(Bye) Haruma Miura

I can't remember how was the weather that day, because just like any other day, I was in my room didn't really bother about the outside world. Just like most of the days, too, I let my TV on the whole day although I wasn't paying attention to it. Then, I heard the sound of breaking news, which I assumed would be about the new covid positive numbers in Tokyo. However, when I briefly looked at the text on the tv, it wasn't about covid. It mentioned that someone was found dead. Then I tried to read the kanji to find out that it was Haruma Miura. I remember I was initially laying on my bed then quickly jumped closer to my TV as I was trying to grasp the news. Then the text continued saying it was a suspected suicide.

I never thought I would be as shocked as that time hearing him died in such a way. I have never considered myself as Haruma's fans, actually I have not been any artist's hardcore fans these recent years. I still casually follow news about Arashi, but I have stopped buying stuff like CDs etc. I did watch some of Haruma's TV dramas or movies. I am not sure how long ago before the day, I was watching TV and suddenly I felt I had only seen the same young actors for a while and wondered why I hadn't seen Haruma at all. Just after he was gone that I realized Haruma was still actively acting both on screen and off screen (for musical or stage play).

In this post, I would like to write things about Haruma that I didn't know before and about my top 3 favorite TV dramas/movies starring Haruma.

What I didn't know about Haruma

• That he can sing and it was good!

I knew he was doing musical Kinky Boots, but I had not heard him singing so I had no idea. But then 三浦春馬(read: Miura Haruma) tag in Instagram and Twitter has led me to some clips of him singing. Apparently, he used to sing in an annual year end event held by his agency called Super Handsome Live until 2012 together with other young actors. Prior to the 2012 live event, they recorded an original album. One of the songs recorded was a duet number of Haruma and Kento Kaku, White Serenade. I was so surprised at how good his voice was singing the ballad number. He was also given many solo parts in other group songs in the album. Then, I found out that he actually made a solo debut in 2019 with a single titled ‘Fight for your heart’ and was about to release second album, ‘Night Diver’ in summer this year. Thankfully the second single was released as planned despite his passing, because one of the three songs was composed and written by Haruma himself. The song ‘You&I’ is actually my favorite from the single.

• That he was an MC of a TV show

I remember a while ago when I turned on the TV late at night, I randomly stumbled upon a TV show in NHK. I kinda regret I didn't check more info about the TV show so I wasn't aware of the regular airing schedule, because it is actually a good TV show. It is called 世界はほしいモノにあふれてる or known in short as Sekahoshi. Haruma was actually the host, together with JUJU. Then I recalled the show I randomly watched that night, it was about a buyer’s journey in France looking for interesting glasses/sunglasses. Haruma was kinda goofy that night. Apparently, Haruma in the show was the most natural version of himself we could see as viewers, not as an actor playing certain roles.

• That he wrote a regular column which eventually got published as a book

He went to all 47 prefectures in Japan, learning about the craftmanship of each prefecture, in about 4 years. The column which then being published as a book is titled ‘日本製’or ‘Made in Japan’. I finally got my copy few weeks ago and yet to read it. As it is written in Kanji, I am sure it’s gonna take time for me! Lol.

My top 3 favorites TV dramas/movies starring Haruma 

1. 僕のいた時間 (Boku no ita jikan)

A TV drama series, in which Haruma starred as a lead role who suffers from ALS. I think it was the first time I knew of ALS. The story plots successfully made me cry in almost all episodes, even when I re-watched it this year. I personally think Haruma acted exceptionally well in portraying an ALS patient, at least to give an insight to people like me who didn't know about the disease before. I considered this TV series as my most favorite because it is the one which left the strongest impression in my memory.

2. 14才の母 (14 sai no haha)

I watched this drama back in the days when I was still learning Japanese when I had just arrived in Japan. So, I purely watched it for the story and to learn Japanese but didn't really pay attention to the actors/actresses. After Haruma died, I figured that he was playing as the teenage father of the baby. I decided to watch the drama again few weeks ago. There he was, a very young Haruma. Although he wasn’t the lead role, but his role still played a significant part in the story and at such a young age, I think he did his role really well. This TV series also made me cry a lot!

3. 永遠の0 (Eien no zero/ The Eternal Zero)

Honestly it was a bit hard to decide number 3. I was torn between focusing solely on Haruma or to also consider the series/movie as a whole. I decided to give a broader perspective taking into account at how much the series/movie left a strong impression on me. So, it goes to the movie. Although Haruma was not the lead role, he was one of the main casts. I remember this movie quickly became my most favorite one the moment the end credit was rolling in the theater. I almost had no complaints except one, about one actor whom I thought didn’t really fit in the time period of the story. I have always enjoyed movie about WWII, both Japanese movies and Hollywood movies. The Eternal Zero is about a young man (Haruma) who wants to know more about his grandad who was a kamikaze pilot during WWII. As many of the story plots were about those days during the WWII, I would say Haruma as an individual in the movie might not be as a standout as he was in other movies such as Gintama 2 or The Confidence Man JP: Romance, but still I love his role and I love the movie in a complete package.

It is quite surprising that the top 3 were released in 2014 or earlier. I personally think, although Haruma continued to be actively acting, he wasn’t really blessed with any on screen blockbuster production after 2015 where he starred as a lead role. For few years most movies he played were not for the lead role. Even so, I really love his actings such as in mini-series ‘Tourists’ and The Confidence Man JP: Romance. His final acting work, カネ恋, was also heartwarming to watch. Unfortunately, I never see his musical or stage play. Through some articles or interviews, I have an impression that Haruma had been enjoying more or feeling more passion in the off screen/on stage acting, rather than in the on screen one. I think he found joy and felt challenged by the on stage productions, because those were where he could be seen as a real actor, with his acting skill, rather than for being a good looking actor. He was actually planned to play a lead role in musical 'The Illusionist' in Dec this year. While my wish to go and watch his musical play will never come true, there are still 3 upcoming movie releases this Dec through next year, including 天外者 (read: Ten-garamon) in which he played the lead role. Looking forward to watching them all!

Anyway, although it isn’t like the grief I have after losing my dad, Haruma’s passing is surprisingly super shocking for me, maybe because Haruma and I are the same age. He was only 30! But, I think the fact that he decided to end his own life is really hard to understand. It is sad to imagine why would someone who seemed fine is suddenly gone that way. No one knows why, though. You were gone too soon, man..

Solo Travel - Matsuyama

A while back I posted about my first solo travel experience to Hiroshima. Now I'd like to make another post of my other solo travel story. Back in summer 2015, I made a trip to Matsuyama in Ehime prefecture, Japan. If you wonder where it is, please take a look at the map below. To be honest I can't remember what was the exact reason I decided to go there, but I think it was because I had not been there, and since I was going to go during the silver week that summer, I thought somewhere that wasn't too major would be nicer to avoid huge crowd. 

map from www.visitehimejapan.com

Took an airplane from Tokyo right to Matsuyama airport for a two days one night trip. I will try to write what I can remember from the three main places I visited.

Matsuyama Castle

While it wasn't the first castle I visited in Japan, the visit to Matsuyama castle was kind of an eye opener, a game changer for me in enjoying and finding interesting stories behind a castle. I remember I tried not to skip any explanation board right from the start even before I could see the castle. Because the castle is located on top of a hill, there were two options to help us get closer to the castle, ropeway or lift chair. I decided to take the lift chair so I bought a ticket which included an admission to the castle tower and roundtrip fee of the lift chair for 510 yen. Even after riding the lift chair, we still needed to walked up the hilly landscape but it was where the interesting part started. We got to see how the areas around the castle were well designed with different kind of traps or defense techniques to stop enemies from getting closer to the castle. The castle itself has many defense tactical designs such as the loophole and stone drop. As it's located at the center of the city, we could enjoy a great view of the city from the castle tower. The castle also has parks around it, very enjoyable for a stroll.

Staffs dressing as Botchan and Madonna (left); View from one of the windows in the castle (right)

Loophole and stone drop in the castle building (left); Interesting ride on the way to the castle (right)

Dogo Onsen

Tram is one of the easy access transportation within Matsuyama city. But, there is a special tram which is Botchan Train or Botchan Ressha, which was made famous through a novel by Soseki Natsume. Although I haven't read the novel, but I got to watch the story from a TV movie not long after this trip. So I rode Botchan Ressha from Matsuyama city center to Dogo Onsen. Looks like Dogo Onsen is a must visit when people travel to Matsuyama. It is said that Dogo Onsen could be the oldest hot spring in Japan and the Honkan (main building) is preserved as Important Cultural Property. Besides mentioned in the Soseki's novel, it is said the Honkan was one of the inspiration for one Ghibli popular anime "Spirited Away". Honestly, I haven't watched it so I couldn't really tell and felt wow 😅. I did not enter the Honkan to enjoy the hot spring though. While I did enjoy a little taste of the feet hot spring, I decided to enjoy the area by riding the jinrikisha.

Botchan Ressha while changing direction

Dogo Onsen Honkan

Me, on the jinrikisha

JR Shimonada Station

Station? Yes, a station! hahaha. JR Shimonada Station is not exactly in Matsuyama City, it took almost 1 hour by local train from Matsuyama station. Arriving at the Matsuyama station, I already knew that I wouldn't be able to see the view that I'd like to see with so many other people waited for the local train.  But I was still looking forward to go! So, what's with the station? JR Shimonada Station was once the closest station to the sea in Japan. It became famous for appearing in the JR Seishun 18 Kippu poster, not only once but three times! Looks like the station is the only place that has been pictured in the poster for three times. It was a small unmanned station. Besides famous for the posters, the station also became the location of some Japanese drama including Kimura Takuya's famous series "HERO". What can we do there? Well, nothing other than just enjoying the ocean view. I took pictures, sat on the platform while waiting for the sunset. I actually went to Shimonada station on my first day and purposely took the train which would allow me enjoy the view with sunset too. 

The posters were the top two and bottom left, from www.facebook.com/shimonada/

Other than local train, the sightseeing train Iyonada Monogatari also makes a brief stop at the station

Train enthusiasts?

Other than the three main places mentioned above, I also went to few other places near Matsuyama Castle, such as the Birthplace of Akiyama Brothers, who happened to have important roles in Japan history. I also visited Imabari Towel shop. Been loving the towel since then! Too bad the shop in Tokyo does not have as many varieties as the one in Matsuyama.

Yakiniku at Home

It's been more than half a year of Covid-19 being around our lives now. While there are few countries where appropriate and effective measures are implemented and have been doing great controlling the spread, and even brought the active cases down to zero (wow - Standing applause for NZ!), there are more countries which are still struggling so bad in controlling the spread of the virus. Some countries have not even peaked out the first wave of the virus! Hey, Indonesian government! Yes, you! I am pointing right at you! 😠

In Japan where I live, things were improving around mid May to mid June before the cases gradually increased and now we are at the point of what likely to be the beginning of the second wave, well at least in Tokyo. Even Tokyo has just been excluded from the Go To Campaign, which will be launched by the Japan government to promote economic restoration next weekend. People in Tokyo are discouraged from traveling to other prefectures in the fear of bringing the virus there, yet traveling within Tokyo seems daunting to me because it is a very much densely populated city, man! So, home it is.

As I told you in one of my previous posts, I began working from home in the beginning of March, I still am, and I still will be until who knows when. I've been staying home like literally everyday! I do online shopping as much as possible, so I only go grocery shopping once in about two weeks to get fresh milk, fruits and veggies. In these past months, I only went far (to office) maybe 5 time max to do errands that needed to be done at the office.

So what did I do this whole time of staying home? I started 'new hobby', painting digitally or with watercolor, I studied and took an online proctored exam for a certification, I joined many webinars, and of course just relaxed and enjoyed the moment. And one thing that I want to mention specifically in this post is that I even started doing yakiniku at home! Before Covid-19, I would just go to Panga (halal!) when I want to have yakiniku. So, after having an encouragement from a senior, I bought a yakiniku grill plate! As for the halal wagyu yakiniku meat, I purchased them online from either Panga Online Shop or Ajinatori Online Shop. Yummy 😋, Alhamdulillah! You can have a little bit more variations of beef parts from Panga, but my favorite, which thankfully is available both in Panga and Ajinatori, is the Short rib or カルビ (read: karubi). It will melt right after you first chew it. Love 💜!

These are Halal Wagyu Marbled Short Rib from Ajinatori

Talking about meat, don't forget to arrange your Qurban, guys! It is definitely much more needed this year, as more people face difficulties economically to get foods with virus and natural disasters happening across the world.

An Overdue Post (Part 4 - Wageningen)

Hey it's me again returning with the series because absolutely I will finally forget if I don't get whats left in my memory into somewhere in this blog soon enough. Looking from the map below and the posts I've made, I think I am halfway of my trip.

An Overdue Post (Part 1- Amsterdam)

An Overdue Post (Part 2 - Brussels)

An Overdue Post (Part 3 - Ghent and Bruges)

The cities I went to on my very first trip to Europe back in 2015

Mita, my friend who has been the buddy for the first half of the trip, was living in Wageningen back then. So, obviously Wageningen should be in the list of my stops. I was excited to see place that wasn't a tourism object. Mita took me to bike around the WUR campus and we stopped by at the library which was cool, which made me wonder maybe I would go to the library regularly if I was studying there. I got to meet Kak Titis, one of the senior back in Bogor Agricultural University.

WUR Library

Then we went around the town, again by bike. I should definitely write this here, about the bike 🚲. So, I don't know about you, but the bikes I ever ridden before had hand brakes, but the one I borrowed from one of Mita's friend didn't have hand brake! I needed to pedal backwards to brake. Unfortunately I wasn't so used to the backwards pedal brake thing. I almost made myself hit by a car because I couldn't pull the brake, so the only thing I had in mind was to fall from the bike to avoid any crash. Thankfully nothing serious, successfully avoiding any unwanted accident. Falling from the bike wasn't hurting either.  Interesting though that this bike incident is what becoming the most memory I had from my visit to Wageningen 😆. 

The town

The more nature view of the town

Mita and her hubby

New Blog Header!

Decided to change blog's header and blog title to simply use my social media handle instead of naming it in other phrases. Illustration of myself was created by @takeshi_no_e by request.

Covid-19, Ramadhan, and Golden Week

Hi people!

I hope everyone is healthy and safe despite the pandemic happening around the globe. So, how have you been coping with the situation?

I am trying to recall when I first became fully aware of the virus, I am not certain, but maybe back in January soon after I arrived back in Tokyo after spending the new year holiday in Indonesia. A colleague at work also came back from China, so after some chats with him, considering we were sitting next to each other we agreed to put on mask for two weeks. Thankfully we were fine.

But then the number of Covid-19 patients started to increase in Japan, including Tokyo. We started to wonder if our company would consider enabling work from home policy. Thankfully the group where I was working with was quite proactive in negotiating with HR to make this happen. Then I began working from home on March 2nd, so it's been approximately two months of working from home now.

I would say I have been enjoying the WFH so far. Although it is not as comfortable as in the office because I only have low desk, which would cause worse stiff shoulder and back pain if not followed by enough stretching. I am happy that I don't have to spend 40 mins train ride each, I am happy that it is so much more comfortable to do my daily prayers at home, I am happy that I have the energy and time to cook properly. Most of all, I am thankful to Allah s.w.t that work has not been affected by the pandemic. I have been blessed that I only have to refrain from going outside unless necessary to try protecting my own health.

Hopefully those badly affected by the pandemic, financially, will have more ease to overcome this difficult time.

Now, Covid-19 has also made Ramadhan this year so different than any other Ramadhan we observed before. Ramadhan 1441 H started on May 24th, in the midst of nationwide state of emergency in Japan, or even lockdown in other countries. Normally, for Indonesian Muslims in Tokyo, we would gather every Sunday to attend Tabligh Akbar, where Islamic Scholar would have been invited from Indonesia, followed by the break-fasting. However, due to Covid-19, we are now doing it online. Normally many Muslims would prefer to go the masjids/mosques to do the Tarawih prayer, but now we are encouraged to do the prayer at home as most masjid in Japan are closed to prevent the virus from spreading. If we looked back to the days of the Prophet, he also practiced Tarawih prayer at home to show to the other believers that Tarawih prayer is a sunnah.

Nevertheless, this situation doesn't stop us from having a break-the-fast together with friends. With technology, I just did an online break fasting for the first time ever yesterday 😄

Besides Ramadhan, it is now the Golden Week, the long awaited long holiday. In the past two years I spent Golden Week by going for a solo driving trip. In 2018, I went to Aomori prefecture then rent a car to drive around Aomori. Last year in 2019, I went to Okinawa, drive around island, and observed the era changed from Heisei to Reiwa. This year, as I knew Golden Week would be during Ramadhan, I didn't really plan to go for a driving trip. But, not going anywhere at all throughout Golden Week, would be my first experience after 11 years in Japan.

Anyway, hopefully the virus can be controlled soon, and we can be free again to go out and see family and friends. Aamiinn..

Have a blessed Ramadhan all 💕