Back from Nagano

It’s Monday morning and the morning meeting at my visit school just finished. My worker, AJ, is out today and all the teachers have run to homeroom, so it’s relatively quiet in the staff room. I am pretty tired, but there is still something sort of cool about the fact that I came straight to work from Osaka and was on the slopes in Nagano at this time yesterday.

So this weekend was my first trip to the Japanese Alps in Nagano. As I explained last week, snowboarding and ski trips are pretty cheap and the views were stunning!

I'll have to get pictures up soon but just checking in (yes, no broken bones, mom) ;) 

Japan's Economy

As Japan shows, thrifty isn't always a good thing,

an article by HIROKO TABUCHI for the Star Tribune

TOKYO - As recession-wary Americans adapt to a new frugality, Japan offers a peek at how thrift can take lasting hold of a consumer society, to disastrous effect.

The economic malaise that plagued Japan from the 1990s until the early 2000s brought stunted wages and depressed stock prices, turning free-spending consumers into misers and making them dead weight on Japan's economy.

Today, years after the recovery, even well-off Japanese households use old bath water to do laundry, a popular way to save on utility bills. Sales of whiskey, the favorite drink among moneyed Tokyo residents in the booming 1980s, have fallen to a fifth of their peak. And the nation is losing interest in cars; sales have fallen by half since 1990.

The Takigasaki family in the Tokyo suburb of Nakano goes further to save a yen or two. Although the family has a comfortable nest egg, Hiroko Takigasaki carefully rations her vegetables. When she goes through too many in a given week, she reverts to her cost-saving standby: cabbage stew.

"You can make almost anything with some cabbage and perhaps some potato," says Takigasaki, 49, who works part time at a home for the disabled.

Her husband has a well-paying job with the electronics giant Fujitsu, but "I don't know when the ax will drop," she says.

Japan eventually pulled itself out of the Lost Decade of the 1990s, thanks in part to a boom in exports to the United States and China. But even as the economy expanded, shell-shocked consumers refused to spend. Between 2001 and 2007, per-capita consumer spending rose only 0.2 percent. Now, as exports dry up amid a worldwide collapse in demand, Japan's economy is in free-fall because it cannot rely on domestic consumption.

In the last three months of 2008, Japan's economy shrank at an annualized rate of 12.7 percent, the sharpest decline since the oil shocks of the 1970s.

"Japan is so dependent on exports that when overseas markets slow down, Japan's economy teeters on collapse," said Hideo Kumano, an economist at the Dai-chi Life Research Institute. "On the surface, Japan looked like it had recovered from its Lost Decade of the 1990s. But Japan in fact entered a second Lost Decade -- that of lost consumption."

Economic stimulus programs have been hampered in Japan by deflation, the downward spiral of prices and wages that occurs when consumers hold down spending -- in part because they expect goods to be cheaper in the future.

Economists say deflation could interfere with the 2 trillion yen ($21 billion) in cash handouts that the Japanese government is planning, because consumers might save the extra money on the hunch that it will be more valuable in the future. The same fear grips many U.S. economists and policymakers.

America's Educational Future - Another Sign of Change?

Very excited and interesting changed going on in Washington. This is one that I think will do us well. Check out this interview with Jackie Norris, Michelle Obama's Chief of Staff (found on a National Education Foundation Blog):

Iowa Teacher Named Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff

When government and history teacher Jackie Norris agreed to work for the Obama campaign in 2007, she knew she was working for change, she just didn’t know how much that decision would change her future. Norris was named the First Lady’s Chief of Staff late last year and is joining the new Administration in Washington, DC, this month. The ISEA Communiqué staff asked the former Iowa State Education Association member about her views on education and her new role.


Why did you become a teacher?

My background was in political science. In 2000, I decided that I wanted to combine my two passions: my love of working with young people, specifically high school students, and the content knowledge that I so enjoyed—politics, government, U.S. history. I returned to Iowa State to work through the teacher certification process and went on to teach at Perry High School, Ames High School, and then Johnston High School.


How did you become involved in the Obama campaign?

When I was teaching at Johnston High School, several friends of mine that I had worked with in the past, approached me when they thought Sen. Obama might be considering running for President. This was in January 2007….I kind of laughed and thought, well, you know I’m a mother of three, I’m teaching full-time. I’m so interested but what does this look like, how does it work, could I ever do it?

I spent some time reading speeches and learning a little bit more about Senator Obama and, really, talking to my students. They were, in some respects, the way I got a better sense of how and why I wanted to do this. I saw young people excited about Sen. Obama, more interested in the political process, and for me that was the turning point. I recognized that it didn’t necessarily mean they would vote, it didn’t necessarily mean they would vote for Barack Obama, but there was interest in the office of the President that I had not seen in the past several years.

What did you do for the Obama campaign?

I served as the senior advisor through the Iowa Caucus process. What that means is somebody who is an integrated member of the team without a specific job description whose sole purpose is to look long-term, look at all of the pieces of the puzzle and see how they fit together. [My job was to] think through how to maximize the organization, the candidate time, communications plan, field plan, things like that. In doing so, I also spent a lot of time with Sen. Obama and Mrs. Obama.


What will you be doing as Chief of Staff?

Well, a lot of the job as Chief of Staff is management of three different aspects of Mrs. Obama’s office. One is the White House residence, the second is management of her personal office, and the third is management of the social office, which handles all of the social functions. And, really, thinking through the role she will play to support her husband and support the Administration.

Are there any life lessons you learned in teaching that you will take with you to this new career?

One of the things I learned from teaching is listening. It’s really important. We teach our students to listen, to respect different opinions, and to use all those thoughts and opinions as you come up with an idea…. [Recognizing] that everybody learns differently is something that applies to the public and private sector anywhere you go.

Will education continue to play a role in your new position?

One of the most interesting things I saw was how Sen. Obama developed his education policy. A lot of it was shaped by Iowa teachers. We had policy experts come in and talk to Iowa teachers; Senator Obama sat and talked with Iowa teachers and listened to them. I think education is an issue that will be talked about and that will be moved forward in the public policy dialogue in the next four years. …It’s something I know Mrs. Obama’s very passionate about, especially as it relates to young people 0-5 and then onward. My sense is that we’ll also be paying some attention to the D.C. public schools and thinking of ways we can support D.C. public schools while we’re residing there.

Do you think you’ll have any influence with Obama on education issues?

Sen. Obama listens to a lot of different people. It’s important for him to hear from the trade, from the profession, from the people who walk in those shoes each day. So whether it’s me or it’s other teachers, I know that teachers will have a voice in the discussion about education policy.

What is your opinion of No Child Left Behind and what influence, if any, do you feel you might be able to have?

With influence, I don’t think I can speak to that. With regards to what I’ve heard, and what I’ve seen, and what I’ve experienced myself, is there really does need a to be a thought process about how we accurately measure a child in terms of academic skills. I think we all recognize that an individual test is not the solution. That’s one thing that Sen. Obama heard loud and clear—that assessing a child needs to be not just an individual test. It needs to be a compilation, whether it’s a portfolio or a variety of different things. It needs to be a conversation that includes teachers, principals, and people at the local level making those decisions about the best way to assess a child. So the concept is assisting our children in doing better in the schools, but I think the specifics need to be thought through again in a different way.

We Can Riiide.... Baby Girl, We're standing on an electric Field...

What a weekend. So, as you know, last weekend was Valentine's Day (and, yes, I went to a dance party in a big, tacky, poufy dress to celebrate said event - as you already know if you are on Facebook).

In the name of such kitsch and grandeur, thought I'd post something else that might bring a few smiles... a few videos of stuff I've been into recently! Hope you enjoy:

Songs that make me want to get up and dance...

No joke. This will literally get me out of bed and on my feet. The video is pretty cute, too (get it?... his friend is supposed to be an iPod!)


This isn't the official video, BUT... if you do catch the original on You Tube: 10 points if you can tell me where the "creepy animal band" is from. Totally old school - brings me back to the pre-K days ;)

Good song anyways...

This one is by a Maori (native NZ) singer named Tiki, who's famous for being a member of a different band called Salmonella Dub. The song's a bit slower, but the rhythm is just so smooth - there is something about it that makes me smile.

Snack Attack

OK, I have a confession to make. I’m totally hording candy and snacks in my desk.

Each month, I pay into a snack fund at work to buy snacky foods like rice cakes (senbei), pretzel sticks, nuts, candy & chocolate, tea, coffee, gum, etc, etc. Each grade group does this and we keep all the snacks in a cabinet near our area, so you can just take whatever you like when you like it. One person is responsible for going shopping for the stuff every month I think most people pay somewhere between ￥1,000-2,000, but since I leave earlier than the homeroom teachers (who can be here until 10pm sometimes) and thus snack less… I pay less and consider it a pretty good deal.

I definitely take advantage of the tea, but the problem is that we keep the snacks in a cabinet and all the good ones go really fast & usually after hours, when I'm not here.  I think they're just hiden in the cabinet so the kids don't know we have food (because they're not supposed to eat during the day, outside of lunch).  Anyways, just feeling a little guilty because these treats are the healthiest (even if it's rice) and I really don't need to hoard... but... maybe it doesn't hurt if my share is just hidden in my desk... just in case I do want some...

Happy Valentine's Day!

So first of all, a huge HAPPY VALENTINE's DAY to everyone!

I had an absolutely excellent weekend, hosting some friends at my place and going to Prom (again) of all things. I also got probably one of the best presents I have ever gotten (since last year, at least) - homemade out of construction paper, markers and glue - so I'm pretty happy:)

I don't have a ton of time to write at the moment (and will elaborate on that gift later), but I was just catching up on some friends' blogs and I was absolutely blown away by my friends Megan and Tom (a couple) and their tribute of love to each other over the net. I guess it got me to thinking and I just wanted to drop a note to say hello and send warm wishes to everyone out there that I know follows this thing.

I understand and will agree that V-day is a very commercial event and I get the feeling that - even though Valentine's Day is truly celebrated around the world - it is largely the Americans that consider the day a big holiday. But there is something nice about taking a day to tell the people you love and care about what they mean to you. You should do it everyday, but if you don't, I like the concept of setting aside time to recognize the small things and appreciate the people that matter most.

So, I will quickly say: I hope you have had a lovely weekend. I hope you are safe. I hope you are happy. And I am very grateful to have you (all of you know who you are) in my life - I've been so lucky to have known so many beautiful people that have influenced me in so many amazing ways! And leave it at that!

Happy Valentine's Day 2009 with love from Akashi! xoxo

Picture of the Day: 掃除 (そうじ, cleaning)

Japanese students are expected to respect and clean the spaces they use at school. Here are some shots from our daily cleaning time, held after the afternoon homeroom meeting:

National Foundation Day at the Museum

It's been a pretty slow week since the Valentine's Day party on Monday. I've been working on applications a bit and the biggest excitement of the week came when I secured a heater for my classroom. It's supposed to start getting warmer now, but I don't care. It's the principle that counts and will benefit the person after me!

At work, we also hosted several speakers from the Takasago International Association on Tuesday and yesterday was National Foundation Day, so we all had the day off for the public holiday.

I still had Japanese class on Tuesday night, but I spent the free holiday biking from Amagasaki to Osaka with a group of friends and going to see an exhibition at the National Museum of International Art titled "The Concrete Poetry of Niikuni Seiichi".

The exhibition was wonderful. This artist, Niikuni Seiichi, essentially used kanji and words to create artistic pictures, but embeds messages and meaning within the words. While some of the images have more obvious messages, other are like riddles or a game of Pictionary and take time to figure out.

Here are several examples (click to enlarge):

I won't explain all of these, but you do need some background understanding of characters (kanji) to understand the meaning of some of these pieces. The next one, for example involves two kanji, 川 (kawa, or river) and 州 (shu, or state). Strikingly similar, Seiichi combines the two words to form a visual embankment between water and land - literally consisting of the words themselves:

The word 触る (sawaru, or touch) consists of the main kanji and one character from the hiragana alphabet (る). I interpreted this piece as showing what happens when you smack something or as showing how molecules spread when you touch another surface. I can't tell what the small kanji in the upper left-hand corner means, however, and I am sure it is relevant - I could be wrong:

雨 is the kanji for rain:

Finally, I really like the tatami-themed picture on the lower right. Tatami are the bamboo-grass floors found in most Japanese homes. The picture is laid out in the way a standard tatami room would be laid out. The main flats of the picture consist of the kanji for tatami, while the other kanji - seen in the middle of the open space - is the word for a fire hole (for hot water, used for traditional tea ceremonies, etc). Pretty cool, huh?:

This form of art saw some popularity in the 1960s, but Seiichi's popularity faded and his work essentially went into obscurity after his premature death in the 1970s. I tried to do a little research on the artist and talked to several coworkers about the exhibit earlier today, but was stunned by a) how little information is available on the web about Niikuni Seiichi and his work (especially in English but also in Japanese) and b) that my coworkers weren't familiar with the work at all.

I really recommend visiting the exhibit if you are in the Osaka-area.

More on the Concrete Poetry movement, from the NMAO website:

As part of the wave of modernism that swept over all fields of art in the 20th century, poets boldly began to analyze language structurally instead of merely concentrating on its semantic content. Among these writers, some began to approach their work with a special emphasis on its visual and phonetic aspects.

In Japan, Niikuni Seiichi (1925−77) was the foremost figure in this movement, but fell into virtual oblivion after his death. Niikuni, who began conducting avant-garde experiments in poetry in his hometown of Sendai in the 1950s, arrived at a poetry that dealt with language in terms of both its visual and aural elements. After producing "seeing poems," in which kanji (Chinese characters) were scattered around the page to form graphic images, and "listening poems," consisting of hiragana, katakana, and numbers, Niikuni's work came to fruition following a move to Tokyo and the publication of his poetry collection "Zero on". In Tokyo, the poet discovered "concrete poetry," an international movement of poets who arranged various written elements into "constellation"-like forms. Not long after, Niikuni came up with the unique method of repeating kanji in a grid pattern in poems such as "Ame" (Rain), and received acclaim both in and outside of Japan. During his years in Tokyo, he formed alliances with foreign poets as the leading figure in Japanese concrete poetry, and published countless poems in the official journal of the ASA (Association for Study of Arts), a group which he also founded, and showed his work at exhibitions throughout the world. Though he was fond of using kanji that were related to the body, such as "lip" and "blood," and life and death, there was also another side to Niikuni. He had studied contemporary music and deserves to be recognized for his ingenuity in recording sound poetry prior to his involvement in this global poetry movement. In this exhibition, we reexamine the work of Niikuni Seiichi, a poet who not only evolved a Japanese version of concrete poetry but opened up a unique world that unexpected took root in the cultural climate of foreign countries. Based on a survey of extant documents, this event should provide an important opportunity to reconsider the interactive relationship between art, music, and poetry.

What are your 25?

What is the most interesting thing about you? Top three? Ten? How about the top 25? Would you be willing to share these things in a public forum, say a public square? If you made a public list, what would you consider too private and omit? What if the public forum were electronic?


There is an internet sensation going around right now concerning "The 25 Random Things" that people don't know about you. It seems silly (or stupid, as the Times described this trend), but I have actually had fun learning some quirky and interesting facts about my friends that have sat down and created their own lists of 25 random facts about them.

Even I broke down the other day and created my own 25 list. Things omitted? Not too much as I figured there is nothing too personal on this list, and if there was, I could always edit privacy settings. Granted, I didn't mention that I have a thing for nerdy guys (can spot 'em miles away - nothing like a hot set of brains), that despite the ridiculous amount of stuff that I own & the fact that I like fashion, I tend to be on the cheap side (will benchmark and price-shop for a long time for many purchases & you can ask Jessica about the "Mac'n'Cheese & library movie nights") or that I also get bored really easily and tend to make or find adventure in the most mundane of tasks (my coworker insists I was fated to write a book because of all of the wacky conundrums I get into - and then out of... if only most of them weren't too embarassing to tell you about...). Or any of the really personal things that none of you know ;)

I've seen a lot of these lists come through from friends all over the world in the last few weeks & many major news outlets are picking up on this, so this is definitely a cultural trend. Maybe it is stupid, but if you haven't heard of the 25 lists... here's your first example (my 25):

25 Random and not so random things about me.

1. I am a travel and culture junkie. I've spent almost 5 of the last 10 years abroad, have been to about 35 countries (only counts if you're there more than 24 hours) and I don't really miss living in the US (although I do miss people).

2. I go through weird phases with food where I can't get enough of something for about two weeks and then it changes to something new. I've had about ten ham & cheese toasties in the last week and once ate fresh spring rolls for dinner for two weeks straight. Salad is the only food I could eat everyday and not tire of.

3. My eyes change color with what I'm wearing and there is a birthmark in my right iris.

4. I was born with two collicks (that swirly area where your hair goes in different directions) at the top of my head. This is apparently strange and - according to an old wives tale - means I will live in two worlds. Still don't know which two they will be.

5. I am pretty awful about emailing and keeping in touch. This is especially true with good friends because I'll wait until I "have time" to write a real response and then let weeks or months go by before I get to it. I spend a lot of time online and have somehow known my best friend for 20 years in spite of this, but I pretty much started a blog so my mom wouldn't get upset about not knowing what I'm doing.

6.Despite #1, I am also awful with big transitions. I love new experiences and can handle goodbyes fairly well, but I often hate new places at first. Then I get over it, accept where I am and have so far come to love all the places I originally disliked.

7. When making decisions, I decide what I would regret MOST if I DIDN'T do it and go in that direction.

8. I really like running, but only outside. It's a great way to explore new places and is a form of meditation for me. I can get lost in my thoughts and honestly run 25 kilometers along a path without realizing my legs are even moving. I just get bored on treadmills.

9. I've never taken an art class, but I've always been drawn to art, feel like I have an OK eye and love museums. I also find art very therapeutic. When I was 18 and homesick in Norway (first time leaving home), I would go to the National Gallery in Oslo once a week and it always made me feel better. Since then, I've had a copy of Harald Solberg's 'Vinternatt i Rondane', my favorite painting from the Gallery, hanging in my room wherever I've lived. It's sort of like a paper blankie.

10. I have a real blankie. It's a full-size blanket I got for Christmas when I was about 9 and it has reindeer on it. I think having the blanket with me makes me feel like my place is a home wherever I go, but the thing has literally come with me everywhere (Norway, college, China, Japan...).

11. If I could choose any superpower, it would be the ability to teleport myself. Not only would it be awesome to go anywhere I wanted (say, Dubai for dinner and Paris for dessert) and save me a ton of money (transportation is where most of mine goes), but I'm pretty sure I'd actually be on time - all the time - too.

12. My favorite color is colbolt blue & I don't like yellow.

13. I went to 10 different schools by the 9th grade. I think this is why I crave change or get kind of antsy if I am in one place for a long time. Also why I like meeting and talking to new people :)

14. I am and have always been a night owl. I get my second wind at 11pm. On the dot.

15. When I was 8, I almost cut my finger off in a horrible pumpkin carving accident. I spent Halloween trick-or-treating in the hospital (which was pretty cool because we had a huge blizzard in MN and nobody else got to go) but my finger also stopped growing. So, yes, now one pinkie is freakishly smaller than the other and I have a Harry-Potter-wicked scar running down my right palm.

16. I had my (other) palm read in India last year and was told I will either get sick and die very young or get over "it" and live until a very old age. They also said I could be famous if I wanted to be, but I don't think I would like being famous very much.

17. I was a camp counselor for 6 years. It was actually a summer language immersion program through Concordia Language Villages and my Village name was Andrea. People I know from CLV still call me this in the real world and I answer to it as if it were my real name.

18. I get really excited about small things in everyday life but become extremely calm and focused in serious or really bad situations.

19. Both of my parents are only children. I was an only child until I was 8, as well, until I begged my parents for a brother for Christmas... and I got one the next year. No joke.

20. I have a fetish for shoes and handbags. I also think I have too many clothes, but it seems that I often end up just wearing the same things and almost always choose black.

21. I believe there is good in everyone and will give anyone a second chance. I've gotten burned because of this before, but rather than getting angry, I usually wonder what happened to that person in life that caused them to be the way they are.

22. I like being busy and function best when I have 10 things going on.

23. My grandfather was from Mavromatti (Kalamata), Greece and I am currently working on getting the paperwork together for my Greek passport.

24. I am both type A and type B at the same time. Someone once described me as "someone who likes to have their ducks lined up in a row, but they're all really funky colored and interesting ducks." I like that.

25. If I were an animal, I'd be a peacock. I can be shy so sometimes it takes me a while to show my colors :)

Valentine's Celebration SUCCESS... and still 5 days until V-DAY!

I just finished the second of my two ESS Valentine's Day parties, both of which went really well. We did the balloon-stomping game and chocolate fondue at both of them and the kids seemed to love it. Harinan also got to do the Pinatas and we combined the Takanan party with a Farewell party for the graduating ESS members.

First, the Takasago Minami Party. The girls love decorating the board when we have ESS, but their messages are sometimes a little funny or cute. I also made made a CD of Love-themed songs for the party, but they were all pretty slow, so we ended up listening to a Britney Spears remix album that one of the girls had with her:


Fondue!! No Japanese Valentine's Day is complete without chocolate (and lots of it), so we decided to do chocolate fondue:

Naoko-chan, one of the graduating seniors that I've had club with since I came, is so silly - always posing for pictures:


After cleaning out the fondue pots, it was time to start with the games! We started with the balloon-popping game. Each player has a balloon tied to their ankle and you try to pop each other's balloons (by stepping on them) without getting yours popped. To win the game, you have to be the last person with an un-popped balloon:


The game got so intense (lots of running around) that the students actually made a little obsticle course with the extra chairs. Then the last five players moved the chairs into a circle and took a little breather before going for the win.
The game was actually pretty funny to watch, but I was a little worried about what my coworkers would think was going on in the classroom with students running around, screaming and balloons popping...haha:

We were having so much fun that I don't think anyone wanted to go home right away and the party lasted for almost three hours! After the balloon game we decided to cool things down, however, and resorted to a few rounds of Jenga before playing some American card games:

Takanan First Years:

Takanan Second Years:

Takanan Third Years ~　寂しくなります ！:

We took so many variations of this picture and the boys were equally stoic in every shot... cracks me up, but I was impressed they actually let us take pictures of them (they're sometimes a bit shy):

And now for HARINAN....

So that was the party at my regular school, Takasago Minami High School, last week. This year I started teaching at another high school, Harima Minami HS, on Mondays. Today was our English Club Valentine's Day party:

We also did chocolate fondue (with two pots...):

PLUS a full put of chocolate!! This was out of control. I think we used about 14 milk chocolate candy bars, four bunches of bananas, three cartons of strawberries, bread, a big box of Ritz crackers, two apples and three bags of marshmellows.

I felt a little ill after basically eating chocolate for dinner, but, man, was it good:

Even more exciting, THE PINATA WORKED!

I decorated two of the four pinatas I made for Valentine's Day and AJ, my coworker, and I filled them with candy and little bags of snacks. We just used a little hook from the the ￥100 Store to hang them from the ceiling, a roll of poster paper as a bat and the plan worked like a charm:

I think the girls liked it:

We played the balloon game at Harinan, too. Everyone got really into it, so the game went quickly, but we were all laughing really hard:

Overall, a lot of fun at both parties! I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Cultural Observations: I could use a summer ale right now... or just summer.

February is the coldest month in Japan. It's dark, cold and there is no insulation or central heat in most homes to combat this inconvenient and uncomfortable temperature status (so when I say it's cold, I mean inside and outside).


This gets to people.

To make matter worse, January and February encompass the time of year when most people hit their first (or at least one) wave of culture shock. Not that initial, pure-confrontation-with-obvious-differences that you might think of when defining culture shock, but the sometimes depressing emotional valleys that a person encounters when living abroad.

It doesn't just happen in Japan and this is a pattern that forms each year, but I've certainly noticed the signs of this culture shock in my expat community lately: a lot of people getting edgy and those who are heading back in the foreseeable future (like this summer) are starting to check-out, get antsy or get irritable.



I guess I am mentioning this because I think people should talk about this cycle as it's a realistic and natural part of moving to another country and culture. It happens to very normal, sane and intelligent people. To give some examples, one of my friends recently wrote an angry letter about some contractual issues she is having with her employer to a local newsletter, another friend wrote a somewhat negative article about relationships (how people in this country settle for things that they wouldn't at home) and a few women have mentioned how angry they have been about other small things recently. I, for one, have definitely been more emotional in the last few weeks than normal and was pretty cranky by the time I hit the 10th week of being sick.


I'm not going to drive this thing into the ground, but as one last example, I mentioned this topic to an aquaintance and he shared with me this letter he recently sent home about how things are going (warning: explicit language):

Japan? let me tell you. My job is boring, half the time I have nothing to do at work and I just read books or go on the internet or take naps. Sounds like paradise I know but try that every day for 8 hours a day for like 3 weeks. I'm also thoroughly sick of the passive aggressive simpering milksop culture of this benighted island. I'm sick of not being able to talk to girls. I'm sick of being illiterate and having the verbal capacity of a three year old and therefore being treated as such. I'm sick of the racism I encounter on the street, especially from old people (and you know how I feel about the elderly already) I swear I'm gonna knock one into traffic some day, f***ing worthless leeches. I'm sick of the other foreigners here and their condescending multicultural relativistic moralising, or on the other extreme the 50 year old expats who are married to 50ish Japanese women but who hold (basically) group meet-and-f***s in their private english schools with like 25-30 year olds...I swear to god, if only I could explode peoples heads with my mind. And I'm sick of not having a goddamn clothes drier.




This email is extreme, yes, but I'm telling you - this guy LOVES Japan... at least normally. He studied here in college, did a double-major with biology and Japanese, has had a few Japanese girlfriends and is an all-around cool guy. I'm not going to comment on some of the more shocking and negative aspects of the above statements, but some of them are potentially brutally honest, probably true & aren't talked about in "polite company".

So, yeah, while I am still having fun in Japan and am generally pretty happy, the general level of (foreigner-) morale is down and I think it has about 94.7% to do with the time of year and the weather. The calendar says spring (Setsubun is over!!) but it's definitely still that dead-in-the-middle-of winter drag.

The funniest thing is that all of these people (myself included) love Japan - or they are all doing pretty well here and I am willing to bet they will at least reflect fondly upon their experience and time living in Japan.

I personally run to deal with stress (or do little things that make me happy like hiking, journaling, reading or buying myself flowers - AND I'm working on getting a heater in my classroom) but I definitely think being aware of how certain circumstances can affect you is important. If you've extended amounts of time abroad (as a student, for example) and haven't had these experiences, you might be lucky. It might also be something that hits when you actually settle in somewhere, too, however and aren't in a temporary (>1 year) situation. I don't know, but it's something I would like to learn more about...

The Weekend Review - to Himeji and the Moon

Didn't really do anything exciting on Friday. Just went to Japanese class and then came home, read for a little while and went to bed. On Saturday, I did another 28 kilometer run to the famous Himeji Castle. My old running buddy and I always wanted to do that run together, but it always scared me. I'm pretty proud I made it! It took me over 3 hours, but I am def going to be in shape for the marathon, the running is REALLY good for dealing with stress and I went to the public baths before taking the train home after the run and my muscles don't even hurt now! It was also fun to try a new course. I passed restaurants my coworkers have brought me to and had forgotten about, had a little adventure when I got lost at one point and had to get directions in an old folk's home and the beauty of the Japanese countryside (ok, even with the Shinkansen whizzing through it) was a treat. Once I made it to Himeji, I walked around the castle area for a few minutes to take pictures and cool down, got some water and food to replenish and then hit the sento (public baths) for a few hours to soak my muscles before taking the train home. Absolutely fantastic afternoon.

I took this picture when I arrived downtown - elated:

Tired but fueled by excitement - I made it!:

On Saturday evening, Dave and I went to see "In the Shadow of the Moon" at this sort of artistic, off-mainstream theater named Cinelivre in Kobe. The documentary, which chronicles our experience with travel to the moon, was really good and I really loved the place it was shown. It was my first time at Cinelivre, but they show a lot of the better American movies (because they are foreign films here...) and tickets are about half the price of a normal theater. I love the movie theater, but I generally don't go out to the movies in Japan because it's so expensive (about $20 USD a ticket!), but this theater is in central Kobe and they also offer both "couple discounts" once a month and a cheaper rate for the late show (21:00～). I definitely want to go again - a few times. You should see the movie, if you get the chance, too, by the way: http://www.intheshadowofthemoon.com/.

On Sunday, I hung out with Dave again, both of us working on papers. We had 3 laptops going in the same room; one with his work, one with mine, and one with classical music. I won't lie - I did get distracted a lot and neither of us got as much as we had hoped completed (especially when I took a very long break to make lunch) but it was a fun day and I made more progress in the evening.

Maybe I should have stuck with sandwiches if I needed to work? Oh well... I've been craving spring rolls for a while so I guess it was worth it. Check out the SE Asian meal I made... chicken and raw salmon fresh spring rolls:

And a chicken and cashew stir fry with sweet rice (learned how to make it at an IFA cooking class!) and pineapple:

Law Systems

I've been curious about the difference between the US and Commonwealth legal systems for a long time (willing to bet most Americans don't know what a Barrister is...), but it's funny that it's taken me until now to make the three clicks on the internet to look it up.

I spent some time playing around on the web for definitions the other day and thought I would share in case this is new to anyone else or you are interested:

***********************************

First, let's just explain what I mean when I say the British/Commonwealth system.

England and commonwealth countries employ a split professional in relation to legal representation. In England, a lawyer is defined as someone who has studied law, but then they further distinguish between a barrister and a solicitor. A barriester is basically a lawyer who defends others in court. They become involved in a case once advocacy before a court is needed whereas a solicitor is a lawyer who has more direct contact with the client. Apparently the biggest distinction is that the solicitor is an attorney, meaning they have "power of attorney" and can act in place of their client for legal purposes. While the barrister speaks on the client's behalf in court, they only do so when instructed by a solicitor.

In the United States, we do not distinguish between barristers and solicitors. Attorneys are permitted to conduct all aspects of litigation and appear before those courts where they have been admitted to the bar.

I also found it interesting that anyone can just enroll in law school in most commonwealth countries, but you must then pass exams after your first year to keep the right to remain a student in the program. In America, conversely, law is a graduate degree (JD, post bachelor) and just getting in is one of the hardest parts.

In order to apply to an American law school, you are required to submit grade transcripts, several letters of recommendation, take a large standardized test called the Law School Admission Test, write a personal statement and pay an application fee (usually around $70/school). This doesn't include all the fees associated with taking the tests and registering for the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), etc, which is also required to even be considered.

I think I like the Commonwealth system, where you are at least given the chance to prove yourself as a student of the law, but at least in American, once you're in, you're in. The 1L (your first - and most grueling - out of three years) is meant to be the "weeding-out process" - those that can't handle law school know after this year and drop out.

As I understand it, the Commonwealth system also required lawyers to undergo a residency period, almost like an internship, after graduating from law school. In America, once you finish law school and pass the bar, you're a lawyer. At least in whatever state you took the bar in :-P I don't believe you should go to law school if you don't want to practice, but law is considered a very versitile degree and profession in America.

***********************************

Anyways, that's about it but some guy on a Google Answers thread I was going through actually paid a legal hotline for "expert" advice on the same topic, so here is some additional insight into the Commonwealth system (sorry - didn't save the link on the original post):

The English legal profession (and that of a number of Commonwealth
countries whose legal system derives directly from the English one)
has two categories of qualified lawyer: barristers and solicitors.

A solicitor is entitled to represent a client in the County (Civil)
Courts and in Magistrates' Court (a lower court in the English court
system). They are also the main legal representation for the majority
of people and companies in England and Wales: if you were buying or
selling a house you would engage a solicitor to carry out the
necessary legal niceties; a solicitor could assist and advise in
will-making; and they may also initiate private prosecutions or assist
clients against either public or private prosecutions.

A barrister is a legal professional who is qualified to represent
clients in Crown Court or the Higher Courts -- they can be considered
roughly analagous to American "advocacy lawyers". Much of their
training and abilities will lie in the courtroom skills of
cross-examination and rapid thinking. Regardless of whether they
represent the prosecution or the defence, a barrister never deals
directly with his or her clients -- instead they will be briefed on
the facts of the case by the client's solicitor, although they are
free to allow the courtroom proceedings to carry on as they see fit.

The reason for this split between courtroom advocates and other
lawyers is (as with most things in the UK legal systems) to do with
the unique history of England and Great Britain. The origins date way
back to the feudal Norman French system introduced from the 11th
Century.

The academic and training route to each of these two main branches of
law differs, as do the professional bodies that oversee them. To
become a solicitor a law graduate must first study a Legal Practice
Course and then spend two years in practice working as a trainee (this
used to be called "taking articles"). The professional body that
regulates these courses is the Law Society. To become a barrister the
route after graduation is to follow a Bar Vocational Course followed
by a Pupillage in a firm of barristers (known as Barristers'
Chambers), and this side of the profession is controlled by the Bar
Council. The systems are constantly under review and reform, and there
are certain moves currently underfoot which would somewhat blur the
distinction between these two groups of legal professionals.

To summarise: in England and Wales the term "lawyer" is a catch-all
meaning simply "one who is qualified in the legal profession"
(although it would rarely, if ever, be applied to judges or
magistrates). Both barristers and solicitors could call themselves
lawyers; however the two professions have very different skills and
jurisdictions.

Obviously this is only a very brief introduction to what is a very
detailed subject. There is a wealth of information on the web if a
more in-depth discussion is required.


Here are some further useful links that were recommended:

The British Council's brief guide to the UK legal systems (useful for
prospective students):
http://www.britishcouncil.org/governance/jusrig/uklaw/routes/

An introduction to the English legal system for non-lawyers and
international visitors:
http://www.niknicol.co.uk/English/english.html

UK Legal, a useful site for all kinds of information about the UK's
criminal justice systems:
http://www.uklegal.com/uklegal.htm

The Law Society of England and Wales
http://www.lawsoc.org.uk/

The Bar Council
http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/

Good News, Bad News

The Good News:

The NHK guy just came to collect my television fees, but I told him I don't have a TV, don't watch Japanese TV and can't understand enough anyways (even though I said all of this in Japanese...). And the guy left! I feel like I won. Not sure what I won, but I'm pretty happy about how smoothly that went. NHK is many a foreigner's nightmare.

The Bad News:

The pinata idea might be out :-( My creations have been sitting for 48 hours and the paper mache is still not dry. I don't know if it's because my apartment is so cold during the day or possibly because my place is damp, but there's nothing I can do right now. Bummer.

Picture of the Day: Ladies Locker Room

In Japan, high school students do not have lockers. Instead, they keep things at their desk (because they sit in the same seat all day) and carry what they need in their school bag (which are issued as part of a uniform at my school).

Teachers, however, are given lockers to store their jackets and personal things. At least at my school.

Here is a peak into the female staff locker area, which sits adjacent to the copy room:

Did you notice the tatami mats on the floor? And, yes, that is my locker that's open (messy, messy... だめ、だめ...):

Teaching Values - ?

I've heard of patriotism and learned valued being taught in Japanese public schools, but to be honest, I haven't really witnessed any of it firsthand since I've been working in the school system.

One of our reading assignments this week, however, caught my eye and I thought I should share. I retyped the textbook excerpt below, but first go through the reading and then look at the true or false questions afterward.

Does anyone else think it's strange that there are correct and incorrect answers to the opinion section about values?

Lesson 18, Family Values

Read the story below about an accident that happened at a home party. A fter reading thnk about the answers to the questions below.

I was in the kitchen helping my mother when I heard the crash. I knew at once what had happened. I started to run toward the room where the guests were, but my mother stopped me.

"Wait," she said. "Let's return to our guests as if nothing has happened. Do not show how upset and angry you are."

"But mother, how can you say that? Our family case has been broken."

My mother smiled at me and replied, "Yes, I know. But we mustn't let our guests know how valuable it is." With that, she picked up the tea , and we returned to our guests.

When we entered the room, I saw at once that my worst fear was right - the priceless vase was in pieces on the floor. And standing next to the vase was the four-year-old son of Mrs. Kim.

Mrs. Kim has a horrified look on her face. The boy looked very guilty. "I... I... well, somehow...," Mrs. Kim began to explain. My mother quickly said, "Oh, that's all right. It was an old vase. I t was not valuable. Don't worry about it."

After our guests had gone, I asked my mother. "Why did you say that the vase was worthless?"
"What else could I say?" my mother replied. "Could I say it was our family's most precious treasure?"

"Well, I said, "It's the truth. We should always tell the truth."

"Not always," explained my mother carefully. "Sometimes we must not tell the truth. Sometimes it is best to hide our true feelings."

GIVING AN OPINION

～Are you FOR (F) or AGAINST (A)?～

Note: Correct answers in parentheses.

Part 1
1. We should be careful of other peoples' feelings. (F)
2. We should be faithful to our own feelings. (A)
3. It is wrong ot decieve other people under any circumstances. (A)
4. It is not always important to be honest. (F)

Part 2
a. Deceoptful acts will cause many problems. (A)
b. Telling the absolute truth sometimes embarasses other poeple. (F)
c. Supressing our feelings will cause a lot of stress. (A)
d. A frank attitude is essential for keeping a friendship. (A)
e. Hiding our true feeling can help us maintain a good relationship with others. (F)
f. Showing our true feelings hurts other people in some cases. (F)
g. We will lose trust by deceiving others. (A)
h. There are times when we don't want to tell someone bad news. (F)

I think the general idea of the lesson is good. It's great preparation for having students do debates in class and the concept of manners (saving face) is culturally appropriate, but it sort of rubbed me the wrong way that there are right and wrong answers to the true/false section. Kids were getting points taken off for disagreeing that they should always be polite, even if they are not truthful.

In Japan, teachers hold much different roles than they do in other countries, sometimes taking on responsibilities that parents would otherwise own. This includes discipline for things that happen outside of school (like smoking or stealing), but I still consider values to be something private...

Wednesday at Takanan

Ahhh, after sitting here for about an hour with the computer teacher, we just turned off the touch-pad on my PC! I thought it was strange that I wasn't able to do it on my own, but the laptop computer I use at work is sort of old and it just took us forever to figure out how to hit the off switch.
Ridiculous that something so simple could take so long, but I couldn't be happier that that mouse pad is off. The touchpad has seriously been driving me crazy as my sleeves often brush the built-in mouse as I'm typing, moving the pointer around and causing the computer to do weird stuff like putting half a word at the start of a different line.
I'm a fast typer and do make mistakes sometimes, but lately I've had to check papers to make sure they don't look absolutely dyslexic and incomprehensible. Yay.

Talk-Free Train Cars

So things are going well and I finally made it to Japanese class last night after missing both classes last week. I didn't really feel behind once I got there, but I was surprised to discover something new on the way home. I was sitting on the train when the conductor approached me, pointed at my phone and told me to turn the cell phone off and put it away. I was sort of confused at first, especially since I was just texting - not talking - (this is Japan... everyone uses their phone on the train...) and because it's very uncharacteristic for people to enforce rules (like not using your phone). But the conductor showed me a sign, and sure enough, it seems there are actually cell phone free cars on the end of some trains.

Women Only cars I have seen and understand, but I am guessing these cars were more recently introduced for people who want to peacefully sit and read/relax without the distraction of the people around you clicking away at their phones (or watching who-knows-what on the screen). The car was also generally empty compared to the packed cars next to it, meaning people seem to respect the rule (or are scared of the strict conductor?). I decided to switch my phone off, put it away and pulled out my book. It was actually rather peaceful.

Setsubun
Yesterday was also Setsubun, an event marking the start of spring (TODAY!) according to the lunar calendar. On this day (which many consider a holiday), shrines and temples hold rites to exorcise demons, while every family takes dried beans (called mamemaki) and throws them at someone dressed as a demon, yelling, "Out with the demon, in with good fortune!" This is supposed to drive away the ogre and bad luck. I don't think people always have an ogre to throw beans at (sometimes they just open the door and throw them outside...), but it is customary to throw the same number of beans as your age and then to eat one more bean than the number of years that you are.

People also celebrate Setsubun by eating futomaki (basically a giant sushi roll) while facing a direction that has been decided as auspicious for that particular year. This year, the direction is east-north-east (sort of looks like the number 4 if you draw it out).

I did actually eat the sushi for dinner, but I was sitting on the train so I'm not sure what direction I was facing. I also tried the bean-throwing bit, but we made a few changes including throwing almonds (did yell the traditional phrase in Japanese...), threw them over our shoulders (oops - got that one confused with salt...) and didn't throw the exact number of our age (yes, 21...). Haha, oh well. At least we tried to recognize the holiday!

Today

Today was the beginning of my last OC lessons with the first years (freshman), meaning it's the last time I'll have class with many of them ever again. I know we'll just do this cycle all over again in a month and a half when the new school year starts, but I'm going to miss seeing some of these kids, not to mention the fact that I can't believe the year is OVER (talk about a year flying by!).

I'm considering trying to get out of work early today, too, as I have a lot to do to prepare for our Valentine's Day and Farewell Party for the English Club 3rd Years tomorrow. As you know, I've been working on some craft projects, but I also need to make cards, wrap presents and pick up all the stuff for doing chocolate fondue. It's gonna be a busy night!

Picture of the Day: IS Discussion Classes

These pictures are of my second year International Studies (IS) course students during our discussion classes. Thirty students belong to the second year IS program, but we usually split the class into three groups of 10, which also helps promote discussion.

I also have the students move their chairs to the middle of the room, which I think has been really effective in creating a more comfortable environment for group discussions:

The students in the next picture look a little more relaxed than the ones in the previous group, probably because we spent a lot of time joking around and talking about slang during this lesson:

We are currently focusing on a unit on Friendship and personality traits, so the girls in the next picture are talking about what traits are most important to them in a friendship, while they also practice model conversations.

Most of the students chose 1) thoughtfulness, 2) honesty and 3) trustworthiness as the most important qualities in a friend.. which I would agree are pretty important. 

I wonder if American students would prioritize traits differently?

The American Way

There is something about this map (of the 50 US states and their mottos) that I absolutely love:
Taken from: http://twoeyeballs.com/art/zenphoto/gift-shop/usa-aug08-www-copy.png.php

Picture of the Day: 花 (flowers)

More pictures from my daily life :-)

Flowers in my kitchen:

The tiny ikibana (on the left) is starting to wilt, but I still love them:

Picture of the Day: Bento

Most of my coworkers make and bring thier own bento, or box lunch, to school. It's hard to make so many small dishes when you are living alone (only cooking for one) because you often end up with too much food or it gets expensive, however, so I generally buy my lunch.

My school also provides a pretty decent lunch. I can go to the cafeteria (which opens at 11:00, an hour and a half before the the students have lunch) and get a cheap bowl of ramen or Japanese curry (both about ￥２５０ and come with tea and hot miso soup) or the daily special, which usually consists of some kind of meat (beef, pork or chicken) and rice. The other option is ordering a bento, or box lunch, which is made in our caf, changes each day and costs about ￥450.

To order a bento, I just put my name on a list by 10:00 am each day and the bento is magically delivered to the copy room at 11:00:
The bentos arrive in these blue baskets. The towel is supposed to keep the heat in and they label each box with our names. We also get soy sauce, another kind of sauce & disposible chopsticks to use.

It's a faux pax to put sauce directly on your rice in Japan, but I usually pour it on the little dishes in the other compartments, and then eat them with a bit of rice, following the example of my coworkers.

My bento is usually pretty easy to find because my name is written in the katakana alphabet (ブレンダ), rather than in kanji . It's also not bad just having to write down your name and getting hot, homemade food each day... we even got a little packet of beans for the Setsubun holiday yesterday:


I think elementary school teachers eat with their students in the classroom and junior high school students only have one lunch/bento option, so I believe this type of bento option might only be available to high school staff. I've heard of some schools ordering their lunches from other companies, too... but I sort of like that our bentos are made here. They're usually pretty good!

Photo of the Day: Piñata Surprise

The initial stages of the Valentine's Day piñatas I am making.

I still have a few layers to apply (each done 24 hours after the last) and will paint these guys (and fill them with chocolate) before they are done, but is is probably the first time in 15-20 years that I have tried to paper mache.

So far... so good, though:

The Weekend Review - Onsens, Birthday & Lunch with the Girls

I am a bit tired today due to the fact that I was up late last night dealing with taxes (last year's, of all things) and bank stuff at home. I recently discovered that I was supposed to have gotten the American economic stimulus check last year, but didn't, so I was on hold with the IRS for a while trying to work out why and then also had to contact my bank because my online banking wasn't working. Be glad you don't have a 14-hour time difference when you need to deal with these things...

The IRS

So first of all, I have to say I was surprised by how helpful the IRS was. Granted, they did put me on hold for a long time and the first woman I spoke to gave me the wrong answer before transferring me to someone who could better assist with my issue, but in the end, the person I spoke with was really knowledgeable and gave me the detailed information and resources I needed. It sounds like I might get a rebate for the money I should have gotten last year, which will be nice, too.

Banking Problems due to... China?

I also eventually figured out the issue with the bank's website, but I have to say I found the root cause of my issues a bit funny. It seems that some countries have internet protocol address bans on them and it can sometimes affect the surrounding regional countries as well.
Recently, the block in China has been affecting other regions in the Asia Pacific including parts of Japan and Australia. Oh, China. I remember my main news sites being blocked when I was last in China, teaching English in Xianyang in '04, but for it to affect normal internet activity in Australia and Japan? Not good.

Belated Birthday Presents from my Japanese Twin

I had a really exciting surprise when I got to school today and found a little surprise waiting for me on my desk. In Japan, it's common for graduating high school students to take a trip when they finish classes, so last week Ms. Nozaki (my "twin") went to Guam with some of the handball girls she used to coach this weekend. She even went skydiving (she said she felt like she could do it if I did it... cute) and to the water park with the girls, but the omiyage/birthday present she brought back was more than generous... a backpack from Planet Hollywood!!

When I saw the bag, I didn't want to take it because I know licensed gear can be really expensive, but Nozaki insists she got a good deal (she bought them for me and her kids) and I really need a new backpack, so it's perfect. I absolutely love the backpack I have, but I've had it since high school and it's on it's last leg so I guess it was just lucky timing (and how cool is it to have a bag with Guam written on it?). Wow, huge Thank You to Nozaki!! Yatta.

The Weekend

It's hard to believe it's already Tuesday afternoon, but the now quickly-passing weekend was also a really nice, notably because it was filled with multiple visits to the local hotsprings, time with fun people and a great birthday party at Dave's house on Saturday night.

So, Friday was the last day with my Takasago Minami High School 3rd years (including my International Studies class). These are the kids I started with and have come to know well, so I stayed at school talking to some of them in the afternoon. Once I got home, however, I realized I wasn't going to make it to class until after our break so I called to say I'd be absent and went straight to Amagasaki to meet Dave and watch Slumdog Millionaire. When I got there, we ended up talking for most of the night and didn't get to the movie part, but it was a generally relaxing evening and I thankfully got to bed at a semi-decent hour.

part 1 - the hike
On Saturday morning, we all met at Ashiyagawa Station, near Kobe on the Hankyu line, around 9am to go on the hike Chris organized for his 28th birthday. I've written about doing this trail several times now, but Chris has probably done the path at least 15 times and I can safely say it's one of everyone's favorites - and was a great idea for a birthday celebration.

In the morning, I was a little hesitant about going because the weather forecast predicted rain, but the mildly chilly weather turned out to be pretty perfect for hiking, with a little rain hitting us only at the very end of the hike. By that point (a few hours in & on the other side of Rokko), we were pretty much going downhill anyways, though, so we lightly jogged the last hour or so, finishing - as always - with a soak in the Arima hotsprings. Had fun taking shortcuts this time around (the mud made running down hills feel adeventurous) and it was nice to chat with my friend Maki in the baths.

Before I forget.... I FINALLY saw a wild boar on Mt. Rokko!! Here's Goran with our new little friend. I was so excited:

The inoshishi (boars) are pretty tame, but can get aggressive if there are babies present or if they smell food.

This guy actually came really close to me before I realized he was probably smelling the lunch I was carrying (and I ran away...). Still fun to see him:

One of the best parts of the Rokko hike is the views it affords you of sprawling Osaka and Kobe.

We usually stop to rest and eat lunch when we reach the summit during this hike, but the wind really started to pick up at this point, so we ate inside a hut this time instead.

It was probably for the better - check out the normally gorgeous views of Osaka on Saturday. We were literally just lost in the fog, wind and clouds!:

Part 2 - the party

After the hike, we all went back to Dave's house for the second part of the birthday event - le Party!

Chris and Dave had biked to Costco before I came over on Friday and picked up six giant pizzas, cut them up and stuffed them into the fridge. In Japan, most houses do not have conventional ovens, but smaller, electric ones or microwave/oven combinations are popular and thankfully Dave had a microwave that worked well for zapping the pizzas a day later... which saved us the $30/pizza that most places charge and made for awesome party food!

There ended up being about 30 people all together at the party, with Chris's friends, coworkers and a few of his coworkers kids present. People brought their own things to drink and we basically just sat around talking and enjoying the night.

After most people had left the party, Dave and I stayed up dancing with Bob and Katie for a few hours. By the time we were finished, Bob was just too tired to walk home and Katie didn't want to let him stay over alone. Even with small heaters in the house, there is no insulation and Dave didn't have enough blanket for all of us... so we all piled into the same bed!

Saturday night was probably one of the warmest nights I've had for a while (sandwiched between two people, hotwater bottle at my feet and 10 blankets on top), but it was kind of fun waking up and chatting ... felt like a big slumber party!





Spa Day in Sannomiya

It took me a while to get up the next morning, but I made breakfast, helped clean up and went on a little run, before heading into Sannomiya with Katie and Emi for girl's day at the spa.

It was great! We met some other girls and had lunch before checking out the Kobe Spa & Sauna, a posh hotspring sauna in central Kobe. My friend Amy had raved about the spa and I've always been curious about checking it out, so it was fun to go (to both the baths and hotstone rooms) with a group of girls.
After the spa, we went to a cute, trendy izakaya Deyi knew about to share some cake and chat before heading our seperate ways. I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Here are some shots from dinner at Pizza Kitchen (PK), just off Flower Road in Sannomiya. I think they had the best pizza and salad I've had in Japan:
This started as just an informal comment about girl's day (Kate) and then about going to the spa (Emi), but I am pretty glad it turned into a full-fledged group girl's day. We need more of these! Here is the group that made it out (and Kate, who seems to be her own little island here... think it's an Awaji thing... haha):