Japanese Halloween and some cultural goodness

Oh My First Japanese Halloween

I just go with the flow, so any style can be in my music - that makes it exciting. -- Yoko Ono
My friend, Ben suggested to go as a couple this Halloween season. Loved the idea. And what can be more appropriate than being Yoko Ono for my first Halloween in Japan!? After a couple of costume-hunting-nights around Minami district in Osaka city and a visit to Ben's school for sign-making, "John Lennon" and "Yoko Ono" were ready to party!

Our debut was considered successful only when we appeared together. And I thought that was pretty encouraging for the fact that we look nothing like them. The party was great. Kelsey must have won the best costume this year though. The real ghost appeared the night after we watched the horror movie "Ringu"... creepy.
When I turned sixty, it didn't bother me at all. Ono's own words. I guess wisdom must be the reward from life for those who dare to dream, to create, and to love. The present moment is our only connection with life. There's difference between existing and living.
Art is my life and my life is art. -- Yoko Ono

Kyudo -- Japanese Archery

I left the party and my partner "John" very early and didn't go clubbing at all on a Halloween night. Kind of felt bad about it. ^^ Because the next day I had to leave my house by 8:30am to meet my Japanese friend Umemoto for Kishidawa Kyudo competition. It's gotta be good...I told myself. Otherwise I swear I'll never sacrifice a Halloween all-nighter for anything else!

We got there by 10am and found ourselves the only two guests allowed in. We struck up an acquaintance with this lady from Wataiko practice a few weeks ago. And she is one of the members of Kyudo club. So luckily we could sneak in and watch a competition which was not open to the public.

I was deprived of knowledge about Japanese Kyudo, that this competition was quite eye-opening. First of all, the bows were extremely long and large compared to the western style. It definitely seemed to tranquilize the archer with the weight that was put on him/her. Second, the archers wore Hakama and slowly positioned themselves across the stage. So slow that it felt like watching tea ceremony. Then the men started to loosen half of their tops to release their left arms. Four or five archers would make the stage at once, each of them had two arrows to challenge. And that would take them 25 minutes to complete each round. Extremely slow-paced and meditative. Third, the small targets are 28 meters away from the archers. From my observations, less than half of the arrows hit the targets, according to Eric, who had been practicing Kyudo for one and a half years, this was quite normal. The audience wouldn't make a noise until all archers retreat to the backstage. Kyudo truly seems like an art that values manners and formality rather than victory. Respect!

Through the competition I've made connections with some archers, I sure will come back and hopefully engage myself once a while for this unique sport.

Rakugo Show

Rakugo is a Japanese traditional story-telling show performed by rakugoka solo. The only prop they used was a Japanese fan. The rakugoka sits on stage and tells a story that involves more than one character and he/she also takes part in making the sound effects to enrich the story, accompanied by a band at the backstage. The band usually consists of Japanese shamisen, flute, and drums. The show was great, I was more impressed by their performances rather than the story episodes. The sounds/music sometimes can be quite ambiguous. So come with your imagination fully charged.


Taught my students some famous quotes today. I will end my entry with one of their favorites,
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever -- Mahatma Gandhi.
Sounds cliche, but as long as it can inspire my kids then I don't really care.

---

---

---