Back from Osaka

So I got back from Osaka about 3 hours ago and I must say I had a great if tiring time in a really lively city. It was great to see Evan and Brad again, eat and drink good food and beer, and generally experience something a little more lively than Kagawa and Marugame.

The Gig

So, of course the main reason myself and Evan made the trip to Osaka was to experience the sonic assault of Aussie rock trio, Wolfmother. And I have to say it was a journey well taken.

The gig itself was in Osaka`s Club Quattro (there are also venues in Tokyo, Nagoya and Hiroshima) and the atmosphere was excellent. Quattro is a small multi-levelled club with a close Performer/Audience ambience. Despite the typical extortionate price of beer and spirits I was really impressed by the place.

Myself and Evan managed to get about 2 rows from the stage and began mingling with the friendly Japanese and the not so friendly Gaijin. Then on came the support act. Wolf and Cub. Loud (2 drummers) with any melodies lost in the din, but they were an entertaining enough opening act if nothing particularly memorable in the set listing.

Wolfmother rocked the joint. All I can say they are the best live act I`ve seen in a while that doesn`t rely on gimmicks. Just straightforward rock that recalls Led Zeppelin (Communication Breakdown was included in the encore). A great show.

Osaka

We met up with Brad the day after and hung out in Osaka. We went to the Umeda Sky Building (see the photo) and kudos to Brad who went all the way to the top with us, where you can get some of the most amazing views of Osaka.

We also got down to Osaka Jo (Castle) which is impressive despite being a replica of the original.

In the evening we found a cheap Izakaya, had a few beers and food before we went onto Karaoke. Good times.

Justin`s Laptop - R.I.P

So, I type this, not from the comfort of my home, but the small cubicle confines of an internet cafe. The reason, I hear you ask ? Well, I fear that my laptop may have died. It`s little circuits fried. It`s processor buggered. I don`t know, but anyway I well and truly think it is the end for the poor thing and I am very pessimistic about Lazarus style comebacks for the little guy...

RIP Justin`s Laptop....

:-(

Off to see the `Mother

So on Monday I will be off to Osaka again. This time for a few nights with Evan to chill out, drink a few beers and to see Aussie rock trio Wolfmother.

http://www.wolfmother.com/

If you are a fan of loud classic rock such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin then these guys might be for you. Their debut album is a solid and exciting if unoriginal, but who needs that all the time ? Sometimes just gimme some good old classic AC/DC style riffs!

I`ll try and report about the gig when I get back.

A day in Osaka

No this isn`t an alien, but a very scary Spider Crab....Kowai!!!

One of the popular and inquisitive Sea Otters!

The Whale Shark!

So on Friday, myself and Shiori decided to spend some time together in Osaka for the day. Taking the Jumbo ferry from Takamatsu at 5 in the morning was difficult, but the three hour trip allowed plenty of sleep time.

We decided to go to Kaiyukan Aquarium, which is a huge 8 storey building and home to a wide variety of ocean life. The Aquarium is set up so that different tanks have the right temperature, fauna, flora for different parts of the ocean such as the playful sea otters in the Aleutian islands; the seals and sea lions in the Monteray bay tank; 3 species of Penguins (including two babies) in the Antarctica section, and most impressive the Pacific Ocean tank which is 9 metres deep (3 floors) and is home to the Whale Shark, Bluefin tuna and Manta Ray.

After this Oceanic expedition we popped across the road to Naniwa Kuishinbo, a kind of small indoor "theme park" of Kansai Cuisine set in traditional Osaka streets from around 1965. The food here was great!!!!

My Hometown

So for those of you that know Weston-super-Mare, you may find this amusing. For those that don't here is a realistic insight into the Hometown of Justin R Buckley...

And yes the "Bullet Train" ride really is that exciting...

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

So I finally got my hands on a Nintendo Wii! Well Shiori did, as its my Christmas present....

And I have to say it's really good fun. I think anyone can play because of the control system,which basically in a game like Wii sports lets the players use the controllers in a variety of ways that is similar to the actual sports.

GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE!!!!

Movie Review - Casino Royale

So, last night, myself and Shiori managed to finally catch the new Bond movie, Casino Royale.

Below is my review (apologies for plot spoilers!) -

Casino Royale

Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelson, Judi Dench

Here is a new Bond. A fresh look at a formula that had become a pastiche of itself after the high, reinvigoration of GoldenEye. And who better to steer this movie than the same director, Martin Campbell. This time its more of a reinvention with a tougher, colder, harsher Bond.

Daniel Craig, despite many doubters, has made Bond the most realistic, fleshed out he has ever been, despite his harsh exterior. Connery had this, but lacked the emotional depth whereas Moore, Dalton and Brosnan could only play Bond in one way. Their way. Craig takes all of this and moulds it with his acting chops into one bad arse mofo. Bond is a killer. The only thing that separates him from his enemies is very little and incredibly murky.

However, despite the fact the this character is unlikable and arrogant, Craig shows us bit by bit that there is a person inside. Bond is not just the cartoon agent of previous outings, but a real flesh and blood human being.

The opening sequence is fresh and fatal, the credits radiate coolness, and Campbell doesn't skimp on the action set pieces. Even the poker game is handled in a way that the suspense is right up their along with many previous Bond set pieces.

Green and Mikkelson also excel in their roles, adding depth and emotional resonance to Bond's cold blooded killer.

All in all an enjoyable, grittier Bond and all the better for it.

8 out of 10.

FukaBukoro (not sure about the spelling)

So I was dreading 3 days of ghost townesque Japan, as I had been told this is what happens over New Year. However, despite many smaller places being closed, the larger shops were open for the SALES!

Yes, just the same as in the UK, the Japanese have massive January/New Year Sales where people come out in droves to find bargains.

One type of bargain they have in Japan is Fukabukuro. Basically, stores bag up goods and then seal it. These bags/boxes can range from 2000 to 20,000 yen, and most of the time you don't know what you are getting. However, I have seen plenty of places, showing the customers what is in each box and this is where I skewered a bargain!

I bought a box for 10,000 yen that has a total value of 65,000 yen. Inside were 2 coats (one with a parka style hood), a fleece, a sports jacket, a black long sleeved shirt, a long sleeved t-shirt, a white polo shirt, a t-shirt and a handkerchief, all by Japanese label , DJ Honda...and all my size. (By the way 10,000 yen is about £50!). Bargain eh....

New Year

Firstly let me apologise for not having posted for a while. This is mainly due to the fact that I have found it difficult to log into my Blogger account. So I'd better make the most of it while I can!

Anyway, Happy New Year to all of you. I hope your celebrations went well and that you had a good time. In this post I'd like to explain a little about my New Year experiences here in Japan.

Firstly, as you may know, New Year is a big festival in this country, likened to say, Christmas in the UK. Families get together at New Year, and that was the case with Shiori's family and drink and eat.

On New Year's day, many people go to a temple, but we didn't do that until the 3rd, because of the crowds. We did however travel to the resting places of her grandmother, and tidied the grave. I don't know if grave is the right word, because Japanese people don't bury the dead. Maybe a shrine or altar is better, but Shiori, her Dad, brother and me helped to clean it, before they put fresh flowers on it, lit candles and said a prayer.

We travelled to Zentsuji temple, where, despite being two days after New Year, many people had gathered. Shikoku is famous in Japan for an 88 temple pilgrimage, and Zentsuji is considered the home of the priest who begun this tradition or sect of Buddihism. It's a pretty specatular place in a quiet, peaceful way.

Food on New Years day, is usually specially prepared (and apparently expensive) bento (lunch boxes). With the food, Shiori had made before, plus the bento there was plenty to eat. I even ate Shark's fin....