Monday, November 28, 2016

The lights of November

Dear friends,

It's almost been three months since I came to Japan, and already has the country been shaken by a major earthquake and even tsunami warning. No one has been hurt, thankfully - but I received a few concerned messages last Tuesday after the Fukushima earthquake could also be felt in Tokyo. Everything is alright and I am already getting used to be woken up by an earthquake early in the morning ;)

But let's talk about something more cheerful: It's almost Christmas! And Japan is already busy preparing. This is the reason for this post's title - the most prevalent thing in this time of the year. Because, for example, this is what Ginza, Tokyo's high-end shopping area, looks like now:








In fact, it has also been snowing here a few days ago. I heard this is the first time in 50 years that Tokyo got snow in November! However, there was little time to appreciate this wonder it all melted away...

Snowy view from my balcony

Celebrating like anime characters


The reason why we recently had one week off from class was a big campus festival called Mitasai - Mita Festival. All Japanese students had been preparing all week to finally be able to start on Thursday. The Keio University's Mita campus had been decorated, food booths stocked up and performances rehearsed. We visited the festival on Sunday and I must say: It was worth the effort! We felt like in one of the high school festivals you can so often see in manga and anime. And we had a lot of delicious things to eat - Takoyaki, noodles, french fries, crêpes, Korean pancakes, ice cream,...

Welcome to Mitasai!

Food, food, food... and a lot of people


A small stage - see the following video for proof that Japanese can get very enthusiastic about their favourite music ;)



The main reason why we had to go there was to see our Bojutsu club performing. Although we ourselves were not yet skilled enough to participate, we could watch all members demonstrating various techniques of this martial art. We were impressed and are even more motivated to learn all these amazing moves now. But see for yourself! 





When it was time for the obligatory group picture, the members saw us watching and called for us to come to pose for the photo as well. It was so touching - we felt welcome and like real members of the club!

It won't be hard to find us in the photo

A big stage with continuous performances - like those in the videos below



They were apparently actually fighting - I heard that "Trump" was seen on this ring as well. Even here, you are not safe from talks about the US election...

In one of the school buildings, all musical clubs of Keio gathered and gave performances in each of the rooms. A diversity from classical music over folk and jazz to metal. And some of them were really good!

Rock/metal stage

Our favourites: A jazzy style music with rock elements


A capella performance on the small stage

Dancing performance at the end of the day


Disneyland for drunkards


Last week, the Keio WelcomeNet organised a tour to a sake brewery - Ishikawa in the Fussa area of Tokyo. This brewery is quite old, founded in 1863 and also incorporates a museum and a couple of restaurants. A friendly guide showed us around the premises and explained about the process of brewing sake.

Sake is not quite wine and not quite beer - but something inbetween. While yeast and fermentation of a starchy grain are involved in the process, the variety of flavours more likely resembles wine. However, it contains more alcohol than both of them - 14 to 16%.

Our guide in front of a sake tank

To make sake, rice is steamed in mineral water (tap water is not used, but water from natural sources only), then made into a mold called koji. This mold serves to turn the starch in the rice into glucose. The koji is then mixed with yeast and lactic acid and left to ferment. This mixture is called shubo and is cultivated in a smaller tank first to maintain a necessary temperature, then, after 14 days, it is put into a large fermentation tank. 

The sake mixture is fermenting in these tanks - up to one year

The sake here is only produced in winter, which is due to the rigid rice economy policy by the government on the one hand, but on the other hand, the necessary low temperature with fewer germs also plays a role.

A giant kettle - I forgot what it is for :(



The brewery itself is considered a holy place, this is why you can find Shinto paper charms and tiny shrines all over the place.



Ishikawa does not only produce sake, but also beer. Since you can learn so much about the things brewed here and try them in the local restaurants, this place is called the Disneyland for sake and beer lovers. They make all kinds of beer with German names - so funny when our guide told us of Helles, Pilsner, Dunkles, Weizen... 

Of course, you could buy all this in a shop on the site




The highlight was, of course, the sake tasting. We got three different flavours: One was very dry, the second a lot more sweet fruity (the best sake I ever had!) and the third one was, in fact, plum wine. They even have sake flavoured cake and sweets... indeed a Disneyland if you are into the Japanese rice drink.


The world of Noh


In our Arts Workshop, we had another special guest lask week. It was the Noh player Kohei Kawaguchi, who taught us about this traditional Japanese type of drama, and even performed an excerpt of a play he recently participated in. As it seems to be the custom in this class, we were also invited to sing with him - not exactly easy with a complex Japanese text and a very unusual tune! Unfortunately, I even forgot to take photos or videos - but in January, we will be attend his performance in the Umekawa Theatre. Hopefully, I will be give a small insight into this art form then.

Noh had recently been proclaimed UNESCO Cultural Heritage, and have been around for over 700 years now. The unique thing about Noh is... well, there are quite a few things. A Noh drama is mostly based on mythology and religion, which is why we can often see a pine tree in the background: Pine trees are considered to be inhabited by gods, and so the play is performed for the particular god in the tree. Since there are hundreds of plays, a Noh actor only has the chance to play in each of them once. He also trains alone, without stage rehearsals. Kawaguchi-san said that the particular song we learned took him one year to learn. One year!

Another remarkable feature of a Noh drama are the masks. They stand for different characters as well as states of mind. The latter can often be changed using only one mask, which is achieved by slightly changing the position of the head. The different angle creates a new expression - for example, sadness with a head tilted downwards. Other ways to express moods and feelings are gestures and fan movements.

This mask is supposed to show a sad young woman. Could you have guessed?

 

These fans, as well as the masks, are hundreds of years old



Thank you for reading! Enjoy this pre-Christmas season and come back to visit here in the next few days, when I will tell - and show - you about the beautiful city of Kamakura and one of the biggest Japanese cultural festivals. :)

Friday, November 25, 2016

Trip into the wild


Hello friends :)

Last week was off for us and so the time came to go on vacation! This means: Finally exploring other parts of Japan. Our hunt for adventures lead Essi, Alizée and me to Nikko, a small city surrounded by mountains, said to be full of beatiful autumn colours, mesmerizing landscapes and cultural treasures. So we hit an early morning train on Tuesday and went there to stay there for two nights.


Crying dragon and sleeping cat


First impression of Nikko: Small, village-like town with tourism as the only industry, where shops close very early

Famous Shinkyo Bridge  - we would have had to pay to go on it, but this was enough to see




Our first destination was the UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Nikko National Park, a twenty minute walk away from the train station, containing not only hundreds of years old trees, but also 103 buildings, belonging to one temple and two shrines. The largest of them all, a shrine complex called Tosho-gu, costs 1300 yen to enter but offers much to see. We could even walk inside a shrine for the first time - sadly, no photos were allowed.







On this day, it was also shishi-go-san (7-5-3) day, meaning that all children aged 3, 5 and 7 are dressed traditionally and taken to a Shinto shrine. Because these ages, being odd numbers, are considered unlucky in Japan, the visit is used to thank the local gods for past favours and pray for health and safety for the following years. It's done on November 15th since it has traditionally been a lucky day in the Japanese calendar.  For us, it meant seeing a couple of cute children in kimono and hakama (traditional trousers). :)





An attraction Nikko is famous for, and which can be found on ALL merchandise products, are the three wise monkeys. I mean these:

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

Other well-known animals pictured above the entrances and inside the shrine buildings are the crying dragon and the sleeping cat (unfortunately, I don't have any good photos). The crying dragon can be found inside a shrine, and a motivated tourist guide demonstrated how sounds change in the room due to the structure of its walls and floor - creating something that sounds like a crying beast.



Unfortunately, the most beautiful of the buildings was still under construction. This is one of the few parts you could see






Seeking to see other shrines and temples inside the area, we found some of them closed at 4pm - the time where Japan gets dark at this time of the year (while it is as early as 5pm even in summer!). One temple which was not restricted was one in the forest next to the Shiraito falls. Bad idea it was to go into this forest in the dark. But we were very confident in Japanese security and went on, not expecting to encounter our probably most memorable adventure.

When we reached something that lookes like the temple we were looking for, an elderly Japanese man whose car was parking there asked if he could help. He said the temple we were looking for was deeper into the forest, after a set of stairs, and he used his flashlight to show us the way. When we thanked him, he even gave us the flashlight to light our way there and waited for us at the street at his car - which was strange enough. But we guessed it was just Japanese politeness. When we reached the temple, a rather spooky place in the dark - a perfect setting for a horror movie - he also suddenly came upstairs and showed us around. He then proceeded to tell us that the stairs we came up were too slippery and dangerous to come down, so he offered to show us another way to go back. We became really suspicious when he said something that sounded like "hotel", as if he wanted to lure us somewhere. So we politely refused and climbed - or rather ran - down the slippery stairs instead.

When the man came down as well, we gave him back his flashlight and thanked him for his help before moving back to the train station. It was then when we remembered the Japanese word for temple, which is otera. Sounds quite like "hotel", doesn't it?


Living like the Japanese

A highlight of our journey was certainly the accomodation. We found a Japanese woman on Airbnb offering rooms in her own for guests. Apart from the room, she offered free dinner and breakfast! That sounded like a really authentic exciting cultural experience - and it was indeed. When we arrived at the designated train station 10 minutes away from Nikko on our first evening, she was already waiting for us in her car and took us to her place. Living in a real Japanese house, we enjoyed the benefits of a Japanese bath - with a whole small extra shower room including a bathtub for a hot, relaxing bath in the evening, and a high-tech toilet which greeted you opening each time you entered (yes, always the toilet stories...). The room itself was very comfy. It has three beds and was decorated all in pink - maybe it was once a children's room? Softdrinks, tea and coffee was provided for us together with a waterboiler in the good, guest-friendly manner.

But the food! It was the best of all. Sumire-san - the woman who hosted us - took a lot of effort to make us and our bellies happy. Look at these pieces of art:

First dinner: Radish in soy sauce, miso soup, fried veggies, gyoza, cooked veggies, rice and deliciously prepared soy beans 

First breakfast: yoghurt with banana, cinnamon sugar, persimon and apples, omelette, cheese, pumpkin and cucumber salad, orange juice. Not in the picture: Toast and coffee :3

Second dinner: matcha salt (!), beans, a loooot of deep-fried veggies (pumpkin, mushroom, sweet potato, leeks), onigiri, radish in soy sauce

Genmaicha (green tea with rice) after dinner

I forgot to take a picture of the second breakfast, which contained: Blueberry tea, toast with butter and lemon curd, yoghurt with clementine, omelette, grilled mushrooms, mushroom soup, and a salad of lettuce, tomato and corn.

While we ate, Sumire-san stayed with us in the living room and talked to us, occasionally laughing and commenting on the TV program running in the background. Like this, we were able to practice our Japanese skills and watch some real Japanese game shows. Sumire-san was a very kind, patient and funny conversation partner and took the time to explain to us about the meals, Japanese words and customs. Furthermore, she brought us to the station and picked us up at any time we desired, despite her having other guests and going to work in a company en passant. It was such a pleasure to stay with her and I can highly recommend it to everyone travelling to Nikko. You can find her Airbnb offer here.


Beware the bear 


A proof that we were moving in dangerous areas 

A second adventure in Nikko? Unfortunetely, neither bears nor monkeys, not even deer crossed our way while we hiked for hours on our second day. This time, we took the bus who brought us further away from Nikko: To Chuzenji Lake, one hour from the centre. (For 3000 yen, you can get a two-day Nikko bus pass which allows you to go back and forth as many times as you like, and as far as the Yumoto onsen. What that is? More on that later.)






The beatiful Kegon falls awaited us there, as well as a 3-hour hike. It takes 11km to walk around the lake; We planned on going for 6. But unfortunately, some parts of the trail are closed from October. So are the mountain trails, which destroyed our plans to climb one of the mountains around the area. Well, at least we could walk a couple of hours and see some holy places as well. 

Kegon Falls
 


 


A place where you could throw a plate for 200 yen each. Something for hidden aggressions?






We are not alone in the woods


On our last day in Nikko, we checked one big item on our to-do list: Visiting a real Japanese onsen (hot spring). Our destination was theYumoto onsen, half an hour away from Chuzenji, a small and authentic hot spring in a forest area. 

Entering Yumoto - there was noone around except for us

The place proved to be anything else but crowded. It had several onsens and the one we visited was also a buddhist temple. As the place was rather small, we had basically a whole room for ourselves, after sharing it a while with a woman with whom we could even practice having a really basic conversation in Japanese. 

Onsens are an authentic Japanese experience worth trying. It is better and even more relaxing than taking a hot bath, although it can be intimidating to be naked among strangers. Yes, in most Japanese hot springs you have to be, but fear not: Only few of them are not separated by gender. Furthermore, as soon as you enter the hot water, you forget about everything and give in to the effect of the hot, natural source water with lots of health benefits. The only bad thing about all this is the nasty sulphur smell. Here's my warning: Wash yourself and your clothes very thoroughly after taking such a bath! 

We then could sit a while in a tatami room, sipping tea and eating a rice cracker after bathing.


 

The onsen aka temple from outside


In order to explore the area a bit more, we went to hike the 3-hour trail back to Ryuzu Falls, where we would take our bus back to Nikko station to catch a train home in the evening. 

Yutaki Falls



On our way, we finally tried dango, traditional Japanese rice dumplings covered with a sauce. 

How dango is made... reminded me of marshmallows

This was not even sweet - but rather salty, and a very new taste

While walking through the amazingly diverse, wild landscapes, we noticed quickly that we were not the only ones. It seemed as if all the schools in and around Nikko decided to go on hiking day, and so we met hundreds and hundreds of school children, dressed in uniforms and colourful (yellow, red or green) hats. Foreigners seem to be rather an exotic thing in that area, so they were totally excited to use all of their English skills, greeting us with "Hello!", "How are you?", "Nice to meet you!" and so on, chattering and laughing, while the teachers bowed with a polite "Konnichi wa". Just when we thought the storm was over, another large group suddenly appeared on the distant horizon. It was our hour of fame. Some of us enjoyed it, some not so much ;)




The "tree trunk challenge" was not Alizée's idea and fun to do :P















Another one of the numerous waterfalls on our way




A teahouse at the end of our road


Some art next to the teahouse

Finally: Ryuzu Falls

These three days were a trip into the wild not only due to the prevaling nature, but also due to the opportunity to explore a less populated area, where you have to rely on your (poor) Japanese skills. It was an amazing experience and I would love to visit Nikko again somewhere in spring, to marvel at blossoming landscapes from the top of a mountain. Thank you for reading and have a fantastic weekend :)