Sunday - oh gosh - why did we say yes to this? We were to be honoured guests at a sports day held by a school on the same site as the Showa part of BST. Dave had already met Ichihara Sensei (the head) and we were included in the guest list this year.
The sun shone and the temperatures were quite high - the wind was blowing too. We arrived to hear the noise of music and children cheering so we knew we were in the right place. As we collected our 'Guest' badges we were escourted to our seats by a young woman in a track suit wearing a mask so I will never recognise her again! The seats we had been allocated were in the sun so our first act of disruption was to make everyone else move up so that we could have a seat in the shade! This was organised by our gracious hosts, not us, I hasten to add. Although we had slopped on the sunscreen we had come without hats - but that was soon sorted by the amazing attention to detail of our hosts - a straw hat was proffered and accepted by me. At this stage, I realised that the wind was blowing quite hard and when you have a wide brimmed hat on the best one can hope for is that you don't look silly. To look silly and be seen chasing around after your hat is probably not good etiquette! So I sat with one hadn on the hat and the other working the camera.
This was not a sports day in the English sense of the word. It was a fun day with a few sports and a lot of synchronised activity - flag waving, dancing, gym movement, all done brilliantly by beautiful, beaming children who were obviously having a great time. Why do we make ours have mini olympics? Why do we have so few winners? Do we set our children up to fail? The parts of the day that were running were very much team events - the relay for instance was across the year groups and was a real spectacle but the sense of competition was very real.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Kyoto
So you have all read Memoires of Geisha, right? And you think you know what they do? Yes, we thought that too and then we went to Kyoto.....
The shinkansen (bullet train) left Shinagawa station here in Tokyo and flew through the countryside for two and half hours before depositing us at Kyoto Station - a huge place with so many lines, local and national that it was a very confusing moment and we followed the crowd to one of many exits. We had planned this carefully and decided, as it was our very first visit to the city, we would keep it simple and stay at the very western and very smart hotel actually at the station. It was a fabulous place but it was on many floors and in many wings so finding your way around it was a little tricky to start with.
Dave decided to try the masssage and I decided to explore on foot and see what could be found. After all, I had heard such magnificent tales of the city that I was keen to find something to impress me. I walked for miles and the whole place seemed to have a sad, run down air; shutters closed with grafitti sprayed on them and a river that was begging for water to flow down what had obviously once been a wide and thriving channel which now had only grass and few small areas of water in it - where the cranes lurked looking hopefully for fish. It seemed a sad and tired city - the days of old weighing heavily on its shoulders.
So it was a somewhat disappointed Trysh that returned to the hotel almost two hours later. Had we really come all this way for this?
Following a conversation with the concierge we tried to book a tour of the city but it was full. The concierge was helpful and suggested that with a taxi we could visit the city's attractions easily. We set off with a map marked in Japanese and our limited phrases to see what could be found.
Our first stop was Nijo Castle - the home of the Shogun and what a place this turned out to be. We learnt about the system - lots of ladies in waiting and lots of swords. We learnt too about the nightingale floor boards - boards that squeak when walked on so that spies who arrived in the night could be easily discovered and dealt with. The spies were called Ninja - and that is why they learnt to move around by climbing walls and scaling heights - to avoid those squeaky floor boards!
We met some young students who wanted to practise their English on us. When they discovered David was a Principal and I was an English teacher they nearly died of shock but they came running after us to present us with a small bird done in origami by one of the girls as a thank you.
We moved on to the next awesome moment - a visit to Kinkakuji Temple - the Golden Pavillion (see photo). What can I say? Beautiful and stunning seem to be an understatement really. Yes, it really IS gold.
David and me at the Kinkakuji Temple
Praying at the Goddess of Mercy
Great trip - great to see outside the city of Tokyo and to learn a little more about Japanese culture.
The shinkansen (bullet train) left Shinagawa station here in Tokyo and flew through the countryside for two and half hours before depositing us at Kyoto Station - a huge place with so many lines, local and national that it was a very confusing moment and we followed the crowd to one of many exits. We had planned this carefully and decided, as it was our very first visit to the city, we would keep it simple and stay at the very western and very smart hotel actually at the station. It was a fabulous place but it was on many floors and in many wings so finding your way around it was a little tricky to start with.
Dave decided to try the masssage and I decided to explore on foot and see what could be found. After all, I had heard such magnificent tales of the city that I was keen to find something to impress me. I walked for miles and the whole place seemed to have a sad, run down air; shutters closed with grafitti sprayed on them and a river that was begging for water to flow down what had obviously once been a wide and thriving channel which now had only grass and few small areas of water in it - where the cranes lurked looking hopefully for fish. It seemed a sad and tired city - the days of old weighing heavily on its shoulders.
So it was a somewhat disappointed Trysh that returned to the hotel almost two hours later. Had we really come all this way for this?
Following a conversation with the concierge we tried to book a tour of the city but it was full. The concierge was helpful and suggested that with a taxi we could visit the city's attractions easily. We set off with a map marked in Japanese and our limited phrases to see what could be found.
Our first stop was Nijo Castle - the home of the Shogun and what a place this turned out to be. We learnt about the system - lots of ladies in waiting and lots of swords. We learnt too about the nightingale floor boards - boards that squeak when walked on so that spies who arrived in the night could be easily discovered and dealt with. The spies were called Ninja - and that is why they learnt to move around by climbing walls and scaling heights - to avoid those squeaky floor boards!
We met some young students who wanted to practise their English on us. When they discovered David was a Principal and I was an English teacher they nearly died of shock but they came running after us to present us with a small bird done in origami by one of the girls as a thank you.
We moved on to the next awesome moment - a visit to Kinkakuji Temple - the Golden Pavillion (see photo). What can I say? Beautiful and stunning seem to be an understatement really. Yes, it really IS gold.
David and me at the Kinkakuji Temple
Lunch called so we headed off to Kyomizu dera Temple which was set high on a hill overlooking Kyoto.
In the winding back street near the temple, we had a proper Japanese lunch - a Bento Box with a selection of delicious things in a lovely local resturant overlooking a Japanese garden. Tempura is definitely our favourite kind of food here but we are getting a taste for the less western flavours - like tofu which is very soft here and can be very tasty especially when made with sesame. I'm still not really into the noodles - but if I have to, I prefer the cold ones over the hot!
Praying at the Goddess of MercyIn the evening we met up with a Canadian ex pro footballer who, 16 years ago, married a real, live Geisha and now does walking tours around Gion (an area of Kyoto) telling people about the real life of the Geisha. He pointed out the houses where they train, the tea shops (which sell anything but tea!) and the schools they attend and we did see both Geisha and Maiko (Geisha in training) just going about their business in the streets around the place. Once you know what you are looking for, you can spot them easily - it's all in the hair. They train for years in the art of dance, music and conversation and they are seen very much as the keepers of the tradition rather than the innovators of society, which they were many years ago. We were totaly enthralled by what he had to tell us and David is now re-reading the book by Arthur Golden. Sadly, I was too shy to take photos of the girls and my snaps were blurred and not good at all - but I did one from the back which isn't too bad!
Great trip - great to see outside the city of Tokyo and to learn a little more about Japanese culture. Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Shopping
We live 9 floors up and have a commanding view across the city - this includes a lot of other people's roof terraces and balconies. We have just had a three day national holiday and I can honestly say that I have only seen one other person in these outdoor spaces in all that time. Where do the Japanese spend their time? I've given this some thought - I'm obviously not busy enough - and I think they shop. When I go to places like Omotosando and Shibuya, the place is heaving - they are out in force and shopping til they drop - I think this phrase was invented for the Japanese. Rumour has it that there is a credit crunch - you simply would not believe it to see the number of people shopping - not just browsing but seriously shopping - loaded with bags.
The shopping here - like everything else - is amazing. We went shopping for a shirt. Bit tricky I thought given that Dave is not a diminutive Japanese man but we went anyway. The shop we bought the shirt in was fascinating. English was limited so we had a lot of sign lanuage and laughter but we got there in the end. Did Sir want long sleeves? He did? Well, how long would that be then? Dave and I had no idea - so a tape measure was produced and the exact measurement taken. A lot of scratching of heads - did they have a shirt that would fit? Ah... (lots of rummaging...), how about this one? Dave then tried it on - and had difficulty keeping the lovely female assistant out of his changing room. She was hovering outside the door and kept trying to go in! Not that he would have minded at all but a man has to keep his dignity!
The shirt was great, it was admired by Dave, me and four assistants in the shop and the decision to purchase was made. We took it to the paying desk where a man started to refold the shirt and insert all the pins to get it back into the bag so that Dave could take it home and take them all out again.... I don't think so. The instruction to cease this activity was received with surprise and disappointment but the customer is always right here in Japan. The shirt was then folded beautifully into a very smart, navy blue paper (for recycling) bag and held on to by another assistant who then walked us very grandly to the front door of the shop and handed Dave the package with a bow and a very long phrase in Japanese. Two more assistants appeared and also bowed and they watched us walk away down the pavement as though we were revered guests who had just left a house party! I wanted to turn and wave but Dave thought it probably was not the thing to do...!
The whole thing was quite charming - time consuming may be, but boy could those guys in M&S learn a thing or two!!
The shopping here - like everything else - is amazing. We went shopping for a shirt. Bit tricky I thought given that Dave is not a diminutive Japanese man but we went anyway. The shop we bought the shirt in was fascinating. English was limited so we had a lot of sign lanuage and laughter but we got there in the end. Did Sir want long sleeves? He did? Well, how long would that be then? Dave and I had no idea - so a tape measure was produced and the exact measurement taken. A lot of scratching of heads - did they have a shirt that would fit? Ah... (lots of rummaging...), how about this one? Dave then tried it on - and had difficulty keeping the lovely female assistant out of his changing room. She was hovering outside the door and kept trying to go in! Not that he would have minded at all but a man has to keep his dignity!
The shirt was great, it was admired by Dave, me and four assistants in the shop and the decision to purchase was made. We took it to the paying desk where a man started to refold the shirt and insert all the pins to get it back into the bag so that Dave could take it home and take them all out again.... I don't think so. The instruction to cease this activity was received with surprise and disappointment but the customer is always right here in Japan. The shirt was then folded beautifully into a very smart, navy blue paper (for recycling) bag and held on to by another assistant who then walked us very grandly to the front door of the shop and handed Dave the package with a bow and a very long phrase in Japanese. Two more assistants appeared and also bowed and they watched us walk away down the pavement as though we were revered guests who had just left a house party! I wanted to turn and wave but Dave thought it probably was not the thing to do...!
The whole thing was quite charming - time consuming may be, but boy could those guys in M&S learn a thing or two!!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Shall we dance?
Went to the local cinema last night. We had tickets to see "Shall We Dance?" - the Japanese version. The original had Richard Gere in it and... I think.... J Lo but this was a remake based on a Button Factory Manager and his journey to Ballroom Dancing. It was in Japanese but with English subtitles and I can honestly say, it's the best film I have seen in a long time. This film won all the major awards for Japanese films and I can see why.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Moving In
Photos are views from the balcony and our new lounge....
It's been a busy week so far. We got the keys to our new apartment last Friday and started to move into it. First of all, things from Tokyo, bought here in anticipation of our lovely new home. Then things that kind people had left for us - Dave's predecessor and others - to get us started. Finally on Saturday morning all our things from China.
As we looked around we decided we had brought just enough 'China' with us - a few small items which fit into our new and very modern home here in Tokyo. We are very keen to get a little bit of 'Japan' here too and I have already identified two pieces of furniture that are rather nice.... not sure where we will put them yet so holding off the actual purchase!
What can I tell you? The apartment is on the 9th and 10th floor of a 12 storey building (not too high - good for earthquakes - talking of which we are due to have one later today...) and the view across Tokyo is amazing. We live 15minutes from all the best places - Roppongi Hills (a VERY nice area with lots of high class shopping and eating to be done plus the odd gallery thrown in for good measure; Omotosando - more high class shopping plus a few like Gap and Zara and Shibuya which is the centre of mass for all young Japanese so its lively and bright and mad
Oh and I've signed up for Skype.... must keep in touch with all our lovely children in the UK...
Monday, September 7, 2009
Mobile phones and things
I simply couldn't get away with it any longer. I'd existed quite happily without one for three whole weeks and to be honest, I was rather enjoying that sense of not being available however, life for others was less enjoyable and it had to be done - the purchasing of a mobile phone.
I did all my homework and asked a lot of people about the best way forward and it seemed that a contract would be the way to go. The package choice was huge and complex and included a lot of things I really did not want. I didn't want to check my stocks and shares; I didn't want to use it as an ipod and I certainly did not want a continuous weather forecast! Still, seemingly, for 2 months I have to have them. What I really wanted (free calls and SMS mesages), was not to be, not now, not ever - I have to pay for every call and message. So we began the process - lots of form filling (all in Japanese) and , as an alien, lots of bureaucracy checked, double checked and triple checked - all on line and it took ABSOLUTELY AGES!! Two hours later we left, had lunch then returned to collect it all when the clearances were through. So I'm MOBILE - yippee!!
It's a very sweet little white phone and I'm sure we will get on, but my first text was oh so painful. New systems, ridiculous predictive text, obviously a direct translation from the Japanese , so no use to me whatsoever! I managed to compose one then decided to email the kids with the information and let them send one first! The good news is that I AM getting faster (and I have found out how to turn off the predictive texting); the bad news is that I prefer email!!!
I did all my homework and asked a lot of people about the best way forward and it seemed that a contract would be the way to go. The package choice was huge and complex and included a lot of things I really did not want. I didn't want to check my stocks and shares; I didn't want to use it as an ipod and I certainly did not want a continuous weather forecast! Still, seemingly, for 2 months I have to have them. What I really wanted (free calls and SMS mesages), was not to be, not now, not ever - I have to pay for every call and message. So we began the process - lots of form filling (all in Japanese) and , as an alien, lots of bureaucracy checked, double checked and triple checked - all on line and it took ABSOLUTELY AGES!! Two hours later we left, had lunch then returned to collect it all when the clearances were through. So I'm MOBILE - yippee!!
It's a very sweet little white phone and I'm sure we will get on, but my first text was oh so painful. New systems, ridiculous predictive text, obviously a direct translation from the Japanese , so no use to me whatsoever! I managed to compose one then decided to email the kids with the information and let them send one first! The good news is that I AM getting faster (and I have found out how to turn off the predictive texting); the bad news is that I prefer email!!!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Brollies
Today we caught the tail end (or side swipe?) Of a typhoon. It rained non-stop for about 36 hours. This was not the drizzly, annoying stuff; this was serious rain coming straight down in stair rods. I grabbed a brolly brought from England and scurried to the local supermarket - a girl has to eat!
(This photo is the famous Shibuya crossing)
I should have known that here in the land of protocols for everything, there is a Brolly Protocol. You can't take your brolly into a store dripping with water and shake it over anyone who gets in the way, oh no. You have to turn at the door, mutter, excuse me (sumimassen), shake the brolly, fold it neatly and place in a plastic bag (brolly shaped) thoughtfully provided by the store. You then hang it on your trolley where, at the checkout, a lovely assistant removes the brolly bag (now wet and sticky) and places it in the recycling for you. Now that is service!
No one in Tokyo is without a brolly. The joy of it is that they are on sale every 10 metres or so along the main routes through any sort of shop imaginable - smart beauticians, newsagents, cigarette stalls ... The brollies come in a wide range of colours and circumferences and for £ 3 or
£ 4 you can buy a great looking one - with cats, hearts, plain, see-through, neon coloured - the choice is yours. The great thing is that if the sun comes out and it's a nuisance to carry, you can leave it on the side of the pavement in the knowledge that it will still be there tomorrow - unless of course, it rains - then someone else will recycle it for you! I love this place.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)