Game Over In Shimo-Akatsuka

Posted on December 22, 2010 by tokyofox

The curtain came down on my time in Shimo-Akatsuka school last Wednesday (15th December) after 5.5 years. As it was a split day I also made my exit from Narimasu but I’ve been there and done that once already! For 15 months I have been waiting to hear this news as these schools became part of a different district a year and a half ago. Teachers from my district have gradually been phased out over this time and with a supposed deadline of this Christmas I knew the writing was on the wall.

Even though I knew it was coming I was still a bit surprised to hear the news but it didn’t take me so long to get used to the idea of moving school even though it means I’ve got to travel a lot further from next January. I was more happy than sad on my final day which is not to say that I didn’t feel emotional at times throughout the day. I really liked all the classes but I have probably got as much out of them as I can so I realise its time to move on and let someone else have a go.

I have taught some of them for quite a long time and met my afternoon class of ladies for lunch before the lesson and that was followed later in the afternoon by two very enjoyable kids classes. The fact that it was also Christmas lesson time meant it was a good high to go out on.

   

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A (Slightly) Healthier Lifestyle

Posted on December 11, 2010 by tokyofox

Despite not eating so many meals whilst on my Euro trip back in August I came back feeling and looking bigger. Must have been all that snacking on pizza over the two weeks!

Inevitably putting on weight comes with age and I was getting dangerously close to the 70kg mark which I have never crossed and thankfully that will not happen just yet. Feels far better to be closer to 65kg than 70kg!

I’m certainly not one to push ridiculously hard to lose weight but with a few lifestyle changes I have managed to shed a few pounds. They have included:

1. Drinking far less Coke and a lot more water, green tea and miso soup.

2. More exercise. 15o press-ups every day (5 x 30) plus an extra 60 minute run a week.

3. Less snacking. More sliced raw carrots as a substitute.

4. Making salad for my lunch and pasta for my dinner two or three times a week.

5. Extra cycling, most definitely helped by recent cycling aventures.

6. Less alcohol, particularly beer. Wine has replaced beer when my gf comes round to drink.

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Manic Street Preachers Live In Tokyo 2010

Posted on November 27, 2010 by tokyofox

One of my favourite bands the Manic Street Preachers were in Tokyo last night playing live at Studio Coast in Shin Kiba and I was there to witness it. I have seen the Welsh trio play live a few times in the past but always as festival headliners or as support to Oasis so this was the first time to see them at their own gig.

While I like many bands I’d say that none of them come close to meaning as much to me as this band. When they burst onto the scene in the early 1990’s I took note of them and liked their songs but it wasn’t until their second album in 1993 that I became a big fan of their music.

I loved the passion and emotion in lead singer James Dean Bradfield’s voice and the lyrics were very interesting, particularly around the ‘Holy Bible’ era of 1994, although squeezing extra syllables into the lyrics is something that has always grated with me slightly. He even managed to fit two extra words (“Tokyo Bay”) into one of the songs last night which I think bypassed most of the audience.

Usually when I know I’m going to see a band play live I listen to them loads beforehand to get me in the mood but I feel this, can in a way, reduce one’s enjoyment of it as you’ve had overkill of the tunes. With that in mind, I didn’t listen to any of the Manics’ extensive back catalogue before their Tokyo performance although I did listen to their new album ‘Postcards From A Young Man’ which they were in town to promote.

Outside the place a short, pretty lady came up to me and it took me a few embarrassing moments before I realised that it was the mum of a young girl I used to teach in Tokiwadai. Having exchanged Manic’s songs with her in the past I should really have anticipated that she might be there.

I didn’t know it beforehand but Carl Barat (ex-Libertines frontman) was the support act and to be honest this news didn’t excite me too much but I actually enjoyed his seven-song set which finished with a Libertines song by way of ‘Don’t look back into the sun’ which went down very well with the crowd.

The Manic’s then came on and burst through a 21-song set featuring tracks from every one of their many albums. Inevitably there were many of the usual crowd-pleasers although it was interesting to see that certain songs are way more popular in Japan than they are back in Britain. ‘You stole the sun from my heart’ is a reasonably ok song but it went down a storm with the Japanese crowd who I have to say were a much better and less passive crowd than I have seen at shows in the past.

Not sure that anyone else understood the Top of the Pops reference which James made regarding ‘Suicide is painless’ which was their third performance on the ex-BBC show. Nicky Wire even referred a couple of times to ex-guitarist Richey who mysteriously disappeared over 15 years ago. Along with the hits, the band played a handful of tracks from the new album (but surprisingly didn’t play the actual title track!) as well as a few from the past which I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing them play in what for me was the most intimate venue I’ve seen them in. The crowd were fine too; not overly crazy and more importantly not so quiet in-between songs.

Setlist: You Love Us; Your Love Alone Is Not Enough; Motorcycle Emptiness; (It’s Not War) Just The End Of Love; Jackie Collins Existential Question Time; Roses In The Hospital; This Is Yesterday; Everything Must Go; Some Kind Of Nothingness; Suicide Is Painless; You Stole The Sun From My Heart; Ocean Spray; La Tristessa Durera (Scream To A Sigh); Motown Junk; If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next; Stay Beautiful (Acoustic); Faster; No Surface All Feeling; Golden Platitudes; Tsunami; A Design For Life.

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Cycling to Tokyo’s Best 25 Sights…in 1 Day Pt III

Posted on November 23, 2010 by tokyofox

You can read ‘Cycling to Tokyo’s Best 25 Sights…in 1 Day Pt II’ here.

So having taken about 35 minutes to get to Disneyland I leave it behind just before 1:00 pm having had perhaps one of the most pointless trips that anyone’s ever had to that part of the world! My timings are still bang on track but for some reason I choose to take a detour in the vain hope that it will get back me across the bay quicker than going all the way back to Odaiba which I would have done if bicycle were allowed over Rainbow Bridge.

All this ‘detour’ does is Continue reading →

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Cycling to Tokyo’s Best 25 Sights…in 1 Day Pt II

Posted on November 21, 2010 by tokyofox

You can read ‘Cycling to Tokyo’s Best 25 Sights…in 1 Day Pt I’ here.

With 10 of the Top 25 already covered I leave Hibiya Park and cycle the short distance to Ginza for the next three places. The Sony Building is first and easily found but difficult to photograph as it’s a tall building with the only real visible sign on the roof.

Ginza itself is next which is a bit of a problem as Continue reading →

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Cycling to Tokyo’s Best 25 Sights…in 1 Day Pt I

Posted on November 19, 2010 by tokyofox

The Japanese have a bit of a reputation for their ‘click and tick’ method of sightseeing on package tour holidays around the world. Now I’m also no stranger to this kind of travelling as proved by my trips to Asia, Europe and Africa in recent years. Always on the lookout for the next cycling assignment I came up with the idea of cycling around all 25 of the sights mentioned in ‘Fodor’s Tokyo 25 Best’ guide with a couple of extra ones thrown in for good measure. As with my previous cycling adventures the idea was to just get in there, take my photo and then get out!

Remember, remember the 5th of November! That’s the day when I leave my place in the north of Tokyo at 6.15am in order to maximise daylight. Within 25 minutes I am at Rikugien Gardens in Komagome. Needless to say, its closed but that makes getting my photo outside easier and less embarrassing.

Likewise, just after 7:00 am in Ueno Park where I go to get my snaps of the Tokyo National Museum and the National Museum of Western Art.

 

After three closed places it’s not exactly been the most fascinating insight into Tokyo life, but the next place is a big one in the way of Asakusa Senso-ji. I’m quite surprised to reach the place from behind and its open but fairly empty as I take my bike through the place and get my picture in front of the main temple when beforehand I thought I’d just have to settle for the main gate at the other end of the shopping street which one starts from when arriving by train or boat. I get that one too but as I take it my legs are shaking so much.

The reason is that only moments before I had a crash. I was cycling down the path that runs parallel to the usually busy and over-crowded shopping street. I had the right of way but suddenly a young-ish Japanese guy shot across in front of me. In true Japanese fashion he didn’t anticipate any danger, and I couldn’t quite brake in time. We collided and both fell off. I was thankfully fine and so was my bike. I asked him if he was OK (he didn’t bother to ask me and neither did he say anything) and then told him to use his eyes in future. No hard feelings but I hope he suffered some damage!

By 8:00 am I am on the other side of the Sumida-gawa river at the Edo-Tokyo Museum which I have visited in the past but I don’t recognise it on arrival, and I cycle round the place twice looking for a good photo stop, but I can’t find one due to the surrounding buildings getting in the way. I settle for one of the museum’s backside taken from the carpark.

The Imperial Palace in the heart of Tokyo is next but getting there is no picnic and I end up near Ginza so have to backtrack a bit (but not for the last time!). I’m aware that you can’t take bicycles near the grounds of the Palace but I think I’ll risk it and see what happens as I want to get my bicycle in most, if not all the photos which, like a kid, I still feel I need to prove that it is all valid.

I’m wheeling my bike quite near to the photo spot and put it up against the short fence and am hopeful of getting my tripod and camera set up for a quick shot when I hear the inevitable shouting from the guard. I say OK and ignore him. I go to take my photo and he shouts again and then some more. I get angry and say that I understand but I’m going to take my photo first and then leave. In true Japanese style there’s no room for slight deviation from the rules and he keeps shouting on at me as if I am a terrorist or something. He even says the solitary word ‘bicycle’ in English as if I haven’t understood him moments before and had a short Japanese conversation with him……..albeit in slanging terms! I relent and walk my bike away and return a minute later on my own and take a photo.

I go to the National Diet Building next and it’s fairly non-eventful as is the Yasakuni Shrine apart from a bit of effort in getting there and catching the skin of my hand whilst folding away my tripod. Luckily, it’s just a minor war wound to remember this trip by.

The National Museum of Modern Art is completely new to me and so it takes me a while to locate even though it’s nearby.

I then pass by the Imperial Palace East Gardens entrance and get a picture of this as technically this is what is listed in the Top 25 book. It’s around 10:00 am when I reach Hibiya Park which is also in the vicinity and I even treat myself to a toilet stop, a bit of breakfast and a very short break.

 

‘Cycling to Tokyo’s Best 25 Sights…in 1 Day’ continues in Pt II.

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Trip To Toho Studios

Posted on November 17, 2010 by tokyofox

Toho Studio’s in Seijogakuenmae (on the Odakyu line) is Japan’s largest and most famous film studios and is famous for making TV programmes and films such as the Seven Samurai (one of the greatest and most influential Japanese films ever and the inspiration for the Magnificent Seven) and Godzilla and its many dreadful sequels. As I had a free afternoon last Friday I thought I would go and see the place to find out a little bit more about it and see what I could discover.

The studio’s aren’t exactly easy to find as they don’t feature on any maps in and around the station. I only had a postcode (157-8561) to go on and my instincts and when I did stumble upon it in Seijo 1-chome my expectations were pretty low in terms of being able to go in and have a nose about the place or even a tour. I anticpated pretty much nothing and that is exactly what I got!! Instead I had to just settle for a couple of photo’s outside the place which in some sad way I was content with as I had been very close to giving up on finding the place on a couple of occasions.

  

Update: The address is 1-4-1 Seijo, Setagaya-ku.

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TF Film Review: ダーリンは外国人My Darling Is A Foreigner (2010)

Posted on November 15, 2010 by tokyofox

This is a Japanese film which came out on DVD last month and my girlfriend pounced on the chance to rent out a copy. I was quite nervous about watching it as its about a foreign guy going out with a Japanese girl and showing how their two worlds collide. ‘My Darling…’ is a Japanese comedy film, based on the manga series ‘Is he turning Japanese?’ and centres around the relationship of Saori and her American boyfriend Tony who is not only fluent in Japanese but is also deeply interested in Japanese culture. Of course, like many of us foreigners living in Japan, he doesn’t always understand certain parts of this culture. Without giving away too many spoilers the movie focuses on where their relationship is heading and the disapproval of Saori’s father to his daughter marrying a foreigner. Needless to say that it echoes of similarities between my girlfriend and I as well as many other international relationships in this country.

To be honest ‘My Darling…’ is fairly rubbish but nevertheless it entertained me for its 100 minute duration. There are a few subtleties in there which I can relate to but I imagine would be missed by the Japanese who watch this. Main character Tony is fluent in Japanese but when he asks for directions he faces the comeback “Sorry, I don’t speak English” which is a little bewildering seeing as he asked the guy in his language. This happens to me sometimes and the Japanese often seem to panic when you speak them and they don’t even listen to you and think you’re speaking English!

A scene in a cinema where Tony laughs a couple of seconds before the Japanese audience was something I have experienced before which is due to them laughing once they’ve read the subtitles rather than actually hearing the line.

Overall, I guess this film was only of interest due to the vague similarity to my own situation and given that the majority of westerners in Japan are teachers I was a little disappointed that it didn’t follow that route so closely but maybe that would be an even worse movie to see!

Tokyo Fox Rating 6/10

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On The Trail Of John Rain (雨) Part II – Tokyo

Posted on November 13, 2010 by tokyofox

You can read ‘On The Trail Of John Rain Pt I’ here.

With ten book locations under my belt (would have been twelve if I’d been unable to find a couple more) I was then happy to cycle onto an area that I know well. I work in Shibuya twice a week so knew where most of the remaining places were. Very near to my workplace was ‘Hatou’ (below) which was in the first sequel ‘Hard Rain‘ and was where Rain tells Harry that the people following him are CIA.

 

I would be returning back that way later but thought it best to get it out of the way while it was light and as I knew it would be a quick stop. I then followed the main road down to Ebisu where I had to take a steep road up to near Yebisu Garden Place where after some cycling around I finally discovered ‘Rue Favart’ Cafe (below).

I then backtracked to ‘Tsukumo Ramen’ restaurant (below) where I actually stopped and went in as I wanted to sample the cheese ramen which it is famous for. Rain-san would have been very disappointed that I sat at the counter rather than the safer option of having my back to a wall with a view of the street. The soup, noodles and cheese on top were all very nice but there was a bit too much sweetcorn and other vegetables in there for my liking.

  

Next up was a brief stop in Shibuya to see the ‘109’ building (mentioned in ‘Rain Fall‘) and by the time I left there (below) and headed on to Harajuku for a trio of John Rain hangouts it was very dark and I needed my bicycle lights on.

‘Volontaire’ (below) is a jazz bar on the way from Shibuya and featured in Eisler’s fifth book ‘The Last Assassin’ and according to his website was where “Rain went to grapple with his conscience and doubts”.

The next two were in the heart of Harajuku’s fashionable Takeshita Dori albeit slightly off the main tourist trap street. They were both frequented by Rain in ‘Hard Rain‘ which was the first sequel. Tatsu, Kanezaki and Rain met up at ‘Christie Tea & Cake’ (below) to put together some puzzle pieces and this was very easy to find.

‘Jardin De Luseine’ restaurant (below) was not so straight-forward to locate. Rain ambushed Station chief Biddle here.

 

After a quick stop in Shinjuku (below) at the Studio Alta Building (a popular meeting place for people and referenced briefly in ‘Rain Fall‘) my final port of call was ‘Ben’s Cafe’ (below) on a backstreet in Takadanobaba and was where Rain had a cup of coffee and shared some information with Kanezaki at the end of the third book ‘Rain Storm‘.

This cafe has long been advertising in a Tokyo listings magazine so I kind of wanted to go there. I had intended to meet a friend here at 4-5pm but that never materialised as I was a few hours behind schedule. Sadly this place was not so well lit and so it is difficult to make out a sign with its name on.

  

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On The Trail Of John Rain (雨) Part I – Tokyo

Posted on November 10, 2010 by tokyofox

You can read ‘On The Trail Of John Rain – Prelude’ here.

At just after 12.15 I arrived at my first stop in Nihombashi which was ‘Cafe Peshaworl’ (below). This appeared in the second book ‘Hard Rain‘ and was where Rain and Tatsu determined how to take out yakuza killer Murakami. I’d bought a new big tripod only a few days prior to this adventure and was able to use it outside this cafe which got a few bewildered looks from the Softbank (mobile phone carrier) shop next door.

 

On to Ginza next for ‘Ginza-yu’ bath-house (above) and ‘D. Heartman’ of which the latter bar had closed down. After that I went to the Imperial Hotel in nearby Chiyoda-ku and took the lift up to a very high floor to see the ‘Old Imperial Lounge’ but couldn’t really go into the actual lounge as it was busy with people waiting for seats and I of course wasn’t wanting to stump up a few thousand yen to get lunch. Roppongi was my next port of call as I tried (but failed) to locate ‘Club Alfie’ Jazz Club. Well I found the given address but it wasn’t there so maybe its moved or the Eisler curse has struck again!

Minato-ku features prominently throughout the book series with seven locations dotted around Nishi-Azabu and Minami-Aoyama. I was unable t0 find ‘Bo Sono Ni’ which I think might also have gone out of business as I couldn’t even really find it on the internet in advance of this cycle trip. At this point I was beginning to feel it wasn’t going so well but thankfully ‘Monsoon Cafe’ (below) seemed more normal and certainly open for business as it was populated with a fair few customers.

Just round the back of that cafe was ‘These Library Lounge’ (below) although I’m not sure what this place with a strange English name actually is.

As it was mid-afternoon ‘Body and Soul’ Jazz club (below) was closed but there were some staff inside who were wondering what a foreign guy was doing outside their club with a tripod and camera. One woman came out but I got rid of her sharpish by saying I just wanted a photo. As I was packing away my tripod a guy came out and tried to speak to me in English. He asked me if I liked Jazz to which I quite bluntly said no and that it featured in a book and that was the end of that conversation apart from the inevitability of being asked where I was from!

According to my addresses, ‘Blue Note Tokyo’ (below) should have been three doors away but it clearly wasn’t so after looking around for a bit (which happened throughout the day quite a lot and if it wasn’t for the fact that I was on bicycle this challenge would have been far too much of a task on foot) so I left thinking another John Rain location had gone begging. However, as I cycled on I ended up spotting it a few minutes away in a completely different address. This place was pivotal in the story as it was where Rain met Midori; the daughter of the man he had assassinated at the start of the book.

The final two locations in Minami Aoyama both featured in the original book ‘Rain Fall‘. ‘Tsuta Coffee Shop’ (below) was a tiny rundown place on a backstreet with a long counter bar as far as I could see (for I didn’t enter most of these places) and was where Rain took Midori to talk to her about her father.

On the other hand ‘Las Chicas’ (below) was a very large and popular cafe and restaurant with loads of outdoor seats full of customers enjoying the Autumn afternoon sunshine.

This is a particular favourite of Rain as it has different points on ingress and egress and a view of the street from inside which are the kind of things considered to be important to such a person who lives his life on the edge.

You can read ‘On The Trail Of John Rain Pt II’ here.

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