An inconvenient time zone

I have to admit I'm tired. World Cup is finally over but it's been several weeks in the wrong time zone. 4.00am starts aren't as easy as they used to be (congrats to Spain by the way). Japan is, give or take, twelve hours ahead of the US, Mexico and Canada so everything was early morning for us. It's a little like having jet lag, but you figure it out somehow, or in my case, a little zombification during day time. And it's only every four years you have World Cup, Wimbledon and Silverstone all at the same time. But I can start to sleep now.

In the midst of everything I received a message that a friend was retiring and would I create a video wishing him well. My view on this is that he isn't actually finishing but more starting something new, and that was my message. Didn't help that summer has arrived with a vengeance and so, as I walk the neighbourhood, filming my message, I'm sweating like a donkey. The people walking past thought I was a little bit weird and the newspaper delivery bike seemed to stick to my trail, but we got there. And congratulations to him too, he worked hard at the sports company for many, many years.

The big change though, has been saying farewell to my place in the mountains. A bolt hole away from the city in a place near the town of Karuizawa. I built it for my son when he was young but those days are long gone and it was time to let it go. I'll miss it, there were many wonderful times there, birthdays, Christmases (?), deep snow, cool summers, croquet, treehouse building, treehouse deconstructing. Yes, I will miss it but as a friend pointed out "without change, there would be no butterflies". And now I'm integrating two homes into one. Time to sleep.

The day the earth stood still - a little bit nervous in Japan

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes, I make a mistake. But when I do, it's usually in Biblical proportions. Saying yes to an afternoon beer was a good example, including breaking my shoulder, seven days in hospital and pain killers that left me thinking there was a party in the ward at 3.00am when, in reality, there was just a lot of snoring. My fault, no one else to blame, but I have to admit, that time the staff were awesome (and the pain killers weren't bad either).

This time I lost my phone. Doesn't sound a big deal but wait. I left it in the mountains of Japan where I've had a place for many years. A weekend with friends and a return drive on the Tuesday and arriving back in Tokyo to realise I was bereft of my communication device. The feeling is a little like one of those dreams when you're in public and the vision is that you may not have worn suitable clothing for a day out. But it get's worse.

Inside my phone case were also my credit cards. My ATM card. And a number of other items required for daily life. And now I have a serious problem. My access to cash was 185km away. And suddenly I felt very conscious of that dream scene. I even couldn't set my alarm to collect my dog from trimming (he's a cool dog by the way) as the alarm is on my phone. Couldn't even check the weather to know if I needed an umbrella! Or get on a train as the payment system is embedded in my phone. 

I was a teenager the last time I didn't have access to cash or communication (in fact probably twelve or thirteen as no one had told me about area codes). My phone had given me the gift of time when I first had obtained one. No longer waiting for friends who'd cancelled and couldn't contact to let me know. Credit cards allowed me to travel the world without worrying if anything else was missing from my pocket (except my passport). I'm a wombat, I know, but a happy one today. Today I have my phone back. And I'm not letting it go again...

Life from the other end of the world

Sometimes, just sometimes, you have to return to your country of origin, and in some cases, when it's not a funeral. The longer you're in Japan, the more enjoyment you experience everyday and the less you think about days gone by. But sometimes it's important, sometimes you have to go back and remind yourself and everyone else you think about them, and that they are important to you. And so, mid-May, I found myself on a fifteen hour flight to the UK. Over Alaska. Then Greenland. Then Scotland (I pointed the flight camera downward and experienced the expected, a view of cloud). Then London. Then four hours in a car.

It was interesting. Beer with a friend I haven't seen for forty two years but it felt like yesterday, local pub and the landlord said "nice to see you again after what, three years?" and so I had a beer and relaxed on the barstool. Ten days of UK rain and cold was enough and so reverse journey, Heathrow and the skies. But this time traveling east. I made the mistake of putting the sky map on and realised I was over the Caspian Sea, squeezed between Russia and Iran (for future readers, both countries at war with others just at the moment). Kind of wish I hadn't looked. But back home. What was 12C twenty four hours ago was now 24C as I stepped onto terra firma.

And now, having just released my jet lag in the UK, am back under its sticky tentacles in Japan. It'll be a few days but I've just slept until 4.00pm. Not a good start but I'll take it. And for anyone who thinks jet lag is just about sleep, it means you usually travel for the enjoyment. People used to think I have an amazing jet set lifestyle, reality, all I saw was the inside of airplanes, hotels rooms and sleepless nights staring at the ceiling. But this visit made me smile. And I got to go to The Cavern Club with my older brother. That was a good day. 

A funny thing, I talked the driver from Haneda to home in Japanese for thirty minutes. But when I got home he switched to perfect English. I laughed. And a thank you to James. He didn't make me go, but in a roundabout way reminded me why I should when I could. Thank you.

 

A bit of a shake

We tend to have earthquakes here in Japan, it sucks but it's part of the price you pay for living on the intersection of four separate tectonic plates (where do you think all those volcanos come from?). And last week we had a big one. M7.7, that's enough to knock you off your feet if you're in the locale, bring down buildings and generate tsunami. My home town in the UK would have been flattened but that kind of impact, explains why buildings in Japan are generally not made of brick.

It was the first experience for a friend from England who only arrived a few months ago and had the bad fortune of being in an elevator when it went off (here, the elevator will take you to the first available floor and jam the doors open) which ever level you're on, you're on foot from there. Didn't help much that she called her husband and he laughed. He's probably not going to be forgiven for that for a while yet.

I'm fairly used to earthquakes (I was driving when an M7.0 struck once and the car went sideways), having been in Japan for both Kobe and the Tohoku M9.0+. They're not fun especially if you happen to live near the coast (and please remember, tidal rivers are just an extension of the coast). But what was different this time, and has never happened before, was the local international church (I'm not religious in any shape or form, so I don't know which one), came around and rang the bell. And just asked if I was OK. They had no idea of my background but were just looking out for the gaijin community in the area. And for that, I thank them. I might have been a newbee stuck in an elevator for all they knew. That was kind.  

An unusual week in the life of a Brit in Tokyo

Japan is infamous for its much loved, city and country immersing, sakura trees. Ugly as sin for most of the year but breakout in gorgeous fashion toward the, give or take, closing days of March. And so, Saturday was spent sitting in a local park under the beautiful cherry blossom. Hanami is a time the entire country finds somewhere to locate oneself under the trees, crack a few beers, catch up with friends or simply relax and take in the pleasure of spring. Didn't hurt that the weather couldn't have cooperated more either. And so began my birthday week in Tokyo.

Sunday, I was supposed to be meeting an old friend for lunch at a pleasant French restaurant we both have old memories of. My friend lives out of town near Fuji these days and we don't catch up as much as we used to so was very much looking forward to an afternoon of chat, wine and excellent food. Arriving at 1.30pm (again in perfect weather) I walk over from where I live and there, much to my genuine surprise, was the entire ensemble, nearly twenty friends in all, to congratulate me on getting just that little bit older (including the suitable red jacket, celebrating my age).

Monday, my actual birthday, we were invited to our Japanese friends' home near where we live. This is rare here, it's unusual to be invited to someone's house, dining tends to be out on the town. They set about imbibing me with shochu (knowing that's my poison of choice) and they fully succeeded in their objectives. Don't really remember the end of the evening. One thing I do remember though was the present from my son. A t-shirt from every concert we'd been to since he was seven. Seventeen in all from Eric Clapton, the first, to Queen and Adam Lambert, the last (Oasis in 2025 he took me to so that one didn't count). I'm not going to forget that gift, the thought or the effort. Ever.

The next couple of days were a blur of a birthday hat to replace the Panama I've had for thirty five years, which admittedly has seen better days but I'm not letting it go whatever, coffee with an old friend who had started my son's school many years ago, and in the evening I streamed in to a friend's funeral, he was young and cancer had taken it's toll. The service was an easy to access but I wish I'd received more invites to weddings rather than funerals if you see what I mean.

To brighten the mood, Thursday was shoot day. Photography is a passion of mine (portrait before you ask, put me in front of Fuji on a glorious day and I'd take a tourist snap, but people, I can make them relax and the results will make them smile). This one was a very beautiful Japanese lady who's an awful lot of fun and agreed to the shoot on the basis of I let her play with my dog when we finished. The pictures turned out stunning and if interested (or even if not) you can see some of them on my IG here but that's just me, blowing the proverbial self trumpet. Another great day.

The car is now in the shop in Yokohama (needed a specialist for this one). In Japan your car requires a service every couple of years which can run into thousands of pounds, so it's good to get problems fixed prior to the mandated bi-annual review (shaken) as it's usually significantly less expensive. The shop is doing the fix for a little over GBP2,000 but the brands own service center quoted a little over GBP10,000. See what I mean.

And the week finished with a regular medical check up which included being injected with what the doc referred to as a "radio-active isotope". Hmm, no additional details provided but it turned out to be a CAT Scan in the end. Funny, and a little unnerving, when you see your entire skeleton lying there. Japan works on a preventative medical basis rather than waiting until you're actually sick. No one spoke English but when they motion for you to lie on a bed that is clearly about to carry you into a large machine, you get the idea. Turns out I'm ok and even better, didn't glow in the dark afterwards either.

So, on the whole, not a bad birthday week and thank you so much to all involved. I had no idea about the surprise party if you were wondering. How they kept that from me is a miracle of the age. And now the week if over, it's raining here in Tokyo, but I have a smile on my face.

Before, During and After. Earthquakes.

At 2.46PM on March 11, 2011 my office began to shake. Some five minutes later it stopped and we could all stand again. There is a universe of stories about that day (heck, I even wrote a book on it) so today is not so much a 11/11 story as general food for thought about what'll it be like when another hits (which it will) action that may take the sting out of it. I hope you find it useful, a little preparation can go a long way.  

 

The Emergency Medical Number is 119

 

First things first: Take a deep breath! Your earthquake alarm is loud!

 

So what will happen in the event of a major earthquake?

 

1       The ground around you will shake (a lot) and you probably can’t stand;

2       Mobile phone services will be out in around 10 mins (internet communication may still work: (FB Call, Line Call, What’sApp Call etc);

3       Roads will be log-jammed in a few minutes. If you’re on the highway they may not let you off, train stations will not let you out until the external facades are declared safe;

4       Hotels will fill quickly and you may have to share a room with a stranger;

5       Trains will stop until tracks have been confirmed safe (possibly next day);

6       There may be tsunami; coastlines and river valleys will see the main effect; 

7       There will be aftershocks and these may continue for several weeks, but they will eventually fade.

 

 

 

Home Preparation

 

1       Prepare your house / apartment and relocate anything over the bed such as heavy pictures, re-arrange furniture so it will fall away from you;

2       Identify safety zones in the house especially for the kids;

3       Prepare an earthquake bag including water, rain-poncho, some clothing, a stack of 10 yen coins as pay phones will probably still work funnily enough, 1000 yen notes, pet supplies, wind-up radio etc;

4       Check the school evacuation policy, (do you pick the kids up, are they released to come home on their own, is it ok for a friend to pick them up?);

5       Know where your gas meter is. In a severe earthquake there’s a safety trip which will cut the gas automatically. The reset button is the small red one next to the meter;

6       InterFM will probably be broadcasting updates in English; (Tokyo 89.7; Yokohama 86.5)

7       Ensure you have an Earthquake alarm on your phone, there’s a lot you can do with a few seconds warning, you’d be surprised;

8       If you live, or are vacationing near, the coast, know your route to high ground and run;

 

 

Work Preparation

 

1       Act quickly;

2       Try to stay in the office unless there’s a concern the building is no longer safe. FYI the highest concern is falling glass;

3       Keep a pair of comfortable shoes under your desk. Walking home in heels or leather soled shoes will become painful very quickly;

4       IT: Create an email account that includes all staff including temps, you may need to send “All Staff" communications over the next few days

5       If senior level, your teams will be watching for guidance. They’ll need your reassurance;

6       Know the route how to walk home, if you always travel by Metro, you may not know;

7       The first items to go in Combini (Convenience Store) will be battery powered phone chargers, good idea to keep one in your desk draw;

8       And finally, to paraphrase FDR: When your neighbour's house is on fire, you lend them your bucket. Help where you safely can.

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.

Being RickRolled in Japan

And so I finally got around to opening some, rather aging, email from my inbox. One from a friend (I checked in advance it was legitimate as I hadn't heard from them in a while) had a link to Japan's new visa laws. This, being somewhat important, I clicked the link. And got RickRolled. I cried laughing when I saw the original date of April 1st. My bad. But it took the rest of my life to explain to my Japanese friends the concept of RickRolling. Some things translate into the common lexicon, others don't have a hope...

I've lived in a great area of Tokyo, just off the beaten path from Shibuya, for more years than I care to remember, but I'd never been to a small side street I walk past all the time. That is, until a friend was playing in a Live Bar (Live Music) which took me down said side street. His band was covering Oasis songs, he was on guitar and a Japanese guy was Liam Gallagher. And terrified. So got drunk before the show. Actually he was really good and then I realised this area was full of Live or themed bars and I'd never known it. You learn something new everyday in Tokyo.

Another piece of fun that occurred towards the end of March was the Sakura (cherry blossom) coming out. This is the time for the traditional "Hanami" party which is centered around friends sitting under the trees drinking beer and just relaxing and catching up. If you're ever in Japan around Hanami time, I recommend grabbing a beer, blanket and a friend and copy the entire country. It's a wonderful part of culture, some companies even send junior staff out early to grab the best spots in the morning before joining after work. But we were good, great weather (for a change) and we just hung out for the day with my dog and the Sakura trees.

It's been a good few weeks. An art reception, Chicken Pie in an English pub (may not sound too interesting to many but when you haven't had a chicken pie for too many years, these things appeal to you) and added to that I was invited to the baseball at the historical Jingu Stadium where Babe Ruth played in 1934 and everyone wore Boaters. And to top it off, after a freezing winter and a miserable spring, it's finally becoming just that little bit warmer...

The Snows of Spring

So, I'm enjoying the balmy first days of Spring in Tokyo, whereas two weeks ago I was sliding, knee deep in snow just two hours from here (managed to keep my feet if not my dignity). And then two days ago in central Tokyo the snow caught up with me, the temperatures having dropped to the lowest for many a moon. There was the fun of comparing snow depths around the area, a friend winning with 30cm, mine had been a more modest 18cm. And then another friend, in the throws of making a short movie in Niigata, north west Japan, extinguished all bonfires with a whopping two meters.

But as I say, we're now 24C and I may be able to switch off the yukadambo (under-floor heating) until next winter. With the extraordinary help of a good friend, my car is now re-certified (shaken) and instead of costing JPY1.4m as per the dealer, it only set me back ~JPY65k (that's roughly the difference between USD10k and USD500, if you were wondering) (and thank you, without you I'd be wondering lost around the testing station in downtown Shinagawa).

Hay fever season has kicked in in the Tokyo Metropole, although I'm lucky and don't suffer too badly, there are a lot of exploding people around me as I walk into town (I like to walk and when I say "town" I'm referring to the center of one of the largest cities on Planet Earth. Nice walk though. Flu season seems to have passed, it was mild this year but a few friends were laid low for a week or so (I acquired Swine Flu a few years back and that one knocked me sideways). And now waiting for hay-fever to subside, before the next round in May, we're coming to Hanami Season when the entire country sits under the Cherry Blossom, drinking beer and contemplating the world going by. Could be worse.

The Winding Streets of Shibuya

Shibuya is a district in central Tokyo famous for the "crazy crossing" and the statue of "Hachiko, The Dog" both stories I've covered elsewhere in TenguLife and you can look them up if you'd like to know more. It's also now home to an alleyway of a multitude of bars starting with the first one being Okinawa themed and finishing at the far end with the final chapter providing Hokkaido delicacies (you may need a map to figure out why if it's not obvious). And that's where I was last night though "delicacy" would be a little bit of a stretch but Anthony Bourdain style, try the food and meet the people.  

Life starts around 11.30am and sitting outside you're just in time to catch the sun and a slew of people carrying luggage from Shibuya Station to their hotels (this tide reverses by mid-afternoon). It used to be a pretty seedy carpark with a mud pile on the roof where the homeless slept, built in for the 1964 Olympics, over a local river. But it's now a fairly cool shopping plaza with a roof garden that breaks all regulations but no one really seems to mind.

And so last night saw me thirty minutes early, iPhone just incase my friends called and a copy of "Slaughter House 5" to keep me entertained. One of the great things about Japan is you can just sit and watch the world go by. The manager knows me though doesn't speak a word of English and my Japanese wouldn't hurt to be a little better, but we've built a friendship over the last couple of years. So if you see a westerner sitting by himself, reading a book, that's probably me. Feel free to say hello.

We didn't all come out alive

Some days go better than others. As we all know. No sleep last night and as I was dozing off at dawn I'd promised to wake my wife at 7.00 so had to stay awake. Wife up and out of the house but by now I'm wide awake and no chance of sleep again. And walking to the local store (they're everywhere in Tokyo, we have four within five minutes walk), wasn't watching what I was doing and tripped. Flat on the face. Not great.

Problem being I now have a video conference at 11.00am, running a mild fever, bumped up and banged around I managed to get through that and then I really, really wanted some sleep. But managed to do some UK admin specialised for residents of Japan. Except for time zone... And as I put my head down my FB Messenger started to ping. Of course it did. But getting up to check I received a sad message. A guy I recruited nearly thirty years ago had passed away.

He was a good man, willing to tell me when I was wrong, something rare here. He had a view and could communicate it without leaving people upset but very clear of the message. In Japan you rarely tell your boss he's wrong, but this guys had the bravery and honesty to do so. And so I respected him and we grew to be friends. And now I'm going to miss him.  

Tokyo - 25 Years Later

There's something of a golden rule in Tokyo "only ever do three things in one day". I may have mentioned this before but it runs pretty true and is a good guide to not breaking down along with the world around you. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of one that refines to how many activities are a good idea in a week, or even four. And excluding a number of other mornings, the last few weeks would really benefit from something of a guiding light. It's been an interesting interlude.

Kick off related to an old friend arriving with four others I last saw at his wedding some twenty five plus years ago. It was a genuine pleasure to see them after a beach in Hawaii in the heady days of 1996. For a couple of them it was their first trip to Tokyo, so naturally, when then end of the evening arrived, we hit the karaoke. I sing like a donkey but turns out two of the ladies had beautiful voices. We also managed to (legally!) source something for one of the guys collection (he didn't have a Japanese one). And they had a wonderful time. Especially when I told them my "looking after Tom Brady in Tokyo" story...

And the following day it was the turn of another family of friends that I probably hadn't see for another twenty years visiting from overseas. The two boys, now teenagers, who I was meeting for the first time, were great, one a dog whisperer and the other an academic. The interesting issue was with both sets of friends, we didn't reminisce on old times, we chatted, laughed and talked about the future. The only history recounted was swimming with turtles off the shores of Maui and trying to call a friend after I'd dropped his phone into a pint of beer. Seemed like a good idea at the time but apparently HR weren't too pleased...

My Life in Japan - U2, the Morphing of a Nation

I quite often hear the phrase "Japan never changes" however given it is the only country in history to completely eradicate the gun (they're let few back in now before you say it), Samurai no longer practice sword skills on the occasional unlucky passing peasant and voyagers are allowed on their way without being crucified, this is something of a stretch. Japan has changed significantly, and that includes the modern iteration as much as anything in past history. So, in reality, Japan is actually in a constant state of flux, and when you look closely, you can see these morphisms in action.

In 1994 U2 came to town, playing at the Tokyo Dome (a baseball stadium with, it has to be said, the acoustics of a baseball stadium but, at something around 55,000 seats, the largest gig in town). I'd been extorted for many years by friends from Europe and the US that it was going to be the best show of my life. And it sucked. I mean sucked in biblical proportions. The band could feel it too and as the final video of Lou Reed singing "Satellite of Love" arose across the screen, they walked off. No encore, no "thank you Tokoyo" no "goodnight", nothing. And for the next nearly twenty five years this one night remained the singularly worst show on earth to me.

Until 2019 that is, same band, same venue and pretty much the same set list. And it was one of the greatest shows I'd ever seen. And the difference, this time, was the crowd rather than the band, which could engage with the heaving masses, who loved the night and rocked with every tune they delivered. And there was an encore(!). Which the crowd loved. The main difference appeared to be, given all else remained essentially equal, Japan had changed. In this instance, a significant element of the crowd had never known the world without the inter-web and the global communication and exposure it carried with it. At the 1994 show the internet was barely spreading its wings. But Japan embraced it with a fervor in the years to come and, as a result, the people changed. And all it took was U2 to make me realize just how much. I wonder, it has to be said, just what's to come...

My Life in Japan - Tell them we said "Sayonara"

In 1954 James A Michener published a book by the name of "Sayonara". It tells the story of a US Air Force Captain in the Korean War, stationed at Itami, the main military base near Osaka in western Japan. Itami per chance, is also close to the city of Takarazuka, home to the famous (still) Takarazuka Review, a theatre company renown for all the roles being played by (very beautiful) young women. And, within the story, it is only a matter time before the Captain is introduced, through a mutual friend, to the lead dancer of the review. This could have been the end of a beautiful story, except she spoke no English and he, no Japanese. And of course, in those days, inter-racial relationships were deeply frowned upon by the military...

I've simplified this telling, all beyond recognition, however one aspect of the story is something still prevalent today, the belief that you need to speak a common language to make a relationship work. Reality though, has a differing view point, when you find "that" person and you know you should be by their side for the rest of your life, "you figure it out". And somehow they figured it out. [An aside, if you do read "Sayonara" you'll find a world that I haven't included from both a Western and a Japanese perspective. And although elements remain, you realise Japan and the rest of the world are changing but that is for another day.]

I met my wife ~8.00pm, December 17th, 1993 (husbands get very nervous when I answer that at a dinner party). I was with friends in a bar that no longer exists (the building itself has long since departed this mortal coil) in Nishiazabu, central Tokyo. It wasn't an exciting night, that is, until the most beautiful girl in the world walked in. My two friend were having an argument and stormed outside to continue (sticking me with their check I might add) and I was left with the girl. And she spoke no English, and I, close to no Japanese (some things don't change...). You have to remember these were in the days before internet, texting, Line, mobile phones, basically anyway to communicate except payphone. But somehow we figured it out. And more than thirty years later, she's sitting next to me reading a book as I complete this post. Sayonara.