Geisha

This last weekend was pretty amazing. I stayed the night in Kyoto on Saturday night, but the best part was Sunday afternoon.

I went to a tea ceremony and dance preformed by geisha.


Serving tea


Ritual

I feel I was very lucky since I have never really had the opportunity to see geisha more than a split second in the street. It was amazing to actually see them in their environment. Doing what they spent years to preform. Unfortunately pictures of the actual performance were not permitted.

However, I did run into a friend that I made in Kumamoto. I was extremely surprised!! She moved to Osaka after graduating from Kumamoto Gakuen University. I've been meaning to visit her in Osaka, but I rarely head to Osaka as much as Kyoto. So to see her at the Geisha performance in Kyoto which had hundreds of audience members was amazing!

Besides this, one of her co-workers was the father of one of the geisha. So I got a private backstage pass to speak with a geisha. I even have the picture to prove it!


Risa, Geisha, Me

Convenient Friends

In my town, I probably visit my local Lawson convenient store more than any other establishment. This is for many reasons. My town doesn't have many places and Lawson is about a one minute walk from my apartment and offers snacks, drinks and even things resembling dinner. Needless to say, I probably go there on average about five times a week.

Last week I made a comment to one of the workers there, because it was a nice day, so I said in Japanese, "Today's weather is nice isn't it?" Although I have seen this woman every week, I never talked to her. After mentioning this she started to ask me some questions and I learned that she has been to Los Angeles.

Then yesterday while I was stopping in to pick up some dinner, I made a new friend. I did my regular thing and left Lawson and suddenly a woman, different than the one I talked to before, came running out of the Lawson chasing me down. At first I thought I forgot something.

Then she yells out in Japanese, "Wait! Please be my friend!" I would have to have been one hell of a heartless bastard to say, "No." She is probably about 30 years old give or take a few years (actually I can't judge Japanese age very well), but it was really cute to see her run out of a store, where she works, so that she could ask me to be her friend. I honestly thought I would never see anything like this in my life, especially in Japan by an adult. She proceeded to explain to me in Japanese that she was going to San Francisco in a couple months and would like me to teach her some English and asked if I wanted to get dinner sometime. I asked her name and we exchanged phone numbers.

Honestly this made my day since it was just so unexpected and although I am used to friendly Japanese people, it is rare for them to take an actual interest in a foreigner where they initiate a friendship. However, recently it seems my luck is changing. Either I am becoming less foreign to Japanese people (which I doubt) or like I said, my luck is changing to bring these people into my life!

Long Days

Long days at my desk, in April. Reflecting the past, wasting the moment, preparing the future. Reflection brings disappointment, followed by growth. The moment brings this entry. The future brings hope and uncertainty.

Today I will spend another three hours on trains. For just an important moment in Kyoto.

The paperwork for my trip to India is finished. Now I must prepare myself physically and mentally.

Sakura and Family

As I sit at my desk after the welcome ceremony for new students, I decide it is time for another entry. The weather is getting warmer and in a little over two weeks I will be entering an Indian inferno. A strong contrast to the current weather of light pink blossoms making their final decent carried by a chilly wind.

This past week has been pretty eventful. I met my brother Damien and his girlfriend Michelle in front of the famous Hachiko statue in Shibuya on the evening of March 30th. After finding a business hotel to throw our bags we headed out for some Italian food and a few drinks. It was my last night in Tokyo and part of me was happy to be leaving the crazyness and part of me longed for the life that a modern metropolis could offer me.

After a two and a half hour shinkansen ride, Damien and Michelle were in my home prefecture of Shiga. Another hour later on one of the slowest privite lines in Japan and we were in my small town of Hino, where we would spend the next two nights. I had to come back for an official farewell party for some teachers on the night of March 31st and was told to come to work on April 1st for an opening ceremony. The party was pretty good although formal, and I felt that I could actually talk with a few of the teachers. The opening ceremony could have definitely went on without me. However, it was good to meet the new teachers on their first day.

I was given the opportunity to meet a local woman who worked at the Junior High School a few years back and her husband. They both speak great English and are also well traveled. Two very good combinations and quite rare in rural Japan. That evening Damien, Michelle, my co-worker Anna and I enjoyed some chanko nabe and some great company. I am relieved and excited about meeting my new friends in Hino, since they are the first local people I have truly felt welcomed by since moving here almost nine months ago.

Anyway, on April 2nd my visitors and I were back on the trains headed to Nara to see the daibutsu and the famous 'tame' deer. Luckily we arrived at the Todaiji a half hour before the gates closed. After this it was off to the city of Osaka for a night in a capsule hotel and 'Japanese' nightlife. Of all the cities in Japan to party, Osaka is one of the best.

The largest wooden structure in the world. Todaiji, Nara.

The next morning, after feeling a little rough from the night before, we headed to Kyoto. Unfortunately because of the cherry blossoms blooming, there were no available hostels, business hotels, hotels, or guest houses. We were lucky enough to find a share house that one of the the hostels that I stayed at a few weeks earlier knew about. Also for tourists to see the cherry blossoms is also very lucky, since a few cold days could change their blooming date by weeks. After resting up, we headed out for some Indian curry and cherry blossom viewing at a local temple and park. I was happy to finally see the famous weeping cherry tree in Maruyama Park in full bloom, which I missed two springs ago on my visit to Kyoto from Kumamoto.

Sakura in Maruyama park

The next morning we decided to head to Arashiyama and take a look at a bunch of Japanese monkeys and of course more cherry blossoms. Dinner was at a pretty fancy restaurant which served Shabu-shabu. I know Damien has wanted to try a chinese style hot pot for a while, but unfortunately it wasn't the same style he was hoping for. I think he was looking for the spicy Sichuan style hot-pot made with a hot sauce called ma-la. Nonetheless it was very delicious!

The evening was spent back in Maruyama Park where we decided to join in the hanami festivities before our departure from Kyoto back to Hino the next day.

Honestly, we did so much that it is impossible to write about any of it in the detail it deserves. But I am certain that we covered as much as we could have with the amount of time we had.

Now it is back to everyday life. Tomorrow is pay day, and it couldn't come any sooner! I have a lot of preparations before I head off to India on the 28th.