In the Land of the Rising Sun

Japan Day 17

2008-07-10T01:31:00.000-07:00

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Day 17 marked our last day in the Land of the Rising Sun. It was time to bid Japan goodbye or sayonara.

With 160 teachers flying back to various parts of America, there was a carefully crafted system of bag checks, hotel check outs, bus departures, and flight departures. I was slated for the last bus and flight departure...what's with me going last on this trip (not like it was a bad thing...just a funny coincidence)? So, I had some time to do some final sightseeing, but I couldn't go too far with all the prerequisite checks in between the day.

So I took a walk around the neighborhood of Akasaka surrounding our hotel at the Grand Prince. Just across the street was a 300 year old garden complete with waterfalls, ponds, and tea ceremony houses. Despite being a busy metropolis, Tokyo is abundant in various gardens, temples, and shrines. It's a wonderful balance of zen and industry. Without a doubt, she is the cleanest city I've seen with such a storied history. Remnants of old castles are still ever present amidst the skyscrapers and bright lights.

After returning to the hotel to do room checkout, Dr. Joe and I went exploring and searching for a Roman Catholic church that was supposed to be about 15-20 minutes away on foot. With map in hand, we found St. Ignatius Cathedral in the midst of the university setting. The architecture of the newly rebuilt building was fabulous. Sporting numerous floor to ceiling stained-glass windows and an intricate ceiling design, she was just gorgeous. The interesting part was that upon trying to enter the building, we ran into an older Italian gentleman in a suit and we started to converse. We then found out that he was the main priest at the church. He had lived in Japan for over 40 years since leaving Italy. He then proceeded to give us these beautiful and thick coffee table picture books about the church. Wow....what a blessing and a wonderful way to end my trip.

We then went back to the hotel and waited for our turn to depart. As a final note of Japan, the effort put into their generosity, hospitality, and service is unparalleled. The Japanese go out of their way to help others especially foreigners. The mix of personal honor and genuine generosity drives them to do things like walk a mile to make sure a stranger gets to their destination safely. A number of our teachers experienced complete Japanese strangers ride with them to their stop on the subway so that they got off on the right stop. At our hotel, I immediately noticed how keen the staff were to always scan the room to spot and anticipate whoever may need help. They don't just wait around to be asked. They actively try to predict how they can help you out. To top it all off, as each of our buses left, all available staff would stand outside and wave our buses goodbye.

Well, thank you for taking this trip virtually with me. It has definitely been a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. If you ever have the chance, you must visit Japan. She is a place unlike any other. There is so much we all can learn from each other.

Japan Day 16

2008-07-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

My adventure in Japan was almost to a close as Day 16 came up. This was a long work day with all 10 groups doing presentations about their experiences in Japan and specifically in their home city. Our group did a top 10 presentation which highlighted the generosity of the people that we met and the wonderful children we encountered.

The other groups also put together some great presentations. One particular presentation that struck me were the groups that went into the earthquake stricken area of Iwate and Miyagi prefectures. It would have been totally understandable if the host cities would have cancelled since they suffered a massive 7.2 earthquake just the day before the host city trips. Instead, both cities still took in our teachers and went out of their way to take care of them while in the midst of emergency procedures and rebuilding. The mayors still met with the teams despite having to coordinate search and rescue operations and having to worry about basic functions in the cities. The families still opened their homes and took the teachers around the area. Also, the schools still went on with business.

After the presentations, we had a Sayonara (goodbye) Reception. Lots of great food was present and their was even a special Aikido presentation. Aikido is a martial art that focuses on using the opponent's energy and momentum to help defend the practitioner. Aikido is beautiful but efficient. It is about balance and leverage. Instead of conflicting with the enemy, it unifies the enemies energy with your own.

Japan Day 15

2008-07-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

After being on the go for the last 14 days, it was hard to sit through lectures on day 15. Nevertheless, our return to Tokyo had us sitting through various lectures ranging from a visit to a Kindergarten to a seminar on Peace Education. I attended a lecture on fine arts education and the speaker's focus was on the history of toys in Japan as art forms. He showed a few ways to create some paper puzzles. Unfortunately, this was not what I expected for a fine arts education. Meanwhile, the Peace Education seemed to be the popular choice. They brought in some survivors from the Hiroshima bombing who told such compelling stories or so I've heard.

After our seminars, we had more time to explore. I went to the busy district of Shibuya. This business district lays claim to being one of the busiest and most densely packed areas. That means that there's so many people that it's kinda like being in a sardine can. Shibuya is a business district with a lot of neon lights and giant video screens. Right next to Japan's busiest train station, is a street crossing where everybody crosses in ALL directions, even diagonally, at the same time. It is sheer madness to watch hundreds of people just suddenly flood the streets and cross at the same time.

Japan Day 14

2008-07-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

An early start found Dr. Joe and I scaling Mt. Tsukuba to reach the Tsukuba (pronounced scuba) shrine. The hike was worth it as we found more torii, waterfalls, and the dreaded bridge of doom.

We then proceeded to head back to Tokyo to meet up with the other 9 groups and begin debriefing.

However, upon arrival in Tokyo, there was some free time to go adventuring so I went off to Akihabara! For anyone who likes electronics and anime/manga, Akihabara is Mecca. Akihabara easily earns its title as electric town with tons of shops for computers, electronics, video games, and anime.

I then ran back to Asakusa and Harajuku to do some last minute shopping for omiyage or gifts to bring home for my family and friends.

Japan Day 13

2008-07-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

My host family stay continued into Day 13. After a wonderful breakfast, my host dad took me for another drive while the ladies cleaned up and got ready. I tried to help with the dishes, but I was ceremoniously told that Japanese men do not clean up. This traditional way of thinking, which may be interpreted as chauvinistic, is also rapidly becoming outdated as western views infiltrate Japan. Interestingly, I don't think that they see it as gender biased either. Culturally, they are coming from hundreds of years where everyone has specific jobs and roles. While women may be expected to do the cleaning, they also control the finances at home.

Anyways, Tadayuki and I went for a drive around Kamisu and visited the port again. However, as we went deeper into the industrial area of the port, I was amazed to see how foggy everything was around us. The unusual fog was easily explained when he pointed out that the refineries and electric generators at the port use cold sea water to cool the turbines. However, the cold water becomes hot and then gets flushed back into the sea. When the hot water meets the cold sea and the cold morning air, steam rises from the ocean. Except, there is enough steam to cover the entire port area.

After our drive, we returned home to pick up the ladies. We then drove to Katori City or Sawara. When we arrived at Sawara, we were entertained with music from a band floating along the river in a boat. We stopped by to have some tea along the river. We then also visited the house and a museum devoted to Ino Tadataka. Ino San created a detailed map of Japan in the 1800s by walking for over 17 years all over Japan. His map is so detailed that even satellite images of Japan superimposed over his map show just a few minor errors in latitude.

We then ate at a soba noodle shop that was opened in the 1700's. In fact, most of the buildings in Sawara maintain an old appearance and thus gets used often in Japanese samurai movies or period dramas.

We then rushed back to city hall where I bid goodbye to my host family and our group was whisked off to our next stop at Tsukuba to stay at a traditional Japanese inn or ryokan, the Tsukuban Edoya. This was a highlight finish to our time in Ibaraki. The ryokan featured tatami mat floors, futon beds, Japanese foot baths called Ashiyu, and an outdoor hot spring bath or onsen. We even had the privilege of watching a performance by the innkeeper's wife who performed a traditional peddler show that tries to encourage the sale of the popular Tsukuba Toad Grease that is believed to heal cuts and scrapes. Her performance included the use of a Japanese Katana (sword) that sliced paper into ribbons to prove its sharpness but its inability to pierce the skin covered in the fantastic Toad Grease...hilarious.

Japan Day 12 Pt. 2 Bath Time

2008-07-08T14:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, this deserved it's own section. Bath time in Japan, at least traditionally, has some ceremony and requires a few steps. Furo, or ofuro, is kind of like a tub that is filled usually with really hot water. However, one does not wash or bathe in the furo. The furo is meant for soaking and relaxing. Also, the same water in the furo is used by every family member so one must already be clean before getting in.

Being the guest of honor, I was told to bathe first. So, I had to do all the showering, soaping, shampooing, and rinsing outside of the tub. There is usually a small stool for you to sit on and a basin of water if a shower is not available. Thankfully, they had a really nice shower that even regulates the water temperature electronically. After making sure that I was totally clean and rinsed off with no soap suds on my body, I then slipped into the tub for a really HOT bath.

Japan Day 12

2008-07-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

I had spent 12 days in Japan and our full immersion was about to begin. The next phase of our program was the either eagerly-anticipated or highly-dreaded host family stay. Yup, we were forced out of our cozy hotel rooms without our handy translator and guide to spend time with a Japanese family.

Each one of us in our group of 16 teachers in Kamisu had different experiences. Simultaneously the other 144 teachers scattered across the other 9 host cities across Japan had their own unique moments. While a very small percentage had a difficult time, most of us had very wonderful experiences that left a very discernable impression on us. Mine was phenomenal.

Our group had all assembled in the lobby of our hotel in Kamisu to be picked up by our host family. I watched intently as families came one by one to whisk away my fellow teachers. I was starting to get a little anxious when the Matsushitas finally arrived. Tadayuki and his daughter Izumi came to pick me up. Izumi and I are very similar in age and she used to teach English in a Japanese junior high which made things very comfortable and easy for me. While I have picked up a few key phrases and terms in Japanese, I was hardly able to communicate fluently. So, Izumi's English skills made the stay a lot less stressful. All in all, the Matsushitas hit it off and got along great.

Their unwavering generosity and gracious hospitality seemed to be fairly indicative of most of the host families. One might think that the concept of honor and "losing face" played a part in how well they took care of us, but I believe that the people we've met are just genuinely caring and giving.

So, after getting picked up, we drove off to Kashima shrine. Yes, I went before, but the first time was just for 30 minutes and that really didn't do justice to the shrines so I had requested to go again. I'm so glad I went again. We went deeper into the thick of the forest and found a shrine and a torii gate WITHIN a pond filled with giant koi fish. I also got to see the reindeer eat orange peels again.

They then took me to Itako for the famed Ayame Matsuri (Iris Festival) where we got to see fields of purple, lavender, and white Irises in bloom along with a reenactment of a Traditonal Wedding Ceremony where the bride is sent to her wedding via boat along with her dowry of rice and sake. We also went for a boat ride along the river where we got to stop by floating shops for treats like mochi.

After Itako, we had lunch and had tonkatsu. Mmmmn...yummy.

We then went to their home and got situated. There, I met Nobuko, the wife of Tadayuki and mother of Izumi. She is one of the most creative people I have ever met. She described herself as a housewife on the info paper that I got about their family. However, what wasn't said was that she works part time making cell phone parts...not the cute little charms, but the electronics inside the phone. Plus, she does the house cleaning and coooking. Also, she has a wonderful garden full of flowers and veggies which she uses for cooking and she even pickles her own food such as umeboshi. She also dries, flattens, and arranges the flowers and other garden materials in special paper and Washi to make a picture. For example, she'll use cotton to make waterfalls, petals to make rabbits, and roots to make tree limbs in order to create these scenic landscape pictures that look so realistic from across the room. Oh yeah, she sows kimonos as well. But I digress, after meeting my host mom, the ladies immediately went to work on cooking while Tadayuki san and I went driving around.

He took me to his work place which is a construction company that handles cranes of all sizes. From little cranes the size of regular construction machines to towering behemoths that take at least a week to assemble and lift over 200 tons, he drives them all. This is apparently a very lucrative job since construction of skyscrapers in Tokyo and even around the new city of Kamisu has been booming.

We returned home to a nice surprise. They arranged a small little block party with some of their friends and neighbors. I felt really honored as their guests brought little gifts for me. We feasted on tempura and unagi along with other yummy dishes. Oh yeah, Nobuko made all the ceramic bowls, plates, and cups that everyone used that night. Wow.

Japan Day 11

2008-06-27T20:27:00.000-07:00

Eleven...or Ju Ichi...brought us to Hasaki Senior High. The big difference is that Senior High is non-compulsory. What does that mean? Well, in Japan, students must go to elementary school, which goes from grades 1-6, and junior high school, which is from grades 7-9. However, Senior High, which goes from grades 10-12, is not mandatory and students must take a test to get good scores in order to get into good schools. The test is a very big and competitive part of school life in Japan.

Once again, we were greeted like rockstars with a ceremony in our honor and speeches. The band played "Hooray for Hollywood" as we marched into the gym. We then proceeded to observe various classes. Hasaki High specializes in industrial and engineering studies. They still offer the standard academics of Language, Math, Sciences, History, and English in large classes of around 40 students. However, they also offer very small ratios of 6-10 students for their workshops such as metal machining, electrical engineering, etc.

However, the school day doesn't end when the bell rings. Afterschool social clubs are a big part of a student's life. We were able to participate and observe such activities such as baseball, soccer, judo, kendo, ikebana, and tea ceremony clubs.

Kendo really was impressive with the female participants shrieking at high volume and the flurry of their kendo swords struck against each other's armor.

Japan Day 10

2008-06-27T19:53:00.001-07:00

Day 10 saw another school visit, but this time to Hasaki Daiyon Junior High School. The first obvious difference is that all junior high schools have a uniform policy. Hasaki Daiyon has the traditional black and white outfits for regular school use, but they also have an awesome baby blue shorts, sweater, and shirt outfit for PE.

During our stay, we saw a number of fine arts classes. We got a chance to do some india ink painting and play a large stringed-instrument called a koto. All Japanese schools also offer instruction of English in addition to their Japanese language. Which means that most Japanese children will be bilingual on some level.

The Junior High students also ate in their classes and cleaned the school much like their elementary counterparts. During the cleaning, I had to double check to make sure that I was on the second floor as I saw a student hanging outside the window and washing the outside of the glass. The students have a strong sense of pride and responsibility for their school and it is clear in how well they keep the campus clean.

Day 9

2008-06-27T18:41:00.001-07:00

Woohooo! We finally get to go to a school! We kick things off with a visit to Fukashiba Elementary School in Kamisu City. Our host city group includes 16 teachers from throughout the USA and includes a person of African-American descent and several folks of mixed Caucasian background that runs the gamut of blonde, redheads, green-eyed, blue-eyed, etc. So, factor in the fact that Japan as a whole is pretty homogenious as an ethnic society, the entire experience was very much akin to being rockstars. It was bananas! Kids were surrounding us by the droves asking for our autographs. I literally signed hundreds of books, bags, folders, papers, and even a lunchbox.

Aside from the circus coming into town, there was real work to be done. We went and observed classes to see how they taught academics and handled behavior. We also got to participate in activities such as Japanese Calligraphy, computer, recess (dodgeball & double dutch), and gardening.

There are quite a few interesting differences in their schools and our American schools. First of all, coming to school is a very organized event where the kids wear the same brightly colored hat (usually a yellow baseball cap) so that they are very visible to traffic. Also, they are organized in teams where older kids walk younger kids to school with the 5th or 6th graders on the front and back to sandwich all the little kiddos. Immediately after arriving at school and before the school day starts, kids either do self-directed exercises or do chores such as cleaning or watering plans. Another interesting fact is that the students take of their outside shoes and put on slippers for the inside of the school.

Other differences include the entire concept of lunch. In most US schools, lunch is handled in the cafeteria as students get their food and eat at tables. In Japan, lunch is handled in the classroom as a team of students for each class brings the food to the classroom and they serve the food from rolling pots and pans onto plates. All of this is student directed and the teacher eats with them in the classroom.

After lunch and towards the closing of the school day, the most mind-blowing thing occured...cleaning time. Yes folks, the elementary students had their assigned areas and started to clean. Not just picking up rubbish or straightening chairs, but full blown sweeping hallways, wiping down furniture, vacuuming, weeding the gardens, beating carpets, etc. It was like watching Karate Kid as hundreds of Daniel-Sans had to paint the fence or wax the floor for Mr. Miyagi. Once again, the teachers didn't have to tell these students what to do. They were busy cleaning themselves.

Day 8

2008-06-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

Our host city agenda is all about receptions and discussion groups. So, it's no surprise that the first thing on our agenda for today was a meet and greet with a select group of parents (kinda like their PTA) to discuss educational reform. The ladies that we met with were all very involved parents and are perhaps more so than most Japanese parents. Nevertheless, we walked away with the feeling that the majority of Japanese parents are very supportive of the school system. However, it is important to note that divorce rates (around 25% compared to the 55% in the US) is on the rise and more homes have dual income families that have both parents working instead of a traditional stay at home-parent (which usually is the mom).

It was funny to hear the term "Monster Parent" which is applied by the Japanese to parents who are overly demanding and difficult to work with in the schools. Apparently, these types of parents are increasing as well in Japan as shared by the moms that we met with. Right now, I'm picturing a parent walk into a school with the Godzilla music and suddenly roaring.

Our next stop was another meet and greet at the fancy Kashima Central Hotel. The city held a reception for all of us with the Mayor and special dignitaries, host families, and media in attendance. Of course, it would be my luck to be responsible for the requisite speech on behalf of our group on this occasion. I have to admit that it went well and I was pretty proud of my speech...I even gave the intro in Japanese! Woohoo!

I also got to meet my host family, which I will join in a few days, for the first time. I have the honor of staying with a lovely older couple and their daughter. Man, I wish I took Japanese in High School instead of French. It would've paid of well now.

After our reception, we were whisked away to Kashima Port where a city boat was waiting for us. We got an awesome tour of their harbor and the busy port system. I kindly shared that I was interested in getting behind the wheel of the boat. They kindly shared "No". LOL.

We then were taken to a visit with one of the local industries: the Kao Corporation. The Kao Corporation is a chemical manufacturer that makes such products as Biore, Jergen's Lotion, and Shiseido. We were given the grand tour and were even hooked up with some gift baskets...nice.

We then were taken to Minato Park where they have this huge tower observatory that overlooks the harbor. Great views and the park even had cool penguin waterfountains.

Japan Day 7

2008-06-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

We're in our host prefecture of Ibaraki and we went between the capital city of Mito to the our host city of Kamisu.

First, we were received at Ibaraki University where we first met with the University President before dividing into 3 groups to have discussions with university students about the higher level educational system and their concerns. Ibaraki University has a pretty accomplished and established agricultural program. As always, the people that we've met have been courteous and extremely curious about us.

After our university stop, we took the a side trip to Kashima Shrine on our way to Kamisu city. This is a beautiful shrine like all the other shrines I've visited. However, this shrine is nestled deep within a forest and is home to deer. There's something special going on here. I've definitely got to go back. Also, every shrine I've visited uses a particular crest or mon, to identify the shrine. Kashima in particular uses the design with three "tomoe". Tomoe are supposed to be a swirly image with a large round head and a elongated tail...kind of like a tadpole...however, they are actually depictions of snakes. In Japan, snakes are believed to be very spiritual animals. In fact, the yin and yang sign is made of two tomoe.

Then, we rolled up on Kamisu City and had the meet and greet with the Mayor, Vice-Mayor, Superintendent, and their posse. They were really gracious and even gave us these cool lanterns as gifts and took us on a tour of a pond that was called "God's Pond". This was interesting since it used to be a much bigger pond and they reclaimed a whole grip of land for development. Nevertheless, the pond was pretty lake sized still yet.

Japan Day 6

2008-06-19T04:31:00.001-07:00

Left Tokyo by chartered bus to go to the Ibaraki prefecture and my host city of Kamisu. Before leaving I took a trip to Ginza where I caught a festival where they carry portable shrines called mikoshi. It was a party atmosphere as hundreds of people came dressed in their Hapi coats to carry the gilded shrines.

Then, we set off for Mito...the capital of Ibaraki. On our way, we stopped by Kairaku-en...one of the top three gardens of Japan.

Another beautiful garden and shrine...Kairaku-en boasts a large plum forest, bamboo grove, springs, lakes, caves, cherry trees, and the Kobuntei (traditional Japanese bldg). Built in 1841 by Tokugawa Nariaki...Kairaku-en was unique where she was open to the public. After all her name means "a park to be enjoyed together".

Tomorrow marks the meat of the program as we have various visits with schools over the next few days. Whew...I'm beat.

Japan Day 5

2008-06-15T14:19:00.001-07:00

This was my only totally free day throughout the duration of this trip. So, I had to take advantage of it and go big. I caught the Nozomi Shinkansen (the fastest bullet train) at 6 AM for a 2 hour ride to Kyoto, the cultural capital of Japan. Upon arriving, I joined up with a tour group that went to several of the top attractions within the city.

The first stop was Nijo Castle which was built in 1603 and was the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nijo is a fascinating building that still has functioning Nightingale floors and gorgeous interiors hidden in a solemn exterior. Nijo castle also has a wonderful garden.

Stop 2 was Kinkakuji Temple and it's Golden Pavillion. Nestled in its exquisite gardens, the Golden Pavillion rests upon a serene pond. She glitters and gleams in gold leaf. Having burned down three times previously, she rises from the ashes much like the pheonix that adorns its roof.

The third stop was the Shinto shrine of Kitano Tenmangu. Kitano honors the spirit of Michizane Sugawara who was then named Karai Tenjin. Tenjin is now regarded as the deity of scholastic studies, and is extremely popular with students preparing for high school or university entrance examinations.

After lunch and some shopping, we went to the fourth stop of the Heian Jingu Shrine. The Heian Shrine has the vermillion court replica of the Imperial Palace and the beautiful Shin-en gardens that sprawl over 30,000 sq. meters. The gardens are home to various ponds, bridges, and buildings.

Next was Sanju-Sangendo Hall which houses 1001 statues of Kannon dating back from the 13th century. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed of the hand-carved golden statues, but each one is magnificent and unique.

The final stop was the Kiyozimudera Temple which rests atop the hill and looks over all of Kyoto. The only way up is a quaint old lane lined with stores. Atop the temple is a terrace that provides a gorgeous panoramic view of the city and the surrounding environs. Nestled in the area is a three-story pagoda and a waterfall that splits into three channels that are attributed to wisdom, health, and fortune.

Whew, what a busy day. All in all, each day has been filled with walking and travelling. It is important to note that there was a 7.0 earthquake that occured in the northeast area of Honshu by Iwate and Miyagi...I was fortunate to be several hundred miles away. However, apparently Tokyo felt the shocks.

Japan Day 4

2008-06-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

Started the day early by going with some new friends to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. This is an extremely busy area with warehouses, alleys of small stores and restaurants, the auction area (which is now closed off to tourists), and lots and lots of fresh seafood. First of all, this place is a BUSY area...even at 5AM...and you need to pay attention at all times because knives are flying and cool little speed carts rush in and out between the stalls with little time to regard silly tourists taking pictures. Not that the workers are rude, but when it comes to fresh fish, time is money and we are intruding on their job site. Amongst the stalls of shops and restaurants, we stumbled upon a small restaurant with handwritten scrolls that meticulously explain how to order, what kinds of fish are available, and other helpful things in English. This was the best place since the owner is a very amusing and extremely friendly host who studied in Scotland and makes it a point to teach and help foreigners while in Japan. Great food and nothing like fresh fish in the morning. It is also customary to say a greeting before and after eating. The word "Itadakimasu" (eat-uh-ducky-mas) is said prior to eating to give thanks for the food. After eating, "Gochisosama" (Go-chee-so-sah-mah)is said to show appreciation for the meal.

After rushing back to the hotel for the days lectures and workshops, we ended the work day with some traditional Kabuki and lessons on other Japanese arts.

Of course, I'm out to maximize my time so I caught the JR rail to go sea Disney Sea. There's a special cheap price to go into the park after 6 and worked perfectly. Disney Sea is awesome. All the attention to detail that Disney parks are known for with the efficency and work ethic of the Japanese. We got to ride the big rides such as the Tower of Terror and the Indiana Jones ride and still catch the BraviSEAmo show. Great stuff...I would definitely go again.

Japan Day 2 & 3

2008-06-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, Day 2 was our first full day in Japan and we were busy! We started the day going around Akasaka and went first to the Diet Building. No, the Diet Building has nothing to do with food. The Diet is their main government building that houses their Representatives and Senators. The Japanese government is very similar to the British government. The Japanese do not have a king, but they do have an emperor. Both really don't have a lot of governmental power, but they are still considered important. The Japanese also have a Prime Minister and 2 Houses of legislators. While we couldn't take pictures inside the Diet, I can say that the building is very impressive with lots of marble and inticate designs. Oh yeah, it is super clean much like the rest of Japan.

We then went to Asakusa where there is a famous Buddhist Temple and Shinto Shrine. Shinto is the religion that is originally from Japan. It is based on hero worship and some nature worship. On the otherhand, Buddhism is from the Chinese and generally believes in a deity called Buddha.

After our sightseeing trip, our group watched a Kyogen performance. Kyogen is an old style of Japanese theater that have the actors talk in a very sing-song type of voice and dance in very controlled movements.

Day 3 was very informative. We spent the day mostly in lectures and workshops about Japan's economy and in a discussion by some of the top legislators for Japan. We also went to catch a baseball game with the Seibu Lions vs. The Hanshin Tigers. The Japanese are big fans of American Baseball and go all out at their games.

Japan Day One

2008-06-11T01:25:00.000-07:00

Flying to Japan is not an easy task. From San Francisco, it took over 10 hours straight so it should be about 5-6 hours from Hawaii. Eitherway, try sitting down for that long without getting up and moving around much. Also, when you fly to Japan from America, you have to cross the Interational Date Line which means that you have to add one day ahead. So, if it is Monday in the US, it is usually already Tuesday in Japan.

Nevertheless, the moment you see that first glimpse of Japan from the plane window, the time spent on the plane is well worth it. Japan is not a very big country at all. It is a group of islands that is about the same size as California when you put them together. However, most of the people live in the Tokyo Metropolis which keeps the rest of Japan fairly agricultural.

After arriving in Narita International Airport, I had to clear their Customs procedure first and get a stamp in my passport to let me in the country. Then, our big group of teachers were escorted to buses that then took us into Tokyo (about 1 1/2 hours driving). We got to our hotel which is located in Akasaka and is centrally located near their governmental buildings.

My first task was to get acquainted with the Tokyo Metro subway system. Tokyo has a very busy but thorough and convenient subway system. You can just about get to anywhere in Tokyo via the subway. In fact, the majority of the people ride the subway to work and school everyday. Even young kids use the subway on their own. Of course, if you are new to Tokyo and her subway system, it is very easy to feel scared and intimidated during rush hour. During the busiest times of the day, people are literally pushed into the train system by attendants.

So, in my adventure to get familiar with the subway, I traveled to Shinjuku, Ginza, and Harajuku. All are popular shopping areas and are well known for interesting fashion. The people here all very friendly and polite. They will go out of their way to help people especially foreigners.

Japan T-Minus 2 Days!

2008-06-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

I'm in San Francisco for the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Orientation. Over 160 fellow teachers have gathered plus the IIE staff to share this wonderful opportunity with me.

I have met teachers from all over the country including a teacher from Alaska who teaches in a school with only 20 kids and two teachers. On the other hand, I also have met a teacher from Florida who teaches in a school with over 3000 students. We come from very different backgrounds, but we all will be sharing the same experience for the next month or so.

Today's orientation included listening to staff people and previous scholarship recipients who have already gone to Japan. We then ended the day with a dinner at the home of the Consul General Nagamine of Japan. The Consul General is a Diplomat, or a person who represents his country and makes sure their country has good relationships with other countries. He and his wife threw a party for all of us and served various Japanese foods such as sushi, sashimi, edamame, tempura, and Kobe beef. His home rests on top of the many hills of San Francisco and has a gorgeous view of the Bay.

Japan T-Minus 3 Days

2008-06-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

In just a few hours, I'll be boarding a plane to take me to San Francisco for Orientation and then to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun!

Excited is an understatement right now. I've just finished packing and am hoping I don't forget anything.

I've been told that suit and ties are very common there and we are required to wear jackets and ties for a number of activities during our stay there. This is a bit intimidating since I am used to wearing shirts and shorts in Hawaii. As always, we will adjust and adapt.

If I had to choose one thing that I am most excited about, it would be seeing all the shrines and temples. As you may know, Mr. Troi likes architecture (how buildings look) and I just dig how these shrines and temples feel and look especially since some have been around for over 1400 years!

Lantern Floating in Hawaii

2008-05-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

In preparation for my trip to Japan, I watched the 10th annual Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony held on Magic Island in Ala Moana Beach Park. The Lantern Floating is a traditional Buddhist ritual from Japan. The the candle-lit lanterns are sent floating on the ocean to honor our ancestors and to calm the "spirits" of those who have passed away. The lighted lanterns are meant to ferry the deceased "from the Sea of Delusion to the Shore of Salvation."

The Japanese Buddhist order that conducted the ceremony was the Shinnyo-en. In Japanese, "Shinnyo" means unchanging truth while "en" is a garden that is open for all. The order was founded by Shinjo Ito in western Tokyo in 1936.

Since it was held here in Hawaii, the ceremony clearly altered to accomodate the local Hawaiian cultural influence. Traditional kahiko hula and chants were highlighted in the opening ceremony along with performances by local performers.

However, the ceremony retained its Japanese roots with Taiko drumming and the traditional buddhist rites and chanting.

Over 1600 lanterns were launched and each lantern held written messages for those who have passed away from their loved ones. The lanterns were bought from Japan and put together by volunteers. All the lanterns were later collected from the water to be recycled.

Before Going to Japan

2008-05-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Before going to Japan or any other country, there are some things that need to be done.

Since Japan is another country, citizens of the United States have to go through Customs before entering Japan and before coming back to the US. Customs is kind of like a police department where they watch over people, items, animals, foods, and plants that enter their country. Customs makes sure that nothing dangerous comes into the country and that taxes are paid for on all items that come into the country.

The US Customs and Border Patrol can be found here! Before coming back into the US from Japan, they may look over all electronics and other goods that one might have. Remember that I'm bringing a lot of electronic equipment from home to Japan and back home. To make things easier on me and to help prove that I did not buy the equipment in Japan and then have to pay extra taxes on the stuff I already own, I filled out this form: CPB Form 4457.

First, I filled out the form by listing all the equipment and goods that I will bring to Japan. I also wrote down their serial numbers.
Then, I have to take the form and the items on the form to a customs office and show them to an officer to prove that I own them.
Finally, when I come back from Japan to the US, I can show them the signed form and that should make things go much faster for me and should make sure that I don't have to pay extra taxes on the stuff I already own.

Using Electronics in Japan

2008-05-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

In preparing for my trip to Japan, I realize that I will have to bring a lot of electronic equipment. As part of my project, I will need to bring the following:
Laptop Computer
Digital Camera
Video Camera

For personal reasons, I will be bringing:
Cell Phone (I don't know why since I won't be able to use it in Japan...to be covered later)
Nintendo DS (for the long plane trips)
iPod (I don't go anywhere without my music)

Anyways, all these electronics require power or recharging in Japan. However, the electricity in Japan is a little different than the electricity used in the United States. So, I have some electronic problems to solve.

First of all, in Japan they use 100 Volts while America has about 110 to 120 Volts. After talking with some electrical engineers, folks who have been to Japan, and the local Radioshack guy (whose wife happens to be from Japan and they both go home frequently to Tokyo), I have learned that the Japanese 100 Volts and the US 120 Volts is not that different where I need to worry about my equipment blowing up. At the most, it may take me longer to charge the batteries in my electronics.

With that said, the big difference is in the electrical plugs and sockets. In Japan, they use two (2) flat prongs that are of the same size. In the US, we have the same 2 flat prongs, but sometimes we have plugs that have 2 flat prongs but one prong is a little bit bigger than the other. The different-sized prongs won't fit in a Japanese socket. Also, US electronics sometimes has 2 prongs and a third round pin (sometimes called an Earth pin to ground electronic equipment). Those won't fit in Japanese sockets either. So, I had to buy a simple adapter for about $11 at Radioshack.

Electronic problems solved.

J-Pop: M-flo loves Melody & Ryohei "Miss You"

2008-05-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

M-flo loves melody & ryohei "Miss You"
Uploaded by gon-007

Music is a big part of any culture. Much like American music, Japanese music has many different styles, types, and genres. There is traditonal Japanese music and there is modern Japanese music. One particular modern genre is J-Pop. J-Pop has a very similar sound to mainstream Pop music and even draws from Rap and Hip-Hop. One particularly popular J-Pop group is M-Flo. M-Flo started out as a trio of Taka (DJ), Verbal (Vocals/Rapper), and Lisa (Vocals). However, Lisa left the group and M-Flo became a duo. The two then went on to create several albums with the format of "M-Flo loves _____" where they feature other music stars. Enjoy!

The Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholarship

2008-05-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

This is a journal leading up to, including, and wrapping up my trip to the Land of the Rising Sun as part of the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholarship. It will hopefully include insights into travel, culture, and the education system in Japan. I'm very excited. Just about 3 weeks before the trip. In preparation for the trip, I have so far:
Got a brand new passport
Started to learn as much Japanese that I can cram into a month
Poured over various travel guides
Ponder over tattoo options
Bought a new digital camera (Nikon S210)

There's so much left to do!

Domo Arigato-Gozaimasu