okonai elementary

Okonai Shogakko

I thought I had visited every elementary school in Taneichi, but I was wrong. There are still two others that I will attend in the next couple of weeks. But this Monday's adventure was to Okonai--the second smallest elementary school in Taneichi. Okonai school population, first through sixth grades is...............25! I wish you could see how huge and empty these schools are. They have entire levels of the building not being used. Okonai is doing multi-age classrooms (first time I have seen it in Taneichi). Grades 1/2, 3/4, and 5/6 are combined, and each classroom has only 7-10 students!!! So strange to walk into rooms that use to hold 30+ students and here sit 7 little tykes, in 7 little desks.

Opportune teaching conditions, but a little difficult on the wallet?

This is 'kyushoku'---Japanese school lunch. I eat it everyday because that is the only option. No one brings their own lunch from home. Surprisingly, picky-eater-me, enjoys school lunch! It's a great way to sample many traditional Japanese dishes and its nutritional. A typical school lunch is pictured above. Some days its waaaaaaaay better than others, and this was NOT one of those days.

Let's see: There is always some kind of soup. Usually miso, wakame, a fish chowder or corn soup--pictured above with chunks of seaweed to boot. There is always a small slab of unknown COOKED fish (its always cooked/smoked/fried/dried etc). The fish would be even better WITHOUT the skin and bones, but I try not to be fussy. Although I must say, filleting my lunch everyday with chopsticks has really improved my dexterity! Salmon, squid and mackerel seem to be rotated on the schedule every day (keep in mind, 4 months ago, I would have never eaten ANY of these!) There is also always some kind of salad....my favorite part. Really fresh vegetables, tasty dressings and ultra-healthy. Although, some days they put these dehydrated itsybitsy minnows in the salads---which totally wrecks it. One, the flavor is of course, super fishy and MOREOVER---waaaaaaaaaaay over, the 'minnows' have eyes and tails. It's NOT visually appetizing, so I quickly offer it to one of my students. There is also a small piece of fruit--usually oranges or apples. And lastly, either a bowl of rice or a small loaf of bread. I know that sounds like a huge exaggeration, but seriously---they get these bread 'rolls' that are the size of submarine sandwiches...way too many carbs, so I have started nixing both the rice AND the bread. All in all, the lunch is palatable and a fun experience to share with the students each day.

Interview games...these 5/6 graders did a super job. So genki and fun! A lot changes for these students when they go to junior high next year. Suddenly, the focus isn't on making learning fun and memorable....but rather studying for the high school entrance exams. This "preparation" at the junior high level, begins in 7th grade and its intense! Quite militaristic, compared to the way its done in the States. Hence, I really enjoy the freedom to design English classes that are fun, engaging and interesting to the elementary aged students! (It's good practice for me when I get a future ESL classroom of my own!)

Here are the 5/6 graders = all 11 of them! What a dreamy teaching job.....no wait, the curriculum-philosophy and pedagogical techniques are mind boggling, outdated and the antithesis of what we are trying in the States. School is institutionalized, and one of the biggest cultural differences that I struggle with daily. I think you can learn a lot in any situation, including what not to do.

Matta ne! Thanks for a super visit to your school!

cafe buFFet?!?!

Mayumi invited me to my first-ever "Cake Buffet". This is a rare and special treat for Japanese, because these gourmet cakes are really expensive. One "piece" can set you back almost $8! It was no surprise that the "cake show" sold out. There was one stipulation: you had only one hour to stuff your face. Kinda sickening thought, looking back on it now...and yes, we followed suit and ate and ate and ate until I actually felt my face tighten up from puckering my lips at the supersupersuper sweet tastes that I have forgotten in the last few months.

To our surprise, and the demise of our stomachs, they served regular sized cakes during the buffet! Small bite-size 'trial' slices would have sufficed, but this was the big-time! Tray after tray after tray, the chefs/bakers (?) continued to bring in new varieties every few minutes. Fruit, pudding, mouse, creams, gelatin, and chocolateeverything was on the menu. The cakes are really fancy, not sure if you can see it from these pictures---but they are always layered and/or have some "surprise" inside. Such precision--almost too pretty to eat. Well,...almost ;)
Now Japanese people, stereotypically, have somewhat smaller appetites in general (especially with sweets and desserts). I couldn't believe my eyes---they were vultures. Almost pushing their way to and through the buffet line. It was reminiscent of the "troughs" (as my Dad calls buffets) back home. But this was the most upscale trough I have been to!

Thank you Mayumi for a wonderful "Japanese" feast! This was a really interesting cultural experience...one that left me really UNcomfortably stuffed! Thanks for being so....SWEET! ;)

a vegan thanksgiving

Kudos to Rick, pictured above, for organizing another vegan thanksgiving feast (this was a fundraising effort to help rebuild schools destroyed by the tsunami in India). Though my own cooking techniques and recipes have accidentally turned vegan, I must admit I was a bit sketchy about trying other people's concoctions. So this was another "first" for me, but as it turns out I was MORE than impressed by the delicious dishes prepared by everyone. Of course Rick's main dishes and desserts took the cake. It was as close to the real thing as I could get!

The buffet had a different menu, as you may imagine. For those of you not down on your diet lingo---vegan means NO meat and NO dairy (butter, eggs and milk) and NO animal byproducts. Alternatives and replacements include soy fillintheblank, tofu younameit and many veggies. Cooking non-vegan stuff is still challenging cos I can't read the labels or directions, so I haven't a clue how to modify it to suit vegan tastebuds. I ended up making something up on the fly....I lighly fried a bunch of sweet potatoes, apples and onions. Then doused it all with a bit of cinnamon. Simple, cheap, healthy and surprisingly delicious---just my style!

Must give Rick (a former chef in his earlier years) credit for all of his hard work. Rick made stuffing--with REAL wild rice from the Midwest. He found some American Indian recipes and really authenticized the feast with diverse dishes and unique spices that awakened my senses to somethign other than seaweed and fish. We had cornbread pudding, an "oatmeal-esque" mixture that you drink from a cup, barbeque tofu steak, real cranberry sauce, pumpkin bread/like crepes, REAL pumpking and chocolate pecan pie AND a chiffon cake. There were also a host of Japanese dishes, salads and sushi, but I'm sorry Japan pals---Thanksgiving is not a day we celebrate with fish eggs and crustracean genitalia. Because our feast was made completely from scratch and with little or no preservatives, I dont feel UNcomfortable stuffed or tired--even better, I don't feel guilty about what I ate! Now THAT is a first....!!!

Having the opportunity to eat foods like this is such a treat...no pun intended! Kinda funny to see hashi being used to eat pumpkin pie and cake! Just thought it was an interesting picture that shoes the blending of two cultures...however, food transcends all language barriers!

Hello to Akiko-san, who I met tonite! Loved your chiffon cake the best! Yoku dekimashita!

Huge thanks again to Rick for hosting a super party! Your cooking is incredible and totally made my nite! Thanks again! Safe travels to India and best of luck helping rebuild a part of their community! Take care of yourself! Adios!

giving thanks

Hikage Family

Hikage-san, me, Yuriko, Akita and Ayaka

Today is "Labor Thanksgiving Day" in Japan. It is not celebrated with ritualistic routines, but simply one less day to work or go to school. I enjoyed the day immensely--as it provided an opportunity to get caught up on laundry, cleaning and winterizing my home (see all those "little things" that I never write about on here, are actually happening too!)

I was so thankful for the Hikage family inviting me to their home for a Japanese-ized Thanksgiving feast. We had a wonderful meal that included Italian, Japanese and American foods. Pizza, nabe, onigiri, sweetpotatoes, pumpkin salad, squid salad and coffee cake. An uncharacteristic American Thanksgiving, but well spent with my wonderful surrogate family.

There is much to be thankful for---not just today (or 2 days from now for you US folks)...but everyday is a gift. I am always mindful of the generous community with which I live in as I often find myself on the receiving end of what we call "random acts of kindness" in the States. But in Japan, they don't have a saying like that to remind them to be thoughtful, considerate and respectful. They just live their lives that way. It really is a beautiful thing to experience and I appreciate that aspect of the culture....daily!

I also appreciate my supportive friends and family back home that give me the strength to continue maximizing this experience! Thanks to YOU, I have had no feelings of lonesomeness or homesickness. Your interest and belief in me and what I'm doing over here is never forgotten! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Lastly, even bigger thanks to the Taneichi-machi community. You have been SO helpful, welcoming and embracing! I LOVE living in your community and look forward to more great times together! Also, thank you to my new friends scattered through out Iwate-ken and the Tohoku region. Wherever I go, I seem to find myself surrounded by great people and beautiful sights (coincidence? nah, that's just Japanese culture for ya!) Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with me! You are great teachers! Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for your care! Osawa ni nademashita!

kadonohama cuties

Kadonohama Elementary School

Very typical in nature, this school was built many years ago and built for about 4 times as many students as it now holds.

Possible capacity: 500

Current enrollment: 85

These small schools are the best to visit though! The teachers and students are very close and it feels like a family! I love my Mondays in @ the shogakkos! Also, big kudos to whoever designed this school...it actually keeps the wind out! I couldn't see my breath in the hallways! Such simple treasures!

Way cute kids. ALlllllllllmost makes me miss the little tykes back in the States...but then I think of snotty noses and whiney voices, pulling on your sleeve cos they need their shoes tied. I kid you not, the kids here are SO not like that. I'm still trying to figure it all out, but they are so............responsible and industrious. They are independent and secure, they don't rely on others---they just 'fulfill their duty' to be a learning sponge. Wish my teacher pals back home could experience this change in classroom scenery!

Love these candid photos. Interesting to see the faces of the children in the background...they are so wowed by a 'foreigner'...despite having one in their school for the last 8 years. I don't mind the silly faces and/or looks of complete awe or horror--that god forbid, I might try to ask them something in English! Wish they would relax a bit and just try...broken English is better than NO English. (at least that's what I tell myself) There are no janitors at their schools...its all Kid-powered! These 6th graders are out picking up the school grounds...raking, garbage, tree trimming...you name it, these handy kids can do it! I think its great to see them educating their students on "practical" skills as well. This hidden "practical" curriculum is quite useful, but rarely shows its face in English class...how unfortunate!
Doing a quick introduction for the students and teachers. It was great to meet you! See you again soon! Ja ne!

adventures in Akita

Homestay with the Hosoya Family

Akita Prefecture

Just got back from Akita!!! I had an incredible time with new friends and the fantastic scenery! Winter has hit in Akita and I had to wear layers and layers of clothes the whole weekend--as I was a bit ill prepared for the arctic blast. Sophia had the brilliant idea to take a quick trip to the hot springs one early morning....and it turned out to be the most beautiful one I have been in so far! It was right along the Sea of Japan...and outdoors of course. You cold see and hear the huge waves crashing on the beach and we were even rained/snowed on for a bit...but so relaxing and enjoyable!

I should back up a bit and tell you why I chose to visit Akita. A friend of mine I met through the Japan Club at SCSU, told me I should visit the neighboring prefecture of Akita. Though Hatsumi is busy at work in Detroit, she arranged for me to meet her family in Akita and do a homestay. I have really lucked out with my homestay experieces as we had a blast! Her father, Muneyoshi, reminded me a lot of my dad. He loves to cook, party and be a leader...Muney had a whole package of brochures and pamphlets on the area and mapped out our itinerary for the weekend. His English is great and he did a swell job acting as my tour guide! His sister, "Sophia", was equally entertaining. I hit it off with her immediately. Such a sweet pea and so helpful in answering the zillion culture questions I threw her way (hey, have to take advantage of the English support when I can!!) Muneyoshi's wife, Satoko, made delicious meals and their other daughters--Yukako and Noriko were eager to use their English! Muney took me through various parts of Kisakata--their hometown and then we went down to Yamagata Prefecture to visit some famous cities.

Enjoy some of the pics and places below!

This rocky beach in Yamagata-ken has 16 Buddhas carved into it. The weather was incredibly uh, crappy---windy, snowy, rainy...all of the elements rolled into one and about 20 degrees. So, we only stayed long enough for me to find the 16 (reminiscent of Easter egg hunting!) How many can you find in this picture?

From left---Satoko, Yukako, Sophia, Noriko, me and Muneyoshi.

And below, the view from their neighborhood. So lucky! This is Mt. Chokai...a range that stretches through most of Akita-ken. Way different climate on the "other" side of the Tohoku region...SO cold. Bitter cold, winds, snow and rain didn't keep us inside though...check out some of the places we went below!

We also went to Sakata City...a once renowned city in all of Japan. It was an important area for rice production and trade. We checked out a rice museum and saw the "ships" they used to ship the rice from Sakata, Yamagata-ken to Kyoto and Osaka...it took a couple of months to travel down by these boats that are just shy of "wooden row boats". Pretty interesting to see how profitable something like rice could be back then. One of the richie rich rice producing families lived in a HUGE home--which has been restored and we were able to tour it. 25 rooms in this "home"...it could have been a small hotel! The house, owned by the Honma family, was also home to a popular Samurai. Great memorabilia at this place and so interesting to see how the "other" side lived during this pre-industrial era.

This is Naso no Shirataki, a scenic park that is accessed by bridge that is suspended over a ravine. The fall colors peaked several weeks ago, but its remnants were still scattered throughout the wooded forest. Muney-san and I were the only ones in the park, so we could enjoy the temple, which is nestled in a beautiful forest with sequoia-ish trees that tower overhead, in peace and quiet. The pics look like postcards...but the views in person were even more impressive!

This waterfall is called Mototaki. This is a naturally occuring spring...there is no meandering river that produces this waterfall. Water just gushes out of the rock (I think its the underflow (??) of Mt. Chokai. When I complained of the cold, sweet Sophia gave me her winter coat!!! Its going to prove super useful in the coming months and of course, it will remind me of her friendship whenever I wear it!

It was a really great time, spent with wonderful people! Thanks again to the Hosoya family for taking me in! Maybe next time Hatsumi can join us!!! See you in February...Kakunodate and Tawazako and the snow festival! Matta ne!

jonai shogakko

Jonai Elementary School

Today was my first day @ Jonai. With a vague idea of how to get there, I headed out of town a ways to this remote and incredibly BEAUTIFUL school. Look at this scenery...the mountains surround this school and were splashed with reds/oranges/yellows/greens and WHITE--yep, at the tops you can see the snow starting to accumulate! Only Japanese students and their inane ability to focus on school, would NOT be distracted by this view!

So the day went as scheduled. Oh, wait. There was no schedule-I had no communication with this school prior to heading out there. The teacher in me is just not used to "winging" it all the time. As it turns out, I was overprepared, but it provided much diversity for me in doing several different games and activities with each grade. I LOVE elementary school visits on Mondays - I actually GET to TEACH! I have the floor, can plan the stuff and run the show. It's fantastic and I SO miss it during the other days of the week...OK let's keep this positive!

Jonai was my first official rural-sized school visit. The entire school population is 42 kids....that's Kindergarten thru 6th grade! So, it was no surprise to be teaching classes with less than 10 kids! There were 7 sixth graders and they were such wonderful kids, I wanted to stay in their room all day long! I had free reign with the curriculum and waved goodbye to the textbook. It was just me, 7 kids who REALLY were interested in English and a phenomenal teacher that chirpsed in with occasional translations, but otherwise just let the kids get exposed to the language. PERFECT! It's how its supposed to be done. The sixth grade class is pictured above...albeit one!

The school is so small that the teachers have to take on extra responsibilities--ie. teaching gym, music and art in addition to the basic subjects. So after finishing my classes for the day I joined up with a couple of the "gym" classes, both of which played softball the entire hour. Getting to my play my favorite sport in a semi-competitive atmosphere, in this amazing geographical location was pretty swell!

Thank you Jonai! I had a wonderful day with you! See you soon...

Towadako: winter wonderland

Lake Towada: Aomori and Akita Prefectures

I have been keeping very busy seeing as much of the Tohoku region as possible before the snow hits. Every weekend has been a new adventure to a new part of northern Japan and I continue to be amazed by the diverse beauty of the area.

Unfortunatley, the weather in Iwate can be a bit unpredictable--

as was the case today.

I awoke this morning to a brite, warm sun - followed by a brief and damage-free earthquake. Then I decided to head over to Lake Towada, located inbetween Akita and Aomori Prefectures (north of Iwate), with Zach and Laura. While cruising around Lake Towada we encountered gorgeous fall colors, then rain, then a calm-coolness before the mini-blizzard hit! Wow, what a day for the record books! Dave, only a meteorologist like yourself could truly "appreciate" such sporatic weather patterns and climate changes!

So the trip started out like this. It is a 27 mile loop around this lake---the 3rd largest in Japan. Lake Towada was created by a volcanic eruption over 20000 years ago...so its technically a "caldron". The deepest part of the lake is well over 1000 feet, making it also one of Japan's deepest lakes in the north (although I have yet to see any of its rival counterparts.) The scenery would have been even more splendid probably 3 weeks ago when the colors were at their peak, but its super cold up in Aomori-ken, and primetime had passed us by. The lake was super quiet and calm and very few people were tooling around the lake. So we were left to enjoy the lake and its misty, Blair Witch-esque atmosphere all to ourselves....well, until -

...shortly after these beautiful fall photo opportunities...

SNOW hits! And we're talking a LOT of snow! Out of nowhere...it just starts dumping thick, fluffy, sticky white snow EVERYWHERE! Go figure--being a Minnesotan, I have yet to get through Thanksgiving without this white stuff. Snow just seems to follow me!

Zach drives a poor man's Japanese-brand-unknown "SUV" (Japanese SUVs are still 25 years behind the Escalade or ForeRunner)...with balding tires, windows that seldom shut and locks that have a mind of their own. The heat works, but the 4-wheel drive was yet to be tested and his snow tires were sitting in his garage in Taneichi. So we geared up, without the proper equipment, for the long haul. We had only gone maybe a 1/3 of the way around the lake, before the snow storm had began. The mountainous terrain had hair pin turns, no shoulders and steadily climbed over the steep mountainside, winding its way along the banks of the lake.

Just then...up ahead we see someone! Who unfortunatley, was not driving a high-quality machine like Zach's said vehicle, and found himself lodged into a snowbank! Thank goodness his car veered off the road where it did, as the other side had no guard rail and would have been quite the tumble toward the lake.

I bounded over to his car to try out some broken Japanese - Do you need help? Do you have a cell phone? Are you sufffering from any life threatening injuries? All of which he didn't seem to respond to, but used a new form of sign language to tell me a tow truck was on its way. Relieved to not have to play volulnteer paramedic and administer first aid, we made the not-so difficult decision to turn around.

A bit of a bummer, but we couldn't trust our means of transportation. With no radio to warn us of upcoming weather conditions, few people on the roads in case of emergency, no extensive guide map to alert authorities if and when we too found ourselves ditch-bound and no smoke signals/road flares, we thought it best to head back around the way we came.

So our first snow of the year was a memorable one at Lake Towada! As we made our way back down the mountainside and out of the snowy conditions, our last sights of the lake were like the one below: a beautiful fall picture to remind us of the erratic, but exciting, weather in northern Japan.

hAnAmAki HoT sprInGs

I've spent the last few days at another JET conference...this ultra-relaxing workshop was held down in Southern Iwate @ the Hanamaki Hot Spring resort. It was another couple days of self-indulgence and pampering with massages, amazing outdoor onsens/hot spring baths and delicious Japanese cuisine. The onsen proved the perfect way to unwind (and reflect on 6 hours of daily lectures and my life so far in Japan).

The setting was so picturesque. Beautiful rolling mountains that were splashed with reds, oranges and yellows. Having an actual "Fall season" is a real treat - coming from Minnesota and the suprisingly snowy Halloweens and whiteout blizzard conditions at Thanksgiving time. Comfortable temps has been much appreciated after the 3 month sweatfest....now, I am bracing for what I hear is a FrEEzInG winter w/ little snow and much opportunity for pneumonia to set in considering central heat has yet to be implemented into Japanese culture.

The Hanamaki Resort area is also known for its winter recreation facilities. I so enjoyed sitting in the outdoor onsens while seeing my breath! I know I have mentioned other onsen experiences I have had---all of which were during the summer and not nearly as exhilirating as this place! But it was so beautifully designed, this tiki-hut-like cover, surrounded by beautiful Japanese gardens and a waterfall (gushing SCALDING hot water) into the onsen. The ambiance created made it even more memorable and relaxing. You almost feel like a celebrity as some surely would pay crazy amounts of money to experience exotic places like this. I loved every minute of it, except when the onsen actually became SO hot that people started complaining. Their solution was to wheel in several 50 ft hoses to blast cold water into the pool area...it helped, but when I got out my skin was an unusal shade of purple sometimes associated with 2nd degree burns, I believe. It was worth any bit of damage that may have occured internally!

Fall in Iwate...breathtaking!

Tokyo by storm

I have just returned home from a 5 day reprieve from rural life. My friend Yukiyo, who I met in Minnesota and has been a super friend and mentor, is currently living in Tokyo and agreed to play tour guide! We had an insane schedule and zipped all over Tokyo in only 3 days! Read on for some of our excursions...

November.2.2005

So the trip began with an overnite bus ride from Hachinohe to Tokyo---left around 10 PM and while I caught up on some much needed zzzzz's, I awoke to find I was in one of the most densely populated cities in the world: Tokyo. Nothing screams GET UP and GET MOVING like 35 million people en route to god only knows where.

Needless to say, Yuikyo greeted me @ 7 AM. Destination #1= Asakusa. Pictured above and below, Asakusa has 13 shrines, pagodas, temples and famous Buddhist gates and halls. Almost all of these temples were destroyed during WWII and have been renovated to commemorate Sensoji, a famous Buddhist God. I thought the place was quite peaceful, considering its tumultuous past...but like many such places in the States--Asakusa is slowly being consumed by commercialism. Beside every shrine, was a small shop selling shoes and hand bags or small stands selling festival-food to hungry visitors. Yukiyo said that the shrines today are becoming less pristine and ...well, holy I guess. It is still amazing to think that these are replicas of what once was-one can't help but stand in awe of the architecture and manpower needed to erect such magnificent structures. A beautiful site!

After Asakusa, we made a pit stop in Ueno Park. This is reminsicent of NYC's Central Park--- hundreds of acres of greenery enclosed by hundreds of miles of concrete. Ueno has many art museums and temples/shrines. We went to the Tokyo National Museum - the largest museum in Tokyo. It was a wonderful collection of cultural artifacts showcasing the historically significant materials relating to art, music, samurais, jewelry, clothing....etc. The museum was set up chronologically so we could follow the trends as they were introduced to Japan and Japanese culture. Really beautiful and different styles...very little has been "borrowed" from other cultures--it truly is a homogenous society. They have their own identity and culture and are so proud of who they are. That sense of nationalism has been around for.....hmmm.....forever (?)

We also ventured over to a huge market called "Ameyocho"--a very famous spot to score some cheap deals in downtown Tokyo. I was looking for deals, but nothing beats the inexpensive lifestyle in northern Japan. While it was tempting to purchase an "Americanized" sweatshirt or pair of new runners,..............paying $150 for Nikes just isn't worth it. Supply and demand can play some interesting tricks on peoples minds!

November 3. 2005.

This was an interesting day. Yukiyo gave me one full day of training in how to navigate the Tokyo subway system. I was put to the test on Day 2 and shockingly, Mrs-no-sense-of-direction-whatsoever, passed with flying colors! Tons of English helps, but really the subway is so efficient..within minutes a new train is on the way and I was off to the next great adventure in Tokyo. First item on the day, was to take my GREs. 3 hours later, those were outta the way and I was on the prowl for a beer. But, having learned the hard way, so many times before--I remembered to carb up before slamming a few back. I hit up this really cute ramen shop...NOTHING like ramen in the States. These HUGE bowls of ramen have TONS of veggies and random sources of protein. I walked into this place and it was completly empty. No fear though--the 3 cooks came out fr behind the grills and helped me decide what to try from a vending machine (yep, NO menus @ this place) just punch in what you want and hand them a ticket to cook it up! I hadn't a clue what to try so I asked the cook what his favorite was...assuming this would be an excellent time for him to suggest the most expensive dish on the menu--he proceeds to tell me his fave is indeed THE cheapest thing! Gotta love that honesty and genuine concern for the customer's well-being. Anyways, the dish, pictured above--is so beautiful....but a bit scary. Ramen bowls are like "find your protein" scavenger hunts...I found a raw egg, some pink swirly fish-paste rings, a couple slabs of "pork"? or was it lamb/mutton?, several thin slices of squid and a few chunks of onigiri seaweed.

After my tasty-ingredients unknown-dish, I went over to the Tokyo Tower to meet up with Yukiyo for a quick climb to the top. What a beautiful site this was. I have done the Sears Tower, Empire State Building and Sapporo Tower (also modeled after the Eiffel Tower)...but the Tokyo Tower was MOST wonderous! We cruised up to the first observation deck and were awe-struck by the lites that 35.000.000 people produce. Never satisfied, we headed up to the 250 meter observation deck and the view was................breathtaking! Wow---so many lites and people, so much retail and industry. The view stretches for almost 30 Kilometres in each direction and seriously, all you could see was a sea of christmas lites....pry the closest thing I will get to xmas this year! AmAzinG city to view @ nite!

Flash-free-glare-induced pics just don't do it justice! The IMMENSITY of Tokyo is so visually exhausting and stimulating. Recently named the most expensive city in the world, Tokyo is a web in which people, culture, media, fashion and history are intricately tangled in such a way that leaves visitors heads spinning and redefining "What is culture?" Bystanders stand speechless, as they are bombarded by images of one of the most expensive and high maintenance fashion crux in the world. For every retail store, there was at least 10 restaurants. And the strangest thing of all: its silent. No horns, no sirens, no signals....just constant movement. Having only spent maybe 10 days in Tokyo, I present this view of Tokyo as that of a "newbie"...but in talking with Yukiyo about moving from rural places like Akita-ken and Minnesota to THE most urban place in the world, she expressed the many reasons why I should be thankful at the opportunity to travel to Tokyo, but so grateful I don't have to live in the zoo. As I sit here in my quiet, cheap and super friendly community in Taneichi typing this entry, I realize that I have it made in the inaka.

November 5. 2005.

The agenda for this day was to meet in Ginza and head to Kabukiza--the site of the most famous Kabuki theatre in Japan. We found some cheap rates, as we only wanted to catch a couple scenes---most Kabuki performances are sold in packages that have like 10 scenes and last 4-5 hours! I used the English translation headset, but found the story line very difficult to understand. In researching kabuki a bit before I saw it, I knew to expect slower dialouge, occasional shouts of approval from the audience and a smorgaboard of Japanese music--koto, shamisen and taiko. Honestly, I enjoyed the music and the nostalgic theater....but the actually script and story were pretty slow going. The first story was about the surprise reunion between father and son and the second I couldn't even tell you! Kabuki isn't about the message or story...most Japanese KNOW the stories. They come to see the quality of acting--the actors (their body language, mannerisms, makeup and costumes) are THE spotlight...the script just gives the actors something to do. Quite opposite American theater--in which we focus on the message, the story, the setting, the scenery... Kabuki is one of the most revered art forms in Japan and I'm to have experienced it so authentically. Check out more info at this great (English) site: http://www.kabuki.gr.jp/pavilion/index.html

Spent the rest of the day window-shopping in Ginza (the largest shopping district in Tokyo). Ginza is like 5th Avenue and Michigan Avenue and Beverly Hills and everything other famous shopping strip COMBINED and then multiplied by TEN. Just craziness---too many people and ridiculous prices...we were in and out of Ginza within an hour...but not before sampling a delicious sub from SUBWAY! Yep, first time in Japan--and boy was it tasty! Really miss subs, so I threw all of my fave fixins on it, well, except they don't have Southwest sauce. Beggars can't be choosers though---I ate it in 3 minutes flat! Pictured below is about 1/100 of Ginza--at nite.

Pictured below is Nijubashi Bridge. A beautiful, European-esque fortress made thousands of years ago. The Imperial or Royal Family of Japan lives here. They are heavily guarded by military men--which we got to see do our equivalent of "changing of the guards". I thought the setting was most idyllic and serene, but the HUGE gates this family lives behind were scary and so uninviting. Yukiyo couldn't tell me much about this Family, except that they don't have anything to do with the Japanese government. Their "job" is to carry out some of the traditional aspects of Japanese lifestyle and culture....not sure what that means exactly, but they definitely have the most expensive piece of real estate in the city!

Lastly, we wrapped up this amazing adventure with a stop @ the bar/restaurant Yukiyo works at. Yukiyo and her sister Yumiyo were excellent entertainers and conversationalists! We had a super time drinking and eating and drinking and drinking... I was SO impressed by this place! It had a western feel to it, moodlighting and jazzy music playing. Very contemporary in style and a super friendly, efficient wait staff. Amazing all of the "hole-in-the-wall" places like this in Tokyo--and it never ceases to amaze me how the food is ALWAYS delicious! I enjoyed a crazy-spicy Korean dish and several beers....to help knock me out for the long, 10-hour bus ride back up to northern Japan. After boarding the bus, I was asleep within minutes and actually awoken by the driver who wanted to be sure the "foreign girl" knew the rules and regulations of riding an overnite bus. Geesh---see the discrimination we gaijin put up with in Japan!

Thank you for a wonderful visit to Tokyo! I have learned so much from you in this last year and am SO priviledged in knowing you. I appreciate your friendship and mentorship. Hard to believe that soon I will be living in your footsteps, back @ SCSU doing the same program you did...some things are just meant to be!

Tanoshi katta des! Domo arigato gozaimas! Matta ne!