Getting checked out at TRIAL

Our car has a device installed that lets you control the amount of boost/power.  However, the last owner installed so it didn't work at all.  Yesterday, with the help of the landowner, I fixed it.  But, something was still wrong.  I wanted confirmation/advice and being surrounded by car tuning shops I had a decision to make.  One stood out since it is one of the most famous tuning shops in Japan.  TRIAL tuning.  I had seen their cars and products in magazine and videos before and I was quite excited to go there.  Even if it was for something that a normal mechanic could do.

The place is huge and held a ton of cool customer cars-

Here are some fine examples of what they do-

A Takayama Christmas - the map

Here is a map I made of our Christmas trip to Takayama. I recommend zooming in and checking out the tiny roads.  Also, see the detour we had to make from Takayama to the village.


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A Takayama Christmas - Part 6 -Shirakawa-go and going home

After our four hour detour, that was incredibly beautiful and full of fun driving, we came to a traditional village called Suganuma Village. While not as famous as the larger Ogimachi Village, we were incredibly happy with its size and charm.  Among us were a few other families perusing the small area in which the houses stood.  Most of the houses are still lived in and have a restaurant downstairs to generate a bit of money.  While it is a restaurant, its still a famlies home and every bit of the inside showed it.  From the family pictures to the old style fire in the middle of the room, it was a mix of mainly old with a tad of new. 

The thatch roofs used to be a communal project when one needed to be replaced or fixed.  According to the owner however, people choose to hire a special group of guys who travel around for this stuff.  I believe he said it was over $100,000 to replace one.  

A Takayama Christmas - Part 5 - Talk about a detour!

The next day was the day after Christmas and a nice coating of snow greeted us in the morning.  After some breakfast items that would make your stomach churn we planned on going to a famous traditional village.  However, the weather and the road system here said otherwise.  We couldn't take the highway because we didn't have snow tires.  I think that law is crap.  Our destination wasn't too far away but there were only a road or two going in that direction.  Both those roads were closed.  Trust me, I tried.  We got pretty far but soon had a barricade in our faces.  Poop.  So, up we went all the way to Toyama, a place we should not have had to go to get to where were going.  Oh well.  It was beautiful.

A Takayama Christmas - Part 4 - Hida No Sato at night. And more.

I had been to Hida No Sato in the day time without snow before so I was especially excited to go at night WITH snow.

Hida No Sato is a collection of traditional buildings from the area.  I suppose that is all you need to know.

It was about a twenty minute walk there in the freezing weather but luckily this man was waiting for us and gave us a nice cup of some hot drink-

A Takayama Christmas - Part 3 - Christmas dinner

Back at the ryokan it was soon time for Christmas dinner.  Japanese style.

A Takayama Christmas - Part 2- Around Takayama

After checking into our lovely ryokan we hit the streets of Takayama to check out all the local shhhhtuf.

Snow covered bamboo-

Three years without a car.......no more!

Yup, I haven't owned a car for over three years now.  To celebrate my third anniversary here Yukino and I bought a car.  I had always wanted something for drifting but right now that would not be the most practical thing to get.  So, four doors it would be.  Four doors really limited my options for fun but alas, two choices came to the front.  A Subaru STI Imperza or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.  Both were born for rally racing, have four doors and turbocharger.  I test drove a few STIs but finally settled on the latter.

We have had it for only two days now but we managed to get out to today for a nice drive in northern Osaka.

Not the best pictures but they will do for now-

The Lancia (another four door bred for rally racing) showed up after so I had to snag a pic of both :)

A Takayama Christmas - Part 1 - Snow driving

Yukino and I booked a nice night at a ryokan in beautiful Takayama, Gifu last year.  I had been there before a while back but it would be nice to go again with someone I love so off we went!

This nice parking area we stopped at had a beautiful view of Biwako lake-

After not being allowed to travel the highways without snow tires, we were forced to take the smaller roads.  Things suddenly got a tad.....white-

Hikari Renaissance and a bit more

Hikari Renaissance is an annual Christmas festival at Nakanoshima in the middle of the main river here in Osaka. I am a big fan of events like this because with what little "real" Christmas there is in Japan, I feel the need to absorb as much as I can. 


Walking there-

Almost there-

Hardcore bathroom and the first sign of Christmas

Again, its evident how back logged I am with this blog ne?

There are a few rock climbing gyms in Osaka and one website stood out to me so after work one day Yukino and I went to check it out.  After getting lost in Juso, and getting directions from a local, we were on the right path.  On the way we had to cross under train tracks though this eency wheency* tunnel-

Being able to touch the wheels of the train kind of scared me and so I took a crappy video-

Kotsuma Pumpkin Festival in Osaka

One day, a national holiday perhaps, I didn't have work so I jumped on the gentsuki and rode south to the Kotsuma Pumpkin Festival at Ikune Jinja Shrine.  Not knowing what to expect, I was a tiiiinny bit disappointed in the size of the festival once I had arrived but it turned out to be chalk full of interesting experiences.

Oh, not related to pumpkins but I did ride past this on the way-

Located about 35 minutes to the south of me I rode my motorbike there.  Here you can see them cooking pumpkins-

Hiking with Elderly Teachers - Part 2

While the other teachers set up their lunch area, Yukino and I headed up the main rock.  Consisting of tiny crevasses to weasel up and sketchy bridges overhanging nothing, it was a little daunting but easy none the less-

Here you can see the new Patagonia jacket Yukino bought for me (thanks!)-