tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89211469133517240092024-02-20T09:57:14.040+09:00A Southern Boy in SadoA Blog About My Experience Teaching English on the Island of Sado.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-57677902041172042142010-08-03T08:35:00.003+09:002010-08-03T08:56:15.987+09:00The End of the JourneyWell...it's finally over. I am officially done with my 1 year teaching experience on Sado Island. This last year has truly been amazing. As this blog will show, I have had many amazing experiences that have enriched my life in more ways that I can even begin to write about. Hopefully you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed keeping it. I wish you all good luck in your own adventures. This is the Southern Boy in Sado signing off.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-86466037311316820262010-07-19T15:11:00.006+09:002010-07-19T15:41:16.036+09:00Things I Will Not Miss About JapanIn connection with my post "Things I Will Miss about Japan" I thought it only right to express both sides of my feelings about my home for the past year. As I said before, there are somethings in the day to day that are simply perfect, but there are other things in the day to day that make me wonder what they heck I got myself in to! Here are a few of those things.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbXcIVcBp2rjbFiOzOjTy-wa1t_bonehGElMONvx0iUkd0COI4YeLBymmOHJy-NzmVNBiZkS-drFXU0k_nAUl6HugYQ2Mb4mAf9zUm93CS-HTEmWwSl9f5yzb0GiUVffajuultb1wazs/s1600/Kitchen+from+the+bed+room.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbXcIVcBp2rjbFiOzOjTy-wa1t_bonehGElMONvx0iUkd0COI4YeLBymmOHJy-NzmVNBiZkS-drFXU0k_nAUl6HugYQ2Mb4mAf9zUm93CS-HTEmWwSl9f5yzb0GiUVffajuultb1wazs/s320/Kitchen+from+the+bed+room.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495498349991602530" border="0" /></a>My Kitchen! Let's just say we had our disagreements and I won few of them!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbXcIVcBp2rjbFiOzOjTy-wa1t_bonehGElMONvx0iUkd0COI4YeLBymmOHJy-NzmVNBiZkS-drFXU0k_nAUl6HugYQ2Mb4mAf9zUm93CS-HTEmWwSl9f5yzb0GiUVffajuultb1wazs/s1600/Kitchen+from+the+bed+room.JPG"> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UbOQyCA5hIW0jawBJb88Q-OC45ZAod-Igw-Ef_r9rQscHg9p8PVJWti8Bv3PuO9hCk4huXZV7YcZqFfw4JQrC3oT5TpupkiOKSm6geg1_12moiuVgAgsrRoyG_6LXAvI_SD2l2omtpo/s1600/IMG_5043.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9UbOQyCA5hIW0jawBJb88Q-OC45ZAod-Igw-Ef_r9rQscHg9p8PVJWti8Bv3PuO9hCk4huXZV7YcZqFfw4JQrC3oT5TpupkiOKSm6geg1_12moiuVgAgsrRoyG_6LXAvI_SD2l2omtpo/s320/IMG_5043.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495498208393999554" border="0" /></a>Peanut Butter should come in a dump truck size in every country!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogj75YGt7GtgDH9jkQiZr05NtAG7PiZz5tLDaBKPbxh5F-C9FF_ydELMUX17N4i3_D9Fr_MS3C-el8_vdfOxbND1RT4kNlNFJTI741JvMRbsBpO7fIt423g6ukZOcIbecCBcN7XIsgnA/s1600/IMG_4826.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhogj75YGt7GtgDH9jkQiZr05NtAG7PiZz5tLDaBKPbxh5F-C9FF_ydELMUX17N4i3_D9Fr_MS3C-el8_vdfOxbND1RT4kNlNFJTI741JvMRbsBpO7fIt423g6ukZOcIbecCBcN7XIsgnA/s320/IMG_4826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495497585328301170" border="0" /></a>Smoking never looks cooler or weirder than it is does in Japan. Gross either way!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbifSF1kltTq59aYKVDoRrA2V1zm9rEHjYd2GiIuClDYVKF2KwwEJ3rP8zJ4ZaP-5r0XM6ad4J-qbFuizHX51NLkcwHA_rr5UA4O6yRTi2nGSJQVVVHSkUY5GgiAlLqiTFVNfYg2FYq6E/s1600/IMG_4709.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbifSF1kltTq59aYKVDoRrA2V1zm9rEHjYd2GiIuClDYVKF2KwwEJ3rP8zJ4ZaP-5r0XM6ad4J-qbFuizHX51NLkcwHA_rr5UA4O6yRTi2nGSJQVVVHSkUY5GgiAlLqiTFVNfYg2FYq6E/s320/IMG_4709.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495497572487397218" border="0" /></a>My Car. This Daihatsu Move served its purpose, but I honestly believe I have Tonka Trucks with more horsepower than this thing.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0sgOaXSR7oOQM4lYLq9briXeQp4MaUI1UspivDz_zHVhXNkOH6Rr-YH4aVRK5IibVA9_HQx-5a4ENAX2pPL8PEoNocIFcRV9Fh3oAwXb9CIhgWdlKe4mjVeHZC2b9rxbOHqdDgLON6Q/s1600/IMG_3929.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0sgOaXSR7oOQM4lYLq9briXeQp4MaUI1UspivDz_zHVhXNkOH6Rr-YH4aVRK5IibVA9_HQx-5a4ENAX2pPL8PEoNocIFcRV9Fh3oAwXb9CIhgWdlKe4mjVeHZC2b9rxbOHqdDgLON6Q/s320/IMG_3929.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495497567536067970" border="0" /></a> Over the top fashion. I've been seeing Lady Gaga-esk fashion since I studied abroad in Tokyo 3 years ago and I'm still not used to it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bKDr2UIBaCRTvFqNIT49cpQgCG3IERtJ7_W6CSrdLrMO01fDmZyk1mI8KK9asa8KXEJs-4cLsQJDDJq_QttPiYYGG9HkKwM3T1UyusfMtvvCkOTVydaz97r2FbH_CX8LtRqzLM9NdI0/s1600/IMG_4161.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-bKDr2UIBaCRTvFqNIT49cpQgCG3IERtJ7_W6CSrdLrMO01fDmZyk1mI8KK9asa8KXEJs-4cLsQJDDJq_QttPiYYGG9HkKwM3T1UyusfMtvvCkOTVydaz97r2FbH_CX8LtRqzLM9NdI0/s320/IMG_4161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495497553808683650" border="0" /></a><br /> The Week Long Special Flavors of Soda. Why does any thing beside sweet red bean need to taste like sweet red bean? Not that this Coke drinker would ever blame Pepsi for tying to make there "soda" taste better.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCfDRPpwKY8pZhdqRMYLgXv4UcDMtIsczg6Ex4QjZQIwomxa7pIIIPfgbgIyTM3jULZ_WSL0-g-ArSedvfH1zrFFHxwzZKQMYiFxdGlT0a864g5j4P7Iqhq9PBxiWs_GcuOSY5nt_ELg/s1600/IMG_4452.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzCfDRPpwKY8pZhdqRMYLgXv4UcDMtIsczg6Ex4QjZQIwomxa7pIIIPfgbgIyTM3jULZ_WSL0-g-ArSedvfH1zrFFHxwzZKQMYiFxdGlT0a864g5j4P7Iqhq9PBxiWs_GcuOSY5nt_ELg/s320/IMG_4452.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495497546605349826" border="0" /></a>Number 1: Winter! Niigata prefecture got more snow this year than it has in the last 26 years! This Georgia boy never quite got used to trekking through snow on his way to work.<br /><br />Again, as I said in my prior and admittedly more positive post, I could post a few more little peeves here but I think I've sufficiently cover my major grievances. No place is perfect but this place was still my home and without these imperfections I can't promise that I would have enjoyed the perfections in the same manner.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-5016487376000074752010-07-19T14:54:00.011+09:002010-07-19T15:11:28.803+09:00Water Sumo RevisitedAs one of my most popular post, I thought that Water Sumo needed a "redux" of sorts. Thanks to a good friend who doubles as a photographer, I have a play by play photos to share with you. Enjoy revisiting the Akadomari Water Sumo Bout of 2009.<br />Has a grown man ever look more proud....wearing a diaper in public? Probably not!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfNmWvMzm7OUbjeb27UQP7j_kr5mvTuT0kfGXQ5BBpmwhVX5Kz-psEoZRxB2xTG_dQIZSvB_UP2lN21WUeIEvgBJF5LzaJNtB6HCtKsV7Nyl9KrOBCTfgn7eXbZk01wbbVF8nB671Wxw/s1600/img075.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfNmWvMzm7OUbjeb27UQP7j_kr5mvTuT0kfGXQ5BBpmwhVX5Kz-psEoZRxB2xTG_dQIZSvB_UP2lN21WUeIEvgBJF5LzaJNtB6HCtKsV7Nyl9KrOBCTfgn7eXbZk01wbbVF8nB671Wxw/s320/img075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495493398348367026" border="0" /></a><br />First, the proud warrior takes his stance. Never mind the dumb look on his face. That is to confuse his enemy.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zIbWeAmfLZLWBASJCLZHJiajoi13Zzl4_DyPLZ3ZHFz4w8Sz8oDUIOCrBztWDEbMIHfArvSAeJmFW6ezmB_cGV5C16nwObtesO6mN1lvq0KlvMOs0q-sGI734D-zoXM-r7E8mAPN9v0/s1600/img076.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zIbWeAmfLZLWBASJCLZHJiajoi13Zzl4_DyPLZ3ZHFz4w8Sz8oDUIOCrBztWDEbMIHfArvSAeJmFW6ezmB_cGV5C16nwObtesO6mN1lvq0KlvMOs0q-sGI734D-zoXM-r7E8mAPN9v0/s320/img076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495493316293384930" border="0" /></a>The struggle begins! The warrior grapples with his foe like a boa on a panther!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFmmXQdJVPRXpEz30p9L98xvc2pm3IlQyAZF2cIrjTupbzKPw8Hh-yY1Wyp6st0CYAaDMuMQSlEVaTJ6zVdqQGB8DRAuhxRhvX2tMX7e0CgvwJpefOJk6FEH_MKzOyb57j8Pd0zK5TG8/s1600/img079.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFmmXQdJVPRXpEz30p9L98xvc2pm3IlQyAZF2cIrjTupbzKPw8Hh-yY1Wyp6st0CYAaDMuMQSlEVaTJ6zVdqQGB8DRAuhxRhvX2tMX7e0CgvwJpefOJk6FEH_MKzOyb57j8Pd0zK5TG8/s320/img079.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495493205262475778" border="0" /></a>Nearing the edge of the 2 foot precipice, the warrior confidently prepares to push his foe into the murky depths!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZkHQgLhc0D72n1OAeS_edKV3qPOEbw0NUYXPB5Rgyw5KoZsAwKUXk6-dCL6REfa15VaYJ2DcYF3f9-LqDq7QCVPULg_D6IXU00AQYOpMTf2tT6uR5SyOWsqXbNTe92YXXH5TA0O3v70/s1600/img077.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZkHQgLhc0D72n1OAeS_edKV3qPOEbw0NUYXPB5Rgyw5KoZsAwKUXk6-dCL6REfa15VaYJ2DcYF3f9-LqDq7QCVPULg_D6IXU00AQYOpMTf2tT6uR5SyOWsqXbNTe92YXXH5TA0O3v70/s320/img077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495493028531299778" border="0" /></a>The warrior has managed to get his opponent off balance by jerking his man diaper.<br />A wise move.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qP_24prhYCRBChJ0lF_XoxI1BdFPl0T9tGBCowI9I2E4wJ-wx5OcO2cH0KJiOHoPVGIl14zJI-NxJvZ88fsZEkpqgLcUncvgt_Amvz7W22eTJVRPvHdSCEr9-cnbebCfZ2CWS0k-_Yw/s1600/img080.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qP_24prhYCRBChJ0lF_XoxI1BdFPl0T9tGBCowI9I2E4wJ-wx5OcO2cH0KJiOHoPVGIl14zJI-NxJvZ88fsZEkpqgLcUncvgt_Amvz7W22eTJVRPvHdSCEr9-cnbebCfZ2CWS0k-_Yw/s320/img080.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495492426566090098" border="0" /></a>The battle lasted moments, my victory will last forever, and I have no idea where my pride and sense of fashion went but I suppose they left before the end of the fist round.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-57206130430092251112010-07-19T14:26:00.018+09:002010-07-19T14:54:36.734+09:00Things I WILL Miss About JapanAfter living in a place for an entire year, you begin to realize that there are some things about your situation that are nearly perfect. Somethings about the day to day are just great. Life would almost be unthinkable without these things. Here are some of those things I have found while living in Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoR9r-FVlTExrFnNPkmVNNVWQZTcqlX4oSxxlcRmLa5YN2xhWf6N1DMQDBuVsSJy2PoS63ix3PduRs04O-2fVKxudAfe6ukIITJ3e3Teurj-t5qE5f1B8r-kszYl7TsJst9pmWKwid-4/s1600/IMG_4479.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoR9r-FVlTExrFnNPkmVNNVWQZTcqlX4oSxxlcRmLa5YN2xhWf6N1DMQDBuVsSJy2PoS63ix3PduRs04O-2fVKxudAfe6ukIITJ3e3Teurj-t5qE5f1B8r-kszYl7TsJst9pmWKwid-4/s320/IMG_4479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495489198460986578" border="0" /></a>First and foremost , the kindness of my students. Over the last week I have said goodbye to over 200 sweet young children who have made such an impact on me. From games to letters to speeches to flowers to chorus songs, they have truly made my last week here one to remember.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I am still not allowed to post pictures of my students due to Japanese law. (Insert angry shake of the fist here).</span><br /><br />Living 5 minutes from the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAhhyNTqnSJ9QiVdVK3rrbCpf67TqMUSmjK_h9TPOIt0rqPA-VbB8wJvmS01Un1PMhyphenhyphenWFRKZ_oUIOdvMaBW6PHa9-KmBgSMHZvmOrhxoShXOotx0rJdOCb65wLaupuj2uFTD1bAOrnnk/s1600/waves+at+sobama,+oct+09.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqAhhyNTqnSJ9QiVdVK3rrbCpf67TqMUSmjK_h9TPOIt0rqPA-VbB8wJvmS01Un1PMhyphenhyphenWFRKZ_oUIOdvMaBW6PHa9-KmBgSMHZvmOrhxoShXOotx0rJdOCb65wLaupuj2uFTD1bAOrnnk/s320/waves+at+sobama,+oct+09.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495486820245408002" border="0" /></a><br />Japan has been called by some pop commentators "The Nation of Cute". If a 5 foot stuffed panda isn't enough evidence to support that claim then I don't know what you are looking for!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlUyMaMuK5ye-rR43Wt-jk2EJEqbyqbD9mrUUR81oHgi4wi6FtwuQZG0i9vGY3ycl6gaEyh8-YWaMuN5kjQN8N4sUbJTHa0LPmtlTrKRazUfx7Jlu3J118LG4K4DhYmSVQgtfDXUO7Jw/s1600/ueno+zoo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlUyMaMuK5ye-rR43Wt-jk2EJEqbyqbD9mrUUR81oHgi4wi6FtwuQZG0i9vGY3ycl6gaEyh8-YWaMuN5kjQN8N4sUbJTHa0LPmtlTrKRazUfx7Jlu3J118LG4K4DhYmSVQgtfDXUO7Jw/s320/ueno+zoo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495486685405083202" border="0" /></a><br />Being able to order raw beef dipped in a raw egg and not get stared at. Yes, this is on the "What I Will Miss" side : )<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTYPrN_mQvpg_N1EeyThasOD10FeACq7jG1z9U_cTFnl2Dirprr9uuTEno2q-dUM1MubpVoyyqlVkol6fJyoIo46_xccV8avEX1PRhMh6VmVYZLEp6WJv8-lyL1rqM3l4dHABihR5t9c/s1600/raw+beef+in+a+raw+egg,+AMAZING.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTYPrN_mQvpg_N1EeyThasOD10FeACq7jG1z9U_cTFnl2Dirprr9uuTEno2q-dUM1MubpVoyyqlVkol6fJyoIo46_xccV8avEX1PRhMh6VmVYZLEp6WJv8-lyL1rqM3l4dHABihR5t9c/s320/raw+beef+in+a+raw+egg,+AMAZING.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495486548630010498" border="0" /></a><br />Being able to buy a plank of fresh salmon for less then $5.00!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMp9U2nVZl0CBTQWwVODGY8dXVuCdAeWRysszA73JqkLeMUvkW0KCpCrRYWxRPSJndGky8vPlPWwHgZQGi0eD3xULerOACajcuA52GNqaJbyzKnxDeemwEMyUxCstQBdJOYtTBdW3OjU/s1600/IMG_5041.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMp9U2nVZl0CBTQWwVODGY8dXVuCdAeWRysszA73JqkLeMUvkW0KCpCrRYWxRPSJndGky8vPlPWwHgZQGi0eD3xULerOACajcuA52GNqaJbyzKnxDeemwEMyUxCstQBdJOYtTBdW3OjU/s320/IMG_5041.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495486395818822994" border="0" /></a><br />Hiroshima Okonomiyaki. Gastronomic HEAVEN!!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1XSpbpfIpqOv93_dLmMX4ncgDwK5o6aCwO3jC_7LOny0fiFmEO961xNgGN0RKMsBcEl6_BZ3RsDk5PwdWYsBbG0qDL4-iwbwpGNeH34mitqAQwhedLqMGVB8haHfSnul4oPUFNNX0aE/s1600/IMG_4159.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1XSpbpfIpqOv93_dLmMX4ncgDwK5o6aCwO3jC_7LOny0fiFmEO961xNgGN0RKMsBcEl6_BZ3RsDk5PwdWYsBbG0qDL4-iwbwpGNeH34mitqAQwhedLqMGVB8haHfSnul4oPUFNNX0aE/s320/IMG_4159.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495486181229199986" border="0" /></a><br />Living right around the corner from pieces of ancient history. History is a great part of what attracted me to Japan in the first place. Its richness and its depth still astound me to this day.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4D8sErQpDQNSnwPjwKq2nFQIfOFGXu1yqch-xn19vt9csQYgb7RHJaevYg9LfF8do89Bp3KQp8UAT4qvNn4K_65mVV6WkRWqz_YCwRk6yb5AA2BLpsK7r61KibGNtWcC8nMdz81ccEo/s1600/IMG_4126.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4D8sErQpDQNSnwPjwKq2nFQIfOFGXu1yqch-xn19vt9csQYgb7RHJaevYg9LfF8do89Bp3KQp8UAT4qvNn4K_65mVV6WkRWqz_YCwRk6yb5AA2BLpsK7r61KibGNtWcC8nMdz81ccEo/s320/IMG_4126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495485782827710882" border="0" /></a><br />Nature is in such abundance here it almost baffles me.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BuekO7xP9h68jWVEVXAs7xRRaVOBYl42cT2177mLFaLtbnHXrc02ch98Yy95jhy9-hwLRxeivO-YzrNNUaq_jrW4c3L8tY8it2l8mtS7EC3X7-BFtIZdqlf-MUC0pWLssksJIvNg_DE/s1600/IMG_3890.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BuekO7xP9h68jWVEVXAs7xRRaVOBYl42cT2177mLFaLtbnHXrc02ch98Yy95jhy9-hwLRxeivO-YzrNNUaq_jrW4c3L8tY8it2l8mtS7EC3X7-BFtIZdqlf-MUC0pWLssksJIvNg_DE/s320/IMG_3890.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495485559579996818" border="0" /></a><br />Friends. Self-explanatory.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_5NzrPaxeEJqF1oHI-Bm6rcLGN6H3kHCDo9JzWMpgtpxjHpDC27iLqNmDSDkMaxiuq69j6CCSEtpYyHzQdPb3271MyGNq40Ryv3X3b7x2MucaBYrXLq61qgEPkEh5YOz0ATegwvEKXQ/s1600/12301_752086969634_11300631_43224457_8328567_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_5NzrPaxeEJqF1oHI-Bm6rcLGN6H3kHCDo9JzWMpgtpxjHpDC27iLqNmDSDkMaxiuq69j6CCSEtpYyHzQdPb3271MyGNq40Ryv3X3b7x2MucaBYrXLq61qgEPkEh5YOz0ATegwvEKXQ/s320/12301_752086969634_11300631_43224457_8328567_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495485341984937586" border="0" /></a>There are more things that I could post here but as another blogger once told me, "I am torn between spending my time living a blog worthy life and actually blogging about it".Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-82445535637714164562010-07-17T13:35:00.013+09:002010-07-17T13:54:46.443+09:00Mt FujiI climbed Japan's highest mountain, Mt Fuji, last weekend. Standing at 3,776m (12,388ft), the summit is over 2 miles high. This has been my highest trek to date. Here are some pictures from my last great adventure in Japan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoUSa7_BcT_XyGNOROXu1eekw2yX8kp3AT3krNz4xoIhDrBSN6EoHx9Yv1Kw7W-7yjM38en9x5KXC0T-KirlyHDo5Unzw7-3OXAVB47p2auT6gzxuldGM7Xyn5Vj2Vb9Tab8xniPiVXs/s1600/IMG_5088.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoUSa7_BcT_XyGNOROXu1eekw2yX8kp3AT3krNz4xoIhDrBSN6EoHx9Yv1Kw7W-7yjM38en9x5KXC0T-KirlyHDo5Unzw7-3OXAVB47p2auT6gzxuldGM7Xyn5Vj2Vb9Tab8xniPiVXs/s320/IMG_5088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494730827957178162" border="0" /></a>Fuji from the 5th station camp. About 2,300m.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevji5bN8sj69x8N0uxSOyeo0o9iqIX-Rfxj25g7GAc3AugENmeM4mP4CmXMgCze3ws3V1dZ7w0YPswVSeDaJ8JRGdo1ufe4MROCjGgLqsgmq7hiGEOoEOxCbv-95d9uxuN1hMlfW4agw/s1600/IMG_5092.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevji5bN8sj69x8N0uxSOyeo0o9iqIX-Rfxj25g7GAc3AugENmeM4mP4CmXMgCze3ws3V1dZ7w0YPswVSeDaJ8JRGdo1ufe4MROCjGgLqsgmq7hiGEOoEOxCbv-95d9uxuN1hMlfW4agw/s320/IMG_5092.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494730644076174242" border="0" /></a>Kitty is ready for a climb.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cVl0R91ELBrPQ84AXZnzpWLogwrhPDuJ8nqPySeheNadBE84juDibwMkRGxlHxrpMBSG8GHTENY3Qb4BO0QtAjew13qtSPZ9js8WsX3oY9gvQ_A52e-A5jo14mC1smB0afODnv3PzBw/s1600/IMG_5110.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cVl0R91ELBrPQ84AXZnzpWLogwrhPDuJ8nqPySeheNadBE84juDibwMkRGxlHxrpMBSG8GHTENY3Qb4BO0QtAjew13qtSPZ9js8WsX3oY9gvQ_A52e-A5jo14mC1smB0afODnv3PzBw/s320/IMG_5110.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494730457412896482" border="0" /></a>Path from 5th to 6th station.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X5oN-63uYWyg_QJj4CRwFyWU12qyy-9hACHga28nuT48BDCuWkihQFbnrz8PgBwh9lXjbUx_buBp3F7UZeHWULVz5Hp6fvnmagNbSDqGOVGUf8zh61zmBRBJvRWh_cWpRJddPeU6B0Q/s1600/IMG_5131.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5X5oN-63uYWyg_QJj4CRwFyWU12qyy-9hACHga28nuT48BDCuWkihQFbnrz8PgBwh9lXjbUx_buBp3F7UZeHWULVz5Hp6fvnmagNbSDqGOVGUf8zh61zmBRBJvRWh_cWpRJddPeU6B0Q/s320/IMG_5131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494730159565420242" border="0" /></a>Seeing clouds climb up <span style="font-style: italic;">towards </span>you, amazing!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2cinUc5HZY7CFc1QwO5NphXm1BgncVlgzQw2U8inmewqOmD_6zo1ylTbL3h6eimodIDkCGCk1OKnoZtJbaHLYECM5OkpfU143LNsYNBXOhHLadQSjBuGLwDURtGC8CFDk3BvCICysTE/s1600/IMG_5143.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2cinUc5HZY7CFc1QwO5NphXm1BgncVlgzQw2U8inmewqOmD_6zo1ylTbL3h6eimodIDkCGCk1OKnoZtJbaHLYECM5OkpfU143LNsYNBXOhHLadQSjBuGLwDURtGC8CFDk3BvCICysTE/s320/IMG_5143.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494730013224405026" border="0" /></a>Tori gate at the 7th station.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfR9UlzZEdSr-Y1-_tKlVswZ2Ec1o7aZmOGBF7qmrQb_C5fWwGwpd8sEL0nBwE3D8LudhKdbXHrhkU49jxTyFUDoRsGY2Ug-mJXjrLncN_v44mem_jyxlZOb6T9ZpPlpI2JNeoWYQn1Y/s1600/IMG_5194.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfR9UlzZEdSr-Y1-_tKlVswZ2Ec1o7aZmOGBF7qmrQb_C5fWwGwpd8sEL0nBwE3D8LudhKdbXHrhkU49jxTyFUDoRsGY2Ug-mJXjrLncN_v44mem_jyxlZOb6T9ZpPlpI2JNeoWYQn1Y/s320/IMG_5194.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494729844177552274" border="0" /></a>Sunrise on the top of Mt Fuji. 4:18am. The cloud cover obstructed our view a bit, but the colors that were cast on the sky shortly before sunrise more than compensated for that.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkI4spCtMoIvvgtGY1UJQW3kFXH-RE1qecuypocrHxeKjlQOKiqO5NGzLmODw0rYvNf1LqElWSEr0JL_KqaKpz-SpkFjWyzXjDAaOg83e2OY9T4ElodmRKnHrxM374pLwy8V-7bKsOMM/s1600/IMG_5197.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkI4spCtMoIvvgtGY1UJQW3kFXH-RE1qecuypocrHxeKjlQOKiqO5NGzLmODw0rYvNf1LqElWSEr0JL_KqaKpz-SpkFjWyzXjDAaOg83e2OY9T4ElodmRKnHrxM374pLwy8V-7bKsOMM/s320/IMG_5197.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494729740281635778" border="0" /></a>The reflective band was so that I could be seen by other hikers as we were hiking in the dark in order to reach the summit by sunrise.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5h5YA9X3wWo_1HUI4G3KXdT4p5kdg1QTQqXPxVC4zT75ydLkMaFGBPkLRGAERgW1s5en9t5R1l8VKBRUnFfakVzYGbgVg2U5hpSPt6JOzLz9bQanZIN8xE-VrMQc5sZ9e8DBz_VhAGAo/s1600/IMG_5205.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5h5YA9X3wWo_1HUI4G3KXdT4p5kdg1QTQqXPxVC4zT75ydLkMaFGBPkLRGAERgW1s5en9t5R1l8VKBRUnFfakVzYGbgVg2U5hpSPt6JOzLz9bQanZIN8xE-VrMQc5sZ9e8DBz_VhAGAo/s320/IMG_5205.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494729578872868770" border="0" /></a>This one speaks for itself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH0B6Rzy5v3PdLXmbHD6aLU_zk6gQPQpc3ylV4ZmIxdSOXRtq4J-dSzgbzjNFfF5A5xrhlUhbVPCpmwZqGGDQ2v5KVaJ97pw1M9k4Btj1N-9Kb3cyZwhrjLQUYMFYk1Y-5rhTHZ9CiDI/s1600/IMG_5211.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH0B6Rzy5v3PdLXmbHD6aLU_zk6gQPQpc3ylV4ZmIxdSOXRtq4J-dSzgbzjNFfF5A5xrhlUhbVPCpmwZqGGDQ2v5KVaJ97pw1M9k4Btj1N-9Kb3cyZwhrjLQUYMFYk1Y-5rhTHZ9CiDI/s320/IMG_5211.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494729482424159634" border="0" /></a>Fuji was a really different experience. With a terrain similar to what I would imagine Mars to be like, it is not the most exciting of hikes but the sunrise is certainly something. Hiking at night also offers some interesting perks. I got to see the Milky Way, look far out into Japan and see these little plumes of light I knew to be cities. Despite the freezing temperatures, the gale force winds and the natural stress of climbing any mountain, I had a wonderful time ascending Mt Fuji.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-55005075618583433262010-06-26T08:26:00.016+09:002010-06-26T09:10:26.745+09:00Hamochi Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXATvAOOIIO1qfUcVQzX2EVbGyuPwo1oBNFRxdCyc42rX0zei-XU9nbg-3zU_G2xvwnaxiPayxiH5zHOoCwRg2iXHab4NWIHEkv6mQRrP2SoSnfbCw3jKy0lDY5VfD_CVLfbeb4Y2nHY/s1600/IMG_4987.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXATvAOOIIO1qfUcVQzX2EVbGyuPwo1oBNFRxdCyc42rX0zei-XU9nbg-3zU_G2xvwnaxiPayxiH5zHOoCwRg2iXHab4NWIHEkv6mQRrP2SoSnfbCw3jKy0lDY5VfD_CVLfbeb4Y2nHY/s320/IMG_4987.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486865921126628402" border="0" /></a><br />On a recent Japanese TV program detailing the 20 Most Famous Festivals in all of Japan, Hamochi Matsuri (festival) was the only one chosen from Niigata prefecture.<br />We're kind of a big deal! Here are some images from my first Hamochi Festival.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5kY2dQ0IZhpw74bUSmshdPyV6GAbt0wRilbOzASzDVr192N_-gWHpAFl2vbbEAfMhfAHkog1jOC1xX_wdoGpvPZJvUnCY-dTUf22uqJWQhgNdfBLWa5tNTRk7Ims2tAZC3cS8u5o1rI/s1600/IMG_4929.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5kY2dQ0IZhpw74bUSmshdPyV6GAbt0wRilbOzASzDVr192N_-gWHpAFl2vbbEAfMhfAHkog1jOC1xX_wdoGpvPZJvUnCY-dTUf22uqJWQhgNdfBLWa5tNTRk7Ims2tAZC3cS8u5o1rI/s320/IMG_4929.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486865153426906194" border="0" /></a>This is an Ojishi (lion). 8 or so guys climb under the cloth covering and one holds the huge, wooden lion head as they snake their way across town. I actually go to go inside it and participate for a bit. It was really fun and totally unexpected.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj552ntRA3sNOhooGSagaD0_-l5LBILAp3h30IuJb_OdbUInNzkfIyUYGWbrcQNNLFy0TNakP_bK_exAX5Fy-1i8wbdVROcctDy5gbD1mVBYCWLICt2fVWlS2ApgKaVf2Be27ADOesX4pI/s1600/IMG_4933.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj552ntRA3sNOhooGSagaD0_-l5LBILAp3h30IuJb_OdbUInNzkfIyUYGWbrcQNNLFy0TNakP_bK_exAX5Fy-1i8wbdVROcctDy5gbD1mVBYCWLICt2fVWlS2ApgKaVf2Be27ADOesX4pI/s320/IMG_4933.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486864788016040770" border="0" /></a>They barrel into the shops and homes in town and clap the mouth of the huge wooden lion head to scare away evil spirits.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxBzU15VvbVFiVV0wIrDJ582rNlhVUKeLSnmPK_cE_jCaQbLzHNtbeCr-oR5YupSlqAs1Oo_sdQlIG3D-8rph0t0pjeTpblIHAGV66Gkz-aF94aQcNjMpocOBQWBYW4R6C5YVb8zuXak/s1600/IMG_4977.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxBzU15VvbVFiVV0wIrDJ582rNlhVUKeLSnmPK_cE_jCaQbLzHNtbeCr-oR5YupSlqAs1Oo_sdQlIG3D-8rph0t0pjeTpblIHAGV66Gkz-aF94aQcNjMpocOBQWBYW4R6C5YVb8zuXak/s320/IMG_4977.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486863361892263138" border="0" /></a><br />This is tsuburosashi! It is a central feature of Hamochi Festival. It is a fertility dance (I bet you were wondering) that is famous even within Japan. Having just completed rice planting, it is very timely dance for a community that is constituted largely of farmers. Ok, not one joke about the...the...next picture please!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iZBtDAHqfUcxlM_lbhoR7GWxLrQ0paUkZhZj15KgeV0tN7LOx830ZuIqO08mxByaeKSGMZqtCwpMsU5yEIL4Qtc5empIe6SixiGdcaUMb0fOobduB_Pz59US1H9kSkty2MSqErfbano/s1600/IMG_4984.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iZBtDAHqfUcxlM_lbhoR7GWxLrQ0paUkZhZj15KgeV0tN7LOx830ZuIqO08mxByaeKSGMZqtCwpMsU5yEIL4Qtc5empIe6SixiGdcaUMb0fOobduB_Pz59US1H9kSkty2MSqErfbano/s320/IMG_4984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486860940284867922" border="0" /></a><br />The Sado Okesa is a traditional folk dance that is done ALL THE TIME on Sado. It is quite graceful and it looks very "Japanese". Even my youngest students can do this start to finish.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgePwl3O5JFjWS5LCKRcWq5L0HSrOjCCqLr-idf7Dz2eWyL96FYFu8iivofyIxz_beqz23D0I9LnNZfhTqE7VMpOUQytJ406Hs1sMSlVi5IzgE4EoKtA11Go2lXqMke-gnFaHlrvhIUU/s1600/IMG_4996.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgePwl3O5JFjWS5LCKRcWq5L0HSrOjCCqLr-idf7Dz2eWyL96FYFu8iivofyIxz_beqz23D0I9LnNZfhTqE7VMpOUQytJ406Hs1sMSlVi5IzgE4EoKtA11Go2lXqMke-gnFaHlrvhIUU/s320/IMG_4996.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486858739516114738" border="0" /></a><br />An Omikoshi (portable shrine) They lift this huge wooden shrine on long planks with their shoulders and carry it around town. And yes, that person is standing on top of it. I've done this once before in Tokyo, and I can tell you that it's really fun but not for anyone with stiff shoulders.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8_RckTqvMP3Jl96JsY8B4wmtB7Q9Rfnx71IEOc0WVDCmZDMpcHtuBaXNckLmIASBdqEXf_rez4EcKZT_EA3AsK_dbWtIrS8N86sJU-Gq8ikM4oBTH8wyOpMoA_QPmoOZTUQE8a4LXlI/s1600/IMG_5007.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8_RckTqvMP3Jl96JsY8B4wmtB7Q9Rfnx71IEOc0WVDCmZDMpcHtuBaXNckLmIASBdqEXf_rez4EcKZT_EA3AsK_dbWtIrS8N86sJU-Gq8ikM4oBTH8wyOpMoA_QPmoOZTUQE8a4LXlI/s320/IMG_5007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486858063107115602" border="0" /></a><br />This is one of the actors in the Noh (pronounced 'No') that was performed the night of the festival. Noh is a masked stage performance that has a rich history on Sado.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzkv_nw8kQb3Mct3qekvs2WwvOvxBCBf_Zm29dEZIGs2xHPmoj5uxGzzLxlWpLJ5WJ1Tq1Ez_eIDpq_lMDCX22rsW6rot9Uy1JAwCfiWtYX_lbxaPyQcExGS9sIoI7UGdpXkfDQIiAvM/s1600/IMG_5028.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzkv_nw8kQb3Mct3qekvs2WwvOvxBCBf_Zm29dEZIGs2xHPmoj5uxGzzLxlWpLJ5WJ1Tq1Ez_eIDpq_lMDCX22rsW6rot9Uy1JAwCfiWtYX_lbxaPyQcExGS9sIoI7UGdpXkfDQIiAvM/s320/IMG_5028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486857739421222050" border="0" /></a>This is the traditional Noh Stage.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-10067065513715486582010-06-20T11:13:00.006+09:002010-06-20T11:25:17.222+09:00Beauty in Sado<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrHjRTzxKOLqFp_BmVTirJxIMv6n6hbWIbimscdhSVvv3YgYEgiMzwsnP3u_5JrEyEULNqbcqEtbOuYb7krLJIp0wDUsFQOekoAfI_QFi_ffXzvbMK1PsOxNIcsrequf4dd_HE1xhdGs/s1600/IMG_4899.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrHjRTzxKOLqFp_BmVTirJxIMv6n6hbWIbimscdhSVvv3YgYEgiMzwsnP3u_5JrEyEULNqbcqEtbOuYb7krLJIp0wDUsFQOekoAfI_QFi_ffXzvbMK1PsOxNIcsrequf4dd_HE1xhdGs/s320/IMG_4899.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484675874162948754" border="0" /></a>I liked how this picture looked flipped.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-9PczWDCNwzsvuge9T0l1CTBejjA5zhYjv7ljZUK2-jjZx98HcoLAbodxiXmoCbnOXv8g3AGPlhb3sEBTbjJGWBrQ23lmvJQpWbN-va-5WdjSceGHDlyepbSiWGw6KzMIXOzfL6XdbQ/s1600/IMG_4882.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-9PczWDCNwzsvuge9T0l1CTBejjA5zhYjv7ljZUK2-jjZx98HcoLAbodxiXmoCbnOXv8g3AGPlhb3sEBTbjJGWBrQ23lmvJQpWbN-va-5WdjSceGHDlyepbSiWGw6KzMIXOzfL6XdbQ/s320/IMG_4882.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484674114029301794" border="0" /></a>Ohnogame - A massive rock that looks kind of like a turtle (kame, changed to game here, means turtle)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_wcGIWerisYl7KY6wMPbflY0gKyEYWIzmN_kCciw0Y1JTNyP6hOjeuWveRKuWC6bMXm2xx0KdRC3vrGSdxShA4eUgT3zo4jM3rgv7_u7GDS-vSEwZfEaRKvwhQY-q1u5JApzs89Wq4c/s1600/IMG_4869.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_wcGIWerisYl7KY6wMPbflY0gKyEYWIzmN_kCciw0Y1JTNyP6hOjeuWveRKuWC6bMXm2xx0KdRC3vrGSdxShA4eUgT3zo4jM3rgv7_u7GDS-vSEwZfEaRKvwhQY-q1u5JApzs89Wq4c/s320/IMG_4869.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484673799724968034" border="0" /></a>From the side<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fBVSOZJLotZVPrMV1kNiXZOItOkD5hT3U_yw8fXnGf_JTDPC0goNA4V0cnn1te7q8AozSOw65s78oZTQDbu-Xw4Oq2GCzjeNo_1oetSzYuSAtiz0YZp1MJc3VSRfyz9y5hCbA2KbgDc/s1600/IMG_4865.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fBVSOZJLotZVPrMV1kNiXZOItOkD5hT3U_yw8fXnGf_JTDPC0goNA4V0cnn1te7q8AozSOw65s78oZTQDbu-Xw4Oq2GCzjeNo_1oetSzYuSAtiz0YZp1MJc3VSRfyz9y5hCbA2KbgDc/s320/IMG_4865.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484673531841473170" border="0" /></a>Futatsugame (literally 2 turtles) - 2 Really big rocks that kind of look like turtles.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAQGfTnyFUNNVZ-GToXYvT9x85dVq0QzHV4G4QhSmOVH-N8e9aFcc-6YJTt8C4q3QCiPuGkEgYoe_H4-LWKbj_HU9nyIDq283kBRIK0rH3zIYOTYPcczgRnDRDu82Q1OoQ2ZbhLFUTjo/s1600/IMG_4888.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAQGfTnyFUNNVZ-GToXYvT9x85dVq0QzHV4G4QhSmOVH-N8e9aFcc-6YJTt8C4q3QCiPuGkEgYoe_H4-LWKbj_HU9nyIDq283kBRIK0rH3zIYOTYPcczgRnDRDu82Q1OoQ2ZbhLFUTjo/s320/IMG_4888.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484675146547987970" border="0" /></a>Looking down from Ohnogame onto the Kozan FestivalPhillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-43245288351241296112010-06-14T20:34:00.015+09:002010-06-14T20:52:54.536+09:00Just give me one more Tokyo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimHxCK5VWTnfxFjlv7jw-iHu2Yzljo_oPr6x0owF9XR0dwH8EHcKOb17bKndqIu_cLDjZhY1yryVWaUnX9sdZ8SKzK36DISann7rcEalWy2P7DtKI3H2DOm1O-HbnGt5wsVok7l1_pa4/s1600/IMG_4775.JPG">
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9OufG99NOxLeVocmzvPPqU0CmX5WMkgYJk7b6K5_3WnMbUJiIe_J_rZwytZRGlhrFZWzVuYUtmomGqxtxiXTp5zQA1nLxPS6R5bqIalZQX95xTLKrjY6MoMUMPlZWnud3ta0LfcBBHY/s1600/31292_548156140480_193903805_31892423_203571_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9OufG99NOxLeVocmzvPPqU0CmX5WMkgYJk7b6K5_3WnMbUJiIe_J_rZwytZRGlhrFZWzVuYUtmomGqxtxiXTp5zQA1nLxPS6R5bqIalZQX95xTLKrjY6MoMUMPlZWnud3ta0LfcBBHY/s320/31292_548156140480_193903805_31892423_203571_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482594790325973890" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0yIOt737r55cCi6mmP-W18zR4Ssbw4Zinx5YZfrpa4Va9SipXPlL9NV_33V68L_uQEugs-ooi7wfX3dP3fiE7FGoHH-BJVvhIfgah6OllSuQz1k78L8zyDSDn6z_o5KShIpy7TtW1Zg/s1600/IMG_4828.JPG">
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mso-hansi-font-family:Century;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; m</style>It’s never hard to get me to go to Tokyo. While anyone who has spent a great amount of time in the city can tell you that it can get a little ‘much’ after awhile, it is always nice to drop in for a few days and enjoy all that the city has to offer. Well, all that you can manage to get in a few days that is. Since most of my readers have read about Tokyo before, I’ll just stick to the basics. My dear friend Laura Page and her sister Olivia decided to come to Japan for a few weeks and seeing as how they were ‘in the neighborhood’, I decided to go visit them. Here are some pictures of our time together in Tokyo. (Above: Free Hugs? What a deal!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOSfD7P6NuL00aEWTLtuAfRIFnn-WzzPNiD-nL1odpqXL30itEJpRvQseCl0AaB1mIBvUErcBDH0MDBbP9VhnAiAxydzRNRrGygBwIIaOyoNpcoLVMByxBYZJO6ffMY2KhSr_NGuTPzU/s1600/IMG_4752.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOSfD7P6NuL00aEWTLtuAfRIFnn-WzzPNiD-nL1odpqXL30itEJpRvQseCl0AaB1mIBvUErcBDH0MDBbP9VhnAiAxydzRNRrGygBwIIaOyoNpcoLVMByxBYZJO6ffMY2KhSr_NGuTPzU/s320/IMG_4752.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482592042259186626" border="0" /></a>
<br />Hanging out with Laura in a Cat Cafe in Shibuya
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6HkMc52J58TtPQFOT6Y33WOSQtV3N7s7i87zdhB6iV44u63WaOJVEjqXkCju3is29IljYmB5eLNVao7cfRVJtDPPY0TArhXl6Y384z9JGTqFGG9jyTU5lmRsmxf5sat5I75YgpGpPMI/s1600/IMG_4720.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6HkMc52J58TtPQFOT6Y33WOSQtV3N7s7i87zdhB6iV44u63WaOJVEjqXkCju3is29IljYmB5eLNVao7cfRVJtDPPY0TArhXl6Y384z9JGTqFGG9jyTU5lmRsmxf5sat5I75YgpGpPMI/s320/IMG_4720.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482592463054225218" border="0" /></a>Some old Waseda friends of mine decided to join the fun
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimHxCK5VWTnfxFjlv7jw-iHu2Yzljo_oPr6x0owF9XR0dwH8EHcKOb17bKndqIu_cLDjZhY1yryVWaUnX9sdZ8SKzK36DISann7rcEalWy2P7DtKI3H2DOm1O-HbnGt5wsVok7l1_pa4/s1600/IMG_4775.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimHxCK5VWTnfxFjlv7jw-iHu2Yzljo_oPr6x0owF9XR0dwH8EHcKOb17bKndqIu_cLDjZhY1yryVWaUnX9sdZ8SKzK36DISann7rcEalWy2P7DtKI3H2DOm1O-HbnGt5wsVok7l1_pa4/s320/IMG_4775.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482595642926418754" border="0" /></a>Laura and Olivia battling on some Super Tetris
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJj2cEK6ZwHB5bvaIhDnjWOTAAs1AIfGXYZR7xyUhUaF61wrBmR_lvO03P920s1wLdUAxgyZzd57xacW64nU2DhOBal0lnCFq1sxnvcVTnsmrRXSYWl9TfO4J8Y3OAQNYt3I6uRJigeg/s1600/IMG_4808.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJj2cEK6ZwHB5bvaIhDnjWOTAAs1AIfGXYZR7xyUhUaF61wrBmR_lvO03P920s1wLdUAxgyZzd57xacW64nU2DhOBal0lnCFq1sxnvcVTnsmrRXSYWl9TfO4J8Y3OAQNYt3I6uRJigeg/s320/IMG_4808.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482593153884201362" border="0" /></a>People Viewing in Harajuku
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19Cnw9lty7tknCR9XBXiwR1KgyfxcnMBv6BSuu9Qeum66JrngM1vu7kcHaTaSgo-Xya9vpWRIhCj6BK6qnxyyac2vEcVIAfKwaE10dBPV7zOmrwSAYBqsXofucN91NRjblyZG9KwXG74/s1600/IMG_4790.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19Cnw9lty7tknCR9XBXiwR1KgyfxcnMBv6BSuu9Qeum66JrngM1vu7kcHaTaSgo-Xya9vpWRIhCj6BK6qnxyyac2vEcVIAfKwaE10dBPV7zOmrwSAYBqsXofucN91NRjblyZG9KwXG74/s320/IMG_4790.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482593487649510322" border="0" /></a>Just amazing!
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0yIOt737r55cCi6mmP-W18zR4Ssbw4Zinx5YZfrpa4Va9SipXPlL9NV_33V68L_uQEugs-ooi7wfX3dP3fiE7FGoHH-BJVvhIfgah6OllSuQz1k78L8zyDSDn6z_o5KShIpy7TtW1Zg/s1600/IMG_4828.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0yIOt737r55cCi6mmP-W18zR4Ssbw4Zinx5YZfrpa4Va9SipXPlL9NV_33V68L_uQEugs-ooi7wfX3dP3fiE7FGoHH-BJVvhIfgah6OllSuQz1k78L8zyDSDn6z_o5KShIpy7TtW1Zg/s320/IMG_4828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482593763221719602" border="0" /></a>Tsukigi Fish Market
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY0YolRgXzPsY_EDNXzMVMV-YedBS0BTfwqSJFC0BnvQsroOv8z-GZ4zghyZlpg4iythLJVMhmAK7EoK3qYuWIykuSY8N7AvQ21h6aDZPBbDs9qI9WnIXCCk8VZ7cZ6zjo2k1HELn7Wk/s1600/IMG_4844.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY0YolRgXzPsY_EDNXzMVMV-YedBS0BTfwqSJFC0BnvQsroOv8z-GZ4zghyZlpg4iythLJVMhmAK7EoK3qYuWIykuSY8N7AvQ21h6aDZPBbDs9qI9WnIXCCk8VZ7cZ6zjo2k1HELn7Wk/s320/IMG_4844.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482594343715152018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiY0YolRgXzPsY_EDNXzMVMV-YedBS0BTfwqSJFC0BnvQsroOv8z-GZ4zghyZlpg4iythLJVMhmAK7EoK3qYuWIykuSY8N7AvQ21h6aDZPBbDs9qI9WnIXCCk8VZ7cZ6zjo2k1HELn7Wk/s1600/IMG_4844.JPG">
<br /></a>Could someone call Jessica Simpson and confirm the chicken or fish thing for me?
<br />
<br />Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-21697945165621170972010-05-24T18:52:00.007+09:002010-05-24T18:57:40.677+09:00Rice Planting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdvJfcE2dIpbKsZUn84yNdHKPyRBhhcD0guHzf1K-CC-yZMKMSJ3E0E1cA65F-V0T-dvGIBqB-IUZIMXLwPdXOKpWZwNnHLbX0xQnKssZFndahK8NdD8NHPxRblJCBsKUqA3AoqwEJ0g/s1600/IMG_4662.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdvJfcE2dIpbKsZUn84yNdHKPyRBhhcD0guHzf1K-CC-yZMKMSJ3E0E1cA65F-V0T-dvGIBqB-IUZIMXLwPdXOKpWZwNnHLbX0xQnKssZFndahK8NdD8NHPxRblJCBsKUqA3AoqwEJ0g/s320/IMG_4662.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474772921062006450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3_fEiOr9k5XkHVUYRQpytpSnjCqLJBz5r731TBABGYsyoL_6ikhtJKAM9g-OvyjbCHWSVJWZnC8kYw0iWWLSORlLrhd5bNLw2pfVl8UI0O-VCG28OldUL_GYRnKXrp-jhENQT0xLzB8/s1600/IMG_4663.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3_fEiOr9k5XkHVUYRQpytpSnjCqLJBz5r731TBABGYsyoL_6ikhtJKAM9g-OvyjbCHWSVJWZnC8kYw0iWWLSORlLrhd5bNLw2pfVl8UI0O-VCG28OldUL_GYRnKXrp-jhENQT0xLzB8/s320/IMG_4663.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474772594802472818" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Having been on Sado for all of 10 months now, I have seen a great deal of rice paddies, rice farmers, and of course rice itself. However, last weekend was the first time I was able to take part in the process that ultimately ends up feeding me nearly every day. The previous ALT for my region of Sado still resides on the island and has taken up rice farming. His associated farm, Daruma An Farms, has over 20 fields that produce some of the most delicious rice I have ever tasted<br />(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/DarumaAnFarms">http://www.facebook.com/DarumaAnFarms</a>) . This year, they decided to test organic rice planting, no pesticides or fertilizers whatsoever, on one of their paddies. In order to keep weeds from overtaking their crop, they found a biodegradable sheet to lie over the paddy. This sheet, however, required them to forgo the usual means of plating, a tractor/planting machine of sorts, and switch to traditional planting by hand. Rice planting involves grabbing a slab of the infant rice seedlings, called <span style="font-style: italic;">nae</span>(pictured), separating one to three of the little seedlings and placing them in the muddy paddy. This is done through the very technical process of bending down and sticking your hand in the mud. The trick is to place the seedling deep enough in the mud so that the wind won’t carry it off without making too much of a hole in the process. Having no experience with this whatsoever, we were pretty slow at first, but by the end of the day we seemed to have found our rhythm. I greatly enjoyed my little rice planting experience. Working outside, standing barefoot in almost a food of mud and getting to do a real, honest day’s labor was good for me in many ways. While I don’t think I am about to switch my nameplate from Phillip Sensei to Farmer Phil, I am thoroughly glad that I got to experience this vitally important piece of Japanese culture.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-26853431650273573642010-05-03T10:12:00.005+09:002010-05-03T10:18:26.772+09:00Hanami<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd2xSjWyz_RYHoJ3ZCEc8YP-8TM16seD7XEyULXFAZzWrwmw5j42fSNMpgDA-xoZ44aOb6VnA0F74SU1LJxvLuIA06B4t4AZPgiNxsnYd3QFn3kJQ_M9SuuC5cYwIEE4C0arY3Jijo7o/s1600/IMG_4647.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd2xSjWyz_RYHoJ3ZCEc8YP-8TM16seD7XEyULXFAZzWrwmw5j42fSNMpgDA-xoZ44aOb6VnA0F74SU1LJxvLuIA06B4t4AZPgiNxsnYd3QFn3kJQ_M9SuuC5cYwIEE4C0arY3Jijo7o/s320/IMG_4647.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466846546125667650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVrtNXLMRcCRXmzipSAyCslWBe62wbGlkysnkBtVCsBuVZXtw27ksFsq5RWxp1TdKRri2xXyJLOfi4VwiOO0Dgmk_qZv0jUqQb34KyJiZ7cxCbyLpeZcPjez3ASNLbUW88zEbEi1VxCU/s1600/IMG_4633.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRVrtNXLMRcCRXmzipSAyCslWBe62wbGlkysnkBtVCsBuVZXtw27ksFsq5RWxp1TdKRri2xXyJLOfi4VwiOO0Dgmk_qZv0jUqQb34KyJiZ7cxCbyLpeZcPjez3ASNLbUW88zEbEi1VxCU/s320/IMG_4633.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466846019405329394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In Japan, spring means cherry blossoms (sakura in Japanese). Although these blossoms usually only live for a few weeks, during their short lifespan they are the object of total obsession of their surrounding community. Hanami, flower viewing, is an exercise in both adoration and relaxation. Hanami usually consists of a family or group of friends heading to a local park known to be rich with blooming cherry blossoms, spreading out a tarp and enjoying drinks, food and good company under the pink petals. Popular weekends for hanami are often paired with festivals to increase the fun factor. Families take pictures under these sacred trees, admire their short lived beauty and simply enjoy the fact that winter is over. Being quite fond of the outdoors I naturally enjoyed this little outing, but I’ve never been able to appreciate these flowering trees quite like the Japanese. It reminds me a bit of the leaf watches who drive down to the Appalachian Mountains to see the fall foliage in its glory. While we usually don’t make such a social commitment to it as the Japanese do, I was glad to see that the act of simply enjoying one of nature’s most beautiful seasons was not confined to a single culture.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-15107429575213308412010-04-24T12:32:00.006+09:002010-04-24T13:04:38.448+09:00Oiran Photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNLWeJ6JfReLfUWSlo8Fr8g8dehYOQvODXD9sxgz2fL6-Kq4CbICUvpGKLyVaD6uwAXX9gJeHiFKNW8YEYteX1bwWHhgnffrjk8US6_rTFUbWIf8g6LhxzpX1mgQBi3j_D08PL_FdFmg/s1600/IMG_4614.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNLWeJ6JfReLfUWSlo8Fr8g8dehYOQvODXD9sxgz2fL6-Kq4CbICUvpGKLyVaD6uwAXX9gJeHiFKNW8YEYteX1bwWHhgnffrjk8US6_rTFUbWIf8g6LhxzpX1mgQBi3j_D08PL_FdFmg/s320/IMG_4614.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463543504716456914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkdPH1jTsI7_eAC03MaA_ljS2lEHejZJx8ZPG5zGTWOuIg8SC32Za1SQJL2Aykmoszx3zJTgzE0Ify5GYiCE05uT5urbjDE5QrW2RalL0sxV_mxdMqHGgNHwf9C2CWPeG5rjbgQWSrM4/s1600/IMG_4603.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkdPH1jTsI7_eAC03MaA_ljS2lEHejZJx8ZPG5zGTWOuIg8SC32Za1SQJL2Aykmoszx3zJTgzE0Ify5GYiCE05uT5urbjDE5QrW2RalL0sxV_mxdMqHGgNHwf9C2CWPeG5rjbgQWSrM4/s320/IMG_4603.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463543046053784146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQNkH0oZhlBFT0ZiiXsuKV-2LnUf4N6WJ7HgYaVdYPQPBbQrpFIm54dU2q5tZT-E5AVLHG5i-r764fNtroajZOUBMxV8VudGPmk_QV6z6WzyHeI_XnikjUuM0bMR2fZFGPTKFxs-Nmzc/s1600/IMG_4576.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQNkH0oZhlBFT0ZiiXsuKV-2LnUf4N6WJ7HgYaVdYPQPBbQrpFIm54dU2q5tZT-E5AVLHG5i-r764fNtroajZOUBMxV8VudGPmk_QV6z6WzyHeI_XnikjUuM0bMR2fZFGPTKFxs-Nmzc/s320/IMG_4576.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463542782445153506" border="0" /></a>Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-64734335504662489962010-04-24T12:24:00.007+09:002010-04-24T13:24:49.983+09:00Tradition in Slow Motion<span style="font-style: italic;">Oiran Dochu</span>, roughly translated as courtesan procession, is a practice that dates back to the Edo Period (1600- 1868). <span style="font-style: italic;">Oiran </span>were prostitutes of the highest class – the ancient <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliot_Spitzer_prostitution_scandal">Eliot Spitzer</a> variety – and they could choose their lovers from the richest of men. They could only operate inside walled pleasure districts inside major cities. Tokyo housed the most famous one known as <span style="font-style: italic;">Yoshiwara</span>. While they were trained in the arts, music, conversation, etc, they did not receive the kind of training a <span style="font-style: italic;">geisha </span>did. I know many of you read ‘Japanese courtesan’ and go right to your cinematic or literary memories of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Memoirs of a Geisha</span>, and you would not be the only one to do so, but you would also not be the only one to be mistaken. <span style="font-style: italic;">Oiran </span>came about before <span style="font-style: italic;">geisha</span> and to oversimplify it a bit, geisha were more artists than prostitutes and the opposite is true of <span style="font-style: italic;">oiran</span>. This parade of sorts was done when they were escorting their honored guests. The <span style="font-style: italic;">oiran </span>would wear 6 inch <span style="font-style: italic;">geta</span>, wooden clogs, place 8 or more pins in their hair, and were up to 60 pound of ornate clothing for these walks! To make it even harder, they walked VERY slowly and moved their feet in a slow figure-eight pattern. The pictures do more than I ever could to describe the ancient beauty being reenacted here. So the next time you start complaining about wearing heals or that your clothes feel uncomfortable, just imagine putting on 60 pounds of priceless robes, 5 inch wooden-heals and placing enough metal in your hair to pick up XM Radio.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-54162389204876029792010-04-20T07:08:00.006+09:002010-04-20T07:24:57.030+09:00A Fantastic Trip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tS6QOJEy0-ffhix4d3XxHh6kXKePxmDyFDGRbXJvD6PKGfoofuVUc4BhRmpEaFnC5jPhowJRKwjYg3HimONki7RELeYcCVtjYk-t3TwzBW9FNO_8Tmk8j0bM4iEuTYBnHBie5fdowok/s1600/IMG_4545.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tS6QOJEy0-ffhix4d3XxHh6kXKePxmDyFDGRbXJvD6PKGfoofuVUc4BhRmpEaFnC5jPhowJRKwjYg3HimONki7RELeYcCVtjYk-t3TwzBW9FNO_8Tmk8j0bM4iEuTYBnHBie5fdowok/s320/IMG_4545.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461977390910154066" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4D24MfUPankgfMg6PTwcfwELdcCFLFGUsOvbrPdBzP9QfXDGMe5gK5Ay-vt_jLEPwCMSStcfVQ2YZcSPGM8dkJzJakOf7bFAcMWIB-9hQRKtfYm8cQnuiX3lORcGpUXmKdoRasaYUF0/s1600/IMG_4514.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4D24MfUPankgfMg6PTwcfwELdcCFLFGUsOvbrPdBzP9QfXDGMe5gK5Ay-vt_jLEPwCMSStcfVQ2YZcSPGM8dkJzJakOf7bFAcMWIB-9hQRKtfYm8cQnuiX3lORcGpUXmKdoRasaYUF0/s320/IMG_4514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461975930039666834" border="0" /></a><br />We rarely use the term fantastic outside of Disney movies. I chose to use the term in my title for its basic meaning: imaginative, fanciful and remote from reality. If you had told me during my freshman year at Furman that I would one day meet up with the guy from 2 doors down<span style="font-style: italic;"> in Tokyo</span>, I would have considered that pure fantasy, remote from reality. And I would have been wrong!<br />Michael Clemens, a fellow Furman-ite and dear friend of mine recently flew to Tokyo to visit his brother who is serving in the US Navy. Being that he was now 14 hours closer to me, I thought a reunion was simply necessary. We met up in Tokyo near the end of his trip to take in the some of Japan’s wonderful capital. Traditional shrines, sprawling metropolitan areas, first class museums and great local restaurants were all thoroughly enjoyed. Being as we had not seen each other in almost a year, we were never left lacking conversation and even if we had been, Tokyo offers ample talking points at every turn. While I certainly enjoyed all of our time together, I would have to say that our final night out on the town that was brought to an end with drinks on the top of the Shinagawa Prince Hotel was simply epic. Very little beats sipping drinks 39 stories high while gazing out a panoramic window at the tallest building in Tokyo. Add a good friend in the mix and simply nothing beats that.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-89701910579781880172010-03-28T17:24:00.000+09:002010-03-28T17:25:41.517+09:00Reggae ShowNow, I know the words “Japan” and “Reggae” might not seem to mix but give this post a shot. Japan does indeed have a reggae scene and a few Buffalo Soldiers call Sado their home. I guess it’s an island thing. The show I went to was staged at a very nice hotel in the north of Sado. The room was small but so was the crowd. My friend and I were 2 of 12 for over an hour, but the crowd finally started to grow and the night ended up being pretty fun. The most amusing part of the first show was when the dj spliced some western pop into the reggae he was spinning. All of the dj’s music was western reggae, but these artists have no place in any reggae show: Backstreet Boys – Celine Dion – Enrique Iglesias– Dolly Parton. I really don’t have the vocabulary to fully explain my reaction so let’s move on. The latter shows included a few dancers and some Japanese rappers from the mainland. Most of them were pretty good, but I don’t think I’m Japanese enough or Jamaican enough to comment intelligently on the subject. My favorite was a big guy who called himself Large Rice. Despite his size, this Marley in the making could really move and rap reasonable well. Although you won’t find much reggae on my Ipod, this show was certainly worth cover charge.<br />Also, let me apologize for the lack of pictures. My camera was in my car, my car was at Charles’ place and Charles’s place was 30 minutes away. Problem!Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-6235863013788275932010-03-22T09:07:00.002+09:002010-03-22T09:10:54.025+09:00End of an EraThe Japanese school year is in its last weeks and my schools are holding graduation ceremonies. I teach mostly elementary schools so it’s no big show by any means, but it’s not the show I wish to blog about today. 2 of my elementary schools are closing this year due to budget constraints and their extremely small size. I’ve heard talk that Sado’s government is set to close almost half of the island’s schools over the next 10 years due to such factors. These 2 schools have only 12 and 24 kids total from grades 1 -6. It is not hard to see why employing 9 staff members to teach 12 kids is a bit troubling to a budget committee, but I can’t help but lament the loss of these 100 + year old institutions. These schools pair the classes of 1st/2nd, 3rd/4th, 5th/6th so they never risk having a class of 1. One of my schools has 1 1st grader and 1 2nd grader (that’s right, a class of 2!) so when the 2nd grader has to take 2nd year math, the 1st grader has another class separate from her. You could say this seems quite lonely, but think of the personal interaction. They are basically getting private tutoring and coming to know their teachers on a much deeper level than most students ever will. These kids know each teacher and each student intimately. They eat lunch in one room and clean the school together each day. Both of these schools were such happy places that almost seemed like large multigenerational homes. The 6th graders played with the 1st graders, the schools did group activities across grade levels, and they simply had a quaint atmosphere to them. The kids will probably be happier going to a larger school with more friends and more opportunities to interact, but something <span style="font-style: italic;">is </span>being lost here. I wonder what kind of perspective is being lost as the modern world herds us to bigger cities with larger schools and bigger offices. I wonder how these kids will be different in the future thanks to the very personal nature of their primary education. Will they value personal interaction more? Will they wonder why some people only look inside their set group for friends? As these schools close, so does the opportunity to be a part of something very special and very personal. I’m just glad that all the kids and teachers seem to realize that.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-27758263554246365562010-03-05T20:48:00.003+09:002010-03-05T20:48:50.511+09:00GraduationAs with almost anything that is found in both the US and Japan, school in Japan is almost totally different from school in the US as I experienced it. I recently attended a local elementary school graduation and found it to be a wonderful microcosm in which we can observer this truth.<br />Japan is a nation of groups. So much of Japanese culture revolves around and can be witnessed through defined social groups. As such, entering in to or exiting from such a group requires great ceremony. I will be focusing on one of the exiting ceremonies.<br />The ceremony started with the 6th graders, the most senior members of the group, being led in to the gym by the 1st graders, the youngest generation. The young helping the old. The 1st – 5th graders sat facing the 6th graders, their elders. The younger looking to the older as examples. The 6th grade performed the school song and the 5th grade performed the same song directly after they finished. Every other grade had prepared a musical skit to thank the 6th graders for their time at the school. Showing respect for senior members of a group. The 6th graders then thanked each grade below them with small gifts for each student. Expressing gratitude to younger group members for their assistance. Finally, the principal thanked the 6th graders and told them how wonderful the 5th grade performance was. You may be asking yourself, “Why not tell the 6th graders how well they did”. The answer lies in the fact that it was the 6th graders’ job to teach the 5th grade this performance as they had done it last year for the 6th grade class above them. By recognizing that the 5th graders’ had performed well the principle was saying that the 6th graders had obviously done their job well. The old shepherding the young. I hope that my readers can enjoy this little slice of Japanese culture. Should any of my old professors be reading this, I only ask that you not email me grades.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-23161409485150960292010-03-05T16:35:00.006+09:002010-03-05T16:38:35.544+09:00More Drawings from the Kids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyY2_gtkakhzytUVXLYzwonlqJcR8DTEjoARxUvFiBnVRRFccEwrBXRo_qawOXPno572e1pw5_ulA7mdUoIlRWVtfFSLmVenejC9W-ALtyFxEXcUWtNpWUTvjGRprDA5iMJILrD8byQc/s1600-h/IMG_4482.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyY2_gtkakhzytUVXLYzwonlqJcR8DTEjoARxUvFiBnVRRFccEwrBXRo_qawOXPno572e1pw5_ulA7mdUoIlRWVtfFSLmVenejC9W-ALtyFxEXcUWtNpWUTvjGRprDA5iMJILrD8byQc/s320/IMG_4482.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445050891751971746" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk02M_p8_AELs4l0OGaJTugS4AdCFlWTrIZb72_hb-Z8-H2-s5OVGTnpZ6Phk60LOXDc9cqp7kmr4YkO6ZZEDPl-3jcOXtgsF7sO3sGZnnLEg4HELq_i7pJGPOj2U4BNfx0ecSjUD9pLQ/s1600-h/IMG_4490.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk02M_p8_AELs4l0OGaJTugS4AdCFlWTrIZb72_hb-Z8-H2-s5OVGTnpZ6Phk60LOXDc9cqp7kmr4YkO6ZZEDPl-3jcOXtgsF7sO3sGZnnLEg4HELq_i7pJGPOj2U4BNfx0ecSjUD9pLQ/s320/IMG_4490.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445050682992517330" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQX8UGjoWtX6qSwSGX36-shlnxUYU02z6VWyTBuxEXa7zDG9MVP1hDjlmAeXoOrogHtRc_rmZLYC5LWoFavnl1ebC8ZpxtGRVqZEK8HjftbDPd0eAMcI4dBLIL2-AFKK4zOPmrlS2j6g/s1600-h/IMG_4486.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQX8UGjoWtX6qSwSGX36-shlnxUYU02z6VWyTBuxEXa7zDG9MVP1hDjlmAeXoOrogHtRc_rmZLYC5LWoFavnl1ebC8ZpxtGRVqZEK8HjftbDPd0eAMcI4dBLIL2-AFKK4zOPmrlS2j6g/s320/IMG_4486.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445050495744311874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXSIdpokqpKzXSbUmqFJdlYrAbIGuOdIZ05V4LlCHg0uDHTP9LhDmUMzVFxz3E4Uio0rtF3l_gMMka1j09CgWVHNE1XJUHoPmv85htYjdKc-hP-WR0TiXc87HflZdN88OuAUHwZVk-5o/s1600-h/IMG_4480.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXSIdpokqpKzXSbUmqFJdlYrAbIGuOdIZ05V4LlCHg0uDHTP9LhDmUMzVFxz3E4Uio0rtF3l_gMMka1j09CgWVHNE1XJUHoPmv85htYjdKc-hP-WR0TiXc87HflZdN88OuAUHwZVk-5o/s320/IMG_4480.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445050291640027570" border="0" /></a>Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-2272924788250412562010-03-05T16:25:00.012+09:002010-03-05T16:35:23.968+09:00Through a Child’s Eyes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF2PQeUEIF8h8kMoan4ziNIEOXM-ATcSW98J3jt7VrN5HHgX_ftpqyXURqNIg-97n6X_sn7sJgyf-fViLR4EBQOBxy5u-TpjoR9ndastDrQSUBrSHPfpEfbRmUws7WWXGkdVZgi0Zbq4/s1600-h/IMG_4479.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF2PQeUEIF8h8kMoan4ziNIEOXM-ATcSW98J3jt7VrN5HHgX_ftpqyXURqNIg-97n6X_sn7sJgyf-fViLR4EBQOBxy5u-TpjoR9ndastDrQSUBrSHPfpEfbRmUws7WWXGkdVZgi0Zbq4/s320/IMG_4479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445049939633036514" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqYWsm4UW5uSCMd7YLjQmCoTaM1B6XPRCFSlrGZz_vk-q0C5gemEp3sQRe6Hd1GklYexppbiwDdzgcfcJt0UUiVXhlsQZGQh7rBinMO2wX0MUfttkmBoYSARAR76296lQHM-KPDaNApo/s1600-h/IMG_4477.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqYWsm4UW5uSCMd7YLjQmCoTaM1B6XPRCFSlrGZz_vk-q0C5gemEp3sQRe6Hd1GklYexppbiwDdzgcfcJt0UUiVXhlsQZGQh7rBinMO2wX0MUfttkmBoYSARAR76296lQHM-KPDaNApo/s320/IMG_4477.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445049707361277010" border="0" /></a><br />The budding young artists at one of the local kindergartens provided the following images. To express their gratitude for my monthly English lessons they presented me with a small book of personal messages and portraits. I have to say, it was the sweetest thing I have ever seen.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-71191451712142070112010-02-16T12:41:00.004+09:002010-02-16T12:46:31.451+09:00The Putter has become the Pimp CanePoor Tiger Woods. It seems as if he has all but fully transformed into the cheating husband who used to golf. My classroom proves it week after week. After talking about verbs associated with the Winter Olympics, my teacher asked me if I knew any Japanese Olympians. I knew only 2 so he asked if I knew any other Japanese sports stars. Anyone in Japan with the gift of site has seen Ishikawa Ryo`s picture no less than 1253 times. (see link for Wiki page) Dubbed the Bashful Prince, this young Japanese golfer is the youngest to ever reach the world`s top 50 golfers list. They naturally asked if this God of the Greens had made his way to American TV. I have seen him mentioned a time or two on ESPN but it was never more than a passing comment. The teacher quickly followed with, “I guess Tiger is always on TV for…many things.” The class then asked me to translate a few less than favorable terms that might apply to Tiger`s recent behavior. I`ll spare you the Japanese lesson and just tell you that in favor my brute translations I ended up giving a short vocabulary lesson on the verb ‘To Cheat’, ‘Homewrecker’, and ‘Player’. I am planning to expand on this lesson next week by showing the American classic <span style="font-style: italic;">Super Fly</span>.<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryo_IshikawaPhillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-58498341409759314632010-02-07T10:35:00.006+09:002010-02-07T10:51:30.042+09:00SNOW!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHFuDcGhahIipWGjouAiJdLDRu3PsEZ5cu7BIzhTo6JTX_d3iZmVkn3wIxDrlmV9kSFR3n8G8-7K-nz7unIA60e0quWJow9ux2c0858IJ15VjsT8_Pdkm0Ljo5qSBjZlLbKad7p5_G3w/s1600-h/IMG_4451.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHFuDcGhahIipWGjouAiJdLDRu3PsEZ5cu7BIzhTo6JTX_d3iZmVkn3wIxDrlmV9kSFR3n8G8-7K-nz7unIA60e0quWJow9ux2c0858IJ15VjsT8_Pdkm0Ljo5qSBjZlLbKad7p5_G3w/s320/IMG_4451.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435312732933911618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHZQmzq03WrpT6gUQIn7zK1f4Tr0Kmn_dxSvfkwhePxt8_TVoH9HdZcIlsVv1zcOI_oqfIhBxEYQOVYHMsqM3w-4t3cQqdMX-w6GQGVamvQx_NzAwKxuGyp7uiWeqxpsa5M369h6RBpQ/s1600-h/IMG_4448.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHZQmzq03WrpT6gUQIn7zK1f4Tr0Kmn_dxSvfkwhePxt8_TVoH9HdZcIlsVv1zcOI_oqfIhBxEYQOVYHMsqM3w-4t3cQqdMX-w6GQGVamvQx_NzAwKxuGyp7uiWeqxpsa5M369h6RBpQ/s320/IMG_4448.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435312538844732098" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While visiting a local restaurant in Hamochi last December I was told by the owner that Sado has not received much snow in the past few years. This made me, a born and raised Georgia Boy not accustomed to snow in any great magnitude, quite happy. Well, Japan celebrated "setsubun", the beginning of spring, on February 3rd. Despite it being "spring" it was - 5 degrees that night, my kitchen was 2 degrees at 7:00am the next morning and it was snowing like crazy. By Friday we had what is called "nan nen buri yuki", which is best described as "Snow I don't know when we last had" or in Southern-speak "Snow I ain't seen since I was knee high to a pig's eye". Later, the news confirmed that Niigata has received more snow than it has in the last 26 years! As my friends on the east coast go through "Snowmageddon" I am doing my part to feel for you as I dig my car out of the snow. All the best to all of ya'll freezing your butts off down South.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-15259337534557815882010-01-28T20:06:00.004+09:002010-01-28T20:18:26.535+09:00How the Mighty Have FallenOne of my classes was studying relative pronouns such as "Kobe Bryant is a person <span style="font-weight: bold;">who </span>plays basketball" where "who" connects the subject a descriptive clause . Who plays basketball? Kobe. So therefore Kobe is a person who plays basketball. BRILLIANT! I gave them a sheet that required them to make up similar phrases for well known sports stars, writers, actors etc. In trying to spread some American culture, I added Tiger Woods and Brad Pitt to the list of Japanese stars figuring that they would all know enough about these 2 men to say something resembling a correct answer. Little did I know that Tiger was all too well known even on Sado. "Who is Tiger Woods" I asked group number 3. "Tiger Woods is a man who has many girlfriends" they answered. That hilarious comment was shortly followed by group number 6's "Tiger Woods is an American who likes many women". Oh...yeah....He golfed at one point too, right?Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-17260880481031967832010-01-17T17:58:00.017+09:002010-01-17T18:17:02.133+09:00More pictures from my Winter Vacation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHypYHg4JW_KoVq5pPxBr-ByfKjDJitQbBo9A_TRnuiYnBEqlWtHZr_p4uSC0LxbgOtU32C8BUWzpsV6Hbn5HMwlkc_m6N26DkoAZ5WaBBbHLVc12vu_P02McY7uCj0H5CwQ2Y0AdvmmM/s1600-h/IMG_4385.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHypYHg4JW_KoVq5pPxBr-ByfKjDJitQbBo9A_TRnuiYnBEqlWtHZr_p4uSC0LxbgOtU32C8BUWzpsV6Hbn5HMwlkc_m6N26DkoAZ5WaBBbHLVc12vu_P02McY7uCj0H5CwQ2Y0AdvmmM/s320/IMG_4385.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427632198274153522" border="0" /></a>A painting on a wall in Seoul. Ummm, I know art often represents something far deeper than the artist's words can express, but let me try some: I AM A TWISTED FREAK!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVpPQz5Itfp4DdK886r0KF2NpiLc_y4Yz7Iyg3epZoQ6_7eFIJO5i1L1RQr2UkvajldchByH2RHhI2y3mjNlYcUcPqDPLg884eRjF9ZCfZDnI0tF9MCd0BLj5YigkUmn_AGcY5jKXdiY/s1600-h/IMG_4392.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVpPQz5Itfp4DdK886r0KF2NpiLc_y4Yz7Iyg3epZoQ6_7eFIJO5i1L1RQr2UkvajldchByH2RHhI2y3mjNlYcUcPqDPLg884eRjF9ZCfZDnI0tF9MCd0BLj5YigkUmn_AGcY5jKXdiY/s320/IMG_4392.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427632047347355538" border="0" /></a>A coffee shop that keeps sheep. Ok...I...you...sheep...coffee...sure, I get it!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKblKovQ5VkBx2vdX3SVHLdx3ur-b6LhL1cxvI6jkL1-bq4N407Odoex56DqNq4-7MdIxiw4hG-uR9m0pPZIm33N9DwFX1Atyc7mDuilRV_OdB6HkaX0Sr6Da7-nab_X1ZF496kwrAyI/s1600-h/IMG_4382.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwKblKovQ5VkBx2vdX3SVHLdx3ur-b6LhL1cxvI6jkL1-bq4N407Odoex56DqNq4-7MdIxiw4hG-uR9m0pPZIm33N9DwFX1Atyc7mDuilRV_OdB6HkaX0Sr6Da7-nab_X1ZF496kwrAyI/s320/IMG_4382.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427631850149755298" border="0" /></a>Oh, YEAH!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MltKR6SoICIImn7efxoAKPqTFD12rVCJ7xJid4yOl0xxpqa3YAJ7uOVT070Vx698pOW-dtZU-uKZA1yxZT1IF3OKfDl94oETE5B7dRgmfRjE4bn2iCwMe1hJKcd_NLWFIEy1KT95Edo/s1600-h/IMG_4379.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MltKR6SoICIImn7efxoAKPqTFD12rVCJ7xJid4yOl0xxpqa3YAJ7uOVT070Vx698pOW-dtZU-uKZA1yxZT1IF3OKfDl94oETE5B7dRgmfRjE4bn2iCwMe1hJKcd_NLWFIEy1KT95Edo/s320/IMG_4379.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427631699143480354" border="0" /></a>This statue was so fabulous.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvJSbRoCcirYSw9D4q4iamvyBOgLUQpKDSayeu2OVAA-2MzLQ1WFxCRp8pDNS4au2AJ1SRfwqV_cOBonUH9-BFt6kpd5utiRpMYbVIomE6LEALx8l8wlAWlk6NP4n2DV1PmtjNpF8lbs/s1600-h/IMG_4373.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZvJSbRoCcirYSw9D4q4iamvyBOgLUQpKDSayeu2OVAA-2MzLQ1WFxCRp8pDNS4au2AJ1SRfwqV_cOBonUH9-BFt6kpd5utiRpMYbVIomE6LEALx8l8wlAWlk6NP4n2DV1PmtjNpF8lbs/s320/IMG_4373.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427631499707271458" border="0" /></a>This is supposed to say Happy New Year, but I believe it looks like a far darker tiding. A lower case N and an upper case W did them in I believe.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-i-nlEfVDBXX04IRejVXToNbLszUqN9Gbav3HeQlvJDDuSfxch5JtuATshNbd2hHJZCn3Ag7MIC-9njHcLvlGTQW9EPu8tEXZ_LQA8afHN8dmtCz60_wTlU2Yd6cUoQep2MNvL3Up5w/s1600-h/IMG_4368.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-i-nlEfVDBXX04IRejVXToNbLszUqN9Gbav3HeQlvJDDuSfxch5JtuATshNbd2hHJZCn3Ag7MIC-9njHcLvlGTQW9EPu8tEXZ_LQA8afHN8dmtCz60_wTlU2Yd6cUoQep2MNvL3Up5w/s320/IMG_4368.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427631189449550802" border="0" /></a><br />The Bird's Nest was HUGE! Practically the biggest "thing" I ever seen.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE_L3T9fgoNTt21bqrG37Lxjy4Rx0Rne4gY0hubXgqmL2xp2iTxzYpdmH24-R3gbkWn_E1ZATKDpbJOG886aJIKDVic1AlKeonZXyaxmx2_LVUBG4wh2KanP2eL0CXUOXwoHIaa1O_F4/s1600-h/IMG_4372.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE_L3T9fgoNTt21bqrG37Lxjy4Rx0Rne4gY0hubXgqmL2xp2iTxzYpdmH24-R3gbkWn_E1ZATKDpbJOG886aJIKDVic1AlKeonZXyaxmx2_LVUBG4wh2KanP2eL0CXUOXwoHIaa1O_F4/s320/IMG_4372.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427631335088303666" border="0" /></a>Gotta know where to eat when you come to Beijing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LGsWbgTSlOn5Y-IsWUBJlBpDHK7We2XUEgs1eZPbKTyzMIHKe57bV0WLeevlcroFNtoC0aEHR_tfXyYa3uclW7bwDYqsCzK3ucZHhRHEub-Kz6fjs_A5_TaHg7Knp_rcTXaokcqlGrU/s1600-h/IMG_4361.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LGsWbgTSlOn5Y-IsWUBJlBpDHK7We2XUEgs1eZPbKTyzMIHKe57bV0WLeevlcroFNtoC0aEHR_tfXyYa3uclW7bwDYqsCzK3ucZHhRHEub-Kz6fjs_A5_TaHg7Knp_rcTXaokcqlGrU/s320/IMG_4361.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427631064711817170" border="0" /></a>Speaking of eating!Come on! Like you wouldn't eat some scorpions if they flash fried them.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ43IIun-Lugu2N5dpczZd_MOvqjF3WV_8JDmswFxGLzgQ5w_5S3eewCHRAdfyrInNmXSuSI1UieRHvAOTA_2_9pdXWTF2ChJAYrC9md2UuuVEH7shSObHvTCxqv_mkb3btM7V3xAgIDI/s1600-h/Rando+Aussie.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ43IIun-Lugu2N5dpczZd_MOvqjF3WV_8JDmswFxGLzgQ5w_5S3eewCHRAdfyrInNmXSuSI1UieRHvAOTA_2_9pdXWTF2ChJAYrC9md2UuuVEH7shSObHvTCxqv_mkb3btM7V3xAgIDI/s320/Rando+Aussie.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427630802584453794" border="0" /></a>New Years in Beijing. An Australian decided to befriend us for the rest of 2009. He'd been "riding kangaroos" and decided to come visit Beijing. A great time all aroundPhillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-32475819114551772002010-01-17T17:29:00.011+09:002010-01-17T17:56:45.928+09:00It's been too LongDear readers, please forgive me for not writing for so long. I hope that none of you lost faith in this blog or its author. I assure you, during my break I was actively collecting many blog worthy tales and items on during my hiatus. That said, if a picture is worth 1000 words, I'd have to write 302,000 words to explain all of my adventures so I'll spare you that. Rather, I'll let the pictures, and a few witty captions, tell the story on their own. So, with no further delay...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTRpB9ffrnxYVo5reJ6JBRx_aC32qxvRwBUHPcD828hrmAo5Bvk0tWRADgfEU46PTO3m_1ky3I8c3YTsHiNnHchL0lzbr_39IXYTlpUaQWi5Iz7FXIk6tbe86tP15YTwxU_zQnJFU4LA/s1600-h/20649_1317418460206_1373081768_915448_3753490_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTRpB9ffrnxYVo5reJ6JBRx_aC32qxvRwBUHPcD828hrmAo5Bvk0tWRADgfEU46PTO3m_1ky3I8c3YTsHiNnHchL0lzbr_39IXYTlpUaQWi5Iz7FXIk6tbe86tP15YTwxU_zQnJFU4LA/s320/20649_1317418460206_1373081768_915448_3753490_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427626255898935442" border="0" /></a><br />Aya, Travis and Erika met me in NYC last year over spring break, so getting to repeat our meeting in Tokyo was a real treat.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYD9-kUvhyphenhyphenaMZcOh6b0ikUWLKP-2jm_8LlJ5Gd-FUqjL-aOZLv0OvuP5bqOVhIaWK28-EVTS0thIfIuuMQGOPjP2bwRUhmc6NtNJnwetLL-_1UBpyK8juOrVO6ODgMOlDknBRDy4kmXc/s1600-h/IMG_4209.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYD9-kUvhyphenhyphenaMZcOh6b0ikUWLKP-2jm_8LlJ5Gd-FUqjL-aOZLv0OvuP5bqOVhIaWK28-EVTS0thIfIuuMQGOPjP2bwRUhmc6NtNJnwetLL-_1UBpyK8juOrVO6ODgMOlDknBRDy4kmXc/s320/IMG_4209.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427625377947542594" border="0" /></a>As an American, should I be offended?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWFvzGIgmNhIDlqSupkmjHAME13qy5V1H60gTrGp6NPxS9x30Bc2LYAcJ7kmczYCnSf22bVp6gE_tKfMDnq_bfrjsWlrmnmYz-VyeVzKFRmVFno2qifsyf6gsQKizLopatzUKT82_7Zo/s1600-h/IMG_4261.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWFvzGIgmNhIDlqSupkmjHAME13qy5V1H60gTrGp6NPxS9x30Bc2LYAcJ7kmczYCnSf22bVp6gE_tKfMDnq_bfrjsWlrmnmYz-VyeVzKFRmVFno2qifsyf6gsQKizLopatzUKT82_7Zo/s320/IMG_4261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427627144416031250" border="0" /></a>Chairman Mao should really do a MTV Cribs Episode.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgejSxesO70M3K8gUAvtIJHej1X6pIoZZtlsL6J2isM2xdBtqnkBO0QgIWredee8CgwtzI_M_Q_vOEsbKcg9c5JGYMOlQ9dS704l2vMCK1Iuigsws2fVvjWzAne0dWmItepeEfcOV3-xo/s1600-h/IMG_4316.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgejSxesO70M3K8gUAvtIJHej1X6pIoZZtlsL6J2isM2xdBtqnkBO0QgIWredee8CgwtzI_M_Q_vOEsbKcg9c5JGYMOlQ9dS704l2vMCK1Iuigsws2fVvjWzAne0dWmItepeEfcOV3-xo/s320/IMG_4316.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427627663334595218" border="0" /></a>Marketing is very important<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHR2-AWE-cvKU6LYsKUgQzp15zdekDeHhaLiyrDpE9W664RAi7X2_GDgNu_1vRXBjb31ti7vE0cY_hknaN6cGIUb6RLictE7JcKU-lAxv7l3b_V7IjrddDX-oMKG13UXkhSNrorXvBsQg/s1600-h/IMG_4340.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHR2-AWE-cvKU6LYsKUgQzp15zdekDeHhaLiyrDpE9W664RAi7X2_GDgNu_1vRXBjb31ti7vE0cY_hknaN6cGIUb6RLictE7JcKU-lAxv7l3b_V7IjrddDX-oMKG13UXkhSNrorXvBsQg/s320/IMG_4340.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427628104772408658" border="0" /></a>Temple of Heaven - UNESCO World Heritage Site. AMAZING!Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-77605465691634024632009-12-09T23:00:00.011+09:002009-12-09T23:25:40.489+09:00Christmas?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKee9pSgSxRje5gycpWT0mDxg0U0Ebh4ydbOOQWBMNfKiBUnmSVbqf8AJk74OFcKUCBlZ-Kjlmu_8s3XMq7JD2xdTvCY5Gaz9WXRAZb_cNJw5HXU4htJvCNcbTnN8pXJybmWxQONmVDMs/s1600-h/IMG_4166.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKee9pSgSxRje5gycpWT0mDxg0U0Ebh4ydbOOQWBMNfKiBUnmSVbqf8AJk74OFcKUCBlZ-Kjlmu_8s3XMq7JD2xdTvCY5Gaz9WXRAZb_cNJw5HXU4htJvCNcbTnN8pXJybmWxQONmVDMs/s400/IMG_4166.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413240567994182482" /></a><br />(Read the text below the Christmas Tree in the picture above before reading)<br />I found this little paper sign hanging all over a local market in Sado. Let me try to explain what may have happened here. The word 元気 (<span style="font-style:italic;">Genki</span>) is used a lot in Japanese and it is most often used in the question, 元気ですか <span style="font-style:italic;">Genki desuka</span> or “How are you/Are you well?” The main issue here is most likely meaning vs definition. The meaning of <span style="font-style:italic;">Genki </span>in context is “well” but the direct translation is more like “lively” or “full of life”. If you poorly cross referenced “full of life” in a Japanese-English dictionary you might just find something about a strong beating heart or lively motions. Take that and look for synonyms that sound fun and “English’y” and you might finally arrive at throbbing. Therefore, the sign would/should have read something like “The Wonderful Lively Christmas”. Not perfect but not quite as blog worthy as throbbing. While this poster is no doubt miles away from inspiring proper Christmas cheer, if you are willing to see where they might have started from, you can laugh without poking too much fun at the creators. Then again, I teach English at a school less than 100 yards from these signs and no one ever thought to ask me if Christmas throbs. So here is this blogger's wish that all of my faithful readers have a Very Merry Throbbing Christmas!Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8921146913351724009.post-71126688568208141162009-11-30T16:55:00.003+09:002009-11-30T16:57:14.026+09:00Hiroshima<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3PxfuXxXN_hmSU_yAMzSDOXGjnTaqXhH2qkiKK4QiojfEOoPKnoB1vQs3pnIpmZfNZAu_r_0upgz1_B6HnSjFARSb5udpPqvg6_N_nOdimyS5b1jsTTGIVidcWATPfbGUyN6WGBPpG0/s1600/IMG_4159.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3PxfuXxXN_hmSU_yAMzSDOXGjnTaqXhH2qkiKK4QiojfEOoPKnoB1vQs3pnIpmZfNZAu_r_0upgz1_B6HnSjFARSb5udpPqvg6_N_nOdimyS5b1jsTTGIVidcWATPfbGUyN6WGBPpG0/s320/IMG_4159.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409802576569283986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98x4AnSV10e5d6e3PENRtMsPLiSoznV7q91p1MZ4vZE0L3YhJJn7cyhMASbp0wABkFqKc3rVbL2iZNLA2riwnnrXR7iN1fJBToZ3oqzGjsCzX4zPC1Baq84YDlgfW4yKc4TL3mmCAAtU/s1600/IMG_4143.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98x4AnSV10e5d6e3PENRtMsPLiSoznV7q91p1MZ4vZE0L3YhJJn7cyhMASbp0wABkFqKc3rVbL2iZNLA2riwnnrXR7iN1fJBToZ3oqzGjsCzX4zPC1Baq84YDlgfW4yKc4TL3mmCAAtU/s320/IMG_4143.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409802348720421106" /></a><br /><br />After my day in Osaka I made my way to Hiroshima to visit my old roommate and sensei Toru Ishizawa and his girlfriend Tomomi. They showed me a fabulous time from beginning to end. Our first day included a visit to Miyajima to visit a famous shrine and see the Japanese maple leaves. The leaves had fallen awhile ago, but thankfully the temple was still as beautiful as ever. Local oysters were the treat of the afternoon. We then headed to a famous sake brewery for a lesson in brewing and of course tasting. I don’t think I have to mention that I greatly enjoyed that part of the trip. For our evening meal, we elected to have a yakiniku (literally, grilled meat). At yakiniku, you buy meat in small trays of varying kinds and cook them on a small grill at your table. My grand finale was yukke, raw beef dipped in a raw egg. I know many of you have to stop reading and go get that taste out of your mouth, but I loved this stuff. Japan has this amazing talent for making raw meat and fish tasty. It may not be the next California roll but whatever. The next day included a trip to the mall for shopping, a movie, a wonderful lunch, and finally OKONOMIYAKI. This is a local special not to be missed if you are within any distance of Hiroshima. Imagine thin grilled pasta, a thin layer of batter, squid, cabbage, shrimp, pork, green onions, kimchi, mayonnaise, cheese, an egg all put in one giant omelet looking mound and topped with shallots and bbq sauce. It may not sound great when described ingredient by ingredient, but this is a taste tsunami. I was sad to have to leave my friends and what could be my favorite city in Japan, but alas, there is English to teach and this Southern Boy is currently the man for the job.Phillip Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17221560292817091624noreply@blogger.com1