10.14.2008

Shijo Kyomachiya


I have been taking Japanese Lessons at Kyoto City International Foundation and last week my teacher invited me to an Ikebana exposition at Shijo Kyomachiya.

Shijo Kyomachiya is a typical Meiji era Townhouse , built in 1910 as a private home to a steel material wholesale dealer, so the house has combined living spaces and store area.

The structure is basically a very long hallway that starts at the front door and ends at the back yard and a series of traditional style rooms to the left side of the hallway. The hallway was designed for tradesmen to gain access to the rear side of the house without having to take of their shoes and the rooms on the left hand side along the hallway were used for business transaction between the tradesmen and the merchants, there are also guest rooms inside the house on the second floor and a storage room in the backyard. On the right hand side of the hallway is a store currently selling traditional sweets and kyoto souvenirs.

Kyoto City Government bought and restored this machiya and opened it as a City Hall named Kyoto City Hall for Industrial Promotion on 11 April 2002 . Kyomachiya can be rented for cultural expositions, like the one I was invited to, and it is free of charge so there is no excuse not to come see this house.
This is a great place to see the inside of one of the many old and narrow houses that line the streets of Kyoto, here are some pics :

This is a well located on the main hallway in the kitchen area:

Along the main hallway there are steps to walk in to the rooms but if you look at the floor board you will see it has handles on it. This houses are narrow and the space limitation does not leave much room for storage so places like the stairs and floorboards were used as extra storage spaces, you can see drawers on the first step of the stairs:



The kitchen still has the original stove and lumber heated furo, I was really impressed with the size of the brick stove, it is massive, looks like it was used to cook for an army more than for a family.


This is a picture of the Mise Niwa right at the entrance (inside the house):


Here is a very short video of the house and a bamboo flute concert (I really dont like the way youtube lowers the quality of the video image, if you guys have any suggestions for a video hosting site better that youtube please post a comment to let me know, I'll be forever gratefull) :
Shijo Kyomachiya
Shimogyo-Ku, Kyoto City

Phone#: 075-361-5938
Hours: From 11:00 am to 9:00pm Closed on Wed.

10.12.2008

Kinmokusei (Orange Osmanthus)


It's the beginning of the fall season and already the noisy bug sounds of summer have disappeared , now the breeze is cooler and the days are shorter and apart from all the product labels and window displays that signal fall is here, there is also something all over Kyoto that signals the season has changed. It's called kinmokusei

Kinmokusei is a shrub or small tree that seems to be in every house with a backyard in Kyoto. You can find different varieties of Kinmokusei trees all over Asia : white, pale yellow, yellow, or orange-yellow but for some reason in Kyoto everybody seems to have the same type of orange kinmokusei tree.

The flowers on the Kinmokusei tree grow in bunches and have a very pleasant fragrance, and since so many people have them all over the city ( places like typical neighbourhoods and hospital parks, train stations, but not the more urban parts of town) there is a very citrusy sweet scent in the air that makes any walk a pleasant experience.



I took the picture above while walking around a neighbourhood in Nagaoka , you can see 2 large kinmokusei trees , but all the houses on that street had at least 1 kinmokusei tree in them. Kinmokuseki ga daisuki !!!!!!

Mata ne

10.04.2008

Mamboo (sunfish)

We went to Shimonoseki Kaikyokan, an aquarium in Yamaguchi prefecture.
We had a great day at the aquarium, saw a lot of different types of Fugu or puffer fish , which is one of the things Yamaguchi prefecture is famous for, you can get really good Puffer fish sushi in Yamaguchi , but I'm getting carried away and straying from my main subject which is the Mamboo or sunfish.

I had never in my life seen a fish like this, at first I thought I was looking in to a failed lab experiment (with all due respect to the mamboo fishes of the world) but seriously, this fish looks like its just a head and tail put together, I kept staring at it for a long time and still didn't get used to the sight of it, so anyways, if you also have never seen a Mamboo (or Sunfish as they are called in the states) here is a little clip for you to see what Im talking about.



Mata ne !

7.30.2008

Gion Matsuri



July 1 -31 was Gion Matsuri.

Since the 14Th you could see the girls walking down Kawaramachi and Shijo street wearing their Yukatas, hanging out with their friends or their boyfriends. There are speakers all over shijo, kawaramachi and terramachi streets, they play a melody called "Kon-chiki-chin" non stop to signal the coming of the festival, this melody is later played by musicians on the floats that parade the city.

Everyday the number of people wearing Yukatas increase more and more, and also the amount of tourists gets really crazy, walking to work was very difficult with the streets and the trains being sooooo crowded.
In the afternoon shijo street was closed to the traffic so that people could walk freely to see the floats and take pics and buy things from the hundreds of street vendors that set up shop in this festival. The photo bellow is the intersection of kawaramachi and shijo street you can see the big Hankyu Building on the corner, seeing so many people walking around was surreal.



On Gion Matsuri about 32 Floats are put together using only wood and no glue or nails to hold them together, the floats are massive and they carry musicians, lanterns and very old Persian rugs which are displayed for people to see, you can see musicians in white and blue tops sitting on the inside of one of the floats on this pic, you can see the rugs on the lower part of the float:


It was very interesting to see the stuff you can buy on matsuris and also the crowd was a bit scary but all around a very cool matsuri, if you come to Kyoto in July don't miss the matsuri you'll miss out on a great event.

Here are someimages from the street vendors and floats from the matsuri, enjoy:



Mata ne!

7.08.2008

Tanabata

Yesterday was Tanabata day( the star festival), there were bamboo branches decorated with colored paper everywhere, in stores and family houses, apartments , everybody was displaying their decorated bamboo branches.

You are supposed to write a wish on a piece of paper and hang it on the bamboo branch and after tanabata this branch is burned with the paper ornaments and wishes, this is said to make the wishes go up to the Deitys and then they will make your wish come true.

To me it looked a lot like a summer kinda Xmas, you have a branch that is placed much like a pine tree, and then its decorated with paper ornaments and streamers anything you like as long as its paper and kids have a lot of fun putting these up so taking the presents and Santa out of the picture it is very similar, at least to me it is


Jya ne.

6.10.2008

Rain and Rice

In Japan every year has 5 seasons: Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring and the Rainy season.


The rainy season has already begun on the southern parts of Japan and it will make its way all the way up to Hokkaido , just like the sakura blossom route , it starts south and ends north, Ive yet to see my first Autumn in japan so I'm wondering if it will start and end the same way, having grown up on a tropical island this season changing thing is fascinating to me.


In Japan, people love to plant veggies, so much so that its very common for people to buy lots of land just to plant , keep in mind that land in japan is very expensive, so if you live in japan, away from the more urban parts of the city you will see a lot of these planting plots.


Right now the majority of people are growing rice , everywhere I go I see rice fields, so I took a walk around my neighborhood and took some shots:
The picture above has a typical Japanese house with the tile roof and hedge fence surrounded by planting fields.
The picture above has a rice planting machine (I have no Idea what they are called) this one is hand operated but Ive seen some of the guys planting using very modern planting vehicles, planting is a very serious thing here, its not a hobby its a lifestyle.
Rice fields, apartments and modern Japanese houses.

Mata ne!

6.05.2008

Jpop top 20 June 2008

This is the monthly ranking results from the Oricon ranking.

1- Don't you ever stop by Kat-Tun.
2- Summer Time by News.
3- Shuchishin by Shuchishin (羞恥心).
4- No More by Koichi Domoto.
5- Niji by Aqua Timez.
6- Beautiful You by Tohoshinki.
7- Triangular by Maaya Sakamoto.
8- Diamond Crevasse by Sheryl nome staring May'n.
9- Burn by B'z.
10- Anataboshi by Milky Way.
11- Aishiteru by Ryu Siwon.
12- Mother by Seamo.
13- Umiyuki by Jero.
14-Namida no iro by C-ute.
15- Ameato by W-inds.
16- Together by Monkey Majik.
17- 60s 70s 80s by Namie Amuro.
18- Giri Giri Hero by Mihimaru GT.
19- Kiss Kiss Kiss by Buono.
20- Kaeritakunatta yo by Ikimono Gakari (song not available at imeem so watch video plz).



Jpop June 2008


Enjoy!!!!!
Mata ne!

5.29.2008

Pictures from Pontocho

After work is finished I usually walk around in Pontocho hoping to see any Maiko from one of the nearby Okiyas walking about. Pontocho is basically a very narrow street that connects shijo street and Sanjo street and goes along the kamo river so most of the restaurants have an open terrace where you can sit and enjoy your drinks at night time while listening to the river current and also they have very traditional store fronts. I took some pics from this street to show you guys:
This is basically how most of the houses look in pontocho, wooden fences, sliding door entrance, bamboo curtains etc..

I found a very interesting store in Pontocho, they only sell things with rabbits on them and even though their merchandise is super cute , like the Bunny's you see in the picture above, what called my attention more was the fact that the store is a very old traditional style Japanese house and when you walk in you get to experience how small the space in these houses really is.

More traditional style facades, the curved bamboo screen you see on the floor were used long ago by tea houses and restaurants to keep people outside the store from overhearing conversations inside , it is intended to keep people away from the wall, you can see these curved bamboo screens in many places in Kyoto.


The picture above is a display from a traditional sweets shop in Pontocho, the box on the left has hitokuchi warabi which is a sort of jelly with a sweet sesame powder sprinkle on it, to the right is another sort of jelly but this one is mixed with Azuki bean paste, it is called Yokan and it comes inside a bamboo shoot, both these sweets are very very yummy and they have a very light refreshing taste so it is perfect to eat them in spring.

Mata ne!

5.26.2008

Change

Yes, your eyes are not failing you, that IS kimutaku with the bad hairdo and glasses, it's his look for Fuji Tv's latest dorama named "Change" where he plays the son of a politician who is forced to enter the field against his will in order to replace his father and brother after they tragically die in a plane accident.

Here is the preview for the dorama:






Kimutaku, as always, plays the part perfectly and he has been appearing in many cup of noodle commercials recently , promoting their new eco cup while using the look from his character from the dorama. You can see his commercials on this page: http://www.nissinfoods.co.jp/product/cm/




You can watch the episodes of Change as they are still being loaded at Veoh.com , they have only aired until chapter 3 so far so you will have to check back every week to see the dorama same as us folk in Japan. here is the link for the first episode, remember to download Veoh TV so you can enjoy the full episode : http://www.veoh.com/videos/v12001339HhZYjGwP?searchId=927532497320033128&rank=8


Dont forget to visit the Official Change Website




Mata ne!

Universal Studios Japan

We went down to the Universal Studios in Osaka. The day was cloudy and a bit rainy so it was excellent for walking around and not get punished by the sun and also the park was about 50% full so we didn't have to spend too long on lines to ride the attractions.


The park is themed after different states in the U.S.A so all the signs are in English and there are a lot of American flags around and also the music on speakers throughout the park is American Pop Songs so I got confused when the characters in the attractions spoke in Japanese, it took me 3 rides to get used to it.

We saw Wicked and the songs are mixed , some parts are English and some are in Japanese but the show was very good. There are a lot of foreigners working as performers in this park, I saw more foreigners working there than visiting.


Here are some of the pictures I took while watching the "Fantastic World" performance:

The park, like any other park in the world , has high prices for drinks and food but you can exit the park to eat at one of the many restaurants located right outside the park, like 5 minute walking distance, they offer more variety and more reasonably priced menus.

The park also offers a fast pass , that you can buy to avoid having to wait in line, it costs almost as much as the entry fee but it spares you the tedious time wasted on a 55 minute waiting line.

It was a lot of fun to go so if you're visiting Osaka and you have the time, drop by and have some fun

Mata ne!


5.21.2008

Morning Glory

This morning before work I passed by the Pontocho Kaburenjo Theater, (its 1 block away from work) to do some geisha stalking and see if I could get lucky and snap some pics for you guys.

The show starts at 12:30 and I arrived at 10:30 so my chances were slim but I did get to capture someone, I say someone because I cant be sure who she is, she has a red neckline which would indicate she is a Maiko but her age is not of a Maiko and also her hairstyle is different from a Maiko's also her hair ornaments are special, so I'm not sure if its a Geisha in costume for the Kamogawa Odori wich is now playing , but I am sure she is one of the two since no one shows up to the Kaburenjo theater in that kind of getup unless they are one of the 2.

If you can make out who she is please post her name. tnx



if you would like to know more about the Kamogawa Odori visit these websites: http://japundit.com/archives/2006/07/05/2957/
Mata ne!

5.20.2008

Osaka Castle Pictures

Here are some pics I took while visiting the Osaka Castle:

Before I got there, I thought the castle was the original structure but...... its actually a reconstruction , the castle has a museum inside complete with elevators, theater room, and showrooms.
You can go up by elevator but you must come down using the stairs since the elevators are mainly there for handicapped people , on the top floor there is a balcony .

This next photo reminded me of the observatory at the empire state building in NY, even though it is not nearly as high you get a good view of the city and the souvenir shop is also on this floor, same as in NY.

Mata ne

5.19.2008

Bamboo Charcoal

I went shopping with my friend Mie,
we went to the Daimaru department store in Kawaramachi
while we were looking around, we came across a big stand selling bamboo charcoal which for me was really strange , I mean who buys charcoal? right?

well........

Mie said that charcoal is actually quite commonly used in japan, in her home they use it to cook the rice because it makes it shinier and also makes it taste better and adds a whole bunch of good for you minerals to the rice, she also said that charcoal freshens up the air by taking away bad odors caused by bacteria.

After I heard this I thought I had to try it for my self and so I bought a pack of 3 bamboo charcoal sticks, I placed 2 in the house for air freshening and kept the remaining one for cooking.

I tried the rice and its true its comes out a bit shinier though not that much but the taste is different.

I looked up the properties of this type of charcoal and it actually has a lot of benefits like :
1- absorbs chlorine in water
2-promotes deeper sleep
3 absorbing unpleasant smells
4- releasing negative ions

the list goes on an on but you have to read it for yourself, so visit this website to learn more about how to use this around your house: http://www.can.com.sg/neocan/en/streetwise/shop/black_to_nature/the_benefits_of_bamboo.html

these pages also have great info :
http://www.pyroenergen.com/articles/bamboo-charcoal-benefits.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_2145666_use-bamboo-charcoal.html

Mata ne!

5.13.2008

Sakuran - The movie



Last sunday I got to watch the TV premier of Sakuran the movie.



Sakuran was originally released on January 2007, it is an adaptation of the popular manga version created by Anno Moyoco and it was directed by Mika Ninagawa.


The plot, I'm sorry to say , is the typical story of the little girl that was sold in to slavery to an edo period brothel only to grow up to be the most beautiful Oiran so she could later run away for true love's sake at the end.


ho hum.........


The original manga portrayed Kyoha (the main character) as a foul mouthed strong headed Oiran, but in the movie all that fiestiness and all the effort leads to her running off with the guy that holds her umbrella, and not once is there any trace of Oirans having to have other talents like calligraphy or any artistic skill, it completely centers on sex only.


The story is weak and quite predictable, but........ the graphics were gorgeous, the color saturation and the scene compositions along with the music choice make this movie quite pleasing to watch, it was very well directed, the actors are also an all star cast, there is even a cameo appearance by Oguri Shun as a low rank flower boy.


I personally prefer movies that are based on a good story and don't have so much sugar coating on them but every one has their one preferences, you have to judge for yourself if you like this movie or not.


You can find out more about Sakuran the movie at the official website and you can see the Movie trailer here:


Official Sakuran Website




Mata ne!

5.09.2008

May 2008 top 20 Japanese songs

According to the Oricon Countdown these were the top 20 songs of april 2008 in Japan.


1- Shuchishin by Shuchishin (羞恥心).
2- Mirrorcle world by Ayumi Hamasaki.
3- Burn by B'z
4- Drink it Down by L'Arc-en-Ciel
5- 60s 70s 80s by Namie Amuro
6- Kurikaesu 春 by 244-ENDLI-x
7- Soba ni iru ne by Thelma Aoyama feat. Soulja
8- Tsubasa wo Hirogete by Zard
9- Rizonanto Buru by Morning Musume.
10- Ore ja nayka, kimi ja nakya by 20th Century
11- Double-action climax form
12- Umi Yuki by Jero
13- Wajima Asaichi by Kaori Mizumori
14- Arigatou by Ohashi Takuya
15- Waremokou by Sugimoto Masato
16- Brake the chain by Tourbillion
17- Double Action wing Form
18- Zutto Issho sa by Tatsuro Yamashita
19- Kisha ni notte by Yuki
20- Engine Sentai go-onger by Takahashi Hideyuki








Enjoy

Mata ne !

4.28.2008

Working Girl

I got a J.O.B.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I cant believe how fast I got hired, I thought it would take for ever but I applied to all the job listings I found on Gaijinpot.com , I even applied for jobs in Osaka which is about 30 mins. away by densha (metro train), and actually the company that hired me is based in Osaka but coincidentally they needed a teacher in Kyoto so now I'm working on Kawaramachi street teaching to the cutest 6 and 5 year old kids ever.

In Japan, usually , the hiring process is basically a screening process, so you go to a first meeting and then if they like you they will call you back in for a second meeting and if they decide to hire you , you would meet again for a third time to sign contracts and all that formal stuff.

If you are interested in working in japan , most of the job offerings are for English teachers , all jobs have different requirements but they all require you to have a working visa in order to hire you, if you don't have a Japanese working visa but you do have a degree in education and are highly qualified you could find the kind of job offer that would handle changing your visa status, companies like RCS or government organisations like JET , you can check the different job offers at gaijinpot.com and compare the different requirements.

I'm a happy little gaijin right now, yeaeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Mata ne!

4.24.2008

B'z

B'z is a Japanese Duo formed by Matsumoto Takahiro (Guitar, Composition)
and Inaba Koshi (lyrics, vocals). They have been playing Rock Music for 10 years now and they were the first artists from Asia to have their hand prints and signatures put up in the Hollywood's Rock Walk.

They have a new single out , it's called Burn (Fumetsu no Face) it was released April 16 2008 and it is this week's #1 song on the weekly charts.

Here's the video:




I also made a B'z play list for you guys to listen to more of their songs.
Enjoy!



You can visit B'z official website here.
Mata ne!