京都御所の秋

If you were to look at a map of Kyoto, or see the city from a bird's eye view, there would be a massive slab of green just north of downtown. The massive slab is the park where, for roughly 1,000 years lasting until 1868, Japan's Emperors lived.

Kyoto Gosho, the Imperial Palace, is a huge park that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

These two facts distinguish it from Tokyo's Imperial Palace - where the present Emperor, his family, and entourage now live - which is open only on New Year's Day.

Another difference is that Tokyo is heavily guarded while Kyoto Gosho is only lightly patrolled. A police car or two meander slowly around the grounds every hour or so.

At night, it is quiet and safe and nearly empty.

In addition to the Emperor's former residence, the Kyoto State Guesthouse (where visiting VIPs stay), and other traditional buildings, there are tennis courts and baseball fields.

Gosho is also popular for birders, for "hanami" (cherry viewing) parties, and the fall colors.

Last Sunday, we took a bike ride around the massive grounds. It was a picture perfect late fall, early winter morning.

Photographers and walkers and a few tourists were out in force.

The top picture is of the length of a wall, looking north, of the former imperial residence.

The lower picture shows a gate on the east side, around the corner from the top.

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温泉津

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Yunotsu (it's Chinese characters are "onsen port") is a small, historic port in Shimane Prefecture.



It was from Yunotsu harbor that silver, from the nearby Iwami Ginzan mines, was shipped to Edo (now Tokyo) in the 16th and 17th centuries. Yunotsu also handled supplies that were needed to develop the mines and support the thousands of miners, and those that served them (including a large number of prostitutes to satisfy the miners' carnal needs and monks to deal with the many funerals, as an Iwami Ginzan miner's life was usually very short).




The silver from this area was traded overseas as well as used domestically and Japanese silver coin "Soma Silver" could even be found in Europe. The Iwami Ginzan mines were directly controlled by the Tokugawa regime and the whole area was fenced off to deter intruders.

Nowadays, Yunotsu port is a small fishing port and also transports fine sand from the area to the Mazda car factory in Hiroshima to be used in making engine moulds.




The main village of Yunotsu has become a growing tourist area, known for its historic buildings and onsen hot springs, since the UNESCO World Heritage listing. The hot water in the village was forced to the surface following an earthquake in 1872.

The most famous of the onsen in town is Yakushiyu, which dates from 1919. The original, wooden Taisho-era bath-house is now the rather posh Shinyu gallery and cafe, which serves excellent curry and pasta, by the way, but no alcohol.

The Yakushiyu bath house next door to the gallery was recently awarded the highest ranking by the Japan Spa Association for its water quality and management. Only about a dozen onsen hot springs in Japan have received the top ranking.

After taking a bath on the ground floor, visitors are invited to walk up to the roof-top terrace to relax and take in the lovely view of the town below.

Yakushiyu bath house
Hours: 5am - 9pm daily
Admission: 300 yen adults; 150 yen children.

Shinyu gallery
Hours: 9am - 9pm
Admission: Free
Tel: 0855 65 4894

The one, narrow road through Yunotsu can become jammed with traffic, so it might be wise to park near the harbor and walk up to the onsen area past some picturesque temples.




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今年の流行語「アラフォー」「グ〜！」

The words or phrases that best "reflect" the recent year in Japanese society were recently chosen at the annual 2008 U-CAN Awards ceremony.

First prize went to 「アラフォー」"arafo-," which is used to refer to a woman around 40 years old. Second prize went to 「グ〜！」, "gu~" (good).

"Arafo-" was the title of a television series that portrayed the lives of forty-somethings.

The second grand prize went to the very irritating 「グ〜！」. Edo Harumi, herself forty-something, is a "talento" whose only talent seems to be to make an odd face while giving the thumbs up sign and uttering 「グ〜！」.

Other words nominated included:

「居酒屋タクシー」(izakaya taxi). This refers to the cabs that offered a beer or two to bureaucrats on their ride home after a long day at the Ministry.

「上野の４１３球」(Ueno no 413 kyu). The Japanese women's softball team took the gold medal in Beijing this summer, mainly on the back (arm) of starting pitcher Yukiko Ueno. She threw a total of 413 pitches in three days.

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• Date: Saturday Dec 6th, 2008
• Time: 4-7pm registration from 4:00 to 4:30pm
• Drinks will be served between 4:30pm-6:50pm.
• Place: Shooters Bar & Grill in Fushimi
  
• PREPAY FEE: Men 2500, Women 1500. *includes 1 free drink from Shooters*
• 30 couples only! 30 men and 30 women! Reserve and prepay to join!
• AT THE DOOR: Men 3000 yen, women 2000 yen. Price includes 1 free drink
• Dress code: Anything (Casual, etc)
• Reservations:PrePaid spots are Guaranteed! Only 30 men and 30 women. Reserve and prepay to secure your spot.

Nagoya Speed Dating is a great way to meet new people in the Aichi, Gifu and Mie Areas! At Nagoya Speed Dating, you will receive a number, an assigned table, and a personalized Speeding Ticket form. When the host says to start you will have between 3 to 5 minutes to talk to the person at your table. When the time is up the host will give you a signal. At that time the men will change tables and the women will remain seated. All you have to do is mark your speeding ticket with a yes or a no for each person. At the end of the event, the tickets will be analyzed and Nagoya Speed Dating will notify you of your matches. After that you will also receive contact info for the people you have matched with. Nagoya Speed Dating is a safe, easy, and fun way to meet new people. Come check out Nagoya Speed Dating!

Contact: 080-3648-1666(Japanese) 080-5469-6317(English)

Get off at Fushimi Station (Higashiyama Line or Subway Tsurumai Line[Exit #5])

Sakae 2-9-26 Pola Building 2F

Train Directions

From Nagoya Station from Nagoya Station take the Higashiyaama Line and get off at Fushimi Station . From the Station, Take Exit #5

Fushimi

Fushimi Station

Higashiyama/Tsurumai Lines

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Japan Tokyo Kyoto Nagoya Kyushu

• Date: Saturday Dec. 13th, 2008
• Time: 18:15 - 20:45
• Drinks will be served between 6:30pm-8:40pm.
• Place: Nagoya Tsurumai City Public Hall, 1-1-3 Tsurumai (very close to JR Nagoya Station)
• Fee:3000 Yen Gentlemen, 2500 Yen Ladies 1st 15 foreigners 2000 yen each!
• Dress code: Anything (Casual, etc)
• Reservations: Not necessary but recommended and appreciated. Just show up to the party!
• Over 25,000 Yen worth of exciting prize giveaways each month!

There will be free food along with free drinks (beers, wine, cocktail drinks and juices).
Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks.
Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your friends.
EVERYBODY is welcome to join regardless of nationality/gender. Reservation is greatly appreciated.
About 125-150+ people are expected to attend. Approximately 55% female and 45% male, 70% Japanese and 30% non-Japanese.
Pictures from previous Nagoya Friends Parties.

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小泉八雲記念館

Just up the street from the Lafcadio Hearn Old Residence in Matsue is the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum.



The building displays a selection of Hearn's original manuscripts, including a letter he wrote on the day he died in Tokyo - to a Japanese friend at the front during the Russo-Japanese War. Also on view is Hearn's specially-designed desk, his quills and inkpot and a number of his treasured Japanese pipes.

The displays have both Japanese and English explanations and the museum provides an excellent insight into the writer's life, especially if combined with a look at Hearn's former house a few doors away.



The Japanese-style building was built in 1984 and replaced a smaller, western-style museum first erected in 1935.

Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum
322 Okudani-cho
Matsue
690-0872
Tel: 0852 21 2147
Hours: 8.30am-6.30pm April 1-September 30; 8.30am-5pm October 1-March 31
Admission: 300 yen; 150 yen for foreigners

Take a bus from Matsue Station to Koizumi Yakumo Kinenkan-mae bus stop.

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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Mass Games, also known as the Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance, are held in Pyongyang's Rungnado May Day Stadium. The Mass Games are the opening night of a two-month festival that runs in various venues in Pyongyang.



The 90-minute show presents the history and glories of the DPRK and the Kim Dynasty; the Mass Games involves over 100,000 participants, including highly-disciplined gymnasts, dancers, soldiers and school children, the latter performing the amazingly orchestrated and choreographed "card stunt" routines in the audience.

The latest performances were in April 2007 (Arirang Festival) and 2008 and there is not another Mass Games scheduled until 2012.

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