Friday Flash...Veggie Bento

A small but filling vegetable selection from a local supermarket.Looking from the front there are two slices of pumpkin on the left.Nestled beside these are a couple of slices of boiled or steamed red skinned sweet potato,satsumaimo.
Two white circles of potato squat on what tasted like sticks of celery in the foreground.Wedged between the potato balls and the two blocks of tofu are the heads of two small mushrooms.
Toward the middle on the left are two circular pieces of crunchy lotus root or renkon that remind me of catherine wheels or the old style rotary dial telephones.
Beside the renkon is what I believe is a bamboo shoot,takenoko, again crunchy and fibrous.
Atop the blocks of tofu is a piece of carrot cut out in the shape of a maple leaf.Behind the tofu are two slices of slippery gelatine-like konnyaku.Hidden away top left are two small lumps of lightly fried renkon which if I heard the shop assistant correctly was renkon no suage.
Quite a colorful collection for the start of autumn.

Waiting for the Train that Never Comes

Ive been reluctant to write about my current work situation over the last few weeks.Being a bit of a "doubting Thomas" Im not apt to believe the swirling clouds of rumours and unsubstantiated speculation from the chattering masses about its imminent demise.
I do know that this months pay,(actually wages for last months lessons taught), were late.Five days late.Regular rank and file instructors were paid last Wednesday while ATs and BTs will be paid tomorrow,Tuesday.Hopefully.
Its been unsettling.Not knowing whether you will be paid for work done and whether the last months work has been nothing but voluntary.Not knowing how you will meet this months local government tax bill demands or rent for your apartment.The weight and difficult task of finding another job.The real possibility of a drop in monthly salary.Having to start again in terms of holidays and seniority allowances.
The dilemma of whether to stay and look for a job here or return home or even look to another country.I mean whats wrong with Taiwan?..it has typhoons,earthquakes and a language I dont understand.Much like Japan really.
Curiously though,in the midst of this apparent turmoil things appear pretty normal.
Another bunch of instructors arrived,were trained and dispatched to various schools.Situation normal.Same same.Ignore the fact that the clock was taken down in the kids room because theres no money in the office account to buy a 100 yen battery or that there are no whiteboard markers and theres no A4 paper until next month.
Roll on October 15th.Prior to that theres tomorrows pay day for titled teachers and later this month the Japanese staff payday comes round.
But I have been encouraged by a fax sent from the President that arrived the other day.It contained such memorable phrases as "The dark clouds that have been hanging heavily over us will be cast aside" and "...finally the first light of dawn can be seen".Words to cherish.

Friday Flash..Autumn Chestnut KitKats

Despite the continued heat being generated by a stationary high pressure area hanging off the Pacific coast of Japan there are some signs that autumn is coming.One sure sign is that on Monday its the autumn equinox.Another is the appearance of seasonal food,drinks and confectionery in the stores and supermarkets.
The latest limited release in the KitKat range is this chestnut flavour.It comes in a beige coloured box.The wafer biscuits are also encased in a beige-like chocolate.

Personally I dont think they taste much like chestnuts or marron at all.More like a light coffee, almost carmel taste.Two willing assistants who sampled the same flavour came to a similiar conclusion.Still they are edible and quite pleasant.

Irish Iron Merchandise

The photo above shows the back of a T-Shirt available from the Irish Iron,the offical supporters club of Scunthorpe United in Ireland.All the money raised through club membership and the sale of merchandise and fundraisers goes to Scunthorpe United in the form of player kit sponsorship.I recently ordered the T-shirt and polo shirt below from the Irish Irons range of merchandise.
Theres also a range of enamel badges,scarves,key rings,baseball caps and the like available as well.

Friday Flash..Fishy Bento

This fishy snack has a variety of fish,textures and tastes to it.From left to right there is an omelette-like slice of egg,then a slice of Pacific saury or sanma,a fish that resembles a sword.It is often grilled with salt or served as sashimi.Next is a thick slice of salmon or sake,which apparently tastes good also grilled with salt.To its right is shrimp or ebi and finally a bite size morsel of eel.Each of the above sit on a small "finger" of rice.The usual condiments of parsley and ginger can be seen as well as thin green plastic strips which divide the various items from one another.

Interesting Advertising/Sumo

This photo shows part of an advertising poster that appeared last week covering the front wall of a sports club I regularly frequent.I did a double take when I saw the phrase on the front of the womans T shirt."Real women ride 20 inchers".I just wonder if the "humour " translates and is understood by the majority of those who pass by it every day.

Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament
The Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament began yesterday sans yokozuna Asashoryu.
New yokozuna,Hakuho,hoping to consolidate his position as sole active yokozuna since Asa's suspension lost on the first day to Ama.Kaio,the oldest active ozeki at 35 was also defeated.
However newly promoted ozeki Kotomitsuki,who at 31 is the oldest wrestler to be promoted to that rank since the 6 tournament system began in 1958 began with a win.

Tokugawaen Garden

Shrugging off the heat and humidity as well as the leftovers from Typhoon Number 9 I ventured forth to Tokugawaen Garden.Tokugawaen is a park about 10 minutes walk from JR Ozone Station on the Chuo Line from Nagoya.It consists of a shallow central lake around which various landscaped features have been constructed and a wooded area through which waterfalls and streams flow emptying into the lake.
There are also areas of plantings such as an irises bed and peonies to provide year round interest.
The lake mirrors the black pines and maples on its edges and provides a home for a small number of koi (carp) that seem to populate every Japanese garden I visit.
















On Friday numerous dragonfly species flitted fitfully above the surface of the lake oblivious to the high temperatures.
The wooded area was very peaceful and pleasant to stroll around.The streams and various waterfalls have been built to provide visitors with the refreshing sound of running water.One of the waterfalls is a three tier arrangement.The rocks on each level have been positioned differently providing a variety of splashing sounds and spray as the water flow descends the fall.












Due to the heat there werent many visitors so it was possible to stroll leisurely around and take in views from the bridges and sit down in the shady coolness provided by the trees.Come autumn however Im sure numbers will increase as the maples and other trees put on their annual autumnal display of colour.
Entry to the park was 300yen.Theres the Tokugawa Art Museum next door which I didnt feel inclined to visit on such a stifling day.The Museum apparently displays some 10,000 items of the Tokugawa clan.You can buy a joint ticket to both the garden and museum but I might save the Museum for another cooler day.

Friday Flash..Vanilla Beans KitKats

Another addition,albeit on sale only for a limited time,to the growing range of KitKat flavours available here in Nagoya,Japan.As with the recent orange and chocolate kitkats I spotted late last month,these also bear a label indicating their short term availabilty.
Which got me wondering...if the flavour is a hit would the KitKat people continue making them or stop producing them after a short time as shown on the box and run the risk of disappointing consumers who have become addicted to that particular flavour.
Surely some flavours are more popular than others and deserve in terms of sales and customer loyalty to be available 24/365 at ones local convenience store.I mean surely the banana kitkats deserve a regular spot on the shelves more so than the sickly sweet lemon ones.
As for the vanilla beans kitkats above,they do taste and smell strongly of vanilla and bond well with the accompanying wafer biscuit.Nothing really special though as with the chocolate and orange ones or in fact any KitKat product eaten in the humid lingering Japanese summer they are best enjoyed after being briefly refrigerated.

Wake Me Up When November Comes

A story that seems to have dragged on as long as this summer came to some sort of resolution late last week.
Yokozuna Asashoryu left for Mongolia on Wednesday after the Japanese Sumo Association granted him permission to return home.Way back in July following the Nagoya Summer Tournament his stablemaster submitted a sickness note citing injuries and absenting him from a JSA regional sumo tour.He was then filmed playing in a charity soccer match in Mongolia.
On his return to Japan August 1st the JSA suspended him for two tournaments,forbid
him to leave his apartment except for hospital and training visits and a salary cut.

On August 4 a psychiatrist says Asa is melancholic and should return home.By August 6th his condition seems to have worsened as he is diagnosed as suffering from acute stress disorder.On August 20th he is further diagnosed with a dissassociative disorder by his personal doctor and a JSA doctor.On August 28 following an extraordinary JSA board meeting it agreed to allow Asa to receive treatment in Mongolia along with his stablemaster and doctors.
Asa's stablemaster attempted to set up a press conference earlier in the saga to allow Asa to apologise but reportedly couldnt persuade him to do so.
Hopefully Asa can recover back home in Ulan Bator.
Whether he returns to Japan and resumes his position in sumo after his suspension is lifted remains problematic.

Friday Flash...The First Sign of Autumn?

Spotted this new(well it is for me)flavour at a local convenience store.Its the second flavour in the Dean and Deluca ice cream range Ive seen here.I wasnt actually aware Dean and Deluca made ice-cream for the Japanese market until a few weeks ago.At 280 yen for this size its definitely at the top end of the price range.A similiar sized mini cup Haagen Daz retails round the 263 yen mark.
As for the marron flavour its aimed at the local market as "marron" translates from French into Japanese as "chestnut".Dont ask why.I think its similiar logic that translates what I think of as a "cream puff" type pastry into "choux cream" in Japanese.
The ice-cream appears in the photo above more like vanilla than a green/tawny colour I'd expected.It also tastes very vanilla-like despite containing marron and marron paste according to the labelling on the container.Whatever,its quite pleasant and smooth with a hint of brandy coming through.
No doubt I will see more cakes and confectionery containing marron as summer fades.

Book Review...Botchan by Natsume Soseki

Botchan.Natsume Soseki.2006.Kodansha International.172pages.

Botchan was first published in Japanese way back in 1906.It was written by Natsume Soseki who is widely regarded as the best modern(i.e post 1868)Japanese prose writer.As well as novels he also wrote essays,literary criticism pieces and composed traditional haiku and poetry.
Botchan is one of his earlier works and reflects his experiences as a secondary school teacher in Shikoku and Kyushu.
The leading character of the book Botchan is used as a vehicle by the author to poke fun at various institutions and parts of Japanese society as well as individual human foibles and failings.One doesnt have to be Japanese to identify with the urban/rural distinctions he draws such as the perceived backwardness of small towns versus the modernity of cities like Tokyo.
I enjoyed this easily readable light satire and can see why it has retained its popularity and become a standard school text book.
The translation into English by J Cohn wasnt clunky and doesnt detract or do a disservice to the author.Recommended

Goya..the vegetable,not the painter

Goya is a bitter gourd like vegetable that originally comes from Okinawa.Its becoming increasingly popular and a common sight this time of year in supermarkets and on green grocery shelves.
In Okinawa,goya chanpuru,a stir fried dish with pork and tofu is a common way of serving it.Other ways of eating it include goya tempura,goya sweet and sour and goya soaked in brown sugar.
Personally I slice it up,quickly boil it and then fry it in a little oil,soya sauce and sugar to lessen the bitterness.
Goya is rich in vitamin C and is reputed to help beat the summer heat.Products such as goya juice and goya tea can be found as thirst quenchers.
As well as being held up as one way of fighting heat its also said to stimulate the appetite and moderate blood pressure.And despite its lumpy,warty outward appearance it is said to be good for your skin as well.

Friday Flash...Orange and Chocolate KitKats

Another KitKat flavour made a brief appearance on the shop shelves this week.Like other seasonal flavours the orange and chocolate kitkats above are of the limited edition variety.In fact when I went back to purchase another box the next day,the convenience store had already sold out.The kitkats have a kind of jaffa taste and a distinctive sweet orange smell once the box is opened.

The heat continued through the week.It seems the last month or so the temperature has hovered round the thirty degree mark which is ok if you are a cactus but somewhat trying if you need to sleep or function in any intelligent manner.Consequently Im too exhausted to do much again this weekend except nap and read on the tatami in my bedroom.

I've been lying in a bed of coals...

The sizzling weather remains this week.The heatwave of the last ten or so days may abate towards the weekend but the humidity and continual mid thirty degree temperatures are fraying my nerves and making it difficult to sleep at nights.Even escaping to the swimming pool provides little relief.The lukewarm water temperature doesnt cool and invigorate those who enter it.Rather,it left me feeling much as a lobster would.Thrashing about,red-faced and panting in a cooking pot.

My place of work,Tajimi City, is still a leading contender in the highest daily temperature stakes in Japan.The local convenience stores are doing a roaring trade in cold drinks and ice creams at the moment while parasol makers must be rubbing their hands with glee at the constant demand for their products.
The number of people suffering and dying from heatstroke has also been regularly reported in the various media.Last Friday,for example,heatstroke was apparently the cause of 11 deaths throughout Japan while the previous day at least three people died from heatstroke.The weather forecast for tomorrow Tuesday in Nagoya is for partly cloudy skies,a low temperature of 27 and a high of 36 degrees celsius.
The photo above shows a dragonfly sunbathing in a local park in Nagoya.

Book Review..Occupational Hazards

Occupational Hazards. Rory Stewart.Picador 2006.434pages.

Stewart's book is based on his year long diary that chronicles his time in Iraq helping to rebuild the infrastructure and establish a new Iraqi government prior to the hand over of power in June 2004.
He was appointed by the Coalition Provisional Authority as a Deputy Governor of two provinces in the Marsh Region of southern Iraq following the U.S led invasion which destroyed Saddams regime along with the huge centralised bureaucracy that had controlled Iraq for the previous 30 years or so.No small challenge.

As with his earlier book,The Places in Between,each chapter is prefaced with a relevant quote.In this book most come from Machiavelli.The author goes to some pains to detail the historical and social background of the regions he was concerned with.
Generations of tribal conflict,religious rivalry and centuries of Islamic tradition stand in the way of Western style democracy taking root in Iraq.
There had been no free elections in Iraq for 50 years,no proper census,voter registration,no agreement on electoral procedures and no voter education.

Most of the book is a day to day account of his work which amounts to meetings.He recalls meetings with locals and his superiors back in the Green Zone.
"Every day we gambled on insufficent information,trusted and suspected,persuaded reluctant bureaucrats,threatened and rewarded and charmed."page 121.

Its not all gloom and despondency.One of the lighter moments involves a released British hostage who phones home and his first words are "Did West Ham win?"p349.
There are other incidents of humor which he lets the reader recognise without labouring the point.

I found the book informative.Not only are there local groups and sectional interest groups competing with each other,there are also externally backed groups trying to fill the vaccum left by Saddam and the Baathists.Im also left with the impression that at the time there was a tension between the civil and military authorities in regard to their coordination and relationship with each other.
In his epilogue Stewart states"I can confidently assert that Iraqis are the only people with the moral authority,understanding and skills to rebuild their nation"p432

Bearing this in mind I read an article from The Chicago Tribune "A New Tune:Analysts see progress in Iraq"August 14 2007.I'll quote an extract from it "In the end the situation in Iraq remains grave.In particular,we still face huge hurdles on the political front.Iraq politicians of all stripes continue to dawdle and maneuver for position against one another when major steps towards reconciliation or at least accomodation are needed.This cannot continue indefinitely."

In summary then an informative book that would appeal to anyone interested in the situation in Iraq described by someone who was involved in its day to day during a difficult period of its history.

Friday Flash...Kyo mo atsui wa ne?

Kyo mo atsui wa ne?(Its hot today isnt it?) was a bit of an understatement in the rural city I work at.Yesterday the temperature in Tajimi City,Gifu Prefecture hit 40.9 degrees celsius.
Tajimi is a thirty minute train ride from Nagoya,the sprawling,oft-ignored metropolis between Tokyo and Osaka.Tajimi lies in a basin,nestled between low-lying hills.In summer,due to its topography,it regularly tops the national temperature charts.
As I left work late yesterday afternoon I noticed about four or five television trucks camped round the train station with camera men and interviewers stopping locals and asking for their comments which seemed to amount to "atsui,atsui" its hot its hot.

Yesterday,along with Kumagaya City in Saitama Prefecture,Tajimi broke the previous national record of 40.8 degrees celsius set in Yamagata way back in 1933.Although it was my day off today and I sweltered in Nagoya,Tajimi hit 40.8 degrees equalling the old record.

As for the photo above...I havent seen the Dean and Deluca brand before I spotted this "super premium ice cream" tub in a convenience store in Tajimi.Their Kyoto Green Tea flavor is one of the nicest Ive tasted.Smooth and not as bitter as I'd expected having sampled other brands Im still not convinced green tea ice cream is a winner.

Obon and The Eel Days of Summer

Obon is the annual Buddhist event held to remember ones ancestors.Its celebrated from the 13th to the 15th of August so we are right in the middle of it as I blog this.
In a nutshell or more appropriately an urn, it is believed that each year during Obon ones ancestors spirits return to visit their relatives.Why they return during the hottest time of the year remains a mystery to me.
Obon is one of the three major Japanese holiday seasons,the others being New Years and Golden Week in May.
Basically its become a week long family break from work where people return to their hometowns and visit and clean their ancestors graves.

If you watch the news or read the papers its also the time where almost lemming-like, families choke the roads to major holiday destinations.Bumper to bumper traffic for 60 odd kilometres on expressways and interchanges isnt uncommon.
There is both an increase in domestic and international travel.Accomodation rates double while marine accidents such as drowning triple in numbers.
The number of heat related cases and heatstroke deaths also increases as mid August temperatures soar around the country following the end of the rainy season.
One way of fending off the heat and maintaining ones energy levels is to partake of eel which is said to fight off summer lethargy.Ive put an example of an eel bento or lunchbox above which is very popular at this time of year.

Nova...Improvement Plan

Last week it was reported that Nova,the English language school operator had submitted a report to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government regarding measures to improve its business following the Economy,Trade and Industry Ministry suspension orders in June.
According to officals,Nova had vowed to increase the number of teachers by 686 by October from 4,415 as of July.
It will be interesting to see if they reach this number for a number of reasons.
Firstly,given the current exchange rate the salary isnt as financially attractive as it was and less of a lure for potential job candidates.
Secondly,I wonder if the current METI action has tarnished Nova's reputation and made recruitment more difficult.
Thirdly,I wonder if the fact that the Japanese staff have had their summer bonus postponed till October and several "computer glitches" will put off prospective employees.
Finally,I also wonder if the 686 teachers/instructors will actually increase the current number of instructors available or merely be replacements for those who,for a variety of reasons,have left.
Hopefully as reported the Metro Government officals will closely monitor the situation.


On a lighter note a friend came across the T-shirt below in a second hand clothes shop.
I should hasten to add that it has nothing to do with the above mentioned company.

However while Im not really involved in Out Patient Rehabilitation it does at times feel so.In fact I feel more like a practitioner of "Pallative English" dealing with cases that have very little to do with teaching the English language more like a grief/marriage /human relationship/vocational guidance counsellor rolled into one...

Friday Flash..More Cosplay Summit 2007 Photos

I had planned to do many things today.However,by mid morning the mercury had risen to around 30 peaking at 37 degrees celsius so only I ended up dragging myself to the local swimming pool and after that lying on the tatami in my apartment trying to avoid heat stroke and dehydration.

So I took the easy option and posted some more photos from last weeks cosplay summit parade in Osu Kannon.Special thanks to Peter who kindly supplied the three shots below.












As I noted on Monday there was a sizable overseas contingent of cosplayers also competing.












The man with the white wig next to the female competitor in the green mini skirt had gone to some lengths to reproduce his character as his costume and waist coat were highly detailed and accessorised.











The final shot shows three more masked cosplay characters who were in the parade.It must have been hot under those masks as the temperature hovered round the high 20 degree celsius mark and was very humid.Later in the day a short,violent electrical storm brought some temporary relief from the heat of the early afternoon.

Pre-Event Parade World Cosplay Summit 2007

As part of the Osu Kannon Summer Festival on Saturday there was a street parade for competitors in the World Cosplay Summit.This was a pre event for the annual World Cosplay Summit which would be followed by a competition event on Sunday in Sakae.
The parade was a very colorful event attracting both male amd female cosplayers.According to reports there were competitors from 12 countries including Brazil,Denmark and Germany vying for the competition crown.
The hour long march started off near the subway exit and wound round Osu finishing back at the stage near the temple.
The cosplayers provided a strange contrast to the more traditional taiko drum groups who were performing before them.
















The word 'cosplay',is for you grammar gurus,a portmanteau word,i.e you join the start of one word to the end of another.For example,breakfast and lunch become "brunch".
In this instance cosplay comes from linking the words costume and roleplay.
Cosplayers,both male and female,wear their handmade creations based on characters from anime,manga,video games,movies,tv show characters and tokusatsu-Japanese superheroes such as Ultraman.
















Simply stated cosplay is a hobby where fans dress up as their favourite animation character.Akihabara,a district in Tokyo, is usually cited as being the base for cosplayers in Japan with many shops and cafes catering to both cosplayers and their fans.In Nagoya one can see cosplayers in Sakae and Osu wearing their distinctive outfits.Also in Osu recently a Maids Cafe opened where the waitresses wear traditional maids uniforms.These cafes cater both for cosplayers as a venue to meet and also "otaku" or fans.















The nearest translation of otaku equates to nerd,geek or one source even suggested the British term 'anorak'.So roughly its someone with an obsessive interest in something.
There were plenty of otaku in evidence on Saturday ranging from scrawny adolescent boys posing,giggling with their costumed idols or older gentlemen packing expensive cameras and lenses jostling with each other to get a shot.My friend and I joined in the scrum to get the best photos and position.
At the time it seemed fun and harmless enough though theres certainly a Lolita, voyeuristic,exhibitionist aspect.Middle aged men snapping shots of girls in Sailor Moon costumes.Teenage girls dressed up in cat like outfits complete with tails.Or maybe I just imagined it.

One older gentleman approached me and my friend while we were observing the start of the parade and proudly proclaimed he was an otaku.He told us he'd come from Tokyo,actually a suburb next to Akihabara especially for the Cosplay Summit.He showed us the photos of some Maid Cafe workers he'd taken in a studio and was looking forward to the parade.Then he was off.He'd spotted a gaggle of Maids and was asking for a photo.

Osu Kannon Summer Festival 2007

Osu Kannon had its summer festival over the weekend.A stage was put up in the open area near the temple and many taiko drum groups such as that pictured above competed.It must have been hot wearing the traditional dress and toiling away in the heat and humidity.
On Saturday and Sunday there was also a short obligatory fireworks display which is part and parcel of most summer festivals.
It was a very colorful affair with lots of bright yukatas being worn.

Asashoryu Suspended

Sumo wrestler Yokozuna Asashoryu was suspended by the Japan Sumo Association last week.This is the first time a yokozuna has been suspended or recieved a salary cut.
The punishment was imposed following Asashoryu's non attendance at a regional sumo tour of Tohoku and Hokkaido.The reason given for his absence was an injury to an elbow or a stress fracture to his back which either required surgery or rehabilitation,depending on which reports you read.

However he was seen later back home on Monoglian TV playing soccer in a charity event.Regional tour officals have criticised him for not participating in the tour.

An emergency meeting was held by the JSA following Asas return and the punishment of suspension from the next two grand sumo tournaments in September and November and a 30% salary cut was imposed.
Last night on TV Asa was reported as suffering from lack of sleep and depression according to a pyschiatrist who saw him following the JSAs ruling.

Friday Flash..Typhoon Number 5

Typhoon Number 5 or "usagi"('rabbit' in English) is making its way through Japan.It made landfall in Kyushu before heading north over the Sea of Japan and is likely to make its second landfall up in Hokkaido some time tomorrow Saturday.Meanwhile in Nagoya its just brought two really hot humid days and strong winds.The forecast rain didnt really eventuate but would have been welcome to cool at least temporarily the area.
The apparently unrelated photo above shows the Nova Usagi or rabbit the once ubiquitious symbol of Nova Corporation,one of the big four English language schools in Japan.
Since the METI sanctions and the refund scandal however the usagi can no longer be seen on TV screens or on public transport such as trains and subway carriages.
Due to a "computer glitch" Japanese staff at Nova had their past months pay delayed by 4-5 days while they have also been told that their summer bonus will now be paid in October in part due to the amount of student refunds being paid out.Unconfirmed reports and media speculation put the total amount of refund repayments at 5 billion yen a month since the METI sanctions....

Doyou No Ushi No Hi..Eel Day

Today,Monday 30th July marked Doyou No Ushi No Hi or National Eel Day.Based on the lunar calendar "doyou" is an 18 day period before the change in seasons.Thus there is a doyou prior to the start of winter,spring,summer and fall.
Since the Edo period eel has been seen as a cure for natsubate or summer lethargy. (see below for more regarding natsubate).
Eel which is rich in vitamins A and B1 is thought to restore and provide energy during the dog days of a Japanese summer.
Different areas have different ways of preparing and serving eel.Unagi or eel is usually served atop a bed of rice in a ceramic bowl and is known as unadon.When served in a squarish,lacquered box similiar to those used at New Years the dish is known as unaju.As well as unagi, three other kinds of eel are regularly eaten in different parts of Japan; anago,hamo and dojo.
In the Nagoya area however it appears that unagi is the most popular and there are apparently a number of unagi restaurants in the region.

Natsubate..Summer Fatigue

Japan's summer months with its unrelenting heat,high temperatures and humidity coupled with fierce air-conditioning lead to a condition known as natsubate or "summer fatigue".The symptoms include a feeling of lethargy,sleeplessness or insomnia,loss of appetite and energy as well as the odd digestive problem.
These symptoms are exacerbated by sudden changes in weather and temperature changes caused by air conditioning in trains,buses and buildings.
Due to the Arctic atmosphere of their workplaces,some of the students at school bring a yutampo or hot water bottle to work to combat the frigid conditions.
Some students suggested eating certain foods such as eel and fruit such as watermelon and pears to help fight against summer ills by providing minerals and antioxidants to replace those lost in sweat and protect against ultraviolet light.

Upper House Elections

Seventeen days of campaigning for the 121 House of Councillors or Upper House seats ended on Sunday with an election defeat for the ruling coalition parties.Half of the 242 seats ie 121 were up for grabs.If Nagoya was anything to go by,it was a noisy election.Campaign vans seem to crowd the streets from 8a.m every morning.I'm just grateful that the typhoon which swept through Japan brought a temporary respite from the ear-splitting noise of vans decorated with loudspeakers booming down the streets.

The ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner,the New Komeito needed 64 of those 121 seats to maintain its majority.They fell well short with a total of 46 while the opposition led by the Democratic Party picked up 60 odd seats.Smaller opposition parties and independents won the remaining seats.
The main issues appear to have been the governments handling of the pension scheme system and various scandals and gaffes by members of the Abe cabinet.
While Abe,who became PM last September, has slipped in popularity from 70 to 30% he has refused at this stage to resign.An opposition majority in the Upper House could led to a logjam of legislation and slow down contentious changes such as revision of the Constitution or postal reform.It will be interesting to see if there is a leadership change or what effect the result will have on stocks and the Japanese economy in the next few weeks.
The photo above shows an election board with candidates.Beaming confidently from the centre is the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Tajimi City Fireworks Festival

Tajimi City like many other places in Japan has its own fireworks festival.It was held yesterday.Its an all day affair.A sound stage is set up early on the day of the festival.Various dance groups perform during the day.When I left at 10pm there was still a huge audience squatting and sitting in front of the stage by the station.












Various food stalls are set up on both banks of the Toki River near the centre of town where the fireworks are set off.












Another shot of food on offer.It was a humid night and I felt sorry for the people cooking over the hot metal plates.
















The fireworks themselves begin promptly at 7:30pm and last for one hour.There are two alternative sites where the fireworks are set off.I tend to favor a bridge that is between the two sites.Some of the fireworks are set off with a background of music such as The Eagles "Desperado" which seems a bit incongruous with the happy family atmosphere that fireworks seem to create.

Friday Flash..Sumo GuideBook Cover

Every year I go to the Nagoya Sumo Tournament Im given a booklet from the Japan Sumo Association along with my ticket and a small gift such as a phone strap.The booklets cover is shown above.The booklet is written in English and not only does it explain the rules and traditions of sumo,the booklet itself makes a good souvenir of the sporting occasion.
As predicted on Monday the Japan Sumo Association promoted Kotomitsuki to the rank of ozeki.He's the first Japanese wrestler to be promoted to ozeki since 2001 and also the oldest wrestler to reach the second highest rank since the start of the six big tournament system in 1958 at the age of 31.It will be interesting to see how he goes as an ozeki and whether he can aspire to the highest rank of yokozuna in the next few tournaments.

Samu-i Sumo

The Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament ended yesterday.Asahoryu claimed another Emperor's Cup victory finishing ahead of Hakuho,who was trying to get his first Emperors Cup as a yokozuna.
As noted already I made it to the third to last day on Friday.I thought I was running late when I arrived at 10am as most days the bouts begin around 8:30.I was in luck as the first bout began at 10:20.I purchased one of the cheaper nose-bleed seats at 4,700 yen and found my plastic seat near the back of the gym.

Now its meant to be the Summer Tournament and outside it was a humid 26 degrees centigrade.But in Row K it was -26 degrees celsius.Someone had set the air-conditioning on the Arctic setting.The vents above Row K spewed forth a virtual solid curtain of ice.Cold currents.The whole day.From 10:20 to 6pm when I left.
Ridiculous.If you check the photo you will see an old lady is wearing a coat to fend off the cold.Others donned scarves and towels.The two skimpily dressed girls beside me wrapped themselves in the mornings paper,much like tramps to combat the Siberian like conditions.Luckily I'd bought a jersey so wore it to retain some body heat and prevent hypothermia.Uncomfortable and marred an otherwise enjoyable day.












As for the sumo itself it remains a highlight of my year.It was disappointing that Kaio pulled out that day but this was more than made for by the earlier antics of Kitazakura and Takamisakari.Kitazakura at 35years old is the oldest wrestler at the makuuchi level and is well known for his exuberant salt throwing displays prior to his matches.Takamisakari,I was reliably informed by the guy next to me is dubbed "RoboCop" given the way he walks and his prematch warmup and gestures.
The photo above shows the colorful dohyo-iri or "entering the ring" ceremony where the wrestlers display their kesho-mawashi or ceremonial aprons in a short ritual.Many different elaborate designs are on display and needless to say a great photo oppurtunity.












As the bouts progressed you notice that not only does the wrestlers and referees gear get more colourful but also the speed and skill increases.
Throughout the day the stadium fills as tour groups arrive.Herded by a flag bearing guide,businessmen saunter in with their guests to sit in the more expensive seats and hordes of schoolchildren invade and take over the cheaper ones in bulk.
This years Nagoya tournament will be memorable because local wrestler Kotomitsuki was fighting for promotion to ozeki rank.Although he missed out on a playoff against Asahoryu for a shot at the Emperors Cup by losing his last bout his winning record should be enough for promotion.
Kotomitsuki received loud support before his match and huge cheers and clapping after he won.His promotion will be considered by the Japanese Sumo Association later in the week.The last shot above shows the view from Row K brrr.

Friday Flash..Nagoya Summer Sumo Tournament

I went along to the thirteenth day of the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament held in the Nagoya Prefectural Gym adjacent to Nagoya Castle.
I had the above bento mid-morning as I'd woken up late and skipped breakfast.
The bento came in a bag which contained the two polystrene boxes above.
The left hand box contains various vegetables and pickled food as well as a huge prawn lurking on the bottom of the box.The right hand box contains rice on which is shredded egg,a small piece of eel which I almost choked on,pink ginger and orange salmon roe.All of which add flavour to the somewhat overcooked and otherwise bland rice.Not really a bargain at 1500 yen,more a part of the ritual of going to the sumo.
As for the sumo itself,well that can wait till Monday.

Ugly Babies and Big Cars

The Nagoya Boston Museum of Fine Arts currently has two exhibitions on show.I biked down last Friday in the tyhphoonal rain to see them.
The first was titled Children in American Art.44 paintings from various American artists ranging from 1670 to 1944.As the program notes suggest the paintings depict changes in how society sees children at first as miniature adults and later as children in their own right.
One of the earlier paintings reminded me almost of a Diane Arbus photo.The child or "man-child" is perched on his sisters knee.He has a huge head,saucer-sized eyes and a five oclock shadow.Really freaky.
Another painting depicts a young girl.Again like the painting above, her physical proportions seem out of kilter with those of a child.It seems she has been put on a rack as her arms appear unnaturally long and her shoulders belong to someone much older.Her pose seemed to exaggerate this physical imbalance.Odd yet strangely rivetting as with the painting above.
Later paintings in the collection appear less forced and natural.There were a couple of Winslow Homer paintings including one showing a young soldier from the Civil War.

A large oil canvas by John Singer Sargent was well displayed with lots of space to examine the painting up close.Not crowded out or cheek by jowl jostling with other pieces for your attention.
Altogether moderately interesting.

The second exhibition on the floor above is entitled American Car Design 1945-1970.
131 pieces illustrating industrial and automobile design in America.On show were various watercolours,graphite drawings,posters and pen and ink designs.
The exhibition has examples of concept cars,exterior and interior designs,commerical vehicles such as tractors and advertising artwork.
Wandering round the display listening to the 1950s soundtrack playing in the background I was surprised how big the cars were back then.Compared to todays space and energy conserving models its quite a contrast.
Huge Oldsmobiles,Plymouths and Cadillacs sporting extravagant tail fins and bumpers.
Larger than my living room.Better air conditioning as well.
Again like the collection above this one was mildly diverting.Both were set up so each piece had enough space to be viewed individually.The light was good so you could easily make out details on some of the older pencil rendered designs on display.
While not essential viewing,I spent about an hour and a half leisurely walking between the two collections which together cost me 1200 yen to view.
Both exhibitions run through to 19th August.

Book Review...Watching The English

Watching The English.The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour. Kate Fox.2004.416pages.Hodder and Stoughton.

This is an engaging analysis of what makes the English tick.Its author attempts to set out the rules of Englishness as she sees them.
The book is at the serious end of what might be called "pop anthropology".At the start Fox spends some pages defining various terms she will use through the book to identify Englishness such as "culture","class" and "race".
After the preamble,chapter by chapter she takes on various features such as humour and dress and what part they play in English daily life and society.At the end of each chapter she sums up what that feature adds to the sum total of her rules about Englishness.

It is very detailed.She obvivously spent a lot of time observing and talking to her subject matter.What one plants in your garden and what reading material you have in your loo apparently indicates what social rank you belong to.
Then again its possible to identify a fellows breeding as to whether or not he utters one of "the seven deadly sins" such as "pardon","toilet" or when one uses the word "dinner".(page 76).

The author has an easy-going relaxed self mocking style,often peppered with amusing asides and observations.After having calculated the best way to eat peas,either prongs up or the spear and squash them technique she admits "I really should get a life".(pg 317).
In the conclusion Fox tries to tie up the preceeding chapters with a definitive list of what she sees as the defining characteristics of Englishness.I enjoyed the chapters on humour and conversation including mobile phone useage.To sum up its an intriguing read.Lots of personal observations and comments about human foibles and interaction.
The only major quibble I have involves the books production.The printing is very small.Typeset in monotype sabon,its a very small font type that doesnt lend itself to being read on trains or public transport,the pages often a blur as you take a corner or hit a bump.

Friday Flash

Whats The Story Morning Glory?















I took this shot of a morning glory flower,known in Japan as asagao(literally "morning face") earlier in the week.A popular ornamental plant here,it apparently arrived via China in the ninth century.The vine like creeper with its green foilage and iridescent blooms are a feature of the rainy season and early summer.

That was earlier in the week,for as I type,Typhoon Number 4,so-named as its the fourth of the season, is bearing down on the country.The asagao blooms are all firmly closed.Despite temperatures in the high 20s the rain has stopped them opening.
The typhoon has already hit Okinawa and the bottom of Kyushu and should reach the main island of Honshu on Sunday.Its packing strong winds as the news reports say and has led to flooding,evacuations and travel disruptions.
We are already feeling the effects here in Nagoya as its been constantly raining the last two days here and the humidity level has increased.Almost as though in anticipation of the approaching winds and rain.Evidently some 250mm of rainfall is predicted by the Met Office to fall by this time tomorrow night.

What with the weather playing up and being forced to work a late shift yesterday I slept in this morning.I had fully intended to make my way down to the Nagoya Prefectural Gym and take in day six of the Nagoya Summer Sumo Tournament.But having slept in and keeping a weary eye on the weather I didnt make it.Still theres another week to go so I should totter down there early next Friday,alarm clock willing.
Not only the weather put me off but also the fact that two wrestlers had already pulled out including Baruto with another knee injury after just the first day.Ive only seen the 1.97 metre 172 kilo Estonian once live in action at Nagoya so was disappointed I wont see him in action again this year...

KiwiFruit KitKats

Another addition to the expanding range of KitKats.I found these KiwiFruit KitKats at my local convenience store over the weekend.I found the colour,kind of vivid limey a little off putting and unnatural.
The KitKats themselves did have a distinct kiwifruit taste and were quite tasty.The chocolate around the kitkat biscuits tended to melt in your fingers due to the humidity and heat of the day and I think they would be best consumed after being put in the fridge.If you can wait that long that is...

Shiny Shiny Monk

Teru Teru Bozu are traditional handmade dolls made of tissue paper or cloth.They are said to have magical powers to bring good weather and stop rainy days.They appear hanging outside windows during the rainy season.
Teru is a Japanese verb for sunshine while bozu is Japanese for monk literally then shiny shiny monk.
Today children make them to wish for sunny weather before a special event,say a sports festival or school outing.
Apparently to ward off the rain you must hang them head up.Hanging them upside down is said to have the opposite effect though some of my students doubted this.They were also unsure as to the fate of those dolls that failed to prevent rain.
However should they be successful,one tradition holds that you paint a face on the doll,pour some sake over its head and throw it into a river having accomplished its mission.

Friday Flash..Cheap Snack

Too hot and tired to cook or indulge in the fast food of the Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet that spews out its fatty fumes daily from 7:30am to 11pm at the foot of my apartment building I happened upon this lunchbox at a local supermarket.Seems a relative bargain at 298yen.Certainly more colorful and nutritious than the oil saturated offerings five floors below.
Thirty odd degrees celsius today and very humid with omninous clouds building up.Theres a likelihood of a brief respite from the sticky weather if it rains.Though its only passing relief as the temperature and humidity rise to evaporate the puddles from the spent shower clouds.

Athletes Foot and Panda Pooh

Been a strange week.Both weather-wise and at work.Often strange topics of conversation arise.Take on a life of their own.Like panda pooh.
Apparently because the panda dines solely on bamboo,panda pooh smells sweet.Not sure how this topic originated nor how one goes about checking the veracity of such a claim with pandas being so rare.

The other unusual subject that caught students interest and "ran" as it were for a couple of classes was athletes foot.This foot infection is particularly common during the fetid,inclement rainy season.Moisture,sweating and a lack of proper ventilation of the feet all combine to provide the ideal environment for the fungal infection to thrive.
Symptoms vary.For some sufferers the skin between their toes peels,cracks and scales.Others suffer redness,scaling and blisters.These symptoms may also be accompanied by itching and a burning sensation if the skin is scratched.

Translated literally from Japanese mizumushi means "water insect".There are reportedly around 20-30 million people afflicted with this infection.(Japan Times August 12 2001).Chemist shops and supermarket shelves formerly loaded with masks and pollen allergy cures during spring have been restocked with various bottles,liquids and ointments for athletes foot as it seems to be more prevalent at this time of year.

As an aside other foot problems came to light.Bunions appear to be mainly a problem for women due to wearing tight fitting shoes as opposed to athletes foot which afflicts both men and women.Bunions are called tako in Japanese which as well as being the word for such callus and corns is also the word for octopus.
Bunions can also be called mame a word also used for bean.Never to be confused for the word mune or breast particularly when ordering a snack with your beer.




Spotted this new shop sign in Osu last week.Not sure what kind of shop it is as it was shuttered up at the time.Nor am I sure that such an odd name will attract customers.It will be interesting to see how long it stays in business.