Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

I learnt the queen is called "Her majesty" by this film. Just like Emperor is called "His majesty."

The story is just as unrealistic as other films in the series. James Bond went to Switzerland to search for a bad guy who tried to spread poisonous chemical all over the world. While the search, he met a beautiful woman and fell in love with her.

Great thing about this film was that James Bond really fell in love with the woman and lastly married her. That was actually what her father asked him to do in exchange for the information Bond needed. But he really loved her.

The words her father told 007 about his daughter was very memorable. She divorced and lost her child and was in despair. She demanded too much but never met that demand so she could never make herself happy. Right, no one should not demand too much. I recently learnt why I've been not so happy these days by the words.

Interesting fashion was James Bond wore skirt as formal wear at dinner. Actually that was Scottish male formal wear. James Bond was said to be Scottish. It may be common with Japanese. Traditional Japanese male formal wear is skirt as well, actually longer.

The Bond girl in the film seemed very advanced type of character in that era. She skied and drove very professionally and fought against a big man with her hands.

That made me think Bond girls in the series created original image of Charlie's Angels in 1970's. In fact introduction of the film is similar to Charlie's Angels TV shows, shadow image of women's figures.

Unfortunately, Bond girls in the series are killed. At least one in one film. That is the cliche of the series, making viewers sad. But maybe very realistic in that sense.

In this film this cliche was very passionately used. Very cruel way. It happened not in the beginning or in the middle like other films but in the end, which was very dramatic. That really made viewers sad.

That really impress viewers and let them learn how clever the film makers were.

Please see the film and you can share the same opinion with me.

Year of 2014 started. 

On one of new year's days I was invited to the dinner at Tokyo's most expensive French cuisine restaurant, LA TOUR D'ARGENT. It is located in The Hotel New Otani Tokyo, one of Japan's high class hotel chain.

The below photo is me in kimono at the waiting room of the restaurant. Only waiting room is as big as one ordinary restaurant. I was allowed to take a photo of me within waiting room area.

As you see the interior is georgeous. The dining room was georgeous as well. Mirror ceiling and chandeliers, candles. Tens of garsons in black uniform walking around to serve the same number of tables. That reminds me of the film "The Great Gatsby."

I had champagne, wine, and full course of very delicous meals. The speciality of the course was roast canard. Each guest was given a card of canard (duckling) he/she eats with its number.  

A sommelier selected a wine that fits the course menu. He said one of most expensive wine the restaurant has is Romane Conti, which one bottle costs 2500000 yen, 25 thousands US $ or Euro. Of course it was not what our group could afford. So I chose half bottle of wine which costed around 19000 yen.

I really enjoyed that. But at the same time I had to feel guilty about it. The dinner cost a lot. That one dinner can equal a few people's monthly food expense. In the world half of the population are starving. This luxurious dinner should cost equivalentl to annual income of some portion of the people in this world.

Moreover, the bottle of Romane Conti costs construction of a school that hundreds of children can attend in third world nations.  

Not just in third world but even in first world like Japan or America, such dinner is far exceeds the living standard of ordinary people. Last year I went to Okinawa. I visited the US Marine facilities. At the entrance of US Marine training camp, I saw the below sign that says "Hard training makes hard marine."

I saw the bus of trainees entering the gate. I heard those young people come from very poor family that could not afford college education for their children so they had no choice but to join the marine, what is called, Poverty Draft.

Meanwhile, very rich people like who can afford very expensive dinner like LA TOUR D'ARGENT exploits such young people to grow their wealth provoking wars all over the world. Kind of plutonomy. That is the social structure of today's world. I wrote a novel on this theme.

The bus transporting capitalism slaves to the military base reminds of one very historical place in Poland which I visited 6 years ago. The similar sign was posted at the gate of the facility.

ARBEIT MACHT FREI. (Labour makes you free.)

Did you know there are male Geishas in Japan? Geisha usually means female escorts in kimono. But there is male version of it.

Men in kimono entertain guests in the tea houses or Japanese style restaurants.

They are called "Taikomochi" or "Hokan" in Japanese.

Last month I went to the lunch show of a male Geisha in Kagurazaka district in Tokyo. The Geisha name is Yugenteitamahachi.

He is one of very few male Geishas remained in Japan. In the old days like in middle of 20th century there were more than 400 of them. As time passes by, not many people do not enjoy Geisha shows in Japanese style room. He said that as entertaiment is diversed, people can have more choice for entertainment, not just Geisha play.

Male Geisha do not play the same role as Geisha girls. They are not sexy, they are rather funny characters, like comedians. They coordinate between male guests and Geisha girls. So the guests can know who can be best girls for them. They know how to chat with guests, including man to man vulgar chatting. They are very considerate, avoiding politics and religions as topics.

But they can do performances as singing, playing shamisen guitar, mimicing celebrities, and dancing.

The show was not as impressive as Geisha girls' show I enjoyed a few months ago. But it was good that I could learn one form of Japan's tradition. Sorry to know that this is an endangered occupation.  

That was first time in my life. I saw them on TV or films but never met actual ones until that time.

I went to one of tea houses in Mukojima, Tokyo, famous Geisha town.

I joined lunch party course set up by tour agency, which cost around 100 US $.

It was great. The meal was delicious and 3 Geisha dressing up in beautiful kimono served and entertained guests by performing music and dances and playing games.

When I drank sake, a Geisha came up to me and pour that to my cup and start chatting with me. They did it very nicely. One Geisha gave compliments to my kimono. I was really glad. I talked about my favourite Geisha film, Memoirs of a Geisha. A youngest geisha, apprentice one said she saw the film. Then she said that portrayal of Geisha in TV shows and films is exaggerated. She did entertain foreign guests many times.  

Many may wonder what Geisha means. Gei means performance or art, sha means person. Geisha is performer or artist or entertainer.

I really enjoyed their entertainment. It was a bit expensive but worth it.

Why not try if you have a chance to visit Japan?