Okura Act City Hamamatsu

... br>Well, third time around, and I still love it.<br><br>The only place around here that has some form of organized physical fitness is the Karate club in Toei-town, about a 40 minute drive for me. Every Wednesday (and now every second Wednesday due to English Conversation Classes), I head to this dojo to attempt a mockery of Karate. I say mockery, because I only understand half of what comes out of the teacher's mouth. But I'm catching on, and they all ...

... some nice lady or manservant to come and tell me that it would be best that I didn't come again, but that they were really grateful for me coming, I took my sweet ass time enjoying every nook and crinny in that place. Unfortunately for me, my tolerance for warm saunas and baths is pretty low, so when I started to lobster-up, I took my leave.<br><br>The funny thing was, no one approached me. I could have SWORN that the man who walked with his kid, washed up ...

... The course wasn't too difficult, with winding roads, long bridges overlooking a green lake (they don't call it Midori-ko Marathon for nothing), and surrounded by mountains on all sides. I almost tripped three of four times, Run Fat Boy Run-style, while trying to take all of it in while jamming to Enigma or screaming out Coldplay through my iPod. I tried to say 'Ganbatte' (Good luck! Try your best!) to everyone that went by ...

... which is part of my address, and there was a little under thirty of us in total. We met twice to practice some of the harder activities that took place at the Toyone Dome a small open-walled structure, about the size of an indoor gym. When I first arrived, people seemed a little anxious that I was "on their team". And really, they didn't open up that much until we got drinking the night after the festivities. More on that a bit later.<br><br>The games ...

... high-tailed' it outta there, leaving his hapless victim (not his dinner, mind you...they're herbivores right?) on her own.<br><br>So, having disturbed this lovely display of primal roots, I burst out laughing, feeling awful for having taken part in playing the breakin-father. But heh, if I'm not allowed to have fun, neither are the bloody bunny-rabbits!<br><br>Kinball rocks!<br>

... I had some on me too, but it seems that the nut mainly chose her to bust on. It must have found its way into through the grating and into the coals for it to reach that temperature, for I've never seen a nut get so violent before. Enough of that, or Skippy will be suing me in no time.<br><br>Once we've had our fill of beer, meat, gohemochi, and nut-explosions, we head out to the prime location for that night's fireworks. I think where most festivals distinguish themselves is in ...

... the school D.H. works at (Toei), and the schools that Derek commutes to (Tsugu and Taguchi). It was a good turn out of young soon-to-be athletes.<br><br>Much like the last ceremony I attended for Cleaning Day, the day was rigidly structured and it adhered to all the time constraints so that everything was done and done well. Things started early, Ichikawa-sensei and I arrived there a little after 7:30, I believe. I took the opportunity to kill some spare time before we got ...

... to by the teachers and sometimes the occasional retired Ojiisan (which means grandfather, or at least someone that age). So with a bunch of 1st-year JHS students, I started yanking weeds up and throwing them into barrels that the kids took turns emptying. Then I went away on sweeping up the remains of the weed-wacking the teachers expertly cut for me, set in neat lines from their designated areas. It was hard work, believe me. One student was found slightly unconscious from being ...

... con hijos. También se encuentran los muelles donde descargan grandes barcos, pero lo que destaca de esta "ciudad" es su visión futurista, plasmada en el diseño de cada edificio, entre ellos el FUJI TV, con una enorme bola de mil doscientas toneladas a la que se puede entrar tras sufrir una interminable cola al sol. Obviamente yo pasé del tema. Aún me da tiempo para recorrer la parte norte del centro de Tokyo y acabar en Akihabara de nuevo para enfrentarme a ...

Still learning little tidbits about this culture that surprise me.. Last Friday was the Doll's Festival, or Ohinamatsuri (Hina = dolls, Matsuri = festival). Parents buy their daughters a set of dolls that are approximately Edo period dolls representing the emperor and empress. The minimum set has just the emperor and empress, and if you've got the money, you can get 2 guards, 5 ladies-in-waiting, 3 male servants, oxen, carriage boxes, castles, etc. I know my mother ...