Maggie's Mind

Osaka & Kyoto Weekend - Day Two Kyoto Edition

2009-12-03T20:21:00.002+09:00

Finally, I can say that I have been to Kyoto. No more regretting that I never went and seeing the quizzical looks that mirrored what I wondered inside. I`m so lucky to have another chance to live in Japan. On days when frustration happens, it`s good to remember this. And to plan another trip somewhere.

Kyoto was the former capital of Japan from 798 to 1868 (!) before they packed it up and made it Edo (now Tokyo). Kyoto was mostly spared during World War II, so much of what has been old forever still remains and is now even older. As an American, I am often left speechless when I see places that are so much older than the historical places back home that are usually merely hundreds of years old instead of thousands. It`s a feeling I can`t quite describe, but simultaneously humbling and just wow comes pretty close.

There is way more of Kyoto to see and do than what can be done in an afternoon. There are a gazillion (rough estimate) famous temples and shrines. To be honest, we only made it to one. To be more honest, we just wandered around the beautiful grounds at the entry but didn`t actually go in. We intended to go back and go inside at night when the gorgeous autumn leaves would be illuminated, but there was the longest line. And it was cold. And Raining. And we wanted to get back to Osaka for dinner. I accomplished the goal of getting to Kyoto and kind of scouting it out so that I can come back next time, and again after that, to properly see some of what it really has to offer. Still, I managed to take a bucketload of pictures, and these are my favorites.

Kyoto. Finally.
Saturday, November 21, 2009

Kyoto Station
So modern looking that it seems like a juxtaposition in the middle of so much history.

Green Tea Cake
Kyoto is all about the green tea. I love green tea flavored everything, so I was thrilled to see this little shop out in front of Kyoto Station handing out samples. The cake is basically baked in layers, one layer at a time. After talking with some of the teachers, I found out that this is called バームクーヘン (baamukuuhen) in Japanese. Since it`s written in katakana, it was clear that it was a "borrowed word," and with some creative internet searching, I found that it`s German in origin, from Baumkuchen (tree cake, like tree layers, I get it), and is a cake that many Europeans would know. Then I learned that the spelling above is a common mistake in Japan and is really バウムクーヘン (baukuuhen). I won`t correct anyone. Who knew this free sample would turn out to be so educational? I`ve also learned that it can be all kinds of different flavors, but since I was in Kyoto, green tea makes sense, and it was awesome. I may or may not have gone back for a second sample. If I did, it was only for research purposes to be sure that I was madly in love with it.

Ninja Tanuki

Fans

Outside Kiyomizudera (清水寺)
This is one of Kyoto`s most famous temples.

View of Kyoto from Kiyomizudera

Pretty Underneath

A Dddd...ddd...ragon!
I`m supposed to bring back a dragon`s tooth for Tom`s friend. Instead, all he gets is this lousy ~~T-shirt~~ picture.

Jizo
Jizo statues seem to be everywhere in Japan. I have always been fascinated by them. Even last time I was in Japan, long before I knew that I would ever know what it is to lose a baby that you might have had. Now, I`m still fascinated, but my heart goes out a little more to all of those who have experienced a similar loss and have dressed him with a bib with the hopes that Ojizo-sama will protect a little more extra specially their unborn, stillborn or child that died too young some other way. The link above gives a better explanation, but that`s my simple version.
In general, I like the way that Japan remembers those who have died, and I adopted a little something last time I was here as a way of remembering my mom. Some other post, some other time, maybe I`ll explain if I haven`t already somewhere. Mighta. I forget stuff.
Ojizo-sama also protects travelers and firemen. I like traveling, and I like firemens in their uniforms sometimes.
Next post will involve Jizo, too. Just so you know.

Green Tea Ice Cream
I have loved green tea ice cream since the first time I tried it, back in college, staying with a Japanese family in Chicago as a sort of homestay in Japan without actually going there. It seemed all strange and exotic back then. Now it seems like green tea as a valid flavor is becoming a little more common with even green tea lattes at Starbucks. I`m OK with that. Even though it was cold and rainy and icky, green tea ice cream sounded good. And it was. This one in the picture is plastic (love all the plastic food displays here). The one I ate was not plastic.

In Gion District, Kyoto
The real deal. When you`ve read books or seen movies about geisha, there is a good chance that the setting was in Gion. I need to go back when it is not cold and about to rain and look around some more.

Manhole Cover, Kyoto

Hot for Teacher

Osaka & Kyoto Weekend - Day One Osaka Edition

2009-12-02T22:41:00.001+09:00

Though I lived in Japan for 3 years last time, I somehow never made it to Osaka and Kyoto (only about 30 minutes apart). Unbelievable. This time I am making sure to get to both, and though I barely scratched the surface, I will definitely be back to both. I was lucky enough to get to stay with another JET who has relatives there, one who basically let us have the very swanky condo for the weekend. It was nice to pretend for a bit that I was a big city girl instead of an out in the sticks inaka girl.

Since I do things the chronological way here, first you get a little Osaka in this post, Kyoto next, and then Osaka again. It's like you are right here with me, except I bet you can find beans at a reasonable price where you are. (I'm seriously craving chili, have the packet mix, choked when I found a teensy weensy can of black beans for about US$4 because I'd need to buy about 3 to have about the same as the less than $1 can I'd buy back home. There's no shortage of soybeans or azuki beans, though, so that's good somehow to someone who's never had a hot bowl of chili with oyster crackers on a cold night, right?)

Oh! Saka!
Friday, November 20, 2009

Mmm, Indian Food
While satisfying a craving for Mexican food here can be more elusive (stay tuned), it's fairly easy to find good Indian restaurants in most decent sized cities in Japan. And for that, I am grateful. This was how we kicked off our night in Osaka.

Good Morning, Osaka
The view from the condo. Easy to love.

Reflecting
Another view from the condo. Other balcony.

Grope-Free Mornings
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Osaka station, getting ready to head to Kyoto.
Yes, it's been an issue for probably as long as there have been trains here. Feel free to Google it, but please don't grope it.

Next time, a little bit of Kyoto.

Post Mid-Year Seminar Gluttony

2009-12-01T20:37:00.001+09:00

The weeks leading up to November 12th (also a birthday of one of my two favorite nephews, whose small present is not yet in the mail) were fraught with puzzlement over just how I would do a 70-minute presentation in front of other ALTs and Japanese teachers on a topic about which I know zero and had no business presenting, and on which I kept getting different answers about what was expected (or even how long it would be, since we were told initially that it was a 5 minute blurb kind of thing, which is kinda not the same). It wasn`t the most amazing presentation I`ve ever done, but it wasn`t as terrible as I feared after the first rough 5 minutes. Once I announced that I was nervous, I was fine.

By the end of the night, though, all was cured by tabenomihodai, the best invention. Ever. Definitely not my first time, certainly not my last, but absolutely the perfect way to remind me of another reason I love Japan, even at the end of a long day when I didn`t.

Quickie Japanese lesson (important stuff, you`ll see):

食べる（たべる）(taberu, becomes tabe, said like tah-bay, for purpose below) = to eat
飲む（のむ）(nomu, becomes nomi for purpose below) = to drink
放題（ほうだい）(houdai) = as much as you wanna

You can just tabehoudai, or you can just nomihoudai, but if you get to tabenomihoudai, it`s a thing of joy. It`s fairly popular here if you go to the right places. Our group makes a point of finding those places.

So a bunch of us turned up at a shabu-shabu (lots of meat and veggies, cooked in broth as you go, right at your table) restaurant on the 21st floor of the Cred Building in Okayama City. The restaurant is called Shabu-yo (しゃぶ葉) if you are ever in the neighborhood (and if so, the menu is here). At first there was one of those odd conversations with the host at the front when we asked about doing tabe- and/or nomi-houdai, and they said they didn`t have it (?), though we`d seen the poster ad on the elevator(??). Then they brought out a menu to display what they did have, and there was tabenomihoudai (ummm, !?!). I get it that the tabehoudai part is often called Viking (said like "biking" バイキング), and that`s what they call it, but it`s the same thing. If there is some nuance that I`m missing, again we get back to the idea that some folks here refuse to even try to infer when you say something pretty damn close. In this case, I`m convinced we didn`t make a mistake, but I have no clue why all the confusion. We remained vigilant, patient, persistant, hungry and thirsty until it worked out. It worked out.

When it worked out, it meant 2 hours and just 3180 yen (roughly US $30), and we ate and drank and ate and drank and ate and drank and ate and drank. There were trays upon trays of meat, and I have never felt more carnivorous in my life. I wrecked my stomach for days with all that meat, feeling like I was always full somehow even when I was hungry a day or three later.

The view up on the 21st floor was really nice, too. We had a view of the castle (been, love) all lit up. City lights are always awesome. My night pictures never turn out, so you`ll have to just imagine. I do have these, though:

Only For You, I Am Absolutely!
Random Sign Somewhere Before the Restaurant
Okayama City, Japan
Thursday, November 12, 2009

Meat. Trays. Of It. Endlessly.

Shabu x 2

One more quickie Japanese lesson:
過ぎる（すぎる）(sugiru) = lots of meanings I won`t get into here, but one means to do something in excess, like when you tabesugi (short form, eat way too much) or nomisugi (drink too much). Not sure, but I suppose you can say tabenomisugi (if sex were included on the menu, it would be the trifecta of gluttony). Whether you can call it that or not, I did it, and it was a good way to celebrate a nephew`s birthday in spirit (though he doesn`t eat meat, so maybe I was just balancing things out to make the world right ) and no longer care how the presentation went.

Princess. Or Maid. Maybe.

2009-11-30T16:37:00.005+09:00

Some quickie history:

Back in the day (Edo period 1603-1868), samurai-type domain lords (daimyo) were required under the sankin koutai system to alternate between living a year in Edo (Tokyo) and living a year in their domain (han). Families were essentially held hostage back in Edo. This keeps samurai-type folks in line and helps maintain control. Since the Haneda (Tokyo) to Okayama flight that our group took was not yet in operation, they used roads (which were close to what are now the major train lines - the Sanyo Line in western that runs from Kobe down to Kyushu and also the Tokaido Line in eastern Japan that runs from Kobe/Osaka up to Tokyo).

Anyway, these daimyo folks needed places to stay along the way, so posts were established. One of those posts was in my Tiny Town. When the daimyo were here, I guess there were parades. The samurai days are pretty much over, so it`s been awhile since they have come to stay, but Tiny Town still carries on with the parade every November and remains proud of it year round. People dress like all kinds of folks from back in the day.

We were told we`d be dressed as princesses, but we were mysteriously demoted to maids. It was a lot of walking slowly (no, I mean really slowly, like at the pace of the line for your favorite roller coaster on the busiest day, but then even more slowly) while dressed up wigs to sandals with kimono in between, but it was a lot of fun. Lots of thousands lined the streets to watch and take pictures. It was kind of surreal but very cool.

And now some pictures:
If I Were a Princess
Samurai Festival in Tiny Town
Sunday, November 8, 2009

Maid Wigs

Kimono, Before

The Making of a ~~Princess~~ Maid

Kimono, After
Most non-Asians look a little odd in kimono. There are websites dedicated to this notion that poke fun (and that are not linked because I'd like it better if these pictures don't end up there). If you stay here long enough, someone dresses you in kimono (or you take classes and dress yourself because the sweetest woman offers). You can either feel odd or just ham it up and smile as if you think you look fabulous. I like ham. (And bacon.)

My Protector

Samurai-types

My View of the Parade
(this was at the start when there were few watching)

Zori
Walking a few miles in these felt about how you would imagine.

Unlikely Reason, Halloween Weekend and Why Scripts Suck

2009-11-27T16:37:00.003+09:00

From last time, here is the reason for the depiction of a small boy tied up and crying with a mouse nearby. It`s not what I would have guessed.

Sesshu Toyo

"Kanō Einō's History of Japanese Painting (Honchogashi), a 17th century source, contains a well-known anecdote about the young Sesshū: apparently the future painter did not study Zen with enough dedication, preferring instead to spend his time drawing. Once, he was punished for disobedience and tied to a pillar in the hall of the temple. After a while, a priest came to see him and jumped up with surprise—there was a mouse very close to Sesshū's foot. However, it was actually a picture which Sesshū had painted with his tears. Although the story is famous, its authenticity is questionable."

Now on with the show. Here`s how I spent my Halloween. Japan knows a little something about a lot of holidays but usually has the wrong idea or just does them just a little different. In some ways it`s interesting/amusing, and in other ways, it just makes me kind of long for home. I know of a few Japanese people who dressed up for parties and whatnot, usually hosted by some American with holiday spirit, but there were no little kids running around knocking on doors for candy. That`s really the best part of Halloween. I skipped the big massively huge party that was going on in the city and settled for a more low-key celebration with a friend in Onomichi. Before the night out, we spent a really nice day.

I Love Trains
Saturday, October 31, 2009

Welcome to Onomichi (Again)
(but this time not just passing through)

A.Maz.Ing. Indian Restaurant in Onomichi
Seriously. Such a treat. I feel warm and tingly inside just remembering this fantabulously awesome lunch. If you are ever in Onomichi, the place is called Anna Purna Indian Restaurant. Go. Eat. Smile. Melt.

Shopping, Fleecing
Micro fleece pajama pants, fleece turtlenecks, almost a pair of pants that fit. Uniqlo is all things awesome.

Let`s Enjoy Halloween Night.
OK, let`s.

Jazzy, Bluesy, Likey
I am not a big jazz/blues fan, but everyone who performed here was awesome. I still remember this guy singing some song in Japanese about nombiri (のんびり), which translates to basically just chillin`, relaxing, hanging out, taking it light, kicking back, no hurry, no rush, no trouble, all good in the hood. The song wasn`t at all cheesy but really did make me feel all of the above. I`d also had ~~several~~ one or two beers by then.

Have I Mentioned that I Loved this Bar?
There was kitschy Americana junk all over the place. Even in the bathroom. Made me feel at home and happy to be there.

Through My Haze
(Espresso Yourself. My kind of bar. Love.)

Full Swing
By this point we are scringing (scream singing) at the top of our lungs about how "all we are saying, is give peace a chance," followed by "this little light of mine" (I can belt the shit out of that song, complete with all of the days, thanks to junior high choir). There was a bunch of gospel/Christian music mixed in, which was kind of odd, being Halloween, in Japan, in a bar, and all, but it turns out that some of those singing just happen to *like* gospel music, even if I`m told they are not religious. Why ask why. Just show up, go along for the ride, take pictures, make memories and blog about it later.

Not My Costume
I was a loser who did not dress up for Halloween, but one of the Hiroshima (Onomichi is in Hiroshima Prefecture) JETs dressed as Minnie Mouse. Her whole costume was super cute. Here`s part of it. On me. After that second beer (or so).

After a long fun night, we took a cab to a restaurant near my friend`s apartment, and that`s where Japan did one of its Japanese things. So many things are so scripted here, no room to color outside the lines, think outside the box, veer a little off the path, say something you`ve said in a different or simpler way so that a non-native speaker might understand. The script is the script, and if you are many folks here (there are exceptions, and I want to kiss them, which may be why there are not more), you will follow the script because the goal is more to say everything in the most formal form of polite than to communicate and be understood (this is mirrored in many ways in some aspects of the foreign language education system - different topic, different post). If the foreigner doesn`t understand, you just repeat it several times until they give up, walk away. And blog about you later. That`s how things went.

It was about 1:30AM, and the hours posted on the doors of the restaurant said it closed at 2:00AM, so we went in. The host greeted us but quickly started doing the teeth sucking thing (basically, it means no, almost always, to whatever it is you are about to want, and if the person starts to scratch the back of his head while doing the teeth sucking, know that you are definitely screwed for absolute certain). He looked at the clock and said "insert super duper polite and formal script here."

To which I said, in normal level of polite Japanese, thinking I knew what he'd said but wanting to confirm, "so, you are already done for the night?" Instead of nodding yes, playing along with the ~~drunk~~ now almost sober foreigner and saying something I might have a chance of understanding (again, like a nod and a smile, that I got it right, even - know that I`m not expecting anyone to speak English and that even my limited Japanese is usually more than sufficient in this kind of situation), he repeated script. So, I asked again another way if that meant that they were closed. I got the goddamn scripted response again.

I was trying my best to communicate in his language. He wasn`t. My best guess is that the last order was at 1:00AM. If the serious as death faced little android had just *said* that in plain (or even normal level of polite) Japanese or phrased it some other way, or merely acknowledged that I had guessed/understood/whichev correctly, I would have had no trouble, and I would have been gone already so that he would be free to go memorize some other script.

Instead, we wound up at the conbini (convenience store, but more awesome than back home and with edible food) eating snacks that were lots cheaper, filled the void just as much, and I had a less confidence eroding conversation with the clerk ("shall I warm this up for you," "oh, yes, please do" in near fluency from much practice).

I'm still behind but catching up. This weekend, I'm going to Fukuoka to watch real live sumo, and I am so excited. Know that pictures will be forthcoming if I ever get caught up enough not to be so behind.

Kibi Trail

2009-11-24T21:00:00.001+09:00

Getting a little closer to not as far behind. We`re up to October 25, 2009 (k, maybe I`m further behind than I thought since I just realized that it`s already somehow the end of November - how the hell did that happen?!).

A friend came out to see me in Tiny Town (always a big deal to me when folks come all the way out to my piece of the inaka) so that we could bike the 15km (just over 9 miles) from Soja to Bizen Ichinomiya (near Okayama City) on the Kibi Trail through the historic Kibiji District, kinda sorta linked to the Momotaro legend, if you know it. You can start at either end, rent easy to ride granny bikes for 1000 yen and be done in 4 hours if you stop to snack and take pictures. Constantly. They say more like 2 hours for normal people without my pictures and snacks habit.

There are temples and shrines along the way, but even just cruising around past pretty flowers, rice fields and little rivers would have made it worthwhile. Somehow we missed one of the main shrines. I don`t know how. I do know that I`ll be back to do this again in the spring when things are greening up instead of browning down. If you are ever in the Okayama area with a free day, this is a good way to spend it.

Kibi Trail. This Way. Go!
Sunday, October 25, 2009

First Photo Break Less Than 5 Minutes Into Trip

Rice Fields Now
Do you remember all those beautiful and lush green rice fields I was posting the first couple of months here? That mesmerizing green? It`s gone and replaced with this scene before becoming an empty field. Sometimes they burn it. I`m sure there is a reason. Like lots of things here I don`t get.

Harvest Time
(yes, rice, still, again)

Bitchu Kokubunji Temple (備中国分寺)

Sights and Smells

WTFJapan Moment
I have a lot of wtfjapan moments. My friend and I puzzled while we peddled for a long, long time after passing this, unable to fathom just what the hell could be going on in this picture, and why it would be on some map. Only later, well after the trip and with the power of Google, did I figure it out. It was almost more fun not knowing because the truth was only mildly interesting, while the possibles roaming through my brain parts were sometimes hilarious. Or profoundly tragic. Either way, more interesting than the truth. I`ll leave you with that and will post the link to just what the hell this is next post in case you want to ruin the fun of wondering.
(If you can`t stand wondering, shoot me an email, and I`ll send you the link.)

Pretty Little Trail

Dog Poop = Universally Unwelcome in All Corners of the Earth

Archery Targets
Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)

Aiming for Targets
Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)

Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)

On Official Business

Surrounded

Shoes

Corridor
Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)

Kibitsuhiko Shrine (吉備津彦神社)

Truth told, at one point we managed to meander off the path. Then at the end, we had a little trouble finding the station that should have been right there. Still, a great little bike ride on a day not too hot and not too cold and just a little overcast and on a trail that is basically flat, non-strenuous and leisurely and that begs you to stop for lots of picture breaks. And snacks, since you`re already stopped and all. Kibi Trail. My kind of trail.

Singing Contest

2009-11-19T23:19:00.000+09:00

And now I present to you the promised story of the singing contest, bullet point edition.

One day in September, without knowing why, the music teacher, who had never spoken to me (has a few more times since, nice guy, good sense of humor), came over and gave me some sheet music. He chatted about the song, pulled it up on YouTube and promised me a CD. I was kind of touched (?) but kind of confused.
A few days later I realized that all of the teachers were given the sheet music and a few days after that, a CD. I felt a little less touched in a special way (heh) but still glad to be included in... whatever this was.
I learned around the edges somehow not directly that there was a big singing contest in town coming up in a month, and these were our study materials so that we all could practice and be super awesome. Every day after school I could hear students practicing their songs, so that`s how I figured out the contest wasn`t just a teacher thing. The contest was apparently kind of a big deal in Tiny Town.We even met to rehearse the night before the big event.
On some random day in early October, the morning of the contest, I was told that the teachers would also be singing an additional song. This surprise song was one that another teacher had previously told me we would be singing, but that was before another teacher said we wouldn`t, after which I didn`t bother giving it a glance because latest word trumps something I only kinda maybe heard days ago. Gotta have a system. That`s mine.
ConflusterwtfJapanannoyed, I YouTubed it, found the lyrics online (lots of unknown kanji that I had look up for pronunciation - wasn`t even concerned with meaning at this point) and was doing everything I could to learn it within a couple hours, between classes, so more like 20 minutes, and I was kind of freaking out that I'd make us lose or something. It was hopeless, and I knew it.
So, the entire school got to the venue (short walk to anywhere in Tiny Town), and I was puzzled that only my school was in attendance. As the fog slowly lifts to reveal ~~all~~ some of the bits that were lost in miscommunication land, it turns out that not only was it a competition only between the different grades at my school (and not my school vs. some other school or something), but the song the teachers had been practicing for a month? Wasn't even part of the contest at all. It was just a nice little song for us to sing to the students.
The last minute "surprise, we`re singing this, too, no we aren`t, psych yes we are, hahaha, good luck" song that I tore my hair out trying to learn (unsuccessfully) the morning of? Yah, that was just a general warm up for the vocals not sung on stage or in any way that it mattered whether I knew any of it or not. The adrenaline rush trying to learn perked me up and was nice that way, I guess (?).
I thought there would be some person, likely an older woman, playing the piano throughout. No. Amazingly (still in awe, really) from every single class of each grade (total of 12 classes) there was not one but TWO students who could play well enough to each accompany their own class in a singing competition. And do it well.
These are junior high kids. I have no idea when they find time to practice. They are at school all day, then have clubs often until well into the evening and usually all day Saturday and Sunday (sucks to be them, truly, and I`ve stopped asking either students or teachers if they did anything fun over the weekend, already knowing they probably didn`t), plus they have homework and probably have to sleep once in awhile. Somewhere in that mix of waytoodamnbusy, some of them get purty damn good at plinking out tunes on the piano.
Moral of the story: even if you think you know what the hell is going on because you speak a little of the language and have asked a few questions, you probably don`t.
Similar versions of the misconfuzzleddoesnotcomputesaywha? parts of this story play out approximately daily in one instance or form or another.
It keeps things interesting and reminds me that I`m not in my native land.
Some days the surprises are better than others.
The song from the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics has staying power because that`s what we sang. (My heart will not be broken if you don`t watch the video. All good.) It`s called Niji to Yuki no Ballade, or Ballad of the Rainbow and Snow by Toi et Moi.

Riding, Washing, Pulling Lopsided Rainbows from My Ass and Being Festive

2009-11-18T18:39:00.003+09:00

In the spirit of catching up so that I can try to get current at some point, here are some highlights that happened while I was ignoring my blog or doing only picture posts:

On September 27th, after going the route of a "new" old bike that was just as bad as the original but with a different assortment of annoying problems, I finally just bought a new one. It's a one-speed granny bike (need that basket for shopping), and it's curiously smaller than everyone else's, but the light works, the brakes work (and do so without alerting everyone that the foreigner is slowing down or stopping), the tires take and keep air, and it doesn't make me feel like the little engine that couldn't every time there is the slightest incline.
On September 28th, I got a "new" old washer. It is amazing. It doesn't require my attention every 5 minutes and spins itself without intervention from me. It is a thing of joy. If you never witnessed that which I endured previously under the reign of the more manual than automatic old school washer, then you cannot comprehend the sense of well-being washing over me every time I do a load of laundry.
The story of the singing contest would go here, but it's just long enough to need its own post, which will be forthcoming. Shortly. Probably next post. I promise. Maybe.
From my journal: Friday, October 9th: Today I sang, on demand but impromptu-edly, in Japanese, in front of a first year class, one that often mocks me. Then again the next period, too, in the class with the kid who broke my slipper yesterday. In the 2nd class, I at least saw it coming. The textbook was about how Ken is a good singer, and when does he practice, and why doesn't Ratna (or Yumi or someone) join him on Saturday evening. Then the JTE (Japanese Teacher of English - we do "team teaching") asked me when I practice singing, you know, as part of the dialog. Since I don't really, out of my ass I pulled that I practice singing every evening. In the shower. Please don't join me. Not quite the tone the textbook dialogue was aiming for, but at that point, I couldn't really say "please join me," now, could I? This is what happens when I make shit up on the fly and don't have a chance to think things through all the way to the end of the of the confines of a given dialogue.
October 24th, another festival. This one in Tiny Town. I never did find the rumored food booths (and it's not like the town is big enough to hide them from me), but you know I took pictures.

Strings Strung All Around the Town

Little Kids, Litte Mikoshi

Biking Around My Town
The festival was pretty dispersed, so I rode around catching bits of it here and there and sometimes just getting regular old shots of every day stuff. I love this little path and the tree about to droop with persimmons (though I would not know for several weeks, until I biked the Kibi Trail, which is yet another upcoming post, that these were persimmons, a fruit that's all the rage this time of year where I am).

Bigger "Kids," Bigger Mikoshi

The Shot After the One Down His Pants
Fun group of guys, some already a little drunk. When they stopped to rest, I stopped to take a picture. Then one of them wanted me to be in the picture. The guy holding the camera first took a shot down his pants. He was either kidding, or they erased it. Either way, I was grateful, but I will probably always giggle when I see this picture.

Japan Loves a Festival

2009-11-16T11:31:00.004+09:00

Back in mid-October (since I`m that far behind), I emailed my friend Kate (too expensive to call, and modern technology allows me not to) to see if she felt like meeting me in Kurashiki to hang out for the afternoon. It was a sunny Sunday, finally not too hot and not yet too cold. Just perfect, really. I`d been there before (if you missed it, here and here), so I expected pretty much the same: a nice stroll along the canal, maybe trying to get on one of the boat rides that are always full whenever I`ve tried, popping into a bunch of cute little shops, lunch at some point, coffee at another, stealth pictures of all things Hello Kitty at the Sanrio shop (no cameras allowed), maybe the trek up all those stairs for a stop at Achi Shrine. The usual.

It did go pretty much like all of that, but with the addition of a gazillion demons in the midst, roaming the street like it wasn`t even a thing. Turns out it there was a festival that day. This happens all the time in Japan. This is also why I don`t even go to the bathroom without my camera. There could be a festival in there with costumes, drums or just a general sense of festivity. Would not surprise me (much) since it seems to happen everywhere else.

If You Were a Manhole Cover in Kurashiki, You`d be Colorful, Too
October 18, 2009
Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan

Mikoshi
A festival just ins`t a festival without a mikoshi, basically a portable shrine held on stilts, often by folks wearing happi who have been drinking since early. It`s hard to see that there is a guy inside the mikoshi playing a drum. They also tossed the whole thing up in the air, stilts about a foot above their hands waiting to catch it again. I was kind of glad to just be a spectator.

Mikoshi, Kid-Sized

Scary, Safety, Snacky
At this time, I would like to express my love for convenience stores in Japan (the beloved conbini). Chains include Family Mart like here, Lawson`s, Circle K, 7-11 and tons of others. Each a loyal friend when everything else is closed in a tiny town. You can buy everything there at any time, and none of it is gross. There are no rotating dogs, just good stuff. On this day a demon out front. Police, too.

Fearless
I didn`t cry, but there were quite a few kids all wound up and scared and crying with all those demons out and about.

Demons are Daddies, Too

Happy Autumn, Hello Kitty

Ema
If you`ve been here for a bit, you know my love of ema.
Once in awhile there is one in English.

Chochin, Achi Shrine

Omikuji
Like pictures of ema that I cannot resist taking, so deep runs my love for pictures of omikuji. Guess I`m living in the right place.

Coffee, Tea and Breeze
Banners blowing happily in the breeze. Once in awhile 500 yen for a single cup of usually very good coffee, served in a pretty cup atop a delicate saucer and with no free refill, seems almost justifiable. This day was one of those. We had time to kill before the boat ride, so there we were.

Boat Ride, Finally
Every time I`d tried before to do the boat ride, it had been sold out. This time, we made it happen. It was cute.

Suinkyo
(seen from our boat ride)
I think all of the above may have been a part of the Suinkyo Festival. Oddly, I can only get bits and pieces of info when I ask, so the rest is guessing. In a nutshell, my understanding of the festival we happened to bump into goes like this:
The demons represent the bad that is to be driven out, probably for a good future harvest.
The portable shrine (mikoshi) is there as part of giving thanks for the current harvest (the festival takes place in the autumn).
The suinkyo, these cute old men and old women with fans, are there to add some fun and whimsy, and if they bop you on the head with the fan, it`s considered good luck. If you don`t see the bop coming, like happened to me, I think that should count as bonus points, but I don`t think that`s built into the system.

Japan Likes Cute

Making a Demon Almost Say Cheese
Someone taking a picture here will often say "hai, chee-zu" to the folks being photographed, to which those being photographed do not respond at all. It`s one of those things that has been adopted but only halfway. Kind of like Christmas cake. There will be more on that later, I`m sure. If not, remind me. Anyway, we didn`t actually say cheese.

I`m hoping to get caught up soon and back to updating more regularly again (and visiting your blogs - sorry I`ve been MIJ). I have some stories saved up and, of course, tons of pictures of everything from the bike trail, to how I spent Halloween, to the samurai festival. Looking ahead, I have a couple of trips to Osaka/Kyoto planned in the next few weeks, plus a trip to Fukuoka to watch sumo wrestling, so it`s not like things are slowing down for me to catch up. I see that as a good thing. All in all, Japan is treating me right, and most of the surprises, like bumping into festivals, are good.

Weekly Winners Sunday October 18, 2009

2009-10-18T23:14:00.002+09:00

Weekly Winners, hosted by Lotus.

Click pics for better looking larger images.

Yep, still behind on posts, but if I don't start posting pictures, I'll just get further behind. Again, not all technically from this past week, but some are, and that's good enough.

Newest Obsession
September 22, 2009
(Just after my Silver Week trip I bought a pair of toe socks. And it's been true love ever since. Well, after the first couple of hours getting used to them.)

Cat's Don't Like Rainy Days
September 27, 2009

Tea Ceremony
October 2, 2009
I've kind of joined the Tea Ceremony club at my school. It usually involves sweets and green tea, two things I love. The club served tea at a local event, but I just got to partake. That works, too.

Japan's Version of the $2 Bill
October 3, 2009
I'd never seen a 2000 yen note. Until this night.

Okonomiyaki Heaven
October 7, 2009

Old School Izakaya
October 16, 2009
There was a birthday party in our group, and we turned up at possibly the most awesome izakaya I've ever been to because the atmosphere was old-timey and cool. Fishbowls of alcohol may lead to unexpected results. I behaved, but it was a pretty wild night with stories that are not mine to tell, but too good not to allude to at least, without names.
There was a lost bag, sickness in the wrong place, a conversation with a boss that went differently than it would have sober and one person who went missing and woke up in a capsule hotel. Much of this happened after someone started handing out shots of tequila at the 2nd party (which was before the 3rd party at the karaoke place).

Down the Up
It was moving up, and I was headed down on the way to the 3rd party. I'm pretty sure it would have been easier before the 1st party.

Hello Kitty Colors
(convenience store pit stop before karaoke)

The Morning After
October 17, 2009
We'd been here before and loved it, but it's even better the morning after the night before. We ate a really ridiculous amount of delish pizza.

The Oven

Silver Week Part Four - Yonago

2009-10-09T17:00:00.001+09:00

This post is the last of the Silver Week travel pictures. I've been so slow at getting them posted that I haven't been updating on other silly stuff going on around here. There is always plenty of silly stuff, sometimes in a good way, even. Now maybe I can start to do that after this long weekend (involving a Sake Festival, yay!) coming up.

Back to Silver Week. I stayed in Yonago (米子) in Tottori Prefecture. Yonago is just outside of Shimane Prefecture where all of the other places were I visited (if you missed them, there was Hinomisaki, Izumo, and my favorite, Matsue). I'll be honest. I didn't love Yonago. I stayed there only because it was the only place in the vicinity I could find a decent and reasonably priced room in the area during such a busy travel week. If some of my posts are love letters to places in Japan, this one is more like hate mail. Sorry. Just how it is/was/ever shall be.

It was very difficult to find out information about anything in Yonago, even in Japanese. Going to the Information Kiosk at the train station was like pulling teeth. I asked for a map and got an English map that was pretty much useless along with information that was also in English but didn't say what it was in Japanese (making it difficult to ask someone in Japanese when you don't know what it's called) or details like how to get there. The next day, I went back to the Information Kiosk and asked about going to the onsen (hot springs) famous-ish in Yonago. She just said that you go by bus. So I had to ask what bus, then pulling another tooth, when do they run, and grabbing a molar, what onsen places are good. I mostly got one word answers. I had been so spoiled in Matsue (love, love, love) where if you asked about something, you were given plenty of information with all the pertinent details and maybe even more information about nearby places. As a bonus, lots of the time info was given in English. It was like having all of the teeth just fall out at once with no pulling. Not in Yonago.

Still, it wasn't all hate.

Mister Donut, My Friend, Even in Armpit Yonago
September 20, 2009

Seen While Sitting at McDonald's in Yonago
(Yonago gets one point for having a Mc D's - yes, I did - and another point for having entertainment in the form of the butchering of my native language, though it's not like I don't do the same to theirs daily.)

Hotel Room
Plum Wine Juice Box
Drinking Alone to Blur Out the Fact that I'm in Yonago

In keeping with my penchant for all things chronological, it's time to tell you about the morning of September 21st, the night after the juice box and its cousin friends that kept me up too late while I surfed the web (one more bonus point awarded).

There are no pictures. Be grateful. You don't want to see that. If you follow me on Twitter, you heard about this live, weeks ago, before I got so behind on everything. Innywho, at 6 bloody AM, I was awoken by the sound of the fire alarm. It kept ringing. I became concerned that my ass could be on fire. I did what any rational person would do, and I ran out into the hallway in my pajamas. With my laptop. The useless Yonago maps could burn, didn't care. In the hallway were all of the other folks on my floor, some in their PJ's, too. The looks on their faces suddenly seeing a crazy foreigner standing there in PJ's with laptop cradled like a baby was priceless. If I hadn't been busy crapping said PJ's (no, not really) out of fear, it would have been just as funny at the time as it is looking back. In any case, there was no fire. Still, I was unable to go back to sleep. That's how/why my first morning of the day I'd spend in Yonago would begin so early.

Back to the picture show.

River Walk, Yonago
September 21, 2009
If you ever have the misfortune of being in Yonago for some reason, make the trip not be a total loss by taking a walk along the river. It's gorgeous. There are sculptures all along the way.

The information you won't know when you start is how far it is to the other end. I still don't know. I do know that including the failed attempt to find where exactly the old castle ruins are once you turn off of the river walk (uphill, both ways) at the last sign you'll ever see and different forks you could take if only you knew where the hell you were going, it took me more than a couple hours (back on the main river walk after the castle ruin fail). The map I had was completely useless. Being hot, sweaty, hungry, tired and not sure when I'd be able to stop walking did not endear me to the City of Yonago. I'll quit my bitching and show you the prettiness I did get to see.

My Happiest Point Along the Yonago River Walk

More River, More Walking, More Pretty

The End of the River Walk
However many hours later, I got to here. It was another long walk back to the hotel, but I stopped at a lunch place for breakfast, and that made life better.

Just Some Shrine
None of the useless information I had named it, so I'm calling it Just Some Shrine

More Footbath
So, after a nap (tired from waking up too early for the fire that wasn't), I finally did haul myself over to the famed (so they say, I'd never heard of it) Kaike Beach Onsen Area. There was another one of those joyous foot onsen thingies outside the bus station. It wasn't as good as the one in Matsue, but really, nothing compares to Matsue. And, still, it did feel nice.

Kaike Beach, Yonago

Sex
Over by the onsen area, there are a lot of sex-related shops from adult toy stores like this one to soaplands (they guys in front looked menacing enough that I didn't take a picture). This also did nothing to make Yonago seem like anything but an armpit to me. It also didn't make me want to stay long enough to go to an actual onsen, knowing that if I did, it would be dark when I was walking past these fine establishments back to the bus stop. Alone. Thanks, anyway.

Kaike Onsen, San Chome

Leaving
September 22, 2009
Clouded over view of Mt Daisen. Next time I'll hike around over there instead of spending a second in Yonago.

Almost Home

Paused at a Station

I Love Trains

And so ends the Silver Week journey posts that I procrastinated writing and that then held up my posting about other little bits that have been going on since then. I've been saving some of the bits, and they will be coming soon so that I can be as caught up as I want to be. That may not happen until after the Sake Festival this weekend because, well, that's where I'll be!

Silver Week Part Three - Matsue

2009-10-04T18:15:00.001+09:00

Weekly Winners, hosted by Lotus.

Click pics for better looking larger images.

I know, I know. I've now gotten ridiculously behind and am hoping to catch up this week. No promises, but maybe. Technically these pictures aren't even from this week, but I have this thing about posting in chronological order, and these are next.

So here's some more of my Silver Week travels, picking up from last post (if you missed part one, it was here). Of the whole trip, Matsue was my favorite place because there was plenty to do, many places offered a 50% discount for foreigners (and many super nice folks spoke some English, making it even more foreigner friendly), and there was a very cheap day pass (500 yen/roughly US $5) for the Lakeland Loop bus that makes a big loop around the city that stops at pretty much all of the good stuff and then drops you back at the station. The bus made it unbelievably convenient and easy to get around town. This is a town that clearly goes out of its way to welcome foreigners, and it's nice when things are made a little easier/more convenient.

First Stop, Mister Donut
Matsue Station
Sunday, September 20th, 2009

Matsue Castle

More Matsue Castle
Couldn't resist toying with this picture.

Yet More Matsue Castle
Possibly my favorite Japan picture with effects so far.

Pretty Lake Shinji from Matsue Castle

Possibly Interfering with Superintendence by Taking This Picture
(though I have no clue what that actually means)

Discounts. English. Good.

Horikawa Sightseeing Boat
So much fun! The boat goes all around the castle, and even if the whole 50 minutes was in Japanese, my eyes understood that it was gorgeous.

Ahhhh....
As if I didn't already love all that is Matsue, I got off the bus at the Matsue Shinjiko-onsen stop, and boom, right there, was an onsen (hot springs) just for your feet. For free. You just wander over, roll up your pant legs and drop your feet into the water. It was super hot and felt incredibly good after so much walking. I. Love. Matsue.

Shimane Art Museum, Matsue
The location right on Lake Shinji makes everything about this place even more beautiful.

Lake Shinji from Shimane Art Museum
(with your admission ticket, you get access to a rooftop terrace and this view)

Me, Shimane Art Museum, Rooftop Terrace

Outside Shimane Art Museum
Out back, there was some music, a few vendors and cool sculptures.

Hippity Hoppity
Outside Shimane Art Museum

Pyon, Pyon
(the sound of rabbits hopping in Japanese is "pyon, pyon," which is kind of adorable)

And, Pyon.

Stating the Obvious
It's not just for signs or labeling in English anymore. Even in Japanese, you see this kind of silliness sometimes. It says: "This paper is not to be eaten." Even if you drip a little chocolate from your delicious chocolate, banana and fresh cream crepe on said wrapper and still have a little cappucino left (reason number 983 why I love Matsue). In that case, I think you are supposed to just lick the paper. There was no written instruction, though, so I was brave enough to just wing it and hoped for the best. And, oh, yes, it was the best.

Beautiful Day
Outside Shimane Art Museum

Silver Week Part Two - Izumo (with Weekly Winners)

2009-09-27T13:01:00.006+09:00

Weekly Winners, hosted by Lotus.

Click pics for better looking larger images.

I've been away from Weekly Winners for far too long, and I've missed participating. Since it's Sunday here and Sunday there, and I have pictures to share, the timing works. No promises I can get back into the old Sunday routine for good, but I can this week, and I want to try to make a point of it more often.

Picking up where I left off last time in my Silver Week travels, next, on the way back to the Izumo train station after the lighthouse (and still long before I'd checked into my hotel and still carrying my backpack), I stopped at the awesome Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine (出雲大社). (Another good link is here.) Japan loves to rank places, and apparently this is the 2nd most important shrine in all of Japan. It's also the oldest and largest shrine still in use in Japan. Now you know. It's also my favorite shrine so far. We'll get to that in a bit.

Across the Street
Saturday, September 19, 2009 (still, long day)
I wasn't sure which way to go when I got off the bus (it runs between the train station and the lighthouse with stops along the way, including Izumo Taisha), so I wound up across the street from the actual shrine. With the power of the internetz, I now know that this was actually the Anscestral Shrine (祖霊社) part of (I think) the main shrine.

Soba Noodles
(Approaching Izumo Taisha Shrine)
The banner in the left is for Izumo Soba, a local way of doing soba noodles. I had some at the little restaurant up by the lighthouse when I had time to kill waiting for my bus, and it was really good.

Izumo Taisha Shrine
The shimenawa, straw rope, is the largest in Japan. It's 13 meters/43 feet long, and apparently, it weighs 5 tons. I'm still wrapping my mind around that.

Tossing Coins
Here's where I think this shrine is cool. For lots of folks, this shrine is about having a happy marriage. To that end, people try to toss coins into the shimenawa (rope) for good luck.
Also, when praying, instead of just clapping twice like at normal shrines, people clap four times, once for themselves and once for their partner (or hopefully a future partner).

Got Lucky
A little hard to see, but here are the coins that stuck.

Ema
I always love these wooden plaques with prayers written on them. Always. Since this is the go to shrine for love and marriage, it's no surprise that the ema reflect that.

Omikuji
Shrines sell strips of paper with fortunes written on them, and if you get an unlucky one, then you can tie it to a tree or to the place where everyone else tied theirs. Basically, the bad luck will stay there. I like these almost as much as the ema tradition.

Izumo Taisha Shrine Torii
Coming from the bus station initially, I think I kind of entered backwards, so instead of seeing this first, like a normal person would, I actually saw it last as I was leaving and heading to a smaller train station that would take me to the bigger train station that would take me to my hotel.
Strange conversations in fast Japanese ensued at that little station about how it would take a ridiculously long time to get to where I was going if I took the little train because of how train schedules don't match up well, which seems kind of not so genius to me, just saying. So, opting out of the taxi that the older guy at the station was recommending, I managed to instead get lucky enough (without even praying for it at the shrine) to get on a bus that did, indeed, get me to the station and one step closer to putting down my backpack (contents comprised mostly of my laptop, which kept gaining weight somehow the longer I carried it).

So, I got to the hotel (and hour away, in Yonago - 米子, because it's the only place in the area I could find an available room), and I kind of laughed that the older woman behind the desk kept referring to me as gaijin-san instead of by, um, my name. That would be like calling someone Ms. Foreigner Lady. I was too exhausted to be anything but amused. As a huge bonus, if I borrowed a modem from the front desk, I could haz internetz in my room. It was joyous. I wound down with a warm shower and a cold beer, ready to wake up early for the next day's adventure in one of my now favorite cities, Matsue. Those pictures, next post.

Silver Week Part One - Hinomisaki

2009-09-23T18:33:00.004+09:00

Silver Week in Japan is a joyous thing that happens some years. 2009 is one of those years. Basically, it's when your regular 2 day weekend of Saturday and Sunday meet up with three days of holidays in a row on the following Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I had been hoping to get to Kyoto and/or Osaka and/or Nara, but since I waited too long to get started on plans, it was nearly impossible to find decent accommodation at a reasonable price. Also, I knew half of Japan would be there.

Instead, I decided to head in another direction, basically north/northwest-ish, up by the Sea of Japan side, and staying and seeing some cities in that area. Directly from Okayama Prefecture, after about 4 hours and a few trains, I arrived at my first destination, Hinomisaki (日御碕). Hinomisaki is part of the city of Izumo (出雲市) (about a 45 minute bus ride) in Shimane Prefecture (島根県), and it's where Japan's tallest lighthouse, Hinomisaki Toudai (御碕燈台) (link is in Japanese, sorry), stands. There is also a shrine right by the bus stop and on the way to the lighthouse. I hadn't back tracked to where I was staying yet, so I was carrying my backpack, with laptop inside, throughout the entire day, which somehow got heavier and heavier.

I took so many pictures that I'll be splitting this up into several posts covering the time I spent in Hinomisaki, Izumo, Matsue (*love* that city) and Yonago (didn't love that city).

Today you get Hinomisaki.

On the Train, Headed Out
Saturday, September 19, 2009
I do love how easy it is to get places in Japan.

For Izumoshi

Hinomisaki Shrine Torii

Hinomisaki Shrine Gate

Omikuji in Daruma Dolls

Island Seen Walking to the Lighthouse

Diving
(which I did not do)

Sea of Japan
(Still walking to lighthouse, and this was my first time on the "other" side of Japan, the side that is not the Pacific Ocean coast but the one facing Korea, China and Russia. Apparently, the name is currently being disputed, but for my purposes, Sea of Japan works fine.)

Hinomisaki Lighthouse

More Hinomisaki Lighthouse

Walked Too Far
I missed the turnoff where I could have gotten to the lighthouse in about 10-15 minutes. Instead, I did see amazing views, but it took me closer to an hour, which is when that backpack first started feeling heavier. When I saw this sign, I was a happy girl because it meant I'd be there soon.

Almost to the Lighthouse, the Hard Way
Almost there. And I did pay my 200 yen (roughly US $2) to go all the way up to the top. Even though I'm scared of heights. And don't love small spaces. Or steep and winding staircases. Especially while carrying a backpack.
I talked myself out of about 829 panic attacks and only took a handful of shots from the top when I got there and just wanted to be back on the ground (Japan has earthquakes, which would have sucked at that moment, I kept thinking). The few pictures I took from up top didn't turn out because I was shaking. It was beautiful. Take my word for it.
Coming back down the stairs the way I did, kind of sideways-ish, always starting with my left foot going down while my right leg supported the weight of me (and the backpack I think I've mentioned) pretty much destroyed that muscle. I didn't know it until the next day, but as I write this already 4 days later, it hurts to walk. I suppose I'm glad I went to the top of Japan's tallest lighthouse, but I'm sure there are postcards showing the view from the top, and they don't cause panic or muscle pains. I'll keep that in mind.

Got Squid?
Out of the lighthouse and back on the ground with the fresh seafood for sale.

Lighthouse, Manhole / Up, Down

Walking Back to the Bus Stop, Sea of Japan

Thirsty
I was shocked when I lived in Japan before and first learned about Pocari Sweat. Because, ew, sweat, right? It's actually not a bad drink at all, and it is kind of supposed to do for you whatever Gatorade does with replenishing stuff you loose from exerting yourself. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and it sounded good.

After some Pocari Sweat, I still had a good 45 minutes before the bus to the culturally important must-see shrine, Izumo Taisha (basically on the way along the bus route from the lighthouse to the station), would arrive. It would still be many hours before I'd backtrack the hour from the train station to where I could check into my hotel. And set down that heavy ass damn backpack. Since I had time and hadn't yet eaten (not expecting to take the extended scenic tour route of getting to the lighthouse), I grabbed some soba from the little shop/store near the bus stop. There I met a couple of sisters about my age who live in Tokyo and who seemed surprised that I was traveling alone and could speak any Japanese. It's funny what amazes folks, I guess, but it made for good conversation. Anyway, we exchanged cell phone email info, and we've been sending messages back and forth once in awhile. Always good to make new friends.

Next post will pick up from here with pictures from Izumo Taisha Shrine. It really was pretty cool and probably my favorite shrine so far because it's all about the lovin'. Stay tuned.

Sports Day, Last Weekend, With Injuries

2009-09-20T22:01:00.000+09:00

I'm still and perpetually a week behind, but I have to post these since I'm traveling again (Izumo/Matsue/Yonago/Sakaiminato, if you wonder, and so far, so awesome and beautiful and with bonus internet in my hotel room that I didn't expect to be lucky enough to have!) and taking lots more pictures that I'll want to post. I've been posting some from my cell phone on Twitter (via Twitpic - look there to see some pics I've taken) as I go if you want a sneak peek.

Last weekend was Sports Day at our school. This meant a few weeks of nutty, erratic class schedules (some days with no classes at all) to fit in time to practice for the big event. Sports Day really is kind of a big deal in most Japanese schools.

Class Signs
Each homeroom decorated a sign to be used for Sports Day, and they were parked in the teachers' room a few days before the big event (scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2009), so I grabbed this shot.

'Twas the Night Before (Instead of the Night of)
Saturday, September 12, 2009
We were supposed to have an enkai (party, with drinks) after a successful Sports Day. Except that it rained the day it was supposed to happen. So we had a party with mostly only light drinking or no drinking so that we could all get up early on Sunday for the re-scheduled Sports Day. I was kind of bummed because people are more likely to talk to the scary foreigner (me) when they are a little tipsy. Still, it was a fun night, and just the environment seemed enough for more folks to chat with me. Of course, there was an abundance of sushi and other yummables.

Pretty Little Backdrop
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The day the Sports Day actually took place. I never tire of the views around town or behind my school. Simply amazing.

Represent
Remember those signs above? Here they are representing each class.
At this point the kids are marching in place. Everything is perfectly choreographed. When they are standing in lines, they are perfectly straight and even perfectly spaced so that even looking from a diagonal view, you see straight lines.
(And, yes, I've blurred out faces. On the very rare occasions that I have reasons to post pictures that include my students, I will not show their faces. It's a privacy thing.)

Hinomaru
Japan really doesn't do a whole lot of flag waving (click hinomaru link above), especially compared to my home country where we are all flag, all the time. Sports Day is always a good enough reason for Japan to do her flag thing. It comes right back down after the event, though, and then makes another brief appearance for graduation day in March.

Whistle While You Work

Gearing Up for My Favorite Event
I have no idea what this event is called, but it struck me as funny, and it had to be my favorite event to watch. Basically, three students hoist a fourth student up (one person stands in the middle, then the two on toward the back of each side put one hand on that middle person's shoulder to create a something like a saddle and the other hand down to create someting like stirrups, all to support that fourth person who sits up top, wearing a cap), and they go around trying to knock the cap off of the other teams' person in the saddle. If that makes any sense. Anyway, it was cool and fun to watch.

More of My Favorite Event, Action Stage

Pyramid
I so wish I didn't have to blur the faces. Just know that the students closer to the top are smiling maniacally, while those closer to the bottom have expressions mixed with joy and strain. In any case, it was incredible.

Ooh, Pretty Colors

And so, an awesome Sports Day came to an end with the following Monday and Tuesday off in exchange for teaching on Saturday because of cancelation due to rain and then the real event on Sunday. Well, that was almost the end of Sports Day, but not before I physically injured someone. Which was horrible, all around.

See, we were taking down the big tents, and I grabbed hold of a bar the wrong way so that the bar popped out of it's pole base thingy and landed pretty much in a teacher's eyeball. Or would have if he hadn't have been wearing glasses. Glasses that were now damaged. He spent the next half hour with an ice pack over his eye instead of doing whatever all the other teachers were busy doing. I felt beyond terrible.

I said more than once that I was sorry, but it's difficult with language and cultural barriers to feel like you are responding appropriately sometimes. When it was time for me to leave, I wanted to do some kind of something, so for lack of any other great ideas, I grabbed a bottle of Coke from under my desk (we'd all received drinks from a former teacher or something in honor of Sports Day?), and I tried to hand it to the poor bastard that had let me "help" with anything involving metal poles.

He refused to take it and said something in Japanese about not making such a big deal out of it, or something maybe along those lines, possibly, and I couldn't tell if he was annoyed (probably) or just trying to say not to worry about it (sounded more like the former, actually). I really had no clue. I just knew that I was on the verge of tears both worried and embarrassed and wanted to do something and that since he wouldn't let me, the whole thing seemed even more awkward than I thought possible. I wound up setting the bottle of Coke on his desk, apologizing again and being grateful that it was time for me to ~~disappear into the floor~~ go home.

As recently as this past Friday, almost a week later, he still has a tiny bandage covering a small cut by his eyebrow, but he appears to still have both eyeballs, and we both act like nothing happened (which sounds more to me like how you'd handle a one night stand than a bodily injury, but after the Coke thing, I'm rolling with however he wants to play it, and he clearly doesn't want me to mention it. His eye, his call.).

Pizza Night Weekend

2009-09-12T12:01:00.003+09:00

Playing catch up a week behind again. Last weekend was a glorious event, Pizza Night on Friday night with our group of new JETs (and one that`s not new) in a small town called Wake (pronounced not like what you do in the morning but more like wah-kay) here in Okayama Prefecture. Awesome pizza, really, at a place called Pizza King, and this blog over here does a great job talking about the pizza in more detail and even showing pictures of how to get there (worth a look, even if you aren`t going). It`s funny how the place is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I`ll be making the trip from my middle of nowhere to that middle of nowhere at least a few more times. Any pizza here without tuna, mayo and corn is a thing of joy, but this place is really pretty damn good even when not comparing it to such travesties.

I`d only packed a bag for one overnight, but it turned into a whole weekend of fun after Pizza Night. That happens. There were pictures. Here they are, some before the big night.

My First Taiko Drums Night
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
I mentioned a few posts back that I`d joined a taiko drum group. I *love* the sound of taiko drums. If only it sounded that good when I play. I totally suck and often hold up the whole group while the main guy who has been doing it for 25 years wonders aloud what we should do so that I get it and stop sucking. So far, nothing has worked. I`ve been twice, and it was at least better than the first time. I have little hope for improvement, but just like with singing karaoke, I never let my lack of talent stop me from attempting to be musical. Plug your ears.

Pretty Little Sunset in Tiny Town
Thursday, September 3, 2009

Train Station Sunset
(Headed Out on Pizza Night)
Friday, September 4, 2009

Pizza. King. Indeed.

Purikura Heaven
"Purikura" is short for "print club," where you take photobooth pictures with cutesy stuff on them, and then they print out as small stickers to trade with your ~~junior high school aged~~ sometimes adult friends. It was popular even 14 years ago when I last did this JET thing. Now it`s just more advanced with a dizzying array of booths all in one place and a gazillion options to decorate the pictures you`ve taken. I didn`t intend to turn up here, but after pizza last Friday night and staying over with friends (and a fair amount of beer) as intended, a few of us decided to hang out in the city (Okayama City) for awhile on Saturday. One of our group dragged us in here. I didn`t exactly kick and scream.

Kibichuo, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Continuing the trend of coloring outside the lines of my plans, after Okayama City, I went back to another of the JETs towns, way remote, by car, up in the mountains and completely gorgeous. We hung out and had a nice girls` night and went to the local nature park the next day. I have to say, the scenery reminded me a lot of Oregon. And I did say so. Probably a lot. I miss waterfalls.

Kibichuo Nature Park

Almost Home
After the waterfalls we drove the hour or so into Kurashiki (already talked about one area of this city here and here). I could easily catch a train from there, and it`s also where there happens to be an actual mall. Japan doesn`t have a lot of those. AEON Mall is a 10 minute bus ride from the train station (which has a Starbucks by it, just saying), so after a little mall time, I headed back to my tiny town, and this was the view from the train. I always love the view heading home from wherever the weekend has taken me.

No big plans this weekend. It`s the first weekend that I`ll actually sleep in Tiny Town because my school is having Sports Day on Saturday (September 12th), so I`ll need to stick around. The good news is that there is an enkai after that, so it will be a good chance to talk to more of the teachers once alcohol kind of fuzzes the language barrier and blurs some of the shyness (on both sides, but more theirs). Then I have Monday off from school. I have no idea where I should go/what I do, but I need to go/do something.

Looming larger is the pressure to come up with some plans for Silver Week the weekend after this plus the following Monday through Wednesday (so September 19 - 23) that are all holidays. Lots of places will be insane with travelers and hotel prices higher than normal, so my initial thoughts of trying to get to Osaka and Kyoto are sounding better for just a few 3-day weekends kind of thing, which leaves me scrambling for some plan to go somewhere with all those fabulous days off. Ah, the stress...

Jean D Roger Lived Until September 11, 2001 - Re-Post

2009-09-11T00:01:00.001+09:00

The past 2 years I've posted my tribute to Jean D Roger as part of Project 2,996.

I'm posting it again because Jean is still gone. Let's not forget the good folks we lost that day 8 years ago.

"May you have love, happiness, and peace of mind because really, in the end, everything else just comes and goes." - Jean D Rogér

Jean D Rogér
June 28, 1977 - September 11, 2001

We all know what happened on that profoundly tragic day already 6 years ago [7 years at the time of this re-post]. Even for those of us who didn't know a single person who died that day or didn't even know someone who did lose someone, the sense of loss was, and as I write this still is, just overwhelming beyond belief.

Thanks to D. Challener Roe’s Project 2,996, and especially the efforts of those involved last year, tributes have been made to many of those 2,996 individual people who lost their lives due to the events of that grim day on September 11, 2001. It's important to remember that each of the huge 2,996 number represents people, real people, with families and friends, and hobbies and things like favorite foods or movies and everything else that makes us individuals.

Somehow in last year's project, Jean D. Rogér, beloved daughter of Tom & Eileen Rogér, little sister to Jimmy Rogér, sweetheart of Kevin Dowd, and good friend to many upon more many, Jean didn't receive tribute. This year I'm giving tribute because Jean's beautiful smile compelled me to find out more about who she was and share her life with others, even if I didn't know her. About that smile, the CBS article that really helped me to get started in finding out more information has this to say:

"Even as a baby, she's always had her smile," says Jean’s mother Eileen. "When she walked in a room, she smiled, and just lit it up."

Others noticed Jean's smile, too, whether or not they knew her. Jean's page at Legacy.com covers 7 pages (!), and here are just a couple of comments about that special smile that also drew me in:

I am a Flight Attendant for Continental Airlines....from the moment I saw Jean's picture posted on the AFA website's memorial board, something in her smile drew me to learn more about her. She seems like she was a wonderful person, full of everything that is good. My mother and father are both deceased, and I say a prayer quite often to both of them to look out after Jean until she can be reunited with her loved ones one day. Pam (FL)

Never met her, never knew her, but looking at her smile, I feel I have. God Bless. Andrew Mackey (Weymouth, MA)

It's not nearly as important just how Jean died as it is so very important just how Jean lived, and from everything I can gather, right up until September 11, 2001, Jean Destrehan Rogér did live - and then some, packing plenty into her short life, though she couldn't have known it would end at 24 years young.

Jean graduated from Longmeadow High School in Longmeadow, MA in the Class of 1995, and she was involved in both golfing and swimming. Today the high school's pool bears Jean's name in memory, and such tribute sounds more than appropriate considering this comment below (link may now be broken) by someone whose life was touched by knowing Jean as a fellow swimmer:

Jean and I swam together for a few years at Longmeadow High School. I remember so well how she supported me, the lonely freshman on the freestyle relay. She was so kind and an extraordinary leader. Her smile will live in my heart forever. Though I was not extremely close to her, I do know that she was a genuinely warm hearted person with a wonderful, supportive family. Jean, you will always be remembered. Leah Halsey

Of course, it does sound from a friend of a best friend of Jean's that Jean knew how to have some fun, too, not just beam that smile or run around being all good, all the time:

I had heard so much about [Jean] through Anne, hilarious stories of them growing up, sneaking cars out, and other silly adolescent stories etc ;), that when I finally met her I feel as though I knew her! Ashley Miller (Alexandria, VA)

Jean seems to have had just as much fun and made just as much of an impact on those fortunate enough to have been around her during her 4 and a half years at Penn State. Jean was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, was known to some by the nickname Beano (or Jeanbean to others), and provided good pep talks and plenty of fun, according to another visitor who signed one of Jean's memorial guest books (sadly, link may be broken):

Two years later and the memories are so vivid from this day in September. However, the 4 years I was able to spend time with Jean and live alongside her in Cooper Hall at Penn State will be cherished forever. I just remember the wild and crazy days we all had together and the times that Jean would give me a pep talk or just convince me to go out with her if I was having a bad day. Beano, I'm sorry that I didn't have a chance to spend time with you after our days at school, and to her family-you did a wonderful time in raising Jean, and I feel blessed that I God allowed our paths to cross. Jennifer Shipe

Other college friends have similar thoughts about Jean, too:

Dear Roger Family,
My thoughts and prayers are with you today as they have been on countless days over the last five years. Jean and I were great friends in college. She was truly one of those special friends who I felt bonded to my soul. I try to remember to live with the same kind of fun-loving, laid-back joy that she had every day. Her sincerity and kindness made everyone feel like the most special person in the room. Miss your smile and the good times Jeannie. Devon Lee Tanweer (Mount Laurel, NJ)

I knew Jean in college. While I may not have known her as well as many of you who have written entries, she is very much remembered. She had a presence - she could make a room brighten up and her personality just shined. I enjoyed our friendship and enjoyed being with her. I always think of Jean and especially on this day. Julie Morse Kenney (Glenside, PA)

Here, too:

I consider myself blessed for every day I knew and spent with Jean in college. I even more so consider myself blessed for the lessons she taught me that I will carry with me forever. I am a better person as a result and will forever keep her in my daily thoughts and prayers. You are all right about her smile...and that was only the beginning sign of what a great person she was. We all love you and miss you Jean! Stephanie Mohr (Boyertown, PA)

Yet again, here, too:

I knew Jean years ago while at Penn State. She truely was as caring and as fun as everyone says she was. I was deeply saddened to learn that she was lost in these horrific acts. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family. [sic] Dan Meehan (Arlington, VA)

Jean had earned her degree in environmental science from Penn state, but she was a people person with an adventurous spirit, and being a flight attendant seemed perfect, and so even after completing that degree, Jean pursued this flight attendant dream of hers, too. I get the idea that Jean was just as determined as she was smart and caring, so it's really not terribly surprising that she went after her dreams and shined brightly while doing so. According to one of Jean's instructors (and Alejo says plenty more, but this is just a snippet):

Shiny is a word that it could describe her, she shined thru the training, she shined with her eagerness to fly, she shined with evry question she asked, she shined the day we pinned her wins in Dallas in 2000 and the will always shine in my heart and in many peoples hearts from heaven. [sic] Alejo Larocca (Buenos Aires-Argentina)

Aside from shining so bright as a student, once again, those who knew Jean during flight attendant training or work have also commented on just how much fun Jean added to their lives, a theme I keep finding no matter where I turn in finding out more about the person behind that smile:

Jean- I still think of you all the time. I will remember you always;and will never forget that beautiful smile and your love of life. God Bless you and your family. Amy D. (Decorah, IA)

The previous entry before mine is from a Dear Friend that was also in Jean's training class. I was a class behind them, but, Amy and I still keep in contact and Jean is always on our minds. I had the pleasure to meet Jean through training and when we were based together in Chicago. What a fun, vibrant person Jean was and such a joy to fly with. I don't think a day goes by that I am not thinking of her and the other friends and crewmembers we lost on that dreadful day! To the Roger Family, you have always been in my prayers even though I haven't had the opportunity to say so. Hilary W, Former AA Flight Attendant (Hopewell, VA)

And from another fellow flight attendant (same site, link broken now):

My heartfelt sympathies for you Jean's close friends and her family. I attended flight attendant training with Jean and her smile and laughter helped us through many days. I also had the opportunity to fly some trips with her when she got to move back to Boston to be home again. She was so wonderful. I always looked forward to working with her. I thank you for sharing her quote that she left her sweet boyfriend in his b-day card. I read it often and think of her, and how she is smiling down on all of us. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. God Bless you and God Bless Jean. My Thoughts and Prayers, Amy D.

The quote from the birthday card mentioned above is one of those things that has haunted me, in a good way, and has stayed in my mind as I found out more about the life of Jean Rogér and have let her smile and her spirit enter my own heart. Again from the CBS story, Jean's mom, Eileen, had this to share:

In the days leading up to Sept. 11, Jean was surrounded by her family. “We had a really nice family weekend. We played golf with her boyfriend. And actually, she and I beat the guys that day. She took great pride in that one. Our family has always been very close. And she was here. And we were delighted in every bit of it.”

Just knowing that Jean spent what would turn out to be her last days in the warm embrace of family would bring some sense of solace in the face of such sad tragedy, but somehow Jean managed to take her legacy even further, not even realizing the impact that her words would have on those who knew Jean, those who loved Jean, and even on those who had never even met Jean.

You see, September 10, 2001 was an important day in Jean's life because it was the 30th birthday of her sweetheart of 2 years, Kevin Dowd, and Jean took him out to celebrate and to enjoy spending time together in Boston where Kevin worked. From a New York Times article via Legacy.com, we know this about that night, September 10, 2001:

That night Ms. Rogér gave Mr. Dowd a card that, he said, summed up her general life philosophy. "She wished me to have love, happiness and peace of mind because really, everything else just comes and goes," Mr. Dowd said. Despite a late night, the following morning "she went to work with a smile on her face," Mr. Dowd said. "She was happy as could be."

Since Jean had only been flying about 18 months, her assignments were typically last minute while on the stand-by list, and it was early morning on September 11 that Jean arrived at Boston's Logan International to find out where the day might take her if asked to fill in on a flight. According to Jean's dad, Tom, this kind of crazy and different everyday schedule was something Jean enjoyed, and Jean was happy to be assigned to this flight, American Airlines Flight 11, headed to Los Angeles that she knew had such a great crew.

Sadly, this was the first plane to crash that cruel day, flying into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46AM, alerting the world that everything had changed. Forever.

And yet, Jean Rogér's smile will never leave my mind, and her words ring so very true in my heart that they are worth repeating again:

"May you have love, happiness, and peace of mind because really, in the end, everything else just comes and goes."

My goal has been to share what I've been able to learn about Jean Rogér from whatever sources I could find, and I do hope that I've not only told a part of Jean's story that will touch others as it has touched me to write it, but I also do sincerely hope that I've not stepped on any toes or feelings along the way and that everything I've written is accurate and a fair representation of this beautiful person named Jean. If I have erred, please do contact me (link to my website will take you to my email address, or you may simply leave a comment since I do read them) so that I can make right anything that isn't exactly as it should be.

I've tried to reference well within the post itself, but here is a list of links I found useful while learning about Jean:
Jean Roger - September 11 Memories
Guest Book - Jean D. Roger
Jean D. Roger Legacy.com
The Untold Story of Flight 11 Part One and Part Two
September 11, 2001 Victims Jean Roger, 24, Longmeadow, MA (broken link now)
Jean Roger - September 11 Memories
The Longmeadow Information Network for Kids - .pdf meeting minutes
In Memorium
Jean D. Roger
American Airlines Flight 11

Pirate Festival

2009-09-06T17:34:00.003+09:00

I'm a whole weekend behind in posting these since it's already Sunday again, but after spending August 27th in Hiroshima, then the 28th at Miyajima, we headed to an island in the Seto Inland Sea called Yuge (technically now merged as part of Kamijima, Ehime Prefecture). Another JET lives there, and her island is next to the bigger island of Innoshima where the Pirate Festival was held on the 29th. I've been to many festivals in Japan since Japan loves a good festival, but this one was probably one of my favorites.

On the Ferry, Onomichi to Yuge
Friday, August 28th, 2009

Yuge Manhole Cover

Matsubara Beach, Yuge
Saturday, July 29th, 2009
Before the Pirate Festival's festivities in the evening, we spent a few hours in the morning at this beautiful beach. The water was warm, and ours, a group of four, was the only group there. It was like being in our own private paradise. Amazing. Truly.

Yummies at Pirate Festival on Innoshima Island

French Dog, American Dog
Whatever the name, the corn dog is a thing of joy, anywhere.

Thirsty?

Pirate Festival Torch

Japanese Pirates!

About to be Piratical

Me, Pirates, Happy, Yay

Pirate with Guns

Fire
My night shots never turn out all that great, but imagine about nine million similar shots, and you'll know what other pictures I took that night. It was truly spectacular.

Pretty
Seen on Yuge while walking back to the ferry port for the return home after an awesome 4 day trip.

Maybe I'll stay more caught up this week and can tell you about the awesome pizza place I went to this past weekend and how that turned into a whole weekend instead of one night of fun. Hanging out with our awesome group of new JETs with lots of pizza, beer and conversation was exactly what I needed to lift out of the funk. Good times. More on all that next post.

Miyajima (After Some Blather)

2009-09-02T23:16:00.004+09:00

I started teaching on Monday, and it definitely makes the work days go by faster when I'm busy. That said, I think I'm experiencing some of the first real waves of culture shock. It's funny how it's less of a shock than the name would imply and is often so much more subtle. I'm still thrilled to be here, but as some of the newness and non-stop-go of it all fades, missing home - Tom, the kitties, the way I'm used to things being done, easy communication with the native language advantage, Mexican food, etc. - creeps in more easily and stays a little closer to the surface. That, or it could be PMS. Or both. The good news is that I am fully aware that this is all normal and will pass (even if it comes and goes several times over the next year).

Once in awhile the PA system at school randomly starts playing It's a Small World (no, really) or a handful of Carpenter's songs and other musical delights. I'm sure it's not random if you know what the hell is going on. Most of the time I do not even kind of know. At least some of the time it signals cleaning time (students clean the schools here, with mixed results), but it doesn't always mean that (unless folks are cleaning secretly someplace where I cannot see them). On a related note, if I unwrap a small treat that someone brought back from their summer travels (omiyage is so very Japan), I can't put the wrapper in the garbage can unless I first wrap that wrapper in something that is not a food wrapper. (huh? do what now?) I found this out today. Once in awhile the curiosity kills me enough to ask why. So I did. Since the students empty the wastebaskets in the teacher's room, and they are not allowed to bring snacks, I need to wrap any food wrappers in something that is not a food wrapper. I kind of get it. Kind of. I'm still not sure about the music thing, but from now on it will be my signal to double-check that I've rewrapped my wrappers in case it's cleaning time. (?)

I joined the taiko drum group tonight and had a lot of fun. It also helped with the little bit of the above funk going on because it required such concentration but also provided the immediate gratification of really loud noises. I'd love to become good at it because I've always been mesmerized watching taiko drummers (here's a sample if you've never heard it). I'll be practicing with chopsticks between Wednesdays and see what happens.

Anyway, what I'm really here to post is more pictures from my travels. After visiting beautiful Hiroshima, we went to nearby Miyajima (technically called Itsukushima), a place you've probably seen in pictures at some point because of the famous floating torii gate that appears often on Japan related items. Apparently it's one of the top 3 views in all of Japan, and I understand why. I'd also heard there were deer, but I didn't really give it a second thought until we got there...
Miyajima
August 28, 2009
Wow, Um, Hello Deer Just Chilling at the Entrance Like it's No Big Thing

Fuzzy Antlers
I had no idea. Did you?

The One I Wanted to Fold Up Small and Put in My Pocket Forever

Coming Toward Me. Probably to Eat My Map.
Yes, they can be a little bit pushy and forward. One really did eat half my map. I tried getting it back from him at first until I realized I'd lose and wasn't sure how sharp his teeth were. Considering the map was free, there was no reason to continue the fight. I saw others go through the same situation and thought process.

My Wow Shot

Pretty Miyajima

Overcast Miyajima

Miyajima Restaurants and Shops

Stay tuned for the Pirate Festival pictures next time.

Hiroshima

2009-08-31T23:08:00.006+09:00

I didn't visit Hiroshima the last time I lived in Japan. Part of it was geographical distance. The other part was probably something else. I guess I thought somehow it would be weird to be there, as an American, considering the history and all. Whatever the reason or combination of reasons, I never made the trip. I was missing out on somewhere special.

Turns out, Hiroshima is nothing like I'd imagined.

In fact, it's a really beautiful city, my favorite city in Japan now, actually, for plenty of reasons. Even if I didn't know the history, it would still be a beautiful city. Knowing the history just makes it more so by comparison. If my camera captured enough to convey half the beauty that I saw with my own eyes, you'll see what I mean in the pictures below.

There was no awkwardness about being there as a foreigner, even as an American. There were plenty of us wandering around, more than in a lot of places I've been. So much was in English that it was remarkable, and so many people went out of their way to be kind and helpful, from the folks at the hotel who responded to my Japanese in English, to the passenger on the streetcar (cities with streetcars are just plain cool/convenient) who tapped my arm to point out a free seat, to the conductor who explained where and how to transfer when headed to Miyajima (which will be it's own post with more I didn't expect), to the older Japanese guy in the park that enjoyed making small talk about Chicago baseball when I said I was from there. No grudges. No weird.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park area is one of those places that just exudes peacefulness. While the A-Bomb Dome, the famous building that partially survived the nuclear bomb enough to still stand as a powerful symbol of Hiroshima and reminder of that day, sits in full view, just across the beautiful river, people stroll through the park either reflecting upon the many monuments or simply do mundane things like nap on park benches with their books open across their stomachs. Either way, there is a sense of peacefulness there so strong that it's like a soothing balm for the difficult emotions after visiting the Peace Memorial Museum (which did a nice job and cost almost nothing to visit). It's a place that makes you just want to be there and stay there awhile once you are.

I didn't expect that.

Here, then, are some of the pictures I took, though most of these images will stay in my mind forever.

Okonomiyaki - Hiroshima Style
First order of business upon arrival in Hiroshima was to eat lunch, and there was no question that it had to be the famous Hiroshima style of okonomiyaki. I talked about the other kind last post. I think I still prefer the Kansai/Osaka style that is served most places I've been, but it was pretty cool to have the real deal at Okonomimura (or official Japanese site is here), a building that houses basically nothing more than over 20 okonomiyaki restaurants.
Hiroshima, August 27, 2009

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
They handled the tough subject well, and admission was only 50 yen (roughly less than US$0.50 currently)

Picture of a Picture of the A-Bomb Dome
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Seeing the destruction then compared to the beauty now makes me believe in the power of people to overcome and move forward and create beauty from ruins. I read in the museum that transportation was largely back up and running just 3 days after that day on August 6, 1945. Amazing.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
seen from the museum

A-Bomb Dome from a Park Bench
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

Beautiful Hiroshima

Memorial Cenotaph
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
If you look closely, you can see the arch framing the A-Bomb Dome. Many people paused here to remember and to pray (even me) for peace. It's worth clicking over to read this short blurb about this monument.

Origami Cranes
Everywhere in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Surely you have heard the story about Sadako and the Thousand Cranes. If not, you must go read it now. I'll be back to Hiroshima again. When I go, I'd love to bring 1000 cranes with me. I've folded about 15 so far. I'd love it if you'd like to help. Here's a video for one way to do it, but there are other variations all over the internet. Please contact me if you'd like to help. If you mail me however many, I'll add them to mine when I go. How cool would that be?
The cranes in the middle of this collage were fascinating because they are a whole different style I'd never seen.

Another View from Another Park Bench
Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park

One of Many Napping on a Park Bench
Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park

The Hotel that Isn't an Automatic Door / Please Do Rock the Room
I'm allowed to poke a little fun at the English when they talk about rocking the room, even if I really did appreciate how much more foreigner friendly Hiroshima was by attempting more English than most places.

I'll be back soon with Miyajima pictures. They will be fun.

Toys, Costumes, Views, Food and a Frog

2009-08-30T23:16:00.005+09:00

I'm back again from a really nice long weekend. Hiroshima was well worth the trip and was different than I thought it would be in some good ways, Miyajima was like walking into a famous postcard and also included a surprise, and the Pirate Festival was really a blast in a gorgeous place. Pictures and stories for each will be coming later in the week.

Monday morning, less than 9 hours from now, I'll give a couple of speeches at school (as in, one in front of all the teachers and then one in front of the whole school, in bad Japanese, just to make it interesting for me or them, not sure which), and then I'll start teaching classes. So, yes, I really am working here (though I do get why some of you asked!), just traveling in between work whenever possible and had the orientation out of town plus a couple of bonus days off. I've been falling behind in getting pictures posted as a result, but I've been taking tons and generally having a great time. Japan is such a beautiful place.

Since I didn't get a chance to post these before I left, below are some pictures from Yume-ga-Hara in Bisei (now part of Ibara), Okayama where there is a medieval-like Japanese village where we went way back last Wednesday as part of our prefectural orientation. It was definitely the more fun part.

For now, these pictures:

Taketombo - like a bamboo helicopter
These are much harder to make than they look, and shaving down the bamboo with a knife isn't gentle on the hands. They are fun once done, though!
Yume-ga-Hara, Bisei/Okayama
July 26, 2009

The Master
This man can shave down the bamboo to make taketombo in about 2 minutes. Most of us took more than 20 minutes to not even finish half. Thankfully, he finished ours for us. Or I'd still be there.
His secret, I think was being able to shave off long peels at once instead of bits. Even knowing that secret didn't mean most of us could do it. I was impressed at the talent this guy has.

Koma - spinning tops, made for fighting
We were given these as is, but the challenge was being able to string it correctly and then flick the wrist just right to make it work. Then there was that crazy spinning top of another type that spins even if you put it in someone's hand. Amazing.

Frogs Say Kerokero Here
I love how different languages have different words for animal sounds.
Japanese frogs don't ribbit, they kerokero.

Playing Dress Up

View from the Lookout

Kagura Performance, the Sound Guy

More Kagura
They don't always have this kind of performance there, but they did that day. And at one point the performer tossed out snacks, making it even cooler than it already was.

Dragon Slaying, Kagura-style

Okonomiyaki
After the fun part of orientation, I had okonomiyaki with some folks near me that just got here and others that are leaving. This is at a local restaurant (one of not many open after lunch), and it's Kansai/Osaka style okonomiyaki. When I get to posting Hiroshima pictures, you'll see the difference in style.
Basically, okonomiyaki is batter with a whole bunch of stuff in it, often pork or seafood. Japanese people tend to describe it as a Japanese pancake, but I've never been able to think of it like that beyond being that approximate shape. Anything you put katsuobushi (fish flakes) on is just simply not in the pancake family, not even as a crazy distant cousin.
That night I tried mine with mochi and cheese, and it was my new favorite. Of course, I still like the old favorites, too.

My Kind of Frog
(he totally wanted some coffee, obviously)

Island Paradise, Part Two

2009-08-27T07:31:00.000+09:00

Headed out the door in the next hour for Hiroshima and then the Pirate Festival over the weekend, but for now, more pictures continued from the last post. Also, I'm not sure how many pictures make it too slow to load, so please let me know if it's a problem, and I'll adjust.

Private Beach, Shiraishi Island
(about 10 minutes from cottage)
August 23, 2009

More Private Beach

Walking Back to Ferry

More Seen Walking

And More Seen Walking

More Boats

Quiet

On the Ferry, Headed Back After the Awesome Weekend

From the Ferry as We Pulled Away

Kasaoka Delights
(the ferry port is in Kasaoka, and yes, I had some of each)

Welcome Party at a Beer Garden, Japan-style
August 23, 2009
(on top of a department store with all you can eat and drink)

Karaoke
(two nights in a row)

Island Paradise, Part One

2009-08-25T23:23:00.000+09:00

It almost didn't feel like being in Japan anymore when we, our wonderful and just-right-sized group of new JETs, arrived on beautiful Shiraishi Island and got situated at the Moo Bar on the beach. The owners, Paul and Amy are awesome. Amy writes a column for the Japan Times, which my bloggy pal Janet told me about and to say hello, and then Amy said hello and "moo" back. Oh, and she blogs. Anyway, they handle reservations for pretty much anything you want to do on the island from a place to sleep to massages to trips to pouring yummy drinks. Not that any of us were thirsty enough on a hot day to try every cold drink on the menu.

Anyway, the island was a really nice treat with our group before meeting up with a bunch of the renewing JETs at a welcome party the night before our prefectural orientation.

I got home this evening and wanted to get these pics up because tomorrow is another day of orientation but doing some fun cultural stuff locally (likely to involved more pictures), and then it's the long weekend in Hiroshima and at the Pirate Festival (too sleepy to link back, but I keep mentioning it since it's all been all over my mind, and I know that there will be a bucket load of pictures from both).

K, pictures.

Stop Sign in My Tiny Town
August 21, 2009
(the day before heading out)

On the Bus, Start of Trek to Shiraishi
August 22, 2009

Pretty Countryside
On the Bus, Start of Trek to Shiraishi

Ferry to Shiraishi Island
Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan

Making Waves

From Ferry, Part Way to Shiraishi Island

Shrine on Shiraishi Island

View from the Cottage

Beautiful, Beautiful Day

Another Shrine, Just Off the Beach

Seen Walking

Yay, Moo Bar!

A View from the Moo Bar

to be continued...

Airing My Clean-ish Laundry

2009-08-21T23:37:00.002+09:00

I've mentioned my laundry issues in my last post, where I linked to the other posts, and I promised a video at some point. This is that point. I've got some clothes on the line that I hope dry by morning (overnight, good luck) because that's when I'm headed out for a weekend on Shiraishi Island and all of the crazy work and then fun travel for the next 8 days. Posting will be sporadic, as will all of my blog visits, but I'll be back with pictures. For now, enjoy the laundry video. I put some translation information on there in case someone stumbles across one of these relics (not as common anymore, I'm told) and finds the information useful. If not, I hope it's entertaining. And I hope that when I come back I am still able to get that other washer because I'm no longer so entertained. I did get another (old) bike (different woes) this past Wednesday, and the brakes work kind of OK but are nice and quiet, so things are moving in the right direction.

Showtime. It's a 10 minute video. Grab a drink and some clothes to fold or something while you watch.

Part Two of Kurashiki (and Bonus Shrine Vocab!)

2009-08-19T09:10:00.002+09:00

The bike and washer issue are still pending, but it`s hard to care when I`m getting ready to go to an island paradise this weekend! Seriously, if you haven`t checked out this link for Shiraishi Island, it`s cool. If not, I`ll be back with stories and pictures, but it could be awhile with that crazy week plus ahead and likely no internet. Knowing I have internet at home makes me less twitchy thinking about going away for however many days without it. I can still post pictures to Twitter from my phone, and Tom and I can email back and forth by phone, so that`s the main contact I can`t go without for too long. That`s all not until Saturday, though.

Tonight, I need to shop and clean and make the place ready for lunch visitors since a couple of the English teachers are coming over on Thursday. Can you guess what I`m making? It`s the one dish I`ve mentioned a million times in the past handful of days because I have all the ingredients. Yes, Maggie`s Chicken Piccata. I`ll be glad when I get time to sort out other recipes that translate well to what`s available here. I`m sure you will, too... Anyway, the teachers at my school are really nice, and I`m looking forward to hanging out and having lunch before the craziness of actual teaching classes begins on the last day of the month.

OK, on with the continuation of pictures from this post:

Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan
August 16, 2009

Omikuji at Achi Shrine

Daruma at Achi Shrine

Baseball Ema, Achi Shrine
That? Is really just kinda cool.

Pretty Ema, Achi Shrine

Rooftops in Japan are Not Boring or Plain
Achi Shrine

Achi Shrine, Heading Down

Cute and Fun and Full of Shops, Bikan District, Kurashiki

Sanrio Store, Bikan District, Kurashiki
The amount of restraint involved in me not purchasing a single Hello Kitty item from this store amazed me. I may still have bruises from where I held myself back.

Shops, Shops and More Shops, Bikan District, Kurashiki

Hard. Off.
After wandering the streets of the Bikan District in Kurashiki, I went to Nakasho, where this little gem with the dirty name is located. It`s a "recycle shop," or second-hand store, where things are mostly like new. Some prices are OK, some prices are not. I did find a treasure there, though... Since my pics are chronological, you`ll see it here in a bit, after I got the little nugget of happy home.

Summer, Japan, Festival Wear
This was the cutest bunch of older ladies, all dressed up and going somewhere. There were probably about 25 or 30 of them waiting for the train.

Bitch, You Crazy
This goes with that post. If you missed it, this might be less funny. Anyway, this is for my dear friend J.

Small Treasure
This is what I bought for 400 yen (US$4-ish) at Hard Off. I kinda needed a scale (kgs make me sound lighter than lbs, so it`s pretty OK), and when I saw the Engrish on this one, I knew that I had found what I`d been looking for to make my life complete.