Update

I actually have to do some work today (I know, big surprise), so I will give a big update with pictures on Monday probably. Sorry about the delay.

Culture Update

This is yet another cultural update from Japan:

School clubs are very important to students here in Japan. Even during vacations, students STILL come to school to practice basketball, volleyball, baseball, brass band, etc. Even during winter vacation, students continue to come to school until the day the school actually closes for the holidays. I have to imagine that when the maintenance crew arrives back after the break, they must buy new doors because the old ones are covered in scratch marks from where the students tried to claw their way back in.

Why am I telling you this?

Because I went to the girls' basketball club today to play around and was made to look like a bitch. Japan's club system produces superhuman experts in their field. Did I have the height advantage? Sure. Did they have the proper shooting technique? Hell No. I still lost miserably.

School Days

I have an interesting couple of days.

Yesterday:

I decided to explore the school once again instead of staying confined to the teacher's offices. I went to the gym and watched the boys' volleyball club practice. I thought about joining, then I noticed what they were actually doing. One kid was spiking a ball as hard as he could down at the ground while another boy was forced to dive to bump the ball. This continued for at least 30 mins with different both taking over each role. I am not diving for any ball on the hard gym floor, especially not more than once.

Realizing my cowardice and apparent need to have fully-functioning knees, I moved on to the girls' volleyball club. They were playing practice games. I met their coach, Y-Sensei. She speaks 3 languages (although her English is awful) and is the calligraphy teacher as well. I volunteered to take score and even made a few signs to cheer them on. The girls laughed, but I laughed too. It was a fun time.

Today:

Today is the Junior High students visiting day. Basically, my high school opens up to junior high students from all around to show them what high school classes are like. I got to help teach one class with I-Sensei. First, she told the kids something in Japanese (probably "welcome" and "this is what English class will be like"). Then she had me introduce myself in English to the class. The students were INCREDIBLY SHY. I basically told them my name, where I'm from, my hobbies, etc. Then I-Sensei had me read 2 children's books. She told me to read them like a father would to his children. A bit embarrassing, but I'm no stranger to embarrassing as a teacher. The students' then translated the book on a worksheet. I-Sensei had students translate a Japanese book to English as well.

After class, I-Sensei invited C and me to the tail-end of a tea ceremony. We missed the rituals, but arrived on time to drink the tea. The girls of the Tea Ceremony club wear yukatas as they perform the rituals. It was cute. I don't particularly like tea, but since I'm always dehydrated I drink it anyway.

Future Plans:

From the CIR, A: 8/29 "For those of you who are new, Basara Matsuri takes place on the afternoons of August 28th and 29th, and is a chance for us JETs to actually get out there and dance in a matsuri parade, which is not that often! It only takes an hour or so to learn the dance (a very simple one), and then we go out with the other groups and dance about in the streets of Nara City. It's lots of fun, and a great opportunity to get a front row seat for all the other groups :D"

From the CIR, M: Also, 8/29 "You will be able to eat and drink while enjoying performances about what Japan can be proud about. The stage will have the shape the boats used to have when Japan was sending out people to China to learn about Chinese civilization 1300 years ago. An example of the performances held on that day could be “Kagami wari” (traditional Japanese celebration), during which people break a barrel’s lid with a hammer to drink the alcohol inside. It sounds like tons of fun, right?!!"

As you can see, I am staying very busy. Nara Orientation is next Monday and Tuesday! Beer garden Monday night!

Culture Update

Interesting Cultural Aspect of the Day:

Japanese people do not look down on those who work menial jobs. In America, we tend to frown upon those who work at McDonalds or some other "lower" job. In Japan, as long as someone is working, they are considered a valuable part of society.

Kyoto blues

Daimonji blows. Daimonji is an event held once a year in Kyoto where they burn gigantic kanji effigies on the 5 mountains of Kyoto. I got a group together to watch them light the kanji last night. We arrived at the best viewing place an hour before it was supposed to start. It was packed!!! We were forced to sit on the slope of a hill, which hurt my ass and feet, below the tree line so we could barely see the kanji. Turns out, it's impossible to see all 5 kanji at once, so I was only able to see 2. It's just not impressive. It's not worth the train fare to Kyoto. To top it all off, the way back to the trains was like a crowded marketplace in India. Wall-to-Wall people trying to get home. I did manage to have a fun dinner of Okonomiyaki, so maybe the night wasn't a total waste.

So much has happened...

I still don't have internet at my apartment, so I must always wait out the weekend before I can update again. Here goes:

Thursday: Tokae in Nara City. This event is held in summer in Nara Park, which contains many World Heritage sites. About 20,000 candles light up nine areas in the part, creating a fantastic festival atmosphere. A bunch of Nara JETs (NJ) and I went to Nara Park and viewed the lanterns. In the park proper, someone arranged the lanterns in the shape of fireworks. I managed to learn something important about Japanese festivals: festival food is awesome. I ate some kind of fried chicken thing, very tasty. The foods at these festivals are more traditional, unlike...say...the fried snickers bar one can get at carnivals in America. Afterwards, the NJ's split up into several groups and did their own thing. I went with the group that scored beers from the combini and drank in the park. Good times...

Friday: I was busy at work surfing the internet, when S-Sensei asked me and C if we wanted to go to lunch! We ate at an Italian restaurant nearby. I had pizza, C had some gross tofu and spinach omelet, and the S-Sensei had something called Omericu (sp?). It is basically a gigantic omelet filled with ketchup-flavored rice. It tasted alright... Afterwards, S-Sensei got permission from the Kyoto-Sensei to take us to Horyuji Temple. Horyuji Temple has some of the oldest wooden structures in the world and is recognized as a World Heritage Site by the UN. The Temple is huge! There are many buildings and many artifacts inside. It was built by Japan's only Empress as a sign of Japan's acceptance of Buddhism. S-Sensei even bought us some persimmon-flavored ice cream! Yum!

Saturday: Whynot is an organization that plans parties for foreigners in the Kansai region. A couple NJ's dj-ed an 80's night at a club in Osaka. Good times...nomihodai (all-you-can drink)...enough said.

Sunday: I went to Osaka and bought a used HDTV. Japan is finally making the move to digital, so stores are trying to rid themselves of outdated televisions. Because I don't give a shit about Japanese cable, I bought one just so I can finally use my PS3. It should arrive at my place next Sunday.

Also, last night was the kanji burning in Nara City. They burn gigantic kanji shapes into the mountain. It is very beautiful. They burned the kanji for "Big," or "Dai." Tonight, I'm going to Kyoto for the DAImonji. They burn 5 kanji on five different mountains. That should be fun.

Like I said, I've been busy. I will upload pics as soon as I can!

Nara City

I visited Nara City for the first time since Nara orientation at the Kencho. A JET CIR, M, took me around. She's been in Nara for 2 or 3 years now so she knows her way around the city. I met her around noon at the fountain near the Kintetsu Rail Station.

Before heading off to the shrines and temples, she took me to a place that makes Okonomiyaki! Okonomiyaki is like a pancake made with batter and egg. It's almost like an omelet. We order one with cheese and potatoes! Yum! We also order soba and split the bill.

After lunch, we went to the Todaiji Temple. It is the most important Buddhist temple in Japan! There were deer everywhere! They are much smaller than the deer in America...but that just makes them cuter. When you hold food up, they bow until you either give them the food, or they get pissed and bump you in aggravation.

The Todaiji Temple is gigantic. The pictures I posted just don't do it justice. On the inside there is an equally large statue of Buddha. Just on the outside of the temple is a statue of Binzuru. Apparently he was a devout friend of Buddha, but he was also kind of a playboy, so they put him outside the temple instead of inside. Legend has it, that if one rubs the statue of Binzuru, then rubs an ailing part of the body, it will be healed. I haven't had much an appetite lately so I rubbed Binzuru, then my tummy.

Around the inside of the temple are statues of scholars and warriors, miniature scale replicas of the temple itself, gold lotus leaves, and other stuffs. A popular Buddhist tradition when a temple opens is to climb through the eye of Buddha, and out the nose. If one can do this, they are considered clever and blessed. To simulate this tradition, there is a column with a hole through it. People were lined up trying to pass through the column. When we passed by, there was a rather large man trying to go through. He got stuck and people were trying to push and pull him through. It took like 10 minutes, but I think he got through.

M and I also visited the sanctuary in Nara City. It was a LONG walk, but it was pretty and shaded. The sanctuary has a Shinto shrine at the center. Around the sanctuary and shrine are 3,000 lanterns with people's prayers on them.

Before leaving Nara City, I bought a Jinbei for the To-kae festival on Thursday. It's a traditional clothing worn at festivals. I wanted to buy a yukata, but I could not find any in my size. I am waaaaaay bigger than Japanese people.

Here's some pics:



Binzuru and I.



The Todaiji Temple



Bambi and I. Now if I could just find Bambi's mother...oh...



M and I at the sanctuary