Sarah at the Yakitori bar; Steve san, the man says it was baby chicken eyelids, armpits and the crunchy bits you said tasted nice were it's kneecaps. OK?
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サラは焼鳥屋で言いました
「スティーブさん、お店の人が言ってますよ。これは若鶏のまぶた、ワキ、そして美味しいと言っていたパリパリしたものは、膝頭だったそうです。いいですか？」
Saturday 26 April 2008
Words you don't want to hear as Team Leader - 9 リーダーとして聞きたくないこと その９
Sarah at the Yakitori bar; Steve san, the man says it was baby chicken eyelids, armpits and the crunchy bits you said tasted nice were it's kneecaps. OK?
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サラは焼鳥屋で言いました
「スティーブさん、お店の人が言ってますよ。これは若鶏のまぶた、ワキ、そして美味しいと言っていたパリパリしたものは、膝頭だったそうです。いいですか？」
Friday 25 April 2008
Thursday 24 April 2008
We`re in the news! ニュースに載りました！
The Yomiuri Shinbun founded in 1874 is a high quality daily newspaper which has the largest circulation in the world (over 10M per day) as recorded by the Guinness Book of Records....so why are we in it!
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読売新聞は1874年に創立された質の高い新聞です。
そんな新聞に・・・なんで私たちが載っているの!?
This report comments on our visit to the Osaka offices this week which was followed by a presentation from Shin Sato san the Managing Editor of the paper and a lively question and answer session. There are actually 3 versions of the newspaper based at Tokyo, Osaka and Seibu and this cutting is from the Osaka copy, but neverthess about 2-3 million people now know how old I am!
The Group also own the Yomiuri Giants baseball team in Tokyo.
There is a daily English language version of the newspaper which reports on world news in collaboration with the Guardian and the Times, and other major newspapers around the world.
In addition to world news, local interest has focused on such things as;
* the latest death sentence which was passed for the murder of a mother and baby;
* should the Self Defence Force be increased to counter a massive growth in defence spending by China;
* there is no butter available in Tokyo;
* concerns over the availability and price of oil and food
...so we didn`t grab all the headlines then!
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読売新聞は1874年に創立された質の高い新聞です。
そんな新聞に・・・なんで私たちが載っているの!?
This report comments on our visit to the Osaka offices this week which was followed by a presentation from Shin Sato san the Managing Editor of the paper and a lively question and answer session. There are actually 3 versions of the newspaper based at Tokyo, Osaka and Seibu and this cutting is from the Osaka copy, but neverthess about 2-3 million people now know how old I am!
The Group also own the Yomiuri Giants baseball team in Tokyo.
There is a daily English language version of the newspaper which reports on world news in collaboration with the Guardian and the Times, and other major newspapers around the world.
In addition to world news, local interest has focused on such things as;
* the latest death sentence which was passed for the murder of a mother and baby;
* should the Self Defence Force be increased to counter a massive growth in defence spending by China;
* there is no butter available in Tokyo;
* concerns over the availability and price of oil and food
...so we didn`t grab all the headlines then!
Words you don`t want to hear as Team Leader - 8 リーダーとして聞きたくないこと その８
Cerys; So, Steve san, how was the bathroom for old people then?
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ケリス「それで、スティーブさん。老人用のお風呂はどうだった？」
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ケリス「それで、スティーブさん。老人用のお風呂はどうだった？」
Wednesday 23 April 2008
Clwb Hiraeth クラブ・ヒヤイス
There were over 70 Japanese companies based in Wales in the 1990’s and the former CEO’s of these companies have formed the “Clwb Hiraeth” in Japan. Most are based in and around the Tokyo area and they meet socially a few times during the year for a golf competition or at Christmas.
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1990年代、ウエールズには70を越える日本企業がありました。
そしてそれらの会社の前CEOが、日本に"Clwb Hiraeth（クラブ・ヒヤイス）"を創設しました。東京をベースに、ゴルフ大会やクリスマスのために年に数回集まっています。
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1990年代、ウエールズには70を越える日本企業がありました。
そしてそれらの会社の前CEOが、日本に"Clwb Hiraeth（クラブ・ヒヤイス）"を創設しました。東京をベースに、ゴルフ大会やクリスマスのために年に数回集まっています。
Tigers 阪神タイガーズ
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The baseball season has kicked off and in these parts the locals support the Hanshin Tigers who are top of the Central League and tonight beat the Nagoya Dragons to stretch the lead at the top.
The big game out here is Hanshin Tigers (Osaka/Kobe) v Yomiura Giants (Tokyo) which takes place over this weekend and which is the Real Madrid v Barcelona of baseball. Seibu Lions top the Pacific League.
I might take Felicity to watch a game but then again I might not. I took her to watch Wales v Brazil once at the Millennium Stadium and she took a magazine to read.
Words you don`t want to hear as team leader - 7
Sarah: Steve san, you know we have trouble with placing the accent on the right syllables in Japanese.....weeell..... I just told the District Conference that I was a mental patient at a hairdressing salon.
District Conference - Sunday
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This was our moment. Five minutes on stage in front of potentially more than 1,000 Rotarians. In Japan Rotary is much more exclusive and these would be very high ranking people.
We listened to Bhichau Rattakul’s 40 minute keynote speech and then as he was nearing the end we were taken to the side of the stage. In some ways this was like getting on a ride at Universal Studios Japan as we were moved ever closer to the moment of take off. We were really playing this by ear but last minute worked out that we should bow to the Japanese flag as we went on stage.
We had decided to address the audience only in Japanese as a mark of respect to our hosts. I think it was OK from what people have since said but they are very polite people anyway. Then we handed over our gift of a presentation box of Penderyn Whisky to the DG, and not a moment too soon as I was about to drink the stuff myself to calm the nerves.
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Afterwards we were invited to a private audience with Bhichau which was so important as his impressions of us would be taken into account when he submits his report on Japan to Rotary International and in the context of this worldwide programme. I really have a team to be proud of and they were less fazed by this than me and consequently everybody enjoyed this meeting.
Finally we presented at a 2 hour discussion group for Japanese alumni of the GSE and Ambassadorial Scholarship Programmes which is my scene and for me was a perfect way to close a memorable 24 hours.
Finally we presented at a 2 hour discussion group for Japanese alumni of the GSE and Ambassadorial Scholarship Programmes which is my scene and for me was a perfect way to close a memorable 24 hours.
District Conference - Saturday Night
The Saturday night District Governor’s dinner for 350 people was unbelievable. We were greeted by so many people in the lobby – friends from the first two weeks and new friends we have since met. The Presidents of the Rotary Clubs and their ladies all wore blue sashes and we were given a place of honour on the table of RI Director Frank Nakagawa and the District Governor of Tokyo.
There must have been a dozen courses but you tend to lose track because the Japanese move around at lot during the meal and we were meeting so many people all the time and having photographs taken. We had 5 drinks on the go as well – beer, red wine, white wine, peach champagne, and sake all at the same time.
There must have been a dozen courses but you tend to lose track because the Japanese move around at lot during the meal and we were meeting so many people all the time and having photographs taken. We had 5 drinks on the go as well – beer, red wine, white wine, peach champagne, and sake all at the same time.
The entertainment was principally Sarah and Cerys with a Taiko band backing them and the Nou Theatre (which I confess I don’t really get). Past RI President Bhichau Rattakul welcomed us in his speech and asked to pass on his regards to our boys back home in Wales.
We tried to leave quietly when everyone seemed to have gone but they were all waiting for us outside the door and we were applauded all the way down the corridor.
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We tried to leave quietly when everyone seemed to have gone but they were all waiting for us outside the door and we were applauded all the way down the corridor.
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Yuasa Castle
Cerys and I spent the night at Yuasa Castle hotel. Despite appearances this is a modern hotel with onsen – and also a “bathroom for old people”. I have a quick peep in there when Cerys isn’t looking to see what the facilities are like.
Later we have a meal at a local Italian restaurant. I have the ravioli sukiyaki and Cerys has the sashimi bolognese (!).
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Later still we went to see a lantern festival in the city centre.
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Later we have a meal at a local Italian restaurant. I have the ravioli sukiyaki and Cerys has the sashimi bolognese (!).
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Later still we went to see a lantern festival in the city centre.
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