iphone in japan

Finally. And with Softbank, which is even better. Gives me an excuse to leave Docomo after 11 years.
However some questions remain, as my current NEC handset has built in wireless IC digital money (I use it for purchases at convenience stores and as my rail pass on all subways, trains, and buses), plays digital broadcast tv, shoots and plays video, music, and flash, and runs various java apps.

However I will give all that up if the iphone allows me to seemlessly switch between WiFi and cell network, so that I can use an unencumbered Safari browser to surf teh internets, using a all-you-can-eat packet plan.
Bonus if jailbreak works, too.

authentic

Had a perfectly acceptable pastrami sandwich from Authentic for lunch today. Actually I didn't eat it until about 3pm because I went to the dojo at lunchtime to get me some healthy. So on the day I was net flat, possibly a bit long delta but with some theta that will offset tomorrow I suspect.

you are not welcome

I can think of no better way to ensure that people are even less encouraged to travel to the US than to require them to register online before travelling. And this is for the citizens of the countries that are strong US allies, requiring no visa.
I, for one, am now even less motivated.
Assuming Tonchan really, really likes Hawaii...then we'll just go to Okinawa alot I guess.
Plenty of Japan still left to see!

class of 2008!

class of 2008!
Originally uploaded by renfield

Hosted this year's graddies for some eats and drinks. The restaurant made us this lovely cake...and then a waiter proceeded to break a wine glass all over it, so the cake was replaced with lots of little puff-pastry balls filled with cream. Anyway the cake says "Congrats on Joining the Company!" and probably would have been delicious if it weren't liberally springled with shards of broken glass.

more yakiniku

Gosoke took us out to some cheap and absolutely killer yakiniku. Nothing finer than grilling meat and talking shop.

machida

Got up EARLY and headed down to Machida to help out with the 32nd Annual Toyamaryu Tournament. Lots of representatives from the US and I was drafted as interpreter for the day.
Afterwards we hit Hataya's shop and then walked down to the station for a celebratory dinner.
Finally got all the gear packed up, got on the train, and checked into the Hotel Kuroda by 1am. Tired like crispy bacon.

jiji horsey

jiji horsey
Originally uploaded by renfield

papa bumped his head on the bus

papa bumped his head on the bus
Originally uploaded by renfield

Luckily an orange bandaid saved him from hemorrhaging to death.

hiroshima

R1011058
Originally uploaded by renfield

Did two nights at Sekitei in Hiroshima.
Flew down, took the bus to the station, train to Oonoura, and then the ryokan van. As expected, most excellent room. First floor had two rooms off of each side of the entrance, plus a little lounge and access to the main garden. Upstairs was another room with a big wooden bathtub in the middle. Totally. Awesome.
They also have a new private bath; a two story affair with a big bath in the middle of the downstairs and a shower in the ceiling, and then a lounge upstairs with a small bath on the balcony. This one is all modern and clean design, different from the one we used last time which was all old school and homey.
Perfect weather for two days too so we wandered around Miyajima in a sunny but breezy way.
Tonchan was a trooper; only broke two glasses and hated the band-aid on her hand more than the minor cut. She also inhaled momiji-manju (red bean paste sweets) and was generally eating the whole time. She ran around during the day so much she slept soundly all night the whole time.

taco rice @ eat more greens

taco rice @ eat more greens
Originally uploaded by renfield

Met Chiepon for lunch -- Happy Birthday! -- at Eat More Greens. We walked up to Roppongi Hills and played at Børnelund, then walked up to Midtown and got some bevvies. Took a taxi to National Azabu and stocked up on groceries (mostly animal crackers and apple juice) before heading home and ordering pizza. Tomorrow: Hiroshima!

jiji and baba

jiji and baba
Originally uploaded by renfield

Had lunch at Toyoda with the assorted grandparentals. P's parents were surprised as they weren't expecting the USA contingent. Masa had a wee too much drink and took a nice nap.

Afterwards we checked out the Mitsui Museum and had a 'bucks break before heading home and catching the start of the rain.

drunk

So methinks my daughter has a drinking problem. She got into the habit several months ago of drinking mouthwash. I don't mean playing with, or spilling, or sipping, I am talking great big gulps by the mouthful. She is particularly fond of Listerine Fresh Mint, and though she is incapable of removing the childproof cap herself, like the Quality Parents that we are, P and I often give her a capful or two whilst she's watching mommy get ready in the morning.
So yesterday P sends me one of The Best Emails A Parent Can Ever Get:

From: hiroko.kuroda
Sent: 05/22/2008 08:54 AM ZE9
To: Renfield Kuroda
Subject: mouth wash

She drunk it some this morning, and her face became red. I guess ethanol in it worked, so she’s pretty drunk. We have to hide it or stop using it, otherwise she’ll be alcoholic.

And that's pretty much all you need to know about the Kuroda Family.

shibuya

After post-work bevvies at which we mainly told increasingly ludicrous stories about obnoxious industry veterans, I headed to Shibuya to do a right and proper bitch session with jorge. Of course we feasted on proper ramen whilst doing so.
I have now gone to Suzuran so many times in the past two weeks, all the guys working there know me and greet me as a regular. Perhaps it's time to eat less ramen...
After stuffing ourselves silly jorge needed his caffeine fix so we walked over to the 'bucks at the crossing and planted ourselves at the window seats second floor to people watch the amusing festivities of hachiko and whine about the corporate inane.

our dangerous stistical ignorance

The single most pernicious threat to liberty today is humanity's natural
tendency to misunderstand the statistics of rare events...[more]

jorge

jorge
Originally uploaded by renfield

Uncle Jorge is in town this week for supersecret work things. Last night we had yakiniku dinner at Sankoen, and today we spent the day walking around Harajuku. We had gyoza lunch and sushi dinner and did a whole lotta walking in between.

clam chowder

clam chowder
Originally uploaded by renfield

Took the day off to hang out in Arisugawa Park with Ton and her school mates for Sports Day. Tonchan was feeling particularly shy so didn't do much until we had lunch and she ran around a bit. P went to work for the afternoon so I took the Tonchalizer to check out the sword display at the Okura Museum and then we went into my office for a bit before meeting P for dinner. Burgers and clam chowder at Homework's in Hiroo.

yak in japan

Some things in Japan fail to surprise me. The gross inability of the National Police Agency to deal with the organized crime is one of them. This article by probably the only foreigner to know about such things is illuminating but sadly not surprising.

mogambos

mogambos
Originally uploaded by renfield

A fine evening of basic late-night foolishness. Here The Vid enjoys a fat Cuban stogie, ignorning the rain. We carried on until the wee hours. I left early and still didn't get to bed until 4am. Word is the true believers greeted the sunrise with a final toast. Strong. Sleepy.

matsuri

matsuri
Originally uploaded by renfield

This year the Kanda Matsuri was ura, aka small and low-key. Still, it's pretty sweet. They pass right in front of Honbu Dojo and go up Chuo Dori to Kanda Station, then actually enter the inner Emporer's Palace; one of the only festivals that is allowed to do so.

moustache

moustache
Originally uploaded by renfield