Florence

Happy Birthday Eileen !

I'll be 50 at the end of the year and you're right, one is only as old as she wants to be !

Kappa, I live in Massongy, on the road to Thonon and Evian (South side of the Leman lake). I've been living in Geneva for more than 40 years and still work there. I suppose you know about www.moshimoshi.com for addresses of all things Japanese in Genève.

We definitely have to plan for GTGs, either in Japan or in our respective countries.

kuranosuke

bill; your memory and attention to detail never ceases to amaze me. how did you know it was eileens birthday, and the number?

eileen, otanjyobe ni, omedetoo gozaimasu, and many more, and you too, bill-san.

eileen; its a bit down the road but, do you think your son might be interested in teaching in japan after he graduates from college? if so, check out the jet program. the website is http://www.jetprogramme.org/.

its sponsored by the japanese government and they recruit individuals to teach english to students in japan. they provide round trip transportation to japan, and currently pays about 300,000 yen per month, just enough to cover the rent and utilities and sushi about once a month.

btw, you guys are up late tonight. oyasumi.

kappa

Florence, so you are a savoyarde! (though I don't think you come from the region.)

kappa

Florence, I think it is moshimoshi.ch. No, I entered the page for the first time now that you showed it to me but I know most of the places mentioned there. Although I have not been to some of the new restaurants, I know personally the people in most of those places. It's a small Japanese society here.

emd

Florence, I didn't realize you lived there (and now I know Evian is really a place and not something made up to advertise water!) I have relatives just outside of Geneva, although I've lost touch w/them since my Mom's demise and memory loss of last few years- she threw out all the family photos and her address book and all her letters (alzheimer's does this...) I loved visiting them w/her, good memories. The fondue, and I recall walking to church on Sun. w/them as a teen- imagine, walking to church, who ever heard of such a thing, we drove everywhere. And then there was the time I was flashed at Lake Geneva. I'll tell that story at the GTG. Swiss Polics are very nice but they were not happy that I keot laughing as I told them the details. I wonder if they ever caught that guy.

kuranosuke, thank you! Now I have to go grab the dictionary and figure out what you said, but I am sure it is nice and gentle for an old woman's sensitive heart(right?) There is alot about Jet on the www.japan-guide.com forum (where it seems every young person wants to live in Japan and date Japanese women, so maybe some of them sign up for the wrong reason)

kappa, what is a savoyarde?

Isn't it sort of strange that kappa and florence live close by each other, and Bill and I live around the beltway from each other. Statistically, we should be much more randomly located.

I'm having a great day so far! Now back to the trip report, day 3 wherein emd attempts to buy her first pair of Japanese baseball tickets.

kappa

emd, les savoyards are the people who live in Savoie/Haute-Savoie (where Evian and Thonon - yeah, they are both a city but also a meneral water label. - are situated) though I think Florence is not a native there.

So you have been to Geneva. Remember where exactly your relatives lived?

Florence

Kappa, what are your favorite Japanese restaurants in GE ? I like the yakitori at Sumo (the cook introduced me to the music of the group "Koto-Za" ...) and the sushi at Misugi (I work nearby). I used to eat at the Sansui and the Sagano, too, but not recently. Also, I have the feeling the goods are cheaper at the Uchitomi foodstore than at Mikado, do you ?

Eileen, Kuranosuke offered you his congratulations (Oomedeto gosaimasu) for your birthday (O-Tanjobi). So do I.

If (or rather, I hope, when) you return to Switzerland, be careful not to call the lake "of Geneva" outside of the city. The Vaudois (denizens of the canton of Vaud) don't like the Genevois to accaparate the lake.

A "Savoyarde" is an inhabitant of Savoie, the French region at the border of Geneva. Savoyards tried to invade Geneva in 1602, a (failed) attempt that is remembered and reenacted every year on December 11-12. What happened actually was that a party of bored Savoyard soldiers tried to visit the bars and brothels of Geneva, only to be violently ejected from the city by the virtuous Genevois who, as good calvinists, would have nothing with this kind of debauchery (or so they said).

kappa

Florence, I have been to all of the restaurants you metioned but not many times each one. Actually I don't go very often to Japanese restaurants. I liked Misuji for simple sushi (spicy tuna is my favorite)and salad meals. They have changed the cooks quite often but I hope they are still good. A cook (Hiroshi)worked there once has opened Shibata since last year. Another before Hiroshi making sushi there opened Hashimoto. Today there should still be Doi-san, who used to work at Sansui.

You know, don't you, Uchitomi has now moved to just behind the big ball like protestant church by Rue de Lausanne? Since then the former localité of Uchitomi was retunred to Mr Uchino next door and he took it over now as Miyai (run by Mr & Mrs Miyai). I find Miyai is the cheapest for lots of items than the other two. Even though mr&mrs Miyai may still be not as professional as Mikado or Uchitomi (they used to be teachers at the school of Geneva for Japanese kids)and sometimes they may be lacking with their stocks, I go there almost every time I need something Japanese now because of the prices, location (convenent to where I am) and because they are very nice people. Mrs Miyai is still young but very courteous (that is very japanese like). Also I often order a take-away (bento) at Uchino next door to eat at the Parc Cropette behind the station. I am their long time cutomer but their restaurant is a bit too small to be completely comfortable to eat in. Sansui is a good value for barbecue set menu served next door to the sushi counter restaurant.

mrwunrfl

This thread is making me hungry. Sounds like we could have the GTG in Genveva.

emd, send me an e-mail at yahoo.com and let me know when you will be visiting Tachibana. Maybe we can have a mini-GTG.

But, Oishi-san, it is very easy to remember as emd is exactly 1 year older than me.

kuranosuke

bill, emd; enjoy your the mini gtg at tachibana, but save some for me, as i might be in dc in mid-may. bill, if i mention your name, will i get an extra slice of hamachi?

an asian board fodorite gtg in geneva, hmmm, interesting concept, might work for me.

monkeyrhino

I hope you are feeling much better emd. And happy belated bday!

You all are soooo knowledgeable about Japan and beyond. I almost have to stay away from this site since our trip is still nearly 3 months away. I get too excited reading all these emails. It will be a miracle if I don't blow the surprise.

I am starting to compose the book I am presenting to my husband 3 days before the trip (that will reveal the surprise)...Besides the capsule toys places, any insider info that I should be adding like amazing restaurant (cheap or expensive) or hidden gems that a first timer might not ever know from books, etc.? We love everything and are open to all suggestions even the bizarre and kitschy.

This forum is truly the best "guidebook" I have come across. Thanks to all of you for all your great suggestions.

PS-We are going during rainy time, should I be bringing a life preserver =) Is it really that bad end of June. Any pointers for the water logged?

emd

Hi there. Check my trip report for the gee-store capsule place info, although I can give you more specific directions: Go out of Akihabara station at the "Electrictown" exit (you'll see the signs). Turn right as you exit. Go down to the first street that intersects. Turn right. You will be directly across from Sega World at this point (and you can't miss that, it's a landmark even w/all the neon everywhere). Walk on the side of the street across the street from Sega. Go down several blocks (this is going to take awhile as you will see places you want to check out). You will come across a store called Aso Bit City. Stop and go in, they have a nice small collection of capsules in display cases (although nothing like mandarake and other places but it is worth a stop, and I think this is your kind of place). Realize that these stores go up and up, several floors.
Ok, exit Aso Bit City and turn right, proceeding in the same direction you were going before, away from the subway. Go about two to 3 more streets and this whole time look be looking across the street. You will see a small "alley" type of walking street, and just off the corner of it is Gee-Store. You'll see some capsule machines just outside of it, and inside are a bazillion more. And upstairs is a GREAT shop where you can buy the miniatures, a whole collection of them if you want so you don't have to go through the yen to get your entire collection of one type out of the machines (although the machines are half the fun, what will you get?). I also bought display cases up there for son's colllection (Neon Evalgelion), mine (samurai), daughter's frog collection (the frogs are so cute!). Love this place. Recall the post I gave you w/the japan-guide.com forum info on it re gee-store? That link has a map on it that will help you find the store (but not completely) and people seemed to know about the place when we showed them that map in Japanese.
There are other places in my trip report- you'd like any Mr. Craft store, we just happened upon one in Ebisu. Aren't you going to Ghibli? You'll love it.
And maybe take him to the top of Tokyo Tower at night- this would be tres romantic and beautiful, and you can see the whole city. A bit like the Eifel Tower.
How great, he is going to be so surprised!
This post is a little worn now, maybe start another new one if you need more momentum.
That restaurant at the Hyatt (New York something, Grill I think) is supposed to be very very good, also w/a night view. But $$$$$$$$.

monkeyrhino

this is amazing. i just posted to your trip report thread. also amazing. i think i will start a fresh post. while i want to check out the "must sees" the places you visited are much more in line with the type of experience we will want. i hope others can also offer some of the beaten track stuff too.

mrwunrfl

kuranosuke, my friend, gomen nasai. I have thought it over and I am afraid that I cannot honestly guarantee that I will save you some for you at Tachibana.

emd

monkey, if you go to Grand Hyatt New York restaurant (or just go there for a drink up high) then you will be at Roppongi Hills. We really wanted to go there. Lots and lots going on. The Ropoggni Hills bldg. is impressive when you see it from Tokyo Tower at night- it is just huge. The monthly events page is at: http://roppongihills.com/en/monthly_...x.html#ibaraki
They have recently updated it for March and April, check back for further updates. I thought the City Models exhibition at the Mori Urban Institute for the Future at Roppongi Hills looked very cool (thru July). It includes 1/1000th scale models of Tokyo, New York, and Shanghai. And they have a hi def. movie shot from the skies above Tokyo, shot by Ishii, the anime director. Admission to this also gets you on the observation deck at RH and the exhibit and deck are open til 20:00 on weeknights, 22:00 on weekends. It sounded like a fun, different thing to do before or after dinner. ALso a good architecture exhibit going on at Mori at RH, and a contemporary art exhibit of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Tawain art. And look at the Buddy Bears under April!
Sounds like a fun, different kind of night to me.

kuranosuke

bill-san: how long did you think it over? two seconds?? i hope you don't choke on the last sliver of hamachi as it slides down your nodo. .

oh well, i can always go to shirlington for some puntanesca.