I live in a forest resort area of Japan. It’s filled with fresh air and seasonally changing beautiful colors.

This year, 2012, probably I don’t travel overseas. I traveled a lot of times to some other countries, while I now want to look more around my country Japan. It may mean I want to know where I’m really from. It’s apparent I’m Japanese and I was born in this country, more than that, I want to know the routes of my DNA from ancestors.

When I come back in Japan, I fell settled with peaceful comfort even if there are many problems in Japan and around me. I feel like this land holds entire myself in its cradle. It’s like I’m with my mother when I was a baby.

It’s strange to feel like that. I grew old, that maybe is the reason for that feeling of mine. But it also means for me that I need to confirm my origin.

In Japan, there is a religion called Shinto, but we are not taught about it in the school in the detail. But Shinto’s study absolutely exists in our spirit. I’m not so religious but it’s a good occasion to know about our original identity. Shinto is one of our meanings to be as a Japanese.

This year, I want to learn more about myself as such.

Hokkaido is the north island of Japan.  It’s a very nice summer resort place but cold in winter with much snow. Driving in this large island is one of travel memories for us all.

However, there are a lot of nice food and beautiful scenery in Hokkaido that we should not miss in our travels.

Joys of Hokkaido travels are really a lot.

Transportation to Hokkaido is possibly either by air or car.  There is a tunnel from mainland to the south of Hokkaido, so we con go through it.  For saving time, the best way is taking airplane to Sapporo city from any large cities in other parts of Japan.  Flight time is not long as Japan is not big like Russia or the USA.

After arriving in Sapporo, you can rent a car and can start driving.  To be honest, the best time for driving is not Winter.  Summer, Fall, and Spring gives you fantastic beauty of landscape.

In Winter, there is a famous snow & ice festival in Sapporo, it’s scheduled from February 6th to 12th in this year, 2012. You can chech it at  http://www.snowfes.com/english/index.html

Staying in Sapporo, we, people living in mainland or southern places of Japan,  feel a little different from our ordinary life.  Land names are a little different, maybe it’s because the origin of the land names are from Ainu tribe.  But the names sound beautiful for us just like exotic places.  Sapporo, Niseko, Furano,  or lake Mashu are some examples of unique names. Actually there are more as such names.

If you like Ramen, I recommend you eat Sapporo Ramen.  It’s Miso soup based Ramen (  Not exactly same as Miso Soup taste but good !).   You can try it in Tokyo or other parts of Japan, but the main area for Miso Ramen is Sapporo.  I think you can have good one there.

Hokkaido is really beautiful.  I like there as much as  I like Tokyo,  Kyoto, and Okinawa.

HOKKAIDO IN WINTER

DRIVE IN HOKKAIDO of FALL Near FURANO CITY

For Nanako Matsushima 2011was a good year. She played a leading role on a Japanese TV drama called Kaseifu no Mita, and this drama got the NO.1 rating at more than 40% among all the Japanese TV show in 2011.

She Started her career as a fashion model, so not many people expected her to become a good actress at the first time she appeared in Japanese media.

All against it, she proved the talent on new category. Actually public image toward her has been always favorable, she once got NO. 1 prize as the most favored woman in Japan, which was voted by ordinary Japanese people. Her standard image is nice as such, in addition, this time she created new playing style as an actress on this program as this role was a little stoic character. She usually marry and is smiling in front of the fans.

Probably most of all the Japanese enjoyed her program, Kaseifu no Mita, this year.
We expect her more in 2012.

A few years ago, L’arc en Ciel gave a concert in Paris ( see video).  They were then popular in Japan ( now still popular ) but we in Japan hardly imagined they would be such famous in European countries.

Actually they already participated in Otakon 2004 in the USA before the concert in Paris, also they went for the concerts in some Asian countries with successful results before that.

One reason why L’arc en Ciel became such well known band in the world is probably their song was used in Japanese animation and the film of Final Fantasy.

However, after the fire was once set, their music soon began to be recognized in some countries not only in Asia but also in Europe and the USA.  They look cool on the stage or in the photos, bit more than the looks, they are playing good music. Now they are already a popular band independently from  animation songs.  Their music has beautiful melody, powerful presence, and often touching lyrics, too.

Enjoying their concerts is such a joy for fans in Japan and now it should be shared with fans in the world from now on.

Looking back the concert in Paris,  it’s easy to know members are also enjoying the concert.  hyde once told Japanese media that Paris concert was exciting.  Certainly it looks so exciting in the video.

They are scheduled to appear at the theater of Madison Square Garden in New York in 2012. Once again fans are expecting the great show in New York like they did in Paris.

Hayao Miyazaki don’t often have interviews but this interview is a very long one and his vision is ver clear here.

Especially at the beginning he answers about the civilization of the world. Reaction of the audience is interesting, too.

His comment about the films and the world we live is really fantastic in thinking about what the human really is.

It’s an interview with Hayao Miyazaki a few years ago and recently it’s updated on YouTube but please enjoy it when you have time.

I really love Freshness Burgers recently.  If I’m asked what the most delicious Japanese burger shop is, my answer was often MOS Burger. But now I would choose Freshness Burger.

Some say MOS Burger’s taste a little changed even worse ( still good though ) compared to some years ago.

If you come to Japan and if you try burgers, please check this burger shop at least a time or two.

Most popular burger at this shop is Classic Cheese Burger ( as photo) and secondly Classic burger or Avogadro burger follows ( see video at the bottom ).

Price is a little higher and McDonald’s or some other fast food shops but I think it worth trying.  The size is larger than the fast food shop’s,  maybe 1 burger could fill your stomach if you are just a standard volume eater.

Shops are mainly located around Tokyo, Yokohama, or other Tokyo suburb area, but large cities like Osaka or Nagoya also have some in the streets.

They cook the burgers after you order.  Then it takes 5 to 10 minutes to come up.

In Japan you can find McDonald’s,  Burger King, Wendy’s, MOS burger, and some more. It’s a little selfish judgement but I like them as the next order.

Freshness burger –  MOS burger – Burger King – Wendy’s- McDonald’s

As you know, McDonald’s has variety of menu.  I like some of their menu better than other shop’s standard choice.

Anyway, please check it out in Japan !

I like Kazuyoshi Saito’ songs very much.

He is ( I think) 45 or so now.  He has long career in music scene in Japan, but actually he came to be known well in last several years among people of Japan at his age after 40.  It’s really late for a Rock musician as most of them have peaks at their 20′s or 30′s and many of them become out of popularity after 40 years old.  He is totally irregular in this POP star theory.

Kazuyoshi Saito has a lot of good songs even in the early history of himself, also he has been said that he is the musician who is loved buy musicians.  Like that, his songs appeals a little sharply sensitive people like professional artists.

His songs has strong messages at the same time most of them consist of beautiful melody and tight rhythm.   He is often like Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, and like his idol, the Beatles too. However we don’t have those images linked with his songs when we listen to his music, which means the originality stands out strongly in his songs.

Recently he is becoming more popular in Japan.

Last year, 2011, Kasuyoshi Saito wrote songs for a TV program and for a famous POP artists of Japan, SMAP.  A song, YASASHIKU NARITAI, which was written for a Japanese TV drama,  hugely sold in Japan and recorded more than 1 million downloads.  And the song for a Japanese POP group SMAP also got acclaimed reputation for its beautiful melody.  This was on sale from December last year, so this song, BOKUNO HAMBUN, probably will be the next hit song in Japan.

His sense of music is filled with solid power, beautiful melody, and with much emotion on both delicacy and rebel. That’s why his songs gathers wide range of fans, maybe.

One thing which is not told about him is that he is a fantastic guitarist too.  He doesn’t try to play a lot in needless parts, but when he plays the guitar,  audience are blown away with the wonderful sound.

I don’t think he is known in the other parts of the world than Japan.  Recently Japanese music is gradually spreading into world fans, I hope his music would be recognized more in the world.

I do think he is a truly talented musician.

A Happy New Year from Japan.

We Japanese had a hard time last year, 2011 with huge earth quake and tsunami.

We also are worried about Nuclear Power Plant problem, but fortunately it’s settled now and Prime Minister of Japan announced the settlement of it although the way to the final completion of the recovery work is still ahead of us.

Now no one is reported to be sick or have died because of the accident.

However, we lost more than 20,000 people by the tsunami.  And the devastated places are not yet recovered perfectly.  I think many who live there are trying to rebuild the cities, also I suppose those places would be back in nearly normal situation in this year.

Last year I was also busy and was affected by this earthquake accident, so that I could not write here constantly. If you read some of articles here last year, that’s my pleasure.  Thank you for your support and care about Japan in the hard time.

I hope you would have fun this year.  あけましておめでとうございます(  means A Happy New Year in Japanese )