.
At Teragoya, we have a lot of gifted students with interesting skills & hobbies.
This is a present I received from a student. It`s a hand-made, cloth coin purse.
Thanks, Makie - nice work!
One of our students is a mechanic & used car-dealer. We were talking about cars & I mentioned to him that I liked retro cars like the Nissan Pao, which I featured on my blog recently. So the next week he kindly brought to school a Nissan Figaro which he is working on at the moment. Cool!
The Figaro was built in 1992 by a Nissan special projects group called Pike Factory, which also made the Pao. Like the Pao, the Figaro has a stylish retro dashboard; the design of the dials reminds me of old fob (pocket) watches.
He`ll be selling it soon, so if you`re interested, let me know!
Ah... I wish I could buy it.
![Konomiya Hadaka...]()
One of Japan`s most interesting festivals is Konomiya Shrine`s `Hadaka Matsuri` - Naked Festival. This year it will be held on Tuesday, 15th of February.
Do you know it? How well? Let`s find out with this quiz!
1. Although it`s called `Naked Festival`, participants wear:
a) loin cloths (fundoshi)
b) traditional Japanese split-toed footwear (tabi)
c) headbands (hachimaki)
d) all of the above
2. Sake is a big part of the festival. Participants (san`yosha? kanyuusha?) drink it:
a) before the festival
b) during the festival
c) after the festival
d) all of the above
3. Participants arrive at the shrine after walking a few hours from:
a) nearby suburbs
b) suburbs far away
c) they don`t remember
d) any of the above
4. Participants carry:
a) long bundles of bamboo (naoizasa)
b) cartons of sake
c) other participants who can`t walk anymore
d) any of the above
5. To keep warm, participants:
a) scream "Waaah! Sabuiiiii!!"
b) try to keep moving
c) drink sake
d) all of the above
6. If a participant gives you a piece of coloured cloth, you should:
a) wash it
b) wash your hands
c) keep it for good luck
d) all of the above
7. At the climax of the festival, everyone rushes towards:
a) the `Shin-otoko` (a special man chosen by the shrine)
b) the toilets
c) home
d) all of the above
If you`re free on Tuesday, why not take a look? Konomiya Shrine is right beside Meitetsu Konomiya Station.
By the way, d) is the answer to all the questions!
I love traditional Japanese black, cast-iron teapots.
I have a couple (which I bought at Osu Kanon markets) at home in Australia.
This is a picture (20 x 30 cm woodblock print) I did of them.
Congratulations to Japanese footballer Yuto Nagatomo on his move to F.C. Internazionale, one of Italy`s biggest & most famous football clubs.
Although he`s small even by Japanese standards, he`s very quick, skillful & hard-working, and I think he`ll do well if he gets enough first-team game time.
Whoa! What`s an imported high-performance speed-machine like this doing in a place like Ichinomiya?
And no, Parren, I`m not talking about you (Parren is my workmate at Ichinomiya Teragoya).
This is a Lamborghini Gallardo (2006?)
To tell the truth, I haven`t really been into this kind of car since I was about 16 years old, but I was still impressed when I noticed this one at a car-dealer called Gulliver, on Route 22, on my way to work.
I`m sad that Australia didn`t win the final of the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar, but I`m glad to hear that the 2015 Asian Cup will be held in Australia. Great!
Of course it`s convenient for Australians like me, but I also think it`s much more convenient for Japanese, Korean & other Asian countries` fans who want to attend the games. I also think most people would rather visit Australia than somewhere like Qatar, right?
See you in Australia in 2015!
Near my house there is a shop called Nodaya which makes & sells Ichigo Daifuku. This is basically a strawberry & some sweet bean paste inside mochi (rice cake). I`m not usually a big fan of Japanese sweets, but I like Ichigo Daifuku. I think everbody does!
I went there with Owen last weekend to buy some.
They don`t have a website, but you can see a map here:
http://naviaichi.com/0120-137280/
Aaargh!!!
Japan beat Australia 1-0 in the final of the Asian Cup. I`m so disappointed...
I thought Australia was stronger, and looked in control for most of the game, but they missed or wasted all their goal-scoring chances. Also, the marking disappeared for Japan`s goal. Where was our defense???
Anyway, congratulations to Japan and the goalscorer, Lee.
Hang on - isn`t `Lee` a Korean name...?
Hehe
Actually, I came across this car in Gifu, not Ichinomiya.
It`s a 1989 Nissan Pao. Not many were made, & now they`re kind of collectors items.
I don`t usually take photos of the inside of strangers` cars, but I was so impressed by the retro dashboard design of this car, I couldn`t resist.
I love it!
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