29 November 2009

My second nephew Charlie has arrived, after just one hour's labour. Lucky Fi! Seven and a half pounds and with a good head of hair already. Welcome to the world, little one. Wish I could give you a cuddle...

Emily has started saying 'shall I...' a lot, which I presume she has picked up from nursery. It is very sweet anyway.

As Nick was studying again, I entertained Emily, with a visit to Arisugawa park in the late afternoon.

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The ubiquitous gingko trees are spectacular at the moment, inspiring me to another haiku:

Grey skies, golden blaze.

Gingko leaves trap lost sunshine;

Autumn majesty

On the way back we passed a shop, for want of a better word, that advertises an interesting juxtaposition of goods. It looks as though it has closed down, and I can only hope so.

26 November 2009

A quiet day; just me and Emily. I've noticed a definite change in her. It seems like a switch has been flicked and she has become very cocky and bossy. She wouldn't let me stay close to her while she used a slide but emphatically told me 'no, mummy, sit down'!


Lately I have been aware that there is a huge number of cement mixers on the roads in Tokyo. Maybe I am noticing them because Emily now comments on them, or has the fiscal stimulus vastly added to the number of building projects under way?

After being chilled to the bone in Kagoshima, I was today back in a T-shirt five degrees further north as it was around 20C and balmy. Mind you, I seemed to be the only one to appreciate the change - the woman on the till at the supermarket rubbed my bare arm and enquired if I was cold, and most people were still in their winter garb.

25 November 2009

Pam's visit regrettably drew to a close. Emily and I escorted her to Narita, where we went out to watch planes taking off for a while before I bundled Emily back onto the return train after a quick and low-key parting. I'm glad that Emily is still too young to understand the concept of time and distance, as she would have been upset to know that it would be a long time until she saw her grannie again in the flesh. Thank heavens for Skype, I say.

I had been worried about the train journey home but it passed very quickly with the aid of a drawn-out snack and after I had the brainwave of getting the camera out and showing her the photos on the memory card. She is such a narcissist and loves looking at photos and video clips of herself. I managed to keep her awake until the walk home from Tamachi, when she could resist slumber no more. I transferred her gently into bed and put my feet up.

24 November 2009

Emily woke again around 2am and was inconsolable, so we brought her in to sleep on the futons with us.

It was back to normal with Nick at work and Emily in nursery. Pam and I took the boat to Odaiba. We indulged in lots of retail therapy, then walked along the bayside path before taking the Yurikamome back to Shimbashi. We took Emily for a walk through Ginza to look at the Christmas lights, though she seemed more interested in taxis and buses than the pretty lights. We had tea at Muji, but she played up a lot and barely ate a thing; Pam had to remove her from the restaurant, yelling, while I ate her meal. She calmed down as soon as she saw the Yamanote, but it seems that the 'terrible twos' have set in.

Emily brought home her first piece of nursery artwork: a Thanksgiving turkey that she had decorated with scribble, and whose wings were made of cutouts of her handprints.

23 November 2009

In bright sunshine we walked to Happoen, the secluded garden in the shadow of the Sheraton hotel in Shirokane. Nature's autumn show was under way and the little dell looked splendid; the ultimate expression of a Japanese garden, designed to maximise the seasons.

Among their bonsai collection we found a tree bearing miniature 'princess' apples, and one with a good crop of tiny kaki (persimmon)

After lunch we treated ourselves to another dose of autumn foliage and visited Kyu Shiba Rikyu. We were not disappointed. The vibrant leaves were balanced by a late-flowering cherry tree in blossom and the appearance of some flowers which were surely confused: azalea, camellia, and a couple of irises.

Emily had a wonderful time and used up lots of energy, managing to stay on her feet for more than an hour, climbing hillocks and jumping off rocks and tree stumps.

She was exuberant to see an airship drift by in the dying sunlight, as it took its passengers for a tour around Tokyo Tower.


Once Emily was a-bed, Pam took over and Nick and I headed out for dinner. We re-visited the excellent Thai restaurant in Marunouchi that Ali's friends had taken us to a year ago. We ate some really tasty and spicy dishes and were not disappointed this second time at all, as can often be the case. We were amused to see on their menu an item with Pram as an ingredient (this being the Japlish for plum).

Emily was upset shortly after our return and after many attempts to settle her I was close to shouting at her in the end, so I summoned Nick to deal with her. Usually she won't settle with him, but thankfully, for once she did, though it was past midnight by the time we turned in.

22 November 2009

We got to lie in until nearly eight this time, Emily ending up with me in bed once again. This time Nick moved to the spare bed so we all got a lot more space and slept better.

After we checked out, we strolled along to a nearby pier.

It was a very dull day; cold and drizzly but there were at least 50 fishermen out there trying their luck. One man caught a couple of fish only 6 inches long or so, and Emily was fascinated by these fish that he put in his bucket. All I could think about was seeing him rip the poor creature's mouth apart as he removed the hook. It led me to ponder which is more abhorrent: the agony of line-fishing or the slow death of a fish caught by net. Enough to send me back into the arms of full vegetarianism if I dwell on it too much.

After less than an hour's drive, we were back at the airport. There was an observation deck upstairs but there were not many planes taking off or landing as it is only a provincial airport. We were pleased to find a row of coin-operated vehicles to amuse the kids up there though. Emily was very taken with a bus.

The flight back was fine until Emily woke from a nap on our laps. It was extremely hot in the cabin, which didn't help, and also I think her ears were aching. She couldn't seem to pull herself out of her crying. Again, I fell apart and all I could do was try to block out the sound, also fretting about what the other passengers were thinking. Somehow we eventually got her to relent; while taxiing to the stand we spotted a plane decorated with Pokemon characters, which helped a lot. She was right as rain once on solid ground and able to walk about. We took the monorail back to Hamamatsucho again, but as it was dark, there was not much to see this time.

Logging on later I discovered that baby Lutz had arrived Saturday. I'd had a feeling it would be while I was away. My pleasure was soon nipped in the bud though, and I felt my stomach lurch as I read Jo's email further and heard that his arm had been broken during the Caesarian and that he was now in a different hospital to her. How awful it must be to have your newborn taken from your arms and transferred several miles away after only the briefest of cuddles.

21 November 2009

Emily had another bad night and ended up in our bed, waking for good at 6am. We weren't even rewarded for our enforced early start with a good display of dawn light, as it was quite cloudy. After breakfast we drove across town to one of the piers; a car ferry leaves every fifteen minutes for the quarter of an hour crossing to the 'island' (actually, since a massive lava flow in 1914 it has been joined to the mainland over on the other side of the bay). We just about had time to go up on deck and look at the view as the freezing wind chilled us to the marrow.


On disembarking we drove straight to the visitor centre, which is only a few hundred metres from the ferry terminal (the whole island has a 40km circumference). We spent a while looking around the exhibits and there was lots of interest for volcano enthusiasts like us, but Emily was soon bored. Outside in the park was a long channel where you could sit and baste your legs in geothermal spring water at a very pleasant temperature, like a hot bath.

With our blood warmed up a bit we walked along a sea edge path through a jumble of lava rocks, but it really was bitingly cold. Emily had fun playing in the long grass but was getting very weary and eventually got upset.


We drove on and Emily immediately fell asleep. A little further on we stopped off to take it in turns climbing up some steps to a viewing area with a good vista of the volcano, spewing out smoke and vapour.


Continuing, we detoured in search of a torii (shrine gate) that was originally 3 metres high, which had been nearly buried by ash and lava flows.


Emily continued to sleep until we'd nearly completed a circuit of the island. We finished off ascending a steep road to a visitor centre high up on the shoulder of one of the craters, which afforded fantastic views onto the bay and over to the city too. We hung out for two hours in the warm cafe there having a bento lunch and staying cosy indoors.

On the way home, we stopped off to see a modern rock sculpture, which none of us liked. It was entitled 'Passion', but I thought it looked more like torture. Emily loved rolling on the grassy slope there though.


Our great day out inspired us to compose a haiku each. Pam came up with hers first and it was a hard act to follow:

Molten lava cools
Solidifies to stone
Like himan passion

Mine was based on my assertion to Emily that a dragon lived in the mountain:

Dragon's breath billows
New land spews from gaping maw
Sakurajima lives

Nick's defies introduction:

Vengeful wh*re of fire
Sacred mother earth
Erupts forth new life

Back at the hotel, Nick stayed with Emily while Pam and I went in the outdoor spa pools again. This time the one that was really hot before was decidedly cooler and had jacuzzi jets. Pam sat with Emily once she was asleep so that Nick and I could visit the izakaya opposite. We had gorgeous food and plenty of sake and shochu. We returned to discover that Emily was not in the cot, then saw that she was snuggled up in bed with Pam.

20 November 2009

After a poor night, I found it hard to summon the willpower to get out of bed, even with the prospect of a spectacular view, but did eventaully haul myself out and peer out of the picture window, to find that the sky around Sakurajima was shot through with flashes of pink. It was very cold in the dawn, so I didn't stay out of the comfort of the warm bed for long, but Nick braved the chill for some photos.

Emily was fully awake, so we had to force ourselves up soon anyway. Breakfast was buffet-style and a decent enough choice of Japanese and their version of continental. Pam kindly took Emily off to play so that we could make the most of it all. By the time we were ready to go out for the day it had clouded over somewhat, but we continued with our plan to drive south about 40km to Ibusuki. The road was quite winding and therefore progress was slow, so Emily was grouchy about being in the car for so long. We were glad to finally pull in at the natural hot sand bath there.

Pam and I followed a busload of ladies to the changing room, where we stripped off and donned the yukata provided. Then we trekked outside and down to the beach, where there was a shelter set up over the sand 'beds'. In the summer people simply lie dug into the open beach, each with a small parasol over their heads.

We had to wait 10 minutes before we could take our turn, but luckily the geothermal warmth kept the cold wind at bay as we stood in line in our thin robes. A man ushered us to our allotted positions in the sand, where we lay down, first putting towels around our hair to stop it getting full of sand. Some women armed with shovels came and covered our bodies with several inches of the heavy, moist sand. My initial surprise was at the weight rather than the heat of the sand. I could immediately feel a strong throbbing as my heart worked harder under the gentle pressure and my blood vessels opened up with the heat. It was a most peculiar experience. After the recommended 10 minutes were up we shook ourselves free and brushed off the clinging sand, feeling lighter and a bit damp with sweat.

Back in the centre we washed off the remaining grains and then had a quick dip in the onsen bath (first, and maybe last, time that I will be naked with my mother in law!), before meeting back up with Nick and Emily, who had been playing happily on the beach.

The surrounding area was decidedly unpromising as far as lunch was concerned, so we drove into the equally unassuming and almost bleak town centre. Luckily Nick spotted a restaurant that proved to be rather good, and we sampled several local dishes such as black pork and satsuma age. Emily grazed on our meals but was tired and didn't manage much.

Driving off again, she was sleep in one minute flat, so we parked back at the sand bath in order that Nick could take his turn. Emily was inconsolable when she woke, and sobbed 'no, no' when we told her we were setting off for Chiran, where we planned to see some samurai villas and the airfield where kamikaze pilots took off in WW2. Eventually we decided we had better go straight back to the hotel as it was already mid-afternoon and cold and cloudy. Emily was still upset that we were putting her back in the car seat but we did manage to calm her down eventually with lots of distractions. Unfortunately we hit heavy rush hour traffic going into Kagoshima, and Emily got very upset again. Her crying really got to me and I was a nervous wreck. Poor Nick had to navigate several lanes of traffic in the darkness with her crying and me going nuts. Later, we found that he had burn marks on his back from the sand bath; low-temperature burns had been warned about but Pam and I didn't get any.

19 November 2009

Emily was excited, even in the taxi to Hamamatsucho station (bit of an extravagance since it only saved us 5 minutes, thanks to rush hour traffic). We all enjoyed the 20 minute monorail ride out to Haneda airport, riding along high up through Shibaura then gradually descending to glide along almost on the surface of the water around the manmade islands, with lots to point out as we went along: boats, cranes, birds, and of course, aeroplanes. Check-in was slick and we had time for coffee before going through to the gate, rocking up there with ten minutes to go to scheduled departure time.

We got lucky with window seats, but unfortunately the wet and cloudy conditions prevented us from getting the most out of our vantage point; however, it did allow me to point out planes, trucks, radar and boats to Emily to keep her occupied while we waited to push away. She was a bit grouchy during the flight as she had a heavy cold and also had been up an hour early. Though on the verge of dropping off on the plane, as soon as we emerged into the terminal she was bright and chatty again. We looked out at a ring of volcanic peaks and wisps of geothermal steam and felt pleased with our choice of destination. The sky now cleared to blue, though it was still as chilly as Tokyo.


We ate a hasty lunch at the airport before making our way to the car rental place. As we set off southwards towards the city, Emily finally fell asleep, while we followed the edge of the bay down to Kagoshima. Out in the middle of the bay lurked Sakurajima, one of the world's most active volcanos, and as if to confirm its notoriety there was a substantial plume of smoke rising from near the top of one of its three craters. The sides of the cone were deeply grooved; around the base of the island were signs of habitation. It must be hell getting clothes dry there (indeed, the local forecasts include a map showing predicted ashfall and its direction).


On the northern side of the city (pop. 500,000) is a famous garden, Sengan-en, and we stopped off there. Inside we found that there was a chrysanthemum festival going on, with many artistic arrangements of the flower, the living plants carefully woven through supports into pretty displays; there was also a competition for bonsai chrysanthemums, growing on shapely rocks.


We found several citrus trees; not sure if the large fruit are grapefruits or pomelos. Goki was very interested in the little mikan (satsumas).


Moving on, several huge stone lanterns were strategically placed to mirror the shape of the volcano across the water.

Regrettably the wires and poles of an intervening railway spoiled many of the best views. Emily had great fun throwing gravel around before we continued exploring.


There was an attractive plantation of bamboo, and a lovely gingko tree glowing with its butter-yellow autumn hue next to a small shrine dedicated to cats. Wanting to stay and admire Sakurajima as it changed colour in the dying light, we stopped for someof the local speciality jambo : pounded rice balls on a stick, coated with sweet and sour sauce (seemed the same as the mitarashi dango we've had elsewhere).


As we got into the car the cotton-wool clouds were just becoming tinged with pink, and by the time we got into the city the sky was awash with shades of pink, peach and gold.



Our hotel was situated right by the water at the southern edge of the city centre, with ferries plying various short and long distance routes departing close by. We were really pleased with our room as it had three large beds and a great balcony that overlooked the bay and the volcano. Reception helpfully displays the next day's sunrise and sunset times, which we duly noted in order to set the alarm and check the dawn view. Like many hotels in the area, ours had a wedding 'chapel', where the bride and groom could exchange vows with Sakurajima looking on benificently.


As it was getting late we ventured forth in search of dinner. The hotel is quite a way out of town and there seemed to be scant choice of restaurants within walking distance. Round the corner we found a gothic-looking steak house, where we had to ring a doorbell next to the closed door.The lady who answered said that they were full, but handed Emily a huge kaki (Sharon fruit) which she seized joyfully. Nearby was Pizza Pasta Paradise which looked quite promising. The chef-cum-owner welcomed us so nicely that we decided to go in, especially as it was late to have Emily out. The inside was rather shabby and we were the only customers. Not for the first time, I found myself wondering how these little establishments survive. Actually, the food was perfectly passable, especially when washed down with a bottle of vino. There was a huge TV on, showing a Korean historical drama full of fighting and women and girls wailing. Emily was quite wide-eyed at all the blood-letting, fires and crying, so we told her that the men were dancing and the women shouting.


Once back in our room we got on with her usual routine, and while I gave her her milk and got her off the sleep in the cot, Nick and Pam went down to try out the hotel's spa. Pam relieved me from babysitting duty after a while and I went to join Nick in my swimming costume and robe. I hadn't been sure what to expect, but was still surprised to find the signs leading me down several flights of outdoor steps (rather chilly in only a thin, knee-length cotton robe) to two pools of geothermally-heated water, with steam drifting eerily across the surface in the cold night breeze. One pool was supposedly at 56C and the other 43C. I tried the hot one first but hastily withdrew my foot from the scalding water and retreated to the other, where Nick was. After some time at the lower temperature I was able to try again and could just about tolerate immersing my lower body, as long as my heart and pulse points remained cool. The water was full of minerals and my skin felt odd; almost greasy, in a nice way.

We were back in the room and a-bed by 10.20, but had an extremely disturbed night as Emily had such a terrible cold that she woke often coughing and unable to breath freely. After comforting her tears several times, around 1am I finally decided to bring her into bed, where she (and we) eventually slept more or less through until the alarm woke us at 6.20 for the sunrise.

18 November 2009

In the morning Pam and I just took Emily for a walk locally. In our perambulations we came across a decent playground that I had never found before. Emily enjoyed the bucket swings and was hanging on the bars like a little monkey. Afterwards we popped into Starbucks for a warming drink as it was rather chilly.

As I was coordinator for a TMG meeting, we went to Meguro jidokan later. I wished I hadn't bothered since only one person showed up, but Emily had fun anyway so it was worth it. She spent ages outside riding the battered old toys and trikes, then we went down to the playroom, having a bash on the piano on the way in.

17 November 2009

After dropping Emily off at nursery in the rain, Pam and I went over to Asakusa. Sensoji temple and the approach via Kaminarimon gate were still busy with tourists, despite the dreary conditions. We browsed down the street of souvenir shops before running into the temple to escape the downpour. It was under wraps for renovation but we could still go inside, past the huge incense burner that scented the air with sandalwood. We drew an o-mikuji fortune stick each, and both got predictions of mixed fortune.

After more shopping we dived into a tempura restaurant for a spot of lunch. I practised my Japanese on the staff, which seems to consist solely of elderly ladies, and was quite pleased that they appeared to understand me.

Heading back to Ginza, we entered the basement of Mitsukoshi department store, where there is stand after stand of cakes, cookies, chocolates and savoury snacks all presented gorgeously and often ornately decorated. They look far too good to eat. We thought that Graham would be in seventh heaven. We spent equally as long on the 7th floor, where they have many gift items. In our minds we must have spent hundreds of pounds each, though our purses came out more or less intact. We collected Emily in rain that got progressively heavier, and by the time we walked home from Mita station it was quite grim. Emily did ever so well to walk halfway before she got scared of the wind and refused to go on.

16 November 2009

Pam and I took Emily to see Nick at the office for lunch, first stopping off at Appi in Azabu for a bit of play.

After returning home for Emily's nap, we walked up to Roppongi Hills, where we went straight up to the 52nd floor observatory level. The light was already fading at 3.30 as the sun was in a bank of clouds, but there was some attractive orange light in the sky, over towards Fuji and surrounding mountains.

We had a smoothie at Sunset Cafe, and kept an eye out for the cone to appear, enjoying the odd golden ray appearing through holes in the cloud.

As the city's lights began to spark into life, we thought we could make out the vague shadow of the volcano. We waited to see Tokyo Tower light up then headed back down to look at the pretty trees down Keyakizaka.

15 November 2009

Pam arrived for her much-anticipated stay with us. Nick went on his own to meet her at Narita, as the landing time conflicted with Emily's lunch and nap. Pam looked remarkably well after 24 hours of travel (including 9 hours spent hanging around at Schipol airport) and felt well enough to go out for a while to the park. It was an incredibly clear day, and very warm even as the sun went down. Emily seemed at ease with Pam quickly, and I think that Skype has a large part to do with that as she is familiar with her face and voice. She (Pam) did ever so well and managed to stay awake until about 8pm.

14 November 2009

The afternoon saw Charlize's 2nd birthday party, at KSpace. There were about 15 kids there, plus one or both parents for each. Nick didn't come as he needed to study. Emily was surprisingly very shy at first. She seemed nervous even with lots of children to play with and her friend there to greet her.

After playing a while we tucked into the buffet food. There was some reasonably healthy stuff but Emily got her hands on a large cookie and scoffed most of it before I had a chance to whisk it away! Afterwards we trooped down to the 'gym' (which was where we used to go for the classes) to play for half an hour or so.

Emily immediately became her usual self and was laughing a lot. Then it was back upstairs for the cake, which was humungous and very rich: chocolate sponge with thick chocolate butter icing and icing balloon decoration. Charlize had a go at blowing out the candles then an older boy piled in, but I noticed that he was dribbling on it as he blew and made a mental note of which part was affected. Towards the end a member of staff came in wearing a Kokomo costume and Emily was transfixed, though she was too nervous to go and shake his furry hand.

In the evening Nick and I watched a subtitled Japanese horror movie: Dark Water. I had originally felt like seeing some comedy but we'd watched all our funny DVDs recently so I suggested we see this one instead because it was still in the wrapper though I had bought it at least two years ago. It's a chiller, and though there's no blood at all it is really frightening in places. I gripped Nick's arm throughout, and afterwards I felt too scared to even go in the bathroom alone and various scenes played back in my head for ages before I could sleep.

9 November 2009

We visitied a new garden, Teien, with Julia and Charlize in the morning. I really should have checked it out before as it is only 25 minutes walk from home and quite pleasant, with several different sections including a small pond stocked with carp and a grassy lawn with plenty of tables and chairs. Julia says it is the best place to go at cherry-blossom time. Mind you, if the girls had had their way we would never have got beyond the approach driveway with its bounty of leaves and acorns.


Julia talked me into an impromptu lunch on the way home at a chain restaurant nearby. Neither of the kids ate well, and they egged each other on to play up, throwing things on the floor and trying to climb out of their chairs. Julia and I just about managed to eat our lunch but it was far from relaxing! I was pleased that I had been 'brave' and altered the routine though, as it is easy to retreat into the comfort of a set plan and not try a new experience.


After her nap, Emily did a poo in her potty for the first time. I noticed that she had stopped moving around, and when she said 'clean pants' I knew that my suspicions were right and whipped her off to the potty asap. She was quite pleased with herself and proudly marched off to the loo with her prize, to tip it in and flush it away. But it is going to take a long time before she voluntarily takes her pants down and sits on the potty without my intervention. Still, a first step on the long road.

Emily seems to be mastering comparitives as she was building a Lego tower and said 'as high as that one', and I forgot to mention that for some time now she has been saying 'too', for instance 'too big' if she puts too much food on her spoon. She is beginning to talk about weather as well, in terms of 'sunny', 'cloudy' if I ask her 'what's the weather like today?'.

8 November 2009

Thanks to my Japanese class and then Nick's need to stay in and study for his re-sit, we hadn't had any real family time all day Saturday, so decided to have a Sunday outing together to Odaiba.

As usual, we took the boat across, with lots of planes, trains and automobiles to see from the launch as we crossed under Rainbow Bridge to the island. We went straight into the mall to find somewhere to eat, eventually plumping for an Italian place with tables looking out at the bridge and bay area. We ordered quite a selection of dishes and Emily grazed from each, though her favourite seemed to be the assortment of Italian hams ('hums' on the menu!). The mushroom pizza was liberally sprinkled with thick slivers of roasted garlic and I must remember to try it at home as it was utterly delicious.

Afterwards we went back out into the lovely warmth and walked along the bayside park. T-shirt weather in November: can't be bad.

Emily seemed fairly tired so after a while we loaded her aboard the stroller. It still took her at least quarter of an hour to go off but eventually she gave in, and we carried on walking a mile or so, beyond where we usually turn around and as far as the path goes, stopping when it reached a container port.

Once Emily woke we hung out around the playground and in the park for some time.

I had brought a newly-acquired kite which I thought she would love. Unfortunately there was hardly a breath of wind but I was determined to give it a try. With Nick giving it a good high send off we attempted to get it airborne, but it immediately dropped to the promenade again, at which point Emily started crying and yelling 'put it away'. She was inconsolable for five minutes and I am still not sure if she was scared of the kite (hopefully not, as I bought it for her; it is a turtle with lots of smaller ones along the long tail) or upset because it crashed.

The sun began its long slide down the sky around 4pm as we made our way back to the pier, and we watched it disappear behind the skyscrapers across the city, flushing the sky with delicate shades after it had gone.