Hishamuddin Rais in Tokyo: Sushi News 9, End of the Line

November 15, 2007 1:16:46 AM GMT+08:00

Hi, finally – I have to move on. After two months in Japan I think it was worth all the journey. This is my last SUSHI NEWS from Tokyo – let me tell you 2 weeks ago – SOD Law happened to me – as I was preparing my last presentation my laptop went DEAD. Wow – I was really mad – meaning all my research, my pictures etc… are all there. No… the Japs have no knowledge about laptops that are NOT Japanese made. I am in deep shit.

So I borrowed a laptop from the office – my Edge deadline coming plus others – the borrowed laptop – great BUT all instructions in Kanji a.k.a. Japanese language – I was mad and completely under pressure – my 5 mins video being edited by a cool bloke found by the management – so that helps.

I failed to write anything except my PAPER – it was done and all went well! Touch wood.

I have said all my good byes to Shinjuku, Asaskusa, Ginza and Azabu Juban – I had a great time in Japan – now I must continue my journey home – I saw the pics in RICECOOKER wow – it must be exciting wearing yellow – Yellow Mellow – and the cops at BBC, did they drink coffee?

The weather here is getting colder. By 4pm all dark – not a very nice feeling. Morning and afternoon was sunny kalau tak hujan. Nite is cold. The leaves are all turning red and amber – beautiful – but to look at NOT to hang on – soon the snow will arrive.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED: Well, Japanese people are very organised; more than any culture on this earth – not even the Germans could rival them.

City very clean. Toilet without Banglas, very spit and span. Food – the LOOK is the best in the world. BUT for taste I’m NOT very sure.

I WROTE A PAPER on the MALAYSIAN AND JAPANESE YOUTH COUNTER CULTURE – this was the paper I presented – I will re-finalised this paper in December and to be published here ion Tokyo. I knew, more or less the Malaysian counter culture BUT not the Japanese. I think i failed to fully comprehend the Japanese YOUTH CULTURE – I had loads of discussion with foreign/American academic/journalist – We shared common impression on Japanese. It might sound clich?© BUT there is some truth in it.

In front of my room is a professor from Santa Babra California – he spoke Japanese – doing a research for a book project – a cool dude – He told me * The Japanese is the only nation that are imprisoned but they did not knew it * STRONG WORD but he has been living donkeys years in Japan plus was a Prof at TOKYO UNI.

FOR me – meeting like minded people from ASIA was great – some of our discussion were deep some not worth mentioning – the discussion at UBU could be more exciting. BUT then c’est la vie.

Last nite I met some Arabs on certain Japan Foundation Programme – one of them a journalist from KUWAIT – was so proud that his WATAN newspaper has 900 staff – BUT when I asked him the circulation he failed to answer me. Then when I told him that Kuwait is getting better i.e woman can vote and drive a car – and HIS immediate RESPONSE – I DONT LIKE THAT. … woman god in two things – to stay at home and to satisfy the husband. WOW ! a Journalist of sort – what a prick how could a wanker like this lived in the same floor as me !!

BERSIH: saw all the news here. Japan Times reported it. WELL done!!

SORRY – no pictures – but don’t worry – once back in KL – i will continue the RAVE on Japan.

BEFORE i end i must tell you that two nites ago i revisit Shinjuku – this time i venture deeper – I went to a four floor sex shop – four floor like a huge supermarket. ALL THE SALARY men was there – but my most amazing photos was SHIT EATING – i have NEVER seen this image – i have visited all the porn joint BUT no shit show – i had a GREAT LAUGH – only the Japanese man got turn on having big breasted lady shitting on his face. NO JOKES – the DVD must be fun to watch.

TODAY i visited my cafe/restaurant – run by mum and son – i had belut salai – then i told them this is my last meal at her place. We took picture – rather sad saying good bye BUT travelling in 2000 have NO ROMANCES – gone are the day of POSTA RESTANTE (now you will be wondering what is this – a place where one collects letter at the GENERAL POST OFFICE – i have been to Karachi / New Delhi / Kabul posta restante – just to check my mail – that was the romance of travelling in the 60s-70s, but now with internet, YM, etc… travelling has lost MOST of the magic. NO MORE POSTCARDS – all emails – pictures came instantly – no postman knocking at the door with a parcel from a distance land! Voila! c’est la vie…

SO – i hope to see you people NEXT WEEK in BAU BAU CAFE – I’m just thinking while having a warm bath in my room that WE SHOULD HAVE A X-MAS PARTY SOON.

Take care n see u SOON

isham