Welcome to the Untitled Project, by Roger Bymolt

Danang Welcome

I was still sleeping when the ship’s engines wound down after 7 days at sea. I woke to the sight of land and small Vietnamese boats skirting around the merky harbour. We had docked in Danang. A group of young Vietnamese welcomed us with a dance performance. Huge smiles broke out across our faces. Dry land can do that to you. We were ready for Vietnam!
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The 59th Peace Boat voyage departed Yokohama with charged fanfare. We popped the champagne for the 1000 passengers and together shouted a big KAMPAI. We have incredible 110 days ahead of us to circumnavigigate the globe. Its hard to believe!
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NEWS FLASH: On September 22nd I’m leaving Japan aboard the Peace Boat.

‘On the what…?’ I hear you splurt from your office desk over your morning Nescafe. ‘Some kind of Hippy Tug boat?’

The Peace Boat, my friends, is a Japanese NGO with a goal to spread a global message of peace, cooperation and to take concrete steps to build a better world. After a competitive application process I am lucky enough to be chosen as a volunteer for the 59th voyage. I’ll be teaching Global English on board, which means English with a focus on global issues. I’m currently training in Tokyo with a great bunch of people with whom I’ll be cruising around the world for 110 days. Needless to say, Tanoshii mi! Friends in NZ note that I’ll be pulling in just before Christmas so there’s every chance of meeting up and sharing a slice of Christmas cheer together. I’ll be blogging it all, so check back for updates. More »

Gifu Crows, Champions!

There was no way I was going to miss the Awaji Soccer Tournament on my last weekend in Japan. Things started badly when traffic delayed us and we had to default our first game. But we then put together 2 solid wins, before being mercilessly dealt to by the favourites, Real Osaka. After the first days play that left us midway in the standings and able to reflect over some cacophonic karaoke.

By this stage we were fortunate to have suffered no injuries having only been able to scrape together 11 players. But the next day we were boosted by Ben who had come down on a night bus. I had no problem putting the last nights beers behind me and tucked away a hat-trick to help us to a 4-2 quarter final win. That somehow left us facing Real Osaka again in the semis. Capitano Marcel decided to sure up the midfield with a 4-5-1 and planted myself in the heart of defence to rough them up a bit. Those tactics worked as we repelled waves of attacks to hold them to a 0-0 draw. In the shootout Ben, Pepe and I converted our 3 penalties and Steve pulled off a cracking save to send Gifu through to our first ever final.

We stuck with the same tactics and when Flo found the net at the close of the first half it was all the motivation we needed. Running on empty, we battled out the second for a proud victory to the mighty mighty Gifu Crows!

At the Summit with the crater behind me

A month ago our expedition was thawted by a typhoon that rolled through Japan. This time nothing was going to stop us from conquering the highest peak in Japan – Fuji-san. Most people who want to say they’ve stood on the roof of Japan start from the half way mark at the 5th Station; Zurui! Not us. The real way to climb a Mt Fuji is from the bottom.

And so we set off from the Fuji Yoshida Sengen Jinga, which gave us a special feeling of ritual before our ascent. We collected some Dragon Water from the honourable dragon at the foot of the shrine, which no doubt would boost our strength and stamina to super human levels.
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Gujo Bon Odori, Dancing

Its a hot one in Gifu, ‘a stinka’, we’d say in Nyuu Jiirando. Since the rainy season petered out some weeks ago the needle has nudged 40 degrees on a few occassions. I’m reliably told that Gifu is the hottest place to be in Japan in summer. The hills trap all that heat in, and there isn’t a breeze around to let it out. There’s only one thing for it – jump in the river.

I’ve been doing just that every other day. Sometimes we mix it up and have a BBQ down on the shore and stay till dusk when the Ukai boats drift down. And just as last year, 2 monster fireworks festivals lit up Gifu, a different fire festival (like Techikara) sparked up, and we broke up work for an Obon holiday.

Sean with Mikoshi Boys who had carried their Mikoshi under the hot sparks

The Obon highlight is the Bon Odori; old skool japanese dancing. I donned my Yukatta and headed up to Gujo Hachiman again as I did last year, half fell in a rice paddy field, and then met up with friends. The Odori is celebrated as a reminder of the gratefulness one should feel toward one’s ancestors. In the true spirit of the night, Sean and I danced till dawn. See kids, you don’t need alcohol to have a good time!

My English buddy, Chris, came down to Gifu in August, on his DJ world domination tour. One little trip we made was to Ibukeyama for a dance party on the side of a mountain. We had a twisted good time, although had we known Israeli Goan Trance was on the bill we might have looked for a different mountain. Worst. Music. Ever.

Chris and Party Kids at Ibukeyama

Still, I won’t ever forget the pixies and manga characters some Japanese clubber kids transformed into. The trippy manga/neon look was contrasted by hoards of the petitest girls wearing outfits and heals that I may never again see on the side of a mountain. But, all in all, good times and good company.

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Otherwise, I’ve been hard at work redesigning this site. Feedback is welcomed, for example contact me if something doesnt work, text is too small, whatever…or to say it’s good

And lastly (Ill post more soon) Ill be leaving Japan in a few weeks on what promises to be an amazing voyage around the world… stay tuned!

Saipan from the Nikko Hotel

Goto-san is a very generous boss. She gifted the entire Hop-step-jump team a 2 day trip to the white sands of Saipan. So this past month, we’ve been rotating in groups of 6 and jetting off to a tropical island that I bet none of you can find on a map. I stepped off the plane and onto American soil for the first time, and took in Saipan’s soupy, humid air. 2:00am.

I opened my eyes just a few hours later. I met Richard from Aquasmith in reception and in no time we were humming across the blue to our first dive spots near Tinian Island. The diving in those spots was just ok, a nice refresher, though the water was incredibly blue and the colours underwater were vivid. The dive of the day was at the Saipan Grotto, a world renowned cavern dive. The entrance is formed from a large partly collapsed cave. Once under the water there are 3 entry/exit holes that glow bright blue from the open sea behind. Once we had passed through the hole on the right we emerged into a coral garden and saw a turtle glide by over head. We passed through more nooks and cranies and then paused.. in front of me were my first sharks, 2 nice sized white tip reef sharks chilling on a sandy bottom. Richard and I checked them out but when we got closer they zipped off. Though they aren’t man eaters they looked very mean and cool nonetheless! More »

Looking down on Saturday’s Mikoshi

The Sanja Matsuri in Tokyo’s Asakusa is the big one, one of the famous Matsuri’s of Japan. Naomichan and I followed her friend Rie through the crowds and back alleys to vantage point of a restaurant overlooking the throngs below. This was the Saturday, the day when all the mikoshi from neighbouring communities are welcome in with their shines, more than 50 in all.

But Sunday was the main event. There are only three Mikoshi on this day representing the three resident deities of Asakusa Shrine. Its a scrum, madness and not for the light-hearted. To touch that shrine is an honour most people can only dream of. More »

Gifu Crows Nagano 07

So, I’ve gotten back into playing the beautiful game recently. Every Sunday the Gifu boys get together for a kick, and a few times a year we play in tournaments throughout Japan.

We went into the recent Nagano comp full of confidence after winning a small Nagoya tournament a few months ago, where I picked up the golden boot for the tournament with 5 goals. More »

I’ve been there countless times. Its a laid back retreat near Gifu Park, plays drifting house music, and has an interior that rustically fuses Asian styles. Downstairs are pottery classes and once in a while there’s live Jazz. Gifu’s best kept secret cafe. They do a great Pad Thai. Iwao lives there.