Earthquake in Tokyo

Location: Tokyo
Date: 31th August 2006
Time: 1718, GMT+9
Magnitude: 4.8 (Light)
Epicentre: Tokyo Bay
Damage: Head concussion

It felt like ten godzillas marching on the field. The cupboard rattled, everything shook; the sun threatened to crash onto the ground. I dropped off from chair and cracked my head.

That was probably the strongest earthquake since I came here. Because it's the first one I've felt; I slept through the previous ones. It lasted for, like, 10 seconds, during which memories flashed through the mind the way it happens to people whose life is at stake.

But don't be silly. Of course I survived! Hallelujah! I'll just have to spend the next week being a crackpot with a head concussion.

Oh, got to go. The ambulance is here. Bye!

News report:
Bloomberg
Tokyo Shaken By Earthquake; No Damage Reported (Update1)
By Mari Murayama

Aug. 31 (Bloomberg) -- A magnitude 4.8 earthquake shook central Japan around Tokyo at 5:18 p.m. local time, NHK television news said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake, which was centered in Tokyo Bay.

Bullet train service was suspended between Tokyo and Odawara, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the capital, Nippon TV reported. Service resumed at 5:30 p.m., Central Japan Railway Co., which operates the line, said.

East Japan Railway Co., which operates commuter rail lines around Tokyo, said service is operating normally. Tokyo Metro said all subways lines are running. Tokyo's two main airports, Narita and Haneda, have resumed operations.

NHK said there is no danger of tsunami, powerful ocean waves caused by seismic activity.

Japan, one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, is located in a zone where the Eurasian, Pacific, Philippine and North American tectonic plates meet and occasionally shift, causing quakes. Quakes of magnitude 5 and more can cause considerable damage.

Earthquakes less than 4.9 in magnitude are described as ``light'' by the U.S. Geological Survey, which tracks seismic activity worldwide.

Wonderful Experience in Hokkaido II

Day #6: 23th August 2006
Rusutsu Amusement Park　留寿都遊園地
Oh man, this was great! We got free passes worth 4000 yen to the amusement park! Thanks to the manager!

This was one crazy ride - the roller coaster spirals in the helix-like rail!

The Standing Coaster, which had seats so high that you more like standing than sitting. Not as scary as I thought, though.

Now, this is the one I liked the most! We did this twice. At the end of the second ride, something went wrong and the safety bar couldn't be unlocked. Thought we're going to get stuck in the roller coaster until someone calls the fire department!

This, was one boring ride though. It was a wonder how I didn't fall asleep during the ride.

We got a total of ten rides, until we finally decided it was too much for the head and stopped before we puke. Deki's highest record of roller coaster rides in a day still stands at twenty, though. Anyway, not planning to break her record.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Day #7: 24th August 2006
"The Other" Primary School
Uh, I can't remember what's the name of the primary school, so I'll refer to it as "the other" primary school. This school was even a smaller, and older one, with not more than 20 students. (There was only one first grader and no second grader - oh, poor boy!) Like old Japanese schools, this one was built in just one long row.

Jeez, the kids ran along the van in the rain when we left, as if we were Hollywood stars!

(Fun-o-meter: )

Making Soba　そば打ち体験
Made country soba (田舎そば) with Mr Namikoshi.

This is where the buckwheat seeds come from.

The seeds are grinded into powder. The process is rather akin to making tofu.

Buckwheat hulls were used to fill pillows.

About 6kg of buckwheat seeds gave us 3kg of buckwheat powder.

Added water to the buckwheat powder and kneaded it to form dough.

Rolled.

And cut into thin stripes.

The buckwheat noodles were then boiled.

Rinsed with cold water.

And served with dipping sauce (tsuyu), onion (お葱) and wasabi (山葵).

Didn't taste like soba in restaurants but good enough, considering that we are first-timers.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Wonderful Experience in Hokkaido

One more day before the autumn term starts. Oh great! Sucky dorm life. I just want to spend more time in Hokkaido. We had so much fun there. Here's a list of the coolest things we did there.

Day #1: 18th August 2006
Sapporo 札幌
Reached Chitose Airport (千歳空港) in the evening and made it to Sapporo at night. Spent the night in a youth hostel, which wasn't a very nice place. Well, afterall, we've been sufficiently informed not to expect too much.

Oh yeah, spotted a Pokemon airplane while we were in Haneda Airport (羽田空港).

(Fun-o-meter: )

Day #2: 19th August 2006
Sapporo 札幌

Mr Nakamura picked us up in the afternoon. Went to the Sapporo TV Tower.

Sapporo is a relatively new city in Japan. Before the Meiji period, only Ainu's lived there. But later, the Meiji emperor invited Westerners over to Sapporo to help develop the area. The city is well-organised into sections with junctions at, like, every 50 meters or so. Streets are named according to their relative positions from the heart of the city, which is where the TV Tower stands.

Another landmark in Sapporo, the Clock Tower. The building was built on year 1878 as a military-like training ground for students in Sapporo Agricultural Univeristy (now known as Hokkaido University).

The former Sapporo government building.

This, is called Genghis Khan - lamb cooked on a hotplate. The name is misleading, for the dish comes not from Mongoia but from China. It seems to be Hokkaido's "party food".

(Fun-o-meter: )

Okura 大倉

These people are crazy. They love skiing so much that they can't wait for winter. Geez.

Skiing down from as high as 145.0m.

The city, as viewed from the hill.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Taiko performance in Otaru 小樽

Taiko performance. The rhythm was well-synchronised between the six taiko drummers. We were given the choice to choose between going for a Taiko class or to a music box factory during the September overnight trip to Nagano-ken. Chose to go to the music box factory where we get to make one by ourselves, instead of the Taiko programme, though.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Day #3: 20th August 2006
Niseko ニセコ
Now, this is one of the programmes I like the most! Not just any ordinary mountain climbing. Thanks to the weather, the wind was extremely cold and strong that it was impossible to see more than five meters away. Got all soaked up not because it was raining but because we were in the middle of the cloud!

The visibility was as such.

The epic journey to the peak of Niseko, 1308.2m.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Day #4: 21th August 2006
Sorioi-yama observatory 橇負山展望台
The chief of education, Mr Namikoshi (浪越さん) took us on a guided trip around the village.

But before that, we stopped by at the village head, Mr Sawa's (澤村長さん) office. He was talking about something which we couldn't understand at all. In fact, even the villagers admitted that they can't understand Mr Sawa when he starts babbling away about Rusutsu's history. When Mr Sawa learned that Laura is from Columbia, he asked his secretary to serve us coffee. Luckily, the meeting didn't go on for too long; he finally decided let us go after the coffee session.

Stopped by at Sorioi-yama to have a good look at the Rusutsu (留寿都). Too bad that it was cloudy; the mountains couldn't be seen clearly.

This was also where we took off during the paragliding on the tenth day.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Guided Tour Around Rusutsu 留寿都のご案内

It happens that not only Mr Namikoshi is one of the important person in this place. His uncle has a bust dedicated to himself.

No, this is not the finger-licking-good sign. As I've mentioned earlier, the most popular food here is Genghis Khan, not KFC. Mr Namikoshi's uncle was a famous shiatsu specialist (指圧師), or an acupressurist.

Mr Namikoshi treated us to delicious Hokkaido ice-cream! The shop was managed by his son.

And lunch!

The dish was so much that we could hardly finish everything.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Park Golf パルコゴルフ
The most popular food here is Genghis Khan and the most famous sports? Park golf. For goodness sake, we even played a simplified version of the game in the temple on the Saturday!

Park golf is a combination of golf, mini golf, and croquet, invented in Japan. It is played using a single wooden mallet, much like a field hockey stick, with a broad, round head. The ball is roughly twice as large as a golf ball, made of hard, typically brightly-colored plastic. Holes average between 30 and 50 meters. As with golf, park golf requires drives, mid-range shots, and putts, although unlike in golf the ball is almost never airborne.

Park Golf players are largely elderly, though the sport does often require more physical exertion than croquet and the like. ~Wikipedia

Played park golf in the afternoon with teachers. Uh, it is a game for the elderly. Anyway, was having fun until it started to rain towards the end of the game. So, we had to do the barbeque indoor for dinner.

By the way, that's Mr Namikoshi on the left. He's a pleasant guy.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Day #5: 22th August 2006
Rusutsu Primary School 留寿都小学校
Rusutsu has three schools: two primary schools and a high school. This is Rusutsu Primary School, where we spent three days studying together with the kids.

Just a small school with about 70 students. But it has everything a condusive school needs.

A swimming pool...

A small field with a good view...

A cosy library...

A living skills lab...

A music room complete with a piano, some old electones and other musical instruments...

A computer room...

A science lab and et cetera. It doesn't need a canteen because of the school lunch programme (学校給食). Where lunch is provided free to the students. They have lunch together with their teachers in the class. Everyone takes turn serving the food.

(Fun-o-meter: )

Guided Tour in Rusutsu Resort 留寿都リゾートのご案内
Met Rusutsu Resort's manager. Taken on a tour around the hotel by Mr Tang Jun, a Chinese staff working there. This place is usually crowded during winter, being the most popular skiing spot in Japan.

Got a ride on the merry-go-round.

(Fun-o-meter: )