May 5 , 2003 - page 3



It was great to know I was learning the ancient art of Hagi Yaki from a relative of the art form’s current master.

After leaving the studio we made a quick stop at the Hagi Ichiba or sea market. The first thing to catch my eye was a huge tank filled with squid darting from end to end of the tank. After my unpleasant lunch experience with Mr. Squid I initially turned away, but as I viewed the tank further I realized it was “Pick your own squid tank,” analogous to the lobster tanks seen in American grocery stores.

Instead of having a clerk retrieve “your” squid as people do in America with lobsters, here in Japan you just reach in and grab your squid of choice. Needless to say this was pretty funny to watch. But the bestpart of the market was yet to come. The men who were hurling 40 and 50-pound fish through the air like they were baseballs definitely won top honors. I watched for several minutes in amazement. The men even did tricks like behind the back tosses or one-handed grabs. Their act was definitely for show; as the hurlers wowed the crowd with their antics, their wingman reeled in the would-be customers with his spiel of fresh fish and low prices.

On the Kentucky Derby front, I again had another successful year as I correctly picked the winning exacta bet. While my payoff is not quite as big as last year’s whopping $1300, I was still pleased with my returns. Also of note, on a recent exploration trip I found an arcade that housed a horse racing simulation game. The game was a horse racing fan’s dream, complete with breeding, racing, gambling, and a career mode. I spent several minutes in awe as I watched others play the game, and I’m sure that I will be revisiting to fill my cravings.