So, there's this little holiday in Japan called "Culture Day." It also happens to be a time when the schools go crazy and host school festivals, run by the students, with free markets.
I have no regrets from going to Kansai Gaidai's School Festival. It was awesome and delicious!
So, the school fair was fairly crowded (pardon the pun!) with all the families of the students streaming in.
Lots of people came, but cannot be seen from this angle
Halloween in Japan is very different from Halloween in America. For one thing, there’s no trick or treating (scandalous, I know!) and for another thing there’s classes the next day despite all the late night parties. However, there is one thing that remains the same—costuming! And of course, Japanese girls (and some guys) take it up to the next level.
VAMPIRE ATTACK!
Kansai Gaidai had a special costume contest that I entered with some of my friends. I went as Shita from the Studio Ghibli move, Castle in the Sky.
…and of course, the ever (in)famous costume: boys in skirts.
Today Okaasan showed me how to make curry rice. It was fun, even if I still haven’t gotten the hang of how to cut using Japanese knives that well (the bladework is entirely different, and I rely on what I’m used to—thus cutting wrong. ): ). So we made the base for the curry tonight, and tomorrow we will eat the curry rice! I’m so excited!
The best part about Japan so far (though this may be because of living in flat ol’ WI)?
THE MOUNTAINS.
I’ve talked with others—the definition of mountain varies—but for a flatlander like me, these are all very mountainy-looking to me.
And to show this off, here are more pictures of mountains from my bus trip I took on Sunday. Every time I even just look out my window, these mountains surrounding me take my breath away.
Please excuse any blurriness--most of these were taken out of a window on a bus....
Bon voyage!
And, for your added enjoyment, this is entirely chocolate--only the display stand is not edible!
Not only is rice traditionally an essential part of every meal and one of the only things Japan will not import in, but it’s also on the five yen coin and has rice paddies in the city (see my previous post)!
I’m not just saying this because of the Asian stereotype either. Rob (one of my favorite professors, Professor Robert Andre LaFleur) made me read a whole book on it (Rice as Self by Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney) and gave a very interesting (and detailed) lecture of how rice and Seven Samurai are related.
(It's only slightly related, but it's such a great movie! For those of you who haven't watched it (or need a refresher), this is the "happy ending" of the film--people planting rice)
In more interesting terms, it’s fall, which means it’s the harvest, and that means that we’re having new rice at the table for dinner.
I never really understood the distinction Okaasan made. After all, isn’t rice rice? I learned today that there indeed is a difference.
New rice is shinier and has something that’s not exactly a crunch, but more chew. (Actually, I find myself preferring old rice, but I think that’s just because I’m used to it and besides, Okaasan’s so happy with the new harvest that I haven’t the heart to be a picky-choosy person…)
So yes, it's the harvest, there's new rice and I'm still alive~!
Hi! Yeah, it's me. I'm alive and (finally) done with midterms! I feel that I did pretty well on my two language tests and here's to hoping my anthro is just as well! I have to admit, midterms really took it out of me and I'm glad they're over.
Things are going pretty mellow here, the temperature has finally dropped into something looking like fall (it's currently in the 40s at night...and the 70s in the day, so maybe not...) and I'm hoping against all hope! Some of the leaves have started to change color, so I'm hoping hard! :)
It's hard to believe I've been here for half a semester already. It seems like so much shorter than that! I only have a month and two weeks or so of school left. Scary!
Anyways, I have to get up early in the morning tomorrow, so g'night to you all! Now that midterms are over, I think I'll be coming back to my regularly scheduled updates, so do not fear!
