Otsuka Art Museum

Hey Folks and Folkistas! I just made a video about one of my activities over the weekend. So head on over to youtube and check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdZbU5Pk3fY

Latest Projects

I've been working on some little crafts lately!

First, some fun news. I found a sewing machine! Well, I should say, a full sized one (as opposed to my questionable, travel sized one from last fall). I'd been popping my head in the nearby pawn shop for the past 6 months to ask after a machine, but it wasn't a popular item. Recently, though, someone suggested the Sun and Green Recycle (thrift) shop. This place was simple gold when it came to used goods. Plentiful, varied, and cheap. It reminded me a lot of Goodwill in that it employs people with disabilities. It was a shock to not have crisply dressed employees greeting me hello every few minutes, but kind of a nice one.

The sewing machine was tucked behind some tall humidifiers and beneath portable radios. Not too easy to maneuver it out in the 2.5 wide aisle, but it was worth it. A little scratched, but only $12! The bobbins I bought on the way home cost half that.

So, to put it to use, I've been working on a cathedral window style quilting project. The nice thing about it is that you can stop adding on at any point and it's just about complete. The not so nice thing is that it requires lots of crisp corner precision and measuring. We'll see if it grows past my current 4 windows any time soon.

Another endeavor from last week was to teach a friend how to crochet. I made her a purple replica of her noisy dachseund, Ojiro, and she wanted to learn how to do the same. So she came over on a lazy Saturday afternoon to learn first the basics of crochet. We soon got to the Amigurumi specialty, the magic circle, and started on her first animal ever. A snake! Partly because I had talked so much about my great hatred for them at length the day before, and partly because she was born in the year of the snake.

I tried to make mine as benign as possible, as seen left. She has a flower sewed on for coquettishness, and can bend liberally.

The next day I left her on the desk of one of my English teachers anonymously.



This last one I keep seeing in student's hair, so I wanted to try to make one myself! Actually, they usually have flowers, but I discovered that butterflies are a lot faster and have fewer ends to tuck in.

Travel: Part 3, TokyoDisney & Typhooooooon

                                                                              Is it bad of me to wear Ghibli paraphernalia in Disney???


On the last full day in Tokyo, we went to Disney! Despite having very little space to work with, they were still able to fit two different parks into the Tokyo area: Disney Land and Disney Sea. We chose Sea, mainly cause our resident Disney buff, Lucas, has been to many Disney Lands in his time. At first I was imagining lots of underwater stuff, but it was more sea themed than actually in the sea.

You walk into the Mediterranean Harbor, and can visit other areas with like themed rides. 

They do a great job of making Disney feel like a whole world of its own. My last visit was in 15 years ago. So fun to go back! 

That night we got to stay in the famous Japanese style Capsule Hotel. These were originally built for businessmen who missed the last train home and needed a quick, easy place to stay for the night. 

It's a lot more spacious than I expected, though.

On the way out of Tokyo the net day, we made a stop at the Pokemon Center to meet Nurse Joy and heal our pokemon.

..or, that is, to buy souvenirs. 

The rest of the day was spent riding trains southward to Nagoya. What's usually a 6.5 hour journey on normal trains became 9 hours of riding and waiting after strong winds and heavy rain hit eastern Japan. A couple people called this a typhoon, but it just seemed like a big rain storm to me. 

Arrived in Nagoya around, oh... 10:30? 11? Where I mishappenly led us to a place that was definitely NOT near our lodging for the night. The trains had just stopped, and I got to take my first taxi in Japan. Oh, it's comfortable alright, but costs a pretty yen.

But we got there! Angelica and I went bath hopping in the onsen spa area while the boys used the free internet lounge to catch up on emails or somesuch. 

Travel! Part 2, Tokyo

After joining up with our Hong Kong buds, we had one day of officially exploring Tokyo! 

The hotel for the night was in Asakusa, so the day naturally started there, with a giant daikon (radish) greeting us good morning.

On the way to the big temple in there area, this crowded street many different Japanese shops. Fans, parasols, yukata, cell phone charms, necklaces, brooms..?, etc. 

 Sensouji is one of the oldest temples in Tokyo, and attracts tons of tourists and worshippers from both Japan and abroad every day. It was nearly destroyed in WWII, but rebuilt into this fine structure since then.

 Just before leaving, we noticed a group of people in these checkered yukata. "What is this?" I asked one of the guys loitering around. "We're about to dance, come watch!" he said, and they started an Awa Odori-esque traditional Japanese dance (after a long, official Opening ceremony, of course!)

 You can also buy fox figurines for [good luck?]. They have to be left at the temple, though! 

In the afternoon, jumped on the subway over to Ueno park area. Lots of people were picnicking under the soon-to-bloom sakura trees. 

 We tried to have our own picnic with the free pizza snack samples someone had given out. The first bite was good, but after getting incredibly thirsty, we soon realized the samples were not for the product, but to get people to buy the alcohol at the gate. Sakura picnics are usually accompanied by lots of sake.

Also in Ueno we got to visit the science museum. Try getting into the MN one for $5 USD! Saw a 360 view video of the food chain, and spent lots of time at the hands on exhibit. 

Later in the afternoon, headed over to Akihabara, Japan's famous geek hotspot. It's spilling over with electronic stores, arcades, anime figurine shops, and maids handing out fliers for their cafes. 

 Someone likes Evangelion... notice the passenger, too!

My one purchase at Akihabara was a new 8gb SD/XD card for my camera or cellphone. At Y500, I don't think that's too bad!

Finally, went to the Tokyo Tower to get a nice night view of the city (that is, after getting terribly lost by getting off at the wrong station...)

Then, as if the day weren't packed enough, one more stop at Shibuya to see the famous intersection. If you ever see a movie with Japan in it and about a zillion people crossing at once, it's probably the Shibuya crossing. Unfortunately, we arrived just as many people were heading home for the night, and didn't spend much time there. 

Finally, back to the hotel by 12:30, and went to bed to get rested up for the next big day!