Alright me old muckers. Mega mega blog alert!! Please excuse my absence but Japan is demanding all my sensory attention and blowing my mind again. I just have to soak up and relish every minute of it!!! YUM!

Even though I've been lucky enough to be here 6 times in my life I'm still getting it all wrong. The slippers, the toilet shoes, when and when not to take the slippers off to go into another area and the bathing etiquette when using an onsen (communal hot spring bath). For instance, in my guide book it says to wash with soap before going into a communal bathing area but later I was told absolutely NOT! Just wash yourself with water from one of the plastic bowls supplied then get into the water. Only after do you wash your body with soap. So there we go.

The next time I went into an onsen was last night. I've come up here onto Mt Asahidake (the highest peak in Hokkaido) for a night and a day as some things via email have come up recently which have been kinda stressing me out. I got a taxi up here at the last minute from my lovely cottage on Mild Seven Hill in Biei. The taxi guy at the station kind of looked at me funny when I told him where I wanted to go. He made sure he had his snow chains in the boot. We didn't need them luckily. What a journey. I could spend the whole blog describing how the colours played on the landscape as the sun set behind the hills behind us. The fields that looked like they'd been soaked in a robust red wine feathered with delicate skeletal winter trees. The layers of the view looked like a pop up book with flat patchwork land to hills to pink tipped snowy capped mountains in the background. The multicoloured clouds retire lazily overheard, bruised from the day. Once we start to climb the sky, now orange flashes through behind snow heavy evergreen branches. When we pulled into the log cabin type youth hostel/hotel there was some very confused misunderstanding that involved lots of laughing between myself and the cabby. I asked for a receipt which I got but there was a little space there which he pointed to and gave me a pen. In the end we both agreed that what I should be writing there was my name but I'm still trying to convince myself that's what I was meant to do. I've never had a personalized taxi receipt before! Things are so different here. That's why it keeps drawing me back. So, anyway...the Onsen, last night. I was sooo dying to get in it that I raced downstairs (at a controlled walking pace, coz I don't think I've ever actually see anyone hurry in Japan), took my slippers off at the red (for female) curtain, (mine were the only pair there), got into the changing room, shed my threaded layers (always go naked in these), washed myself without soap and then slid into the "bath". I was just starting to relax, until a minute or two later I realized It had completely escaped by brain to remember to bring a towel! I stretched to open the sliding steamed up door to have a look for towels but no. You had to rent them at the desk. Oops! Oh well...I'd figure that out later. In most onsen i've been to there's usually an outside one too. This one was especially nice. Bracing the cold down the steps between the inside and outside pools I lowered down into the water. MMM mmmmmm! So lovely. I wish I could have bought in my DV camera (forgot my phone hence no pics) to show you what was surrounding me. Natural rocks with an enclosed covering of about 8 feet of snow, branches hanging overhead with big clumps of icy snow, precariously balancing on the tiny arms of the tree above my head. Beyond these the night and darker shadowed trees, stars and a bright moon. There was also the biggest plug in the planet by my feet I realized later. Anyway...a good half hour of thinking of nothing much was just what I needed. When I finally got out and washing (with soap) I then went back into the dressing room. I hairdryered my body dry! Checking for any curtain movement. It would have been so embarrassing had someone caught me!

So...of course there's tons to tell. It's been almost 2 weeks since my last confession. I first arrived into Japan like most people at Narita airport. 1 hours train from Tokyo. Everything takes so much longer than all the other places I've been. You really do need to know a little lingo here. If you remember, at the beginning of this trip I mentioned learning Japanese before I got here? Well....I kinda...didn't. In the first week I'd do 3 or 4 hours a day and managed to get to chapter 5 of 30 in "Japanese in 30 days". I decided it's just not practical to try and learn a completely alien language to my own, while writing a new album, while going out and seeing the place you're in for that time and doing all the other things that go on in a day. I learnt enough to get people to start talking back to me in Japanese but then of course I'm done for. Thing is, I have a good ear (thankfully for all of us with regards to music) so my pronunciation is quite convincing I'm told, which leads to all the more difficulties arising in trying to back track and explain I don't speak or understand Japanese. I didn't realize also until recently (after reading another language book) that I've been saying "Goodnight I'm going to bed now" instead of "Goodnight" after a meal at a restaurant to the staff. Tra la la.

Eventually I got into Tokyo after getting my JR (japan Rail) pass. While on the train I relaxed and began to get sooooo excited! The only place I knew for sure I wanted to include on this writing trip was Japan. I've always come away from here being inspired, healthy, and craving for Okonomikaki. The people, the taxi doors that open by themselves, the clothes, the culture oozing out of every corner, the smells from the street cafes, the trains and the carriages 30% full of people nodding off (the station master has to wake them up at the end of the line!) all this flooding back to me as the neon signs of Tokyo whizz past against the night in Kanji (chinese ideograms), Hiragana and Katakana, which are phonetic syllabaries, one used for Japanese words and the other for "loan" words taken from Western languages (I of course just copied that from my guide book). There's also Romanji (the roman script used to spell out Japanese words) which is what my guide book's japanese words is written in and also used in adverts and magazines sometimes. Thankfully numbers are written the same so I can tell time, but it took me about 30 minutes to decipher which was the seat number and carriage number my JR ticket.

Like I said, you need to give yourself plenty of time because being late is just not an option in Japan. You can set your watch to the trains here. A late train would probably make headline news! It just doesn't happen. A taxi then was needed when I got to the station in Tokyo proper. I pointed to a map and said something in Japanese. It worked, kind of. We spent a good 40 minutes driving around trying to find the place. One thing I knew was that I wasn't staying in a coffee house so thankfully i didn't get out the cab the first time. The family run Japanese Inn, Yoshimizu, I was staying at was so lovely. I wanted to stay in Japanese style accommodation. 4 out of 5 times in the past, record companies would put you up in these fancy western hotels that could be anywhere. When I came here the last time it was for a traditional japanese wedding for Alex and Hi (mentioned in my Sydney blog). We stayed in a Ryokan and it's so much more, well, japanese surprisingly. The hot tea when you arrive, tatami (rice straw matting) and sleeping on a mattress on the floor with a rice husk filled pillow and bedding that you put back into the cupboard once you're done sleeping. Breakfast usually consists of some kind of miso based soup, some cold fish, pickles and rice in the communal eating area. Believe it or not...that is actually really tasty and sets you up great for the day ahead. Yoshimizu is in the Ginza district which happens to have some pretty fancy shopping going on. Not the reason I chose it honest.. it was because in the basement of this little inn was a gorgeous grand piano in what was their own miniature concert hall! Only in Japan! If you can dream it up it's probably here somewhere. I'd like to thank Yoshi Haru for a fantastic time at the inn. When I got there, I was of course...running late. They closed the door at midnight and I knew I'd be out after that so he gave me a key to let myself in through the comedy tiny side door. My first night I met up with a friend of a friend, Daniel. An englishman who's lived in Tokyo for a year now. We went to an Izakaya (japanese pub) and got a couple of cold beers and some great nosh. Though...I didn't have another go at the chicken neck cartilage once I realized what It was I'd just eaten. More the idea rather than the thought. Now though two weeks on I'm not batting a lip at snails and food that comes in boxes with weird and wonderful morsels in them to eat on long train journeys. The next morning I went into my mini concert hall. The first thing I played on the piano evolved into a melody for a song and a lyric I found myself singing "The great wall of china, the scale of the line you crossed". Whilst I was recording the idea into my laptop I heard a strange wheezing sound through my headphones. It was my hard drive! Uh oh! BIG trouble ahead. I packed it up like an injured kitten and rushed it down the the vet. The apple store was only a couple of minutes walk. I clocked it on my way to meet Daniel the night before. Anyway....very long story short... we cloned the hard drive onto an external one and I left it with them to put in a new one. When they looked up to see if I was still under warranty, I was. With three days to go! Usually it's the other way around and it's 3 days too late. So...without my laptop and in this area surrounded by fantastic little boutique shops and goodies I of course followed the urge and bought stuff. Remembering to take your shoes off before you go into the changing rooms and putting a muslin type bag on your face to not dirty up the tops when you put them on. Shoes of course, even though I knew before I got here, were too small. Even the largest of largest..just not happening. It didn't stop me trying of course. Maybe one pair was freakishly big and I might squeeze into them? The next few days were a fluffy of meeting up with friends and new friends. Mostly beginning our evenings at Hashiko the dog. A big thanks to Chris, Daniel, Ian, Taeko, Ryuji and and Jim for some fun times. I really wasn't expecting to see anyone I knew in Tokyo but it turned out some friends were there at the same time. I also hooked up with a couple of people from Sony Japan who I met seens as I was out there. We were trying to figure a way to sell some albums out here so I have many more excuses to come and visit. I'd like to thank Noriko who's actually translating this blog from now on for any japanese people that may want to read it. I did warn you it'd be a lot of work! I really really hope to be back to do all we talked about. We did take a picture of the three of us but I just look so ghastly I couldn't bring myself to post it!

The weirdest coincidence was meeting up with Jim Bianco from the hotel cafe tour of dec 2005. He emailed me out of the blue saying hello from Okinowa (next time I HAVE to go there) and I emailed back saying I'd be in Tokyo 2 days later. So we met up! it was great. We went to see this guy called "Moth" who had been recommended by Ian and Daniel as a good gig not to miss while I was there. I'd never been to an underground music night before in Japan. Been to big shows but nothing like this. I can honestly say it was the best gig I've ever been to. Moth was crazy insane sidesplittingly brilliant and so were the bands that played either side. Hopefully Jim's going to send me some clippings of video he took that night so you can have an idea what it was like. Moth was running about like a dog on heat, diving into the audience (of 20) with his megaphone, breakdancing and then racing back onto stage to join his totally inebriated bongo playing buddy in a bunny mask. He sometimes has his sampler strapped to him and he'd fly off anything from hip hop breaks to piano driven lullabies to something I can only describe as death metal-tronic! That was my favorite bit. He really had me jumping out my skin with sheer pleasure! Here they are if you can make them out in the dark picture.



The band before were two girls, one on drums one on guitar. Both smiling ear to ear singing in japanese and english. Sometimes I use those translator text programs to try to get some lyrics that sounded half as cool as the way they misinterpret the language. I can't remember now what they were, should have written them down but I wish they were on our radio. The last band were sooooo hilarious! Thing is, there were 20 people in the audience max. I hadn't ever seen anything like this band and I was LOVING it but the rest of the audience were used to this! How I would LOVE to be used to that kind of night out. Going out to see bands anywhere else in the world will always pale in significance to that night. So...the last band, had 3 members. Each donning a bright yellow, blue or red semi-see though anorak and head torches. The guy in yellow was a chubby fella but he didn't care one bit! Got his top off and was jumping about doing 80's style running man. The whole nine yards. Had something painted on his belly which i couldn't quite make out and playing some customized, circuit bent gadgetry when at his "Station" where he'd burst into star jumps while making heavenly angular noises effortlessly I could only dream of. The lead girl singer was in a very very short skirt and was crossing shouting her head off that would make Meshuggah's vocals like they were whispering sweet nothings into your ear. The remaining member was just pulling some mental licks on his cyber guitar. He had some very cool hair I remember. In fact..cool hair is something you see a lot of in Japan. When I was auditioning back in the day for my first band, I began to laugh really hard when this drummer came in. Not coz he was so bad it was funny but because he was so darned good. That could be quite off putting I discovered when the person you're playing for starts to double up, tears running down her face laughing. Anyway...that's what I was going at this gig so I hope they didn't think I was rude!

While Chris and I were wondering about one night we came upon this. It looked and still does like a half a candyfloss heart. They put it up there one night and it was gone the next. Sometimes people came out from a door at the back. Very strange!



Chris took me to this great little wooden house in amongst the windy back streets of Shibuya near "Love hotel Hill". All it served was coffee and an endless long play supply of classical music on the ancient record players. What more could you want? The lady who worked there would come and get your order of coffee, then she'd get back to introducing the next piece. There were of course men in there who'd nodded off to sleep. It was a glorious oasis of calm in the most intense city I've been to so far. The night I also did a little DJing at the request of Daniel who also runs a night at the The Ruby Room which after about 10 minutes of walking about we found it was actually pretty much above the wooden classical music dwelling. I was panicking all day. Hee's a pic from that night taken by Chris from his phone.



A - because it was an English Indie night and there was nothing on my ipod that could count as that apart from 2 albums from Cable and
B - because I've only ever DJ'd a set once in public before and that was at some fancy artist's party at Coachella one year. I swore never to do it again!

The most difficult thing is not the playing records it's the talking to people who want to know what the tunes are while you're doing it. it's amazing how quickly a minute can go by when you're trying to queue up the record. I thought I'd kick off my set with some German electronic pop. Barbara Morgentern's "The Operator". I LOVE that song. I got some Cable in there (the lovely RIchie was their drummer when they were still together), some Avril, IAMX, Soulwax, James Figurine and clocks from Thom York's solo album. Different people would slip on and off the dance floor with the genre shifting per song set. I had a great time up there and played for way longer than I thought I would. I probably messed it up completely at the end by finishing with Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Coro". Not because he's Japanese but becuase that song sounds like he (though this is most definitely not what he did at all) had a song, then he decided it would sound better through some mentally distorted effects. I think it's fantastic. I had to. For me that piece personifies the Tokyo I'd spent most of my hours in on this trip. I listened to it time and time again on my ipod walking through the streets of Shibuya past Takoyaki stands (octopus filled eggs balls, with mayonnaise, special sauce and bonito flakes), past cute giggling schoolgirls with their hugs white rolled down socks, amazing gadget stores, love hotels, pachinko halls (a game they play I will never understand), a man with a souped up yellow porche and poodle on his person, a blacked out shiny 4 x 4 with a TV screen playing music videos facing the passers by, not for anyone in the car itself and lots of umbrellas. I have to be quite careful when it rains. Mainly for my eyes. I am quite a bit taller than the average Japanese person and when their umbrellas go up, the points are at level with my eyes.

Ok...I just have to let you know where I am now...continuing on writing my blog. I was in my little tatami matted room and now I'm at the top station of a cable car, on my own with my laptop typing away. The view is clearing up ahead revealing the mountains I was just lifted over. The cable car was full of japanese in full ski wear and there was I with my hiking boots (not very good for walking in snow), little wooly gloves and laptop bag. A cheery song came up in the car that had the lyrics "I don't mind if you don't mind" and I thought that was rather apt. I just wanted to come up here and see the view. The good thing is I get to go down in the cable car on my own so I'm going to wait until it's all cleared up outside.

Each morning In Tokyo I'd wake up dreaming I was in a movie like Bladerunner, to the sound of tannoys blaring out something. I later discovered when I saw one, these were small minibuses or cars with boards stuck to the roofs and speaker cones attached at every corner, cruising round the city usually with 4 people all dressed in one colour (I saw yellow and blue), waving to everyone with white gloves on. It was coming up for local elections and so they were telling people why they should vote for them. I'd love to see that in London. Ken Livingston or someone, going around in a camper, waving, wearing white gloves in a yellow suit.

Each place I've been in has really affected me differently in the kind of song I wind up writing. In Tokyo I went down another moody route even though I was so incredibly happy to be there. Perhaps it's my way of balancing things out. I had 4 days in Tokyo and they went by faster than I had time to really soak in I was there. I hardly did any writing as there was so much to do and see. I had to give Tokyo all my attention. Just to catch the metro and get the right ticket for it took me 20 minutes. In ordering food (coz I always choose these places with no english menus) I say a few things like, chicken, vegeatables, noodles or fish in Japanese and out comes a new surprise every time and it's always delicious. I'm going out for monja (will take pictures!) with Coppe on 30th when I get back to Tokyo and I am SOOO looking forward to that.

I have always wanted to go to Hokkaido, where i am now. My friend Aya helped me organize places to stay in Japan because it was so hard to find anything other than western style hotels on the internet. Pretty much everything else was all in Japanese. I wanted to try and get a piano and some self catering accommodation. That's not easy in Japan. it's just not done nearly as much as it is in the West I guess. Aya found this place just outside a town called Biei. It's on a farm amongst rolling hills next to the Land Cafe which is where I had a very tasty couple of boiled sausages. Tractors are all over the hills, churning up the wintered soil and the roads are mainly for them it seems as I've been cycling about and have only crossed a handful of cars. The picture at the top is one I took coming back from an onsen in the mountains. Desperately trying to race the sun setting as I had no lights on the bike. I was breathtakingly beautiful. Cycling into the setting sun. The farmers were burning off stubble on the fields. That's the smoke you can see.

I got up to Hokkaido on the train. I love traveling by train and when i heard I could get one up here that took 15 hours and you can even have your own room then I jumped at the chance. The long part of the journey was from Ueno station in Tokyo to Sapporo (where they make a great beer!). I was transfixed at the window with my widescreen view to the world. Laying on my little bed, the sun setting outside sipping on some complementary sweet white wine. I just gazed and gazed and wrote a lyric or two. There was a little shower room (which gave you 10 minutes on a timer) also. I didn't realize it had a toilet and a wash basin until a good few hours. They were disguised as a wall you see. You flipped them down and hey presto you had a toilet or a sink. So compact and nifty. I could either have dinner in my little room and go to the restaurant car. So I did. It was all done up in white tablecloths. Each table had its' own little brass lamp and upholstered chairs. Here's a picture of dinner.



Yummy. Notice the snail? I don't really know what about quarter of what I ate was but I've begun not to worry. I've never been sick in Japan. On the ceiling of my room there was a sweet little painted image of a farming scene that lit up under UV. It felt like my play den. Would have been nice to have someone in there with me though I have to say. It was rather romantic. I wrote a verse, bridge and chorus for this new song. Title so far is "Raise your right hand".

After another trip I got a taxi up to the cottage. It's kind of like an alpine cottage. All wooden interior. I'm getting along famously with the rice cooker and have been trying all kinds of things on my camping gas hob. Stefan, who owns and farms the land here also, gave me a box load of tasty vegeatables. The other day it started to snow outside and I made a soup with the carrots, onions and potatoes he gave me. I really enjoyed cooking the food knowing it was the product of something in my back garden. There's a japanese style bathroom here too which is basically holds the same amount of water as a western style rectangular bath but it's shorter and deeper. You can really submerge. Sit up and read a book.

They brought in the piano from the Land Cafe (which the owners also own) so I have it in here with me (am now back at the cottage writing this bit). It's a good little upright Kawai. I love the sound it makes with the soft pedal on. You can hear the hammers hitting strings and the tapping of fingers on keys. The pedal squeaks and the high end notes have a delicious character of random tunings on some of the strings when dampened. Now here in this little cottage in between cycling about on a bicycle I've borrowed also from them, which admittedly is a little small but gets the job done, I have really been on a writing roll. I seem to be starting lots of songs though and not finishing them. Just flooded with ideas. The next part of my journey is Hong Kong where I won't have a piano so I can finish the lyrics off there. That's the plan anyway and I'm sticking to it. There are 4 new ones! Yes...4! One is called "Bad body double" which is now in my top 3 favorites along with "Little bird" and another new one I'm writing that I think is going to be called "tidal". Bad Body Double is a song I've been meaning to write since i turned around in the mirror one day and saw a body that didn't look like it did the last time. I went into the studio to write "Speak for Yourself" and came out a year later. That's when it hit me. Exercise! Little greys had crept into the hairline and some facial creases that must have stuck one day after one smile or frown. Don't worry I'm not freaking out about it. Our bodies change and I have met very few people who are entirely happy with how theirs look in broad daylight. I've also written one called "wedding song". I bet you can't guess what that ones about! So many of my friends are getting married. I get an invite through the door and I know what comes next. A phone call and a "we would love it so much if you would...." you know the rest right. I just can't get invited to a wedding these days without being asked to play a song or two. Thing is...in my catalogue there is not ONE song in all of them about pure joy and happiness in love. If they're on the subject matter they're usually about breakups, or unrequited love, or loss, our not wanting to be in the relationship. I always find myself making up lyrics on the spot as I realize how unfitting they are when I sing them! So I've written one now. it's sung more from the angle I look at it when people get married. The "why would you do that???" angle. Marriage is so not for me. I am of course very jealous that they have found someone who they really believe they can be with for THE REST OF THIER LIVES! I mean...how are you supposed to know that? That could be 80 years. Each cycle end on a you must really love each other to have to go through with it. I just have never felt that about someone. So it is celebrating their love but also pointing out that they must be MADly in love with other to do it. Which of course they are and that's great. The other song is "not now but soon". Still very embryonic stages for both this one and "Tidal". Only verse/chorus written for them. So I have 3 to finish off. Not now but soon, Raise your right hand and Tidal and the new finished ones are, Bad Body Double and Wedding song.

I doubt Wedding Song will end up on the album but is certainly a good b-side. Maybe it will. Who knows. It's in waltz time. A real send up number.



I also went to Asakusa on the day I got the train here before I left for Hokkaido. It's an amazing street market that's so huge and wide with many rows of stalls it's quite easy to get lost but so much fun. I thought this was a good example of the variety of things you could find here! Fluffy stuffed dog shop and samurai sword shop opposite each other.



I just wondered about and in trying actually to just grab some lunch got lured into the little shops and bought some lovely things for people back home. Eventually I did find what I was looking for. Takoyaki! Oh my do I love those little balls of love. Here's an excited immi phone video clip when I finaly find a stand. MM mmmm...you don't really get a good look at it though, sorry. My camera skills are much to be desired plus I was excited and just wanted to eat it all up.

I'm going to try and get one more day of cycling in before my train tomorrow. I've really enjoyed being up here. The locals think I'm quite a spectacle and when i cycle past they wave and shout "gaijin!" (foreigner) to their friends to come and have a look. They don't see many of my type round these parts!

At 8am my time 29th April, which is GMT +8hours I'll be in front of one of the webcams here. Hopefully it won't be raining. So if you'd like to wave to me back (even though I won't see you, it's the thought that counts) I'll be on the link below. It takes a picture every 20 seconds. I'll be there for about 5 minutes. Hopefully with their lovely dog accompanying me.

EDIT: Watch a short video of Immi's webcam adventure here!

Love fluv to you all! xxxxx
Much more to come still!
xx

p.s. Sorry for the lack of decent pics and videos from Japan. Phone doesn't work out here so kept forgetting to take it with me! Have taken some footage of the area I'm in now too except it's on my DV camera. I can't get it on this computer because the only firewire slot is busy with an external hard drive keeping my laptop alive until I sort out severe laptop headache. All will be well. The wonderful delectable world of Apple especially here in Tokyo is being very helpful indeed. Thank you guys!