Instruction manual

... IN BED! Chopsticks aren't usually this dirty. But they do make a good point about practice, remember that it makes perfect.

For those of us who are unable to operate gum. Yes, Chewing! But remember ladies, no swallowing. Not without expensive jewelery first.

Good Eats

So it's been a while since I've had an overpriced, stereotypically Japanese meal. It was delicious, it was awesome, and it was totally worth it. Sushi, tempura (not photographed), and 4 pieces of something delicious.

Note to Canadian sushi, the fish should be twice the length of the rice. That's how the Japanese roll. And on that accidental pun, I bid you adieu.

Samurai Winter

I thought I should start showing you around my town.

This is the Nagamachi Samurai district, about 2 blocks from my house. It's winter, and it's dusk and the walls are covered in straw to protect them from the snow, even though there isn't much.

It's usually filled with Japanese tourists during the day, but at night you can walk through and pretend it's still the Edo period. It's the kind of wonderful stereotypical historical japan that most people yearn to see but never do.

Osaka Engrish

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of high quality engrish in Kanazawa, and after being here a while you become desensitized to the more subtle mistakes. I did however find these in Osaka a while back.

For the philosophical gambler, who might be aware he is squandering his fourth dimension privileges.

All of this was written beside a vending machine on a door that I think led to a storage closet.


Food & Bar & Happy!! My three favourite things with my two favourite exclamation points!!

Wakura Onsen

Ok, as is evident from my single, previous post, I really did intend to start this blog. But then the rest of 2007 happened and my blog didn’t. I figured New Year’s resolution season was a good time to dust it off and give it another go, so here goes.

I spent last weekend soaking at an onsen (hot spring), and as expected it was incredibly relaxing.

Visiting an onsen is like visiting a resort, and it really is a testament to the many things Japan does well. Food, hospitality, wearing robes in public, non-sexual nudity and futons.

Soak, eat, soak, rest, sleep, soak, eat. Lather, rinse, repeat. Literally.

Never have I felt so clean. As an added bonus, the outdoor bath has a seaside view, which makes being outdoors naked in winter absolutely perfect.

Engrish connection: The bottles of face scrub in the showers said “Remove horny layer and dead skin.”