The way to Kyoto

I move to Kyoto from Tokyo during night by rent a car.

It took about 5 or 6 hours using highway. During night time, there are many trucks. Usually we were surrounded by big trucks and dump trucks with small distances between cars. I had same feeling as the driver appeared in the movie “Duel”, which is first film by Steven Spielberg. My brother, Ryo, kindly offered me to help out. Thanks! If I asked moving company, it would cost over 800 dollars… Besides, he rejected my offer to give him some money as my gratitude. He said “If I receive it, you can not save money. It’s meaningless, just same as the situation that yu ask your friend or moving company”. Who has raised him so gentleman… Same person and environments as those for me? Anyway, we successfully finished my moving to Kyoto!

Good-by Shinjyuku

I’ve seen this scene during 8 years from the rooftop of my institute.

Twin tower on left side is Tokyo metropolitan government building, which is considered as one of targets of attacking by terrorists. This building was built in later 1980’, just middle of Japanese economy boom. So the design of building is gorgeous, and there are many statues and arts by popular artists. We can enjoy Tokyo city from the observatory on top (FREE!). The building on right side is “Park Hyatt Tokyo” (http://tokyo.park.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp), which was used in the movie, “Lost in Translation”. Good by my town, Shinjyuku-.

Improved system in Tokyo

In these days, some of cell phones have function as debit card in Japan. We can go through turnstile at station touching panel with cell phone. At the day when I go back to Hawaii, I used train from Tokyo to my parents’ house located close to Narita International Airport. I was eager to take a nap in the train, but the seats in normal cars were totally occupied. So I decided to use first class car to have seat. At the platform we let our debit card or cell phone to recognize the section for using first class car, and in the car, we touch the overhead panel with those cards again.

Because the lamp turns to green from red during the section to use, we can take a nap without being disturbed by the guard. I nearly overslept…. It’s good system, isn’t it?

New position and New apartment

I went to Kyoto to attend two meetings related to my next job at “Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN)”. The project members were all friendly and agreeable, though It’s first time for me to meet most of them this time. Dr. Burnett, who is professor at Florida State University, is sitting back to back with me as visiting researcher in this project. Though I was working with Henrieta, who got PhD in his laboratory, in other project at Maui, I did not imagine I would work with him in Japan. It was good surprise-.
During free time of a couple of hours, I visited real estate agent and decided my new apartment. The rent is about $600, cheaper than that in Tokyo and Honolulu, but it does not seem to be good quality compared with other rooms in this area.

It’s small studio, so called, “rabbit house”. Because April was not the period of moving in Japan, and there were not vacant room, then no choice for me. Sorry for my friends, who wanted to go around Kyoto for sightseeing based on my apartment.

Change tracks a little bit

This year, I was selected to receive a grant for my study from The Japan Science Society, and then I attended the party with other awardees. Of over 300 people, I had about 10 acquaintances in the field of Oceanography. I had chance to talk with Dr. Tsukamoto, whose study, the discovery of sea eel’s spawning spot in deep ocean, was recently featured in “Nature” (http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/enviro/EnviroRepublish_1576736.htm). Although we’d been working in same institute, we had not have chance to talk before. Surprisingly my study was highly evaluated and supplied the highest grant of all awardees. But I need to confess to the committee that I can not do my study as I applied, because I was accepted to new position in Kyoto, and I will not have enough time for the study about algal physiology in tropical areas.

Exhausted

I’m doing several chemical analyses for my water and plants samples day after day. In these 2 weeks my sleeping hours were just 4 or 5 hours. Anywhere and anytime, I’m likely to fall in a sleep. Besides, organic solvents, which are used for extracting fatty acids in plants and animal bodies, may be badly attacking my skin and brain...

I wanna go back to Hawaii and stay comfortably and healthily!

Crazy?

It’s been long time since I last visited the main campus of my graduated university. The campus looked like a small town, because new chain stores (e.g., SUBWAY and DOUTOR-coffee shop) opened in the campus. A well-known convenience store, “LAWSON” also opened near the main symbolic auditorium.

Surprisingly this shop opens 24/7! Why? During the night time, most of gates are closed and any strangers are eliminated out of the campus. So the students who are burning mid-night oil until next morning only may use this shop. In Japan, such students may not be rare.

Make more colorful!

Midnight train bound for Shinjyuku around 0:30 am at Shibuya station on weekend.

What a damp atmosphere there is, instead of happy night on weekend. Don’t you think there are so many people wearing black color clothes? If they were all wearing colorful clothes, it would be fantastic and enjoyable! It may affect our productivity in business, because brilliant colors make us more enthusiastic and happy. Let’s ask the governor to set byelaw that tax is reduced for the people who are wearing colorful clothes! I’ll wear rainbow color underwear!

Japanese Graffiti?

I went to my friend’s house humming the song of Shogo Hamada. His songs were used as the theme song of Japanese TV show, which drew friendships and love romance of college sports club members, and their subsequent stories after their graduation. It may be similar to old movie AMERICAN GRAFFITI. His songs are always stuck to my mind, when I meet with friends of college yachting team. This time, we gathered to celebrate first baby in our group!

Tenmaru (name)! Show us your Hawaiian spirits!

Impromptu comic duo putting on N’s souvenir from NY.

Instant cup noodle

Because instant cup noodle was invented in Japan, there are plenty of products. Recently, the noodle made by rice or mung bean are getting popular here. There are many choices in “convenience store.” Everything is 1 or 2 dollars and 100 or 200 kcal. So They do not damage our wallet and stomach. And you can not look down on the taste of instant cup noodle. Though I often go to Vietnam restaurant in Hawaii, the taste of this cup noodle may be comparable to them. (I’ve got to buy it as souvenir for Dr. Webb!)

(My favorite healthy cup noodle, "pho")