Tuesday 29 September 2009

day 2|musashino




Day 2 at Musashino was a much better day as both myself and the students had settled into each others way of working. They had made good progress with the homework tasks as we began the day with a review of the letter forms that they had produced. Students began to view each letter form as an individual character and then the relationships with each letter as a whole unit.
By the end of a long day even laughter began to flow between us as better non verbal communication took shape. Prof Yoshiro's translations and my pointing techniques worked well as a double act.

Hoping for a night in front of Japanese TV, Yoshiro invited me out (once again) with his wife for sushi. You just can not say no, even when you are on your last legs. What a meal followed. The most adventurous sushi i have had. Jelly fish, collagen, rare seaweed with eggs, more urchin eggs and other things we did not know the translations for. It was a very challenging meal and i am rapidly needing sometime off fish. Obviously accompanied by sake. My poor internal system has had a bashing.

Looking forward to the morning off on Wednesday and a visit to Ginza Graphic Gallery to meet up with an alumni from Teals MA course at LCC. Then back to MAU for an afternoon session. But please no more meals for a bit...

11 comments:

  1. You are going to be shattered on your return and need a week off work to recover.
    It sounds as if you're having a ball even if you're having to work very hard.
    You must be a bit fished out by now.....fancy a burger?
    You'll come crashing down to earth when you get back to the Elephant sounds like a totally different working environment!

    Anneke and Ona send their love and wanted me to say hi as they can't manage to blog ( I have sent instructions sent to me by Koo so you never know)

    Bambi also sends her love not so sure she'd like the food!

    Take care honey and enjoy XXXX

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  2. By the time you arrive home there won't be much you won't know about raw fish. Just think of all that lovely omega-3 you're getting.

    I was looking for somewhere to eat out yesterday lunchtime. Saw a sushi place and thought of you. Afraid to say I wimped out - went somewhere else and had a sausage & chip butty.

    Pleased the second day's teaching went well. Enjoy a bit of a breather wednesday morning.

    nic x

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  3. Hi jack - my collegue Emma has just come back from Japan (her bloke is out there for a year) and recommends something that sounds like Osen. It's peasant food and is essentially bubble & squeak (sometimes made with noodles, sometimes not)cooked as a cake or patty between two hot plates, served with a variety of sauces and optional dried fish flakes. She thought it was fab. I'm sure prof will know what this is - just tried googling it and all I get is a TV drama set in a restaurant. Good hunting. Sa X

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  4. Optional dried fish flakes....mmmmm! Which bit is the jellyfish in the sushi picture? And what does collagen taste like? Last question - what is the photo in the middle of? Keep on keeping on on the 29th floor. At least you don't have to get up at dawn tomorrow. Sleep tight. kxx

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  5. Hi Jack,
    Hmmm the food does indeed sound delicious, maybe i should visit Tokyo on a weight loss plan!
    What is in the shot glass in the picture at the top of the page?

    Great pics, looks like another world.
    Glad it's going well and you are enjoying yourself and experiencing different things.

    If you don't mind, i was thinking of fowarding your link on to my brother Chris, his current Facebook status reads "I wish i were in Tokyo". It's the only place he's ever expressed an interest in travelling to.

    Speaking of delicious food, mum's cooked so i'm off....yummy ( aherm ).

    Have fun,
    Bambi xx

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  6. Bubble&squeak update...... it's Onsen, not Osen apparently

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  7. And another recommendation from Em is .....
    Oknomiyaki or Takoyaki
    Both veggie nibbles (with optional fish !). No other details but supposed to be vg.

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  8. I'm not sure how reliable penguin's recommendations are - watch out!

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  9. thanks for all your suggestions. I will try the osen to eat but not onsen!as this is a bath house! which i hope to try but not via the mouth!!!
    Great to hear all your comments, keeps me going.
    Jackxx

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  10. ps the picture in the middle is the university! Near the part i am teaching in, which has not roof and reminds me of an empty swimming pool!

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  11. Hi Jack,
    Sounds like you're having a very interesting time over there, you'll need a holiday when you get back.
    Looking forward to seeing you at the dinner at the Community Hall.
    Love
    Fi & Donna
    xx

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