***Japan***
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Since moving to South Korea in August '96 I've visited Japan four times. The first time was in October '96 to visit Yumiko Terai (pictured right)at her home in Osaka just before she flew back to the UK. The second time was in February '97 when I visited Aika Nakamura and Taka Hashimoto in Tokyo. The third time was when I visited Kyoto in February '98 with my girlfriend of the time, Park Kyung-Hee and the last time was in October '98 when I took the Super-Cat from Pusan to Fukuoka.
Here's Yumiko Terai's family in Osaka, October '96. I met Yumi in a London Karaoke with my good friend Lee Moon-Suk and Aika's friend earlier that year.
The latest that I've heard is that Yumi will move to San Francisco sometime later this year.
Here I am with Takayuki Hashimoto and Aika Nakamura in Tokyo. I met Taka while working in Harrods in mid '96 - he worked in the accounts dept. but we started on the same day. Often we'd meet up for a drink after Harrods closed it's doors to the public and he taught me some useful Japanese verbs (clean stuff, honest!)
I also met Aika in '96, but this time in Hull through Hoang Young Ju.
I visited these good people in February '97 and stayed at Aika's mother's house. Pictured here is Aika's mum and sister (oh, shouldn't forget the cat.) Her father works away.
While walking around the more residential parts of Tokyo Aika, Takka and myself walked right into a local's rice dough making festival. We were invited to help in the making of the dough which entails pounding boiled rice with a large wooden mallet and after every pounding the rice is rolled over. Unfortunately I didn't find out the Japanese name of the rice dough, in Korean it's called 'dok'.
Here are some of the local ladies who took the pounded dough, rolled it, cut it, shaped it into rice cakes and then packaged and sold them.
I just had to include this photo. This is the beautiful guest room I slept in at Aika's house.
While walking around Tokyo in '98 with Aika I chanced upon a cultural exhibition and met this group of young Japanese Hippos.
The Hippo Club is a multi lingual club for youngsters and adults alike using song, dance and games to learn foreign languages. I did join the Korean Club organised by Anna Cho in Seoul, but felt a little intimidated as it was like a mother and toddlers group although the people there were extremely friendly (as are most Koreans.)
While taking a trip to beautiful Kyoto in Jan.'98, Kyung Hee and I stayed at the English Guest house and met this young American traveller there. We took a trip out to see the Golden Temple which was breathtaking.
Unfortunately I don't remember this guy's name (sorry!) So if anyone does recognise him please, please write to me at six_a_t_w@hotmail.com.
I would highly recommend for anyone to visit Kyoto as it's a beautiful historical city and said to be the cultural center of Japan. Here's the Golden Temple in it's shining glory.
Last updated 25/02/1999 - Created using Notepad by Rob Price.
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