At the pier

REGGAE SOUL 2005

Friday was a holiday here in Japan so no work!!!! It is the Fall equinox, which is a day that most people visit a grave. Sad. But, David, Makoto and I went to Fukuoka for Reggae Soul 2005. It was a long day. 1.5 hour bus ride to Fukuoka, then another bus to the park. But, lot's of fun times...





This is what I'm talking about... English that makes no sense

It reads:
IT'S MY HEALTHY FOR AND THE PARADISE DAY

WHAT?!
LOL

Getting your Haircut in Japan=Priceless!

Japanese hair salons are ORGASMIC!!! I suggest everyone go get their haircut in Japan! LOL. Ok, so not only do they treat you like a princess...call u "Miss Courtney" they all stand around and watch, or offer to help and talk to you with curiousity!! Then, the first time they wash your hair they put a cloth over your face. Seriously though, u make think it's wierd but do u really enjoy looking in their armpit??!! Ya, didn't think so. So, they massage your head a little while washing. But...the second time they wash, it's like a 15 minute head massage with a hot towel under your neck. Then they escort you back to the chair for a shoulder/back massage! Oooh geez! It was the best ever! Plus offered drinks and candy! Oishii!!! Delicious! Oh and they escort you to the door, and out the door and thank you for coming!!! So probably my best experience in Japan so far! Then after work while walking by the salon, they all waved and stood outsid on the porch to watch! ha ha. Love Japan!




More cute pics to come later but my camera battery is dead, had to use my cell phone!!! Love you!!!

Kidsbeer!

Drink that looks like beer getting popular with kids

"Kidsbeer," a nonalcoholic brew aimed at children, is catching on with young drinkers and is posting monthly shipments of 75,000 bottles, according to its maker Tomomasu Co.

The beverage, which uses the Latin American plant guarana as an ingredient, sells for around 380 yen per a 330-milliliter bottle, which is colored brown to make the drink look even more beer like, the company said.



The drink originated from a Coca-Cola-like beverage that used to be sold at the Shitamachi-ya restaurant in Fukuoka, run by 39-year-old Yuichi Asaba.

Asaba renamed the sweet carbonated drink "Kidsbeer" from "Guarana," a move that made it an instant hit.

Asaba outsourced its manufacturing to Tomomasu, a beverage maker based in Ogi, Saga Prefecture.

Tomomasu tinkered with the drink by decreasing its sweetness and increasing its frothiness, the company said. It began shipping the transformed drink in late 2003.

The initial shipment was only 200 bottles per month. But the beverage was soon adopted by other restaurants and even by department stores, which began offering it as a gift package.

Asaba said kids and other people "can raise a glass with this, even if they cannot drink any liquor." And kids are happy that the drink produces a lot of fizz and froth.

Satoshi Tomoda, president of the beverage maker, said, "Children copy and mimic adults." "If you get this drink ready on such occasions as events and celebrations attended by kids, it would make the occasions even more entertaining."

The Kidsbeer label captures a nostalgic mood as it was modeled after classic beer labels.

"Even kids cannot stand life unless they have a drink," reads the advertising catchphrase for Kidsbeer.

Odd things about Japan...

So I just thought I'd tell you some things I find quite odd over here in Japan and get quite a laugh out of as well!

I've made it a weekly habit to visit the video store after work. The old movies...which are really old to all of you in the states, are really cheap. Ladder 49 just came out on video here, that's how old! Anyway, it's kind of fun because I get to watch all the movies I've never seen before, with Japanese subtitles of course. But...it's so difficult to find a movie you want because the organization, or lack there of. Some movies are categorized into Drama, Suspense and Comedy, but they aren't alphabetized, just random. Unless of course you're lucky enough to get a section where they are grouped by actor....or director! LOL Like I know who directed, or produced the movies! Wierd!

So America is so influential over here and everyone wants something with English written on it. Most of the time, they have no idea what it says, or means. For instance, Dave has had students come in with shirts that say F*** You on them! I've seen stuff about puberty and drugs. The marijuana leaf is huge over here! But, no one uses the drug! All drugs here are considered equally bad and illegal! But, they wear shirts, necklaces have air freshners with the plant on them. I asked someone if they knew what it meant and if they smoked it and they immediately got excited and said oh, no.

Then there are the advertisements and store signs that are spelt miscorrectly and such. When I first got here, I saw a jewelry store with a sign that said JEWLRY! They're everywhere and it's hillarious! I even found a site devoted to ENGRISH, making fun of Japan and the lack of awareness of English! Too funny!

The picture perfect beach...

So I went to the beach today with some friends. I'm so fortunate I found a friend with a car!!! We drove about an hour out of Shimonoseki to the postcard island and beach of Shinoshima. It's gorgeous. The drive is mostly along the coast overlooking the blue/green water. And you pass rice fields and mountains. So scenic!

After crossing the bridge to the island. We stopped at the first beach!



Miho, me and Takako

Dave and I = the foreigners!

No one was swimming except for a few cute lil kids... but the water was so warm!
Dave thinks Japanese kids are cuter than American kids. I dunno??? They're all pretty cute!


We drove a lil further on the island to another beach with a lighthouse. This is a drying rack, full of squid being dried, waiting to be cooked! Wierd!

Beautiful view...



We climbed to the top of the lighthouse. The view from above:




Dave:

Me with messy hair...cutting it tomorrow! :)

Squid on a stick anyone???

It's very chewy, but good!


So then it was a car ride back to Shimonoseki. Dave and I had a great time thinking of different ways to get back there since we dont have a car.
Our options:
Skitch=rollerblade/skateboard and hang onto a bus or car
hitch hike *note* they bow instead of stick out their thumb as a car drives by!
kayak around Japan...as long as the tide is in our favor
ride our bikes
rent scooters...or 4 wheelers...or tractor
Sure there was more, but that kept us entertained.

Ice Bar Jr.

After a long day at work on Saturday, I met David and a few of his students for some drinks. I missed a good dinner b/c I was working! So, these are the pics...
Yuki & I

Look what I taught them... ;)

Takako and I

Dave's lovin it..

Everyone is looking...

Miho and Dave

Takako & I again...

Kaori, Miho and Dave

Miho and Dave


Everyone was lot's of fun. And it's so great here b/c u can print digital pictures at any convenience store. So afterward, Miho and Takako printed off pics for everyone! How cute!
After it all, went and sat at the Pier till really late... or early in the morning. :)

Hinoyama

So tried to hike/walk up to the top of Hinoyama last weekend. But, got about half way up and it was closed because of the typhoon .... I'm guessing. So, this is the view about half way up...

The mountain isn't far from my apartment. Probably like a 20 minute walk to the bottom of it?! Hopefully it will re-open soon so I can go to the top!

Nothing too special...

Not too much is new. I did see a fire truck the other day while waiting for a bus. They're tiny! I dont know that they would be too helpful in a fire.


The other night after work David and I went and got Bento for dinner, which is a box-lunch. It's basically just something quick u can pick up at the store and heat up. Anyway, we took it down to the pier and had dinner on the pier and just hung out, watched the local teens practice their coreographed dances in front of the aquarium with big glass windows. There was also a man teaching himself to waltz, without music of course! And lot's of others out and about. It was so much fun!

Last night we went to a little bar that looks like it's just in someone's basement. Like pipes running across the ceiling and pretty small. Anyway, the owner is a parent of one of David's students at AEON. For some reason, Japanese men like to arm wrestle eachother, even though they aren't strong at all. So, David was challenged and of course won, multiple times.

The man on the left is the newbie and gets picked on by the other bartender. The one on the right swears he's in love with me! Ha ha! But, regardless, they are a very entertaining pair to watch!

He's so in love...

David and I, the Gaijin (foreigners)


Today David and I took the train to Kyushu to get out of Shimonoseki! We went to Kokura where there is movies, shopping and much much more than Shimonoseki. I can't even count the number of tall people I saw there, it was amazing! I'm talking like a woman who was taller than me, and lot's of guys over 6ft tall. Very interesting.
We did some shopping, went to an English bookstore and ate a yummy lunch at a sandwich shop.

It's finally starting to get less humid, which is wonderful. But it is still very warm. There was thunder and lightning storm the other day. Very loud and close!

Thats about it, I got my cell phone! Yay! And I get to teach 3 year olds now! How fun!

I live about 2 blocks from this....

2 Days after the Typhoon and it looks like this....
BEAUTIFUL!
Overview from a temple:


On the Pier...


The aquarium and Pier


Dont know what this says, probably something about Shimonoseki


The working men and the blowfish. There's a famous fish market right at the Pier

Ok so i was a lil bored...






The cute lil blowfish...


Last one i promise..