Promo swag from today’s workshop sponsor…
Rocket Science is for Kids – Bioinformatics is for Scientists
Neko Café Grand Opening
In prevision of Tokyo’s cold Winter approaching, we have adopted a pair of 100% organic heaters. Although their current wattage is still a bit low (despite sustained high-level purring), we fully expect them to reach a good heating capacity before end of year…
And if you are looking to adopt cats in Japan, you should definitely have a look at these guys and these guys (recommended by previous): they do amazing work trapping, neutering and releasing adult stray cats, while placing kittens for adoption. (Needless to say, if you ever buy a cat from one of those horrendous pet mill shops, I will never talk to you again).
October Backlog pt. 2: Coffeeshop Concert
Our neighbourhood also has a nice cozy coffeeshop. Going there for late lunch last Sunday, we bumped into a cool impromptu concert by an awesome local swing/calypso band. Perfect for a less sunny weekend afternoon.
October Backlog pt. 1: Weekend on the Lake
Like most lakes around Tokyo, Senzoku ike near our house rents out row boats and paddle boats (swan shape optional). Perfect way to spend a sunny Autumn afternoon.
Trip to Gokayama
As Pierre and I were pondering the next stop on our week-long tour of Japan, I remembered a stunning picture I had seen in a special Brutus magazine issue on countryside minshukus a few years ago. I looked up what turned out to be the village of Ainokura (part of Gokayama town), in Toyama-ken.
Driving past the still-quite-urban town of Jōhana, the last few km of mountain roads and never-ending tunnels magically opened into some Lost Valley-like landscape, with a dozen thatched-roofed houses lying at the bottom. We spent the night there (half the village is minshuku, the other regular farmers) before resuming our trip south through the much more touristy but still very picturesque region of Shirakawa.
Definitely on par with Iya for surprisingly preserved piece of old-times Nipponia.
Kyoto by Night
Go to Kyoto, see more bars than temples.
Kyoto by Day
Back on a special sightseeing weekend with Pierre.
Keitai Pics: Music Appreciation Week
For various definitions of “music”.
Keitai Pics Backlog: At Summer’s End
Local Tokyo Fauna
I know the following claim might come off as slightly suspicious, posted at 1:34am and freshly back from drinking in Shinjuku, but… I just saw a tanuki casually crossing the boulevard, two blocks from our house. A freaking tanuki. In the middle of Tokyo.
I would have chalked it up to alcohol and a very weird-looking cat, but the taxi driver was even more categorical that the thing was neither an itachi nor a cat, but indeed a tanuki.
Next week: wild boars in our courtyard.