Lost in Translation
- (A little paraphrased from the actual conversation, but it went a little something like this...)
- What I think I'm saying to my girlfriend in Japanese:
- [I do care for you and, from the day I met you, I haven't stopped caring for you. My heart and thoughts are heavy with recent events, so please try to understand. I will do the best I can, so please believe in me.]
- Girlfriend, in English:
- ...(laughing) What? Sorry, that makes no sense. Say it in English, please.
- .
- .
- .
- (Japanese is hard; making heartfelt conversation is harder.)
These Idle Kyoto Days
Thinking about how I imagined this summer would be a month ago, the inescapable fact of life on this Earth speaks to me from the back of my mind:
Everything is constantly changing, for better or for worse.
As I sit here in my single apartment (that would barely make “studio” status in the states), I think about how things turned out differently than I hoped for this month. Today is May 28, one month since I returned to Japan, and the past month has been a mix of things both good and bad, wonderful and near-despairing.
Forays into Homemade Japanese Cuisine - Entry 2:
MENU:
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)
- Szechuan-style Spicy Tofu and Pork
- “Chuka Ryori” dish (Japanese-style Chinese cuisine)
Shrimp “Cutlet” (海老カツ)
- Fried Croquette of Shrimp
White Rice (白ご飯)
“The Pillows” is absolutely one of my favorite bands, from their catchy chord structures to their uplifting lyrics (or sometimes incomprehensible “engrish,” as is the case with a lot of J-rock bands).
The vocalist, Sawao Yamanaka (山中さわお), and the lead guitarist Yoshiaki Manabe (真鍋吉明), are in their late 40’s and the drummer, Shinichiro Sato (佐藤シンイチロウ), is in his early 50’s. I saw them in Osaka last fall during their aptly named “Born in the 60’s” Tour and I couldn’t stop hopping to the beats in my head while smiling for the next few days.
My friends had already accepted my insanity a long time ago, so the only weird looks I got came from people on the street.
Anyways, this band has existed for over 20 years and gained worldwide fame (among American youth especially) for their soundtrack to the FLCL anime series. If you are not familiar with FLCL, its definitely worth checking out (even for non-anime watchers); it lasts only 4 thirty minute episodes. Besides The Pillows doing an awesome job with the music, it has its own value as a landmark in animation storytelling.
End shameless cartoon plug.
Anyways, this band may not be for everyone, but I sure love them. This is their new PV “Movement” that was featured on their just-released album “Horn Again” (no comment on title).
I can only hope to rock like that when I’m 40
And look that young (jeez, he’s skinnier than some of the 20-somethings I know, including me)
So it’s hot in Kyoto today, 83 degrees…
And then there was oroshi shoyu udon (cold udon noodles topped with grated radish, tempura bits, soy sauce, spring onion and wedge of lime)
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Bliss, then and everafter
Forays into Homemade Japanese Cuisine - Entry 1:
MENU:
Chicken Nanban（鶏肉の南蛮浸け）
Spring Onion Miso Soup（長ねぎ味噌汁）
White Rice（白ご飯）
Japan: An Egalitarian Society?
A good friend of mine, Andrew, wrote this entry for his professor’s blog. I think this topic is extremely interesting and, in fact, its part of what my research in Japan is about now (the effect of SES [SocioEconomic Status] of students in a public school setting). Andrew is a brilliant writer and I believe this entry will alter your (possible) belief that all Japanese are the same.
Chart 2: Proportion of Population Living on Welfare
Resurfacing
Nine months later, I find myself on Tumblr again.
It has been quite a while since anything went up on this page (except for that little post about something in the works, namely this current entry). Also, I apologize to all those theater buffs I offended out there by associating that scene from the prologue to the wrong song. My sincerest apologies.
Last time I left you, I was traveling through northern Japan in the (now devastated) region of Tohoku, about to head to Hokkaido…
.
.
.
Suddenly, nine-month hiatus. No warning, no explanation. I apologize to anyone who checked my blog from time to time, looking for a new entry. For lack of a better expression of regret, this colloquial articulation will have to do.
“Sorry. My bad.”
Samurai, Typhoons and Bears, OH MY! (A Day in Kakunodate)
There are few things more enjoyable in life than waking up late to the sound of soft rain beneath a warm down comforter. For me at least, anyway.
That was Saturday morning, waking up in my private room at Kuroyu onsen. The rain had started in the night and tapered off to a drizzle by morning. As such, the grounds were covered in mix of rain, mist and steam that swirled in the mountain air.
Steaming Hot Springs, Ice Cold Watermelon and Lukewarm Sake: Kuroyu Onsen
Friday the 13th: I was standing in front of Tazawa-ko station, waiting for the bus that would take me to the mountains.
Missed the first bus by 8 minutes, so the next one was 3 hours later. Yep, it was Friday the 13th, all right.
However, that was the extent of the bad luck I faced that day. Once the bus came and I was on my way, my anxiety and body temperature both cooled off. An hour after winding through mountain roads, the bus stopped at Nyuto Onsen, which consists of many smaller onsen, one of which being Kuroyu (Black Water) that I had a reservation for.
Oh, for those of you not Japan-saavy, onsen are another word for hot springs. Here in Japan, that word is also associated with bathing facilities, luxury inns and blissful relaxation.
