Do Little

Blessed with a bit of time and being in close proximity, I used the beautiful weather to visit Tama Zoological Park, testing a new Nikon Z 50 camera.

I first visited this zoo in 1993, at a time when the memory of the 1984 arrival of koalas was still fresh.

Koalas were flavor of the month in Japan at the time, literally so in the case of Koala no March–a confectionary that remains popular to this day–and the zoo’s Australian Habitat was something of a showcase area.

Now, it’s just one of many habitats in what is a delightful little zoo nestled into the Tama hills.

KOALA-IFIED TO SELL

Though no longer a sole drawcard to the popular zoo, koalas are still a key part of its marketing, particularly this year, which marks the 40th anniversary of the arrival of koalas in Japan. The koalas were a gift from the state of New South Wales, which is in a sister-city relationship with the Metropolis of Tokyo.

Cop A Gander At These Rippers Too...

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    Australian Football’s Tokyo Area ‘Samurai’ Off to the World Cup

    Australia rarely makes the news in Japan, so it’s interesting to see it on the front page of the Asahi newspaper June 4 evening edition. The story is about Japan’s Aussie Rules team, the Samurais, who’ll be battling it out in the International Cup starting from June 8. Japan has a really small, but thriving, Australian Rules competition, with two leagues (including several all-Japanese teams), the Eastern League, centering on Tokyo and surrounding areas, and the Western League, comprising Osaka and Nagoya. Here’s an excerpt from the Asahi report: サッカー・ワールドカップ（Ｗ杯）大会が迫るなか、「世界で最も激しい」というフットボールの世界大会も８月に開かれる。それってラグビー？　いえいえ、オーストラリアンフットボール。豪州では国技と言われる大人気のプロスポーツだ。５大会連続で出場する日本代表も、追い込みに入っている。 A translation: Just as the soccer World Cup is about to hit us, another football world championship — this one…

  • Practicing for Hades

    It’s been bloody hot the past few days, but I’ve been mostly stuck inside trying to keep up with the onerous demands being laid on me to try to get me to quit. I managed to slip in a couple of rides along the Tama River today, though, and it was totally worth it. Mrs. Kangaeroo also proved today that not only is she as hot af, which has nothing to do with the temperature, she is also as cool af, even if her choice in men is a little skew-whiff. I need salvation, but at the moment, all that’s happening is getting a touch of Hades as Japan swelters.

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    Why Have Thousands Of Young Aussies JET-ted Off To Live And Work In Japan?

    なぜ何千人ものオージーが日本で暮らき、働く道を選んだのでしょうか？ Since 1987, the JET Programme has brought thousands of young Australians to Japan as assistant language teachers and international coordinators. Many arrived expecting a one-year adventure, but found lifelong friendships and careers instead. 1987年に始まったJETプログラムは、何千人ものオーストラリアの若者を外国語指導助手（ALT）や国際交流員として日本へ迎えてきました。1年間の経験のつもりが、一生の友情や仕事につながった人も少なくありません。 An idea with a big vision 大きな夢から始まった交流事業 The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme was launched in 1987 by the Japanese Government to promote international understanding at the local level. Australia became one of the first participating countries and remains one of the programme’s largest partners. JETプログラムは1987年、日本政府が地域レベルで国際交流を深めることを目的に始めました。オーストラリアは開始当初から参加しており、現在も主要な参加国の一つとなっています。 Far more than teaching English 英語を教えるだけではない Australian participants teach English in schools, but they also introduce students to Australian culture, sport and everyday life. In return, they learn…

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    Pushbike Paradise

    The few weeks leading up to the start of the rainy season in Tokyo are, for me, idyllic, and for the past few years I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to get an early morning bike ride in on most days, and today was a ripper. The sun rises at about 4 a.m. at this time of the year, and so do I! I get up, pour myself into cycling gear, have a quick brekkie and then get out on the treadly before I can convince myself there’s something better to do than ride a bike. And Mother Nature gave me a great prezzie today, with overnight rain leaving…

  • Winter is Here

    Although it was a glorious morning with clear, starry skies and then a wonderful sunrise, it was bloody freezing, confirming that the long-dreaded winter has arrived. Until now we have been blessed with unseasonal warmth: I wore shorts all weekend and the temperature topped 20 degrees on Saturday. I still wore shorts this morning, but my head and extremities were cold, and more core chilled by the time I arrived home. Time to rug up for the next few months.

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    How Australian Plants Found A Home At A Century-Old Japanese Nursery

    日本の老舗園芸店が育てるオージープランツの魅力 Japan’s love affair with Australian plants is growing, and one of the nurseries helping it flourish is 沼ノ上農園 (Numanoue Nouen) in Minami-Urawa, Saitama. We visited the nursery’s pop-up shop earlier today at Urawa PARCO, where we met Jun-san, the flower shop owner’s son, and Ryota-san and discovered more about their enthusiasm for Australia’s distinctive botanical treasures. Established in 1912, 沼ノ上農園 has spent more than a century serving local gardeners. Today, alongside seasonal flowers and houseplants, it has developed a particular interest in オージープランツ (Oji Plants), the Japanese gardening term for Australian native plants. Banksias, grevilleas and kangaroo paws offer something different from the familiar flowers of Japanese gardens. Their…