beer

Fancy food

Summer Bugs

2008-09-11T17:59:00.000+09:00

This is another trip to somewhere I looked up on Google Earth. It's called Jindai Temple but I never actually found the temple. I did find a few bugs and some nice park areas though.

Spider

A park near Jindai Temple

The path toward Jindai Temple

A brown cicada

Visa Day

2008-09-09T17:40:00.000+09:00

Congratulations me. After a long hastle of ringing a variety of government departments, visiting different offices and bickering with government minions - I finally managed to get my visa sorted. Time to look for work :)

Tsutsujigaoka Train

Tsutsujigaoka Firetruck

Chofu

2008-09-03T13:42:00.000+09:00

I live in Chofu. It's a "small" town west of Shinjuku. I like it. It's not too small and it's not too big. The only quarrel I have is that the park is too far away. I like having at least a park or a beach nearby but other than that, it's quiet, has everything nearby and a quick train ride to the root of Tokyo. Here's a small preview.

View from the Chofu Office Building

Outside our home

Touma, a neighbourhood kid

A frog

Hot Days

2008-09-01T13:34:00.000+09:00

The weather is still bordering around 30 degress celcius. This temperature gives breed to many strange and wonderful types of plant life and insects. Around our home town there is a river named Nogawa. It flows into Tamagawa which is quite a mighty river.

At Nogawa with the kids

Big Flower

About as big as my head

Two flies humping

Carved Stone

2008-08-28T13:26:00.000+09:00

Around Tokyo there are various carved statues for apparently no reason. I bet there are stories behind them and who made them and why, but who really cares anyway :)

Shibuya Loft

Musical Statue

Religious Statue

War Monger Statue

Rice Field

2008-08-25T13:15:00.000+09:00

The way back home was long and tiring. I couldn't wait to get back to a nice cozy futon. Speeding past some rice fields I noticed many had graveyards neatly placed amongst them.

Graveyard in a rice field.

The Finale

2008-08-24T23:07:00.000+09:00

To top off the night, Sould Flower Union came out to rock the mini crowd. The weather was murky and cold but it was so worth it.

Soul Flower Union

Outdoor Lights

Outdoor Lounge Lanterns

A podium symbolising freedom

2008-08-24T14:34:00.000+09:00

With the finale, Soul Flower Union, people naturally flocked to get a place close to the stage. My eyes and ears were fried. I watched from a distance. What a party pooper.

Modern day Buto dance

Free flowing postures

Soul Flower Union

A Daisen Mondo production

Ichi Bang Boshi Crew

2008-08-24T14:25:00.002+09:00

These guys really rocked the crowd. The kimono girls rocked the guys night. All the cameras came out, including mine. My partner was there so I wasn't too enthusiastic about getting a nice shot, sorry guys.

Ichiban Boshi Crew taking pictures of us

One Sexy Kimono Girl

Some more dodgy kimono girls

The fun hippi crowd

The UFO visit

2008-08-24T14:10:00.000+09:00

Then later that night there was something that reminded me of an old sci fi thriller from my childhood, Invaders from Mars. What else would be a valid explanation of the weird fauna we found the next day?

The UFO has landed

Alien fruit

Alien flora

And the concerts are on

2008-08-23T13:17:00.000+09:00

Rain was expected. The bands were lucky enough to dodge it. Some people went nuts, others just swayed. I was laxing out absorbing the atmosphere in my euphoric state.

That was death metal if I remember correctly

Super sexy kimono girls

Painting buzz

Raincoat Samurai

Mount Daisen

2008-08-23T13:07:00.000+09:00

And so we kept marching up windy roads and up the mountain to finally reach our destination. It may have been summer but the high mountain air still chilled our willies. The air was thin and the food was good.

Up Mount Daisen

Clouds over Mount Daisen

Pringles and Kimchi

A small gathering

Walk, walk, walk

2008-08-23T13:01:00.001+09:00

And we continued to walk over mountains and along highways and through rice paddies until finally we made it to the train station. The stations here are no larger than our two room apartment in Tokyo. They don't even sell tickets there.

Up the hill 4am

Rice paddy

Natural Rice

Our destination... time for more travel

Random Beach Stay

2008-08-23T12:54:00.000+09:00

We were trying to beat the time to arrive in Tottori to catch the bus to the top of the mountain but because there were suicide train jumpers causing delays, we didn't make it. Instead, we met a girl on the train who said there was a party on the beach and anyone could come and stay if they wanted to. That was us. I didn't get any shots of the party but the day after we got up early and snuck out of there while all the drunkens slept. We had a long journey ahead of to walk to the train station.

Tenting it on the beach

This must be the west coast

Tunnel entrance moss

We walked the highways, over fields and under tunnels in the country to make it to the nearest train station.

Tunnel

Walking through these things with trucks is deafening. The sound from the massive engines echos and bounces off the walls and into your ears like feedback from a mic. I don't want to do that again.

Japan Greenery

2008-08-22T12:27:00.000+09:00

These are some shots taken from the train. People say this country is a concrete jungle. I beg to differ.

Much alike Kiwiland aye

The bullet train

The pellet train

Kayakable river

Kamakura

2008-08-21T12:09:00.004+09:00

We stopped off to spend the night with Hiromi's beautiful friend, Rie. She's also doing massage and loves to surf. Kamakura is much the surf haven. I'd love to live here, so close to the beach. This time, we're off to Mt. Daisen in Tottori to see Yohei and other bands.

Hiromi and Rie

Kamakura Sunset

Glowing poi beach girls

Temple lamp shot came out good

Summer Fest '08

2008-08-17T11:48:00.002+09:00

It was raining!! So there wasn't such a big turnout. Big ups for the bands though. They really put an effort into rarking up the crowds. We travelled so far from Tokyo by train and by car into the whops. I think this one was off the google earth radar.

Last minute sheltered stage

Green grass hippis

Kari and co

My drunk handstand

Over Toyosu

2008-08-13T23:48:00.000+09:00

After my English lesson today my student and friend took me all the way to the top of the building she lives at. It's the tallest in the area so there's a good view of the skyline. Actually you can go right outside where there's a four foot hand rail between you and a 65 floor drop.

Toyosu skyline

There's surposed to be ocean here

Entirely man made

The top floor and the perfect door for suicide

Toyosu

2008-08-13T23:29:00.001+09:00

The entire town of Toyosu is built on top of water. It's got a strange air about the place. It seems it was built by artisans with things layed down that serve no purpose but decoration. It is carpeted with high buildings and large open brick layed grounds but with almost no people at all. It almost seems like a ghost town compared to Shinjuku. Interesting things though.

Water squirter

If you're not careful, you can get squirted by one of these. Jets of water shoot out of the ground in a pattern like fashion.

Old pipe telephone

These are rigged up on a few intersections. The kids have to find out which ones match up. These two don't match. After an icecream and too much energy, they figured it connected with one of the ones down the road.

A brick tree

Traget practice for UFO's

Sky Cables

2008-08-10T22:23:00.000+09:00

From what I've observed, it seems the more polluted the city is, the more colourful sunsets it has. Here are some evening shots around Shibasaki and Tsutsujigaoka. Thats on the Keio line and around where I live.

Shibabsaki

Between Shibasaki and Tsutsujugaoka

Tsutsujigaoka

Crowd Photos

2008-08-07T15:16:00.000+09:00

This was at the same Hanabi. And this is what we were competing with. The whole street was book. There were even buildings and trees blocking the way from where the people were sitting. Some day I'll do it properly and set up a mat the day before right in the middle of the traffic.

Street Crowd

Food and Drinks Stand

Going Home

Some go this way, some go that way

Hanabi

2008-08-07T15:10:00.002+09:00

This one was at Edogawa river. I went with Hiromi this time. We viewed it from the side of the street. When we sat on the fence it made the sub-cops really angry. Some of those old coots just need to calm down.

One Fish

Two Fish

Red Fish

Blue Fish

Tokyo

2008-08-07T14:52:00.001+09:00

I love the wiring scenery mixed with the sky. If I'd remember one thing the most about Japan, it'd be the power lines.

Over Chitose Karasuyama

The Keio Line

Wires on sky

Japan

2008-07-30T14:47:00.000+09:00

Here's a good way to advertise a shop. Just let the weeds grow. I always love the idea of a city been grown over by weeds and plantation. This is on the way to the dumb immigration office.

Bikers weed

Sleeping trio

Kawagoe - The Land Of Fire

2008-07-29T22:58:00.000+09:00

Every morning in the centre of a small town known as "Little Tokyo", when the mist simmers from the rising sun, a large bell rings. Although I was snoring at this time, the tour guide said it was 'really something'.

Kawagoe retains a lot of old Tokyo history. When I tag this town as the land of fire, I mean nearly all of its buildings have been burnt down then rebuilt. There were even many fireproof storehouses built of which around 30 survived and still stand today in their modified original form.

The large bell tower

The streets

Old Style Buildings

More old buildings

The town boasts candy shops, sweet potato ice cream and even a beer branded, "Coedo" or "Ko Ēdo" meaning "Little Tōkyō" beer, which is also made from sweet potato. On October the 13th the town celebrates a "sweet potato day" festival. This "small" town of around three hundred and forty thousand people have festivals all year round. Within a short walk from Kawagoe station, the streets start their metamorphosis into a town that looks a lot like what you would see in a museum. Every year, in October, the biggest festival, appropriately named "The Kawagoe Festival" sends numerous rolling musical castles to do battle by traditional music. That’s a must “go-to” festival. Kawagoe is definitely a town that strives to keep its cultural history.

Check Kawagoe on Under Japan for the history rundown if you're into it.

The 500 Buddha Statues

2008-07-29T22:47:00.001+09:00

Actually there are 538 statues. They are carvings of the Buddha's students. Each and every one of them has an individual personality. There’s a rumour that if you touch each Buddha on the calm midst of night, you'll find one that is warm. Mark it and come back the next morning. Provided no one has moved your mark, the Buddha you chose will be the one that most resembles yourself. It pays not to actually try this one as the place is locked up at night and I don't think anyone would appreciate you actually “marking" the statues.

Buddhas in a line

The poor begger buddha

Buddha Buddies

Mischief Thinking Buddha

The Holy Water

2008-07-29T22:40:00.000+09:00

Japan is riddled with temples. It's from mostly from the buddhist influence. Anyway outside there are taps usually with elegantly crafted monuments of dragons when the water comes out. People wash their hands and rinse their mouths with this water to purify themselves so whne they prey to the dieties, they smooth the connection. Just like having a shower and dressing up for a job interview. But in my humble opinion, a little wash with a bit of holy water aint gonna make me pure.

Elegantly Crafted Temple

Holy Dragon Water

The Temple Grounds

Cheeky bugger washing his bike with the holy water

I like seeing things like that. It shows that people are not scared to challenge supernatural things. I've had enough experience to understand that there is no reason to fear what you don't know. Just educate yourself.

Kawagoe Castle

2008-07-29T22:15:00.000+09:00

This is Kawagoe Castle. Lots of rooms. Lots of tatami. Flourescent lighting and western toilets.

Squeaky wooden floors

A long hallway

A nice big lounge

And a porch

Kawagoe Museum

2008-07-29T20:56:00.000+09:00

I visited Kawagoe to take some photos and write an article for att.Japan, a magazine that boasts a 100,000 circulation internationaly. The content is usually an overbearing load of history and other stuff that helps you sleep, even after coffee. This museum has those mobile castles that get pushed around the city whenever there's a festival. We sat and listened to a guy giving a history lesson to the audience. That was about as interesting as the magazine I mentioned earlier. It costs 300 yen for an adult. It's worth a look to see the contenders for the next festival and other memerobilia.

Unfinished Castle

Whoodoo Voodoo Guy

Jester

One of the contenders

Hanabi Madness

2008-07-26T18:09:00.002+09:00

Every year around August in Japan, people gather to watch the Hanabi (fireworks festival). The first one I went to this year was at Sumidagawa with my friend Takashi. They pack roughly two million people into the streets along with over a thousand temporary beer and food stands to watch the pretty lights. Very impressive as they are, it's damn hard to see them from the streets. I found meeting the patrons more interesting.

Cute little Yokozuna

Where the cars are surposed to be

Hanabi in the background

Mates for a night