Shizen Gakuen Koko (Highschool)

As you can tell from the above photo (and my title of this blog :P ) I got a new camera. It is a Canon IXY Digital 910 IS. It has 8 mega pixels, a fantastic wide zoom lens, lots of features, and I am tickled happy with it.

So I decided to take some pictures of my schools to show you just where I work.

The first set of pics are taken at my school "Shizen Gakuen". It is a private Christian High school, located in a mountainous, rural area about 1 hour from the capital city of Yamanashi-ken, Kofu. It is a special school, in that it takes in students who have have had trouble completing high school within the traditional school system. Some students have been bullied, others have learning difficulties, and others have fallen behind due to illness or injuries. The class size is very small (once class I teach has five students, while another only has one student). They have a philosophy of building studenets positive sense of self by providing them individual attention and encouragement. The school building is quite old and fairly run down, but the students and teachers are kind and happy.

Here is a little tour of the school:If you step outside the back door of the school and across a wooden boardwalk to a separate small building you will reach the washrooms. If you glance to your left while you are walking you will get this view of the hidden area, covered in bright green grasses, behind the main building.

After finishing in the washroom, if you walk across the boardwalk again, to your left you will find a large old washbasin to rinse your hands at.


To get back in the school you just step up a few steps and through an old blue, metal, sliding door.
After coming through the back door you will see the main entrance to the school in front of you. To the left of the entrance, are the shelves where all the students store their shoes. Once they enter the school they must remove their outdoor shoes and put on clean, white school sneakers.
If you look down on the floor beside the front entrance, you will see, spread out on some old tatami matting, a large pile of beans. Most of the beans are still in their dried twisted pods, while a small pile have been freed from their pods. You might see the "tea lady" walk over, squat down and begin to silently work pulling beans from their pods. These beans have been grown in the large green field stretching out in front of the school.
If you turn away from the main entrance and look to your right, you will see the long main hall of the school stretching out. It's lime green and yellow walls, which are peeling paint in some places, are lined with piles of old textbooks, teacher materials, and school records.

If you turn to your left and step through the first door you will find yourself in the staff room. In it are even more books, piled on the floors and all the desks. Even the window sill is framed by precarious looking piles of notebooks.And if you look to your left, just above where the tea lady has left the tea pot and china cups, you will see a dried, faded rose tacked to the wall. You might wonder when it was put there and by whom.

...I will post more pictures from my other schools soon.

I almost died in a thunderstorm and other unbelievably true tales

because I haven't posted in forever I will give you all some short little snippits of what I have been up to...

I went to a hi matsuri ("fire festival") at the base of mount Fuji in the city of Fujioshida. As far as the eye could see there stretched great bonfires down the main street. In the side streets families gathered to build small towers of flame in front of their homes. Sparks flew, chanting was heard, people danced, drums were beaten, and there was magic in the air.

I went for a walk near my house and the most awesome thunderstorm struck over head. I had to duck under a neighbors carport. The thunder moved at a frightening speed from behind the mountains (from all sides) and until it was directly over my head. The thunder was deafening and the rain came down torrents. I was actually screaming with fright (I called up a friend in Kyoto, to tell her "if you don't hear from me again, I may have been struck by lightening").

I got stuck in Tokyo when a powerful Typhoon hit. All the buses, trains, and roads back to Yamanashi-ken were shut down. I hid inside my girlfriend's house. We had to pull metal shutters over the windows (in case something flew at the window and broke it), but we heard outside all the raging winds and ocassional crashing of things flying through the sky. The next morning we found laundry someone had hung to dry transported to the top of the hedges and some minor damage to the houses around the neighborhood. But the sky was surprisingly clear and the sun was bright (as if nature was fickle and had so soon forgot the angry storm that had raged the night before).


I went to a massive hanabi (fireworks) display in the town of Isawa (about 10 minutes by train from my city of Kofu). It is the same town that had the samurai battle along a river last spring. Now the river was lined with people - men & ladies in yukata (summer kimono) and children running about acting adorable. Many people had laid tarps by the river (I was scolded by an old Japanese man for not taking my shoes off before I walked across one of these...oops). The fireworks display was massive. The river was right near where I and my friends were sitting so I almost felt like I could reach out and touch the great colorful bursts of light that exploded above (the word hanabi ...literally means "fire flower").

I am back at teaching now at my 7 junior & senior highschools...after teaching many lessons on "how was my summer vacation" (the students made posters or drew pictures for me and then presented in front of the class) I am now moving on to more wacky lessons, like having an "alien invasion" in the class, writing up the diologue for a children's story book, having "sentence races", and playing "hungry shark". I love my kids :)

And I have also just been spending a lot of time in Tokyo hanging out with my girlfriend, going out to eat Thai food with my friends, exploring new neighborhoods (like the bohemian "Kichijoji" area where you can buy gelato, watch artists paint people's pet dogs, listen to bands play, watch lovers paddling boats on a lake, and go vintage clothes shopping) and dancing all night...

life is good
grace

Tokyo Pride Parade

I was so proud to have marched last weekend in the Tokyo Pride Parade.

Here is an article about the event.

*waves a rainbow flag*

(this is copied from an email I sent dad - cause I am too lazy to type a separate message)

Yes, I'm back in Japan now. It was a bit of a stress when I arrived at the airport...

First I was given the wrong form (for arriving into the country) to fill out so I had to stand in a long line twice. It took me so long, that when I went to claim my baggage I was told "everyone already collected their bags from that flight" and I should go over to a "bag information counter". Luckily my bag was there (the very last one to be claimed for my entire plane)

Then I went to buy my bus ticket to get to Shinjuku (where I would meet my girlfriend Sayuri). So I got a ticket and head outside to where the bus stops were. They stretched in a long numbered line along the side of the street. I check my ticket (which was all in Japanese) and saw the #2, so I headed to the #2 bus stop and asked a guy who is putting bags in the bus there if this is the right stop for my ticket. He took a glance at my ticket and said the "2" stood for "terminal 2" and pointed to another number (#30) written on my ticket, saying that was my bus stop.

So, (lugging my cart with my heavy bag) I made the long walk from #2-#30 bus (did I mention that it was SOOO HOT and MUGGY? I felt like I was walking in a sauna).

But, when I got to the #20 bus stop I noticed there were no more bus stops after that. So, I approached a lady who is loading bags into the #20 bus, and asked her "where is the #30 bus stop?". She took one look at my ticket and said "this is not a bus ticket, this is a train ticket" (keep in mind my ticket was all printed out in Japanese).

ARG.

They had given me the wrong ticket at the counter.

I don't want to take a train because I have my huge suitcase to lug with me. So, the lady tells me I have to go back to the counter I bought the ticket and get a refund and then buy a bus ticket.

So, I walked all the way back to the ticket counter. But, then I was told by the lady behind the counter that I have to go down one floor to the "train information counter" to refund the train ticket & THEN come back and buy a bus ticket from her counter.

OH MY GOD!!

I was near tears by this time.

So, I find an elevator and get down to the bottom floor. I am looking around but I don't see the "train information counter". So, again, I have to ask someone (while fighting back tears of frustration).

Finally, I find this counter but it is so crowded, so I have to take a number an wait (by this time I have been at the airport for an hour and a half and it feels like it is in the middle of the night to me because of the time difference).

Eventually, I do get my refund and the proper bus ticket and get on the bus to Shinjuku.

Okay, so I am on the bus and there are like a whole bunch of accidents. The traffic is barely moving. As a result, the trip which should have taken 1 1/2 hours, takes over 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to Shinjuku.

The only saving grace out of this whole fiasco was that Sayuri was waiting for me in Shinjuku and surprised me by booking us a room in the Tokyo Hyatt (we got a fantastic panoramic view of Shinjuku).

Needless to say, I was so jet lagged after getting to Tokyo; but, I still was determined to have a good time.

On Saturday was the Tokyo Pride Parade. It was so different from the Vancouver Pride Parade. While the Vancouver parade gets a lot of support and sponsorship from the city, the Tokyo parade feels more outside at the fringes of society. They didn't even shut down the road we were walking on, so we had to be careful to not getting hit by passing cars in other lanes.The floats weren't as big and as elaborate. I recognized many people marching, as our community is so small and close knit here. It felt really important to be out there and walking and being vocal and representing our community (more so than in Vancouver where the society acknowledges and is more accepting of the queer community). I waved my rainbow flag I got in Vancouver proudly as I walked. It was REALLY HOT and MUGGY. But we tried to keep our spirits high, dancing in the streets and spraying people around us with water guns. It was a good experience.

Love and Miss you all
grace

rain rain go away

ya, so its raining. This is not just any rain, this is the "rainy season". You open any calendar in Japan and the picture for the month of June & July will inevidably be an image of a geisha with an umbrella or some such wet image. This is not like the kind of rain I am used to in Vancouver. It is more like a monsoon. The air is hot and sticky as the rain comes down in absolute torrents.

I was riding my bicycle today. I have just begun to feel proud of the fact that I have "mastered" the art of riding with one hand holding an umbrella while the other holds a handlebar for dear life. But, then the "rainy season starts" and here I am trying to balance 2 grocery bags on both handlebars, hold only one handlebar, not poke passers by with the edges of my yellow umbrella, while at the same time move in a straight line through a wall of rain. Don't even ask how I stop at red lights or navagate corners. I don't. I had two near collisions today with pedestrians who yelled "Abunai desu yo!!" (that is dangerous!) at me. Oh dear. Maybe I am not such a master of the one-handed-bike-riding thing, yet, afterall.

To make things worse, with the beginning of the "rainy season" also comes the beginning of the "bug season". Here is a lowdown on what I mean by the little (seemingly innocent word) "bug".

1. I have COCKROACHES!! *screams*

[warning: long-winded cockroach story ahead]

Yes, I saw my first one about a month ago. It was stairing up at me from, of all places, the BATHTUB! (arn't someplaces sacred??). I was actually on the phone with my friend Fred at the time and (after some hyperventalating...after all, this is only the SECOND cockroach I have EVER SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE!). I ran and got a large kitchen knife. I will spare you the details, but needless to say, that cockraoch would have no more baths in my tub again!

I saw the second cockroach in my apartment a few days ago. I opened up the cupboard below my sink in my kitchen and the little guy looked up at me innocently. Immediately I grabbed for the handy massive kitchen chopping knife, but the litter bugger had magicly scampered away into some unkown crack and vanashed. Bugger.

Luckily, my predessesor who lived in this apartment had left me a large arsenal of anti-bug remidies. One such thing was a package of little roach motels. So I popped one open and stuck it in the cupboard and hoped for the best.

That night, I had a horrible dream that a cockraoch was climbing over me in my sleep (I have a futon so I sleep right at cockroach level...).

The next day, I was at one of my schools and related my "tales of cockroach woe" to the english teacher I was working with, Shindo Sensei. She related the following tale to me...

"Your predessor Eric had a girlfriend. One day she was in his apartment (now yours) and she was brushing her teeth. She was sitting on their bed. She happened to look behind her and suddenly she saw a cockroach stairing back up at her from the pillow with beady eyes!! She threw her toothbrush down and started screaming. So, of course, Eric grabbed the kitchen knife and attacked the cockroach".

Oh dear. Of course this little tale did little calm my near-panic.

So, today, I saw my 3rd cockroach (maybe the same bug that got away last time). I had opened the cupboard below the sink and suddenly he jumped out and ran acroos the kitchen floor and under the fridge. So, what about my little roach motel? I peeked in and (woot!) a lil baby cockroach had checked in.

I feel like I should be keeping a running tally

ME vs Cockroach
2 - 2

(aka 2 escapes/2 catches)

I will beat these buggers if its last thing I do!!

2. There are mosquitos EVERYWHERE...i currently have about 5 bites. One got me right on the cheek and I have a huge swollen red bump now (it looks like I just got punched in the face...charming).

3. Ants. Yesterday I was at my computer and an ant just walked by me like it was totaly normal to be hanging out in my apartment. I always leave my sliding doors open, but with the screen doors shut. But, this lil guy must have found his way in through a crack. Later on, on the same day, i was in the kitchen and I saw a little black ant climbing up my counter trying to get at my stash of rasins. eeeek.

IM BEING INVADED by BUGS! *waves a little flag in an attempt to call a truce*

*The lil bugs have a collective laugh at my misery and continue on in their evil buggy ways*

Oh, in other less buggy news. I am tickled happy because I got a flapper costume today for my burlesque debut on July 14th in Tokyo.

Here is the details of my costume (do not read if you live anywhere near Tokyo and want to see me perform...its a surprise for you)

- buttercup yellow long sleevless top trimed in white lace.
- white lace trimed slip to go beneath
- flesh-toned, just past the knee stockings with black hem running up the back
- white flapper-style heels
- white boa
- long shimmery beaded necklace
- white lacy garter
- and other unmentionables ;)

I will be performing to the song "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp

My new moto:

Be fabulous & fearless

Good times.

scattered on the ground

On the night of July 6th 1945, 131 U.S. B-29's droped hot napalm (firebombed) Kofu, Japan (the city where I now live). It was estimated that about 1027 people were immediately killed durring this one night (and many more critically injured). Only four days later, on July 10th 1945, a second wave of attack came. 600 firebombing B-29s destroyed nearly two-thirds of Kofu. Waves of hot flames engulfed the city. By the end of the war, it is estimated that 78.6% of the city had been destroyed by firebombing.

B-29s. Image taken durring the earlier firebombing of Tokyo in March 1945

********

Just outside the apartment where I live now is the remains of a temple that was destoryed durring the firebombing of July 1945.

(remains of wall and entry stone of temple)

Small pieces of clay roof tile still lay scattered on the ground on the path I ride my bike on from my apartment everyday.
There is an old black-and-white photograph hanging beside the remains of the temple. In the faided photograph you see an image of the small, beautiful, former temple that once stood.
Now, only stone statues, huddled together in a cluster, are what remain of the temple. These statues are covered by a blue corrogated metal roof that was put up after the destruction of the war.

Near the remains of this temple there is a house. Often as I am leaving home on my bike I pass it and see an old obasan (grandmother) sitting with her back bent in the sun. (jizo bodhisattva's and old house behind)

I always smile and say "konichiwa" and she always looks up surprised and greets me too with a beaming face. I wonder now, where she was as a teenager durring the war. Was she living in Kofu then? Did she flee into the surrounding mountains when the warning pamphets were dropped by American troops before the napalm fell? Did she loose her family home? Did she loose any of her family or friends? Unfortunately, she knows no English and I know too little to ask her in Japanese (as well as, I feel it would be to personal a question to ask the sweet old lady). But, I still wonder.

I wonder what it was like for the many people living in Kofu durring the war. I see so few old buildings in the city and know it is because so few remain after the war. I go to Kofu Train Station and I see another black and white photo displayed. This one is a panoramic shot of the city after the July 6th firebombing. There is nothing but ash and rubble and a few people with lost looks in their eyes.

Its not guilt that I feel today, almost 62 years after the firebombing in my city, rather, it is empathy for all these many people that suffered through and died those many years ago. They whisper still to me from the broken tiles of the temple roof that still lay, all these many years later, scattered on the dusty ground.

********

But, as we all know no situation is ever black and white. There is never a simple good vs bad dicotomy in the world.

To illustrate this, take a look at this picture.

This is an image of crew K-65 "The city of Evanstan". This photo was taken just immediately before the crew boarded their planes and firebomb Kofu on July 6th 1945.

Do these look like horrible murderers to you? No, they look like a group of young twenty-something guys. But, indeed, they did fight in a battle that would result in the death of 1000 + civilians that very night.

"What is absurd and monstrous about war is that men who have no personal quarrel should be trained to murder one another in cold blood" - Aldous Huxley

********

The only conclusion I can come to, is that, simply put, war is a horrible, dispicable thing that societies MUST always seek to avoid. Always in wars there are no winners and loosers. All sides loose something precious - be it innocence, empathy, limbs or life.

"There never was a good war or a bad peace"
- Benjamin Franklin

"Today the real test of power is not capacity to make war
but capacity to prevent it" - Anne O'Hare McCormick

grave of the fireflies

A Brand New You

There is a online forum for ALT's in my area of Japan. A few days ago one of the ALT's posted the question "what has changed about you since you've been in Japan". Her question created alot of responses from those in my area. This was my response:


I have realized the true value of...

friendship: which definetly takes precidence over any romantic relationships

living in the moment: because this is all temporary in Japan, I have come to treasure the experiences I have & people I meet that much more.

fearlessness: I am less afraid of being exuberant about who I am

patience: waiting through all the bloody red lights here and looong moments of silence before I can get an answer to a problem has taught me this.

gratitude: for all the kindness that I have been shown by my supervisor (he brought me medicine, yogurt, juice to my apartment when I was sick), co-workers (that have made me feel so welcomed in their schools), & friends (who make me so happy that I don't feel quiet so homesick).

adventurousness: I have had many EPIC adventures since I have come to Japan and seen so many beautiful places. I only want to continue my life (wherever I may be) living brilliantly; always seeking out new things and trying those things I am afraid of ( yay for facing my fear of heights and trying snowboarding!).

happiness: I have learned the true value of happiness after going through lonely, down times, durring my time here. I have learned that nomatter what, happiness will be there just waiting around the corner. All I need to do is keep walking and, eventually, I will stumble right over it.

I am blessed with so many things. It is a very humbling experience being here.

Dancing in Shinjuku

leaves

My thoughts are scattered
leaves twisting in the sky.
I want to catch them
And press them down.
Lay a paper over them,
And trace, with a fat red crayon,
Their impression.
Then hang the colourful image,
With a shiny tack,
Against my white wall.

Matsumoto Castle!

Last saturday I jumped on a train and headed over to the city of Matsumoto (about 1 1/2 hour by train west of Kofu). I heard there was a fantastic black & white castle there, so I had to see it for myself...here is some pictures I took, enjoy!

The main road was lined with traditional Japanese shops

I discovered a quaint side street lined with vegetable shops & small craft stores.
I sat down at a little coffee shop here that was playing 1930's swing music & had a cappaccino.

Continuing on towards the castle, I discovered,
tucked between two modern cement buildings,
an old temple that had been converted into an antique book shop.

As I approached the castle,
I saw two school girls eraptured by the golden carp ...
...and two beautiful swans basking in the afternoon sun.
Then I saw the castle!

I went inside the castle, climbed its five floors
and was presented with this stunning view from the top.

In my journey to the top of the castle I saw many ancient samurai swords, guns, & armor
as well as everyday items such as bowls, tea pots & hair combs displayed within.

I then walked from the castle, across a beautiful red bridge, to the
tree-covered park surrounding the castle.

Looking back on the castle,
I saw the two white swans, that I had seen before,
swimming gracefully by.

But, the sun was getting low and I had to return back on the train to Kofu...

...so, I took one last long glance at the beautiful
black & white castle & bid it goodnight.

:)

random rambling

Ya, so for once I'm just going to use this blog as blogs are ment to be used - to ramble.

Okay, first off It is wickedly hot here right now. The heat is hanging in the air like this massive elephant hanging off a trapeze. Or some such thing. It just hangs there, big and mamoth and unignorable (if that is a word? - well it is now). Not only is it hot but it is moist and sticky. They actually sell pads for your underarms here to absorb all the excess sweat. I know, how charming.

Today it was actually 29 degrees celcius in the junior high classroom I was teaching in(they actually had a thermometer tacked to the wall. How thoughtfull of them).

I was starting to feel like a lobster. That is, that I had been stuck in a giant pot of tepid water upon coming to Japan, only to have some devious chef slowly crank the heat. It happened oh so slowly, that suddenly I was cooking and I didn't even have time to yelp (if lobsters can yelp that is?).

Ya, so I was in this classroom finding it hard to string a coherent sentence together (have you ever tried to talk to a room full of half alive sweating 13 year olds while you are also half alive, sweating, and feel about the mental age of a lobster? No, I didn't think so.). When, suddenly I hapened to notice: "Hey arn't those big vent looking-appliances on the ceiling AIRCONDITIONERS??!!"For a moment I felt a rising sense of excitment. Could there be some hidden switch that I could have the power of flicking and thus unleash a wave of cool blissful magic? (oh dear).

So, I turn to the JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) I am working with and point at the ceiling contraptions and ask expectantly: "are those airconditioners?". To which she replied: "Yes". To which I replied, "um, are they not on?" (dumb question of course as I stand there drenched in perspiration.) "No, they are not on". Oh dear. This conversation wasn't going anywhere, time for some direct questioning. "Can we turn them on?", I finally muster. "Oh no," she said, "only when it is very hot can we turn them on". "VERY HOT??!", I screamed in my head, "what like when my toes start MELTING???" Veigly she added, "I think when it is maybe over 30 degrees". Oh dear, that didn't sound very promising. I guess I'll just have to suck it up (that is until I run away to wonderfully mild vancouver for 3 weeks in July!!)

Well, on the upside I was kept a bit cooler today by the fact that I was wearing a wonderful new skirt I bought in Harajuku yesterday.

First off, for those who are not familiar with the manic-rainbow-punk-rock-bliss that is Harajuku I'll elaborate. It is an area of Tokyo where many of the young, and wanabe young come out from their suburban homes to dress like life-size strawberry shortcake dolls and naughty french maids. Its a place where overly taned 40 year olds can plug in some alternative "jazz" and do improviational dance. It is where groups of kids covered only in blackness and studs can huddle together on the cement and exchange mix cds. Its a place where you can trample through the nearby park and end up either at a shinto shrine where a Japanese couple is having a traditional wedding, or stumble across a group of guys dancing to "You ain't nothing but a hound dog" while dressed in leather and tight pants and hair straight out of Grease. Basicly its a freakshow (and I mean that in every possibly good way).

So, ya, I bought a skirt. Now, this is not just any skirt. Lets just say I discovered the shop that was selling it by following these two girls dressed like matching lolitas (complete with frilly dresses, knee socks and mary janes) up a rickety flight of steps. Inside this shop were the most fantstic costumes bathed under the glow of several HUGE chandeliers. There were "naughty" geisha kimonos, school girl uniforms, elizabethian (shortened) gowns; basicly every posible combination of lace, leather, ribbon, and plaid you could imagine.

I saw my skirt the moment I entered. It called to me - a poofy white 50's length skirt covered in bright red cherries. There was even a bow at the back and a bit of poofy crinolin peeping out. I nearly fainted. It was so me in a gaudy-sweet-charming way.

So, yes, I wore this skirt to my school today. And, yes, my students gave a loud corus of "kawaii!!" (cute) when I entered the classroom (of course I hammed it up and did a few spins around the room).

Speaking of which, this is definetly something I will miss when I do leave Japan - the constant ego stroking I get here from my students. Only a person with a heart of iron would not blush with glee upon being told on a daily basis that they are (one or more of the following): "so cute/pretty/have a small face (I really never thought about the diameter of my face until all these students started pointing it out, oh dear)/have long arms(a couple old ladies who were stairing at me - while I was naked - in the Onsen kept rattling on about the length of my arms...go figure) /have nice hair ("is it real??" - I am blond and therefore a constant source of curiousity to my students)/sing very well (of course I just burst out in song at any oportunity).

I seriously would recomend that anyone with a low self esteem spend a year teaching in junior highschools in Japan. I SWEAR you will be magically cured of all feelings of inadaquacy.

What is more, you will feel like a celebrity. I have students CHASING ME ON THEIR BIKES through the streets yelling: "GRACE SENSEI!!" All my neighbours say hello, gauranteed, everythime I pass (now, could you imagine that happening anywhere in Vancouver?)

Basicly, I spend alot of my time with a stupid grin on my face because "heck I'd have to be crazy not to be happy" (okay, now that sounded a bit crazy. Actually I do have down days, but don't tell anyone I told you ;)

Oh dear. Okay, I think thats enough for today. I hope you are all doing gleefully. And if not gleefully, atleast getting by and staying positive about better things to come.

*hugs*
grace

videos

I posted a few videos on youtube that you guys might like to watch.

The first is a video of the really sweet goodbye spoken-word rendition of Rascal Flatt's "My Wish". Performed by my dad and brother, Chris. awwwww...

My Wish

The second is the first episode in a series I'm making called "Only in Japan". This one features a crazy fan dance performance at a club - "The Music Box" - in Kofu.

Fan Dance

The third is the second episode in that series "Only in Japan". This one features pictures and video of the beautiful plum blossoms (that were featured in my last post) of Misaka.

Peach Blossoms

Enjoy!
Grace

ps. don't expect too much as I only have windows movie maker to work with. cheers!

Peach blossoms in Misaka

Two good friends of mine, Olivia & Lynn, both live in a small town east of Kofu called Misaka. In this town there are many grape vines, cherry trees, and peach trees. About a month ago the peach blossoms were in full, radiant bloom. It was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Here are some pictures I took...enjoy.

Kofu Castle in spring

I thought I'd share with you all some really pretty pictures of Kofu Castle durring the hight of the Sakura (cherry blsoom) season.







(#1) A row of sakura trees lining a road leading to the enterance of Kofu Castle.












(#2) The southern edge of the castle wall and surrounding moat















(#3) Many people come and lay out tarps and drink and eat and revel under the trees for "hanami" (hana=flower; mi=to look at; so literally hanami=flower viewing).















(#4) within the castles main walls criss-crosses a low boundary wall. Small sakura trees bloom and in the distance beautiful mountains lay.

(#5) the northern wall of the castle and sakura trees in a sea of blossoms.

The many adventures of one girl in Japan...

Ya, so sorry I have not updated for a LOOOONG time...far to busy doing far to many things....

Here is a really quick update of some adventures I have had...

1. SAMURAI FESTIVAL!!

I went to a massive samurai festival that is held every spring in Kofu at our local castle. It was EPIC. It is held in honor of Lord Takeda Shingen

He lived and ruled over the area that is now Yamanashi-ken back in the 1500's. He fought many battles against Uesugi Kenshin who ruled in the north (in what is now Nagano-ken). So, in honor of him locals (and fellow gaijin) dress in authentic samurai apparal and play the roles of Lord Shingen and his many generals and army as well as Uesugi Kenshin and his many generals and army.

Women are also welcome to play parts as samurai in the army of Lord Shingen or Kenshin or play one of Lord Shingen's many wives.

There is a great procession of all the samurai from Kofu castle towards Kofu station and down the main street (Hewa-dori). Some ride horses and others go on foot. Great fires are lit on either side of the street. Deafening guns are shot and many battle cries are heard (Hey hey Hoooohhhhh! Hey hey HOOOHHHH!). It is really quite an epic sight.

The next weekend in a neighbouring town of Isawa on a great grass field near a river there is an actual MASSIVE battle renactment between Lord Shingen and Lord Kenshin.

Bonfires are lit by the river and the opposing troops run at eachother with swords raised and battle it out. Some of the samurai even dive into the river and go at it there. Deep red blood (aka dye) streams through the water. Smoke from the fires and many guns clouds the field. You have to blink a few times because it all looks so real (or perhaps like a scene from The Last Samurai).
Good times.

2. The Nashi-500 (aka a MASSIVE SCAVENGER HUNT!!)

a bunch of JETS in my ken set up a HUGE scavanger hunt that took us all over Yamanashi-ken. We all formed groups and themes and drove all around our beautiful ken on a great adventure. I signed up at the last minute so I ended just with one other gal - Kat in her car. I dressed in flapper gear (complete with boa and flapper hat).

The first round of the game we were given a list of hints about places in the ken (like Onsen - hot springs), famous temples, etc that we had to solve. After solving the riddles of the places, we had to drive to them and take a digital photo as evidence of our journey.

The next round we were given a list of "challanges" that we had to perform. Such as "take a picture of you hugging an old lady, take a picture of you with atleast 3 students in school uniform, kiss a fast food mascot (!), take a picture with a police officer, play pachinko, etc" It was a crazy time.

After the whole adventure we met up at a restaurant in Minobu (a beautiful area of Yamanashi-ken south of Kofu) were we partied, set off fireworks, and awarded certificates to the winners of the scavenger hunt (Our group came in 4th place, oh dear!).

3. Many other crazy Adventures

I went to Saitama (the area North of Tokyo) for Golden week (a national 4 day holiday in spring) and spent the weekend at a women's retreat with a bunch of wonderful ladies. We had a bbq for two days along a river; played alot of live music together; played tennis, volleyball and soccer; bonded and partied...good times were had by all...

I travelled to Kyoto and Osaka (I took the bullet train or Shinkansen for the first time!!) and hung out with a gal (Pixie) I met durring golden week...we danced all night in Osaka, ate wonderful food, went out for karaoke (where we sang show tunes), and basicly had a good wild time...

I've made many new friends near and around Tokyo who I now often go out dancing with in Tokyo.

So, basicly, I am living it up. Life is sweet and good and I am doing fabulous.

Sakura and Sweet Incense

*happy sigh* hello all, I have just returned home from the vacation of a lifetime...I spent four-and-a-half days in Kyoto and completely fell inlove with the city.

As I said in my last post I don't want to be spending as much time on the internet, so I will sum up my experience briefly.

On thursday night I arrived in Kyoto with my friend Lynn (after a 7 hour train ride from Kofu, good god!). Our hostel was right near Nijo-jo castle in Kyoto so we decided to explore the inside of the castle right away.

The floors of the castle are called "nightengale floors" because they make chirping sounds as an ancient security measure as you walk along them. The walls throughout the castle were painted with beautiful images of cranes and tigers.

Later that evening after dinner we wandered back to the castle at night to see the grounds all lit up by lanters. Pink sakura trees were also illuminated with perfectly placed lighting. I took a picture of the moon shinning brightly through the branches heavy with blossom. After taking pictures, we watched three ladies give a koto (japanese harp) performance on the side of the castle. The music was hauntingly beautiful. Afterwords two young guys had a jam session using several taiko drums and a japanese flute. The night air was warm and sented with incense.

The next day, on friday, we headed out early from our hostel to see the most famous temple in Kyoto- Kinkaku-ji (aka "the Golden Pavilion"). I read a novel with the same name, by Yukio Mishima, based on the history of the temple.

Originally built in 1397 and covered in real gold leaf, the golden temple was eventually burned to the ground in 1950's by a young monk who was said to have developed a jelous obsession with the beautiful temple.

It was later rebuilt and covered in brilliant new layer of gold leaf.

Unfortunately it was a bit of a cloudy day when we went to see the temple, so we didn't get a chance to see the pavilion sparkling in all its glory and reflecting in the pond below it. Still, it was an awesome sight to behold.

Afterwords I took a traditional tea ceremony at a tea house overlooking the gardens surrounding the pavilion.

We wandered on to Ryoan-ji Temple neary by that is famous for its kare-sansui(dry landscape) zen garden. There are a collection of 15 rocks surrounded by raked sand. They are so placed that there is only one spot as to where you are able to see all rocks visible at the same time. We sat and meditated for a bit and then explored the surrounding moss covered gardens.

Then we took a bus to the western Kyoto outskirts to Ginkaku-ji ("Silver Pavilion"). This temple was built by the grandson of the golden pavilion creator, but he never got around to covering it in silver. Despite the temples lack of glitter it was really lovely all nestled at the base of a wonderful garden trailing up the side of a hill. We wandered beneath tree cloaked pathways, over moss and scattered blossoms.





Then we moved onto the most beautiful walk known as the "Path of Philosophy". The walk followed a canal blanketed on both sides with pink and white sakura trees. This is when I began to feel the first stirrings of the heart that I would later discover was love for this spectacular city of Kyoto.









At the end of the pathway we reached Nanzen-ji temple. At the enterance to it was a majestic, many pillared, wooden gateway. Past it there were winding gardens and a long stone aqueduct (built in the Meiji era). We ended up transversing to the top of this aqueduct and following it high above the ground as it led us in through a quieter forested area.

We were getting tired by this point, but we wanted to see the Kyoto Folk art History Museum that wasn't too far in the city center. So we wandered into the museum and were overwhelmed with all the styles of art that have been prefected in Kyoto - from special means of weaving and dying kimono to laquer wear stained a deep coal black then delicately painted with flowers.

As the sun was getting lower we entered Heian-Jingu temple. The buildings were all a blazing red colour, tall and dispirsed around us like parsimons scattered on the ground. I felt moved to take pictures in unique angles of the lanterns and pilars of the temple around me.

We wandered on and stoped for some chocolate cake and tea before heading back to our hostel.

The next day Lynn and I decided to go to see the most spectacular castle in all of Japan - Himeji. I am sure you have all see images of this castle, bright and white, rising like a crane from the sky. It is listed as a national treasure and a UNESCO world heratage sight. It remains in its original (nonconcreate) format as it was when built in 1580. We took a train from Kyoto station and 1 1/2 hours later arrived at Himeji castle station. They provided free bikes to rent there, so we drove them up the road to the castle on the horizon. It was gorgeous and glowing in the bright spring sun. The grounds were crowded with people coming to see the castle durring the peak of the sakura season. We wandered within the castle grounds and ascended many flights of wooden stairs to get to the uppermost view within the castle. Beautiful.

Oh dear oh dear, here I say I won't write too much and I find myself writing oh so much. But, I can't help myself. I am still trembling with glee now as I type this.

That afternoon I decided to explore a very popular temple as the sun set - Kiyomizu-dera. approaching this temple there is a street lined with many vendors selling everything from hand painted fans to hello kitty in kimono to hang off of your cell phone. As I moved through the throng of people and the sun got lower, i flet explectation rising. Then on the horizon I saw the many buildings of the temple scattered pink and red up the side of a mountain. Immediately I became enchanted. A few lanters had already been lit and gave little bits of warm light up the side of the mountain. I wandered from the great enterance gate, the a beautiful pink pagoda, and finally to a great old wooden viewing platform that gave me a view of all of Kyoto lying billow. As the sun got lower and more lanterns were lit and happy couples difted by hand in hand, and giggling friends dressed in kimono stoped to take a picture together. I was awash in the warmest blissful glow.

Later that evening I met up with a felow JET, Racheal, who I had met on my last snowboarding trip in Nagano we wandered through the modern city core and had a most delcious Nepalese dinner. It was nice having an evening out on the town and seeing how much life there still was bursting forth in such an ancient city.

Oh dear, now I really will condense the remainder of my journey....

I spent two blissful eveningings looking for the mysterious geisha, and several times was rewarded by a site of one hurrying in brilliant blue and red kimono through the streets of gion,







I revelled in the glow of the city lights as the pink sakura reflected in the Kama river,


I ate all I could eat from a revolving sushi restaurant (and even tried eel sushi!),









I climbed a mountain and hung out with wild monkeys,
















I watched a special Maiko (Geisha apprentice) dance complete with singing, flute and sameshan playing,










I wandered through a dark bamboo forest,













I rode a "Romantic Train" ride along the Hozu river on the western edge of Kyoto,







I saw a 1000 golden, life-sized kannon statues lined within the longest wooden building in the world (and had a near-mystical experience when viewing them, finding myself suddenly awash in tears),










and, yes, as it was the season of hanami (drunken cherry blossom viewing) I celebrated with many happy revelers, beneath a HUGE brilliantly illuminated pink sakura tree, surrounded on all sides by small bonfires.













Brilliant. Just absolutely brilliant. From now to the rest of my life Kyoto will hold a special, warm space in my heart. For it is the only city that I have literally fallen in love with. It is all you would expect of it and so much more. It is magical and beautiful, it is ancient and modern, and, in my mind, it will always remain perfect and sweet, scented in icense and sakura.