Monday, March 28, 2005

rain rain go away

Dsc07856

couldn't have picked a worse day to ride my bike to work, without a raincoat or umbrella (fyi riding a bike with an umbrella is an offense in tokyo and if caught you can be charged up to 50 000 yen). riding against the rain with the chilly water dripping off my nose i remembered the little birdies i spotted in kamakura, a good samaritan had given them raincoats to keep the water off their pretty winter coats (???)

Sunday, March 27, 2005

line up, line up for the greatest ride in town...

Dsc07965

the weather is starting to warm things up...a relaxing sunday afternoon stroll from shibuya to harajuku can turn into a mosh pit once you hit takeshita dori. check out the line up at the ticket machines to catch a ride on the yamanote train. there are two main entrances; the takeshita entrance (seen in photo) and the omote sando entrance - both were spilling out onto the street.

fun and friendly fugu

one of my first stories was about a fugu feast i was fortunate enough to survive. back then the fugu appeared to be an infamous sea dweller with little to offer 'cept a bit o fear and mystery. little did i know the mighty trooper was into all sorts of things....

like chillin by the beach with his mates...Dsc07842

and amphetamines...



Dsc07853

Thursday, March 24, 2005

peace, love and cheezu

Dsc07866_1

it has taken me over a year to get to see the famous ' big buddha' (daibutsu) and of course it was the slushiest, rainiest day of the year.  alas the rain did not deter us from taking in a multitude of japanese sites, mostly of the traditonal kind - a much needed break from the bright lights of the city.

kamakura is high on the recommended list if you are looking for a good mix of japanese history, culture and cuisine all at a stones throw away from the big city (1430 yen for round trip/ 90mins one way). there is so much to take in and if i get to do it again on a sunny day, a bicycle will be a must have item.




Dsc07858

Dsc07890

Dsc07846

Dsc07840



Dsc07882

Dsc07910

soggy

Dsc07885
have so many stories to share about today's sopping wet southern adventure to kamakura and enoshima island...but all the jumping in puddles and buddha spotting has worn me thin, so it will have to wait til the morning. thought i would keep with the flower theme and post a picture of another gorgeous blossom i stumbled upon today. its beauty added so much colour to the grey grey day.
oyasumi (good night)

Dsc07889

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

sugar plum

Dsc07816

for mel

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

spring has sprung

Dsc07830

it is no secret that the weather can alter your state of mind and well being. i dont think i was the only one in high spirits yesterday, wandering through the 144 acre garden known as shinjuku gyoen. a public holiday in japan, for vernal equinox (Shunbun-no-hi - buddhist ans seasonal ceremony), the park was filled with frolicking families, cuddling couples and titilated tourists. the shinjuku skyscrapers loomed overhead as constant reminder that we were still 'in the city', but the surroundings provided a tranquil retreat. as my feet crunched on the pebble path and my eyes lit up with the site of spring, my ears where filled with the cackling of happy people - voices drifted through the spring air singing 'ureshii' (happy) 'kawaii' (pretty, cute) 'kirei' (beautiful)... i smiled as a beautiful grandmother and her adorable granddaughter skipped past chanting 'happy, happy, happy'. yep that warm sun and sweet breeze has been a long time coming. spring means blossums and in japan blossums mean hanami (thats a whole new story...)

Dsc07817

Dsc07827

Dsc07801

Dsc07798

Monday, March 21, 2005

let's get physical...i mean personal

Dsc07793

ok i love tokyo, i really do and i know if i had to leave her right now i would be devastated - but i have to admit that my mind has begun to wander recently. maybe its the long, cold (for a sunny queenslander) winter, of which im sure i spent half in bed or coughing and spluttering my way through the day and night.

Dsc07546 but my recent daydreaming includes scantily clad healthy bods soaking up the rays as they pop the ball over the net on the sand of impanema.  i fill my ears and thoughts with sounds of bosa nova and brazilian samba as i ride the subway, drifting away to a space where i am practising hip shaking at frightening speeds readying myself for my debut at the sambodrome.  these fantasies are seriously worlds away from the life a live now and in reality years away. for now im just gonna have to stick to the daydreaming plumped up my my lonely planet guide, ipod, exotic fruit products from the convenience store.

Dsc07539

Dsc07789

ps am off to park to study japanese, nibble on onigiri and hope to get a sighting of some cherry blossums (probably a week or so too early) and try and appreciate the exotic wonder of this crazy city

Saturday, March 19, 2005

raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Dsc07775

when the dog bites; when the bee stings; when im feeling sad; i simply remember green tea ice cream; and then i dont feel so baaaaaaaaaaaad!



my new fav - haagen dazs green tea and kuromitsu (molasses) crispy sandwich. i really could eat 10 or 20 a day (what a shame im on another fake 'in my mind' health kick).



i have to admit the thought of green tea and molasses wasnt too tempting when i heard that haagen dazs were bringing out a new flav. but the creamy green tea icecream is cased in a choc like mollases shell - the perfect texture size (actually could be a little larger for the 265yen price tag) and flavour...and it kinda sounds healthy huh? so there's no major guilt when i do eat 10 in a row.



 

Thursday, March 17, 2005

japanese jesus ??

Dsc07562

this super cute super hero is adored by children throughout the whole of nippon.  anpanman is just like your regular friendly super hero, he likes to fly through the sky, tell the bad guys off and help the good guys. but anpanman's super power is a little different to other crusaders. he cannot leap tall buildings nor can he swing through the tokyo skyline...anpanman saves the sick and starving by offering them his head. yep, anpanman is a bread head, that cute lil noggen is a freshly baked cake filled with bean jam/paste (a sickly sweet red bean japanese treat) mmmmmm yum. he can often be heard saying "if you are starving, eat my face".

so what happens after someone has nibbled on his face?? his uncle jam bakes him a new one, of course.

check out how anpanman was born...i mean baked.

Birth1

Birth21

the cutest thing is his voice.

the japanese are so in love with this little cutie that some have even stopped to ponder....

Are the adventures of Anpanman an analogy of the mission of Jesus Christ?

(Answer from the Anpanland website)

No. While both Jesus Christ and Anpanman were immaculately conceived, and while both were born in humble locations beneath a bright and shining star, and while both live(d) selfless lives dedicated to relieving the distressed, and while both exhibit transubstantiation (whereby ordinary bread becomes, in fact, living flesh), and while both ascend into heaven, and while the images of both frequently and miraculously appear in tortillas, hubcaps and oil spots...the similarities end there.

Cross

i was so pleased to discover that i live right near and anpanman shop. filled with the most outstanding array of anpanman and friends goodies.

ps anpanman has a few really close friends: currypanman is one of anpanman's superhero friends.  anpanman's head is made of the sweet anpan-bread, currypanman's is made of the spicy curry bread.  shokupanman is anpanman's bestest friend. his head is a slice of white bread and he is the patron superman of school lunches. shokupanman's secret headquarters is deep inside of toaster mountain.



 



Dsc07561

Sunday, March 13, 2005

memories

its always a big decision to move to another country, another home but it can be an even bigger decision to get to the stage where you are ready to move on and leave your new home in search of another. some take it in their stride, look towards new horizons and get ready for that new adventure. that's exactly what mel; photographer/artist/traveller has done aswell as sharing her two and a half year relationship with south east asia and in particular - japan. with so much beauty and heart to offer, this collection of memories has been on display at the design festa gallery, harajuku.

Dsc07763

Dsc07766

Dsc07768

Dsc07770

we will miss u mel! your photos are gorgeous...take good care have a ball!

Saturday, March 12, 2005

this shit don't stink

Dsc07671

friday night was the much anticipated launch of top rad cupco designer, lucas temby's, poo on art exhibition for 55dsl, Tokyo. the hip daikanyama club was transformed into a cupcopian world safari. the space was crammed with tokyo beautifuls as the cupco characters kept a close watch suspended overhead and projecting themselves from the big screens.

you can check out luke's work at the harajuku 55dsl store, march 14 - may 8.  for more details and a chance to enter cupco www.cupco.net

Dsc07720

Dsc07682_1

Dsc07685Dsc07691

Dsc07757

Dsc07674_1

Dsc07694

Dsc07737