How they live in To-ki-yo

The 20th of July was my last proper day of work, giving me nearly two weeks before I headed off of Malaysia. What to do? Time to see those sites in Tokyo I kept missing. Before that was Shirahama for Pete's final House Party before heading home to NY. Three years of living in a massive house near Shirahama Beach had made it the ideal location, and now that chapter was coming to a close.

The next day I headed to the beach again to go underwater. It had been almost a year since I had dived, and I needed to get back in the water to refresh my memory before starting any advanced courses. Nothing much to see, bad conditions, but I felt a lot more confident about the coming trip.

Onward to Tokyo for some sightseeing with Erin. And to pick up a supply of crazy Malaria pills for the next few months: The Head of the International Clinic was a brilliant octogenarian Russian who entertained me tales of patients gone by, mostly musicians passing through the Hotels, and thought more of his photo of himself and Michael Jackson than he did of the one with Jacques Chirac.

The Tsukiji fish market is massive, serves the Tokyo area, and is best seen in all is chaotic glory just after the sun rise. We chanced our arm on New Years Day, and of course it was closed, so this time we sleep in he cheapest option in Tokyo (A very comfortable "love hotel"{charges by the hour}) and made our bleary-eyed way there.

It wasn't as crazy as I had hoped, but by Japanese standards, it made a good attempt.

I enjoyed wandering through it, seeing the different stages my Maguro goes through before entering my belly.

Then on to the justifiably controversial Yasukini War Shrine.

I'd heard so many terrible tales of how the Shrine blatantly lies about atrocities committed by he Japanese forces in China and elsewhere, I felt I needed to see it for myself before I could really believe it. I was angry. But not near as angry as a Korean may feel. I told the Vice-principal in my main school of my plans the week before. His reply was "Most Japanese don't like that place." Fortunately that seems true. Unfortunately, the Government and Department of Education don't fall into that category.

More from the fish market and Shrine here.

Typhoon Falls

One of the last events before I leave Japan, and a left over from last years to do list; the Nachi Fire festival took place last weekend..... Despite the Typhoon!

12 50kg torches were carried up and down the steps from the Nachi waterfall, as Sake was spat into the flames to make them rage. I got down as close as I could and had to retreat from the heat as they went by. You see more of it here. It happened to be the last long weekend we had before people began to head home, so Saturday night involved taking advantage of the fact the Kate and Lily's apartment building is completely empty but for them. Beaching and onsening on Sunday, follow by a far more subdued party that night involving Teams "The Game of Life" (There were three on our team, so of course we had to be the polygamist family) and chocolate cake. Then swimming at a beautiful, but Typhoon gorged waterfall the next day.