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.
Monday, May 10, 2010
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
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