From the Desk of the individual of Japan.
Random stuff...
Random stuff...
Another twelvemonth is upon us, in addition to it's fourth dimension to reverberate on electrical current events within Japan, in addition to the world.
.... But first, I postulate meditation food....[ sigh ]....[ breathe in]....[ exhale ]....
I must get upward my consciousness over baked mac-n-cheese drowned inwards four kinds of cheeses, a side of crispy fried shrimp, in addition to an icy tall drinking glass of grape chu-hi! In Japan, nosotros have got individual food, too, amongst a piddling Japanese soul.
2016 has been a crazy twelvemonth for us all. My disappointments inwards relationships amongst both men in addition to women, in addition to self. The province of the acre in addition to more. This has been the roughest twelvemonth for me inwards a long time, but ane that has been total of rewards in addition to happy occasions. I had ane time told myself that the bullshit that exists anywhere else inwards the earth also be correct hither inwards Japan. The exclusively deviation is that hither it's to a greater extent than of a cultural characteristic than an fine art form. Here, Japanese people prevarication amongst sincerity, in the states, they prevarication amongst intent to have got something from you, deliberately. It takes a smashing oculus to option upward on a Japanese prevarication vs. a white lie. I have got been lied to yesteryear all trend of human being in addition to woman. H5N1 grin is non a grin in addition to a osculation is non a osculation for sure. There's ever a hidden agenda. Somehow I have got managed to stand upward on top of all that bullshit, plenty to dust myself off of it!
When I await out into the vast surface area of the urban sprawl, I am overcome amongst the daunting reality of historic flow in addition to decrepitude. So many living corpses walking around amongst blank expressions on their faces who have got no retirement to await forwards to. I don't attention virtually them anymore. I have got my ain donkey to save. The exclusively warmth is coming from my newspaper loving cup of java inwards the mornings.
Single maternity for thence many returnee daughters from failed marriages has skyrocketed inwards recent years, along amongst a human being infant crisis of adults who turn down to go out domicile to get their ain lives. It's too scary of a idea for salaried men to intend about, fifty-fifty for a reasonable retirement in addition to age. I am ane of them but without all that baggage.
Single maternity for thence many returnee daughters from failed marriages has skyrocketed inwards recent years, along amongst a human being infant crisis of adults who turn down to go out domicile to get their ain lives. It's too scary of a idea for salaried men to intend about, fifty-fifty for a reasonable retirement in addition to age. I am ane of them but without all that baggage.
We run around chasing newspaper money in addition to metallic element coins to substantiate our lives. We have got to drinkable potent alcohol inwards lodge to speak virtually the pension problems in addition to the sexless relationships here I tin post away come across why some people would rather throw themselves inwards front end of a speeding educate in addition to inconvenience the lives of millions of commuters nationwide. Nippon definitely needs to have got a await at how to gear upward the pension system instead of burdening the immature people. Instead, the authorities has already approved a Bill that is going to construct prisons for the elderly who are forthwith committing crimes similar petty theft at grocery stores. Their children precisely reach non desire the burden of caring for the elderly financially, thence the elderly plow to criminal acts to survive. They are in all probability improve off inwards jail anyways since they can't drive in addition to are to a greater extent than unsafe on the route than inwards grocery stores.
I was seat upward for iii nights inwards a overnice room, costless of charge. Clean sheets in addition to rugs. First matter I did was oestrus some H2O to brand tea in addition to breathe usually afterwards toting luggage all over the place. Japanese hospitality is all the same legendary in addition to thence is the attending to detail, at to the lowest degree this remains the same. You retrieve what if felt similar to sit down inwards a create clean hotel amongst a overnice sentiment in addition to a hot loving cup of Japanese tea? I know I do.
On the means downwards from Tokyo I had a pale ale brewed from H2O sourced somewhere around Mount Fuji amongst some Equus caballus mackerel. The mount itself used to live revered equally a god for thousands of years, the really iconic paradigm of Japan. Now, a veritable wasteland of mount junkies amongst white penis fever seeking the side yesteryear side best thrill amongst selfie sticks inwards toe. Thank yous UNESCO. The ale was mutual depression temperature in addition to crisp in addition to had a overnice flavor profile amongst a skillful balance. The Equus caballus mackerel has a deep vinegar in addition to fishy in addition to is a local specialty inwards Kanagawa Prefecture. Soy sauce is also localized.
There is costless wi-fi onboard all Shinkansen trains, but exclusively if yous already have got a router. Japan's rapid transit network is broad ranging in addition to beautiful. We tin post away acquire anywhere hither in addition to fast, unfortunately, the organization itself is debt ridden similar the Tokyo to Hokkaido route working families precisely cannot afford to pay to ride. Not plenty commuters are spending money to acquire to Hokkaido. This work is attributed to ticket prices in addition to miserable marketing schemes. The virtues of the province are largely unknown yesteryear a large swath of Japanese, in addition to this also is some other argue the locomote manufacture is suffering. They precisely reach non instruct plenty of the virtues in addition to beauty of Nippon to their youngsters, in addition to equally a consequence, when they grow upward they exclusively desire to locomote overseas because of clever marketing schemes that appeal to internationalism.
( chase your dreams overseas inwards a unusual in addition to exotic land).
( chase your dreams overseas inwards a unusual in addition to exotic land).
I endeavor to brand sense of it all, too, this is ane of many reasons why I remain connected amongst the folks that grow, produce, in addition to sell agricultural products, including Japanese alcohol. TPP roughshod through in addition to President elect- Trump has some other agenda inwards place, ane that is oculus focused on America, non Japan. This is skillful for Japanese farmers in addition to volition let agro to rebuild from within the province inwards lodge to ensure a improve in addition to to a greater extent than sustainable hereafter for generations of Japanese, in addition to me in addition to the Jukujo : )
The warm wombli(ness) of a mineral saltation inwards the morning time is heaven. Liquid connubial bliss of fermented rice brew slept inwards god H2O in addition to thence there's the morning time fresh chill of breeze inwards the nostrils, in addition to I tin post away option upward evergreen, spearmint, in addition to pino in addition to warm woods from the tub in addition to I tin post away take heed a aeroplane sing. I intend this is Japan.
At times I wonder where the "old guard" has gone? The one-time heads who worshipped at the feet of Mishima Yukio....
In the moving-picture demonstrate to a higher house is a "Kan - reach - ko" or traditional Japanese sake warmer. You preheat petrified woods until it glows orangish in addition to house them within the metallic element box. Fill the sake warmer amongst H2O in addition to house your sake container inwards the water. The appeal hither is dull warming sake in addition to dull cooked bacon. Freshly cutting citrus fruit amongst insides removed in addition to shaped into a cup. Pour hot sake inwards in addition to drink. I am forthwith an "old guard" or at to the lowest degree what is left of it.
When president-elect Trump assumes the reigns of power, the earth volition live holding its breath. I dear this mango infused egg custard amongst a deep in addition to rich sense of savour equally I reflect. Long gone forthwith are the days when yous had sissy presidents who stood for goose egg in addition to who had no principle, in addition to who swore on MLKs Bible, forthwith the the U.S. has a president who has balls in addition to suddenly the earth feels secure again. At to the lowest degree for Japanese they have got the legal backing to revise the outdated constitution in addition to legitimize their state of war machine arm. According to the state of war machine constabulary if a Japanese soldier dies inwards fight his household unit of measurement volition have 98 1000000 yen! Amazing.
I dear the H2O ice mutual depression temperature banana chu-hi in addition to the sweetness chili in addition to mayo yakitori inwards the Hancho District. I had reconnected amongst a few negro sailors in addition to am dumbfounded at the grade of devotion they have got amongst "old - Americana." I come across the cheeseburger in addition to hot Canis familiaris stands, really piddling inwards terms of one-time Yokosuka. By the way, Yokosuka is a really beautiful town in addition to has been for centuries until the the U.S. established a base of operations there. H5N1 lot of tourist overstep upward Yokosuka in addition to caput to Miura Peninsula instead in addition to I don't blame them. Japanese women inwards search of larger in addition to harder penises loiter around Yokosuka oft times to acquire picked upward in addition to impregnated similar inwards the instance of exceptional Kay - iii kids in addition to iii dissimilar fathers.
I'm usually also lazy to remain upward passed midnight so I cannot savour the nightlife there, but whenever I am at that topographic point I aid myself to chu-hi in addition to skewered bird.
Moving passed Yokosuka in addition to downwards to Kyoto, my eyes were blessed amongst temples in addition to autumn foliage. The timing couldn't have got been better. I was sent to instruct a course of report inwards Nagoya correct virtually at the same fourth dimension leaves inwards Kyoto began to turn. Leaf peeping represents the flavour of change. The admiration of autumn leafage in addition to Japanese temple viewing acquire manus inwards hand, along amongst the tea in addition to cool temps.
Do yous ever have got discovery of the olfactory belongings of "Igusa?" I - Gu - Sa.
Japanese tatami is made from Igusa, a type of grass that has been used for centuries equally a medicinal herb to process stress in addition to fatigue. Here inwards Kyoto yous tin post away experience the aromatics of existent tatami made from 100% existent Igusa. The argue for pointing this out is because 70% of tatami is imported from PRC in addition to is treated amongst chemic fertilizers. This kills the natural chemicals found inwards Tatami. Every garden inwards Kyoto has a solid attached in addition to these houses have got existent tatami.
One of my favorite educate route maps yesteryear Jorudan in addition to tin post away live downloaded from the iTunes store. I purpose this to acquire around with.
So that is a brief update on the province of affairs amongst sofJ ( boy of a Jukujo). In conclusion...
Stand on top of the bullshit, dust yourself off, in addition to await downwards on the pile of lessons that yous learnt.