Ordinary Japanese Life

One day travel

2009-05-06T15:00:00.009+09:00

My friend and I was invited to another friend house in suburban Tokyo. I guessed she was a big landowner's daughter, even she'd been never proud of it. My guess was correct. She lived an huge Japanese traditional house and her farther bred huge Nishikigois ( Big colorful carps for ornamental use) which I've heard the one carp is worth a Benz car (I don't know which class.). Her farther talked about Nishikigoi with enthusiasm, and we knew my friend's farther was a winner some award as a Nichikigoi breeder.

After visiting my friend house, we went to Hitsujiyama Park in Chichibu where located the west of Saitama prefecture. We had famous Soba noodle for lunch there and went to the park to see a big bed of small flowers. The park was on a hill and we had small hiking and the weather was fine and it was fun.

Boozed again

2009-02-01T14:30:00.001+09:00

Recently, I'm really careful to not be a boozer, but today, I did again...

I was invited to sake tasting party and I enjoyed drinking and eating. The sake brewer came there and explained their product, it was fun and fab.

When the party finished, I was gave a plastic bag which contained some vegetables includes a carrot. (I didn't know what were contained at that time.) I don't know why it was presented, may be somebody explained, but I couldn't remember (I'd boozed)

I got on a train and fell asleep. After a couple minutes, I suddenly wake up and noticed that girls in font of me laugh at me. I looked like a completely boozer. I embarrassed.......

When I got off the train to change another line, I saw top of a carrot on the floor. I was wonder who dropped off it such a place... Off course, it was me!

I safely arrived my house and dived in my bed and fell into a deep sleep until next morning.

Strange Day

2009-01-08T10:36:00.001+09:00

I usually good at using any office machines like photocopier to PC, but today, I'm not. I made to stop 2 printers and my PC suddenly didn't work. I really went back home earlier, today:(

New Year's holiday

2009-01-03T23:59:00.003+09:00

My new year's holiday is 10 days in this season from 26th of Dec '08 to 4th of Jan '09. It was longer than usual.
I meant to clean up my house and do something I can't do usual, but I just watched some films which I recorded in our hard disk drive and then erased. Yes, the hard disk was cleaned up.

I wrote down films name which I watched for my record.
"I am legend"
"Producers" (Original Edition)
"Mrs Henderson Presents"
"The Wicker Man"
"Blades of Glory"
"Hairspray(2007)"

Oops! I can't already forget what I watched.....

A Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T23:56:00.000+09:00

I always make New Year's resolution, but I always can't keep. So I don't make anything this year.

Happy New Year to all of you and this year will be happier than ever to you!

Summary of 2008

2008-12-31T18:47:00.002+09:00

I couldn't often updated this blog this year. I thought I just went back and forth to work in this year, but actually not. Here are some new things to me in 2008.

1.I went Bon Jovi's Concert in Tokyo. I became a fan to them.
2. I lived by myself for three months, because my husband went to America for his bussiness.
3.I went to see "Zed". which Cirque du Soleil's first permanent theater in Japan. It was fab.
4.I took evening class about Sake (it taught how to be brewared Sake, how to cordinate tables in Sake Party and so on) nad I made some Sake lovers women friends there.
5.I booked a seat in a football studiam for a season and I enjoyed to watch games without hardness to find a seat.

And I often went to drink or had dinner with new friends and colleagues than ever before.
So, this year was fun to me, actually.

Holiday in America

2008-07-25T20:16:00.000+09:00

I went to America to meet my husband who would stay there for his work until this September.

We arranged to meet in Washington D.C. and spent 2 nights there and then we went to surbarban of St. Louis where he works. We went sightseeing ourselves in D.C.. I enjyoed myself in Surbarbun of St.Louis, because he couldn't take day off.

There were a huge shopping mall, so I enjyoed watching films and shopping. I watched 2 films which were "WALL.E" and "Kang Fu Panda". They were good enought to my English level.

I only spent 3 nights in St Louis and had to back to Japan, because I only could have 6 day off.

Go to America

2008-07-03T19:59:00.001+09:00

I suddenly decided to go to America to meet my husband from 18 to 22 of July. When I told him about it, he wasn't happy, because he planed to go to Washington D.C on the weekend during that. And he won't be able to take day off, and he worried about I would be alone when he works. I said I can meet him at Washington D.C. and I'm OK to be alone in suburb of St.Louis.
Finally, he said OK and I booked Air Tickets. I can't wait!

Monja the Japanese local food

2008-06-17T19:29:00.000+09:00

My Friend, S, who lives in Manchester, England , came back to Japan for her summer holiday. So, We (former classmates in an English school) had a reunion party a Monja restaurant in Tukishima which is a famous town as there are a lot of Monja Restaurants. Monja is a Tokyo's local food. See photos. It looks like not yummy (who say it looks vxxxx?), but the smell and taste is good like a soup with soy sauce. Uhhhh, it's difficult explain the taste!

We had a fun time!

I'll be alone or I'll be free

2008-06-15T22:11:00.001+09:00

My husband works for an American company in Tokyo, and his boss decided to send him to the headquarter in Missouri from today to beginning of Sep which mean I'll spend by myself during this summer. It sounds lonely, but I'm excited a little. I've never been lived by myself, because I followed Japanese traditional custom which a girl must live with her parents until she gets married.

The End of The Holiday

2008-05-06T20:47:00.003+09:00

Today is the last day of "Golden Week". When it started, I was grumpy because of tiredness, but I'm refreshed now. I did the below in 4 days;

*I went a football game.

*Cleaning up my kitchen and my closet.

*Watching last three episodes of "Desperate Housewives 3", "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" (it was dark and felt sad), "Saint-Jacques... La Mecque"(it was funny and scenery was beautiful) and "Welcome to a quiet room"(Japanese film. My friend lent me, it wasn't my taste)
*Taking a nap in the afternoon, almost everyday.

That's all. Sounds boring, but it was totally peaceful.

Watching Dramas

2008-05-05T11:32:00.002+09:00

I was used to not see TV programs so often, especially Japanese programs, because I thought the quality wasn't worth to see. But, I liked to see TV dramas from foreign countries (mainly America), since I started to study English. Recently, I watch dramas below;

*Criminal Minds (Season 2)
*CSI:Crime Scene Investigation(Season 7)
*CSI:NY(Season 3)
*Medium(Season 3)
*Monk(Season 6)
*Re:Genesis(Season 3) (Canadian Drama)
*Heroes(Season 1):Expression about Japanese and Spoken Japanese in the drama is sometimes funny, but it's OK.

Now, I've been waiting to air below;
*Ugly Betty (Season 2)
*Desperate Housewives (Season 4)
*CSI:Miami(Season 6)
*Grey's Anatomy (Season 4)
*Cold Case (Season 4)

I heard "Private Practice" (Grey's Anatomy's spin-off) will air soon, and I'm looking forward to watching it.

Uhm.....It seems I'm addicted to watch TV dramas.

Watching Football

2008-05-03T21:14:00.000+09:00

I love watching football games in a stadium and I'm a fun of Kawasaki Frontale (one of Japanese pro football teams). Every time I watch a game, I think each game is like a drama, because it includes happiness, sadness, hopes, fears and excitement.

I went a game, today and yey! my team won the game! Opponent team was the champion of the league last year, and the game was soooo exciting!!!

"Golden Week"

2008-04-28T10:32:00.000+09:00

"Golden Week" is obviously Japanese English and it means a week which continues public holidays between 29th of April to 5th of May.
*29th of April: "Showa no Hi (hi means day in Japanese)"
It's used to be Emperor Hirohito's(previous emperor) birthday and after he past away the name was changed. Show is years name of his reign.
*3rd of May:Constitution day
*4th of May:"Green Day"
I think this public holiday was set straight public holiday, because the public holiday was started from 1988.
*5th of May:"Children's Day"

I'll just lay back during the week.

Are you sure you can speak English?

2008-04-10T20:06:00.009+09:00

Today, my boss had guests from a foreign country and he looked for somebody in our office who can attend to them to a railway station. He said jokingly (cos, permanent staff must speak English usually) " is there somebody who can speak English and attend them?" nobody replied. Every body seemed to be busy, and I know my colleagues don't like him so much. At that time, I wasn't busy, so I said to him "It doesn't include my contract, but if you want, I'll do it." He said " Are you sure you can speak English?"
Excuse me? why I have to say that voluntary, if I think I can't speak English?.....Am I fool???Obviously, he looked down me, because I'm hired as a support staff. He should know every body have secret abilities:)
I took his guests to the station by a taxi, helped them to buy tickets, took them to the ticket barrier and said good by. I don't know what the guests think about my spoken English. Actually, I haven't spoken English long time, so I couldn't speak English more than I thought. Oh, it's a excuse...regret always comes after, that's true,that's ture.

Cherry Blossoms

2008-03-30T22:18:00.000+09:00

Now, cherry blossoms are very beautiful in Tokyo. I think spring and autum are the best seasons to come to Japan. People can enjoy to see season's beauty like cherry blossoms or Autum leaves.

I usually take pictures by my mobile's camera. I need a new degital camera!

These 2 months

2008-03-09T22:15:00.004+09:00

I didn't write anything for over 2 months. I'm OK, everything was fine
.
These 2 months, I jus worked full time in the office, did housework every day, sometimes went drink with my friends and always I'm tierd. I got used to work (now I worked for the treading company for 6 months and my contract was extended more 6 months recently.) and I get along with my colleagues. I have a lot of funny and strange stories, but I have no energy to write them in English for now. I'll write about them soon.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T17:39:00.000+09:00

I wish your Very Merry Christmas!!!

An ordinary day

2007-11-15T22:01:00.000+09:00

My ordinary day.

7:00 get up.
hanging up the laundry (I set the timer on a washing machine the night before).
sipping a cup of tea and nibbling something like a banana or a cup of yogurt.
put on makeup a little and changing cloth.
8:00 my husband leave the house
8:15 I leave the house
8:35 take a train
9:10 arrive the station near my office
9:20 arrive the office
9:25 sipp a cup of coffee
9:30 start to work
12:00 lunch at an canteen
13:00 start to work again
17:45 finish working
17:50 leave the office
18:00 arrive the station near my house and shopping for dinner
19:00 arrive house and cook for dinner.
20:00 eat dinner alone
20:30 wash dishes
21:00 take shower or bath.
22:00 my hubby come back.
I read books, do house chores, check email, watch TV etc...
24:00 go to the bed

I'm Fine!

2007-11-04T20:59:00.000+09:00

I couldn't update this blog over a month. Even I couldn't read my friend's blogs. I just concentrated to get used to a busy daily life which are doing household chores, working at an office, studying languages, drinking with my friends (less than before) watching football games at stadiums and so on.....I'll restart to describe about an ordinary Japanese life. I'll do it once a week at least.

Kamakura

2007-09-16T22:01:00.000+09:00

Today, my husband I went to Kamakura where used to be the Japanese capital in 12 century. My husband had never been there, so I took him same places where S from Finland and I went last year. They were Ugahuku Shrine (aka Zeniarai Benten) , Sasukeno Inari shrine, Turugaoka Hachimangu shrine; and two temples ; Hase Temple where there is a huge statue of the Goddess of Kannonand and Kotokuin Temple where there is a Great Budda. We washed some money for wishing to get fortune at Ugahuku Shrine, saw a lot of fox statues (they are gods themselves and also messenger for gods) at Sasukeno Inari shrine and went into Great Budda's body!This time I took some pictures.From the top of left, entrance of money washing cave at Zeniarai Benten), entrance gate of Sasuke Inari shrine, the Great Budda, inside of the Great Budda's neck, and a local train in Kamakura.

Visiting Grave Yards

2007-09-15T20:00:00.000+09:00

My family religion is Buddhism. In Japan, around autumnal and spring-time Equinox Day are middle days of a seven-day Buddhist ceremony period. During the period, my mother and I usually visit our family graves, even though I'm not a religious person. I think the biannual visit is for memories of beloved my dad, both side of grandpas and grandmas, and a little cousin who used to live together with us.( To me, the visit is a custom rather than religious ceremony.) This year, my mum will travel in China during the period, so we decided to visit our family graves today, it was earlier than usual.

I should explain how Japanese people are buried. Usually, when people died in Japan, people are cremated in almost all area in Japan. Basically, a family share a tomb and their ashes are placed inside the tomb and the tomb (the grave) is inherited by first-born son or somebody who inherited the family name. In Japan, the tomb is like a small house. But nowadays there are various cases, because many people don't have children.

My paternal family graves in a public graveyard in west Tokyo(The left side picture). The graveyard is maneged by Tokyo metropolitan government and it's nonreligious. Anybody can be buried there, but recently it's difficult to get new space, because there is no space anymore.
My dad was the 5th son, so when he died, my mom had to find a new place for him. My maternal side gran pa was a very religious person and a supporter of a Buddhist temple. The temple have their own grave yard, so my gran pa recommended to my mum to be a supporter of the temple. My mum accepted it. It sounds that she changed her religion for getting a grave, but actually she was Buddhist and just not went to the temple so often.

New Job

2007-09-15T00:55:00.000+09:00

I started to work again this Monday as a temporally staff at a sales support section in one of huge Japanese treading companies. I had to learn a lot of things which I'd never heard and done, cos I will replace a staff position from next week. I'm exhausted and feel an old woman......Ah, the job is easy, but it's difficult to remember at the same time....

Birthday

2007-09-05T20:21:00.000+09:00

Today is my birthday, now, I'm 41. I still feel immature and always thinking when I can become an adult?

I started this blog a year ago. I wrote these blogs an average once a week, I want to write more often, but, sigh, sometimes writing English is pain for me :p

The photo is a cake which my husband bought for me. It was a very yummy cheese cake.

View from Shinjuku

2007-08-30T19:04:00.000+09:00

Last week, My mother and I went to a observatory of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Tower in Shinjuku. My mother said to me that the city view from there looked like a graveyard. I agreed with her. There are too much buildings. How ugly the city is......

I can't do that, Sir.

2007-08-28T19:02:00.000+09:00

My husband got a DVD of exercise program for me a couple weeks ago. The DVD is called "Billy Blanks Boot Camp"and I heard it was popular in USA and Europe nearly 20 years ago. Now it has come to Japan at last and very popular.
Basically, I don't like doing any sports, but I knew I needed to do exercise to lose some weight. So, I tried the program a several times and every time I did it, I got muscle ache. I think the program will work, if I can continue to do, but I'm not sure I will be able to do it. Maybe, I should do yoga or something like that. Ouch!

Here is too hot.

2007-08-24T20:10:00.000+09:00

This summer, we are having extremely hot weather in Japan. Recently, my room temperature is always nearly 36 degrees centigrade. Of course we've installed an air conditioner, but I don't like artificial cold air. So, I usually don't use it. I know that using air-conditioner makes hot air and it'll be a cause of global warming. But, if I don't use it, I'll suffer from heat stroke. (This year, some people were died by it in Japan) It is vicious circle...sigh....

By the way, this picture is a bottle of Japanese isotonic drink. If you feel to dehydrate or hungover, it'll work to it very well. I know the drink name sounds strange(yuck!) to English speakers, but I also know, once they know the work, nobody cares the name.

Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise

2007-08-13T16:21:00.000+09:00

My friend wanted to see fireworks, so, last Saturday, she and I went to "Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise" which was a kind of amusement park and it took 1 hour from Tokyo. There are a good Aquarium and some rides such as a roller-coaster, merry-go-round and so on. The park is popular among families and also famous as a place for young couples.

In Japan, fireworks displays are usually held in Summer. Big displays takes over 1 hour and shorts are 10 minutes or something. This time was only 10 minutes, but it was beautiful and worth to watch.

I can't speak English.

2007-08-11T10:11:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, I had a job interview with my agent. I heard the job is required ability to concentrate and speaking English. It sounded I fitted the job.
At the first, the interviewer proudly said to me "All my staff are Japanese, but almost all of them are like native English speaker. Some of them had education overseas and some of them worked in foreign countries over 5 years" It didn't surprise me, because the company was famous as they only hired bilingual people. He continued "But my staff don't want to speak English on the telephone, because it makes them feel embarrassed, cos it seems everybody hear and checked the English. So if you don't mind that my staff hear your speaking English, I'd like to ask you to make phone call to foreign companies to ask something."
It sounded very Japanese, so I said it was OK, but I felt something fishy. Because it doesn't make sense if they can speak English like native speakers and required to speak English, but they don't want to speak, why the people can get such high salaries? I thought there were other reasons, so I asked him the detail of calling and I found it was complicated. I wasn't sure if the call is in Japanese, I can do it or not. He showed me a paper which there are short conversations in Japanese and asked me to speak them in English. I tried, but it was failed even it wasn't difficult. He sniffed (may be he didn't it) me and said "If I hired you, both of us would be unhappy."
OK, I'll never say "I can speak English.", especially, in business situation. I disappointed myself, I believed I could speak English better than that.
In addition, my agent was angry about the client, because the client didn't say about the detail. If she knew it, I would be able to prepare and get the job or she would introduced other person. I thought no thank you to get the job, because I wouldn't be able to handle it. She also was angry about the client attitude to me. I said to her that I was OK, because my ex-boss was more awful than him. She impressed my attitude and she promised to get new offer. I was just older than her, which meant I met more people than her. Oh, Getting old wasn't bad:)

Source of Noise

2007-08-10T20:13:00.000+09:00

This photo is a cicada which makes noise during summer in Japan. The sounds make me feel more sultry. I don't like their noise.

Three kinds of them live at least in Tokyo and the sounds tell us the summer is just start, middle or end, because each them have specific sound and start to make sounds from different point in the summer.

I heard they react temperature to make noise. When I was a child, I had never heard the noise during nights in summer, but recently I sometimes hear the noise at the night, which means the night temperature is higher than before. It is an evidence of global warming .

The first step was successfully finished

2007-08-09T17:45:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, my first step to restart work was finished on schedule. It was easier than I'd thought, but before I started to work I wasn't sure I could work or not after I spent my life lazily for 2 years. I thought I would never be able to back to work, I mean office work, because many my friends once became housewives and never back to work.
Now, I'm a member of a temporary staffing agency. I'm still thinking what I can do and what I will do next 10 years.(It makes me embarrassed. I'm not young I should have decided it before.) I will try whatever it seems I can do.
I've got some new job offers already, but I haven't decided yet.

This is an evidens.

2007-07-31T20:38:00.000+09:00

This is a picture which I mentioned previous my blog........

I can't say (s)he is qute now.....not sure this picture....

Evidence, how much I drunk

2007-07-27T22:03:00.000+09:00

Today, I sorted out pictures in my mobile and found a picture of a girl in a lovely dress. I had no idea who she was and I checked taken the date, it was 11pm on 30th of June. I suddenly remembered, she wasn't a girl. She was a BOY. When I drunk outside of a bar in Shinjuku, (s)he walked by the bar. (S)he looked so cute actually, and I asked her(him) to take her picture and (s)he said "OK" , then hold a pose and smiled at me.

I had completely forgot it until I found the picture.....I had never asked any body who I don't know to take picture.... I think I should change this blog's title to "Drunken Housewife" or something else. I'm so embarrassed now, sigh...

A Kind of Torture

2007-07-18T21:42:00.000+09:00

I enjoyed my temporary simple job for a week, but suddenly I have nothing to do. Two persons and I are hired for a project which the company have to finished by the end of this month. We finish the task quicker than the project team had expected, so they can't keep up with us. Today, we were asked to just wait at last. we waited and waited to be given next task, but nothing happend. Can you imagine that you just sit in front of PC, but you can't net-surfing and no reading materials? Of course, you also don't fall asleep.
The worst thing was people around us seemed they were very busy, so it made me to feel guilty. I had a lot of tea and often went to the toilet. I thought it was a kind of torture. I'll get some money even if I don't do anything, but but......I found out nothing to do was harder than work at an office. I totally knocked out today.
I hope tomorrow will be better than today.

I just started to work.

2007-07-09T22:29:00.000+09:00

I just started to work again today. It's a month contract, so I'm a temporary worker for now. The job isn't difficult, just a PC operation, but I'm tired..... because I spent my life lazily for two years, my brain and body totally forgot how I worked hard before.

What did I do?, again

2007-07-03T11:17:00.000+09:00

I went drink last Saturday with my friends. I thought I had a couple of glasses wine and cocktail and I was merry, but just not merry, I was wasted, crap and shit. I was asked "Were you ok the next morning?" by friends after the Saturday. It seemed I did something wrong, strange or funny as usual. I hope I just boozed....actually, I only remeber I was too friendly at the night and I chatted somebody who I had never met and I can't remember what I talked exactly.... Can't I learn something from I did before? How many times I regreted and how many times I swered I'll never do something I regret after I had drink this year? I feel sorry to people (mainly, my friends's friends) who I annoyed. I hope nobody remember about me at the night......

Zodiac

2007-06-27T23:16:00.000+09:00

Today (Wednesday is discount day for ladies in almost all theaters.) , I went to see a film "Zodiac". I assumed it was about cipher-breaking, but actually about people who got on to find a serial killer. It was nice, but it was little long(2h30) to me:) Oh, Jake Gyllenhaal is hot! I didn't know that.

Catch up with friends

2007-06-21T12:03:00.000+09:00

I was still antisocial a little and I haven't spoken any language for nearly a month. Even emails were less than before. I didn't met my friends and my husband was too busy to chat me (Actually, my husband isn't chatty) .After I finished a course by correspondence a couple weeks ago I was glued to PC to watch Asian dramas I had never done like that. I felt to become an old lady, but I didn't mind. I just enjoyed FAKE ( I know I can't and shouldn't retire yet) my early retirement life.
But this Tuesday evening, I suddenly turn up social circle. I got a call from a friend who lives in France and chatted for an hour. It was very fun. Maybe, the call made me to miss my friends, I emailed other friend to ask to hung out next week. After we decided to meet next week, she said she planed to drink with her friends at the Tuesday evening and invited me, so I rapidly readied to go out and joined them and drinking, chatting and laughing. Her friends were so nice and it was very fun evening.

Snacks

2007-06-18T15:51:00.000+09:00

This photo is my favourite potato snack called "Jagariko" . It shapes French Fry, but the texture is more crunchy. Usually, three flavours are available which are salt, butter and cheese. Sometimes, limited flavour are sold such as Korean dried seaweed(left in the picture) and Pizza.

I drink beer with them, it's good combination! Oh! I'll be fat!!! but I can't stop:)

My favourite restaurants in Tokyo.

2007-06-13T19:26:00.000+09:00

I had been tagged by lovely Nix and Liisa to write about eating place, but I didn't know that. cos I concentrated to finish translation course by correspondence, and hadn't read any blog. I finally finished it!

Here are my favourite restaurants: my taste is rather Asian.

Tensayn feiway

Taiwan based Chinese hot pot chain restaurant. I mainly go there in Winter. They serve vegetables, fishes and pork in soup. It's yummy!!!

Korean Kitchen MACCHAN

Korean restaurant in Shinnohkubo near Shinjuku. I recommend their thick fried pork which called Sangyopusal. It looks greasy , but very crispy and juicy. The other dishes also yummy and reasonable.

Huong Viet: 7-10-10 Nishimura bilding 2F Nishi-Shinjuku

Vietnamese restaurant.
They offer tasty lunch buffet by only 1000yen ( Sat&Sun is 1200yen). it includes dessert and Vietnamese coffee. Dinner is also good, but it's expensive a bit.

Tosho-men so: 1-12-1 Smpei building 4F Nishi-Shinjuku

Chain Chinese restaurant. I love their special noodle from Xian in China.

Angkor Wat :1-38-13 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku , near Yoyogi station on JR line.

Cambodian restaurant. I go there twice a month at least on Saturday and have lunch with my friend, after I go Arabic lesson. They offer 7 types of combination plate include Pho noodle and raw spring rolls for lunch. The prices are between 1000yen and 1200. I think the prices aren't expensive in Tokyo. I often eat "Noodle combination lunch" includes a salad, fried noodle, and Pho in soup.

I only know few bloggers and they have been tagged already by somebody. I'll be it forever.

Memorandum of my life in May

2007-05-31T14:36:00.001+09:00

In May, I was pretty antisocial and was often sick.

Here are some of the things I did, though:

(1) I went and saw 'Babel'. It was a very good film. I especially liked the beautiful scenery in the film.

(2)I saw a Japanese League football match near Yokohama. It was very exciting.

(3)After that, I had a high fever for two days and couldn't stop coughing.

(4)I finished reading 'Brick Lane' by Monica Ali. It took me a year to finish the book but it really impressed me. I'll blog more about it later.

(5)I visited one of my friends. She's rich and is living in a luxurious apartment temporarily, while her house is being built. She cooked a very fancy lunch!

(6)I learnt how to play chess. For now, I'm really enjoying playing it.

That's my ordinary life.

Magnam 44 Exhibition

2007-04-26T11:19:00.000+09:00

Last Tuesday, I went Tokyo Metoropolitan Photogragh Museum for seeing an exhibition of Magnam 44 with my kiwi friend. The exhibition was great, cos the phots were about Tokyo during 1940 to 2000. Some photos remided me my childhood and my younger days.

New PC

2007-04-19T19:22:00.000+09:00

I finally got new PC which is installed Windows Vista! yey! Now I can surf on the Internet smoothly and I also can play latest PC games (I won't do them, I hope). But unfortunate things, there are. Firstly, I can't use my portable MP3 player any more, cos the company won't released the driver for Vista, because the player is little old. Secondly, I can't use my printer currently by same reason. But, it'll be OK, cos my husband still uses windows XP and I can use his PC for printing and sending music to the player.

It's Time To Move On?

2007-04-16T18:54:00.000+09:00

Today, I had farewell lunch for my friend, S, with M and S's French boyfriend. we are friend since we met an English language school about 6 years ago.

S met her boyfriend, SY, at her friend's wedding in Poland 1 and a half year ago, and since then they have dated mainly on the Skype, because S lives in Japan and SY lives somewhere in France. SY has came to Japan to meet to her once in 6 month, finally (it was suddenly, actually), S decided to go France to live with him. Of course, I was glad to hear that, because I've thought SY was a right man to S since I met him at first. The other hand, I felt bit sad, because one of my small amount of boozed friends will gone!!! OK, I'll go France to booze with her in near future, she likes it or not :)

M is pregnant now, she will be a mother next month.

Two of us are moving on to something, somewhere. I'm just still same position, but, maybe it's not time to move on now to me or I'm just moving on little by little.

Walking in Tokyo with Nix

2007-04-10T22:00:00.000+09:00

Nix and I went to Akihabara to Asakusa, today. At first, I meant to take her to Tokyo Tower (an old landmark!) and Asakusa by a boat, but she looked tired, so we decided to go Asakusa directly. But, when we were in a train, I suddenly wanted to show her a mecca for geeks, so we got off the train at Akihabara-station. we went through between electric, Anime and comics shops and reached Ameya-yokocho near Ueno.

In Ameya-Ykococho( common name is Ame-Yoko), there were a lot of discount shops for from food to clothes. When we were at a roe shop (it exists there), Nix asked me what a red food was and pointed. It was salted salmon roe, but I couldn't remember an appropriate word, so I said 'it's salmon's eggs". Shop owner laugh at me and said to her "It's Salmon roes" and said to me in Japanese "You should tell it her correctly, if you are an interpreter." I said back to him "No, I'm not!". But, OK, I know I should study English more hard!!!!!

We had Tempura for lunch in one of chain shops, I wasn't sure it was appropriate for her last lunch in Japan, cos it was bit too typical Japanese lunch, but at least it was one of ordinary Japanese food even though I'd never had it.

Next place to go was Kappabashi. There is a wholesaler street for kitchenware, mainly for professionals. But it also famous as shops for food samples made of wax and I heard they were very popular for people from foreign countries.

After Kappabashi, we finally went to Asakusa. When we went through in front of a theatre for traveling theatrical troupe, the actors greeted their fan and taken picture with them. Curiously, the actors worn Kimono with Elvis Presley's hair style. I have no idea why!

Asakusa wasn't last place to visit today, cos I heard Nix wanted to buy Hello Kitty's socks. I know a big Hello Kitty's shop in Ginza, so we went there, unfortunately she couldn't find them...I'm sorry for it, Nix!

Final destination was Shinjuku for buying some Sake, cos the city was my town and I knew there was a discount bottle shop.

Well......in the end, I think we walked 4 or 5 km totally in a part of Tokyo and I knocked down Nix. I hope she thought I didn't know how to use train system in Tokyo.... fortunately, according to her blog, she seemed to enjoy today's visiting.

My Travel Map

2007-04-09T13:34:00.000+09:00

I found my ideal travel map on Nix blog. Here is a map which shows I've been there. Honestly, I just went Hong Kong and Macao in China, but it shows I've been wide area of China. And I also have to confess I just spend 1 day in Brussels from London by Euro star. I just wanted to get on it....In fact, about France, I had to spend a night accidentally, because I couldn't catch a flight....

Up and Down

2007-04-04T15:50:00.000+09:00

1)Up thing.
Last Monday night, I had really fun time. I met some 4 bloggers. One of them was I become a friend in actual life, and she took me blooging world. Thank you, Jo!
I heard a lot of bad reputation of people in virtual or on Internet. But, they, who I have met, are so lovely and nice. Unfortunately, yesterday, I had a plan to have job interview the next day, so I only could allowed to have a glass of cocktail myself. I need some alcohol to speak, especially in English!!! Gaaarh.Anyway, I really apriciate them that they accept me.

2)Down thing.
I had job interview and some entrance exams to be hired as an assistant translator yesterday as scheduled. I couldn't finish to translate all articles and made mistake on Kanji exam. The worst thing was the interview. I couldn't understand what I was saying, because I was really nerves. Actually, I've been to study English in a couple years to join the company, because the company has good reputation as a translation company and they have good training system to translation. Gosh! I can't expect to be hired. I'll get the result in two weeks.

Boozed and Regret again

2007-03-27T11:43:00.000+09:00

I thought I swore myself "I'd never be boozed again". BUT, I done it again last Sunday. I drunk 2 glasses of beers and 4 cups of cocktails (maybe more), and after that, I danced madly in a club ( I feel sorry to people who had to see may strange dance).....I had never done like that.....I got muscle pain yesterday. I know I'm not good at dancing, cos I can't count rhythms even though I've played some instalments over 10 years. so I didn't like dancing, but I found it was fun and good exercise. There is a problem, when I want to dance, I need to get drunk completely.

Long Long Queue

2007-03-23T17:05:00.000+09:00

Since last December, every time I walk past a doughnuts shop from USA in Shinjuku, I've seen long queue. Last month, the shop started to show a sign board which shows waiting time at last. Usually, the waiting time is one hour or over.

I think Japanese people love making queue. According to one of my friends, if she miss to join a long queue she will regret, because long queue is aｎ evidence of the best thing or popularity and she believes she has to followed any trends. I think Japanese many people (maybe even not Japanese) agree with her, but I couldn't agree with the opinion.

Atishoo!

2007-02-28T12:54:00.000+09:00

Since last week, My eyes have felt itchy and I started to sneeze sometimes, so I think I got hay fever...I don't want have it! Please I've just got a cold!!!!! If once I got hay fever in Tokyo, I would be in a hell during the season.

Skiing

2007-02-05T09:24:00.000+09:00

I'm not a sports woman, but I only like to ski, swim and walk.

Last Tuesday, I went to Skiing in Yuzawa, Niigata on one-day trip with my friends. This winter is warmer than usual, so the snow condition wasn't good, but it was first time to me in this season for skiing and it was enough to enjoy it. After enjoying skiing, we took a hotspring bath which the ski resort provided. This tour for skiing costs was incredible cheap, it was only 5440yen per person which included Shinkansen(bullet train) fee (usual fee for going to Yuzawa is over 10,000), one day lift ticket and entrance fee for hotspring bath. Actually, the ski slopes weren't exciting at all, but it was enough to me, because as I said I'm not a sports woman and don't want to anything exciting. Uhhhhm it sounds boring skier...yes, I think I am....

【Books】 In The Pool

2007-01-27T14:32:00.000+09:00

I found my fbourite Japanese book was tlanslated into English which is called "In The Pool"" by Hidero Okuda. The book include short stories about a strange psychiatrist as a main character and his patients , but not about mental trouble. The story describe behind story of the patients and it's really comical.

Boozed or Pissed, and Regret

2007-01-13T12:06:00.000+09:00

Last week, one of my friends, who has been studying something in England, has come back to Japan for her holiday. So we went drinking with a common friend. In the first hours after we started drinking, I was drunk......I seem to become really a cheap date. I can't remember what I told exactly. I only remember that I called one of my friends, who there wasn't, "Real Bitch"　I also told about new year's resolutions and football although I didn't know about it very well, and I smoked I don't do usually. I had no hearing because of drunk, so I also can't remember what my friends said.
The next day, I noticed I got abrasions to my left arm. What did I do? I don't know....I think I should add "I'll never be drunk so much" to new year's resolutions.

Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art

2007-01-09T14:00:00.000+09:00

A couple days ago, I went to "Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art" in Harajuku. I knew the museum, but I hadn't gone there even though I often went around there.
I saw the exhibition which was titled "The Exhibition of Masterpieces from Musee Guimet". They included famous Sharaku and Hokusai's works. The museum was cosy and I think it's enough to pay 1,000yen.

New year's resolutions

2007-01-04T15:49:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year to all people!

I made following new year's resolutions

(1) To get new job within 6 months
(2) To pass English proficiency exam
(3) To go to museums more often
(4) To update this blog more often
(5) To reduce reading Japanese books and to increase reading more English books.

How many new year's resolutions will I do?

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-25T10:08:00.000+09:00

Today is Christmas and special holiday to many people, but, in Japan, there are nothing special basically. My husband went to his office as usual and I'm printing new year's greeting cards for now.
However, I'm having Christmas dinner with my Kiwi friend and her friends at a pub this afternoon. I've never had Christmas dinner, so it'll be first time to have, I can't wait!

Taipei

2006-12-22T15:39:00.000+09:00

I went to Taipe in Taiwan with my friend from 9th to 12th in December. Because my friend suddenly could get long weekend and we found out both of us had enough frequent flier points to get free return ticket to Taipei. Unfortunatelly we are members of different frequent flier programme, so we decided to meet an airport in Taipei.

Our main aim to go there this time was to enjoy eating foods and they were fabulous! I uploded a part of foods photes we ate.We ate continuously something. I have to confess I needed stomach medicines when I came back to Japan.
I hope I'll go there again. If I can go there next time, I want to go to the national museum in Taipei which every body said fabulous , and Hot springs.

In November

2006-12-19T13:50:00.000+09:00

I couldn't access my blog over a month, because my computer had been unstable. At last, I reinstalled OS, so, now it's better than before, but I still should buy new PC. Where is Santa Claus?

My main events In November,
(1) My husband went to America for business for 2 weeks, so I was alone in our flat and felt something strange.
(2) I went to Ukiyoe exhibition at Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku. The collection came from Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Of course, Ukiyoe is originally from Japan, but American collectors collected these important Ukiyoe 100 years ago, so the Japanese museum borrowed them. They were fabulous, absolutely beautiful!!! Ukiyoe usually describe ordinary Japanese lives in Edo era, so we can know how people in Edo era enjoy their own life.
(3) I went on an overnight trip to Ise Shrine in Mie with my friend. We stayed a hotel which provided thalassotherapy and also had good a French restaurant. The first day, we had thalassotherapy which included exercise in a warm seawater pool, rest in seawater misted room and a seaweed wrap over the whole body and had dinner which the hotel called LOHAS(lifestyles of health and sustainability) dishes in the French restaurant. The all service was very good, but, to me, the hotel was extravagant, actually....
The second day, we went to Ise Shrine where one of the most religious places in Japan. There were a huge forest, I should say the shrine was in the forest, and very quiet and peaceful.
(4) One Saturday night, I went my Kiwi friend's birthday party and boozed and I chatted some people in a Pub who I'd never met before. I can't remember what we talked about, may be I said something strange....It was fun, but I lost some money in an envelop at that night....It was only saaaad thing in November.

Gaaaaar!

2006-11-24T18:21:00.000+09:00

My pc has been unstable since a couple weeks ago... once a day of my blog had gone when I updated. I know it's time to get new PC....

Preview of "The Devil wears Prada"

2006-10-31T22:06:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, my friend invited me to go a preview of " The Devil wears Prada". The film was very fashionable, Anne Hathaway was lovely and Meryl Streep was fabulous. The story wasn't bad, but I'd like to avoid to comment tabout he story. It wasn't my taste, actually. I think the film is for fashion lovers, fan for those actress and Patricia Field (aka Sex and the city stylist). I'm not interested in fashion, but I love to see beautiful things and also I like Meryl and Anne, so I can say I enjoyed the film!
This film will be released on 18th of November in Japan.

Ordinary Japanese Dinner

2006-10-24T21:09:00.000+09:00

Sushi and Tempura are thought typical Japanese food by foreigners, but I hardly ever eat both of them, eve though I love them. Here, I showed my dinner of one day. They are Miso-soup, Steamed rice, a steamed egg hotchpotch which I bought at a supermarket, a grilled Pacific saury with ground Japanese radish and dressed boiled burdock root in a sesame mayonnaise sauce. Usually, I eat various food such as Chinese, Italian, Korean and so on. But recently I realized traditional Japanese diet is the best for my health. So I'm trying to eat them.

Before throw ing away CDs

2006-10-17T20:09:00.000+09:00

I suddenlly decided to throw away CDs. So I started to copy them into my PC. I listened as I copied, and old CDs reminded me old days especially, my friends I don't kno what they do recently.

I Don't Say Goodbye

2006-10-16T12:13:00.000+09:00

Not long ago, there were three foreign blogger in Japan, and they started to meet in Tokyo.

About 10 months ago, I met one of them who was my English teacher's friend and I started to go drink with her, and 7 months ago I dug up she was a blogger.

5 months ago, I met the other one of them, a Finish woman, at birthday party for the person I met first, and we talked about art a little and it was fun, so I gave her my email address .

Just 3 months ago, I met the last one of them finally, so I met all of them and I like them. I wasn't interesting in blog at least, cos I'm not good at English writing. But after I started to read their blogs, I thought if I can write something about Japan from native's viewing, it could be fun, then I started this.

Yesterday, I met them for farewell party, because the Finish woman will leave Japan with her lovely son this Wednesday,...It's a shame....It's sad....We just met. I hope I meet her ahd her son again in near future.

Kyoto in Tokyo

2006-10-12T20:42:00.000+09:00

Today, I went to the National Museum Art Tokyo with a friend of my finish friend who are staying Japan for her holiday. Unfortunately, the permanent collection mixed boring and nice works.

After that we went Kyotokan which provides information about Kyoto sells products and foods from Kyoto and we can feel atmosphere of Kyoto. Today, it was reopened new place where was Yaesu in front of Tokyo station and they held short time Maiko Odori show as a opening ceremony which two girls in Kimono danced traditional dances from Kyoto. Luckily, we could see it even we were in Tokyo.

Autumn in Tokyo

2006-10-05T18:04:00.000+09:00

Autumn has come in Tokyo at last. These days weather is cloudy or rain, but it's nice and cool. Orange osmanthus started to bloom and the rich perfume fills the air. That's a symbol of Autumn.

In Japan, it's said that Autumn is the best season for art. Though not for this reason , I went to Ueno Royal Museum to seeing the Dali exhibit with my friend this Tuesday. The exhibition was good which showed Dali's works chronologically (I think), but it was so crowded. In Japan, exhibitions from abroad are very　popular, so sometimes I feel I go there to see somebody's heads when I go exhibitions.

Discount Day of Cinema

2006-10-02T13:37:00.000+09:00

Almost all cinemas in Japan offer special fee, 1000yen per a film, on the first of each month, so Yesterday, my husband and I went to a cinema to see "X-men:The Last Stand" in Roppongi. The film was exciting.
After the cinema, we went Hobgoblin in Roppongi, which is British pub, we ate Sunday roast. They offer at 999yen per dish and it's worth more than the price!

Books

2006-09-21T20:08:00.000+09:00

Recently, I read interesing two books which are a swedish book in Japanese and an american one in English.

The first book "Popularmusic from Vittula" which my finish friend gave me. The book is about a boy in a swedish border village near Finland and described his childhood and life in the village at that time (1960's). I could easily imagine about Swedish village life. I think the book reminds almost all readers their own childhoods wherever they spend it.

The second one was american mistry book "The Floating Girl" in English which was one of Rei Shimura Serease by Sujata Massey. The series of books are mainly set in Japan and the heroine, who has an American mother and a Japanese father, is involved crimes and solves. This book's main idea was Japanese subcalture about animation and Manga. It's well described.

Friends and Friends Again

2006-09-20T13:10:00.000+09:00

It seems I'm still popular.....

Yesterday, I had dinner at Korean restaurant with my friends from my first English school. Today, I will have dinner at Vietnamese restaurant with my friends who are also from my first English school but different people of Tuesday.

Today, I will have dinner at Vietnamese restaurant with my friends who are also from my first English school but different people of Tuesday.

A Friend, Friends and Friends

2006-09-18T13:28:00.000+09:00

From 15th to 17th, I met my friends almost every day and ate various food . It seemed I suddenly became popular.

On Friday, I went a Korean restaurant with my friend who works for a NGO which sent specialists to refugee camps or something like that and she went to Indonesia as a logistician. I hadn't heard anything from her until she phoned me 2 weekes ago.So I had worried about her until she done it. She told me about the area where she stayed. She didn't mention anything negative and told me fun things like she gained 7kg while she stayed there, because the food was delicious and she ate them 4 times in a day! But I knew her work wasn't easy and I really respect her energy.

On Saturday, I went Arabic lesson and after the lesson, my classmates who was also my friend and I had Cambosian lunch as usual, and after that I met my best friends from high school and had tea.

On Sunday, I went TESOL's teaching practice class again, and after the lesson I had Indian curry lunch with my friend.

Unordinary Days

2006-09-13T10:26:00.000+09:00

I haven't posted in five days, it seems I gave up to write..... I've just been busier than usual. I had fab fun days!

On Sunday morning , I attended a class of TESOL's teaching practice as a student with my friend and after that we have lunch and chatty until early evening.

On Monday, I went to Kamakura with my finish friend, S. I didn't to go there in ages, it seemed to turn tourist place for people from foreign countries. Kamakura was Japanese capital in 12 century. There are lots of temples and shrines. It's similar with Kyoto, but simpler than there. We went only three shrines; Ugahuku Shrine (aka Zeniarai Benten) , Sasukeno Inari, Turugaoka Hachimangu; and a temple ; Hase Dera where there is Great Budda. We washed our money for wishing get money at Ugahuku Shrine, saw a lot of fox statues (they are gods themselves and also messenger for gods) at Sasukeno Inari and went into Great Budda's body! It was a shame I didn't bring my camera.

On Tuesday, I went Sumo in Ryogoku with S.Each match was very short , so we couldn't take our eyes off from the ring! S left Japan on Wednesday, I also wanted to show her more ordinary life in Japan, but I didn't. I hope she will come to Japan again.

Yesterday evening, I went out for a drink my Kiwi and Scottish English teachers who are also my friends. We enjoyed chatting and drinking. It seemed to counsel me, I felt sorry to them about it, but I feel fine completely. I really thank them!

Today, I just relaxed. I did household chores a little, studied Arabic for next lesson a bit, took nap and cook for dinner, I'm backed ordinary life.

Tokyo National Museum

2006-09-08T16:46:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, I went the Tokyo National Museum http://www.tnm.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=X00&processId=00 in Ueno with a friend of my finish friend who come Japan for her holiday. I can't remember when I went there last time, but I can say there was better than before. I think it's worth to visit, if you are interested in archaeology or Japanese Arts and the collection includes lots of national treasures. They often change to show their collection, so I thought I would go there more often.

I felt a shame that I din't know about Buddhism and Japanese history very well. I should study about Japanese history.

I reaｌｌy apriciated my friends to give me a chance to visit there. I think I enjoyed more than a visitor from foreign country :p

Enlish Lesson

2006-09-06T11:25:00.000+09:00

Wednesday afternoon, I usually go an English Language School to take 45-minute lesson. I started to go the school about a year ago and in the year, I changed the classes two times because of classmates, maybe because of I'm short-tempered .

At the first class, I had 6 quiet classmates and during the classes I often had to wait to say something during my classmates hesitated to say something as Japanese manner, because if I said something often, I'd dominated the classes. So I couldn't stand to wait at the classes as a chatty person.

At the second class, I had 2 chatty cheerful classmates. At first, I thought I joined a good class finally, but one of my classmates, who was a middle aged single woman, started to ask me to introduce a good guy for marriage to her. I said to her I couldn't do that, because almost all my male friends had gotten married already. But she seemed to not understand what I said. Every time we met, which meant every week, she asked me it again and again. I thought she wasn't a bad person, but I couldn't stand to be asked like that.

At the third class, it's my latest class started this April. My classmate is only one. At first, she seemed she was eccentric a bit, because she spoke English exaggeratedly, but she was just tense. Now, I've enjoyed the class fwith her or 5 months.

The 40th memorial day

2006-09-05T12:05:00.000+09:00

Today is the 40th of my Birthday. I wanted do something for memory, so I started this blog.
Going back to my life, I was born as a nearly dead body, my mom said. But I'm still alive, thank goodness.