My cute cousin Gouta

Of all my relatives, I like my cousin Gouta the best. He is ten years younger than me. He is a really cute boy and extremely funny for me.

He is now an elementary school student, and he plays baseball every day. He told me his dream is to become Ohtani Shohei , so he practices baseball extremely hard. He lives with his mother and father, and he does not have any sisters or brothers. His father always takes care of him.

 He also studies English, and the last time I met him he taught me how to say colors in English. He must be an international person in the near future.

He practices baseball and studies English really hard, so I am looking forward to his future. I believe he will be a successful and quite a rich person. Hahaha.

Posted for Yurina

"Hunting" should be illegal or not

 I believe that hunting is a complex issue with both moral and practical considerations. 

The first thing I thought was that hunting should be illegal. A lot of people believe that animals have a right to live freely. Actually, some species are facing extinction or have already disappeared from the earth due to humans’ overhunting. It is also one of the reasons for damaging the biological pyramid, which is a problem for humans as a result of its negative effects. 

If hunting is illegal, poachers would be punished strictly. It would protect extinct animals, then I believe it may return to us with good effects for humans.

On the other hand, I think it is necessary to hunt, and it shouldn’t be illegal.

Hunting can help manage wildlife populations, preventing overpopulation. It is kept in balance of ecology. Take an example, the number of deer and wild boars has increased, leading them to go to urban areas to search for food. There is a rising number of accidents with trains and cars. Also, they are causing significant damage to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. 

From the perspective of human culture, hunting is not only a traditional practice but also an important part of way of life. Hunting provides food, clothing, and materials for various traditional crafts. Additionally, it is often relations with ceremonies that celebrate the relationship between humans and nature. 

Ultimately, I think whether hunting should be illegal depends on various factors.

The wonderful character in my workplace

 Let me introduce you to the member of my workplace! 

Tomoko-san is our manager. She is thoughtful. She has a wide perspective and she always helps us when we are in trouble. I think that it is wonderful how she expresses her opinions logically and confidently to anyone.

Miyuki-san is my supervisor. She is bright. Although her jobs seem very hard, she is always cheerful and keep smiling. I am able to get power from her! She thanks people for even the small things. I think she is a really kind person.

Ritsuko-san is my direct supervisor. She is kind and sedulous. She always answers my any question. Thanks to her, I have been able to learn many things about the details of my work. I think she is good at work. I want to be hard-working as Ritsuko-san in future!

There are also many other wonderful, kind, and cool people working at my workplace. I have a lot of respect for all of them!

Chinatsu

Postcard from Chicago, USA

Jim sensei,

Hello from Chicago!

Chinatsu and I had a business trip to the US. On Sunday afternoon we walked around Chicago downtown and took many beautiful pictures. We enjoyed American food with locally brewed beer. We will make efforts to improve our English so that we can communicate with our customers more fluently!

Chinatsu & Tomoko

 

How do you think about "Hunting"?

 We sometimes encounter wild animals due to some reasons. Wild animals may come near human dwellings to search for food as they are unable to find it in their territories due to climate changes and natural disasters. Humans may build their homes in the area where wild animals live.

I think that hunting is not immoral and shouldn't be illegal. Wild animals will face more challenges in finding food in the future due to climate changes and natural disasters. It is common knowledge that wild animals only search for food and do not intend to harm humans. To make wild animals aware of the danger of approaching human dwellings, it's best to return them to their area and to protect wild animals’ lives. However, wild animals have a habit of coming back again if they have tasted once. Thus, we will need to use Hunting continuously to protect people’s lives.

Each community should control land utilization and development plans (also known as land adjustment plans) to distinguish between areas where people and wild animals live. And then, if necessary, I think that hunting should be kept to the minimum needed to protect people's lives, taking into consideration the ecological effect.

These are why Hunting is not immoral and should not be illegal for me.

Postcard from the tropical rainforest - Malaysia

 Hello, Jim :)

How are you?

I'm enjoying my life!

I'm going back to Japan February 17th

See you in the next lesson :)

From Sachiko

The pros and cons of getting older

 Some people say that getting older is the best time of your life. However, getting older has noth advantages and disadvantages.

On the plus side, you can have more freedom. For example, you can vote, drive a car, drink alcohol, spend money and make decisions for yourslef. Also, you can gain more knowledge and experience.

However, for every plus there is a minus. One disadvantage is that getting poor health, so you have to eat healthy foods and exercise. Also, you become too busy, because you have to work, so you don't have much free time for hobbies and interests. Maybe you will become stressed.

In conclusion, I think that getting older you will have less free time and poor health, but you can gain a lot of experience. Both childhood and getting older have good points.

Posted for Ayumi

Postcard from Maroc - Morocco

 My dream came true at last!

I am travelling around Morocco!!

I feel like travelling different countries each day. What a exotic, wonderful country!!

Especially I was really excited to see the sun rise at the Sahara Desert. The colours of the sand  and sky were changing every moment. It was a unforgettable experience.

Teruki

Beats Studio 3 - product review

 Awesome headphones for any situation

I use my awesome headphones when I simply want to listen to music, or to study, but also on a train or on an airplane. The noise cancelling function it has works very well, so that any noise in a cafe, train or airplane won't bother me at all! However, this function might be dangerous if you use it while you are on a street, since you cannot notice bikes or other vehicles around you.

The quality of sound is also pretty good. It has strong bass, which is great for rock music. I chose the red ones, but there are many other color options. Also, since Beats is an Apple brand, they are very easy to connect to your device by Bluetooth. 

Although they are an awesome product, there are some negative points. First, they are expensive - worth it, but at about Y40,000, beyond the pockets of most students. Second, when I wear them for a long time, my ears start to ache. They are not too tight, but somewhere squeezes my ears in an unnatural way.

Apple has released new color collections, as well as updated the product in 2022.

Why don't you try the? I strongly recommend them.

Posted for Yuto...following his final English lesson with Jim, as he is heading off to university.

Celebrating New Year in Japan

Praying at our local shrine, New Year's

In Japan, New Year's festival started a very long time ago. We celebrate it on the first of January. It's a
public holiday. We celebrate with family in my grandparents' house, because we want to enjoy the start of the year together.

People eat 'osechi' on New Year's Day too. It's a special meal with different foods, and each dish has a meaning. For example, black beans mean good health, and sweetened fish cake means a long life.

New Year's festival is important in Japan because it brings families together to share special wished for health & happiness.

Posted for Ceilidh

I hate it when you leave

Jim, with an absolute
"worldy" of a student
 in 2018

This time of year is heartbreaking for language school owners like myself...

The inevitable scribbled note from a mum that your favourite student, who has made such awesome progress since her first lesson, which started & ended in a flood of tears/hiding behind mummy's leg/crayon throwing tantrum/hands in pockets refusal to enjoy a song & dance etc...now quitting to focus on 'juku' (cram school) or 'club activities' (only Despina Deguchi will ever win an Olympic Gold Medal from around here!) from next month.

Of course, all our departing students are welcome back with open arms - by which time 'romaji damage' has been permanently inflicted (you learnt how to read and spell phonetically accurately with me, but then want to end every word with a 'u' on the end...); you'll rely on an electronic dictionary to translate your every thought into incoherent word salads; you'll use AI to write any creative writing ideas you might have; you'll want to translate everything back & forwards through L1 and not even be able to say big numbers properly. You will have lost any idea of reading for fun; your fun intonation will have been flattened like a rib-eye before a BBQ, and you will be wondering why EIKEN is not recognised in the school you want to go to in Canada or Australia...and not be able to get an IELTS score good enough to get you a visa. Can we catch up for the years in juku/club activities? Methinks not.

I hate this time of year...am I young enough to wait for you to come back & rescue your English language learning any more? I'm afraid I don't think so...nor do I want to start another generation of learners from the floor (I'm old enough to be your mother's grandad - and my knees hurt). "I hate it when you leave" 

I hate it when you leave....

How do we celebrate New Year in Japan?

Many people in Japan go to a shrine on January 1st because it is New Year's Day. This is when we celebrate New Year's Day, which is one of the most important celebrations of the year.

Osechi

On New Year's Day, everyone eats traditional food with their families. We always invite our grandparents 
to dinner for Japanese food. We usually eat 'osechi', which is a famous traditional variety of hot and cold delicacies. 'Osechi' has many dishes, like 'konbu', which means celebration, 'Kuroname' which means being able to live diligently and other things.

On the day, grandparents and relatives give money to me and my brother and sister. We watch 'Kohaku Utagassen', when many singers sing their songs on TV. We watch as a family in our grandparent's house, which is in Aomori. New Year's Day is fun, but it's important  to meet and talk with grandparents and relatives. The day makes us enjoy the new year. All in all, it's a wonderful day and a great time for our family.

Posted for Hikari

Hakamata crime

In the early hours of 30th June 1966, a fire broke out at a miso manufacturing company in Shizuoka city. The accident almost destroyed the building. The bodies of four members of the managing director’s family were found in the burnt-out house. At that time, the police arrested Mr. Hakamata who was a live-in employee for murdering the family, setting fire to the home, and stealing 200,000 yen in cash. He initially denied murdering the family and robbery, but later he confessed following beatings and interrogations that lasted up to 12 hours a day. A year after Hakamata’s arrest, some clothes were found in a miso tank. Those clothes were bloodstained and were used to incriminate him. 

During the trial, he maintained his innocence, but he was sentenced to death, and the sentence was finalized in 1980.

For years, however, Hakamata’s lawyer argued that the DNA recovered from the clothes did not match his. They also further suggested that police could fabricate the evidence.

Their argument was enough to persuade the Judge and Hakamata was released from jail in 2014 as remains on confirmed death row as a row prisoner and was granted a retrial.

In March 2023, the Tokyo High Court allowed a retrial to begin, and after a total 15 hearing, the court was acquitted. It had been 58 years and a month passed before he was innocent.

Postcard from Kakisa Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada

 

Hi Jim!

My friend and I participated Northern Lights tour three nights and we could see northern lights every nights!

Actually, northern lights were not green like a calendar first time. I had seen it white colour. But I could see green colour 2nd day. That is it takes some getting used to see northern lights.

Were going to Seattle via Vancouver tomorrow, then I'm visiting the museum of pop culture! I can't wait!

Best wishes,

Makiko

Attack by terrorism in Japan

 I still remember the two incidents.There were gas incidents that exploded in Matsumoto and in the Tokyo subway.Both incidents were caused by terrorists in a religious organization named Aum Shinrikyo.

In June 1994, the first one in Matsumoto happened and lawyers were targeted because Aum Shinrikyo was trying to build a branch and there was a dispute over the land contract. The 1st informer Mr. Kono was suspected of murder due to media feeding frenzy and poor investigation by police because we had never heard “Sarin”. At that time, one of his children was a student at same high school and I suspect that she had a really difficult time with an incorrect assumption about his father.

In March 1995, they attacked the Tokyo subway using Sarin. It was called “Tokyo Sarin Attack”. They targeted people in Kasumigaseki, where government ministries and the Metropolitan Police Office are situated.

A lawyer Sakamoto and his family perished prior to the sarin gas incident in Matsumoto. Sakamoto, the lawyer, was in charge of handling matters related to Aum Shinrikyo.Aum Shinrikyo always targets individuals and society that are against Aum Shinrikyo.

The most of criminals was already punished. However, some religious organizations from Aum Shinrikyo are still working. I am afraid what purpose the organizations have and what action they take in the future.

American sprinter: Manteo Mitchell

Manteo Mitchell is an American sprinter and bobsledder. As a sprinter, he competed in the 200m, 400m and 1,600 meters relay (4x400m).

At the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, the accident happened. 

Mitchell heard sounds of break. He felt the pain and he just wanted to lie down.

Unfortunately, he broke his leg during the semifinal round of the men’s Olympic 4x400 meter relay on 9 September. He broke his lower left leg bone, the fibula. Despite his bone was broken, he kept on running. He said, “It felt like somebody just snapped my leg in half.”

Mitchell looked back. He had slipped on the stairs a few days earlier, but he hadn’t had it checked out. He felt fine and didn't think much of it. 

One of the sports doctors said, “He had enough adrenaline and endorphins to be able to keep running. He was feeling a lot less pain at that moment. If it’s a short distance and a high-level athlete, even with a broken fibula, someone can finish the race.” 

In addition, the doctor said, “He had broken his femur, it would been nearly impossible for him to finish the race. He was lucky it was the fibula.”

Mitchell ended with a broken leg in 46.1 seconds. The U.S. team qualified for the finals and finished in the fastest time in the first round of the relay at the Olympics. On Friday, the U.S. team went on to win a silver medal, but the U.S. team has been stripped of the silver medal. The decision comes due to the doping case of one of the members of the team.

Shigeru Ban - the architect and his works

Centre Pompidou-Metz

Shigeru Ban, one of the most reliable and trustworthy architects, especially for vulnerable people in
devastated areas, civil war countries with refugees, builds remarkable architecture.  Easy and quick to build with unique materials such as paper tubes, which are incredibly strong beyond our imagination as well as reusable and easy to order anywhere in the world.  Whenever and wherever a big earthquake occurs, for example, he always rushes to the disaster area to construct shelters.  Ban was the first architect to claim the importance of ensuring privacy for refugees in camps or disaster evacuation facilities.

Honored as a Pritzker Prize winner, Ban was born in Tokyo in 1957, and had a youthful dream to play rugby at Waseda University.  However, after a disastrous defeat in an important match, he shifted his attention to his second interest, architecture.

La Seine Musicale

As soon as he graduated from high school, Ban went to the US and studied architecture at Cooper Union in New York, where internationally acclaimed architects, such as Le Corbusier and Bauhaus, particularly Alvar Aalto, the Scandinavian sage, had a huge impact on his ideas.  Their distinctive and sophisticated works inspired him to source paper tubes, his signature construction material for refugee shelters.

Not only those convenient houses, Ban designed many breathtakingly beautiful buildings, including the Centre Pompidou - Metz, La Seine Musicale, Toyota City Museum.

On December 4th, the Shimose Museum in Hiroshima, designed by Ban, was announced by UNESCO at the Prix Versailles 2024 as the World’s Most Beautiful Museum. 

Shimose Museum

Currently, over 30 projects, including the Noto disaster shelters as well as EXPO 2025 Osaka, have been directed by Shigeru Ban, the sleepless architect.

Why do people need a hug?

 An airport in New Zealand recently introduced a restriction on hugging time. 

Why do people need a hug?

People hug when greeting or saying farewell, mostly to show and express their feelings. Maybe they also hug because of their culture or habit, but it is true that hugs have positive effects phisically and psychologically.

A very scientific stimulation, such as light, slow strokingtriggers endorphons which induces calm & relaxed emotions. Hugs can also benefit our immune system. Scientists have found that huggers are less likely to catch colds than non-huggers.

Looking at this behaviour widely, not only humans but also monkeys and apes hug. We evolved. Do we do it for the same reasons? Maybe not, but nevertheless, hugs have a lot of positive effects. We may want to try it now! But be careful, hugging for too long can be stressful.

From these points, it is understandable that many people spend their time at an airport before saying good-bye, but it is possible that the airport rule is doing travellers a favour in minimising the stress of parting.

Posted for Yuto

A global perspective with young adult learners...

A recent topic with one of my classes was where they get their news from. The responses were predictably depressing & illustrated an almost non-existent exposure to anything & anywhere outside their algorythms on Youtube/school club/Spotify/Instagram. None of them had apparently EVER read a newspaper.

Guardian reader

I recently restarted my subscription the the Guardian Weekly...which I used to read pre-internet/smart phone days. Now a magazine & in colour, the quality of the writing remains excellent, balanced and thoughtful.

I am trying to get my daughter & high school students interested in reading it - but it is a bit daunting in terms of length and depth. The items are recent and varied, from headlines to opinion pieces; book & film reviews, recipes, and other looks at 'culture'...there's almost no sport and the position wrt conflict/politics/religion etc is factual & unbiased.

The pages that I've used with my student body = the Global Report. This 'Top 20" if you like, of news items from around the world takes my learners to all kinds of places they've never considered & news issues they're completely unaware of. I really want to trigger interest in the wider world, a wider horizon for my young adults to at least be aware of, if not interested and want to find out more - even if that's just looking for a country on the map.

I've gamified the 4 pages using Wordwall, making a reading comprehension challenge. Students match a short headline (mine) to wherever in the world the news item is from (headlined in the magazine). I've tried to paraphrase using synonyms for unfamiliar/unknown vocabulary, and asked students so far to work together. 

Due to copyright, I can't share the pages from the magazine, but I hope you'll get the idea, and maybe even get a subscription for your school/home?

Here's the quiz for Nov 9: https://wordwall.net/resource/82519867

Here's the quiz for Nov 15: https://wordwall.net/resource/83219932

Here's the quiz for Nov 22: https://wordwall.net/resource/83257721

Here's a sample for Nov 29:

Health service in Japan

 In Japan, universal health insurance coverage allows everyone to access health services. 30% of medical expenses are paid by us, while the remaining 70% are financed by insurance payments made by the general public. 

One of the advantages of Japan's healthcare system is that we can access it without hesitation and recover before it becomes severe. I often feel unwell as I get older but feel reassured that I can access health services all the time.

However, it has some disadvantages. The initial disadvantage is the expense of insurance premiums. It is gradually increasing because of Japan's aging society and access to healthcare services is rising. The second disadvantage is the slow progress of advanced medical technology and/or specialty care because private practice is not readily accessible.

To improve the initial disadvantage, it is recommended to shift to generic to minimize medication costs. I am unable to come up with innovative ways to improve health services, but I expect that the excess or unnecessary medication will be improved because the insurance card will be shifted to ID card called “My Number Card” and it can see when/what people get health service and what medication is done. 

Book review - 'Ningen Shikkaku' (No longer human) by Osamu Dazai

Ningen Shikkaku is a semi-autobiographical novel, set in Japan in 1948, following the life of Yozo, who has some feelings about discomfort and isolation against society and distortions between others through his whole life.

Hi knack of pretending to be a fool somewhat attracts people. However, he is always afraid of strangers. Travelling through his life, his weaknesses are revealed. The reader cannot stop comparing themself with Yozo and exposure to ugly parts of humanity. You may sometimes feel disappointed with or hidden emotions but realise our warmthof humanity.

It is an interesting journey and worth a read.

Posted for Yuto

Old fashioned, but it works!

I've always liked making materials for classes but kind of got out of the habit with so many digital resources to play with.

My number one preference with younger learners is Wordwall, as I can easily import class sets from Quizlet (been using that site for over 20 years) from resources previously compiled - be it text book lexical sets or glossaries from readers. The twist with Wordwall is that any images offered will not be the same as Quizlet = students do not just memorise the pictures. Once made, any one set can be used in a variety of different game options, and also be printed out as worksheets.

However, screen time can be overdone and younger learners need "hand time" as well - feels like something new & different.

Two halves of the 'gap fill'

To encourage question asking - and a follow up - as well as requiring students to actually listen to the reply and 'do something', this pair work exchange is easy to prepare and engaged students from start to finish. Target language was vocabulary items (classroom/school bag objects + colours)..."What is it?" (pointing at a blank square) then "What colour is it? Listener draws the item in the colour, and labels their picture (book open to spell OK if necessary). To fill up the grid I also added students' names = draw portraits of each other. 

Only 'banned' item = erasers, to stop this turning into an art class!

This worked one-on-one with "can do" kids...in teams when the group needed a bit of peer-support = added bonus of "your turn" etc classroom language.

Exercise complete

Students themselves decided to label their pictures, which was an added bonus to plenty of speaking/listening, with teacher gently making sure good intonation/full answers, and not too much time spent drawing (a relief to the less artistically gifted like me!)

This suited reviewing 2 units of vocaulary from OUP's Everybody Up 1

The second activity, to also review the same content...downloaded & printed the picture dictionary from https://elt.oup.com/student/everybodyup for the relevant units (Although from 3rd Ed, matches 2nd. Ed content)

Four-in-a-row template

Then a scissors & glue job (could also be a digital effort with excel I know, but this was quicker for me!) to fit onto a Mark Hancock game template of old. Can be played 1 v 1, or two teams; both worked equally well, and generated a lot of chatter. Quite a lot L1, but that was totally focussed to game play strategy/winning, with team mates (which was beyond my young learners in English)...whilst at the same time they were code-switching to read the vocabulary/name the pictures or ask each other "What is it?" & "What colour is it?"...because they really wanted to. When a drill is not a drill :)

Play? Roll the dice & choose a word from that box. Aim = 4-in-a-row. First past the post or fill the whole board, depending on time etc. Use - two different colour pencils. Use one board for each pair/team to share, or just one board to get passed backwards & forwards - I decided against this option as I realised half the class was always looking at the words upside-down.

Teacher? Sit back and enjoy the reading/speaking/writing magic :)

The template I made on the right - obviously colour needed for colours, but b/w will usually work nicely as the artwork is clear/matches the text book.

Game over!

The finished (yeah, messy!) Books open? If necessary...I prefer a sneaky peak only if "stuck". It worked out that teams helped each other or not very 'sotto voce' giving the game away if they knew the word first eg "Oh no, pencil!"

Easily replicated for any review a language teacher can think of!

Papers please! Fawlty Towers in Ehime, Shikoku

 An absolutely shocking experience trying to check into a hotel that I'd booked weeks before the long weekend, so I could try to see three beautiful castles in northern Ehime...

An aggressive, rude and downright nasty man greeted me at the front desk of Hotel Ohta in Ozu, demanding to see my passport for a photocopy to be made. No, sorry mate, I live here - and I'm a bit tired, as I've travelled from Fukuoka in a rush to get here on the last train. Response = he brandished a probably well-used laminated copy of some guidance dated 2002 that non-residents need to prove their identity...and told me to get out!

Me not budging, but Mr. Jobsworth in fury-mode stomping about ranting (but flipping a switch to check in apparently Japanese guests without asking for any proof of ID or residence in Japan - how would anyone know!?)...it's pretty hard to get a Japanese credit card which I used for my booking, by the way, even if you have lived here for 20 years...Maybe these other guests live in Singapoer, matey?

Long story short, this unsavoury individual spat the dummy rudely whilst talking to my wife (on my phone, with battery in the red after a day's work & an evening's travel) eventually calling her a 'noisy old crone' and hanging up on her. Unbelievable. So she called the cops (answered in Matsuyama - miles away, on a Sunday night, middle of a long weekend - they won't be up to much!) while I tried to stink out the lobby with my refusal to go anywhere. Incidentally, once that check-in paper signed, regardless of what else happens, the contract to stay has been established - particularly if you've paid in advance. Yes, my booking was on their computer. Stand your ground, travellers - there are NO police rules natioanl or local requiring copies be made of ANY documents.

About an hour later, I can hear him on the phone in his cubicle stage left, giving it the humble 'hai, hai, wakarimashita' routine = somebody just ripped him a new bumhole. My guess was the local koban (police box). Without any hint of apology, just my name (I had one now, I was 'gaijin' earlier) grunted and a room key grudgingly dangled over the counter. No eye contact or hint of humility - let alone customer care!

I had checked out other accommodation options whilst sitting there on the naughty step; nearest was 64km away by car. Figured I could find a bench at the station if needs be. I'd come all this way, probably only chance in a lifetime, and I wanted to see the castle!

The lights were flickering off at the castle by the time I'd yomped there (having dumped belongings in the room); and all the local restaurants were very closed by the time I'd yomped back again. Bento it was.

And the room? Not worth the effort - labelled non-smoking when I booked, but obviously not. It stank. Tiny, and I didn't dare sit on the chair - looked like someone had given birth on it. Absolutely disgusting.

Any thrill I had spotting Ozu Castle, brilliant lit up atop its hill earlier when my train rattled to a halt at the station...very much a distant memory. Fortunately, I needed to get out of there at first light to go photograph a very lovely rebuilt castle. Sadly, not many hotel options in this town, so I'm sure Mr. Angry will not be going out of business...must say, he's lucky to still have any teeth. I was in the mood, shall we say.

Harrison Ford - a biography

 Harrison Ford was born in the United Stated on July 13, 1942.

After working for a local theater compnay, he moved to Los Angeles to become an actor. He made his debut in 1966 and appeared in many films, but he took a break from acting because of dissatisfaction and doubts about his way of becoming an actor.

After that, he studied by himself and became a carpenter. He thought of an opportunity to be  active as an actor while renovating house and making furniture. After that, he was introduced to Fred Roth, whom he met through carpentry, and appeared in the movie "American Graffiti". He was a ppreciated for his positive attitude, such as coming up with various ideas for his his role, and gained the trust of derector George Lucas, and was also noticed by Francis Ford Coppola, who was also the producer of the film, and continued to appear in many films.

Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Star Wars

In 1977, he auditioned for "Star Wars" through the introduction by Fred Roth, and the uneasy state of mind & manly atmosphere at the time of participation were the deciding factors, and he decided to play the role of Han SOlo, and with the explosive hit of the film, he became a world-famous star.

After that, he appeared in many films, such as Working Girl" and "Patriot Game", and he explanded his career as an actor by appearing in a wide range of genres from romantic comedy to suspense. In addition, in 1993, he achieved great box office success in the role of Richard Kimble, the main character in the film "The Fugitive", and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award, establishing himself as a Hollywood money-making star. I

In May 2023, the Honorary Palme D'Or was awarded to him at the 76th Cannes International Film Festival.

Posted for Ayumi

Postcard from - Hakata, Kita-kyushu

Naka River yatai

I had a really nice weekend working in Hakata - the people I was working with were great, and the location was only a short walk from downtown.

No hawkers

There were dozens & dozens yatai lining the Naka River, offering all sorts of Japanese fare, from yakitori to ramen & okonomiyaki. There were queues for each and every one, and happy customers bellying up to the counters eagerly. Drinks in full flow and the scene quietly buzzing - but unlike Shinjuku not a pimp in sight & no sign of scampilly clad maids; nor the throaty jostling of Osaka with elbows out. Instead, a really orderly and patient excitement.

I found a seat with my boss for ramen, and got chatting with a Danish traveller - we got told off for talking too much/not eating & drinking fast enough (a yatai faux pas!) so I'll do better next time. The munchies were great, masters super friendly and the beers...just right :)

Fish face

Next evening I had to have sushi - especially squid, which I remember from a road trip around Kyushu twenty years ago as being exceptionally good. No disappointment this time either.

I really enjoyed my evenings out in Hakata - place has a really welcoming vibe. Nobody in a rush, the food is great and you can walk to anywhere you want to get to. If you need to get any further the new subway lines will get you there quickly, if the extensive bus network won't. I can't wait to come back...

Hikaru Utada - a biography

 Utada Hikaru is one of the most famous singers in Japan.

She was born in New York in 1983, and lives in London now. She debuted in 1998 when she was only fifteen years old. She became quickly popular because of her beautiful & unique voice. So her first single "Automatic" sold more than two million copies and her first album "First Love" topped the Japanese album sales chart.

Hikaru Utada

Her songs were were getting more & more famous. Therefore, "Flavor of Life", which was released in 2007, recorded first place of degital songs sales in the world. She also received a prize named 'Artist of the Year' in japan Gold Disc Grand Prize. However, in 2010, she suddenly declared a pause. Nobody knew the reasons. It made many people sad and they though she might not come back. 

Then, in 2016, she suddenly started her activities again. Actually, she married and gave birth to her baby. "Fantome, which was first released when she came back was recorded first place in Billboard Japan. It show how she is loved by many Japanese people. 

Today, Utada Hikaru's songs are used by many daramas, animes, and movies. She and her songs are loved by many people all over the world.

Posted for Akane

Postcard from - Kokura, Fukuoka

I took the opportunity to jump off the shinkansen a stop early (I was heading to Hakata for work) and take a walk around Kokura Castle. It was not hard to find, only 10 minutes from the (very new) station.

I was very surprised to see loads & loads of cyclists around the entrance to the castle - they'd just finished stage one of the Tour de Kyushu, with media interviews and team selfies & groupies everywhere...I didn't recognise anyone! Probably impossible to get a room in town tonight - glad I didn't need to. The approach across the Riverwalk is enticing.

The castle itself is a rebuild, but on the original site of the castle first erected between 1602-8. It's been burnt down a couple of times, and was finally fully restored in 1990. Like most other castle sites, it was a military base in the first half of the 20th century; an important location at the neck of northern kyushu and the channel into the Seto Sea/Sea of Japan, and all points west to Korea. If the weather had been different on August 9th, 1945, Kokura would have been ground zero instead of Nagasaki.

There are historical artifacts & storylines inside the keep - as well as a lift & most disappointingly of all, a fancy cafe occupying the whole top floor. Nice views in all directions, and comfortable to sit & catch your breath with an expensive desinger coffee & pastry.

The gardens don't add up to much, but the shrines on the north side offer shade & loads of vending machines which don't help the vibe, as well as a view of the walls where the moat once was.

All-in-all, an attractive centrepiece, but not much context . 

Kurt Cobain -a biography

 Kurt Donald Cobain was an American musician.

Kurt Donald Cobain was born in Aberdeen, Washington, on Feb 20, 1967.

His mother was waitress Wendy Elizabeth and his father was car mechanic Donald Leland Cobain.

His uncle, aunt and great-uncle were musicians and Kurt developed an interest in music.

He loved "The Beatles" and drawing   very much so he started singing at two years old.

His parents divorced when he was nine years old.

Kurt, his father, step mother and her two children lived together.

He bought his first guitar at a pawnbroker when he was four-teen years old.

Kurt formed "Nirvana" in 1987, with Krist Novoselic and Aalon Brookhard.

Their music genre is called "Grunge".

Nirvana released "Nevermind" in 1991.

Their master piece "Smells Like Teen Spirit" got the MTV video music award in 1991.

 

Kurt got married to musician Courtney Love in 1992.

But he was sick with heroin addiction and depression and he died in Seattle, Washington on April 5, 1994.

He was found dead at his home the cause of death was suicide by gunshot.

He was only twenty-seven.

I'm a big fan, so I want to visit the Pop Music Museum in Seattle some day!

J.K. Rowling - a biography

J.K. Rowling's journey to success was filled with hardship & resilience.

Born in England in 1965, she loved writing stories from a young age. After university, she worked various jobs but never felt fully satisfied. She dreamed of becoming an author, yet life presented challenges. Her mother passed away, her marriage failed, and she returned to England as a single mother, struggling financially & emotionally. Despite these challenges, Rowling started working on a story about a young wizard named Harry Potter.

Sitting in cafes, she carefully wrote while her baby daughter slept beside her. Rejection after rejection came from publishers, but Rowling didn't give up. Finally, in 1997, a small publisher took a chance on her manuscript. The first Harry Potter became an instant success, transforming Rowling's life.

The Harry Potter series went on to become one of the best-selling book series in history, leading to films, merchandise, and a dedicated fan base worldwide. Rowling;'s story is a powerful example of perseverance, proving that even in the hardest times, holding onto your dreams can lead to amazing outcomes.

Posted for Miki

Postcard from...Tsuruga, Fukui

Northern Japanese Alps, from Toyoshina station

I took a detour recently to knock off a couple of bucket list train trips.

Firstly, I wanted to ride the recently extended Hokuriku Shinkansen all the way around the north coast to its new terminus at Tsuruga...and ideally explore that corner of Fukui and the northern coast of Kyoto. Unfortunately, that part of the coastline will have to wait for another visit, I think by car, given the relative inaccessibility of the area & the less the less than easy to get to places I'd really like to explore, around Wakasa Bay, without having to rush to make connections.

The earliest Shinano from Matsumoto was a beautiful autumnal sunrise ride, the Northern Alps beyond Azumino to the left (west) before the Chikuma valley appeared after the tunnels either side of  sleepy  Omi/Hijiri-kogen. And what an appearance - spreading out to the north with Nagano city sprawled in the middle. A fairly unique train journey given the climb the line makes to cross from Shinshu to Chikuma (the two geographical & historical halves of modern Nagano prefecture).

If you want some anorak information about Shinano click here and for the route, here

JR East E7

From Nagano you won't get much of a view, as the line carves through a number of tunnels at light speed - this train really does get a shift on. Super smooth, and before you know it you're cutting the corner of Niigata prefecture and decelerating into Toyama with the Sea of Japan on your right already. Eyes left (south) for a stunning mountainscape. This part of the line, openned in 2015 is extremely swift!

Our shinkansen slows down after Kanazawa, dropping south through Ichikawa & Fukui prefectures with fewer and fewer passengers. This stretch of line only openned in March this year (2024); Tsuraga obviously not the final intended stop. I am sure, once the final leg is finished to Osaka (in another 20 years' time?) the route will open up the region - and not soon enough - the Noto peninsula desperately needs better transport access & investment to recover from the hammer blows of earthquake & typhoon damage this year.

Kagayaki: Tokyo–Tsuruga, limited-stop service, since 14 March 2015
Hakutaka: Tokyo–Tsuruga, mostly all-stations service, since 14 March 2015
Tsurugi: Toyama–Tsuruga, mostly all-stations shuttle service, since 14 March 2015
Asama: Tokyo–Nagano, mostly all-stations service, corresponding to existing Nagano Shinkansen service introduced in 1997

Follow the yellow (or blue!) brick road

And what of Tsuruga? No time to explore the town but just enough to find a nest of Thunderbirds, the aged limited express that used to service the line up to Kanazawa from Osaka/Kyoto, hugging the shore of Lake Biwa. The views of the lake are limited, unfortunately, especially if you are not sitting by the window & cannot keep the curtain up. My fellow foreign travellers glued to games on their phones/and ignoring the historic sites across the water. Really, really frustrating ignorance (and your enormous suitcases are even more annoying).


Familiar limited express rolling stock (JR-West 683-4000); comfy enough but looks & feels 'tired'...good enough for my needs and the relatively short trundle to Osaka - the non-shinkansen line from Kyoto taking a little more time, but divested of the tourons a chance to enjoy the suburban corridor. No rush!

Kissing Thuderbirds, Tsuruga station

I'm glad I made the effort to sweep around the "Hokuriku Arch" - an area begging to be discovered more slowly. There is a rail pass for this region that would be good value & allow travellers to stop over & linger for a whole week. Inner trainspotter satisfied!

Postcard from...Berlin, Germany

Berlin sights & cold beer

 Dear Jim sensei,

We stayed in Berlin for three days. We walked around the city to see some historical buildings. 15K+ steps per day!

It was hot and sunny, which was perfect weather to have cold beers :)

Reiko & Tomoko

Postcard from...The British Museum, London.

The British Museum

 Hi Jim sensei,

We had a chance to visit The British Museum. It was so interesting to see objects from the ancient period. We were lucky to have sunshine earlier today! (Beautiful picture isn't it?) The temperature is much lower than that in Berlin. It was like late autumn.

Tomoko & Reiko