MAGO CORO - Best Okonomiyaki shop in Japan.

Here's a photo of me and my friends saying farewell to Takuya (back row, third from the left) who is off to work in America.

This is at Mago Coro, the finest Okonomiyaki shop in Japan and run by Jin (not in the picture, because he was taking it). Jin's Place as it is effectively known by us NOVA teachers, is a regular haunt for several reasons. Firstly the food is fantastic. Being able to watch Jin do his Okonomiyaki magic is like being 5 years old again. The meal is melt in your mouth magnificence. Noodles, egg, batter, bean sprouts, bacon, plus fillings is the meal from Heaven (tm).

The company at Jin's is also special. With several regulars customers who have varying degrees of English, the place is always busy. It's pretty small too. I think there is seating for about 8 or 10 people at most and that adds to the sardine tin ambience very nicely.

Welcome to Sunny Saijo..with added beer and karaoke!

Sunday night was another fantastic event organised by yours truly to Welcome the arrival of our NOVA newbies, Matt and Mary (now all we need is a Peter or Paul and we could have a Folk trio).

The weather however sucked arse. Japanese rain, well Saijo rain is the size of those green sticky dart things you find in the Park in summer. When a drop hits you it feels like you've been smacked on the face by on of those Mexican midget wrestlers. So with our Kevlar padded umbrellas, myself, Evan and Matt decided to brave this weather...in a taxi...

Japanese taxi drivers rock. Imagine a cross between Michael Jackson white gloves, traditional Japanese stoicism and the occassional banter in Japanese that is so accent heavy that even Evan just smiles like the rest of us, Dumb Gaijin brigade.

Also Japanese taxi doors open by themselves...well I guess the driver flicks a switch...its probably next to the one marked EJECTOR SEAT FOR LOUD GAIJIN.

Anyway, I'd chosen Gochi-ya, my favourite Izakaya because its got great food and a nice ambience. Plus they have a free drink menu and cute female staff.

Getting there early meant we could hammer into the free drink menu, before the girls arrived, and we were seated "upstairs" which meant Matt had to walk at 90 degrees whenever he wanted to go to the toilet.

When the girls arrived I was in the prime position to sit next to Mary...Now I am not going to talk anymore about how she looks. She's nice person, a little ditzy and maybe the female version of our very own Doctor Goatee, Jason...

Dinner was great as usual...Salads with sashimi, beautifully cooked steak, a pasta type thing and the usually Kaku-Ni (pork thats been boiled for about 16 years or so)....

After that Karaoke madness...

Damn Mosquitos!

As the temperature changes and the wet season begins, the little buggers of Mosquito-ville have decided to gorge themselves on the fine English claret that pumps through my veins...

3 times...

And it itches like hell!

Bad Luck continues...

After attack by crows and hit by a CD during an apocalyptic earthquake, one could assume that I'd had my fair share of unfourtate incidents this week.

Well you'd be wrong.

Yes, this little bugger above, or one of his close relatives decided to fly into my hair yesterday, I as was riding my bike. As I tried to free him the little b@**@*d decided to sting me.

What is this ? Some kind of Evil nature attack ?

Plus I met our new teacher, Mary on Wednesday.

Uh, without sounding rude and like a complete arsehole, I think she is serverly challenged in the looks department. Big Nose. Crooked teeth. Pulled back hair.

Bad Luck eh ?

I just don't know if its mine or hers...

Crows and falling CD's

During a bike ride on Sunday after work, I decided to take the path down by the river. As I meandered along, taking in the warm evening air, I was eyed suspiciously by a pair of large crows.

As I rode past one of them decided he didn't like me and in true Hitchcock style I was set upon by the flying spawn of Satan. I nearly fell into the river, but managed to see off the bird and avoid a nasty fall.

Talk about the Omen...

This morning around 5pm I was awoken abruptly by a CD cracking me on the head. It had fallen of the shelf on my bed because of a earthquake that lasted about 3 minutes.

It turned out that the quake measured 6.1 on the Richter scale, and at the time I was caught between fear and excitement...

Story below was found on the GET HIROSHIMA WEBSITE and taken from www.Forbes.com

TOKYO (XFN-ASIA) - An earthquake measuring 6.1 in magnitude shook large areas of southwestern Japan, injuring two people, officials said.

The quake occurred at 5.01 am, with its epicenter located 140 kilometers
below the ground near the town of Oita on the island of Kyushu, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

There were no fears of tidal waves, the agency said.

A woman in her 60s was sent to hospital after she was hit on the head in her house in the southern city of Hiroshima. An official with the Hiroshima Fire Department said she is in stable condition.

In the city of Matsuyama on Shikoku island, a junior high school student was injured with a falling object while asleep, an official with the city's fire department said.

Local train services were temporarily suspended as officials inspected for damage. Some hotel elevators came to a halt in Hiroshima, but no one appeared to be trapped, Japan Broadcasting Corp reported.

Japan lies at the junction of four tectonic plates and has about 20 pct of the world's powerful earthquakes, frequently jolting Tokyo and other major cities.

The World Cup

With the World Cup starting this week, I'd thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and highlight Japan's chances at this year's tournament.

Coached by former Brazil legend, Zico, Japan have struggled in recent months to score goals. This is such as problem that it even led to Zico commenting that his team was "constipated". The joys of meaning getting lost in translation!

Anyway, Japan have a tough group. The much fancied Brazil, the tricky tie with Croatia and my tip as World Cup Dark horses (and Japan's opening tie), Australia. A bloody difficult set of matches for the Japanese.

Japan do have quality in their team especially in midfield. Hidetoshi Nakata (of Bolton), Junichi Inamoto (of West Brom) and Shunske Nakamura (of Celtic) all will compete in the middle of the park.

Up front, the Japanese have talent in Yanagisawa and Takehara (who plays his football in Germany)...Go Samurai Blue!

NOTE

JAPAN 1 AUSTRALIA 3

Poor finishing and an inspired set of subsitutions by Aussie Coach Gus Hiddink saw the Socceroos overcome the Japanese. Japan were 1 up with 83 minutes to go thanks to Nakamura, but two goals from Tim Cahill and one from John Alosi saw a bad start for Zicos men.

Visas, Hard work and anniversaries

Well its been a hectic couple of days, so apologies for the lack of news, stories from Japan or the general lack of activity on this blog.

VISA

I recieved a letter from NOVA last Friday regarding my new Visa application. Now normally this wouldn't have been a problem, but with my current work schedule this has turned into a real pain in the rectum.

My Visa expired on the 2nd of June, so this meant I wouldn't be able to work. Leaving me very little time to get this done, NOVA expected me to get my Visa sorted by the 1st of June.

I thought this could be done at the Saijo office...NO! I had to travel to Hiroshima city on Thursday Morning before work and get this sorted....

WORK

With Jason now gone and Suzette on yet another vacation (16 days off in May!), this has left me and Evan carrying the load (although Matt has started now). It also means working 14 days non stop and Overtime on Tuesdays (I am full time for the month of June)...

As for Kids on Monday...

We only until the end of the month have two qualified Kids teachers (myself and Evan). Evan has Monday off, so my day on Monday looks like -

Lesson
Lesson
BREAK
KIDS
KIDS
KIDS
KIDS
LESSON
LESSON

Mental!

I AIN'T HAPPY!!!!

Anniversaries

Just a note. I have been in Japan one year now!!!! Yippee!!!!



One final note before I go...There are some new links. Please check them out!!!