The Best (and Only) Smooth Jazz Concert I've Ever Been To

So it's been approximately 3 weeks in Japan. A NEW RECORD! And I'm having a pretty good time. Everyone here gets along pretty well, but sadly we haven't been able to make too many Japanese friends. All of our classes are with the foreign students in the Japanese Studies Department. Sadly most Japanese students don't wanna study Japanese. And to make things worse. All the Japanese students are on the Japanese school schedule which has a break for all of February and some of March!! NOES! But luckily, Judo club starts back up in February! So, I'll make some Japanese friends there! Tough ones!

Yesterday we went to a Togi Hideki concert! He is a Japanese Gagaku player. There were two halves to the show. A traditional first half that was pretty interesting. There were many instruments that I've never seen or heard before that I really admired. There was this one instrument (Shou http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8D_(instrument) ) that was hand-held and the player blew in which sounded like an organ (and the notes could be changed too). There was the cool instrument from Kung-fu hustle(air knives), the zither(?). There were lots of flutes and an instrument (the biwa) whose closest western cousin could be a mandalin or guitarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biwa)? There was a taiko and kakko(drums) and other cool instruments. The shapes and craftmanship were great. Togi-san, was clothed in really sweet traditional dress and played, solo and with a group. He played both the gagaku flute (ryuuteki) or hichiriki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hichiriki)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%ABteki) ( i can't tell it was too small in his hands) and the biwa. He also did a very intricate dance which we all loved. It showed off his clothes and how precise Japanese gagaku dance is. It was a pleasure to watch.

*Intermission*

After that was the modern stuff. Toji-san continued playing his Ryuuteki/hichiriki, showing off how much it sounded like a saxophone, because it did. He wore modern clothes and had a more animated, younger band backing him up. The sets were wonderful and the music was a lot more upbeat! (of course) I had gotten a much needed 500yen sandowichi and was alive for the second half again! Everything from his great hair to shiny pants was good. He played his original music and rocked out w/ his band. It was a good time.
In my opinion, the highlight of his show was the young talent he debued. A man he auditioned in China, who had a very distinct style to him, but his playing is what tugged at all the female's heartstrings! Although his hair cut and heels were quite cute too. He played a very interesting instrument that I would love to try out. Three stringed with a box (hollow) at the base (which he placed into his hip so he walk around) I think it's called a kokyuu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokyu)
The awesome thing about this instrument was the bow surrounded the strings!! Blows your mind doesn't it!!!! I know it blew mine! The concert was then a lot more awesome w/ the guy rocking out on his kokyu and Togi-san rocking out on his flute. Twas great.
I recommend such great concerts to all. It was a great display of Japanese music, tradition, and instruments.

By the way, I know all of you know how much I love starting clapping in its many varieties (slow claps, etc.) So at the concert everyone was standing and clapping after the band and Togi-san left the stage. I then came up with a wonderful idea. So far my best impact in Japan so far. One unified clap. I started clapping to a beat and my friends next to me joined in. I kept going for a while seeing if it would catch on. Then I turned to my friend, Tana, and said "It would be awesome if everyone did this!!" and the second I finished my sentence. There it was. Out in the crowd! My clap!!!! Gotta say. One of the best parts of the night. The person who started the crowd clap. This lady right here.

~Ama

OOO YEA

(Kool-Aid man bursts into my Japanese house)

I'm posting my videos on youtube under the name speedle5. Please, please, please ignore the squirrel video, it has nothing to do w/ Japan. My friends had my microphone and recorded it so.... that's that.
I'll try to make cool vids/slideshows also.

~Ama

Making Friends in Japan

How to make friends in Japan:

1) Share hw in class
2) Join clubs
3) Talk to random ppl on the subway

Guess which one I did today?

If you said 3 you are correct!
Here's how the conversation went this morning (translated into English):
(I sit down next to guy)
Me: Hi!!
Random guy(surprised that I speak Japanese and am talking to him): Hello
Me: Are you a college student?
Him: Yes
Me (finally introducing myself): Me too!!! I'm Amanda. This is Tana (referring to my friend who I agree w/ every morning that we have a goal to make friends on the train w/) We're study abroad students at Nanzan University!
Him: I go to Nanzan University too!
Me: HEEE!!! (Japanese for WHAAA??!!!) Shall we walk together?!?!
He agreed and he, Tana, and I talked all the way to school.
And that is how you make friends on the train.
I also followed this same formula at lunch today w/ my friend Maria, with an opening line of "was that food delicous?!"
Just a little bit of confidence/outright uberfriendliness can get you two new friends who speak the language you're studying! It's a nice reward for stepping out of your comfort zone.
It feels kinda unreal meeting someone in a different language, like it has to be done in English later to be official. But it happened! Senkou (majors) were shared! Worries were commiserated over! It's all real here!
Now go out and make friends!

~Ama

Being Cold and You

It's a fact.
In the winter in Japan, you will face Cold. Cold can easily be overcome by many layers, a blanket and a handy kotatsu. In winter, your fingers will be your first casualties. Wear gloves/mittens/use pockets! You need them.
What, you say you have no jacket?
Well, that is an investment you have to make! Jackets are essential to surviving your daily travels in Japan! Like Nike, just do it.
Socks! Socks! Tabi socks? Furry socks, stokings, tights? All are welcome in the fight against Cold. Scarves and hats too.

Do your best to combat Cold with these helpful tips.
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On another note,
Kids here are adorable!!!! I already had the chance to hang out w/ a baby, (who loved me)and I see lil elementary school kids in their matching hats every morning on my bike. I said konnichiwa to one little girl this week and got her amazed "Waa!"
Kids are adorable.
I did notice one thing on my treks through Japan. When a lil family of three are out. (3 being the baby) the Dad has the baby strapped to him in most cases. I found this a really great act of chivalry. Mama had to carry that baby for 9 months, now it's Dad's turn! Just a sidenote.


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Something else I wanted to say.....
.................
.................
I guess it has to wait till another day.
Goodnight/Good morning to all you folks!

~Ama

There Comes A Time...

There comes a time in life, while living in a foreign country, that you realize the language of that country is hard and it's messing with your head.

One day I was reading Japanese characters and I came across some that I could read rather quickly and fully understand! Yes, I thought and gave myself a mental pat on the back, only to realize, those characters I understood so well were English words mixed in with Japanese.

Sadnesss.

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The Awesome that is Osu

If you thought you knew shopping before, you have never been to Japan.
Yesterday, My friend Tana and I went to Osu the place were all the wakamono (young ppl) hang and shop! It's packed with hundreds of shops and boutiques.Store fronts ranged from a table length in width to whole building sizes with many stores inside! I got a sweet messenger bag for only 19 bucks and superstar sungalsses for $3!!! Yay bargains. So Osu is this huge endless set of 3 streets (that go on for a number of blocks). Tana and I went down 1 street. Just 1 on our first visit. (Oh, there will be more visits!) Between the $20 kimono, shoes, bags and everything cheapness, there's a lot of restaurants and street food vendors. Oh the fun that was had@##!! Oh the outfits to be made!!!!
Oh the savings!!! I can't wait to go back!
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Welcome party for IES today! Twas a lot of fun, having a nomihodai (all you can drink) with everyone and chowing down! A few of us did get a bit tipsy though!
Afterwards we did come Karaoke! I realized I'm the slowest reader of Japanese ever. I think I should start reading manga.

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We started our classes on Friday and now we really get into the swing of things.
If I did not tell you already. I commute to school.
25min bike to the train station -> 30 mins by train (with transfer) to school area -> 5-7 min walk to school and back at night.
I'm taking:
Intensive Japanese 400
Foreign Policy
Japanese Culture and Art II
Field Work (audit)
Ikebana (flower arranging)
Shoudo (calligraphy)

I'm also gonna join some clubs:
Judo (of course)
Friendship club (I think that's what it's called)
Tennis club (possibly)
(in case I wasn't doing enough exercise before)

By the way, Intensive Japanese means Intensive. 13hr/week!

I'm taking 18 credits here! Let's hope I can handle it all, especially that calligraphy! ;)

There's lots of breaks throughout the week for us to study and have fun I'm looking forward to it!

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I'll split this blog into two

Laters,

Ama

Family Life!

Soo, first thing's first or mazu, my family is super nice. They set me up in a swweeeettt room(s), traditional with tatami mats and a tokonoma (alcove w/ a scroll and plant arrangement) and shooji (sliding paper doors)! and the other sliding door that I can't remember the name of right now. It's pretty sweet. It's basically like a house connected to the main house. I have my own toire and everything! There's a picture of it there and the hall I go down to get to it. I like the living room though because it has a kotatsu.
They also set me up on the WIRELESS! internet on the first day. I know this is a lot more than I expected.
We went out to dinner last night. A sushiya (sushi shop) that had the sushi on plates going around on a conveyor belt! You see something you want and you pick it up and eat it. If you want something special just ask the cooks in front of you to make it and there you go!
I have a video. For some reasons my video's are posting too well. I think I might have to put them up on youtube.
Right now I'm sitting w/ my feet under the kotatsu (heated table) eating some Milky candy (oishii).
Later, I'm gonna do a trial run w/ my new jitensha (bike) to the train station. Now's the best way to get over my fear of getting lost.
Tomorrow I have my placement test sooo I'm gonna study some kanji (characters) now.

I like to sleep through Jishin!

Short post today.
Apparently, that shaking I ignored last night was an earthquake. Apparently, I was very tired.

Castles, Tea, and Host Families!

So as you know, I've been having a wonderful time over here in Japan. I've been trying a whole bunch of foods that I've never had before and they are starting to grow on me! One day I won't know how I'd ever go back to meals w/o tea and some kinda ocean creature.
Yesterday, after our 4 day stay at the Inuyama ryokan, we went on an adventure! to the Inuyamajo (Inuyama Castle) which is 4 minutes away. We were seriously right next to the place. But first we had Sado! (Tea Ceremony!) This is a very cool and very traditional part of Japanese culture!! We took turns making and drinking tea, after watching a video and live example. It was great. I'm a leftie, but in order to do it the traditional way, I had to use my right hand, but apparently (thanks to all the "joozu"'s and "kirei"'s I heard) I'm awesome at it.
Tea Ceremony Rules:
Guests enter by age/rank by bowing, getting into seiza (sitting on your knees) and pulling yourself into the room w/o standing up. (Sorry if that sounds weird. The video may explain it better.)Then you get up and walk to the tokonoma (small alcove w/ a scroll and plant, the floor is raised). When you walk it's 6 steps per tatami (bamboo mat) long ways and 3 across. Do not step on the edges, it's bad manners!! So you get to the tokonoma and you get in seiza, bow, look at the scroll (try and read it), look at the plant (note it's wonder), bow again, get up and go to your seat (you may only sit in seiza!!!) You are then served a sweet by the host's assistant. This sweet is very sweet to compensate for the bitterness of the tea you're going to drink later. The assistant comes in with the sweet, sits in front of you, she puts the sweet down in front of you, both of you bow to each other, you take a sweet with the chopsticks (w/ the right hand), and she takes the plate to let you eat the sweet). You are to cut the sweet and eat it piece by piece.
After you have eaten the sweet, the host comes out to make the tea. I won't explain that whole process, but the "macha" tea is different from other teas, because it is not steeped, but mixed from a powder, which was made from finely ground leaves. This is in the picture. The serving of this tea is precise. The host brings the tea, sits in front of you, turns the tea cup clockwise twice so that the front is facing you (showing respect), puts it down in front of you, you both bow, and then she leaves.
You now with your super macha tea, that was made with great effort and precision, bow to the people after you who aren't as cool to be first (jk) to show them respect and let them know you'll be drinking first. You then sniff the tea, turn it counter-clockwise twice (to show respect to the host), and drink the tea in 3 sips. 3!!!!! You then return the cup to it's original position after 2 clockwise turns and admire the cup, for it is beautiful!!! The host returns for her cup, I think another bow is in order. After that your host leaves you to say goodbye to the scroll and plant in the tokonoma with a similar process to the one you entered with. You can then check out the tools your tea was made with, like you did w/ your tea cup, admiring their beauty! You can then leave.
I'm pretty sure this is an abridged version we had. You do chat before the tea and comment on how pretty the scroll and plant and tea set up is. You usually get it's backstory and how it was acquired, every bit of detail. Where the hot water pot, fresh water pot, waste pot, macha, ladel, and cups were made. You have been spared. Overall it was a great experience and I'm superglad I did it. One day, I'll do a real one. Maybe I'll invite you over.
Next, we went to the Inuyamajo! Super cool. 400 years old! Still standing and pretty, and extremely cold. One cool thing about this castle besides it being awesome anyway, is it's army savvy construction. If you think you've ever gone up steep steps, think again. Going from floor to floor of this castle reminded me of climbing ladders with steps 1/3 too far apart. This was done so that invading soldiers were at an disadvantage. They had to come up one by one, using only one hand (for the other was holding the railing for dear life), and they were probably afraid of falling, or the huge rocks being hurled at their heads.
That's right I was in a national treasure yesterday!
On to the museum, I got to learn how to make a show puppet dance, that was pretty cool.

Finally, the finale of the evening. I met my host family today, the Shibata's. They're really nice! and I know I'm going to learn a lot from them. Weird thing is, they lived in the town next to my hometown 10 years ago!! Crazy right!!
I know
Well, I think that's enough information for you today. I don't think my next post will be as exciting.
I'll see you on the flipsiiiide.
~Ama

Unnaturally Warm Toilet Seats

Yes, there are heated toilets in Japan. There are automated ones too! with crazy features that I understand only by their pictorial descriptions.
Hey guys,
Long day. Checked out of our hotel. Our director Satoshi-sensei took us around the Nagoya (everything) station and then we came to Inuyama for our Orientation. Whew, my Japanese is rusty. But being in a "ryokan" or Japanese-style inn, is awwwwweeeeeesoooome! We're going to the hot springs after dinner! If I can stay awake, that is. I can't post all my pictures on here, but I'm trying to put more stuff on google wave. So join the wave and we can have interactive chats! See you later.
~Ama

PS I'll post the video later

Trip!

The trip, 'twas long.
Up at 6.Out by 7:30. Aiport by 9. On the plane by 12.
They fed us soooo much on the Ttrip to Beijing. 3 times in 13 hours. I watched like 4 movies and 3 tv shows. Then I read a book.Gotta say, the layover in China could only be described as "Taihen!" I went from line to line trying to get through to my layover.If only I knew Chinese too! meh. Got lost after getting in with an hour till takeoff. But thank God, I got to the gate when everyone was boarding. Carried on a plane flight worth of convo in mostly Japanese. I was very pleased w/ myself. The program director here picked me up at the airport and now I'm in my cool hotel room. I'll let the pictures and videos explain the rest.
Peace!

Last Night

Oh man. Heeere we go.
Bags packed?
Check.
Ticket?
Check.
Passport?
Check.
Visa?
Check.
Am I ready?
Whew, who knows. But I have a flight in 14 hours. I guess I should try to sleep.
What's that they say? Driving drowsy is just like driving drunk. I wonder if that applies to speaking. Meh, I'd rather not embarrass myself in the 2 different countries I'll be flying into tomorrow/the next day. Wish me luck ;) I'll put up a post when I'm in the airport either in Newark or China. (Yea, I stop over in Beijing.) I'll wave to it for you.

Gn,

Ama