Sunday Sanga
19:00 Sunday K.O. time for the J1 game between Kyoto Sanga & Oita Trinita at Kyoto’s Nishikyogoku stadium. There are 18 teams in J1 and before KO Oita from Kyushu the most southerly of the four main islands are in a decent 8th place while Sanga are 15th. It seems bad but the difference is only 3 points so a win tonight will move Sanga level with Oita! I usually go to the games with my Japanese friends Miki and Takashi. Takashi is a big Gunners fan, while my team is West Bromwich Albion, we are both looking forward to the opening day of the season when our two teams will be playing each other. Anyway back to the game. Despite Sanga’s stadium being towards the edge of town and next to the river, it is very warm and humid and the play is is slow. The spectatures slowly cook. Not much happens until after 30 minutes Sanga score! Yeah! Offside! "NO!" go the Sanga fans but wait the referee has given it "YES!". Oita get a free kick one minute later and score, "oooooh!" The rest of the game seems to be Sanga having the ball and passing it around to try and make a shooting chance (and not managing it) and Oita defending and then breaking away to have an excellent chance which just misses or hits the bar. The crowd go home happy but not THAT happy. Attendance 12,533 pretty good for Sanga who usually get about 10,000. Maybe they counted all the babies and really small children who come to the game with their parents. I'm already looking forward to the next game.
Here is a photo of a typical Shinto shrine that you can see all over Kyoto.
Shinto is the traditional religion of Japan.
Some very interesting comments about AC (air conditioners) and their use, Naheed and Gazin I asked my colleagues about their use of AC and many who live up on the hills never use them at all. Lucky! Of those, like me who live in the city it seems that I am using my AC least. I think it depends on the location, orientation and construction type of your house and your own personal feelings. As for earthquakes Naheed, generally Kyoto doesn’t get many bad ones (touch wood). What tends to happen is that every few months there will be a shudder lasting a few seconds, things will shake and rattle a little and that's usually all. I have been in one medium sized earthquake in Kyoto and I have to say I have never been as scared as that. Jorge asked about religion in Japan and over the next few weeks I will from time to time try and give you an insight into this aspect of life in Japan.
Diema I too enjoyed the book ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’. I live not far from the main area for Geisha in Kyoto, Gion. We can often see Geisha and Maiko going off to work in and around this area, which is really special to see. As for your comments about the length of this blog (already it is getting long…..) somebody wise once said “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Some people will like a longer in-depth blog while others might prefer shorter ones. I think that many people with busy lives haven’t got much time in their day to come to this site and read a long blog, so it seems to me that shorter is better. I'm really looking forward to reading your comments soon, best wishes Simon
Decent Good.
Gunners Arsenal Football Club from North London.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club from the West Midlands of England & the team I have supported since I was young.
Shooting Kick the ball at the goal.
Break away To move quickly from defence to attack.
Bar Part of the goal frame.
Attendance The number of people who go to the game.
Orientation The direction in which something (a house) faces, North or South for example.
Touch wood If you want good luck to continue then you must say this.
Shudder Shake Rattle Move and make a noise
Comments
Hello Simon. I read Memoirs of a Geisha too and I liked it very much, but the movie was a poor version, in my opinion. So you are a scared about big earthquakes. I was in a big one in 1985 in central Chile. In was 7 in Mercalli's scale. Scientist said that where I live now, in northern Chile, a very big one will come soon. But people are (most of them) not worried about it. They are more concerned about the posibility of a tsunami after the earthquake. Fortunately, my house is in a high place... Bye.
Hello Simon and thank you for telling more about the use of air conditioners and the earthquakes. Well, as for me, I have felt the rattle of earthquake twice in my life although, there was no damage at all but it was horrific. Speaking of Geisha, have you ever seen them performing? Ah, I have spotted a spelling mistake in your blog, you wrote 'spectatures' did you mean 'spectators'? It might be a typo or you wanted us to spot it:) Looking forward to another page from the life in Japan. Until then see you next time, Naheed
Dear Simon, welcome to the blog. Although I have been enjoying your entries because they are interesting I must admit that I miss communication between you and Rosi. I am one of the constant and longest readers who is here from the beginning of this blog service. I think that the teacher blogger should give the student advice on what they write, suggestions for improving their writing and language guidance. That is what I miss so much. I am sorry if I am too harsh but that is only my opinion. Best wishes,
Hi Simon. My name is bahar and it's the first time that I'm serious to follow the blogh because I'm not well enough in English and on the other side I'm so busy with my work but your blog is really interesting and isnÂ’t quite complicated. Thanks I'm really eager to have friends from different nationalities and I think, in this blog I could find best friends if they want to. I do my best to make up my English language. I have a blog for my self that I choose texts that I think they are good. I'm waiting for your next blog. bahar
Hi Simon! Should I understand that ´J1´ game you watched and described in the blog was a football match? I have just read it second time and I may deduce it now from the frases like ´offside´, ´free kik´, ´having the ball and passing it´, and from the kind Sophie´s hint about you are a football fan. So you´ve given a good lesson to me. Or am I wrong again? What to do I don´t like to learn the theory even about painting, which is my another hobby. Have a nice day!
Hello Simon, thank you for all the interesting information, but I miss something: the communication between you and Rosi and the possibility for me, to improove my English skills. So I'm looking forward to your next blog. So long ...have a nice time
yes simon, it was good to know the word 'shake and rattle'. thanks dear. bye for now.
Dear Simon, Thank you for introducing sport language. Initially it looks strange. Most of the sentences are in simple present except few with are either future tense or present perfect. After a long time I have read such type of structure and initially could not find what is the strange about it. Sentences are simple enough to derive meaning. Your writing styles remind me of Dr. Sarah Acland with whom I worked 15 years back in United Mission to Nepal. She used to write conversational type of English with phrasal verbs. If I asked her what she had written, then she used to laugh and tell me simple meaning and connotation related to that. Now I don’t know where she is and what she is doing.
Hello Simon :) As you rightly noticed 'there's not a man living who can please everyone'. I think the best is to try and find the golden mean. All the best to you and your family.
Hi Simon¡, enjoy your japan football championship, by this side I´m Manchester United supporter, in my country for Universitario but latterly the peruvian football isn´t staying a good times. And for me don´t worry about your longer blogs, I´m looking forward your next, best wishes, Jorge
I told you Simon would give you all lots of info about football!
Hello Simon! Thanks for the Shinto shrine picture. By the way, there´s a 'Torii' in the entrance of my city. This monument was made in order to celebrate the friendship between Brazil and Japan. I hope hear from you soon. Best wishes, Ana Paula.
Hi Simon! What a great blog. Even im a constant reader of you blogs but i think im not writing comments to you due to short of time. Simon, it would be great if you pinpoint the mistakes of the commentators too, i know its a lengthy and difficlut job but we will appreciate it:). Bye and looking forward to read your another blog. Mahjabeen
Hi Sophie, you're there. Hope everything is all right with your studies. Your husband is as great as you describing things. See you, Cris
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