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Broadcasting to an audience of three (and a goldfish)...
Comment, ramblings and musings... life through the eyes of a Japanologist...
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Tuesday, July 23, 2002 |
 A pleasant day was rounded off by a few cans of chu-hai in the Peace Park, watching the river run lazily by. Whenever I come to the Peace Park on a summer night (which isn't that often, in fact), I'm reminded of one of the poems by Toge Sankichi about Hiroshima after the atomic bombing. Quite appropriate to remember this tonight, on Toge Sankichi Day.
(As an aside, there didn't seem to be anything special happening to mark this day.)
While we were in the Peace Park, a tramp came up, and immediately asked if Takahashi-kun was a North Korean! He (Takahashi-kun, not the tramp) was most indignant! At least he knows what it feels like to be presumed an American all the time now, though...
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Shops, restaurants, or cafes worthy of mention...
The beer garden at Kirin Beer Reise, Fuchu-cho, Hiroshima
This is the only beer garden I've seen that's actually something like a beer garden; in contrast to the normal rooftop 'gardens', this one has trees and lawns; even a water feature. It's outside the Kirin Beer Hall, in what was the old Fuchu Brewery.
Another difference is that the beer is good. Normal beer garden beer is most certainly nothing to write home about, but here there were five varieties of beer, all of them eminently drinkable. Not quite the 11 varieties available inside, but you can't complain, especially not when it's a case of being able to drink as much as you want. I particularly liked the Fukkoku lager, apparently made to a recipe from the Meiji era. The food was good, too; especially notable was the steamed crab, and the curry, complete with naan bread. Most definitely a touch above your normal beer garden...
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I notice this often when I go into Hiroshima- indeed, I really think that it's especially noticeable here- but Japanese people always queue for a bus or a train in an orderly fashion. Until said bus or train (or, of course, tram) arrives. Then it's a whole different kettle of fish: they all make a rush for the door, using elbows, sticks, rocket launchers- anything they have in their possession- to get in front of the person in front. This is especially the case if a foreigner is involved and the Japanese in question is an old lady, when the fact that the Japanese will push in front of the foreigner is a foregone conclusion. What a shame that the impression of Japanese people is spoiled by manners like these.
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It's a good day when you can get Pimms in Hiroshima! And not at a bar or somewhere, oh no, but actual bottles of the stuff, to take home and make into all sorts of wonderful fruit-cocktail-style drinks!
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Takahashi-kun is originally from Kokura, so, with the Keizai Shunju article in mind, I took the opportunity to ask him about what he thought about Hiroshima citizens. He came up with two answers that were interesting in their own right, as well as putting into words a vague idea that had been floating around in my head for some time now. He said that they were najimenikui- hard to make friends with, or become familiar with; and that they had their own groups, and didn't tend to see the need to be interested in new people, or to integrate those new people into their existing group.
Interesting. It certainly puts what I said about the sake-tasting last week into some sort of perspective.
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Met Takahashi-kun, someone with whom I've been chatting on ICQ for quite a few months now, in Hiroshima, for the first time. We got on well. We went to Starbucks where I helped him with some English, and then we wandered around Hiroshima for the afternoon. In the evening we went to a beer garden (of which, more later). A pleasant day, although (at 34 degrees) too hot to be pounding city streets...
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Original haiku
Walking to the bus-stop in Yamada this morning, there were the remains of fireworks by the sea...
hanabi shita yokuasa no umi gomi-darake
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I'll say one thing: you can tell the rainy season's over. The sky's a
high-summer shade of electric blue, the sea has a proper salty tang, and
the heat is searing, with just a little less humidity than during the
tsuyu.
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Today is a day for swimming. In the fast ferry to Hiroshima, the sea looked
remarkably inviting. Until I saw the long, cream-coloured, foamy slick of
something-or-other on the surface. Just like the head on a good pint of
bitter, in fact...
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I'm sure that buses on the island have curious energy-giving properties. You
have only to look at the stooping old ladies to know this. On the street
they shuffle along, hardly able to walk, but get them on a bus and it's
almost like they're suddenly possessed! There's inevitably a mad rush-
frightening in its intensity- for the front seat (the coveted single seat),
and woe betide anyone who gets in the way...
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Breakfast Show Staple Notable weather
Another day of 'mad dog' summer heat. A day so hot that the chocolate chips in a box of cookies melt and run. A day so ludicrously hot that just standing still, even with a breeze, makes rivers of sweat.
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Breakfast Show Staple Randomhaiku of the day (from The Genuine Haiku Generator)
plain chaplain chases, moth
shatters, smooth ricepaddies rust
redly, rapacious
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© Copyright 2003 Nathan Duckworth.
Updated: 8/1/03; 8:22:27 pm.
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