I was thrilled recently to be notified that my GaryJWolff.com website
has been named one of the 16 top hiking and adventure blogs from Japan
by the highly-renowned Ridgeline Images hiking website.
If you have a very vivid imagination, perhaps you can visualize me right now patting myself on the back, ha ha.
No, in all seriousness, in the past 12 years I have spent literally
hundreds of hours posting information on the highest mountains in
Japan, which I hope will be useful for present and future climbers.
It is extremely rare when I get these kinds of kudos or feedback
regarding my website, so this recognition is extremely appreciated.
Thank you very much, Mr. David Lowe!
If you're looking for a good hiking trail around Tokyo, since 2013
David has published over 100 hike reports from around the Greater Tokyo
Area. And each hike has a detailed description, including photos, how
to get to the trailhead by public transport, hiking duration, distance,
elevation gain, difficulty, as well as downloadable GPX track and PDF
map files.
Jan. 1,
2022 - Hatsuhinode (初日の出), First Japan Sunrise of 2022
Hatsuhinode (初日の出) is the Japanese Shinto tradition of viewing the 1st
sunrise of the New Year to greet Toshigami-sama (年神), the god of the
New Year, with hopes of receiving good luck, well-being, and health.
Before sunrise on January 1, many people will drive to the coast, climb
a mountain, or go to the top of a tall building or structure, like the
Tokyo Sky Tree or Tokyo Tower, to view it. Here's the one which
occurred in Tokyo this morning at 6:51 am with a crisp -1°C (30°F)
temp. Happy New Year!! May we all be blessed this year with "good luck,
well-being, and health."
Hatsuhinode (初日の出), First Japan Sunrise of 2022
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
(BGM: "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens)
Dec. 30,
2021 - 2021 - the
Year in Pictures
I am indeed very thankful for another wonderful year! As I have done in
years past, I sometimes like to put together a collection of photos
reflecting back on some of my favorite memories of the past year. I
hope you enjoy the 40 photos in my video below. Best wishes for a
gr-r-reat Twenty Twenty-Two, the Year of (Tony) the Tiger...
2021 - the Year
in Pictures
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Dec. 25,
2021 - NORAD
Tracks Santa as he visits Mt. Fuji, Japan & Houston,
Texas
In case any of my Tokyo friends missed him, Santa & his 9 reindeer
passed over Mt. Fuji (富士山) last night (Xmas Eve) a little after 11 pm.
Here's
NORAD's official video of Santa's 2021 visit to Japan, captured in
real-time by a NORAD (*) Santa Cam. Don't miss Santa flying DIRECTLY
over
the cone of Mt.
Fuji! WOW!!
NORAD Tracks Santa
in Japan, Dec. 24, 2021 (NORAD video)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
@ YouTube here.)
Santa Claus & his 9 reindeer also flew over my hometown,
Houston, Texas,
last night during his 24-hour journey around the globe. This happened
around 12:15 am Houston time. Here's the video captured by an
official NORAD Santa Cam as he passed over Texas' largest city a couple
years ago:
NORAD Tracks Santa
over Houston, Texas, Dec. 24, 2019
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
@ YouTube here.)
Total
Xmas gifts delivered by Santa Claus this year: 7,623,693,263 WOW!
(*) North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
Dec. 22,
2021 - Sasano Band,
Little Texas honky-tonk, Meguro, Tokyo, Dec. 18, 2021
Whoever said there isn't any authentic, live country music in Japan got
it all WRONG. And it's even more
exciting when you can listen & dance to it in Little
Texas
(リトルテキサス), the "World's Smallest Texas Honky-Tonk," a place that'll
make you swear you're inside a real live Houston honky-tonk instead of
right in the heart of Tokyo. Please say hello to Ms. Sasano Kawamura
(河村ささ野), one of Tokyo's hottest country singers! Yee hah!!
Sasano Band,
Little Texas honky-tonk, Meguro, Tokyo, Dec. 18, 2021
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Wow, there really IS a God. And this
Texican just got a WHOLE lot
more homesick. We can now enjoy yet another spot to chow down on
authentic Texas BBQ right in the heart of Tokyo, and just in time for
Xmas.
A big TEXAS-size High 5 for the heads-up to my good Facebook musician
buddy, Santa Sparky Guitarslinger.
Less than 24 hours after hearing about this new Texas BBQ restaurant
from Sparky, I was dining in their Yoyogi branch. Here are my pics: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzvoci
Not great, but not bad. The brisket was juicy, tender, and moderately
flavorful, the coleslaw and BBQ sauce were to die for, the dinner roll
soft & tasty, the creamy spinach needs work, and they were a bit
stingy on the onions and pickles.
It’s that gorgeous time of year again in Tokyo when nature's paintbrush
adds a lot of colorful cheer to our lives. These pics were taken this
past week in a number of spots famous for fall colors, including
Rikugien (六義園), the historic, centuries-old Japanese garden which was
designed in 1702 (before America was born).
This kind of beautiful scenery brings a lot of childhood joy to folks
like myself, even after 30 years here, as there is nothing even close
to this in my home state of Texas. Japan is indeed one beautiful
country...
Tokyo fall colors in December 2021
(click here
to view full album)
Dec. 8,
2021 - "O Holy Night" by opera singers
Paul Hartfield Sr. & Robert Hartfield
Father & son duet. Raised in the East Texas city of Lufkin and a
graduate of the famed Stephen F. Austin State University music school,
international opera singer Paul Hartfield is in style and spirit a true
Italian tenor.
Mr. Hartfield earned a number of America's most prestigious singing
awards early in his career, and was very soon singing with the Lyric
Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Greater
Miami Opera, Seattle Opera, Kansas City Opera, Utah Opera, Tampa Bay
Opera, and San Diego Opera.
Mr. Hartfield's international engagements have included the Theatre des
Champs-Elysees, Opera de Monte Carlo, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, the
Bel Canto Festival (France), Hong Kong Opera, and Cape Town Opera.
O Holy Night -
Paul Hartfield Sr. & Robert Hartfield
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
[I had the pleasure of meeting Paul back in his college days in
Nacogdoches thru Ted
Stewart, a mutual friend, who also studied opera at SFASU. I
absolutely LOVE this beautiful song, "It is Well with My Soul,"
that Paul sang at Ted's funeral 12 years ago. By all means, don't miss
the amazing crescendo in this song starting at the 4:20 mark where you
can hear
Paul's gifted operatic voice!]
Dec. 2,
2021 - My Nov. 25, 2021 visit to Tokyo Disneyland (東京ディズニーランド)
The Disney Parks slogans "The Happiest Place on Earth" where "Dreams
Come True" work even for sexagenarians!
13 rides (one of them twice) in only 9.5 hours made for a very busy day
indeed!
And it wasn't until walking out of Space Mountain after riding it a 2nd
time just before the 8 pm park closing that I heard the English
announcement: "This ride is not recommended for those with heart
conditions or of advanced age!"
Dec. 5,
2021 update:
And I was pleasantly surprised how well my video turned out, especially
since I didn't have the best seat in the house to view the electrical
light parade!
My Nov. 25, 2021
visit to Tokyo Disneyland (東京ディズニーランド)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Here
are the 2 main video highlights:
5:06 It's a Small World (AMAZING!)
14:07 Electrical Light Parade DreamLights (EVEN MORE AMAZING!)
Nov. 27,
2021 - My Nov. 24, 2021 visit to the Tokyo Regional Immigration
Services Bureau (東京出入国在留管理局)
In Japan, the Foreign Resident (gaijin) ID card is only good for 7
years, so when I visited immigration Wednesday to renew mine, my friend
in Texas asked me to take some pictures.
But I guess maybe I overdid it. The weather that day was picture
perfect, so I couldn't resist going somewhat overboard and becoming a
bit too snap happy. (If you ever visit Tokyo, the
views from the Tokyo Monorail are AMAZING!)
Ever thought about making your own paper soccer ball? Follow these
quick, easy steps to create your own colorful design. A free, fun
activity for kids! [The Tokyo Wolffman is STILL a child!]
Blind Joe Bommersbach, a country music artist who grew up in Fargo,
North Dakota, is getting international attention and generating support
from fans around the world for a new song that takes direct aim at
COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.
The first time Blind Joe posted the amazing video below, YouTube
deleted it after it received 48,000 views in only 24 hours.
Yes, he really is blind!
"I Will Not Comply" by Blind Joe
[Click on the "CC" button for English subtitles. Click on the settings
(gear) icon if you need to increase the subtitle font size.]
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Lyrics:
I will not comply
Quit tryin' to take me to task
cuz I don’t wanna wear a mask
or take a vaccine that could maybe make me die
They got no scientific evidence to back that crap up
all they do is feed us lie after lie
That’s why I will not comply.
Since back last March I’ve had an achy breaky heart like old Billy Ray
Cyrus
Been catching a case of the blues from the news around this damn
coronavirus
Now they’re telling us we gotta keep our chin diapers up
even if we got the shot in the arm
But nobody’s talkin' 'bout exercise or eating food that’s fresh grown
from the farm
That’s why I will not comply
Quit tryin' to take me to task
cuz I don’t wanna wear a mask
or take a vaccine that could maybe make me die
They got no scientific evidence to back that crap up
all they do is feed us lie after lie
That’s why I will not comply
Now listen y'all
The only way to stop the violence is for us to break the silence right
now
So if you tend to agree and you’re pissed off like me
Stand your ass up and scream it out loud
Sing I will not comply
Quit tryin' to take me to task
cuz I don’t wanna wear a mask
or take a vaccine that could maybe make me die
They got no scientific evidence to back that crap up
all they do is feed us lie after lie
That’s why I will not comply
Yeah, I’m here to tell ya people I will not comply!!! No. That's the
gospel truth!
Nov. 1,
2021 - Mr. Shohei Ohtani (大谷 翔平)
Ever since my hometown Houston Astros reached the World Series, I’ve
had Major League Baseball on my brain nearly every day. So I would be
remiss not to offer my kudos and most heartfelt congrats to Los Angeles
Angels superstar Mr. Shohei Ohtani (大谷 翔平), who has just been named
Player of the Year in a vote by his fellow pro baseball players.
Ohtani-san is the first Japanese to be awarded the prize.
This bonafide Japanese hero is known in this country as a "nitoryu"
(two-sword samurai, 二刀流), for his exceptional skills as both a pitcher
and hitter. In fact, this year he became the 1st MLB player ever to be
named both the starting pitcher and lead-off batter in an all-star
game. Wow.
Here are just a few of his stellar accomplishments this season:
9 wins as a pitcher
156 strikeouts
46 homers
100 runs batted in (RBIs), and
26 stolen bases
He also became only the 6th MLB player ever to achieve 45 home runs and
25 stolen bases in a season.
Ohtani-san has also received a number of other post-season awards and
is a favorite to win the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Award, which will be announced on Nov. 18.
This amazing 27-year-old certainly brings a lot of pride to the Land of
the Rising Sun!
Shohei Ohtani (大谷 翔平), Los Angeles Angels
(photo credit:
elfildeo.com)
Nov. 18
update: Today Shohei Ohtani was named this year's Most Valuable
Player in the MLB American League. Congrats, Ohtani-san!!
Oct. 25,
2021 - Houston Astros (ヒューストン・アストロズ) headed to the World Series…
...for the 3rd time in the last 5 years! After clinching the American
League pennant against the Boston Red Sox last Friday, the Astros will
be hosting the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, October 26 at Minute Maid
Park in Houston to begin the 2021 World Series.
The Astros have home field advantage, where 4 of the 7 (if necessary)
games will be played in Houston, and will be playing with 3 days of
rest compared to only 2 days for the Braves, which includes the time
required for them to fly to Houston.
In 2017 after the Astros reached the World Series en route to their
world championship, I purchased a new Astros ball cap at the
"Selection" American sporting goods shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Before leaving, the shop staff asked if he could take my picture
wearing my new cap so he could add it to the store's "snap photo"
blog page and I said "Of course."
For the past week or so,
I’ve been sporting my Houston Astros ball cap EVERYWHERE including in
my online university classes, and here I am wearing my cap in 2017.
Go Astros!
Caption on Selection blog page:
ヒューストンからお越しのお客様です！アストロズのキャップ購入頂きました♪キャップを被ってアストロズを応援して下さい＼(^o^)／
Translation: This customer comes from Houston! He bought an Astros cap.
Please support the Astros by wearing the cap.
Oct. 12,
2021 - Young Japanese boy softball pitcher (日本の少年ソフトボールのピッチャー)
I almost fell off my bicycle the other day when I
noticed this young boy, I’m guessing no more than 7 or 8 years old,
pitching like a real pro against grown adults in a parents vs. children
softball game. Having grown up watching my Hall of Famer softball
pitcher dad, Walter F. Wolff, I must say I was totally
impressed. And this precious, tiny little boy was SO cute!
Young Japanese boy
softball pitcher (日本の少年ソフトボールのピッチャー)
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
One of the beauties of living in the world's most populous metropolis
is how easy it is to get back to nature. Just one example was a couple
days ago when I joined the Jambo International hiking group for a
4-hour mountain hike in Chichibu, Saitama.
Within just a 2-hour train ride from the city, we were enjoying a
beautiful, sunny fall day and enveloped by thick green forests, a
gurgling mountain stream, colorful cosmos flowers, chirping birds, a
stunning scenic overlook of Hanno City, and new friendships with fellow
hikers from around the world.
Countless easy and accessible hiking courses near Tokyo is just one of
many reasons I have chosen to live in this beautiful country for over 3
decades now.
Here is the hiking course, with more details on the Jambo International event page:
Higashi Agano Station (東吾野駅) → Mt. Monomi (物見山) → Mt. Hiwada (日和田山) →
Kinchakuda (巾着田) → Koma Station (高麗駅) (about 4 hours,
およそ約４時間)
Watch this cute little robot deliver orders to tables in this Tokyo
ramen chain restaurant. The future is HERE! Restaurant servers, your
job is in jeopardy...
Korakuen (幸楽苑)
ramen shop robot
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Let's have fun learning English! Edutainment lesson plans on this page
are optional, but if you take the time to do them, they will not only
improve your overall English communication skills, but will also
broaden your cultural horizons to help you become a more successful
international citizen in today's global society!
Cheers to one of my all-time favorite musicians, a remarkable fella I
had the pleasure of rooming with in our college days and hearing his
wonderful tunes and lovely voice almost every day. My favorites in
those days were songs by John Denver and Neil Young. And now, decades
later, he still has his stuff!
HAA3, with the
Shepherd Pickers
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
0:00 Go Rest High On That Mountain
5:43 Little Mountain Church House
7:42 In Constant Sorrow
12:04 Jesus is Just Alright
15:53 Spirit in the Sky
18:53 Everybody Hurts
And a big TEXAS-size hug to his videographer for her excellent camera
work. Thanks for sharing, my
dear friends...
Thirty years ago this month, along with a bunch of other crazy friends,
I climbed to the top of Mt. Fuji's Yoshida Trail, the busiest and most
popular of its 4 trails. Because one of the most visited pages on my
entire website is the Climbing Mt. Fuji (富士山) Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQ) page, I felt it was about time to go back and refresh
my data.
To put it into perspective, from the 5th Station trailhead to the top
requires an elevation gain of over 1400 m (4600 ft), equivalent to 3.7
Empire State Buildings or 4.7 Abeno Harukas Buildings (あべのハルカス),
Japan‘s tallest in Osaka. Needless to say, this climb seriously kicked
my rear, but I was thrilled to learn that this sexagenarian's body
could still pull it off.
I hope you have time to check out the stunning beauty of Japan’s
tallest peak, which is also one of its 3 holiest peaks: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWveVV5
(on the Flickr page, click small right arrow in upper right for
automatic slideshow viewing)
Climbing Mt. Fuji's
Yoshida Trail - Aug. 24-25, 2021
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Aug. 9,
2021 - Shikinejima
(式根島), one of the 11 exotic tropical islands of Tokyo
Even
after 3 decades in Dai Nippon, it still blows my mind that one can
enjoy such a beautiful tropical paradise less than a 3-hr boat ride
from the world's most populous metropolis. Shikinejima (式根島), only 3.7
sq km (1.4 sq mi) in size, is the smallest of 11 islands that extend
some 1000 km south of central Tokyo.
Blessed with not only gorgeous white sand beaches, snorkeling, rare
birds, hiking trails, and the Milky Way, this tiny island is also
famous for its seaside open-air hot springs whose temperature varies
with the tide, determined by the amount of seawater that mixes in with
the hot water in the natural rock baths which are free and open 24/7.
Heaven on earth.
Shikinejima (式根島), one of the 11 exotic tropical islands of Tokyo
The full photo album is viewable here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWsbhAn
(on that page, click small right arrow in upper right for automatic
slideshow viewing)
Shikinejima (式根島),
one of the 11 exotic tropical islands of Tokyo
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
Yesterday I climbed Japan’s highest and holiest peak for the 4th time.
Well, this time only to the 5th Station. And by bus.
Since it'd been 6 years since my last visit to the Fuji Subaru Line 5th
Station (also by bus), I felt it was about time to go back and refresh
my data.
But also for mental therapy purposes, I was fortunate enough to escape
Tokyo‘s hot and humid concrete jungle to spend a day hiking around, and
really, really nice and refreshing to breathe cool, crisp fresh air for
a change.
From the 5th Station, I hiked up to the 6th Station Safety Guidance
Center, down past the Seikanso mountain hut to the Sato-goya mountain
hut at the Yoshidaguchi Trail 5th Station, then back to the Fuji Subaru
Line 5th Station.
I also took time to hike around part of the Ochudo Nature Trail, a
level course that partially circumnavigates the Mt. Fuji volcano. It
was SO green and lush, with the Hakusan rhododendrons in full bloom!
It was a magnificent, fun-filled 7 hours in God's country. I hope you
enjoy my pics... especially the Mt. Fuji toilet paper and the Eruption
Veggie Curry dish I had for lunch, with the white rice piled up in the
shape of Fujisan, ha ha…
Mt. Fuji 5th & 6th Stations
(view full album here)
July 29,
2021 - In loving
memory of Larry "LJ" Jones
Best
wishes in the next stage of your eternal journey up there on the big
playground in the sky. Thanks for your loyal friendship and for
touching our lives in a very profound way the past half-century. Will
always luv ya like a bro....
In loving memory of
Larry "LJ" Jones
July 14, 1953 - June 10, 2021
(If player above is not visible, you can view video
at YouTube here.)
July 17,
2021 - Mt. Fuji's climbing season opens for the 1st time in 2 years!
In celebration of Mt. Fuji's climbing season opening for the 1st time
in 2 years, I was reminded of this breathtaking view I was lucky to
capture a remarkable decade ago of Japan’s tallest peak, as seen from
near Mt. Kita-dake, Japan's 2nd tallest peak, some 60 km (37 mi) away.
And unbeknownst to me at the time, I found out later that my longtime
good buddy George was standing at the summit of Fujisan at the exact
same moment, worshiping the same sunrise as me. Wow, what an incredible
coincidence. Happy trails and best wishes for Covid safety to this
year’s Mt. Fuji climbers...
Mt. Fuji at sunrise, 5:31 am, Aug. 14, 2011,
taken from near Mt.
Kita-dake
July
3, 2021 - TODAY’S ENGLISH LESSON (今日の英語レッスン)
- I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger.......then it hit me.
- To write with a broken pencil is…….pointless.
- When fish are in schools, they sometimes…….take debate.
- A thief who stole a calendar…….got twelve months.
- When the smog lifts in Los Angeles…….U.C.L.A.
- The professor discovered that her theory of earthquakes…….was on
shaky ground.
- The batteries were given out…….free of charge.
- A dentist and a manicurist married…….and then fought tooth and nail.
- A will is a…….dead giveaway.
- If you don't pay your exorcist…….you can get repossessed.
- With her marriage, she got a new name…….and a dress.
- Show me a piano falling down a mineshaft and I'll show you…….A-flat
miner.
- You are stuck with your debt if…….you can't budge it.
- Local Area Network in Australia: …….The LAN down under.
- A boiled egg is…….hard to beat.
- When you've seen one shopping center…….you've seen a mall.
- Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old
was…….resisting a rest.
- Did you hear about the fellow whose whole left side was cut off?
…….He's all right now.
- If you take a laptop computer for a run, you could…….jog your memory.
- A bicycle can't stand alone:…….it is two tired.
- When a clock is hungry…….it goes back four seconds.
- The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine…….was fully recovered.
- He had a photographic memory…….which was never developed.
- Those who get too big for their britches will be…….exposed in the end.
- When she saw her first strands of gray hair…….she thought she'd dye.
- Acupuncture: …….a jab well done.
- You can tune a piano.......but you can't tuna fish.
- Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below:
Website
Updates
Jan 06, 2022
16 Top Hiking & Adventure Blogs from Japan
I was thrilled recently to be notified that my GaryJWolff.com website has been named one of the 16 top hiking and adventure blogs from Japan by the highly-renowned Ridgeline Images hiking website.
If you have a very vivid imagination, perhaps you can visualize me right now patting myself on the back, ha ha. :-)No, in all seriousness, in the past 12 years I have spent literally hundreds of hours posting information on the highest mountains in Japan, which I hope will be useful for present and future climbers.
It is extremely rare when I get these kinds of kudos or feedback regarding my website, so this recognition is extremely appreciated. Thank you very much, Mr. David Lowe!
If you're looking for a good hiking trail around Tokyo, since 2013 David has published over 100 hike reports from around the Greater Tokyo Area. And each hike has a detailed description, including photos, how to get to the trailhead by public transport, hiking duration, distance, elevation gain, difficulty, as well as downloadable GPX track and PDF map files.
Hatsuhinode (初日の出) is the Japanese Shinto tradition of viewing the 1st sunrise of the New Year to greet Toshigami-sama (年神), the god of the New Year, with hopes of receiving good luck, well-being, and health. Before sunrise on January 1, many people will drive to the coast, climb a mountain, or go to the top of a tall building or structure, like the Tokyo Sky Tree or Tokyo Tower, to view it. Here's the one which occurred in Tokyo this morning at 6:51 am with a crisp -1°C (30°F) temp. Happy New Year!! May we all be blessed this year with "good luck, well-being, and health." :-)
I am indeed very thankful for another wonderful year! As I have done in years past, I sometimes like to put together a collection of photos reflecting back on some of my favorite memories of the past year. I hope you enjoy the 40 photos in my video. Best wishes for a gr-r-reat Twenty Twenty-Two, the Year of (Tony) the Tiger... :-)
NORAD Tracks Santa as he visits Mt. Fuji, Japan & Houston, Texas
In case any of my Tokyo friends missed him, Santa & his 9 reindeer passed over Mt. Fuji (富士山) last night (Xmas Eve) a little after 11 pm. Here's NORAD's official video of Santa's 2021 visit to Japan, captured in real-time by a NORAD (*) Santa Cam. Don't miss Santa flying DIRECTLY over the cone of Mt. Fuji! WOW!!
Santa Claus & his 9 reindeer also flew over my hometown, Houston, Texas, last night during his 24-hour journey around the globe. This happened around 12:15 am Houston time. Here's the video captured by an official NORAD Santa Cam as he passed over Texas' largest city a couple years ago:
Total Xmas gifts delivered by Santa Claus this year: 7,623,693,263 WOW!
Sasano Band, Little Texas honky-tonk, Meguro, Tokyo, Dec. 18, 2021
Whoever said there isn't any authentic, live country music in Japan got it all WRONG. :-) And it's even more exciting when you can listen & dance to it in Little Texas (リトルテキサス), the "World's Smallest Texas Honky-Tonk," a place that'll make you swear you're inside a real live Houston honky-tonk instead of right in the heart of Tokyo. Please say hello to Ms. Sasano Kawamura (河村ささ野), one of Tokyo's hottest country singers! Yee hah!! :-)
Wow, there really IS a God. :-) And this Texican just got a WHOLE lot more homesick. We can now enjoy yet another spot to chow down on authentic Texas BBQ right in the heart of Tokyo, and just in time for Xmas.
A big TEXAS-size High 5 for the heads-up to my good Facebook musician buddy, Santa Sparky Guitarslinger. :-)
Less than 24 hours after hearing about this new Texas BBQ restaurant from Sparky, I was dining in their Yoyogi branch.
Not great, but not bad. The brisket was juicy, tender, and moderately flavorful, the coleslaw and BBQ sauce were to die for, the dinner roll soft & tasty, the creamy spinach needs work, and they were a bit stingy on the onions and pickles.
Ever thought about making your own paper soccer ball? Follow these quick, easy steps to create your own colorful design. A free, fun activity for kids!
It’s that gorgeous time of year again in Tokyo when nature's paintbrush adds a lot of colorful cheer to our lives. These pics were taken this past week in a number of spots famous for fall colors, including Rikugien (六義園), the historic, centuries-old Japanese garden which was designed in 1702 (before America was born).
This kind of beautiful scenery brings a lot of childhood joy to folks like myself, even after 30 years here, as there is nothing even close to this in my home state of Texas. Japan is indeed one beautiful country...
"O Holy Night" by opera singers Paul Hartfield Sr. & Robert Hartfield
Father & son duet. Raised in the East Texas city of Lufkin and a graduate of the famed Stephen F. Austin State University music school, international opera singer Paul Hartfield is in style and spirit a true Italian tenor.
Mr. Hartfield earned a number of America's most prestigious singing awards early in his career, and was very soon singing with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Greater Miami Opera, Seattle Opera, Kansas City Opera, Utah Opera, Tampa Bay Opera, and San Diego Opera.
Mr. Hartfield's international engagements have included the Theatre des Champs-Elysees, Opera de Monte Carlo, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, the Bel Canto Festival (France), Hong Kong Opera, and Cape Town Opera.
(click link to view video of these 2 amazing opera singers!)
My Nov. 25, 2021 visit to Tokyo Disneyland (東京ディズニーランド)
The Disney Parks slogans "The Happiest Place on Earth" where "Dreams Come True" work even for sexagenarians! :-)
13 rides (one of them twice) in only 9.5 hours made for a very busy day indeed!
And it wasn't until walking out of Space Mountain after riding it a 2nd time just before the 8 pm park closing that I heard the English announcement: "This ride is not recommended for those with heart conditions or of advanced age!" :-)
My Nov. 24, 2021 visit to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau (東京出入国在留管理局)
In Japan, the Foreign Resident (gaijin) ID card is only good for 7 years, so when I visited immigration Wednesday to renew mine, my friend in Texas asked me to take some pictures.
But I guess maybe I overdid it. The weather that day was picture perfect, so I couldn't resist going somewhat overboard and becoming a bit too snap happy. :-) (If you ever visit Tokyo, the views from the Tokyo Monorail are AMAZING!)
Blind Joe Bommersbach, a country music artist who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, is getting international attention and generating support from fans around the world for a new song that takes direct aim at COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.
The first time Blind Joe posted the amazing video below, YouTube deleted it after it received 48,000 views in only 24 hours.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, January-March, 2014
Posts include sexy Japanese dancers, a video of my first sunrise of 2014, musician Rambling Steve Gardner, and pics and video of my Cook Islands vacation.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, October-December, 2014
Posts include Diamond Fuji viewing spots & dates, NORAD Tracks Santa, Midtown 2014 Xmas Illumination, fall colors in Nishizawa Valley, and a total lunar eclipse.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, July-September, 2015
Posts include pics of my Sept. 2-16 Texas vacation, my 14-hr. day trip to the Mt. Fuji 5th & 6th Stations, and a Japanese university English speech contest.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, January-March, 2015
Posts include winter hiking tips by Wes Lang, Danish archer Lars Andersen, Super Bowl XLIX from the New Sanno Hotel, and an awesome Diamond Fuji seen from Tokyo.
Gary J. Wolff's Blog Archives, October-December, 2015
Posts include Little Texas Bar & Grill in Tokyo, world's oldest businesses, 60th anniversary of NORAD Tracks Santa, & the Mr. Wolfman song by Kazutoshi.
I was thrilled recently to be notified that my GaryJWolff.com website has been named one of the 16 top hiking and adventure blogs from Japan by the highly-renowned Ridgeline Images hiking website. If…
Hatsuhinode (初日の出) is the Japanese Shinto tradition of viewing the 1st sunrise of the New Year to greet Toshigami-sama (年神), the god of the New Year, with hopes of receiving good luck, well-being, and…
If you've found value on
this website,
please consider sending a donation of any amount
to help cover my web hosting expenses. I have intentionally limited ads,
have never used pop-ups, and do not collect email addresses
in order to provide visitors a pleasant, hassle-free experience. Thank
you!
(Please rest assured that when you click
the 'Donate' button,
your transaction will be encrypted and secure.
Your information is safe with PayPal,
one of the largest payment processors on the Internet.)
New! Add your comment
Have your say about this page! Feel free to comment in the box below: