Autumn Round Up

Here is a small album of photos from this past Autumn.

Autumn in Japan

Star Wars

You have to love Japan Randomness.



These guys were out onthe street promoting some new games at a local pachinko parlor.

Miyajima in Autumn

I'm experimenting with different ways to post the blog. Here are some pictures from Miyajima in Autumn. Click ont eh picture to read the caption.

Shochu

Well, I'm actually writing this now in February but I am post dating the entry back to November. A lot has been going on and I really haven't had time to sit down and write about it.

Some of you may know from Gail's blog we decided to make our own liquor after Gail's co-worker (and my former co-worker) gave her the ingredients. So after long months of fermentation I gave it a swig.

I have to say, it was pretty good. Really, really strong but really sweet with all that sugar in it.

From Shochu

Strawberry Shochu (with zombie strawberries)

From Shochu

The Drink Itself

Sometimes, there is no need for words.

Sports Day Bento

Here is the bento I had on Sports Day. You tell me what looks edible.

Random

On the bus the otherday and took this picture of a rainbow. I see a lot of them here in Japan.

Japanese Cheerleading

A few months back we had sports day. I took some video using my camera of the "Traditional Japanese Cheerleading". I really think it is hilarious to hear them scream their cheers. It is nothing like American cheerleading.

Stick Thin

If you come to Japan, expect to feel fat. Even if you are "average" or "small" in America, you will be fat here. The Japanese are obsessed with being thin. This doesn't mean toned, this means being thin. This is for men and women.

The government has an obesity measurement that they use that is rather simple. Instead of the math and whatnot used in BMI they just use a measurement of the waist. For women this measurement is 29 inches, for men it is 28. Yeah, 28 inches for men. If they instituted that in a America almost all the men would fail that measurement. Well there is one group of men that would fulfill that requirement; the Army unit that guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soilder. Supposedly to be a member of this guard you must have a 28 inch waist. (Aside, I can't find this information on the internet but one of the fathers of one of my friends in high school was apart of the guard in his youth and he told me that tidbit.)

I will say that Japan is a bit more forgiving of fat guys than they are of fat girls. (There are a lot of skinny attractive Japanese girls with fat guys here.) Women here seem to strive for skeletal. I remember having a conversation partner back in the States named Daisuke. He was pretty much a walking skeleton and all the other Japanese girls would say how they envied his thinness. So women here are very thin. A part-time teacher at my school only eats a piece of bread for lunch and she tells me she runs 5 kilometers every evening.

If you are a leg man then this is your place as this is the women's best feature and they like to show it off here. If you like curves, stay in America.