Daily Reflections

The other day, I tried the Shinkansen's GranClass (without meals) for the first time. It wasn't really because I wanted to, but more because neither reserved nor Green Car seats were available. I really didn't want to stand the whole way before a hike, and GranClass was the only option with seats. But, being able to relax and sleep soundly in a comfortable seat early in the morning, I felt like this could become a habit.

The evolution of software development with generative AI recently has been so incredible that the term "Vibe Coding" might already feel like a relic of the past. I really wanted to experience it firsthand. So, I tried out "chat-complete development" – building a Shikoku Pilgrimage reflection app that displays tons of photos and blog posts on a map, something I've always wanted, using nothing but chats with Gemini.

Okazaki, the birthplace of Ieyasu, with its Okazaki Castle, had always piqued my interest. I thought it might be a bit much to just visit the castle, but then an outlet mall opened there late last year, so I figured it was about time to go. That's when I found out that Kakukyu Haccho Miso, a brand I sometimes get intense cravings for, offers factory tours! So, I decided to make a trip to Okazaki for an "adult field trip."

I wanted to let my kid use Gemini on their supervised phone, but no matter how many settings I checked, I couldn't get it to work. After some trial and error, I finally found the reason! If you're stuck with a child who is 13+ and has Gemini toggled "On" in Family Link but still can't use it, this might be the fix you need.

For some reason, I’ve always been drawn to “edges” and “the ends of the earth.” When I was in junior high, I once took a train to a place called Yubetsu, which felt like one of those remote corners. Recently, while on a skiing trip to Engaru Rock Valley Ski Resort, I suddenly remembered that journey from Engaru to Yubetsu. Feeling nostalgic, I looked it up and found that there's a monument at the site of the former Yubetsu Station, and the station building one stop before it, Naka-Yubetsu Station, is still preserved! So, I decided to go and see them.

Toma Town has my favorite bakery. I drove all the way from Higashikawa, but it turns out they were closed for winter. I thought, 'Oh well, I came all this way anyway...' and just wandered into Toma Station. Hokkaido's station buildings really have a unique, nice atmosphere, don't they?

On my way to the Tokyo National Museum, I was walking through Ueno Park and saw many cute panda and animal drawings on the ground, made with water. Curious, I followed some of them and found an old man skillfully drawing with a stick that had a sponge-like tip.

A while back, I saw a movie called 'Miharashi Sedai' at Bunkamura Le Cinema Shibuya Miyashita. While I was there, my eyes were captivated by the beautiful pamphlet for 'The FALL'. A vivid blue sky, pure white clouds reflected on the water's surface, five uniquely and strangely dressed men, and the word 'FALL' seemingly dropping from above. With the tagline, 'A stunningly beautiful, breathtaking visual poem and art experience,' I knew I had to see this movie.

When I went to see the special exhibition "Unkei: A Space of Prayer - Kofukuji's Northern Octagonal Hall" at the Tokyo National Museum, one more thing I really wanted to check out was the "VR Experience: Kofukuji National Treasure Ashura Statue." While the VR works at TNM's Museum Theater are in a theater format, meaning no interaction, they let you see pieces you normally wouldn't get a chance to. But what's even more valuable is that you can get incredibly close to see the intricate details and enjoy the artwork from angles you usually can't. So, it's one of my favorite spots to visit whenever the featured content changes.

Even though my company's main office moved to Yokohama, I still spend a lot of time at HQ, so I've been doing this split-life thing lately, splitting my week between Tokyo and Hamamatsu. I always had a feeling something like this would happen... and it finally did! After taking the Shinkansen and arriving late at night at Hamamatsu Station, I realized I'd forgotten (or lost!) my keys. It gave me a bit of a fright, but thankfully I called home and confirmed my keys were there. All I needed now was for my trusty SwitchBot, which I'd set up for exactly this kind of emergency, to work perfectly. Still, I couldn't help but worry a little about its battery dying or some other hiccup.