Fishing yellow fin (Hamachi)

Fishing yellow fin (Hamachi)

Me and friend spend two days fishing. We aimed yellow fin that only one my frined caught in a past. This is the fish usualy fish from the boat but my frined believed if we run the bait on tide, live bait will swim amoung the tide and it will reach to the spot. He did caught one so we tried.

First, we fish the live bait (Aji) horse mackerel, lots of fisherman comes to this island to fish this. It taste well. Once we cought ten of them, keep it alive in a closed bucket and sunk in a ocean to keep alive. Hook through the norse and through into the tide and let it swim towards the wide open water.

10 hours of same action and we took coffee brake. This was only the brake we took in two days and after we went back from this brake, fish was on a hook already! Shit, lost the strike feeling.  Took back to accomodation and eat them all, it was great taste only cost us $6 including ferry!

Kurushima pirates

Right across from ship yard, 5 minutes from the boat, there are very small island call “Kurushima”. Seventeen people still live on this island. This was main island for pairate about 600 years ago. There is big straight surrounding this area and lots of big island but this straight call “Straight of Kurushima” The reaso why the pirate were on this island was that water moves so fast and these people had skills to build boat could across to island. I think that is why the ship yard is right by this island, it is the bunch of pirate continued and become one major shipyad since.

That is why so well made rich temple is in such a poor small island.

This is island we did fishing, weather was not cooperative this date, it was pour rain but I kept fishing.

Ship yard (Imabari) in Shikoku

We spend two night in Shikoku with frined fishing yellow fin. Departure are in area of ship yard. This is one of very old ship yard in Japan, still building for all over the world. Big and dynamic. Once thing I notice here in Japan, is things are right in a peoples life. Place like this will be very protective in Canada but here, fishermans and people lives around share the same bay no border.

A day in Osaka (public bath)

It is my favorite to go public bath. Since every house build private bath, this kind of place got less on time but it is getting popular again. Tubs are big and water are very hot, but also they provide cold water tub also. I soak on hot one then jump into very cold tub, I continue this about three times and it gets really reflesh. I think Japnese are really liking to soak on hot tubs, people here least spend half to one hour every day for the bath. It is partly because the climate are so humid and sweat well during the day.

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.