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Friday Flash...More Chocolate...
2007-06-08 10:50:00
Seems every week theres a new kind of chocolate bar or flavour on the shelf awaiting chocoholics like myself.This week I spotted these new additions from Meiji a local confectionery company.The two boxes differ in that one contains 86% cacao(the silver box) while its green counterpart boasts having a lower 72% cacao content.I found the silver 86% cacao too bitter for my taste and while the 72% chocolate is still bitter at least I could finish the small bite sized portion enclosed in the foil wrapper.Im sure theres a market for this kind of chocolate otherwise it wouldnt be on the shelves..maybe Im not sophisticated enough to appreciate how delicate and refined it is,having been bribed and reared on such sugary sickly sweet diabetes inducing delights as chocolate marshmellow fish,gum snakes,Cadbury Caramel Eggs and Whittakers Peanut Bars.
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Book Review..
2007-06-04 00:59:00
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive. Alexander McCall Smith.218pages.Polygon.2007.Book number eight in "The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency " series sees the focus move from the main character Precious Ramotswe and concentrate more on a couple of the minor characters.Mma Ramotswe's assistant Mma Makutsi begins to get a bit big for her boots or rather her shoes and faces the consequences while apprentice mechanic Charlie also features as he tries to gain his independence and leave his employment at the garage.The cases the Agency investigate in this book provide the chance for some more philosphical writing and comments about relationships,society and justice.Its not heavy handed and some of the observations are amusing and humorous such as the need for people to have job titles or why men never throw away old clothes.As with the earlier books in the series I enjoyed reading about a different life,society and country.I particularly liked the opening as Precious potters about in the morning...
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Sumo...New Yokozuna
2007-06-04 00:39:00
Following two good displays in the March Spring Tournament and winning the recent Summer Tournament with a 15-0 performance Hakuho was promoted to the rank of yokozuna late last week.He becomes the 69th yokozuna, the top sumo rank and the first promotion since 2003.The last wrestler promoted was fellow Mongolian wrestler Asashoryu whom he beat on his way to winning the Emperors Cup and securing his promotion bid. Barely 22 years old,he becomes the third youngest yokozuna after making his debut in March 2001.His promotion augurs well for the upcoming tournament in Nagoya.I havent seen two yokozuna since the days of Takanohana,Akebono and Masashimaru back in 2002-2003.Asashoryu will be fighting to show his 10 win 5 loss record in the last basho was a glitch while Hakuho will be trying to show he is worthy of the top rank.I'll also be hoping to see Baruto on the comeback trail after injury and Kaio the veteran ozeki who downed Asashoryu on the way to keeping a winning record last ti...
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Friday Flash...
2007-06-01 11:33:00
Fine clear weather for the first of June.I ate this bento from the corner store in the sunshine.In the left section you can find(left to right) meguro or tuna atop a finger of rice and a dash of wasabi.Nestled in the middle is tai or snapper (white flesh and kind of rubbery) and on the end ebi or shrimp.The middle section contains various sachets and garnishes to mix with the sushi rolls and soba noddles which occupy the right hand side of the bento.The blackish sachet in the centre contains a watery vingeary sauce which you drizzle over the noddles.Sitting on the noddles as a garnish are radish like sprouts.Eating the cold noddles is refreshing on such a warm day.
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Dali Multifaceted Exhibition
2007-05-28 01:37:00
"I dreamed I saw Dali with a supermarket trolley"(U2).Dodging the rain Friday afternoon,I braved the crowds to view the Salvador Dali exhibition currently at the Nagoya City Art Museum.Billed as "Dali Multifaceted".In my ignorance I thought of him only as the eccentric spiky mustachioed gent who was into melting watches.On show from his sixty odd year career were those dissolving timepieces but also examples of clothing,furniture,magazine covers,advertising campaigns and perfume bottles he had created and designed.For a Friday afternoon the gallery was crowded.Populated with schoolkids and businessmen who should have been elsewhere at that time of the day.Not gazing at decaying birds and swarms of ants.Packed with pushy older women haughtily pushing in front of others and jostling to get a view while most people filed orderly past each piece on display.It was difficult on occasions to spend enough time trying to decipher the hidden meanings behind the surreal creations as other view...
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Book Review. The Beautiful Game?
2007-05-28 00:53:00
The Beautiful Game ? Searching for the Soul of Football. David Conn 388pages.Yellow Jersey Press.2005I read this detailed,informative book recently.Appropriately enough at the time I was going to see a lower league football match.David Conn is an investigative journalist but first and foremost the book comes across as a labour of love from a football fan.Detailed,yet not bogged down with facts and figures it covers the origin and growth of the game.It describes the "whole new ball game" of the Premier League and finishes in the 2005 season.Included are chapters on such events as Bradford and Hillsborough and the stories of Wimbledon and York City Football Clubs.The work covers the changes in the financial and governing situation of the game.How the splitting of TV and sponsorship money,the creation of the Premier League and the floating of clubs has changed the landscape in which clubs operate and survive.How it is possible for some Premier players to earn more than 100,000 pounds a ...
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Friday Flash....Food Photos
2007-05-25 09:30:00
I bought this bento in London near the Embankment tube station on my vacation last month.The shop belonged to a chain called Wasabi.The website helpfully printed on the paper bag is www.wasabi.uk.com if you are interested.Price wise it worked out similiar to what I`d pay here in Nagoya.There was a good selection of lunchboxes on the shelves including some non strictly Japanese fare such as California type rolls sporting avocado filling.From my brief sojourn in London it seems Japanese food is popular if the number of chains is any indication.There seems to have been a rash of different kinds of KitKats available recently.The upmarket brandy and orange kitkat is a little more expensive than the other two recent additions to the range.The kitkat which proclaims to contain 72% cocoa is definitely more bitter than its 61% counterpart which I found milder and more to my taste.Im not sure what the marketing strategy is but I wouldnt be buying the higher cocoa containing chocolate again. H...
More About: Food , Flash , Photos , Friday , Frida

Friday Flash...A Few More England Pics
2007-05-18 11:15:00
Just a few more photos of my recent trip to England ... Problems with Blogger trying to post but I think Ive resolved it with a little help...The first shows one of the colourful flowerbeds in St James's Park,Central London.This next photo is near dusk looking from Nelson's Column down to Big Ben in the distant background.One thing I noticed that was very different between London and Nagoya was the quality of the light.It seemed clearer and sharper in London.Another shot of Lincoln Cathedral from the walls of the nearby Castle.Finally a photo of The Honest Lawyer pub in Scunthorpe.One of many venues on Saturday 5th May full of happy Scunthorpe United Football supporters from the four corners of the world celebrating the teams promotion.
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England Trip Part 1.
2007-05-13 14:36:00
What follows is a review of my recent trip to England .One of the highlights was being a spectator at the final game of the season between Scunthorpe and Carlisle on Saturday May 5th.After the game,Scunthorpe United was presented with the League One Champions Trophy and winners medals.Next season the team will play in the Championship for the first time in fourty odd years.A remarkable achievement considering the size of the club and its resources.I'll write more about it next week.Before the game I spent a few days in London before heading off to Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire.A slow six hour bus ride.I also visited Lincoln,an interesting spot about two hours from Scunthorpe by bus.
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London Museums and Other Attractions
2007-05-13 13:58:00
It goes without saying there are many museums and other attractions in London .Unlike Japan many of the museums are free to enter or merely suggest you give a small donation.Imperial War MuseumThe first museum I visited was the Imperial War Museum.It is devoted to conflicts in the twentieth century from World War One to the present day.From the battlefield to the homefront,from conscientious objectors to Holocaust victims the museum has a diverse number of displays.The IWM features a huge atrium displaying various tanks,missiles,guns and military hardware.Overhead WW1 and WW2 planes (such as a Camel and Spitfire) are suspended from the ceiling.Various floors are devoted to different conflicts e.g WW1,WW2,Post 1945 and theaters of war e.g the Home Front and the Gulf War with lots of uniforms and medals on display.Theres a WW1 trench display you can walk through and a Holocaust Exhibition which is harrowing and disturbing to view.Apart from the archive film playing,the display of shoes...
More About: Attractions , Museums , Trac

Kew Gardens Kew Gardens in West Londo...
2007-05-13 13:36:00
Kew Garde ns Kew Gardens in West London contains the worlds most comprehensive botanical collection on earth within its 120 hectare grounds.As well as enormous hothouses containing palms,orchids and cacti there are specimen trees,seasonal walks and decorative flowerbeds.Last time I visited in winter the grounds were bare so it was great to revisit in late spring and see trees in leaf,drifts of bluebells and magnolias in bud.Victoria and Albert MuseumFinally I made a quick whistle stop tour of the V and A Museum which contains collections of decorative art and design.There are over 150 galleries containing such things as Chinese Ceramics,Rodin sculptures,jewellery,glass,metalware and clothes amongst other things.The two and a half hours I spent werent enough and I'll have to revisit it in the future.
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Lincoln City
2007-05-13 12:49:00
Lincoln,the county capital of rural Lincolnshire,Eastern England is dominated by a hilltop Gothic cathedral which overlooks the town centre below.As well as the Cathedral which featured in "The Da Vinci Code" there is a Norman Castle and steep streets lined with Tudor style buildings and a number of interesting museums.The Cathedral dates from Norman times and has three huge towers.There are various tours for visitors to take including a floor and roof guided tour.I took a roof tour which gave me an insight into how it was built as well as some great views of the city below and surrounding countryside.The Norman Castle nearby used used to house the city court and prison.Again,there are some great views of the centre and a chance to walk around the castle walls.Lincoln MuseumsA ten minute signposted walk from the castle finds you outside the Museum of Lincolnshire Life.The museum has an interesting mixture of collections and displays of life in Lincolnshire.Theres a domestic wing wit...
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Friday Flash...Back from Blighty
2007-05-11 06:35:00
Arrived back from England late last Wednesday after a whirlwind tour of London,Lincoln and Scunthorpe. Some photos I took while away with more to follow...Tube sign near the Houses of Parliament London.An exhibit from the ironware section of the Victoria and Albert Museum LondonOne of the glasshouses at Kew Gardens just outside London.Some Scunthorpe United players after the Carlisle game and presentation ceremony.Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln probably best known for its appearance in the movie "The Da Vinci Code".
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London Calling
2007-04-23 02:05:00
This will be the last post for two weeks or so as I make a quick trip to England.As stated in previous posts, Im off to Scunthorpe to see Scunthorpe United pick up the League One Championship title Saturday May 5th.I hopefully will be able to see a little more of Lincolnshire in the days before the game.Prior to travelling up to Scunthorpe,a five hour bus ride from London , I hope to catch up with some friends in London and visit a couple of museums and galleries.Next post should be up early May.
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Kit Kats..Raspberry Flavour
2007-04-23 01:56:00
Another new Limited Edition mini kit kat flavour appeared on the shelves of the local supermarkets and convenience stores last week.These raspberry kit kats are coated in brown chocolate on the outside and inside the fudge like biscuits have two layers of raspberry flavour coating.Not one of my favourite kit kat flavours but the banana ones would be hard to beat.
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Appropriate or Not?
2007-04-23 01:43:00
Not sure if Im being overly sensitive but I did a double take when I saw these two cartoons appearing in the two local newspapers.Given the recent massacre in the States not sure if the Dilbert cartoon which appeared in The Japan Times Saturday April 21 was appropriate with its reference to serial killers.The Bliss cartoon appeared in The Daily Yomiuri Sunday April 15 and again given the recent murder and stalking case in Japan I dont think it was in the best taste.
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Friday Flash...Up the Iron
2007-04-21 02:21:00
A sneak preview of the flag Im taking to Scunthorpe United's last game of the season against Carlisle Saturday 5 May.Scunthorpes nickname is "The Iron " and Ive also written some kanji on the flag which includes the words "believe" and "iron" in Japanese.Also listed is this seasons games and scores.Hopefully I can put it up somewhere in Glanford Park and get some signatures and autographs on it.
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Up The Iron
2007-04-16 01:53:00
Scunthorpe United Football Club won promotion to the second tier of English football on Saturday.Home to Huddersfield.2-0.It will be their first visit to what is now the Coca Cola Championship in forty three years.Amazing,given that they were one of the favourites to be relegated at the start of the season and quoted at 66/1 odds to win League One.Over the past fifty years Scunthorpe,nicknamed "The Iron ",have consistently been one of the least successful clubs in the Football League.Every promotion since 1972 has been followed by instant relegation.Claims to FameIn the 1970s three English sportsmen of note played for Scunthorpe.Former Liverpool and England players Ray Clemence and Kevin Keegan played for Scunthorpe early in their careers while the English cricketer Ian Botham made 7 appearances when the team was in the lower divisions.Another odd claim is the so-called "Scunthorpe Problem".In the middle of the word "Scunthorpe" is an obscene four letter word starting with 'c'.Obsc...

Friday Flash..Random Photos
2007-04-13 09:45:00
Just some random shots I took this week....This sign appears above the entrance of a nearby apartment building in Osu Kannon. "Happy" appears to be the name of the company that occupies the building.Only the big orange machine in the middle is a real vending machine.The ones alongside are just cleverly painted.The name of a small bar on one of the backstreets behind Osu Kannon Temple.The sign virtually is the width of the premises.
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Springtime in Shirotori Garden Nagoya
2007-04-09 03:05:00
A few shots from Shiro tori Garden in Nagoya from last Friday.There are a variety of cherry blossoms in Shirotori Gardens with different shaped and shaded petals and blossoms.The photo above shows a traditional style weeping cherry blossom with pink oval shaped blossoms.The blossoms in the photo above are predominantly white while there is a small highlight of pink in some of the petals.The pink and white blossoms on the same branch look a bit odd.In fact the tree appears to be a grafted variety with both white and pink circular blossoms covering the tree.Finally another photo of a weeping style pink petalled cherry blossom tree.
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Lizard...Banana Yoshimoto
2007-04-09 01:48:00
Lizard..Banana Yoshi moto...Faber and Faber.1993.180 pages including afterwords. I should have been forewarned by the gushing reviews on the back cover of this set of six short stories."Yoshimoto transforms the trite into the essential" (The New Yorker).Sorry trite is trite.Nor do the stories leave me with "a desire for more".(Times Literary Supplement).I found myself struggling to recall anything memorable after finishing the collection a week ago.I thought the six stories felt forced.Slight.Chick lit.Murakami light in her flailing attempts at mysticism and spirituality..."He and I fit together so well,like the swirl on the yin/yang symbol-his tough resilence and my resilent toughness".(pg 120)There were also annoying sentence constructions which may be the fault of the translator rather than wholly the fault of the author..."I use the word "frozen" because she moved with such fluidity that she almost appeared to be not moving at all"(p24)If that wasnt enough there also seems overu...
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Nova Corps Refund Policy Ruled Illegal
2007-04-09 01:19:00
The Japanese Supreme Court dismissed Nova Corps appeal last Tuesday over two earlier lower court decisions regarding its refund policy for early course cancellation.The Supreme Court ruled that its method of settling by using a higher unit price than when the contract was signed is illegal and violated the Specified Commerical Transaction Law.The decision stems from proceedings brought by a former student who tried to cancel early and demanded a full refund for lessons he hadnt taken.The Supreme Court upheld the earlier decisions of the Tokyo District Court and High Court and finalized the first two rulings ordering the return of all the money demanded by the plaintiff.Briefly,when new students sign up with Nova they purchase points that they use to take classes.One point is equal to a forty minute class.If students purchase in bulk, say 600 points, the cost per lesson is reduced to around 1,500 yen while purchasing only 25points works out at 4,000 yen a lesson.However if the studen...
More About: Policy , Fund , Illegal , Poli

Friday Flash..Boom Boxes on Wheels..
2007-04-06 13:02:00
One annoying feature of living in Japan is the often totally unnecessary, continuous bombardment of noise.A major offender and contributor to this aural pollution are the black trucks and buses decked out with loudspeakers perched on each side,front and back.Operated by right wing conservative groups they often play ear splitting nationalisic music.They usually roam the streets in pairs thus doubly their engine-grinding,blaring capacity.They seem to appear on national holidays and other historical events.I've seen on more than one ocassion mothers try to cover the ears of frightened infants in pushchairs as these menacing monoliths drive by.The slogans painted on the sides of this truck are calling for the return of islands involved in a territorial dispute with the old Soviet Union.
More About: Flash , Friday , Wheels , Boom , Wheel

Tsurumai Park..Hanami Season April 2007
2007-04-02 02:45:00
After a burst of warmer weather late last week the cherry blossoms are now at their peak in Tsurumai Park in Nagoya.Looking back at last years photos it seems they bloomed around the same time and appear to be of a similiar quality too.Obvivously its all too much for some people judging from the photo above.A view near the station end of Tsurumai Park early Friday.Another view of a crowded Tsurumai Park on Saturday.
More About: April , Season , Ruma , Seas

Spring has Sprung
2007-04-02 02:15:00
As well as cherry blossoms a number of other trees and shrubs put in an appearance this time of year.Above is a star magnolia or shidekobushi.This is one of several species of magnolia that grow in Japan.Apparently it can grow up to four metres tall.It has either white or pink flowers.Each flower has twelve or more petals on the end of leafless branches. Above is a mass produced bento or lunchbox available at a convenience store adjacent to Tsurumai Park,one of the big cherry blossom party sites in Nagoya.The shops were doing a roaring trade in food and beer when I bought my bento.
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Kokeizan Eihoji Temple
2007-04-02 02:02:00
About 20 minutes on foot or a 1000 yen taxi ride from Tajimi Station is Kokeizan Eihoji Temp le .Established in 1313 it is a learning centre for Zen trainees who practice zazen meditation.As well as two buildings listed as National Treasures the grounds include a traditional Zen garden complete with ponds,waterfall and bridge.While it was very peaceful when I visited on early Saturday afternoon I noticed scaffolding and construction work was in progress on rebuilding buildings destroyed in a 2003 fire.

Lindsay Hawker..R.I.P
2007-04-02 01:51:00
On a sombre note,one of the main stories last week involved the discovery of the body of a British woman in a condominium in Chiba Prefecture.The man who lived in the condo fled barefoot when several police officers visited him.Police have since placed the man, aged 28, on a nationwide wanted list.To date he remains at large.According to the police the suspect had stalked Hawk er, who taught English at a Nova Corp branch language school.Hawker had agreed to give him a private English lesson on Sunday,the day before her body was found.What saddened me was the large amount of often uninformed speculation this tragic episode generated on TV,in newspapers and various online forums.My thoughts go out to Ms Hawker and her family for all unwanted exposure and unwarranted attention this event has brought down upon them...Rest in Peace.
More About: Lindsay

Tokoname Pottery Path
2007-03-19 14:18:00
Tokoname is one of the six historic pottery towns of Japan.Already well established in the 12th century, the town is still producing shudei (red clay) and yakishime (high fired and unglazed stoneware) for which the area is known for world wide.Tokoname is a 45 minute train trip from Nagoya on the Meitetsu Line from Shin Nagoya Station to Tokoname Station.650 yen for an adult fare. A yakimono sanpomichi or walking tour round the old traditional houses,workshops,kilns and buildings of the pottery industry has been established for visitors to the area.I suggest once at Tokoname Station you head for the Information Centre inside and pick up an English language guide and map.Following the map turn right from the Station and walk towards the black Tokoname Ceramic Hall on the main road where the two walking tours begin.Course A is 1.5km 60 minutes and the longer Course B 4km and 2.5 hours.The times are only estimates and can be comfortably done in those times.The paths wind between narrow...
More About: Kona , Potter , Name , Otter , Pottery

Japanese Bentos
2007-03-19 01:28:00
A couple of bentos I recently sampled.The first below is from a supermarket in Tokoname City on the way to Centrair International Airport.It contains roasted chicken on a bed of rice. Also included is are small containers of seaweed and ginger on the left.The second lunchbox below contains crabmeat and salty fish eggs.On the right bottom are two sticks of green,white and pink sticky rice mochi balls.Top left is a small wrapped egg parcel which has rice inside it and tied together with a grass-like herb.
More About: Japan , Japanese , Pane , Bento

Spring Grand Sumo Tournament
2007-03-19 01:04:00
The Spring Grand Sumo Tour nament in Osaka started last Sunday.Overshadowing the weeks before the basho were alleged bout rigging claims made by the weekly Shukan Gendai magazine.The Japan Sumo Association, Asashoryu and sixteen other wrestlers replied by filing a defamation lawsuit against the magazine.An in-house commission of the JSA questioned Asashoryu and other wrestlers who all denied match-fixing.As to the tournament itself, Asashoryu was quoted by some newspapers as odds on favourite to pick up his 21st Emperors Cup after his January New Years victory in Tokyo.He became only the fifth wrestler to achieve twenty Emperor Cup wins.So it was with some shock that Asa lost his first two bouts.He was 0-2 for the first time since the 2001 Nagoya Tournament.He has since gone on to win all his next matches.He currently stands at 6-2 on day eight.Leading contenders for the Emperors Cup are ozekis Tochiazuma and Hakuho at seven wins and one loss apiece.At this stage with Asashoryu back ...
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