Japanese Surgeon's Daily Life

Navigation System for My Scooter

     I bought the portable GPS motorcycle navigator, zumo 550, from Garmin Ltd. http://www.garmin.com/. The price was 830 dollars with its mounting kit. I had saved that money for a single-lens reflex digital camera in order to use it in Rally Japan. But, I knew that rally officials weren't allowed to take pictures during their duties. Finally, I gave up on taking pictures and diverted the money to the navigator. I'm going to show you it below. It is set at the center of the handlebar, just below the instrument panel. This display has a high level of visibility. The writing is easy to read and the pictures are sharp. It made riding my scooter more fun.

(Vocabulary)
dollarwise  ドルに換算して
divert funds   資金を回す
This display has a high level of visibility. The writing is easy to read and the pictures are sharp.
このディスプレーは視認性に優れているので、文字を読み取りやすいし、画像もくっきり見える。

(KW: ガーミン　ZUMO 550 GPS バイク用ナビ)

Short Touring

     I felt the first touch of autumn this morning. The sky was clear and the breeze was comfortable. I went out of town on my scooter to feel something unusual. At first, I headed for the Tobe Fault Park where we can see a big fault on the floor of the river. The fault was famous for its unusual pattern of slipping. Many elementary schools have plans for a field trip here as a part of their geological class, but I've never been there and I planned to visit there today. The pictures show the park and a detailed explanation for the fault.

(Vocabulary)
the first touch of autumn　秋の始まりの兆し
fault　断層
a detailed expalanation  詳しい解説

(KW: 砥部町　砥部衝上断層)

Rinzou Mamiya, Japanese Adventurer

     In this entry,I'm going to introduce a Japanese adventurer, Rinzou Mamiya. He was a samurai who lived in the early 19th century. The Russians often showed up around Japan from the north at that time and sometimes attacked the frontier guard of Japan on the Kurile Islands. Rinzo was one of the guards of Etorofu island, which is one of the Kurile Islands. He was talented in surveying and Ainu, so Japan's feudal government dispatched him to Sakhalin to make a map of Sakhalin and investigate the border of Russia. It was his achievement to confirm that Sakhalin is not a peninsula but an island. Though Sakhalin must be a part of Japan based on the international laws, Russia is controlling it now. Anyway, setting that aside now, I'd like to visit Sakhalin. I had seen it a few years ago from the northern tip of Hokkaido. When I saw the statue of Rinzo at the north tip, I decided to visit Sakhalin and cross the Mamiya Strait between Sakhalin and the Eurasia continent.
     The signboard in the picture reads that Rinzo left for Sakhalin from here. In other words, here was the boarding point and the statue is viewing toward Sakhalin.

(Vocabulary)
He was a warrior who lived in the late 16th century.
彼は16世紀後半を生きた武将です。
Kurile Islands  千島列島
Japan's feudal government  幕府
Sakhalin  樺太　サハリン(ロシア名)
surveying  測量
based on the conventional wisdom  これまでの常識に照らせば
farthest north // northern tip  最北端
Eurasia continent  ユーラシア大陸

A Short Ride

     I got a half day-off today and went out for a ride on my scooter early this afternoon. Because I didn't have any particular purpose, I decided to choose directions when I stopped at the light by chance. Like, one time, I would go straight, and another time, I would turn right or left.
     The first picture shows a floodgate which was taken in the Dogo area. Japan is known as an industrialized nation, but it has such a rural and sleepy scenery too.
     The second picture is of an afforestation area. I admire that people are planting trees for the next or next next generation. People who planted and take care of these trees won't get any money, and nevertheless, they would have to pay the planting costs. It may be the return to the last generation for the services rendered.
     While I was wandering about, I found myself at the place in the third picture. If I was riding my old off-road motorbike, I could explore into the woods, but my scooter is not able to run on this sort of forest road, so I turned back.
     As I rode down the hill along Nibukawa Keikoku (Gorge), I got to Tamagawa Reservoir, on the surface of which a group of students were practicing rowing. I'll show you the picture of Nibukawa Gorge and Tamagawa Reservoir.
     The next picture is a small village and rice field. A couple of weeks later, this field will turn gold from the grains(ears) of rice.
     The last picture shows my scooter, which I took during a short coffee break.

(Vocabulary)
early afternoon  昼過ぎ
flood gate  水門
industrial country / industrial nation  工業国
afforestation / tree planting  植林
ear of rice  稲穂

Rebun and Rishiri Island

     Japan is a small island nation. The northern island of it is named Hokkaido. I'm introducing two tiny islands that are located to the west of the north tip of Hokkaido. These islands are well known for their beauty.
     The names of islands are Rebun and Rishiri, which are easily found on your map, I think. One of the pictures shows me with my off-road motorcycle on the Rebun's forest road against Rishiri island. To my regret, the top of Rishiri island was covered by cloud. Another picture is the distant view of me riding on the same road.

Northern Latitude of 45 Degrees

     I've been having serious discussions these days, so I'm changing the topic this time. I'll show you pictures that I took in the northern island of Hokkaido a couple of years ago. I was going up to the ultimate north of Japan on the west coast of Hokkaido, on my motorcycle at that time, when I found a monument that informs tourists of their whereabouts. I am silhouetted against the lights in front of the monument. You can also see Rishiri island behind me. The mountain at the heart of the island is called as Rishiri-Fuji, because the shape of the mountain is just like Mt. Fuji, which is also the symbol of Japan. You can easily detect the place we were on your map. We were at the point where the northern latitude of 45 degrees' line crosses the west coast of Hokkaido.
     I sometimes dream of my next adventure. Viewing the Japan Sea from the opposite side, across the sea. It means that I have to stand in North Korea. It is extremely difficult in the present condition, but I hope the cruel nation will be wiped out from the earth as soon as possible for the people of North Korea.

(Vocabulary)
northern latitude of 45 degrees  北緯45度
silhouette against the lights   逆光を受けてシルエツトになる

堅い話が続いたので、ちょっと前のツーリングの写真をお見せします。下に写真を載せますが、これは数年前に北海道で撮ったものです。北海道の西岸を北上しているときにこのようなモニュメントを見つけました。旅人に北緯４５度であることを告げています。僕は逆光でシルエットになっていますが、後ろの利尻島が見えます。この場所は北緯４５度線が北海道の西岸と交差する場所です。すぐにわかりますね。

次に考えている大きな冒険があります。それはこの地を海を挟んだ対岸から見ること。つまりそれは北朝鮮の大地を踏みしめると言うことです。もちろん現状ではまず無理なことですが、この残虐な国家が一日でも早くこの世から消えてしまうことを祈っています。

 

(KW: 利尻島　北緯45度線　オロロンライン　ＧＰＳ)

Lazarev

     Lazarev is a small town located on the Mamiya Strait between Sakhalin and the Asian mainland. Sakhalin is absolutely Japan's territory historically and also from the viewpoint of international law, but it has been occupied by Russia since the end of the Great East Asian War (the Pacific War). I'll skirt around this issue this time.
     I'm planning to ride my scooter around the Japan Sea in the future and I will visit Sakhalin by my scooter via Wakkanai in Hokkaido maybe in two years' time as the first step to the round-Japan-Sea tour.
     Now, I'd like to get to know someone who lives in Lazarev and can speak English. If I can, I will cross the Mamiya Strait to meet the person in two years' time. Is there anyone who can help me visit Sakhalin and Lazarev?

(Vocabulary)
skirt (skirt around とも) [動] [他]
1 〈場所など〉をぐるっと囲む, の縁沿いに通る
2 〈重要な問題など〉への言及を避ける
in 10 days'/five years'/a few minutes' etc. time  10日［5年，数分］後に
I have an appointment with the doctor in two days' time. 2日後に医者の予約を入れてある．

　ラザレフはサハリンとユーラシア大陸を隔てる間宮海峡に面した小さな町である。サハリンは歴史的にも国際法上も日本の領土であるが、大東亜戦争(太平洋戦争)以後、ロシアに占拠されている。が、この問題について今は触れずにおこう。

　ところで、いつか日本海をスクーターで一周しようと思っている。その環日本海一周ツーリングの第一段階として、北海道の稚内からサハリンへ行ってみようと思っている。

　そのため今、ラザレフに住み、英語を話せる人と知り合いになりたいと思っている。もし、知り合いができればその人に会うために間宮海峡を渡ってみたい。サハリンとラザレフ訪問の手助けをしてくれる人はいないだろうか？

(KW: LAZAREV  Lazaref  ラザレフ　間宮海峡　サハリン　ツーリング　バイク　スクーター　motorcycle)

Offline Meeting

     "Offline Meeting" might be a Japanese-made phrase. It means a real meeting at which people who usually meet on the internet meet in the real world. I joined an offline meeting today. A half of the members were new to me. I didn't know even their names. I only knew their nicknames and their way of thinking. I have just read their comments on the net.
     The motorcycle is our common language. We enjoyed chatting about our own motorcycles and other hobbies and jobs over local brand beers and distilled spirits. I had a fabulous time and got to know many things from other occupations apart from the medical services.
     One of them was planning to ride a motorcycle in the southwest islands, just on the border of Japan. As I talked with him, I grew eager to go for a long tour. The picture shows us lining up in front of the Dogo Onsen Spa, which is one of the national historic heritage buildings.

(Vocabulary)
fabulous  すばらしい

Stranded at Baggage Claim

     I went smoothly through the immigration check, but I had to wait for my baggage to come out for about one hour. I didn't know why, but I knew that I would miss my reserved bus. I was freaked out but I had to wait and get my baggage. I ended up missing the bus.
     Wasting time is one of my least favorite things. Time was much more valuable in Vancouver. Though I really wanted to walk and look around during the two hours that I had to wait for the next bus, I didn't know where the baggage room was and I made up my mind to stay at the bus stop outside the airport.
     All is grist to my mill. I put my baggage just in front of the desk of the Premier Bus Company and decided to listen to the conversation around me. It was a real listening lesson of normally spoken and normal speed of English with a dictionary in one hand.
     A staff member noticed my attention and spoke to me, "Where do you come from?" Our enjoyable conversation started like this. They were interested in my noise cancelling earphones at first. The subject changed to my blog and they looked at my blog on their company's PC that should have been for their work. My blog has many kinds of topics and the motorcycle was one of the big topics. Two guys were motorcycle freaks and we enjoyed chatting over our touring stories. One of them had had a long ride from Deadhorse to Vancouver. I was very intersted in this story. Deadhorse is located in the very north of Alaska and consists mainly of facilities for the workers of the Prudhoe Bay oilfields. He seemed to have ridden down Dalton Highway from this isolated, frigid arctic town to Vancouver via Juneau where his sister lived. Wonderful! This route was imprinted on my mind.

(Vocabulary)
least favorite 嫌いな
All is grist to one's mill. 《諺》転んでもただでは起きない。／何でも利用する。
(all) grist for the mill(米) ((英)(all) grist to the mill とも)
役に立つもの, 利益になるもの

Jumping Off The Treadmill

     I haven't been sure if I'm coming or going for these past few weeks. Today was a half-day off and I started out riding my scooter for a change. The sky was clear as you can see in the pictures. It was so comfortable. The course that I chose was the coastal route between Matsuyama and Nagahama town. This road is wide, but not so winding and not crowded. The scenery around me was just starting to change to the spring.

(Vocabulary)
get/jump off the treadmill  単調な繰り返しから抜け出す、飛び出す
do not know whether I'm coming or going　混乱して何がなんだかさっぱり分からない
start out  出発する, 出かける = set off, set out

(KW: Majesty マジェスティ ヤマハ )

This Year's Big Events

1. Winter Vacation in Canada (English)
2. Welcoming Party for a Korean Postgraduate Student (Korean)
3. World Rally Championship in Sapporo (English, German)

     Many of my good friends from my high school and medical school sometimes tell me that I must have nothing to regret in my career and life even if I died right now. They pre-supposed that I've done everything I wanted to do, but it's not true. I have many things that I'd like to do.
     At first, I'm planning to go skiing at Whistler in Canada in March. I'm learning English harder these days. I think I'm good at reading English, but not so good at speaking. I'm a slow starter in English conversation. It takes about 30 minutes to be able to think in English. The picture shows the DVD library in an English conversation school which I belong to. I have often borrowed and watched these for training to hear.
     After returning to Japan from Canada, I have to switch my priority of learning a language from English to Korean. It's because a Korean rider will come to my house on the last Saturday of June. He is a postgraduate student and his major is Japanese culture! He's going to travel across Japan on his motorcycle. I hope he will see what Japan is like.
     In October, I'll join the WRC as one of the medical staff. If I had an opportunity to talk with German drivers, I'd like to try to use German. I'd like to know how much I can make myself understood in German. During 4 months from July to October, I'll be immersed in learning German.

(Vocabulary)
pre-suppose …を前提とする
immerse …を熱中［没頭］させる
immerse sb in sth
＜人＞を＜…＞に熱中［没頭］させる
immerse yourself in sth
＜…＞に熱中［没頭］する

A Monument

     I got to feel like riding my scooter around suddenly seeing blue sky last Sunday. I went to Gogoshima Island, 10 minutes off the shore of Matsuyama City. The picture shows my scooter on the ferry boat and a monument that I found by chance honoring the victims of a submarine accident in World War Two. When the accident happened, the submarine was on the way to the battlefield and was repeating the training of going underwater and bursting to the surface. The monument seems to have been placed at the nearest point from the accident site on the island. I got sad to read the words on the monument. I shouted in my mind, "No more war!" I didn't know about this accident. Though more than a half century has passed since the accident, the monument was managed in a neat and tidy manner. Some oranges, fresh water and some plants were placed praying for the souls of those who perished in the accident. I guess they were deeply sorry, not that they had to die, but that they couldn't join the war.
     The last picture was taken at almost the highest point of the island. As you see, it is a destroyer of the Maritime Self-Defense Force of Japan. It looked like the warship had just come out of Kure Base, where Yamato, the all-time biggest warship, was constructed just before World War Two.

(Vocabulary)
cruise underwater / go underwater / navigate underwater 潜航する
burst to the surface 〔潜水艦が〕急浮上する
pray for the souls of those who perished in the fighting  戦争に殉じた人の冥福を祈る
warship 戦艦, 軍艦
all-time  空前の, かつてない


(KW: 潜水艦事故)

Touring to Yakuri-ji Temple 2

We got to Yakuri cablecar station. We were lucky and it was getting sunny. One of our purposes was to get on this cablecar. There was a narrow pathway to the temple on the left side of the station, but I didn't walk there.

This is the map of the area around us. This area has three famous temples that belong on the Shikoku Pilgrim's Way. We climbed up to Yakuji-ji Temple that is illustrated with white letters in the red-purple box. Three letters in the red box indicate where we are.

This is the cablecar that we are going to get on.

Two of my friends in the cablecar.

We are climbing up and passing another cablecar.

Yakuri-ji Temple, but I was more interested in the wall behind the temple. I wanted to try it, but I heard that rock slides often happen and rock climbing is prohibited now.

A staff member of the temple is writing something. People are collecting the signature of each temple on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage.

The cablecar that we are going to get on to go down.

Leaves around us were starting changing their colour to red. Some people were taking pictures.

Our scooters. The white one is mine. Just after this picture was taken, we went to the last Udon restaurant that was old-fashioned and a little expensive. I showed this restaurant in my previous entry.

(Vocabulary)
the Shikoku Pilgrim's Way　 「四国８８か所巡礼」をこのように訳してみました。

(KW:八栗寺 四国８８カ所参り 四国遍路)

Japanese Traditional Cuisine; Udon

    Udon is kind of noodle. Kagawa prefecture, where Yakuri-ji Temple is located, is famous for its delicious Udon. Three of us were from Kagawa and knew many Udon restaurants of repute. We decided to go Udon restaurant-hopping. Enjoy the pictures!
     The Udon restaurant that we went to first was just beside the parking lot. The restaurant was small and stood in obscurity beneath the steep slope of the hill. The price of Udon was cheap but delicious. As expected, we were in the midst of the Udon prefecture. The 2nd picture is the menu.
     There are many Udon restaurants in Ehime prefecture where I live and I often go to some of them. I thought I knew Udon well, but it was the first time I had seen such a scene shown in the 3rd picture. The thing that was delivered to our table first was two raw pieces of radish and two radish graters. We grated the radish waiting for our Udon. The 5th picture is the soy sauce Udon that I ordered. It was a very simple Udon that was doused in soy sauce. The next picture shows the outside of the room I used. The last three pictures are the 3rd Udon restaurant we went to.

(Vocabulary)
of ill repute  評判の悪い、悪名高い
do a pub-crawl  はしごをする
go bar-hopping  はしごする
go from shop to shop    店から店へとはしごする
in obscurity    ひっそりと 世に埋もれて
grater おろし金［器］
grate [他] (おろし金などで) 〈チーズ・野菜など〉 をおろす
douse (火) に水をかけて消す=extinguish ; (書き言葉) 〈明かり〉 を消す
douse sth in/with sth  ＜…＞に＜液体＞をかける

(KW: 讃岐うどん)

Touring to Yakuri-ji Temple

     Two months had passed since I got a new scooter, but the total mileage was only 650km on Nov. 18th. The manual of the scooter tells me not to rev over more than 5000 until the mileage reaches up to 1000km. It's for kind of warming-up the engine. I kept to this rule faithfully, but I wanted to rev more than 5000 so I went out for a one-day trip to add mileage and for a change. The destination was Yakuri-ji Temple, which was the 85th of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage and was 170km away from my home.
     I enticed my friends to go with me and two of them got together. Another three riders joined us at Toyohama on the way to Yakuri-ji Temple. The pictures below were taken at Toyohama where we took a rest and had a late breakfast.
     At any rate I could see many kinds of motorcycles here and had fun. I'd like to have a BMW next.

To be continued.....

     This picture shows our six scooters. Our ages were between 40 and 70. The scooter is very easy to ride on and suitable for older people.

    Just after we parked our scooters, a clutch of young men came in the parking lot. They seemed to be in their twenties. Their motorcycles were heavy and powerful. I used to have this type of motorcycle in my student days.

     Ten minutes later, a group of more than 1000cc motorcycles came and parked between the young men and us. Some of them were Harleys.

   When I started, I found another group who had European motorcycles at the entrance of the parking lot.

(Vocabulary)
rev  (エンジンなど)の回転数を上げる; (エンジンなどが)回転数を上げる
for a change / for a switch / for recreation  気分転換に
The Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage  四国霊場８８か所巡礼
entice sb to do sth ＜人＞をそそのかして＜…＞させる
a clutch of sth  ＜…＞の小集団, 何人か［いくつか］の＜…＞

(KW: 四国遍路 八十八カ所 弘法大師 八栗寺)

A Korean Rider

     I had an e-mail from a Korean postgraduate student whom I met on the internet. He is planning to enjoy riding a motorcycle across Japan for three months in 2008. I have always thought of riding in South Korea for these past two years, so he is just the opposite case to me.
     However he doesn't have enough information on Japan. When is the best season for riding in Japan? This was his first question. Japan is a small country as you know, but Japan has various climates in each area. I'm going to give him as much information as he needs....in Korean. This makes me better at using the Korean language and will help me travel by myself in South Korea at the same time.
     He showed me a map of his plan. I'm happy to know that my hometown, Matsuyama City, is located just on his route. I suggested he could stay one night in my house. If he doesn't mind, I'd like to ride my scooter with him for a few hours.
     I really think that the internet is wonderful. He seems to have some friends in Japan using the social network service. I think that he has read my blog that contained my severe remarks against South Korea, but he puts forward an idea: Let's put aside the relationship between both countries and let's go together face to face as a single individual.
     It's OK and great! I'm looking forward to seeing him.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

안녕하세요.
마츠야마에 와 주면 환영합니다.
마츠야마시의 자료는 있습니까?
마츠야마시와 평택시는 자매 도시이니까, 평택시에 가면 손에 들어갈지도 모릅니다만, 보내도 주어요.　공항등에서 무료로 입수할 수 있을테니다.

세토나이카이는　한려해상국립공원를 닮아 있는 것 같습니다.
세토대교는 부디 달려 보세요.에히메현 남부의 해안선도 예쁩니다.

일본은 작은 나라입니다만, 변화가 풍부하고 있습니다.
큐슈와 홋카이도의 투어링이라면 여러가지 어드바이스 할 수 있습니다.

Leathers

     Today was my day! I got the leathers for motorcycle riding from my boss.
     When I went downstairs to OPD this morning, my boss came close to me and said that he had a suit of leathers for riding and he wasn't going to put it on. He wanted me to put it on because it was almost new and too expensive to throw away. I was so surprised! I didn't know that he had ridden a motorcycle long ago. The picture shows it hanging on the wall of my room.

A Canned Coffee

     A really lot of kinds of canned coffees are sold from vending machines in Japan. I like these canned coffees. I'm not particular about the company and materials of canned coffees and I usually choose one from its name or looks.
     When I took a short ride around here last month, I got a canned coffee that is shown in the picture. The name of it is as you see. I wondered if there is a noted production area of coffee beans in Europe. I also wondered if Georgia in the U.S. is famous as a producer of coffee beans, or Georgia means the Republic of Georgia and this country is known as a producer of coffee beans.
     I don't know the reason why this is named as "European". The manufacturer may want us to have a feeling of travelling in Europe. Anyway, I got back with a feeling that I was riding in Europe.

(Vocabulary)
Many people are very particular about the way they cook rice. 多くの人がご飯の炊き方に強いこだわりをもっています。
have (a) feeling of being there     その場にいるような気分になる

Little Kyoto in Ehime

     Kyoto City is the most famous sightseeing point in Japan. This city is surrounded by mountains and has a big river in it. People discover the rich culture and history here. People also hold an admiration for this city.
     By the way, there are some places called "little Kyoto" across the country. These places are surrounded by mountains and have a river in them just like Kyoto City. People named them from an admiration for Kyoto City. My homeland, Ehime, also has a little Kyoto and the picture shows a scene in the area. This picture was taken when I rode my scooter around the area last autumn. The upper scene is the local bus station and the lower scene is a river that looks like the Kamogawa river in Kyoto.

(Vocabulary)
hold admiration for　あこがれを抱く

Mini-touring

     Though it was raining this morning, I went out touring, which I promised to do with my friends a few weeks ago. I was going to start at 9 o'clock, but it was raining at that time and I delayed the time after seeing the weather. Finally we started at 10:30 and the rain stopped around noon.

     At the beach side park in Futami town with two other scooters. After 30 minutes' riding it stopped raining. The nearest scooter is mine. We started for Uchiko town after 20 minutes' break. We turned left from the national road onto a narrow municipal road.

    The road was paved but narrow and tightly winding. I rode my scooter slowly because I was a beginner on the scooter. TTR (the name of my former off-road motorcycle) was excellent on such a winding road but my new scooter is not so good. Maybe it's because the turning radius of my scooter is wider than TTR. Anyway we passed the highest point and the border of the town. The greens around the road were very beautiful with the dew of the rain. The picture shows a covered bridge that we encountered. It's just like the bridge in Madison County though there was no lady around here.

     We went on and on without checking the map. At every bifurcation we decided the way we went according to the mood of the moment. We came across another covered bridge that is shown in this picture. An old and mossy shrine stands over the bridge and people can visit there by walking on this bridge. The next picture is a distant view of this bridge. The frame of the bridge looked so fragile. A friend who is an engineer said to me, "The arched structure of the bridge must hold the bridge." I really think so.

 

     A street vendor hut. There's no one around here. If you want something here, you have to put coins in the can hanging on the pole. All the goods were harvested this morning and put here by farmers, so they are fresh. Moreover, the cost of the transportation is nothing so it comes at a lower price.

     It's a watermill that we ran into. We enjoyed walking around the mill. This area was very intersting. The road was like a spider's web. The riding itself was fun. I thought I would be back before you know it.

(Vocabulary)
municipal roads　市町村道
turning radius　回転半径、旋回半径
covered 《[名]の前でのみ》屋根のある, 屋根付きの
according to the mood of the moment  その時の気分次第で

(KW: 内子町 中山町 屋根付き橋)