VS North Korea

Seven unlucky missiles were launched from North Korea toward Japan last week.
All of them dropped into the sea of Japan. Now Japanese government is searching for them, and investigating the details. Many TV programs are treating this issue. Now Japan is filled with the missile information.

I thought North Korea is a more challenging country than we thought, though nobody knows what they are challenging to. Their launch of the missiles must be surprising for all countries, because we can't understand the rational reason for North Korea to do it.

For Japan, North Korea is like a crazy neighbor. Honestly speaking, we don't want to keep in touch with them. But it is impossible, because they live next to us. We hope they will move somewhere someday. But it's also impossible. They are the pain in the ass.

Maybe Japan and US can't communicate with North Korea successfully. I expect China to control them. I don't think the friendship between China and North Korea is the real one, but they pretend to be a friend. So, North Korea may listen to only China.

Today I am going to fly to Viet Nam for a business meeting. I can meet many Asian people in the meeting. I will ask Chinese to scold North Kore

VS Viet Nam

After the lost of Japanese team against Brazin in the World Cup, my body condition became bad. It must be a summer cold. Now it is a rainy seson in Japan. So, many people have the difficulty to adjust to the weather change. I also caught a cold and suffered from a throatache. I couldn't drink, eat and speak for a while. It was too terrible.

Now I am OK. I have to hurry up for the prepareation for my trip to Viet Nam in a week.
I have no idea of Viet Nam at all. Today, I went to buy a guide book for Viet Nam.
My trip is mainly for a business meeting among Asian publishers and book-salesmen; from India, China, Shingapole, Thailand, Korea, Japan and so on.
I am now becoming intersted in a publishing world in Asian countries. I think this trip must be stimulating to me. One of my dream is to make an international publishing company in Asia, so this trip is a very good chance for me to know Asia.

I will go to Ho Chi Minh city. I see on the guide book that the city is both modern and traditional. I thought the image is similar to Shanghai in China. Of course, it's a just image from the book. The real image might be diffrent.
My stay is only three nights. And, two days are only for business. So, I can't have an enough time to go to many places. But, if I will focus on the center of Ho Chi Minh, I think I can enjoy the city fully.

Unfortunately I have no time to study Viet Nam language!
I think it's a fatal element in a trip whether we can communicate with the local people or not. So, if I can, I should study the language before going there.

"Xin chao" is Hello.
"Cam o'n" is Thank you.

How many phrases can I meomorize in this week? I'm not proud of my memory function....

VS Brazil

World Cup for Japanese is almost finishing. Now, only one winning point and the game against Brazil are left for us. I am not sure to watch the game. It will start midnight on Japanese time. The result is clear. Brazil must win. So, I don't have a strong motivation to watch the game. But,...

But, I would have a duty to watch the game. Compared with other countries, Japan team's level is lower, to be honest. But, they are progressing. In this World Cup, the second game was certainly better than the first game. Japanese players are studying and growing. Even if Japan has no chance to win Brazil, it might be better to watch their progress.

I don't want to complain to Zico. Many people say he doesn't do anything good to Japan team.
In the last two game, I thought Zico is believing the ability of Japanese players.
His style of using players is very impatient.
If he is my boss, I can respect him and try my job harder for him.
That's why I don't critisize his style.

What is the secret of Brazil's strength? They look to have no possibility to lose. I want to know what they are eating everyday. Maybe, beans. I have never been to Brazil, so my guess might be wrong. But, I think they are eatng beans very much.
Recently, to make a strong body, I am eating Natto, a bean food with strong smell, everyday. My body condition is good now. I can feel all my bad elements in my body and brain are killed by natto. So, Japanese soccer players should eat it everyday. Or, it is also Ok to eat it just before the game. Natto's smell might be a strong weapon for Japan to stop Brazil players.

VS The book of the dead

I recently watched a great doll animation, "The book of the dead".
The quality of the animation movie was very high. I enjoyed it very much.
In the movie, dolls are actors and actresses.
I could have the chance to talk with the movie's producer. She told me that it took two years to make the one hour movie, because every single second was divided to 24 scenes in the movie, and all dolls in the scene were moved gradually, a little and a little. I guess it must be an impatient work.
In the movie, all dolls looked living. Their move was very smooth. It was a great art.

The movie's original novel was written by Shinobu Origuchi, who were a famous Japanese anthropologist. The theme of the novel is how we can calm down the soul of the dead people. This theme was from Buddism.

The eara of the story is ancient Japan, 8 century. In the eara, Buddism came to Japan. It gave an effect on Japanese thinking about death. Before Buddism coming, Japanese thought the dead people would become something in the world; for example, a stone, a tree, a bird, an ant, a snake, a flower and so on.
But, after Buddism coming, we learned that we would go somewhere but in this world after our death.
Where is "somewhere"?
I am not certain that it equals the English word, "Heaven",but we call it "That world" in Japanese.

For the people in 8 century, the two types of explanation for death was very confusing. That's why it was a big theme for the ancient people, how to calm down the soul of the dead.
Such a theme is difficult even for us. So, the movie was more difficult to understand than we guess before watching it. However, I can say this movie is a good entertainment.

Now Japanese animation is popular in the world.
Most of them are, I think, for kids. The stories are interesting, exciting and easy to understand But, what we can express in animation is wide. The genre called "art animation" is also becoming popular now. It's a great art.

VS Big Wave

Last Saturdy, the size of wave is Shonan beach was big. I heard that the last time of this size was two months ago. I tried surfing then, but the strong and big wave was too difficult for a biginner surfer. I couldn't stand on a surf board at all. I was very shocked.
My instructer said to me, "It was a good experience. For me, at the first time, this size of wave was very scary. But, after the experience, other sizes of wave became easy."

I realised how the power of wave is strong this time.
The wave is always weak on Shonan beach. So, we have to paddle very much to surf.
But this time, I didn't need paddling. The strong wave enforced me to go toward the beach. i couldn't stand up on my surf board. Only I could do was to hold my board. It was like a body board. But I could fell and understand waht the catching a wave is.

Now I am afraid whether I can surf in Australia this summer. The wave on Gold Choast must be bigger than here. BBQ on the beach might be better for me. But, anyway, I have to practice more.

Many shops on Shonan beach are under construction. The sea will be open from July. During summer time, this beach becomes not for surfers but for the people who loves events, festivals, and romance. The surfer's activity is limited in the early morning or the night time. Not to say, catching a girl is as difficult as catching a wave.

VS World Cup

The world cup in German has started at last.
To be honset, I am not a super soccer freak. I don't watch soccer games so much. But, World Cup is special. Same as other people, I was looking forward to the event coming.

In the first league, Japanese will be able to experience emotional things.
Japan have to fight against Brazil in the league. It's unfortune to have the match with the strongest team soon.
I don't think Japan can go to the final tournamnet, but of course I will cheer them.
I will become excited, angry, happy and sad in the games in the first league.

In the final tournamnet, I will feel peaceful and relaxed, because there is not Japanese team there. Being free from a nationalistic factor, I will just enjoy the great games by the strong countries.

My problem to watch the world cup games is that I don't have TV. A few years ago, I stopped watching TV because I realised it is the waste of time to watch TV.
But, I want to watch the games!
But, I don't want to have a television.
However, I want to watch the games!
Nevertheless, I don't want to have a television!

Fortunately I have a solution.
Recently, many restaurants and bars near my house have set up big screen televisions inside. Of course, they are for watching World Cup! It's a good idea.
In about a month, my expense for drinking will increase. It's unescapable.

VS Murakami Fund

One of the famous Japanese shareholder activists, Mr. Murakami, was arrested because of his insider dealings. Honestly speaking, I am happy. Maybe, most lapanese has the same feeling as mine.
Some people would value his contribution to change Japanese stock market and companies, even though he was arrested. Certainly he would have done good things to some extent.
But, his opinion is quite a simple, and often too simple. He said to the managers in a company of which he has the stock, "Work more efficiently!"

He was a strong stockholder. So, the managers couldn't protest him.
And, "Work more efficiently!" itself is a difficult opinion to deny. His opinion must be true.
However, nevertheless, I didn't like him. Why?

The reason might be this. His purpose was to earn money in a stock market. That's why I thought he was not interested in each companies' activity. One company makes shirts. Another company makes redio programs. Of course, each one have to change themselves better. So, they have to try to work more and more efficiently. But, it is not Mr.Murakami's business. He couldn't know how each companies work. His interest looked to be how each companies earn money. If so, I think he has no right to say "Work more efficiently!"

Recently I doubt that efficiency is important.
I think inefficient life is very rich. For example, we drink too much at a night. On the next day, we can't get up in the morning. When we get up, it is afternoon. We say, "Gash. I can't do anything special today."
We waste a day? I don't think so. We must be happy. Because, we know the lost time doesn't affect our life bad. Certainly we lost time a little, but maybe we could be more relaxed. We don't have any serious problems at all.
Japan is the highly developed country. We don't have any difficulty of life. Enough food, enough drink. So, we would not be hurry to everything. In other words, we can enjoy Slow Life more.

Mr.Murakami was arrested soon.
Newspaper says, he didn't choose to fight in a court. Because, it will take a long time, so it must be time-loss for him. His life style is still very EFFICIENT.

VS Decreasing Population

In Japan, 20% of the gross population became the people over 60 yeras old recently. I am happy to hear that because it means Japan becomes more and more a long-life-time country.
But, many people seem to think that is not good. Because it becomes more difficult for the government to keep our pension system and other infrastructures. Actually, now Japanese birth rate is under 1.25. The number of young generation is decreasing.

We discussed about the topic in our English class today.
We know the main reason of decreasing birth rate is from the increasing unmarried women. Especially the number of 26-30 years old unmarried women is increasing.
Comparing the present with the past, the number of children a married woman has is same.
The couple without children is not increasing.

We didn't discuss so much what we can do to solve this problem. It's a big and difficult theme. Alternatively we talked about marridge.
"Women change after marridge." is the married men's idea.
I can't judge whether that's true or not, because I am a single, but two women students disagreed with the idea. Maybe, depending on the viewpoint, the idea can be both true and unture.

"Before marridge, Men hope Women will not change in the future. But, Women change after marridge." Onthe other hand, "Before marridge, Women hope Men will change in the future. But, Men will not change."
I can't judge this idea again, but it sounds true. A Japanese recent pop-song says a same kind of idea.
" I (man) want a unchanging relationship with you, but you (women) want a stimulating relationship with me." Mmm, I might see.

VS Branding in China

I read a Japanese economical book about the branding in China. This book treats the branding policy and tactics of global companies in China.
The examples this book treats are the car industry, the drink industry, the advertising industry and so on. I can learn a lot from these examples.

I can learn from this book that it takes a long time to spread the brand image. For example, Japanese has different images to Audi, BMW and HONDA in the car market.
For Japanese, the image of Audi is "reliable". BMW is "selective". HONDA is "unique". Each brand has their own character.
But for Chinese, these three companies have no difference. "Reliable" is the same image of them.
Why does Chinese think these companies have the same image? The author says Chinese people can't have the different images of each car companies now, because of the lack of the comsumer experience. For them, a car is a car. So, they don't have a special image for each cars.
To be more correct, they would have experienced the car without reliability made in their country. So, they would focus on the reliability of foreign makers.

For some Japanese, the image of Bentz is YAKUZA. Maybe, westerner is supplised that Bentz has such an image in Japan. But it's true. If you drive Bentz and change the lane, no car would interrupt you. I've never used my horn to Bentz in my life.

VS THE DA VINCI CODE

Why is this unspecial movie so cotroversial? This is my impression after watching THE DA VINCI CODE, maybe because of my lack of religious background.
Certainly I enjoyed this movie today, but I thought the description of each characters and facts were not enough. The original novel is a long story. So, it maght be impossible to pack the world in only a few hours film.
The key factor of the movie is SEX.
Religiously, it could be a big problem. But, culturally it is not. Now, anything about SEX are opener than before.
"Mona Lisa" is drawn on the book cover and the movie advertisement of THE DA VINCI CODE. But, it is not related to the story at all. It was surprising for me.
I heard thet the hair style of Tom Hanks was more controversial than the story. But, I didn't care for it.

Even though I think this movie is not special, I can recomend it.
Not only religious people but also the people to respect for any kinds of principle tend to seek for the authority, which makes battles among the people. The history of Christien is such a case. I think the westerb culture based on the history is most infulential on this world now, so we should study it more. I could learn many things from the movie.

But, anyway, I seem to have to read the original book. English book must be too tough for me. So, I will try Japanese-transleted book. Now, 5 million books are sold in Japan. It's a big sales. Of course, the book-shop people are very happy now. We are looking forward to THE DA VINCI CODE 2. It would be a cheaper story than the first one.
Mona Lisa beats a lot of monsters, and finds out a treasure. Hm, entertaining. Good enough. I can write the story.

VS Onshore Wind

The change of season is clear in Japan. Each season colors our life. So, we respect seasonal events very much. For example; In spring, we watch cheryblossams. In summer, we go to the sea. In fall, we eat very much (maybe, to prepare for winter -no food season -). In winter, we go to ski. "This is the seasonal menu!" is a popular advertisement in Japanese restaurnts.

I went to Enoshima beach to surf last Sunday.
For most people, May must be too early to go to the sea. But, for surfers, it's not early. Actually, the water is a little cold now, but our hearts are burning well enough. Watching blue sky and sea, we can't wait more. Surfer is a breaker of the season code.

The day, the wave was kind of big ,but a little random by the effect of onshore wind, which comes from a sea side to a shore side. The wave is sometimes big and sometimes small. That's why the wave condition was hard for the beginners. It also means hard for me! Maybe, my performance on the wave was not good.
However, by the support of my instracter, my surfing skill seems to be developing. I could sometimes catch the wave correctly this time. Training is important for anything.

To be honest, Enoshima beach is not a great place to surf. The wave is small an weak. In Kanto area in Japan, Chiba or Izu is a better place. However, Enoshima beach is a kind of brand. Many people come there. So, I heard that the openness to strangers is the culture of this area. On other beach, good wave points sometimes seems to be monopolised by the local surfers. Thus, strangers can't ride a good wave.
I've never been to other beach, so I can't judge which it's true or not, but I think the surfer's community in Enoshima is comfortable indeed.

I ate Mankin Gyoza after the surfing. I drank much water on the sea. So, to minus it, I had to eat an oily food. The raod to the real surfer is far away.

VS University Students

I graduated from University around ten years ago. When I was a student, I often went to a room of my seminar professer. We discussed about many things. I could learn a lot. It was a good experience. Moreover, I sometimes drunk with him and other seminar students. And, we played soccer and tennis. We went for a trip together.
After I graduated, I have been to his house at least once a year with my friends. My professer talks about recent interests, his university and his students. I talk about my job mainly. It is natural for me to keep in touch with my teacher.

Last week, I went to an University in Yokohama, which is my customer. After a job, I talked with a professor, about his seminar.
He said to me, " I had invited my students to my house before ten years. I arranged a wine party with my students then. We enjoyed together very much. But, recently, I don't have such an oppotunity. Because, the personality of students has changed. They don't want friendly-relationship with their teacher."

"Not all students. Some students still want it. But, they often lose the feeling of respect or politeness to their teacher. They treat their teacher as like a friend. They don't understand our relationship as it order to be. So, I am losing the motivation to have a better relationship with them."
He looked to give up something.

For me, the most interesting thing of what he said is this.
"Compared with male students, female students are more active and friendly to their teachers in their unversity days. They sometimes come to my room and talk about many things. BUT, after graduating, they don't keep in touch with me at all. On the other hand, male students contact me more often."

I think what he talked about is not only his case. The distance between universtiy students and professers seems to be becomig far. I've heard of same kinds of episode from other professers.
I don't know the reason why the relationship between students and professers has changed.
Shyness? Generation gap?
The reason is not important, but what I think is important is that we should have a skill or an experience to communicate with the people in a different generation. Looking at younger coworkers, I realise they are not good at talking with older people. They tend to be together with same age people. It's not a problem itself, but if it implies the lack of their communication skill, it's fatal.

VS Body Shape

Japan is between in spring and early summer. Basically warm. Humid rainy season will come soon. After that, we'll go into summer.
I checked a new surf shop in Atsugi. My surfer spirit became hot. I learned from the shop staff about various types of surf-boards, the character of wave in some areas in Japan, some surfing styles, the personality of Atsugi surfers and so on. I enjoyed talking with her.

I thought I had better make my body visually-good to go to the beach.
Six stomach muscules should be on a surf board?
I don't exercise recently, but I have been satisfied with my body. I am healthy. I am not fat.
But, I thought I should step on a haigher level.
So, going back to my home, I tried stomach execises soon.

I decided fifty-times execise everyday to get six muscles on my stomach.
It's May now. One, two, three months later, It's August, in summer. Then, my ideal body will arrive joust in time. Nice plan.

Good plan have to be followed by action. Of course, I did it.
I laied on a floor, and started stomach exercises. One, two, three, four, five.......
On the process, suddenly, I felt a storng pain on my stomach, which likely broke my stomach into six pieces. I stopped. I gave up. I got a heavy damage by my exercise. I would submit myself. I couldn't continue.
Gash! My muscule became weak! I was shocked.

To calm my body pain, I went to a bar. I thought cold beer is good, because I heard cool-down is needed after exercises. The day, I drunk earlier than as ususal. Maybe because my blood circulation became fast. My goal is far. But I have to reach it.

VS Copyright

I am a moralistic man. Moralistic man thinks everything naturally. He obeys only the natural order. So, his behavier is simple and easy to understand. What is natural isn't an important question. It's also not important that others wouldn't agree with what I think is natural.
For a maralistic man, Law is an enemy. It's too complicated, difficult to understand and usually boring. It's like a logical puzzle.It's far from the natural order.
That's why I am not good at legal things. When reading a newspaper, there are many articles about law. For example, a new company law started in Japan from this May. It seems to affect most companies very much. But I don't know it well, because It's a tough work to read such a article to make me sleepy.

However, I am NOT JUST a moralistic man. I am a moralistic "book-sales" man. So, I can't escape from a law related to my business; the copyright law. For my business, I have to understand it to some extent. I have to check my commodities for the copyright. Can it be sold for individuals or institutions? Can I sell it to schools, companies or government? Can I import it to Japan?
Before selling, I have to make these kinds of things clear. Cpoyright is a strong right like Patent. So, I have to understand it.

A school, one of my customer, is planning to publish the questions of entrance exam on their home page. They think it's very friendly for the appliers to the school. I also think so. But, now they are facing the problem of copyright. The problem is in exams for Japanese and English. They use many paragraphs from novels, esseys, articles in a newspaper and so on.
Any schools don't need permission from the people with copyright, to use the paragraph for their tests. But, when publishing the tests, they have to require the permission. It is more difficult than we think. Who wrote this article? Where does he or she live? How can I contact them? These investigations are very hard work. Moreover, even if we can contact the people with copyright, it is not certain that they will permit us to use their publications.
That's why the school's plan is stopping now.

In Japanese bookstores, there are red books whose title is a university's name. They are very famous books among high school students. We call them AKAHON, which is a collection of previous entrance exams of the unversity. I heard that this book could be illegal because the permission of copyright is not enough. If it's true, we can't sell such a book and many students could be in panic. Unnatural.

VS Reading

My Golden Week finished. I have to go back to my routine life. I think the recovery of my barin from holiday mood needs much time.

During this holidays, I finished reading "Elegy for IRIS" by John Bayley at last. As I wrote in this blog before, it was a tough work for me to read the book. Because I don't usually read this kind of love story. But, anyway, I made it. I was satisfied with my task. To be honest, I couldn't understand a lot of details in this story, because of my lack of English vocabulary. I could only trace the plot. However, it is okey for me. From the viewpoint of English study, or reading a book in general, it is a good experience for me to finish a book.

After finishing the book, I wanted to read another book. I thought the next book should be Japanese book, because I didn't have enough time to read English book during holidays, so I wanted to try an easier book. That's why I read the translation of "FOOLS RUSH IN" by Nina Munk.
This book was a business book. It treats the mergence of AOL and Time Warner, and the failure. I enjoyed this book very much.
The mixture of telecommunication companies and broadcasting companies is a big topic now in Japan. But, nobody seems to know what we should do next. In addition, I think it is not clear whether the mixture is good or bad. Too strong is the company governing telecommunication technology and broadcasting division?

“Freakonomics” is my next reading target. One million copies of this book is sold in US.
And, the Japanese translation is published recently. I think the Japanese version will be poplar too. This is a booksalesman's prediction.

VS Galbraith

If you have studied Economics, you would know the name Jhon Kenneth Galbraith. Today I knew from a newspaper that he died a day ago at 97 years old.(The news was a second or third top news.) I was a little shocked, because I read his book when I was an university student. Compared with other economical book, his books was unique and interesting. He used metaphor efficiently to explain the real economy, and made new words to describe it. His book treats economy, but his writing-style is like a novel. When I started to study Economics in university, I thought it was boring. But his book geve me a motivation to study it more. Studying Economics or Social Science helped me to think about everything in social context.

Fortunately or Unfortunately, the death of a person is a business chance of book-salesmen. I will bring a book-list of Galbraith to my cutomers tomorrow. He must be a giant of last century, intellectually and physically.

VS Golden Week

Japan starts Golden week, continual many holidays. It is not just a week. Nine or ten holidays have the people who work for a labour-friendly company or study in a heart-warming school. But, in my case, I can have only five continual holidays. Maybe my company is a bad one.
During this year's Golden week, a lot of Japanese will go abroad. I heard that the number of the people going to foreign countries are more this year than last year. It may symbolize the recovery of Japanese economy. Because the flight tickets are very expensive in this week.
As usual, I will spend my holidays in Kyoto, my hometown. It's the easiest plan.

I realised recently that I have bought books constantly but I don't read them almost at all! So, I will try to finish reading some of them during my holidays. I talked with a librarian who is my customer days ago. She told me that we have no time to read a long book. Actually I can finish reading a short and easy book, but long books have been unfinished for a long time.

My first target to finish is "Elegy for Iris" by John Bayley. I bought this book a few years ago, started to read it soon and gave up soon. It's the stroy about a novelist, Iris Murdoch, written by her husband. She was a great novelist young, but became Alzheimer old.
Although I am interested in the theme of the story, I am not good at the writing style of this kind of "love story". That's why it is taugh work for me to continue to read this book. But fortunately I read 90% of the story. Now it is in a climax. She becomes Alzheimer utterly at last! The goal is close!

I notice that I am satisfied with the saddest point in this book. Human feeling is complex even if it's mine.

VS America

Tha last topic in my discussion class was for the power of America and the possibility of alternative of another power in the world. It was a hard topic for just one hour discussion, but , I think, a good theme. This kind of discussion is becomig popular even in Japan.
Now, Japanese government's policy to America is very clear. They support America almost totally. The relationship between Japan and America looks strongest in history. Japan is the best follower of America now.
Indeed, America is the country we should follow. She is very strong and leading in the world. But, on the other hand, there are many countries which don't want to follow America for its too much strength. Iran and North Korea are such one. They are clearly the enemy of America.

Even in Japan, all people don't support America.
Actually I am an anti-America. (Notice! Not American.)
It doesn't mean I dislike America. I am just afraid of the monopoly of the power in the world. Like Microsoft, we have to weaken the too much strong power of America, for the progress of this world.

In my discussion class, most people supported the leadreship of America. It was a taugh work for me to crticize other's opinion. I know America is the only one leader of this world. But I am not sure whether America is the best as a leader or not. Even America could make a wrong decision and, I think, did it many times. Of course, whether the decision is wrong or right depends on each person's opinion. The decision some people prefer can be bad for others.
So, all I can say is this. In order to hedge the possibility of wrong decision and the risk, we should divide power into many countries.

"Empire" is now a popular keyward among intellectuals. Recently I sell a lot of books which have the old ward in the title. The meaning of the ward doesn't equal to America, but very close now. Although I don't know that the ward "Empire" is useful to analyze this world, we would need any catchy wards to think about a big issue. I think that American people will be surprised if the country they live in is typical Empire. Why do the people living in "Empire" have to work hard everyday?
The gap between a macro image (country) and a micro reality (people's life) is big ,and interesting.

VS Map

A isle is stoking tension between Japan and Korea.
Japan's ships are coming close to the isle for investigation, but Korea's are guarding it. Both countries claim to the ownership. Watching a map, the location is very confusing and controversial. Both countries have their own historical reason for claiming to their truth.

The tactics of Japanese government seems to make this land-ownership problem internatinally bigger. They want to bring this problem to International Court of Justice. However, Korea government is refusing it now. That's why both countries have to solve this problem by themselves.

I don't like to read or watch a map, because it is boring. But recently I found a good map on internet. This map is very very educational. We can know the distribution of resaurce in this world. The visual image is great.

VS A Cold

In spring, in Japan. My body has a difficulty of adjusting to the change of air temparature. Actually it changes very much in this season. A day is warm. Another day is cold. Daytime and nighttime is very different. That's why I caught a cold this week.
I know warming up my body is the best solution against a cold. I had a dayoff one day in this week, and went to a hot spring. I was warmed up in a large bath, sweated in a sauna and relaxed with a hot shower. It was so fantastic.
After the hot spring, a little bit of cooling dawn was needed. So, I ate a few piece of sushi, and drunk cold beer. Cold beer after hot spring. Cold after hot. This contrast is utterly beautiful. I knew it was not good at the time for my body with a cold. However, I couldn't lose the perfect timing for meeting real beauty.
Although my body condition became warmed and better once by the hot spring, the benefit would have been lost by the beer cooling dawn action. But I can say the action itself was the warming up for next action. I went to my favorite Hawaiian bar soon after the hot spring.
I ordered syochu with hot water there. In this stage, I couldn't order cold drinks. Warming up my body was the only one concept then. So, for foods, raw fish was not a choice. I ordered only hot foods like a baked beef. Hot beef gave me a energy very much.
I checked new menu in the bar, after a few cups of hot syochu. I found out the bar's original hamburger, which was one of new menu. In western countries, it is usual to eat a hamburger in a bar or a restaurant. But, in Japan, it is rare. In a hamburger shop, we can drink coffee, coke or something soft to drink here. So, I had requested for the bar master to give us a hamburger in the bar, for a long time. And, at last, he made his original hamburger.
Of courese, I ordered it soon. But, after the order, I realised I had a problem then. Japanese sake was not fitted to a humburger at all. I had to order another type of alchool.
When I have an big humburger on my left hand, what is good on my right hand?
Wine? No, it's too formal.
Whisky? Mmm, no. It's a mismatch.
Gin? No. The color is not interesting.
The best drink next to a humburger must be beer. I knew it from the first time. But, I had a cold at the time. So, I thought I had a problem then. Beer and Humburger. B and H. The yellow colored liquid with bubble and the colorful food tower.
Actually the food tower was very nice. The bread was a maffin. It was my favorite. And, there was inside a half-boiled egg, a thick sliced tomato and a hamburg baked with sauce. It was the best combination.
Facing the great meal, I ordered cold beer natually. "To hell with your health." I heard of the voice for God.

VS Text Book

In Japan, April is the biggining of a new year also for school. This month is busy for book salesmen, because we have to sell a lot of textbooks to students.
Have you ever carried a large number of books? It's an awful work. Book is very heavy. Although I like a beautiful book with photo, such a book is much heavier. In this season, I can easily hate a colorful book.

Carring is one part of this job. Next, we have to sell the textbooks. Students usually buy them between classes. After one class finishes, the wave of students come to the place for selling textbooks. We have to correspond to the wave within a limited time. It's like a war. It's too busy. I sometimes miscount money students pay. "Sorry, how much did you pay now?" Most students tell it honestly. I am lucky.

I am selling textbooks to an international school in Yokohama.
The deal between me and this school has started since last spring. International school use unque textbooks in Japan. I can watch a lot of interesting books. That's why I like to sell books for this school.
At the end of this month, the international school will have a big festival, International Food Fair 2006. I joined it last year. It was so great. I could enjoyed many country's food and reported it in this blog. Of course, I can't miss this year's.

VS Shouwa

In April, new fiscal year starts for company, and new educational year stars for school. Today, my comapny had a celemony for freshmen and freshwomen. They starts a new social life.
I works in sales division. This was the division mainly for men before. No women wanted to work here. Because women wanted to work in a bookstore, and liked to be surrounded by many books. And, men thought it was natural for women to work in a bookstore, and not natural to go out to many customers. But, now it is opposite. Freshwomen working in sales division are more than men. I heard form the person in my company's human resource division that the female applier for my company is more aggressive to get a carrer. That's why my company thinks women are more fitted to a sales person.

It is 18th "Heisei" year. "Heisei" is a name of era of the present Japanese emperor. Japan has an unique year-counting system. When an emperopr replaced an previous emperor, we name the year a new eara name. Before "Heisei", the year name was "Shouwa". I was born in "Shouwa".
There is no "Heisei"-born people in my company now, but they will come soon. Maybe, it is a little shocking for many people including me. For "Shouwa" people, the image of "Heisei" is very new. There is a genareation valley in our brain. That's why we can possibly be shocked to see the generation in my office, of course a little.

Now, 30's "Shouwa" is a boom. One reason is that a Japanese movie describing 30's "Shouwa" became popular last year. It was the period after about five years of the end of the war. It was my parent's generation's periods. Japan was poor, but recovering then.
My company's visual works division made a new DVD, "Japan in 30's Shouwa: Life of Family".
I watched it. It was very funny.
The DVD is a collection of a kind of non-fiction movies. A work discribes a husband on a wife in a family. In the work, there is no conversation between the husband and the wife. They support together, but no communication. Their kids were unconfortable in the situation, but can't complain it.
In a dinner time, nobody talk in the family, and they focus on eating. Only the father drinks sake alone. Everbody looks sad. However, they accept the condition.
When I thought what would happen after that, the movie finished suddenly.
Maybe for all people, this movie is strange. I think so too. But I can understand it. This was a typical old Japanese family. Father was strong but lonely in a home. Mother just obeyed her husband. Kids couldn't complain anything to parents. Such a condition is unusual now, and not supported by anybody. But now for many people, the old life style is a nostalgic one.
The DVD seems to be sold very much after it was introduced in a newspaper. It is an interesting phenomina in Japan.

VS Yasukuni

Cherry blossams season has come a little earlier in Japan. The season is short, a week. So, we have to rush to enjoy watching them. Hanami is a popular party now. We drink and eat under the tree of cherry blossams.

There are many good spots for Hanami in Tokyo. Yasukuni shrine is one of them. I and some friends went there yesterday. It was my first visit of the shrine.

We expected for a full of beautiful flowers, but 40% of flowers were growing when we watched them. Most street shops was under construction. Maybe, next week is better for Hanami.
We went into Yasukuni, and watched some statues and architectures.
My image of this shrine was big. However it was not . I know many bigger shrines in Kyoto, my home town. I was surprised at the gap between the image on TV and the real size.
Because we went late, we couldn't walk into a exciting museum in the shrine, which admires Japanese soldiers in WW2. We can watch a lot of weapons there.

Although the interest in Yasukuni shrine is increasing in the international politics, I heard that the donation to the shrine is decreasing. Because the generation experiencing the war is decreasing year by year. Yasukuni is not a general shrine. It is a special shrine for dead soldiers. So, it mught be difficult for Yasukuni to get normal religious supporters.
When I watched an advertisement of professional wrestling in Yasukuni, I was very surprised. ( We can watch it in a shrine! Gash! It is impossible in Kyoto.)
To eran money, this shrine have to have such an event.

We bought beer and snacks in a convenience store, and had a party in Yasukuni.
For Hanami, this place is very peaceful. Mr. President Koizumi should have Hanami party there.

VS WBC

March is the final month of a fiscal year in Japan. I have to finish many things in this month, and almost had done.
I went to a government office many times this month, because I was invited to some Bids. For new fiscal year, March is the bids month in Japan. Government calls us, and says "Come to the office for a bid at XX o'clock on XXth in March." Time and day are strict. We don't have a choce to change the schedule. That's why my schedule was very tight and busy in this month.

Today, Japanese baseball teams got championship in WBC, World Baseball Classic. I am proud of it. Compared with World Cup in soccer, the status of WBC is lower, but I hope this event become more popular in the future.
I can't understand why American team couldn't go to the final tournament. I heard that the team balance of American team was bad; too much homerun butters. On next WBC, America will change the team balance and revenge.
For Japanese, maybe most exciting game was VS Korea. I was very excited to watch it.
I watched the game in a rest room of Onsen, hot-spring, near my city.
I drunk a bottle of beer each inning. Total beer was nine. I was excited and drunk very much.

In this WBC, Japan won 1 game against Korea and lost 2. But, it got championship. I can guess this is a unsatifying result fof Korean people. They must hope for next WBC coming soon.

I think Japan vs Korea is very exciting for any sports. If I were a arranger of sports event, I use this exciting mutch every event. Japan and Korea has bad relationship on political level, but business is different from politics. We should use this "hostile" relationship for business.

Tomorrow, I have four bids. Too much! My free time is just in lunch time. I wish I can have a luch in Chinatown in Yokohama tomorrow.

VS DiSC

I took a psycological test recently.
The test name is DiSC.
This name comes from head letters of four words.
D is Dominance.
"i" is influence.
S is Steadiness.
C is Conscientiousness or Cautiousness.

I heard that we have all of four characters but the strongest one is different from each others.
I was gave a mark sheet and answered 24 questions.
It was an easy test, but we can know our potential character and our character that other people recognized.
I couldn't believe that such only 24 questions can judge our character, before the test. But, now I can believe it. Because I took the test with some my colleages and the test result was fitted with them very much.

I was categorized in "i".
The person who are in this character seems to be social, easy-going, passional and leading.
In addition, this person is dogmatic, undemocratic and fast to escape!

This is me? Hmm, I seem to rethink what I am.

VS Livedoor

I am reading articles about Livedoor on a newspaper everyday. I can learn many things from the news about this IT company's illegal deals in a stock market and untrue accounting. I've never thought that the company's young president is a hero, but I was interested in him because his age was same as me. He has a same generation backgorud with me. That's why his opinion was easy to understand for me. For example, "Creativity is meaningless to earn money. Just follow the successor.", "We should know more about our own value in a market.", and the most famous phrase; there is nothing we can't buy with money.
He corrected his saying later a little, but he seemed to value the power of money more than humanity. Such an opinion is extreme. But he was a millionare. So, I think his style of thinking had a large infuluence on Japanese, especially young people.

I heard that Livedoor's value of stock is 10% now compared with the peak-value. After the president was arrested for his breaking a law. The price of the company's stock decreased rapidly. So, many people lost their money.
Not only individuals but also companies are getting damage by the decreasing. Fuji television Co.Ltd was tried to take over by Livedoor last year. This TV company decided to take an alliance with Livedoor after the battle in a stock market and a court. Now, we know the alliance was a bad choice. Fuji will lose more than ten billion yen. I am not sorry for their bad lack. If they were proud of their job, they didn't have to worry about Livedoor's challange. But, they couldn't have a confidence in their business. So, they escaped from the long fight against the young IT millionare.

The stock of Livedoor is going out of the market soon. It almost means we can't buy and sell the company's stock anywhere. That's why the value of the stock is zero for most people.
At this point, I realised that I can take over Livedoor!
Now the stock's value is zero.
If I say "I can buy your stock by 1 yen.", most people will sell it to me.
And, if I can buy 50% of all Livedoor stocks, my taking over is successful!
I thought this idea is great. And soon, I checked how many stocks of the company there are.

Gash! A billion of stocks!
To take over the company, I need half a billion yen. (= US$ 8.6 million, RNB 69 million, EUR 5 million) Can I save such a big money in my life?

I gave up this plan.
I heard that some Funds have already been thinking about this kind of attempt. Ok. Please buy it if you want. Window shopping is enough for me.

VS Don

Busy days. Non-stop busy days are continuing from the beginning of this year.
Although I can enjoy the situation, I could lose energy recently.
So, I became to want to eat beef suddenly.
Beef and Beer. The double B can make me powerful. I went to a Yakiniku restaurant, DON, which offers us great beef.

Now, Japanese can't eat American beef because of BSE problem. The importing of American beef is inhibitted.
Don gives us one of Japanese beefs, Hida beef. Hida is an area name, which is a mountain area in Japan. So, the cows living in the area must have not only a strong muscle but also great oil in it to protect their body from the coldness. So, the taste is great! It's very juicy.
When I worked in Ebina city before, I sometimes went to the restaurant with my co-workers.
But, now I am working in another city. Five years had passed since I went there last time.

An old woman who was an owner of the restaurant was working there before.
And, when I went there recently, she was still working there.
I didn't think she remembered me, but she actually remembered me. She said soon, "Long time no see! How are you? You looks more matured than before. Do you married?" Machine-gun asking. But it's ok. And, she talked a little about the last conversation between us. It was five years ago! Amazing. When I talked with her, I was surprised at her memory.

When I was eating the good beef there, I was a little nostalgic.
I have eaten Yakiniku many times. I can eat Yakiniku anywhere, anytime. But, the taste at the night was memorial. Maybe, our purpose of eating and drinking is to make a memory.

VS Computing Reviews

I had an business meeting with an American publisher, in Tokyo.
I always talk with foreign friends in English, but I don't have a business conversation in English so much. Thus, the meeting was very taugh for me.
"The pricing policy of this commodity should be...."
"This general agreement means....."
"I think the most useful advertisement is...."

Too serious.
It was very difficult for me to catch up with these themes in English!
Actually, I lost the points we discuss many times. I needed the help of translater in fact.

In addition, the publication was also the difficult one.
It was a journal for computer science. The title is Computing Reviews.
I heard the journal is very popular in America and some Asian countries.
(Of course, the readers are only scientists and engineers.)
The publisher came to Japan, to make the journal popular in Japan.

To be honest, it is a difficult thing to sell English computer books in Japan.
Because, a lot of Japanese computer books are published now. And, English books are translated into Japanese soon. So, nobody have to read difficult English computer books here.

However, the publisher was a nice guy. I heve to help his business.
After the meeting, we went for a drink.
His visit of Tokyo this time was second times, but he didn't know about Japan at all. So, I took him to a typical Japanese Izakaya, and ordered many foods unfamilier for him. Raw horse meat, Milt, Angler's liver and so on. And, of course, I ordered Japanese Sake a lot, for him, and for me. He seemed to be happier and happier during drinking.

His wife is Greek. I asked him why Greek? He said,"Greek is a cosmopolitan." I see, I see. Also is Turkey. They are the place where West and East meets. All romantist love Greek and Turkey. I thought our preference was very similar. My responsibility of helping him bacame bigger.

I think he had an appointment with a customer next early morning. But, we drunk a lot at the night.
I am not sure that he could get up the day. If he prefered sleepning more to getting up then, he could be a real romantist.

VS British Bar

I went to a british style bar in Machida.
The name is Trafalgar. It is located on a basement on a narrow street.
I heard from the owner that the bar was open two yaers ago, but I didn't know it though I went to Machida everyday to go to my office.
The place was a Cajun food restaurant before. The restaurant was managed by an American owner and the food was so great, but it was closed a few years ago. So, I didn't go to the area where the British bar is located.

The bar offers us real ale. I enjoyed some beer which I've never tasted. One beer was very fruity. Another was very heavy. I saw that the Guiness in the bar was poured by a hand pomp. I heard that it is the authentic way to pour Guiness beer. It makes good creamy bubbles. But, most bar use a microwave to make bubbles.

I like good foods, so I don't eat typical bar food so much, for example Fish and Chips. But, I know TPO (Time, Place, Oppotunity) is important. In this kind of an authentic bar, we have the duty to eat authentic bar foods. So, of course I ordered oily Fish and Chips. Although water and oil can't mix together, beer and oil become a great mixture. It is amazing.

This bar gives us not only british beer but also Japanese local beer. Next time, I will try a beer made in Ngaano. The name is Yona Yona Ale. The meaning could be "the beer for every night". Sounds attractive.

VS Calligraphy

When I was a child, I learned Calligraphy a little, just a day. It was too boring for me. I gave up learning it soon. I couldn't understand the interesting point of just writing letters. Actually, when I was an elementary school student, I used a pencil and a notebook, so I wrote something very much in a class. No more writing was my feeling. So, I couldn't have an interest in Calligraphy then. But, recently I don't use a pen or a pencil. I don't write with them so much. I use a computer and put keys to write something.

I become interested in hand-writing or Calligraphy recently. Maybe it is a reaction of using computer too much for writing. But, anyway, I become to like a beautiful hand-writing. So, I went to Tokyo national Museum, to watch Calligraphy exhibition.

I went to the museum before noon on Sunday. The exhibition shows us a lot of Chinese and Japanese Calligraphy. It was very interesting to compare Chinese writing style and Japanese. Both countries use Kanji character. But, Japanese simplified some of Kanji to make their own character; Hiragana. It looks very soft. So, Japanese Calligraphy looks softer than Chinese.
We can know the historical change of writing in the exhibition. I din't think there are many veriations of writing letters before watching the exhibition. But, Each written letters have an unique character.

To understand Calligraphy, we can't forget the name of Wang Xizhi.
He lived in 7c or 8c. He was a big name in Calligraphy, like Pere in soccer. He established the art of writing letters. Even now, many people study Calligraphy by watching his works.
In the exhibition, a lot of his works were exhibited.
One of my purpose of coming to the museum was to watch them, but too many people were there!
I didn't think so many people come there.
Before noon on Sunday! Why don't they sleep until noon? Which is better, just watching letters written by somebody or sleeping in a comfortable bed till noon? The answer is obvious.
But, many people came to the museum and they stopped in front of the works of Wang Xizhi for a long time. I pushed softly the people in front of me. I jumped among a lot of people. However, I couldn't watch his works enough. Too bad!

This exhibition will move from Tokyo to Shanghai this spring. I heard that the people in Shanghai are interested in these great works too.

VS Earthquake

My long trip to my home was finished. Tonight, Earthquake occured around Tokyo. Therefore all JR trains stopped for a long time tonight. When the earthquake occuerd, I was in my office and ate a conveinence store food for dinner alone. It was a shit dinner.

I didn't think the earthquake was big. But certainly, the shaking time might be long.
After finishing a long shit work, I went to a station and knew all train didn't work!

However, another train company didn't have any problem.
So, I changed my route. I used another line and I could go home fortunately.
But it took more time to go home.

Why is JR train so weak? I can't understand.
After I went home, I knew the magnitude was 4. It was a middle class earthquake.
I happened to see my friend in a station. He told me that JR was so safety that it could stop soon.
Tolerant mind is beautiful.

VS Hostess

January is the baddest month for bars and restaurants in Japan.
Because most people used much money for drinking in December, we think January should be the cheaper month. So, we don't go for drinking so much.

But, if others pay money for drinking, we don't have the reason to avoid the oppotunity of drinking. Especially if our company pays money, drinking is the right an duty of labourer.
I went to drink with my customers recently. It must be a WORK. So, of course, I don't pay money at all.

We went to Yokohama. I didn't know a good drinking place there, but my customers knew very much. I followed them. In general, when drinking with customers, I should be a host. So, I have to arrange the time, place and everything for drinking. But, this time was opposite. It was a rare case.
We went to a new izakaya, and enjoyed good raw fish and a lot of Japanese Sake.

After a while, we became drunk.
One of my customer started to say " To be honest, your company's price is expensive!"
I was also drunk.
"No, you are getting good service."
Price or Service is a subjective matter. So, we can't reach complete conclusion at all.
Our argument was just a chat.

On 1st izakaya stage, my customers paid money. This was a rare and rare case.
I had to invite them to a next stage. But, as I wrote above, I didn't know a good place in Yokohama. So again, my customers took me another place.

The place was an old-style small bar. We call such a place "Snack", in Japan.
There were four hostesses there. They served us for drinking.
Their average age was perhaps over fifty. The head hostess must be over sixty. As you can imagine, the place was very classical and antique.
My cutomer had kept his own whisky bottole. We drunk his whisky. It meaned our drinking cost was almost zero. We enjoyed Karaoke in the Snack. I had to sing old Japanese songs, because the audiences were not young.

I could enjoy this drinking time, but this was also a WORK. So, I shouldn't be treated by my customers. Thus, I ordered another new whisky bottole for them. Of courese, I payed it. (Correctly, my company payed it.)
The price was 30,000 yen!
I knew the net price is under 3,000 yen. I was very suprised. However, I couldn't have cancel my order.

Maybe, most people might think why we drink in such an expensive place? I think so too, and I don't usually come to this kind of place.
This kind of place is a community for the people with power.
In fact, some customer I met in the Snack were company's presidents. They don't like a cheap and noisy drinking place for young people. I can understand matured hostesses are good for them.

I think this drinking was an impressive experience for me.
Now I can't forget the sixty-years-old head hostess with a sparkling red shirt.

VS Laffy Taffy

Laffy Taffy is a famous American candy.
(See: http://www.hometownfavorites.com/laffy-taffy.htm)
I got it as a suvenier from America by Lance. Before his going back to America during his holidays, I requested him to buy typical American sweets, which is very very sweet.

Laffy Taffy is not strongly sweet. But, once I eat it, it is difficult to stop it. Today, I'm enjoying it with "Mt.Fuji" whisky, which is very strong, 50% degree.
Laffy Taffy has some tastes. I love Banana taste. It's fitted to whisky very much.

American feels nostalgic to eat it? I, Japanese, can't. But, The taste is enough to remind me of my childhood. Maybe, the sweets like Laffy Taffy are not healthy. However, children don't usually take care of their health. So, unhealthy foods are the symbol of youth. When I look at the sparkring yellow colour of Banana taste Laffy Taffy, I can go back to my childhood days.

Two jokes are written on the package of Laffy Taffy.
They are Q&A style.

Q:WHAT IS A CAT'S FAVORITE COLOR?

A:"PURR-PLE."

Q:WHAT IS A BUNNY'S MOTTO?

A:"DON'T FROWN. BE HOPPY"

Q:WHAT DID THE NOODLES SAY TO THE BUTTER?

A:"DON'T TRY AND BUTTER ME UP."

Q:WHAT DO YOU CALL TWIN BROTHERS?

A:"A SUNSET."


Mmm, I can't get laughing points. They are jokes for kids.
My English level might not reach kid's level. I have to study more.

VS Mt.Fuji

I've ever climbed Mt.Fuji twice. It was too taugh work.
I don't know the reason, but Japanese loves Mt.Fuji.
My climbing was only in summer season. It is good for ameteur climbers. Because, when the bottom of the mountain is is summer, the top is in winter. The temperature of the top is under zero.
Thus, in winter season, only professional climber can climb the mountain.

Cimbing Mt.Fuji is not difficult. We don't need a special technique to climb it. It is like walking on a long slope. But, the slope is long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long and looooooooooong. Honestly I don't want to climb it more.

However, if you've never climbed Mt.Fuji, I recomend yu to climb it.
Maybe night time climbing is better, because you can watch the sun rise from the top of the mountain. It is very beautiful.
When I climbed it, fortunately everytime the weather was good and the view from the top was very clear. Even though I said "I don't want to climb it more.", I will challange to climb it again this year. Why? Mmm, I don't know.

Recently I am drinking a whisky, which name is "Mt.Fuji". It is 50% degree. It's too strong! But it becomes popular now in Japan.
In Japan, today is the holiday for the people becoming an adult, 20 years old. I want to recomend new adults to drink this top level alcohol. It is very bitter.

VS Shrine

I spent my new year holidays in my home town, Kyoto.
As many Japanese people do so, I ate Ozouni, a kind of stew, on the first morning in this year.
After that, I went to a shrine with my friend.

Going to Shrine sometimes becomes controversy, but It is a traditional work for a new year in Japan. Actually, for most people including me, it has not strong religious meaning. It is just for enjoying a new year's atomosphere.
Fortunately for me, there are a lot of shrines in Kyoto. So, I can go to some shrines easily. I went to the closest shrine from my house. The place was very crowded. I and my friend tried to reach the shrine, but we gave up soon. If we were more religious men, we couldn't gave up reaching it.

However, I donated a small money for the shrine later. The money was very very small, but my friend couldn't understand why I donated money, because I am not religious. My aim was only for preserveing a historical heritage. So, I paid 10 yen for the shrine.

Near the shrine, we drunk Ama-Sake. It is an old-style hot Sake, which is mede of Sake, suger, ginger and water. I tried it then for the first time. To be honest, the taste was shit! I couldn't finish a glass at that time. But, Ama-Sake is very popular in the place like Shrine, and many people drink it. I hope I can get fortune by drinking it.

This year, I can get 10 days holidays because I've worked for my company for 10 years.
It's a long time. I am surprised at it. This year's biggest mission for me is to use the holidays effeciently.

VS Immigration

This is my last post in this year, which is now on the last corner, going to the ending. We want to delay the speed of finishing, but it is theoretically impossible. Only we can do is to make our brain work slowly, for feeling the time passing speed becomes slow. So, we always have a lot of drinking party in this month. Alcohol sometimes stops our time. It's miracle. But, of course, after we get up, we realise that time was certainly going forward.

From this year, the birth rate will became smaller than the death rate in Japan. Japanese population will strat to decrease. Japan will be an aged country rapidly. Japanese government and companies think about this situation seriously, but they don't have good solutions, though the government knew this problem 30 years ago.

The government started to support the bringing children up. The parents with kids can get small money from the government. I think this policy is good for some parents, but I am not sure this policy can solve the problem of decreasing population. I think that the choice which to have a child or not, is mostly based on our life style, not our economical condition. Who bears a baby to get money, in Japan? Another policy is to support a working woman with children. For example, the government support women( and men) to have a day-off easily to bring their children up. This policy could be helpful for women. But, I don't think Japanese population increases again by this policy. It is bigger trend for people not to have children.

I can't understand why Japanese government think more seriously about an immigrant policy. If we want to more population, it is the easiest way to invite here the people who want to come to Japan. There are many countries which population is still incresing. We can IMPORT the people to Japan.
While the lack of interest in an immigrant policy, Japanese government is very interested in making a bigger economical community in Asia with China, Korea, India, Australia and ASEAN.
I like this idea, but, for the success of the idea, we should understand the freedom of movability and stability is needed. It means that immigration must be more free in the community. So, I think Japanese policy is not consistent.

I know an immigrant policy is difficult. I was surprised that the riot of immigrant occured this year in France. I heard that the immigrant policy in France was most successful. But even France has a difficult problem.
However, I think it's impossible to survive in the future, for the country closed to outer people.
So are each person. Although we tend to be satisfied with keeping touch with familiar people only, it sometimes equals the lack of skill to communicate with different people. We must be open. Our country must be open.
"Be open" might be a pressure phrase for some Japanese. But, we should know that the person closed to others is also closed by others.

What kind of different others can I meet next year? I'm looking forward.

VS Silent Night

Today is December 24th. Long long celebrating season is almost reaching the climax. From the beginning of this month, all cities were decorated and illuminated in Japan. We are very excited.
Maybe, this mood in this seson in Japan is different from another countries. For most western people, today is good for a silent and holy night. But, not for Japanese. We must not be still.
For some silent Japanese, this mood is sometimes a pressure. If we don't have any plan tonight, we are regarded as a sad person. So, everybody makes effrots to have SOMETHING TO DO; having a dinner with a girl or boy friend, arranging a party with our family, and so on.
Spending a time joyfully is good, but, of course, we can't forget our purpose.
We have this day in order to celebrate him.
When I was walking in a city today, I often heard of the phrase of calebration.
People call, "Mil Mascaras!"

Mil Mascaras.
He was a hero when I was a kid.
"Mil" means a thousand. He was a man with a thousand of face. Everytime we saw him, his face changed. He was not only strong but also beautiful. His CROSS CHOP was a deadly art. He used his hand like a scissors, to cut an enemy's neck. Of course, Mascaras was a gentleman. So, autually he didn't cut his enemy's neck. But if he used his power 100%, nobody can't escape from saying goodbye to our head.
FLYING BODY ATTACK was his finishing hold. When he jumped from a corner, nobody can't move. This situation was like a frog in front of a snake. And, at the next moment, his muscular body pressed an enemy. If Mascaras was a litte less kind, all the enemies would become a paper.

Now I am an adult, so I know his face is not real. It's a mask. But, I believed in the existece of Mil Mascaras when I was a child. The mask filled with a lot of gifts were children's dream, and is.

VS North Korea

December is a busy month. Even when I am not busy, I can't be relaxed very well. One of the reason is that I have to see many people for business. I have to go to my customers and business-partners to give thanks for many things about our business in this year.

I went to a library, to see the library's manager. After talking about our business, we talked about literature. Because, the manager's life work is literature, and he sometimes writes a book about literature criticism.

In this two years, many Korean books, dramas and movies became popular in Japan. The manager thinks it's a good thing for Japanese culture. Because we can understand the emotion and feelings of the people in a different country.
This boom of Korean works is called "Han-ryu" or "Kan-ryu" in Japan.
The manager is, however, not satisfied with this boom. For him, it is not enough at all.
If Japanese is interested in Korean culture, we should be interested in North Korean culture more. This is his opinion.
For most Japanese, North Korea is a bad country, or our enemy. We think that the people in the country is brainwashed, and the media and culture is completely propaganda.
But, the manager doesn't think so. His friend went to North Korea before, and bought a lot of novels there. He translated some books to Japanese. The manager read them. Certainly the novels are influenced by the education and control of North Korean government. But, even so, he can understand the real feeling of North Korean in the books. The novels terat Love, Social jusitice, Life and so on. Such themes are easily shared by us.

He wrote a criticism of the novels in a magazine before.
But, his attempt looked difficult.
For Japanese, North Korea is a just kidnapping country. For facing a big political issue, nobody can have the interest in the culture of the country.
And, he had to think about the North Korean novelists.
The novelists must write about their real feeling under the pressure by the government. So, he worried that it would give a bad influence on them to focus on the good points easily shared by us. Brainwashers might hate such works.

I've never read the books in North Korea. So, I can't judge the quality of them. But, maybe to some extent, we can enjoy what they can enjoy. And, maybe to some extent, they can enjoy what we can enjoy. It seems to be intersting to find out the shareable parts of enjoyment between us.

VS Fukuoka

In Japan, we often call December "Shiwasu". The direct meaning is "Teacher is running." I don't
know the root of the word, but as we can anticipate it easily, it means "Rush","Busy" or
"Hurry". The word is fitted to my present feeling. Because, I had a trip soon again after Hakone trip. I went to Fukuoka last weekend. It was a very busy schedule.

My aim of this trip was just to see my old friends there.
Fukuoka-city is very convenient. We can go to the center of the city within 15 minutes from Fukuoka airport. So, when a airplane is landing, the view of the city is very close. In night time, it is very beautiful.
In all seasons, the food is delicious in Fukuoka. Especially in winter season, sea foods are great. Sake and Syochu are too delicious.
I organized a drinking party soon when I arrived at Fukuoka. My school friend, my company friend and my English-study friend came to the party. They didn't know each other. So. I had to be a good host there. It is funny to mix the people who don't know each other.

One of my friends also organized another drinking party at another night, for me. We went to a very delicious restaurant and a stylish bar. My friend intorduced his gril friend and her friend to me there. My friend's aim was to make his girl friend's friend my girl friend! For I didn't prepare for the situation, I was a little nervous(maybe).
My friend thought that I and he will drink together many times in the future. And, in the future, we will drink togther with our wives of girl friends. If our wives or girl friends can't get along well together, our drinking life would bocome worse.
So, he thought that I should be a boy friend of his girl friend's friend. He is crazy, but logical. In the situation, I had to behave as a good man. I couldn't be drunk at all.

This trip was not only for drinking.
Recently a new national musium was open in Fukuoka. I went there with other friends. The musium's display focuses on the relationship between Japan and other Asian countries. In the musium, I saw many Asian tourists. We can easily understand the similarity and difference among Asian countries there. The displayed things is very good. But, compared with them, the building of the musium is TOO good. It must be very costly. This symbolizes Japanese cultural policy. The governmnet tends to be satisfied with constructing a beautiful building.

After this trip, my mood is to finish this year beautifuly. I went to many places this year. And, I had good experiences. Now, I have to remember them, and think about the next challenge of the coming new year.

VS Hakone

Two Aussie friends visited Japan to see thier grand son. I went to Hakone with them for sight-seeing. I was not sure that they were interested in hot springs and old Japanese cultures. But, I like them. So, I arranged this trip for myself, and hopefully for them.

We stayed in an old hotel, Fukuzumiro (http://www.fukuzumi-ro.com/index.htm). The hotel is 115 years old. In the long history, to write a story, there stayed a lot of famous novelists; Yasunari Kawabata, Jiro Osaragi, Eijiro Yoshikawa and so on. Actually, the hotel is silent. We can listen to only the sound of river near the hotel. The condition is good for thinking about and writing something.

The hot spring of the hotel is not big. But, the quality of the water is good. The hotel doesn't use the water again, so it is very clean. Not using the water again means that they have an origine of hot spring, and they can use the water very much. Non-recycled hot spring water is very heavy. So, after the bath, we become tired. It means that the water is very effective.

After enjoying hot spring, we ate Japanese traditional dishes. We started with Japanese vegetables and Sake. The main dish was Syabu Syabu, a kind of pot food. And, we finished with rice and miso-soup. Unfortunatelly, some foods were bad for two Aussies; for example, raw fish. But, of course, I enjoyed everything.
There is an old bar in the hotel. We went to the bar after the dinner.Many novelists must have used this bar, after finishing writing a story. When I was drinking whisky there, I tried to make a poem.

"Hey an old pond, a flog jumped into you, making the sound of water."

Great poem. Beautiful.

We met other tour groups there. They were a company's salesmen group. We drunk with them and sang Karaoke together. My friends enjoyed very much, because they loves a big party. It must be the best experience for them in this trip. On the next day after Hakone night, we went to Asakusa for shopping. My friends bought a lot of Japanese classical wears; Kimono, Yukata and Jinbei. Now, it is an early summer in Australia. The wears must be good in this season, for them.

VS Bird flu

In my discussion class, we talked about "Bird flu". It is now a big issue in the world. But, not in Japan. To be honest, I was not iterested in this issue. I didn't think it relates to me. However, I realised I have to think about it seriously. Because newsparers say a few people died of the flu in China, and I ate a few chicken foods in China! Actually I had a stomachache in China. But it was caused by my eating spicy foods a lot, I hope.

I can't compare Japan with foreign countries, but I think Japan is a very clean country. We are very sensitive to keep everything clean. So, we can't imagine a deadly illness spreads here.
However, China and Japan is very close. And, Japan imports many thing, including chicken, from China. If the flu spreads in China, it will easily come to Japan. Fortunately, the dead people is a rare case now. Thus, we don't have to afraid of it too much. The people lived in a rural area in China. I think their living condition is not clean enough. Virus likes to live in a dirty area. So, we have to keep our public health clean.
In Shanghai, I watched many people cleaning a street in an early morning. So, I think that a big city like Shanghai is safe. But, safely I add that my thinking is not based on scientific reason, for this issue. Even in a clean area, virus might spread easily.

Japanese government seems to start to think Bird flu is a big problem.
Recently, a new laboratory was built in Tokyo ,for studying a infectious disease.
They needs medical books to study it. And, medical books are very expensive. And, I am a book-salesman. So, I have to go to the laboratory, to help them protect our world from the disease.
I had an appointment with a staff in the laboratory, and met her.
However, because she has an another favorite bookstore, she seemed to have no interest in my proposal.

Sorry, I can't save Japan.

VS Cross Roads

A lot of hair desingners is getting together in my city, hon-atsugi. I don't know the reason, but hair salons are increasing here now, even though the population of this city starts to decrease. Our hair growing speed might become faster than before. It's the only one rational reason.

I went to a hair salon, Cross Roads. (http://www.geocities.jp/crossroads_hm/ )
This shop is on a cross road near the south exit of the station. Only two professional hair designers are working there.
I chose this shop for my hair cut before, because it is very small. Small shop is good to keep private atomosphere. I don't like big "hair cut" factries.

Mr. Ogawa, the shop owner, trained for hair designing in New York. He desinged a lot of model's hair there. New York is one of the biggest cities for competition of hair salons and designers. I heard that each race has a different character of hair. Altough most Japanese hair designers have treated only Japanese hair, he has the technique to treat different types of hair.

Ms. Sekiguchi, the shop staff, can not only design hairs but also arrange how to wear the traditional Japanese cloth. As we know, Japanese old wear, especially for women, is very complex. It needs a skill to wear it beautifully. She cuts my hair everytime.

For foreigners in Japan, it would be difficult to find a good hair salon. First difficulty is a language. Second difficulty is a designer's skill.
So is Japanese.
It was very difficult for me to choose a hair salon, when I came to a new city. After many trial, I reached this shop.

By the way, there was a good ramen restaurant near Cross Roads. (To be precise, there "is", but the shop owner changed, so the taste also changed. Thus, for me, there "was".) The ramen was the best miso-taste ramen I have ever eaten. I heard that the previous shop owner will start a new restaurant. I can't miss it.

VS Red Dragon

I went to Shanghai last week. This was the third time trip to Shanghai in this year. Last two trips was in February and March. They were before a big anti-Japan movement in China. This third time trip was just after President Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni shrine. Many things has happened between last trip and this.

In last two trip, I couldn't talk with Chinese people for my lack of knowledge about Chinese language. But, this time, I studied Chinese language before going there. I thought I have to prepare for a debate with Chinese people for a controversial topic. I am now going to an English discussion class every week. So, I am proud of beating others by language. I thought I can win when I have a debate with Chinese. However, my Chinese is terrible. I can say "Hello", "Good bye", "Thank you" and "You are welcome" in Chinese. That's all! There is a big gap between my ambition and ability.

I experienced many new things in this trip.
When we arrived at Shanghai, we went to a middle-easten bar soon. And, we enjoyed a water-pipe there. It was an amazing equipment. Although I was not good at smoking because I don't smoke in Japan, I could taste the unique flavour.
There were many Turkish in the bar. I have never been to Turky, but I know Turky is where I will die in the future. So, I felt I was in a heaven at that time. There were a lot of angels there.

We went to DJ SASHA's show in a night club. I don't know about DJ play well, but it was a good experience. I thought DJ play is a kind of communication between DJ and the audience. His control of the audience and dancers was good. In fact, I was also controled. I was made danced even though I don't dance in Japan.
He will come to Japan in this month. I have to check his magical play again.

I went to my favorite spicy Chinese restaurant again. Last time, I got a VIP card of the restaurant. As a VIP, I went there.
Most dishes are very hot in the restaurant. My stomach was damaged very much before. So, I selected the menu carefully this time. But, I couldn't escape from stomachache again after the dinner.
I met a female staff I know again. Every time I came there, she surved me, by chance. I got the VIP card from her.
I tried to communicate with her in my terrible Chinese.
" Ni hao ma?"
Her reply was "Ni hao."
I am not sure that the reply "Ni hao" is correct to "Ni hao ma?". But, I want to think I can make a conversation in Chinese.

I went to check three bookstores in Shanghai. Because I will challange a publishing business in China and other Asian countries, in the future.
To be honest, the bookstore in Shangahi is tiny, and not interesting. It is very strange. Because China is one of the biggest publishing countries. On language level, English books are published most in a year. Chinese books are No.2 in the world. But, English books is American book plus England book. So, on country level, I think China is the biggest publishing country. I can't understand why these bookstores are small.

I bought some Chinese tea as a souvenier. After coming back to Japan, I went to a Hawaiian bar, and drunk Shochu with Jasmine tea. It was very delicious. Chinese tea is interesting. Some tea is Art. Now, I am writing this article with drinking pu er tea. It is strongly cleaning my inner body.

Many things to write! But, I finish this article at this point.
Now, this blog site can be read in China. However, it is impossible to write a comment there. It's strange. But, anyway, we can expect to communicate with the people in China freely soon.

VS Halloween

I had two Halloween parties last weekend. The first was Aeon's. Many students joined it and enjoyed drinking beer and singing in Karaoke. The second was Holo holo's. We enjoyed Hawaiian beer and foods very much. When I look around, I find that many bars and restaurants have Halloween party. Now, Halloween is becoming popular in Japan.
But, it is still difficult for me to find a good costume. Maybe, also for most Japanese people, it's difficult. Because, we feel ashamed to wear a strange costume a little! So, we have a dilemma between enjoying more and being ashamed. I know, we have to throw something away, to get something. Halloween is a kind of test for me.

From now, I'm going to China.
Time to fly.

VS University

I ate smoked horse meat in a Hawaiian bar recently. It made me drink a lot.
I became a rampaging horse then.

For my business, I always talk with the people related to University. Now, University students is decreasing in Japan. So, It is becoming difficult to manage University. Japanese government is preparing for the bankrupt of Universities now.
For Japanese, the bankrupt of Universities is out of image. Actually, for a long time after Warld War II, Universities had just continued to increase. But, in this year, a local University was bankrupt. This is the first case. Most people related to University think the second and third case will come soon.

Large size university has no problem. Such an university is popular, so it is easy to survive. Small size university is also OK. It can easily adjust to the circumstance.
But, middle size university has a problem. In Japan, middle size means the unversity which has about four or five majors. Such an university have to compete with large size university and get many students.
One of my customers is a middle size university. I sometimes talk with the people in the university, about how to survive under the difficult situation.
Of course, I don't have a solution about it. All I can do is to cheer them. "Your students are very polite!" "The collection of your library is great!" " You can look at Mt.Fuji from your campus. It's fantastic!"
It is important to find out good points for the university.
To be unique is the condition for their survival. Actually, now, Japanese government is selective to support Universities. If they don't have any unique point, they wouldn't get the support by the government.

Autumn is the season of University festival. We can check the information easily in an event magazine. I hope I can find unique events in it. Before, I went to an women's university's festival and joined a tea circule's event. I tried a classical tea drinking there. It was too formal for me at that time. But, I enjoyed it.
I think that the university having a good festival can survive in the future, because the festival indicates the power or level of the students.

VS Periodical

For some book salesmen and publishers, this month is the busiest in a year. Because everybody have to decide which journals or magazines to read in the next year. To read some journals from January, we have to order them now. So, all book salaesmen, publishers and readers have a time limit. We all are very busy in this month.

Now the publishing style of journals is changing rapidly in the world. Paper version was usual several years ago, but now, the rate of Electoric version is increasing rapidly, especially for English journals.
Compared with English journals, Japanese publication is old-fashioned. Still now, paper version is popular in Japan. But, I think Electric version will become popular soon in Japan.

In next month, a big show for librarians is held in Yokohama. Electoric publication is one of the show's themes. Not only librarians but also publishers or ordinary people come to the show. So, I will go there too. I guess some Japanese IT company people will come there too, because they are very interested in colaborating with TV companies, radio companies and so on. I think publishing is also in their interest. Most of Japanese publishing companies are small. If Japanese IT companies think about buying publishing companies, they will realise it's very easy.

After this busy month, I will go to Shanghai again. I will become both relaxed and nervous there.

VS Prime minister

The prime minister, Jyunichiro Koizumi, came to my town and made a speech yesterday. It was his first visit to my town, so many people came to see him. The place in front of Hon Atsugi station was very crowded. It was crowded more than the summer festival of this city, Ayu matsuri.

Before his coming, a lot of politicians made a short speech. It was boring. I think that nobody listened to them.
When they talked about something, I had looked around the place near the station. I recognized many SPs. They looked very strong. They were checking the people coming to listen to the speech. It was very interesting for me to check the SPs' checking.

When a politician was talking, SPs became to look nervous. Soon, eight black cars came to the place. Everybody thought he came. A man got out of one of the eight cars. He was similar to Koizumi, thus some people thought he was the prime minister. But he was not. After that, from another one of the cars, Koizumi arrived. All people were excited very much. Many people tried to take a photo of him by thier handy phone camera.

To be honest, his speech was a little boring. Before his speech, we thought he talks about funny things everytime. But, he is not a comedian. We became bored with his speech soon.
However, he is good at understanding the audience's feeling. He changed his speech tone soon, and began to talk about easy theme; for example, the price of an apple in China! I didn't think his theme selection was not fitted to Prime minister's speech, but thought his speech technique is nice.

In China, Japanese apple costs 2000 yen.

VS Surfing

Autumn is the best season for surfer. Beach is not crowded and water is still warm. Especially in Enoshima beach, there are a huge number of people in summer season. So, it's difficult to surf there in the season.

When I went there last weekend, it was a little rainy and there was a weak on-shore wind. I expected a good wave, but the sea was calm. But it was OK. Suefing is a Nature sport. We have to adjust to a natural condition. When the wave is weak, we can change the style of riding on it.

My friend said, surfing is where human meets God. I don't understand the real meaning, but I can know it is an idiot who think he/she can control anything in the nature, when we surf. All we can do is just to adjust to a given atomosphere.
I waited for a good wave coming on the sea. Good wave had came suddenly. I had to turn quickly, and paddled very fast. When my speed could catch up with the speed of wave, I could ride on the wave. But, in fact, I failed many times.

Long time waiting for a good wave was suffering. Our image of surfing is the scene of riding a wave. But, actually we spend the most time to wait for it. Riding time may be a few seconds. We have to be patient on the sea. However, we wouldn't be irritated there. Because, when watching the sea, we can forget time passing easily. I think it is the richest time.

I enjoyed the surfing school for super beginners last weekend.

VS Japanese Emperor

Maybe, it is a theme that most Japanese don't want to treat seriously.
Actually J.E. is sometimes a controversial existence.
Now, in Japanese government, it is a big issue whether to permit a woman to be an emperor or not. Ah, don't say "Stupid." Some of us think about it seriously.

Japanese long history can be roughly divided into two; Samurai's governance eras and Emperor's governance earas. Sometimes Samurai had a power in Japan. Sometimes Emperor governed Japan by the religious power.
Edo period was the longest eara in Japanese history, which was governed by Samurai,from 1603 to 1867. During this period, Japanese emperor still had a kind of authority. Even Samurai respect him formally. But he didn't any power in politics.
When modern Japan strated after Edo period, J.E. got a power again. That is why people thought he deserves our leader. Under his leadership, we made a modern government. But, soon, the power of army had influenced the government strongly until the world war II.

Recently, a book for Japanese Emperor is published. It is a collection of many documents written by J.E. family and relatives, from ancient to modern.
Japanese government owned the documents, but didn't make them open for a long time. But, a publisher had negotiated with the government. At last, they becomes published. This book will have a big impact on the historical study of Japan. Because, especially after Edo period, Japanese history was written by Samurai-side. They were in the center of Japanese governance. Their documents are important. However, we guess they have a bias. So, historians waited for the publication of Emperor-side information. In this autumn, it is my first priority to sell the book.

VS 24

The DVDs of American TV Drama "24 season four" was released in Japan recently. It's a problem for me. That is why, on previous three seasons, once I started to watch them, I could not stop.
Now I am very busy for many things. I thought that I shouldn't watch the season four for a while. But, unfortunately, my behavier betrayed my thinking. I have to create 24 hours from busy days. I am not sure I can, but I have to. This is urgent.

When I watch this drama, I can't stop thinking about the difference between American society and Japanese. We can't treat Terrorism in a drama. It means, if we treat Terrorism in a drama, it will lose reality very much. However, American drama can treat it, without losing reality, fortunately or unfortunately.
To be honest, I don't think that 24 is the best drama. It sometimes becomes extreme, to be like a cartoon. But it is very interesting certainly.

Terrorism is a more serious problem in America. But American can change it to good entertainment. I think that it is a good point or a surprising point of America. I think that some countries (for example, North Korea) think they are in danger of "Terrorism" by America. But, I don't think that they can make good entertainment by treating the danger. For them, a serious problem is a serious problem. There is no flexibility there.

Today I watched 4 hours stories. Now is midnight. Time to sleep, but no time for enough sleep. Damme it!

VS Tsukuba Express

Today I went to vote.
We had to choose a new government. And, we know now that LDP wins very much.
Everybody is surprised at this result. Nobady thougt that LDP is so strong.
Next government would maneuver this country very strongly.
Where will Japan go? I have no idea.

I went to Tsukuba last week. I used Tsukuba Express.
The line is new. It started at the end of last month. It connects Akihabara in Tokyo ,to Tsukuba in Ibaraki pref. It's very convenient. It takes 45 minutes from Akihabara to Tsukuba. It's not far.

Akihabara is famous for many electric equipments stores. And also, it is famous as Otaku culture city. The city is filled with Animation, Manga, Game, Computer ,CG and so on.
For me, this city is memorial for good curry and rice restaurants.
Now this city is very internatinal. Many foreigners come there to buy electric equipments.

Tsukuba was originally a local city, but now is the city for scientists. There are many kinds of laboratories there. Recently a Japanese technician living there went to the space.
And, many foreign scientists are working there. So, Tsukuba is now an international city too.
My favorite Aussie bar is there. On this time, I went to the bar and ate a kangaroo steak there.

Otaku city and Scientist city are related by the express. It's an interesting rink.
And, there is Asakusa, an old area in Tokyo, on the line. So, we can enjoy Japanese old culture and foods there. I think that the best point of the line is a variety of the stops. Now most of stops are rural, but they are growing. I love a growing city.

By the way, Japan will be a growing country? I hope she will be so.

VS China Town

Yokohama city has the biggest China town in Japan.
Chinese people or Chinese-Japanese manages Chinese restaurants there.
When I go there, I become happy. Because I like chinese foods and culture.

I had a dinner with my colleages there last weekend.
We went to a Sichuan-style restaurant(Sisen-style in Japanese), Kyokarou.
(See http://www.kyokarou.com/)
I like the taste in the restaurant. Sichuan-style chinese food is spicy and hot. My favorite is a baked chicken with chili. It's so great. Chili-mountain is on a dish. And, I dig the mountain and find the pieces of chincken with bone. It has an amazing taste.
I drunk three bottles of Chinese sake with my colleages there. The spicy foods are fitted to it.
It reminded me of my China trip this year. I enjoyed a spicy Chinese food restaurant twice at that time.

Compared with real China, the service in China town is better.
Especially, the restaurant I went to was very good. The owner was very kind and friendly. So, I think I will go there soon again.
Of courese, the price is higher than real China. I paid 9000 yen there. By this price, I can go to dinner nine times in China. But it is OK. It is a necessary cost for me to enjoy real Chinese food in Japan.

Now I am thinking about going to China again in this November.
It is the best season for Shangahi Crab. The crab is small. But, if I eat it in Japan, the price of a crub is about 3000 yen. It's too expensive! But, not in China. I can eat it till I become satisfied.
Next time in China, I wanna communicate with Chinese people in Chinese language.
In the restaurant in China town, I learned Chinese a little from the staff. I enjoyed it.
When I was a student, it was not popular to learn Chinese. But, now it is a second-popular language to learn in Japan. So, I can have many chances to study it. It's very nice for me.

Going back to Kyokarou, the noodle is very original. It is thick and cut by a sword. I didn't try it last time, but it must be a strong noodle. I will try it next time.
And in winter season, we can eat very very very hot Nabe there. The soup is red and spicy. I enjoyed the Nabe in Peking four years ago., but I was damaged by it!
I have to revenge it this winter.

VS Diary

Recently I am keeping a diary.
This is why I read a Japanese book about a diary, which titile is "The magical power of Diary".
I am influenced by it very much, so I started to keep a diary.

The author says, we don't have to write our impression of daily things in a diary, but we should write the fact or the action or the behavier of ourselves everyday.
And, a more important thing is that we should READ the diary later.
Therefore, we can understand ourselves more.
The auhtor says again, we don't have to write our impression ,our idea or our opinion in a diary.
Because, when we write such a thing, we tend to make ourselves more beautiful. In other words, we tend to make a self-image, which is different from ourselves.
If the purpose of keeping a diary is to understand ourselves more, we should write ourselves as we are.

I was impressed by the book, and I decided to keep a diary.
At first, I thought this blog can be my diary, but I changed my mind soon. Because, in general, the blog like a diary is not interesting for public. I think that a blog is a new publication, so when we write it, we had better make it public to some extent.
It means we have to create something in a blog.
But a diary doesn't want creativity. It wants Facts only.
So, I keep a diary in addition to this blog.

7:00 AM I woke up. I dreamed.....
9:00 AM I went to my office. My boss got angry with me because....
0:00 PM I went lunch with my co-worker. She is interesting and ....
2:00 PM I negotiated with a customer about the price of the books. But I failed....
4:00 PM I called a restaurant to reserve tonight's business dinner.
5:00 PM I got an email from a customer. This was urgent because...
7:00 PM I left my office and went to dinner with my business partner.
9:00 PM I didn't concentrate on business topic ,because of alcohol.

My diary is like this.
I think this acumulatiuon will be interesting and useful, of course only for me.