Day 107, 17 Apr 2017: A(nother) afternoon in the park...

Day 107: ...among the fading blossoms and rain

Today required a trip out to the other campus for some paperwork. It seems like such a long way and yet, in terms of time, it takes about the same time as heading to the Ariake campus. There is definitely a feeling of heading west, to the hills, rather than east, to the port. 

On completion of the necessary paperwork, with a little bit of time up my sleeve, I opted to head to the other side of the station and walk the few hundred metres to Inokashira Park. It is a well-known park in Tokyo, famous for its swan boats and row boats on the lake. 

Today wasn't really a day for a walk in the park, clouds loomed and there wasn't any sign of sun; the cherry blossom petals were almost all gone but wisps of pink could be seen hither and thither; and, unexpectedly, a downpour of rain...

Through the blossoms

Row row row yer boat

Ripples

branched out

All rowed out

The swan with the ducks

Silhouettes 

Lasted this long

Waterbird

Spies something

Takes off

While the duck splash lands

In the rain, like water off the duck's back

Rain drops and petals

Path through the park

Fossicking

Shelter from the rain

petal carpet : bike wheels

Raindrops

Oars

Waiting

Swans

Floating petals

Feeding

No fishing sign, reflected

...always carry an umbrella, there can be no excuse really. 

I love my port views but this park is quite nice too, not unlike the artificial lake at my previous university. I imagine as I get to spend more time out at the western campus I'll take the bit of time needed to walk around the park. It is a nice way to spend some time thinking. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 3.51pm-4.23pm; 17 April 2017]

Day 106, 16 Apr 2017: Seeing your town...

Day 106: ...through the eyes of others 

Seeing where you live through another's eyes is always interesting. I sometimes like walking through Brisbane with my 'tourist glasses' on just to see things a bit differently. It is the same when friends and family come to Tokyo. I'm rather used to being here and, as a resident, I have my 'go to' places...work, shops, parks etc; but rarely, these days, to the tourist venues. 

So it happened today that one of my brothers and his friends are visiting Tokyo and surrounds for a week or so and that are staying at Asakusa for now, one of the main tourist spots and home to one of the largest and most popular temples in Tokyo. I haven't been here for some years. This was going to be interesting. 

Their unit had a great view of the grounds and a perspective I've not seen. 

Sun setting

Sundown over the temple

The view from up here

Being watched over 

Going down

The broader perspective

Roof

The top of the pagoda (currently under restoration)

Last of the blossoms

Monjayaki

Almost ready

Bokkeh streets

By day, these streets are packed with visitors 

Well, a caricature or three

The road to the temple

At the first gate

The protectors (look so different at night9

Roof detail

Against the night sky

As a shadow on the pagoda renovations

By night

By night light

Later we eat and found a spot to have dinner, 'monjayaki', Tokyo's version of the 'okonomiyaki' that is becoming a familiar staple of the Australian Japanese food scene. 

They're off to the coast for a few days and then they'll be back at the end of the week to continue their Tokyo adventures. It will be interesting to see what will be in store then. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 5.53pm-8.23pm; 16 April 2017]

Day 105, 15 Apr 2017: To the other campus...

Day 105: ...another orientation

Today is another opportunity to meet the first year students, with a four hour orientation package out at the campus in the western part of Tokyo, the university's original campus at Musashino. This is where the students will spend the first year of their studies before joining the department at Ariake, where I am based (you know, where the port is...).

Today is not just an opportunity to meet the group of eleven students allocated to me as their 'advisor' (although only six showed up), but several of the senior students joined us today to share their experiences and offer advice to their peers as they begin to navigate the study, the clubs, the classes, and so on, all the things that make student life, well, student life. 

The campus is much 'greener' than Ariake and there was a fair bit to see in the gardens this time ...

Azaleas

...with sunlight

The pond

Fallen pines, resting petals

Seeking the sun

The many layers of the camellia

Bursting

Architecture: waiting for the bus 1

Architecture: waiting for the bus 2

Sakura's last gasp

Hard to believe I've been here a yer and I'm no longer one of the new kids on the block but still, I could understand the bit of nervous tension among the first years as they take off into the next four years, wondering what it is that awaits them. They'll be fine, these things always work themselves out. 

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 12.39pm, 4.41pm-4.54pm; 15 April 2017]

Day 104, 14 Apr 2017: Day 104 or Day 2...

Day 104: ...or Day 14, depending on how you see it

For most people, today is 14 April, day 14 of the month; for project365ers, it is day 104, as you can see. At work, for me, it is day 2 of the teaching semester and the one that has had me up all night thinking. 

I've been thinking and thinking about how to manage a class of 80 students where I anticipated 25 students; it is a seminar-style class, one where they are supposed to put some of the theories into practice...a more hands-on experience than the usual lecture.

No wonder I preferred to smell the roses camellias on the way to work today...

Getting down to beesness

Layer upon layer

Hanging out for a view of the blossoms

Street posy 

Coming in to 'land'

And turning the corner

And after a few strong words of advice to them all today, about being sure they really want to do this course, now, I subdivided the class into four groups, four classes of twenty students in the one classroom. And critics say teachers lack the required flexibility to deal with unanticipated issues!

[Camera : iPhone6S, 7.39am, 9.21am, 9.22am; Lumix TZ-85, 9.40am-9.43am; 14 April 2017]

Day 103, 13 Apr 2017: One day finishes...

Day 103: ...another day begins

And the patterns are already falling into place. 

I was awake early enough this morning to see that most glorious morning scene--a setting moon in view of the rising sun. People who sleep until 'high noon' and miss these sights...well, I can only hope they enjoy their sleep-in, they're missing a sight few cameras (including this one) can truly capture.

The moon and the morning clouds

Sinking slowly in the west, rising quickly in the east

I was awake because I have to think about ways to teach a way-oversubscribed class, 80 students where once there were 22 (a manageable load for the hands-on practical seminar in politics that it is...

I was still wondering this afternoon when the police boats arrived in formation...

Here they come

One by one...

...under the bridge...

...following in the wake

I must try and find out what it is they do one day. But they certainly know how to go about their business. (I  wonder what they'd do about an oversubscribed class...)

[Camera : Lumix TZ-85, 5.29am-5.30am, 4.22pm-4.27pm; 13 April 2017]