End of the Year Office Party

So our ITS team at the office had a party to celebrate the end of the working year. And also to have a goodbye party for Matsuzaki. She's taking time off until next year. It was a great night getting to hang out with everybody. Once again, Ishikawa fell asleep and everybody, notably Hamanaka and Matsuzaki, starting playing pranks on him by drawing all over his face, like darkening his eyebrows with a permanent marker. It was quite humerous.

At one point they asked me how I communicate with my friends and family back home in Canada. So I told them I use a webcamera and a MSN messenger (the concept of chatting). This was a complete shock to them. It was like they heard about webcams and chatting for the very first time. The Japanese are not internet savvy at all. Their form of communication is all based on the mobile phone. All foreigners think that Japanese has all this amazing technology. There is a lot of neat technology, but the general Japanese public still falls behind in how to use the available technology. So overall I feel its just a partially false and over-exaggerated stereotype. Like how all foreigners think Canadians eat maple syrup all the time.

It was a great time. Free food, lots of alcohol and a chance to further bond with my co-workers.

The ITS team: (Left side of table, back to front): Me, Suzuki, Tsuji (used to be in the ITS), and Aoki. (Right side of table, back to front): Takaishi, Fujitaka, Kuroda, Ishikawa, and Matsuzaki

Hamanaka and Matsuzaki pulling a prank on Ishikawa

Japanese Tea Ceremony Class with Rotary Club

Today, the Tokyo Rotary Club organized a class to teach students how to perform the tradition Japanese Tea Ceremony. My friend Hiro is the Vice-President so he was kind enough to invite me to experience it.

I had done it many times, once in 1993 when my Grade 5 class took a field trip to the Japanese Canadian Culture Centre in Toronto, the second time was in July of this year at the Japan Tent conference, and last month, I went with Hiro and the rotary club to an unofficial public tea ceremony. BUT, this time it was extra special cause it was an official class with a professional sensei (teacher). So they taught us how to properly fold the napkins, how to properly wipe the bowls,how to walk, bow, move properly around the tearoom, and how to properly drink the tea. There are soooo many rules. It was quite an interesting experience.

The class took place in the famous Konnichi-An teahouse (Today's Teahouse). The teahouse is over 400 years old and is used by many high Japanese dignitaries like Prime Minister Junchiro Koizumi. The name "today's" teahouse was inspired by a poem telling everybody to live life to the fullest. Make good use of your day, don't delve too much about the future or the past. I completely agree with this philosophy.

I can now say I took an official class on the Japanese tea ceremony in Japan's most famous teahouse.

The sensei

My friend Hiro (right). One of the vice-presidents of the Tokyo Rotary club

Life's Many Conumdrums

Ever since I moved to Tokyo to start my work term, I've had more time to myself to read novels and think. I've read almost 7 novels since September. I mostly do it on the subway to and from work.

So I just finished "Elenor Rigby" by Douglas Coupland, who happens a Canadian author. The story was very light-hearted, whimsical, humerous, and yet it was very thought-provoking. The main character, Liz Dunn went through life, as we all do, with problems. Yet throughout these problems, she manages to stay above the frey and brush off these problems without the slightest thought. By the end, she learned a lot about herself and vowed to change. I'm not going to go into detail but I do recommend everyone to read it.

After the amazing and emotional ending, I had to take deep breath. I was on my way home from work today. Having so much time to yourself isn't always the best thing cause it means you have more time to think about your life problems, your faults and your failures. The thought-provoking story didn't help much either.

Sometimes I feel that I'm the only person in the world with serious emotional and life problems. And I ask myself why does life have to be so complicated. But then as I looked around me on the Tokyo subway train and I realized that everybody has their own problems and obstacles to deal with. Everybody has their happy times and their sad and complicated times. I realized I am not alone in this world. Life is not easy, we have to work hard and make difficult life-changing decisions.

I guess being in a foreign country has really made me realize my own strengths and weaknesses. I'm really thinking too deep into this. But I think self-actualization is important. Learn to know yourself better and life's many conumdrums won't seem as bad as you think they are... well at least I think they wont be.

Hokusai exibition

Today, my friend Chris and I went to the Tokyo National Museum for Hokusai exibition.

Hokusai (1760 - 1849) is Japan's most famous and most well known artist. He lived during the Tokugawa period (1600 to 1867) in a Japan of traditional Confucian values and feudal regimentation. His most famous work, which Im sure everybody has seen before some time or other, is the "Great Wave".


They had shipped from famous museums from all over the world, orginal works of Hokusai. The exibition was spectacular. Though I pictured the original paintings to be much larger than they turned out to be. But Hokusai's artwork had soo much detail and was so elegant, that it blew me away.

I wasn't allowed to take any pictures. So I bought some postcards and I took pictures of them.. hee hee.

"The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa". Hokusai's most famous painting

"A Mild Breeze on a Fine Day ". Another famous Hokusai painting
"Dish Ghost (Sara Yashiki) "
"Beauty Being Inebriated"

Afterwards, I visited the Tokyo National Science Museum. They had a special exibition called Pearls - A Natural History, which was partly organized by the world famous Mikimoto company that produces pearl jewelery. It discussed the different types of pearls, and how pearls are formed, and displayed famous examples of pearls from all over the world. From the hat of the King of Nepal to Marylin Monroe's necklace. The one that stood out to me was the Miss Universe tiara.

Miss Universe tiara

Yokohama Int'l Triennale of Contemporary Art & Ramen Museum

Every morning when I'm commuting to work, I see these ads advertising the Yokohama 2005 Triennale of Contemporary Art. I've been tempted to go for the past few weeks, but have been to lazy to get off my ass. But finally I went to today. It was really really interesting. It was located in the stunning harbour front of Yokohama. Suitably, the triennale was held in warehouses near the port.

The entire exibition was titled "Art Circus (Jumping from the Ordinary)". Its goal is to reconsider and revaluate the function of art and the power of art in modern society. It featured contemporary works by artists from all over the world. There were very few paintings, mostly just random creations. Photos weren't allowed for most of the exibition, so I took where I can.

Sculpture beforing entering the front gates

Front gate

Path which takes me to the front entrance of the exibition

Bar in the shape of an anus. I couldnt stop laughing. It was erotic, disturbing, humerous and artistic all at once.
This picture is dedicated to Gary.. hahahahahahahaha

After the Triennale, I decided to go to the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum. Basically its like a little theme park where they have restaurants and a tiny museum on ramen noodles. The entire place is decorated such that it looks like the 50's and 60's. They had approximately 8 different restaurants each offering different styles of ramen noodles from all over Japan. I had three GIANT bowls. I was soooo full. It was a really neat experience. I'm defintely gonna come back to chow down on more ramen before I leave.

Random Japanese Festival

So I went to buy gifts for my family and friends at the market in Sensoji shrine in the Asakusa area of Tokyo. Suprisingly, out of ALL of Tokyo, Asakusa is the only place where you can find Japanese souvenirs. Tokyo is more of the modern clothing shopping type of city. So.. as I was browsing stuff a parade or a festival of some sort suddenly starts. A whole bunch of old ladies dressed in Japanese traditional wear start dancing in two lines. I was really impressed with their moves considering their age. This is so typical of the Japanese. They really enjoy their festivals. I think its a really nice part of the culture. We should have more random things like this in Canada.

(Click here for a video of the parade)

Imperial Palace

Since I'm living in the capital city, I vowed to make a trip to the Imperial Palace here in Tokyo. The Imperial Palace is the official residence of the Emperor, the Empress, and the rest of the Japanese royal family. The tours were only offered during weekdays, so I had to take a morning off work.

The tour was okay interseting. The architecture was nothing really special compared to other stuff Ive seen elsewhere in Japan. But I guess the whole purpose of this is just to say that I've been to the Imperial Palace. And I got to see the famous stretch of windows that the royal family usually greets the public from.

Sakashita-mon GateThe former Privy CouncilFujimi-yagura (watch tower)Kunaicho Chosha (head office of the Imperial Household)Kyuden Totei Plaza

Me lookin like a secret service agent

The window which from the royal family greets the public (like in the photo, which I didnt take, below)
One of the royal gardens behind the building

A sea of dried lotus flowers in the castle moat, which usually would be in full blossom during the summer