Anpanman

This is one of Japan's most famous characters. Anpanman.

He is a super hero with a head made out of bread. He goes around feeding the hungry with his head. He feeds his head to people. And a helper of his helps bake him new heads whenever he needs. I see him everywhere.

Although come to think of it, I didn't see anyone dressed as Anpanman at my Halloween parties last night. I'm sure lots of kids are him today at their English School parties. Happy Halloween!

By the way "Pan" is bread. So he's Breadman.

lol Japan. :D

Lights

Here are the lights leading up to Hofu's main shrine during a special festival in August.

I was glancing at my blog about it from last year, and I found it amusing that I went to Nights 1 and 3 of the three day festival last year. And this year I only made it to the 2nd night. Guess I should go for all or none next year, to keep it even. :D

Here's the link to last year's blog if you are interested. Click.

Sep. 20th

Cool video below! Unfortunately I have no idea what this festival was for. It was in a neighboring city (Tokuyama). A friend just said "there's something or another going on at our shrine" and I went. And it was nice. But no education for ya'll on this one. (hehehe. Sorry.)

(later edit---"OH I do know that September 20th was 'Respect for the Aged' day.....so it probably has something to do with that!")

Tokyo

Look everyone !!! It's MY building!! (the katakana there reads- *biru or *building....which I often confuse with *bi-ru or beer)

This is just a short post to say that I miss doing things outside of this little prefecture. :) I think my Tokyo trip was my last time out of the prefecture, around early August.

Masato was here in Japan on a business trip, so I got to meet up with him.

Christina and I got to Tokyo via Night-bus from Universal Studios in Japan, to Shinjuku station. How many times I will forget that night buses are actually little pieces of hell with wheels...I do not know.

We stayed with the beautiful Yumi who was up there for school. It was a fun relaxing trip, just to meet up with friends, and play play play.

I've never even been to Tokyo Tower, even though by now, I've been to Tokyo a half a dozen times... shame on me. But it was fun!

Anyways, now that my holiday visit Narita to LAX plane ticket is all squared away, I hope to enthrall you all with details of my next journey. Did anyone say _________ [insert destination not-yet-decided]?

Lakeside Fun

Yamaguchi, Japan. Sometimes, you just feel like jumping in.

Photo by: Michael Leung

blah. No really, Blah!

Learn about Natto: click

So happens to everyone once, right? You know, when you see the Japanese on a menu, and you think you understand it? 納豆 means Tofu, right? Well actually, no. Nice try. 豆腐 means Tofu. You let that simpler Kanji for bean: 豆 (mame) get in the way, didn't you?

Well, if it hasn't happened to you yet, below is a pictorial illustration of the results of thinking you know stuff-- that you don't know....

Bunkasai Season

So, Bunkasai season is just about over. Bunkasai is a Japanese cultural festival, and every school has one each year. You can read more about it if you would like: here.

Each homeroom class (usually 40 students) is in charge of one activity. Sometimes it's selling "American Dogs" (strange hot dog on a stick). Sometimes it's making a movie. Sometimes it's creating a game. Parents, friends,... anyone is welcome to the school that day, and there are many crazy festivities!

Left--My co-teacher dressed as a student for a dance. Each class sings, dances, does a drama and the like, in addition to decorating their homeroom classes and executing their activity.

I have been to more bunkasai's than I can count! Usually a bunkasai lasts for 2 days, and I have 4 schools.... Also I have been to other ALTs Bunkasai's. They're fun! Good bonding experience, bunkasai'ing it up with someone. :)

This one was really cool! The kids changed their homeroom class into a giant giant maze!

Bunkasai's are pretty crazy. It's the only time that the kids can really let out and be rambunctious. I don't think I've been to one bunkasai without a great deal of cross-dressing. Japanese boys love to dress up in school-girl uniforms at their bunkasai's! It's just really odd to me, but what's not to love??

Below: Kids performing Thriller. Every bunkasai has a Thriller moment... :D

Sad Tuesday nights

Sometimes life doesn't always go the way we want it to. But the sun always sets on despair.

"Of course you're gonna get your heart broken. And it isn't just gonna happen once, but a lot. That's just part of growing up, and it makes you stronger. Then you can handle it better the next time. You may not get through it yourself, but your friends will help you through it. And you'll be a stronger person because of it. Then, one day, someone will come along, and it'll all pay off, and no one will ever break your heart again."

I will always be your friend!

Sports Day

Hey Ya'll. I hear its Columbus Day over there! Happy day off for most of you!

Over here, its "Sports Day".

This picture is from my school's Sports Day a few weeks ago. Today, I'm not sure exactly how Japanese celebrate the official "Sports Day". Probably like Columbus Day. Just a nice Monday off.

At my school's Sports Day, I managed to get in on a game of volleyball. Before I managed that, it was TORTURE to be able to watch and not play. I'm so happy that I whined enough to get in on one game. :)

All the girls had to choose between volleyball and dodgeball, and all the boys had to choose between soccer and basketball. It was mildly annoying, thinking about the sexism of that. But I guess America has boys teams and girls teams too. And probably most of the girls wouldn't want to play basketball. But what about the ones that do?????

One of the reasons that it was such torture is because......man, they just could not play. There were only 2 teams out of about 10 for volleyball that even seemed to try. Americans are definitely more competitive. I've never seen a volleyball game with such little movement, volley action, or noise.

Can't wait to play volleyball myself again! I'll be playing with church people later this month...and let me tell you.... Mormons really know about being awesomely competitive!!!! :)

Happy Sports Day everyone!

Obon

On August 16th, there was a ceremony up at the river. I wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but heard there would be a lot of lights.

August 16th, was the end of Obon, a short time in Japan where people's ancestors visit them. For three days people celebrate their ancestors ghosts with their family. You can read about it here: click .

This ceremony took place at dusk, and is celebrated as a way to send ancestral ghosts away again. I heard lots of prayer and chanting before hundreds of people sent the spirits of their loved ones away, in a lantern, down the river.

It was quite beautiful.

Here's a short video:

Queen

Queen. Yes. The band. They are only #7 of the world’s all-time best selling artists. Behind the likes of Elvis, ABBA and Madonna!

Only #7? Eighteen number one albums, they have! True rock spirit, they sport! We’ll see in the long run if ABBA stays up there……grumble grumble…. I digress.

What I really want to talk about herein a way to improve your work and personal relationships tenfold. I’m sure most of you have done karaoke here. But have all of you done Karaoke with Queen?! If you have any problems with your JTE, get in a karaoke room with them, and put in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It works every time.

You see, many popular Queen songs actually ignite a chemical reaction in the brain. Queen’s first album, released in 1973 was a bit of a flop. Luckily enough the band kept trekking, and finally met up with a super secret rock scientist.

This scientist knew that all chemical reactions are accompanied by a change in energy. I won’t get into the science of it all here, but Queen songs were actually designed to cause a sudden output of energy as soon as the chemical reaction was initiated. The numerical stimulus for this reaction does vary. For example the cipher that this scientist designated to popular karaoke joint “Maneki Neko” happens to be “56642”. Besides locating the right code for a positive output in energy, you also must introduce a special substance. Of course, this substance is readily available even in countryside Japan: Alcohol.

I’ve heard many stories of new relationships forged over a “We are the Champions”, “We Will Rock You” and “Somebody to Love”. “Bohemian Rhapsody” has saved my relationship with three different teachers. Not to mention that approximately 100% of my Japanese friendships were forged in a karaoke room last February. And those friendships weren’t forged over ABBA.

So if you are feeling lonely, you might even try going to a karaoke place alone and screeching out a Queen song of your choice, with the door open, and see who floods in.

P.S. Queen, Led Zepplin, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, The Police, The Who… What do they all have in common?

-Hofu's resident wannabe Brit