Chopsticks are so Tricky...

A funny little commercial by the independent productions company Fatal Farm.

The ending holds a special meaning for me, as it brings to mind meeting of the Thursday night sushi crew in which I, while raising a peice of nigiri salmon to my mouth, watched in amazement as it slipped from my chopsticks, flipped head over tales and flew through the air, diving gracefully into CP's cup of green tea half way across the table.

Wallah! Ochazuke!

The entire incident unfolded before my eyes in slow-motion, inducing a laugh attack the likes of which the Ena kaiten sushi scene had never seen.

'But seriously,' you may ask, 'how does that happen'? Only I in my infinite wisdom could achieve such a feat without effort of any kind. (You are welcomed to try, of course, if you think you can do bettter).

In my own defense, I actually do use chopsticks rather well (better that most of my students) and prefer them to silverware. And, like most foreginers in Japan, I have been complimented countless times on my fine form by everyone from kindergarteners, to teachers, to a maiko and the mistress of a teahouse!

I'm a National Geographic Traveler!

My image of a wagasa, or traditional Japanese paper umbrella, was chosen by National Geographic Traveler's blog, Intelligent Travel, for their Global Eye feature after an editor happened to see it on Flickr. Needless to say, I'm honored!

Check out the website for more excellent images and insight into authentic and sustainable travel.

Where Did 2007 Take You?

From top to bottom, left to right: Matsumoto Castle (Nagano), geiko in Kamishichiken (Kyoto), the Imperial Palace (Kyoto), Kiyomizudera (Kyoto), Oi Kindergarten (Ena), Kurama fire festival (Kyoto), maiko in Gion (Kyoto), Angkor Wat (Cambodia), maiko (Kyoto).

1. Angkor Wat, Cambodia :

I watched the sun rise over Angkor Wat as it dawned on the year 2007, then spent its first few days playing with my old friends at Ta Prom. I never blogged about it, but I will!

2. Phnom Penh, Cambodia

3. Battambang, Cambodia:
Went on a tuk-tuk tour with my old friends, the monks, wandered the rice fields, took a ride on the bamboo express and spent some quality time with my Cambodian family.

4. Taipei, Taiwan:
Spent a wonderful night curled up on an airport coffee shop couch shaking after drinking my first cup of real coffee EVER. What does Taiwain have against Chai tea?!

5. Nagoya, Aichi, Japan:
An oasis of Chai in a veritable dessert of delicious, non-coffee drinks!

6. Ena, Gifu, Japan:
Emraced by rolling mountains and chock full of rice fields, the lovely little city I was blessed to call home: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn

7. Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan:
Castle-bound, a lovely little roadtrip gone right!

8. Nagano, Japan:
Lovely little roadtrip gone wrong- but what a great adventure!

9. Kyoto, Japan:
Geisha, festivals, temples, palaces. My happy place- a home away from home... away from home.

10. Tokyo, Japan:
Adentures with the Howell Kyodai.

11. Osaka, Japan
Reuniting with my Gaidai friends is always fun!

12. Nara,Japan:
A suprise trip to the ancient captial, ablaze with the colors of fall, to view the Shoso-In Exhibition of National Treasures. Icredible!

13. Inuyama, Aichi, Japan:
Japan's oldest castle: another great desitination for a roadtrip.

14. Cleveland, Ohio, USA

15. Omaha, Nebraska, USA

16. Duluth, Minnesota, USA


Where did the year take you?

Share your list in the comments section!

New Year, New Kind of Geisha?

Visit Sayuki's Website

As I'm sure most geisha enthusiasts already know, Aussie social anthropolgist Fiona Graham made her formal debut as a geisha in Tokyo's Asakusa district on December 19th after a year of training, or "feild work", as she refers to it on her website. Just in time to begin the new year as Japan's first western, professional geisha, she is already planning to release a book entitled "Sayuki: Inside the Flower and Willow World" and a documentary that will be filmed throughout the year.

The maiko of Kyoto endure intensive training for 5-6 years before earning the honor of turning their collars and becoming full-fledged geiko.

Graham's professional name, Sayuki, comes from the Chinese character 紗 sa, meaning gossamer and 幸 yuki, meaning happiness, wish or fortune. This could be translated a number of ways: Delicate Delight, Ethereal Joy, or Sheer Bliss (^_^)v

Graham recieved her MBA in Psychology and teaching from Oxford before beginging her study of social anthropology. She has spent half of her life in Japan, graduating from a Japanese high school long before becoming the first western woman to graduate from Tokyo's Keio University.

Read the Telegraph's article: Westerner inducted into mysteries of geisha

Nengajo: Japanese New Year's Cards

A brilliant up and coming graphic designer in Tokyo, Yuki Nakano designed this nengajo to welcome 2008: The Year of the Rat. The design of most nengajo includes the junishi, or Oriental zodiac animal, of the New Year.

Oshogatsu, or New Year's, is a very special time in Japan—a time for people return to their ancestral homes, spend time with their families and get in touch with their roots. Perhaps the most honored and celebrated of the Japanese holidays, Oshogatsu is a three-day event beginning with Omisoka (New Year's Eve) and lasting through the first three days of the year. Many people wear traditional clothing, like kimono, and play traditional games, such as uta garuta. Preparations begin long in advance as people clean their homes from top to bottom (known as Osouji), prepare Osechi ryori (traditional New Year's food eaten during the forst three days of the new year), and write nengajo, or New Year's greetings.

These days, many people use designs including photos of themselves or their families on their nengajo.

Much like the Christmas cards exchanged in the US and abroad, nengajo are an important part of Japan's New Year's festivities. Now an established tradition, the exchange of these New Year's greetings began in 1873, when postcards were first introduced to Japan. Today, the average family sends over a hundred nengajo to family, friends and colleagues, and businesses mail them to all their customers.

New Year's is a time for wafuku (traditional Japanese clothing) and Osechi ryori, traditional Japanese New Year's food.

Like many Japanese traditions, there is a specific nengajo etiquette code that has no equal in Western culture. While Christmas cards arrive anytime from Thanksgiving to New Year's, nengajo are expected to be delivered on January 1st, not a day before or after. Domestic mail usually only takes a day or two to be delivered, but nengajo can be posted early in special temporary mail boxes to ensure they arrive on time. Every card put into these boxes between December 15th and December 25th gets a special postmark and is delivered promptly on New Year' Day. Waiting for your bundle of postal love (they literally arrive bound together) and reading the flood of New Year’s wishes on January 1st is a cherished holiday tradition, similar to waiting for presents and opening them on Christmas.

When a surprise nengajo arrives from someone you have forgotten, it is always acceptable to send your greetings on January 6, reminding them to take care in the cold weather (寒中お見舞いもしあげます: kanchu omimai moshiagemasu). If someone you know has recently lost a loved one, you should not send a nengajo in observance of the family's mourning.

Of course, if you are a card-carrying gaijin, you are theoretically exempt from all of these rules. Why not surprise your friends and colleagues with your astounding nengajo knowledge and skill? The same gracious people that praise your ability to use chopsticks and poor attempts at speaking Japanese will be thrilled with the thoughtful consideration and effort, regardless of when your nengajo arrives.

Hand drawn by one of my students, this was the first nengajo I recieved in Japan.

Happy New Year, everyone! ☆明けましておめでとう☆

An Aya Uto Christmas: Silent Night and Christmas Cake

"Super Idol" singer and actress Aya Ueto sings Silent Night for a Softbank cell phone commerical. Don't miss the classic Japanese Christmas cake at the end!





As an American raised in a predominantly ethnic Italian influenced family, I had never heard of "Christmas cake" before traveling to Japan. I'm interested in knowing which cultures celebrate Christmas with cake. Please share your traditions with us in the comment section!

"Tokyo Sanka" English Translation: 東京賛歌 : Bump of Chicken

In celebration of the recent release of Bump of Chicken's newest album, Oribital Period (chock full of good tunes like Namida no Furusato, Planetarium, Supernova, and Hana no Na.), I humbly present my very own translation of the Tokyo Sanka lyrics. If you haven't heard it yet, check out this video (orginally posted by Abbey) with some very Tokyo-core images to set the mood. (Still waiting with bated breath for the new video...)



Bump of Chicken = Best Japanese band. EVER.

*****

Tokyo Hymn (Tokyo Sanka)

It's a town with sky and earth
How is it different from the town where you grew up, I wonder?
Why can you tell the difference, I wonder?
I guess you've been taught since you came here

Things like all the lies, the cold, not being able to see the stars,
A storm of troubles
It's the revenge of things not going well, I guess
You started and quit so many here

What was it that you came here to do?
For whose sake was it?
Roads and railroad tracks are connected but... that's so but...
Jump out as you please, struggle along as you please
This town is all that you know
The drawer of your abandoned dream

Back then they were always nearby
The people you hate and like
Nowadays, do you care?
I guess you realized since you came here

No matter where a person goes
They are same as always

Separated from somebody and separated from yourself
You're alive!

Chosen as you please, hated as you please,
This town is all you have
The place where you, who can't go home, are

There are lots of lies everywhere, don't you think?
After all, when you can see the stars, you lose interest, right?
Among all the people passing one another by,
I think there are more than a few who came here
For similar reasons

What was it that you came here for?
Who was it that decided?
The earth and the sky are connected
The future and the past,too

You jumped out as you pleased, struggle along as you pleased
This town is all you know
The continuation of the dream you got back

Chosen as you please, hated as you please
This town is all you have
The place where you, who can’t go home, are
This town is all you have
The way back home to the place you grew up…