Higo Blog

Nippon's Very Own Davy Crockett

I went to visit my friend Kei last February up in Kita-Kyushu, and got to meet his family. They're great people, nice and hospitable to an extreme (even in Japanese standards). Kei's grandfather is the dude in the picture. He speaks english because he piloted in the U.S. during the 50's and now enjoys shooting stuff in his retirement years. On his head a Davy Crockett style cap made of Japanese Racoon-Dog (Tanuki). Other varmints he has plugged with his 20 gauge include kiji (pheasant), inoshishi (wild boar), and kitsune (fox). Miyahara Ojichan may look like a nice old man, but he knows how to handle the steel.

Monkey Igloo

My kids at Hokubu Shogakko made this at the end of winter, when the snow was melting, and it was a blistering 7 degrees C during the day. It felt warmer inside of this dome than my house (and this is not hyperbole, unfortunately). Thank god for summer! Right now its nice and cool up here and everyone else is stuck sweating it out all over most of Japan. Gotta learn to cherish the moments. Then again, there are no bugs during the winter months, and none of that insidious mold!

My house.

Monkey Art

This picture was made by a former hoikuen student named Tatsuyoshi. Notice the badass romaji. and the badass fro on the hungry dude. Ta-kun knows whats up!

Unfortunately, since my hoikuen kids have gone into Shogakko, they have forgotten ALL English. Zannen na.

Incriminating Evidence

Mom, Dad, Mika, concerned friends... Merin is an alcoholic. Please support her in this desperate hour! Merin, we are behind you 100 percent.

Seriously, I didn't want to say anything but someone had to. Sometimes love hurts.

J-Fro (Atomu Version 0.1)

Is it me or does Justin bear an uncanny resemblance to Astro Boy?

Which is funny because I think Atomu was Justin's hero circa age 5.

Upside-Down Winter Fro (post hibiki)

After Going to the Kuju Boarding "resort" (which is like calling my fishtank an aquarium), my fro was encrusted by a blizzard that came out of nowhere! This kicked major ass because
1. The entrenched youth forming a 7 layer strata to block all who dared to board, while looking good sitting down on the slopes in their brand new way too expensive gear sending emails via the newest keitais, were all scared away by this blessed tempest. It blew hard and deposited a nice layer of powder to cover the icy slush and my hair.
2. The ride kicked major ass afterwards. The run was only about 50 meters for the "advanced" half (thats right, there are only two lifts that make up one run) and I could do it with my eyes closed, making it down in ten seconds. The blizzard was SO thick that it was like riding with my eyes closed.
3. It is nice to be only one of the few quasi-real boarders on the mountain (and I use this word lightly) being blasted by snowflakes. The feelings of a numb face, and the shock of chewing an altoid in sub-artic conditions...

If you want to go boarding in Kyushu, I have a word of advice: save your money. Go mountain boarding instead, or head up to Northern Japan.

Righteous Fro

Why get a hair cut? I have been in Japan for over a year now, and it seems that all the hair stylists know is how to give me a bad one. There was one exception, but they didn't cut the sides short enough, and my hair went wild once again. Screw it. Its time for my fro to go back to nature.
What is it with bad haircuts in this country anyways?

And So It Starts...Again (sigh!)

Summer break is officially over, and classes resume today. Back to the same routine, truly. The teachers forgot to tell me to come to the opening ceremony, and as I heard everyone singing the official Ubuyama Chugakko song, I was happy to be left out, reading about the discovery of a new order of insect in National Geographic. Being invisible has its advantages afterall!

Fear the kancho. Imagine little groping hands desparately and endlessly trying to explore the ass area. Time to put the smack down once more on the preschoolers: Do you smell what the Rock is cookin'! But seriously, the kancho is not good for anyone. The recipient gets a digit up or near the anal region. The attacker gets a Dirty Sanchez. This is truly a lose-lose situation.