TAIKO: It only gets better from here

So, perhaps you remember a little entry I made last year about a certain TAIKO festival? Hmmm...? For those of you who are drawing a blank, please check October 2008 entries, as I do not plan to reiterate what this festival is all about. Instead, I will tell you how it was better this year.

So I did the Saijo trek up into the mountains again, but unlike last time, I decided to have fun with it and put on a little extra sparkle. I then decided if I was going to sparkle, so was everyone else. I managed to paint my friends faces before I took a bold move and asked Japanese people if they would like a little glitter on their cheeks. Surprisingly, I got a positive reaction and even splashed a few male faces as well. Let the party begin!

I decided that while it was fun just to trail behind the DANJIRI last year, I jumped right in and started carrying it as well! However, the other lads and ladies started to get quite drunk from sake and I gave up when I realized that I might be on my own in a minute.

I walked all night and at 6AM, promptly took a cab back to my city where I got ready for work. I had a full day where I didn't fall asleep once (last year I was a wreck and would crawl under a desk just to sleep the ten minute break period between classes). That night I took a short nap before pulling another all-nighter, this time at the opening ceremonies in my city, where the TAIKODAI weigh 2.5 tons and climbing up a mountain takes concentration and sobriety. I some students there and was pleased. I also took some snapshots of the coolest girls I have ever seen.

I then went to my school, where, to my surprise, they had TAIKODAI just sitting out on the track field. Huh? It turns out, they were there for the students to try. At first I was a bit hesitant, as I am not a student, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and jump in and carry one. Chance of a lifetime! It led to new friendships with some of the men who worked on the TAIKODAI.

The next day was Saturday, and the main event in my city. It seemed like the entire town turned out for this event.

Me and my former students!

What made it spectacular was the fact that I was asked to sit on one of the TAIKODAI and take pictures with people. I felt a little silly, but honored nonetheless.

That evening, I went to a different part of the city to meet with one of my teachers. He was hosting a party that night for matsuri, and invited the crew. We watched the TAIKODAI face each other, for the evening tends to bring out the fight in people. This time, someone lost a finger when reckless men dropped the TAIKODAI to one side and one guy juuuuust wasn't fast enough. There was no actually fighting, as the police bargade were out in full force, ready to tack on a heavy fine (think $35,000) for any group that fought. It turns out that earlier that morning, some TAIKODAI fought, chainsaws were used, things broke, fines issued, and they were disqualified to participate next year. Not to mention the repairs needed. One TAIKODAI can cost half a million dollars!

Party Time!

Mt. Ishizuchi

I love the outdoors, and why not? I come from "the Evergreen State" after all. We pride ourselves on our outdoors activities and snobby chic gear. However, like most people bred in the city, I've always been too busy to actually take the time to stop and smell the roses.

Now that I am a teacher, I have even less time because I always seem to be wasting it in between classes. Well, every now and again there is a weekday holiday, or even more rare, a burst of energy that screams "Feed me nature!" When that time roars, I follow eagerly. Now if I could only update this blog with the same passion...

Mt. Ishizuchi is the highest mountain in the West of Japan. 1982 meters in height, it is a beloved spot that attracts children to grandparents to climb it's peak. This is actually my second time scaling the mountain, with much different results in temperature and atmosphere.

The first time I went with Derry, Juliana, and Dave.

The second time I went with David, Simon, and Leigh.

The first time Dave drove us up there and back.

The second time we missed the bus so we took a taxi, and then hitchhiked back with a couple from Hiroshima.

There is a ropeway that will take you up the first part of the mountain. It was my first time to use one and I got to say, it's pretty awesome.

For those feeling adventurous, you can skip the winding pathway around the mountain and use metal link chains to scale over sheer rock face. The first time I skipped over it, as the mountain was still thawing from winter and I'm a chicken.

The second time I did the first set of chains but then decided not to risk my life and second time and took the alternate route.

At the top of the mountain, there is a shrine. Mt. Ishizuchi is one of the seven holy mountains in Japan, which only adds to the splendor. People can then cross the peak to the reaｌ where there is a small shrine. I made it across the first time and nearly toppled off into the abyss. The second time was so crowded that we decided to skip it. We had dinner plans.
P.S. Those white dots are people struggling to cross safely and not die.

Rainy Season

Please enjoy this video of rainy season in Japan.

Please also remember that Japan is subject to typhoons.

That is all.

Tokyo Playground

Every school teacher in the world must look forward to summer vacation.

No school!

No classes!

No brats!

No way!

Not in Japan baby. You only get to take paid leave. Otherwise, if you're a miser like me and hording those precious vacation days, you're stuck in school from 8:00AM - 4:00PM with everyone else. However, even someone like myself needs a break sometimes. Sadly, I work in a city that holds an English Speech Contest in September so I spend the month of August traveling to various J.H.S. and give speech coaching. In order to stay sane, I managed to squeeze out a couple of vacation days to make it a long weekend in the ultimate playground, the BIGGEST city IN THE WORLD.

THE ONE.

THE ONLY.

TO-KI-YO!

(Tokyo, the capital of, Japan)

I decided to visit my friend Kanako who I met and befriended on the lovely island of Shikoku. Being as cheap as I am, I took the cheapest form of transportation, the night bus, which takes about 12 hours and costs about $110 one way. It's not a sleeper bus either so get comfy in that chair because you can't recline it past two centimeters. I rode the bus with Derry and we got into the city at about... 7:00AM? We made our way to Roppongi district with only one minor setback: I left my glasses on the bus. Derry managed to go back and we rescued them. That's my personal hero right there.

We were to stay the night in Derry's mate from college's apartment. We took a quick nap then headed out to view the Imperial gardens were I got eaten ALIVE by mosquitoes:

We took haven in a maid cafe, where young women dress up in costumes and would provide conversation and sometimes games to predominately male patrons.


The night was spent at Ageha, arguably the largest nightlife dance club in Japan. It's on the outskirts of Tokyo and there are free shuttle buses to take people to and from there between the hours of 11:00PM and 5:00AM. There was even an outdoor pool. Oi.

The next day I met up with Kanako and the rest of my time in Tokyo was spent shopping, shopping, eating, and shopping except for one day that was reserved for my childhood: Tokyo Disneyland. As I have never been to any of the theme parks in my youth, this was arguably my best memory thus far in Japan.

Factoring in travel time, I spent eight hours at this place, absolutely delighted. The sun was shinning and we rode on a few rides:

Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain, Star Tours, Tom Sawyer Island Rafts, Pooh's Honey Hunt

Ate pizza and cream puffs for lunch, did a little shopping...

...and stalked foreigners hired to impersonate Disney Characters:

However, missing from this collection is Woody from Toy Story. The actor was a complete jerk and ignored my SEVERAL polite inquires about a photograph and chose to pose only with cute Japanese young ladies. Pox on him!

花火

Every season in Japan brings the celebration of beauty and nature. In Autumn, the full moon provides lamplight for faithful observers. Winter's bitter cold and winds are perfect for those who want to travel to Hokkaido and witness one of the greatest ice sculpture displays in the world. Spring blooms life in way of flowering trees that become umbrellas for picnics. And summer...the heat has the people of Japan donning traditional summer apparel, yukata and jinbei, at night to attend festivals that end with a bang - fireworks that is.

I already had practice with wearing a yukata so I set out to buy my own. Depending on the fabric, a yukata can cost ￥20,000 or more. Plus, there are the other factors, such as an obi (belt), geta

(wooden sandals), accessories for the belt, hair, and so on.

Breathe easy in Beppu

So the third Monday of July, in this case July 20th, is the national holiday known as Marine Day(海の日). SO... I decided to take my own holiday and jet down to Kyushu to visit Mr. George and enjoy the scenic town of Beppu, famous for its hot springs (onsen). In fact, there are even volcanic hot springs that are too hot for mere mortals to enter!

In order to get there from Shikoku, one takes a ferry from the city of Yawatahama. Since I had work that day, I decided to take the last ferry (20:30). Unfortunately, I live hours away from the city even by express trains - yes, I must transfer as well - and ended up catching a local train by mistake and ending up in Ozu around 21:30 with tears on my face and a dead battery in my cell phone.

No worries. On my last bar I managed to make some emergency calls and secure overnight lodgings in the city of Ozu, followed by a taxi ride to the train station, yet another train to Yawatahama, a three? hour ferry to Beppu and finally a walk into George's city from the port.

We stopped by the hotel were we would have free lodgings thanks to George's friend (the daughter of the owner) and took a walk around town complete with Korean BBQ and a SAND BATH! That's right, I went to an onsen that specializes in people lying down while being buried in hot sand for ten minutes. It was first built in 1879 and is Beppu's most famous hot spring. Supposedly it relieves tension in the muscles but all I did was wish I was dead.

We received complimentary towels but I got an extra-special keepsake... a heat rash that expanded over my entire body!

Delicious!


Day 2, Otherwise known as Sunday, was spent exploring Takasakiyama Monkey Park and the adjacent aquarium. I have to say this monkey park was better than the one in Kyoto as THESE monkeys ruled the area and we were the ones being observed. There were no cages in which we went in to feed them. Instead, we were warned to not look them in the eye and played papparazzi stalkers in order to get that perfect shot:

I also visited Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University where George was staying and got to feel the Japanese Uni experience. Brilliant!

and I came home on Monday.

The End.

Star Festival:Yukata party

There are festivals held throughout the year in Japan. I have already touch on one of them in a previous post (Taiko Festival). But really, summer is when it all comes together. There are several hanabi or firework festivals, O-Bon or the celebration of the dead (not to be confused with the Mexican holiday la dia de los muertos), and Tanabata or the star festival. Perhaps you are familiar with the story of the stars Vega (the brightest star in the constellation Lyra) and Altair (the brightest star in the constellation Aquila). Vega was the daughter/princess of a great king and an excellent weaver. Altair was but a poor herdsman. The king decided to have them marry. Soon, the two neglected their work and played together all day and night. The king, angered by this, took back his daughter and separated the two with a river (the Milky Way). Woeful, the two returned to their work and the kind, upon seeing their repentance, allowed them to see each other once a year. That day is July 7th. However, the wording is "the seventh day of the seventh lunar month" which sometimes results in August. Consequently, there are several festivals held toward the end of summer. Traditionally, yukata are worn during such festivals, a lighter version of a kimono made of of cotton:

So, my town decided to hold a yukata party, similar to the kimono party last fall, but with a festival twist. There were some familiar faces and some new ones. My bestest bud George came all the way from his study abroad school in Kyushu to visit me. (:D)

Activities included the tradition of writing down wishes on paper and tying them to bamboo leaves, watching a Chinese lion dance, and participating (albeit against our will) in the traditional dance with two sticks and song:

Sasa no ha sara-sara (笹の葉　さらさら)
The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle

Nokiba ni yureru (軒端にゆれる)
shaking away in the eaves.

Ohoshi-sama kira-kira (お星様　キラキラ)
The stars go twinkle, twinkle;

Kingin sunago (金銀砂子)
Gold and silver grains of sand.

The highlight for me had to be when I was asked to tell the story of Tanabata in front of the entire room. I had only just learned the Japanese version of the tale myself and was extremely nervous.