Joshua In Japan Episode 2!

Okay okay, I realize that I'm a little bit behind on the posting. I haven't even written about Tokyo Orientation or even those first few nights in my own place yet! It probably seems like I'm jumping the gun. . . but I couldn't resist the opportunity to get the second episode of my show out there!

Here's some show notes for you:

We open at first by returning from a weekend in Kofu-cho where I was able to say hi to many of the people I met while I was volunteering. Now that I've become a "sensei" by way of the JET programme I was met with congratulatory remarks which I humbly cast aside. In all honesty I was just happy to be back in Japan, a place that had already made a huge impact on my life more than once.

I made sure to come back to Akasaki this past sunday though because I was told there would be a summer festival that included: food, song, dance, an eating contest, and of course fireworks.

In the video I called it the Hakuhou Matsuri, but that's a slight mistake. It's actually known as the Hakuhousai. It's the same kanji, but I got the reading wrong. I apologize for that.

In any case, a literal translation of the event boiled down to: The White Phoenix Festival. Which is absurdly cool.

I captured a few things here and there, but the highlight of the evening was certainly the fireworks display. I managed to record the entire thing! So sit back relax and enjoy the long overdue second episode of Joshua In Japan!

I'll also throw in some pictures of the food I ate as a bonus for you out there.

Steak Stick: I wanted another one so bad

Churro: That cost me 350 yen. It wasn't bad but I could've paid for another steak stick

Takoyaki: I love takoyaki. Mitsuko and I shared this one

Squid: I'm always up for fried squid. A guy I met at the town office worked a booth that sold this one

Melon Shaved Ice: With two pocky! This was a lot better than I thought it was going to be

  -J

Travel Show!

Alongside another project that is not yet ready to be revealed I have decided to produce my own small version of a travel show!

 It'll be a web series dubbed, "Joshua in Japan".

The debut (pilot episode, I suppose) has been cut together from the various footage taken while on a trip through Hiroshima and Miyajima. I came to the decision while looking through the stacks of home footage I shot in Japan trying to trim down videos so I could show friends/family without it being boring. After a bit of editing I wanted to add a touch more production value so I added some titles to indicate where I was, and then (as is my wont) added some opening credits. After a while it just started to feel like a show. Thus, the at once home footage blossomed into the idea of making a whole show since I'll be in Japan for some time to come.

I grant that this preliminary episode is quite rough but this is principally a factor of not having planned a show at the time I was filming my trip(s). Now that I have an idea of what I want to do, I'll take more consideration into planning it accordingly.

I'm considering it more of an experiment for the time being, one that I know I can continue to improve and eventually polish up into a decent show that will hopefully be as enjoyable as it is informative.

I'm also playing with the idea of whether or not I want to actually be on camera for any of it. Regardless of that however, I'll likely do some voice-over work for future episodes (or even this first one at a later point) to explain where I'm at and what's going on.

In any case it's a new endeavor that will keep me busy and (despite all the extra work going into it) should be a lot of fun.

So pull up a chair, sit back, and enjoy.

Arrival: The Recap (short version)

So I finally made it to Kofu yesterday morning at about 5:50am. There's a whole let to tell you about how it all transpired so let's get down to brass tacks. Because I'm a bit behind on the posting. I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking here, with a few comments to let you know what's going on or where I'm at.

 We road a jam packed bus to the tarmac where we eventually on the plane.

 Right here's the little station where we boarded on a the Boeing 777.

 The corridor leading into the plane.

 Greeted by the Malaysia Airlines staff.

 A couple of pictures from inside the cabin

 Dinner time!

 Still a while from Tokyo...

 My seat was right in line with the wing of the plane.

 A shuttle taking us to the customs station.

 Number 25, the shuttle to my hotel.

 A panoramic shot of the view from my window

 Saying goodbye to the  Narita Tobu Hotel Airport.

 Back in Narita airport where I had to find a JR rail to Shinagawa

 The train I road into the Shinagawa Station here

 Pictures from the Takanawa exit.

 I had to take a picture of this place.

 The bus terminal is only 200 more meters! Hooray!

At last, the Shinagawa bus terminal

 A view from inside.

 I forgot to take an actual picture of the ticket inside this envelope.

 The arranged seating on the overnight bus.

 A view of where the bus dropped me off in Kofu.


I'm trying to write more about what happened in between all of that, but things are just coming at me rather quickly at the moment. In the next post I'm going to spend a bit of time talking about how the first day actually went, which includes a visit to a relaxing onsen, a wonderful shrine, and an Enkai (drinking party) where I had to give a self introduction somewhat on the spot!

-J