Monday I had my placement test which was alright, my techers told me they were going to have a bit of a problem with me, not being able to read or write any kanji I should be in the bottom class but my speaking and listening skillz stick me up top... so I ended up in the second class, which is pretty good, the kanji is too hard for me to understand so I have to push myself to catch up and all the grammar is basically where we finished at Brookes.

In other news this week has been a bit of a nuts week and it finally caught up with me.

I started using a diary as well so I know exactly what days I did what and who with, its pretty cool really and so very convenient, why I've never used one before I have no idea.

I've also got really into the Japanese club scene, house music is actually amazing, I can't listen to it at home but I like trying out new places now and seeing whats on offer. On friday I went to MicroCosmos, which was an amazing place, location and had tasty interior. It was also cheaper than any other club and sold ice cream behind the bar. However their was hardly anyone there so as much fun as it is to dance around with just 5 people, something told us we should head somewhere else... yup karaoke! 

I had an pretty awesome day yesterday as well, kind of completly random but awesome. The night before we had tlaked about going to eat sushi is this amazing place that was really cheap, I was up for it who doesn't like tasty sushi. What Kengo had failed to mention that the sushi place was a 3 hour drive away in Kamogawa. But it really was worth it, the sushi was taste to the max and stupidly cheap. After there was a matsuri which was as always was very amusing, drunk people trying to walk around with a mikoshi. We then went and played with fireworks in the rain on the beach (by fireworks I mean like sparklers) which is probably why I now have this horrible cold, ugh! 

Back at school tomorrow...

Banzai

 Not really sure where I should start, I was in Ryogoku, Tokyo for the whole of August and things were pretty standard, the first couple of weeks however were incredible, firstly hanging out with the guys from CSM, youness, bandi, shotaro, haruna etc was top jokes and was really nice having people living in the apartment with me. Still think its funny that you make friends with people in another country even though they live round the corner from you back home. Top jokes had all round though and to top it off in the second week of August Joely shows up (in her big granny shorts). And of course just like old times, where did we go, yup Gas Panic! The classiest of all classy night clubs, filled with terrible music, perverted gaijin and guys that really can't dance. His legs did move incredibly fast though, this guy basically did this step over move over and over again and was like all in my face like "lets have a dance off" so I did the classic hands in front of the chest, lips pouting and pivetted... I think I won the battle!

It was a good week, being quite touristy and just chilling out, with a base was quite a nice change from the troubles of travelling. (not that I had any trouble, in fact quite the opposite) We also all went down to Kamakura and had a wicked day on the beach, it was like a massive international beach party consisting of Japanese, English, French, Italian, Swedish/Morrocon, Korean and a surfing dog (there's pictures floating around facebook somewhere) yes, I am yet to of bought a camera so I have nothing to put up here. Finally everyone started to leave for London and I was left on my own in that massive flat, which basically sucked as I had not much to do, no internet and not exactly the heaviest wallet to go out with.

It was then that I got a wonderful phone call from Doping Panda's manager, asking if I was still interested in doing some work for Sony as the vice president of SMA wanted to call me and talk about it, obviously I had to think long and hard about this for about 10 seconds and a couple of days later I went in for an interview, I was given the task of translating a couple of band profiles as a sort of trial run, I think I did good because I was invited back to talk about wages and what I'd be doing from there. So over the past couple of weeks I've been doing the odd translation, its actually not that much but takes quite a while. I also am doing live reviews, and went to my first one last week, a band called PUFFY, who on CD are not very good but live are pretty amazing, the review is actually taking me a long time as i have to write 1200 words, so I'm like "what the..." they only did a 5 song set, not exactly Beyonce at Summer Sonic. But I'm working on slowly and should be done soon, got till Wednesday to finish it, and when it is done I'll stick it up here for your parousel...

On to more exciting times and the start of university and its ups and well ups. Many of you may have heard that the dormitory that I was going to be staying in, sucked! I did moan about it an awful lot. 10 o'clock curfew, no friends allowed past 10, no showers after 10, no common room after 10 basically no life after 10. Oh and no firearms?! But it turns out most of that is just for show, there is no curfew, anytime is fine, the common room doesn't shit and I can have a shower too. The staying over of friends is a tricky one though, its still not allowed but the "psuedo parents" don't exactly check your rooms and they are never around in the dorms, I heard from someone else that as long as someone doesn't move in with you and stay for lengthy periods of time its pretty much ok for someone to stay... The Josh is back to life WHAAAAAAAT!? 

Its a pretty strange place though, there's people from all over the world staying here, and everyone seems pretty safe, but you know how these things work first couple of weeks everyone is just feeling each other out and then things will settle, we shall see how things pan out. A few amusing people as well, one guy is like literally the most stereotypical american farmer, he walks around with that wheat grass thing in his mouth, I'm like "uh, dude this is Tokyo not the 1800s" I haven't done very well at learning people names either, in this past week I've met 30 foreign students plus the meigaku buddies. ah yes the coverted buddy system, TOP JOKES! basically each international student get 2 or 3 "buddies" basically people to look after you and help you settle in, its a really good system in theory but when there's almost 100 people walking from the dorms to the university and all around tokyo getting train passes etc it gets a little ridiculous, I cleverly slipped out the back and did everything by myself today, was much easier and slightly less embarrassing, but then I guess its not really in the spirit of things. But again as time goes on it will be a lot easier to work this buddy system out, at least my buddies only speak to me in Japanese so I got no problem with that.

Had my first day at uni today, a placement test which was... fun? After the test we had this oral interview type thing, and I'm sitting their chatting away to the teacher, when she whips out my kanji test, which of course was blank and was like "what are we gonna do with you, your japanese speaking is at an advance level but you are basically a beginner at writing" tis going to be amusing how they work things out with me, hopefully I'll sit in the lower class and start from scratch and use my time with friends to improve speaking and listening or something along those lines.

I think that's pretty much it for today, I know its long but now I got internet things will go a bit smoother and I'll try and do weekly updates with what I've been up to.

 Much love and all that jazz

アバヨ

I got to Nippon on the 29th June and spent a couple of weeks in Tokyo. It doesn't really get much better than Tokyo, there really is pretty much anything 24hours a day (except for a way to get home) which isn't so bad, just means you have to stay out drinking until first train.

It was a good couple of weeks, seeing old friends and generally just catching up with a lot of people from back in the day. 

Went to Yokohama to see Doping Panda, pretty good stuff, had a premium seat up stairs which was a little odd, sitting by myself watching a band miles away but was still quite a laugh, and then going out with a few of them after until the early hours is always a bonus.

I'd also started studying Kanji, which to be honest, I was pretty surprised about but as I had enough free time during the day, it worked out quite well. I'm getting pretty good, I know about 50 of 2000.... alright so I've got a long way to go, but at least I've started, considering the last 4 years I haven't opened a kanji book once.

On the 14th I started my travels with the wonderful JR pass, I can go anywhere without paying a dime which made travelling all around Japan pretty much the easiest thing since learning Kanji...

I started by going to Nagoya, I've never really been a fan of Nagoya, its the only place in Japan where I feel uncomfortable, but I had friends there now so was going to be alright. I only managed to see a couple for a few hours, took some pirukura and had a few drinks. Ended up in The Hub (the british pub) chatting to some australian bikers, and met up with Yuta, who I had only ever met once before in England, but literally is the topest of top blokes. Had a good old time but was then off to Osaka randomly on the 15th.

 Spent a couple of days with Al and Shoko which is always a pleasantry and started learning my Kansai ben 関西弁 which I think I'm getting pretty good at, not that I'm ever going to use it in Tokyo (mainly because Towa just beats me when I do)

Went to Hirakata where the kansai gaidai exchange students live, and went out drinking with old friends of al and shoko, was a good laugh and stayed out till 7am, then somehow managed to jump on the train to Kita Kyusyu to meet up with Yuki, which never fails to dissappoint.

We hung out at a matsuri (festival) and I got to meet Mr Kita Kyusyu, he won the university's best looking cool guy award or something...

Went with Yuki's volleyball circle to Kagoshima, which was amazing, stayed in a bungalow in the middle of the woords, Daiichi brought 9kg of meat and Yuki's dad brought a keg, so could not really complain. Although somehow it felt like one of those america teen horror movies...

Kagoshima was cool, went to a couple of onsen and yes got neked in front of a bunch of guys I know, and in one had an outside bit which seperated the girls bath by a small wall, slightly embarrassing but I'll get over it. Also went to Sakurajima (volcano in kagoshima) it was a little bit cloudy so couldn't see the top but still got rained on by ash, which was a little disconcerting. Went back to Kita Kyusyu for one more day, to play some volleyball which is top jokes, scaring little girls by being a foot taller than them is always amusing... 

Next day after not sleeping again, got on a train back to tokyo for a couple of days. Doping Panda were doing a end of tour show and I wasn't planning on missing it, opened for by Frontier Backyard and joined on stage by Beat Crusaders. Then at the after show party a bunch of other bands all turning up, I hardly spoke to anyone in fear of wetting myself, just stood at the side of the room clutching onto a beer, I finally got a bit drunk and loosened up a little, Beat Crusaders vocalist told me I should write lyrics for Japanese bands and was offered a job at a Japanese record label in France, not sure that's really where I want to go. Stayed out again until stupid o'clock and then jumped on a train to Osaka (again) but this time joined by Doping Panda, because they felt like eating breakfast in Hamamatsu... ah to be rich....

Got to Osaka to be met by Hiro, in his Nissan Sports car, which was so low to the ground when you drove past girls you could see up their skirts (I think this is why he bought the car) Went out to a bunch of places, had planned on going jet skiing but it was raining stupidly every day so there wasn't much point. One night went to matsuri again, and his parents had booked a room on the 10th story of the imperial palace hotel, ate giant oysters and wagyu beef and surprisingly really nice wine. Fireworks let off, literally exploded outside the window so didn't end up with a creak in my neck. hurrah! Literally amazing though, never eaten such an array of taste food.

Met up with Al and Shoko again on the monday, and we went out to a hip hop club, was actually a top jokes night although there was literally no one there... However the next day felt just about right to stay in bed... all day!

Went to Kyoto for the day, to the louvre (yes there is a louvre in kyoto too) it wasn't very good really, 1000￥ to walk around for about 5 minutes and look at crappy art from 400 years ago, it all just looks the same and I refuse to believe its talent to paint an apple.... the 10th story beer garden was a lot more like art being able to see the whole of kyoto and all the hidden temples in the mountains.

I then cam back to Tokyo yesterday and am now in the process of finding a job, not spending anymore money and planning my climb of mt Fuji. 

Although the most exciting thing at the moment is the start of the Europa league tonight, 2am FK Vektra vs The mighty Fulham - Bobby Z gonna get a hat trick and prove all them doubters wrong.

I guess that's it for now. I'll try and write more often when things actually happen etc

Much Love

ジョシュ　女趣　josh