Let's Go Island!

It’s a beautiful, sunny day in Okayama and I’m sat in my bedroom/living room/laundry room listening to the weekly Kermode and Mayo film review podcast.Since I arrived in Japan, podcasts have become an increasingly central part of my weekly routine. I like the brief reminders of daily life in England and the semblance of normality they bring to what’s otherwise a pretty irregular weekly schedule.In particular, the Kermode and Mayo podcast people often fail to remove the traffic updates from their show, which means I get a reassuring reminder of tailbacks on the M4/north circular etc.

The mustard lawns

Yesterday I visited Korakuen garden to get a tour from an English speaking guide. It’s been a while since I last visited and the lawns have turned a musty yellow, the flowers are more or less hibernating and the cranes appeared cold and cranky. I found out that a large part of the garden was once used for horse racing and that they set fire to most of the lawn each February in order to re-grow it fresh and green for the spring. I love the element of choice that Japanese gardens provide, by giving you a number of different routes that you can take, each providing a different experience. You sometimes feel like you’re being manipulated by the designer, but in a way that you’re happy to surrender yourself to. I also found out that part of the garden was bombed during World War 2, which was the first time I’ve heard of damage to Okayama from that period. It used to be much larger, extending right up to where the Symphony Hall now is, in effect taking up most of the Eastern part of the city.

The "Crow Castle" overlooks the park.

I love this little water wheel, just near the entrance.

Saturday evening was spent in arcades and izakayas, consuming large quantities of ramen, edamame and tempura. I’m starting to get really obsessed with a particular arcade game called “Let’s Go Island!” where you play an irritating Western couple on holiday. They are cruising along having fun and then get attacked by pirates and mutant fish. This particular version has a “3D” element which basically means it spurts jets of cold air in your face at regular intervals whilst sharks appear to be jumping out of the screen straight at you. Your characters have machine guns but there’s a good bit where they decide to forsake the guns and take on a 40ft mutant octopus by hitting golfballs at it. This technique proves to be surprisingly effective.

I slipped up on the nicotine front. I have no willpower whatsoever.