Have You Met Gamarjobat?

Have you ever met Gamarjobat? Stages of the Japanese duo is called Silent Comedy and they are rather popular in Europe than in Japan.

Though it was my first time to see their stage performance, they were...just great! I really love their mimes and physical comedy... so moving without a single word!

In addition to their standard performance -- a magic suitcase in the air -- I was really impressed by their new version "M&D" (a dream dance by world's two greatest artists) and 55-minute silent comedy "Boxer."

So...Have you ever seen any stage performances of Gamarjobat?

If you haven't yet, I would say, YOU SHOULD!

Trip to Izumo Shrine & Iwami Silver Mine

As our first trip of the year 2010, Maki-chan and I visited to Izumo Shrine and Iwami Silver Mine, both in Shimane Prefecture, about 1.5-hour flight from Tokyo.

Because we left Tokyo early in the morning, we were able to arrived in Izumo Airport at around 9:00am. We rent a car (Toyota Vitz) and headed toward the Izumo Shrine, known as the God for Romance and also the top of Japan's 8 million gods and deities. In Japan, it is believed that 8 million gods and deities gather in Izumo to hold a month-long general annual meeting in November at the Izumo Shrine.

Izumo means in Japanese -- the place where clouds are from. And as a matter of fact, we witnessed many clouds were really from right behind the main building of the shrine. Though the elevation was not really high there -- maybe at most 50 meters or so -- the scene was really something mysterious.

Making our wish at the mysterious site, we hope that the God of Izumo will bring us good-luck and Romance!

On the following day, we visited the World Heritage Iwami Silver Mine. About 2-hour drive from Izumo City brought us to the snowy mountain site and we really enjoyed walking the old mining trail and tunnels.

At the World Heritage Center, about 3 km away from the silver mine where we parked our car, there was a museum and a small photo studio with old miners' costumes. We had a plenty of time and there was nobody around us... So, Why Not? Shooting Time!!

Maki-chan and I put the costume (actually they were for children...) like an old miner, and we really enjoyed shooting...as you can see.

We hope this Izumo Trip will be a good start of the year 2010 filled with love and precious memories.