Kevin Riley Inc

Not many Product Creation Labs members make the trek, but when you do there’s an open invitation. I will take you out to dinner. I’ll make sure you get a taste of the local fare – real Osaka food (OK, no worries, I won’t have you eating sea cucumber or live squirmy things). However, if you travel all the way to here, I am more than happy to take you out for a great local meal.

Wal Gifford was here in April. As you can see by our jackets, it hadn’t warmed up yet at that time. He was staying in a hotel in the Kyobashi area, so I went up and met him, and we went to my favourite place in Kyobashi. It’s a tiny little place with a stand-up bar – not a seat in the place (No room for seats). And, we gorged on deep-fried delicacies. Plus, we had our fill of Chu Hai (Note: We never let the ice cubes melt in our glasses, LOL).

Wal has been a member for a while and a great member at the Video Production Lab Workshop. Like so many of my members, just a great person to be around. To take members like this out to dinner is an honour for me.

A few days ago, I finally got to meet my first ever Product Creation Labs member in person – another great honour. Nick Kemp, of Australia, had been living in the Gifu area of Japan when he purchased my first product in the product creation/online marketing niche. He was back here to visit his old stomping grounds and finally got to the wonderful metropolis of Osaka. We met up in the afternoon, and Nick interviewed me for close to an hour. We’re melting in the great rainy season muginess at a local temple (One of the few quiet spots in my city) and we had the seven lucky gods for our backdrop.

Later, I met up with Nick in the evening and took him to a local Okonomiyaki restaurant. Okonomiyaki is a unique Osaka dish. It looks like a large cabbage and batter pancake, with added options – like pork or Kimchi. Cooked on a hot table in front of you (Yes, not the best thing to choose on a hot rainy season day) these are a filling meal.

So? When are you coming to Osaka? We are the foodie capital of Japan. Mmmmmm.

Last week, I was on Skype with Roger Rohrs of Scottsdale, Arizona. Roger is in the Video Production Lab Workshop, and he told me that it seemed that many participants were of the mind that “We’ll it’s all good for Kevin to create so many videos, but he has staff.” Seems that this is perpetuated by my Mail Slave’s quick response to all e-mail and the fact that I put priority on answering.

So, here is the truth – naked, unvarnished, with all its blemishes. A look inside the Labs. And if you think I live like Frank Kerns, you will be quite shocked. This is not California – THIS IS OSAKA!

Woopee! After full out 7-day weeks, working on Video Production Lab Workshop, Platinum Online Income Club, and The State Of Online Video, I finally took a day off. Rented a car and drove us to Iga Ueno – the old training grounds of the Ninja. A beautiful drive, out of the concrete jungle and into the wooded hills. Also, realized I hadn’t driven a car for 6 months.

The minute we got to Iga, we had to get into our Ninja costume.

Toured the Ninja house, which was full of secret panels, spy holes, and places to stash weapons.

Next, a Ninja demonstration. And, I had the opportunity to throw some Shuriken. LOL, threw them so hard the real Ninja had to exert some force to pull them out of the board. Said I should be a Ninja. Maybe my next career.

Rieko decided that it looked like fun and she wanted to try to. She soon found out that they are deceptively heavy.

Then, up the hill to visit the castle. I love these massive stone walls we have in Japan. You’ll find these, and the massive stone steps, everywhere. I don’t envy the poor sods who had to lug these by hand.

At the top of the hill, the beautiful castle. We just stood on the steps. Didn’t enter the castle here, because …

… there’s only one way for a Ninja to enter a castle.

Having worked up a Ninja appetite, we headed off to a nearby Sukiyaki restaurant that dates back to a long time ago. Up the stairs and down the longest hallway.

We had our own room (could have fit 20 of us in there) and a Nabe full of succulent Iga beef, vegetables, noodles, and tofu. Absolutely delicious, and I think it was made more so by us being totally pampered as the lady cooked the meal in front of us.

Dena Gottlieb in Israel asked if I could shoot some Osaka photos for her daughter to use in a school project, and Chiu in Hong Kong is always asking me to put up more local photos, so here are a bunch of photos shot around my neighbourhood. We live in Tennoji Ward, right beside Teradacho Station and about 10 minutes walk from Tennoji Station (a main train station). This is in the southern part of Osaka.

Coming from Tennoji, here’s the road that leads towards our place and Teradacho Station. This may look like a small street to North Americans, but this is actually pretty wide for a one-way.

There are many much narrower in Osaka. You definitely don’t drive much down this street. In fact, this awning maker has to back his van into this spot.

Here, an old shopping street (Shotengai) with the train going into Teradacho Station in the background. Many Shotengai are covered and don’t allow cars (or they just would not fit) but this one is just open.

Here, a shot from the other side of Teradacho Station. That’s the JR Loop Line (Kanjousen) which runs in a large loop around Osaka. Living near it is very convenient, and a reason I got rid of my car. Note all the bicycles – that’s just one small representative of all the bikes that get parked higgledy-piggledy all around the station.

And, 10 minutes away, the larger Tennoji Station. Here, you can catch JR trains to Nara, Wakayama, Kansai International Airport, and a number of other destinations. This is a very quiet time in the station – it’s a zoo on weekends or after work.

Close to our place, a Shinto shrine (Jinja). This one is Kawahori Jinja and, every July, we have a festival here. Shinto is the party religion, with festivals and taking the local god (Kami) out for a joyride. The street in front of the shrine and along the front of our building will be filled with food stalls, and we’ll go grazing.

Here’s a quick video I shot two years ago at this festival. Just a few quick snippets. See if you can spot Rieko.

Not all our shrines are big. Some are tiny and you’ll find these dotted all over Osaka.

Real estate in Osaka is at a premium and we make use of all space. Here, around the corner from our place, a driving range built up high to allow parking underneath.

And, multi-tier parking, where cars are hoisted up and down. Parking is not cheap.

With real estate at such a premium, all spaces are used. Here, shops, bars, and a McDonald’s under the train line. The further back red awning is my favourite liquor store. A bunch of young guys who sell booze at cheap prices (very warehouse style) and they carry both Bushmills and Jameson – bless their toe socks.

BTW, the MacDonald’s is a sinister American plot to fatten our younger generation. Unfortunately, it is working.

Although Osaka is notorious for lack of green space (we are a city of merchants) there are the occasional postage-stamps of green. No, wait, that’s artificial turf under the swings. But, this dusty little park down the road from us does offer a few trees.

Here, wedged between office buildings, a kindergarten. From the looks of all the cool playthings, I wish our kindergarten had been like this. Of course, we never had to wear the embarrassing hats.

And, of course, we must have Godzilla in the kindergarten playground. BTW, those fish windsocks are carp (Koi) and were hung for Boy’s Day (May 5th).

Here, our nearby Lawson convenience store. All of 100 meters from our building. In winter, we’ll often make the quick run over here for a bucket of Oden for lunch, and in summer it’s ice cream or Chu Hai.

This is our favourite Izakaya (Japanese pub comes closest to defining this) called Sen Ban. Here, a tiny counter and a few small tables. Very cozy and great food and drink. Also, only 2 minutes from our place. Gotta love living downtown.

Here’s something I think you’ll only see in Japan – a Tatami shop. Here is where they make and sell the Tatami mats we have in our homes.

And, the ubiquitous vending machines. Here, a whole row of them outside an old tobacco shop. These are selling drinks and cigarettes. A block over, there’s a set of machines selling beer, Chu Hai, and whiskey (no, not the good Irish stuff).

This is one of the views from our balcony. My office looks over this and in the distance, I can see the trains going in and out of Teradacho Station. It may seem strange to those who overlook an ocean or park, or even to my family in the picturesque town of Klosters, Switzerland, but I love this view. It’s a comfortable view.

And, off to the right of our place, the view towards Tennoji – and “Happy Hair Life”, a sentiment I can agree with.

Hope you enjoyed this walk around our neighbourhood.

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It’s Golden Week again. The weather finally decided to cooperate and quit acting like winter – just in time to give us sunshine for our BBQ.

Golden Week is the biggest holiday in Japan, with many getting the whole week off and three days being national holidays. It’s always at the beginning of May and usually getting quite hot. It’s a time for people to flock to beaches, fill up the parks, and clog the highways and trains as they go on travel.

Our friends Angel and Lin wanted to go BBQ in a park – not an easy feat in Osaka. Not only do we have a very low park to population ratio, but not many allow BBQing – or there are ridiculous fees and regulations (such as not bringing your own meat, so you have to buy their stuff). Rieko did her diligent searching online and found us a great park up north of the city.

Even there, the hordes had arrived. The easier riverside was crowded with families, and worse, screaming children. So, we forded up and across the river. Slippery rocks and icy water did make it a challenge to pack all the BBQ stuff to a remote spot – and we longed for Sherpas – but we managed to get a small spot where no others had dared to venture.

Rieko enjoys watching Angel and me work, as we assemble the BBQ. It’s always great to watch others work.

Then, once we got the charcoal going, it was time for some bubbly to celebrate our adventure and impending feast. Angel, his girlfrien Lin, Rieko, and the long-armed photographer.

Mmmmm, meat! We bought some long strips of Kalbi (a beef cut that I don’t know in English) and they were fantastic. Also, first time, grilled pork ribs and they were delicious.

Then, a few small trout – which took a number of dexterous moves and strategically placed chopsticks to get cooking just right. Lots of work, but quite tasty. I was the meat guy, so I let Angel be the fish guy.

Ahhh! Then, it’s time to digest all that meat. The rocks were surprisingly comfortable.

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I’ve been asked so many times. What exactly is the story of my chequered past? I have Irish roots. I have ties to Beverly Hills. I grew up speaking Schwyzer-Duetsch (Swiss-German) and skiing. I was a cowboy in my teens. Now, I find myself in Osaka, Japan. It has been an adventure.

Here’s a quick look to satisfy those with curiosity.

YOUR STORY

Right now, I’m running the Video Production Lab Workshop. Whether you’re a member there or a member of the Product Creation Labs, I’d like to hear your story. Record it … put it on YouTube … send me the URL … and in a few weeks I’ll post a collection of stories.