international pussycat

Candida, anyone?

2011-08-09T22:12:00.002+03:00

I guess no one has ever told this shopkeeper in Rauma, Finland (around since the 80s at least but the looks of it), that s/he probably didn't choose the best name for the shop...

Free hugs @ Shibuya

2010-11-06T06:49:00.005+02:00

Julia Lundsten @ Hirameki

2010-11-06T06:41:00.006+02:00

I was delighted to see a whole collection or few of Julia Lundsten's Finsk-brand shoes at the Hirameki exhibition. They are without question the most interesting, original and exciting shoes of the moment.

Hirameki Design x Finland

2010-11-06T06:18:00.009+02:00

Delicate metallic snow-flakey piece by Maria Jauhiainen

Last week I visited the Hirameki Design x Finland exhibition in Shinjuku showcasing a vast display of largely rising designers from Finland curated by Harri Koskinen and Ilkka Suppanen. The exhibition already closes tomorrow (Nov. 7), but here is a taste of the space and some details of the pieces on display.

Dresses by the legendary Vuokko Nurmesniemi

Glass works by Renata Jakowleff (front) and Tapiovaara furniture (back)

Detail from piece by Anne Kyyrö Quinn

Tokyo metro: "please do it again" 2010

2010-10-31T13:53:00.005+02:00

Last year I posted the "Please do it again" posters in the Tokyo metro promoting better passenger behaviour. Here are the posters for October and November requesting that passengers don't cut the queue to the train and turn off their mobile phones near courtesy seats. Though the first one can be mistaken for square dance step instructions, the second a recommendation to beware of magicians.

Postmodern post

2010-10-31T13:49:00.002+02:00

The mailbox near my house is beyond modern, so much so that it is postmodern.

Back in Tokyo

2010-10-31T13:48:00.001+02:00

International pussycat is back in Tokyo for the rest of the year. I've been busy working, but have finally managed to start carrying my camera with me whenever I go out. Japan adventures, coming soon!

Retro Finnair

2010-09-15T00:10:00.002+03:00

The Finnair page on Facebook has been going on and on about the new (or, old) retro look it's been sporting on some of its flights. Finally last week upon flying home from Stockholm's Arlanda airport, I chanced upon the retro Finnish Airlines plane and crew dressed accordingly. Adorable. Needless to say the plane interior wasn't participating in the retro season. Nor safety procedures. Not that some wouldn't welcome a lift on the no-smoking ban. I can't say that I'm one of them though.

The Wallace Collection

2010-09-07T20:30:00.005+03:00

La Marquise de Pompadour (1759)

On our way to the Marylebone Farmer's Market, we stopped at the Wallace Collection, tucked away in a grand London townhouse, Hertford House, in a peaceful milieu between Oxford Street and Baker Street. I'd never heard of it before, but it is undoubtedly a must for anyone interested in 18th century French painting and furniture - 'unsurpassed' in this department, I agree, as their website declares. Did you ever wonder what happened to the furniture from Versailles that seemed to disappear after the revolution? Well, this family collection has rooms upon rooms of it, bought at an auction by the French state after the revolution to raise funds for the new republic. A poster announcing the auction is also treasured by the Collection. By far the most impressive acquisitions are, of course, and to the astonishment and delight of me and my companions, Marie Antoinette's furnishings and paintings. There are several paintings commissioned by her from the famous Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun, many of which anyone vaguely familiar with that period in French history is likely to recognise. The above painting of Madame de Pompadour is the only one I could snap a photo of without the attendants noticing. But apart from making sure the 'no photography' rule is obeyed, they know a lot about the furniture, so it's worth asking them where a piece is from since it can yield more surprising information of their histories. Look out for other gems by Titian and Rembrandt, and other medieval and Renaissance treasures. All you can say is wow, the Wallaces had bloody good taste.

The Wallace Collection
Hertford House
Manchester Square
London

Marylebone Farmer's Market

2010-09-07T20:19:00.006+03:00

Marylebone Farmer's Market
Sundays from 10am to 2pm
Moxon Street, behind Waitrose

Gallipoli

2010-09-07T17:46:00.002+03:00

Restaurant Gallipoli (Turkish)
102 Upper Street
Angel, London

Hampstead Heath

2010-09-07T17:37:00.009+03:00

Every year I visit my brother in London. This year the visit fell on July. I went to Hampstead Heath for the first time, and it was love at first sight. We had a picnic and chocolate overlooking a quaint pond, and walked around admiring the beauty of the (controlled) lusciously green English countryside. I've finally discovered an off-centre area that I can see myself inhabiting.

In the grocery store (NOLA)

2010-02-23T20:55:00.003+02:00

Cashier: "Do you want a bag, lady?"
Lady: "Who you callin' a bag lady!?"
(Both laugh)

Look busy for Jesus

2010-02-23T20:52:00.002+02:00

Posted on the balcony of a house on Magazine Street in NOLA's Garden District:
"Jesus is coming, LOOK BUSY!"

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans

2010-02-23T20:43:00.005+02:00

My first thought on entering NOLA's Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 in the Garden District was "wasn't Ashley Judd buried alive here in Double Jeopardy?" (a New Orleans-set film I now have to watch again since my visit). The graveyard is in a pretty worn state, and quite small. The director of the cemetery stopped us to ask "a very very important question", which was how to say "I love you" in Finnish for the cemetery's "love project". Such a project really seemed to exist, since he could say I love you in a number of languages. And knew where Finland was and that it had a tough war with Russia. Lesson: Don't judge a Southern partly toothless and possibly drunk man by the cover.

Rabbits make your life happy

2010-01-24T21:09:00.003+02:00

A rabbit shop somewhere between Ebisu and Shibuya... The motto I dedicate to Banni dearest :)

Poo candies

2010-01-24T20:59:00.003+02:00

These rather cute poo-themed candies were also a part of the Tokyo Hands Valentine's Day section. Couldn't fathom the marketable connection between poop and love, though...

Valentine's chocolate for men

2010-01-21T15:37:00.003+02:00

Shibuya's Tokyo Hands has a cute Valentine's Day section already. I found things I didn't know I really should give people on Valentine's Day. Above all I adored the variety of adorable packaging ideas, bags and cards. One of the most surprising was the tool-box chocolates for men including wrenchens, screws, etc. Men can't be expected to eat any old heart-shaped chocolate, right!

Belly dancing in Istanbul

2010-01-21T14:43:00.004+02:00

Last night a group of my Tokyo friends put together a farewell party for me (thanks Kate!). It started out at Istanbul, a Turkish restaurant in Akasaka-mitsuke, with a tableful of succulent dishes and... belly dancing!

Later the patrons, us included, got lessons in hip-jiggling. I was lucky enough to catch one of the best moments when the Japanese salarymen were on the floor, when the dancer grabbed and shook their hips. Kawaii. Later she put my hands on her shakin hips, leaving every inch of me shaken!

TokyoMade Market

2010-01-20T18:29:00.004+02:00

Funky temporary shop with clothes and accessories by Japanese street-style designers in Shibuya called TokyoMade Market. Lots of unique t-shirts and jewelry pieces.

One of the shirts had some random Finnish too! (taivas = heaven)

Pet shop

2010-01-18T15:49:00.008+02:00

There is a sad, sad pet shop in Roppongi (run by the you-know-what rumour has it) that sells tiny puppies clearly too young to be separated from their mothers. They facade of the store is an approximately 3-4 metre long vitrine of pups from top to bottom, each in their own cubby. The older they get, the cheaper they get too. It makes you so sad that you want to buy them all out of pity. Well, buy them out of pity or blissful adoration, the store owners will be pleased that the poor things sell. People stroll by and women coo "kawaiiii"...

This poor babe was so petite, that you could probably fit it into the palm of your hand:

This one was busy chasing after its own tail:

Cat 猫

2010-01-18T15:43:00.004+02:00

There was fat black and white cat sitting under the tree in the yard when I got home from town on Sunday. It sat there so still and comfortably, like it belonged there. The whole scene, with the help of that beautifully groomed tree, was like straight out of a woodblock print. I managed to capture it on camera just before the cat felt I came too close and ran off. Apparently it had been sitting there for an hour.

Henome (furoshiki shop)

2010-01-16T14:48:00.002+02:00

A lovely furoshiki shop in Daikanyama. Furoshiki the name of a Japanese wrapping cloth that can be used in several ways. There are many techniques to fold the cloth to carry goods, groceries, etc. They are also used for various kinds of wrapping, for example of presents or lunchboxes. Usually they'll be made of cotton, but also silk or nylon ones can be found, and they are decorated with Japanese patterns and/or prints. Beautiful. This adorable shop in Daikanyama has a wide selection, with a small corner in the back with products made of furoshiki, mainly pouches and other small trinkets. They didn't have the pattern I was looking for (feather arrow style) in the right colour, though, so I'll have to keep hunting.

The Shibuya crossing

2010-01-13T14:16:00.008+02:00

You don't know what it means to be walk in a crowd until you've strolled across the massive crossing in Shibuya, the same one they always put in films like Lost in Translation to depict the sheer size of Tokyo's population, the little ants crawling all in, over, around and under it. This video was taken in the afternoon, and the number of people increases exponentially as the hours pass towards the evening. So this is a very lightweight view that doesn't do justice to the organised chaos of massed humanity that this intersection becomes, come nightfall:

Pirates of Mise desu Yan

2010-01-13T14:00:00.004+02:00

Today I came across this shop in the La Fuente building in Daikanyama. It's a 'creative corner' space set aside it seems for temporary art galleries/shops. from 12 December 2009 to 31 January 2010 it is housing Pirates of Mise desu Yan, displaying various installations, crafty products, paintings, etc, all also for sale. My favourite was this mechanical man lodged on a traintrack.

Blooming

2010-01-12T15:01:00.004+02:00

These pretty fuchsia coloured flowers have been blossoming in our garden for the last few weeks. What better way to spend one's lunch hour, reading under the sun in a t-shirt, surrounded by these darlings?

Temple lanterns (Azabu Juban)

2010-01-11T14:17:00.001+02:00

Faithful subordinates (Roppongi)

2010-01-11T12:03:00.001+02:00

"He is my faithful subordinate":
Teddy dominating kitty cat in random window display in Roppongi

Kurkku

2010-01-10T13:52:00.002+02:00

"Kurkku" = "cucumber" in Finnish

Old news: The organic restaurant/bar/garden Mother Kurkku in Harajuku:

New: A cosy restaurant/café called Kurkku 3 in Omotesando Hills:

Ginza on a Sunday

2010-01-10T13:38:00.003+02:00

Ginza, one of Tokyo's poshest districts (certainly the most expensive in terms of real estate), gets to buys on Sundays that the main shopping boulevard is entirely closed to traffic. An approximate Western equivalent would be if Fifth Avenue was turned into a pedestrian street every Sunday (and perhaps it should). This afternoon the street was overrun with pedestrians despite the lack of vehicular traffic. Just an endless mass of consumers crisscrossing each other in and out of shops like ants. Didn't hang around too long.

CdG sale

2010-01-09T13:19:00.000+02:00

On Friday Comme des Garcons started its sale in its Corso Como store and its department store shops. I went early to Isetan, where there four different CdG sections. All were invaded by a stampede black-and-white clad CdG devotees sorting through the racks and piles to which the autumn/winter collection was now reduced. What distinguishes CdG sales from any other sale in Tokyo, however, is that most shoppers come dressed in CdG from top to bottom. It's like they put on a uniform exclusively for CdG shopping. (I've also witnessed this ritual dressing at the CdG flagship in Aoyama sometimes, and Issey Miyake's Pleats Please). Anyway, so sometimes it's close to differentiate between customer and staff, until they reveal their positionality, the former by looking in the mirror, or the latter by bowing.

PM goes virtual

2010-01-05T16:24:00.004+02:00

Japan's PM Hatoyama started a blog called Hato Cafe, and a Twitter account. Kawaiiii.

New tuna record at Tsukiji

2010-01-05T16:03:00.003+02:00

Today there was a new record made at Tokyo's Tsukiji fishmarket. A tuna weighing 232 kilograms was auctioned for 16.28 million yen, that's $175,000 or €121,500. (Read more about it here)

Furnace on wheels

2010-01-05T14:22:00.001+02:00

On my way to Omotesando yesterday I came across a pick up truck moving at walking speed with some loud chanty slogan blasting from its megaphones, and a pile of wood loaded in the back, some of it burning in an open furnace. I wish I knew what it was. I managed to capture this short video when it finally got to the lights at the end of the street.

It's a BMW...

2010-01-04T14:34:00.006+02:00

... In case you were wondering. Lesson of the day: Remember to stick on a DIY label to your car cover so passersby don't think you're hiding it out of embarrassment.

Okonomiyaki

2010-01-04T14:18:00.000+02:00

Okonomiyaki, a sort of Japanese pancake/pizza, is one of my favourite casual Japanese foods. The batter is made of grated cabbage, dashi or water, egg, and flour, plus all sorts of other ingredients like pork, bacon, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, vegetables and cheese. Okonomiyaki sauce (which is like a thicker and sweeter Worcestershire sauce), bonito flakes and mayonnaise are put on the cooked okonomiyaki to top it all off. Okonomiyaki literally means "whatever you like" (okonomi) "grilled" (yaki). Many okonomiyaki places will give you a bowl with the ingredients that you have to mix yourself into a batter and grill yourself. What fun! I've finally managed to make a short photo guide of all the necessary steps

First, you mix your batter. My favourite mix has pork, shrimp and cuttlefish. Mmm:

It is then poured onto the grill in a round shape and put under the lid for eight minutes, four minutes for each side counted by a small hourglass:

When both sides are done, turn to your toppings counter andspread the okonomiyaki sauce, mayo and bonito flakes on the okonomiyaki.

This one was not so perfectly shaped and the sauces a tad messily applied:

The okonomiyaki is then cut up and eaten piece by piece from a separate plate. I always add more sauce, or bonito flakes, depending on who I'm with, since there's always someone who prefers less of some topping. For me, the more the merrier:

My okonomiyaki heaven:

Please do it at home (not on the metro)

2010-01-03T13:34:00.001+02:00

Every month the Tokyo Metro comes out with a new poster in its train behaviour campaign, informing us passengers about what not do to there and so at home instead. For the first month of the new year and new decade we urged to be considerate of passengers getting on and off by for example not sitting at the door on a carry-on suitcase playing Nintendo or something.

Last month it was drunken behaviour: please do it at home!

Sadly, I never got around to stopping to take a picture of November's campaign, but luckily I found it online. One should not put on make-up on the train. But that's a rule that many teenage girls break though, often applying more mascara to their already gunk-burdened lashes. I guess it ticked off someone at the metro bureau.

What's flumpool!?

2010-01-02T17:45:00.001+02:00

Advertisement for a band's latest album above the entrance to Shibuya's JR station

Luxury: Museum of Contemporay Art, Tokyo

2010-01-02T17:37:00.007+02:00

Just before the New Year, I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo to see its exhibition on Luxury. The collection, mainly from the vaults of the Kyoto Costume Institute, was a stunning, albeit Western-centric, account of luxury from the 17th century to the present, from Spanish and English court dresses, through extravagance à la Marie Antoinette, lightly scratching the drab Victorians, then focusing on the gradual change in the definition of luxury after the likes of Chanel, Vionnet and Poiret burst onto the fashion scene to make simple luxurious. It's quite rare to see so many early Chanel pieces, from the 1920s and 1930s, in one room, thrown in with some Shiaparelli. Also Balenciaga's globular coats from the 60s were treats of timeless elegance. This was followed by a corridor of about 16 handmade unique pieces by Maison Martin Margiela, each made of one recyclable object or accessory, such as broken dishes, old LPs, bowties, or playcards. The only word on my lips was "wow". Sadly, photographs were prohibited, so all I have are these snippets from the brochure.

The grand finale of the show was a purely Japanese collaboration on luxury, Luxury in Fashion Reconsidered between two of the brightest woman stars in the design galaxy, architect Kazuyo Sejima (SANAA) and Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garcons). Sejima selected Comme des Garcons pieces from the Kyoto Costume Institutes archives and arranged them around curving transparent maze-like plastic partitions. A dream-like space, only made more so by Kawakubo's avant-garde designs that through their very wearability compel you to rethink the daily practice and social significance of dressing.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T18:14:00.011+02:00

新年おめておうございます。
(Shinnen ometedou gozaimasu)
Happy New Year!

2010 is the year of the tiger. (Street leading to Sensoji Temple, Asakusa)

It's 2010 in Tokyo. I spent a very relaxed eve, eating pancakes and drinking champagne. Now it's time for bed, with the solemn gong of the temple bell chiming in the distance.

UT Uniqlo

2009-12-29T12:19:00.003+02:00

One of the coolest concept stores around is Uniqlo's UT shop in Harajuku. This is the gist: You browse the rack and choose a t-shirt you like, all priced at 1,500 yen. To buy the shirt you look at the tag, which has a map of the shelving system of the store. All the shirts are shelved in plastic cylinders along the walls of the 3-floor shop (a 4th floor was just added to house the J+ by Jil Sander line). You look at the tag, search for your cylinder, then take it to the register to pay. Fun! The only down side is that the men's shirts are much cooler than the women's, with cool manga prints on them. (The small size is so big that I wear them as pajamas! Too bad, they had "Le Monde" shirt that recalled Jean Seberg in À bout de souffle...).

3 things that matter most...

2009-12-28T17:31:00.004+02:00

... are Love, Peace and Money, of course! Remember that it's taken when your friend is opening a clothing store and brainstorming for shop names.

Sad Sumiko

2009-12-28T17:04:00.004+02:00

Sumiko is the mascot of the Japanese clothing brand Comme Ca. Above is their Christmas display of Sumiko in Shinjuku. It's quite special for a clothing brand to take on such a sad character as a mascot. Just watch the video below. She's only waiting for her father to come home, boo hoo! Enough to make one weep, this girl. The video is lovely, with so many little details of everyday life in Japan: the local market street, bicycles, cats, plants outside people's houses, the local shrine, food (ramen, karee raisu)... not to mention the gender roles: mother and daughter cooking, pouring father's beer... Aww it is such a sad video.

Ramen @ Komen

2009-12-27T17:40:00.008+02:00

Good 24h ramen noodle place in Roppongi with stylish interior
Komen
Roppongi 7-14-3

Chikan update

2009-12-25T15:24:00.008+02:00

Tokyo's latest move to curb groping in the metro is to wire bird's eye cameras into its trains. Full story on BBC News.

(What is chikan? Read my previous post.)

Mac OS X Snow Leopard

2009-12-24T17:28:00.006+02:00

I've finally upgraded Leopard to the new Mac OS X Snow Leopard. It wasn't as easy as I'd imagined, not because installing it was difficult, but because I was one of the unlucky customers who wound up with a faulty installation disc. Apparently this has been a not so uncommon problem. After trying some basic tricks recommended in mac forums, I gave up when the only option left was to empty my MacBook's memory - no point, I ran the diagnostics and my Mac was fine. So back to Ginza's Apple Store it was, where I easily got a new disc, which I ran successfully last night. It's great; so much faster and with many basic but decisive improvements, like the minimalising of windows into their logo on the dock, rather than cluttering them into the right side of the dock next to your Stacks. That used to be so inconvenient. To learn more about the new features of Snow Leopard not advertised by Apple, there are some videos up on YouTube that are a goldmine, like this one, and especially this one. I love these nerds (because I secretly want to be one ;))!

I also noticed that Apple has come out with a new mouse, the Magic Mouse. The Mighty Mouse never convinced me; that little pebble for scrolling looked frustrating. Now the mouse has no buttons or wheels, but is entirely touch-sensitive. Check out the demo-video and be converted. I know I'm replacing my old and rackety Logitech with this thing.

Merry Christmas! メリークリスマス！

2009-12-24T12:45:00.001+02:00

Feeling of the Xmas heart

2009-12-24T12:43:00.003+02:00

There was a sweet quotation on a wrapping bag I spotted in Tokyo Hands today, a bit bizarre, as many Japanese-English one-liners are, but charmed its way into my heart!

Christmas in Tokyo

2009-12-24T10:56:00.003+02:00

My second Christmas in Tokyo. The Christmas feeling outdoors is maintained mainly with lots of twinkle lights and Christmas-themed shop display windows. Today there were also lots of people dressed as elves outside many shops, advertising their shop's Christmas deals. Not so cosy-Christmas-feely.

Shinjuku in the late afternoon, Christmas Eve

Heiwajima Antique Fair

2009-12-23T17:30:00.002+02:00

Last weekend I went to the Heiwajima Antique Fair that comes into town every other month or so. You can find loads of antiques, faux antiques, cheap junk, and expensive junk. There are loads of prints, scroll paintings, chests, pins, statues, brooches, fans, kimonos, toys, etc, and most of all I think, bowls and teacups. I left with a simple and slightly weathered but charming Meiji era scroll painting of a sparrow.

Some things were preposterously overpriced. Or perhaps my uneducated eye was simply unable to detect any value in some of these things. For instance, I'm really curious to find out why this chunky bowl costs 1,250,000 yen (roughly 9,550 euros)?

Kewpie mayo

2009-12-23T16:45:00.003+02:00

The 'Kewpie' (Q.P.) mayonnaise brand is the most popular mayo in Japan, and has been for decades as far as I gather. No wonder. It's delicious, and you can put it on everything! Yuuum. Even the low-fat one is quite good. Its mascot is a little happy baby and you can find kewpie dolls everywhere.

Kewpie dolls in Loft

Kewpie in all sizes, in Asakusa, on the junky shopping street leading up to Senso-ji:

They come as antique collectibles too. These three were at Heiwajima's Antique Fair. These last ones look especially ancient;

ただいま - tadaima - I'm home

2009-12-22T16:28:00.003+02:00

Traveling is wonderful, but it's also great to come home. Nagoya-Kyoto-Osaka-Hiroshima-Miyajima-Kobe. I'm exhausted! I still have a month left in Tokyo, which hardly feels long enough to do myriad of things the city has to offer. In fact, it never ends. I could live in Tokyo for the rest of my life and never be bored. My home away from home :) Tadaima.

The handsome Hikari shinkansen arriving in Kyoto station, from where it left to Kobe on the very second as scheduled

Kobe's mosque

2009-12-22T16:16:00.004+02:00

Kobe was probably the most pleasant and friendly city I visited on my shinkansen trip. Its hills and cute houses make it feel like the San Francisco of Japan, and it felt much more international than Osaka for instance. Lots of Indians and Indian restaurants, for a start! Kobe's port was opened to foreigners in 1868, and some of the houses built by its foreign residents still stand in Kitano, where they settled. They're popular tourist sights and most of them are open to the public. I didn't really feel like seeing "authentic French furniture", so just walked through the area, feeling as if I'd unwittingly stepped into a historical theme park.

I was amazed, however, to later pass the first mosque I have ever encountered in Japan. Wow!

Kobe (神戸): Shin-Kobe Ropeway

2009-12-22T15:59:00.008+02:00

Kobe is quaintly situated on the shore between a sea and mountain. The city spreads out sideways, rather than around a centre. You really realise this when you see it from above. I took the Shin-Kobe Ropeway cable lift up to enjoy the spectacular morning view of the city. You can see the little port-islands in the bay, all the way to Osaka's skyscrapers.

My salaryman hotel in Kyoto

2009-12-19T15:21:00.006+02:00

I was aware that the cheap hotel I got in central Kyoto was used by salarymen who miss the last train home and have to stay over in town. You could tell. The furnishings were very simple, and the main extras were the TV, internet, a razor and toothbrush and toothpaste, plus soaps, and a pair of fresh pyjamas. All that a businessman needs for one night. It was clean and reasonably comfortable considering the price. There were two things that most amused me.

First, the English language instructions for using the toilet remote. One button "rinses your posterior with warm water" while "the shower toilet deodorizer will not spray any water until you are seated" so there's no danger of any "accidental spraying";

Second, when I got back from Hiroshima for my last night there, there was a little leaflet waiting behind my door offering me "I'm love meido" ie kinky maid sex. It made me feel a bit like Bill Murray must have felt in Lost in Translation.

Miyajima: Itsukushima Shrine

2009-12-19T14:32:00.014+02:00

The torii (or gate) of the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima is one of the most famous torii in Japan, often featuring in tourist brochures, etc. The island, as I have written, is considered sacred, and used to be off-limits to normal people, who would row their little boats to the island to circle the torii. The shrine was first build in the 6th century (!). Its present appearance dates from the 12th century. Now it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was low tide when I got there on Thursday at dusk, but the high-tide was already coming in, quite fast too.

View of the torii from the Shrine

Miyajima (宮島)

2009-12-19T11:35:00.011+02:00

Miyajima 'the Shrine island', formally known as Itsukushima, is a small island in the Hiroshima prefecture, best known for the Itsukushima shrine, or the floating shrine (coming up in the next post);

The island is considered to be sacred, so cutting down its trees is prohibited, and there are wild monkeys and deer that roam around the city. I didn't see any monkeys, but saw plenty of deer all over the place. One of them was just trying its luck with a souvenir shop as I passed;

Apparently the island also lays claim to inventing a certain kind of wooden rice spoon. All the shops were full of them. There was even this gigantic one on display at one of the major shopping streets. The mother of all rice spoons, maybe 5m long at least;

Hiroshima (広島): Memorials and museums

2009-12-19T11:27:00.016+02:00

On Thursday I was went to Hiroshima and spent my time there on two touristy things: A-bomb memorial locations and went to the shrine on Miyajima. I've been waiting to see both for so long, so it was very gratifying to finally be able to realise those visits. Visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum came first; a somber experience to be sure. Below is the A-bomb dome, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site;

The A-bomb dome is what was previously the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. The Hall was very close to the hypocenter of the explosion; the bomb exploded into a ball of fire about 600 meters above and 160 meters to the southeast of the building. Some of its walls remained standing because the explosion occurred nearly above it. Nothing but rubble was left at a 2km radius around the hypocenter, as this model at the Hiroshima Peace Museum shows. The red ball indicates the location of the fireball and shows the extent of the damage. Quite incomprehensible that the most powerful nuclear weapon ever tested was by the USSR that was 3,5000 times more powerful than the one that caused this destruction;

The saddest exhibition pieces were photos of severe burns, of victims that soon after died from them, as well as other physical effects of the bombing on human bodies. Thousands drowned themselves in the river because the pain from their injuries was too great. All these general as well as personal eyewitness accounts were horrifying. There is a Children's Peace Memorial statue outside the peace park of a girl holding a crane above her head. It stems from the story of a young girl, Sadako Sasaki, who suffered from leukemia as a result of the fall-out from the bomb, and died in 1955. A Japanese story goes that if you fold 1,000 paper cranes, you can make a wish and it will come true. Sadako apparently folded over 1,000 cranes (some on display were peanut-sized!) and then kept folding them in the hope that she would live;

There was a whole floor dedicated to nuclear proliferation and disarmament. I was quite struck by this photo of people watching a nuclear test in Nevada in 1955. It's as if they're watching a movie.. 'great entertainment'. It reminded of how genteel men and women initially went out to the hills above the battlefields in the Civil War to watch it unfold while picnicking. Pretty twisted;

Maiko in Arashiyama

2009-12-17T17:21:00.006+02:00

At the beginning of the illuminated route at Arashimaya there was a real maiko (apprentice geisha) sitting in front of a rickshaw with a huge queue of people waiting for their turn to be photographed with her.

The people standing beside me were also very excited, 'ooooh', they cooed, ' kawaii no maiko-chan desu neeeeee'.. (such a cute maiko, isn't it?)

Arashiyama (嵐山) illumination

2009-12-17T17:07:00.008+02:00

Last night before dinner we went to Arashimaya on the outskirts of Kyoto to see the illumination event there. They lit up the famous bridge there, and a large part of the mountain facing the town was lit completely in purple. The best part was the long walk through the bamboo forest skillfully illuminated with blue and yellow lights, with a wintery and mysterious, yet altogether peaceful ambiance. It was very popular with amateur photographers; people (mainly middle-aged men or older) carried around their tripods and spent ages trying to get the right shot, despite the biting cold.

Kyoto: Katsura Imperial Villa

2009-12-17T16:39:00.007+02:00

The Katsura Imperial Villa and its gardens date back to 1615 when it was built by the younger brother of Emperor Goyozei, Prince Toshihito, and has been preserved virtually unchanged in its original form today. It was a very special visit, thanks to B for arranging it (one has to make an appointment with the Imperial Household Agency before showing up). The grounds are extensive; there are 9 buildings (many of which are tea houses) and five artificial inlets in the pond. In 1964, 7000m2 of farmland were bought to 'preserve the villa's scenic beauty'. As wish so many temples and gardens here, Katsura awed me with its timeless beauty. This is how I like my nature: controlled, designed, yet retaining the feeling as nature as opposed to construction. Katusra's intricate garden is a breathtaking haven of harmony and serenity. Japanese gardens, I can safely say, have become an obsession with me this week. I'll have to try and see if Tokyo has any gardens to offer. Probably not. Too bad one isn't in Kyoto more often.

The Shoin building from across the pond;
'The walk through the garden is one that constantly surprises the visitor with its clever design - at times the pond disappears entirely from view, only to return in a panoramic vista' (Katsura pamphlet)

The Onrindo strucutre where the memorial tablets of the Katsura family used to be kept

View of a lantern by the pond

Kyoto: Shopping shrines

2009-12-17T16:29:00.007+02:00

Entrance to a Shinto shrine, Teramachi

They are not really called shopping shrines or oriented towards shopping (though I have my doubts!), but I have ended up calling them that because there are so many small shrines, and some temples scattered along the main shopping streets in Kyoto.

Man praying at a Buddhist temple; there was a notice outside in English saying that the lanterns are not for sale. Apparently some stupid gai-jin (foreigners) have been embarrassing themselves.

Another Buddhist temple

Fans with wishes written on them outside the Buddhist temple.

Kyoto: Knife shopping/Aritsugi

2009-12-17T16:11:00.010+02:00

There is a wonderful knife makers' in central Kyoto in the covered Nishiki Market called Aritsugi. Everything is handmade, naturally, of excellent quality and immaculate beauty.

You can watch them make the knives behind the counter, which the place straight into the display vitrines.

I purchased a general use kitchen knife, and got my surname engraved on its base in katakana (レポ).

They also make pots, pans and other kitchen utensiles, such as these copper-handled graters. Notice the charming and unpretentious unevenness of the grating holes. I didn't get any, a decision I'm sure to regret later.

Osaka (大阪)

2009-12-16T03:21:00.007+02:00

Yesterday I went to Osaka. During the day I wandered around Kita. The best thing about Kita was my katsudon lunch. Delicious, made with plenty of eggyokes and a deliciously crispy katsu. And only 380 yen (that's about 3 euros)! Otherwise, during the day, it just felt like a bigger Nagoya (dull gray industrial city). I then headed south to Minami, which was a vast improvement, much cosier and funkier than Kita's skyscrapers. Dusk was just falling, and it was then that the city finally came to life, in lights, people and places.

In Minami there's a quarter called Amerikamura where young people and Westerners hang out a lot and shop. This is from what I found out is called the Triangle Park (behind me..). I just noticed the small State of Liberty perched at the top of the central building - glad that made the photo, purely by accident:

This second-hand bookshop was on the street, just a long row of bookshelves. Would have loved to stop and browse, but they were all in Japanese:

Before heading back to Kyoto, I met my friend and we went for Belgian beer, then to dinner at an izakaya in Kita. It had four compact floors that went up in a complex maze of narrow stairs. The atmosphere was charming and the food, needless to say, was delicious. So even Kita delivered by night. Fantastic.

Kyoto: Ryoan-ji Temple

2009-12-14T15:25:00.011+02:00

My second stop today after Rokuon-ji, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Zen Buddhist temple Ryoan-ji with the famous rock garden of 15 carefully arranged rocks. The temple dates back to the 14th century. There was some construction going on, which was slightly distracting, but still one could take in the simple yet affecting presence of the garden.

Kyoto (京都): The Golden Pavilion (Rokuon-ji Temple)

2009-12-14T15:08:00.013+02:00

This week I'm based in Kyoto, and doing some day trips to nearby cities. But this first day I spent in Kyoto catching up on the sights that I missed out on the last time I was in Kyoto. The first stop was the spectacular gold-leaf gilded Rokuon-ji, also known as Kinkaku-ji, or the Golden Pavilion. It's probably one of the most famous temples in Japan, first built in 1397 as a villa. It was burned down by a monk in 1950, a story famously recounted by Yukio Mishima in his novel The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, which I haven't yet read, but will do so as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

Nagoya (名古屋)

2009-12-14T14:43:00.008+02:00

Greetings from Kyoto! I activated my Japan Rail Pass yesterday and started my week of railing around by doing a day trip from Tokyo to Nagoya. I went to Nagoya Castle, had takoyaki (kind of a Japanese octopus dumpling) and walked around the centre. The castle was beautiful from the outside, with a great view of the city from the top floor. The city itself was a slight disappointment. Coming from Tokyo, it was probably no surprise. It's not that Tokyo is prettier, because it's just as aesthetically blah, but Tokyo is full of different areas each with their own amazing atmosphere that one can just suck in and enjoy by just being there. Nagoya didn't have that, or much cultural capital to delve into. Still, I'm glad to have seen it, and visited a Japanese castle.

Nagoya Castle; originally from 1525, bombed during WWII and rebuilt

Detail: Osu Kannon Temple

Takoyaki stand

The JR Towers at Nagoya Station, at nightfall

Umbrellas, again, post-rain

2009-12-12T17:46:00.004+02:00

I realise this is my third post about umbrellas. I must give the impression that it rains here all the time, whereas in fact percipitation is quite rare this time of year in Tokyo. As it has been. The umbrella theme carries on rather because when it rains, umbrellas are everywhere, visibly changing the cityscape, even after it has rained. It rained all day yesterday, and today as I walked from Hiroo through Omotesando to Shinjuku, open umbrellas outside houses out to dry were a common sight. They were always secured in a gate or bush, anywhere possible, but never on the ground. So Japanese space efficiency extends also to wet umbrellas (and it is so kawaii..).

On political self-confidence

2009-12-11T09:16:00.006+02:00

I just received this week's Hatoyama Cabinet e-mail entitled "Emergency Economic Countermeasures for Future Growth and Security" . It started with the following statement:

'I am sure that many of you in Japan have been turning a skeptical eye toward news reports that claim, "Economic recovery is underway," saying to yourselves, "Really? It does not feel that way."

The government feels exactly the same way.'

... So reassuring!

Loving the Yamanote-sen

2009-12-09T18:21:00.003+02:00

Everyone loves the Yamanote-sen! It's the famous JR train that runs around Tokyo in a circle, stopping in all of the big 'must' areas. There is loads of Yamanote Line merchandise around, from chocolates to stuffed toys and phone jewelry. Today I spotted these in Loft (Shibuya); a Yamanote alarm clock and puzzles of each Yamanote stop. Might have to get the puzzle, but at the moment choosing my favourite stop is too difficult.

Invasion of the umbrellas

2009-12-08T11:56:00.004+02:00

I managed to snap a couple of pictures of the umbrella-packed streets of Harajuku/Omotesando when it rained last weekend. One of the things I adore about Tokyo is that it is a crowded city, but it doesn't feel crowded, not at all claustrophobic. Even when it rains and the space in the street is minimal and you struggle not to poke anyone's eye out with your umbrella, somehow the smooth flow of the people persists.

View of Takeshita dori from the JR station. I confess I didn't dare try squeezing in...

People crossing Meiji-dori

Naughty-kawaii

2009-12-07T13:45:00.000+02:00

Sex(y) costumes here invariably conform to the naughty/kawaii (cute) format. Here's a selection of what they city has to offer so far, starting with the seasonal sexy-cute elf outfits on display everywhere. In a couple of weeks women dressed in these will be walking the streets, bouncing around to Christmas tunes and distributing bonbons. And participating in sexiest elf contests in some clubs.

Some bedtime elf mannequins in Tokyo Hands (and their child helpers, naturally)

All sorts of costumes available: school girl, maid, nurse... all the classics, of which the school girl outfit comes in the most varieties. Plus Michael Jackson in the back.

Naughty-kawaii is not just for women.

Newsflash: Rilakkuma is also available as a condom, ¥880 for a pack of 10!

Autumn in Shibakoen

2009-12-07T09:00:00.002+02:00

Technically, it's December, a winter month. The season, however, is still autumn, and I'm still stunned by the beautiful autumnal colours that keep blossoming in the city.

At Zojo-ji temple

View of Tokyo Tower. Bare trees signaling the impending winter.

Wild park between Shibakoen and Tokyo Tower in full autumnal bloom

Senso-ji temple

2009-12-06T15:10:00.006+02:00

Senso-ji temple, Tokyo's oldest, was under construction when I visited it again in Asakusa this week. This neat packaging, I would expect, will be removed by the end of the month to welcome in the New Year:

The quiet and clean construction work still enabled one to indulge in many of the beautiful details both inside the temple and out;

Burning incense

Dragons at the fountain

Carp in the pond

Mechanical xmas dogs, Asakusa

2009-12-06T12:35:00.003+02:00

Nakamise is a 200m long shopping street leading up to the Senso-ji temple in Asakusa. Stumbled upon these mechanical elfy dogs on the way to the temple (my companion declaring to me that she will get one...)

Teacup house in Kappabashi

2009-12-05T12:27:00.000+02:00

This teacup house is at the southern end of Kappabashi-dori, also known as kitchen town, where you can find all the kitchen ware you will never need. Restauranteurs come here to get all kinds of supplies from dishes to pans, to plastic display foods, aprons and outdoor menu stands. Such fun for anyone into kitchenware or cooking. Blissful exhaustion guaranteed.

New York Bar, Park Hyatt Tokyo

2009-12-05T10:10:00.000+02:00

Yes, it's the Lost in Translation bar where Bill Murray met Scarlett Johansson, and yes it is worth popping in when in Tokyo. The jazz band starts playing at 8 p.m. That and the view alone are worth the 2,000 yen cover charge. The bar is on the 52nd floor, 235m up, allowing for a stunning view of the metropolis, stretching so far that is literally disappears into the horizon. On a clear day I hear it allows for a stunning view of Mt Fuji. In the evening, what better way to end the day with a drink, some jazz, and the city lights sparkling below you.

Shinjuku lights

2009-12-04T11:54:00.006+02:00

Never were bright advertisement lights so beautiful as they are in Shinjuku. Where New York's Times Square comes off as vulgar, Tokyo pulls it off as an exciting, organised chaos of masses of humanity and effervescence. Calling a challenge to New York Follies: Match this!

My bento lunch this Friday...

2009-12-04T11:51:00.001+02:00

...looked like this. Yum.

Kabuki-za

2009-12-04T08:01:00.011+02:00

Last night I went with a friend to see the December Kabuki-za evening show. We were the first ones in line for the second act of the evening show (single show tickets = cheapest seats at the back). Fifteen minutes later we were still the only ones in line. Then an older gentleman strolls over to us, asks us where we are from, then offers us two proper tickets for the whole show. He insisted that we take them, since he (ambiguously) told us he 'belongs to the house'. So, he handed us two tickets and saw us in, with some little gesture to the attendants we passed who bowed obediently. We still have no idea who he was, but were very happy with the surprise, and enjoyed the first two acts, Hikimado (The Skylight) and Yuki Keisei (Snow Courtesan), before heading out to dinner. Hikimado was about a sumo wrestler who murders someone and is hidden by his family from the magistrate. Yuki Keisei was a brilliant dance performance featuring Nakamura Shikan, a Living National Treasure, and no less than six of his grandchildren! A wonderful evening.

Unfortunately, photography during the performance is prohibited, so I leave you with an image of the billboard outside:

And the facade of the Kabuki-za theatre (located in Ginza and built in 1889) itself:

Rilakkuma

2009-11-30T16:55:00.000+02:00

You've already seen Rilakkuma riding a banana on a key chain. Rilakkuma is an adorable character (created by San-X in 2003). His name comes from a combination of rilak, which sounds like relax, and the Japanese word for bear, kuma (熊). And that's what he is: a bear that loves relaxing. Like every other character, Rilakkuma is available in a variety of shapes, sizes and functions. First, here he is in seasonal attire:

Rilakkuma will also help to keep your boots in shape in the closet:

Or listen to music when those iPod headphones fail you yet again:

Or help tell bedtime stories... Here he is as Little Red Riding Hood. (Vocal and motion credits to my friend Kiti):

Bananas

2009-11-29T16:15:00.000+02:00

I've noticed lots of banana themed products around, and gradually started gathering photos of them. Here is an assortment of my favourites. First, a banana-shaped banana box, which you might already be familiar with;

An electronic banana-shaped eraser:

A banana doorstopper (something I'm sure I've seen in the West too);

A Rilakkuma key chain where he's riding a banana, as his is duck friend Kiiroitori, also riding a banana:

And if you ever dreamed of a banana bag, here it is.

Meiji Jingu

2009-11-29T15:45:00.014+02:00

The Meiji Jingu (or shrine) located in Yoyogi Park at the fringes of Harajuku was built in 1920 to commemorate the Meiji emperor and empress, who are enshrined there. I took my guest there today.

(Photo from a quiet day in 2007 for an impression of the structure)

It was a Sunday, so quite busy with visitors and tourists.

You can make a wish on a plaque (for 500 yen). Foreigners left messages in English, like this one;

There were many little kimono-clad girls with their parents (still wondering what was the occasion);

There was also a busy wedding schedule, common for the weekend. We saw three wedding processions alone in the half-hour we were there;

Autumn in Yoyogi Park

2009-11-29T15:20:00.001+02:00

Yoyogi Park is (one of) Tokyo's equivalent's to New York's Central Park. Bordering Harajuku and incorporating the Meiji Jingu shrine, Tokyoites come here with their friends and family to do almost any outdoor recreation; ride their bikes, play baseball or badminton, play guitar, practice juggling or other skills, walk around, picnic, or watch some of the street performers scattered around the park. The foliage there is gorgeous at the moment, as you can see. The ground is covered with a golden lustre of yellow leaves.

Sur le pont de Harajuku

2009-11-29T15:10:00.002+02:00

The Harajuku brigde is known as one of the main places where cosyplayers, manga fans, gather on Sundays all dressed up, to meet and be seen on. I have to admit that I'm often disappointed with the show. Here are some snippets from this Sunday and the Sunday before last.

Random girl looking sad in a sheet...

Naughty schoolgirls...

Cosplay dancer...

This man has been at the Harajuku bridge for the last two years, as far as my eyes can bear witness. He is my favourite by far. The Sunday before last I think he was Alice in Wonderland...

He is often accompanied by a mascot and gives free hugs, here with me last year:

Dance lesson: Perfume

2009-11-26T13:21:00.005+02:00

This is the music video for the single "Dream Fighter" by Japanese pop group Perfume:

And here are some of their loyal copycat fans. Unbelievably kawaii.

And this guy executed all three parts alone with expert precision:

(This entry owes a special thank you to Joona-chan!)

Fish borne remove

2009-11-26T13:16:00.005+02:00

My mother picked up a pair of fishbone tweezers for me from the 100yen shop today...

... with an brief explanation in Engrish:

The hood vol. 2

2009-11-25T12:53:00.000+02:00

There is a lot of construction always going on in this embassy-ridden neighbourhood. One block nearby is completely under construction (three separate sites), with the exception of the Pakistani embassy. Japanese construction site, however, seem to be impeccably neat, without exception. Below is the site where they are erecting the European Commission, behind which one can already see the new buildings that will be a massive pensioner's home. Last is the Algerian Embassy site.

So, first, the European Commission site. Note the notice to neighbours. The weekly construction schedule is also delivered on paper to each home, with apologies of course. Also notice the constant sweeping that makes construction such a tidy task.

Then the site of the future Algerian Embassy. Same system. But unlike the Commission site, they also have a public decibel meter for concerned passers-by.

The hood vol. 1

2009-11-25T12:44:00.002+02:00

Yesterday afternoon I was able to get out for the first time in days and I made a short excursion around the neighbourhood en route to the second-hand bookshop in Shirokanedai. When you keep your eyes open you notice small things. I've limited this reportage to my favourite three.

This graffiti is on the side of French Embassy's former premises. Their new fancy building is ready and the old ones abandoned, now awaiting demolition. Before tearing down these skeletons, they invited a 70 Japanese and French artists to transform its walls into an exhibition. The building/exhibition has been baptised No Man's Land and will be open to the public from tomorrow November 26 to January 31. I'll be sure to report back when I have the chance to visit the show.

Some still haven't moved on to Kurisumasu lights because they're still stuck with their Halloween/Thanksgiving lights:

And finally, the statues outside the Shirokane graveyard never fail to capture my gaze:

Obama in Japan

2009-11-24T11:12:00.010+02:00

Since I started my PhD, I've been subscribed to Japan's Prime Minister's Cabinet e-mail letters. Mainly they keep one up-to-date about what the Cabinet has been working on, and some statements on current issues, from serious earthquakes to political hot potatoes like embezzlement scandals.

The last e-mail of course covered nothing else than President Obama's recent visit to Japan 13-14 November 2009. The main point of contention at the moment is the US bases in Japan, with public pressure for their closure escalating. Before any action could be taken, Hatoyama had this to say:

I believe it of the utmost importance that I first build an unwavering, strong relationship of trust -- a relationship of heart-to-heart understanding... The major outcome of our meeting was the groundwork that we thus established for neither side to lose, but rather for both sides to win, for sure.

"Please trust me."
"Absolutely, I trust you."

I strongly hope that the people of Japan will also believe in these words President Obama and I exchanged during our meeting.

Heart-warming!

But across the ocean, some US critics were not pleased with Obama's low bow to Emperor Akihito. Steve Colbert reports here.

And if you haven't already heard, Mrs Hatoyama's US connection is Tom Cruise, who she knew in a previous life. One amongst many spectacular things Mrs H has faith in:

Train chikan

2009-11-23T14:26:00.008+02:00

Still sick (though on the road to recovery), thus am yet unable to explore for myself. But I can still report on some things Japanese. An active Tokyoite twitterer I follow, Shibuya246 posted this photo of a poster of a policewoman warning train chikans that "Chickan is a crime! Don't ruin your life!"

Photo courtesy Shibuya246

What's this all about? You may have heard that in Japan there is a major problem with male commuters who grope women in trains, especially during rush hour, when the trains are at their most crowded. When this happens women are encouraged to shout "chikan!", meaning molester or pervert, stomp his foot and raise his hand in the air to make people aware of what is happening. There have been various attempts to put a stop to the harassment. Women-only carriages for rush hour were introduced in 2000, but their number will now be increased as the problem worsens. Surveys tend to agree that for example 60-70% of teenage schoolgirls have been subject to groping at least once. And, as the case usually is with sexual harassment, most instances go unreported and unpunished. Consequently, police presence in trains is not unheard of, and men caught in the act are fined. You can also find online help in how to protect yourself from chikan. Unfortunately the gropers have also formed their own cliques and support-groups, giving each other tips on police crackdowns and lines to avoid.

At the doctor vol.3

2009-11-20T17:11:00.008+02:00

Midnight visit to Dr. T. this time. Just got back. Knew that Day 6 of Torture had to be the last one or else. You know it when you can't speak or swallow your own saliva and occupy yourself trying to think of how to stay up all night because the prospect of sleep is so unthinkable.

A family member called up Dr. T. at 11 pm. We met at 11:30, pain relieved soon thereafter. I'll spare you the details. He was in a gray jersey sweater and jeans, not his collared shirt and white coat, altogether more relaxed after hours. I feel like I have seen a new side to Dr. T., a relaxed one that takes in patients outside normal hours and doesn't charge extra for it, but is nice and relaxed, you know, mi casa es su casa!

Was too much in shock/bliss/relief/confusion to register much else. Hands still shakey.

Pray you never get a peritonsillar abscess. It's really the most excruciating weight loss regime ever.

And as much as I like him and his nurses, I'll pray that this was my last visit to Dr. T.

Ima... oyasumi nasai!

At the doctor vol.2

2009-11-20T10:13:00.013+02:00

Today I had to make another trip to my new local Japanese GP. My pharyngitis hasn't gotten any better. I've spent the last days in bed in total agony! I have succumbed to writing notes to communicate and taking 800g of Ibuxin and 500g of Panacod to eat, that is, after they knock me out for an hour's nap time! My body is an opium den for any adventure-loving parasite. But this visit to the GP made me laugh heartily for the first time in days, several times too.

The doctor, henceforth Dr. T., performed the same routine as last time, first taking my temperature: "Low-grade fever, hmm". He then inspected my ears, now hurting from the pain in my throat.

"Mhmmm. Now open your mouth and say 'aah' please."
She cringes to brave the pain and does good Dr. T.'s bidding. He again keeps his distances and flashes in his little light into that dark chamber of affliction.
"Woah, oh my, okay, right!" he then explained with that little embarrassed Japanese laugh used to overcome potentially uncomfortable situations. Then the most impractical thing; Dr. T. handed the light to his raberii ashistanto (I mean, nurse!) who shone it in my throat while he gently prodded the back of it with one of those wooden sticks. Everyone in the food chain needs something to do, I suppose.

I was then told about the new complication in my illness that required me first to take an antibiotic injection in my bottom (!) then possibly come back the next day for an aspiration. I had a feeling he didn't want to tell me he'd probably have to do the needle aspiration tomorrow anyway, since after some net-research it sounds like standard procedure. Why frighten your patient unnecessarily? Make them laugh some more in the meantime.

So I was taken off to another room for the injection. The nurse giggled throughout.
"Oooh, does it hurt?" she asked, in a very happy tone of voice, once the needle was in.
"Not really. It might normally, but since my throat hurts so much, it's more like a tickle in comparison".
"Have you had this before?" hihihihihi
"Yes I think once when I was little, a polio vaccine or something", replied I.
"Aaah, ooh", hihihihi, "I have never had one, but I have given them, many many times!!" hihiii hiiiihiihihihiiii

We had such a great laugh. When it was all over she led me out back to the waiting room, "Thank you very maaach, take care please!"

Finally, when it was all over, Dr.T. came back with my new antibiotics. "Here are your antibiotics, stop taking the other ones, please. Take two tablets, once daily, for seven days, please. Please call me tomorrow and let me know how you are doing. Take care, please." Bow.

Exit.

Pussycat down / At the doctor vol.1

2009-11-17T12:46:00.007+02:00

So on Sunday I really got much sicker than I thought and am now nursing my third case of tonsillitis in a month, this time incomparably worse than before. On Monday morning I visited my first Japanese doctor (very lovely man he was), luckily, or else I wouldn't be feeling a tad better today. He first measured my temperature ("okay..."), then checked my ears ("uh-huh...") and then asked me to open my mouth and say aaah ("WOAH yes, okay"). Swallowing water is still intimidatingly agonising and speaking best avoided (communicated with pen and paper only for over 24h now), but I've escaped delirium now that my fever is down enough this evening so that I can catch up on blogging and start the biography on Coco Chanel that arrived yesterday. Well, I admit, I've really only looked through the photo plates, but it's a start. A couple more days in bed with my antibiotics and my 'acute pharyngitis' should be gone for good. I can't wait to eat again.

My antibiotics. Nothing like a cute pill.

Me-Meno (Harajuku)

2009-11-17T12:19:00.008+02:00

Recently, the Global Gallerina referred to the charming nostalgia enlivened by Rue Rembrant in Paris' 8th arrondissement. Such an ambiance is charmingly captured in a small nook of Tokyo, too. Well, no shop here is just a shop. It's usually an experience. There's a small shop in Harajuku on one of the small alleys down from Meiji Dori called Me-Meno that deals in vintage clothes, accessories and other knick-knacks, like old decorative hand-held mirrors, ancient picture frames, wired spectacles... (last year I spotted some very old Arabia ceramics there too). Helsinki's Play It Again Sam pales in comparison.

Yoyogi rockabillies

2009-11-17T11:55:00.003+02:00

You are almost guaranteed to come across rockabillies on any Sunday in Harajuku or Yoyogi Park. Last Sunday Yoyogi was very happening: four performances going on at once, right next to each other. One of them featured woman rockabillies, a novelty for me in Tokyo, with adorable polk-a-dotted puffy skirts and pastel colours. Straight from Grease. Here they are, hanging out and getting ready for their show, also featured below.

And I managed to get a snippet of one of the men's routines on video (...then my battery died):

Tori Amos 'Midwinter Graces' (2009)

2009-11-15T16:02:00.011+02:00

Strange things are happening. I've started photographing Japanese taking photos of Christmas lights, then started taking pictures of them myself. Earlier today I bought my first holiday season album. But, it's not just any seasonal collection. It is Tori Amos', her first ever, called Midwinter Graces, and it is charming. Her last studio album Abnormally Attracted to Sin was for me a disappointment; a repetitive album with too many drearily mundane tracks compressed into one volume. So Midwinter Graces didn't have to do much to satisfy this fan. (Tori Amos, as my musical goddess, usually doesn't have to either.) I've been enjoying it this evening as I lay in bed, struck down again by tonsillitis.

All twelve tracks are lovely original tunes. She's made use of her signature harpsichord again in the opening track, which has been noticeably absent in her last releases. My current favourite is 'Holly, Ivy and Rose'. The track has the special delight of featuring her daughter Natashya Hawley sing with her for the first time. And she takes after her mama, twisting her pronounciation like Tori ('to beeeeh his bride someday...'). 'Winter's Graces' ties in first too, every second chillingly beautiful, taking us back to her earlier sound, reminding us why we love Tori in the first place.

Some songs are more Christmasy than others, featuring words like 'noël', 'star' and 'child', etc. Others take themes from other Christmas classics like 'Silent Night' and transforms them into love songs, albeit with a suggestive bell chiming in the background. It is impossible to really figure out Amos' religiousness, and I think I prefer not to. She's the daughter of a preacher, but her tracks are often strongly critical of Christianity (from 'God' in Under the Pink, to 'Marys of the Sea' in The Beekeeper). She, quite rightly, maintains that ambiguity in this album too. The mood of the album is probably closer to a pagan festival than a Christmas celebration. Above all, Tori Amos is interested in the expression of the human heart and soul, its beauty and anguish, and here she succeeds. It is definitely not her best album, but a wonderfully welcome one.

Tori Amos
Midwinter Graces
2009 Universal

A new incentive to lose weight?

2009-11-14T13:34:00.008+02:00

Facade to a department at the Marui department store, Shinjuku

Kurisumasu lights part III: Shinjuku

2009-11-14T13:30:00.002+02:00

More dark and unclear photos, but what the heck. Small displays this time, but that doesn't subtract from their popularity.

It can also be a great idea to pose in front of the lights and have your girlfriend take a picture.

Penguins, too, are great to create that special holiday spirit of Kurisumasu.

French things... made into other things

2009-11-14T13:12:00.000+02:00

Today I strolled into a random shop in Shinjuku, mainly selling hats, but also some other accessories and trinkets. There was a shelf with French things... made into something different. For example, things that a tourist might pick up in Paris; Paris pins, keychains and Eiffel tower erasures.

But why not get a candle that looks like an éclair? What do you think about that; is it appetizing, romantic, both...?