#if they say it’s skytree then it’s skytree period

[sunkisseddaffodils]

Expecting: tenrose au

Pairing: tenth doctor x rose tyler

Summary: Rose has some big news for the Doctor.

Warnings: swearing

Note// if you wanna request a doctor who fic, click on profile 💞✨

-

The TARDIS materialised in a secluded back alley in 1990s, Tokyo. The Doctor and Rose stepped out of the police box and glanced around. Rose looked to the Doctor in excitement, entwining arms as they wandered to the main street.

‘So, where are we, Doctor?’

The Doctor sniffed the surrounding air.

‘Oh, smell that! Must be 1990s Tokyo.’

Rose’s mouth dropped open

‘You can tell where we are just from smelling?’

The Doctor grinned cheekily, winking.

‘Of course, I can,’

‘You’re bullshitting me’, Rose giggled, knocking him playfully.

The pair of them walked arm in arm as they explored the beautiful neighbourhoods of Tokyo. Rose had travelled with the Doctor for a long while now, but nevertheless she couldn’t get over the thrill of being able to go anywhere in time and space. The Doctor and Rose saw Shibuya Crossing, they visited Tokyo Skytree, and they paid respects at a shrine. Rose often preferred these tranquil days where there were no dangerous aliens and they didn’t have to save everybody. It was just him and her. Through all of this, Rose was becoming increasingly nauseous, but she tried to ignore that fact. She didn’t want anything to ruin this day. They were strolling in a pretty, peaceful park when she could no longer ignore her nauseousness when there was an abrupt pain in her lower abdomen. She halted in her tracks, holding her stomach.  For the past few weeks, The timelord noticed, racing back to her, placing his arms round her.

‘Rose, what’s wrong?’

‘I don’t know. It’s probably just my time of the month, ’

The doctor responded to this in confusion.

‘Your what?’

Rose gave up trying to explain.

‘Nevermind, doc, let’s just get back to the TARDIS, I need a lie down’.

The Doctor nodded sympathetically, and they returned to the busy streets of central Tokyo. As they were walking down a crowded street, Rose noticed what she thought must be a chemist. She rushed in, leaving the Doctor to stride down the street. She knew he wouldn’t notice when he was engrossed in what he was talking about. Rose had a hunch, and she needed to know if she was right. Half an hour later and Rose returned to the TARDIS. The Doctor sprinted over to her, concerned.

‘Rose, where were did you disappear to? Are you alright?’

Rose stood there in silence, simply handing him a white stick.

The Doctor was utterly perplexed as he examined it.

Before he could say anything, Rose explained.

‘You see, I disappeared because I went to a pharmacy to get this test. I noticed for the past few weeks, I was feeling sick, I was getting cramps. And my period was late.’

‘Doctor, this is a pregnancy test’

For the first time ever, the Doctor was speechless. He leant against the TARDIS console. Rose had no idea of what he was going to react like.

‘I’m pregnant, Doctor’.

The Doctor pulled his companion into a massive embrace, whispering:

‘This is fantastic’.

#doctor who #the doctor #bbc #david tennant #rose tyler #tenth doctor #10th doctor #doctor who fanfic #the doctor x rose tyler #tenrose #billie piper #doctor x rose

[fonmythenmetz]

My atsuhina/msby-stan take for what happened after msby vs adlers match.

Hinata wanted to join Asas for the world championship, right.

Atsumu figured that Hinata’s ‘hunger’ was pushing him forward, to go further, to climb higher; he was frustrated and angry - same goes for Sakusa and Bokuto and the others, just maybe not as intense as in Atsumu’s case - (and he couldn’t really explain why, maybe because Hinata didn’t see them as good enough players? They all worked their hardest), so before Hinata’s departure he made another promise - something along “if you’re struggling to fight with the best and play with the best, then I’ll make this place the top of the world and you’ll come back”. That’s why his phrase in Olympic roster (2020) is “i will become number 1”. By the way, when the Japanese volleyball season started, jackals were absolute beasts (maybe they shared Atsumu’s feelings). In the olympic team interview (2021) Kageyama - who doesn’t even play in Japan anymore, he’s an international player now - says: “Results-wise, I’m still behind Atsumu-san”. Since there’re only 2 setters in the national team, there’s no one better then these two. So by 2021 Atsumu is #1 Japan setter.

Hinata is ready to go to Brazil for the second half of the season (2019/2020) with the best recommendations from Volleyball Association, but then pandemic happens.

I assume that japanese olympic team in haikyuu is formed according to generations (there was no one younger/older then them, only Hinata’s ‘generation’: previous third, second and first years), so the next olympic roster will consist of another generation; after 2021, coach Hibaridai and his colleagues saw no profit in investing in Hinata.

However, coach Foster and coach Banjou did not approve this, so they concluded a truce (for a short period of time! They’re rivals after all.

Spoiler: they grew fond of each other and want to be friends, but they’re both awkward, and coach Foster talks in his own language (a mix of English & kansai-ben & pantomime) which only msby can fully understand). Together they find a friend of a friend of the Asas’ head coach. Somehow with the help of google translate and Hinata they arrange a partnership programme between Black Jackals and Asas. Kuroo gets enthusiastic about it, so when the quarantine is over, msby flies for their first practice match with Asas São Paulo. It’s august 2020.

When they arrive, it’s late night; Atsumu locks himself in a hotel room, conflicted about how he feels - he can’t decide if he’s angry at Hinata for underestimating him and not acknowledging his life-long struggle, or happy that they will play the practice match together - well. He likes playing with Hinata. What’s wrong with that? It’s not like he missed him or anything. It’s about volleyball, alright?

Hinata has high school flashbacks; he remembers what Takeda-sensei said - “it is all about volleyball”, and he wonders where volleyball even ends. In Karasuno his closest friends were also his teammates, and all their activities were focused on volleyball. Karasuno - and rivalry with Kageyama - taught him to never look back, always look up and never slow down - because he had nothing but his jump and speed, and if he ever allowed a pause, he’d be defeated and left behind completely alone. Msby is the polar opposite of Karasuno. Sure, they stick to their diets; but on cheat days they are the main cheaters in the world and eat whatever gods send them. They are unorganized and every day with them is a blockbuster. They get into fights with neighbors’ dogs, they steal chopsticks from Osamu’s to build a miniature Skytree. They’re lazy and laid-back, they don’t do plans - it’s a principle. They have other jobs. But they’re passionate about volleyball, and when the moment comes, they always give their best shot. Hinata wonders if this, what he feels towards them, is solely about volleyball and great teamwork. Wait a minute. Maybe Karasuno was also not only for volleyball?..

Anyway, the more he thinks about this team, the more attached he feels, and it is suffocating.

He has to be free, he cannot allow to be restricted, or he’ll be left behind and forgotten. He knows that. Everybody said that - “you’re only good because of Kageyama”, “if not for your jump, you would never even sniff the ball”.

He doesn’t have to read the language of Atsumu-san’s tosses: this one is fast and close to the net - “smash them!”, a high one, drawing a beautiful arc - “play as you want”, tentative, with the warmth of his fingertips still on the leather - “let’s take it slow, their blockers are good...”, and that laser accurate, flash-fast, faster then ever - “go wild!” Everybody on the team can understand it - their ability to unite and read each other’s mind is almost paranormal, or animalistic, like they’re a pack of wolves communicating through scents and touches and small noises and grunts, on and off the court. Hinata wants them to win together, then go home and watch an episode of the Office, or do yoga, or play twister, or maybe even yoga twister (Omi-senpai always wins), then tuck his head under Inunaki-san’s elbow and beg him to caress his hair, almost feeling a pair of tall jackal’s ears atop of his own head, quivering from pleasure and support and acknowledgement, expressed in their unique inner fashion.

However, if he stays with msby, he won’t move forward. He’ll be overpowered and defeated, he’ll lose recommendations and his chance to play as many matches as he wants. Just like Karasuno, msby is a step in his development. When there’s a chance, he must go further.

So Hinata sits in the hotel lobby and thinks his strange thoughts, and there’s a delivery guy with a huge green bag waiting for someone. He’s in his early twenties and is stupidly tall, and judging by the sounds coming from his little tablet, he is watching a volleyball match. Hinata peeks at the screen and freezes: it’s a close-up of Omi-senpai. It’s a game that he doesn’t remember; well, after signing a contract with Asas he didn’t watch many of the Jackals’ games, focused more on South American League.

“Musubi Black Jackals”, - the guy explains, Japanese syllables clumsy on his tongue, noticing his awkward and almost starved glances. - “Antes do covid.”

Apparently, it’s Jackals’ last match before the quarantine. Hinata sits and silently watches. He is amazed to the core and maybe scared of them.

It’s almost five in the morning when Meian crawls out of his hotel room. There’s Oliver sprawled on the floor, futon miserably stuffed under his left knee, like a cloud that fails to cover Telamon’s body. He probably likes futons way too much for someone who can’t ask in Japanese where is the closest toilet. Meian sneaks into the street and looks for a vending machine. He remembers seeing one in the evening.

There it is. There’s also a man crouching before it, taking out his purchase. Meian politely stops several feet away and waits for his turn. The man does not move away. He looks like he’s fishing for something inside the vending machine. He’s rather tall and has an awful hairstyle.

The man looks at him, visibly irritated, and moves his hand. That is when Meian realises.

- Yer stuck? - he asks, then remembers that he is in damned Brazil where folk speaks damned Portuguese. The guy gives him a deadpan look. Meian looks up - there’s a beautiful can of cucumber flavored soda staring right at him, and he isn’t a quitter. Maybe Hirugami could quit here, but he’s a captain of Jackals and he gets his soda when he wants it. Fifteen minutes later he’s sweating like after a good game, having been waiving his hands and giving directions like a pro adjuster at Shibuya Crossing. The guy is free now. He pulls out a can of guarana drink and even smirks at him in a gesture of prickly gratitude, though it cannot fully hide the humiliation of being caught with your hand stuck in a vendine machine at five in the morning. Meian throws in money, watches his cucumber soda gracefully plop down, stuffs his arm in the drawer and tries to pull out. He’s stuck. The guy watches him from the side, leaning on the wall with his left shoulder, and Meian tries to act like he knows what he’s doing. Why hasn’t this bonehead left anyway?

After another fifteen minutes they’re both tired and both free. Meian clenches the can in his fist, refusing to look at the guy, but they simultaneously nod in a sense of solidarity before parting ways.

Later this day he wonders what kind of wicked fortune is that, standing in the centre of Asas’ main court and looking straight in the bonehead’s eyes. He’s introduced as the Asas’ captain.

Inunaki suspiciously glances at him.

- Have you two met before? - He asks with a hint of politeness, but there’s that ‘lie to me now and I’ll tell your pups that you drink cucumber soda at five in the morning” subtext. Kotarou, Omi-chan and Shouyo stand right here, so the threat is very much real.

- No, - he lies anyway, and everybody on the court knows he’s lying, including Inunaki, Kotarou, Omi-chan and Shouyo, and maybe even the Asas’ captain with his stupid blondie hairstyle.

- He drank cucumber soda at five in the morning, - Thomas says. Omi-Chan and Shouyo both snort, but Kotarou, the marvelous oldest pup, launches at him and whines: “Where did you get one??”

Asas’ players watch them from the sidelines. They’re already amazed and irritated, and Meian can’t wait for it.

Of course it doesn’t work as a one-time thing. Of course Shouyo is accepted. One day Meian walks in on Inunaki, Thomas and the Asas’ middle blockers singing Funky Town in their hotel room (outsiders are not allowed in hotel rooms. How did two guys over 6’5” even get here unnoticed?). When it’s time to leave, Asas’ captain - his name is Paulo, talk about coincidences - insults him in Portuguese for five minutes straight and tells him to get lost already.

- Let go of my sleeve then, - Meian says. Sometimes he thinks they have the same telepathy that Shouyo and Omi-chan share, because after two weeks of hunting for crabs and practicing volleyball and playing on the beach he can tell if Paulo talks shit about him. Apparently, it goes both ways.

- Release my jacket first, - Paulo says (Meian supposes he says it - he’s still not good at Portuguese, except maybe for curses). - Cucumber soda tastes like shit, - Paulo adds in a very very bad Japanese. Meian is nearly flustered, because the bonehead must have asked Jackals how to say that and then has been practicing. He grabs him in a headlock.

- Listen here, - he makes a serious face, - if Shouyo gets as much as a scratch, or complains about ya being an asshole, I personally come here to kick yer in the head. Understood?

There’s no point in worrying about Shouyo, though. He’s already made friends with everybody in Asas, especially with that tall libero boy who works in delivery. He stands there in the airport lobby with his new teammates, visibly forcing the corners of his mouth upwards. He’s clinging to Omi-chan’s sleeve like his life depends on it. Atsumu looks anywhere but at him.

- Atsumu-san, - Shouyo suddenly says, - I’m watching you. I won’t skip a single match, I promise.

Atsumu flinches and freezes in place.

- O-okay, - he declares, frowning.

- Watch us, - Bokuto corrects him, hugging his number one disciple one last time before the airport stuff snaps and shouts all of their names through speakers. That’s a brilliant departure show.

When Jackals win the championship, no one is surprised. Paulo has the decency to make an “omg, really?” face only because Meian can’t hit him through videochat. Asas are also terrifically strong. It’s late spring, Brasil Superliga is not over yet, so they fly to Rio, occupying Asas’ gym and playing on the beach and going to watch games for free. (When coach Foster and coach Preto finally met, they knocked over a trolley with suitcases running to hug each other like a pair of middle schoolers.) (So did Shouyo and the msby.)

Apparently Shouyo feels better now; he’s almost run out of sunscreen and worked on whatever complicated issues he had, so he’s ready to come back. Atsumu looks like he’s already won Olympics. So do Bokuto and Sakusa and the others, and maybe they missed him a little, or maybe they missed him very very fucking much.

One day (it’s a good day, it’s sunny and hot and there’s a wonderful fat thundercloud crawling at Copacabana from the seaside) a group of tall Spanish tourists occupy the beach courts. They argue and bicker and throw sand at each other. One of them accidentally catches a ball to the head (what the heck was he doing on this court anyway? Bokkun and Atsumu were in the middle of the game against Heitor and Carlos). Now they’re all arguing. They have no idea what the Spanish guys are saying because they don’t know Spanish, and still they somehow agree on a match. Atsumu hits five service aces, which is very sexy of him, and it seems that the Spanish setter (who hits four service aces) is not immune to a good server’s charm. After the match (Bokuatsu get 21 against 13, the Spanish wing spiker moved like a fish in the sand) he approaches the net, adjusting his flashy sunglasses, and tries to introduce himself in not-very-fluent Portuguese. His name is Oikawa and he is from Japan. Where are you guys from? - he asks. - Are you professionals or something?

This is how the whole Argentinian team Club Atletico (2020/2021 Argentinian championship silver medal - the year before covid they got first place) ends up in the Asas’ gym. Coach Blanco and coach Preto are old rivals, and they challenge each other to an arm wrestling competition, but then somebody jokes about holding hands (it was coach Foster) and they suggest volleyball instead. They schedule a practice match. It’d be impolite to leave msby outside of the party, so there’ll be three practice matches between Black Jackals (with Shouyo this time. Finally), Asas São Paulo and Club Atletico. All of them are high-ranked teams. It’d be so cool if they could get involved with each other more often, - someone says (it’s coach Foster). Nobody seems opposed to the idea, especially Shouyo, Sakusa, Bokuto, Atsumu, Oikawa and Oliver Barnes, who are already playing air hockey in the Argentinians’ hotel. How did they even get there? Anyways, Oliver wins and gets a huge hazelnut ice cream for his cheat day. In the evening, after defeating Heitor and Carlos (again) and losing to Santos and Fernandez (again), they shower in the beach stalls. The stalls don’t really have anything resembling doors, so one has to hold a big towel or something, guarding the way, while the other gets to shower. Shouyo asks Inunaki-san to hold a towel for him. “Sure”, - Inunaki-san says, and then catches Atsumu: “Sugar, could you please hold this? I want to help Adriah and Paulo with dinner”. Atsumu does not refuse - he’s not that busy and he has no idea who is inside the stall. After Inunaki-san leaves, he takes a glance over the towel.

Ten minutes later Oikawa approaches him with a huge alien-themed towel in hands.

- Are you okay? - He asks with uncharacteristic concern, because Atsumu looks like he has been simmered on the surface of this ugly beach shower stall, and - are those tears? So Oikawa calls out to whoever is showering there, assuming that Atsumu is just tired and maybe has got sunburn all over his body.

#black jackals #haikyuu!! #hinata shouyou #miya atsumu #atsuhina #msby black jackal #msby black jackals #sakusa kiyoomi #haikyuu spoilers #haikyuu 402 #bokuto kotaro #meian shūgo #inunaki shion #thomas adriah #tomas adriah #oliver barnes #samson foster #oikawa tooru

[tokidokitokyo]

day 29/30 japanese challenge

day 29: write about something that makes you happy!

Tokyo Skytree from Ikebukuro’s Sunshine 60 Observation Deck

この作文の題が一番難しいかもしれませんね。 何に幸せを感じるって何でしょうかね。よく考えると日本に行ったり、日本について話したり、日本語を勉強したりすると幸せになります。日本によく行って、友達と遊んだり、観光したり、家族に会ったりします。日本にいる間に良い思い出をたくさん作ります。日本にいない間その良い思い出を思い出したいです。その良い思い出を思い出すために写真をいっぱい撮るのが大好きです。

そして、写真撮影の話をほんの少ししようと思います。今は結構古いNIKONのデジカメを使っていますが、そろそろ新しいカメラを買いたいと思います。でも良いデジカメはとても高いですね。貯金しないといけません。全然プロのレベルの写真じゃないけど、写真を撮るのが好きだからよくします。自分が撮った様々な写真をどうぞご覧ください！

This writing topic is probably the most difficult one, isn’t it? When you say what makes you happy, what is it that makes you happy indeed. If I think hard about it, things like going to Japan, talking about Japan, and studying Japanese make me happy. I go to Japan often, and there I do things like hang out with my friends, go sightseeing, and see my family (in-laws). When I am in Japan I make a lot of really god memories. When I’m not in Japan I want to remember those really good memories. In order to remember those really good memories I like to take a lot of pictures.

Thus, I think I’ll say a little something about photography. Right now I am using a pretty old Nikon digital camera, but soon I would like to buy a new camera. But you know good digital cameras are pretty expensive. I’ll have to save up. My photos are nowhere near a pro level but since I enjoy it I take photos often. Please have a look at a few of the photographs I’ve taken!

Downtown Ginza 5-cho-me, Tokyo

Vocabulary・語彙

作文の題　さくぶんのだい　writing topic

難しい　むずかしい　difficult

～かもしれません　～, I think

何に幸せを感じる　なににしあわせをかんじる　what makes you happy

よく考えると　よくかんがえると　if you think hard (well)

遊ぶ　あそぶ　to play, to hang out

観光　かんこう　sightseeing

家族　かぞく　family

間　あいだ　period (of time)

思い出　おもいで　memory

たくさん　many

作る　つくる　to make

思い出す　おもいだす　to remember

ために　for the purpose of

写真　しゃしん　picture, photograph

いっぱい　a lot

撮る　とる　to take (photographs)

そして　thus

写真撮影　しゃしんさつえい　photography

結構　けっこう　reasonably

古い　ふるい　old (as in objects, not people)

デジカメ　digital camera (from デジタルカメラ)

使う　つかう　to use

そろそろ　soon, before long

新しい　あたらしい　new

カメラ　camera

買う　かう　to buy

高い　たかい　expensive (also high)

貯金　ちょきん　savings

自分　じぶん　one’s self (myself)

様々　さまざま　a few、various

どうぞご覧ください　どうぞごらんください　please go ahead and look (at/around)

Hie Shrine, Tokyo

#日本語 #japanese #japanese language #30 day japanese challenge #fiftyhoursclub #語彙 #単語 #japanese vocabulary #tokidokitokyo #tdtstudy #tdtphoto

[rayandpenny]

Tokyo - Day 1

first stop the belly of the Japanese beast, Tokyo. After a flight from Macau to Narita, a train ride into the city and our first taste of the subway system we made it to our hotel in Akihabara and set off on a guided walking tour

Akihabara is known as “Electric Town” and it’s the place to go for the latest gadgets, anime and maid cafes... box ticked

Japan has 3 widely practiced religions - Confucianism, Shinto, and Buddhism - but they exist very easily alongside each other, their beliefs blend together and it’s sometimes hard to tell whether you’re at a temple or a shrine. There’s a Japanese saying that you’re “born a Shintoist, live as a Confucian, and die as a Buddhist”. This is the Yushima Seido Confucian temple - easy to tell you’re at a Confucian temple because of the statue of the man himself

these statues are at the Kanda Myojin Shinto shrine... the orange colour is very typical of Shinto, along with the Torii gates (lots more of those later)

our walk took us through the Ameyoko market

and ended at the statue of the Last Samurai in Ueno Park. The Last Samurai was Saigo Takamori, one of the leaders of the Meiji Restoration that ended the Edo period of isolation and restored imperial rule (1868 for the history buffs). He later distanced himself from the government over their refusal to declare war on Korea and established a miltary academy in Kogoshima that became a power base for other disaffected Samurai. The Meiji government then attacked the Samurai, defeating them at the Battle of Shiroyama in 1877. Legend has it that Saigo committed seppuku (ritual suicide) after being wounded on the battlefield. So not Tom Cruise after all...

after a (surprisingly reasonably priced) lunch we went to the Buddhist temple at Senso ji

but you’ve got to wonder who designed this on the roof of the nearby Asahi brewery... it’s billed as the “Golden Flame” but is known locally as the “Golden Poo”. Tokyo Skytree in the background

[azumaryuuji]

a collection of asakisu hcs, past edition:

asahi’s first impression of kisumi in three words: annoying, loud but talented.

kisumi’s first impression of asahi in three words: easily flustered, handsome and passionate.

kisumi is the more romantic of the two, but asahi got a crush on kisumi first. 

(kisumi stole a bite of asahi’s ice cream, and got some of it on the corner of his mouth. asahi pointed it out to him but kisumi couldn’t get to it. asahi reached out to help out and his first thought was “wow kisumi’s skin is so soft” and “his eyes are so beautiful” and then “...oh shit.”)

they were both very popular amongst girls and constantly got confession letters in their lockers. they always turned the girls down.

(one of the girls that confessed to kisumi was overzealous and very bold and forced a kiss on him despite being refused. that was kisumi’s first kiss.)

the first time kisumi felt something other than friendly feelings towards asahi was when they were both playing basketball on opposing teams.

(asahi was guarding kisumi and they both accidentally tripped, asahi landing on top of kisumi. kisumi came out of that with his heart beating too quickly and his new favourite colour being red.)

their club activities ended around the same time, and since haru and makoto walked home together, and they lived within the same area, asahi and kisumi ended up walking back together a lot.

(one of their favourite memories was when they both didn’t bring their umbrellas and it was raining heavily. kisumi wanted to wait it out but asahi pulled him along and they ran home in the rain. they held hands and felt electrified but thought it was just from the lightning.)

despite having his wet hair flat and matted to his head, asahi still thought that kisumi shone brighter than any light. asahi was tempted to sweep kisumi’s hair to the side but managed to resist.)

kisumi thought asahi was so handsome, especially with some raindrops clinging to his eyelashes. kisumi’s eyes followed the way the raindrops kept rolling down asahi’s face, he barely managed to resist reaching out and following them with his fingers.)

these two idiots ended up falling very ill. they both blamed each other. but wouldn’t trade that moment for anything.)

the first time they had a serious fight was when kisumi found out that asahi was moving away. kisumi found out via makoto and was livid that asahi didn’t tell him earlier. they didn’t talk to each other for 3 days.

(they made up and spent the last week sleeping over at asahi’s house.)

(both of them were too afraid of revealing their feelings and didn’t talk much. their company was more than enough.)

asahi sent out the first letter, and it detailed how his life was going, how he created a new swimming team, and about his new friends.

(he had several drafts telling kisumi how much he missed him, how none of his friends aren’t the same and how no one shone brighter than kisumi.)

kisumi initiated the first call. they talked from the time they got home, all the way till when their parents demanded they ate dinner.

(the call lasted for close to 4 hours, kisumi letting asahi go on and on about his duties as the swimming team’s captain since he started the club. they didn’t dare tell each other that they missed each other’s voices.)

kisumi also initiated the first video call.

(their first call had the introduction of hayato, and the little baby was so fascinated by the new person he couldn’t touch. asahi was fascinated by how natural kisumi was with his baby brother. and kisumi was fascinated by the little games asahi tried to play with hayato over a screen.)

(both of them at one moment, stroked the screen, trying to commit their grown-up faces to memory. they’ve changed so much, but so much has stayed the same.)

asahi dropped by to visit iwatobi a few times during the longer holiday periods.

(he spent a lot of that time hanging out with kisumi and hayato.)

(hayato was so shy, but warmed up to asahi pretty quickly.)

(kisumi was in awe of how asahi managed to bring hayato out of his shell.)

(one of these visits ended up with a misunderstanding. asahi was picking up kisumi from something he was doing and they were planning on having dinner, just the two of them. kisumi was running late and he saw asahi surrounded by girls and smiling and laughing. he felt his heart clench and snuck away.)

(asahi was the one who suggested their one-on-one dinner because he wanted to reveal his feelings, but kisumi didn’t turn up. kisumi didn’t pick up any of his calls, or reply to his texts. and he went back home feeling very confused and unwilling to open his heart.)

(kisumi felt bad, especially with all the missed calls and the texts asking what asahi did wrong and how he’s sorry. and eventually, kisumi calls him back, lying that he dropped his phone in the toilet.)

both of them got into a few relationships, trying to forget their first loves.

(no girl could make him laugh as much as asahi.)

(no girl could get him all riled up as much as kisumi.)

(they couldn’t forget.)

they never talked much about their university plans, both of them never trying to convince the other of entering the same school.

(that’s a lie, asahi managed to catch a glimpse of kisumi’s school choices and he looked into whether he could get a sports scholarship to hidaka.)

(kisumi was so relieved to find out that they’d be reunited once again.)

they both found out about each other’s feelings just a few weeks before university started.

(kisumi was already living in his tokyo apartment and asahi was planning on living on campus.)

(they were video-calling, and showing each other their accommodations.)

(kisumi, surrounded by plants, illuminated by the bright sun. he shone even brighter than the sun.)

(“you’re beautiful,” asahi blurted. and kisumi’s chatter ceased.) 

asahi hung up immediately.

they didn’t talk for a week, the longest duration during their long friendship.

(asahi seemed like he dropped off the radar. and kisumi couldn’t find him at all.)

(but he eventually found asahi at hidaka’s swimming pool. and waited for asahi in the locker room.)

(asahi wasn’t expecting to see kisumi, and tried to ignore him but kisumi boarded him up against a locker. kisumi knew that asahi was stronger than he was but asahi didn’t put up a struggle.)

(they were always told that actions spoke louder than words. kisumi plants a chaste kiss against asahi’s lips.)

(that was asahi’s first kiss, and what kisumi considered to be his first real kiss.)

(asahi finally pushes against kisumi’s chest and they’re both red.)

(asahi tells kisumi to wait for him to shower, and then they’ll talk.)

(kisumi smiles when he saw that asahi took out his things from locker 14.)

(14 was kisumi’s jersey number, and both of their favourite number.)

their first date was at asahi’s sister’s cafe.

(it was before opening hours and they were left alone.)

(they were awkward and silent for a long time, a first for their friendship. and like a cliche, they both tried to speak at the same time. that broke the tension.)

(it also broke the dam, and they let all their emotions flow out.)

(asahi grasps kisumi’s hands in his, and all felt right in the world.)

(asahi didn’t consider it a date.)

their first official date was just a day before they started school.

(they both dressed up and it started awkwardly, because they didn’t know how to act. but it ended up feeling natural.)

(they had a lot of fun catching up and just taking each other in for the first time in so many years.)

(asahi has grown up so strong, more gentlemanly and more mature. but he was the same energetic and funny person who made kisumi laugh and laugh and laugh.)

(kisumi had grown up more beautiful and handsome, his lilting voice still soothes asahi’s soul, and he was still as radiant as always. he felt like home.)

(the date ended at the tokyo skytree, with them looking over tokyo’s skyline at night. kisumi secretly grabbed onto asahi’s hand, and asahi gave it a squeeze as they enjoyed the view.)

their second kiss was a lot more passionate than the first.

(heavy breathing, and then they rested their foreheads on each other’s. happy to finally be in each other’s arms. first love never lasts they say, but they made it work.)

#asakisu #shiina asahi #shigino kisumi #free! #free! headcanons #mine: words #this is very self indulgent #because i finished all my history readings lmao #i hold these so dear to my heart so i hope y'all like them too! #long post #this meant to consist of the past/present/future but i got too into it sorry #ask to tag if necessary! #oh god this is so long i'm so sorry

[asterinjapan]

End of a trip, start of a year

First of all, a very happy 2018 to all of you!

And with the start of the new year, I’m officially closing this blog again after my latest trip to Tokyo. 

Below are some final words, and of course, some words for the future, as I can already tell you that this blog won’t stay closed for too long ;)

This was a surprise trip for me, as I surely hadn’t expected to be able to return to Japan twice in the same year. I’ve been very fortunate to get this chance, and I made sure to seize it with both hands. Of course, the absolute highlight was the reason I went back to Tokyo for a short time in the first place - KOKIA’s orchestra concert. I’ve seen her previous orchestra concerts on DVD, but nothing quite compares to the real deal. This woman is truly amazing, and I’ve always had a weak spot for orchestra concerts anyway, so it was a match made in heaven. And as the cherry on top, I got to meet her after the concert as well! I’m still in disbelief, despite it being weeks ago now. Luckily I have my signed copy to remind me this moment was real. I can gush over how much I love KOKIA for ages, so I’ll move on to reflect on the rest of my trip, but I’ll be sure to send my gratitude to KOKIA herself.

There were other new experiences as well. This was my first time in Japan during winter time, although it wasn’t exactly cold yet (especially not compared to the snow storm that threw daily life upside down in the Netherlands that same period). I got to see wonderful winter illuminations, stroll the decorated streets of neighbourhoods I know so well by now, and enjoy the frankly kind of overwhelming Christmas mood in Disneyland. I saw this familiar city all anew again, this time also from a height of 340 meters as I miraculously picked the best possible weather to go up in the Tokyo Skytree again. Mount Fuji has never been so clear. 

Kawagoe was a lovely city to wander through, and although most of the autumn foliage was gone, the Hama Rikyu gardens were a delight and felt like a bubble of serenity in the middle of the big bustling city. As did ‘my’ little Miyamasu Mitake shrine, which I first discovered last summer and which is well on its way of becoming my go-to shrine from now on.

This trip might have been short, but it reminded me all over again why I love this city and country. I know that I’m still very Dutch in a lot of ways in my mannerisms and speech, and I guess it’s also not so very Japanese of me to pour out my emotions like I do here, haha. The best I can do is adjust and do better every time. 

I do want to keep writing about my adventures in Japan, even if just for myself - I want to preserve these memories as clearly as I can, and writing has always been an outlet for me in that sense. I don’t know for how long I’ll be able to return to Japan as often as I do now, or at all. I just know that there’s so much of this country I still want to see and experience, places I want to revisit. No country is perfect, and I’m sure my experiences are rose-coloured as I’ve mostly been to Japan on holidays without obligations in the country itself. Still, it feels like slipping into a well-worn coat. Slightly loose around my Dutch shoulders perhaps, but not uncomfortably so. 

I’m not a city person, not by a long shot, but there’s something comforting in the bustle of Tokyo and its distinctive districts, in the peace and quiet you can find in small shrines and gorgeous gardens spread throughout the city. I found it entirely possible to be alone here, despite the millions of people living and working here. I found my moment of reprieve in the gardens, the shrines. The soundtrack of the city was turned to a pleasant background volume even as I crossed the busiest crossroads. 

And on that note, we slip into 2018. It’ll be 10 years ago this year that I first went to university to study Japanese. So much has changed since, and yet so little. If you’d told me ten years ago I’d have just gotten back from my sixth near-consecutive trip to Japan, I would have probably laughed in your face and said ‘ha, I wish!’. I realize I’ve been incredibly fortunate. Although I strongly wish I was better at maintaining my language skills (at the moment, my vocabulary is rusty to say the least), I am able to find my way in Japan, and I’m not entirely lost in cultural and linguistic shock. And hey, keeping my language and cultural knowledge up to date sounds like a good new year’s resolution!

And that brings me to my final note for this blog. Because as I teased above, I will indeed re-open it not too long from now. As long as circumstances allow, I want to return to Japan, which is why I’m currently in the middle of planning a trip in August. I’m not yet sure what it’s going to look like, but I’m fairly sure it will warrant a JR Pass to get me to all the places I want to visit, haha. But whether I’ll start in the south or north remains to be seen. 

I will update this blog with more details, and of course I’ll at least keep sharing the pictures on my next trip.

Thank you for sticking with me, and all the best for 2018! May it be a wonderful year.

#report #report: tokyo 2017 #tokyo 2017

[transhumanitynet]

133 - Brian Swimme on Telling A New Story of Our Universe

This week’s guest is mathematician and cosmologist Brian Swimme, faculty at CIIS’ Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Program and author of several books, including The Universe is a Green Dragon: A Cosmic Creation Story (which we discuss in this episode). Brian is a major voice in the conversation about the new myths required for us in an age of planetary culture, an articulate and approachable thinker whose warmth and generosity — virtues equal to his intellectual achievement — really shine through in this conversation.

Brian at CIIS Brian at the Center for Humans and Nature

Brian’s documentary, Journey of the Universe

Brian’s Coursera class

“A lot of scientists will say, ‘I don’t have a metaphysics. I just deal with facts.’ But it’s not the case…”

“Locating ourselves in time I think is the fundamental scientific or spiritual challenge.”

“The Earth is closer to a living organism than it is a collection of objects.”

“One of the fundamental errors of the modern period is RUINING this idea of Singularity…it’s thinking of ourselves as the intelligent species in a world that is basically a collection of objects. And then we imagine that we with our clever minds are creating technology…rather than joining a process.”

“It could be that the future of science depends on the question of the within, the inner world…”

We Discuss:

Locating ourselves in time…

The Universe is a Green Dragon: A Cosmic Creation Story

Zak Stein (Episode 97)

What We Learn From Mass Extinctions

We Are Something The Planet Is Doing Thomas Berry

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (although V.I. Vernadsky coined the term “noosphere”)

James P. Carse

Ernst Haeckel

Sean Esbjörn-Hargens (Episodes 60 + 113)

Dr. Blue (Episode 124)

Theme Music: “God Detector” by Evan “Skytree” Snyder (feat. Michael Garfield)

https://skytree.bandcamp.com/track/god-detector-ft-michael-garfield

Additional Music: “Valles Marineris” by Michael Garfield

https://michaelgarfield.bandcamp.com/album/martian-arts-ep

Support this show on Patreon to join the book club and for secret episodes:

https://patreon.com/michaelgarfield

133 – Brian Swimme on Telling A New Story of Our Universe was originally published on transhumanity.net

#Brian Swimme #cosmology #future fossils #mythology #physics #crosspost #transhuman #transhumanitynet #transhumanism #transhumanist #thetranshumanity

[ebanoryokou]

Day 26 東京

This was our big Tokyo walking tour day. And boy was it long.

It started with a trip to Tokyo’s 都庁 (Tocho) twin towers in 新宿 (Shinjuku). Leigh claimed that after you’ve seen the (free) view from the twin towers, you needn’t bother with Skytree or Tokyo Tower. And I have to say, after riding up to the 45th floor and stepping close to the window, I understood what he meant. To see all of 東京 spread out from this central point was breathtaking. A sea of buildings, broken up here and there by parks like 代々木 (Yoyogi), and segmented by rivers.  Even 富士山 (Mt Fuji), often shrouded in cloud and invisible from most other high points in 東京, could be seen in full view here. 

Although it’s cheesy, seeing such a large, mostly manmade scene such as this made me reflect on how as humans, we have taken advantage of the resources available to us. It also made me think about how sustainable this sort of growth is. If 東京 were to continue to expand, the way it has done in the past, where 横浜 (Yokohama) has been absorbed into 東京, what would the consequences be for natural ecosystems and public health? Apparently sound pollution is increasingly becoming a health risk in large cities. When I visit areas like 渋谷, I understand why it’s a concern.

From here, we visited 紀伊国屋書店 (Kinokuniya Bookstore) in 新宿 (Shinjuku), to pick up our textbooks for next year at a reduced price. Although I appreciated the variety of books written in English in this bookshop, my heart still belongs to the 蔦屋 (Tsutaya) located in 代官山 (Daikanyama). 

We accidentally spent a little longer than we should have in 紀伊国屋, meaning we were running late to get to 浅草 (Asakusa). Thus our time in the bustling tourist spot was brief. There was just enough time to glance at 浅草寺 (Senso-ji), and find some メロンパン (melon bread), which I had been holding out for since we arrived in Japan, not wanting to buy it from Family Mart. Tragically, it was nowhere near as good as the place I had it the first time I came to 浅草. Tragic stuff, but I can’t complain too much, as our next location was great fun.

We walked from 浅草, along the 隅田川 (Sumida River) to 東京江戸博物館 (Tokyo Edo Museum) in 両国 (Ryogoku). 江戸時代 (The Edo Period) is most certainly one of the most fascinating in Japanese history. Being isolated from the rest of the world allowed Japan to develop its own trades, arts, and culture with very little outside influence for hundreds of years. Japan is a country that so many people are interested in, and Japanese people are often proud of the culture they have cultivated. When seeing some of the artefacts in the museum such as old documents announcing promotions, comic books, and woodblocks used to produce prints, I realised why Japan sees itself as so different to the rest of the world, even in the modern era. All the methods used to perform these tasks were so different from the way things were done in Europe around the same time. 

Our final stop of the tour was 秋葉原, almost the antithesis of 東京江戸博物館. The anime, manga, and gaming mecca buzzes with light and noise. Although a fascinating place, and I found it amazing that there was an entire area of a city dedicated to such a niche market, 秋葉原 wasn’t really my vibe. As someone not particularly into anime or video games, seeing famous characters on billboards or in plush forms in claw machines was great for some, but unfortunately didn’t mean much to me. 

To make up for this section of the tour I wasn’t as enamoured with, Ryan, Alex, and I headed back to 大井町 (Oimachi) where we were staying to try もんじゃ焼き (monjayaki) for dinner. Similar to お好み焼き (okonomiyaki) but made in a more loose, haphazard way where instead of layers, the same ingredients are all mixed together in a mash. Although it was tasty, it was not dissimilar from the お好み焼き I know and love, so I think from now on I’ll be sticking to that kind of pancake. 

[robertxtokyo-blog]

Tour 26: Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa.

Yoyoyo everybodeyyy

So I recently went to see the Sanja Matsuri in Asakusa, but was really quite slow in getting the photos edited – therefore with significant delay, you may now receive some imagery.

Sanja Matsuri is one of the bigger Shinto festivals in Tokyo, so it was packed with people. It lasts two days, maybe even three, the main みこし, i.e. festival procession, being on Sunday. Those processions are quite massive, they begin in the morning and end only at night, making their way across rather significant chunks of Tokyo in between.

However, I went on Saturday, which I think was sensible in my case – I had seen another very famous such procession a week before, so had already checked that off my bucket list, and at the same time lacked the experience of wandering around Asakusa, so seeing Asakusa’s ‘signature’ shrine in full business was a sensible activity to undertake. 

It was really a great experience, I have to say – Asakusa is a fairly mind-blowing contrast to the stereotypical view of Tokyo as postmodern business city (ignoring for the moment that such a view is quite stupid anyway). It’s cosy, traditional, old, small, and has a great historical atmosphere. It’s like a part of Kyoto shipped to Tokyo! Because of the festival, it was, as mentioned, really busy, but in a positive and enjoyable way – the crowds added to the atmosphere, and it felt much like a cosy popular event, with families and children in school uniform and old people and some tourists. 

The event itself consisted of loads of stalls, mainly selling food, all around Senso-ji. Now and then, smaller processions made their way across the grounds and through nearby streets – our slow wandering-around was periodically interrupted by those, which made for some very lively entertainment. I think that generally, on a normal day, Asakusa’s traditional vibe is surely nice, but might seem a bit dusty, however due to those periodical outbursts of live tradition it seemed very lively and dynamic. Therefore, a really good occasion to explore the area!

Also, fun fact before we head on to some photos, there were actually quiet a number of foreigners who participated in carrying around the holy (I assume?), erm, things (whatever they’re called officially) – A, that’s really funky, how do they get to do that?!, and B, I want to do that, too, when I finally settle in Tokyo... hehe. 

Okay, now photos!

traditional means of transport on display

a Riksha, erm, driver (?) in perhaps the world’s most fancy shoes

(btw now also copied my Maison Margiela, how terribly creative)

a procession making its way past me as I was waiting for my homies

a smaller one, though

and another one – the interesting thing about Sanja Matsuri was, or is, that it consists of a lot of small processions, so that you’re bumping into yet another one again and again

note: this only applies to Saturday, I was told there’s a bigger one on Sunday

perhaps my fav photo of the day: procession moving away from me, with this super funky foreground

and yes, I was not alone

view from Senso-ji’s main gate towards the shrine’s centre

funky detail: these balloon thingies can be folded up for the processions

could be in the 60s

had some super tasty cold Matcha

a street off Senso-ji, terribly cosy

detail of a store decoration

a procession moving towards Senso-ji’s main gate from the shrine’s centre

getting closer

I’m not sure if this is an original, historic item or if it is a rather new-ish replica, but in any case it’s a fancy-looking piece

I imagine it was quite hot and sweaty, carrying those thingies (I seriously can’t figure out how they’re called, hence my resorting to squabbely, meaningless and imprecise wordings) in a crowd of dozens

so historical

one of those, well, haha, thingies, moving towards the main gate – that street running into the distance has small shops on either side, selling more or less touristy Japanese items

super close-up

view of the shrine’s main building

and some kind of pagoda tower

very nice scenery, with all the visitors and the hustle and bustle of the shrine’s main event

some old men and lots of smoke

a cleansing ritual, smoke instead of water

a solution for our water-scarce future?

outside the shrine, one of Asakusa’s many very traditional small side streets

at the front of these processions, there’s usually two women who pull along that bell-equipped stick while walking, making a very rhythmical sound

and there’s a guy swinging some paper

yet another religious ‘thingy’

a stunning number of participants in matching uniforms

in the crowd following the procession (visible in the distance)

there’s always percussion music at those processions, being played on those cart-mounted drums

clever invention

the procession moving back towards Senso-ji, along street packed with loads of bars and restaurants and drunk Japanese 

once more in colour

aforementioned bars and drunk Japanese

view of Tokyo Skytree from Senso-ji

a procession just sitting in that main gate

to round off, an evening impression of Senso-ji’s main approach route from the main gate

So, that way it – I hope you got a decent impression of Asakusa’s impressively historical vibe, which is, as mentioned initially, reminiscent of Kyoto, just in Tokyo. Funky. 

#asakusa #sanja #matsuri #mikoshi #sensoji #tokyo #shinto #procession #history #japan