Karma

Sometimes doing nice things actually does pay off. I wrote in here that I had found a wallet containing roughly $600 a few weeks ago. Well, I got a letter today from the owner and he sent me 10% of what was in the wallet. I have to split that with English Paul, but it is still free money.

Cam's Birthday Party/Rebel Yell

Cam's birthday party in Akasaka

Rebel Yell in Akasaka

MOV: Tamagawa Hanabi 多摩川花-火

Saturday was the big Tamagawa Fireworks Festival, but for the third straight year there was a rain scare. As it turns out for the third straight year the weather miraculously cleared up and it went off without a hitch. We messed around by the river for a while, then chilled in front of Talkies until the fireworks started.

We got invited by one of Miho's friends to go to a party on somebody's roof in Futakotamagawa. It was cool, but I was pretty drunk by then so I don't remember much.

The after party was at an izakaya in Futakotamagawa and then Miho & I headed back to chill with the crew at Talkies before we headed home. We decided to go for a walk later on that night and I fell out of a broken chair.

MOV: Miho's Obon Visit; Pt. 1

Miho came up to Tokyo for the Obon season last week. She came up for 4 days and the first and last days we didn't do much, but the second and third we went all out.

Friday morning we woke up and went to Shibuya for lunch then to Kudanshita for this year's Yasukuni Shrine event. Yasukuni is an extremely touchy subject in East Asia and, as such, there were hordes of ultra-nationalists, liberals, and, to hold the line between them, riot police. I had always heard amazing stories of insanity happening there and we saw a little (e.g. old dudes dressed in historical military garb, ultra-nationalist militants, etc....) but didn't get much in the way of physical confrontations.

After Yasukuni, we headed to Nishi Shinjuku, a.ka. The Skyscraper District, for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Headquarters, or Tochō, to see some good panoramas of the Tokyo Metro Area during good weather.

Next, we head back towards "central" Central Tokyo for Sakura Damon to have a look a look at the National Diet (Assembly) Building.

From the Diet we walked to the Imperial Palace, Kōkyo, Gardens and through to Tokyo Station to catch the Chūō Line back to Shinjuku.

We had earlier decided to come back to the Tochō after dark to get a better view of Tokyo at with a nearly full moon. It was spectacular and to top it off there was a massive thunderstorm brewing in the distance somewhere north of Mount Fuji.

After all the events of the day we were pretty tired, but no ready to give up, so we headed back to Futako Shinchi and met up with English Paul for some drinking and karaoke in Mizunokuchi.

Talkies

Darts at Talkies in Futako Tamagawa with the Futako Shinchi crew.

The Boys of Summer

Things happen. I think I am going to get back into writing this journal. Life sucks sometimes. Goerge Orwell always writes short sentences. Life is always cool. It was his rule to always use simple words and less of them. I can respect that shit. Dee Underwood and I found a wallet with 60,000yen in it tonight with no ID and still turned it in. Doing good keeps the good times rolling. Before that we witnessesed a bike crash and some other bullshit. Life is full of karma that you overlook sometimes, but it is always there. You just wait. West end girls do dudes like me...... I am an East end boy.

back to summer bbqs

Sunday afternoon the Sunset Drive gang came over for a small bbq at the Tama river. All good fun guys!!

Kumiko's Last Stand

My old buddy, Kumiko, is leaving soon for Australia, so, naturally, we had a farewell party. It is sad to see her go, but she is going to be with her boyfriend, so best of luck to the both of them.

Goodbye and goodluck Kumiko!!

Futako Matsuri

Once a year the Takatsu-ku local government closes down Oyama-dori(street) from Futakoshinchi to Mizonokuchi for a Matsuri festival. Highlights include bands, dancers, mikoshi, crazy good food and a million drunks roaming the streets and lurking in the alleys. Paul I met up around 3:30 to head out (which was actually directly in front of my building). Once in our groove, we made our initial lap to Mizo and back with some eats and a few beers before my Italian friend, Taziana showed up with one of her friends. Paul went home then Tazi, her friend, and I made another round to Mizo. Paul came out again after that and my landlord bought (stole) some beers for us. We ended up at the river around midnight drunk as skunks. It was a good day.

Paul "Dee Underwood" "uumKay"

Satan came to party and spilled some blood