mugaido


Mugaido, originally uploaded by renfield.

Went to Sakaguchi-san's shop in Takadanobaba and checked out his toys. More of a hang out than a store, he's got some nice papered swords and various bits and bobs. One really sweet shinto blade just my spec; unsigned but papered. Have to get some new fittings on it though, as it's kitted out for display not use and that's just NG.

jon gibson & phillip glass

the band!

So my cousin (well technically he's my mom's cousin; he was married to the daughter of the older sister of my mom's mom) Jon Gibson was in town with Phillip Glass On Film. They were performing live while showing the classic Dracula. It was most cool. After the show we hung out with the band for a never-ending tofu feast. Phillip played with his rented cell phone taking videos and we were all being generally silly and just eating way too damn much tofu!
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toyoda

With Jenn in town it was time for a right proper feast, so Hiroko and I took her to Toyoda, where Hashimoto-san hooked us up with many courses of culinary delight. And two smalls cups of sake later, I was asleep in the taxi for the ride home.

welcome to the dark side

http://www.sithsense.com/

I strongly suggest "chicken".

fighting

Glutton for punishment. After three straight days of iai, I went to fighting fitness with Hiroko, in an attempt to do something reasonably cardiovascular for a change. The result: stunning pain. I am so out of shape.?And uncoordinated. And out of shape. Did I mention I also can't hold a beat?

kumitachi

Kumitachi seminar today at Akihabara. Haven't been to Akihabara practice in forever. Nakayama-san and I had lunch first (his choice: deepFriedPork!) and then headed over. Good crowd; about twenty. We did the seated kata first; took forever on the first one and then paced well for the rest of the seminar. Yoshida-sensei brought her mom and daughter, both of whom played in the corner as mom trained.
It was good fun and three hours flew by, but after Friday and yesterday, my arms and back were fried.
Started raining so we cabbed back to Honbu Dojo, put the gear away, and headed home. Hiroko made the traditional Kuroda Sunday Japanese Fest, and there was much eating, and loosening of waistbands, and leaning back on the couch and pronouncing "Umph...full..."
As is the tradition, we ended the evening with The Best Show On Television: Kurobara.