5 Scariest Bugs in Japan

Scariest Insects in Japan

My Top 5 List (I realize that not all are "technically" bugs)

Recently I was asked a question on my YouTube Facebook page about creepy crawly things. Someone who plans to move to Japan shared with me that they are very frightened of spiders and fear they may have an allergy. They wondered if there are many spiders one should fear in Japan.

I think most adults I come across in Japan have a fear of bugs to some extent. When I talk about adults, I am of course referring to both Japanese and non-Japanese. Often that fear seems pretty irrational. 

Many people tell me they don’t like insects simply because of the way they look. Also, for many of these “bug haters” there must have been some sort of change in attitude during their lives. I say that because most children I meet like bugs. Catching cicadas, grasshoppers and mantises is one of the most popular summertime hobbies of Japanese children. At some point though, many turn from bug fans to bug fearers!

I am a self-described insect fan. I have been teaching my son not to fear, but enjoy insects. At the same time however, I do realize that there are some dangerous insects in Japan. There are some bugs that no one should touch. I have also been trying to teach my son that as well.

Here is a short list and a little information about some of the most dangerous and freaky insects in Japan (in no particular order):

Japanese Giant Hornet (Suzumebachi):

Found throughout Japan, the giant hornet can be up to 4cm long with a wingspan of 6cm. These are very powerful and aggressive creatures. Pretty much at the top of the food chain in Japan, preying upon almost any other insect out there. In Japan they are known as the osuzumaebachi, which literally translates to “giant sparrow bee.” Although they can be found in cities, they are most commonly found in rural areas.

The giant hornets dismember their victims with their powerful jaws. It is said that their saliva and venom have the ability to dissolve flesh. Their venom is extremely powerful and is injected through a quarter inch stinger. Their sting is extremely painful and requires hospital treatment. They are considered the most dangerous animal in Japan with more than 40 people dying each year of anaphylactic shock after having been stung. Bears kill 0-5 and venomous snakes only about 10 per year.

Japanese Centipede (Mukade)

These fairly reclusive creatures tend to stay in dark, damp places. They can grow up to 20cm in length and are extremely quick and nimble creatures. They are certainly horrifying in appearance when full-grown and are venomous. Bites from a large Japanese centipede are very painful and may cause swelling, weakness or fever. Their bites are normally not fatal, but some people do have allergies to centipede venom.

Assassin Bug (Sashigame)

Assassin bugs can be found in many parts of Japan. They tend to slowly move around on trees and are capable of a clumsy style of flight. Although they seem to normally move slowly, they can quickly strike at their prey.

They use a long “rostrum” (injector) to inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of the prey, which are then sucked out. The saliva contains enzymes that predigest the tissues they swallow. This is very effective when attacking prey that are much larger than the bug itself.

A bite from this relatively small bug can be extremely painful, especially for a child. Although not extremely dangerous to humans, their bite will cause pain and swelling (a really big ouchie).

Caterpillars – various types (Kemushi)

A wide variety of moth and butterfly caterpillars throughout Japan can cause great discomfort if touched. Many have long barbed hairs with mild venom as a defense against predators such as birds and other insects.

If a caterpillar has long hair, bright colors or both, it’s a good rule of thumb to not touch. It can be difficult to remove all of the barbed hairs from one’s skin and the venom cause pain and itching.

At certain times of year, mainly spring, various types of caterpillars fall out of trees on the ground. This can sometimes be treacherous for hikers trudging through the woods. I have had friends who have suddenly felt pain and realized a caterpillar fell down the neck of their shirt or on their shoulder.

Huntsman Spider (Ashidaka-gumo )

The Huntsman gets its name from its speed and the way it hunts. They are also sometimes known as crab spiders because of their size and shape. They tend to prefer living in woody places such as the forest, woodpiles and wooden shacks and buildings. They also can live under rocks and large pieces of tree bark.

Full-grown male spiders can have a diameter (legs) of 10-12 inches, about the size of a dinner plate. Some people confuse them with tarantulas because of their appearance.

The Hunstman spider does have venom that it uses to immobilize its prey. They have been known to inflict defensive bites that are quite painful and lead to swelling, but their venom is not normally considered dangerous to healthy humans. They are often considered beneficial since they feed on insect pests such as cockroaches.

So there you have it. Not all of these are technically insects (six legs, 3 body parts – abdomen, thorax and head – 2 antennae), but they fit into the “creepy crawly” zone nonetheless.

You can follow me on Twitter: @jlandkev

10 Reasons to Hate Japan in the Summer

The dog days of summer just don't want to end here in Japan. Summer has been hot. Summer has been long. Summer just got a lot longer starting last week when a heat wave rolled across Japan.

Everyday has been close to 40C. It's rough. I spend a great deal of my day bitching and complaining about the heat. I'm not alone in this though. Almost every Japanese person I know has been complaining even more than I have.

I've decided to make a list of the top 10 things I really hate about struggling through a Japanese heat wave.

1. Wet clothes! My clothes are soaking wet the moment I leave the house. I'm not alone here. As I look around the train platform in the morning or afternoon I see a sea of pain contorted faces. People wearing sweat soaked shirts and dresses. It's definitely necessary to bring an extra shirt to work in the morning!

2. Air conditioners in Japanese houses are small and struggle to cool down the rooms they're placed in. With the a/c units cranked to cool it still takes hours to cool down my apartment to a tolerable level.

3. I find myself complaining a lot more than I normally do!

4. You go I to a convenience store to buy an ice cream to cool down. The instant you step outside, it instantly melts and drips down your hand and arm.

5. Get on a crowded train filled with sweaty businessmen! Smells like a large dead animal was carefully placed in the ventilation system.

6. Being outside too long makes me grumpy and dizzy.

7. My beer gets warm really fast!

8. Even more Japanese women are sporting parasols (that's right...still used in Japan) and they don't pay attention when they walk in crowds with them. It's "almost getting your eye poked out by a parasol" season!!!

9. I'm unable to rip the a/c unit out of my daily commuter train and bring it home...cause the one in the train actually works!

10. The crazy people I see on the train every day seem to become even crazier! 

You can find me on Twitter: @jlandkev 

A Day in Osaka

Just a couple of pictures I took yesterday in Osaka (where I work). A small butterfly enjoying a flower and a cool little alleyway.

Sweaty Armpits in Japan

Oppressively hot summer. Oppressively hot summer in Japan. “Arghhh!” I say.

I am now officially on vacation for the next 9 days. It is the Obon (holiday to remember the dead) holiday in Japan and I plan to do the staycation (vacation at home) thing. I plan to spend quality time with my family, daydream about the future sand of course, sweat.

Sweating is a major pastime of people across Japan this time of year. No one really likes doing it, but it is a reality we all must face. It’s hot and humid pretty much everywhere you go. Sadly, for a country that is in theory, or at least in the minds of non-Japanese people, so high tech, the concept of central air conditioning is virtually unheard of.

Japanese people are a resilient lot though. They are used to the heat and just seem to tough it out. As an East Coast Canadian though, I’m not used to it and after 5 summers here in Japan, have never gotten used to it. I whine and wince. I complain and get cranky.

I think it’s time to move to the Yukon! Well, at least for the summer months.

You can follow my sweaty ideas and tweets here: @jlandkev

Summer Camp in Japan

This is my fourth school year in Japan. I’ve been here for a little more than three years and have worked at the same school the entire time. Every July, the students and teachers from every campus of my school go to summer camp. The students take the role of; well, students and teachers take the role of camp counselors!

For my fourth summer camp in Japan, I was given the role of camp leader. It was my job to coordinate the activities and events during the camp. We went last week into the wilds of Japan and had a wonderful time. Everything was a success and the new campsite we went to was brilliant!

One activity we did was a nature scavenger hunt. I lead groups of students and teachers up a mountain trail and they had to tick off various items from a list. Before taking the students up the mountain though, I had to explore the various trails myself. I took some videos with my iPhone of my camp explorations. You can get an idea of how amazing the place was.

Two things you won’t see though are the students and teachers. I have a few rules about making videos and blogging. I only speak about my school in a very general way and I never show images of students or coworkers. As a professional teacher, it’s a good policy!

Check out my summer camp videos:

How do you stay cool in the summer?

It's hot! It's really hot. That is one thing that is consistent about summer in Japan. Well, there are probably more things that happen consistently as well, but I can't stop thinking about this heat. This is my fourth summer here in Japan and I never like this time of year. I try not to be a negative person. I try to be happy and upbeat as much as possible. I often walk around with an absent-minded/happy/vacant look on my face. I enjoy smiles, laughs. I enjoy puppy dogs and bubbles. I like happy things.

Summer in Japan is not a happy thing, unless you live in Hokkaido and then it's a rather tolerable and probably lovely thing.

This morning my wonderful son woke up at 4:00 am and decided he didn't want to go back to bed. By 5:00 am this morning he was ripping around the living room having a good time. I was trying to sleep on the floor of the living room, but had little luck doing so.

Normally, I sleep in a bedroom at one end of my apartment. Most of the year my wife and I crash in our bedroom every night, but in the summer things change for me. We have only one air conditioning unit in our house and it is located in the living room. Every June I bust out the futon set that we use for guests and stretch it out in the living room just before bedtime. I turn on the A/C unit and doze off into a blissfully cool slumber (and cross my fingers that my son won't wake up too early).

That's one way I cope with summer and the vile heat.

How do you do it?

Check out my video about coping with summer heat and leave a comment below this post telling me what you do to cope with the heat wherever you are!






I ended today's video blog in this alley. It7s a great little place filled with dingy and amazing little restaurants and drinking holes. I love this kind of place, but a narrow street like this in the summer with no wind is extra hot!



Follow me on Twitter: @jlandkev

Back alleys of Japan

There is nothing I love more in Japan than simply exploring the back streets and alleys. For a curious person such as myself, there are endless wonders to discover. I suppose the only thing better than exploring is bringing a camera (or iPhone) along and sharing it with all of you!

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!

Sunburned Shoulders and the Hanoi Hilton – Hanoi, Vietnam

Here we go, another Retro Blog. I wrote this one in 2003:

Sunburned Shoulders and the Hanoi Hilton – Hanoi, Vietnam
by Kevin O'Shea

It was my eighth and unfortunately last day in Vietnam. Within 24 hours, I would board a plane and soon have to face the reality of work. My whirlwind visit to Northern Vietnam had been an exciting and memorable one, but my final day in the capital city of Hanoi was more than I ever could have asked for.

I had visited Vietnam during my brief summer vacation. I was aware of the fact that the end of July was the height of the rainy season there, however, it made no difference to me. Personally, Vietnam was one of those mystical places that reached out to me. For whatever reasons, the lack of throngs of tourists, the fact that it has yet to be completely ravaged by globalization or the fact that it is just so beautiful, I simply had to see it. With a new job in Korea, I found myself in a position that made it financially and geographically possible to just “pop on down” for a short vacation.

I had begun planning and researching my trip to Vietnam several months earlier. I was very excited about the prospects of going somewhere so “cool.” It was to be a solo trip, but as things go, the plan changed. It began with one coworker asking if he could join me and in the end, there were five of us. This presented both positive and negative experiences, but anyone who has ever traveled in a group knows, “that’s the way it works.”

To begin with, there is no possible way that someone can absorb a country in eight days. No matter how small a country is geographically, there are simply too many experiences to have, too many people to meet and too many moments to process. For those reasons I had planned to target a small area of Northern Vietnam. I had eight days to see three major areas and the rest of Vietnam would have to wait until another visit.

This trip had more planning than most I make. I usually adopt a “fly by the seat of my pants” approach, but with limited time, I hoped to get the most out of it.

We arrived in Hanoi in early afternoon and decided to only stay the night. Early the following morning we were off to the “jaw-dropping” UNESCO world heritage site, Halong Bay, where more than 3000 magnificent islands jut out of the water in a dream-like way. From there, we trucked it back to Hanoi. We then hopped a train to the northerly elevations and hill-tribes of Sapa, a former hill station in the days of French Indochina. After a few more awe-inspiring days in the lush north, we would make the journey back to Hanoi.

With a population of roughly three and a half million people, Hanoi is the second-largest city in Vietnam and is home to the country’s Communist government. Hanoi sits only 200 kilometers from China. Once entering the city, the French colonial influence upon everything from architecture to cuisine was immediately apparent. Streets are lined with palm trees and dilapidated concrete buildings, painted in a rainbow of pastel shades. Hordes of people, cars and motorcycles seemed to coexist in a form of organized chaos. The “organized” part of this chaos quickly seems to disappear once you step from your taxi and are on foot attempting to cross the street.

We had all stayed at a guesthouse in the Old Quarter our first night in the city. The staff was friendly and quite entertaining, so we decided to go back. That evening we took one of the more helpful staff members to eat at a lovely little restaurant a few streets away.

We had one full day and night left in Hanoi. Until this point, we remained a group. We had ventured to Halong Bay together and then again on to Sapa. With one day left, we all wanted to do different things. Bernard and Andrew wanted to visit a Buddhist grotto several hours outside of town. Steve wanted to cruise around the city on a motorcycle. J.D. and I decided that we wanted to explore the Hanoi’s Old Quarter and see what it had to offer.

We woke up at dawn, which is always a good idea when traveling. It allows you to squeeze as much out of the day as you possibly can. The tooth-turning, lip-curling, high-octane coffee so common to Vietnam is another fabulous way to start the day. After a few mugs of the caffeine-enriched beverage and a fresh baguette, J.D. and I were off to wander the streets. We planned to hit several museums that day, but it was far too early for anything to be open. We explored the alleyways, observing women selling fruit, vegetables, coal and almost anything else you can imagine.

The shops were just beginning to open. It was still relatively cool during these early morning hours, but what started as a crisp feeling in the air began to change as the morning progressed. The sun was becoming more intense and the streets began to fill with a deluge of motorcycles spewing toxic clouds of black exhaust. We popped in out of shops as we made our way to the Hoa Lo Prison Museum. Hoa Lo Prison was dubiously named the “Hanoi Hilton” by American pilots and officers who were held there as POW’S during the Vietnam War. Men such as American Senator John McCain languished there for years. Only a small portion of the prison remains, but it makes a strong impact nonetheless.

As we walked out of remains of Hoa Lo Prison, we started up Hai Ba Trung towards the Temple of Literature. Making our way towards the temple, I could feel the intensity of the sun on my arms. I was wearing a tank top and had forgotten my sun block at the guesthouse, a cocktail for trouble. It was now well above 40°C, and I felt as if my arms had been laid across a hotplate. Within 20 minutes we were at the temple, where I was relieved to find some shade and a cold bottle of water.

We soon retreated to the sanctity of a pub for a bite to eat and a couple of much-deserved Tiger beers. It wasn’t long before we were pounding the pavement again, weaving our way through a series of narrow side streets, searching for Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the Hanoi Citadel area.

As we entered the embassy district on the outskirts of the Hanoi Citadel area, the streets began to widen and the buildings appeared more upscale. The sun was intense as we entered the giant square in front of the Mausoleum. The size of square was impressive, and I can only imagine the tens of thousands of soldiers who have paraded through it over the years. Giant red flags emblazoned with a lone yellow star flapped ominously overhead, while soldiers with AK 47s watched us quizzically. At one point, in my naivete, I raised my camera to snap a photo of an impressive-looking white mansion. Soldiers quickly ran towards me, waving their arms frantically. I didn’t take the picture.

We wandered through this area for some time, but decided it was time to make our way back to the Old Quarter. My arms were officially burned to a crisp. We plodded along, shopping and sipping on a few beers as the afternoon soon faded into twilight.

It was dinnertime, and J.D. and I decided to end the day with a small parade of Tiger beer. We decided to sit at a lovely little restaurant on the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake. The Old Quarter looked beautiful at dusk. Everything seemed to have a bluish hue about it as the sky grew darker. It seemed like a fitting end to my first trip to South East Asia.

My eight days in North Vietnam had been wonderful. They were filled with islands, boats, trekking, good people, great food, a typhoon and a terribly sunburned pair of arms. I can’t wait to go back to Vietnam.



I wrote this story in 2003 after my 2002 summer vacation to Northern Vietnam.

You can follow me on TWITTER: @jlandkev

Here is the original link to the story.


Here is a video i threw up on my "jlandkev" You Tube channel this morning. The biggest beans you've ever seen!

Heat Waves, Starbucks and the Blackberry

We've ben suffering through a very nasty spell here in Japan. The summer was drawing to a close and good ole Mother Nature decided to give us the proverbial bitch slap with a heat wave. The temperatures all last week were in the mid 40's with the humidex. it was utter hell! Thankfully things have cooled down to the high 30's. It still sucks, but I think it is slightly better.

Japan is great, but the summers suck. i think many a person would agree!


Looks Like Canada 7: Battle of the Blackberry is now online. This is episode 7 of my new podcast series about all things Canadian. This week I look at one of the most popular smartphones in the world. I also look at the recent controversy RIM (Research in Motion) are facing in the Middle east with many countries wanting to ban the Blackberry.


On a lighter note....i have a new haircut. I'm living in the middle of a heat-wave and decided to have it taken down nice and tight. Feels good!



I saw this sign outside of a Starbucks in Sannomiya. I had a brief chance to head downtown today. These days, with the new baby, leaving the house is something I don't have many chances to do!


I used to drink Starbucks 5 pr 6 times a week. I don't have so many chances these days. this was my first "Bucks" in more than 2 weeks. I really enjoyed my tall latte!

Some recent videos

Here are a few of my recent videos on You Tube. For the most part, they are filmed in Kobe, Japan.

Delicious Japanese Lunchbox おいしい弁当

A delicious Japanese lunch box I ate for lunch. I have always noticed that food videos tend to be my most successful. I need to make more food videos!



Japan Blows Up

here is a video about the Kobe City summer fireworks that went off on Sunday evening.



Beau's Brewery

Here is a video I put together using footage I took while in Canada during my Christmas vacation. Beau's Brewery is located fairly close to my parent's house in Eastern Ontario, Canada.

Fireworks Tonight in Kobe

Summer fireworks season is sweeping Japan. Tis hot, humid and time to sit outside with friends, beer, and pyrotechnics! Across Japan, every summer, people enjoy "hanabi" はなび which means fireworks. What is so great about hanabi is the fact that even small cities have very elaborate displays. Another great thing about the firework displays in Japan is the party atmosphere that goes with them. Many folks go with the school of though, "Why should I enjoy fireworks alone when I can enjoy them with booze!?"

During the previous two summers, my wife and I enjoyed the Kobe Fireworks from in front of Kobe Gakuin University 神戸学院大学 on Port Island in Kobe 神戸. This year however, we have a newborn baby. We will be watching the fireworks from our balcony and should have a good view. I will take some video later this evening to show all you folks out there. I have to admit that I am very excited to be watching fireworks for the first time with my son!

I am also pretty pleased today because I posted Episode 4 of my new podcast "Looks Like Canada." In episode 4 I looks at Popular and Weird Canadian Summer Festivals!


You can listen to/download the episode on the website (Looks Like Canada) or subscribe to the podcast directly on iTunes.



Although I will have new footage of this year's Kobe fireworks up online tomorrow, here is some footage from last year's fireworks for all of you to enjoy. I think this was before I bought my HD camera so bear with the quality!

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!

I went to Kyoto

I woke u this morning, the last morning of my "quasi-vacation" and I decided to go to Kyoto. It's really not that far away so I went there for a few hours. A Starbucks, a few shrines, temples, gift shops and a lot of sweat later....I was back on the train home.

A did see a few cool things while there. i loved these 2 "cool down" snacks for sale outside of one temple.

In this first picture, there are cherry tomatoes on a stick (iced cherry tomatoes). It was damn hot so I assume these would be a nice little treat. They were going for ¥100...about $1.25 Canadian.


Here are some iced cucumbers on a stick. Apparently (I didn't try one) my wife says these are normally salted as well. I suppose that's doubly good on a hot and sweaty day!


So, did I see a real geisha this afternoon in Kyoto?



Also, I'm going away tomorrow for summer camp with my school. I'll be back on Friday, but then early Saturday afternoon will be off on a weekend trip (no laptop with me on this one). I promise to take a lot of really cool footage and have some odd and interesting videos for you sometime next week!

A beautiful day and 2000 subscribers

Another hot weekend has come and gone. I don't mean "hot" as in "sexy" and "vixen-like", but hot as in...."DAMN...I could fry an egg on the sidewalk in Kansai" hot! Today was a day for hanging around the homestead, getting a nice and sleek summer haircut and generally sitting on my balcony enjoying a cocktail or two.

I'm happy news, I reached 2000 subscribers this week on You Tube. I'm pleased. One might even say that I'm as pleased as punch, though I'm not exactly sure what being as pleased as punch entails. Is that fruit punch or some sort of spiked punch?



I wanted to share a few photos I took over the last week or two in the greater Kansai region!


I saw this sign as I was walking down a street in Akashi, Japan. it's a hair salon and what a name!!! "God Hands"!!! Is it simple arrogance or ignorance? How should I feel about getting a haircut here? Does this guarantee an amazing haircut???


Last Sunday, we had a small You Tube get together inKyoto. There were a few vloggers there. Myself, KansaiPJ, Spydermurphy, Zeroteku and Reynoldsair, the guy who organized it. A few other folks joined our group as well. We hung around in an izakaya (Japanese pub) and had an awesome time. There should be another small You Tube meetup sometime in July, but I'm still unsure of the date and location.


Here's a shot of the Kobe waterfront I took a few weeks ago. My wife and I saw the movie Angels and Demons and as we came outside of the theatre (you can tell I'm Canadian by my spelling of this word) we were greeted by this picturesque sight. It was so picturesque, that I was indeed forced to take a picture. Funny how that happens. You can see Kobe Tower (phallic-like red structure and behind it, the Kobe Maritime Museum). Kobe is indeed a pretty and one might even say, picturesque city!