Some of the best times in Japan come from those little moments of confusion

After all these years in Japan, and living in the same area for many of them, we gratefully feel we're part of the local community in many ways but know we'll always have the enjoyment of hilarious communication breakdowns on a fairly regular basis. And last week was something of a classic when we were invited to friends' for dinner. And yes, there's a language barrier for me but with patience all around, we can usually work anything out.

So sitting around the table, a few glasses of wine had been quaffed, and the host asked about a friend of mine she's met at our house many years ago. It took a little while but, with the excitement levels building, I realised who they were talking about. A good friend with a wicked sense of humour (last year he spotted us enjoying our sons birthday dinner in a restaurant in Akasaka, central Tokyo. With a loud flourish of "sorry I'm late" he bounced down, much to our son's surprise and joined us for a couple of glasses of a fine wine, but I digress...)

So we're having dinner last week, and we figure out who our friends were referring to, and they said they'd love to meet him again. It'd only been ten years. So, my wife, phone in hand, looked up his number and called him. The answer came with a deathly silence until I spoke and the voice screamed "Oh God, I thought you were dead!". We let him down gently and explained he'd come up in conversation and our neighbours would enjoy seeing him again though I must admit to still being a little confused by the deathly reference. But by now, our friends only understood the word "dead" and thought it was someone else breaking the bad news about my friend instead of me.

Long story short, he'd seen my wife's phone number calling him and seeing this, quite reasonably, formed the conclusion that she was carrying bad news. With the call being a liberal blend of Japanese and English, and only partly audible as it wasn't on speaker, there was panic all around until everyone saw (and heard) me crying laughing as I'd realised what had happened. He'd thought I was dead and they, in turn, thought he was dead. Anyway, I'm fine, my friend of the phone is fine and a very kind invitation has been extended from our friends, who were rather glad he wasn't deceased, after all. 

I'm looking forward to the reunion dinner at some point in the future, though I may be a little more diligent in advance this time around and confirm no one has shuffled off this mortal coil. And then we can sit, eat, relax and return to the shochu. Unless, of course, someone else actually dies in the meantime...

A Birthday, a Treehouse and an Earthquake in Japan

Give or take, the second Monday of January is "everyone's" twentieth birthday here. It's actually a National Holiday and those who turned twenty in the last twelve months (not precisely but, run with me here) is celebrated. The girls wear beautiful kimono and the guys try to wear a suit. The girls do it better... There are town meetings when the responsibility of adulthood is extolled to all and sundry by the great and the good of the community. And then friends, for some they may not have seen each other since graduating High School, head into town and catch up on their latest adventures. It's an important day in the life. 

And so, like many others, I'll walk into Shibuya and enjoy the spectacle. The stations used to be overflowing with excitement but these days more will take a taxi direct to the forum rather than rail and a walk. And when the ceremony is over, they're all adults. I quite like the concept, it's good to see the recognition and reward they've all achieved to this point, it's not going to be easy going forward, but this is their day and I'm always grateful to be a silent witness.

New Years Resolutions are not something of a "thing" here but I've never quite kicked the habit. And so, this year, it's "Podcasts"! But, to be honest so was last year so let's just call it a "Carry-Over". Took me four years to hold a photo exhibition but I did have the excuse of a small global pandemic getting in the way for that one (https://www.instagram.com/i_tsurulife/ if you were wondering). Actually managed to (finally)  create a book of the work too. If you take a look, most are friends and about half speak English which always adds to the creative charm (sadly my Japanese sucks but you kind of raise the bar as time goes by and so it always feels like you're on the bottom rung).

Today, as I write, is Kobe Earthquake Day. Not recognised as such but I remember coming to work (in Tokyo) to hear there's been a small quake in the western city of Kobe. Turned out that it was so massive all sensor and communication links had been severed and so no one really appreciated the scale at first. I remember watching the news as the numbers climbed throughout the day eventually reaching some 5,000+ souls lost and the fires starting. The city turned red as night fell and I put a tape in, recording it till morning. Still have that tape.

Earthquakes aside, one of the real pleasures of living in this land is welcoming others new to town and, with a friend, we welcomed two Canadians who were in for the evening having spent two days snowed under in Hokkaido (them, rather than us). A wonderful backstreet location ("Kaikaya By the Sea" if you were wondering) involved introducing them on how to order sake, the elegance of chopsticks and sashimi to die for. Ten minutes from Shibuya Crossing (the crazy one), it's an easy walk and within a stone's throw of Nombe Yokocho (literally "Drunkards' Alley", an area created post war as somewhere to go in a burned out city, it's a little like a Charles Dobson experience (you may need to look, that particular reference, up) for a final nightcap. A night to remember was enjoyed by all!

And so, thirty five years after arriving in Japan for two (and being locked up at Narita airport on arrival, but that's another story for another day), I'm wondering where this year will take me. I have a place in the mountains to pass on, a two ton treehouse to dismantle (hopefully without injury, at least to me) and a car that is showing its age. Should be good. Oh, and podcasts of course. Well, maybe, possibly, downhill, with a following breeze... 

2025, a year in Japan

So how did the year go... Well, I have a friend in Tokyo who, earlier this year, managed to win the lottery for Oasis tickets at Wembley (London if you were wondering). That clearly meant a long flight and a few days back in the UK. And one of the greatest concerts ever performed which registered on the Richter Scale on the day. But before flying, he also won a ticket for the Tokyo leg of the tour. Unperturbed, he arranged to go to both however, this is where the universe has a sense of humour, he was accepted to a year long course, in said London, which commenced before the Tokyo event was held in October. So he went to the Wembley show from Tokyo and the Tokyo show from London. Potentially setting an accidental record.

I, on the other hand, did not win the Tokyo lottery and, despite desperate efforts, totally failed to gain a seat. That was, until the night before, when my son casually mentioned he had a spare (yes, he'd be holding it for about a month while I sweated). And so I got there. With a broken arm from two weeks prior, six pins in my shoulder and the firm belief I had a lot more time to break other bones but possibly only this chance to see the band. And so I went, my 27 year old son in the vanguard down the un-railed stair of Tokyo Dome,  with his friend bringing up the rear. And the crowd around me, when they saw I was slung up and unsteady, actually formed a bubble around me to help me through the crowd. What a show, and what a local crowd.

It was, to put it mildly, a stinking hot summer this year. It's not necessarily the heat that gets you but the combination of that along with the humidity. Going out is something of a crash course in survival under these conditions and you end up planning your route dancing between air-conditioned department stores and life restoring restaurants. Or you can head up to the mountains and stay in a "besso". The closest analogy we'd have would be the venerable mountain chalet, usually around 1,000m plus, above the heat and sweat of the Pacific coastal cities. I've had one for many years and it makes a pleasure of the summer months. The curious thing this year though is two other friends have respectively bought their own in the second half of 2025 and third is planning a purchase too. Shame we're all on different mountains, but considering the opportunities for something going horribly wrong if we were located within beer distance, probably for the best.    

Earlier in the year, a UK friend I've known for nearly forty years, decided to dip his toe in the water and relocate for the next couple of years before retirement. Great to see him. Life is so much easier now with Google Translate and Navi (Sat Nav) than it used to be when arrangements were conferred via answer machines and directions using a faxed map of where you were going and a strong sense of hope. 

Winter (the official one) arrived upon Tokyo at 12.03pm December 21 as a celestial event but it's too soon for the snow in the metropolis, though further north the blizzards are drifting and the Black Bears are hopefully hibernating (and a wolf escaped from a zoo last week by walking out of an open door). It's been a good year, I've continued to collect every spam from Yahoo! (still massive here by the way) with 823 currently awaiting to send to the distributor as a thank you gift in the new year.

And finally, I'm slowly getting used to writing about "my life in Japan" rather than "Japan itself", I decision I made after some 600 posts on the intricacies of the country. Taken a while but I'm eventually getting there. Hope you had a good one too. Happy New Year and may tomorrow bring you a smile.

Santa and his bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken

The year end fast approaches, and where has it all gone? The weather in Tokyo sucks and soon we'll be queuing for our tickets for the queue for KFC (yes, you queue for the queue). And if you're wondering, dating back to somewhere in the mid-1990's when KFC ran a campaign of "Christmas isn't Christmas without Kentucky Friend Chicken" and it became as much a tradition as the German drunk butler (and that one you'll need to look up elsewhere). Has to be said though, it is not one of those customs I've ever actually indulged in.

Christmas is a working day here but back in the days when I actually used to work, I'd take the day off, burn the turkey, realise I'd forgotten something and try to explain in my local supermarket exactly what it was I was looking for, non-too easy when I only know the English word and the hardworking staff wouldn't have a clue what I was in a panic about. But that's part of the fun of Christmas in your non-native language. At least clotted cream is more widely available these days.

And so the decorations are up in the house, walking along our road though it is sadly noticeable that ours is the only Santa inflated and on display. This isn't a reflection of religeon in any way though, but more a lack of children. Come May and the flying fish (koi-nobori) celebrating children's (well, ok, boys') day are also missing compared to years ago when I moved to this area of Tokyo. There just aren't the kids anymore. And, although something I miss, I'm not giving up. Now we are empty nesters it's chicken rather than turkey for the table but the Xmas pudding is prepared (although my wife isn't a huge fan it has to be said) and the crackers shall be pulled. And winter will arrive this weekend. At 12.03 noon time in Tokyo on Saturday. Happy Christmas.

Winter is Coming

That means something to some and nothing to others, but, put simply, it's getting cold (mid-November now, time to dig the woolies out). It's been a curious, coincident-laden, few months bringing us to this point. In six months it's gone from insufferably hot to finding the warm corner in the izakaya. Shooting stars may have been overhead last night but are somewhat difficult to see under the lights of the worlds brightest city (and I mean that by street lights before anyone asks).

One curious phenomena over the last few months has been the toll age is taking on us all (and our gratitude to the incredible Japanese medical services). In a matter of not so long, I've experienced the enjoyment outlined in the pervious article, one friend broke his arm falling off his bike (pedal variety); another ripping tendons falling off his and having to be re-sewn together (hint bicycles are getting more opinionated as we grow old; yet another standing up in restaurant and turning to leave only for his lower leg to remain targeted in the seated direction from the knee down, refusing to to join the rest of him in his strive for the checkout.

But one friend wins it all hands down. Three hospital visits in six months (but only three pins so I still have that over him though, to be fair, he wins hands down on stitches). We all picked ourselves up and pretended we were twenty five again. Which brings me back to Winter is Coming. Tokyo enjoys a modest flush of snow every now and then. Which leaves a blessing, and a curse, in its wake. Blessing, we don't have much; curse, no one has a clue how to respond when we do. Salarymen still wear slick, leather soled shoes and slide every which way you can imagine and taxis drive as if it's a beautiful sunny day, until they encounter said out of control salarymen. 

But the trains, the trains run on time, no "wrong type of snow" here (you need to be British to get that one). And over the next few months, as temperatures decline further, I'm sure we'll have opportunity aplenty to thank the medical staff again who've dodged those taxis and flailing salarymen to help us out. After all, just look at what we achieved in a short few months when it was nothing more challenging than dry and sunny. And now we're going to slide. Winter Is Coming.

Summer in Tokyo

It's been a funny summer / autumn in Tokyo. Weather was hotter than the surface of the sun and when it went down, I had a week before switching the underfloor heating on as temperatures plummeted. Too hot for a summer jacuzzi, the highlight was the announcement of the Oasis tour and that they'd be alighting in Japan. So time for a lottery and I won (!) nothing... Was worth a try though but hang with me, there more to this story.

Having missed out on tickets for late October I decided to break my clavicle instead. Tripped and slipped, no one else's fault but my own. Take my word for it, a CT of broken bones looks awesome but the lying down part on the scanning bed with a two part shoulder is not a huge amount of fun. And so it goes (yes, I read "Slauhterhouse 5" over the following week). Checked in the next day and I am now six titanium pins heavier.

Six nights in hospital, the nursing staff were outstanding though I slept most of the time, at least when no one was snoring. Which wasn't often. And then back home with a detour via my favorite sandwich store, hospital food was honestly good but when you get a craving... And then something of a surprise. Of Biblical proportions. Remember the Oasis reference above...

I'd completely missed out on the concert tickets (not from want of trying) until the night before the show and my son came over to our house and unleashed a storm of a dilemna. He had a spare ticket. Which I gladly accepted with the risk of more damage to the shoulder or the risk of capitulating on the only chance of seeing the Madchester band I was probably ever going to have. So I figured I have other bones to break at a later date and we had an incredible night. Two body guards shadowed me so I came into contact with very few, in fact, when the crowds saw I was all slung up, they joined in and formed a bubble around me. As I say, it was a funny summer / Autumn but my thanks to everyone who walked me through it. I won't forget the kindness and support. Or Oasis... 

Let it go in Japan

And so it goes. Sayonara to a friend soon. One of the repercussions of living in a foreign land is, that although you meet many wonderful people, you lose them as they pass through. Two or three years passes very quickly and you become friends and then have to say goodbye. But it's worth getting to know them and last week I was invited to a farewell event where I met new people, and had the chance to see a friend before he was on his way. You have to smile at that.

The last few weeks have seen my cousin (and family) come into town for the first time, the son of an old friend come by, a great couple of dinners and a night in a live bar (music, before you think anything else) and an old friend who we began work in the same day in London quite a while ago. He's transferring to Tokyo for a couple of years, he'll have a wonderful time but I'm pretty sure it's going to take a little cultural adjustment as it were. But it will be a wonderful time.

Didn't see the smiley face in the stars, rain was a little heavy for that. Boys' day in the mountains is on hold and I had to shut a friend up by putting my hand over his mouth. Funny one was being asked, for the first time in many years, to sign my credit card before I could pay for my bullet train ticket at Tokyo Station, then signing the ticket, and then the conductor checking the signatures matched. I guess he was just doing his job but it did make me smile. Letting things go is a lot easier than being a little frustrated in Japan you'll find. So it goes.

Oh, and I got absolutely soaked walking home a few weeks ago until a lady saw me. looking akin to a drowned rat... She ran into her store and brought me out an umbrella. It wasn't going to help, I was already swimming in my clothes. And she wouldn't take any money for it. But she gave me a wonderful memory and I'll pay it back someday, somewhere.