So, this blog is completely after the fact. Looking back, on it all, you think I would have gone into more detail about (or did I even mention?) the Earthquake that happened in Northern Japan on March 11th, 2011. To be honest, it didn't really affect us in Osaka, and since I didn't read the news at that point in my life and I don't really watch TV either, I just heard stories. Everything that they were telling us here is that it was OK. We were safe and we didn't have anything to worry about. Yes, it was devastating, but being somewhat accustomed to earthquakes, this country just picks itself right back up, rebuilds, and keeps moving along.
I rarely saw pictures or video footage and while, granted, the total area of Japan can basically fit into the state of California, the archipelago is spread out over a distance similar to that of going from Maine to Miami. And the distance from where I am in Osaka to where the Earthquake was situated is about like if you were to drive from Providence, RI to Virginia Beach, VA (or for you West Coast readers, driving from Santa Rosa, CA to Tijuana, Mexico)...a good ways away. So that being said, when people were calling me worrying if I was OK or did I see any of the effects, I just kind of laughed and said, "Of course I'm alright!" Why wouldn't I be, having been that far away from it all?
I have realized over time the effects and devastation caused (more-so by the Tsunami than the Earthquake itself) and tonight I watched this video that a few friends posted on Facebook:
I re-posted on Facebook, but I wanted to share this video with everyone. My accompanying statement with the video was, "This is moving in and of itself, but to have lived here and known these people - learned about their culture, their families and friends, their lives - makes it all that much more moving. 日本、ほんとにあいしてるよ！ I'm so glad to have had this experience!!!" The Japanese says, "Japan, I truly love you!"
All of that is so true - as exasperated as I can get with the culture here at times and the fact that there are times that I simply crave my own culture and people who share my own way of thinking, I have really been enriched and blessed by having lived in this country and experienced this culture. And to think of all of those people whose faces were in the video...I see these people every day. They could easily be people who live in my neighborhood or people who I see on the subway. Watching it REALLY moved me.
I don't know how the video will affect you, the reader, but if anything I hope that inspires feelings of hope, courage in the face of adversity, and sympathy for those who lost everything. Perhaps if you feel so inspired you could donate to a worthy charity or get involved in some voluntourism.
The above link should help define voluntourism if nothing else! All of that to say, I think humanity is truly remarkable in so many ways - our similarities, our differences, our resilience, our capacity to love, and our willpower just to name a few.
More to come later! I probably won't get to post again in 2011, so I hope everyone has a wonderful end to their year. Have fun, be safe, and love on each other!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas in the Far East
Today is Christmas in Japan. It feels just like any other day. I'm going to work (and working a 13 hr day I might add), and were it not for the decorations at Universal Studios and various places around town, and Christmas merriment brought mostly by my fellow westerner friends, you wouldn't be able to tell that it's Christmas as we know it back home. I've been spared countless Christmas TV ads, Black Friday doesn't exist here, and holiday parties that lead up to the actual day - with friends old and new - have been virtually non-existent. That may all sound bleak and depressing, but I am happy. I have a great extended family here in Japan and they make me feel loved.
Being in Japan and away from all of the Holiday hype back home, I thought I would be really sad. Yet, when I contemplate this season and what it means to me - why I miss being home at this time of year and why I thought I would be really sad today more-so than other days of the year - I find that the reason this season and this particular day is important to me is not because of presents, commercialism, or even the exciting hype and traditions that comes with Christmas in the States. Family, friends, and love are what is important. The fact that I get to see all (or most) of my family this time of year, the fact that coming home means seeing and reuniting with friends that I haven't seen in a good while, and that from those experiences and people I get such joy and receive such outpourings of love from them all is what this season means to me.
And, if I can feel such love from people who are flawed, I can only imagine how much I am loved by the Divine who loves unconditionally. Who loved me enough to come to earth in the humble form of a man, put himself through the human experience, and sacrifice himself so that I might be redeemed from all of my failures and shortcomings as a human. I do miss home, but I am thankful for a holiday experience where I can actually contemplate on this.
Christmas does exist in Japan, by the way. It is more a holiday about couples - almost like they took Valentine's day fused it with Christmas decorations.
And apparently a meal from KFC is typical this time of year back in America?? Apparently, KFC had a stand set up at several of the Subway stations selling boxed dinners to people passing by. People have for whatever reason bought into and adopted as their own tradition the notion that a fried chicken dinner is what we have back in the states to celebrate this season. Oh, Japan :) Enjoy this day, this season, and love on each other!
Being in Japan and away from all of the Holiday hype back home, I thought I would be really sad. Yet, when I contemplate this season and what it means to me - why I miss being home at this time of year and why I thought I would be really sad today more-so than other days of the year - I find that the reason this season and this particular day is important to me is not because of presents, commercialism, or even the exciting hype and traditions that comes with Christmas in the States. Family, friends, and love are what is important. The fact that I get to see all (or most) of my family this time of year, the fact that coming home means seeing and reuniting with friends that I haven't seen in a good while, and that from those experiences and people I get such joy and receive such outpourings of love from them all is what this season means to me.
And, if I can feel such love from people who are flawed, I can only imagine how much I am loved by the Divine who loves unconditionally. Who loved me enough to come to earth in the humble form of a man, put himself through the human experience, and sacrifice himself so that I might be redeemed from all of my failures and shortcomings as a human. I do miss home, but I am thankful for a holiday experience where I can actually contemplate on this.
Christmas does exist in Japan, by the way. It is more a holiday about couples - almost like they took Valentine's day fused it with Christmas decorations.
And apparently a meal from KFC is typical this time of year back in America?? Apparently, KFC had a stand set up at several of the Subway stations selling boxed dinners to people passing by. People have for whatever reason bought into and adopted as their own tradition the notion that a fried chicken dinner is what we have back in the states to celebrate this season. Oh, Japan :) Enjoy this day, this season, and love on each other!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Just some reiteration
My most recent post called for Americans to use the voice that they have and it touched on some of my recent political feelings. My friend Max showed me this video at work the other day and I wanted to share it with you. I don't know what this man's plan is about as I'm not a student of finance, but what he has to say otherwise sort of touches on what I said/how I feel about our country and the congresspeople who are running it.
Pardon the crass title to the video...
Pardon the crass title to the video...
Friday, December 9, 2011
Stand up!!
So this blog is a bit different than most of my blogs from this past year as it is more about my thoughts and life observances as opposed to actual happenings in my life...and the subject is....
POLITICS!
I am not a political activist. I have never studied politics. I have also never really cared about politics or politicians for that matter. The way presidential hopefuls have "fought for power" with each other in the media, news, and in their various debates (this goes for congressional and governor hopefuls as well); the way that party lines are drawn on legislative issues and neither party budges in the hopes that the other party will cave in and they can then proclaim that they "won" or that they were "right"; the way that the media accentuates this polarization of party politics by using language like "struggle for power" and "fighting" and "winners/losers" that furthers in American minds, perhaps even on a subconscious level, that a democratic government - that is (according to Abraham Lincoln) a government "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people" - is actually a bunch of power hungry individuals that are more concerned with pushing their own agenda's and their own parties' agendas and making money than they are concerned with the well being of the other 99.999% of the nation that they are supposed to be governing (in a manner, I might add, as laid down by our forefathers that forms a more perfect union by establishing JUSTICE, ensuring DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, providing for the COMMON DEFENSE, promote the GENERAL WELFARE, and securing the blessings of LIBERTY to ourselves and future generations to come); these reasons and more have generally pushed me away from politics.
That being said, I have had the opportunity to live some of my life now in a completely different culture, and while I do love my life in my adopted country for now, being away from America has made me realize more and more that we are truly blessed to live in the nation that we do. Despite the media's wording that slightly over-exaggerates nearly everything, a (currently) very polarized party-driven government, and a general population that seems to be apathetic towards politics most of the time ("if it doesn't affect me directly, why bother?"), we have freedoms that most people in this world don't. One of those freedoms that has stood out to me the most since being away is the freedom to have a voice. In Japan, my host country, whether because of their upbringing, their culture, their government's behavior towards its citizens, or a combination of circumstances, the Japanese people are not very individualistic people. In general, they don't speak out and even if they are being treated poorly by their workplace or their government or their fellow man, as a majority (and a stereotype for sure) they don't stick up for themselves. Maybe they are afraid of losing their job or getting in trouble or being looked down on by others who are more orderly and keep their heads down. And yet, I hear a lot of the people that I work with grumbling about the way things are run in the corporate world - the few workaholics that are in company power positions dictate everyone else's work lives and everyone below these company-heads have to follow suit or put their job and reputation at a company at risk (no matter how brilliant, hardworking, and efficient they are). Japan is a place where the "yes" man is valued and people are expected to put work before personal life, family, and even health (can we say "flu epidemic?") If these grumblers would band together and speak up, change would come. It might come slow, it might take a LOT of people, and there might be martyrs along the way so-to-speak, but if it benefits everyone else in the long run, isn't it important to do?
Now apply that to our American culture and politics. At this point in time we have a voice. As American citizens, is it not important to exercise that voice in a peaceable, responsible, and healthy way? If we remain apathetic to whatever doesn't affect us, even if we don't agree with it, one day that voice might be gone. I would hope that our government and the principles it was founded upon would not allow that, but money talks and greed and power get the better of a lot of people. Little freedoms could disappear without us even being fully aware of it and then one day you will realize that a lot more was taken than "little" freedoms.
Will that honestly happen? I don't know, but the point of this monologue isn't to preach on any hypothetical impending "gloom and doom" of our American culture and way of life as brought about by the government. It is a plea to the American public to wake up and realize that we all have a voice. It is the single greatest agent of change that we have and it is important to use it. How can you use that voice? You could start by familiarizing yourself with our government and formulate your own opinions (and not your parents', friends', churches', or bosses' to name a few) on current issues and what you think would make us a better, healthier, stronger, and hopefully more unified nation. How do you feel about the environment in general? What about the economic situation? If you have a business background or know someone who does, talk (in a non-partisan way) about how best the economy could be boosted and turned around. What about foreign policy/affairs and how America should or shouldn't handle them? Health-care/reform? These are just some of the hot-topics that have been in the news lately (if not the past month, then definitely in the past year.)
Around election time, watch the debates, ignore the TV ads and what talk show and news show hosts have to say (people generally twist, lie, exaggerate, and opinionate that stuff all the time), and if somebody - especially a candidate - quotes something or someone, look the quote up and see it in context - Republican hopeful Mitt Romney has already proven recently that candidates can and will take a quote out of context to make the opposition look bad. Look at where the candidates come from in the world of politics, and look at what stances they have taken on previous legislation. Do their opinions and, more importantly, their actions, in your mind, line up with what you think would serve and benefit the American people the most? Don't just look at the Democratic and Republican candidates either. A lot of great Independent candidates are overlooked just because they don't have the money to support a huge tour of the country, superfluous advertisements, adequate media time to get their stances out there, and views that don't fit one party or another.
Don't forget to vote if you can! Your voice and your choice matter, so make it count! You might have to choose between the lesser of several evils in making your decision, but it is important to make that choice instead of leaving it up to others to make if for you. And once a president or congressperson or governor is elected, keep them accountable to what they said they would do. Write letters, get petitions out, peaceably march or protest a poor piece of legislation, and if that still doesn't change things or keep them accountable, make sure that when their term is up, that you don't vote for them! These are merely suggestions on how to make your voice count and heard and by no means a conclusive list of options or suggestions.
So, am I crazy for politics now? By no means. Am I telling you to go vote Democrat, Republican, or Independent? No. But I am tired of reading about all of the bullshit that politicians on both sides of the fence say and do - the empty promises they make and the false stances they take just so that they can get a group of people's votes - and the citizens of our great country who have a voice and the RIGHT to a voice not using that voice. USE IT! Only YOU can help make our country a better place by exercising your voice. And remember - only YOU can prevent forest fires…
POLITICS!
I am not a political activist. I have never studied politics. I have also never really cared about politics or politicians for that matter. The way presidential hopefuls have "fought for power" with each other in the media, news, and in their various debates (this goes for congressional and governor hopefuls as well); the way that party lines are drawn on legislative issues and neither party budges in the hopes that the other party will cave in and they can then proclaim that they "won" or that they were "right"; the way that the media accentuates this polarization of party politics by using language like "struggle for power" and "fighting" and "winners/losers" that furthers in American minds, perhaps even on a subconscious level, that a democratic government - that is (according to Abraham Lincoln) a government "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people" - is actually a bunch of power hungry individuals that are more concerned with pushing their own agenda's and their own parties' agendas and making money than they are concerned with the well being of the other 99.999% of the nation that they are supposed to be governing (in a manner, I might add, as laid down by our forefathers that forms a more perfect union by establishing JUSTICE, ensuring DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, providing for the COMMON DEFENSE, promote the GENERAL WELFARE, and securing the blessings of LIBERTY to ourselves and future generations to come); these reasons and more have generally pushed me away from politics.
That being said, I have had the opportunity to live some of my life now in a completely different culture, and while I do love my life in my adopted country for now, being away from America has made me realize more and more that we are truly blessed to live in the nation that we do. Despite the media's wording that slightly over-exaggerates nearly everything, a (currently) very polarized party-driven government, and a general population that seems to be apathetic towards politics most of the time ("if it doesn't affect me directly, why bother?"), we have freedoms that most people in this world don't. One of those freedoms that has stood out to me the most since being away is the freedom to have a voice. In Japan, my host country, whether because of their upbringing, their culture, their government's behavior towards its citizens, or a combination of circumstances, the Japanese people are not very individualistic people. In general, they don't speak out and even if they are being treated poorly by their workplace or their government or their fellow man, as a majority (and a stereotype for sure) they don't stick up for themselves. Maybe they are afraid of losing their job or getting in trouble or being looked down on by others who are more orderly and keep their heads down. And yet, I hear a lot of the people that I work with grumbling about the way things are run in the corporate world - the few workaholics that are in company power positions dictate everyone else's work lives and everyone below these company-heads have to follow suit or put their job and reputation at a company at risk (no matter how brilliant, hardworking, and efficient they are). Japan is a place where the "yes" man is valued and people are expected to put work before personal life, family, and even health (can we say "flu epidemic?") If these grumblers would band together and speak up, change would come. It might come slow, it might take a LOT of people, and there might be martyrs along the way so-to-speak, but if it benefits everyone else in the long run, isn't it important to do?
Now apply that to our American culture and politics. At this point in time we have a voice. As American citizens, is it not important to exercise that voice in a peaceable, responsible, and healthy way? If we remain apathetic to whatever doesn't affect us, even if we don't agree with it, one day that voice might be gone. I would hope that our government and the principles it was founded upon would not allow that, but money talks and greed and power get the better of a lot of people. Little freedoms could disappear without us even being fully aware of it and then one day you will realize that a lot more was taken than "little" freedoms.
Will that honestly happen? I don't know, but the point of this monologue isn't to preach on any hypothetical impending "gloom and doom" of our American culture and way of life as brought about by the government. It is a plea to the American public to wake up and realize that we all have a voice. It is the single greatest agent of change that we have and it is important to use it. How can you use that voice? You could start by familiarizing yourself with our government and formulate your own opinions (and not your parents', friends', churches', or bosses' to name a few) on current issues and what you think would make us a better, healthier, stronger, and hopefully more unified nation. How do you feel about the environment in general? What about the economic situation? If you have a business background or know someone who does, talk (in a non-partisan way) about how best the economy could be boosted and turned around. What about foreign policy/affairs and how America should or shouldn't handle them? Health-care/reform? These are just some of the hot-topics that have been in the news lately (if not the past month, then definitely in the past year.)
Around election time, watch the debates, ignore the TV ads and what talk show and news show hosts have to say (people generally twist, lie, exaggerate, and opinionate that stuff all the time), and if somebody - especially a candidate - quotes something or someone, look the quote up and see it in context - Republican hopeful Mitt Romney has already proven recently that candidates can and will take a quote out of context to make the opposition look bad. Look at where the candidates come from in the world of politics, and look at what stances they have taken on previous legislation. Do their opinions and, more importantly, their actions, in your mind, line up with what you think would serve and benefit the American people the most? Don't just look at the Democratic and Republican candidates either. A lot of great Independent candidates are overlooked just because they don't have the money to support a huge tour of the country, superfluous advertisements, adequate media time to get their stances out there, and views that don't fit one party or another.
Don't forget to vote if you can! Your voice and your choice matter, so make it count! You might have to choose between the lesser of several evils in making your decision, but it is important to make that choice instead of leaving it up to others to make if for you. And once a president or congressperson or governor is elected, keep them accountable to what they said they would do. Write letters, get petitions out, peaceably march or protest a poor piece of legislation, and if that still doesn't change things or keep them accountable, make sure that when their term is up, that you don't vote for them! These are merely suggestions on how to make your voice count and heard and by no means a conclusive list of options or suggestions.
So, am I crazy for politics now? By no means. Am I telling you to go vote Democrat, Republican, or Independent? No. But I am tired of reading about all of the bullshit that politicians on both sides of the fence say and do - the empty promises they make and the false stances they take just so that they can get a group of people's votes - and the citizens of our great country who have a voice and the RIGHT to a voice not using that voice. USE IT! Only YOU can help make our country a better place by exercising your voice. And remember - only YOU can prevent forest fires…
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Fall Harvest
This time of year in the US…or at least in my area of the US brings lots of fall/harvest related activities. You can go on hayrides, sit around a bonfire with your friends and roast marshmallows, go to a pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin or two to harvest and carve for Halloween, go to an apple orchard and pick apples from the trees, perhaps traipse through a corn maze or a "haunted trail," drink apple cider…and well, you get the picture. All of these things on top of the changing of the seasons and it being birthday season in my family make this time of year one of my favorite times of year!
Here in Osaka, Japan, the summer has slipped gradually and seamlessly into fall. The temperatures have cooled down and most days the sky is a crystal clear blue. It makes getting out of Osaka and sightseeing a bit or finding a bit more rural place to hike a very desirable option.
Of the things mentioned above that can be done in the US, one of the things I haven't done in what feels like ages is apple picking or pumpkin harvesting. There is something so nice about seeing your food (or future piece of Halloween art) in nature, and knowing exactly where it's coming from. It reminds you of what food really is and how we were intended to nourish ourselves. For that matter, it is possible in other seasons to harvest other fruits - I remember picking strawberries with my mom and sister in the late spring years ago.
Here in Japan, you can do the same types of things in different seasons. One thing that Japan does well is to market tourism at home to Japanese people. This land is so diverse and different regions have so many different things to offer, so just because you are Japanese or live in Japan, by no means do you know or see everything this country has to offer by staying in your own prefecture or region. Seasonally, catalogs are released filled with pictures and information about things to do in different regions - festivals, highlights, vacation options, etc. - and depending on the season, a list of farms where you can harvest your own produce for a small fee. Although it might cost a bit in travel, once there, the cost of food from farmer to consumer directly is a good deal less than what you would find in a supermarket. Plus you get the experience of being with friends or family and interacting with the locals - definitely worth the cost of travel in my opinion!
This season, one of the things to harvest in my region are さつまいも(satsumaimo), or rather, sweet potatoes! Each plot is 250YEN or you can buy 5 plots for 1200YEN and whatever is there is yours to keep. There is a bit of chance involved as you never know if there will be one small potato attached or maybe 3 large ones, but it is fun digging for your "treasure" and being surprised to see what comes out.
If you were to come to Japan and do this, I would recommend finding a Japanese speaking friend to come along (whether they are Japanese or a foreigner) and in any case to call ahead to see which days and what times the farm is open for business. The catalogs give you the season of harvesting and where the farm is, but I don't think they necessarily tell you the operating hours. Case in point, I did this excursion with my friend Natalie and new acquaintance Mayu. We went to a farm in Ibaraki-shi, which is halfway between Osaka and Kyoto on the Hankyu line. The farm itself is another 40 minute bus ride up into the mountains. We walked from the bus station up the hill and passed another farm where an old couple were tending to their crops. Mayu stopped them and asked if this was the right direction and they said yes, but they didn't think they were harvesting that day. Oops! We trekked up there anyway and saw the stand and cafe closed and no one picking. We started to get a little nervous and we asked a couple of the locals who were out and about what the deal was and they told us, yes it was closed - they are only open on Saturday and Sunday!! But they also pointed the way to the farm owner's home so we went over and knocked…but to no avail. No one was home at the moment. Just when we were starting to wonder if we really had travelled all that way for nothing, the owner pulled up (this is where having a native helps). Mayu spoke with them - told them we had come from America and really wanted to have this experience as part of our Japan trip. What she didn't say, of course, is that our Japan trip is a year long! Natalie, was ready with apron on and we just smiled (I'm sure it didn't hurt that Mayu is about as cute as they come). The farm owners took pity on us and let us dig! YAY!!! We had the farm all to ourselves.
I went first, then Natalie, and lastly, Mayu. We each came out with a fair few satsumaimo, but Natalie's were the biggest of all. After unearthing our edible treasures, we kindly thanked them for allowing us to dig on their day off and the woman who lived there and was part owner came out with kaki (persimmons) for us!! I'm willing to bet not too many people are in the US are familiar with persimmons. At least where I'm from, they aren't offered in grocery stores usually. I also bet fewer of you have actually tasted a persimmon. My grandmother has a persimmon tree in her yard and when I was younger, in late summer/early fall, if we would visit, I'd either get to pick some or taste the fruit of my grandmother's labors and boy is it sweet and delicious! They have to be ripe though. If they aren't ripe enough, they taste bitter and gross and sort of almost numb the inside of your mouth. If they are ripe, they are VERY tasty. I highly recommend them!
So after a good 40 minutes or so at the farm and laden with our goodies, we paid the farmers and they even gave us a lift down to the bus station so that we could catch the next bus and not have to wait an hour more for the next one. It was a very enjoyable day and if I'm here next year, I'd like to do some research and do some more picking in different seasons - maybe get some grapes and pears in the late summer/early fall! Below are some pictures of my adventure with Natalie and Mayu. Hope you enjoy.
So, the next few weeks will be adventures in cooking sweet potatoes! If anyone has some recipes or suggestions, leave me a comment! And Happy Autumn, everyone!!
Here in Osaka, Japan, the summer has slipped gradually and seamlessly into fall. The temperatures have cooled down and most days the sky is a crystal clear blue. It makes getting out of Osaka and sightseeing a bit or finding a bit more rural place to hike a very desirable option.
Of the things mentioned above that can be done in the US, one of the things I haven't done in what feels like ages is apple picking or pumpkin harvesting. There is something so nice about seeing your food (or future piece of Halloween art) in nature, and knowing exactly where it's coming from. It reminds you of what food really is and how we were intended to nourish ourselves. For that matter, it is possible in other seasons to harvest other fruits - I remember picking strawberries with my mom and sister in the late spring years ago.
Here in Japan, you can do the same types of things in different seasons. One thing that Japan does well is to market tourism at home to Japanese people. This land is so diverse and different regions have so many different things to offer, so just because you are Japanese or live in Japan, by no means do you know or see everything this country has to offer by staying in your own prefecture or region. Seasonally, catalogs are released filled with pictures and information about things to do in different regions - festivals, highlights, vacation options, etc. - and depending on the season, a list of farms where you can harvest your own produce for a small fee. Although it might cost a bit in travel, once there, the cost of food from farmer to consumer directly is a good deal less than what you would find in a supermarket. Plus you get the experience of being with friends or family and interacting with the locals - definitely worth the cost of travel in my opinion!
This season, one of the things to harvest in my region are さつまいも(satsumaimo), or rather, sweet potatoes! Each plot is 250YEN or you can buy 5 plots for 1200YEN and whatever is there is yours to keep. There is a bit of chance involved as you never know if there will be one small potato attached or maybe 3 large ones, but it is fun digging for your "treasure" and being surprised to see what comes out.
If you were to come to Japan and do this, I would recommend finding a Japanese speaking friend to come along (whether they are Japanese or a foreigner) and in any case to call ahead to see which days and what times the farm is open for business. The catalogs give you the season of harvesting and where the farm is, but I don't think they necessarily tell you the operating hours. Case in point, I did this excursion with my friend Natalie and new acquaintance Mayu. We went to a farm in Ibaraki-shi, which is halfway between Osaka and Kyoto on the Hankyu line. The farm itself is another 40 minute bus ride up into the mountains. We walked from the bus station up the hill and passed another farm where an old couple were tending to their crops. Mayu stopped them and asked if this was the right direction and they said yes, but they didn't think they were harvesting that day. Oops! We trekked up there anyway and saw the stand and cafe closed and no one picking. We started to get a little nervous and we asked a couple of the locals who were out and about what the deal was and they told us, yes it was closed - they are only open on Saturday and Sunday!! But they also pointed the way to the farm owner's home so we went over and knocked…but to no avail. No one was home at the moment. Just when we were starting to wonder if we really had travelled all that way for nothing, the owner pulled up (this is where having a native helps). Mayu spoke with them - told them we had come from America and really wanted to have this experience as part of our Japan trip. What she didn't say, of course, is that our Japan trip is a year long! Natalie, was ready with apron on and we just smiled (I'm sure it didn't hurt that Mayu is about as cute as they come). The farm owners took pity on us and let us dig! YAY!!! We had the farm all to ourselves.
I went first, then Natalie, and lastly, Mayu. We each came out with a fair few satsumaimo, but Natalie's were the biggest of all. After unearthing our edible treasures, we kindly thanked them for allowing us to dig on their day off and the woman who lived there and was part owner came out with kaki (persimmons) for us!! I'm willing to bet not too many people are in the US are familiar with persimmons. At least where I'm from, they aren't offered in grocery stores usually. I also bet fewer of you have actually tasted a persimmon. My grandmother has a persimmon tree in her yard and when I was younger, in late summer/early fall, if we would visit, I'd either get to pick some or taste the fruit of my grandmother's labors and boy is it sweet and delicious! They have to be ripe though. If they aren't ripe enough, they taste bitter and gross and sort of almost numb the inside of your mouth. If they are ripe, they are VERY tasty. I highly recommend them!
So after a good 40 minutes or so at the farm and laden with our goodies, we paid the farmers and they even gave us a lift down to the bus station so that we could catch the next bus and not have to wait an hour more for the next one. It was a very enjoyable day and if I'm here next year, I'd like to do some research and do some more picking in different seasons - maybe get some grapes and pears in the late summer/early fall! Below are some pictures of my adventure with Natalie and Mayu. Hope you enjoy.
So, the next few weeks will be adventures in cooking sweet potatoes! If anyone has some recipes or suggestions, leave me a comment! And Happy Autumn, everyone!!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
As of Late
Hi friends, family, and bloggers! The last update I gave was a video of my sister's trip to Japan. I've since made a couple of other short clips of things that have gone on this summer. By no means are they definitive events (like the Fuji trip) but they have definitely colored my summer days in a shade that is distinctly of Japan and my time here at Universal Studios.
The first video is of the Chikko Candle night that we had back in June:
The second...well, you'll see.
As of late, I haven't been around the house a lot and thus haven't been on Skype or Facebook very much either. I am in desperate need of a good Skype session with the parents, my sister, and several friends. My evenings/everyone-who-lives-in-America's mornings have been filled with friends (new and old), dinners, outings, birthday parties, and work. My mornings have been me getting ready for work and work itself and my days...work :) The summer/holiday season at the park (or any performing gig for that matter) is usually filled with vacationers, and thus the work load of the performers increases to fit the demand of the increased population. Not only that, but my show is 1 of only 3 inside shows with just a handful of other indoor attractions as well, so a lot of people come to see my show - not because they are necessarily excited about the Sesame Street Happy Surprise show (though some are for sure!), but because it's one of the few places to really escape the heat and humidity of Japan's summer season.
I've also been doing the Universal Monsters Live show once a week which has been wonderful to do to change things up a bit every week. So now my show involvement is Sesame Street, Magical Starlight Parade, and the Monster's show. Halloween is just around the corner for us here and quite a few folks around here are rehearsing and gearing up for that as well - a parade and a couple of special shows/events that happen around the park. Once those open up and get going in the next month, I'm sure we'll start rehearsing for the Christmas season. That will happen probably around early to mid October I'm assuming and then sometime in November, we'll start Christmas at the park - and that will go through the first week of January...and then my contract will be coming to a close! Wow. When you think of it that way, time flies. It already feels like it has been going quickly - I can't believe that a) I'm nearly 7 months into my contract and b) that September is in 2 days which means that fall is just around the corner! I've found that my mind is already starting to race about what's going to happen after this...will I do another contract, will I get a job somewhere else (and where?!), and then all of the physical, mental, and emotional repercussions of the possibilities. I know my emotions are just going to go berserk at the end of this contract regardless of what happens. But don't worry, I don't think about it all the time and I'm not stressing or obsessing over it :) just a thought!
The last thing I'll leave you with is a picture of the beach that I went to last week. The beach is Wakasa-Wada Beach located on the Wakasa Bay near Takahasa Town in the Fukui Prefecture. It was about a 2.5 or 3 hour car ride north of Osaka and a wonderful escape for a day. It was nice to be at a beach and just be around nature and not see a so much concrete :)
Shimo and Ryo at dinner
Charity :)
Jared!
Bear in mind this was at the end of the day and so we were all tired and worn out from the beach. We didn't look our best, I'm sure!
Hopefully I'll talk to everyone soon via phone or Skype or something of that nature. Hope all is well in your part of the world! Much love
The first video is of the Chikko Candle night that we had back in June:
The second...well, you'll see.
As of late, I haven't been around the house a lot and thus haven't been on Skype or Facebook very much either. I am in desperate need of a good Skype session with the parents, my sister, and several friends. My evenings/everyone-who-lives-in-America's mornings have been filled with friends (new and old), dinners, outings, birthday parties, and work. My mornings have been me getting ready for work and work itself and my days...work :) The summer/holiday season at the park (or any performing gig for that matter) is usually filled with vacationers, and thus the work load of the performers increases to fit the demand of the increased population. Not only that, but my show is 1 of only 3 inside shows with just a handful of other indoor attractions as well, so a lot of people come to see my show - not because they are necessarily excited about the Sesame Street Happy Surprise show (though some are for sure!), but because it's one of the few places to really escape the heat and humidity of Japan's summer season.
I've also been doing the Universal Monsters Live show once a week which has been wonderful to do to change things up a bit every week. So now my show involvement is Sesame Street, Magical Starlight Parade, and the Monster's show. Halloween is just around the corner for us here and quite a few folks around here are rehearsing and gearing up for that as well - a parade and a couple of special shows/events that happen around the park. Once those open up and get going in the next month, I'm sure we'll start rehearsing for the Christmas season. That will happen probably around early to mid October I'm assuming and then sometime in November, we'll start Christmas at the park - and that will go through the first week of January...and then my contract will be coming to a close! Wow. When you think of it that way, time flies. It already feels like it has been going quickly - I can't believe that a) I'm nearly 7 months into my contract and b) that September is in 2 days which means that fall is just around the corner! I've found that my mind is already starting to race about what's going to happen after this...will I do another contract, will I get a job somewhere else (and where?!), and then all of the physical, mental, and emotional repercussions of the possibilities. I know my emotions are just going to go berserk at the end of this contract regardless of what happens. But don't worry, I don't think about it all the time and I'm not stressing or obsessing over it :) just a thought!
The last thing I'll leave you with is a picture of the beach that I went to last week. The beach is Wakasa-Wada Beach located on the Wakasa Bay near Takahasa Town in the Fukui Prefecture. It was about a 2.5 or 3 hour car ride north of Osaka and a wonderful escape for a day. It was nice to be at a beach and just be around nature and not see a so much concrete :)
Shimo and Ryo at dinner
Charity :)
Jared!
Bear in mind this was at the end of the day and so we were all tired and worn out from the beach. We didn't look our best, I'm sure!
Hopefully I'll talk to everyone soon via phone or Skype or something of that nature. Hope all is well in your part of the world! Much love
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Meredith Comes to Japan
Well, as promised, I finally finished the video of Meredith's visit to Japan. It can be viewed on Facebook for those of you who are a friend of mine, but for those who don't have Facebook or aren't a friend, I thought I'd share it here on the blog/Youtube. Perhaps some of you would like to visit me while I'm here, but just won't be able to make it happen. In that case, I hope you can live somewhat vicariously through this video :)
I love you all!!
I give you Meredith Comes to Japan
I love you all!!
I give you Meredith Comes to Japan
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Mt. Fuji!!!
Have you ever climbed a mountain before? I never had - not really, until this past work weekend. On August 9th-10th, I had the opportunity and the privilege of climbing Japan's highest (and probably most famous) peak, Mount Fuji. What an experience! I'll save some of the travel details and things for the picture captions and just talk about the actual experience itself, first.
We climbed the Yoshida trail from the Kawaguchiko 5th station which is about 2300meters about sea level. There are 10 stations in total from the beginning of the climb, but as the last 5 are probably the most difficult and taxing, that's where most people start. There was no sheer rock climbing like you would practice at a rock wall gym or something, but it definitely wasn't an easy hike either. The 5th to the 6th station was super easy - definitely uphill, but not difficult at all. The 6th to the 7th was a bit more winding, but still, not too difficult. The 7th to the 8th was probably the longest, but it was broken up with a bunch of sub stations along the way. You would switch back and forth for maybe 200-600 meters between substations, and ascend anywhere from 20meters to 100 meters, but let me tell you, it was slow moving. You don't realize what a lack of oxygen does to your body until you experience physical activity at an altitude that high. If you start walking on anything other than flat, your heart starts racing to help deliver the limited oxygen that's available to your whole body, you're sweating and you are literally picking your foot and moving it so deliberately - maybe only half a normal stride - in front of you and sometimes not even that far. I was thankful for the chains and ropes that sort of map out the route for you, because it makes pulling yourself up that much easier. Also, there is a walking stick that they sell at the bottom and you can get it branded at all of the stations and substations. That stick and the shoes that I wore (thank you JB!) were what made getting up to the top of the mountain possible. It was an exercise different to anything that I've experienced because walking and climbing like that is not the most strenuous thing that I've ever done - I think the proper word for it is tedious.
So the thing to do is to start your climb in the early evening and either shell out the big bucks to stay at one of the stations for a sleep or start it a little later and hike through the night and just try and time your arrival to the top around sunrise. We opted for the latter. We left just before 9pm from the bottom and by 2 or 2:15am, we had made it to the top - 3776 meters above sea level. Unfortunately, that meant waiting around for another 2.5 hrs for the sunrise. Daijoubu. By 3am, some of the summit shops had opened and by 3:30 I was warmed by the heat of about 150 others in a hut and enjoying some hot ramen. By about 4:00am or so, I went up to a spot on the side of the crater and sat to watch the sunrise over the next hour or so. Right as the sun was coming over the horizon, you could hear everyone gasp or utter a cry of awe. Then at the official sunrise time a man by the Torii gate led everyone in a sort of celebration of the sun rising by basically getting everyone to shout Bansai ("hooray") 3 times as they lift their hands over their heads. It was quite an experience!
During the climb, you don't have a lot of time to ponder things - I was concentrating most on putting one foot in from of the other or chanting things in my head. Repetition. Something to keep you moving forward. Near the top, maybe between the 8th and 9th stations, we broke a couple of times to rest and change out of some sweat soaked clothing and into some dry (and thus warmer) clothes. For a while, Max and I just sat there on the side of the mountain and looked at the stars. You can see a ton of stars in the countryside anywhere I suppose, but to be that high up - it was just crystal clear. We even saw a few shooting stars. Believe it or not and as silly as it may sound, at that point, even though I'm physically half a world away, I felt closer to my family and friends than I have the whole time since being here. Mom, Dad, Meredith, Brittany, Kara, Nathan, Whitney, Brad, Marissa, James, and many more people - extended family and friends - were with me the whole time (too many to name!!!).
Watching the sunrise was also SO rewarding. I'm sure anyone can get up and see a sunrise and appreciate it, but when you take the time to climb a mountain and you are exhausted from the exertion and you are higher than anything (natural or man-made) for hundreds if not thousands of miles it makes watching and savoring that sunrise that much more intense. That much more awe inspiring. That much more special.
So for a time I felt on top of the world. It was an experience that was amazing, exhausting, beautiful, cold, tedious, wonderful, and completely unforgettable. It has left me feeling inspired, invigorated, and once again, completely in awe of the beauty that this world holds within it. A lot of people that I've talked to have said they were glad they climbed Mt. Fuji, but never want to do it again. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I doubt I'll ever become an avid mountaineer, but I won't say never. I'd love to climb some other mountains of stature in the near future, somewhere. Kilimanjaro sounds nice and not completely out of reach. One day maybe :)
If any of you have the opportunity to climb a large mountain and are physically able, whether to watch a sunrise or just to stand on top of a mountain and say "I did it!," I would highly suggest you do it. It is an experience that is rewarding in just about every sense of the word. Enjoy the pictures below. Some of the night pictures were lightened a bit, but every other picture is completely unedited.
All of my things - pre-packed
We left from an extraordinary bus stop :)
Our first view of Mt. Fuji from afar
My Japan flag on my walking stick. I took the bells off so I didn't have to hear them jingle the whole way up. As much as I wanted to write the names of every person, family member and friend, that has touched my life in some way - I simply didn't have the time or space. Know that you were there with me, though! The Japanese at the top is my name (or what the Japanese call me anyway): Pato-chan
My buddy Max and me with our Fuji flags/walking sticks
Trail map
So the hike itself was a little over 6km and we ascended a total of 1,476 meters (give or take a few) to the 3776meter high summit.
Getting our walking sticks branded
At the 3200meter mark. This was the 7-point something or 8th station. Don't really remember
The 8.5 station
I made it!! This is how I felt though...so tired and drained.
This was maybe around 3:30 or 4 in the morning.
A little after 4am
It was even better in person!
Just after sunrise
My walking stick with my flags (I bought another flag on the way up)
Torii gate at the very summit - The highest point on my side of the mountain (I'm pretty sure the western side of the crater is a little higher though).
I did it!! What a journey. Worth every bit of planning, money, preparation, and effort.
We climbed the Yoshida trail from the Kawaguchiko 5th station which is about 2300meters about sea level. There are 10 stations in total from the beginning of the climb, but as the last 5 are probably the most difficult and taxing, that's where most people start. There was no sheer rock climbing like you would practice at a rock wall gym or something, but it definitely wasn't an easy hike either. The 5th to the 6th station was super easy - definitely uphill, but not difficult at all. The 6th to the 7th was a bit more winding, but still, not too difficult. The 7th to the 8th was probably the longest, but it was broken up with a bunch of sub stations along the way. You would switch back and forth for maybe 200-600 meters between substations, and ascend anywhere from 20meters to 100 meters, but let me tell you, it was slow moving. You don't realize what a lack of oxygen does to your body until you experience physical activity at an altitude that high. If you start walking on anything other than flat, your heart starts racing to help deliver the limited oxygen that's available to your whole body, you're sweating and you are literally picking your foot and moving it so deliberately - maybe only half a normal stride - in front of you and sometimes not even that far. I was thankful for the chains and ropes that sort of map out the route for you, because it makes pulling yourself up that much easier. Also, there is a walking stick that they sell at the bottom and you can get it branded at all of the stations and substations. That stick and the shoes that I wore (thank you JB!) were what made getting up to the top of the mountain possible. It was an exercise different to anything that I've experienced because walking and climbing like that is not the most strenuous thing that I've ever done - I think the proper word for it is tedious.
So the thing to do is to start your climb in the early evening and either shell out the big bucks to stay at one of the stations for a sleep or start it a little later and hike through the night and just try and time your arrival to the top around sunrise. We opted for the latter. We left just before 9pm from the bottom and by 2 or 2:15am, we had made it to the top - 3776 meters above sea level. Unfortunately, that meant waiting around for another 2.5 hrs for the sunrise. Daijoubu. By 3am, some of the summit shops had opened and by 3:30 I was warmed by the heat of about 150 others in a hut and enjoying some hot ramen. By about 4:00am or so, I went up to a spot on the side of the crater and sat to watch the sunrise over the next hour or so. Right as the sun was coming over the horizon, you could hear everyone gasp or utter a cry of awe. Then at the official sunrise time a man by the Torii gate led everyone in a sort of celebration of the sun rising by basically getting everyone to shout Bansai ("hooray") 3 times as they lift their hands over their heads. It was quite an experience!
During the climb, you don't have a lot of time to ponder things - I was concentrating most on putting one foot in from of the other or chanting things in my head. Repetition. Something to keep you moving forward. Near the top, maybe between the 8th and 9th stations, we broke a couple of times to rest and change out of some sweat soaked clothing and into some dry (and thus warmer) clothes. For a while, Max and I just sat there on the side of the mountain and looked at the stars. You can see a ton of stars in the countryside anywhere I suppose, but to be that high up - it was just crystal clear. We even saw a few shooting stars. Believe it or not and as silly as it may sound, at that point, even though I'm physically half a world away, I felt closer to my family and friends than I have the whole time since being here. Mom, Dad, Meredith, Brittany, Kara, Nathan, Whitney, Brad, Marissa, James, and many more people - extended family and friends - were with me the whole time (too many to name!!!).
Watching the sunrise was also SO rewarding. I'm sure anyone can get up and see a sunrise and appreciate it, but when you take the time to climb a mountain and you are exhausted from the exertion and you are higher than anything (natural or man-made) for hundreds if not thousands of miles it makes watching and savoring that sunrise that much more intense. That much more awe inspiring. That much more special.
So for a time I felt on top of the world. It was an experience that was amazing, exhausting, beautiful, cold, tedious, wonderful, and completely unforgettable. It has left me feeling inspired, invigorated, and once again, completely in awe of the beauty that this world holds within it. A lot of people that I've talked to have said they were glad they climbed Mt. Fuji, but never want to do it again. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I doubt I'll ever become an avid mountaineer, but I won't say never. I'd love to climb some other mountains of stature in the near future, somewhere. Kilimanjaro sounds nice and not completely out of reach. One day maybe :)
If any of you have the opportunity to climb a large mountain and are physically able, whether to watch a sunrise or just to stand on top of a mountain and say "I did it!," I would highly suggest you do it. It is an experience that is rewarding in just about every sense of the word. Enjoy the pictures below. Some of the night pictures were lightened a bit, but every other picture is completely unedited.
All of my things - pre-packed
We left from an extraordinary bus stop :)
Our first view of Mt. Fuji from afar
My Japan flag on my walking stick. I took the bells off so I didn't have to hear them jingle the whole way up. As much as I wanted to write the names of every person, family member and friend, that has touched my life in some way - I simply didn't have the time or space. Know that you were there with me, though! The Japanese at the top is my name (or what the Japanese call me anyway): Pato-chan
My buddy Max and me with our Fuji flags/walking sticks
Trail map
So the hike itself was a little over 6km and we ascended a total of 1,476 meters (give or take a few) to the 3776meter high summit.
Getting our walking sticks branded
At the 3200meter mark. This was the 7-point something or 8th station. Don't really remember
The 8.5 station
I made it!! This is how I felt though...so tired and drained.
This was maybe around 3:30 or 4 in the morning.
A little after 4am
It was even better in person!
Just after sunrise
My walking stick with my flags (I bought another flag on the way up)
Torii gate at the very summit - The highest point on my side of the mountain (I'm pretty sure the western side of the crater is a little higher though).
I did it!! What a journey. Worth every bit of planning, money, preparation, and effort.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Summer Time!!
Hisashiburi! (in essence, "long time no see") Needless to say, it's been a while. I'm not too consistent with this blog thing am I? I'm still alive on the other side of the world - have no fear! :) As it has been a long time, I am pretty sure this is going to be a fairly epic update.
I was just looking through a list of Blog topics that I had come up with a while back and I had started writing a blog and then got distracted I suppose. I know I was at work when I started it, so I probably wasn't able to finish it in a timely manner and it had just fallen to the wayside. oops!
The first thing I want to address in THIS blog is something that I promised my cousin, Melissa, a blog about nearly 4 months ago. The topic is, of course, geisha!! Now, I can say that I've been to Gion, the geisha district, in Kyoto, but I can't say that I've seen a true geisha. They are a dying breed. Melissa, in reading about geisha - and Japan in general - there are some pretty wild tales. My friend, Charity got me this book entitled "Strange But True Stories From Japan" for me while I was in the hospital. There was a chapter about geisha which I found interesting - a few fun facts about geisha.
So there are some fun facts about geisha, mostly quoted and paraphrased from that "Strange But True Stories From Japan" book I was telling you about. It's a really interesting book and within the chapter about geisha, it tells the stories of 3 notable geisha. Wikipedia also has a lengthy article about geisha that you might find informative. I've heard from friends who have read the book, "Memoirs of a Geisha" that while it is not a true story, the life that it paints of geisha is somewhat accurate. This book is definitely on my "books to read" list! I feel it is only appropriate since I am living here in Japan for a year.
Which makes for a great transition into my next topic - much to the possible dismay of family (notably my mother, since we have had a conversation about this fairly recently) - it is very possible that when all is said and done, I will have spent 2 years in Japan! :) Tonight, I am doing "in-house" auditions for USJ to be considered for contracts next year. Of course an audition never means that you will for sure have the job even if you have worked for the company, but it is a good company to work for and if things work out, I would definitely love to stay here another year and develop my friendships more, keep singing and dancing, keep exploring this strange and wonderful country, and see where life takes me. It's a lot of "ifs" and "what ifs" at the moment and nothing will be certain until November or December, but I want to keep my options open and I wanted to give you all a heads up as to what is going on right now!
As of right now, we have just finished a long run of birthdays. We had several of our friend's birthdays all close together starting with Emily's in May and then Aaron's came next and then Charity and finally Jared. But that's not to mention friends that are abroad right now who had birthdays recently as well - Carson, Mickey, Brad - and some of our Japanese friends who are just about to have birthdays (Dragon and Ryo)! I suppose that means that they technically aren't over - but as for the birthday party planning and stuff for our group of friends, it is over until MY birthday in October. I'm sure I'll have a lot of say in what goes on, but I'll leave most of the details to my friends, who are excellent planners and do-ers when it counts! :)
With the birthday season and really, the coming of summer and air-conditioning (the latter being the key word), I developed some respiratory problems as every day during shows I was subjecting myself to 4-5 noticeable temperature changes throughout the building and even during the show. In true Japanese fashion, they give you a drug for every symptom you have and then give you more drugs to counteract the side-effects that taking those other drugs might give you. I suppose the notion is that they want to treat you, but keep you as balanced as possible during the process. Now, I have no problem with using herbs and tonics and natural anecdotes and other methods of eastern medicine to combat illnesses/ailments as they have been working for thousands of years and nature is the basis of our modern medicine as well. But, I also think that having maybe one prescription to kill germs and then maybe one or two other over the counter drugs to combat symptoms is plenty. I don't need an anti cough pill and an inhaler and coughing herbs and 2 anti-histamines and an expectorant…etc. etc. I hope that I don't get sick anymore in Japan - but if I do, I have a store of medicines to help already as I didn't take half of them when I was originally sick :) I'm all better now and taking good care of myself, so fingers crossed, I don't have to deal with anything like that for a long while.
Another thing that's happening right now with me are rehearsals! Which means that I am doing something other than Sesame Street and Parade!! Due to lots of injuries that have even lead to a couple of people getting sent home and the pursuit of extra roles and other opportunities on my part, I will be swinging Frankenstein in the Universal Monsters Live show! I started rehearsals this Sunday and by next Monday, I will have learned it all and had a proper dress run. After that, at least for the month of August (is it almost August already?!), I'll be going into the Monsters show once every Monday.
A few other things that are happening/happened in my world:
I suppose that's everything of note that is going on over here on my side of the planet. I've talked to a few of you on Skype every now and then, I read a couple peoples' blogs, and I know that if you are reading this, you have probably read my other blogs, but whether you are those people or not, reading this blog for the first time or for the 10th or 20th time, leave me a comment or better yet, send me a Facebook message or an e-mail or even Skype me and let me know what's going on with you! If you don't have my Skype, then I probably don't have yours - we should exchange! I want to hear from you!
I hope everyone is healthy and happy. I love you all! Until next time - peace.
きをつけてと愛してる！！
I was just looking through a list of Blog topics that I had come up with a while back and I had started writing a blog and then got distracted I suppose. I know I was at work when I started it, so I probably wasn't able to finish it in a timely manner and it had just fallen to the wayside. oops!
The first thing I want to address in THIS blog is something that I promised my cousin, Melissa, a blog about nearly 4 months ago. The topic is, of course, geisha!! Now, I can say that I've been to Gion, the geisha district, in Kyoto, but I can't say that I've seen a true geisha. They are a dying breed. Melissa, in reading about geisha - and Japan in general - there are some pretty wild tales. My friend, Charity got me this book entitled "Strange But True Stories From Japan" for me while I was in the hospital. There was a chapter about geisha which I found interesting - a few fun facts about geisha.
- A very large portion of geisha have gone on later in life to become Buddhist monks - a number that is completely out of proportion with the rest of the female population
- Before geisha, there were "shira-byoshi" - dating back to the 1100s, these women were troubadours of sorts who traveled from fief to fief, market-town to market town, dressed all in white and with long sleeves. They would perform ballads, ancient poems, etc. by the mid 1500s, "geisha" appeared and were basically street walkers - considered lower in class than bathhouse prostitutes. By the 1600s the geisha started moving toward their current image by becoming performers who were to keep customers entertained while waiting for the oiran (the creme de la creme of Yoshiwara harlotry) to appear and take over. The Yoshiwara courtesans would allow no sexual competition, to the geisha had to rely more and more on music and dancing to earn a living. As the oiran declined in popularity, the geisha took their place and became a superior status symbol who were qualified to marry nobility.
- A geisha's training, at it's peak in the early 1900s, could take up to 30 years for someone to be a master of all of the skills. By that time, they were a bit on the old side - skilled and worthy of a very high respect, but not usually lusted after.
- A lot of geisha came from a rural background. They would apprentice for 5-10 years depending on when the apprenticeship began and be tutored not only in reading and writing, history, literature, and current events (as entertaining and speaking intelligently to some of the sharper minds in the country would be in their future) but also in song and dance as those were the basic tools of the trade. "Maiko" is the name of an apprentice geisha.
- Girls lived in a geisha-ya under the watch and care of a manageress who held their contracts. They were deliberately protected from the knowledge of the more scandalous or seedy sides of being a geisha because innocence and naivete were prized and at the geisha's "debut" and subsequential "deflowering ceremony," a geisha's manageress could recoup most if not all of her investment.
So there are some fun facts about geisha, mostly quoted and paraphrased from that "Strange But True Stories From Japan" book I was telling you about. It's a really interesting book and within the chapter about geisha, it tells the stories of 3 notable geisha. Wikipedia also has a lengthy article about geisha that you might find informative. I've heard from friends who have read the book, "Memoirs of a Geisha" that while it is not a true story, the life that it paints of geisha is somewhat accurate. This book is definitely on my "books to read" list! I feel it is only appropriate since I am living here in Japan for a year.
Which makes for a great transition into my next topic - much to the possible dismay of family (notably my mother, since we have had a conversation about this fairly recently) - it is very possible that when all is said and done, I will have spent 2 years in Japan! :) Tonight, I am doing "in-house" auditions for USJ to be considered for contracts next year. Of course an audition never means that you will for sure have the job even if you have worked for the company, but it is a good company to work for and if things work out, I would definitely love to stay here another year and develop my friendships more, keep singing and dancing, keep exploring this strange and wonderful country, and see where life takes me. It's a lot of "ifs" and "what ifs" at the moment and nothing will be certain until November or December, but I want to keep my options open and I wanted to give you all a heads up as to what is going on right now!
As of right now, we have just finished a long run of birthdays. We had several of our friend's birthdays all close together starting with Emily's in May and then Aaron's came next and then Charity and finally Jared. But that's not to mention friends that are abroad right now who had birthdays recently as well - Carson, Mickey, Brad - and some of our Japanese friends who are just about to have birthdays (Dragon and Ryo)! I suppose that means that they technically aren't over - but as for the birthday party planning and stuff for our group of friends, it is over until MY birthday in October. I'm sure I'll have a lot of say in what goes on, but I'll leave most of the details to my friends, who are excellent planners and do-ers when it counts! :)
With the birthday season and really, the coming of summer and air-conditioning (the latter being the key word), I developed some respiratory problems as every day during shows I was subjecting myself to 4-5 noticeable temperature changes throughout the building and even during the show. In true Japanese fashion, they give you a drug for every symptom you have and then give you more drugs to counteract the side-effects that taking those other drugs might give you. I suppose the notion is that they want to treat you, but keep you as balanced as possible during the process. Now, I have no problem with using herbs and tonics and natural anecdotes and other methods of eastern medicine to combat illnesses/ailments as they have been working for thousands of years and nature is the basis of our modern medicine as well. But, I also think that having maybe one prescription to kill germs and then maybe one or two other over the counter drugs to combat symptoms is plenty. I don't need an anti cough pill and an inhaler and coughing herbs and 2 anti-histamines and an expectorant…etc. etc. I hope that I don't get sick anymore in Japan - but if I do, I have a store of medicines to help already as I didn't take half of them when I was originally sick :) I'm all better now and taking good care of myself, so fingers crossed, I don't have to deal with anything like that for a long while.
Another thing that's happening right now with me are rehearsals! Which means that I am doing something other than Sesame Street and Parade!! Due to lots of injuries that have even lead to a couple of people getting sent home and the pursuit of extra roles and other opportunities on my part, I will be swinging Frankenstein in the Universal Monsters Live show! I started rehearsals this Sunday and by next Monday, I will have learned it all and had a proper dress run. After that, at least for the month of August (is it almost August already?!), I'll be going into the Monsters show once every Monday.
A few other things that are happening/happened in my world:
- My sister blogged about Japan…FINALLY! She has been super busy this summer and hasn't really had the opportunity until now to sit down and put it together. If you look at my previous blog entitled "Life Lately" There is a link in the first paragraph to her blog - you should check it out!
- My evening walks with friends have become somewhat sparse as of late due to a busier schedule on everyone's part, but every time that I've done it lately, I've had wonderfully meaningful conversations with friends. YAY!
- About a week ago, I had the opportunity to go see a group of Japanese girls - some friends, some acquaintances, and some strangers, but all of whom work at or used to work at USJ at some point or another - put on a performance of a variety/cabaret nature. I was amazed at the creativity, humor, thoughtfulness, and detail that they put into it. I didn't understand half of what they were saying, but what I did understand was witty, clever, and funny. All of the transitions between numbers were well thought out and the talent on the stage was some of the best I've seen here in Japan. I was glad I didn't miss it!
- The other night, I had dinner with a friend and we were exchanging stories of the weird and wacky things/sights in Japan - in a drug store, I found a supplement called "Placenta" and in another supplement area of a big department store, he found a supplement called "Jesus' Body." WHAT?!
- I am currently working on the Japan video that documents Meredith's trip. It still needs transition editing, a few labels here and there and an appropriate soundtrack. The first half of August is when I foresee it coming together. I will also make a video of the Chikko Candle night in our area. The community comes together and lays out candles in a cool design and then we all just hang out and enjoy the beauty and community for a few hours by candlelight in the evening air. Such a neat idea - and so pretty. I think I got some neat footage and pictures of that to make a cool short video about that.
- In late August or early September there will be a 3rd video probably - it will document my trek to the summit of Mount Fuji! I am going with a group of USJ performers in 2 weeks to climb Mt. Fuji on our days off. We'll take a train up to Tokyo on Tuesday and then get on a bus that will take us to the 5th station (about halfway up the mountain) where most people start their hike. We will then hike through the night to reach the summit by early morning and see the sunrise, linger a bit, and then head back down. I can't tell you how excited I am to do this! I'm sure it will be one of the bigger highlights of my summer - and probably my year. I've never climbed a proper mountain before, only hiked in the appalachian mountains which are about half the size of Fuji, so I'm really excited to see what this experience is like! As I said, a video and a blog I'm sure will be devoted to this experience.
- I experienced another earthquake the other day - merely a 3, so nothing of note - just enough to notice it. We've also had another Typhoon come through - they are the same concept as a hurricane, but from what I've experienced here and the devastation I know that can be caused back home from hurricanes, typhoons are much weaker…and they usually curve away from us before they hit, so we really don't get much from it but some rain and strong-ish winds.
I suppose that's everything of note that is going on over here on my side of the planet. I've talked to a few of you on Skype every now and then, I read a couple peoples' blogs, and I know that if you are reading this, you have probably read my other blogs, but whether you are those people or not, reading this blog for the first time or for the 10th or 20th time, leave me a comment or better yet, send me a Facebook message or an e-mail or even Skype me and let me know what's going on with you! If you don't have my Skype, then I probably don't have yours - we should exchange! I want to hear from you!
I hope everyone is healthy and happy. I love you all! Until next time - peace.
きをつけてと愛してる！！
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Life Lately...
As it has been a good while since I have updated my blog, and a good deal has happened in the past month, I think this title of "Life Lately..." is very appropriate. It also alludes a little to what has been going on in my life as it is the title of my sister's blog (for some interesting thoughts, good recipes, and a look into the life of a really great girl, check it out!)
One thing that I have really enjoyed about spring here is that it has lasted - you know, back home in Kentucky, the temperatures warm up a little and then there's usually a jump up and then the weather goes back and forth for a couple of weeks and then all of a sudden, by early to mid-May it is summer weather until September or early October. It has been a very gradual thing here. The only downer is that we have a rainy season - about a month of dreary days. It really is affecting a lot of people that I work with - myself included a bit. But, it also means that when the sun pops out for a day or two, it's all the more glorious and reason to revel in it!
As far as work is concerned, it's pretty much same ol' same ol'. The shows are fun because they are part of our bodies now, so we can play with them and have fun as opposed to when we just began and still had to concentrate hard on just making sure we got everything right. This month of June I only do the starlight parade twice...since it's the rainy season it only happens on the weekend and even though we have 6 guys who do my role in the parade, 4 of them are in the Group Special Event or "GSE," so they have shows that my counter part and I don't have. I think also, for doing 4 shows a day, our schedule this past month and coming month has been optimized as far as our work day goes and our breaks in between shows and when we have to be there and when we finish...I'm really happy with it!
As you know, it's been a while since I blogged. To be honest, although there are things I'd love to commentate on and fill you in on, I haven't had the focus and desire to sit down and do it. After Yoshino and up through mid May, I have just been keeping busy with friends, work, and other little things that have come up that are outside of work - for example, we had an "International Artist's Night" where we got to perform whatever we wanted if we desired. As I don't sing or dance much in my show (comparatively to what some others do/what I've done in the past), I have been keen on performing what I want to perform and thus I did the artist's night. As most of you know, I also enjoy eating...and what's more, I really enjoy sharing a meal with people, so several times a week whether it be cooking and sharing in someone's room or going to dinner somewhere with old friends or new, I usually spend my evenings eating and socializing with people (reminds me of my ship days... ;) ). Speaking of food, one of my nearly weekly rituals (usually on a day off) is going to Yogurtland to get some frozen yogurt.
So with keeping busy doing this and that, when I have the time to sit down and blog, I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. I'd rather catch up on TV shows or play a game or do something that doesn't involve concentration :P
As far as the 2nd half of May until now, some of you - actually probably most of you who read this - know that my sister, Meredith came to visit me here in Japan!! We had a wonderful time. One of my rainy month of June projects is to take the pictures and video that I took from her visit and turn it into a video compilation of our time together and all that we did and saw! In brief, we went to Nara and saw Buddha and fed the deer, Meredith came to USJ twice, she ventured out on her own and saw Osaka Castle, she spent a day in her PJs skyping friends and doing work that she shouldn't have had to do on her vacation, we went to karaoke with some friends, we went to Kyoto for 2 days and stayed in a Ryokan (traditional Japanese lodging) and saw a bunch of temples and sites and took a really cool hike through hundreds of Torii gates, and we rode our first bullet train and went to Hiroshima and the beautiful island of Miyajima - a wonderful juxtaposition of old and new. There I was taught just how beautiful and old the history of Japan is and was also reminded of the devastation that war causes and yet how with time, life is renewed and restored. Although it rained those last two days, I really enjoyed exploring that part of Japan. To be honest, the weather rather suited our day in Hiroshima.
As I said, a video and pictures will be to come of that whole experience in the next short while, but as of now, I need to sort through and find the good ones (and there are over 400 that I took to choose from!) If you follow that link that I posted to her blog, I'm sure she'll have pictures and thoughts as well to share from her trip. As for the future, my summer's resolution is to focus my downtime more - I want to make little short films and compilations of my time here. I also want to make music...maybe not write songs, but singing some for sure. I do a vocal coaching with one of the Talent Resource guys here at USJ almost every week and we are working on stuff to sing and beef up my book with. I've also gone to karaoke several times in the past couple of weeks just to sing all sorts of stuff and see if I can't find other things that maybe I'd want to work on. Karaoke in Japan is fun because it's not at a bar with a bunch of strangers. You are in a room with all of your friends and there is a HUGE selection of songs to choose from. It's great fun - if you like singing, that is. :) Perhaps another thing that I'll do, is take a few dance classes here in Japan. There really would be no better place to start learning to Hip Hop - it's everywhere (at least in my world).
Well, that's my life, lately. I've taken this day to just relax and recoup a bit from being on the go so much. I think I'll be able to start off this work week refreshed and well focused! The only other thing I'll leave you with is this video...it was created and designed by two of my friends here. They're really creative and super funny and the product that they "advertise" is real! I'm glad I had the opportunity to take part in it! I hope you enjoy:
Pancake drink
One thing that I have really enjoyed about spring here is that it has lasted - you know, back home in Kentucky, the temperatures warm up a little and then there's usually a jump up and then the weather goes back and forth for a couple of weeks and then all of a sudden, by early to mid-May it is summer weather until September or early October. It has been a very gradual thing here. The only downer is that we have a rainy season - about a month of dreary days. It really is affecting a lot of people that I work with - myself included a bit. But, it also means that when the sun pops out for a day or two, it's all the more glorious and reason to revel in it!
As far as work is concerned, it's pretty much same ol' same ol'. The shows are fun because they are part of our bodies now, so we can play with them and have fun as opposed to when we just began and still had to concentrate hard on just making sure we got everything right. This month of June I only do the starlight parade twice...since it's the rainy season it only happens on the weekend and even though we have 6 guys who do my role in the parade, 4 of them are in the Group Special Event or "GSE," so they have shows that my counter part and I don't have. I think also, for doing 4 shows a day, our schedule this past month and coming month has been optimized as far as our work day goes and our breaks in between shows and when we have to be there and when we finish...I'm really happy with it!
As you know, it's been a while since I blogged. To be honest, although there are things I'd love to commentate on and fill you in on, I haven't had the focus and desire to sit down and do it. After Yoshino and up through mid May, I have just been keeping busy with friends, work, and other little things that have come up that are outside of work - for example, we had an "International Artist's Night" where we got to perform whatever we wanted if we desired. As I don't sing or dance much in my show (comparatively to what some others do/what I've done in the past), I have been keen on performing what I want to perform and thus I did the artist's night. As most of you know, I also enjoy eating...and what's more, I really enjoy sharing a meal with people, so several times a week whether it be cooking and sharing in someone's room or going to dinner somewhere with old friends or new, I usually spend my evenings eating and socializing with people (reminds me of my ship days... ;) ). Speaking of food, one of my nearly weekly rituals (usually on a day off) is going to Yogurtland to get some frozen yogurt.
YUM!! (and did you ever see blue gummy bears?!)
So with keeping busy doing this and that, when I have the time to sit down and blog, I just can't seem to bring myself to do it. I'd rather catch up on TV shows or play a game or do something that doesn't involve concentration :P
As far as the 2nd half of May until now, some of you - actually probably most of you who read this - know that my sister, Meredith came to visit me here in Japan!! We had a wonderful time. One of my rainy month of June projects is to take the pictures and video that I took from her visit and turn it into a video compilation of our time together and all that we did and saw! In brief, we went to Nara and saw Buddha and fed the deer, Meredith came to USJ twice, she ventured out on her own and saw Osaka Castle, she spent a day in her PJs skyping friends and doing work that she shouldn't have had to do on her vacation, we went to karaoke with some friends, we went to Kyoto for 2 days and stayed in a Ryokan (traditional Japanese lodging) and saw a bunch of temples and sites and took a really cool hike through hundreds of Torii gates, and we rode our first bullet train and went to Hiroshima and the beautiful island of Miyajima - a wonderful juxtaposition of old and new. There I was taught just how beautiful and old the history of Japan is and was also reminded of the devastation that war causes and yet how with time, life is renewed and restored. Although it rained those last two days, I really enjoyed exploring that part of Japan. To be honest, the weather rather suited our day in Hiroshima.
As I said, a video and pictures will be to come of that whole experience in the next short while, but as of now, I need to sort through and find the good ones (and there are over 400 that I took to choose from!) If you follow that link that I posted to her blog, I'm sure she'll have pictures and thoughts as well to share from her trip. As for the future, my summer's resolution is to focus my downtime more - I want to make little short films and compilations of my time here. I also want to make music...maybe not write songs, but singing some for sure. I do a vocal coaching with one of the Talent Resource guys here at USJ almost every week and we are working on stuff to sing and beef up my book with. I've also gone to karaoke several times in the past couple of weeks just to sing all sorts of stuff and see if I can't find other things that maybe I'd want to work on. Karaoke in Japan is fun because it's not at a bar with a bunch of strangers. You are in a room with all of your friends and there is a HUGE selection of songs to choose from. It's great fun - if you like singing, that is. :) Perhaps another thing that I'll do, is take a few dance classes here in Japan. There really would be no better place to start learning to Hip Hop - it's everywhere (at least in my world).
Well, that's my life, lately. I've taken this day to just relax and recoup a bit from being on the go so much. I think I'll be able to start off this work week refreshed and well focused! The only other thing I'll leave you with is this video...it was created and designed by two of my friends here. They're really creative and super funny and the product that they "advertise" is real! I'm glad I had the opportunity to take part in it! I hope you enjoy:
Pancake drink
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Mt. Yoshino and allergies
As discussed in my last blog, a week ago I took a trip. I realized going to both Kyoto and Mt. Yoshino, one right after the other, was just a little ambitious. Seeing as how most of the people who talked about Kyoto couldn't go anyway, I've decided to save that for a later date. So on Wednesday, 9 of us set out to go to Mt. Yoshino, which is pretty much due south of Nara (which is just east of Osaka).
You can see the time above - we set out to meet at Tennoji station - on the south side of Osaka around 10:15 or 10:20. It was a perfect day for the trip, because it was sunny, warm, and not a cloud in the sky!
The Kintetsu line is the quickest and most direct route to Yoshino. For $15, you can get there without any transfers and only 75 minutes of your time! We left at 10:40 to put us there right around noon.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted with stand after stand of food, snacks, and sweets - all for hiker's comfort/to celebrate the spring season of Sakura. This foreshadowed our day - a day filled with consumption (and I don't mean the disease). Yet another food anomaly of Japan - those green boxes on the left contain sushi...no refrigeration or anything. It's just rice and raw fish wrapped in Persimmon leaves and individually packaged and sealed in a box and sitting out all day in the warm air. Needless to say, I didn't buy any :)
Takoyaki - a famous dish of Osaka - it's Octopus seasoned and rolled into dumpling balls and grilled. Some people really like it and some don't. I fall into the like category - although with the dumpling texture mixed with the chewy nature of octopus, I can see why some people don't care for it.
On a Wednesday - this was just a hillside only a quarter of the way up, fairly populated by picnicers and spring revelers. On any nice day during spring, this could be any park in Japan. It just so happens it's on a mountainside a good deal away from city life :)
After reaching the 2nd level of the mountain, here is a view from a bridge (not to be confused with "the bridge" the Arthur Miller play...cue laugh track).
Grilled fish - I wouldn't even begin to know how to start eating this with it's head and bones and everything...so I didn't.
The Japanese do to mochi (a glutinous rice treat that is sweetened) what Europe does to marzipan. They color it, mold it into shapes, airbrush it, and many other numerous things to make it look cool or pretty. Very oishii! (yummy)
I don't know what it is about bamboo...but I've always loved it - and there is plenty of it around Japan!
After trying snacks AND stopping to eat lunch on the way up, we all dumped our picnic goodies out on a tarp and fairly demolished them. It was tasty, but maybe I shouldn't have eaten so much. :/ However, the company was great and the trip well worth it!
picture of the moon through the cherry blossoms!
Above - the reason so many come to Mt. Yoshino - it's supposed to be one of the best (if not THE best) places in Japan to view cherry blossoms. There are an estimated 30,000 trees on the mountain and as you can see, just whole hillsides covered in groves!
A cute picture of Ayaka through the seats on the train ride back.
My castmate, Tomo-chan, and me on the train ride home.
Our gang waiting for the bus on the way down the mountain - I would have preferred walking, but I think the majority of folks were fairly tired and maybe felt like they wouldn't be able to walk down the hill without rolling.
It was a beautiful day, but what is it about traveling somewhere that makes you so tired? The hike wasn't that strenuous or anything. Anywho, it was a very enjoyable day!
On top of that, there have been several after work, evening gatherings in the Tempozan park which is close to our home. They have been some of my favorite evenings because it's lovely at dusk to just sit around and hang out with your friends under the cherry blossoms. One evening, some guys brought speakers and turntables and we just danced around while a few others had a portable stove and made some soup. Apparently, these gatherings go all the way through the end of summer - I'm looking forward to constant warm weather, and the park parties are only one of the reasons!
Unfortunately, the downside to all of this outside revelry is allergies. I thought maybe since it was a new place with different types of pollens and allergens, that my body might not have built an intolerance to it yet, but alas, the day after Yoshino, I started getting stuffy and an itchy throat. I've gargled, neti potted, and found some Japanese allergy medicine that I take if things get too bothersome and all has died down, but it definitely made singing a bit difficult the first couple of days.
This weekend's days off were a lot more relaxing and chill than the past. I've stayed around the house much of the 2 days. Tonight (Wednesday night) is a sort of "Welcome Party" that USJ is throwing for all of the new casts of 2011 here at the house. I suppose they've waited this long to let everyone get settled in with shows and stuff, but here we are about 1-2.5 months into our contract (depending on which show you are in) having a welcome party! It should be fun to mingle with everyone - and there are several of the Japanese cast that live in the house and they are much more prone to stay in their rooms and be quiet than the Gaijin (imagine that! ha), so it will be fun to mingle with them as well. Wednesday nights, I've also been taking voice lessons, or rather vocal coaching, from one of the guys that works in Talent Resources for the company. He comes 2-3 days a week and offers to teach. I'm doing it more for performance and then to get his thoughts on good songs to sing that I could add to my repertoire. Also, he is going to accompany me this following Tuesday at the New Horizon's international artist's night. It's a chance that we get once in a while as performers to showcase our talents how we want to. A couple of people in the house organize each one, and then we have the opportunity to go and sing or dance or do whatever it is we enjoy doing, for each other. I'm looking forward to it!
I guess that's all for right now. I hope everyone is well, wherever you are!!
気をつけて - take care!!
On top of that, there have been several after work, evening gatherings in the Tempozan park which is close to our home. They have been some of my favorite evenings because it's lovely at dusk to just sit around and hang out with your friends under the cherry blossoms. One evening, some guys brought speakers and turntables and we just danced around while a few others had a portable stove and made some soup. Apparently, these gatherings go all the way through the end of summer - I'm looking forward to constant warm weather, and the park parties are only one of the reasons!
Unfortunately, the downside to all of this outside revelry is allergies. I thought maybe since it was a new place with different types of pollens and allergens, that my body might not have built an intolerance to it yet, but alas, the day after Yoshino, I started getting stuffy and an itchy throat. I've gargled, neti potted, and found some Japanese allergy medicine that I take if things get too bothersome and all has died down, but it definitely made singing a bit difficult the first couple of days.
This weekend's days off were a lot more relaxing and chill than the past. I've stayed around the house much of the 2 days. Tonight (Wednesday night) is a sort of "Welcome Party" that USJ is throwing for all of the new casts of 2011 here at the house. I suppose they've waited this long to let everyone get settled in with shows and stuff, but here we are about 1-2.5 months into our contract (depending on which show you are in) having a welcome party! It should be fun to mingle with everyone - and there are several of the Japanese cast that live in the house and they are much more prone to stay in their rooms and be quiet than the Gaijin (imagine that! ha), so it will be fun to mingle with them as well. Wednesday nights, I've also been taking voice lessons, or rather vocal coaching, from one of the guys that works in Talent Resources for the company. He comes 2-3 days a week and offers to teach. I'm doing it more for performance and then to get his thoughts on good songs to sing that I could add to my repertoire. Also, he is going to accompany me this following Tuesday at the New Horizon's international artist's night. It's a chance that we get once in a while as performers to showcase our talents how we want to. A couple of people in the house organize each one, and then we have the opportunity to go and sing or dance or do whatever it is we enjoy doing, for each other. I'm looking forward to it!
I guess that's all for right now. I hope everyone is well, wherever you are!!
気をつけて - take care!!
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