Japan Day 12

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 10

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 8

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

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.