Here is a pile of bicycles I saw near Tokyo Tower. For all the talk of eco in Japan, some things remain unchanged – such as a love of the new that would make Robert Hughes proud.
This photo was taken with my little Sony DSC-H10 and then modified with the gimp. I quite enjoy playing around with photos on Gimp. It really us quite powerful software.
This of course is quite normal for Japan and is part of the daily scene outside most of Tokyo’s bustling stations.
Where it gets really weird is with the whale sashimi, because of course, most of the time that isn’t whale, but horse. Bring it on Mr. Ed!
Chooch at the shiny post
I took this photo a couple of weeks ago when we were out for an evening stroll. It was taken by the express way close to Tokyo bay and the docks at Hinode where the ferries for the Tokyo islands leave from. I quite like the innocence of Chooch’s expression, as well as the shiny silverness of the lamppost.
Well, we are moving again. This time within Tokyo, from Higashi Azabu which is very central, to Katsushika Ward which is not.
Time for some more parks and nature in our lives!
If you live in a foreign country companies such as Adobe like to enforce language choices with unforgiving redirects.
If you want to download Adobe Reader in English and you live in Japan for example, you will need to change the url they redirect you to from:
http://get.adobe.com/jp/reader/
to:
http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
One of the lads just sent this announcement through:
Kea JAPAN is honored to host an event with Brian Martin, Chairman of Japan New Zealand Business Council
This is a great chance for you to:
+ network with a business leader and innovator
+ learn how Brian worked to turn around Levis and Triumph
+ interested in doing business in New ZealandWHEN:
Wednesday May 19th, 6pm to 9pm [ doors open at 5:50pm ]COST:
2,500yen pre-paid or 3,000yen at the doorWHERE:
Club 57, B1F Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 4-2-35
Tel: 03-5775-7857 www.fiftyseven.co.jpFORMAT:
standing buffet dinner with 1 glass of wine includedREGISTRATION:
Attendance at this event is limited to 150 places. Please register your
interest by sending an e-mail to judith at keanewzealand.com by May 14th.
Payments to be made by Monday May 17th by paypal.
All details will be provided on registration.
Any enquiries call Mark 080-3386-7558 or e-mail judith at keanewzealand.com
www.keanewzealand.com
Don’t go to Roppongi too often even though it is just up the hill – but will have to check this one out.
Good news for our cricket team as Paddy Foleys registered their first victory of the season over the Predators.
Here is a little snippet from the second innings:
The next man in was one of their chief protagonists and Goldie noticing the lack of helmet promptly put a man close in at leg slip, sure enough a bit of chin music followed and the batsman was looking rather uncomfortable out in the middle. He did manage to stick around for a few overs but never looked like troubling the scorers eventually out bowled by John for a duck. The next pair put on 18 runs before Goldie picked up the next one caught behind. Goldie claimed the 4th as well LBW and we had them on the ropes at 4-30 but with opener Graeme still in and looking dangerous we new the job wasn’t done yet.
You can read the rest of Jeff’s elegant prose here: Match report: vs. Predators, Game 1 Japan Cricket League Division One, 25 April 2010. You can also navigate your way around the site to find out how you too can have a hit out.
I didn’t make it to the game – have been a bit busy with work as per usual. Will have to get out for a hit and add to my momentous tally of about 20 runs in Japan – not bad for 10 years!
Also, had a link from long white cloud meets rising sun : Tokyo Anime Center… and Volunteering in Japan. Looks like there is a new kiwi blogging in Japan. Looking forward to some entertaining tales there. You can check him out here: long white cloud meets rising sun.
Finally – Golden week is almost upon us. Time I think to finally build my first Linux distribution!
I hold chopsticks in a different way, and can even catch food in mid-air with them. One day I should learn how to hold them “normally.”
Yesterday we went up to Ueno Park to help serve food for homeless people. Served just over 600 meals as part of a group of Cisco volunteers helping out with the Second Harvest project. It was my second time to volunteer – my first late last year when I helped wash up the pots and pans. Took me back to my days as a dish pig at espresso 124. Good memories, again in the rain!
Second Harvest:
What is Second Harvest Japan?
More than 650,000 people in Japan lack “food security”, the access to safe, nutritious food through socially acceptable channels.
At the same time, more than 6,000 metric tons of food is thrown away in Tokyo every day. If we can prevent this wastage and distribute a very small portion of this 6,000,000 kg, hundred-thousands of people may have secure access to food.
Second Harvest Japan does not pay for “new food” because there is already an ample amount wasted for us to draw from. Second Harvest Japan (2HJ) collects food that would otherwise go to waste from food manufacturers, farmers, and individuals, and distributes them to people in need such as children in orphanages, battered women and their children in shelters, and the homeless in Japan. 2HJ is the nation’s first food bank.
Working with the business community
Second Harvest Japan is a registered Not-For-Profit company in Japan (“tokutei hieiri katsudo houjin”). However, we are an alternative way for food companies to offload excess stock as well.
Food banking is an alternative to dumping food products that are still safe for human consumption. Stores, food manufacturers and importers all face conflicts of having food that must be disposed of because it cannot be sold. Food banking helps these companies save money along with making a positive impact to the community.
In Japan, the cost to dispose food is 100 Yen per kilogram. Second Harvest Japan will pick up nutritious food for free, saving time and labor.
Second Harvest Japan also ensures that all food will be handled in a safe and professional manner which includes safe storage, transport, proper cooking and consumption methods, and assurance that the food will never end up back in the marketplace.
Second Harvest is a very professional organization who make a difference on the ground here in Japan. If you want to help out you can contact them via the Second Harvest website.
