"Xmas Cards"

I received many amazing Christmas cards from some of my 5th grade students. Here are a few pics that show the skill of their craftsmanship. I was inspired when the kids lined up to give me something they had worked so hard on. I am lucky to have such kind and thoughtful students.

Kabuki

Tonight I experienced Kabuki Theater. I went with two friends one of whom is an avid fan of traditional theater. The building was beautiful and located in a nice area of the city. The "play" started slow and honestly it was hard to stay awake at first. The actors are phenomenally skilled, but at times use extremely slow and subtle movements that require a great deal of attention to follow. The night proceeded in three acts, each of which was just a portion of a larger story. So, we saw three parts of three different plays. You usually won't see a whole story while attending Kabuki, its about the stories within the story. By the third play, I was very much drawn into the play. I have never seen such quiet intensity in acting. Photos are not allowed, so if you are interested you can google for pictures. I wouldn't recommend Kabuki for anyone with ADD or anyone who can't sit still for extended periods of time. However, if you love the art of theater, you would very much appreciate Kabuki. I'm posting pictures of the outside of the theater as well as of the street. The Ginza area of Tokyo has a clean and modern feel that I really like.

Ueno Park

Ueno is known for having one of the most popular parks in Tokyo. There are many museums, exhibits, gardens and even a zoo. It would take several days to see the entire park. I only saw the zoo and one temple this day. Here are a few photos from different areas near the temple.

Sho-Gako Pics

Some photos from the Sho-Gako (elementary school). I've been meaning to post more for a while but find myself always pre-occupied.
Outdoor bento lunch on this day.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Nagoya

Some pictures from a recent trip to Nagoya via Shinkasen, aka "the bullet train". Nagoya castle is one of the most famous in Japan. There were beautifully designed flower trees, reminiscent of the bonzai as well as other floral displays.

Christmas has grown in popularity over the years in Japan. Here are some intersting light sculptures that were on display outside the Hyatt Regency.

Fire Safety Training

At the smaller school I work in, there is an annual fire safety day. A couple of men set up a short tent/tunnel and fill it with harmless, cosmetic smoke. The kids have to crawl their way through the tent to the other side. I couldn't resist trying it, since even the principal was testing it out. There is no visibility once you're inside. I'm not sure how effective this is in training the kids to escape a fire, but it was entertaining none-the-less.

Round 4

I've caught another cold, the 4th in 3 months. I'm used to being sick by now, so I know how to handle it. Drink lots of fluids, eat fruit and veggies, use the special iodine gargle, get plenty of sleep, ect. I'm guessing my immune system will adjust to the foreign environment and hopefully I won't have this problem in the near future. It seems like everyone catches frequent colds here, probably because of the number of people in such a small area. Tokyo has 12 million inhabitants, NYC has 8 million for comparison. I'm so paranoid of getting germs that I avoid touching anything in public places, if possible. I also wash my hands at least 10 times a day, more when I'm working in the elementary schools. The kids are adorable, but they like to touch, pull and grab my face or whatever else they can reach, leaving who knows what, on me. It's very rewarding working with children and I want to have my own someday. However, after this experience, I'm in no rush to be a parent.

Kamon

I found a decent graphic of our family crest. It's unique as opposed to a name. Our family changed their name many years ago with the fall of the samurai. From Masaki to Tanaka. Masaki was a samurai bloodline. The kamon (crest) however, never changed. So its symbolic value is strong. It's called "Maru ni mitsu kashiwa", or "Circle of three oak leaves". I also located a crest for Robertson. There are several variations of the crest. "Glory is the reward of Valor" is the translation of the "clan" motto.

Meet Hachiko

This is Hachiko, he's probably the most famous dog in all of Japan. His story which took place in 1925, is know throughout Japan and the world. Hachiko was an Akita who would accompany his master to and from the Shibuya train station each day. When Hachi was two, his master Mr. Uyeno, died at work. Hachiko continued to wait everyday for his master to return, until March 8, 1935 when Hachiko died at the same spot he last saw his master. This is one of the most touching stories ever told for dog lovers. Hachiko's statue is a daily meeting place for thousands of people each day.

Spirit of the Japanese

I've been giving my adult students the homework assignment of telling me what bushido is. I believed it would help them with the challenging task of learning English and myself with the challenging task of understanding Japanese culture. It was a good move, as I have a new sense of hope and understanding. Some students had a hard time explaining it to me, but they all made a great effort. I could see that the subject was inspiring. I had to type this up and save it as a photo, so that you could see the kanji. It's verbatim from a text one of the students gave me about "The Last Samurai". There are seven basic values that are used to define bushido. Although it is written about the samurai, it still applies to many aspects of Japanese life today. I will post more on this soon. You'll need to click on the two images below to to read the text. Sorry it's a little small, but definitely worth the eyestrain.

Mata-ne

I had dinner with a friend who is leaving Japan. We have shared quiet a few interesting experiences together, starting four years ago in Hawaii. We met in a youth hostel in Honolulu, befriended each other and became roommates. He finished his vacation tour and went back to Switzerland, while I continued my adventures in Honolulu, NYC and Chicago. Four years later, fate or strange coincidence lands us in the same city again. My housemate and I went to his "gaijin house" to cook dinner. We are quite a trio, we had some good laughs. It's really cooling down quickly now. I've invested in some "long johns" and have been preparing my winter wardrobe. The worst part of the cold is right after a shower. I have a feeling the winter in Tokyo will be just at torturous as Chicago or NYC. There are small earthquakes, occurring quite frequently. I'm not sure how normal this is, but everyone seems fine with it. If you've never experienced the ground moving beneath you, you've missed a very humbling experience. The world is always changing, in the most primitive of forms. I hope everyone is well, thank you for reading.

Early Halloween

We had a Halloween party at Gaba for the students. It was nice to have some social interaction. I've been working too much and not partying enough! We played pictionary, ate some good food and had drinks.

Roof games and random things

Today, I played a strange form of tag with the kids on the roof of the building. One person starts as "it" and when he tags you, you join hands and go after another person until you have four. Then you play jan ken po (paper, rock, scissors) and I'm not sure how the rest goes, I just did what they told me. I have close to 250 students per day, which takes a lot of energy to keep up with them.
I've got some random pics to post. My first grade class at the smaller school where I teach, a booth from gaba where we sit with the students, a picture from Shibuya and finally a sign advertising "real" black music.



I can't remember how many old women or little girls I've seen wearing Playboy bunny shirts. It's hilarious because they just buy the shirt cause they think the bunny is cute. They have no idea what they are wearing. One of my students, maybe 10yrs old girl was wearing a shirt the other day that read "fabulous virgin".

Gift from God

Today I woke up late and rushed to work. I was greeted by a Japanese teacher who kindly explained that my class wasn't on their schedule for that particular day. I immediately called my company, whom is a contractor for the Board of Education and explained the situation. It turns out the mistake was made by my employer. They told me I could go home and that I would be paid for the day! Yea! So now I'm sitting at home on a cloudy, rainy day getting paid. Here are some photos from a recent trip with the Obasan's (aunts). We went to my grandparents memorial and left flowers and prayers. Afterwards, we went to Asaksa which is where the photos were taken. I received a bad fortune, (I think I shook the fortune thing too hard) which my aunts promptly remedied by tying my fortune to a particular tree near the temple. I think the same thing happened to me last time I went. I'm not worried though, because a giant budda gave me some extra good fortune. I'm going to buy a rabbits foot and throw some salt over my right shoulder just to be sure.

Weather's Changing

It's finally cooling off in Tokyo. I'm going to try to make the most of the nice weather before it gets cold. I've posted some more photos from one of the elementary schools in working in. I'm starting to get closer with the other teachers and the students. Each day provides a challenge and lots of fun too. The kids serve lunch and clean up the school afterwards. Very different from my elementary experience. I don't know how it would fly in the States, but I think it works great to give the kids a sense of responsibility. One thing that really hits me deep is how much they help each other. They are truly kind to each other, for the most part.

Respect for Elders Day

Tomorrow is a national holiday. I haven't been able to get confirmation on the exact name, but as far as I can tell it is a holiday to pay respect to our elders. This is not limited to family. In honor of this holiday, I have been giving up my seat on the train for those that look old enough. They seem to be very thankful, I just hope I'm not insulting them in anyway. My jobs have been great, but I am under the weather and overworked. The first photo is from one of my 5th grade elementary classes. We had a great time that day, even though I was running a fever. The second photo is from the office I work in teaching adults. I've been sick for over two weeks now. I began to feel better about a week ago, when another version of the cold hit me. This time I have a sore throat, congestion and fever. I finally found some decent medicine, which is treating the symptoms very well. I only have two days off this month, so it will be a while before I get a good rest. Please pray for my mom, she's having knee surgery this Monday. I wish there was an easy way to go home when I wanted.