Brenda in Japan

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Brenda McKinney is an American living and working in the Kansai region of Japan. This is an account of her life and adventures among the fine people of Nihon.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Ramen and a Reverse Cultural Observation

The funniest thing just happened. I am meeting Claire later, but just wanted a quick lunch, so I took one of the cup-ramen that we have in our collective snack area (about 80 cents) to eat at my desk (yup, real healthy, I know).

One of the math teachers was walking by my desk to go talk to someone and almost jumped, as he exclaimed (in Japanese), “oh my gosh, you’re eating the Japanese food!?!” He’s like, “can you eat it?”, and I told him it was no problem. Then two more teachers walk over to see what is going on (I am sitting there with chopsticks in hand) and he tells them I am eating ramen. They all seem impressed and start talking about how amazing it is I am eating the Japanese ramen. Then another guy asks me, “is it good?” while another says they need to find an English teacher to translate (even though I am answering back in Japanese, so I tell them it is ok and I understand). They all sort of laugh and give me a proverbial well-done, while two teachers near me tell each other how awesome it is (like I can’t hear them).
So funny! Almost 8 months in, a lot of Japanese under my belt (ok, at least compared to when I came with none) and its good ole college ramen that impresses people.

Sidenote:
Just got an email confirming that the "history of Tempura in Japan was that it was brought there by Portugese traders. So in a way, it's sort of like okonomiyaki in that its foreign (well sort of)." Thanks for that.

Oh, and just got THREE more "sugoi's" about the fact that I am eating the ramen. Seriously... this is so funny! I am getting a kick out of it. The history teacher even stopped to tell me what to do with the extra water, and told me to "have fun".

Lock Up!

I met Claire in Kyoto yesterday afternoon. The cherry blossoms are really starting to open up there, but it was almost painfully apparent that tourist season has also begun. We met outside one large shrine we visited last week, which was practically deserted at the time, which was now crawling with both Japanese and foreign crowds. I know this week is spring break, but the majority of people there were definitely adults. It’s funny; I have been to Kyoto quite a few times this year, and I have to say that while I enjoy checking out new sights, I no longer feel like a tourist in the city. I’ve had a few people stop me for directions, and I can sometimes give them. It’s not my stomping ground, but it’s also not far.

Claire and I had a fun afternoon visiting the Kyoto library and two larger temples in the Higashiyama area, including Nanzanji. In the evening, we did a little shopping (I found the cutest brown, spring jacket at Zara – yay!), ate at an izikaiya (Japanese pub) near the river for dinner, and then went to check out Lock Up, a cool restaurant I have wanted to go to for a while (also found in Kobe and Osaka). The place was wicked! When you arrive, you go downstairs into what looks like a cave. There are mummy-like figures coming out of the wall. The staff is dressed like cops and prisoners (the hostess kind of looked like a space police officer, with a big, scull necklace). There are a few horror house surprises around each corner, and you are handcuffed to be brought to your table, which is a jail cell in a little cave. The food and service was pretty good, and it wasn’t as expensive as I thought it would be. Claire wants to go back to the one in Kobe after Arima Onsen tonight (we’re heading to a famous hot spring on top of Mt. Rokko – have to take a ropeway to get there), but there are so many cool options here, I am pushing to try something else new. If you’re here, you should definitely go to Lock Up. I’m heading back to Kyoto (again!) on Sunday for a private Geisha performance, so it might be a good back-up plan for dinner if the group can’t decide on a place.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Okonomiyaki

I had a request to explain the “funny story” behind okonomiyaki, Japanese pizza, which I referred to yesterday. I am not sure where I heard this information (I ask a lot of questions…) and was not able to confirm it via the web or my coworkers, so I can’t promise it’s true. It is however, interesting to me, even if not actually funny…sadder, in fact.
The Food
So to start, I should explain that okomiyaki is basically a dish made primarily of flour, water, cabbage and some sort of meat or seafood (squid is my favorite). The mixture is then grilled (“yaki”) like a pancake on a big hotplate and brought to your table when it’s mostly-cooked, which also has a hotplate in the middle of it to finish cooking the food. Guests can eat from the grill if they have their own, or cut it into pieces, like American pizza. Common toppings (added at the table) are a sweet brown sauce (“okonomiyaki sauce”), shredded seaweed (looks like basil), mayonnaise, and fish flakes (made of bonito – I’m not a big fan). The dish is attributed to the Kansai area (where I live) and Hiroshima. Which leads to the story behind this cultural Japanese dish.
History
Okonomiyaki, while popular today, has a short history, only dating back to the post-war period. Apparently, after the atomic bomb was dropped, cabbage was the only thing that would grow. In addition, Japan was left crippled and many people poor. The United States sent food rations, including large amounts of flour. The only catch is that traditional (actual traditional) Japanese food doesn’t use flour, so people were not sure what to do with it. And okonomiyaki was what they came up with! It seems very clever to me, but I was a little shocked when I heard the history. I told Claire about the history, and she wondered if that is also where tempura (basically deep-fried fish/veggies) came from, although that I have no knowledge of.
Oishii
Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. It’s just another interesting tidbit about Japan I picked up somewhere along the way. If you are ever in Japan, though, I recommend trying out the okonomiyaki (okonomi basically means “as you like it” so you can get it without or with any kind of fish or meat). It’s one of my favorite foods here!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Our Roadtrip to Awaji

So we did it! We rented a cute, little, blue Japanese car and made it on our roadtrip. We almost got a Honda (some model we don't have in the states), but ended up with a 4-door Mazda. All the cars were automatic (whew). Our model didn't even use a key; it used a creditcard-sized "intelligence card" which basically had to be near the wheel to start it. It wasn't expensive, either... and not too scary to drive on the other side of the road (even after 7 months on a bike)! We did get the highest insurance plan, though, just in case:) Actually renting the car turned out to be kind of a fiasco (did it all in Japanese, which went ok, but they didn't copy my Intl
Getting the CarDrivers permit or passport - just license - and called me about 20 times freaking out that they had given the car to someone without a valid license when were supposed to leave on Sunday morning; we think the guy who made the mistake might have gotten fired - not good). Once we got everything figured out, we were about an hour and a half behind schedule. Then we couldn't find the entrance to the bridge (spent over an hour looking for the tunnel - which actually opens 5 km away!) and ended up takin the car ferry, finally making it to the island about 3 or 4 hours behind the schedule. Despite the setbacks and drama, however, the trip was so, SO, so much fun and it turned out to be a spectacular day!! We just went to a nearby island (Awaji), but the landscape is mountainous and pretty different from where I live. It is speckled with palm trees (which are present, but not as populous where I live) and the weather turned out to be really, really warm, so we kind of felt like we were in the tropics (well, sort of).
Bunraku
Our original motivation for the trip was to check out Bunraku, an ancient puppet art, where the puppets are 4/5 the size of humans. Awaji was synonymous with puppetry 500 years ago, so we truly went to the source. The theatre, which turned out to literally be on the other side of the island, was modern and we were able to see a 30-minute play (tragedy). There were two characters (puppets) in the performance, on the main stage in front of us (with meticulously-detailed and beautiful sets), with a smaller stage/window to the right where the narrator (who did ALL the voices in sort of an animated singing) read and a woman next to her played a Japanese guitar-like instrument. The performance started with one puppeteer holding a little lecture on Bunraku history and how the puppets are maneuvered (in Japanese, but we had a written-translation), and we even got to hold a puppet and take pictures with it (you pretty much put your arms IN the kimono and pull levers to make the face move). They are pretty cool; it takes 3 people to man one puppet!
After the show, we considered going to the next island over from that, Shikoku (where I went rafting), but there was not enough time. Instead, we spent time watching the tide (from the Pacific) come in under the Naruto bridge (on the other side of the island from my big bridge) and THINK we saw the Naruto whirlpools (yes, real whirlpools) which are supposed to be most-visible during this time of year. You can take a tourist boat (shaped like an old pirate ship) to the side of the whirlpools, but Claire and I agreed the time and fee wasn't worth it. We were going to try to hit up the monkey center and maybe a hot spring on the way home, but we decided against it to be conservative with time (um, and when we found out the hot spring was radioactive).
So yeah, pretty amazing experience! I will *definitely* be renting a car again!! The yakitori restaurant down the street from me let me park overnight for free (because we had a common-friend), so parking was not as bad as I was worried it might be, and it can be a really economical way to travel in Japan if you have a few people. I was worried about how much the tolls would cost, too, but there are a lot of highways off the main freeway, so it wasn't even that bad. The roadmaps are all in kanji (like Chinese characters), but you can figure them out pretty easily or read the in-car navigation system, and most road signs are written in English, as well as Japanese.
Claire's first izzie and karaoke
Japan has a no-tolerance rule with drinking and driving (which actually keeps people very responsible), so we decided to go get a beer once we turned in the car to celebrate a successful trip (esp considering I was SO freaked out about driving on the other side of the road and car beforehand). We ducked into this extremely cute little izzikaia (spelling? - Japanese pub) and ended up staying for dinner. Eating at an 'izzie' is a lot like a Japanese tapas bar. We were starving (despite all the onions and huge mandarin oranges we bought on Awaji), so we decided to just go for whatever they had, but discovered the food sat surprisingly well with Claire's stomach (she's had issues with food here, so we've been more careful - went to the Brazilian place on Friday for example - yum). The cute little woman that ran the place babied us a bit and gave us each little presents, and Claire discovered Chuhai (a drink). It was really fun. We weren't quite ready to head home yet, so we did an hour of karaoke and took the trains back to our bikes. Excellent adventure.
Earthquake
On a sidenote, I know Claire has been getting a lot of nervous emails from folks at home who read or heard about the big earthquake here this week. I got a few emails today, too, so I just wanted to let everyone know we are ok. Awaji was ironically on a faultline and the epicenter of the Great Hanshin Earthwuake (that crumbled Kobe in 1995), but thankfully, it was nowhere near the big one this week and were hardly affected at all. Thank you for your thoughts and concerns, though!

Friday, March 23, 2007

The HR Dreamboat

We just came back from a meeting where next year’s job assignments were officially announced. There has been a lot of speculation leading up to today, but today’s news is both exciting and sad at the same time.
In Japan, students have one “homeroom” (of about 40 students) and teachers move to them, so that they are always with the same students in each class. The students’ ability-levels are already segregated by school (they take tests to get into a certain high school) so everyone in the same homeroom takes the same level classes. Because of this system, all first/second/third-year teachers work closely together, even sitting together in one section in the staff room (all the teachers sit in one room, which I think closely resembles a police precinct). When the first-year students graduate to second grade (the year begins in April), their homeroom teachers move with them, so they have the same teachers all three years. What this means for the staff is that we will all be moving desks.
I work closely with the first-year teachers and love where I sit now, so it is strange to me to know that the situation I have become so acquainted and comfortable with will also be changing very soon. Two teachers are retiring, and it was also just announced that six will transfer. In our prefecture, it is mandatory for teachers to transfer schools every few years so that schools will get different ideas and mixes every year. Most often, it is the younger staff that moves around a lot (and they can be moved far away, making them even relocate their apartments on several weeks notice), but there is even a ten-year cap on working at one school, so veterans can also be moved along.
Moving to Japan was definitely a huge transition in itself, but I finally feel settled, and I just learned that two teachers I sit by (and know better) will have to move schools. The principal and office manager are also leaving.
The mood is quiet; I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. One coworker looked like she was going to cry about our good friend leaving. I have gotten the “frenemy” vibe from this individual for a while, but I am sad for the loss. Apparently it showed because I gave the other teacher a sort of a frown and she gave me a ‘I know!’ sort of look back. I know we will be getting new teachers in a few weeks, which will be a celebration, but this is all new and strange to me still.

Back at School

Today is going pretty slowly. I rented a movie about Japanese-American immigrants to research for a new class, so I am just trying to journal about our trip (have just been doing that and the internet all morning), but now I am going to go watch the movie before our meeting at 2. I SHOULD be studying, though...GRRRR. The meeting is about kids who are maybe going to be kicked out based on test scores...hmm. I am pretty sure noone will be, though.
We’re pretty much on break now (with the exception of cleaning and a short ceremony tomorrow morning), but I am here all day today and tomorrow. Claire's in Himeji today, we have a dinner party at a teacher's house tonight, and then Claire is doing Kobe on her own tomorrow. I am supposed to meet her and go to din somewhere. I sort of want to check out Lock Up (where they handcuff you and bring you to your cell!), but we might go to the Brazilian place (all-you-can-eat meat from huge skewers, overlooking the pier), which is funny because I just heard my friends Tam and Clayton are going with their American visitors!

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Kansai Adventures - Part 3

A Night in a Buddhist Temple
When we arrived at the temple, a monk welcomed us and we were asked to take off our shoes. So we started changing shoes and struggled with putting on wooden platform sandals, until this lady comes out and sort of freaked out that we were wearing the monks shoes and not the guest slippers (whoops), but she laughed when I told her it was a secret. The woman led us through the temple and to our room and we were told to wait there until dinnertime. It was about 10 degrees colder on the mountain (which is COLD), so thankfully we had a space heater (which we promptly cranked way up) and a kotatsu (Japanese floor-table with a heater underneath). The room was very large, but looked exactly like a ryokan (Japanese Inn), right down to the yukata (Japanese sleeping robes), small sink on the side and way the futon (Japanese cushions) were laid out. We also had two large sliding doors (covered with rice paper) that led to a personal balcony, overlooking the inner Japanese garden and mountain-slope. Dinner, (a traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine; including a deep-fried leaf), was served in another, private Japanese room, with ornate shoji (decorated sliding doors) and tatami. After dinner, we went back to our room and weren’t actually sure what to do or if we were allowed to leave, so I just took a Japanese bath, we talked for a while, Claire taught me how to play “10 fingers” (the non-drinking game of “I’ve never”), and we both took a sleeping pill (helps with jetlag) and went to bed. The next morning, we were awoken by the sound of a large bell, as well dragged ourselves out of bed and down the freezing, wooden corridors to the main temple for the 6am Buddhist ceremony. There were about 5 other foreigners observing the ceremony (ironically, considering we barely saw any during the trip). We sat silently in the candle-lit sanctuary, walls lined with scroll boxes and elaborately decorated with gold, while the monk chanted prayers in Japanese. After the ceremony, we returned the room where we had eaten dinner, and were served another vegetarian, traditional Japanese meal. After breakfast, I took a nap while Claire enjoyed some matcha (green tea). We wandered around town and decided to get a day pass for the bus, which was very useful in visiting all the temples. The mountain was filled with Buddhist pilgrims, decked all in white, with walking sticks, Japanese two-toed “penguin shoes” and wearing straw “triangle” hats (sorry for the descriptions). We saw some pretty cool temples, including the main temple, buried deep a forest of gigantic pine trees and lined with half-a-million stone tombs, the mausoleum for the Tokugawa Samurai family, a cool pagoda which confused us a bit because it looked kind of Shinto, and the main temple for Shingon Buddhism, which included depictions of Kukai’s pilgrimage to China (ironically, places I have been and seen) and Japan’s largest rock garden (2349 m.sq.).
Onsens and EXCITING NEWS
We were originally going to go to the Pacific Ocean coastal, hot spring town of Shirahama after Koyasan, but it turned out to be a longer trip than expected (um, 4-6 hours by train vs. 2 by car), so we instead had dinner in Osaka and went to an onsen (hot spring baths/spa) in Kobe on the way home. The Kobe onsen we visited is part of a capsule hotel, so it worked out well because Claire could see what the capsules look like without submitting her (taller than average) self to sleeping in one.
When we finally arrived at my apartment, completely relaxed but tired, I discovered an email with some pretty big and exciting news from home that left me in an extremely giddy mood. Not sure if I can or should write details here right now, but it looks like I may be coming home twice this next year! Weddings! I am going to cry, I am so excited and happy… and not just because we had an utterly amazing trip!

Kansai Adventures – Part 2

Nara
After a somewhat later-than-expected start (trend here?), we went to the train station and booked our tickets to Nara, the ancient capital. We had a reservation at a temple on Koya Mountain, a holy Buddhist Mountain with over 100 temples and the headquarters for the Shingon sect of Buddhism, for the next night (which means you have to be there around 4 in time for dinner). What this also meant was that we could only afford to spend less than an hour in Nara once we got there, although it was indisputably still worth the trip. We put our suitcase in a locker at the station and cabbed it to Todaiji Temple, the world’s largest wooden building, and spent some time exploring the premises, playing with the tame, wild deer wandering the surrounding areas, and checking out the giant, golden Buddha inside the temple. In the back of the temple, there is a large, wooden pole/beam with a hole in it, exactly the size of the Buddha’s nostril. If you can squeeze through the opening, you will supposedly obtain eternal enlightenment (or be really lucky?). I somehow managed to make it through when Kristin and I visited Nara in February, but Claire opted out of that fun little adventure, and we hit the gift shop instead before heading back to the station. The temple and the beautiful surrounding forest are spectacular, and both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, so even though it was a brief visit, both Claire and I were happy we stopped.
Koyasan
When Claire decided she was coming to Japan, visiting Koyasan (the holy mountain, center of Shingon Buddhism and “a treasure house of esoteric culture”, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004) was her first request, and I am so grateful to her for that. The trip was such a magical experience; something straight out of a Miyazaki film, displaying the true majesty and mysticism of Japanese nature and culture. We knew we wanted to stay in a temple, but as with many things in Japan, the processes for arranging a temple stay on Koyasan was extremely formal. For example, not unlike our visit to the Imperial Palace, we needed to apply in advance and be granted special permission to stay. We were assigned to Shojoshin-in Temple after specifying a price range (a night at one of the 53 temples in the cooperative starts at 9,500Yen pp). When you first arrive at Koyasan, I think what strikes you most is the vast green mountains. They say Kukai founded the first temple here after a pilgrimage to China over 1000 years ago) because the surrounding mountain peaks looked like a lotus flower. They are the dramatically steep, yet narrow, type I knew existed in southern China, but had yet to witness beyond depictions on scrolls I have seen. We took a mountain train (not the cable car) to the top of the mountain and proceeded to our designated temple by bus. Despite it’s status as a major pilgrimage site and ancient religious mountain, Koyasan has a small town with shops and restaraunts lining the streets, and even a convenience store downtown, so does not seem as remote as one may expect. Our temple was pretty central, too.

Kansai Adventures – Part 1

The timing of Claire’s visit turned out to be extremely lucky. Our entire staff, including me, had to come in to work on several Saturdays this winter, and was thus compensated with several floating holidays (to be redeemed sometime this month). There’s not much going on during this time of year, so I opted to use mine on Monday and Tuesday, giving Claire and I a 5-day-week with Vernal Equinox Day on Wednesday (yeah, I didn’t know what the holiday was either) to explore.
Kyoto
We decided to take advantage of the opportunity and travel Kansai, the area I live in. The first stop was Kyoto, for which we departed early Monday morning. Kyoto was the capital from 794-1868 and is now Japan’s cultural capital with over 2,000 temples and shrines. Thank goodness tourist season has not started yet, because it was a packed sightseeing day with visits to the Golden Pavilion, Nijo-jo (castle), a tour at the Imperial Palace (which I found more interesting and valuable than my last time), Heian Shrine and giant torii, Yasaka Jinja Shrine (with vendors selling yummie snacks), Kiyoumizu Temple (my absolute favorite temple in Kyoto) and a stroll around Gion. Plum, peach and even some early cherry-blossom trees were blooming (I had to confirm the sakura, or cherry blossoms, with an old woman since it’s so early and such a big deal here) and there was coincidentally an event called Kyoto Higashi-yama Hanatouro where the cobblestone streets (lined with traditional Japanese houses and shops) were atmospherically lit up by small lanterns and sometimes lined with flowers.
GeishaWe headed to Gion at the end of the day to check out the shopping district and I wanted to show Claire the “Geisha area”. I was pointing at a poster of Geisha, showing her what a Geisha looked like, when Claire goes, “yeah, I know. There’s one right behind you.” I spin around to see a young girl, probably a Maiko (apprentice Geisha), with her striking white face and red lips in a tangerine-colored kimono, making her way past us and down the traditional Pontochou main street. Startled, I pulled Claire with me as we discreetly followed our maiko until she disappeared up a flight of stairs. It was my first Geisha sighting and I was pretty excited, explaining to Claire what a rarity it is to actually see a Geisha. Little did I know that 15 minutes later, we would run into three more Geisha waiting to cross the street, as Japanese tourists stopped to stare with animated sugoi’ (awesome!) left and right, and then see another three crossing the street the other way! I almost threw my purse and our suitcase to get at my camera, but when it came down to it, I was slightly embarrassed to be taking pictures of the poor young girls, knowing how uncomfortable it can be to know that you are being stared at, followed, or that people you don’t know are taking pictures of you because you look different. Anyways, it was a magnificent surprise!
Little America – the Holiday Inn Kyoto
We rounded out the evening with a gourmet Japanese meal, including Kyoto-style tofu with vinegar, and our first purikura (picture stickers) before taking a bus (with our day-pass) to the hotel. Even though many travelers base themselves in Kyoto and take day trips to Kobe (and vice versa), we decided to overnight in Kyoto. And thank goodness we did! We booked a surprisingly affordable (especially for Kyoto) double at the Holiday Inn. I have been feeling a bit homesick since Claire arrived, getting updates on some people I dearly miss and hearing all about home, but I think stepping into our American-style hotel room marked the culmination of those feelings, especially when I saw the sign for Dominos pizza. Needless to say, we slept well and the continental breakfast was amazing, although it was a little funny to feel like a tourist again in my part of Japan for the first time in a long time.

From Cooking to Sumo:Claire has arrived!

I’m late... for a very important date (argh). Day One.
Claire arrived on Friday afternoon. I sent her a bus ticket a few weeks ago, and was supposed to meet her at the bus stop in Kobe. With a reputation for arriving fashionably late, I decided to arrive early to ensure I would be there as my friend stepped off the bus and into the land of Japan for the first time. Well, I ran into my friends (on their way to dinner) on the train and one of them came with me to wait for the bus. We have been experiencing a cold front lately, and after a while, we decided to run to the local 100 Yen Store to buy some gloves quickly. And of course Claire arrived while we were gone! We pretty much went back to my place and dropped off the luggage right away, before going to a local restaurant for udon, Japanese thick-noodle soup, with my friends Jonathan and Ben. Unfortunately, Claire was ready to drop after her 23-hour trip, so I think it was pushing it a bit; she was pretty happy to fall into my western-style bed and call it a day. As for the time issue, though, I swear…I shouldn’t even try. As for the meal, I think I’m just going to schedule in some quality down-time on the first night whenever I have guests. Pushing it or going out just doesn’t cut it. But I am really excited to have Claire here!
Jetlag
Despite the hang-ups on the first evening, Claire and I have since had an absolutely amazing time! The plan for Saturday (the first full day) was to attend a Caribbean cooking class my friend Kelly was teaching, go to Sumo in Osaka with some other friends, and then go out for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations (or at least some green beer) in Osaka that night. Well, the cooking class was really fun (and delicious) and Claire blended well with the Japanese housewives, but Sumo was completed booked by the time our friends made it to the box office to pick up tickets on Saturday morning. We changed plans and decided to head to Osaka anyways with the intention of grabbing some dinner and hitting the bars, but once we found a good place to eat (everything in Umeda was packed!), Claire was pretty wiped so we decided to forego the bar and just head home. I actually didn’t mind at all, though. Our group was wearing green, we were in good company, and the beer I had with our yakitori was quality, so I should say I celebrated St.Patty’s appropriately.
The Sumo Tournament
On Sunday morning, my darling friend Lena was kind enough to go to Osaka early and get tickets to the big Sumo tourney for Kelly, Claire and I, so that we could sleep in. There are six Grand Sumo tournaments every year, but only once in Osaka, and it runs from 9-18:00 for 5 days each March. We arrived at the venue in Namba in the afternoon, just in time to witness the traditional dohyo-iri ceremony, a rite where the top wrestler does a sort of dance with his sword-bearer and attendant and a ref (which looks kind of like a priest). We ended up getting the 2,000 Yen ($18) bleacher seats, which turned out to be closer to the sumo ring than some of the really expensive seats (in a relatively small arena). The 4-person box seats that we had originally planned to order also turned out to be a small (and slightly cramped) area with cushions on Japanese tatami (bamboo/grass floors), enclosed with metal railings, resembling garden markers, so I think we got the good end of the deal. I have heard rumors from multiple people that sumo can be extremely boring to watch, which was part of the reason why we opted to only attend the afternoon matches (with higher-ranking wrestlers). We quickly discovered, however, how exciting wrestling can be. The first and most obvious reason is that it can be extremely exciting by the sheer fact that it diverges greatly from anything we have in my culture, not to mention the fact that it is an extremely suspenseful, fast and easy-to-follow sport for someone who does not regularly follow sports.
Tournament Highlights
Some of the highlights of the Grand Sumo Tournament for us were:
*The opening ceremony where they introduce each wrestler in their ceremonial aprons;
*Wrestlers being thrust out of the ring by their opponent, sometimes unapologetically knocking over the first row of spectators as if they were bowling pins;
*The groups of jester-like men that would run around the ring between matches carrying giant, colorful scrolls with advertisements on them;
*Stellar performances by Kotooshu Katsunori, the bulgarian-born sumo wrestler, currently an Ouzeki-rank (the second highest), and the ‘David Beckham’ of Sumo;
*Running into the (truly massive) sumo wrestlers (celebrities in Japan) at the station, on the street, and in the hallways around the stadium (I even spoke with and got a picture with one!);
*And the yumitori-shiki (ceremonial bow dance – kind of like a baton show) at the end of the day.
It’s really quite striking when you realize this ancient sport (dating back 1500 years) has changed relatively little in form since the Nara period (8th Century), this giving us the rare opportunity to witness – if not experience – history. Definitely an amazing day, a great experience, and one of my coolest Japanese experiences yet!

More on Sumo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo
More on Kotooshu: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koto%C5%8Dsh%C5%AB_Katsunori

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

End of the (school) Year

It's been a slow week...
Exams are over, but we still have a few classes (meaning 3 this week for me). I still have to come to work, but I have been losing the motivation-battle to get ahead on my independent Japanese studies. I feel like my friends that arrived at the same time as me and I are definitely getting to a pivotal point where a lot of us can now communicate a bit. At the same time, I'm also hitting a plateau or downward wave where I feel like the process is halting and am getting frustrated with language barriers. I suspect my coworkers are starting to realize I can understand more than I can say, they have been showing some higher expectations for what I should be able to communicate on my own (which is good), and I can now pick up a good deal of what is announced in the morning meetings. My knowledge is, however, still pretty random and needs more concretization. For example, I understood that we were going to have an earthquake drill during 3rd period from the announcement on Monday morning this week, but still needed help ordering tickets to the sumo tournament.
Planning
So the opportunity cost of hitting the Japanese books has basically been planning for upcoming visits and events this spring. This is my Type-A side brightly shining through, but I am definitely a planner...and it's fun to know I have some adventures and big visits around the corner. Claire is coming on Friday and I have almost her entire trip planned out, and my friend Brianne and I have been collaborating on our travel itinerary for our trip to Korea when Joe comes in late April. I recently decided to run for co-chair of a local volunteer committee, and will be planning events and supporting local charities, which is pretty exciting and a lot to look forward to, as well. The girl who held the same post for the last two years is moving, but did an absolutely amazing job (seriously – HUGE shoes to fill – you can tell she has experience and passion for it), but I think that we are probably going to choose a few charities to personally support and start from there.
Marathon
Still no major updates on how I did for time on the marathon or who finished. I did find out that only 60% of the female participants completed the race, which was surprising. I am recovering well in general, but have only gone for one short run and don’t have an appetite to start running more quite yet. My knee and muscles are fine, but my toes are still in a pretty disgusting state, so shoes are an issue (and so much for wearing the black, open-toed, wedged-heels I just bought for spring anytime soon!). Bummer.

White Day

White Day
Today is White Day, or the (romantic) holiday for men to celebrate women (with presents). It is always celebrated on March 14th in both Korea and Japan, and in contrast to Valentine’s Day (where women give men chocolate here), the holiday’s roots lie entirely in commercialism, or “concentrated marketing efforts”. Oddly enough, the holiday was actually created by a Marshmallow company and was originally know as “Marshmallow Day”. Basically, boys get the girls back for all the gifts or chocolate they received on V-Day. Moreover, these boys are apparently supposed to spend three times the value of the gift they received (the present is called sanbai-gaishi (3倍返し), “Triple Return”).
A Pleasant Surprise
Despite my fascination with all of the holidays here, I had completely forgotten about the date until my Kyoto-Sensei (Vice Principal) presented me with a very expensive box of candy this morning. I was absolutely blown away! I am sure I have gushed about it before, but I am so lucky to have such kind and supportive coworkers, especially my Kyoto Sensei. His English is decent so I can actually communicate with him, although he lets me struggle through Japanese more often than using his abilities. This wasn’t the first time he has been so kind, either. His wife made me a very elegant make-up case out of quilting-squares for Christmas, each patch representing a different part of Japanese culture (in my favorite color). I have to be sort of discreet about the gifts, but I can hardly express how truly grateful I am.
My coworkers are actually pretty fundamental in my Japanese cultural education. Last month, another coworker presented me with two dolls her mother had made for me, called hina dolls. It is a tradition for family members to give these (extremely expensive) dolls as gifts to newborn girls in Japan. My dolls are simple, but I still covet them. Some store-bought versions can be pretty imaculate and cost hundreds of dollars. I took the dolls out of their box to show them to another coworker, who then proceeded to buy me materials to display the dolls with (at my house) for the Hina Matsuri, or Doll Festival, on March 3rd. I already have them packed back up until next year (they say if they are out past April 3rd, the owner will never get married) but I will take pictures next year. For now, I am just enjoying one holiday at a time. I kind of like this chilvarious candy thing, anyways.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Sasayama Marathon

The marathon went well... I finished in just under 5 hours! I sprinted at the end, and jumped/clicked my heels together as I passed under the finish sign (a new tradition of mine after the 10k), but I almost broke down in tears when they put the medal around my neck. I honestly had a lot of doubts about whether or not I could do it, and I am almost surprised I finished. My running partner and I were separated at 35k (she stopped to stretch, but I didn't know if she was going to keep going), so I finished it on my own. I just remember saying to myself, 'it's time' as I put on my headphones, focused, and hit robo-mode. I have to wait for the official numbers to be released, but out of the 8,000 participants, I think 80-90% were expected to finish.

The course (around Sasayama, Japan and the surrounding areas) was really beautiful. It's a mountain area in the countryside, not far from Kyoto and famous for dinosaur discoveries (yes - Japan has them!). We started the race near old samurai castle ruins in the middle of the city, and the course wound through all the mountain villages in the area. We had to pass through 5 "gates" within a set time limit, so I felt like the extra pressure gave me the push I needed to stay on track. Despite the mountainous landscape, the slopes weren't too big, which was also good. In Japan, they let you bring your own food or energy drinks and have the staff place them at tables around the course (every 5k after 15k - there's a total of 42k). I had a big yellow sign on mine, and placed bread and a banana at 5 different stations. I basically used the food I packed as insurance and just ate once, but they should seriously offer the same deal in America. It helps.

So things were going well at first, but I slowed down for my food at 25k, and my knee started giving me a lot of pain (my biggest nightmare!). I had gotten the trainers to tape both knees before the race, but I thought I was going to have to stop. Takiko and I just looked at each other (knowing that could be "it"), but after all the training and strength exercises, I really, really did not want MY KNEE to stop me. Stubbornly, I just started to go slowly (which was almost too painful at first) and I was able fit back into pace again after a few minutes. The pain subsided, and the knee is actually still ok now. I was actually running by the end of the race (without pain). As I mentioned earlier, we had 5 pit stops to check the time, and you had to make it to each 'gate' on time (marked by a giant clock and staff) or they literally did make you get on the bus (sitting there, waiting). Once I passed the 30k gate, however, I knew I could do it. I sort of felt like I was back in second grade, playing the Nintendo car-racing game, again: refueled as I passed each gate, knowing I was a little closer. I guess 30k was just significant to me because it was the furthest I ever ran during training.

I only saw two other foreigners at the race (yes, out of 8,000 runners - not including guests), so it really was me and a lot of Japanese people! The only other foreigner I saw during the race was walking at 10k, so I doubt he made it. For all I know, I could have been the only non-Japanese particpant to finish.

My feet are blistering pretty badly (big red ones at the top of my toes - eek) and I feel a bit sore, but I am in pretty good general shape... just really tired! And no appetite. My knees feel fine right now, too (um, no major injuries...yet). It was freakishly warm today (66 degrees!), so my partner and I were also glad we didn't get heatstroke or anything. I wore black spandix pants with a 'wickable' running (short-sleeve) shirt. I almost wore a black, long-sleeve shirt, but Takiko gave me an extra one she had when we realized how hot it really was. The race provided water and cold water sponges along the course, which helped a lot with the heat.

The prep and advice from everyone was really helpful! I ate as much as I could the day before the race (thanks to Ben & Chris coming to the ramen joint with me), got plenty of sleep, and felt that, while I could have done more long runs in the months of preparation, my 'coach' (Takiko's husband) and Takiko had really given me a lot of good guidance. Amy was right about the prep schedule (and a big thank you for the shoe suggestion - I love them)! Even Greta was right about the adrenaline rush and crowds. Some American friends of mine that live in the area even came out to cheer us on! I used up a little too much energy yelling to them, but I think my friend Brandon took a picture of Takiko and I running during the race, so I will hopefully have a copy to post soon. The timing (for having been in Japan) was also good because everything was basically conducted in Japanese, so the I knew how to ask for the next gate, I understood what the crowds were saying as they cheered us on, and I could catch what my fellow runners were saying (although I think an old guy hit on me around 5k... or just wanted to let me know I was 'looking good'....hmm). I should stress that Takiko helped a lot, though.

Alright, I need to go stretch and take a bath...before I fall apart, but I am happy to report my first marathon was a sucess!!! Thanks to everyone for all the support! Much love from Japan!

Friday, March 02, 2007

The smell of Spring... on the first day of March?!

With the articles about blizzards at home, it is strange to be writing about how beautiful the weather is right now! Kristin and I experienced our first plum blossoms on the trees in Nara on Valentines Day, and it's supposed to be in the 60s this week! I love having four real seasons and am not about to up and move to California when I return home, but I have to admit, it's awfully beautiful outside! (pictures to follow!)

Exam Time

It's exam time right now, and I'm doing ok here. I wrote all the exams a few weeks ago, finished the interview tests, and recorded what I needed for the listening test last week, so now I am basically correcting the mountain of notebooks on my desk and, well, hanging out. I know it sounds boring, but surprisingly enough, I am not the only one with little too do. One of the third year teachers admitted he really has nothing to do now that the students are done (until school starts again - in APRIL!), but this is not uncommon. The correct response to the situation is to look busy. Sometimes you see people sleeping at their desks, but that Sensei in the back of the room who is always very busy may very well be playing solitaire. I guess I shouldn't complain about all the notebooks. It gives me something to do, and I could always be reading or studying Japanese. I am contemplating taking the Foreign Service Written Exam, as well, so I could definately be preparing for that!

In other news, the marathon is on Sunday. The Japanese use the word 'maratan' (yes, basically the same) to describe any race, whether it be a 5k or, in my case, a 42k. So while I have been telling friends I am running a race, I have recently discovered that a lot of them thought I was doing a 5k or something...not the full shibang. Anyways, I really think I can finish, but I am worried about the time limit. Why in the world this is the ONLY race I have ever heard of with a time limit, I don't know?! But if I get kicked out, I am just going to try again!! And when I finish it... I can be happy knowing I ran a harder-than-usual marathon (well, sort of)...and kicked it's butt! I have to eat as much as I can before the race, so I'm going out for ramen with friends and going to bed tomorrow night. I have to work all day, but I don't really have anything to do (again), so I'm just going to rent movies and bring them to school. If anything, I can watch them in my classroom while I correct notebooks. I get a comp day, so it works out well because I can take it when Claire comes and get a 5-day weekend! I probably should not be admitting all of this online, but such is (my) life, so why not.

Alright, that is all I have for now. Back to the notebooks!

Racism? Part Two.

I had an interesting experience at school yesterday. For the first time since I arrived, a coworker actually personally offended me. Ok, I have gotten a few comments that would not fly in America. For example, one of my coworkers comes up to me each day and asks me about English phrases he hears on TV and in the movies. After the last break, he wanted to check the usage of a new one, being“doubly blessed.” I told him I needed to hear it used in context and he basically told me he had gotten two girls in the Philippines over the weekend and wanted to express his amusement. I was shocked, but, yeah, it was ok here. During my formal re-contracting interview, one of the achievements another coworker quoted to my principal (about my time here so far) was ,”being very popular with the male students,” and when Kristin came to visit school two weeks ago, the same teacher told her that the male teachers really loved having me here (in another formal introduction!). This, I feel, is cultural (even if it is still not appropriate). I think part of it has to do with the fact that these ‘offenses’ were by men, and I have thus far just tried to learn from them and not react too dramatically.
However, when a teacher told me I should not bow anymore yesterday afternoon, I was pretty shocked. She definitely meant it in an (unassumingly) racist way, explaining that non-Japanese people should not bow because they cannot truly understand the culture and it can come across as “mockery” (we looked the word up on an electronic dictionary, so I am quite clear on what she meant). She said she knows that I was not mocking anyone when I did it, but non-Japanese people – in general – should just not try to be Japanese (because they are not and will never be). Anyways, I was offended. I mean, bowing is not inert or natural to me. When I bow to the vice principal every morning, I do it out of respect for him and for his culture and customs. Learning the different levels of bowing has been covered in many orientations and workshops that I have attended, and a basic familiarity (or at least knowledge) of this custom is necessary when conducting business or spending time in Japan. While she might feel this way, not bowing would be considered extremely rude by many people.
I think what struck me the most was the fact that this is the teacher that is introducing a course on Japanese immigration to America. She has been really interested in all of the hardships and discrimination Japanese immigrants encountered in America (particularly during time of WWII) and we have talked a great deal about this in preparation for the upcoming course. Is it just me, or is there not a connection here with people trying to adjust in new cultures and having trouble understanding the new setting? Ok, ok... I do have a cushy situation in many ways and have the luxury of emailing friends and being able to go to foreign restaraunts here, but those that come to visit me will be surprised to see that I really can be the only foreigner around and stick out like a sore thumb a lot of the time. Not many people speak English (even though they learn it in school), so language can be a huge issue, and because I look different, I will never, ever, truly be accepted or fit in in this society. People stop me or give me attention because I look different all the time. I am new here, so it still amuses me. But to them, I am just this foreign creature. For all they know, I could have been here one day, three years or forty. It doesn’t matter.. I am different. Because of these reasons, I feel like I can somewhat relate (on a low level) to what the Japanese-American immigrants might haev felt. My grandparents were immigrants to America, and I have studied the great immigration, too.
I consider this teacher a friend, so maybe I should be more grateful that my coworkers are opening up to me (candidly) about their thoughts and opinions. But part of the reason I am here is to teach them that the world is not that big of a place. It is good to cherish and protect your heritage and culture. Just be respectful when doing it.

Graduation Day

Today was graduation day at school. The whole thing seems a little surreal because, a) I didn’t really know what was going on most of the time and wasn’t involved in the preparations (due to the language barrier), and b) because it is February! In Japan, high school is three years and is not compulsory. In addition, the school year begins in April and is split into trimester terms.
The scene
It was a beautiful and sunny day outside (in the high 50s!), but the ceremony was held in the gym. The walls were covered with striped decorational wall covering. There was kanji written all over the decorations, but the design faintly reminded me of a circus tent (although I would not say that at school). Folding chairs lined the covered floors, all facing the stage at the front of the hall. Teachers sat to the left, special guests (visiting principals, former teachers and authority figures) to the left, the graduating class in the very front with the rest of the student body slightly behind them, and finally, the parent section behind that.
The ceremony
The ceremony began promptly at 10. I took a seat next to the nurse and one of the English teachers as mothers in black suits with corsages and first- and second-year students streamed in. The second year teachers lectured the students on appropriate manners (“sit up straight and keep your legs together”) while we all waited for the third-year students to arrive.
After a little while, the principal said something, and some soft music started to play over the loudspeakers (no live band), as each of the seven 3rd year homeroom teachers lead their class into the gym. One-by-one, each class entered according to their student numbers, in single file, taking the row nearest to the front and bowing in unison before sitting down. Once all the students were in the gym, everyone stood up, we all bowed, and the ceremony started.
The ceremony itself reminded me of what I have seen and experienced in America. They did not pass out diplomas (although I did see the homeroom teachers walking around with fancy-looking documents in ribbon to give out later on), but every homeroom teacher called each student’s name at one point, at which point the student stood up and answered with a resonant, “hai!” (or “yes”). The principal and head of the PTA gave longer speeches and we sang a few songs, including the New Years song, and the third years sang one song as a class, which I thought was a cool way to commemorate the occasion and their finals moments together. At the end of the ceremony, one of the graduating girls gave a tearful speech, while light music played in the background. I don’t know exactly what she said, but it brought most of the audience to tears.
Thoughts and Rest of the Day
I was prepared for a long, drawn-out morning (where I did not understand much), but I was happily surprised that I could pick up bits and found the experience extremely interesting. The students did not wear a cap and gown, but just their normal, dark blue uniforms (which they later drew pictures on with chalk). One teacher wore a kimono and hakama (an apron-like covering worn with kimono at college graduations) and the gym was essentially a sea of black with all of the suits. The third year male teachers (which happened to be the majority) wore black suits, with crisp white shirts and white ties. They looked really nice!

When I returned to my desk in the afternoon, I was greeted by an oversized bento (Japanese box lunch. We pay about $20 or $30 a month for special events, gifts and work parties (see 'enkai'), which seems like a lot, but I think it is actually a nice system. I and was asked to sign a few yearbooks and take multiple pictures with the students during the afternoon, while the graduating members of sports clubs came in and out of the teacher’s room to bring their coaches large bouquets and gifts. The principal gave a speech in the afternoon, and granted us permission to leave early for the day. I think the third-year teachers went out to celebrate, but I went home to run. In all, it was a fun and interesting day. I had several classes with the third years, but those that I got to know, I did not get to know that well. I am sure the ceremony will feel much different when the kids I know better are on their last day!

Tottori and Kinosaki

Last weekend I finally made it 'up north' (or maybe it's east?) to visit my friend Katie and see the real inaka (country) - vs. the industrial/surburban area I live in that I sometimes refer to as inaka. Katie and I met at an event at the consulate last fall. We clicked as friends pretty quickly and she has stayed at my place a few times, including Thanksgiving. Anyways, I have wanted to go visit her for a while because she lives about 10 minutes away from Kinosaki, this awesome little onsen (natural hot spring) town, and well, some of us can be pretty spread out so it's an excuse to get out of town.
Trains, Train and more time on trains
I left right after work on Friday afternoon and made the three hour train trip to Katie's town, Toyooka. After having made the trip one lonely time, I have to admit I am impressed by how often Katie gets out and travels! That is a long time to sit. Once I arrived, Katie met me at the station and we spent Friday night just talking and watching Friends episodes. Sadly, Katie's going back to America this summer, but she is starting law school, so we've had a lot to talk about this fall since we're both going through (well, or about to go through, in my case) the application process. We couldn't stay up too late, however because we wanted to get up early on Saturday to make our way to Kinosaki, the onsen town.
Kinosaki
The onsen experience is extremely Japanese. As an American, it takes a little while to get used to being naked (and bathing) in front of a crowd, but once you are adjusted to the exposure, it is extremely relaxing. I went to a public bathhouse (basically like an onsen, but they are not natural springs) with Jessica when we went to Kyoto in 2004, and it quite honestly freaked me out a bit to be in a bathtub - naked - with an old friend. But I swear people do it all the time, and some Japanese inns and public facilities only offer this style of bathing!
So when you first enter the onsen, men and women are separated and you start the experience by stripping down to your birthday suit in the locker area. You basically have a hand town to cover up, so I am not kidding when I say you are exposed. You then procede to the bathing area where you take a seat on a stool and clean your body off with a shower head and/or a small bucket in front of a face mirror. I have heard of old, Japanese women telling foreigners they missed a spot if they did not spend enough time cleansing before entering the bath; it's important that you are completely clean before getting in the pool.
The onsen we went to* had both indoor and outdoor pools, so we spent some time soaking in the hot, steamy water, while a cold waterfall ran down a mountain-side (with bamboo trees) behind us. In the summertime, people supposedly can walk from onsen to onsen in their yukata (cotton robe), but I am glad I went during this cooler time of year. The hot water would have been too much if it was humid outside!
Tottori
After Kinosaki, we continued our sea-side journey and took the train yet another three hours to Tottori. Tottori is on the Sea of Japan (other side of the country) and is known for it's apples, pears and giant sand dunes, our primary interest in visiting the site. My friends visited the town on their portable bikes a few months ago and were able to paraglide off the dunes and ride a camel, but unfortunately, the only acitivities being offered during our visit were making sand castles (and I guess that was just on your own)! The dunes were very impressive, however, and the view was beautiful. While I live in a pretty good location with enough to see for years, the trip made me realize I could get out and explore other areas of this country a little more. I have always wanted to go to Maine to see the dunes there, for example, so I am definately accomplishing things I have always wanted to do but hadn't considered Japan as an outlet for.
The road home
Katie spent a few hours in Tottori, and then I had to leave to catch the train back to Himeji (yet another three hour trip). I had to work early Sunday morning as an interviewer for a language proficiency test, or else I would have spent more time checking out the other side of Hyogo Prefecture. I don't know that there was that much more to see, but I had a fabulous time with my adventursome buddy and a lot fun sightseeing!

*We went to the newest onsen in town, which was pretty nice. Katie had been there before and remembered it being prety expensive, but I didn't think the 800 yen entrance fee was bad.

Hadaka Matsuri (The Naked Man Festival)

I live in the cultural heart of this country, but I would say that one of the largest cultural assets in Japan is the many matsuri, or festivals, that take place throughout the year. So far, I have been lucky enough to attend many of the big ones, from the Jidai Matsuri (Period Festival) in Kyoto to the Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival) in Sapporo, Hokkaido. However, the largest and wackiest I have yet encountered had to have been the most recent: the Hadaka Matsuri, otherwise known as the Naked Man Festival, in Okayama. Don’t worry, it is not nearly as scandalous as it sounds and nobody is actually running around nude. It goes something like this...

The event is held every year at this large temple complex in Okayama city called Saidai-ji Temple. The basic premise is nine-thousand loincloth-clad men join together in the temple in a mosh pit-like fashion. At midnight, the temple priests throw out holy sticks (like relay-race sticks) that are supposed to bring the lucky soul who gets the stick enlightenment.
The participants arrive around 8pm and get dressed in heated tents. Most men wear white cloths, that look like what a sumo wrestler would don, with the exception of the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) who wear black. They also have traditional footwear, which looked like ‘penguin-toed’ (two toed) socks to me.

Guests are allowed in the temple area until around 9:30 or 10:00 when the participants start to gather. Before this time, they are running around, calling out chants (sort of like an army, trying to keep warm) and I guess they jump in a pond a few times. The evening we were there, it was freezing cold and pouring rain the whole time, so it does not surprise me that I think we saw a lot of them drinking. The area was also lined with stalls, selling grilled meat and such, and a lot of people were crowed at the banks of a nearby lake early in the evening to watch fireworks.

There are police everywhere during the festival, which is pretty necessary in such a big group. It is not that common, but people do get trampled in the commotion, and tragically, one Japanese man did die this year. So around 10:00, we went to our spots in the bleachers facing the temple (tickets required). Group by group, the men started to march in as the temple area began to resemble an outdoor rock concert venue more than a spiritual premise. The rain was coming down pretty hard and we were completely soaked through, so we were getting anxious to see what would happen when the sticks were actually thrown. We were able to catch a few small glimpses of some of our 'crew' (the Hyogo men) in the crowd. Once in a while, you would see a wave go over the crowd, as groups of men fell down the stairs in a domino-like fashion, but otherwise, it was just a lot of chanting as the mob swayed from side to side.

At 11:00, things started to happen. It was actually a bit frightening, and I think a few of us watching actually screamed. We could see men dancing at the front of the temple, but it was literally just a sea of flesh. And then... the lights went out. Due to the rain, the sky was misty, so it almost looked like a scene out of a thriller movie. When the lights came back on, the sticks had been thrown (from priests on the temple's beams), as men trampled each other and wrestled in groups for the chance to obtain that promise of enlightenment.* At one point, we spotted our friend Jim on the stairs, looking distressed. We later heard accounts of men getting pulled under the stampede and even of several fights. Many of our friends came out with big scratches and some more substantial wounds, and the majority of them went home promptly in the morning to tend to their aching bodies. But at that moment, they were in for the fight of their lives.

In the end, one of our friends actually got one of the sticks (which he hid - somewhere in his cloth...somehow... until he returned home). We stayed at a Japanese in near the train station in the center of town and ended up getting home and settled somewhere around 3am. As you can imagine, the energy from the event drove us to stay up a bit later, however, and I think I finally got to bed around 6am (after talking for a few hours). With so little sleep, it was a painful sightseeing trip to the black clastle and (georgous) Japanese garden the next day (before attending a Harimacho International Association event that evening, none-the-less), but it was worth it. The Hadaka Matsuri was definately one of the most bizarre cultural events I have ever attended. But, hey, it was a good time... makes a good story to write home about!

*It sounds funny, but people really do believe in these things. I have heard companies will pay around $10,000 for one of the sticks, because it will bring them good luck.
More information: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/history/traditionalevents/a11_fes_eyo.html