kyonoki

Hidari-daimonji hiding amongst winter foliage


With a little bit of tiptoeing and squirming to and fro, this is a photo of the Hidari-Daimonji (far right) and the mountains above Kinkakuji, as taken from the platform of Nijo Station, close to our apartment. Winter seems to have abandoned the city this year. Where the hell is my snow!

29 01 07 - 13:11 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Monsters of the deep


Japan sits uncertainly on one of the most geologically unsound parts of the Earth, unshielded from the ravages of the open Pacific and the harsh cold of the Siberian/Mongolian plains to the far North. The deepest part of the Pacific lies just south of the Japanese mainland. The Mariana Trench is the deepest point (known) in the Earth's crust, an unknown subterranean universe unexplored by man. Fathomless. We know more about the Moon than we know about the deep oceans.	It comes as little surprise that some of the recent sightings of prehistoric and largely unproven sea creatures comes from scientific vessels and fishermen sailing Japan's most southernly waters. Ancient sharks, giant squid and huge bulbous jellyfish have all surfaced, causing us humans to stop and think about what exactly we don't know lies below the cargo ships and ferries that ply their trade in the seas of this planet.	Maybe because of global warming, maybe because of pollution and overfishing, or maybe because it is simply their time, these 'monsters' have been coming in more frequent contact with people. Is it not amazing that we now have scientific proof that giant squid exist, and that the oceans are once again home to immense creatures, wild and wonderful and terrifying. It is likely we will see more and more of these monsters of myth in the comings years. Frightening and yet astonishing.

28 01 07 - 06:07 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

You probably won't be seeing this photo anywhere else soon


Yet another instance of me snapping happily away in a place where cameras are out of bounds, even though I would have gladly slipped it back in my pocket had someone said something... so more pictures of Japan you are unlikely to see in guide books or on the internet.

27 01 07 - 07:47 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Trespass to darumas


Ki: Daruma dolls are hollow, round Japanese wish dolls. They are modelled on Bodhidharma, though technically have no legs and arms. When bought, the doll only has a single eye coloured in. If your goal is achieved, your hopes fulfilled or your dream comes true, then you colour in the second eye in thanks for your wishes being answered. Looking on a map of the city about our apartment I noticed Daruma-dera (Temple of Darumas) and so thought it might be interesting to investigate.		Daruma, being round, self right themselves if pushed over. Thus they are said to represent optimism and perseverance. More than 8000 daruma are enshrined in the temple, offered so that prayers might be answered. They are everywhere you look in the tiny Daruma-dera. One proud fact is that the world's best self-righting daruma lives here. More bizarrely, the souls of 400 people who worked in the Japanese film industry are enshrined here (why?).

Rhod: After a brief search, in vain, for the remains of the old Heian Palace (we'll find them next week), we headed for our main goal of the Daruma Temple. It's not hard to find, just a few streets behind the bustling, pachinko parlour lined main road, Marutamachi, and it proved exceptionally easy to enter. We walked straight in, feeling a bit uneasy about the lack of entry fee or, indeed, people (aside from the hose-pipe wielding contractors, in to clean up for the day).		Having taking scores of photographs of one of the halls, I ventured towards the more splendid main temple and garden, but at this point, one of the contractors interrupted our tour. "Excuse me, you're supposed to pay to come here" he said ('Excuse me' in English, the rest his native Japanese). Not really surprised, we put on our best 'Oh, oh, how awful of us' faces and made our way towards the (seemingly shut) little shop...

The lady there, clearly unhappy with us for no reason other than our not being Japanese, begrudgingly sold us some trinkets (which we bought out of good will, considering our trespass) and on further enquiry from me, our belated entry fee. And so we continued our trip around the remaining rooms and garden, all the time feeling as though we were invading someone's private area rather than enjoying a tour of an open cultural property. Sneaking through the musty, dusty hallways, we were still sure that something wasn't quite right. It didn't stop us, of course, and looking around one of the daruma filled rooms in particular felt like being a schoolboy in the headmaster's office, without his knowledge. There wasn't really much to see beyond these photos, so we headed for the exit. As we approached, we overheard a conversation between the curmudgeonly old woman and the same cleaner who interrupted us earlier. "Are they allowed to go into the storage rooms?" "No, certainly not!". "I don't supposed they are allowed to take photos anywhere, either?" "No, no, of course not!". We walked past, pretending not to have understood, but grinning with a mixture of guilt, and triumph.

27 01 07 - 07:39 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

The age old question of what happens to Santa's elves after the Christmas rush is finally answered

23 01 07 - 10:33 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Pleasure gardens




Swamped by the maze of small streets that web their way around Nijo Castle, sits a small remnant of the pleasure gardens that once swept across the Southern part of the Imperial Palace. Now a dragon boat sits on the black pond-waters -a floating restaurant for tourists who flock to part with their cash in return for traditional food- as a nod to the god that were once worshipped here. I have cycled by the high tiled walls countless times, just able to make out the grinning head of the dragon, but assumed it was little more than a highly coveted dining establishment (as people flood out of idling coaches at all times of day). Going around the complex reveals an entirely different perspective...a small shrine perched on an island, reached by the arched vermillion of the famed Hosei Bridge. When Emperor Kammu founded Heiankyo (Kyoto) in 794, he reclaimed the marsh that flanked the Southern wall of the Imperial Palace and transformed it into pleasure gardens. Because a spring of pure water gushed within, it was named Shinsen-en. Within the vast gardens sat the Kenrinkaku (the main palace), Tsuri-dono (the palace for the enjoyment of fishing) and the Taki-dono (the palace of the waterfall). Successive emperors and officials enjoyed boating, flower viewing, poetry contests, archery and sumo in the gardens. Legends say that Kobo Daishi (Kukai) held a rain praying ceremony here. At the time of its construction the island within the pond was dedicated to Zennyo-ryou (Buddhist nun-Dragon Queen), who descended from the rain and was thought to control it. In 863 during an outbreak of pestilence, people prayed at the shrine for the incessant rain to stop.

21 01 07 - 06:57 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

If we were in Dallas

17 01 07 - 10:29 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Barefoot Gen


I think I may have mentioned Barefoot Gen before. Through the titular scamp's eyes we see war-time Hiroshima before the devastating bomb destroys both city and his family. In cartoon form it presents a bold vision of how things were before and after the world fell under the shadow of nuclear threat. Maybe because it is a cartoon, Keiji Nakazawa paints a vivid world quite easy to swallow and all the more horrific when it is torn apart by monumental tragedy. The story is almost entirely autobiographical and goes in to extraordinary detail. Nakazawa is making no great comments on war-time blame through his work (if anything he shows a startling balanced view), simply suggesting that peace should be our only consideration now that we have faced two devastating world wars. It is on very few occassions that I have thought somebody should read something, that it is utterly important that they do. Barefoot Gen is about as close as I would come to thrusting a book in to the hands of a friend and telling them they really should try it. I am no great fan of manga, and prefer reading novels, but there is something hypnotic about seeing Nakazawa's life retold box by box, caption by caption. I have visited Hiroshima a handful of times (a city I absolutely love) and pondered the terrible events that led to the end of war. I have written university essays on America's choice to use the bomb on Hiroshima. And I have read ten or so novels dealing with the run-up to and the aftermath of the first nuclear attack. Barefoot Gen not only puts events into perspective, it brings a humanity to a subject that can otherwise leave you numb and a reality with it that is often hard to swallow. The whole reason for this post is that I only knew a little about Gen before coming to Japan, and did not realise it was in English (as well as Japanese) until a few years ago (a charitable organisation is responsible for the translation, which explains both why it has taken so long and why it has been translated at all). If you ever wanted to know more about Hiroshima, then I would suggest starting here. While 'Black Rain' and 'Hiroshima' (by John Hersey) stand out, Gen is an entirely different creature. While part of you enjoys it, another part of you has trouble realising all these things actually happened. And if cartoons put you off? Well give it a go. I am not a big fan of cartoons, but these graphic novels are very different. It is not all doom and gloom. Gen is a truly loveable character.

10 01 07 - 08:07 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Three comedies tickling our chortle spots


It is a funny thing, but I had all but given up on finding a new comedy to love and embrace, when all of a sudden a pile were delivered right to my door. They are all (unintentionally) from Channel 4, and many -if not most- of the actors leap from one show to the other. Green Wing has to be my comedy of choice for keeping my mind from wandering and my hands from fiddling (a usual problem with my lack of patience). I have Louisa to thank for this and cannot get enough of the truly bizarre visual gags. British comedy is the best way to relax after a hard day's work.	Then there is Spaced. I'd heard so much about it and hadn't really sat down and watched it until Rhod made me do so. It really is the precursor to Shaun of the Dead and as surreal and movie referencing as all modern comedies seem to be nowadays. While I loathe Nighty Night, Nathan Barley and Jam, Spaced will forever be a classic that was pulled before it truly had a chance to shine. But then again, with its cult status proudly assured, maybe poor viewing figures did it a favour.	The common theme, aside from the actors and writers, of all these comedies is the sad fact that they are all finished. So I have to savour what I can, knowing that when I put the last DVD in the machine, I will be frantically searching for a new show come the new week. And from Japan it is hard to make sensible judgements. I am about to give Peep Show a try and fingers crossed will like it. Whatever Channel 4 is doing of late, keep doing it. God forbid I get fed more awful American shows about terrorism, doctors or murder. Arrested Development come back! We need you!

09 01 07 - 09:47 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Field of the dead



The unusal temple Adashino Nembutsu-ji stands on the site of an old graveyard where the poor of the area once abandoned their dead, leaving them exposed to the sun, wind and rain. A priest named Kukai founded the small temple, and it was he who was responsible for burying the dead and praying for their souls (especially those who could not afford the ceremony). Later the famed sculptor Tankai carved a statue of Amida Buddha which increased the renown of the temple. So much so, that in 1712 new temples were built up around the original statue. Nembutsu-ji remains a cemetary for the small town of Adashino, but it is a pilgrimage site because of its field of small stone buddhas, all gathered before the temple verandah. There are 8000 weathered images surrounding the central seated figure of buddha, who gazes benevolently upon them all. Originally they were made as gravestones for the dead who were buried in Adashino from the Heian period (793-1183) through to the Edo period (1615-1868). While no records remain to tell us who each stone belonged to, they are presumed to be for the wealthier citizens and for many years lay hidden in the bamboo groves on the hills about the town. About a hundred years ago, they were collected and brought together in the precinct of Nembutsu-ji. On 23rd and 24th of August each year, a thousand candles are offered for the reposing of ancestral spirits. After the long cycle into the hills, we lifted our feet and sped down through the twisting lanes that cut their way from the foot hills of Nembutsu-ji to Arashiyama. Letting intuition guide our wheels we rolled to a stop at the imposing monolithic hall of Seiryo-ji. Once a moor on the very edge of Kyoto, Saga was the home to many villas of the wealthier classes. Seiryo-ji began life as such, but in 987 was converted to a temple and is best known for its statue of the historical buddha. Copied from an earlier Chinese statue carved in Buddha's lifetime, the image is said to be as close to the real Buddha that we are likely to get. Sadly the original was lost to China and now only a copy of a copy remains, shown on the 8th and 19th of every month. Most odd is the octagonal revolving sutra shelves. By spinning the vast creation you are said to receive enlightenment. Rhod went round twice. I am not sure what this means.

06 01 07 - 13:48 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Another photo of Japan you are unlikely to see


Another sacred site, another forbidden photo. In my defense I believe that the lost souls of the people these buddhas represent would be glad that they have not been forgotten and are remembered still. The field of 8000 small statues -swamping a seated buddha upon a pedastal- sits upon the bamboo forested slopes of Adashino.

06 01 07 - 12:02 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Vignettes


Back in the days when Jess and Tomomi were strapped for cash, they made a series of naughty vignettes called 'Spontaneous sleepover at Nishiohji after three bottles of wine'. Sadly, these are all that remain.

05 01 07 - 09:54 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Turning the other cheek


As the colours bleed out of the days, Kyoto is a cold expanse of browns and greys. You can tell Winter has come when the dry winds freeze your insides*.	Braving the New Year crowds flocking to pay their respects at shrines, we chose the often overlooked temple, Eikando. The karamon pictured was the gate used by messengers of the emperor.	I had fun running along the garyuro. This wooden corridor follows the contours of the mountain and is said to look like a sleeping dragon, curled up around the craggy rockface.

From the taho-to (two story pagoda) Kyoto looks warm and hazy, and relatively flat for a Japanese city. Eikando is named after the priest Eikan, who did a great deal for the poor. Originally it had been called Zenrin-ji (853).	On our 3 km walk back to the Kamo river, we passed by the famous Heian-jingu Shrine. Stuffed full of stalls and bursting with people, we didn't dare attempt to make a visit on this, the most important date in the Japanese calendar.	Rhod pours water down a well. It makes a sound like the koto (an ancient Japanese stringed instrument). During the Onin Wars of the Muromachi period and Anti-Buddhism movements of the Meiji period, Eikando was destroyed.

In the early hours of February 15th 1082, the priest Eikan was praying whilst walking around an image of Buddha. The statue came to life, stepped down, and walked away whilst beckoning Eikan on.	Speechless, Eikan watched in awe as the Amida** turned back and urged him on. The image was captured in sculpture and the 'Looking-back Amida' has made Eikando a famous pilgrimage site.	Eikando preaches the repeated recitation of the name 'Nembutsu' (Buddha) from the heart as a way of attaining enlightenment. Truly a grand day out and a hidden gem oft forgotten in tourist guides.

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04 01 07 - 21:50 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Your guide to making takoyaki (with Tomomi cook)


Takoyaki are octopus balls. Or to put it another more palatable way, small balls of batter with cabbage, ginger, spring onions and pieces of octopus inside.	A few birthdays ago Tomomi gifted us a takoyaki maker, so naturally it has sat gathering dust in our cupboard all this while.	But time has come for me to pull it out and shake off all the useless kitchen items that have collected up around it. Tomomi cycled to ours for a sleepover and for Jess's farewell takoyaki party.

Here in pictorial form, with the lovely Tomomi cook, is how to make takoyaki.	Your rough ingredients are: octopus, cabbage, spring onions, ginger, dried shrimp, eggs, water, flour and Rice Krispies*.	After everything is chopped, you make your batter from the eggs, water and special flour. It should be very watery.

With your takoyaki maker (pre-heated), sprinkle in octopus (most important for this recipe), cabbage, onions, Rice Krispies, dried shrimp and ginger.	Then, in each little cuplet pour some batter so that each one is filled to the top.	Now it's time to start cooking. Allow a little while for the mixture to start frying (it will begin to change colour).

The tricky part comes next. With a small wooden skewer (or the like), gently run it around the edge of each cuplet.	Then, flick the mixture over. Thus you will be able to cook the other side, while at the same time creating a ball of batter.	With your finished octopus balls, sprinkle on okonomiyaki sauce (basically ketchup mixed with Worcestershire sauce), mayonnaise, dried bonito flakes and sprinkles of seaweed. Eat and enjoy.

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04 01 07 - 13:16 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

The back of the 10 yen coin


Long ago, in the 4th century, the son of Emperor Ojin built his palace on the river plains of the Uji-gawa. Because it was half way between the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara, it grew in prominence. Various temples and shrines were built on the mountain slopes, and the town became synonymous with the tea that grew about the famous natural springs. The Tsuen tea shop is perhaps the oldest in the world, serving since 1160.		I am always reluctant to visit the city, as it lies along the train track I take every day to go to work. But as I have foolishly rushed my parents to the tourist spots about Uji in the past, I realise that I have overlooked many of the temples and shrines that make it famous. So Rhod, Jess and I wrapped up warm and walked the quiet river-side streets of the town, exploring this quiet backwater off the beaten track. Winter seems to make it an unpopular tourist destination.

Fujiwara Yorimichi (advisor to the emperor, who held only theoretical power) built Byodoin Temple in 1052 out of his father's villa, and constructed the Phoenix Hall (Hou-do) the following year. It is best known today as being the temple depicted on the back of the 10 yen coin. The 52 Worshipping Bodhisattvas on Clouds, floating about the walls of the main hall, are the oldest remaining set of buddha statues from the 11th century. It is all very serene, and surprisingly small.		Kosho-ji Temple (1648) sits across the river and is famed for its kotozaka (sloped entrance) which runs through a forest of cherry, azalea and maple trees that change colour throughout the year. We also visited Ujigami Shrine, dedicated ot Emperor Ojin and his two sons. Ujigami is considered the oldest original shinto shrine in Japan, and is built around one of Uji's seven renowned natural springs (Kirihara-mizu). All in all, a very cold walk back sixteen centuries.

04 01 07 - 03:24 - Kieren - Photostory| No comments - § ¶

Farewell 2006


It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. While journeying across Japan gave us moments to breathe and enjoy the best of our home away from home, work has pushed us to the brink of despair, time and again. The latter half of the year has more than made up for the crunch-addled first six months. One thing was consistent throughout - our consumption of modern media continued apace! So here for your consideration are the tunes we have hummed along with, movies that got our hearts racing, and the games that have had us scratching our heads and giggling (!) with delight.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. While journeying across Japan gave us moments to breathe and enjoy the best of our home away from home, work has pushed us to the brink of despair, time and again. The latter half of the year has more than made up for the crunch-addled first six months. One thing was consistent throughout - our consumption of modern media continued apace! So here for your consideration are the tunes we have hummed along with, movies that got our hearts racing, and the games that have had us scratching our heads and giggling (!) with delight.

Favourite TV Show
Ki: The West Wing without a doubt. In the three months up tp Christmas I watched the entire 7 series and other shows simply pale against it. Not only the best show of the year, but possibly the best show ever. BBC Planet Earth comes a very close second. Breathtakingly beautiful.	Rhod: 2006 represents for me, the year I stopped watching TV in any interested way. That said, Catherine Tate brought many a laugh, and French & Saunders' new 'Jam & Jerusalem' really drew me in. My victor, rather embarrassingly, though, has to be Desperate Housewives, once more. The second series lacked the charm of the first, and the third looked to be following suit but then, hurrah, managed to pull out all the same confusion and twisty storylines that made it like a lighter-hearted twin peaks in the first place.
Favourite Song and Album
Ki: Scissor Sisters supposedly sold out, but their newest album is bombastically retro and all the more addictive because of it. Maybe if Rhod and I were living in the UK we would want to plug our ears by now, but I can still happily hum along to 'I don't feel like dancing' (my favourite music video of the year) without getting a nervous twitch. Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' snatches best song for me. John Powell has provided the only memorable scores this year for the movies, skipping genres to paint some wonderful melodies.	Rhod: Sigur Ros' emotional, wonderfully eloquent 'Takk' is without doubt my album of the year. Every single melancholic note builds towards repeated furiously raw peaks, at times heart-breaking, others triumphant. I cannot recommend it strongly enough. Ki's choice of the Scissor Sisters forms my backup, and has provided for much bedroom-dancing, but the gulf between the two is wide.
Favourite Movie
Ki: A tough one. Not a great year for cinema by any means, but in the end I would have to don my cap to V for Vendetta. Not perfect by any means, but a brilliant reimagening of a fascist Britain (oh so possible). Layer Cake scores second place. Daniel Craig is the most watchable male lead for me this year, though Rhod would most definately disagree. Roll on December 2007 and Phil Pullman's 'The Golden Compass'...Daniel Craig taking on God and Nicole Kidman playing a bitch.	Rhod: Yep, if 2006 saw me fall out of love with TV, it saw me involved in a vicious, hurtful break-up with movies. Brokeback Mountain wins for me, as it wonderfully demonstrated the complexities, strength, and frailty of love. Other than Ki's choice of 'V for Vendetta', there is not a single film that I can say I enjoyed enough to mention in a positive light. On the other hand, I can tell you that I detested The Producers for its shameful attempt to hide outdated ideals and well-trodden cliches behind a post-modern veneer. Mission Impossible 3 tipped the balance for me when it comes to violence (the new 'US-gritty' kind) in movies, and I'm no longer willing to spend money on any film that sees itself in competition, shock-wise, with the real horrors of World events. Superman Returns was a confused, occasionally disturbing, mess, and its director Mr. Singer would have been better off sticking with the X-Men and not letting that trilogy die the undignified, shambolic death that it did, in such a big-budget way.
Favourite Game
Ki: I'm still impatient and fussy when it comes to computer games and inevitably toss the latest game aside to revisit the Mario Universe of yesteryear. Strangely Machigai Museum (a spot the difference game) was my most played handheld game of the year, and I enjoyed it when I can't find any sensible reason why I should. Any game that can get non-gamers joining in and laughing along gets my vote of the year, thus I put to you that Wario Ware Smooth Moves! should steal the title console game of 2006.	Rhod: Well, obviously this is tricky. Starfox Command ranks very highly now, with the hindsight and rose-tinted glasses in full effect. But in terms of games made by other people, the list is long and exceptionally hard to put in any order. So I shall list those games that I feel truly, truly, already deserve the recognition that gaming might just start to achieve in the next few years. Rhythm Tengoku, for its ingenuity and single-minded dedication to one simple, refined concept (keep the rhythm) New Super Mario Bros., for proving that 2D games can still be made to the same quality and depth that they used to reach before 3D became the norm. Elite Beat Agents, for basically being Ouendan 2, and thus the successor to the greatest DS game before it.The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess , for being the pinnacle of action-adventure gaming, and for delivering further on the promise of every Zelda game before it. Also, for teaching me that playing a game with my hands apart is a liberating thing indeed. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl, for finally giving me a Pokemon game I can take online, and the chance to build up a sizeable collection once more! Odoru: Made In Wario (Wario Ware Smooth Moves), for showing off in one game scores of the different game mechanics we can expect to see opened up over the next few years with the Wii remote.
Favourite Book
Ki: Because of my large commuting time, I get through a lot of books so it really is hard to choose. A couple stick in the mind. 'The Penelopiad', 'The Harsh Cry of the Heron', 'London' and 'The Stolen Child' to name a few. Osamu Tezuka's 'Buddha' graphic novels are a must read.	Rhod: Hrm. Do Naruto comics count? I just don't really read anything that isn't a Japanese Language textbook, or related to work in some way. Sad.
Things That Have Been Grinding Our Gears
Ki: My number one thing is drivers. Japanese people are the worst drivers in the world (yes, yes, gross exaggeration perhaps). Japan can sure make cars, but have problems when it comes to driving cars, trucks, bicycles and anything with a wheel. Part of it is the communal blindness of living in such a crowded country, but the rest is sheer stupidity and rudeness. Japanese women with high heels, umbrellas, handbags and cellphones simultaneously swinging around their arms have to rate as the worst cyclists in the world.	Rhod: Kieren's insistance that 'people being generally rubbish' is actually 'Japanese people being generally rubbish'. Boy oh boy, the shock that's coming when he's back shopping at Tesco :) .
Favourite Place Visited
Ki: I have been retreading a lot of ground this year, revisiting places I briefly stayed at some years ago with Louisa and my ma and pa. Taking Rhod to these spots has been fantastic. Because they were completely new to me Amanohashidate and Ise were the most spectacular trips.	Rhod: Amanohashidate, certainly. I got to swim deep in a warm ocean, unwittingly surrounded by Jellyfish, for hours. But we've been on numerous fantastic little adventures this year. Nara, Ise, Tokushima, Kanazawa... it's amazing where a cheap three hour bus ride can get you from Kyoto.
Least Favourite Place Visited
Ki: Kyoto Zoo and Futami Aquarium. Disgustingly, badly treated animals.	Rhod: Kyoto Zoo. Shocking, disgusting, appauling, inhumane, the very best example of where there really is a right, and a wrong, and this is the wrong.
Most Treasured Item This Year
Ki: My Mogu pillows. They are wonderful, better than pets, and lie within reach of my sleep at all times. Rhod bought me a giant one for our anniversary and I love it.	Rhod: Probably my DS Lite. Wii should take it, because I've never been so enthused or excited about anything, but the DS has been at my side in business meetings (as a japanese->english dictionary), on our numerous adventures around Japan (killing time on train journeys and on those odd nights in tiny towns where there's nothing to do), in my bed every night (helping me stay up playing games whilst Ki gets his rest for his early start), and, rather antisocially, when I'm forced out to the pub and would rather just be playing silly rhythm games.
Favourite New Technological Purchase
Ki: Mac Mini. I love computers again.	Rhod: Aha! This one is Wii. No doubt about it. It's opened up a whole new area of gaming, for Ki, for me, and even our sceptical friends.
Favourite Restaurant
Ki: The ramen restaurant opposite our apartment. Delicious, cheap and a one minute walk away.	Rhod: Oh yes oh yes. Our local family-run 'sakura ramen' is a real gift, and our weekly visits there are unmissable.

02 01 07 - 02:29 - Kieren - Photostory| one comment - § ¶

Happy New Year!






Happy New Year, readers! This is how we saw it in. Here's hoping you had similar amounts of drunken fun.

01 01 07 - 11:34 - Kieren - Photostory| one comment - § ¶

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京のキー

Hidari-daimonji hiding amongst winter foliage

Monsters of the deep

You probably won't be seeing this photo anywhere else soon

Trespass to darumas

The age old question of what happens to Santa's elves after the Christmas rush is finally answered

Pleasure gardens

If we were in Dallas

Barefoot Gen

Three comedies tickling our chortle spots

Field of the dead

Another photo of Japan you are unlikely to see

Vignettes

Turning the other cheek

Your guide to making takoyaki (with Tomomi cook)

The back of the 10 yen coin

Farewell 2006

Happy New Year!

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