Tokyo Dad

Growing your own food

My wife and I used to grow our own vegetables, herbs and fruits, but since our son was born we haven't been doing much. Recently, we've decided to start growing again and are thinking of hiring a plot of land for the purpose (our garden is tiny and ground rental is pretty cheap in our city).

Growing your own food is brilliant. Not only does it save money, it tastes great, you know exactly how it's been produced and there's an enormous sense of satisfaction when you've done it. Hopefully, if we do get a plot of land it'll be relatively close to our house so that we'll be able to go and pick things that will be on our table pretty quickly. Smaller stuff like herbs we plan to continue growing at home and we also plan to plant a couple of fruit trees, probably satsuma and persimmon as these are the two we seem to eat the most of. Plants are OK to have on a hired piece of land, but it would be nice to have the trees at home - if only for the fact that I love trees.

I plan to record our progress, or lack thereof, and recommend growing food to anybody. Even if you haven't got any land or you're not particularly green-fingered, herbs like mint and basil are really easy to grow and can be grown in small pots.

Running man

It's amazing to see our son running about. He runs with a massive smile on his face and has a really natural style of running. Hopefully we'll be able to go running together one day as I'm now pretty into running myself.

10 years in Japan

I realise I haven't updated this blog for ages, but I've been busy.

I felt compelled to update, though, as today marks the 10th anniversary of my coming to Japan. I genuinely cannot believe it's been 10 years already! In those 10 years, I have:

- Got married

- Become a father

- Bought a house

- Worked for myself

- Been published

- Started my own web magazine (that some people actually read)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all!

Having worked last Christmas, I have vowed not to do it again unless absolutely necessary. This year I'll be spending it with my wife and son, and I can't wait!

Have a great day.

Cold, my tough boy, and high-tech Japanese baths

It's getting remarkably cold here in Japan - which isn't so surprising considering it's nearly January - but still, the chill came on very quickly.

I've noticed a few things about the cold this year, which for me, at least, are pretty interesting.

1) My son doesn't seem to feel the cold half as much as me and my wife. He will happily run around in a t-shirt, with nothing on his feet (in the house), while we're wrapped up and wearing socks. It's particularly noticeable during the night as he gets hot under blankets, which sadly makes him sweat and thereby sets off his eczema. The dry air certainly isn't helping him, either, but we've stopped using soap when we bath him for the time being and that seems to relieve his itching a little.

2) Our bath has a feature to stop it freezing. Japanese people don't wash in the bath, they simply use it to warm themselves, so it's not unusual to leave water in the bath to either heat up and use the following day, or pump into the washing machine in order to reuse it there. For the first time the other day, we noticed that the bath was turning itself on and wondered what was happening - it turns out that it has a special feature to stop the water from freezing which comes on automatically when it gets too cold. See, I told you it was getting cold!

Books for my Boy

I love books, always have. I also love reading books to my son, especially as he is taking a lot more interest in them. How much he understands I don't know, but he is certainly getting into some books – he loves Thomas the Tank Engine and Roary the Racing Car recently – and when I ask him if he wants me to read him a book, he goes over to his book box, chooses a couple and then comes and sits on my knee, which is lovely!

I've said before – and I will probably say many, many more times again – that watching him develop and grow is as amazing as it is pleasurable.

K-1 Grand Prix 2009

Semmy Schilt, right, has been crowned 2009 K-1 Champion after stopping both last year's champion and this year's favourite.

The heavyweight division has been somewhat of a snoozefest of late and Schilt has borne much of the criticism, but there was no time for boredom to set in last night as most of the fights ended in first-round knockouts. First up was the much-anticipated repeat of Badr Hari v Ruslan Karev, which Hari convincingly won by stopping the Russian under the two knock-down rule. He faced Alistair Overeem next, in another anticipated rematch, and once again stopped the big fighter in the first round. Schilt's road to the final was almost as straightforward, flooring veteran Frenchman Jérôme Le Banner with body kicks and then seeing off a lacklustre Remy Bonjasky, last year's controversial champion.

The final, then, was contested between a Dutchman accused of being boring and a Moroccan who is anything but. Hari started - as per usual - going straight for the kill, but Schilt deflected much of the onslaught and caught Hari with a left jab that sent him to the floor. Hari beat the count and once again went on the offensive, but he was hurt and a thunderous high-kick from Schilt sent him to the canvas for the second time. As the final was contested under the three knock-down rule, Hari got the chance to fight on, but Schilt soon floored him for a third and final time to claim the champion. Boring or not, Schilt proved that he is still very much a force to be reckoned with, equalling countryman Ernesto 'Mr Perfect' Hoost in claiming his fourth title.

Baby Fever

Our son has had a fever for the last couple of days, which has left him a bit lethargic and not as lively as he usually is. It's horrible to watch, to be honest, and I feel so sorry for him.

My wife took him to the doctor, but it didn't really help – he just said that he had a fever, but it wasn't flu. Well, I could have told you he had a fever! Apparently, the flu jabs aren't ready yet, which I find extraordinary. The whole affair isn't helped by the fact that I spend most of my days surrounded by people coughing and sneezing, whether on the train or in the office. Some people seem to think that going to work when they're sick shows how dedicated they are to their jobs. It doesn't, it just shows that you have no common sense and don't give a toss who you pass your germs on to. Stay at home.

As for my son, he seems better today – his temperature has come down and he's been trying to go outside and run around, which is a great sign. Hopefully he'll be back to his boisterous self very soon.

Watching My Boy Grow

I mention how amazing it is watching my son grow in almost every post I write, but it's true. Just when my wife and I think 'sometimes I wish he would stay like this forever' he does something that makes us immediately eat our words.

His recent thing is trying to imitate us when we sing songs, especially 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes', and his lovely habit of bringing me something when I get home from work. It could be a bit of tissue, a book or a bit of food, but he always gives me something and looks pleased as punch when I thank him. Wonderful.

Ningen Dock - It's Getting Better

I had my second annual full health check-up recently (called ningen dock here in Japan) and received the results the other day. Thankfully, it was good news. (You can read about my experience at the ningen dock last year here.)

Having tried and failed to give up smoking a number of times, I finally gave up completely - not even the odd 'cheeky' one - back in May and gave up drinking completely at the same time. I also embarked on a regime of exercise which includes running three or four times a week, cycling once or twice a week and practising Muay Thai once a week. Even though I feel much better in mysef - fitter and more energetic - and my beer belly has all but gone, it's impossible to know if such lifestyle changes really affect your health unless you have proof from a doctor, and now I've got it.

Not only has my cholestorol level dropped considerably, my liver and kidneys are much healthier, my muscle tone has improved markedly, my blood is in better condition, my heart is much healthier, my bone mass has increased and my lung capacity has also greatly increased. This is in less than six months! Not surprisingly, this is a very nice surprise and it has doubled my desire to remain healthy and remain cigarette and alcohol free.

Tax on Cigarettes in Japan

The new government here is Japan is finally thinking about increasing the tax on cigarettes by between 1 yen and 10 yen per cigarette. I think this is a brilliant idea, although I'm hoping that the extra tax would be used to fund welfare programmes or health care, not more roads...

Cigarettes are seriously cheap in Japan - nearly four times cheaper than my native UK and about three times cheaper than in France or the US (as was reported in the paper the other day). I find this extraordinary and considering the amount of people who get cancer every year as a result of smoking, I am still stunned at the attitudes to smoking here. Until very recently, you could literally smoke anywhere in Japan and no-smoking areas in restaurants or coffee shops were not separated - in fact, they were often situated in such a way that you had to walk through the smoking area to get to them. This has improved drastically, I must say, in the last five years or so, and many streets in central Tokyo are now smoke-free, which is great, especially for parents.

While they're at it, why not increase tax on other stuff, like alcohol and luxury items, and remove it from necessities such as children's clothes and basic, essential food items?

Milestones in Health and Running

I've been keeping a little tally of my running milestones for a few reasons, the main ones being that it's easy to see if I'm actually getting better/fitter and another being that they provide a great deal of satisfaction and motivation when I reach one.

When I started running back in May/June, I found it hard to run for much over a kilometre without stopping or feeling like my heart was about to punch its way through my ribcage. Getting over that hurdle was the first, and perhaps most satisfying. Within a couple of months, I could quite comfortably run 3km, albeit at a snail's pace.

My next milestone, therefore, came in August (I think) when I found that I could run 5km without having to stop to rest - or receive CPR...

My first barefoot milestone was also in August, when I completed my first full barefoot run. I then gave barefoot trail running a bash and started running in the morning.

Somebody must have thought I was getting a bit too cocky, though, because the next milestone was not a particularly pleasant one: an Achilles injury. Thankfully, that seems to have healed and my next milestone was a major one for me - my first 10km run! I can't tell you how good it feels to know that I am now capable of running 10km (not barefoot, yet...).

So what's the point of this post? Well, I passed another milestone today as I ran 3km in under 15 minutes, which (I think) is a first for me. Now I know that 3km in 15 minutes is not exactly a scorching pace, but not so long ago it would have probably taken me twice that, if I was even able to go that far. I wasn't even planning it; I just noticed the time after I had finished the run. All in all, I'm pretty pleased. Incidentally, I ran in my Vibram FiveFingers KSOs this morning.

The milestone I'm most proud of at the moment, though, is less to do with running and more to do with health in general: I've been off alcohol and cigarettes for six months - pretty good for somebody who used to drink and smoke quite heavily on a daily basis.

One Small Step for Baby...

I know I've said this before, but it's amazing watching a baby learn to walk. They start off like little drunk monkeys, with their arms in the air and their legs seeming to operate by their own free will; shooting out, whizzing off to the side or jerking slowly forward.

Give them a few more attempts, though, and the coordination comes. My son is not about to attract the attention of the Bolshoi Ballet just yet, but his walking is coming along very nicely and he loves doing it. He walks between my wife and I across the living room floor, sometimes with a look of grim determination on his face, but mostly with a massive grin - nearly as big as ours.

Which brings me on to shoes. We've been given a couple of pairs of shoes for him, but he seems to prefer being barefoot, which I think could be for the best to strengthen his feet and legs. Obviously this might not be such a good idea outside, where there's more chance of him hurting himself or stepping on (or in) something not very nice. We went to a big baby shop recently where they had a massive selection of shoes on offer, including a series of shoes which are apparently designed to 'introduce the baby to walking in stages.' There are, they say, five stages, which I am sure is in no way a money-making scheme. Of course not.

Well, of course it is a money-making scheme. Nobody wears shoes in the house in Japan, but the first shoes should only be worn in the house. And the flimsy uppers wear out in about ten minutes. The next stage didn't seem much better. Luckily, we've been given a pair of Nike Sensory Motion shoes which have thin rubber soles designed to help the foot move as nature intended it to. Hopefully they'll be better.

Did I mention that this is all amazing to watch?

Permanent Resident!

I'm happy to report that I have been granted permanent residency in Japan. I had already decided to stay in Japan indefinitely, but it's certainly a relief to know that the government plans to allow me to!

Up and Running (Well, walking actually)

Our son has taken his first proper steps! Sadly, I was at work when it happened, but my wife told me he took five steps towards her and then grabbed onto her legs.

As always, watching these things happen is truly amazing.

Mama Chari (ママチャリ)

We've been looking to buy a bike to carry our son around for a while, but the law changed recently regarding these kind of bikes, so we waited (I don't know the details of the changes). They are affectionately known as 'mama chari's' (mum's bike) here in Japan, although the 'official' name is 子供のせ自転車 (bike for carrying children).

So we finally bought one - a nifty looking Dellica Duo, which set us back ¥40,000. It's not exactly the bike I wanted, but it's great fun to go riding together as a family. Although our son spends half the time trying to take his helmet off, he does seem to enjoy riding. I heartily recommend getting one if you've got kids as you can get fit, save money (on petrol/train fares), help the environment and have fun at the same time!

What Does a New Japanese Government Mean for Parents in Japan?

In case you didn't know, Japan has a new government after the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was voted out after an incredible 55 years in power. Politics doesn't interest me - I wouldn't trust most politicians further than I could spit them - but as a parent in Japan, I do have an interest in what the new government, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) headed by Yukio Hatoyama ,right, has in mind for child-rearing support.

Perhaps the most attention-grabbing policy put forward is to raise the monthly child allowance the government gives to parents. Under the LDP, child allowances are currently only given to households with children of elementary school age or below and are weighted on parental income. Families receive up to ¥10,000 a month for children up to age 3, after which it is ¥5,000, except for the third child, who continues to receive ¥10,000. The DPJ promises to raise this to ¥26,000 for every child until the end of junior high school regardless of parental income, starting with half the amount for the 2010 academic year. Sounds good to me. (Although these payments claim to be monthly, we actually receive them quarterly. I'm not griping, I just thought I'd point it out.)

Another policy put forward by the DPJ, and applauded by observers and me alike, is to reinstate financial support for single-parent households on welfare - amounting to about ¥23,000 a month in Tokyo - which the LDP scrapped in April.

All in all, it does seem like the DPJ have a more realistic idea of what it means to raise a child and they do seem to be supportive of people who want to have children, which is a good thing. It's sad when financial worries persuade people who want children not to have them. Let's hope they stay true to their word and help current and prospective parents in Japan.

Cleaning Baby Teeth

Now that our son has begun eating a lot more food, especially a lot more fruit, it's even more important to keep his teeth clean. Even though his milk teeth will fall out eventually, it's no excuse to be lax with his dental care. We've been wiping his gums with either a gauze or a soft wet washcloth ever since he was born, but now that he's getting his gnashers, we've moved on to baby toothbrushes.

But the transition is not that easy. He doesn't seem to mind the cloths, in fact he even seems to like them, but he isn't a big fan of the toothbrush. He does, however, seem to enjoy watching me brush my teeth, so last night I sat in front of him brushing my teeth while my wife tried to brush his. For his bottom teeth, this worked like a charm, but he didn't fancy it on his top teeth. Eventually he allowed us to brush them a bit, and also didn't put up too much of a fight this morning, so hopefully he'll get more and more used to it.

We haven't used toothpaste yet, but we might start soon as we don't want either the sugar from fruit or anything else damaging his teeth. Luckily, he likes drinking water or tea, which also helps to keep his mouth clean.

Fruity about Grapes

Our son has gone from eating virtually nothing to building up quite an appetite for a variety of foods, his current favourite being grapes. He sits back and relaxes while either me or my wife feed him from the bunch, Roman Emperor-style.

He also seems to like other fruits, such as bananas, pears and apples, which is good as all of them are good for him. The other things that he has taken a shine to include udon (Japanese noodles) and some kinds of fish, which he also eats with rice.

All of this, naturally, depends on his mood - sometimes he'll pester us for more to eat, whereas other times his jaws remained tightly closed. Still, that's what makes kids so interesting and fun, isn't it?

Surfing in Chiba

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with my family on the Boso Peninsula in Chiba this weekend, which gave me a chance to go surfing for the first time in over a year!

We also took our son into the sea, although the movement and noise was a little bit scary for him, so we took him back to the swimming pool outside the hotel where he was a lot happier. Hopefully the saltwater (it was also a saltwater swimming pool) will do his skin some good, as it always seems to help mine.

It was great to get back in the water again, even though the waves weren't that great and, happily, I found that my new exercise regime has given me more stamina and made me more supple, whereas Muay Thai seems to have improved my balance. The net result was that I even managed to stay upright for a few seconds!

That is not me in the photograph, needless to say...