Environment World

I’m sitting at the facility in Japan where I do physical rehab writing this moblog. Japanese phones are great except for writing roman characters (English).

YouTube - 驚異的人数でハレ晴レユカイを踊るoff in 秋葉原(Part2) 4/8 秋葉原中央通り

This is the Japan I love, the fun social side.

Some friends of ours got married this past weekend. The ceremony was behind close doors but the 1st wedding party after (Japanese wedding may have many) was a comfortable affair. They even had food I could eat, which always says good things about a party. The bride and groom looked great, I got a surprisingly good photo of the bride (surprising because of my lack of skill) that I’m sharing with the world (or at least just you) plus a gallery of photos to share . Take a look and remember that she is taken. My wife also had a role in the wedding party, I got video to prove that she can sing (besides her great taste in men 8^) It’s too bad that turned that turned into a misadventure, next time.

We went to a show in Tokyo, Nippon Budokan to be precise, and it was what I hoped for.  The show did not disappoint neither did the crowd.  I mention the crowd because Japanese can coexist with shoving in this crowed place.  My wife is less a rock fan and more a jazz fan but she was dancing in the isle, a strange sight to me but a welcome sight.  Our seats weren’t in the nose bleed heights but neither were they in the eardrum damaging area (but Eric Clapton does not damage that organ).  In the audience seating we go to were they can accommodate wheelchairs, sometime good and sometimes bad.  The crowd was very relaxed and enjoyed the show.  The security was tight but unobtrusive.  The performance was made up of:  Eric, two other guitarist, a bass, drummer, piano, keyboard, backup singer and a audience full of people keeping the beat.  I’ve seen other shows in Tokyo before and the crowds loved who they were watching but this time they were insisting on an encore, Eric did one but no more.  I found better photos of the show so please take a look.  The Japanese crowd does mesh with Mr. Clapton after all he’s been to Japan 17 times.  I hope it’s 17 time more, I’ll be there.

The wife and I went to a small festival in Tokyo for the disabled as I’m in a wheelchair now I sort of fit in. We saw crafts made by the disabled and Grandmothers singing for everyone entertainment (they sounded like talented karaoke) but who doesn’t like a grandmother singing to them. We went for a purpose that we got info for and that was more then the alcoholic beverages we found and drank (mmmm … nihoncho, a Japanese rice wine). I put together a short video if your interested to see, there are problems with it but I’m getting better with using my Canon IXY (or powershot in the rest of the world) to record video. I just need more practice putting it together on my PC. Take a look and bare with me until I put to together my feature length movie.

The wife and I went to the Sinagawa festival which is about a 5 minute walk from home. They have this festival each year but there seemed to have a different feel to the whole thing. Maybe they’re handing out optimism around there that I missed. Things for me are nothing to complain about, of course I have complaints but they wouldn’t would be justified which is something to complain about (bastards). I made a short video that I thought to share with friends and family but since you’re here please partake:

we came back we headed out to Oimachi-ku for the local festival. I love Japanese festivals, great food and good company (the sake doesn’t hurt). I’ve seen Wataiko before (Japanese drums) but this was good.

I’m a foreigner living in Japan. That’s clear to me and generally not a problem. I’ve (and all foreigners living in Japan) come across some racism but not very much and in my view less so than when I lived in the great cultural melting pot of the US. I just got off the phone with a bigot. He works for View, a credit card/suica card company. If you’re not aware suica is a card used on the main train company in Japan. I thought it would be a good idea to have this combination card, it sounds very convenient. I was turned down because I’m not Japanese or my Japanese speaking skills aren’t up to snuff. Why speaking is a consideration for a train card I have no idea. In my broken Japanese I said that since I’m a foreigner I shouldn’t get the card and was dismissed after that statement. I guess my next step is to find out what legal recourse I have, I am not going to take this bullshit.

From the Website of Quidam : Cirque du Soleil:

Quidam : a nameless passer-by, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past. It could be anyone, anybody. Someone coming, going, living in our anonymous society. A member of the crowd, one of the silent majority. The one who cries out, sings and dreams within us all. This is the “quidam” that Cirque du Soleil is celebrating.

My girlfriend and I went to see this show in Harajuku last night and it was great. They built a Circus Big Top in a park and preformed the show therein. I had seen glimpses of this show on TV but I had never realized the level of acrobatic perfection this show attained. Not only was this show a marvel to the eyes but it was entertaining. I have always disliked clowns since I was a child but these three clowns actually made me laugh out loud (I’m a cynical bastard). The very inventive interpretation of a trapeze act, I lack the vocabulary to describe it to you. Plus a running story that puts it all together was endearing to watch. I would love to show you all a few photos but they have a strict policy against photography plus I’m the one who braved the Tokyo JR train line not you, so there.

I would recommend this to all when it travels to a big top near you.

Going back to smoking in Japan (my favorite gripe), as I was watching TV the other day my girlfriend and I spotted an anti-smoking ad. The first I have seen in Japan, it was aimed at a younger audience with a cool dude talking about why he doesn’t smoke. Are people starting to realize the national obsession with tobacco is hurting the young people? I was happy to see the ad and am eagerly waiting for the positive effects that anti-smoking education has on people.