Teapresso

There is a teapresso bar at Shinjuku, named "dama".

But this bar is going to close by today.

So I went to have the last one.

I think there should be many people who prefer tea than coffee, thus there should be large needs for teapresso. It is very sad this bar will close, and there will be just one bar remains in Yokohama.

I hope his teapresso bar will come back in another style, but with the same concept, for tea lovers/

Asakusa

Today, I'm coming to Asakusa for the firework festival of Sumida river.

Before the festival, I went to see Senso-ji, where the favorite gate Kaminari-mon is placed at the entrance. This is the second time for me to come to Asakusa, the first time is school trip when I was an elementary school child.

I don't remember about the first visit at all, but just remember I've been there, I could enjoy this time, eating Imo-yokan at Funawa, one of my favorite Japanese patisserie.

After visiting Asakusa, I went to the Starbucks and watched firework festival with having a cup of soy latte.

Maybe, the firework at Sumida rivet is one of the biggest firework festival in Tokyo, therefore there were so many people that you can hardly walk across the street. But in Starbucks, you can see the firework in so comfortable space without so many people.

I could enjoy everything around Asakusa today.

Foreign language

These days, I have so many opportunities to use English during the job. That makes me used to listening, writing and speaking it, compared with before.

But there is one concern with me. Because the language is not my native language, and my boss uses it instead of Japanese, I can't think that my decision or the papers are perfect, there is a little or more probability of misunderstanding remaining.

This makes me nervous about the response of my boss.

I think this worry can never be removed even if I will be able to use English perfectly. This is the matter of not only language but also culture or other things.

Anyway, my English is too poor to support my work. I have to practice harder.

Today's sky

Ideal world

These days, I sometimes think of what is the way that makes everyone happy.

But there are so many stakeholders and also tradeoffs there.

Identically, the most preferable thing is to eliminate any unnatural things to human, but there are so many people dealing these kind of things as a business, and also, so many people depends on that kind of things.

Sometimes, I think if I can clear every thing in the world, and build up the ideal world, but that is impossible, and if I can clear all the things, there are so many turbulence with building history, thus the perfectly ideal world never be completed.

This is the real world, and this is the nature. What we can do is just correcting the direction time after time.

God is the only one that knows our future.

Plain

This scone is a plain one. No sugar and no milk are used.

Being plain and simple is the best thing. Actually, these days, there are so many things that contains too many unnecessary things.

Adding options used to be good in the 80s or before. But now, things become more and more simple. This is the natural trend.

But there is some paradoxical things; one is the cell phone.

Regarding iPhone, there are so many functions, and most of things what we do with PC is available with this machine. But the operation is absolutely natural, actually not simple but tangible.

Touching something is the most natural operation, and many other natural movement of human is now applied to the operation of many machines.

In terms of the foods, the same thing can be mentioned, I think; the "natural" thing for human body is preferable and these days, the importance is focused.

Eat the foods produced in Japan is one of the trials. It realize ecology, because the transportation cost and CO2 is decreased, and also our health, the products in Japan is more absorbable to Japanese's body.

"Natural" may be the key word for global happiness.

Vegan

Yesterday, I went to the freshness burger.

It was the first time in these 10 months. Then, I realized that the menu was changed a little.

There appeared the menu for vegan, vegetable burger. There were 2 kind of the burger; one was made with tofu and avocado, and the other was made with beans pate.

This time, I selected tofu and it tasted very nice! The sauce is made with well grilled onion, and it matched the avocado.

These days, I sometimes realize that there are many restaurant or shops where you can enjoy vegan or macrobiotic foods.

I think, this is good thing that the people who cares about their health and change eating custom increasing.

But even now, there are so many troubles or problem relevant to foods and the life.

I'd like to reveal them and think of how we can solve these problems.

A Night in Tokyo

A night in Tokyo.

Here, the sight is like the bottom of water,

Even in the midnight, the sky is still bright,

because of the light of many buildings.

Some says that this is loss of energy,

but I think, this is the Tokyo.

In the field

Beyond the hill, what is waiting for you?
No one knows the answer.
Because only you can create and see the answer.

Beyond the future

New project

Today, I was said that I was assigned to the new project at my company.

Now, I cannot explain the detail, because the topic of this project is not released in the market, and influences to the industry.

I'm the youngest member of the project, therefore I should be ordered to analyze, calculate many things, but these kind if stimuli in the work is absolutely interesting.

The project will kick off in August, next month. I look forward to the beginning.

Colors

Colors, this is very interesting concept.

Fortunately, we human beings can recognize the colors.

Each color poses characters, and the character gives many things colored with each character.

And it's very interesting that the character differences for each culture, era, and many other backgrounds.

Also, some culture have various names for one color which is categorized as one in other culture; in most countries, there are some names for "white", but for Inuit, they have dozens of names for it.

Cultural anthropologist says that the words are connected with the concept in the culture. So many words "white" means that they have necessity to identify so many "white" things.

In Japan, there used to be various names for colors, more than European one, but these days, our culture is invaded with American or European one, and our traditional culture is almost lost.

I think, Japanese are very sensitive for many things, and we have to protect, transfer it to our children.

"Okashi" and "Aware" culture is the fantastic culture, superior than any other culture in America and Europe, I believe.

Light and shadow

Because there is a light, there is a shadow. This is the theorem of physics.

But this is only the world that our human's eyes can see. Some other animals may not see the shadow, or the other can see more things.

Also "seeing something" is just a chemical phenomena. Through the object "eye", the light, just defined by human, and the eye exchange the stimulus to the electric signal, it transferred to the brain and recognized as the light.

There are so many assumptions, the eye exchange mechanism, brain recognition system, etc.

There is a probability that something entirely different things are there, but some external stimuli comes into ourselves and the signal turns to be the "real" feelings.

Maybe, the philosophy is kind of these thoughts.

I think, human recognition, and brain science is placed very close to philosophy, even one is assumed science, and the other is non-science.

Can you say you ARE here for 100% probability?

Cogito ergo sum, very famous quote. But this can be just your imagination.

Summer vacation

Today, I'm coming to some rural area of Hamamatsu named Futamata, actually, it used to be Hamamatsu-Kita area.

The scenery is full of nature, mountain, trees and rivers. It reminds me the time spent in my grandfather's place.

Then, I went to one museum, Akino Fuku Museum. This is placed on the mountain, and looks like old Spanish building, with the wall made with dart.

In the masterpieces, many motifs are from people, buildings and some customs or events in India, where the artist visited in her old age. Can you imagine that 92 years old female traveling to India?

After the museum, I went to the river and played in it. It was the first time for these 10 years to get into the river. The water was cold, and very comfortable.

Totally saying, Today was absolutely fun, with each activities, and I can feel like being some rural place of my grandfather.

ap bank fes 2010

Today, I'm coming to the ap bank fes 2010 at Tsumagoi, Kakegawa.

Many artists are playing in his festival, such as Suga Shikao, Salyu, My Little Lover, Dragon Ash, etc.

And my favorite group, Mr. Children is also playing here, actually, the leader of this band, Kazutoshi Sakurai, and the producer and the pianist at this bank, Kobayashi Takeshi, established this event.

This project is mainly focused on ecology, and some of the fees earned with this event is utilized for ecology and saving the earth. Therefore, in the food area, there are many shops where you can try organic foods and drinks.

There is one of my favorite organic cafe, Yaffa Organic Cafe, and you can try organic Okonomiyaki there.

And the live, this event continues 3 days, and I went for the second day, there are many artists that I usually listen with CD, Salyu, Monseur Kamayatsu, Going Under Ground, Magokoro Brothers, and Mr. Children.

I enjoyed all the tunes they played, and the atmosphere.

Tsumagoi is the resort place for Yamaha, and this is placed in very rural are, many mountains are around the live area, thus the blue sky and green trees are around us, we could enjoy the fresh air, even the weather was absolutely good and the sunshine was almost burning us.

Good music, good foods, good air. What a gorgeous time it is!

Night market

Today, I wen to a night market at the University of United Nations, Omotesando.

I have been to this event once, but it was not night, but noon. The atmosphere was totally different from before, and it was like summer festival in Japan.

There was a live of Latin music, and it was very comfortable. In this market, there are so many shops selling organic vegetable, and also some organic foods, then you can try them there.

In one tent, there were various grapes. I already known some of the names, but there were also not so major ones, and they were very expensive; one of them, I don't memory the name, was 1,800 JPY!

So I didn't try them, but I could fully enjoy the atmosphere!

To be appraised

Today, I talked with my boss after the work.

There, I was said some of my works were appraised with executive officers.

I'm not working following the expected point of my boss, but for what can develop, improve and grow ups me myself.

Of course, I'm happy that my boss recognize that me as who can do more tan expected.

But I think, the most important thing is that following your core idea, that is the base of you yourself.

Not being blur is on of the phenomena that you have the "core" idea.

Anyway, what I can do is just believe your decision, and have your own belief.

Mussels

This is steamed mussels, I've tasted it at Belgian restaurant, named Leon.

The mussels are steamed in a pan, and it was filled with it.

This was steamed with some wine, garlic and salt, very simple.

In Japan, there are a dish similar to this, steamed crams with sake.

These kind of foods makes us thirsty, and want more alcohol, such as beer.

Of course, I had Belgian beer with this plate at this restaurant. It was absolutely delicious!

The only concern with this is that it was too salty that it causes adult disease with you... But I can't stop eating it, this is sign or symptom of some diseases, sigh...

Cucumber soup

This is the cucumber soup that I tasted at Paris.

The taste was very amazing, just cucumber and mint, maybe little percentage of cabbage and celery should be contained.

It should decline your temperature, because cucumbers are one of the summer vegetables.

Honestly saying, I prefer vichyssoise than this soup, within cold soup.

Weird weather

Today, the temperature suddenly declined.

The lowest temperature is under 20 degree today, like autumn.

There are so many weird phenomena these days. Somedays, it squalled so hard even the sky is blue, there are partially cloud.

Some says that this is the effect of global warming.

I don't know exactly if it is or not.

Anyway, I dislike too hot days and humid days, therefore today is preferable for me...

Ice cream with flakes

The best combination!

Election

Today, there was an election.
It is worried that the voting ratio is declining every year. And within the person who have obligation to vote, young people's voting ratio is remaining low and also declining.
Some says that Japanese people have less interest to politics than other countries.
But I think, this is applicable not only for politics, but also culture, foods, language, and many other things.
Most people think that foreign things, especially American, are cool, and resembles to be them.
But there are many admirable, cool, and historical things in Japan.
Therefore, I want to say that we should have honor on ourselves.
But first of all, this is the most important thing to learn about Japan, our country.

Green and blue

Green garden and blue sky.

This sight is from one of my favorite places in Tokyo.

I can enjoy unordinary life here.

The things here heal me like a magic.

Everything here is sophisticated.

Now is one of the most precious time.

Four Seasons Hotel is absolutely perfect place.

Trust

Today, I've met some of my x-colleagues at previous job. There, one of the person whom I've been admiring.

Somedays before, I've heard that one who was working at the same project as the person who I met today talking about some bad words on him. I was very shocked about it and though, therefore I was afraid of meeting him today.

But once I met him, I realized that he have a talent to be loved with others. His honesty makes him like that, I thought.

Trust on someone is the most important ting to make human connection.

I thought that I have to build up a talent like him, and spread the connection based on the trust.

Squid with lettuce chips

Tomato and artichoke with bamboo charcoal

Market value of yourself

These days, I sometimes think of the market value of myself.

"What is required to you?"

This is not the same answer as what you can do.

It depends on the person who you are to be evaluated

and, who you want to be evaluated.

There are so many potentials with you to do many things.

But, you have to select one from millions of ways.


Now, I'm asking to myself.

What I can do? What I want to do in the future?

and

What is my dream?

That is the question.

Pudding

Macrobiotic pudding.

There's no sugar, egg and milk in it, but the flavor resembles the real one.

I've leant that the certain ratio of various sweet flavors makes the real one, such as the paste or liquid candy made with rice, maple syrup, etc.

Also the texture is consists of gelatin and the powder of Kuzu.

There are so many tricks that makes me taste like real ingredients. I'd like to know more about this.

Traffic jam

Today, I got into a traffic jam on the way to home from the lake Kawaguchi.

At that time, there was a crash on the Chuo highway. Because of this, we got into a traffic jam.

It is amazing that when we are in a jam, it seems that the lines except for the your line goes faster than yours.

So, I tried to verify it. We placed in the center line, of three lines, then checked the both lines, right and left, if the line is faster than my line.

As a results, there was no significant difference between these three.

This means that the lines except for you goes faster than you is a trick.

During the jam, we sometimes irritated with the lines don't move or the other line goes faster, but this is the trick, and you don't have to think of it at all.

Fortunately, we could keep ourselves by validating this. So if you are to be irritated with the jam, how about doing like this?

Soba

Today, I'm coming to the lake Kawagichi, in Yamamashi.

Here is one of the resort that many people in Tokyo metropolitan area comes.

And you can enjoy many things specific in resort, such as trials of making various things.

Today I tried one of them, and made soba from flour of soba.

The procedure was so interesting, because just simple thing, mix two kind of flour and water, but the result is so different depends on the quantity of the water.

And after making soba, you can eat the soba that you yourself made. It was so delicious.

I'd like to try this one or more times!

Ice cream

Today, I had a cup of macrobiotic ice cream. The difference between usual ice cream is very clear; the ingredient.

Macrobiotic ice cream doesn't contain egg, milk and sugar at all. Instead of them, this ice cream contains gelatin, soy milk and maple syrup!

Adding to them, there are many things to make this ice cream like real one without avoided ingredients, such as coconuts milk, sesame paste etc.

The taste is so delicious, maybe more than real ice cream, because all of the ingredient is good thing for our body and health.

These days, I'm interested with these kind of things, making our body and health better with natural, organic things. Even it is a little thing, there are so many changes if you use the things good for you yourself, this way of thinking is adaptive not only for foods but every thing.

What only you can do

Do you know what only you can do is?

There are so many people belonging to each organization. Each one must have the reason why he or she is there. But sometimes, one just do what others have done.

The organization doesn't need two people who do the same role.

Therefore, you have to find the mean you being there and what you can do for the organization. Only you know, answer this question, because the person who know well about you is you yourself.

What you have to do is searching for the meaning that you are here.

Pascal said, I think, therefore I am.

But it is no meaning for just being here.