Princess. Or Maid. Maybe.

Some quickie history:

Back in the day (Edo period 1603-1868), samurai-type domain lords (daimyo) were required under the sankin koutai system to alternate between living a year in Edo (Tokyo) and living a year in their domain (han). Families were essentially held hostage back in Edo. This keeps samurai-type folks in line and helps maintain control. Since the Haneda (Tokyo) to Okayama flight that our group took was not yet in operation, they used roads (which were close to what are now the major train lines - the Sanyo Line in western that runs from Kobe down to Kyushu and also the Tokaido Line in eastern Japan that runs from Kobe/Osaka up to Tokyo).

Anyway, these daimyo folks needed places to stay along the way, so posts were established. One of those posts was in my Tiny Town. When the daimyo were here, I guess there were parades. The samurai days are pretty much over, so it`s been awhile since they have come to stay, but Tiny Town still carries on with the parade every November and remains proud of it year round. People dress like all kinds of folks from back in the day.

We were told we`d be dressed as princesses, but we were mysteriously demoted to maids. It was a lot of walking slowly (no, I mean really slowly, like at the pace of the line for your favorite roller coaster on the busiest day, but then even more slowly) while dressed up wigs to sandals with kimono in between, but it was a lot of fun. Lots of thousands lined the streets to watch and take pictures. It was kind of surreal but very cool.

And now some pictures:
If I Were a Princess
Samurai Festival in Tiny Town
Sunday, November 8, 2009


Maid Wigs


Kimono, Before


The Making of a Princess Maid


Kimono, After
Most non-Asians look a little odd in kimono. There are websites dedicated to this notion that poke fun (and that are not linked because I'd like it better if these pictures don't end up there). If you stay here long enough, someone dresses you in kimono (or you take classes and dress yourself because the sweetest woman offers). You can either feel odd or just ham it up and smile as if you think you look fabulous. I like ham. (And bacon.)


My Protector


Samurai-types


My View of the Parade
(this was at the start when there were few watching)


Zori
Walking a few miles in these felt about how you would imagine.

Unlikely Reason, Halloween Weekend and Why Scripts Suck

From last time, here is the reason for the depiction of a small boy tied up and crying with a mouse nearby. It`s not what I would have guessed.

Sesshu Toyo

"Kanō Einō's History of Japanese Painting (Honchogashi), a 17th century source, contains a well-known anecdote about the young Sesshū: apparently the future painter did not study Zen with enough dedication, preferring instead to spend his time drawing. Once, he was punished for disobedience and tied to a pillar in the hall of the temple. After a while, a priest came to see him and jumped up with surprise—there was a mouse very close to Sesshū's foot. However, it was actually a picture which Sesshū had painted with his tears. Although the story is famous, its authenticity is questionable."

Now on with the show. Here`s how I spent my Halloween. Japan knows a little something about a lot of holidays but usually has the wrong idea or just does them just a little different. In some ways it`s interesting/amusing, and in other ways, it just makes me kind of long for home. I know of a few Japanese people who dressed up for parties and whatnot, usually hosted by some American with holiday spirit, but there were no little kids running around knocking on doors for candy. That`s really the best part of Halloween. I skipped the big massively huge party that was going on in the city and settled for a more low-key celebration with a friend in Onomichi. Before the night out, we spent a really nice day.

I Love Trains
Saturday, October 31, 2009


Welcome to Onomichi (Again)
(but this time not just passing through)


A.Maz.Ing. Indian Restaurant in Onomichi
Seriously. Such a treat. I feel warm and tingly inside just remembering this fantabulously awesome lunch. If you are ever in Onomichi, the place is called Anna Purna Indian Restaurant. Go. Eat. Smile. Melt.


Shopping, Fleecing
Micro fleece pajama pants, fleece turtlenecks, almost a pair of pants that fit. Uniqlo is all things awesome.


Let`s Enjoy Halloween Night.
OK, let`s.


Jazzy, Bluesy, Likey
I am not a big jazz/blues fan, but everyone who performed here was awesome. I still remember this guy singing some song in Japanese about nombiri (のんびり), which translates to basically just chillin`, relaxing, hanging out, taking it light, kicking back, no hurry, no rush, no trouble, all good in the hood. The song wasn`t at all cheesy but really did make me feel all of the above. I`d also had several one or two beers by then.


Have I Mentioned that I Loved this Bar?
There was kitschy Americana junk all over the place. Even in the bathroom. Made me feel at home and happy to be there.


Through My Haze
(Espresso Yourself. My kind of bar. Love.)


Full Swing
By this point we are scringing (scream singing) at the top of our lungs about how "all we are saying, is give peace a chance," followed by "this little light of mine" (I can belt the shit out of that song, complete with all of the days, thanks to junior high choir). There was a bunch of gospel/Christian music mixed in, which was kind of odd, being Halloween, in Japan, in a bar, and all, but it turns out that some of those singing just happen to *like* gospel music, even if I`m told they are not religious. Why ask why. Just show up, go along for the ride, take pictures, make memories and blog about it later.


Not My Costume
I was a loser who did not dress up for Halloween, but one of the Hiroshima (Onomichi is in Hiroshima Prefecture) JETs dressed as Minnie Mouse. Her whole costume was super cute. Here`s part of it. On me. After that second beer (or so).

After a long fun night, we took a cab to a restaurant near my friend`s apartment, and that`s where Japan did one of its Japanese things. So many things are so scripted here, no room to color outside the lines, think outside the box, veer a little off the path, say something you`ve said in a different or simpler way so that a non-native speaker might understand. The script is the script, and if you are many folks here (there are exceptions, and I want to kiss them, which may be why there are not more), you will follow the script because the goal is more to say everything in the most formal form of polite than to communicate and be understood (this is mirrored in many ways in some aspects of the foreign language education system - different topic, different post). If the foreigner doesn`t understand, you just repeat it several times until they give up, walk away. And blog about you later. That`s how things went.

It was about 1:30AM, and the hours posted on the doors of the restaurant said it closed at 2:00AM, so we went in. The host greeted us but quickly started doing the teeth sucking thing (basically, it means no, almost always, to whatever it is you are about to want, and if the person starts to scratch the back of his head while doing the teeth sucking, know that you are definitely screwed for absolute certain). He looked at the clock and said "insert super duper polite and formal script here."

To which I said, in normal level of polite Japanese, thinking I knew what he'd said but wanting to confirm, "so, you are already done for the night?" Instead of nodding yes, playing along with the drunk now almost sober foreigner and saying something I might have a chance of understanding (again, like a nod and a smile, that I got it right, even - know that I`m not expecting anyone to speak English and that even my limited Japanese is usually more than sufficient in this kind of situation), he repeated script. So, I asked again another way if that meant that they were closed. I got the goddamn scripted response again.

I was trying my best to communicate in his language. He wasn`t. My best guess is that the last order was at 1:00AM. If the serious as death faced little android had just *said* that in plain (or even normal level of polite) Japanese or phrased it some other way, or merely acknowledged that I had guessed/understood/whichev correctly, I would have had no trouble, and I would have been gone already so that he would be free to go memorize some other script.

Instead, we wound up at the conbini (convenience store, but more awesome than back home and with edible food) eating snacks that were lots cheaper, filled the void just as much, and I had a less confidence eroding conversation with the clerk ("shall I warm this up for you," "oh, yes, please do" in near fluency from much practice).

I'm still behind but catching up. This weekend, I'm going to Fukuoka to watch real live sumo, and I am so excited. Know that pictures will be forthcoming if I ever get caught up enough not to be so behind.

Kibi Trail

Getting a little closer to not as far behind. We`re up to October 25, 2009 (k, maybe I`m further behind than I thought since I just realized that it`s already somehow the end of November - how the hell did that happen?!).

A friend came out to see me in Tiny Town (always a big deal to me when folks come all the way out to my piece of the inaka) so that we could bike the 15km (just over 9 miles) from Soja to Bizen Ichinomiya (near Okayama City) on the Kibi Trail through the historic Kibiji District, kinda sorta linked to the Momotaro legend, if you know it. You can start at either end, rent easy to ride granny bikes for 1000 yen and be done in 4 hours if you stop to snack and take pictures. Constantly. They say more like 2 hours for normal people without my pictures and snacks habit.

There are temples and shrines along the way, but even just cruising around past pretty flowers, rice fields and little rivers would have made it worthwhile. Somehow we missed one of the main shrines. I don`t know how. I do know that I`ll be back to do this again in the spring when things are greening up instead of browning down. If you are ever in the Okayama area with a free day, this is a good way to spend it.

Kibi Trail. This Way. Go!
Sunday, October 25, 2009

First Photo Break Less Than 5 Minutes Into Trip


Rice Fields Now
Do you remember all those beautiful and lush green rice fields I was posting the first couple of months here? That mesmerizing green? It`s gone and replaced with this scene before becoming an empty field. Sometimes they burn it. I`m sure there is a reason. Like lots of things here I don`t get.


Harvest Time
(yes, rice, still, again)


Bitchu Kokubunji Temple (備中国分寺)


Sights and Smells


WTFJapan Moment
I have a lot of wtfjapan moments. My friend and I puzzled while we peddled for a long, long time after passing this, unable to fathom just what the hell could be going on in this picture, and why it would be on some map. Only later, well after the trip and with the power of Google, did I figure it out. It was almost more fun not knowing because the truth was only mildly interesting, while the possibles roaming through my brain parts were sometimes hilarious. Or profoundly tragic. Either way, more interesting than the truth. I`ll leave you with that and will post the link to just what the hell this is next post in case you want to ruin the fun of wondering.
(If you can`t stand wondering, shoot me an email, and I`ll send you the link.)


Pretty Little Trail


Dog Poop = Universally Unwelcome in All Corners of the Earth


Archery Targets
Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)


Aiming for Targets
Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)


Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)


On Official Business


Surrounded


Shoes


Corridor
Kibitsu Shrine (吉備津神社)


Kibitsuhiko Shrine (吉備津彦神社)

Truth told, at one point we managed to meander off the path. Then at the end, we had a little trouble finding the station that should have been right there. Still, a great little bike ride on a day not too hot and not too cold and just a little overcast and on a trail that is basically flat, non-strenuous and leisurely and that begs you to stop for lots of picture breaks. And snacks, since you`re already stopped and all. Kibi Trail. My kind of trail.

Singing Contest

And now I present to you the promised story of the singing contest, bullet point edition.

• One day in September, without knowing why, the music teacher, who had never spoken to me (has a few more times since, nice guy, good sense of humor), came over and gave me some sheet music. He chatted about the song, pulled it up on YouTube and promised me a CD. I was kind of touched (?) but kind of confused.
  
• A few days later I realized that all of the teachers were given the sheet music and a few days after that, a CD. I felt a little less touched in a special way (heh) but still glad to be included in... whatever this was.
  
• I learned around the edges somehow not directly that there was a big singing contest in town coming up in a month, and these were our study materials so that we all could practice and be super awesome. Every day after school I could hear students practicing their songs, so that`s how I figured out the contest wasn`t just a teacher thing. The contest was apparently kind of a big deal in Tiny Town.We even met to rehearse the night before the big event.
  
• On some random day in early October, the morning of the contest, I was told that the teachers would also be singing an additional song. This surprise song was one that another teacher had previously told me we would be singing, but that was before another teacher said we wouldn`t, after which I didn`t bother giving it a glance because latest word trumps something I only kinda maybe heard days ago. Gotta have a system. That`s mine.
  
• ConflusterwtfJapanannoyed, I YouTubed it, found the lyrics online (lots of unknown kanji that I had look up for pronunciation - wasn`t even concerned with meaning at this point) and was doing everything I could to learn it within a couple hours, between classes, so more like 20 minutes, and I was kind of freaking out that I'd make us lose or something. It was hopeless, and I knew it.
  
• So, the entire school got to the venue (short walk to anywhere in Tiny Town), and I was puzzled that only my school was in attendance. As the fog slowly lifts to reveal all some of the bits that were lost in miscommunication land, it turns out that not only was it a competition only between the different grades at my school (and not my school vs. some other school or something), but the song the teachers had been practicing for a month? Wasn't even part of the contest at all. It was just a nice little song for us to sing to the students.
  
• The last minute "surprise, we`re singing this, too, no we aren`t, psych yes we are, hahaha, good luck" song that I tore my hair out trying to learn (unsuccessfully) the morning of? Yah, that was just a general warm up for the vocals not sung on stage or in any way that it mattered whether I knew any of it or not. The adrenaline rush trying to learn perked me up and was nice that way, I guess (?).
• I thought there would be some person, likely an older woman, playing the piano throughout. No. Amazingly (still in awe, really) from every single class of each grade (total of 12 classes) there was not one but TWO students who could play well enough to each accompany their own class in a singing competition. And do it well.
  
• These are junior high kids. I have no idea when they find time to practice. They are at school all day, then have clubs often until well into the evening and usually all day Saturday and Sunday (sucks to be them, truly, and I`ve stopped asking either students or teachers if they did anything fun over the weekend, already knowing they probably didn`t), plus they have homework and probably have to sleep once in awhile. Somewhere in that mix of waytoodamnbusy, some of them get purty damn good at plinking out tunes on the piano.
  
• Moral of the story: even if you think you know what the hell is going on because you speak a little of the language and have asked a few questions, you probably don`t.
• Similar versions of the misconfuzzleddoesnotcomputesaywha? parts of this story play out approximately daily in one instance or form or another.
  
• It keeps things interesting and reminds me that I`m not in my native land.
  
• Some days the surprises are better than others.
• The song from the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics has staying power because that`s what we sang. (My heart will not be broken if you don`t watch the video. All good.) It`s called Niji to Yuki no Ballade, or Ballad of the Rainbow and Snow by Toi et Moi.

Riding, Washing, Pulling Lopsided Rainbows from My Ass and Being Festive

In the spirit of catching up so that I can try to get current at some point, here are some highlights that happened while I was ignoring my blog or doing only picture posts:

• On September 27th, after going the route of a "new" old bike that was just as bad as the original but with a different assortment of annoying problems, I finally just bought a new one. It's a one-speed granny bike (need that basket for shopping), and it's curiously smaller than everyone else's, but the light works, the brakes work (and do so without alerting everyone that the foreigner is slowing down or stopping), the tires take and keep air, and it doesn't make me feel like the little engine that couldn't every time there is the slightest incline.
• On September 28th, I got a "new" old washer. It is amazing. It doesn't require my attention every 5 minutes and spins itself without intervention from me. It is a thing of joy. If you never witnessed that which I endured previously under the reign of the more manual than automatic old school washer, then you cannot comprehend the sense of well-being washing over me every time I do a load of laundry.
• The story of the singing contest would go here, but it's just long enough to need its own post, which will be forthcoming. Shortly. Probably next post. I promise. Maybe.
  
• From my journal: Friday, October 9th: Today I sang, on demand but impromptu-edly, in Japanese, in front of a first year class, one that often mocks me. Then again the next period, too, in the class with the kid who broke my slipper yesterday. In the 2nd class, I at least saw it coming. The textbook was about how Ken is a good singer, and when does he practice, and why doesn't Ratna (or Yumi or someone) join him on Saturday evening. Then the JTE (Japanese Teacher of English - we do "team teaching") asked me when I practice singing, you know, as part of the dialog. Since I don't really, out of my ass I pulled that I practice singing every evening. In the shower. Please don't join me. Not quite the tone the textbook dialogue was aiming for, but at that point, I couldn't really say "please join me," now, could I? This is what happens when I make shit up on the fly and don't have a chance to think things through all the way to the end of the of the confines of a given dialogue.
• October 24th, another festival. This one in Tiny Town. I never did find the rumored food booths (and it's not like the town is big enough to hide them from me), but you know I took pictures.

Strings Strung All Around the Town

Little Kids, Litte Mikoshi


Biking Around My Town
The festival was pretty dispersed, so I rode around catching bits of it here and there and sometimes just getting regular old shots of every day stuff. I love this little path and the tree about to droop with persimmons (though I would not know for several weeks, until I biked the Kibi Trail, which is yet another upcoming post, that these were persimmons, a fruit that's all the rage this time of year where I am).


Bigger "Kids," Bigger Mikoshi


The Shot After the One Down His Pants
Fun group of guys, some already a little drunk. When they stopped to rest, I stopped to take a picture. Then one of them wanted me to be in the picture. The guy holding the camera first took a shot down his pants. He was either kidding, or they erased it. Either way, I was grateful, but I will probably always giggle when I see this picture.

Japan Loves a Festival

Back in mid-October (since I`m that far behind), I emailed my friend Kate (too expensive to call, and modern technology allows me not to) to see if she felt like meeting me in Kurashiki to hang out for the afternoon. It was a sunny Sunday, finally not too hot and not yet too cold. Just perfect, really. I`d been there before (if you missed it, here and here), so I expected pretty much the same: a nice stroll along the canal, maybe trying to get on one of the boat rides that are always full whenever I`ve tried, popping into a bunch of cute little shops, lunch at some point, coffee at another, stealth pictures of all things Hello Kitty at the Sanrio shop (no cameras allowed), maybe the trek up all those stairs for a stop at Achi Shrine. The usual.

It did go pretty much like all of that, but with the addition of a gazillion demons in the midst, roaming the street like it wasn`t even a thing. Turns out it there was a festival that day. This happens all the time in Japan. This is also why I don`t even go to the bathroom without my camera. There could be a festival in there with costumes, drums or just a general sense of festivity. Would not surprise me (much) since it seems to happen everywhere else.

If You Were a Manhole Cover in Kurashiki, You`d be Colorful, Too
October 18, 2009
Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan

Mikoshi
A festival just ins`t a festival without a mikoshi, basically a portable shrine held on stilts, often by folks wearing happi who have been drinking since early. It`s hard to see that there is a guy inside the mikoshi playing a drum. They also tossed the whole thing up in the air, stilts about a foot above their hands waiting to catch it again. I was kind of glad to just be a spectator.


Mikoshi, Kid-Sized


Scary, Safety, Snacky
At this time, I would like to express my love for convenience stores in Japan (the beloved conbini). Chains include Family Mart like here, Lawson`s, Circle K, 7-11 and tons of others. Each a loyal friend when everything else is closed in a tiny town. You can buy everything there at any time, and none of it is gross. There are no rotating dogs, just good stuff. On this day a demon out front. Police, too.


Fearless
I didn`t cry, but there were quite a few kids all wound up and scared and crying with all those demons out and about.


Demons are Daddies, Too


Happy Autumn, Hello Kitty


Ema
If you`ve been here for a bit, you know my love of ema.
Once in awhile there is one in English.


Chochin, Achi Shrine


Omikuji
Like pictures of ema that I cannot resist taking, so deep runs my love for pictures of omikuji. Guess I`m living in the right place.


Coffee, Tea and Breeze
Banners blowing happily in the breeze. Once in awhile 500 yen for a single cup of usually very good coffee, served in a pretty cup atop a delicate saucer and with no free refill, seems almost justifiable. This day was one of those. We had time to kill before the boat ride, so there we were.


Boat Ride, Finally
Every time I`d tried before to do the boat ride, it had been sold out. This time, we made it happen. It was cute.


Suinkyo
(seen from our boat ride)
I think all of the above may have been a part of the Suinkyo Festival. Oddly, I can only get bits and pieces of info when I ask, so the rest is guessing. In a nutshell, my understanding of the festival we happened to bump into goes like this:
The demons represent the bad that is to be driven out, probably for a good future harvest.
The portable shrine (mikoshi) is there as part of giving thanks for the current harvest (the festival takes place in the autumn).
The suinkyo, these cute old men and old women with fans, are there to add some fun and whimsy, and if they bop you on the head with the fan, it`s considered good luck. If you don`t see the bop coming, like happened to me, I think that should count as bonus points, but I don`t think that`s built into the system.


Japan Likes Cute


Making a Demon Almost Say Cheese
Someone taking a picture here will often say "hai, chee-zu" to the folks being photographed, to which those being photographed do not respond at all. It`s one of those things that has been adopted but only halfway. Kind of like Christmas cake. There will be more on that later, I`m sure. If not, remind me. Anyway, we didn`t actually say cheese.

I`m hoping to get caught up soon and back to updating more regularly again (and visiting your blogs - sorry I`ve been MIJ). I have some stories saved up and, of course, tons of pictures of everything from the bike trail, to how I spent Halloween, to the samurai festival. Looking ahead, I have a couple of trips to Osaka/Kyoto planned in the next few weeks, plus a trip to Fukuoka to watch sumo wrestling, so it`s not like things are slowing down for me to catch up. I see that as a good thing. All in all, Japan is treating me right, and most of the surprises, like bumping into festivals, are good.