Typhoon Roke (2011)

Typhoon Roke (known as 台風15号 in Japan) made landfall in Japan today, bringing lots of rain and strong winds. As of now, 5 have died and 3 are missing. This could have been due to the early evacuation advisories. For example, evacuation advisory to 1 million people in Nagoya was given yesterday, giving ample time for people to seek shelter on higher ground away from the rivers that might breach their banks. It has been a while since such a strong typhoon hit the Tokyo area. Gusts above 60 knots have been recorded in the Tokyo area and rainfall of above 30mm an hour. The saving grace is that the typhoon is moving at quite a high speed (aided by the westerlies) so the ordeal should be over soon.

For me, it has been a while since I have felt the full effects of a typhoon. But that does not mean I am crazy enough to try and go out in this weather. I am staying put at home where it is safe.

Le Soleil Yokosuka

In 2009, we visited Le Soleil at Yokosuka while the kid was still a baby. Back then, it was drizzling while we were there. This year, we visited the same place again in late summer. And were greeted with great weather.

The kids definitely enjoyed themselves. They were able to feed the animals, and enjoyed the rides there as well.

Yokosuka is full of nature. Kites are abundant here, sometimes flying low over our heads. And there was this large sunflower field just right by the entrance, in full bloom.

Lots of gold

Wow! It seems that while the US economy has been in the dumps, and the US dollar has been dropping, the US does have a trump card that it can pull out... with all the gold reserves it actually holds! Look here for the report.

10 years since 9/11

It has been 10 years since the terrorist attacks on US took place on 11 September 2001. I can still remember that day clearly. The attacks took place in the morning of New York, which was night in Japan, and I was just back from a meeting and as I was watching the news, the first images of a plane crashing into the World Trade Centre came in. This was soon followed by the Pentagon on fire. And as a reporter was reporting about the first crash on the World Trade Centre, the second plane crashed into the other tower. And the rest is history. This probably ranks as the first event to shake the world as we entered the 21st century.

9/11 conspiracy theories debunked
9/11: A decade of war on terror

6 months on

6 months has passed since the terrible earthquake and subsequent tsunami has left the northeastern part of Japan devastated. 6 months on, the rubble has yet to be fully cleared, though temporary housing for the refugees have been completed. But the livelihoods of these people have not been reestablished... it will take some time before the people can ever recover from this...

Singing again

I haven't been listening to songs very often for quite a while, and I can't remember the last time I went to a karaoke... and so it was quite embarrassing to finally step into a karaoke today and end up not being able to sing anything decently. In the end... I ended up singing songs from children's animation like Anpanman because those are the songs that I have been most exposed to of late (because the kid loves those songs...)

Guess I just need more practice...

Aftermath of Typhoon Talas (2011)

Typhoon Talas (known as Typhoon Number 12, or 台風12号 in Japan) has finally passed through Japan, leaving in her aftermath 33 dead and 55 missing (as of now). It brought record rainfalls to 44 places in Japan, with some places having more than 1500mm of rain in 3 days. Just for comparison, the average annual rainfall in Japan is 1400-1500mm...

With the heavy rains came floods and landslides. Houses collapse when the ground beneath them gave way or was washed away. Parts of roads were submerged when rivers flooded beyond their embankments. It was a terrible reminder of the forces of nature yet again.

Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore by Celine Dion

J'ai compris tous les mots, j'ai bien compris, merci
Raisionnable et nouveau, c'est ainsi par ici
Que les choses ont changé, que les fleurs ont fané
Que le temps d'avant, c'était le temps davant
Que si tout zappe et lasse, les amours aussi passent

Il faut que tu saches

J'irai chercher ton cœur si tu l'emportes ailleurs
Même si dans tes danses d'autres dansent tes heures
J'irai chercher ton âme dans les froids dans les flammes
Je te jetterai des sorts pour que tu m'aimes encore

Fallait pas commencer m'attirer me toucher
Fallait pas tant donner moi je sais pas jouer
On me dit qu'aujourd'hui, on me dit que les autres font ainsi
Je ne suis pas les autres
Avant que l'on s'attache, avant que l'on se gâche

Je veux que tu saches

J'irai chercher ton cœur si tu l'emportes ailleurs
Même si dans tes danses d'autres dansent tes heures
J'irai chercher ton âme dans les froids dans les flammes
Je te jetterai des sorts pour que tu m'aimes encore

Je trouverai des langages pour chanter tes louanges
Je ferai nos bagages pour d'infinies vendanges
Les formules magiques des marabouts d'afrique
J'les dirai sans remords pour que tu m'aimes encore

Je m'inventerai reine pour que tu me retiennes
Je me ferai nouvelle pour que le feu reprenne

Je deviendrai ces autres qui te donnent du plaisir
Vos jeux seront les nôtres, si tel est ton desir

Plus brillante plus belle pour une autre étincelle
Je me changerai en or pour que tu m'aimes encore.

A song that I really like, even though I don't know French... I chose this version from Youtube since it has the English translation.

 

Update 22 May 2023: I used Google Translate and edited it a bit for the meaning in English.

 

J’ai compris tous les mots, j’ai bien compris, merci
Raisonnable et nouveau, c’est ainsi par ici
Que les choses ont changé, que les fleurs ont fané
Que le temps d’avant, c’était le temps d’avant
Que si tout zappe et lasse, les amours aussi passent

I understood all the words, I understood correctly, thank you
Reasonable and new, that's how it is around here
That things have changed, that the flowers have faded
That the time before was the time before
That if everything is forgotten and tires, loves also come to pass

Il faut que tu saches

You have to know

J’irai chercher ton cœur si tu l’emportes ailleurs
Même si dans tes danses d’autres dansent tes heures
J’irai chercher ton âme dans les froids dans les flammes
Je te jetterai des sorts pour que tu m’aimes encore

I’ll go to look for your heart if you bring it elsewhere
Even if in your dances, others dance your hours
I will go to look for your soul in the cold and in the flames
I will cast spells so that you love me again

Fallait pas commencer m’attirer me toucher
Fallait pas tant donner moi je sais pas jouer
On me dit qu’aujourd’hui, on me dit que les autres font ainsi
Je ne suis pas les autres
Avant que l’on s’attache, avant que l’on se gâche

Shouldn't have started attracting me, touching me
Shouldn't have given me so much, I don't know how to play
I am told that today, I am told that others do this
I am not the others
Before we get attached, before we mess up

Je veux que tu saches

I want you to know

J’irai chercher ton cœur si tu l’emportes ailleurs
Même si dans tes danses d’autres dansent tes heures
J’irai chercher ton âme dans les froids dans les flammes
Je te jetterai des sorts pour que tu m’aimes encore
 

I'll go get your heart if you take it somewhere else
Even if in your dances, others dance your hours
I will seek your soul in the cold and in the flames
I'll cast spells on you so that you love me again

Je trouverai des langages pour chanter tes louanges
Je ferai nos bagages pour d’infinies vendanges
Les formules magiques des marabouts d’Afrique
J’les dirai sans remords pour que tu m’aimes encore

I'll find languages ​​to sing your praises
I'll pack our bags for endless harvests
The magic formulas of the marabouts of Africa
I will say them without remorse so that you love me again

Je m’inventerai reine pour que tu me retiennes
Je me ferai nouvelle pour que le feu reprenne
Je deviendrai une autre après qui tu soupires
Ces jeux seront les nôtres, si tel est ton désir

I will invent myself queen so that you hold me back
I will make myself new so that the fire resumes

I will become those others who give you pleasure
Your games will be ours, if that's your wish

 
Plus brillante plus belle pour une autre étincelle
Je me changerai en or pour que tu m’aimes encore

Brighter, more beautiful for another spark
I will turn myself into gold so that you love me again

Fuji Live Firing Exercise 2011

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) conducts a major live firing exercise each year that is open to the public. Known as the Fuji Live Firing Exercise (富士総合火力演習), it takes place at East Fuji Exercise Area. This year, the event was conducted over two days (27-28 Aug 2011), and I managed to get a ticket for 28 Aug 2011. It was an impressive show of the JGSDF's firepower, with tanks and artillery firing away at targets and helicopters flying around.

The event draws huge crowds each year, and this year was no different.

The weather was a bit cloudy during the live firing exercise, and the paratrooper event was cancelled because of the low-lying clouds, but the cloudy weather spared us from the summer heat, so it was actually a blessing in disguise. It was good to see this again after 13 years (the last time I got a ticket for this was in 1998).

Sumida River Fireworks Festival 2011

One of the biggest fireworks events in Japan, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival is an yearly event that takes place usually in late July, but this year, it was postponed till 27 Aug 2011 because of the earthquake. Our friend stayed near the Sumida River, so she invited us to join her family for a picnic by the riverside while watching the fireworks.


We never imagined so many people turning up for the fireworks... at this portion of the Sumida River, an hour before the fireworks started, the place was already filling up. It got even more crowded as time passed.

We had a great time, watching the fireworks while eating the food and drinking beer and chatting away. The kids had a great time too!

Summer vacation 2011

This is a post to consolidate the various places visited during my summer vacation in Japan.

Here we were, at Shinagawa, ready to set off.

Of course, once we got onto the train, the kid decided to take a nap so that he can wake up at the destination fresh.

Hiroshima
Akiyoshi Caves
Hagi
Etajima
Dougo Onsen
Oozu
Kochi
Ooboke and Koboke
Kotohira
Marugame
Okayama

Total distance driven (from Dougo Osen till Okayama): 459.2km
(We went with a family friend from Hiroshima to Hagi and back, and he drove the whole way.)
8 days, 7 nights, 7 prefectures (Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Ehime, Kochi, Tokushima, Kagawa and Okayama) visited, although we only spent the night at 6 of them (stayed two nights in Hiroshima, and did not stay overnight at Tokushima).
4 castles visited (Oozu, Kochi, Marugame and Okayama). 5 castles if you count the remains of Hagi Castle. So this trip was like a trip to see castles, though the main reason was to eat Sanuki udon.

Summer vacation 2011 - Okayama

Our final stop for this summer vacation after leaving Marugame was Okayama (岡山). Okayama is famous for peaches (momo in Japanese) and thus the figure of Momotaro from Japanese folktales is a common sight here.

Okayama has her own castle, Okayama Castle, which is also known as Crow Castle (烏城) due to its dark colour.

Okayama Castle is separated from Okayama Korakuen by a river.

Okayama Korakuen is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and is definitely worth a visit. The landscaping is excellent, with its own little stream and pond running through the garden.

After visiting these two famous spots in Okayama, we had Tokushima ramen (徳島ラーメン) for lunch.

And then it was time to say goodbye to Okayama and head back home!

Summer vacation 2011 - Marugame

After leaving Kotohira and Zentsuji, our next stop was at Marugame (丸亀), which contained one of the venues which was the reason for us to visit Shikoku in the first place. Marugame has her own little Mount Fuji, called Iinoyama (飯野山), also known as Sanuki Fuji (讃岐富士). What do you think, does it look a little like Mount Fuji?

Our first stop in Marugame was to climb up Marugame Castle. The little kid fell asleep in the car, and I ended up carrying him up the little hill that the castle was built on... it was quite a climb!

But it offered a great view of the Seto Inland Sea.

Next was the reason why we visited Shikoku. We wanted to eat Sanuki udon in Kagawa, which used to be called Sanuki. There was this long queue outside the shop "Nakamura" (なかむら) which we went to.

After 40 minutes, we finally managed to get into the shop, and dug into our own bowls of Sanuki udon.

After a delicious lunch, we took the Seto Ohashi (瀬戸大橋) and left for Okayama, our final stop on this summer vacation.

Summer vacation 2011 - Kotohira

After passing through Ooboke and Koboke, we finally arrived at Kotohira (琴平), where we were to spend the night. Kotohira is a hot spring town centred around Konpira Shrine (金刀比羅宮). We got there in the evening so the streets were quite quiet by then.

We had a great dinner that night, staying at an old hotel with a rooftop open-air hot bath. It was a bit windy that night so it was a bit difficult to enjoy the hot bath up on the rooftop.

Konpira Shrine has 1368 steps before reaching the inner shrine... with a two and a half year old kid, it was a challenge that I wasn't going to take (imagine having to carry him up and down the 1368 steps if he doesn't want to walk...) Instead, we went to Zentsuji (善通寺) which was actually just nearby. Zentsuji is the birthplace of Kukai (空海), who is the founder of the Shingon (真言) school of Buddhism in Japan.

Summer vacation 2011 - Ooboke and Koboke

After leaving Kochi, our next stop was Kotohira. On the way, we passed by Oobuke (大歩危) and Koboke (小歩危), two parts of the Yoshino River (吉野川) famous for their rapids.

We also made a short detour to Iya Valley, where an old vine bridge (かずら橋) was.

The bridge itself was a bit hairy trying to get across... look at the space between the floor boards!

Just beside the vine bridge was a beautiful waterfall known as Biwa no Taki (琵琶の滝).