I’m a bit late with this and in fact, I was surprised to find that I hadn’t noted this already but TidBITS #746 has a short write up on the first release of XBit. It’s very similar to the earlier mention on their ExtraBITS blog. The major difference being the number of people who will see it in TidBITS as opposed to ExtraBITS is probably quite significant.
The Kachofugetsu website is now live. It contains information regarding the DJs, dates and prices for those interested in going. The page is entirely in Japanese so I’ll just provide a brief summary here for any web-surfing, rave-going, hippie-loving, camping types who might be interested.
First off, Kachofugetsu is a rave. It’s in the mountains of Kyoto and runs for 3 days over the weekend of September 24th. You should probably bring a tent and you’ll need a vehicle to get there. Last year it rained so keep that in mind. The rain really didn’t have any affect on the turnout or enjoyment of the event though. The dates and ticket costs are listed clearly on the page but they don’t include parking or camping costs. It’s 1000 yen to park in the lot and 2000 yen to set up a tent.
It’s mostly electronic (Trance & Techno) music throughout the night. The first day features a few live and very unique groups worth seeing. The vibe is always super cool and laid back.
The website provides a map that you can download and print out to help you find your way. If you need specific information they also have an email address you can contact them at. They do a decent job with English if you keep it simple.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a good party to attend with lots of interesting and friendly people you can’t go wrong here. A different side of Kyoto and Japanese culture that is refreshing and nice to be a part off.
Coming from Vancouver to Kyoto, one of the first things you’re likely to notice when you step off the plane is the wet towel somebody threw over your head. Try as you might to remove the thing you can’t because, wait a second, there is no towel. This is the Japanese summer, hot and wet, like a big sloppy dog kiss with entirely too much tongue.
Cue Air Conditioner…
I’m in Kyoto and I’m proud to say that I’ve lasted through the summer without the AC. Our highs haven’t matched Tokyo’s but we definitely get hit with the humidity. We’ve been averaging about 34 to 36 degrees this year by my estimate. Recently, with the influence of the many typhoons passing near Kyoto and the end of summer approaching it’s been a more bearable 30 to 32 degrees. I check the temperature at the Sanjo street bridge everyday on my way to work so this can be considered a “weekday at noon” average.
It was a real shock coming over to Kyoto from Vancouver where the concept of a humid day doesn’t really have any meaning. Vancouver always has a beautiful breeze coming off the sea. I don’t think I’ve ever seen residential AC in Vancouver although I’m sure people have it.
My first summer in Kyoto I used the AC every night. I had all sorts of sinus trouble and generally felt unhealthy. Then I went back-packing for a few months around Thailand and Cambodia. As you can imagine I didn’t see much AC there. What I come away with was a healthy respect for cold showers (most of the places I stayed in didn’t have hot water) and an ability to sleep like a baby even on the hottest nights. I guess your body really does acclimatize.
For the record, I usually shower 2 or 3 times a day during the summer. Cold water, 3 to 5 minutes, in and out and extremely refreshed. If you happen to be suffering through your first Kyoto summer, give it a try. It works and you might even come to like it.
Adam Engst of TidBITS has noted the release of XBit 1.0 in ExtraBITS, the TidBITS blog. His write up is relatively positive considering the somewhat limited functionality of the 1.0 release. The biggest note is probably the inability to search across multiple articles. I’m definitely aware of it and hope to address it in a future update.
I found this on Alex’s blog. It’s hard to believe that people have become so paranoid in the US that this kind of thing could happen. I hope the next 4 years treat America better than the last 4 have.
I spent some time playing with Alex King’s WP Style Switcher plugin this evening. The result is there in the navigation menu, a section called styles. Click an item in that list and this site will get a fresh coat of paint. Very groovy indeed! What a great resource for those new to WP or those who, like me, have little artistic talent but would like to use something other than the default style. Not only does Alex provide the plugin to allow style switching but he also hosts an archive of styles by him and others. Check it out and keep up with the latest additions via the RSS feed.
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