I am currently in Bunkyo Tokyo Japan right now at Bunkyo Gakuin University. This study abroad program will be about 4 months long. This is my first blog ever so we'll see how it goes. I will try to at least do an update once a week for my time here in Japan. I promise no long blogs so bare with me! >.< Oh and there probably might be short videos here and there!
So this weekend has been a really interesting one. I got to see Sumo and Kabuki. Loved it. It was very interesting and the culture that Japan colors is just so beautiful. I do admit I fell asleep at both events at some point of time but nevertheless, it was still a wonderful experience! >.<
I have a short clip of the sumo but unfortunately my camera died on me right before the sumo wrestlers were about to charge at each other. It made me really sad that I couldn't capture it for you guys to see. However, I still posted it below. In addition the photos aren't that great because I sat very far from the stage (for both events) although I saw everything perfectly well. I blame my camera. So anyway, I went to see Sumo on Friday the 21st and Kabuki on Sunday the 23rd. Check out below! SUMO!
KABUKI
Kabuki, by the way, is all male actors! Beautiful. Although
this show I went to, I believe there might have been female actors too. Or at least it seems so.
The Nezu Festival! It was quite a day. Very fun experience. My classmates and I helped carry a portable shrine (mikoshi) around the neighborhood where we live because it was an activity for our class Shinto and Buddhism. The Nezu Shrine is located about 5 minutes away. Check out the video and picture below. Where you see the group of people carrying a shrine, that's what we did too. Because of my height, the shrine never touched my shoulder. At one point it did because all the tall people took a rest? 0.o But it was definitely an arm work out because the more the mikoshi shakes, the better of the god! It's a once in a life time experience and I'm glad I did it. Oh and we carried the shrine for a good 3 hrs!
So this past weekend, we were scheduled to go to Karuizawa. I had no clue what to expect but I knew once we got closer. The mountains! It was so gorgeous. Quite long but check out pictures/vids below! We went to 4 main places. The whole group was so tire after the visits. The day after we went to an outlet mall in Karuizawa. Great fun times...
The residence hall we were staying during our time at Karuizawa!
Dinner!
So each time someone breaks a rule, their whole group gets punished. This is group 4, they had to perform for us at dinner time. They did Head, shoulders, knees and toes in Japanese. Honestly, I was confused on what they were singing. You be the judge!
That night we also lit firecrackers. Check this one out. It was called poop firecracker. 0.o
Team #3! Leader: Atsunori, Sub-leader: Ami! Then
there's me, Lavy, Song, Saori, Yon, Yukiko!
All the students from Bunkyo Gakuin University with the study abroad students.
First location: White streamfall.
Our program Director Jeff Kamakahi and me!
SOBA Making: We got to see how soba was made. It's a kind of noodle. Because my group ventured off too far with sight seeing while another group watched the soba making (taking turns) we were not able to see how they made the soba we ate.
The soba dish. You have to dip the noodles in a cup of soy sauce (left)
and then eat it. Same for the tempura at the right corner. It was very good. There was
eggplant, pumpkin, mushroom, green beans and shrimp tempura.
@3rd Location. Check out video for the name! >.<
So this is a very big rock that that a lot of coins on it. I stuck one on too!
Silly and Daring.
The heavens and earth.
4th Location: Taleisin
When we got there, we were so amazed by the fishies. They were so entertaining to watch. Flying carp...
It's funny because we kept talking to them like they were puppies. -.-
Kia and Ger.
We saw a white swan among all the ducks. It was beautiful.
Entrance.
The way to the outlet mall.
Lunch at a Korean Restaurant. Had a pretty bad hangover and wanted
some pho so badly. Only thing that could compensate for pho at
that moment when you're in Japan.
How their seats looked.
Afterwards, we left the outlet mall and our 3hours drive back to Tokyo.
The Shinto priest greeting us. The box here to the right is where
one can offer money and make a prayer. You throw the money,
bow twice, clap twice, then bow once more.
Hey everyone! So my experience at the Nezu Shrine....Went pretty well. My class and I got exorcised by a Shinto priest. A Shinto priest is called a ねぎ(negi). In Japanese exorcising by a Shinto priest is called おはり（ohari). It was very interesting. We weren't allowed to take any pictures of the inside but I did get some of the out side and the priest who purified us. We had to be purified before we could step into their main area in the Shrine. Once we were in the shrine, this other priest (I think!) came and talked about the Nezu Shrine and its history. It was very interesting but sitting for a long time made my legs numb and my head bobbed, oops! I was soooo sleepy. I went jogging that morning so I was very tired...Lastly before we left they gave us a little sake to drink too. Its deity's sake.Well that was my experience. Kia and I did get our fortune from the Neze Shrine. We had to find someone who could read Japanese read it for us. We had Tatsuya read it for us. Apparently mine was a bad fortune. I was so excited to get it and in the end when I got it read it was bad luck-boohoo! But I am planning to go to the state Shrine. Unoura Sensei (the one in the picture above) said it's worth going once you're here in Japan. And same for the Meiji Shrine. So let's hope I have better fortune there. (Maybe my fortune was bad because I almost feel asleep?) Well, check out the rest of the pictures below! And my random flan! It was good :).
Entrance to the Haiden Nezu Shinto Shrine.
(Above) Classmates washing their hands and mouth. Cleansing oneself before entering the Haiden Nezu Shrine.
Class picture!
After the class picture, Kia and I gotour fortune.
