I'm Dreaming of a White New Year

It started snowing this morning (it's New Year's Eve here in Kyoto) and never stopped. We got about 15 centimeters. This is the second most snow I've seen on the ground since coming to Kyoto in 1992. I'm looking forward to going up to the temple to ring the bell in the snow later.

Here is a shot of the pagoda at Kurodani:


Here's a snow-covered Buddha above Kurodani:


Here's Hiroe in the snow at a subtemple of Kurodani:


Here is a shot of me and Kieran in front of Shinyodo, our local temple where I will go ring the bell tonight. Kieran was underwhelmed by the snow.

Christmas Party 2010

Yesterday, we hosted a Christmas party at my house. We were lucky to have 19 good friends join us. My wife Hiroe cooked a feast and people brought all kinds of goodies. I think we're going to have to make this an annual tradition.

My friend Tatsumi snapped this pic. He is a freelance jewellery designer who lives and works in our neighborhood. You can check out some of his work at his site: Only Order.


He also snapped this one of the party. You can see my wife Hiroe in front serving food. She did an incredible job cooking and hosting the party:


My friend Keiji snapped this picture of my son Kieran:


Here's a picture of Kieran going after the corn chips, with my friend Paul behind him and my friends the Tatsumis behind him:

My 2010 Shodo Year-End Project

I just finished my 2010 year-end shodo (Japanese calligraphy) project. My teacher suggested this saying. In Japanese it reads: "Jinsha ni teki nashi" and it means "Love conquers all."

Best Bath of the Year

Yesterday, it was the winter solstice (touji in Japanese). On this day, all the sento (public baths) in Kyoto put bags of yuzu fruit (a kind of sweet Japanese citrus, somewhere between a grapefruit and a mandarin orange). This is supposed to help you deal with the cold of winter. (On the summer solstice, they put bundles of a plant called shobu, which looks something like rhubarb).

Here's the sign outside my local sento advertising the event:


Here's the entrance to my local sento:



Here's a picture of the bag of yuzu in one of the baths (needless to say, the lens of my camera fogged up as soon as I entered the bath area). I like to get in the tub and sqeeze them so the juice comes out into the water - it smells great). When I got home, my wife threw a yuzu fruit into our home tub so that our son Kieran could enjoy a yuzu bath:

Voices for Kyoto/Stop the Aquarium Event

The Kyoto Mamoru Kai (Committee to Protect Kyoto), along with Junkroom, is organizing a musical event to protest the construction of an aquarium in Kyoto's Umekoji Koen. Please come. Even if you aren't that riled up about the aquarium, it's a good chance to meet people and listen to some good music. Here are the details.

Event: Voices for Kyoto
Place: Urbanguild.
To find Urbanguild, from Sanjo Dori go down Kiyamachi Dori (this is the narrow street running alongside Takase stream) Urbanguild is on the east side (left hand side as you walk down from Sanjo) after approximately 150 metres. It’s on the 3rd floor of New Kyoto Building – access by elevator or stairs. Here’s a map.
Tel: 075-212-1125
Date: January 21st
Doors open: 6:30
Show starts: 7:30 (ish)
Ticket: 2000 yen (includes 500 yen drink ticket)
Students/Advance tickets: 1500 yen
Line-up:
Yoshida Koichi (shakuhachi player) http://www.myspace.com/tongpoo
Udonya Mentei (folk singer)
Okuda Satoko (jazz pop diva) http://www.myspace.com/satokookuda
raw elements (rock band) http://www.zms.or.jp/~maxdodds/elements/
Sseeaann Rrooee (DJ+ experimental music performance) http://www.myspace.com/sseeaannrrooee

Ahhhhh....Kinosaki Onsen

I just got back from an overnight research trip to the onsen town of Kinosaki, which is on the Japan Sea coast, three hours north of Kyoto by direct express train. This is one of those rare towns in Japan that still retains some of its traditional charm, as evidenced by this tree-lined canal. I soaked in the onsen, ate crab and actually did a bit of work. I found a couple of great restaurants and inspected a nice ryokan. This place is highly recommended for anyone who wants to try the onsen ryokan experience.

In Memory of John Lennon

Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe

Himiji Castle: Under Wraps

Yesterday, I headed west to Himeji, home to the famous Himeji-jo Castle. As you might have heard, the main keep of the castle in now being renovated. These renovations will take until late 2014. This means that you cannot enter the keep itself, but you can still enter the castle grounds. I hope people still visit Himeji: it's such a friendly little town and they really have their act together in terms of tourism. Here's a view from the approach to the castle:


Here's a view from within the castle grounds. I kind of like the contrast between the traditional lines of the castle and the modern lines of the steel superstructure:

Giant Kaleidescope in Nagahama

Yesterday, I visited the town of Nagahama, in Shiga-ken. After passing through some very ordinary scenery, you finally get to Nagahama and enter the extremely attractive Kurokabe Square area. Here, if you look carefully, you will find one of my favorite sights in Shiga: the Giant Kaleidescope:


You actually walk into the thing and turn a wheel that makes fantastic shapes appear above you. It's like some sort of moving stained glass window. Here's a shot I took from inside the Giant Kaleidescope:

Hikone-jo

Yesterday, I took the train out to Shiga-ken to visit Hikone and Nagahama (see above for Nagahama). In Hikone, I visited Hikone-jo Castle, which is a fine original (as opposed to reconstructed) castle. Paired with Nagahama, it's a nice day trip from Kyoto.

A Nice Day in Nara

Yesterday, I spent a nice day in Nara doing research for the next Lonely Planet guide to Japan. In addition to finding some great new places for the book, I was able to enjoy the warm fall weather, the fall foliage and I even caught the tail end of the Nara Marathon. Every time I visit Nara, I'm impressed with the city and its people. They really welcome tourists and they are up to some creative stuff. Naramachi, in particular, is a good example for other cities in Japan about how to make creative use of their traditional neighborhods. The energy there is very positive.

Here are two of Nara's famous deer who have just finished making a pilgrimage to Todaiji Temple's Nigatsudo Hall:


Here's the classic view of the pagoda of Kofukuji Temple rising over Sarusawa-no-ike Pond:


I also found a great new lunch spot for people with kids. It's called "Silk Road" (although the Japanese name is more evocative of Nara: "The Last Stop on the Silk Road"). There are two great model train systems lined with counters where you can sit and work the controls of the trains as you eat. This is a great addition to an already super kid-friendly city. You can find Silk Road in the Yume Kaze Hiroba, which off the main road shortly before Todai-ji.

Sudo Genki: Mind Shift - You Gotta See This

The other day, my friend put me onto an incredible band/performer/dancer: Sudo Genki. Believe it or not, this guy (all the way on the left in the pic below) is a former mixed martial arts fighter. He's the Japanese ubermensch. Click on this link to see this incredible video.

Kieran and Hiroe Go for a Bike Ride

We just got a bike seat for Kieran. Hiroe has been taking him all over town in his new seat. He loves it. I caught up with them along the Kamo-gawa riverside yesterday and snapped this pic.

More Art from the Kyoto Metro Art Museum

The other day, I had a spare moment and I walked into the Kyoto Metropolitan Museum of Art (Kyoto Shiritsu Bijutsukan). On the first floor, there was a show of art from students at Kyoto's junior and senior high schools and on the second floor, they were holding the annual "Dokuritsu" (Independent) art show, which showcases the works of some of Japan's best working artists. As usual, I was blown away by the incredible natural level of talent on display. There is a lot of doom and gloom talk about Japan these days, but a people with this level of talent and creativity have a lot of potential and the future may be a lot brighter than some critics imagine.

Here is an oil painting by a woman named Miho. Somehow, it reminded me of the orchids in Borneo's Maliau Basin:


This is a paiting called Hogoku, in which a catfish slithers through an imaginary world. I don't know why I was so taken with this one, I just was.


Here's a painting called Avallon. I love the way the leaves echo the pattern of the stones in the chateau. This seems like a modern take on cubism with a touch of Seurat thrown in for good measure.


Here's one of the student works. The words say something to the effect of "Please watch your photography manners." It's written in geisha dialect and it's to remind people to stop harassing Kyoto's geisha. This is a sentiment I strongly endorse.