If you don’t know much about sake I encourage you to find out.  You can do what I did – go on a sake brewery tour.  Of course I know pretty much about sake already, but they are fun for people who don’t know a lot, or are just discovering this wonderful spirit.  Let me give you a quick lesson about sake.  I’ll tell you what the sakemasters told me.

Sake is rice wine.  And actually, there is a special kind of rice grown just for making sake.  This rice is not so tasty so if you want some to make, say.. an onigiri (rice ball), you are out of luck.  Don’t eat this stuff!  Not good for eating, but great for making sake! Basically the sakemasters use a machine to take the husk off the rice so they only get the essence of the grain (the outer husk is often used to make sembei – rice crackers).  Then they wash it, and add this special microorganism called kouji, and a certain kind of yeast.  This was a crazy process because one minute we were in a room that felt like a sauna.  The room was filled with kouji, and these huge bins of rice.  Right after that we went into a freezer-like room where the rice was being stirred in order to really activate the kouji.  Then special yeast was added, and that is when I started to smell that familiar sake scent I’m so used to. Oh, yum, yum!  It was like they did this double fermentation process….Mind-blowing really!!  It was like one minute I was sitting in an onsen, and the next I was standing in a freezer!

After all that the sakemasters put the yeast and rice, and whatever else they add to it to make the sake really unique, into huge vats.  This was cool because they put in so little and got out a whole lot more! The mixture basically expands and grows while in the vats.  After that, and this was the coolest…they have this machine that actually squeezes the stuff in the vats, and the final product is this pure sake.  If you really want the truest sake you should dip a glass into this machine, and take a swig…But I don’t recommend that, it would probably upset the sakemasters, and maybe, even ruin the sake.

The final product is purified some more, aged and then bottled.

The best part of the tour, of course, was the tasting!  We tried 3 different kinds of sake – from sweet to mild to bubbly and even carbonated.  They were all yummy delicious!  Can you guess, which was my favorite…?  Send me a comment with your guess!

All sake is made using this same process, but what gives each sake its distinct taste differs in the timing in creating the alcohol, and what kind of yeast is used.  It is a very delicate process that seems to take a lot of knowledge, and care.  Also, the purity of the water is the key to any delicious sake.  This is one reason Akita sake is so great!  The mountain water that is used to wash and soak the rice is so pure and clean.  Nature is really really important here in Akita, and this affects so much of our life.  If we pollute our waters, we’ll end up with impure sake, which would make a lot of people very unhappy.

I could tell you so much more about sake, but that would ruin the whole journey.  The sake brewery I, and as you can see, my friends went to is licensed by the Japan Sake Brewers Association.  They have an English website that describes the process using pictures and stuff.  You should check one out, and if you are in Akita, maybe I’ll see you on a tour or something.

Well, I will leave you for now, as I have some sake to enjoy.  This particular brewery gave this really neat omiyage (souvenir) to take home with us, so I’m going to treat myself tonight!….Mate ne!

Hakone’s contribution to Japanese art is one that melds nature and man and far surpasses the output of other cities with more than 10 times its population.  Blend this with the magnificent views of Lake Ashi and Mount Fuji and the respect and appreciation of life shared by all of the townsfolk and you have a superb destination for escaping Tokyo.

Hakone is blessed with some fantastic scenery and some of the finest is to be found as you approach the Hakone open-air sculpture garden where images of lush forestry, which covers the rolling hills are reflected in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color that changes with the seasons.  The picturesque valleys are also home to outstanding works of man-made art by some of the most famous practitioners of sculpting to of worked and combined they make for many a striking visual.

The indoor exhibition rooms are without doubt amongst the most well stocked of Japanese art galleries and are home to a series of works by Renoir and Picasso.  Within are approximately 300 pieces of rare ceramic work and once you have walked your way through that you can rest your feet in the foot baths that have been made by utilizing the natural hot springs of the town.

All of the photographs here have been taken from walking around the outside gardens and the works that are display there, amongst 70,000 square meters of grass land are works by sculptors including Henry Moore and Rodin.

Boasting a great literary heritage in Japan as well, once being home to noted literii, politicians and foreign dignitaries in the Meiji and Taishō and early Shōwa periods and should also be noted for its contribution to craftwork with parquetry.

One of the greatest joys of visiting Harkone is, of course, the people themselves.  Polite, meditative, always ready to help and, if there is a single way to characterize the local people – it is living life to its most beautiful, creating and maintaining a fantastic atmosphere so much in evidence across town – so go and see for yourself.

Despite its stunning scenery, however, the track has not had such a glorious showing on the world stage where a series of accidents gained it a reputation for reckless endangerment in the 1960s and allegations of a pro-Toyota bias effecting it when the circuit once again hosted the Japanese F1 race in 2007. The race was more of a success the following year, but financial troubles at Toyota have convinced them to stop promoting the race for now and the next Japanese GP will be returning to Suzuka, the figure of 8 circuit in Mie Prefecture that is owned and operated by Toyota rival Honda.

I went to Fuji Speedway recently as part of an organized race weekend that was open to private drivers, wannabes, amateurs and other petrol-head types. Some who went were sponsored by local racing clubs, others by small car manufacturers and the like but many were there also just for the chance to drive their own Ferrari, Porsche or Skyline at the speeds they were designed for and that Tokyo living just doesn’t allow.

After a few safety lessons on the etiquette of driving at high speed, we were allowed to enter a race. The first few laps are tense; you are worried abut any small mistake, you don’t want to make a fool of yourself and you are gripped with a sense of whether or not you can really do it. Once a few laps have zipped past, though, you begin to loosen up and get a feel for it. The nerves are replaced by a sense that you are the next Jenson Button and then you can really start to enjoy your day.

For those who can’t drive, or want to experience the thrill of racing at Fuji Speedway from afar, the track appears in various computer games including the Gran Turismo for Sony’s PlayStation and at Aqua City shopping mall in Odaiba where, in the nearby car museum, a giant simulator recreates the experience, vibrations and all.

The following story was experienced by wife and 3 friends in university.

Her and her friends were partying one weekend and decided to do a test in bravery. The four girls drove to a cemetery at 2:00am. They parked around the side to avoid any caretakers that may be working. Without flashlights they went into the cemetery. They lasted about 15 minutes until hearing noises and getting scared. They ran to the car and drove to one of the girl’s home for the night. The next morning when they woke up and went to the car they were shocked what they found. There was about 50 child size hand prints all over the car. Some on the roof meaning a child would have had to climb on the car to do but there was no evidence of that. They decided to check where they parked at the cemetery for some answers and they discovered they parked right next to the child section of the cemetery. Needless to say, they never went back to that cemetery again. On a side note, the picture shown is not an original. I made it in Photoshop.

This next story was told to me by my wife. It happened to her friend.

Her friend moved into a furnished apartment and had a friend help. That night she set a futon on the floor for her friend and she slept in the bed. About 3am her friend woke her up asking if she had any cola. She said no and her friend requested that they go to the store. She refused and told her to drink some water. About 10 minutes later her friend woke her up again and said she needs smokes and that they need to go to the store now. Knowing that her friend doesn’t smoke, she knew something was wrong and went. As soon as they got out the door, her friend said there is a man under her bed. They called the police. The police checked the apartment and found no one. They also found that all windows and the door were still locked from the inside. With her friend being so positive at what she seen, they used a sketch artist. After showing the manager the sketch, he recognized the man. He was a previous tenant that skipped town owing 2 months’ rent. The man was never found. She moved out from the apartment the same day.

“Paranormal Activities” was ok but I felt it never delivered. The anticipation was there but the scares never came. For me, Japanese ghosts are a lot scarier than our ghosts. If you like Horror Mockumentaries then I suggest you watch “Noroi: The Curse”.  It follows a similar formula to “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activities, focusing around a journalist whose job is to investigate paranormal activities. The movie is played out in a very real documentary style, as we’re shown the case the man was last investigating leading up to his disappearance. Combined with clips from news reports and variety shows, we follow along as the man slowly unravels the mystery behind all these strange supernatural occurrences, and eventually follow the trail back to an old legend and the curse of a small town. This movie will send chills down your spine. Other Japanese horror movies I strongly suggest watching the Japanese version of “Ju-On: The Grudge” and “Ringu” series. They’re much scarier than their Hollywood counterparts.

After living in Japan for over 7 years now, I feel the people are very sensitive.  The reasons I feel this can be taken from the language used.  Some of the most common words you hear everyday are the following (some of them are used very often):

Oishi (delicious): almost every time the japanese eat something they use this.  In other countries, often nothing is said.

Kimochi (feels good):  You are bound to hear this at hot springs but also in other situations.  For example while you shopping, your girlfriend picks up a furry winter hat and touches it. “kimochi!” she says.

Atsui/Samui (Hot/cold):  You`re teaching a group lesson, and the air conditioning cuts out.  You can guarantee most, if not all of the the students will say out loud “atsui” almost straight away, before the temperature has even changed that much.  Another example that I have noticed is when someone has been late for something and ran to reach their destination.  Once thay have arrived, they will exclaim that they are hot (often saying it many times) for sure.

Hello again, everyone. It’s me, Akie, up here in the wilds of Akita. I was just out for a drive through the now barren rice fields when I happened upon a flock of swans milling around out here. As luck would have it, I struck up a really cool conversation with one of them. He tells me he is a Whooper swan and his name is ‘Whooo-P’.

So tell me, Whoo-P, where are you from?

I’m from Swan Lake of course (chuckles) sorry; it’s a joke we always tell….. out west, northern Asia, Russian far east, mostly.

So, what are you doing here in Akita?

Checking out the Bijins, of course!

Maaa, I bet you say that to all the girls!

Actually we are on our way south for the winter and since Akita is kinda on the way,

we stop and check it out. Besides the pickings are pretty good here.

Yes, in past blogs I talked about the delicious food from this prefecture.

Yea, great bugs and grub and stubble!

Uh, right… I also hear you guys flying overhead at night. Isn’t that a little dangerous, I mean, you guys don’t have GPS or anything like that, do you?

Nope, never been sick a day in my life! Oh, you mean that navigation thingy. No, it is purely swan sense. When the sun shines down on the earth it heats the surface and causes upwelling of air which is a real pain to fly through. You’ll notice we fly higher during the day than we do at night. We can thus save energy by taking advantage of the laminar flow of the jet stream.

Wow, that’s cool! I also always hear you cackling to each other too. What do you cackle about?

Well, to tell the truth, we let your scientist believe that we are encouraging the lead guy up there doing all the work. Actually, we are taking bets on how long before he craps out and drops back.

What do you mean by the lead guy doing all the work?

Well, let me see if I can explain this in human terms for you. The lead bird sets the pace and is situated at the point of the V formation we fly in. He thus breaks the wind and the rest of us following him will draft in the vortex created. Flying in a V formation helps us conserve energy. Really important when you have a long way to go, Baby!

Well, Whoo-P, thanks for the informative chat and sharing with my friends some insight into your world. Better let you get back to your grub.

Yea, those Whistling swan and Mute swans who occasionally join us eat like flying pigs!

Well, maybe I’ll catch you on our return trip next spring. You married?

No, I’m not.

Well, I am, for LIFE!

She’s a lucky bird! Ja mata ne

The answer to that question is no, Japan like most countries do not offer duel citizenship. Meaning once you live in Japan for more then 5 years you will need/should to nationalize. Now that does not mean you can not move back to your homeland and all that good information. Its just harder that`s all.

Alright well below is my advice to making the big move to any country and I will answer a few questions you may have.

1. Set-up a realistic time frame for your move.

For me my leave date was September of 2007. I started my lessons in Japanese language and culture in 2005. My mom being Japanese made things easy for me since I did not have hire someone to teach me Japanese or go to school or anything. So you may want to take a few years to get yourself ready for your new life overseas.

2. Learn The Language!

For the sake of this article, I assume your moving to a country where they do not speak the same language as you. Taking a few years to really study up the language never hurts but I learned the complete Japanese language in a matter of three months so it really is up to you. Tip for people moving to Japan. Some parts of Japan have people who do not speak any English at all. Always assume that no one speaks English.

3. Pack Lightly!

Its never a great idea to drag an entire bedrooms worth of stuff around anyplace. So bring only what you know what you need. You can always buy new things in your home land.

4. The Emotional Good-Bye!

This one is easy. I just told family and friends I was moving to Japan to get back in touch with my Japanese side of my multi-culture heritage. But for those not with any heritage to their new country. Tell family and friends that you will be happier living there and that you still love them. Its just that you don`t like the culture you live in.

5. The Penguins Of Madagascar!

Nickoledeon show about penguins in a zoo that go on missions and act all military like. Probably one of the best American anime shows made in a really long time. Its really funny and cute…The Inou loves Rico!!

6. Be prepared  for anything!!!

You never know what will happen in your new homeland so its important to make sure you are ready for anything and everything that can and will happen to you. Get sick? Know how to get to and communicate with doctors. Things getting ugly? make sure you have enough money to fly yourself back to your homeland. Be smart, Be safe.

7. Everybody needs a friend…

Its never a bad idea to go online and make a friend with someone in the new country that will help you find a job, an apartment and even help you unpack! This new friend will also show you the best places. You should try to build a life long friendship with this person since they helped you move and all.

Thats really all the advice I can give to you. Each persons trip will be different and each person will take the trip in a different matter. Just be smart and most of all be safe and enjoy your trip and new life!!

If you have any questions and are reading this on Gaijin pot just leave the questions in the comments section and I will try my best to answer them in a timely matter. If you are reading this on the Games To Dust website, send your questions in to the address shown and I will try to answer it on the show.

Thank you all and God bless!!

After that, we went to Shikata for the last day of hanabi (Cosmos.) We were allowed to trim as much as we can! By the way, I was with my sisters Coleen and China, sensei Inaoka and Saori. It was so much fun with them!!!

Thank you so much for the sweet comments you gave me, especially to those who add me as their favorite on chictopia!

Lastly, if you have suggestions to improve this blog, please do comment below. If you have any favors or anything, don’t be shy to tell me!

Hey everybody.  How are you doing?  I hope better than me.  I’m not sick or anything, although I know many of you have or had that crazy H1….N….1 flu thing.  Doesn’t sound like a fun time at all! Take care of yourselves – ok?

Anyway, good reason to play around with my newly acquired poetry interests.

I’ve been trying to compose a really cool poem since my last blog entry.  In my last blog I told you all about Ono no Komachi, the beautiful poetess from Akita who wrote some really fantastic erotic poetry in her day. One of the greatest erotic poetesses of any language they say. Do yourself a favor and Google her name and have a look at some of her great works. Well, I’ve been trying to come up with some erotic poetry of my own, but as you can see I am really having a devil of a time at it.  Maybe you can help me…

I’m thinking of my guy who I “hang out” with – Akinobu.  He is kinda special to me.  I have to admit; when he looks at me I get tori hara, goose bumps!  I can almost feel him staring at me right now.  So, I’m trying to write something really steamy and sexy, but not too obvious. You girls know what I mean!  Here is what I came up with, but I feel it is missing something…Let me know what you think:

“Broken hearted love

Shattered spirit of my mate

I took your essence

You took my virgo

What more is there for us now

Another kiss and touch please”

So, does it give you, tori hara?

Hey, here’s a thought. If any of you have any good ideas for a great erotic poem why don’t you post them to this blog?  Let’s see which poem really rocks me!  I’ll choose a winner and post it on a future blog.  Don’t hold back now!   Give me some tori hara, hehehe

Gambatte!  Mata ne.

How does it do this?

As can be seen in the attached pic, at any special time, or in conjunction with an event (or seemingly also at just random nights in the week), Tokyo Tower is lit up to catch the mood.  Recently it has been illuminated to reflect breast cancer awareness, the Tokyo bid for the 2016 Olympics, Culture Day and as can be seen here – for World Diabetes Day.

Feel free to add your memories of seeing Tokyo Tower below.  For those outside of Japan, check out the movie Japan Sinks (aka Nihon Chinbotsu) to see Tokyo Tower and the rest of Japan washed away in a gigantic tidal wave .