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, the Tokushima "Awa Gais" co-ed basketball team, comprised of ALTs ranging from all skill levels played our second game of the new JET year. With players on the team from all over the world , including Australia, England, and New Zealand, it’s been a challenge just to keep some members from kicking and running with the basketball down the court. Although one of the most popular sports in America, basketball takes a very far back seat to soccer and rugby in their respective countries, which makes winning for us a distant goal to just playing by the rules. This past weekend, we played Jonan, a local Tokushima City high school team. As all Japanese high school teams are, they were extremely quick and ran at every opportunity. Before we could blink, our team was down double-digits and their lead kept growing. Despite scoring nearly half our team points, I still wasn’t able to keep our team from losing, 71-58. Now I know how Kobe Bryant feels…
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.
October has always been a month for Major League Baseball (MLB) playoff drama, but what I’ve come to learn is that across the Pacific in Japan, similar stories are playing out as well. Without many other competing professional sports leagues, baseball is by far the most popular professional sport in Japan. Baseball was first introduced in Japan in 1872 and the Japanese Professional League was formed in 1936. So while the St. Louis Cardinals’ Albert Pujols’ homerun with two outs in the 9th may have put on hold or ended a long over-due Houston Astros party last night – the Chiba Marines fans in Japan were celebrating the end of their 31-year old drought with a 3-2 victory over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. With the win, the Bobby Valentine coached Marines will now face the ever-popular Hanshin Tigers in the finals.
The Hanshin Tigers, once in a similar pennant drought 2-years ago, managed to overcome 18-years of losing and put an end to the dreaded "Curse of the Colonel." No stranger to baseball curses as well, the Japanese have their own share of unique superstitions to explain years of losing. In 1985, an overzealous Hanshin fan threw a statue of Colonel Sanders taken from a nearby Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet into Osaka’s Dotonbori River. The statue was never retrieved and the team’s losing ways were attributed to the missing mannequin. In 2003, Hanshin lost in the Japan Series in seven to Fukuoka, but still won back fans and was given a victory parade as if they had won the championship. By chance, I found myself in Osaka during this celebration where hundreds of thousands of fans stood outside in the pouring rain to pay tribute to the players and coaches. Having only been removed from the Japan Series for two-years this time, expectations are much higher for the 2005 Tigers’ team to win it all.
With only 12 professional teams and 2 leagues in Japanese professional baseball, the format for competition is always subject to debate. Prior to this year, there were no playoffs and the team with the best record from each league competed in a best of seven Japan Series. However, the less-popular Pacific League chose independently from the Central League to create a playoff this year between their top 3 teams, where the Marines came out on top last night. The Hanshin Tigers and the Chiba Marines are set to battle beginning next week in the Japan Series, Japan’s equivalent to the MLB World Series.
Update: The Chiba Marines swept the Hanshin Tigers to win their first championship in 31-years. Bobby Valentine becomes the only foreigner to manage in and win the Japan Series. Valentine is also the only man to manage in both the World Series and the Japan series.
Note: The pictures below are from the 2003 Hanshin Tigers parade in Osaka.
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.
Despite the popularity of pro baseball in Japan, Japan’s most avidly followed sporting event is the All-Japan High School Baseball Tournament (aka National Senior High School Baseball Tournament), first held in 1915. Played in August at Hanshin Koshien Baseball Stadium near Osaka, it draws almost one million spectators to a tournament of the 49 regional finalists that survived local tournaments involving over 4,000 schools. After winning their respective prefectural championships, similar to a State title in the United States, teams then vie for the coveted national championship. With national and each teams’ local media covering the tournament, players and coaches become overnight celebrities and heroes with success. This year’s champions from Hokkaido successfully defended their championship from 2004, placing them in an elite group of teams to win back-to-back titles. Used as springboard to the pros, popular MLB stars such as Ichiro and Hedeki Matsui have played in the tournament before being drafted onto Japanese clubs.
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.
Well… I’m presently on vacation back home in Seattle, WA with a little down time to write. This trip not only included an opportunity to see my friends and family, but it was also my friend’s wedding on July 30th. Their ceremony was done primarily with Tibetan wedding customs and some western elements included. As the best man, not only was I the master of ceremonies during the evening, I also had to do the best man speech. A nerving experience everyone should have to face at least once in a lifetime. Overall, a memorable night! Congratulations again to Tenzing and Jeanie!
Note: Pictures below were taken at the Rose Garden in Portland, OR.
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.
I’m now back in Japan after 5 nights in Minneapolis, Minnesota where the 2005 Midwest Tibetan Picnic was held. In celebration of World Tibet Day (July 3) and the Dalai Lama’s birthday (July 6), Tibetans from all over the world gather this weekend annually. With a population of over a thousand Tibetans, Minnesota has quickly become home to one of the largest Tibetan communities in the United States. In addition to Tibetan cultural events, including a Tibetan Performing Arts show and a concert "For the Dalai Lama’s Long Life," – the Midwest Tibetan Picnic also features a basketball and soccer tournament.
After winning 4-West Coast Tibetan Picnic basketball championships, this year my team headed east to the midwest. This year marks our first appearance at the midwest championships. With an undefeated record over four years on the west coast, we were the favorites in a field including: Minnesota A, Minnesota B, Kentucky, Chicago, Madison A, and Madison B.
Our first round game was versus Minnesota "B." With the entire hometown crowd cheering their every shot, we beat Minnesota’s "B" team 37-24. The semi-final game was shortly after the first-round game and proved to be the most competitive of the tournament. Minnesota’s "A" team, apparently undefeated and the reigning Midwest champions played determined and with a lot of pride. With an even larger hometown crowd for the semi-final game, we managed to win 52-45. In the finals we played Kentucky. Although Kentucky showcased one good player, it was not enough to end our now 5-year Dynasty. Kentucky eventually fell by 20 points (81-61) and we improved our lifetime record to 13-0.
The trophy case now contains 4-West Coast Championships and a Midwest Championship. Next stop on the World Tour; New York City or Toronto.
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.
This past weekend I visited temples 18-22 of the famed Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage. The highlight of these visits was my visit to Tairyuji, temple 21. Tairyuji is located high on top a mountain in southern Tokushima. For a fee, a ropeway is available to take you to the summit of the mountain and to the door steps of Tairyuji. However, for the dedicated pilgrim walking the 88 Temple path, an hour detour and an hour hike is necessary to reach the the top. Although my partner in crime, Nishiyama sensei and I drove the detour, we challenged ourselves to do the hike in the spirit of Kobo Daishi. As we climbed up the mountain along a narrow and ever changing steep path, I began to think how strong-willed one must have to be to walk the pilgrimage with challenges such as this. Along this path, we came across only 1 pilgrim hiking up the mountain.
For the information of my friends and family. My travel plans are set for two trips home in June and July. From June 30th to July 5th, I’ll be Minneapolis, MN for the Midwest Tibetan Picnic. A Tibetan cultural festival celebrating the 70th birthday of the Dalai Lama. In addition to events celebrating Tibetan culture, sporting events will also be a part of the weekend festivities. My basketball team, which has won 4 consecutive West Coast Tibetan Picnic championships and is still undefeated will be competing for the first time in the Midwest Championships. From July 20th to August 9th, I’ll be in Seattle, WA visiting friends and family back home.
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.
This past weekend I attended the Tokushima prefectural JHS basketball tournament, where my school’s boys team competed in the semi-finals. Hachiman JHS is a local powerhouse when it comes to JHS basketball in Tokushima. Last year, the boys team were the prefectural champions.
Unlike in the US where there are seasonal sports, students in Japan often devote the better part of their youth to one sport. It’s commonly known back home that football is a fall sport, basketball is played in the winter and baseball in the spring. However for Japanese students, only one sport is participated in all year round, or one after school activity for that matter. In Japan, almost all students belong to an after school club activity, which include not only sports, but martial arts and music. These after school activities take place year round and the practices are taken quite seriously.
As for this year’s Hachiman boy’s basketball team, they lost their semi-final match up and finished third in the tournament. Not to worry though, because this is only one of the many city and prefectural tournaments played during the course of the school year. For third year JHS students on the basketball team, this tournament is only preparation for June and July. In June, the Tokushima City tournament is played where the top 3 teams go on to play in the Tokushima prefectural tournament (State tournament of sort) in July. The Tokushima prefectural champions are then invited to the Japan national JHS championships. Soon after the national championships, the second year students take over the reigns, while the third year students focus on their high school entrance examinations.
This past Sunday morning was the 7th annual Tokushima International Charity Fun Run (a.k.a. – a marathon). Over 200 residents of Tokushima took part in the event. Although hard core running enthusiasts would never consider 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) a marathon, but for me this was the closest to the real deal as I’m ever going to get. After paying the 2000\ fee to charity (about 20.00 US dollars), we were given an official number and a map of the course. The day’s conditions couldn’t have been better. Running along side the beautiful Tsukimigaoka seaside in Matsushige town I set off with only one goal, not to stop. I began the race strong and ahead of my peers only to later watch the only other two male ALTs pass me. As these two slowly left my view, I looked for other motivations to keep going. I focused on staying in front of the female ALTs and to keep pace with this little Japanese woman wearing the number 176. It was back and forth between me and 176 the entire race. It was clear to me she was a hard core runner in her youth, probably a university champion or a former Olympian or something. She had all the signs that told me she’s been down this excruciating road before, but what really gave it away was she kept looking at her watch, which told me she owned one of those fancy watches with a stop watch feature. As she was clearly out for her best time, I was focused on my getting my first. In the final turn while running on fumes, I kicked in my nitro to finish just ahead of her with a time of 1 hour 4 minutes. There is no greater feeling of accomplishment than running and finishing in an organized running event such as this, it’s even more rewarding when you can do it for charity. (and beating that woman who was probably the greatest national athlete of her time… well, that’s just icing on the cake).
Note: see Tokushima Sports album for more pictures.
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 88 Temple Tour of Shikoku is Japan’s most famous pilgrimage and starts in Tokushima. Ever since the great Japanese Buddhist saint Koba Daishi (AD 774-835) achieved enlightenment on the island of Shikoku, pilgrims have followed his path walking the 870 miles (1400 km) route around the island. For 1000 years, the pilgrimage was an extremely difficult task – the only way to make the journey was to walk the 870 miles (1400 km) track, an incredible journey. Until 1685 there was no guidebook. In modern times, the journey can be seen being made using every form of modern transportation, as well as a small minority with the time and energy that still attempt the walk. Upon learning of the 88 Temples, it has always been a goal of mine to visit all 88 before leaving Japan or in my lifetime. Although walking and following the path in order is out of the question, I believe simply visiting all 88 Temples is an accomplishment in itself. Thus far, I have only visited the first 10 temples, including Hashikura temple, which is not officially part of the 88, but was built by Kobo Daishi on top of a mountain in 828. My journey to find enlightenment continues…
More about Kobo Daishi
Known as Kukai (meaning ‘the sky and the sea’) during his lifetime, the great saint was awarded the title of Kobo Daishi – kobodaishi means ‘great teacher’ or ‘saint’ – following his death. Kobo Daishi founded the Shingon sect of Buddhism, the only major sect that believes enlightenment can be achieved in this lifetime. It is commonly referred to as Esoteric Buddhism. He is also credited with, among other things, putting together the first Chinese-Japanese dictionary, and creating hiragana, the system of syllabic writing that made it easier for Japanese to put their language into writing.
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.
Depending on where you are in the world this may or may not be on your nightly news, but in Asia the two big economic superpowers, China and Japan are at it again. This most recent conflict of interests stems from a new Japanese history book that the Chinese say fails to admit the extent of Japan’s World War II atrocities. The Chinese claim the book distorts facts and attempts to beautify and deny Japan’s aggressive assaults throughout Asia in the 1940s and earlier. Now this word "atrocity," which I’ve seen used on numerous occasions to describe the actions of the Japanese may be justified. However, this word which means an act of unusual or illegal cruelty inflicted by an armed force on civilians or prisoners is used in the context of the past.
Unlike the ongoing and present day "atrocities" the Chinese government have been inflicting upon Tibetans for over half-a-century.
According to recent reports, 20,000 protesters paraded in two cities in southern Guangdong on Sunday, with some targeting a Japanese department store in Shenzhen, one day after angry demonstrators threw rocks, eggs and plastic water bottles at Japan’s embassy and ambassador’s residence in Beijing. It’s really hard to sympathize with what I believe are primarily staged protesters given a green light by their government to do whatever they wish in order to create a public relations out-cry. At least when Tibetans around the world protest for freedom and basic human rights, we do it peacefully with some civility. It’s completely ridiculous that a communist government that mutes its own media and people in order to print what it chooses – believes it has the authority to tell another free democratic country what to write in its own history books.
If this was a hundred Tibetans in Tibet protesting that the Chinese government accurately account for the thousands of innocent Tibetans killed by the Chinese in Chinese textbooks – there would be arrests, followed by imprisonment and torture.
For those Chinese that are protesting wildly in the streets for what you believe to be atrocities of the past, I’ve got a message for you. Look in the mirror and deal with the present first!
Note: This opinion I wrote was published in The Daily Yomiuri, Japan’s National English newspaper.
"Romanian
TV is now showing on primetime national news on Pro TV – the leading
commercial channel in the country – footage of Chinese soldiers killing
at least one, probably two, Tibetan asylum seekers, plus a long
eyewitness interview. You can see it at http://www.protv.ro. It’s the lead
item and takes up the entire home page. A Romanian TV cameraman was
among the 50 or so mountaineers at Cho Oyu Advanced Base Camp who saw
the events."
This past weekend I reassembled the Tokushima ALT basketball team in my effort to get back into playing shape by July. Our current team consists of a bunch of great guys, full of inspiring enthusiasm, excellent tenacity, superb work ethic, some can even speak a little Japanese… but NO basketball talent. The combination of an Aussie with a love for rugby, a Brit who prefers a little "footy" on the weekends, add in a Canadian just for the hell of it, then sprinkle in some Americans that have never played the game – you’ve got a recipe for an international crisis. Now… we do have one player besides myself that has played some organized ball in the past, but after two reconstructive knee surgeries to the same knee – as a concerned friend I’ve been encouraging him to consider the wheel chair leagues. That’s our current team we used against one of the top high school teams in Tokushima City this past weekend. Straggling into the gym this past Saturday morning at 9 something, 10 minutes late we found our competition with their full squad of probably 20 players deep fully warmed-up ready to play… I’m not gonna go into too much detail about what happened after that, but let me just say we weren’t ready to play. To make matters worse, that high school team never took their foot of the gas. After being up by over 20 or was it 40, I can’t remember – they continued to full court press us, never letting up a bit. This was only our first game back as a team and it was clear we were out of shape… we’ll play this team again in June and see how far we’ve come. But until then, baby steps….
The cherry blossom (sakura) is Japan’s unofficial national flower. It has been celebrated for many centuries and plays an important role in Japanese culture. There are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in Japan, most of which bloom for just a couple of days in spring. The Japanese celebrate that time of the year with hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties under the blooming trees… this past weekend I visited Tokushima park to take part… The cherry blossoms were all in full bloom and the weather was great. Tokushima park is probably the most popular spot in the city to do the traditional picnic and every year a couple of Tokushima’s more popular foreigner hang-outs, Ingrid’s Bar and Big Brothers’ (sandwiches) throw a hanami party. Good times!…
Spring Break is now officially over and today was the Opening Ceremony at my JHS. At today’s Opening Ceremony, the new teachers were introduced to the 8th and 9th graders. Also, the homeroom teachers, and all of the 8th and 9th teachers were introduced as well. On Monday there will be a separate Opening Ceremony for just the new wide-eyed 7th graders and their teachers. Looking forward to that, because I’ll be introduced with the 7th grade teachers. Looking around today, there’s a lot of changes in the teachers’ office. Certain teachers are now teaching different grades, new teachers in the mix, and also a new vice-principal… cool time for me, because I kinda feel like a veteran who knows the ropes around the office, but this feeling will soon pass as the new teachers catch on and I move back into my role as the lost foreigner…
The new school year also rings in some big changes in my schedule. My small country JHS has now been replaced with another larger JHS closer to the city. Fine by me because I prefer to teach at larger schools, but its kinda sad to say bye to that small school with only 50 students – however, a new ALT will provide some much needed energy and excitement there I think. My new JHS has about 400 students, which is about half than at my primary JHS I visit most regularly. Also, I have one less elementary school to visit. My new grand total is 3 schools I now visit, a nice clean and easy schedule to manage. Tonight there are more enkais to welcome in the new teachers, each grade will do it separately – followed by a school enkai next week. Gonna pass on the invite and make my appearance at the full staff enkai next week… Big weekend coming up! Basketball game vs a HS team and Hanami – aka – “partying under a Cherry Blossom tree” (Japanese tradition). More on those to follow… stay- tuned.
シアトル・イングリッシュ 