Nate Oyama

Kurihashi, Neighbor Town

I visited Kurihashi Town where was next to my hometown Satte City. Kurihashi is northern and eastern area of Saitama Prefecture (therefore my house is a little far from the center of Tokyo.)

There were old and typical scenery of Saitama. I thought it was a kind of semi urban, while I used to describe them as "rural", since I understood what was real rural in Hokkaido. I thought such a quite usual scenery could be precious if I would come back to the United States and live there permanently.

Finally I reached McDonald's. So, why did I visited there? Let me talk about it later.

Protest Against Kauzko Hosoki

Kazuko Hosoki is the most famous fortune teller in Japan. Today my mother and I watched a TV program "Zubari Iuwayo! (in Japanese, 'I tell you straight out!')" which was very popular there, and broadcast all around Japan.

During the program, Kazuko often said "it is an educational program!"

In this time Kazuko was teaching about "how to use an elevator politely". A girl took her test. When she rode an elevator, there was a man. She greeted him politely. Then Kazuko interrupted her at once. Kazuko said

"Stop it with the stupid face, Oshamambe!"

"Oh I see. Oshamambe," an other comedian said.

"Okay let us put them up togather! The correct way of using an elevator is," he continued.
"The correct way of using an elevator is," the audiences repeated.
"Kidding! Oshamambe!" the comedian said loudly.

My mother and I were astonished in front of the TV. I protested against their inappropriate remarks and the program itself to the broadcaster, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), and informed that to a govermental office, Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization (BPO). Also I made my friends graduated from Oshamambe Campus to do that. Moreover I requested Oshamambe Town Hall to officially propagate it.

Those remarks can cause a serious problem to educational institutions, especially my university, TUS Oshamambe Campus.

I like American textbooks "Dummy Series" and "Idiot Series," but I wonder how they translate them to Japanese.

Driver's License in Japan

As some of you know I will get a pilot license and buy a private aircraft in my middle age. You may laugh at me that I haven't gotten a driver's license yet.

But I'm sure it is a little late to get one for my age, twenty. So I recently check and evaluate driving schools near my house. Throughout their web pages, I recognized that those schools were generally having two courses: "staying and concentrating in a short term" and "schooling in a long term". To my surprised, the former was cheaper (about $2,000 to 2,500,) though it is including food and lodging fees, while the latter was about $2,500 to 3,000.

Anyway those fees are much more expensive than I expected. My teacher from Canada told me that I should have taken it in the United States when I had visited there last summer. Sir, why didn't you advise me earlier?

Pokémon Jet

Feb. 24, 2007 ― Let me talk about my experience while I was returning to my house in Tokyo by plane.

When I arrived at a gate at New Chitose (Sapporo) Airport, the gate connects with a Pokémon Jet. Then I confirmed my flight ticket again and again. But the gate was exactly where I was going to ride. At that time I just knew that the airplane was an ANA's B747. Other passengers were also surprised. Most adults were laughing and few kids were very glad. I didn't know that Pokémon Jet doesn't require special reservation or extra cost.

However, inside the plane was quite ordinary. Flight attendants wore their ordinary uniform. Yet the head cover on the seats were special. During the flight they served a cup of soft drink, and its cup was also original. They also gave tinny Pokémon toys to kids. If I was an airplane fan like I used to be, I would order that toy.

Back to Our House in Tokyo

It's time to leave Oshamambe. Last night I didn't sleep at all, but I did an assignment of English 2 class. In the morning my roommates laughed at my doing assignment on the last day. And we had last breakfast at the cafeteria. We felt quite unusual, while those meals were usual.

I prepared for leaving there, and I sent five boxes to my house in Tokyo (Satte City, Saitama Prefecture, to be exact.)

My English teacher from Canada and his wife drove me to Oshamambe station and said our goodbye (what kind they are!) He said I would miss there soon. At Oshamambe station, their express train comes every two or three hours, so I couldn't miss it. I saw two friends of mine by accident and rode on the same train, Super Hokuto Express. From Oshamambe station to Sapporo Airport, it spent about two hours. I used to complain about this boring time, but thanks to a United Airlines' eyemask I was sleeping most time then.

We went shopping at the airport and rode each airplanes. Mine was Pokémon Jet! I confirmed my ticket and gate, but mine was Pokémon Jet (let me talk about its detail later.)

Finally I arrived at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, and met my father at Akihabara station. The trains in Tokyo were not so crowded, but many trains and their convenient transportation took me aback a little. My father let me rode on a green car (upper class car.) While going to the station near our house, we chatted about funny things each other.

When we arrived at my house, it was about 9:30 PM. My mother welcomed me with dinner. And I finished the assignment of English 2, before the deadline on Feb. 25.

New Type of Band-Aid

Some people believe a plaster is worse than nothing when they cure an injury. But in fact it is scientifically proved that a plaster is important:
Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Popular Myth
And as far as my experience, a plaster provides effectively curing.

Last night I fell on road when I was chasing a drunken roommate, and as a result I injured my arm and leg. As I have a little big head and a thin body, I sometimes fall while walking.

Before leaving Tokyo, I bought new type of plasters. Johnson & Johnson Band-Aids Activ-Flex was sold in 2000 in the United States, and it has been also available in Japan.

Once I tried, I found it was very valuable! You can keep having Activ-Flex for up to five days! You may say a plaster can be taken off easily, especially when you stretch your injury. But don't worry, this Activ -Flex is enough tough and elastic, so you can't remove it unless you do it at will.

Though it is much expensive (standard size 660 yen ($6) with ten ones, ) it ought be spreading and getting popular in whole the world.

Finished Latter Exam

The reason that I hadn't posted for a long time is I had to prepare for the latter exam at University. But now I am free! I will talk about it later.

Okay the party is ready! Bye-bye!!