International Peace Day Cranes

Early Saturday morning at our school's Homecoming, my daughter, who is one of the environmental club kids that I sponsor at my school, helped me chose a beautiful tree beside the children's tent to tie the hundreds of recycled paper cranes we made in celebration of International Peace Day. If you were to have seen the cranes floating as the wind cosseted them, your heart may have been lifted up with joy. Many of the cranes were made from old maps while others were made of shiny wrapping paper salvaged from a Recycle Depot. Later in the day, I discovered that early in the 1990's, Kevin Fowler and his environmental club planted the tree that the cranes were tied to. The tree is called a Golden Rain Tree. I also discovered just today from Rhonda Spidell that this tree has a special history in Japan. "An early researcher posited that the Golden Rain Tree may have first appeared in a Buddhist monastery in Kyoto around 1220 AD, grown from seeds brought from China. Also, a prominent Japanese botanist of the twentieth century, believed in the Buddhist connection, pointing out that the species had naturalized near temples along the shoreline." http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1835.pdf. You may know that I recently travelled to Japan this summer. The inspiration for the paper crane making came from my experience listening to a survivor of the Hiroshima bomb. The survivor told us that he is a Buddhist and believes that for world peace to occur, we must all forgive each other for past grievances.

Homestay

Each of the JMFM teachers had their own secret worries about the upcoming home-stay with a Japanese family. Some of us were worried about the food, some about the traditional family bath, and some about not being able to communicate with a family that didn’t speak English. I was in the communication worry cohort. My anxiety about spending two days using only smiles and hand gestures to communicate began to rise to the surface of my consciousness when we JMFM’ers gathered in the hotel lobby waiting for our host families to collect us. The tension mounted as each of us hoped we would not be the last to be fetched. It reminded me of being in grade school again; waiting to be picked for the team, and hoping our undesirableness wasn’t as obvious to others as it was to those of us that were being picked. As it turned out my anxiety about communication barriers was a complete waste of energy. Serendipity once again landed me in the best of worlds. My Japanese host family, who spoke very little English, was extraordinarily kind and sensitive to my needs. In addition, my host family was assisted by their very good friends who happened to be an Englishman, Ben, who was employed as a translator and his gracious, world-traveled, English speaking, wife, Kazumi. Ben and Kazumi had volunteered to act as translator for me and from the very beginning of this alliance everyone demonstrated a devotion to friendship.

My host family included a young couple Aki and Sayura and their two young children, Hayato a boy of three and Yui, a girl of 7. Yui had made me a welcome sign on which she had drawn a picture of each of the family members including the dog and five cats! Each drawing had a name written in English under it. The welcome sign was laminated so it will survive the test of time and I can put it next to my desk to remind me about the open hearts of the Japanese people. My JFMF guide, Nitta-san helped me express to my host family my earnest interest in visiting the recycle museum before we headed out of town. I found out about this museum’s existence while searching the Osaki-Miyagi city website. It turned out, nobody knew this museum or where it was located – not even the Mayor’s able assistant, Mr. Handa. But no effort was spared and find it Mr. Handa did and Aki delivered me to it. And what a museum! Everything I could have hoped for. It was in this museum where I began to realize just how lucky I am. I made paper with Yui, met Ben and Kazuma and was given a book (second hand-book of course – Ben translated the title for me) – called “How to Scientifically Improve Your LUCK”! After the recycling museum, we met up with none other than Daniel-san, one of my JFMF colleagues at a wonderful old style Noodle House. Daniel’s host family were also good friends of my host family. Together all three families and the two American teachers laughed and smiled as we slurped large bowls of udon noodles while sitting on traditional tatami mats and cushions. After lunch, we headed off to the Yubikan, a traditional Daimo's manor converted into a museum. As we strolled the grounds, we fed coy as they chased after us begging for more, and Kazumi taught me about traditonal life in ancient Japan. The highlight of the afternoon however was the Kanaku Sensory Museum, (more on that later) In the evening all three families, Daniel-san and I gathered together to share our evening meal. Sayura and Kazumi taught me how to prepare Japanese pot-stickers while we sipped Japanese Beer and chatted. With stories and video footage of David Bowie’s Live Aid band in the background we gorged on edamame, sushi, rice, vegetable hot pot and the fabulous pot-stickers that I helped to make. Cold saki and more beer continued to flow throughout dinner. I got to hold Kazumi’s 3 month old baby to sleep – I felt like the fairy godmother. Tired and full we left for Aki and Sayura’s home where I slept well for the first time since I had been in Japan. The next morning, I lounged around the beautiful house and yard while Yui taught me to fold origami, weave crowns out of dandelions, and sew little dolls. Yui brought me back to my childhood. Hayato the three year old boy, we named Danger Boy. I am not sure I have ever met a child who so aptly resembled the Tasmanian Devil. From the first moment I met him he was climbing over the back seat while we were driving, running out into the street without a care and whacking poor Daniel in the privates, not once but twice. The amazing thing was that the child was still intact, though I am not sure of Daniel. My hosts seemed to understand my profound exhaustion and filled my day with quiet and gentleness. Tea was shared while Kazumi and Sayura translated a desert recipe for me into English. Danger Boy had a nap – much to everyone’s relief and Yui made up games with the Jelly Beans I had given her. When my time with the family was over, they drove me to the Ryokan where I was to meet up with the other JFMF teachers. On the way we stopped at the Kokeshi museum to pick up the prize winning Kokeshi dolls that Yui had painted. Yui handed me the princess kokeshi, and gave it as a presento! I have it by my bedside table to remind of this most beautiful and gentle friend.

Words cannot express my appreciation for all of these people who helped me glimpse into the life of a Japanese family and share the common bonds of food, family and friends.

Cooking Class

Cooking Class may be one way to battle the epidemic of obesity and poor nutrition that is raging through our American culture. Perhaps by teaching about the full cycle of how our food is grown, prepared and cooked we can instill in our children the understanding that “ We are What We Eat”. Many children in the United States no longer have the experience of growing and harvesting food, cooking at a parent or grandparent’s side or sitting down to a meal that is lovingly prepared. Many children even lack the traditions of proper meal etiquette. America has become a fast food nation and her people have lost the pleasures and the community building that home cooked meals provide. Learning about the ingredients in food, how to prepare and share a meal may be some of the lost skills we need to help change the downward spiral of poor physical and mental health that plague people in the United States.

In the Japanese schools that I visited, cooking class was not an elective but a required class for both boys and girls in high school and jr. high. At Tajiri Jr. High, students learned the proper procedures and dangers of cooking with gas, and simply learned how to boil water for tea. In Furukawa High, students had much more responsibility and prepared an entire meal from start to finish. Homework from the night before was to copy the recipe and step by step instructions into their workbook. The teacher began the class by reading the instructions that were written on the board. Over 40 students quietly (and hopefully) listened, though it was apparent later that not all absorbed every step. Once instructions were delivered, students broke into their groups, gathered the utensils (very sharp knives!) and ingredients. The steps in the recipe were quite simple but had many ingredients and all were fresh and many locally grown. The complexity of the recipe became apparent when the students began to prepare each ingredient quite differently. The recipe called for two different kinds of seaweed, one needed to be soaked and then chopped, while the other was shredded and added later in the recipe. One boy, who had not paid close enough attention and dawdled, was unlucky enough to try to carry his soaked seaweed over to his counter while everyone else waited for him. He got nervous with all eyes on him and he dropped the slippery seaweed onto the floor. The whole class and all the visiting teachers laughed while the poor boy sheepishly retrieved his seaweed from the floor. Cucumber needed to be sliced so thinly that one boy took the entire period to finish the job. Raw chicken was cut up, rice was boiled, eggs were beaten and cooked in a bonito broth, soy sauce and oils measured. Finally when everything was ready, the students served up the meal and sat down to eat. Before eating the students say “ Itadamase“ which means thank you for the food I am about to eat. Evidence of green living was found in the compost container placed in the sink for vegetable wastes. The text books for class had sections explaining product logos such as energy star, environmentally friendly, cell phone recycling, Ni-Cd battery recycling. The product logos were a collection from different countries including New Zealand, Germany, EU, and Norway.

Sustainable School Food - A Full Circle
Osaki City boasts two school food centers that supply student lunches with food grown and prepared locally, with plans to add another food center in southern part of the city. To promote their food centers, Osaki City invites visitors from other school districts to observe how healthy and nourishing food can be prepared and delivered at a low cost to the students. The Tajiri Jr. High School Food Center tries to use locally grown food whenever possible; over 50 % of the vegetables including Japanese radish, mushrooms, spinach and lettuce are grown locally and 100 % of the rice is harvested from nearby fields. A JFMF teacher asked our hosts if “ a student looked out the window at the rice fields and wondered “ Am I eating rice that has been grown in that field?” the answer would be yes! In addition, the local food shed provides ham sausages, miso, soy sauce, and tofu.

All the food at Tajiri is prepared on site in a large facility, where food service workers use state of the art machinery to chop, cook and clean. For example, a computerized thermometer is used to check for food temperature in the large vats of Miso soup. However, the human touch is not forsaken; industrial sized ladles are hand stirred to mix the ingredients and the head chef meticulously tastes each step in the food’s preparation where she carefully adjusts the flavors.

Choice of menu is not an option for Tajiri Jr. High school students as everyone eats the same thing. Twice each year, students get to choose their dessert from two options. The only exception to this uniformity is for students with allergies. At Tajiri Jr. High, thirteen students have been diagnosed with an allergy and these students claiming allergies must have a doctor’s note to verify it. The allergies seen in the Tajiri district include allergies to egg, milk and kiwi fruit. Traditionally in the Japanese culture, food substitutions and preferences are not a common practice.

The waste from the food preparation does not end up at the landfill. Instead, the wastes get recycled into compost. The amount is so large that the waste is collected and then transported to a composting facility, which is managed and operated by local farmers, not the municipality. Some of the composted material is then returned to the schools and used in the school’s flower and vegetable gardens.

All students pay for lunch – there are no free lunch programs. According to the authorities, there is no need for free lunches as all families can afford to pay.
The cost for a school lunch each day at Tajiri Jr. High is 299 yen, which roughly equates to $2.99. The cost is slightly less at the elementary school 242 yen and the Kindergarten program 221 yen. Once the food is prepared and ready to be eaten, the students leave their classrooms, don their clean white frocks and hats and come to the food center to retrieve their lunch. Each portion of the lunch is carried in large communal vats. The students carry the heavy food containers back to their classroom where the students take turns serving themselves efficiently from a line. Students eat at their desks with their teacher. The atmosphere is loud and jovial and the students joke and laugh with the teacher. After everyone has eaten the students proceed to clean up the dishes; nothing is made from disposable materials save for the milk cartons which are carefully folded and compacted before being put in the small plastic garbage bag. The students scrape their plates into the compost bucket. Students bring their own chopsticks from home and the rest of the dishes are sent back to the kitchen to be cleaned for the next day. The lunch that I shared with the Tajiri Jr. High school students was both delicious and filling. Obesity and malnutrition do not exist at this Japanese school.

Religious Mix

Please remember that what I write here are my impressions and should NOT be construed as authoritative.
Evidence of how comfortably the Japanese people straddle three of the world’s major religions abounds in the shrines, temples and churches scattered throughout the cities and country side. Shintoism, an ancient worship with deep roots in Japanese soil, appears in both small and large shrines often nestled in amongst the larger more impressive Buddhist Temples. Reverence for the natural world permeates the Shinto belief system where both animate and inanimate objects have souls. Often cars and homes are blessed to protect them against bad luck and misfortune. When Buddhism came to Japan via Korea and China, the Japanese embraced a religion that focuses on the individual’s spiritual enlightment of the soul. As far as I understand, Buddhism did not negate the beliefs embedded within Shintoism and therefore these religions still co-exist today. Christianity arrived late sometime in the 15th century and again the Japanese managed to adapt the tenants of Christian morality to their eastern cultural identity. Although less than 1% of Japanese today consider themselves to be Christian, a very large number of brides and grooms include a western, Christian aspect to their wedding. A typical Japanese wedding will have many changes of costumes, one of which is the White Wedding gown that marks a Christian ceremony. Today when the Japanese are polled and asked what religion they practice, the total percent exceeds 100. Apparent in these statistics, Japanese people identify themselves with more than one religion. From these statistics also, one would assume that the Japanese are considerably religious people, yet according to my guides, religion in Japan is practiced more for its traditional influence rather than for its strict adherence to dogmatic practice.

Time Lag

I have gotten behind in my writing. Go Figure - each day has been so packed and I am trying so hard to keep up but....I am not as young as I used be. I plan on continuing writing my experiences when I get home - I leave tomorrow for NM - so even though there will be a time lag in my postings, you can still access this blog in the coming days to learn more about environmental education in Japan, my home stay, the Kananko Sensory museum (the best museum I have ever experienced - and not to toot my own horn but I have visited museums all over the world), sustainable food practices in the schools and much more..... So much to tell you.

Photo: Karen at the Recycling Museum - another fabulous story.

Never Ending Birthday in Japan

Even the grocery store signs have gentle, sweet slogans – (notice the dropping of the article), “We always contribute your healthy and beautiful life.” I know I am a little starry eyed and the truth be known sleep deprived, however I can honestly say that this slogan has held true to most of my encounters in Japan. I began my birthday with a thought that drifted into my head, …..it is better to give than to receive. My friend Alexa told me when I woke her with a coffee that the Lakota person will spend her birthday giving presents rather than receiving them. I like this tradition. However, my Japanese birthday was a day where gifts were showered upon me from all directions, and somehow the gifts keep coming and it is many days past.
We traveled to the Town Hall in Miyagi to a meeting with parents. Over fifty mothers and fathers welcomed us off the bus with clapping. For many of my colleagues here, Teacher Honoring is not as strong a tradition in the United States. (I, however, can report that my own parent community shows their appreciation with panache, offering most excellent potluck breakfasts). The discussion with 4 parents showcased the diversity in parent views regarding the hopes and dreams for their children in the educational system in Japan. We listened to an older father, by the name of Yonekichi Tetsumoto, who by his appearance, looked like a salary man. I expected him to adhere to the old school of “discipline, perseverance and rigor” as the key to student success. However, instead he lamented that children no longer have the opportunity to play and be creative and that this loss was manifesting itself in the decline of student achievement. Tetsumoto-san believes that parents are too busy working and don’t have time to talk with their children. He believes children are being raised by machines (read TV, Computers, internet) and that it is therefore difficult to raise children to have a warm heart. A young working mother of three clearly valued the cram schools called Yukus as a way to keep the kids competitive and learning the important basics so that later the student will be prepared to be creative and independent. She believed that more rigor was necessary for student achievement.
We spent the rest of my birthday sight seeing. We traveled up into the mountains past a reservoir and glimpsed areas where clearly the recent earthquake had moved some of the mountain. The dam was still completely intact but some of the surrounding hillsides had cascaded down – the roads however had already been cleared. I read that volcanic ash makes up the surface here and is therefore fairly loose and unconsolidated, making it easier for the land to slide. We then visited the Kokeshi Doll Museum, The Naruko hot springs, ate lunch at a ski resort, and visited the Ichinokura Sake Factory. Back in Miyagi, I ate a green tea ice cream cone outside a lovely green tea shop, and then was treated to Guinness in the Nam bar decorated with cowboy hats and beagles – yes I said Beagles not Beatles (the Japanese idols) and no this is not a transliteration. The final “piece de resistance” was a stroll back to the hotel room under the shine of the full moon. Domo Arigato Gozaimas.

Tea Perks You Up!

The Tea Ceremony came to Japan from China via Zen Buddhism. Our teacher and guide Nitta-san explained that the main occupation of the Buddhist monk is to meditate, which often would make the practicioners very sleepy. So the monks drank green tea to perk them up as it is loaded with caffeine. However, the tea was expensive so traditionally, only the monks drank it. Eventually the tea was prescribed to restore the health as it contains many vitamins such as vitamin A and C. As more people began to drink green tea, the tea developed a social and entertainment value. Tea drinking became so fashionable that feudal lords built elaborate tearooms to show their prestige. As with many aspects of Japanese culture, tea drinking was formalized into a ceremony to express the beauty and reverence of nature and the appreciation for the gift of tea. It is said that it takes 10 years to master the art. If you look closely, you will see that the tea ceremony is carried out in one stream of continuous motion. Nitta-san says, “ Learning the tea ceremony takes a long time and is difficult to master…..but it is easy to drink tea!” Green tea is bitter and not sweetened, so the start of the ceremony is begun with a sweet. After one enters the tearoom and quietly kneels on the tatami mat, one is presented with a sweet bean paste curd decorated with a small candy that is shaped depending on the season. Our shape was a green maple leaf. After savoring the sweet, the foamy deep green tea is brought out in a slightly larger than fist sized ceramic bowl, each bowl uniquely decorated. Mine had lovely flowers both inside and outside the rim. As the bowl is placed in front of you, you bow deeply with both hands folded together on the mat. You then pick up the bowl, with both hands, the left hand carefully cradling the bottom. Remember the tea itself is valuable, but the bowls can also set you back a few yen. The mamasan of the tea ceremony explained that some bowls can cost over a million yen! So don’t drop it. The bowl has been placed in front of you so that you can see the beautiful design. You then rotate the bowl to the right twice in your palm. As you bring the bowl close to your face, you bow again in thanks. The tea is hot and in winter the bowl is shaped more narrowly to keep the tea warm, in summer the bowl has a wider mouth to release the heat. The taste for a devoted tea drinker is heavenly. The mamasan asked if anyone would like a second bowl and I of course raised my hand.

NO More Nagasaki, NO More Hiroshima

From the Teaching of Buddha - DHAMMAPADA
Hatreds never cease by hatreds in this world. By love alone they cease. This is an ancient Law. (5)

Only a few weeks after the bombing of Nagasaki, Senator Fulbright initiated a program of exchange to promote peace and understanding of the people of the world. Since the inception of the Fulbright program, 275,000 people have directly participated in this ideal. As an offshoot of the Fulbright Scholarship program, the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund gives teachers from the United States an opportunity through the Peace Education Session to learn first hand from survivors of the atom bomb, (HIBAKSHU), about forgiveness and the ideal that love alone can conquer the hatreds of this world. Susumu Ishitani, a survivor of Hiroshima began his story with an apology. Imagine if you can, witnessing the complete destruction of everything you know and love in the blink of an eye and then moving forward through this rubble and reaching out to humanity by asking forgiveness.
The experience of annihilation did not end for Ishitani on August 6th 1946. He and the other survivors lived through the feeling of guilt for having survived while so many others died as well as through recrimination and fear. Survivors were believed to be contagious, which made it difficult to find mates, friends and jobs. If the Hibakshas had children, they lived with the fear that they would pass on the genetic destruction caused by the radiation. Even if they survived the initial blast, many faced a slower death through cancer. By 1950, only 53 % of the people who had experienced the explosion first hand were still alive.
Susumu Ishitani believes that in order to create peace someone must take the initiative and that is why he begins his story with an apology. He believes that people are people wherever we go and that we must learn from the past to make the world a more peaceful place. Susumu and others like him are helping to promote peace by telling their stories. Tomoko Yanagi – a child of a survivor, told us of peace education efforts throughout Japan and the world. You can access these efforts at the websites listed to the right. One of these efforts is a Children’s Peace Summit held on August 6th where two children are selected to deliver to their own Commitment to Peace.

Zuihoden

Human Wheels, Going Round Round Round, Help The Light Find My Face ~ J. Mellencamp

I visited a Japanese Mausoleum yesterday, usually not my first choice when traveling. It was an unexpectedly powerful experience. On the walk up to the mausoleum, built to honor the Lord Date Masamune, I stopped to wander through two cemetaries. The first cemetary brought home to me just how integral the appreciation and expression of beauty is to both life and death here in Japan. The monuments to the loved ones now departed were not only well cared for (a small broom lay beside the altar to sweep away any accumulations of leaf litter), but each one was so exquisitely designed and rendered. The second cemetary commemorated children who had died during the Edo period. I walked up through the cyprus grove, where the memorial was placed, not expecting to be so moved. At first the light reaching the forest floor onto the rock totems had me moved to laughs and tears of joy. Unbidden, a song came into my head and I began to sing, can't recall now what song it was, all I remember was that it was a love song, but I think it must have been my prayer to the children - released from me without my concientous being knowing it. Then the realization came to me - the pain that the mothers and fathers must have felt when their beautiful children left them alone in this world. I began to cry and am crying now writing you this. The children here are exceptionally beautiful - as you can see from the attached.

Kyogen and Kabuki - Traditional Performing Arts

~ For my most honored Son, Nicholas. Forgive the spelling on this piece as I have not had a chance to research the exact spelling.

LAUGH. This is what Kyogen means to me. Kyogen is a play that expresses human foibles through the use of humor and wit. The piece we witnessed was called “The Inherited Cramp”. Don Kenny, an American who has studied the Japanese art of Kyogen for over 30 years translated the Japanese play into English so that we could understand what we were watching. You will be able to view this play from a link I will later post in the blog when I get back from Tokyo, so I will not tell you the story now. Suffice it to say that it tells a simple story of a master and his servant which had me laughing out loud.

Kyogen is only one of the Traditional Performing Arts of Japan. Gaguku, the most ancient Japanese art form dating back to 1500 years ago, blends instrumental music and dance into a stylized, slow moving and ethereal performance. In order to fully experience this art form, it was explained to me that you need to slow your eyes down to the pace of the dancers and music. When you do this you can see the supreme effort that is exerted in each movement and then be transported into the tension that is created between the slow movement and the thrilling visual display of the costumes.

Noh and Kilgan, which date back to 600 years ago is characterized as heavy and tragic, similar to Italian Opera. All of the main characters are ghosts and therefore dead before the play begins. The theme of most of these plays focuses on a traveling priest who meets up with ghosts and tries to help them leave the burdens of earth behind and ascend into paradise. The main characters always wear a mask – there are over 250 kinds, all of which are hand carved. The Demon masks, which by Japanese tradition are rather frightening, represent characters that are often not very brave and quite human in personality. Other masks are happy deities, like the God of Happiness. Animal masks must be worn by actors who walk on four legs to represent their animal nature. The human masks are worn traditionally by men whether they represent men or women. Traditionally, women are not permitted to perform in Japanese Performing Arts. Men are trained from the early age of 3 as either a male character or a female character. It takes decades to be considered an accomplished Noh actor and many performers will not reach maturity in their art until they are over 50 years old.

Boone Nacko and Kabuki date back to the Edo period, 400 years ago, during which the samurai or warrior society rose to ascension in Japan. Boone Nacko is performed using puppets while Kabuki is performed by live actors. The Kabuki theatre originally emphasized sensuality and the performers were society's most beautiful young women. Kabuki theatre attracted large audiences of young, virile samuarai. These samurai packed the theatre and remember, a samaurai never removes his sword in public. The story goes that the samurai would gather in the theatre and at first admire the beautiful dancers. Eventually this admiration would turn into competition and jeolousy. Ownership over the beautiful maidens would rage. Swords would be drawn and a blood bath would ensue. In order to prevent further mayhem, laws were soon enacted to prevent women from performing the Kabuki. A subsitute was found, young boys took the place of women in the theatre. Not yet having reached puberty, the boys still had beautiful sweet voices and their lithe young bodies made convincing substitutes for the women they were representing. Soon the samurai were admiring the beauty and grace of the young boys, and soon after, their admiration again turned to violence and bloodshed, as competition and jeolosy consumed their thoughts. Consequently, young boys were banned from performing in the theatre. Who then would perform the Kabuki dance? Adult men were enlisted. The adult male performers applied make-up and dressed in Kimono, but in order to entertain their audience, they had to employ a highly stylized movement to exaggerate the feminine qualities that attracted the samurai to the theatre. These stylized movements are what see in Kabuki theatre today. The hairstyles also reflect the fact that men and not boys were performing the dance. A boy wore a forlock until he reached manhood, which was then cut off to show that the boy had become a man. The Kabuki theatre performers don hairstyles without a forlock to show that they are men and not boys. Kabuki theatre has survived the violence of the Edo period and continues to thrive in the modern era by strict adherence to tradition.

The gentleman who performed for our group, Don Kenny, translates and then performs the Japanese plays into English. His work is unique and has been instrumental in bringing this very ancient and traditional art form into the realm of western understanding. Kenny wrote a “Noh” play based on the life of St. Francis and another one called “Alice in the Land of the Correct Place”. This latter one is based on Alice in Wonderland and investigates the idea of self discovery as a foreigner in the Japanese land. For more information on Don Kenny and his work please visit the link soon be posted below.

Asakusa Shopping Expedition

Ah so. After a wonderful tempura and miso soup lunch seated on tatami mats, a gaggle of girls and I rushed out into the Asakusa Shopping area a few steps away from the restaurant. Being mindful that we had only a little over an hour – (Ishi -san our guide emphasized to our group the departure time and location three times, using written placards and asking us to repeat after her – yes Ishi-san, we will meet you promptly at 1:20 at HOLY SMOKE!), we quickly dispersed down the crowded stalls that lined the pedistrian street. The street itself decorated with red and white banners and punctuated at either end by Kaminata-mon gate, which means thunder gate and Hozomon Gate, which I think means Holy Smoke. The reference to Holy Smoke lies in the fact that at this gate there is a large incense-burning structure. The Japanese believe that if you bathe yourself in the smoke of the incense, the smoke will encourage hair where you are bald, brain cells to multiple where they are scarce or melt away the aches and pains that might plague you. The Akusaka shopping area is quite touristy, but I discovered a very important shopping tip. Go down the side alleys and get off the main drag. Not only are there fewer people to navigate through, but the items for sale are less expensive and don’t give you the feeling that it was all recently shipped over from China. I was in the market to buy a kimono for my Recycling Festival. I was discouraged and a lot overwhelmed at first. Although the prices didn’t freak me out, the quality certainly did. The polyester and cotton Kimono looked so cheesy for a lack of a better word. I wonder if there is a similar Japanese expression that means cheap and tacky. Lucky for me I took a few deep breathes – learning to remember to breathe is key for this spinny girl, and hooked up with a more centered gal by the name of Kendra from Boston. She and I wandered down a less traveled alley and chatted and marveled at the more sedate and Japanese consumer products. Check out the Sushi sign I have posted. In a dimly lit shop with no plastic wrappings I found a rack of woolen Kimono – brightly colored but not glitzy – I thought perhaps I was misreading the numbers because these Kimono were almost half the price of the cheaper looking ones I had previously seen. I picked out two Kimono and decided to get them both. A lovely older woman helped me find matching obi’s and then mimed to me would I like to try them on? Inside the shop, I stood in front of a full length mirror on a tatami mat – of course with my shoes off – while she wrapped me up in the kimono. She even gave me an English language instruction guide to teach me how to properly dress myself in Kimono. The guide is illustrated with charming little Japanese people. (This guide idea would make a great lesson plan for my students – design and create instructions using pictures and words to teach someone to …..perhaps I could use this idea in my Recycling Festival. ) After she removed the Kimono the woman then wrapped each one carefully and beautifully in paper, attached a small origami paper kimono doll to the package and I glided out of the shop on cloud nine. This shopping experience may be one of the highlights of my life. Hard to imagine since shopping is not my fortay and goes against my religious belief, ecology worship.

Field Trip to the Japanese National Diet

Tokyo, June 11, 2008

The National Diet is the seat for Japanese Government, similar to our House of Representatives.  Like in the United States, security does not permit us to take pictures while inside the building.  However, while we were touring the building, Ishi-san our Japanese guide told us stories about the people and the building.  The Diet was constructed in the 1920's and took 17 years to complete.  All materials used in its construction are recycled from domestic sources except for the stained glass windows from Great Britain and the brass doorknobs and mail slots from the United States.  Traditionally, Japanese buildings did not employ a lock and key system.  The Central Hall of the Diet contains 3 bronze statues placed in three of the four corners of the room.  Each figure represents an important Japanese Politician who is heralded as devoting his life to Japan's parliamentary system; Hirobumi Ito - Japan's first prime minister, Taisuke Itagki, famous for his advocacy of freedom of speech, and Shigenobu Okuma who founded the first Japanese University.  According to our guide, the fourth corner of the central hall is left vacant on purpose.  With great humor, Ishi-san explained that by leaving the fourth corner vacant, it is the hope of the Japanese people that their parliamentarians will work tirelessly to earn the privilege of occupying that fourth corner! We Americans need to develop some similar incentives for our politicians I should think.  One important discovery for me since I have been in Japan is that the Japanese use humor throughout their discourse with each other and with us.  Every encounter I have had leaves me laughing or smiling. Now, it is important to note there is something else that we could learn from our esteemed hosts.  Tact.  One of our teachers, I am sure quite innocently asked our guide who the current prime minister of Japan is.  I could sense see our gentle and friendly guide, Ishi-san withdraw.  Understandably so - how embarrassing it was to witness a teacher admit that he did not know the name of the head of state for the country he was visiting ( and need I repeat paying the bill for this entire adventure).  Japan Fulbrighters - please be careful out there!  We Americans are ambassadors to this country and we must work hard to dispel the view that we are ignorant, arrogant and at the very least insensitive.

Evening hosted By a Fulbright Scholar

My first evening in Japan was hosted by a Fulbright scholar by the name of Shugemichi Suzuki. In Japan, the family name is given first, then the given name.  When addressing someone with respect, the family name is followed by san.  However the four teachers I was with proceeded to call him Suzuki-san, as I think our scholar's family name was presenting some problems with pronunciation.  So I will refer to him as Suzuki-san.  Suzuki-san volunteered to take us out for our first meal in Japan.  He greeted us in the hotel where we politely exchanged business cards - I again want to thank Nabuko-san for helping me to translate my card into Japanese.  While we waited for the formal opening speech, we were treated to traditional music, see photo below.  Then our gentleman scholar led five of us off down to the streets of Akasaka, into the Tokyo subway system and on to a Sushi restaurant.  Suzuki-san was a challenge to keep up with in the crowded streets, and I am thankful that I am agile and small myself so I could keep up and not get lost in the crowds. My colleagues who look as if they were all giants seemed to manage as well - we didn't loose anyone.  The restaurant was chosen for its sushi menu which is displayed in the window of each restaurant.  One of our group was quite experienced with Sushi and helped me decide what to order.  I recall eating salmon roe, herring roe, tuna, okra, and salmon - you can see from the picture what I ate - it was a wonderful adventure.  We toasted with hot sake and Kirin beer.  Suzuki-san told us the story of his Fulbright scholarship.  The Fulbright Scholar exchange was set up just after WWII to promote a better understanding between the peoples of Japan and the United States.  Suzuki-san travelled to North Carolina and to Stanford to work in computer programming as it applies to railroad systems.  This took place in the early 1960's!  Suzuki-san told us that he writes Haiku and showed us his notebook where he records his poetry and the magazine where he publishes it.  One of my colleagues took a picture of this so I hope to post this later.  On another note...if you have never experienced a heated toilet seat, you dont know what you are missing.  

First Stop - San Francisco and Dinner with the Japanese Consulate General

I arrived early enough in San Francisco to be able to spend time walking along the Bay, a lovely walking path is within spitting distance of my hotel room.  The day was clear, sunny and breezy reminding me of why so many people flock to San Francisco to live.  In the middle of the city, I saw pelicans fly overhead, and a hummingbird hovering over her nest oblivious to my intentions of capturing her on film.  The orientation for the Japan Fulbright program brought home to me what an honor I am being given by the Japanese Government.  If I had not mentioned before, the Japanese government is footing the bill for the entire 160 teachers!   We dined at the Japanese Consulate last night.  After the drive up and down the hills of San Fran, we arrived at the consulate a little awed by the splendor of the magnificent old mansion overlooking the Bay Bridge.  We were greeted at the door by waiters in tuxedos offering us our choice of wine, pinot noir for me. The speech given by the Consulate General was charming, warm and funny!  I wish I could tell you what he said but by then the wine and the fatigue was starting to make me giddy.  Now the food did revive me a bit.  The long table was overflowing with all kinds of weird and wonderful food.  My favorite was the thinly slice almost raw tuna.  As we waited for the sun to set over the Bay Bridge sipping our wine, marvelling at the tastes of the japanese food, we all buzzed and exchanged who each of us are, where we came from and our plans for the Japan follow on project.  The other teachers' stories and ideas brought tears to my eyes.  Not to be too sappy, but our nation's kids are very fortunate to have such dedicated, creative and enthusiastic teachers.  I hope to tell you more about some of their projects as I get past the jet lag and hear more. 

I leave on Sunday at 6:00 am!

I leave on Sunday, June 8th for Japan, I sure hope the sleeping pills, ear plugs and eye covers do the trick and allow me to sleep on the plane! Not looking forward to the jet lag. I will be traveling with 160 other Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund teachers to Tokyo where we will spend a week experiencing important cultural sites and educational ministries. After the week in Tokyo, I will split off from the large group and travel to Osaki, Miyagi prefecture. This is north of Tokyo, a map is posted below. I will have the honor of staying with a Japanese family and spend my time visiting schools of all levels in the region.