Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Hisashiburi ne!

Wow, I've been gone for a long time. I'm sorry, a lot has happened over the last few weeks. I got deferred by Harvard, began a counter student government/movement at school, while I also received my acceptance letter for going to school in Japan next year. At the same time a lot important news has come out of Japan.

The three most important events to have occurred are the changing of the clause on education in the Japanese Constitution, scripted questions in town hall style meetings, and the all time low popularity rating of Shinzo Abe. ( Go to this excellent article to get a good understanding of the issue: http://japanfocus.org/products/details/2293) Beginning with the first piece. Abe and the LDP finally made their move. After speaking about carrying out "reforms" to the education system, they have finally done so by passing legislation that will have students be taught to love their country. The language that I've used, is just as harmless and vague as used in the new bill passed. But this is the point. By making the language as vague as possible Abe and his far right wing allies in government have the ability to carry out more reactionary legislation that will bring education more into line with what it was before 1945. Abe's allies, more willing to speak their minds, insist on teaching reverence of the imperial family to Japan's youth, and instilling a strong patriotic sentiment. What we are seeing here is a blatant takeover of Japanese politics by quiet and not so quiet nationalists who wish to impose their own agenda and views of history on Japan's citizens.
Abe did all of this with much consequence. He his popularity has gone down from 65% in September, when he took office, to 45% in a matter of weeks. The majority of the nation has voiced anger at the change to the constitution. Academics, and most importantly of all the academics that Abe's government hired from Waseda University to vouch for the change to the education clause in the constitution came out and said that the changes 'were not necessary at all.' There is a clear divide between the people and the prime minister.
The last of the three news bits is the newly revealed scripted realities of the LDP's town hall meetings. In an effort to raise support for the new policy towards education, Abe and ministers held town hall style meetings. The catch, revealed by investigative reporters, was that normal day people were being approached before the meetings and being paid money to ask certain questions at a certain moment. All of this has been very embarrassing for Abe and co. Trust in the honesty of the prime minister's office has ebbed even lower, contributing to the marked decrease in Abe's popularity numbers. What is clear here is that Abe is more hawkish than Koizumi, (in process of taking down barriers to use of JSDF), very confrontational with North Korea over the abduction issue, and is certainly intent on redefining what education is in Japan while not taking action to curb the problems of bullying that have been the source for numerous suicides this past fall. I wish Japan good luck. It's going to need it. If there is one thing that remarkable for Japanese politics, then that is how unremarkable its most powerful LDP politicians are.

Thursday, December 7, 2006

As Promised



Nagoya-jo (Nagoya Castle) Nagoya is a city of a lot of promising historical sites for those who are interested in feudal Japanese history. Well, that would be the case if World War II had not happened, and if the fire bombing of 73 Japanese cities including Nagoya hadn't been done. Nagoya castle is disappointing at best. What you see in this picture looks nice from this distance. Get close to it and then you will realize the truth of its nature. It's a fake. The real building, along with the rest of Nagoya was incinerated during World War II. All that survived of the real castle was its stone foundation, and one of the towers and gates from what was once a sprawling castle. So on close inspection the castle is made of concrete and metal. The interior is a museum built in a modern rendition. The result is a lackluster experience. It was only the next day at school that I learned from my friend Cleo, that there was an amazing castle on a large hill 10 minutes outside of Nagoya. She insisted that it's everything that Nagoya-jo isn't.



Going native! This was taken on a Sunday afternoon when I was preparing to deliver a speech (in Japanese) to a regional AFS meeting. I'd never worn Yukata (summer kimono) before, and certainly I'd never had a chance to even get close to a kimono in my life. So it was a very special day when my host family decided that I should have a yukata of my own. It cost about $90. This is on the cheap end for Yukata. But nevertheless I was thrilled. It took two people, plus myself, and about 10 minutes to get the sash and yukata on correctly! I can't imagine wearing this every day and having to spend so much time putting on the correct way. Although modern clothes may lack the jazz that some old clothes had, utility of modern clothing certainly wins in the end in my opinion.


Lest We Forget... Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941. Today marks the 66th year since America and the Allied powers went to war with Japan. To all of the Allied and Japanese veterans still alive, I hope the years of peace since 1945 have healed any mental wounds from the war. Never again a world in arms.... only if.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Newly discovered pictures



Flipping through a stack of CD's on my computer desk, I found an unusual blank CD with no label on it. After inserting into my computer I realized I had found the pictures that Shigetaka, the father of the grandchildren in my host family had taken for me. In the CD are pictures from our trip to Nagoya Castle, Meijimura, and a Chunichi Dragons Baseball game (They creamed those Tokyo Giants 14-4! Note:Giants=Yankees of Japan) These following pictures are ones I've decided are the most interesting of the batch. Enjoy.



Baseball! The only other nation in the world that discovered the greatness that is baseball before the year 1900! Japanese baseball games are something which cannot be explained. It has to be experienced. It feels like American baseball, but it has some of its unique bits that American baseball does not possess. Such as cheerleaders, giant TV screens telling you when to cheer, nets stopping most line drives from entering the stands, and most of all, civil fans! Think of that! No swearing, no jeering, and no drunks! It’s the complete opposite of Fenway Park. Although it might sound too pacified, it is still







Miki (one of two host sisters) and I are riding the oldest working train in Japan at Meijimura. This train dates back to the 1870's and ran on the first trainline in Japan that went from Yokohama to Tokyo. If you ever end up in Japan, Meijimura is a place of sheer natural and architectural beauty that exists no where else within Japan.


*** More pictures to come soon! I've only gotten 3 hours of sleep in almost the last 48 hours, so I'm heading off to bed at an early 9:33 PM. Good night!


Monday, December 4, 2006

Textbooks, letters, and Ayami


Sorry for not posting over the last days. Life has gotten busy with college applications, and a liberal...... sprinkling of 2.5 hours of AP European history a night after a small hiatus from home work for this class.

Today in Japanese class we finally received our first official text book of the year after using print outs and packets for the last three months. At Brookline High School we began using the Obentoo 1 text book in freshman year, then the Obentoo 2 in sophomore year. In junior year we switched over to the Adventures in Japanese 2 textbook. This year we are using Adventures in Japanese 3. In freshman and sophomore years I and my classmates suffered from that ilk that’s Obentoo. That textbook was down right awful in comparison with other textbooks I’ve seen at book stores and online. Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t until last year that Aio Sensei, and Iida Sensei decided to scrap the Obentoo textbooks all together and use the Adventures in Japanese 1 for freshman, and work up to the 4th volume by senior year. For me, this in reality does not truly matter because I learned a almost a years worth of Japanese alone attending school in Japan. But for my friends at school, it seems just plain dumb that these textbooks were used to begin with.
Obentoo moves at a pain staking slow pace. It also does not cover a whole lot compared to other text books in its 1st and 2nd volumes. I really think it impedes how much one can learn in a year. After speaking with Aio sensei, I learned that the year 1 Japanese students will already be where my class was in late 1st semester of year 2 of Japanese classes by the end of this year. Looks as if my classmates and I were dealt a bad hand these over these last few years.

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And now for something completely different:

After traveling to Japan two times in just one year, I’ve become heavily loaded with an enjoyably yet obligatory task that I never had before: correspondence. After two host families, two tutors, and two good friends, I find myself writing an insane amount of letters to Japan via snail mail and e-mail every month. It was worse, it used to be a couple of letters every week. I say worse only because my senior year of high school is ridiculously busy between my Middle East History Seminar, AP European History, AP Japanese 4, Public Speaking, Statistics, and college applications. Oh, and Fencing too…. I love writing to Masatoshi and his parents in Fujidera, Osaka-fu. But I also have to write to my other host family, the Nakagawas in Taketoyo, Aichi-ken. Then there are my letters just to Masatoshi himself, and letters to just the children of my second host family, and even more letters to my friend Ayami (more to come up on her), at boarding school in Aichi-ken. This list fluctuates, but for the most part I feel guilty if my letters are short. This means I end up writing a lot… Even with this, I absolutely enjoy receiving mail every weak or two from Japan. It makes me happy in an indescribable way that my host families and the friends write to me constantly. Knowing that I was able become more than just a friend means so much to me. Having the feeling that there will always be two welcoming homes in Japan is simply amazing and wonderful.



( Me, Masatoshi, and his father. Not seen is his mother who is taking the photo.)






Concerning my friend Ayami:

I could just copy all of my journal entries I made from summer about Ayami and I in Japan, but I think that would be really lazy of me. So about Ayami! It was the last week in Japan that we met. Through AFS (American Field Services), all of the AFS summer exchange students in Aichi prefecture, being about 25, met at Nagoya’s main train station. We were joined by a number of Japanese high school students who were attending an AFS sponsored English summer camp (My host sister Miho worked there as a counselor). Ayami and her friend Yuriko were with us, but at the start of the trip I hadn’t met them yet. It would only be after a 3 hour bus ride from Nagoya to Kyoto that I would encounter Ayami.
The first stop on our 1 day excursion to Kyoto was the temple of Kinkaku-ji (The golden pavilion). I should note that I traveled in Kyoto for 4 days last April, so this 1 day trip was rather disappointing in terms of seeing anything new) Before I continue with this story I want to say a few words on Kinkaku-ji. There is no temple that is as disappointing and crowded infested as this temple in Kyoto. To any future travelers, be warned that this place is infested during also seasons by people. Not only is it visually disappointing, there simply isn’t much there to do, walk over, or see, other than a large array of gift shops. The golden temple itself is stunning, but once you walk by it all that is left is a plethora of shops leading back to the parking lot. There are much better temples to visit than this temple in Kyoto.
Although Kinkaku-ji is rather dull, it was where I met my friend Ayami. I hadn’t noticed that she and her friend came along on the trip. I’m attentive!... So when I saw her exit the bus I walked over to ask her and Yuriko if they were host sisters. That was when I learned they were AFS English summer campers. I ended up spending the first half of the visit at the temple talking with them. Somewhere in the crowds I lost sight of them. So I ended up stuck at the gift shops for the remaining time where I aided a Japanese AFS volunteer in rounding up stray students.
Second stop was Eigamura (movie village). This place was campy and corny in some parts, but it was nevertheless fun. I ended up seeing a new drama being filmed. Apparently the actors must’ve been popular because all of the Japanese girls were really excited, while I stood there clueless as to who these actors were. It was interested to see how they created these dramas, and how after each take the actors were attacked by a horde of makeup helpers who patted their sweaty faces down with perfume and towels. I then went to watch a sword fight demonstration where I got this funny picture taken with a fellow American friend of mine.
When I headed back to the small streets of the movie set medieval town, I ran into Ayami and Yuriko again. We ended up spending the rest of the day together after that 2nd encounter. Strangely enough, I only have one photo of us together from that day.

(Ayami and I at Eigamura)



(Note the guy on the left wearing Shinsengumi kimono)


Kiyomizudera temple the last place we went that day. This temple is by far my favorite temple/location in Japan so far. When I went there in April, the whole forest and hills around it were covered by blooming sakura. It was a sight that I’ll never forget. It was still pretty during the summer, but it lacked its majestic beauty that it only has when covered in cherry blossoms. Ayami, Yuriko, and I spent the last few hours of the trip together at the temple. We went to each other’s favorite locations at the temple, and then headed out for lunch and for a stroll through the historical neighborhood. I’m only summarizing the day through vague descriptions, but the point of this is that we actually only met once in person. And that was on that day. Beginning on my last full day in Japan, we started a continuous correspondence that hasn’t abated since. We’ve sent somewhere between almost 80 letters to each other over the past 4 months. None of this would have happened if I had not taken the initiative to get Ayami’s address right before she left by train from Kyoto back to Nagoya. I’m really happy that I made this decision because I almost didn’t. We will hopefully be seeing each other again when I return to Japan next year. I hope things work out... This event fell into place under the law of trips. You meet people that you wish you’d known at the start of your trip near the end of any trip…
Well that's all for today! I think I've made up for those missed days....