Woodstock on a Mountain Side
Since we have gotten here, a friend of mine has been determined to find an Open Air Party. An open air party is a concert of sorts that happens, well outside, with a bunch of DJs and you camp out. We got word of one happening, called Autumnal Equinox Tribal Dance at Mt. Mizugakiyama, and automatically went to Shibuya to purchuse our tickets. I guess we did not plan out everything well in advance. Such as, we didn't find where the location of concert was being held until after we purchused the tickets. We spoke with the guy that old us about it, and his bussiness was helping throw the party, and he said it would be about 2 hours away. I got help from a student that works at the Office of International Students with directions, and it seemed to be a little bit longer then 2 hours, but no worries. Early morning Pasha, John and myself started making food for our 2 day journey. It consisted of apples, pasta, dry cereal and hard boiled eggs; college kids can live for long amount of times off of unusual things. We started on our train route to the campground, a route that consisted of taking 4 different trains. The route was absoultly beautiful. When we left Tokyo we were in the middle of land we had never seen before. The ride its self was amazing alone. The air smelled, tasted and felt different. We saw lands that were actaully peoples yards where they grew and havested different foods. After we ended up at our final destination 4 hours away from Tokyo, and out in the middle of no where, we realized we were still not there. We learned later that we were 2 hours away from the campground, and the directions that were given to us made us get off before our stop. We made friends with locals, which was harder than usual because, since we were no longer in the metropolis of Tokyo, english was more and more rare. They were kind enough, probably be cause our despair was coming across regardless of the language barriar, to drive us to the train station that we were suppose to get off at. They called the number we had of the camp ground, and we learned that we would have to take a taxi to the campground from the train station they were driving us to. Our mini road trip with our new friends consisted of jamming out to the only american music they had which was: Backstreet Boys, Culture Club, and some songs from the Top Gun soundtrack.
Once we came to the correct train station, we hailed a cab and started climbing a mountain which our camp ground was at the top of! A 9,000 yen cab ride later (nearly 90 American dollars, imagine taking a 90 dolalrs taxi cab straigh up! we were HIGH UP THERE!) We ended up at our concert in the middle of japan in the middle of nowhere on top of the tallest mountain I had been on to dance until the sun came up! The camping ground was beautiful, the only thing that surrouned us were the peaks of other mountains. The night was amazing, met a ton of people, all of which were surprised to see 3 foreigners find there way to beautiful secreat nowehre land on the top of mt. Mizugakiyama (they probably hide this place from everyone because it was to die for). There were DJs that played all night. The night was so clear, the clearest night I have seen, but probably being away from the light polution of Tokyo helped, but I saw every star. The three of us made sure to be up for the sunrise, which was so memorable. The sun breaking over the peaks of the other mountains to our camp ground was, ahh not even describable! It felt as though we were the first people to see the sun of that new day. Every day since we have been here Japan in the morning is overcasted, but not that day. Early afternoon we headed to find a town on the mountain to grab the bus that would go down to the bottom. We followed a river the whole way, for 3 km. It seemed as though this place couldn't be more perfect. We took an express train home which cut a commute by an hour, and even the long journey home was beautiful because it was beautiful weather.
The concert held a lot of memories, the people there were more than interesting, and we experienced lands that no one in our program will probably ever discover.
Sakura House has God on Our side
So the town that I live in is very small, quiet and residential. It is a great escape, as well as a comparison, from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the metropolis. It has one small main street, and even though the night trains are full of school children and salary men returning from work, they disappear and are never seen again. It is only us, the foreigners from the Sakura House, that wander the streets after 9pm and get back on the train cars looking for what the night holds for us. I have always been afraid that this small town has only a sour taste in its mouth for us at Sakura House (well we know the bars love us for the business we have gave them, but what about everyone else?)
It was not until last Sunday morning, that I finally woke up after an insane weekend of celebrating Germany and cheering on my favorite thong wearing Sumo wrestler, and I walked outside to make a phone call. I hear drums coming from somewhere, but in our town you can never tell the direction. All of a sudden I saw a parade coming down the street. I went inside to grab my camera (and am I glad I did, I filled an entire memory card up!) and told as many people that I could fine. The parade was filled with some of our favorite bar patrons as well as some of my surfing instructors! And guess where they decided to stop their parade and take a rest, yep right in front of our dorm! And here in tokyo resting means downing a few asahi and chu hi's. The parade was about 100 people strong, and everyone wanted to meet us and ask us questions. We soon found out that the parade was for the god that lives at the shrine, and they bring him out once a year to show how the town had grown and prospered. Well when the parade needed to start back up, they wanted us to help carry their god! They dressed some of us in traditional robes, and gave others of us Ontakasen headbands, and others jsut wore their PJ's that they had come out in. We marched and chanted and danced and danced and carried god. God and his "charriot" were heavy!! We traveld for hours, taking a break ever 15-20 min for more ashai and chu hi's. After carry god some more we were given a catered lunch in the streets. We meet up with, what I was assuming another town, and traded shrines and carried one anothers. All while the celebration and singing and chanting continued. We reached our temple after an indirect route where there was an amazing drum performace as well as more food and art and games.It really was a beautiful experience. I truly felt welcomed into the community. Beautiful was the only word I can use, Honored is another word. A few days after the celebration an unmarked envelope came to the dorm. In it was printed pictures of us and the locals with the shrine that was taken during one of the breaks. The printed enough so that everyone that particapted could have a permant image of this wonderful experience. I am extremly lucky (this seems to be how I end most of my entries) and fourtunate to be having all of these memories.
Again, pictures can only capture the emotion so well, it was an experienced:
I want SUMO of that!
Well this weekend is jammed packed, and that means a lot of blog post apparently!
Yesterday, through school, I attended a Sumo Tournament. It was so cool and I truthful wished I knew more about Sumo and the rituals and practice and training, because it seemed to be a lotmore spiritual and mental then I knew. An actual round would only last a few minutes, if that. But the preparation was long: perifiying the ring, doing warm ups, checking to see if the two competeors were mentally ready to battle, and if they weren't they would start from the begining. So wrestlers would have to do this four, five times! The arena was huge, and filled with people for the last rounds, which were where the best wrestlers were put. Being the American College students that we are, we started a betting system with yens based on the colors of their thongs (Don't worry mom and dad, I broke even!). The town where it was being held, Ryogoku, was having their town festivial, and had their god out on displayvia their form of a "chariot" that people carry around the town so the god can see how properious the town had become. And with this event comes beer, so we had a few drinks with the townies and the other people pregaming for Sumo. It was so parculiar!
If you have a chance to see a Sumo event, defiantly go! Do a little research so you know more than it is a bunch of fat guys wearing thongs. The event could drag on, but it gets exciting if you get in to it and start cheering and chooseing sides (and beting on your man!)
Oktoberfest in Paris
So Japan, it is the country that probably most enjoys imitating other societies and cultures. Example one: The Tokyo Tower. it is the exact replica of the Elifle Tower, but 150 m taller (and the color of it is construction cone orange and white! Brilliant!) I was able to experience this awesome view while the sun was setting, and by the time Mike, Hipple and myself got to the top, it was pitch black out, and all of the lights of Tokyo were clearly visible, it ws beautiful! I had a small concept of how large this amazing city is, but it was not until i reached the higest observatory deck that i realized, I have NO IDEA what this city holds. I could not see where Tokyo ended, where the "suburbs" started. This land is filled with more people than I will ever pass, and has more buidlings in it then I will ever enter, and hidden treasures that will remain just that: hidden. While I was atop, i kept comparing this view to the view from under William Penn at City Hall in Philadelphia, that was beautiful because of the familiarlity, and this view was beautiful because of the unknown.
(And of course they had sticker booths up at the top of the Tower, and of course Mike, Hipple and I did them!)
After leaving Tokyo's version of Paris, we headed to Hybia Park which was where Oktoberfest was being held. Picture Japanese people dressed in "liter-hosin" (I know i tragically spelled that wrong) and Salery Men singing German drinking songs! There are not many words to describe that amazing, and most interesting night. It was so much fun starting congo lines while can-can-ing. It was amazaing! (As are most of the things I have discovered here).
I experienced France and Germany with out leaving Japan, Nihon Desaki!
This pictures don't do either of these experiences justice:
Uba, A Newly Discovered Favorite!
So Japan and I have an awesome realtionship. I love it, it loves me back.
Last night I had the complete honor of being invited over to a Japanese household by a friend of ours from our hang out. Her parents wanted to meet us, and cook us a traditional meal. Noriko, the cutest coolest girl that we meet at the Pearling Cafe, has enjoyed our foriegn company, and we have enjoyed her for putting up with our attempts of speaking Japanese. And so when she asked Edith, Ali, Mario and myself over to her parents house we were all deeply honored. I had read some where or another that being invited to a home is one of the largest compliments you can give a guest. More often than not a traditional evening is spent outside of the house because the homes are too small to cater to guests. I was reminded of this honor by everyone that I told my plans too. Noriko only knows a little bit of English, and I barely know Japanese, but I was lucky enough to be surround by my friends, who thank god, have years of the language under their belt. OK enough about how we got the invite, lets talk about what we experience:
We all were soooo nervous to go to the home, we brought a watermelon with us (a rare and great fruit here in Japan, and when looking for one we were informed that they could cost 50 dollars! I dont know about that, but we found one for a little over 1,000 yen) as well as some chocolates from New York, a fine state of the USA! Noriko's family welcomed us with such kindness and showed us to a room which had a table that was FILLED with soo many entrees! I got scared on the ride over that I would not be able to eat most of the meal, since I do not eat meat, but Noriko told her mom all about me and she prepared meals that did not have meat, accept the side of chicken. Again I felt sooo honored! There were over 15 entrees on the table,with two seafood stews brewing on another table. We later found out that the dad was a professional soccer player, and now owns a company which produces Uba, which is a seperate section from Tofu. Apparently it is a very expensive and delicate food that most people travel to Kyoto for (when i shared my story about Uba with Japanese students later they were all jealous and surprised!). There was octopus, edamame, potoato salad, squid,some sort of fish I had never ahd before, which was to die for!, seafood lettuce wraps, tofu pockets, celery mixture thing, as you can see it is hard to describe, jsut check out the pictures.
My "I statments" about myself from Japanese Elements 1 came in handy. I told my age, my major, my college, where I am from, and they said they were extremly impressed with my Japanese, which was flattering, and even if was a lie, i will take it! And the family said they loved my style, and that was a vain compliment that I cherrish! haha! OK enough with that, now here are the pics of the food, be jealous!
Best meal I will probably ever have here:
Sticker Frenzy!
Just a random post, but it is a post none the less.
There are photobooths every where in Tokyo where friends can get together for 400 yen and take pictures in a booth and doodle them up with words and heart stamps etc. Sounds cute, right? Well it is an obsession here. In Shibuya there is an entire building dedicated to this sticker booths. And while we were waiting to meet up with someone for some sobe noodles, Pasha, Laura and myself decided "hey lets make some stickers!" Well, every booth in this entire building had mutliple pairs of feet peeking through the bottom of the cutain! Out of control! All that is but one amazing green room, all jsut for the purpose of making stickers! So below is one of the several theme pictures we took. Besides this one, we also choose the background of a bathroom and us coming through a toilet, and we later stamped stinky poo all over the place! It is quite an experience, and you could spend a whole night picking out pack grounds and poses and customizing them. These Asains, they know whats happenin'!
Here is a cute picture of Tim, Edith, Noriko and Myself:
And here is another awesome advertisment:
Pacific Culture Club
I attended a field trip to a Shinto House of Practice in Jindaiji. Once there we participated in a traditional tea ceremony in a the Tea room. In addition to that we were taught acts of repect and and calligraphy. I was very fortunate and I was able to be traditionally dressed in a kimono. It was great experiencing traditional japan, away from the trendy materialistic driven society, and look at modesty and respect, two acts that are the way of life of the Shintos. After we left the Shinto house we took a bus to a traditional hot spring which was located in Ogikubo. The hot springs have minerals in them, and the water is almost comparable to a dark red color. You could choose different hot springs to go between. All different temperatures. They are located outside. you have to shower before you enter, and you go naked!! I am so lucky to be doing so much! Every weekend of September I am signed up to attend a trip through TUJ, so even more will be going on. Here are some pictures from yesterdays adventures.
Sake-to-me!
So Temple's Sponsored field trips are in full swing. Friday nigth was sake testing, yes, sponsored by school. It was good times. They had also a couple of amazing performances. A Shimisen player (tradition japanese instrument) which was breathtaking and I am so glad that I got to experince something like that (he played through out the entire soundtrack of 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Drago'). And Japanese dancers and a rap group, a dj and a spoken word artist. Also, there were japanese watercolor and word poem artist that would make you a piece on their emotions at that moment. I got a piece, and it is beautiful. On top of that we were lectured about the origin of sake and what makes a good sake, etc. I am now educated responsibily in the field of sake and I can pull some nice facts out sometime we are enjoying a glass with it. But until then, here are some pictures:
From the Future,
Stephanie
Tokyo nights (and some days too)
Nights and Days Around this Insane and Insanly Large City:
1-Nori-chan, Edith and Myself at our Ontakesan hang out
2-The Trio, Papi Sam and Pasha
3- Ogikubo Mike Edith and Myself
4-Early Morning Shibuya with music industry people
5- Some posh underground release party that Yasuka put us on the guest list of, peacocks in cases and buffalo heads on walls, glass floors with sand underneath, it was interesting (rumor has it- Michael Jackson needed to go here when he was in Tokyo, and MJ makes everything that much cooler)
6-Mass amount of people during the day
From the future,
Stephanie
