Kamakura 1

Photos from our trip to Kamakura while Will was here

Who doesn't like hot carrots?

Aya and her friend Rie (ree-eh), and her daughter

I think Will found a friend

that's right, the ladies are always inn B.B.'s house

evening on the beach after spending all day walking

around Kamakura

The ravens fighting over a fish

The Bamboo Palace

Being under the canopy of a bamboo forest is a very unique experience

Stone lantern covered in moss

Looking up. The way light is filtered by the canopy adds to the experience

Using horse drawn carriages is considered inhumane

Daibutsu - the giant buddah

Where's Wally-san (in Japan Waldo is Wally)

Japanese garden at Hase Temple

Looking out to the coast at Hase Temple

Beautiful Iris

Another Japanese Garden at Hase Temple

Jomyoji Temple

Tea Pavillion looking into the Zen Garden

Tsuruoka Hachimangu Temple

Water to clean your hands before praying. Pretty sure Will was not supposed to swish it around and then spit it back into the fountain.

A special ceremony was being held while we were at the temple

These insturments sound very much like bagpipes. I was mezmerized.

The wardrobes were amazing

Earthquake Preparation Class

One of the classes at Japanses language school is Earthquake Preparedness

This is the 'Gara Gara Go', or earthquake simulator. It demonstrates an eartquake ranging from a 1 to a 7 on the Richter Scale. It also allows you to feel the difference between a vertical vibration and a horizontal one. The vertical are really not nearly as bad as the horizontal movements.

Then we got to paractice spraying fire extinguishers at video monitors of a fire. Pretty cool.

Then we got to watch a 3-D movie highlighting the difference between a prepared family and an unprepared family. From the movie we learned that the unprepared family's liquor store will burn down, they will suffer major damage to their house and belongings, they will become seperated during the earthquake, the grandmother and baby will be injured, and the father will wreck his delivery truck. On the other hand the prepared family will remain calm, follow the evacutaion plan they have planned and practiced, suffer no injuries or damage, and end up saving multiple memebers of the unprepared family. I think we can all agree that the unprepared family is a whole lot cooler.


This is a movie of me in the Earthquake simulator. You will notice that I use the 'duck and cover' technique similar to that recommended for a nuclear attack - and yes this is the same size as our apartment.

Working Out

I recently joined the Winston health club. As you can see from my trainer, a pack a day will have you diesel in no time. It will also have you looking uber confident in a denim speedo.

Honestly have no idea what the marketing is behind this - but who can argue with a man that strong in shorts that short? Perhaps the writing in Japanese is warning people that if they do not smoke they will turn into an American like this. In which case it is genius marketing, and explains why so many Japanese smoke.

Happy Hour with the Miyakoda's

Enjoyed a nice saturday evening on the patio after work.

KANPAI!!!

Shinjuku

Spent a day touring Shinjuku.

Tokyo Mode - a new school of fashion & design in Tokyo

The building's form is based on the silk worms cocoon symbolizing emerging energy and new growth. The silk worm is also an important component of raw material for the fashion industry.

Landscape & reflection pool

Entry walk

Fountain and bridge at another project

sunken courtyard & plaza

this did not lead to oz

Brick fountain and cascade - Aya's dad used to work here when he worked for Kajima. Aya remembers meeting her dad here after work and eating dinner and playing in the fountain.

An interesting plaza & garden for a new residential tower

I really liked the planting design

A pretty small area to design in an expensive location obviously allowed the use of expensive materials and intricate detailing

The contrasting of textures and shades of green, white, and dark reds/blacks was very effective

A cool set of stairs that used programmed LED lighting to create patterns of falling water, and fireworks.

lighting detail

The wandering eye, in Shinjuku station

A low res video of the stair lights