ひどい風邪をひいている。。。I've catch cold...and it is the worst one among several series of influenza I've had before in my life...Seems like my body is still in the stage of adapting to the winter condition..cold and dry...I still managed to attend my everyday routine to the kenkyuushitsu but with less experimental activity and more to surfing and reading journals..

My bad influenza starts with only a few cough but it get worst day by day..By recommendation from a lab friend, I bought Benzablock, self-remedy lozenges (24　in a box) for cough and flu with natural herbs costing 900Yen at the Coop's pharmacy. They even bought me some kairo カイロ, sticky patches like koyok in Malaysia but you stick it outside your inner (not directly on skin) and it wil... Read More

No story of success would be complete without beginning with disaster. For those interested in the clubbing scene in Japan, this article should give a good foray into the unusual world of Tokyo nightlife. To begin, Japan for some reason does not adhere to a set system of street signs or numbered buildings. That being said, finding any location in the major cities is nearly impossible without a guide. We weren't so fortunate.

I stated previously that our purpose in Japan was to bring our musical tastes as Dj's to the Asian market. The first step would be to find a few clubs to play at. To tackle this obstacle we tried a number of approaches. The first was to email every club in the greater Tokyo region with resumes, which proved unfruitful. The second step was to visit t... Read More

Yes it’s about that time people! Time to go to your local Tokiwa department store or Lawson and browse the shelves for what a majority of the population will be eating for Shougatsu (New Years). The highly coveted Osechi meal box appears but once a season. Now to the untrained gaijin eye you may wonder why this special new years boxed meal is so expensive… The reason is it’s not a bento but Osechi or prepared traditional dishes of the New Year.

Osechi traditionally is a large array of New years dishes cooked and prepared before the actual Shougatsu or first of January. A tomodachi told me that osechi basically started out as cultural festival cuisine but over the years has evolved into a way to ensure mom doesn’t have to cook for a couple of days. Thank the gods, mom... Read More

I stumbled upon a rare sight whilst walking along the front of Starbucks at the Hachiko crossing. It was nothing unusual at first as I noticed a group of young, trendy girls having a quick cigarette by the roadside.

Soon, my view cleared up and I saw these girls standing by two baby strollers. It was my first experience seeing a “Shibuya Mummy” let alone a Shibuya "Gyaru” mother!

For those who are unfamiliar with the slangs of the j-folk, the word “Gyaru” is a katakanised version of the English word “girl” used to describe heavily made-up, brown haired, Japanese girls. These Shibuya mothers walk around with their strollers, a cigarette in hand constantly blowing smoke right in their children's faces. Shocking isn’t it? Well after living in Tokyo for a few ye... Read More