Here's the deal folks. in an effort to consolidate my "internet life" I have decided to consolidate things under the umbrella of BusanKevin Dot Com. I have started posting the videos from my BusanKevin YouTube channel there as well as new written blog posts. I will soon move all of my posts from this site over there.
I will no longer be posting here so if you want to keep reading the strange things I write...come on over to BUSANKEVIN DOT COM and "Like" the site or sign up for my BusanKevin email list (the tab i on the site).
Love yas and see yas over there :)
Kevin
Showing posts with label kansai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kansai. Show all posts
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Japanese Mafia Headquarters...I take a look!
So here’s the deal. I am coming near the end of my training
for Osaka Marathon 2012 on November 25th. With just a few weeks left I need to make some rather
lengthy long runs. Most runners, when preparing for a full marathon run a very
long run every weekend. That long run builds stamina and gets your body used to
being pushed for several hours. The great thing about long runs is that you can
explore large parts of the city you live in. I have been from one end of Kobe
to the other, but decided something a little new for this morning’s 31km (20
mile) run. I wanted to make it a “destination” run so to speak.
I decided that I would check out the compound that is the
headquarters of the Yamaguchi-gumi. The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest organized
crime syndicate in Japan and is what is known as the yakuza.
Many Japanese people had told me where I could find their
compound. I suppose it is pretty common knowledge amongst residents of Kobe. It
only took me about five minutes doing Google searches to find the exact
location last night. I realized that I had run very close to it on several
occasions in the past.
Early this morning I ran to the area it is located and
walked down the street it is on, snapped a few pictures and made a quick video.
It was exhilarating walking down that side street in a quiet
area of Kobe. I probably won’t go there again, but it was cool to do once.
I then continued with my run.
Didn't want to hang around long, but was able to make a silly face in front of the HQ's entrance!
The compound is surrounded by a high wall and thick trees. There are also cameras all over the place!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sweating in Japan
Growing up in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, I faced a varied climate. There were some distinct seasons. We of course were faced with damp, slushy and cold winters. Those were followed by muddy and damp springs. After spring was the shortest season of them all, summer. Summer lasted from about the second week of July until the end of August. The temperatures were arm and relatively dry. We would deal with average temperatures of about 25C, comfortable and warm. After that came my favorite season, fall. The air was crisp and the fall colours throughout Cape Breton’s forests were simply breathtaking.
Fast forward many years and I find myself living in the Kansai region of Japan. The climate is far different from what I grew up with and people deal with the elements in a very different way.
How do the seasons here in Kobe compare with those I dealt with while growing up? Well, there isn’t a lot in common!
In Kobe, there are certainly distinct seasons. Winter is mild and very easy to cope with. I like to refer to winters here as “winter lite”! We basically have no snow at all and the temperatures hover around 5C. Winter in Kobe is like mid-fall back home. I like it, but I occasionally miss the “white stuff.” Spring comes along and temperatures skyrocket very quickly. By mid-May, temperatures are I the mid to high 20’s. Then comes a bonus season! Rainy Season.
Rainy Season is basically a month of wet and a whole lot of not fun. As I am writing this post, the rainy season is beginning.
This is a month of having to hang your laundry inside your house (although clothes dryers are standard in Canadian households, they don’t exist in Japan). It is a month of your clothes not drying, getting moldy and not smelling so fresh. This is a season of testing the strength and durability of a variety of umbrellas and hoping someone doesn’t steal your umbrella when you leave it in the umbrella stand outside your office. It is wet!
Rainy season passes and we are immediately thrown into the “Japanese sauna”!
Summer in this area of Japan is brutal. It is hot and very humid. Often, with the humidex, temperatures reach the high 30’s and at times the low 40’s. You sweat from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. Then you sweat in bed!
Summer in Japan is all about having high power bills in your house because of the air conditioner (even though many Japanese people refuse to use the air conditioners they have) and pointing fans in every direction you can think of.
During my first summer here, I was often self-conscience about the amount I was sweating. I was embarrassed about the fact that the underarms of my shirt were often wet. I was embarrassed about constantly having to wipe the endless waterfall of sweat from my brow. Then I began to look around and noticed that I wasn’t alone. Most of the people around me were sharing the same misery! Most men were also soaking through their shirts and I realized most people carried “sweat towels.” Small towels used to wipe their brows, necks and faces. Both men and women would constantly use these towels. Construction workers normally just tie a white towel around their heads like a bandana to soak up the moisture (I’ve even seen a few dorky foreigners do the same).
Once the sweltering nastiness of summer passes, we have fall in Japan. Fall here is much like mid-summer where I grew up in Canada. It is still pretty warm, but at least the sweating pretty much stops.
Then we’re back to winter and the cycle continues.
Conclusion: Weather here is a lot different than what I grew up with and summer here REALLY sucks!
Fast forward many years and I find myself living in the Kansai region of Japan. The climate is far different from what I grew up with and people deal with the elements in a very different way.
How do the seasons here in Kobe compare with those I dealt with while growing up? Well, there isn’t a lot in common!
In Kobe, there are certainly distinct seasons. Winter is mild and very easy to cope with. I like to refer to winters here as “winter lite”! We basically have no snow at all and the temperatures hover around 5C. Winter in Kobe is like mid-fall back home. I like it, but I occasionally miss the “white stuff.” Spring comes along and temperatures skyrocket very quickly. By mid-May, temperatures are I the mid to high 20’s. Then comes a bonus season! Rainy Season.
Rainy Season is basically a month of wet and a whole lot of not fun. As I am writing this post, the rainy season is beginning.
This is a month of having to hang your laundry inside your house (although clothes dryers are standard in Canadian households, they don’t exist in Japan). It is a month of your clothes not drying, getting moldy and not smelling so fresh. This is a season of testing the strength and durability of a variety of umbrellas and hoping someone doesn’t steal your umbrella when you leave it in the umbrella stand outside your office. It is wet!
Rainy season passes and we are immediately thrown into the “Japanese sauna”!
Summer in this area of Japan is brutal. It is hot and very humid. Often, with the humidex, temperatures reach the high 30’s and at times the low 40’s. You sweat from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. Then you sweat in bed!
Summer in Japan is all about having high power bills in your house because of the air conditioner (even though many Japanese people refuse to use the air conditioners they have) and pointing fans in every direction you can think of.
During my first summer here, I was often self-conscience about the amount I was sweating. I was embarrassed about the fact that the underarms of my shirt were often wet. I was embarrassed about constantly having to wipe the endless waterfall of sweat from my brow. Then I began to look around and noticed that I wasn’t alone. Most of the people around me were sharing the same misery! Most men were also soaking through their shirts and I realized most people carried “sweat towels.” Small towels used to wipe their brows, necks and faces. Both men and women would constantly use these towels. Construction workers normally just tie a white towel around their heads like a bandana to soak up the moisture (I’ve even seen a few dorky foreigners do the same).
Once the sweltering nastiness of summer passes, we have fall in Japan. Fall here is much like mid-summer where I grew up in Canada. It is still pretty warm, but at least the sweating pretty much stops.
Then we’re back to winter and the cycle continues.
Conclusion: Weather here is a lot different than what I grew up with and summer here REALLY sucks!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Osaka Marathon Website now in English
FINALLY! The Osaka Marathon has an English web page!
Registration begins on february 15th. I'll be registering that day for sure :)
Registration begins on february 15th. I'll be registering that day for sure :)
Sunday, September 19, 2010
A Night in Japan
Last night I decided to take my Sanyo Xacti HD and run downtown to film some of the spots I pass through while training for my upcoming marathon. I plan to make a few more similar videos since I run in many areas of the city. I filmed in the Motomachi area around 8:00 pm (Saturday night). Some comments on my video poked fun at my "running." I will clearly state that I ran downtown and then slowly meandered around shooting video. Then I ran back home!
Some of the cool sights and sounds in a slow part of Kobe on a Saturday night.
Someone commented on the video about "showing us the action"! I honestly never run in the crowded areas where the action is! I, like most runners, stick to quiet areas with as few intersections and traffic lights as possible to maximize the running distances.
Some of the cool sights and sounds in a slow part of Kobe on a Saturday night.
Someone commented on the video about "showing us the action"! I honestly never run in the crowded areas where the action is! I, like most runners, stick to quiet areas with as few intersections and traffic lights as possible to maximize the running distances.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rain Rain and More Rain
My wife tells me that the rainy season in the Kansai region of Japan will start soon. I disagree with her. I tell her that it already started more than a month ago. Why else would it rain four to five days a week? Apparently I am wrong. it is raining a lot, but the wet stuff falling now has nothing to do with the official rainy season. It's just a precursor!
I'm sitting at home early on a Monday morning enjoying a cup of coffee and doing something I normally never have a chance to do on a weekday morning. I'm writing a blog. What has caused this change in routine? My school has been closed for the day due to heavy rainfall warnings in the area. It is indeed raining cats, dogs and maybe some sheep. It was as well yesterday.
So, let's get to some news in Japan and Korea that I find a little interesting!
Police ask Kotomitsuki to explain baseball gambling report
TOKYO - The Metropolitan Police Department met with sumo wrestler Kotomitsuki on Saturday over a recent report in a weekly magazine that said he is in heavy debt from gambling related to professional baseball games, police officials said Saturday. Police asked the ozeki, the second-highest rank next to the grand champion yokozuna, for explanation about the contents of the article, according to the officials. Read more at Japan Today
This guy is an ozeki which is the second highest ranking fighter in sumo in Japan. He is a very high profile athlete in these parts. he also looks like a giant bird with massive breasts! I love sumo guys!
Check out this odd, yet fun story over at Japan Probe.
100 Animals in One Small Apartment
Of course everyone knows by now that those trouble making rascals, the North Koreans were responsible for the sinking of the South Korean corvette, the Choenan. They torpedoes it. They are true A-Holes....them North Koreans!
S. Korea takes ship sinking case to UN
The South Korean government, which accuses North Korea of sinking one of its warships, said Sunday it's taking its case against Pyongyang to the United Nations Security Council.
A senior government official in Seoul suggested the South will likely push for international agreement for the existing sanctions against the North to be strengthened. There are reports unilateral measures will also be announced.
"We are focusing on diplomatic means of punishment as we found out that existing sanctions and resolutions are not enough," the official told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. "It is time to decide whether we go over to another step."
An international team of investigators announced last week that the evidence pointed to a North Korean submarine having fired a homing torpedo on March 26, tearing apart the 1,200-tonne Cheonan and killing 46 sailors on board.
Read More at CBC.CA
I'm sitting at home early on a Monday morning enjoying a cup of coffee and doing something I normally never have a chance to do on a weekday morning. I'm writing a blog. What has caused this change in routine? My school has been closed for the day due to heavy rainfall warnings in the area. It is indeed raining cats, dogs and maybe some sheep. It was as well yesterday.
So, let's get to some news in Japan and Korea that I find a little interesting!
Police ask Kotomitsuki to explain baseball gambling report
TOKYO - The Metropolitan Police Department met with sumo wrestler Kotomitsuki on Saturday over a recent report in a weekly magazine that said he is in heavy debt from gambling related to professional baseball games, police officials said Saturday. Police asked the ozeki, the second-highest rank next to the grand champion yokozuna, for explanation about the contents of the article, according to the officials. Read more at Japan Today
This guy is an ozeki which is the second highest ranking fighter in sumo in Japan. He is a very high profile athlete in these parts. he also looks like a giant bird with massive breasts! I love sumo guys!
Check out this odd, yet fun story over at Japan Probe.
100 Animals in One Small Apartment
Of course everyone knows by now that those trouble making rascals, the North Koreans were responsible for the sinking of the South Korean corvette, the Choenan. They torpedoes it. They are true A-Holes....them North Koreans!
S. Korea takes ship sinking case to UN
The South Korean government, which accuses North Korea of sinking one of its warships, said Sunday it's taking its case against Pyongyang to the United Nations Security Council.
A senior government official in Seoul suggested the South will likely push for international agreement for the existing sanctions against the North to be strengthened. There are reports unilateral measures will also be announced.
"We are focusing on diplomatic means of punishment as we found out that existing sanctions and resolutions are not enough," the official told South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. "It is time to decide whether we go over to another step."
An international team of investigators announced last week that the evidence pointed to a North Korean submarine having fired a homing torpedo on March 26, tearing apart the 1,200-tonne Cheonan and killing 46 sailors on board.
Read More at CBC.CA
Monday, March 15, 2010
Kansai Eats
I have a new blog. Kansai Eats is %100 dedicated to food. It is about restaurants here in japan as well as cooking and shopping.
Check it out here!
Check it out here!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Akashi Bridge
Today was another sunny and beautiful day in the Kansai. My wife and I decided to go to the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge which is the longest suspension bridge in the world. it was a gorgeous day, but the summer-like temperatures we've been dealing with all week made the day a little draining!
Some pics from the bridge:
Some weird news in Japan. The power of "crying" really can stop a crime dead in its tracks!
Univ student arrested after trying to blackmail two 11-year-old girls
TOKYO - A 20-year-old man was arrested for attempted extortion earlier this week after he allegedly tried to make two elementary school girls pay him 50,000 yen each, police said Friday.
Police said Ryunosuke Arima, a second-year student at Bunkyo University, approached the two 11-year-old girls on Aug 26 outside a Taito Ward bookstore, after he put a 1,000 yen bill on top of some books in the store. One of the girls had picked the bill up and told Arima that they were going to hand it in at a police station. Arima told them the money was his, and that if they didn’t want to get in trouble with the police, they should pay him 50,000 yen each.
Arima then tried to persuade the girls to give him some money over the next hour, but fled without success after the girls started crying. He was arrested on Sept 2, based on descriptions of his appearance. He has admitted to the allegations, saying he wanted to pull a prank on some girls.
Police are investigating if Arima was involved in two other incidents in the bookstore last month, in which two young girls were groped. See original at Japan Today
Some pics from the bridge:
Some weird news in Japan. The power of "crying" really can stop a crime dead in its tracks!
Univ student arrested after trying to blackmail two 11-year-old girls
TOKYO - A 20-year-old man was arrested for attempted extortion earlier this week after he allegedly tried to make two elementary school girls pay him 50,000 yen each, police said Friday.
Police said Ryunosuke Arima, a second-year student at Bunkyo University, approached the two 11-year-old girls on Aug 26 outside a Taito Ward bookstore, after he put a 1,000 yen bill on top of some books in the store. One of the girls had picked the bill up and told Arima that they were going to hand it in at a police station. Arima told them the money was his, and that if they didn’t want to get in trouble with the police, they should pay him 50,000 yen each.
Arima then tried to persuade the girls to give him some money over the next hour, but fled without success after the girls started crying. He was arrested on Sept 2, based on descriptions of his appearance. He has admitted to the allegations, saying he wanted to pull a prank on some girls.
Police are investigating if Arima was involved in two other incidents in the bookstore last month, in which two young girls were groped. See original at Japan Today
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Kansai Time Out magazine finished
Sadly, after 32 years, Kansai Tine Out magazine is finished. The Kobe-based, English language magazine about life in Japan has folded.
Sad stuff.
I made a video about it:
Kansai Time Out Magazine has died...
Sad stuff.
I made a video about it:
Kansai Time Out Magazine has died...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Cicadas Everywhere セミ
It's the middle of summer in Japan and if anyone who has ever been here this time of year knows; it's hot and sweaty. The average daily temperature in my neck of the woods (Kobe) are i the low to mid 30's, but with the humidex, they are pushing 40! After my father sent me a photograph of a dead cicada ("semi" in Japanese), I felt inspired to make a "cicada-only" post today.
This is the cicada my father found, just outside of Ottawa, Ontario in Canada. The North American species is sometimes referred to as the "Dog Days" cicada since it is rambling about during the dog days of summer! Actually, the ones here in Japan (at least the common ones around the Kansai area are about twice this size).
There are hundreds of types of cicadas all around the world and they are considered the loudest insects in the world. Cicadas are also completely harmless to humans and other animals. They don't bite or sting, but sometimes might urinate on you if you are walking under a tree filled with them. I know this from personal experience. I was whizzed on by more than one cicada last summer! Most people are pretty intimidated by this harmless insect due to its large size and very loud noise.
Cicadas can actually produce sounds up to 120db...THTA' REALLY LOUD.
There is a lot of great information on cicadas on Wikipedia.
Here is a very recent video from a very cool Japanese video blogger of a cicada crawling out of it's exoskeleton. I have seen them at night crawling in their "crab^like" shells before hatching, but I have never seen this!
Cicada Emergence
Here is another great cicada video from an an English speaking Japan-based vlogger fro last year. Here you can see the cicada crawling up a tree looking for a good spot to anchor itself before it's final stage emerges!
Japanese Cicada - Shinto Shrine Trees
This is a vlog I made a little more than a year ago. This one will give you an idea of how deafening the noise can be from a large number of cicadas early in the morning. They normally make their noises on hot sunny days and begin around 6:30am (in full force), This was filmed on a Saturday morning around 7:00am. I was in the midst of marathon training so I was waking up really early (for me) to run.
Cicadas セミ 蝉....Damn You!
Hope you enjoyed this very cicada themed post!
This is the cicada my father found, just outside of Ottawa, Ontario in Canada. The North American species is sometimes referred to as the "Dog Days" cicada since it is rambling about during the dog days of summer! Actually, the ones here in Japan (at least the common ones around the Kansai area are about twice this size).
There are hundreds of types of cicadas all around the world and they are considered the loudest insects in the world. Cicadas are also completely harmless to humans and other animals. They don't bite or sting, but sometimes might urinate on you if you are walking under a tree filled with them. I know this from personal experience. I was whizzed on by more than one cicada last summer! Most people are pretty intimidated by this harmless insect due to its large size and very loud noise.
Cicadas can actually produce sounds up to 120db...THTA' REALLY LOUD.
There is a lot of great information on cicadas on Wikipedia.
Here is a very recent video from a very cool Japanese video blogger of a cicada crawling out of it's exoskeleton. I have seen them at night crawling in their "crab^like" shells before hatching, but I have never seen this!
Cicada Emergence
Here is another great cicada video from an an English speaking Japan-based vlogger fro last year. Here you can see the cicada crawling up a tree looking for a good spot to anchor itself before it's final stage emerges!
Japanese Cicada - Shinto Shrine Trees
This is a vlog I made a little more than a year ago. This one will give you an idea of how deafening the noise can be from a large number of cicadas early in the morning. They normally make their noises on hot sunny days and begin around 6:30am (in full force), This was filmed on a Saturday morning around 7:00am. I was in the midst of marathon training so I was waking up really early (for me) to run.
Cicadas セミ 蝉....Damn You!
Hope you enjoyed this very cicada themed post!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Breaking up in Japanese
This new collaboration video by some Japanese vloggers is hilarious!!!
The difference between Kanto and Kansai people!
The difference between Kanto and Kansai people!
Monday, May 18, 2009
More cases of H1N1 and stuff like that
Although most schools are closing, I have to report to work this morning. I'm going to leave the house later than usual and have been told to avoid rush hour. The thing is, I bet most companies in the area have been told the same thing which will probably just push the rush hour ahead by an hour. So, when I leave later this morning, I'm sure things will be just as busy at the train stations.
Here's some new SICKO news:
Over 1,000 schools, kindergartens in Osaka, Hyogo to be closed due to new flu
Japan Today
OSAKA —
More than 1,000 educational facilities—kindergartens, and elementary, junior and senior high schools—in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures have decided to suspend classes for certain periods following the confirmation of new flu infections in the prefectures, local authorities said Sunday. The two prefectures have requested private schools to follow suit. Read More...
78 domestic new flu infections confirmed
Japan Today
OSAKA —
The number of cases of domestic new flu infections in Japan hit 78 on Sunday after a total of 70 high school and college students as well as teachers and others in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures were confirmed to have been infected with the new strain of influenza A.Read more...
Here's some new SICKO news:
Over 1,000 schools, kindergartens in Osaka, Hyogo to be closed due to new flu
Japan Today
OSAKA —
More than 1,000 educational facilities—kindergartens, and elementary, junior and senior high schools—in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures have decided to suspend classes for certain periods following the confirmation of new flu infections in the prefectures, local authorities said Sunday. The two prefectures have requested private schools to follow suit. Read More...
78 domestic new flu infections confirmed
Japan Today
OSAKA —
The number of cases of domestic new flu infections in Japan hit 78 on Sunday after a total of 70 high school and college students as well as teachers and others in Osaka and Hyogo prefectures were confirmed to have been infected with the new strain of influenza A.Read more...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Day 1...in Kobe...the blog begins!
What's it like to be a Canadian living in Japan? What's it like to live in the cool city of Kobe? What's it like to balance my family life, career and passion for marathon running? These are some questions I may answer throughout the weeks and months I add to this blog space.
I'm a professional teacher (both in Canada and Japan), an avid runner, and someone who is loving life here in Japan. I've been here for almost 7 months have have now decided to write about my experiences.
For the last 2 years I have been an avid YouTuber and under the handle "BusanKevin" have created more than 130 videos about my life in South Korea, Canada and now Japan. I'll show some of those videos from time to time as well as talk about life here in what I think is one of Japan's coolest little cities...Kobe.
I also plan to write about my love of running. Little blurbs about my daily training and races I'm getting ready for.
I'm a professional teacher (both in Canada and Japan), an avid runner, and someone who is loving life here in Japan. I've been here for almost 7 months have have now decided to write about my experiences.
For the last 2 years I have been an avid YouTuber and under the handle "BusanKevin" have created more than 130 videos about my life in South Korea, Canada and now Japan. I'll show some of those videos from time to time as well as talk about life here in what I think is one of Japan's coolest little cities...Kobe.
I also plan to write about my love of running. Little blurbs about my daily training and races I'm getting ready for.
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