And There Shall Be a Triumphant Return 7/26/2005 11:49:00 PM
It’s been a while. In fact, exactly two weeks since I stepped into that pressurized Northwest airplane departing from the multi-million dollar Kansai airport. Due to the magical realm created by Time Zones and International Datelines, my arrival in America actually preceded my departure in Japan by almost a full hour, following a twelve hour flight through wispy clouds and timeless sunrises. You would think, what with all the quiet hours of observation provided to me in Japan, that I had become a better observer and analyzer of everyday life. I wanted these two weeks since my departure to represent a time for decent observation into what Japan meant and changed in me. Even still, I realize that my year in Japan cannot be fully comprehended and digested in a measly fortnight, and I would be grateful to ever truly understand Japan as a country. I can produce curt sound clips on street corners to friends I have not met in a full year, but those cursory explanations can’t begin to encompass the experiences, friends, and sense of maturation I found in Japan. Which leads me to wonder, when I realize that… I have a hard time identifying any specific changes in myself. To tell the truth, my friends say that I haven’t changed aside from longer sideburns and a slight British accent. I didn’t know quite what to expect from the long awaited reunion with my parents at the airport, but my homecoming was surprising commonplace. Heartwarming, to say the least, and certainly not mundane, but to where, exactly, did that year in Japan disappear? Where are the exchange kids that gain 30 pounds, grow a beard, and have to introduce themselves to their parents at the airport? There was no uncontrollable sobbing, no cries of relief, just warm smiles all around from two people I love. It felt as if I had only left for a week. As far as I can see, the only perceptible change is that of my sleepy Morgantown, whose population jumped after the addition of 20,000 college students in the most recent census (qualifying this town as a city, and gaining four Starbucks locations since I left in August). I could make a small list of the ways that America has both shocked and awed me following my return to the country, but my recent trip with Rahul (friend and fellow exchange student living in Fukuoka, Japan) to visit his host sister Shizuka (whom he never met) in West Lafayette, Ohio, put some excellent closure on both our experiences in Japan over the last year (Rahul and Shizuka were actually Rotary Exchange partners, Shizuka came to America while Rahul stayed with her family in Fukuoka). West Lafayette, a “good ‘ol town” with a population topping off at around 2,000, must have been a strikingly different Rotary exchange from what Rahul and I found in Japan. As the two of us rolled up, to Shizuka’s house on the astonishingly broad streets of Coshocton, I couldn’t help but be shocked by the pure, almost palpable American ambiance. You could already smell the BBQs cookin’, past fields of corn stretching toward the unadulterated horizon. After meeting Shizuka’s first host father (who unlike Japanese men was not working dawn to dusk) fixing his Chevy truck (and not a super small Toyota) in front of his wide lawn (not a miniscule driveway leading to a narrow road), he directed us to the house next door where Shizuka and her friend were preparing for the town’s Homecoming festival. I was excited to be able to speak Japanese with Shizuka, and I’m sure she was anxious for some Japanese flavor before she departs this week for Japan (even though she says she does not want to return home). The streets of West Lafayette are lined with American flags, porches draped with flowers, and the ever-present bunting. The town has four police officers and two patrol cars, which means that any more than three simultaneous robberies are a guaranteed success. I could relate the whole story of West Lafayette to you in great detail (which would also be a quite interesting read), but a bulleted list will suffice: Shizuka, her friend Laura, host mother (an older widow who was the most outgoing woman I have ever met) Rahul, and I ate dinner in a town called Baltic, at a restaurant run by the Ohio Amish and serving the most delicious fried chicken west of the Pecos. During the meal we talked of India (Shizuka’s host mother is very well traveled), the drama club at West Lafayette High School, and lemon meringue pie. On the ride back from the restaurant, and while eating licorice sticks bought from the Baltic Country Store, we passed a group of Amish people in lawn chairs on an open trailer being pulled by a farm tractor, headed to the Homecoming festivities, no doubt. At the Homecoming festival, there was a show stopping performance by Melvis, an Elvis impersonator with the given name Melvin, who was flanked by a troupe of cloggers wearing sparkly silver jackets. Simply amazing. I purchased dragon tattoos for $1 from very shady Circus folk. Aside from having our collective minds blown by West Lafayette, Rahul and I blew most everyone’s mind by being semi-ethnically diverse in an area where demographics can be followed as the rule. Shizuka said she didn’t feel too conspicuous, and appeared very happy in her little county of Coshocton. Strange to say, but this trip to Ohio made me glad to be back in the United States, and even happier that Morgantown is the place that it is. It’s great to be able to communicate and express myself again in English (with an occasional added flare of Japanese) to anyone and everyone I meet. On the way back to Morgantown, Rahul and I stopped at an ice cream shop and could barely finish half of the smallest cones on the menu. All jokes aside, Great to be home.
 The End of an Era 7/10/2005 04:27:00 AM
The last few days have been an exercise in “mad-dash Japanese cultural experiences,” which have flown by at breakneck speeds. What happened to my final few lazy weeks in Japan? While I can’t quite recall everything that has occurred in my quest to successfully pack and exit Japan in a proper manner, I’ll try to briefly list some of the highlights: Frequenting an Onsen with Neil and my host mother where sand was shoveled all over our bodies for therapeutic reasons. Recorded great footage of exiting our sandy graves, like proper creatures of the night. My last day of school was thrilling, almost better than some of the first. Everyone was very eager to talk regardless of how well they actually knew me, and most showered me with requests for cell-phone pictures in outrageous poses. There was a party during the last period, and two kids performed a fully choreographed fight scene in tribute to my time spent at Tamano High School. The next day some choice friends of mine came to the house (along with Jez and Neil) for a final farewell party with my parents and host sister. My host mom prepared a huge array of succulent foods which were quickly devoured by the crowd of hungry hungry High School students. Jez pulled out a guitar and hosted a small jam session along with Nakkan, which eventually led into full karaoke versions of such eclectic favorites as “Lose Yourself,” by Eminem, “Hanna,” by Orange Range, “We Are the World,” by Michael Jackson, “Country Roads,” by John Denver, and a completely improvised satire by Jez and Neil. In true form, after all my friends left Jez, Neil, and I rode bikes to the Konbini to buy copious amounts of drink, explosive fireworks, and other unmentionables. Mahjong ensued. Friday morning I took a trip to Takahashi High School to meet Sakaguchi-sensei, perhaps my favorite teacher from Tamano High School (he moved to Takahashi at the beginning of this school year). Sakaguchi-sensei was my former Kendo teacher, and speaks the most fluent English of any Japanese person I have met in Japan. He gave me a tour of the school (which happened to be having its seasonal festival that day) and then we talked about life in Japan before I took a train into Okayama for my final Japanese lesson. I awoke early on Saturday for a trip to Osaka with Miyu, Shun, and Shoko. Shoko had purchased tickets to see Cirque du Soleil’s “Allegria” shortly after I arrived in Japan, and offered me a ticket. I’d seen Cirque on TV before, but the actual performance was perhaps, I’m almost sad to say, the most amazing and breathtaking thing I have had the good fortune to experience in Japan. It was simply stellar. I’ve seen circuses before, but never anything that even approaches the level of captivation and skill inherent in the performance of Allegria. After the show I met Kayo, last year’s exchange student to Canada (now living in Osaka), and we went to dinner with Hiroko and her mother, friends of Shoko living in Kobe. The dinner was delicious, which is to be expected whenever I travel anywhere with Shoko, and we took Purikura photos following the meal. In the evening, I finally got the chance to attend a party in Okayama city (my first of the exchange) at a place called Club Jam, which was hosting a Farewell shindig for Okayama JETs. A-JET, which I can only assume is an elite group of regular JETs, rented the club for the evening and provided their own music. When I arrived at the club I met a few surprising people. As usual, most of the Okayama JETs were in attendance, but my hairdressers from PANIC surprised me by showing up, along with a nurse I met at the hospital when I sprained my ankle. There was mingling and madness until about 3 AM when I got the rare chance to DJ the remaining music until the club closed at 5. Some people had already gone home, but a good amount stayed while I played an hour and a half DJ set from a handful of CDs and my iPod, which I now realize is one of the most convenient appliances I own. It was pretty damn cool to DJ the club, if only for the extensive power trip connected with pumping your favorite tunes into the ears of a crowd of people, and seeing them actually enjoy it. Neil, Jez, and I had a bowl of beef and rice at Yoshinoya, the 24 hour beef and rice bowl restaurant, and then took the train back to Tamano (where we met John, asleep on a bench in the station, hobo style). Awesome evening, or perhaps, awesome “earlier this morning.” So far my day has been spent on final packing preparations, and canceling my cell phone service. Tonight is a family get-together with mom, dad, grandmother, host sisters, and Ryo, the resident boyfriend. By this time tomorrow I’ll be somewhere over the Pacific. Strange to see a year go by in such a documented fashion. One last day, a final chalk mark on the proverbial wall. What a trip.
 An Explosive End to My Japanese Judo Career 7/05/2005 01:08:00 AM
A week before coming to Japan, I sprained my ankle in a freak gasoline-fight accident (otherwise known as a rock climbing foax pas). It wasn’t much of a pain, but it did keep me from sitting in seiza style for a couple of weeks. Japan being the land of coincidences, it is only appropriate that I therefore sprain my ankle on the way out of the country, which is exactly what I did in a high stakes Judo match with the heaviest kid in my class. Japanese people being quite reactionary and cautious, after I heard my ankle pop under the weight of Okugami-kun, I was shuttled out of the Judo arena on a small stretcher to be taken immediately to a hospital for processing and diagnosis. The doctor, who reminded me far too much of my father (less than a week, Dad!), bent my foot in a number of ways and examined various x-ray slides before determining I had incurred only slight injury to one of my ligaments/tendons/I didn’t pay enough attention in Human Phys class. In the end I was able to walk out of the hospital on my own accord which was a major relief. Now it’ll be a few days of rest, ice, compression, and elevation while my ankle puts itself back together. In the meantime, I’ll post pictures of Tottori weekend for your viewing pleasure. When I arrived at the beach party, I was immediately recognized by a group of Tsuyama JETs, and continued to meet just about everyone I have ever known from the Chugoku region of Japan over the course of the next two days. Micah came all the way from Shikoku for the event, and I finally got a chance to meet Carter’s girlfriend Ting. The three of us represented the Rotary Exchange faction well from among the throngs of JETs and Japanese. Final preparations are being made, and the countdown begins.
 Sand in My Shoes 7/04/2005 09:50:00 AM
I woke up at 1:30 in the PM today, which in my opinion provides a rather good description of the sort of antics that occurred at the beach. Following a lunch of cereal, milk, and a healthy banana, I hit a famous Onsen with my host mother and Neil to repair some of the extensive hurt I put on my body over the course of 4 days spent wandering, touring, dancing, and plundering the beach landscape. A more extensive description to follow, but first it’s sleepy time.
 Tottori, Palabras Uno 7/01/2005 04:23:00 AM
I find myself inside of a Japanese electronics store, which is always guaranteed to provide free internet to anyone willing to brave the terrible Muzak blaring from most electronics store speakers. This computer, amazingly enough, is playing some sort of Paul Oakenfold remix at a high enough level to overcome any less-desirable tunes. And so, with any more ado… I left Tamano a little before 4 A.M. on a big rig truck bound for Tottori. My driver, Oyaji-san, picked me up in his beast ride and after a few goodbyes to my host mother we were on the open road. The sun rose quickly as we bore into the mountains of Japan, passing field after field of rice paddies scattered among the hills. With fog beginning to rise from the valley, out topic of discussion for the first part of the journey consisted of my detailed analysis of West Virginian Agriculture, where I had traveled in Japan, and if I had ever seen fireflies before. Oyaji, a 20 year veteran of truck driving, told me some of his countless stories of the road as he hauled lumber from Tamano to Nara, Osaka, Tottori, Shikoku, and Osaka. At a junction in the road Oyaji turned east, directly into the rising sun. We traveled for a while in silence as I kept my eyes glued to the beautiful surroundings in northern Okayama. At another junction we turned north, and into the precarious mountains dividing Okayama and Tottori prefectures. Until my ride with Oyaji I assumed that all traveling in Japan was a very expensive business. Trains, buses, and ferries cost money, but even cars are taxed on the toll roads that crisscross the country. Amazingly, Oyaji avoided every toll road and made it to Tottori for free. When we reached the top of the mountains dividing the two prefectures, I was told that these roads require chains in the wintertime. Oyaji drives all year round, rain or snow. As we peaked the top of the last mountain, I felt myself take a quick gasp of air. Lying before us, like a hidden secret, was a valley stretching for miles inside a corridor of mountains on either side. Oyaji just smiled, having taken the course a countless number of times, but I could tell that this sight was not something he could easily explain to others. You had to make the trip through the mountains in order to experience the beauty. Descending the mountains, we were well inside Tottori in no time flat. Stopping at a Lawson, my heart skipped a beat when Etsuko, Janna’s host sister from Tsuyama, recognized me outside the convenient store. She had come from Kurashiki that day on a surfing school tip, and said I could come along if I didn’t have any plans. Of course having none, and never having surfed before, I took her number and promised to call later. Still feeling slightly shocked, Oyaji took me on a small tour of the area by truck, and then we stopped at the lumber year to unload our cargo. I met one of Oyaji’s colleagues, a chronic chain smoker, who operated the forklift. I never thought I would describe the use of a forklift as a beautiful thing to witness, but this man had some serious talent. A full cargo of wooden beams was unloaded and neatly stacked in well under 5 minutes. After witnessing his seemingly effortless display of skill, Oyaji and I borrowed a company car so we could tour the Tottori area before Oyaji return to Tamano by big rig that evening. Out first destination was the Tottori sand dunes, which I had viewed on my last trip with Masatoshi but never had the chance to actually walk on the massive desert-like beach. Oyaji and I climbed the dunes, which was a more difficult task than I originally expected, but from our higher vantage point we could see a good distance along the coast in both directions. We ate ice cream, and then Oyaji dropped me off at a small beach along the coast where Etsuko and her friends were surfing that day. I soon realized that this was the same beach where the San-In Beach Party was to be held the following day. Etsuko and I talked, surfed, and laid in the sun until afternoon, when she left with her surfing school for a different area of Tottori. I stayed at the beach for a while, only to receive a mild sunburn (AKA burned to a crisp), but the sun felt so wonderful I didn’t mind at the time. I took a walk along some craggy rocks to a small inland cove overlooking the sea, and ate my lunch as the waves crashed against large boulders at my feet. Feeling sleepy, I took a short nap in the shade before returning to the city and wandering around the town. Around 5, I called Oyaji’s friend Kamemoto-san, who was letting me stay at his house for the night. Kamemoto, or Kame for short, wanted to know all about West Virginia and my exchange this year. Back at the house, I met his two kids, a High School sophomore girl and junior High School senior boy, both in the Kendo club. Kame’s wife made a huge meal, which I had a difficult time eating because of the sheer amount of food. Mai, Kame’s daughter, was the most outgoing High School girl I have ever met. I helped her with some math and English homework in exchange for the dinner, and then sat around talking and drinking with Kame. Later that evening Kame’s brother came over and the three of us played Mahjong, where I held my own. Feeling quite sleepy after waking up at the 3 in the morning, I bid the family goodnight and quickly fell asleep on the tatami. The next morning, I had to be out of the house by 7:30, and was yet again greeted with a massive breakfast. Kame gave me a ride to the station, and said if I ever wanted to stay with him again all I had to do was ask. Not quite knowing what to do with myself at 7:30 in the morning, I bought a three dollar train ticket and rode it as far as possible into the mountains (getting off at a stop translated as “Flowerland”). I planned on going to an Onsen sometime during the day, but have found that onsens feel much more soothing after some type of strenuous workout. I began to walk back into Tottori, starting from literally the middle of nowhere, with a perfect temperature and slightly overcast sky. After about two hours of travel, I came across a large mountain which appeared to be climbable. I walked up into a small forest, and came across a large famous boulder of some kind in the woods. From the top of the mountain I could easy see the plains of Tottori stretching out to the sea. I ate a small lunch on the top of the mountain, then descended by a different path which led me through an “experimental agricultural center” and back to ground level. Wimping out of the remaining 10Km walk back to the station, I took a bus just as rain began to sprinkle. By the time I got to the station there was a complete downpour with, drum roll please, thunder! That makes it just about 11 months since I had last heard thunder, and my first time experiencing the sound in Japan. I guess I didn’t really miss it enough to ever think about its absence. From the station I bought a train ticket to a famous Onsen, but the rain was so hard the trains stopped for an “indeterminate amount of time.” Slightly disappointed, I decided to leave the famous Onsen for another day and walked to an Onsen near the station. This Onsen was a little different than others I had been to before. Usually you pay a small fee (between $10-12), and get to use the Onsen and a variety of shampoos, body washes, and other cleansing items. This Onsen has a flat rate of about $3, and you paid for things you wanted such as shampoo and towels. The Onsen water was HOT, and didn’t quite agree with my sunburn, but I “chilled” out in the cold part of the Onsen and let my skin begin to heal. And that just about brings me up to now. Let’s party!
 With a Banjo on My Knee 6/29/2005 07:39:00 AM
Because my life wasn’t hectic enough, but mainly to get away from some of the hustle and bustle of everyday Japanese life, I’ll be taking a 4 day weekend in Tottori Prefecture for fun in the sun, a visit to a famous Onsen, and the world-famous San-In beach party. Always one to please (and save money), I will be arriving in style inside of an 18-wheeler big rig truck driven by a friend of my host mother. This seems like the setting for one hell of a great Japanese adventure, and an excellent way to end my second to last week in Japan. In other news, the day I arrived in Japan one of the Rotarians who came to greet me at the airport informed me that he played the guitar, and I told him I would love to hear him play. 11 months later, I finally got my chance to hear Tanomura-san play the 10-string Spanish guitar, an instrument he has been studying since Junior High school. I had never seen this type of guitar before, and in fact didn’t even know it even existed. Tanomura-san was amazing, and I captured some videos of his musical performance. But for now it’s off to the beach with a bottle of sunscreen. Major updates to follow. And balloon animals for the kids.
 A Collection of Thoughts 6/28/2005 05:37:00 AM
As I near the end of this exchange, I’m a little frustrated at my lack of time to blog the more mundane, or not instantly gratifying aspects of Japan. The weekends and parties sometime outshine the small things in life, which is in part what makes Japan the place it is for me. In order to combat this situation I find myself jotting down random snippets of text into a notebook, leaving me confused and questioning what was going through my mind when I originally wrote the comments. So let’s take a step back and review the last few weeks in no particular chronological order. In addition to mentioning this numerous times before, I have now confirmed (with hard evidence) that hairdressers are the coolest category of wage-earning individuals in Japan. Neil, Jez, and I went out with Jez’s hairdresser Monday night in Okayama to a Jamaican restaurant. I believe he promised us “good food and pretty girls,” which is exactly what he delivered. There were about 9 of us at the restaurant, drinking Red Stripe and downing plates of Jerk Chicken (to an ever present Reggae beat in the background). Speaking of popular Japanese music, The Ventures are huge in Japan. They must tour here almost every year, and my teacher at school even quoted one of their songs (not an actual lyric, but more the sound of the guitar riff) when trying to illustrate the use of sound effects in Japanese. In addition to The Ventures, my Rotary counselor really enjoys Elvis, enough that he can sing most of the lines by heart regardless of his inability to actually speak English. My history teacher at school also blew me away with a crazy rendition of “Clementine” when discussing the 1948 California Gold Rush. Moving from music to food, the underlying theme of my Japanese exchange has been the preparation, viewing, and eventual consumption of a wide variety of edibles. Every night there are at least three television programs devoted entirely to food on basic cable. Often this manifests itself in the form of a challenge, such as one man who ate nothing but seaweed for a week while being followed around with a video camera. Last week’s contestants (the comedy group Untouchable, whom I randomly met in Tokyo Station) ate 8 days of salmon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Last week my home economics class consisted of the preparation of “the traditional Japanese lunch,” which I found mighty delicious. Jyagaimo (beef and potatoes with noodles), egg-drop soup, and mixed fruit with diakon all made appearances on the menu. Also in the past few weeks, my addiction for Mahjong has grown to immense proportions. I usually play a few times a week with my host family and Ryosuke from next door (and more recently Neil and Aketa-san). One evening Neil and I played Mahjong with the owners (family friends) of a local café, Nalu, until the wee hours of the morning. In school my class found a baby bat, and fed it chewing gum from the tip of a mechanical pencil. They weren’t really abusing it, and in fact the bat seemed to enjoy the gum, so I didn’t feel as if I should intervene and plead animal rights. I taught my final adult English class at Otani-san Juku this Sunday (English for adults, not porn stars). My students are great so I always have a fun time teaching, and after the lesson Shoko and her daughter Miyu came with the rest of the class to Jacasse, the Italian restaurant near the station. Lastly, today was tournament day in Judo class. I didn’t get my ass completely kicked, but I somehow ended up being put into the heaviest weight class which means I was up against kids a lot taller and heavier than I am. In one match I completely ripped my opponents sleeve off his Judo gee which was slightly embarrassing on my part (each match was conducted one at a time, meaning everyone saw me commit the deed). Judo’s fun, but don’t look for me in the Olympics anytime soon. 13 days.
 From Pirates to Rotarians, Kylies to Kimono: A Rotary Story for the Ages 6/26/2005 10:45:00 AM
My third to last weekend in Japan has finally drawn to a close, leaving a trail of destruction and mayhem in its circuitous path. On Friday, I did not attend school and instead gave my final speech to the Tamano Rotary Club in the clubhouse of a golf course on a mountain in Tamano. My previous host parents, as a well as a teacher from my school, made speeches which made me feel more than a little teary-eyed. After the speeches and a good deal of picture taking, my host mother and I drove to the nearby Bizen pottery shop to pick up the vase and cup I had thrown about a month ago. The glaze set perfectly and there were no noticeable cracks, which makes my first attempt at Bizen pottery an apparent success (provided they survive the trip home). That evening, Neil, Ryosuke, and Aketa-san (my Rotary counselor) came over to the house for an evening of mahjong, to which I am now thoroughly addicted. Much sushi was consumed, and a good time was had by all (my host father joined the mix after we had been playing for a number of hours, and Neil and I finished off the evening with a few rounds of rummy and casino). Neil ended up spending the night, and a good deal of Saturday morning/afternoon, as my entire family gathered for a professional Kimono photo shoot. A Kimono sensei came over the house early in the morning to dress my host mother, two older sisters, grandmother, and me into a series of amazingly colorful Kimono. My host father (dressed in a suit), Neil (dressed in a flowery shirt), and the rest of the family (clad in Kimono) boarded two cars bound for the professional photographer in the city. We took a series of shots together, which might not be developed until after I leave Japan, but my host family has promised me a copy in the mail. After the photo shoot we returned to the house for a feast of maki-zushi and cold soba noodles before I packed my Pirate outfit, bid goodbye to Neil and my host family, and embarked on my trip to Iwakuni and Angela’s Kylie Pirate Party. The concept of the gathering, as envisioned by Jo, was a costume party where you come dressed as either a scurvy-dog Pirate, or any rendition of Kylie Minogue from the past few decades. With Pirate materials packed in a small bag, and carrying a slim plastic katana, I took a bus to Okayama and then the Shinkansen to Iwakuni in a lightning-fast hour and 40 minutes. About halfway into my trip I noticed I was a getting a few more stares than usual for a foreigner in Japan. I then realized I was not only carrying a bright red child’s sword, but also wearing a shirt with the Kanji for “samurai” written across the front. I must have looked like the biggest dork this side of the international dateline. Can’t say it wasn’t rather thrilling. Arriving at Iwakuni station, I met Selene on accident, and we decided to wait together for the bus to Angela’s. About an hour later we were standing at a bus stop next to numerous rice paddies, dressed in complete pirate gear. We crossed a small street, drawing some astonished gazes, and walked up the hill to Angela’s house. Selene and I were greeted by a slightly intoxicated Paul (minus swan costume), who called to use as we almost took the wrong road to Angela’s house. Also awaiting our arrival were Jo and Jessica, while Angela was “Kylie-ifying” in her room. It was my first time to meet Jessica after reading her blog for a good part of the year and I always get a deep satisfaction from that sort of get-together. When Angela emerged from her room I was shocked to see her dressed in little more than a tattered bed sheet, straight out of Kylie’s “Can’t Get You out of My Head” video. Paul and Selene put on their Pirate garb, consisting of photoshopped images of Kylie as a Pirate (deftly created by Paul, even with little knowledge of photoshop). Next to arrive at the party were Kat (who I met at The Killers), Kirk (who accidentally called me out of nowhere while I was in Tokyo), and two friends of Kat whose names I can’t recall because that is not my strong point in life (I apologize in advance). Bren, Sarah, and Chris arrived with bottles of wine apiece, and the party was underway. Over the course of the evening I ended up meeting numerous Yamaguchi bloggers for the first time. Selena, Victoria, another Paul, his wife Elissa, Nate, and Erin arrived, with plenty of people whose names were replaced with crafty Pirate-related monikers. There was much “yo-ho-ho-ing,” “bottle of rum-ing,” and maybe even a game or two of spin the bottle. The food was to die for as Angela pumped out tacos and hummus, with an assist by Kirk in the chips and dip department. Paul provided the liquid refreshment (Angela provided the hurricanes), and overall this party was by far the CRAZIEST and most eclectic (Pirate related) function I have attended in Japan. There were games, music, dancing, fireworks, and all sorts of assorted skullduggery. After disappearing from the party for a while, I was welcomed back as people started to wear down and crash wherever they could find space on the floor. The following morning, Angela’s house was a graveyard of bodies, discarded pirate clothing, and feminine Kylie attire. Some people left Iwakuni to return to their regularly scheduled lives, while the remaining crew decided to recharge at a local Onsen. Thus Angela, Jessica, Paul and his wife Elissa (an amazing couple from New Jersey), Nate and Erin (for some reason I was sure her name was Melissa, probably because reminded me almost exactly of my good friend Melissa from OMC), and I hauled our broken bodies to a local Iwakuni Onsen (with an amazing view of the city) for some rest and relaxation. In my time spent mostly naked with Paul and Nate I learned about the wonders of Japanese animation, the mysteries of pottery, and more about being a JET. As the only non-English teacher among the group it was interesting to compare the differences between out time spent in Japan as a student or a teacher (which are numerous). Exiting the Onsen, and feeling like 100,000,000 yen, the seven of us split up to reconvene at Granpa, my favorite restaurant within a 100Km radius around Iwakuni. We chatted, reminisced, laughed, discovered the definition of little-used words, and enjoyed our Ja-pan before we finally finished our meals, exited to the street, and were immediately presented with balloon animals. Before we said our goodbyes, Jessica gave me a drawing she had done from a photo on my website, which was thoroughly mind-blowing. I feel sad that I may never get the chance to meet these friends I have made in Japan again, but I am a better person for the time I was able to spend with them. Boarding the train back to Okayama, I had an interesting talk with a group of old women about Ballroom dancing, and realized that everyday in Japan is one crazy adventure. Two more weeks left, I’ll be sure to make them count, Mateys. MVQ (Most Valuable Quote) Nate the Anime Pirate: “...and this is my Bootleg”
 A Little Late 6/23/2005 06:58:00 AM
About two weeks ago, Micah’s cousin Miria came to Okayama and subsequently stayed in Tamano for a few nights. She spent the first day viewing Okayama, and then the night in Hachihama. The following day my host mom and a friend took her to Kurashiki for sightseeing, and then she came to a party (after a little trouble with the train) at Shoko’s house. Somehow Miria managed to avoid my camera, so I’ll use this opportunity as an excuse for a general picture update.
 Journey to Shikoku 6/20/2005 05:10:00 AM
The time has arrived when I can count my remaining days using only my fingers, toes, and a friend’s finger or two. I should, by all means, begin to wrap up this year, prepare to leave, and say my goodbyes. Instead, the experiences seem to be coming even faster, so I apologize for latent blog updates and revelations. This weekend I took my final trip to the island of Shikoku. After an evening with Neil and Jez in the wonderful city of Takamatsu (2 Pac is not dead, hide and seek on the ferry), I literally cut Shikoku in half by train and made my way to Kochi City at a supremely discounted price thanks to a faulty barrier, meeting Micah along the way. We came to Kochi with little knowledge of the city (and almost no plans in mind), but in true form wandered the city on foot in search of “the real treasures of Japan.” Our first stop was Kochi castle, nestled within the heart of the city. Kochi, as a prefecture, is one of the most beautiful parts of Japan (or so I had been told), so a trip to anywhere in the region on a relatively sunny day will certainly lighten your spirits. From the train, Micah and I spotted whitewater rafters and kayakers along the numerous streams and rivers traversing the landscape. At Kochi castle, we walked among ancient trees and stone walls as we made our way toward the outer limits of the city. From the castle, and after visiting the Kochi Anime and Anpanman Museum, which was also playing host to a handicapped convention, Micah and I took a bus (12Km seemed a bit too far to walk) to Katsurahama beach, where you can dip you feat in the Pacific Ocean. This was my first experience with the Pacific in Japan, as Tamano is situated on the Inland Sea which I don’t believe qualifies as an Ocean. Another interesting fact about Katsurahama involves the sand, or rather the lack of it. The entire beach is ridden with colorful tiny pebbles (and almost no seashells), which makes for a unique barefoot experience. Micah and I took a nap on the beach, hobo style, before exploring the region around the seashore. If you ever make the voyage to Kochi Prefecture, you will undoubtedly run across pictures, statues, and gift cookie sets inspired by Kochi’s most famous native and hero of the Meiji Restoration, Samurai Sakamoto Ryoma. Famous for a variety of reasons, Sakamoto was a key player in the creation of a Japanese Navy and envisioned a Japan without feudal ties to the Tokugawa Shogunate. Sakamoto is said to have been assassinated at a young age by the Shinsengumi, a special police group of the era (who you may remember from my picture with one at the Movie Village). Just to prove that everything in Japan links up one way or another, you might also be familiar with the Shinsengumi through Saito Hajime, who is a famous character and member of the Shinsengumi from the popular anime Rurouni Kenshin. After exploring the area around the beach, Micah and I realized we had missed the last “special express” bus back to the Kochi city center, and instead walked up a remote mountain in hopes of finding a separate bus stop. We eventually came across a small bus stop next to clearing in the forest, and waited for the next bus to arrive. Micah then witnessed the CRAZIEST coincidence I could have ever imagined. From our bus stop on top of a mountain in Katsurahama, Micah spotted Tim, the English teacher from his town (which I might remind you is the smallest town in the smallest prefecture of Japan), who drove by in a small red car, flashing him the rock symbol. Micah couldn’t believe it was him, and we actually argued for a good 20 minutes about whether we could have possibly met Tim AGAIN while on a trip together (the first time occurred at a club in Osaka, when Micah spotted Tim from across the room). Tim never stopped, or even turned the car around to wave hello. It is as if the phantom of Tim follows us wherever we go, cheering us on with a friendly rock symbol. Thoroughly stunned, but agreeing to pretend the random spotting of one man in a country of almost 130 million never happened, we returned to the city by bus where we called Urte (the exchange student living in Kochi) who was having her farewell party that day. She said we’d meet after dinner, so Micah and I embarked on our next adventure, the consumption of raw fish. Micah’s host mother had given him $100 and insisted that we spend it at a famous sushi restaurant that she often frequented, so although that seemed a bit decadent I had no objections. Finding the location of the restaurant was easier than expected, and after a small wait we were seated at a long sushi bar. I really enjoy my sushi, and have sampled quite a few dishes from around Japan, but this restaurant is Kochi served the most delicious sushi I have ever tasted. An explosion of flavor in my mouth. Angels were singing. Add to that the fact that we were being bought drinks from two separate families in the restaurant, and I call that a damn fine meal. After thoroughly stuffing ourselves we met Urte, who was dressed up for her farewell party, and said some quick goodbyes. With anyone else it would have been awkward, but even though I might never see Urte again a quick goodbye seemed oddly fitting. The following morning Micah and I traveled to Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture. We met James, the exchange student in Imabari, and were driven to the top of a mountain by a man who taught us the Mbira, a traditional instrument from Zimbabwe that you play with your thumbs. The Mbira sounds much like a wind chime, but I was able to memorize a short song (James and Micah had played the instrument before, and easily bested me). I didn’t spend much time in the city, but playing an instrument from Zimbabwe on top of a relatively deserted mountain in Japan is very cool. There was plenty of other excitement, but I can smell something delicious wafting from the kitchen. Expect a large VIDEO update very soon.
 Kyo To 6/13/2005 10:40:00 AM
Into the old city of Kyoto! With my companions, host father, mother, sister, and boyfriend (not mine). Upon our trusty steed, a Chrysler Trailblazer (otherwise known as “the largest car I have seen in the past few months”), owned by my host sister’s boyfriend. Our first stop was Toji, modeled after Imperial Chinese architecture, sporting the tallest pagoda in all of Japan. The temple was founded by, you guessed it, Kobo Daishi (Kukai), and featured numerous wooden and gold carvings by the priest himself (I could not capture pictures of these treasures because the mere exposure of flash might cause the bone-dry figures to burst into flame). Our next stop was “Movie Village,” where many old Samurai Dramas have been filmed over the years, including the wildly famous “Shinsengumi,” which is actually a remake of an older version of the program. Inside the village was the scariest, most over the top haunted house I have ever seen in Japan, perhaps rivaling higher-end Halloween Haunted Houses in America. There were more blood covered Kimono-clad mannequins than you could shake a severed arm at. Throw in a few live actors to pop out from around corners with razor sharp kitanas you you’ve got yourself a recipe for peeing your pants in fear. After some bowls of ramen at the Movie Village, and a live-action play featuring Benkei (my namesake), we blazed a trail (pause for laughter) to Fushimi Inari, famous for its 1000 Vermillion Torii. Vermillion, also referred to as “the red dye that reminds you of Japan,” is one of the oldest pigments to be used by man. The water at Inari is also known for its “soft characteristics,” which is why various famous kinds of sake are brewed in the area. Fast forward through some shopping and dinner at a delectable restaurant, for what I am ashamed to say was my favorite part of Kyoto (which was the capital of Japan for over 1000 years); Kyoto Station (built a mere 8 years ago). I have traveled to many a train station, including Okayama, Osaka, Kobe, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Nagoya (which happens to be the largest train station in Japan, and previously my favorite), but Kyoto station was literally mind-blowing. There aren’t enough descriptive adjectives to do it justice. It’s hard to tour any Japanese city properly in only one day, but I think I did an OK job for the time allotment. So here’s to Kyoto, and while we’re on the subject, the Kyoto Protocol! Huzzah!
 Rapid Volley 6/10/2005 08:55:00 AM
As a quick supplement to the last post, Kimura-san, my Japanese school teacher, told me that when she was a child (in addition to The Ramen and Bread Men) The Tofu, Goldfish, and Nikuman (steamed meat roll) Men used to frequent her neighborhood, often on bicycle. Ah, those were the days. Last weekend, Japanese friends of Kimura-sensei from America came to visit her in Okayama, so I was invited along for the fun. And so it was that I met Cherry-Elizabeth Aiko Lippold, along with her mother, on a Sunday evening at Okayama Station. Kimura-sensei and her husband, Dr. K, treated us to a delicious meal at a fancy Okayama restaurant, where I also got the chance to meet two of Kimura-san’s children, Yuka and Shizuka, for the first time. Cherry’s life story is exciting, long, and not easily remembered, but I can tell you that she lived in Iwakuni and Okinawa for many years before moving to the US and eventually attending Kansas University as a Languages Major. We talked most of the evening about how it felt to be back in Japan (it has been a few years since she has been in the country, and had already spent time in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Iwakuni for a few weeks). She also gave me a little info about current events in the US, which made me feel more than slightly out of the loop (when did Dave Chappelle move to Africa?) Back at Kimura-sensei’s house, old photo albums were taken off the shelves to display pictures of Cherry in Japan and the Kimura family’s trip to the US in the late 80s. I spoke more with the rest of the Kimura family, Cherry, and her mother before sleeping the night in a REAL BED, my first non-hotel non-futon bed since coming to Japan. I thought I was going to fall off and kill myself. The next day we did a little shopping in Okayama, ate lunch, and toured the area before I bid goodbye to the crew and made my way back to Tamano. On Tuesday was the great “Tamano High School Volleyball Tournament,” which gave me a slightly burned face and an elevated sense of self esteem. My team, which was pre-selected some weeks before, made it to the final round before losing to some third years due to general team apathy (in truth, three players on my team were in the volleyball club and didn’t want to “flaunt their skillz” to a boastful extent). In other news, I have acquired a wicked volleyball serve, but can’t “bump” or “set” for the life of me. However, in Japan I am sort of tall in relation to the other students, so spiking the ball makes me look like a white Kareem Abdul Jabbar. And the crowd goes wild...
 Teaching for Dummies 6/07/2005 07:04:00 AM
This week I was asked to be the “special guest” teacher for Hachihama Elementary School’s “Meet A Foreigner” Day, where I would get 2 hours of time to twist and distort children’s minds in any way I please. Granted they get some English out of it. It was specifically requested I sing songs with the students, so I brought the guitar along for some “old timey” fun and games. We danced, I played some music off the new Decemberists album (surprisingly well received), and then some teachers pulled out foam sticks so all the children could run around beating each other and me over the head. Good times all around. After the “lesson,” I had a BBQ at my house which Neil attended after his big birthday party in the city. It was at the aforementioned BBQ that I was formally introduced to “The Ramen Man.” Most of you are probably familiar with “The Ice Cream Man,” revered by children and even adults worldwide. In Japan, especially in my slightly “middle of nowhere” location, “The Ramen Man,” “The Bread Man,” and “The General Foodstuffs Man” make frequent appearances. Each has a slightly different method of travel (truck, minibus, van, etc), as well as an annoying sound bite to let you know The Ramen Man is in the neighborhood. Having actually purchased goods from both the Bread and Ramen Man, I can impart first-hand knowledge that food eaten out of the back of a truck not only tastes better but feels more authentic, for what it’s worth. Sure, anyone can make ramen in their homes, but how often do you get the chance to eat delicious noodles out of the back of a pickup? Today at school was “The Volleyball Tournament,” planned for weeks and held under the powerful noonday sun. If nothing else has been gained in Japan, I can now deliver I mean running-start overhand serve to make the kiddies flee for cover. More pictures to come after I apply generous amount of aloe to my battle scars.
 A Little Recap 6/03/2005 09:51:00 AM
With all this traveling that has occurred lately, you might get the impression that I’ve stopped my “cultural” experiences in Japan. Or that I no longer attend school. While both of those nasty misconceptions are based slightly in truth, here are some pictures that have slipped through the cracks of time within the past month.
 Birthday Celebrations Part 2 5/30/2005 08:12:00 AM
Back when I went to see The Killers in Hiroshima, and realized Club Quattro was quite excellent, I put some thought into seeing Jack Johnson who was coming in May. Angela was so nice as to let me crash at her place and said I could come again if I could find my way to her door. In the meantime the plan for getting tickets to the show fell through, but with rumors of a JET party night in Hiroshima I couldn’t help but spring at the chance. And so, Friday after school, I rode my black stallion (the Shinkansen) to Hiroshima Station and then to Iwakuni in Yamaguchi-ken. Angela met me at the station, knocking me off my feet by sporting a blue dress and fauxhawk! Feeling a little underdressed (but amazingly sheek), Angela led me to a nearby restaurant for some Yakitori, exciting conversation regarding a trip back to the states, a deep dialogue on our personal lives, and no less than three parfaits split between the two of us. Gluttons, yes. But young, attractive gluttons. The next morning Angela and I fled to the city of Hiroshima at the crack of noon for a little shopping before the big night out on the town. We ate lunch at Granpa, one of the best (and only) lunch restaurants in Iwakuni I have frequented, serving the most delicious bread this side of the Atlantic. Angela continued the weekend of gluttony by purchasing no less than four donut-like items at a bakery, and promptly falling asleep on the train into the city. At PARCO Angela and I both bought hats which is especially unusual for me because although I am rather impartial when it comes to cranium accessories, and I never seem to look great in hats. Throughout the day I met up with the Yamaguchi JET clan/posse/gang at random shopping venues. Although I hear Yamaguchi has one of the smallest populations of JET teachers, it appears to have the largest total number of bloggers in any prefecture of Japan. Throughout my tenure in Japan I’ve followed their blogs (mostly through Angela, who I originally met over the internet), so it’s personally satisfying to meet these people in a non-electronic format. Some were going to the Jack Johnson show and others to a Beer Garden for dinner, but Angela and I decided to score fajitas and other Mexican delights at “The Shack,” a delicious treat after a long haul of Japanese food. Around 9ish, Angela and I made our way to Club Quattro to meet a selection of Yamaguchi folks coming out of the concert. While I did not get to see Jack Johnson in person, I did get to hear him sing which is almost as good (and free). Meeting Bren, Sarah, and Chris, the five of us made our way to Molly Malone’s (Authentic Irish Pub) in downtown Hiroshima. The place was packed but we grabbed a side table before the crowd became too heavy. Other JETs arrived, and this is where I start to forget names. There was Selene who was celebrating her birthday (which was the main reason most of the JETs came to Hiroshima). With her was Rei, who introduced herself as “Ray, like the plumber’s name,” also a North Korean spy (or LA native). There was Paul (soon to become a swan), Jo (who actually possesses a small face, it’s not smoke and mirrors), Ben and Osamu (who I never quite pulled off a conversation with but were roommates at Harvard), Laura (from “The Isle of Man,” coolest place in the world according to their flag), Jenny (who claims to possess an amazing ambidextrousness), Jeanette (who was an exchange student to Japan in her High School days), and Tori (who eventually ran away for reasons I still do not comprehend, but was a fun dancer if I can remember correctly). After Molly Malone’s, and a sizable amount of liquid refreshment, Selene escorted the crew, along with a few stragglers that I haven’t mentioned, to MAC, a small bar with a large collection of all-request music. Sarah, who I soon realized was an incredible dancer, made my 19-year-old jaw drop to the floor while Rei, Bren, the Brittish crowd, and I “danced like Americans.” Angela pointed out that although I do not speak with an English accent, I am starting to change the pitch of my sentences without realizing it. Never expected to acquire an English accent in Japan. The music requests at MAC spanned many genres and eras, but I was not in the best state of mind to remember all that was played. I do remember the “Macarena” being requested in lieu of “The Electric Slide,” along with some Beck, salsa, and a whole slew of “I don’t remember.” In retrospect that cross-section appears lame, but I promise it seemed like appropriate music at the time, with a little help from my friend, the Moscow Mule. Sometime in the morning, Bren, Sarah, Chris, and about half of the Yamaguchi crew retired to their hotels to get some sleep. I couldn’t find Angela and was starting to get worried when she and Paul walked in dressed like a Cow and Swan, respectively. The first thought that crossed my mind was, “Where do you get costumes like that at 3 in the morning?” Angela and Jo escorted me to the very location, a bar across the street called “Chew Me,” featuring the craziest bar staff (a mother and son) and patrons (most were passed out on couches) I have ever seen. I bought Angela and Jo mango juice, and made some friends while they returned to MAC. Around 4:30 I was rescued from Chew Me and taken to a small ramen shop for nourishment (ramen, surprisingly, is most delicious when completely exhausted). Selene, Laura, Paul, Jenny, Tori, and Angela moaned, groaned, and slept among the bowls of ramen before escaping to a late night Karaoke shop where no karaoke was actually sung but we did kill a good 30 minutes. After a quick stop at a Family Mart konbini with a seating area, the crew hiked back to Hiroshima station to sleep in awkward positions all the way back to Iwakuni. At the station I bid goodbye to Paul and Selene before taking a bus with Angela to her place. I slept for a few hours before waking up, turning to Angela, and calmly saying something along the lines of, “they jumped in with their towels! My wallet and my phone!” That must have been one hell of a dream. Angela took a shower, during which she apparently screamed her head off at a centipede the size of her arm which crawled up out of the drain (I was listening to music at the time and could not hear her cries for help) Grabbing ice cream for lunch, and completing an amazingly sugar ridden weekend, I boarded a train back to Hiroshima and caught the afternoon Shinkansen to Okayama, munching on a delicious fish and egg salad sandwich. Great to meet everyone this weekend, and a big thanks to all you Yamaguchi JETs (expecially Angela) for accepting the crazy 19 year old kid who should have been at home in bed like a good little exchange boy.
 Let The Games Begin 5/29/2005 05:58:00 AM
My birthday in Japan was wildly amazing to say the least. Stretching over the course of one week and two weekends (time acts funny here in Japan) I celebrated what should have been a one day event. (I’ll leave part two of the celebrations, “partying with the Yamaguchi crew,” until a later entry, and recap some of the highlights from the party at my house last week. The day before my birthday my host mom Junko took me to a Bizen pottery crafting location in the mountains to make my own Bizen-ware pottery items. I have never used the spinny-wheel mechanism for making cups and vases before so this was a totally new experience, heightened by the fact that I was given literally no instruction but instead sat down at the wheel and did my best. I managed to fashion a mug and small vase, not bad for my virgin pottery skills. On the day of my birthday I was surprised with two tickets to the Tamano Marine Festival’s Cruise Ship Lunch Tour. Conveniently scheduled for the 21st, my host mother and I boarded a huge ocean liner and were treated to a delicious lunch, magicians, Japanese Enka singers, and a wedding ceremony as we cruised for 5 luxurious hours on the Seto Inland Sea. The Saekis, who I lived next to in Tai, also bought tickets for the event and I met them on the boat. That evening people came from far and wide to celebrate my birthday/get a free meal. In the way of Exchange kids, Carter, Janna, Cori, and Michelle showed up at my door, along with Kawai-san, Tomoya, and Takuro from the Tai area. The big surprise came from the kids at my school. I had invited two by the way of e-mail, and only one had actually replied to say he was coming. I had mentioned he could bring friends, but didn’t expect that to happen. To my surprise, when I drove to pick him up at the station I was met with about half the male population of my class at school. Awesome. We shoved as many as we could into the car, and shuttled the rest back to my house in Hachihama. Kondo and Kawai-san had prepared a veritable feast with enough food and drinks to feed a small army. We all met in my grandmother’s house, situated next to our house, because it has a much larger living-room type area. There was eating, drinking, some singing, and general merriment before someone got the amazing idea to play Hide and Seek, or “kakurembo” in Japanese. My host mom, a volunteer policewoman, lent us her massive flashlight and we set out into the rice fields of Hachihama for one of the weirdest Hide and Seek games I have ever played. When the game wound down we lit fireworks in a dangerous manner before the kids from my school had to go home. The Exchange kids (and Miwako who showed up after her trip to Kyoto) stayed for the night in my room which I lined with futons. More craziness ensued which doesn’t need to be mentioned in detail. Needless to say no one was (seriously) injured, but my grandmother might have got quite a scare. Thanks again to everyone who came, and if you couldn’t make it you’re invited next year.
 Hey There Mr. Blue 5/25/2005 07:44:00 AM
Today was one of those rare moments when the stars align and all of Japan conspires to make me fall in love with this country. I woke up to birds chirping and smiling children on the sunny bus ride to the city. People walking the streets seemed more cheerful than usual, in some sort of attempt to break my spirits and leave me teary-eyed on the day I must return home. After Japanese school I shopped with Janna for a while before meeting Amanda by chance at the station, who I had not seen in ages. We both walked to OPA, a large shopping complex where I met up with my DJ friend Kobashi at the cool German shirt shop. He and his friend Yuki invited me to a club in June where Kobashi will be playing. I stayed and talked for about half an hour before taking the bus home where I witnessed an amazing sunset. Yes, one of those days. My birthday in Japan was “killer,” to say the least. Thanks to everyone who came. Pictures and a small explanation of the craziness to follow... Here’s to the 20th year of my life.
 EXPO'd 5/22/2005 06:52:00 AM
With Micah along for the show, Cori and took a leisurely stroll through EXPO for the rest of the day, stopping anywhere that caught our interest. Lithuania had a very interesting exhibit, as did most of the African countries. Toward the evening, Micah met up with his Rotary counselor, so Cori and I took a Maglev train back to Nagoya station to meet our respective Rotary members. We checked into the Royal Inn Hotel, a fancy joint with real keys (none of that keycard business) and went to eat at a nearby Chinese restaurant. The Rotarians went wild, ordering plate after plate of Chinese food until the five of us were impossibly stuffed. Back at the hotel, they bid us a goodnight and we returned to our rooms. The Rotarians then left to drink at a local bar. I felt it was only fair for us to do the same. Nagoya night life is amazing. Micah and I met up after dinner and found a place called “The Plastic Factory,” which believe it or not, used to be a real plastic factory. The bartender was Swiss and played the sitar. He met a Japanese woman in India and now lives in Nagoya. In our matching “New Kids on the Block” shirts, Micah and I were dressed to kill at The Plastic Factory. The next day Micah and his counselor went sightseeing in the town of Nagoya, so Cori and I toured EXPO alone until Janna showed up in the afternoon. She didn’t win her Judo meet, but had a good time anyway. This day at EXPO was amazingly productive. To give a quick overview, we: Tried to arrive at the park early to see the Toyota Exhibit, but were met with a crowd of 2000 people with the same idea. Instead, we caught an amazing “What if the moon didn’t exist” movie at the Mitsubishi Pavilion. The movie screen was 360 degree surround, with mirrors on the ceiling to guarantee maximum “wow” reaction. After Mitsubishi we listened to some music at the Austrian Pavilion and waltzed with real Austrians. At the Saudi Arabian Pavilion we caught a great ethnic dance which I almost felt like joining myself. The French Pavilion showed a depressing yet poignant movie, and was an all-around excellent display of world problems today. We witnessed a passionate tango at Argentina, and ate tacos at the Mexican Pavilion. While eating our tacos, I spotted a man walking around the park in a Ninja outfit. He kept climbing on fences, and “ninja crawling” his way all over the place. After a few minutes he was joined by a second ninja, and they ran off together. Strange. I also got a chance to see the Robot Pavilion, which had some of the newer design models from TMSUK, the company who’s President I interviewed in Fukuoka. There was also a robot called PaPeRo, which could fart on command. Who knows when that might come in handy. Overall, EXPO was a superb international experience that I could easily write about in much more detail (if necessary). If you happen to be near Japan this summer, don’t forget a trip to Nagoya.
 Intro to EXPO 5/20/2005 10:11:00 AM
The days are moving quickly here in Japan which means that the 21st, and my birthday, are right around the corner. But due to time zones and the general motion of the earth, I can’t pinpoint the exact time I will be adding another year to my life. In Fiji and Kamchatka (GMT+12) I might already be 19. But who would live in Kamchatka anyway unless they were hardcore fans of the game Risk. The same goes for Irkutst and Yakustk. But before any celebrating occurs, I’ll take you back to last week in Nagoya, for the EXPO World Fair 2005. The trip began early on Saturday morning. I took a bus from Hachihama to Okayama to catch the 8:22 Shinkansen bound for Nagoya. There are two things absolutely guaranteed when you travel with Rotarians; staying in fancy hotels, and fast, efficient (albeit expensive) travel by Shinkansen. Because in Japan, as was pointed out later by all three (slightly intoxicated) Rotarians accompanying us on the trip, they can spend the extra money to feel comfortable. And I have absolutely no problem with that. Two hours later, Cori, Aketa-san, two other Rotarians, and I arrived in Nagoya. Janna was attending a Judo meet with her school and would be joining us on the next day. The 4 of us took a newly constructed express train, and then a bus to the grounds of the EXPO 2005. A little background about the Aichi, Nagoya Would Fair: The EXPO, officially being held in the Nagoya Eastern Hills, is a massive event expecting over 15 million visitors in 185 days. Before the EXPO location was announced two years prior, Nagoya Eastern Hills were 田舎, or “in the middle of nowhere.” Remarkably, an immense amount of buildings and exhibition halls have been constructed on site and when I arrived on the premises I was thoroughly impressed. Once arriving in the park, the Rotarians told Cori and I to “go have fun,” and turned us loose among the throngs of people attending the EXPO. Amazingly, and by sheer coincidence, Micah was also coming to EXPO that day, but sometime in the afternoon. In the meantime, Cori and I explored. The EXPO, which has a massive amount of exhibits, can be roughly divided into two categories. The first category is World Booths, which are constructed and run by individual or groups of countries. Examples include the France Pavilion, German Pavilion, Sri Lankan Pavilion, etc. The second category is Corporate Booths, which display the latest technology from companies such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, and Japan Railways. There are also various exhibits that don’t fit into either category, such as an 18,000 year old Mammoth Pavilion and a pavilion displaying the wonders of Natural Gas. Cori and I decided to tour the World Booths first because the lines were not nearly as long (if you don’t arrive at the park extremely early you won’t even get a chance to see the Toyota Exhibit). Overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the park, Cori and I walked to the nearest “Global Common” area, dedicated to Oceania and Southeast Asia. I had been told Singapore had a great exhibit, so we waited in line for a few minutes before entering the exhibit and being handed an umbrella. I didn’t quite know what I needed it for, but I did like everyone else and opened my umbrella. The inside of the Singapore pavilion was designed like a rainforest, with a large television screen on the far end of the room. A video about Singapore began to play, with flyover images of the country and “wicked guitar riffs” playing in the background. All of a sudden the lights shut off, and with thunderclaps and lightning rain began pouring from the ceiling of the pavilion. Even though I was carrying the umbrella I still got pretty soaked. After the rainstorm Cori and I headed to the second floor and in the back found the International Café which I heard was delicious. A man standing next to a selection of food asked us (in English) if we were feeling hungry, to which we replied (in Japanese) that indeed, we were. Thus began the ongoing problem of wondering what language to address various people at the EXPO. We later discovered that the man working at the food stand was indeed from Singapore, spoke very little Japanese, but was fluent in English. I happened to be wearing a “New Kids on the Block” T-shirt and he asked me “What happened to those guys?” We ordered some Singaporean food (no meat for Cori) and sat down in front of three large TV screens in the café for a multilingual video about Southeast Asia. We ate our meals, which were delicious, and after we had finished I asked the man who had helped us order the food how exactly you get a job at the EXPO. He said he knew “The President of the Company.” He then asked me how much longer I would be staying in Japan, and if I wanted a job or not. I said “yes, of course,” and gave him one of my business cards. He said he was meeting his “friend” on the 30th of the month, and was sure I could be given a position. So perhaps I will be working at the Singapore booth in Nagoya sometime soon. Who knows? While we were having the conversation, another man who worked at the Singapore booth walked by, dressed in what I assumed to be a traditional Singaporean outfit. It looked quite interesting, and he introduced himself to Cori and me as well. In his colorful outfit I was expecting the man’s name to be something along the lines of B’wana Memsahib, but it ended up being closer to “William.” After the strange meeting with the people at the Singaporean Pavilion, Micah called me to say he had arrived at the EXPO. And that’s when the craziness began. If only I could stay up to tell you the rest. Stayed tuned for part 2, and perhaps part 3 of: Rocky and Bullwinkle’s (or Micah, Cori, and Ben’s) Great Adventure in EXPO, Nagoya Japan
 Back to the Grind 5/17/2005 04:25:00 AM
Last Sunday, the respective Rotary Clubs of Tamano, Tsuyama, and Okayama threw a goodbye party for the three Rotary Exchange Students in the prefecture of Okayama. While I still have two more months left in Japan, Cori will be leaving “The Big J” on May 24, and Janna ships home on the 1st of June. The Outbound Japanese students who will be traveling to America next year almost made an appearance at the party, so Cori, Janna, and I filled them in on what to expect on their exchanges (I was a little late in arriving but made a grand entrance into the conference room at the Plaza Hotel). Following the meeting teachers, host families, Rotarians, and bystanders off the street came together for a massive afternoon banquet. I gave my “farewell address” to the Rotarians, in Japanese, and didn’t make any horrible mistakes. I also gave Aketa-san, my counselor, a gift from Kobe which he thoroughly enjoyed. After the party I came home, played a quick game of Mahjong, and promptly fell asleep for 14 hours. Golden Week, two thumbs way up.
 Golden Week Continues 5/16/2005 06:00:00 AM
Well, it seems as if I can’t finish one weekend of craziness without plowing right into the next, leaving scarce time to blog the outcome of either. But just to set the record straight, let me take you back to last weekend for part two of Golden Week Adventures. When we last left our hero... He was bowling. A 168, which is not too bad for not having played the game in a while. Micah, in a terrible fit of rage and madness, had made another trip to Osaka (his second for the week) following the BBQ on Ishima. The venue was at a club called Tsurunoma, which was hosting an event called “7 days 8 hours,” at which one DJ plays an 8 hour set for a full week, with a different DJ every night. It just so happened that DJ EYE of the Boredoms (arguably Micah’s favorite band on the planet) was playing one night and Micah’s couldn’t miss that opportunity. I stayed in Tamano, for I needed a break after the grueling previous weekend spent in the big city and was planning my own trip to Kobe on Saturday. My host parents suggested I invite Micah along for the ride, and it just so happened that Micah’s cousin is now living in Kobe as an English teacher. To further spookify the situation, there was a large Rotary Exchange meeting being held in Kobe on the same day as our trip. Micah and I had to make an appearance. And so began the story of how Micah made his 3rd trip to Osaka in a little under a week and a half. That is terrible, yet somehow simultaneously awesome. Micah spent the night at my house on Friday so we could get an early start by car to Kobe the following morning. So on a Friday night we found ourselves bowling. The following morning my host father, mother, Micah, Keiko, and I awoke at the crack of dawn and left for Kobe. It wasn’t a terribly long ride and we arrived in the city around 10. We spent the morning at the Osaka Aquarium (Kobe and Osaka are right next to each other) which was one of the places I didn’t get a chance to see on my last trip to the city. I was impressed by the entire venue, and needless to say I saw a whole lot of fish. The pictures do a better job of telling the story. After the aquarium we ate some lunch and shopped at the nearby waterfront mall. It was there that I made a disturbing and completely unexpected discovery about my host mother. When I opened the trunk of the car to stash some items I purchased, I found two huge paper bags filled with books and videos. And not just any books and videos, erotic Japanese porn books and videos. I thought to myself, “What in the world is this treasure trove of erotic material doing in the trunk of my father’s car?” My host family, noticing my surprise, started laughing and saying something about “the police.” When the laughing subsided, I discerned that it is my mother’s job, as a volunteer policeman, to collect aforementioned erotic material from various “drop points” in Tamano to take to the Police Station for disposal. Sure, that’s what they all say. After shopping, I wanted to meet the exchange students who were staying at a hotel on Port Island, and Micah wanted to visit his cousin. Micah’s cousin got off work at 7 and the exchange student seminar lasted until about the same time. If we waited until the evening it would mean returning to Tamano late at night. Instead of scratching the whole idea, my host mother suggested Micah and I take the Shinkansen back to Okayama (a quick 45 minutes from start to finish). By some stroke of extreme luck/coercion, Micah and I were able to stay the night at his sister’s apartment in the city. My host mother came with us to Port Island, a manmade landmass off the coast of Kobe to drop us off at the exchange student convention. Port Island was nothing like mainland Kobe at all. The entire area was remarkably silent, with nothing but large hotels and trees lining every road. It was an amazingly nice day, and as the sun set I wondered to myself why more people didn’t come to the island to relax. Around 6 I met with Urte, the exchange student from Kochi City in Shikoku, and said goodbye to my host mother. Urte introduced Micah and I to the rest of the exchange students who were a little surprised to see us but happy nonetheless. I had not realized that so many students were living in Kobe and Osaka. The outbound Japanese exchange students for next year were also at the convention, which made quite a large group of kids. They were having a large banquet shortly and we didn’t feel like crashing that kind of party uninvited, so we left the island with the promise of 5-star hotel rooms if we needed them later that night. Back on the mainland, Micah and I met his cousin Miria whom he had not seen since he was a kid. I suppose it was an odd reunion, meeting in a large Japanese city that neither had lived in for very long (Miria came to Japan one month ago), but we managed to find a small noodle shop and had a great discussion about life, Japan, what two Rotary exchange students were doing alone in Kobe, and where to get the best bagels in town (Miria said she can get them for free at the Synagogue). Kobe is known as a city “on the hill,” so after dinner the three of us took a walk around the town trying to find a good place to view the city as a whole. We settled for a colossal tower attached to one of the stations and rode the elevator to the top floor. Sadly there was no observation booth but upon inspection of the bathrooms I discovered the most massive window I have ever seen overlooking a city (from a urinal). Micah and I said goodbye to Miria at the base of the station, and took a train back to Port Island. We met up with the exchange students who were just finishing their banquet. Earlier in the day they had mentioned wanting to see the town of Kobe at night, but when we arrived the consensus had changed to that of wanting to stay in the hotel because the trains stopped running at midnight. They also wanted Micah and me to stay, but we were faced with a difficult and counterintuitive decision. On the one hand, we could stay in the hotel for the night and travel home in the morning, which would be easy enough to do. Or, we could take a train to Kobe and catch the last night of “7 days, 8 hours” at Tsurunoma, which Micah professed was an amazing club. I was also scheduled to give my farewell speech to Rotary the following day in Okayama. If we stayed in the hotel we might get discovered, and I doubted any Rotarians would be at Tsurunoma. And so, bidding farewell to our fellow exchange students, Micah and I fled Port Island for the safe haven of Osaka. We just caught the last train into the city, and took a short taxi ride to Namba station. When Micah had come to the city three days before it took him all evening to find the club. This time we had a little better luck, but as is the usual case with Micah and I we walked around for a good 30 minutes before finding anything that looked remotely familiar (all the while munching on delicious konbini sandwiches). Tsurunoma was hosting the last night if “7 days, 8 hours” featuring DJ Moochy. The clubs we had previously experienced in Osaka were pretty awesome, but Tsurunoma knocked their socks off in almost every category. The place was decorated like an underground lair, with sheets draped over cave-like walls being lit from behind by color changing lights. Near the bar was a Super NES/Famicom where people were playing Tetris, and couches were scattered all over the place. In the main dance room the ceiling was covered with chains and netting, and DJ Moochy was playing an amazingly trippy tribal beat when we walked through the door. Behind the DJ were three TVs of varying sizes being controlled by a VJ in the back. In front of and being lit by the TVs was a glowing icosahedron (20 sided cube-thing). In front of the DJ and separating him from the dance floor were two huge elephant tusks made of metal. This might seem like an amazingly weird club design, but everything seemed to fit together perfectly. Almost made me think, “well of course there should be large metal elephant tusks in front of the icosahedron, it’s only natural.” DJ Moochy spun all night, while Micah and I took turns moving from dance floor to couch to Tetris. All the while the TV screens played the most trippy video selections I could have imagined. Clips of Disney’s 1963 “The Sword in the Stone,” played in slow motion and backwards while being mixed over a starfield. Everything was from the 80s and earlier; old videos of Fela Kuti, McDonald’s adds, and what must have been clips from Tron. Simply amazing, and DJ Moochy mixed tracks that were every bit as good as Richie Hawtin. The atmosphere in the club was so friendly, and everyone seemed to be there for the music and to dance. I remember dancing my way to the bathroom and feeling a little sleepy when someone offered me a drink; tomato juice, of all things, and just perfect at around 2:30 in the morning. Sometime around 3 Micah and I took a quick nap on the couch and I awoke feeling completely refreshed and ready to dance. Micah trounced me in Tetris, but Tsurunoma remains one of the best clubs in Osaka, if not Japan. Micah and I exited the club around 7 in the morning and boarded a Shinkansen back to Okayama. At 11 I was showered, shaved, and looking sharp to give my farewell speech to the Rotary (even though I still have two months in the country). But that is another story...
 A Birthday Surprise 5/13/2005 08:11:00 AM
Because I couldn't ship your gifts on time...
 Surf and Sun 5/12/2005 08:48:00 AM
On the Tuesday of Golden Week, I invited a few friends to come and have a BBQ on Ishima, an island off the coast of Tamano. My host father took the 5 of us out on his boat for a little fishing, and then we spent the day grilling meat and vegetables, exploring the island, and getting sun burns (which felt great after the long winter). I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
 Gardening Gloves and Cuban Cigars: A Journey Into the Heart of the Rotary Exchange Student Dream 5/09/2005 07:14:00 AM
Golden Week. Keyword: Gold. The stuff dreams are made of. This morning I woke up from a long, strange dream stretching hours, days, even weeks. On the hands of a clock no more than a few minutes must have passed, but this was a dream to last a lifetime. To all charges and allegations I will therefore plead the 5th, or whatever statue allows me to carry a firearm at all times. With that stated, on with the dream... Flash back (or slow fade) to a late afternoon train ride with my accomplice whom I will genially refer to as Micah, the exchange student from Kanonji. He escaped from the yoke of Shikoku to subsequently enter my dream and accompany me to destinations unknown. The bullet train rockets through Kansai, where a soothing British voice on the intercom informs us the train will be making a brief stop in Osaka. Good a place as anywhere to live the Rotary Dream. We exit the train and enter Shin Osaka Station, built especially for access to the Shinkansen. Taking a subway to Osaka Station proper, we exit through large glass doors and into the magnificent city. The beginnings of another adventure. Taking time to walk the streets, we catch some late afternoon sights and get our bearings in the massive city. A back-alley Indian restaurant situated to the immediate right of an all-leather-jacket clothing store looks enticing, but the owner informs up he won’t be opening for another hour or two. We hop the train to Shinsaibashi Station, in the heart of the city, and stash our bags in a locker to find our destination for the night. First we needed tickets for the main event the following evening, Ritchie Hawtin, who would be spinning at a club near Traingle Park aptly named Club Triangle. Triangle Park is a sliver of pavement and trees nestled among the signs, crowds, and flashing lights in the heart of what I will refer to as “the crazy part of town.” While walking around looking for Club Triangle we spotted outfits that would have seemed outrageous even in Tokyo’s Harajuku (although the atmosphere was noticeably different from that in Tokyo). Most vivid in my mind was a man walking down the street with the craziest, largest, most colorful Looney-Tunes type glasses I have ever seen, easily 5 times too large for his face, with a complete look of focus and concentration (as if he had lost a dare and knew this would be the price to pay). Eventually finding the club, no more than a doorway and staircase, we scored tickets for the following evening (which will cost you double in America and must be purchased months in advance) then hopped a train to Tennoji to start the evening. Compared with the hubbub of Shinsaibashi, Tennoji was a relatively relaxed part of town. In fact, the most happening place in the area seemed to be the temple. Micah and I originally thought we would make a stop and wish for a prosperous evening, but were greeted at the compound with raunchy saxophone music. Apparently some sort of “show” was being held at what we later discovered to be the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan (built by Prince Shotoku in 593 A.D., for all you history nuts). We peered through the bars of the temple, and sure enough hundreds of people were gathered to watch Kimono-clad women sing old Japanese hits. Exiting the temple, we found a delicious yaki-tori restaurant where I received a call from Dave Rupert, who lives near Osaka and runs Howdy Mr. Nippon. He happened to be in Okayama with a friend and wanted to know where I lived in the Prefecture. We had a short conversation and he said if I ever found myself in Osaka again I should drop him a line. Back at Shinsaibashi we walked around the Nanba area of town (feasting our eyes upon the famous Glico Man, among other sights on Dotomburi) before finding the most amazing Tako-yaki stand in Japan. Clearly accustomed to foreigners frequenting the stand, after we got in line behind a number of people we were asked (in English) to which we responded (in Japanese) the usual questions like “where are you from?” and “how is Japan?” When we told the man we were from America, he immediately replied “America is Mike Tyson.” Never before had a heard such an odd comparison, but I suppose being the youngest heavyweight champion in heavyweight history makes Michael Gerard Tyson at least a decent candidate for the American dream, if not embodying American itself. From Nanba we came across a small Bar called Mojo, offering “drinks and music from ‘Once Upon a Time.’” This place was like The Beatles’ Lonely Heart’s Club Band album cover with a pulse. And a rhythmic pulse at that. Decked out with bottles of beer and Beatles’ posters from around the world, Mojo is one of the more interesting places in (literally) underground Osaka. We struck up a conversation with the bartender who had opened the place the previous year and learned all his English from the customers. In fact, he showed us a book of insults and slang from around the world (compiled by visitors to the bar) which would make a sailor blush. After a few drinks with background music by The Kinks, we made out way to Club Joule a bit before midnight. To be honest, as is sometimes the case with dreams, Club Joule is a large blur in my mind. DJ Emma was having a CD release party, and the 3rd floor was packed with an amazing amount of dancers. The DJ was killer, and I was amazed we found the place almost at random in the sea of clubs and bars throughout Osaka (I did get a tip that this place was good when I inquired about a club “with lasers”). The 4th floor chill area provided a wonderful break from the intense strobe lights of the dance floor, but we easily clocked a good 5 hours of dancing with DJ Emma. The last thing I remember before stumbling back to the hotel with Micah was finding a table full of heart-shaped chocolates with my name written all over them. We spent our evenings, or should I say early mornings, at the Osaka Asahi Capsule Hotel. Capsule Hotels are incredible, and certainly a godsend for late partiers or businessmen in Japan. First of all, they’re amazingly cheap. Most are under 30$ for the night. This buys you a change of clothes and a 4 by 7 foot “capsule,” not much more than a slot in the wall with a small pull-curtain to spend the night. But most amazing about the Asahi Capsule Hotel was the huge Onsen and Sauna located on the ground floor. After hours of dancing, what could be better than a long soak in steaming water to sooth the muscles? I woke up the next morning feeling like a million bucks. The next day in Japan was spent exploring the daytime sights. And when I say explore, I mean completely on foot. Micah and I found a great coffeehouse for breakfast where I ordered French toast and the largest orange juice I could get my hands on. Our main destination was the Osaka Science Museum, but as a rule when Micah and I are together we can’t find anything without walking around for at least two hours completely lost. But this leads to better adventures so I don’t mind at all. Anyway, a map in Japan is just about as useful as carrying a globe. The Science and Technology Museum in Osaka is a must-see, especially after a night of partying. There are so many exhibits which would not blow your mind on a regular basis, but are absolutely amazing following very few hours of sleep. I took my picture with a plaster cast of Einstein and played with unbelievably large magnets before viewing a hands-on show about batteries with a room full of 7 year old Japanese kids. We almost went to see the IMAX but that seemed a little excessive. Our next stop was the Umeda Sky Building, on the other side of Osaka. We collapsed in a large park after eating lunch near the museum to rest our feet and do some extreme people-watching. The weather was impressive, and in the heart of the city the large green space was a welcome sight. Taking a train back to Osaka station, we walked around for another few hours before making a sustained effort to locate the Sky Building. I had no idea what the place looked like, only that it was large and therefore famous. I remember mentioning to Micah that the large building in the distance looked “pretty neat” and “if he had ever seen anything quite that odd shaped?” He said no and we kept walking in search of the Sky Building. We found Pokemon Center Osaka, which was filled with dedicated card-players of all shapes and sizes. All I wanted to buy was a small pin to prove I had actually been to a licensed Pokemon location in Japan, but the line of preteens stretching out the door made my think twice. I settled with a picture and a good laugh. Finally, towards the evening, Micah and I realized that the large, odd shaped building I had commented on earlier was indeed the fabled Umeda Sky Building. If you were to trace our walking route on a map, you would most certainly end up with a Curious George type dotted-line monstrosity that crosses and recrosses itself several times. But how else can you explore such a large city than by blind trial and error? The Umeda Sky Building, as suspected, proved to not be worth missing. While trying to find the main elevator we stumbled into a service lift and rode that demon as high as it would go. We ended up in what appeared to be a janitor’s closet on the 36th floor, and decided to try the 35th instead. This yielded an entire room, wall to wall, stacked with cases of beer. Reluctantly, we rode to the 34th floor, where I wouldn’t have been surprised to find a 3-ring circus in full swing. We were instead greeted with a nice observation window, but not quite satisfying for an entire walk through the city. On the 33rd floor a Japanese recoding began to play as soon as I stepped out of the elevator, and it was about that time we decided to try another lift. Back on the ground floor we found the real entrance to the top floors, and paid the 5$ charge to take a high speed ride to the roof. Exiting the elevator, we were greeted with a magnificent view of Osaka with the sun beginning to set. By complete chance, the Umeda Sky Building was hosting an entire exhibit dedicated to Cuba, called the “Havana Club,” featuring a dance floor, Cuban music, and photos from that area of the world. Micah and I sat down to Coronas and watched the sun set over Osaka, just enjoying the Cuban atmosphere here in the middle of Japan. Micah leaned over and asked, “Do you think Fidel Castro knows this is going on?” Who could say? I could only hope so. When the sun set we walked up another flight of stairs to the top of the Sky Building, and out into the Osaka night air. There was a breeze but the night was warm and the city’s lights spectacular. After we both agreed that this is what Rotary Exchange is all about, we left the Umeda Sky Building to dance the night away (but not before Micah bought a Cuban cigar, just for the story. How many chances are you really going to get?). We paid another visit to Mojo before walking to Club Triangle for the “main event.” Club Triangle is three floors of thumping beats and writhing bodies. What I would call “cool” and Pope Benedict XVI would most likely call “an abomination.” Just my kind of place. The first floor was entirely a dance hall, with a bar in the back. Steps lead to the second floor, with a bar and some couches, and a large hole cut in the floor so you can look down at the people dancing on the first floor. In the back is a huge projection TV screen, playing video of the DJ, the club, and various trippy trance videos visible from just about any place in the club. The third floor had a jacuzzi, which I unfortunately did not get a chance to sample. At Triangle, Micah made an amazing discovery by spotting an English teacher, Tim, from his town, Kanonji (the smallest town in the smallest prefecture of Japan), on the dance floor. At first he said there was no way it could be Tim. That would mean that at least three people in the room had been to Kanonji, a place that most Japanese will say they have never heard of. But yes, in the coincidence-ridden vortex that is Osaka, almost anything is possible. Two Japanese DJs warmed up the crowd (and by that I mean played until 3 in the morning) before Richie Hawtin and Marc Houle walked right by me in the crowd to get up to the front (I didn’t know quite what to say, it’s not everyday you happen to see the world’s #2 Techno DJ standing next to you). There were already about 5 laptops on stage, for who knows what purpose, but Richie and Marc unloaded two more for their sets. Marc Houle also whipped out a KORG synthesizer and went to work with some crazy beats. By this time the dance floor was absolutely packed, and no one wanted to leave before Hawtin took the stage. Between the laptops, the turntables, the synthesizer, and the massive video screens, I was having a pretty killer time before Hawtin even touched the equipment. But when Ritchie took the stage everybody went wild. The video screens were showing crazy video of the dance floor, edited over wacked-out Tetris video clips. I suppose there is techno and then there is good techno, but the atmosphere of the club also has a lot to do with the experience. But strictly music wise, you could not help but dance with these beats. When the set was over, and I again found myself stumbling and dancing back to the hotel, I could certainly give this club the Gleitzman stamp of approval (a very much coveted award, at that). I took the most luxurious bath of my life at the Onsen, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. In the morning, I wondered to myself what I was doing in a small box of a hotel room in the middle of the second largest city in Japan. Was this a dream, or one of those rare dreams within a dream? All signs point to yes. Micah and I hit the record stores that morning (after a stop at our favorite coffeeshop for another delicious breakfast and beast-sized orange juice), where I found Richie Hawtin listed in the minimalist techno section. Something odd about finding the CD of a guy you just met in the dance section of a Tower Records. But such is the life in Japan. That afternoon, I was feeling amazingly drained. I took another lightning quick Shinkansen ride back to Okayama where Micah and I shared a bite to eat. Sushi, as always, in the Sushi and Jazz restaurant at the Station. I bid farewell to Micah, fully expecting this to be my last trip to Osaka. But then again, it was only Sunday. The whole of Golden Week still remained, and who knows what can happen in that magical length of time. That was not where my dream ended, for in real life I was sleeping soundly back in my bed in Tamano. No, the REM sleep had not yet begun, and it would be hours till morning. And so I slept...
 Let's Recap 5/04/2005 06:05:00 AM
Golden Week is still running strong, but before I begin to explore the depths and lengths of this crazy hullabaloo to any extent, I’ll take a break and recap some of the trips and experiences that have composed the past few weeks in Japan. Last month, Shoko invited Micah and me to the island of Naoshima, a short ferry ride from Uno Port. Her Spanish-speaking class was taking a “field-trip” with one of the students who currently lives on the island to function as a guide. I had heard some rather impressive stories about Naoshima, and jumped at the idea of taking a trip. Naoshima, unlike various other islands in the Seto Inland Sea, has a long history of human inhabitance. Once, while running a high fever and with nothing better to do, I scoured the Tamano School Library until I found records dating back to the early 60’s citing children arriving by ferry from Naoshima (also an account of one man who had to “swim 20 miles, in the snow, uphill both ways”). These were the hay-days of Tamano High School, before newer schools like Konan and Joto drew the smarter children out of Tamano and into the city. Contemporary Naoshima now plays host to an assortment of Art Museums from which the island draws most of its fame. In fact, and at first glance, the isle functions as an extemporaneous “open-air” art studio with pieces of sculpture hidden and scattered about the island. Upon further exploration, however, I found that the exact nature of the island had been carefully planned and constructed to lead the visitor on a treasure hunt that will reward even the most frequent of visitors. After arriving by ferry with Shoko, I quickly spotted Micah (who had taken a ferry from Takamatsu) and met our guide for the day, a Naoshiman named Yajima-san. We had time before the rest of the Spanish class would arrive, so Yajima-san took us for lunch at a small café overlooking the ocean, and then to the Benesse Contemporary Art Museum. I cannot speak for the rest of the world, but Contemporary Art Museums in Japan always offer something to pique my interest in the art world. In the case of Naoshima, the subtlety and timing of many exhibits surprised me on multiple occasions. The first came while viewing a wall-sized ocean landscape picturing a beach and two boats; one yellow with a sail, and the other black and upside down. In front of the massive piece of art stood two boats; one yellow and the other black, in similar position. The mixture of sculpture and canvas art made me think “well, that’s neat,” until I took a walk to the balcony to look out over the ocean. There, clearly visible in the distance, wedged in a small cove on the beach, stood two boats; one black and one yellow. Spooky. After the art museum, the four of us wandered around the island looking at pieces of sculpture until the rest of the Spanish class arrived along with Neil, the teacher. We then cruised over to the Chichu Art Museum on the other side of the island, newly constructed this year regardless of a record number of typhoons. This was a completely different experience from the Contemporary Art Museum, but just as overwhelming. At Chichu few artists are featured at a time, but each room seems to be tailored the fit individual pieces of art (as if to use more than simply the sense of sight). Long corridors connect each section of the museum, leading the visitor twisting and turning through indoor and outdoor passages before finally arriving at the next exhibit. Although the whole museum was excellent, two of the rooms I can vividly recall featured Monet and James Turrell. You must remove your shoes for the Monet exhibit, and don slippers as you enter what appears to be a large tile swimming pool. Monet’s “Water Lily” series appears on large canvases, and the humidity of the room is adjusted to give the effect of being water-side. I was also very surprised to see James Turrell, who’s slightly spooky “Into the Light Series” I had a chance to view at the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh. Again removing your shoes, you enter a completely neon blue room and walk toward the far wall until a sensor beeps. Turning around, the entire back wall, which appeared white entering the room, is now a bright liquid red. Reminded me of being on the set of “Tron.” The rest of the day went smoothly, and we finished with dinner at Jacasse. If you ever find yourself in the Chugoku region of Japan, make sure to check out Naoshima Island.
 Bronze, Silver, and... 4/28/2005 09:06:00 PM
It’s been a grueling week; a week of pollen allergies, school physical checkups, extensive bike rides, and heated mahjong battles. But finally, the climax manifests itself as the unstoppable, overlapping block of holidays known simply in Japan as “Golden Week.” A time for me to get out of this small town and see the sights, lights, and fights of “big city” Japan. In other words, and barring physical injury, a journey to the heart of the Rotary Exchange Student Dream.
 On Any Given Sunday 4/24/2005 03:50:00 AM
I’ve had a rather impressive week, meaning there’s plenty to blog, but I’d like to take some time and focus on a subject that does not receive the coverage or respect that it both commands and deserves. I am speaking, of course, of the fast paced, adrenaline driven, time-honored tradition of Japanese Elementary School Girl’s Volleyball. I had the good fortune to experience one of these events “from the inside,” as it were, when my host mother coached the Hachihama Sho Gakko Volleyball Team at a qualification tournament this weekend at the Tamano Recreation Center. I entered the large complex to be immediately overrun by 4-foot tall girls in pigtails and knee pads, which I can equate only to crash-landing on Planet Cupcake in the Candyland Galaxy. I took my seat in the Hachihama section and let my vision blur as I absorbed the craziness of the scene. Almost completely opposite from the sport of football, where standing next to players in 15-pounds of pads, helmets, and general body armor sends a shiver of fear down the spine, the volleyball girls exude an almost Rainbow Bright level of cuteness and appeal off the court. Yet when games are in session, the cute and cuddly disposition is all but disregarded as the girls become bloodthirsty bump, set, and spiking machines. Naturally, the nets are lowered and the volleyballs are more pint-size, but any of these girls could have taken my ass to the cleaners in a one-on-one game. The only aspect scarier than the volleyball players on the court weren’t even participants themselves. They are the “Volleyball Moms,” cheering their offspring from a safe distance in the bleachers. You can be sure and spot these moms by their choice of waistline accessory, the fanny pack (something I thought went out of style with the Ring Pop and the Tamagotchi). Fanny packs are amazingly popular in Japan, especially among the “sporty” type, and come in many varieties (you’ll have to take my word for this, as I get enough stares already without photographing random women wearing fanny-packs from behind). Complete with entire sets of cheers, claps, and encouragement material to bark, bellow, and squawk at their children, the Volleyball Moms ensure no dull moment is to be had during the course of the game. Despite the voracity of these moms they’re remarkably kind generous, often sitting beside or among moms from other teams (something I never found to be the case among American Soccer Moms, who always seem about an inch away from having their way with the opposing side using a broken beer bottle and a minivan). I found a seat behind the cheering moms, and waited for the first match to begin. The girls spilled onto the court, practicing some warm-ups. I spotted my host mother giving slight direction, but for the most part the practice seemed autonomous. The girls eventually formed a line at the side of the court, bowed and shook hands with the opposing team, bowed to the referee, and donned their “Let’s Get It On” faces. Before the first serve, as well as every serve to come, the captain would shout something in a high pitched voice that the others on the team would then repeat. As the game progressed, and the girls fired shot after shot over the net (followed often by a bump, a set, and a spike), I started to notice a certain robot-like nature to the proceedings, much like Van Buren’s “Political Machine” of 1821. Imaginative and able to adapt, but in the end always keeping to the basics. The Hachihama team did a good job of staying in the game, and as the score remained tied at 22, then 23, then 24 I regretted not taking a bathroom break before the action began. It was a true nail-biter, but a well-placed spike, slipping past Hachihama’s defenses, sealed the deal for the opposing team. It was a tough loss, but these Hachihama girls are from the streets, and the school of hard knocks, so it’ll take more than one loss to break their morale. After the game I interviewed some of the players about their thoughts of volleyball, but their Pretty Princess responses of “fun” and “exciting” kept me from pressing the subject. I didn’t dare turn my back, though, lest a well placed spike make this 31st Annual Tamano Elementary School Volleyball Tournament my last.
 Fukuoka on a Tuesday is Decadent and Depraved 4/20/2005 08:57:00 AM
I found this slipped under my door at the Washington Hotel room 1346 addressed to a certain H.S. Thompson, c/o Raoul Duke: “Jolted awake from the top of an unmade bed at 8 in the morning as Rahul buttons the high neck collar of his Fukuoka school uniform. Violent flashbacks of hurricane-like winds the night before, recommended Fukuoka microbreweries, and drinking rum at a place called “Beers.” Checking the phone messages and noticing many, I ask Rahul what’s going on with the state of the world. “There was an earthquake; I didn’t know what was going on.” The front desk of the hotel is on the intercom radio, blaring in Japanese. Elevator out of order, I’ll have to use the stairs from the 13th floor. Just like a bad movie. How did I end up in an unkempt bed clutching a bottle of green tea for dear life, nerves recovering from the shock of being wired to the limit of sensory perception? My eyes focus on the New Testament, found even here in the Washington Hotel, placed by the ever present yet mysteriously shrouded “Gideons.” Who are these hotel-frequenting religious wraiths? Luke 11:25 “And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. This hotel room will not be seeing a state of order within the next few hours, especially following a mind-bending Tuesday night spilling my way down the street with my attorney, Rahul (a large 300-pound Samoan), and Janna (an innocent bystander we dragged along for the evening). That damn elevator announcement again, broadcast to all rooms by a phantom speaker system embedded in the walls. Half a mind to ride that bastard straight to the bottom and fill the concierge’s face full of mace. At least until he’s “prim and proper” at this hour in the morning. Rahul washes his face while I lay paralyzed on the bed. More flashbacks; playing guitar with a man from Tehran who has lived in Japan for over 22 years. He studied Psychology at Tehran’s “second strictest university” but now happily runs a hard rock bar called the “Black Shark.” Check my wallet to find a fistful of “Free Charge Passes, open Friday and Saturday, 3:00 AM to late morning.” Love to meet again over whiskey tonics for a nice discussion if I’m not run out of the town by late afternoon. Another swig from the bottle of green tea while the god-damn message blares for a fourth time. I don’t need this sort of interruption anytime before noon. Rahul and I shake hands, and he exits the tousled hotel room. Best of luck at school. Also in my wallet, the card of Yoichi Takamoto, president and founder of TMSUK, premier robotic design company of Kita-Kyushu. Ah yes, finally uncovering the reason I made the 6 hour road trip to Fukuoka. You can find Takamoto by following the sound of his muffler tip, straight to a kitted Subaru with an obvious pirate theme dominating the interior. He prides himself with the pirate image, expressed through the TMSUK company slogan, “Pirates of Roboticians.” Simply judging by appearances, Yoichi would strike most as an unconventional inventor. His beard and goatee would be better accustomed to the captain of any scurvy brigadier flying the skull and bones on the high seas. But the pirate façade is not one of laziness; Takamoto has been a busy man, putting 13 robotic models on the production line in the last 10 years. Known as a major celebrity in Kita-Kyushu, Takamoto finds the location an excellent working environment thanks to the local government bill legalizing robots on public streets, a luxury specifically banned in other parts of Japan. Takamoto got an odd start in the robotic field, originally majoring in Archaeology before eventually switching jobs completely to manufacture conveyor belts used in food production (he holds the patent for the world’s first detachable belt). While contemplating the efficiency of conveyor technology in the home, he made the obvious jump to personal robot appliances for household use. Takamoto’s first robot, A/ TMSUK-1, strikes the viewer as an oversized Duplo toy. A secretarial robot with large, friendly eyes, it can escort visitors to various locations within a building then return to recharge its battery. Much has changed over the years, and the more recent robotic inventions from TMSUK include a rescue robot, the T-62, capable of lifting small cars and supporting the weight of a falling building. Controlled either remotely or by a human inside the hull of the robot, the T-62 looks a bit like “Short Circuit’s” Johnny 5. Or perhaps his older, bigger brother. Takamoto’s most recent invention, in conjunction with Sanyo, is the “Roborior.” A house robot that can be controlled by phone, the Roborior can relay video to almost anywhere in the world. Using the phone as a joystick the robot can be guided with directional buttons on the keypad, enabling a traveling Japanese housewife in London to view the status of her Tokyo apartment thousands of miles and one major ocean away. The robot, about the size of a soccer ball, radiates a friendly glow reminiscent of the glow worm, with all the cuteness and appeal of a small pet (which may even invoke a feeling of love). Patented and overpriced love, but love nonetheless, brought to you by a Sanyo/TMSUK partnership. Slip his business card back into my wallet, and snap back to the reality of the moment. From my 13th floor overlooking the city of Fukuoka, the hotel is racked from an aftershock of the earthquake. Stronger than I expected, but not a rare experience when it comes to Japan. Janna knocks on the door and enters the room while sirens whine in the distance. Good to know she survived the previous night, returning to her room sometime after sleep got the better of me. A message from Rahul comes over the Mojo wire. All trains in the city have been stopped, massive crowds in the station. Looks like he’ll be taking a bus to school. Janna returns to her room to pack; we’ll have to rush to catch the continental breakfast. The lifts are working by now, which is good news for all. Descending with my baggage in the elevator, I meet Janna on the bottom floor. From behind her comes Rahul, in school uniform, sweating after a run up 10 flights of stairs (he made it that far when they announced the lifts would begin operating again). He says all the busses have been rerouted to highways only, and perhaps his school has been cancelled. Looks like he will be bumming around with us for the day. Earthquake day. And just another Wednesday morning in Japan.”
 Welcome To Reality 4/18/2005 03:44:00 AM
Here we go: This Saturday, following a late-night Hanami party at Miyama Park the night before, I had planned to go fishing with my host father and two if his friends. My host father owns a small boat and regularly goes fishing with friends from work to relax and enjoy the ocean air. We left the house around three in the afternoon, drove to a nearby fishing supply shop for new lures, then swung by a Konbini to pick up onigiri and o-bentos for dinner on the boat. Arriving at the harbor I met my host father’s friend (Asamura-san, a fellow banker) and climbed aboard the SS Kondou. We spent about an hour fishing off the coast of Tamano (with little luck) before receiving a call from another friend of my host father who has just come from work and was waiting for us at the harbor. Stowing our fishing poles and bait, my host father maneuvered the ship back to port to pick up our fourth companion who introduced himself as Yokogawa-san. We spoke for a while (he mentioned that I had met his wife at a volleyball meeting with my host mother the previous week) and exchanged general introductions. He asked me about my future, what I was doing in Japan, and if I enjoyed fishing. In regard to fishing, to be honest, I can’t remember the last time I cast a pole into any body of water. I have vague memories of fishing in the pouring rain as a child, and also recall a mild phobia of spearing worms onto fish hooks (which may explain the lack of fishing experience). Nonetheless I was excited to take a fishing trip, if only to get out to sea. Wind tearing through my hair on the warm afternoon, my host father navigated the boat to his favorite location near Naoshima Island. Using a depth meter we found the “perfect spot” and dropped anchor to keep us in the correct position. My host father handed me a pole, gave me a quick run-through on its operation, and left me to my own devices. I didn’t have much luck for the first 30 minutes or so. My host father、on the other hand, caught about 5 fish while I tried desperately to mimic his motions. After receiving a few pointers from Yokogawa-san and my host father, I got the hang of the correct depth and motion I should use with the lures. Soon after, I felt the first nibble on the line and reeled in a medium sized fish to add to the collection below deck. For the next few hours we chatted, caught fish, and enjoyed the relaxation that is inherent within fishing as the sun set over the Inland Sea. The wind began to pick up, but everyone was wearing heavy windbreakers and didn’t seem to mind. Between the hours of 5 and midnight, the four of us caught what I would assume to be between 50 and 60 fish. I contributed about 15 of those, including one instance where I caught two fish at once on the same line. I also caught a few small squid in a net which my host father cleaned, and I ate right on the spot (still wiggling slightly). A little after midnight we decided to pack up and call it a night. While I was winding fishing line and stowing the fishing poles below deck, Yokogawa-san and Asamura-san began to raise the anchors out of the water. All of a sudden, Yokogawa-san fell onto my host father who was standing in the back of the boat near the engine. I though he might be having a heart attack, so my host father called an ambulance while I tried to clear a space on the boat for Yokogawa to lie down. He wasn’t conscious and I didn’t think he was breathing so Asamura-san cut the ropes attached to the anchors while my host father gunned the boat back to the Tai harbor. I couldn’t find a pulse in Yokogawa’s wrist or neck, so Asamura-san tried to perform mouth-to-mouth. The boat was too cramped for CPR, and it was very hard to keep Yokogawa-san in an upright position because his muscles seemed very stiff. As we approached the harbor, I grabbed a headlamp and flagged down the ambulance. At that point my host father and his friend tied up the boat while I was left with Yokogawa-san. I still couldn’t feel a pulse but kept his head and chest elevated with whatever I could find until the men from the ambulance finally arrived with a gurney and portable defibrillator. The paramedics had to cut off Yokogawa’s shirt and jacket to get the pads attached to his chest. The machine was flat-lined and showed no heartbeat, and kept scrolling the phrase “no shock advised” in English. The paramedics said he should be moved to the ambulance, so we quickly lifted the gurney off the boat. My host mother arrived as the ambulance pulled away, and I could see the men attempting CPR through the back window. My host mother suggested we go home while my host father docked the boat and drove to the hospital. Back at home my host mother asked me a few questions then left for the hospital. Keiko was awake, even though it was very late, but I had a difficult time getting to sleep because I assumed Yokogawa-san was dead. In the morning I awoke to find my host father downstairs. He looked as if he didn’t get much sleep, and told me that the paramedics were able to get Yokogawa’s heart started again in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I don’t know much about his condition, but the doctors said they are hopeful that he will make a recovery. I was amazingly relieved, because I had assumed we didn’t make it to the harbor in time and Yokogawa-san had died in my arms. It was certainly a tragedy, but I am glad that there were four of us on the fishing trip because with only three people it would have been much more difficult to navigate back to shore. The whole experience gave me quite a shock, with a stern realization of how quickly situations can change for the worse. I will be visiting Yokogawa-san in the hospital soon to check on his condition but for now I can only hope that he will make a recovery. He was only 49 years old, and ten minutes before he collapsed I had no idea he was in any trouble. I might be taking a break from any more fishing trips.
 Correct Orientation 4/14/2005 06:03:00 AM
I’m in a perpetual haze of pain following the first day of Kendo practice as a second year student at Tamano High School. As of today I have spent a little under a week with my new host family in Hachihama, which is proving to be a slightly different style of life than the previous two host families. The events of the past week have been fast and furious, but I’ll see what I can recall over the dull throbbing muscle aches. First of all, being a second year student comes with a healthy dose of seniority at Tamano High School. My new classroom, situated on the second floor of the main building, allows for a keen vantage point where I can get a better view of the first-year students and their respective first-year activities (giggling, mulling around in little groups, wrestling, etc). My classroom also comes equipped with two new homeroom teachers. Yamasaki-sensei would make for the perfect Prohibition Era gangster with his slim facial features and pinstriped suit. Put a Tommy gun in his hands and you’ve got yourself a first rate Mugsy. Nomura-sensei, his apparent partner in crime, is new to Tamano High School. On the first day of class he was asked to tell a little about himself. He prefaced his personal introduction by stating his love for alcohol, and drew a likeness of his favorite shot glass on the board. He continued with an anecdote about drinking and driving, and then went on to describe his various trips outside of Japan, his family, where he currently lives, etc. A stark contrast from personal introductions in America, where even the mention of alcohol might put a damper on your teaching career. However, I found the speech rather informative (and probably more truthful). Two fine Senseis. The rest of the day was business as usual. I have new teachers for Japanese Society, Chinese, and English, but I’m still waiting to see how the rest of the week will unfold. Judo class remains the same, but I have a different partner who weighs a good deal more than stick-like Fuminori who I was often paired with last year. After school I found my way to the Kendo Jo for the first practice of the year. Sadly, the previous Kendo teacher, Sakaguchi-sensei (who had the best English of anyone I have met in Japan) retired last year. The new teacher, Ishii-sensei (I would soon come to discover) is a viable replacement. Although he speaks no English at all and appears to be between 55 and 60 years old, he is the craziest man I have ever seen with a bamboo sword in his hands. His high-pitched squeals of "Kote!" and "Men!" were enough to deeply frighten me, and he ended up pushing me all over the Kendo floor (giving me a workout I could feel for a few days). Aside from school, the other activities for the week included a trip to Okayama where I happened to meet Saeki-san at a Shamisen concert. We then went to lunch with her sister and brother-in-law after viewing some lovely Ikebana on the 6th floor of the Tenmaya department store. For the most part, I had forgotten how much time school seems to take out of my day. While I miss the solid month of waking up at the crack of noon, it is nice to see my friends again. So far, I have discovered the bike ride to school lasts about 35 minutes (25 if I’m in a hurry) but isn’t very daunting. I will devote a later entry to the actual process of arriving at school due from Hachihama to its lengthy yet beautiful nature. Until then, if you feel the need to reach me in Japan, direct your comments, concerns, and fan/hate mail to: Raoul Duke 613-1 Hachi Hachihama, Tamano 7060223 JAPAN I am also able to receive mail at my previous three addresses.
 A Whole New World 4/10/2005 05:08:00 AM
I have moved to my final host family and I now come to you live from the living room of Kondo-san’s house in Hachihama. Upon arriving, I was shocked to find a spanking new computer from which I can continue to easily blog Japanese lifestyle (of course I would have kept writing even if I didn’t have a computer in the house, but this way I don’t have to hang out in libraries, internet cafes, or shady wi-fi hotspots to give you the daily recount of Japan). The move from Kawai-san’s house was emotional (you grow rather attached to a family when you live with them for any amount of time), and after spending 100 days in Kawai-san’s house it was strange to see my bags packed and room clean (for once). Aketa-san came to help move my bicycle and large number of suitcases to Hachihama, and some of Tomoya’s friends also came to wish me goodbye (and rummage through my bags looking for exciting things to play with/break/ask to keep). It was perhaps a little more difficult for Kawai-san when the time came for me to leave. I packed my bags into a new host mother’s car, and moved on to another exciting adventure in Japan while she had to wave goodbye. The night before I left we exchanged gifts from American and Japan (Tomoya, instead of the mayor of Tamano, ended up with the massive West Virginia flag), and she told me that she and her husband were taking a trip to Fukushima so she wouldn’t feel too sad. She also added that I could stop by anytime, especially to eat some of grandma Kawai-san’s delicious yaki-soba (an opportunity I fully plan to exercise). Kondo-san, my new host mother, came to pick me up in a sporty green car decked-out with a variety of Snoopy dolls. We piled my suitcases into the back of Aketa-san’s truck, and shoved the remainder into the back of Kondo-san’s mini (I was surprised it could still move with all the weight). I waved a final goodbye to my host family, and was soon on the road to Hachihama. First, a little bit about the location: Hachihama, translated as “eight beaches,” is unique in that there are actually no beaches in the area (due to reclaimed land). The sea is very close, however, and I can reach it with a short bike ride from the house. Location-wise the house is reasonably far from civilization, but aside from distance there aren’t too many mountains separating me from the Hachihama bus station, Tamano High School, and Okayama (if I’m feeling adventurous on the bicycle). Also, the scenery is magnificent with a large mountain (Kinko-zan) rising from behind the house and rice fields stretching out toward the sea (last night I witnessed someone with a blowtorch burning old leaves in a field, a definite first since arriving in Japan). The family of Kondo consists of my host father (Nobuharu), mother (Junko),　sister (Nobuko), and dog (Boss). My host father works in a bank and is an avid fisherman (he owns a boat and has offered to take me to an island where the fishing is excellent). Junko-san works as a counselor for the Hachihama Middle School, but is also an ardent volleyball player and coach. Nobuko is a college student at Okayama University studying Intercultural Communications; a major that she says is difficult yet exciting. She has a part time job at a local café, and plans on becoming a flight attendant. She traveled to New Zealand to study English last year (although she couldn’t find any pictures of the trip aside from her host father giving the dog a bath) and plans to study in America (perhaps Miami) next year. The dog, Boss, is 14, friendly, and very fat. After Kondo-san brought me back to the house, I was introduced to two more members of the family, Obaachan and Baba. Obaachan is Nobuko’s grandmother, but I have not yet discerned the relation of Baba (in Japanese “baba” translates as “old woman,” so I decided to simply leave it at that). They live in a large house adjoining Kondo-san’s, with a large Japanese garden that is shared between the two houses. My first night, the whole family gathered for “maki-zushi,” a type of make-your-own-sushi, with fried shrimp and miso soup on the side. I showed my family pictures from America (slightly outdated by this time), and some more recent DVDs from Japan on the computer. Pictures, as well as a more in-depth description of the house and surrounding area will come soon, but for now I can safely say I will have dedicated (high speed) internet access and computer, which leaves me feeling relieved. For now, delicious smells are wafting from the kitchen, which requires my investigation.
 Time For A Change 4/08/2005 08:46:00 AM
Over the weekend, Micah came all the way from Kanonji to hang with the fly Tamano crew. The festivities kicked off at Neil's house on Saturday night, followed by a packed BBQ on Sunday with the host family and most of Tai (two foreign exchange students in the same town, bring your friends!). I've scoured the pictures of Saturday night, but have come to the sad conclusion that it is unbloggable (which is really saying something because between Micah and I we took a ton of pictures). Perhaps I can find a few that aren't too risqué. As for the rest of Micah’s time in Tamano (and because of reasons I will explain later), I am going to let the pictures do the talking. I promise it was a fantastic end to spring break. Speaking of which, it is finally spring here in Japan. A time of new beginnings, as they say. The Sakura are blossoming, the weather is peachy, and most everyone I’ve spoken with is in a friendly spring kind of mood. In that vein, I also started back to school today as a second year student (cheers!). Neil threw a small BBQ party at his house in celebration of Miwako’s new job at the Mitsui Shipyard, and it was a joyous welcome for the coming school year. But now for some big news: This Saturday, I will move to my third (and final) host family in Hachihama. It is a fairly remote part of Tamano, and I doubt I will have computer or Internet access. I have been told, however, that I can play guitar in the forest to attract small woodland animals to my location. I might also start a regular meditation schedule. Who knows! I will eventually find a way to continue updating the blog, so bare with me while I “switch it up” with the host family. All kinds of new experiences, and a little over three months left of my time in Japan. Until next time...
 And Then We Eat It 4/07/2005 03:08:00 AM

This weekend I received a summons to an “invitation only” Soba-making party held in Tamano. I was surprised by the offer but was thrilled with the opportunity to make some authentic Japanese noodles. I arrived around noon to find 10 people and the master soba chef talking in the main room of a small 2nd floor coffee house. Recently, I was featured in the Tamano City magazine as one of the “international visitors,” so some people commented that they had read the article when I introduced myself. At first I was a little worried about barging in on the soba making process, but everyone at the party was quite talkative and friendly. The chef, and older gentleman who had been making and sampling soba for many years, gave a small introduction speech then got down to business. He combined a special wheat-flour with eggs and water, then kneaded the crumbly goat-cheese like mixture until a large round ball of dough formed. He then used a massive cutting board and wooden rolling pin to systematically flatten the dough to the thickness of a few millimeters. The dough was then folded into a small rectangle about the size of a college textbook. Perhaps the most interesting step in the soba making process is the cutting of the noodles. This (along with slight ingredient variation) is what differentiates soba from other Japanese noodles (mainly ramen and udon). The soba chef pulled out a very large, very flat knife, and with the edge of a smaller cutting board as a guide began to slice the soba into thin lengths. When he was about finished, he asked me to give the slicing a try and I feebly wielded the large knife, cutting some decent looking lengths of dough. As for the preparation/boiling of the noodles themselves, the chef recommended no more than 30 seconds of boiling time per portion of soba. He then insisted that the soba must be eaten within three minutes of boiling, else the soba lose its flavor. Everyone in the coffee shop took a seat while the chef and his assistant (I believe it was his wife and daughter) boiled the soba and served the guests at the party. We first ate the noodles dipped in cold water, to get a better taste of the soba flavor, before moving on to soba dipped in soy sauce with wasabi on the side. After about 10 platefuls of soba had been passed around the table we finished the meal with some smoked fish and a thimbleful of sake (or two). I didn’t think making soba could be such a social event, but I got to know a good deal about the other guests at the party. Following the soba making festivities, I procured the soba chef’s business card and returned home to clean up the house. Why the cleaning job? For one reason, my room was a disaster zone after a solid month of traveling, parties, and sleeping. But also because that evening Micah was coming all the way from Kanonji to visit Tamano for a few days. It was difficult to convince his host Rotary counselor to let him come, but after my host mother talked with him on the phone he willingly agreed to let Micah “out of the cage that is Shikoku” (my Rotary counselor, Aketa-san, had no problem with letting me travel to Kanonji, but perhaps because Kanonji is in the middle of nowhere, and Aketa-san is a cool guy).

Stay tuned for reggae, BBQs, and a little bit of bubble blowing.

 Retrograde Motion 4/06/2005 05:23:00 AM
Sony is a great company. From the Walkman to the Playstation to the Aibo, they always seem to deliver a decent product that knocks your grandma's socks right off. However, while teaching English at a Juku in Tamano, Micah and I came across the greatest Sony invention EVER, which somehow slipped through the cracks of time. It's called the "Sony Teaching Card Player," and for all I know it was only released in Japan sometime in the 80s or early 90s. The device is about the size of a small lunchbox, and a little heavier than a briefcase. It comes with various cards fitted with magnetic stripes, which you place into the reader. The Card Reader then dictates a small passage written on the card, with the intention of teaching the listener simple English phrases. Like the first person who realized a turn-table could be used for other uses than strictly record playing, Micah and I immediately "scratched" the cards through the reader. By the end of our five minute jam session, we were laughing too hard and had to give the machine back to Otani-san before we fell over and passed out. I can't find any reference to the machine online, but I will be borrowing/stealing the card reader from Otani-san to lay down some dope tracks under the name "MC Sony Teaching Card Player." Here are some samples (click for the video): Instructional card: "I can run, I can run" Instructional card: Woman singing, followed by "Sing" Absolutely ridiculous, and just another reason I'm glad to be alive.
 Playground Osaka 4/05/2005 08:47:00 AM
On April Fools Day, Shoko asked if I wanted to join her on a trip to Osaka to see Mama Mia, the “smash musical hit” based entirely on ABBA songs. Never one to turn down an exciting experience, but slightly wary of the coincidental date, I agreed to meet her in Okayama for a trip to the “big city.” I ended up riding the same bus with her to Okayama (which calmed my fears about a cruel April Fools joke), and we talked about what she had been doing recently as well as some general facts about Osaka. Apparently, Osaka is one of the fastest moving cities in the world, in league with Tokyo and New York. People walk faster in Osaka than other parts of Japan, and use the left side of the escalator for waiting and the right side for people in a hurry (the reverse is true for other cities in Japan). Shoko also informed me that she purchased a new TV, even larger than her old TV (which is the largest I have seen in a house in Japan), and invited me over anytime to sit and vegetate in front of the massive screen. Arriving in Okayama, I treated Shoko to a breakfast at Starbucks, and then proceeded to the ticket counter for train tickets to Osaka. Boarding the Shinkansen, Shoko pulled out her new iPod mini (a birthday present from Masatoshi) and we both listened to some tunes on the speedy 44 minute ride from Okayama to Osaka. Arriving in Osaka, it didn’t immediately appear different from any other Japanese city. I did notice the use of the opposite side of the escalator (very strange) and we boarded a train to Osaka-Jo Koen (Osaka Castle Park), our first destination before the show. I had visited Himeji and Okayama castles before, but the Osaka castle is the newest of the three (reconstructed in 1931). Striding across a large park near the station, we crossed a bridge and entered the grounds of the castle proper. Osaka castle can be easily recognized as a Japanese castle from the multi-tiered roof and large protective stone walls. Osaka castle, to the best of my knowledge, was burned to the ground and rebuilt sometime before the Meiji Restoration. Shoko and I spent some time walking around in the interior of the castle, where I overheard a Hebrew-speaking couple but couldn’t remember enough conversational Hebrew for an intelligent conversation. The castle itself was a multileveled museum, with a large observation deck on the top floor. Many large and decisive battles in Japanese history had been fought at the site, and scores of artifacts had been collected at the museum. After the castle, Shoko and I took a different path back to the station passing a considerable line of girls waiting for a Japanese boy-band concert at the Osaka Dome. They were all carrying pink bags, and some looked as if they had been waiting in line for a long time. Back at the station, Shoko and I bought a quick lunch before entering the Mama Mia concert music hall. I didn’t know quite what to expect from Mama Mia. It is based on ABBA songs, which to me seems like it’s either going to be excellent or terrible, with little gray area in between. I have little knowledge of ABBA’s music (outside of Dancing Queen and the title track, Mama Mia), especially the Japanese versions. Entering the large concert hall, Shoko and I took our respective seats (she bought the tickets online, accidentally in separate rows). I noted very few men were in the auditorium, but the same might go for Mama Mia performances around the world. To my wonderful surprise, from the time the curtain went up until it finally closed again after several bows, Mama Mia was amazing. The singing, dance numbers, and acting was so phenomenal that I didn’t even feel burdened with the task of translating the Japanese. The costumes were also astonishing, but maybe it has just been a while since I have seen a large-scale musical. The theatre group that put on the musical is also supposed to be one of the best in Japan, so I was thoroughly satisfied with the final product. The story of Mama Mia is a simple one; a girl invites three of her mother’s childhood lovers to her wedding ceremony with the hopes of discovering her real father. Singing, dancing, and all around hilarity ensued, with ABBA oddly fitting for the occasion. At the end of the show the cast came out for a massive dance number, followed by three curtain calls and numerous rounds of applause. After the musical, and thanking Shoko profusely for the tickets, we met her friend Kishi-san and daughter Hiroko before going to dinner at “Creative Sushi” near Osaka station. Kishi-san is a pharmacist, and her daughter is currently studying medicine in Osaka. On the way to Creative Sushi, I received the shock of the day by running into Andee’s host family from Tamano. Out of the countless number of people in Osaka that day, what are the chances of running into someone recognizable from Tamano? It was Andee’s host sister’s first day at college, and her mother had come along to help her move into the new apartment. We had a quick, shocked conversation before regaining composure and continuing to the restaurant. Creative Sushi was certainly that, with about four courses of various sushi concoctions served, before being handed a menu with numerous sushi-of-the-day selections. I chatted with Hiroko, the college student, and Kishi-san about my stay in Japan, and then a little more in depth with Kiroko about college in Osaka. We laughed, ate sushi, and took pictures before finally returning to the station to say goodbye. Back in Okayama, Shoko and I rode the train home together before I departed at Bizen-Tai station. An excellent day in Osaka, and I would love the chance to visit again.
 Great Chefs, Electronic Devices 4/04/2005 11:04:00 PM
As a child, I would regularly watch “Great Chefs of the World.” It wasn’t quite an obsession, and I never had true aspirations of becoming a chef, but the program happened to be on when I came home from school and I therefore watched it with some frequency. As a result, I gained some insight into what I would consider a “well presented dish,” complete with a harmoniously arranged piece or meat, fish, or pork dressed with field greens, and topped with a drizzling of black peppercorn sauce for flavor and aroma. So when my host mother mentioned we were going out to lunch with a couple of her friends, and drove into the mountains near Yuga-san (the location of the fire-walking earlier this year), I never expected our final destination to be on par with “Great Chefs” type dining. The restaurant, called Felice, was nestled among the mountains of Japan and I doubt I could find the restaurant on my own if I tried again. It featured a lovely English garden and wonderful view from its top-secret location. Accompanying us at the lunch was my host brother, about 5 of my mother’s friends from work, and two younger girls. Before our appetizers arrived, we went through the regular Japanese ritual of displaying our cell phones and eventually placing them on the table (as you would a pair of glasses). The two girls each pulled out Nintendo Gameboys (one a new DS, the other and older SP). But all electronics had the opposite effect of what I had expected. There was much conversation, and in fact the cell phones become conversational pieces in themselves as people snapped pictures and showed them to the guests at the party. The foods at Felice were delicious, certainly meriting Benjamin’s Stamp of International Dining Approval. About halfway through the meal I received a call on my phone from Michiko in Tsuyama. Stepping out into the lovely English garden of Felice, she told me that her husband had arranged a meeting for me with the president of the company TMSUK, a major name in Japanese robotics which has various models currently on display at the World Fair in Aichi. I was floored, and she asked me if I was free on the 19th of April. The company is located in Fukuoka, so I might also get to see Rahul again before the end of my stay in Japan. This news comes after being called randomly while I was in Kanonji by the husband of the president of the Okayama Institute of Languages to ask if I could have a meeting with him to discuss the new internet café he will be opening in Okayama during Golden Week. I met Katayama-san the following week in Okayama (he told me to call him Mr. K) and he asked me a few questions about my knowledge of internet cafés, blogging, and general internet related activity. I also met the head technician of the café, who was from China and only spoke Chinese and Japanese but we managed to have a relatively in-depth conversations about web serves despite the language barrier. Mr. K will be traveling to China and America this month (he also owns and oil company), but we arranged another meeting once the internet café opens in May. After the meal at Felice, one of the girls pulled out a set of fancy looking cards with pictures of various clothing articles on each face. She explained that the game is currently very popular in Japan, and can be played at game machines in arcades all over Japan. The game involves interacting with a virtual manifestation of yourself, and then receiving a card with various dresses, shoes, hats, accessories, and hair styles with which you can augment and “pimp” your virtual character. All games are linked through the internet, so no matter where you play the game your character remains saved. The cards you receive can also be traded with friends, family, and strangers on the street for an eclectic mix of virtual and real-life game aspects. Yes indeed, Japan is very cool. The following day I traveled with Shoko to Osaka, but for the sake of partition I will leave it for another entry.
 Shikoku Excursion and the Difficulties of Being Threadbare 4/01/2005 09:46:00 AM
I am ecstatic. Can you guess why? It might be because I spent an excellent day in Osaka, but no, it is something far more exciting than the trip to Osaka and Kanonji combined. So excellent, in fact, that I will do something I don’t usually do and post a picture in the middle of a blog entry. That’s right kids; I just repaired a large gash in the sleeve of my sweater with my own two hands, a needle, and some thread. I haven’t accomplished anything this great in the area of arts, crafts, and homewares since the legendary model car track made of magazines, newspapers, and wood that rocketed toy wind-up cars off my bed, into the hallway, down a large flight of stairs and out the front door with speed, accuracy, and frightening efficiency. Truly, that thing worked like gangbusters. But this sewing accomplishment blows that creation right out of the water. Sure, I could have left the gash in my sleeve. In fact at an Osaka shopping mall I spotted a “made to order” jeans location where you can select (from a menu) various cuts, burns, and patches that make your jeans not only unique, but also removes the hassle of actually getting some use out of the jeans because they unravel and fall right off on the street. Betty Ross may have created the spirit of America by (supposedly) sewing the American Flag, but I have resurrected the American soul with some blue thread and a little ingenuity. Then again, perhaps that is a little exaggeration. I am, however, always ready for a deal. In Tsuyama I made sure to visit my favorite awesome clothes discount store, Mate. You might remember the picture of my spanking new jacket I purchased from that location. In truth I didn’t really like the jacket, but I was only $3. You can’t beat that with a stick! And deals like that certainly don’t come often. In fact, I would challenge anyone who happens to stumble upon this blog to go and find a three-dollar jacket of similar quality and style. You can’t do it! And if you can prove me wrong I will totally* send the three dollars required to purchase the jacket of your choosing (of equal of lesser three-dollar value). Send self-addressed stamped envelope to: Three-Dollar Jacket Happy Challenge Contest Japan C/o Benjamin Gleitzman 3-18-39 Tai Tamano, Okayama 7060001 JAPAN *Disclaimer: this contest is coming from someone who, at an early age, once poured an entire box of Cheerios on the living room floor and with a straight face told my father, “I don’t know who did it, but it wasn’t me.” I don’t think he has ever trusted me since. With that out of the way, and still feeling quite excellent about the sewing of the sweater, a recap of the last few days. This weekend I took a trip to visit my good friend Micah in Kanonji. Kanonji is a very small town on the island of Shokoku, with various tourist attractions but actually (Micah tells me) very little to explore entertainment wise. Micah, who I learned has apparently been living “Fear and Loathing in Tokushima” over the past week of spring break, spent most of the morning with me telling stories back and about our various Japanese adventures. I’ve traveled a lot of places, but his weekend in Tokushima probably trumps every exchange student’s story on Shikoku, and perhaps the entire southern part of Japan. No kidding. But my real reason for coming to Kanonji was the 50th anniversary festival being thrown in the town. Micah said that flyers had been posted in train stations and bus stops as far away as Takamatsu, so I was expecting some craziness. There was a little rain that day, but I was very impressed with the large amount of “chosas” present at the festival. Chosa can be translated as “portable shrine,” and most of the festival was centered around the 30 or 40 drunk men per chosa lifting them high into the air. Micah and I found some of his schoolmates as well as girls dressed in Hello Kitty and Pikachu costumes before striking out on our own into the crowd in search of excitement. To our dismay, the festival ended around 4:30 so we accompanied the parade of chosas back toward Micah’s house. That night Micah’s host father, who is head of the Rotary Club in the area, took us to an amazing dinner at a nearby Hotel with some family relatives. Micah’s host father can be very difficult to understand, and in fact I admire Micah for doing his best to live a peaceful life in their household. The problem is that Micah’s father speaks “Sanuki Ben,” a sort of obscure and heavy dialect of Japanese whose name comes from the old word for Kagawa, “Sanuki.” He also mumbles, which does not help the situation. As a result he ends up sounding like a Japanese Ozzy Osbourne with broken, often incomprehensible statements, grunts, and whistles (okay I made that part up). But he was an excellent guy so I can’t fault him there. At the restaurant, steak and sushi were on the menu as well as anything else we cared to order. Excellent conversation and displaying of the day’s photos occurred throughout the meal, and we returned properly stuffed to Micah’s house. That evening Micah played me a ton of Japanese CDs that I had never heard before. It’s sad to say but the best resource of Japanese music to date has come from Micah, who lives in Ohio. Following the Japanese jam session we played some electric guitar, told more stories, walked around the town for a while, and fell asleep to the smooth sounds of Miles Davis. The next morning (or early afternoon, to be exact) Micah’s host mother made a very large breakfast after which Micah’s father and a friend took us on a grand tour of Shikoku. Our first destination was perhaps Kanonji’s most famous tourist attraction, the Zenigata Sand Coin. It is a massive coin, sculpted in sand on the beach of Kanonji that we viewed from a nearby mountain. The sheer size of the coin was amazing, even though there was heavy fog that morning and I had a difficult time seeing the entire coin in the distance. I could feel it’s presence, spread upon the beach like an ancient crop circle. Thought to have been sculpted in 1633, the coin is cleaned and maintained every year by Kanonji residents and High School students. Our next destinations were a few of the 88 Temples of Kobo Daishi, who you should remember from my last trip to Konpira-san. Many people make the pilgrimage to all 88 Temples on foot, a journey that takes about two or three months to complete. I found the three temples that we attended to be quite beautiful, although one looked very new and was made of concrete because the original temple has been blown down during one of the recent typhoons. I would not mind making the journey on foot to at least a few of the temples scattered around Japan. We then stopped at a Hotel owned by a Rotary member for some coffee and a small chat. I had to take a train back to Tamano, so we quickly grabbed some Sanuki Udon, famous in that area of Kagawa, and I walked with Micah back to Kagawa station before saying goodbye. On the whole even though the festival wasn't that eventful I toured some excellent places and has a super time sharing stories with Micah, and would be happy to return again to Kanonji.
 The Road to Tsuyama 3/29/2005 05:31:00 AM
Since Janna’s mother happened to be in Japan, it would be silly not to throw a little party in Tsuyama. At first Janna asked her Rotary counselor, Tomosue-san (who you may remember as the man with the Hummer) and he agreed to have the party at one of his three very large houses. Some problems arose and he later told Janna we couldn’t have the party at his house, but instead arranged for the use of the Tsuyama International Hotel as the merrymaking location. Janna invited about 25 of her teachers, friends, and Tsuyama High School Judo team members for a night of tacos, music, and general American-style excitement. I was welcomed to Tsuyama around 12:30 on Thursday by a mix of clouds and drizzle. Janna and her mother (who had packed an entire suitcase full of taco mix) were out shopping for meats and other party provisions so I spent the day walking Tsuyama. The first stop was my favorite clothing shop, Mate, where I purchased a swanky new jacket and some t-shirts for the impending Japanese summer. At Joyfulls, a type of Japanese 24 hour dining location, I grabbed some fries and a mediocre hamburger (more like a meatloaf sandwich) before walking to the hotel amid cloudy skies to meet Janna. The party was being held in the garden of the International Hotel (accessed through a series of back doors and stairwells through a valet parking lot), with a large connecting tatami room piled high with food, drinks, and American candy. I was introduced to Janna’s host family (perhaps her fifth, she moves often), and her sister and I set out to make some latkes. I couldn’t find a grater, so Janna’s host sister and I diced potatoes and onions by hand. It is amazing how well you get to know someone while crying your eyes out over a chopped onion. She had spent about 3 months in New Zealand, so we alternated between Japanese, English, and sobbing. Around 5 guests started to arrive for the party. I was frying latkes by the entrance, and greeted everyone with a hearty “Irashyai!” Cori and Katrin, exchange students from Okayama, arrived and joined the fun along with various Tsuyama Rotary members, Kimura-sensei, and about 15 students from Janna’s school. Michiko, whose house I stayed at last time I traveled to Tsuyama also made an appearance and informed me she would be studying Marketing at California Berkeley over the summer. She wanted me to come and see her, but even with my poor American geography skills I could tell flying from Boston to CA would be a bit pricey. We decided on New York as a compromise. The party went amazingly well, with tons of food to spare. Janna gave a small introduction on how to make tacos, and everyone dug into the sushi, latkes, chicken, sandwiches, and salad. The Hotel provided free drinks, and Janna’s mother brought chocolate and candy from America for dessert. I went around the room with a microphone and had everyone introduce themselves, and then the Judo club did a small demonstration with Janna right there on the tatami mats. Following dinner, which lasted quite a while, I had assumed I would be sleeping on the floor of Janna’s room in the hotel. Instead, the Rotary member who owned the hotel gave Cori, Katrin, and I rooms of our own, as well as tickets for free breakfast in the morning. We hauled some candy and drinks back to the room for the evening, and spent the rest of the night listening to music and discussing philosophy, politics, and nature (sort of). Oddly enough, around 11:30, everyone had a craving for cup noodles so we walked in our pajamas to the nearest konbini where Janna spotted her school principal. He gave us a strange look but said nothing. In the morning, Katrin had to leave early from the station to return her school uniform to her school in Okayama. She was then traveling to some famous cities in Japan, and then back to Germany at the beginning of April. It was the third time I saw someone who I will probably not see again for a long time board a train and wave goodbye. I had not spent much time with Katrin, but Cori went to school with her everyday and those kinds of goodbyes can be quite emotional, albiet movie-like (on par with, “frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn” although admittedly a different emotional tone). It’s odd to know that almost everyone you meet on Rotary exchange is only for a short-term basis, but I think we make the most of the time we have. Cori and I walked from the station to Janna’s school, where we were invited to attend a meeting with other English teachers in the area and students from Tsuyama. About 50 students were there for the event and we spent most of the day playing games and activities related to English. While I had never met the English teachers before, they all knew Neil, Jez, and John from my town. It’s also always good to have connections in other parts of Japan in case I get stranded (or end up running from the police). One of the teachers, Alexa, brought her mother with her to the conference (who was from England and reminded me almost instantly of Judi Dench). I had a great time speaking English with the Tsuyama kids and on the whole felt like more of a teacher than a student. Janna’s mother commented that I should be a teacher, but I don’t think I could live with the salary (or mental strain). It was rather exciting, though. After the conference Cori and I took a taxi back to the station (we were far too tired to walk) and then a train back to Okayama. In the station a new import foods store had opened so we spent a while drooling over Skippy peanut butter before taking our respective buses to our respective houses. Respectively. Another trip down, but the fun’s not ever yet. Tune in next time for Kanonji, Japan’s number-one must see location (perhaps).
 Just Like Music 3/26/2005 07:16:00 AM
Last Wednesday, before attending Japanese school, Kimura-sensei invited Cori, Janna, and I to lunch at her house. Janna's mother was also coming all the way from America to visit Japan, so it happened to work out perfectly that I could sample Kimura-sensei’s fine cuisine as well as meet Janna’s mother. I took a bus to Okayama and met Cori, Janna, and Mrs. Hall at the station (I had the intense urge to call her Hall-san but she preempted my mistake by telling me to call her “Judy”). The four of us took a taxi (it was raining) to Kimura-sensei’s house, a beautiful brick building near the edge of the city area of Okayama. I got a chance to talk with Judy while Kimura-sensei prepared what ended up being a massive lunch. The trip to Japan was Judy’s first time to be outside the US, but she was hosting not one but three exchange students at her house in Newport News. One was only short term, but she said it would be great to get a break from the cooking, cleaning, and carpooling of three exchange students. Kimura-sensei then served lunch; Chinese egg rolls, a corn soup, chicken salad, go moku (vegetables over noodles), with strawberry ice cream for dessert. Amazingly delicious. I felt important as Janna, Cori, and I translated Kimura-sensei’s Japanese into English for Judy, and vice versa. After lunch Judy took a small nap while we waited for a cab to take us to the Japanese school. I felt quite tired myself, and relaxed a while on the couch chatting with Janna and Cori. Back at the school, no one felt much like studying (or teaching) so we only did one lesson before finishing for the day. After class I shopped for a while with Janna and her mother before taking the bus back to Tamano. Arriving home around 7, I went to Jirou-sensei's house for the weekly guitar lesson. He amazed me with his skill, as usual, but after the lesson a girl from Tai came over to play the Shamisen and Koto. It was my first experience with a Shamisen, but I found it somewhat similar to a guitar. Unlike a guitar, the head of the Shamisen is made of cat-skin (also dog-skin in cheaper models). The Okinawan Shamisen, also called Jamisen, is made of snakeskin. The Koto is a long hollowed out box made from Paulownia wood, with thirteen silk strings. It is instantly recognizable as Japanese, and both the Shamisen and Koto have sounds that would remind me of Japan in any situation. I tried my hand at both instruments, having a little luck with the Shamisen playing “Sakura.” It was excellent to get a chance to play these traditional instruments, and the girl who brought them gave me tickets to a show next month in Okayama. I thanked her profusely and hopefully I will get another chance to play before I leave Japan. The next day I left for Tsuyama, but I will leave that experience for another entry.
 Time and a Half 3/25/2005 06:10:00 AM
The original title of this entry was “Quite A Day.” But when being forced to choose between sleeping and blogging, I reluctantly caved and changed the name to “Quite a Few Days.” More procrastination quickly ushered in “Quite a Week,” which leads me to this entry. A decent sized chunk of time to recall, but I promise no pop quizzes at the end. As far as exciting days go, Sunday was rather fun-filled. My host brother presented me with a vociferous wake-up call around 6:30 in the morning. Our destination was a temple in Okayama for Zazen meditation (perhaps more recognizable as simply "Zen"). I couldn't think of anything I wanted to do more than stay curled up in my own warm “Zen” ball on the futon, but I slowly crawled out of bed and downstairs for some breakfast. At 7 it was off to the temple, which was about 45 minutes away by car. Arriving at Sogenji Temple (an international monastery), I spotted some foreigners walking around the premises with towels wrapped around their shaved heads on the crisp Sunday morning. The Zen temple in Okayama attracts many people from around the world who wish to study the art. I slipped off my shoes after passing through the main gate, noting being able to see my breath in the air, and entered a large tatami room where people had gathered for the morning meditation. After talking to a man who seemed to be in charge, I took a seat on a small cushion (zafu) in seiza style (on your knees, putting most of your weight on your heels). The “traditional” or “correct” method of meditation is called agura, which for lack of a better description is a very tight “Indian-style” sitting position that I could not attain. I sat in seiza for a good ten minutes, and just as started to get up and stretch my legs, the meditation began with the beating of a large drum. After the drumming, everyone in the room began chanting a certain prayer that I couldn't follow. After the prayer everyone sat quietly for another 20 minutes. That doesn’t seem too long, right? But after already having been seated for 10, my legs went numb and started to exhibit a dull constant pain below the waist (that's never good). I also lost the ability to wiggle my toes (probably not good either). Instead, I tried to focus on a point and think of nothingness. I was told, “As you sit, the mind takes on various postures.” My mind posture manifested itself as various rap and hip hop lyrics that melodically interrupted my thoughts of emptiness. I usually keep track of time in half hour segments, about the length of a short television program. Sitting on my knees for 30 minutes in a chilly room seemed like a small eternity. By the end of the first session, signaled by the beating of the same large drum, I was ready for a wheelchair. Most people in the room quickly stood and began some leg stretches, while I lay paralyzed from the waist down. After a few minutes, I regained the strength to stand in a position similar to that of “homo-erectus”. I eventually rose and joined in what looked like some “Tai-chi” exercises before assuming the seiza position for the second round of meditation. During this session, once everyone had achieved a quiet sitting position, the two monks in charge walked through the rows of silent bodies with a large wooden paddle. One by one, the priests would stop, bow, then strike the meditating individual with the wooden bat four times on each shoulder. If nothing else, the shock of the bat took my mind off the cold and kept me from shivering. Additionally, my mind felt crystal clear and the musical interludes came to a stop. After everyone had been struck with the bat, another prayer was chanted and everyone left the room for some green tea (which I drank in a comfortable sitting position). While not my favorite 50-minute relaxation activity, Zazen was an interesting experience indeed. After touring the grounds of Sogenji with a girl from Okayama University (also her first time at the meditation), my host mother and I drove back to the house, arriving around 10:53. I can pinpoint the exact time because as she went around back to open the door (we had both forgotten our key), I felt a level 3 earthquake that slightly shook the house and car. My host mother appeared at the door but had not felt anything at all. I told that that I was sure there had been an earthquake so we ran to the television to check the news. At first there was nothing, but after a few seconds a warning flashed on the screen that stated there had been a level 6 earthquake centered around Fukuoka. I messaged Rahul to make sure he was okay, but he replied later saying he had been sleeping at the time and didn’t feel a thing. After the earthquake, I ate some lunch with my host mother and father at a ramen restaurant where we discussed Zen mediation. Afterwards, as if I hadn’t punished my legs enough, my host mother took me to meet her friend Mio’s husband who is a professional “Keirin” bicycle racer. “Keirin,” performed inside a “velodrome,” (two points if you know what I’m talking about without reading on) is a type of bicycle racing on a curved track that you may have seen on the Olympics. Mio’s husband races for a living, and agreed to let me, Amber, and Mark (two English teachers in the area) give it a try. There is a velodrome close to where I live in Tai, but I never got the chance to be inside the building, let alone on the track itself. The bicycle used for racing is a fixed gear, which means you have to continue pedaling as you proceed around the track. It was quite windy that day, and I was informed that a good time for one lap around the track (400M) is 37 seconds. I breezed through with a cool 43 seconds on the first lap, but was spent by the second. Races usually consist of five laps, with the racers staying very close during the first three and then sprinting to the finish. The scariest part about Keirin was the curved sections of the track around the corners. The slightest movement of the handlebars sent the bike wobbling, and I could picture myself tumbling to the coarse sand and clay mixture below. After destroying my legs with meditation and biking, we took a break inside the locker room and watched a Keirin race broadcast live from another part of Japan. The following day, I taught English classes in Tama for most of the day. Most of the classes were free talk and general conversation, so I had a blast and met some interesting people as well. One woman told me her job was “eating,” but later clarified that eating was in fact only her hobby. She ended up inviting me to a special invitation-only soba tasting event at a local man’s house in Tamano. That evening my host family took me to “Cannery Row,” the delicious Italian restaurant in Okayama. I usually stick out wherever I go in Japan, but even more so when I wrote my name on the waiting list as “Ben-sama,” a very unconventional Japanese surname. The Maitre d' did a double take before announcing the name, but we were served just the same. The following day, Wataru invited me to a rock show in Okayama at Club Desperado. His band, as well as 9 other High School rock bands in the Okayama area attended. Two of the bands were composed of only females; one played Avril Lavigne covers, which I have to admit were terrible, but redeemed themselves by finishing with an excellent Japanese song that I can’t remember but was super-thrilling at the time. The bassist in another band was sporting the largest base I have ever seen in my life. It was easily as tall as most of the girls in the club. He compensated by being an excellent base player, with singing that was not quite understandable yet decent. Wataru’s band HOOP was excellent, as usual, heightened by the fact that I knew most of the lyrics and there were a ton of people in the club. For the most part, Japanese kids don’t seem to want to dance very much, but a few guys started moving around and got the whole crowd involved. Tune in next time for the shamisen, accordion, and a little bit of Tsuyama fun.
 Journeys Into The Japanese Arts 3/19/2005 09:11:00 AM
Coming back from Tokyo, I thought I could manage a small break from travel. You know, relaxing times. Suntory times. Instead, I found myself with a large pile of procrastinated Japanese homework and a gun to my head (see picture). Nonetheless, on a relaxing note, I did find some time to try my hand at Ikebana, Japanese flower arranging. My host mother and Haru-chan (Saeki-san) visited the resident Ikebana teacher in Tai for a little lesson in the fine art. It was my first time with any sort of floral arrangement (omitting times I accidentally kicked, clipped, or otherwise dislodged flowers from my mother's garden and feebly attempted to hide the evidence). I found the whole experience rather freeform and relaxing. If you like geometry (like Euclid) you might get a real kick out of Ikebana. And truthfully, the same goes for people who don't (like me). In a stroke of luck, it happened to be Shoko's birthday on March 17 so I snuck into her house while she was away at a movie and left her the Ikebana and a small note. Yesterday I set up the slackline in the park once more with Amanda, drawing a large crowd of elementary school students. They were quite shy at first, until a few of the more fearless students approached the line and struck up a small conversation with me (mostly in grunts and whistles, broken English, and occasional Japanese). The "leader" of the boys called back to his friends "It's okay, he's not weird!" which gave me a good laugh. The slackline eventually digressed into a volleyball net, but the Tai neighborhood kids are crafty like that. In other news Neil and I attacked Takamatsu this weekend with full force. Events of the trip will be omitted again to protect the innocent. However, something to blow your mind: last week Neil biked the distance from Tamano to Osaka (about 250Km) in one day. That leaves my vicariously tired and speechless. Tonite, after arriving home from teaching an English class, I feasted on some delicious sushi from the supermarket. Tomoya, about an hour after I finished the sushi, inquired if I was still hungry. My whole family ended up driving to a ramen restaurant at 10:30PM just to grab some noodles. Delicious, to say the least, but I don't want to see any more noodles for a little while (the pain!).
 Ben VS The Most Populated City in the World (Part II) 3/17/2005 11:04:00 AM
On Saturday morning, Rahul and I awoke to the beautiful view of Tokyo Bay from Yusuke's apartment on the 14th floor. Due to the early morning trip to the fish market on the previous day, we took our time and met Shoko at Ueno Station in Tokyo around 12:30. Searching for a place to eat, we spotted a Hard Rock Café and decided to give it a try (since the Hard Rock Café is synonymous with world travel). It turned out to be the Hard Rock Café, Ueno-Station, Tokyo (there are two within the city, seven total in Japan), which gives you another example of the gianormous size of Tokyo. I ordered the best hamburger I have tasted since arriving in Japan, but also found some odd menu items including the largest onigiri (rice ball) I have ever seen. It was Japanese food, American style (or British style, I suppose, since the Hard Rock is from London). We were seated underneath Prodigy’s “Fat of the Land” album, which brought back some good memories. The numerous TVs were also playing old school music videos, a welcome sight. After lunch we walked to from Ueno Station to Akihabara. Akihabara, a virtual city in itself of computer, handheld, and electronic-related stores had enough colors signs and flashing lights to distract you from the millions of people streaming by on the streets. On the way to Akihabara we walked past a large set of clothing stores dubbed “America Town” (or some such silliness). There were also three large golf stores at which I would have had to leave my father for some amount of time had he been accompanying us. On the way to Akihabara we were struck with a sudden rainstorm, which reminded me of the odd weather patterns in Tokyo. A mere hour’s train ride away, it was sunny and warm, but here in Akihabara the rain clouds gathered and cleared in a matter of minutes. I am going to conjecture that the massive amounts of concrete cause changes in temperature and therefore climate. I know for a fact that the Tokyo weather forecast is reported in terms of city blocks instead of Tokyo as a whole. Without too much trouble we arrived on the sprawling streets of Akihabara, where Rahul and I ended up losing Shoko and instead following a very Shoko-looking Japanese person across the street and down a block until we realized our mistake. I had a list of places to visit in Akihabara, so after regrouping and walking around the area for a while Rahul and I decided to take a look in the Radio Kaikan building near the station. The Radio Kaikan (or Radio Hall) is the proverbial “barrel of weird” in Akihabara. The first floor is an electronics store, much like every other building in the area. The second story boasts a huge collection of Stars Wars and Anime toys, figurines, and general miscellany. Need a 1:3 size replica of the Starship Enterprise? How about an army of miniature dump trucks? Then this is the place for you (weirdo). The third floor is all manga (Japanese comics). Rahul and I didn’t even attempt this because we knew it would be useless and didn’t have anything in mind we wanted to purchase. The forth floor was excellent. A DVD shop selling (for a steep price) unreleased DVDs, as well as an entire store devoted to miniature figurines and toys. There was also a gun shop, with plastic pellet replicas of a wide array of guns and pistols spanning at least a century. There didn’t appear to be a fifth floor, which I found odd but didn’t really care because of the massive treasure-trove of weirdness on the sixth. The Volks toystore, a sort of Anime doll workshop, sold doll eyes, arms, legs, clothes, and other assorted creeperies. There were assembled dolls in glass cases with just enough detail more than a little spooky. I ended up purchasing a stuffed “Cactaur” from Final Fantasy, then descending the stairs to meet everyone on the first floor. Before leaving Akihabara we stopped in the Mac Store. The place was packed, but there were some great displays of the new iMac and iPod Photo. In the back of the store was a whole wall of iPod cases, cleaners, accessories, and clothing because everyone treats their iPod like they would their child and would not the want the reflective metal surface to become tainted or scratched. After Akihabara we took a train to Ginza, where the famous Sony building is located. Coming out of the station, Shoko said she wanted to do a little shopping and would meet us in an hour or two but immediately called us back when she spotted a monkey show. A man with a drum and a monkey were performing tricks on the side of the street, which eventually drew a large crowd. The monkey did some tricks, and then the man pulled out a set of 10-foot stilts, which I took to be a joke but sure enough the monkey climbed to the top and started walking around. All I can say is “awesome.” The Sony building in Ginza, spanning 7 floors, is a display of the newest music, video, robotic, and gaming equipment from Sony. Rahul and I played with some excellent high-end video cameras and watched “Bring It On” on a large screen plasma TV before discovering the Aibo robotic dog “kennel.” My greatest accomplishment to date in Japan is commanding the robotic dog to dance in Japanese. I was both shocked and awed. When I first heard about the Aibo I was skeptical, but after playing with the dogs for a while I can see why people would enjoy having a robotic pet in their house. If I had the choice, I would pick Honda’s ASIMO as long as it didn’t sleep in my bed or hide behind doors to scare me. The last floor of the Sony Building was all Playstations, but to tell the truth I’ve mostly lost interest which is a shame because as a kid I could imagine nothing better than spending all day in front of a game (ideally getting paid for doing so). After the Sony Building, Shoko, Shun, Mai, Yusuke’s mother, Rahul, and I regrouped and went to a coffee shop for some refreshment. The strangest part about the coffee shop, named “Coffee Time” or something similar, was the distinct lack of coffee on the menu. You could order flavor water, flavor milk, or hot chocolate, but nothing made from the coffee bean (as the name of the shop would lead you to believe). I was waiting for a call from the Rotary kids, so after the “coffee” shop Rahul and I decided to grab some dinner. About halfway through the meal Anna messages me saying we should come to Shibuya Station in an hour. Rahul and I bid farewell to everyone, and caught the train from Ginza to Shibuya. It was a windy evening. After freezing for a while at the Shibuya main exit, we walked around trying to pick foreign faces out of the sea of Japanese in front of the station. I spotted someone who looked exactly like Anna, before finding the real Anna talking with a group of Rotary kids near the middle of the square. Gabe (in a t-shirt), Bhaveen, Ana, and Dimitri (who I had not met but was also from Brazil) were also there, talking about their Rotary meeting during the day. They immediately gave Rahul and I fistfuls of candy (byproducts of any Rotary meeting) and told/partially showed us the Japanese dance they learned during the day. After that, due to dropping temperatures, we found a small coffee shop (this one actually sold coffee) and started a heated game of Uno (the international card game). When our candy and drinks ran out, Dimitri asked me if I had ever been to see Tokyo Tower. I said no, and he whipped out 7 tickets to the Tower that he received as a gift from a Rotary member. It was a little after 9 o’ clock, and the tower closed at 10, but being kids were confident in our ability to get there in time. We rolled into Roppongi Station about 9:30, where Dimitri and Ana thought they knew which way to go for the tower (Tokyo Tower is the largest structure in Tokyo, but amazingly impossible to see from Roppongi Station). About 9:40 we decided we should run, with Tokyo Tower visible in the distance. We were all carrying bags, which made running difficult, so Rahul brought out the video camera to catch the whole event on tape. We came to the base of the Tower about 9:55, where the guard on duty told us that the Tower had already closed, and there would be no more elevators to the top. Devastated, we pleased with him in Japanese (Gabe fake cried) and showed him our already purchased tickets and watches, reading 9:55. The two An(n)a’s finally broke down and told him that we were all leaving the country the following day (which was partially true, Rahul and I would be going back home) and that this was our last night to see Tokyo Tower. That convinced him, and he escorted us in a special elevator ride (the second fastest elevator in the world) to the top of the Tower. There were still people there (just as I suspected), and all of us, overjoyed with our good luck, snapped photos and laughed for a few minutes before taking the elevator back to ground level. There is something to be said for being on time, but cutting it that close makes for a much better story. After Tokyo tower we walked back to the station where Dimitri said goodbye for the evening. Still having some time to kill, Gabe, Rahul, Anna, Ana, and I walked around Shinjuku where I subsequently lost my train ticket back to Yusuke’s house to a gust of wind. I could have purchased another, but that was a seven-dollar gust of wind and I wasn’t going to let my ticket get away that easily. I watched it blow underneath some parked taxis and into the busy street,. It was then hit by a massive truck after which I couldn’t see where it went. I finally spotted the ticket and (stupidly) dashed into the street where I realized picking up small pieces of paper from flat surfaces is difficult, and subsequently dragged the ticket back to the curb. Alive, laughing, and $7 richer we returned to the station. I said goodbye to Anna and Gabe, then got on a train with Rahul and Ana back to Tokyo Station. Looking at a map on the train, which was packed around midnight, we met a Japanese guy who asked us if we knew where we were going. At first I thought he was drunk, because his friends and girlfriend kept hitting him over the head with newspapers and a flower, but we later realized he was just a cool guy trying to speak English. His friends told us where to go, and we had a little chat before Ana got off the train at her stop. Back at Tokyo Station, Rahul and I started walking to our train on the Keiyo Line. We spotted other people running, and decided we should as well. Dashing through the partially deserted Tokyo station, we arrived at our train minutes before the doors shut. Little did we know it was the last train for the evening, and otherwise we’d be stuck at the station overnight (Ana caught her train with only one minute to spare, and Gabe’s train stopped at the station before his house and he had to walk the rest of the way). After the train ride and sufficiently exhausted, Rahul and I spotted Yusuke coming to meet us at the steps of his apartment building. We had beaten the train system, talked our way up Tokyo Tower, and made it home in one piece. The next day, Rahul and I awoke late in the morning to another beautiful day and ate some breakfast prepared by Yusuke’s mother. Yusuke burned me the new Jack Johnson CD, and a different Japanese band for Rahul. Yusuke’s mother took us to Tokyo Station, where we said goodbye and went on our own to see the Emperor’s Palace. We stopped for some lunch due to a freak snowstorm (Tokyo weather will always surprise you) in a nearby restaurant with a nice view. After lunch we got a call from Gabe, and decided to go to the Sunshine 60 Building instead of the Emperor’s Palace due to the cold weather. The Sunshine 60 Building, in Ikebukuro, is one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo (can you guess how many floors it has?). Inside (and underground) is a massive shopping complex, planetarium, and aquarium. Rahul and I made a quick stop at a gaming center where huge crows of kids were battling each other in Tekken 5 (I was not even aware it had been released). The consoles were set back to back; so one player could battle the challenger sitting on the opposite side. Gabe showed up later, and we spent some time in Tokyu Hands browsing costumes, funny gifts, and other crazy items before it was time to meet Shoko back at the Station. We bid farewell to Gabe (it was sad to say goodbye to all the cool kids from Tokyo) and caught a train to Tokyo Station. Rahul got his bag from a coin locker, and we said goodbye after spending a very awesome weekend together. It was great to hear about all the things he had been doing in Fukuoka (check out the blog), and perhaps I’ll see him again before we return to the States. Shoko, Mai, Shun, and I purchased some bentos (lunch boxes for the train ride home) and caught the Shinkansen back to Okayama, and then a train to Tamano. In retrospect, it’s hard to accurately describe Tokyo in any sort of concise manner. It’s so massive and sprawling, and I didn’t spend nearly enough time to even get a taste of all it has to offer. Regardless, it was wonderful to meet new kids from all over the world, Japan and elsewhere, and I hope it won’t be the last time I see them.
 Ben VS The Most Populated City in the World (Part I) 3/16/2005 07:59:00 AM
The only suitable way to end a whole week of excellent trips to Takamatsu, Miyajima, Hiroshima, and Iwakuni is a proper finale in the big T itself, Tokyo. Tokyo, I have been told, has a reputation for not only blowing your socks off, but those of your grandmother and her bridge-playing friends as well. Tokyo has a lot to offer, much more than I could or care to list on this blog. However, accompanied by members of my first host family (Shoko, Shun, and Mai), I planned to meet Rahul from Fukuoka and pillage Tokyo for all the fun, excitement, and (pirate) booty it could offer. The journey began on a day like any other. A Thursday, to be precise. Shoko, Shun, and I caught the train from Tamano to Okayama where we purchased 9AM tickets for the Nozomi Shinkansen line to Tokyo. A mere three hours later, we found ourselves on the massive Shinkansen platform of Tokyo Station. Rahul, who was flying from Fukuoka, messaged my phone to let us know he would arrive shortly on the monorail from Haneda Airport. Shoko, Shun, and I took our bags to the Yaesu Central exit of Tokyo station where we met Mai waiting for us by one of the numerous pillars. If you aren't accustomed to the daunting size of Tokyo, you can at least count on the station to give you a good idea of the madness that is to come. Tokyo Station has several exits, and each of these exits usually sports three smaller exits (North, South, and Central). There should honestly be a paid attendant waiting beside the Shinkansen when you exit to punch you right in the face, just to get you ready for the task of trying to exit the station where you would like. Surprisingly, even though I packed a semi-large bag for the weekend, we had little trouble navigating our way through the sea of people to the Yaesu exit. While waiting for Rahul to arrive at the station, Shun spotted our first famous person of the trip, a guy named Shibata from the comedy duo "Untouchable" walking toward one of the exits. Nobody else seemed to recognize him, and I don't watch enough Japanese television to tell the comedy groups apart (there are quite a few), but I chased after him and introduced myself, asking if he was indeed a member of "Untouchable." "Un," he replied, meaning yes, and I quickly asked him if it was alright to take a picture together (I doubt many foreigners stop him on the street, he seemed slightly shocked but let me take the photo). Shun and Mai also got in on the action, and we laughed our way back to the terminal to wait for Rahul. When Rahul came through the gate, it was my turn to be shocked at a number of things. For one, he was amazingly tan. He was also much taller than I remembered, but perhaps living in Japan for all this time has made me accustomed to feeling large. We exchanged pleasantries; I intoduced him to my host family, then we were whisked away to a small restaurant in the station to grab some lunch. Rahul and I talked a bit about our exchanges, host families, school, etc, but eventually decided to postpone the conversation until later due to the numerous occurences of "it's a long story." After lunch we stashed our bags in a locker and met our first Japanese guide, Yosuke. Yosuke, now 17, spent four years in England and speaks excellent English. Yosuke's mother is a friend of Shoko's, and Rahul and I were scheduled to spent the night at their house. All assembled, we took a train to Asakusa, known for it's shopping street and large red lantern outside the nearby temple. While admiring the goods of various quality levels (keychains, swords, dolls, and every other tourist item available), I noticed a man who appeared to be staring right over my shoulder when we stopped to buy some deep-fried omochi (Rahul later informed me the man was staring directly at him). The man approached not Rahul, but Rahul's right ear and uttered the following, "Are your ancestor's from India?" "Yes," Rahul replied, "my parents are from India. But I live in West Virginia." "Ahh! West Virginia!" the man retorted, "West Virginia used to be part of Virginia, but split during the civil war over the concept of slavery eventually involving the creation of the Mason-Dixon line. Stonewall Jackson, leader of the South in the civil war was born in West Virginia." While Rahul was slightly stunned by the man's knowledge of West Virginia History, I was wondering where this man was when I had to take the Golden Horseshoe test back in 8th grade. The man proceeded to recite information about India and various other topics until he abruptly finished and walked away, thanking us for our time and leaving us with a cryptic, "just my English practice" final message. The whole set of circumstances struck me as very odd, not the only man's omnipotent knowledge of the world but also his tendency to talk directly into Rahul's right ear with a blank stare on his face. The encounter only lasted a matter of minutes but was crazy weird. Shoko, laughing, finished eating her deep-friend omochi and walked on. After Asakusa we took the ferry down the Sumida River to Odaiba. The ferry ride, which Rahul later dubbed as a structural engineer's wet dream, passes beneath 12 unique bridges of differing structural materials and construction before arriving on the island of Odaiba. Ascending the stairs to the upper deck of the ferry, we encountered a woman holding a very large Kitana. Quite shocked (we were on a ferry, which implies motion and instability, which are not friends of edged weapons) I took a few pictures of the woman (who we later learned was from Romania) and then asked if I could take some photos holding the sword myself. Without injury we arrived at Obaida. An entirely manmade island, Odaiba plays host to the famous Fuji TV Building as well as various museums, a large shopping mall, and a likeness of the Statue of Liberty. We toured the Fuji building, took some pictures of the Rainbow Bridge by night, and ate a delicious meal at an Indonesian restaurant before returning to the mainland (extra points there if you thought to yourself, "but Japan is an island..."). That evening Rahul and I said goodbye to Shoko, Mai, and Shun before taking the hour train ride to Yosuke's house on the outskirts of Chiba where we would be spending the nite. Yosuke's mother (an English teacher) offered us more dinner and cakes, and we were introduced to the whole family after watching Jackie Chan's "Legend of Drunken Master" (the old version) dubbed in English and subtitled in Japanese." It turns out that Yosuke's father (family name Shibata, like Shibata from "Untouchable") works for the Tokyo branch of Mitsui Zosen, the same shipbuilding factory I toured a few months ago in Tamano. After some conversation with the Shibata's about Japan, Rotary exchange, and West Virginia, Rahul and I tried to sleep but ended up talking about our exchanges all night, which was not a great idea because we had to wake up early for a trip the next day to the Tsukigi fish market. Rahul is impossible to awaken. It's an involved process which involves the use of force and moaning. Even so, he, Yosuke (our guide for the morning), and I were up and out of the house by 6 to head to the Tsukigi fish market near Tokyo Bay. Tsukigi is the largest fish market in the world, with over 2500 tons of fish being sold daily (that's 23 million dollars of fish rolling through those streets every morning). We made the mistake of going directly by train to the fish market, and ended up carrying our baggage with us for lack of coin lockers, but I still found the fish market amazing. Hundreds of little motorized carts zoom through narrow streets next to men pulling wagons filled with fish, squid, octopus, and other various sea creatures. After being overwhelmed in fish, we looked for a sushi restaurant (our first choice restaurant was closed) but we found a quaint little back alley shop with a friendly Ojii-san and Mama-san who whipped up some crazy fresh sushi (right out of the ocean) and miso soup for a decent price. Sufficiently full, Rahul, Yosuke, and I walked back to Tsukigi station where we met two new faces, Yusuke and Yo (real name Yosuke). Yusuke is also the son of Shoko's friend in Tokyo, but not to be confused with the Yosuke whose house we stayed at the previous night, or the other Yosuke who is friends with Yusuke. There were five of us, I will make a small chart: Rahul Syamlal- AKA Rafuru Shamurairu Me - AKA Funkmaster B Yosuke Shibata- Lived in England for 4 years, hosted Rahul and I at his house on Thursday night Yusuke Takakou - Currently attends a prestigious school in Tokyo whose name I cannot remember, studying Economics. Rahul and I stayed at his house on Friday and Saturday. Enjoys Jack Johnson and the Red Hot Chili Peppers Yosuke (AKA Yo) - also attends a good school in Tokyo, studying Literature. Friends with Yusuke, but had never met Yosuke Shibata before. I believe he asked us to call him Yo to avoid confusion, which was impossible given the situation Japanese names are fun, aren't they? Anyone other than John Nash or Einstein would be lost without nicknames, which I use whenever I can. Anyway, Yusuke, knowing Tokyo well, had researched the movie "Lost in Translation" and took us to the hotel where it was filmed, the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku. Rooms here for the night start at $500, so I was skeptical if we would even be allowed into the building without two bottles of Krystal and keys to a Bentley. Luckily, it being 10 in the morning we snuck (or rather walked right by) the guards and into what we thought was the main entrance of the hotel. Instead we found a lot of businessmen in suits (some sort of convention) next to a catacomb of elevators. Stepping into one of the lifts, we rode it to the top floor only to be told by one of the hotel staff that we were in the wrong area, and that the hotel was not open to the public. Distraught, we walked back outside where some sort of fire hose demonstration was being performed by the businessmen. Not to be defeated so easily, we then spotted a set of stairs leading to a second level with a large "Park Hyatt" sign and arrow. Entering the upper lobby I thought I recognized the reception desk from the movie. The floor was deserted so we walked straight to the elevator which had only two buttons, "2" and "42". In a flash, we were on the 42nd floor overlooking the city below from large panoramic windows. Mirrors on the walls were polished to the point I was positive I could walk through them, and I noticed a clump of bamboo trees that I certainly recognized from the movie. We took an adjacent elevator to the "New York Bar and Grille" where we found the famous piano bar at which Bill Murray spent his evenings. Snapping a ton of pictures and feeling important (we seemed to be the only visitors since the restaurant was closed) we stood by the windows for a while surveying Tokyo. Even by day the sight is impressive. Around lunchtime, and after visiting some famous music stores in the Shinjuku area, the five of us met Shoko, Mai, Shun, and Mrs. Shibata in a restaurant in Harajuku. Harajuku is known for it's outrageous fashion styles and equally shocking people. Foot-tall platform shoes, Little Bo Peep costumes, and dyed hair seemed to be par for the course. In fact, we found a whole clothing store devoted to Goth jackets (I'm all for a little originality but I enjoy my Goth dark, dirty, and a little less mass-marketed). Over 500 clothing lines have been founded in the Harajuku area, which makes it a pretty cool place to find weird styles. After lunch, Anna sent a mail on my phone to let me know she would be meeting her friend Ana (that makes two Yosuke's and two An(n)a's) in Shinjuku. I met Anna, much like Angela, through her blog of Japan. Anna is also a Rotary exchange student (from Austria) and got me hooked on collecting free cards in Okayama city. I had never met Anna in person, and since Yusuke didn't have any plans we went to a small art musuem in Harajuku (to kill some time) then walked to the Shinjuku Starbucks to meet Anna and Ana. Ana, or Ana Luiza, I later learned, is from Brazil. The whole group of us got a table in Starbucks and introduced ourselves (I got confused as to who was who when it came to Yo, Yosuku, and Yusuke). Anna got a call from her friend Bhaveen (another Rotary exchange student), who came to join us at the Starbucks as well. Bhaveen, from India, fit the mold perfectly as Rahul's counterpart. When Starbucks told us to leave (I suppose there were two many foreigners and not enough coffee being purchased) we all went to the housewares section of Tokyu Hands to sit on couches. Ana Luiza was leaving to see a movie with her host family, but Bhaveen and Anna were convinced to come with Rahul, Yo, Yosuke, Yusuke, and I to sing Karaoke. But not just any Karaoke, the same Karaoke parlor as "Lost in Translation" (with great big windows overlooking the city). We all sang and laughed and had a generally awesome time with the bright lights of Shibuya in the background. From what I can remember the highlights include: Yosuke singing "Scarborough Fair" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" Yo singing Orange Range's "Hanna" Yusuke singing "Scar Tissue" perfectly which made me jealous of the Japanese innate ability to sing Rahul singing "Bittersweet Symphony" Anna singing Aqua's "Barbie Girl" and Spice Girl's "Wannabe" in a duet with Bhaveen Me singing "Ch-Check It Out" and "More Than This" just because I was in the Lost in Translation mood About half way through the singing, Anna's friend Gabe joined us. I am not just saying this because everyone already seemed to have a twin, but Gabe had the same personality, facial expressions, eyes, and hair as me. It was creepy. But he was an awesome guy. Because he's me, of course. We had a rousing finale of "The Beatles Megamix" then left the Karaoke joint to procure some dinner. We stopped in a kaiten zushi restaurant (where the sushi goes around on a conveyor belt) but it happened to be full. Instead, we were given our own room (and sushi chef) on the second floor where we could be as noisy as we wanted. The sushi chef seemed to be entertained with whatever we were talking about (I doubt he could understand it) and he sure made some tasty sushi. I got a better chance to talk with Anna who is a very awesome person (all the Rotary kids I meet in Japan are cool) and we ate sushi late into the evening. We finally said goodbye (after an in depth discussion of proper hand shakes), but promised to meet the next day because all the Tokyo Rotary kids were getting together for a meeting. Overall, I was very happy to have met so many charismatic people. Rahul and I went back to the station, got our bags out of the locker, and boarded the train for Yusuke's house. At our station we left Yosuke sleeping (he got off at a later stop) and said goodbye to Yo, who lived in a nearby apartment. Yusuke introduced us to his mother (who I had met once before when she came to Tamano to visit Shoko) who fixed us some cookies and tea. Rahul and I stayed up talking again, and then fell asleep with the sounds of Tokyo drifting through the window.
 Going Solo: The Trip to Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Iwakuni 3/14/2005 02:25:00 AM
I have made it out alive from the sprawling mega city that is Tokyo, but before I can dispell the mysteries and events of the last four days I must go back to my previous expedition to Hiroshima and Miyajima. It all started with an early 7AM train ride to Okayama station. I was surprised to find my friend Nano waiting for the morning train as well at the station in Tai. She was headed to the city for a piano recital so we spent most of the train ride talking about the piano (of which I know very little) and our favorite bands. She "played" me her impressive piano piece on the back of a notebook, and I did my best to imagine what it would sound like. From Okayama station I ran up a few flights to stairs to catch my Shinkansen to Hiroshima. It was my first experience riding Japan's bullet train solo and I almost had to laugh picturing myself next to all the salarymen making their morning commute. I rode the Nozomi line, which to my knowledge is the fastest of the Shinkansen models, and made my way from Okayama to Hiroshima in a little under 40 minutes (at a smooth top speed of 200km/h). From Hiroshima I took a series of trains and a ferry to reach Miyajima island around 9. Miyajima, known for it's floating tori gate, is ranked in guidebooks and websites alike as one of the three most beautiful places in Japan (as to who is responsible for these rankings I am unaware). The ferry to Miyajima ran parallel to the island for a few minutes to allow foreign and Japanese tourist to snap shots of the famous water gate. Upon exiting the ferry the first thing (or rather scent) that came to me was the smell of apples. I actually stopped and looked around for an apple stand, or a box full of apples with a fan blowing apple-scent towards the direction of the ferry. To my disappointment I found neither. Miyajima long considered a very mysterious island, boasted few inhabitants until the shrine was founded in 593 AD. The floating Tori gate was built over the water as to not offend the Miyajima Gods, and for many years no one was allowed to be born or die on the island. There are still no hospitals or cemeteries on the island of Miyajima. I spent most of the morning walking around the small harbor town, eating a famous Miyajima sweet featuring a waffle with sweet azuki bean filling. Wild dear roam the island, and one followed me up a small mountain path until it found something more interesting and staggered back into the forest. The tides on Miyajima are strong, and by noon the water had receded far enough to be able to walk about halfway to the Tori gate. A small rock was calling to be sat upon so I spent a little while looking out over the water and contemplating life. After I had my fill of meditation, I took a ferry and then a train back to Hiroshima station. My next stop was the Peace Park and Museum dedicated to the World War II bombing of Hiroshima. On the train I struck up a conversation with some High School kids who appeared simultaneously eager and scared to talk with me. I asked if it was possible to walk from Hiroshima Station to the Peace Park, and got a resounding answer of "muri" and "taihen" (both meaning "impossible"). I though to myself, people have walked the entire length of Japan, surely getting around by foot in one city can't be that difficult. Regardless, they gave me some detailed instructions for a set of streetcars but it seemed a little silly so after they exited the train I stayed on until Hiroshima Station. Coming out of one of the numerous exits, I spotted an arrow pointing me in the direction of the Peace Park, and it being such a beautiful day I decided the walk would be worth it. I stopped in a convenient store and bough some sandwiches and onigiri (rice balls) to eat in a small park by a river. The main street of Hiroshima is packed with towering buildings and I browsed a few locations (including the Tokyu Hands you-can-find-everything-here type store) before arrive at the Peace Park. I had prepared myself for a solemn experience, but what I found in the end was truly mind-blowing. Along the walk to the peace park small plaques and signs had been posted on buildings and bridges recalling distance from the atomic blast, as well as photos taken after the bombing. The first major landmark I encountered was the Atomic Bomb Dome next to the T-shaped bridge of the Aioi river (The bridge was the target of the atomic bombing). It was originally constructed as an Industrial Promotion Hall and was one of the only buildings left standing in a 2 Km radius after the blast. The T-shaped bridge was also left intact, but due to the immense pressure exerted from the bomb jumped several meters into the air before landing back in it's original location. I continued through the park toward the Peace Museum, passing the Peace Flame and thousands of small paper origami cranes from all over the world that have come to represent peace. I entered the Peace Museum, a large structure consisting of three buildings, and spent the rest of the afternoon viewing various exhibits and videos concerning the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. I was extremely impressed with the depth and description of all exhibits, including a history of the war before and after 1945, reasons behind the bombing, and why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were chosen as targets. Attempting to describe my feelings while moving through the exhibit is difficult, but to be truthful by the time I exited the museum I felt extremely disgusted and saddened at the whole situation and set of circumstances which led to the bombing. During my time in the museum I didn't feel burdened with nationality or race, but simply as one human being viewing the unnecessary pain and suffering of hundreds of thousands. I found traveling alone frustrating because I wanted to discuss my feelings with someone, but instead found a place where comments could be recorded so I could at least document and vent what I was experiencing. The only redeeming aspect I could find came while sitting in the Peace Park and looking out over the city less than 60 years after the bombing in a place where experts said nothing would grow for 75 years. I went to a small ramen shop for dinner and talked with some people in the restaurant, which put me in a better mood. About that time I got a call from Angela, who said she would pick me up in 30 minutes with her friend Kat. I found Angela (an English teacher in Iwakuni) through her blog of Japan. We had never met in person, but occasionally talked online and said she could offer me a place to stay if I ever came to Hiroshima. When she mentioned that The Killers would be playing a show which she and her friend were attending I jumped at the opportunity do to a little traveling and meet someone new. Angela is also starting a little club of people she has met online and then in person, so I was happy to be added to her list. She picked me up in her tiny car and after some introductions sped away to find some dinner before the show. Kat, from England, is also an English teacher living near Iwakuni. I had made them some mix CDs, and we instantly realized that our music interests were very close. We did some shopping before speeding to the PARCO building and Club Quattro for The Killers concert. We arrived about 10 minutes early, which in America would mean a seat at the very back of the venue. Instead, I was shocked to find only 80 people at the club, and all three of us easily walked to the front near the stage. We talked with a guy who ended up being the brother of the bassist who told us that last week The Killers played to a crowd of 3,000. Yowza! Concerts in Japan are distinctly different from what I had previously experienced elsewhere. The energy was high, but no one pushed or shoved to get to the front. Even though cameras were not allowed I got some great shots of the band, and the whole vibe of the club was like being back home at 123 Pleasant Street. After the show, which only lasted 1 hour (apparently the same set list as every other tour date but with no encore or opening band) we got to meet the guitarist and bassist. I also procured a broken drumstick that was (dangerously) thrown to the crowd. It still being early we decided to visit a small Irish Pub in Hiroshima where I got to know Angela and Kat a little better before heading back to her house in Iwakuni. The Irish pub smelled like America, which was both surprising and welcoming. Kat spoke with a great English accent and combined with the Scottish accent of the man behind the bar I was having a foreign overload. Angela didn't turn out to be (that) creepy like all those weirdos you hear stories about meeting on the internet, and I had a wonderful time that evening in Hiroshima. Back in Iwakuni we stopped at a Conbini to get some breakfast and cruised to Ladytron all the way back to her place. The next morning Angela took me to the Kintaikyo bridge which is constructed entirely out of wood and stone. The weather was yet again beautiful so we found some food for lunch (where I learned that inhaling through a piece of bread is indeed not deadly) then headed to Hiroshima for a little shopping. Angela gave me a mix CD of her favorite bands before we said goodbye at the Iwakuni train station and I took the Shinkansen back to Okayama. In retrospect, an awesome midweek excursion. I didn't get horribly lost or injured, and meeting new people is always a blast. Stay tuned for the next broadcast of Tokyo.
 Ben VS Japan Part 2: Hiroshima (qualifying round) 3/08/2005 11:04:00 AM
I find it hard to believe it's only Wednesday after an impressive trip into the southern reaches of the Chugoku area of Japan: Miyajima, Hiroshima, and Iwakuni. However, due the substantial amount of sights, sounds, and experiences I will have to delay the blogging of this section until after the final battle; Ben VS Tokyo. This SundaySundaySunday! Tickets $5, $10 at the gate. Until then, a small photo teaser to pique your appetite.
 Ben VS Japan Part 1: Takamatsu 3/06/2005 02:19:00 AM
About a month ago I was informed of a large Rotary event that would be taking place in the port city of Takamatsu on Shikoku Island. Although Tamano is very close to Takamatsu (a mere hour's ferry ride) my Rotary Club was not invited to attend the event. But with a little help from my friends (and Joe Cocker) I received an invitation to attend/infiltrate the function (or at least the exciting parts). As a result of attending said Rotary function, in the past 24 hours I have seen some of the most eclectic, erratic, and cosmopolitan set of Rotary events and Japanese nightlife available. Certainly, an excellent time was had by all. My only regret will be slightly censoring the recount of the evening to protect the innocent and underage. The journey started when I left Tamano by ferry a little after noon on the 5th. I was greeted in Takamatsu with remarkably clear weather considering the massive blizzard that had overtaken Tokyo earlier in the week. Micah, Shaun, Carter, and Urte, who I intended to meet later in the day, were in meetings until the evening so I took the chance to explore the sights and sounds of Takamatsu on foot. I found a small make-your-own udon/soba noodle shop to sufficiently gird my strength for the rigors of Takamatsu. Takamatsu is known for it's massive shopping center with over 800 shops, restaurants, and various stores spanning multiple streets and alleys, which crisscross the town. I spent a small amount of time window shopping, but decided the Tokyo shopping centers would be a much better place to find clocks that tick backward, anime plush pillows, and other various Japanese novelty items. Instead, I walked toward the large mesa to the west of Takamatsu port called Yashima. You might remember Yashima as the sight of the last ditch effort in the battle of Genpei in 1185. I talked with people along the way and stopped in small stores to check out the local flavor. At one point I walked into a massage parlor, which happened to be filled with old women, but exited without sampling the trade. On the way back from the mesa I found a Kendo arena and stopped to get some pictures of the students practicing. Outside Takamatsu's Symbol tower I met a guy and girl doing BMX street tricks and chatted with them for a while until it started to get dark. About dinner time I was thinking about searching for a reasonable place to find some food but Micah sent me an e-mail saying the conference was over and I could come to the Ana hotel for a banquet. Not knowing quite what to expect I easily found the hotel (one of the largest buildings in Takamatsu) and entered through a set of large sliding doors. Scouting the room I instantly spotted a ton of Rotary members (usually very old and very male) wearing nametags and the occasional "Miss America" type name banner on their shoulder. Being a foreigner I was able to stride right up the escalator to the third floor and into the largest banquet hall I have ever seen in Japan (imagine a ludicrously sized hall, then double it, and you will probably approach the dimensions of the hall for the Rotary banquet). And food. Ah yes...the food. About ten long tables were dressed with eats and cookery from around the world. At the other end of the room, more tables with enough cakes and fruit for dessert to feed a small army (or about 500 Rotarians). I met Micah in a corner table with Carter, Shaun, Tom, Urte, and his host counselor, Yamamoto-san. There was also a new exchange student from Australia named James who recently came to Japan. Yamamoto-san welcomed me to the party and told me to eat whatever met my fancy. I couldn't believe the good fortune. Sometime during the feast, Micah and I left to run across a 4-lane bus road to a convenient store and purchase deodorant. I left my "lumberjacket" in his room with the intention of blending in a little better with the well-dressed Rotary crowd and went back down to the party. A dance troupe of about 8 women had just started performing on a stage in the banquet hall. It began innocently enough, some kicks and twirls here and there. They invited Rotary members (quite intoxicated by that point) up on stage to perform the "Mexican Samba" with some of the dancers. It was then that I witnessed the most hilarious moment in Rotary performance history when an old man (I would assume some sort of District Governor) came to the stage wearing a napkin/tablecloth around his face (not quite all the way around his head, but sort of tied together under the nose). He proceeded to do the most outrageous beer-inspired dance I have ever seen. Urte, Carter, Micah, and I quickly volunteered to go up on stage with him and the other dancers for a round of "Mexican Samba." Following the samba the dances became increasingly more risque. Skimpy cop outfits with guns and cosplay maid uniforms would be two costume changes that come to mind. After the Rotary event came to a close some exchange students went to their hotels to drop off their bags before "a night on the town" in Takamatsu. Yamamoto, apparently feeling generous that evening, gave Micah, Urte, and I 10,000 Yen and told us (with a slight twinkle in his eye) to have a good time. Micah suggested using some of the money to buy him a sweater or tie from a fancy department store. The evening moved quickly from that point. Some Rotary members asked Micah and I go come with them and the GSE (Group Study Exchange) members from the US to a small bar. We picked up Carter along the way and spent some time talking with the guys from GSE (and a Ukrainian waitress in the bar who asked us all about Rotary Exchange) before deciding we should probably go and spend our money in a place not so full of old people. We finally found James and went to a small Tiki/Reggae bar to wait until Urte met us. The group set, James, Micah, Carter, Urte, and I looked for a place to spend the evening. After some shady bars, we almost accidentally found a dance club called Cludy-1. There was a cover charge but we took a peek inside anyway. There were only a few people and it was decided we would wait a while before hitting the "Cludy." To burn some time (and wait for Neil and John who were coming from Tamano to party with us) we went to a place called "Once Upon a Time" and listened to Miles Davis and some smooth jazz until the clock struck midnight. Meeting Neil and John in front of the club, our massive group of Gaijin entered Cludy-1. Somehow (perhaps extreme luck) we picked a good night and there were DJs from Kobe and Himeji spinning Trance and Rave, and a decent amount of Japanese were present as well (most of the other palces we had been that night were rather quiet). I can't say I've been to many Trance parties but I do love to dance so we spent most of the night in the club before stumbling back to our respective hotels. Even though the club was only half full, how could I possibly not enjoy dancing next to crazy Japanese guys and girls to DJ Spiritual walker (aka yuki vortex), Nao, and Mintama (aka DJ mind warp)? It was amazing! I lost track of Neil and John by morning but early e-mails to my keitai reassured me that they weren't dead in a gutter somewhere. I went to breakfast with Micah which was interesting due to lack of sleep, and became even more amusing as we piled onto a bus with the rest of the Shikoku exchange kids for sightseeing at Ritsurin Kouen and the Takamatsu Contemporary Art Museum (sightseeing after all night parties seems to be a specialty of Japan Rotary). But a fun time was had by all and the cherry blossoms were starting to bud at Ritsurin. Micah and I shared our usual ice cream before piling back on the bus to return to the Ana Hotel. I ate another free meal with the Shikoku Rotary kids then said goodbye until our next crazy meeting. If anything, this trip continues to prove how excellent the Japanese Rotary program can be (and why Contemporary Art Museums are more fun after little to no sleep). I felt completely welcomed even though I wasn't specifically invited and had a killer time.
 Girl's Day 3/03/2005 08:12:00 PM
March 3rd in Japan is the time to celebrate and recognize young girls during Hina Matsuri. Sadly, I must wait for Boy's Day on May 5th to get my fair share of the celebration but in the meantime Kawai-san threw a large party at our house inviting all her friends. During the Hina Matsuri (Hina meaning doll and matsuri meaning festival) families usually prepare a set of hinaningyo or set of elaborate Japanese dolls arranged on a traditional staircase. The sets are usually handed down from family to family but since Kawai-san only has a son we borrowed our set from a friend. Shoko-san also set up hinaningyo in her house for the holiday. Somehow, during the day Saeki-san went on Japanese radio talking about Hina Matsuri and the party we would be having that evening. She also mentioned that I would be performing Guitar Zamurai (something I had thought about but had not yet prepared). So, never one to disappoint, I wrote up this skit about some of the people attending the party (a sample about Saeki-san, translated into English but subsequently losing most of the humor): 私　はるちゃん いつもあたしは無口なんです　って 言うじゃなーぃ。。。 でも、あんたのおしゃべりはだれにも止められませんから。。。残念! ずっと壁としゃべてなさい　ぎり！ I am Haru-chan (means "girl of the spring," Saeki-san's nickname) "I am always quiet and reserved" Didn't you say that? But! Because when you have a conversation you can't stop talking... It's Too Bad! Please go talk to a wall. (that was fun here's another) わしは　さえき　じろうです ギターが白くて、ぼっけぇ高いよ　って 言うじゃなーぃ。。。 でも、あんたのギターと髪の色とぴったりですから。。。残念! 自称３０才なんです　ぎり！ I am Saeki Jirou. "My white guitar is very expensive" Didn't you say that? But! Because your hair color matches your guitar...It's Too Bad! Pretending you are 30 years old. Anyway, the party atmosphere was wild and a ton of people came. Kawai-san's Kimono teacher talked all about the origins of Hina Matsuri, what the dolls on the stairs represent, as well as the traditional colors of the Hina Matsuri. Afterwards we feasted upon copious amount of food followed by Takuro's performance of "Mexican Samba." "Mexican Samba," or more appropriately "Matsuken Samba" in Japanese, features Ken Matsudaira (the star of a popular Samurai tv-show) wearing a bright yellow sequined Kimono dancing to Latin music wearing geta and with enough backup singers to rival a Broadway musical. Sound like fun? You can listen to it here. Takuro performed Mexican Samba for his school closing ceremony so he already had the outfit ready to go for the party. The party slowly transformed into a concert. Tomoya, Takuro, and Jiro-sensei played some hard rock guitar tunes (certainly having nothing to do with the Hina Matsuri). I was dying by the time Jirou sang "Smoke On the Water" and begged for an encore. Saeki-san played the flute with Nano-chan on saxophone, followed by Jirou and I playing "Dock of the Bay," complete with Otis Redding's newfound Japanese accent. At the end of the party, the Kimono teacher brought out a large wedding Kimono for Amanda to wear. I wore a less impressive male Kimono jacket, which still looked rather snazzy. Overall, a very awesome Girls's Day festival.
 Another Trip To The City 3/03/2005 03:55:00 AM
While in Okayama after Japanese school I made another stop to the gallery near the symphony hall. The exhibit had been switched from last week's display, this time featuring the art of an autistic child in junior High School. He created five exhibits of astounding proportion. The first featured hand-drawn cartoon characters in colored pencil pasted on a massive wall and scattered about the floor. The sheer amount of drawings would be enough to catch anyone's attention. The second exhibit was a small model city created with clear-plastic buildings filled with colored liquid and projected on a wall with a high-powered lamp. The third exhibit was a series of drawings next to the fourth, a dozen or so stuffed animals of various sizes and shapes (reminded me of the animals decorating Bryn's* apartment in Morgantown). The fifth was a smaller recreation of the model city but with a white clay material lit from underneath with lamps. I couldn't believe that all displays were created by one child. Also, at last week's English class with my host mother I took some photos of the infamous "Shogo" (otherwise knows as Darrell). He is quite a character, to say the least. Against my better judgment, I accepted a candy bar he offered me. No adverse effects experienced as of yet. *Perhaps Brynn **Update on the Music section, take a look**
 The Graduate 3/02/2005 08:11:00 AM
High School Graduation in Japan, similar to any other corner of the world, is a momentous occasion. A ceremony marking the flowering of goals and aspirations of High School students as they progress to college or the workplace. Perhaps better described in the e-mail I received from my friend the night before the ceremony, "Graduation of JAPAN is an emotional." An "emotional" indeed! I leisurely biked into the school around 9:30, right on time for the ceremony at 9:45. I was seated in the back of the large auditorium with the other first year students in my class. Second year students were seated closer to the stage, with empty chairs for the third years in the foremost section. Parents and other guests sat on the opposite side of the auditorium, next to the "distinguished guests." Teachers were next to the stage facing the distinguished guests. (In Japan you can always tell distinguished guests apart from the "masses" because of a very loud, large, and colorful flower and ribbon pinned to their lapel. At Rotary Meetings and School Graduations it's a sure thing) Around 9:45 the doors to the auditorium slid open (most if not all doors slide in Japan) and to the obligatory performance of "Pomp and Circumstance" the third year students proceeded to their seats in the front. I spotted a lot of my friends including Kiyoto who had grown his hair out and put it in a perm (giving the aura of a Californian surfer) and Wataru with a great big smile. After all the students were seated, the curtain on the stage was raised, revealing a large podium under a massive Japanese flag. To the right of the podium stood a small yet impressive Bonsai tree. The atmosphere was decidedly Japanese. When I begin to ponder High School graduations, I usually think of long ceremonies with a lot of name calling, clapping, and semi-tearful speeches. In contrast, Japanese High School graduation, or at least Tamano High School, was quick and to the point. The principal made a small speech congratulating the students followed by two speeches by the "Special Guests." Then two top students, one from each of the two courses (International and Regular) approached the podium to receive diplomas for the whole school. No name calling, just two students being recognized. The valedictorian and a top second year student then gave speeches recalling their time at Tamano High School. Both started crying toward the end, and I could see some teachers getting teary-eyed as well. At the end everyone stood, sang Auld Lang Syne in Japanese for reasons still unclear to me, and finished the ceremony with a rousing reprise of the Tamano High School song (which I stumbled through with the aide of a cheat sheet). After the ceremony all third year students exited the auditorium to go back to their classroom and individually receive their diplomas. I stayed around to take pictures and check out the yearbook (of which I am trying to get a copy). I was stopped by the principal of the school and chatted for a while about the differences between Japanese and American High School Graduations. I'm always excited to talk with the principal because regardless of his comprehension of what I’m saying he always makes me feel well understood. So be it elaborate farce or my genuine improvement in Japanese, both are equally impressive. During the rest of the day I whipped up some delicious latkes, applesauce, and a fresh garden salad for dinner. Tomoya was blown away and has requested I make latkes once a week. I told him it would probably kill him but he said he didn't care and that death was “an acceptable price.” Tomorrow is Hina Matsuri so for now I must arrange some dolls on a large set of stairs...
 The Slack is Back 2/27/2005 04:29:00 AM
It is such a terrible title I couldn't resist! Today was finally warm and dry enough to set up a slackline in the park near my house. For the inquisitive, a slackline is a length of webbing strung between two trees on which you wan walk (think: circus). Usually it draws a crowd of onlookers back home, so you can imagine some weird foreign guy slacklining in the park would be a pretty big event in the sleepy neighborhood of Tai. I invited Amanda, the exchange student from Canada who recently moved to a nearby house as well as some of my neighbors. Everyone gave it a try and luckily no one fell right on their face! (Takuro came close, however) But before this afternoon's slacking, my family took me to a famous Ramen and Soba restaurant in Okayama called Ichigen. It was not our original destination, which was another famous Ramen shop about halfway between Tamano and Okayama. But when we arrived, we found the Ramen shop reduced to rubble. No kidding, you could actually see the bricks and iron rebar from the demolished building. After recovering from the laughter we decided on the alternate restaurant. After lunch I taught English at a Juku to some junior high students who are taking the High School entrance exam next week. The High School entrace exam is big business because getting into a good High School usually means getting into a good college. Just one more way to add pressure on kids. Regardless, we had fun and teaching was awesome. Yesterday was Tomoya's "Farewell Concert" at Uno Junior High School. He played the contrabass in a piece entitled "Romanian Folk Song" and the electric bass for a "Disney Super Mix." Surprisingly, school bands sound the same all over the world. I don't know what I was expecting. There was an accordion selection of "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" which rocked (as hard as an accordion can rock). Tomorrow I am going to city hall for an interview. They specifically told me to "come alone." I hope this isn't another one of the Mayor's crazy traps! Silly Tamano Mayor, Trix are for Kids!
 Those Were Some Big Flakes 2/25/2005 10:01:00 AM
Yesterday brought snow to Tamano like a madman. A true squall of a storm complete with the largest, Ritz cracker sized snowflakes I have ever seen. One flake on the tongue was enough to quench thirst for a whole afternoon! And just as fluffy as a cloud! Paul's Bunyan's ox was as big as a house! But tall tales aside, these flakes were large. The storm began in the afternoon as a cold rain and ended with streets the consistency of a lemon slush puppy. I was scheduled to teach some High School kids English at the nearby Juku but the snow scared everyone off the streets. Neil came to the evening's rescue by hosting a last minute game-night at his place featuring my favorite, Casino, and his, Yahtzee (which was played inside a frisbee, another passion of Neil's). John Davey came over for the evening and ended up letting me borrow some classic comedy videos (that means on a tape, for all you young whippersnappers) in payment for copying his dance hall reggae CDs. All the snow melted by morning, which was surprising yet excellent because no unsightly-cinders-and-dirty-snow residue was left to catch the eye. This week also saw the return of Jittan to China. Jittan, who studied Business Japanese at a college in Okayama, had been in Japan for about 10 months and was one of my first friends in Japan. Shoko and I took the early morning train to Okayama, where I treated her to breakfast at Starbucks (of course it's everywhere), then we met Jittan at the train station. Tears were shed on the Shinkansen platform as she waved from the window of her bullet train. And so departs another great person I've met in Japan. In the category of future plans, I will be traveling to Tokyo with Rahul March 10-13th (!!). If anyone has any requests (I have received a few for certain CDs) for any sort of Tokyo merchandise, you can contact me at BenPleaseBuyMe@SomeStuff.com or by sending me an e-mail to a real account. Today was technically my last day of High School as a first year student at Tamano. My class will be taking finals over the weekend and part of next week which I have opted not to attend, but I am on the edge of my seat about Graduation and "Meet the New Teachers" Day which will be held sometime in March. First day of class as a second year student will be April 7th. I remain unaware of how the students will be divded between the two classes of 40 in the "International Course." Perhaps everyone will stick with their own class, or there might be a mix and match (hopefully the former, because I just started to feel confident with everyone's name, yet meeting new people is always fun). Either way, it's a little strange being a good bit older than most everyone in my class, but now that I can think of a decent comeback to "you have very long nosehair" school has become a much better place. Included are some pictures of Jittan's last day in Tamano (bowling and karaoke, with dinner at Jacasse) as well as some shots from around town.
 Balloon Rooms of the World 2/23/2005 09:02:00 AM
Today, because of next week's school tests, I got a chance to sleep in and enjoy Bernie's morning radio show. It airs at 10-midnight back home which makes it the perfect morning radio program on Japanese time. However, I usually don't get a chance to tune in because of Wednesday's Japanese school in the city. A little after noon I exited my house in Tai with a big smile on my face, mostly because the sun was shining and I couldn't see my breath on the air. I noted two children playing on a see-saw in the park, one clearly out-weighing the other. The bus ride to Okayama city was pleasant, and I opened the window a crack for some fresh air (the bus heaters are always going full blast). The man occupying the seat across from me fell asleep in a funny position, awaking with a start when the bus came to a halt at a railway crossing. Japanese school went smoothly, and Kimura-san resisted the urge to put anything over her head. Following class, Cori, Janna, and I went to a local bookshop which was sponsoring an English book drive; cardboard crates full of all sorts of treasures. I found a hardcover copy of "Tattoos of the 1950s" wedged next to a copy of Kurt Cobain's diary placed next to Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." I resisted the urge to buy all three and settled for a book by a Japanese author and James Joyce's "A Portrait of the Artist at a Young Age." Cori and Janna had to catch the train home so I wandered the evening streets of Okayama in search of excitement. I found an art gallery featuring collaborations between children and adults, which struck me as an obvious yet rarely employed artistic technique (so says I, the artistic village idiot). I struck up a conversation with the curator who had constructed a sort of human skeletal and muscular sculpture in the center of the room, plastered with entries from children's diaries written on everything from paper to plastic bananas. In the back room of the gallery I found the most unexpected display, a room full of multicolored balloons with digital projectors beaming clouds onto the white brick walls. About 6 or 7 people were rubbing the balloons all over their bodies and sticking them to the wall. Occasionally a balloon would pop, making the whole room jump. After the art exhibit I thanked the curator (he gave me some cookies, also unexpected yet appreciated) and set off down the street to the station. I was stopped by loud hip-hop music drifting from a second story window of what I discovered to be the "Hip-Hop Dance School of Okayama." I walked up a corner flight of stairs with the full intention of finding a window to grab a peek of Japanese guys spinning on their heads or crip-walking. I instead opened the door to about 15 girls performing a crazy hip-hop "fist pump" in unison if front of a massive wall-sized mirror. Some stopped their fist pumping and turned to see who had invaded the amateur hip-hop dance class. Others continued the pumping. I just stared with what was probably on open mouth, amazed at what I had found. I watched for a minute then politely excused myself, making a mental note to return some time in the future when I didn't feel quite so outnumbered. After the dance class I crossed to street into a store called, "Bimbo." It was full of crazy chairs, pillows, and other amazing apartment accessories. I bought my host mother a small bobble-head daschund (her passion) and some Japanese looking accessories for myself. I ate dinner on the second floor of a bread shop looking out on the street, silhouetted by the brightly lit Symphony Hall. While waxing poetic over a potato and ham sandwich I scribbled this on a paper bag from the book store before striking up a conversation with two women and a man sitting in the corner of the shop discussing the man's purchase of a new digital camera: "Some would say that an enjoyable life is an expedition into the unseen; the winking glint of sun from the corner of a glass; the striking resemblance between the man on the stairs and the late composer Chopin; the way cardboard never bends exactly where you want it to, silently expressing it's resistance to change..." After dinner I caught the bus back home, drifting in and out of sleep. I gave my host mother her gift (she couldn't stop laughing, a good sign) and crossed the park to Saeki-san's house for a guitar lesson. Jirou-sensei dumbfounded me with his guitar skill, which I attempted (and failed) to duplicate. I was offered some dinner and had an English conversation with the family in exchange for the lesson and the food. At one point, Saeki-san said "I am grandmother," instead of "I am glamorous" which resulted in uncontrolled laughing. I said goodbye, quite full, then ran into the night. To my house. By any standard, a great day.
 We Don't Need No Education 2/22/2005 06:38:00 AM
English class would be one of the better blocks of time during my day, usually because I have a decent understanding of what is going on. Today, in the middle of a particularly boring dissertation on the difference between which, whom, and who, Izawa (who sits in the back corner) said, "There are so many English words, I bet I could just write down some letters and Ben could understand it." He proceeded to write down these words on a large sheet of paper, occasionally holding it up for me to see on the other side of the room: "Stocaraty" "Whayach" "Tachy" -which is a prefex, two points for effort "Morgast" "Weracy" "Carban" "Sative" - which I later discovered is actually a word "Acray" "Hamna" And, my personal favorite, "Bacxaro," who could very well be the next batman villain. I was surprised how close he came to actual English words. I bet I could easily get away with slipping "weracy" into an English conversation. "The crowd was struck with a deep feeling of morgast." So congratulations Izawa, you are a fake-English master
 Out Of Town 2/22/2005 03:17:00 AM
Last weekend, I received an invite from Janna's friend Michiko to stay in the town of Tsuyama. The Tsuyama Rotary members also offered to take Cori, Janna, and I skiing at Ombara. How could I refuse? Before the trip, I experienced the Japanese traditional dance form of Nihon Buyou. A teacher of the dance lives near Kawai-san's house, so I spent the morning with Nakahara-sensei and her student who was on vacation from her college in Osaka. Nihon Buyou is classified as “any form of traditional Japanese dance,” but can most often be seen in both Kabuki and Noh plays. The dance is accompanied by the Shamisen (a three stringed Japanese guitar), and can usually be discerned from western dance by its small, shuffling movements (in contrast with ballet's leaps, yet strangely similar to hip-hop's two step). The girl who performed the dance had studied since the age of 3, but she said that not many Japanese enjoy studying the dance form because of its slow pace and slightly antiquated style. I thought it was amazing. She performed one dance which lasted about 15 minutes and was broken into three discernable sections. First, she depicted a young man with very powerful movements using a fishing pole and fan as props. The next stage involved the aging of the man, personified by looking inside of a box (during the real play, a mask would be applied from the box). In the final stage the man was blind, yet still carried his fishing pole. By the end of the show I was completely floored by the skill and precision of the dance. I attempted some of the intricate fan movements but could barely keep myself from tossing the would-be weapon across the room. After some tea I said goodbye to Nakahara-sensei and her student, and set off on a 3 hour bus and train ride from Tamano to Tsuyama. Janna and her host mother picked me up at the station and drove us to Michiko's house on the edge of the city. Michiko, who studied English in London, was once a model. She now works with her husband selling avant-garde style houses in Japan. As expected, her house was much different than the traditional Japanese dwelling, resembling a more western style house. Just to make my father jealous, they also live right next to a golf course. Michiko took Janna and me (Cori couldn't come until the following day) to Karaoke with two of her friends. One was very quiet, and didn't say much when he first introduced himself. However, he ended up only singing loud, screaming songs with crazy half-Japanese half-English lyrics (I can only remember a song with the chorus "Come on...SHAKE HIP SHAKE HIP!"). Michiko, on the other hand, sang Madonna. As first I thought it was going to be funny, but Michiko had a really great Madonna voice. She even got up and made Janna and I dance with her. After karaoke, we went to a small late night okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) restaurant bustling with Japanese locals. Tsuyama's okonomiyaki is more of the Hiroshima style (thin like a pancake and folded like an omelet), while in Tamano the okonomiyaki is Kansai style (thick and meaty). You might ask yourself "What difference does that make?" Truthfully, both styles are delicious, and perhaps I was especially hungry after the strain of Karaoke, but the Tsuyama okonomiyaki was first rate. That night Janna, Michiko, and I watched two movies, a rare occurrence for me. The first, Casshern, was shot entirely with a "digital backlot" (green screen) with all backgrounds added in post production (another example would be Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow). Anime fans, rejoice, because lens flares and matrix style moves abound. This movie started to give me a seizure around the middle when I not only couldn't understand what was going on (even with English subtitles) but the camera was cut every 5 seconds to heighten the never-ending tension. The ending of this movie could be described at "crazy," "nonsensical," or "stupid." It does get points for looking beautiful, though. The second movie, "Sekai no Chu shin de, Ai wo Sakebu," or Sekai Chu (pronounced to rhyme with Pokemon's Pikachu) for short, is a love story that was inspired from a book and made into a movie as well as a TV drama. Its English title is "Crying Out Love, In the Center of the World," and most everyone in Japan has either seen or heard of Sekai Chu. I thought it was good, especially because of the totally unexpected cameo appearance of the Aboriginal guy from Crocodile Dundee. The next day, I thanked Mickiko profusely for letting me stay at her house and left with Hikasa-san, Janna, and Cori to Ombara Ski Resort. Cori and I snowboarded while Janna chose skis. Although there was a large crowd of people, the weather was perfect and the lift lines moved quickly. That evening we ate my favorite, Kaiten Zushi (a type of serve-yourself sushi that moves along on a massive conveyor belt) before I caught a train and a bus back to Tamano.
Journey to Saidaiji 2/21/2005 03:15:00 AM
Towns, districts, and cities in Japan periodically have interesting or exciting celebrations. Perhaps they will throw a parade everyone once in a while, or show an open-air movie in the park. “Free popcorn, bring the kids!” In the case of Saidaiji, in Okayama, thralls of men (of various intoxication levels) gather and strip down for the annual Hadaka Matsuri, or "Naked Festival," held at the local temple. With the ultimate goal of being able to touch one of the two sacred sticks (Shingi) thrown into the teeming crowd by the temple priest, the men gather in groups of 10-30 to run around a preset course shouting "Washoi, washoi, washoi!" From what I could tell, "washoi" would be the Japanese equivalent of "heave, ho!" oft spoken by pirates and other naval folk. For over 400 years, men have gathered to celebrate this momentous occasion. I left home around 7 in the evening and met Tamano High School's English teacher John on the train to Okayama. His friend gave us a ride the short distance from Okayama city to Saidaiji, where thousands of people had gathered to witness the spectacle. Neil and Jez, the other English teachers from Tamano, had decided to join the other gaijin and participate in this historic festival. I met them at the changing booth, and for about 10 seconds I gave serious thought to participating in the festival as well, but the story of the exchange student from Tamano who was seriously injured the previous year came rushing back to me. You could say I was a wimp, but who wants to spend the rest of their Japanese exchange in a full body cast? To be honest, the festival isn't performed completely naked. Instead, the participants don a "fundoshi," or modest loincloth made from either 10 or 20 foot rolls of cloth (I hear purchasing the 20 foot roll is totally worth the expense). In a large tent, certified Japanese Fundoshi vendors give the appropriate "atomic wedgie" to keep the cloth from falling off once the festival begins. Then it is off to the temple where between the hours of 10 and midnight hundreds of men run laps in the freezing mid-winter weather, all the while chanting "washoi, washoi, WASHOI!" Towards midnight, the men began to gather on the steps and "porch" of the main temple. Priests dump freezing water on the crowd, which is quickly warmed to a misty steam which lingers above the chanting men. Men try to push their way up the stairs; often causing whole bunches of fundoshi clad guys tumbling down the stairs. I witnessed quite a few punches to the face, pulling of fundoshi, and a ton of shoving. When talking to Japanese people about Hadaka Matsuri, they often describe it as what they believe hell would be like. Indeed, after reviewing the newspaper the following day, the picture outside the temple depicting hundreds of men with the groping arms reached toward the sky certainly reminded me of something hellish, albeit impressive. At the stroke of midnight, yells reaching a feverish pace, the lights were cut and the two "shingi" were thrown to the waiting mass. Just like at the bottom of the 9th with two outs with the bases loaded, the crowd went wild. Neil later told me that you had to breathe out and then in again quickly or your chest would get compressed with the force of everyone around you. Once someone had finally claimed the sticks police tried to escort the men from the temple. Some fights erupted (which I hear is completely normal) as hundreds of men were led back to their changing rooms. Following the festival, I had planned to stay at a friend's house in Osafune, a close distance from Saidaiji. Neil and I walked to Saidaiji station to find a taxi, striking up plenty of conversations with Japanese people along the way. We almost convinced a group of people to drive us all the way to Osafune but they said they were going in the other direction. At three in the morning, the taxi driver dropped us off at Osafune Station, in the proverbial "middle of nowhere." The taxi driver must have thought we were crazy but accepted his fare and drove away. Surprisingly, it was a clear night with a bright moon, making for an easy walk to Neil's friend's house. Leis (from England) had taught English in Japan for 2 years, and at her house were 5 other English teachers from England and the U.S. The next morning, Neil and I snuck out early to catch a train back to Tamano. Osafune is a beautiful part of Japan, with mountains rising from the rice fields in the distance. We stopped at a small grocery store to speak with the locals and purchase some drinks for the road. Walking in the early morning along the country road and drinking my tea with Neil gave me a great feeling and I promised myself I'd do more exploring on my own in the future. We came to the Osafune Station just in time, and ran to catch the train. Unfortunately, at a junction after Okayama station we had a wait of 50 minutes before the next train arrived. Neil and I walked around Chayamachi Station, subsequently finding a small pizza shop that happened to be open for business. Perhaps it was because we were starving, or it could have been the massive chunks of ham, but it was the best pizza I've eaten in Japan. I stumbled home around 12, eager to tell my family all about the excellent night. They were happy I hadn't killed myself, so everyone came away a winner.
Fashion Show #2 2/18/2005 05:35:00 AM
I am constantly and repeatedly impressed with the Japanese sense of fashion. It appears to me that Japanese fashion isn't so much a separate entity from world fashion, but rather the concentrated culmination of every style one could imagine. Japanese people take Italian, French, and American designs, wear it all at once, and make the clothing look real good. Furthermore, the proportion of fashionable people is much higher than I ever experienced in America. Most of my classmates are carrying Louis Vuitton wallets and purses on a regular basis, and in the city you can't go anywhere without seeing someone that seems to know a little something about good (or at least outrageous) fashion. Girls wear short skirts with high boots, large frilly parkas, and t-shirts with ridiculous English plastered on the front. When offered, I jumped at the opportunity to go to the Chugoku Design College's fashion show in Okayama with Katrin (the exchange student from Germany), Michelle (from Canada), and some of their friends from Joto High School. We all met outside Okayama Station around noon, and then did some shopping and a little eating before the show began. We hit Loft, a six story department store filled with postcards, food, tableware, furniture, office supplies, costumes, cell phone accessories, and crazy pop art curiosities. It happened to be the day before Valentine's Day, so the 4th floor was crammed with girls buying last minute gifts (in Japan, girls give guys gifts on Valentine's Day, while guys get a whole extra month until March 14, White Day, to return the favor). We then walked past Symphony Hall to where the design college was located, arriving just in time as two huge projectors and a fleet of strobe lights flashed while Bjork pump-up music played in the background. As far as I can tell most Japanese fashion shows (and this could be true all over the world) have the same format: A very high beats-per-minute song plays while searchlights and colored strobes blind the audience (with the ultimate goal of distracting the onlookers from the clothing they came to view). Tall, stone-faced models then powerfully stride onto the stage, walking in rhythm to the music alongside their equally stone-faced cohorts. Usually one model will be the center of attention and will carry an accessory such as a devil's pitchfork or princess's wand to augment the clothing on display. All of the clothing I saw was themed, with about 10 or 12 small performances ranging from Jamaican dancers sporting red, yellow, and green to a spooky "Men in Black" type outfit with fake smoke and sleeves that reached all the way to the floor. I don't ever aspire to be a fashion designer, but I did get a kick out of the stunning display.
 Get to Class 2/17/2005 08:59:00 AM
Every Wednesday I take an hour bus ride to the city, my ultimate destination being the Okayama Institute of Languages. I am joined by the other Rotary exchange students in Okayama prefecture, Janna and Cori. Class runs for about three hours, and we usually go out to lunch (and often dinner) together before and after school. Our teacher, Kimura-sensei, is consistently outgoing and happy about teaching Japanese. She knows enough English to make the class hilarious every week, as we all try to explain ourselves in a mix of Japanese, English, and Janglish. The best part about Japanese school is that it is completely paid for by the Tamano, Tsuyama, and Okayama Rotary Clubs. Also, it gives me a chance to get out of Tamano and into a decent sized city.
Tea Please 2/15/2005 08:17:00 AM
I received another invite to my host mother's tea ceremony teacher's house over the weekend. I had experienced the tea ceremony before at school and in Tama, but was informed that I would be practicing the "Okayama" style of tea ceremony, which differs from my previous teacher's "Kansai" style of tea. As of now, I am currently developing my own "Old Skool" style of tea preparation. First, my host mother served me a cup of tea, and then I tried my hand at the process, thoroughly confusing the left-hand/right-hand maneuvers but ultimately producing a nice cup of tea. Lunch followed the tea ceremony at the always delicious Jacasse.
 Rotary District Orientation 2/14/2005 04:23:00 AM
Last Saturday was Andee's final day in Japan. He was leaving on the Shinkansen in the evening, and I had to attend a Rotary meeting that night in Kurashiki. To compromise, we both went to Okayama City in the morning to see another person in Andee's exchange program that was also leaving that day. I had never met the girl before, and sadly I cannot remember much about her, but she was from Thailand and seemed very friendly for the hour or so I spent with her at the train station. Many people came to see her leave, and she was crying rather hard by the time she left the station. After seeing her depart, Andee and I spent our final morning at Mister Donut with some honey glaze pastries and a coffee. We talked about things that made us laugh, and it didn't quite feel like he was leaving for good. When I said goodbye to him at the station I felt a pang of sadness, but smiled because I was happy to have met someone like him. I gave him a hug right there at the turnstile, and then got on a train for Tamano. Back at the house, my host counselor was waiting with a Japanese girl from my school who went to Texas on exchange last year. I had already packed my bag for the weekend, so we struck out on our journey. The motley crew; Keiko, the girl from my school, Aketa-san, my host counselor who I have recently realized looks exactly like Ho Chi Min, and I, wearing a sweatshirt that said "beautiful rainbow to the sky,” left in Aketa-san’s car. The Rotary meeting was being held at the Kurashiki Seaside Hotel, and aside from seeing a brief schedule I didn't know what to expect. My previous Rotary meetings had involved only the students from Okayama Prefecture (about 5, including outbounds from last year) so I expected something along those lines. We were the first people to arrive at the hotel, so after a delicious lunch (during which Aketa-san smoked about a pack of cigarettes) we left to put our baggage in the main meeting room. I met Janna from Tsuyama in an elevator, and she said that lots of kids were there from all over the surrounding prefectures. Exiting the elevator, I instantly spotted Micah Ginnis, who happened to be my room mate at the Outbound Orientation in America earlier in the year. We had e-mailed a few times back and forth in Japan, but I didn't expect to see him at all. He said all the exchange students from his prefecture were there, and introduced me to Shaun, Carter, and Tom (from America), and Urte (from Lithuania). In total, about 30 students had gathered for the meeting, mostly from American and Canada but also two girls from France and one from Finland. There were also about 15 Japanese girls that had either been on exchange last year or waiting to leave this year. Shaun's main reason for coming to Japan is to learn how to be an entrepreneur from Japanese businessmen, and then start a string of arcades back in the States. It struck me as an odd reason, but at least it's better than "I came for the culture," which is everyone's usual reply. Before the meeting started, the Rotary district president told me to tell the other students to prepare a skit for that evening about something strange or funny that we had experienced in Japan. I am not sure why he asked me in particular, and in fact I think he called me "Jason" the first time he saw me, but I did as I was told. Everyone introduced themselves by district, and then we had a small meeting followed by dinner. After dinner all the exchange students retired to a room to make the skits. I found a very large loudspeaker, and under the auspices of using the music for skit preparation played various tunes during the meeting. Later that evening we presented the skits, some of which were hilarious in their use of Japanese and English, and then all the kids went to a large party in the hotel while the Rotary members went out to drink. Micah, Shaun, Carter, and I hit the hotel's Onsen, and then hung out in various rooms for a while. I got a chance to talk with many of the Japanese kids about their exchanges, which was exciting because I rarely get to talk with Japanese kids in a completely relaxed atmosphere. For the rest of the night, using the large loudspeaker, we continued the party from room to room. I don't think anyone else was staying in the hotel besides Rotary members so we had the whole place to ourselves. There was dancing, laughing, and sitting on the roof looking at the nearby Kurashiki chemical plants, bright against the night sky. In the morning, we took a tour of Konpira-san, crossing the massive Seto-Ohashi Bridge. I had been to Konpira-san once before, but it was a lot more fun traveling with the other Rotary kids. A lot of students live on Shikoku, the island south of Tamano, which I can easily reach by ferry. Hopefully I will get to take some trips there in the coming weekends. At Konpira-san we ate Udon for lunch, after which Micah and I bought ice cream. While walking away from the ice cream stand, we spotted another ice cream stand on the corner. The following conversation ensued: Micah: "Hey, why don't we eat this ice cream cone real fast and buy another?" Me: "That's a little gluttonous, don't you think? Two ice creams right after each other." Micah: "Especially when you're lactose intolerant!" Me: "What?! Why are you even eating that ice cream cone?" Micah: "I only get dizzy, don't worry." (Micah then moonwalks through a glass window) The rest of the afternoon was spent touring historic Konpira-san. After a closing ceremony back at the hotel, everyone said goodbye for the evening. Aketa-san gave me a ride back to Tamano, where I promptly fell asleep after a large sushi dinner.
Setsubun Showdown! 2/10/2005 03:56:00 AM
Yesterday afternoon was spent riding around on my bicycle after school, slicing at people with a green plastic samurai sword and screaming what probably ended up being unintelligible Japanese until I felt my work was done. This morning I made my host family strawberry and banana pancakes. With that in mind, the Japanese festival of Setsubun: Setsubun or "seasonal division" is held on February 2 or 3, one day before the start of spring. Various rituals are performed with the purpose of chasing away evil spirits. Most of these rituals are family based, differing from household to household. On the day of the celebration, my host mother tried to explain what we would be doing that evening. She said, and I quote, "We will throw beans at Oni." Andee came over for the celebration, which was held at the Saeki's house, where we performed a unique ritual. First, we ate a special uncut sushi roll that is extra long to welcome the spring (maki-zushi). You are supposed to eat said sushi roll in complete silence, facing a certain direction, which changes every year. This year's direction was "west, southwest." I asked how the direction is chosen, but couldn't understand the process. (I later learned it is based on the Zodiac) I would have liked to believe that it is similar to groundhog day, with perhaps a special bird selecting various directions. Following the sushi was the Throwing of the Beans. To quote the process, "When throwing the beans, you are supposed to shout "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" ("Devils out, happiness in"). Afterwards you should pick up and eat the number of beans which corresponds to your age." We all gathered at the front door while Jirou sensei put on an Oni mask. He rang the doorbell, opened the door, and we all threw beans in his face. "Oni wa soto!" I screamed, banishing the plastic Oni mask from my presence. "Fuku wa uchi!" soon followed, with a handful of beans tossed into the house. We all took turns being Oni, and getting pelted with beans. After that crazy display, we ate a tasty Oni cake topped with fruit deliciousness. A trip to the Saeki's house is always a great experience, and we welcomed the spring in true fashion.
Get Out of Here! 2/07/2005 02:15:02 AM
Today was an amazing day. Nothing particularly special happened, and in fact it rained, but I still felt the residual effect of this weekend's Rotary outbound orientation in Kurashiki. I will first take you back to last weekend, at Jittan and Andee's going away party. The location was Shoko's house, the usual party location. I invited Yuudai and Nakkan from school, along with Neil and Sam, the local English teachers. Shoko called all her older Japanese friends and Chinese teacher who came with his wife to the party. Everyone who had known Andee or Jittan from Tamano attended. That may appear to be a calm, reclined crowd but if you had been present you would know otherwise. A large assortment of foods were prepared by Jittan, Shoko, the Chinese teacher and his wife, and other members in the house for consumption at the party. Miyu was also in town from Kobe so I got a change to speak with her in Japanese. She leaves in a few days for Washington State as an exchange student for a few months. The party was a free for all with Lost in Translation and equally exciting music playing in the background. After a few hours, I decided to give Jittan and Andee their big surprise, a live rendition of Guitar Zamurai. Guitar Zamurai, for those who don't know, is a very famous comedian in Japan who plays a guitar while wearing a Kimono and makes fun of people, like a musical Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. When I first came to Japan, Jittan told me Guitar Zamurai was her favorite comic, and while I couldn't understand a thing he said, she died laughing. I wrote the lyrics myself, with some help from my host brother to make it more understandable and funny. Also thanks to Jirou sensei for showing me the Guitar Zamurai chords. All the Japanese people at the party thought it was great. After the party began to wind down, Neil struck up a large game of cards. He is a massive card fan, and is in fact starting a weekly potluck dinner and card night for anyone interested. Music was played, cards were dealt, and people danced until the wee hours. When only Andee, Jittan, Neil, Shoko, and myself were left awake someone put on Cold Mountain (Shoko is a big Jude Law fan) and Neil left after the movie was over. Andee then gave us parting gifts of Malaysian clothing which seemed like an excellent thing to try on at 5 in the morning. Everyone went to sleep for a few hours, and then woke up for a traditional Japanese lunch of party leftovers (so much better than cold pizza). We played cards and Nintendo Mario Party until that evening. Andee's host family took Jittan, Andee, and I to a very fancy Japanese restaurant in Uno. Andee's host sister and father playfully argued about colleges (she wants business, he wants language) which was interesting to watch and soon involved everyone at the party. The food and drink were delicious and I felt plenty stuffed after 40 hours of continual eating. Everyone then went back to their respective houses, but the party was not over yet. Andee, Jittan, and I met in Okayama the next day to go to Aeon (pronounced Ion), a large shopping mall in Kurashiki. We laughed, shopped, purikura-ed, and ate large pieces of cake for dinner. We also watched a movie, Howl's Moving Castle, which is the next movie in the Ghibli line of films including Spirited Away, Lapita, and Totoro. Expensive at $15 but well worth the money. To top off the three days of craziness, my mind was blown by finding a very inexpensive MIT sweatshirt at the mall. Other choices included Boston University, Texas A&M, and the seemingly out of place University of Southern Georgia. Back in Okayama, Andee and Jittan said goodbye to each other for the last time at the train station in a very sad and strikingly movie-like display: walking backwards and waving, time ticking by slowly. We may have only been together for a short while, but we had some great times. And thus the going away party drew to a close. Andee and I returned to Tamano to get some rest.
Mitsui Zosen Extravaganza 2/02/2005 06:27:52 AM
If anyone in Japan knows how to have a good time, it's Tamano's Mitsui Zosen shipbuilding company. Back when I met the Mayor of Tamano, I mentioned wanting a tour of the massive and frankly ominous shipyard located in the Watanabe's back yard. I suppose asking the mayor for a favor really gets you the whole nine yards, because he talked to some Rotary members and arranged for a private tour of the grounds. I was not allowed many pictures on the premises, so I will do my best to explain the somewhat secret and decidedly awesome goings-on at the Mitsui Company. First a little background, discerned from a PowerPoint presentation given with tea before the tour. Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1917 (Taisho 8 on the Japanese calendar), supplying Japan with both ships and diesel motors. Among other projects, the company has placed pillars for the Seto-Ohashi Bridge and holds world records for deep-sea ocean drilling. Today's projects include rescue ships, tankers, autonomous drilling vessels, hovercraft, and my favorite, "high speed chase boats" (my translator mentioned something about North Korea). After the diesel bust in the 80's (before which the Tamano Mitsui Company employed over 10,000 workers), the company focused on constructing solar panels, LCD monitors, and X-ray machines that check for stress and cracks in tunnels. However, they are still best known for their work on engines and tankers, including "Ogasawara," the world's largest aluminum ship. After the slide presentation, I donned a hard hat and steel tipped boots for the real tour of the factory. Accompanying me was an official from Mitsui, my Rotary host counselor, and Mitsui's on-site English teacher as a translator. We took a car around the massive complex (988,000 square meters) where I saw various processing plants, huge cranes, and partially constructed ships. In one "off-limits" area, we could partially see three enormous military hovercrafts awaiting deployment. After the drive we set off on foot to tour an engine factory. Mitsui does not only make ship engines, but is also well known for power plant diesel motors. The size of the factory was staggering, with engines that looked much like that of a car, except you could easily fit inside one of the pistons. After the tour, which lasted about an hour and a half, I came back to the slide presentation room for tea and cookies and got a chance to ask a few questions about the factory. Mostly I spoke with my translator about whether he enjoyed his job and how he came to work in Tamano. It turns out that he is married, expecting a second child soon, and his brother (who got him the job) also works as an English teacher at Mitsui. There is also another branch of Mitsui near Chiba, which manufactures many of the same ships as Tamano but in larger quantities. I believe the Tamano branch builds 40 ships a year, and also has a hand in research, development, and plant engineering around the world. Next month my host father, who works for the Mitsui Chemical branch, is traveling to Iran to plan and coordinate the building of a chemical refinery plant near the Iran/Iraq border. I asked if I could go too and he said I would need to buy a gun first. I left the Mitsui Shipyard feeling enlightened as to the large clanging noises I used to hear from the Watanabe's house throughout the day. I have never been a ship buff, but something about seeing a massive tanker in construction would give anyone a sense of wonder and awe.
Put On Your Best Kimono 1/27/2005 03:08:04 AM
I came home from school today fully intending to sleep, half from exhaustion following Thursday's weekly 2Km morning run which left me feeling out of shape with an acute sense of shame and half from the nightly underground mahjong and pinochle games run out of Kawai-san's basement. Just kidding, Japanese houses don't have basements. However, the run, much like last week's, left the entire class with a robust black-lung hack, transforming into a wheeze by the end of the day. Andee, with rapier wit, quipped that he will be basking in the sun of Malaysia drinking wine from a coconut before I finish my running unit of gym class. I chased after him for a while. On the bright side I did shave my time by 20 seconds. When does the rock climbing unit start? But "Hell Thursday," as it has come to be called, is not the topic of this entry. Last Saturday, after Andee spent the night, my host mother took us with Saeki-san to their Kimono teacher's house for a photo shoot. This time both of us wore "Hakama" style Kimono, much like the outfit worn for Kyudo or Kendo but much fancier. The Hakama Kimono is customarily donned for wedding ceremonies or other such occasions. The Kimono-sensei showed us how to wear the Kimono, and also how to tie the Obi, or bow/belt/sash around the waist (there are countless methods). Following the dressing both Andee and I posed for pictures beside the teacher's house (with a striking Japanese facade) and in her garden. After the shoot, the teacher explained the complicated process of folding the Kimono, Hakama, and silk underskirt. We drank tea in her tatami room then took off for home.
Learn to Play 1/25/2005 07:27:16 AM
Last Saturday night was a guitar-playin' brouhaha at the Saeki household. Jirou-sensei indulged me with a lesson, free because I teach him English. He is a funny guy, and most of the lesson is spent laughing. He taught me "Furusato" on the guitar, a famous Japanese folk song that my previous English students in Tama taught me to sing. Maybe the people at my next host family will teach me the base line and I'll be set. After the lesson, two English teachers from the Okayama area, Scott and Amber, came for their first guitar lesson from Jirou. I had met Amber a few weeks ago at my host mother's English lesson and Scott at the Okayama International Center on a school field trip. Scott and Amber had never played the guitar before, so Jirou showed them the basics while I helped translate his Japanese into English. Using two chords, Jirou taught a crude version of Credence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" Probably the last tune I expected to hear in Japan, but I'm up for anything these days. After a finger grinding hour of play, everyone retired for dinner. Delicious Oden and Okonomiyaki, with Anko rice balls for dessert. After dinner Tomoya and Takurou played a Shinkansen board game that I couldn't quite figure out, although a whole board game dedicated to a bullet train does sound mighty exciting. Earlier in the day, Andee and I took a trip to Okayama so he could buy last minute items before returning to Malaysia. We did a whole lot of aggressive window shopping, and then Jittan met us for Purikura, coffee, and cake. I left around 2 to meet my Rotary host counselor back at Kawai-san's house to discuss Monday’s tour of the Mitsui shipyard, my planned trip to Tokyo, skiing on Mount Daisen, and a possible journey to World EXPO 2005 in Nagoya. That evening Andee came to eat dinner and consequently stayed the night. He purchased a lava lamp in Okayama, so we fired it up but couldn't sleep due to the intense green glow.
Loose Ends 1/23/2005 06:46:37 AM
Even making mistakes in Japan usually ends in hilarity. Last week Tomoya informed me that I would be eating dinner at his grandmother's house because my host mother wouldn't be home until late. I had no problem with this because my host grandmother makes the most delicious food I’ve tasted in Japan. Tomoya had already eaten before going to Juku (cram school), so I made the short walk to my host grandmother's house alone. That would be my ultimate undoing. While living in Tama with the Watanabes, I could find my way around easily because every street looked different. I say "looked" because Japanese streets either don't have names, or a lot of energy is spent in keeping them a secret from me. Signs are also kept to an absolute minimum so directions become landmark based, something along the lines of "Go straight after the noodle shop" or "Turn left at the stone statue of a pelican." (No joke, I was given this direction once) Tai, where I live with the Kawais, is a network of crossroads and side streets between similar looking Japanese style houses. And I was walking at night. But, being a stubborn person I told Tomoya, "I can find it." Within a few minutes I was pretty lost. Actually, I knew exactly where I was but my grandmother's house was nowhere in sight. Luckily, cell phone always at the ready, I gave Tomoya a call, but he had already left for Juku. I called my host mother, but couldn't quite explain where I was over her laughing (she laughs very easily). So I finally went to Saeki-san's house where music lessons were being given. I met a third year Konan High School student and had to do my best to refuse dinner with the Saekis. Takurou said he would show me where Tomoya's grandmother lived, so we set out on foot. After a minute walk, Takurou was looking pretty lost as well. By pure chance we ran into my host grandmother who was biking home from the grocery store. She didn't recognize me at first, and even I had to do a double-take. By the time we all stopped laughing I was at my grandmother's house, a mere 3 minute walk from where I started. I had actually walked right by the house twice! Even with the delays, the dinner was delicious, and now I know my way around Tai. At school unexpected situations are an everyday occurrence. I am usually the last to be informed about school events, but that doesn't really bother me. School in Japan is like a crazy game where I can't read the directions. Last week in gym class I was informed in the morning that we would be running a marathon, something along the lines of the Presidential Fitness Test in America that all middle and high school students come to hate. I'm not a runner, but I'm not a complete lard ass either. I was a little worried about the temperature because we were running outside, but I didn't think it would be that much of a problem. When it came time for the class to begin I got with the first group of runners. It was only 2.1 Km but by the fourth lap my lungs were burning. Combined with the cold, the air in Japan is very dry. When I finished the run I noticed that everyone was hacking their lungs out, even the guys who said they run all the time. I was breathing kind of funny for the rest of the day but I could do a great Humphrey Bogart impression. That day after school, my homeroom teacher stopped me before leaving and said something I didn't catch in Japanese. I was about to ask him to repeat himself when he said "let’s arm wrestle." I was pretty shocked because he is a BIG guy. But recently my class has been obsessed with arm wrestling; staging matches at lunch and between classes. My teacher gave me a big handicap with his right arm, so I beat him easily. He wanted a rematch with his left, saying he was left handed. "Me too," I replied. I beat him again. Next we tried an even match with the right. He started to put my arm down, but I fought back to the center. It seemed like a 5 minute stalemate, each of us laughing through strained faces. I was surprised with how strong he was, much better than any of the kids in my class. We eventually called it a draw before our arms dropped off. I said he could have a rematch anytime.
News Flash 1/20/2005 07:53:52 PM
Welcome to winter, everyone. Frosty early morning bike rides are now on the menu so make sure to stock the gloves, hats, hand warmers, and scarves. This weekend was a well-needed reprise from not only the icy blasts of winter but also numerous weekday engagements. The ESS club hosted an after school "Lost in Translation" viewing party, which left me refreshed and in a wonderful mood. I also found the movie considerably more hilarious, understandable, and poignant the second time around. Following the movie I biked home as fast as possible to get ready for a dinner party at Neil's, an English teacher from Boston working at Tamano Commercial High School. He is way into frisbee, so much so that he joined the Okayama frisbee team earlier in the year. He is also an avid biker, making the hour trek to and from Okayama City on a regular basis. Although only a ten minute ride from Tai, his house wasn't the easiest to find and eventually resulted in my calling his house with a cell phone while he yelled off his balcony so I could follow his voice. He did however make a delicious chicken and pasta dish that reminded me of home. John Davey, Tamano High School's English teacher, came over from next door for dinner as well. Jez was feeling sick and couldn't join the fun. I visited Shoko's house this week with Andee, who is leaving Japan the 5th of February, sadly. Jittan will soon follow on the 27th, which will leave me all alone in this blustery port town of Tamano. However, a large party is in the making, so at least Andee and Jittan can go out in style. Japanese school has been extended until July, which is good news for trips to Okayama.
The Little Things 1/16/2005 09:04:28 AM
My host brother, Tomoya, plays the base in the school brass band (the large upright base, although he also plays the electric). A few days ago he traveled with the band to a competition in Kurashiki which I attended with my host mother and father. The performances were rather breathtaking, considering that the students were only in junior high school and playing difficult arrangements without a conductor. I had never heard Tomoya's band perform before, so I was quite excited to attend the event. When I looked in the program, Uno Chuu (Tomoya's school) was playing 62nd after another local junior high. I also happened to notice that they were both playing the same musical arrangement, some ballad. I became absorbed by the bands. They were really excellent and easily kept my attention. After many performances, a group of girls took their place on the stage. They all took a starting bow in unison and promptly began to play. My mouth dropped as soon as the performance began. I don't have much musical knowledge, but these girls could play. My mind kept flashing back to images of musical robots. The base player's fingers moved faster than I could see. It was a cacophonous blur of sound. When they finished, all stood in unison, took a bow, and left the stage. It was about the time I turned to my host mom to say "That's going to be impossible to beat" when I saw Tomoya come on stage. It turned out the last band was Tomoya's competition. Uno Chuu gave it their best, but was obviously outplayed by the girl’s team. Sad, but I guess you can't win 'em all. Today, Tomoya, Mayumi, and I took a trip to Okayama for the JAS New Year's Concert. JAS, or Japan Automobile Society hosts the concert every year at the Okayama Symphony Hall. It lasted about two hours and featured two famous flute and cello players, accompanied by various singers and a full orchestra. When I think of flute players the image of a very relaxed individual comes to mind. For this concert the main flautist was the most aggressive member of the orchestra. He would lean all the way over his music stand and raise his eyebrows until you though he was going to fall right off the stage, but boy could he play the flute. The soprano blew me away as well, and I left feeling quite satisfied. But today's really surprising development was on Japanese radio. Usually I refrain from listening due to the relatively short span of music and long span of advertisements. Today I caught KDDI's Prime Time Radio hosted by George Williams, who also hosts a very popular "Teach Yourself English" program on Japanese television. He is half-Japanese half-British with superb fluency in both languages, and I found him extremely easy to understand. I was listening to his show and he had a special guest, Jonathan Poneman. I knew I had heard his name somewhere, and then I remembered he was the founder of Sub Pop, the label of not only Nirvana and Soundgarden but more recently Hot Hot Heat, Iron and Wine, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Postal Service, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Shins, and Ugly Casanova (to name a few). Any one of those sustain me on a desert island for years. So here I was, in Japan, singing along with The Shins while my host mom is wondering what in the world I'm doing. Little things like that make my day.
Seiji no Hi 1/11/2005 07:09:51 AM
The second Monday of January is designated Coming of Age Day, or "Seiji no Hi" in Japan. It is a national holiday dedicated to those who turn 20 years of age that year. In Japan 20 years of age signifies adulthood because it is the legal age of voting (also drinking and smoking). Many young people dress in traditional Japanese Kimono and go to local festivals. On this day, I was not getting dressed for Seiji no Hi. In fact, I'm not even 20 years old. I was going to a tea ceremony with my host mother and her friend, Saeki-san. I borrowed my host father's Kimono which happened to fit perfectly. In the morning one of my host mother's friends came over to help us dress ourselves in Kimono. It is a very difficult process, especially for women, which involves various articles of clothing and intricate fastening methods. The Obi, or bow in the back of a Kimono, is particularly difficult to tie by oneself. After we "suited up," I felt pretty dangerous, especially in the Geta, a traditional Japanese wooden shoe. It was then off to the tea ceremony. When we arrived I walked in to find about 15 people stuffed into a very tiny tea room. Everyone looked very surprised to see me, and to tell the truth I was pretty shocked to see that many people in one room. There were two small children, a bunch of middle aged folks, and at least one very old woman. After I introduced myself, about half the people left the room so the other half could have the first cup of tea. There is a very intricate process involved in the delivery and consumption of Ocha, or Japanese green tea. Throughout most of the ceremony I was too busy thinking about how much my legs hurt in the Seiza position to notice what was going on. Even through the pain, I didn't fidget and drank my tea with a smile and some pleasant conversation. After the first cup of tea, everyone left the room so the other half could have a taste. Many of the people at the tea ceremony were students, so they took turns carrying the tea in and out of the room. I was invited to have a second cup of tea with the other half of the group. Afterwards, people came back into the room to eat lunch, a prepared Obento (Japanese lunch box). People commented as usual on my ability to eat all types of Japanese food. I was just feeling unusually hungry. After the tea ceremony and a few pictures, Kawai-san, Saeki-san, and I went to Saeki-san's mother's house. She was very happy to see us and served us some tea and cookies which made me smile. Saeki-san’s mother is very good at sewing, and showed us her pieces of her handicraft about the house. After finishing our tea we went to the house of a man who was at the tea ceremony earlier. He had told me that he liked to make things out of wood, such as the fence surrounding the Japanese garden at the tea ceremony teacher's house. Inside of his house were more crafted items, including a large wooden table made by hand. We were offered more tea (which I took happily because of the blustery weather) and snapped some pictures in his tea room. Afterwards, the three of us walked home where I changed back into regular clothes. That evening my family and Saeki-san's family went to eat at a nearby restaurant. Jirou-sensei, Saeki-san’s husband, is hands down the best guitar player I have ever seen. I found out that his full time job is not teaching music, although he does give lessons quite often. He works for a company which makes food for livestock and birds. His company is in turn owned, or somehow related to DIC. You may remember DIC (or at least I did) as the company that used to sponsor children's television shows on PBS and a few other networks. Inspector Gadget was sponsored by DIC. All in all, I had a lovely day. The Kimono was quite comfortable, if only it hadn’t been so windy outside.
Back to Konpira-san 1/07/2005 08:26:26 AM
Lets pick this up again. When we last left our hero he had just narrowly escaped the horrors of a Japanese New Year. No, I'm kidding, Japanese New Year was great! On January 2nd my host family and I traveled back to Konpira-san, which you may remember as the mountain with all the steps. Mayumi, my host mother, grew up near the mountain and her sister and parents still live in a town. The whole family gave me a huge welcome and after being introduced to everyone we took a short walk to the Sohonzan Zentsuji Temple. The temple is the birthplace of one of the most revered figures in Japanese Buddhism, the high priest Kobo Daishi, also known as "Kukai" (who my host mother referred to as "The Japanese Jesus"). The temple was massive, one of the largest I have visited, and was also packed with people for the New Year. Numerous hard-to-pronounce national treasures could be seen at the temple including Ichiji-Ichibutsu-Hokekyo-Johon which features Kukai's calligraphy and his mother's drawing of the Buddha, and Sangoku-Denrai-Kondo-Shakusho which looks like a large walking stick and was awarded to Kukai for his appointment as 8th Patriarch of the Shingon Buddhist sect. My favorite part of the temple was the Kaidan-meguri, a below ground pitch-black cellar in which "nothing at all can be seen." Oddly ironic for a tourist attraction. You walk with your left hand against a wall, and follow the passage through the darkness until it leads to a chamber dedicated to Kukai's parents. All that stumbling around in the dark was fun, but the best was yet to come. The next day my host family took me to visit the Otsuka Museum of Art in Naruto City. The museum consists of over 1,000 reproductions of masterpieces in Western Art. In a sense, it's a museum of forgeries, but very precise and accurate forgeries. I'll quote the booklet: "Masahito Otsuka, Director of the Otsuka Museum, said his group started to make tiles out of the sand of the Naruto straits and thus up to the size of one square meter without blemish or crack. However, after the world oil crisis in 1973 there was no market for its tiles. After a visit in a Moscow cemetery in 1975 where he noticed that attached to many of the tombstones were name-card sized photographs of the beloved which had faded because of ultraviolet rays of the sun, it occurred to Masahito Otsuka that baking the photographs into ceramics would preserve the original color forever. That was how the Otsuka group began making ceramic reproductions of artworks, concentrating at first on Japanese paintings and scenes and that was how the idea for the Otsuka Museum of Art emerged." Pretty crazy stuff! The museum was divided into various categories including Antiquity (greek vases, mosaics, murals), Middle Ages, Renaissance (Botticelli, da Vinci), Baroque (Rembrant, Goya), Modern Art (Van Gogh, Gauguin), and 20th Century (Picasso, Dali). In addition to the pictures were entire historical reconstructions of wall paintings, ancient ruins, and churches restored to exact replica. There was even a full sized Sistine Chapel. It took a long time to get through the museum but was certainly worth it. I recognized much of the art and had even seen some of the originals in various museums. I even saw a replica of the famous portrait of good old Cardinal Richelieu, Dr. Seitz's favorite Prime Minister of France. After the museum we hit another famous spot in Naruto, the Naruto Straits. To make a long and complicated story short, the Seto Inland Sea (a sea) and Kii Channel (part of an ocean) meet at the Naruto Straits and create large tidal whirlpools that can be seen from the observational walkway built below the Naruto Bridge. Embedded in the floor of the walkway are large glass windows that allow visitors to view the 60 meter plunge to the swirling water below. Even though we didn’t visit during the best whirlpool season, the bridge was still impressive. After coming home from Konpira-san I caught myself a high fever and upset stomach, and spent all day in bed with crazy dreams. My host grandmother took care of me, preparing delicious meals that made me better in no time.
Two Thousand Five 1/04/2005 08:52:24 AM
I've made the move to my second host family, which in retrospect was fairly painless aside from the tedious act of packing and unpacking clothing, gifts, books, and other Japanese booty into suitcases. The day before I left the Watanabe's house I went to see my friend Katrin perform in the Joto High School Symphony Orchestra at the Okayama Symphony Hall. I met a bunch of other exchange students at the performance and had an overall enjoyable time. After the orchestral performance the Joto chorus also performed, singing "Seasons of Love" from Rent along with some other selections. My favorite was the Joto brass band, performing a "Tribute to Anime," playing songs that I was able to recognize (the theme from “Lapita,” “Totoro,” and “Sen to Chihiro” (Spirited Away). After the performance some kids and I grabbed donuts at the aptly named "Mr. Donut." The next day I finished stuffing various items into suitcases. It was definitely sad to leave the Watanabe's house; they have been such a great host family. Shoko assured me that I could come back any time I wanted. In the meantime, the Watanabes are taking a New Year’s trip Vietnam and Cambodia. Kawai-san (my second host mother) along with Aketa-san (my Rotary counselor) showed up late that afternoon to help with the process of moving. The whole Watanabe family was home for the New Year, so I got to see Shoko, Masatoshi, Shun, Mai, Miyu, and Shoko's mother before I left. First, a little background about the Kawai family. There are three people, Osamu (my host father), Mayumi (host mother), and Tomoya (host brother, who is thirteen). The Kawai family lives about 10 minutes away from the Watanabe family, in Tai (the Watanabes live in Tama). Both houses are about 15 minutes by bike from Tamano High school, almost in opposite directions. When I arrived at my new house, Mayumi showed me my room. In terms of tatami mats, it is about the same size as my old room, but the ceiling is much higher. The room also sports a large alter that makes the space look a lot bigger. The rest of my day was spent unpacking, until Tomoya came home from school with a whole pack of his friends. Tomoya is in the band, and all of his friends also happen to play instruments. I showed everyone my pictures from America, the DVD that Kostya made, and the English project that Rahul made for school last year (Tomoya's friends almost died during the car chase scene). The next day I went to meet my new host grandmother who lives very close. I was told that she would be making lunch for me because Mayumi had to go to work. She came to pick me up and we had a long conversation about her trip to Hawaii with a chorus group. She spoke really fast Japanese, but it seems to me that I can usually understand everything that old people say, if they want me to. We left for her house, where she told me that she used to be a chef. She prepared Yaki Soba (a type of noodle) that was the most delicious I've ever had. That afternoon Tomoya's friends came over again and we played with Tomoya's large collection of plastic guns and video games. The next day, Kawai-san took me to experience Mochitsuki (which means making Omochi, or sweet rice cakes) at a friend's house. I had wanted to do this for a while. The process involves putting a ton (figuratively) of cooked rice in a stone bowl, and smacking it with long wooden hammers until it turns into a paste-like "goo." The goo is then squeezed into small balls and covered in flour. The balls can then be eaten in many ways including plain, with soy sauce, with a sweet powder, in soups, or using a variety of other methods. After making Omochi, I went to see a boat race at a nearby arena. Boat racing appeared similar to horseracing, with six racers and a bunch of people betting on certain boats. It looked pretty chilly to me, but if I got the chance I would try it. The next morning (New Year's Eve), I woke up to find snow on the ground. Dragging myself to the window I got a small shock because this was the first snow of the year in Tamano. A small snowball fight ensued involving myself, Tomoya, Tomoya's cousin who stayed with us over New Years, and some of the kids next door. After the battle, thoroughly soaked and satisfied, I sat down to a delicious lunch of sushi prepared by my host grandmother. That evening, the whole family went back to the house where we made Omochi to wait for the New Year. I had a gratuitous amount of sake which sparked interesting conversation with my host father and left me in a good mood for 2005. About 20 minutes before midnight (14 hours before the ball would drop in Times Square) all of us went to a nearby shrine (a Japanese custom) to watch fireworks. When we reached the top of the shrine steps, the countdown had already begun. We turned around to see fireworks on a hill near a small amusement park to the sound of "ooohs" and "aaahs" from the gathered crowd. I was offered more sake at the shrine and wished for a good year. The next morning I woke up to a traditional Japanese New Year's breakfast, consisting of various foods that each have a certain meaning. This time the sake had gold foil in it (just being traditional not an alcoholic). That morning Tomoya's friend came over and the three of us went to Tamano's shrine by bike to pay our respects for a good New Year. We also visited the Tai shrine before returning home for a traditional New Year's lunch consisting of the same foods eaten for breakfast, plus soba. Soba is traditionally eaten during the New Year for reasons that relate to good luck. On New Year's Day my host father's brother came to visit with his wife and three children. My host grandfather and grandmother also joined us. My host father, father's brother, grandfather, and I played Mahjong which would have made my grandmother very proud. Not only is it a difficult game but in Japanese it can be daunting. I really enjoyed it, however, and can't wait to get my next chance to try and best my host grandfather, who cleaned me out. The rest of the weekend proceeded with more excitement, but I will leave that to another entry. For now, Akemashite Omedetou and Happy New Year.
I Demand a Recount 12/30/2004 09:57:51 PM
I am expecting the New Year in Japan to be exhilarating, but I have to get Christmas out of the way first. As was mentioned earlier, I traveled to Tsuyama on Christmas day by train to spend time with Janna and Cori. On Christmas Eve, and after a wacky surf rock concert and dinner at Miyama Koen, Jittan, Shoko, Masatoshi, Shun, and I opened our Christmas presents. I gave Jittan one of my West Virginia t-shirts with a huge bass fish on it. She thought it was hilarious and we all noted that about three of her could fit inside it. For Shoko I found her favorite candy in Okayama and wrapped it with a considerably smaller West Virginia t-shirt. Shun got a shirt with a bunch of flowers on it. I put the most thought into Masatoshi's present, but he ended up being the easiest to shop for. I found some great dog-print boxers and a dog-print tie as well. Since he is always squinting at things through his glasses, I found a massive magnifying glass at the 100 yen shop and a dog statue from one of the shrines we visited earlier in the year. He laughed for a long time so I guess he enjoyed the gifts. I even caught him using the magnifying glass later. I received some gifts as well. My parents sent me some socks and a lime green turtleneck for cold weather, and Mimi sent matching gloves and a scarf which match my black jacket. Nora sent two awesome stuffed robots with funny names. The Watanabes bought me two books, one about sumo with a ton of funny pictures and another about Go. They also bought me a stuffed dog made from super-soft material that I had my eye on for a while. Kostya sent me the most awesome calculator all the way from Germany. Back to Tsuyama. After arriving at Tsuyama station I met Janna and discovered that Cori was going to be late. Janna and I rented some bikes then went shopping at a nearby mall while Cori figured out which train would get her to Tsuyama. A few hours later Cori finally arrived and we rode our bikes around town, ate lunch, and then went back to Janna's house. After some cake and a chat with Janna's family we headed to the Tsuyama International Hotel where the three of us would be staying that night. The Tsuyama Rotary Club was hosting a party so about 25 people were there for the occasion. Dinner was amusing, with an appearance from Japan's own Santa Claus who facilitated the gift exchange. By the end of the evening I received some picture frames, a dream catcher, Bizen pottery, and various other miscellanies, including lots of chocolate. After dinner, Janna, Cori, and I stayed up a good part of the night in the apparently deserted hotel. There (among other spectacles) we encountered the door leading to nowhere as well as the "stairs of refuge." In the morning, I woke up early for continental breakfast, and then went to the girl’s room to see if they were up. After we packed everything, Tomosue-san and Hikasa-san picked us up in a giant Hummer. It looked even larger because of the small size of Japanese cars in general. After making a quick rap video featuring the Hummer, we were on our way. Our first stop was Diasen, a famous mountain to the north of Tsuyama. When we arrived I saw snow for the first time in Japan, although it was a little thin for skiing. We stopped for a bit on Diasen and rode a ski lift to where people were skiing and snowboarding. A massive snowball fight ensued involving both kids and Rotary members. We didn't ski due to the lack of snow, but were promised that in the next few months we could come any time we wanted. After some refreshments on Diasen, we piled back in the Hummer (which turned out to be useful on the icy roads) to go the nearby Tiffany Museum. With my knowledge of Mr. Tiffany, I suspected the museum would contain a bunch of lamps, and maybe some jewelry. I was way off. There were masterpieces in each of twelve categories manufactured by Tiffany: lamps, windows, ceramics, furniture, fancy goods, art jewelry, vases, silver, enamels, bronzes, mosaics, and paintings. On top of that, the museum plays host to a very large garden in which I would have been forced to spend a great deal of time had my mother been nearby. I was impressed, and in fact wished I could have spent more time in the museum. In the chapel of the Tiffany museum, some hand bell players performed and then sang energetic Christmas songs that reminded me of "Sister Act." Before calling it a day, the five of us stopped at a famous Onsen to relax after a long day (of relaxing). The Onsen was shaped like a giant bowl because the town is known for bowl making. Although I cannot vouch to be a critic of Japanese Onsen, the water quality was good and the company friendly. That evening, after a dinner of sushi, I bid farewell to Tomosue-san and Hikasa-san. Cori and I took a high speed train back to Okayama, where I then caught a bus for Tamano. Arriving home, I found that both Miyu and Mai had returned from college. We talked for a long time and watched "Dawn of the Dead" before I collapsed from exhaustion. Mai gave me a Tokyo Giants mascot figuring that doubles as a bank, and I gave Mai and Miyu something from my collection of fine West Virginian goods. The following day I started the sad process of packing for my next host family.
Dealing with Public Officials 12/24/2004 01:51:17 AM
Jittan is here for the holidays, with a brand new digital camera. After the last Lions club meeting, and apparently enjoying the presence of foreigners, the club invited Jittan, Andee, and myself to another Lions club meeting at the Marine Hotel. We all acted as translators for Evelyn (Jittan for Chinese, Andee for Malay and English, me to eat leftover food). This would be a good opportunity to talk about not only Lions club meetings, but Rotary meetings as well. In Japan both the Lions and Rotary Clubs open their meetings with a song (mostly Japanese, sprinkled with English). The bulk of the meeting then proceeds, with speakers giving presentations while photographs are taken, and meeting is closed again with a song. The Rotary closing ceremony involves standing in a large circle while holding hands. The Lions club, however, in a ferocious manner that would befit a lion, ends their meetings by making closed fists, punching both arms out horizontal to the floor, and saying three times, "we serve all." (Note: I am not making this up) Following the Lions club meeting, Evelyn was scheduled to meet the mayor of Tamano. As it turned out I was supposed to meet the mayor the following day, but the Lions club asked me to come along anyway and translate. I figured I could size him up one day and know what to expect the next. Before the meeting was a three hour stretch of time to kill. It was a nice day so Shoko, Jittan, Andee, and I went to nearby Shibukawa beach and then to a playground. Shoko looked like a schoolgirl on the swings, and everyone agreed she is much more like a host sister than a mother. After the playground we had tea and cake at the Hotel, and then left for city hall. The Mayor didn't keep us waiting, and we went right into a large conference room to meet him. He has a crazy hairstyle but seemed very friendly, and if I had a dollar for every translator in the room I could have easily bribed a public official. I did very little talking (it was Evelyn's meeting, anyway) but made sure to introduce myself to the mayor so I could see if he would remember who I am. For me, meeting the Mayor was full of surprises. When I arrived at city hall with Shoko, the Rotary counselor and president (the man who traded me the light up house for a box of cookies) had already arrived. Furukawa-sensei, a teacher from school, also came to translate for me. From what I can tell, when people come to meet the mayor they are expected to know little-to-no Japanese. In fact, if I had met the mayor when I was originally scheduled, it would have been only a few weeks after coming to Japan. It was rescheduled due to a typhoon, and then rescheduled again after a second typhoon and set of earthquakes hit Tamano (guess I'm bad luck). When I walked into the mayor's office, a translator from city hall greeted me with a huge smile on her face. She came right up to me and said "I graduated from West Virginia University." I couldn't believe it! She knew exactly where I lived and all about Morgantown. I forgot all about the mayor until the secretary told me I could go into his conference room. The mayor recognized me from the day before, and we had a really great meeting. I understood most of his Japanese, and didn't have to rely too much on the numerous translators in the room. After the encounter with the Mayor I came back home where Jittan and Andee were hastily cooking food for that night's huge holiday party at our house. Tons of people came, including some friends from school, English teachers from the area, and most of Shoko's Japanese friends. During the party Jez, the English teacher from Australia, played piano and sang. Jez told a funny story about renting a car to Ben from Ben Folds Five in Australia. When Ben returned the car he left a copy of his unreleased album in the CD changer. He came back to get it the next day but not before Jez had made a copy for himself. On top of that, Neil, another English teacher, hung out with Guster at Tuffs, and John Davey used to live near The Barenaked Ladies.
Fight For Your Right 12/20/2004 04:32:57 AM
This week was full of parties and visitors (as befits the holiday season). As far as people, a new boy Peter from Australia is staying in Tamano for a month, attending Tamano High School. I met a girl from Malaysia, and Jittan is also staying with the Watanabe family for a few days before winter break. Shoko is getting ready to host a knockout holiday party; inviting more people than I thought lived in the town of Tamano. This week, the ESS (English Speaking Society) threw a party after school. A bunch of kids showed up, but ironically all business was conducted in Japanese (except conversation between Andee, Peter, and I). I ate far too much candy, cake, and chocolate, and was repeatedly whooped at UNO. This reinforced the fact that many Japanese games are "punishment" related. By that I mean the losers are usually subjected to some sort of small physical torture. In the case of the ESS party, losers had to drink a whole glass of shaved-ice topping, sugary enough to shut down a kidney. Other variations I have witnessed at school include a slap to the arm (shi-pe), a finger flick to the forehead (deco-pin), and a chop to the head (you guessed it, cho-pu). After the party (because it's always good to chase sugar with oil) I made another batch of latkes, twice the size of the first installment. Andee came over to help dispose of them. This week the Rotary Club of Tamano threw their holiday party at the Marine Hotel, which Masatoshi, Shoko, and I attended. It was good to see some of the Rotary members get tipsy and play bingo following the extra-large buffet style dinner. While I did not win at bingo, I was a huge winner for the evening. One of the Rotary members, after having a few too many drinks, offered to trade a box of cookies which I won at a ring toss game for a large unopened box wrapped in red paper he had won at bingo. My mind shot instantly to the thought of a Japanese Monty Hall from Let's Make a Deal. Did I really want to trade my box of cookies for what may or may not be in his box? Perhaps it was filled with cabbages, as I had witnessed so many times on that addictive TV program. For all I knew it could be a goat, or a lifetime supply of baked beans. Against my best judgment, I made the trade and thanked him by pouring another glass of beer for the Rotarian, a sign of respect in Japan. When the night was over I went home with two boxes of expensive pears, a fiber optic Christmas tree that now sits in the TV room (much less tacky than one would expect), two boxes of chocolate cookies, some Japanese lottery tickets, and a light up Christmas house that Shoko later gave to one of her friends as a Christmas gift (it won't be missed). Later in the week, I found the chance to go to two parties at the same hotel in Tamano. Another new face had shown up in town, Evelyn (real name Poon Tze Sun) from Malaysia who was on exchange for a few weeks in Japan through the Lions club. Shoko was celebrating her Tamano High School Reunion (she refused to tell me which year) and Evelyn was having a Lions club welcome party at the same place. Shoko's brother, who is in the Lions club, asked me to translate Evelyn's English into Japanese. I'll repeat that. Shoko's brother asked me, a run of the mill American looking gaijin to translate for Evelyn, who could easily pass for Japanese. I laughed for a long time at the idea, but couldn't resist attnding. I went to Shoko's party first, chatting with some of her High School friends before going upstairs to the Lions club party. Evelyn was already there with her host sister whom I had met before. Evelyn gave a small speech that she had written in Japanese, the Lions club president said a few words, and then we began to eat. Throughout dinner the Lions club members asked questions to Evelyn that I translated (more or less) into English, and then retranslated her answers back into Japanese. Luckily for me, as the night went on and more alcohol was consumed by the Lions members, they got more liberal about their use of English. This led to some comical moments where tipsy Japanese men tried their best at simple, although often misused, English words and phrases. I was so happy when Evelyn told me she had a good time, because if I had not have witnessed this sort of crazy behavior before it would be the strangest welcome party I'd ever seen. We talked during the dinner in English, and she told me a little about her hometown in Malaysia. When the party was over, Shoko's brother brought me back downstairs to where Shoko was finishing dinner. She told me that some of her friends were going to go to a karaoke parlor, and asked if I wanted to come along. The bar was close, so we walked. Along the way I realized that I knew many of the people who were at the party, and others introduced themselves to me. When we got to the parlor, I chatted with two men who knew me indirectly; one had a daughter at Tamano High School, and the other practiced Aikido with my homeroom teacher. The man to my left thoroughly embarrassed his daughter by calling her on the phone and telling her to talk to me the next time she saw me. Subsequently, today at school she pointed herself out to me and we had a nice conversation. Another man at the party called his friend in Tokyo who couldn't make it to the reunion, and told me to talk to him in fast English. Everyone got a pretty good kick out of that. All he could say was "I don't understand," and "too fast!" By the end of the evening I learned that Japanese people really like to drink whiskey and water, and that you can still be middle aged and have fun. But everyone already knew that, right?
Konpira-san 12/17/2004 08:52:08 AM
In my ongoing attempt to catch up to the present, I will recount the activities of this Sunday, a trip with my host family to Konpira-san, a famous mountain on Shikoku Island. However, beginning today, I discovered that I will be attending some sort of party everyday for the next week or so. Then on the 28th I will be moving houses to my new host family, Kawai-san, after a Christmas trip to Tsuyama and Daisen Mountain for skiing and snowboarding. Winter break starts on the 24th, so depending on time and computer access I will try to avoid long periods of radio silence. Konpira-san is located on Shikoku Island, the fourth largest island in Japan. The official name of the mountain is Kotohiraguu, and it was called Konpiradaigongen during the Edo period. Konpira, if you were wondering, is an Indian God who protects Buddhism. Konpira-san is known as a shrine to ships based on an old story about an old man once stopped on the island and climbed a large amount of steps to look out over the city. If there is one thing that Konpira-san possesses, it is steps. 1368 steps, to be exact, all the way to the small shrine at the top of the mountain. The specific reason that the Watanabes took me to Konpira-san was to hopefully get a glimpse of a special room that is only opened to the public every 125 years. Unfortunately, there were people lined up the first 300 steps waiting to see the room, so we decided that I probably had a better chance of viewing the room in another 125 years. Not to waste the trip to the mountain, I convinced Masatoshi and Shoko to take the trek up the 1368 stairs to the pinnacle (a feat Shoko had only performed once before and Masatoshi had never attempted). I consider myself "capable" when it comes to math, but comprehending large numbers always had a way of perplexing me. "Math Field Day" repeatedly angered me when it came to estimating the number of pennies in a jar or some such nonsense. I now have very concrete and palpable knowledge of what it feels like to climb, and then descend 1368 stairs. As a consolation I was lucky that I didn't try the climb in summer, which would have been much more uncomfortable. It was actually quite refreshing to reach the top of the mountain and gaze out, over the town of Kotohira. Even though the lower shrines were packed with people waiting to see the famous tatami room, very few wandered up to the top of the mountain. On the way back down the mountain, about 500 steps from the bottom, I really needed to use a bathroom. I felt worried because the sanitation of bathrooms can be questionable (varying from dirty to "hole-in-the-ground"), and I didn't expect much this high above sea level. My host dad inquired, and we were led to a very fancy, very new looking shrine addition to one of the lower temples. Upon entering the bathroom my jaw dropped clear to the marble tiled floor. In addition to a heated toilet seat, this bathroom sported hot and cold water, a large mirror, as well as hand towels, a veritable unknown in many Japanese bathrooms. After returning to the bottom of the mountain, I ate a lunch of Konpira-san Udon, then left to visit a nearby Kabuki theatre. Konpira Osibai, also known as Kanamaruza, is the oldest Kabuki theatre in Japan. It was built in 1835 during the Edo period. Recently it was fully restored, and one can tour all parts of the building, including backstage and dressing room areas. Some of the special features of the theatre include a revolving stage, as well as stage platforms that were rotated, raised, and lowered by human power. The revolving stage allowed for multiple scenes to be prepared backstage, the rotated into place quickly. After the theatre, we stopped for some cake in a local shop before heading back to Tamano.
Minami High School Craziness 12/15/2004 05:55:21 AM
Before the meat of this entry I have to mention why December is "the most wonderful time of the year" in Japan. Oseibo gifts (or seibo) are end of the year presents usually given in mid-December to people one respects. My host father, being a local doctor, is respected by many in the community. This means that our house is overflowing with candy, cakes, udon, chocolate, meats, seaweed, dried fish, oil, shrimp, tons of fruit, and enough beer to subdue a rhino. Shoko seems indifferent to the gifts, probably after many years of receiving them, but I can't believe the amount of wrapped presents I find on the doorstep after coming home everyday. This weekend I got an invite from my friend Nobuko, of Minami High School, to her open school ceremony. At first she told me it was a graduation ceremony, but I knew it was a little too early for that. Her school is in Okayama City, so I was a little unsure of what bus to take to meet her. Shoko assured me that taking a bus near our house would probably get me where I needed to go. The open school started at 9:30, but Nobuko asked me to come a little early to help her set up for her club's exhibit. Around 8:30, the bus I was riding sleepily pulled into Konan Sho Gakko Mai along with some junior High School kids that seemed to be going to the same event as me. Junior high kids seem to stare at me a little more than the average Japanese person, but it doesn't bother me too much. Sometimes I try to start a conversation, but it usually ends in giggling (I am the giggle-ee, not the giggler). I was a little early, so I walked around the block to get a feel for where I was. The morning traffic was heavy, and the weather a little cold without a cloud in the sky. When I came back to the bus stop I spotted Nobuko and a girl I didn't know on the other side of the street. I waved hello and they led me to their school a few blocks away. Minami High School, as I came to realize later in the day, boasts many exciting clubs and classes that I had not seen at Tamano High School. One of the main events for the open school was a fashion show put on by the school's fashion students. When I say fashion show, I don't simply mean a few dresses on display. Between 40 and 50 dinner dresses, gowns, punk threads, medieval wear, and 70's flamboyant outfits were on display in short choreographed scenes with music on the school's main stage. I'll try not to get ahead on myself. After I arrived at school Nobuko introduced me to some of her friends and took me to the room where her international club was hosting an "airport customs" exhibit. She asked me to act like a customs officer in the morning, which turned out to be a blast. Her club made a large metal detector out of cardboard, painted black, and stationed me, resident English speaking kid, along with the school's English teacher as two customs officials in a foreign country's airport terminal. Parents, students, and the general admission of the open school festival could try their hand at a prepared English conversation with two real-life native English speakers. My part went something like "Are these all your bags," and "do you have anything to declare?" while the English teacher asked, "How long will you be staying in this country?" and stamped a fake passport. We switched rolls halfway through to get a feel for both positions. I had a great time because some kids would get real creative with their responses in English, deviating from the printed script by informing me that they had to declare "two guns and a knife" in addition to a stash of illegal paraphernalia. Other kids just smiled and laughed when I tried to get them to pronounce the word "declare." I also met Minami High School's exchange student from Canada, who took over for me when Nobuko suggested that we leave to get a good seat for the fashion show. When we entered the school gym, lots of kids stared at me and asked Nobuko who was the weird kid with her. I told them (in Japanese, with a smile) that it didn't matter because I couldn't speak Japanese so obviously didn’t understand what they were saying. Nobuko and I took our seats, and watched the fashion show which was spectacular. After the show I went with a group of kids to see the other exhibits in the school festival. One exhibit that caught my eye was a bookkeeping club, which turned out to be a hospitality and entrepreneurship class. Their exhibit involved a personal conference with one of the class's students to simulate a business meeting. Nobuko asked if any of the students spoke English, and we entered a dimly lit room to find about 10 kids dressed in fancy clothes yelling "hello" and "welcome" in Japanese. We were shown to a back room lit with candles and served fruit punch while being bombarded with compliments and broken phrases in English. Clearly these kids were all about hospitality. Through my laughter I started up a conversation in Japanese with the head of the bookkeeping club, and even though he tried to trick me into saying weird phrases I didn't let him fool me too easily. We took some pictures, and then were ushered out of the room by the same 10 guys who shouted compliments on the way in. It was something one would truly have to experience to understand the complete humor, but I assure you I laughed for a long time after the meeting with the bookkeeping club. After the school ceremony, I didn't have to be back in Tamano for a while so Nobuko, Miko, Takeshi, and bunch of other kids took me to sing karaoke with them. About three hours later we emerged laughing, hoarse, and hungry. Some kids had to leave, but the rest went to Gusto, an "Eat'n'Park" type restaurant with a bunch of other students I had seen from Minami High School earlier in the day. Just like American 24 hour restaurants, we ordered cheap food and hung out until I decided it was time to head back to Tamano. After saying goodbye, some kids took me to the bus station where we found that the last bus had already come, so I got a ride on the back of Takeshi's bicycle to Tenmaya Bus Station where I could catch a later bus. I came home to find Shoko sending e-mails on her cellular phone, her usual evening activity.
Journies Into Cultural Cooking 12/12/2004 02:05:50 AM
On certain special occasions I have cooked food for my host family in Japan. So far I've been lucky and nothing has exploded or poisoned anyone. However, when it comes to making latkes (defined as "a pancake, especially one made of grated potato"), it might be more of a curse than a friendly gesture to cook them in someone else's kitchen due to a lingering oil smell that attacks clothing, hair, and any exposed skin. However, Shoko has cooked many deep fried oil dishes, so I didn't think the burning oil and potato smell would bother her too much. I have not had much personal experience with latke preparation outside of Morgantown's world famous Latke Brigade, which I sorely missed participating in this year. However, at this outpost in Tamano, Japan, I had my own latke celebration (slivovitz not included). While there are many variations, the latke recipe is inherently basic: potatoes, onions, some eggs and flour, and then into hot oil until crispy and brown (no latke before its time). I found that the most difficult stage of the process was grating the onion. I haven't cried that hard in a long time. Shoko had gone to the store to buy some apples for my homemade apple sauce, so luckily no one witnessed my red-eyed display. I guess pictures are better than words, but a few tears and oil burns later I had a good amount of crispy, gold delicious potato pancakes. I also made applesauce, which to the culinary beginner such as me might sound rather impressive. It truth I put chopped apples in the microwave for 10 minutes, or until mushy, then top with brown sugar and served. My host family loved both the latkes and applesauce (even Shun who is very picky), and Andee came over the next day to finish off what we didn't eat. Next time I'll have to make a larger batch. As a funny side story, my host family had a Jewish boy stay with them a few years ago. His family sent him a menorah for Hanukkah, and every night he lit the candles and put the menorah in the window of the Watanabe's house. One night, after all the candles were lit, the family woke up the next day to find the window cracked and melted where the menorah had been. Oy Vey!
Sushi Parties and Fencing 12/09/2004 11:03:20 PM
This weekend, Tamano happened to play host to an all-Japan fencing tournament, held at the fitness center near my house. Shoko and I found some time to go on the last day of the tournament. Neither of us had ever witnessed a fencing tournament, aside from my short-lived fencing career on a trip to Hollywood with the MHS drama club a few years ago. Upon entering the arena I received an informational packet (in Japanese) about fencing, with enough pictures and basic terminology to figure out the object of the sport. We arrived to watch the early morning matches, so luckily the crowd was not very large. We took our seats near the front of a raised seating section and waited for the bouts to begin. Eight fencers squared off in four matches on four different sections of the gym floor. A judge was designated to each match in order to determine the scoring. The fencers wore protective suits fitted with a series of sensors that set off a buzzer after being pierced or slashed by their opponent. Often the action was hard to follow because of the player's overall speed. Both buzzers would ring simultaneously, and without the guidance of the judge I wouldn't have had any idea who had scored the point. After all the matches were over, Shoko and I walked around the area for a while then went home. That evening, Shoko's mother threw a small party at a local tea house. Shoko explained that the party was called “Bo Nen Kai” (meaning to forget the year, or perhaps wish it farewell). I should also mention that shops everywhere are overflowing with roosters and chickens, signs of the 2005 Chinese New Year. We arrived at the tea house and were guided to a large tatami room full of people I didn't recognize. We sat atop large pillows on the floor of the room. I answered the usual questions about myself: where I was from, if I could eat Japanese food, and how long I had been in Japan. The tea house specialized in sushi, and along with a main course of fish and mushrooms I left feeling very satisfied. During the dinner, my host mom nudged me and asked which of the women sitting on the opposite side of the table I thought liked Yon-sama. Yon-sama (real name Bae Yong Joon) is an extremely famous actor in a Korean drama, along the lines of "The Young and the Restless." He's famous for wearing sleek glasses and a scarf, and for a while I thought about going dressed as him for Halloween. When Yon-sama arrived at Tokyo's Haneda airport, 4500 people showed up, some waiting overnight to get a glimpse at the star. In a recent poll, the average age of women who liked Yon-sama turned out to be 46.7. I made some guesses based on personality as to which women liked Yon-sama, and after my host mom asked each if they liked him I turned out to be pretty close.
David Bowie 12/08/2004 05:26:05 AM
While I'm not terrible when it comes to the task of discerning ages, I have to admit that it is not one of my greatest talents (manning the "Guess Your Age/Weight" booth at Six Flags or the like would not be my first choice of gainful employment). This is especially apparent when it comes to guessing the ages of Japanese people. My host grandmother works as a pharmacist, walks regularly, and has dance class every Wednesday night. Judging by her appearance, I would never guess that she is 74. Did I mention she goes dancing!?! Determined to investigate, Shoko and I walked up the steps to a large conference room bursting with the sounds of a Spanish tango. When I entered the room, Shoko's mother stood with a group of older women and a male dance instructor. They offered me tea and said they were so glad that I came to dance. I said I was only there to watch, but perhaps somewhere in the back of my mind I thought otherwise. I watched the waltz and tango while drinking tea, and then was finally convinced to try them myself. I didn't step on anyone's toes, and was surprised that I remembered at least a few of the steps. As it turned out, a large jazz dance party was being held at a nearby school on Sunday. I have been teaching English on Thursday nights to a wonderful group of kids whose mother plays piano for the jazz band. My host father enjoys jazz, so he took me to the school. At first I couldn't even get him to come inside the room with me. He said he would come back later. I entered by myself to find many older people dancing to some upbeat quick-step jazz tunes. The jazz band was rather large, sitting behind some traditional jazz band stands that read "Grove Unity." I took a seat near the back, and scanned the band's program. Over the next few hours a wide selection of music had been picked, including the waltz, rumba, samba, quick-step, GO GO, tango, and cha-cha. Before I knew it, my host dad had slipped in the back door to listen to the music. My host dad took a seat beside me and explained that he would stay for the first (of three) sets of tunes, and then come back when the music was over. He said he didn't like to dance, but did enjoy the music. It didn't take long before people took notice of me in the corner. There were many couples, of varying ages, and some seemed very skilled when it came to ballroom dancing. When an upbeat quickstep song started, a very short obaachan (polite term for grandmother) with plenty of jewelry came and asked me for a dance. I don't confess to be a great dancer, but I think she had fun. When I finished I got a big round of applause from the people who witnessed the crazy American and old woman breakin' it down. After the first dance I felt a lot more confident and asked some of the more skilled dancers to show me some moves. With a little refreshing I remembered the cha-cha, and the other dances sort of fell into place. I tried the waltz but didn't come close to pulling off any of the higher level moves. After the first set of music ended, I talked to the woman who played piano, and danced with her to the recorded music that played while the band took a break. When the band started up again, I noticed that my host father had stayed to watch after all. Also at the dance were some young looking guys from South America. They, like me, couldn't speak much Japanese but women were all over them to dance. They danced fast and I was impressed. I was also blown away by one woman who seemed to dance to all songs perfectly. She was easily the most graceful dancer in the room, even when her male partners weren't that great. Needless to say I was jealous. After the concert my host dad brought me back home. He agreed that we both had a great time, and later told me that there was to be another jazz concert with a different band next week. I don't think this one will involve dancing, but I’ll check it out nonetheless.
A Life of Danger 12/03/2004 03:53:44 AM
I took another trip to the mountains but this time for some real hiking, not that easy paved-road hiking of the last mountain I climbed with Shoko. Shoko sparked my interest when she mentioned that there was a way to get up the very steep mountain behind our house, but had not been to the top in five years. We struck out after school one day when the sun was high in the sky. The path started behind an indoor swimming center and led into the hills. At first the going wasn't very steep; through mostly thickets of overgrown weeds and the occasional thorn bush. Soon we realized that there was no real path that could be easily followed, and started to laugh at the weeds up to our necks. About halfway up the mountain, we ran into two dead ends, so I told Shoko I was going to scout ahead to see if I could find anything that looked climbable. After some searching, I decided to forget trying to find a path and make my way straight up the mountain. Shoko said she would work her way back to the bottom, and I could scream if I got into trouble. After plenty of bushwhacking and climbing a half-rock, half-dirt mound I found a clearing on the top of the mountain. Shoko had mentioned that on the top were lots of "Kami no Ie," or God's house (this is not the official name). Regardless, I certainly didn't expect what I found. Every twenty feet was a statue of a god carved in stone, sometimes accompanied with a small stone house. From the base of the mountain I could see small figures but couldn't make out what they were. When I finally reached the pinnacle of the mountain I found a small "Kami no Ie" on top of the highest rock. I had a personal photo shoot with my camera on timer, and then called Shoko to see if she could see me on top of the mountain. I was covered with briars and scratched a little with thorns, but it was totally worth the climb. The view from the mountaintop was enough to take my breath away, especially on such a bright and beautiful day. On my way back down the mountain, I found the real path, but it was quite overgrown. Also, I had to stop often to remove very large, very colorful (and hopefully not dangerous) spiders from my path. I found a small shrine that I had missed on the way up, and then emerged from the mountain in the middle of someone's backyard. It seemed as if Shoko's trip to the top of the mountain five years ago was the last time anyone had set foot on the summit.
The People That You Meet 11/30/2004 06:02:51 AM
I've never considered myself a Final Fantasy nerd, although I have known many people who deserve the title. I played the games (perhaps 3 of the...11), and faithfully watched the movie. I have to say that I like the series, so I was especially excited when I heard that one of the concept artists for the Final Fantasy Movie: The Spirits Within was going to have an exhibit of his artwork in Tamano. I was even more excited when I found out that the artist is Shun's friend's father. This weekend, Shoko took Andee, Shun, and I to Kazumasa Uchio's exhibit in Tamano. Much of the artist's work was being displayed, as well as some sculpture from a fellow artist. Shoko had called Uchio-san, so he came to give us a special tour of the exhibit. Uchio-san does all of his artwork using a computer, and spends about 1 month on each piece of art. He gave a short tutorial on making a cloud, as well as a small tree. He says that each of his art pieces uses thousands of layers. To make the door on one of his castles, over 100 layers were used. His art is "fantastic," to say the least, and you can really see the Final Fantasy influence in his work (or the influence in Final Fantasy from him). Also this weekend, Masatoshi, two and his friends, and I took a trip all the way to Tottori, about three hours away on the Sea of Japan. In Japan it is currently crab season, and Masatoshi likes to travel to where the crab is fresh. After three hours of driving we arrived in Tottori, where I was shown some unconventional sights. Apparently there is a large sand dune in Tottori, strikingly similar to the desert. When we stopped the car, I even saw a camel! That was perhaps the last thing I expected to see in Japan. We went to the coast and stood on a cliff for a while, overlooking the sea. A little before noon, we headed to a local restaurant for a crab feast. The restaurant was inside of a house, so we ate inside of a tea room with tatami mats. This feast of crab perhaps rivaled the Marine Hotel's layout. I didn't eat any breakfast, so I was sufficiently hungry to eat sashimi, miso soup, shrimp, salt-grilled seafood, shabu shabu, and a whole crab. On top of that I had a sort of rice, egg, and broth mixture for dessert in a pot which tasted delicious. The whole meal was great, and outside the restaurant on the Sea of Japan locals were surfing the powerful waves. During the meal I talked with Masatoshi's friends, and found out that one of them really liked Final Fantasy. He was jealous that I got to meet the artist, and even thought about going to Tamano to catch the last day of the exhibit. The entire atmosphere of the day made me smile. Before we went home, Masatoshi and his friends wanted to stop at a fish market to buy some crabs to take home. Crabs are usually expensive, but I saw one king sized variety that cost 10,000 Yen a piece ($100 US)! After the ride home, I didn't eat any dinner and fell asleep feeling very stuffed. With all this delicious Japanese food, it will tough not to gain a ton of weight.
Into the Hills 11/26/2004 05:45:15 AM
Happy Thanksgiving, a little late. Its passing in Japan was not widely celebrated, and even I always thought of it as the kid-brother holiday to Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year (which I consider one large holiday, given the extended break from school). I did not feast upon turkey, but instead korean-style okonomiyaki (same name as the Japanese-style pizza, but this is more like a large flour pancake with meat and leeks), a delicious fish (red snapper, actually) given as a present to my host dad by one of his patients, and dumplings. I stuffed myself just as much as I do on Thanksgiving every year, so my conscience is clear. (Masatoshi, being a doctor and also surgeon, cleaned and gutted the fish with expert technique) Before the pseudo-feast, I came home earlier than usual from school and asked Shoko to show me where the nearby hiking trial to the mountains could be found. She said she wasn't doing anything special so we ended up hiking the mountain together. I say hiking with a semi-straight face because the path was paved for most of the way, then slightly narrowed into more of a footpath. Shoko said that she had not been up this particular mountain (there are two that are very close to my house, this was the easier climb of the two) in many years, but she used to come often as a child. When we reached the summit, Shoko did not recognize many of the surroundings, but the view was amazing. The sun had slowly set as we climbed, and a full moon shone brightly in the evening sky. From the top of the mountain, which was also home to three DoCoMo telephone towers, the view was magnificent. Looking behind, the shipyard and city of Tamano (as well as our house) could bee seen in the distance. On the opposite side of the mountain, the town of Hibi and its harbor were visible. Shoko and I took each other's picture near a dangerous looking cliff, and then retreated down the mountain before it got too dark to see.
Hattori Hanzo Steel 11/23/2004 06:10:06 AM
Following the evening at the Marine Hotel, Shoko, Miyu, Masatoshi, and I took a road trip to northern Okayama. Along the way, Miyu pointed out that we had a good traveling group, with all blood types represented (Masatoshi B, Shoko A, Miyu AB, and me O). It stuck me as the first time I had ever judged company by their molecular proteins. Our first stop of the day was Shizutani School, the oldest free public school in the world. It was built in 1666 by Ikeda Mitsumasa, the feudal lord of the Bizen area. "Shizu-tani" means "a quiet and peaceful valley," and particularly in autumn the school grounds are beautiful. One of the unique features of the Shizitani School is the roof made of Bizen tiles. There is also a top-rounded stonewall which surrounds the school. I am told that this wall was built in the "Chinese style," but as to what that means I remain clueless. Another main feature of the school is the Lecture Hall. When Shoko was a student in High School she attended a camping trip at Shizutani, and was required to wash the wood floor of the lecture hall by hand. Miyu, Mai, and Shun also performed this same task, making it a family affair. We walked about the grounds, looked at various exhibits, and enjoyed the wonderful, albeit photogenic, autumn weather. After Shizutani, everyone was feeling hungry. Masatoshi's car's GPS system showed a restaurant nearby, so we decided to take a chance and explore. The restaurant ended up being "Mister Burger," the tiny Japanese equilivant to the Ponderosa Steakhouse. The food was decent, and we had a good laugh, so lunch was humorous if nothing else. Next we stopped at the best looking, if not the most interesting, museum I have visited in Japan. The Bizen Osafune Sword Museum contained a wide variety of Japanese edged weapons, including Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, and Tanto. In the newly renovated main building, large high definition displays illustrated the process of Japanese sword (or Nipponto) making. Outside, just as we arrived, three men were giving a demonstration of the forging of a sword. After heating the metal red-hot with a billows, two of the men struck the steel with large hammers while the third kept the metal moving. The first strike of the wet hammers on the hot steel exhibited a vociferous crack, making the whole room jump. Sparks flew and the crowd was amazed. The museum also provided me with a highly in-depth English "Manual for Appreciating the Japanese Sword." I had known the making of a sword involved folding metal, but could not imagine how this was accomplished. There are many steps, but after visiting the museum the process is not so difficult to understand. In the upstairs section of the museum was a large display of swords, some as old as the 1200's. In other buildings each step of the sword making process was explained, and some workmen were making actual swords that clients had ordered.
Living It Up At The Hotel (Marina) 11/21/2004 04:46:02 AM
Yesterday was a day for many Japanese firsts. When I went to Andee's host family's house a few weeks ago (seems like forever now) they asked me if I wanted to stay with them at the Marine Hotel (a hotel and spa in Tamano) with a few of their family members who were coming to town for a reunion. They would love to have me because Andee was staying in his own room and having me along wouldn't be any problem. Andee and his host dad picked me up Saturday afternoon. Andee's host dad races cars so his Toyota has no back seats, a racing gear shift, and a giant wing. Not to mention a ton a racing stickers. It was cramped but we drove to the hotel in record time (for some reason it seems like Japanese host dads like to drive really fast; Masatoshi is no exception). At the hotel Andee's dad told us that we had a few hours before dinner, so we could visit the next door aquarium or walk along the beach. We took our stuff to the hotel room and struck out for the aquarium. The marine aquarium of Tamano is well supplied for a small town, though being next to the sea probably helps. Among it's many inhabitants were numerous species of fish, octopus, sea anemone, 5 giant sea turtles, a giant otter, penguins, and, for some reason, two monkeys (why not, really?). The collection also included a large assortment of sea shells, fossils, and a stuffed bird that reminded me of the Tsuyama Wonder Museum. Above the entrance to the aquarium was a full whale skeleton. Andee and I browsed the aquarium, took some photos, and then walked to the beach to catch the sunset. This particular evening the sun set behind a layer of clouds, which made for a very picturesque moment. Shibukawa beach, alongside the Marine Hotel, is not the largest of beaches in Japan. It's actually quite small, but the view was not to be missed. Mountains envelop the shore like a cove, with the Seto-Ohashi Bridge visible in the distance. Back at the Marine, Andee and I changed into the hotel's outfit, consisting of a Japanese yukata (robe) and hanten (half-jacket). Japanese hotels, unlike American hotels, provide their own outfit that many guests prefer to wear. The hotel is built over a natural hot spring, so there is both an indoor pool and Onsen (public bath) where guests can relax. Before dinner Andee and I swam in the pool and enjoyed the outdoor hot tub. In the hot tub the crash of the waves could be heard in the distance. (insert reflective poem here) I may have injured myself while eating. The hotel provided a massive buffet, called Viking. Viking is the Japanese word for buffet; it's very similar to a Viking feast following the sack and pillage of a town (minus battles to the death during dessert). Andee's whole family gathered at a giant table and after I was introduced to everyone the feast began. Of the dishes I remember, there was sushi, sashimi, chicken, potatoes, steak, spaghetti, shrimp, rice, bread, soups, salads, pork, and vegetables. That's just the main course. For dessert, there were cakes, puddings, ice cream, fruit, sorbet, and anko (a sweet bean paste that I increasingly crave). I was very glad to be wearing the hotel's loose fitting clothing because I overly stuffed myself. During dinner, two women played the piano and oboe. After dinner, and a considerable rest, Andee and I went to relax in the Onsen. Onsen, for those who have not been to Japan, is a public bath. Before entering the bath you wash your body, so it's more like a public hot-water soaking area. In my opinion, it feels wonderful. You are naked, and there a bunch of other naked people there, but I didn't feel insecure. Next to the extremely hot water is a pool with (that's right) extremely cold water. Moving between these two pools and the outside hot spring was quite soothing. There was also a large supply of body washes and soaps to choose from before and after using the Onsen. I washed my hair with something black and my body with something silver, the color of liquid metal. After returning to our hotel room, Andee and I watched the evening movie, Terminator 2 (the voice dubbing in Japanese was really amusing, but we ended up switching to English). The next morning I ate an equally huge breakfast at the buffet. Andee and I took another trip to the Onsen, which was considerably less crowded in the morning. After thanking Andee's host family for the wonderful opportunity to spend the evening at the spa and hotel, Shoko picked me up for Sunday's festivities. Hint: Katanas. As of today I have been in Japan 3 months.
Hail to the Chef 11/17/2004 05:54:08 AM
A few weeks ago I saw a flyer at the Okayama International Center advertising a Japanese cooking class, foreigners only. Being an innately suspicious individual, at first I thought it was a trap! Then I realized the delightful possibilities of a good lesson in Japanese cookery, not to mention a deal of a meal at the low price of 300 yen. So on the first day for registration I called the international center and reserved Andee and I a spot (I suppose the cooking class is rather popular because Janna and Cori called later but all spots were filled). This Sunday Andee and I met in Okayama on the way to the cooking class. In the lobby of the international center Andee wanted to eat a quick lunch that he had brought with him before the class began, but I saw a sign that read "do not eat meals, hold business meetings, or perform any other activity that will use the lobby for an extended period of time." Directly next to this sign were four men sleeping on couches. Andee ate his meal in the lobby. When we got to the 6th floor some students were already chatting, waiting for the class to begin. A woman asked us to put on name cards and we mingled about the room for a few minutes. Everyone in the class was supposed to bring an apron with them, but because Shoko was in Kobe I had Andee supply one for me. The first apron he pulled out of his bag looked more like a French maid outfit, so I opted for the cartoony "Peko-chan" apron instead. When class started, all the students were divided into various tables, each with enough cooking supplies and food to make all three dishes. At my table was an English teacher from Michigan, an engineering student from Germany, Andee, and myself. Each table also had a cooking instructor. The menu broke down like this: Salt-grilled pacific saury (that's a fish, for all you kids out there), an assortment of boiled foods such as shiitake mushrooms and tofu, and miso soup. After everyone in our group introduced themselves, the teacher explained the cooking directions in Japanese, with a little English on the side. Cooking the fish was rather straightforward, but the boiled foods required some finesse. We cut kamaboko (steamed fish paste) into various shapes to make the presentation more attractive. I spent my time grating daikon radish and making a (fabulous) apple and persimmon centerpiece. I also took the job of arranging the fish on plates, as well as boiling the tofu. Talking to Mike (the guy from America), I found out that he had been in Japan for three weeks, two of those in Osaka. He majored in engineering but wanted to see the world, and thought that teaching English would be the best way to do so. The German, Hans, was very good at Japanese and also quite a good cook. After cooking all the dishes and arranging the food, each table sat down to a mini-feast. Somehow our table prepared 6 plates of food for only 5 people, so there was plenty to go around. We chatted a good deal more over dinner, and then Andee and I made our way back to Tamano. I don't know if I would consider myself a great chef, but the food was delicious. De-boning fish with chopsticks requires a little practice, but I'm getting better (my aim is catching a fly in mid-air).
Ahoy Matey! 11/14/2004 06:16:57 AM
My host mom doesn't like to brag about her English, but last Thursday she was asked to be a judge for a junior high school English speech competition. That's saying something, if you ask me. I also attended the contest to lead group discussions with students following the speeches, and got to observe the speech contest as well. The students presented speeches either alone or in groups of two, and had to recite memorized passages about certain topics such as "The Titanic," "Anime," or "Why do Mosquitoes Bite People?" This was my favorite, involving dialogue between a human and mosquito. After all the speeches were given, I led discussions along with 17 other foreigners with kids in groups of 5 or 6, talking about myself, my country, and Japan. When I asked for questions at the end of the discussion, both groups seemed much more interested in my personal life than my impression of Japan. I also got to meet some of the other volunteers including a guy from Nigeria and a girl from Bosnia. As thanks for coming, I got a free lunch and a personalized Tamano City toolbox; complete with ruler, scissors, bottle opener, and various Allen wrenches (did I mention Japan is awesome?) This weekend Shoko went to Kobe because Miyu's college had a meeting about students traveling to America, so I was home alone with Masatoshi and Shun. In a seemingly unrelated topic, my house is next to a very large ship yard. On Saturday, Shoko's mother took me to the ship yard to see the launching ceremony for the Techno Super Liner Ogasawara. This was great because the shipping yard is huge, with massive cranes and other machinery, so from the time I came to Tamano I have wanted to tour the place. Tons of people had gathered for the event, including TV and newspaper crews. At the gate, everyone was handed a Japanese flag to wave patriotically. Apparently, the Super Liner Ogasawara is either the fastest boat in Japan, or the fastest boat in the world. The fastest aluminum craft in the world? All I can tell you is that the thing is gargantuan. You could easily fit a few football fields inside of it. Shoko's mom and I arrived early to the event, so we got a good place next to the band and chatted while waiting for the ceremony to start. Around noon, a bunch of business executives from Tokyo were busses onto the site and after some rousing Dixieland tunes from the band, the celebration was underway. The president of the company which owned the boat said a few words, and a giant ball full of streamers that was attached to the side of the boat exploded with a huge bang. The band started playing and the crowd went crazy. Then, seemingly as quickly as they had come, the execs got back on the bus for Tokyo. I stayed around to take a few more pictures, and then went back to my house for a lunch of curry-rice. At the gate on the way out I received a very informational packet about the ship, except completely in Japanese. I did get a neat pen, though. Shoko just came home from Kobe, so that's all for tonite.
Kendo Machismo -OR- Ben Gleitzman is a Wimp 11/12/2004 04:51:02 AM
As was mentioned earlier, I bought myself a Kendo gee in Okayama at a small backstreet store that specialized in all things Kendo related. Both pieces of the gee are royal blue, dyed in such a way as to make everything that happens to come in contact with the outfit (hands, clothing, or babies) blueberry in hue. My first day using the outfit at school was Tuesday, and only Asama and I showed up for practice. He showed me how to put on my gee, which was more complicated than I expected, as well as the Kendo armor. The Kendo Jo is outfitted with lots of old pieces of armor, but Asama let me borrow the old Kendo captain's do (body piece), kote (gloves), and helmet. I am assuming that the old captain won't mind. In full Kendo gear, one looks rather scary, especially with a shinai (bamboo sword). I wouldn't want to meet one of these guys in a dark alley. The armor also obscures most body features, so besides height most people look indistinguishable. As I explained before, the goal of Kendo is to strike your opponent with a sword on the head, hands, or body. You must also simultaneously call where you are striking and lunge forward or backward (depending on the situation), striking your foot against the ground. If all three of these actions are completed with a clean hit then a point is scored. For the past month or so I have been practicing these movements wearing only a gym outfit (and swinging at nothing but air), so it was quite a different feeling wearing bulky body armor hitting someone equally as bulky. First of all, swinging becomes more difficult. It's tough to get your sword very high above your head, but quick strokes are preferable to hard slashes. It doesn't matter how hard you hit your opponent, only that you hit them. Also, being hit is a brand new experience. On the stomach or hands it's not too bad because the chest protector and gloves neutralize the strikes. I wish I could say the same thing for the head. I don't know about the general population, but I have very rarely, if ever, been struck directly on the top of the head (barring comical anvil-in-a-construction-zone incidents). The helmet has a metal face guard but if a strike lands properly (directly on the top of the head) the semi-thin woven cloth material doesn't provide much resistance. It's an acute type of pain with an incentive of "move faster next time." I rarely get hit on the head during games, but in practice one of the exercises is letting your opponent strike your head unguarded. Overall, Kendo is great. It's a really vigorous workout and the practice matches at the end of each day are my favorite part. Being strong and quick won't always win you the match; you also have to anticipate what your opponent is going to do next. In addition to striking moves, there are various defensive and parrying moves as well. I hope there is no permanent damage from the occasional bop on the head. If nothing else I've picked up some new phrases like "Where should I hit you?" and "How many times?" which I am sure will prove useful in everyday situations.
Star Wars 11/10/2004 04:33:34 AM
At Kendo I usually practice with two other guys; Asama and Ueno. Asama is the captain so he tells us what to do, but the setting is real laid back so we sort of direct our own training. Recently I have been trying to figure out the foot-shuffle maneuver that follows a hit. Below the Kendo Jo is the Judo Jo where five guys throw each other around for a while after school. Next door to the Kendo/Judo building is where the band practices. For about two weeks they have been working on the same Disney medley, without a whole lot of progress. So while I practice my swinging style various bits of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid drift through the windows. I'll tell you "A Whole New World" on the clarinet is only good for so long, so needless to say it was starting to get a little old. But today, out of nowhere, just as we're getting ready to start swinging practice, two trumpets start belting out the beginning of the Star Wars theme. The rest of the band joins in, and they sounded really good. I had to laugh. They had been practicing Disney forever, with little marked improvement. Hopefully the Cantina band is next. But what have I been doing recently? I took a break from the internet and starting hitting the Japanese really hard (the language, not people). There was no Japanese school last Wednesday, so I finished a ton of homework. Shoko likes to help me with my studies (or does a really good job pretending to) so in the evenings I explore particles while she corrects my work. Then I help her with English, but she really doesn't need it. On Saturday I went to a Kimono fashion show at Miyama Koen (a large park and garden near our house). The fashion show itself was held in the "English garden" which was quite impressive including many gazebos, exotic flowers, and statues. The show was geared toward what I will call "reborn Kimono," old Kimono which have been transformed into jackets, dresses, handbags, and who knows what else. The Kimono fabric is wonderful so everything made from it looks great, with an old texture from the aging process. After the fashion show Shoko and I walked around the trails in Miyama Park, which are about as numerous as those at Cooper's Rock. We walked 5Km, talked a lot, and then got tired and went home for ice cream. Shoko and I eat unhealthy food all the time. On Sunday, Shoko, Masatoshi, and I went to Okayama to shop. Shoko bought some jeans, and by chance we found a calligraphy art display. It cost 200 yen to enter but just as we were about to pay some woman gave us three tickets for free. I couldn't read any of the writing on the calligraphy, but there were so many displays; at least 150 pieces. After browsing the aisles of Kanji, Masatoshi and I went to a Kendo shop where I bought myself a Kendo gee (a “Hakama,” the skirt-like pants, and “dogee,” the Judo-like top). The whole set is royal Japanese blue and really cool looking. Much better than a gym outfit which is what I had been previously wearing to Kendo class. On the way home from Okayama we stopped in an expensive cake shop where Masatoshi by chance met a guy he went to college with. I had raspberry juice for the first time in my life and the most extravagant, artistic piece of chocolate cake I had seen in a long time. That night, we ate okonomi-yaki (Japanese pizza, with the crazy ingredients). Reading the specials menu, I couldn't help but order "white Christmas." This was, hands down, the Jewish guy's worst nightmare. Start with cabbage, green onion, wheat, and egg. To this add pork, oysters, and milk. Mix together and fry with mayonnaise and a sweet sauce. However sacrilegious, I have to admit that it was delicious. I might even order it again if I got the chance, but would probably opt for another dish just for the excitement of something new. On a side note, Tanaka-san is an awesome guy. I help him teach English every so often, and so far he has bought me chocolates, a box of sugar cookies, and offered to take me to lunch. It's a blast to teach with him, so I can't lose.
Hot Feet 11/04/2004 04:43:37 AM
Yesterday was a national holiday "Bunka no Hi," a type of cultural day. Shoko had tickets to see "Disney on Ice," which sounded really exciting, but I decided to go to a fire walking festival instead because it was a little more cultural. It was held on Yuga-san, a nearby mountain in Kurashiki. You may remember Yuga-san because it is one of the rare places in Japan where both a shrine and temple are located on the same spot. When Andee and I arrived (Andee's host parents drove us), the fires were just starting to be lit. Various people dressed in traditional outfits were tending to the fire while a large Taiko drum was played nearby. Over a loudspeaker a shrine attendant was chanting in Sanskrit. The fires were wood with green branches laid overtop, which quickly started to smolder before burning. The smoke blew into the crowd but I stayed where I was to get a good look at the proceedings. As the stack of wood burned down, the chanting and drumming became more rapid. People started to throw pieces of wood with wishes written on them into the blaze. The heat was really amazing, and at times I had to cover my face when it got too hot. After the fires burned down the ashes were raked into a narrow line, and beaten with bamboo sticks until they were cool enough for people to walk upon. I had bough a ticket to walk, so I took my shoes off and shuffled to the front of the waiting mass of people. The ashes were hot, but not too unbearable. I walked at sort of a marching pace with the others in line. After the ceremony a huge group of people gathered before the shrine. Shrine attendants threw candy to the crowd, which rabidly jumped and ran for the treats. Andee and I grabbed a few rice balls for good luck.
That's New to Me 11/02/2004 08:05:36 AM
My absentee ballot finally came yesterday so I rushed to the post office to get it out quick. It's probably too late but I'll only be kicking myself if WV goes to Bush by only one vote. Watching the news yesterday I was informed that a new cell phone law went into effect in Japan. It is now illegal to use cell phones in cars, and police officers have been pulling over drivers all day for the $60 fine. I didn't catch all the details but from what I could tell phones must cause quite a few accidents every year. Also in the news was the announcement of paper bills in Japan. For the first time in 20 years Japan is issuing new 1000, 5000, and 10000 yen bills ($10, $50, and $100, respectively). Unlike American money, Japanese bills display famous artists and inventors, as well as political leaders. The 1000 yen bill, which used to feature Natsume Soseki (a writer) now features a woman (of whose profession I am uncertain). The 5000 bill shows a guy with crazy hair (who to my delight I discovered was a scientist). The new bills also feature various safety features and color changing ink, like the $20 bills in America.
Sumo and Staying Up Late 11/01/2004 08:41:55 AM
On Friday night I got back to my house around 1 in the morning from the beach. The sky was pitch black but you could see the Seto-Ohashi bridge and Kurashiki lit up in the distance. I practically crawled into my futon and feel asleep in a weird position which should have left my neck hurting the next morning (but thankfully did not). On Saturday morning I chatted with Shoko before she left for her Chinese lesson, then caught the 10:39 bus to Okayama to meet Katrin and Cori at noon. When I arrived in Okayama Cori was there but said Katrin would be a little late because of her orchestra practice. The sky was cloudy but warm so we window shopped down Momotaro (Peach Boy) Boulevard. Katrin met us a little later and we went to the Okayama Kokusai (International) Center because we heard that there was some sort of international festival taking place. The International Festival featured 6 levels of food, displays, and sundry items from around the world. I ate some Korean noodles for lunch which were very spicy but delicious. Most of the displays were in Japanese but I did my best to read about different parts of the world. On one level a bunch of Japanese teens dressed in brightly colored clothing were giving a talk about their trip to Cambodia. Cori bought a pan flute which I find annoying unless also accompanied with goat pants and wine On another level a room was devoted to origami so I made a mediocre paper boat. On the second floor was a large conference room showing a PowerPoint on "Islam: The World's Most Misunderstood Religion." For me it was the world's most misunderstood PowerPoint complete with not only gratuitous Kanji but Arabic as well. I did appreciate the exhibit, however, and was happy the see a large turnout at the festival as a whole. After spending the day at the International Center, Katrin, Cori, and I walked to a nearby open air mall. For some reason there were scores of high school kids dressed in Halloween costumes (a holiday that is not generally celebrated in Japan). We stopped in a small cafe for some refreshments, then I bid farewell to Cori and Katrin for the bus ride back home. I arrived home around 6:00, and Shoko and I left for Kyudo at 6:40. We picked up Yamashita-san but Andee was eating dinner with his host family so we went to Kyudo without him. We soon discovered that Andee was the smart one, as the gates to the Kyudo Jo were locked. Apparently practice was postponed until the following week. Not wanting to waste a good evening we all went back to Yamashita-san's house for tea and cake. Yamashita-san's son and daughter-in-law were also there so while they asked me about Japan, Mi-chan read me some of her Japanese books. She also showed me her collection of　“woo-ri,” or “Where’s Waldo” in Japanese. After tea and a whole bunch of laughter Shoko and I went home. Around 10 Sam, the English teacher from Canada, came over and we watched "The Long Kiss Goodnight," with Samuel L. Jackson and plenty of guns. Sam likes to teach Shoko slang, such as "peeps," and "chill out." He had gone to Hiroshima to look for a car earlier in the day but came back unsuccessful. After the movie the three of us watched Figure Skating and American Football, talking about nothing in particular. I have decided that Shoko is much more of a host sister than host mom. Around 1 I was spent and retired to my futon. Yesterday, Sunday (Halloween no less), was the day to top off the weekend. I took the 10:39 bus to Okayama, this time to meet Cori and Janna for sumo. Some of the Rotary members heard that we wanted to see a sumo tournament and were extremely generous in buying tickets for the match at the Okayama Dome. The Dome was about 10 minutes by bus from Okayama Station so we arrived at the match around 12:30. The sumo had started at 8 in the morning but the main matches were to begin at 1:30. I was shocked by the number of people in the arena. Our seats were in the back on bleachers but I was relieved because in closer sections people had to sit on the floor Japanese style (this becomes very painful after more than 10 minutes). Our section probably had the best view of the arena because of its elevated position. The sumo wrestlers were massive. I had watched them on TV but it was nothing compared to real life. I walked over to their changing area where huge men with very little clothing were waiting, signing autographs, and posing for pictures. Everyone was crowded around a massive wrestler from Mongolia who seemed to be the audience's favorite (later he was led to the arena where someone ceremoniously shaped his hair in the traditional sumo wrestler style). Before the sumo matches began all of the wrestlers were led to the Dohyo (main ring) where they did a sort of dance: one clap, arms up, another clap, and then pulling up their mawashi (the piece of cloth worn around the waist) in unison. The Dohyo was much smaller than I had expected it to be. When the two wrestlers take their places inside of it there isn't much room left for running around. Before the match starts, a judge in a fancy outfit announces each of the wrestlers, and then they each throw fistfuls of rice into the arena. The sumo wrestlers then raise their legs high into the air, and smash them back to the ground. The higher the leg raise the better, and on one particular occasion a wrestler started pounding his chest which really excited the crowd. The wrestlers each take their places, and then retreat out of the ring to throw another fistful of rice. They then take their positions and commence trying and fling the other out of the ring (or throw them to the ground). This was done in many different ways including brute force pushing, rapid fire punching, grappling, and physically picking the opponent up by the mawashi and carrying them out of the ring (the crowd really goes wild over this one). We watched about 30 matches until the final championship bouts. The contestants were led into the arena their posse. The crowd (while sitting on their knees) was visibly eager to see the winner of the matches. The 1st and 2nd runner-up battles were fierce, and the winners were presented with arrows and what looked like a rock (but probably wasn't). The championship match was also vicious. After the referee gave the signal they were at each other. The match lasted longer than usual, with each wrester in a position of possible victory at times. The ring of the Dohyo is slightly raised so often one wrestler will push the other to the edge only to lose momentum and be driven back to the middle. In an impressive pushing maneuver, one wrestler threw the other off balance and pushed him out of the ring. He was presented with a bow which he twirled around his head with striking agility for such a large man. There was then a huge rush to the door as everyone tried to get back to their cars and the bus station. We took our time, however, because later that evening was a rock show at a club called Desperado. Wataru and Kiyoto (my friends from school) asked me to come and besides Cori and Katrin we were the only foreigners there, but I certainly didn't feel too out of place. I talked with a bunch of people about my favorite bands and they told me about theirs (I have heard from many people that Asian Kung-Fu Generation is really good). Desperado looked quite a bit like 123, but with more mirrors. The sound system was also deafening (my right ear still doesn't work). I noticed that before each band played they would come and tune their instruments, then walk offstage. Some song would then start to play and they would re-enter the stage while everyone clapped. Most of the bands sang in English, but I couldn't understand the lyrics (except HOOP because I already had their CD). When Wataru played was my favorite because he is a really good guitarist and I knew all the words. Another band named Blackout was from Osaka and played some pretty awesome music. The last band to play had a lead singer who went to my High School a few years ago. I suppose the best description of his singing was "emotional," but I was into it and everyone in the club jumped around. After the show I bought a bunch of CDs and got some free stuff too. There is going to be a SKA show sometime in the future so I definitely want to catch that. I stumbled back to the bus station with Katrin (Cori had to go home early) and took the bus home.
For Lack of a Better Name 10/30/2004 12:50:32 AM
This week was chock full o' nuts, enough so that I couldn't find the time to post an entry for a few days. However, I did resort to scribbling incomprehensible notes into a journal so here's the best stab at putting them into some sort of logical order. Although I'm here to learn Japanese, take in the culture, and be laughed at from time to time, Japanese TV is certainly worth watching, mostly for its comedic value. I usually sit with Shun and Shoko so they can explain what I can't understand by general deduction and cursory knowledge of Japanese. So far I have two favorite programs aside from the daily news in the morning which has its own array of wacky humor (One morning on the news a woman was run over by a bakery truck in Kobe and the news station make an elderly-woman-being-hit-by-a-truck 3D animation which left me half chuckling/sick to my stomach). Regardless, one of my favorite shows is called "Toribia no Izumi" (Well of Trivia) and involves two hosts and a panel of famous Japanese actors, singers, magicians, and other famous TV personalities. The hosts present the panel with useless but interesting knowledge (the more hilarious the better, like "until 1995 Japan's Meteorological Agency measured the intensity of earthquakes on how strong its staff members felt they were," "spiders can't create webs properly if they drink coffee", or "there is a bronze statue of a group of 1980s heartthrobs on an uninhabited island in Okinawa"). The panel then responds to the level of humor or shock by pressing a button in front of them which makes a very nasal "heh" sound. The hosts talk some more and ask questions to the panel, then all of the "heh’s” are tabulated to give an overall rating of humor. The show I watched the other night was also a riot. I was not sure of the name, but yet again it featured a panel of famous Japanese people. Their challenge was to perform various activities ranging from giving and receiving gifts to viewing a dead body in the “traditional” manner. A panel of knowledgeable Japanese would rate each of the contestants on form and execution to the amusement of everyone watching at home. It was reassuring to know that most of the contestants didn't know much more than I did when it came to most of the "traditional" Japanese activities. One particularly hilarious part of the program came when the contestants watched a video of a boss offering to pay for his staff's lunches. Something was done incorrectly on the video and the contestants had to come up to a giant head of a cat with a camera inside, stick their own head into its mouth, and whisper their answer. Makes American TV sound rather uninteresting, doesn’t it? Yesterday at school all of my classes ended 10 minutes early for a "special presentation" to the school after lunch. At the appropriate time the whole school filed into the gym where a man was waiting with a PowerPoint presentation. After deciphering the first line of text I discerned that he was from the Okayama Women's Studies Institute to give us a little talk about the "birds and the bees." His whole presentation ended up being about STDs, prophylactics, and general sex-ed. I thought it was very informative, even in Japanese. The kids also didn't laugh very much throughout the whole presentation which was impressive. On Friday after school Sakaguchi-sensei came to Kendo practice (which is very uncommon because he is often busy with school meetings and had not been to practice in a few weeks). I had been practicing Kendo everyday, and he said my improvement was "astonishing." He had Asama, the captain, dress in the Kendo armor and I got to take some swings at him. This was the first time I had hit anything with the sword and it was amazing. You make a growling yell sound before you swing, and when you hit your opponent you yell "men!" or "do!" depending on where your strike lands. This is especially awesome because I don’t find myself to be a very aggressive person and hitting people with sticks feels really good. I can't wait to put the armor on myself and go at it for real. Last night I went to eat dinner with Andee's host family. There are five people, and the oldest host daughter, Keiko, is in America. His host family is very nice, and we had a delicious dinner of tempura and teriyaki. Andee's other host sister goes to college in Okayama and loves The Strokes. She speaks English well so we had a talk about colleges in Japan. After dinner Andee and I took a bike ride to the beach. We stayed till until after midnight, taking nighttime photos and admiring the night sea.
Long Road to Izumo 10/25/2004 03:15:40 AM
A letter came in the mail saying that I would attend a Rotary meeting in Izumo, but I wasn't sure of it's exact location or the purpose of the meeting. The function ended up being Rotary International District 2690's Regional Conference, one of 500 being held all over the world. Although usually a large scale event (says my host father, a long time Rotarian) this year was special because it is the 100th anniversary of the Rotary program. The other exchange students traveled by train but I went with my host father and a fellow Rotarian on the 3 hour drive to Izumo in Shimane prefecture. The morning drive was a little long, but not without its rewards. As we passed through the mountains clouds hung low over the valley, sending the car barreling through thick patches of fog. At one point we went over a huge bridge and no land could be seen in any direction except for a small patch of road drifting off into the clouds. About two hours into the drive we got an excellent view of Mount Daisen, a very famous mountain in Japan. Snow could be seen on the top and we circled the mountain on the expressway for about 15 minutes to get a better view. Another interesting feature of the expressway is its many tunnels that pass right through towering mountains. When we arrived in Izumo the conference had already started so I found my seat in a large conference hall near the front (my host father frowned when he saw his seat was towards the rear). Janna and Cori were already in their seats and they said that I missed the main speaker's entrance which was accompanied by music and smoke machines. I sat catching pieces of a few speeches until the opening ceremony ended and we went to another conference room for lunch. Kayo, the exchange student to Canada last year, was also at the conference so we chatted with her for a while over lunch. After eating, some Rotary members (including Tomosue-san and Aketa-san) who were in charge of inbound students held a small meeting where they asked us how we were enjoying Japan. We all got a chance to talk about school, friends, and Japanese lessons. Fujiwara-san, the head of the Izumo Rotary Club, led the meeting was able to translate if we got stuck speaking Japanese. We were also informed that the Rotary members would be paying for us to go see Sumo on the 31st in Okayama. After the meeting we all piled into small busses for sightseeing around Izumo while the other Rotary members held meetings. First we went to Izumo Taisha, a famous shrine. There were many Rotary members sightseeing in business suits, and the weather was perfect despite being farther north than Okayama. Statues and very old trees lined a walkway to the main attraction, a giant Japanese style Yashiro Zukuri (a type of large shrine). We spent some time walking around the grounds and I was especially interested in a building where all the gods of Japan are said to come and meet to discuss the affairs of various religions. There was also a huge Shimenawa (braided wheat) adorning the door of the shrine. People come to throw money up into the wheat where coins stick. I tried a few times with no success until I finally jumped and shoved a coin into place (another man tried this and knocked a whole bunch of coins to the ground, causing his coworkers to laugh). In front of the shrine, you are supposed to bow and clap four times. After visiting the shrine, we piled back into the busses to go to the sea (the real sea, the Sea of Japan, much rougher than the calm inland waters near Tamano). We stopped at a lighthouse and climbed up some very steep steps to the top. From the top you could almost see Korea. The view was spectacular and I took a ton of pictures. On the way back from the lighthouse we stopped to eat squid, eel, fish, and ice cream. After sightseeing we went to the Izumo Dome, a large structure resembling Morgantown's Coliseum but made of wood imported from Canada. Tons of Rotarians were inside watching a Taiko drum performance. When I walked through the door many Rotarians stopped to speak, and I got to talk with the district governor again who I met at the welcome party. He is 90 years old but I wouldn't put him a day over 60. He was extremely nice and instantly likable. After the drum performance we were lead into the center of the Dome where food was waiting on many tables. Everyone stood while eating and mingled in the crowd. Izumo is known for its Soba noodles so that was the main course, but sushi and meat were also served along with copious amount of alcohol (the Japanese like a good party). There were no non-alcoholic drinks on the table, so I had to wander over to the drink table to get an orange juice. A large orchestra performed on stage, the district governor spoke, and Kagura appeared at the end. Kagura are scary figures who will chase away bad thoughts. Following plenty of eating and socializing, Oosan (what the family calls Masatoshi) and I got back in the car for the long drive home. He put on Enya and I instantly fell asleep.
Better Dress Incognito 10/23/2004 07:30:46 AM
This last typhoon was very strong, the worst most people have seen in a while. Our house was fine but some houses close to the sea were damaged from landslides. There were also some very strong earthquakes in the north part of Japan today, but I did not feel anything. Today I took the bus to Okayama to meet a friend of last year's outbound Rotary student. Her name is Nobuko which is about all I knew before I met her next to the Okayama fountain (I guess I was easy to spot being the only foreign looking guy in a bright red jacket). We had sent a few e-mails back and forth so I knew she spoke some English. In a mix of Japanese and English, we introduced ourselves and she led the way to a restaurant for lunch. We met with one of her friends and his mom at a coffee shop where I had a chicken sandwich and iced milk tea. Nobuko is 17 and has been to a bunch of concerts in Japan; her friend is 18 and really likes the Strokes and The White Stripes. After lunch we went to a huge game arena (the largest in Okayama). There were a ton of games and lights and sounds and the whole place seemed to have this energy to it. Game arenas are also extremely loud. We took purikura pictures (the fun Japanese photo booths) and then played a game with Taiko drums that reminded me of Dance Dance Revolution with sticks. I was completely baffled by a game that a guy was playing which involved a small keyboard next to a turntable. You play a few notes according to the pictures on the screen and then scratch with the turntable, sometimes executing both at the same time. I didn't bother to waste money on this one. After laughing over the games and purikura, we left the arena to do some shopping (a popular Japanese pastime, and one of my new favorite activities). Nobuko bought a CD and I found a great shirt with a picture of a light bulb that says "Please turn over the light." She also took me to a joke shop where I bought some pins and had to fight really hard no to purchase a ton of other interesting junk. We stopped in a store that was in the shape OH-kun, one of the mascots of the local television station OHK, where you could buy all things cute Japanese cartoon related. Crazy coincidences are happening all the time in Japan. Although I know relatively few people, and the cities are rather large, I usually see someone I know when I visit Okayama. In this case, Nobuko took me to a shopping area and in one of the CD stores we ran into Cori, the exchange student from Canada, and two of her friends from school. Nobuku and I had thought about going to karaoke but we weren't sure because it was only the two of us. Now, after meeting Cori and her friends, we all decided to go to a local karaoke parlor. One of Cori's friends was named Billy from New Zealand (he looked Japanese and I introduced myself in Japanese to which he replied "I can speak English"). He speaks both Chinese as well, and has also studied Japanese for 5 years. Her other friend is Katrin, from Germany. At the karaoke shop Nobuko sang in Japanese, Katrin in German, Billy in Chinese, and Cori and I in English. After some pretty exciting songs, including lots of Avril Lavigne (Japan's newest obsession), "We Will Rock You," and "99 Luftballoons,” Cori had to be home so we all went to Okayama station to go our separate ways. Andee is in Hiroshima and Yamashita-san is also out of town so Shoko and I didn't go to Kyudo. Instead we talked for a while over dinner then a man came over to talk with Shun who is from the college entrance test preparation center. He was very funny and talkative and I could understand most of what he said in Japanese even thought it was really fast. I can now make jokes in Japanese, but oftentimes I don’t realize I am being humorous.
Raining Nekko and Inu -OR- Why I am not a Comedian 10/20/2004 12:17:36 AM
No school today because of a massive typhoon. This also means no Japanese language school and no Kyudo. Bollocks! There are actually two typhoons coming, which will crisscross somewhere over Japan. This whole scenario reminds me of the movie "Twister" with Helen Hunt where the two twisters merge into one large twister, which subsequently picks up a cow or some nonsense. I wasn’t about to let a little typhoon spoil my day, so after a late breakfast I decided to venture out into the storm to "see what it was made of." I didn't think an umbrella could do much against the wind and sideways rain, but Shun let me borrow his raincoat (which came down only to my knees). Shoko took some pictures so we could get a good before and after comparison. I was surprised that the rain wasn't too cold. Aside from not being able to see very well, it wasn't distracting at all. I ran to the sea (laughing at times because of the strong wind) to get some pictures of the storm and noticed some people in cars with the same idea. I had seen the sea water higher, but the weather forecast said that the typhoon had not quite reached Tamano yet so I expect it to rise a little more. The roadside ditches, however, were filled with water and lined with sandbags. I walked to a nearby playground and hid under the slide watching the rain. After a while I ran back home where Shoko and Shun laughed while I changed back into dry clothes.
Getting the Special Treatment 10/18/2004 12:32:18 AM
Aside from feeling a little homesick, I really don't have any complaints about Japan. This is further bolstered by the fact that I get treated very well wherever I go. I had known for a while that a trip to Hiroshima was planned, but I wasn't sure what we would be doing in the prefecture. Yesterday Shoko, Masatoshi, Shoko's mother (Kiyoko-san), and I left around 10 in the morning, but all I was told was that we would be going to a steak restaurant. The drive was pleasant through the mountains and the weather was nice. We drove for about an hour and half until we reached the restaurant and were immediately greeted by two chefs and a man dressed in a tux waiting outside who directed Masatoshi where to park. Striding through a small Japanese garden we reached the entrance of the restaurant decorated in marble. The inside of the building was even more impressive with fountains and luxurious furniture scattered throughout the waiting area. The hostess led us to a room with a Japanese hibachi and windows overlooking a Japanese garden. This place could best be described at Morgantown's Habatchi meets Martha Stewart (sans jail sentence) meets "Great Chefs of the World.” A chef came to prepare the food in front of us who was very entertaining and had traveled a bit in the US. He didn't flip the food around quite as much as Hibatchi but the food quality was by far superior. Our appetizer of roast duck, salmon, and caviar set the tone for the rest of the meal. Shoko and I ordered steak, while Masatoshi and Shoko's mother ate crab legs. The steak was delicious, served with salt from the Andes and a slew of delicate side dishes. The crab legs would have made my mom jealous. After the main part of the lunch was concluded, we were moved to another room for dessert. Its furnishings were a little cozier and intended for relaxing. I had raspberry chocolate cake with tea, and felt very satisfied with the meal. Shoko's mother paid for the lunch, to which I am very grateful and will write a thank you letter in addition to thanking her personally. After lunch we drove back to Okayama (sight seeing in Hiroshima will have to wait for another day) to try and find a Kendo gee (traditional Kendo outfit). Amazingly (in JAPAN no less), no mainstream sports stores carried any sort of Kendo outfits. Shoko says that there might be a store in Okayama where I can order one, but there must be a store that she doesn't know about. I guess traditional sports just aren't as popular as baseball, soccer, and volleyball. We did stop in UNI QLO, a cheap but high quality clothing store where I found some stylish winter clothing. One section of the store was dedicated to Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Harring, and Andy Warhol. I also found a pair of slippers for walking around in the house because I hear in the winter you can see your breath inside. The other night at Kyudo we moved to the main dojo with very small targets. There is a certain process for entering the dojo area involving various bows, but after a few tries I got all the moves right. I took a bunch of shots at the target, and after a very close miss finally hit the outside ring on my last try (no serious arrow related injuries yet!)
Keep Up to Date 10/17/2004 04:09:46 AM
Seems like every day around here is full of surprises. For the next few weeks I have something planned everyday. Yesterday's trip to Tsuyama began around 8 in the morning when I took the train from Uno station to Okayama. I met a few kids from school and sat with them on the way; one was going to Kyoto to compete in a Japanese conversation contest. It's a little easier to relax on the bus to Okayama rather than the train, but I have to give the prize for best sights along the way to the train route. When we got into the mountains, rice fields stretch out into the horizon and bamboo forests can be seen from almost any window on the train. In Okayama I met Cori, the exchange student from Canada, and we both took the train to Tsuyama. The trip offered some breathtaking scenery, including a whole settlement of wooden houses nestled in a valley. It didn't look like people were living there but I couldn't be certain. The train also went through various tunnels which was sort of spooky but also very cool. When we arrived in Tsuyama Janna, the exchange student from Virginia, and her host counselor met us at the train station. We were quickly shuttled away with another Rotarian to a nearby hotel where I had some red orange juice and we talked about the journey. After being properly refreshed we walked outside into the beautiful Autumn day and across the street to the Tsuyama Wonder Museum, which was owned by Janna's host counselor. The place could only be described as one of the coolest museums I have ever been to, and probably the scariest at night. Apparently the owner's grandfather began collecting rare insects, animals, and various odds and ends about 40 years ago, and before his death massed a collection of over 800 birds and animals, as well as countless butterflies, spiders, bugs, and other creepy crawlers (totaling 24,000 pieces). Of course everything is dead, but the sheer size of the collection is amazing. The collection was completed before the 1975 Washington Treaty (banning the trade of rare animals), so all the animals were legally obtained (making this one of the best and only places to see this kind of collection). Some of the animals in a long list included the Snub-Nosed Monkey, Bongo, Indian Lion, Griffin Vulture, White Owl, Siberian Tiger, and Polar Bear. Believe me, the list goes on. The kicker came when the owner of the museum told me that when his grandfather died he wanted his organs put on display in the museum. Sure enough, in one room was the man's heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, etc. Quite a gross out, but also interesting and scientific. There were also fossils, shells, various fishes, Japanese stones, and "nostalgic science and engineering parts," which included amateur TV broadcast equipment, a star lab, and a portable radio from 1935. After the Tsuyama Wonder Museum we all piled into cars to head to Tomosue-san's house, the Rotary member who was hosting the party. We rode through the countryside of Tsuyama for about 20 minutes until we turned to head up a hill into the mountains. When we came near the top we were confronted with a huge house, one of the largest I’d seen to date in Japan. It even had a front yard of decent size, which I had never seen. Feeling well taken care of, I exited the car with Cori and Janna and went to the front gate which opened automatically. We walked through a small courtyard, where I discovered the large house was actually three houses side by side, and into the main building where we were greeted by a slew of Rotary members. The interior of the house was strikingly American, a stark contrast from most of the Japanese style houses I have been inside. We sat down in large recliners and chatted for a while in Japanese and English until were we told the barbeque was to begin. On the back porch of the house about 10 people met for lunch of yakiniku and hamburgers. The yakiniku was cooked on an old millstone with a fire in the middle, and featured meat and some vegetables. The hamburgers were cooked on a large propane grill along with potatoes. The whole afternoon was wonderful, with perfect autumn weather and delicious food. I found out that Janna got to be on a TV program for school which must have been exciting. After we ate and took a bunch of pictures, Cori, Janna, and I walked around the grounds to get a feel for the area. Up a small hill were a few shrines and a great view of Tsuyama below. Around 5 o' clock we headed back to Tsuyama station for the ride home to Okayama.
From Unexpected Places 10/15/2004 10:12:21 AM
Today was an usual Autumn day in Japan. I went to school with the crisp cool air whipping through my hair as I passed the choppy sea. The day was equally pleasant, with bright sun and slight breezes. After school was when things got interesting. Shoko, Andee, Sam, and a ton of other people went to a party at Yamashita-san's house. Josh was also there, the guy who is visiting Tamano but lives in China. We talked about what he does in China, and I was really captivated about his life. Afterwards we talked about his restaurant which seems to be very unique in China (serving bagels, ice cream, and other hard to get items). He also mentioned that he has been studying Tai Chi (which blows me away), and I think I might try to get together with him in the next couple of weeks. Overall a very nice guy to talk with and his wife brought a video tape of their wedding in China which was shown at the party. On my bike ride home from school today I stopped by the sea because the scenery is just too beautiful. Some night I want to climb up to the top of a mountain and watch the sunset. For now I am very sleepy and would be content with some sleep before a big day tomorrow in Tsuyama.
To the City Alone 10/14/2004 09:26:13 AM
I have somehow managed to keep unusually busy. Yesterday I went to school even thought I had to leave at 11:00 for the Okayama Language Institute. I did get to go to art class, which was the main reason for attending school at all. I gave the art teacher a Blackbear bumper sticker for his car. He gave me a little plastic rice ball because it's customary to give someone a gift who has just given one to you. Wish we did that in America. At the bus stop on the way to Okayama a whole troupe of elementary school kids in bright yellow hats said hi to me in English. I asked one boy how he was and he went into this little running fit then said he was "fine, thank you." In Okayama I had some time before the language class so I browsed the winter clothes section of the Credo building and grabbed a bite to eat. I also bought a few books which I had been meaning to read because The Source (a beast at 1084 pages) was drawing to a close. Language class was again very fun, although we are still at a beginner level. I can read and write quickly now so soon it will all fall into place. Or at least I can study in Japanese rather than English which will make me feel like I have accomplished something. After language class Janna, Cori, and I discussed attending a sumo match on the 31st that is going to be held in Okayama. The language school can get us tickets at a discounted price. Shoko says that she met a Sumo wrestler in a train station once but Masatoshi doesn't seem to like the sport. Back at the bus station we stopped to eat sweet beans, ice cream, and fruit in one of the numerous underground restaurants. We talked about some of our observations concerning Japan which quickly digressed into laughter, and we all agreed that we are enjoying ourselves. I rode the bus home but as soon as I walked in the door at 6:40 it was off to Kyudo practice at 7:00. We had our last practice with the "large" targets, and next week we will be in the main arena shooting at tiny targets only 1\2 meter across. There was also an American visiting the Kyudo Jo from Colorado who now lives in China. He and his wife practice Chinese medicine and also run a small restaurant (acupuncture while you eat). He was a climber in Colorado but has lived in China since 1998. I think he will be at a party we're going to tomorrow. Today I wore my dress jacket to school because it was a little chilly, but by noon the sun was blazing so it was perfect autumn weather. There will be no Kendo practice until after finals week. At 8:00 I went to Tanaka-san's house to help teach some local junior high students English (two girls and their mother, who were shy but smart). I suppose in the back on my mind I have always wanted to be a teacher so the experience was fun. The lesson lasted about 45 minutes and Tanaka-san said he would take me out to lunch for helping him teach. He has been teaching for about a year; his previous profession was working for the Japanese government, which sent him to the US, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa, so he knows many languages. He spent some time in California so he says he speaks west coast English. Tanaka-san talks nonstop so he is fun to be around. We went to the video store and I only wanted one movie but Shoko picked three. Then we found out if was cheap if you got 5 so we're going to watch Donnie Darko (in Japanese!) What a thrill (Shoko really liked eXistenZ, surprisingly, and I enjoyed Mystic River)
Samurai House 10/12/2004 01:39:58 AM
Yesterday I got to spend some quality time with my host father, Masatoshi. First I would like to repeat that he works all the time, but seems to enjoy what he does. I enjoy talking with him because he always has good things to say and he and Shoko make a funny couple. When Tom Conroy was here Masatoshi asked him "Are you a hobbit?" (he meant to say "what are your hobbies"). We left early yesterday to go to Himeji (the prefecture next to Okayama) to visit some historical places. Driving in Japan is a little different than what I was used to, especially Masatoshi's driving. He tells me that he does everything fast. Later in the day we stopped to get ice cream and before I had much of a bite he had gobbled up the whole thing. Also, most of the roads in Japan are very tiny until you get on the expressways, which are all toll roads. Masatoshi averaged about 120 Km/h on the expressway which is quite a quick pace if you ask me. We were rocking out to Billy Joel on minidisc so it was all okay. Our first stop was Himeji castle, one of the World Cultural Heritages of Japan. Himeji castle looks much like Okayama castle except Himeji is black and Okayama is white. Its construction began in the 16th century, but a previous fort existed on the spot in 1333. The final castle was completed in 1618, and to my knowledge was never taken by siege. It has undergone many restorations throughout the centuries, and the family crests of lords who built or repaired the castle can be seen adorning the stone walls. One of the main attractions of Himeji castle is climbing to the top, which provides a great view of the surrounding city from all four sides. There are also numerous ghost stories surrounding Himeji castle, including Okiku's Well or “Banshu Sara-Yashiki" which I found particularly interesting: A long time ago, a servant named Okiku who served the lord of the castle discovered the lord retainer's plot to kill the lord and serve in his place. She warned the lord of the assassination and the attempt failed, but when the lord retainer discovered Okiku had interfered with his plot he purposely stole one of the ten treasure dishes that were under her custody. She was tortured to death on the charge of missing the dish, and the chief retainer threw her body into the well. From then on, her voice could be heard from the well counting "one dish, two dishes, three dishes..." until the retainer's scheme was discovered and she was absolved of the crime. Her voice was never heard from the well again. Another exciting aspect of Himeji castle is the Oil Wall. While most walls are built with white plaster, this "abura-kabe" was made of clay and sand mixed with boiled rice water, and has stood for over 400 years. After further exploring the grounds of Himeji castle and taking plenty of pictures, we moved on to Koko-en which was built in 1992 to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the Himeji municipality. It's composed of nine separate gardens on the site where old samurai houses once existed. It was beautiful to walk around the grounds. After Himeji castle we has some lunch, then moved on to the town of Bizen which lends its name to the famous Bizen style pottery. I could tell we were in a pottery town because almost every house had a large smokestack for baking the pots. We stopped in some galleries which had pots as expensive as 800,000 Yen ($8000). I did end up purchasing some pottery, but at a much cheaper price. After Bizen we drove back to Okayama to the city of Takahachi, which has various historical attractions. The town is very small so walking around was quite easy. Many of the houses are very old and were sites where Samurai used to live. First we stopped in a preserved Samurai house, complete with various tatami rooms and some creepy mannequins. You should be careful not to confuse "Samurai House" with "Ninja House," which is sort of what I expected. Himeji castle had some secret rooms, but there weren't any special enclaves inside the Samurai houses. Nonetheless it was neat to see how people used to live, as well as view some very ancient armor and weapons. Next we stopped in another Shoyu (soysauce) factory, much like the one on Shodoshima island (except in Shodoshima the soybeans were dried on grass sheets, which is very unique, while in Takahachi it was customary to use wood). My favorite was our next stop, a collection of farming and daily tools used during the Meiji Era. The museum is in the old Takahachi elementary school and contains old clocks, telephones, flatware, books, fans, lamps, playing cards, Shogi boards, boats, plows, looms, and anything else that might have been used by people during the town's history. When Masatoshi and I came home I was pretty tired, but he was still ready to go. Shoko, Masatoshi, and I went to eat at a cafe which featured very interesting seating. There was an egg-shaped chair that reminds me of the 70's, chairs from Italy, stools, benches, and a table in the shape of a screw. We sat at one of the more traditional tables, but I couldn't help but try out the egg-shaped chair for myself. After dinner we went to another cafe for dessert with a great view of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge at night. We came home and Masatoshi's father stopped by to give us some rare mushrooms that he had picked on a nearby mountain. We talked about the stock market (off all things) in which he is very interested, and then he told me about a time he was in Italy and some gypsies tried to take his camera and he unleashed the "Samurai spirit," driving them away. I don't doubt that he was telling the truth.
Kojima and Haircuts 10/10/2004 02:19:53 AM
Yesterday I went to get my first Japanese haircut, not knowing quite what to expect. Shun suggested the place that he goes to get his hair cut, but I was confused by the name of the hair salon, "Panic," an apt name for my feelings. The first thing I noticed about Panic, other than the atmosphere, was the awesome hair styles worn by the guys and girls working at the shop. Mohawks, long hair, or ponytails, you name it and someone probably had it. This was reassuring because I figured if they could have these crazy cuts giving me a basic haircut couldn't be too hard. First the stylist brought me to the back room where I was put into a reclining seat and washed my hair not once but three times. The scalp massage was therapeutic and my hair smelled fresh. Then, in Japanese, I explained to the guy cutting my hair how I usually wore it and he got to work. He used only scissors, no electric razors, and spent a good deal of time on each section of my head. While he cut my hair I scanned the room and saw a bunch of people getting their hair dyed, and one guy in the corner was having his hair dried by some huge revolving machine while drinking whiskey and smoking. I couldn't help but laugh to myself. After the cut my hair was washed again and I didn't even get any hair down the back of my neck as is customary with every former haircut I have ever received. In total three people worked on my hair, one for the first wash, and two for cutting and second washing. I think the total came to about $35, so not a bad deal for the good treatment. After the haircut Shoko and I went to the supermarket where I was feeling so good I decided to cook dinner that night. I thought chili would be easy enough so picked out some chili related items and some fruit for a salad. I certainly wouldn't consider myself a good cook, inexperienced at best, but I think it’s safe to say that any idiot can make chili. I also made cheese potatoes, a salad, and fruit salad for dessert (complete with powdered sugar). The chili was pretty spicy but I think everyone enjoyed it, and Shoko was probably happy that she didn't have to cook. I promised her a pie or cake next time. After dinner Shoko, Andee, and I went to Kyudo. We are all improving but Andee and I hit our arms with the bow string a bunch of times so that wasn't too cool. My arrows usually go straight but I'm still working on hitting the target; shooting with my right hand forward makes it difficult to aim. Today was also action packed, to say the least. We went to Kojima for the "Kohatchi Mangou Reitai Sai," a festival where tons of people dressed in colorful outfits and face paint haul giant decorated wagons through the town, and then up a steep hill to a shrine. This is a huge affair and tons of people came to watch the festivities, lining the streets as well as the path to the shrine. The gist of the activity was taking the wagons, which have children inside playing drums and bells surrounded by people playing flutes and singing, up and down a steep incline to the shrine. There are also people on the top of the wagons with bamboo fronds shouting and singing. There is a part where the people carrying the ropes run back and forth making a wave effect. The whole scene was very cool to watch. After witnessing a bunch of wagons go up and down the hill I ate some taco yaki (fried squid balls, tastier than they sound) and went to Onishi-san's mothers house for lunch. She lives on a hill overlooking the town and sea, and we were able to watch the rest of the festival on TV while she served an excellent lunch of sushi, chicken tofu soup, grapes, and apples. Toward the end of lunch it started to rain and I was glad that we left the festival or we would have been soaked. When we came home Shoko got a call from Yamashita-san saying that there was going to be a display of Kimono at the house where we went for the tea ceremony the other night. It was raining a bit when we arrived so the four of us ran through narrow Japanese alleys behind out house until we came to the tea ceremony teacher's house. Inside were about 10 people looking at handbags, dresses, skirts, and jackets that had all been made from pieces of Kimono. Everything was very beautiful and I couldn't help but buy some placemats and bags made from the old Kimono. We stayed for some tea and sweets then came back to the house.
More Observations 10/08/2004 09:51:39 AM
I watched eXistenZ with my host family tonite after a trip to the video shop because a typhoon is coming. There was a cool rain all day which wasn't too uncomfortable compared to the usual hot and humid weather. I have been studying Hiragana pretty heavily for the past two days, so as far as that is concerned I consider myself literate and can read at a decent pace. In school during "International Social and Human Being" class, which is usually a class about world cultures, there was a section where we split into groups and played charades about topics in the news. A student from each team went to the front of the room and the teacher showed them a picture which they had to convey to their team without using words. Some examples were a picture of Ichiro, the Japanese baseball player for the Yankees, and another of a Japanese film star. During my turn, I was completely confused when my picture showed two cartoon cats riding a unicycle. I was so dumbfounded that I sort of stared at the photo for a minute trying to figure out what to do. I got my team to guess unicycle but the teacher said they had to guess the entire picture so one of the other kids just drew the picture on the board. I still don't know the significance of unicycle cats, and why they would be in a game about current events. Last night during our drive home from the AET party Shoko and I heard scratching noises coming from outside the car, but we just assumed it was a tree branch or something. We get home, step out of the car, and start to go inside when I spot the sun visor stuck in Shoko's door which we dragged outside the car in the rain for about 3 miles. It was dark so I guess she didn't see it when she stepped out of the car. I really hope someone saw the car while we were driving home and it made them laugh.
Party Party 10/07/2004 08:46:10 AM
Today I went to school late because I had the first few periods off. After school there was no Kendo so I got thrown around in Judo for a little while until I decided to bike home. Around 6 Shoko and I went to an AET (English teacher's) party thrown by the city of Tamano. As usual Jez, John Davey and Sam were there, as well as Neil from Boston and a bunch of locals who could speak English well. It was held above Jacasse, an excellent Italian restaurant which provided the catering. I introduced myself in Japanese then ate a ton of food and mingled. I got to meet my second host mother again, as well as some kids that live near her house. I also met Miwako Tateishi who works for Tamano city and as I found out later knew quite a bit about me. She was educated in England (which I only discerned after she spelled the word "colour"), and had translated my resume into Japanese for the mayor. In Japanese staplers are called "Hotchkiss," after Benjamin Hotchkiss who invented the stapler.
Keep Yourself Busy 10/06/2004 08:32:20 AM
What a day. There was no school for me because 3rd year students were taking tests so all my 3rd year classes were cancelled. However, today was my first class at the Okayama Institute of Languages in Okayama city. I got to sleep in, and then took the 10:09 bus with Shoko to Okayama. For lunch she surprised me with reservations at “Ume no Hana” which means plum blossom, a fancy restaurant on the 21st floor of the Credo building in Okayama. She told me that it is her mother's favorite restaurant, and specializes in tofu dishes. The restaurant could be easily described as beautiful, with private tatami tea rooms overlooking the bulk of Okayama city, Asahi River, and surrounding mountains. The food was also outstanding, with tofu incorporated into every dish. I am not a very adamant tofu eater, but this restaurant would convert even the pickiest eater. Five courses were served, including a tofu salad, tofu and salmon, tofu soup, fried rice tofu, and other dishes which I could not define but were nevertheless delicious. The meal finished with tea and mango sorbet. After lunch we had a few minutes before my language class started, but as we went up the escalator one of Shoko's friends spotted us so we talked for a while then went to a nearby coffee shop. They would not accept that I was full so Shoko and I split a piece of raspberry cake. We chatted for a bit then I left for my lesson. The Okayama Institute of Languages is located close to the bus station and, as its name suggests, provides instruction in various languages including Japanese, Chinese, French, German, and English. When I entered the building I was greeted by a crowd of Japanese students and the secretary directed me to one of the couches in the room where Cori, the exchange student from Canada, was sitting with Kimura-sensei, who was to become our Japanese teacher. Janna, the exchange student from Virginia, showed up with her host counselor and the three of us went with Kimura-sensei to another building. We got our own personal classroom and for the next few hours introduced ourselves to our new teacher and started with some basic Japanese lessons. I had already become familiar with some of the basic concepts of Japanese, as well as Hiragana and Katakana, so I got a good chance to test my skills. We were also provided with many textbooks which look like they will be very helpful in learning Japanese. Our teacher is also very nice so I will look forward to the weekly classes. After the lesson Janna's counselor invited the three of us to another welcome party October 16th in Tsuyama, who Janna lives. Tomorrow I am also going to some sort of welcome party. The parties abound in Japan! After the counselor left I talked with Cori and Janna about school and we all seem to be having a good time. We also agreed that Rotary takes excellent care of us both physically and financially. I took the 5:08 bus home to Tamano. The sky was a deep pink and a good evening song playing in the background through headphones among the sea, clouds, and silhouetted mountains. After returning home, I had just enough time to eat before it was off to Kyudo practice with Shoko, Yamashita-san, and Andee. We got to shoot at real targets again, and Andee and I both scratched our hands in the exact same place. Now I am very tired but get to sleep in again tomorrow because I don't have to go to school until 3rd period.
In Case You Were Wondering... 10/05/2004 07:28:56 AM
School ends every day around 3:45, so I have been going to the Kendo Jo until about 5-5:30. I can easily swing the sword, but I can tell that the footwork will be rather difficult. There are usually about three of us, Asama, the captain, and Ueno. There were some other people but one kid hurt his hand so has not been coming to practice recently. Sometimes Sakaguchi-sensei comes to practice also, and gives excellent lessons, but in the past few days he has been very busy with school meetings so does not always get a chance to come everyday. Asama and Ueno can give me good instruction, but I pretty much practice repetitive movements every day, so it doesn't take a brain surgeon to tell me what to do. From what I can tell there are three types of swords that are used: the bamboo sword for Kendo matches, a light wooden sword for presentations, and a really heavy wooden sword for swinging exercises (you could row a boat with this thing). My arms do hurt a bit, but the blisters are starting to go away leaving respectable calluses. I also found out that on Mondays and Wednesdays some students from the local Uno Junior High will come and practice with us. Their captain looks pretty good, and I have this odd urge to fight him because he is short, quick, and experienced where I am tall and inexperienced. This Monday all the Junior High kids looked at me weird for a little while but then I introduced myself and they were eager to talk. I spoke with the two teachers who came with the students in a complete Japanese conversation, and understood most of what was being said. Even if I didn't understand what was going on or made grammatical errors, Japanese people are very nice and would tell me my Japanese was good. This means I have to judge my own progression in Japanese by seeing if I can understand what is going on in everyday situations. It's starting to get a little colder but when the sun sets brilliant rays of light burst through powder blue clouds, an unfamiliar sight in America. I appreciate my bike ride to and from school everyday, and usually get a chance to talk with kids along the way. I forgot my Judo belt at home today and remembered about two minutes into my ride so turned into the stream of blue-pants moving in the opposite direction to retrieve the lost item. The Watanabes have a classical guitar which nobody really plays and sits unused in my room so I have started to play quietly in the evenings. The school bands, as well as rock bands, practice after school so I can always play an electric guitar if I get the urge. Andee and I went to a little improvised concert in one of the classrooms yesterday where Nakkan (the guitarist and singer, who has a mowhawk) played "My Friends Over You," "What's My Age Again," and a song by a Japanese band which I recognized. I saw on the news today that the Emperor of Japan visited Shodoshima on Monday, so I missed him by a day. I also read that Martha Stewart will be doing her time in a WV jail.
Shodoshima 10/03/2004 07:20:51 AM
Today was so packed that I don't think I can accurately describe it in one entry. Tom, Shoko, Shun, Masatoshi and I woke up very early to drive to Okayama and catch a ferry to Shodoshima Island. Shun was a little late getting up so we left without him and he took a ferry from Uno port to meet us in Shodoshima later. I was very tired so I slept through most of the car ride, but when we got on the ferry the view was very nice so I stood on deck for a while. It wasn't too hot or humid which was fortunate because the weather can be very punishing in the summer. We drove our car onto the ferry so we would have a ride when we got to the island. Shodoshima, whose name means "Island of Small Beans," is the second largest in the Seto Inland Sea, and is located 28Km off the coast of Shikoku. It is famous for its olives, wild monkeys, and, sticking with the Japanese theme of "smaller is better", the narrowest canal in the world, connecting to the Seto Inland Sea. After we got off the ferry we shopped for a little while in some nearby stores, and then headed out for the day's journey. There is a famous movie in Japan called "Twelve Students and Twenty-Four Eyes" which has been remade twice throughout the years and was shot on location on Shodoshima. Since the movie is based in "the old days," an old Japanese town had been constructed on the island. While touring the schoolhouse and grounds, I saw a very old abacus as well as some original schoolbooks. In the reconstructed town Tom and I tried on Kimono and walked around the grounds. Aside from looking Australian and American we would have fit right in. Next we went to a Somen noodle factory, which was closed, but we peeked in through the windows and saw a bunch of noodles being made. We also went to a Shoyu (soysauce) factory. First we walked into the main factory area, and as soon as Shoko opened the door we were blasted in the face with an overpowering salt mist. All I could think of was Kenley's mom's report of the buttered popcorn flavoring factory, and how I really wanted a glass of water. The main tour was not in the factory, however, so we weren't a-salt-ed for too long. The factory was really neat and we had the opportunity to eat soy sauce ice cream but decided to leave that for another day. We did however get souvenir Kikkoman soy sauce. After the factory we drove up the large mountains surrounding the town to an overlook that was breathtaking, with low clouds hanging around green mountains and blue sea. Shoko, Tom, Shun, and I (Masatoshi didn't want to go) then went to "Monkey World," which as the name describes is a place to see the wild monkeys of Shodoshima. When we arrived on the side of a mountain and walked along the forest path, I didn't expect to see too many monkeys because they aren't kept in cages but roam free over the countryside. As we came to a ridge I saw a bunch of low fences and about 200 monkeys running over rocks and playing in trees. It was amazing. My mind shot back to the movie "Congo" and I was a bit worried that somehow the monkeys had laser beams. I also remembered Ms. Yakim's recount of her trip to The Democratic Republic of Congo and how all the monkeys threw poop at her. Sadly, none of these things happened, and in fact I got a monkey to sit on my lap. We drove around the island for a little longer; looking at more sights, then drove back to the ferry. I yet again slept for most of the car ride as I am rather inclined to do. We had a wonderful dinner for Tom's last evening and now I am very full and sleepy.
Tivoli Party 10/02/2004 09:50:03 AM
Last night Shoko threw a party for about 20 people, most of whom were kids. Some of Tom's friends from Australia came, as well as Shun's friends from school. Andee and I watched the presidential debates before the party started on CNN-J. At the party I was able to speak a good amount of Japanese, and after we ate the kids played Goldeneye, Mario Smash Brothers, and a soccer game for the Nintendo 64. Japanese people also really like magic tricks so Andee and I did a few to please the crowd. Shoko served the most delicious sushi which was my favorite part of the evening. Today Tom, Shoko, Andee, Yamashita-san (Shoko’s friend from Kyudo), Soichiro (Yamashita-san's grandson, everyone calls him So-chan), and I went to Kurashiki for shopping and evening entertainment. I had been to Kurashiki before so I knew my way around, and bought a few Japanese gifts. While we were shopping we ran into Sam, Tom's friend who was at the party last night. We shopped for a little while and then said goodbye in the evening to go to Tivoli Park, a Danish themed amusement park in Kurashiki. Apparently 10 years ago relations between Kurashiki and Denmark were very good so the park was built. It's sort of a garden and amusement park, with a few small roller coasters, a water ride, Ferris wheel, and other rides that could be found in any amusement park. The park happened to be hosting a large dance competition in the evening, so we got to catch a bit of the dancers performing. As usual, since most people in Japan seem to know how to dance, the dancing was quite good, and the music selection was familiar. The park rides were also amusing. There was a cage battle game called "HELL BLASTER" where one driver and one shooter get into bumper car type vehicles and shoot high speed balls at each other. There was also a Danish themed haunted mansion that wasn't that scary but did provide for a ton of laughs. I fell asleep in the car on the way home, of course.
Would You Like Some Tea? 10/01/2004 12:19:28 AM
In school all of the windows can be easily opened, unlike the harsh heavy wooden-framed portals of MHS. And the curtains blow in the wind, fanning out over the classroom. I imagine Kenley would enjoy that; I can easily picture her in a house by the sea with wind from open windows teasing white curtains and a summer dress. There is one building at school which has four floors, while the others can boast only three. The larger building houses courses like Science, English, and Art, but I find it particularly perplexing that the computer lab is located on the fourth floor. It must have been tough to get all those computers and monitors up four flights of stairs. However, this multi-tiered building provides the best view of the town, and on a clear day from the highest balcony you can see Tamano nestled between rocky ridges and the sea. In school the art teacher is perhaps the most recognizable character, and although I only have his class once a week, and lack general artistic ability, it remains one of my favorites. The art teacher bears a striking resemblance to my idea of the "typical art teacher," reminiscent of Mr. Green. He also drives a large jeep of some kind with numerous stickers and logos, and wears jeans and a t-shirt with a work belt when most teachers prefer slacks and a tie. His room is filled with the typical art class adornments such as posters, sculpture, paintings, photographs, and an impressive set of Hellenistic plaster busts of various historical figures. Last night after sushi dinner Shoko, Tom, and I went to a neighbor's house for a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. I found it difficult to sit in the "Japanese style," sitting on your knees, for an extended period of time, but managed to make it through two cups of tea and some sweets. There were two women at the ceremony; an older lady who was the instructor, and her student who performed the actual ceremony. They invited me to come on Thursday evenings and perhaps I will learn the ceremony myself.
Something New 9/29/2004 12:05:26 AM
I'm currently at school but have this class period free (English grammar, something with which my mother would say I need help). Yesterday's activities were entertaining, but I'm rather tired today. In foreign affairs class with John Davey we were learning about Rosa Parks (about whom I gave a cursory introduction and then felt bad because I know very little about Rosa Parks as a person). In the middle of the lesson, he played "Rosa Parks" by Outkast which I have to applaud as an excellent teaching method. Regardless of questionable lyrics (which are hard to understand even for me, let alone the average Japanese student), the song's chorus "Everybody move to the back of the bus" was useful in illustrating the topic. After school I went with the ESS (English Speaking Society, reminds me of Dead Poets Society), John Davey, Andee, and Higo sensei to Eleven, a popular karaoke bar to sing some Japanese and English songs. I am finding karaoke very fun regardless of company, although I wouldn't do it by myself. There were about nine of us, and I sang some English songs and attempted some popular Japanese songs I have been hearing lately. One good aspect of J-pop is that most songs include incomprehensible snippets of English such as "Enjoy!” “It's join!" or "...go back to honey’s house," which makes it easy to sing along to the chorus in English. In the evening I watched Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy, which I have to say wasn't too bad. Plus I enjoy Eddie Murphy ever since I saw his standup, so it was amusing to see him in a children's movie. Also, a boy from Australia came to stay with the Watanabes (I have discerned that their home is a boarding house). He goes to Shun's school and will be staying in Okayama for a week. We talked about Australia, but he was very tired and went to bed early. His name is Thomas. In Japanese ghost is translated as "corpse candle."
Tea Party 9/26/2004 12:56:54 AM
I made a major discovery last night in regards to transfer of pictures from my phone to computer and vice versa using infrared technology. Not surprisingly, the company makes it difficult because they can charge money for pictures sent via e-mail, but swapping pictures from phone to phone is free (although it is limited to pictures taken with the camera, not downloaded). Using this method, I can send pictures from any phone to computer with relative ease. In the land of personal electronics, it’s good to be geeky. Yesterday I went with Shoko and Andee to a lunch party at the English language school that I helped clean last week after the typhoon and ensuing flood. Jittan was also there and brought me something from Disneyland Toyko. The JET at my school, John Davey, as well as a few other English teachers from the area were also at the party. I learned that John Davey and Sam, a local English teacher, are both DJs, with some knowledge about clubs in the area. At the party there was plenty of food, as well as plenty of people who were studying English so I tried to speak Japanese while the students spoke to me in English. After three hours of food and conversation I went home, did a little reading, and took a nap before Kyudo. Kyudo was exciting because even though it was our second day, we got to shoot at real targets. Before the Kyudo lesson began, everyone assembled in the main shooting area and bowed three times, clapped twice, and bowed again. I'm not sure what this symbolizes but it is interesting. My aim wasn't that bad from a close distance, and on one shot I surprised everybody, as well as myself, when I shot, and consequently broke, an arrow already in the target. I got to keep the broken arrow as a souvenir. Kyudo is based as much on the routine as actually accuracy, and there are an extensive set of steps and gestures that must be performed before firing the arrow. The whole process, performed in the beautiful Kyudo arena, is relaxing as well as fun. Today I got a library card from the Tamano City Library which, in addition to books, also has a large collection of mammoth bones.
To Oz 9/24/2004 09:33:36 AM
Today the international course students at school took a trip to Okayama to meet with college students and other foreigners who live in the area. We left school around 11:30 without any teachers for the train station on foot to take the train to Okayama. It was my first time taking the train and there were a few changes but the other students looked after Andee and I (except one stop where everyone got off the train and Andee and I didn't notice so we rushed off the train only to realize we were on the right train and everybody got back on). In Okayama we had a little time before we had to be at the Kokusai Koryuu Sentaa so Andee and I walked around bakeries and shops inspecting (and tasting) their wares. This day also marked my first time in Macdonaldo, Japan's McDonald’s, and as far as I could tell everything was the same except a little more expensive and smaller portions. Andee bought a chicken sandwich but I passed. At the Sentaa (I'm not sure if this was supposed to be center, my information sheet had the former) we went to the 8th floor and ate lunch while 14 people from various countries conversed among themselves on the other side of the large lecture hall. After lunch, and being at a slight advantage over the other students who could not speak English, I wandered over to meet the people students would be interviewing for the day. I met Eric Heien, who graduated from Berkeley in computer science but now teaches languages in Okayama with computer consulting on the side. We ended up talking for a long time so I didn't get to meet many more people until the interview began. After the students had eaten lunch, they assembled in small groups to meet with one of the guest speakers. In my group was Rosi from Indonesia, who is studying chemistry in Okayama. The students asked her questions and I translated when their English failed, using my poor Japanese and useful electronic dictionary. I also learned a lot about Indonesia (which isn't saying much because I knew very little before today). Around 4 o' clock the day ended and the students were allowed to return home. Of course, many students stayed in Okayama to shop. Andee and I walked from the Okayama train terminal and bus station to Tenmaya square to look at some shops including a very large book and department store. I have found that English books are expensive, but there are usually sales that can be found. Considering the amount of money I save not buying food everyday, and the allowance from Rotary, I don't feel bad dropping thousands of yen (or tens of dollars) on a book. We shopped for a few hours, stopped for food, and then dragged ourselves back to the train station around dark. Shopping is quite fun because of all the surprises that can be found. From engrish to interesting clothing to cute stuffed toys, I think anyone can be entertained with a day out in Japan. Amazingly, among all the people in Okayama, I saw Yuudai and two of his friends on the same train home to Tamano. Later they were joined by some girls from school. The eight of us went back to Tamano, where Andee and I left together to go back to the school to get our bikes. Japan by night is not only very peaceful, but I also feel very safe. On the way back to school we met one of the English teachers and had a brief conversation about the day. Andee and I then rode home on our bikes, where we were rather tired and hungry but satisfied with the day. I would like to say the weekend will be relaxing but I know there will be a lot to do, with a lunch party tomorrow and then Kyudo in the evening. On Tuesday Thomas Conroy, an exchange student from Australia, is coming to live with us for a few weeks.
Day Off 9/23/2004 08:43:52 AM
Higan is the week long period of Buddhist memorial services held twice a year, centering on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. One characteristic of Japanese Buddhism is its close ties with ancestor worship. The middle day of each Higan, Shubun no hi (spring equinox) and Shubun no hi (autumn equinox) is a national holiday. At Higan, the whole family pays visit to the ancestors' grave. Today Masatoshi, Shoko, Shun, and I went to Tamashima to visit Masatoshi's parents and the grave that is near their house. We brought flowers, and when we arrived the whole family went to the small graveyard between houses to light incense and place flowers and rice at the Watanabe family grave. Afterwards, I talked with Masatoshi's family for a while. Their house was small, but had a wonderful Japanese garden and courtyard. They gave us some grapes and other fruit to take with us, and we left to visit Masatoshi's aunt. Her house was larger, but she also had a lovely yard which my mom would have enjoyed. After visiting the family, we went to Shun's old English teacher's house in Kurashiki, where he lives with his wife and two children. He is originally from Boulder, Colorado, and his wife is from a town very close to WV, so he had been to Morgantown before. I painted some dinosaur figurines with his kids (they did most of the painting) and we had some dinner. His wife made raspberry chocolates for dessert. I forgot to mention that in calculus class no one uses calculators. Even when calculating derivatives, integrals, and rotations, everything is done by hand. I think all math classes are operated in this fashion. Also, when I went to Takamatsu by ferry, I was in a building where two of the Iron Chef's restaurants are located (Iron Chef Japanese and Iron Chef Chinese). Shoko said that she ate there with Miyu and Mai for lunchtime and it's not too expensive. I told her about the pseudo-cult following that Iron Chef had earned in America and she said that a few years ago it was very popular. I would consider it an honor to eat there.
Calculus Kyudo 9/22/2004 09:01:44 AM
Today was my first calculus class in High School. I'm sure the phrase "harder than Chinese algebra comes to mind." However, I found the class to be easy after intense preparation for the AP test last year. I like the teacher, too. He has way too much energy, but is enthusiastic and the class is civilized. In the evening, I attended my first Kyudo class (Japanese archery) with Shoko, her friend, and Andee. The first thing that struck me was the beauty of the Kyudo arena. It's wonderful. A fusion of traditional Japanese architecture with modern conveniences (this fusion can be seen everywhere in Japan). The Kyudo instructors are also very nice. Even though all the instruction is in Japanese, I could understand what was going on through some one on one instruction. We didn't shoot any arrows today, but I did get to see some very advanced students practicing. Today I had my first Judo class, where we learned to fall correctly. After school there was no Kendo so I had my first Judo match against an opponent. It was as if I moved from baby steps (the morning Judo lesson) to high speed running (a Judo match against trained opponent). Luckily, no one was injured and I even won the match 3-2. Judo is a lot of fun but makes you ridiculously hot and sweaty. There was a cool rain on the ride home so that was enjoyable. Shoko made steaks for dinner, my favorite.
City Days 9/20/2004 07:11:05 AM
Yesterday I took a trip to Okayama by bus to meet the other Rotary exchange students. Shoko had left for Kobe to help Miyu shop for an apartment, Masatoshi went to Takamatsu for a Rotary meeting and lecture on internal medicine, and Shun left for school earlier that morning, so I was home alone for part of the morning. Luckily, I had a pretty good idea of how to get where I needed to go. To get to Okayama I was to take the 9:39 bus that stops near our house, but a few minutes before I left a heavy rain started falling as I dashed to the stop. I had a bus pass so riding to the city was easy, taking a little under an hour. While waiting for the bus I had a short conversation with a man about the rain and other weather related conditions, and felt confident in my Japanese small-talk abilities. When I arrived in Okayama I met Keiko at the giant fountain outside the station, our designated meeting place. Keiko went to Dallas, Texas last year and anyone who shares more than a five minute conversation can tell that she had a wonderful time. In a few minutes we were joined by Janna, the inbound from Virginia, Cori, from Canada, Asuka, who went to Ohio, and Kayo, who went to Canada. We started our day by shopping in the massive underground complex near the bus station. It was the same place I had come with Shun before, so I sort of knew my way around. I found a great deal on a stylish jacket and found a patch that read, "Too fast to be a turtle," at a store called StarVations (I thought it was a funny name). Janna bought some CDs at Tower records while I listened to Japanese SKA. The CDs here are very expensive, priced at around $20-30 a pop. For lunch we stopped in a restaurant that had many omelets on display outside the store. In Japan most restaurants have a large glass window where plastic models of food can be seen. I hear that the Japanese plastic food model industry is booming. There wasn't a table big enough for the six of us, so we split up and I sat with Kayo and Asuka. As soon as we sat down they said that the guy at the next table was looking at them weird and I was surprised to see my friend from school and his girlfriend at the table next to us. That was pretty crazy considering the few kids that I know at school. I also saw two girls later in the day that I didn't know but they apparently knew my name. I suppose I should expect more of that in the coming year. At the restaurant I ordered a type of rice with meat sauce, like spaghetti, but with rice instead of noodles. The restaurant was famous for its parfaits, and at the table behind us some girls ordered a huge parfait with bananas, kiwi, ice cream, and sparklers. I was content with a corn flake and ice cream parfait to split with Janna. I talked with Kayo and Asuka about their exchanges while they taught me some colloquial Japanese. After lunch we went to purikura (Japanese picture booths), which are very popular in Japan. For a few hundred yen you get a page of sticker photos that you decorate at a nearby computer with crazy hearts, stars, and random Japanese. It's way more fun than a regular picture booth. We took about a billion crazy photos and had an awesome time. After the picture booth we went back to shopping. I bought some art supplies, a pencil case, and a snazzy CD case. Around 6 I rode the bus back to Tamano, feeling a little sleepy but happy. Shun and I were home alone so he ordered some Chinese food (yep, just like America except better tasting) and we watched Hero on DVD. This morning Masatoshi came home and took me to a few electronics stores to buy small speakers and some CD-R's. We also went to a book shop where I bought Moby Dick because I’ve always wanted to read that novel. Tamano has a public library and I'd like to check that out soon. I'm doing a lot of reading and maybe I can get through those classics I never read but should have in High School. Masatoshi ordered take-out ramen for dinner and Japanese pizza, which is still nothing like American pizza but I like it.
Haunted house jazz festival 9/18/2004 09:50:11 AM
Today Andee and I went to the Konan High School Festival to view the festivities. The first thing I noticed was the size of the school in comparison to Tamano High. Shun’s school, being private, is much larger but also farther outside of the city. We met Shun at the front gate and he introduced us to his friend who goes to Tomako. She was our tour guide for most of the day. First we went to some rooms to see club's presentations. The English club had some photos of an English camp, including some humorous captions. The art club had pictures and sculpture, and Shun's club, science club, had a bunch of interesting science experiments (including one of those machines that shows the waveform of your voice). Perhaps the most exciting display was the "haunted house" that had been constructed in a large conference room. Cardboard covered the windows to keep it dark, and groups went in a few at a time with a small flashlight to be spooked by people jumping out from around corners. I found the whole setup pretty thrilling. At one point the girl next to me fell down a stair because I had the flashlight pointed at a kid in a funny horse mask. We ate some lunch that was prepared by a foods club, and then went to see a concert. I wasn't sure of the name of the band, but as I approached the room I heard guitars, drums, base, and what sounded like a pipe organ, which sort of reminded me of The Doors. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in and found the whole band was composed of girls singing some Japanese rock songs. Andee and I rocked out there for a while, and then went outside to see the brass band perform. They played "Tequila," AC/DC, and some 80’s rock songs, and more traditional brass band pieces. In the middle of the brass band performance, the male baritone sax player put on a long blond wig and started to sing. I have no idea why but it was funny to watch. Shoko took Andee and I home, then in the evening Shoko, her mother (who lives next to us), Masatoshi, and I went to a swing jazz concert. Most of the people in attendance were old, but I recognized some songs like "The Pink Panther," "All of Me," and a Louie Armstrong number.
Kendo 9/17/2004 08:33:46 AM
In science class yesterday we watched a video, and as with most science videos the woman performing experiments was decked out in riot gear to protect her from relatively harmless chemicals. This was a stark contrast to last week’s school festival, where kids were handed huge logs, shovels, sledgehammers, and pick axes to dig holes in the packed dirt field for their murals with little or no supervision. I don't know if Morgantown High would distribute pickaxes to its students without an armed guard at the ready. Today's computer class was cancelled because the teacher was not in school. Instead the students were given a lesson about SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. It was very similar to a college level lecture I once attended, and subsequently right up my alley. Today was also my second day of Kendo (martial art with the sword), which I am very much enjoying. I have quite a few blisters and my arms hurt, but I don’t have much trouble keeping up with the kids. What better place than Japan to study swordsmanship? The Kendo room is above the Judo room and after school it's like an oven. I don't really mind and all the club members are friendly, especially the teacher in charge, Sakaguchi-sensei. His English is excellent; probably the best of the teachers in the school, and since there are only 4 students in the Kendo club I get plenty of one-on-one training. So far I've learned some techniques for swinging the sword, and have seen some Kendo matches between students, so I have a general idea of how the sport works. You score a point, or “ippon,” by striking the head (men) or the stomach (do), and simultaneously calling out your attack and lunging. So if you lunge, call your attack, and strike on either the head or stomach, you score a point. Easy enough, right? There is also another attack called “kote” which is a strike to the wrist. Kote does not make ippon, but kote usually draws opponents off guard so that a kote-men or kote-do can be executed, which makes ippon. There are both lunging attacks and retreating attacks, but I'm just working on the lunge right now. There is also a pretty extensive set of armor that is worn to protect most of the front part of the body. The sword is made of bamboo and bends rather easily, but still hurts if you get hit in the right place. There are also practice swords (used more for performing kata or simulated combat without a partner), that are not used for fighting and are quite solid and heavy. Tomorrow I'll go to Shun's school festival, and Sunday I'll go to Okayama alone to see the other two exchange students from Canada and Virginia, as well as the outbound exchange students from last year. On Monday there is no school so Masatoshi will take the whole family to Okayama for some shopping.
The Race 9/15/2004 07:47:54 AM
No school, so today I went with Jittan, Shoko, and her friend to the movies in Kurashiki to see Van Helsing. I also noticed that Resident Evil 2 is out. Perhaps I'll try to catch that. We shopped a little in Kurashiki, and I tried on a Kimono with Jittan. Kimono are quite expensive to buy, but nice to wear. Although not full fledged, I had a dream in Japanese last night. It was strange, as usual. I was in a small town with an old man who looked very young. The old man had shelves of video games and movies which were all in Japanese, most of which I could read. There was some sense of urgency, but I have no idea why. Sort of a lame dream, but Japanese nonetheless.
Sports Day 9/14/2004 06:50:51 AM
I'm both tired and sunburned, but still had an amazing day on the scorching dirt field of Tamano High School. I went to school around the usual time, and quickly changed into my gym clothes. All the kids assembled on the field for the opening ceremony. The principal said a few words and officially opened the annual Tamano High School Sports Festival. The whole school was divided into 7 blocks, or teams, and each team was assigned a color. The teams create cheers, giant billboards, dance routines, and pick athletes to compete in a variety of events. When it comes to the dance routines, most every Japanese student is at least a passable dancer, able to perform a wide variety of intricate moves. In the morning there were various relay races and cheers. I was involved in a race where kids run to a table which has signs that tell them what they need before they run a lap around the field, such as "run with an English teacher" or "balance a tennis ball on a racket and run a lap." I must have been incorporated into the "skip a lap with an exchange student" challenge. After lunch was when the real fun began. Every block prepared a performance choreographed with music, which was both amazing and fun to watch. The winning team's performance involved about 40 kids all dancing in sync. After the performances I was in a 30 kid jump rope competition and a 40 legged race. I have to pause because this is funny. My host mom and Jittan just asked me if I knew "Mark." After a little discussion I realized they were talking about Karl Marx. Then they asked about his friend whose name sounds like Angus or August. That was Friedrich Engels. I am laughing pretty hard. The whole day was very fun, but very hot and sweaty. I forgot to mention that yesterday, after the purchase of my phone, I received two Disney towels as free gifts.
The Day I Bought a Phone 9/13/2004 08:41:46 AM
Today I realized how behind the times America ranks as far as cell phones. Granted, my phone was pretty bad back home; with about 30 minutes of battery life and a black and white display, but Japanese phones are the clear wave of the future. But first, a bit of good news. Yesterday, Andee took some pictures of me at the school festival yesterday, so I have some concrete evidence that it actually occurred. Also, I sang again and got a video of the whole performance (including a Ben Folds Five song) from today’s performance in the Judo dojo. There was also a comedy show and karaoke performance on the plaza. Andee did some Tae-Kwan-Do which was quite impressive. After school Andee came home with me so I could procure his pictures, then we went to buy my phone. My phone was inexpensive, and the service cost is about the same as it is in America. This phone is not only tiny, but is also a two mega pixel camera, sends e-mail, has a huge screen on the inside and outside of the phone, plays Super Mario, and controls the TV. It is also quite sleek in regard to design. Tomorrow is sports day, so I'm looking forward to a hot and sweaty afternoon. The weather here is wonderful, but with all the heat I sometimes miss colder weather.
So You Want To Be A Rockstar? 9/12/2004 08:36:17 AM
Today may have been my best in Japan. Simply amazing. The day began early. My host family was going to Kobe for the day to visit a temple, and I had a Rotary meeting and the school festival. I went to school around 8:30 and gave the ESS (English Speaking Society) my poster about myself and West Virginia. There were many displays set up in classrooms and around the school for different clubs. At 9:00 was the opening ceremony for the school festival. It was really neat, with dancers and drums, and was very exciting to watch. The principal spoke as well as some students, and then everyone dispersed for the day's activities. I left school, however, to drive with my second host mom to the Rotary meeting. My second host mom is very nice. She picked me up in a Volkswagen wearing a Kimono, which looked very Japanese and lovely. The Rotary meeting was in Okayama city, which took about 30 minutes by car. We talked about her husband and son (the husband is a Petrochemical Engineer, she is a Pharmacist, and her son plays base guitar). Her son, soon to be my host brother, is thirteen and going through puberty, and my host mother said that he is very hard to deal with. I know how that can feel. She also told me that we may go jet skiing in a few weeks if I would like. At the Rotary meeting I met the two other inbound students. One is from Canada and the other from Ohio, around Newport News. They were both very nice and we got along just fine. I gave a small speech at lunch, and then the district governor spoke. He is very old and said that 40 years ago his son went on the first exchange to America, and then something about Woodrow Wilson that I couldn't understand. After he spoke, we played, of all things, BINGO. It was so much fun. I ended up winning a picture frame that was slightly feminine and a pen that smells like "soft cream" when you use it. Around 1:00 I left the Rotary meeting so I could get back to school in time for my stage performance. My host mom drove me to the school and then the fun began. I dashed out of the car and into the back of the gym because I heard some guitars already playing. When I arrived I saw Wataru and he informed me that it was only a sound check. He had brought me an outfit to wear, some punk looking clothes, but I already had some threads picked out. I did use his belt, however, because it looked hardcore. At 2:00 the first band played a few covers of the Ramones, and then some original stuff. Then Wataru's band HOOP played four songs, before announcing they had a "special guest." I was very nervous, but I knew the lyrics and probably more English than anyone in the gym so didn't think I could go wrong. I came out from backstage wearing a shirt that said "samurai" in Kanji and all the kids went crazy. About 50 kids formed a pit in front of the stage, and a bunch of kids who had been sitting in seats got up to move to the front. I was still nervous, but shouted a "Hello Tamano!" into the microphone in true Rockstar style. Wataru and Yasu started playing "First Date" by Blink 182, and then Kiyoto came in on the base. I don't know if my singing was on tune, but between the crowd screaming and the loud guitars, drums, and base it didn't matter. I was in a euphoric state when the song ended. I ran offstage to a huge standing ovation and Wataru started the next song. Around 3, HOOP finished their last song, and the crowd started to chant "samurai, samurai!" so I came back out and sang "The Rock Show," with a face melting guitar solo by Wataru which we sang back to back with Kiyoto jumping off amps in the background. Seriously, I couldn't believe it was happening. It was like a dream. I didn't even forget any of the lyrics. After the show I was sweating like crazy, but went out to the plaza the see what was going on. I realized that there were a lot of people there from other local schools to see the festival. Some people wanted to take pictures with me, so I felt pretty famous. I came home and told Shoko all about it. There is a new girl staying with us for a few days, one of Miyu's friends. Jittan comes back tomorrow so there will be 7 people in our house. Also tomorrow, I'm buying a cell phone! They are quite advanced here, much better than anything I have seen in America. At first I thought I wouldn't need a phone, but sometimes I stay late at school and need to call Shoko, and all of my friends have phones so it will be useful. I still can't believe today happened. I finally got to live my Rockstar fantasy.
Let's Join Our Hoop 9/10/2004 07:36:41 AM
I saw an Aflac commercial on TV today, with the duck and everything. With the school festival and sports day right around the corner, today's classes were suspended so kids could prepare their dances, posters, and cheers. I'm not assigned to a specific group, so I was able to browse the groups and meet people. Recently, I've been hanging out with Wataru and Yasu, who are in a "melodic punk rock" band called HOOP (with the catch line "Let's join our hoop"). Their old band was named S-calgo. They sing in English which makes for funny lyrics but I like them anyway. Wataru gave me their CD and in the cover are the lyrics. For the school festival I am going to sing with their band to two Blink 182 songs, “First Date” and “Rock Show.” At first I wasn't sure if I wanted to sing, but after I went to one of HOOP's practices I was convinced their musical skill could make up for my lack of talent. I have the lyrics memorized and there will be hardcore loud guitars, base, and drums in the background so I can jump around and act crazy and that should do. Also, in the school festival I'm going to have a poster that shows West Virginia and some information about me. This is through the English Speaking Society, or ESS. I've found that the girl next to me in homeroom speaks excellent English, and is also learning Portuguese and some French. So she makes an excellent translator and is fun to talk to. Sunday is a Rotary meeting in Okayama with all the Rotary kids in the area. I don't know how many there are, but I assume at least two or three. I think we'll meet the District Governor of Rotary and have a little party. I'm sure there is a ton that I'm not thinking of at the moment, like school lunch, for instance. The cafeteria is much better than American high school. It's like having Yama (Morgantown’s Japanese Restaurant) at school everyday. Usually, my host mom packs a bento (Japanese lunch box), and I get some Udon or Curry-Rice at the school. Plus, throughout the day you can buy food like teriyaki chicken or cream puffs during the ten minute breaks between classes. After school I went to "Happy Town," the local shopping center, to buy a folder and some markers to make my poster. Shoko and Miyu went to Kobe to find an apartment for Miyu at college.
Typhoon Day 9/07/2004 06:55:27 AM
I've had my share of snow days, but never a typhoon day. Yes, school was called off today because a large typhoon was in the area. I woke up at around 7:30 because I didn't know school was called off, went to get something to eat, and then came back to my room. As I lay on bed the house began to shake a little. Another small earthquake, or an aftershock, just to make sure I was paying attention. Nothing like waking up to an earthquake, and perhaps more alarming that I am used to them already. So instead of school I watched "Ringu," the original Japanese version of “The Ring” with Jittan. She and I were both a little scared, even though it was about 9 in the morning. I also got to finish the book I had been reading, which had quite a thriller ending. Around lunchtime my third host mom came over and gave me a packet about a rock climbing gym about 30 minutes from our house. There is a bus stop very close, so I can take the bus anytime I want to. And to climb is only 300 Yen, or a little under three dollars. Something interesting about Japan is everyone asks your blood type. Apparently your blood type partially determines your personality. “A” people are very neat. “B” people are crazy. “O” is very brave, and “AB” is perfect. This scale goes according to Shoko, which may not be correct. At least ten people have asked me my blood type (I am O, my host dad is B, Shoko is A, making all the kids AB). Another interesting tidbit is the local bakery is called The Little Mermaid. I’m not quite sure what bread and the ocean have in common, but the reference is pleasant. In the afternoon Yuudai came over with two friends and along with Shun the five of us played Goldeneye on the Nintendo 64. Then we took a bike ride around the town to check out the flooding from the typhoon. Again, there was no damage to our house, but a lot of flooding near the sea. Three earthquakes in two days. And two typhoons in a week. Not too shabby. I'm loving this place.
A Little Surprise 9/05/2004 12:04:50 PM
Earlier today, a little before dinner time, all seemed quiet. I was showing Jittan some videos from the internet, and looking at some pictures that she had saved on her hard drive. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, the table started to shake a bit. I stood up and felt the ground sway underneath me. Shoko seemed very excited, and Jittan looked a little scared. I grabbed my camera and starting recording a video. In about 10 seconds the whole episode was over, but I had just been through my first earthquake. We quickly turned on the TV as my mind tried to recall all the information about P and S waves I never thought I'd have to know from science class. The TV confirmed that indeed there had been an earthquake (apparently a fairly common occurrence in Japan) and issued a tsunami warning for some prefectures, predicting waves reaching .5 meters (not very tall in my opinion). I believe the earthquake was a 5 on the Richter scale. After all the excitement, many people came over and we had a Tempura party. Jittan and I cleaned some shrimp and shredded horseradish. The evening was wonderful and I recognized some of the guests from Shoko's Chinese lessons. I played Shogi with the man who gave computer lessons (he won) and then we played Othello where I had the upper hand. I'm also learning, slowly, how to play Go. There are two versions, Go and Igo. Igo is the traditional game, and go is sort of like connect four. They're both very fun, but Igo is much more difficult. On TV there is a show devoted to Shogi and Igo, where they teach you how to play. The funny part came later that evening, after the Tempura party, when I sat down in my room to write about the day's excitement. I turned on the air conditioner and the door to my room shook a little bit. I thought it a bit odd, but the sliding door sometimes makes sounds when people come in and out of the house. As I turned on the computer, the ground started to shake again. I quickly grabbed my camera and took another video of the second earthquake. Again people seemed more excited than alarmed. After about 5 seconds it was over, and everyone went back to getting ready for bed. My first earthquake, first typhoon, and first tsunami, all in the course of a week. What a welcoming party.
Radio Edit 9/04/2004 07:22:30 AM
I forgot to mention that yesterday was the first time I saw the correct lyrics to "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Also, the artist in the Japanese rap video is called RIP SLYME. Awesome name, eh? The other night we ate “Shabu-Shabu,” which involves boiling meat, mushrooms, and tofu in a pot of water at the dinner table. Tonight I went to eat Japanese pizza, which did not resemble a pizza in any way except shape but tasted okay. Also, ice cream here is called soft cream. What a pleasant name. Today I got to go rock climbing at a local gym! It was a small wall and we didn't have a rope but I still enjoyed myself. Andee also went, who had never tried climbing before. He seemed to enjoy it. To get to the rock wall we needed someone who was a member of the outdoor club at the gym, so Shoko called a woman who ended up being my third host mom. There are just two people in the family but she seems very nice, and having a membership to a climbing wall can't be bad. At school I've received a lot of challenges for arm wrestling. So far I'm undefeated with my left arm. I also think I will try Kendo as a club activity. I'll do a little shopping around before I make my decision. Today I got to see the military remove trash from Tamano in large vehicles after the Typhoon. For now the weather is wonderful.
 Karaoke and Kiwi 9/03/2004 07:49:51 AM
Japanese school is quite fun. Even if I can't understand what is being said most of the time, it's still a blast to be a part of it. And if things get too deep for me to understand, I can pull out a book or study some Hiragana (one of the two Japanese alphabets). Today's schedule was English, Math, two hours of International Social and Human Being (a sort of world cultures class), Classic Japanese, and Health. The math was very easy, the classic Japanese was impossible to comprehend. In between classes there is a ten minute break, so I talk with the kids in my class and the nearby classes. In Japan the teachers, rather than the students, go from class to class. Yesterday I had computer class, which was hard to understand but I eventually figured it out. We started with some typing practice, and then each received a handout which we had to duplicate in Word. It was easy for me to format the page, but most of the text was Japanese, especially Kanji (Chinese symbols that are incorporated into Japanese). The interesting part is how Kanji is entered to the computer. There is a box on the screen and with the mouse you draw the Kanji, then the computer recognizes the strokes and suggests some Kanji you may have wanted to type. It was hard at first but then I got the hang of it. The most exciting adventure this week was today's karaoke. Shoko, Jittan, Park-san, Park-san's friend, and I went into a small room with some couches, two microphones, and a bunch of music. And when I say a bunch, I mean thousands of songs, in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and English. And not only old songs, there was a ton of very new music. We spent about three hours there, taking turns singing songs. Park-san and his friend sang in Korean, Jittan in Chinese, Shoko in Japanese, and me in English (but not at the same time). I ended up singing 17 songs, but here are some of the more juicy selections: I Get Around by The Beach Boys 1, 2, 3, 4 by Coolio Smells like Teen Spirit (Park-san and his friend also knew this so we screamed all the lyrics) Rappers Delight by the Sugar Hill Gang All the Small Things by Blink 182 Bohemian Rhapsody (everyone joined it) This Thing Called Love by Queen Wonderwall by Oasis (Jittan though the English accent was really funny) 1979 by The Smashing Pumpkins (my favorite to sing) I can't explain how fun it was. I didn't think being in a room singing songs could be that exciting, but it really was. Jittan and Shoko were very good singers, and I uploaded a video of Park-san and his friend signing Japanese Rap http://www.clearlyno.com/ben/karaoke.AVI By the time we got home we were all starving. Dinner was delicious, and afterward Masatoshi brought out a cake. It ended up being a quiche, egg and ham, but the box was labeled sugar cake. We ate it anyway, because it looked good, with a little kiwi for dessert. Tomorrow I'll get to sleep in because it's the weekend. I forgot how hard it is to wake up early in the morning for school. At least the bike ride is refreshing.
Back to School 9/01/2004 06:51:22 AM
9/1/04 Thought High School was over, didn't you? However, this school year is going to be much better than "required" High School. Let’s see where to begin: In the morning I rode with a pack of green pants to school along the bike path. In the opposite direction went the blue pants, apparently to a different school in town. It was strangely reminiscent of West Side Story, and I half expected the Sharks and Jets to throw down their bikes and break into a highly choreographed brawl. Arriving at school I got quite a few stares, but everyone was very eager to say hello (or giggle behind my back, in the case of most girls). I parked my bike, changed into the school sandals, and went to the teacher's lounge. After a quick teacher's meeting I was introduced to the staff. There is an English teacher named John Davey from Toronto who knows a little Japanese. After the meeting I went to my home room. I introduced myself to the class, and noticed that the two guys who visited my house are in my homeroom. That means I already have a few friends. The class broke into groups which cleaned the school, then filed into the gym for the opening ceremony. Most students sat on the floor, but I had a seat with the Canadian teacher and principal on either side. The principal gave an introductory speech, and so did the teacher from Toronto (in Japanese and slow English). I gave a small speech that seemed well received (everyone seems to be too polite to make me believe otherwise). After a few teachers spoke, I was escorted back to the principal’s office for introductions and a short question and answer session about myself. Most classes had testing so I rode my bike home for lunch. As I arrived home I found the front door locked. Zhang Shu (the girl from China who is also staying with the Watanabes) and Shoko had gone out for a while, and I had forgotten my key in the house. The Watanabes have two dogs. One is very friendly but smells bad, the other does not like me and bites. So I crept, ever so carefully, into the back yard to the porch door, hoping it would be open and I would not wake the dogs. Luckily, the door was open and only the smelly dog was disturbed. I'll remember to take my key tomorrow. Around 2 o’ clock I went back to school because the students were traveling to Uno Station to help with some typhoon cleanup. Andee and I walked together and talked a little bit, then spent the next two hours packing wet magazines and cardboard boxes into garbage bags in a local shop. Andee and I then walked back with some other students from the school. He showed me around and told me about the different clubs. I am thinking of joining Kendo, ping pong, or Shogi (Japanese chess), but I'm sure I will have time to visit most of the clubs. Andee and I rode our bikes back home. Shoko had to pick Shun up at school, so Zhang Shu (her Japanese name is Jittan) and I made dinner. She is 20, a Japanese major in college, and understands English very well but cannot speak much. She also knows Chinese, so we had a very multi-lingual evening making chicken, mashed potatoes, rice, broccoli, and a salad. So much fun.
Oceanside 8/31/2004 07:38:20 AM
Today brought a calm, clear sky; the kind that only manifests itself after an unusually powerful storm. Last night's typhoon was the worst the town has seen in a long time. There were high winds and a good deal of flooding. Nothing in our house was too damaged or wet because we are not very close to the sea. I was supposed to meet the mayor of Tamano yesterday, but because part of the city hall was flooded my meeting was moved to a later date. Instead, I took a glorious bike ride to my school for a tour of the grounds. There are many buildings, but not many students because today there was no school. I am going to be in grade 1, which is equivalent to being a freshman. I will take higher math and perhaps science classes, but I'm discussing my schedule in depth with another teacher tomorrow. In the afternoon I went with Shoko to see her friend who had a bit of damage from the storm. Shoko’s friend teaches English at a “Juku,” or cram school. I did what I do best and reconnected her computer and internet. In the evening, Masatoshi, Shun, and I took a drive to see the damage from the storm. It looked as if most people had emptied their basements to the world, with old tatami mats, TV’s, and sheets lying out in the streets. Most of the water had subsided and people were beginning to move the items back into their houses. Thankfully, no one was injured by the storm. Tomorrow I start school.
The Usual 8/30/2004 07:50:18 AM
I've had some requests to answer a few general questions about my stay in Japan. I suppose I take this information for granted, so prepare to feel enlightened as I expose some of the more mundane aspects of my life. ATMs here work pretty much the same as they do in the USA, except with more cartoon-y displays. In fact, everything here could be described as more cartoon-y. I enjoy it because it keeps me entertained (or horrified, in the case of various cartoon pictures describing what will happen if you jump from the escalator). I've been going to bed pretty early, except for a few nights when the whole family was out late. I also wake up early but I feel plenty rested. For breakfast I've been eating cereal, eggs, rice, bagels, or toast with jam. And bananas, delicious bananas. Sometimes we have dumplings, but mostly I make my own food for breakfast. I will be riding a bike to school which takes about 20 minutes. The terrain is mostly flat, but I have to go in a few tunnels which burrow through mountains. I hear the school has a very good library, but have not been able to check it out yet. I’m eating lots of vegetables, but I think I will lose weight (because of all the rice consumption). My host dad performs a vigorous workout routine every day. I have been pretty good about staying active. I read a lot as well. Today I bought an electronic Japanese dictionary. It does everything I need, is small, and was on sale. 8/30/04 Today Mai and Miyu went to Tokyo. Mai is staying there for school, and Miyu is coming home in four days. We went out to lunch at a restaurant by the sea. There were high winds and choppy water from the coming typhoon. It's raining right now, but still relatively hot. I don't think there will be any damage from the storm because the inland sea usually remains calm. I watched The Pianist because I'd never seen it before (in English, subtitled in Japanese). Masatoshi took me in the car to see the ocean because I'd never been in a typhoon before. When we came home there was a man with some expensive ceramic and porcelain dog figurines that Masatoshi may buy. From what I could tell they were very expensive, and Shoko thought he was crazy but he liked them all the same. I'll be taking a tour of the school tomorrow, as well as going to city hall. It's hard to explain, but I've has some hilarious conversations about English words and their connotations. Like the difference between "chapped lips" and "canker sore." Good times.
Host Dad 8/29/2004 09:48:30 AM
8/29/04 Listening to some Jazz with my host dad. I have discerned that he likes collecting porcelain dogs and neckties. Although these may appear to be very mundane activities, he is a very exciting man. He enjoys his job as a doctor of Internal Medicine and traveled to Okayama the other night for a lecture on hypertension in diabetics. His office is behind our house and he comes in and out of the house during the day. Today he and I took a bike ride to city hall, so I will be able to go on my own this Wednesday to meet the mayor of Tamano. Yesterday, Shun and I took a bus trip to the city of Okayama (almost the equivalent of going to Pittsburgh from Morgantown). The place is huge, but not as crowded as you might think for Japan. I had to buy a belt so we stopped in a department store and browsed until I finally settled on a plain leather strap. After shopping and a bit of lunch, Shun and I went to see a movie. While we waited for it to start, we killed some time in an arcade. Wow! We played a shooting game that was way ahead of anything I'd seen in America. The movie, Nin/Nin, was completely in Japanese. Luckily, it was easy to follow because of its comedic nature. It reminded me of a bad children's comedy movie like Shazzam! with Shaq. But Shun really liked it and I'll admit so did I.
The Story of Peach Boy 8/29/2004 07:11:23 AM
This was the story I was relayed through a fury of Japanese and English on the ferry from Tamano to Shikoku: A long time ago, there lived an old man and old woman in Okayama. They did not have any children, but wanted a child very badly. One day, the old man went to cut wood on a mountainside while the old woman washed clothes in a nearby stream. While washing the clothes, the old woman spotted a giant peach drifting down the stream. The old woman brought the peach home, and when the old man cut it open they found the Peach Boy inside. The Peach Boy was very strong. He could lift large boulders with little effort (and leap tall buildings in a single bound). An evil giant named Oni was plaguing the land and the Peach Boy offered take a journey to battle Oni and save the town. The old woman gave the Peach Boy some very sweet dumplings to take on his journey. Along the way, the Peach Boy met a dog. The dog said it would help him fight Oni in exchange for some of the Peach Boy's dumplings. The Peach Boy agreed, and the duo continued on their journey. Next the Peach Boy met a monkey who said the same thing as the dog. He then met a bird, completing the animal posse. The boy, dog, monkey, and bird came to the island where Oni lived. In a reasonably short battle, the Peach Boy defeated Oni and brought his treasure back to the old man and woman, who lived happily ever after. Here comes the interesting part. As we're on the ferry, we spot an island in the distance. The writing in white letters on the sign reads "Evil's Island" Pretty spooky, eh?
Japanese Birthday 8/27/2004 10:34:18 PM
8/27/04 Today was what I will refer to as my Japanese birthday. In the morning I attended a Rotary meeting, which was quite entertaining. It was held at a local golf course (my dad would be jealous), and I gave a speech which was well received. I was served lunch and played a kind of Japanese chess, the name I cannot remember (Shogi?). Shoko also promised to teach me the game of Go. At the Rotary meeting I met a girl from Japan who had been on exchange to Texas. Her English was good and we chatted for a while about exchange, how excited I am, and how much fun she had in Texas. After the Rotary meeting the real fun began. I visited my school whose name was a little confusing at first. “Tamago” means egg, and “koko” is the word for High School. The city is called Tamano, so Tamano High School is called Tamako for short. I kept thinking people were talking about eggs. At the school many people said “Hello” to me, and I was excited about my first day which is coming soon. First we went to pick up my school uniform, which looks very fancy and was completely paid for by the Tamano Rotary Club. It included a jacket, dress pants, gym shoes, dress sandals, gym shorts, dress shirt, gym shirt, and school tie. After a quick meeting with Sakaguchi-san, a very nice teacher who speaks excellent English, we decided that I would ride my bike to school. My schedule is still being decided. When we returned home, Shoko took me to the bicycle store and told me to pick whichever bike I wanted, the cost would of course be covered by the Rotary Club. Fantastic! First some very nice looking clothing and now a new bicycle. That means no more riding to school with Shun on an old pink bicycle with two flat tires. I choose a flashy red bike, the Red Flyer as it shall be called. In the evening, Shoko, Mai, Miyu, Shun, and I went bowling with some other exchange students. Zhang Shi, a girl from China, I had met before, and there was a new boy named Andee Lim from Malaysia. Andee's English was excllent, and we spent the evening talking about Malaysia, Tamano High School, and the like. He enjoys computer games like Counterstrike and Warcraft. He was on many club teams school and I think we will be able to be in some of the same clubs. He is also taking advanced math which I plan to do. We bowled and played ping pong and had a great evening. He is staying with a host family very close to mine, so we will be able to ride to school together.
On the Ferry 8/25/2004 07:50:11 PM
8/26/04 Today, Shoko, Mai, Shun, and I went to Shikoku Island by ferry. The weather was very agreeable and many of the distant islands could be seen by boat. Along the way, in a mix of Japanese and English, Shoko and Mai explained the legend of peach-boy, a local hero (legend to be added in a later entry) When the ferry arrived in Shikoku, we went to the top of the Symbol Tower, thirty stories above the island. This provided quite a nice view of the various surrounding cities, a vast landscape of buildings stretching into the horizon. We also visited Takamatsu Castle (also known as Tamano castle) which is one of the three castles in Japan with a saltwater moat. Takamatsu castle was built in 1590 by Lord Ikoma, who ruled there for 54 years. Shikoku is known for its Udon noodles, so we went to a local Udon restaurant for lunch. Not only did I have Udon, but also octopus, jellyfish, tempura (deep fried vegetables), and sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish), which were all delicious. After lunch, we made a quick stop in the Kagawa museum and took the ferry back home. Shoko is making Korean pancakes for dinner, and two of Shun's friends are here. They want to know if I am #1. "Tsuge (pronounces soo-gei)" means cool here. Everything is “tsuge.” 8/26/2004 Just returned from Shikoku Island. Yesterday Shoko and Mai went to Okayama to shop in the morning. Shun and I were going to meet them in afternoon but Shun had to stay late preparing for a school festival. In the afternoon, Masatoshi didn't have to give a medical lecture due to summer vacation so he drove me around town. We stopped at a bookstore and an electronics shop (he likes them as much as me), and he told me that he wants to buy an iPod, but is waiting for the price to go down (that sounds like something my mom would say). Sony offers an alternative that many people in Japan use because the Walkman is so popular. I finished reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and moved on to another book in my stack from home. I also added a little more to my Rotary speech which I will give at a meeting tomorrow. In the evening, Shoko, Mai, Miyu, and I went to a Rotary sushi bar, called “kaiten zushi.” You sit at a table while various plates of sushi whisk by on a conveyor belt. Very entertaining.
Images of Japan 8/24/2004 09:18:20 PM
8/24/04 Currently watching the Beastie Boys on MTV as proof that Japan gets everything as soon as the US. Today was more sight seeing with Shoko and a woman on the school board. We left around 10 after going to the post office to pick up some stamps. We went to a very old salt works owned by Buzaeman Nozaki, "King of the Japan Saltworks." It was composed of many guest houses, a lighthouse made of wood, and a stone obelisk "Nokaki's Memorial Pole." Lunch was delicious as usual. O-ishii, in Japanese. After lunch we drove to an observatory overlooking the Seto Ohashi island bridge. The view was amazing. A perfect place to view the inland sea and its many islands. I believe there are over 1000. After some dessert we went to Yuga Daigongen and Rendaiji Temple. It is one of the few places where both a shrine and a temple are located in the same place. In the temple I rang a prayer bell, rubbed the Buddha's head, and witnessed some chanting. I lit incense and felt very refreshed by the peaceful landscape. People here think I look like Elijah Wood. For pictures of the trip go to www.clearlyno.com/ben/Japan/firstweek
First days 8/23/2004 09:32:42 PM
8/20/04 4:40 PM On the airplane from Detroit to Osaka. Only a few more hours until we touch down. Rahul is sitting next to me in the lucky exit row with plenty of leg room. The most interesting aspect of this flight is that throughout the 13 hours we've been in the air, the sun has not set. In fact it’s getting brighter. This makes for pretty exciting scenes above the clouds, white caps on the ocean water. 8/21/04 I am currently at a Chinese lesson with my host mother. It’s beautiful outside. I woke up feeling wonderful. There is a man who teaches computer classes here. He let me see the computer lab inside of this department store and I showed him my website. Amazing what you can portray with only a little language and some pictures. This Chinese lesson is quickly disintegrating into a cooking class. Everyone is very nice, and also happy. There is a large warehouse out the window to my left, with men making some sort of metal items. 8/22/04 I am not writing until the next morning because I was very tired last night. It was quite a day. After the Chinese lesson I went with Shoko, Shun, and Mai to a sort of Italian restaurant on the water. Very pretty. Afterwards, we went to a department store where I bought the most Engrish-looking notebook I could find and a pen. Then we went to see the umi (ocean) which was very close and quite lovely. Mom would love it here. We traveled up a mountain to the Tamano/Okayama national park which was breathtaking. It was truly just like the pictures of the town in the brochure; a widespread ocean with scattered islands, ships, and tiny towns. There are large rocks which tower over the water, each with a different name. Smiling rock was my favorite. Returning to the house we were greeted by Masatoshi who took the four of us in a different car to see Okayama. We made a quick stop at a Toyota dealership to fix something on his car, and during the wait we were served ice tea and juice, right in the dealership. The cars here are very advanced, with GPS systems and automatic sliding doors. After our “meal” at the dealership I was getting tired but we went on to Okayama castle, which promptly woke me up. Built in 1700, almost nothing has changed since its construction. We toured the gardens, took some pictures, and ate shaved ice. Around sunset we came home, switched cars again, and went to eat yakiniku, also called Korean barbeque, which involves cooking food in a fire right at the table. I accidentally ate an uncooked piece of liver, but was quickly corrected by my family (with some laughing). No adverse affects yet. I feel asleep quickly after returning home. Cold shower this morning because I didn’t remember to hit the hot water button in the kitchen. 8/23/04 Another wonderful day. Masatoshi, my host father, took the whole family (except Shun who had school work) on a tour of Okayama. First we went to an art museum in Kurashiki which had both Japanese and non-Japanese artists (Picasso, Andy Warhol, Rodin, etc.) There were also some old Chinese pieces from 20 AD. After the art museum we walked around Kurashiki Ivy Square where I received my name. Three symbols: "study," "dream," "citizen." In Kurashiki we ate in a traditional Japanese restaurant, complete with pillows and slippers, while sitting on our knees. Even my host family didn’t recognize all the foods. After lunch we shopped in a couple stores. I’m able to communicate a little better now. At least I can get an idea of what is going on. There is a very large bridge near Tamano, on the edge of Kurashiki, much like the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. We took the bridge to a Fisherman’s Wharf, which was very nice with a cool ocean breeze. We went to a temple that was 200 years old, and then to a Japanese electronics store. 8/23/04 This morning I was home alone with Mai, my host sister. She slept in so I played the guitar and studied Japanese. Around noon Shoko, my host mother, and I left to go to city hall so I could register in Japan with Mr. Aketa, my Rotary counselor. Shun, my host brother and I went on a bike ride to my school (it rained a lot) but we had fun. I met a few of his friends. Shoko made a wonderful dinner and we watched the Olympics. please send me your address (e-mail or mailing) at benginjapan@hotmail.com I can't check the internet every day, but I would love to hear from you.
Before I Go 8/14/2004 01:34:03 AM
This is my new home for thoughts. However silly, I'll try to be honest about my travels and experiences in Japan. We'll see where this takes me...