Beer Lecture

I love beer. In my town, there is a bar which serves over 100 kinds of beer but no other liquor. In addition, the beer master of the bar announced that he would hold a lecture for beer-novices this month. Why don't I apply for it?

In Japan, beer is in a unique situation. It is doubtlessly the most popular liquor. It is a kind of "unspoken rule" to order beer for the first in a pub with friends or co-workers - everybody does so. Even though beer is so popular, only lager beer is available at supermarkets or pubs in Japan, for example, Japanese brands, Budweiser and Heineken and so on. Other types of beer, for instance, stouts (like Guinness), pale ales (like Bass) are rare (these days, Guinness has become a little popular, but many pubs don't serve it.). Very popular but no variations - this is the beer world in Japan.

I didn't realize this situation with Japanese beer, until when I stopped in the bar "Beer Café barley" (which I mentioned above) and read the menu lists. I was astonished by the vast world of beer. After that, I wanted to expand my beer-experience and to learn more about drinking beer. It seems that some Japanese common thoughts of beer are incorrect, for example, the more colder beer is better it tastes. No sooner than I checked the notice of the lecture, I applied for it.

The lecture began at the bar with eight students. At the front half of the lecture, the beer master passed out a test to check our common knoeledge about beer. The test revealed that our understanding isn't the world's understanding of beer. For instance, beer consists of two kinds, normal and black. Also all beer is bitter. Many people believe it is good for the taste to chill a glass in freezer. When serving beer, it is proper that you pour 30% head and 70% beer in the glass. All of these Japanese common thougts are actually not proper practices to taste beer better. Such information is good knowledge for a beer-novice like me.

In the latter half of the lecture, of course there was a beer tasting. We tried five types of beer: (from right) pilsner, pale ale, weizen (wheat beer), stout and barley wine. Every type of beer has its own unique characteristic (please visit the links). The beer tasting has widened my beer world like when a man who has only traveled in his country begins to travel abroad. For the most part, knowledge makes your world wider and clearer. The theory applies well to my new passion for beer.

A week has passed since Japan's 2011 quake occurred

My experience, far from the earthquake center

The massive earthquake came at 14:46 on Friday, March 11th in Northeast Japan. The quake center was about 1000km(600miles) away from my residence in west Japan.

At that time, I was on my business trip to a city which is located at more western area from my living place. So I couldn't feel the shock of the quake. When I heard that a member of telephone conference starting at 15:00 talked about the news, I realized what had happened.

I am a salesperson and a controller for my company's twelve call centers which are in charge of my client, so I exited the conference and contacted my client and stop operations of the call centers because they are sales promotion centers, not customer support ones. My clients' products are not living necessaries. Therefore my clients decided that sales promotion in confusing situation made the company's image bad. It was a busy work, but not serious. All offices and centers of my company are located in west Japan, far from the quake center (My company used to be one company but Japanese government divided it into east and west.).

However, I was shocked by my twitter timeline, not by the TV or newspaper websites. Broadcasters and newspapers told us only "a big earthquake occurred". On the other hand, my friends in Tokyo, only 200km (125miles) away from the quake center, tweeted their conditions via Twitter. They were frightened and confused. Many waves of quake shaking were coming. Most public transportation stopped. At last, some of them went home on foot even though it took three to six hours*, the others stayed at their offices. Tokyo people could tweet, but northeast people (near the center) couldn't tweet. My boss "predicted" that all victims would be counted over 100 at the same evening. My boss and I realized it was serious, but didn't realized its true condition.
*Those who use Twitter could exchange transportation information, but other people couldn't (mobile voice network broke in Tokyo at that time.). The next day, many friends of mine who didn't use Twitter began to use it.

From midnight to next morning, the news reported the devastation of northeast area. They said victims and missing persons would be over a thousand (a few days after, the counts was over ten thousand, and now over 20,000). In addition, nuclear plants near the center were broken. I finally realized that this earthquake is the worst and the most serious natural disaster in Japan, in these hundreds years even though my everyday life never changed. The only encouraging news were messages from nations all over the world. Formal messages of nation's leaders, articles of mass media like that, in particular world's ordinary people's tweets with the tag "#prayforjapan" encourage us.


What I can do

I think over what I can do. Of course, donation was off the top of my head. To know the amount the sufferers need, I researched the amount of the emergency budget for 1995 earthquake in west Japan (victims over 6,000), divided it by Japanese population and multiplied it by three (my family members' number). I donated the amount to the Red Cross as the result of the calculation.

Only that? The government restricts amateur volunteers for a while because they will be obstruction of professional rescue in infrastructure-broken area.

Tokyo people are under a hard condition – the lack of electricity because of many power station including nuclear plants are broken. Tokyo Electric Co. controls "planned blackouts", the company deliberately stops electricity some areas in rotation to stop all area blackout. It makes Tokyo people's life, business and other all activities confused. You might think that west power plants should provide electricity to Tokyo and northeast. But it is impossible. The reason why is the difference of the frequency of AC (alternating electric current) between east and west Japan. Why different? 120 years ago, in the beginning of Japanese industrialization, east Japan electric company purchased a 50Hz generator from Germany, west Japan company purchased a 60Hz one from the US. Around that time, Japan had no technology information. So now, people in west Japan can't support people in east Japan in a serious lack of electricity.

About the problem of nuclear plants, maybe I can only pray for the staff who devote all their energies to settle down the plants.

In my opinion, as for people who are far from northeast Japan, all you can do for the sufferers at present is to activate the economy by your jobs and everyday life, except donations. Do the best at your work, buy things your family and I need or want.

Furthermore, the most important point is imagination. I keep collecting information and imagining the pain, sorrow and inconvenience of sufferers and survivors.

In addition, it is also important and meaningful to expand my concern about not only this quake, but also other world's issues. I make this expansion my pray for victims.

Top 10 Musicians on my iPhone in 2010

1. Johann Sebastian Bach
2. The Beatles
3. Paul McCartney
4. Ryuichi Sakamoto
5. Brian Wilson
6. Vampire Weekend
7. Muse
8. Kinoco Hotel
9. Gilbert O'Sullivan
10. L<->R

This year's new artists for me are 6,7 and 8.

Foreigners' Questions about Japan (3) Why is working long hours, with little vacation time, so important in Japan?

At first, I want to tell you that Japanese hate to work long hours. We like holidays and envy long vacations among many European workers.

However, Japanese workers can take only 5.1 days on average for summer holidays including Saturday and Sunday. Companies give 18 holidays per year but workers take only 8.5 days on average. Why do we work long hours and take short holidays?

I think the reason why is depending on two points as follows:

(1)Companies and workers fear losing jobs
If your client asks your company, "Can you finish this 48-hour job within these two days?", what does your company reply? Maybe all foreign companies don't accept this offer because it is impossible. But some Japanese companies will accept it. For them, it isn't an impossible order – if workers don't take a rest throughout the 48 hours. Such Japanese companies and workers think such work is convinient to their clients, and they try to avoid losing this precious work. If they refuse it, the work will be simply brought to another company which can accept it. And such companies are not rare in Japan.

(2)Mature people should bear hard situations and never complain about them.
If your daughter or son in kindergarten screams "I wanna eat something!" on a train, you say to her or him, "Hold on". Self-control is an expectation for mature people.
Japanese tend to adapt this expectation to the workplace. Refraining from taking holidays and to leaving your office on time are required for you as a mature people. They think that a person who says "I wanna take long holidays" is a child.

Of course, many Japanese workers think that this is an absurd notion. But unfortunately, most people are afraid of their co-workers or bosses thinking they are like children. Conformity is an essential element of our community. So people have a tendency not to take long holidays.

Other reasons: see my past entry "Why do Japanese businesspeople work till late?"

Foreigners' Questions about Japan (2) What is your favorite thing about Japan/Japanese culture?

I don't hesitate to admire social safety in Japan. According to OECD Factbook, Japan's victimization rates (Percentage, one year prevalence victimization except murder rates among the entire population) is the second lowest in all OECD countries. Rates in 2005: Spain 9.1, Japan 9.9, France 12, OECD average 14.5, US 17.5, and UK 21.
http://puck.sourceoecd.org/vl=19842971/cl=16/nw=1/rpsv/factbook2009/11/04/01/index.htm
As for murder rate among 150 WHO member countries, Japan is the second lowest.
Last year, I dropped my wallet which contains $700 / 530Euro / 475pounds at Tokyo. Three days later, my wallet was sent to my home in the same condition as when I dropped them. It was lucky case, but not rare in Japan.

Cleanliness and hygiene mind and punctual customer services (for instance, railways) in Japan make me feel comfortable.

I like some modern culture of Japan, but most of them are affected by western culture. But graphic novel, a.k.a manga is one of Japan-established culture which may be easy to be understood by worldwide people. I also like Japanese traditional culture – cooking, arts and architectures (for example, Buddha statues and temples) – but I think that some of them aren't easy to be understood for some westerners except as for orientarism-understanding.

Japanese people are tolerant for religions. The same person is celebrated by Shinto way, which is Japanese original religion, when after one month later he / she was born, He / she marries in Christian style – even though they never read the holy bible, and his / her funeral is conducted according to Buddhism rites. Many foreign people, in particular monotheism believers, may feel it ridiculous. But I think it was a good side of Japanese culture. Many Japanese seem to think that religious intolerance is an origin of serious conflicts, and I also agree with it.

For reference: newspaper findings
What characteristic of Japan do Japanese like best?
Safety, beautiful four seasons, diligence, delicious foods, glorious nature, moralistic mind, heritage, peace-oriented mind, non-class-based society, comfortable climate, cooperativeness

What characteristic of Japan don't Japanese like?
Closed-society, group mentality, intolerance, political system, opportunism, lack of creativity, irresponsiblility, indifference for others, homogeneous society, history during era of imperialism.

Foreigners' Questions about Japan (1) What do you think is the most misunderstood aspect of modern Japan?

Male chauvinism. When I told westerners that my wife was housewife, some of them thought that I forced my wife to quit her work. It wasn't true, quitting her job depended on her own will and a condition (our new house was far from her office.) I admit that male chauvinism still remain in Japan, in particular many elderly people and some younger people. But times are changing. Japan is behind western people about gender equality, however, it's getting to improve.

A trip to meet two heroes for Japanese (2)

My family and I parted in the meantime. I went to Kouchi city to see a exhibition and museum of Ryoma Sakamoto, who is a hero among many Japanese.

He was a swordmaster, an entrepreneur, and a peacemaker in the last part of the Samurai era (1860s). Japanese think that he is one of the most important people of Japanese modernization.




What did he do? The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum said as follows:
In short, Ryoma was a man who triggered the collapse of Shogun's feudal government. In the 1860s, the government had no power to refuse western nations' requests (for example, trading on unequal treaty) and lost power to control regional feudal lords. Some people thought that the government couldn't defend Japan from western nations, and therefore supported the overthrow the government and establishment of a new unified nation under the Emperor. He was one of those man.

Ryoma succeeded to make partnership between two powerful feudal groups even though they were opposing. Both groups thought to overthrow the government by force, but Ryoma thought to avoid civil war. So he proposed to a lord a plan in which the government returned political power to the Emperor. The lord proposed the plan and the government accepted it. In addition, Ryoma wrote the way of new government: establishing the parliament, new law system and modern navy, trading other nations on equal treaty (the old government shut down trade with any nations except China, Korea and the Netherlands for over 200 years.), etc.

His action and plans affected new Japanese modern government strongly. He was assassinated by an unknown person in December of 1867. The new government was established in 1868.

He is very popular among Japanese of all ages, especially this year. Because one of the most popular TV drama series this year picks up Ryoma as a main character. So there is a temporary exhibition displayed in front of Kouchi station.



Right: Ryoma. Left: Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi. Iwasaki was a friend of Ryoma. Both of two were born in this prefecture, lower-class samurai. In particular, Iwasaki was very poor.



The Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum. It exhibits Ryoma's career, background and his letters.

My opinion about Ryoma is simple: If he didn't exist, there is a possibility that Japan would have failed to modernize peacefully, otherwise terrorism could have happened. Like many other Japanese, I also think he was great.

A trip to meet two heroes for Japanese (1)

My wife, three-year-old son, and I took a trip to meet a hero. Who was he? He was Anpanman, the most popular hero among Japanese pre-kindergarten kids.

Anpanman is a justice friend wearing a cape and flying in the sky like Superman. His item to help people is his face – it is made of bread! When he finds a starving person, he cuts off a part of his own face and gives it to him/her.. "Anpan" means bread with "an" which is Japanese bean jam.

The history of national star of Anpanman is very long. He was born as a picture book character in 1973. At first, it was popular among a group of kids. In 1988, this character was animated for a TV program, then he became a popular nationwide hero for kids. On the TV program, the original story was changed. It didn't include starving people but many characters based on meals. For example, a banana, pizza and a donut... Guinness book of world records admitted this program for the world's highest character count animation – 1,738. Of course now Anpanman is broadcasted all over Japan every Sunday morning.

Like other kids, my son likes him (his first word was "Anpanman") so my wife planned a trip to Anpanman sanctuary. It is the birthplace of the author of Anpanman where the Anpanman Museum was built.

We reserved the "Anpanman-train". Its walls, ceiling and seats are printed with Anpanman characters.






It took two and half hours by this train and 30 minutes by Ampanman bus to go to the Museum (the author's birthplace is rural).






The museum (left) and a hotel.



This hotel is fully furnished in Anpanman!



A settlement near the Museum also features Anpanman characters.

(Taking pictures of the Museum is allowed but posting them on blogs is prohibited.)
My son seemed very excited and satisfied by this hotel and museum. It was what my wife and I wanted.

(to be continued: the next entry will be about a hero of most Japanese adults.)

F. Scott Fitzgerald "Great Gatsby"

(This entry was written in 2006, soon after Haruki Murakami's Japanese translation was released.)

[Story]
In 1922, 30-year-old Nick moved to New York. He spent his life frugally, but lived in an area of many mansions. In such an area, Gatsby, who lived next door to Nick, had especially large land and a splendid house. Nick attended his party to know the mysterious neighborhood...

[My opinion]
This is a new Japanese translation by Haruki Murakami. With Murakami's many praises to this novel, I had been looking forward to reading it. In conclusion, this novel certainly met my great expectations.

The Japanese publisher of this new translation labeled this copy "a sorrowful and noble story". Such words fit this work more than other novels, I think. The vanity of luxurious parties, love affairs among men and women, unmeasured indiscretion of people who have power, sudden tragedy and Gatsby's rarefied will and behavior of his will – these factors were described by very classical sentences. This "classical" means high quality, neat and having value that may not be lost overtime. I think it depends on Fitzgerald's original sentences but also Haruki Murakami's spirited translation.

After a long interval, I encountered an overseas novel which I now want to read many times. The intrinsic value and power of this story are deserving.

After reading, I saw the book cover of this novel and felt very sad, even though I never gave heed to it before reading. It is merely a picture of a withered leaf floating in water. This difference of feeling may show the power of this novel.

Hannah Arendt "Eichmann in Jerusalem"

He was a man who proceeded the Nazis' Jewish extermination plan. He escaped from Germany to Argentina after WWII, was then captured by Israeli Mossad, and was executed in Jerusalem. I had limited knowledge about Adolf Eichman, before reading this book.

This book is the record of Eichman's Nazi work, his Jerusalem court trials and Arendt's observation.

After I finished reading this book, at first, I felt sorry for Eichman, partly. He read Zionist's books, was impressed, and seriously considered the extraordinary plan to move Jewish people from Germany and Europe to Madagascar and establish their nation. He felt bad to see the execution of Jewish people. "I moved Jewish people to concentration camps by my boss's command. I only obeyed the command." said Eichman repeatedly in Jerusalem courts. I think it may be true.

On the other hand, his loyal attitude is a good example for workers especially in organizations, I think. Normal organizations don't command murder or execution, but there is a possibility they might command some illegal actions. What do we do when in such a situation?

Arendt comments that Eichman deserves the death penalty in any situation. My conclusion hasn't been decided yet.


My viewpoints points of this book are as follows:

Eichman's position wasn't very high. The reason why his position became more important was that the Jewish problem gradually became more important in Nazi ideology. On this point, I think that many other people are to be punished.

In Germany and her occupying nations, Jewish organizations became the "Nazi's tool". For example, 103,000 Jewish people were moved to an execution concentration camp by the support of the Jewish council. High class Jewish people were the exception, however, they were in "insensible accomplices", Arendt said. I may also be an "insensible accomplices" in some situations without noticing.

There were many variations of responses to the Nazis' Jewish policy in Europe. Danish government clerks told Germany that they would quit their work if Germany asked them to commit any kind of Jewish suppression. In Italy, the government established an exception of the Jewish suppression law for the Jewish people who had family members who belonged to the Fascist Party. The rule covered most of Italian Jewish people. Bulgaria even turned down Jewish Badges for six months. On the other hand, those who supported the Nazis' Jewish suppression in a full scale were the eastern peoples (Ukrainians, Lithuanians, and some Russians), even though Nazis thought them also to be lower human beings. In Romania, Jewish people were killed by suffocation by stuffing up to 5,000 people in cargo trains as the trains travelled around the same railroads. Sometimes the bodies were then displayed at Jewish butcher shops.
Why were there such differences? The book didn't have the answer. I understand that this book isn't for thinking over this question, so if I find a book about this problem, I want to read it.

It took more time to read than usual this book because the sentences were difficult to read smoothly. I don't know the reason why is either the original sentences were difficult or the translation was hard. Anyway, this book deserves such time.

Gran Torino

[story] A ex-Korean war soldier Walt Kowalski spent his life in solitude because of the death of his wife and conflicts with his sons. His only pleasure is his 72 Ford Gran Torino. One day, an Asian Hmong family moved next door. Walt, who was a racist, didn't like this situation, but communication between the two began by accident...

[my impression] I don't hesitate to admire the director Clint Eastwood. This is a masterpiece, not only the part of describing the importance of communication between different culture and the question of "What can I do when I am elderly?", but also the deeply impressive ending. It was not heavier than "Million Dollar Baby", but this work also has heavy a "true theme" after the middle part which features a heart warming scene. At the ending, I felt a deep resonance and I was moved. Eastwood's work always leaves an impression on me. Because of this work, I ranked him up at the top of my director's ranking.

After a brief interval of my appreciation, I felt that Eastwood asked me "What can I do when I am elderly?" I'm 39 now, which means that I am not a man like Tao (a Hmong boy who learned many things from Walt), but a man like Walt. In the rest of my life, what will I hand over to younger people, including my son? Will I get it right about incidents involving me like Walt? In my everyday life, I don't think about such a theme. This film gave me that theme.

Rwanda's Genocide and their population pressure from Jared Diamond "Collapse"

I read this book again. (My former memo: "Twilight at Easter", "One island, two peoples, two histories" and "Martha's Vineyard Island") And I would like to write down another part of the book; Chapter 10 "Malthus in Africa: Rwanda's Genocide" The author Jared Diamond says his theory as follows in this chapter:

Rwanda (and neighboring Brundi)'s 1994 genocide is the second biggest massacre, per population since 1950s, next to Cambodia. There are many presume statistics but many people say the death rate was 10% of the entire population of Rwanda.

Why did many people kill neighborhoods suddenly? Generally speaking, the main factor was the hatred between Hutu and Tutsi (and the ex-host country Belgium's policy to make it). However, we can't attribute all topics to this factor. In the northwest area of Rwanda, Hutu people killed Hutu people. And in other areas, with decreasing Tutsi population, Hutu killed Hutu people. Why?

Admitting this hatred factor and many other factors, additionally, Diamonds mentions Rwanda's population explosion and the destruction of environment as a result of this explosion. In short, high population growth made an agricultural land quite smaller per person. My question was "Is it true killing neighborhoods because of such a reason?"

In Rwanda, after their independence, the government continued their conventional agriculture method and didn't try an innovation to enhance productivity. They also didn't go ahead with family planning. The author's friend found this proceeded environmental destruction in 1984. He saw the lack of basic and important agricultural methods: the whole country land was like banana orchids, not in terraced fields but ordinary fields along the steep land (it was a danger for the fields to be flushed away by heavy rain), not aerating the soil by covering it with grass (which is bad for soil).

As a result, the population density of Rwanda and Brundi is the world's highest, the worst of Africa, ten times that of neighboring Tanzania. Other highly populated countries, such as Holland and Belgium use highly efficient agriculture and have other industries. Bangladesh is transferring from a conventional agricultural method to the new "Green Revolution" method. But Rwanda didn't change their method.


Rwanda's agricultural land per person was 0.09 acres (360 square meters) in 1988 and 0.07 acres (280 square meters) in 1993. In the state of Montana in the USA, one family needs over 40 acres of land. So, you can understand the seriousness regarding the lack of Rwanda's land.

I say it again, the author doesn't say that the population explosion is the only reason for Rwanda's genocide. If this is true, genocide would occur in Holland and Belgium (in Bangladesh, genocide occurred - smaller than Rwanda), but it hasn't. In less densely populated countries - the Third Reich of German and Cambodia - people experienced genocide. However, along with other factors, population explosion can be a big factor of genocide. It is the author's conclusion.

In my opinion, the author's theory gave me some convincing explanation to my question "Why did such a tragedy happen?" after seeing the movie "Hotel Rwanda" and reading "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda" by Philip Gourevitch. But this tragedy is still beyond my imagination. I want to understand it, I need to, but I don't understand.

My 2010 resolutions

1. Health

Take no day off due to catching a cold.

Concrete plan: I will go to my fitness club 1.5times a week on average. Sleeping over 7 hours every day.


2. Learn cooking more

Concrete plan: Learn how to two cook meals.

I can cook only five menu items to help my wife who looks after our three-year-old son. I have to learn how to cook more.


3. Begin to make my ideal room

Concrete plan: One of my dreams is to make my ideal room. It will be a paradise in which I can enjoy reading books, listening to music and appreciating movies. This year, I purchase my family's own house instead of a rental flat, so I can start my idea. To begin with, I will select good speakers for my PC, which is like a juke box with thousands digital tunes, a HD Display and a high-spec PC for editing my son's HD movies.


4. Select one theme and study it for this year

Concrete plan: I will make summary sheets of this study and show them to my friends (sorry, in Japanese)

I studied the Japanese government tax system and the amount I pay and the government uses. This year, I still haven't decide the theme, however, I want to study something appropriately help my political vote or my job (I am a consultant of practical using / improving / constructing call centers.)


5. Be able to play a new tune on piano

Concrete plan: I will upload my playing to the web.


6. Keep TOEIC score above 800 and 400 for the listening section

I would like to maitain my English ability and improve listening ability (last year, I got 370 listening score in 820 total score.)


7. Reform my website (Japanese Version)

Concrete Plan: I will update all "under construction" pages except music, movies and books critics.

Checking My 2009 resolutions

1. Health
Take no day off due to catching a cold.
Concrete plan: I will go to my fitness club 1.5times a week on average. This frequency helped me keep in good condition last year.

result
I went to my fitness club 72 times, so I nearly achieved my goal. Unfortuynatelly I've caught a cold several times in 2009. So I consulted my personal doctor in the summer, and he priscribed me a tremendous amount of Vitamins (about three times of commercially available Vitamin pills). I caught few colds since the remedy.


2. Learn cooking more
Concrete plan: Learn how to cook meals suitable for a sick person.
Last year I increased my ordinary menu from two to five dishes to help my wife who looks after our one-year-old son. My wife appreciated that, but her imperative need is that I can cook meals for her when she is sick.

result
I learned how to cook rice gruel, udon (Japanese noodle which is easy to digest) with miso soup, and tofu miso soup.


3. Study and research for my family's future residence
Concrete plan: Making study sheet for as follows:
(1) Which is better, purchase or rent?
(2) What is the best plan to manage money for a residence for us?
(3) What are the important points for selecting a good residence for us?

result
(1) I made an Excel simulation sheet for comparing purchase vs. rent. If I live to be over 77 years old, purchasing is good moneywise.
(2) I selected a mortgage – the company which I work for supplies a part of its interest.
(3) My wife and I listed the important points for selecting a good residence for us. My list is as follows;
1. Its location is far from heavily trafficked roads: clean air is the most important
2. It takes under 20 minutes from the nearest railway station to Umeda (West Japan's biggest urban area)
3. It takes under 15 minutes from the residence to the nearest railway station by bicycle, without steep path.
4. It takes under 15 minutes from the residence to the nearest library and fitness club by bicycle.
5. 4LDK
6. A warm place in the Sun (In Japan, the house density is so high that it is rare that houses are open to the south side.)
7. My room is larger than 20 square meters.

So we found and purchased my house. It is now under construction. We will move in March.


4. Select one theme and study it for this year
This is Peter Drucker's method. I am learning his self-management method from my company's textbook, so I would like to bring in his good system.
What should I study? I want to know more about a theme which is concerned with politics. Last year, when I read a book (Robert B. Reich "Supercapitalism"), I thought that we should take part in politics more, in particular, the Japanese generation under 40, which includes me, politicians became less interested in their policies for younger citizens, because of the low voting rate of this generation.
I decided to study about tax system, one of the important parts of administration.
Concrete plan: I will make summary sheets of this study and show them to my friends (sorry, in Japanese)

result
I made an Excel sheet that you can use to calculate your taxes paid to Japanese and local governments and your taxes' use.


5. Be able to play a tune on the piano
Concrete plan: I will upload my playing to the web.
My ambitions through my life are improving my English and playing piano better. I got a TOEIC score of 825 last year, which I think it meant my English was a step up (even though I know my English is not advanced enough) . Next, I will turn to the piano, I will continue learning how to play the piano.

result
I entered a piano lesson club and I restarted lessons (the last lesson was in 1995 – 14 years ago). The tune I practice is Ryuichi Sakamoto's "aqua". Listen to this, even though it isn't completed...


6. Keep TOEIC score above 800
I would like to maintain my English ability, even though most of my free time will be taken up by some other studies and learning the piano.

result
My score in 2009 was 820.


7. Speak more slowly than now
Sometimes my Japanese speaking is too fast to understand.
Concrete plan: To begin speaking at a normal speed and for my friends to admit that in December.

result
Maybe I can't achieve this resolution. Anyway, I felt difficulty measuring for a non quantitative resolution like this.

Top tunes on my iPod in November, 2009

1. Paul McCartney / Getting Closer
2. Paul McCartney / Loveliest Thing
3. Elton John / I Want Love
4. Michael Jackson / Smooth Criminal
5. Stevie Wonder / Superstition
6. THE BLUE HEARTS / Jonetsu no Bara
7. Blur / Beetlebum
8. Falcom (Yuzo Kishiro) / Tower of the Shadow of the Death
9. Babaouo / Till the End of the Time
10. Bach, J.S. / Inventions No.12 in A-maj. BWV 783
11. THE BOOM / Shimauta
12. Cornelius / Music
13. Eminem / Lose Yourself (Soundtrack Version)
14. L<->R / Chokusen Cycling
15. Led Zeppelin / Whole Lotta Love
16. Mozart, W.A / Sonata For Piano No.11 In A Major (Turkischer Marsch) by Glenn Gould
17. Paul McCartney / Maybe I'm Amazed
18. XTC / Towers Of London
19. Ryuichi Sakamoto / intermezzo

1. and 2. are at the Top, because an amateur band whose members are my friends performed these excellent but not-so-popular songs! After that, I listened to these tunes time and again: while commuting and staying in the room of my flat. In addition, the band's brand new album contains 9. The song sounds quite like Paul McCartney, however, it is not an imitation.

3. is my most favorite of his songs which were released in these ten years. This song was performed at the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. 5.6.13.14 and 15. are my jogging songs this month. I feel that 7.'s charming point is its drowsy guitar riff. 16. is intriguing for Gould's playing style is like mocking Amadeus. 19. is very Brahms.

Top tunes on my iPod in October, 2009

1. Tetsuro Koyama + Ni! / Kanji-te goran 2
2. Perfume / Oneroom Diosco
3. Paul McCartney / You Gave Me The Answer
4. Radiohead / Creep
5. The Bangles / Manic Monday
6. The Beatles / Taxman (2009 Mono Remaster)
7. BOOM BOOM SATELLITES / UPSIDE DOWN
8. Falcom (Yuzo Koshiro) / The Morning Grow
9. Yes / Owner of a Lonely Heart
10. Ryuichi Sakamoto / to stanford (live_2009_3_28)
11. Ryuichi Sakamoto / bolerish (live_2009_3_28)

Writing proper sentences in Japanese, you have to learn nearly 100 phonograms and over 1,000 kanji(ideograms which originated in China)! Japanese elementary pupils in the second grade learn 160 kanji. No.1. is a unique song depending on its lyrics which consist of all the 160 kanji. And more, its melody, composition and performance are all charming for me. I envy the second grade pupils these days.

2. was in my heavy rotation after experiencing their live performance. 5. is my jogging music in this month. 6. is the result of listening to Beatles Mono Remasters again and again. My most favorite in their mono album is Revolver. 6. is the first song of the album. 8. was a video game music in the 80s. Despite poor music spec of PCs at that time, this tune featured an interesting gimmick: the bass line gradually changes the drum line. 9. is also an old 80s song and I couldn't understand their tunes. However, I understand its intrinsic value now because of my friend who lent me the album this month.

Top tunes on my iPod in September, 2009

1. The Beatles / Long Tall Sally
2. Beethoven, L.V. / Piano sonata No.30, 1st motive by Glenn Gould
3. CRAZY KEN BAND / Tenya Wanya Desuyo
4. Van Halen / You Really Got Me
5. L<->R / Chokusen Cycling
6. L<->R / Younger Than Yesterday
7. Elvis Costello / No Action
8. namco (Nobuyuki Ohnogi) / MAPPY
9. Oasis / Don't Look Back in Anger
10. The Beach Boys / God Only Knows (Stereo Mix)
11. Berg, A. / Piano sonata No.1 by Glenn Gould
12. L<->R / (I Wanna)Be With You
13. Monkeymind You Cube Band / Metaphor
14. Perfume / love the world
15. Radiohead / Everything In Its Right Place
16. Radiohead / Airbag
17. Ryuichi Sakamoto / opus

When I listened to music this September, the songs were almost all The Beatles' stereo remastered versions, which were released this month. But their play counts were dispersed, so only one Beatles song is in my chart, because they made many fabulous songs. As a result, the top tunes in my chart are my jogging music: 1,3,4,5,7,8,12and 16.

Visiting Lake Biwa(2)

When I woke up at 6:30, the sun was just rising.

After breakfast, I took a nap. I was not going to think about "the ladder" this day, but instead enjoy sight seeing. I had two aims for this sightseeing day. One of them was Chikubu-jima, which is located in the middle of Lake Biwa, and is called "Gods living island".



This is the ship that I boarded for Chikubujima from the hotel.



It took 20mins to get from the hotel to the island. When I saw the island, I felt that the forest was damaged so much. I discovered the reason why after landing the island (There is a guideboard which explains the damage of the trees). It is because of the river birds' (cormorants') excrement. The water quality of Lake Biwa has increased within the past 20 years, so the population of river birds has also increased. It makes damage to the trees worse. Though I know the reason of forest's damage, I still have a question. Why was there little damage in the past, despite the good water quality? If the forest had been damaged much like it is, the big trees seen in the above picture wouldn't exist.



Chikubu-jima island's circumference is only 2km (1.3miles). This island is surrounded by a steep cliff, so there is only one place which ships can reach. The location of the island is the deepest of Lake Biwa. This means that the island is a prominent cliff from the bottom of the lake. How was this cliff made?



This is a fountain, which was dug after an oracle was received by the shrine on a day of the 21st century.



climbing steep stone stairs...



It is Hogenji temple, which was established in the 8th Century. However, this building was reconstructed in 1942. This is a Buddhist temple.



and walking through a corridor...



reached Chikubushima shrine. It isn't a Buddhist temple, but another religion, It is a Shinto's shrine. In Japan, it is common for two different religions to co-exist in one location. This may be difficult to understand for those in monotheistic religious states.



This shrine has a unique praying system. A person writes his / her name and prayer on two little pottery dishes...



and throws them to the outside gate of shrine.

After 50mins had passed, I got in the ship to go back to the hotel. I dined at a all-you-can-eat buffet in the hotel, but I ate moderately. I had a second aim for this day, to eat a unique kind of Sushi, Funa-zushi, at another restaurant.

What is funa-zushi? It is a combination of rice and fermented Lake Biwa fish! Some people say that it smells awful but tastes terrific. Other people say that it isn't a food of human should eat. This town, Makino, has a famous funa-zushi restaurant, so I thought that it was a chance to challenge. The main restaurant course is expensive (lunch: from 8,000yen (80dollars, 60euros, 53 pounds)), therefore I went to a branch of the restaurant. The branch served Funa-zushi chazuke, which is Funa-zushi + green tea + rice for 1,200yen (12dollars, 9euros, 8pounds).



This is Funa-zushi chazuke. To tell the truth, it smells like rotten fish... But it is clearly different from the smell of fish bodies which I saw yesterday. I dared to put the fish up to my mouth... It tastes good because of its unique sour flavor and body, like cheese. I can't eat it everyday, but every once in a while, I can enjoy it. In addition, the combination of funa-zushi and chazuke (green tea + rice) is harmonious. It was a special dish.

A waitress asked me, "Are you OK? Some guests said that they can't eat..." I replied that it was very good, and the waitress breathed a sigh of relief.

Anyway, I admire the man who invented funa-zushi. (detail: http://homepage3.nifty.com/maryy/eng/funa.htm) for its unique preparation and taste.

With my satisfied mind, I got on a train. This time, it took 2 hours, to get back to my everyday life. I was headed down a turned-back road.

Next year, I will take a trip to Makino to check "How do I lean my ladder lean against the right wall?" and to feel the abundant nature. Maybe I will also eat funa-zushi. Though this trip was off the top of my head, I feel I will do it again. It was lucky, I think. In the rest of my life, how many places like Makino can I find? How many times can I visit such places? At the end of this trip, I thought about this.

Visiting Lake Biwa (1)

Stephen R. Covey wrote: "If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster." I think my own life has already started traveling down a turned-back road (I will be 39 years old soon), therefore I want to lean the ladder to lean against the right wall. How can I do so? My busy everyday life makes me think unclearly. Every half year, I think about "the right wall – my life's aims and directions" during a silent night. However, this summer, I thought it would be good idea to take a trip somewhere to think over "the right wall" But where? Then, my childhood memories came back to me; it was Makino, near the northern part of Lake Biwa*. My family and I enjoyed swimming and chasing fish and insects in it's abundant nature. Does that nature still exist?

*Lake Biwa: It's the largest lake in Japan; its size is the same as the island of Singapore, the circumference is about 241km (150 miles). It's the third oldest lake in the world (following Lake Baikal and the Caspian Sea), therefore it is a precious environment for many endemic species.

The day to take a trip will come soon.

The commuter train took me to Makino. It took 2 hours.



From such a familiar-looking urban view...




to this rural view. It feels like leaving the everyday world and entering another world.

It took more than one hour before I arrived at Makino station. Only three people got off the train. Heading to the hotel I reserved, I began to walk.



There was clear water, crowded water grass, and many fish, which are never seen in urban areas, in the stream. Also a black butterfly was flying near the stream. I was glad to see that the nature I had seen thirty years ago is alive.



After several minutes, I reached the hotel.



My room was located in front of a beach. For a time, I lied down on the bed and rested.

I drank water and took a small bag, then began to walk along the Lake Biwa beach, remembering childhood memories and thinking about how to lean the ladder to lean against the right wall



At the beach in front of the hotel... I thought, something smells, like rotten fish. What happened? I moved my viewpoint from the beach road to the water's edge. There were many fish bodies in a long line.

I was scared spitless. Was this the nature I saw a little while ago? Awful. But I also saw many fish swimming in the lake. Why?

I asked a man who cut down beach grass, "Why were so many fish dead?" He replied, "They are ayu (sweetfish). In this season, all ayu produce eggs and die. Ayu's life span is only one year."

That means the fish bodies are a seasonal event. I breathed a sigh of relief, but was still surprised. When I was about to think about how to live for rest of my life, I encountered the end of many lives.

Changing my mind, I walked with my iPhone shuffling my music library, wishing my iPhone select calm tunes.




(This island is Chikubu-jima, where "Gods live")

The first song which my iPhone selected was The Beach Boys / God Only Knows. I got a jolt from this good selection by co-incidence. After that, my iPhone continued to select such calm and deep songs: Oasis / Stop Crying Your Heart Out, Kirsty MacColl / Perfect Day, Paul McCartney / Somedays. Wonder of wonders, no noisy tune was played.

Ten minutes passed, I went by a group of high school students playing in canoes. I bet they never think back on the roads of their lives.



It took about one hour to reach these blocks. They were constructed in 1703 by an official who could stand no longer this area's water damages. He left a thing which is still alive through 300 years. It reminded me of Akira Kurosawa's film "Ikiru" ( "To Live")



A turned-back road. No sooner than I begun to go back to the hotel, my iPhone played Guns'n Roses. I thought it was my iPhone's magic end and selected J.S. Bach / French Suite by myself.

Those high school students, whom I saw outward were about to go back to school. They never realized, however, that they surely approached the turning point of their lives. At that time, I had passed my turning point and was walking down a road already traveled.

After arriving at the hotel, I took a nap, bath and had good dinner. With my satisfied mind, I relaxed and thought about "Do I make my ladder lean against the right wall?" "How do I find the right wall?" As a result, my mind is filled with thanks to my family, friends, co-workers, and customers.

I went to bed, although I didn't wanted to sleep, because I was full of thankful memories.

Using My iPhone for three months

Using my iPhone 3GS for three months, this gadget has changed my everyday life. What has it changed?

I have become able to read most of the information on the Internet during commuting, which includes e-mail, Twitter(including writing for it), blogs (by RSS Reader) , social bookmarks and SNS. Because I follow not so many blogs and Twitter users, I can read their full content within my 50 minute train commute (going and coming total).

This change also effects how I use my free time in my house – Reducing my PC time increases my family time. Truly, my iPhone has changed my everyday life.

What is the bad effect of my iPhone? It is difficult to find, but I manage to... It is decreasing my time to read books. However, I can find a good result in that. Prevuously, I continued to read a book outdoors even if it was is not very interesting, but now, if I find a book I take outdoors not so interesting, I switch it to iPhone contents. So I have become to be able to spend my time reading only interesting books.


My home screen now: (Maybe it will change in the near future. It is one of attractive points of iPhone – the evolving gadget.)



The first line: Picture viewer (flower icon) is very often-used. It contains pictures of the past 12 years, so I appreciate them and show them to friends.
The second line: Dictionaries. Consulting dictionaries is my custom. Therefore I thank my iPhone. Anytime, anywhere I can seek my needed information.
The third line: The others. SkyBook is a viewer for Japanese public domain novels on the Internet. After checking Internet contents, if I don't have any interesting books, I read classical novels by SkyBook.
The forth line and the Dock (the fifth line): Viewers for Internet contents and iPod.. I think that Echofon (formerly Twitterfon) is the best free application of many Twitter clients for easy-to-understand interface and stabilization.


peripheral goods:


Using my iPhone 3GS for three months, this gadget has changed my everyday life. What has it changed?
PDAIR leather case: This good has a belt-clip. It is useful for me especially in summer; I wear only shirts, not jackets for business in summer. Shirts have breast pockets but they leave the possibility of dropping my iPhone. This case is safe for carrying the iPhone and it is easy to pick up.

Anti-glare film: I never mind some scratches on the iPhone body, but I do on the screen. In addition, I don't like glare and fingerprints on the screen. This film guards my iPhone from those problems.


Noise-cancelling earphone: audio-technica ATH-ANC3 BK I selected this earphone for two reasons. The first; it features a small canal, so it is able to store and carry easily. The second: users reviews of Amazon Japan and so on. This earphone works effectively when I'm on a train. It decreases outside noise, so I don't have to turn up the iPhone volume. I know iPhone's original earphone is useful (equipped with remote controller. This noise cancelling earphone doesn't.). However, I think the health of my ears is more important than an easy-to-control iPhone.

What are iPhone's attractive points? Usefulness? Cool user-interface? Yes, I think so. In addition, in my opinion, the most favorable point of iPhone is possibility to customize one's iPhone like I have above. Also for other most hobbies, customizing has been intriguing and exciting. For example, cars, cooking, and PC. In particular, iPhone is the gadget you carry anytime, anywhere, therefore you can get a bigger reward from customizing iPhone than the others. Moreover, abundant applications and peripheral gears accelerate your customizing mind. iPhone is the gadget which teases us in a joyful way.