We started to notice the cultural differences between Japan and Canada as soon as we got to the Air Canada departure lounge at Kansai Airport. Today I have a couple of photos from the Three Minutes Happiness store-within-a-store at the Riverwalk Comme Ça Store.
Category Archives: Lost in Translation
I Have Guts
The phrase “I have guts” has a fairly narrow range of meaning. A few weeks ago I would have understood the expression to mean that the person was claiming to be strong, brave, or both. Having recently returned to Canada, and seen vast numbers of obese people—but that’s another post—the phrase lends itself to alternate interpretation.
Retro Writers
If you’ve spent any time in the Saskatchewan writing community, especially if that time was spent up to the point six or eight years ago when the Saskatchewan Writers Guild got a new logo, you’ll enjoy today’s photo.
Those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about need not despair, however. In my utterly biased opinion the photo is still worth looking at, even if you don’t get my regional Canadian corporate identity references.
Sign of Canada
By the time this goes online, I’ll be in a departure lounge at Kansai International Sinking Airport. In honour of my return voyage, here’s a photo that the bus used to take me past on my way home from Kokura.
Avast Ye Scurvy Dogs! Prepare To Be Exercise
This is something I found on the blog of an acquaintance in Japan. I feel a bit strange posting but, but as it was online already and I haven’t given a link—you’ll have to go looking on your own if it’s that important—so I don’t feel strange enough to not post it. I could almost imagine having this conversation, except that as far as I know, my sister doesn’t have the issues discussed in the quote, and my mom’s English is much, much better.
Obvious Restaurants
Today was yet another day of exhaustion. We had the first day of our class match at school—all of the homerooms compete against each other in various sporting activities—plus I revised a recommendation letter that another teacher wrote for one of his students, and did some coaching for an interview exam that a few of my students will have on Sunday.
And that was just the morning. I took the afternoon off and, among other things, dealt with a whole bunch of moving-related logistics. Is this interesting? I think not, so I’ll give you a couple of photos to look at.
Pain and Beauty, Together At Last
If there was ever any doubt about the connection between physical discomfort and aesthetic refinement, today you’ll see proof. As usual, it’s photographic evidence found on the streets of Japan. Not fashion photos, nor shoes. What am I talking about?
Should Never Reproduce?
Today I have yet another photo that I took near Riverwalk in Kitakyushu. Just two lovers an ordinary couple sitting on a park bench their bodies touching in the late afternoon, holding hands in the moonlight watching the Murasaki River.
I remember doing an almost whiplash-inducing doubletake at the guy’s shirt. Contrary to what one would expect, there is not, in fact, any massacred English. Just a slight amount of confusion as to the original intentions of the author of the text. Oh yeah, it’s at this point that I should warn the parents of any minors in my audience that there is profanity in the photo that follows.
Shrine Guardians 4: Epilogue
This is the final installment of my series about Japanese shrine-guarding lion dogs, where obscure references are explained, and mysterious poetic wisdom is shared.
I’ll be starting with some clarification of stuff in the Shrine Guardians Legend, so please make sure you’ve read the story before proceeding. Otherwise most of this post will make little sense. The notes herein should clarify a few mysteries without creating more. Part 1 and Part 2 of this series are also recommended, though not necessary. If you haven’t read the story and don’t intend to, feel free to skip to the photos at the bottom of the page.
Chinese Food, Indian’s-style
Last fall we got a flyer in the mail for a new Chinese restaurant that was opening up. I was going to scan in the flyer and try to write something witty about it but lethargy set in and I never got around to it. I’ve since passed by the place on the bus a number of times but it’s a major trek for someone without a car so until tonight I didn’t have a chance to take a photo. This evening I was walking home from Kokura so I made a point of going by. With camera in hand.