Blogs from Wakayama, Japan, Asia - page 5

freitag, 03.10.08 am montag, bereits am morgen im bett, höre ich den regen draussen - sch....! denn genau an diesem montag fahre ich mit dem zug nach koya-san - gemäss schriftlichem und mündlichem reiseführer eine superschöne strecke im regen. na ja, so schlimm war es gar nicht - vor allem der letzte teil von hashimoto über gokurakubashi nach koya-san ist wirklich wundervoll, zuerst ein schmalspurbähnli und dann eine standseilbahn! die steilen mit einer art tannen und bambus bewachsenen hänge sind mystisch von nebelschwaden umgeben, dazu ein feiner nieselregen - eigentlich eine ganz schöne stimmung. und schliesslich bin ich im zug ja im trockenen und im fukuchi-in gibt es mehrere heisse bäder, die ich dann auch vor dem nachtessen noch intensiv nutze... der fukuchi-in ist ein shukubo, d.h. ein tempel, der übernachtungsmöglichkeiten für pilger und touristen anbietet, ... read more

Japanese vocab undokai: Japanese "sports day", held at all schools once a year oyako: parent and children gambatte: do your best! you can do it! Kocho sensei: the Principal genki: energetic, lively mecha: very very very kakkoii: cool oshare: fashionable, stylish, trendy On Sunday, May 18 (after the Hanshin Tigers game), I got up at 7:30am to drag myself (up the hill no less) to my Junior High School, Naga Chuugakkou, at 8:00am...why you ask? Because it's undokai of course! Every year at Japanese Schools, they hold a 'sport's day', which lasts all day. While some schools are merciful and have it on a regular school day some, like mine, prefer to invade personal time and force the students, teachers and staff to come out on a weekend day. The only good thing about that is ... read more

Japanese Vocabulary fujii: wisteria On the first day of Golden Week, Zach, Christine and I went to a nearby temple to see the Fujii. Christine found out about the place from the taxi driver that takes her to her mountain school on Wednesday. Since late April to early May is their peak season here, we decided to check it out and it was a good thing we did! The wisteria was beautiful- I've mostly seen purple wisteria before, some white, but never pink. Not only did they have all colors, but the wisteria was so dense and beautiful, and all the plumes were unusually long. Plus, it was a perfect, sunny, hot, blue-sky day, perfect for catching the light among the blossoms. Honestly, I think I enjoyed it more than the cherry blossoms and cherry blossom ... read more

An amazing day of culture and tradition in beautiful Japan. This festival is one of the most popular in the area. A parade type of event, where each 'team' is different. Today, there was sumo, samuri, geishas and dancing. Our team was dressed as scary demons. Our job was to scare the children, give them candy to win their hearts back, and in the long run they become stronger. Woah, huh! Highlights were photographers stalking us down (us being the foreigners dressed like we were), kids being so scared they go running in the opposite direction and their mothers have to run after them, and the party after at the restaurant. It was years of family , friends and stories. I was lucky to be invited. Again, a most memorable moment in this girls life!... read more

Late March to early April in Japan is cherry blossom season, symbolic of the brevity but intense beauty of life. The fragile blossoms only last about a week or two long before falling. Japanese Vocab mankai: full bloom sakura: cherry blossoms, symbol of springtime in Japan saku/saiteru: to bloom/are in bloom ~jo: added to the end of a name, meaning ~ Castle (wakayamajo = wakayama castle) ~tera/dera: suffix added to a name, meaning it is a Buddhist temple (Kimiidera = Kimii Temple) hanami: going to picnic under the sakura trees, not only for the sake of enjoying their natural beauty, but also to consume food and alcoholic beverage, often resulting in public drunken revalry and general rowdiness (at least, that's the ideal) It's that time of year! The birds are singing and the bees are buzzing! ... read more