How to use a Japanese toilet.
Great…Earthquakes in Tokyo
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/
From dannychoo.com
There was an earthquake this evening across Japan and it felt very scary in Tokyo. As you can see from the screenshot, it was recorded at Magnitude 6.9 @.@
There was a rumbling noise and the sound of things shaking around the house. Wifey, I, and the daughters are fine.
Japan has its own scale for measuring earthquakes known as the “Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale”
Today Tokyo was level 4 which is described as the following:-
Many people are frightened. Some people try to escape from danger. Most sleeping people awake.
Hanging objects swing considerably and dishes in a cupboard rattle. Unstable ornaments fall occasionally.
Electric wires swing considerably. People walking on a street and some people driving automobiles notice the tremor.
A large number of houses in Japan are made of wood which is a good thing I think – wood absorbs the tremors and I’d rather have bits of wood falling on me instead of concrete ^^;
Tokyo is due to have a major earthquake but its been due for about 10 years now. If it did hit us then things will be quite bad indeed.
Noice!
Whats next?
Got a bit bored so I started surfing….
For those that want to get the munchies on
http://asianmunchies.com/
Look at the prices!!! (think I will stick to Hana for my Japan fixes!)
Came across this site which is pretty cool (especially if you are into Japanese figurines)
http://www.dannychoo.com
Though unfortunately, Danny is a massive Star Wars fan… but he is also a massive Apple fan so that cancels out the SW!
lol
One more….couldnt resist
EDIT- 21/8/2009
Have contacted Danny to see if he has a schedule for when he does his armour appearances in Tokyo (he has been flat chat doing speaking engagements etc- he is a well known businessman and IT speaker (and Star Wars nerd!) so he hasnt gotten back to me). We are there for three days so you never know what might happen!!!
Less than two months….
OK.
I think my wife is just as keen to see me go away for the two weeks as I am. After coping a bit of flack from her during the last holiday break (she decided that I had to do everything as “I was having a holiday next break so I needed to do everything that I wasnt going to do then!” (yes, welcome to my world!), she then turns up wth the following in the last week of the break (nb…when I was back at school so she must have felt a little guilty!)
Its pretty cool. Basically a flashcard system , is designed to work on your ipod (or your newly purchased iphone 3GS!). It shows you sentences and words in Japanese and English as well as repeating it three times in Japanese. Hopefully I will get to use it though I honestly cant see myself trying to memorise phrases etc as my memory is basically shot.
The other ‘pressie’ she gave me is an amazing book that Im currently reading
From the authors website:
(http://www.alex-kerr.com/html/lost_japan__english_.html)
Lost Japan is a series of autobiographical essays, describing experiences I had since coming to Japan as a boy in 1964, and how the country has changed.
I wrote this book originally in Japanese as a series of articles for Shincho 45 magazine. In 1993, the articles came out as a book Utsukushiki Nihon no Zanzo (Last Glimpse of Beautiful Japan), which won the Shincho Gakugei literature award in 1994 (the first ever by a foreigner ). I later translated the book with the help of Bodhi Fishman into English, and in 1996 Lonely Planet published the English version as Lost Japan.
My two books on Japan are yin and yang: Dogs and Demons is about “now”, but Lost Japan is about the past and what it has to teach us. It’s a very personal book, looking back to the glories of the old landscape and traditional culture.
Its one of those books that are so easy to read and I just want to plow through it but my reading time is restricted to just before bed (plus I need new glasses so I can only read for small amounts of time, much to my frustration).
Have just spent the last hour updating the site (mainly the itinerary- tried to add in links to all the major things we are doing).
Less than two months…….
Ebay Resource
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/160-GB-Hard-Disk-OTG-2-5-Memory-Flash-Digital-Wallet_W0QQitemZ330346101270QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_15?hash=item4cea297a16&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A1|66%3A2|39%3A1|293%3A2|294%3A50
http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/deluxeidea88_category196425018_W0QQ_fsubZ196425018QQ_sidZ644431898QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322
http://clothing.shop.ebay.com.au/items/_W0QQ_dmdZ1QQ_dmptZAUQ5fMenQ5fAccessoriesQQ_sopZ1?_nkw=SD+card&_sacat=105860&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=&_osacat=105860
For later use/reference
Still can’t wait!
Have spent a lot of the holiday break re-appreciating Japanese humour and culture.
Watched ‘5 Rangers’ on youtube….suggested viewing for Japanese humour and Im plowing my way through Naruto atm (up to volume 30).
Also am watching the first Naruto movie!
Maybe have to start looking at stuff beyond manga/anime and crass Japanese improv!!!
A term to go…not that Im counting down or anything!
I hope to see many more of these
I can appreciate that the the Engrish phenomenon is mainly a broad Asian thing (mainly Chinese?) but Im hoping to spot some great Engrish on the Japan trip
Things are moving ahead
Had a meeting today with the group going to Japan to discuss fund raising and some small itinerary changes. We are even looking at a logo and maybe shirts as well so I guess things are now serious.
Hopefully the yen will improve….
Update #2
Finally added in the itinerary (though its a bit of a mess at the moment-should have typed it in instead of scanning the paper version!)
Anyway, schools back tomorrow so I hopefully will start updating this thing a bit more as I get ready for the big trip.
Found the pictures of me opening my Japan books on Christmas Day…bit of a cack really as the expression on my face as I open the books up is a scream!
Dont know if I will post them up though as I don’t want people to see me in my PJ’s!!
Roll on October I say….
First Post…what have I set myself up for?
Hmmm…don’t know if this is a good idea or not.
Setting up a blog 10 months out from a trip smacks of OCD. I had the idea last night about doing this and TA-DAH! Its done.
Preparation for the trip actually started the afternoon after I paid my deposit (around week 7 of Term 4, 2008). I started browsing through the Apple iTunes store looking for Japanese translation software to put on my iPod Touch.
Settled on the Lonely Planet iPod Touch version (link will open in iTunes). Keep in mind this was done the afternoon of making my deposit…the trip wasn’t even 100% confirmed as going ahead yet!!
Roll around Christmas and what do I get for Christmas from my wife?
The Lonely Planet’s “Guide to Japan” and their phrasebook along with Culture Smarts “Essential Guide to Customs and Culture” (I highly recommend this book btw). I have already knocked off the Culture Smart book and the relevant sections of the Lonely Planet Guide. Am thumbing through the phrasebook but I don’t know if I have the mental dedication to trying to learn phrase’s this far out (have other things to do!)
And don’t get me started of the thought process I went through on what to take re clothing to Japan!! Yes, I’m pathetic! (though I know what bag and shoes I’m taking!)
I have decided though that I’m buying one of these for the trip
(linked for later reference)
It’s a portable hard drive with a card reader for my camera.
Hmmm….will buy soonish as I have no money at the moment!
(Link for later reference=http://computers.shop.ebay.com.au/items/Storage-Systems__W0QQ_sacatZ130861)