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Self introduction
Greeting Personal history My boom
Thanks for coming my site
I am going to run a backpackers' hostel in Kyoto. This is a new chalenge for me after the trans-Eurasia touring.. Inbound tourism market ( especially Backpacking market) is not big in Japan. But it's quite hopeful for the future. And the biggest reason is that I want to take care of foreign tourists who visit my hometown Kyoto. I got a lot of heart-warming hospitality from local people when I was travelling through Eurasia and I would give the hospitality back to foreigh tourist in my town . Please come to Kyoto and Japan. I am looking forward to seeing you
Octorber 2002 Iida Akihito
Hello, everybody!
Approx. 1 year has passed since I quit a petrol company which I had worked for 12 years in November, 1998. Although I am not working and still a vagabond, it is kind of surprise for me that time goes by rather faster than when at work. I spent 1/3 of last year traveling around. To Australia, Thailand and Laos as a backpacker in February and March, Hokkaido and Tohoku area in Japan as a touring rider in June to August. After September I went on some motorbiking short trips for Shinshu and other close places. Otherwise I spent my time visiting some temples, shrines and sightseeing spots in and around Kyoto.
Now we have welcomed 2000 and the 21th century is coming soon. In this commemorated time, I intend to another event which runs throughout Eurasia by motorbike. The transcontinental motorbiking tour covers Europe, Middleeast Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. (other pages tell the details). I am already excited when I imagine the beautiful scenery of Europe and Asian big nature. I will try to tell you my moving and surprise as real as I can so please come to this site from time to time.
Jan 2000 Iida Akihito
1964 Hi! On DEC 29, born with feet first 1967 house arrest Dive into a door at Grandmother's house but miraculously uninjured. 1969-1970 Eiko Kindergarten Stop a train by putting some stones on the rail. And of course got caught. 1971-1976 Saga Primary School What a naughty kid I was in the primary school. Start playing baseball. 1977-1979 Saga Junior Highschool Nothing special to write 1980-1982 Kyoto Prefectual
Kita-saga High schoolWhen in the high school, I belonged the baseball club and I was a pitcher. No umpires liked me as I pitched at very long intervals. Maybe they wanted to go home early 1983-1986 Kwansei Gakuin University
School of sociologySpecialize case work. When in the university, visit China for some friendship matches of baseball. 1987-1990 Work with Comso Oil Ltd. (Osaka blanch) Start working for a Japanese petrol company. The harder I worked as a salesperson, the fatter I grew as a pig because of too many receptions for the customers. 1991-1993 Work in Fukuoka blanch Transferred to Fukuoka, which is famous for good foods, even come closer to the pig. 1994-1995 Keio university graduate school of Business Administration Leave from work for 2 years and get MBA degree after a sleepless struggle. In this period I travelled to some southeast Asian countries this year. I was ran down with my foot by a wheel of a food stand. And I understood Asia. 1996-1998 Work in Tokyo with Cosmo petrol Gas Ltd. Return to work and wrestle with a boring deskwork for 2 years. Afterwards quit the company and come back to Kyoto. 1999 Long holiday in Kyoto Start Vagabond's life 2000-2001 Eurasia motorbiking touring 2002- Owner of J-Hoppers Kyoto
My boom
Overseas and domestic travel, scuba diving, watching sports game, hotspring, etc. I stick my nose into anything easily but it is difficult to master even one. in May, 1999 I got a 250cc off-road motorbike as soon as I took motorbike driving licence. Then I have been fascinated soon and went for long and short motorbiking tours many times. In 2000, I am trying Eurasia transcontinental tour of course with my lovable Yamaha.
The south
I love warm places. Especially Souteast Asia is my favorite. The hot and humid climate fits me comfortably. Most overseas tours I have ever been are for this area, for instance, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In Japan, I am so interested in Okinawa. So I will be visiting the wonderful islands at the end of the long journey.
Books
I like historical novels, especially works by Shiba Ryotaro. Reportage and travelogue is another category I am fond of. Though You don't probably know, some reportages and essays written by Kondo Koichi are really cool, who used to be a Japanese correspondent. His works tell Southeast Asian society and people around the Vietnam War through his and his Vietnamese wife's eyes.
Lately I have got a lot of chance to read books so sometimes go to library and do random reading.
Movies
I watch around 20 movies including video programs. Though I am not a keen movie fan, some films are very impressive to me like "Shoeshank( spelled right?)", "The rock", "12 angry man", "12 kindhearted Japanese", "Philadelphia" etc. Otherwise I love a category of court or kind of psychology. "Six sense" also moved me recently.
Music
Lately I have been listening to female vocals. "Unplugged" by Alanis Morissette and Utada Hikaru are really cool. Bryan Adams is also one of my favorite. Last year I fell into Celtic music like Chieftains. It is one of what I look forward to in the coming tour to go to the pub and enjoy live music when in Ireland. Japanese native music in Okinawa and Ainu are good, too.
Food
Any food except half-cooked onions and potato salad with onions (sliced onion is no problem. funny?) . Especially noodles makes me crazy (too exaggerated?) "Dai-ich Asahi" and "Shinpuku Saikan" near Kyoto Station are the best of all Japanese Ramen Shops, I am sure. The soup is based on pork bones and soy sauce and the main noodle is made from flour. A lot of chashu (sliced pork) and leek are put on it. You had better taste them when visiting Kyoto. Talking of noodles, Vietnamese "Pho" has also my favorite. The noodle is made from rice and soup is based on beef bone. Of course it is more delicious to eat in Vietnam than at Vietnamese restaurants in Japan.
 iida@j-hoppers.com |
