Japan: May 2003 Archives

Well it seems that I have missed the boat for having a blog of any importance based in Japan. If you are a little behind the times here is a defination of a blog or weblog:

"Blog” is short for “Web log.” Several years ago, heavy Web surfers began creating logs—compendia of curious information and interesting links they encountered in their travels through cyberspace.

I know that I am sounding a little cynical, but doesn't someone have to be? I mean there are a million and one fads that have come and gone in Japan and I have to get upset at one? I guess so because I am feeling the way that I do. I mean isn't almost cliche' now? I mean the long beaten to death horse of a gaijin sob story about how they hate the food, the city, heat, ect. Isn't it that a another set of eyes will see every situation differently, even in the same country, let alone a totally different country like japan? That is to be expected, naturally. I am left asking if we need any more of these blogs clogging up search engines and other 'net pipes? I can't wait until there are moblogs from hobos on the street corner as they are panhandling. I guess I spoke too soon.

I know that there are going to be people in the blogging community that are going to want to nail me to the wall and tell me that I am totally wrong. Well I would tell these critics of mine that blogging and mobloging are just the re-invention editorials that were so comman only 10 years ago before the megahit of the internet. They could be found in the daily newspaper and in the weekly magizines that everyone used to get. Now they are a dieing breed. We are still dealing with the written word here and nothing that wasn't invented 553 years ago with the Gutenberg Bible. The meduim has changed that is for sure. I will have to concede on this point.

Well I think that it all boils down to the fact that we as humans haven't come that far since the invention of the Gutenberg Printing Press. I know that some would argue with me on this fact alone, but I am going to stand my ground because man is still neglecting man and we are forever killing each other as people soon had hoped would stop after the bible was able to be freely distubuted to all.

So yes, we still need blogs until we can beat the humanity of each other into all that will listen. If we don't write it then there is no hope.

Check out this feature in the Metropolis to get a current picture of the blogging scene there.

Japanesegifts.com

Today I bought a Donabe pot. If you are unsure what that exactly is, I have included a picture for you to get the idea. It is a earthenware pot that can withstand high heat.

Awhile ago I also bought a portable butane stove that I can use in my living room on my low Japanese table. It is nice to be sitting right there next to the cooking food. Let me tell you, the smells coming from the Donabe pot are so mouth watering. I wonder why Europeans never discovered this little custom.

On tonight's menu happened to be, Nabeyaki Udon. I used, premade udon that I bought at United Noodles, Enoki Mushrooms, chicken thighs, dried shitake mushrooms, Kamboku, dashi stock. After about 15 minutes boiling the Nabeyaki Udon was ready.

I have to say that I am now in love with this style of cooking. I fell in love with shabu shabu when I was last in Osaka, Japan for my wedding. I will have to try this when I get the chance.

I have finally done it. What I really mean is that I am done working on my Japanese low table. It have been a long process that probably wasn't worth the time and pain, but I am happy with the results. As you may know, I bought this table some time ago and I had cracking problems. I have solved those problems now by stripping of the thick polyurathane finish. I then re-finished the table with a standard Tung oil from Minwax.

I ran across this article in the Metroplis and I know that it was fate. It just can't be a chance sighting can it? I am not a strong believer in God or anything like that, but it is a little creepy. Well anyways, I feel a strong desire to go to Shikoku and see some of the temples. I know that probably will not be able to take the 2 months it usually takes to make the journey unless me wife lets me. Well, I doubt that will be the case if you know what I mean.

Simon Rowe

Mr. Rowe gives a outstanding description of life on Shikoku. I wish I could live there, but then I remember the description of the typhoon season makes me think twice about that. "From June through September, Shikoku takes the brunt of the typhoon season, so much so that the Cape’s inhabitants jokingly refer to their stretch of coastline as the “Typhoon Ginza” of Japan and have incorporated bunker specifications into their houses—steel window shutters and reinforced walls clamped down by heavy clay roof tiles—to ensure the village doesn’t flutter off to Siberia each year."