Kyoto

I was in Kyoto last weekend.
I had been there many times but it was my first time travelling in summer, and I LOVED IT!!

I had often visited there in autumn because Kyoto is famous for it's beauty of colored leaves. But as so many people think the same way, the place gets very very crowded.

In summer, on the other hand, the place is nice and quiet.
You can spend hours looking at gardens of temples.

Below left is Eikando and right is Nanzenji.

In July, the famous festival called Gion Matsuri is held in Kyoto. The highlight of the festival was over (on the 16th and 17th), but when I went there on the 24th, there was Hanagasa junko parade.

If you ever visit Kyoto, I strongly recommend you to go in summer! (That is if you could put up with the heat.)

Well, well, well...

Wow! It's July now!! Time flies too fast.


Sorry for not updating this blog for...let's see...

5 months!? Oh boy...

It takes too long to catch up last 5 months...
Let's see... I have been to Shanghai, Hanoi, Croatia, and Hokkaido.

If you can read Japanese, please check out http://bionharu.blog49.fc2.com

As for work, I have been enjoying working for NHK raido "Business Communication In Simple English"
Ed is a great guy. We have a lot of fun during recording.
If you know me from World Interactive, you may feel strange by listening to my formal Japanese.... Hey, I could be serious sometime! http://www.nhk.or.jp/gogaku/english/business1/index.html

I will try to update this blog more often...
Uh? Oh... is it a deja vu?? (^^;)

Happy belated Valentine's Day!

Too late?? Sorry!!(^^;)

Well, these are chocolates we sold at the theater. I have been a member of a NGO called JIM-NET since a couple years ago, and these candies are made by the organization in order to raise funds. The funds are used to help children in Iraq who are suffering from leukeamia and other diseases due to the war.

The chocolates were sold out pretty fast! Thank you very much!!

Well, the play is over...

I am really glad that the audience seemed to enjoy the performance so much!! I can't wait to do the world tour someday!

Anyway, here is my last-minute notice...(sorry!)

If you can watch NHK world TV, I will be in today's Tokyo Eye!

There is a 5 -minute segment called "My private Tokyo" and I will show you around Asagaya. If you can't watch the program on TV, you can still watch it on the web.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

If you live in Japan, the program will be shown on Digital Educational TV3 on Feb. 25 starting at 22:15.

Hope to see you there!

Finally!!

My production has opened on 11th. I was so worried that I went to a shinto shrine in the morning and pray for the success. We have done three performances so far and the audience seems to enjoy the production very much. (^^) Thank you! Thank you!!

Producing a play is much harder than I thought. This is my second time but I still can't do it without much stress...
Not only writing a script, but also arranging schedules of the cast and staff members, making fliers, taking reservations, and so many other things!!
I have lost 2kg... Good way of going on diet! (^^;)

But when I hear good reviews from the audience and see their happy faces, it worth doing!

We still have 5 more stages to go! Ganbarimasu!!

My new job

Boy, I have been quite stressed out from the rehearsals and all the work I have to do to make my production success! It should be worth the time.

So, aside from the theater production, let's talk about my new job. From April, I will be an assistant for a NHK radio program "Business Communication in Simple English". It is broadcasted only inside of Japan, but you can also listen to it through Internet.

I speak mostly Japanese, though...(^^;)

We will have the first recording next month. I am looking forward to it!

Theater production

We have started rehearsals for a play in February.

This is my production!!

Yes, I am not only an actor but also a writer and a producer. Hope it is going to be a great success!

In the play, we use Okayama direct. You know, in Japan, there are so many directs and they are very different.

I can speak Tohoku (Northeastern region)direct but western direct is quite new to me. We have invited a native speaker and recorded while she read the script.

I love the sound of their direct but it's going to be a challenge for me to master it...

Oshogatsu

On New Year's day, I visited a shrine (Hatsumode) and made a wish for the new year.

Then I bought "Omikuji"--a sacred lottery at the temple. My fortune for this year is..."Kichi" which is not too good, not too bad. Oh well...as long as it is not "Kyo (curse)", I am happy with it.

Then, at my parent's house, all the family members got together and ate Osechi and Ozoni, the traditional new year dishes in Japan. I am afraid of gaining weight after Oshogatsu...