Yodogawa Fireworks

In Japanese they call fireworks "fire flowers," which I think sounds pretty and suits them better. The colorful robes the women are wearing in these pictures aren't kimonos but yukatas, which are a traditional garment worn during summer festivals and fireworks displays (or so Wikipedia tells me). They are a casual form of kimonos, and very lovely, but much less expensive, and made from cotton rather than silk. It rained mercilessly, and it was hilarious seeing women, who had obviously put in half a day's work on their appearance, run squeeling while their boyfriends desperately tried to hold tarps over their melting facades and giant hair.

I attended this event back on August 9th (I'm so behind, sorry). Please click here for pictures.

Arashiyama (western Kyoto)

This is western Kyoto and quite different from the Gion area. As much as I love bustling city life, I think I prefer this area, which was so beautiful with lushly green mountains, a river clean enough to swim in, and a bamboo forest that felt 10 degrees cooler (the sun is merciless). It's apparently best in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, or in autumn when the leaves begin to change. It's only about an hour's train ride from my home, which makes it an easy (and cheap) day trip.

I went here on August 3rd, and it was quite possibly the hottest day of my life.

Click here for pictures.

Koyasan's Candle Light Festival (Obon week)

On August 13th, which is Obon, a Buddhist holiday here in Japan, my friends and I attended the candle light festival in Koyasan. This was during the hottest part of the summer, at a time when the temperature was easily climbing its way into the 100s and the humidity was, like, 200 percent. Koyasan, however, was high up in the mountains and felt at least 15 degrees cooler.

The reason for the candle light festival is to light a path through the Buddhist cemetery (at night! eerie!), and lead the ghosts of ancestors to the main temple. And Japan claims to not celebrate Halloween! You will see food left on the altars, as it is believed that the ghosts are quite hungry and need to nosh on something before heading back to the grave (this makes me think of zombies).

When asked what they do with the leftover food after Obon, one of my students said, "A long time ago we put the food on wood rafts and set them on fire before sending them out to sea. Now we just throw it down the garbage disposal."

Please click here to see my pictures of Koysan's candle light festival.

Fushimi Inari-taisha

This shrine, 40 minutes by train from my home, lies at the base of Inari mountain, and is prayed to for wealth. The foxes you see in my pictures, which the Japanese call kitsune, are thought to be messengers for the gods. There are statues of kitsune all over Fushimi Inari (I thought they were dogs until Em corrected me). The 10,000 torii, bright orange and weaving their way up the mountain, are the coolest part about this shrine. When we reached the top we were rewarded with an amazing view of the city. Afterwards we bought some roasted chestnuts (which are disgusting--who knew?) and headed to Nagai Park to get our drink on and play a little frisbee.

You can see my photos of Fushimi Inari here.

Bicycles (the new car)

Bikes are the way to get around here in Japan, which is fine and wonderful except that it's illegal for them to ride on the SUPER WIDE, NOT AT ALL CROWDED street, so instead they ride on the narrow sidewalks where it's shoulder to shoulder people. They will think nothing of running you over, and you'll be lucky to get a precursory "ding ding" from their stupid little bell before your foot is broken. Old ladies are the worst, as they have little direction and often aim for the thickest part of the crowd, shoulders hunched, eyes determined. Afterwards they glare at you for having the audacity to be walking on the sidewalk.

Hiroshima

The first week I started working for ECC, I got a call from personnel asking me if I'd like to substitute teach in Hiroshima for a few days. All expenses paid. Huzzah! I got to take the shinkansen (aka "the bullet train") down there, and in between shifts I did a quick tour of the city. My hotel was right next to the Peace Memorial Park, a park commemorating the victims of the atomic bomb dropped on August 6th, 1945. The bomb was dropped directly over what is now the park, a green, floral area with a sparkling river and picnickers.

But the city isn't all about its sad history. It's extremely internationally-minded, and quite bustling, with a population of nearly 1,200,000. I ate at an Argentinian restaurant two nights in a row, where the owner knew me by name and prepared me dishes without charging me. An old man who works for the city of Hiroshima and spoke almost no English insisted on buying me Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki (Osaka and Hiroshima have a long-standing feud about who has the better okonomiyaki--similar to New York and Chicago's pizza debate). I loved the relaxed atmosphere of the city and the generosity and openness of the people. I was a little sad to return to the rat race that is Osaka.

See my pictures of Hiroshima here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=22892&l=795bf&id=800884170

The Guch (my house)

The house I'm living in is affectionately known as The 'Guch because of its location in Moriguchi and because it's a funny name. It's legendary in that many ECC teachers have lived here at some point, or at least attended one of the many parties thrown here over the years.

It's actually two three-story houses connected, and is truly massive. It took me nearly a month to find the second kitchen as it's a bit of a maze, with doors that lead to nothing and staircases that lead to yet more staircases. I feel like I'm living in the Winchester House. There are nine bedrooms, but only five are occupied: me, Judy from Baltimore, Cat from England, Michael from New Zealand, and Masako and Tetsuru from Japan. We're all ECC teachers (except for Masako and Tetsuru) and get along quite well.

The house is not without its disadvantages, however. Japan has a cockroach problem but our house seems to be a resort for the loathsome things. No matter how clean we keep the place, these prolific little buggers keep appearing in drains or scurrying passed as a light gets flicked on.