Early Japan Travels with
DAIICHI NO RAINICHI 1984 SEPT - Enrolled Nagasaki Wesleyan Junior College, Isahaya, Nagasaki (foreign exchange program), visit OKUNCHI festival, downtown Nagasaki 1985 JAN - Participated in SEIJINSHIKI (Adults Day) ceremonies at BUNKA KAIKAN, ISAHAYA (because this year I will turn 20), Night Ranger LIVE in concert, Fukuoka Sun Palace DAINI NO RAINICHI 1987 AUG - Arrived TOKYO to start language teaching in Kimitsu, Chiba 1988 JAN - New Years holidays with friend's family in Tsushima 1989 JAN - New Years Eve in ROPPONGI with friends all nighter, Emperor HIROHITO dies -
"TAISO NO REI" went to Palace in rainstorm to sign books, Tokyo is all dark, blacked-out
AUG - Scaled Mount FUJI (elev. 3,337 m.) and watched sunrise (very cool experience!)
NOV - Entered and won prize in CHIBA Prefecture Photo Contest
DEC - Passed the Level 2 JLPT held at Tokyo University 1990 JAN - entered the GANTAN marathon (10K) in KIMITSU on Jan. 1st morning (cold!), fly Stateside (LA, NY Seattle), ran the TATEYAMA WAKASHIO 10K 1991 JAN - New Year's holidays spent with friends in Tsushima, Isahaya, Nagasaki, joined the Kimitsu Triathlete club (mainly Japan steel staff), ran the Tateyama Wakashio 10K (2nd time) and IIOKA 10K along Pacific coast
JUNE - ran 1st ever triathlon, 56.5KM at Izu-Oshima, completed East-West language course studies
JULY - ran NISSAN Cup triathlon 56.5KM at Yokohama Nissan Plant grounds, visited Tokyo Disneyland again, moved to Kyoto for
grad school business internship, went to OSAKA Airport with friend, traveled to MAIZURU, AMANOHASHIDATE, saw Japan Sea for 1st time, went to see GION MATSURI (Kyoto) and Osaka TENJIN MATSURI in Paradise (Hawaii)
Some Aloha thrown in, 1984-93 and beyond
OCT - College trip to UNZEN Hot Springs National Park
NOV - visited and had first date (KY) at NAGASAKI Peace Park, KYUSHU BASHO SUMO tourney in person (FUKUOKA), small old-fashioned boat tour in YANEGAWA, Fukuoka (school trip)
DEC - Sightseeing & homestay on TSUSHIMA, New Year holidays with Isahaya homestay family, roadtrip thru Kyushu to visit relatives in MIYAZAKI, KUMAMOTO & KAGOSHIMA (ASO, AOSHIMA, ONINOSENTAKUIWA, SAKURAJIMA
MARCH - Spring Break with homestay family, Tsushima
APRIL - Fellowship Camp at Unzen, visit to SHIMABARA-JO
MAY - School trip to Arita Pottery Festival, went cruising with friends to NOMOZAKI (great surfin'!), ARIAKE KAI & Unzen
JUNE - 1st trip to Tokyo with relatives on visit from NY
JULY - fly home via Fukuoka Airport, completing one year Nagasaki exchange program
OCT - visit to NASU, TOCHIGI, Tochigi for Fall colors viewing and ROTENBURO with host-family
NOV- visited KYOTO for teaching seminar
DEC - enrolled in advanced Japanese courses (CHIBA City)
MAY - Dad visits, tour Nagasaki, Kyoto, Tokyo
JUNE - watched in person finalists in NHK Japanese Speech Contest, TORANOMON
AUG - beaching in SHONAN and ENOSHIMA, Ho-----------t!
SEPT - fly Seoul to watch Olympics, volleyball
FEB - skiing in Tochigi with friends - OZE IWAKURA ski resort, fly to HOKKAIDO for SAPPORO Snow Festival with friends (stopped in HAKODATE, CHITOSE)
APRIL - watched Glenn Miller Orchestra LIVE in concert, YOKOHAMA with Mom and my Japanese teacher (I drove), saw the actual QE II docked while visiting Yokohama, Chinatown, visited Tokyo Disneyland, Flower picking (HANATSUMI) in BOSO HANTO with Mom, with the Jr. HS (Koito) attended their SHUGAKKORYOKO (school trip) to FUKUSHIMA, WAKAMATSU, NIKKO
JUNE - NHK Japanese Speech Contest (Toranomon), tried again but failed for 2nd year in row, ho-hum
JULY - hit by car in traffic accident in KISARAZU (while riding motorcycle, both wrists f---d up pretty good), summer vacation in pension with friends in ITO HANTO, ITO City
FEB - all nighter iceskating with friends at FUJIKYU Highland at base of Mt. Fuji
MARCH - Phil Collins LIVE in concert Tokyo on my birthday (YOYOGI), ran 10K roadrace at INAGE KAIGAN Beach (Chiba), 1st round job interview with DENTSU, Inc (Ginza)
APRIL - visit KAMAKURA, SHONAN Beach and climbed NOKOGIRIYAMA (Tokyo bayside cliffs), attended Kimitsu's Japan Steel Spring Festival
MAY - ran 10K Emperor's Palace roadrace, watched the TOKYO-KANDA SANJA MATSURI
JUNE - visited friend's new pad in SAITAMA, ran the Venus KOGEN 10K in NAGANO city (slept over in pension), attended teaching seminar in KATSUURA City, Chiba, ran the TOMISATO Watermelon 10K, trip to HIROSHIMA and KURASHIKI for few days
JULY - bodysurfing and drive to KUJUKURI Beach and did some shore jeepin' a few times, camping trip to GOTO RETTO Islands, IIOJIMA, etc., Nagasaki (very, very fun summer!)
AUG - trip to Fujikyu Highland park and Lake YAMANAKA at pension with friends, 1st interview at TV ASAHI in Tokyo, watched O-BON festivals in Kisarazu, then watched fireworks at Kisarazu Bay, KAMEYAMA Dam, FUTTSU Bay (Chiba), TORO NAGASHI
OCT - GMAT exam in MACHIDA City (slept over) for grad school entry, slept over at ranch; ran the mountainous YATSUGATAKE 10K course in YAMANASHI Prefecture
NOV - New Emperor's Enthronement Ceremony
DEC - Weekend stayover by ferry for IZU OSHIMA 10K race (blustery cold), GRE Exam in KANDA, took JLPT level 1 test at Chiba University, ran the cold NARITA 10K
FEB - hanatsumi and all you can eat strawberries with East-West classmates on Chiba Boso Hanto (peninsula), ran 40K
Biathlon (run-bike-run) at SHOWA KINEN NO KOEN - Tokyo
March - ran SAKURA city 10K, Inage Beach 10K (2nd time)
APRIL - ran ZAMA USB (Kanagawa-ken) Sakura 10K, ran SANBU 15K (Chiba), get together picnic with good friends at YOYOGI Park
MAY - watched the KURURI DAIMYO BUSHI GYORETSU Festival (Chiba), ran the Emperor's Palace 10K (2nd time), watched pro baseball game at Chiba Marine stadium (Yakult Swallows vs. Taiyo Whales)
AUG - sightseeing in NARA, mountainbike to ARASHIYAMA from Kyoto apartment on weekends, enjoy small waterfalls, WATARUZUKIHASHI and KAMOGUI, watched BIWAKO HANABI TAIKAI (3 main towers!) and KYOTO DAIMONJI O-Bon festival, research at KOBE Port Island, Osaka Bay
SEPT - attended graduation ceremony for Chaminade grads in Hiroshima City, visited Hiroshima Peace Park, Atomic Dome, visited friend in NAGOYA city by bus, Back to the USA via Osaka airport for grad school in Honolulu, farewell NIPPON
DEC - moved to Hawaiian Monarch Hotel & Condominiums 31st floor; on-job training - Polynesian Dinner show at Princess Kaualani hotel, Waikiki
1992 JAN - on-job training scubadiving parasailing tour (Hawaii Kai), special assignment: Westin Kauai Hotel for 1000 pax (Erina Co. trip), helicopter tour around entire island, swam/dove Hanauma Bay for 1st time, climbed/trained up Diamond Head for 1st time
FEB - on-job training to Bishop Museum and Maui Divers tour (Honolulu), Barefoot Cruise off Waikiki
MARCH - ran Faerbers Flyers 10K (Kapiolani Park), got my Hawaii State residency (KAMAIINA), ran the Koa Kai Canoe Club biathlon (run-swim-run) at Ala Moana Beach Park, visited Honolulu Academy of Arts for 1st time, whale watching in Lahaina, Maui con mi amor
APRIL - on-job training at Navatek dinner cruise through Pearl Harbor
MAY - Mom visits HI for graduation ceremony Neil Blaisdell Center, Don Ho LIVE in concert w/ Mom; on-job training on Stardancer Sunset Cruise
JULY - on-job training at JADA cruise tour, Golfing at Kunia CC (pineapple grove) 1st time, fly/sleepover to run the Kilauea Volcano Caldera 10K on Big Island (Great, great experience! 'wish I could do every year! Highly recommended!)
AUG - on-job training at Tropical Ocean Sports cruise in Kaneohe Bay
SEPT - fly/mountain bike/camp/sleepover on 3-day Bike Trek on Molokai for Hawaii Lung Assoc. fundraiser (top donation getter!), on-job training at Flashback dinner show, completed Century 100 mile bikeride around Oahu
OCT - on-job training on Windjammer Sunset cruise (Waikiki), on-job training on Circle Rainbow 7 island MEGURI in a Cesna, visiting all islands, stopping at 2 for lunch; snacks, Honolulu Airport
NOV - completed certification course as PADI openwater free diver (Atlantis Reef Divers, Waikiki), dove at canyons and the shipwreck off Waikiki, then at tables with friend on North Shore
DEC - ran and finished 42.2K Honolulu Marathon (1st time, time?.......DON'T ASK!)
1993 JANUARY - on-job training at Papillon helicopters, Oahu all island tour, golf at Turtle Bay Links CC, North Shore, moved to Alawai Townhouse apartment
FEB - ran Great Aloha Run 15K, flat, to Aloha Stadium, on-job training to see "Legends in Concert" dinner show (Waikiki Aloha Showroom)
to be continued...
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