A Pot of Gold.

Did you know that...
... this is the Golden Anniversary of Ireland and Japan which formally established diplomatic relations on March 5th, 1957.
... Robert Jansen was an Irish sailor who visited Kyushu in 1704?
... the Iwakura Mission（3 December 1872) drank Guinness in Dublin?
... the author of the first version of 君が代 (Kimigayo = The Japanese National Anthem) was John William Fenton back in 1868? (See below.)
... that hockey was introduced to Japan from Ireland by Reverend William Thomas Grey back in 1906? (See picture.)
... or that shopping district Ginza was designed by an Irish man, Thomas James Waters?
For details on these questions and many more, go to this site for answers.

The National Anthem of Japan:
May your Imperial reign
Continue for a thousand years,
And last for eight thousand generations,
Until pebbles
Turn into boulders
Covered in moss.



Mokugohan's daughter doing her best for Japanese/ Canadian relations. What's doing on an Irish post? Because she's damn cute!
















This is me last year at one of the several Irish pubs in Sendai but tonight, I'll be hanging out at Ernie's. C'mon down!

ps: The 2nd Annual St. Patrick's Parade in Sendai is on April 1st, 2007. More details to follow.