Over 200!

I've had over 200 unique people view this blog in the last month. Thanks to all of you and to all those who do repeat visits. Hope I can keep it up and that you will remain interested.

Cheers all

Ritsumeikan beats Doshisha University - Baseball

Mascot!

Wooohooooo, Ritsumeikan are the WINNERS! Take that Doshisha! In a tournament known as the Kansai Big 6 Ritsumeikan played against Doshisha today. The game was pretty slow and low scoring (just as expected) but it was so much fun. The supporters made the game so interesting, accompanied by the orchestra and cheerleaders. We all got megaphones and these Ritsumeikan clappers to get our chants going! In fact, this is one of the highlights so far of this trip. The score ended up being 4-1 but there was a lot of excitement in the bottom of the 9th: when Doshisha had bases loaded and 2 outs, with the batter 2 (strikes) for 3 (balls).

At the end the school songs were played and the atmosphere was very friendly.

All of us exchange student did our best to support our new University. Some more than others! In a heat of the moment we found a black marker pen and, hey presto, Ritsumeikan university was spelled out on some happy volunteers. Next time the plan is to go to the American Football team with body paint and show our support for them.

Photo booths in Japan

Spur of the moment - Using photo booths

Japan is the land of do it yourself machines. From vending machines 自動販売機 (jidouhanbaiki) that sell food, drinks, batteries, jeans and underwear to these photo booths. Japan has everything on either street corners or inside department stores. After taking group photos you can edit the pictures, draw extra things on them and add stars and the like. One feature of these machines is that they also enlarge your eyes for cuteness reasons of course!
I'm sure that you can tell by these pictures that these machines are usually used after too many drinks on nights out? Everyone does these and its a lot of fun. You can also get printouts with sticky backing so that the pictures can be glued to the back of cellphones or put on walls.

Izakaya (again)

Miss Junko - My favourite waitress

"Beer please"

One of our favourite places in Kyoto. Cheap, fun and lots to drink. 1 hour of vodka and coke, tequila, Baileys or Japanese Plum liqueur - All you can drink \\(^-^)// Victory

If you're passing by Kyoto, I highly recommend you to visit "Junko's secret place". Its very hard to find: down an alley way, past the tough looking Japanese bouncers, finding the elevator and riding it up the 4th floor.

Friends!!!Kanpai ^_^

Rally Nippon

I was riding home from Uni and was stopped by the police at one of the intersections by the shrine. First I thought that they were stopping me for riding while listening to my iPod (which is against the law in case you were wondering?) But instead they were directing the cars of the Rally Nippon. I decided to get off my bike and walk around the cars abit and get some pictures for my Dad (I'll upload some more for you later).

I've tried to find some information about it but since the only thing I found was in Japanese I wouldn't fully understand it. However, there are about 60 entries who do this 4 day race from Tokyo, around Honshu via Kyoto. All the cars are from between the 1920s and the 1970s and mostly it seems like its a cruising race, done for shits and giggles.

Signs 2

I wonder if SAAB back home might want to sue for misuse of logo and branding!

This sign was outside the Izakaya (the local drinking hole) that we usually go to. Still have no idea what SAAB was selling here in Kyoto. Would be interesting if Gripen was for sale, they do need to get a sale for once! Or is it SAAB automobile with Koenigsegg Group looking for some local talent for their new cars? Might have to go and knock on their door and check it out.

Golfing in Japan

To spend some time outside of my dorm (rather than for drinking reasons) Duncan and I decided to hit up the driving range. After picking up a 2nd hand 7 Iron for 1000 Yen we went down to the range. Its not like a normal range anywhere else, only about 120 yards in length but that's whats expected when its located between some apartment buildings.

Wasn't too expensive - 7 Yen a ball but since we played at night there was an extra charge of 500 Yen for electricity fees and for disturbing the neighbours. Will have to go during daytime next time.

One cool feature was that the tee lowers into the ground to pick up a new ball after I hit the previous one. Its all automated. Don't need to bend down or move about and lose your stance.

Yakisoba and Okonomiyaki

Since I've been stuffing my face with Japanese Curry and Rice, tonkatsu (breaded pork) and every other sort of katsu available I finally got to try something different! The restaurant is called Janba and its a small local restaurant that only does this sort of food. Since it very small and it is very famous we had to stand in line outside for 45 minutes before we could even order! But it was worth the wait :)

Yakisoba is basically fried noodles and okonomiyaki is an omelet type dish with meat or seafood in it. Duncan in his infinite wisdom and use of his amazing Japanese skillz managed to order squid omelet *puke* but after giving it ago it was OK. I DID promise myself to try new things while I'm here so at least I'm keeping that promise.

Another thing that is great is that the food is cooked by the chefs right at your table. And all in all, it was about 500 yen (40 SEK) per person.

All the ingredients raw

The Main Chef dude does his thing!
Lets EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to borrow a quote from my Big Bad Buddy Ben (Munday) and say that I still have a major lack in confidence of the Japanese language. Even when "not sober" =P it's difficult to string sentences together and make sure that the particles are all in the correct place of the sentence, doing what they are supposed to.

However, one positive thing is that I keep getting praised for my pronunciation. The Japanese people that I'm speaking to are surprised to hear that I've only studied Japanese for 2 years. When I'm talking about things that I've talked about many times before they think that I'm really good and respond with the most complicated sentences. Then they realise that I'm a complete moron and don't understand a word of what they just said so they have to simplify it. But hey, my 発音 (hatsu on, pronunciation) kicks ass :) Maybe it's time to study the chapter on how to humbly accept praise from others from the chapter in the Shinnihongo book hahaha

Sam & Daves

Was in Sam & Dave's last week and had an amazing time. We entered the club at around 11 and didn't leave until 5 am. Followed by a 2 hour session of McDonalds breakfast waiting for the first bus home. It's been a really long time since I've enjoyed clubbing for that amount of time without getting tired and wanting to go home. It's the atmosphere and people that make it so much fun. The music was OK (except for when they played "Crazy Frog - Club Remix version"). The club is hotter and sweatier than the crack of Satan's ass though, but after about an hour of dancing its not something that we think about - just have to accept it.

CROWDED! Anyone spot the devil?

On the other hand I think that if I go there too often I'll end up with lung cancer due to all the 2nd hand smoking going on. Please Japan, stop people smoking in crowded, non-ventilated places! So far I've managed not to get burnt by a stub like in Roppongi last year, but there is still 10 months left of my stay here so I'm sure it will happen again.

When I left the club there were 30 or so police waiting outside. There had been a fight so the police were trying to settle down the guy, his girlfriend and another guy that had made a move on said girl. It was very entertaining to see so any cops doing nothing except for trying to talk sense into the 3some for over 45 mins and in the end not a single person was detained. If this had happened in the UK a cop car would have been there within minutes and probably all 3 would have been forcibly put in the car and sent to the station.

I'm glad they were too occupied by the 3 Japanese instead of questioning foreigners leaving the club since I had not brought my passport with me or any papers saying I was in the country legally.

Kyoto's Kawaramachi street at 0630 - Dead quiet

The girls were soooo tired that they fell asleep on the bus ride home

What's wrong with me in Japan?

I'm having the biggest problems sleeping in Japan. I have no idea what's causing this or how to fix it. Its now 2am and I've been trying to get some shut eye for over an hour. First I wondered if my room isn't dark enough - so I taped black tape on my little window on my door into the hallway to stop light coming in, then I've turned off the AC so it won't glow and the same with all the electronics in my room. Nothing helps and I think I'm going slightly insane!

Could it be that I don't do enough exercise during the day? Don't think so considering I ride to and from my uni everyday for about an 1hr in total and then today I had 2.5 hours of Aikido that included a 20 min run. -________-

Maybe I'm just doing like all the other Japanese high school and university students; surviving on 3-4 hours a night

Not fun!!! Sleep please, give it to me!

Invasion part 4

Why are things so big here? Used my phone as a sort of a reference. Joss tried to kill it, but even though it was sitting still on the wall for a couple of hours, when she eventually went to end it's life she missed because she was so freaked out by it. It ended up being trampled by someone's shoe as it landed on the floor a couple of minutes later.

Funny sign

Riding to Kawaramachi shopping street today I saw this billboard outside a pharmacy. This sign is way to kawaii and probably wouldn't be allowed anywhere else but in Japan. It is not supposed to be fun to take pills but this character seems to be loving it. 2 thoughts went through my head when I saw this:

1) WTF?!
and
2) "Once you pop, you can't stop"
I now recon that the Pringles slogan should be adapted for the use of selling drugs in Japan!

Doesn't this make you want some happy pillz?

A rainy Ritsumeikan

During my lunch break I went up the top floor of the International Relations building and after taking a 45 min snooze I took this. This is looking over one of the main quads and the cafeterias.

Aftermath of the typhoon

The storm wasn't as bad as it could have been and the typhoon's path changed and so, we didn't have to bear the full force of it. With the good chance of Uni being cancelled we partied all night while the storm raged and I even took a walk outside. After a police car drove by with his lights flashing and stopped a couple of 100 metres away from us, we decided that it would be best to go back inside.

These are pictures from my balcony looking into the bamboo forest
(I need a better camera -_-)

Uni was cancelled on the Thursday, but only the first 2 lectures. It had actually cleared up by 8am so it was a bit of a surprise that classes were off.

The clean up begins outside I-House 2

Sushi Train

Had some really great sushi the other day! A group of us from I-house 2 went to the sushi restaurant next to the university. When we walked through the front door the staff gave us a strange look - 18 foreigners just walked into their fully booked restaurant O.0

45 minutes later we had some of the most delicious sushi ever that just melted apart in my mouth. It was a 100 yen a plate (2 pieces of sushi). The salmon didn't have a strong fish taste at all and I even tried some pickled relish tuna sushi thanks to Zack. However, that wasn't to my liking and after eating it I had a strong taste of blood in my mouth - yuck =( Apparently this sushi was known for having a special taste and that it is an acquired taste but I don't think I'll be trying it again so I won't acquire that.

Sushi Train (conveyor belt sushi)

Tasty Sushi!

Biggest Typhoon in a decade to come HERE!!!

How awesome is this, my first Typhoon ever and its apparently going to be massive! Actually, its not awesome since it might injure a lot of people and houses but still, having never experienced one and it may be the biggest in 10 years is kind of cool. Its already started to hit, heavy rain and wind outside my window.

Hopefully Uni will be cancelled tomorrow and hopefully I'll still have Internet and power. If you don't hear from me, don't worry. It should be over in 24-36 hours or so. 400 mm of rain and up to 153 km/h winds expected.

Batten down the hatches me mateys! arrrg!

Projected path of storm - Straight through Osaka/Kyoto region

One of the reason I love Japan...

They have these awesome cars, before anyone in the West does. This Evo was parked opposite my dorm and I saw it while biking home in the rain. I just had to get a picture of it. If I only had the money to buy myself one of these... -_-

I want mine in this colour too

Lots of Horsepower requires big brakes!

Walk home on a rainy day

There is this big temple on my way to University and I pass it every morning and afternoon. I've not stopped to take a proper look at it and I'm still unsure as to what kind of temple it is. If I had been a tourist, then I would have visited most of the temples and shrines already but because I'm now actually living here it feels like I have all the time in the world and can tour them later. So, I'm sure Ill come back to this temple in another post.

Main Entrance to the Temple

Invasion part 3

We have had invasion part 1 - mukade centipede, invasion part 2 - massive spider under a girls bed and now invasion part 3 - the attack of the gecko.

Julia, the only swedish girl here, had just got back from the shower and went into her room. From the kitchen we hear a blood curling scream followed by Julia running into the kitchen wearing only her bath towel yelling "THERE IS A FUCKING ÖDLA IN MY ROOM". In the heated moment the word gecko slipped her mind and ödla was the word that came out instead.

After chasing the ödla out of her room I'm convinced that it was perhaps not part of the invasion of creepy crawlies taking over International House II, but perhaps a friendly creature helping us in the hunt against spiders and other yucky things. It was kind of cute too, kawaii perhaps ^^, but it was pretty big.

The kawaii of Japan

Kawaii is everywhere in Japan. Kawaii is cuteness: Hello Kitty things, panda style umbrellas, cute toys for your cellphones etc.

Last week I saw a kawaii frog barrier to stop (drunk?) people wobbling into the road during their night time partying. Reflective eyes FTW!

Night out in Kyoto - The river and Sam&Daves

Kyoto doesn't have the greatest nightlife but its been adequate so far. Public drinking here is acceptable and basically you can get away with anything (except maybe murder) as long as you are drunk. The police will just talk to you quietly and eventually leave you to yourself. We started the night by drinking at the river in mid 20C weather and watching a performance by some Japanese people.

What I have learnt: from personal and other people's experience of this night is that:
1) Don't ever buy Guinness in a can from Lawsons (tastes like water downed coffee)
2) Don't buy Heineken from Lawsons. It's not Heineken, so don't waste your money.
3) They sell Corona with a sachet of lime and lemon in Lawsons for 260 yen a bottle!!! BUY THIS.
4) Beware of drinking a whole bottle of Black Nikka whisky.
5) It can get slippery by the river. That, or Wolverine lives in Kyoto!6) Don't ride home on a bike with faulty brakes when drunk at 3am.

7) Kyoto clubs have funny names: Club Laid, Fetish House, Moonshine bar, Girls Experience etc etc8)If you are going to puke in a Taxi, puke into your handbag (or out the window)
9) Japanese taxi drivers will always take you home, no matter how sick you look.
10) JAPAN IS GREAT!