Kimono Day

Four women and three men (which was all men in the program) in our 15-people program participated in the kimono event today. It really takes a long time and two to three people to help one put on kimono. We also learned how expensive they are. The one for wedding costs 5,000,000yen on average.

The ones we wore today are not for casual occasion but for when one attends a friend's wedding, or a match-making meeting.

The long sleeve and ribbon style we women wore today are for single women. Yes, I was the only married person in the group, but all the teachers said I am single while in Japan.

Belated Birthday Entry

Saikat and I hosted a birthday party together, having the same birthday, with him one year younger than I. We had it on the Friday before our birthday so our teachers could attend also. We invited our conversation partners' organization, and 11 of them registered while others also came.

It was a very big party, with at least 45 people attending. I scheduled food, a short game of charade, and then karaoke. Everyone said they had fun. I was just tired because I was running around taking care of people, and thus did not know if I could call myself relaxing. But it was so great seeing everyone's smile.

Unexpectedly (really), I got presents from many people, and everyone except for one person in my 15-people program. I was pleasantly surprised because I honestly just wanted to have this opportunity to have friends and teachers taste Taiwanese and American foods, and Saikat's Indian food also. I felt embarrassed to receive presents. But I definitely felt everyone's love and joy. I thank them.

I made too much foods, and ended up having to throw away some of the Taiwanese sushi the next day after we could not finish them. We also got together one more time when Saikat made Indian curry and Miyuki made Korean kimchi soup. But we had to throw away most of the white rice. I also threw away some fruit salad. I really hate to throw away foods.

Happy belated birthday to all my family and friends! I am sorry that I did not message or email you but you are in my thoughts, your birthday or not.

Nabe

Directly from the airport, I took train to the station near my conversation partner's house last night to have dinner. We had nabe (hot pot), sushi, fruits, and mochi. Apparently every Japanese was eating mochi yesterday for the special day. Supposedly they made them yesterday and then ate them.

My conversation partner was hosting 3 Argentinian musicians. Merce from my program was present as Spanish-Japanese translator. I was surprised at how much Spanish I still understood, but then sad at how I can no longer speak any word... Argentinian humor is interesting, but not easy to understand.

Asakusa

I stayed at a hotel near Shinagawa in Tokyo and went to the Shinagawa Historical Museum yesterday morning (Sunday, Nov. 8). I did not know until after I got there that it was the site of the famous Omori Shell Mounds discovery site. It was a nice place with a pretty garden too.

I then headed to Asakusa Temple and Shrine. Out of the temples and shrines I have been to in Japan thus far, Asakusa was the most crowded one. It did not help that it was a Sunday and a special holiday for Japanese to bring their 3, 5, or 7 year olds to the shrine. I was not impressed with the temple or shrine at all, except for the following:

1. Chrysanthemum festival/contest winners and participants. They were fabulous.
2. Japanese money performing special jumping and walking obstacle courses.
3. Kids performing kabuki on stage.

Temples and shrines in Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, Kamakura are just way better than this Asakusa place.

Shiawase

I met with Professor Rob Eskildsen at Obirin University on Wednesday- his work is outside my field and time period, but he was helpful. He also gave me copies of his articles.

Then yesterday, Thursday, I finally met with Professor Hong Yu-ru at Hitotsubashi University whose research is closest to mine (probably in the world), and she was super nice! She is still young, has published many articles and her newest book won some award in Japan- and she gave me a copy! The book costs 9700 yen plus tax (right now $1=90yen). She also gave me a copy of one of her articles, gave me coffee from Tully(? Tulley?) right when I walked in (she had bought two cups).

After the nearly two-hour talk about research and ourselves (our personal life also), she took me out to lunch! I was so happy to eat with her, and then she would not let me pay for my share. I had Japanese spaghetti for the first time, it was very Japanese because the sauce is this pickled plum vegetable with fatty pork slices. Can you imagine it? The corn soup was salty, but pretty good even though the corn have been crushed to bites. The dessert was really good, I am not sure what it is called. We also had coffee/tea. It was so great.

The story did not end here. We took train together until I transferred to a faster line to get to Shinjuku. We kept on looking at each other and waving to each other until my train moved away. I already like her very much because of her personality and work. Her hospitality really make me feel as if I was floating in the clouds, and as if I was dreaming. It was so unreal.

On the same night as when I had this wonderful experience (yesterday for me), I had another wonderful experience. I met up with Kyoko whom I knew from when I lived in International House at the University of Chicago. We met up in Ginza, walked around and then had sandwich for dinner. She totally spoiled me because she would only go where I want to go. Her words, `if you are happy then I am happy` really warmed up my heart. She has always been sweet, but her hospitality was superb.

There were two other great parts, it is her birthday today but I did not know, yet she gave me presents and treated me dinner! I was so embarrassed when she told me her birthday was today, after she had given me presents and bought me dinner. The presents included yummy Japanese corn stick cookie rolls and a really cute barbie doll dressed up in yukata/kimono (I cannot differentiate clearly) and geta (shoes). The barbie doll is so adorable!

These experiences, and the meeting-up with Colin at Shinjuku and he also treated me wonderful absolutely delicious dinner, all make me wonder if I deserve all these wonderful people`s kindness and love. Of course not to mention how the Japan Foundation Kansai Institute, the program I am in right now studying Japanese, has spoiled me in Japan. I am too lucky! I wonder if I deserve all of these...

I do wonder after all these wonderful things if bad things are going to happen next... There is Chinese proverb and Japanese also use it, that says good things do not necessary lead to good things in the future, and bad things do not necessary lead to bad things next.

Japanese school system

I visited a professor at Obirin University today. While hopping onto the bus, I realized that the school has kindergarten through university. I think it is fairly common in Japan to have the through-system. I think they tend to be private schools too.

I wonder why and how it works.

School uniforms

Mariana from my program once said to me that `because the skirt is short, they must be high schoolers.` Ever since then, whenever I see students in uniforms, I try to figure out if they are junior high or high schoolers. I think the length of the skirt is fairely accurate. Junior high schoolers have skirts below their knees while high schoolers have skirts above their kness (some are really short, like mini-skirts).

For boys, junior high schoolers tend to have the all-buttoned-up one-piece top (dark blue or black) while high schoolers tend to have suit-like clothes with ties (girls would have bows instead, and skirts intead of pants).

Perhaps wearing uniforms, especially suit-sytle ones, is the training for future professional dress code. If they can get used to it at a young age, they would not mind wearing them for work.