Hiking at Yatsugatake

After admiring the mountains for four years from Finland Village, I finally did the hike I had been dreaming of - go to the highest peak and stay overnight at one of the cabins at the top (at 2750 meters) . It was better than I could have ever expected! Total elevation 1200 meters from start to Akadake + quite a lot of climbming and descending along the way. 5 hours on Saturday, 10 hours on Sunday. GPS tracked 45 km, on amap would be less but the paths do go zig zag up the mountains.



Thanks to Michael for joining and making the hike even more memorable!

After the typhoon

A powerful typhoon passed by Tokyo last night and I was walking the streets with my camera this morning (and during lunch time). The typhoon did not hit Tokyo, but caused damage elsewhere in Japan.

Two sides of Tokyo

Samuli is just getting ready for another day in Tokyo - Riikka and the kids are sound asleep in Helsinki getting ready for another schoolday in 6 hours.

This video captures the duality of Tokyo, it was this duality that made me love Tokyo since my very first visit in 2004.

Beautiful and ugly, old and new, back streets and high streets, calm and busy, shiny and rusty, commercial and zen ... and the sound of semi at the very end - urban nature.

Cash hand-out by Japanese parliament

Japan's parliament has passed legislation to give a cash hand-out to every resident in attempt to boost the recession-hit economy. Most people will get at least 12,000 yen, while children under 18 and people aged over 65 will get 20,000 yen as part of the scheme.

It was unclear to me if we foreign residents would receive this hand-out. Then, two weeks ago, I received a letter from the local government with instructions on how to apply for the "Supplementary Income Payments", and that included some Japanese peculiarities.

1) The cash hand-outs are managed by local governments, which means that for example each of the 23 wards in Tokyo manages them on their own. They design the forms, distribute them, set up a approval process and process the payments. I can not imagine how much extra work is being done if this is done in a bit different way in each of the 783 cities of Japan.

2) I need to verify my address, which the local government already had when sending me the application. My address was printed on the application, but I needed to hand write it the document AND to provide a copy of my alien registartion card which has the same address on it. In some parts of Tokyo also phone number, which means that the aplication forms are designed individually (refer to #1). They have my correct address, but I have to confirm it twice!

3) I need to fill in my bank account (which is actually the only information the local government did not have). And to verify that I need to provide "A copy of a bankbook page indicating the account holder, account number, financial institution and the branch of the account where the Supplementary Income Payments is to be deposited". To start with, I did not have bank book in Finland since mid 80's...

4) Everybody will get the cash hand-out. Even the prime minister.

I wonder who will have time to go trough all the copies submitted with the applications? There will be tens of millions of applications (1 per family), which means huge waste of paper and money on this process.

In Finland I would imagine that
1) similar process would be managed by KELA, The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, who would already have
2) the addresses (not needed) and
3) the bank account information of
4) families with children, students, uneployed, retired, disabled, and other people in need receiving social security payments - others might not need the cash hand-out.
(Or there might be a tax cut, which is slower to implement)


That would not work in Japan, where the people do not have, and will not have a social security number. Now, how would I take a copy which verifies my "computer-readable integrated circuit card" they plan to implement instead...


Anyway, we will be happy to receive the 64.000 yen (500 euro) cash hand-out and will spend it on local services or local products to boost the Japanese economy.

About Japanese schools and daycare

New school year is starting in Japan in April. Today there were some news about Japanese schools and daycare. No wonder the Japanese are so interested on the Finnish education system!

Primary school English classes to start early

About 40 percent of Tokyo's wards and other big cities plan to conduct English lessons at least once a week at primary schools for fifth- and sixth-graders from April. Under the new school curriculum guidelines, English lessons for fifth- and sixth-graders will become compulsory from academic year 2011.

The cities and wards will hold 35 lessons or more each year, or at least one lesson per week, from April, ahead of the subject's official launch. Each lesson will last 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, some local governments such as Osaka and Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, will conduct nine to 12 classes a year, or one class per month.

Minato Ward plans to hold 70 lessons a year for both grades, working out at a two lessons per week. This is the largest number of lessons planned among the 40 municipalities surveyed.

Twelve municipalities, including Kawasaki and Katsushika Ward, plan to have 15 to 35 classes a year.

Osaka plans nine classes, while Sapporo aims to hold 10. Shizuoka and Hamamatsu both plan to have 12 classes.


Tokyo to tighten nursery rules

The Tokyo metropolitan government likely will adopt stricter procedures from April in its certification of private nurseries, while keeping a closer eye on facilities that already are operating, it has been learned.

The current certification system--which has less stringent standards than those used by the national government--was established to encourage more corporations to enter the market. (NOTE: what is the use of national standard if local government can choose not to use it!?)

The metropolitan government's certified day care facility system started in 2001 in a bid to reduce the number of infants on waiting lists. As a result, the number of day care facilities in the capital increased to about 430. The move attracted attention as a model case involving the relaxation of regulations.

However, misconduct by certain facilities came to light last year. A certified nursery in Nakano Ward closed suddenly due to financial difficulties, and a trio of scandals emerged in which the metropolitan government asked for subsidies to be returned due to false claims by facilities over staff numbers.

To prevent such misconduct, the metropolitan government plans to ask operators to submit financial reports during the early stages of the application procedure, and plans to inspect the facility within three months to confirm whether staff numbers tally with those claimed in the application.

In the past, initial inspections were usually conducted 18 months after a facility had opened. For the first time, inspectors will include a nursery teacher and a nutritionist.

At a metropolitan assembly last year, an assembly member reportedly pointed out that the cost of foodstuffs used at some certified day care facilities was extremely low. Therefore, the government also likely will step up its checks on the quality of the food served at such facilities.

Toyota iQ

Topi ja Liisa saapuivat joka keväiselle vierailulleen Tokioon tapaamaan ainoita lapsenlapsiaan ja ainoaa lastaan (ja ehkä vähän ainoaa vävyäänkin).

Kävimme Topin ja Oskarin kanssa viikonloppuna kävelyllä naapurustossa ja poikkesimme pieneen Toyota myymälään koeistumaan uuden iQ pikkuauton. Auton mittasuhteista kertoo jotain se, että iQ on 80 cm lyhyempi kuin Yaris!

Topi tokaisi, että kaikenlaisia kottikärryjä sitä rakennetaan...

Täytyy myöntää, että iso mies näyttää hieman liioitelluln suurelta pienen auton ratissa. iQ:ssa on kylllä yllättävän paljon tilaa leveyssuunnassa, mutta takapenkki on vitsi.

Corrupted family business?

I have been shocked reading the news these days. I knew these two issues are common in Japanese politics, but I did not know how common.

TOKYO (AFP) March 6 — A political scandal in Japan widened Thursday when government figures, including an influential former premier, said they had taken money linked to a firm whose murky donations have shaken the opposition.

Former prime minister Yoshiro Mori, a heavyweight of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), as well as an advisor to Prime Minister Taro Aso and a deputy cabinet minister said they would return funds to political groups linked with the scandal-tainted construction company.

On Tuesday, prosecutors arrested an aide to opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), alleging the aide took illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. through apparent front groups.

Under Japanese law, companies can donate money only to political parties, not to individual politicians, and donors must be clearly identified.

The scandal has been a blow for the DPJ and Ozawa, who has been seen likely to replace unpopular Aso as premier in elections that must be held before September and could end half a century of almost uninterrupted LDP rule.

But on Thursday the scandal widened to affect the government and LDP.



And who knows how long these connections might have existed?

TOKYO (IHT) March 5 - Since Koizumi left the top job in September 2006, Japan has had three prime ministers, none of them up to the task. Stress did in Shinzo Abe (September 2006-September 2007), political gridlock sank Yasuo Fukuda (September 2007-September 2008) and widespread voter dissatisfaction will soon nudge Taro Aso from power.

Abe, Fukuda and Aso have something important in common: they are part of family dynasties.

It's a key characteristic of Japanese history, from the emperor's 1,400-year lineage to the father-son inheritance of Kabuki theater roles. The cabinet chosen by Aso, the grandson of one former prime minister and the son-in-law of another, fits a similar pattern.

Among Aso's original lineup, descendents of former lawmakers took up 11 of the 17 positions. That beat Fukuda's eight such appointments. Even Koizumi, who in 2005 used outsider candidates to win 68 percent of the seats in the lower house, turned around and gave nine cabinet posts to legislators' relatives.

The penchant for recycling family members is holding Japan back at a time when it needs to be planning for the future. Nothing short of a political earthquake will alter this dynamic.



This was not enough for the prime minister to step down earlier

TOKYO (NYT) December 19, 2008 — The Japanese government has acknowledged for the first time that Allied prisoners during World War II were made to work at a coal mine owned by the family of Prime Minister Taro Aso, contradicting his longstanding denials.



Maybe "a political earthquake" has now started.

Tokyo Olympics 2016?

Before predicting the future Olympic games


the Japanese should study a bit more history and geography.


Nothing to say about the recent history,


but...


Disneyland is in Anaheim, not in Los Angeles - why did they not choose Yokohama Landmark Tower as the symbol of 2016 games?


I do not thing there were any snowmen in Montreal in the middle of the summer. And Brandenburger Gate was still in Berlin, not in Munich.


I do not know about kangaroos in Melbourne...


but there definately are no wolves in Helsinki!


And there was no Disneyland even near Los Angeles in 1932, it was built starting 1954.


And I bet no moose walked the streets of Stockholm in 1912. But in 1908 some buses in London were still horse-drawn and the double decker looked quite different!


And actually 1906 summer games were also held (though they are not recognized).

I have to say I was upset about the wolves in Helsinki, but never thought I would find so many mistakes on the timeline. Graphical design must have been the main aim.

Olen sanaton

Miksi kukaan edes tekisi tällaisen pelin?

Suomalaisista matkaoppaista saatetaan Japanin tullissa repiä saunakuvat pois, mutta samaan aikaan sarjakuvissa ja näköjään myös tietokonepeissä voi kuvata ihan mitä vain.

Tekijöiden mukaan aivan laillisesti:
"We believe there is no problem with the software, which has cleared the domestic ratings of an ethics watchdog body."

Käsittämätön tulkinta etiikasta.

Ei ihme, että japanilainen naisministeri totesi (päivää aiemmin, eri yhteydessä):
"In Japan, government is by men and for men, with most laws protecting men and keeping women in a lower position economically and socially. My job is to make sure that women and children get the rights they are supposed to have."

Siinä riittää vielä tekemistä.

Samu

Laundry day

We went for a walk on this sunny Sunday afternoon. The neighbourhood has several coin laundries, like this "USA Coin Laundry", and people hang their laundry to dry on the balconies or outside their windows. It's very typical scenery in Japan.

Satellite for Personal Cosmos Photos

I was amazed by the news today.

"The Kansai Space Initiative, a non-profit organization set up in 2008 to promote the participation of local Japanese companies and citizens in the development of space, has come up with the idea of launching a tiny satellite equipped with an electric billboard and a camera so private messages can be photographed with Earth as the backdrop.

The KaSpI-1 would be a 50kg microsatellite, similar in size to the Sohla-1 microsatellite that was built by a group of companies in the Kansai area and is scheduled for launch on Wednesday."

Even if they are a non-profit organization, they need to get funding for this idea. I wonder where would they get that!

Read more about the topic in dailyme, KansaiWindow, Daily Yomiuri or in Japanese in the Kaspi website.

Ala-asteen pääsykokeet

Tänään aamun lehdessä oli juttu siitä, kuinka vanhemmat jonottavat tuntikausia, jotta saavat jättää hakemuksen ala-asteen pääsykokeisiin, jonka läpäissestä arvotaan ala-asteelle pääsijät.

Miksi vanhemmat jonottavat?
Hyvä kysymys, sillä ei ole mitään vaikutusta pääsykokeen läpäisyyn tai arvontatulokseen. Vai onko sittenkin - kuten rehtori Inada selittää:

"People who come early to submit an application for admission tend to be more educationally minded," Inada said. "As a result, such people's children are more likely to pass the exam. That's why I think such a rumor has spread."

Tai ainakin se osoittaa kuinka paljon vanhemmat välittävät lapsestaan.

Parents form such lines at schools and post offices because they are indicative of the love they feel for their children--a love that will be shown clearly in front of post offices and primary schools this autumn.

Miksi ala-asteelle on pääsykokeet?
Ei kaikkiin ole, vain yksityisiin. Mutta niihin on tunkua, koska normaaliin systeemiin ei luoteta.

According to a national association of private primary schools comprising 175 schools nationwide, the number of applicants for private or national primary schools has been increasing each year because of concerns over cram-free education in public schools and other reasons.

Ja mitä tästä kaikesta seuraa?
Se, että koulujen väliset erot Japanissa ovat eritäin suuret. Toisin kuin Suomessa, jossa peruskouluun luotetaan ja erot koulujen välillä ovat maailman pienimmät. Tästä tietysti seuraa se, että kiinnostus Suomalaista koulujärjestelmää kohtaan on suuri.

Katso myös

Pisa 2006 results Table 4.1a

How Do We Educate Our Children

Härän vuosi 2009

Picture: Suzuka Yoshida

Hyvää alkanutta härän vuotta!
Härän vuotta pidetään pohdinnan, sadonkorjuun ja varovaisten päätösten aikana.

Happy new year of the Ox!
The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work.

あけまして
おめでとう
ございます

Ahdas paikka - Low ceiling

Olen kyllä tottunut siihen, että kolautan pääni ovenkarmeihin tai metron kädensijoihin, mutta tämä vessa oli hieman ahdas...

I am used to hitting my head on doorframes or handrails in subways, but the ceiling on this toilet was really low...

Samuli

Stop AIDS, but how...

I saw this add on the subway today, and wondered what it says:

"Stop AIDS - Blow dry your hair before using subway?"

Not exactly, but that's what the picture looks like...

Find out more, in Japanese

Samuli

Lisää uskomattomia mielipiteitä

Hokkaidon Opettajien Ammattiyhdistys neuvoo opettajia olemaan osallistumatta Opetuslautakunnan järjestämiin seminaareihin englannin opettamisesta.

Opetusministeriön päätöksellä ala-asteilla aloitetaan pakollinen englanninopetus vuonna 2011.

Mutta Hokkaidon opettajien ammattiliitto neuvoo opettajia olemaan valmistautumatta tähän, koska "It's not necessary to attend the seminars because the national debate on primary school English education is insufficient."

Daily Yomiuri 9.11.2008

Pikemminkin olisi erittäin suotavaa osallistua koulutuksiin, koska It would be necessary to attend the seminars because the level of primary school English education is insufficient.

Uskomattomia mielipiteitä

Japanin ilmavoimien komentaja erotettiin, koska hän julkaisi artikkelin, jossa väitti että Japani ei käyttäytynyt agressiivisesti toisessa maailmansodassa.

Historiankirjoittajat ovat yleisesti sitä mieltä, että Japani käyttäytyi erittäin agressiivisesti. Japanin hallitus on ainakin osittain myöntänyt historian, ja erotti ilmavoimien komentajan.

Mutta voi vain arvailla mikä on yleinen japanilaisten mielipide, kun koulukirjoja sensuroidaan vielä nykyäänkin.

Ei ihme, että Japanin ulkopoliittiset suhteet naapureihin ovat yhä tulehtuneet.

Hannele ja Sepi ihmemaassa

Moshi moshi!

Löysimme tänään viidentenä Tokio-päivänä Hiro-o-metroasemalta suoraan kämpille ilman karttaa ja eksymistä. Samu opasti meitä menestyksellisesti ensimmäiset kolme päivää ja eilen pääsimme hortoilemaan ympäri kaupunkia keskenämme. Junalla ja metrolla on jo helppo kulkea, mutta kadulla kulkemiseen tarvittaisiin joskus kartan lisäksi kotiin jäänyttä kompassia.

Olemme käyneet Tokion mestojen lisäksi junalla Nikossa ja Kamakurassa, joissa molemmissa oli yllin kyllin temppeleitä. Nikosta lähdimme tunnin bussimatkalle läheiseen vuoristokylään, jossa pääsimme nautiskelemaan koti-onsenissa kuumasta vulkaanisesta kylvystä sammakoiden(?) kurnuttaessa ja sateen ripotellessa. Temppelissä näimme see no evil -apinat patsaina ja bussin ikkunasta näimme tien varressa ihan oikeitakin apinoita.

Japani on tuntunut ainutlaatuiselta maalta, ja olemme kokeneet sen molemmat puolet: hektisen kaupunkielämän ja toisaalta seesteisen zen-meiningin. Täällä on mahtavan siistiä ja turvallista. Kaikkialla on seinät täynnä joskus aika huvittaviakin käyttäytymisohjeita, joita noudattamalla homma toimii ja kaikilla on mukavaa. Turistina täällä on helppoa olla, koska asiakaspalvelijoita riittää joka paikassa, ja he ovat kaikki iloisia ja ystävällisiä, vaikka eivät englantia puhuisikaan.

Päätämme seikkailumme siirtymällä huomenna Nagoyaan ja tekemällä päiväretken Kiotoon perjantaina. Suosittelemme kaikille irtiottoa arjesta ja lännen elosta ja vierailua tänne idän ihmemaahan.

Hannele & Sepi


Paikallisia ruokia syödessä saa kokea uusia makuelämyksiä. Nämä junaan ekana päivänämme ostamamme lounasboksit maistuivat paremmilta kuin ehkä näyttivät ja sisältävät pääasiassa kasviksia, koska olimme etukäteen opetelleet muutaman oleellisen sanan japania: "niku iranai" = "(maaeläinten) lihaa en tarvitse". Parasta antia ovat olleet sushibaarit, hai!

Vesibussiajelu Sumida-joella oli vähän tylsä, mutta se päättyi ihan hienoon puutarhaan. Opas honotti japania kiitettävään tahtiin ja sanoi välillä alittamiemme siltojen nimiä myös englanniksi.

Nikossa oli hienoja temppeleitä upeasssa ympäristössä. Oikeasti siellä oli paljon japanilaisryhmiä, vaikka kuvaan ei ketään muuta sattunutkaan.

Jos sä liikuskelet vedessä, niin on kärsimystä edessä.

Vähemmän byrokratiaa!

Vihdoinkin!

Japanin maahantuloviranomaiset ovat huomanneet että on ollut silkaa ajan haaskausta pyytää ihmisiä täyttämään tietoja, jotka heillä on tietojärjestelmissään (kahdessakin paikassa).



Osoite, passin numero, muukalaiskortin numero ja ammatti ovat kaikki tietojärjestelmässä oleskeluluvan takana sekä vielä varmuudeksi muukalaiskortin takana. Oleskelulupavasta ja tästä lomakkeesta skannataan viivakoodit, jolloin ne täsmäytetään.

Ilmeisesti on ollut aivan turha kysyä matkan tarkoitusta - business tai holiday. Ja on aika selvää, että lähtöpaikka on se paikka, jossa viranomaine skannaaa tämän luvan...

Enää jää jäljelle kysymys, miksi tätä paperia ylipäätään tarvitaan? Nimi, syntymäaika, kansalaisuus ja sukupuoli ovat myös oleskeluluvan takan olevissa tiedoissa.

Riittäisi kun kysytään minne matka ja skannattaisiin oleskelulupa. Sormenjälkien ottamisen luulisi korvaavan allekirjoituksen!?

OK, ehkä vastakappale tarvitaan, koska takaisin tullessa kysytään kysymykset, joihin kukaan ei vastaa kyllä
(ne joiden kuuluisi vastata kyllä, varmasti valehtelevat ja vastaavat ei).

1. Onko tietä tuomittu rikoksesta Japanissa tai jossain muussa maassa?
   (Eikö tämäkin tieto pitäisi olla olesekeluluvan takana???)
   
   
2. Onko teilä tällä hetkellä hallussanne huumausaineita, marihuanaa, oopiumia, stimulantteja tai muita huumeita, miekkoja, räjähteitä tai muita vastaavia tavaroita?
   (Vastaisinko kyllä, jos olisin ne onnistunut kuljettamaan lähtömaan turvatarkastuksen ohi?)
   

Tai ehkä vastakappale on myös turha, eikä passiini tarvitsisi jatkuvasti niitata tätä lappusta. Passissani alkaa olla aika paljon pieniä reikiä...

Askel oikeaan suuntaan, ja vähemmän byrokratiaa meille, jotka asumme Japanissa. Kyllä täällä vielä riittää papereita täytettäväksi aivan tarpeeksi.

Samu

Joenvarsi virkistyskäytössä

Kyltissä lukee:
"Minaton kaupungiosa ja Tokion kaupunki ovat rakentaneet tämän joenrantaterassin luodakseen paikan, jossa paikalliset asukkaat voivat nauttia Furukawa-joesta."


Valitettavasti joki on aiemmin kahlittu betoniuomaan


ja katettu moottoritiellä.

Bloggasimme aiheesta jo pari vuotta sitten.

Sama loppukommentti: "Toista se on Suomessa, jossa joet ja rannat ovat ihmisten ilona!"

ROSA
viikon päästä alkavaa Suomen kesälomaa odottaen