Trees

So when I was in Japan this summer, I was traveling around for a while. I have found some new things and some old things. I appreciate wild nature and its landscape everywhere and many times.
(←bamboo)





As I am going to design some landscape in future, I would like to design it with appreciation of nature. I know there are designs with only using artificial materials, but I just don't get it most of the time. Human need, require, and want natures around even though it is urbanized.





Like Tokyo, a lot of tall buildings are there and they are built more and more, at the same time, some designers try to put more greens as roof top garden, street trees, etc. If there are trees on streets, people will walk through more, stop by and talk more. Also that prevents groval warming or heat island phenomenon.






Anyway, this Ginkgo tree is over 1000 years old..
How amazing is that!

Is it already fall in Vancouver??

Vancouver doesn't get that hot obviously,
but it seems like Fall is coming soon..

Early morning and late night is getting pretty chilly,
Leaves are changing colours,
People are starting wearing long sleeves.

Today, I helped out Studio cleaning,
Getting ready for new school year.
I am getting excited for it.

2 more years.. it will pass as quick as I felt in Kansas for sure.

Back in Vancouver

Yeah, thanks Tim. I know I haven't updated my blog so long, but I will "TRY" to update it more often if I can. haha

I still keep updating my Japanese one though.

but the Japanese blog will move to a site called "mixi" which is SNS website that you have to become a member to view blogs.. but oh well, you don't care about Japanese one. :-p

I am thinking to use Windows Live Space instead.
What do you think??

I know Luke is using "my space".


I am finally back in Vancouver now (well, 10 days ago).
Now I feel like I am ready for school.. 2 years more, yay!
I was talking to my classmate after graduation.. maybe we will apply jobs in the US.
We will see.. or maybe in Toronto.

Vancouver is a great city, but there aren't many job opportunities here for landscape architects.
Anyway.. I am excited to finish my study here already.

Landscape Works

I bought a book a couple of days ago.. its title is "Landscape Works".. yeah, title says all pretty much.. doesn't it?

This book introduces landscape works in Japan.. who designed, where it is, how it has done, etc... and it includes regional, urban and site designs.. so I thought it is a good book to check where I should go before I leave here. It has 27 cases.. so it is not that many, and some of them are very far from my place, so I won't even try to check everything out.

Anyway, I think it is a good chance for me to look landscape workds while I am here so.. I try my best! :)

Enoshima No.2

On top of Enoshima, there is some shrines.. it is one of them.. I think it is for money, but I am not sure.. it is called Enoshima Benzaiten.






This is a view from Top of Enoshima facing North.. my city, Kamakura, is further right side of this picture (well, can't see any detail though) Wish it was a nice day!






Found a nice spot to take a picture.. :)








The last picture.. yes, Earthquake = Tsunami!
RUN RUN!! but too bad this sign stands at the bottom of the island.. if you want to run away from it to the higher places, you have to climb up stairs A LOT! I mean.. A LOT, so good luck!

By the way, City Fujisawa... Refug needs E to be Refuge.

Enoshima

ok, so I haven't been updating my blog for a while sorry about that!
I decided not to work as full time this summer because I think it is my last chance to stay in Japan for this long.. so I rather see sites as many as I can for my future preference.

anyway, this time I went to "Enoshima" which is in the next city from where I live. (It takes only 1 hour to get there from my house.) This island has a couple of shrines on it, and it is a major siteseeing spot in the city, so I visited and see what I can see now with my 1 year landscape architecture experience.

The first one is the plan view (north down, yeah, i guess itis not that important in Japan, everything doesn't have north up!)


This is the closest station from Enoshima.. which is.. RED! I think it is too bright somehow.. I think the designer was imaging "Ryugu-jou" as a model (one of our fairy tales has a castle under the ocean (not in the sky! hehe) and it looks like this) since it is close to the ocean.. I don't know..




This is the island.. it was cloudy that day.. kinda sad because we can see Mt. Fuji from the tower! I climbed up the tower but couldn't see Mt. Fuji.. sad for me and for you!






There is a spa (or hot spring) building (they have a lot of bath tabs in the building so it is like a leisure center).. of course I didn't get in because they charge $30 to get in! but I was hanging outside since it is a new leisure center, they had "kind of" new plaza in front of the building.

Fountain, of course, was there. I didn't see fountain was changing its height but it seemed like there are lights underneath of wire netting.. I think this netting looks ugly though.. well, at least kids loved the fountain..


Lastly, this island has very uneven land.. so they have a lot of slopes and stairs.. I mean STAIRS EVERYWHERE. My friend and I went there because we ate too much for lunch, so we needed some exercise to digest, and we were walking there up and down for 3 hours.. we just follow the rout!! Anyway.. there is no way for "Universal Design" here.. there are some escalator but they are only for up, no down.. so yeah.. wheel chair people don't have access here.

I think Japan has that kind of problems everywhere because we live pretty much on volcano land.. Only some parts of Japan have flat land, but not entire land.. so we have to have steep slopes or stairs a lot.. my city, Kamakura, isn't an exception. We have narrow roads, and narrow side walks.. that is because my city is built at least year 1192... so base is there.. who thought about wheel chairs that time!?

Yukata ~pajama ver.~

ok, so this cloth is called Yukata.. but it is more like pajama style.. there is other kind of Yukata too for more like going out (not going to bed) and they look nicer and more colourful.

and she is my cousin's daughter.. isn't she cute!? (ok, she smiled too hard as you can see.) haha

Cell phone strap

I bought Green Tea plastic bottle (500ml) yesterday, and it was with it... Isn't it cute! Oh, the black part is even "a pen". It is cute AND handy.

Tochigi trip No.2

When I was there, my uncle & aunt took me to this park which is owned by Tochigi prefecture. This park is huge.. if you walk around, you can easily spend over 40 mins. I have seen a lot of people running around.. it was very nice surrounded by trees. I will update more pics of this park but here is the PLAN VIEW! (Oooh, I haven't used this word for a month!!! I almost forgot about it.) and North allow is not facing up! Whats up, Japanese landscape architects!? (well, this site is pretty long site.. so I guess they didn't have choice to put north up.. otherwise this sign will be hard to see. hehe)

Next picture was taken around the center bottom part (there are parkings which are yellow collor), if you can see No.130 (130 cars parking), that is the area. Those trees are mostly Quercus serrata which is narrow and thin. I liked this area so I took pic of it. There are some stone benches and tables.. which I don't think people would use it because they were too low!




This Paeonia suffruticosa garden stands next to Quercus forest. So if you come from the the parking, you go through Quercus gate, then see this beautiful Paeonia garden. It is very eye catcher. Next to this garden, there is a rose garden, but they weren't blooming so I didn't take photos. It would be beautiful if they were blooming though!



Last pic of this area.. of course, water feature. It is kind of interesting one though.. it has sprushing part and water fall part.. kind of confusing, and it looks ugly from my opinion..but.. still water feature.. I don't understand though.. WHY did they put green colour around the water feature!? IT LOOKS UGLY!!!!!

Japanese invading plant

I don't know how many of you would remember this weed...
but it is mentioned in the studio first semester.

Reynoutria japonica

I just looked up and it is it! You don't need to memorize this latin name but just for some reference. hehe

It is called Itadori in Japanese.. and you know we eat everything.. we do eat this weed too! ha!
http://www.i-kochi.or.jp/prv/kunio/itadori/index.html

Anyway, here are some pics.. they are growing so fast.. now they are a bit taller even. Websites say they grow about 2m high! I think Japan will be covered by this plant sometime.

This is my cousin chopping this weed.. she gave up to pull them out because they are all connected under ground! I told or warned her they are going to grow like crazy. (she and her hus band just moved that place and got a house, but that area is covered by this plant.. scary.)

Tochigi trip No.1

Last week, I visited my aunt's in Tochigi-prefecture which stands north part of Kanto prairie (about 2 and half hours from my house, maybe 1 and half hour from Tokyo).

It was nice and relaxing trip with good food, I mean it. GOOD FOOD.

First pic of this trip.. here you go, Japanese traditional landscape.
Rice Field

If you see this kind of landscape, we consider it is "inaka(country side)", but it is still close from big cities, so pretty much mixed. I know there are more "inaka" area in Japan if you go north part of Japan or south.

oh by the way, I think I brought Vancouver's cloudy rainny weather to Japan.. this month, we have only gotten 50% of sun light compare to average May!!! Damn clouds!

Gone for a week

So now I am back from a trip to Tochigi and Gunma prefecture where my aunt and cousin live.
It was so much fun and I can't write it one time, so I should break it down to write about it.
Today, I just need to do rehabilitation, so I will start writing it tomorrow.

You know now that I am fine and still alive!!!!

speaking of alive, by the way, I watched news the other day, and it said,
"This is the 8th year that over 30,000 people suicide a year."

I think Japan is scary!!!

We need healing gardens everywhere instead of too-much-functioned-cell phones.

PIC: They are the recycle cans on a train platform.

Green: News paper, magagine
Blue: Cans, bottles, and plastic bottles
Red (Pink): burnable trash

You can see through trashcans as well, just in case someone would put some dangerous thing in them. I think it is a good idea.

Makudonarudo

Currently Japan is in a big holiday which might be the longest holiday in a whole year called "Golden Week." (this year it is from April 29th - May 7th if they get 1st and 2nd of May off.) This holiday is actually built(?) by small holiday such as Green day/Showa emperor's birthday-4/29, Constitution day-5/3, Green day~Citizen's day off-5/4, Boy's day-5/5 (Girl's day is 3/3 by the way), and weekends. Golden week sounds very very nice but I don't like it because of my town.

Kamakura is a very popular town to visit as I mentioned to some people before.. This town is very old (I mean it has a long history!) so streets are very narrow and curvy. However, those people visit here then streets are always PACKED by cars and people and it is just hard to get out from my town.. Sometimes it takes 1 hour to get Kamakura station from my house by bus (usually it takes only 15 mins) I have to get out this town if I want to go shopping or seeing my friends..

so I have been in my house since I came back and playing video games. hehehe

Anyway, I got out my town with complainning as you can imagine. (May 2nd since it was still normal day for many people unless they take day off.) I tried to eat something, but everywhere was crowded that night. SO I decided to go to McDonald's! ha!

I ordered Shrimp-fillet burger value set. It was new menue and actually it was pretty good. Of course, my drink was Ice-green tea. hmmmm healthy! (at least I think it is healthy.)

oh oh, there aren't THANK YOU trash box in McDonald's in Japan yet. I guess it is hard to do it since we have to seperate trashes when we use it.. (plastic, ice cube/drink, paper)


P.S.I am going to aunt's house for a week.. they don't have internet service so I can't update my blog for a while, but I will take pictures there so I will update those next next week!

Earthquakes

blah, since I came back here, there were already 2 of level 4 earthquakes here in my town!!!
and on the day I came back here.. it was 28C, now it is back to like 18C.

Isn't it crazy!? I THINK SO!

I haven't updates my pics yet.. it means I haven't been outside much. I have been coughing so much, and not that good condition.

oh, I bought a cell phone yesterday. It is made by CASIO.
It usually costs over 14,800 yen, which is about US/CND $130-140 (original price was $300),
but I got it 600 yen ($6)!!
Good job for myself!

So here... a bit about this cell phone.

W41CA (CASIO)
2.6 inch Wide screen, QVGA (240x400)
49x103x22 (mm)
2.1 mega pix with AF
Music & video player (have to buy songs from its phone company)
PC website viewer
PC document viewer (Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point, and PDF can be shown on its screen)
Pre-paid credit card with security lock (you can pay train, convenience store with it, just scan it on machines)
Chat system
FM radio
GPS

etc etc

I don't think I am going to all those functions!

but anyway.. I will enjoy it for 3 months.

JaPaN

ok, so it is 10:20pm.. which is 6:20am in Vancouver. Since I left there yesterday or since I woke up yesterday 5am, I haven't slept yet. :( Over 24 hours, I didn't sleep sleep... I tried to sleep on the plane, but there was a kid crying or screaming all the time... somehow Yutaka slept next to me.. HOW? lol

Anyway.. so I tried to fix my jetlag.. so I am going to bed now... My brain just doesn't work enough..

Tomorrow, I am going to buy a cell phone, and my life in Japan will just start after that.

Bye Bye Vancouver, See You in August!

Today was my last day of 1st year in Vancouver. What did I do? hmmm photo copies one book from Miriam, then went shopping (again) with Jason because I didn't buy anything yesterday. It was rainning first but then cleared up late afternoon. It was very nice day!

I bought a spring jacket, a shoulder bag and a shirt from GAP. They look good but I had one thing I couldn't decide to buy from Zara... it was a nice white spring jacket..hmm I still want it but it was $99. :( Anyway.. oh oh guess whom we saw on Robson street!? Michele! hehe It was kinda funny or say awkward to see someone like that off campus. We chatted a bit (at least she was nice to us.) and said bye bye again.

Then we ate and went to English Bay.. it was very nice. then I saw one of my friends from US then chat.. ok, it was a long day.. then I came back here you go, PARTY~! weeeeeeee (of course I am not included.) It is a long story but I called RA and told her that it is very loud. (I swear that I could hear from outside...that they were singing and talking and laughing really loud.) RA came down here and told him to be quiet (it is still Quiet Time until 1st of May.).. they didn't really change but at least they finished it by 0:30am.. so.. I guess it is ok. I will NOT miss living here at all.

well, I will see you all in August. Each of you have a great summer! I will miss the best season here and the best classmates for 3 months, but I will keep in touch here at least and show you pictures from Japan.

hmmm yummy!

Some of my classmates and I went shopping in downtown and metrotown yesterday. I hadn't gone shopping since Christmas! How sad is that!? Well, it is pretty sad for me!

We went to Robson street, then Metrotown mall. We did some "What not wear" show for ourselves a bit then we went to eat Japanese All You Can Eat at Tomokazu. (oh by the way, I didn't buy any clothes!!! ugh. I will go back there later today for the revenge.

Anyway, we had very good Sashimi and Sushi and some other dishes there. Especially Ikura (Salmon roe) hmmmmmmmmmmm YUM!

I only wanted to eat something expensive in Japan.. (including Ikura) and I had a lot and I was very satisfied as you can see in the pic. hehehe

Anyway, don't ask me why we went to the Japanese restaurant even though I am going back to Japan and I can eat real Japanese food there. I just wanted to eat TONES of salmon roe!!!

Bye Bye My Apartment

Ok, so some people suggested to take picture of view from my living room.. so I did, and made it panorama. I know it looks good, or great but I had some negative side of living here as some of you know...since I was complainning all the time.

but now I have to say bye-bye to my apartment tomorrow... Thank you for giving me nice sunsets.. I will not forget you with some bitter memories!

BBQ party!

hmmm, thanks Ellen for planning this BBQ party with us today! It was a bit cloudy but it was good to gather and enjoy together without any stress. :)

Food was good.. hmm and here you go.. my Japanese writing.

As you expected I took some food picture today.. food was good, cake was good, movie was good.. "Spirited Away."

I have 3 days more to go, and then boom, back in Japan! ok, I don't know what I am writing.. but oh well, I wanted to say it was FUN today again! Thanks for good time.

Housing Evil

ok, so I am leaving in 6 days, so I had to make sure housing issue for summer.. (which I was not very looking foward to dealing with)

I went down to the front desk, and say
"Hi, I have a question about penalty to cancel my contract here."


He said
"Are you sure you want to cancel? You need to pay 25% of year housing fee which is about $2,000."

（´ρ｀;） <--- my face was like this

"$2000!???? oh, I thought it is only $200 for each month after I move out.. so $600???"
"No, it is $2000. 25% of your year housing fee."

so I left and went to the studio and returned the projector to Sonia, then cleaned the studio basement, and went to Housing to make sure if it is REALLY $2000!

Takashi "Hi, how are you doing? (good, you?) I am very good!" (big smile to make them feel bad to be rude. This is my strategy.)

Takashi "I have a question about moving out my residence for summer."
Lady1 "Your student #?"
Takashi "ah..."
Lady1 "Your last name? First name? ok, you have to pay $1800 for penalty."
Takashi "ah.. (oooooh $200 cheaper!)"
Lady1 "yeah, so if you move out, you are loosing more money than you stay."
Takashi "well, but I am going back home in Japan.. I guess I just need to keep it... Until which day do we need to move out in August?"
Lady1 "August 15th"
Takashi "ah.. I am coming back here on 21st... oh I guess I just need to pay penalty.."
Lady1 "You can pay it at front desk. "

So, our intense conversation finished like that.
ugh, EVIL HOUSING!!!

so now.. either
1. Cancel this stupid contract, and pay $1800
or
2. Pay rest of the rent (which is for 2 months.. $642x2) and pay $300 to change my flight ticket comning back here on 14th Aug, then be homeless.

I am SO LOOKING FOWARD TO SUMMER NOW!

My plants

ok, here is a pic of my plants..
It has been for a while since I bought them.. so I decided to transplant before I go back to Japan.

African violet's leaves got a bit yellowish.. I think it needs more Nitrogen.. (well, no wonder I have never give it fertilizer for half year! but it bloomed again. It has been 4 months since it bloomed last time... so I guess it is doing good.

Poinsettia looks ok, but I kinda consider its leaves are a bit smaller than normal I think.. hopefully this transplanting help them to get bigger. (I used one from Miraclegrow.. honestly I am not big fan of chemical but I have no choice..)

Heart leaf, lipstick, and pepermonia look good.. even though both lipstick and heart leaf were eaten by RATS! They are getting bigger and in fact I had to divide heart leaf into two pots.

Anyway, hopefully it helps to make them grow more!

End of the Year Party!

<- What are you looking at, man!

We had a BLAST!
I just came back from a party "End of the Year Party" at Studio. We, first years, were in charge of this party, and we made it great! I was actually had fun decorating the party as well.

After all of this hard work for 2 terms... actually that made it more fun too! I don't need to worry about anything now, isn't it great!?

ok, I am going to bed now... again, I love it love it and love it.. zzzzzz

P.S. Thank you, Miriam for those hat and glasses... hehe I loved wearing them so much. ;)

Finished 1st year!

OK, so here I am.. finished all 1st year work and ready for Summer break! YAY!
It was kind kind of a long year and short year... hard to say.

Anyway, I decided to make an English blog from now on since I have friends who can't read my Japanese one. :-p I am planning to put a lot of pictures from Japan and also Vancouver.

Count on me!

P.S. by the way, the title, Tictac珍道中 is the one I use for my Japanese blog. 珍道中 stands for 珍：unique, rare, unusual, exotic, etc
道中: adventure, trip, etc

so yeah, this blog is about my adventure. (and food of course)