VS Jail Breaker

I watched a Japanese movie, THE KING OF JAIL BREAKERS. Its directer is a Japanese comedian, Itsuji Itao. The movie is his first one.
I like concept-movie because of the simplicity. Gang movie is about Gang. Kanfoo mivie is about Kanfoo. They are simple. They are easy to understand.
This movie is also concept-movie. It's about Jail-breaking.

The directer is a comedian, so there are some laughing points in the movie, but the expression is very moderate. Basically this movie is serious. I thought it was the successful point for the movie.

The story was about a (fictional) jail breaker in Japan before the War. He was arrested for a small crime, a bilk in a restaurant.
Because his crime was not a big one, his jail days was originally short, a few months. But he tried to break a jail and made success, many times.
"Many times" means he was arrested again and again, after his successful jail breakings. Before breaking a jail, he was very smart and taugh. But, after escaping from the jail, he was always arrested soon.
For his jail breakings, his jail days were plused to be endless at last. And then he was sent to the worst jail on a island.

The reason why he broke a jail many times is made clear on the island, at the climax of the movie. If you can understand Japanese, watch the movie and know the reason.
The movie time is 94 minutes, not long. If it is 120 minutes, I think we could feel bored a little. So, the time length of the movie was very successfully calcurated.

VS Japanese Society

Happy New Year.

I spent my short new year's holidays in Kyoto. It was very cold then. I didn't want to go outside, so I was relaxed almost all the days in my parent's house. With playing with my dog, I watched TV.
I realised soon that some programs on air were rebroadcasted ones. It must be the effect of cost-cut of TV companies. I enjoyed the programs with the name of 2009.

Last year was the year of change in Japan. DPJ got political power at last. But, soon, it became clear that we were not accusomed to change. Almost all people didn't image what would happen after the change. So, after we knew our new government was a perfect amateur for country governance, we suddenly started to worry about our future. Now the approval rating of Prime minister Hatoyama is growing down from 70% to 50%.
However DPJ's rating is still high. It means the change itself is still supported by Japanese. Because we are responsible for our own decision, I am happy with the unchanged spirit for change.

This is a small thing but, a trouble happend around me at the end of last year. In a drinking party, a woman was drunk, and then her frined had a money trouble. From my view, when drinking, all responsibilities are on the drunker herself. I thought it's a natural discipline and a drunker's duty. However, I knew many blamed for the party organizer.
This trouble has already solved, so at this moment it's a small thing, but I am thinking that now we Japanese are being on the process of studying what self-responsibility is and why it's important.
This society must be matured more and more.

VS NOUKAI

Yesterday was my last working day in this year. At the end of this busy year, my last job was to arrange NOUKAI in my office.
NOUKAI is just a drinking party, which is held in an office, usually on the last day, and usually in working time. The aim is to finish this year with colleague.
I voluntarily became a leader of NOUKAI arranging team.
I successfully negotiated to my boss, and got a big budget. I decided to use all money. Even 1 yen wouldn't be left after the party.
I organized my colleague, making two teams. One is to buy foods. Anothet, drinks.
I led a food team, and bought Sashimi, Tenpura, Sushi, cakes, snacks and so on. On the other hand, a dirnk team went to buy beer and wine by a car.

Another aim to have such a party was to encourage the communication among the people in diffrent divisions. Although I am working in my company's head office and there are a lot of people working there, the chance to talk with most people is not many. Actualy I don't know what kind pf job the people next to my division works for.
That's why NOUKAI is a good oppotunity to know each other.

Perhaps 100 or 150 people joined the party. As I wrote above, NOUKAI is held in a office. So, there were not enough space for people gathering. That's why the party was very crowded, but maybe everybody enjoyed it. We could finish this year's job successfully.

My winter vacation is short. Next year, I am going to work again from 4th. I will spend the time in Kyoto, as usual. See you next year.

VS Christmas

Christmas has gone!
On 24th, the Eve, I worked late, then went home midnight. On 25th, although I didn't sleeep enough, I went to work, and I worked late again. After going back to Atsugi, it was impossible to go home soon without celebrateing something, so I drunk a little in a bar. There were four single men there, even though the day was Christmas! I was welcome because I also was single! What's the hell!
And now, on 26th, Saturday, I am working! OMG!
Why am I so busy now? There are some reasons. One of my coworkers will move to anther branch. And, another coworker will quit her job soon. I have to replace them, and I have to atrrange their good-bye party!
January is the first month of the last quater of Japanese fiscal year. So, I am always busy in this season. Many things have to be prepared now.
Today, when I went to a convenience store, Christmas gifts were sold by a half price. Price dawn is also fast. Time has passed fast. Christmas has passed fast.

VS Sepak Takraw Games

It was one of the biggest challange in this year for me.
Last week I participated in a tournament of Sepak Takraw. It was also my debut game.

Sepak Takraw is a minor sport in Japan. By chance, a Aeon friend Akira played it for a long time. He introdued it to me, then, sometimes when we played soccer with friends, we played Sepak Takraw just for warming-up.
Gradually I realised the minor sport's interest. I don't know why, but we has the tendency to feel happy when we can control something with our foot. When we can pick up a remote controller for television to change the channel "with our foot", we feel happy.
Sepak Takraw's difficulty is to control the ball with our foot, and it is also the reason for the sport's interest.

However, to be honest, I am not an athlete. I have not practiced so much. So, my level is very low. I thought I don't deserve to play with "real" players, but because it was a good experience, we challanged the tournament.

It was held on two days in Saitama prefecture. Six Aeon students including me paticipated in it. We made two teams, Atsugi Central and Atsugi Pacific.
Around 250 people were there. I heard around 500 people play Sepak takraw in Japan. So, 50% player gathered in Saitama. They join private teams or university clubs. They practice everyday. On the other hand, we Atsugi teams drink everyday. The result of our game was clear before the games. 4 lost, 1 draw was my team's result. 1 draw was the game with an university in Niigata prefecture.
Although we couldn't win, I can say we enjoyed very much. Our level was low, but our guts was good. We could get scores. With playing, our level improved.

The organizer of the tournament worked very well. They have the strong passion to make Sepak takraw more popular in Japan. It must be a taugh job to organize 250 people from all over the Japan. I wanna celebrate them.
I decide to join next year's tournamnet. It's a good motivation for me to practice more. I will get 1 win next year.

VS Hida Beef

The scenery of Hida-Takayama city is a little diffrent from other Japanese local city. When you visit a rural area, you can eat its local foods; Soba noodle, fish foods, traditinal vegetable dishes and rice foods are typical. They are classic Japanese cuisine. Of course, here in Hida-Takayama, you can eat such foods. But, maybe, the most astonishing food there is beef. Hida beef is one of the highest quality beef in Japan.

In the city, there are many steak restaurnts and butchers. Humberger shops and Beef "Suchi" restaurants are many too. In Tokyo, it's not special. But it's rare in local cities in Japan.

Like other types of beef we Japanese prefer, Hida Beef has oil like frost. So, it is very soft, and melts in our mouse naturally. This character of beef we like is friendly for our chin and teeth. But, that's why, they can be weaken. So, it might be a bad friend.
Anyway, the quality is high. Of course, I enjoyed it very well.

In the hotel I stayed, I ordered the special Hida Beef course. At the dinner, I started with beef, I finished with beef. Beef hors d'oeuvre, beef salad, beef nabe, beef sushi, baked beef, raw beef and son. I re-realised that beef is No.1 food then.

Hida-Takayama's local sake and beer match the great beef. I drunk too much on the trip, because there are many drinks I didn't know. I have to travel in Japan more for the new taste I've never experienced.

VS Gifu Trip

One of my friends will change his job successfully. His salary must increse a little. In order to celebrate his success, some old friends gathered to Gifu prefecture last weekend.

Japanese postal code is from 000 to 999. Gifu's postal codes are on 500th. As you can easily understand, Gifu prefecture is almost at the center of Japan. It's an important area to dominate this country.

We stayed in the hotel near Gifu castle.
Look at this photo. Gifu castle is great and beautiful. One of the most popular general in Japanese history, Nobunaga Oda, lived there. He could understand the importance of the governance of Gifu.
The castle's location is also good. It stands on the top of a mountain which is near Nagaragawa river. The river is famous for "Ugai", which is the fishing methods to use a bird "U". In summer season, we can watch "U" catching fish on the river.

After the staying near the castle, I and the successful friend moved to Hida Takayama, the city on mountain area in Gifu. The city is far from the center of Gifu. I think it was hard to go there before. But, even though its location was not good for human's living, Hida Takayama was prosperous in medieval times because of natural resources; silver, copper and so on.

I visited Takayama Jinya, which is the only one now existing reginal office in Edo era. The office rooms and living rooms used by samurais are preserved well now. We can watch such things in the classical Japanese dramas on TV, but, of course, they are the imitations. Takayama Jinya's one are real.
Before visiting there, I didn't know its exsitence, so I was excited with watching it.

Hida Takayama is famous for beef, but I will write about it on another post. The taste is very good for Japanese tongue.

VS Windy Enoshima

I went to Enoshima beach to surf last weekend. The day was very windy. It's a bad condition for surifing.
But the weather was good. I couldn't miss going to the beach. I am lazy recently, so I don't go to surf so often, though,

I like this season's Enoshima. Because the air is becoming clean after humid summer. Now we can look at Mt.Fuji very clear. In summer season, it is immpossible for us to see it.
It is also good that there are less people on the sea. (But, compared with ohter beach, many people are still there, though.)

Windy day's wave is bad. The shape of the wave is random. So, it's difficult to stand on my board. But, thanks to the existence of Enoshima island, we can escape from the effect of the wind on the some areas on the sea. The isiland becomes a natural brock against the wind.
That's why I could enjoy surfing the day.

The water temparature? No, problem. I haven't used the wet suits for winter yet. The water on the sea is still warm. Sometimes I thought it was warmer on the sea than on the beach.
Many people looking at me from the beach don't know the secret, so they must think I am a strong man. But the reality is opposite. Funny.

VS Sauce Fried Noodles

I am happy for working in Japanese publishing world. Because I can sometimes meet great books to show Japanese publications are rich.
Recently a book to focus on sauce fried noodles is published in Japan.

The ad for the book says it is the first book only for sauce fried noodles in the world.
Yes! Certainly I have never met such a book. Even though it is a popular food and we can eat it on any places in Japan, and there are many books for noodles; spagetti, soba, ramen, udon and so on, AND sauce fried noodles are a very original noodle food born in modern Japan, nobody haven't published the book for it.

From the book, we can know there are may types of sauce frried noodles in Japan. The simplest one is noodles with meat and cabbage. Another one is with egg. In the northern Kanto area, potato is used! It's very surprising for the pople in other area.

For the pople bron in the western Japan like me, sauce fried noodles are like a daily food. In a house and a school, I ate it. In coffee shops, it is always on the menu as a light food, in the western Japan. In festivals, sauce fried noodles shops are one of the most popular shops.

One of my memorial things was that I had BBQ on the beach in Austlaria. I ate sauce fried noodles there. For Japanese, it's not special. But for Australian, what I ate there must have been strange.

I can't stop writing about my memory about sauce fried noodles, but the book is useful to understand Japanese food culture. I recommend it.

VS Performance

The 2nd International Street Performance Festival in Atsugi is held this weekend. This kind of festival in Yokohama is popular. Atsugi has followed it since last year.
I was not sure whether Atsugi's one would become popular, but I am now surprised at the success. Many people come to Atsugi to watch street performance now.
Last year, the guide book for the festival was free. This year, it is sold in bookstores. Thanks to the gathering of many people, the restaurants and shops in Atsugi are running very well. This festival's economical impact on Atusgi must be great.
Now we can watch the performance at many places near Hon-Atsugi station. Because Atsugi is a compact city, we can move easily from one place to oter place. Atsugi's compactness might be a good advantage for this kind of festival. It can be more popular in the future than a large city Yokohama's one.

VS Journal Business

It's cold in Japan. The wind from the north is blewing today. I felt the early winter has come at last. I also knew the news of the first snow in Sapporo city in Hokkaido. But, this cold seems to be temporary. This week, it will become warm again.

Last month was a big month for my business. I finished some contracts of annual subscription of academic journals with my customers, mainly Japanese universities.
This business is becoming difficult for the decreasing budgets of the universities, and the digitalization of journals. Some digitalized journals can be read free on internet, and many digitalized journals can be bought directly from publishers by my customers; it means they don't need distributers, book-sales men.
Of course, the situation is not so simple. Even though many journals are digitalized now, many publishers and customers still want to use distributers. However, the rate of profit for this business is garadually decreasing. That's why some competers of mine are giving up the business.

I think I made a success of the business this year. Under the bad conditions, my sales grew up, and even the rate of profit raised too. The negotiation with my customers were taugh, and there were tha holidays that I couldn't enjoy other things because business didn't move from my brain. But, now I am satisfied with the sales result.

This month, I will consciously release my mind from business to many funs. Balance is important. I will beat tension to be relaxed.
That's why, last week's Halloween party was good for changing my mental mood. We enjoyed the party very much and after the first stage we stayed until fifth stages(it was the early morning.)the day. It was along night, but I didn't get tired.
And, I have some plans more; the travel with my friends to some old villages in Japan, Sushi dinner event with friends, joining Sepack Takrow tournament in Saitama, Karaoke party in a bar, etc. It might not be good to make many plans for relaxing, but my brain is familler with busy schadule. So, it's Ok.

VS Bouts in Zama

I went to Zama camp.
The aim was not to show my idea about the reconstruction of US army in Japan; Okinawa base shuld be relocated to Narita, but to watch professional wrestling bouts there!

New Japan Pro-Wrestling comes to Zama camp every year for the communication of Japanese and US army. "Camp Zama SlamFest" was held there last weekends. I enjoyed it very much.
When I was a child, professional wrestlers were my hero. Every week I watched their bouts on TV. Especially, a New Japan Pro-Wrestling wrestler Antonio Inoki was hero's hero.

Of course, now, fortunately or unfortunately I know, all bouts are fake.
That's why I lost the interest of professional wretling. I haven't watched it for a long time.
However I don't know why, but I sometimes check the information of wrestlers on magazines until now.

This time I realised the reason for my unlost curiosity to professional wretling. Their bouts must be fake, but their taughness and physical performance is true. In addition, their communication skill with the audience is so great. The young, the old and many kids were excited with their fight.

After the bouts, it was lucky that I could go inside the wrestler's dinner party.
I could get many wrestlers signature and took pictures with them!
They are really big and gentle. Now, I have no reason why I will not be interested in professional wrestling again.

VS Octoberfest 2009

Recently my post is about Beer. The reason is because I always drink beer, but it's not all. My post is based on a social backbone. This month, October, is one of the important season for the world beer drinkers.

Octoberfest is one of the biggest beer-drinking festival in the world. It started originally in Germany. Now, the festival is held in many places in Japan too.
Today, I will go to Octoberfest in Yokohama. Today is the last day. I am afraid whether some beer have already been out of stock. So, I have to hurry up! I wanna enjoy great German white beer and sausages. It's the best combination like Sake and Sashimi in Japan.

Time to go.

VS THE GRIFFIN

I sometimes go to THE GRIFFIN, a bar in Hon-Atsugi. This bar is new, opened in February. The bar looks like a typical beer bar, but we can drink wine and whisky too. Especially its collection of whisky is great. There are some bottler's whisky, which is the whisky before brending. Of course the price is high. But here is Atsugi, a local city in Kanagawa. So, compared with the bars in Tokyo, the price must be attractive.
However, because my favorite is beer, I go to drink beer before going home after hard work.

This bar is inside a business hotel. So, I thought many people staying the hotel use the bar, but the bar master Kyojima-san says over 90% of customers are outsiders including me. I don't know why? Sometimes there are no customer but me. I worry about the management of the bar.
The former prime minister Aso liked to go to hotel restaurants and bars. But the present prime minister Hatoyama likes Izakaya. Izakaya style and price is convenient and reasonable. So I like it too. Under this economical situation, cheap Izakaya mught be the trend.

Recently THE GRIFFIN started their community in MIXI. The member is increasing gradually. I hope their success in Atsugi.

VS Beer Brewing

I went to Ibaraki prefecture last week to brew my original beer with my friends. We visited Kiuchi brewery, which is originally an old Sake brewery, and now making much original beer. Nest beer is their brand.
It was our first challange to make beer, so we were so excited.
Although it took three hours to drive to the place, it was no problem for us.

The old brewery is located in a rural area in Ibaraki. It looks like an old Japanese warehouse. When we arrived there, their staff took us inside the brewery, and explained us how to brew beer.
Before making beer, we tasted some beer to decide what kind of beer we should make.
Ale? White beer? Staut?
After our discussion, we decided to make red ale.

We used five diffrent types of malts, and three diffrent types of hops.
The taste and aroma must be very rich!
During boiling them, we learned the difficulty of controlling its temparature. If we failed to control the temparature, we could kill the beer taste.
After the boiling, the mixture of malts, hops and water was going to be made cold soon. What we did the day was that's all!
After this, yeast is going to be put into it by the staff. We have to wait for around three weeks. Now we are waiting our beer coming.

At the end of this month, maybe at Halloween party, we will enjoy our new beer. Cheers!

VS Alumni Association

I went to Kyoto again last month to join my university's almuni association. It was held for my university teacher's 50th anniversary and the celebration for the teacher's getting an award for his book recently published. He wrote the book about Adam Smith.

Many students gathered to a hotel in Kyoto, and waited the teacher's family. The party was originally planned as a surprising party, so prepared with only his family. But, it is diificult to keep secret. A student called our teacher before the party, and said "Hey teacher, I am busy the day. Can you change the date of your party?" Of course, everybody got angry.
But the party itself was great. Our teacher's speech reminded us of our university days. He was still energetic. I think it encouraged us to be challenging.

For me, to meet an old teacher or friends is Merkmal for my life. I can realise people's change and unchange, and I can realise my change and unchange. My change is going toward a right direction? My unchange is keeping a good principle? Everytime I meet old friends, I can ask me such questions.

After the party we went to Kawaramachi street for the second stage. The street is one of the main streets near Kamo river in Kyoto. I drunk many times there in my days in Kyoto. I remembered my memory of Kyoto very much. I don't think about the past so often, but drinking in a hometown is so nice.

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.