itz.inno 3Speak Podcast

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/fsblkotbna this is the awa odori (阿波踊り), the largest traditional dance festival held every august in tokushima. but no we are not in the birthplace of the dance, the festival has a local tokyo version here in koenji and i happened to witness it.Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/klxzyqxvfr one time while out for hanami or cherry blossom viewing, an open mic karaoke program was ongoing. this happened in ueno park.Uploaded using 3Speak Mobile App

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/gbzshnfayc we came to the snow park early around 5am, everything was still close at that point. i could hear no other soul moving except us and those who got off the bus. and it was snowing at this point, my faux fur jacket couldn't handle all of this coldness around me. but i was most concerned on how wet of a mayhem this whole ordeal would bring. upon initial settling down of nerves, we finally headed to the hotel where we stayed for free at a holding room. getting more sleep was a priority at that point, closed our eyes until around 8am for breakfast. ryuoo snow park (nagano, japan) february 8th, what an unforgettable day. hours past by so quick, the snow park slowly came to life. the piled up snow from earlier were now bulldozed away to make room for paths. that short rest we had came with a complimentary instant cup noodles, that was enough to heat up my cold system. just look at how happy @appleeatingapple was after that hot cup, managing to be energetic amidst that cold backdrop. after long minutes of checking and trying on gears, we are finally headed to the slopes. this large group was surely a headache to the resort's rental staff, and each of us had different needs. some needed the complete gear, others just needed the boots and the boards, and others even opted for skii. i had to change my boots, the initial one wouldn't tighten as much as i liked specially when i bended forward. we had a couple of beginners in this group as well, we were a large rowdy bunch. can you spot @appleeatingapple , @ohlnwwlknat , @thinkeringbart , and @wittyzell above? the first disaster for snowboard, the feet placement can actually be adjusted; thus, the term "regular" for left leading foot, and "goofy" for right leading ones. lead foot just means that it is the foot in front when you slide down the slopes. the board i got was a "regular" as intended, but the right foot placement was at a weird angle where i find it difficult to control. four of us had this concern, but the staff instead of changing the foot binding angles inside the shop directed us to change it ourselves using a screwdriver near the ski lifts. probably because of how many we were, the staff clearly wanted us out of the rental shop as fast as possible. this was really a let down. here we are wasting some more precious time adjusting the angles. the first two boards had one tight screw each, forcing that would clearly ruin the screw heads. mine and one other had better luck, i readjusted that right foot angle by 20 degrees clockwise. when our other friends had already slid down twice on this initial path, this group of four just finished readjusting. we finally rode the very first lift, saw how crowded the initial area was, and decided to proceed riding the next lift. a very crowded area filled with beginners would be a disaster to navigate, we thought. we were once beginners and we knew from experience how many times we fell and accidentally bumped others because we couldn't control the board. as a not so beginner, we wanted some peaceful slopes, at least. we found two other friends after boarding the 2nd lift, it was around 11:30 at that point. the gondola has just reached the boarding point by then, so we all decided to get on and have lunch at the restaurant near the peak. we left after some time, leaving the others who came after. the initial plan was to ride a lift to the peak and descend from there. the snow proved to be a difficult foe, we couldn't see a thing and the lift was even stopped. we went down via gondola instead, and spent the afternoon from a lower elevation. the second disaster awaits it must have been after one cycle when i realized that my goggles were getting misty. i even told my friends about it and asked for advice. while going down the slopes at one point, i had to take off my googles and relied on my normal glasses. but i was afraid for my glasses to break the whole time, i couldn't concentrate. the second time, i asked my friend to keep my glasses in his bag. he was a skilled snowboarder, my glasses will be safe under his care. but my goggles kept getting worse. it was so misty and i could no longer see anything. i removed them at some point but the snow was getting stronger and my naked eyes could not help but close. my snowboarding got worse and i stumbled here and there. i was on the verge of giving up, and decided to have a simple and safer front facing slide. even that could not save me, my board caught ice and i stumbled frontward and hit my back slightly with my board. that was it, i said to myself. it was just not my day! my back was not hurt but my pride was crushed. i reached the lift boarding area after a very slow and careful ride. my friends told me that some went inside the cafe to rest. i needed that rest too. inside, i found people gathering in front of the heater holding up their goggles. i guess i wasn't alone in this struggle, and i followed what they did. that proved to be helpful, my goggles dried up. i immediately wore them and swore not to take them off until the end of the day. that was a game changer! i knew from the beginning that goggles will begin to fog up the moment you take them off and yet i took them off a couple of times that day. that was a very wrong decision, one that i learned the hard way. with a clearer goggles this time, this snowboard experience has started to feel very enjoyable. the conclusion time was my foe. after three or four more rounds, we decided to end the day. continued sliding to the bottom of the mountain and returned our gear 10 minutes before schedule. this we also learned the hard way the last time when we returned the gear late and paid extra fee. this snowboard hobby of mine is a continuous learning experience. an enjoyable life is one where we continuously learn new thing, i suppose. this life must be enjoyable then. with the very heavy snow, it was so hard to take videos. luckily a friend volunteered to take one for us at the very last ride down this snow park. this was how crowded the lower areas of the mountain were. but i guess i still could say, we conquered ryuoo snow park! as always, AMPING KANUNAY! ps: i was surprised at how high my heart rate was for this activity. that is just crazy! and look at that route i took. i wonder how many times i went up and down that one area. all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/geihasnqqo snowboarding fun on a winter day in japan

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/dptlklmwqt summer festivals in japan

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/hzfwvuvjht the dance to encourage ancestors' spirits to come and celebrate with the family for a bit. japan summer in its finest

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/vbzqjyuunn it has been quite a while to finally post this entry. i am so sorry for the delay, we are in the middle of the scorching summer heat here in the northern hemisphere, but this is the 4th and last installation of the great nagano winter trip. allow me to refresh your memories, we all started here at the temple, then cleansed ourselves in warm waters to make ourselves fresh, before we visited our long lost cousins. i could still remember it vividly, we woke up early and went down to the dining area for a breakfast buffet, filled up our stomachs, and dipped at the hotel's public bath for the last time. we braced the chilly winter breeze and headed to our final stop, the small and pleasant town of obuse. now is the time to learn some culture and art! welcome to hokusai museum! obuse was known for two things: chestnut and the great hokusai. you must be wondering by now what hokusai is? to be completely honest, i was also in for the surprise, i had no idea what / who / where it was. we reached the museum entrance after minutes of walking from the station. i still had no clue even at the entrance, i got some hint only after i received the ticket; this is a quite famous art piece for me not to recognize. i will just have to confirm once i see that specific piece inside. the first parts of the exhibit showed prints on paper, hokusai (1760 - 1849) was apparently a master in ukiyo-e a style of woodblock printing art. from my understanding, the process would start with the artist drawing or designing the art, this was then carved unto woodblocks, inked, and then stamped on to paper. woodblock printing was japan's answer to mass production of books from the 17th century. the illustrations above were his printing of a nue and of a giant spider both published in the 19th century. i found some of the pieces hilarious, like this one on of a kappa hunter who used his own butt to lure out the kappa. there were also random depictions of daily life; passing gas on to someone is apparently part of daily life. there were depictions of olden games or probably forms of olden wrestling matches: one legged form, butt wrestling, seated wrestling, leg fencing. they were physically active, so different from what we consider as games in the modern age. if these illustrations were in novels, this would really help visualize the scenario. just look at the details of these pieces, and then remember that these were printed from woodblocks. the left image shows a monster, wazawai, as it attacks people. the right image shows auspicious items when dreamt on new year: mt fuji, a hawk, and an eggplant. an eggplant deemed auspicious is just so random. here are some more interesting works of art and manga from hokusai which gained him even more popularity during his time. by this point, i'm pretty sure you still do not recognize this great man. but it was in the early 1830s when hokusai produced this work which secured his fame throughout japan and even in the west. in his 70s, he produced thirty-six views of mount fuji, a series which depicted mount fuji in different angles and seasons. among those was this print below. the great wave off kanagawa the series of landscape colored prints of mount fuji easily cemented hokusai's name in the art world. and he accomplished that in his 70s, he was the perfect example that age is but a number. he showed that it is never too late to gain success, just keep on pushing and pressing on with the things you love doing. he was clearly a lover of art, he started in his 20s. and he never stopped producing art and constantly sought to produce better works, until he died at around 90 years old. he was a student of art. here are other works of art of hokusai and his students also displayed in the museum. a beauty standing beneath a cherry tree a beauty standing beneath the moon both of these above were from one of *hokusai*'s most talented painters, teisai hokuba. now here is how the town obuse came into the picture. in 1842, hokusai now 83 years of age, travelled to obuse and was given a studio under the patronage of a wealthy local merchant. he never stopped creating pieces of art even at his much advanced age. it was in here where he created more masterpieces. at the age of 85, he completed the "dragon" and the "phoenix" ceiling paintings which were attached to the much older higashimachi festival float (1806). this float, including the paintings, is regarded as a nagano prefectural treasure. above is the kanmachi festival float also regarded as a prefectural treasure. this too contained a painting by hokusai in it's ceiling shown below. completed between 1845 to 1846, the "masculine wave" and the "feminine wave", as well as the kanmachi festival float decorations were created by hokusai. he was around 87 at this point. he continued doing art until died, indeed. this whole visit to this museum taught me that success can sometimes come at a much later age, when you least expected it. their is really no time limit, as long as you continue pursuing your dreams the possibility is endless. let us keep on learning and pushing forward. here is a short video of this trip as a recap, hope you enjoyed the journey with me. as always, AMPING KANUNAY! all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra videos edited using CapCut

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/gwmwhourzs adobo and stir fry homecooking

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/yscuijbdsy have you heard of the term age of fishes? how about age of amphibians? age of reptiles? ... or scpecifically, age of dinosaurs? i am sure you have heard of that. yes, i am talking about geologic timescales. those were nicknames given to the devonian, and carboniferous periods, and the mesozoic era which were all older than 66 million years ago. the current era, the cenozoic, is often nicknamed as the age of mammals. when the non-avian dinosaurs died the mammals took over the ecological niches left behind. (i said non-avian because there are evidences and debates which suggest that birds evolved from dinosaurs.) us, humans are also part of this class mammalia and we surely did dominate not only one niche but probably even in those we are supposedly not part of. before the humans came to be though, the old world monkeys branched off also in the cenozoic era. deep in the valleys of yamanochi in nagano lies a unique park where you can visit your lineage cousins. welcome to jigokudani snow monkey park! that intro felt like an eternity, i got over-excited to nerd off some prehistory. so here is me, a human, pondering what to eat for breakfast life choices on this third installation of the great nagano winter trip. we all started here at the temple then cleansed ourselves in warm waters. now we visit our cousins. breakfast is the most important meal of the day, we started grand! here is a glimpse of what to expect in jigokudani right on this mug. we had to eat first, we couldn't take in food in the park. we were told by the locals that we should not show food to the monkeys probably for safety reasons for both us and the monkeys. the trail started off on quite an uphill icy path, it was incredibly slippery and scary to be frank. this picture above is an off-road which is of the same slope but still with powdery snow since it was not taken by the throes of tourists eager to visit the monkeys. i initially thought that it would be a silent stroll, but it turned out to be a hike. and it was so easy to slip on the trail, we were walking on ice. i got outbalanced and got a jolt a couple of times. we finally came upon this resting hut along the trail which had some information about the monkeys, japanese macaques to be specific. these are old world monkeys: old world in the sense that the afro-eurasia supercontinent was once called "old world" in contrast to the newly discovered lands of the americas or the "new world". in this poster i learned that the mothers take care of their young, typical of any mammal, while the fathers are basically absent in child-rearing. they do not even know whether their consummation produced a child. some humans act like this too. we can probably call them monkeys as well. we finally arrived at this clearing. it is a sign that we are nearing the monkeys. a few more meters along this path, then turn right up the stairs, then a couple more meters till we reach the entrance to the park. i expected a stroll but i wasn't expecting a hike at all. see those houses on the right, those were actually public bath houses were you could dip in the hot waters in the hopes that monkeys would join you. of course you can do this at a fee. we passed by the area and i was surprised to see people in the nude bathing in the waters but i couldn't see any monkey. and this was supposed to be mixed genders' bath so i wasn't expecting people to go nude, but here we could see about three men fully exposed to the public. japanese locals were even talking among themselves about this unexpected meat exposure. we were here to see monkeys bathing, not homo sapiens in the nude. we finally saw the real monkeys at last! they were everywhere actually. and they roam freely. it even feels like we, humans, were invading their space to be honest. they were just there bathing in the warm waters of this hot spring pool. they were there digging the snow in search of food. some were were just there resting, the young ones were busy playing. i'm sure the newborns have wondered at first why humans were gathering around them. they might have even communicated among themselves of how odd we looked. they might have educated their youngs to mind their own business and ignore their fellow primates in the area who were busy taking pictures of them and selfies with them. looking at how these monkeys interact, it really seems like they are a tribe, a community of japanese macaques which happens to enjoy these hot springs which are akin to humans who belong in a local spa community. so peaceful while they swim, they probably fight once they go home too. we went back the same path and ended back at he same restaurant we had breakfast at. this experience got my feet planted firmly to the ground. early humans must have had lived in similar ways to these monkeys. they hunted food when hungry, they were free to roam the land, and they had time to relax and enjoy and socialize as well. they had simple lives with simple joys and simple goals. when monkeys kept this same lifestyle, we humans got so advanced and got materialistic in the process. i suppose we humans can adopt a little bit of this simplicity back. probably this will teach us not to envy what others have and what others have achieved. and hopefully this will lead to a more happy and contented lives. hope you enjoy this little clip of this once in a lifetime trip. as always, AMPING KANUNAY MGA MAANYAG NGA NILALANG! (stay safe beautiful creatures!) - -- ----- » «««- »» »-»» ł »» ««« ł «- ł «--« --- «« -» - ł --- ««-« ł «««- «« « «-- ----- -- - all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra videos edited using CapCut

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/fdpqcxqdnk splendid front view of the 歴史の宿 金具屋 (rekishi-no-yado kanaguya) from nagano, we arrived at the historic shibu onsen. it is our last stop and accommodation for the day. here is what their website says about the place. Shibu Onsen, located in Nagano Prefecture in the Honshu mainland of Japan, is a hot spring resort that has a history as long as 1,300 years. Cobblestone lanes are surrounded by traditional wooden ryokan (Japanese inns), which makes this quaint old town attractive to many visitors. You will feel the atmosphere of a Japanese onsen village while strolling on these streets in your yukata (light cotton kimono). source yes, that is perfectly right. but, let us start from where we left off the last time. after visiting zenkoji temple at daybreak, we headed back to nagano station to prepare ourselves to be transported back in time; "preparation" is just a big word for brunch in this case. we took an hour long train ride and arrived at yudanaka station. the last stop of the nagano dentetsu-nagano line upon arriving at the station, right then and there one could feel the countryside life. this feels like a resort hideaway, a retreat of sorts. we had lunch around the area before our hotel picked us up like vips but on a budget. view of hotel garden filled with snow it was a ryokan, a traditional japanese style hotel usually having tatami mats and communal bathing area. the staff walked us through the amenities and schedules of the inn. he informed of the 9 public baths around the area which we can access. this was a shocker to me. i had no idea that this was a thing in this area. pleasantly surprised and excited to dip in the hot waters. green tea to relieve our dry throats we were greeted with ocha, or was it prepared by my fellow traveler. ryokans usually have teacups and teabags in the room ready for use. some even gives welcome snacks to warm the hearts of their guests. room window view we rested for a bit, i must have snored to be honest. it was quite a long journey and we have not laid on a bed since we woke up the previous day (recap: we arrived via overnight bus in nagano). this bed felt like clouds, they took me to dreamland with ease. but even while awake, the view outside our window looks just like a dreamland: the wide blue sky above with snow covered houses beneath and the rolling mountains further away, this room is beyond expectations. ryokan provided wear for strolling in and out in the streets it was finally time to enjoy the baths. we donned our yukata (light colored thin cotton kimono), topped with tanzen (full length outer robes), and finished off with a haori (yukata coats). snow has not yet thawed and it was getting dark, the night breeze is freezing. three layers of clothing is not an exaggeration. and the ryokan offered it so why not use them all, right? one is compelled to be poised and regal when donning this outfit. changing room of the hotel bath. no one is around, it must be fine to take one snap. as advised by the hotel staff, we took our initial bath in the hotel before heading out. ryokans usually have communal baths and i am surprised to be alone at this hour. this dressing area is more than decent, what a great catch this hotel is. a sneak peak of the public bath as a japan public bath etiquette, it is customary to wash your body first before dipping in the pool. and you don't go diving in that pool, slowly dip your way in and enjoy the hot waters of around 40 degrees celsius. and since we are at an onsen town, the waters from these pools come from natural hot springs. wood and stone blocks with that faint yellow light glow certainly made the ambiance extra special. for the weak of hearts afraid to share show their naked bodies, there are some ryokan which offers a private onsen area where you can enjoy the hot waters on your own or with a special someone (special at that moment someone is also fine). this ryokan happens to have that which is at a reasonable price. small streets lined up with old styled houses and inns gives the place an added romance with 1300 years of history, i am at awe at how this place still operates. i'm sure most of the structures are already refurbished but the style of the buildings and livelihood of the people must have remained the same. the source of the hot spring waters must have remained the same for ages. shibu onsen allows you to enjoy their nine public hot springs in just short walking distances from each other. these nine hot springs are believed to have medicinal properties. checking in in one of the ryokans around the area gives you free access to these nine public baths. we surely enjoyed them all, from the lukewarm to the hottest of hot. there were a couple where i could only dip knee deep for the waters are very hot for my liking but most of them are very enjoyable. with 1300 years of history, just thinking of how many travelers from way back when must have dipped in these same hot springs is the most intimate i can be with japan history. back at rekishi-no-yado kanaguya where i can't help but strike a pose which brings me back to this ryokan. rekishi-no-yado kanaguya has 250+ years of history up its sleeves and is designated as a national cultural asset of japan. is believed to be one of the inspirations for the inn in the animated film spirited away. google said that studio ghibli never acknowledged it but whatever the case is, no one can deny how intricate those wooden beams are. and we have only perused it from afar, how much more awesome the inside structure could have been. to sum it all up, here is a short clip of the beauty of shibu onsen. Edited using CapCut - -- ----- » «««- »» »-»» ł »» ««« ł «- ł «--« --- «« -» - ł --- ««-« ł «««- «« « «-- ----- -- - ooops! by the way, i may have been writing lots but i am still a less-than-two-months old baby here in the hive community. still adventurous to try out everything new, i heard of "hive power up day". i still don't understand it much but since i could already spend 10 hive then why not give it a go. no harm in trying right? well if there is any, that will be part of learning. so here is to moving forward and learning all the stumbles in the hive community! as always, stay safe everyone. AMPING KANUNAY! - -- ----- » «««- »» »-»» ł »» ««« ł «- ł «--« --- «« -» - ł --- ««-« ł «««- «« « «-- ----- -- - all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/dzwtrvbhio snowboarding between towering snow covered trees. still a beginner but definitely improved.

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/dbuyoeyfkq we arrived at nagano station early in the morning. we decided to stroll around and headed to the nearby zenkoji temple for some zen. hope you enjoy this short clip. Edited using InShot Music: Endless Dreams Musician: ASHUTOSH

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/erweciryol let's just call this pinakbet. in order of adding to the wok, my version includes: oil onions garlic ginger tomatoes bagoong (shrimp paste) squash (pumpkin) tofu (would have preferred pork but unavailable) eggplant ampalaya (bitter gourd) okra and i added some mushrooms for more proteins salt, pepper, fish sauce (to taste)

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/opjaszngci genshin impact has been a part of me for quite some time now. the scenery, and main story quest speaks to me. and most of all, the music is fantastic!

https://3speak.tv/watch?v=itz.inno/fspgcioert stir fried chicken, tofu, mushrooms, and mixed vegies in oyster sauce