Lil' Guy's Got an Eye!

Irish music alive and well in Japan!  Befriended this lil' dude and gave him my camera to take the pics of my friends -  he took the photos below.  The looks on faces when these little guys take the shots is pretty great.  He was HILARIOUS - waving people over to the side (No more THAT way) and really carefully lining up his shots - what a character.  We went to a training here along with volunteer Koko (high school) Japanese students - they were extremely polite and a couple of them wanted to talk politics - I'm talking smart here!  

Awa Odori!

Awa Odori is a dance festival that is held in Tokushima City each August, and is really something as over 1,000,000 people descend upon a town of 250,000 - people crowd the streets, playing this particular awa tune using the shamisen (japanese banjo), taiko drum, and flute and some small gong/cymbal - the dance is really fun - we performed in three separate places to huge crowds who smiled and clapped along - our JET program teachers all danced along with some other local Gaijin (foreigner) types and some Japanese friends also...

One of the important factors of this festival is that it is focused on peace in our world.   An older Taiko guy let me play his drum, and a floutist (he had excellent English - taking lessons from another JET) taught me a bit of the flute - I have also played a little shamisen and Koto at my school, Mishima Chogako (jr high), and they let me use the Gym to practice trumpet...also, funny aside, if I walk in sweaty, I am immediately served an iced coffee and yesterday I taught in an air-conditioned room - YEAH BABY!  And I thought I was a lowly teacher! Turns out, I'm the Mayor!  This has inspired me to do some extra work to earn this treatment!

This is the traditional Yukata, which doesn't mean "Robe one kicks butt in" But rather "Summer Garment" - The fans serve as dance bling as well as coping with 90+ degrees and dancing!  Yes, the hotel room there has paper walls and a tatami mat floor - very common here..

We stayed at a temple during our orientation - there are 88 temples here on the island of Shikoku and many "pilgrims" do the loop, taking up to two months if they are on foot... 

The JET program participants here take calligraphy, flower arranging, and a host of martial arts. For example, though it hasn't started yet, one of my adult conversation class pupils has invited me to go with him to Judo - he's a cop who is a fourth degree master (sounds a little scary when he says "Please come PLAY JUDO with me" - sounds a little like "Hey, are your affairs in order? Just curious..."  We'll see how it goes...lots of time to blog if I have a broken leg!  Always look on the bright side, if I can move my neck to find it...

Naruto Bridge, more Anabuki River Valley, My Steed

This is the Naruto Bridge, underwhich MAJOR whirlpools form (20 meter diameter)  It's close to a sweet beach and the water was around 20C (about 70 degrees) - Take this bad boy to get to Kobe and Osaka - where my buddy Takeshi lives, so I'll be up that way soon...

The house pic was so taoist  - man working with nature...very peaceful view from our swimmin' hole on the Anabukigawa...

My buddy Josh is a cellist (and fellow rock stacker)  - There are many musician JETs so we're planning some sessions and perhaps puttin' the band together. The band? THE BAND!

The waterfall is up the Anabukigawa valley (LOTS to see there)....very peaceful.....

Can't wait 'til next week when I get my hoken (drivin' insurance) and cut loose with my 1982 ferrari 308 GTB.  I know I know, you're jealous. 

Today I'll get my Gaijin Card - which means a phone!! Sweet. 

Scenes of small-town Japan

There are vending machines everywhere! Cigs, beer too - wtf? Crazy stuff, but I really like going for a bike ride and before I finish my thought about how thirsty I am, there's the oasis machine! Sweet.  

Rooftops are rather ornately gabled - many homes are quite beautiful...The road scene tells the story - chill, small, mix of business and residential above (or a part of!)...

The pillar/sculpture shot I'm not sure of - I'll get back to you...as you can see it from the river also, it may perhaps mark where the Temple is...There is a pilgrimage here one can undertake, involving trekking around to 88 temples on the island of Shikoku...I met a guy in Tokyo at a whiskey bar who took 2 months to make the trip....begging for food and hitching most of the way...Back to the river today!! 

ANABUKI

My little town of Anabuki is part of a small series of towns along the Yoshinogawa ("gawa" means river).  The Anabuki river flows in from the north - it is so clear - the locals all claim it is the cleanest river on this lovely island of Shikoku.  The weather is HOT and humid, and I heard today that by contrast the winter is quite cold.   Bamboo trees have a feather-like quality and gives a soft, relaxing feel when I take in the view outside my window (which is half-blocked by a huge rockpile).  Here are a few pics of the area so I don't have to write their thousand-word counterparts in text!

Slightly more interesting style than mass emails?

You be the judge!  I'm setting this up to tell folks about my experiences in Japan while I'm 5,000 miles from home.  I'll add photos and stories here, so I hope you like it!

Thanks for checking,

Shawn