Remember way back when this used to be one of the first "Video Blogs" on the net? No? Well I guess it has been a while since I uploaded a new video. I really didn't shoot much footage over my last year in Japan that wasn't wrestling related, so making this video was a bit of a challenge. Anyway, for better or for worse, here is my very last video from Japan. Enjoy!

Click here to download this video to your computer (Windows Media)

In addition to the usual Noheji & Hirosaki stuff, this one features footage from my travels to Shanghai China, The Great Wall, Vietnam and Cambodia. I really had the time of my life during my three years in Japan, and if I could have stayed longer I probably would still be there. Alas, my job is done and much like The Littlest Hobo it's time for me to move on to new adventures. Special thanks to Kate for filming much of this footage, and thanks to everyone in Japan past and present for putting up with me for so long. Gokoro sama deshita y'all!

If YouTube is having trouble, or you want to save the movie then try this direct download link (Windows Media)


For our last weekend in Aomori Kate and I decided to check out not one, but two wrestling shows! First we saw an All Japan show in the same Hirosaki gym that we witness the infamous bloodbath between Gosaku and Mr. Pogo some time ago. Then we drove to Daisen City in Akita to say farewell to our friends at Michinoku Pro.

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Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_KaPyDJFpY

Download it:

Windows Media Version (Slightly better quality)
Xvid Version (Bigger file, much better quality)


Update: You Tube has some good Michinoku videos stolen off the Gaora channel. Here's one from the Akita show I went to last year. I didn't attend the show this clip is from, but I wanted to include it because because at the end there's a funny bit with Sasuke singing and dancing with the boy band wannabe Sato twins (also known as The Sailor Boys).


It seems like nobody ever comments on my wrestling posts, and I just don't understand why. I can only assume that this is because people find them boring, but if you ask me pro-wrestling is one of the most interesting things you can ever hope to see in Japan. This is especially true of Tohoku based Michinoku Pro-Wrestling, which brings its high energy Mexican-style lucha libre shows up to Aomori every few months.


Just over a year ago, Marc Miller invited Kate, Hugh and I to a pro-wrestling show in his tiny little home town of Onoe. We had no idea what to expect, but figured the show wouldn't be too impressive given where we would be seeing it. While there couldn't have been more than a few dozen people in the crowd, the wrestlers didn't hold anything back and put on a really amazing show. Kate and I have been devout Michinoku Pro-Wrestling fans ever since.

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Click here to watch (Windows media, 20 megs)


For my latest video I`ve decided to focus on the subject of combat. It includes footage from a Noheji High sports class demonstration, several Aomori summer festivals, a Michinoku wrestling show in Akita, a kendo demonstration at a special JET culture day I attended last week, a fire safety demonstration and Hugh in battle with a toy shark at Akiko`s house. The music comes from a CD of Japanese wrestling theme songs that Kate got for me a while back. It`s probably the most compelling take on the Survivor classic "Eye of the Tiger" since Weird Al Yankovic recorded "Theme from Rocky 13". If you`d like a copy you can download the MP3 here.

Last Saturday I went to my second wrestling event in Japan, once again held in a countryside suburb of Hirosaki. I put together this short video from footage I shot at the show. The video is focused on the pleasant first part of the show, rather than the disturbing events after the intermission (more on that a little later).

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Video Blogs:

1: The Amazing Singing JETs
2.1: The Fellowship of the Gaijin

2.2: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!
2.3: Raunchy Christmas

3: New Year's Eve 2003/2004
4: A Day in the Life of Me

5: Big Decision
6: Bye Bye Jamie

7: Hope Was Closed
8: Torontokyo

9: Deleted Scenes
10: Change the Channel

11: School Spirit
12: Hello Internet Nerds

13: Japanese Policeman are Useless!
14: Career Pilot


Other Videos:

New Year's Eve 2004/2005
Dance Dance Akiko

Akiko Battalion
Jamie vs. Iwaki-san

There's Something About Jenny
Helicoptor Fun

Gaijiin Apartment Tour
Going Home

Pineapple Lays the Smack Down
Remembering Winter '05

You Got Served (Sushi)

This past weekend was Noheji High's school festival. The most popular part of the festivities was a small break dancing show Sunday afternoon. The gym was packed not just with Noheji students but lots of students various other nearby senior and junior high schools, as well as various non-students who you could easily pick out of the crowd by their oversized, non-uniform looking clothes. I never see Noheji students breakdancing at school or in the town, so I had no idea that we had students capable of this kind of stuff. Anyway, I captured much of it on video for you to enjoy.


Click here to watch highlights from the show!


The guy at the end was really amazing. It's a little hard to tell in the video, but he was able to stand on one hand while repeatedly turning in a circle. Sugoi desu ne? Kind of reminds of these guys from my youth.

Click here to watch (Windows Media, 15 megs)


Yeah that's right, it's a new video blog! As a result of computer problems, but mostly just my abject laziness, this video has taken a long time to do. It's actually been in the works since February, but only now is it finally done. It has footage from as far back as last summer and as recently as two weeks ago. If some of the footage looks blurrier than usual, its likely because it was shot with my little IXY 600 rather than my usual big camera. If some shots don't look very Japanese it's probably because they were shot durring my Hong Kong vacation in May. This video is basically all over the place and doesn't really tell as clear of a story as these things usually do. Instead I tried to base it more around the general themes of "fear" and "happiness". How totally artistic of me eh? I'm not sure if I'm happy with the end result, but I am certainly glad that I'm finally finished editing this thing once and for all.