Hassan Graham - In Japan

In The End

2010-03-04T04:55:00.000+09:00

Okay yesterday I didn't report because I felt the need not to and today it's the UK, I R back home now, I must say I've had a wonderful trip seeing things I have always wanted to see and experience.

I really enjoyed my trip to the land of the rising sun, met some awesome people and absorbed as much of the culture as I could the only thing I would have done differently is go with someone lol.

Thank you for reading my Blog everyone, I hope you enjoyed and felt what I have felt, I shall try and update with some pictures as soon as.

Fuck All

2010-03-02T15:48:00.000+09:00

Okay so today... I really didn't do anything. I just shopped and bought some new clothes and shit like that, but nothing special, at this point, I'm just too tired and was waiting to go home.

I haven't been feeling Tokyo, even after a day of random stuff. So yeah, I am sorry I can't report much today.

Mad Skills In Arcades

2010-03-01T22:00:00.001+09:00

Crack of dawn, I had my breakfast, as I do, food is a serious job for me. Was my last day in Fukui and we went gampling, all I can say is the Pachinco games are addictive!!! I got in that arcade place, playing one game and was the dogs bollocks at it, I mean... other players gave me money in saluting me in my new found skill at the game, it was so awesome; with my winnings, I spent it on some new pens which I am yet to try out, after all that I departed from Fukui and took the Bullet train back into Tokyo.

So my last four days and I have found myself in Tokyo. I was pretty burnt out today, after doing all the traveling I did, so I kept my movement to a minimal, anyways, I found Tokyo to be like London's Soho area, VERY busy. I was staying in the Ueno district which had a plaza which was like Camden Town, y'all need to shop there!!! and in this market place I met this dude who sells African Kebabs, which funnily enough are the best Kebabs I have ever had in my life, I swear down!

Apart from going to the Manga capital Akihabara I did jack shit... so yeah... I'm off lol

The Naked Spa.

2010-02-28T22:09:00.000+09:00

So I start the day with my friend Chiharu, I think I forgot to mention her name before, who took me to see another temple, which was up in the mountains, it was fecking cold!!! it was still snowing in that bitch, I had seen all the weather in 24 hours I didn't know what to wear as I was not sure as to what might happen to me.

This temple up in the mountains is called Eiheiji temple with all the temple hunting I did this was the best in every aspect, the location, the scenery everything about it was spot on plus it was still snowing up there a perfect movie setting if you ask me.

After, we went to one of those vegetarian resturants which was not bad at all and it was cheap, after eating a good meal, we drove to see a real castle in the local area, it had these stairs inside it which was more like a ladder, I had to adjust to it as it was weird thank God I was not behind any women in skirts I would have proberbly sliped and busted my head.

After the castle we ate again at the all day breakfast bar which was win, it was like an all you can eat buffet *oh the joy*... so after driving all day one was bushed, so as a treat I went to a Japanese spa even though it was nice, it was the most uncomfortable I had felt in Japan... too much dudes looking at my bucked naked body is not the one, oh and me with my dumb self jump in a ice cold spring and not the hot one.

So yeah, Im home now and I again R off to bed, goodnight peeps

Good-bye Kyoto. Hello Fukui.

2010-02-27T23:03:00.001+09:00

It was my last day in kyoto since my camera died I needed to go back to the Kiyomizu temple to get those awesomes pics so I did a repeat of climbing that steep ass hill again but this time taking a butchers in the shops to see if I could get anything to bring back as proof that I was there as I love Kyoto, oh by the way... it was pissing with rain -_-' quite nice though as it gave the temple scenery a nice mood.

I made my way on an epic journey to a small town called Fukui which involved a bus ride and the Bullet train, even though the transport is efficent in Japan, it was a killer journey to say the least. I got to Fukui and met my good friend and spent two days with her and her mother, after settling in we went to a resturant which I cannot remember the name of but all I know is that it sold an abundence of meat, I was a proper carnivour, this charming resturant was full of local people and was loud as fuck! *my kind of place* and the locals liked me which is wierd as Fukui is a small town which doesn't get many forigners passing through.

After eating and getting some photos of this place I went to my new place of residence and had a japanese bath... they have a fucking pot lid over the bath! as big as the bath, which is win cause it keeps the heat in the water, the bath was nice, very nice now I will take my black ass to bed, good night all.

Big Orange Gates and More Temples!

2010-02-26T23:00:00.003+09:00

Okay so I got my ass up at another ungodly hour and ate like a hog as I do when it comes to breakfast :D when everyone else got up i.e. my new found friends, we decided to split up and go in different directions to look for temples and all that good stuff.

The two girls Simone and Freddi (but I call her Frogleg as that is what her name sounds like in Danish) went to the Golden Pervilion, and my self and Adham went to the Nanzenji temple, anybody who plans on going to Kyoto I would strongly recommend that you go to this temple as it is one of the best in its beauty.

In the main Kyoto area however one must respect that monks practice regulary so I couldn`t get as may pics as I wanted but it was still bloody epic from seeing the monks do what they do to looking at the scenery, I have never felt such peace... Adham enjoyed it too by the way but *heh* back to my adventures XD... On our way back, we passed this BIG FUCK OFF ORANGE GATE! I mean seriously guys it was huge and as cliche as a black mans penis size, thats how huge but ofcourse I'm talking in a metaphorical sence, so anyway I got photos of that and had a quick butchers also as I was hungry I managed to buy something there, so all good.

We went back to our place of residence where we met the girls then we decided to go to the Kiyomizu temple. The pics are nice but it does not compare in seeing it with your own eyes absolute win, to get there though was effort as you are walking up a Goddamn steep-ass hill but well worth it in the end. It quite spiritual I must say.

After the event full day I took my ass home, food then bed ^^' I love temples, so much to take in but yeah, pictures will speak loud I hope.

Cycling seriously is thee mode of transport.

2010-02-25T23:32:00.000+09:00

Righto dudes and dudets... after the solo day I had looking at the Chion-in Temple, myself and my new found friends decided to go and do some more temple hunting after a hearty breakfast.

Insted of going by bus, we opted to road dog it and cycle to our destinations (which made so much sence in saving money to bloody eat). Our first stop was the Emperor`s Garden, this garden is the equivilent to Hyde Park, it was HUGE and it was prettier that Hyde Park.

We were absent minded in not getting tickets to go in and have a butchers at the Emperor`s house, but it wa no biggie. I think that we were caught up with the fucking awesome weather we didn't pay attention, it was seriously like a summer out here while you all in the UK are freezing your bollocks off, sorry but I have to show off, I haven't seen such weather since some random time in London with Tony and Damian.

Anyhow... the next place was the Silver Pervilion which so happened to be under renevation at tge time *curses foiled again* but the walk along the garden path was nice, so wasn't all bad, very nice infact, the view was especially good as there were clear skys and you could see the whole of the mannor (more inspiring views for me).

After seing all of that awesome stuff which by now the sun was starting to set, we headed back to get some food and some ice cold beers, after doing that, we found a spot to rest our legs after cycling all day, sucking down those darn beers while watching the sun set was a perfect end to a perfect day.

Thats all for now, goodnight.

Chion-in Temple and TONKATSU!!!

2010-02-24T00:13:00.009+09:00

Okay, so I was up before Jesus and the Mexicans this morning at a cracking 7:30 BUT to say the least, man can't turn down breakfast, which consisted of these sweet bun bread things which was free so I had to partake.

After eating like a pig as one does, I took my black arse to Chion-in Temple which was all 'Buddah' like, it was indeed very beautiful, one would marvel at how the fuck the place was built, it's a bit like how one would marvel at the Pyrimids and the Colloseum... HOW DID MEN BUILD THESE THINGS???

Also some news for you all, I failed to bring a USB cable with me for my camera, so I can't update the blog with pictures as of yet, but as soon as I get back in the UK I shall update with piccies, I have a shit load anyway so don't worry.

Regardless of losing my pad yesterday I have definatly found a load of inspiration for my manga, so hopefully the photos in twine with what I've seen will definatly be showing up in future chapters, the photos will definatly tell you my vision as to where the manga is going to go.

During my time at the temple I got into a convosation with a lovely little Japanese girl, she was so small and cute, she was about 5 to 8 years old, funny part was I was trying to talk to her in Japanese... badly, I suck rectum at it but I tried nonetheless.

Anyways after I did this whole temple thing, I went to a resturaunt called 'TONKATSU' lets just say, it had fucking awesome food, they had all types of Katsu there but you know me, I went for the bird. Once I had almost ate my weight in food, I came back to the place I'm staying at, at around about 3pm JPT, shortly after doing so I decided to have a powa nap since I had been walking all day, then I woke up at 9pm... which makes me say so much for that powa nap >.< . Since then I've been having a chat with a few people who do speak the English and have been doing so all night so far, now I might get my head down and do some drawing. So speak tomorrow guys!

The Arrival

2010-02-23T23:13:00.001+09:00

Okay so I start my day leaving the UK from Heathrow to Frankfurt, was all good, got on my flight to Tokyo, Japan. My arrival to the country was exhausting, I mean damn, it was one hell of a flight, I must have covered almost 30,000 miles of doing nothing.

Here is some bad news though, Day 1 comes with a special thank you to shit luck... I lost my A4 sketch pad with all my ORIGINAL sketches of the LOTBD cast. So not a good start, though I am shaking because its sink or swim at the moment for me.

After numerous hours wondering around God knows where, looking like a typical lost tourist I find myself approached by a older gentleman who asked me if I was okay, a few hours and people there are already looking out for my ass! the guy offered me back to his place where his wife made a yum meal or rather a free yum meal! what can I say that country knows how to welcome guests!!! so it wasn't all that bad, I had a lovely chat about getting myself around, namely Kyoto where I am currently staying, and ofcourse my hair, they kept talking about it loool and they welcomed me to drop back anytime I liked.

Anyway sleep time for Hassan, pictures and stuff soonage tomorrow is going to be an eventful day I R hope.

Note: I left on the 22nd Feb, 2010, UK time, when I arrived in Japan it was the 23rd, which is why the date is not that of when I left.