Em in the East

Summer, summer, summer time!

2011-08-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

The beginning of summer vacation proved to be a bit hairy as it was the end of the semester, friends were moving away and friends were coming out to visit... so needless to say, things were busy! So the good news is all of the work is done for the semester, one friend made it home safely while the other made it here safely. My good friend, Caroline, is visiting from VT! Yeah! It's always fun to have a new person visit- it gives you a whole different perspective of where you live or what you've been doing.

Anyhow we've had a busy start with trips downtown, a trip to Kyoto and a trip up Hakusan Mountain.

Below: Caroline arrived at Komatsu airport with no problems (well, for her). The little man in the foreground was so excited to have arrived that he took quite a spill!
There she is! Caroline made it out in one piece (or at least on both feet).
Day 1: Kenrokuen Gardens and Kanazawa Castle

Toyama Tulip Festival

2011-05-22T03:54:00.001-07:00

Takenoko (Bamboo Shoot) Digging

2011-05-22T03:42:00.000-07:00

Bamboo shoot digging?? Yep, had to try it. It is a school organized event, so with a limited amount of time, we entered the bamboo groves in search of the elusive bamboo shoots (pictured below). Apparently there is a good crop every other year, so needless to say, with my luck, this was NOT the good year. I didn't find any shoots. However, many of my friends and Masa had much better luck than I did.
Masa spotted a WHOPPER! Good find! I don't have too much to say on takenoko except that it does make a very tasty side dish.

Better than Sakura

2011-05-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

These spring beauties are my favorites; I love the gnarled branches, and the large flowers. The flowers bloom before any of the leaves do, first the white ones, then sakura and then the pink ones.

Late Sakura

2011-05-03T03:07:00.001-07:00

The late sakura is a much hardier lot than the famous and fleeting, someiyoshino. The babies pictured below can withstand high winds and heavy rains, whereas the most famous sakura, someiyoshino, can't so much as make it through a gusty day (it is precisely this delicacy that lends it its beauty).

Sakura

2011-04-17T03:40:00.001-07:00

Wedded Rocks

2011-04-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon proved to be warm and sunny; a perfect day to see the sights on the way back from the tip of Noto. The first stop was a rocky arch called "Ganmon." The second stop was for the wedded rocks called "Hatago Iwa." These are sacred rocks which represent the union of male and female.

A weekend in Noto

2011-04-16T02:50:00.000-07:00

This little road trip to Noto was a momentous weekend in my mind; first it was the last hoorah with a good friend who has since returned to the U.S., second, it marked the first weekend of the new semester and last, it was the first time I've driven in Japan (I'm not counting the test course).

My friend, Maylee, loves onsens, so we went to the northern tip of the Noto Penninsula and stayed in a lovely and rustic ryoukan called Lampo no yado. At first I was bummed that there was only one outdoor bath, but the views from the tub more than made up for this fact. The ryoukan is nestled in a bluff on the coast and the view of the sunrise (in the tub, mind you) was spectacular.

A Snowy Day in Kenrokuen

2011-01-14T19:32:00.000-08:00

Life Despite the Winter

2011-01-14T19:22:00.001-08:00

The NEW YEAR!

2011-01-04T05:01:00.001-08:00

Many see the New Year as a time for spiritual reflection, a chance for new beginnings, an opportunity to party like a rock star, or a time to sit and reflect with distaste/contentment on the year past. As I've felt all of this and more for my New Year, I have a bad habit of expecting something phenomenal to happen, which invariably never does. However, this New Year was a highlight in the myriad of past disappointing years; this phenomenon manifested itself on the form of Takagawara Onsen. One work AWESOME. We sat in the gorgeous outdoor hot spring (while it was snowing) and we welcomed the year 2011.

Here's wishing you the best for the New Year!! Happy 2011!

Lotus Plants in the Park

2011-01-04T04:38:00.001-08:00

In Ueno Park, we passed through a lotus bog; as it was my first time to see the lotus plant up close, I got a little carried away in snapping photos. Although the plants had died, the light was incredible and the bog was quite beautiful.

Ueno Park

2010-12-29T00:45:00.000-08:00

A few friends and I spent the entire day wandering Ueno Park. There are numerous museums, a park, a zoo, restaurants, shopping... lots to do and see.
I loved the contrast of the traditional Japanese architecture and the modern motorbike hidden behind the trees.

Tokyo has proven to be substantially warmer than Kanazawa, so it was a treat to walk around in just a thin coat, see the sun and to see the sun light up some of the Japanese maples- lovely

Lights (and Lettuce) in Tokyo

2010-12-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

I came to Tokyo to meet a friend at the airport (yeah!) However, due to the snow, all flights have been delayed, so she canceled her trip (boo!). In the meantime, while waiting for e-mails and updates, I hung out and got to see some rather festive lights.

The lights below are outside of Tokyo Dome. My all-time favorite illuminations are of the lettuce! Please scroll down to see the lettuce dome!!

Bounenkai- Holiday Dinner

2010-12-28T17:23:00.000-08:00

Every year our school arranges a night of relaxation at an Onsen (a hotel with hot springs).
There, we can relax with tea and piles of clementines while enjoying the views of the ocean. The service is amazing, the hotel is beautiful and the onsen, of course, is wonderful.

Later in the evening we are served an elaborate dinner resplendent with Japanese delicacies; crab, egg custard, sashimi, pickled fish bones, sea urchin and fish prostate glands... mmm-mmm!
My kanji is still sub-par, or rather non-existant, so I really did not know what ooey, gooey, slimy goodness was placed before me... time to start studying!

Miyajima

2010-10-11T05:14:00.000-07:00

This was the highlight of my trip with Dad. Miyajima is quaint, little island-town with winding, narrow streets, vendors, deer running amuck and, of course, gorgeous shrines and views.

Miyajima is perhaps best known for Itsukushima Shrine, now an UNESCO world heritage site. This shrine was originally built in the 6th century, but was rebuilt as many times as it was destroyed; the last time it was rebuilt was in the 16th century!
While visiting the shrine, there was a traditional-style wedding. Dad was tickled to see everyone in their beautiful kimonos, to hear the music and to watch the ceremony.

Perhaps one of the most well-known views is the torii of the Itsukushima shrine. A torii is an arch which denotes a sacred place. We stayed the night (thankfully), so we had the opportunity to see the torri during high-tide, low-tide, during the evening, the sunset and at night.

Hiroshima City

2010-10-11T04:43:00.000-07:00

I was leery to bring my dad to Hiroshima but it was a worthwhile trip. The city has been rebuilt, people lead lives as "normal" as anywhere, but the history gives this city perhaps more depth and energy. The citizens of Hiroshima are also strong advocates for peace; through our short trip we were moved, brought to silence, brought to tears and then we experienced the vibrancy of the city through its local fare and home baseball team- the Hiroshima Touyou Carps.

Okonomiyaki ("as you like it") is a popular dish made with seafood, veggies, noodles and meat, dipped in batter and then cooked like a pancake. Different regions of Japan have different ingredients. I had never liked okonomiyaki that much, until Hiroshima. It was OISHII!!

Later in the evening, we scored decent seats at the ball game. What a blast!! Big beers, greasy food, a wild crowd, different cheers for every batter, balloons, kids, screaming, shouting... and generally, people cutting loose!!
In the end, the Carps beat out the Tokyo Yakulto Swallows, 5-1. Sorry, Chris.

Trouble in Kanazawa

2010-10-07T04:22:00.000-07:00

The trouble had, of course, started long before Dad got into town. It probably started with me thinking he would roll into Japan on the 18th... well he left the 18th and was supposed to arrive the 19th. But there was trouble from his first departure where he was delayed for 8 hours, thus he arrived on the 20th- a mere 36 hours later.

When he rolled off the plane, we promptly took him home so he could clean up and feel somewhat better. Then we hit a little sushi place, walked around my school and my neighborhood, went downtown, saw some live jazz being performed, hit the famous garden in Kanazawa, went to a light show, and a shrine all in the same area.

The first day was a precursor of what was to come! On the 21st, we hit the road and ran around for 6 days! Dad was a trooper!

(Below, pictures from the light show.)

(Below, how to cleanse/ purify yourself before entering a shrine).
(Below, a few shots from the famous garden, Kenrokuen).

Yep, trouble in Kanazawa- my old man. ;)

Nagano-Apple Orchards

2010-10-04T03:06:00.000-07:00

After Hokkaido, I came back to Kanazawa and worked for a little bit. Mind you, I didn't have to teach the summer session, so I didn't have to be at school. So, while everyone else was hard at work, I got antsy and decided to take off for a few days. I joined WWOOF Japan, and through WWOOF, I hooked up with a really great family in Nagano.
They were the nicest host family ever and they had an apple farm. For about 8 hours a day, I hung out in the packaging section and worked my magic. On occasion, I got to cart around crates, clean, and pick apples. I had a great time meeting Takanobu and wife (pictured above). And it was wonderful to just hang out in the orchards. We worked hard by day and then did yoga, wnet the the onsen, chatted and hung out by night. What a nice way to live. So, much to the chagrin of my family (I'm assuming), it made me start to think of alternative life styles.

That's all for now! Stay tuned for a whirlwind trip with Dad!!

Hokkaido

2010-10-03T04:52:00.001-07:00

Hokkaido is the gorgeous Northern most island of Japan. It's well known for its agricultural products, farms, wide-open/wild/rugged places, hip cities and good beer. Need I say more?

It started with a train ride... a "twilight express" 20 hour train ride. Our first stop was Hakodate, a port town famous for its European influences, kickin' sea food and its history. From boat rides, to museums, from brick warehouses to the Greek Orthodox Church, from sushi to caramel pastries, Hakodate proved to be a fun city full of awesome sites, a lot of history and great food. I also enjoyed being overcome by a certain Dorothy-ism; "Toto, we're not in Japan anymore."

(Above) The night view of Hakodate city. (Below) Masa chillin' on boat ride around Hakodate Bay. After Hakodate, Masa and I left for Sapporo. Sapporo proved to be a big, bustling city and for any of you folks who know me at all, you know that's not my cup of tea. With that said, I enjoyed the sites and there were a few things that really struck me. Sapporo is surrounded by what is called the "Green Belt," that is, the city is surrounded by parks, parks and more parks. We didn;t have time to get to many parks, but the one we did go to left an impression. I loved, loved, loved Morenuma park designed by the famous Japanese/American architect Isamu Noguchi. The shots below are just a few pieces of this sculptural museum/playground/park.

Sooooo, Sapporo is famous for its beer. The shots below are from the beer museum and the original factory, both of which I found to be fun, interesting... and tasty.

We took time to "get out of the city" by going to the botanical gardens in the city.

A famous site in Sapporo is the old clock tower pictured below.

After Sapporo, Masa returned to work, but I did not have to... Hell, since I had come 20 hours on a train, I figured I might as well have stayed a little longer. So what did I do? Hopped on a bus going east for another 7 hours. Hokkaido is HUGE! For about 5 days I hung out in Shiretoko National Park. Everyday I hiked, saw plenty of deer, hung out with cool people in the hostel and just had a good time surrounded by the forests and mountains. I didn't realize how badly I had needed a respite from the city until I had gotten there. Fantastic! Pictured below are my hostel friends from Canada, Japan and Germany. We had a great time sharing meals, snacks, stories, jokes, hikes... whew the list goes on. Needless to say, they were a great bunch of folks to meet!!

Stay tuned for pics of Nagano (apple farming), adventures with Daddy-O and most recently, the weekend get away in Noto.

Fireworks in the Appopriate Get-up!

2010-09-03T00:52:00.001-07:00

Fireworks in Japan are always so fun because people come out in droves and often in yukatas. Yukatas are light, summer-weight kimonos, if you will.
From left to right: Ryan, Minori, Naomi and me (all sportin' our yukatas).
From left to right (below): Naeim, Zena (in the back), Fariha and Evan.
I love this shot. We're just chatting with the fireworks going off overhead.

Slack Lining, Hiking, Camping- Oh My!

2010-09-02T00:49:00.000-07:00

This summer has been a good summer in that I've gotten into nature a lot more! Needless to say, it makes me feel much better being in Japan when I have access to the great outdoors.
Below, Norberto (my friend from Austria) is showing off his slack-lining skills.

This summer, Masa invested in a huge family sized tent in the hopes of camping with his niece (Sayu) and nephew (Aoi). Before heading to a camp ground, we did a trial overnight at Aoi's house. We set up the tent, had a nice BBQ and hit the sack- or at least tried to. Unfortunately, the little ones were a wee-bit scared to be in the tent. Maybe next summer. With no little ones in tow, Masa and I took the primo-deluxe tent to a nearby camping site anyhow. Hoping to get some more camping in this fall!
In Komatsu, way into the mountains, there's this really cool camping ground. We took a day to walk around and jump into the falls.
The mountains in Japan are lovely. The shot below is is taken from the car on the way to a climbing excursion. It's the first outdoor climbing I've done in Japan, so I was VERY excited to be on the real rock.

June 4th-Lantern Festival

2010-06-06T01:53:00.001-07:00

Glass Blowing

2010-05-30T03:20:00.000-07:00

Yi-haw! On Sunday, I tried my hand at a little glass blowin'. The whole "let's go make Matcha tea bowls" came about by a group of ladies hosting a water-themed Japanese tea ceremony. As part of the theme, people from the tea class decided to make the matcha vessels from glass. I was lucky enough to catch wind and participate. We started with the design, color scheme and then moved into the actual glass blowing process. There were two pros there the whole time guiding us and walking us through the process, so we all walked away unscathed. I have yet to see the finished product, as the matcha bowl had to sit in a cooler (?) for 24 hours. But here's to hopin'!

From Planting to Wedding

2010-05-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

Not bad, not bad... we went from the rice fields of Komatsu to a wedding in Tokyo. Whew, we cleaned up well!
The bride (Maiko) and groom (Lucas) met in Vermont. Hamming it up with the lovely bride!!

Planting Rice

2010-05-16T05:46:00.001-07:00

The beginning of May is the rice planting season throughout Ishikawa Prefecture. Masa's family has many rice fields in Komatsu. They were gracious enough to let me slog through the paddies and "help out. "
In the olden days, families and friends would gather, push a large steel "roller," imprinted with lines, through the mud, and plant rice all day. Many hands makes for quick work, but nowadays this little tractor makes for quick work with a lot less people.

Now, the tractor can't always get into the corners of the fields so people hand plant those sections. In the pic above, Masa's Dad is giving me a few pointers.
Yeah! I liked playing in the mud. Chuckles, I thought of you as I put this up!

Guam

2010-04-10T05:33:00.001-07:00

I had spent a lovely three weeks in the US, two of which I spent in sunny CA. On the day I returned to Japan, it snowed. With three weeks of vacation left (yes folks, you're not mistaken, 6 weeks of vacation!!) my boyfriend and I decided to go find some sun. Thus, we ended up in Guam. It was exactly what I had hoped for. Palm trees, beaches, sun... lovely. We stayed at a cute hotel (compared to the monstrosities lining the beach) called the Santa Fe.
We met up with a former co-worker while here. It was great to hang out with someone living in Guam. It's wonderful to get away from the tourist traps and see what's going on with the locals. They took us to "Gun Beach" for a little beach party, The Mermaid bar for some live music and also to a joint with killer milkshakes. Ah, the good stuff.
I do have to admit, we did check out some of the touristy "thangs" such as dolphin watching and going 40 meters down in a submarine. Hell, when opportunity knocks... All i all, we had a wonderful time. The trip truly reinforced the fact that I need to head to a warmer climate in my next move.
A lovely sunset from outside of the "Santa Fe."

A view of "Two Lover's Point."

Joshua Tree National Park

2010-03-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Almost alien, definitely beautiful in a surreal way, these wind mills comprise the landscape for miles.
I love the rock formations and of course, seeing these giant "boulders" rising from the earth made my hands twitch and my forearms feel pumped with the image of climbing them.
This is a Joshua Tree for which the park park is named.
Alas, we didn't get any climbing in, although there were climbers everywhere. We did however, set up camp at "Ryan Campground" and hike around in the desert. The pics below are from an old ranch just beyond Ryan's Campground.

As we got a fire started and threw some dinner on the grill we watched the sun set over the mountains.

We only stayed one night, but it was an amazing experience to stay in the desert. Coyotes' howls closed in around the camp site. They ran around us, but stayed in the shadows. When I looked into the shadows with my headlamp, I could catch the reflection of their eyes or even make out the outline of their form as they circled. Yeah, I was a little nervous, but I think they were more scared of us.

Westward Bound-California

2010-03-26T18:30:00.001-07:00

First we headed to the east coast and hung out in Vermont for a wonderful (albeit too short) of a time.

Then we continued West to California. Shortly after we arrived, my sister and her boyfriend joined us from VT. In our time there, we hung out with family and friends and then golfed and hiked.
The picture above is from Tahquitz Canyon where we spent the day hiking.

I'll admit I'm not much of a golfer, but the golf courses were beautifully kept and we enjoyed our time on the course irregardless. The two shots above are from Silver Rock Golf Course.

Kenrokuen Garden in the Winter

2010-03-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

Winters throughout this region of Japan are known for being COLD and WET. Thus, it's common to see trees and bushes supported by ropes so the snow doesn't cause too much damage.
In the middle of winter, the garden stays open late at night while musicians play and people enjoy the beauty of the winter.

Mame (Bean) Friends

2010-02-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, Japan has a real affinity for anything "cute." Commercials, sign boards, labels on drinks, fashion, even construction cones are very, very cute. I have been immune to this "kawaii" crazed culture... until now. I've become rather attached to "mameshiba," little bean-dogs. Check out the links below, and tell me if you've ever seen anything quite so kawaii!

Each character is a different bean, so there are many little bean-dogs; there are coffee beans, edamame, fava beans, chick peas, peanuts, jelly beans, and many more. In the videos, the beans pop out of their food to share some random trivia. Ha ha! Enjoy!

Happy New Year!!

2010-01-09T16:38:00.001-08:00

One of the Japanese traditions for the New Year is visiting local shrines. At the stroke of midnight we piled into the car and went to two Shinto shrines and a Buddhist temple. The following day, we went to the Buddhist Temple, Natadera. The following shots are taken from there.

Skiing (or trying to)

2010-01-09T16:26:00.001-08:00

Sorry, there are are no photos of me on the mountain; with my skiing skills, I spent a lot of time flying out of my skis and landed in a messy heap in the snow, so having a camera on the slopes was not a good idea! However, the snowy mountains were beautiful.

Christmas Time!

2009-12-29T19:31:00.001-08:00

There was a dress-code for the Christmas party this year: red, green, silver or gold. Here's Masa-san was trying to figure out what to wear to the party. This one didn't make the cut.
It was a good night full of great food, wonderful people and of course, too much cake!!
The little man here, Evan, was so excited by the Christmas log his mom made.
Then there was a lovely chocolate pudding cake from the local chocolate/patisserie shop. Yum!!

KIT Annual Bonankai

2009-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:00

This year's bonankai was at one of Japan's most renowned onsens- Kagaya. It is an annual one-night retreat where the KIT staff goes to celebrate the school year, network and of course, enjoy unparalleled service that the hotel offers.
We arrived in the afternoon, slipped into our comfortable yukatas and relaxed in our tatami rooms while we were served clementines, green tea and Japanese sweets by lovely kimono-clad ladies.

Pictured above (from left to right: Carolyn, Hye-Young, Makiko, Ksenyia, and myself) in our yukatas.

Afterward, there was time to take a dip in the onsen (the natural hot baths). Then, the multi-course all-you-could-eat dinner began, after a few words from KIT's President.

This year's entertainment included a performance from a Okinawa based group. They sang, danced and were dressed in traditional Okinawa style.
Pictured below is the front page of our menu. Unfortunately for me, my kanji is poor, so what I was eating was still a surprise. The many courses included crab, sea cucumbers, abalone (which was still alive and cooked in front of us), sea urchin, sashimi, beef, noodles, soup, rice and French pastries.

Our night of food was followed by a night of karaoke, first in front of the 400 members of the KIT staff and then in the privacy of our own karaoke booth. Ah, it was a wonderful weekend.

First Turkey in Japan

2009-12-25T01:59:00.001-08:00

Yes, folks. I had my first turkey in Japan... it was deeeeelicious. Turkey is quite rare here, so to have it was a real treat. Please don't let the date of today's blog fool you... I had the turkey for Thanksgiving.

While I'm on a fowl topic, I'd like to touch on the Christmas chicken phenomenon... It's customary for people to get chicken for Christmas here, and it's not just any ol' kind of chicken will do, it's gotta be Kentucky Fried Chicken. Sound strange? I thought so too, but there is a reason for it.

Since turkeys are hard to come by here, ex-pats would eat chicken for the holidays... so then KFC thought of a marketing scheme... Westerners eat chicken for the holidays, Christmas is a Western holiday, voila... Christmas Chicken. My oh my, KFC did a good job of their marketing because people line up for their buckets o' chicken and family packs. Colonel Sanders in lookin' good sportin' his Santa suit.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T02:23:00.001-08:00

My co-workers and friends at a Halloween Party/Baby Shower.
It's Kiki from Hayao Miyazaki's film: Kiki's Delivery Service.
It's a frog, move over Kermit!
Ready for the party.
It's Gachapin, one active, little, dinosaur.
Life of the party, it's a (scratch "Power") Party Ranger.

Toroko Densha - "Train"

2009-11-01T01:25:00.001-07:00

For some reason (and I'm not complaining about this) this semester has been peppered with holidays and long weekends. So, over a four day weekend, Hye Young, Ksenyia and I headed out to Kurobe Gorge for some fall foliage viewing. On Sunday, we left Kanazawa and headed to a little town called Unazuki. We spent the day exploring the town, doing some light hiking and of course, indulging in the public foot baths and our hotel's hot bath. Did I mention that this area is famous for its natural hot springs?

On Monday, after a beautiful and relaxing day, we awoke to...rain!!! C'est la vie! We still took the train into the mountains where we hiked, explored and had a great time.
Pictured Above: Hye Young (left) and Ksenyia (right) are ready to roll! Notice the windows on the train, yup, there are none. The trip was a little chilly and wet but nothing dampered our spirits.
Here's a shot that will hopefully give you an idea of what the train looked like.
The river was a gorgeous emerald green, which was in striking contrast to the red bridge and lovely colors on the mountain side.

Pictured Above: Some of the colors in the mountains.
One of my favorite moments from this weekend was coming across some natural hot springs. We hiked beyond a sign that had warned about construction (as long as we wore construction helmets, we were allowed to go). Besides, there was an onsen (a building where folks build baths and fill 'em with the natural hot springs) that we had wanted to check out. We got to the onsen and just a little ways down the river, steam and smoke billowed into the sky. So we went on over to check it out.
A hot spring flowed into the river. The rocks were marled black and white from the sulfur and other minerals floating around. We dunked our toes, and got blasted alternately by cold and then boiling currents. It was my first time being able to dip my toes in the natural hot springs, so I was happy to have gone.
Another fond memory of this weekend was the onsen that we visited on the way back down from our hike. It was an outdoor tub... beautifully situated beside the mountain. From the tub we had a gorgeous view of the changing colors. Also, being in the hot tub while having the cool rain on our shoulders was a lovely, lovely feeling.
All in all, it was a fun, relaxing and beautiful weekend.

Running

2009-11-01T01:16:00.001-07:00

I'm what you'd call a fair-weathered runner. I'm on again, off again. But irregardless of my poor training habits, I do love to run.

For the first time since being here, I ran in a 5k race and it's inspired me to start training. Next weekend, there is a Kanazawa 5k, so here's to running for the fun of it and not just "running around" at work.
Above: The 5k race was in Komatsu. That's me, front center, in black.

A Day of Natural Beauty

2009-10-27T04:26:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure and good fortune of visiting Tojinbo Cliffs in the Fukui region. This cove is renowned for its breathtaking views, sheer cliffs and surrounding beauty.

Pictured below: Photos from along the coast.

Pictured Below: Fantastic aerials provided by a number of hawks.
Pictured below: As some of you know, I had wanted to be an entomologist, so naturally I find insects, spiders and most creepy crawlies beautiful. I've got to get a camera with a setting for these little guys, but I realized I could get some nice silhouette shots. I have MANY more, but I figured one would be enough!

Pictured below: Various rocky outcrops. Along the main cliffs pictured directly below are many, many tourists. This spot is of course famous for its beauty, but also for the tragic stories that enfold it; many have taken their lives from these cliffs!
Pictured below: You can walk along the coast for miles until you come to a little island. Before reaching the island, we passed many a fishing boat. The bridge was a red painted in the Shinto fashion to denote sacred places. Upon crossing the bridge, we wandered through groves of gnarled trees.
Pictured below: Dusk!

O Sumo, Oh yeah!

2009-10-17T06:06:00.000-07:00

The wonderful thing about having friends come to visit is
a) you get to see your friends and
b) you get to do things that you normally wouldn't do otherwise.

For me, that was sumo. I wasn't too terribly interested... until I got there. Tournaments last for weeks and often start at 8:00 a.m. with the the lowest-ranked wrestlers. As the day progresses, the more powerful and the more famous wrestlers come out. We arrived at 3pm to start our viewing of the more powerful wrestlers. Yes my friends, we were there for the best! We stayed until the best of the best fought and then, with dismay, left when they had finished at around 6pm.

I was impressed by the ritual and tradition, the sportsmanship as well as showmanship and of course by the wrestlers size, power and... grace. They were wonderful athletes as well as gracious losers and winners.

All I can say is this, if you get a change to check out a live match, DO IT, you won't be disappointed.

Butterflies

2009-10-17T04:42:00.000-07:00

There's a lovely insect museum in Ishikawa, so naturally the gal who once wanted to be an entomologist just had to go. Not only did I go, but I experienced firsthand killer butterflies in the botanical gardens. You've probably heard about killer bees (yup, we've got 'em in Japan), but have you heard of killer butterflies? (Yup, they're in Japan, too). They're quite rare and most people have never heard of them. Their Latin name is Danaus Plexippus and their wing span is about 2 inches for males and 1.5 inches for females.

Ha! Just kidding.

The latin name mentioned above is that of a monarch butterfly. I refer to the butterflies we saw as "killer butterflies" because they scared the bejeezums out of many children. Children who had very little experience with these winged lovelies shrieked in terror and had to be carried out wailing... aw.

But, I had a wonderful time hanging out with these beautiful creatures and when I sat still, many would alight atop of my shoulders/ arms/ head... I loved it. Maybe I should have become an entomologist afterall.

Above: Ah, delightful!

Above: Oh my, my, my! Too many at once, or perhaps, one too many proboscis.

There and Back Again

2009-10-14T22:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a while and I'm not ashamed to admit that I have never been terribly constant! So, true to form, I let days, weeks and months slip by without realizing it. (Or sometimes I realize it and just don;t get around to any updates). Anyhow, a lot has happened since three months have lapsed; in particular, I went home to VT... and now I'm back again.

Vermont in the summer... ah, it's lovely. There is so much greenery that at times it can hurt to look around! I'm excited to say that there was plenty of hiking to be had, sailing to be done, rivers to explore, berries to pick and of course, family dinners and visits with friends.

I spent three glorious weeks back in my old stomping grounds. The more places I explore, the more appreciation I have for this lovely, magical place.

Above: Just one of many family dinners.

Above: A shot of the local swimming hole known as "the Bristol Falls" to folks who don't live here and "Bartlett's Falls" to those who do!

Above: Abbey Pond in East Middlebury.

Above: What fun to be sailing again. Here's the sunset on Lake Champlain.

Above: The view from "Sunset" in Lincoln.

Gettin' a little hiking in before the humidity strikes!

2009-07-02T21:21:00.000-07:00

Birthday Bash!

2009-06-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

I was told that I could celebrate in style... that is, my Birthday could be celebrated all week. "Alright," I thought. "I can handle this." So, on the big day, my co-worker and friend, Amanda, made a huge lunch, complete with chocolate covered strawberries. Both of us ladies flanking Amanda have our Birthdays on the same day... even more reason to celebrate!
A co-worker, standing in the pictue below, brought in some lovely flowers for the Birthday girls.

Then at the end of the week, a group of us went out for paella. Oishkata desu!

No worries mama-kins, although I was missing you guys, I was in good hands with my friends here!

Sakura

2009-05-22T01:12:00.000-07:00

Sakura season was lovely. We were lucky to have a week's worth of lovely weather. Then we got rained on, which consequently brought the already short cherry blossom season to an even quicker end. These shots are from Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa.

Nagoya (ok, a few months ago)

2009-05-14T23:59:00.001-07:00

Masa and I took a trip to Nagoya to visit my friend, Duck. Ducky-Doo came through Japan as a set member for A theatre company. Nagoya is quite modern as you'll see by the photos.

This city is famous for its red miso. There's red miso paste, red miso soup, red miso broth for udon and my favorite, red miso beer.

This city is also famous for its spicy chicken wings; I couldn't get enough of them! Pictured below is Mr. Ducky-Doo.

This shot is taken from the top of Nagoya castle, which was the tallest castle in the country, during its time.

Historical Kyoto vs. Contemporary Kyoto

2009-03-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

Kyoto has had a very long and important historical and cultural impact on the country. Many arts originating in China were studied, practiced, acculturated and perfected in this city. Today, these arts are still flourishing. Some of these arts include architectural design and tea ceremonies (including ceramics).

The city had been reduced to rubble and rebuilt various times, it had been the capital of Japan various times, it had seen prosperous times of peace and despair through war, and through all of the changes, the arts flourished and survived. Which, is perhaps one of the reasons this city is so popular among tourists.
Pictured Above: Nanzenji Temple. This particular picture is from the impressive Sonmon Gate.
Pictured Above: Nanzenji Temple. The gate to this property was locked, so naturally, I had to poke my nose in!
Link: http://nanzenji.com/english/index.html
Pictured Above: Heian-Jingu. Shinto Shrine for the founder during the Heian Period.
Link: http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/index_e.html
Pictured Above: Ginkakuji Temple (The Silver Pavilion).
Link: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-ginkakuji.htm

Pictured Above: Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion).

I heard one tourist say "Pish-posh, it just looks like spray paint." Ok, it may look like spray paint, but it's actually GOLD-LEAF lacquered on!

Link: http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/japan/kyoto/kinkakuji.php

Pictured Above: A building adjacent to the train station.
Pictured Above: Is is a Bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Astro Boy!
Pictured Above: Kyoto Tower.
Pictured Above: Contemporary Architecture in Kyoto.

Sweet Kyoto

2009-03-22T05:00:00.001-07:00

Pictured below are some Japanese sweets which this area is famous for. The little triangles are made of mochi (sticky rice pounded into a soft and sticky shell) with anko (sweet bean paste) in the middle.
Pictured Below: carefully molded sweets made out of sugar.

Pictured Below: Jess checking out the beautiful little treats.

Kyoto- A Memorable Day at Fushimi Inari Shrine

2009-03-22T03:16:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, my awesome friend Jessie came to visit me in Japan. While here, we (Jessie, Masa and myself) went to Kyoto for 6 days. Let me tell you, Kyoto is an amazing city with a dizzying amount of temples, shrines, gardens, parks, museums... Out of all of these gorgeous sights, a few REALLY made an impression for their beauty, the experience and the feelings evoked...

One of my favorite days was spent visiting the Fushimi Inari Shrine. It's a shrine of commerce, where even today, business owners and companies can purchase a torii (the Shinto arch). These toriis have been placed closely together creating a path leading up a mountain.

The day was lovely and being in the mountains ALWAYS makes me happy and to see the various shrines, kitsune (fox) statues and toriis, was a moving experience.Pictured above is a Shinto Torii which demarks a sacred place.

The streets leading up to Fushimi Inari.

A main place of prayer at the base of the mountain.

Pictured Above: Here are just a few of the hundreds of "kitsune" (fox) statues that are prevalent in this shrine. Foxes (often depicted with scrolls in their mouths) are considered to be messengers to the Gods.
I love the above photo and the others which follow. These are the thousands of Toriis leading up the mountain. Gorgeous.

Pictured avover: There is Jess, getting ready to embark on her Kitsune adventure.

Pictured above: Masa and I getting ready for a bit of a hike.

Pictured above: At the top of the mountain we stopped for a light lunch of soba (buckwheat) noodles and a spectacular view of Kyoto.

Above: A view of Kyoto from the top of the mountain.
Below: A number of shrines/places of prayer to various deities were built along the path leading into the mountain.

Above: Look closely, do you see the kitty? At one particular spot on the path, there were a number of kitties, hanging out. What a perfect home on the side of the mountain, protected from the elements by various shrines.

If you're interested, here's a link with a little background information.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html

Flight of Hawks- Wajima

2009-03-22T03:07:00.000-07:00

This particular region of Noto Peninsula was home of many hawks. I consider/ed myself lucky to see these majestic birds rather close from the window of our Hotel and perched on rocky outcrops along the coast.

Wajima Morning Market

2009-03-04T20:02:00.001-08:00

The little coastal town of Wajima is famous for its taiko drumming, hot springs, lacquer ware and of course, the morning market. This market started about one thousand years ago when the local ladies decided to sell their wares for a little pocket change. Now, this market is popular and the ladies are still in charge!

Pictures above: How about some dried fish, squid, or octopus?
Pictured above: Jess and I are showing off our goods. I made off with some dried wasabi flavored squid, dried octopus flakes, dried and sugared oranges and sea-salt. Jess ended up with a lovely set of lacquered bowls and then about a hundred pairs of "service" chopsticks (free, from the shopkeepers).
The lacquer ware was lovely and I hadn't realized how labor intensive it can be. From start to finish, the process can have up to 22 steps! Yikes!
There's Jess hiding behind some dried fish.
Antique Japanese coins for sale!

A visitor from a land far, far away

2009-03-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, my awesome friend Jess is here for a three-week visit. She is visiting from a land far, far away, known as Burlington, VT. Pictured above: the two of us at the beach in Noto Penninsula.
Pictured above: Masa and Jess at a Shinto shrine in Wajima. Masa is translating for Jess.
Pictured above: This picture is from Wajima Onsen. We stayed for two glorious nights and true to "Onsen" form, we were treated like royalty.
Pictured Above: Uh-oh. Karaoke time!

A sweet week of live music

2009-02-15T04:21:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I only had two nights of live music... but I saw some great musicians.

On Wednesday the 11th, I saw Saori Yano, a young and upcoming jazz musician. The venue was a large concert hall and upon entering the room, the stage was set... one couldn't help but notice that the mic was adorned with a large, pink, sequined bow. Then she came onto the stage decked out in a little 80's number: a shiny turquoise, off the shoulder dress with a long pink sash swaying from her hips. I will admit, I was close to writing her off until she started to play.

This young lady can rock the sax. She's a 22 year-old, self taught artist, and man, like I said before, she can rock. At the end of the show people could line up and meet her... So I did, and I got to shake her hand. Oh la la. I'll add that meeting to my very short list of "famous encounters." If you're interested, check out her site:
http://yanosaori.com/

The following day I saw singer/songwriters from Texas, Shelly King and Carolyn Wonderland, in concert. It was a very small and personal venue. They mixed blues, country and sometimes gospel while both playing the guitar, and they kicked ass. Then, during a short break, they mingled with the crowd and I got to chat with Shelly. Oh, I'll add that to my list of famous encounters, too. If you're interested in either artist, check them out:

http://www.shelleyking.com/

http://www.carolynwonderland.com/

A Wedding Party

2009-02-15T04:10:00.001-08:00

This March, a lovely co-worker of mine, Koko , is getting married. To celebrate, we had a pre-wedding party for her and her fiance. Who's the lucky man, surrounded by all of those English teachers?

I've never seen this kind of corsage... it's made out of balloons!

Koko donned a gorgeous kimono and obi for the occasion.

Per Request "Keep 'em coming"

2009-02-09T16:46:00.000-08:00

Many of you have said recently, "post more pictures", so here are a few to check out. These are taken while visiting Tokyo. These photos are taken at Asakusa.

A FUN weekend in Tokyo

2009-01-27T04:34:00.001-08:00

Wowee! I had an action packed 4-day weekend! From my first Kabuki show, to Shrines, Zen artist exhibits, the Gibli museum, the Blue Man group, meeting up with friends, to Picasso and Klee exhibits... it was a fun whirlwind of a weekend in Tokyo.Pictured above is a "Blue Man" from the show on Saturday night. He posed for pictures with throngs of Japanese fans completely in character, that is, expressionless. I hung out for a while just watching and when groups cleared away, I went in for a shot.

I whispered "so, where are you from?" And he looked at me with that alien, expressionless face and broke into a little smile and said, "Iowa." "VT," I responded. Then he gave me a big smile and told me that another cast member was from Vermont. Yow-ee, what are the chances?!
The above picture is from the Gibli Museum. Check out Hayato Miyazaki films if you can, they're great! (Miyazaki is the man who started the company).Pictured above is the Meiji Shrine just outside of Harajuku. It's lovely, with extensive parks, museums and places to pray. You almost forget that you're in a big city, until you catch a glimpse of a skyscraper in the distance. The contrasts between traditional Japan and modern Japan is something that continues to fascinate me.
These two shots are from Asakusa. Pictured below are walkways leading up to a gorgeous Buddhist temple. The walkway was lined with stalls and vendors selling all sorts of Japanese crafts, goods and gadgets. Above is a shot inside one of these stalls. The masks reminded me of a mask collection that hung in my house as a little girl. ;)

A Snowy Day

2009-01-12T00:47:00.000-08:00

Today is January 9th and it is the first heavy snow that I've experienced in Kanazawa. This region is known for its harsh winters and heavy snow (thus all of the tree supports). Even though the winters are wet and very slushy, some flowers survive and the ducks do not fly South!

The following pictures are of tree supports throughout Kenrokuen gardens.

The picture below is of a famous foot bridge in Kenrokuen.

(Below) A glass roof covered in snow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009-01-05T04:02:00.000-08:00

This new year was much more spiritual then the New Year celebrations in the states, which was a very nice change for me. The pictures below are taken at a large and lovely Buddhist temple called Natadera. There are winding paths through the woods into the surrounding hills and there are various places to pray (some of which are built within caves). In short, it was beautiful.

A little holiday fun

2008-12-27T05:26:00.000-08:00

Well, the fact of the matter is, I love the holidays. It's always been one of my favorite times of the year because I get to spend time with friends and family prepping for parties and celebrations. This year, I tried to infuse some of my holiday enthusiasm into my co-workers and friends. Some of the pictures below are in preparation for a Christmas party I had. I put people to work making snowflakes for decorations. Sometimes, simple crafts are the best!
Here's the Christmas cake I picked up from a fabulous French pastry shop.
To get in the holiday spirit, a friend and I watched a concert put on by our students. They were excellent!

There is an after school English conversation group and we had a little Christmas party complete with cookie decorating (above) and caroling (below).

Stay tuned for shots of the New Year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

New Term

2008-11-24T04:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is that time. A new term begins tomorrow, which invariably means I will not be posting for a little while... stay tuned... even for a couple of weeks/months!

Saipan-Sunsets

2008-11-24T04:35:00.001-08:00

These are various shots taken from the beach and from the sunset sail.

This next sequence was taken on the flight back to Japan :( A few more days on the island would have been fantastic. Especially when the weather in Kanazawa is cold, rainy and just all around dreary.

Saipan-Entertainment

2008-11-24T04:26:00.001-08:00

Our vacation wasn't what you would call "adventure-packed"; there was no mountain biking, para-sailing or banana boat rides... on the contrary it was very relaxing and niiiiiicccce. One night we took a sunset "cruise". That is our boat pictured below.

On another evening, we went to a dinner show, where we saw Chomorro dances and fire poi.

Saipan- Fauna and Flora

2008-11-24T04:08:00.000-08:00

Saipan- The Beach

2008-11-24T01:38:00.000-08:00

Saipan-Getting there

2008-11-24T00:10:00.001-08:00

As many of you know, I took quick 5 day break in Saipan. We left on NW Airs on Tuesday morning...

Here's a shot from the plane.Ah, there's my destination. Saipan. I was only there for 5 days, which of course, proved to be too short of a time.
I stayed at the Palms Resort Hotel. I had no idea what our hotel looked like, so when I saw this from the road I thought "damn, that place is pretty swanky" and I nearly fell out of my seat on the bus when we pulled in and I realized "damn, that's where I'm staying!"

The following pictures are views from the hotel. Below is the view from my balcony. Not bad, eh?
This is a shot of the mountains from the walkway.
A lovely chapel was part of the hotel, for any folks interested in a destination wedding.
The hotel came complete with a lagoon where tropical fish and reef sharks lived, a botanical garden, restaurants, cafes, kiosks, you know, the "normal" hotel/resort amenities.

Doing something right!

2008-11-13T02:05:00.000-08:00

Being a fairly new teacher can be discouraging for me sometimes... and then, sometimes, I get little reminders of why I love to teach.
When I asked my Japanese students if English was important for them, all but one answered "yes." As you can see, some of the answers were quite endearing.
Here's the last drawing of the term from my motivated student. Aww, shucks! I guess I'm doing something right!

End of the term

2008-11-13T01:58:00.001-08:00

This term was wonderful; my students possessed a high proficiency level and they were so motivated. The following drawings are from one of my most motivated students. He LOVES foreign languages and he really enjoyed writing an English journal.

End of the term

2008-11-12T19:16:00.001-08:00

It is the end of the term and we have about 10 days until the third term starts. Time is flying! I will post some photos a little later, I just don't have the motivation to go into the office today!

Adventures from two weeks ago-Oyama Mountain

2008-10-25T00:36:00.000-07:00

On the morning of October 15th. We were excited and ready to roll. And just in case you were wondering, you are not being flipped off. That's a peace sign :)

People kept asking "samui, ne?" And I kept saying, "no, no, it's not too cold." But it was cold enough to freeze this little puddle and to have snow on the top. It was my first snow in Japan! Yihaw!

This little hut is the halfway marker.

Buddah has kept a watchful eye over many a year and over many a traveler. I ws told it was there for wishing travelers a safe jouney.
This is nearly the top of Oyama. I've heard most people reach this point and then turn around, but we wanted to get to the tippy-top... so we kept on going.

This isn't the tippy-top, but it's beautiful, isn't it?

Adventures from 2 weeks ago- Oyama

2008-10-24T21:18:00.001-07:00

This sequence of photos dates back to October 13th. After exploring Kurobe Dam, Hye-Young and I worked our way to Murodo. That was our destination for the night. Pictured below is Hye-Young as we worked our way from the bus station, through the mountains and to our hotel.
There she blows! As we approached our hotel for the night, I couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive... the rough hewn look, with spikes coming out of the roof and windows boarded up... I wondered what kind of stay we would have.

Yes folks, that is Hye-Young, who fainted when she saw a cockroach the size of my head in our little room. No, no, no. I'm kidding- there were no cockroaches there. We were just sprawling out on the tatami after having had an early morning and a day of walking around.

To be honest, this particular hotel was nice; the people running it were wonderful, they had great meals, there was a heater in the room and the best part was the onsen (public baths) in the basement.

The following shots are of the mountains around the hotel. Beautiful!

The picture below is of a sulfur bog/hot spring.

Adventures from a week ago- Kurobe Dam

2008-10-23T01:29:00.001-07:00

Kurobe Dam, one of the biggest (if not the biggest dam) in all of Asia. This is the afternoon of October 13th... to be continued tomorrow... or more likely next week. :)

Adventures from a week ago - Foliage around Kurobe Dam

2008-10-23T01:11:00.000-07:00

Recently, someone asked me what the seasons were like here in Japan. There are four seasons where I am and I was lucky enough to see some gorgeous foliage during my overnight in the mountains. These photos are taken around the Kurobe Dam. The colors were beautiful. And as luck would have it, the days we were out were beautiful, too!
Oh, I should mention that the Japanese Alps are the homes of snow monkeys. I actually saw one from the bus while traveling though deciduous forests at lowever elevations. I was gazing out the window and thinking to myself, "ah, these forests are lovely. Rather reminicent of the forests in VT..." Then I saw a large furry creature and I thought "ah, maybe a skunk or another critted you'd find in the woods of the N.E. But then it turned and it had a little, red, expressive face. I gasped and nearly shouted "it's a monkey!" My friend responded with a "yeah, so?" To her it is rather commowplace to see monkeys in deciduous woods... for me, not at all! Anyhow, I was very excited to have seen one!

Adventures from a week ago- Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2008-10-23T00:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we didn't take planes or automobiles... but just about everything else to get out and into the mountains. My friend Hye-Young and I left for the Tateyama mountains in the early morning of October 13th. We took a train to get to our destination, then we had to hop on a couple of buses, cable cars that went through the mountains and even a gondola to get to our final destination for the night.

Pictured above and below is the cable car that we took on the first day.

This is Hye-Young looking cool and chic. She's probably the most stylish hiker I've ever seen.

Yup. That's me. Ready for an adventure!

Pictured below are shots taken on the train on our way to Tateyama.

KIT Fesitval

2008-10-17T20:10:00.000-07:00

The KIT festival is an annual event primarily planned and run by the students. It started in the evening on Friday, October 10th and it lasted until Monday, October 13th. Unfortunately for the students, the festival took place right after mid terms. Between tests and festival planning, everyone was VERY busy and quite tired.

There were decorations all around the campus, as well as food booths, games, activites and of course, studnet projects and work. The picture below depicts the library and some decorations on the right.
Various light projects made by the students.
Yeah! I love bouncy chickens, but I didn't think it'd be good for a "sensei" to give it a go. Maybe at a festival not affiliated with KIT.
There were a few famous people who came to talk/ perform. There was a famous and some famous comedians who performed for the KIT and surrounding community.
These are just a few of the food stands that lined the streets around campus. I ate my way through the festival; pork miso soup, crepes, chocolate bananas, tapioca chocolate milk, octopus fritters, potatoes from Hoikaido... I'm sure there's something else that should be on the list... Anyhow, I'm such a sucker; the stands were run by KIT students, so if my students saw me they'd pull me in to their stands and ask me to buy whatever it was they were selling. And of course, I would. All in all, it was a lot of fun to see them out of the classroom and in action.

Photo catch up time!

2008-10-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

I had the good fortune to be invited to a co-workers traditional Shinto wedding. This is a shot of the beautiful bride in her wedding kimono with the traditional make-up and hair-do.

The picture below depicts the kanushi, the man who presided over the wedding.

Here is a shot of the bride during the ceremony.
This is the beautiful place where the wedding was held. Beleive it or not, this is part of a hotel.

The next few shots are from a town festival called "Matsuri." Townfolk decorate the local shrine and celebrate! The children in the town practice the "Lion dance" for weeks. Then during Matsuri, the children play music and perform the dance (which is believed to drive evil spirits away) for the majority of houses in the neighborhood! This meant dancing from sun-up until sun-down for three days.

In the first shot, the children are wearing the town's garb.
In this shot, you can see the lion which has been possessed by evil spirits. The wise man on the left battles the lion and drives the evil spirit away.In the shot below, the older boys from Komatsu are pushing a cart with extra supplies for the dancers; the little wise-men danced with straw slippers and after hours of dancing on the concrete, their shoes would be completely ruined, so the older boys had extra shoes on hand.
After the sun sets and the dancing is done, everyone flocks to the shrine for food, dancing, games and socializing. Below is a picture of a game. Using a nail, people must carve shapes out of a flat, square piece of sugar without breaking it. When people succeed, they win a prize. I tried a few times, but broke all of my pieces!
Lanterns and lights adorn the plaza where taiko drumming took place and where the dancing took place.

A smattering of old pictures

2008-10-01T03:58:00.000-07:00

The above is taken at the Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. The cute critters I'm sitting with are from Totoro, a Miyazaki film.

This photo was taken in Korea while I was out in the mountains. Korean architecture is beautiful with vibrant colors and ornate details adorning the walls and roofs.
This shot was taken in Korea at my friend's house. This was before fall had come and it was SWELTERING... I mean, oppressively HOT, hot, hot. Mama-kins, you would have been extremely uncomfortable.

Yikes! How did two months slip by?

2008-09-09T03:47:00.001-07:00

Last time I wrote I was in the middle of my summer vacation. Two weeks into the new semester and vacation seems like it was ages ago! Tokyo was fantastic. What a cool city and so easy to get around; The metro system is quite impressive!

After Tokyo, I went to Korea for a few days and then I ended up back at "home" for a little R&R before school started. Whew! So here I am, back in the saddle again! Yi-haw!

The picture above is of two co-workers at a "100 yen sushi restaurant. " Little plates of sushi are made in the kitchen and put on a conveyer belt, which transport the sushi past the booths where customers sit. Customers can just grab whatever looks tasty! At 100 yen a plate (about 1 buck a piece) you can have some great sushi at a low price. It may not be the BEST sushi, but my palate is not such that I can distinguish really good sushi from the dollar stuff. Anyhow, I love it! Anyone who makes it out here for a visit will get to visit this place... so Chilly Bean, when are you coming out?

Yokahama

2008-07-14T22:04:00.001-07:00

A good friend of mine from Kanazawa has been staying in Yokahama where she's been taking boxing lessons. So naturally my co-workers and I went out for a visit. What a cool port town! When Japan opened its borders to foreigners, many moved to Yokahama so there is a strong European influence in the town's architechture and layout. The above pictures are at the Harbor View park and there were lovely fountains and gardens- not your typical Japanese layout.

Yokahama also boasts having the biggest China town in the country.

There is a very contemporary part of the city too, which makes for a very interesting contrast. You can walk down a street in China town and see dumplings for sale that are bigger than your head and then one street over you can find yourself in Motomachi, a contemporary and high end shopping sector, complete with Louis Vuitton and Tiffany's.

Of course, I need to mention the world's biggest ferris wheel is in Yokahama. You can see it in the cityscape pitured below, it's hidden behind the building on the right.

Ah, there it is. We waited in line for about 1/2 an hour to ride the ferris wheel and the ride was a mere single revolution- that lasted for about 15 minutes.

2008-07-11T03:02:00.000-07:00

While walking down the street in a foreign country, one may come across sights that beg for questions, such as "How does a horse bum sticking out of the wall help advertising?"

While giving directions you could say, go straight until you get to the horse bum and then take your next right. It is memorable, right?

Ah, this one was fun. What does an organic restaurant, camel and westie have to do with one another? Any guesses? I'd probably be able to tell you had I gone into the restaurant... sorry guys!

I actually thought of my dear mama when I saw the westie sign hanging off the camel's ear. Yes, I often see things that remind me of my fam!

Take me out to the ball game

2008-07-10T00:03:00.001-07:00

I saw my first professional ball game last night. It was a showdown between the Swallows and the Tigers. Now, with names like that, who do you think won? The Swallows or the Tigers? Yes, sad to say, the mighty Swallows lost to the Tigers, 7- 9. Irregardless, it was great fun to see fans cut loose and get a little crazy. Between umbrella dances, cheering and jeering, cute, young girls walking around with mini-kegs on their backs while cute, young men sold cold, bottled beer, there was never a dull moment. Oh, Sake was also available, which of course, helped the crowd get a little more loose and lewd. Yeah, baby! I loved it!

Here is a shot of the foreign fan club for the Swallows. Pictured left to right is Carolyn, Hye Young, Thatcher, Chris and myself.

Chris is the young man responsible for introducing us to Japanese baseball. He is a die-hard fan (please note that he is sporting a Swallows baseball cap) who has come so many games that the vendors know him. Now, for the ladies on the left; don't let their loveliness fool you, they are crazy baseball fans too.

Personally, I have to say I've never been a big baseball fan, nor a fan of any sports team, for that matter. However, if I stayed in Tokyo long enough, I could easily become a fan/groupie! GO SWALLOWS, GO!

Tokyo

2008-07-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

They call it the concrete jungle and it seems to be aptly named; afterall the city is hot, humid, and teeming with wild life. And unbelievably so, this small town gal is loving. I've never felt so safe and have been able to get around so easily in such a big city. Nor have I ever met so many helpful people.

Picture this: a co-worker and I rolled into town at 6:00 am on July 5th. Bleary eyed-we rolled our luggage and draged our carcasses out of the bus station... we needed to find the subway station, but where? As we looked at the subway maps and scratched our heads in confusion, a nearby security guard reprimanded 3 hoodilums for skateboarding in the streets.

Upon asking the guard to help us find the red line, one of the so-called "hoodilums" literally came leaping over to us and said "How can I help you?" When he found out where we wanted to go, he tucked his skateboard under his arm and he and his friends led us to the red line, showed us how to pay and sent us on our merry way. This was my first interaction in the big city and I knew right away that I'd like it here.

My neck of the woods

2008-06-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

The illustrious EEC building. This happens to be my home away from home.

Outside my apartment, there's a lovely little park and a bikpath along the river. The building in this shot is the library on KIT campus. The library is where I teach my classes.

Welcome to Tamura Residence aka "The KIT dormitory." There are at least 6 English teachers living in this building, but it is right next to the school, so who could blame me for wanting to live so close?

Home sweet home. I was lucky to be able to move into a furnished apartment. With that said, I am making small changes so that it feels more like my place.

Bamboo Groves

2008-05-18T01:04:00.001-07:00

Just a mere 15 minute bikeride from the city, one can arrive in the mountains and enjoy walking through the bamboo groves. It's wonderful having the groves so close; sometimes one has to get out of the concrete!

These mild-mannered deer run wild in the grove and from what I understand, many Japanese have never seen one; it was a lucky day.

We began our walk with pleasure.

It was my first time in a bamboo grove, so naturally, I was excited.

This is a bamboo shoot and the brown "skin," if you will, is surprisingly soft. As the bamboo gets taller, the soft fuzz peels away and reveals a startling green.

Hot Mama "Charis" Cherries

2008-05-06T00:23:00.001-07:00

The "Hot Mama Cherries" are referring to our bikes. Picture Julie Andrews with a slew of the Von Trapp children on thier single-geared bikes singing "Do Re Mi". That was us, complete with singing, on Sunday the 11th. We decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and ride to the ocean (1.5-2 hours) for a kite festival.

Ahhh, we made it.

The festival itself was really neat. There were international kite flying troups who performed to the beat of music; that is, 6 kites were choreographed to move simultaneously to the chosen piece.

Good Eats

2008-05-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you probably know that one thing I make sure to do well is to eat well. At first, I thought that I would be hard-pressed to find anything that I liked... was I ever WRONG.

Left: Set lunch

Left: Flaming Squid. A good snack with drinks.

Left: Green Tea "Macha" and dessert

Kenroku-en Garden

2008-05-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

Kenrokuen is one of Japan's most famous gardens. It is considered to have the 6 qualities of perfection: antiquity, artifice, seclusion, spaciousness, abundant water and spectacular panoramic views.
Ancient fountains, waterfalls, ponds, winding paths, cherry trees, teahouses and bridges make this garden lovely. However, the cherry blossom festival, complete with paper lanterns and throngs of reverant locals (and tourists), make the garden all the more gorgeous.

Settling in

2008-04-29T03:33:00.001-07:00

It's been a little over a month and life in Japan is going quite well. It's been amazing to see how quickly one can adapt to a new life and new surroundings. Even more surprising is how quickly one can learn to function in a society without being able to read or speak the language!