Of stars, dragons and blue skies 2 of 2

Sunday arose equally sunny which cheered me greatly as we were off to the beach! We said goodbye to our new friends, who offered to walk us to the train station but their kindness was already too much, then we were off to Enoshima, a little island just off the coast of Kamakura. It was glorious! With the palms trees and stretches of sparkling sand it was so easy to forget we were in Japan and start imagining we were in Hawaii! (In fact later on in the day there was a Hawaiian festival.) There is a causeway that stretches from the mainland to the little island but first we had to take a monorail to get there, it was awesome!

Once on the island we weren’t sure where to go first but a torii gate seemed to want us to head to the center of the island where up among the trees we saw a shrine. We walked along a narrow alley with beach shops lining either side which offered everything from Enoshima Hello kitties to steamed cuttlefish and ice cream to dried squid and assorted touristy merchandise. It was a little slope upwards to reach the base of the shrine, but we were just in time to hear bells and taiko drums coming towards us. We had to stand off to the side in a little shop as a parade of portable shrines went by to the sound of the drums and flutes and chanting of the monks. It was an amazing moment as this bright gold shrine went by adorned by a phoenix whose wings fluttered every time the bearers of the magnificent float danced a few steps. The bearers lined four poles underneath it and jumped two feet forward and one foot back in time to the beat in such synchronized timing that I feared what would happen if even one of them missed a step. With the sun streaming through the leaves and the back drop of the ocean and bright blue sky it was yet another moment of magic that captivates me in this foreign world.

After the parade had passed we continued to work our way up the shrine along a path that winded up through the trees in a series of stairs. It was like walking up a water fall and every so often finding a pool of crystal clear water where another piece to the shrine was built. The first level had the main gate and a statue depicting famous deities to the area. The next ‘pool’ had a purifying dragon to wash ourselves. The third level was the biggest shrine buildings where we prayed and bought a few charms and washed our money in a lucky spring in order to double our wealth! There was also another ring to figure eight through and a ceremony happening within the main hall. When I prayed, all I said was thanks. What more could I ask for? We stopped a moment on our way further up to gaze out at the ocean and Kamakura and the sailboats riding the waves then it was up more steps to another ‘pool’ where a third shrine had collected. This one had an even more amazing view from the island before we continued on.

 At last we reached the top where there is a lookout tower but we were already admiring the beauty the way nature intended us to and besides why spend money on a tower when you can watch the ocean surrounded by flowers? We crested the hill and began hiking down the other side where another segment of the shrine was laid out. This time it was for the ancient legend of the island.

At one point, a dragon inhabited the island that caused a rift between Heaven and Earth and the skies and ocean were always in turmoil. He created chaos and lived in the caves beneath the island. But a goddess descended from Heaven, captivated him and tried to stop the evil he was causing. As a result he fell in love with her and proposed to her. She refused based on his evil actions (and he was errr a dragon?) but after he repented she agreed. As a result the island is known for its worship of the goddess, Benzaiten who is enshrined on the island, and the dragon Ryukomyojin and also for its myths of love. There was a love bell that overlooked the sea that one rings for prayers of love and a little cave shrine dedicated to the dragon.

 
Once past this part of the island it was all downhill to the crashing caves along these rocky cliffs and tidal pools along the rocks. It was gorgeous (but really what isn’t that I write about?) We wanted to swim but we first wanted to explore the caves. The first of two has remains of ancient deity statues and a little pool with gold fish swimming around dragon statues. The second was the dragon’s cave and a really cool statue could be found within. Along the cliffs connecting the two sea caves was a board walk and from it one can look for a turtle shaped rock that was carved from the tides.

Finally it was swimming time! There was a part in the rocks that had been cemented off to create a nice little swimming pool but a big wave could still make it over, and that is where I made friends with my fan club. The amazing diving Canadian! I like to call myself, for it I was the only gaijin on this side of the island and one of two girls actually swimming. I impressed all the Japanese by courageously flinging myself off the cliffs and into the water and they kept shouting for me to go again! Even later as I was toweling off to explore the little pools people were coming up to tell me I do nice dives! XD. It was a lot of fun and a great way to make friends with the locals!

We could have spent hours on the rocks but instead we wanted to head back to the sand beaches on the mainland and see what else was left to explore. We could have gone up and over like we had before, but that wasn’t good enough for me so we decided to go around the coast of the island. Of course, what I didn’t realize until it was too late was that by doing this we were hiking the island Indiana Jones style! You may think I’m exaggerating as I have no pictures to prove it, but I led us on one wild adventure. I couldn’t take pictures because I kept my camera safely strapped in my bag lest it fall down the rock cliffs where we swung on ropes! At first it looked like a nice gentle way until I saw crabs scuttling into the beach forest the size of my hands and searoaches that were disgusting and crawled about everywhere. And we literally had to use these ropes fastened to the trees no less than ten times to swing over part of the ocean or climb up rock walls. It really is a wonder I didn’t kill us both (for we all know whose idea this must have been) and we were only in flip flops!

After we’d made it safely to flat land it was time for some treats to tide us over and calm our shaky nerves from the near death experience in the jungle and to go and watch a Hawaii festival and see hula dancing. It was nice but not quite as cool as the energetic dancing from the day before. As the day got on, we returned to the mainland and dropped our stuff on the nice relaxing beach and threw ourselves to the surf again where it was time for some gentle swimming and nothing like our adventures earlier in the day! The water was so warm and lovely and we swam all the way out as far as we could go until the coast guard came to check on us XD so we swam back floated belly up until we saw the sun was beginning to set and the five o’clock song sounded and we got the hint that home was still a long way off.

We finished the day with a pretend shower in the bathroom sinks and dinner at a family restaurant. Then it was a long train ride home in the air conditioning, half shivering from our sunburns!

Well, it seems summer is officially here which means only a week and a half more of school and then natsuyasumi! Here is a preview of what’s to come: This weekend, climbing Mt. Fuji in the night for the sunrise, and yet another festival except this time in Saruhashi! Next weekend, Sendai to see one of Japan’s three great views (one of which I went to with Nikki last time) and to see the epicenter for ourselves. Then Ise peninsula, the site of Japan’s most sacred shrine. Shikoku, another of Japan’s four main islands (I live on Honshu, the biggest island.) After that is our biggest adventure yet! Twelve days by train all around Southern Honshu! Then… Fujiyoshida’s fire festival, and probably by then it will be March! Hahahaha, no that’s just the summer! Ja ne!

Of stars, dragons and blue skies 1 of 2

It looks like rainy season has come to an end! The clouds finally parted after weeks of oppressive humid hot weather and the blue skies shone through! It was very uplifting—not like I’m not already having the most amazing time—and the heat is a lot easier to bear when the sun is shining! But, enough on the weather, let me tell you, that I had maybe the most fantastic weekend yet!

On Saturday, Rhee and I went to another Tanabata festival. This time in Hiratsuka; which boasts one of the bigger star festivals in the Kanto region! It was spectacular—and because the skies were clear I like to think that Orihime and Hikoboshi did get their chance to meet. As long as we celebrate why should they be denied the festivities for them ne?

How to explain what it really feels like to be at a Japanese festival is so difficult. I can only capture one aspect of it, the sights, and even than my photography does it no justice at all. There were colourful streamers and decorations for a contest to be held later. Sometimes the decorations were shaped live pavilions with little dolls dancing in them. Sometimes it was just elaborate artwork other times the streamers draped down to the ground forcing spectators to battle their way through the dazzling ribbons. The smell of every Japanese food imaginable; of frying octopus, fish on a stick, sweet corn, kababs, picachu and Hello Kitty shaped donuts, sweet sticky ice, curry, pineapple, melon, cucumbers, sushi,  iced matcha tea, yakisoba, gyoza, omelet hotdogs, fried chicken and many many other things I couldn’t identify. The sound of taiko drums in the distance and a steady stream of giddy Japanese that I can only grasp words of. Everything just comes together to create these little pockets of magic.

We wandered about a maze of streets that had been shut down for the festivities until we came across this beautiful shrine. You enter through a torii gate and on to a bridge that is surrounded by two ponds. On the one side are turtles and koi fish and on the right is a pretty little island where hiding in the shade is a bright red tori on the water and a little shrine. The grounds was pleasant except the smell of sulfur coming from a natural spring pouring from a dragon’s mouth. The main shrine was decorated with tanabata bamboo and little wishes from artistic children and, something I haven’t seen yet, a ring that one walks through in a figure eight pattern to achieve good luck!

But back to the festival and a short bit of back story. Right now there are these adorable things called mameshiba which are very popular in Japan for being ADORABLE! Mame means bean and shiba is a type of Japanese dog (which I really want!) Basically they are little stuffed animals of bean dogs and come in different themes. Like fruit, samurai, animals, etc. but they are rare. I managed to find a tiger mameshiba that was super cute once on a trip to Tokyo. But on another trip to Tokyo it fell off my backpack ;_;. Anyways I’ve wanted to replace it but they are hard to find. But I saw a sign at the festival for them so I ran up and asked “mameshiba o arimasu ka?” And the lovely old lady said “nai, gomen na sai.” And I smiled a little sad and said, “hai, daijoubu.” And she said, “chotto mate kudasai,” with a sudden excitement and hurried off into the back of the shop and returned with this tiny little ketiai charm of a mameshiba shaped like a little green pea! She pulled it out of the package and thrust it into my hands with a giant smile. Well I lit up, giddy with finding a mameshiba and with receiving a gift from this wonderful woman, “Watashi ni!?” For me? I exclaimed and she nodded furiously, so proud of herself. I was so grateful! Even in a big city on the outskirts of the Tokyo metropolis, I get treated with an unconditional kindness you don’t see often. I thanked her again and again, “arigatou gozaimus! Kawaii! Kawaii” and told her I thought it was the cutest thing ever, and then we were on our way again with me not letting the little pea dog stray from where I wrapped it around my finger and held it tightly in my palm.

Hungry now, we feasted on pita kebabs, Hello Kitty donuts and sweet peachy drink and did some people watching. There were literally hundreds of yukata to admire, and I vowed next festival I too would wear a yukata! We finished the amazing day with an accidental stroll to the park where we found a dance competition. It was so cool! I love group choreographed dancing! It was a mix between western and Japanese but it was all amazing to watch. One of the first groups I saw danced to ‘Cartoon Heroes,’ (some of you will catch that and be super jealous XP) beast Japanesesque song ever! The finale was awesome. The dancers came on to the grassy stage in traditional white costumes but before we had even realized what had, happened while they danced, streams of blue ribbon appeared. I blinked again and then they were dancing in yellow and blue. “When did that happen?” I asked Rhee. One more blink at the height of this powerful song that sent shiver down my back under the setting sun and cool breeze and they were dancing in whirls of red, green, yellow, blue and the original white. It was so beautiful!

As the festival was winding down—there are still energy conserving standards put in place because of March 11 and thus it couldn’t continue into the night—we headed with a thrall of other people back to the train station. That night we tried something new: couch surfing. I would never do this in any other country, but I trust Japan with my life. Couch surfing is where a bunch of people offer their house for the night for free and in exchange you offer yours. That was how we met Soichi and Natto. Two lovely young guys who took us in for the night and were incredibly kind and polite. Soichi prepared a bath for us (much needed after a day of wading in our own sweat) and then after serenaded us with his amazing guitar skills. After, we apologized but turned in early as we were exhausted and had to be up early for our next adventure! And that was just Saturday!

Alas the lovers did not meet

The legend is that on a clear night, or at least if it doesn't rain, Orihime and Hikoboshi will have one night together. They are two lovers separated by the Milky way but can meet on the seventh evening of the seventh night if the skies are clear. However, as I walked home from a lovely evening at the matsuri, a soft drizzle was falling.

I went to Kofu tonight for the Tanabata matsuri, or in English, the star festival! Tanoshikatta desu! It was pleasant! I took the train, which is always fun, I love trains, and waited for Rhee at the station to go in search of the matsuri. Eventually we found it, as it was impossible to miss the bunches of colourful decorations and bamboo wish trees. As soon as we entered we were given fans and at the first stall we were greeted with two cups of sake! Apparently, we looked like we needed more, because we were immediately topped off! Working a nice little buzz we wondered up the way stopping to eat every food that appealed (which was a lot) and admiring little trinkets (we bough adorable little Hello Kittys for our bags!) Along with the huge glass of sake I had half a fried curry bun (and then returned later for one of my own much to the sellers delight! Oishii desu ka? Oishii! Oishikatta! Oishisugiru! Delicious? Delicous! It was was delicious! It was too delicious!) these giant Tim Bit looking donuts (I asked for one of each and got too of each, it pays to be a celebrity!) mmm what else? Oh! Deep-fried ice cream! And corn on the cob (again I got a bonus one just for being a gaijin!)

I loved seeing all the yukata and the adorable little kids fishing for goldfish and doing arts and crafts and tying their little wishes to the bamboo branches.I considered getting Takeda a friend but that would be a long ride home for the poor fish so Takeda still swims alone, but quite happily I think! Anyways, it was really a beautiful night. A little pocket of magic. My condolences go out to Orihime and Hikoboshi though.

Another week has gone by so fast! Time really does fly when you are having fun... I'm already three quarters of the way through my year... Anyways, this weekend we are back to the coast to go to Hiratsuka which apparently had a Tanabata festival and one of the biggest in our regions! And then the beach on Sunday! Ja ne!

In which Canada comes to Japan

As July 1st was Canada! I showered Japan (or at least those in near vicinity of me) with red and white! I made these flag for the back of my jacket for school and spent fifteen minutes at the beginning of all of my classes talking about how it was Canada's birthday and playing some games. It was a lot of fun, although whether I was more genki than the students is up for debate! Regardless, all the teachers got right into it and asked me if I was having a party, which I was! If you recall, on my first trip to Fujiyoshida, Sheena took us to this lovely restaurant that served the most amazing burgers and had a Canadian theme! So I made the boys and Rhee and Sheena all come with me so we could have burgers and wanna-be poutine! It was pretty awesome. I drove so I couldn't drink but they even offered a selection of British Columbian beers which I made everyone drink, which they obliged. Then I proposed a toast, "to Rhee for her country giving me my country 144 years ago!" We all had a good laugh and had some delicious food!

Next up was parfaits of course. We can't go to Fujiyoshida and not have parfaits! I went with Tiramisu and it was fantastic! Then while the night was still young we decided to go do some karaoke because what is more Canadian than karaoke!? Okay, never mind that, but we were in Japan, so we had to do something Japanese. Had a total blast and this karaoke place even had a miny stage so my inner rockstar could really shine through. Because it was only 12:30 in the morning when we got home, we had to finish the evening with fireworks! (They sell them everywhere in Japan because it's a tradition for summer). And by that time it was actually July 1st in Canada! So we played with sparklers until we ran out and called it a day! It was great fun!

Our grand plan for the next day was to go to Kofu to see Transformers but it turn out we have to wait until the end of the month for it... So we did some shopping at Aeon mall to escape the heat and ate delicious pizza and drank watermelon juice until it was time to come home. In which I went out with Rhee and Tony for ramen but I had yakisoba and giyoza! Oishikatta! That night we didn't do much, just introduced Rhee to her first anime, Spirited Away.

On Sunday there was a birthday party for a guy from Rhee's town in Fujikawa which is just north of Minobu. So we drove there in the morning for a BBQ, kayak polo and a maze! It was a lot of fun and not too hot (when I say this I mean it was 32 not 38 degrees...) so we had a nice time eating fatty burgers, finding cool bugs and just flaking out! After by request of the birthday boy, a few of us hit the canoe pool for kayaking! We played this amazing game of water polo in our boats which was very much like water hockey! It was so much fun! And we had three Canadians so we got together and formed a team vs. the World (a Welshlander, a German and of course an American) and kicked ass! Of course, it was water hockey after all! It was crazy fun! Then we went and got ourselves lost in a hedge maze and finished the day by playing on an amazing playground.

And then inevitable it was July 4th, so in good spirit I celebrated Independence Day with the boys with more fireworks down by the river. It was a great ending to the weekend!

Another weekend gone and past... next up in a Tanbata festival in Kanagawa and then maybe a day at the beach! Ja ne!