Photo of the Day: Outside Pachinko at Moto-Yawata Station

Father Xmas Gets Behind the Blue Samurai

Photo of the Day: Cheap Beer Near the Station

Practically Giving it Away!

Photo of the Day: Statues at Small Temple

Fukurokuju (福禄寿) God of Wealth, Happiness, and Longevity

Heaven Comes to Funabashi

Sorry for the short notice but this is one event that you really shouldn't miss if a. you love beer, b. live near Funabashi, and c. have some free time this afternoon. Our favourite Funabashi bar (Danke Schön) has gone all out to organize its very own Oktoberfest! The event started yesterday and will continue until tomorrow. It's an early kick-off, with pumps ready from around 11am (my god, I love Japan) and finishes around 7pm this evening. So if you have some time, hope to see you down there. We won't be hard to spot - just look for two very happy foreigners swilling steins of Bittburger, singing: "Ein Prosit, ein Prosit; Der Gemütlichkeit; Ein Prosit, ein Prosit; Der Gemütlichkeit ...oans, zwoa, drei, g'suffa! Prost!

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit.  - See more at: http://www.oktoberfest-songs.com/ein-prosit-lyrics.html#sthash.iImY3w51.dpu...Eins Zwei Drei Zuffe!"

Link:  http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130919-00000066-minkei-l12

Danke Schön: http://ichixfuna.blogspot.jp/2012/07/whenyou-come-across-truly-great-bar.html

 

Ichixfuna Born Again Blog

If you were a regular reader of this blog, you might have noticed this is ichixfuna's first post since May. That's precisely when my first was born – a bit of a life changer is the best understatement I can come up with. So, for anyone who's in a similar position in this area, you could do a lot worse than go through the same process as we did - my wife pretty much organized everything, by the way. This post is a product of her research, knowledge, and wisdom.

Having a baby in Japan can be a smoother experience if you have the right support and are confident in the services you use. First, you need to find a decent hospital. A friend of mine recommended a family run clinic in Nishi-Funabashi called Yamaguchi Hospital. This was a brilliant shout. They took very good care of my wife throughout the whole process, providing us with a few excellent 3D scans along the way and making the final 'push' as comfortable an experience as possible. 

After that, it's a good idea to choose one pediatrician for regular visits. We chose one on our bus route near Moto-yawata Keisei station - Satou Kodomo Surgery (さとうこども医院). Check-ups are monthly and you get plenty of advice about the crucial first stages of parenthood. Also, painful as they are, inoculations are part of these visits. My wife kindly endured the screams and is already on her fourth visit of sets of five jabs. Thankfully, these reduce after the first few months – just a jab a month. 

Ceremonially, the Omiyamairi (traditionally held 31-32 days after a boy's birth and 32-33 days after a girl's) is one for the calendar. At the local temple, a priest will go through the rituals of welcoming your baby to the world and blessing them in the process. This is also a great opportunity for a photo session, as everyone dresses up nice for the event – even the priest was happy to pose with us. Nice day all round.

Next on the list is a full-on photo shoot. Part of the deal with the Yamaguchi clinic is that they provide you with a coupon to get a decent set of photos done. Studio Alice must have a deal with them, so that's where we had ours done. Our little chap was on his best behavior and he was dressed up in a beautiful kimono and posed for several shots, which we had the chance to choose from at a later date.

The final stage for us is now deciding whether to put our child in the hoikuen system. We chose where we are living now because there is one fifty yards from us. Unfortunately, and I only found this out after, that it's a bit of a lottery when it comes to applications; there's basically no guarantee that you'll get your child a place there – could be on the other end of town. With any luck, he'll end up locally, though. Either that or my wife will probably stick with full-time home care, which she's happy to do.

So, if you're in or about to start the same process we've been through, let me finish by saying despite the sleep deprivation and the loss of hearing through scream practice, it's worth every minute. And knowing where to get the services certainly helped to put our minds at rest and made the whole experience leading up to it and in the first few months go particularly well. 

Yamaguchi clinic: http://www.ywh.or.jp/byouin_annai/index.html

Alice photo studio:  http://www.studio-alice.co.jp/index.html

Moving in Japan – Episode 2

My first attempt at moving came two years after settling in to my new life in Japan. Stuck in my small, cockroach infested, fire hazard wooden box of an apartment, I thought it was about time I started looking for better options. An Australian friend had put it to me that we should consider looking for a place together. We decided that a good area for us both would be Nishi-Funabashi - convenient work wise and in an area that we both were familiar with. So the two of us went along to a small estate agents on the high street in search of pastures new.

One of the first problems that you will face in Japan if you are looking to move will be if you don't speak Japanese very well it becomes a far more complicated process. Knowing this, our choice of "Nishi", we thought, was a good one, as it's a fairly multicultural area (for Japan anyway) and so there would be a better chance that the estate agent would have some experience with foreigners.We were greeted with the complimentary green tea and offers of this place and that. The woman in charge – a confident, older mama-san who wouldn't look out of place as an izakaya matriarch - showed us some flats were available in a block just five minutes on foot from the station. We were asked if we wanted to take a look and we agreed.

We were accompanied by another slightly nervous woman in her 40s who had some command of English. She gave us some assurances about the place, telling us how popular it was and the usual spiel. We took the elevator to the 5th floor. We had a look inside – plenty of light, spacious enough for two. The best thing about it though was that it was clean. We were both ready to move, the place looked good, we checked with each other and both agreed that it would be a good option. So we headed back to the estate agent's to negotiate.

After arriving back, we sat down, waited with more green tea, and then declared our interest. The manager took over the negotiations, with the younger woman acting as translator. We said we were interested, this was translated, there was a pause, then the manager checked through her large address book. Running her finger down the page to an address with a thick red line through it, she declared surprise at something and relayed it to the translator:

“This cannot, sorry.”

“Sorry?”   

“This apartment already taken.”

It appeared that we had just missed out on this flat as it had suddenly been snapped up by someone else through another agent. The thing that was quite strange though was that the red line canceling out the address didn't look like fresh ink (it was old and dry and partially covered by old stains mapping the page). Oh well, we thought, that's your luck sometimes. At that point the manager relayed something to the translator. It just so happened that there were two identical flats in the same block that were available and if we were interested we could sign up for one right away. "Great!", we agreed. OK, lets go and take a look. At this point the atmosphere changed. It was as if someone had dropped a massive faux pas. We asked through the translator again if it was OK to go and take a look. This was the response:

“Why? You've already seen it.”

At that point, in these sort of situations, where you don't really feel that much in control, you could buckle under pressure and make rash decisions. Luckily, as we were together, we made the point that we wanted to take a proper look at the place and we wouldn't go any further unless we were allowed to do so. Finally, after some patient negotiating, they reluctantly agreed to let us see the place. And thank god we did. We went back and looked at two places: one was the most rancid smelling room I have ever been in – and I lived in a squat for a while – with four oily car tyres sitting stacked in the middle of the tatami room, fist-sized holes in the walls, and a broken balcony window, the outside of which was smothered in pigeon shit. The second one was just as rotten.

Of course we immediately said no way, even though they claimed the flats would be thoroughly cleaned if we decided to take one. We didn't even bother going back in the shop, as we got the feeling they had been trying to dupe us. We did have the slight suspicion that if you were a foreigner moving into this area, with limited Japanese skills and desperate for a place to live, this would be the ideal scam. Maybe a little over exaggerated but at the time it felt visceral.

We thought it might just have been bad luck, so we tried once more around Nishi a few days later. This time we asked my friend's Japanese girlfriend to help us and chose a very well known estate agent – less likely to have the same thing happen again. We went to the shop with a better idea of what we were looking for. This time, it's hard to comprehend what happened. Definitely one of the more bizarre events I've experienced in Japan.

We browsed outside the shop for a few minutes, looking at places within our price range advertised in the window – we saw it was busy so we we waited for a decent opportunity. As we walked in, the staff – a large, unfriendly looking woman – gave us the most unwelcoming look. We did the usual, “sumimasen” courtesies, and asked if it was OK to sit down. After we did, my friend's girlfriend asked to see some apartments in our price range. The woman got angry. Our friend asked for confirmation, all the time my friend and I looking on helplessly, occasionally asking for updates on what was being said. Suddenly our translator got up, said the usual thank yous, and said we had to leave. At this point the woman turned to the Japanese couple next to us and with a big smile looked to assist them in any way possible.

When we got outside, my friend's timid and extremely kind girlfriend was shaking – adrenalin was peaking.

“What's the matter? What was that?” we asked.

“She said there was nothing for you here.” she replied.

“What? Nothing for who?” we implored.

She told us that the woman had made disparaging comments towards us and that she wanted us to leave. She had said there was nothing, even though there were several places in our price range in the window. We went mad, at one point nearly steaming back in for an explanation. I caught the woman's gaze and she gave me a “What you going to do about it? / get out of here” look. My friend's girlfriend was livid, and she did mention the “R” word, but it would be hard to prove anything. Maybe she thought my friend and I were a couple and didn't approve of that kind of thing. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but the behavior of a member of staff at somewhere so well known was quite shocking. Anyway, it was enough to put us off more flat hunting. We both agreed to leave it for a while and stay in our respective boxes.

These episodes are certainly an uncomfortable reminder that some people will do anything to take advantage of those not in the know. It also served as a wake up call that if you are moving in Japan you should make sure you are thoroughly prepared, for you are likely to have some jaw-dropping moments, waiting to surprise you when you least expect it.

Episode 3 to follow.

Moving in Japan - Episode 1

With all the prospects of paying hefty key money (essentially a gift for the landlord), high deposits, and fees for all sorts of things, the hours of sitting in estate agents, filling out tons of paperwork, only to be let down at the last minute as the apartment suddenly gets snapped up by someone else, the hours of searching around for something that is not going to leave you broke for the next six months, but is barely big enough to accommodate your average XXL gaijin, the days of boxing, shifting and uprooting your life, and the delights of cleaning your old apartment from top to bottom and then being charged a month's rent as 'cleaning fees', welcome to the world of moving in Japan - it's not for the fainthearted. Here are some of my high(low)lights.

 

This will be my fifth move in ten years and the thought of it is as appealing as the last time I moved (around the time of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake). My first four years in Japan were spent living in the same apartment. I was living in Shimosa Nakayama (close to where I'm living now, incidentally – full loop), and I was living in what could be described as little more than a box with small, separate shower and toilet. For this, albeit being very close to the station, I was paying ¥70000 per month (about $750), and as I didn't really have much to compare it to at the time, I accepted that this was probably not a bad price to pay. 

My Austrian landlord had taken practically all of my money the first evening after I'd arrived – one and a half months rent up front, deposit, and insurance. He gave me the key and dropped me off. I'd just got here so I was too excited to care. The place was a lot smaller than I had been used to in the UK, but that was OK - I was in Japan! I wrote a diary for the first three months of my stay and most of what I wrote, reading back on it, was quite positive. My company gave me an advance on my wages to cover bills, eat and travel to work, and so I could keep up with rental payments, and so this helped me to get settled. In the small cluster of apartments in which I was living were a few other foreigners. I didn't really get to talk to them much, as they would come and go with quite high regularity.

After a while I got talking to one of the other residents that was living in one of the same sized apartments as me. It turned out I had been paying ¥10000 more a month than everyone else. So not only did I suddenly realise that the rent was extortionate for what I was getting, I was in fact being ripped off. I went to see the landlord about this and asked him to explain himself. He said that what I had heard was untrue, then showed me a few examples in his tenant book. Unfortunately, he showed me a few too many pages - “How about this, this and this?!” I said, pointing to apartments being rented at ¥60000. He admitted that he was overcharging me. I told him I wasn't going to pay him a month and a half rent to make up for the money he'd been taking off me, and with a slight grin he agreed. No “sorry” or contrition, just an air of, “Oh well, you caught me, but there's not much you can do about it.”

Looking back though, I really didn't have a leg to stand on, or at least I felt I didn't have anyone to turn to. Thinking about it I should've moved a lot sooner, but I ended up staying in his apartment for around 4 years, now that it was a bit cheaper – being close to the station and to work did help a lot too. Until a friend suggested we move in together, I'd never tried to look for another apartment. And so began the long, arduous trip into the world of moving in Japan.

Episode 2 coming soon.

A Glass Raised to Toastmasters Ichikawa

Last weekend I was kindly invited to attend, and participate in, a session of Ichikawa's Toastmasters Club (TMC). The Club, set up by local residents and members from other Toastmasters clubs in the area, and chartered by Toastmasters International, California in March 2012, meets twice monthly and gives participants an opportunity to voice their opinion on a variety of topics that are important to them individually or to society in general. 

Toastmasters International is an organization that offers support to people wishing to learn to be better speakers, listeners, and thinkers, as well as helping participants to improve their presentation and leadership skills. Founded in the States in the mid-20s by Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, its popularity spread, and now it can be found in over 100 countries around the world. 

Toastmasters was introduced to Japan in 1953, approved in 2005, and as of 2013 there are now 129 clubs across 6 divisions in 22 areas, with new ones forming every year. These clubs take presenting very seriously and every year there are club (individual), area (5 clubs), division (Kanto area), and district (Japan) speech contests from which the eventual winner travels abroad to compete for the title of "World Champion of Public Speaking."

Each meeting is set around 3 or more main speakers who have prepared speeches based on guidelines from communicational competence manuals provided by the club. The role of participants, including officers for the day – Toastmaster (host), Table Topic Master (TTM), Timekeeper, Grammarian, Vote Counter, Um-Ah Counter - is not only to present but also to evaluate and give feedback to the speakers on that day - responsibilities are shared so everyone can contribute as equally as possible.

The meeting started with a thought of the day (about adversity)*, and a word of the day “inevitably” from the Toastmaster. This was followed by a short topic feedback session by the TTM. The topics posed related to events that happened in 2012 and that will happen in 2013. Participants each took turns standing up and gave their opinions about these important events.

The main speakers' topics included a talk about the history and renovation of Tokyo station, the history of Toastmasters International and its popularity in Japan, and a discussion on Japan's dwindling birth rate, which included a feedback session from other participants, giving their ideas on how to improve things; this also extended to the state of social security, healthcare, and the economy.

After an hour of presentations we all marked cards and judged each other's efforts. And at the very end, prizes were given for the best speeches. I had tuned out for a minute as I was evaluating the contribution of the Timekeeper, and, to my surprise, I heard my name called out. I was awarded a ribbon for "Table Topic Speaker of the Day"; my acceptance speech: “I really don't deserve this.”

At Toastmasters Ichikawa participants can present their ideas safely in the knowledge that their time spent at the lectern will be respected, their ideas will be listened to and points discussed in a mature and non-confrontational manner, and at the same time they will receive a great deal of constructive criticism that will help them improve their presentation skills. Part of the Club's mission statement is that they are there to “provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment...which fosters self-confidence and personal growth.” This was completely fulfilled on the day that I attended, and the fact that I went home with a winner's ribbon just goes to show how generous in their praise the members of the club really are.

*"If you're feeling low, don't despair. The sun has a sinking spell every night, but it comes back up every morning. The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

                                                                                                      ~ Dolly Parton 

 

Ichikawa Toastmasters Club

Meeting held twice monthly - venues vary

Next meeting: 2013/1/19 (Sat.)10-12am 

市川駅行政サービスセンター I-linkルーム 

Ichikawa Station Administration Service Center I-link Room

 http://ichikawa.toastmastersclubs.org/

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

New Year's Eve called for a visit to Tōbu Hyakkaten 東武百貨店 (Tōbu department store), conveniently situated under JR Funabashi station, which accommodates the Sobu Line and Tobu Noda Line and is only a short distance from Keisei Funabashi Station on the Keisei Main Line. Places like this can reach bursting point around this time. Though it shouldn't be missed if you enjoy the final shopping push of the year and the mad scramble for all the best shōgatsu (Japanese New Year) culinary delights.

Wandering around B1 of this place is not for the agoraphobic or claustrophobic among us; there's no end of pushing and barging, and this is accompanied by the implored wailing of the myriad of shop staff tempting you to try samples of the never ending lines of delicious looking food. But it does have the character and buzz of a thriving market and there is little in the way of antagonism between shoppers - people do maintain some etiquette despite the ample opportunity to do exactly the opposite.

There is always so much on offer, but the more traditional food for this time of year - toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles), ozoni (rice cake soup), osechi (a box filled with a variety of foods), and mochi (glutinous rice) - are a very tempting choice for the last meal of this year and the first meal of the next. Other choices include ebi chilli (fried shrimp in a sweet spicy sauce), fried chicken, Gyoza (Chinese dumplings), yakitori (skewered chicken), and a seemingly never-ending selection of sweets and cakes. There is also a choice of Italian, Chinese, and Indian cuisine - the list goes on.

Though the hustle and bustle can get a bit much, the atmosphere is quite special - a bit like last minute Xmas shopping in the West. Once you've made your choice, it's time to head for the exit, slightly battered and bruised, but loaded with enough food to last a week.

    

The choice of food this year was easy - fried chicken, soba noodles with large fried shrimp, mochi, and, of course, ebi chilli. All washed down with a nice bottle of sake and a few beers. Lovely.

Happy New Year!!!   

Bristol 23: Beer, Football, Music & Laughter - Tick!

A bar well worth visiting in the Ichikawa area is a small, foreigner owned establishment called Bristol 23. A couple of years ago, while living out of Tokyo up in cold but warmhearted Niigata City, I used to visit a bar whose sole proprietor was an expat from New Zealand. This soon became my favorite place to hang out, and particularly so because of the great relationship I had with the owner - just sitting at the bar chatting with him or with the regulars was a real pleasure. The closest I've come to experiencing the same is at Bristol 23. So, if what you're looking for is to feel welcomed within a warm and genial atmosphere, you should check this place out.

Established in 2008 by two Ghanaian expats, Ernie and Tim, the bar takes its name from two sources: firstly, both owners lived in the UK, with one of them living in Bristol. Secondly, the 23 represents high skill or success within the field of sport and is a number worn by such superstars as Michael Jordon and David Beckham. The love of sports and music is standout here, as is the sense of humour of the guys who run it - rarely do you find yourself chatting and laughing to this degree after arriving alone at a bar.

Though easy to find and an easy place to meet new people, the bar provides more than just a warm atmosphere at a convenient location from Motoyawata station. Ernie and Tim have created an atmosphere that offers an environment for newcomers to find their feet after arriving in Japan - perfect for someone who has yet to find their way around. It's not that you can't sit on your own and sup a pint, but it's certainly ideal for meeting the locals and a variety of professional people who have something interesting to say. One regular is a professor of Physics at a university in Tokyo, and chatting to him at the bar for an hour is an absolute pleasure. Others I've talked to include traders, social workers, salary men, and people from many walks of life. This isn't just a place where people come to practice English. People genuinely have something interesting they want to express about themselves.

Apart from the beer and good chat you can enjoy here, there is also a wide range of food on tap. I haven't eaten extensively from the menu, but I have sampled their very reasonably priced and tasty homemade pizza. Other delights include the tuna nachos, African kebab, and the quite unique dish for the Ichikawa area - homemade "Gumbo" (Louisiana soup). Drinks wise, there are a wide range of whiskeys for the connoisseur, a good selection of bottled ales, and the usual draft fair. They also serve cocktails, two of which, the Brain Buster and the Wild Wild West, are something to behold. But you don't find the need to get paralytic here. It really is enough just to soak up the ambiance and joviality of those who frequent the bar.

Another quirk is the music, which is available upon request. The bar has a large screen TV which is connected to the Internet, so you can request literally anything - my favourite burst of three last time I was there was One Direction (not my choice), followed by The Doors (mine :)), followed by Smokey Robinson. Even if these artists aren't your cup of tea, this just highlights the variety on offer. There is also live blues played from time to time which, in an small, intimate environment like this, is rather special.

A personal highlight for me is that fact that Ernie and Tim are both football fanatics, which means that they show the English Premier league most weekends. With Ernie being a Chelsea fan, Tim - Spurs, and me - Arsenal, you might think things could be a little frosty when it comes to football chat. This, however, couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, I have never been in a bar where I've felt so relaxed bantering about football. There is not an ounce of animosity between us, despite our allegiances. For that reason, I love this bar.
 

Bristol 23
3-6-17-#206 Minamiyawata
Ichikawa-shi 
Chiba-ken　
272-0023 
Phone: 047-376-3722

Menu: http://www1.icnet.ne.jp/as2tvyqj/d&f_e.html

Map: http://www1.icnet.ne.jp/as2tvyqj/access_e.html



The guys have just opened up Bristol 23's sister bar in Urayasu, so watch this space for some more info about that.

Crossing Borders - A Stroll in the Park

After a week of busy trains, traveling through interminable stretches of concrete, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the silent masses, you could do a lot worse that finding yourself wandering within Tokyo's Kasairinkai Park (葛西臨海公園 Kasai Rinkai Kōen).

Only a short ride across the border from Chiba, built on reclaimed land which was previously used as garbage lots, and officially opened in 1989, the park runs along one edge of Tokyo Bay and is a great place to visit if you want to sit and relax near water or you want to get lost in a bit of nature. Within the park there is an aquarium (Tokyo Sea Life Park), a bird sanctuary, and a large ferris wheel (the tallest in Tokyo) which was opened in 2001, on which you can view Tokyo Bay, Edogawa, Tokyo Disneyland, and Mount Fuji. So if you have kids, this is a great spot to bring them and a place where you will be able to get a decent afternoon's worth of entertainment.

I visited the park on Sunday which was, weather wise, one of those stunning autumn days you get in Japan. After coming out of Kasai Rinkai Koen station, you are greeted by a small fountain, gently puffing its water skywards. And behind this, set on the horizon, is the Diamond and Flower Ferris Wheel. As Tokyo Disneyland is the next stop down, you imagine that this may be conveniently arranged to help parents persuade their kids that they can have a nice day out, even if it doesn't involve shelling out ¥10000 to see Mickey Mouse and friends.

The aquarium is conveniently close to the station too, and walking across the square leading up to the Tokyo Bay coastline you often see street performances, who are commonly found at tourist attractions around Japan; sometimes you see a 'one-man-and-his-monkey-on-a-string' show at touristy spots (a bit of an uncomfortable watch, in my opinion), but this time there was a guy juggling and skillfully performing balancing tricks to the appreciatively enthusiastic crowd.

As you get near the bay area you come across a modern looking building, which is intended to be a viewing gallery/info spot. The Japanese usually do this quite well, and there is nothing particularly wrong with this architecturally pleasing building, but it is very sparse inside (information wise, TVs meant for public information looked like they were under maintenance), and someone had decided to flick the air-con switch to off. So, just a quick walk through here and then on to the the main part of the park.

As you follow the path which runs parallel to the bay, you soon come across the bird sanctuary, where you will find watching the 'birders' eagerly photographing their tweeting friends as interesting as the nature itself. Viewing is done from something that resembles an artificial cave, where you can look out of decently sized slots. There are two of these viewing caves placed conveniently on each side of the reserve. If you are patient enough, you can observe a variety of migrational species of birds. And by the quality of the photographic equipment you can see being used, there is no doubting how serious the people take bird and nature watching here. 

One of the great features about this area is the panoramic view across the bay. From the concrete building housed within part of the sanctuary, one guy had even set up a full-scale telescope, which lead me to think he was waiting for sundown to attempt a proper view of the cosmos. There are ¥100-a-go mini-telescopes at hand too that wouldn't be out of place on a coastline promenade in Britain and they are perfect for watching the myriad of vehicles within the bay, including the planes coming into land at Haneda airport.

Sometimes you may get the feeling that as you walk around 'natural' areas in Japan, it's all a bit manufactured. And indeed here it sometimes feels like you are walking around a Disneyland for adults. But there is no question that the work done to preserve the Bay's natural habitat through renovation and conservation has produced one of the best getaways you will find in the area.

Kasai-Rinkai Park: located is about a half an hour from JR Tokyo Station on the Keiyo Line (京葉線). .
Buses can be taken from Kasai Station and Nishi-Kasai Station to Kasai Rinkai Park on Tokyo Metro's Tousai Line.

 http://goo.gl/maps/61PDX