Here is what I wrote over the course of while I was in Japan for the Ursinus summer Program:
5/27/10
My trip to Japan has been an absolute blast, so far. My first week went by pretty smoothly, with very few faults to complain about. I think the only thing that I absolutely couldn’t stand was the condition of the hotel that we stayed in during our first night here. I was already expecting it to be small, based on what I’ve been told from friends and teachers alike, but there was hardly enough room for me and my bags. I had to jump over my luggage just to get to and from the bathroom. It also didn’t help that the entire hotel smelled like cigarette smoke, despite being a non-smoking building.
Now that I’m finished whining, I can talk about everything good and fun about my first week’s experience. We had a fair amount of free time to kill before boarding the train to Sendai, so one other classmate and I went exploring Sendai. During this time, we managed to explore three different arcades, or “game centers”, and see what they look like for ourselves. I can safely say that even if most of the games are the same as the ones we get in arcades in America, the atmosphere is completely turned around. The arcades in Japan are multi-storied, organized by the genre of the games. Instead of large crowds of friends gathered around each game just trying to have a good time, I saw silent virtuosos showing off their articulation in rhythm games and button-mashing prowess in fighting games. They made no noises whatsoever, but the machines ringing and buzzing like nothing I had ever seen or heard before.
After a two hour-long train ride, which was pretty quiet, we all met our host families. Naturally, we were all a little nervous, but we finally cooled down after the initial introductions. My first host family consists of an Australian dad, a Japanese mom, two elementary school-aged boys, and a kindergarten-aged daughter. I think because of the dad’s western roots, we were able to hit it off immediately. The family and I have a lot more in common than I would’ve guessed, especially in terms of movies, music, and TV preferences. We’ve been getting along really well, and it’s really interesting discussing the differences that exist not only between America and Japan, but also between those two and Australia.
I think I could get used to riding the bus and the train to get to and from the campuses, but since the dad is able to drive me to and from school, I’m not going to complain at all. I was a little nervous that the language classes would be more difficult, but it’s pretty much all just review from grammar sections that I’ve already completed back at Ursinus. The lectures have also been pretty interesting, so far. I think my favorite part was learning about Ryoma Sakamoto, a samurai who had a hand in bringing an end to the Tokugawa dynasty and kicking off the Meiji restoration.
Mostly, I just love interacting with the family and their friends. This past Sunday, I got to join the kids as they watched cartoons during the morning, and got to join the parents and their friends as they drank and had dinner together. I’m really hoping that the rest of the trip goes as well as it has been so far.
6/3/10
Well, my time with my first host family has finally come to an end. I know I’m really going to miss those guys, since we had the greatest times together. I really loved playing games with the kids, talking to the mom about Japanese culture and customs, and watching TV with the dad. I also really liked all of the things that we all did together, almost like one big family.
One day, after picking me up after classes, we all went to see Matsushima, which is a sort of collection of small islands just off the coast of Sendai. A few days prior, the dad had described it as exactly the kind of place he was originally led to believe lied in the heart of Japan. Looking at this slice of natural beauty from any angle on any kind of a day is something that I feel like everybody needs to do if they are ever given the chance. While there, also, we visited a rather large shrine, which had many impressive statues and carvings lining its grounds, right where so many soldiers had been laid to rest. It was a very quiet, very serene place, where the only things you could possibly hear were the footsteps, the wind, and the occasional ringing of the bell from the monks’ temple nearby. In spite of all of this, I actually found it to be a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, one that I feel like I could really grow used to. It was during this trip that I first learned about a famous samurai named Masamune Date, who was the first feudal lord of Sendai, and had one of the coolest-looking sets of armor I’ve ever seen in my entire life (apparently, it was the main inspiration for Darth Vader’s look). It was a really good day, and a really good learning experience, as well.
The next weekend, while the dad was at work, the mom took the three kids and I to Ishinomaki in order to visit the Shotaro Ishinomori Manga Museum, since I had mentioned that I was a big fan of Masked Rider, which is a long-running TV action show based on a series of graphic novels he wrote during the 1970’s. Apparently, the two boys were also pretty big fans, so that was just another reason for all of us to try and spend some time together. We spent our time at the museum learning more about the man and his various works.
That night, I just hung out with the dad and his friends as we barbecued one of Sendai’s most famous well-known dishes, cow tongue. We were all having a good time, talking about all of our experiences that we have had in Japan so far. Of course, it was much more of a learning experience for me, since each one of them had been living there for about ten years. I got to learn about more of the things that you aren’t likely to learn about in school, like where to find the best sushi in Sendai, and how to best avoid getting in trouble with the police.
I had some great memories with my first host family, and I hope that I have some more memorable experiences with my new host family. I just moved in earlier today, and I’m really enjoying their company so far, but let’s see how these next ten days or so progress.
6/10/10
I think by now I can say for certain that my favorite of all of the lectures we’ve been to have to be the two pop culture lectures that Professor Long held. Seriously, who wouldn’t like a lecture in which you learn by watching movies and cartoons? Every lecture from Professor Akiba has been really informative as well, and his quirky personality really made paying attention that much easier.
I’m also happy that we’re finally finished with classes today. Yes, the lectures were really fun and the language review was incredibly helpful, but the part of the trip that I’ve been looking forward to the most has been the tour. I just can’t wait to start moving around and exploring! I will admit, though, that I really liked staying in Sendai a lot. I’ve really enjoyed hanging out with the members of BRIDGE, learning a few moves from the Kendo and Judo clubs (as well as getting tossed around and bruised by them), and learning new aspects of Japanese life with my two host families. That being said, however, I always feel like I have a very tough time staying in one place for too long. One of the reasons I liked going to Matsushima and different museums all the time with the class and with the host families was because not only was it a learning experience, but also because I was able to take in more surroundings than just the ones that I had started to grow accustomed to.
Speaking of the host families, I can say for certain that staying with my second one has definitely been an entirely different experience from staying with the first one. Whereas my first host family had its roots further dug into more western customs with some influences from Japanese culture, my current one seems to be about as modern-day Japanese as you can possibly get. I like that, though, since it makes my experiences with my first host family seem like a bit of a transitional period, while my current one is more of the real deal of what I expected to be introduced to before I arrived here. During this past week that I’ve spent with them, I’ve been learning more about things like table manners and household customs. During long car trips, the dad has been teaching me a lot that I didn’t know about the events that took place during the times that samurai were still walking the streets (as opposed to Scion xB’s and Nissan Cubes). Even though the mom doesn’t speak a lick of English, she has also been teaching me about the sword fighting techniques employed by some samurai, since she used to be part of a samurai-style dance troupe that incorporated various sword-wielding styles into their routine. It scares me to think that she could easily slice me into ribbons if she ever felt like it.
Tomorrow is the day in which we all get to dress up and join all of our host families for dinner at a fancy hotel not too far from here. It’ll be cool to see my first host family again, but at the same time, I’m also wondering how the two families will get along with each other. On top of that, both of the Japanese classes of our group will be presenting their skits/songs in front of everybody, so we’ve all been prepping for that during the time that we have between language classes and lunchtime. Since my group is singing Aladdin’s “A Whole New World” in Japanese, and I’m the only male in the group, guess who’s going to be carrying the team by singing Aladdin’s part.
6/17/10
Well, it’s been a little more than 3 days since we all said our goodbyes to our host families and took the bullet trains out of Sendai so we could explore strange, new lands and go where no man has gone before. Well, okay, more like several temples and other various locations around the Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tokyo areas. Before I get into what we’ve seen so far from travelling, I think I should just talk about my last few days with my host families.
At the big, fancy graduation party back in Sendai, we got to meet all of our first host families again, as well. My first was there in their entirety, while only the dad from my second was able to come. Despite this, the night was still one to remember, and in a good way, to boot. The two families (or, who was there from them) and I just had a great time talking about the different experiences I’d had at their houses over the course of the past three or so weeks. The night wrapped up with a big dinner, and both of our classes doing their skits in front of all of the families and all of the teachers that have been lecturing us throughout the school portion. Once again, we all said goodbye to our first host families, and went back to our second host families’ houses for the last few days that we have to spend with them.
The next night, my host dad took the entire family (tenants included) out to karaoke at a friend’s bar, not too far from the house, and I was one of only about four people singing more than once. After I had sung about 5 classic rock songs, everybody was asking me if I could sing in Japanese. Since there was really no way out of it, and I hardly knew any popular Japanese songs, I just picked a couple of older Japanese cartoon themes that I knew. I’ll admit, though, it was pretty exciting singing the theme song to Space Battleship Yamato in front of a crowd. Everyone thought I did a really good job, and that really made the night for me.
As far as the tour has been going, though, we met our tour guide, Naomi, on Monday, just after we got off of the bullet train. After visiting a couple of temples, we checked into our hotel, the Co-Op Inn in Kyoto. I’ll admit that I was pretty hesitant about it at first, seeing as how our little one-night stay in Hotel New Ueno wasn’t exactly the most welcoming, I half-expected this hotel to be much the same. It’s not very often that you hear anybody say this, but I’m so happy I was wrong. The Co-Op Inn is a very comfortable place to stay, and I have yet to have any problems here. Seeing as how this is our last day in Kyoto, I want to try and keep it that way.
I think so far on the tour, my most memorable experiences happened in Nara. The first thing that happened was getting to see all of Nara’s wild deer interacting with all of the people, completely free to move around. The second was getting horrifically sick, and being forced to use one of the squat toilets at a temple for the first time (remember, it doesn’t matter what country you’re in, McDonald’s food is still McDonald’s food). The last one was getting to see the world’s largest Buddhist temple. That was definitely an amazing sight.
6/25/10
As I type up this last journal entry, I’m at home, lying down on my bed, and still trying to catch up on my sleep from a rather nasty case of jetlag. The fun is over, the carnival has come and gone, but I can still taste the sugary bits of cotton candy stuck between my teeth that have been left there, so to speak. Lots of memories left to ponder over, and so little time left in order to do so. Well, time to get to work.
Our tour concluded with some of the significant locations that we have visited yet, including the very large Himeji Castle, and many famous locations in and around Hiroshima that relate to the 1945 atomic bombing. Some of the places included in this portion of the tour were the Atomic Bomb Museum, and Atomic Bomb Dome, and the Peace Torch just outside of the museum. I can definitely say for sure that that day was not an easy one to swallow. Sure, I was really happy that I had the chance to visit all of these locations and learn about what happened on that day, but it would still make anyone feel rather uneasy at the very idea that something of this scale actually did happen, and that it could very easily happen again in the not-too-distant future. Then, again, I suppose that one of the key points of all of these sites and museums is to remind everybody of the kind of threat nuclear arms really pose, and remind us of just what will happen if anybody on Earth ever decides to use them again.
Alright, now, it’s time to cheer up a bit. Let’s talk about what everybody was looking forward to the most during the tour: Tokyo. By this point in the trip, it seemed like everybody in our small group was of the mindset that we had done so much walking and learned so much in such a short time, between classes and tours, that it was time for a little break.
My first day in Tokyo, I went to a shopping center in Nakano, where basically all I for about four hours was spend money on old robot toys and Japanese heavy metal CD’s. That’s pretty much all there is to say about that little excursion, but right after I got back to Ueno, I met up with a friend of mine, an Ursinus alumnus who’d been living in Japan and training under a well-respected martial arts master for about a year. We walked through Ueno’s parks for a while, just catching up with each other, when he suggested giving me a tour of Shibuya. I didn’t know anything about Shibuya, so I went along with the idea. While we were there, I got to walk through the world’s busiest intersection, and try out guitars at a shop in town. I can now say with confidence that the rumors about Fender’s Japan branch making exceptionally high-quality axes are completely true. I think what I liked the most about Shibuya, though, had to be the fact they within the town limits, there is a Denny’s. I hadn’t eaten Denny’s food since the one back at home went out of business almost ten years ago, so I was ready to scarf down a Grand Slam faster than the speed of sound. Despite this, I was pretty surprised to find that they didn’t have Grand Slams, or even any American style meals. I was just a little let down by this until I saw that the Japanese Denny’s’ dessert menu items were all alternative takes on American desserts. The two of us stuffed our faces full of ice cream, honey, and Cocoa Puff-topped pancakes, and neither of us regretted a single yen, or bite. After we said our farewells, I headed back to the hotel to get ready for the next day: Akihabara.
From my experience, if anybody’s ever heard of Akihabara, then they will tell you that it’s the geek capital of the world for one of many reasons. There are stores everywhere in town that sell things like computer parts, old video games, DVD’s, comic books, and toys, as well as a lot of items that are probably best left out of something that a teacher’s going to be reading in the near future. I planned ahead to meet another Ursinus student whose been studying abroad at the train station, and she served as my tour guide for the day. Along the way, we saw many interesting sites that evoked all sorts of different emotions in me, like excitement, nostalgia, embarrassment, and absolute disgust. I was also introduced to one of the best kabobs I’ve ever eaten, and the thought that it came from a street cart still manages to blow my mind. Overall, the day felt like something of an enlightening experience that I’d like to get more of next time I come to Tokyo on my own.
On our final, full day in Japan, 6 of us all coordinated a trip to Tokyo Disneyland, which we counted on lasting at least the entire day. We all woke up early in the morning, caught the train, and found ourselves able to spot the giant castle from about half a mile away. I was pretty surprised to find that it really wasn’t all that different from Disney World in Florida, except that it was much, much more condensed, and the fact that the movie “Lilo and Stitch” is overwhelmingly popular there. Despite this, and a bad rainstorm that lasted the first half of the day, we all had a terrific time, and we all managed to find something that we really liked about the day. For me, it had to be hearing “Zippity Doo Da” and “Small World” in Japanese, which was something that I knew my family would really get a kick out of when I told them about it later on.
I wish I could’ve stayed maybe just another week, even a few more days would’ve been fine, but all good things need to come to an end, I guess, in order to make room for more good things. Still, I definitely plan on returning to Japan at some point in my life, hopefully with my friends or family, so that I can be the tour guide, this time. I just have to keep reminding myself that even though the carnival has come and gone already, it’ll never go away forever. The carnival always comes back around again.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Pre-Departure Final Post
The idea I have in mind for my Summer Program project has to do with the soundscape of Japan. What I’m hoping to be able to do successfully is walk around in different locations such as my host families’ houses, city streets, stores, restaurants, the countryside, and more, and record every bit of noise, like music, voices, appliances, etc., into a small notepad that I will carry around with me. After that, I will write down my thoughts on the sounds that I have heard throughout the duration of the trip. Basically, I’m going to write down how I reacted upon hearing the sounds, and how I feel they mean about the location, and even the Japanese way of life, after giving it some serious thought and consideration upon returning to the states. Since I am not currently in Japan and have no way of being able to record my thoughts about sounds that aren’t currently present, I’m going listing some of the sounds that I will expect to hear after reading the textbook that the professor gave us in class, The Illustrated Guide to Japan: Daily Life & Society, and what my current thoughts are on them.
Seeing as how Sendai, the city in which we’re staying for the first few weeks, is a rather large city, I’m bound to encounter many different kinds of sounds and noises from many varied sources. For instance, one of the articles under “Large Cities” in the textbook discusses the commuting rush to work in the morning, and discusses how an extremely large number of businessmen flock to the train stations at similar times. I’m not entirely sure how accurate this article is, but if the train stations and the surrounding areas really are as crowded as they are being made out to be, then I’m going to be able to hear both the sounds of many bullet trains leaving and entering the stations one after another, and the sounds of lots of businessmen shoving, pushing, and exhausting all of their energy just struggling to try and get to work on time. To me, this sounds like your typical city environment in America, only taken to a competitive extreme I’ve only been able to see so far in Hollywood action movies. I would only be lying if I said that I didn’t want to be right in the middle of that at least once during the course of the trip, just to experience it firsthand. Thankfully, from what I’ve been able to understand from listening to all of the activities that we’re going to be doing as a group, I’m going to be able to experience that quite a few times, so I will be able to not only experience the excitement of boarding a train during the commuter rush once, but I may just be able to have a taste of the tedium that the salarymen have of doing it over and over again in the early morning and late at night. I was under the impression from the start that one of the main intentions of this program is to get a taste of the Japanese lifestyle, and I know that partaking in such tedious rituals is a very important part of that.
There is also another side to this coin, as the book points out that there are quiet places where these same businessmen can relax and re-energize themselves for a future that’s assured to be just as hectic. There are entire sections about public baths (indoor) and hot springs (outdoor) in the book, and the code of conduct that you are supposed to abide by when arriving at one of these locations. Just like the hot tubs of the west, hot springs and public baths are intended to provide muscular relaxation for anyone who is willing to get in and take the heat. The only noises that anybody should be able to pick up on are the all-too familiar sounds of mostly still water and stressed out city folk leaving all of their cares and worries behind. On paper, it doesn’t sound that much different from the result I’d get from a one hour session in hot tub sitting in my backyard, but the idea is to try out new experiences. That being said, if everything that the guy standing in the front of the classroom who’s been telling us funny stories for the past two months is right, then I’m probably going to have to import a new hot tub from the land of the rising steam.
In my earlier blog post in which I listed five things that I really wanted to do when I finally get to Japan, I mentioned visiting a Japanese video game arcade as one of them. Under the “Recreation” section of our class text, they have almost an entire page dedicated to listing some facts of, and displaying a very nice sketch of, a Japanese arcade. Although I can easily say that I know what an arcade sounds like in suburban and urban parts of America, the only experience I have with Japanese arcades is what I have seen on internet viral videos. The impression that I’ve gotten from this very little bit of experience is that Japanese arcades are full of sound effects being pumped out of the machines resulting from the rapid-fire pressing of buttons from veteran gamers, who are too far concentrated on their own virtuoso performances to speak so much as a word. To be completely honest, I have no idea how I would react upon seeing that, since the very few American arcades that are still left are always packed with screaming, exuberant groups of friends who are there simply looking to find some thrills, as opposed to sharpen their skills at whichever game they fancy most. I can imagine myself reacting to the more subdued sounds of a Japanese arcade a bit more refreshing than that of an American one, but the atmosphere may prove to be a little overwhelming for someone who isn’t used to such a large amount of concentrated intensity in one place at one time. Despite what I say, I’m still not entirely sure how I will react to this experience, which is just another reason why I can’t wait to put myself right in the middle of it.
Another entertainment-related activity that I wrote down on my “five things” list was to maybe go see a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome, and it is also another activity that is featured prominently in the class textbook. Just like spending time honing your virtual craft in Japanese arcades, going to a baseball game in Japan is a very popular pastime. Unlike in arcades, however, the people in attendance of baseball games in Japan tend to get really loud, excited, and rowdy. In fact, if the textbook and various stories that I’ve heard from neighbors who have been to Japan are correct, then Japanese baseball fans make even the most vocal Red Sox fans seem like librarians in comparison. This is, without a doubt, something I am almost dying to see. My own personal interests aside, I can imagine that it could get pretty noisy, watching a game at a humungous stadium like the Tokyo Dome with so many fans unshackling their inner beasts at once. The fan shown in the example in the textbook is shown attending a game with a drum, a megaphone, and a trumpet all hanging down off of him, which implies well enough that this fan is going to be making lots of different noises over a short amount of time. I’ve been to my fair share of loud events, but being present during such happenings may end up blowing my ears out. If I somehow manage to attend a baseball game at Tokyo Dome, then we’ll all just have to see if my hearing survives long enough for me to be able to finish this project.
These are just a few of the many sounds that I want to be able hear while on my five week mission to explore strange, new places, and go where I’ve never gone before. Thinking about it now, though, I imagine that I would want to try going to the train station during commuting hours first, in order to get to the city, so that I may then experience the sheer intensity of watching gamers in Japan strive to best each other, as well as their own video game records and high scores. During the later afternoon is probably when a baseball game will be taking place, so that’s when I will attempt to brave the raging crowds, solely for the sake of my own research. After I’ve been through all of that would probably be the best time to go and visit a hot spring or a public bath, and just take in the sounds of my own calming spirit. I am really looking forward to this project, and the results that it may bring.
Seeing as how Sendai, the city in which we’re staying for the first few weeks, is a rather large city, I’m bound to encounter many different kinds of sounds and noises from many varied sources. For instance, one of the articles under “Large Cities” in the textbook discusses the commuting rush to work in the morning, and discusses how an extremely large number of businessmen flock to the train stations at similar times. I’m not entirely sure how accurate this article is, but if the train stations and the surrounding areas really are as crowded as they are being made out to be, then I’m going to be able to hear both the sounds of many bullet trains leaving and entering the stations one after another, and the sounds of lots of businessmen shoving, pushing, and exhausting all of their energy just struggling to try and get to work on time. To me, this sounds like your typical city environment in America, only taken to a competitive extreme I’ve only been able to see so far in Hollywood action movies. I would only be lying if I said that I didn’t want to be right in the middle of that at least once during the course of the trip, just to experience it firsthand. Thankfully, from what I’ve been able to understand from listening to all of the activities that we’re going to be doing as a group, I’m going to be able to experience that quite a few times, so I will be able to not only experience the excitement of boarding a train during the commuter rush once, but I may just be able to have a taste of the tedium that the salarymen have of doing it over and over again in the early morning and late at night. I was under the impression from the start that one of the main intentions of this program is to get a taste of the Japanese lifestyle, and I know that partaking in such tedious rituals is a very important part of that.
There is also another side to this coin, as the book points out that there are quiet places where these same businessmen can relax and re-energize themselves for a future that’s assured to be just as hectic. There are entire sections about public baths (indoor) and hot springs (outdoor) in the book, and the code of conduct that you are supposed to abide by when arriving at one of these locations. Just like the hot tubs of the west, hot springs and public baths are intended to provide muscular relaxation for anyone who is willing to get in and take the heat. The only noises that anybody should be able to pick up on are the all-too familiar sounds of mostly still water and stressed out city folk leaving all of their cares and worries behind. On paper, it doesn’t sound that much different from the result I’d get from a one hour session in hot tub sitting in my backyard, but the idea is to try out new experiences. That being said, if everything that the guy standing in the front of the classroom who’s been telling us funny stories for the past two months is right, then I’m probably going to have to import a new hot tub from the land of the rising steam.
In my earlier blog post in which I listed five things that I really wanted to do when I finally get to Japan, I mentioned visiting a Japanese video game arcade as one of them. Under the “Recreation” section of our class text, they have almost an entire page dedicated to listing some facts of, and displaying a very nice sketch of, a Japanese arcade. Although I can easily say that I know what an arcade sounds like in suburban and urban parts of America, the only experience I have with Japanese arcades is what I have seen on internet viral videos. The impression that I’ve gotten from this very little bit of experience is that Japanese arcades are full of sound effects being pumped out of the machines resulting from the rapid-fire pressing of buttons from veteran gamers, who are too far concentrated on their own virtuoso performances to speak so much as a word. To be completely honest, I have no idea how I would react upon seeing that, since the very few American arcades that are still left are always packed with screaming, exuberant groups of friends who are there simply looking to find some thrills, as opposed to sharpen their skills at whichever game they fancy most. I can imagine myself reacting to the more subdued sounds of a Japanese arcade a bit more refreshing than that of an American one, but the atmosphere may prove to be a little overwhelming for someone who isn’t used to such a large amount of concentrated intensity in one place at one time. Despite what I say, I’m still not entirely sure how I will react to this experience, which is just another reason why I can’t wait to put myself right in the middle of it.
Another entertainment-related activity that I wrote down on my “five things” list was to maybe go see a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome, and it is also another activity that is featured prominently in the class textbook. Just like spending time honing your virtual craft in Japanese arcades, going to a baseball game in Japan is a very popular pastime. Unlike in arcades, however, the people in attendance of baseball games in Japan tend to get really loud, excited, and rowdy. In fact, if the textbook and various stories that I’ve heard from neighbors who have been to Japan are correct, then Japanese baseball fans make even the most vocal Red Sox fans seem like librarians in comparison. This is, without a doubt, something I am almost dying to see. My own personal interests aside, I can imagine that it could get pretty noisy, watching a game at a humungous stadium like the Tokyo Dome with so many fans unshackling their inner beasts at once. The fan shown in the example in the textbook is shown attending a game with a drum, a megaphone, and a trumpet all hanging down off of him, which implies well enough that this fan is going to be making lots of different noises over a short amount of time. I’ve been to my fair share of loud events, but being present during such happenings may end up blowing my ears out. If I somehow manage to attend a baseball game at Tokyo Dome, then we’ll all just have to see if my hearing survives long enough for me to be able to finish this project.
These are just a few of the many sounds that I want to be able hear while on my five week mission to explore strange, new places, and go where I’ve never gone before. Thinking about it now, though, I imagine that I would want to try going to the train station during commuting hours first, in order to get to the city, so that I may then experience the sheer intensity of watching gamers in Japan strive to best each other, as well as their own video game records and high scores. During the later afternoon is probably when a baseball game will be taking place, so that’s when I will attempt to brave the raging crowds, solely for the sake of my own research. After I’ve been through all of that would probably be the best time to go and visit a hot spring or a public bath, and just take in the sounds of my own calming spirit. I am really looking forward to this project, and the results that it may bring.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Pre-Departure Project
Sorry for taking so long to post this one, too, but here it finally is:
When I get to Japan, what I hope to be able to do is pay attention of the sound-scape of the various locations that I'm going to be visiting while in Japan, and write down everything that I'm able to notice. I will then write down and give my thoughts about how I feel being exposed to such a sound-scape.
For the final project for the pre-departure course, though, I will write down what I expect to come across while in Japan, based on what I've been taught in class and what I've found out on my own.
When I get to Japan, what I hope to be able to do is pay attention of the sound-scape of the various locations that I'm going to be visiting while in Japan, and write down everything that I'm able to notice. I will then write down and give my thoughts about how I feel being exposed to such a sound-scape.
For the final project for the pre-departure course, though, I will write down what I expect to come across while in Japan, based on what I've been taught in class and what I've found out on my own.
Martial Arts in Sendai
Sorry for taking so long to post this onto my own blog, but here goes:
I've searched the wide open frontier that we've come to know as the internet in order to bring to you any information regarding the role that martial arts plays in Sendai. What you are about to read are my few, but true findings. Before I dive into that, I think it should be noted that it states on Tohoku Gakuin University's website that one of the extracurricular activities for students in our summer program is training in the arts of Kendo and Judo.
My first search revealed a school for martial arts, called the "Sendai City Martial Arts Center". Out of the two recreational schools that I would come across, this one seemed to have the widest variety of styles being taught. Some of the arts being taught here include Kyudo (a Japanese form of archery), Judo, Karate, Kendo, Naginatajutsu (the art of wielding a Naginata, a combination of a bo staff and a small sword), and Aikido.
The second school that I found is called "Southern Highlands Martial Arts", and it not only is set in Sendai, but it also has a branch in Australia, as well. They say on their website that their main focus is to school their students in self-defense and sport fighting. Some of the arts being taught at this school are Karate and Jujitsu.
During my journey, I came across a martial art that goes by the name of "Yagyu Shingan-ryu", which originated in both Edo (now Tokyo) and Sendai. The Sendai version of the art, called Yagyu Shingan-ryu Heiho, has been around since the early Edo Period (around 1600), and focuses mainly on styles relating to weapons combat, Jujitsu, and Kappo (healing techniques). According to the Martial Arts Database, "The word shingan is rooted in Zen philosophy, and was chosen to describe a fundamental concept of the style. Shingan means 'mind’s eye', or 'heart's eye', and refers to the ability to sense an opponent's thoughts or feelings via an inner sense". As far as combat is concerned, I can't imagine a technique more useful than to be able to know your opponent's actions before he or she can execute them.
This was all of the information I was able to gather on martial in Sendai for the time being. I hope you find this information useful, and I hope you practice wisely.
Sources:
http://www.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/en/special_courses.html
http://www.group-niji.org/fun/martial_arts/310.html
http://www.koshikishma.com/sendai.html
http://www.mardb.com/yagyu-shingan-ryu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yagyu_Shingan_Ryu
I've searched the wide open frontier that we've come to know as the internet in order to bring to you any information regarding the role that martial arts plays in Sendai. What you are about to read are my few, but true findings. Before I dive into that, I think it should be noted that it states on Tohoku Gakuin University's website that one of the extracurricular activities for students in our summer program is training in the arts of Kendo and Judo.
My first search revealed a school for martial arts, called the "Sendai City Martial Arts Center". Out of the two recreational schools that I would come across, this one seemed to have the widest variety of styles being taught. Some of the arts being taught here include Kyudo (a Japanese form of archery), Judo, Karate, Kendo, Naginatajutsu (the art of wielding a Naginata, a combination of a bo staff and a small sword), and Aikido.
The second school that I found is called "Southern Highlands Martial Arts", and it not only is set in Sendai, but it also has a branch in Australia, as well. They say on their website that their main focus is to school their students in self-defense and sport fighting. Some of the arts being taught at this school are Karate and Jujitsu.
During my journey, I came across a martial art that goes by the name of "Yagyu Shingan-ryu", which originated in both Edo (now Tokyo) and Sendai. The Sendai version of the art, called Yagyu Shingan-ryu Heiho, has been around since the early Edo Period (around 1600), and focuses mainly on styles relating to weapons combat, Jujitsu, and Kappo (healing techniques). According to the Martial Arts Database, "The word shingan is rooted in Zen philosophy, and was chosen to describe a fundamental concept of the style. Shingan means 'mind’s eye', or 'heart's eye', and refers to the ability to sense an opponent's thoughts or feelings via an inner sense". As far as combat is concerned, I can't imagine a technique more useful than to be able to know your opponent's actions before he or she can execute them.
This was all of the information I was able to gather on martial in Sendai for the time being. I hope you find this information useful, and I hope you practice wisely.
Sources:
http://www.tohoku-gakuin.ac.jp/en/special_courses.html
http://www.group-niji.org/fun/martial_arts/310.html
http://www.koshikishma.com/sendai.html
http://www.mardb.com/yagyu-shingan-ryu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yagyu_Shingan_Ryu
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Project Topic
I've been telling myself that I wanted to do something possibly related to movies, music, or TV for my project while I'm in Japan. After a resent story I was told by our professor, I feel like I'm going to have to drop the music idea. If I could find some worthwhile source of information for either, then I feel like I would be able to make my final decision.
5 Things to do in Japan
As the departure date draws closer, I keep thinking about all of the things that I can't wait to do once I get to Japan. Unfortunately, I have to narrow it down to only 5 for this assignment, so here it goes:
1) Visit the Tokyo Dome
I've been told so many awesome things about the Tokyo Dome from a friend who's been there before. Lots of great restaurants, stunt shows happening every morning, and a whole lot more. Not to mention the main attraction: the stadium! I'd really like to go to a Japanese baseball game there, and see for myself if everything I've heard about Japanese baseball fans is true. If I can, I'd also like to try and catch a concert here, as well.
2) Go to a Japanese Arcade
I love arcades, I really do. I imagine just being able to walk into an arcade in Japan would be something of a dream come true. Even though I'm sure I'm gonna get my butt kicked in everything I try, I still want to have the experience of just playing video games in an arcade in Japan.
3) Visit a Shinto shrine
I'll admit that I know nothing about Shinto aside from what I've been taught in classes here, but I'm always up for a new learning experience outside of the classroom. Besides, I'll also be able to take in all of the great scenery surrounding the shrines at the same time.
4) See the Tokyo Tower
Whenever I see Tokyo on TV or in movies, I always see the Tokyo Tower pointing up towards the sky. I've always wanted to visit the place that I've seen smashed to the ground over and over by Godzilla and friends.
5) Eat dinner at a "Billy the Kid" steakhouse
I know it seems a little odd that I'd want to eat at a western-style restaurant after traveling all the way to Japan, but I've been told on multiple occasions that Japanese chefs make excellent steak, and I just happen to be a huge fan of steak.
Also, the man who owns this chain is one of my favorite Japanese actors, and he makes frequent appearances at his restaurants. His name is Tetsuo Kurata, and he's most famous for playing the Japanese TV superhero, Kamen Rider Black:
Obviously, there are many other things I want to do when I travel to Japan, but not only could I not fit all of them into this list, but one or two of them just may offend a certain professor. Only a little more than a month to go!
1) Visit the Tokyo Dome
I've been told so many awesome things about the Tokyo Dome from a friend who's been there before. Lots of great restaurants, stunt shows happening every morning, and a whole lot more. Not to mention the main attraction: the stadium! I'd really like to go to a Japanese baseball game there, and see for myself if everything I've heard about Japanese baseball fans is true. If I can, I'd also like to try and catch a concert here, as well.
2) Go to a Japanese Arcade
I love arcades, I really do. I imagine just being able to walk into an arcade in Japan would be something of a dream come true. Even though I'm sure I'm gonna get my butt kicked in everything I try, I still want to have the experience of just playing video games in an arcade in Japan.
3) Visit a Shinto shrine
I'll admit that I know nothing about Shinto aside from what I've been taught in classes here, but I'm always up for a new learning experience outside of the classroom. Besides, I'll also be able to take in all of the great scenery surrounding the shrines at the same time.
4) See the Tokyo Tower
Whenever I see Tokyo on TV or in movies, I always see the Tokyo Tower pointing up towards the sky. I've always wanted to visit the place that I've seen smashed to the ground over and over by Godzilla and friends.
5) Eat dinner at a "Billy the Kid" steakhouse
I know it seems a little odd that I'd want to eat at a western-style restaurant after traveling all the way to Japan, but I've been told on multiple occasions that Japanese chefs make excellent steak, and I just happen to be a huge fan of steak.
Also, the man who owns this chain is one of my favorite Japanese actors, and he makes frequent appearances at his restaurants. His name is Tetsuo Kurata, and he's most famous for playing the Japanese TV superhero, Kamen Rider Black:
Obviously, there are many other things I want to do when I travel to Japan, but not only could I not fit all of them into this list, but one or two of them just may offend a certain professor. Only a little more than a month to go!
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