Gimme some slack....line

Hey ho!

On Saturday I volunteered at the Gibbon Slackline Global City Balance Challenge! This was an event running alongside the 8th Nippon Open Slacklines Championship.

Tokyo was taking part in a global competition to beat the world record of number of people to balance on a slackline for 10 seconds (individually over the course of a day, not all-together at the same time!). Unfortunately, as most of the people who gave it a go were small children with no interest in the challenge, but excited by the prospect of climbing all over the slackline like something from a jungle-gym, and also, because we were really unfortunate with the weather (facing an oncoming typhoon), we didn't quite reach the 800-people target we had aimed for. Instead, we got somewhere between 500 and 600 people, which was still pretty respectable, especially when compared to some of the other scores.

Although waking up very early on a Saturday and spending all day out in the rain gave me a horrible cold - leading me to spend the next two days in bed, I would still say it was totally worth it! I learnt how to slackline! (if only for 10 seconds), and spent the whole day teaching others to do the same. Also, I practiced speaking Japanese all-day, and spoke to dozens of different people. I could understand the group meetings, the instructions for setting up in the morning and packing up in the evening. It was one of the very few experiences I've had here of working alongside people my own age, and I truly felt like one of the team. No one was patronizing me or constantly trying to translate for me, I was given an equal workload and was treated with equal expectations. It was wonderful, and I felt I was able to rise to the occasion and challenge myself because of this. I also got to take home an awesome T-shirt, so now I have something to remember the experience by!

Matt was helping volunteer too, he was asked to translate for the Brazilian slacklining champion Pedro, who ultimately won the competition. With an abundance of confidence, Pedro didn't really need much help, so Matt ended up working at the balance challenge too.

The team

I always thought Slacklining was a lame hipster sport, but now that I've taken part in this event I realize its a really wonderful form of exercise. It takes so much focus, balance and discipline. It is definitely something that is much harder than it looks, and is very addictive! I seriously have a lot of respect for those that can make it look easy. Standing on a slackline for a few seconds is very difficult and many failed in attempting to do so. I am really impressed by those that can take this sport to the next step and do complicated gymnastics routines whilst balanced on a slackline.

The finals competition can be seen here. This is a 6 hour video, so you might want to skip to the "good parts":

My friend Chris who works for Life Style Inc., a 360 video company was filming the event - I will try to track down what he filmed...I'm sure it will be worth watching. Hopefully I may feature in it!!

Pixel Art Park @ 3331 Arts Chiyoda

I went to Pixel Art Park,  a festival for "creators of indiegames, apps, music, hand-made items, illustrations, balloon art, sculptures...etc.", to come together and showcase their work. 

The most interesting thing about this small and underwhelming event was the venue: 3331 Arts Chiyoda, a former junior high school turned art gallery.

Having worked at a variety of different high school for two years here in Japan, I am very aware that most of them have the exact same architectural design. No matter where you are, all the school classrooms are identical, with wooden sliding doors, blackboards, a podium at the front, and the same wooden desks and chairs. The school hallways typically have classrooms lined up on one side, and windows on the other. Generally, most schools have squat toilets, making them easier for students to clean with a mop at the end of the day - because of course, it is the students who are expected to clean up the school (and clean up their acts! Damn it child!). Also, each school has an area for children to change their shoes upon arrival and an indoor sports gym with basketball hoops and colorful lines marked out on the floor.

I am not sure where this cookie-cutter design for Japanese high school originated, but it is certainly ubiquitous throughout the country. To me, this is why 331 Arts Chiyoda is such an interested venue, a commonplace Japanese high school, something drenched in familiarly and nostalgia, converted into something entirely different. Features from the school have been kept in their original state, and new structures, signs and works of art have been constructed around them.

331 doesn't just hold art exhibitions, but also quirky events (like Pixel Art Park), workshops, performances, and even yoga classes. The place is certainly unique and is worth checking out, especially for those interested in transformed structures or whatever that type of thing is typically classified as.

Here's some picpic piccies of the event and the venue:

This was actually my favourite stall at the event. I bought a pixel keyring version of Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring". 

Another one from Joeeeeeeeee:

Exoplanets, Embassies and fig tempura

Matt's astrophysicist friend released a book about exoplanets and we got to attend a fancy launch party at the British Embassy in Tokyo. Wooh!

Despite being from good old Blighty, it was actually my first time there. Because of this, I got a little over-excited and decided to wear a blue dress with red shoes and union jack socks. Here is my only proof:

I'm a fancy grown up

The author of the book; delightful British lady working for JAXA, Elizabeth Tasker, gave a short presentation that included an introduction to herself and her book, reading an extract from it out-loud.

Elizabeth Tasker reading an extract from her book "The Planet Factory"

Elizabeth is charming, funny and relatable. Her strong passion for space, planets, and all that in between is infectious, and watching her talk about her work is enough to pique the interest of even the least science-savvy (AKA me). 

I look forward to reading “The Planet Factory”, which has been published by Bloomsbury – known for publishing Harry Potter, but as Elizabeth claimed, “soon to be better known for publishing me”. Fingers crossed.

We took home a signed copy, and after Matt is done with it, I shall have my turn. I look forward to reading what Elizabeth publishes in the coming years (possible follow-up book on moon formation apparently?), and in the meantime will be checking out her blog.

After the presentation, we drank wine and mingled with Elizabeth’s other die-hard fans. On the way out we bumped into a woman walking a Norwich terrier dog and now we’re convinced we want to get one (SO CUTE).

We walked up to Ochanomizu and went to a cheap tempura restaurant. Alongside my ebi-yasai tempura don, I ordered the seasonal special: fig tempura. I was so curious I had to. The first bite was amazing, but after that the tempura coating fell off, and then I was just faced with eating a hot fig. Yum? Maybe? Still not sure.

Fig Tempura. Curious to try?

As the nearest Docomo electric bike port was empty, Matt took our road bike and I took the train home. We raced used Facebook messenger live location (such an awesome feature, I can’t even).

To celebrate getting home first, and to rub it in my face, I opened the front door to Matt stripped down to his gudatama-themed boxers doing a victory dance. It was a pleasant evening all-round.

In celebration of going to the British Embassy, The Rolling Stones (coz they're British, got it yeah?):

The Wider Perspective

I took a picture of a little doodle I did in my notebook.. sorry about the lighting, I don't have a fancy scanner.

Don't we all

Yamanashi Typhoon

The plan was to spend a beautiful weekend in Yamanashi prefecture. I was particularly keen because I have never seen mount-Fuji up close before. The best views I've had have been from airplanes.

Unfortunately, as soon as we arrived a typhoon hit, and we spent the entire weekend drenched. The air was so misty, we could hardly see 10 meters in front of us, let alone Mt.Fuji.

So, was the trip a disaster? Possibly, but despite being ill, wet, and disappointed, I had a pretty sweet time.

I think the rewarding thing was to spend time with a group of individuals whom I had met in completely different places, that had all agreed to come along - even though none of them had met beforehand. As it happened, I think we formed a really nice crew. We traded in hiking, sight-seeing and wine caves for combini-crawling, karaoke and a drinking game that consisted of kicking a plastic gorilla-faced owl toy off the top of a Pocari sweat bottle. Alcohol, crap weather and stupidity brought us together. The glue of all true friendships.

Special mentions go to Cindy and Jack who drove an hour in the rain to hang out with us. THANXXX.

What we imagined the weekend would look like

What actually happened 

When it rains, there's no shame in requesting a plastic lid and a straw for your beer

 :

Rockin' raincoats since Sept 2017

I wonder what this statue is supposed to represent?

When in Yamanashi

Curry lunch

フクロウ顔ゴリラ - Who doesn't love a mascot?

Karaoke dessert

This would never happen in South Africa

A plan? There is no plan

Despite our rainy weekend, I felt more sorry for these guys who I came across on my journey home. Carrying a heavy Mikoshi all day during a typhoon. 

Shout out to Oden - my new favourite combini snack. Opposite of a shout out to Yamanashi bus drivers who are massive dickheads. 

There is more, but I'm heading to Odaiba for Tequilla, hula-hooping and some JETAA action.


In the meantime, here's something my brother recommended to me. Nice background beats to clean your house to:

Hiking Mitake in 360 degrees!

We actually planned to climb Fuji, but it didn't work out for technical reasons. So we decided to do Mitake instead. Turned out to be a great day and Yuka (that genius beautiful human) brought along a 360 camera. 

We were hiking for so long, that Michaela became a pop star - you go Desta French!

The sum of the summer (It's a wrap people!!!)

At some point I realized that despite the life-long hype, I had never really properly listened to The Rolling Stones. So, with a wonderful pair of headphones, I attempted to listen to the 13 disc full-collection (thanks Spotify).
In a noble effort I made it as far as CD 6 - and then, as with any activity I begin, I got distracted and naturally went on to something else. It was a pleasant few days. The conclusion? I like their sound, but was disappointed that so many of their big classic hits are actually covers.

Wow- so glad I got that hot piece of news off my chest.

Let's get back to things. Summer is wrapping up, and I've had enough beach time to feel satisfied for one year. I've hit up Zushi and Enoshima (Kanagawa), Ajigaura and Kawarago (Ibaraki) and Onjuku in Chiba. If you need recommendations for beaches near Tokyo, I'm your girl!

OK- fine, here's my personal ranking:
1) Chiba-Onjuku - waaay better than expected, what a jem!
2) Ibaraki Kawarago (special shout out to Beach Burger 9, best burger place in all Japan)
3) Ibaraki Ajigaura (really great bars)
4) Zushi - trashy as hell
5) Enoshima - is that the sea? no its just a pile of waste with people floating in it.


Learning from mistakes in previous years, I was liberal with the application of over-priced products - keeping sunburn and mosquito bites down to a minimum. I also got pretty good at using the diffuser during nighttime, so not to completely destroy my lungs from the air conditioning. I also learnt how pleasant it is putting fresh lemon slices into jugs of water, making the repetitive process of hydrating more appealing.

I've stayed in Tokyo all summer, but spent weekends on short trips exploring the outer margins of Tokyo and in neighboring prefectures. I've been hiking, canyoning, hula-hooping, trampolining, cycling, playing dodgeball, doing yoga and kayaking. My bikini was well used and I'm happy with my current collection of shorts. Still feel lazy as hell somehow.

I hope Chez is glad to see me posting this here: the trippy new track from Superorganism (see below) - matches the hang over mood of this sleepy sunny Sunday. They can thank me for their new-found fame later on. Because of course, everything I post on this blog magically becomes famous afterwards. Or is it before? Well, either way YOU'RE WELCOME.




I'm having a great day to spend sat up in bed with the balcony doors open, Ma-chan by my side and the start of the new season of Bojack Horseman. I already cried hysterically after episode 2.

OK fiiiiiine, I'll post this too, just because it's seriously bad-ass. I think if Quentin Tarantino makes a Kill Bill 3 he should definitely include this one:




As with each August, a bunch of people leave (following a messy leavers party - man, seriously messy this year) and then a bunch of new people arrive. I figured I would slowly stop engaging in Ibaraki JET life as I'm getting older and entering my unicorn year, also I moved to Tokyo two years ago after I left the program and it might be considered a bit lame to keep throwing myself into the Ibaraki Jet community. Tag-along-hanging-onto-my-youth-much?  Do I have "that guy who graduated 10 years ago but keeps hanging around the student union because he never really grew up and is incapable of making actual friends" vibe. Is that my vibe?? IS IT?

Well, paranoia aside, I went to a friends birthday party in Shinjuku last night and met a bunch of the new JETS. What a nice group of people. Some really awesome ladies who I couldn't help but want to get to know (I'm in such desperate need of lady-friends mode - its getting weird). In particular, my grandchild-successor-successor Taryn, who has taken over my old spot in Hitachinaka and the definition of a good egg:

Stormy Mondays are in for a treat! Keep the Hitachinaka dream aliiive. Katsuta - you lucky little town. et.etc.

For new, to old. Nathan (Ibaraki Jet 2012-2014) was in town for the last couple of weeks. We went for karaoke the other night with some of the old-crew. I asked him for some pictures, hoping there was a nice group shot, but apparently just this:

Me as potato-kun at karaoke

Happy news aside, there was one loser this summer. For those who spent summer in Japan this year, you'll know we had a few weeks of rain storms and unpredictable weather.

Unfortunately my mini-garden didn't hold up so well:

My "garden"

There's more stuff I want to add, but Matt is waiting for me to spend the remainder of the Sunday afternoon with him. Maybe we'll go to the local park again where I gave myself an aggressive accidental nose-bleed from hula hooping at the start of summer. Who knows? Give myself a black eye just to complete the cycle. A symbolic mark of the end of the season.