hangin' tough at the giant torii

hangin' tough at the giant torii,
originally uploaded by vfowler.

Kate didn't really make it to Japanese breakfast on Sunday morning. Let's face it, what is breakfast without coffee anyway? Surprisingly, it was quite a search before we found an open cafe to get the day started.

On our way to the Heian Shrine, we stumbled into the Budo Centre. This particular Centre in Kyoto is the oldest martial arts exercise hall in Japan and has some of the youngest people fighting and training. A couple of teens were beating each other up in the Kyu-Butokoden building. We moved down to watch the graceful archery (Kyudo). With 2 metre long bows, you will need a Zen state of mind to master "the way of the bow". Seeing kids sumo is pretty funny... The bouts are quite quick and after each, many boys return to their seat and resume training (a.k.a. eating)!

Wandering around to the Heian Shrine, the incredible kimono and make-up on 7, 5, and 3 year old girls, and boys clad in formal suits is quite... outrageous? Perhaps more amusing are the couples without children who arrive with their pet micro-dogs. Not in a handbag this time, but a pram! - I wonder if they prey for the health and good fortune of the dogs. By chance, we picked probably the busiest day of the year to attempt visiting this shrine. We really couldn't be bothered joining the bus loads of people queued up.

A little market stall selling great souvenirs near the shrine, and Autumn maple viewing in the beautiful gardens with a busker strumming at Maruyama park all make pleasant distractions. With little planned, it was easy to fill the day (and a few more) with interesting and funny things in Kyōto. With luck, you too can spot a few apprentice geisha fluttering around the cobble-stone streets of Gion. Either sponge off another photographer, or it might be worth your while to learn the phrase to ask. Elaborate kimonos, fancy hair-styles, neat accessories; these are only what they wear. Mastering all the get up is just one of many things an apprentice must accomplish to become a geisha. I dread to even contemplate walking in those shoes!

We were soon joined by the mob of people flowing into the famed Kiyomizu temple. This temple features very high on my tick list for Kyōto visits. As you can see, it is high on lots of other people's list too! Even young teens who are dressed in today's standard equipment are strolling the walkways of this grand temple complex. As Thom Gourley put it:

Funny how American pop culture spreads like an oil slick on the youth of the world! Of course, the Japanese have managed to add their own spice to the themes...

Kate had run out of time and needed to be heading for the bus. We passed the Otawa-no-taki, leaving the believers to drink and wash in the therapeutic waters and that was Kiyomizu-dera. After some confusion, being lost at the north side of the enormous Kyōto station, we end up back where we started this weekend: eating uncultured in the culture capital! The Princess Line came and went. Then Kate boarded her bus back to Hiroshima.

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I went back to Kiyomizu-dera, along with a gathering crowd...

the Japanese breakfast 朝食

the Japanese breakfast 朝食,
originally uploaded by vfowler.

Options of 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00am for breakfast, you can guess which time we chose! In the end, my only problem with the Japanese breakfast served in our ryokan, is that coffee is not included. Yes, I am addicted. Not really a problem in Kyōto however as there are 100s of cafés and 1,000s of vending machines - no exaggeration there!

1. that's me, at Ginkaku-ji, 2. Autumn colours in the observatory

3. view from observatory, 4. Tōugudō 東求堂 (National Treasure)

We made our start at Ginkaku-ji, a Zen temple situated at the north end of the Path of Philosophy, established by the 8^th Muromachi Shogunate. The grounds contain a rather large raked stone garden, some Very Important Moss, and a pathway through some beaut garden/forest.

Back out on the street, we spotted the future of Japan's culture, some prospective geiko. Then, some sandwiches for lunch. Why is it that we often eat more while on holiday? Next, the cheap-skate's view of San-mon Gate. Just a quick taste of the gardens and architecture here at Nanzen-ji temple, (I re-visit on Monday) as we were pushing to make it to the dance show in Gion. Briefly stopping in the 7-eleven I spotted some Men's chocolate!

The last shows of the Annual Gion Odori Dances were on that day (Saturday 12^th November 2005) at 1:00 and 3:30pm. It was getting close to 3:30pm when we thought we'd better catch a taxi to make it in time. In eastern Kyōto the traffic is always sluggish - I doubt the streets were designed to carry such a variety of transports, let alone simultaneously. People were walking faster alongside the cab! Just about to ditch the taxi and our driver announced we are here, at the Gion Kaikan theater.

The very last 2 tickets we bought and filed into the theater. Quite good seats in fact, but Kate and I were just 2 seats away from each other. The elaborate kimono draped around the make-up clad maiko and geiko girls, came out for 6 songs accompanied by some drums, 3 shamisen players and 3 singers. A little Japanese language up your sleeve helps, but interpretation is not overly difficult given the costumes, action, body language, colours, lighting, sets and the mood of the music... And a brief sentence written in English about each song! A fantastic performance and an easy way to enjoy some of Japan's most reverred cultural traditions.

A quick stop in at Yasaka Shrine, we joined the queue (always neat queues in Japan) to throw a coin, ring the bell and wish/pray for luck, health, a new lover, a bright orange Lamborghini or whatever it is you may want.

Wandering around Gion we decided it was time to eat again. Following yesterday's theme of eating uncultured, tonight's fill was provided by the Ajanta Indian Restaurant. If you didn't pick up (or steal) a copy the Kyōto Visitor's Guide, it's the restaurant with the big neon India flag out the front. Some great curries before we made tracks for the hotel, exhausted. Utilising a neighbourhood vending machine, we'd stocked up on a couple of half-price beers before changing into the hazardous slippers, entering our ryokan hotel well before the 11pm curfew. The hot bath is a welcome relief to tired leg muscles. Wow, what a day!

going to Kyōto

going to Kyōto,
originally uploaded by vfowler.

Punctuality is something I've learned to expect of Japanese, but perhaps I shouldn't. Kate and I nearly had a heart attack when our bus was late last Friday morning.

Including us, a grand total of 5 passengers on the bus and in true Japanese style, the heating is cranked far beyond sitting comfortable in a T-shirt. I was about to ask the driver to turn the heat down, but thought I'd check with the other passengers if they agreed or not. I ended up telling a young female passenger that I'm hot while Kate laughed at what looked like I was trying to hit on this girl.

I'm sure we've all seen coffee vending machines before, but for the benefit of those who haven't travelled in Japan, it truly is something to be experienced rather than dreaded. How about this book vending machine in Barcelona? I'm sure the world is full of wierd and interesting vending machines. Have you experienced any recently?

Upon arrival in the cultural capital of the country, we had the most uncultured lunch that's possible: McDonald's!

A ryokan is a Japanese style hotel. A completely new experience for me, and I love the small amount of English that the reception staff come out with, like pay cash now. Those dastardly slippers you have to wear inside are constantly slipping off - I guess they're called slippers for a reason! We also get to wear a yukata (a Japanese style robe) for cruisin' around within the hotel.

Our ryokan is within the same grounds as the temples and cemetery known as Shinnyo-do. The cobble-stone lanes through the temples are frequented by taxis and Japanese tourists - it is quite strange for me to see tourists visiting their own country...

quick Kanji

Quick Kanji - Say It in Japanese - Kids Web Japan might be designed for kids, but that's more than how I feel with my Japanese language ability. In fact I have solidly missed classes for about a month now. You know you're turning into a bad student when one of the sensei sends an email asking why you haven't been to class.

Free translation tools are out there on the internet and vary somewhat in quality - they are free though! Anyone with enough brains to be using the Firefox browser can also get the awesome Moji extension.

Best gadget I received as a gift from one of the students at work today, an old Canon 2-way electronic dictionary. Now that's what I call the freeway to learning Japanese! Thanks a million Megumi.

fun Japanese

Author/Inventor Mike Ellis brings you Fun Japanese. He's erasing Japanese and replacing it with English words enabling anyone to speak Japanese. Berlitz, Inlingua and Scholastic, it's just a matter of time before you're out of business!

The Fun Japanese phrases below only need a simple set of directions. Say each phrase quickly and smoothly with equal emphasis on each word. The translation is found underneath. That's all there is to Fun Japanese. Folks in Tokyo, or Japanese anywhere, will be thrilled to hear you try some Fun Japanese.

Ohio
Good morning (informal)

Ohio Goes Eye Muss
Good morning (more formal)

Bun Wah
Good evening (informal)

Doe Moe
OK or alright or thanks

Doe Moe Oddy Got Toe
Thank you very much

Hi
Yes

E.A.
No

Toe Moe Dutchy
Friend

Tie Hen Joe Zoo
Super or talented

Me Zoo
Water

Me Zoo Oh Cuda Sigh
Please bring me some water

Sue She Oh Cuda Sigh
Please bring me some raw fish

Day
Pretty

Die
Ugly

Mushy Mushy
Hello (on the phone)

Doze Oh
Please

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Need a Japanese phrase translated into Fun Japanese? Email it to the author. See it updated here tomorrow with pictures and sound bytes!

main gallery

After adventures in western Canada, and being a bit of a gear freak, one soon finds one's self on MEC's mailing list. The latest edition supports a new book tour by Bruce Kirkby, an accomplished photographer, author, wilderness guide, and mountaineer. Bruce Kirkby's galleries are very impressive and such an inspiration!

So inspiring, that I finally got myself together to return to the Shukkeien garden. I waited about 6 months to complete this post with the pictures. So please take a look, comment if you wish.

A picture tells a thousand words, so get Flippr! - flickr wallpapers for your desktop.

5 guys, 1 safe, no brains

Welcome to Collinwood was finally available to rent from the video shop. This particular still from the movie makes me think of how a few friends and I sometimes feel about life in Hiroshima... Personal mishap seems to be a daily occurence, but between a few friends it's quite easy to have a good laugh about it all.

I went for my usual ¥1,000 yen haircut yesterday. I couldn't find my usual hairdresser anywhere in the salon - she can't possibly have the day off work, she's Japanese. So this other guy lets loose with the clippers after snorting back the biggest boogas I've ever heard in my life! Quite the opposite to my regular hairdresser, this guy could be a former boxer, almost using my head as a punching bag. As my work-mate pointed out, now I look like a marine!

In recent good news, Emilia's birthday party at Bien was a real blast. Earlier in the week I sent the RSVP for both myself and my friend. I ended up paying for her absence on the night. At $50 / head, that's a real stinger on a part-time wage! A great mix of people at her party, some new faces and some familiar, delicious food, cake and drinks. Mike later arranged a refund for those that didn't turn up, so I'll end up getting ¥4,000 back when we next catch up, Hooray!

winter forces

G3 Targa Telemark Binding - All Mountain is one way to spend ¥20,000 in one hit. Combine that with a set of skis and the absolute minimum of binding accessories and by the time I drank a delicious Vietnam style coffee from our favourite blue flat cafe, I'd spent the best part of my savings! I somehow get the impression that I'll probably be the only person for miles around who is telemarking (or trying at least).

As usual, the gethiroshima.com snow bound page lists a few good starting points for me. A few hours in an onsen after a day of skiing sounds pretty groovy to me. Yes, I'm getting a little excited about my first ever northern hemisphere winter.

Apparently Sapporo lays undisputed claim to the title of Japan's brewing Mecca. And I thought it was just a city to go skiing from. Given the expense of travelling within Japan, I honestly wonder if my dream of skiing on the northern island will eventuate... I quite like the idea of knocking back a cool beer after a weekend of white powder though.

turning the web into 'sushi belts'

Let's check the stats:

• 200+ Japan photos on flickr so far.
• 100 posts to this blog. This is #100. Hooray!
• 83 addresses in my Japanese mobile phone.
• 8 postcards, 2 posters and 1 calendar from outside of Japan. Thanks for helping me decorate my room.
• 7 books on Japan: 2 guidebooks, 3 language books, 2 novels.
• 6 months in Japan. Wow, time flies...
• 5 different branches I have worked at.
• 5 or so festivals in the local area.
• 4 games of pool a week on average, maybe...
• 3 times to Miyajima island.
• 3 nights a week boozing average - about to decrease with winter hibernation imminent.
• 3 Japanese pop music albums in my iTunes library.
• 3 mattresses under my futon, 2 pillows.
• 2 free Japanese lessons each week (but no self study homework!)
• 2 Kit-Kats a week on average.
• 2 different apartments I've lived in. The company lease finished in the previous building.
• 2 B-52's that were free of charge. Thanks Kevin.
• 2 times I've seen the same shit movie in 2 different cinemas and rejection resulted.
• 2 times I paid the ransom on rescuing my first bike, before it was stolen.
• 1 cat I have palmed off responsibility for looking after.
• 1 Japanese movie downloaded from the 'net.
• 1 hour of non-stop table tennis.
• 1 psycho housemate (N.B. housemate is someone you share a house with, not a room).
• 1 restaurant experience of eating sashimi, and 1 of tempura. Yum!
  
• 1 pair of unsuitable shoes for work bought. Let's go shopping all over again.

If you're not getting enough out of reading my blog, there's a BBC news article, Turning the web into 'sushi belts' that describes how you can now consume 100 times more!

when working robots rebel!

Join us on the roller-coaster! One thing is for sure: Life is never boring when you are working in Japan.

Working for a large organisation, it is not uncommon for part-timers and shift swaps to be fulfilled at a branch other than your regular one. At my regular branch, all the teachers had personalised their little piece of desk space with photos of loved ones and other colourful paraphernalia. This makes sense. After all, we are encouraged to personalise our lessons to the students and their needs.

Recently the big wig inspected some branches and forwarded a memo afterward, declaring we must standardise the workplaces and remove all personal aspects. Sounds a bit hypocritical to me... Perhaps our introductions at the beginning of lessons should be along the lines of, Hi, I'm #46239. What's your number?

the bar is open

Kemby's A.M. opened last Thursday night. As regular customers (or frequent fools) at Kevin's other bars in town, Wes and I both had invitations + 1 friend each to the opening. In fact there were 3 openings, each of two hours, and any drink you want from the bar is free... Where's the catch I hear you say. There was none!

So Wes and I rounded up some friends to join us for some experimental drinking. I'm still disappointed that Butterscotch Schnapps is so difficult to find in Japan, so Cowboys are never on the menu. Instead, I started with a Grasshopper, and explained what one was to our Japanese friends. Then we got stuck into some B52's - I must admit I do feel strange when drinking these in Hiroshima. Furthering my education for the evening, I never knew that Sex on The Beach can be had in more than 13 different ways - variety is the spice of life, right!

fear of fashion

I now have some idea how the Chadstone shopping centre back home turned into my worst nightmare.

Working at AlPark again today. It's another giant shopping mall. Despite being a Sunday morning, many people are dressed like they own the catwalk.

There is no way I can compete or even keep up with the latest trends. For the ladies, CFM boots, often interpreted as slutty back home, are quite common and proudly worn here in Japan.

One of the few arenas where younger Japanese people can rebel against the norm and subtleness of the nation, is in their personal appearance in private time. And never by half measures either. Unlike many local men, I don't think I would make a very good Rod Stewart look-a-like.

I think I better just find some shoes that are comfortable and cheap!

commitment, cat & the C word

Calling on comrades for favours can sometimes challenge us. Am I cowardly for not wanting to take care of a cat? Can I really clean up someone else's crap?

My Thai friend's charisma (and cash) convinced me to come over and take care of the little rat. Criminal. In turn, after chugging down several cervezas and chewing the fat, Kate was charmed at the chance.

Crashing out at the flat with a can of Chu-Hi and chomping on some Pringles chips, the little kitten got its chow and a new name: Rover!

worldly pics

Hiroshima, Japan | flickr & geourl world map is the coolest site for photos of any location. Though it is possibly the worst thing you could do if you already have itchy feet.

You can check out where your fellow travellers have been and the best time to visit. Alternatively, if you simply wish to boast about how loaded your passport is, try the following map generator...

Map concept stolen from Greg's site, which was adapted from some other dude's site, which probably was taken from someone else's... Welcome to internet ideas hijacking. If culture is more your game, try the flickr World Culture group.

global morons

A while back in the midst of a summer daze, I noticed some bizarre activity in the back street beside the river... Some goofball's car windows were all steamed up like he had a jacuzzi in the front passenger seat. I wanted to see if it was true. Nup. Just another office worker taking a lunch break siesta with the air-con running full blast.

Well it was 2AM and 29 degrees when I made a note of that observation and the connection... I would like to see something sorted out here and now on this earth.

It’s hot in Hiroshima now. We’ll burn a lot of fuel, nuclear or not, this summer just keeping cool. Look out Kyoto. We are heating things up to stay chill. In Hiroshima, drivers park next to Peace Park and leave their engines running and sleep or gaze at their phones.

Tonight, despite the temperature and humidity still a ridiculously high combination that causes profuse sweat disasters, the apparent change of season means I should no longer be wearing sleeveless tops after hours! It doesn't take a brain surgeon to realise it, one walk past the dozens of identical vending machines all cranking out more than their fare share of heat to keep the precious products cool, you'll quickly come up with a way to do something about it. Thanks to one of my students for pointing that one out to me!

researching geisha

Hey Jill, thanks a million. The book arrived in the post last week and I have made a start on reading - very interesting so far... Just like The Lord of The Rings, I plan to finish reading this one long before the movie hits the cinema!

Typical of Japanese cinema, for some reason international movies are often re-titled. This makes my job rather challenging whenever the movies topic comes up. House of Flying Daggers was re-titled to Lovers in the local TV guide, and is also known as Ambush From Ten Sides. One of the movies I am looking forward to seeing before the year is out, is locally titled Sayuri, our character's acquired name.

A true geisha can stop a man in his tracks with a single look.

Sounds scary! Want to see some photos of the real thing?

at last

The long wait is finally over. And good things do indeed come to the waiters. Actually, I thought good things came from waiters... Anyway, it is here at last, the all new Federation Hut, pictured beautifully by Narelle Trottman in recent snow.

In local news, I think tonight is the first time that the celcius might creep under the 20 mark since this ridiculous summer began. I'm pretty happy about, in fact I'm totally stoked! At last I can look forward to 2 winters back to back and a truck load of that dry white powdery stuff. Let's see if I can remember how to ski...

sayonara

All good things come to an end. Kavita, a fellow Nova teacher, has finished up and gone back to Adelaide. With little advance notice, we drank and said our goodbyes at a farewell party in Four-tune and G's Bar.

Last Friday night, after only using my bike for a week or so since the second kidnapping, my cursed transport has finally been stolen. (The parking police don't operate after hours). I'm on the lookout for a replacement 2^ndhand bike when I get around to it. Meanwhile, life without a bike sucks.

sayonara,
originally uploaded by vfowler.

Last night's sayonara party in The Shack was for Angela, a Nova teacher who has been working with me at the (駅前) eki-mae branch. She and Ryan will return to Canada next week. A handfull of our students will miss her dearly and soon forget how to say in English You're beautiful and other blunt pick-up lines.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha,
originally uploaded by francesbean.

With a trip to Kyoto imminent, it is high time I researched some more about these unique facets of Japanese culture.

Okay, I am a huge fan of both the girls from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon too. To see these martial arts gurus together on the big screen again will be interesting.

Who are Geisha?
"Gei" means arts or performance in Japanese. "Sha" means people. Geisha are professional hostesses who entertain guests through various performing arts. Geisha girls and women are not ordinary hostesses and are not prostitutes.

Dwindling Geisha
In all Japan, Kyoto still has the most geisha. But as more ladies retire and are not replaced, their numbers continue to fall: today there are probably around 100 geisha, and 80 maiko (apprentice geisha) left in the city.

Adam has taken off for the white stuff in Australia's back country. So Jill has kindly taken charge of posting me a copy of the book. A million thanks there. For the movie buffs unaware of the Internet Movie DataBase, check out this movie's entry at imdb.com

my toblerone

Okay, I admit it, I love chocolate. Maybe having a Belgium ex-girlfriend contributes to that. Maybe not. I always thought Australian chocolate was pretty good. We never got into the Cadbury's factory in Tasmania though. For some strange reason the factory was closed that day...

In Japan, not all chocolates are equal. In fact many of the local products are rubbish. Many times I've battled my way past 5 layers of packaging only to reach disappointment. KitKats are the imported chocolate that I am frequently caught munching on at work.

During the Second World War Rowntree KitKat was seen as a valuable wartime food and advertising described the brand as 'What active people need'.

Considering my vast alcohol intake of recent times though, perhaps a beverage should be recommended. The Toblerone recipe is something I like to keep handy.