Looking for love in all the wrong places (Japan - Kyoto)

Thanks to Brianna for today’s title.

Mr Onda was waiting for us at 7:20am for the drive to school.  During that journey I commented that many of the older lady drivers seemed to be wearing gloves, Brett wondered whether they have stolen the cars they were driving.  We decided not go inside because that meant removing our shoes again, then we calculated that we had 25 minutes to wait and went in anyway.

I used the time to start writing the previous blog posts that our busy schedule had not allowed.  Mr Kato, the AP, came in and had a discussion with Kayo.  There is quite some concern that we have the weekend unplanned, except for Brett who is going out with the young teachers.  We assured Kayo this was fine.  She said it would probably be OK because we were doing something with Mr Onda on Sunday.  That was news to us … I wonder how that will play out over the day?

Onto the bus for the 2 hour trip to Kyoto -  Kayo re-organised the seats, a little too obviously, to ensure that Brett was sitting with one of the young female teachers.

I’m just putting this out there, but there should be a doctoral study done into the number of hours a teacher can spend on a bus with the same group of students before said teacher goes mad and kills the student continuously singing in a falsetto voice.  I’m looking at you, Jeremy and you shouldn’t feel safe.

The names of shops and venues in Japan can always bring a wry smile to my face, not to mention the decorations at the shop front.  On the way to Kyoto one shop had a model elephant out the front – I have no idea what it may have represented.  Shortly before this Jayne saw the Havanna Hotel advertising a “sensual pleasure space” whatever that might be.  There is also a coffee shop chain called, “Joyfull”, a book store called the ‘”Exciting Bookshop” and my favourite, “Happy Bicycle to You”.

Um ... yeah 

First stop today was the Higashi Honganji Temple in Kyoto.  It is the number 1 temple in Japan and the largest of its kind in the world.  After a quick tour of the temple we were shown the temple next to it.  We hadn’t noticed it on the way in because it was totally enclosed in a ‘shed’ to allow refurbishment.  The entire temple was covered by this shed that in any other country would be classed as a building in its own right.

The shed

The work inside the shed

Back to the bus and the smell of McDonald’s.  While we were visiting the temple one of the Otani teachers had gone to Macca’s and bought lunch for us so that we could eat on our way to the Golden Temple because we were running tragically late.

The Golden Temple is as spectacular as I remembered it.  The crowd was much larger than last time so the ‘crowd police’ couldn’t really get in and move people on, so there was plenty of time for photos.  The girls were introduced to traditional Japanese toilets, aka a hole in the ground with some safety straps.  Although the overriding memory is the smell.  They ventured in and came out more quickly … unfinished business, so to speak.  The collective decision was to wait for some western-style toilets.  Sadly, this part of the trip saw us revert to being the sweepers of the group with a continual head-count to 18.  Carefully positioned souvenir shops and other minor attractions ensured we were kept focused, although we rarely got 18 on the way around.  There were a number of gardeners in amongst the trees clipping away to make the topiary style look natural.  Fortunately, it was a one-way walk.  Unfortunately, once you left the temple area, numerous souvenir shops needed to ne negotiated before we found our bus.  14, 15.  Three missing.  They were only a few seconds behind us having gone to the wrong bus.

Did you really think you'd get away without a bird shot?

We arrived, finally, at the Kiyomizudera Temple.  It is on the mountain behind Kyoto and has magnificent views back over the city.  We were surprised by the arrival of Yuki, the young man who was Kayo’s assistant teacher for 6 months last year.  Everyone was very happy to see him and spend time with him.  We walked up the shopping street to the temple gate for a group photo.  From there we walked up to the temple where they had a fountain that had three streams of water entering it.   One is for love, another for health and the third for study.   Ciaran went for study but ended up with love and was immediately assailed by two women asking for a photo with him.   This was proof, he said, that the water worked.  I wasn’t convinced because the two women were old enough to be his grandmothers.  Looking for love in all the wrong places.

The fountain negotiated, we headed back down the mountain through the all of the souvenir shops.  If it has any significance in Japan you can buy it here: ninja stars, samuri swords, kimonos, pottery, Hello Kitty merchandise, silk purses (no sow’s ear), fridge magnets, snow domes, key rings, horse head masks … you get the idea.  We purchased some trinkets for the folks back home and dawdled down to the bus, where we spied some young gentlemen all dressed up in matching tuxedos (with trousers short enough to reveal coordinated coloured socks) and heading – who knows?  The one in the dressing gown also carried a glass of red wine.  A large glass of red wine.

I have no idea ...

...but they were enjoying themselves

At 4:01pm we said goodbye to Yuki and boarded the bus. 

We have been Japan a week today and I’m starting to feel the effects of being on the go all day, every day.  This morning we left at 7:20am and I have just walked in the door now, 7:30pm.  It is a long day.  We have covered a lot of kms, seen a lot of wonderful things, met some beautiful people and we have 5 more days to go.  Although we might return with a few less students if I have to spend 6 hours on a bus with them again.

B.I.N.G.O. (Japan - Nagoya)

Ok, dear reader, it is not from my usual catalogue of music, but it is a song.  Fear not, all will become apparent as you read on …

Another 8am start, Mr Onda drove us from the hotel to Otani where we boarded the bus for Nagoya.  First stop was the Disaster Prevention Centre.  This was a timely visit as we had just received news of a typhoon in the Tokyo area that was supposed to be heading for our area on the weekend. (The latest report has the typhoon heading towards China - good news for us, not for them).

It was another picture perfect day weather wise, although the temperature had hit 31 reasonably early and the humidity was quite high.  The Disaster Prevention Centre focused on three main areas: earthquake, typhoon and fire safety.  There was also a replica fire engine and a re-built helicopter cockpit for the younger audience.

The students were required to break into groups of 6.  The first activity was the earthquake room, where a quake of a magnitude of 7 could be experienced.  The first group was mostly Gilroy students and over-acting Ciaran earned the wrath of the supervisor who wanted to impress upon us the importance of being earthquake ready – any more foolishness and no-one else would be allowed into the simulator.  Then to the typhoon room, a 3-D experience that required shoes to be removed.  We opted to stay outside.  Brett braved the over-crowded the room and was firm in the belief that the stench of feet presented more danger than a typhoon.  The last major typhoon hit Nagoya in 1959, the year I was born.  Coincidence?  The final demonstration involved finding your way out of a dark, smoke-filled room.  While there were a lot of laughs on the way through, I’m not sure the Aussies in the group really understood the importance of what they were doing.  We really are the lucky country.

Pre-quake

The beginning

The end

Back onto the bus and to lunch at the Red Lobster in the shopping centre near the Nagoya Aquarium.  Once again we were fabulously well looked after and Brett expanded his diet by trying the mixed seafood plate.

We visited the aquarium last time as well.  In comparison with Sydney, it is massive.  I’d decided before we arrived this time, not to take our Japanese visitors to our aquarium next year – and then I changed my mind.  While the Nagoya version is significantly larger, the dolphins, dugongs, killer whales and penguins are kept in rather sterile surroundings.  It is like an old-school zoo.  Whereas in Sydney the tanks attempt to recreate the natural environment.  Sydney Aquarium will be included for discussion when we look at the agenda for next year.

We left all but two students at the aquarium to catch the tube home with their hosts.  Toyota Otani is situated out of Toyota itself and most students would find it easier to get home via train.  They were all present and accounted for the next morning.  We were dropped back at the hotel and had a couple of hours to rest and change prior to heading out to dinner at a BBQ House with 22 of the Otani staff.

The Onda taxi service was on time as always.  We were clapped into the room and followed the protocols for seating, almost, Kayo decided to seat Brett down the other end of the table amongst the young female English teachers.  Match-making?  Or recruitment of a new Japanese teacher for Gilroy? We’ll see.

Dinner this time was a much more pleasant affair than I recall from our 2007 experience.  Mr Kato, the new principal, is a lovely, welcoming man with a great sense of humour and what appears to be a humble approach to leadership.  My concern for the evening was always going to be how to refuse the intestines when they were dished up.  The first course arrived, green beans, of which you eat the seed and not the pod.  It was accompanied with some small deep fried thing – I have no idea what, and bamboo shoots done in chilli, yum.  This was followed by a salad of cabbage, corn kernels and something crunchy like roasted slivered almonds with a dressing – yum, again.

Then the meat began to arrive.  Mr Kanzaki, who spoke English and was sitting opposite Jayne, decided to be helpful and informed us the first dish was beef tongue – a very expensive delicacy.  Tongue.  Oh yay.  It wasn’t that bad, it tasted more of the smoke from the BBQ than anything and was followed by pork.  We opted not ask and thankfully Mr Kanzaki didn’t offer to tell us.  More beef dishes followed, interspersed by a game of bingo.  Yes, gentle reader, bingo, hence the title of the blog.  Mr Anbo produced bingo sheets with push-out numbers and a little machine that contained the numbered balls.  After the first winners – all from Otani, I remarked to Jayne that, as principal, I should be winning.  Excellent timing on my part, she had a mouthful of beer and almost spat it onto the table.

Finally the dreaded moment arrived, the white gangly bits of meat arrived and were placed on the BBQ.  The memory of chewing an under-cooked piece of this came flooding back as did memories of the unappealing texture.  I had a brief conversation with Kayo as Jayne exchanged words with Mr Kanzaki and it was agreed that we would forgo the intestines.  Brett, to his credit, had two pieces.  There followed some more meat, squid and then a dessert of fruit and sorbet.  Unlike last time where the AP stood and clapped his hands and we all vacated the premises, this time Mr Anbo closed proceedings, another teacher delivered a few words of thank you in English and it was time for home.

After clearing emails and seeing no-one from our family back in Australia was on skype, we retired.  It will be a 6am start tomorrow as we are going to Kyoto.

Who are you? (Japan - Toyota)

This was the day of formal introductions and speeches.  We were picked up at the hotel at 8am and were chauffeured to the school by the ever-present and generous Mr Onda.  In 2007 we were provided with our own staff room to use and it was filled with previous presents from Gilroy.  It was the same this time, except the school has undergone a refurbishment and our room is now at the front of the school.  It was still filled with Gilroy presents – which really prompted me to place our presents from Toyota in the upstairs leadership room.

Mr Onda

Before we were able to gain access to the room we had to trade our shoes for a pair of sandals.  Shoes are stowed in a locker at the front entrance of the school.  Then the reality of formal Japan commenced with the teachers being introduced to the Toyota staff at their staff briefing – which included an impromptu speech from me.  From there to the full school assembly in the hall.  There have been other significant changes to Toyota Otani since 2007, the student population has almost doubled to 550 and the dress standards and the behaviour of the students have improved significantly.  The general feel of the school is much more positive, it is a happy environment.

Last night I delivered my first speech in bad Japanese.  Before today’s speech, to a much larger crowd, we moved to the hall which required another change of sandals to a soft-sole variety.  Of course they listened politely and clapped at the end, but I know I stumbled over more words than I would have liked.  Pat and Stephanie delivered the students’ speech and sounded so much more comfortable.  Then it was time for all the Gilroy students to come up onto the stage and introduce themselves to the Toyota school population.

After the assembly the students went to English class and then to Judo.  James proved to be ultra-competitive and a number of others, who shall remained unnamed, were completely uncoordinated and a threat to no one but themselves.

Lunch.  OMG!  How they eat over here!  We had lunch in the school cafeteria – yes, the Gilroy students were jealous.  There was a choice of pre-prepared meals as well as hot meals – ramen, curried beef and rice and the ubiquitous miso soup.  The meals were large enough to ensure that Jayne and I didn’t need dinner – Brett, not so, but more about that later.

From lunch to the Toyota Stadium, a massive structure on the other side of the river where the local soccer team play.  The stadium has a capacity of 45,000 and a completely retractable roof for the winter season and, in the more expensive zones, seats heated by steam.  There was a great deal of action the day we were there, but not of the sporting kind.  The seasons in Japan are quite severe in difference with scorching summers and freezing winters, so they were changing the grass on the pitch from summer grass to winter grass.  All quite amazing when you consider that the stadium is only used about 12 times a year.  That is a major capital outlay that is covered by sponsorship.  Oh, what a feeling!

Re-laying the pitch

Fully retractable roof

The Noh Theatre

Moving from one end of the continuum to the other, we next visited the Toyota Sangokan, their cultural centre.  We had the traditional style of Japanese theatre, Noh, explained to us.  The students were able to try on the traditional Noh masks.  Noh uses a minimum of characters and no speech, the masks and body movement convey all feeling.  It also has pantomime elements to it.  There is also a recital hall in the building.  It houses a very large traditional pipe organ, costed at approximately $4 million and the only one of its kind in Japan.  We were so fortunate to be treated to a brief recital by the lady who is performing there this week.  The sound filled the room, it really lifted you.

Brett when he's angry.

Gilroy students, Brett and the pipe organ

We left the formality of the concert hall for that of the Mayor’s office.  The last couple of groups have met with the deputy-mayor, but we got the real deal.  It was very formal with a master of ceremonies.  The mayor welcomed us with a speech, commenced in English and concluded in Japanese.  I took the easy option and spoke in English and Kayo translated for me.  Presents were handed out and the mayor spoke to us about a new initiative involving electric cars and bikes.

Rather than go back to the school on the bus we walked the 10 minutes back to our hotel and changed out of our ‘work’ clothes into something more comfortable for the 30 degree day and went shopping.  We purchased gift bags because it had become obvious that we needed to split the gifts we brought from home into separate bags because we needed more than expected.  So, the wrapped bookmark and lanyard become two presents not one, as did the note pad and key ring.

We also found a shop that sold Tim Tams and did a nice line in French wine.  While I wrote the blog post later that night and photo-shopped the day’s pics, Jayne, for diversional therapy, unwrapped and rewrapped all the presents.

As we were walking back to the hotel, Jayne had asked Brett if he was hungry, and surprisingly, the answer was yes.  We were most definitely not.  In the plaza near the station there are a number of fast-food outlets. Lotteria was the choice for the night and while Jayne and I split a large fries, Brett opted for a burger that had 5 meat patties and five slices of cheese.  While we were trying to get the girl behind the counter to understand what we wanted a very nice man who spoke English and Japanese offered to translate for us – and then checked to see if everything was OK before he left.  We weren’t sure what Brett’s burger was named, Jayne suggested the ‘cholesterol tower’ but he made very short work of it.

And so, the first day endeth, only one formal speech left to deliver and a lot of sight-seeing and dinners to attend.