Ohanami in Ueno Park

I made it out to ueno park for ohanami in good time. It was packed. Lots of tourists as well. The place looked a lot different from the last time I had been there during the new years. There were many food stalls and lots of beer being sold. So ohanami Is just an excuse to drink. The cheery blossoms were beautiful. People were seated in all areas of the park, taking any space under tree to spread their blanket and drink. Not my elegant vision of the affair. Tons of people were in rent-a- boats with their beer smashing into each other. It was quite a sight.
I met my first really rude people in Tokyo. I asked if I could sit down and the woman gave me the dirtiest look. They were Asian tourists as it turns outl I took my pictures and split the scene. Of course I prayed and got another omikuji. I asked Hiromi to decipher and she said it was good. Stuff about making money with a little god amulet that I placed in my wallet. On my way to the station, an elderly Japanese man asked me for directions. I always find that strange. There are all these Japanese people around and yet the only gaijin (foreigner) gets asked for directions.

Ochanomizu/Akihabara area

The above picture is of a famous temple whose name I don't have, but is associated with the famous Kanda matsuri. My visit here clued me into the festival that would take place in May. It was quite magnificent with many fine Buddhist statues and smaller shrines.





I really liked this moving shi shi omikuji gizmo and was thoroughly entertained for several mintues by its performance.

Leaving the temple gates and entering the bustle of urbanmania, I came across Akihabara several blocks away. This is the electronics area of Tokyo and there were many foreign tourists shopping for their expensive Japanese souvenirs. I really liked the video stores that were packed with godzilla creatures.

Heading to ochanimoizu subway station, I pass the taiko mecca that is Oedo Sukeroku Taiko headquarters. I said I would be back.




ps. In the same vicinty is the university area. This one might be Meiji University. I really liked the humongous doors.

Spring School

March 28, 2007

We had spring school at work which followed the end of semester. Spring school is a separate from our regular preschool schedule, but many of our preschoolers attend. This year spring school, only 2 weeks long was held at the new school, my home in Kaminoge school. It was a bit bizarre waking up and being at work watching the staff and students arrive at my doorsteps.

The highpoint of spring school was the Easter bonnet parade and teachers decided to parade around the neigbourhood so that we announce the opening of the new Kaminoge school. We donned our paper bonnets and paraded to the park where we took pictures and played.

Cha Cha - R.I.P.

I learned today that Cha Cha passed away on the afternoon of March 24, 2007. It is a sad day indeed. Cha Cha is the last of beloved hounds to me and her passing marks an end that started off with Tomalaka's Mija, followed by Tomalaka's 'Pokipah Sandstorm' Mojo, followed by Rambo and now Cha Cha.
She, like all the above mentioned hounds, had a remarkable existence. She was born in the rurals of Quebec's Eastern Township, on the outskirts of Magog. She enjoyed many happy years living in the countryside and easily made the transition to an urban hound living in Vancouver city during her elder years. A great protector and companion to my mother, she will be sadly missed by many who knew and loved her.

I hope that her death is connected to the posionous pet food that abounds. I do not know the facts. She lived with cancer or rather battled with cancer. But the last I heard, she was doing well and might live for several years more to come.

Her death is just another reminder of the impermanence of life and another call to make each day count. Our days are numbered and we all too shall pass. I will reexamine what I have done recently to making this world a better place to live in and how I have cared and expressed compassion for other sentient beings.

Vancouver spring 2006

March 18, 2007

My colleague at Z corporation is an Englishman trapped in Japan by marriage and spends his time getting arrested by police for taking photos. He's a hoot. He took a photo of a yabamba girl that I wanted to share. Very punk rock, but he says there is no philosophy at work with these girls. No fav. bands or punk rock ideology. I would like to find out for myself.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uchujin/416917675/

Girl's Day

Dolls lined out for Girl's Day at this shrine

It happened to be girl’s day and since it was my day off and I had to return some CD’s to the library, I set off to Suitengumae. I originally visited this area to see a Nagauta performance with the women musicians from Tuon. I really like this area.

Huge line for the taiyaki as seen in the reflection of this shop's window

It has a distinct Japanese feel to it which Setagaya lacks. I wanted to return and visit the shamisen shop and see if any second hand shamisens had arrived. I had no luck, but I did have a brief chat and ask for permission to take a photo of the master craftsman. Next door to the shamisen shop is a basket shop where the craftsman sits for all to see while he works upon his trade. The taiyaki shop across the street has a huge line in front of it once again. I would love to try the taiyaki, but with such a huge line, I am really surprised that people will wait so patiently. I am not that patient.

I make a visit to Suitengumae Shrine. It has a bit time fertility association and people go to pray for if they are hoping to have children. Many people go there with their young children for blessings as well. It is a busy day and it is quite a famous temple. They have a wall full of old pictures of the Shrine and I took a few, but the reflection overshadows the pic.

I make my way around the neighbourhood and come across some funny notes on the map, like “head of a famous Buddhist saint statue is here”. I can’t resist and go off looking for this famous head. I come across a small shrine tucked away from the street. It looks intriguing. I think this is where the head is supposed to be, but like so many other famous artifacts, it is probably buried away somewhere safe from prying eyes.

There are many quaint little shops selling all kinds of foods and teas with plenty of samples. People seem quite friendly here, for Tokyo. I love the way people place plants all around them to create greenery. Even if there is a lack of space and greenery, people adapt and make the best of the concrete jungle.

Dream Home

I am a bit embarassed, yet thoroughly delighted to be living in the poshest area of Tokyo. This is where all the celebrities live, not that I would recognize any of them if I stared them in the face. The main street close by is lined with foreign car dealerships like Jaguars and other high bred vehicles. I found it a bit bizarre to say the least. The thing is that housing can be a complete nightmare in Tokyo and I honestly thought I might be living in some capsule. So, to see that I am living in this very large and extravagant house, by Tokyo standards, leaves me chuckling at odd moments. Have I died and gone to heaven? And if this is a dream - Don't wake me up!

This is my actual room which is only six tatami, rokujo, large, but more than I need really. I love the smell of the tatami and I am very happy with my room, except that there is no lock on the screen door. Through the screen door and down the hall you can see the bathroom and the bathroom is about the size of my room, and boy does it rock! I will explain more about the bathroom.

Those are my slippers outside the room. It is tatami inside after all.

Ah, here is yet another view of my room. I actually love the starkness and it is my goal to keep it as bare at this. The ultimate in downsizing.

ok. this is the other end of the hallway, but this time facing my room. note the glass shelves along the hallway. I have acquired some of these shelves to place my books. The house used to belong to an academic and there are tons of bookshelves and one of the rooms downstairs used to be a library. There are three rooms along this hallway.

As you can see into the bathroom, there is another separate shower and bath facility within the bathroom. It is very important for the toilet to be separate from the bathing area and this bathroom fulfills that particular aesthetic.

aha. la piece de resistance! the bathing facility! this picture does not do it justice at all, but take my word that it is luxurious and the bath is very large AND.....computerized. As you can see, there are no faucets. One must program the bath and this has been somewhat of a challenge. It is all in Japanese and the contraptions speaks Japanese, so I am sometimes as a loss. One must set the adjustments for the bath, separate from the shower area. One must set the water levels and then the temperature and in Japan the baths will retain the water at whatever temperature you desire. Seems straightforward, but it never quite does what I ask it to do. I will need the assistance of a Japanese person. Ahem


View down the staircase and somewhat messy with all my belongings scattered at the bottom. I love the spaciousness of the staircase and the wood flooring. I love running up and down this staircase. It is so substantial.

And let us hear it for the staircase once again. This time from the bottom floor. On the left side, is the library and the front room, which is huge and everyone goes nuts over. Under the staircase is the laundry room and another bathroom. At the end is the kitchen.

I did the kitchen. Very large compared to that rv like kitchenette that I had in Shizuoka with a brand new killer stove and huge sink. Yippee. Cooking no longer needs to be a battle of wits and coordination. There is a back door and another door that leads into the huge front room that everyone goes crazy about.

Here is the huge frontroom and this picture does not do it justice at all. The screens are all shut down so you cannot see the fact that one whole side of the wall is completely made up of glass doors that face onto a private courtyard. There are two doors to this room, which will be the main classroom. Trust me when I tell you this is an awesome room that everone goes nuts over. Perfect for having intimate gigs, or at least cosy dinners. I am dying to host a dinner here.

Here is a view of the courtyard in the back from the second floor. Once again, this picture does not do justice. Is it time for a new camera? There is a water fountain in the corner area. I have seen few yards like this in Japan. Space is a luxury.

My fab new bike to cycle to work upon parked in my private driveway. I even have a gate to keep people out. LOL I am daydreaming in my room here. Can you blame me?