DRO JAPAN GOLDEN WEEK CHARITY SALE!

DRO JAPAN GOLDEN WEEK CHARITY SALE

日本語はこちら。

Put this one into your diaries, folks. Together with the lovely ladies, Sheila Campbell & Carolyn Wright, Deep Kyoto will be hosting another charity sale for IDRO JAPAN during the Golden Week weekend.

Saturday May 5th – 11:00 – 21:00
Sunday May 6th – 10:00 – 15:00

Location: Five minutes from Demachiyanagi Station in Room 3 of the Sakyou Nishibu Iki-iki Shimin Katsudou Center. Here is a map with the route marked from Demachiyanagi Exit 5.

Last year our combined sales raised 237, 630 yen for Tohoku Disaster Relief. This year we want to raise more. Please tell everyone you know about this event.

We will have – second-hand… books, clothes, records, cds, toys, various household items and electrical goods

Delicious Baked Good &- Free Iced Teas.

The return of the “Human Jukebox” & Lucky Dip – Fabulous prizes guaranteed &
Other entertainments?

WHAT WE NEED:

Clothes – preferably spring/summer clothes (cleaned, ironed and in good repair – no underwear please); DVDs, CDs and vinyl records; Small household items; Electrical goods in good condition; Crockery (sets only).

Fresh baked cookies & cakes etc (if possible please label them with the ingredients for the benefit of those with food allergies or preferences).

If you wish to sell larger household items please bring just a photo and your phone number.

WHAT WE DON’T NEED:

Books. We have so many already and they’ll be sold at a snip. Please no more books.
Knick-knacks. No more knick-knacks please. We’ve had our fill of knick-knacks.

Unfortunately we are unable to receive goods before the event so please bring them on the day of sale, – the earlier the better. Donations can be received from 10:00 am on the Saturday.

To reiterate, everything donated needs to be in good, saleable condition – and as I wrote above, clothes need to be clean. If you have any queries, please contact Michael Lambe at: m.0.luain.23[at]gmail.com
(The 0 is a zero and the [at] is an @)

Oh, and by the way – it’s going to be FUN. Don’t forget to invite your friends.

All proceeds go to IDRO JAPAN

International Disaster Relief Organization Japan

IDRO Japan is a Kyoto-based NPO that provides aid and assistance for immediate post-disaster relief and long-term support through relief trips and housing. IDRO Japan’s efforts are currently concentrated on areas affected by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. http://www.idrojapan.org/

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This Week in World Cycling News 29 April 2012

今週のサイクリング２０１２年０４月２９日

Map of Sites of Bike Kiosks in Midtown Is Previewed New York Times

Mark Cavendish eyes Giro d'Italia pink jersey for Team Sky BBC

Germans release long lists for London 2012 Olympic road disciplines Cycling News

Steel City downhill – the race that brings together cycling and wildlife Guardian

Les selles de vélos font débander (aussi) les femmes Rue89

Alcalde, pásese a la bici El Pais

红基会称陕捐赠万辆自行车事件系到期临时工所为 Caijing

１万人の全裸自転車イベント Douga Geek

Fields, Post headline US BMX team for worlds Yahoo

Last Week's Cycling News


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Bicycle Lane Sanjo Dori Kyoto

京都三条自転車専用レーン

After turning in forms at the Kyoto Water Bureau's Ukyo Ward Office, which is on Sanjo Dori west of Nishi Oji - an industrial stretch of government offices (tax office, water bureau), a lone love hotel, and factories - we pedaled towards downtown.

Directly in front of the Shimadzu Corporation factory, which is on Sanjo, was an excellent - if short - bike lane.

Pictured at right, the Sanjo Dori lane is separated on the right from cars by a line of trees, the sidewalk on the left. However, it is a true lane, completely separated on both sides from automobile and pedestrian traffic.

Entering the lane from the west, it is noted with the usual "jitensha yo doro" （自転車用道路）(bicycle lane) and a small, old, blue bicycle sign.

The lane continues for several hundred meters, if that, then cyclists are back riding with traffic for a short while until Nishi Oji Dori.

Crossing the street heading east on Sanjo towards the center of Kyoto, however, the lane continues. It is an old, old lane - perhaps the first in the city (pictured below)? - that is not smooth or pretty.

But it works.

It runs until almost Senbon Dori, just south of JR Nijo Station. At that point, the Sanjokai arcade is directly ahead.

Which means: with a bit of creativity, it is possible to ride from the Shimadzu factory, west of Nishioji Dori, all the way to the Kamo River in a car-free zone.

Coming from the Kamo River, head west on Oike Dori (the south side of the street). The wide boulevard does not have a lane, but the sidewalk is never crowded with pedestrians and there is always room to ride safely.

Ride until Horikawa Dori, to the point across the street from Nijo Castle. Turn south onto Horikawa, which has a lane painted onto the  pavement.

At Sanjo Dori, the western end of the Sanjokai Arcade, turn west and ride into the arcade. The arcade does allow delivery vehicles, but cars are few; pedestrians and bikes, in contrast, are numerous.

The ten-minute ride to the east end brings you to Senbon Dori. From there the lane below left begins on the north side of Sanjo after about 150 meters.

Click here for a map.

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Bicycle Lane

自転車で京都文化博物館と京都国際マンガミュージアムと二条城と二条陣屋へ

自転車で京都文化博物館と京都国際マンガミュージアムと二条城と二条陣屋へ

日本語ご希望の方。

This Kyoto cycling route starts at the Museum of Kyoto then heads north to the Manga Museum and then west towards Nijo Castle and the Ninja House (which is still closed for repairs).

All of the stops on this route are kid-friendly - especially the Manga Museum and Ninja House - and the route is short and flat.

For more information, in Japanese (with a link to an English page), here is a page on cycling to the Manga Museum and on to Nijo Castle and more, all within downtown Kyoto.

Ride Nijo, ride.


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Tofukuji Temple

Book Review Tales From the Bike Shop

自転車の書評

Tales From the Bike Shop

Tales from the Bike Shop is a bike book for those wistful of time now past in cycling.

The book is a compendium of stories and anecdotes that took place in and around a legendary bike shop in northern California.

Many of stories first appeared in "VeloNews" and "Winning" magazines.

Back in the day - pre-Bike-Boom day - bike tourers and road racers were all one could find on the road. No mountain bikes, no spandex, not much road rage.

The book is available, but like the era it documents not easy to find.

A great trip down memory lane.


Buy on Amazon USA

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River Dining in Kyoto Opens May 1

京都川床５月１日開始

More than any other Japanese city, Kyoto has embraced its main river. The Kamo River, which flows adjacent to the center part of the city, has its share of concrete and in places fairly brutal embankments.

However, unlike other cities, which turned their backs on rivers as places of dirty places fit only for work - a port or factory - or vice, Kyotoites have always gone to the Kamo River to relax and enjoy nature.

On a daily basis, walking, jogging, cycling, tennis, soccer, bird watching, a picnic, and making out are among the many activities that take place along the Kamo.

Every summer though, downtown restaurants set up decks that overlook the river.

This is among the only outdoor dining in Japan.

In Kyoto, the "kawadoko" decks date to the Momoyama Period. Almost 100 restaurants between Nijo and Gojo, on the the west side of Kamo River, set up decks on stilts. They remain until early September.

Farther north, in Kibune, restaurants set up similar decks. Small platforms are placed directly above the the much smaller Kibune River, so that diners are seated above the water and can hear it.

Either location makes for fabulous drinking and dining.


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Kyoto Jizo Obon Shrine Art Deco

京都地蔵お盆

South of JR Enmachi Station on a side street to the east of Nishioji Dori is an Art Deco Jizo Obon shrine.

The small shrines are sprinkled throughout Kyoto and surely number in the thousands.

The shrines, known as Jizo, are said to protect the children of the area.

According to writer Mark Schumacher, "Jizo works to ease the suffering and shorten the sentence of those serving time in hell, to deliver the faithful into Amida's western paradise (where inhabitants are no longer trapped in the six states of desire and karmic rebirth), and to answer the prayers of the living for health, success, children, and all manner of petitions."

Within is a stone Jizo, which is the centerpiece of the shrine.

It is brought out once a year, during the Jizo obon festival in August.

Most Jizo shrines have a fairly similar look; this one was jarring but attractive in its allusion to 1930s design. The tiles in particular are unusual.

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Jizo 0bon