Shiga

This weekend I took a trip to Shiga prefecture. After the heady heights of a gig at Field the night before, we headed out to photograph the newly-planted rice-fields in open countryside. Across Japan the rice is now growing on the terraces; the glint of water caught among young shoots is seen on many a slope or mountainside. We explored the Hata area outside Otsu city; along with the patchworked hills, we noticed spiders and frogs, snakes and fireflies; conversed with local folk tending the crop, and spotted the once-daily Osaka-Hokkaido Express snaking along, northward-bound. I didn’t know there was a floating torii on Lake Biwa, yet we found one at Shirahige Shrine. As the day ended we were close to Hakodateyama, and feasted on hand-made soba noodles. Lá breá a bhí againn - bhi an grian amuigh 's chuir se sasta ar mo chroi.

Neil Young

The new Neil Young album is now available. From what I gather, it's available for free from his website. 彼のウッブサイトのアドレスは：www.neilyoung.comです。The last time I checked Neil Young didn't even have a website, but now he does. It's rather preoccupied with the new Living With War album, and the reaction to it in the US, to the detriment of a lot of Young's older material. However, there is an exhaustive discography of Neil's earlier work, which is great.

Speaking of albums, I've promised to provide the tracklist and other information for my own release. I've provided it below. I will add a good bit of detail on the blog here about the album in due course.





１．Jah Warrior
2. Drum and Bass
3. Does She Know?
4. In My Soul
5. Watchin' the River Flow
6. WA's Best Family
7. Ice-Cream Man
8. Buffalo Ballet
9. Rockin' In the Free World
10. Little Eyes

はい、bonus track はいています！

最 近、京都ですごいいい天気でした。昨日大阪でお友達とEnglandのゲームを楽しみました。実は、そのゲームは、ちょっとつまらなかった！しかし、友 達は４０人ぐらいので、いいatmosphereでした！今日Noelle　さんと日本のShall We Dance　と言う映画を見ましたーよかった。

Footy Weekends

The last two weekends have been a lot of fun. I played soccer and Aussie Rules consecutively.
The soccer tournament was the Awaji JET Soccer Championship. We played really well to get to the last eight, but lost to the eventual finalists. Needless to say, our team Osaka JET won the award for best banter - we had a great time sneaking in the window of the hotel, letting rip on the karaoke machine, Nick Warry's raffle and our singing of '1-2-3-4-5' - the song which I'd written for the Saiyko Junior High School students!たのしかった週末でした。
This weekend, I went to Maishima Sports Island, Osaka to take part in the final of the Aussie Rules Premiership. Playing Compromise Rules for Japan gave me some idea of what to expect, but kicking the ball between the posts was difficult for a while. We (Kyoto Kockatoos) did very well against a hardy, experienced Kinki Kangaroos side, coming from behind in the first quarter to take the game by four or five goals. Nice to add a trophy to the Ned Kelly Cup which my team won in March, and the third place at Ashiya in February.みんあ強かった！

Kumano Festival and Tokyo

Was lucky to see a sneaky local festival right outside my house the other week. Enjoy a few photos. Have been to Tokers since I was on here last, and will post just one or two 写真　－楽しんでください。最近すごいいそがしいなーJETのここりつCOUNCIL代表になりました。日本語を勉強しなければなりません。These are in honour of Brian Mac's new ウェッブプレセンス!