of course, we're still a little behind with getting everything current, but what else is new?
October 19, 2008
more photos here!!
we've finally started our flickr account. you can now view more of our photos here:
of course, we're still a little behind with getting everything current, but what else is new?
of course, we're still a little behind with getting everything current, but what else is new?
October 15, 2008
kodojuku. taiko workshop. sado ga shima
september 19th-23rd. 2008
not sure where to begin. how do i put this experience in to words? i can give an account of the events that transpired, but they won't really convey what the experience meant to me. i guess i will try and see what comes out.
two years led up to this. stephen's kodojuku in 2006, his knowing then that i needed to be there, to have this experience. trying not to have expectations, trying to let my own kodojuku unfold in it's own way, for me, easier said then done. stephen leaves early for sapporo on the day i leave for sado, i am on my own in japan. manage to find my way to the ferry port, and double check i am in the right place with the woman sitting behind me in the waiting area. i am here early and have time to reflect before the ferry leaves. spot a young woman in the crowd whom i am sure is going to kodojuku. upon arrival to ryotsu, pick out a few more women in the crowd, and quickly discover that i was right on all counts. somehow you can just tell! we are greeted by kenshu sei (apprentices), eiichi-san and michiko-san, and quickly organized in to car rides for the 1 hour trip to the apprentice center where the workshop is being held. i am in a car with four other participants, and two kenshu sei, one of whom (joe) i had met previously at the kodo bbq awhile back. we are asked questions to get us all talking, and given some explanations as to where we are, where we are going. it is a lovely drive, to an even lovelier place. we settle in, and a tour and orientation follow. we play a game that gets us all to talk to one another, and i end up twice in a group with the sweet girl who first spoke to me at the ferry when we arrived. i am one of three 'gai jin' here, and one of two who don't speak japanese, so anna and i are given a seperate orientation afterwards in english by melanie, explaining all that we heard earlier in the japanese version. free time. then dinner. never sure what to expect with my diet, but i am in good hands as kodo staff member melanie-san is a vegetarian and is overseeing my meals. i am served a lovely meal of the freshest tofu i have ever had, a simple but oishii broth, and some rice and vegetables. an abundance of food, more than i could possibly eat! get to watch the kenshu sei practice in the evening, some lovely conversation and an early night. i feel this place deep in my bones.
get up early. (did i say EARLY?). morning exercises, then a walk (some run). a beautiful landscape surrounds us, and it is a sunny and beautiful morning. another oishii meal, chores, then the workshop begins. we spend the morning stretching and tuning in to our bodies, and i wish i could do this every day. melanie spends the morning in the workshop with us and gives anna and i a really good sense of what is going on and what to expect the next few days. more yummy food for lunch, and i am definetely feeling better fed then i have since our arrival in japan. and the food is fantastic, the apprentices have really outdone themselves, i can only imagine how much the others must be enjoying their food too. then the afternoon workshop. this is a varied group, not only in age and background, but also in taiko experience. we stretch a bit more, then are given a drum and learn how to tune it. once we have readjusted a few times, our drums are ready, and at 3pm, eiichi-san announces that it has been 24hours since our arrival, and we are just now about to begin to play some taiko. this is where my 'blow by blow' account will drop off, and the description of the rest of the workshop will be part an impression, some details, and i hope a sense of what this experience meant to me.
"A" pattern. then "B". later "C" and "D". all taught in a different way, to find your rhythm, your way to learn. traditional singing through the patterns, counting, word play. all coming together, this diverse group, joined in sound. the energy, the passion, uniting, one voice, many hearbeats. the learning curve, finding my way. help from becon and madai, crossing language, guiding, encouraging, affirming. simple, yet profound, an understanding, a way to connect. arrigato. and my group! fumi-san, maiko, kiwi and madai, working through the patterns with me, patient, eager, happy to be of help. and all the others, their unique energy, their taiko voices, bring me joy, a pleasure to watch. and it is there, always, this energy, this coming together, this passion. everytime. i love being here, i love playing taiko with this group (BIO you are still in my heart!).
so many other details, so many little things. lovely morning walks with anna, joe and fumi san. many fantastic conversations at dinner. sometimes just quiet observation, listening to the sound of the japanese language, watching those around me. translation from melanie, joe, belinda, mari, zakky, inviting me in, opening the door. such warm people, this whole group, so genuine. nights in the girls dorm, laughter, practicing after workshop, taiko, taiko, taiko! the kenshu sei, practicing, learning with eiichi-san. so inspiring, fascinating to watch, humbling. chores, such a small contribution to this workshop, everything is taken care of for us. (we are spoiled...). fantastic food, the best fried rice and the best soy burgers i have ever had, too bad i was too full to finish! late nights in the dining room, sitting with everyone while they share a drink. not much sleep, long full days.
the last night, a feast!!! a lovely dinner, a celebration. our performances, each chore group, the kenshu sei, my group, a children's song, sung in japanese. then the stars!!! sugoi, everyone out in the dark, supposed to be lights out, but the stars draw us all outside. the milky way, shooting stars, the city folk in awe. planning our surprise performance for the kenshu sei, our thank you. the last morning. bittersweet. but lovely. little warm up, much to do. this morning, the odaiko. eiichi-san's stunning performance, 3 minutes! our turn. the awe with which we approach the drum. the intimacy with which we play it. each turn unique, some move me to tears. it is so focused, there is nothing else but you and the drum. and it is here to listen, to lean on, to allow. then we are done, it is over, and we are getting our bachi signed, then it is time to leave. we are ushered in to cars, rushed off, sent off by the kenshu sei. at the port, our goodbyes to eiichi-san, michiko-san, gan-san and melanie-san. inside, we wait for our ferries, eat the lunches that the kenshu sei sent us off with. some leave early on the jetfoil, 11 of us wait for the car ferry. a peek inside my lunch bag, the note, translated by zakky. the first line, this is not a dream. but it is starting to feel like it. then i open my lunch, and there is a heart for me, it makes me smile. the long ferry ride back, sleep, conversation, a bit of taiko (on beer cans!). the rush to the train station, suddenly more are parting ways. a small group of us left on the shinkansen to tokyo. madai and i sitting at the back, still in tune, thinking of sado. then i leave at ueno, so i say my final goodbye, first to madai, then to mari, mako and maiko. waiting by the door to disembark, suddenly my four friends are here to wave one last goodbye. i will miss you all dearly. arrigato, words are not enough.
October 14, 2008
attack of the killer bee
(posted by laurel as a side story to her kodojuku post)
this is a story that i felt deserved it's own entry, so here it is! during our first night, when anna and i received our english orientation from melanie, we were informed of something that i have to admit raised a bit of concern. there is apparently a bee on sado whose sting can be fatal, so we are told that if we get stung during the workshop we should notify someone immediately, even if we feel okay. melanie stressed that we should take it very seriously, and just yell right away for her if we are stung. apparently the stings aren't that common, but they do happen, and someone had been stung during kasamix, the workshop held there the week before. there was also mention of centipedes, which aren't poisonous, but have a nasty bite. we are told with either creature NOT to swat if away, but get someone else to remove it from you. seems like instinct would be to swat it, doesn't sound so easy. we are also told that if during the workshop eiichi-san lies down on the ground to do so VERY SLOWLY, as he has spotted a bee. stephen didn't warn me of this!!! (i found out later that the bees are a more recent development on the island). anyway, i left the orientation with this in the back of my mind, but it didn't consume my thoughts really. i did notice a bee later in the evening, and promptly told naoko, who took care of it :(. i enjoyed the rest of my evening, and had a great first day the next day at the workshop. we had another lovely dinner, and i was looking forward to watching the kenshu sei practice for eiichi-san later that evening. stephen and i had prearranged to have him call me that second night there, to touch base, say hello and be sure we both made it where we were supposed to! i filled him in on how things were going, and heard about his adventures too. just towards the end of the conversation i happen to mention the bee to stephen, who didn't know anything about it. after i am done on the phone, i go wash up, make a quick trip to the washroom and find a place to sit in the gym waiting for the practice to begin.
there are a few others here already too, and the kenshu sei warming up, but i am sitting by myself at the corner of the stage. suddenly i feel something strange, then i realize it is a sharp pain, and immediately think i am being bitten by a centipede. it is on my right shoulder towards the back of my neck, so i can't see, but of course proceed immediately to swat it away! i am a bit stunned, no one is right there to ask, and i didn't think to call anyone over. i am sort of looking off in front of me when a few feet away i see a bee flying off. yes, just 20 minutes after i mention this bee to stephen on the phone i get stung!!!!! surprisingly i am quite calm, i get up and walk down the hall to look for melanie. i find gan-san, tell him i've been stung, and he gets melanie right away. her and michiko-san ask a few questions, take a look at the bite, and each other, and aren't sure what to do. i don't seem to be having any of the reactions that they would be concerned about, but it is late, the local clinic is closed and the hospital is an hour drive away. gan-san calls the hospital to ask what should be done, and they make the decision to take me. it is really a precaution, they aren't that worried that i have been bitten by 'the' bee (i now discover that there are also regular bees on sado.....), but with the hospital an hours drive away everyone just wants to be safe. so gan-san, melanie and i climb in to a van and head to the hospital. melanie is in the back seat with me, and says i should try to stay awake and keep talking so that they know that i am okay. the drive to the hospital is quite a winding one, and very early on i find out that melanie gets motion-sick on the drive (gomen nasai!), and since i do as well, a slight nausea sets in. at this point melanie is reassuring me that i don't seem to be exhibiting any of the symptoms of the 'killer bee' sting, and tells me a bit about the girl who was stung last week. apparently the reaction is usually quite dramatic, the woman the week before was quite hysterical, and often a fever develops right away, as well as numbing of parts of the body and incredible pain in the area stung. well it does hurt alot, but i feel mostly calm, and not feverish or numb at all, so i can understand why she thinks i have probably been stung by a regular bee. i also learn during this trip that it is usually the 2nd sting that is fatal, the 1st is usually just a really violent reaction. nevertheless, about 20 minutes in to the car ride my mild hypochondria sets in and i am thinking 'i could die!'. (this passes quickly...) i am also pretty nauseous at this point, but am pretty sure it is from the car ride, and am thankful to melanie for being a calming influence on this ride.
when we arrive at the hospital and find our way to reception, it is dark and no one is there! after a minute, we hear some keys clanging, and melanie calls out sumimasen to get a security guards attention. it turns out reception is closed and he is the person to admit us to the hospital. at this point they ask for my passport, and although i had grabbed my insurance papers (thanks again melanie!) i didn't even think to bring along my passport, credit cards or any money! they admit me anyways, and thankfully melanie has some cash on her to spot my fee. we are directed to emergency, through a completely desolate and dark hospital with not a single person in sight (this is not toronto!) and are met by an RN who takes one look at me and says, she's okay. after attending to the other person in emergency, a short few minutes later they take my blood pressure and temperature. i then see a doctor who looks at me and the sting, which thanks to my icing is barely visible, and with melanie translating assures me it is just a regular bee sting and i don't need any injections. they apply a little steroid cream and give me the tube to take with me, then we are on our way! it was maybe a five minute examination. but all is good! we call back to let the people at the workshop to let them know that i am okay only to discover that someone else has been stung! we don't get any details as they were quick to get off the phone, so we leave and undertake the hour drive back. it is after 10pm at this point, but since we are now no longer in a hurry, we take the longer, less winding way back. at some point i become quite indignant that this bee stung me, i was just sitting there doing nothing, i had no perfume or scents on, no hair products, i wasn't provoking it at all, why did it randomly choose to bite me!!! it is actually with humour that i am having this conversation with melanie, and we laugh. when we get back, everyone is asking if i am okay, and i assure them i am. i find out the other person who was stung is okay too, he had stepped on the bee, so i guess they were able to tell it wasn't the killer variety. definitely an exciting night though, and we are told to wear slippers in the halls for the rest of the weekend. i am sent off to bed with a fresh ice pack from joe, and wake up in the morning with no pain, an a no longer visible sting. i'm not sure i captured it in this story, but this was a kind of dramatic, intense experience that i am very thankful to have had melanie along to share with me, she added both comfort and humour to the occasion. and i am obviously fine, and was really mostly fine through out too, just made for an interesting adventure!!!!
this is a story that i felt deserved it's own entry, so here it is! during our first night, when anna and i received our english orientation from melanie, we were informed of something that i have to admit raised a bit of concern. there is apparently a bee on sado whose sting can be fatal, so we are told that if we get stung during the workshop we should notify someone immediately, even if we feel okay. melanie stressed that we should take it very seriously, and just yell right away for her if we are stung. apparently the stings aren't that common, but they do happen, and someone had been stung during kasamix, the workshop held there the week before. there was also mention of centipedes, which aren't poisonous, but have a nasty bite. we are told with either creature NOT to swat if away, but get someone else to remove it from you. seems like instinct would be to swat it, doesn't sound so easy. we are also told that if during the workshop eiichi-san lies down on the ground to do so VERY SLOWLY, as he has spotted a bee. stephen didn't warn me of this!!! (i found out later that the bees are a more recent development on the island). anyway, i left the orientation with this in the back of my mind, but it didn't consume my thoughts really. i did notice a bee later in the evening, and promptly told naoko, who took care of it :(. i enjoyed the rest of my evening, and had a great first day the next day at the workshop. we had another lovely dinner, and i was looking forward to watching the kenshu sei practice for eiichi-san later that evening. stephen and i had prearranged to have him call me that second night there, to touch base, say hello and be sure we both made it where we were supposed to! i filled him in on how things were going, and heard about his adventures too. just towards the end of the conversation i happen to mention the bee to stephen, who didn't know anything about it. after i am done on the phone, i go wash up, make a quick trip to the washroom and find a place to sit in the gym waiting for the practice to begin.
there are a few others here already too, and the kenshu sei warming up, but i am sitting by myself at the corner of the stage. suddenly i feel something strange, then i realize it is a sharp pain, and immediately think i am being bitten by a centipede. it is on my right shoulder towards the back of my neck, so i can't see, but of course proceed immediately to swat it away! i am a bit stunned, no one is right there to ask, and i didn't think to call anyone over. i am sort of looking off in front of me when a few feet away i see a bee flying off. yes, just 20 minutes after i mention this bee to stephen on the phone i get stung!!!!! surprisingly i am quite calm, i get up and walk down the hall to look for melanie. i find gan-san, tell him i've been stung, and he gets melanie right away. her and michiko-san ask a few questions, take a look at the bite, and each other, and aren't sure what to do. i don't seem to be having any of the reactions that they would be concerned about, but it is late, the local clinic is closed and the hospital is an hour drive away. gan-san calls the hospital to ask what should be done, and they make the decision to take me. it is really a precaution, they aren't that worried that i have been bitten by 'the' bee (i now discover that there are also regular bees on sado.....), but with the hospital an hours drive away everyone just wants to be safe. so gan-san, melanie and i climb in to a van and head to the hospital. melanie is in the back seat with me, and says i should try to stay awake and keep talking so that they know that i am okay. the drive to the hospital is quite a winding one, and very early on i find out that melanie gets motion-sick on the drive (gomen nasai!), and since i do as well, a slight nausea sets in. at this point melanie is reassuring me that i don't seem to be exhibiting any of the symptoms of the 'killer bee' sting, and tells me a bit about the girl who was stung last week. apparently the reaction is usually quite dramatic, the woman the week before was quite hysterical, and often a fever develops right away, as well as numbing of parts of the body and incredible pain in the area stung. well it does hurt alot, but i feel mostly calm, and not feverish or numb at all, so i can understand why she thinks i have probably been stung by a regular bee. i also learn during this trip that it is usually the 2nd sting that is fatal, the 1st is usually just a really violent reaction. nevertheless, about 20 minutes in to the car ride my mild hypochondria sets in and i am thinking 'i could die!'. (this passes quickly...) i am also pretty nauseous at this point, but am pretty sure it is from the car ride, and am thankful to melanie for being a calming influence on this ride.
when we arrive at the hospital and find our way to reception, it is dark and no one is there! after a minute, we hear some keys clanging, and melanie calls out sumimasen to get a security guards attention. it turns out reception is closed and he is the person to admit us to the hospital. at this point they ask for my passport, and although i had grabbed my insurance papers (thanks again melanie!) i didn't even think to bring along my passport, credit cards or any money! they admit me anyways, and thankfully melanie has some cash on her to spot my fee. we are directed to emergency, through a completely desolate and dark hospital with not a single person in sight (this is not toronto!) and are met by an RN who takes one look at me and says, she's okay. after attending to the other person in emergency, a short few minutes later they take my blood pressure and temperature. i then see a doctor who looks at me and the sting, which thanks to my icing is barely visible, and with melanie translating assures me it is just a regular bee sting and i don't need any injections. they apply a little steroid cream and give me the tube to take with me, then we are on our way! it was maybe a five minute examination. but all is good! we call back to let the people at the workshop to let them know that i am okay only to discover that someone else has been stung! we don't get any details as they were quick to get off the phone, so we leave and undertake the hour drive back. it is after 10pm at this point, but since we are now no longer in a hurry, we take the longer, less winding way back. at some point i become quite indignant that this bee stung me, i was just sitting there doing nothing, i had no perfume or scents on, no hair products, i wasn't provoking it at all, why did it randomly choose to bite me!!! it is actually with humour that i am having this conversation with melanie, and we laugh. when we get back, everyone is asking if i am okay, and i assure them i am. i find out the other person who was stung is okay too, he had stepped on the bee, so i guess they were able to tell it wasn't the killer variety. definitely an exciting night though, and we are told to wear slippers in the halls for the rest of the weekend. i am sent off to bed with a fresh ice pack from joe, and wake up in the morning with no pain, an a no longer visible sting. i'm not sure i captured it in this story, but this was a kind of dramatic, intense experience that i am very thankful to have had melanie along to share with me, she added both comfort and humour to the occasion. and i am obviously fine, and was really mostly fine through out too, just made for an interesting adventure!!!!
October 13, 2008
sapporo city.
home of sapporo beer. ramen. and cool weather!
september 19-23, 2008
after spending almost every minute of the past 5 weeks together, its time for laurel and i to each be on our own for the next 5 days. laurel will be at kodojuku taiko workshop back on sado island. i wish i could go with her, but i attended in 2006 and cannot attend again. i am excited for the experience she will have there. i have decided to venture up to the northern island of hokkaido to visit sapporo city. home of sapporo beer, cooler weather and many oishii ramen noodle shops!! what more could i ask for? i also look forward to some time alone. to relax and not do too much.
its a long journey to hokkaido by train, i end up staying up all night in order to catch a train at 6am. i wake laurel up at 5am to give our hugs and kisses goodbye and then head off to the train station. 5 trains, a bus, a 10 minute walk and a little over 12 hours later, i have made it to ino's place hostel in sapporo city (5th largest city in japan). what a nice place. very homey and inviting. i am also relieved that the weather is cooler here... much cooler, that i actually feel cold. i am ecstatic to feel cold air. i love the cold. if i didn't have 70lbs of weight in my backpacks, i would have done a "happy" dance.
after the long journey, i am tired. i need to get some food. ramen!! right beside the hostel. its good and cheap and tastes even better with a couple of pints of beer. did i mention that beer is available everywhere and at anytime in japan? they have vending machines on all street corners (even in rural areas!) that you can buy beer, cigarettes and any drink imaginable from. the incredible thing is that the machines are all clean, they all work and they get restocked regularly. imagine cigarette and beer vending machines on street corners in north america? they'd be vandalized, destroyed and stolen from on a regular basis! its not the case here. the legal drinking age in japan is 20, but with vending machines all over, they can't really control who buys the beer and cigarettes. but this is japan, if you aren't suppose to drink until you are 20, then you don't drink until you are 20! there's always exceptions, but i think this is true in most cases. anyways, the night is still young (9pm). i decide to hop on a subway and find my way to downtown sapporo to wander the streets at night. its lively and vibrant, much like any other big city in japan. the sidewalks are filled with people going about their business. i admire the changing lights of the sapporo tv tower from odori park. the heart of downtown sapporo. the park, which is 13 city blocks long, is filled with teenagers hanging and practicing their dance moves. couple holding hands. cuddling. families wandering home. businessmen taking a break on a bench. dogs playing in fountains. i enjoy the breeze of the cool air and soak it all in. i wander a little farther and into susukino. this is where the nightlife is. brightly lit flashing signs adorn both sides of massive shopping streets. full of busy restaurants, bars, shops, hostess clubs. you name it, its here. its a little too chaotic for me and i find some quieter alley ways and side streets to wander through and get lost in. what do i happen to stumble across? ramen alley!!! i was going to come here tomorrow to eat. atleast i know where it is now. i wander through to have a look. its crowded. line ups out the doors of these tiny establishments. sadly, one place is empty except for the owner. an older gentleman. he calls out to passers by to come in for some ramen. as i pass by, i feel for him as i always do. thats what happens growing up with parents who have run their own restaurant for such a long time. you learn to appreciate the work and dedication that goes into running your own restaurant. so when i see an empty one, when the ones around it are all crowded, i do feel for the people inside. i wish i hadn't eaten already this evening. but now i know where to come back to tomorrow. i wander some more, but its getting late and i'm still exhausted from the long journey. time to head back.
the next day, i am undecided as to what to do. just stay in the hostel and chill or go out and see some sites? after lazily making a mid afternoon breakfast, i decide its a day to go for a walk. today will be a day of great heights. i map out my course. back to downtown area. sapporo tv tower. odori park. then onto mount moiwa for sunset. in total i figure about 2 hours of walking. a brisk 45 minute walk from the hostel and i am at sapporo tv tower. i decide to pay and go up to see the 360° view of sapporo city from 90m above street level. the view is spectacular, except for the scratchy, dirty, plexi glass windows encasing the observation deck. i noticed an exterior stairwell on my elevator ride up. can i go out there? can i walk down to the bottom of the tower from the stairs? that would be a much better view and enjoyable experience then the claustrophobic crowded observation deck. i find the door to the stairwell. hmmm? i decide to ask an attendant if its alright to go outside and down the stairs. sadly, i am refused. apparently the stairwell is only open to the public about 3 or 4 times a year. oh well, didn't hurt to ask. the sun is slowly starting to set behind odori park. i will have to make my way to mount moiwa soon as it is atleast an hour walk from here. i decide to snap some photos from the observation deck before i leave. i run around the whole perimeter and snap photos to hopefully stitch a full 360° view of the city. if it worked, you'll see it in the photos below. i leave the tower satisfied with the time spent up there. i slowly stroll through odori park on my way to ramen alley for some food before heading to mount moiwa. i get caught up in all the excitement thats happening in the park and spend much longer in the park then intended. now i must really hurry.
to view the full size of stitched sapporo skyline image click here
i could have easily made sunset at mt moiwa had i hopped on one of the numerous trams that drove by me on my walk here, but being stubborn as i am, i was not going to give in on my day of walking and walked there as fast as i could. an hour later, i get to the base of mt moiwa with the sun light barely visible in the sky. i line up with many others to take the cable car up to the top of the mountain. 531m high. suspended only by a thick cable. the ride up is in darkness. the night view of the city is stunning. the city is vast. lights go on seemingly forever in the distance. its windy and quite cold up here. everyone else in jackets and sweaters. me in a t-shirt!! i like the cold. remember. i can hack it. well, i lasted about 30 minutes or so and it was time to head back down and rush back to the hostel to call laurel on sado. my day was complete. many beautiful views from high above.
i get a late start on my last day in sapporo. which isn't even in sapporo! i decide to head to near by otaru city in the late afternoon. its a 30 minute train ride from sapporo. i didn't know much about otaru. port city for the north. a large marina. glass blowing artisans. and a beautiful canal that runs through the heart of the city. the culture here is quite different. there is much influence from russia and northern china. not quite the japan i know, but a pleasant change and experience. the city is quaint. small. rustic. i am drawn towards this old stone building and to my surprise, i find a small calligraphy exhibit inside one of the main rooms. the brushwork is beautiful. graceful. expressive. i am mesmerized by the space and the artwork and find myself in there for almost an hour. i speak with a couple of the staff. not sure if they were the actual artists. they are surprised but happy that someone from canada had made it to see the exhibit. i am very happy to have seen the exhibit!
a stroll along the calm and peaceful canal. passing artisans. buskers. painters. carriages. photographers. all getting ready to pack it in for the day. the water perfectly reflects the old stone buildings across the way. i make my way to the marina and pier area. if i could see far enough, i think that would be russia in the distance. i find a local micro brewery near the marina and decide to have dinner at their pub before heading back to sapporo. of course this was an excuse to try the local otaru beer.
only a few pleasant hours in otaru, but its time to catch my train back to sapporo.
that night was another all nighter. a 7am train the next morning to tokyo to meet back up with laurel in the evening. i will miss the cooler weather in sapporo, the hospitality of ino's place and the many oishii ramen shops, but am looking forward to being in tokyo again and meeting up with laurel to hear about her kodojuku experience.
after spending almost every minute of the past 5 weeks together, its time for laurel and i to each be on our own for the next 5 days. laurel will be at kodojuku taiko workshop back on sado island. i wish i could go with her, but i attended in 2006 and cannot attend again. i am excited for the experience she will have there. i have decided to venture up to the northern island of hokkaido to visit sapporo city. home of sapporo beer, cooler weather and many oishii ramen noodle shops!! what more could i ask for? i also look forward to some time alone. to relax and not do too much.
its a long journey to hokkaido by train, i end up staying up all night in order to catch a train at 6am. i wake laurel up at 5am to give our hugs and kisses goodbye and then head off to the train station. 5 trains, a bus, a 10 minute walk and a little over 12 hours later, i have made it to ino's place hostel in sapporo city (5th largest city in japan). what a nice place. very homey and inviting. i am also relieved that the weather is cooler here... much cooler, that i actually feel cold. i am ecstatic to feel cold air. i love the cold. if i didn't have 70lbs of weight in my backpacks, i would have done a "happy" dance.
after the long journey, i am tired. i need to get some food. ramen!! right beside the hostel. its good and cheap and tastes even better with a couple of pints of beer. did i mention that beer is available everywhere and at anytime in japan? they have vending machines on all street corners (even in rural areas!) that you can buy beer, cigarettes and any drink imaginable from. the incredible thing is that the machines are all clean, they all work and they get restocked regularly. imagine cigarette and beer vending machines on street corners in north america? they'd be vandalized, destroyed and stolen from on a regular basis! its not the case here. the legal drinking age in japan is 20, but with vending machines all over, they can't really control who buys the beer and cigarettes. but this is japan, if you aren't suppose to drink until you are 20, then you don't drink until you are 20! there's always exceptions, but i think this is true in most cases. anyways, the night is still young (9pm). i decide to hop on a subway and find my way to downtown sapporo to wander the streets at night. its lively and vibrant, much like any other big city in japan. the sidewalks are filled with people going about their business. i admire the changing lights of the sapporo tv tower from odori park. the heart of downtown sapporo. the park, which is 13 city blocks long, is filled with teenagers hanging and practicing their dance moves. couple holding hands. cuddling. families wandering home. businessmen taking a break on a bench. dogs playing in fountains. i enjoy the breeze of the cool air and soak it all in. i wander a little farther and into susukino. this is where the nightlife is. brightly lit flashing signs adorn both sides of massive shopping streets. full of busy restaurants, bars, shops, hostess clubs. you name it, its here. its a little too chaotic for me and i find some quieter alley ways and side streets to wander through and get lost in. what do i happen to stumble across? ramen alley!!! i was going to come here tomorrow to eat. atleast i know where it is now. i wander through to have a look. its crowded. line ups out the doors of these tiny establishments. sadly, one place is empty except for the owner. an older gentleman. he calls out to passers by to come in for some ramen. as i pass by, i feel for him as i always do. thats what happens growing up with parents who have run their own restaurant for such a long time. you learn to appreciate the work and dedication that goes into running your own restaurant. so when i see an empty one, when the ones around it are all crowded, i do feel for the people inside. i wish i hadn't eaten already this evening. but now i know where to come back to tomorrow. i wander some more, but its getting late and i'm still exhausted from the long journey. time to head back.
the next day, i am undecided as to what to do. just stay in the hostel and chill or go out and see some sites? after lazily making a mid afternoon breakfast, i decide its a day to go for a walk. today will be a day of great heights. i map out my course. back to downtown area. sapporo tv tower. odori park. then onto mount moiwa for sunset. in total i figure about 2 hours of walking. a brisk 45 minute walk from the hostel and i am at sapporo tv tower. i decide to pay and go up to see the 360° view of sapporo city from 90m above street level. the view is spectacular, except for the scratchy, dirty, plexi glass windows encasing the observation deck. i noticed an exterior stairwell on my elevator ride up. can i go out there? can i walk down to the bottom of the tower from the stairs? that would be a much better view and enjoyable experience then the claustrophobic crowded observation deck. i find the door to the stairwell. hmmm? i decide to ask an attendant if its alright to go outside and down the stairs. sadly, i am refused. apparently the stairwell is only open to the public about 3 or 4 times a year. oh well, didn't hurt to ask. the sun is slowly starting to set behind odori park. i will have to make my way to mount moiwa soon as it is atleast an hour walk from here. i decide to snap some photos from the observation deck before i leave. i run around the whole perimeter and snap photos to hopefully stitch a full 360° view of the city. if it worked, you'll see it in the photos below. i leave the tower satisfied with the time spent up there. i slowly stroll through odori park on my way to ramen alley for some food before heading to mount moiwa. i get caught up in all the excitement thats happening in the park and spend much longer in the park then intended. now i must really hurry.
to view the full size of stitched sapporo skyline image click here
i could have easily made sunset at mt moiwa had i hopped on one of the numerous trams that drove by me on my walk here, but being stubborn as i am, i was not going to give in on my day of walking and walked there as fast as i could. an hour later, i get to the base of mt moiwa with the sun light barely visible in the sky. i line up with many others to take the cable car up to the top of the mountain. 531m high. suspended only by a thick cable. the ride up is in darkness. the night view of the city is stunning. the city is vast. lights go on seemingly forever in the distance. its windy and quite cold up here. everyone else in jackets and sweaters. me in a t-shirt!! i like the cold. remember. i can hack it. well, i lasted about 30 minutes or so and it was time to head back down and rush back to the hostel to call laurel on sado. my day was complete. many beautiful views from high above.
i get a late start on my last day in sapporo. which isn't even in sapporo! i decide to head to near by otaru city in the late afternoon. its a 30 minute train ride from sapporo. i didn't know much about otaru. port city for the north. a large marina. glass blowing artisans. and a beautiful canal that runs through the heart of the city. the culture here is quite different. there is much influence from russia and northern china. not quite the japan i know, but a pleasant change and experience. the city is quaint. small. rustic. i am drawn towards this old stone building and to my surprise, i find a small calligraphy exhibit inside one of the main rooms. the brushwork is beautiful. graceful. expressive. i am mesmerized by the space and the artwork and find myself in there for almost an hour. i speak with a couple of the staff. not sure if they were the actual artists. they are surprised but happy that someone from canada had made it to see the exhibit. i am very happy to have seen the exhibit!
a stroll along the calm and peaceful canal. passing artisans. buskers. painters. carriages. photographers. all getting ready to pack it in for the day. the water perfectly reflects the old stone buildings across the way. i make my way to the marina and pier area. if i could see far enough, i think that would be russia in the distance. i find a local micro brewery near the marina and decide to have dinner at their pub before heading back to sapporo. of course this was an excuse to try the local otaru beer.
only a few pleasant hours in otaru, but its time to catch my train back to sapporo.
that night was another all nighter. a 7am train the next morning to tokyo to meet back up with laurel in the evening. i will miss the cooler weather in sapporo, the hospitality of ino's place and the many oishii ramen shops, but am looking forward to being in tokyo again and meeting up with laurel to hear about her kodojuku experience.
October 3, 2008
kanazawa. september13th-17th
september 13, 2008
kanazawa. the city of culture, arts and crafts. not knowing what to expect, we have been looking forward to coming to here since our last trip to japan. arriving on a holiday weekend, the city is bustling with visitors and activities. there are few accommodations left and we end up in a hotel (our first thus far), near the train station. thankfully, a short walk with our big packs. the reception is warm. we are happy to be here. with no kitchen facilities and no vegetarian restaurants in sight, we're going to have to be creative and/or adventurous to find laurel some food for the next 3.5 days. the hotel offer to bring us our own fridge in our room! sugoi! it will definitely help. its evening, we familiarize ourselves with our neighbourhood, find some food and pick up a few groceries.
september 14, 2008
asano taiko
our first full day in kanazawa and we're off to asano taiko in near by hakusan city. asano taiko is one of the oldest and premier taiko makers in all of japan. it is also home to the taiko crossroads museum and taiko store. a short local train ride gets us to within a 20 minute walk of the taiko centre. sunny, hot, open land, there is no escape from the sun, unless you're smart like your wife and bring an umbrella. arriving a little bit sweaty, we find the taiko centre with little difficulty and are immediately drawn to the taiko store. small and intimate, surrounded by beautiful brand new, handmade taiko and other various handcrafted instruments, we are greeted by a very nice lady. through our minimal communication, we tell her we are from canada, we are here traveling and that we just walked here from the train station, thats why we're so atsui. she seemed surprised with all our efforts to get there and welcomes us, offering us tea and then even cutting up some pear for us. we browse through the store admiring the craftsmanship of the drums, then venture over to the taiko museum. there, we are in another intimate space. the background sounds of hono-o-daiko playing on the tv screen. upon paying the entrance fee, we are told that we "can" play on the o-daiko (big drum) in the museum. how often do you walk into a museum and are told "please hit out items on display"? well, my eyes lit up with with excitement at that possibility and then when i actually saw the o-daiko, my eyes lit up again! it was huge!! a little intimidating, but it was fun to hit the large o-odaiko and make so much noise in such a small and intimate space. we were also treated to a short taiko performance by two of the asano taiko employees. arigato! we decide to stroll back over to the taiko store before it closes to buy a couple of items, bachi (sticks) and my first pair of jika tabi (footwear). after making our purchase, the nice lady (who we found out later was mrs. asano herself) motions for us to wait a minute. she finishes up a few sales, makes a phone call, etc and then she closes up shop and asks us to follow her. at this point we had suspected that she was going to offer us a ride back to the train station. we follow her out front to the fleet of asano taiko vans and she tries to find the van which she has the keys for. after a few minutes, she finds the van, unlocks it and invites us to go in. as we drive away, she makes another phone call and then hands the phone over to me. an english speaking woman on the other end confirms that mrs. asano is indeed driving us back to the train station. as we are dropped off, we say our domo arigato for the ride and for our enjoyable and pleasant afternoon at asano taiko.
little did we know that this afternoon trip to asano taiko was just the beginning of our day full of encountering overly generous and helpful people. see blog post "the legend of legian"!
september 15, 2008
kenrokuen (garden).
as one of japan's most prized gardens, we decided it was a must to visit kenrokuen while in kanazawa. the day is overcast with the threat of rain, we still decide to venture to the garden. kenrokuen; a strolling-style garden, is quite spectacular even between the bright summer blooms and autumn leaf colours. dramatic and old trees. beautifully integrated architecture. wooden foot bridges. ponds of koi. sounds of gentle flowing streams. gravels pathways. sculpted shrubs contrasted with flowing forests. all lent to a very zen like afternoon stroll through the park. and thankfully the rain held off for the day.
after the gardens, we visited nearby kanazawajinja shrine before the night skies settled in.
our slow and tired stroll back to the hotel in the evening. we discover the noh museum. although it had just closed for the day, we manage to snap a few photos of the beautiful space inside. textured imagery and layered fabric, depict the dramatic theatre of noh. definitely a must to visit when we come back to kanazawa next time.
september 16, 2008
today started slow... we are to attend and participate in a taiko class this evening, thanks to a new taiko friend (brian) we met online. he is from the u.s. and is living in kanazawa with his family and studying taiko with his wife. that evening, another short train ride and 20 minute walk in the dark and we are back at asano taiko to get picked up for the class, which is near by. we finally meet brian and he drives us to the rehearsal space (home to a few taiko groups including Hono-o-daiko). arriving and not knowing what to expect, we are greeted by a small group of taiko enthusiasts. we are introduced to the group and Yamada sensei of Hono-o-daiko who instructs the group. we watch as they practice their song. i was fortunate enough to be able to participate in an short but intense 20 minute drill, before the group continued to practice their song as we watched on. class over, we say our thank yous for allowing us to watch and participate. domo arigato. brian drives us back into town.
dropped off in quiet higashi chaya district. geisha district reminiscent to that of kyoto. all is quiet and dark except lit lanterns adorning a few open tea houses. the architecture is stunning, even in the dark. we wander through the quiet dark alleys in hopes of spotting a geisha or maiko walking about. no luck as its a quiet night here. not like the hustle and bustle of the kyoto gion district. we wander and wander and eventually wander our way back to the hotel late in the evening, not before i stop for a late night dinner on our way back. tired, we pack for our journey to niigata tomorrow afternoon.
september 17, 2008
its time to check out and depart kanazawa. a big thank you to our wonderful hosts at the kitagawa hotel. our time in kanazawa was too short. we realize there is much more for us to see and do here. there will definitely be a next time.
kanazawa. the city of culture, arts and crafts. not knowing what to expect, we have been looking forward to coming to here since our last trip to japan. arriving on a holiday weekend, the city is bustling with visitors and activities. there are few accommodations left and we end up in a hotel (our first thus far), near the train station. thankfully, a short walk with our big packs. the reception is warm. we are happy to be here. with no kitchen facilities and no vegetarian restaurants in sight, we're going to have to be creative and/or adventurous to find laurel some food for the next 3.5 days. the hotel offer to bring us our own fridge in our room! sugoi! it will definitely help. its evening, we familiarize ourselves with our neighbourhood, find some food and pick up a few groceries.
september 14, 2008
asano taiko
our first full day in kanazawa and we're off to asano taiko in near by hakusan city. asano taiko is one of the oldest and premier taiko makers in all of japan. it is also home to the taiko crossroads museum and taiko store. a short local train ride gets us to within a 20 minute walk of the taiko centre. sunny, hot, open land, there is no escape from the sun, unless you're smart like your wife and bring an umbrella. arriving a little bit sweaty, we find the taiko centre with little difficulty and are immediately drawn to the taiko store. small and intimate, surrounded by beautiful brand new, handmade taiko and other various handcrafted instruments, we are greeted by a very nice lady. through our minimal communication, we tell her we are from canada, we are here traveling and that we just walked here from the train station, thats why we're so atsui. she seemed surprised with all our efforts to get there and welcomes us, offering us tea and then even cutting up some pear for us. we browse through the store admiring the craftsmanship of the drums, then venture over to the taiko museum. there, we are in another intimate space. the background sounds of hono-o-daiko playing on the tv screen. upon paying the entrance fee, we are told that we "can" play on the o-daiko (big drum) in the museum. how often do you walk into a museum and are told "please hit out items on display"? well, my eyes lit up with with excitement at that possibility and then when i actually saw the o-daiko, my eyes lit up again! it was huge!! a little intimidating, but it was fun to hit the large o-odaiko and make so much noise in such a small and intimate space. we were also treated to a short taiko performance by two of the asano taiko employees. arigato! we decide to stroll back over to the taiko store before it closes to buy a couple of items, bachi (sticks) and my first pair of jika tabi (footwear). after making our purchase, the nice lady (who we found out later was mrs. asano herself) motions for us to wait a minute. she finishes up a few sales, makes a phone call, etc and then she closes up shop and asks us to follow her. at this point we had suspected that she was going to offer us a ride back to the train station. we follow her out front to the fleet of asano taiko vans and she tries to find the van which she has the keys for. after a few minutes, she finds the van, unlocks it and invites us to go in. as we drive away, she makes another phone call and then hands the phone over to me. an english speaking woman on the other end confirms that mrs. asano is indeed driving us back to the train station. as we are dropped off, we say our domo arigato for the ride and for our enjoyable and pleasant afternoon at asano taiko.
little did we know that this afternoon trip to asano taiko was just the beginning of our day full of encountering overly generous and helpful people. see blog post "the legend of legian"!
september 15, 2008
kenrokuen (garden).
as one of japan's most prized gardens, we decided it was a must to visit kenrokuen while in kanazawa. the day is overcast with the threat of rain, we still decide to venture to the garden. kenrokuen; a strolling-style garden, is quite spectacular even between the bright summer blooms and autumn leaf colours. dramatic and old trees. beautifully integrated architecture. wooden foot bridges. ponds of koi. sounds of gentle flowing streams. gravels pathways. sculpted shrubs contrasted with flowing forests. all lent to a very zen like afternoon stroll through the park. and thankfully the rain held off for the day.
after the gardens, we visited nearby kanazawajinja shrine before the night skies settled in.
our slow and tired stroll back to the hotel in the evening. we discover the noh museum. although it had just closed for the day, we manage to snap a few photos of the beautiful space inside. textured imagery and layered fabric, depict the dramatic theatre of noh. definitely a must to visit when we come back to kanazawa next time.
september 16, 2008
today started slow... we are to attend and participate in a taiko class this evening, thanks to a new taiko friend (brian) we met online. he is from the u.s. and is living in kanazawa with his family and studying taiko with his wife. that evening, another short train ride and 20 minute walk in the dark and we are back at asano taiko to get picked up for the class, which is near by. we finally meet brian and he drives us to the rehearsal space (home to a few taiko groups including Hono-o-daiko). arriving and not knowing what to expect, we are greeted by a small group of taiko enthusiasts. we are introduced to the group and Yamada sensei of Hono-o-daiko who instructs the group. we watch as they practice their song. i was fortunate enough to be able to participate in an short but intense 20 minute drill, before the group continued to practice their song as we watched on. class over, we say our thank yous for allowing us to watch and participate. domo arigato. brian drives us back into town.
dropped off in quiet higashi chaya district. geisha district reminiscent to that of kyoto. all is quiet and dark except lit lanterns adorning a few open tea houses. the architecture is stunning, even in the dark. we wander through the quiet dark alleys in hopes of spotting a geisha or maiko walking about. no luck as its a quiet night here. not like the hustle and bustle of the kyoto gion district. we wander and wander and eventually wander our way back to the hotel late in the evening, not before i stop for a late night dinner on our way back. tired, we pack for our journey to niigata tomorrow afternoon.
september 17, 2008
its time to check out and depart kanazawa. a big thank you to our wonderful hosts at the kitagawa hotel. our time in kanazawa was too short. we realize there is much more for us to see and do here. there will definitely be a next time.
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