Camera Balance…
Posted by harvey in Crazy Consumers, Gadgets on 17. Aug, 2007 | 4 Comments
You don’t need a good camera to take bird pictures. Just a gianormous lens! I spotted these birdwatchers while on the Fukuchiyama railway hike. Look at the size of that lens… Look at the size of that camera! It’s a similar model to the camera I use to take JapanNewbie snaps. By the way, totally [...]
Osaka Meal Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki
Posted by harvey in Culture, Food, Osaka on 15. Aug, 2007 | 6 Comments
Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki can constitute a meal in Osaka. To people in the Tokyo area, this would be unbelievable. To people in the Osaka area, well… It’s not an everyday occurrence for sure, but few would deny that it happens from time to time. A more common culinary difference between Tokyo and Osaka that involves [...]
The writing on the wall
Posted by harvey in Culture, Language on 11. Aug, 2007 | 6 Comments
My Japanese friends couldn’t tell me what this meant… 「二不土身」(it’s old school, so you read it backwards… Japanese is weird like that.) So I looked it up! Cause I’m such a geek! The question posted by this Japanese person in this forum helped me out! 『身土不二』は「しんどふじ」と読みます。 意味は、「人と土は一体である。人の命と健康は食べ物で支えられ、食べ物は土が育てる。故に、人の命と健康はその土と共にある」と言うこと。 My translation of the meaning that was written [...]
Hiking in Kansai: Abandoned Fukuchiyama Railway
Posted by harvey in Osaka, Travel on 10. Aug, 2007 | 35 Comments
Hiking in Kansai! Gotta love it. Get away from the city. Get some air. Listen to a river, look at some GREEN… Sweat a lot. The hiking trail we went on this time was interesting in that it followed an old abandoned train route (廃線). The course was interesting, and other than the heat, not [...]
The Great Happiness Space – a look into Japan’s host clubs
Posted by harvey in Culture, Media, Osaka, Society on 05. Aug, 2007 | 16 Comments
I just saw a great documentary movie, The Great Happiness Space – Tale of an Osaka Love Thief. By the way, my friend silentangelfish clued me in, thanks! I literally just finished watching it, so excuse the “high tension” of this post. This documentary follows the work life of an popular host working at one [...]
Aya Kamikawa – M2F politician
Posted by harvey in Society on 04. Aug, 2007 | 3 Comments
Aya Kamikawa is a transgender Japanese politician, and she also has a great domain name! She is obviously famous in the media for her lifestyle, but according to my Japanese friends she is also a loyal and talented politician that many wish there were more of in government. She is currently a Setagawa-ku diet representative. [...]
Japanese Inn Meal at Asaba Ryokan in Ise
Posted by harvey in Food, Travel on 02. Aug, 2007 | 4 Comments
I recently had a chance to stay at a ridiculously fancy Japanese inn called Asaba Ryokan on the Izu peninsula in a town called Shuzenji with my wife. We happened to win a contest that allowed us to stay at this place for one night, for free! This Asaba place is so posh that Chriac, [...]
