Blog closed until my return to the Land of the Rising Sun!

So that's it! 3 amazing years in Japan have come to an end!!

I am leaving this blog open as a resource for anyone considering teaching in Japan (which I highly recommend!!).

My family and friends who want to continue to follow my life in Vietnam, please view http://clareandtoshiinhanoi.blogspot.com/ 

Finally, a video showing my 3 Years in Japan in 3 Minutes:

My Last Night in Japan

Hello everyone from Ha Noi!!


Unfortunately facebook and blogger are blocked in Vietnam, though I do have limited access. It seems I can update my blog, but I can't view it or any other blogs.

Some farewell pictures:

Here are photos of of my stay at a Capsule Hotel in Asakusa!

Take One Capsule a Day..

My last night in Japan and I’m doing the FINAL thing on my to-do list- I’m staying at a Capsule Hotel in Asakusa！！！ I’ve always wanted to do this.. so excited！！！
It’s much bigger than I expected which is great because if you didn’t know, I have a little claustrophobia.
とうとう日本にいる最後の一泊になってきました。ずっとしたかったものをやっとしている。。カプセルホテルで泊まっています！嬉しい～！！

My flight leaves in 23 hours. I don’t know when I’ll be able to go online again, but thank you in advance for thinking of me and for your ’good lucks’！
出発は後23時間。頑張ります！

Going to Vietnam details

Please check my new post on my Vietnam blog relating to my flight details etc.
http://clareandtoshiinhanoi.blogspot.com/2012/08/moving-details.html

A Day in 'Daiba

As I mentioned in my previous post I have a few things left on my to-do list before I leave Japan.
Well, I can reveal that two of the remaining things were.. crossing Rainbow Bridge on foot and seeing the full-scale model of  a Gundam Moble Suit!

Crossing Rainbow Bridge Part 1 レインボーブリッジを渡った第一！
It's been 3 long years coming, but I finally did it.. twice!
やっとこの有名な橋を渡った。。二回も！
Rainbow Bridge is about 15 minutes walk from Tamachi Station.. pretty sweaty in 30'C heat! The bridge spans about 580m and takes about 30 mins to cross.

• South Side 南ルート

This side has view of the Bay. I crossed during the day time.

 I finally arrived! Lovely welcome sign!
やっと着いた！何か看板がちょっとボロボロ..

 Up the elevator to the lucky 7th floor.. and presto!

エレベータをラッキーな７階まで。

Anyone wanna give me a lift?

Gundam Statue　ガンダム立像
Actually the statue was originally in Tokyo, but was moved to Kanagawa prefecture a month before I first came to Japan so I missed it. Luckily it has come back to Tokyo for another year so I got to see it.
I'm not really interested in the Gundam Series, but the chance to take a picture of an 18m tall figure is pretty cool! 
今年からガンダム立像はまた東京に戻ってきた！実はガンダムシリーズに興味ないけど写真のチャンスです！

Isn't it huge!?

デッカッやろ？！！

  

Remembering Richard/ リチャードを思い出す為に。。

 I tried to find Richard (RIP)'s favourite spot in Tokyo, and I think I kind of succeeded.
I sat on a rock and enjoyed the view and a yummy Subway sandwich.

 亡くなった友達の一番好きなスポットを探そうとした。成功だったね？

Crossing Rainbow Bridge Part2 レインボーブリッジを渡った第二！

• North Side 来たルート 
  
  By now the sun had set and I got to enjoy the lovely night scene of Tokyo and I thought a lot about how I'll miss Tokyo when I move in less than 2 weeks. 今度は夜の東京の景色を見ました。

Rainbow Bridge(left) and Tokyo Tower(right)

レインボーブリッジ（左）と東京タワー（右） 

So what is the final thing left on my to-do list?
...You'll just have to wait and see!!

新しいブログ　New Blog: Clare and Toshi in Hanoi
I will continue to update here about Japan, but info relating to Vietnam will be on the new blog.

後二週間ぐらいでやりたいことをやるのは頑張る！日本に来る前に作った「やりたいことのリスト」の残りは三つのことです。

I have a little over 2 weeks left and 3/34 things left on my "Things to Do in Japan Before I Leave" -an actual word document I typed before arriving in Japan.

もうやったことのなかには。。
Completed things include staying in a ryokan (Japanese Inn), climbing Mt Fuji, going to a Maid Cafe and drinking sake under cherry blossoms.

その残りの三つのことは何か。。見てみてください！！
As for what the 3 remaining things are.. you'll just have to wait and see!

4 weeks down, almost 4 to go..

急に暇が多くなった。。なぜかなあ~？

I've suddenly been rather sociable! (I wonder why!?)
Here are a few pictures of some outings:

 Huw's Jazz Band

 AEON party in Ohizumigakuen

 Possibly my last time at my favourite Chinese restaurant! Xie xie!

 Karaoke!

日本ではサンドウィッチはよくサンドに短くされます。サンドは砂と言う意味もあるからこの写真はぴったりと思いました(*^^*)
Sandwich is often abbreviated to 'sand' in Japan. The beach at Kamakura was so windy that my sand sandwich got sandy.. :/

 At a beach party with Branwen (my friend Michael DJing in the background)

 Comedy night near Shinjuku. I volunteered as a 'prop'

To Mum and Dad- I met the guy who does the "Welcome to Tokyo Tower" voiceover for the lift at Tokyo Tower!

Toshi in Hanoi

Toshi worked really hard to impress his superiors and prove his skills, and despite being the youngest ever to be hired and competing against longer-serving rivals, he was successful in being transferred after less than 3 months at the company! I'm really proud!!!

会社に入ったばかりのに、若いなのに、転勤されることはすぐなったです。トシをすごく誇りに思っている！！

 A week of stress finally 'boxed up' and done!
荷物を詰めることがついでに終わった！

 At the airport: This isn't goodbye; it's hello to a new life!!
飛行機では「さよなら」じゃなくて新しい生活に「ハロー」です！

I'm happy to report that Toshi is safe and sound in Hanoi after just a week's notice of his transfer. Looks like he is living in Ha Noi's Cầu Giấy district, West-South-West of the centre. I hope that he (and eventually I) will enjoy this next adventure!!

トシ君が無事でハノイに到着することができて喜んでいます！ハノイの「カウガイ」という西方な区に住んでいるらしい。これから新しい冒険が始まりますね！

A Big Catch-Up!

I apologise for the delay! I had been busy helping with my co-worker's wedding, then I've been having some technical difficulties.

News: As for the 'Adventure' that Toshi and I will be embarking on, it looks probable that Toshi will be starting late next month, and that I shall follow early October. I'm trying not to stress out (and failing..)

Camping May 30th 2012
I appreciate you've probably had enough of seeing my camping photos, so I'll just put up two. We left straight after our work finished (we both happened to finish at 6) and hurried to a place called Kawai (no, not kawaii , meaning cute!). This campsite was amazing- no ants or insects to speak of at all! And a lovely, clear stream flowed nearby. Definitely want to go again!

Charlie's Wedding June 2nd 2012

Charlie and his wife Rimi chose to hold a Western-style (as do approx. 90% of couples in Japan) in their favourite Italian restaurant. As couples in Japan legally marry at the local City Office (the same as in France and some other countries), the couples are free to hold any kind of ceremony or party afterwards and officials do not participate. The vows and exchanging of the rings were led by Charlie's old friend, Walter. I was given the honourable task of being receptionist and greeting the guests, as well as organising the party games for the after-party.

 Reception-ing and posing with the bouqet!

 The lovely couple, and hosting the 'Shoe Game' at the after-party

• Feel free to watch the video below of the popular Wedding party game called  'The Shoe Game' hosted by myself in Japanese.

Hadn't realised my Japanese had such a Welsh accent!



Venus Transit June 5th
Clouds, clouds, and more clouds ;( Oh well, only another 105 years to wait..
Disney Sea June 10th

Since Jen's departure from Japan, it had been a long time since I'd been to Disneyland or Sea, but I finally managed to coerce convince Toshi into going with me! For someone who loves Disney movies and songs, he had been a bit grumpy, but I think in retrospect he isn't such a fan of rollercoasters..
Anyway, we had a good time =D

No, not Mexico, the Indiana Jones ride!

A Planetarium (yay!) and a bunch of Japanese girls wearing their school uniform who all looked exactly alike (..;)

Typhoon #4 June 19th

Not a happy, drenched bunny with a destroyed umbrella (>.<;) But at least the rain was warm!

Total Eclipse of the Sun!

It's been quite an interesting year astronomy-wise, a lunar eclipse back in December, a spectacular supermoon last month, an annular eclipse today, another lunar eclipse on June 5th and there will be a transit of Venus on June 6th, which I am very looking forward to! (Unfortunately only partially visible in the UK)!

This was the second eclipse I've experienced, as I viewed the partial solar eclipse while I was on a Girl Guides camp half my life ago in August 1999.

At the peak!!!!!

My own pictures: Before, during totality and after!

Most eclipses occur over the sea, since the Earth is 2/3 water, and this eclipse was particularly special due to the fact that its totality was visible from several of the most densly-populatied cities in the world.. my very own Tokyo included (others being Hong Kong, Osaka, San Fransisco). There certainly was a lot of media hype, and luckily the eclipse occured in the morning before work started!

Something that I was really disappointed with, though, was the lack of media emphasis on the fact that special sunglasses are *absolutely necessary*, and I regrettably saw people viewing the eclipse with their naked eyes..  

Stay tuned for pictures of the transit of Venus next month- I'm glad to be able to use my eclipse glasses again too! (*^^*) If you've no idea what I'm talking about, look here