VS Soy Sauce

I went to KInokuniya in Shinjyuku with my friends. Now university goods fair is held there. We browsed many goods there.
The fair is named Gaku-ichi Gaku-za. This name comes from a word in Japanese history, Raku-ichi Raku-za.
Raku means "free" and Ichi is "market". And Za means normally "gathering place" but historically it had the meaning of exclusive economical communities.
So, Raku-ichi Raku-za means Free market and Free from exclusion. The word was used from 16C to 18C in Japan.

Now the famous word in Japanese history is changed a little to name a bookstore's fair. Gaku means "study". So, maybe, Gaku-ich Gaku-za means "Study the market. Study the gathering place." And maybe it means "Study Universities." Or, it can have no meaning.

I bought soy sauces made by some universities. One is made of blowfish(Fugu or Fuku in Japanese). I don't know how to make fish soy sauce. Maybe it's a result of the study of fish in an university. I wanted to buy soy sauce of sea urchin(Uni in Japanese). But it was out of stock.
And, I bought vinegar made of sweet potato. I have not tasted it yet. I can't image the taste.

The studies in universities are interesting. Although I am not sure the studies make our society progress, I think they can make our daily life interesting.

VS Something

Long time no post!
Now, the new Japanese government starts. Because the governments new policies are too agressive, many Japanese think they are impossible. But, at least, we are excited.

The sound of "Change" is similar to "Challange". (You don't think so? My ears think so.) I am not sure that the government's attempt to change will be success. Only I can do is to enjoy their challange together.

This summer, I was too busy. I had helped a woman challange a new business for a few months. The business was related to privatization of Japan's public sector. Maybe you think it sounds difficult. Yes. It is too difficult! So, we were too busy.
When I am busy, I tend to drink and eat a lot.
That's why my weight is now going up!
From today, I eat Tofu only. Weight controll is sometimes important.

Time to go. This is a short post.

VS Transition

Around one week before the coming election day, it is reported on the research of media that it is going to be certain that Japanese Democratic Party will win. The point is now not whether they will win or not, but how much they can win.
I have already decided to vote for DP, so the report is welcome.
Safely I add that I don't support DP's policy fully and their ability to manage our government is still low, yet I will support them. Because LDP's management is too terible. Their governance is very bad. Change is needed in Japan. So, many will support DP now.

As I wrote a few articles ago, I am disappointed with DP's lack of interest in Japan's immigrant policy. Thay talks about Free Trade Agreement with US or Asian countries, but they don't say anything about human. Free Trade includes Free move of human. But, they ignores it.
Or, from the view point of decreasing population in Japan, immigrant policy is needed for our country's growth. But they looks not interested in such a thing.
DP's future vision is still unclear.
However, again, I will support them. To change Japan, we need strong inpact on politics.

During summer vacation I watched a TV program for Japanese politics by chance. It was a debate by many citizens. For Japan's defense, some said we should have nuclear weapons to fight against North Korea. This opinion is not majority, but becoming popular now.
I don't agree wtih it. Even in the era of cold war, we didn't have nuclear weapons. If now is the more critical era than the days of Soviet vs America, I could agree with it. But so?
I think the argument about the national defense is usually too imaginary and non-realistic and boring. So, we can ignore the diffrence of national defense policy as the factor of the decision to vote. Some complain for DP's unclear national defense policy, but I don't care it.

I'm looking forward to this election day for fun.

VS Short Vacation

This year, my summer vacation was short. It was five continuous days only. Today it was finished.
I spent the vacation in Kyoto as usual. I saw my family and friends there as usual. I tried to invite a special guest to Gozannookuribi(fire relay among five mountains), a classical event in Kyoto. But, it was canceled. So, my going back to Kyoto this time was utterly as usual, not special.
Thanks to the discount of highway fee, trains were not crowded. It was reported on TV that highway was very crowded during this summer vacation. I am not sure the government's proce policy is good.

The reason why my vacation was short is that I have a job to train young coworkers this week. Although it is an interesting job, I have to prepare for it very much. So, I am busy.
Busy days seems to effect on my life pattern, especially my food-eatig cycle. My parent told me that I became fat. I didn't think so, but when I checked my weight, actually I got new 4 kilograms. I don't care that, but it might be better to check my weight sometimes.

VS Festival

Yesterday, I went to the summer festival in Camp Zama with my friends. Camp Zama is close to my town, but I didn't have many chance to visit there. I have ever been there only a few times.
Basically we can't go inside without the invitation from the camp's resident. But, on the festival day, we can enter the gate after the easy check by NP.
When reaching the center of the camp, the atomosphere was filled with festival mood! People was enjoying drinking beer, eating BBQ, wearing Japanese Kimono and dancing.
We could sit on the VIP seats, thnaks to Camp Zama worker Haruka's innvitation. We watched Japanese dance by American people. It was fun.

We also visited a family's house in the camp, and enjoyed a home party. Because I like to eat and drink in other's house, I enjoyed the party this time. Maybe, I am a good guest. I ate a lot, and drunk a lot. The family laughed at me.

Yesterday was the Ayu festival day in Atsugi too. This year, I couldn't watch the fireworks, but I went to Aeon student Koji's house after Camp Zama fesitival, because many students were there. We enjoyed Takoyaki party there.

As usual, I drunk too mush on the festival day. I don't remember most thing on the day, but I certainly enjoyed the day. It's enough.

VS Social Enterprise

The term of "Social Enterprise" is becoming popular in Japan. My company recently arranged a book fair for social enterprises, supported by Keio University. It was a good fair. Like many, I am becoming interested in it.
Yesterday, by chance, I met a person who worked for my company before. Now he is working for an university. His job is now mainly for pubishing books, but he has many other things to do. One of them is to make a scheme to encourage students to start social enterprises. I was inspired by his idea.

Many universities have been trying to establish a new business with enterprises last ten years in Japan. But, most of them were failure. It was ovious that university men were not good at business. Maybe, the mission of universities is not to earn money. Their mission is to contribute to our society. Of course, they have to earn money to keep their organization. But they don't have to be rich.
Social Enterprise is a good category for universities.
Although it is profitable to some extent, its mission is not to be competitive in the market, but to be good for our society. Such kinds of business is fitted to universities.

Now I am using Twitter. Recently a person follows my twitter, and from the person I knew Causecast.org. It seems to be a portal site for many social activities. Fmm, interesting. There are so many activities to do good to the world.
Tonight I will join Aeon's summer party. I will do good to others. I will pour beer into others' glass. My social contribution will start with the small first step.

VS Surprise Birthday Party

Yesterday I went to Tsukuba for my friend Peter's surprise birthday party arranged by her wife and friends. The party was held in a mexican restaurant.
It takes around 2.5 hours from Atsugi to Tsukuba.
I got up early morning, bought a canned beer in a convenience store and got on the Romance car on Odakyu line with Mr.Miyajima-kun. 2.5 hours was long. Of course, before arriving at Tsukuba, we were drunk.
Fortunately we arrived at the restarant one hour earlier, so we could have a time to cool us down. I waited for everybody's coming with drinking coffee.

The party was great. Around 20 people joined it. Peter's age seems to be a special one in Australian culture or in Western culture. It's like Japanese Kanreki (=60 years old). From the view point of Japanese, his age is too too young. But anyway, it is great to cellebrate him at an turning-point age.

After the party, I went to Izakaya and Karaoke with my old friend Scott. By chance, we met a German guy coming to Japan last day for the first time. The man looked happy to listen to Emglish conversation between me and Scott. So, we invited him to join us, and went together. He could experience Japan's two biggest culture, Izakaya and Karaoke. He was lucky.

I and Miyajima-kun went back to Atsugi on Romance car again on the day. Of course, we continued to drink beer on our way home. We were keeping on the cellebrating mood for Peter whole the day. We admired us by ourselves.

VS Docomo

My mobile was broken.
After sending an email to my friend from my mobile, during waiting for the reply from her, my mobile's monitor's display suddenly became dark, and soon black. Because the mail was important, I was in a panic.
I tired to fix it, but the symptom became worse. Once I turned it off, it didn't work again.

I rushed to a convenience shop to buy a battery, and tried to charge an energy to it. And...it was back, imcompletely though.
Although I couldn't use email, I could call.
Frotunately I could call her midnight. And we could conform our nexy day's meeting.

Next morning, when I woke up, I realised my mobile was dead. Both emailing and calling was impossible. It seemed to be back for a very short time last night.
It was a miracle for me to call last night.

I brought my mobile to a Docomo shop soon.
A staff checked it, but he couldn't fix it. To be worse, he told me that it might be impossible to fix it. I thought I should buy a new one. However, there is a problem. Because the mobile I use now is completely dead, the new one can't get all data from it. It means I lose all my friend's information!

Now Docomo is checking my mobile. Kindly the checking fee is free. Docomo guarantees my mobile for three years. It's a good service. I love Docomo again.

I hope Docomo can make it.
But in the case taht they can't make it.....God.

VS Twitter

I don't know what Twitter really is at this moment, but I joined it and made my address (http://twitter.com/AkioKobayashi)
Is it interesting? Is it useful? I don't have any idea. But I heard that many people against the vote in Iran have used it. And, recetly, my company's young staff are trying to use it for their business. Maybe this new media? or tool? has much possibility.

VS Troubling Friend

Recently one of my old university friends called me suddenly. The last time we met was over five years ago. That's why I was surprised and felt nostalgic. At the time, he had met another friend, and been in a baseball stadium. They seemed to enjoy a baseball game. We talked about the news of each other on the phone, and finished after promising the seeing next time.

After a few hours, the same friends called me again.
And he said,"Can you rent me money?"

He seemed to have a trouble with Yakuza. Even though he has a wife and a kid, he had a love affair with another woman. Unfortunately she is a Yakuza's wife. Their relationship was soon found by the Yakuza, and he told that he would sue my friend.
My friend worried that his wife know the incident. So, he tried to reconcile to the Yakuza, and promised to pay money. But, the amount was huge. He rent money even from his parents, but he couldn't gather the money. That's why he called me. Before calling me, he asked another friend in a baseball studium but his negotiation seemed to fail.

He might have been unlucky. The trouble with Yakuza could be planned by the Yakuza.
But the problem is his attitude to solve the trouble. It is the weak point that he can't disclose the problem to his wife. So, he have to pay the money he can't pay by himself.
I asked him how to pay the money back to your parents and friends in the future? His answer was unclear. I knew the answer must be "impossible", though.

I decide not to rent money to him. He will not be able to gather the money. The Yakuza will sue him. The problem will be known by his wife. As the result, if she will divorce him...., I think he should accept the result. If he need to make unfair dealing with Yakuza and hide many things to his family to keep his family, what is the family?

VS Coming Birthday

Everything is fast. A month ago, we talked about the born of the new flu in Mexico. Now, it is reported that many Japanese get the flu.
During this time, the leader of Japanese Democratic Party changed, the new court system that ordinary people join judgements has started, a famous rock singer, Kiyoshiro Imawano, was dead for cancer, and a popular comedian, Hitoshi Matsumoto of Down Town, got married.
Many things happened. And time has passed fast.

I am facing the coming of my birthday soon. I feel the last birthday was like yesterday, so I am surprised that a year is short. I am going to be thirty seven years old. It means sixty three years are left for my life.
When thinking about my father's eara, the person of 37 looked more adult. But, when looking at my generation, they are still like university students.
Last night I drunk with my friends, went home, drunk more listening to the radio, slept midnight, got up late, got shower soon, and rushed to the lesson of English...
Actuallly my life style doesn't change from my school days.
Maybe also after the next birthday, my life style wouldn't change.

For birthday gifts, I don't request anybody to give me. However, I tried to make some memorized my birthday last year. Maybe some can't ignore it. I am the man with tactics. This character also doesn't change from my school days...

VS Swine Flu

I had been thinking of writing about the news that the member of SMAP, Japanese TV star, was arrested because he was drunk midnight to be naked in public, but the news about swine flu must be important on both the global level and the local level.
I had thought pigs are the most safety animal to eat. Actually they had no schandal for illness for a long time. Cows got BSE. Birds took flu. But, pigs were always fine even though they were sometimes seen as a dirty animal. So, we didn't have to worry about eating pork.
However, the time has come. Even pigs are not perfect. Now, swine flu start to widen from Mexico and America. This flu seems to influence human-being easily. It is reported that some people were dead in Mexico. It's scarly.

My town Atsugi is becoming famous for its original pork cuisine. Last year Atsugi got No.1 in a B-class food competition. After that, many new restaurant serving pork dishes were open. That's why, if swine flu spread all over the Japan, Atsugi's economy would have a serious damage. So, Japanese government must protect Japanese pigs. The prime minister Aso directed the government officials to collect the information about the flu today.

Compared with bird flu, I feel the news of swine flu is treated bigger on Japanese media. I wonder pork is more popular than chicken in Japan.

VS Beer Discussion

Today, in the disucssion class in Aeon, I became a MC to organize the class. Because the topic of the discussion was about Japanese beer, my teacher Sudhan thought I deserve to be the orgaqnizer there. It was my first time in my 10-year experience in Aeon that I sat down on the chair of teacher. So, I was excited.

Talking about beer in English was great. All students have their own experience of beer drinking. We couldn't stop talking about it.
At first, I asked them when or where they want to drink beer, which kind of situations are good for beer? : Midnight, before the dinner, With food, Without food, Near the sea, After working. Each has their favorite situations.
I think beer is the most flexible drink to the situations. So, anytime and anywhere is my answer.

Last night I drunk with two female coworkers in an izakaya. They got angry with their boss during their working time. So, I invited them to drink beer.
After a few glasses of beer, their anger became calm down. I thoght beer is a magical drink to make us happy and peaceful.

In the discussion class, I explained for Chimey. It's a worldwide popular beer brewed in Belgy, but no people in the call knew it. For the most Japanese, beer is Asahi, Kirin, Suntry or Sapporo. But there are a huge numer of types of beer in the world. Japanese beer career is still on the start line.

Anyway, I could know that it is a tough work to organize one-hour discussion. I sometimes have to summurise the talker's opinion. I sometimes have to encourage students to talk more. And, sometimes I have to change the flow of the discussion. Fotunately all students in the class were the people with experience. They supported me very much.
Next week, I will re-recognze the seat of a student is more confortable.

VS Contemporary Art

Now Cherry blossoms are full. Spring and drinking season have come. It's the season that we feel something new will come. The missile from North Korea is no thank you though..

Due to the feeling of something-new, I went to a museum suddenly one day, even though I am not the person to familier with the art. I watched the exhibition of Japanese contemporary artist, Teppei Kaneuji. I didn't know him at all then, but I could enjoy his many works.

He uses a lot of things we use in our daily life, to create his works. He combines them, and make something new. It's sometimes a patchwork of other artists' work, and sometimes a re-use of toys. His style might be new, but at least for me, it was not surprising, but comfortable. Because his theme, interest, motive or subject is something we have already know. For example, a stain of coffee.
He makes a design by using a lot of stains of coffee. The stains are things we are familier with in our daily life, so we can watch his works feeling close to our life.

I spent much time to watch his animation work, Tower. The work itself has no meaning, I think. But, I could enjoy meaningless time in front of the work. Please jump to the site I link above, if you are interested in it. You can watch the work.
Art is good to make my brain refresh! Now my mood is light. It's good for this new season.

VS The Asiatic Society

My friend invited me to the meeting of The Asiatic Society of Japan, which is one of the oldest society for the foreigners living in Japan, established 137 years ago. Originally the society was for foreigners, but now many Japanese joins it.
I am not the member of the society, but I could participate in the meeting in Shibuya as a guest.

The day's meeting was for the photography in Edo era. The topic is so academic that I couldn't understand it in English, but I could enjoy it, thanks to the help of many visual images.
It is known that there were many foreign photographers visiting Japan from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period, and many Japanese photographers were born influenced by the foreigners. But the study of the "old" photography is not active in Japan, because the study of photography itself is minor here.
So, the meeting seemed to be impressive for the most audiences.

After the meeting, after some Q&As, drinking time started soon!
I can understand very well that drinking is good for our mind after listening to hard topic.

The next day after the meeting, I went to a museum with the friend in order to sell some old photos of Kabuki acter. They were very beautiful photos, found out in Europe. Now my customer is thinking about buying it. I hope for my business success.

VS Playing Sepak Takraw

What is Sepak Takraw?
When I said "I played Sepak Takraw.", five to ten people gave me the question.
Another five people could know it is a sport. But, even they could not describe it exactly. "I know we use our foots to play it. And, . . . That's all I know!"

Sepak Takraw is the sprot like valley ball. But, we don't use our hand, but our foots. The court size is as same as badminton. One team is three players.
The ball was originally made by bamboo, but now by plastic. So, it is a little hard.
I played the minor sport recently in Atsugi for the first time.

One guy is working in Atsugi, and manage the only one Atsugi Sepak Takraw team. And he is the only one player in the team. He always practices alone!
But, recently, by chance, Aeon student Akira introduced me and other friends to the team (or, him). So, I could have the chance to play.

As you imagine easily, it is very difficult to control a ball on your foot. The ball size is smaller than a soccer ball, so we tend to fail to kick the center of the ball. In addition, as I mentioned above, the ball is hard. So, my ankle was damaged when I played, because my kicking-point was not good.
However, even though our playing-level was low, the game was exciting and interesting. I don't know why, but we like to maneuver something by foot. So, when I could kick the ball well, I felt happy.

Spring is the good season to start something new. I started this season with a new sport I've never experienced.

VS New School

Endless working days are continueing on me. This month, I am very busy for my work. Actually I am always busy. But, this month is special.
Now I am working for a new-born school which is open from this April. The school's major is the oriental medcine. Now the school is rushing to prepare for their opening.
I sold them a huge number of books, magazines, book-shelves and so on. They need their library in the school. So, they bought many things related to library. It's good for them, and good for my business.
Unfortunately, and every so often, there is no librarian there, even though they made a library. In Japan, librarians have been a difficult job to be, since before starting this economical recession. The job of librarian is one of victims in a cost-cut strom in schools.

I sold a large number of books to a new library.
But, there is no people there.
And, there is empty book-shelves there.
Who have to set up the many books on it?

My customer told me, "You are professional. I trust you."
Oh my God. It means the setting-up is my job!

Medical books might be an unfamilier type of book for you.
The character for the content is that the book is for medcine.
The character for the physicality is that it is large and heavy!
So, it is a very taugh work to carry a lot of medical books. In addition, the books in a library have to be categorised. It is also taugh to sort books I can't understand.

Anyway, I finished the work without taking holidays in this month.
The people in the school look happy to the new, beautiful library.
But I worry about who manages the library after this April? I cat't ask them when looking at their happy face, though.

VS Mobile Culture

Today I made my mobile blog. By chance, I found the mobile blog service in Google.
Honestly, I don't have to use it. But, I will use it for a while because it is good that I am familier with a new technology.

When it comes to my business, book-sales, mobiles novels are becoming popular among the young people in Japan. The market is becoming larger every year. The comparison with the old publishing market in Japan (it's shrinking now.) is interesting.
I read some mobile novels recently. To be precise, I tried to read some.
For me, they were boring.
The sentences in the novels are short, to fit them to the mobile's small screen. So, the novels are actually easy to read. But, I thought the novels don't have the depth of language expresson.

However, I wouldn't deny the new genre. The sentence shortage can be the energy for new arts. In fact, Japanese culture has two traditional styles of short wards poem, Waka (within 31 characters) and Haiku (17 characters). Limited usage of words can be an advantage.

I have to add my practical problem at last. Because I don't have a televison and a computer, I relay on my mobile very much to get informations in this world. So, I have to master my mobile to survive...

VS Surfing Extra Cold

The season seems to move from winter to spring. But, the move is not smooth. One day is warm, we think spring hascome. Another day becomes cold again, we wear a sweater again.
Depending on days, the air temparature changes. Thanks to this change, strong wind and air pressure are born on the sea. The power of air hit the sea strongly. This is the origine of wave.
The wave born on the Pacific Ocean is very raugh. You can't control your ship there. But, the closer the wave comes to the beach, the milder the shape of the wave becomes. Surfing is the sport to ride on the mild wave.

Last week, I went to Enoshima beach with Akira 1 to surf. It was my first surfing in this year. It was a fine day. The air temparature was over 20. We didn't have any problem to go to the sea. Before going to the sea, I checked the wave information on internet. Good waves were coming now! I rushed to go to Enoshima.

There were many people in the surf shop my board was kept in. Many seemed to come from the early morning. I have the handycap that I have to drink every single night, so I couldn't get up early the day, but anyway I tried to catch up with other surfers. But...

I say to you that enough warming-up must be needed on the winter sea! At the first moment when I went insede the sea, I felt something inside my body stopped.
Although it was a warm day, the water wouldn't catch up with the air. It was still very cold! I was shocked not to the cold water but to the lack of my immagination before going into the sea. I rushed to puddle soon to make my body warm! Don't stop on the cold sea. Move for survival!

Human body is strong. I could saty on the sea for 2 hours and a half the day. I could enjoy surfing very well. I recomend you to give a shock to your body sometimes. You can know the body is taugher than you think. Maybe.

VS The first wind

Today, strong winds blew in Tokyo. We call it "The first wind". It is the sign that Spring is coming. Actually it is 25 degrees in my area. It is alomost like early summer! There are many people walking without their coats.
Of course, the king winter is taugh. He will come back soon in a few days. It is too early for you to bring your coats to a cleaning shop. But, it is the time to start to search for your spring clothes.

Spring is the season for change in Japan. Students graduate from their school. Many start to study or work. Some new people will come to my office.
For book-salesmen, this season is for textbooks. Now, I am preparing for many medical textbooks for a school.

In this season, I have to say good-bye for some. Recently I joined a good-bye party for one of my company's staff. She worked for my company for 15 years. When I stared to work, she had already worked in my company. So, I remembered many things in my old days in the party.

Only hey-fever is annoying in this season. I sometimes sneeze recently. It is also the sign of spring. I had better regard the allergic phenomenon the gift from spring. I will take medcine though.

VS Pauwel Kwak

My trip to the best beer in my life is endless. Thanks to strong yen, I can drink many types of beer from other countries. My weaker salary in this economical recession is a problem though.

I asked a beer pub manager near my company to import a very strange beer from Belgium, and drunk it recently.
The beer is Pauwel Kwak.
The glass for the beer looks very original. The bottom of the glass is not flat, so it can't stand alone. It needs a special wooden stand to stand vertical.
The strange shape of the glass makes it difficult to wash the glass. In addition, it's a little difficult for us to drink the beer.

Long time ago, a crazy beer lover wanted to drink beer when riding a horse. But, there was no place to put a beer galss on his horse. The beer lover was not only crazy but also genius. He invented a special galss to fix on the stirrup ( the place his foot is on when riding a horse).
The bad habit of driving drunk might be started by Pauwel Kwak.

The taste was sweet. But, the alchool percentage is high. Too much drinking is dangerous even when you don't drive.

VS Unversity Goods

Busy days have passed from the beginning of this yaer on me. January is the first month of the last quarter in a fiscal yaer in Japan. For all book-salesmen, everydays in this season must be busy if they want to survive!

I had some meeting recently with my business partners. One is with some librarians from an association in U.S. They developed a very progressive library system. We discussed about the possibiity to apply to Japanese libraries. The topic was very technical, and I had to listen to their talking in English. Although there was an interpreter, it was a taugh situation for me. But, of course, I could enjoy it.
Another meeting was with an American pulisher. She expalined me for their publications. I like to talk with publishers because they are very interesting. But, this time, the American publisher's publications were about Physics. And, I don't know Physics at all. I tried to study Physics very much in my high school days, but I gave up soon. So, the meeting was also taugh for me. However, as you can imagine, I could enjoy the situation.

In this economical recesion, fortunately, my business is ok. I can spend busy days on my business. But, in general, book-sales in Japan is growing down, due to decreasing population. My company is also on this trend.
Recently my company's store in Shinjyuku has an event to display and sell many goods made by universities all over Japan. Now, most of Japanese universities are producing their own original goods; for example, mag cup, sake, beer, wine, soup, sweets, T-shirts, rice and so on. The aim of this event is to gather the people into the bookstore. For the students of each university, the goods are not rare, but for most people, they are unknown goods. So, it seems that many people are coming to our store.
Book store can't survive without selling new things except books. I am living in a funny era.

VS Gaza

We are enjoying a happy new year enough well in Japan, but there are many people far from happiness in Gaza. Neither Israel nor Hamas can stop fighting. They don't listen to UN call for cease-fire. Only we can do is to watch their battle on TV with drinking beer. But it is less exciting than watching K-1 fighting match. So, we will change the channel and watch a comedy program.

For Israel and Hamas, what is their new year's destination? To kill their enemy? If such a destination could be achieved, nobody can fell happy. They will continue to worry about the revenge from somebody.
I know they have thier own aim to fight. I can't understand it, though. But, I don't think they imagine the result after the war. They don't know how to end their conflict.

Compared with their sad situation, Japan starts this year with a very peaceful condition. Economy is not good, but not too bad. The weather is fine from the beginning. I feel the air is clean. It's due to Japanese environment technology? I am not sure.
When thinking about the people in Gaza, I can't complain for anything in Japan. I must be happier than them. Although it was the coldest day in this year in Tokyo, I felt warm.

VS Year End

It's the peak of year end parties now in Japan. Shibuya on last weekend was filled with more people. I had a year end party with my coworkers in a crowded restaurant. 20 people shared a table for 15. The unmovable condition could make our relationship tight. It was a good party.
This month, I have many year end parties. Although I don't arrange the parties, many people ask me to have a drink to celebrate the end of this year.
Why do we celebrate it so much?
To be correct, we don't celebrate. We try to forget it.
Year end party is "Bounenkai" in Japanese. The meaning is the gathering for forgetting the year.

I got a Christmas card recently. It says "Merry Christmas, and a happy new year." For the west, The end of this year and the beginning of that new year are seamless. But, for Japanese, it is important to decide the end, to forget the past.
After the Christmas day, we try to clean up everything about Christmas, and prepare for the coming new year. Christmas tree in a town has gone to somewhere. We might look to try to forget the existence of the Christmas.

For Christmas party, this year's party in Aeon was held in the school. It was a nice idea. In this season, all restaurant are crowded and noizy. If we don't refuse to clean up the room after the party, the school is the good place to have a party.
Aeon staff prepared for foods, and we brougt the drinks by ourselves.
I think we had better bring something we can share, for example the bottle of wine, in this kind of party. But, many brought the drinks for themselves. It was okey, but we had better a little know what the party is for.

Back to year end parties, I don't have anything I have to forget. Maybe because this year was the good one for me. Or, everyday's day end parties make me forget everything? I hope it's not true.

VS Microfilm

Most people might have no oppotunity to use microfilms. But, for book-salesmen, they are one of the comodities to sell. A huge numer of books, journals and manuscripts are made microfilms, by publishers or libraries.
To read microfilms, we need a special machine, Microfilm reader. Most people don't have such a machine. That's why we don't have the chance to read microfilms.

Recently, I sold two microflms to my customers.
One is the big collection of Japanese newspapers published from 1945 to 1949. During this periods, GHQ had collected all publications in Japan. And, University of Maryland preserved them in their library.
Now, the newspapers are made microfilms by American company, and we can buy it.
But! The price is very high.
Instead of the microfilms, we can buy a house in Tokyo!
Because an university really really wants them, I sold them. Tokyo lost one house.

Another customer will buy the microfilms of many manuscripts in Arabic countries. This microfilms are not as expensive as the collection of Japanese newspapers. But, the price is as same as the house in Atsugi.
I think the value of the Arabic microfilms is higher. Because, there are no libraries or institutes with them in Japan.
Because my company opened a new shop in Dubai, it might be becoming popular to study Arabic culture in Japan.
Anyway, Atsugi lost one house.

VS Surfer Tetsu

The surfer sergeant Tetsu, around 45, was a professional surfing trainer based on Enoshima beach. Recently he quited his job, and went to Italy to know modern Italian cuisine. He will start Italian restaurant business next year.

When I surfed for the first time, I learned it from him. I joined a surfing school, and got his lesson. The keeping my balance on a board was very difficult for me then, but it is an easy job now. Long time has passed since then.

I heard that he was a chef before. He will come back to his old job. I thought the restaurant business is very very taugh now because of economical recession. But fortunately he seems to have a good sponsor. I hope of his success.

During summer time, many people come to Enoshima beach, but in other seasons, the beach is calm. His new restaurant might bring more people there.

VS Noge

I went to Pacifico Yokohama to watch a exhibition for librarians this week. Not only librarians but also book-salesmen were interested in the exhibition.
After that, I visited Noge area for drinking.

Noge is an old-fashioned area in Yokohama. It was the great night sopt before, but now many popular places emerges in Yokohama. Noge has became unpopular. In addition, the area's image became bad due to the existence of many prostitues around there.
But recently, some people in Yokohama is trying to change the area's image. They invites young film makers there to make the area cultural.

At the night, I went to an old drinking place (60 year old) with my coworkers. I drunk hot sake with the fin of globefish, Hirezake in Japanese. Thanks to either the alchool or the poison, I was drunk very much. After the place, we moved to a pub where only one grandmother is working. We ordered Whisky, but she refused it and made Shochu for us. We were a little hungry, so ordered spagetti, but she rufused again. She didn't want to cook then, so she brought a meal for her dinner to us. We thought we were in our house.

Noge is the area you have to visit.

VS Business Blog

Do you know the term, Business Blog?
It is the blog used for the communication in a company, which is becoming popular now. Blog itself has already been popular yet in our society. And now, people start to use it for their business.
I know the benefit of blog very well. It make me keep in touch with friends living far away easily. And, writing something in public makes my thinking clear. So, when I knew the existence of business blog system, soon I agreed with introducing it into my company. I thought it must be useful for our working, and interesting because we can know each other more.
However, I realised soon it is not welcome for everybody. Some dislike such a system. My boss is one of them.

Blog is the communication tool in public. Any communication becomes public even though the issue is private. Some bosses hate it, because they want to enclose what they say just in their division. Of course, comfidential things must be enclosed in the division. Private things is too. But, the things about everyday's job should be open to everybody, I think. Who makes the decision? How do I treat the matter? What is the result? They must be checked by others. However, some like to hide what they do. Such people don't like the system for open-communication.
When one of my bosses tried to stop the use of business blog, I wrote a long report for its benefit, to boss's boss. In addition, I advertised the blog to my coworkers everywhere in my company, in order to get my supporters. I don't like this kind of "political" action, but unfortunately I am good at it. My action workd very well.

However, it isn't the only one problem. The bigger problem exists.
There are many people who are not interested in others.
They don't care for other's job, other's remarks and others themselves.
They don't check blog. Of course, they don't wirte anything.
Even if the blig is useful for their job, they aren't interested in it.
I can't enforce them to use the blog. It's their working style. But, I can't understand what is interesting for them in their job if they can't be interested in the people working together.
I like to know what other sales-person is doing in Okinawa. I like to read what the person in a technical division is writing.

Although there are many resisters against open-communication, I am optimistic. I think a business blog system will change Japanese companies' culture. The book store based on the philosophy of freedom of expression have to change the company's culture at first.

VS Street Performance

Next Atsugi News.

CHANGE is the key word of Atusgi, as known well all over the world.
We need something new. We need fresh perspective.
We have to change.
We wouldn't stop changing.
When we stop changing, it means we come to death.
Living people is always changing.
And, living city is also changing.
Atsugi city is not dead. This city is an undead city.

The 1st international street performance festival in Atsugi is held now. 44 street performamce groups is coming to Atsugi now, and they show us thier great works. Magic, acrobat, pantomime, comedy and so on.
I had thoght they were amaturer's works, but I knew their level is very high. I enjoyed watching them very much.

This event will be able to a new every-year's event in Atsugi.
Actually, street performance is fitted to Atsugi, I think.
Atsugi has many narrow roads, and the corners on the street. Small show is just fitted to such places.
Imagine the street performance on the big street in Tokyo. Nobody stop in front of the show, because they don't care for it.
Atsugi is the best place for street performers.

This event will last untill tomorrow.

VS Shiro Koro

I have to report for my town Atsugi's great work. In B-1 grandprix, which is the competition for B-calss food all over the Japan, held recently in Fukuoka prefecture, Atsugi's Shiro Koro won No.1.
Shiro Koro is a brand name of pork innards( Horumon in Japanese). I can eat it soon in Yakiniku restaurant in Atsugi.
I don't know the definition of B-class food, yet it's a great thing for Atsugi to be popular. My friend emailed me soon after the grandprix to say that he will eat Siro Koro at his next visit of Atsugi. The gathering of all pork lovers will make Atsugi's economy better.

VS LOUIS VUITTON

LOUIS VUITTON City Guide Tokyo was published yesterday. Since 1998, LV has published many countries' guide books. And, at last, Tokyo's version was published for the first time. It reminds me of the first appearence of Michelin Guide Tokyo last year. It must be ture that LV Tokyo is one of the big news in Japanese publishing world this yaar. I don't know why, but my company Kinokuniya is the only one book store to sell the book in Japan.

When I drunk in Soiree, a samll bar with just ten seats, in Shinjyuku, Tokyo, last week, a TV director had negotiated the staff to interview the owner of the bar. From him, I knew that the bar is on the guide book. Nobody, including me and even the staff, thought the bar deserves LV's introduction. So, we were surprised.
The staff refused the TV man's offer, because she didn't know LV is publishing a guide book. But, thanks to the exsitence of a professional book salesman in the bar then, she called the bar owner to come there soon. (The day was his day-off.)
After his coming, the interview started, and TV crews took shooting the bar inside. Of course, I was inside too. Because I was a customer.
The bar owner doesn't know why the bar was choosen by LV. So, he was a little confused. In addition, the guide book writes the bar owner is a woman! From the viewpoint of French, he might look female.

It was unfortune that I couldn't check whether I was on TV or not, because I don't have a television.
Moreover, unfortunately my company is not on the guide book even though other book stores are introduced as nice shops to visit! I don't know why LV choose Kinokuniya as the distributor. LV's selection is certainly unique.
I add that the description in the book is also unique and interesting. We can understand the history of Tokyo well.

VS Strong Yen

While I enjoy some drinking oppotunities, like Hallowen party, and am relaxed this month, I am spending busy days because my business is at one of the peaks in a business year.
I have to contract my customers for import many things from foreign countries.
Just importing is an easy job. But, always, the job is set with price negotiation. As my friends know well, I am a taugh negotiater, but talking about price is certainly annoying even for me.
In my situation, recent strong yen is the main factor of controversy. A month ago, $1 was around 107 yen. But now it's about 95 yen. And last week, it was 90 yen for a short period. In this monetary situation, pricing of imported commodities is very very difficult.
Because I am not trader, but just a book salesman, I am a completely amateur for international money. In addition, and to be worse, my customer is an amateur too. So, our negotiation can't reach the reasonable goal at all. It is a stressful situation.
But I am lucky because I have many drinking oppotunities this month as I wrote above. They softens my tension very well.

For Natto lover Mike, I want to export Natto to the States, but it must be a bad timing now. The cheap food in Japan becomes a very expensive one for celebrity in US. Constructing Natto factory there may be a good solution at this moment.

VS Bug Eating

The topic of the discussion class in Aeon last week was Bug Eating. An article in Japan Times introdued a recent pulished Japanese book about bug cuisine. Based on the article, we discussed about the theme.

This author says that Bug is nutritionally balanced and easy to feed. So, Bug eating can solves the global food shortage. In addition, he says Bug itself is very tasty. Fro him, the taste of Cicadas(Semi, in Japanese) is similar to shrimps.
In the book, he shows us many kinds of his original bug cuisine.

Actually, in some areas and coutries in the world (mainly Asia and Africa), Bug is eaten by the people. Even in Japan, Bug is eaten in some local foods. I also have eaten it in my childhood. The taste? Honestly, for young boy, it was shit! I haven't tried it after that.

However, I can respect the auther's investigation. To make our food life rich, somebody have to explore the world nobody have stood on. For example, Natto is one of the grotesque food in Japan, but now it is popular to the extent taht we can buy it in any super market. Due to an old Japanese challange, we can enjoy it now.
That's why the auther's trial mught be able to deserve Novel Food Prize.

But, to be honest, I am skeptical to the safety of Bug Eating. Even dogs and cats wouldn't eat bugs. If bug is tasty and good for our health, why don't they eat it? Maybe, there is a natural reason there. This author thinks we have't eaten Bugs for our prejudice. But, because dogs and cats are free from prejudice, we had better think of Bug Eating more carefully.

VS Presidential Election

American is funny. While their Presidential Election itseif looks an entertainment, they make related new entertainments too. This site Lance taught me is one of the good examples.

http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=46832&altf=Bljp&altl=Lpcbzbtij

VS Octoberfest 2008

The most popular German beer festival, Octoberfest, started in Yokohama last week! As a beer lover, I can't miss the event. I went to Yokohama last weekend.
I reported about this event in this blog last year. It was my first time to join Octoberfest. It was a fantastic experience.
This year, I went there again, to know the character of German beer and festival more.

Following German trend, I started with white beer. The bitter of hop is weak, and you can feel fruity and a little milky. After enjoying it, German pilsner and black continued. Needless to say, they all have a great taste. I enjoyed them very much.

Not only beer but also German music is enjoyment in the event. A German local music group comes to Yokohama for the event. Their music pushes us to more beer! The song for cheers is the climax of this event. Exerybody sang this song;

Ein Prosit der Gemutelichkeit

Eine Prosit Eine Prosit Der Gemutelichkeit.

Eine Prosit Eine Prosit Der Gemutelichkeit.

Eine! Zwei! Drei! G'suffa! Prost!

( Cheers for comfortment.

Cheers Cheers the comfortment.

Cheers Cheers the comfortment.

One! Two! Three! Drink! Cheers!)

Many people stand on the chairs and say "Prost!". And, of course, drink! We can feel a strong unity at the moment.
I was told by a doctor not to drink too much in my health check. But, when facing a beer event, nobody can be allowed to escape from it. I have to say "Prost!" tomorrow again...

VS Proposal

My friend, Hideto, is thinking that he makes a proposal to his girl friend. He met her in July, and soon seemed to think the girl must be his future wife.
He asked me where he should make a proposal?
Where?
It was an unexpected question for me because I had thought anywhere is ok. So, when listenning to him at first, I couldn't give him any good answer.
And now, I think the question was not valid to ask me, because I am single.

Anywho, next day, I asked the question to some female coworkers; Where do you want to have a proposal?
I had better change the way to live. "Anywhere" was not women's answer. They have some ideal images for their getting a proposal.
They said that it should be on the beach or in the room. And they add that it have to be after five PM.
The word of proposal might have to be delivered on time by Fedex.

On the other hand, the two men I asked where you made a proposal to your wife, have already forgotton the place at all. "Somewhere" was their answer. Of course, it is a bad answer for their wives.
I hope Hideto can find where he can't forget the location.

VS Origine of Beer

Although there are many types of beer (for example, black beer, white beer, ale beer, trapist beer, and so on), 80% of consumed beer in the world is shared by pilsner type, which is the most popular in Japan too. Four major Japanese beer companies (Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory) provide us with much pilsner.

Pilsner Urquell is the historical origine of all pilsner, made in Czech and Slovak. I enjoyed it recently in a beer pub. I tried to drink it because I should not only drink beer and also study the history of beer. "Study" might be extreme, but it is good for hte topic of conversation in a pub.
Beer is progressing. So, I had thought that drinking classical beer didn't have any more meaning of experience. Modern beer must be better for our tongue.

However, the quality of Pilsner Urquell is over its historical position. The taste was quite simple but very high. It doesn't add anything with beer. It was my impression when drinking it for the first time. Compared with it, Japanese beer might be sweeter.

I read an article about Pilsner Urquell later. For Urquell's brewers, it seems to be a taugh work to keep the beer's taste same as the origine. "Change" is the word people likes because it sounds challanging. But, for Urquell's brewers, "Unchange" is challanging. I was impressed by their great job.

VS Librarian's Job

Recently I am selling a huge number of medical books to a school. The school's major is Oriental medcinen, so the books they are collecting are interesting. Not only new books but also the rare books like antique medical books in China, are holded by them.
My job is to find good books fitted to their major, and to sell them. After selling them, my interest usually goes to another business. I wouldn't be interseted in the sold book's future. Who reads it? How is it used? Whether is it useful or not? Such questions are over book-salesman's job.
However, recently my job is becoming close to the library, especially University's library, thus I have to think about the above once ignored questions. Because librarty's mission is to help students or teachers use books easily.

I have never studied Library science yet. So, the lack of the knowledge about it was my weakness. Especially, Cataloging is the most important and difficult knowledge. I heard from an old librarian that a librarian('s life) starts with cataloging, and finishes at cataloging.
Cataloging is the job and knowledge to organize the huge number of books in a library. The old man's remark was very impressive for me.

Last week, I had the chance to study librarian's job by chance. When drinking with some librarians, I asked them to teach me their job. They said, "OK. Come to our library. We will teach the whole process of our job."
It is rare that a book-salesman is interested in their job. That's why they might have been interested in me. Kindly, they made soon the two-day's study course for me.

The two-say's study was very helpful for me. I can't write down the detail here because it's too specific, but one of the impressive things was that Cataloging is related to the library's history.
I will give you an example. As you know, all books are categorised in a library. This book is in Japanese literaure. That book is in Philosophy. That one is in Biology. However, it is difficult to categorise the book with the title, "Postmodernity". When watching the title, librarians at first try to investigate how the book is categorised in other libraries. But, the most inportant thing is how the same kinds of books are categorised before in the library. Because, for students and teachers, it is useful that same kinds of books are on the same shelf. So, Librarians have to know their library's history.
It was a good experience for me to know the depth of their job.

VS Bocce Ball

Bocce Ball is a outdoor game with which most of Japanese are unfamilier. I played it with Scott, Peter and others last weekend. In a park on a sunny day, it is good for our relaxing. We can enjoy the game even with drinking beer.

Bocce Ball uses a small white ball like a golf ball, and some pairs of colorful balls bigger than the white ball.
This game is like golf or carling. At first, one player throw the white ball in the field. It should be thrown far, to make the game exciting.

The thrown white ball becomes our target. Players throw their colorful balls to the target, the white ball.
The player who can throw the colorful ball to the point closest to the white ball, can get a score. Each player have two same color ball, and if the two balls are closer to the white ball than any other player's balls, then you can get two scores!

If your cotrol of the balls could be excellent, and your ball could be on the white ball, Congratullation! In that case, you can get additional two scores.

Next round starts with the white ball again. Somebody(usually, loser in the last round) throws the white ball to the direction he likes. Toward the new target, we start to throw our ball again.

When the playing field is a large park, the game is like a travel. We will move from the end of the park to the another end. Needless to say, it is better that Beer and Food wil follow the white ball with us.

VS Sumo Wrestler

Two Russian Sumo wrestler, Rohou, 28, and HakuRozan, 26, were discharged recently for their taking marihuana. And, another Russian, Wakanohou, 20, was also fired from Sumo wrestling for owning marihuana.
Rohou and Hakurohou is denying their taking marihuana, and not trusting the anti-doping test they took. But, they are refusing to take the test again.
Wakanohou's case is diffrent from other two. He was fired just for having an illegal thing. He can't agree with the Sumo association's decision, so now he is sueing them.

They did a bad thing. So, they heve to be punished. So, they lost their job. I understand that very well, but I can't stop worrying about their future. Without Sumo, they can live?
Newspaper says that some of them might go to other world of marial arts. But, I think it's impossible. Sumo is a very special (and strange) sport. So, no wresler could make a success in other martial art. "If you are put out of this field, you lose." This very unique rule makes a big fat man strong. Sumo wrestler is strong in Sumo rule. So, they shouldn't go out of Sumo rule.
That's why I worry about their life after losing Sumo.

I don't deserve to say anything about marihuana, but they did a bad thing to the extent that they have to lose their life work? Even after some punishments, it's not ok for them to come back to Sumo?
If they had sold marihuana to others, it's very bad because they expanded it into our society. But, taking marihuana for themselves itself is their business. (Of course, it is illegal though.) Because they dodn't do bad things to others, I think they can get the chance to come back to their life after getting punishments. This thinking is too indulgent?

I hope to know the opinion that the people who know the Russioan Sumo wrestlers personally have. The wrestlers are good men or bad men? If they have a good relationship with friends in Japan, some must support them to bring them back to Sumo. The key point is whether they have a real friend or supporter in Japan or not.

VS Roman food

I went to a Roman restaurant in Takadanobaba, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo. The restaurant name is Taverna. In Japanese the name sounds 'Don't eat.' In Italy, it just means a restaurant.
Italian food is popular in Japan, but Roman food is very special. Altohugh I had no idea for it, I chose the restaurant for a drinking party with my colleague.
I worried about the price of the dishies a little, but they were not cheap but reasonable.
We ordered a casual course menu because we don't know Roman food at all. Starting with appetizers on a large plate, risotto, spaghetti, fish food, beef food. The amonut of each dish was big, so some female coworkers gave up eating some.
For me, the difference of Roman food and typical Italian food was not clear. But, those foods were very good. They were fitted very much to red and white wine. Thus, we drunk many bottles of wine on the day. I have to add that I was shocked when looking at the check. Delicious is Dangerous.

The restaurant owner is very talkative. Even if you go for a dinner there alone, you wouldn't get tired. The restaurant's head office is in Roma. If you can go to Tokyo or Roma, please enjoy thier dishes.

VS Retaliation

"Retaliation" was the topic in my English discussion class today. Eye-for-an-eye Revenge is good or bad? In Budhist country, it's bad. In Hindu country, it's very good. If you get hit by a man, do you hit back the man? If you say "Of course, yes. I hit back the man.", you wouldn't be Japanese. When Japanese gets hit by others, the most start to think about the possibility that they did something bad to the person.
It doesn't mean Japanese wouldn't hit back others. My point is that most Japanese tend to lose the chance or timing to retaliate others. Therefore, I might say Japanese has peaceful character.

The example which my English teacher Sudhan gave us in our class was interesting.
In Nepal, if you drive a motobike on the road and hit a woman, many passangers watching the accident will come close to you soon, and punch you! The woman must be damaged and couldn't retaliate you, so many others make it for her. You can't have the chance to excuse, because many people rush to come to you after the accident happens. The only you can do is just to avoid from a fatal damage form the punch.
In Japan, such a thing wouldn't happen. We might be too cool. We will help the woman, but not punish you by myself. Your-eye-for-his-eye thinking is radical and funny.

VS Thunder and Rain

The weather in this summer is strange. Sometimes it rains heavily like a squall. Many accidents by flood have happened in Japan. Rain always starts suddenly, so I bought many umbrellas this month. And, thunder. It looks clear and strong, and continues long. As watching it, first, I felt it is beautiful like fireworks, and then I became scared with it. It is difficult to describe my feeling, but I thought the thunder of this summer is the diffrent type I have never met before. Japan's climate is changing now.

For a surfer, Nature must be a friend. But, the only thunder can't be a friend. It attacks the man on the board without any consideration. That's why I had to cancel to go for surfing many times. I'm okey because I can surf in autumn. But, the business of the seaside houses must be bad, and they can't recover in autumn. I'm afraid of their business. They could earn money to live until next summer?

VS Watching Olympic

I had stayed in Kyoto, my hometown, for five days as my summer holidays. I had no special plan there, so I watched Olympic games on TV very much. TV is rare in my life because I don't have TV in my house. That's why I could enjoy watching Olympic very much.
To be honest, I was not interested in the Olympic in China before it started. I had more interest in the political issues in China. However, many athletes' great performance captured my heart. I watched swimming, soccer, ping pong, jyudo, soft ball, baseball, badminton, valley ball, horse riding, and so on.
I used almost all time in Kyoto to watch the games on TV.

This time, Jyudo looked like a different sport for me. Or, it might have became a diffrent type of sport. It is now like a wrestling.
When I can throw a person beautifully in Jyudo, I can get IPPON and win. I thought the throwing-beautifully is the most important factor in Jyudo. But, from my viewpoint, there were not many beautiful arts in this Olympic. Getting socres to win looked to have more priority for most athletes than winning beautiful. Jyudo style seems to be changing.

Even though most of Japanese are enjoying watching Olympic games now, the former prime minister Jyunichiro Koizumi had played bowlling with his friends. He told us on TV that bowlling should be played in Olympic. He is still a strange man.

VS Russia

Georgia is saying "Give up!". Other countries watching the battle are also saying "It's over. Don't fight more." But Russia can't stop fighting. They looks to be crazy for drining Vodka too much.
Although I don't deserve to be a commentator to the internetional relationship among the former Soviet Union's countries, I can say this activity of Russia is breaking the important rule (of War); When looking at a white flag, we have to stop attacking.
Or, Russia prefer a red flag again?

At this moment, Russia doesn't have the right to show their country's flag in this Olympic games. I don't know why IOC exclude Russian team from this Olympic. I think it's the best message to stop Russian government's action. Some might say Sports are diffrent from Politics, and I think it should be so, but it's not real. Politics effect on Sports, and Sports can effect on Politics.

Don't give a gold medal to the countries at war. How about this new rule in the Olympic?

VS Summer Holiday

Today is my summer holiday. I can't take long holidays this summer due to some works, so my holiday is random.
I went to Shonan beach to surf this early morning. Although the surfing time was short (because, in August, we can surf only before 8 AM and after 5 PM on the sea, to avoid the accident with many swimmers) and today's wave was very small for surfing, I could enjoy very much. Because staying on the sea is fun on the hot day.

After surfing, I went to a umi-no-ie (a temporary beach house) and had a breakfast, with beer. The breakfast on the beach was good.

After that, I went to a CD shop in Machida to check a new song of Southern All Stars. It was a noce song as I had expected.

Now I am reading a book in a internet cafe. Tonight I will go to Aeon for a discussion class.

No big plan, just some relaxing events. It's good for my refreshing.

VS R.U. Festival

The most important and biggest event in my town Atsugi, Ayu Festival, is held now. No people living in Atsugi city can't miss this festival. Tonight we can watch a firework show as the festival's peak. Not only Atsugi regidents but also the people form other areas come to watch it. Now (16:04 pm), Atsugi city is becoming crowded more and more. There will be a lot of people here until midnight.

A famous veteran female singer, Ayumi Nakamura, came to this festival last night to sing her songs at the opening event of Ayu festival. Because her name is similar to the festival's name, she might be called to join this festival. Anyway it's good for a famous singer to come to this local event.

I will go to Koji's house tonight and drink with my Aeon friends and and others. It's the easiest and usual way in the recent previous years to enjoy the firework show. Because it's very comfortable to stay in Koji's house even though it's not my house, I always drink a lot there. So, I will be drunk again tonight.

After Ayu festival, the firework show on Enoshima beach(5th) and Beer Party in my company(7th) are waiting for me the next week. Summer exists for festivals.

VS Life Penalty

Now death penalties have been put into practice once two months in Japan. The minister of Justice, Kunio Hatoyama, don't postpone the process of the penalty. 77% of Japanese supports him, maybe because they think death penalty works well to stop murder. Recently when the people who don't think so wrote that Mr. Hatoyama is "the god of death" in a newspaper, a lot of readers criticized the newspaper even though the expression was like a black joke.

A few month ago, Death penalty was a topic in my English discussion class. It was a very controversial topic, so we argued very much. My opinion was clear. I don't think death penalty works to decrease the murder. That's why I don't support death penalty.
In fact, when thinking about the massacre in Akihabara, the penalty is meaningless. Because the murderer has no motivation to live. He hated his life and this world, and killed many people. The lack of life imprisonment certainly gets rid of our choice.

However, I can understand the feeling of the people whose relatives are killed suddenly by the guy they don't know. The death penelty suppoter says it is important to support the feeling of the victims. I think so too.
That's why I don't always deny death penalty. If I were a victim, I want to teach the murderers what to be killed is. They will know soon it is very unconfortable.

"The reason why we aren't allowed to kill others is because we don't know how to atone for it." I read this nice phrase recently by chance in a comic book.
The murderer in Akihabara will be sentenced to death. He deserves to die. But, he must not die till he understands the meaning of the phrase above. It's my opinion at this moment.

VS Massacre in Akihabara

Many succeeding things have occured after seven people were killed in Akihabara, Tokyo, on 8th, by the man, 25, who hated this world, proclaimed to kill people on the internet and made it. He seems to be a kind of icon. After he was arrested, some dullish guys tried to do the same thing. Fourtunately because they were dull to the extent that they don't know it's easy to identify the suspicious man on the internet, they were arrested before they had done it.

After the cruel murder, one of female coworker in my office told me that she was scared to go out from fer house for worrying that a same thing can happen around her.
I can understand her worry, but I can say we are basically safe.

Reason 1: The numer of killed people is not high in Tokyo when considering its huge population.

Reason 2: The killer in Akihabara could kill only seven people even though he prepared for the murder. The reason is clearly beacuse he couldn't use a gun but a knives.

So, I am convinced that the massacre in Akihabara wouldn't change our safety life in Japan.

But, even I seem to worry about my safe a little now.
Today, when I was reading a magazine in a book store, a man shouting something ran toward me. At the moment, I was very scread.
He was just a mentaly handycaped man. So, his shouting was just the failure to contorol the volume of his voice, and he didn't have the intension to run toward me and just had the intension to come close to the magazine shelves.
That's why I really didn't have to be scared with him.
Akihabara might infuluence my mind.

The arrested man will be sentenced to the death penalty.
Recetly, the number of the death penalty is increasing in Japan.
Moreover, the practice of the death penalty is also increasing.
Related to Akihabara, I will write about Death penalty on the next article.
My opinion will be "Don't kill the murderer till he will be sorry for his action."

VS Meguro

One month has passed since I started to work in Meguro, Tokyo.
Compared with other big cities in Tkoyo, like Shibuya, Shinjyuku and so on, Meguro has a local city's atmosphere. I like it.
Now I commute to my office by using four lines. It takes around two hours to go there. The route I use is not the fastest one for me to reach my company. But the route is more comfortable because the numeber of commuter is less than others. That's why everyday I am happy because I can move in the train. On other routes, I have to freeze in a train car.

Two hours commuting is very long. And, It is Tokyo. But I wonder that I don't have any stress to it. Everday is like a trip. For a trip, the moving from a place to another place itself is enjoyment.
This might mean that it is still unusual event like a trip for me to work in Tokyo.
Actually I sometimes feel strange to the working condition or culture in my company's head office, even though I am working in a same company since I stared to work after the school. Each divisions and offices seem to have their own culture.
I am enjoying the challange to adjust to it and change it now.

Meguro's international atmosphere is great especially for foods! I can eat any genres of foods there. Recntly I found a good Spanish restaurant, whose branch is in Kannai, Yokohama. Because I sometimes used the restaurant in Yokohama, I have to enjoy Paella again in Meguro.
NOt only international foods but also many national foods are there. Sometimes I go to Amami island's food restaurant. Eating the local chicken food and drinking the black suger sake reminds me of a good memory of the travel to the island.

There is the office of Hori Production, one of the biggest entertainment companies many singers, comedians, acters and actresses belong to, in Meguro. Sometimes I walk near the office, with the expectation to meet famous people by chance. Unfortunately I haven't have such a chance yet, but someday I can meet and shake hands with somebody. You can easily understand why two hours is not long for me.

VS No Wave

Small wave as usual. Many surfers complained to Enoshima beach today and were looking forward to tomorrow. They are expecting for the good performance by the typhoon far from Japan, on the Pacific Ocean.

To me, the small and weak wave don't deserve the complaint today. Due to my finger accident, I haven't surfed for six months. Long long no wave days. So, today was the day for my coming back to the sea. Because any wave is better than no wave, I could enjoy surfing very much.

My surfing skill certainly stops going forward but not goes back. But my muscle might have become weak for my long-time blank of surfing. I felt the difficulty to surf today. I understood again that it is important to continue.

Many shops opening only during summer season rush to be constructed now on the beach. It is the usual scene of Enoshima, too

VS Happy Monday

I watched a DVD,"Happy Monday", by Miyuki Torii, a genius comedian I think. There could be many more interesting comedians than her, but she is actually diffrent from others. And, there could be many more different persons than her, but she is actually an authentic comedian.
In short, she is unique.

Now she is becoming popular in Japan, so the film maker must have made this DVD rapidly, to sell it the most. So, "Happy Monday"'s quality is, I think, not high.
"Mr. Yoshida, a rice shop man" and "Masako" were already well-known stories, and
"100 questions to Miyuki Torii" was too easy to get her interesting points.
However, even though, we can enjoy her world in the DVD.
Her best parts I like is her vocabulary. Her words-selection in her comedy is very original and vivid, and often even intellectual. I like her story about 60's Japanese Red Army, based on "Little Red Riding Hood". We can watch it in this DVD, but because the story is a little dangerous, the director cut almost all parts of the story! That's why nobody can't understand waht the story is.

Anyway, to enojoy this DVD, you have to understand Japanese well. Even if you are Japanese.

VS Marriage Blue

One of my best friends, named Mr. Mad Dog, is going to be chained tomorrow in Tokyo. I had thought nobody can chain the dog because he loves freedom, but he found out his owner at last. He will get married soon.
For looking at his last figure as a single dog, we drunk together a week ago. Like any other dogs before being chained at dinner time after taking a walk and enjoying their free time, he looked nervous then. It might be what we call Marriage Blue. He taught me the importance of patience. He must be very patient at this moment.
But anyway, he found his best owner. Because I know the owner, I can say the dog will become stronger. The mad dog controlled by a smart owner has no enemy. So, I can say conguratulation from the bottom of my heart.

VS Public Service

I don't konw the detail but a law about the streets in Japan seemed to be changed several months ago. For blind persons, textured paving blocks are now attached on many streets. The yelloew blocks must be helpful for the blind. However, the blocks makes another problem happen.

A textured paving block is not thin.
If you put the block on the street, the street becomes uneven and not-flat.
So, to keep the street flat, we have to dig it and put the block "under" the street.

But Japanese public service is crazy as usual.
After they put the block on the street without digging it, they poured new asphalt on the street in order to make it even.

As the result, new walking streets become higher now than before.
When you cross the street, you can find the diffrence in level, which makes the moving of old people or wheelchairs difficult.

This is the typical work by Japanese public service.

VS Discussion Class

I can easily forget what I discussed about, but now I am going to be able to remember the missing part of my memory. Due to the big effort of a discussion friend in Aeon, Tadahisa, I can review the topic we discussed in this blog site.
It was originally designed by him, to inform the schedule of futsal games (for Aeon's unofficial futsal team). But he added the page for our English class on the site. Even though Aeon doesn't authorize such a site, my condition in English study is powered by IT technology and my friends.

VS Beerfall

My lifelong trip to the best beer is continueing. Many kinds of beer is waiting for my opening of their taps. I cannot betray their expectation. There is beer there. I don't have to add any other explanations except for that to shout my next bottle.

Cataratas in Shibuya is a good beer bar. It is located close to Shibuya station but not at the center of the commercial area. So the atomosphere is relaxing. When I went to the bar, most customers inside were the regulars. It's the good sign as a successful pub.
Cataratas treats mainly Belgian beer and German beer. But on the day, I tried Austrian beer. It's very rare in Japan.

This pub is mamaged by a couple. They went to all over the world for one year, for their honeymoon and for studying the world beer. After coming back to Japan, they opened the pub. It is understandable that many rare beer names are on their menu.

What the Dickens is an authentic british pub in Ebisu. Music lives seems to be held every night. When I went there, a blues band was playing songs. The atomosphere in the pub is international. Most customer were foreigners. I ordered a beer with the name of the special year as a turning point in 20th century, 1968. The taste was bitter but mild, like other classical british beer.

At last, I went to Ushitra in Shimokitazawa. In the bar, we can drink many kinds of Japanese local draft beer.
We tend to think beer has bubble or should have bubble. However this bar doesn't think bubble is good for beer. They serve us beer after eraseing bubble. It's original.

Beer is our life.

VS International Futsal Game

I went to watch an international futsal game, Japan vs Ukraine, in Yoyogi yesterday. To brush up my futsal skill, I needed to watch professional players' technique.
You might ask me if there are professinal futsal player in Japan? Yes. Last year, a professional futsal league, F.League, started in Japan. 8 teams are competing in the league.
Because the league is very young, Japanese futsal's professionality looks lower than any other major sports. Even though the game I watched was an international game, only around 5000 people came to watch it. The ticket for the game cost 1000 - 2000 yen. Compared with other professional sports, it was very cheap. For example, a baseball game is about twice, and a soccer game is about twice or three times.
That's why Japanese futsal players must have the difficulty to earn money.
In Yoyogi gymnasium, I thought most of around 5000 audiences play futsal by themselves. They love futsal very much.
But, I thought the league needs the people who watches futsal but don't play it. Most successful professional sports are getting their supporters as pure watchers.
Futsal is compact, easy to understand, and speedy. So it's entertaining. I think this sport can become more popular to one of the major sports in Japan.
To be honest, watching soccer is sometimes boring for me, but I didn't have such a feeling about futsal.

VS Farewell parties

The torch relay had passed throgh Japan peacefully. Just only six people were arrested during the relay. 5000 chinese people seemed to defend the torch's safety delivery. The six would be brave but not have the possibility to win.

Like the torch, I will pass through my office soon to transfer to another division in Tokyo. Recently every night I have farewell parties with my coworkers or my customers. Restless drinking days certainly damages my body. Drinking with many people itself is fun, but tiring because my tension have to be kept high. So, for relaxing, I am drinking alone in a bar. I don't know why my liver gets angry.

I don't care for my body. However I am interested in my mind to some extent. Now it seems to be floating between Old and New, Past and Future, Happy memories and Sad reality. Even though I am a positive thinker surrounded by much hope, the thinking sometimes makes me tired. Being positive requests me to be more powerful even when it is time to give up.

I got a letter from a business partner. Our relatioship was not so close, but he thanks me for some things in the letter. I have forgotten about the some things, but I remembered them soon.
I thought the things were small things (so, I forgot them at all.), but they are big enough for him.

In the continuous farewell drinking, I can't stop thinking about the relationships with many people. I will try to keep in touch with some people. And also, I will try to give up keeping touch with some. Even in the case, I will try to remember good memories, though.

VS Zoo and Tulips

By chance, I could have the chance to go to a zoo in my working time. The zoo is very close to one of my customers, but I have never been to the zoo. I don't know why I haven't have the motivation to go to the zoo for a long time, even though it takes just five minutes from the customer's office, and I come there a few times a week. Maybe because I concentrate on my business too much everytime.

But, anyway, on the day, I went to the zoo to look at giraffes. She is cute.
I checked the map of the zoo at the entrance. I identified the location, which was farest from the entrance. Altough my purpose was to look at only giraffes, I could have the oppotunity to walk around in the zoo and watch many other animals.
Lions, tigers, bears, monkeies, birds. With much excitement, a lot of their photos were taken. She is cute. Many peacocks (Japanese name, Kujyaku) were walking freely on the road in the zoo. I walked along with them.

The space use by a white bear, which was dead, was empty now. And, we can go inside the space. I thought it was cool that we can stand at the viewpoint from animals to watching people.

After the zoo, I could have another chance to go to a flower garden by chance, because the garden was very close to another customer. Thousands of tulips were planted in the garden. The variety of tulips were very much. So, the garden was very colorful. In the place, again, with much excitement, a lot of photos were taken. It is unfortune that I can't post the beautifil photos on this blog. The photos of tulips themselves are beautiful. And more, surrounded by many tulips, people can be very happy. So, the photos of human there are also good. She is cute.

After the spending relxing time, I had to go back to my job. I bought ice coffee and royal milk tea in a cafe, and drove to a next place with drinking.

I don't like tha sales person who don't work, but I know free time is sometimes important for sales person. Free time can refresh their mind. Animals or beautiful flowers, or something more beautiful are great. It was lucky for me to enjoy three great things on the same day. I can work harder next week.

VS Olympic torch

Before going to US, Dalai Lama had a brief stop at Japan and had the meeting with some Japanese politicians. But, our government officials ignored him for worrying about the relationship with China. However, for Chinese government, it seemed to be irritating that even some Japanese met him. China complained to Japan later.

For me, it was irritating that only unimportant politician met him.
Akiko Abe, a former Japanese primeminister's wife, was one of them. We have already forgotten the couple's existence. Nobody can understand the reason why she had to meet him. He should have had the appointment with more important people during his short stay in Narita.

Japanese government says that Chinese government and Tibetian government-in-exile should slove their problems by their dialogue. But, Japanese government itself wouldn't participate in the dialogue. And, of course, Chinese government wouldn't see Tibet the partner to talk with.

In this condition, Olympic torch relay is disturbed by many activists for human rights. Some supports their action. Some sees them too violent.
If I am a torch runner, I want to run safely. But, if the activists rush to me, I will run back to my starting point soon. And, I will wait until they will go home.

How about postponeing the torch relay for a whlie? Until the torch come to the stadium, Olympic games can't start. The later the torch comes, the later Olympic games start. It can be that this year's Olympic will be held next year.

I think that the troublesome torch relay obeys their rigid time schedule too much. To encourage the dialogue among the relatives, it would be a good idea to stop moving the torch.

VS Starting New Fiscal Year

I joined a second stage party of my friend Sayaka and Kouchan's wedding party last night. Their life's new stage started with the party. It was happy for me to watch their happiness. And, everytime I watch other's happiness, I feel I can get some portions of it by them.

Before going to the party, I went to Yasukuni Shrine, to watch cherry blossoms.
There is a big statue of a person who established Japan's army in Meiji period on the center of the shrine. I forgot his name. That's why I tried to check a name plate on the statue. However, I couldn't. In this cherry blossom viewing season, a lot of food shops, liquer shops, and restauranst are built temporarily in the shrine.
Hidden by one of them, nobody can know who he is. And it's ok for the people coming to the shrine. I lost the interest in the name of the statue soon, and enjoyed Yakitori and Beer for a while.

I am going to work in Tokyo from this new fiscal year. I have to say good-bye to Yokohama soon. I am still attached to my working place and great friends in Yokohama, but we couldn't start anythig without finishing something. I had better be looking forward to my new challange.

I will have another cherry blossom viewing party next weekend. But, it must be late for the party on the day, because the life time of cherry blossoms are short, and all flowers on the trees will have gone then.
However, we can enjoy the leaves hidden by flowers. The party will be the good chance for me to recognize the beauty of the trees' hidden side.
I have to prepare Yakitori and Beer at first.

VS COACH

I bought COACH's bag recently. Because my business bag was old with a broken fastener ,and I am going to a new division in my company soon, a new bag is needed in order to refresh my mind.

I was not interested in branded bags before, but I went to a COACH shop because I heard in my English class that COACH's men's bags are very good. I didn't know what they are good for. But, I had a strong interest in COACH then.

When I visited COACH's shop in Yokohama for the first time, there was no customer except for me. However many staffs were working or standing. With an old broken bag, I asked a female staff if I could look at COACH's men's bags. The staff called another staff, then introduced her to me. She seemed to a representative for men's bags in the shop.

At first, she showed me the newest model released recently. On the bag, the name, COACH was printed by red color. It was oviously COACH's men's bag.
I checked a price tag. It was very good (for the staff).
After that, I looked at other bags in the shop. But, to be honest, any bag was okey for me. So, I asked the staff, "When a sales person with COACH's bag comes to your house or office, you wanna buy something from the person?"

I think now that her answer "Yes" was fast but a little weak. But, because I could listen to it enough, I decided to buy the newest model soon.

In addition to the old broken business bag, two more bags of mine was threw away on the day of trash. Now, everytime I go out, I have COACH's men's bag. Yesterday four people asked me, "COACH?"

"COACH?"
"Yes. COACH."
"COACH!"
"YES. COACH."
"Why?"
"...."

I don't know why people ask me why? That's why I can't give any clear answer to it. But all I can say is that people are interseted in COACH more than my business talk.

VS Tale of Genji

Tale of Genji is one of the most famous Japanese novels. It was written just one thousand years ago. So, this year is a memorial year for the story.
Genji is a name of a character in the story. He is a charismatic playboy, and has many relationship with women.
I don't read the story, not because I envy him, but because the story is long. But many people read and study it not only in Japan but also all around the world. Recently, the story's French-translated version was published, and I sold it to my customer. It was a very beautiful book with many colorful pictures.
1000 years ago, we didn't have the technology to print publications. So, of course, all the book at the time were hand-made.
The hand-made original version was copied many times by somebody. Then, many people could read the story.
That's why Tale of Genji has many copied versions. Last week, one of the copied versions in Kamakura era (about 800 years ago) was found out in an old restaurant in Kyoto. From the view point of book-salesman, it must be priceless.
One of my business partners who sells antique books, is trying to sell another version of Genji. But, because the price is too expensive, nobody can buy it!
The way to a playboy seems to be costly.

VS Interpreter

From this spring, I will work in Tokyo. I miss Yokohama, but it must be my great challenge to work in the center of Japanese economy. I'm looking forward to my new place. However I don't change my living area. My root seems to be growing deep under the soil of Atsugi. Long hour commuting must be the waste of time. So, I had better use the time for English lesson. Recently I haven't praciced English listening for a long time, because there is no sound-making electorical equipment, like TV or CD-player, in my room. Thus, I feel my English listening level is going down.
It might be better for me to buy a machine like I-Pod.

I found a funny program in YouTube. It show us the difficulty of interpreters' job.
Interpreting is the final goal for all English learning. We can learn a lot from the program.

VS Footsal

Living genius Tadahisa made Aeon's unofficial footsal team's official blog page.
Now it is Japanese version only, but he will soon make English version.
I asked Aeon Hon-Atsugi manager to link the blog on Aeon's official home page today.
She looked confused with my asking, but she can not say NO because my contribution to the school is countless.
This team's originality is that we sometimes play SepakTakraw too. If you like to pick something up by your foot, you deserve our team member. Contact me.

VS Valentine

It is now 14:32 PM on 14th February, when I am writing this article even though it is my working time. Today is Saint Valentine's Day. It might be the most beautiful traditional culture of Japan that any men can have the right to get free chocolates from any women. The chocolates mean the love or friendship from women to men.
I safely add that men can't urge women to give chocolates to them. Men's right is just to get the chocolates from women free, without paying money. In the case that men pay money for the chocolates, we see it a dealing. Men's right is only to make the chocolates free, but not to enforce women to give them. So, men's right is limited to some extent.
However, it is not always illegal to imply my demand to women. On the last 30 days, I sometimes gave chocolates to female workers in my company. At the time when they were tired for busy works, the chocolates given by me must have relaxed them. In addition, at the situation, I always bought varieties of chocolates; strawberry flavour, coffee flavour, vanilla, banana, peanuts, salt(this is great.) and so on. So, when the workes chose the chocolates, they must even feel the excitment of choice.

That's why I think that today is the best chance for them to give back..show their sincerity to me. But, at this moment when I'm writing this, I can't smell any cacao flavour around me. Any positive sign can't be read in my female co-workers' eye, which were certainly shining when getting chocolates from my hand.
Fact 1:One girl in my office came home earlier last night.
Fact 2:It takes a lot of hours that we make hand-made chocolates, especially when it is the first try to make it.
I don't have any comment on the relationship(or, no-relationship) between two facts.
The only I can say now is that I am the man who can wait.
Today has not finished. So, any conclusion must be too early.
I'm the man who can wait.

VS J-SHINE

J-SHINE is the lisence name for which we can teach English in elementary schools in Japan. English is going to be the subject all elemetary students must study in 2011. Some schools will start it earlier from this year. To be correct, some school has already started it since before. The important point is that English will be regarded as an official subject soom. To get the license, I participated in two-days lecture arranged by Aeon last Saturday and Sunday.

The lecture was held in a gorgeous meeting space, BELLE SALLE Kanda. 420 people from all over the eastern Japan joined it. I thouht the lecture don't have to be held in such a gorgeous place like a hotel, but Aeon sometimes has the tendency to make them look rich. The lecture started with the opening speech by the President Miyake, who looks suspicious but happy. Maybe he has no stress.

We listened to many teacher's speeches, and sometimes tried to do the class room activities( Games, Songs, Dances etc.) Like an elementary school student, I slept while I listened to a boring talk, and I waked up when interesting activities started. I could konw what a successful class is.

I am not sure that I will teach English in an elementary school as my job in the future. Because the salary is very low. Although it depends on a school, the case in Yokohama is 2000 yen (= about $19) a day (a day!). So, J-SHINE license is not for living-earning at this moment. We can see it the lisence for a kind of volunteer.
Ya, I don't dislike volunteer, so the teaching English in an elementary school might be good for the contribution to our society.

Everytime I join this kind of lecture, most participants are women. This time, maybe 95% was women. Why don't men have the interest in such things?

VS Broken My Hand

In a party, I seemed to be durnk a little. When I made fun of a girl, I twisted my finger to be damaged. Now, I can't use my right hand. My daily life is uncomfortable recently.

1.Eating

I can't use chopsticks now. It makes me difficult to eat rice in East Asia. Fortunately, in Japanese restaurant, I can have the oppotunity to order a curry and rice coming from South Asia. It can be eaten by using spoon. Due to the easiness to eat, I am eating it everyday. Hot Dog is also my daily food now.

2.Writing

I am a salesman. But, I can't take any memo when talking with my customers. If I forget what we talked about later, I can't do anything. Of course, I can use my left hand fo memo, but what is written is what can't be read. Recently, I am not busy on my job.

3.Using Computer

Even using computer is uncomfortable. Left Hand Mouse Click is sad. I am easily comfused for my operation. And, my typing is very slow. Sometimes I give up using computer, and I use telephone.

4.Washing

I am not convinced that I wash my body enough whentaking shower.
Left Hand Washing is week. I need strong and poweful scrub.

I realised again that the washing machine in a toilet is the greatest invention. XOXO

VS Pubs

The topic in my discussion class yesterday was Japanese myhtology, but we started the class with the asking from my teacher, "Why do you go to a bar alone?"
For some people, it seems to be strange or unusual to go for drinking alone.

After several parties or gatherings in this month, I went to some beer pubs alone, in order to go back to my primary reason for drinking; the journey for meeting my best liquid partner. "I don't hane to be with a solid partner when meeting a liquid partner." might be the clearest answer to my teacher's asking.

I went to European style beer pub BELGO in Shibuya last week. It was my second times to go there. I enjoyed Hoegaarden at the time. It's a world-wide famous Belgian beer. The color is white. The glass is huge. Due to this beer, my total image about beer had to be reconstracted before, so it can be one of the candidates to be my best partner. BELGO has a huge number of belgoan beer bottles. It may be impossibe to drink all types of beer in the pub.
Now the political condition in Belgium is bad, so it seems to be a taugh work to import beer from the country. Most Japanse doesn't care for Belgian society, but you would note that beer lovers in Japan are a little more sensitive to ithe world's political matters.

I went to Covent Garden as usual last week. I could see another candidate, Hefeweisbeer from German. Sometimes I can meet it in the pub. The taste is similar to Hoegaarden. It is really nice beer. Perhaps, it will go back to the hometown for a while from this week. Ebisu beer red version is going to replace it. The Japanese beer is also good.
When it comes to Japanese beer, I have to write down great local beer here. I enjoyed Tokyo Black in Trafalgar in Machida. The name "Tokyo Black" sounds old-fashioned, but the taste is very good. Although Trafalgar is an English pub, I wouldn't drink English beer, because there are some beautiful Japanese local beer there. In front of beautiful Japanese, enjoying with European is a kind of love affair for me. Cheers.

VS Novels

Three weeks has passed from the start of a new year. During this three-weeks, a lot of drinking party emerged in front of me, challanged me, and passed away: New year party in Kyoto, Farewell party in English school, Great Sushi party in Atsugu, Welcome party with a coworker from America, and so on. But, I will skip these party topics at this year's beginning of articles-posting here. I will write about Japanese novels.

This year, I have already read some Japanese novels. Because my annual average for reading novels is two or three, this year's pace is surprisingly fast. One of the reasons for this high pace is because my computer was broken last year, in additon to my television a few years ago. My computer had the role as my CD/DVD player. Thus, my room doesn't have any kinds of visual and musical amusement at all. Only one electrical equipment is my refrigerater, but it can only make boom sounds. So, I can say my room is very silent now, when my neighbor doesn't watch TV and give comments to it. That's why you can say the situation surrounding me is very good to focus on reading books. It is fortune that I am also a book-sales man.

Although "My Name Is Red"(Japanese version) by Pamhk, Orhan is one of these books and my recommendation, maybe this book is not easy to enjoy. Because, it treats the world of Islamic art, but most Japanese are not familier with it.
If you can read Japanese and had indulged yourself in Game Center in your yourthful days, "Enkenden"(The story of En vs Ken) might be good. This novel was written by a worker in my company, and he got The 19th Japanese Fantasy Novel Prize, and 5 million yen. Its story is about a fighting game in a fantasy world, eaay to read.
When it comes to Prize, Akutagawa Prize (maybe the most important prize for novels in Japan) was gotten by a female singer. I have never read her novels yet, but I have to read them because she looks good.

In addition to professional's novels, I read some works written by women's university students by chance. They might not be great works, but any kind of other's writings can influence me good. I hope I can create new literal expression here this year.