tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45656552643885729112024-02-06T21:57:42.051-08:00Waggenheimers in Kyotohmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-9065156952089278832012-08-04T23:42:00.000-07:002012-08-04T23:42:03.696-07:00bye JapanI'm writing this from the Seoul Airport. It was an eventful last few days in Kyoto, and the last day we spent all day wandering around, having one last chance at everything. I'll post details later but suffice it to say for now that we shopped, we saw gardens and temples, we walked, we ate sushi and udon, and we cried.
We also took 4 last funny t-shirt photos.
"Lovely Face! Pretty Heart. hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-84259145833722985482012-08-02T21:48:00.001-07:002012-08-02T21:48:42.779-07:00the endthis is going to be my last blog post from Japan. I am unplugging our internet after I post this to return the converter box. We have spent the last 2 or 3 days packing and cleaning out our apartment which has been hampered by most of us getting a pretty awful 24 hour flu bug.
I just had a good-bye lunch at KIT with my host and the other 2 professors in my lab. I turned in my office key, paid hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-81384379817513400962012-07-30T17:01:00.000-07:002012-08-02T21:49:15.279-07:00aikidoSome aikido pictures from the 2nd to last class.
N doing front rolls
N sitting in seza
N doing a front roll
M doing her front roll
W doing her front roll
Yoko-sensei on the right, and Daisaku (who is from Portland and is one of the helper teachers) on the left.
hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-18432256600852139132012-07-29T16:59:00.000-07:002012-08-02T21:49:01.050-07:00last day of schoolThe Japanese school year starts in April and runs without any long breaks until mid-July. Their summer break is about 5 or 6 weeks; school starts again on the 28th or so. Then Winter break is about 3 weeks in December/January. There are occasional 2-3 day breaks here and there, but they get more school here than in the US. This week was the last day of school until August, and both M hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-29156143666447431472012-07-28T23:49:00.004-07:002012-07-28T23:49:45.106-07:00clothingWe just got back from going shopping up at Qanat, which has our three favorite clothing stores: Uniclo, Hush Hush and G-cref. I took a few last photos at G-cref. I love the slogans.
I have no idea what this one means...
This one sounds deep, but is it?
It's like the old "Shazaam" show. Super-flush!
Cigars on me.
In the sprit of the Olympic swimming events that started hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-41025892629212140532012-07-28T16:31:00.000-07:002012-07-28T16:31:14.276-07:00GymnasticsIt has been a week of "lasts." The last day of school. The last flea market. This week we will have the last aikido lesson. The last taiko class. I will post pictures of the last day of school later this week.
The kids have been doing gymnastics since December or so. Class is from 6-9PM on Friday night. They have really enjoyed it. Wendy and I sat in and watched the last class and took a hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-40672591789963296382012-07-27T23:45:00.001-07:002012-07-27T23:45:24.405-07:00northern running routeI took the camera on my long run today to get some pictures of the "northern" river loops. The kamogawa north of imadegawa is definitely my favorite course. Unfortunately it was really hot and muggy today so some of the long distance shots are just faded into the background. Like last week, I'll include approximate mile markers along my course (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/203712981) Here hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-91671708308427618712012-07-25T18:11:00.001-07:002012-07-25T18:11:17.065-07:00violin recitalWendy gave a violin recital last weekend with her friend Mizuho as pianist. Keiko did a traditional japanese play/monologue about an annoying neighbor who keeps coming over at mealtime to get offered food, and then complains about it. So, they give him "special nagasaki tofu" (which is rotten). The recital was at a Nepalese restaurant near Kawabata/shichijo.
Here are some pictures.
very hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-86065453044198169542012-07-21T18:01:00.002-07:002012-07-21T18:01:14.187-07:00running the southern kamogawaI have been meaning to bring the camera on my long runs for a while and now I'm really running out of time so I brought it today. Today was a 10 miler and I went on the southern loop. Back when I was marathon training, I would run the southern loop (about 8 or 9 miles) and then the northern loop (7 to 11 miles depending on which route) and then add on more to get to 20 or 22 miles. But now hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-59027646808597741392012-07-20T22:25:00.002-07:002012-07-20T22:25:51.302-07:00riverwalkToday, the kids and I took a short walk from our apartment to the river, over on imadegawa and then through the imperial gardens down to marutamachi and then home up the river. For the first time in more than a week it isn't above 90°, but it is still really humid. It rained off and on during our walk. Also, I finally got a picture of the really beautiful blue and white bird I see on my hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-87584715524432368652012-07-20T21:03:00.001-07:002012-07-20T21:03:55.065-07:00Taiko PartyMy taiko class took me out for dinner last night. I had a lot of fun doing taiko this year and I am going to miss my class and my teacher a lot.
Class 150, エンジョイ class from taiko center, Kyoto (http://www.taiko-center.co.jp/english/engindex.htm)
My 先生, Akiko Imada (今田 晶子)
Thank you for a great year of Taiko!
hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-77046725544500923402012-07-19T04:58:00.002-07:002012-07-19T04:58:16.059-07:00Gion MatsuriI don't know a lot about Gion Matsuri, but it has been going on for around 1200 years. in the mid 800s, there was a series of bad weather, plagues, fires, etc, and relief only came after an elaborate purification ritual at the Yasaka shrine near Gion. This is one of the biggest festivals in Japan. You can read more here.
They completely shut down a major portion of downtown to vehicles and its a hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-79402720353187359812012-07-16T22:29:00.003-07:002012-07-16T22:29:56.015-07:00burgersWe found a good burger place (with juke box!) down by the Yasaka Shrine; we've been there twice now.
There are kids hiding behind those burgers...
Wendy's burger. Yum. Avocado.
Our friend Atsuko came a few months ago to help us do pottery and we got our results back, just in time to mail them home!
The kids made these pots (plus one more small pitcher)
Wendy made the bowls and I hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-58462769829105906002012-07-15T00:26:00.001-07:002012-07-15T00:26:26.806-07:00Bowling!I'm trying to stay current with the blog, but I was really sick (like, flat on my back with a fever for 3 days) this week so it got away from me. Last weekend we went bowling with Keiko and her 3 kids, and then went to *her* friend Aki's house for dinner. It was a fun day, lots of memories.
Somehow our kids have managed to live their whole lives so far without ever once bowling. hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-58423864110951526352012-07-04T00:20:00.001-07:002012-07-04T00:20:13.609-07:00Fourth of July!
First of all, Happy Fourth of July! It isn't a huge holiday here in Japan, for some reason. No parades, no fireworks. Oh well.
I received a form in the mail today finalizing our move out from our apartment. About one month and we leave. It is going to be really strange to leave Japan.
Here are some recent pictures from a walk we took last weekend while N was at camp. We walked M down to hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-89927959173895217902012-06-28T00:05:00.002-07:002012-06-28T00:05:30.328-07:00HanaseN went to camp today. He is at a 5 day outdoor camp and returns home on Monday afternoon. We packed 4 days worth of clothes (essentially all of his clothes) and about 8 towels (most of our towels). The list of what he was supposed to bring is very long and detailed. We had to buy him cotton work gloves (they will be cooking and these are insulated) and a flashlight and an extra bath towel and allhmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-81128776418172766642012-06-21T23:15:00.002-07:002012-06-21T23:15:53.481-07:00japanese grocery store songsDifferent foods in Japanese grocery stores have different songs. Actually, almost everything has a song here. When we first arrived, we were pretty much assaulted continuously with songs. The train has a song. The recycling truck has a song. The fuel oil truck has a song. The entrance to Family Mart has a song. I am trying to collect these now before it is too late.
Here are three hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-50484619220812467882012-06-20T21:30:00.001-07:002012-06-20T21:30:06.528-07:00Hiroshima and MiyajimaHere are a few pictures from last weekend's trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima.
Hiroshima style okanomiyaki. make a thin pancake, pile on cabbage, bean sprouts, spices and toppings, cook for a while, then flip over. That is what you see in this picture. Then, fry an egg and either soba or other noodles, and put the whole thing on that. Flip over again and add sauce, nori, and eat!
hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-90944687873894953902012-06-17T21:20:00.005-07:002012-06-18T02:18:28.582-07:00Hiroshima
We visited Hiroshima this weekend. We spent a couple hours on Saturday morning at the peace park, peace museum, and atomic bomb dome. It really makes you stop and think about war, its effects on people, the waste of money, effort, time, and humanity.
The park is beautiful, even in the pouring rain, and very somber. The museum is very well laid out and has a lot of information. The (very hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-23080663581791201512012-06-14T18:00:00.000-07:002012-06-14T18:00:03.253-07:00daitokujiWe went to Daitokuji, a collection of zen temples on the northwest side of Kyoto last weekend. Some of the temples didn't allow photography but the last one we went do (Daisen-in) did. This temple is about 500 years old and if I remember correctly, it is mostly original buildings. The temple is surrounded by a lush bamboo and moss garden; it seems like you walked into an alien landscape hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-48751331329361570272012-06-12T21:06:00.000-07:002012-06-12T21:06:14.235-07:00Kids artOur kids have been doing art with our friend Atsuko once a month. This past week they decorated tote bags. And themselves...
the finished product
Thank you Atsuko! Wait, who is that on the left...
Groucho M.
hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-88285435766060893842012-06-10T19:06:00.000-07:002012-06-10T19:06:51.072-07:00school visit dayI'm a bit behind on updating things. I finally downloaded some more pictures from last Sunday's parent school visit day.
This is M and one of her classmates. Gravity pulls a bit sideways here in Kyoto, apparently.
M teaching the class how to add 2 digit numbers. Apparently they spent 30-40 minutes on this problem.
M's picture of だんごむし (dango mushi, pill bug)
M dressed for PE!
hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-87885693211585041732012-06-04T19:00:00.002-07:002012-06-04T19:00:32.055-07:00Coming home :(I just picked up the departure form from KIT international affairs. :( We come home in 2 months.
In other news, this past Sunday the kids had school and it was open to the parents so that parents who worked could see the school. I took a few pictures of M's PE class. pretty cool. If you want to see more pictures, check out my facebook page.
future HMC student?
This is hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-16338710070155336482012-05-25T19:46:00.002-07:002012-05-25T19:46:43.942-07:00School ecosystemToday the school had a Saturday school. This happens pretty often; earlier in the year the kids made pizzas, learned to play dodge ball, etc. Today, we went to the school Biotope, a small natural ecosystem on the school grounds. There is a small pond, fed by an underground stream (one of the parents told me this). There is a small flowing stream, several trees (apple, kiwi, possibly a guava) and hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4565655264388572911.post-87355589947446367012012-05-20T22:07:00.000-07:002012-05-20T22:07:25.149-07:00Eclipse!We had a GREAT view of the eclipse today! I remember back in 1991 standing on the roof of the UC Irvine chemistry building with a "pinhole camera" 6 or 8 inches across in a giant piece of cardboard; we were able to focus the image of the sun down to the ground 6 or 7 stories below. Great fun.
Here are some photos of us looking at the eclipse and our pinhole camera.
Only look at the sun hmcinorganichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07349914214627635279noreply@blogger.com0