Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Kochi Life, Sept.-Oct. 2008


Halloween party break-dancing


Bartenders singing Karaoke behind the bar. the red- haired guy was really good!



Hana, Rosie, Fuku at Hirome Halloween Party. I'm a dead geisha.


This is Hana's family's izakaia (bar/restaurant). I met her through the International Assoc. here. Were the same age and like some of the same stuff. She's helped me get acclimated a lot!


I made some cranes to fly across my ceiling, they make me happy.

View from my 4th floor apt. I love mountains! For me they're so exotic.





Junko, my shodo (Japanese calligraphy teacher) made this sushi for me. The square ones on the left are called wave sushi because the way the seaweed is placed, it looks like waves. The ones on the right are called hana (flower) sushi because the pink fish sausage looks like a flower and the sea weed like leaves. Junko said she will teach me to make it! I felt bad eating them because they are so beautiful!

Around Kyoto, Aug. 2008


This is where the mountain is lit on fire for Obon. This Japanese character (kanji), means "big". I can't really understand why they do this, even though it's been explained to me a few times...


A random shrine. They're everywhere...



Eating Tako Yaki (like octopus bread balls, with dried dish flakes and "yaki" sauce) at the Kitano Market. Taki Yaki always burns your mouth, right off the grill.


Glowing Crossing Guard

All the yukata (casual kimono) photos and the mountain lit on fire, is a holiday called Obon. The deceased ancestors come back to visit and people pay respects to them.


Friday, October 24, 2008