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

Beef Soup and North Korean Missiles

This will probably be my last post about my recent trip to Korea. I'm of course back at home here in Kobe and it's time to start filming different aspects of life in Japan again. I'm having a lot of fun filming and editing "food" videos these days so I'll probably make another one Saturday. Tomorrow, I'll be hiking a mountain between Osaka and Nara Prefecture. I think it's called Nicosan. It will be my first time there and I'll be hiking with fellow You Tube vlogger, spydermurphy.

I posted my last Korea food video today. My wife and I ate something called "gook bap" 국밥 (soup with rice) one night will in Busan. the restaurant we at at was right behind the Save Zone store in Haeundae. We actually had "sogogi gook bap" 소고기 국밥 whcih is beef soup with rice. It was great and of course at 3,500 won, cheap. Lots of veggies and not greasy at all. Also, just a little heat (spiciness).


Sogi gook bap 소고기 국밥 in Busan (Haeundae Beach area).


Here's my latest food video about the gook bap.

Asia Eats: Kevin eats Sogogi Gookbap 소고기 국밥

You can see the original here.


Oh, and of course, in non-Kobe related things, people all around Japan are getting a little freaked out since North Korea (sworn enemy of Japan and vice versa) are planning to test 2 missiles within the next few days. These long range missles will probably be launched over Japan. Some cities in Northern Japan are actually conducting emergency drills since they expect falling debris from the missiles!

Read more on JapanToday and Canadian CTV News.