Some pictures from the first day

I went to Uniqlo to check the Japanese fashion. I imagined that, as it is Festival times and in summer, some Yukatas would be sold. Unfortunately, last year, with all the "settling" the season finished and I did not have my Yukata (except for the one that my "host mother" in Hitachi gave me. Indeed they were some nice ones and I got one and here you can have a look at some of the prints from this year.
Also in Uniqlo, on the men´s floor, I was surprised to see some t-shirts that show publicity. This above is one example. I wonder... has KLM pay for such a publicity or is free promotion?
It is not my style to pay for something and make publicity while wearing a garment, that´s may be why I did not buy it! ;-) (besides, my flight to Japan was with KLM and did not have small TV where I could chose the movies I wanted to watch... and I am used to this kind of planes for long flights!)

Shinjuku as well. I always passed by this shop but never dared to take a picture (always people around). This time, I could kindly ask in Japanese if they did not mind to move a bit for the picture.. so here you have the image of a huge "Hello Kitty", the most famous kitten in the world.
Shinjuku, nishiguchi (West Exit): Next to the station, in a area full of restaurants. Plenty of T-shirts from the team that have participated in the World Cup in South Africa. I discuss with the vendor about the Blue Samurai, the kanji from the T-shirt, soccer in general...
Yesterday in Shibuya, I also visited the official shop from a famous sport wear company. There, huge prices for the "official"T-shirts. I want to get one for me but if waited for a few days may be would get them with discount?? I will go today again! ;-)

In this shop, there was a very cheerful atmosphere and the music helped. I asked about the song and was referred to it as the group "Exile" (I know a few Jpop groups but not this one). I loved the song and will keep it in my ears for long remembering the "hope" and good times that the Blue Samurai have given to Japanese... and not so Japanese :-)

Here the link to the video

Happy

Hello,

A new warm day in Tokyo.
I went to bed after 5 in the morning (already day light since 4:00 am) because watched both soccer matches. Had a great time with Japanese people cheering their time and belonging a big "more Japanese" with them and also with the Spanish team that, to my opinion, did perform a great match (worth to stay awake! :-))

Got up at 10:00.

Yesterday had dinner with 6 colleagues from work (well, I did not work with them but thanks to the social skills of Itsuki-san that is the most European Japanese that I have ever met).
One of the ladies, patent examiner in computer security systems is going to America for some time, so it was her farewell dinner. I happened to be in time to mention about a problem that I have listening to Japanese radios from my computer (yes, I am not a computer person, so anything could be very easy but I did not manage to make it happen to listen with Windows Media Player for some reason and wonder if their system was different). She gave me a super hint to listen Japanese radio stations and am super happy for that. From now on, I will be able to listen again to my favorite stations. The website is

and have checked that it works.
Then, good news from Europe as well that have made my day a bit happier (than it already was :-))

First impressions

Skipping the long queues :-)

Happy to have been able to benefit from the Suica and NEX offer to go and move around Tokyo (the lady did not pay attention to my passport as I am not considered "a tourist" ;-))

Just back to the hostel. It has been a long and intense day. In Tokyo it is warm. Watanabe-san came to pick me up and went together to Ikebukuro, where I checked in for a couple of nights (the rest of the stay is arranged with friends or with some prize from a competition I participated in).

Because it is rainy season, I was lucky enough to be having a little "nap" (Spanish yoga) during the rain but later on moved on to Shinjuku for a bit of shopping and living "old times" :-)

On the train station in Ikebukuro, a promotional booth from American Express.. I´ve been one of the few accepting the "challenge" to the smiley boys and... have won one of the prizes!! :-)

On the visit to Shinjuku, I passed the gorgeous building where my former apartment was located. It took me a while to find it but must admit that it was really convenient and great there. Fantastic decision I had.

All in all, the impressions today are strange but will change by tomorrow for sure. I am aware that this time is for a couple of weeks but still this city gives me a lot of energy, inspiration and "good vibe".

More walking around, bought some books in Kinokuniya, visit to the always funny "Don Quijote", Uniqlo, getting a "Yukata" and ended having a cider in an Irish pub.

Returning to the hostel, a nice man sitting next to me on the train has asked me a few questions... in English but I could answer in Japanese and he was very hapy about it. His son is a Japanese teacher in Waseda (same place where I spent 5 months last year!). It is suprising also that another Japanese fellow has been speaking to me about football and I could follow with no problem. Definetly the basis are good (thanks to Takayama and Taira sensei!) and feel like going on (although from The Netherlands the motivation is much less... :-((

Back on the hostel, visit to the screen on the terrace to see the score... just started the match NL-Slovakia. I go up to the room to put my orange t-shirt on (the one with the "lion" that fancied for so long) and just realized that Holland is ahead in the score. I go down before I miss something important.

The days are getting busier and busier. Today I just took it as "relaxation" and "first contact". Tomorrow several things in the morning and dinner (possibly with Karaoke) and ending watching the match from Japan (one of the things "to do" in the morning is getting a blue t-shirt to support the national team and become "one of them" ;-))

More impressions very soon. Some pictures to illustrate the day, already posted at the beginning of this entry. Hope you enjoy the summer day in NL and the soccer!! (here 7 hours ahead... is almost midnight).

Fantastic blog

Find this blog fantastic http://florentchavouet.blogspot.com/
I came across this illustrator thanks to a book that Sarah lent me. It was a nice discovery (the name of the book "Tokyo Sanpo"). For those that are familiar with the city, I highly recommend it.

And now... few hours left for the plane.. I am getting super nervous and emotional. It feels exciting and great. Somehow... comparable as if I was going to meet a boyfriend (in spite of the apparent differences ;-))

Doei, bye, hasta pronto, au revoir!

Music

Still active in music, manga, anime, news, dramas, blogs...

And I am back... ... in Japan!

Yes, you are reading right. Only a few hours, exactly 8 of them to go back to one of the special places of my life.

Went out last night, one of the "shortest" nights of the year. Had fun. Not much sleep but luckily have 12 hours plane (and still -let´s cross fingers- no problems for sleeping while on the flight).

The last couple of months have been calm, in The Netherlands but at the same time interesting and somehow intense. My life rhythm has been very different to Tokyo and also miss that but also I am happy to be here... because it has been my decision!
I will summarize in my next post about things done in the last weeks (festivities and festivals, celebrations, birthday, trips to Germany, sports fair in Italy, Pilates, visitors, wedding invitation, mini-reunion in a month, visit to family and Friends in Spain... On the not so good side, eyes infection but now ok!!). The most important thing, in April, back to work. Really hard. Took me 2 months to "come back" but the feeling is that I have a "fresh" mind and eyes and feels good.

It is really exciting that I have the opportunity to be back to Japan and have such an exciting set of activities prepared with ex-colleagues from work, friends, Europeans, teachers, more colleagues.... also want to do and visit things that could not do during the hyper-intensive months spent there. Keeping in touch with all the valuable people met in Japan is hard and keeping up my Japanese takes a lot of will power but it is so rewarding that it is worth the effort.

Soccer world cup is a big issue now for people that like sports (am one of them) and although I did not watch TV since came back, now I do and follow with interest the progress of the Japanese teams among others. On Tuesday I will be with them enjoying a historical moment (remember that the national sports is baseball but haven´t met yet a young man that does not like "sakka" :-)

Weather is fantastic in NL at the moment and warm and humid in Tokyo as I expected. Already one year ago that landed there and was surprised by the "rainy season". Now I am mentally prepared.

There are several nice links about Japanese life or business found in the last weeks (by the way, not only NL changed government, also Japan did! -remember passing everyday by Hatoyama-san house when going to work... he is not there anymore!-).
Just posting one about Uniqlo (the Japanese ZARA ;-) ) http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2010/06/interview_uniqlos_boss?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/bl/japan

Hope you enjoy. Talk to you in a few hours with the impressions!