80% of Americans trust Japan...

According to this article!!! That says a lot about how far the relationship between Japan and America has come. Unbelievable! From war to friendship...Amazing!!! I need to ponder this thought for a while, so for now, that is all I am gonna write. Til next time, have a good one

(Below is a picture of some truly Japanese scenery-Carp Kites. I love it!)

Softbank and the Environment

My cell phone is Softbank. Basically I am satisfied with it, but of course I have some complaints. And soon I must get a new phone because mine is old. Now I am thinking about which one to get...I-phone, or one with a good tv, or just a simple one. And then, as I was thinking about which cell to get, I saw this article. It says that Softbank will release a phone powered by solar energy, thus environmentally friendly! I think that is pretty cool. And also they unvelied a high-end cell phone designed by Giorgio Armani in case I win the lottery any time soon.

Here's the article in case you are interested.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nb20090520a3.html

And while on the topic of the environment, here are some more beautiful photos from Yellostone National Park! Mystical!!!

Good news...

for all those visiting Japan from the States. According to this article, by the end of next week all of those onboard health inspections will be stopped because of the bigger risk of flu on the homefront, in Japan. That means all of those tired, and jet-lagged passengers from the US won't have to wait any longer than needed on the plane before heading directly to the immigration and customs offices at the airport. What a break!

"Japan to phase out onboard quarantine inspections as new flu cases total 178"
"http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/new-flu-cases-total-173-quarantine-inspections-aboard-airplanes-to-end

Speaking of The States, there are more great black-and-white shots of Philly below. Check them out!

The Flu...and Strawberry, soft cream, or dango?

The news in Osaka and Western Japan is pretty simple. Everybody is talking about the flu! And I'd say more than 80% of the people are wearing masks. Is is like a "masked nation!!" Schools, both public as well as many private, are closed. Some JR (Japan Railways) station shops were also closed after a female shop clerk who works at one was infected with the flu. It is unbelievable, like a mask nation.
For the latest news and all the details, read this article:
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/aso-calls-for-calm-response-as-new-flu-infections-reach-129-in-japan

Yesterday, to get some fresh and flu-free air, I went to the park. There are many roses, many beautiful roses at the park near here now. And, for the first time in many years, I bought a McDonald's vanilla milk shake...It was pretty good and hit the spot! But I got that urge out of my system I think, and probably won't get another one for a while.

Be careful of the flu and take care this week!

p.s. Which of the below desserts do you like the best?

Are you a sweets lover?

If yes, then you gotta read this article. It is about a study which found that working women who reach for sweets as a pick-me-up actually increase their fatigue levels! A LOT of women I know eat sweets, or snacks, or candy during work or during the day as an energy booster. Me on the other hand, almost never eat such things in the middle of the day. Which is better, I don't know, but according to this study, some of you women should be more careful about all the sweets you eat! It doens't give you as much energy as you think! Actually, it makes you more tired!!!

Enjoy the weekend! :)

Read it: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20090509f3.html

Atlantic City again and a Cambridge English Study

Footprints on the beach. Very cool! Do you think they are dog footprints, or cat footprints? I love the beach ad I couldn't wait for summer to arrive, and now the past few days have been so gorgeous so I think summer is here! I am psyched! Really psyched to saok up some sun and feel the cool May breeze...

To change the subject, I read a really interesting study from Cambridge University. It concerns English and please click on the "comments" link below to see what I mean!!

"Food Olympics"

Did anyone go to the "Osaka Food Exhibition," otherwise known as the "Food Olympics" over Golden Week Vacation?

I didn't have the opportunity to go, some of my friends who went told me mixed reviews:
"It was my first time to go to the event, and I had a good time. I could try over 30 different countries' food."
"It was fun...."The food was great, but it was a little crowded."
"I couldn't stand waiting in the long lines...and it was hot!"

It is only held once every four years, that is why it is called the "Food Olympics."
Before Golden week I found this article about the swine (pig) flu and the Exhibition.
"Osaka food Olympics undaunted by flu fear"
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nb20090501a1.html

Kirin Beer Village and Mr. Kuroda

If you like beer, then this place should be heaven!
http://www.japantoday.com/category/travel/view/kirin-beer-village

The next topic isn't really related to beer, well in a way it is, but please listen. Do you know the comedian named Kuroda? He is in a manzai group and also appears on some comedy type shows frequently. Anyway, he is on one of my favorite tv shows. And, the other day I met him at shimizu-yu bath house. Of all the places! I was about to scrub my body, and when I looked up, i thought "Ah-, that's Kuroda." It was in the afternoon, but he didn't look so great. He had bags under his eyes and his eyes were blood-shot. He looked like he had a slight hangover. Then after I scrubbed and washed my body, I got in the bath and by chance he was next to me, so I said "I always watch your show, ya know, that one on Tuesday night...Gokibura." Maybe I made a mistake or my pronunciation was wrong, or he didn't hear me, but he thought I said "Gokiburi" which means COCKROACH, so he said "Nah, not GokibuRI, it's GokibuRA--GokibuRA!!" He was laughing but he didn't look so happy, maybe a little annoyed. But it was no problem and after that we spoke for a minute or two, and then he went to the sauna and I went in the COLD water. I waved and he gave a "thumbs up" and we said "Take care" to each other. He was with his buddies, 4 guys. And he looked like he was a member of that bath house, because he had a special member's tag for a locker. All in all, my impression of him was that he wasn't such a big guy=he was smaller in person than he looks on TV., and basically he was a nice guy. And since he is probably a member, I will probabyl run into him again. He is the 3rd Yoshimoto Company guy I have run into there...

Have a good Saturday Night and Sunday!

Welcome back...

from GW vacation!
How was your vacation? Mine was fabulous!

It is May, spring, and the sun will be out this month! Next month, June, is the rainy season, so I want to take advantage of the great weather in May as much as I can.

As many of you know, I really love nature. Over the GW vacation, I spent a lot of time outside, in nature, just some basic R & R (rest and relaxation)! I went for long walks, played tennis, had a BBQ, read books under a tree, sat in the sun a little...time went by slowly, and that was nice.

Besides that, I saw a movie, and went to a few nice restaurants, and just hung out in the neighborhood.

While on the topic of nature, below is an article I found about clean air and no smoking:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/ed20090412a1.html

It is a short week this week...hope everyone has a good one!

100 days in the The White House, music and culture, and GW

It has been about 100 days since President Obama became the leader of the United States of America. What do you think?

Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? If yes, have you ever been on a tour of the White House. I have visited D.C. a few times in my life. It is an interesting town with many historical sites. When I was a child I remember going on a tour of the white house too. If you have the opportunity to visit the East Coast of America, and are interested in cities, I recommend that you visit New York, Philadelphia, and Washinton D.C. Now I know a few people who live there, or near there, so I am sure I will visit there sometime again. I am looking forward to it.

When I was surfing the net the other day, I found an interesting article about music and Japanese and Korean people. It was a nice good-feeling cultural artcle, and I recommend you read it if you have time.
I have some Korean friends in Osaka, I know many Japanese people who study Korean or a Korean art/instrument/culture, so I found the article interesting.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment-arts/view/music-helping-to-bridge-gap-between-japanese-and-koreans-in-osaka

Hope everyone has a good Golden Week Vacation and talk to you all again after the break!

Tulips

Hey, how was your day off yesterday? Mine was fabuluos!!

A few weeks ago Utsubo Park, which is a nice park about 5 minutes walk from here, was full of beautiful cherry blossoms, and then full of colorful tulips. I took many photos of the orange, red and yellow tulips, and tried to get a "perfect" photo, but my cell phone doesn't have such a good photo function, plus my photo-taking skills aren't so good, so it was difficult. But I tried.

I love the park! But the other day one of my friends told me that he doesn't like it. I was surprised and I asked him why. He said, "Because I have allergies, hay fever." Ah~~~, then I understood.

Many people I know have terrible allergies and hay fever. Some people take medicine, some use special "glasses/goggles" to protect their eyes, and some use white masks. Actually, A LOT of Japanese people use these masks to protect themselves from allergies and germs and viruses, as well as to protect other people from getting their bad germs.
This article is about those masks, check it out!
http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/for-allergy-season-japan-turns-to-surgical-masks

Yellowstone and Vacations

Last week I read an article in the newspaper about the average number of paid days off, paid vacation days, people get and also take. The article compared different countries all over the world. Japan ranked last on the list. According to the article, it said that on average, Japanese people get 15 paid days off a year, but only use 8. In America, one avergae people get 13 paid days off, and use 10. However, in many European countries, the numbers are much higher. For example, when you read these numbers you will be jealous!! In "Let=s drink wine and eat cheese and crackers all day"France, they get 38 paid days off a year, and use 36!!! And in "I like to take a nap every day" Spain, they get 30 days and take 27!!! What do you think about that?!?

One my day off, I like to just relax and hang out in my place or in my neighborhood. Sometimes go for a walk, or go to a spa, have a bbq... What about you? What do you like to do on your day off?

And, to change the subject, Yellowstone National Park. That is one of the places I really want to visit some time in my life...

Night Cherry Blossoms

Last week Ms. K went to a concert at a famous shrine in Kyoto, Heian-Jingu Shrine. She said the concert was good but it was unbelievably crowded, so she was a little annoyed/disappointed. But she could see this beautiful lit-up cherry blossom tree, so she said it was definitely worth it and recomended me to go if I have the chance in the future. I like Kyoto, especially all of the culture; arts, shrines, temples, so I plan to go if I can. Thanks Ms. K.

And when I read the title to the small article(link) below, "World Sand Sculpture Festival Opens in Tottori," I remembered the good times I spent in the summers in Tottori a couple of years ago. The beaches in Tottori are really beautiful, and the "little desert" is also pretty cool. Recently, the weather is really nice, but I can't wait for "real" summer to arrive.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20090419a4.html

Cherry Blossoms~more and more ;)

Cherry Blossoms are a big part of Japanese culture. To be honest, there is so much culture in Japan that I don't know where to start...

But we have to start somewhere, so how about with Geisha. When you go to Kyoto, you can see some Geisha or Maiko-san girls (Geishas in training) walking around sometimes. It is pretty cool to get a photo wit them too, but recently the residents of the Gion made some rules about the manners to protect these women, and one of those rules is "No Pictures with Maiko-san/Geisha." This rule applies both to Foreigners as well as to Japanese.

And speaking of Geisha, this article is a really interesting story of the life of an Aussie Geisha in Kyoto.
Check it out: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20090415f2.html

Atlantic City and the Jackpot

Atlantic City is about 1 hour by car from Philadelphia. There is a great beach, and also many casinos there. When I was a child I used to go to the shore (=the New Jersey area beaches.) It was great fun playing in the ocea and walking on the boardwalk. The boardwalk is an elevated wooden walkway that is on the coast. Many people walk and ride bicycles on it. And there are many shops, restaurants, souvenir shops, miniature golf, amusement parks, etc...
If you ever go to New York bewteen May and September, I really recommend that you visit this area for a day.

About the casinos in Atlantic City, it is basically like a little Las Vegas.
Speaking of Vegas, recently one lucky local gal won the Jackpot!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090413/ap_on_re_us/jackpot_winner

Shiga

Good morning. How was your weekend? I did the usual, went out to dinner one night, and on Sunday night just took it easy. Golden Week is coming soon, so I am excited about that.

But before Golden Week I have to do some shopping and buy some jeans, because recently two pairs of my jeans ripped. What do you think about those cheap jeans that are being sold now, and I heard are pretty popular. You know, the ones for 990 yen. I saw this article, so now I am considering buy a pair for myself:http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20090415f1.html

Here are some beautiful photos from Ms. e's trip to Shiga the other day. Thanks e.

Winter

Last Thursday and Friday, especially Friday morning, were really cold. Like winter...I don't like winter, but that weather came as a surprise to me because recently it has been so warm and sunny. While I was shivering outside in the cold, I remembered a ski trip I took a while back. Skiing on a gorgeous day, with a clear blue sky, no clouds within miles, the sunlight shining down on you, is a great feeling!!

Philly in Black and White, and Philly's voice of Baseball

An friend of a friend is presently working at the University of Pennsylvania. She has been there for about two years and I was happy to hear that she is really enjoying her time in "The City of Brotherly Love." And I enjoyed reading about her time in Philly on her blog. Below are some photos which she took. Black and white shots. Very artistic.

And, another topic related to Philly. The other day, the "Voice of the Philadelphia Phillies", a man named Harry Kalas, passed away. He actually died in the broadcasting booth, of all places. For a big baseball fan like me, this is big news. His voice is connected to all of the great Philadelphia Phillies moments of the past decades. He contributed a lot to the city, and his passing is a great loss to the City. Here are some Phillies' writers thoughts on the man: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/42947877.html