Tokyo Notes

Had a haircut today. This certainly is something to write home about. The main unusual feature was the massage which the hairdresser's assistant gave me between the second wash and the final trim-and-finish-off. This was an expertly done head and shoulder massage, which removed the nervous tension that always builds in me when I'm having my hair cut - it's due to feeling uncomfortable at being prodded by a stranger. He also reduced any feelings of awkwardness by putting a cloth over my face whilst washing my head. This is all very civilised. And this was just in my local spit and sawdust hair salon.

Went to the bar next to Gary and Becky's flat and played pool. Pool table etiquette is much more friendly than in UK. For a start, you don't put money in the table, you pay the manager after you've finished, and if you've bought a few drinks, or are a regular, he probably won't charge. And you certainly don't put money on the table to book a game; you speak to whoever's playing, and come to a gentlemanly agreement.

Technical (um, make that geeky) day, in the main. Most of today's post is not of general interest.

More culinary experimentation, this time with eggs and kimchi base. Surprisingly edible spicy omlette resulted. My rice cooker continues to provide great joy. I was given this a few weeks ago by a fellow teacher who had no further use for it when she moved in with her boyfriend. Not only does it free my electric ring for other purposes while rice cooks, but it produces perfectly cooked rice, with no effort, and then keeps it warm until I'm ready to eat it.

Looked into options for Japanese lessons. Most of the schools provide intensive residential courses, mainly aimed at teenagers from Pacific rim countries who want to go to high school or university in Japan. Some offer once or twice a week courses, but are not nearby, and are quite expensive. It would be possible to go up to Shibuya once a week, and get back in time for work, but I'm not sure I fancy it, or can afford it. Also, anecdotal evidence suggests that most of them are used to teaching Asian students, who have usually had some kanji exposure, and so Westerners really struggle. These schools are probably the right option for later on if I decide to sit the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, and need some coaching. So, Plan B is a volunteer teaching scheme organised by the local city council. There's a nominal ¥300 fee, but basically it's free. I have the phone numbers of a Ms Suzuki and a Mr Fujino who have volunteered, so I'll give them a call in the New Year and see what the score is.

Trip to Hakone. Pictures in due course. Excellent day.

Hakone is a national park famous for beautiful scenery and a high concentration of onsen, which are volcanically heated sulphurous baths - it's close to Fuji. Didn't actually have a bath because of lack of time; also they tend to be segregated, so the female member of our party would have been a bit lonely. The area is full of tourist tat, but the trees, mountains and deep, thick snow allowed one to ignore that. We took a cablecar from the shore of Lake Ashino-ko to the summit of Mt. Komaga-take. Very cold indeed, but plenty of snow. Awesome views, particularly of Fuji, but also as far as Enoshima Island and the skyscrapers of Shinjuku. There was a shrine on top of the mountain, and near the entrance, a rock with a golden rope tied round it. The journey to the lake was via a little mountain railway. It goes up inclines steeper than seem possible, with no noticable rack or cable. It also has a number of switchbacks - the driver and guard had to swap ends three times during our ascent. We had started early, so the overnight snow on the trees hadn't melted - very picturesque in the dawn light. Returned by bus - my first Japanese bus journey. You pay when you get off; when you get on, you take a ticket, which has a number on it. When you get off, you look at the price next to your number on an electronic board.

Returned home in time for a quick bite at Yoshinoya at the station. There are lots of places like it, but Yoshinoya is the most widespread brand. The deal is: go in and sit down on a stool at a bar. Immediately, someone brings a cup of hot green tea. Tell them what you want, and wait about a minute, sipping the tea. I had a big bowl of rice with meat and onions. You can add as much ginger and soy sauce to this as you like. Yum! Pay about ¥500 and leave, feeling very content.

Father Christmas exceptionally good to me yesterday: presents included cheese and port, both unobtainable otherwise. Cheese almost all gone already; a good Mull of Kintyre cheddar wrapped in thick wax, further matured during its journey. It went well with the port on return from Christmas dinner. Had this at local British Pub, with Gary and Becky, also teachers. Shepherds' pie, Stilton pie and Guiness stew all round. It felt odd to eat a potato, with a fork. We pulled crackers, exchanged presents, and a game of darts substituted well for the family board games. None of this attracted any interest from the locals because they were all at work - we were the only people there.

Following Beagle mission to Mars with interest - looks like it's going to be another triumphant failure for Briatin. It has all the ingredients: innovation on a shoestring, a stiff upper lip in the face of defeat, and in Colin Pillinger, an eccentric professor from the Old School. "We're trying Beagle - please bark" is the soundbite of a great man.

Another quiet day, but somewhat less lazy. Following local custom for this time of year, gave the flat a good cleaning. The Japanese like to start the new year with a spotless house. Not up to that standard, but I have progressed from squalor to mild untidiness.

Popped out to the post office to blow yet another ¥5000 on bills and to the supermarket for some essentials. All the shops have upped their Christmas efforts. We've had muzaky Christmas songs piped into every shop for most of this month - many differently cheesy versions of many festive favourites, but none post-dating the mid sixties. My theory is that progress in Christmas musical taste stopped when the Americans left. It's rather disproved by the popularity of "Last Christmas", though. "Last Christmas" is very popular indeed. I've heard at least six arrangements of it: solo guitar, Mantovani strings, big band and (ok, ok, I'll buy the fluffy reindeer, just make it stop) pan-pipes. Today, though, a whole new level. Every (female, the men wanted nothing to do with it) shop employee was dressed as Father Christmas. In Spatio, she gave me sparkling wine, and in the Seven-Eleven car park, she tried to control her shivering and sell me a bottle of grape juice mulled, it seemed, with black pepper. It's more pointless than usual to complain about the commercial exploitation of Christmas; it's not even a public holiday - marketing is all there is. Went home and listened to carols from King's.

I've had to admit defeat on getting to Ruli's wedding. Flights to The Philippines at this time of year are beyond my means. I can get as far as Taipei by boat (from Osaka via Okinawa), but today I was finally convinced that there are no international ferries to Manila from the north. I'm very disappointed by this.

The technology is starting to work.

The last three days have been spent in sloth. Consequently, nothing of much interest happened during them. Tomorrow, I will be dynamic.