Kobe's Night View

This time yesterday, I was atop Mount Maya in Kobe - 698.6 metres above ground and frozen, but taking in the most fabulous night view of the city.

Upon dusk


You can identify major Kobe and Osaka landmarks using the map


Beyond sunset


Nightfall

I think this view is more impressive than the Nagasaki night view from Mount Inasa. I'm glad I waited to see it, despite the major chill factor.

More about Kobe later,
Monica

Kei cars

When I first arrived in Japan, I couldn't get over just how narrow the roads were. In the tighter spots, cars travelling one way have to pull into open clearings to let cars from the opposite direction through.

Unless you drive a buzz box -

- like this.


Gets you from A to B ...


... at a top speed of 50kph!


This one's the popular Suzuki Wagon

And this is the Nissan Pino

They're called kei cars, short for keijidousha - light vehicle - and can be identified by their yellow number plates. Manufacture of the kei cars started after WW2 - offered as cheaper alternatives to regular cars to help rebuild the economy - and are still as popular now.

Kei cars are manufactured to strict regulations: the length limit is 3.4 metres, width limit 1.8 metres and is restricted to a height of 2 metres. The maximum displacement is 660cc with a maximum power of 47kW. Vroom, Vroom. Maybe not.

Until next car lesson,
Monica

Do you like sushi?

When in Rome, right? Nuh-ah. I just have no tolerance for this kind of sushi.

ebi (prawn) sushi


roe and cucumber sushi

There's a local sushi train restaurant near our residence that I don't mind, because I can order the *ahem* cucumber sushi, egg sushi and tofu sushi (called inari zushi).

Luckily there's a range of options

Raw fish, called sashimi, is a definite NO. I braved it once at a teacher's party ...

... but it ended up oh-so-discreetly into a napkin!

There's no escaping it, really. I went to lunch with a friend and we ordered, yep, the herushii setto (healthy set) - a big trend in Japan.

Such a variety of herushii things ...


... hey, wha ...?

I put that white, rolled, raw squid in my mouth - the first chew wasn't bad, and then... I don't know, I just can't eat raw fish. Or octopus for that matter ...

Takoyaki - translation: fried octopus

At least I gave it a go,
Monica

Intricate Ikebana

I've just signed up to take Ikebana lessons, which is both exciting and daunting. The arrangements I've seen are always stunning, but I know so much thought and effort goes into each creation.

Ikebana is the art of flower arranging but it's more than just good form and colour, as in the floristry we are used to seeing. There is significance in the placement of the stems and branches and the lines, always defined at specific angles, create the balance between earth, heaven and humanity.

I went to a friend's Ikebana exhibition earlier in the year at Himeji's Egret Centre. Take a look at these.

Yellow and white

This one is one of my favourites, poppies ...


... as is this modern tulip arrangement in square glass vases


Capsicums and a mirror - meccha modern style


Love this one too - birds of paradise


Minimalist traditional style


Absolute minimalism


With rose petals - stunning!

I like all styles of Ikebana, but I think the modern formations are my favourite.

Until next Ikebana lesson,
Monica

Taifuu morn

I woke up at 6am this morning and it had appeared that the worst was over for Himeji.

The clouds were low and 3D-ish


The same view from my balcony as last night, but in daylight

It was just drizzling in the morning, but there was enough flooding to stop some local trains and cancel morning classes at most schools. After all, it had been raining all night.

There didn't seem to be any significant damage around our area - just some things blown out of place.

Leaves shed

I don't think coastal areas fared so well, obviously, but luckily this typhoon turned into a mild tropical storm on landfall.

Thankful that everything is okay,
Monica

Taifuu eve

Right now, we are experiencing the effects of Typhoon Melor. According to the news reports, it is expected to land in our area between 3am and 6am tomorrow (Thursday) morning.

From my balcony - it's pouring with rain already!

Preparations are done - the rubbish bins are under shelter and I've dismantled my clothesline. It's been raining steadily since 6pm and it's a little gusty - and definitely colder than last night.

The first casualty - my neighbour's pot plant

I guess all there is left to do is wait. And hope there isn't too much damage in the morning.

With an update tomorrow,
Monica

Afuro Doggu

Thursdays are Elementary School days and they're lots of fun. The staff at each school (I visit five) always make me feel welcome.

Yay, I have my own desk

The kids are sooo excited to firstly, meet a "foreigner", and secondly, learn and speak some English! And I get to facilitate songs, games, dances or whatever I think might be fun and interesting to do with the topic they're learning.

Consequently, I get lots of letters and origami creations thanking me for the lessons.

My favourite letter: "You came so far to teach us! Thank you"

But my all time favourite thank you gift is the Afuro Doggu - Afro Dog - origami. Yes, that's the actual name of this funky folding creation!

Love it!

Another highlight is the kyuushoku - school lunch. Thursdays are always bread days, phew, but what accompanies it is anyone's guess ...

Bread, hamburg, cheese, vegetable soup and milk

Bread, veg and egg soup and agemono- fried things, literally. What? I'm not sure.

I've given up on accepting the milk. There are just some things that you can't drink milk with ...

Wondering about next week's lunch,
Monica