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.