Runker Room Guestbook

I stumbled across your website when I was looking for some information on diminutive mega-producer Dino di Laurentiis, but I actually found the other parts of your site more interesting. Why? Well, I'm a Canadian living in Tokyo, and there are so many glancing similarities between your life and mine that I got quite absorbed in noting them all.

First, I grew up in Saskatoon, so we have a common prairie heritage. I even have an Albertan connection, since my brother and his family live in Calgary. Second, I went to university in Victoria, and I still have fond memories of Cinecenta, which I frequented about once a week. I saw more great movies in Victoria than anywhere else. I lived in a basement suite in Fairfield, so it was a pretty long bike ride to university, but somehow I didn't really mind because I knew that cycling would be impossible f or five or six months of the year in Saskatoon.

Third, I've been in Japan for 19 years, so I probably identify with Japan only a little less strongly than you identify with Canada. I know the language well enough to translate pretty efficiently. (I'm in charge of bond-related translating at a securities company.) Judging by your site, you sound bilingual as well, though I'm not sure how much effort you put into maintaining your Japanese. Of course, it doesn't take much effort to maintain my English in Japan, since foreign books, magazines, and movies are widely available.

By some coincidence, I've circled Kyushu on a trip by myself, visiting every prefecture on the way, and southern Kyushu is one of my favorite places in Japan. I've taken a suna-buro in Ibusuki and I've climbed Kaimon-dake (the Fuji-san of Kyushu). I really like Miyazaki as well because the ocean was so blue and that area seemed so tropical compared to Tokyo or Osaka.

I'm not very big on team sports, not even hockey, which might explain why I'm a misfit in western Canada, but I love climbing mountains, and I'm always thankful that there are so many near Tokyo.

Are you still in Victoria? It's a beautiful town, though I think I might find it a bit slow after all the years I've spent in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. It's hard to find the right balance of cultural life and pleasant surroundings. Let us know where your medical informatics career took you next.

I am a visitor of your web page about Japan. I live in Hong Kong. Your web page is so interesting and very informative. I wish I could have found it years ago - I ever been to Japan a couple of times including Tokyo, Fukuko, Osaka and Sapporo for business and personal. It is such an amazing and attractive country to go. The more you go to and learn from this country, the more you will like it.....

I meant to plan a trip for Hokkaido in the coming summer (probably between June and July 2004) and see the flowers (lavenda). Very lucky enough to have the chance and visit your web page when I was trying to search some information about Japan for my plan. Although it was not telling me the details about Hokkaido, it was so nice to have take this opportunity as a break by reading your articles and stories - so as to know more in-depth of Japanese life. I do not know how much time that you had spent on developing it for us. May I take this chance to say thank you for your effort in providing us a great site to visit! I wish I could see more update news about yourself and those journey your made recently as to understand and learn more about multi-culture from different angle and experience.

Wishing you had a Merry Christmas and have a happy 2004 ^.^

With best wishes,
Ling
Your reader from Hong Kong

Cheers - Jill

If you can let me know where to check that would be very helpful. I can read hiragana and katakana and some kanji.

My parents are able to read/write Japanese so if there are some websites from Japan maybe with their help I can find it.

Aloha & thanks

This may be a strange question but...

I just want to know about the Japanese-American societies on the Eastside of America. Or even in Canada? Im not too keen on California and Im afraid of living in Hawaii. (really expensive...) Is there a good amount of japanese that are outside of the NYC area but still on the Eastside of America.

www.japan-japan.com/sites.htm

Again, please accept our congratulations! We are very impressed with what you have accomplished and look forward to viewing future versions as your site continues to evolve.

I enjoyed your site and have included it on my list of favorites and will visit often. I went there looking for information on Obon, as I lost my beloved grandfather (95) this past year and want to honor him by participating in the Obon festival at the Morikami. They go all out, including bon odori with taiko drummers, yukata and toro-nagashi. I was looking for information on creating a traditional floating lantern for the ceremony and got several ideas from your site. Do you know if there is a kit or a pre-made floating lantern that fits the bill?

I spent 3 years in Japan between 1977-79 and the experience changed my life forever. I believe I must have lived there in a previous life as I was instantly at home and learned the language quickly. We recently built a new home and I included a Japanese water garden and included a Buddhist mediation garden as well. I recently won a state-wide award for the unique landscaping of the yard which also incorporates over 95% Florida native plants.

Keep up the fantastic work and I am sure I will be visiting again soon.

I happened to visit your website hosted at geocities and found it quite interesting. Your web site is well constructed and the links provided were very useful. I greatly appreciate the effort that you have put in to set up and maintain this site. Hope you keep the page updated regularly. My compliments on a job well done.

Oshigoto gannbatte kudasai.

Warmest regards, Nick

Thanks,

Ty

Runker's Note: I have corrected that broken link:
Autopsy Tools
http://web2.iadfw.net/uthman/autopsy_tools.html