Family Evenings - more videos

Some more videos of Hannah at home in the evening

Hannah is now at the stage of trying to put into her mouth anything that she can reach. In fact in the evening, she seems to enjoy settling down with a nice tasty book. If a toy isn't available anything else will do.

Most of the time when shes awake, Hannah doesn't like being left alone to amuse herself. So we generaly have to carry her around with us - which is exausting for Rika during the day. In the evening its nice to sit her on my lap and and have a chat or a play.

Gems of Japlish - 2007 Top 10

One of the delights of living in Japan is Japanese English, or 'Japlish'. English is often employed in brand names and slogans to add a little "je ne sais quoi''.

Japlish generally isn't aimed at native speakers, so copywriters can use English more freely and creatively. For example we have a brand of chocolate bar called 'Meltykiss' - a terrific name that would probably never be used in England. So 'Japlish' is often quirky, sometimes poetic and occasionally funny.


Here are the top 10 gems I've spotted in 2007.

#10 Wako Planning company (Yoyogi, Oct)



#9 'Gash' Maid Cafe (Akasaka, Aug)
This 'Maid Cafe' near my work is just a normal coffee shop where you can have a coffee or lunch served by young ladies dressed as Victorian maids . The other USP is that the staff can chat knowledgeably with their 'otaku' ('geek') clients about their favorite comics or collections of action figures. All very normal and innocent. The unfortunate name was probably inherited by a previous occupant of the premises, probably a very different type of establishment.

#8 Pizza Hut Deli. (Aug)
"It makes you smile and be happy....You will surely say 'Great' and want to buy it again". And I did - until I tasted it.

#7 'My Bombe' Gas Cannisters (Maruman Supermarket, Nov)

These cannisters power the table-top gas cooker we use for stews or sukiyaki.

Your dinner party is sure to go with a bang!

#6 Dental Labour "Gross" (Yoyogi, Mar)
A cosmetic dentist specialising in large Germans?

#5 Gentry Brand Soup (Maruman Supermarket, Sep)
Ths spirit of Bassho lives on at the Gentry Soup Company.

#4 Leah's Kissing Ameba (Shibuya Mark City, Dec)
Christmas display outside the Mark City shopping mall. Ameba is actually an internet blog company.

#3 Boobs Boutique (Kinchicho, May)

#2 TOSS bin. (Rika's Mums house, Ikadaba, Sep)
What every teenager needs next to their computer!
"Simple and Feel A Useful TOSS We have to think about more simple lifestyle"

# 1 Wanka Chocolate (Tokyu Hands, Dec)
Who needs flowers when you can say it with chocolate!

And a special commendation for this classic sign from a Japanese Love Hotel. From the Guardian on-line edition.

Another milestone: Rolling over!

Hanna has a learnt a new skill. She can now roll over by herself.

Apparently this doesn't normally happen until around 6 months. So I was feeling pretty smug about how clever Hanna is.



Then I remembered that at the same age Minimi was teaching me to play fetch by getting me to throw a toy mouse down the hallway and then bringing it back to me! And he only has a brain the size of a walnut! On the other hand Minimi hasn't shown much interest in books.

Photos from the weekend

I think Hanna looks good in this brown outfit. It was a gift from a friend.


Minimi and Hanna.


One time when I was minding Hanna, Minimi muscled his way onto my shoulder and demanded a cuddle. Its nice to be wanted...


Saturday walk in the park. The autumn leaves in Yoyogi park have been just lovely.





Christmas shopping in Takashita dori, Harajuku.



I spotted this sign, in Takashita dori. Looks like the womans pro wrestling association is now a boutique selling 'maid' type outfits. A sign of the times? Perhaps it won't be long before the men's pro wrestling goes the same way....



We bought Hanna this 'Rudolf the reindeer' hat. When she wears it in public she gets so much attention that it is almost scary. Every 50 m or so a stranger will come up and say "kawaiiii!!" ("how cute!").



Bath time.

Playing with Masa

These videos were taken a few weeks ago in Ikadaba when Masa and Yasuyo were playing with Hanna.

Masa is an real expert at making Hanna laugh!