Friday Flash...The Rabbit Bites The Dust

"As a manager my heart is torn by grief about the fact that everyones salaries have been delayed and you are all working right up to the edge of this situation".
(Text from one of the faxes from the former CEO Nova Group).

So I wake up late this morning after a stressful,surreal week at work to a rainy Friday 26 October 2007.An email on my cellphone alerts me to the fact my company has closed its doors.In a late Thursday night meeting the former President was reportedly replaced and the company filed for bankruptcy and protection from creditors under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law.
An estimated 43.9 billion yen in debts.
Branches closed indefinitely.The government appointed receiver spoke of a month or so trying to find a new sponsor.A month.Another month without a salary payment.Trying to juggle finances.Just how long can one survive on a diet of beansprouts?

A visit to Hello Work yes Hello Work is the local Employment Agency yielded little joy either.It could take up to a month for your Unemployment Insurance claim to be processed providing you can get the relevant information from head office in Osaka.
As for jobs,these were very thin on the ground and again one would wait a month before the usual salary payment.Plus one has to factor in the added competition of co-workers also vying for the available positions.
So all in all not a good day.The only thing keeping me sane is the start of the Foreign Artists Exhibition later next week.

A Jacket with Attitude

Im often amazed by the number of clothes I see bearing various obscenities,four letter words and objectionable language.The jacket above isnt the worst Ive seen but its easily one of the more eyecatching.Im still wondering why it was created and who would buy it.Obvivously theres a market for such apparel as I found it in a used clothing store.The price tag stated 18,000yen so heavens know what it cost brand new.

Autumn Japlish

Another example of Japlish seen in one of the Osu Kannon shopping malls recently.It reads "We reply the goods you want".

Osu Kannon Street Performers Festival

Over the last weekend Osu Kannon hosted its annual Street Performers Festival.About 40 odd groups and individual street performers and artists showed off their talents in various parts of Osu on Saturday and Sunday.Traditional drum teams,dance groups,jugglers,pantomime and mime artists went through their paces before the shopping masses.
As well as the traditional buskers below,more modern fare such as the koala castle above caters for younger children.

Friday Flash...Flying Pigs

Well Friday 19th October has almost gone.Payday minus four.Still no sign of the salary that was delayed from Monday 15th.And this despite the fact that the fax sent on Monday stated "Instructors are now scheduled to be paid on Friday October 19th.

Apparently it will now magically appear on October 31st.
Trick or treat?Probably the latter.I'm not holding out much hope of getting it.

As for the photo above the pigs first appeared in the Foreign Artists Exhibition 2005.Given my current employment situation I felt it time to dust them off and hang them up at work.Seemed appropriate.

Caramel KitKats

Another addition to the Limited Edition KitKat range.Obvivously marketed for the upcoming Halloween season it comes in an orange wrapper adorned with a pumpkin.As well as having a carmel flavour theres a definite coconut taste evident as well.

I deeply regret to inform..
As predicted on Friday a fax arrived later that Friday after work (conveniently enough) informing instructors that salaries wont be paid on Monday October 15th.
To quote from the fax"Instructors are now scheduled to be paid on Friday October 19th".
Im not holding my breath.Speculation suggests that pay day may be further postponed until October 25th.My thoughts are with the new instructors still to get their first pay after six weeks and the Japanese staff still waiting for their pay and summer bonuses.
So much for the dark clouds being cast aside...

Friday Flash...Paper Cuts

I'm due to be paid on Monday.Possibly.Or there may be a late fax asking for our forebearance.Again.Possibly.However there may be no fax and my salary will magically appear in my bank account.Possibly not.
There may be no fax and no salary.Possibly yes.
Of course the signs had been there for a long time.Too rapid growth.A move away from locations near railway stations to more suburban expensively rented space in shopping malls.The adoption of a hastily put together cut and paste error ridden textbook series that has plagiarised and pillaged other textbooks.
The cutting back of office budgets leading to a shortage of basic stationery items such as whiteboard markers and photocopying paper to the point where both office staff and instructors regularly pay for supplies out of their own pockets to cover the shortfall.
Ive stopped trying to work out the machinations of big business,share splits and warrants.
Ive stopped reading the sites that pour forth bitter invective,scorn and idle baseless speculation.
Ive stopped trying to count the number of people affected by the companys imminent demise.Instructors,students and staff.Foreigners and locals.
Ive stopped worrying about the lack of communication and unprofessionalism.
Ive stopped taking people at their word.
Ive stopped clipping newspaper articles featuring more dismal company news.
Ive stopped thinking its cool watching and participating in what could be the last months of my current position.
Ive started to look for another job.

Anko KitKats

Another Limited Edition seasonal KitKat offering graced the shelves this week.Anko flavoured KitKats.
Anko is red azuki bean paste.Azuki beans grown throughout Asia are small red beans though white,black and other varieties exist.
To make anko azuki beans are boiled,mashed and sweetened with sugar or honey.There are apparently two types of anko.The first is a smooth paste in which the beans are mashed and strained using cheesecloth or similiar material.Alternatively a sieve can also be used.Straining or sieving removes the husks and broken bits of beans from the paste giving it a regular consistent texture.
The second type of anko paste is unstrained so retains the broken bean bits and husks giving it a rougher,irregular texture.
In Japanese a number of terms are used for red bean paste including an,anko and ogura.
Locally,ogura toast which is red bean paste on buttered toast is a well known and popular item on Nagoyan kissatens(coffee shops) breakfast menus.
As for the anko kitkats above they have a subtle sweet taste and make an interesting conversation starter.

Bretagne Caramel Walnut Ice Cream

I recently sampled this offering from Dean and Deluca`s Super Premium Ice Cream range.It has a sweet caramel toffee taste.Embedded in the thick,smooth ice cream are pieces of walnut which made for an interesting mix of textures and tastes.
The only thing that puts me off eating it more often is the price. At 280 yen it really can be classed as a treat and luxury item for me.

Friday Flash..Noisette Chocolat

Noisette ice cream? Curious name.Given my carnivorous upbringing in New Zealand Ive always associated noisettes with meat such as lamb.Delicate small round boneless slices of baby sheep with a garnish of rosemary or a sprig of fresh mint atop.
A quick google suggests that as well as being a portion of meat noisette can also refer to either 1...something made from hazelnuts such as beurre noisette or hazelnut butter or 2.a chocolate made from hazelnuts.
Obviously this latest seasonal offering from Haagen Daz is chocolate hazelnut flavoured ice cream.Its very light and seems to melt faster than say the classic chocolate which is of a thicker consistency and heavier taste.
Its ok as far as flavors go but I wouldnt go out of my way to hunt another tub down during the limited time its available.

Book Review...Espedair Street

Espedair Street.Iain Banks.Abacus 1990.249pages.

Needing a diversion from work I noticed a battered paperback on my bookshelf.
Espedair Street kept me entertained over the last week as I read the account of the main characters rise and fall as a member of a rock group.
For me,what sets Banks apart from other writers such as Elton or Hornby is the depth of his characters and descriptive powers.Even minor characters are memorable such as a beer-swilling,curry eating dog.Somehow they seem more rounded and realistic.
"My eyes bulged,my nose was huge and hooked and my hair was long and thin and slick with its own grease."pg24.
Alternate chapters flash back and forth chronicling his early life and his later success.Theres a nice contrast built up between his deprived childhood and the excesses of his musical career.
Banks also uses the main character to reflect on the relationship between fans and their idols.He also makes observations about what motivates rock stars and the sddictive effect of touring and playing live.
All in all,a welcome distraction from the hot weather,work,the recent upheavals in Japanese politics and the upsetting story about the recent death of a young sumo wrestler.

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.