Room for improvement?

My room
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This is my main room in my apartment in Tokyo - as you can see it's very small, but I love it. Great with the lights down, only the lava lamp going and something mellow on the stereo- maybe Dylan's Desire or Oh Mercy! Add a bottle of red wine and some incense.
Garnish with good company and conversation.

Double trouble

the boys
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This was taken in the Shamrock Irish pub in Kichijoji. My brother (left) was in town for a few days making a TV commercial.

A chalk stripe gent

Mr Mckee
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Here is Mr Stephen Mckee, chalk stripe gent and musical giant.

Quite an interesting last train the other night!

I like Hemming's way

Mr Hemmings
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

He has been mentioned on this site before - and lo! here he is again. Mr Dean Hemmings, AAM.

You know I always like your form (s) Mr Hemmings.

Millar on Kilkenny

Mr Millar
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Here is Craig, soon to leave Japan and head home to Australia after a stay of 5 years.

He will be greatly missed, not least for introducing me to a great Irish pub right around the corner from where we work.

Cheers to Cava

Sally, Marc & Sam
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Photographic evidence that champagne method taken in sufficient quantities does indeed produce all the effects of drunkeness.

Enter the Dragon but DON'T touch my canvas, baby

Don't touch my canvas, baby
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

I bought this hanging decoration in Taipei, Taiwan in 1999.

The artist was also a calligrapher and wrote my name and the location and date in fine flowing burning chinese characters down the left hand side of this. I have a photo of him doing this. As i was watching him do this, a group of Japanese people appeared remarking, in Japanese, on his fine skill. I could understand a little, and turned to them and said 'Watashi mo ima shuji no benkyo o ste - imasu' (I am also studying calligraphy too). The group went silent and then laughed.

It must have been a bit strange, being in Taiwan and being encountered by a Nihongo speaking English trainee calligrapher.

Then we went off to drink snakes blood.

Don't touch my canvas baby (That's another story)

This photo is posted by kind permission of Hannah Little, Japan.

Ultra rare box set

Box set
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

After a few guiness the other evening in Tachikawa, across the road from where I work, I took the train home. On my way back to my apartment I ventured into my local DVD lending library and picked up 'Hitler' with Robert Carlyle. Worth renting. Anyway, as I approached the counter the staff told me I had sufficient points for a 'free gift'. I agreed and was presented with this great guiness box set which has a small can of the draught magic and a guiness glass.

Pure genius.

Stormtroopers in Shibuya

Stormtroopers
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

So, Ok, this one is a little long.

My brother is a creative designer and lives in Singapore. He has been out on a work trip for the last 2 months which involved Tokyo.

I get this call from my brother and head to Shibuya. It's quite funny because he tells me, when I get to Shibuya, that he is 'in a side street with shops'. Yeah. Go figure. Might take me the rest of my life to find him.

Anyway, I finally do and before doing so, bump into imperial stormtoopers.

So I used the force. and made it to my brother's advert shoot.

May the force be with you, always.

Mind your language

Mind your language
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Please, mind your step.

When crossing be careful of the footing sufficiently. Understand beforehand because the responsibility can not be assumed about the accident in case and so on.

A great example of Japanese English signs!

Stoned Buddha

Stoned Buddha
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This was taken in a temple on lake Chuzenji in Niko, Japan.

The Jizo is only half a metre high, but again was very impressive.

Very calming.

Things of beauty

Things of beauty
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

"A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing."

John Keats.

These girls were photographed at Ryoanji Temple in kyoto, japan.

Zen rocks

Zen Garden
Originally uploaded by mikethepipe.

"Arrangements of rough natural stones also play a considerable part in the highly civilised rock gardens of Zen Buddhism. Their arrangement is not geometrical, but seems to have come about by pure chance. In fact, however, it is the expression of a most refined sprirtuality....."

(p259 Man and his symbols)

This is one of Dad's photos of the Zen Garden at Ryoanji Temple, Kyoto.

Zen rocks.

Sally in black and white

Sally in black and white
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This was taken in the park Hyatt hotel. There's just something about black and white, isn't there?

That's right....no colour.

I remember an English teacher of mine at school, who refused to have a colour TV in his house. He would only watch black and white. Mmmmm.

Rob in sepia

Rob in sepia
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Here's my friend Rob M, who is great on the guitar too and always teaches me a lot.

The night before I left England for Japan on January 24th 1996, my good friend Sam gave me a cassette tape of Dylan's album 'oh Mercy'. My interest started to begin then.

A while later, this guy, Rob Moreau, walked into my workplace having bought me a CD of 'Bringing it all back home'. I was hooked.

He also introduced me to 'Desire' (the album not the concept!) over some Guiness, Miso and ginger. The addiction was complete.

Now we often get together and try to bang a few out on guitars. I think our 'knockin' on heaven's door' and 'Sara' are starting to get there.

At work

At work
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This weekend, sharing a bottle of red wine and strumming some strings. My guitar is a Yamaha, but slightly unusual, because it has a classical stock, with no fret numbers on the fret board (but don't fret - they're on the side of the neck). It also has a microphone in the body and a pick up.

Great guitar - but I wish it didn't look so shiny. Any ideas?

Yet another red beauty

Moves
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

OOpps, it's official, yes, I own and use a lava lamp. They're great - I love 'em!

When I look at my lava lamp it takes me back to university and especially to my long drink and chat sessions with Dr Nick, in his room, with both of us sitting in chairs, facing each other, with a coffee table and lava lamp between us.

I miss those chats!

Don't fret

Don't fret.JPG
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Part of this weekend was spent having a guitar session with my good friend, Rob E. Here we see the master at work...........

Like a rolling stone?

Like a rolling stone?
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Taken, if I remember correctly, by Tracy Sasaki in the rolling stone at one of her farewell parties. The man next to me is Mr Peter Allen.

I think we had had a few by this point, if memory serves.

My very good friend, Tracy Sasaki

Marc and Tracy.JPG
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This is one of my friends, Tracy, who I shared a lot of good times in Japan with. We went everywhere in Japan and also pretty much every where else as well - Canada, Australia, Mexico, Cuba, Korea, Taiwan, to name a few!!

This was taken at a farewell party for Tracy - well there were only 3 of us left at this point - Tracy, me and the guy who took the photo - Peter Allen - we were in Rolling Stone in Shinjuku ( I think you can see Keith above us)

Sen ryo mo ipo yori?

The longest journey.JPG
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Even the longest journey,
Begins with the first step.

Tao Te Ching

The Tiger

The Tiger
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

W Blake

I bought this piece of calligraphy from an art student in Xian, China

Looking Far?

Jizo and tree
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

You don't have to go out the door
to know what goes on in the world.
You don't have to look out of the window
to see the way of heaven.
The farther you go,
the less you know.

So the wise soul
doesn't go, but knows,
doesn't look but sees;
doesn't do, but gets it done.


Tao Te Ching.

Inquisitive Swan

Inquisitive Swan
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

This was taken in the moat in Nijo castle in Kyoto Japan. I had to wait some time for the 'inquisitive' look!

"The cheers to this idea" sessions. Volume 2

guiness
Originally uploaded by shodoboy.

Wow, to cut a long story short, as it's been a long day and I'm tired.

I was travelling back from a new branch today, which is literally over 3 hours door to door. I had a beer on the super express home and got off in Hachioji to catch the local express - only to realise I had left my wallet on the express train. Ouch!

Being in a foreign country - such times have an added dimension as you have to negotiate the dilemma in a foreign tongue. Japanese speakers may find the following (translated) section amusing;

Me: Excuse me, I took a super express train this evening from Kofu and my wallet is on the super express train
Station master: Go to platform 3 and explain
Me: Excuse me,I took a super express train this evening and my wallet is on the super express train.
Sm: What colour is it?
Me:Black:
Sm: Were you sitting in the window or aisle seat?
Me: Not the window seat (I don't know the word for aisle seat in Japanese and having only just heard it, cannot replicate it immediately)
Sm: What does it contain?
Me: (my life) Money, credit cards etc...

The Hachioji station master phoned through to Shinjuku station ( about 1 hour away) and they searched the express when it reached Shinjuku and ...... found my wallet!

Thank you JR.


I got home late this evening (after a few celebratory drinks) but another example of great service in Japan.