The Return of Burger King / バーガーキング日本復帰

Burger King has returned to Japan after a long absence and I finally got around to going there. But no, I did not order the double whopper with cheese. Instead, I ordered their Spicy Italian Whopper with Cheese (available for a limited time)

バーガーキングが日本に復帰しました。それでこの間久しぶりにそこで食べた。僕はダブルワッパーチーズを注文しましたかって？違います。僕がオーダーしたのはスパイシーイタリアンワッパーチーズ（期間限定ですけど）。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

A Walk around Ueno Zoo (Part 2) / 上野動物園の散歩 （パート２）

More animals from Ueno Zoo.

上野動物園の動物たちのつづき。


Asia Elephant / アジアゾウ

Sun Bears / にほんつキノワグマ

Penguin / ペンギン




Polar Bear / ホッキョクグマ

I managed to get a picture of a polar bear just coming out of the water.

ちょうと水遊びから出るところの写真を撮った。

Mountain Gorilla / マウンテンゴリラ

Triton Cockatoo / アオメキバタン

Anteater / アリグイ

Crested Fireback Pheasant / コシアカキジ

Hope you enjoyed the tour.

上野動物園いかがでしたか？

A Walk around Ueno Zoo (Part 1) / 上野動物園の散歩 （パート１）

On a recent and sunny weekend, instead of choosing a neighborhood to walk around, we decided to get our fill of walking by going to the zoo. Ueno Zoo is located in Ueno Park and the admission is only 600yen for adults. As it's a fairly large zoo, the walking is great exercise. And of course we had to check out all the animals as well. But as we were headed towards the zoo I had to take a picture of the the National Museum of Western Art as it was in the news recently. UNESCO is currently considering adding buildings by Le Corbusier to its list of World Heritage Sites and this building happens to be one of his works.

ちょっと前の休日にどっかの近所じゃなくて、上野動物園で散歩することにした。天気も良かったし、動物園は広いし、良い散歩になると思いました。もちろん動物たちも会うのも楽しみだ。でもその前にあるビルの写真を撮りました。そえは国立西洋美術館。なぜと言えば、ちょうどテレビのニュースでユネスコがル・コルビュジエの建物を世界遺産に登録するのを検討してます。で、この美術館がル・コルビュジェの作品の一つ。

National Museum of Western Art / 国立西洋美術館

And then its off to the zoo.

それで動物園へ。。。

Meerkat / ミーアキャット

Ryukyu Flying Fox / オリイオオコウモリ

Pygmy Hippopotamus / コビトカバ


Black Rhinoceros / ヒガシクロサイ

Okapi / オカピ

Green and Black Poison Frog / マダラヤドクガエル

Galapagos Tortoise / ガラパゴスゾウガメ

A relative a Beelzebufo or Devil Toad / ベールゼブフォの仲間らし

Japanese Macaque / ニホンザル

To be continued...

つづく。。。

Lucky / ラッキー

This is Otoro - fatty tuna - one of the most expensive pieces of the tuna. Do you want to see the regular price?

大トロです。値段気になります？



Yes, that would be 8600yen or about $80USD. And yes we bought it. But not for this price. Just as we were passing the stall, they reduced the price to 1000yen ($10USD). Of course we had to buy it. The stall said it was closed the following day and if they didn't sell the rest of today's stock, they would just have to throw it away.

８６００円だべ。買ったよ。でもこの値段で買ったわけないよ。ちょうど通り過ぎる時に、店の人は今から全部１０００円で叫んでた。最初誰も信じなかったが、店の人が明日は休みなので、今日の分売れないとそのまま捨てると言ってたらだんだん客が集まった。私たちも８６００円の大トロを１０００円でゲット！

Bistro de Kirakutei / Bistro de 喜楽亭

Here's another one of our favorite places to eat some curry. The name of the place is [Bistro de Kirakutei]. Its located near my old apartment in Mishuku. Mikako enjoys the curry with prawns while tonight I ordered myself some spicy sausage curry.

またも近所に結構好きなカレー屋です。店の名前は「Bistro de 喜楽亭」。場所は三宿の交差点の近く。 今日食べたカレーは海老カレー（美香子）とスパイシソーセージカレー（僕）。

Curry for the prawns / 海老にかけるカレー

Big Prawns / 海老でっかいね

Spicy Sausage Curry / スパイシソーセージカレー

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Lunch Break Walk / ランチの散歩

I usually spend my lunch hour with my nose buried in a book. But as I was between books and the weather was nice - I took a short walk around my work neighborhood and here is what I found:

普段ランチの時間にいつも本を読んでます。僕の読書タイム。でもちょうど何でも読んでない時に、職場の近くでちょこっと散歩。こうゆう所があったんだ：

Cherry blossom were still in bloom.

桜がまで咲いてた。

Green is nice too.

みどりも良いね。

ヒメリンゴ（サインがあった）

Don't know what it is in English

Summer Orange

ナツミカン

Another Steam Locomotive in a local park.

またも公園でSL発見

If the door is open, of course I will explore.

あると乗るね。

Shinagawa Lighthouse / 品川燈台

Uh-oh, gotta get back to work.

仕事に戻らいないと。。。

Leaving Asakusa / 浅草帰り

And still a few more pics from Asakusa and the water bus we took to Hamamatsucho.

また浅草帰りと乗った水上バスの写真。

Edo era rooftop / 江戸時代の屋根

Asahi Beer Main Office / あさひビール本社ビル

Sumida River / 隅田川

The Water Bus / 水上バス

Our stop - Hinode Pier / 私たちの目的地 － 日の出桟橋

Udon Ad in Asakusa / うどん屋の看板

I just thought this was a cool way to advertise your establishment.

面白い看板と思って、載せました。

Cool, isn't it!

Tokori / 土古里

Our neighborhood walks almost always includes lunch. Even though we were in Tokyo's shitamachi, we treated ourselves to some Korean cuisine at a restaurant called Tokori. This menu board captured our attention. You can choose from three types of noodles and also have a choice of rosu or karubi (that would be the Korean style barbecue meat). The noodles to choose from were regular reimen, a spicy reimen, or yukkejan ramen. I chose the yukkejan ramen with rosu. Mikako was craving the spicy reimen and opted for the karubi. The lunch set also included Korean style salad, kimchee and rice. Hey wait a minute! We weren't served our rice!!

いつも散歩行く時、かならずランチも食べますね。下町にいましたけど、今日は韓国料理に決定。店の名前は「土古里（とこり）」。外にあったメニューに目が止まった。お好み麺＆焼肉定食セット。選べる麺は本日の冷麺、こどわりの冷麺、辛冷麺、かユッケジャンラーメン。選べる焼肉は土古里カルビか土古里ロース。僕はユッケジャンラーメンとロースを頼んだ。美香子が辛冷麺とカルビ。定食セットにチョレギサラダ、キムチとごはん。あっ、私たちごはんいただいてないな。やられた！！

Yukkejan Ramen / ユッケンジャンラーメン

Shin Reimen / 辛冷麺

Karubi / カルビ

Roast / ロース

Korean style salad and kimchee / チョレギサラダとキムチ

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

A Walk around Asakusa (again) / またも浅草の散歩

Mikako and I never get tired of walking around Tokyo's shitamachi, especially the area around Asakusa. I suggested going there this time because I wanted to check out the "Dance of the White Heron". Yes, there is such a thing. Actually, we only saw the women dressed as the herons, we didn't see the actual dance. Oh well, I believe its held again in November. Anyway, we always seem to find something new that we haven't seen before. Today was no different.

僕と美香子は東京の下町の散歩はあきないですね。とくに浅草。今回は僕が提案しとので、なぜと言えば、「白鷺の舞」が行われる予定でしたから。面白そうで一度でも見に行こうと思った。白鷺の姿をしてる女性たちは見かけましたけど、踊りは見てなかった。ま、また１１月でも見れるかも。浅草何回もいっても、いつも新たな発見がある。それが下町の魅力ですね。

When one goes to Asakusa, one must go to Sensoji Temple and to get there, one must walk along Nakamise Street. We started off our walk by treating ourselves to some nureokaki (this is a soft rice cracker on a skewer).

浅草に行ったら、かならず浅草寺を訪れます。もちろん仲見世通りも。散歩を始る前はぬれおかき一本。

Nureokaki / ぬれおかき

Didn't see the Dance of the White Heron but I did get to see them.

Sensoji Temple being renovated? / 浅草寺の修理？




Nison-zo / 二尊仏 （にそんぞう）

Nakamise Street / 仲見世通り

Kaminari-mon / 雷門


The Asakusa Police Box / 浅草の交番

Demode Queen / デモード・クウイーン

Last week I amazingly had a Saturday off to myself. Mikako was at work so I had to entertain myself. I did so by watching a little television, taking a nap, and headed out for lunch with a specific place in mind - Goro's Diner in Shibuya. However, being me, and not doing a lot of research, I found myself walking around in circles in Shibuya but could not find the place I was looking for. But then I found myself in front of sign for Demode Queen - an American style restaurant that has great burgers and used to carry Henry Weinhardt's Private Reserve on their menu and is located on the third floor of a building. I didn't find any Henry's so settled for a Negra Modelo instead, along with my "Bob's Wonderful Cheeseburger".


先週の土曜日僕が珍しく休みだった。美香子は仕事で、一人で遊ぶ時間が舞い降りた。僕はこうやって過ごしました。十時半に起きて、テレビを観て、昼寝もして、二時半位に家を出た。行こうとした場所は渋谷にあるバーガー屋「Goro's Diner」。でも調べ不足に僕が、渋谷に着いて、歩きまわりながら、その店を探しました。中々見つかれず、ランチは別の店にした。目の止まったのは「デモード・クイーン」。僕は昔結構行った店なので、バーガーも美味しいと分かってたので、ここに決定。僕が実家でいつも飲んでたビールも扱ってたので、なんだかアメリカに居る気分。あのビールは「Henry Weinhardt's Private Reserve」でした。今はおいてないみたいなので、今日はメキシコのネグラ・モデロを飲んだ。メニューで気になったバーガーはボブのワンダフルチーズバーガーを注文。

Entrance to Demode Queen is on the third floor / 入口はビルの三階

Mexican beer - Negra Modelo

メキシコビール「ネグラ・モデロ」








Bob's Wonderful Cheeseburger with Fries (I wonder who Bob is?)

ボブのワンダフルチーズバーガー （ボブはいったい誰なんでしょう、謎です）

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

What's This Dork Doing? / 何やってるやねん？

Flying a kite with no wind? I think this was taken last year sometime in Yoyogi Park.　And who is that guy running anyway.

風がないのに、凧上げ？ 去年の代々木公園だ。それに、あの走ってる奴って誰だ？

Random Pics - Feels Like Spring / 写真いろいろ、春って感じ

Cherry Blossoms in bloom at Tenmyokokuji Temple / 天妙国寺の満開の桜の木

Flowers along the walking path in Taishido / 太子堂の緑道に咲いてる花

More Cherry Blossoms / 桜って良いね





Another neighborhood temple / またも近所のお寺

Cherry Blossom Viewing 2009 / ２００９年の花見

It's that time of year again in Tokyo. A time when you get together with friends, eat and drink, and view the cherry blossoms. For the past four years, we would get together at Yoyogi Park to eat and drink and see cherry....blossoms???? No, the past three years we got together for leaves watching - the cherry blossoms weren't in bloom. However, this year - it was a beautiful day and the cherry blossoms were in bloom. This year our group consisted of 23 people. There also was a free event which drew a fairly decent crowd.

あの時期がまたやってまいりました。東京の春と言えば花見でしょう。毎年同じグループでやってますが、この四年間、今年初めて桜が咲い気がする。去年気象庁が間違えた情報を流して、桜が満開になるのが一週間早いと伝えた。雨もちょこっと降ってたし、寒かったし、私以外に誰も居なかった。切ない。最悪。幹事の友たち悪くない、それは気象庁が悪い。でも今年、天気も良かったし、桜が満開になってたし、素晴らしい花見が出来た。

Still setting up our space / 場所取りが大事

So, what kinds of food can you expect at a hanami? Just take a look below.

花見でどうゆう料理が出るって？下記の写真をご覧下さい。

Homemade! The person even brought whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and maple syrup as toppings. Delicious!

手作りです！作った人がクリームとチョコソースとメイプルシラップのトッピンングも持ってくれた。美味しい！

I make a cameo appearance at the end of the video clip.

Mikako makes a very brief appearance at the end of this video clip.

Rino - she's so cute! / 梨乃ちゃん － 可愛いね。


It was an excellent day for hanami. Although we were planning on heading home around the same time as everybody else (about 5:00pm), somehow a couple of friends convinced us to join them for karaoke. Home will have to wait for another couple hours. When we did finally managed to make our way home, we were stopped by these two characters (see below).

花見で最高の日でした。五時位に帰る予定だったが、何人がカラオケに行こうと言いだして、私たちもその流れで結局一緒にカラオケに行きました。あ～あ、家に帰るのはおあづけだ！やっと帰る時が来て、駅に行く途中にこの怪しい二人に捕まった（下記の写真）。

Next month it will be time for the annual Thai festival!

来月は毎年恒例のタイ祭りだ！

Tokyo Tower at Night / 夜の東京タワー

Before showing you all the night pictures of Tokyo Tower, we went and had dinner at an all you can eat yakiniku restaurant. I only mention this to taunt my sister (actually my brother-in-law) because after we ate our fill and was about to leave did he realize that spirits and mixed-drinks (with alchohol of course) was part of the fee and was included in the all you can eat. So I should say that Carne Station is an all-you-can-eat-and-drink restaurant. It also serves sushi and desserts as well. (Tyrone, if you're reading this, of course we will take you there next year!)

夜の東京タワーを紹介する前に夕飯の話をします。食べに行ったのは銀座にある焼肉食べ放題レストラン「カルネステーション」。以前妹と妹の彼氏が日本に遊びに来た時に連れていった店です。そこで妹の彼氏タイローンが悔し思いをした。ここはただ焼肉の食べ放題ではない。寿司もあるし、デザートもある、でもタイローンにとって一番嬉しいことは酒の飲み放題も含まれてます。でもタイローンががビールばっかり飲んで、肉で満腹になって、ちょうど帰る時間になって、タイローンが気付いた、カックテールとかウィスキーも飲み放題だったこと。｛タイローン、これを読んでるなら、また来年この店にまた連れたあげるよ！）。

The Tower is illuminated to celebrate Japan's World Baseball Classic victory.

今夜の東京タワーのイルミネーションはWBCの勝利の為だった。

I believe I've mentioned this before, but at the bottom of the Tokyo Tower is a memorial to the sled dog team that were left behind in Antarctica yet managed to survive on their own for so many years (the movie "Eight Below" was inspired by these dogs).

前にも言ったかも知りませんが、東京タワーの下に「南極物語」の主人個の犬たちの記念像がある。

The Tower looks strange when taken from the bottom.

下から撮った東京タワーはなんか不思議。

Very strange indeed.

とっても不思議。

Zojoji Temple and Tokyo Tower / 増上寺と東京タワー

Daimon / 大門

The Kabuki-Za Theater / 銀座にある歌舞伎座

The Kabuki-Za Theater in Ginza which opened its doors in 1889 is scheduled to be torn down at the end of this month. Of course I had to take a few pictures before this building would become only a memory. You would think the city would try to preserve such a historical building. Quite sad.

銀座にある歌舞伎座が今月いっぱいで幕を閉じます。この建物が消える前写真を撮らないと。あとは思い出だけが残る。なんだかもったいないと切ないですね。

Aren't neighborhood walks fun?

散歩って楽しいですね。

Free Do It Yourself Reflexology / 町の中の健康こみち

Our walk around the Hama Rikyu Garden wasn't limited to the gardens. We continued on here and there, had dinner at an all you can eat yakiniku restaurant, passed by the Kabuki-za which is scheduled to be demolished, the Tokyo Tower at night, but most surprising was the do it yourself reflexology area that we came across. Of course we tried, and man does that hurt!! But your body does feel good later.

浜離宮の散歩はそこで終わったわけじゃないですよ。その後あちこち歩き回りました。夕飯は銀座にある焼肉の食べ放題レストランに行って、あとはもうすぐなくなる歌舞伎座とか、夜の東京タワーなど、でも一番面白い場所は健康こみちとゆう所でした。そこで自分の足裏マッサージが出来る。超痛いですよ、でもあとから気持ち良い。

Pressure Points:

Left panel, left foot - heart / Left panel, right foot - liver

Middle panel - kidneys

By the way, the sign does say to take off your shoes.

Stay tuned...

まだまだつづく。。。

A Walk around Hama Rikyu Gardens / 浜離宮恩賜庭園の散歩

Our walk around the Hama Rikyu Gardens continues.

浜離宮の散歩のつづき。

The Rainbow Bridge in the background.


Mt. Hinokuchi

Duck Hunting Field / 庚申堂鴨場 （こしんどかもば）

Inside the nozoki.

鴨場のぞきの中

Mt. Oohin


Nakajima-no-Ochaya / 中島のお茶屋

Hope you enjoyed the gardens.

浜離宮楽しめたか？

A Walk around the Hama Rikyu Gardens (Part 1) / 浜離宮恩賜庭園の散歩 （パート１）

After eating at Beer Kitchen Aoshima, we decided to walk around Hamamatsucho. One of my friends lives close by so we dropped by his apartment and asked him to join us. He told us the Hama Rikyu Gardens would be a great place to walk around and seeing as how I have never been there, it sounded like a good plan to me.

ビアキッチェン青島を食べたあとに、浜松町の周りを散歩する事にした。友達が近くに住んでるから、突然訪問して、一緒に散歩に誘った。彼が浜離宮の庭園が近いからそこに行ってみないかと勧められた。行った事にいので、良い提案と思った。

View of the Tokyo Tower while walking towards the Hama Rikyu Gardens

浜離宮恩賜庭園に行く途中の東京タワー

Theatre d'Automne / 四季劇場

Also on our way to the gardens we passed by the theatre where most of the broadway shows are performed.

浜離宮に行く前にキャッツとかライオンキングが講演してる四季劇場の前に歩いた。

Entrance to the Hama Rikyu Gardens / 浜離宮庭園の入口

In the middle of the flower field.

花畑の真ん中

The former Inabu Shrine / 旧稲武神社

To be continued...

つづく。。。

Random Pics / 写真いろいろ

A rare treat for us - delivery pizza (its half garlic pizza and spicy sausage) No funky tuna and corn pizza this time around.

めったに頼まないピザの出前 （ガーリックとスパイシーソーセージのハフ＆ハフ）

A different gorilla building - this one located in Hamamatsucho.

別のゴリラビル、これは浜松町にあります。

Rat feasting in a dirty alley.

汚い裏道に現れた鼠。

Beer Kitchen Aoshima / ビア・キッチェン・青島

Before I relate to you all about our walk around the Hama Rikkyu Gardens and the Tokyo Tower at night, I shall share with you our lunch we had at the Beer Kitchen Aoshima in the World Trade Center in Hamamatsucho (and no, it isn't 110 stories).

浜離宮音詩庭園と夜の東京タワー散歩を話する前に、その日でランチを食べた店を紹介します。場所は浜松町にある世界貿易ビル（１１０階建てじゃないよ）の地下にあるビールキッチェン青島。

We checked out all the restaurants in B1 and this place had the best choice. Meat dishes for less than 1000yen and a fine selection of beers. I chose the beef stew with bread while Mikako ordered the sirloin steak with rice. And what would we be doing in a Beer Kitchen without ordering any beer. I tried the Lion's Stout from Sri Lanka and ordered a glass of Paulener Weisen from Germany for Mikako (of course I drank most of it).

他の店もチェックしましたが、ここが一番良いと判断しました。だって、和牛のサーロインステーキとか柔らか煮のビーフが千円以下だよ。僕はシチューを注文して、美香子はステーキを頼んだ。でビールキッチェンに来てビールを頼まないのは失礼でしょう。って事で僕はスリランカのライオンスタウトを飲んで、美香子はドイツのポーラナーヴァイツェンを飲んでみた（本当は僕ほとんど飲みましたが）。

Beef Stew / 柔らかシチュー


Sirloin Steak / 和牛サーロインステーキ


Lion Stout (Sri Lanka) / ライオンスタウト （スリランカ）

Paulaner Weisen / ポーラナーヴァイツェン

Another view of the front of the restaurant showcasing its menu of World Beers

世界のビールの店の看板を見ると入りたくなるでしょう。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！

Ern's Monthly Visual Victuals (March 2009)

*映画に関するネタ、日本語は書き込みません

As promised I said I would write my film reviews monthly as well. You might be disappointed though as I didn't take advantage of my local DVD rental stores half-price campaign. Which means I didn't watch a lot of films. Only four to be exact - and two of those were movies that were aired on television.

チームバティスタの栄光 「Team Batista no Eiko」[THE GLORIOUS TEAM BATISTA] (2008) - Spawned from the popular television drama "Team Batista" - a medical drama that showcases the difficult "Batista" procedure - a high risk operation to shrink the size of enlarged heart. The ratings did so well that the next thing you know, a silver screen edition of a new story. Starring Yuko Takeuchi and Hiroshi Abe (two of Japan's major television and movie stars). The group of doctors - known as "Team Batista" had completed over twenty successful Batista operations but suddenly the last three patients have died on the operating table. The lead doctor requests an independent investigation to solve this mystery.


佐賀のばがいばあちゃん 「Saga no Gabai Baachan」[GRANNY GABAI] (2006) - Based on the bestselling book by comedian Yoshichi Shimada - a personal story of his childhood as he is sent to live with his grandmother he hardly knows in Saga Prefecture, far from the big city of Hiroshima that he knows. The era is shortly after the end of World War 2 when Japan was still trying to climb out of the ashes from the loss of war. Shimada's mother was trying to make ends meet but could not support her family, so she sends Shimada to his grandmother's. The grandmother, played by Kazuko Yoshiyuki, makes this such a great film to watch. But your guess is as good as mine about the availability of this film in the U.S. Check your foreign film section, it will be worth the search.


EASTERN PROMISES (2007) - A review I read somewhere made this out to be a continuation of "A History of Violence" which I truly enjoyed. Unfortunately, that was not the case. And although this wasn't a bad movie, it wasn't anything to write home about either. This stars Viggo Mortensen as a clean-up man for the Russian mafia, and Naomi Watts who plays a doctor at a hospital who treats a young and pregnant Russian girl. Although Watts saves the baby, the mother dies, leaving only a diary thats written in Russian and a piece of paper that shows the address of a local Russian restaurant. I think you can figure out the rest.


IRONMAN (2008) - The Marvel Universe spawns another comic based hero with Robert Downey, Jr. in the starring role. Cool CG. Its also nice to see Downey, Jr. on the silver screen again. He's aged fairly well I think. For those of you who aren't familiar - Downey plays Tony Stark - inheritor of Stark Industries from his father which makes the most modern and technically advanced weapons for the military. As Stark nearly gets killed by warlords in Afghanistan, who have a stock of weapons - with Stark Industries written all over them, he has an epiphany - his company shouldn't be making weapons. The Warlord is forcing Stark to build him a massive weapon against his will. But his father's partner, played by Jeff Bridges, has been making deals without Stark's knowledge to any kind of people who will pay him big money. Anyway, Stark manages to escape the warlord by building a body armor from the scraps around the hideout - oh, they were forcing him against his will to build the latest missile that Stark Industries had just perfected. And for the rest...aw, just go rent the film.

Yep, that's it. That's all I watched this month. Really. No kidding. Unbelievable isn't it? I spent more time reading and taking walks in unexplored neighborhoods (that is unexplored to me and Mikako).