Super VAAM!

I go to a gym twice a week. Usually, the menu is consisted of three sets of Lat Pulldown, Leg Extention and Abdominal Crunch, then 30-45 min. of elliptical machine exercise.

I drink VAAM drink to boost the efficiency of exercise, but I'm beginning to feel that the drink does not work well recently. Then, yesterday, I found a sign saying Super VAAM is available from April.

I was not quite sure what was Super VAAM, but gave it a try anyway.

I'm telling you, this is very powerful. It contains Coenzyme Q10 and L-Carnitine, in addition to the normal VAAM drink. I did not feel tired even though my health condition was not so perfect due to a hangover.

Vacation in Hakuba

During the Golden Week, I had a trip to Hakuba with my friends.

Hakuba is a favorite place among skiers and snowboarders, as they can enjoy skiing until early May.

People took pictures with a digital single lens reflex camera from a bridge over a river.

The scenery was just breathtaking.

A white arum in a pond. This is an endemic, having two white flowers instead of one.

We stayed at a lodge called Acoustic, where we listened to live music played by guests.

The owner of the lodge is musician and his friends seem to gather on a regular basis.

We had a great time drinking until 2 am every night........

What the Sage of Omaha said on Japan

The speech was held in May 2007, when the Japanese stock market was still hot.

He shared his thoughts on Japan.

"We can borrow money for 10 years at 1% in Japan now. I would say to myself, maybe I can earn more than 1%. 1% does not seem impossible."

"All I have to do is to beat 1%. That's all the money is going to cost me. I can get it for 10 years."

(however....)

"...SO FAR I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING."

"It's kind of interesting. Japanese companies earn very low ROE. There have been a bunch of businesses with only 4-6% ROE." "Time is a friend of a wonderful business. It's the enemy of a lousy business."

"If you have a lousy business for a long time, you will get a lousy result even if you buy it cheap."

"If you have a wonderful business for a long time, even if you pay a little too much going in, you will get a wonderful result if you are staying for a long time."

"I find very few wonderful businesses in Japan at present." "That was true even when the Japanese economy was booming. It's amazing. They had an incredible market without incredible companies."

"They were incredible in terms of doing a lot of businesses but they were not incredible in terms of ROE they achieved."

"So far there is nothing there, but as long as money is 1%, I'll keep looking at it."

Well, I guess these comments represent the feelings of global investors. It sounds as if Japanese stocks as a whole have never been an attractive investment vehicle for true long-term investors. This is a shame.

Cherry blossoms

Here are some pics of cherry blossoms that I took this spring.

A tree in my neighborhood. I was so glad to see this on my way to the office.

Chidorigafuchi, one of the most famous scenic areas in Tokyo.

Two weeks ago, I visited here for the first time in my life.

The view from outside the moat was just breathtaking. I should have come earlier.

Yakushima (I-Village)

So where did I stay at Yakushima?

Well, I picked up a pension named I-Village 'cause they have a special plan with guided tours.

I was quite satisfied with the experiences there. I'm sure I'm gonna be a repeater.

People were nice and friendly, foods were 100% organic and we enjoyed cooking pizzas!

Finally, I wanted to say one thing to you. "Do not come to Yakushima!"

'Cause it is so amazing place to stay especailly when we do not see many people.