Sakura Hotel Hatagaya Staff Blog: Event: August 2009 Archives

ATOM

By

Hideki

on August 22, 2009 11:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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'Sora wo koete ra ra ra hoshi no kanata yukuzo atomu ......'

I got off at the JR Takadanobaba station and then I heard the melody of the theme song of 'Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atomu)' from the next platform.

Takadanobaba is Atom's home! In the original story of Astro Boy, Atom was born in 'Ministry of Science' at Takadanobaba on April 7, 2003 and also 'the father of manga' Osamu Tezuka used to have the office at Takadanobaba , and then people from local shopping areas requested the melody instead of the normal departure bell and design for wall painting under the railway bridge.

On the night, on my way home, I happened to find fliers of ATOM exhibition at Tokyu Fudo-mae station ticket gates.

The next day, I went to Yokohama to see the exhibition.

'ATOM 'exhibition is being held at Broadcast Library in Yokohama Media and Communications Center, Yokohama-city from August 1 to October 4.

The exhibition is held to mark the 80th anniversary of the birth of Osamu Tezuka and it is also a part of the special event in the Yokohama Port Opening 150th Anniversary.

This exhibition features the history of Astro Boy that became first animated TV series in 1963 and also Tezuka's signed manuscripts and celluloid pictures are on display.

The Hollywood's CG film 'ATOM' is scheduled for release on October 10.

To be honest, I like 'original' Japanese 'Tetsuwan Atomu' much better because it seems to me that Tetsuwan Atomu looks more winsome and innocent than 'handsome' ATOM.

I saw Tezuka's message and philosophy in the exhibition ... I found the issues of War and Peace and the warning bell for the science in his manga world.

ELECTION - Lower House

By

Hideki

on August 18, 2009 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

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When I was on my way to Yodobashi Camera at Shinjuku this morning ...

Huge crowd of spectators came into my sight. Kazuo Shii, chairman of the Japanese Communist Party, spoke for election kickoff at the west exit of the Shinjuku station quarter past 10am. Around that time, Yukio Hatoyama, the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, was in Osaka and Taro Aso, President of the Liberal Democratic Party, was in Hachioji, Tokyo.

Today, it officially announced the campaign for the 45th House of Representatives election (the Lower House election). Election day is August 30th.

According to a female police officer at the gate of the National Diet Building,

the National Diet Building is in the middle of washing exterior wall.

I hope that Japanese politics will be completely cleaned up as well.

I want to say that politics is not for the politicians but for the people.

As the 16th President of the United States Abraham Lincoln said,

'Government of the people, by the people, for the people'

NAGASAKI

By

Hideki

on August 9, 2009 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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The city of Nagasaki marked the 64th anniversary of its atomic bombing today.

Peace Statue at Nagasaki Peace Park

I was born and grew up in Tokyo, but I have another home. It is Nagasaki.

I heard that my ancestors were originally fleeing Heike warriors and reached Goto Islands in Nagasaki. Soft kyo-kotoba (Kyoto dialect) and a little bit strong Nagasaki dialect are still used among the families in Nagasaki.

Meganebashi

If atomic bomb had been dropped on Nagasaki City a couple weeks earlier, my grandfather could not have survived (my grandfather just moved from the central part of Nagasaki City to the suburbs by military order) ... I would not have been here now. I am scared and also I am profoundly grateful for that I have been born into this world.

Nobody has the right to deprive people of their lives, dreams and happiness.

HIROSHIMA - Imagine

By

Hideki

on August 6, 2009 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony took place in the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima today and Hiroshima commemorated the 64th anniversary of its atomic bombing.

Participants offered a one-minute silent prayer for the victims with the sound of the bell at 8:15 a.m.

The Mayor of Hiroshima Tadatoshi Akiba said :

"We have the power. We have the responsibility. And we are the Obamajority. Together, we can abolish nuclear weapons. Yes, we can."

Right after the Iraqi War broke out on March 20th, 2003, a major antiwar demonstration was staged in Toronto, Canada and everybody joined hands in a circle and sang 'imagine.' I remember the moment as if it were yesterday.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No Hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Human beings are still fighting and kill each other. When could we have John Lennon's ideal peaceful world?

The city of Nagasaki will mark its anniversary of the atomic bombing on August 9th.

Fukagawa ???

By

Hirotaka

on August 6, 2009 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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Have you ever heard of Fukagwa?

If you are interested in downtown and/or the road less traveled, I strongly recommend you to go there.

They hold Fukagawa fair three times a month (1st, 15th and 28th of each month).

On 1st June and on 28th June, we went there with our guests.

On 1^st June, 3 guests joined our tour.

And, on 28^th June, 13 guests joined our tour.

We browsed around in street stalls that come up only on fair days,

visited Tomioka Hachiman Shrine and Fukagawa Fudo Temple.

If you are a big fan of sumo, you might enjoy Tomioka Hachiman.

It has

handprint of sumo wrestlers (much bigger than mine),

stone monument all the names of Yokozuna (the title given to the strongest sumo wrestlers) on it,

huge portable shrines (the below is heavier one),

and a shrine (of course).

As for Fukagawa Fudo Temple,

There are a lot of statues in the temple.

Unfortunately, taking photo is prohibited inside the temple, so we cannot show you how the inside of it is.

It means that you need to go there if you are attracted.

The picture below is Kiyosumi Garden (the Japanese garden located near from Fukagawa).

We haven't been there in these tours, but if you feel tired owing to much sightseeing, why don't you go there and take a rest.

It is the very place to make you relax and take a nap or siesta.

↓me

Sorry, just kidding.

more info : http://www.sakura-hotel-hatagaya.com/index.php

much more info : Asking us

RUGBY

By

Hideki

on August 5, 2009 1:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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A great news for rugby fans!

On July 28th, it was announced that Japan will host the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The National Stadium

I have gone to watch rugby games since I was a small child, actually it was the first time when my father took me to the game at the National Stadium to cheer for the University where my father graduated from. Horizontal stripes with dark red and black color were vivid. Every time I see the games, I still get hot all over.

Chichibunomiya Rugby Field

A long time ago, 'rugby fever' was amazing and it was hard to get tickets even for regular season ticket for university games and my father and I used to wait in lines in front of the ticket shops from very early in the morning.

Now, baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, swimming and judo are popular sports in Japan, but on the other hand, popularity of rugby has declined ... that's ok ... we do not need non-fan spectators. When we had 'rugby boom,' a lot of couples or groups came to the rugby field as a part of fashion. The real fans are who have passion (not fashion) and love the rugby ... I have seen many many old men who watch the game alone. They are real fans.