Author: Dai

The place I stay in Osaka

While I am in Osaka, we stay at my sisters place. She has extra two rooms that becomes our bed room and my office and kids play room. She has bakery business so every morning we have fresh coffee ready and some good bread. They work long hours, from 6 oclock till mid night when Christmas get closer. Location of her bakery is right in old shopping arcade. This kind place is getting less and less by big shopping place opening around, this is one of last place still very active in Osaka area.

I made her new shop almost 8 years ago. Wrapped steel post with logs, made furniture and floor. Floor was utilizing left over from log work and it turned out great. Width are un even width, but placing boarder in legth, it worked very well and looks great. Used ordinaly nail also left some wayne to make look rustic.

My yourger sister also display her work in this bakery.

Universal studio in Japan

We all hear how bad human is making inpact on earth. Yes, we are destroying the environment but while I trip in Japan, it also remind me how great work human do. Non of other anumals can make tools to make the bridge, building and a lots more. Night ilmination are all over the place in Japan this time of the season, we took kids to USJ, enjoyed great show. Amazing seeing the creativity of the show in this kind of place.

Old house visit

I visit two house that I build in Japan. Both house were kept in good shape and my customer are still in love with house. It remind me the purpose of doing this job, keeping people happy. The timber frame house need some maintenance on stain, originaly put Sitkenz and I will never use this product. It takes so much work to take old stain off from timber, any product I use, must able to put coat of stain right on top with just gentle soak wash.

This log house was my last work with log building. I spend three years to complete this house that basic settling maintenace were done before I hand the house to customer. 7 feet overhang protect house as I wished without putting any stain. The house looks like a bid temple because of this roof shape. I think these temple roof meant to protect the house from humid and wet climate in Japan.

Okinawa trip

I had been talking to indigo die factory for couple month in Okinawa to make T-shirt I designed. When I got to Japan, I checked to see the posibility to visit them. I found the tour trip, two night leave in early morning and come back with last flight so total of three whole day trip, include the hotel and car rent for $400 canadian dollors. If I take only fright, it cost me about $600 for round trip. I am not sure how this is working?

However, it was very nice trip. every minute while I was there, it was very valuable. People are friendly and I was very impressed with their way of keeping own culture on island. One of benefit they have is weather to be warm, that makes big difference in life style. House takes no effort to build compare to Canadian environment and easy life.

Tour included hotel but I did not stay there, I picked back packers to start and second place was falk house on norther island. Un believable place, whole things are un touched and not many people visit this place. It is only one minutes walk to beatiful beach and walking pass is sorrounded by the tree that they plant three hundred years ago to protect from wind. I heard there was one property for sale, I could not believe this kind place is still available to purchase. This is one of the best place to have private house, I don’t think any place I have been in Canada can beat this one.

If anyone plan to come to Japan, I strongly recommend to visit this main island in Okinawa, it only takes three days direct flight from all majour city in mainland Japan.

Okinawa nature (plant)

Okinawa is definately tropical when I watch the plant. Leaves are big and green. Whole plant with more leave rather than branch.

Okinawa nature (Ocean)

People stop swimming for winter, water tempreture are only 15 degree that any Canadian can still swim in winter. It is so beautiful. No industry in Okinawa, only polution is military base which is very big one that US military also Japan self differnce army has base on this island.

There is also world biggest aqualizm tank on this island. I could spend all day in here. So many fun live that we never seen in real action before, the one I liked too much was eel, I would like to pet this in my place. The three eels I was watching, they down in hole and up so smooth and watching us, one start to bother other, this one ignored this for about one minutes then start to fight. They opens mouth so big and mouth rap around the body but it seems just playing, none seems getting heart. This is the direction I recommend to go. There are several aqualium in Japan but seems none in BC.

Okinawa building

Original residenial building seems using same floor layout. I visit the seceral old building and they were all same. Front space is 5.5m x 2.7m which is only 160 sqft that is half of the building so whole building is only 320 sqft. It also contains porch around and door are left open until they get sleep. That is what makes this space feel so relax and open even in such a small size. This is well desined layout that I want to make one up in Canada for summer cabin.

One key factor for copying this building is to keep the ceiling height in same. The beams are only in 6feet heigh but I am 5″10″ so not problem for me, may be problem for many of my friend.

Timber are 100mm x 100mm, it is small for Canada, may need to increase to 5 inch. All joinery are traditional joinery, that uses locking mechanizm. Material seems oak to me but no body could answer this, they have not seen any wood since the war burned all trees on this island.

(Sanshin) three stringer Okinawa music culture

Sanshin, it means three stringer. It is main instrument people use. The note for this music even wront in kanji charactor. Most songs are the words from people past that teachs things, ideas and enjoing life, it contains so many meaning, without knowing language, it is hard to understand. It is not Japanese language, so I would not understand it, but sounds are so reluxed, I was not able to leave the place for while.

Shisar (okinawa culture)

Okinawas is very rich in their culture. They live in their own language, house style is different and eat and drink different, also they loved to sing and dance.

Shisar is the two set of lion that protect their house always on their gate to the house. They also have this on roof. Desing of these are all different some are very serious look but mostly very comical look.

Back packers in Okinawa

It is not common for Japanese to stay in back packers but there are some available. Okinawas is part of tropical, worm all year round. It is not like Canada, they do not need to worry about snowload or insuration. All house seems very small in size but feel lots of space becuase they open their windows and doors all the way.

This back pakcer is pioneer for Okinawa area and I knew their place before I go. People were very frinedly and I met the guy who roast the coffee in a morning. It was very fresh and deep taste.  By the way, guys smoking Drum, glass is prohibited in Japan.