This next blog is dedicated to Udon, one of my favorite Japanese foods because of its simplicity and taste. The popular wheat based noodle is served in many different ways, both hot and cold. There is no where in Japan more famous for its udon then in Kagawa. Located north of Tokushima and also on the island of Shikoku – Kagawa was once known as Sanuki. Thus, the old name of the province stuck with the locally made udon. Ironically, the origin of udon is credited to none other than Kobo Daishi. According to historians, the founder of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage traveled to China in the 9th century to study buddhism. When he returned, he also brought back the knowledge of udon to his farming neighbors in the Sanuki region of Japan. As experts in refining imported culture, udon has come to be recognized in the world as Japanese food today. In recent year’s the popularity of the food has even inspired the making of a Japanese movie about Sanuki Udon shot in Kagawa ken – appropriately titled, Udon. On my recent trips to Kagawa to visit the 88 Temples in its prefecture, I’ve made a conscious effort to consume as much Sanuki Udon as I can. With over 1000 Sanuki Udon restaurants in the prefecture, I’ve avoided all chain establishments and have tried to visit only the “mom and pop shops.” Let me tell you… there’s nothing more satisfying than granny bringing a home-made bowl of udon to your table after a long day of temple visiting. It’s like she knows you’ve earned it… Check out my gallery below of Sanuki Udon restaurants I’ve visited in Kagawa.
This past Saturday was the graduation ceremony at the kindergarten I teach at. In previous years, I’ve attended elementary school and junior high school graduations, however, this was my first full year of experience at the kindergarten level. Teaching the same 47 students each week, as opposed to twice a month or sometimes less as Assistant Language Teacher(ALT) has been a more rewarding experience. To educate kindergarten students and see the growth in their learning each week was truly amazing. It’s hard to explain the difference, other than I felt more responsible for their education. As an ALT on the JET Program, I taught at an elementary school once a week, while team-teaching at the junior high school level was my primary responsibility. These past weekly elementary school visits usually required teaching three classes a day from first to sixth graders. This past infrequency of not being able to teach the same students each week made educating challenging. As I’ve previously written about, English is not a formal subject at the elementary school level. ALTs are often teaching different lessons without the aid of a formal curriculum. While some good teachers are thinking progressively about each lesson they teach, others are simply teaching with no method, or don’t see the need for a system due to the infrequency of their visits. Having no formal guidelines has its benefits though, it means complete control in what you think should be taught… With this level of freedom to teach and the regularity of my visits to the same students each week, made this graduation an extra special day.
Twice a year, the entertainment district in Tokushima comes to life through the music of jazz. This event called Tokushima Jazz Street features many professional and amateur jazz musicians from Tokushima and other parts of Japan. The one night event takes place on a Sunday, from 7pm to 11pm. The price of admission is 2500 yen (approx. 30.00 USD) and includes entrance to over 10 participating venues. On February 4th, I went to see one of my students perform, Dr. Naito and his Sereia band. Check out my video of my recent stroll around Tokushima Jazz Street, ending with performances by the Sereia band!
Recently I was in the market for a video camcorder, and after some extensive research on the various formats – I bring you a condensed conclusion of my findings. I hope this saves you some time if you’re in the market for a video camcorder. Admittedly, I’m hardly an expert, but here’s what I’ve learned in a nutshell. There are three major formats in the video camcorder market making waves these days and worth considering: Mini-Digital Video (DV) camcorders, DVD camcorders, and Hard Disk Drive (HDD) camcorders. Mini-DV camcorders are tape based camcorders and have controlled the market for some time and continue to be the industry standard. In my opinion, this technology still provides the most bang for your buck and continues to be the model for comparison. However, all the companies in this market are of course looking to make money, so there will continue to be new designs even if the perceived new benefits limit other previous standards. DVD camcorders were the first serious alternative to Mini-DV camcorders, and many people jumped to the format because of its easy shoot and play capabilities. However, the recording time is limited on the DVD format, a big downside when recording video is the primary function of a camcorder. Recently, the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) camcorders have been making the loudest noise and appears to have some big upsides. HDD camcorders do not require tapes to record and most can record up to 7 plus hours onto a built in hard drive disk. Contrary to the other formats, transferring video from the camcorder to a computer is relatively easy and fast on the HDD format. Video quality on the lower end HDD models are not as good as those on much cheaper priced Mini-DV models. However, the difference may be worth sacrificing when the upside is never having to pay for another Mini-DV tape. If video editing is something you’re interested in, be aware that many hard disk cameras save to an MPEG-2 format, a video compression codec, which may cause compatibility issues. To wrap this up, I ended up buying the Sony DCR SR 40, Sony’s entry level camcorder in the HDD format. I packaged it with Sony Vegas Studio Platinum 7 for editing purposes, which works fine. Check out my first run at making a video with this camcorder! “Along the Shinmachi River,” a look at the city I’m living in…
Well… Christmas is around the corner and so begins the house calls for Santa Clause in Tokushima! As I’ve written before, every December I’m asked to be Santa Clause at various kindergartens and elementary schools in Japan. This year the experience was on the largest stage to date! For almost 200 kindergarten students and their family at an event hall called Bunka no Mori, I dawned the red and white costume once more to bring the joy of Christmas to the children of Japan. On a side note, a big shout-out to my boy Olli from Iceland who recently left Japan for his Igloo! I was surprised to learn that Iceland has a population of only 300,000 people, that’s the size of the city I’m living in! As credits are always in order in "show biz," the Big O was my camera man and involved in the production of the first four installments of MY LIFE AND TIMES IN JAPAN videos. So without further a due, I bring you the latest: Santa Clause Rocks the House in Japan!
Recently school bullying has become a hot-button issue in Japan in desperate need of immediate action to stop an increasing amount of suicides by hopeless students. As a foreign teacher living in Japan, I believe I have a unique perspective on this situation, which inspired me to write the following condensed opinion – published in Japan’s national English newspaper, The Daily Yomiuri.
Immediate Action Needed to Combat School Bullying
With all due respect to writer Whahei Tatematus, who’s statements were recently published in the Daily Yomiuri entitled, (“Society must face up to bullying problem,” Page 3, Nov. 14), it’s my opinion we should not broaden the problem to society at a time where students are feeling most desperate and in need of our help now. As a foreign teacher living and teaching in Japan, I believe the lack of strong guidelines for disciplining students is the root cause for the increase in bullying in schools, which is resulting in suicides. Today’s public school students in Japan are free to behave in any inappropriate way they choose to without fear of serious repercussion from teachers. I am under the impression teachers are handcuffed by the power of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), which I believe needs to allow teachers to teach and discipline appropriately for the sake of their own children. In addition, the Education, Science and Technology Ministry needs to revisit any existing disciplinary guidelines and provide teachers the authority needed to effectively teach and protect students. If students are perceived to have more power than teachers, how do you think the student being bullied feels? Let me answer that, hopeless. Students must be held accountable for their inappropriate actions in school. I believe by implementing something as simple as detention would immediately reverse the current trend. Detentions are a common form of school discipline in the United States. When students break school rules they are detained after school for one hour regardless of prior commitments. By taking away students’ own time spent in after school activities, such as sports clubs or simply going home, then maybe students will be more tentative when teachers say that bullying will not be tolerated.
Beginning in April of this year, I started teaching at Tomida Kindergarten. Unlike many parts of Japan, Tomida students are introduced to English at the kindergarten level and the reason why the school is a popular choice for parents in Tokushima. Having taught for over 2-years at elementary schools and junior high schools in Japan, this experience was a refreshing challenge. Teaching at the kindergarten is not much different than teaching at elementary schools I think, at both levels the kids are extremely excited to see you and can be a lot of fun. Recently at Tomida, we had our first Halloween party together. As I have in the past, I dressed up in a costume and provided a cultural exchange lesson about the popular American holiday, followed by a party. Check out the video below!
Video Broadcasts of MY LIFE AND TIMES IN JAPAN now on YouTube.com
Tokushima City, Japan – October 11 (AP) – Taking the popular MY LIFE AND TIMES IN JAPAN blog to another level – your favorite world renown blogger, exceptional basketball player, and all-around good-guy is now providing short videos that will complement some of his new blogs. After reading future entries, take a look at the bottom of the post and see if there’s a note with a special link to your man in Japan’s broadcasts at YouTube.com. From there, it’s simple – sit back and enjoy video broadcasts of MY LIFE AND TIMES IN JAPAN.
My apologies to my loyal readers, it’s been a long time since I’ve last posted a blog… So without any further delay, let me catch you up! During the first week of April, my younger sister came out to visit me. With only a week to show Dekyi Japan, each of our days were jam-packed with sightseeing. Without going into too much detail, our trip included visits to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and around Tokushima. Having already been to all the places I chose to take my sister, I think I’ll remember a few occasions as being the most memorable. First, being in Kyoto during cherry blossom season was beautiful and everything I was told it would be. Although the streets of Gion were especially crowded during this very popular season, the beautiful weather and festive ambiance energized our visit. As I’ve previously written, picnicking under blooming cherry blossom trees is an annual part of Japanese culture and there is no better place to take-part than in Maruyama Park in Gion Kyoto. So, in the spirit of the season and Japanese culture, my sister and I sat down for a short hanami (cherry blossom picnic). Also, our decision to take a day trip to Nara was a good one. Visiting Nara again and the famous Todaiji Temple was a peaceful break from the busy streets of Kyoto. And finally, visiting the Kazurabashi Vine Bridge, located deep in western Tokushima was fun as well. See some pictures below of my sister’s trip to Japan!
This week I said sayonara to my elementary and junior high schools. After nearly 3-years at Hachiman Junior High, 2-years at Shinmachi Elementary and 1-year at Kamihachiman Junior High, it was time to say good-bye to all my schools. As I’ve written before, the end of March marks the end of the school year in Japan. This is also the time when Japanese teachers are transferred to different schools by a central Board of Education, which oversees the entire profession. This week I gave three good-bye speeches in Japanese, which was a little nerve-racking. Due to the fact, I teach at Shinmachi Elementary School once a week on Thursdays, I was given my own personal send-off prior to the rest of the leaving staff. All the elementary school students gathered in the gym Thursday morning for a short, but sweet farewell ceremony. At my junior high schools, my departure was announced with all the other leaving teachers at the closing ceremony. Although most teachers are aware whether they will be transferred or not, the announcements are kept a secret until the last school day. At the junior high schools, departing teachers are lined up in front of the entire student body and presented flowers and gifts. Last Friday night was also the sayonara enkai at all three of my schools. A small challenge trying to make an appearance at all three of my school’s parties, but definitely a lot of fun. This was truly an unforgettable week that words can hardly describe. Pictures may help complete the story.
Last Wednesday morning it snowed in Tokushima City, which was a big surprise considering it’s mid-March and spring break for students start at the end of next week. Typically, the snow rarely sticks in the city, but the day before yesterday, the park outside my apartment was blanketed and traffic was almost at a standstill… National traffic accident statistics show that Tokushima is notorious for bad drivers. There seems to be no middle ground to the rules of road etiquette here, one is either being carelessly reckless or overly cautious. For example, when given the green light to cross a crosswalk in Tokushima, it’s absolutely necessary to wait at least another 5 seconds while looking both ways, in order to avoid the numerous cars that run red lights. Driving back home, there’s a point when one has to decide when the light is yellow whether to speed up or slow down in order to make the change. However, this point is not universal. The decision by Tokushima drivers is not made while the light is yellow, but rather after the light has already turned RED… As for highway patrol, it’s almost non-existent it seems. With electronic speed traps that everyone knows the locations of, who needs police officers? On the flip side, my predecessor told me that snow once caused a Tokushima resident to abandon their car in the middle of the street… Below are some rare pictures of snow in Tokushima City around my beautiful city villa, known as Naka Showa Cho Heights. I’ll be moving to a new apartment soon, so this is a last tribute to my hood.
Last Saturday, I attended my third JHS graduation in Japan and also my most memorable to date. Having taught this year’s graduating 9th grade class since their first year in JHS and my first year in Japan, Saturday was an extra special day for all of us. Working in the city as opposed to working deep in the country can be a very unique experience, as the kids are often much more stronger and confident – necessary social skills in order to survive in a student body exceeding 800 students. Although Hachiman JHS has had a reputation of being a rough and tumble school, this year’s graduating class has made dramatic improvements in prefecture wide standardized test scores. Having taught this graduating class for almost 3-years, I believe I was able to make some great connections with the students and it was sad to see them move on – even the bad boys and bad girls. Very similar to graduations back home, there can be rebellions against school authority on the last day. Tipped over garbage cans, toilet papering the school, and spray-painting walls are not uncommon ways of saying “thanks for the memories” in the US; however, the way students express similar sentiments in Japan is different. At every JHS graduation I’ve been to, there are always some students that dress up in these unusual costumes, which I’ve been told symbolizes being in a gang and/or a show of power. Immediately following the formal ceremony, these students change their clothes and dye their hair to rebel against 3-years of school authority. These rebellious acts are harmless and amusing in what can be an otherwise very conservative graduation ceremony.
Next Saturday night in Saiidaiji, Okayama, the Hadaka Matsuri returns for another evening of men running around in thong underwear while nearly freezing to death. Commonly referred to as the Naked Man Festival by foreigners, this Japanese festival is by far the most unique I have ever been involved in. With a group of ALTs from Tokushima, we signed-up for the festival two years ago and it was an experience I will never forget. Although referred to as the Naked Man Festival, participants are not fully naked. Each person is given a fundoshi, a very long white cloth wrapped up and around the naked body of a competitor. Similar to a loincloth worn by a Sumo wrestler, this piece of clothing is the only thing keeping festival participants warm from the cold of the winter. Surprisingly, fundoshis are quite comfortable and are now my preferred choice for undergarment. Just kidding.
Like most Japanese festivals, heavy drinking is customary and required for this event in my opinion. The evening kicks-off around 8pm, as participants prepare for a ritualistic tour of the temple grounds. By 10pm, thousands of men can be seen running and chanting in groups. The male bonding experience requires several jumps into a pond for cleansing purposes. Followed by visits to the main pavilion, where wishes are shouted to the gods. After which, the pack makes their way around the temple grounds, paying their respects to the two deities Senju Kannon and Goousho Daigongen. While running, they are doused by the temple priests with holy water. This whole process is repeated for hours, with men running in all directions, while thousands of spectators watch.
The finally of the event takes place at midnight, where all the non-frozen participants make their way to the main pavilion. Clearly not capable of holding the number of people trying to enter, pushing and shoving is necessary in order to hold one’s ground. Fights breaking-out are not uncommon at this stage as testosterone levels reach an evening high. Men get pushed off the edge of the pavilion, pushed down stairs, trampled and squashed for the chance of obtaining New Year’s prosperity through the power of blessed magic sticks (a shingi). At the strike of midnight, the lights are switched off, and the glowing magic sticks are thrown in the air by the temple’s priest. There are several sticks thrown in the air, with two being the most coveted. The lights come back on, and everyone tries to wrestle away the sticks, which results in utter mayhem. Having never seen the end, apparently the winners are the men who manage to return the shingi across the temple grounds, and into the hands of the waiting priest.
Ringing in the New Year in Japan is very different than in the west. Although with some effort, finding a countdown party is possible, however, for most Japanese its uncommon to celebrate in this fashion. In Japan, it’s tradition to visit a temple or shrine of choice during oshogatsu, the period between January 1st to 3rd. This visit is called hatsumode in Japanese and serves as an important opportunity to pray for a prosperous New Year. Although paying your respects can be done anytime during oshogatsu, the most impressive visits are at the actual turn of the year, when large temple bells are rung at midnight. Depending on where you live in Japan, the temple in which one may visit during oshogatsu may differ. Some families may choose to visit a local neighborhood temple or shrine, while others may prefer a more prominent historical one, such as Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine, which attracts several millions of people during the three days. This year, I visited two of the most popular temples in Tokushima for hatsumode – Oasahiko Temple and Yakuoji Temple. Following in Japanese customs, I also purchased an omikuji, a New Year’s fortune written on a slip of paper. These fortunes are usually received by pulling one out randomly from a box. There are several degrees of good and bad fortunes, from a Great blessing (dai-kichi) to a Great curse (dai-kyō). The omikuji predicts the person’s chances of his or her hopes coming true, of finding a good match, or generally matters of health, fortune, life, etc. When the prediction is bad, it’s customary to fold up the strip of paper and attach it to a pine tree on the temple grounds. As for my fortune for 2006, I was lucky enough to receive a daikichi from Yakuoji Temple in Hiwasa. I guess my boys back home can rest easy as the 6-peat championship is now in the bag!
For the second straight winter before the New Year, I was invited to the Nishiyamas’ for their family tradition of mochi-tsuki, the making of sticky rice cakes. The making of mochi is usually a community event that takes place at a focal point in any given neighborhood, ie: a community center, the town shrine, or at a school. For the Nishiyamas, it’s been a long standing family tradition, which take place right outside their house. As residents in the small town of Itano, Tokushima, dating back hundreds of years – friends and neighbors have come to expect a gift box of mochi from the Nishiyamas every year around the New Year. Mochi rice cakes are one of the most popular New Year’s treats in Japan. They have a gooey, doughy-like texture and come in many different forms of taste. The preparation required in making mochi is relatively simple. Sticky rice known as mochi-gome is used rather than ‘normal’ rice. On the day prior to making the mochi, this rice is soaked in water overnight. The following morning the rice is steamed for a couple hours until it takes on a soft texture. Once the rice is cooked thoroughly it is then placed into a large stone bowl in readiness for the mochi making – and when my involvement begins. Before the mochi can be separated into individual rice cakes, the mochi must be beaten sufficiently so that the rice grains are no longer visible. Using a large wooden mallet and at times clock-work efficiency, I and two other "mochi-mashers" went to town on the rice – as a forth person, the "mochi-flipper" handles the rice after each team turn. One member mistake can result in disaster, as cooperation between the "mochi-mashers" and "mochi-flipper" is essential. The job of the "mochi-flipper" is a dangerous one and requires experience. To wet and flip the mochi as mallets are cocked and ready to be unloaded means even a momentary lapse in timing by the "mochi-flipper" can result in a broken hand. If a trust is established between all the members of a mochi-tsuki team, it can be like watching poetry in motion. This year I took a shot at being the "mochi-flipper," and finished unscathed with all 10 fingers. An interesting note to close, if making mochi was thought to be dangerous, eating it can be even more. People die every year while eating mochi. The number of deaths caused by chocking on mochi is reported in the media after the New Year.
Today is the last day of the school year for me. Beginning tomorrow, I’ll be working six half-days over the winter holiday at the Board of Education (BOE). Tomorrow is also my school’s big Bo-nen-kai (Forget the Year Party), also known as the grand-daddy of all Japanese enkais. An enkai is the Japanese term for a celebration or party, commonly used to describe social gatherings among co-workers or organizations. However, Japanese enkais are extremely unique and are often more genuine than reserved company parties back home. The evening usually starts off at a nice restaurant, but in the case of my junior high school all-staff party tomorrow night, it’ll be held in a hotel ballroom. In any drink setting in Japanese culture, whether two people are drinking or in a large party, its extremely important to wait until a kampai (cheers) is said before drinking. After an official toast of the evening by the head person at the party is made, followed by a group shout of kampai, eating and heavy drinking may then commence. And when I say heavy drinking, this is probably an understatement. If my small 6 oz. glass should ever fall below 3/4 full, a refill is surely in order by Japanese standards and often comes while I’m still in mid-sip. Besides drinking, its also customary to refill someone else’s glass from time to time, and definitely after your’s has just been filled. Dinner usually takes about 2-hours, which is immediately followed by an optional nijikai (second party). This usually involves karaoke and more drinking. A sanjikai and yojikai (forth and fifth party) are not unheard of either and may involve bar hopping or a late night eatery. Although enkais are expensive to attend, usually $40 – $70 USD, they are never worth missing. There is perhaps no better way of nurturing one’s working relationship in Japan than to attend. Every enkai I’ve ever been to, I’ve had a great time. Moreover, the parties serve as a great opportunity to see another side of the people you work with everyday. Although that side maybe one some would rather forget having put on display the next morning, its genuine of someone having a really good time. Fortunately for the Japanese and unlike in the west, there’s no need to worry about water cooler gossip in Japan, as hardly a word of the party is ever mentioned the next work day.
Happy Holidays to all my family and friends back home!
Every December since I’ve been in Japan, I’ve been asked to be Santa Clause at a kindergarten and this year my services have been requested twice. The first year I played Santa in Japan, the communication involved in preparing me was minimal. I remember being told the morning of, please walk around the gym and greet the kids, then answer a few questions, sing a song, and make your exit. With no music or time to rehearse, I wrote the beginning of each verse to Santa Clause is Coming to Town on my hand – the words we looked up that morning on the Internet. Sounded easy enough until my cue came to enter. With Christmas music playing, I slowly moved the stage curtain to one side and then was nearly blinded by a spotlight… Barely able to see where I was walking, I made my way down some stairs and onto the gym floor. With kids screaming and parents taking pictures, I slowly made my tour around the gym, shaking hands and shouting "Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!…" Hardly able to see my hand, let alone a smudge of either verse, the seconds until show time were painstaking. After performing under those circumstances two years ago, nothing could prevent me from bringing the house down with just a little preparation in the years to follow. This year I was looking to expand my range by singing Rudolph the Red nose Reindeer to music, a song which has a Japanese version all the kids know. Replacing my popular a cappella version of Santa Clause is Coming to Town was a difficult decision, but for the sake of growing as an artist, the move was necessary. Today’s show I think went well, a smaller crowd that I’ve been accustomed to, but apparently the school has contacts at my BOE, so they were able to book me for a private show. Next week, it’s the big one… my third go around at Kamihachiman Kindergarten! As the ALT at both junior high schools in the Hachiman area, next week’s performance has a personal importance to me -because this ones for my hood!
Every December, it’s been a Tokushima ALT tradition to host Christmas events at orphanages around the prefecture. On a volunteer basis, ALTs are asked to buy gifts and attend at least one of a number of planned orphanage visits. The day’s events include decorating a room for the party, playing games with the children, arts and crafts, singing Christmas carols, and a visit by Santa Clause. This past Sunday morning, I was involved in my third trip to a Japanese orphanage. As I have in the past, I purchased a plastic baseball bat and ball set, a gift that has gone over pretty well in the past. At the Awa Koku Orphanage this year, instead of two baseball sets, I also purchased a plastic lacrosse set, which wasn’t such a big hit. I followed the boys around who received each of my gifts, looking for that Kodak moment. Instead I got a disappointed look from the one that opened my lacrosse set and found him later trying to make a trade for some fantasy action doll. Nevertheless, seeing the overall happiness and appreciation from our visits each year is a priceless feeling and the reason for coming back each year.
This past Saturday morning was Shinmachi Elementary School’s English Day, an annual event which brings 12 foreign teachers to the school to take part in a variety of English activities with the students. As the ALT at Shinmachi Elementary since April 2004, this is the second time I have been involved in the planning and coordinating of guest English teachers visiting the school for the event. However, my first experience was as a volunteer in my first year in Japan. Shinmachi Elementary is a unique public school, in terms of English education. English became a part of the formal curriculum at the school in 1996, when the government selected it as an elmentary test school in Tokushima. The national program which was intended to determine the benefits of elementary school English education ran for three years and ended with great success. After which, the school decided to make English a permanent part of their curriculum. Unlike most elmentary schools in Japan, Shinmachi has had an ALT visiting their school weekly for nearly 10-years.In previous years, Shinmachi Elementary School’s English Day was shortly after the summer, however, the past two years its been a December event and a Christmas theme has been added. The action packed day includes, guest introductions to students, teachers and parents in the gym. Followed by lessons by foreign teachers in pairs to each grade in the school. Next, everyone gathers back in the gym for more English games and student cultural performances. Each year, I’ve been trying to add a few new twists to keep things fresh. Last year, we introduced a guest appearance by Santa, followed by Christmas songs by Santa and the guest teachers. This year, I convinced the school to borrow a spotlight. The spotlight was used when the guest teachers first entered the gym for introductions and Santa’s entrance. Adding to our grand entrance, I replaced last year’s children’s song, Hello, how are you? with Beyonce and Jay-Z’s Crazy in Love, which had the house rocking at 9:00 in the morning!
Today, I’m at my secondary JHS on the outskirts of Tokushima City, I usually spend 4-5 weeks here over the course of a term. I love to come to this school as a nice change of pace from my primary JHS, where I spend most of my time and the student body is twice as big. As my last visit before the winter break quickly approaches, the exchanging of “Tashi Dollars” officially began today. As I’ve previously written, students in the 7th grade that show outstanding participation in my English class are rewarded with “Tashi Dollars,” which can be exchanged for small gifts twice a year. The top “Tashi Dollar” recipient of each class is also rewarded a certificate of achievement. Below are the first term Class of 2005 “Tashi Dollar” Hall of Fame student inductees.
This past Wednesday was a National holiday in Japan and the night prior my dad’s friend Nima and his wife Elisabeth came to Tokushima. As teachers at the University of Puget Sound in Washington, both are traveling around Asia with over twenty university students. The near year long trip has brought them to Japan for one month and with some free time away from their responsibilities, they came to Tokushima for 1-night and a day. With a teacher from my JHS school, we visited a few popular tourist attractions in Tokushima: including a trip to the Naruto Whirlpools, a stop at temple number 1 of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage tour, a visit to the Awa Odori Museum and a ride up the Mt. Bizan Ropeway.
The Naruto Whirlpools
When visiting Tokushima, a trip to the Naruto Whirlpools is definitely necessary. Under the Ohnaruto Bridge which connects Tokushima to the Awaji Islands and Honshu, a 147 feet high (45 meters) promenade style observatory with glass floors has been constructed in order to view the famous whirlpools. Caused by the ebb and flow of the Pacific Ocean and Japan Inland Sea tides, the incoming and outgoing currents form the swirling waters – sometimes more than 65 feet (20 meters) wide.
Yesterday, I went on another school field trip, but this one was with my elementary school. Having been given a choice, I decided to travel with the 4th, 5th and 6th grade half of the school on a trip to Tokushima’s newspaper and Shikoku’s broadcasting companies. Before visiting both media outlets, we stopped at Naruto Park for some fun and lunch. I decided to spend my time at the park with the some of the 6th graders as they began setting up for baseball with a plastic bat and rubber ball. Similar to wiffle-ball, which I played growing up, I showed the kids how I used to do it back-in-the-day by changing the direction of the field. When playing this sort of baseball, it’s absolutely necessary to find some form of a homerun boundary to hit towards. Growing up, I used to play wiffle-ball in the streets hitting towards my house as the homerun fence. The rules were simple, usually consisting of no bases and ghost-runners. Anything on the roof and back was a double, hits over the house were homeruns. Our field at Naruto Park was a bit different than in the streets growing up, but the rules we applied were the same and as fun. We found a wall that was perfect for hitting over and our high scoring homerun derby style game began. Teaching English in Japan is a rewarding experience, but if I can also teach the importance of having a homerun fence in a game of wiffle-ball to kids in Japan, well…. that just makes it all the better.
Yesterday, my elementary school played host to a conference of Tokushima elementary school teachers. These types of conferences are common at every level of teaching and usually aims to provide an opportunity to discuss various teaching methods used across the prefecture. At these conferences, teachers are able to watch live class lessons and discuss effective teaching ideas with each other. Yesterday, I was involved in a teaching demonstration class with the 4th grade. The focus of this class was not about English, but more about internationalization and foreign cultural understanding through food. Although a teacher at the school, I acted as a guest along with three other guest teachers, two from Africa and one from Venezuela. With the students, we made simple dishes from our respective countries. On my menu, we made my now World famous, Cheese Omelet! With years of culinary level practice in my own kitchen, I was happy to share my experiences with the kids. As a graduate of the Food Cooking Network, I overwhelmed the other guest teachers as I waltzed around the kitchen preparing my secret recipe. Having mastered the art of adding just enough cheese, while understanding when to flip the eggs over at the precise moment, we walked through the steps slowly so each student could clearly understand the science involved in this delicate art. Lastly, I demonstrated how to finish any dish, by adding a slow pinch of salt, followed by a loud fast “B A M !” and whalla, a masterpiece, even Emeril himself would have been proud of.
Today is Halloween in Japan – and as I have the past two years I dressed up at my schools as a cultural exchange experience for students and to spread the fun of the holiday. This past few weeks, I’ve been incorporating Halloween activities into my English lessons. After establishing a foundation to what the holiday is about, it’s time to put the kids into a fun shock as I don a costume bringing the holiday to life. At my elementary school, we do a Halloween party for the 3rd grade class each year. This year, the students made their own witch costumes in a previous lesson for the party. On the day of the event last week, each student took a turn on the catwalk, followed by a class vote for best costumes. Pandemonium ran wild on this day as I dressed up as a Samurai Warrior and passed out candy around the school. Today, I’m at my JHS. Information about Halloween and an activity sheet is available outside the entrance to the teacher’s room for those students interested in my after school Halloween Raffle.
Note: See School and Work album for more pictures.
Periodically a guys night in Osaka is necessary. With many friends on lock-down, sometimes covert operations are needed to insure these weekends happen. Therefore, the playing the field agents of the Counter Lock-down Unit (CLU) of Tokushima planned an operation even Jack Bauer would have been proud of. In the middle of the night we stormed the apartments of our friends with girlfriends – using state of the art night-vision goggles and satellite surveillance, we were able to determine exactly how many female hostiles were inside the building, locate the keys to the ball and chains, and get our boys out undetected under the pretense of being kidnapped. And so the party began this past weekend in Osaka. Rolling 12-deep in one of the party capitals of the world, 24 hours in Osaka on a Halloween weekend can quickly become — one of the longest days of your life.
After my long weekend in Kyoto, where I returned home at nearly midnight – I woke up early Monday morning preparing for a day field trip to Okayama with the 9th grade class at my JHS. Similar to anywhere else in the World, Japanese students also take part in field trips. However, unlike any trips I remember taking growing up, in the 8th grade Japanese students travel to far-off destinations often by air for national cultural studies. Based on my experience, the popular choice in Tokushima is a 2-3 night trip to Okinawa or Hokkaido. Typically, 7th grade students take short field trips within their prefecture and in the 9th grade its the fun day field trip to an amusement park – which I went on this past Monday. With over 100 students traveling in two charter buses, we set off for a Brazilian amusement park called Washuzan Highland in Okayama. After crossing the famous Seto-o-hashi bridge which connects Shikoku to Honshu, Washuzan Highland’s ferris wheel and roller coaster can be seen high in the distance. Located on top of a hill overlooking the Japan Inland Sea, the location of the park is unique from any amusement park I’ve ever been to. What made this visit even more unique is that Washuzan Highland is a Brazilian theme park. How did a Brazilian theme park come to be in this part of Japan, you ask? The answer, I have no idea. But it was fun! Although not a big fan of rides or heights, I sucked it up for the students. If a ferris wheel wasn’t already high enough, placed on top a hill takes Fear Factor to another level. Highlights on the day included samba dancing and watching two of my students take nearly 10-minutes to eat one Brazilian hamburger and finish a Brazilian drink in a food eating contest – while the Brazilians screamed a bit frustrated… “faster, faster!”
This past weekend I revisited Kyoto for the second time, Japan’s cultural capital. With more than 2000 temples and shrines, Kyoto is a city that has withstood the test of time and the over mondernizations that often plague historical cities. Although urban cities such as Tokyo and Osaka are exciting for their glitz and their suffocating population density, cities such as Kyoto are a reminder of how long Japan’s history dates back. On this most recent visit to Kyoto, my trip coincided with two annual festivals, the Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) and Kurama-no Himatsuri (Fire Festival). The Jidai Matsuri is a 5-hour parade held every year on October 22. The festival was introduced in 1895 to mark the cities 1100th anniversary. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan from 794 AD to 1868 AD and this parade is a celebration of its rich history. The parading participants are all dressed in traditional costumes from the various periods in Japan’s history. The grand procession through time take place in reverse order, as the Meiji Restoration is first represented, concluding with the Enryaku period. Although extremely crowded, I managed to get a nice viewing spot of all the action. Later that evening, we set off for the Fire Festival, located in the small town of Kurama. From Kyoto station, the trip to Kurama takes almost 1-hour. However, a round-trip on the day of the festival can take up to 5-hours. A lesson I learned the hard-way. Once finally arriving at the small town of Kurama, it was immeidately evident this small town could not handle the overwhelming popularity of their own event. The festival started in 940 AD when Yuki Jinja shrine was moved from Kyoto City to Kurama. Since then, the locals have continued to build long rows of bonfires from flaming torches carried from the local temple and popular shrine.
With an endless amount of temples, castles and shrines in Kyoto, the following is a list of the most notable I’ve personally visited and my recommendations when traveling to Kyoto:
Kiyomizudera ("Pure Water Temple") is one of the most celebrated temples of Japan. It was founded in 780 and remains associated with the Hosso sect, one of the oldest sects within Japanese Buddhism. In 1994, the temple was added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Easily recognizable for its large wooden terrace and beautiful city view.
Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is a Zentemple. In 1397 construction started on the Golden Pavilion as part of a new residence for the retired shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Kinkakuji was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimitsu’s death in 1408. The Golden Pavilion functions as shariden, housing sacred relics of the Buddha and is covered in gold leaf. The present building dates from 1955 as the pavilion was burnt by a fanatic monk in 1950.
Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) is a Zen temple at the foot of Kyoto‘s Higashiyama ("eastern mountains"). In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of today’s temple. A few years later, the Silver Pavilion, modeled after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), was constructed. Plans to cover the pavilion in silver were never realized. The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa’s death in 1490.
Sanjusangendo is a temple in eastern Kyoto which is famous for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. The temple was founded in 1164 and its present structures date from 1266. The main hall, which houses the statues, is with over 100 meters Japan’s longest wooden structure. In its center sits one large Kannon, flanked on each side by 500 smaller statues, standing in neat rows side by side, each as tall as a human being.
Nijo Castle (Nijojo) was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Edo Shogunate, as the Kyoto residence for himself and his successors. This is a nice place to visit if you’re interested in history associated with the samurai culture.
Byodoin Hoodo features the most beautiful of Japan’s few remaining Pure Land Gardens, a garden type which was popular during the Heian Period. The Phoenix Hall was built in 1053 by a member of the Fujiwara clan. It is one of Japan’s most famous temple buildings and shown on the 10 Yen coin. A little far for most tourists, but worth the time just to say you’ve been to the place on the back of the 10 Yen coin, which makes for good conversation.
Note: See Japan Festivals album and Kyoto album for more pictures.
Every October in the small town of Hiwasa is the Hachibana Jinja Festival, located 2 hours south of Tokushima City. The small town of Hiwasa has many unique qualities, which makes visiting very attractive. In addition to being surrounded by Tokushima’s beautiful southern beaches, Hiwasa is also known for its exciting annual festivals. In addition to the Hachibana Jinja Festival, there is the Umigame Matsuri (Turtle Festival) held in the summer. Every year, hundreds of turtles land on Ohama Beach in Hiwasa to span. To celebrate their annual arrival, a summer festival was created in their honor. During the day, many beach events take place: including a triathlon; followed by a parade; evening music and entertainment; and a fireworks finale.
The Hachibana Jinja Festival is also as festive and includes carrying large shrines weighing over a ton in honor of the Shinto god, "Chosa." Members of each group wait for their opportunity to lift their shrine and tour the festival grounds, while paying their respects to the various temples by ramming the front of their wooden shrine into the temple gates. Difficult to describe and painstaking to be involved in, making the full tour can take almost 1 hour to complete. After paying respects to all the temples and to all the other groups involved, the shrines are then taken to the beach where they are dipped into the water for fishing prosperity. Having participated twice in this event, this part can be dangerous if the waves are up. Last year, I was forced to drop my end of the shrine and jump into the wave to avoid being thrown back into the shrine. The members take a momentary food and drink break on the beach before the madness begins again.
Note: See Japan Festivals album for more pictures.
On the outskirts of Anan City, Tokushima lies the small town of Tachibana, home to the Tachibana festival. This past weekend was my second trip to this festival only an hour south from my place. The Tachibana festival is relatively small by Japanese festival standards, but rivals most in terms of its uniqueness and danger. The Tachibana festival is somewhat difficult to explain, as I don’t know very much about the history of this event, but for the most part I’m pretty sure its motivated by religion and the hope for prosperity of some sort. At some time in the early evening, the madness of ramming rolling shrines together begins. Large decorated shrines are pulled by rope down a narrow alley with children drummers pounding away inside and some members balancing on top. Due the width of the alley, most spectators are right on top of the action with some standing only a few feet away from decapitation. Many times over during the night, the sound of drums and wheels churning can be heard, while the expectation of impact silences the crowd momentarily. The climax of the event is when the wooden shrines are pulled down the same narrow alley at full speed and ripped around a corner in hopes of reaching the footsteps of the town temple.
Note: See Japan Festivals album for more pictures.
When you ask first year junior high school students (7th graders) in Hachiman what they want for their birthday, you may not get your typical response. Sure you would expect most students to ask for a new PlayStation or an Xbox, or maybe even an I-Pod, but for the 7 graders in Hachiman, it’s all about the “Tashi Dollar!” That’s right! The “Tashi Dollar” is a copy of a US dollar bill featuring yours truly. These dollars are presented to first year jr. high school students for their outstanding classroom participation in my English class. For 7th graders in Japan, it’s the first year of formal English classes. Although some students have been fortunate enough to learn some English before entering jr. high school – for the majority – it’s an exciting new subject. Walking to the 7 grade section of the school can be experience likening to a rock star maneuvering through his biggest fans. Being the only foreigner in the school can be very flattering at times. Screams of “Tashi Dollars please!” can be heard as I make my way to the classroom. Twice a year, in December and March, students are given an opportunity to exchange their hard-earned “Tashi Dollars.” Small prizes, from stickers and school supplies to larger prizes such as Seattle souvenirs to authentic autographed Tashi baseballs are traded for. For the students with the most “Tashi Dollars” in the class, a certificate of achievement is presented. For the most part, the goal of “Tashi Dollars” is meant to motivate students in English class, which works. However, the plug on “Tashi Dollars” is pulled after the 7th grade, as students mature quickly and before the novelty wears off – hoping to avoid seeing my face on the ground with footprints and “English sucks!” written across it…
Every year in Tokushima City, over 20 junior high school students gather to compete in the cities English Speech Competition. Today is the big event, where two of my students will give a 5 minute memorizedspeech in English for a crowd of teachers, students, and judges. This nerving experience takes months of practice. The process usually begins before the summer where two students are selected from each school, followed by the students themselves writing the first draft of their speech. After which, the ALT will make many revisions with the assistance of the Japanese Teacher of English (JTE). As in all speeches, the topic is extremely important. The most successful students are able to combine a good topic with their own personal experiences, while ultimately conveying a compelling message to the audience. Having worked with the students many times in preparation and having the speech near memorized also, the presentation can be nerving for an ALT just to watch. A city winner is selected along with other runner-ups who will then compete at a later date in a prefectural competition. The winner of the prefectural competition will then go on to compete at a more prestigious national competition.
Post-competition update: 26 students in total competed. Plaques were presented to students for first, second and third place. Although both of my students did extremely well, only one of my students placed in the top 7. The top 7 students this year are invited to the Prefectural competition. Which means, I’m going to the big dance this year!
Every September or in October, students across Japan at all levels take part in a school Cultural Festival. Known as the bunkasai at the junior high schools and undoukai at the elementary schools, the Cultural Festival is an opportunity for personal expression and also fosters school pride. Similar to Open House night in the United States, parents in Japan also visit their children’s schools to chat with the teacher, but more importantly to see what their children have been learning. However, the Cultural Festival is much more of a festive event than an Open House night and takes place all-day. At my junior high schools, the event was held indoors in the gym. My elementary school held their event outside, creating a more relaxing atmosphere where families set up picnics during the lunch break. The highlight of the Cultural Festivals are the performances, which include concerts and plays. These are performed by individual volunteers or by various school “clubs,” such as the dance club, the brass-band club, and the drama club to name a few.
Typhoon number 14, a.k.a. Typhoon Nabi has now passed by my hometown of Tokushima, but still looms over northern Japan. According to reports, 11 people are dead, at least 41 injured and 13 are missing in southern and western Japan. Over 100,000 people have been evacuated from Miyazaki prefecture alone. Landslides and flooding have caused the government to dispatch Ground Self-Defense Force units to the hardest hit areas. Last night through the early morning today, Tokushima sustained heavy wind and rain, killing one person. Tokushima was fortunate to be outside the epicenter, as the typhoon curved in a northwesterly direction around the prefecture.
Here’s an update. Typhoon number 14 is moving very slowly and is still headed towards Tokushima. Most schools are in session today, but with a shortened schedule. Students at my school will be allowed to leave around noon today. It’s extremely windy outside and heavy rain is expected this afternoon. Presently, the typhoon is somewhere over Kyushu packing winds of up to 160 kph (106 mph) near its epicenter, roughly the same speeds as Hurricane Katrina. 90 kph (60 mph) winds were reported being felt nearly 200 miles away.
It’s raining hard today. Typhoon number 14 is now approaching Japan. This typhoon comes in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which recently devastated the city of New Orleans and many other parts Louisiana and Alabama back home. Last year, Japan experienced a record number of typhoons, resulting in lost lives and severe damage across the country. Classes will most likely be cancelled tomorrow.
When living in Japan I’m often asked what’s the difference between a typhoon and a hurricane. So naturally, I researched the question. In a nutshell, a hurricane and a typhoon are two names for the same thing. Both are tropical cyclones with winds of 65 knots (75 m.p.h.) or more. When these storms occur in the Western Hemisphere (in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico), we call them hurricanes. When they occur in the North Pacific Ocean west of the International Date Line, we call them typhoons.
Note: Check out the meteorological map below of the typhoon approaching Japan.
The summer for students in Japan and for myself has officially come to an end. School started this week with little fan fare due the change from a 3 semester system to a 2 semester system this year. While before, the end of the summer marked the beginning of the second term, this year the summer was viewed as just another short holiday. As I’ve previously written, unlike in the United States, students in Japan move to the next grade in the Spring. Thus, their return after the summer is less eventful than in other countries. The end of the first term will be in October, when Homeroom teachers put in long hours correcting each test manually. Without the aid of the popular mechanical scan-trons used in the United States, where a machine spits out scores – teachers in Japan are required to correct each test by hand. Next week is the ever-popular school cultural festival (bunkasai), more on that to follow.
When traveling in Japan, there is no better way of doing it than with the Japanese themselves. Nothing beats efficient automobile travel directly from destination to destination, with little wasted time from being lost. So, whenever an invitation to travel outside of Tokushima comes my way from the teachers at my schools, it’s hard to decline. This past weekend, I visited Tokushima’s neighboring prefecture of Kochi for the first time. Similar to Tokushima, Kochi is a relatively small prefecture located also on the island of Shikoku. With a population of approximately 110,000 people, Kochi City is where Nishiyama sensei, Miyagi sensei, Sogowa sensei and myself stayed the night. The highlights from our trip included visits to Katsurahama Beach, Chikurinji Temple (#31 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage), Kochi Castle and a walk down the Kochi City Sunday Market.
Katsurahama Beach Known as one of the most beautiful vistas in Japan, Katsura-hama captures the essence of the Japanese aesthetic. Katsurahama lies at the foot of a hill atop which are the remains of Urado Castle. This used to be the political center of ancient Shikoku and was the seat of daimyo Chosokabe Motochik, the feudal lord of this area.
Statue of Sakamoto Ryoma Standing on the bluff above Katsura-hama facing the Pacific Ocean is the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, a historical figure of great importance to modern Japan. In many ways, Katsura-hama is a fitting home for Sakamoto’s statue. The broad Pacific horizon represents the wider world and specifically, the West. Ryoma was instrumental in forcing Japan out of its self-imposed isolation and onto the modern world stage. To this day, he is beloved by people throughout Japan as one of the founding fathers of modern Japan. This wonderful statue is a gift by the young people of Kochi prefecture to his memory.
Kochi Castle The towering white donjon of Kochi Castle is a city landmark. From the heights of the donjon, visitors can enjoy a 360° view of downtown. In 1601, Yamanouchi Kazutoyo took up residence in Tosa. Successful warriors of that period earned greater and greater rewards in title and koku. Land was measured not strictly by area, but rather by koku, a unit of rice production. (One koku could, theoretically, feed one person for one year.) Yamanouchi’s loyalty to Tokugawa Ieyasu earned him the 240,000 koku domain of Tosa. Convinced that future development of the town would be impossible at the Urado site, he moved his government back to the Otakasa area and built Kochi Castle. The wooden buildings of the castle suffered heavy fire damage in 1727, but were faithfully rebuilt 25 years later. It is one of the oldest intact castles in Japan, of which there are but twelve. An Important Cultural Artifact of Japan, it is the only castle where both the donjon and the lord’s home, or kaitokukan, survive. The kaitokukan now houses cultural treasures of Tosa.
Kochi City Sunday Market Kochi prefecture is known for its 300 year history of markets and embody the rough-and-ready spirit of Tosa (a dialect and/or culture in Kochi). Of special note is the Sunday Market, which starts at the main gate of Kochi Castle and stretches east for over a kilometer. Stalls line both sides of the street, and offer everything from home grown vegetables and daily goods and clothes, to antiques, trees and stones for ornamental gardening, and a wide variety of local specialties. It’s a lively market where you can see, hear, feel and smell the essence of Tosa.
The days of having no work in the Summer as a Tokushima City ALT are all over. When I first arrived in Tokushima in 2003, I was somewhat spoiled by a lose policy which allowed ALTs to have their Summer breaks primarily free. This free time was once a great opportunity to see many parts of Tokushima and other parts of Japan, however, due to a tightening budget and a shift to include weekly classes at the Elementary schools, this Summer has been unusually busy. As of 1 of 8 ALTs working directly for the Tokushima City Board of Education (BOE), we created the first ever Tokushima City Elementary School English curriculum with the help of various consultants back in the Spring. With this new curriculum, which serves more as a guideline to what should be taught at each grade level, a structure for teaching is now in place. Although this curriculum has been in place for many months now, this Summer serves as an opportunity to introduce the curriculum formally to elementary school teachers around the city. Because there has been no formal English curriculum at the elementary school level, we’ve been conducting workshops on topics from: understanding the new curriculum; learning how to lesson plan with the ALT; to basic adult English conversation classes.
From August 12th until the 15th every year there is a big dance festival in my hometown of Tokushima called Awa Odori. This event includes several thousands of people precision-dancing through the streets. If you ever plan to visit Tokushima, this is absolutely the best time as the entire city goes nuts for 4 nights. Most dance groups known as rens often practice months in advance for the event, however, the Arasowa-ren which I belong to, comprised of foreigners and Japanese wing-it every year.
During Awa Odori tens of thousands of dancers wearing traditional festival yukatas (summer kimono) perform in parades along the decorated main streets of the city, accompanied by drums, bells and flutes and the traditional Yoshikono-bushi song. The whole city gets caught up in the festive spirit and over a million visitors take part or just watch.
Awa Odori takes place during the Buddhist observance of O-bon, when the spirits of the dead are thought to return to their ancestral homes. In Tokushima the departed are welcomed back with a performance of the Dance of the Fools, which dates back more than 400 years.
More About Awa Odori
In 1587 a feudal overlord decided to throw a party to celebrate the completion of his new castle. His guests got so drunk that they began to dance, arms and legs flailing about all over the place. Once they had recovered from their hangovers it was decided to make it an annual event. The feudal government of the time, afraid that the gatherings could easily turn into a mob that would try and oust them from power, imposed restrictions on Awa Odori. Yet their legislation was unable to subdue the joyous spirit of the people, and the tradition lived on.
The JET year begins and ends on July 27th; and this weekend was the last opportunity to say "sayonara" to a lot of good friends that will be leaving Japan and heading back to their home countries. This date in 2005 also marks the beginning of my 3rd year in Japan.
From time to time, the JETs in Tokushima do an "Open Mic Night." This past weekend, I had the opportunity to host what will probably be the last of these events. With the July departure of fellow Seattlelite and "Open Mic Night" creator, Anthony Uno, this probably marks the end of a 3-year Tokushima tradition. These events spotlight the good, bad and ugly of hidden talents some JETs have or think they have in the ken. "Open Mic Night" brings out attempts at playing musical instruments, singing, dancing, and even some stand-up comedy. Whether the performances are good or bad, the overall evening is usually very entertaining with aid of a few beers.
At the elementary, jr. high, and high school level there is an annual Spring event known as the “taiikusai,” translated as the School Sports Festival. This event usually takes place in the end of May at most schools across Japan and consists of a range of challenging sports competitions. Many common events such as the tug-of-war and relay races are featured, but what makes this day fun are the unique thought-up games masterminded by the P.E. teachers. At my JHS, a championship trophy was awarded to the best class from each grade. Because many of the events require the involvement of the entire class, team work is of the utmost importance. Class homeroom teachers are heavily involved in the day’s events and take great pride in their classes’ success. The School Sports Festival usually draws many family members to the event, as parents and teachers participate in a few showcase events for laughs.
I took this Golden Week as opportunity to explore parts of Tokushima I haven’t yet visited. The focus of my week was on western Tokushima and visiting as many 88 Temples of Shikoku as I could. With Nishiyama sensei (teacher) as my guide, we set off to Iya Valley, considered one of Japan’s three most hidden regions. Iya Valley is located deep along the western Tokushima Iyakei Gorge and with houses on its hillsides and a feeling of isolation, the region is dubbed the ‘Tibet of Japan’ by famed writer Alex Kerr. After driving along a narrow road where cars are required to pull to the side to allow on coming traffic to fit, we finally arrived at Kazura-bashi – a famous vine bridge, which spans the deep river gorges. What looked like an easy cross from a distance, up close the ancient bridge made from natural vine creepers appeared as if it was ready to break at any time. With some steps almost a foot apart and a rail that rocked unsteadily, it appeared some folks would need a rescue operation just to get off. Afterwards we ate a fish skewer appetizer and Iya Soba – Iya’s own popular noodles made from buckwheat locally grown. When looking for relaxation after a meal or anytime for that matter, there’s no better way then to what else… but to get naked with a bunch of men – Japanese style. That’s right, I’m talking about a trip to the onsen, translated as spa. Going to the onsen is a favorite amongst all Japanese men and women. What can be crunchy for most Westerners at first, over time the camando experience can become quite natural. There are literally thousands of onsens all across Japan and the Iya Onsen rates high for its ambiance. Located atop the cliffs at Iyakei Gorge, a ride down the steepest cable car in Japan is necessary to reach the base of the valley and Iya’s outdoor hot spring onsen. On the return trip, we stopped at a preserved home of the Heike samarai clan. It was in Iya Valley where Kyoto’s defeated Heike clan fled from the rival Genji samarai clan during the 12-century samarai civil wars. The week concluded with visits to various 88 Temples.
Note: see Tokushima Sights album for more pictures
The Japanese work ethic and devotion to their employer is something that I was aware of before coming to Japan and have now come to experience first hand. Whether you are a company employee or teaching at a school, long hours are expected and requesting vacation for leisure purposes is hardly ever considered. As a matter of fact, on many occasions I have been reminded that Japanese school teachers do not have sick-days and when one falls ill beyond the ability to come to work, using a vacation day is the only option. However, this company first mind-set is quickly changing in today’s Japanese society. What was once uncommon to leave a company to pursue another is becoming more and more accepted. One refuge that many Japanese workers enjoy is their abundance of National Holidays. Next week, beginning April 29th is Golden Week. Golden Week is a string of National Holidays from late April through early May. For those employees able to take 2 full days of vacation, 10 consecutive days of no work is possible. Golden Week begins with Greenery Day, the Showa Emperor’s birthday, named Greenery Day for his love of plants. Followed by May 3rd’s Constitution Day, a day celebrating the new Japanese Constitution implemented after WWII. Add in a complimentary National Holiday on May 4th, followed by Children’s Day May 5th – a celebration of the well-being of children – thus, a Golden Week of Holidays is made.
This weekend I was invited back to the Nishiyamas, a family that’s been living in Tokushima dating back over 300 years. The house I visited is owned by the parents of one of the teachers at my JHS. This past Saturday morning’s task involved digging up baby bamboos, which are primed for picking and eating in the spring. Deep in the country side of Itano, I performed a farming tradition modern urban Japanese families have probably never experienced. With only a digging pick in my hand I set off lead by father, son and granddaughter into a wild bamboo forrest with only one mission – to feed the women and children of the Nishiyama family. Once we arrived I was given a quick lesson in the art of baby bamboo digging and then I was on my own. There is nothing more exhilaratingg than man and mother nature clashing in a battle for survival. Nearly starving to death at the time, I chopped away at the base of the baby bamboo as mother nature desperately clung to the roots of her creation. This battle continued many times over as we left securing over 20 baby bamboos, enough for a lavish feast. Once we returned back to the house, I was given a lesson on how to prepare baby bamboo for cooking and then we ate a three course baby bamboo meal from the fruits of our labor.
シアトル・イングリッシュ 