Sumo and Judo

Ordered a news paper yesterday (no more going to the convenient store every morning for that). This morning got the first one. And what do I see on the first page! The Grand Tournament of Sumo has been going on already 11 days in Tokyo and I didn't even know it!! Impossible! How could I miss it so badly every time they come here. Ok, luckily they are here for 3 more days...but of course this is the weekend when we start to get stuff to our house. To be sure to see some fights we went there together with Israelis friend who arrived this morning. We were able to see the fights of two highest ranks.


Sumo...cell phone pic isn't so good quality, so please see others from earlier posts...nothing was changed. ;P

Last fight, where this tournament's only yokozuna (highest ranking guy, there can be only two at the same time) beat his opponent, I was watching one leg between the door. After seeing the unlucky opponent fall down from the ring I started run like Forest Gump. Judo training was going to be on the other side of the city. With running in every place where I could (had to change train for 5 times) I was 'only' 20 minutes late.

Running was good warm up, so no problems to join others. Only later had to pay the price of busy day. No time for proper meals on whole day and not drinking enough on a hot day (not to mention those two cups of sake sipped in the tournament). Of course couldn't listen my body during the fights, before...both calf muscles were cramping so BAD that the pain dropped me down and it took lots of cold-spray and massaging to get muscles relax.

...btw, my fights were going better than in whole summer. Finally the resting starts to show some effects. Heavy working is bad for the hobbies...actually it is bad for everything...but isn't this quite obvious. Many times, in life, have to take some lessons for few times...mostly hard way.


Takabayashi-sensei and his happy student.

Have to mention that my sensei is incredible in judo and especially in teaching it. We don't have common language for speaking but that's not needed for teaching/learning judo (...although it could help;). As it can be seen from the results.

Ok, now I take a rest from the thesis, lab, studying, school, blog, internet, email and this computer. After 9 days I'll be back. Sayonara.

summer holiday

Tomorrow is the last day before my summer holidays. We have whole 5 days to use for holidays. This is the last moment to spent them. I'll be heading to Hokkaido next week and I try to stay out from the lab other holidays as well. So next postings probably coming next month.

Oh, almost forgot:


My first scientific publication.

And here is the link for more interested ones.

Ok, now have to catch the last train.

Black belt

Got my 1st dan in judo on last Sunday. \(^_^)/ After ten years continuous training of martial arts I got my first black belt. The test included 2x2min fighting where you had to show your fighting skills in order to get permission to proceed to the next phase, showing a kata for technical skills. The first step of the test was more exciting because here most of the guys have been doing judo since they were 5 years old. So their technical level is pretty high. However, when you are under great pressure of test situation everything is really hard. Familiar feeling from kick boxing rings. Getting points from my nervous opponents wasn't as hard as I had expected. Got even one "ippon". :) Kata we had trained hard in our dojo, so no problems with that one.

Funny is that the first martial art I did as a children was judo. Here I'm enjoying this magnificent martial art again! Hee, next step is to enter judo competitions...after all, judo is a sport. This is going to be fun...we'll see how it goes. :)


What comes to the other parts of my life, or should I say the biggest part of my life lately, the Master's thesis is finally moving forward with major steps. Last week I finished writing the literature part (which includes now about 140 references). Next have to write the experimental part and most importantly to start make conclusions of my research done so far. Phuuuuuuuuuuuh...what a summer, almost I have survived through it. Just to make sure it, next Friday I'll start my summer vacation. No lab/research/studying for 9 days. Quite exceptional for me but I have already plans for holiday: 1) get furnitures to the new apartment, 2) 4 days trip to Hokkaido, the northest main island of Japan.

...And from today it is time to start meeting all my, lately neglected, friends and have fun! A good start is get together with Finns and have a Finnish style drinking party. Kippis! \(^_^)/

Moving to the new apartment

As I may have told before, finally it was time to move out from the dormitory. Rent got 4 times bigger but also the size of my room doubled plus now have own (shared with Israel) kitchen, bath room, toilet, balcony and a small extra room (size 3 tatamis). Not to mention other freedoms what own house in TOKYO will bring us.

Spent most of the Thu-Fri night cleaning my dormitory room and continued Friday afternoon last week. Then packed last stuff to my luggage and headed to get a key to the new apartment. Here you have few pictures. Maybe more coming after sometime when we get some furnitures in our empty house. Oh, almost forgot...total size is 57.8 square meters.


Whole 2nd floor is ours.



Kitchen.


My room.


Small room and hall way from Israeli's room to the bath rooom.


Bath room with bath tub...perfect.


And other way round. Hee, Israel is now in Israel...so I'll be sleeping in his room 2 more weeks (he has tatami floor...(o_*)b).


Japanese style. The house is OLD.


How convenient...a vending machine on our doorstep.


Lively neighbourhood.


Happy road.

And now starts the WEEKEND (not really...have to work tomorrow...like most of Japanese but leave today earlier, have to rest a bit for Sunday)

Lab which never sleeps?

Found a picture taken in our campus last Sunday. J1 is the building where my lab is. The building has 9 floors. Our room is on 8th. Maybe you can guess which one? Wonder how many hours lights are on in this room of ours..? And no, we don't keep lights on if there is nobody working (or hanging around). Hopefully last weekend was one of the last when I have stay in the lab and work all night long....thesis at the point where I should start analyzing the results of my experiments done in last 10 months. (O_o)


Beautiful "Suzukakedai" campus and "J1" building.

Typhoon approaching...

...and they say it will soon hit straight to Tokyo. Exciting, first time typhoon is hitting straight here. So far all of them have past us from safe distance. The strongest part of it should hit here during the next night but already it is raining heavily...horizontally. Should have put swimming pants on this morning. (X_X)

Night life

Hahaha. Sun is rising again. Still writing my thesis. Eeeh, next deadline Monday morning (Finland's time...which means...hmmm...let's say that it has to be ready at 8 am...9 more hours working for me). This point of night start to feel sharp again. \(>_<)/