MAG

Tsunami + earthquake, Japan

2011-03-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

The recent tsunami + earthquake at magnitude of 8.8 that hit Japan is saddening. According to JapanToday (13/3/11), the combined number of people who have died or remain unaccounted are expected to exceed 1,800. Furthermore, 3 patients from Fukushima Prefecture were reported have been exposed to radiation as a result of damaged nuclear power plant (NHK World, 2011). All our prayers goes to the victims and their family members

Maiko_chan Mission II

2011-03-11T14:46:00.001-08:00

Couple of months back, while enjoying the colours of autumn, I came across another maiko_chan. This time around was under the beautiful colours of momiji trees. Probably, I was lucky to be at the right place at the right time..

Heian shrine, Kyoto - Setsubun 2011

2011-03-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

This was a scene during setsubun (~Lunar new year). In this tradition, the "oni" (demons) that have entered this shrine is being chased out by throwing beans. Later, the leftover beans were actually given to visitors to eat - it was alright. By the way, this pic was my attempt with Holga toy camera, hehe. For those who r interested in more info, there's an awesome video posted by someone by the name of RoninDave here

My bicycle taken away..Kyoto

2011-03-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

While rushing to a specific location, I intentionally parked my bicycle in the no parking zone. Since Kyoto is a cycling city, they have strict rules and unfortunately my bicycle was taken away. Later, I found out that the authorities actually post the date.. when the rush will take place (I was not aware of this). According to a blogger, because of this a person must be either drunk, idiot or a foreigner (something like that) for their bicycle to be taken away... Well I guess I'm all three of it. So, the next day with I headed to the southern part of Kyoto to reclaim my bicycle. I paid the ¥2,300 fine and on my journay home, I took some pics. At least I could enjoy the beautiful view of Kyoto..

Maiko_chan Mission I

2011-03-05T08:30:00.000-08:00

Couple of months back, I set-up a course to boldly go where everyone in Kyoto has gone before... to get a glimpse of maiko_chan. After wandering for a while, I finally managed to find a perfect spot together with what I think as a beautiful surrounding also. This maiko_chan was kind enough to pose for me.. thank you, thank you, ありがとうございます. It's like a dream come through!

Kyoto Winter, 2011

2011-03-04T02:10:00.000-08:00

I personally had the thought of completely retiring from blogging.. but I don't know, I managed to find the motivation to push myself. Anyway, this year in Kyoto we witnessed the heaviest snow as far as I can recall during my stay here. A foreign friend told me that the last time it happened was 7 years ago, Wow!. The scenery was breathtaking, i'll give credit to that, but it was freaking cooooooooold!

Akarenga Sōko, Yokohama

2009-08-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

Actually, sorry-sorry for not posting for few weeks. Today I'm going back to my story about Yokohama. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse (or 'Yokohama Akarenga Sōko') is another unique structure in this city. My first impression of this structure was.. it's an old but beautiful building which is now used as a shopping mall. Further investigation from the net showed that, it's actually a historic structure which was used as customs building (Wikipedia, 2009). Over the years, this building has gone through many restructuring/renovation caused by the Great Kantō earthquake, World War II and also because of its age

Nagoya Basho

2009-08-05T03:07:00.000-07:00

Anyone who visits Japan definitely have a top ten list of things they would like to do or places they would like to visit in this country. Mine was; at least once I must watch the Grand Tournament of Sumo. I consider myself lucky cause 3 weeks ago I received an invitation from a friend (with an extra ticket hehe) to witness the 'Nagoya Basho'. I thought the experience was very interesting and whole visit was a memorable one. In this pic, (I think on the 9th day of tournament) Bulgarian 'ōzeki' Kotoōshū faced Estonian Baruto. I thought this was the toughest match..

Mitarashi Festival

2009-07-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

A day after visiting Gion matsuri, I received a phone call from Zuru-chan asking me to go to 'leg washing festival' (Mitarashi festival). For a minute I was wandering, what in the world is 'leg washing festival'? Anyway, I gave it a go. It was held in Shimogamo Jinja, Kyoto. According to the shrine's website, it's a ritual to have a good health. I found this festival very unique and enjoyed every bit of it even though my pants were wet!!

Gion Matsuri

2009-07-21T01:59:00.000-07:00

I've posted about Gion matsuri before here. This year, it is my second visit. Compared to last year, there was lil sunshine this year.. therefore my pic also looks better, hehe. At the corner to enter 'Oike dori' (Oike street), the 'boko' (float) took longer time to turn compared to last year, probably the people pulling the boko are getting old. However, this came in handy to our advantage as more photo shots could be taken. At one moment, there was a guy dangling the child from the inside of the boko. Is this part of the tradition? I missed this last year!

2009-07-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

On Japanese TV, there's a special program (I think every Saturday evening) that showcase the life of a baby animal. This time around it was a baby 'anteater' and its mum. Previously they have shown about a cub, baby otter etc. Since I tune in very seldom, I think I missed most of it. Anyway, the baby anteater is kawaiii!

Yamashita Park, Yokohama

2009-07-05T02:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't know the idiom 'to kill two birds with one stone' will actually be useful for birds. In this pic, the cable/rope that is used to tie this giant ship, actually serves as 'networking' ground for a group of birds, hehe. By the way, this is a another scene at Yamashita park

Yamashita Park, Yokohama

2009-07-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to go to Yokohama and finally it became a reality. This picture was taken in Yamashita Park. It was a hot day but with a cold breeze flowing, I even managed to take a rest here lying on the bench

2009-06-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

I do like photography a lot and from time to time I do it as a hobby.. not that I'm any good at it, it's just a form of appreciating nature, beauty, people etc. Recently this one pic (via wikipedia) really caught my attention and I was really amazed by it. It's about a 'bee carrying a pollen'. At first it looks like some sort of CGI, but its not. I can tell you this, it's nothing like my firefly pic! (The picture in this post is published under the GNU Free Documentation License which can be viewed here)

Hotaru

2009-06-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

It's kind like a firefly (the insect) week here in Kyoto. Therefore, we set up a mission looking for 'Hotaru' (firefly) along the Philosopher's Walk. Turns out, the Hotaru in this famous path probably has vacated. It was an area nearby (surprisingly next to the main road) that still had a few Hotaru. I managed to take a few pics, but had problems finding where is the Hotaru?

Tsukiji Market, Tokyo

2009-06-05T03:08:00.000-07:00

Finally, this world famous fish site was within my sight. The auction site is opened to the public only very early in the morning and the entire market is closed on certain days. So, it's better to check here before a visit (click on the calendar button, the red button indicates rest-day). In this particular pic, the tuna is being inspected from a cut intentionally being made on the tail section of the fish. Some of the pics I took was also lil scary.. 'a giant tuna without a head', I wouldn't dare to show it in my blog. Coinciding with the visit here, I heard a BBC documentary called Fish! A Japanese Obsession was shown in the UK. Apart from other stuff, Tsukiji market was also featured. The big focus here are reported to be 'blue fin tuna' because they are an increasingly rare and expensive commodity (Pomphrey, Huck magazine, 2009). For more pics, visit here

2009-05-27T00:52:00.000-07:00

For some time now, I've been looking for a decent FLV joiner. Previously, I used an application called 'avidemux'. The problem with that application is that the sound was out of sync. Fortunately from a recent internet search, I came across an application called Andy's FLV joiner. It's super light weight and I hope it does the job effectively. Get it here

2009-05-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Lunch with marcus-kun the other day was in a restaurant known for their 'soba' (buckwheat noodles). Probably to attract foreigners, this restaurant even had a English menu. One thing on the menu that made me go eek! was fresh horse meat, what!. The other thing that caught my attention was that this restaurant actually show the video of how they make soba from buckwheat, omoshiroi!

2009-05-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

I often see some filming/shooting goin on in this area. Due to the fact that I seldom watch Japanese TV, I can't tell whether this is for some terrestrial broadcast or it's the real deal (dorama or film). From the number of crew they had, maybe It's.. well I don't know. In this particular scene, one of the actress was rather strange, maybe the scene will be funny for the viewers

Sleepless in Internet cafe, Tokyo

2009-04-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

..Actually I was sleeping pretty well, I just wanted to rhyme it with a movie title. I even enjoyed my stay here with streaming movies, TV, mattress+pillows, free soft drinks (hehe!) and they even had a shower. I managed to watch the movie 'Dark knight' and 'Elizabeth ..' on a fast forward basis. I couldn't complain more, this was my best option for a cheap accommodation in Tokyo. However, I recalled reading an article stating that about 5400 people with no fixed address spend their nights in 24h Internet cafes across Japan (Japan Times, 2007). According to the article, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry attributes the rise to the increase in job-hoppers who are I quote 'byproduct of the economic crisis that hit a decade ago'. This data was reported in 2007, I can't imagine what is the situation now with the recent economic crisis!

Former Kaichi School, Matsumoto

2009-04-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Former Kaichi School is another attraction in Matsumoto area. At first I was confused for the directions to this school and what I believe as the 'Current Kaichi School'. Luckily I managed to reach the exact location. According to the pamphlet I received, the construction of this school was completed in 1876 with 70% of the cost covered from donations from Matsumoto residents.. Wow! The second pic I believe indicates that the students received music lesson. Holy cow! even I who studied in the modern times did not have the privilege to study music in school

Sakura Season

2009-04-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

It's the sakura season once again (that's how i kindly would like to call it). Therefore I rushed to the Kamogawa river to take a few snapshots.. I'm not tired of doing it every year. Actually towards the south side of 'Kamo' river, many sakura tree have already turned green. Only in the northern side, the beauty was intact when I visited, hehe. It was such a beautiful day, tq! tq!

2009-04-17T04:28:00.000-07:00

For an average guy from a tropical country, this is the first time I'm seeing a huge 'mikan' (citrus) tree. I've seen miniature citrus plants used as an ornament back in my country, but that doesn't count.. In my country this sort of 'oranges' are generally referred to as 'mandarin oranges'. Oishii! Oishii!

2009-04-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

While heading to a specific location in Matsumoto (Nagano Prefecture), I got out in the wrong station. Rather than waiting for the next train, I decided I should walk to the desired location. So, I asked for some directions, even though I could only understand 'migi' and 'hidari'. Turns out, It was a pretty good deal. I got to enjoy the green scenery in this area.. it was awesome! I would have missed it if I decided to wait for the next train

Toyota Commemorative Museum...

2009-04-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

A short stopover at Nagoya city is not complete without a visit to Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. Only a few months before this visit I came to know that Toyota Corporation actually started out as a industrial loom manufacturer before moving into the auto industry. Anyway, this site happens to be located in one of Toyota's textile mill built in 1911. The 2nd pic shows Toyoda's (the original name) 1st passenger car, the Model AA. It's price was around 3,000 yen when it came out in 1936. What! that's about USD30 I thought.. However, I was told that this happened during a time when the average monthly wage was below 100 yen, Ahh! For more info visit here

Wide View Shinano

2009-03-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

To reach Matsumoto city via Nagoya city, there is a express train called 'Wide View Shinano'. The reason for this name I think is because of the size of window/screen this train has. It enables us to enjoy the beauty of the mountainous region in Nagano Prefecture. I even thought it'll be fun to drive in this area despite the curvy route, just to stop here and there to enjoy the view!

Matsumoto Castle, Nagano

2009-03-23T09:29:00.000-07:00

Matsumoto, Nagano. A short visit to this city was a valuable one. The center of attention in this city was Matsumoto castle, which is considered as the national treasure. For an average guy like me, the history of this castle is lil bit difficult to digest. However, for others who seek more info, visit here. For me, I enjoyed the view of this castle inside out, which gave me some kind of satisfaction

Kibune, Kyoto

2009-03-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Cruising without any purpose with Zuru-chan in this area was really awesome. Especially with the chance to be close to nature once again. For 'onsen' lovers, I saw there was an interesting one in Kurama area (the area nearby to Kibune). One of the things that caught my attention was that there was a huge tree with two trunks, but I'm uncertain whether it's one of kind or not!

Lake Biwa, Shiga

2009-03-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

A visit to Otsu city was just to greet and meet Mr Amir. However, we did manage to drop by 'Lake Biwa' just for the view and the fresh air. Compared to the last time, our location now was near the cruise and yacht site. The view was simply awesome.. (sorry-sorry for not posting for few weeks)

2009-02-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

A bowling game after a very long time was really amazing. In this particular pic, 'Uncle Ash' is showing (maybe 'showing-off') how to hook a bowling ball. I've personally played bowling many times before, but it never crossed my mind that I should try to throw a 'hook' ball.. until today. Therefore, I made a search on the internet (that's the advantage in the information age) and I came across this website. The explanation was quite decent and it also had a video of some guy showing (maybe 'showing-off') how to hook a bowling ball. Anyway, my only hope is that (even if I can't throw a hook ball), with the recent advancement in video game technology, real sports like 'bowling' will not loose its shine

Kitano Tenman-gū, Kyoto

2009-02-14T03:51:00.000-08:00

It's a Shinto shrine that I found quite interesting. For more info on the history of this shrine visit here. During my visit here, I saw many Japanese people fascinated with a particular flower which made me curious but didn't stop me from taking a few snapshots. Turns out, it's actually plum blossom (or 'ume'). However, I'm still uncertain whether this plant is found only in this area or not?

Okazaki, Kyoto

2009-02-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

It's an area that i'll be definitely making a return trip cause it's nearby and i've not completed visiting all the attractions here. A visit to one of the art gallery the other day is not enough for me. Not to forget, I even observed some people flying kites in this area. Maybe, it's a perfect place to hang out with friends and family

2009-02-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

Dinner with Zuru-chan and Wiltod the other day was in a restaurant that was completely new to me. The dish that we ordered was 'omuraisu'. Surprisingly, the same type of dish is served in my country. It is called pattaya rice (or 'nasi pattaya'). It's a small world after all (or 'the world is flat'). This restaurant turns out to be quite interesting with a 60s design and Freddie King's song in the background

Shigaraki, Shiga

2009-01-29T01:56:00.000-08:00

A visit to Shigaraki pottery town (Shiga) was an interesting one. With an opportunity to take a closer look at pottery sculpturing and a chance to color our own clay cup (yeah! it was only a cup), it was quite an experience.. especially with the chance of making fun of other peoples design ('like mine was that good, hehe'). Another interesting thing about this trip is that I was able to know about ‘Tanuki’ (Japanese raccoon dog). Before this I had never known about it, but now I realize its importance in Japanese culture especially in folklore and proverbs. For more info on 'Tanuki' visit here. For more pics, click here (sorry-sorry for not posting for 2 weeks)

Odaiba, Tokyo

2009-01-08T06:31:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly enough, the best observatory in Odaiba area is Fuji 'terebi' (Fuji TV). One could enter the 'giant sphere' for ¥500. Otherwise, we could just visit the observatory one floor below the 'giant sphere' for free. Both these spots are not very much different in enabling us to enjoy the surrounding beauty of this area from a bird's eye view. However for me, because I was already there and may not have the opportunity to make a return trip, I may as well pay ¥500 and visit the 'giant sphere'

Rinku town, Osaka

2009-01-05T04:55:00.000-08:00

Not to forget, after visiting Heian shrine, I went to this place. It turns out to be located at Osaka bay, very close to Kansai airport. I believe, the main attraction here is the 'Rinku premium outlets'. Many famous brands have their stores located here. For new year's day, there were special discounts, goodie bags etc. In my opinion it's better to shop wisely even though it was new year's sale! some items were not worth it, some were very old stocks, others are simply a bargain

Heian Shrine, Kyoto

2009-01-03T03:49:00.000-08:00

Compared to last year's 1st of January, this year I did something memorable. I woke up early in the morning ('never done this before') and I went to Heian shrine. After cycling for 15 min, my fingers were numb, but I still continued my journey. Luckily, there were very few people around.. I took some pics and tried to imitate some Japanese rituals. The second pic indicates a Japanese new year custom, whereby the drawn fortune slip ('omikuji') is tied in this designated area, with high hopes for a better luck/future, Ganbatte Kudasai!

Kira, Aichi

2008-12-28T02:47:00.000-08:00

A visit to Kira seaside town (Aichi) about a month ago, made me closer to nature. Watching sunset and sunrise, that was really something. This particular picture by the way, after taking it.. it reminded me of some entertainment company's logo. After returning home, I searched it on the internet, turns out it was actually 'Castle Rock' (maybe similar). More pics from Kira town here

2008-12-25T04:35:00.000-08:00

This picture does not mean I was in NY, I was actually in Odaiba, an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. With the beautiful Rainbow bridge and Odaiba-kaihin park in the background, it's a splendid location to spend an evening. There are also water buses (or water taxis) connecting many spots within this island, to enable tourist to enjoy the scenery from the sea. Unfortunately, I was unable to commute on those water buses

Bōnenkai

2008-12-22T06:04:00.000-08:00

Bōnenkai (or 'forget the year party') is a common practice in Japan to forget the troubles of the past and hope for a better future. This year our 'bōnenkai' was held in the crowded Sanjo street (Kyoto). As with the bōnenkai that we had, I'd like to wish the readers of my blog to have a better future ahead, Merry X-mas and 'Happy New Year'

Kusatsu, Shiga

2008-12-19T05:39:00.000-08:00

A visit to Panasonic factory in Kusatsu city (Shiga) enabled us to understand and witness the Japanese working culture; besides observing the latest breakthrough in home appliances research. I had the opportunity to ask the question whether with the recent recession this company is laying off any workers.. luckily to my relief the answer was no. Overall, it was an interesting trip

2008-12-09T04:55:00.000-08:00

Both Kousuke Murata and Osamu Fukunaga competed in the Rally Hokkaido (JRC) held in the middle of this year. I came across their vehicles (Daihatsu Boon), about a month ago. Unfortunately, Murata finished 12th and Fukunaga retired. Hopefully, better luck for them next time!

2008-12-05T05:19:00.000-08:00

Autumn in Kyoto is definitely breathtaking. With the colors of 'Momiji' (or Japanese Maple) being the center of attention, it's certainly worthwhile to take a couple of pictures. Apart from that, it's also very relaxing and could also be very romantic, hehe

2008-12-02T04:37:00.000-08:00

Kyoto Foreign Students Music Festival (2008) was an event showcasing the culture and art related to music from countries outside of Japan. Even the emcees for this event were foreigners. Many students from various parts of the world took part; e.g. Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico etc. Indonesian students had the most number of performances. I came to know that the musical instrument used in this performance is actually 'angklung'. The sound of this instrument together with what I recall as the 'Chan mali Chan' song was pretty good

Nagoya castle, Aichi

2008-11-28T05:51:00.000-08:00

A visit to this historic site was surely a memorable one. I came to know that the construction of this castle was completed in 1612. However, during the Second World War, most of the important buildings in this area were burned down and were reconstructed in 1959. Today, this monument is considered incomplete without a modern structure attached next to it (maybe many more monuments out there). The best known item associated with this castle are the golden dolphins (or kinshachi), which are placed in the castle roof

Udon

2008-11-22T03:42:00.000-08:00

Some of my friends favorite 'udon' (noodles') restaurant. For me it was my first visit. One could get a hot bowl of 'udon' for as low as ¥280 (usually ¥600 'udon' is considered satisfactory with the addition of fried shrimp and other tempura). Pic 3, I assume indicate the freshly made 'udon' here. Finally the end product is a hot, simple and tasty 'udon' meal that can be very refreshing during the cold season

2008-11-18T05:24:00.000-08:00

Kyoto Imperial Palace. I've posted before about this place here. This time around was my second visit with a group of friends to view the autumn colors. The color change is not fully complete yet, but we still enjoyed the beauty of nature in this area. More older pics can be viewed here

2008-11-13T05:18:00.000-08:00

Dinner with Zuru-chan the other day, we choose a restaurant that is completely new to us and it served vegetarian food. This place turns out to be pretty cool. One of the things that caught my attention was the tag line for this restaurant which read 'Better is a dish of vegetables where love is, Than a fattened ox and hatred with it'. The main dish was so-so but the dessert was awesome. For more info visit here

Ryōan-ji, Kyoto

2008-11-11T01:37:00.000-08:00

For an unknown reason, I did not find the stone garden interesting at all (maybe it's just me). A bunch of people staring at a bunch of rocks for hours.. I did not understand the meaning of it. Instead, I found the lake of Ryōan-ji more fascinating and worth the visit. According to Wikipedia (2008), when looking at the garden from any angle (other than from above), only fourteen of the boulders are visible at one time; it is traditionally said that only through attaining enlightenment would one be able to view the fifteenth boulder. I hope many people have attained their enlightenment after visiting this place, unlike me (sorry-sorry for not posting last week)

2008-10-28T04:10:00.000-07:00

I got very lazy recently, with the weather becoming colder and colder.. anyway, looking/searching for a used car (in Japan) from the internet can be a hassle if someone couldn't read/speak Japanese. Luckily, only very recently I came to know about Goo-net website (thank u Zuru-chan) that provides information in English. The company claim that they have the largest database of used cars distributed in Japan. In my opinion, the website is well organized and even browsing through it (without any intention) can be fun

Arashiyama, Kyoto

2008-10-22T07:20:00.000-07:00

It must be the darling of Kyoto. During autumn, the plants on the slopes of the mountain change color to red and yellow (some remain green), making this place stunning than ever. It's also the time tourists flock this area like nothing I could imagine. I may not have the opportunity to visit this place during autumn, once is good enough just to tell others 'Yeah.. I've been there'

2008-10-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Flea market ('not to be confused with free market cause the pronunciation seems to be similar in Japanese slang') are currently common in this area. For a guy like me who happen to be from a country with tropical climate, whatever I need for the cold winter season in Kyoto, I rather get it here cause it's cheap and I can't use this stuff in my country. Another thing is that, before coming to this country I had the idea that Japanese people only like to use new stuff ('new clothes.. they change their cars etc.), however, this type of flea market seems to be getting a very good response from the local crowd. Maybe, Old is Gold!

Velotaxi

2008-10-13T03:20:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I'm seeing a 'Velotaxi' in Kyoto area. It's a perfect modern 'rebranding' of the classic rickshaw. If I'm not mistaken, they've installed a GPS receiver inside it. The design looks pretty cool and the fair seems reasonable. The operators are also able to generate side income through the advertisements they put on this vehicle. For more info on 'Velotaxi' visit here

2008-10-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

The prestigious Nobel Prize winners for this year was announced recently and the names that caught our attention are mostly Japanese (not necessarily citizens). For me, it is not a surprise and it explains why many foreign researches are in this country.. the research in this country is very powerful compared to our home country. Congratulations to Japan and Japanese people! not to forget, thank you for sharing the knowledge with us

Kyoto University of Art and Design

2008-10-07T05:24:00.000-07:00

I heard from a foreigner that Kyoto University of Art and Design is the best kept secret of Kyoto. Therefore, last weekend I set up a course to boldly go to this institution. For some reason, this place had a lot of stairs. In my opinion, the true beauty of this institution was in their ability to blend the beauty of nature and modern design. One of my sweet memories was a visit to Ultra Factory, which is a design workshop utilizing metal, wood and resin. More pics can be viewed here

Menkyo

2008-10-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

The procedure of switching my foreign licence into a Japanese driving license was surely a difficult one for me. With me being 'Lost in translation' and with the strict regulations being imposed.. I definitely went through some mixed emotions. My only wish is that what now looks like some mixed emotions, will become an important lesson for me in the future

2008-10-02T06:35:00.000-07:00

Pelamis wave energy converter maybe the perfect alternative for countries to generate electricity from renewable energy sources. Even though developed by a Scottish company, recently a lot attention was directed towards the Portuguese worlds first wave farm that utilizes this device. According to France 24 (2008), this device alone meets the energy demand of 500 Portuguese homes a year. Wow! I hope the developing nations will wake up..

2008-09-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

The other day I came across this racket. Before this, I had no idea that 'Mizuno' manufacture badminton rackets. All I knew of is only one established brand from Japan that manufacture badminton rackets. However, I realized that the established brand is charging me more than what 'Mizuno' is offering. The quality of the current racket also seems to be better. Sometimes, established brands spend a lot of money sponsoring athletes that they have to put a heavy price on their products. Always better to lookout for the alternatives!

2008-09-28T09:14:00.000-07:00

Amusements in Mathematics. It's a compelling book even though it was published in 1917. In 2005, it was released to the public domain under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License. I could imagine that one could spend quality time solving the probs in this book while waiting for the train/bus rather than reading a novel. Recently I converted it to 'pdf' format and uploaded it here

2008-09-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

The Mechanical Universe. I can still remember during my school days, I will be rushing home after school every Friday just to watch this show. Even though I understood only a bit back then and maybe dozed off in the middle of this show, I was captivated with the knowledge this show got to offer and the presentation style undertaken throughout this series. Today, thanks to the power of the internet, I can still view it on Google video. It's good to start from here

2008-09-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

WinDjView. Quite often, I receive scanned documents in 'DjVu' format. For this purpose, I've been using this super-lightweight application to view and print my documents. Get it here

2008-09-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

Women only compartments inside the train are currently common in Kansai area. At first, I thought this is a form of sexism to men. However I read somewhere (I cannot recall where) that this is to avoid any form of harassment to women during the crowded work-rush period. Yeah! there are plenty of jokers out there.. sorry-sorry for not posting last week

2008-09-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

Managed to catch this movie ('The Dark Knight') only last week. Everyone who had seen this movie are praising 'Heath Ledger' for the role he played. At one moment during the film I thought "could anyone slash this guys head", that's how good he was. Sources from the IMDB website (2008) stated that 'he lived alone in a hotel room for a month, formulating the character's psychology, posture and voice'.. Wow! Even though he passed away after making this movie, I think he definitely deserves an award

2008-09-09T05:24:00.000-07:00

From time to time I tend to watch some interesting documentaries. The latest one that I saw was 'Dust to Glory', which is about the Baja 1000 off road race. Even though the documentary has been around since 2005 and the race itself has been going strong for years now, I've totally have not heard about it before ('my sincere apologies'). The race takes place in Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and the documentary is about the 2003 event. Overall this documentary is about the dream of people in certain sport and the distance they're willing to go ('distance here means both the actual distance of the race and also the challenges they're willing to endure') to achieve their dream

2008-09-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Lake Biwa, Shiga. I dropped by this place the other day with some friends. This is my first visit even though it's just around the corner. This place turns out to be a very relaxing spot, maybe perfect for yoga, fishing, BBQ (discussions did take place) etc. According to Wikipedia (2008), it's the largest freshwater lake in Japan and provides drinking water for about 15 million people in the region. Probably I been drinking water that comes from this lake for so long and only knew about it 5 min ago!

2008-09-03T03:53:00.000-07:00

Japan is the birthplace of cellphone novel (or 'Keitai Shosetsu'). Even though it's been around since 2003, I was only aware of it very recently (sorry! sorry!). Here in Japan, these novels are usually very short and is uploaded by the author (amateur or pro doesn't make a difference here) to a website to be shared. The idea have since expanded to other countries around the globe. One such website that is still going strong is maho (Japanese). Others are textnovel and quillpill (English). Due to the popularity of 'Keitai Shosetsu', some stories have been turned into actual novels ($$) and even into motion picture (e.g. 'Koizora' and 'Deep Love'). According to the NY Times, 5 out of 10 best-selling novels in Japan last year were originally cellphone novels (Onishi, 2008). Hopefully the future is bright for the authors..

Mt Fuji

2008-08-28T07:24:00.000-07:00

Two weeks after hiking up this mountain there is a sense of relief within me because I managed to complete it and the fact that I don't have to do it again ever ('If I have a choice'). Hiking down this mountain was even more horrible for me, with possibilities that I could bust my knee. Overall, it was a once in a life time experience that I would remember for a long time.. both the good and not so good memories. More pics can be viewed here

2008-08-26T04:40:00.000-07:00

What's wrong with this guy? Driving his truck with his feet on the steering wheel! Even though there was a heavy traffic, it should not be an excuse..

2008-08-18T08:14:00.000-07:00

Today marked my 100th post. I thought maybe I’ll write something about my Yahoo! mail. I’ve been using it for 10 years now with very little issues. Compared to the amount of genuine mails I receive, spam mails can be considered negligible. Hopefully everything goes well for this service in the future despite the takeover and merger talks that we often hear!

2008-08-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone is in the Olympic mood. Even new blogs are being created dedicated to the Olympics. I'm lucky, cause it's holiday season here in Japan, I can stay at home and watch TV. Too bad for supporters who went to Beijing but couldn't get tickets. Empty seats are said being reserved for the 'big guns'. As for the Olympians, I can't imagine records are being broken everyday.. after all, records are meant to be ??

2008-08-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

about a week ago, a friend of mine was wearing this t-shirt (yeah! he had to look lil' macho) which reminded me of Knut, the cute little polar bear. Knut is a big guy now, his pics can be viewed here, the one that he's reading his own book is too cute.. last July, there was a legal battle between two zoos in Germany over the profits raised from the worldwide attention received by the innocent Knut!, hopefully it all ends well

2008-08-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Can any of us still recall what in the world is this? Yeah! it's a floppy disc drive (USB external). Is it still useful these days? Yeah! if you're working in an environment with old machines that is connected to old computers, and you need to transfer the data to your own computer. It's quite handy actually..

Gion Matsuri

2008-08-04T03:37:00.001-07:00

Gion Matsuri is a Japanese traditional festival that is still celebrated in Kyoto. The festival spans about a month long with ‘Yamaboko Junko’ (or The Float Parade) being the peak of the festival. It was first held in 869, when a plague swept the country and the people prayed for its abatement by celebrating the Gion gods and paraded portable shrines through the streets (Industry and Tourism Bureau, City of Kyoto, 2008). This particular float in the pic, the ‘Naginata Boko’ leads the parade each year and is the only float that features a child (Industry and Tourism Bureau, City of Kyoto, 2008)

2008-07-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered how a student lodging looked like back in the old days? In this pic, the lodging of a university student around the year 1930 has been recreated. I could imagine that students back then have worked really hard.. even getting admitted into a university was very tough back then

2008-07-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

Cicada (or ‘semi’) is man’s best friend during summer season in Kyoto City. The sound of a group of cicadas is like ‘an orchestra out of tune’ and it’s all over the city. During this season, many kids go out to catch it, I don’t know what they do with it! By the way, this one in the pic is probably sleeping.. no harm was done to it

2008-07-20T05:21:00.000-07:00

Japanese people surely have geared up for the hot-hot season in Kyoto by purchasing 'sudare' (or bamboo/rattan blind). The price seems to be pretty reasonable which explains why I saw every single Japanese carrying one the other day. I guess it blocks the sunlight and turns the hot air coming through it into moderately cold air. For me, the hot-hot season is much more better than winter!

2008-07-14T05:19:00.000-07:00

Time flies! Seems like it was only a week ago I had to endure the winter season but already five months have passed. On the bright side, luckily I'm fully aware now that five months have passed, so that I can start thinking about the upcoming months. I'm guessing now that I'll be watching TV more (Olympics in three weeks time). At the same time, I better start planning some other things also..

2008-07-11T07:24:00.000-07:00

Lessons learned from Rafael Nadal: 1) Never-ever give up (only on his third Wimbledon final he managed to capture the title). 2) Continue fighting and have confidence with ourselves (he said that during the interview even though he lost the 3rd and 4th set). For average people like us, this lessons are sometimes difficult to replicate but it's not impossible!

2008-07-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

'Tanabata' is a Japanese star festival. Although it has a long history, at present people generally celebrate this festival by writing wishes (anything from health, wealth, studies, career, love etc.) on a piece of paper and hanging them as shown in the pic. Large-scale tanabata festival maybe still celebrated in some parts of Japan. I asked my Japanese male friend, "did u write your wish?", he told me that it's not cool for guys to do it..

Daimonji Mountain, Kyoto

2008-07-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

A climb up this mountain was surely a tiring one especially for amateurs like us. A rainy day made it even worst. However after reaching the desired check point, the feeling was unimaginable. I was surprised to know that the 'giant green square' (see pic, indicated with red arrows) is actually Kyoto Imperial Palace. The fact that Kyoto is surrounded by mountains, which made it very cold during winter and very hot during summer couldn't be more obvious. For those who are wondering what are these kids doing.. they are actually spelling out the word 'KYOTO', Cayalah!

Chinatown ('Nankin-Machi'), Kobe

2008-06-28T04:09:00.000-07:00

Before coming to this place, I had the impression that the situation in this Chinatown will be similar to the one we have in my country. Back at home, we could purchase food, clothes, imitation goods (hehe), souvenirs etc. However, I was rather disappointed to see only food, drinks and more food being sold here.. every country is unique after all!

Ueno Park, Tokyo

2008-06-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's a popular tourist destination, not only for foreigners but also japanese. It's home to Ueno zoo, three museums and many other things that I'm not sure about. During spring, many people visit this area for 'hanami'. I observed there were also many school kids having a trip here. It's one of those places we could just hang around, enjoy the scenery or do nothing. One more thing that caught my attention.. this place is clean Man! Definitely, a perfect escape spot from the busy Tokyo Metropolitan

2008-06-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sherlock Holmes in Kobe? According to Wikipedia (2008), Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective (London based) of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, what was his connection with Kobe City, I'm totally unaware of it and I rather leave it as a mystery.. anyway for those of us who wish to relive the adventures of yesteryear, visit here

2008-06-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

Euro 2008. After a week in misery watching broken streams, I just knew from a friend that Japanese TV is actually showing Euro 2008 ('It's been a while since the last time I tuned in') Anyway, I'll be counting on the 'Dutch Masters'.. it's been nearly 20 yrs since the last time they won it

Akihabara, Tokyo

2008-06-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

It's a popular Electric/Electronic Town in Japan. My recent visit to this area was a memorable one with me purchasing a memory device and a card reader at a reasonable price. However, for equipment such as camera etc, i think online purchase is much more cheaper.. That being said, the recent 'psychotic' stabbing of passersby around this area is very much regretted. I can't imagine someone going shopping on the weekend but failed to return home because was stabbed to death #$@

2008-06-08T08:26:00.001-07:00

After spring, currently in Kyoto is actually the rainy season. Known as 'tsuyu' (or '梅雨'), although partially interrupts our daily schedule, it's a known fact that rain is actually important for our survival

2008-06-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Rafael Nadal. Today he proved once again that he's the 'King of clay' by winning the French open for 4th time. Federer tried very hard for the past couple of years, but Rafa is the best on this surface, 'enhorabuena' (I hope I got that right)

2008-05-30T07:12:00.000-07:00

Bio-gasoline? we've all heard about biodiesel and bioethanol, but what on earth could be bio-gasoline (or renewable gasoline)? Sapphire Energy, the pioneers behind this product claim that it is a new kind of crude oil from one of the world's oldest and most adaptable plants: algae. According to The NY Times (Dec, o7), researches are trying to figure out how to grow enough of the right strains of algae and to extract the oil most efficiently. The biggest challenge is cutting the cost of production (nytimes, 07). For more info, go here

2008-05-28T04:54:00.000-07:00

Ikebana or Japanese flower arrangement is an unique Japanese traditional culture. It is said to be originated from 6th century Buddhism, whereby the priests used to collect flowers and branches from mountains etc as their offerings. Today, there are growing numbers of ikebana schools outside of Japan, all exploring and enjoying this unique tradition

2008-05-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

Disaster Reduction Museum, Kobe. Just few weeks after our visit to this museum, an earthquake similar to the 'Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake' hit China. Our visit here made us realize the catastrophe that can occur from such an incident. Since I have a lot of Chinese friends, I could understand the difficulties they are going through at this moment. Today evening, a mourning period took place among the Chinese 'Gaijins' in my area, concurrent to the one held in China. All our prayers goes to the victims and their families

Mt. Rokko, Kobe

2008-05-18T03:26:00.000-07:00

It's a perfect place to enjoy the panoramic view of Kobe and Osaka bay. This particular spot from the 'Tenrandai' observatory is said to be the place where Tennoh Emperor came to visit and the name itself means "the view where the Emperor stood". In 2004, the observatory was recognized as a 'Japanese Night View Heritage Site'.

2008-05-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

I always feel like at home in Kyoto. However, this is one of those views that caught my attention and made me realise that i'm actually abroad

2008-05-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

Two popular Japanese cuisines that is also enjoyed in other parts of the world. 'Sashimi' (left) is not my favorite dish. 'Chirashizushi' (right), maybe i'll regard it as so-so!

2008-05-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

Tokyo City Hall (or Tochō); Shinjuku, Tokyo. Also known as the Tokyo Metropolitan.. It's a perfect place to enjoy the bird's eye view of Tokyo city without paying a single cent. This area is actually surrounded with expensive department stores and hotels, but this is one of those things we could do for free

2008-05-07T05:59:00.000-07:00

Shibuya, Tokyo. Apart from visiting Hachikō, the reason for me to drop by Shibuya was to take a look at Bunkamura, the first and largest multi-media, cross-cultural complex in Japan. I call myself lucky because what a coincidence, the exhibition of ‘Renoir + Renoir’ (father and son) was being held. I enjoyed every single of their work. However their two famous paintings ‘Luncheon of the Boating Party’ and ‘Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette’ was not displayed.. probably it’s too precious

Hachikō; Shibuya, Tokyo

2008-05-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Finally I managed to get my hands on Hachikō. For those of us who still do not know the touching story of Hachikō, pls refer here. In Shibuya, Hachikō statue surrounding is a common waiting/rendezvous location for people ..similar to the loyalty once shown by Hachikō to his master. Recently, I came to realize that the story of Hachikō is being turned into a Hollywood motion picture, but it is shot in the United States

Sengakuji, Tokyo

2008-04-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

At first glance, it’s not as spectacular as other temples in Japan. However, it is well known as the grave for the 47 samurais that participated in the attack to avenge their lord Asano’s death whereby they were later sentenced to seppuku (hara-kiri). My visit to this 300 year old gravesite was a memorable one, with me burning incense sticks in order to pay respect to the samurais

2008-04-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

The other day the ATM was out order, probably caused frustration to some customers. Hopefully this cute picture which looks like a humble apology from an assistant, offered some relieve

Kyoto Imperial Palace

2008-04-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Although the Emperor of Japan currently resides in Tokyo, this Palace is still preserved and used whenever the Emperor visits Kyoto. Within the Palace compound, there's 'Shishinden' (pic 1), which is the most important building here. It was the place where enthronement ceremonies were held. There are several entrance gates (pic 2) to the palace whereby each gate has a different status and purpose. There's also the beautiful 'Oikeniwa' garden (pic 3). I came to know that in 2005, the meeting between President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi was held in this Palace..not to forget the tight security and street demonstrators

Nagara-gawa, Gifu

2008-04-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

It refers to the Nagara river in the Gifu Prefecture. There's actually a promenade that allows tourist to walk along and enjoy the scenic beauty of Nagara river and Mt. Kinka. On top of the mountain is Gifu Castle which I did not have the opportunity to visit yet. However, at night it lights up 'like a castle floating in heaven'