tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695759609026662812024-02-19T23:54:05.332+09:00a red rubber ballThese are the voyages of the ESL teacher Shirley.... we're moving to Nishio, Japan.Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-27482215136533557512016-08-08T13:02:00.001+09:002016-09-11T05:56:34.776+09:00Maze of Sunshine <br />
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August--hot sizzling days and so much summer to choose from! I'm back home again in Indiana now. I returned last Novemeber. This weekend we took it it easy a bit and enjoyed the opening of the Rio Olympics and a day on a farm!<br />
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A sunflower maze just reached full bloom at an orchard to the east of Indianapolis called Tuttle Orchards. Mom and I took my brother's little girl out to take up the challenge. It was delightful. <br />
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We rode the wooden tractor to all sorts of places ;) <br />
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and then got lost in the sunny faces of the huge flowers! <br />
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We watched the busy bees collect their pollen <br />
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and each chose our favorites to take home. <br />
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Then we enjoyed delicious farm food for lunch and an apple slushie and peach smoothie for dessert. <br />
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Delicious! Well done Tuttle Orchards! The sandwich was ham, cheese, and peach, and the wrap was chicken and goat cheese with a special dressing--excellent recipes using local ingredients. <br />
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We hunted the country landscape for elephants and rhinos on the way home :) And had a good nap to finish off the afternoon :) May the summer be long and our hearts ever hungry for sunshine!<br />
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Location:<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tuttle%20Orchards%20%4039.683453%2C-86.061956&z=10">Tuttle Orchards </a></div>
Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-74211069397072021852015-08-10T21:39:00.000+09:002015-08-11T00:56:31.058+09:00Festival : Dance of the Glowing Giants<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am Matsuri Baka. Festival Obsessed. Nearly every weekend I am soaking up the vibrant energy of another local festival, and if I go a couple of weeks without going, I get an itch that needs the fever and chaos of a matsuri.<br />
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July 25, we were able to thoroughly enjoy an exciting nugget of Aichi spirit.<br />
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It was a spur of the moment decision. I and a friend leisurely made our way to the Kariya Mando Matsuri (刈谷万燈祭り)in Kariya city, about half an hour outside of Nagoya. This festival's origins are in the mid-Edo period, 1756. <br />
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We first made a mistake and went to the wrong station, but a quick train catching finally brought us to the right station, Kariyashi(刈谷市)station on Meitetsu. As soon as we stepped off the train, taiko drums and festival voices tantalized our ears. We followed the sounds through the late evening light until we reached.... the beer stand :D :D<br />
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A cold summer drink in hand, we found the center of the activity, in the middle of an intersection. A crowd was gathered around, watching as the members of one of the seven festival teams centered around a festival cart cheered and rallied each other before passing on down the street. Such passion and energy!<br />
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As they passed, the drums of the next team started to approach, and then, the lanterns came into view! Huge lanterns! Towering five meters (164 feet) into the evening sky, the first colorful lantern slowly made its way to the center of the intersection--carried on the back of one of the team members. It depicted an ancient hero fighting a dragon in colored paper and bamboo, backlit by a huge inner light. (We later noticed these were powered by huge batteries and they had to regularly change them out throughout the night ^_^ Modern innovation keeps traditions vibrant) Not far behind was the next huge lantern, third was the smaller lantern commanded by the female team, and then last came a bunch of kids with little lanterns shaped like characters or other summer time fun like watermelon.<br />
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Once everyone got to the middle and in place, the dancing began. Taiko drums and flutes played the music and then the team members hoisted the lanterns in a slow circular dance, bringing life into the scenes of the old stories they depicted. Beautiful and awesome. Since the lanterns weigh 60 kg (132 pounds), the dancers could only wrangle them for about a minute or two before trading out with another member.<br />
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Later all the teams lined up down one main street and then, all danced together at the same time.<br />
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We could walk down the street amidst the river of energy and whirling lights, check out out each team as we went by, and sometimes stop at one favorite team for awhile.<br />
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As the night grew darker, the lanterns grew even more beautiful and mesmerizing. We thought this one looked like Star Wars. <br />
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We stopped for awhile in front of a fascinating dragon vs. demon lantern,<br />
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and, at the end of the dancing, there was an announcement... the dragon team had won!<br />
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Such euphoria! All the members of all the teams were quite young.... their adrenaline was thick in the air. Such intensity! They reveled in their own exclusively synced spirits for awhile. I wanted to mosh with them!<br />
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Finally the lanterns were on the move again--heading back to their own towns and their own town festival centers, where the lanterns are created each year by the townspeople. Every year each town makes new lanterns. It's no wonder they have such pride and excitement. <br />
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First a few of the teams gathered in front of the main shrine for a small closing ceremony. We ended up right in the middle of it.<br />
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Then it was back to the houses.<br />
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But after resting for a bit, we again heard the festival music and sure enough, it seemed the teams's adrenaline just hadn't subsided enough and they were at it again, parading and dancing around the block again. By this time it was about 10:30 at night.<br />
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We were exhausted, if they weren't, and so we left their voices in the night behind and caught a late train back to Nagoya.<br />
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Please check out the video, but I don' think it really does justice to the lanterns and their bearers. I hope it gives you at least a taste of their magnificence.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzWjVqlXL5LkYoYRUGaStIMWJPXBFcMViwNHPIw75_lM2SDSPDkYAl5Uvplwt5ClwZKbmQE1zGrRSA8QiLj_g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Also this is the link to the YouTube version, just it case ;) https://youtu.be/e9PU2YulF10<br /><br />This is the official festival site: http://www.kariya-guide.com/festival/?Mode=detail&code=5<br />
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###Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-15016811267342591082014-12-22T14:21:00.001+09:002014-12-22T14:21:48.935+09:00A Slow Train To Oranges<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqRN94WnrbPrfKgZr_8W3PHrROdGwyVbWL13Soql_x2SVV7CAW1_EUpeSEYcM3dI7V9g44lxg86x_bUmxzJrbc2KYLCQ6uP3YV5Tz8-y5KtuvoqiIL9Fxl08E6xGe_JTOpE9iKdyxyTA/s640/blogger-image--15454901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqRN94WnrbPrfKgZr_8W3PHrROdGwyVbWL13Soql_x2SVV7CAW1_EUpeSEYcM3dI7V9g44lxg86x_bUmxzJrbc2KYLCQ6uP3YV5Tz8-y5KtuvoqiIL9Fxl08E6xGe_JTOpE9iKdyxyTA/s640/blogger-image--15454901.jpg"></a></div>On my way to the farm! I have a seishun 18 youth ticket in my pocket and a day of slow local trains ahead--that means combing the beautiful western Japan towns and countryside for all the details a slow train will allow as we pass by. As an Aichi resident, I long for mountains and ocean! <p></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Helvetica;">This time, I'm off to a Mandarin orange farm in Wakayama prefecture. It's a certified organic farm, so I'm hoping to learn a lot! And after about a week and a half on the farm, I'll head to Koyasan and the temples there for a night. I've got lots of warm clothes packed and my Japanese textbooks. Hope the people are nice! Hope it's not too terribly cold! </p><div><br></div>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-14333708830095103292013-04-28T14:10:00.001+09:002013-04-28T18:08:30.076+09:00Yoro: Reversed Destinies and Gourd Swag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hipsters, keep this on the DL but gourds had a major heyday back in the 1970s and most people have forgotten them by now, so they are just that ripe shade of vintage irony that has super potential to be uncool, but awesome. Now is your chance! ^_^ The secret Mecca to pilgrim to is a sleepy town in central Japan: Yoro, Gifu prefecture.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago, I too made this journey. Me and a friend (August! She's come back to Japan!) both had the time off work, so decided to take a tiny short trip. To find an interesting place that fit our time constraints, August started looking for patches of green on Google maps that were nearby accessible train stations. Using this original trip-planning technique, we found some patches in Gifu prefecture around Yoro station. There were tales of luscious onsens and shimmering waterfalls in those green clumps, so we took a risk with fortune and set our course for the north. </div>
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We got off the small private train line at a station strung with gourds. Gourds everywhere.<br />
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We wondered around at some little shops--filled with every kind of painted and carved gourd and gourd souvenirs... still no idea why gourds were a big deal. On the second floor of one of the gift shops was a gourd museum. Of course we dropped the requested hundred yen in the gourd bucket and went it. It was filled with antique gourds (who knew?) from Edo period, and life-size dioramas demonstrating the gourd-growing process. There were also letters from people who had visited. One was in English, from a woman named Kathrine, who, it seems, came to Japan back in the 70's especially to see the gourds in Yoro. She appeared to be an artist of some kind. I wondered if she knew that her letter was still in this dusty museum, and whether she still was interested in gourd arts. </div>
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We made our way to the onsen hotel that we had reserved and enjoyed a luxurious evening of bath <br />
after bath after bath. And this place had extra fun features to enjoy like a Korean sauna that looked like a stone rocket ship, a whirlpool bath, standing sauna boxes, and a mixed bathing area where we wore swim suits.<br />
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Later we enjoyed a snack of some omiyage we had bought at a gift shop and some lotus wine, along with an onsen egg (an egg hard boiled in the hot spring water, so that it soaks up the water's minerals). Then later we feasted on a seven-course, all-natural, extremely delicious dinner. Extremely delicious. After dinner we enjoyed the baths again until closing and then played MASH in our room until we fell asleep.<br />
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In the morning, we enjoyed another healthy and luxurious breakfast, another bath, and then headed out to find the green patches, extremely relaxed, refreshed, and clean. Walking through the town, we found some big closed shops and everything thing seemed a bit old... we wondered if the town had had its day back around the time that Kathrine visited, and now was just a little worn out.<br />
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We asked our favorite old lady at the souvenir shop across from the station about the gourds. Finally, we got the low down. Turns out, gourds have been a Yoro Tradition for 1300 years.... there is a legend about a man and a gourd, and how he became lord of the area.<br />
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The Legend: Once there was a man named <span style="background-color: white;">Genjonai</span> His father was very sick, to the point of death, but he just wanted a drink of sake. <span style="background-color: white;">Genjonai</span> went out to find something to heal his father, and exhausted himself in his search, finally collapsing from weariness. But as he lay there on the ground, he smelled the strong scent of sake. Enheartened, he renewed his quest, following the scent, until he reached a small spring, brimming with water, into which he dipped his guard, and rushed back to his father, who drank the water, and jumped up, healed. When <span style="background-color: white;">Genjonai</span> returned to the spring later to pay his respects to the spirit of the spring, a Bodhisattva appeared to him and commended him for his selfless acts toward his father, and calling him as the lord of the area. The empress of Japan heard tell of this dutiful son and this rejuvenating spring water, and came herself to taste it. She felt the years fall away, making her more youthful and so called it the "spring of youth" and renamed the year Yoro, the Year of Rejuvenation, and gave gifts to people across Japan over eighty years old. Also, she exempted the people of the Yoro area from taxes. Thus Yoro gained its heritage of youthful water, with gourds at the center.<br />
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From there we found new respect for the gourd and were excited to quest for the sake spring and the waterfalls that fell above it.<br />
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We enjoyed the huge children's park on the way up.<br />
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And stopped for a picnic lunch, complimented by special beers from a local brewery.<br />
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We found his grave and the spring, and finally, the beautiful waterfall.<br />
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We decided to take the chairlift down, and ended up back in the main park.... where we decided to enter a curious and potentially life-changing parcel of land: The Site of Reversible Destiny. Who wouldn't want to get their destiny reversed? Here is an airplane overview of the whole park:<br />
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This was an art exhibit built in the 90's, but still available to those in need of a destiny reversal. The park was a jumble of things--a house with rooms and furniture and walls all mixed up and upside down and on top of each other... streets with names like "However Street," "Not to Die Street," "Fight For Your Life Street," and "Bad Cough Street"..... maps from Japan and cities around the world all mixed up together... slabs of rock in the shapes of Japan slapped onto the concave sides of the huge bowl of the exhibit.... very very curious. <br />
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After a fresh destiny reversal, we made our way back to the station, which turns out is actually one of the oldest in Japan, being the original station from the Meiji Period. Very lovely when the cherry blossoms bloom, we were told.<br />
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From there we made our way back to Aichi, refreshed and redestined and gourded up. And with extra bottles of the local brews for friends.<br />
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P.S. You'll remember August from posts from 2011 in Nishio. She went home for about a year and a half and lived in San Francisco, but she recently accepted a job in Gifu city in Gifu prefecture, just north of me in Aichi prefecture, and stayed at our apartment for about three weeks! She's now settling into her new apartment up in Gifu. We expect lots of hiking and camping adventures to come! </div>
Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-48267593559474345892013-02-28T22:13:00.002+09:002013-03-01T18:18:37.669+09:00Holidays on the windy farm by the sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Slotted goat eyes peering at me as I walk to breakfast, tofu and pumpkin pig feed mixed with my hands, and soy sauce spaghetti are a far cry from a Currier and Ives Christmas. In Japan, an ideal Christmas Day is hard to come by anyway, so this past Christmas, my friend Julie and I went all-out for an unusual and absolute non-Christmas. We made our way to a farm called Doroko Mura, or the Muddy Farm, and the only Chrsitmasy things we did were sing Christmas songs to each other while we worked, Youtube “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” and wear a Santa hat while petting a goat. But somehow, it was the perfect Christmas, and hit at the core of the Christmas Spirit.<br />
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It was Julie’s idea. Julie is actually the teacher that replaced me at the conversation school I used to work at when I left last Spring to be an elementary school English teacher. She’s a bit of a free spirit and dresses like a summer camp councilor or Eric Carle’s Mixed-up Chameleon. Her life experiences are a bit of a curious Eric Carle hodge-podge collage, too—sometimes bright and sometimes dark, but together a picture of an interesting piece of fruit or an animal (..or something a bit more poignant). She’s super sturdy and the most down to earth person. <br />
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Julie's lust for lust for new experiences and back-breaking hard work brought her to the WWOOF's Japanese Web site. WWOOF stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It’s an organization that connects people, especially travelers, to farms where they can work in exchange for free room and board. Since our friends were all fragmented and dispersed across Japan and the rest of the globe this Christmas, at Julie’s suggestion, I quickly registered on the WWOOF Web site and soon was all set to join her in some Christmastime farm work.<br />
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The point of destination was one of the closest farms to where we live in Tahara city to the east of us on the Atsumi Pennisula. Doronko Mura is an organic farm and cake shop combination. They also run a small cafe and a farm stay experience program on the premises. These people are busy. Little did we know how involved in these different aspects of the Muddy Village we would become (or how much of that fresh, organic cake we would be eating...). <br />
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We arrived by bus on Saturday December 22 to freshly fallen rain, and actually to the farmer and Mrs. Farmer of the house out on business. We were welcomed in by the Mrs. Farmer's sister (Emi), and the farmer's mother (Grandma), who was jolly and eager to tell everyone's stories... We learned that this farm was the same location of her and her husband's farm, and so where the farmer, Hiroshi Ogasawara, grew up, raising pigs from the time he was a kid. Also staying on the farm were two resident workers who had recently graduated from university... One, Shin, a Tokyo-ite, was learning the ways of organic farming, and in the middle of a two-year stay.. after meeting him and then later checking out his facebook... it's very curious why he would leave his life in Tokyo, move way out here, and learn organic farming. The other, Ichinisanshiro, was an aspiring writer from the nearby Toyohashi, and had been on the farm for about six months, due to stay on for another half a year. Later we learned the book he was working on was a sort of science fiction... His choice to stay on this farm is curious, too. Emi, the sister, was here for a diet. Don't know exactly how that works out with all the cake-eating, but it is a noble cause. And right off the bat, throughout our chatting we consumed copious amounts of the farm's soft, fluffy chiffon cake and delicious organic coffee ^_^ <br />
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After getting settled in our room--which included cleaning it, as it apparently hadn't been lived in in years... not since the little girl who's picture was on the wall had left we gathered, we explored our toilet and bathroom, which were both separate from our room, and met the goats just outside. Then we headed out to the field with Shin and Ichinisanshiro. We spent the afternoon tying cabbages,<br />
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separating out spinach, and feeding the pigs, goats, dogs, and cats. <br />
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Since they don't use fertilizers on the produce, we made friends with some fat caterpillars munching air holes in the leaves. (I couldn't help but get Joni Mitchell stuck in my head: "Hey farmer, farmer, put away your DDT. I don't care about spots on my apples, leave me the birds and the bees please. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got till it's gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" ^_^) <br />
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After a hearty dinner (of course, like all our dinners, made with the farm's produce and pork), a couple of college girls arrived for a short work stay, like us. They were on their way back to university from their winter holiday spent volunteering at an assisted living center. We enjoyed talking with them and the the farmer and his wife, and we learned more about the farmer and his wife's perspective on life and their reasons for farming organically. Their two most important points are to respect where our food comes from, and the equality of life; and to respect the never-ending circle life flows in. For example, the phrase ittadakimasu. Before we eat in Japan, we always say this. Literally, it simply means "receive." But it is important to not say it only as an empty habit, but to take a moment to remember the work involved and the life in the food that gives you life. "Receive," but remember where you are receiving it from. With this respect, we can be better stewards of our planet, better members of the circle of life.<br />
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The next morning, the girls and Julie and I got up extra early and took a chilly stroll to the ocean. The wind on this farm is so severe. All day and especially at night it blows fiercely. The beach was even more intense. It was quite nice, especially so early in the morning. But we didn't stay much longer than to snap a few pictures, and then hurried back to the warm common room for breakfast, followed, of course by delicious cake and coffee ^_^ <br />
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And then it was time to start a new day of work. It just so happened that they were working on remodeling their cafe that week. A hippie worker, Ippei-san, who had actually worked to build the place with a bunch of French travelers about ten years before, was back to work on it once again. Julie and I's job was tiling. LOL. Didn't know I was a tiler, did you? We scrubbed the cement floor as smooth and we could, and then started in covering it with the odds-and-ends tiles they had acquired, and cement grout. All the while, we chatted with Ippei about all kinds of things... the spiritual path everyone must find, meditation inside of a steaming pot, the rich rewards of working while traveling... and also listening to his rich singing. We chimed in here and there, but it was more fun just to listen his voice recreate Japanese folk songs, American folk songs, Eastern Indian folk songs, and all the other songs that seemed to go along with the tile and cement and cold, long cabin-esque cafe (and the odd-smelling smoke wafting from Ippei-san's direction ^_^). We were quite proud of our progress on the floor by the end of the day: <br />
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The girls left before dinner, so again it was the eight of us eating together. And again we feasted on a bit of cake and coffee. During the day, Ippei-san had invited us to a party with a bunch of people he knew at a nearby cafe. So that evening, off we went to a big, Atsumi Peninsula hippie Christmas party. So tired, but such a great, relaxing night. Yes, that's a girl belly dancing with a candelabra on her head.<br />
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In the Christmas gift exchange, I got a hard warmer, very useful on the farm; and Julie got... a box of cake. XD We got three square cake and coffes a day, but, we still ate this cake, too ^_^<br />
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The next day, we headed out of our room just as the farmer and his wife were milking the goats. Fresh, warm goat milk ^_^ <br />
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That day, we continued work in the cafe. By that evening, it looked like it wouldn't be done in time, so Ippei-san called some of his friends up, and the Hippie Brigade headed over and helped us fly through a big portion of the flooring. What great friends. <br />
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And then, Christmas came. We originally had planned on leaving Christmas Day, but they told us a group of kids were going to stay Christmas Day and the next two days after, so we should stay if we could. So, we got up early, and wished the ocean a Merry Christmas <br />
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and the goats<br />
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and then started our last day of solid work. We were back in the cafe again. This time, Julie and I sung as many Christmas carols and Christmas songs as we could remember words to ^_^ Also, for the last half of the morning, Ichinisanshiro was in the cafe working with us. This is when we quite got to know him more. He and Julie practiced kendo while we were waiting for the floor to dry ^_^ <br />
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And then. The kids came. First cake of the farm stay: <br />
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They did not hold back on cutting themselves cake... about the size of your head seemed to be the general rule of thumb. All the kids had stayed on the farm before--for one kid, it was his tenth time! With the kids came two other new characters: Kinpatsu Obaachan and Kurokuro Obaachan, Granny Blondie Head and Granny Curly Top... Julie and I respectively ^_^<br />
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From the time the kids came, we didn't do any real work... just played some ridiculous make-believe or chased a chicken in between the kids activities. The farmer's wife really wanted us to speak to them in English, so we tried to have fun with that.. some of the kids were really into it. Hopefully a good experience for them.<br />
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We did some farm chores with the kids the first day... I went with Shin and a group of kids to feed the pigs and the other animals. The food we fed the pigs was almost fit for humans: the leftovers from the tofu-making process, called okara, with miso and pumpkin mixed in. Looked great until we mixed in the scraps from the dinner table and around the farm. We had fun mixing it with our hands, well, sort of... so cold! This time we also went over to the chicken house, too, where they also have a couple of emu and a peacock! Wish we could be there the day the Emu decides to lay an egg... sounds delicious. These chickens are free-range of course, and not fed extra hormones, so collectively they only lay a few eggs a day in the winter. It's natural for chickens to lay eggs in the spring and warm months, and not so much in the winter. I didn't know that. <br />
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Kinpatsu Obaachan had gone with Ichinisanshiro to the fish shop down the road to collect the fish scraps. That added to the animal feed definitely didn't look appetizing. When we came back, she and her group had already started making dinner (our Christmas dinner). The kids wielding killer butcher knives and going to town on the veggies made my nerves stand on end a bit, but they were all right. Japan really gives kids a lot more responsibility in general that they get in the U.S--that's something that's been extremely evident in daily life at school. Together--the kids and their knives, led by the farmer's wife, Ichinisanshiro, and Shin, and Kinpatsu Obaachan and Kurokuro Obaachan running around throwing out bits of English, we made a Christmas dinner of soy sauce Spaghetti, meat sauce spaghetti, homemade pizza, and rice. All made with Doronko Mura vegetables and pork, or course. Dinner made with love eating it surrounded by ten little happy kids on a farm that cares about the details: this was a very good Christmas ^_^<br />
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That night, our last on the farm, the farmer baked sweet potatoes in the wood-burning stove in the kitchen, and after the kids went to bed, we had the chance to talk to them (and Ka-chan the little pooch) more about their farm. Really good to talk to genuine people who really care about what they're talking about--care so much they run a farm themselves, and are passionate about helping people understand this perspective, so host farm stays all the time.<br />
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The next day, our last, Julie and I both woke up with the colds that had been chasing us all week in full force. So, while the kids chased a chicken around the farm or something, we walked down to the clinic just next door to the farm. After the nurse checked us out, in came the doctor--an 86-year-old grandma. (!!) Still practicing medicine at 86?? Extremely impressed. Probably such a service to the people out in this bit of farmland, too. We got our medicine and came back to the farm just as the kids were finishing up in the fields. It was time to start making mochi! Mochi is a rice cake, simply rice cooked and beaten over and over until it becomes a sticky rice cake. So delicious!!<br />
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We made the mochi from the beginning. We plucked the rice from the plant... this is much easier said than done; some of the kids employed curious methods to de-rice the plants, including taking it outside and smashing it with rocks, etc. Then we cooked it, then smashed it with a hammer.<br />
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Soon we had delicious mochi! We also made kinako from scratch. Kinako is a mochi topping made from ground soy beans and sugar. We ground the soy beans ourselves with two mill stones. So cool actually!<br />
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This along with some udon noodles was our lunch for the day. We topped the mochi with soy sauce and grated Japanese radish, sweet red beans, ground sesame, and the freshly-ground kinako. Kinako was my favorite ^_^ We stuffed ourselves with as much mochi as possible, as you can see.<br />
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From there, we had time to snap a few pictures, and say goodbye to everyone. And then it was off to the bus stop to head back to our cities.<br />
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It was definitely a different rhythm of life on the farm. And from that warm-inside-freezing-and-windy-outside farm, with a regular eating and working schedule--but no rush for anything, where we hardly changed what we were wearing the entire five days, surrounded by wonderful and interesting people and tons of fun kids, and wholesome food and cake cake cake.... we both just could not bear the thought of going back alone to our empty apartments. We meant to, but then, I ended up getting on the train and going back to Nishio with Julie ^_^ It was a sort of small culture shock, and our bodies took a bit of time to readjust as well... I woke up the next morning to "Ruuuth! My eye is glued to the piiilloooow!" from Julie... her cold had made a home in her eyes, so we ran around the first half of that day trying to get it taken care of... And the medicine from the grandma doctor made me feel quite high, so I gave it up and worked through my cold the natural way.<br />
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But we have returned from our Christmas farm life. It was very informative to understand organic farming from the inside. I want to eat as much local and organic food as I can now. But we are limited. As the farmer's wife said, no, everyone can't have a farm like we do. We just hope that people will think about where their food and the other things they consume comes from, and will consider and respect the Others--people, animals, plants--in the process. For themselves, and for the future of our communities, and Earth.<br />
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Thanks Mr. Pig for the food, and thanks Mr. and Mrs. Farmer for the life you live, and thanks little ragamuffin kids for your pudgy bunny smiles ^_^ And thanks cake for the cake ^_^<br />
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<br />Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-7609322125472303962011-12-17T10:42:00.004+09:002011-12-17T10:50:28.411+09:00Making Christmas Cookies With Chopsticks<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/110170228932899271718/ARedRubberBall?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnxn7OHmbf_MA#5686906792789278738'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvwhsLfDz9nTmBziXoXz4wkxU5e-REASi9cpDD6Cn67uATlNT6_ATKvHho4I2OOa-iAU4quJhUNXCjGxek6sVgDNQiw4gIfRRXpFMITZNffeEjpBJB1DcSq4jVPB2nxuBYW2xzKQgQPU/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I'm trying to get into the Holiday Spirit a little... I watched the Michael Buble Christmas special last night (^_^). Nostalgic, but actually a little over-scripted, don't you think? <br /><br />In Japan, you have to make Christmas happen--don't expect it to be Christmas just because it's December 25. Some friends and I are planning to make Christmas dinner together--quite a feat in our tiny apartment kitchens, and watch some Christmas movies. The problem is that there are so many people that aren't going home this year, we're going to be crammed in that little apartment. Ah well, maybe cozy, right? <br /><br />Tomorrow is our work Christmas party with the students. I'm making Christmas cookies in my little toaster oven with some cookie cutters my mom sent me. It's working out pretty well. I'm going to attempt to make some frosting to go on top (^_^) tonight. I don't have a rolling pin of course, so I'm making do with a cooking chopstick. I hope I have enough cookies and don't eat all the cookie dough (^_^). <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />-- iPhoneから送信<br />Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-11904939665424126212011-12-15T19:55:00.002+09:002011-12-16T08:21:55.786+09:00Homegrown Kiwi Fruit<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/110170228932899271718/ARedRubberBall?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnxn7OHmbf_MA#5686306951230195346'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBC94zTzp0GZ10QcjBVg_eVLC8BvlCPvfKJVNOc-ckeLZCwLXTJFhfBhp7V4iJfKOjXi_zj6WBAeN5dJZ9LkvK1DCYPxQ3H7kNnGTSO44kkKkuZV_j3bwXTVbFXVGoTAkibm5h9XajiA/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Living in the country has its perks. Often, we get lots of fresh produce from our students. But this year I had a first: homegrown kiwi fruit (^_^). <br /><br />My student said that when she was a little girl, her father came home one day with a bunch of fruit trees. She thought he was crazy. But in the years following, also liked having fresh, fresh fruit around (^_^). Now, the trees are quite a bit of hard work she said, but very delicious (^_^). They have apple trees, pear trees, orange trees, persimmon trees, plum trees, kiwi trees... a real orchard by the sound of it (^_^). Growing so much fruit--especially kiwi fruit--in Japan is not so common either... <br /><br />A few days ago a bad storm came through, so she had to save all the little kiwi fruit before they were destroyed. Lucky me (^_^). I have enough kiwi fruit to keep me happy for awhile now (^_^). I guess I have to share with my co-workers....<br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/110170228932899271718/ARedRubberBall?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnxn7OHmbf_MA#5686306970029191282'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIxp30ykWiVFHoXtcR_foQY7mqvLrnAZab7-H0cA4NGfspAnnVG8m3-p4i8sMKkc8giSBMSlPVWrXAuutQZkI2BFxcZaiMGI8EQA55fjYry7m7SujnLpFSgImz4-y_yf9mQAh4DfuxMLI/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='400' height='400' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />-- iPhoneから送信<br />Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-26841399207886860452011-07-12T10:23:00.011+09:002011-07-14T14:14:38.930+09:00The sound of the ocean is not far away<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipJ4c3NYUNWf4XpFhibZqn6HhBVwUd4OypgTofr_30dgqNRct8gRvnHmoQYQUdCML1eDC0PEymHEYbSj82oKLsPleLvqZVP3tvWthTdlAz3rB7Nmrg7OQpv4BiALMTMoGzfXi5Qxzm_o/s1600/DSCF8192.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjipJ4c3NYUNWf4XpFhibZqn6HhBVwUd4OypgTofr_30dgqNRct8gRvnHmoQYQUdCML1eDC0PEymHEYbSj82oKLsPleLvqZVP3tvWthTdlAz3rB7Nmrg7OQpv4BiALMTMoGzfXi5Qxzm_o/s320/DSCF8192.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628501253272804226" /></a><br />Having Mondays off instead of Saturdays is usually so irritating. Not only do I work at night, I also work Saturdays, so I can hardly have proper relationships with people with normal schedules (blah Blah, typical afternoon-shift bellyache blah blah).<br /><br />But, if you have a fellow Mondays-off friend, the two of you may discover there are a few blisses tucked inside the empty Monday world. Yesterday, the local beach became August (Nishio English teacher and hippie-esque, slightly insane piece of incarnate sunshine; also fellow Sunday-Monday weekend comrade) and I's private resort beach--yet there were also still a few people around to people watch and enjoy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF12QYntrVkMMb1ifMSpmlzyHtea3-4XFQCigRVchRPs0V0XmpwgUMAKUDdbH9fkhF4ZXeMLBbUvyAWYy3_yVjFbMnC3t5ZIFPUU57yEdayQItieukFRBNIyQz4MeEGqbzPinQkjIK8GY/s1600/DSCF8189.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF12QYntrVkMMb1ifMSpmlzyHtea3-4XFQCigRVchRPs0V0XmpwgUMAKUDdbH9fkhF4ZXeMLBbUvyAWYy3_yVjFbMnC3t5ZIFPUU57yEdayQItieukFRBNIyQz4MeEGqbzPinQkjIK8GY/s320/DSCF8189.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628501445108410578" /></a><br />I've been craving the ocean. We've both been craving sunshine. So, we packed our backpacks and took our bicycles out there--it took us about an hour to get there, but only 40 minutes or so back because we found a way AROUND the small mountain, instead of having to scale it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XRzGcOSV8Kf7V4Q80WYZZ3pVhL8EFtKELDuXNkmMfDUAqQuxPx6QdLBvLjn-wMswKObKFqYH2HWiHuxplSCKKVbuSeKCc4eXo6z_3cse81gOSsNmZ9mWy9asNsWNkDJ_AbSLpJVZC6I/s1600/DSCF8197.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XRzGcOSV8Kf7V4Q80WYZZ3pVhL8EFtKELDuXNkmMfDUAqQuxPx6QdLBvLjn-wMswKObKFqYH2HWiHuxplSCKKVbuSeKCc4eXo6z_3cse81gOSsNmZ9mWy9asNsWNkDJ_AbSLpJVZC6I/s320/DSCF8197.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628501718525226642" /></a>Thus we enjoyed a long afternoon playing in the water, listening to the piped in music on the loud speaker radio mixed with the waves.... I brought my little kite along.. it looked like a cute cicada doing colorful antics above the imported palm trees ^_^ Our bay area isn't so paradise-eque... they have imported the palm trees and the sand is actually not natural but brought in from the south of Japan.. and they renamed the beach Waikiki Beach so it feels more like paradise... it's still not quite the same as Hawaii I don't think ^_^, but it's warm ocean water and bright sunshine ^_^ So we are exponentially happy with it. <br /><br />Unfortunately, the sunscreen we used wasn't waterproof....... lobster face. Yesterday night, I felt like I had a fever, and today at school was torture. And August is worse off than me. We're hoping all our skin doesn't peel off in sheets.. but I don't know if it can recover >_< <br /><br />Next time, waterproof sunscreen.... and I have to practice swimming more... Mom made me and my brother and sister take swimming lessons when I was 8, but my sister and I failed, and I've never really been comfortable in water since... so August was trying to show me how there's actually a big bowl of cookie dough in the water, and if you scoop the sides, then breathe while eating it, and kick your legs like a frog, you can swim. Just makes me want to eat cookie dough really, but I'm trying. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzo-N9FlHmjibr1CEkwTRSUEmdNFvrBVKeHR8lyWCHP1KnSsKeZjpFZToOTwKSneBNC2fEByXIpS87NxjCyFvzFl3a_1kbezA9D67G3zZQ0dVlyyZMzO7ErzDDejHJzdk1oApyCR7KJs/s1600/DSCF8201.JPG"><img style="float:center; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzo-N9FlHmjibr1CEkwTRSUEmdNFvrBVKeHR8lyWCHP1KnSsKeZjpFZToOTwKSneBNC2fEByXIpS87NxjCyFvzFl3a_1kbezA9D67G3zZQ0dVlyyZMzO7ErzDDejHJzdk1oApyCR7KJs/s320/DSCF8201.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628501934095368034" /></a>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-90625207404418691432011-06-29T21:02:00.007+09:002011-07-13T01:39:09.199+09:00World peace<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9rAVRXCqivfSeiOh_cofTgnf8ZKoFy8AS5ktB742mTe5jR5UKTS-DtngxqranC7VcbKie3XCtVs46G-unQa2a8rpqu_OiZRQgpfQ0adaNTMxf2gz3bvmXMIgj916RTbUhL3z3sznmXE/s1600/DSCF7779.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9rAVRXCqivfSeiOh_cofTgnf8ZKoFy8AS5ktB742mTe5jR5UKTS-DtngxqranC7VcbKie3XCtVs46G-unQa2a8rpqu_OiZRQgpfQ0adaNTMxf2gz3bvmXMIgj916RTbUhL3z3sznmXE/s320/DSCF7779.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628268742272937410" /></a><br /><br /><br />Sitting on the side of the river in Hiroshima, chilling and looking at the beautiful tragic ruins of the Atomic Bomb Dome. Wishing I had a guitar so I could write another song about being nice to people. I'm sure tomorrow I'd think it was atrocious, but tonight it would be perfect. <br /><br />It's dark and they are setting off fireworks behind the A-dome--real slowly, like one a minute maybe. Maybe they do this every night in the summer? No one seems overly excited except there's a few photographers out. The fireworks are shaped very distinctly like flowers. The sound is echoing down the river. <br /><br />I like borrowing other people's towns for a couple of days.. Just hang out here instead of my own town. Of course there's more than just hanging out to do in Hiroshima, though. Today I stayed around here--the Peace park, museum, and Hiroshima castle. It's heavy stuff. After the museum and walking around thinking about it for most of the day, you really feel the human capacity to hurt other humans is ghastly huge.<br /><br />The museum exhibits about Sadako and the thousand paper cranes, and then the memorial in the park in her honor remembering all the children who died because of the bomb were especially poignant: they remind me of what exactly made me want to come over here in the first place... In fourth grade, we studied World War 2 hard out. And sort of doubled with the war, we studied a lot of Japan. Funny how that happens, isn't it? At university, my world history teacher taught us through the perspective of the clash of civilizations as the driving factor in change. After the war, we all have been trying hard to understand each other. It was through studying this very disgust that made me want to know more way back then. And here I am... still trying my best to understand. <br /><br />So give me a guitar and I'll write you a song really quick so we can make this feeling bigger and last longer.<br /><br />Lala let's understand each other <br />Lala be nice to each other <br />Lala let's all be together<br />Lala respect and world peace world peace <br />Lala<br /><br />(k, not a serious attempt at song writing) <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUC7TMDgvP9OsU32XcixFfKpA07R0hf6prNGUCSZsSkuDAL3EdEd0RBxzBlBFl4-UGy189JSeg6_2HJglTHCUKscV3DynB9XiNjABEVtwPpGb56jyo8RnwJvHEFrdRtT2SM6IvPNcGuQ/s1600/DSCF7787.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUC7TMDgvP9OsU32XcixFfKpA07R0hf6prNGUCSZsSkuDAL3EdEd0RBxzBlBFl4-UGy189JSeg6_2HJglTHCUKscV3DynB9XiNjABEVtwPpGb56jyo8RnwJvHEFrdRtT2SM6IvPNcGuQ/s320/DSCF7787.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628269219633411666" /></a><br /><br />PHOTO NOTE: The Second photo is the Children's Peace Memorial at night, just after they finished the fireworks and I left the riverside. It was put up especially in memory of Sadako. The little houses around it are full of paper cranes. <br /><br />-- iPhoneから送信<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>場所:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%EF%BC%91%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE,%E5%BA%83%E5%B3%B6%E5%B8%82,%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%4034.393628%2C132.450159&z=10'>1丁目,広島市,日本</a></p>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-85195801212149235712011-06-02T11:23:00.001+09:002011-06-02T11:23:59.509+09:00Vegetable donuts<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/110170228932899271718/ARedRubberBall?authkey=Gv1sRgCLnxn7OHmbf_MA#5613442530313439314'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19hWZNuhogen6m9hijQ8z17TJcipIofmNQ3Zl5Ku0t_dyyS6wKdiv06t2QxaNgj0hQrw1gX5AlfnBUAbhCpP8VJTNiaIc0buKKyxNmKPqnsPHJpRIUp8UbSsnHTUbTpKJu2P94gMp3wo/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Lately, I've gotten used to waking up in the morning--as opposed to statin up ungodly late and sleeping til the afternoon as my work schedule suggests. In return, I get to see the morning light, get a few extra hours in my day, and get morning donuts. <br /><br />Mister donuts, the donut shop most popular in Japan and conveniently located 3 minutes from my house, has a new line of donuts. They're more like cake than donuts actually, and include fruit flavors like caramel apple, traditional flavors like cinnamon chocolate, and vegetable flavors like spinach and sweet potato. So far my favorite two flavors are spinach and sweet potato and milk! <br /><br />Donut paired with Japanese study works out to be a very enjoyable morning. I'm glad I got up today <img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/e/57361.gif' border='0' align='left' /><br /><br />-- iPhoneから送信<br /><p class='blogpress_location'>場所:<a href='http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%EF%BC%92%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE,%E8%A5%BF%E5%B0%BE%E5%B8%82,%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%4034.866785%2C137.059631&z=10'>2丁目,西尾市,日本</a></p>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-3147443803460460362010-12-16T13:00:00.014+09:002011-07-10T14:15:57.597+09:00Baths in December<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTaV2oQCFjSt3Fn3IBJFMefACgKfXIDvsmyi6R7PZhTsn2zjCopZPB4iuoydzGuqKZxG2DPvGGy_LNUJaGg-eZgE_NC4UwzDc6CLf6-qzp339OAWKiNE1rj6hLOW5rdfsGM83V9T1kss/s1600/DSCF0815+crop.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTaV2oQCFjSt3Fn3IBJFMefACgKfXIDvsmyi6R7PZhTsn2zjCopZPB4iuoydzGuqKZxG2DPvGGy_LNUJaGg-eZgE_NC4UwzDc6CLf6-qzp339OAWKiNE1rj6hLOW5rdfsGM83V9T1kss/s320/DSCF0815+crop.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551139202241507442" /></a><br /><br />Running through the cold December night air wearing nothing but a towel our heads.. then gingerly stepping down into the hot hot spring water... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... Elysian Fields. ^_^<br /><br />Three of my students/friends and I took an onsen trip last weekend. ^_^ Onsens are hot springs, very popular for bathing in in Japan. They are perfect. People have been onsen-ing since before time in Japan I think ^_^ Baths are quite a Japanese tradition.. and definitely they've been bathing everyday loong before they were in the West. ^_^ Everyday, what a concept? ^_^ Onsens are my favorite part of Japan I think. <br /><br />Sunday afternoon, we headed down to Toba city 鳥羽 in Mie prefecture 三重県. Toba is a seaport town, famous for pearls (and especially the women pearl-divers of back in the day), right beside the famous city of Ise 伊勢 and one of the most important shrines in Shinto, Ise Jingu 伊勢神宮. Our Onsen was called Todaya 戸田家. <br /><br />We just enjoyed a couple of days of serious relaxing... eating good food... hot baths and more hot baths.... and just girl talk and getting to know each other ^_^ Dinner, then indoor baths... then we decided to explore the outdoor baths ^_^ ahhh... so wonderful, and overlooking the ocean. ^_^ then sleep. then an early morning for a perfect morning outdoor bath... then breakfast in our pajamas ^_^ (because they give you yukata, basically thin robes, to wear while you're there ^_^) and then it was time to check out. ^_^<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8fVorBT4mdrj4I4aKylgw2w-7irFxiMSW41n9cf7K0An4emJF5AV4q_3OxJWWDhLqA5_hbkdmXmkl4vaFGOuEF4bTc-yQ2ncTisdNPG5bZdmxV7A6U_qM03IozVdfDTtsdNzU7s7AZk/s1600/DSCF0818.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8fVorBT4mdrj4I4aKylgw2w-7irFxiMSW41n9cf7K0An4emJF5AV4q_3OxJWWDhLqA5_hbkdmXmkl4vaFGOuEF4bTc-yQ2ncTisdNPG5bZdmxV7A6U_qM03IozVdfDTtsdNzU7s7AZk/s320/DSCF0818.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551139481217800386" /></a><br /><br />After we left the onsen, we enjoyed wandering around Okage yokocho おかげ横丁, the town right outside of Ise Jingu ^_^ Okage yokocho means lots of yummy food again! :D And I found a couple of Christmas presents while I was there ^_^ ah, lovely weekend. ^_^ <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzV1kULcCOYTZSDwkQ5FTTs0MTbd-KLl3RsYHfH3oQwQvPX2r4cEdRUCJNwRmCl4LHSCg0-gjNkma8v62IHH-x3cAvqH3g7Q2nCt4_FdxVWD7tMGDLnip0vNn2hla-dVhEYszkBiJ8fw/s1600/DSCF0842.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzV1kULcCOYTZSDwkQ5FTTs0MTbd-KLl3RsYHfH3oQwQvPX2r4cEdRUCJNwRmCl4LHSCg0-gjNkma8v62IHH-x3cAvqH3g7Q2nCt4_FdxVWD7tMGDLnip0vNn2hla-dVhEYszkBiJ8fw/s320/DSCF0842.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551139486254674306" /></a>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-35408924558567581332010-12-07T03:55:00.007+09:002010-12-07T04:24:50.471+09:00Time for the annual apple<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1y3lnEHbE6kaKb1wdu7vFwXDozBQP-X9Qee-mTsd8AHNoaTUlXS_3Sju9TpUTUV8yQJyQ6n0lZ3o44AUrTeQWf6J0l0T9dawvi7ceEjmgsPp9fiwHi-4G9Ec2QiP9fTiwuwdky4hPb1c/s1600/DSCF0775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1y3lnEHbE6kaKb1wdu7vFwXDozBQP-X9Qee-mTsd8AHNoaTUlXS_3Sju9TpUTUV8yQJyQ6n0lZ3o44AUrTeQWf6J0l0T9dawvi7ceEjmgsPp9fiwHi-4G9Ec2QiP9fTiwuwdky4hPb1c/s320/DSCF0775.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547647842727856114" /></a><br /><br />Every year I go apple picking in Nagano prefecture 長野県 to the north of us with ladies from one of my community center English classes. It's a wonderful tradition. This year was my third time now. Three autumns sounds like a long time, doesn't it. <br /><br />In Indiana, we pick apples every year, too. So actually, I have been picking apples every fall for the last 10 years or so. Ironically, I actually don't like apples very much. But, a fresh-picked fuji apple straight off a tree is like candy. In an orchard is usually the only time I ever eat apples. In Indiana, Fuji was a favorite variety. Now I get to pick them straight off Japanese trees. <br /><br />Japan is so beautiful. Everyday is beautiful. We also stopped by a town famous for the fall foliage on this day trip. It's called Korankei 香嵐渓。 We arrived quite early in the morning: hard early morning sunlight from a brilliant blue sky lit up the leaves. Brilliant colors. It was the end of the season so my students said not as amazing as at peak season. There, we ate a snack: gohei mochi and mushroom tea.. <br /><br />A lovely fall day. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn7PA8QuHhXZE3TD-51cE2Knoj_kMTHuFn4N2E3DE7VJnhFep90TJea-Y56uMNGaBv2uUrYDy7_7S_K110YlqH87EYA7NMib_r42pkyS8i_OSKdq6vUulZu41wW_TgH01GzKVrt9fur8/s1600/DSCF0740.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVn7PA8QuHhXZE3TD-51cE2Knoj_kMTHuFn4N2E3DE7VJnhFep90TJea-Y56uMNGaBv2uUrYDy7_7S_K110YlqH87EYA7NMib_r42pkyS8i_OSKdq6vUulZu41wW_TgH01GzKVrt9fur8/s320/DSCF0740.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547648472362540770" /></a>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-71817967777028242902010-09-19T13:15:00.009+09:002010-12-16T14:08:14.465+09:00Another America, Another Japan<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j6mxL2cqxrA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j6mxL2cqxrA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Lately, I've been watching American leaders' speeches. Actually, only speeches from the 60's and then, only speeches from Martin Luther King, Jr. and the two Kennedy brothers. <br /><br />What a different world that was. Was that America? America, where black people were seriously lower citizens than the white majority on a very public and open and acceptable level. And there were marches and riots for equal treatment. <br /><br />On another front, an America where people who may or may not like socialism or communism lose their jobs and are blacklisted from being hired. <br /><br />And this America where murders of important leaders maybe came to be not so much of a shock and it would be to me... John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy all in the same decade? <br /><br />It all seems like some legend. <br /><br />Today's America perhaps is equally strange. I grew up with the news dominated by huge scandal, resulting in only the second presidential impeachment since the beginning. Also terrorism on public buildings... Oklahoma City, September 11. The threat of religious fanaticism violence looming everyday. Maybe America is still insane, just with different symptoms. <br /><br />We did just elect a black president. That's quite a switch from the 60's. <br /><br />At the top is a speech by Robert F. Kennedy given in Indianapolis on the night King was assassinated. If you have 5 minutes, please give it a go. Robert Kennedy is credited for helping to calm the people and dissuade them from breaking out in the violence seen in other cities that night. It's short and not complicated, but impressing. <br /><br />I first read this speech from the plaque on the monument in downtown Indianapolis at the location he gave the speech. I was so impressed. <br /><br />I don't live in the U.S.A right now. Japan is insane, too. I wonder what it will be like in 50 years. I think Japan can fight through some of the insanities, also. There are tensions with the ethnic minorities living in Japan, though they're not at the level of some of the civil rights injustices in the U.S.A of the past. The presence of the foreigners here are part of the education process. I hope life will be less strained for temporary workers, permanent residents and Japanese citizens of non-Japanese or mixed decent in 50 years. Maybe Japan also must have a Cultural Revolution?Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-21146878006309876682010-03-27T00:33:00.000+09:002010-03-27T00:35:16.224+09:00Johnny Depp's socks<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G5o5vASg7dY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G5o5vASg7dY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />The most gorgeous Mad Hatter ever and his almost-as-mad director brought Wonderland's fantastic red castle to Tokyo last Monday: the Japan premiere of the highly anticipated Alice in Wonderland. <br /><br />My lucky student won tickets to the premiere. So jealous. <br /><br />In class the week before, she was so excited ^_^ The preparations begin! <br /><br />Checklist!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1 - What to wear!</span> They asked all the winners to dress up as a character. And who does cosplay better than Japan? :D She ended up putting together the most awesome female Mad Hatter outfit. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2 - What to say!!</span> Well, at least get him to shake your hand right? "Do I say, 'Please shake!!'?" she asks her English teacher. So I (green and writhing with jealousy) teach her that, "Please shake my hand!" should do the trick. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"> 3 - Should I give him something???</span> OK cool! So what do you give Johnny Depp? Something awesome.. this is once-in-a-lifetime after all... But maybe she won't actually have a chance to meet him anyway.. probably she won't.... so she'll get something practical so she can use it just in case she doesn't get to meet him... <br /><br />But, she does get to meet him. Not only meet him, but get about a hundred autographs and talk to him and.. yes.. give him her present. Which is socks. triple pack. black. <br /><br />You gave Johnny Depp socks?!?!?!?! =O :D <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeAkXlsJ8TWBlbqK24fU3Mg_IBlGSlVXNEB7sGihs5t-OUI9E-rhLemdEGyBxtoXLFHQ7ICLlTqUpj0VTjcEby3vZ_qlRJAfJ552F7uEM0TPS_wNyc8-Nj9AWTA01erHSvzQsmfTmomw/s1600/johnny+depp+socks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeAkXlsJ8TWBlbqK24fU3Mg_IBlGSlVXNEB7sGihs5t-OUI9E-rhLemdEGyBxtoXLFHQ7ICLlTqUpj0VTjcEby3vZ_qlRJAfJ552F7uEM0TPS_wNyc8-Nj9AWTA01erHSvzQsmfTmomw/s320/johnny+depp+socks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452953940274177890" /></a><br /><br />Well! She says, I thought, just in case I couldn't meet him, my husband could use them! And I put a note inside, so not just socks....<br /><br />:D And they were the toe socks.. really normal in Japan.. they give you good circulation or something? I love the idea of Johnny Depp wearing these Japanese toe socks from her. LOL. ^_^ I wish. <br /><br />Ah, Japan loves Johnny Depp. What can I say, Japan has good taste ^_^ In the premiere press conference, Johnny Depp says Japan gives the warmest welcome ^_^ lol. About a million girls met him at the airport, and gathered around the premiere spot. ^_^ And he was just here last December for the premiere of Public Enemies! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI7hdO3UD3cstjR0faYOY-lAoj-Dh1p0uakjHHZupFR5cylWKl4PChMpR4y5sts7Z3_c_lHdEvmb702NIcV58urO5lW1mr7TBifb5RXbfd0UZZnMEuileZPWqhYBmLncAvUM6RWdRyZQ/s1600/gnj1003230505011-p8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsI7hdO3UD3cstjR0faYOY-lAoj-Dh1p0uakjHHZupFR5cylWKl4PChMpR4y5sts7Z3_c_lHdEvmb702NIcV58urO5lW1mr7TBifb5RXbfd0UZZnMEuileZPWqhYBmLncAvUM6RWdRyZQ/s320/gnj1003230505011-p8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452965996162708098" /></a>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-17943611273571669692010-02-26T00:52:00.001+09:002010-02-26T13:03:18.225+09:00Ganbatte Mao-chan!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRGRfzQhtVCeok0sIU2vGlp4FMcCeaUtlbI7yolK5VvBoZOnYOjRIgU0NftZ24M7JBuJ7qe9tVymYT0hTGRSBtssdwCWFFxoXEfMbOU_Rt67lMf0tBWuuFxeeU41hhkm9NDgkBS9G1YU/s1600-h/rival.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRGRfzQhtVCeok0sIU2vGlp4FMcCeaUtlbI7yolK5VvBoZOnYOjRIgU0NftZ24M7JBuJ7qe9tVymYT0hTGRSBtssdwCWFFxoXEfMbOU_Rt67lMf0tBWuuFxeeU41hhkm9NDgkBS9G1YU/s320/rival.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442389924247730034" /></a><br /><br />Ganbatte Mao-chan!! Let's go Mao!! <br /><br />Today is the final skate of the <a href="http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-figure-skating/">ladies figure skating competition</a>. The final showdown between rival skaters <a href="http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-figure-skating/athletes/mao-asada_ath1004554Dp.html">Mao Asada</a> of Japan (woot! to the right) and <a href="http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-figure-skating/athletes/yu-na-kim_ath1007461Hd.html">Kim Yuna</a> of Korea (to the left). Who gets that <a href="http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/12IQ6tZjBJD/CAN+Vancouver+Olympic+Medals/6-PVMl8dG1Z">shiny golden disc</a>. <br /><br />I caught the short program on Wednesday. So much fun! Mao blew away the competition by 10 points when she got up. And then, her rival Kim from Korea got up right after her, and beat her score by 5 points! Kim skated to 007... so much fun, I must admit. =O I missed the programs yesterday :( but I'm watching the finals now! In a bit, I'm going to go over to Eiden, the electronics store nearby, to watch Mao with all the other poor people on the big screens ^_^ Let's go Mao-chan! Let's give Korea a silver medal! <br /><br />These games are right fun, aren't they? <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yjxYUYZvJa_Is_dsK6tSjEc1aeWjGRiMAGxS3mHJfRbmKMN_80c4K1f_biH0e3L3YmTiE10zWXxqBHY35Ykq9TfF7l4yc6IRO7XY38Mnq7-rUNIaZgCoW2dV-CMr_zsOLLdztU3R0CM/s1600-h/vancouver-medal.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yjxYUYZvJa_Is_dsK6tSjEc1aeWjGRiMAGxS3mHJfRbmKMN_80c4K1f_biH0e3L3YmTiE10zWXxqBHY35Ykq9TfF7l4yc6IRO7XY38Mnq7-rUNIaZgCoW2dV-CMr_zsOLLdztU3R0CM/s320/vancouver-medal.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442395454067580722" /></a>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-91102792770884403762010-02-24T16:04:00.000+09:002010-02-25T01:25:34.868+09:00Pete and Repete were in a boat...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoIwxyxPOFSRDAw6UFNgbg-koSIlBrcHjQPhfycGegDItk0Gr1lQJd8QNcGFPXiybUEwNmqpJru3vMaxo0rvtrSohiMDA4Bt20w71LTGeP8-MqwoDFhK8JDr49-u2E9IwbmzLhgPItoY/s1600-h/P7010226.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoIwxyxPOFSRDAw6UFNgbg-koSIlBrcHjQPhfycGegDItk0Gr1lQJd8QNcGFPXiybUEwNmqpJru3vMaxo0rvtrSohiMDA4Bt20w71LTGeP8-MqwoDFhK8JDr49-u2E9IwbmzLhgPItoY/s320/P7010226.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441843879666132818" /></a><br /><br />Japanese! Sometimes simple, sometimes almost incomprehensibly complicated. <br /><br />Learning any foreign language can be slow and painful. But being able to communicate in a foreign country--even if it's just ordering coffee, is so rewarding. For one you get your coffee, right? And you now can understand and relate to the people around you a bit more. <br /><br />Here is a tiny bit of Japanese that can enhance your trip to Japan (and/or your anime watching experiences!). <br /><br />This channel has posted many videos of single short phrases. They're only about 5 seconds long, so you can just keep playing them over like a sound bite. Repeat and remember.. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RdZy02Donjg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RdZy02Donjg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />This girl teaches basic Japanese phrases, etc. by way of Youtube and her trusty sharpie. She's not the best speaker, but I think these videos are rather good. <br /><br />Just listen and repeat and repeat!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/woVSl_wKr5Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/woVSl_wKr5Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />This post is especially for my parents--who are coming to Japan this summer! :D I'm so excited to share everything in my life with them! <br /><br />PHOTO: Don't you want to understand? ^_^ This is some wall art near the Sakura Hostel in Asakusa in Tokyo. It's a bunch of traditional Japanese ghosts and creatures ^_^ My favorite is the little kappa on the end.. the one that looks like a turtle? They are mischievous creatures that live in rivers ^_^Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-91633964897051838112010-02-20T16:07:00.000+09:002013-04-28T18:03:47.211+09:00Ninja skills are better than experience<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2JN-srM0fdwNsJEtS3KKePKgMreKeDf8PEDfNTglz4o1oLMnET5_mTqlyvgLhE2eSHyvdHg98GWTgEZoL5qhKBJqXd9_MFgi6_Jv_eqj5Cx_SqmbLwz-MSXSdGGGWfd6xCKyL1EyYrI/s1600-h/DSC02248+edt.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440364491411620338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2JN-srM0fdwNsJEtS3KKePKgMreKeDf8PEDfNTglz4o1oLMnET5_mTqlyvgLhE2eSHyvdHg98GWTgEZoL5qhKBJqXd9_MFgi6_Jv_eqj5Cx_SqmbLwz-MSXSdGGGWfd6xCKyL1EyYrI/s320/DSC02248+edt.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 262px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
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"Well, it's been my experience, that experience for the sake of experience, usually isn't a very good experience at all. Unless there's a reason for your experience, a purpose, or you learn something from it, then, well, there's not much point." <br />
<br />
Bernard Walton. <a href="http://www.whitsend.org/">Adventures in Odyssey</a>, Episode 274: First-hand Experience.<br />
<br />
Ninjutsu is undoubtedly the most important something I have learned in Japan. Nay, it is the most important thing I have learned in life. I owe the success in my daily life to my deftness in Invisible.<br />
<a href="http://www.whitsend.org/"><br />Adventures in Odyssey</a> is one of those haunts from childhood that never quite leaves you. This quote was playing in my mind the other day. I've since worked this into my short answer to the ubiquitous question, "So why did you come to Japan?" Er, the part about learning things I mean.. I've come to learn new things. It's true. <br />
<br />
THE PHOTO: We visited the <a href="http://iganinja.jp/en/museum/index.html">Iga Ninja House</a> in Mie prefecture late last summer. We underwent an intense day of ninjutsu training--instruction in the shuriken/ninja star arts and advanced sneakiness techniques--as well as received professional advice in ninja tourist hachigane/forehead protectors. My hachigane, of course, hangs by my door, ready in a moment if there be a requirement of my ninja skills.Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-19289494771016292212010-02-18T07:50:00.000+09:002010-02-18T14:53:51.607+09:00Fire cats (w/ video)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzr15XsOFZW80gNSUAIlbPcPaHyiSUUpRuw2Gr6TRNSRCZvyaPbFPprC2J9qZwzYKDhlFkcr4cAeno0JQDEj_-AXwGJHe_l_cA4eigfrqeTp4XtMnYY50VTplU74cZ0guW7o9PWL0-xWM/s1600-h/P2140065.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzr15XsOFZW80gNSUAIlbPcPaHyiSUUpRuw2Gr6TRNSRCZvyaPbFPprC2J9qZwzYKDhlFkcr4cAeno0JQDEj_-AXwGJHe_l_cA4eigfrqeTp4XtMnYY50VTplU74cZ0guW7o9PWL0-xWM/s320/P2140065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439231793058407858" border="0"></a><br /><br />Winter is ending, and the cats come to play in the fires at Hazu. <br /><br />We went to the <span style="font-style: italic;">Toba Hi Matsuri</span> or Toba Fire Festival in Hazu again this year. We went by train and then met some friends down there. <br /><br />Festivals are one of my favorite things. In America, festivals are great.. Irish Fest, Indianapolis Labor Day fireworks, Indiana State Fair, your hometown's random city festival ^_^). In Japan, they REALLY know how to make a festival, and they have had hundreds of years to perfect them. <br /><br />Sum up of the basics of this festival: After walking around at the booths.. catching your fill of goldfish, eating your fill of chocolate-covered bananas, get your spot around the two giant bonfires-to-be. We have a secret spot in the trees behind the bonfires. Well, we thought it was secret but, this year there were about a hundred people there :(<br /><br />At the starting time, you'll hear the chink, chink, chink of flint against stone: building a fire from the bottom up. A victory shout signals the successful spark, and then the bonfires are lit. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIEXZX_-bdYMARI3glvIJ7CArls2sqllnczltdrKlxgVQ5qNSq7m2Ey-uopj-tlour7xMgzm7wK4iOGNzk5A3OL0ZS-bg3J6EbC54r8HF3t07HWd21UIGn3xZFec05CIS88ckuQfnZTA/s1600-h/P2140044.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIEXZX_-bdYMARI3glvIJ7CArls2sqllnczltdrKlxgVQ5qNSq7m2Ey-uopj-tlour7xMgzm7wK4iOGNzk5A3OL0ZS-bg3J6EbC54r8HF3t07HWd21UIGn3xZFec05CIS88ckuQfnZTA/s320/P2140044.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439231450551813746" border="0"></a><br /><br />There is a sacred tree inside each of the fires--one for each team, the east and the west. Once the fires begin to roar, the two teams of local Hazu-ites--dressed in traditional festival wear--begin to race up ladders, into the bonfires! They are racing to pull out their team's sacred tree. If the east wins, then there will be a good harvest. If the west wins, there will be a bad harvest. But, our friend says, both teams try hard to win anyway. This is a video! Note the fire falling all over the guys and them jumping off as they catch on fire! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH3Rz4LAnB2OAgJY2IinFHia4MQR0AZOi7po7-tzrl2e2ljRoh2z_V5Or6zA6U_tm_t2s2DBJEsMN6ash697bI3XpEaYGwn7ndNbPtY46zUhRB2lhfisw8V6M9bUGi23B2yQQku3FEhY/s1600-h/P2140082.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJH3Rz4LAnB2OAgJY2IinFHia4MQR0AZOi7po7-tzrl2e2ljRoh2z_V5Or6zA6U_tm_t2s2DBJEsMN6ash697bI3XpEaYGwn7ndNbPtY46zUhRB2lhfisw8V6M9bUGi23B2yQQku3FEhY/s320/P2140082.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439231462335267826" border="0"></a><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzI_NZsYOW-xgIKFjI15YKCqkyvN1adLwHIZSG1EzDCH3HVsF_nOpmbTEq_LUVidsYGAtYcNChRVDwz-oKdAg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />The festival wear is one of the best parts: they fashion the black and white banners of last year's festival into costumes that cover them from head to toe. The end result makes them look just like little calico cats! Meow! or since they're Japanese, <span style="font-style: italic;">nya~!</span> ^_^<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3YM5tsBOuNyxsThPGyAcWEwI3IwplSBGJnB3ZhpKhj2EdcXFzI1-wWlc8xchkW8kXCu4y1i7Wh5JK29QHfdiBO820d68PxrPxcSH_3xwPQBu9ml_PZmMhyE-G28mjbJCXxbE-_pjSBY/s1600-h/P2140083.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3YM5tsBOuNyxsThPGyAcWEwI3IwplSBGJnB3ZhpKhj2EdcXFzI1-wWlc8xchkW8kXCu4y1i7Wh5JK29QHfdiBO820d68PxrPxcSH_3xwPQBu9ml_PZmMhyE-G28mjbJCXxbE-_pjSBY/s320/P2140083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439231435231329074" border="0"></a>Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-52772431252086208322010-02-15T14:19:00.001+09:002010-02-15T21:56:02.247+09:00We made it around the bay!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCLQugndgtAhTJxPEpLLzoaYeGrIPI9gZEMTwxyRauVnyCkhLjMhs5p_NmfZK4cFZBtU7FeBRjjMoDdLXAlI2hLU_TZVkzxlSijACfVMBslGfiIvJMczj1TKA1fG-F60JB3Qlzxgw-vA/s1600-h/P2060149-edt.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCLQugndgtAhTJxPEpLLzoaYeGrIPI9gZEMTwxyRauVnyCkhLjMhs5p_NmfZK4cFZBtU7FeBRjjMoDdLXAlI2hLU_TZVkzxlSijACfVMBslGfiIvJMczj1TKA1fG-F60JB3Qlzxgw-vA/s320/P2060149-edt.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438377453998037810" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Aroooound the bay and back again!<br /><br />Minority and I and our little bicycles made it all the way to the tips of the Mikawa Bay peninsulas and back again to Nishio, safe and still friends, last weekend ^_^ (And also just in time to watch the recording of the Super Bowl with our friends... big disappointing end to the day >_< <br /><br />It was about 130 kilometers, a challenge and the hills almost did me in... hills and a certain failure to turn, which led us over an extremely huge bridge with lots of wind that spanned the whole ocean I think... but we persevered... Minority let me use his bicycle sometimes ^_^ He looked so cool on my cute little schoolgirl bike :D ha ha. And we also encountered some lovely and/or amusing people along the way ^_^<br /><br />Here's our start: outside Hananoki Elementary School, Nishio. With our trusty Super Mapple!--marked with huge assistance from our friend Al Capone (ありがとうね!arigato ne! thank you!)Our first day was about 50 kilometers. And we sort of took it easy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1PQmHXoCJJhtlUfzV5XQfxk9SpjVrmgbkavOmUUtlcHlfjMhMKN-YsgoKVyuV5dyJcVN706kp1SNtY5IySZ3vbDOstUtMqOwVB9r4Xj3wdW9d50rwF_var1CkKlZ32Tjtpb4hoU1KTE/s1600-h/P2060099.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1PQmHXoCJJhtlUfzV5XQfxk9SpjVrmgbkavOmUUtlcHlfjMhMKN-YsgoKVyuV5dyJcVN706kp1SNtY5IySZ3vbDOstUtMqOwVB9r4Xj3wdW9d50rwF_var1CkKlZ32Tjtpb4hoU1KTE/s320/P2060099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438374268713479922" border="0" /></a><br />We headed south, through Kira and then over the hills of Kota. Can you see how far UP we bicycled? That town at the bottom is Nishio / Kira. >_< <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqGwFYHToZHsDMh7xEm7QrkNR2CSxtcgLAOdU8OckM9Nd8XVEy4hbU-WUFktrphyphenhyphen9csVbDTY3jaUE97UWC0UA1V8hzVTNVG2GwY1zpyWUvx7O20IfmIc1PQT_nYqa3UFwOALCM_w7C-c/s1600-h/P2060106.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqGwFYHToZHsDMh7xEm7QrkNR2CSxtcgLAOdU8OckM9Nd8XVEy4hbU-WUFktrphyphenhyphen9csVbDTY3jaUE97UWC0UA1V8hzVTNVG2GwY1zpyWUvx7O20IfmIc1PQT_nYqa3UFwOALCM_w7C-c/s320/P2060106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438374939955942098" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />In just an hour we made it down to Gamagori. We stopped off at Takeshima, a tiny island shrine with a huge bridge stretching out to it. Minority hadn't been there. Beautiful as ever. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1ozp1mZy9tiUuJPL4BBXC_vi90w-sKVUmVbKnrI4XSUEIeZxEARJ8dqtScbqlhBYpdtdEc8c4xozVV2apeMRoFFhyphenhyphen2hGtaMDzDayIFuvyBny_ZEiFAFQPjA4ZG6RBAFpTFURm1BC-tY/s1600-h/P2060136.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq1ozp1mZy9tiUuJPL4BBXC_vi90w-sKVUmVbKnrI4XSUEIeZxEARJ8dqtScbqlhBYpdtdEc8c4xozVV2apeMRoFFhyphenhyphen2hGtaMDzDayIFuvyBny_ZEiFAFQPjA4ZG6RBAFpTFURm1BC-tY/s320/P2060136.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438376026650861506" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Oh! Well, I always look at the wishes at shrines now, ever since my friend (Roba) found one that was really funny ^_^ Today, someone hopes he can be a jockey some day ^_^ Awesome. And he/she mispelled jockey ^_^ ちょう かわいい。 cho kawaii. so cute.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV3J_mVPDyFqlQtJXlBMvF3gvN0C5agNL5snFqlmZ_PvwRTm_vegj3gEuvtSh8Qa4UgAcSFZuXuqndyYtQjzznGt2xJlusJfQQHmLRm_UCKXjxgRYtaIM4QNn7GLbjfMxmSpCDBKFcxM/s1600-h/P2060128.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV3J_mVPDyFqlQtJXlBMvF3gvN0C5agNL5snFqlmZ_PvwRTm_vegj3gEuvtSh8Qa4UgAcSFZuXuqndyYtQjzznGt2xJlusJfQQHmLRm_UCKXjxgRYtaIM4QNn7GLbjfMxmSpCDBKFcxM/s320/P2060128.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438376405232877106" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And then we biked for about 10 minutes and stopped at the fish market at Laguna. Yummy! They give you tons of free samples and stuff... but Minority doesn't really like fish. Right. Why did he come to Japan?? But I really enjoyed myself ^_^ It was really 懐かしい。natsukashii. took me back to when I first came to Nishio. ^_^ My student/friend took me there maybe my first month in Japan ^_^ This picture is of a big pile of seaweed. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t9t1A8VOSj1Jfbi6l34lqtpEqhQHmdhAUZkr9F3KBfdOXz3YyuurkESl6Jixt59sndUQcfL8K6fLHyIFjOXOaAImxV006qGEZB5cvQNvqhq0a9rztY2HsPR3U7t9cbgv8dM_jXHVwaU/s1600-h/P2060152.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t9t1A8VOSj1Jfbi6l34lqtpEqhQHmdhAUZkr9F3KBfdOXz3YyuurkESl6Jixt59sndUQcfL8K6fLHyIFjOXOaAImxV006qGEZB5cvQNvqhq0a9rztY2HsPR3U7t9cbgv8dM_jXHVwaU/s320/P2060152.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438377232362512994" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHOeupqcSHPRuZt-c-ObPbuWHsyYyMqrD39zhCPNTgylpeC7ee04YeHroVhqUmU1Uk243WvLz8oK3Yw6owX1_HKO5dMBzgrFguiYiQKpatFBdF1TzLIKcpxpLcYAHgsHJp493qeodnb8/s1600-h/P2060155.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHOeupqcSHPRuZt-c-ObPbuWHsyYyMqrD39zhCPNTgylpeC7ee04YeHroVhqUmU1Uk243WvLz8oK3Yw6owX1_HKO5dMBzgrFguiYiQKpatFBdF1TzLIKcpxpLcYAHgsHJp493qeodnb8/s320/P2060155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438377326426865042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Turns out that although Minority hates fish, he really likes raw fish. Weird guy. So we ate lunch here. And I also noticed the dialect this time! The fish vendors were saying "Maido!" along with the general "Irashai mase!" or "Welcome! Please come in!" "Maido" is what they say in the west, Kansai dialect. Like in Osaka, the big city in the west of Japan. But they use some Kansai dialect here in Mikawa area, too. I figure it's sort of mixed with the peculiar dialect here... Mikawa dialect. Apparently, Mikawa dialect sounds pretty country to people in the city ^_^ My friend's son is going to University near Nagoya, and she says he tries not to speak in Mikawa dialect because it makes him sound so country ^_^<br /><br />After lunch we continued on our way... getting a liiittle lost.. adding another hour or so to our trip >_< but we finally made it to Tahara. <br /><br />It was just getting dark and getting so cold when we made it to Tahara. Sooo lucky that Al Capone had looked up a internet cafe for us to stay at. We asked for directions at a Sugi Pharmacy (love Sugi!) and the pharmacist printed us out a map and everything ^_^ Tahara people are nice ^_^ Turns out we were a block away from it <br /><br />It was the <a href="http://www.aprecio.co.jp/tahara/index.php">best internet cafe ever</a>! The name is <a href="http://www.aprecio.co.jp/fc/serch_shop.html">Aprecio</a> and they have cafes all over Japan... I think I'll look them up next time I go somewhere. So.. in Japan, net cafes, or manga kissatens (mangakissa) are really common. You can pay per hour to sit and use the internet, read manga, drink free drinks--because ours was so awesome they have karaoke, place to do your laundry, massage chairs, other awesomeness. And they also have night packs so you can stay all night.. pretty cheap lodging. <br /><br />We got 10-hour night packs for 2200 yen, about $22.00 (And thank God they had showers here for only an extra 100 yen. I was so happy.) And they had this amazing free breakfast in the morning! It was a really, really nice mangakissa. Quite comfortable. I had never stayed at one before... only used the internet at them, but Minority had. Lol the gappers are just too poor ^_^ (Our pads were side-by-side.. we have the door open in this picture.)<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92IZVu12q6xEvfxm0k05D9emRLFcyxeLtktpW2oM0VDxBd2kIThIxzWosOSb3N2mVe78QhDfSD92EZg3KNCpimuGrPCiXVjPCR5xQuITliuqW18bQQaaas_Un9KvcML2uT6OmpIwY9oc/s1600-h/P2070201.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg92IZVu12q6xEvfxm0k05D9emRLFcyxeLtktpW2oM0VDxBd2kIThIxzWosOSb3N2mVe78QhDfSD92EZg3KNCpimuGrPCiXVjPCR5xQuITliuqW18bQQaaas_Un9KvcML2uT6OmpIwY9oc/s320/P2070201.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382321623441858" border="0" /></a><br />We were so cold and frustrated trying to find a place to eat in the dark, but by an error in kanji reading (which Minority was humiliated for the rest of the trip ^_^) we happened upon a lovely little restaurant with people so overly-accommodating in helping the gaijin-san navigate the menu (which we could read quite well enough and which was also highly saturated with photos to guide us if we couldn't..). "Gaijin-san wa tenpura ga suki deshou?" "Foreigners love tempura, right?" Yeah.. so I ended up with the tempura. Even though I almost never get tempura anymore. She gave us this stamp rally map though (if we eat at enough of the restaurants we get some free food or something..) and a survey to fill out. LOL. That was fun to figure out. They enjoyed having us I guess, and we had fun. And we got free dessert out of it, too ^_^.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEubJEzz5p5Tr8pjf5P9ZNQ8DX8Avt1vc9rHwYr4UNhjFfrOvfxpEAjWDOwCVAk9GncfnaQWtAPeW01ZJPs30xzbP2wqqkOvYUNPfVqheRlKRDLFgOWGauoAp-0hmejX_zw-gFC8xqaQA/s1600-h/P2070191.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEubJEzz5p5Tr8pjf5P9ZNQ8DX8Avt1vc9rHwYr4UNhjFfrOvfxpEAjWDOwCVAk9GncfnaQWtAPeW01ZJPs30xzbP2wqqkOvYUNPfVqheRlKRDLFgOWGauoAp-0hmejX_zw-gFC8xqaQA/s320/P2070191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382311570292946" border="0" /></a><br />The next morning, after our luxorious breakfast....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10RRwnYSAx8_9ejsX8lbkoWjrMfjWSs23P-2lEca2OQvKC1uv0kqJcfzG0O5JkSPDkHoXWtxEB6lC_4N53xXppwOMibPPAFruAOLM1h-GmkhyphenhyphenRmykGb06dTSBMGWPbjutTdOEkz-cI-w/s1600-h/P2070215.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10RRwnYSAx8_9ejsX8lbkoWjrMfjWSs23P-2lEca2OQvKC1uv0kqJcfzG0O5JkSPDkHoXWtxEB6lC_4N53xXppwOMibPPAFruAOLM1h-GmkhyphenhyphenRmykGb06dTSBMGWPbjutTdOEkz-cI-w/s320/P2070215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438386881941987826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXY6J4AwnDGoXqM2vWDFqZwu0HJqj_UuX0k1AFU2hUmPAtwvqyrHgjgyvvBCedr7D0FDeZOI-y4tHXLJjhTdlVdg_yeK2Yns0OkI5F_Yk_sqVcIrhTX9h15SWW5fU9PJl9PbjIflyntA/s1600-h/P2070211.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXY6J4AwnDGoXqM2vWDFqZwu0HJqj_UuX0k1AFU2hUmPAtwvqyrHgjgyvvBCedr7D0FDeZOI-y4tHXLJjhTdlVdg_yeK2Yns0OkI5F_Yk_sqVcIrhTX9h15SWW5fU9PJl9PbjIflyntA/s320/P2070211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438386873535417746" border="0" /></a><br />...we headed out to the tip of the Atsumi Peninsula. Our second day, we did 80 kilometers. We were supposed to catch the 9:50 ferry across the bay... but we sort of misjudged the distance and got there just in time for the 11:15 ferry :o The area after Tahara was beautiful. Mountains and farms. It really reminded me of Indiana heartland, except for the mountains ^_^ Then we hit the ocean, and it was really beautiful. The ocean is still quite captivating ^_^ I'm still not over how big it is yet ^_^<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_dSahGKuKvYMWVNK44k7TC1NUi_RxesggWXuuupILKJcLuoO2Z4r3KR4CyzT_ywUaU8jdYmHsgvz5SEd3L3NbLKPcyHZfZlzAYIPrjBw-NYCel_PoKcvBryEmIXX2Ud9VvKs8ArcBYQ/s1600-h/P2080310.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_dSahGKuKvYMWVNK44k7TC1NUi_RxesggWXuuupILKJcLuoO2Z4r3KR4CyzT_ywUaU8jdYmHsgvz5SEd3L3NbLKPcyHZfZlzAYIPrjBw-NYCel_PoKcvBryEmIXX2Ud9VvKs8ArcBYQ/s320/P2080310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382620958472882" border="0" /></a><br />Irago, at the tip of the Atsumi peninsula, is famous for strawberries and melons. We stopped and got these 花火苺 hanabi ichigo fireworks strawberries ^_^ so delicious!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScFFQHOv599u544n2frRZhnyIw8fOH4fDGyyhKqsqkWLvOSoBFRz0L0RdYS_N01qPW6kL7lbSkkdEsTjQxhUI9KiMjs5pQ1hyphenhyphenR51VwywZoMw1FDznu42eJ74s12KLhzJ4iGXjROaJDNE/s1600-h/P2070236.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScFFQHOv599u544n2frRZhnyIw8fOH4fDGyyhKqsqkWLvOSoBFRz0L0RdYS_N01qPW6kL7lbSkkdEsTjQxhUI9KiMjs5pQ1hyphenhyphenR51VwywZoMw1FDznu42eJ74s12KLhzJ4iGXjROaJDNE/s320/P2070236.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382328550111394" border="0" /></a><br />The ferry ride over was lovely. Nice to sit down in a comfy seat for awhile (and here awhile equals 40 minutes). Here, we are taking our bikes out from below. We, of course, sat up on the deck.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3p5j_9BYAVn0t5WSUe7SYQ-OmUjPSMA1hpZYhX6Gz93GiC79VoM3hDsb_cNM87FvSf_VyNG8E1Jm4u0HftdZyibC_u2Epdt8ILHyMavBR8Bgk9t1kZ0dL9Dze-R9dbm7IerlVf7mu54/s1600-h/P2070266.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3p5j_9BYAVn0t5WSUe7SYQ-OmUjPSMA1hpZYhX6Gz93GiC79VoM3hDsb_cNM87FvSf_VyNG8E1Jm4u0HftdZyibC_u2Epdt8ILHyMavBR8Bgk9t1kZ0dL9Dze-R9dbm7IerlVf7mu54/s320/P2070266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382336998991170" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the other side, on Chita Peninsula, we ate some ramen for lunch ^_^ The city name is Morozaki. It was Morozaki specialty ramen... which Minority got not realizing it was loaded with all his most-hated sea creatures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hcaqJbu1s5dCg0H54fb_szulOm6KUw-TeFtIZE284YPU9oS9qkCDY5PqT0Dpkqv8_wSWKN55GZK2Ci0wJLzhAxnrWB5T9C3qVJ_occol9HQGPGkXDio0CgDH8zw1G6wanQV56Ra-05s/s1600-h/P2070285.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hcaqJbu1s5dCg0H54fb_szulOm6KUw-TeFtIZE284YPU9oS9qkCDY5PqT0Dpkqv8_wSWKN55GZK2Ci0wJLzhAxnrWB5T9C3qVJ_occol9HQGPGkXDio0CgDH8zw1G6wanQV56Ra-05s/s320/P2070285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382346069461314" border="0" /></a><br />We enjoyed riding by the sea for quite a ways. After awhile, we were just driving through towns, and they got to looking quite a bit like we were driving though Nishio for hours. But still interesting. And our road became impossible for bicyclists, so we had to find a new way around... Minority says, "Oh well, if you weren't with me, I would try it." Yeah Minority, and you'd be dead soon. Or someone else would be. :o >_< (Note the "no rickshaws" ^_^) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji06qMs3gvJR3CltdCo2cayLdTTB1CZVrsbY4sageAdTS2bAkkE5CZVqkdgc9HkEnj3-Xlz6wOHsujSD2KjBspREHSFDuZ_7B0JBe0z49tcPJN8Tek_zkvC6Q7n5He8pGgYMcOfyIAZ5E/s1600-h/P2080343.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji06qMs3gvJR3CltdCo2cayLdTTB1CZVrsbY4sageAdTS2bAkkE5CZVqkdgc9HkEnj3-Xlz6wOHsujSD2KjBspREHSFDuZ_7B0JBe0z49tcPJN8Tek_zkvC6Q7n5He8pGgYMcOfyIAZ5E/s320/P2080343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382633313846050" border="0" /></a><br />Then we rode and rode, until Handa, where we found the No Sumoking Bar :D<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEc7GtZlns45f5xqRRoWcQsaqe_xRMfCxUENsqOkV5WhKg7qR1dwMb6pLsBIRKLDBKc3afmOTfTzd0zeqfvU_vl-HRtbCS1UA-HS_0JTQ_psf53MsYBf0-fm_1J6kCenHNSd7huKU0pTA/s1600-h/P2080346.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEc7GtZlns45f5xqRRoWcQsaqe_xRMfCxUENsqOkV5WhKg7qR1dwMb6pLsBIRKLDBKc3afmOTfTzd0zeqfvU_vl-HRtbCS1UA-HS_0JTQ_psf53MsYBf0-fm_1J6kCenHNSd7huKU0pTA/s320/P2080346.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382639594554034" border="0" /></a><br />...then crossed through the Kinuura Tunnel under the bay between Handa and Hekinan, and came back to Nishio ^_^<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0Y3BsOsPpJOzctU73gb0gBb1qDpCt0Dp9hF9JuNknuFKt01mBkpap2VggTx8KWMzDZWrNe4fGDBUEnP6FuVxnvnqD1PJBOv7k4i5_vAw1N_mE1wOMVN7FoHorI9F4xbrL0VZ-JkhdGk/s1600-h/P2080374.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0Y3BsOsPpJOzctU73gb0gBb1qDpCt0Dp9hF9JuNknuFKt01mBkpap2VggTx8KWMzDZWrNe4fGDBUEnP6FuVxnvnqD1PJBOv7k4i5_vAw1N_mE1wOMVN7FoHorI9F4xbrL0VZ-JkhdGk/s320/P2080374.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438382649769059970" border="0" /></a><br />We made it back to central Nishio about 5:30. Obviously, we made a lot better time day 2. Still, we didn't even push it that much.<br /><br />I highly recommend this route... it wasn't too hilly. You can see even by the terrain view on Google maps that this area is relatively flat. The view wasn't stunning until we got down to the tips of the peninsulas, and then it sort of turned into hours and hours of Nishio again after we left them ^_^ But still interesting, and totally doable in 2 days. I think next time... I'd like to try taking the ferry to another city... We can go across the harbor to Ise and Ise Shrine! Maybe it'd be worth it... ^_^Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-74545418956821053542010-02-06T02:21:00.001+09:002011-07-12T10:12:15.299+09:00The Secret Language of Inches and our Mikawa-wan Bicycle Odyssey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0_w2UpCfrxfjA3zRNL4sqH4V4-RKpiLFfMilqzPkQYa21mxVPgPYsPJOYsNA6uTOi0YOhd0sXbQRFY3Sj93VtxbAOYPSG-2w7P04cjf5afv0cLbwW_id8su2ViW59Jyjq1r-KLJX-1Y/s1600-h/gnome.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434964264438176850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 208px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0_w2UpCfrxfjA3zRNL4sqH4V4-RKpiLFfMilqzPkQYa21mxVPgPYsPJOYsNA6uTOi0YOhd0sXbQRFY3Sj93VtxbAOYPSG-2w7P04cjf5afv0cLbwW_id8su2ViW59Jyjq1r-KLJX-1Y/s320/gnome.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />My friend (Minority) and I are planning a bike trip and I'm trying to squeeze comprehension out of the massive amount of kilometers we have to ride. Japan speaks in kilometers, centimeters, Centegrade, kilos, and other confusing numbers.<br /><br />In short, numbers are difficult for this American girl. Don't even get me started on how strange counting in Japanese is for English-speakers.... zero, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, ten ten thousand, hundred ten thousand, thousand ten thousand, oku. And then there's all the counters and stuff. Ok i guess I started, but I'm finished now.<br /><br />But, when we talk about height, and I'm trying to get an image of how much 176 centimeters actually is compared to the boys I have known my whole life... Hark! My British friend says he is 5 foot 11! I feel like we just have made a huge mental link! Someone speaks inches! I'm 5 foot 8! How cool is that! What else can we talk about?? But, alas, that's about as far as our conversation in inches can reach.... if I ask him how much he weighs, he say something about 9 1/2 stones. Stones. 9 1/2. I have absolutely no concept of what that is.... alas. But, every so often, I still ask a British guy (er, I don't know any British girls right now..) or my Filipino friend how tall he is, just to feel this special glow felt in the presence of a inch-measured human. ^_^<br /><br />But our trip! We originally planned to take our bicycles up to the big city above us, Nagoya. About 41 kilometers, so 82 round trip. But, we decided that would be a pretty boring route, since there's just a lot of nothing between here and Nagoya. So, we are taking a friend's suggestion (enter friend Al Capone ^_^) and bicycling around Mikawa Bay instead! Mikawa-wa, or Bay the area right around our city Nishio.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBn2kxqn27-t6S_4I8LuAdvOTZ6RTt-1fiLTyJ9TB2s9GCroJ4kYJWJbT9Qbyf13xOnRzGfwyVFxuIW4SRmh4Vh8VNKELcV3yebZTBplktWYmOxP_YR3sMy0vlspEbtq4kp8uAtQyiB0/s1600-h/P5110036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434962517604776738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBn2kxqn27-t6S_4I8LuAdvOTZ6RTt-1fiLTyJ9TB2s9GCroJ4kYJWJbT9Qbyf13xOnRzGfwyVFxuIW4SRmh4Vh8VNKELcV3yebZTBplktWYmOxP_YR3sMy0vlspEbtq4kp8uAtQyiB0/s320/P5110036.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gqSslmhgMsJ6PvvjtSX6ebDu2OTKxGpr5X8hYDAxEyZSIMfrSTUOgTp5rK4Ufr-OyjD-ioj2fcOjAtZtENXWG08N3hIJBYK7zU6bMLMPsDSRGdoda91ebB9exMLI3oPaOoWihMy9g0Y/s1600-h/P5110022.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434962713764055554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gqSslmhgMsJ6PvvjtSX6ebDu2OTKxGpr5X8hYDAxEyZSIMfrSTUOgTp5rK4Ufr-OyjD-ioj2fcOjAtZtENXWG08N3hIJBYK7zU6bMLMPsDSRGdoda91ebB9exMLI3oPaOoWihMy9g0Y/s320/P5110022.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Nishio+Japan&daddr=irago+to:tahara+to:%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%84%9B%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E8%92%B2%E9%83%A1%E5%B8%82%E7%AB%B9%E5%B3%B6%E7%94%BA+%28%E7%AB%B9%E5%B3%B6%29+to:Nishio+japan&geocode=FXHzEwId2mUrCClV5fgtNZEEYDEFLUZcnWVc0w%3BFSWzDwIdW7UqCCnR_H70COUEYDFG8UZpfrw2GQ%3BFQYBEQIdS3wuCCmL-VoL49wEYDFUjdTL1tbSpQ%3BFSosEwId5_wtCCEUP54x5AtTpA%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=34.754025,137.27417&sspn=0.488552,1.212616&ie=UTF8&ll=34.754025,137.260437&spn=0.34109,0.44157&t=p&output=embed" frameborder="0" width="425" scrolling="no" height="350"></iframe><br /><small><a style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=embed&saddr=Nishio+Japan&daddr=irago+to:tahara+to:%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%84%9B%E7%9F%A5%E7%9C%8C%E8%92%B2%E9%83%A1%E5%B8%82%E7%AB%B9%E5%B3%B6%E7%94%BA+%28%E7%AB%B9%E5%B3%B6%29+to:Nishio+japan&geocode=FXHzEwId2mUrCClV5fgtNZEEYDEFLUZcnWVc0w%3BFSWzDwIdW7UqCCnR_H70COUEYDFG8UZpfrw2GQ%3BFQYBEQIdS3wuCCmL-VoL49wEYDFUjdTL1tbSpQ%3BFSosEwId5_wtCCEUP54x5AtTpA%3B&hl=en&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=34.754025,137.27417&sspn=0.488552,1.212616&ie=UTF8&ll=34.754025,137.260437&spn=0.34109,0.44157&t=p">View Larger Map</a></small><br /><br />This is just a rough look at our trip. It will be around 134 kilometers, or about 83.2637 miles. We are taking two days to to it ^_^, crashing in a manga cafe for the night. We're excited... we'll be around the ocean for a good part of it, and hopefully get to stop off at a couple of tiny random places along the way. ^_^ Oh yeah, lol. No, we're not planning to test our supernatural powers by cycling over the top of the sea... there's a ferry from peninsula to peninsula we can take our bikes on ^_^.<br /><br />We leave at dawn! (Or actually 8 a.m. ^_^)<br /><br />PHOTO NOTES:<br /><br />- The pictures were taken on on the top of a mountain-shrine in Hazu, about half an hour south of us by car. I went there by bicycle on day.. by accident actually. But it was a good day. I look so hot and tired right? Can you see the little fly around my head?? So annoying...<br /><br />- I can speak to garden gnomes. They speak inches, too.Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-42592841004448067572010-02-02T01:59:00.000+09:002010-02-03T13:58:50.001+09:00A Link in Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZhoiQt3P43KN10DI5lJMNUdHJObI2veLjHwhH7fqFLX8szVJYFOyfkqEKYNCLURhrIYZkKrwOx5Ue37VLRVmejaMioSG-8qhYOpWbB1nv-DDMSjaHwocbuPCPUGbCyjZTgCZq2fjcZk/s1600-h/the-links.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZhoiQt3P43KN10DI5lJMNUdHJObI2veLjHwhH7fqFLX8szVJYFOyfkqEKYNCLURhrIYZkKrwOx5Ue37VLRVmejaMioSG-8qhYOpWbB1nv-DDMSjaHwocbuPCPUGbCyjZTgCZq2fjcZk/s320/the-links.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433664901075659330" border="0" /></a><br />I'm posting a slew of links to the right. Here's a rundown summary of why they're awesome. Some have become part of my every day over these past 15 months, some are new finds.<br /><br />Four categories:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 - Japan Blogs Worth Your Time</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />2 - Useful While You Live Here</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />3 - Nihongo Tools</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />4 - Anime! Dorama!</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><br /></span><img src="file:///C:/Users/Becky/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i-cjw.com/blog/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT4-bnZpJ8oK9dNqcAva1nH1IN31a8TSxPZdFvc-_GpwsyBAhYMytKWq1sF1hUBf8w17bm8N3OH3H5dqbD_Ut6aIF3hjmpgm9MCMOBnSjVchLUPB1XOI7Ai6tQxFSRQr5rSf0D4vd-6g/s320/hiking+blog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433677309921616802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1 - Japan Blogs Worth Your Time</span><br /><br />Check out these people's blogs for new and wonderful looks at Japan. Some of these people have just incredible photos. If you like beautiful things, they could make you cry. For photos, especially check out<br /><br /><a href="http://i-cjw.com/blog" target="_blank">i, cjw ~.::.~ hiking and climbing in japan</a> - hiking/climbing MANIAC.. he just climbed Fuji a couple of weeks ago! in the middle of winter! =O it's closed! And, his writing is so captivating.<br /><br /><a href="http://offtheplanet.typepad.com/2_girls_and_the_world/" target="_blank">2 Girls and the World</a> - scroll down to the photo thumbnails on the left. Beautiful photos from all around Japan and the world. <div class="blog-icon"> <input value="http://i-cjw.com/favicon.ico" type="hidden"> </div> <div class="blog-title"><br /><a href="http://www.dannychoo.com/" target="_blank">dannychoo.com - Your portal to Japan</a> - Great photos, interesting commentary. A Tokyo-ite's view. Er, warning... he loves school girl cartoons and stuff. Nothing explicit but... it might seem awful?<br /><div class="blog-title"><br />Also, <a href="http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/" target="_blank">Blue Lotus</a> posts a lot of recipes and stuff. I just found her, so I'm excited to try out her recipes soon!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mdn.mainichi.jp/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96yXmvlmKZsxgAfXEUbnWE8glM8rrGW0LXyimtorNxSDkHrrwkuLKX2x8zU-cUZZgxNAw3xejbWTJ1Nfa9mOlMdqwoW3MVZo4etulA48MtDkdA3JOf_NolOTzMBlTGlmkN6kr9_6-VCk/s320/mainichi.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433677442343458146" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2 - Useful While You Live Here</span><br />Sites I frequent. <a href="http://mdn.mainichi.jp/">Mainichi Daily News</a> and <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/">Japan Times</a> are English sites of two online newspapers. They're coverage is just ok.. Mainichi has some fantastic photos, though. I actually often use these articles in my classes, too ^_^<br /></div></div><br /><a href="http://gaijinpot.com/">Gaijin Pot</a> sometimes has interesting articles, and it's a start for people looking for an ESL job. But if you are seriously looking for an ESL job, I have other sites I'd suggest. Just send me a message!<br /><br /><a href="http://cookpad.com/">Cookpad</a> is a recipe site! Yahoo! It's in Japanese, so it might not be much use if you're not familiar with the language. If you want English recipes, please look to <a href="http://blue_moon.typepad.com/blue_lotus/">Blue Lotus</a>!<br /><br /><a href="http://hostelworld.com/">Hostelworld</a> and <a href="http://jr-central.co.jp/">JR Railway</a> are for travelers! Hostelworld will help you out in or out of Japan, but the JR site has station, time and fair information only in Japanese. You can probably figure it out though if you need to!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-JjkTx8Ptmz6htmeoWO4SIqJpdZ27NZLc9O3Y25QYq6XjrX9jVOitNGhqVEoe15kVyH6-L6A1N29hX4jivVZxfdqEKaV_zJModGPTClm__Rj8u1ME6Mbc5vYHP-gPY2yvAa6YZ6mpz8/s1600-h/rikaichan+ponyo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-JjkTx8Ptmz6htmeoWO4SIqJpdZ27NZLc9O3Y25QYq6XjrX9jVOitNGhqVEoe15kVyH6-L6A1N29hX4jivVZxfdqEKaV_zJModGPTClm__Rj8u1ME6Mbc5vYHP-gPY2yvAa6YZ6mpz8/s320/rikaichan+ponyo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433680569221244034" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3 - Nihongo Tools</span><br /><br />My favorite section!<br /><br />First of all, <a href="http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/">Rikaichan</a> is like a dream, waaay to good to be true! My friend Roba introduced me to it. It's an impossibility, but it's really real! Rikaichan is a Firefox plug-in (if you don't use Firefox, you definitely should). Once you download it (and don't forget the dictionaries!) from the <a href="http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/">site</a> and install it, a whole new World Wide Web of Japanese will open before you. Just activate, then roll your cursor over any Japanese word.. and a beautiful blue box will pop into your view and both tell you the reading for the kanji and the English translation. (!!!!) It's a miracle. りかいちゃんが だ~~いすき!! :D I looove Rikaichan (but if you had rikaichan you could understand that too! ^_^). It's wonderful for studying. Also, rikai means understanding. And chan is a suffix.. basically for friends.<br /><br /><a href="http://jisho.org/">Denshi Jisho</a>, <a href="http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/">Goo Japanese Dictionary</a>, and <a href="http://japan%20http//ja.wiktionary.org/wiki/">Japanese Wiktionary</a><br />are good resources. I use Denshi Jisho ALL the time; aside from being a good japanese-english dictionary, it's got a really helpful Kanji section with a look-up-kanji-by-radical feature. (I'm so so sad when Denshi Jisho is down even for an evening!) Goo is Japanese to Japanese. Japanese Wiktionary has kanji stroke order (!). My Japanese friend introduced me to this one laughing how she found out she had been writing a kanji the wrong way her whole life ^_^<br /><br /><a href="http://www.japanesepod101.com/index.php">JapanesePod 101</a> is a site I recently have been getting into. They have free podcast lessons. Really good. And lots of really nice resources, if you subscribe... but subscription is a little expensive... well, it's just they lock you in for 2 years :\<br /><br />Also.. not online, but don't forget about Microsoft Word... just typing (and the automatic kanji change) can help you check your grammar... and the IME pad... so o o helpful...<br /><br />Anyway... a few golden resources I wish I had had back in the beginning ^_^<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.narutoget.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BNZA-jtGv6M74XZcOagMMjlLg1d62cVRFlH3Tbxz2aABVRDXl2LajLKmi2iEjrOkbyuT8tl2hu0NA90lJ7gYP7WbsdXwSv8ekOkvbljc14b-MR38JZGNi5esHUkut3hqJ7DpIGZ9URE/s320/narutoget.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433684389223273378" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4 - Anime! Dorama!</span><br /><br />Yes!! I wasn't into anime much before I came to Japan.. but all that's changed now. ^_^ <br />一番 好きな アニメは ナルト だってばよ! Ichiban suki na anime wa <a href="http://narutoget.com/">Naruto</a> dattebayo! <a href="http://narutoget.com/">Naruto</a> is the best! And <a href="http://narutoget.com/">narutoget.com</a> is the best site to watch it at. It's sister site is all <a href="http://www.bleachget.com/">Bleach</a>. I go to <a href="http://www.animecrazy.net/">Anime Crazy</a> for all my other anime needs ^_^ (well most of them ^_^). And it's sister site <a href="http://www.dramacrazy.net/">Drama Crazy</a> has tons of dramas from Japan, Korea, China, and more! :D It's also a dream come true. ^_^<br /><br />Watching anime and drama is also, of course, has benefits as study tools. Sazaesan is actually really good, but it's not on animecrazy or anything. The best place to find it is actually on youtube. But you have to insert the secret conglomeration of characters to get it. They've hidden it from being taken down for copyright infringement. If you message me.. I'll send it to you. But I think you can find it posted elsewhere if you search the right way. A friend gave me the secret. That's how I know. ^_^<br /><br />That's a rundown... I'm sure I'll be adding more links later! ^_^<br /><br />###Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-64424700693932343602010-02-01T16:55:00.000+09:002010-01-31T23:58:20.916+09:00The Stars Shine, the Mona Lisa Smiles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWYOf9DVe40637dzTfFZqe4pW2QNsap-n9huOmSwKCKNZ9SRNcpWjOIAwkL-7De74rk7SvnTOWKK18k_OC2m9SfY_bdMCHVKBOrKPD0erZg2-l9SS58TH9cqKebvJnhslvZ9h3Gflaww/s1600-h/P1240760+edt.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWYOf9DVe40637dzTfFZqe4pW2QNsap-n9huOmSwKCKNZ9SRNcpWjOIAwkL-7De74rk7SvnTOWKK18k_OC2m9SfY_bdMCHVKBOrKPD0erZg2-l9SS58TH9cqKebvJnhslvZ9h3Gflaww/s320/P1240760+edt.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432911250123955186" border="0" /></a>*Photo notes at the bottom...*<br /><br />Last Sunday, Dr. Hammatori took Shipshewana and I to a couple of spots in Nishio.<br /><br />First was the mysterious building.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0xAkU_hU1SkiqqMqY5N1fWZUB4t8LlsCUGuG09MYd1ZqqGuqjxRa1x-BjaYtQA1I3Pg01nCNolciXy1DFYIytJvPE0kWoczXiiyD40xr1IEyX0zvhMHnNmknkS6_Zr905Wkl5J0YDNk/s1600-h/P4120152+edt.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0xAkU_hU1SkiqqMqY5N1fWZUB4t8LlsCUGuG09MYd1ZqqGuqjxRa1x-BjaYtQA1I3Pg01nCNolciXy1DFYIytJvPE0kWoczXiiyD40xr1IEyX0zvhMHnNmknkS6_Zr905Wkl5J0YDNk/s320/P4120152+edt.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432910407610863394" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />This is a huge building with what looks like an observatory on it, which has meddled with my curiosity ever since I came to Nishio. Finally a few months ago I thought to ask the doctor about it (Eureka!). Of course Dr. Hammatori knows everyone and about everything in Nishio.<br /><br />The mysterious sand-colored-rock and green-copper-topped building belongs to his friend, another doctor in town and coincidentally the owner of the hospital that the gap guys from the UK (i.e. Shipshewana and Minority) volunteer at. And it is in fact... an observatory! But with no telescope. Zannen, ne. Too bad, huh. But still curious, we went Sunday to check it out.<br /><br />So here's the story, though a little anticlimactic. The doctor's great-grandfather was an amateur astronomy enthusiast, and built the building and the observatory. But, he died before he could have the telescope installed. :\ really tragic.<br /><br />He also was an avid reader, and he and his son accumulated QUITE a collection of books--medical, and everything else. They had a fancy system installed for the library... well, I guess I lot of university libraries have these, but UIndy isn't quite high tech enough... it's the system where, when you walk into room, it just looks like another wall, but then you select the row you need, and the wall automatically opens to that row of books... you get it, right? so automatic library system... kind of amazing for a home library. So TONS of books, right? Enough to make any decent English major quiver with excitement (even if all the books are indeed in Japanese). There were medical books from Edo Period (circa 1603 - 1868), and even an original copy from before Edo (!). We were enthralled.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-an1EkpZQSxPIHDvB9jVTgAXTFcIjYsmEb_DObF1iY_V60gEbTQtKb-ESnn6IW1RKtbHPs_p6HsJQk2V3HHM1zyhGKHpzk-FXpt2WZjV_QCBiHOk45ylXQpPhV6_RRXEDUQE2Va5QqM/s1600-h/P1240683.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-an1EkpZQSxPIHDvB9jVTgAXTFcIjYsmEb_DObF1iY_V60gEbTQtKb-ESnn6IW1RKtbHPs_p6HsJQk2V3HHM1zyhGKHpzk-FXpt2WZjV_QCBiHOk45ylXQpPhV6_RRXEDUQE2Va5QqM/s320/P1240683.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432910619699843490" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />It was the doctor's building caretaker who was showing us around, a retired engineer (who also happens to be Dr. Hammatori's friend ^_^ of course). He said we could take a book if we wanted to. =O The row he had opened up in the big library room was art. So Shipshe and I both took a couple of books of Japanese art. :D I also found one, half in English, about the temple Kiyomizu in Kyoto. (The most culturally important city in Japan, hugely old, and not too far west of us.) Excited. We enjoyed coffee with the caretaker after that, and then we had to go.<br /><br />Second was the museum of red paintings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiYfxD7Hk1XGuq2MwB1Z3qa7HZt-upfaKpTfKjCKhWw9P5twMPcIo1tJqrCuAJ92GCGbjn2VbETrGXQaQ5nlf-JO1Lw1Nh7FQ7W14Optp-Y-ok4a1sw_OgZWvoTpa9Oj9tYDl7-w5_Rg/s1600-h/P1240754+edt.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiYfxD7Hk1XGuq2MwB1Z3qa7HZt-upfaKpTfKjCKhWw9P5twMPcIo1tJqrCuAJ92GCGbjn2VbETrGXQaQ5nlf-JO1Lw1Nh7FQ7W14Optp-Y-ok4a1sw_OgZWvoTpa9Oj9tYDl7-w5_Rg/s320/P1240754+edt.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432911825875689842" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dr. Hammatori also wanted to take us to this small museum/showroom in Nishio. The artist’s name is Goroh Saitoh, and is, well, famous as far as I can tell. He uses red in all of his paintings. His trademark. The museum was wonderful, and even more so because so many of the pieces’ themes were of places I could recognize from Mikawa Bay (this area we live in). Wonderful. Nishio matcha... festivals… rivers.. trains...<br /><br />But that’s not the half of it. There’s the Mona Lisa, too. The Mona Lisa is, of course, in the Louvre, and no one is allowed to paint it. Before, the only person that ever copied it was Monet. But Saitoh-san was allowed to copy. So now, only two people have ever copied it :D It's funny, it looks out of place sitting among the high-saturated reds of the Mikawa Bay scenes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3jez1T4rCJOTFNYDjXVEP2p7RrbI8UMpAMJEgHA6CJ3VORzyxzOIS_F1lDQZimXecDpGXLlhD8GOjTic8rRRFh8K6SZ9KvyUGjM-epz7n7O5sSa9gavISr5fcQy3-13ZZh0mH0UhgCc/s1600-h/P1240699+edt.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii3jez1T4rCJOTFNYDjXVEP2p7RrbI8UMpAMJEgHA6CJ3VORzyxzOIS_F1lDQZimXecDpGXLlhD8GOjTic8rRRFh8K6SZ9KvyUGjM-epz7n7O5sSa9gavISr5fcQy3-13ZZh0mH0UhgCc/s320/P1240699+edt.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432910151562902610" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br />Saitoh-san was a really interesting guy and he showed us lots of things, like the professional sumo wrestler’s costume he created for the wrestler to wear during the opening ceremonies of the tournaments. And he had a costume that the participants in this incredible festival near us in Hazu city—the Fire Festival—wear, I think so he could look at it while he painted scenes of the festival. I tried it on :D And he and his father also collect antiques, so he showed us tons of those, and lots of pictures, and told us about this Asian artists event they had at the world trade center. He painted the poster art for the world trade center event, too, and let us have a copy of the poster. Really interesting guy. Such a good time visiting with him and his museum.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57Bm_GOZDc2-8A5ySYizzZli1oPQvwgmgH-1-Lr8oeYxFz74twMkguuaIGFiI7uZUtxLwnVaROL2wqWqabaGpxl7Q5Fdr85MXZPuWYRdNK0CRR6ZE7SKNpuTQhOoOTLK5oaCwJovkMuQ/s1600-h/P1240749.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57Bm_GOZDc2-8A5ySYizzZli1oPQvwgmgH-1-Lr8oeYxFz74twMkguuaIGFiI7uZUtxLwnVaROL2wqWqabaGpxl7Q5Fdr85MXZPuWYRdNK0CRR6ZE7SKNpuTQhOoOTLK5oaCwJovkMuQ/s320/P1240749.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432910982845620370" border="0" /></a><br />An art saturation day. I hope you can enjoy some of the photos. They show a little of our little hometown, and the sites and people of this area too ^_^.<br /><br />PHOTO NOTES:<br /><br />1 - The Mona Lisa randomly displayed on a telephone pole somewhere in Japan. I think of Kira when I see this. I feel like I've been to the corner, but I must've missed the Mona Lisa hanging there. I didn't post a picture of his real copy of the Mona Lisa.. I like this one better ^_^<br /><br />2 - A view of the mysterious building from Dr. Hammatori's condo in the new and very tall Zelk Tower in the middle of Nishio.<br /><br />3 - Enthralled over one of the medical books. This is the reprint of the book from the Edo period.<br /><br />4 - A fuzzy view of one of the main pieces in the showroom. We're standing in front of it in a later photo. This is rice. In the forefront is hands making a ball of motchi (rice cake.. a sweet thing). Follow the fields of rice to the top for a history of rice and Japan, and hidden awesome things like the Mona Lisa (in that first wooden shed building on the right), Super Mario! (behind the second barn on the right above the first), and historical figures and stuff ^_^.<br /><br />Also, this one and the next one really show how his paintings/silkscreens are similar to the woodblock prints of old... scenes of common places and common people of Japan. So captivating, huh?<br /><br />5 - Dr. Hammatori's favorite. A boy hitting a golf ball off of a boat in the Furigawa River, where it hits Kira and the ocean. Also note the red train at the top! Meitestu is the train line around here, and the regular local trains are red! Very much a part of our lives ^_^<br /><br />6 - Shipshe, the artist Goroh Saitoh, and me in front of the rice painting.<br /><br />###Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-46648369549042320012010-01-25T00:00:00.000+09:002010-01-27T14:13:48.042+09:00Winter is a little fun, too<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPV6yzhZaSW1CavOt7w2upZDb26NsJ8PZTau9vFJ-pfSAcRvY0rhB2YUIeHdRK-K_pwjJXmO_dWWyN8bu9X_kW3pFZ2D20dT46PTstJcX-Apy23EAgJ9DsWktxTJIGepeGzQZeGzlp54/s1600-h/P1160590.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHPV6yzhZaSW1CavOt7w2upZDb26NsJ8PZTau9vFJ-pfSAcRvY0rhB2YUIeHdRK-K_pwjJXmO_dWWyN8bu9X_kW3pFZ2D20dT46PTstJcX-Apy23EAgJ9DsWktxTJIGepeGzQZeGzlp54/s320/P1160590.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430322299660232914" /></a><br /><br />Winter in Central Japan! Who's excited! In Nishio, it's not very exciting. It's not very cold, it's not very warm. There's no snow. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMTH975OGIxzvAC7aTsG3vi5K7C9buEhN4i_C2m_etz_pomoKgCQbi-8WYyi4Oeexzj4PXI7LrTbnnFSpZHmIfsafFBDPAZadn_bVSTXyaqEh9lpHuyHzz6T40lQTFeInKXRzbV70TW8/s1600-h/P1160576.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMTH975OGIxzvAC7aTsG3vi5K7C9buEhN4i_C2m_etz_pomoKgCQbi-8WYyi4Oeexzj4PXI7LrTbnnFSpZHmIfsafFBDPAZadn_bVSTXyaqEh9lpHuyHzz6T40lQTFeInKXRzbV70TW8/s320/P1160576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430361625295364402" /></a> But if you travel just a couple of hours north of us... there are mountains suitable for skiing ^_^. Some of us went last weekend! It was fun overall... but I have found that I am not my father's daughter. Not on snowy mountains. He loves skiing. I can't quite get the hang of it >_< (here meaning takes out tiny children with pink skis during stopping attempts >_<). But yeah, it was still a fun day (and the pink skis girl was ok..). It was fun watching my friends have fun ^_^ And the view from the top was beautiful. BTW.. we were at Mt. Gozaisho in Mie prefecture. Which has the longest gondola in Asia. If you're into gondola length measurements. And, shall I name everyone? Well, from left to right we have Minority, Shipshewana, that girl, Stitch, and Dr. Hammatori. ^_^ yes those are all pseudonyms. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MrmKYW5MegAQxIarLsYCU3HsxXzYz550kvHu7iI0pNZ_vY-SUyZLk2GPMOg6fe2skAR-I8W2WPYxOk4pKk0sNVpwksNqHKtXyIhi3v9VzPBlpK6e7K4I2Devd2tINeM1xSx4v3wEvUg/s1600-h/P1170617.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MrmKYW5MegAQxIarLsYCU3HsxXzYz550kvHu7iI0pNZ_vY-SUyZLk2GPMOg6fe2skAR-I8W2WPYxOk4pKk0sNVpwksNqHKtXyIhi3v9VzPBlpK6e7K4I2Devd2tINeM1xSx4v3wEvUg/s320/P1170617.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430355726507656930" /></a>Oh and we saw monkeys. Can you see the pink face just right of center?? Every fall was totally worth it. (!)<br /><br />After, we left there, we went over to Nabana no Sato (also in Mie prefecture), which is usually a flower park. Ok actually, it's simply an all-the-time, sure-bet icha icha couples spot. Definitely made for dates. The first time I went, it was by myself.. not the best idea.. but the flowers were still beautiful. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq9BpJbi_4WXfYtV9yuLviS3ZqjA3W2Alb1TUPRaQulAqxQeEjkojwlQD_JmmjyUbyWmbV4ylkTO2XnUFi2bZnp7SJyokU6U0-H13qPtoTjQ7uJ7O1R3FxHCNJojeMSw3WIW6v_QLT_4/s1600-h/P1170649.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq9BpJbi_4WXfYtV9yuLviS3ZqjA3W2Alb1TUPRaQulAqxQeEjkojwlQD_JmmjyUbyWmbV4ylkTO2XnUFi2bZnp7SJyokU6U0-H13qPtoTjQ7uJ7O1R3FxHCNJojeMSw3WIW6v_QLT_4/s320/P1170649.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430359814395522770" /></a><br />Anyway, in the winter, they do illumination! It's incredible! This picture is me and Stitch in a huge tunnel of lights. Dazzling. Stitch is a teacher here in Nishio, too. ^_^<br /><br />This is a pond! With the wedding chapel on the far side. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt7DQM8JY2qdreD5XkyvuOXCa87JExCku6Pu04DNi3siSqJR7kci7uIdiFbKXpG0Gyuvuk_ttlJDjwLutcaKPMOc_XMdbGIUkkdO4mEguKVZYn6ezQeEv_dQOPZM4zQMd6mB7hPJmQtg/s1600-h/P1170662.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEt7DQM8JY2qdreD5XkyvuOXCa87JExCku6Pu04DNi3siSqJR7kci7uIdiFbKXpG0Gyuvuk_ttlJDjwLutcaKPMOc_XMdbGIUkkdO4mEguKVZYn6ezQeEv_dQOPZM4zQMd6mB7hPJmQtg/s320/P1170662.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430360193969811330" /></a><br /><br />But I don't guess the pictures do it justice. <br /><br />That's winter for now!<br /><br />###Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-13653102157950861592010-01-04T16:38:00.000+09:002010-01-07T02:34:41.928+09:00America the Beautiful<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zVdB8aqbyXeZeZyDsefNBfX6WAmINfSLWqVCMjtEoh0XrHCZtb5yvF55QczZKJhtFVMavLDc0qDc3BYyMen_KTGCwSrnIKN7lSCKf4mC9juCMJQ0SwchMf8X6l6cT8XlE0TffoDRbQ4/s1600-h/PC210050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3zVdB8aqbyXeZeZyDsefNBfX6WAmINfSLWqVCMjtEoh0XrHCZtb5yvF55QczZKJhtFVMavLDc0qDc3BYyMen_KTGCwSrnIKN7lSCKf4mC9juCMJQ0SwchMf8X6l6cT8XlE0TffoDRbQ4/s320/PC210050.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423680732866662834" /></a><br /><br /><br />Well I've been home in Indiana the past 2 and a half weeks, and I have only about half a week more here. It's been an emotional roller coaster. It's so good to see everyone. I can't hardly wait to get back to Japan. Just saying hello after a year, a few hours of conversation, then saying a goodbye for the next year.. over and over is a bit wearying. And adjusting to America, etc. is uncomfortable.<br /><br />I can't bring myself to wear shoes in the house, and even some places out--like at my parents' church--I feel very instinctively like we should take off our shoes. <br /><br />Driving with people is uncomfortable... everyone just drives faster in Japan and on the wrong side and all that too... I'm afraid I've become a bit of a paranoid backseat driver... my poor sister >_< <br /><br />Well, Christmas was wonderful ^_^ I don't want to miss Christmas ever again. ^_^ My uncle drove my grandparents up here for Christmas. They were able to visit with my aunt and her family (along with a new little great-grandchild up there ^_^) up near Chicago, and then come down here for Christmas Day. It was wonderful. We've never ever been around them at Christmas, so it was a sort of once-in-a-life time, golden Christmas. ^_^ Beautiful. <br /><br />My grandfather fought in the Korean War, and while he was over there, he had a short one-week shore leave in Japan. He actually stayed for a night in Nagoya :O awesome. But his real leave was in Tokyo. It was so cool talking about Japan with him :D Best memory with my grandfather. definitely. <br /><br />Of course Japan is quite different now. He asked if I rode in rickshaws. No, I never have.. they're sort of more expensive, touristy things. He laughed... when he was there, they were so so common, and cheaper than a taxi. He rode them a lot. ^_^ <br /><br />He also said that while they were there, they took a train across the west of Japan, and went by Hiroshima... so this would be well under 10 years after they dropped the bomb... he said it was a wasteland. I can't imagine it. <br /><br />I was also able to spend New Year's Day in St. Louis with some friends ^_^ Caught a crowded 4 a.m. Greyhound out there. Did some shopping, watched some butterflies... a lovely reprieve from this Siberian winter. It's not Nishio weather, that's for sure. Being with friends is so good. If not highly emotional. I'm afraid it's making me difficult to be around. >_< <br /><br />Well, this week, I have some required shopping to take care of... some for me, some for others. And a few more friends to meet up with ^_^ I'm so happy to see eveyone. It's so wonderful. <br /><br /><br />The picture is our monument in the center of Indianapolis. It's all decorated for Christmas. ^_^Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169575960902666281.post-66109022941976504112009-10-20T02:54:00.000+09:002010-02-15T18:06:35.775+09:00A new Post! Ruth cooks in Japan!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5tt36-SnTaHPDmy2DRbm0fJiND_AtbW2Xp8_DIrDOmOYJKNdRN4ix8KZkrjUEMT74CCkQts5thtjV4927SYBybji50LLqHn2GNV25Uw6kB3HGzf93IqGYiPmUm5C_Wcg42liN20E-Rw/s1600-h/PA120135.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5tt36-SnTaHPDmy2DRbm0fJiND_AtbW2Xp8_DIrDOmOYJKNdRN4ix8KZkrjUEMT74CCkQts5thtjV4927SYBybji50LLqHn2GNV25Uw6kB3HGzf93IqGYiPmUm5C_Wcg42liN20E-Rw/s320/PA120135.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395089285388528162" /></a><br /><br />New post. wow.<br /><br />Well, this is just a random post to break the ice that's been growing thicker over the past... 6 months.<br /><br />Japanese cooking. As you might expect, it's easier to cook Japanese food in Japan than it is to cook my mom's food. I have realized that a lot of the stuff I'm used to--maybe chili or Mexican food or baked anything or something else--is either impossible to cook here (for example for lack of an oven...) or very expensive (for example the through-the-roof cost of the taco party my friend had not too long ago).<br /><br />So, when in Rome... cook some Italian food maybe. When you decide to move to Japan, learn to cook Japanese food while you're there. Or else survive off of cup-a-ramen the whole time. That was pretty much my first couple of weeks... ok maybe month. My co-worker said I was going to turn into a noodle but, it didnt happen, I just became, plump.<br /><br />Anyway, tonight, I'm eating fried shijimi rice and tamagoyaki ^_^<br /><br />Fried Shijimi Rice.... this means rice cooked in my friend the rice cooker mixed with shijimi, which is a tiny shellfish, and then stir-fried.. using a seasoning packet. ^_^ Easy right? I'm eating shijimi a lot lately in attempt to consume more iron.... because my body is showing signs of it's absence. >_< <br /><br />Tamagoyaki.... tamago is egg. Yaki means.. cooked somehow.. in this case fried. Put them together and.. yeah fried eggs. But not the traditional American scrambled eggs. You may have had a bit of tamagoyaki before as sushi. The eggs are mixed with some Japanese seasonings (namely soy sauce, dashi--fish stock, mirin) and sugar, and fried and rolled. It's really easy. Most of Japanese food it. It's nice that it's possible to make delicious food and not be my mom. ^_^ rolling the egg just right is a little hard for me right now though :\ I suppose I'll be able to get the hang of it one day... <br /><br />Here's the recipe for tamagoyaki my friend wrote out for me in simple Japanese:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVZav1euFCZta-PYKi-U1B3leBoh4_NGMYVEH3OCHqm7sz50_ESTi9J5wr3Yur3SvH-KG3u2zW1oyk-fthXwybrvs1xoxLBFWPUId73TB4DKj59oLij4Y3az865oYJU-c37EtwJUSutM/s1600-h/PA210129.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVZav1euFCZta-PYKi-U1B3leBoh4_NGMYVEH3OCHqm7sz50_ESTi9J5wr3Yur3SvH-KG3u2zW1oyk-fthXwybrvs1xoxLBFWPUId73TB4DKj59oLij4Y3az865oYJU-c37EtwJUSutM/s320/PA210129.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395089766611558338" /></a><br /><br />....I'll post it in English later! Now to go cook dinner! :D<br /><br /><br />The photo is from Himeji Castle-- in the west of Japan. It's so beautiful. It's a world heritage site and was somehow spared the air raids of WWII, so it's one of the oldest (maybe the oldest?) castle in Japan. So glad it made it. It's awesome. I went to see it with some students on a one-day bus trip recently. ^_^Ruthiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15731496892035457127noreply@blogger.com4