45 replies to this topic

[Icephoenix]

Well a walking, talking (and typing) corpse is better the none I suppose I stand corrected, a president of a multi-million pharmaceuticals company and a captain of a British flagship. Your a man of many talent's Mr. James Peter Danger McMahon!
I've always wanted to visit Japan, and plan to go there in my gap year after high school. The culture is amazing. It must have been a rather odd feeling reading the book after Raymond was finished, or so I would imagine. I'd keep remebering the trip as though Bond was there with me!

[DLibrasnow]

I read your article on the hmss site sometime ago and really enjoyed it...Once again it's great to have you here at CBN -- welcome!

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

"Tengu" is Japanese for a sort of"Goblin".  

Yet funnily enough, if you were to translate the two characters of "tengu" literally, you'd get "heavenly dog".

[Akai Tengu]

Originally posted by Loomis


Yet funnily enough, if you were to translate the two characters of "tengu" literally, you'd get "heavenly dog".

Yes! That's very impressive. How'd you know that???

And the nearest Chinese version translates as "Celestial canine".

Man! We've wandered far afield of 007, haven't we!

James

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

Yes!  That's very impressive.  How'd you know that???

I used to live in Japan and I speak some Japanese.

Not sure that the same two-character compound in Chinese has the same connotations of "goblin", "demon" or similar. I think it just means "heavenly dog". Anyhow, mainland Chinese author Jia Pingwa wrote a story called "Tiangou" that's translated as "The Heavenly Hound", so I'm presuming that the Japanese (as was often the case) made their own extrapolations from the original Chinese.

[DLibrasnow]

My fiancee's brother lives in Japan and I have always been fascinated with the culture and country...How long were you in Japan Loomis??

[Loomis]

Originally posted by DLibrasnow

How long were you in Japan Loomis??  

About three years, on and off. I'm hoping to go back soon. You should definitely go if you get the chance.

[DLibrasnow]

I am sure that I will...Tara's brother married a Japanese girl so we will probably go out there for visit at some point.

[Akai Tengu]

Originally posted by Loomis


About three years, on and off. I'm hoping to go back soon.  

Oh man! Do I ever envy YOU! :eek:

What part(s) of Japan have you lived in? I've traveled around a fair bit, but I've never actually "lived" there! That's fantastic. Sore wa sugoi.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

What part(s) of Japan have you lived in?  

Lived in: Sendai and Hiroshima. Also spent quite a bit of time in Tokyo, Okayama, Aomori and a few other places. The fact that I'd been to a few of its locations was one reason I really enjoyed "The Man With the Red Tattoo" (but not the only reason; see my review: http://forums.comman...&threadid=10149).

What initially sparked my interest in Japan? A TV showing of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE when I must have been about nine or 10! I'm not kidding! Thanks, Eon!

Whereabouts in Japan have you spent most time/do you like best, Akai?

[Akai Tengu]

Originally posted by Loomis


Lived in: Sendai and Hiroshima.  
Wow, you really get around.  Those two aren't exactly in the same neighborhood; not even the same prefectrue!

I found it emotionally wrenching to visit the bomb museum at Nagasaki, so I've sorta avoided Hiroshima.  But I'd love to visit Miyajima just off the coast.  They've got some odd customs there though, about birth and death.

I haven't been to Sendai yet, but I'd like to go.  I've heard the coastal bays near there are especically beautiful.  I'd like to rent a motor launch there.

Also spent quite a bit of time in Tokyo, Okayama, Aomori and a few other places.

Wow, diverse areas!  I've been to Tokyo . . . of course.  And Aomori just for a day, stopping on my way to Sapporo.  I'd love to go back, though.  As for Okayama, I've had 30 minutes there to change trains, but that's all.  I had no chance to visit the gardens which are among the top three in all Japan!

What initially sparked my interest in Japan? A TV showing of YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE when I must have been about nine or 10! I'm not kidding!  

Amazing.  My reason's not far different.  I was about the same age as you when I was living in Hong Kong.  I read Flemings YOLT.  Years later, in 1979 I saw a book simply called, "The Ninja".  Hey, I thought Fleming made all that stuff up!  I bought the book and read it and learned a lot about Japan.  That's what really started me off.

Whereabouts in Japan have you spent most time/do you like best, Akai?

undefinedMe? I love the ****amachi (old fashioned) neighborhoods; the quiet, non-touristy places. North of Himeji, where they filmed parts of YOLT, and 2/3 of the way to the north coast, up in the mountains is a town called Wadayama. My friend's family has a 100+ year old farmhouse they live in there with farmland and mountains all around. I spent a fantastic week there. Although Tokyo is always fantastic, I really enjoy quiet, backstreet Izakaya (drinking establishments with snacks) where you meet the real Japanese. I stay in old, Japanese style "Ryokan" Inns and eat where the locals eat. Traveling with Raymond in Japan was all new to me, because it was fancy "First Class" all the way. Only our stop in rural Uno to catch a ferry felt like the way I usually travel in Japan.

I guess if I had to choose, I'd pick Hakone. Beautiful, classic, and close to Tokyo.

Not surprisingly, the place I've spent the MOST time is . . . Tokyo. I love it all.

James

[Loomis]

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

I found it emotionally wrenching to visit the bomb museum at Nagasaki, so I've sorta avoided Hiroshima. But I'd love to visit Miyajima just off the coast. They've got some odd customs there though, about birth and death.

Yes, Hiroshima's pretty sobering. I've never been to Nagasaki, and Miyajima was always on my to-visit list, but somehow I never found the time.

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

I haven't been to Sendai yet, but I'd like to go. I've heard the coastal bays near there are especically beautiful.  

I'd definitely recommend Matsushima Bay. I've been there twice and on both occasions it struck me as (a) one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited (along with Nara), and ( surprisingly unspoiled by tourism.

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

My reason's not far different. I was about the same age as you when I was living in Hong Kong. I read Flemings YOLT. Years later, in 1979 I saw a book simply called, "The Ninja". Hey, I thought Fleming made all that stuff up! I bought the book and read it and learned a lot about Japan. That's what really started me off.

Eric Van Lustbader's "The Ninja" - that's another favourite of mine. I've always wondered why it and the other Nicholas Linnear books have never been filmed. There's a great action movie franchise to be had there. (I read that JAWS producers Richard Zanuck and David Brown were planning to do it at one point, but the project fell through.)

Away from fiction, and much later in life, the book that really inspired me to get serious about learning Japanese was Alex Kerr's "Lost Japan", published by Lonely Planet. It's a book I'd recommend to anyone with the slightest interest in Japan - just overflowing with tremendous insight, humanity and enthusiasm as well as a treasure trove of information on Japan. Kerr's subsequent "Dogs & Demons" is also a terrific book, but it's rather like the dark flipside of "Lost Japan", being a sobering and sad account of the ways in which Japan seems to have come off the rails.

Originally posted by Akai Tengu

I really enjoy quiet, backstreet Izakaya (drinking establishments with snacks) where you meet the real Japanese.

Me too. Izakaya food and beer, combined with the companionship of locals. What could be a better combination?

[BondNumber7]

Originally posted by Akai Tengu
I wanted to seem like a friend and "safe" when I met with Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama, and not the rabid fan-boy I really am.  So I played it cool.

Are Akiko and Mie aware that they do have a few "rabid fan-boys" in the west? Anyway, that is how I would act around a celebrity except once when facing Thurston Moore, the lead singer of Sonic Youth, I went mute and could not speak. I'm glad you were able to create a comfortable atmosphere with Mie and Akiko.

[DLibrasnow]

Originally posted by BondNumber7


Are Akiko and Mie aware that they do have a few "rabid fan-boys" in the west?

I think I would count myself as one of those!!

[Akai Tengu]

Originally posted by BondNumber7


Are Akiko and Mie aware that they do have a few "rabid fan-boys" in the west?

I know Akiko is now.  

After my story went up at HMSS.com I got e-mails from a bunch of guys each saying they'd loved Aki in YOLT and would love to write to her, but didn't know where to address their letters.  Akiko told me later she was very surprised and happy to find out she was still remembered so fondly in the West.  She's a sweetheart.

I'm glad you were able to create a comfortable atmosphere with Mie and Akiko.  

I was more nervous around Mie Hama's daughter, but that had less to do with celebrity and more to do with biology.  I sure hope I get to see her again next Spring!  She did make me promise to come see her again, but I think that was just her being polite.

James

[

[DLibrasnow]

A lucky, lucky man!!