Sunday, February 20, 2011
Japan! The Land of Winter Fun!
I wanted to share a little bit of what I’ve been doing throughout the past month or so!
Japan, while it isn’t as COLD as South Dakota, definitely has it’s own downsides in January and February (like NO CENTRAL HEATING, anywhere). In order to stay on the positive side through it all, as Japan is the land of countless festivals, they do WINTER FESTIVALS Here’s a look at a few I’ve been to recently.
1. YUKIGASSEN
Yukigassen is basically an organized snow ball fight! Our team competed in Muraoka, where the whole community turned up to watch a day of making professional snow balls, then playing to capture the other team’s flag before you get hit. Here are an explanation of the rules.
Making snowballs!
Our Team!
Carrying snowballs!
pictures by Michael Lee
2. YUKI MATSURI (雪祭り)
Snow Festival, Sapporo, Hokkaido
As some of you may know, I have a few friends up in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. I’ve waited to visit until now, but couldn’t pass up the chance to see the famous Snow Festival of Sapporo. Sapporo gets a LOT of snow each year, so they started their very own festival in which the snow is carved into elaborate scultures and buildings. People come from all over the world to participate in the international contest and I was lucky enough to see it! I also met up with a few South Dakotans, drank a lot of famous Sapporo Beer at the beer museum (where the old Sapporo beer factory was), and visited Otaru, a nearby port town with its own small light festival.
SAPPORO
I jumped up and down for the chance to win a prize bag! Unfortunately, I had to answer questions in Japanese to get them! Thankfully, people around me were nice enough to help me out and I won :)
CATCHING UP: I met up with a few old friends from the Mount Rushmore State.
South Dakotans!
picture by Kim Johnson
NISEKO: One day, we headed out to the world-famous Niseko ski resort. Sadly though, our train was delayed and we had a couple hours jut to play in the snow! This is usually how the snowball fights go. I mind my own business and end up getting covered in snow ;)
pictures by Gabe Chase
OTARU: We headed one day to Otaru where we looked at more lights, the harbor, and a smaller snow festival! And ate sushi! It is famous around Japan for having good sushi!
Sapporo Beer Museum
Well, that is all until the next post! Until then, I'll try to stay warm!
Peace.
M.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Snowy Japan!
Hello from the New Year!
I have yet to write about my trip over Christmas and New Years (coming soon) to Thailand, but I thought I'd update you quickly on the life in Japan that I returned to after a 3 week semi-tropical country-hoppingtrip ;)
1. Snowboarding!
I live about an hour a a half from Hachikita, the tallest skiing mountain in Hyogo ;) Luckily, this has meant that I've been able to go almost every weekend snowboarding! There are a few things that are different about the snowboarding in Japan as opposed to home;
1. There are no blue/black/greenclassifications. Everything is just "difficult" or "easy."
2. No ski lodge at the bottom ;) You have to ski up to find rather modest lodges with the essential Ramen, Curry Rice, and Ton-Katsu ;) And beer ;)
3. The men at the chair lifts don't hold the chairs for you ;) Which means you have to quickly jump on or..you fall under it ;) I won't say I haven't done it ;)
4. Onsens ;) After a day of skiing, everyone goes to a public onsen and bathes in water that is either inside or outside and is a steamy 41-43 degrees C. Amazing :) AND, you can sit outside, look at the stars, and be surrounded by snow without being cold.
3. Decisions
I had to decide recently (last Monday) whether or not to stay for another year in Japan. This decision was very difficult--trying to decide after 6 months whether to stay another 18 months was a daunting prospect.
In the end, I handed in my paperwork, saying that I will be here another year (come visit!). Here are a few of the reasons for it ;)
a. Travel: Being in Japan gives me much easier access to a lot of countries (Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia)
b. The People: Many of the people in Japan that I've met (coworkers, friends) are wonderful and have been very kind. I decided to stay another year because I've found them really amazing.
c. Students: I really want to see a group of students through a whole school year, which starts in April. Going home in 6 months would mean I would see 2 groups of students for 6 months each.
I have yet to write about my trip over Christmas and New Years (coming soon) to Thailand, but I thought I'd update you quickly on the life in Japan that I returned to after a 3 week semi-tropical country-hoppingtrip ;)
1. Snowboarding!
I live about an hour a a half from Hachikita, the tallest skiing mountain in Hyogo ;) Luckily, this has meant that I've been able to go almost every weekend snowboarding! There are a few things that are different about the snowboarding in Japan as opposed to home;
1. There are no blue/black/greenclassifications. Everything is just "difficult" or "easy."
2. No ski lodge at the bottom ;) You have to ski up to find rather modest lodges with the essential Ramen, Curry Rice, and Ton-Katsu ;) And beer ;)
3. The men at the chair lifts don't hold the chairs for you ;) Which means you have to quickly jump on or..you fall under it ;) I won't say I haven't done it ;)
4. Onsens ;) After a day of skiing, everyone goes to a public onsen and bathes in water that is either inside or outside and is a steamy 41-43 degrees C. Amazing :) AND, you can sit outside, look at the stars, and be surrounded by snow without being cold.
2. Snow!
Again, as I said I've been snowboarding! However, this year has been one of the best for it because the incredible amount of snow we got!
We've even had a snow day! I woke up one morning to 30+ centimeters of snow. Luckily, I worked at the school that is
We've even had a snow day! I woke up one morning to 30+ centimeters of snow. Luckily, I worked at the school that is
only 3 minutes walking from my house, so I trekked over only to find all the teachers shoveling snow! Howe
ver, even though it was a snow day, we teachers st
ill had to be at school all day! A little different (and a little sad for me), but just another example of how dedicated Japanese teachers are to their work.
3. Decisions
I had to decide recently (last Monday) whether or not to stay for another year in Japan. This decision was very difficult--trying to decide after 6 months whether to stay another 18 months was a daunting prospect.
In the end, I handed in my paperwork, saying that I will be here another year (come visit!). Here are a few of the reasons for it ;)
a. Travel: Being in Japan gives me much easier access to a lot of countries (Thailand, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia)
b. The People: Many of the people in Japan that I've met (coworkers, friends) are wonderful and have been very kind. I decided to stay another year because I've found them really amazing.
c. Students: I really want to see a group of students through a whole school year, which starts in April. Going home in 6 months would mean I would see 2 groups of students for 6 months each.
d. The Mountains: I live in the mountains here--and they're beautiful ;) I can hike and snowboard. I think I want to be able to do that one more year.
e. ALTS: many of my friends are leaving this year (other ALTs). However, I've met people from all over the world here and can call many of them good friends (hope you guys agree! ;) Just a few nationalities represented? Scottish, English, Australian, Kiwi, and Canadian. Its a little bit more diverse and therefore a little bit more attractive right now than Sioux Falls ;)
f. Pottery, Taiko, Japanese: I've only just started some of these things, which I really enjoy! I wanted to continue them another year to perhaps have some skill in them when I do return home.
I hope to update you all soon with more pictures ;) For now, this is what I have! I hope this gives you a small glimpse into my life recently! Until next time!
m.
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