Blizzardboy | A Kiwi in Japan

Just finished switching back to Ubuntu. I have been using Linux for a long time now it seems, starting out with Redhat back before they went “professional” and turned into Fedora, then I used Mandrake for a while, until they too went “professional” and became Mandriva. I think there is a pattern there.

After that I started using Ubuntu, and then when we moved to China, I bought a Mac and used OS X. I thought it would be easier and more reliable to use in China where I wasn’t sure how good the internet connections would be. As it turned out Linux would have been a better choice as Apple still haven’t made much inroads into the Chinese market (at least not in the province we were in), and the internet connection we ended up getting was faster than Jesse Owens.

After a bit over a year using OS X, I went back to Ubuntu. Using OS X was Ok, never really had a problem with it, but it was a bit like waltzing across the floor with a stylish but slightly forbiding great aunt that one didn’t really want to get ones hands dirty with. So, back to Ubuntu. Used that for a while before feeling adventerous, and missing KDE, I installed KUbuntu. Not a bad operating system, but I had a lot of problems getting Japanese input to work (as others have had), and not finding a solution, went back to Ununtu.

I toyed with giving Fedora 8 a run, but the install DVD I have has a lot of problems and kept crashing at different points during the install. Funny really that even though it has been such a long time since I have looked at that American offspring it really hasn’t changed that much - at least in terms of the installer. Not the prettiest thing out there.

Ubuntu’s installation is pretty easy. One thing though, if you are in Japan and wish to give it a go and you have a fibre optic connection from a provider like Plala through to NTT (like any self-respecting space-cadet) you will need to open up your synaptic package manager and install the pppoe tools which are on the cd, but aren’t installed by default, to get your internet connection working. Running pppoe-config as root from the command line will get things working.

All in all, it is nice to be back. And nice to have Japanese input again. I should catch up on some email now.

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Fountains pens are one of those little luxuries which I particularly enjoy. Feeling the smooth flow of ink across the page is a very pleasurable experience, that despite advances in writing technology over the past 100 years, has still not been replaced. I still remember being terribly proud when my teacher at primary school judged my penmanship good enough to graduate from the humble pencil to a fountain pen. I wonder if children in New Zealand still enjoy this? Or do they go straight from pencil to myspace?

Last weekend we were going book shopping in Yaesu, near Tokyo Station when we stumbled upon the Pilot Pen Museum. There are so many little museums scattered around Tokyo that it can be fun to see what finds when out for a wander. The Pilot Pen Station is a Museum and Cafe with a neat display of writing implements - both produced by Pilot as well as outlining the development of writing instruments through out the ages.

There is a cafe on the first floor, non-smoking through-out. It looked pretty standard for a Japanese cafe and we didn’t try what they had on offer. The museum itself is on the second floor - up a staircase which quite ingeniously traces the history of the Pilot Corporation up each of the steps. One of the highlights of the museum was their collection of maki-e fountain pens. I had seen these before in department stores around Tokyo but didn’t know too much about them. They are made using a special lacquer coating process and then have very beautiful individual designs drawn on them. Very Japanese and beautiful to look at.

The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 5pm and Saturdays 11am to 5pm, closed Sunday and National Holidays. Admission is free and they also accept Pilot brand fountain pens and the more exclusive Namiki brand pens for repairs. The museum is easy to get to - one minute from the Ginza Line Kyobashi Station (if coming from Shibuya), 3 minutes from the Takaracho Station on the Asakusa Line (if coming from Ueno / Asakusa) and 8 minutes walk from the Yaesu Exit of JR Tokyo station.

Having visited the Pilot Pen Station museum I had a bit of a poke around on the internet to see what I could find. Pilot themselves don’t have much of an English website. But I found an interesting interview over at the perennial purveyors of pulsating missives - pingmag - with The God of Fountain Pens. As well as that, I found an informative page about the pen museum at Tokyo Fountain Pen Scene (complete with map). The person responsible for that site also sells fountain pens on ebay - here is his page. He seems to have a good selection of pens for sale. (I have no relation with what he is selling btw).

Finally Pentrace East has quite an indepth guide to fountain pen culture in Tokyo. I didn’t realise there was so much to do related to fountain pens in Tokyo - that page has recommendations for a couple of days of pen related sightseeing in the capital alone!

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With Nova on the verge of going under, I thought it might be interesting to look at what some foreigners outside of the worlds of English Teaching and High Finance were doing in Japan. Since the time of Laficado Hearn foreigner have been bringing their own special blend of magic to these islands, offering new and delightful ways of enjoying oneself.

Here are 5 business ventures run by foreigners in Japan:

The Anchor Pub - Hachijo-jima - Izu Islands Tokyo!

Although most people have an image of Tokyo that includes a mightily fast paced rat race and pollution and concrete office buildings and apartments spreading off into infinity, Tokyo is much more than that. Head outside of the hills and there is the mountainous paradise of Okutama, as well as some gorgeously untouched islands in the Pacific.

The Anchor Pub is located on Hachijo-jima, which is an overnight ferry ride from Tokyo (or 45 minutes by plane or helicopter if you are feeling especially bubbly). Run by an Australian, The Anchor Pub looks to be a great place to rest after experiencing the natural bounty Hashijo-jima has to offer. As well as a national park on the island, there are some amazing breaks on offer for surfers as well as a tunnel system left over from the Second World War.

As well as their website: http://www.hachijo.net/, they also run: http://www.hachijo.info/ an information site giving lots of really useful information regarding getting to Hachijo-jima, and accommodation on the island (including a free camping ground) as well as plenty of things to keep you occupied during your stay.

Sarashina Tansu

If one had to choose the area of Japan most likely to be home to an European cabinet maker then the mountainous ski adventure playground of Nagano would be a pretty safe bet. Bringing a solid body of experience as a cabinet maker in Europe to the restoration of Japanese antiques may seem an unlikely combination but for Austrian born Wiedner Udo Erich the combination looks to be a success.

He has a website at http://www.tansuhome.biz/ and a video of when he was featured on Japanese Television is on the http://www.tansuhome.biz/tansu.html page. The website is only in Japanese, which is fine as my German doesn’t extend much beyond “Achtung lieblung, mein nachtfraulien!”

The Greenhouse

Located in Chichibu - a very rural part of Saitama, The Greenhouse is an amazing place to visit. Chichibu during the Edo period was almost a country to itself and a major center for the performing arts during this period in Japanese history. Today, the Greenhouse combines the best of that world with an environmentally friendly and spiritually rewarding place to stay and unwind.

Located in a very large traditional Japanese country house, the Greenhouse has facilities for recording music and also provides a wonderful space for musical performances and get togethers. We stayed there a couple of years ago while a large group of Sitar players were workshopping. With over 40 sitar players there it was quite an amazing experience.

The Greenhouse is run by Chris who has been in Japan for such a long time he is almost a national treasure. He is very knowledgeable on topics such as the environment, capitalism and corporate greed which makes for some very interesting discussions.

The Greenhouse’s web address is: thegreenhouse.info and you can find a guide on how to get to the Greenhouse at: http://floatingworldweb.com/plex/index.html#-360.

Soulsmithing - Japanese Sword apprentice in Wakayama

One of the most beautiful things to come out of Japan is definitely the Japanese sword in its many guises - tanto, katana etcetera. Soulsmithing is the website of a Quebec national living in the central Japanese prefecture of Wakayama learning the delicate craft of sword making. More of a life style choice than a business as such, getting deeply involved in the arts and crafts of Japan can be both a way to support yourself, and a way to learn and grow as a person.

Becoming a recognized sword smith takes many years of hard work at the forge as an apprentice, but he is well on his way to achieving his dream. Hailing from Quebec, maple syrup is also a big passion of his. His website is in French, Japanese as well as English.

Canyons Japan - Canyoning, Whitewater rafting and more adventures

Located close to Tokyo and making for an excellent weekend away from Ishihara’s smog encrusted den Canyons Japan offer some rocking outdoor adventures in the Minakami area of Gunma. They have some mindblowing canyoning, canoe and kayak and caving courses. Their white water rafting is best experienced after a typhoon as the white water rafting can be a bit tame at other times.

If memory serves me correctly the bloke running the show is a Kiwi named Mike who has must be close to having the longest dreads in Japan. Him and the lads do a great job of keeping you safe while you go wild in some of Japan’s beautiful mountain scenery. They also have outposts in Nagano and in Shikoku.

As well as blowing your mind during the day they organise regular full moon parties as well as other events, and offer accommodation for full fun no hassles escapes from everyday working lives!

Check out their website at: http://www.canyons.jp/ for more information.

Five different places, five different adventures. There are certainly plenty of opportunities for enterprising and driven foreigners in Japan; as well as plenty of opportunities to experience and travel to some of the more remote areas of this fine country. There are many more foreigners in Japan doing and running amazing things - cafes in Aomori, ski lodges in Niseko Hokkaido, bakeries in Ishikawa.

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If you are travelling to Xinjiang or China, heading out on the Silk Road, then you will want to take with you a reliable and informative guide book. One book that we at oursilkroad.com heartily recommend is Fodor’s China. Written in part by Michael from Opposite End of China blog fame, Fodor’s China is the most uptodate and on the ball guide book for the Chinese region on the market. Michael certainly knows which end of the camel is for what!

From the publishers description:

Experience the Olympic buzz around Beijing, take a slow boat through the spectacular Three Gorges, or soak up the surreal landscape of Everest Base Camp: it’s no wonder that China’s tourism market is a booming $70 billion industry and growing as the Olympics near. With more maps, a language guide, and in-depth illustrated features on local food, culture, and customs, our savvy coverage will enable travelers to unravel the mysteries of China.

• Brand new regional planning pages provide an overview of the best travel destinations and address the logistics of a visit
• Chinese character translations of every recommended restaurant, hotel and nightclub in the country
• Expanded restaurant and hotel coverage on all of the most visited regions
• Completely updated dining and lodging reviews
• Personal recommedations on the most reliable tour guides in the country, where to find them, and how to book them
• Handy mini-essays, maps and images that highlight China’s cultural diversity and historic importance.

You can pick up a copy from amazon or any good bookstore. Remember though that in the Peoples Republic of China, restaurants especially can be there one day and gone the next.

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James Millward, Associate Professor at the American University of Georgetown has had published a new book Eurasian Crossroads (2007, Columbia University Press) which aims to be the first comprehensive history of the Xinjiang region available in English.

from the  Georgetown University site:

Scholar Explores History of China’s Xinjiang Region

Looking forward to reading that. I wonder if it will pass muster in China though.

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