The Daibutsu, Ikebana, Iaido, and Bon Dance Woes

I'm sorry for the long delay again.  Also sorry, dear viewers, that I can't share any of my pictures with you at this moment.  Do you know why?  No, it's not because of personal problems, or because they were too dark, or because my camera is broken.  No, it's because Blogger is a piece of unmitigated garbage and refuses to upload my pictures.  So Thank you, Blogger.  Because of you, my family and friends will not get to see my trips to exotic locales overseas.  I hate this stupid thing so much!


Now that that's out of my system, I'll try and be more upbeat.  We've just had midterms here at Kansai Gaidai and they were killer, stress inducing nightmares.  The Japanese language midterms, anyway.  That's the reason for my long delay.  I've been up all night, every night, studying my butt off to try and do well on them.  I probably did okay, but...Christ, the midterms in Japan are way, way worse than those in America.


Anyway, I went to Nara last Sunday.  Nara is much like Kyoto.  Very rustic and idyllic.  Where I visited it was almost like taking a trip back in time.  I traveled with friends and we saw monks accepting alms, people in Kimono's, Japanese girls and boys in their school uniforms, all the sort of imagery people associate with Japan.  It was most pleasant and very relaxing there.

On our trip to see the great Daibutsu of Nara, which is a gigantic bronze buddha statue, we fed the deer in Nara park.  These little fellows seemed very smart, as they were able to wait at cross walks and even bow.  Most were pretty rambunctious though, chasing after some of my friends, snubbing others who offered them food, and even stealing food from others.  We even saw a dear steal a man's homework, right out of his notebook, and eat it!  Hilarious.

There were so many school girls and boys in their navy blue skirts and black uniforms respectively at the site of Todaiji, where the Daibutsu is housed.  That surprised me a bit at first, but when I went inside...wow, there really is no way to describe how huge the "Big Buddha of Nara" really is.  It's...unreal.  It sits on a golden throne with bodhisattvas carved all over it and flanked on either side by smaller Buddhas and what looked like warrior gods.  We also did a special touristy thing at the big Buddha.  There is a hole, said to be as big as the Daibutsu's nostril, where if you can pass through it, you will have good luck, or something.  It's a tight squeeze, but we all managed to make it.  I went second out of my five friends and ironically, had the least amount of trouble.  The girls, who were all very thing might I add, had a lot of trouble and panicked a little.  The crowd was very encouraging and clapped for them though, which made the whole experience very fun.  We topped off the evening with donuts and takoyaki before returning to our respective homes.  We were tired, but satisfied.


I returned to Ikebana this week as well.  Plans are being made to present something for the cultural fair in November, but this week we just made a pleasant little flower arrangement that resembled a pine forest.  I would show you but...you know...


I also did more practice for Bon Dance.  It's really coming together and today we got to wear our ceremonial kimonos.  Mine was a dark blue one, covered in golden fans, with a tint of light blue around the edges.  Very elegant...but I can't show it to you yet.  The dance is hard work, even though it only lasts for four minutes.  There is so much to remember.


I had planned to go a festival tonight, but the rain has discouraged me.  It was set to be a long and rather tiresome affair anyway, so I don't feel to bad.  I would have liked to go to at least one Japanese festival, but most of them are in the spring...so maybe next time.


Most of my nights in the last few weeks have been taken up preparing for a presentation in my language class on Iaido, which is a martial art that is noncombative.  It involves rapidly unsheathing a sword, moving it about, then resheathing it.  The subject is fascinating and I wish I could take it.  I even checked out books on Iaijutsu and Iaido for the presentation...but the hardest part is that it all has to be spoken in Japanese.  My speaking partner Keiko has been a life saver in this, because she has helped me translate my speech.  Now I just need to memorize and practice it.


I had a dream last night that I had finally gone home, dear viewers.  But it was much earlier than I expected and I was shocked to learn how sick and heartbroken I was to leave.  Though I do miss home and the freedom of living on my own, I feel I would also miss this kind of life, even though I feel more tired and have to deal with a lot more people everyday.  A word to the wise for potential travelers.  Fall too much in love with a place and you may make yourself ill when the time comes to leave.


That's all for now.  Some personal issues weigh heavily on my mind(don't they always...) but life here is pretty good.  I've made several new friends since the Nara trip and am trying to get through the year.  I feel all traveled out, but I would still like to go to Fushimi Inari, an authentic and ancient Shinto Shrine, and an Onsen.  Stay tuned for that.


I'll also try and upload my pictures of this trip later, but we'll have to see if Blogger is done throwing it's tantrum and will let me do my work.


Hopefully I can share more of trip with you next time, dear viewers.  Till then, be well.

Canadian Thanksgiving and the pop culture of Japan

Hello again

Well, I tantalized you all with promises of Thanksgiving, so here we are.  I had planned on discussing the other things I talked about, like getting my alien registration card or some of the awkwardness of dorm life, but most of that stuff tends to be pretty boring or has been talked about before.  So, Thanksgiving!  Here at Seminar house 1, we have a Canadian girl named Emilie, who is just fantastic.  She's so full of energy and very kind and warm hearted and she just up and decided one day to have Thanksgiving in October.  Canadian Thanksgiving she called it.  Since this monday was a holiday for the Japanese Sport's Festival, we did some shopping and just about everyone in the Seminar house pitched in.  Emilie cooked chicken, pumpkin, and mashed potatoes, I cooked a teriyaki dish consisting of salmon, leek, mushrooms, and bean sprouts, we had mini hamburgers, beautiful cheese potatoes, cabbage and eggs and the deserts...well, it was just the kind of celebration that brings the whole dorm together...well, mostly.  We had about 80% of the dorm present.  It was a wild night of cooking, though the party did overwhelm me a bit closer to the end.  These sorts of close bonds are what I like most about dorm living.  Don't get me wrong, by and large dorm living does make me uncomfortable, with the small rooms, communal bathrooms and showers, and the issues of dealing with certain people, but moments like that make it seem all worthwhile.

 My teriyaki dish.  Trust me, it tasted much much better than it looked.

 The main spread, with Emilie's dishes being covered.

 All of us meaningfully rubbing our bellies while we wait for the dinner gong to ring, so to speak.

 The final piece of the night.  A banana bread esque cake decorated with strawberry pocky, the traditional Japanese snack of choice when one wants something sweet.

And just like that, it was back to the school week.  Midterms are creeping up on us and the stress levels are pretty high.  I still manage to find time to hang out with some of my friends, but the pressure to succeed in Japan, even though I decided to take it easy this semester, is incredibly high.  I've studied more in the past few days than I usually do for a month.  Thank god for Ikebana.

This is my latest flower arrangement.  There's something Zen and meditative about it all...and hopefully, I can continue it when I get back to the states.  It is one of the few things on my longest days that I actually look forward to.  With any luck, I'll be able to present an Ikebana piece for the cultural fair in November.

So...Japanese pop culture.  There is a lot to say on the matter and I'm not qualified to speak as an expert, but I have taken several pictures to make a point.

 Nothing quite says Japan like Mister Donut.  Their commercial are all over the television and, to be fair, their food is of a much higher quality compared to similar chains in America.  However, the one thing that I can't illustrate enough is the power of cute.  Each of the donuts for sail has an animal mascot to go with it that is both adorable, and which corresponds to the donut, like one looking similar to a lion's mane or a tortoise shell.

 And at other points, we have stores like this, that sell exclusively to the geek demographic.  This one stand probably has more One Piece Merchandise than the whole of North Carolina.  That is...shocking, to say the least.  I've been here before and bought from it, for reasons I'll discuss later.

 And the slot and card machines...these are everywhere in Japan.  Rows of machines that sell keychains, toys, trading cards, all for the low low price of about 200 yen, or $2 American.  It seems so cute, so innocuous, so welcoming...yeah, I've wasted almost twenty bucks on these machines.  They sucker you in with promises of fun and toys and to their credit, you get both but...it's addictive.

At the same time, we have areas of Japan that are still pristine, or at least, pristine to our image of Japan, like this tea garden.  How can a raging consumerist culture exist in the same place as a quiet tea house that focuses on ritual and regulation?

Well, they play off each other.  The pop culture of Japan uses the power of cute to draw people in, to give them the fun and act as a release valve for all the pressure of the world.  That's one of the reasons modern anime include almost universally cute characters.  There are some that are gritty or what have you, but they need to be silly, welcoming, fun, so that they can succeed.  It's one of many release valves the Japanese, in their workaholic schedule, can indulge in.  That's why I like the stores and slot machines, at least.  It's an escape.  And that's why places like the tea garden succeed and continue to be preserved as well.  They are an escape not just from the troubles of life, but a little bit of quiet that Japanese pop culture can't give.  Japanese pop culture is very loud, cute, and appealing, with cute girls in skimpy clothes, anthropmorphic animals in adorable getups, or goofy heroes who are very likable.  The quiet acts as another release valve from the pressures of life...and in many ways, from the pressure of pop culture, which requires a huge level of knowledge and conformity at times to fit in.

Ikebana too is a release valve in this manner, stepping into a garden of your own creation and just indulging an hour or two in tending your own little world.  In many ways, I think that's why it's been so consumerized.  The release valve can be opened a little more with each splurge we make on ourselves, which is why anime merchandise, model kits, and even flower arrangement equipment and Sumi-E supplies are so prevalent and profitable in Japan.  In America, we do have stressful lives, but there are release valves everywhere.  We have tons of free time, even if we have the worst of jobs.  In Japan...not so much.  They need not just activities but souveniers, proof that they have had fun.  In many ways, such merchandise can be a replacement for real friends.  Scary as that may seem.

While I don't intend to do any major research on Japanese pop culture other than what I see with my eyes, it is easy to note that many of us see Japanese pop culture as pure liquid crazy.  But, the crazy has a purpose.  It gives some much needed relief from the work, the trains, the buses, school, etc.

Anyway, that's my take on it.  Whether you accept it or not, it's just how I feel on the matter.  I can't sum up an entire culture's pop culture into one blog post after all.  I just wanted to talk about it for those curious.  While it does mean it's easy to get suckered into buying the merchandise, especially since life is rather hectic here around test time, I'd recommend giving it a try to anyone who wants to visit Japan, because this aspect of the culture is absent from the US once you reach a certain age.  Here, merchandise isn't just for kids or collectors.  It's for everyone.

Life is going to get insane soon, so not sure if I'll have my bon dance pictures up any time soon.  May not post until after midterms either.  So, for the readers who've stuck with me up to now, be prepared for a short drought, so to speak.  Even when I try and relax, life finds a way to be busy here.

Until next we can meet though, I bid you adieu.

Bon Dancing, Hiroshima, and a little sister

Hello again, dear viewers.  Again, I must apologize for the lateness of this post, but the longer I am in Japan, the less time I have for my blog...or for my personal writing for that matter.

Anyway, now is not the time for whining about what could have been.  I had an interesting experience almost two weeks ago in the form of Bon Dancing.  It is a festival dance that I was taught by several Oba san's, or middle aged women.  They are part of a dancing troupe and we did a number of dances, including a Janken(rock paper scissors) game.  I also got to wear a traditional Yukata and dance with several attractive young ladies in similar garb.  For those uninformed, a Yukata is a light summer robe, similar to a kimono, with large sleeves to hold belongings, but it's much lighter, to accommodate for the heat.  Sadly, I have no pictures of this to share, since I, like an idiot, forgot my camera.  I may get some pictures from friends who went with me, but they are busy, so who knows if they'll remember...I do remind them, but I don't want to make a pest of myself.

On a related note, I, and several of the girls, were asked to participate in a Bon Dance being done for the whole of Hirakata city.  While a bit scary, it is fun and we are practicing regularly, starting last wensday.  It is a short four minute dance involving fans and sakura blossoms that is a little hard to get for me, but I do have a good time, so who cares.  It's a nice chance to do something truly Japanese while in Japan.  Speaking of doing something Japanese, I joined the Ikebana club this week.  Flower arrangement is not something people typically think of for either Gaijin or boys, but it is one of the most relaxing and meditative things I've ever done and I just love it.  I even have pictures of my arrangements and my teacher.

Ikebana is all about the form and composition of the flowers, much like Sumi-E.  You have to make a work of art out of the flowers, using nothing more than their positions in relation to one another.  I may even continue this when I get back to the states.

Following that, my week was, to say the least, stressful but rewarding.  I've spent many days with good friends, exploring the city, and trying my best to live in a dorm, which is still annoying for me.  And then...this weekend rolled around.  And the trip to Hiroshima.  This is where things get depressing.

 So these were the Shinkansen and trolly cars I had to take to get to the Atomic Bomb Museum.  I was impressed by neither.  The Shinkansen is an expensive, over glorified train that, while moving fast, is basically an airplane you take without leaving the ground.  I was not impressed.  The trolly cars were just like the stuff of CA or maybe NY.  Buses that are fast and run on a track.  Yawn.

 This was the A-bomb dome, one of the few survivors of the bomb.  It's a building of immense structural stability, needing only minor bracing and no repair to survive an atomic bomb and keep standing since the 1940s.

 These are all memorial sites.  The clock is one, the bell is one, and the cranes are one.  The idea being from a girl who tried to fold a thousand cranes to get a wish of hers come true, to be cured of radiation poisoning from the A-bomb.  The bell above me is a testament to that wish and behind it are hundreds of thousands of paper cranes folded from all corners of the world so that people know the wish for peace is alive.  It was moving to see such things, but a my comrades disappointed me a bit.  They were far too giddy for such a somber place, meant to make you remember something that can never be forgotten.

 More memorials and the museum itself.

 These pictures are what put me in the Hiroshima mindset.  One was photos of the before and after, as taken by the US bombers.  And the other was an artist interpretation of Hiroshima's burning, with a fire god in the back, as if this was a malevolent act of heaven itself.  I spoke with one of the bomb survivors as well.  Her strength and good cheer were surprising, but hearing of her story and the terror and pain she endured made me feel a deep shame for what my country did and for my own ignorance.  It was like that throughout the museum.  Pictures of the black rain, of belongings that barely survived the A-bomb, and models of how the city was destroyed, as well as of what the survivors, with their flesh melted and their bodies a mess of burns, cuts, and rotted tissue, looked like, littered the museum, with more information than I thought possible to know.  For example, Hiroshima was chosen as a target specifically because it had no allied prisoners in it and because the weather was clear...it seems rather arbitrary looking back and even more so when you realize the US destroyed an entire city to give themselves a stronger bargaining ground in the cold war.  This museum affected me so much that I was somber for the rest of the trip and left my comrades behind, seeking solace in solitude and the attractions of the city.  This is something I needed to see...but it was harder than I thought.  I did not cry...but at times I wish I had.  It would have been easier.

Following the museum, I saw just how much Hiroshima had recovered.  There were tons of sights to see and the people were friendly, energetic, and kind, even for a Gaijin like me.  I went down the main street of their biggest shopping district looking for gifts, but instead finding specialty shops of every variety, from a ladies stocking store to the most nerdy of arcades and model shops.

 These were just a few of the shops from the street I was on that was filled with crazy shops.

 This was Hiroshima style Okinomiyaki, a pancake like platter of meat and vegetables on top of an egg and noodles.  It was delicious to eat and amazing to see made.

I didn't get into Hiroshima castle, but I did get some nice pictures of the walls outside.  I wanted to see more and did go inside the walls, but time was against me and I had to get to my platform so I could return on the Shinkansen.  It was a long, exhausting trip and I had to work hard not to get lost on the way back, but I returned home from Hiroshima the same day I left.  Then promptly collapsed.

The following day was much less somber and much for fun.  Na-chan, my home visit partner and a surrogate little sister in some aspects, brought me to her hometown.  It was a quaint place, that was very quiet, almost rustic in its beauty.  It was known for grapes and takoyaki.  And that's what I experienced while there.  I went grape picking with Na-chan, which was harder than I thought, as you had to skin and de-seed the grapes, but they were so sweet and juicy and the vineyards were so pretty that I didn't care.  Then we met her best friend, Manaka, whose names sounds like my best friend, Monica.  And then...takoyaki.  For those not in the know, takoyaki is made using a pancake like batter, but with special molds to make them into little balls.  While the balls cook, they are filled with cheese, meats, cabbage, and most importantly, squid.  Fresh takoyaki is a treat for the taste buds and will warm any belly and any heart.  It was amazing.

I also got to see a Japanese home.  Despite Na-chan's complaints of it being too small, I thought it very nice.  There was a kitchen, a common room, which acted as dining room, study, and bedroom, and an upstairs.  It was small, but it had its charm.  I met Na-chan's mother and sister too.  Both seemed a bit shy around me, but good hearted and I did my best to talk with them in Japanese.  Na-chan knows good english, but her family does not, so they were very nervous.  So was I.  I had to work to explain things about my family to them, but on the whole, I had a great time.

 Na-Chan!

 Me and Na-chan holding fresh grapes.  It was something else, especially since the vines weren't tall enough to allow me to stand in some places.  Made me feel really tall.

 A bucket for washing grapes and a bucket for the skin and seeds.

 A typical Japanese common room, tatami mats and all.

 Cooking Takoyaki...it was an experience that is hard to forget.

 Me, Na-chan, and Manaka.

Momoko, Na-chan's precious little kitty.  So Kawaii(cute)!

Na-chan came back with me too and I cooked for her a bit.  Then she talked with my parents on Skype.  This kind of friendship was what I hoped to make in Japan.  Na-chan and I are very different in some ways, though we both have trouble listening to each other's language, me, Japanese, her, English.  But we're happy around one another and even if I'm tired, Na-chan is always Genki(full of energy.)  It made my somber trip seem like a distant dream.

I had hoped to speak more about my time in-between now and Bon dancing, as I got my alien registration card, met with my eye doctor again, and dealt with some rather weird issues in my Seminar house, but thanksgiving is being prepared right now(that's a long story I'll get to later as well) and I must go help cook.  So, until I can speak more on the matter, I bid you adieu, dear readers and invite you to return next time for more tales of the land of the rising sun.

Till then.

Shabu-Shabu, Kyoto Redux, and the Traveler's character

Hello again, dear viewers

I must apologize for the lateness of my update, but I have been very busy.  Classes keep me occupied during the day and study or unwinding keeps me occupied at night.  If I have any extra free time, I either prefer socializing or trying to write....so I have had less and less time for my blog.  But, I'm here and ready to talk about a few more trips.

On Friday, I went to eat Shabu-Shabu, which is hot pot beef.  

Essentially, at the restaurant, I sat with friends amidst a long table where a pot of hot water was set to boil.  Then vegetables and beef were brought along.  We'd dump the vegetables and beef into the pot, wait for it to cook, then fish it out with chopsticks and eat our fill, as it was all you can eat.  For sauces, we had a sesame mixture we had to grind ourselves.  It was an unbelievable experience that mere words cannot describe.  I would recommend it to any travelers to Japan, as it is one culinary experience that simply cannot be replicated.

I did more karaoke after this, and earlier this week as well.  No pictures because I was tired, but there really is something primal about singing your heart out, whether you're drunk, sober, or hyped up on sugar with a belly full of beef.  It's an experience that usually leaves you happy, but very drained.  And so I was.

Then, I went to Kyoto...again.  Yes, this makes three trips in less than a month, but this time was different!  I went to a bazaar...or rather, an Asian Marketplace.

There was so much to see here and I bought far more than I should...but it was impossible not to.  The streets were lined with all manner of sellers, from clothes, dishes, and antiques, to toys, games, and even prints of art.  Some of these pieces were moderately priced, while others ran in the hundreds, despite their obvious quality.  The marketplace was a great place to find rare and exotic items...just not cheap items.  Still, it was amazing.  It was filled with food vendors as well and I got my first taste of a treat shaped like a fish but filled with sweet and savory beans.  Another signature treat of Japan, I'd recommend it to anyone.

The rest of the day, however, was a bit more introspective, with temple visits and even a trip to the imperial palace of Kyoto...which was closed, but, hey, my traveling companions and I at least got to the outside walls.  it was quite a trip...hot, sweltering, filled with far too much walking, but on the whole, I saw things in that one day I might never see again.  To save you all the trouble, you can see what I saw too.

 The above pictures were taken at the temple to Sugawara no Michizune, a courtier of ancient Japan who was aposthesized after his death.  He was unfairly exiled and to appease him, people began praying to him after a series of disasters.

 This is the stand where I got the bean cake shaped like a fish, followed by a better shot of the bazaar.

 The golden pavilion and surrounding area is one breathtaking thing to behold, even though it was crowded.  It was a temple unlike any other.

 The imperial palace and its surrounding gardens were large and impressive, even if we couldn't see most of them.  It was a pain that we couldn't see them, but it didn't matter too much.  Just looking at the walls and how far they ran gave a basic idea of the scope of the royal family's power in the olden days.

 The kanji for book, or the hon in Nihon, is on the mountain below, albeit very hard to read.  During the Kyoto fire festival, it is lit up with torches and is truly spectacular...however, circumstances prevent me from being at the fire festival, so I thought you might at least enjoy seeing the mountain.

 Below was a nice treat for my comrades and I.  There was a rock path that crossed the river leading to our train, so we all decided to climb over the slippery rocks to get there.  Some were shaped like turtles or stars, but just being out in the river, the beautiful scenery, and surrounded by people, was the true spectacle.  It was a fun way to end a very exhausting day.

For my family, rest assured, I did get souveneirs for you all at the  bazaar.  You're welcome.

Finally, I think I need to take a moment and talk about the character and endurance of the world traveler.  It must be absolutely staggering.  I say must because, I've not traveled abroad often or for long periods...and this trip has worn on me in more ways than one.  I've felt almost regressed back to the age of when I was in high school and superficiality reigned...and become tired and weak as I did so.  Threw more than a few tantrums in that time too.  It was disappointing to see me backslide that much.  But...well, I think that's part of traveling.  Different cultures not only make us look at our own homes differently, but the experience of being stranded, alone, or out of one's depth can make us really examine who we are and how we want to change.  I've managed to regain my confidence and started working to improve myself because of this.  And that is why I must say, the world traveler must be a being of extraordinary stamina and character.  Because wherever they go, they are challenged by all they see and experience, not just culturally, but right down to their character.  I've since become far less insufferable to those around me(in my own opinion at least) and I'm working to become just such a world traveler.

For those who haven't traveled much or who haven't strayed far from home, student or parent alike, let me say this.  Take the plunge.  It may be painful.  You will doubt yourself more than once and find yourself pleading for the attention of others or desperately trying to figure out who you are and what's wrong with you...but that's a good thing.  Such questioning leads us to realize who we are, who we want to be, and what we need to do to change for the better.  I'm working to...well, not change who I am.  I like me.  But I am trying to make my appearance more...how do you say...gentle, to the public.  Not quite as scary as the big man in the leather coat.  We'll see if it works, but this re-examination has also given me a new appreciation for what I am good at.  And for the people waiting for me back home.  I miss all of you, but I hope to return better than I left.  That is my hope.

Not sure if I have the character of a world traveler, as it takes many long trials in many different countries to truly be immune to doubt or comfortable with oneself, but I'm working towards that goal.

Anyway, I don't intend to rant all night.  Thought that would be travelers, as well as the world weary might appreciate that though.

Lots of classes, probably some more mundane activities along the way, and me spending time with some of my new friends, coming up.  In two weeks...maybe expect me to talk about Hiroshima, as that's on the horizon of my calendar.

Until next time, dear readers, let me bid you adieu.