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The Last Day of Class Before Break

Wow.. Winter break is finally here.

Yesterday was the last of class at 信州大学　before classes resume again on January 5th. Class was great, and yesterday we started to learn　敬語　（Keigo）, which is the most polite form of the Japanese language. It is interesting to see how verbs and other expressions change when speaking to someone of higher status or "rank" than you. It made me laugh when the instructor told us that most Japanese students don't speak Keigo like they should to their professors at the university, but we learn to and use it.

I know that it is winter break, but I can't stop studying. My good friend Jake and I went to the bookstore, and I bought a short story collection from a very famous author that he recommended. The Japanese is pretty difficult at times, but I think that it is fun trying to look up words and see if I can get the context right. If I get stuck, Jake reads novels like they were newspapers, so I can always ask him for help on difficult grammar. I feel better and better about my ability to speak and understand Japanese everyday, and I really think that by the end of the stay this year, I will be able to really express my thoughts, feelings, and desires in Japanese. I have a long way to go before I am at the level I want to be (JLPT 1), but I will continue my studies when I move back here after I graduate. Nothing to worry about at all.

Yesterday evening, I was invited by my friend Suzan to meet her family visiting from Europe, for a night of dinner and conversation. It was a wonderful time, and they are wonderful people. When I think about it, it is funny that a table full of students from 4 different countries (plus Suzan's family), can sit around the table and talk about daily life and the things we enjoy.

I don't really have any big plans for this holiday break; I am going to buy a bed, a rug, a new jacket, and a few other things to make the place a little more cozy.　I enjoy my futon because it is very cozy, but I really don't like having a bed on the floor where the blankets and all just rest on the hardwood. I really want the rug just to make the place look a little spruced-up. Most apartments and such here are without central heat and air, so the floor tends to be a bit chilly to the bare foot most of the day. I think the rug will take care of that.

Today I am going to have a mountain picnic with my friend スジョン, to a mountain where we can see all of Matsumoto. The weather is beautiful today, and the sun is shining, so it will be a great time. I hope to travel some more this break, but as of right now, the only destination I have in mind is Tokyo for a day or two to see my friend Grace when she comes to Japan for a few weeks. I am really looking forward to it. Most of my big travel plans will happen when our 2 month long Spring break arrives here. I have a lot of places I want to go see, and I can't wait to get out and just get lost. Even if I had to walk from place to place, that to me would be such a wonderful memory, and an experience so different from that of other travelers.

In my Tuesday night multicultural understanding class. My friend ヒョンウ and I. He is such a funny guy that are presentations are always funny.

This magazine that a student so skillfully edited, made me crack up for personal reasons, so I thought I would share this guys joy with you.

山本先生 (Yamamoto Sensei) is one of my favorite professors here at the university, and this is her posing with her diagram of how keigo/regular speech work between different people at different "ranks"

This is an apple she brought to class that she made a design on. From what I got from her explanation, she bought it when it was green, made a sticker-like design on it, and then let it ripen to where the color would change leaving the colored part lighter. Cute isn't it?

I am Alive

I just wanted to show everyone that I am alive still, and things are going very well in all categories; life, linguistics, and love (lol, just kidding on that one) here in Japan. As Wednesday is the beginning of 冬休み, there will be plenty of posting time.

Wow...I Need to Post More Often

Hello everyone!

Sorry that it has taken me so long to drop a line, I have been extremely busy lately with class and studying. Things are going great here in Matsumoto, and the weather is finally taking on the familiar winter traits; frost, ice, and cold humid air. Everyday I walk to school, the mountains seem to have more and more snow on them. I really hope that I can go snowboarding during our winter break. I might go this weekend, but in order to do that, I need to buy some heavier winter gear (I know.. I should have brought a heavier coat) and psyche myself up mentally for the beating my body will take. Last time I went snowboarding, I was on my knees or my @ss most of the time. Yeah... I don't want a repeat of that. Nagano Prefecture is very famous for being one of the ski hubs of Japan (besides Hokkaido) because it is in the Japanese Alps. I am really looking forward to trying it out here. I really have no idea what winter break will bring, but I am really thinking of taking a weekend train to Nagano City to explore and enjoy a day or two outside of Matsumoto.

Classes are still going well right now, and we are still flying! Today we just finished lesson 35 of 48 in our book series. Earlier this week was our Japanese test, and I am happy to say that I did well :) I have been spending a lot of time studying, and I really think that it has paid off. I know I have a long way to go until I am at the level I want to be (native), but I think I am on the right track to getting there. There is no easy way to learn, and it really takes a lot of practice; both in learning out of the book, and with speaking A LOT. I have yet to encounter anyone here (even those foreigners who can speak at a near native level) who has said that Japanese is easy for them. The fact is that it kicks everyone where it counts, and for Americans especially, things are pretty rough since we don't have the kanji advantage like the Chinese students, or the similar grammar structure like Korean students do. We are literally up the creek with a paddle in this world.

That is all I really have to say for the moment, so I should probably get ready to head to bed. Maybe I will actually get around to posting some pictures and video this weekend :) Take care.

The Western Mountains/ Random Bits of Information

After looking through the pictures I have taken thus far, I realized that I haven't really shown anyone pictures of the "real" mountains around Matsumoto. Most of the pictures I have taken are of the eastern side of the city, where the mountains are fairly small. The western side is different. Much different. These mountains tower over the city of Matsumoto and it's skyline.

Even in the Matsumoto train station, there are plaques with the silhouettes of the mountains in the range and their size and name. It is really interesting to see how they have changed the past few weeks as snow has moved in. Skiing should be good this year for those who travel here to do so.

Things are still going well here, and I really feel more at home with each passing day. Fortunately, I have had no more random encounters with the local police, and things have been rather normal. I say "normal", but nothing is really ever normal here; from the stares I get everyday, to the things I see in stores and walking around the city, nothing is very normal in our sense of the word. This is a foreign land, and I am, and will always be, a foreigner. I don't really know who reads this blog, but for people who think Japan is a dreamland where they can fully assimilate and practice the ancient martial ways in peace, live a life straight from a Japanese manga, or just get away from their problems back home; I hate to tell you this, but it isn't quite that easy..

Classes are still going well, and we have covered a lot of new helpful grammar; conditional-forms, potential-forms, describing doing two actions at the same time, describing/emphasizing actions or events that have been completed (~てしまいました/しまいます）, and countless other forms. Our next test is in two weeks, and I think it will go just fine. My Japanese is by no means great at all yet, but I truly think my ability to converse and get around has increased by 200% or so in these first two months. I sometimes wonder how far I will have progressed linguistically by the time I return home. It's exciting to think about; a little more than 7 months left to improve.

Today was my first time to get a haircut in Japan. Can you believe that when you go to where I did, you pay 1,500 yen for a ticket out of a vending machine to get your haircut? You take the ticket, sit down on a long bench, and hand them your ticket when you step up to the chair. Like I said, things are never quite what you expect them to be here. I am still amazed that vending machines have both hot and cold drinks in them. I guess I am easily amused.

This week I will try to venture out for some interesting blog material. I have no idea what the week will bring, but I know that I will post about it whenever I find out. I hope that everyone is well back home. Take care.

Fun + Cold = Fall

Fall has finally arrived here in our little mountain city. It has been a good week or two since I was able to face the elements wearing just a long sleeve. It is now time for the big gear; snow caps and gloves. With the change in temperature, there has also been a noticeable change in the scenery around town. All of the surrounding mountains look like patchwork quilts full of reds, yellows, golds, and now white from the snow. It is like the mountains are molting. I really wish that my camera could get the full effect of the change, but alas, some things I guess are just not meant to be.

A lot seems to have been going on lately, and things are really picking up here, both in school and out of it. This week we started the second textbook in our series. We are really flying right now. It is truly a strange experience when you learn a new grammar point, and hear it being used in conversation soon after. It really opens up a new door for you and your abilities when you start to hear things that you never caught before. This happens all of the time here. I am by no means great at Japanese yet, I have 8 months to fix my errors, but I have really noticed a growth in my ability in just the past two weeks. Hallelujah brothers! I have been saved.

This past week I was invited out to dinner with my friend スジョン (Su Jon)　from South Korea, and her friend ちさと (Chisato). We went out to a local ramen restaurant and enjoyed a bowl of "hell ramen", yakisoba (crunchy noodles with cooked vegetables), and dumplings. Maybe it is just my desensitized mouth speaking, but I think that if you are going to call something "hell ramen", at least make it spicy enough to feel the burn.

Last night was an evening spent with my friend Daniel and friends. We hung out at his apartment for awhile until his good friend and DJ みちはる (Michiharu) came by to join us. Even if the conversation topics are limited, it is good to know that I can have normal conversations in Japanese fairly easy now. みちはる doesn't really speak English at all, so having to communicate in Japanese really made things fun. We had a great time. From Daniels we met スジョン at a little bar/pub called "U2" for a drink and to just relax and enjoy our first night of the weekend. Incidentally, on the way home around 1:00 a.m., I was met with flashing lights from none other than the usually invisible Japanese police. It was quite the interesting experience, and after explaining that I had just met my friends, one of the policeman and I realized we had met before; remember the bike incident? We reminisced for a moment, and then they just let me walk away without any more questions. I really don't know why they stopped me, I have never been drunk so that knocks out that reason, so maybe it was because it was the wee early hours of the morning? That is just my life though. Small world eh?

The rest of this weekend will be used to just relax and take care of things around the house. I will most likely clean up some, study a lot, and enjoy the 3-day weekend. That is really all I know at the moment, but I will post sometime this week about the new happenings in Matsumoto. Take care.

Here is a link to a walk around my neighborhood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDUsppQPGIc

A really neat cafe named "Banana Moon" in the woods near the city of Azumino. After I helped my friends Charlie(pictured) and Yasuko(also pictured) at an event promoting his books, they took me to this place as a thank you gesture. It was really neat and inside were rooms full of paintings by a famous Japanese painter who happens to be Charlies roommates father. His roommate is also a very skilled painter.


Just a few late afternoon shots of Matsumoto in fall. The colors are very beautiful right now. Everyday I think a little more snow falls on the mountains, but that is to be expected, we are in Japan's ski country.

A Whole Lot of Nothing New

It is strange to think that we have almost reached the two month mark of living here in Japan. Living on my own for the first time has been kind of different, but I am adjusting to it well. Life here is always interesting, and I truly learn something new about the way things are done here everyday. The Japan that most people imagine to exist, does exist, but to find it, and truly understand it, takes a little bit of searching not only on the map, but in yourself as well (as you ponder the amount of grammatical errors I just made, think about what I said as well).

On a different note, classes are still going very well. The first tests went very well and I think that if I keep my head in the game, the rest will be just fine. As of today, we finished Lesson 22/25 in our first textbook. That is cooking! Meeting with my tutor and friends often really helps to reinforce everything I've learned. I still have a ways to go until I hit my goal for the halfway point, but I have three months to get there though, and I am doing well to meet that now.

Nothing too new has really been going on here. This Sunday I went to the city of Azumino to help Charlie out. Charlie is a great guy. He has seen and done so much (like riding a bike across Japan for a year and writing a book about it) in his life. Currently he writes a manga (comic) in his spare time from his job. This weekend I helped him out by wearing the characters costume, and whatever else he needed. It was a great experience, and I met some wonderful people at the event.

In about.. 40 minutes, I will meet with my tutor to take her out for her birthday dinner. We are going to eat at a omelet/rice restaurant that she really enjoys. I hope it is tasty because I am starving. I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. I will post sometime soon again. じゃ、またね。

A Few Clips From Culture Day

Samurai Procession on the Castle Grounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPk5DLFPdP4


A Walk Down Nawate-Dori "Frog Street": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRXDvTbqIJw

Found Engrish- This one is for Roger

I did a lot today. Plain and simple, a lot. Since it will take me awhile to upload all of the videos and pictures from the Culture Day events, I thought I would share a little bit of something that made my day just a little bit better; Engrish. This beauty of a specimen was found by my friend Daniel while we were looking at kitchen knives in one of the malls today. I needed a new knife, and with the added Engrish, I couldn't refuse it. It was a 100円 well spent.

A plain-old blue fruit knife. Not that impressive. But if you look above my left thumb, there is a piece of gold. I will admit though, looking through my posts is about the same, if you really take the time to pick everything apart, there are enough comma splices and semi-colon mistakes to make any grammar hound laugh.



Really? Come on now, "The thinking which it cut is hard to stick to a knife." I know what they are trying to get at.. but they missed the mark by a good 10 yards.

The back of the package also reads at one spot, "After use, wash it with the sponge of the soft cloth, and the detergent for the tableware, and wipe off the moisture well with the dried cloth."

Enjoy.

School Festival & Other Things

Where to start...? I think the Halloween event Saturday afternoon is a good place, so Saturday it shall be. That morning Jesse and I met our friend Daniel and some other really nice people at Richards Eikaiwa (English conversation school), where we loaded into the van and headed to Minami Matsumoto for some Halloween fun. Jesse and I helped volunteer in the haunted house, and spent the good part of 5 hours scaring children and adults alike. It made me feel kind of bad that some of the children cried, but I guess that is just how things go. It was a lot of fun, and it was a great chance for the people of Matsumoto to experience what Halloween is all about. There was a little bit of everything for everyone. There was even a jam room upstairs where people could listen to music or help join in the playing. It was a wonderful chance to meet new people and help out in the community :)

Sunday was a day to experience an event of a different kind; the school festival. This is the biggest event of its kind throughout the year at Shinshu, and all of the circles (clubs) set up booths to sell all sorts of grilled meats, snacks, soups, desserts, and alcohol. It is nowhere near as big as Homecoming back home, but there were a large number of people out enjoying the beautiful weather and all the festival had to offer. The night before I received a text from my friend Miyuki asking if I would like to go there when she did at 11:00, and that sounded wonderful, so the next day I got ready, and took to off to the school. It was a great chance to see all that the school had to show, and see everyone out having a great time. My friend Daniel met up with us as well, and together we relaxed and took in all of the sights and sounds. I even tried a glass of sake, a paper cups worth for only 200円. It was not the most tasty drink in the world, take my word on that one, but it was an experience nonetheless.

After the festival, I helped Daniel, Richard, and his wife to move pumpkins out to their friend Heathers house just outside of Matsumoto City itself, so that she could use them as fertilizer in her garden. She and her husband own a beautiful old Japanese home that they have refurbished. It is very ornate and traditional. That was my first time to visit a home like that, and I really enjoyed it. They have fruit trees, grow wheat and barley, and will have a rice patch this year.

After we unloaded all of the pumpkins, Heather served us chai tea made on a traditional old wood stove, along with a delicious apple cake that she made that day. The warm food and drink really helped to warm us from the cold and rain outside that day. When we had finished, we loaded up and headed back home for the night. It was a wonderful finish to a wonderful weekend.

Oh yeah! I think I tore my first test apart.

Here is also a link to some music I recorded while at the festival:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enh866Ml1rc

Would you like to try a drink at the 信大(Shindai) cocktail bar? I'm not sure if that is who I bought my drink from, there were a couple of similar stands. This one had interesting signs though.

People wandering about the main square on campus.

Some stalls set up along the way.

My good friend and former 信大 student Daniel, two of Miyuki's friends, and me with my shades.

Update

Sorry for the delay in posting, classes here are keeping me very busy every day. This post is just going to be a quick update on what has been going on. I will make an actual post in a day or two. So far, here is what has been going on:

1. Studying for my first test- Everyday we cover a new lesson in class (verbs, adjectives, you name it, we do it) that we practice extensively, and then work the sheet(s) of homework we get for that lesson every night. Our first test is over 16 lessons, and I think it will quite straight forward. Practicing and reviewing the material each class really helps get the language down, and I can honestly say that my language skills are much better than they were state-side, after just a month of class. It is much easier to remember things when you have to use them everyday. The way the classes here are organized is very good, and the program has been very successful. I really wonder how much my language skills will have grown by my birthday in two months?

2. Exploring- I get out all of the time and look for new places to see, and things to do. I am leaving shortly to meet Jesse and bike to the mountains. I really look forward to going to Minami Matsumoto this weekend to help work a haunted house. I have never been to the town before, so it will be quite an adventure. I love to ride trains.

3. Meeting new people- I am meeting new people ALL the time. I have done everything from playing Wii with students at a Halloween party, to traveling out of town with people, to going out to eat/drink with friends. I really feel like I am starting to settle in. Hell, I even played some soccer last week at the university with some students. That same day, I was also invited by an older Japanese man to check out a little craft fair. It was a lot of fun, I was given popcorn, cotton candy, and even a pat on the backside from an elderly Japanese woman ;)

This Sunday is also a festival at the university that is supposed to biggest event of the year. I am really looking forward to seeing all of the dancing and other events that they have going on. I saw them practicing the Soran Bushi dance just the other night, and it looked great. That is all I know for now, but I will post back in a day or two.

The New Pseudo-Momma Trolley

This red and rather...different..bike is my newest mode of transportation this side of the Pacific. She has everything that you could want in a bicycle except for shocks. As the title suggests my bike is a pseudo version of what my friend Daniel calls a "Momma Trolley". These Momma Trolleys are named as such because of the service they provide to children all across Japan. I have seen one child in the front in a tiny seat, and one in the back in another seat. It is very interesting to see. I am willing to bet that they don't get pulled over by the police for double or triple riding on the bike though.

The little bell to warn people you are flying by them.



The semi-Engrish "Switch to bicycle life" brand.

This cool thing is the bicycle light. There is a little switch you flick to make the light turn at an angle towards the tire...

so that it can be charged when the wheel turns the nob on top and charges your light in the dark. It still fascinates me. Notice how the tires tred matches the grooves in the metal disk.

Norikura Heights

This weekend Jesse and I experienced something truly wonderful; a day trip to the mountains for hiking, eating at a wonderful hostel/inn in the mountains, and a hot spring to soothe our aching muscles. Our destination was the Norikura Heights.

For only ¥1,000 yen (roughly $11) we were given transportation to and from Matsumoto to the Norikura Heights, lunch (which probably would have cost $15/person), and a hot spring experience. That is so cheap it is almost stealing. The ride there was beautiful. The trees are just beginning to change their color here, so the mountains were full of color. I really enjoyed looking at all of the little streams and waterfalls that we passed on our way. The water here has a semi-blue tint to it that is very pretty to look at. Once we arrived at our destination, Jesse and I broke off from the rest of the travelers and headed off on our own up into the mountains. We followed a rocky stream bed and eventually headed back towards base down a ski slope. It was an interesting experience.

After we enjoyed our hike, we were taken to a little inn located down the mountain a ways. It was very beautiful and reminded me a lot of some of the homes you find in the mountains of Colorado. A lot of the trees looked like they were Aspens. At the inn, we were treated to a wonderful lunch that consisted of rice, whole fish cooked in leaves, tofu, cucumber salad, green tea, and a shabu shabu pot (it is an onomatopoeia for "swish swish", meaning you throw vegetables, meat, lettuce, etc. into a seasoned broth pot, and enjoy it when everything is cooked) which was very delicious. We all had fun trying to play a Alphorn (Swiss mountain horn that is very long) after dinner. I am glad that my trumpet playing allowed me to make a nice sound out of it. Jesse sounded like a professional. His was the best out of everyone who tried it.

After our delicious lunch we headed to the inns hot spring. It was my first time to visit a hot spring, and it will not be my last. If you can get over the fact that you are stripping down to your birthday suit with many other guys in the room, and then sharing a bath together, it is truly enjoyable. It really isn't awkward at all. I highly recommend visiting a hot spring if you have the opportunity to do so.

On a side note, life in Matsumoto is becoming more wonderful with each passing day. Since I have been here, I have seen a tremendous growth in my Japanese skills in all areas. Every day I seem to have more and more conversations with the locals which is helping me a lot. Hopefully I will be able to communicate a lot by the time my birthday rolls around in December. I really think it will be much easier by then. I recently bought a new phone and bicycle (both of which I will post on later) this week, and they have really helped make life much easier. Phones are a wonderful way to improve language skills. That is really all I know at the moment. Another week= more Japanese classes and homework. I hope everyone is well. Take care

Picture credits go to Jesse who skillfully took them from his window seat on the bus.



Lunch at the inn.

Just A Quick Update

Just 5 days left until Jesse and I have been in Japan for a month and I am still loving every minute of it. Before I left people would occasionally say something along the lines of, "Japan will be quite a bit different than what you have idealized it to be" and I have to say to those people that you are both wrong and right. Strange eh? Let me explain. I have found everything I thought I would find here; temples, shrines, beautiful mountains, friendly people, fascinating history/culture, cool hole in the wall restaurants and shops, vending machines of every variety (alcohol, cigarette, soft-drinks, etc., and everything else that you can think of. Every little thing seems to make me laugh. As I write this, I am sitting next to an empty can of "Happy Happy うれしい（Happy)　アップル　（Apple) Joyful Fruit Drink", and a bag of "American Popcorn". I don't know how they get so much of that red, white, and blue taste in to one bag. The bag seriously has all the a fore mentioned colors on the label.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, let me explain some other things that I have noticed in Japan. First, people are very very friendly, and it is not uncommon at all to have little friendly chats with people you meet places. There is always a lot of bowing and saying "excuse me", and everyone gets along great. I have never feared for my safety at all when walking around anywhere at any time of the day or night. Now that I have explained that, let me explain what else I have noticed in regards to people; you are seen by all but approached by few. I'm talking about life on campus itself. Not once in any of my days on campus, have I had anyone just say, "hello, how are you" (Japanese tutors aren't counted in this figure) or "where are you from?". It just hasn't happened yet. It may be that they are shy around international students. There are only 3 American students on campus; Jesse, myself, and Jake (who has lived in Japan for nearly 4 years and who is very fluent in the language). I don't even think he is on an exchange program. He takes regular courses in Japanese. The language barrier is a strong one, and people are afraid to approach it. For as melancholic as my musings may sound, have no fear, these are things I know will soon disappear. It really is amazing how much people will open up to you once you approach them and try to learn more about them and their interests. Compared to when I left, my Japanese skills are really starting to grow quickly and with much better results. Tomorrow I will meet with some of my Japanese friends on campus for an evening of communicating and laughter (I do have friends here) This weekend will bring me a new bicycle, my cell phone, hiking/picnic/hot spring, and dinner in a nearby town with one of my friends. I look forward to all of it, and I will let you know how everything goes. Take care everyone.

A strange eye-shaped basin found inside a little man-made cave in the mountains. I don't know what it represents. Behind it, near the wall of the cave, is a white stone marker that has no legible writing on it.

Soba Festival

This Saturday was the Matsumoto City Soba Festival held at Matsumoto Castle. It was a neat festival packed full of food vendors selling everything from candied fruits to ice cream and grilled meats, to of course the soba which is famous in Shinshu.

The weather was beautiful and the temperature was perfect for exploring the castle grounds and everything that the festival had to offer. I did buy some cold soba for lunch, and I have to say that it was delicious. One of the things that you have to get used to in Japan is feeling like an exotic animal on exhibit. Of course you may be thinking "Whoa Sam! That's a weird thing to say", but let me assure you, that is the truth. There isn't a day that goes by that Jesse and I aren't looked at with curiosity. The reactions can be quite funny at times. A group of us foreigners (3 Shinshu students)actually found a news-sized camera focused on us while we ate our lunch. It as almost as they were thinking, "Wow, they are really using chopsticks...".


My soba lunch もりそば (Mori Soba). It was delicious.

Man making soba noodles.

Matsumoto Castle. It is also known by the name of "からすじょ”（Karasu-jo）The Crow Castle because of its black color.

Typhoon!!!

Here is a special bonus blog for the day. Enjoy.


Bonus points to Japanese speakers who can find the furigana that was misplaced in the rush to get it printed and delivered.

Class

Hello everyone!

Where do I begin? I guess I will start with the layout of the Japanese classes at Shinshu university. 　Everyday I study Japanese from 9:00-2:30(毎日,9:00時から2:30まで日本語をべんきょうします<--I feel like a little kid.) We stay in the same classroom everyday and our teachers rotate depending on the day. This is my schedule as of this semester：

Monday- 9:00-10:30/Grammar（文法） 10:40-12:10/Conversation（会話）
　　　　　1:00-2:30：Composition（作文）

Tuesday- 9:00-10:30/Grammar(文法）10:40-12:10/Conversation（会話）
1:00-2:30/Kanji（漢字） 4:20-5:50/Multicultural Understanding

Wednesday- 9:00-10:30/Grammar（文法） 10:40-12:10/Conversation（会話）

Thursday- 9:00-10:30/Grammar（文法） 10:40-12:10/Conversation（会話）
1:00-2:30/Pronunciation

Friday- 9:00-10:30/Practical Lesson 10:40-12:10/Practical Lesson
1:00-2:30/Kanji（漢字）

There are only ten students in our class which is quite small; with 4 from China, 1 from South Korea, 1 from Mongolia, 1 from Nepal, 1 from Bangladesh, and 2 Americans (Jesse and I). The teachers are excellent and we really have a wonderful time in class each day. Multicultural Understanding is a huge class where we (along with our tutor) learn about each others cultures and practice speaking together. My tutors name is Ayumi Hirukawa, and I look forward to learning more about her and what she enjoys doing.

At Shinshu, we use a different set of textbooks than at OSU. I really enjoy the layout of the books. We have two for each semester; the Japanese textbook and its supplemental English grammar translation book.





Life here couldn't be better; there is food in the cabinets, a comfortable futon on the floor, plenty of new things to see and do every day, and beautiful nature all around. I don't think I will ever get tired of seeing the mountains. This weekend if time and funds allow, we are scheduled to take a day trip to Kamikouchi (for pictures see the link on my very first post) for a day of relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Next week, Jesse and I will try buy our phones and bicycles so that we can expand our exploring ground and keep in touch with people better. I hope that everyone is doing well. I will try to post something new as soon as I can. Take care.

The Asama Onsen Taimatsu Matsuri

Yesterday was truly a wonderful and unique experience; it was my first festival to attend in Japan. The festival is called the Asama Onsen Taimatsu Matsuri, and it is held in a smaller part of the city just up the road from my apartment. During the festival, large bales of straw are set on fire and carried by teams of people (from elementary school children, adults, and even gaijin like Jesse and I) through the mountainous streets to a shrine where they are burned in a big bonfire. Taiko drums and chanting accompany the procession as it winds its way to the top. Food vendors line the streets with their goods, and little stalls sell toys for children. It is amazing how events like this break cultural bounds; we all laughed and joked together, taking pictures of one another as we enjoyed the festival and all it had to offer.

Ash from the burning bales is considered lucky, and there were many people in the procession who would get their gloves covered in the ashy soot, and smear it on bystanders faces. After our initial "ashing" we were ambushed multiple times by little children who were excited to have the chance to wipe ash on us. It is an experience that I will never forget.

A group of us from 信大
Jesse and I taking part in the festival

Our festival comrades. These guys were awesome.

When ash falls down..



Here is the address for another video I shot last night of the fireworks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNtyXqeMNWo

Another Trip to the Mountains

Lately Jesse and I have had the urge to get out of the homes and explore. Sometimes this leads us through the winding old neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city, and other times it leads us out of town completely and up in to the mountains. Exploring off the beaten path places is something I truly enjoy. Seeing things that most people ignore or take for granted makes me happy; anyone can see the buildings in a city, or the famous local restaurant everyone always talks about. All they have to do is ask the other tourists. Those locations are wonderful too, don't get me wrong, they are part of the local history, but to break away from the stereotypical visitor, and see new and strange things that most pass by, makes me proud to be part of the minority group called "explorers".

I apologize for the quality of the videos. Yesterday was quite cloudy and windy, so it made recording difficult at times. There are parts that are inaudible. I hope I don't sound that goofy in real life.





A few pictures from our journey:

This was a neat little shrine we found on the way up the mountain. Behind this gate and up the stairs were two other buildings.

Standing at the top in the wind. If you look click on the picture and to the left of MY RIGHT shoulder, you should see a giant green ball. That is a natural gas container for part of the city, and Jesse lives just to the left of it in the International House. I live to the right of it, and down the road maybe half a mile.

Jesse doing some field work for his "Study of Japanese Entomology" research.
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Picture Overkill

It has been brought to my attention that I have yet to post pictures of Matsumoto on a sunny day. Most of these pictures are shots that I have already taken on previous outings, but this time they are in "color". I will try to take more when the sky is crystal clear (like on the day we arrived) so that everyone can get an idea of what the city looks like lit up. Evening was setting inwhen these were taken. Enjoy.


I wish that these photos could show all of the detail that we see with our own eyes. Mountains literally tower over the whole city since we are in a valley. These photos were taken outside the front of my apartment building and just up the street.