Do we love the lines ?

you may think Japanese people love to que the lines.
Is it true? , Or not?
I can say we are veru used to wait for a long time.
At Disneyland we have to wait at least one hour for riding just one attraction usually.
As you know , the popularion is quite big, although we have small lands.


On Dec 15th 2006 one shop opened in Shinjuku, center of Tokyo. Over there we have to wait more than one hour still now.
Do they selling such a nice things?
That shop is the very fast Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in Japan.
Yes, if you are in the United States, you can find them in the supermarkets without any difficulty.
Here many people is waiting everyday everyday. The other day my friend wanted to buy the doughtnuts, we went and waited about 40 minutes at 10o'clock at night. You can see by one of my photos.

The doughnuts are tasty, but I won't wait such a long line anymore. But I am sure many people is waiting at this moment.

TOKYO MARATHON 2007⑤～ memories

Needless to say, I ran with my camera:)

■Many people heading the start area■



■Before start -freezing and raining■


■START-Tokyo governer Shintaro Ishihara waving his hands■



■Many audience in front of Asakusa Kaminarimon-very famous sight seeing spot■



■on the road for vehicles usually■


■GOAL■

TOKYO MARATHON 2007④～ finish

Yes, I became the one of the finisher at the end.
Really, it was tough.

At goal point, I could find one friend, she told that she was cheerig my and other frinds at other points , too. When I saw her, I really thank her and relieved.
At that time "I was very hungry, starving---". as many runnner who couln't get food.

The record is not good, and was so close to limited time.
It's no problem. I am satisfied.



It has passed almost 2months.
Since then I am jogging 2-3 times a week. Better than before , you can guess:)
Well, it is so surprising to me that I really enjoying jogging now. I am sure I will apply the 2008 Tokyo marathon again , although I need luck to win the lottery. When I was child , I HATED RUNNING. Don't laugh, I am changing...much to my surprise.

Next time , I want to goal by ruuning insted of walking!

There are many marathon in the world, I like traveling so , when I go abroad if I would join , would be nice.....

If you are interested....
http://www.tokyo42195.org/

TOKYO MARATHON 2007③～ in the rain

Harder than I imagined- this was my frank feeling.

My plastic raincoat made me harder to run. Still so cold ,although I started to run. Through the Shinjuku- the biggest down town Tokyo, there were so many people cheering us. Waving their hands, having the sign board with a messege, yelling "Ganbare!!(Cheer up.)" My tears leaked from the corner of my eyes naturally.

Raining getting harder and harder.

The marathon course was selected to the runners can enjoy with many sight seeing points and flatted.I have lived in Tokyo quite long -maybe 8-9years. I knew the all places on race course. But the scenery was totally different. Newness and rediscovery. I felt happy and lucky to run on the roads which are usually for cars , and not permitted to walk .

When I passed Hibiya park where was the goal of 10km race, it rained so hard. I saw many runner head for 10 km. "Wow, should I have choosen 10km?? Still I had more than 30km....." I knew at that park they prepared for foot bath, I really wanted to go. At that time , extremely cold . I had some candy and snack in my belt bag , but too cold to open them. I was cring for cold.

Around the 20km, I felt pain on left knee. "I didn't have enough time for training." I had to walk as fast as possible insted of runnning. Already I was in late group .I felt a kind of jealousy a little bit to the runners they already pass the returning point. But some runner, when they run pass , spork words of cheer like "Let's goal by everybody". I was really happy.

During race I saw many volunteers who smiling me with freezing in the cold. They were so great, they did perfect job. They looked so cold, needless to say, they were colder than us. I heard the many people applied for volunteers since they couldn't run because of lottery. Oh, yes more than 60000people couldn't run. I said to myslf I was lucky , I had to do my best, I had to enjoy insted of them.....

And I was so encouraged by many people along the course. They don't know me, and I don't know them, but they cheered and supported with full of their passion. In fact this was the very first city Marathon in Tokyo, many amount of foods and water were prepared, water was fine, but the food were not enough- it might be much colder than they expected. Anyway, we were severe lack of foods. Only the fast runners could get foods from the official aid. Some runners who had some money with them would go to the convenience store to buy something to eat. After Asakusa area- about 30km from the start point- the people noticed the runners were so hungry, many people offer us candy, sweet, soup, hot tea that gave us the energy for another step.

My legs were so heavy, but I want to say thank you to those who imvolved this marathon.

The goal was coming soon.

【to be continued】

TOKYO MARATHON 2007②～ START

On that day I woke up 4 o'clock in the moning, actually I didn' mean it, I was going to get up around 5:30, yes, I was nervous . It was raining hard, as suspected. But I didn't think of call off this event , I don' t know why. After breakfast , I head for Shinjuku where was the very "START" of this marathon.

In Shinjuku station I saw many people prepareing for the race, with the numbers on their T-shirts. Many ,so many people. Still raining and cold. Before I deposit my belongings, I made a phone call to one of my friends who also was going to run this race. "How are you????"etc.... I was tring to find where are they.... but I gave up at once because of the big crowd.

The runner must be at start position that they designed as a block decided depends on the declaration of the time to goal.As I submitted it by 6:40, I was the last block "K" . There we couldn't hear any sounds or voice from the ceremony , it was too far..... We had to wait for a quite long time before and after starting to race. I was freezing, and shaked with cold .Everubody was same. But we had fun, too. The people from the behind started the wave with yelling "Yeah-- ". The one woman on the balcony of the buiding-maybe 8th or 10th flour - was cring "Cheer up !!! " Everybody in K block was waving their hands, it was just like a greeting from the Royal Family on the new year day in imperial palace.

After 16minite passed already from the starting time , finally I was able to pass the startline with waving my hand to Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara.

The race was started.

【to be continued...】

TOKYO MARATHON 2007①

The day have came.
February 18th -Tokyo marathon 2007.
I am nervous,,,and excited. What's going on ?????


As you know , Tokyo is a capital city in Japan, is such a big city, has a big population -more than 12million and the central of political and economical of Japan , but never had a city marathon like New York, Boston , Berlin, London and Chicago. Since several years before they are planning to take place City Marathon in central Tokyo. The Governor of Tokyo had decided to hold on February 18th 2007 for the very first time . Actually there were not a few pople who express objection against it, the function of city would go down because of the traffic regulations of main roads for seven hours.

From last June to August the registration began. The applicants was three times than capacity (Entrants Marathon : 25,000 athletes , 10km Race : 5,000 athletes, but more than 95000pople entried.!!!). Only luckey 30000 people who were selected by lottary got their rights to be a runner.

Frankly saying, I was the one. When I got a email about to be ruuner on October, I was happy, but at the same time I was annoyed. How I can run 42.195km again??? It was so tough・・・・etc. (In fact I joined Walt Disney marathon 2005, so I know how difficult was it.....) But reading many poeple's blog , many people wrote about their shock from losing their lack of luck. So I decided to try the Marathon.

Although I strongly felt necessity of training , but I have been busy from last Autumn, went Mexico two weeks, had to find new apartment, and moving, in my job I had a lot to do. I couldn't have spare time for training. At last I could find my free time on January, became a member of sports gym. But obviously I needed training more and more....

【to be continued ...】

Memories in Mexico ～ the problem is......

As you can see, I went to many places and ate many kinds of Mexican food. The people are so nice and very kind to me. I had a great time there. Let me say this trip is perfect! But I can't say that , although it is so pity. After thinking for a while, I decided to write one thing which made me so disappointed, because you may be ready when you go to Mexico as a tourist.

When my mexican friend and her parents took me to the mexico city by car. As my friends father asked a policeman to show the right way to the mall, it happend. When he spoke to us, eeryone looked upset. (of course I couldn't understand at all)
They are trying to say something to the policeman, and my friend made phone calls to relatives.. It was so nervous moment. Guess what was mattered with us??

I don't know exactly. In Mexico city, the authority limited driving car by the last number of their car number plate for the air pollution. For example, if you have a car with a number plate xxxx1, so you can't drive on Monday until 10pm. To our unluckey , the day we enter Mexico city was the very day we were not allowed to drive inside Mexico city. Actually we didn't know that, I mean my friends knows the rule, but didn't know details. Before and after we entered to the city, we never saw
any sign about this rule.

Well, the policeman found my friends car number, he asked us the money in bribes. Of course we broke the rule,but.... In whole my life, it was the first time such a thing happen to me. I have read the books and articles about mexico. So I knew about this. My friends were so angry and upset. Me, too. I felt so sorry to them , because I went to Mexico, they took me to the travel. I asked them they can call the authority about this. But they said it would be a waste of time. It happen everywhere. It was so pity. The problem is ... how will they improve?? How do you think?

Memories in Mexico ～Food photos

Green Chorizo








Pine with chile









Nopal(Cactus) candy









Tacos









Icecream shop on the street









Blue tortilla!








Don't remember name...let me know if you know!







Chilaquiles? maybe...








Don't remember name...let me know if you know!

Memories in Mexico ～Boda! Boda! Boda!

The word "Boda" means wedding party in Mexico. Actually I went to Mexico for my friend'S BODA. "Wow, It is very first time for me to attend non-Japanese wedding"

MUY INTERESANTE!!!!(very interesting!)

It started from chatedral. So serious.Even I couldn't understand spanish the prist and couple saying. It was touching. The weather was perfect.













At night , the boda started. It continued until 2 am. Wow it won't happen in Japan.　I could find many difference between Japanese style and Mexican. Great experience.






Dance! Dance! Dance! Music Music Music.
This is the Mexican wedding.(Actually we usually don't dance in Japanese wedding. When I told mexican people about it, everyone asked me "why not???" I don't know why.....)







These are dishes at Boda. MUY RICO(very delicious).....It was so luckey they were not so spicy Because I don't care for spicy food.

*Chile Hojaldrado(A chile inside the pie.)
*Medallones de pollo rellenos de camaron en salsa de salmon (Chiken with salmon sause)
*Delicia de fresa(strawberry desert)
*Pay de Guayaba(guava desert)

Memories in Mexico ～Day of the dead in Michoacan

These are the photos of graves at night in Island of Janitzio.

Day of the Dead in Janitzio




These are the photos in Morelia. The color they use for the decoration is so great. There are big difference of the concept for dead people between Mexican and Japanese.We have similar event called "obon" The Mexican way to welcome the dead people is to have more fun. Yes , if the dead people saw those decopration, they must be enjoyble. I can see.

Memories in Mexico ～Day of the dead

I am home!
As you know ,I went to Orlando and Mexico. YES I had really good time there.I want to show you some photos of my journey.

Luckey me! I was in Mexico on DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (Day of the dead). Everywhere in Mexico , I could see many calavera(skulls) and Catrina.












I could manage to go Janitzio aisland ,(Isla de Janitzio) midnight. It is one of the very famous place of Day of the dead in Mexico. It was so great experience to see many decolation for the graves. Only one pity thing is that we saw many many drunken people there. I saw one guy was almost falling down from steps since he wasn't able to walk by himself. Many of them must have came for the beer....

This is a short notice!!

Recently I have been busy and havn't written this blog so often! Furthermore　I won't be able to post at least about this coming three weeks.

Because I am going to Orlando and Mexico about two weeks. So exciting;)
I have to prepare !!! I am sure I wil take a bunch of photos, actually I purchased additional SD card. I will post some of photos on this blog!!!

Adios!!!!

KidZania

Have you ever heard the word "KidZania"? It is a themepark which is originally from Mexico and has just started in Tokyo. According to the media, it looks so fun, I want to go there, but to my pity, I can't go there. Could be in the future. Why???

That's because KidZania is just for kids under 12. There kids can have many kinds of Job experience. For example, fire fighters, flight attendants, doctors, bankers, pizza shop clarks, and so on ... more than 70kinds.

KidZania is a very town for kids , whose size is 2/3, and there are a hospital, a TV station ,a hair salon ,a bank ,a theater, a airport and much more. It is a just miniture of the real, because many company have invested a lot as a sponsor.

Kids can get instrucutions and put on the uniforms before they work, and have a part of job, after they finishes their job, they can get salary by their current money called "Kizos" that they can used only inside KidZania! And then they can use their money to get food, and shopping ...

Sounds fun , isn't it??? Not only fun, kids can understand economy.
Nowdays birthrate is very low, a number of kids is much less than before, but instead of that many family spend much money per a kid. Yes , I think it will be successful here in Japan. I read some blogs that wrriten by mothers about their kids' Kidzania experience, most of them seemed satisfied.
Oh, I want to go. It is not allow to enter only adults there, and even inside park adults can jutt watch kids.

Should I borrow my nephew to go???

related news
KidZania Japan official web site only in Japanese
KidZania Mexico

SWEET!!!!!!!

Sometimes　I get email from the readers of this blog. Many of them are
interested in Japan or Japanese culture, I am happy if writing this blog is
helpful for someone.


The other day I got an email which is written a question about good sweets
stores in Japan. So I decided to write about sweets store.

My reccomendation for sweets stores :
All of them are NOT Japanese sweets shop. Maybe I can say some of they are French style, although I think you can find they have Japanese taste, I mean, for example they use Macya(Green tea) for the cake.

Note; some of them are difficult to bring your home country as a souvenior!!!!!


【自由が丘ロール屋/Jiyugaoka　Rollya】
http://www.jiyugaoka-rollya.jp/
As for Rolled cake, this shop is best! Just always so crowded
ADD:1-23-2 Jiyugaoka Meguro Tokyo
TEL:03-3725-3055

【SATSUKI】
http://www.newotani.co.jp/tokyo/restaurant/satsuki/
Expensive, but worth it. When I ate one piece of cake costs 1575yen! , it made me so smile.
Add Hotel New Otani 4-1 Kioicho Chiyoda kuTokyo
Tel03-5275-3177


【モンサンクレール/Mont St.Clair】
http://www.ms-clair.co.jp/item/index.html
Patissier Mr Tsujiguchi is very popular!
Add 2-22-4Jiyugaoka Meguro Tokyo
Tel 03-3718-5200

【しろたえ/shirotae】
http://gourmet.yahoo.co.jp/0000643347/M0013000521/
cheese cake shop, especailly rare cheese cake is so popular, and just 210
yen, reasonable price. They say 500 cheese cakes are sold everyday!
Add: 4-1-4 Akasaka Minatoku Tokyo
Tel: 03（3586）9039

【パティスリーサダハルアオキ/PATISSERIE SADAHARU AOKI PARIS】
http://www.sadaharuaoki.com/
Wow, they have a shop in Paris,too!
They are now preparing online shop to all over the world!
Add　3-4-1Marunouchi Chiyodaku Tokyo


【テオブロマ/Theobroma】
http://www.theobroma.co.jp/top.html
Baked cake is so tasty! It has many branch shop in department store!
Add 1-14-9 Tomigaya Shibuyaku Tokyo
Tel 03-5790-2181


【イデミ・スギノ/Idemi Sadao】
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/cake/net/tokyo/idemi/idemi.htm
Patissier Hidemi Sugino is very famous, who has broadcasted on popular TV program. You have to line for a long time.
Add 3-6-17 Kyobashi Chuouku Tokyo
Tel 03-3538-6780

I just listed a few stores I know.
Sometimes you feel hard to find the shops like above if you don't live in Japan.
Then I reccomend to go to department store as Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi, Isetan and Odakyu, and you will find many sweet sores in basement floor usually!

ASIMO

Do you know ASIMO?
My co-worker has brought to some cookies of ASIMO. He is a humanoid robot which is able to go upstairs. As for myself, I had seen his walking once before in some kind of show. Do you know he is Japanese ???? He is produced by Japanese automobile manufacture HONDA, and still been getting improvement.

He is named ASIMO with meaning of "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility". We have another meaning in Japanese.
in Japanese
Asi means "legs"
mo means "too,also"

According to the official web site, he is tuning &years old on this coming Oct31. In Suzuka he gonna have a birthday Party!! When I was a kid, on 21th century I would imagine Robots could do anything as human, for example doing homework insted of me, hehehe. Now still we have many things which only human can do.


ASIMO official web site in English
ASIMO official web site in Japanese

WATER

When I was a kid, I used to drink tap water without any care. Nowdays I rarely drink tap water, if possibele it is because I grow up in a countryside, and now living in Tokyo. I don't remember since when I started to buy bottle water insted of drinking tap water. The other day on TV I got information of the one bottle water which is the very tap water of Tokyo. It sounds fanny???

Accoding to that program 20-30years ago in Tokyo, the tap water is said "Not tasty!!", although it is clean enough. So the authority have been stressed on the taste as well as quality. The bottle water which I mentiond above are sold well as a souvenior. I have never tried that, since they are sold in limit places. If I found it , I want try it. Yes but it must be the same taste with tap water......

The other day I found "FUJI Mineral water" in a starbucks. It says they are sold since 1929, contains a lot of minerals. The package is so cute!!!


Just water, but water......

Americanized "Japanese food" by Japanese

Like a riddle ?????


The other day I hanged out with my friend, we found the beautiful rolls at the department store. We decided to buy them so quickly , it was so delicious.



Sushi is originally Japanese food. I think many people know about it.

But those colorfull rolls like califolnia rolls are made by people　in U.S.A. When I went to a Japanese restaurant in other country , to my surprise they have many kind of these roll. Some is beyond the Japanese sense, for example fish with seafood.

Recently some place in Japan they serve these kind of sushi roll as well as original sushi rolls. But the shop I found in the department store sell only those colorful rolls. It is interesting American people made new taste of Japanese sushi , which reimport to Japan. Sushi is already global food, isn't it???

Natsubate but time to be healed

It's been a long time since my previous post, how are you all doing? Some of you might be worry about me during my long absense from this blog, at first I couldn't post because of ill. But after getting over, I didn't feel like to do anything. Why??
I am sure it's because of "Natsubate".

Natsu means summer in Japanese.
Bateru is a kind of slung word means "got exausted"

Every year the weather of Japanese summer is making me feel very tired. Especially the difference of tempreture of inside or outside building. It is more than 30c degrees outside , Inside like my working place it is so cold by air conditioning system.

This year rainy season called "tsuyu" is longer than usual, so it suppporsed to be shorter summer , I think, but still we have hot and humid summer.

Although I have been suffering from "Natsubate" during summer, the other day I got time to be healed. Thank you for my friends Aime san, Rey san, Ami san and Megan san, I could joinen the healing party. I had great healthy meal - I loved the cheezecake, got massage -feel relaxes so much, facial treatment - such a luxuary time, and finally I did Yoga outside. I am sure my body is very delighted.




Sometimes I feel less enjoyable this humid summer , but I really want to enjoy the rest of this summer;)

tanabata

Tommorrow is 7th of July, many Japanese wish it will be a beautiful wether , especially at night , because we have a fairly tale as follows.

******
Once upon a time a beautiful woman lived in the bank of the Milky Way which shined in a night sky, her name was Orihime , and a daughter of an Lord of the Heaven. She followed orders of her father ,and worked very hard as a weaver every day.

As for the cloth which Orihime weaved, it was wonderful, and the Lord of Heaven admired her working.But to his pity, the daughter worked too hard to spend time for herself- like putting on her make up, and dating with a boy friend.

So he decided to let her marry Hikoboshi who was also hard worker ,lived in the west of the Milky Way ,and a cattleman . Then Orihime and Hikoboshi began new life in this way.

However, after their marriage , they were enjoying everyday, actually it was too much, they didn't work any more. At first the Lord of Heaven let them do, but finally he got angry, and said to them to live separately - made Orihime live in the one side of Milkyway ,and Hikoboshi live in another side. And the lord of Heaven said to them "If you work very hard, I will let you meet at the night of 7th July "

Orihime was so sad, but decided to work very hard, Hikoboshi as well.

However, when it rains on July 7 when two people longed for it, the volume of water of the Milky Way increases, and Orihime cannot go to the opposite bank.
*****

The father was so strict , wasn't he??? Once a year???

Now in Japan, we wish the good weather, and same time we make a wish ,writing it on small piece of paper, and hung the bamboo tree on 7th July.



So we can see the bamboo with papers in many place in Japan, there are tanabata festival in some place.

minus ion and Kamikochi

Three or four years ago, the word "minus ion (actually it is japanese English, in real English it means negative ion)"　was akind of a boom If you go near waterfall, you can refresh and relax, we say it because munus ions happen naturally. It may reduce your stress. Then many products was on sale, for example bottle of water, air conditioner and so on. Actually "minus ion" is not nomenclature, is not chemically demonstrated. But now many Japanese people know this word, and recognize its function.

Last Sunday I went to the highland basin in Nagano prefecture called "Kamikochi" where is the gate of Japan Alps, sorrounded many mountains, and known as a beautiful scenery. There are some walking area ,some of them are by the river, during summer season many people go to the summer resort escaping the big city.










I am not sure about minus ion ,but surrounded the nature made me feel relax and better, although we got soaked because still it is Tsuyu(rainy season.)

Live camera in Kamikochi