Park

Hey there! Sorry for having not posted anything since Sunday. Well, it's a very beautiful day today and so I'm going to head to the park for some fresh air and to practice my photography. So, that's what I'm going to do now. Can't type much. I'm too excited! Maybe I'll write some more later on. Jaa ne!

Today I will remain at home...

Right now it is raining hard outside. It almost seems like a typhoon. So here I am, in my grandad's house, just surfing the net and relaxing myself and loading some pics into flickr. The old man is visiting the countryside for a wfew days so I am here alone. He had a friend who died recently or something like that.

I really like it when it rains here in Tokyo. I can't exactly describe it, but it seems to me that everything becomes much clearer when you are alone on a dull day. I can think more. Reflect on my business here. I don't doubt at all moving to Japan. I can only imagine what it would be like back home in America now. I'd probably be crazy by now. :) Anyway, nothing much has happened so I'm just going to do something else. Like watch TV or study Japanese. But you'll hear from me again soon.

Another random pic...

Here's a random pic I found on the web. But I just decided to post it up because it reminded me of the Kiyoki mountains in Ninjai! I wish I could be there right now. Melting away. Ok. That was weird. More like, freezing away. And learning from a mysterious man. "I am your father." Wait, that was from star wars. MOre like, "Don't you REMEMBA?" haha. I'm hyper. I just had a shot of hot coffee from one of the vending machines here.

I MADE MY FIRST ONIGIRI!!!!

Guess what!? I made my VERY FIRST Onigiri! Woot! It was a lot of fun. My granpa helped me a lot. But when I molded the rice ball, it just crumbled in my hands or became so squashed up. But it was fun anyhow. Even then, it was still good in my mouth. We put seaweed in it and umeboshi, since they're easier to make. Sigh.... my ultimate worldly posession: ONIGIRI. I wish I had pictures of it. But my hands were all dirty from the molding and I was enjoying my riceball too much to get my camera.

oh well.. maybe next time!

Japanese Shows

OKay, I was sitting at home flipping channels on the tv and after watching several animes to which i couldn't understand btw, and then I came across a game show. I swear it was the most funniest thing I ever saw. (Oh, yeah, I was wearing my ninjai hat, of course) It was this show and the game they were playing was human tetris. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.... I couldn't stop laughing. I really can't explain it to you and preserve the hilariousness. you have to see it for yourself. I think they posted it up on youtube or something. Just type it in on the site and you'll find it. But anyway, I have never seen anything more funny than that. Whoever thought of these games must be really bored! hahaa. Apparently, there are a lot more funny stuff like ping pong matrix or something. They have like a fight scene live but they make it so that it's slow and matrix-like. It's SOOOOOO funny. I was laughing my ass. I was rolling on the ground. Awesome, man. Awesome.

Here's a picture to give you an idea: I DON'T OWN THIS!

I've been training aikido every day in my granpa's backyard lately. I'm so excited for the next class. I feel SO cool. Hehe. And I'm wearing my Ninjai hat. Now, I just need my samurai sword.

I would just like to say that Miso soup is really good. My granpa makes it really good. He puts tofu and spring onions and that's it. It always turns out so oishi. (japanese word for delicious). At breakfast we usually just have miso soup, gohan, and nori. It's a very satisfying meal. For now I don't really miss American food but there are times when I crave it. Like when I crave for something in English. Haha. Yeah, everything here is in Japanese. Well, almost everything.

Anyway I'm kinda exhausted from my vigorous training (ha!) so I'm going to take a nap now. The journey continues another day..... zzzzz

went out shopping

Hey guys, again! I decided to go shopping today for some clothes in some department store nearby my gran's house. I forget what's called. But I got some clothes. Most of them, I found, were a bit too much for my taste. I'm a simple guy. I don't really wear really fashionable clothing. Maybe I was just in the wrong kind of store. Being here for almost a month now, I'm starting to get used to the unique fashion in Japan. I'll probably eventually start buying those type of clothes with the chains and the prints and the ripped denim and... stuff... 

so yeah, i bought some clothes and went shopping around the area. Then I came upon this store that sells all kinds of stuff. I think there's a term for it. And then I saw IT. 

THE HAT OF NINJAI!!!!!!!!!!! da-dum

I had to buy it. It was so cool. It's like a ninja hat, or like those stuff those cool guys wear in anime. LIke Jin from Samurai Champloo. Drool... So I got it, and I wear it at home. My granpa laughs at me. He says it's for farmers or something. But it's so cool. Maybe one of these days I'll go to Harajuku or some anime convention and dress up into an Anime character. Cosplay! I don't know much about it, though. And I'll probably look funny, too. But maybe... one day...

aikido clas

i went to an aikido class today and boy it was a workout. I think the teacher was even taking it easy on me, too! I'm not much of an exercise person, too, so I was sweating like a pig in the dojo. My form of exercise is usually walking and bike riding. So the martial arts class is entirely in japanese but I could understand a little. I decided to just throw myself in the language because I'd learn faster. Luckily the teacher knows a bit of english (though his speech is hard to understand.) I bought a japanese phrase book and it has helped me a lot, too. I know much more japanese since I arrived here. I'm also practicing how to write hiragana and katakana. Anyway, the aikido was fun still. It's all about discipline! I feel so cool...... soon I'm gonna have muscles to attract the ladies... hehe :p

This picture is NOT mine. I just wanted to show you what aikido looks like. I can't imagine that i'll be able to do that in the future. Makes me nervous.. 

ninjai again

ok, i've been watching ninjai and cowboy bebop recently. They're really cool animes, man! Anything by Shinchiro Watanabe? is good. Like samurai champloo. Oh yeah, same with the Ninjai Gang. As a matter of fact, they have a new show called Karma Kula. It' been on the wait for a while and I hope it comes out soon! Here's a pic:

It's really cool. You guys should check it out. Both Ninjai and Karmakula and samurai champloo and cowboy bebop! YAY. onigiri...

a random picture!

a random picture I took while i was at the park today.  I swear there is something special about the trees in Japan. I noticed it the minute I arrived. It seems like they have a story to tell. Like they've been there for centuries (which some of them have been) and have seen all the battles and tales of ancient japan. When I get near them, they seem alive. Like they listen when you speak to them. As if they can feel. I probably sound like some tree hugger, man, but i don't care. It's really interesting. I LOVE TREES. Yes, Jon, I admit it.

beautiful tokyo

Aah. Fall is coming now. Brown leaves. Red leaves. Orange Leaves. It's all so pretty. A lot of the time I like to hang around in Maruyama Park and lay under the trees, just daydreaming the hours away. And eat onigiri. And wonder what'll happen to ninjai. I'm going out later again today to take pictures. I think since I've been here, I've taken at least about 500 shots. I can't help it. Japan is just so beautiful... compared to where I used to live. But I can't imagine China. That must be beautiful as well. Actually, any place with a very interesting history. But anyway, it's becoming fall now in the land of the rising sun and I have to say, it'll be a very beautiful season. I can't wait till the peak. I gotta go now. 

Dewa mata! Hope the fall looks like this. 

The Ninjai Mystery

Damn I just realized that there's some really cool music from Karma Kula on the Ninjai Gang's myspace account. It makes me wonder how the hell these guys live. The Ninjai Gang is just about as mysterious as their character, Ninjai.

It just makes me wonder somehow, how these guys live, how they got their mad ass skills... it's just pretty ... amazing. Anyhow, I know that in time it will probably be revealed to us. I just want to hear it from them, because a lot of people like to say a lot of things about how "they think" these guys live or this and that and the other person. Everyone always wants to give their opinions. I just figure, I'm going to wait to find out about them from them. I like to hear things from the right and proper sources rather than from the "all authoritative" grapevine. Ha, I have more taste than that thanks very much.

So I've been doing some research on how Tokyo's going to be.. so .. I'd say.. beeeautiful.

onigiri!

I think everyone should eat onigiri. seriously. it should be known throughout the whole world. no - the WHOLE UNIVERSE! I bought like 10 onigiri's today. I think i like ume the best. and I ate them all in one sitting. Man, I gotta control my diet if I'm gonna get into aikido. I also have to control my spendings. onigiri is a dollar each. but it's SO OISHI!
AND WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE SO CUTE???? I guess to save money, I'll learn how to make them at home. Looks so fun...

Back home

I went to Denden town yesterday and go so caught up at Gundams Osaka it was past midnight that I got back to the cell I'm staying in. I mean, damn, Nipponbashi is any anime fan's HEAVEN. And I when I say heaven- I mean it totally.

Anyway... I've been looking for some Aikido teachers here.. it's the place to learn it anyway. I know this guy back home - he's already 76 years old man, and if his hair wasn't white and if half of his head wasn't so shiny and bald, he could easily pass as a 20 year old weight lifting freak. All from his Aikido training. Damn what I'd give to look like that. My dad's in his mid 50's or so and ..well.. he doesn't look too good. (Sorry dad! Stop drinking all that beer!) With my mom's asian genes in me, should be bout fine.

some random thoughts

Lalal... walking around Japan again... taking pictures of all sorts of things... proudly wearing my ninjai tshirt. hehe. Just seeing someone watching ninjai suddenly reminded me of being at home again. And brought my ninjai obsession back from the dead. Now I'm watching all the episodes again. 

Anyway, I've been watching the morning cartoons in Japanese at my granpa's little tv set. I'm starting to like anime. I've also found that watching jdrama and anime helps with my learning the language. (Even though I only understand 10% of everything that's being said.) But whatever. IT's interesting. Especially with subtitles. Since coming here, I'm already picking up lots of words as I've said before. 

Sigh. I'm just SO glad to have come here. To learn about the Japanese way of life. To eat their delicious food. (onigiri!) And to just observe another culture. 

Ninjai, the little Ninja

I'm still getting used to being here in Japan... but I do find it interesting that I saw someone watching Ninjai at a park a while ago. Ninjai! Who'd have thought that I would meet people here in Japan who were fans of the same Little Ninja I spent so much money on when the Ninjai Gang sold shirts.

Come to think of it.. I wish the Ninjai Gang sold those shirts again. I really liked them. I still have some old worn out ones that survived all those years of me sweating in them, skate boarding in the park and running down the beach.


I did, however, get some of the Karma Kula merchandise from the dude selling that stuff at ebay.
They were totally rad for sure.

Having said that, that kinda makes me feel home sick for Maui's beaches, the mugginess, crickets.. :'(... it can be quite ironic.

Akihabara

Ok. I came back from my Akihabara trip yesterday and slept a good deal. I walked around the entire district for a couple of hours checking out gadgets and manga, anime. I'm not so into manga but I decided to check out the stores just to learn about it more. By the way, Manga is Japanese comics. So like I mentioned yesterday, I went looking out for an SLR. Well, I got one! It's a used NIkon D70 that came with a lens. When I got it, I immediately began snapping shots of everything I saw. From those vending machines to the cosplayers  standing in the street. Everything really. It was a lot of fun. Speaking of cosplayers, a girl dressed in a maid outfit invited me to go to their maid cafe. That sounded interesting so I tried to follow the directions on the brochure she gave me. But I got lost. (I'm not so good at directions.)  I walked all around and then found myself walking around in circles. I tried to ask for directions but nobody really knew about this cafe or they DID give me directions but I couldn't find it. Talk about IDIOT. Well, maybe I just misunderstood the directions. But anyway, I just gave up after 2 hours of wandering around. But at least I got to explore the area a bit. Akihabara was fun anyhow. It was nice to see some foreigners, too. 

I know I was supposed to talk about the transit system, but I got carried away with Akihabara. So maybe I'll talk about the later. Jaa!

Iraishaimase!

Hello World! My name is Shirota Toma. I am half Japanese half American. For most of my life, I lived in California until I was 17. Life wasn't working out for me so well over there. So I decided to learn more about my Japanese heritage and move to the country. I just arrived in Japan last week and  have been staying at my ol' grand pa's house in Yokohama. He is a master of the Shamisen, a traditional japanese 3 stringed instrument. Anyway, so far Japan has been great. I am starting to pick up some basic phrases and words like konnichiwa and arigato. (Those are the obvious ones.) It is a strange place, here in Japan. It's like being on another planet. Everyone is so polite and helpful. Fashionable and not to mention 'short'. Everywhere you go there is a vending machine that serves both cold and hot drinks. There are convenience stores all around... which sell onigiri. drool...

onigiri is so good it deserves it's own space. That's why I called this blog Onigiri Obsession. I seriously buy at least 3 of them every day. In case you didn't know, onigiri is a snack of Japanese rice formed into a triangle and wrapped in seaweed... with something inside: fish, sour plum, salmon or basically anything that's sour or salty. It's the best snack I've ever tasted in my life. Period. 

ANYWAY... other things that make Japan seem different is that all the cars are so tiny. I swear they're smaller than a Honda Civic. They drive on the left side of the road. In Tokyo, it is very busy with people of all kinds. It is also very high tech. Most stores and buildings have automatic sliding doors. The toilets are NEVER cold. They are electronically heated and have numerous functions you can use like the pressure of the water. The shower at home talks to you. The house talks, too. For example, like when the temperature changes it tells you in Japanese. 

All in all Japan is very cool. There is always something different everyday. Today I'll be going to Akihabara or Electric Town. It is a district where they sell tons and tons of electronics and gadgets and stuff. I'm looking to buy an SLR camera while I'm there. They say you can get discount if you show them your passport. 

Anyway... I've gotta go. I'm gonna grab some onigiri on the way. Next time: the transit system! 

Jaa Mata!