Yamagata, Dewasan-zen, Yamadera, Zao-san

In a few weeks time, many ALTs whom won't be re-contracting will be departing to different parts of the world. Before they all disappear, Warrick and I opted to go off on a last bit of adventure. Warrick, being the world traveler, we took off on Saturday for Yamagata (山形). A neighbouring prefecture to Niigata. After a few hours of driving, and just when our legs were starting to feel a bit stiff, we were off climbing up some steps up to Yamadera (山寺). Yamadera is located just outside of Yamagata City, and Yamadera which literally means, “mountain temple” is a tourist spot where a few temples are built high up on a hill/mountain and offers a great view down to the valley below. Eventhough this is Japan, my mind wandered off at times, recalled cheesy films and telly shows about Shaolin temples (China) and how pupils had to make their way up to a temple up high. Yeah, I know… I’ve been watching too many old cheesy kung-fu flicks, but hey… you need cheese once in a while.

As we were leaving, rain started to fall, so instead of heading outdoors, we opted to check out 天童 (Tendo), a town just north of Yamagata City. This town/city of 62,000 is famous for producing 95% of all “shogi” (Japanese Chess) pieces in Japan. Amazingly, Warrick and I spend quite a bit of time there, whereas most tourists would simply walk in and walk out in a few minutes. In most touristy shops in Yamagata, you’ll mostly likely find some kinda 将棋 “shogi” or こけし “kokeshi” gift. Wood, being the keep word here.

Before the sun fell, we made a quick stop at the 秋保大滝(Akiu-Otaki) waterfall. A waterfall with the height of 55m, and width of 6m and also apparently in Japan’s top 10 most beautiful waterfall.

Anyways, as the darkness was now all around us, we made our way to Zao, got cleaned up at one of many onsens (hot springs) by the foot of Mt. Zao. And as for the rest of the evening. Warrick and I simply parked by the local Familymart, had a few beers and slept in the back of my van. It was a race to see who can go to sleep first, or else you’d have to fight through another person’s snoring…

The next day, we took off bright and early to check out the Okama crater, which we’ve seen in many photographs. And alas, how were we rewarded with our visit? Check out the photos down below for a view of what we saw of the Okama crater and a post card of what it should've actually looked like for us.

Well, from the Zao region, we headed west towards the Sea of Japan, and spend our afternoon by one of the Dewa-Sanzan mountains. Haguro-san is a very unique area in which there’s a beautiful red bridge that certainly stands out from the deep lushious greenery of the forest canopy, and a darn brown wooden 5 pagoda structure (五重塔 – Gojyunoto, built 600years ago) that seems to blend into the whole natural surroundings. A wee shrine which sits just at the foot of a skinny yet high waterfall, and long meandering steps (2446steps to be exact) that occasionally share secrets of the past. Those secrets being, carvings of letters that left behind from hundreds of years ago. If you don’t look for them, you’ll never even realize that they’re there since many of them had been worn down from all the pilgrims hiking up the steps.

And finally up on top, a large shrine awaits you for your pilgrimage and offerings. And, when we were there, there were schools of pilgrims there awaiting their turn to enter the temple.

On the way back home, instead of taking the main roads, we ventured off into the back roads, and were also rewarded with the great remoteness of Japan. All in all a busy weekend of both Warrick and I.

A few more photos of the weekend:

Close up sample of a big Shogi piece.

The view of Okama which Warrick & I got

A postcard view of what it should've looked like
A wooden 5-stories pagoda by Mt. Haguro-san
The many prayer sticks around the temples...

Plenty of stairs to climb
Weird little symbols carved into the steps along the way

blah blah -arian...

If search engines and great online resources such as wikipedia didn't exist, I'd surely spend less time online, and so-called get out more. But then again, as long as it's here, I might as well use it and indulge my information addiction. Amazingly, when I'm travelling though, I don't have the chance to read the new, catch up on email, etc, but I actually don't miss it. Sometimes I feel as though I use the internet like a television, or classic television reruns. If it's on I'll watch it, but it's it not there I won't miss it. Hmmm, I'm such a simple creature. Take away my TV, I won't miss it. Take away my internet, I'm sure that I'll huff and puff for a wee bit, but I'll live. How sad am I?

So, what was my discovery of the day? It's the various vegetarian lifestyles that are out there.

Vegetarian - no fish nor meat, but may or may not consume dairy and egg products.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian - eggitarian or also a ovo-lacto vegetarian. One who can consume lacto (dairy products, cheese, butter, yogurt. etc) and/or ovo (egg) products as well as being a vegetarian. If the subject decides to avoid egg products, but consumes dairy products, they would be a lacto-vegetarian.
Pesco/pollo vegetarian - Chickifishitarian pesco, eats fish. pollo eats chicken. Most pesco/pollo vegetarians also tend to consume lacto/ovo products as well. People whom simply would like to avoid red meat tend to become pesco/pollo vegetarians.
Veganism - No consumption of animals products what so-ever. No dairy, eggs, fish, chicken, red meat, gelatin, honey and even wearing items of clothing made from animal products, such as wool, leather, feathers, pearls, etc.
Fruitarianism - A bit more extreme, or stronger branch of veganism. May only consume products which bear fruit, and sometimes goes as far as fruits that naturally fall. Many vegetables are avoided, such as carrots, onions since they are individual plants. Nuts are a frequented discussed topic.
Breatharianism - Living without food.
Flexitarian - A vegetarian at home, but will eat anything outside the home. A part-time vegetarian or a meat eating vegetarian.
Freeganism - Not really a food diet, but people who will not exchange money for food. Many go dumpster diving for food, trade, barter, shoplifting, gardening, scamming etc.
Macrobiotic diet - Eating of less processed food, and more traditionally cooked meals. Organic foods are greatly sought after. Tends to lean more towards normal Japanese cooking.

There are a few others, that are more geared towards ethnic and/or religious methods, but I figured that I'd just list these ones instead. So, as things stand as of now... since graduating uni, here are the various phases I've so-called gone through. Unfortunately, there are no definitions nor explanations of how long you would have to maintain such a diet to be so-called an official "blah-blah-tarian" If I wanted to be anal about things, could I state that this morning I was a breatharian because I missed breakfast, but then became a vegan at noon due to the meal I had, and then by evening, I was lacto-vegetarian?

Right after uni, I became a vegan, then a pesco-vegetarian since I started work at a Japanese restaurant. Then a pesco-pollo vegetarian. Then, was inspired back to becoming a vegan, but fell in love with cheese, so became a lacto-pesco-pollo vegetarian, and then kept on switch between a flexitarian and a lacto-pesco-pollo vegetarian to a I'll eat anything. Now, I guess that I'm a flexitarian... Boy, the various stages I've gone through.

A list of types of vegetarians.
http://www.msu.edu/user/daenzerr/rd491/types.htm

Birthday and Farewell Beach Party

Happy Birthday Warrick! Man, you've gotten OLD! :-)

Well, last Wednesday night. Instead of our usual 100yen sushi night, we celebrated Warrick's birthday by going out for some Yakiniku and Galbi. When things go well, many JETs and local Japanese like to go out for a cook your own meat session. Not really a place for vegetarians. Actually, Japanese is not vegetarian friendly at all, since everything tends to have some form of meat or fish broth in it. Anyways, a few photos from the event. Plenty of chicken, pork and beef goods as well. It was also nice to see the others after my absense of about a month from the area. As Sarah always loves to put it, it, "Good Times"

Alan and the birthday boy Warrick

Nuria & Grace

Grace & Sarah

On Saturday, the last Kashiwazaki Beach BBQ took place. I must admit that since many a times, I must work one of the days during the weekend due to my job, I don't get out to see many people that often. And eventhough most people are about to leave after a whole year in Japan, there were plenty of people I've never met, nor haven't seen for over half a year. I guess that's what happens when you get a tad older, also have relatives to see within Japan, and wish to travel else where than the norm. I'm not anti-social damn it! Just unfortunate bad timing all the time. And too many commitments. Hmmmm, 3 nights every week is always taken up, and at times 4 of my week nights are taken up with commitments as well. Taiko lessons happens twice a week, I teach photography at a neighbouring Youth Centre every other week, and also host club/circle called the Language Salon at the Sanjo Youth Centre, where people come to converse with other foreigners, to share their culture and gain understanding of each other.

The only real social thing I've got going on a regular basis is going out for 100yen sushi (Genki Sushi) every Wednesday evening. Oh! What about my weekends? I must do boring things like catch up with sleep, do laundry, other house keeping duties, grocery shopping etc. And, I also spend it, doing my best to catch up with unreplied emails.

So, anyways... back to the whole Kashiwazaki Beach BBQ. Was nice to meet up with many friendly face. Kristi and I drove up together after helping her ship some of her furniture. Plenty of hamburgers, salmon steaks, hotdogs and a fabulous Jungle juice to go around to all. All in all, a fabulous gathering. Man, I literally caught up with a few faces I haven't seen since August of last year. Tee hee.

A rubbish bin full of Jungle Juice!

Not quite the beach, but...

Even in the dark we had plenty of fun.

Nathan, Mandy, Rosalind, & Moi

The Sanjo crew, Steph, moi, Grace, & Aaron.
Possibly the last time we're all together before people start leaving.

Keyboard discovery!

Basic Japanese Keyboard

I've had my laptop for about 4 years now, close to 5 years in fact. And just last night, I finally discovered how to set up a Japanese keyboard layout on an English XP OS, on a Japanese laptop. Yeah, I know a bit confusing. My laptop was/is from Japan, so there are a few extra keys on it compared to the normal 101 keyboard. These few extra buttons help out with the ease of changing from the three Japanese alphabets; Hiragana(ひらがな), Katakana (カタカナ), and Kanji (漢字). Before, I was able to do the same, but since I was limited with typing Japanese on a typical N.American/European style 101 buttoned keyboard, I was only able to change the Japanese alphabet by pressing, Alt+`. Possible, but I was unable use some of the other magical buttons that are only on the Japanese keyboards.

A typical Japanese laptop keyboard. Usually has 106 or 109 keys present, compared to a English keyboard that has typically 101 keys.

As many of you are aware, there are more than one alphabet in Japanese, and when typing Japanese on a non-Japanese keyboard, you would utilize the space key as one of the magical buttons that will pop-up a wee screen within itself to allow you to decide whick Kanji, Katakana or Hiragana to use. But the one drawback with this is that, you weren't able to highlight a word to change the way it's written. Also by highlighting a word, along with the wee pop-up to change the kanji what-not, if you highlight the words that have a speech bubble beside them, another window pops-up explaining the difference of meaning. Simply a homophone. When a word is spelt different, has the same pronunciation and also has a different meaning.

the window that pops up when you want to change the Japanese spelling, but keep the pronunciation.

So from now on, I can simply go back to change errors. Also, another great thing about this is that I can use it as an online dictionary. If there's a word online that I don't recognize, I can simply cut and paste it into some editing software, highlight it and boom! A simple dictionary!

So, if you have a Japanese laptop with a Japanese keyboard layout, but running an English OS, check out the following sites to be able to use those other Japanese keyboard only buttons;

http://www.kurnspatrick.com/Support/keyboardmapping.htm
http://www.daydream.org.uk/meng/jpkbnt4/

Different pace of life...

It’s been a week since I’ve returned to Japan, and I’m still trying to figure out if my journey to Ireland was either a dream or reality.　Or is this current state of my duties, working in Japan the actual dream. Is it a nightmare? Well, during my short but ever so relaxing 2 week stint in Ireland, I realized that my pace of life in Japan was running at full steam. Sure enough, I wasn’t working while I was in Ireland this time around, but even during my days off in Japan the pace of life seems to be so different.


Japan is definitely a land of convenience, (not all the time though, but when it comes to eating) where japanese convenience stores are open 24hours a day, and provide a great selection of fresh food, and grocery stores provide a one stop shopping experience. Japan is a place where you no longer have to actually chop and cook your meal, but nuke it and presto. As the Japan coin the term, “CHIN” not chin as on your face, but more like a “ching” “ting” the sound of a bell ringing, which represents the sound of the microwave finishing off it’s nuke cycle. So, in Japan they literally say, “Give me a sec there hon, let me just -chin- your dinner for you”. At the grocery store you can find plenty of salads, side menus and main course that are ready to eat. Just slide them over onto your plate/bowl whatever and -chin-!

Sure, such conveniences can be found almost everywhere in the world, but I find that the Japanese have it working almost to perfection. Give a few years, and I’m sure that the Japan will begin to have issues with obesity and whatnot. I can’t believe that microwaveable food is that good for you. Then again, the microwaveable food you find in Japan were just made a few hours ago, and are thrown out by the end of the day.

Now, let me get back to my original idea of everyday living pace. Sure, when I was in Ireland, one could do your one stop shopping at the local Tescos or Dunnes Stores, but there are more mom & pop shops around than in Japan (well, where I live in Japan anyways). So, not only to support the local shops instead of a possible foreign multinational corporation, you visit the local fruit & veggie shop, the butchers, fishmonger, bakery etc. It all takes time. And I’m wondering if all this time spend forces one to set their daily pace.

I even noticed a change of pace from Narita International Airport. Everything scheduled efficiently, but sets a rule and schedule for you to run on as well. From the airport, I bought a train ticket to home. And right there, at the JR East ticket counter, I was given a fully laid out plan of attack.

“Ok sir, your train from the airport will depart at so-n-so at platform blah, and your seating is heh and hum. The arrival time at Tokyo is so-n-so, and you have blah blah minutes to get to platform bleh. You will board ding-dong train number whoo-hoo, and unreserved seating are carriages tomax thru to xamot. You will arrive at your home station at exactly so-n-so time.”

Phew! A mouthful, but since this is Japan, I KNOW that everything will be on schedule and on time. I can’t say that for many other countries. No delays here. They’ve got efficiency working here to the max. But right then there, I am no longer going at my own pace. I must move and do things according to the set plan and schedule that I’m given. Efficient, but makes for a damned busy schedule.

Now, let me describe a similar situation but when out on the west coast of Ireland. I was to catch a train, get to another station to get to the bus station to get a shuttle bus to the airport. I’ll try and avoid stereotypical Irish accents here for the moment.

“Aye, your train should pull in around 10 to 3, and get to ehem station. Buses to the airport leave about every half an hour”

Hmmm… everything is all about “about” so that you definitely waste a lot more time, but find yourself slightly more relaxed? Might be a tad different for city slickers who are late for a flight, and always want to go last minute, but then realize that in the countryside, you don’t rush things.

Sigh, I wonder which is healthier. An efficient, busy, scheduled life, or dilly-dallied sorta lazy mans way. Anyways, I’m in Japan, so I guess I should go and plan out the rest of my day.

Scotland

My original plan was to fly to Scotland on Thursday so I'd have 5 days in Scotland to catch up with a few friends. As things go, I ended up with a terrible fever and shivers when I got home from the Bridge of Ross a few days before, and my fever quickly resided as it came, but I was still feeling ill, muscles ached, drippy nose, and coughing up some nasty phlegm. I'm sure that you wanted to know that. Anyways, I flew a couple of days later from Shannon, on Saturday night to Glasgow Prestwick and checked into the Glasgow SYHA (Scottish Youth Hostel) where a friend of mine is working as the acting manager. Unfortunately, he was off out with his gf.

Anyways, after checking in after midnight, I quickly got up for 6am and was off to Edinburgh for breakfast with another mate who works for the SYHA in Edinburgh. Tony, who I worked with when I was living back in Edinburgh back in 2002-3. It was certainly nice to catch up with him, along with others like Nigel as well. Tony is a young Scottish bloke who has a great sense of adventure, and is fabulous with building economical lightweight road bicycles. And now currently an advid photographer. It was amazing how quickly the time went by between us. But unfortunately, it'll be difficult for me to return to Edinburgh in the future. I work at the Edinburgh Bruntsfield SYHA for close to 2 years, but by Sept 2006, it'll be no more. Sold away, and a new flag ship purposely built hostel will open closer to the downtown core. It'll be very different, as for new guests will not experience the feel of a classic Edinburgh building. I can only hope that the new structure will not be cold, nor clinical. And since everyone I know who is still with the SYHA will be jumping ship... I'll no longer have a place to crash when I return to Edinburgh. Who knows were everyone will be going. In anycase, I wish you all the best of luck.


In the afternoon, I also met up with a looong lost friend. Someone I actually met back in Australia, when I was working at the Sydney Beachouse YHA back in Australia in 2001. Laura, a true Scottish lassie. A lassie who has wonderfully strong Scottish accent that simply melts my heart. I spent close to 2 years living in Edinburgh, and Laura spent most of her life here, but both of us have never ventured into the Greyfriars Kirkyard which is right in the oldtown of Edinburgh and right behind the infamous Greyfriars Bobby. I must of passed this statue many times each week, but never went close to Greyfriars Kirkyard. Anyways, Laura and I had a wonderful stroll through the ancient cemetary, which is also known to be most haunted. We were fine, but empty stomaches beckoned us for some food and with the England Vs Equador WorldCup game.

In the evening, I was back in Glasgow, to have dinner with another old friend, and SYHA collegue. Meg, has finally finished her med school studies, and is now packing up getting ready to do her residency in London. I've left so much lugguge with her and her parents while I travelled and low and behold, she's found another bag of my clothes and some electronics. Tee hee. Thanks for holding them for me. A nice looong chat, catching up along with quick glimpses of the Portugal Vs Netherlands game. All in all a very loooong day. 3-4 hours of sleep, now past midnight, I made my way back to the Glasgow hostel where I left my lugguage. And then made my way to Prestwick airport to catch my 6am flight.

Here's a warning to you if you're thinking of taking the bus. You need to reserve a seat, or you may not be let on the bus since reserve tickets get presidence. If you're too far behind the line, you're gonna have to fork out some money for a taxi.

What a bloody long day. Got to Stansted, had to take a bus to Heathrow, but the bus was delayed, just got my flight to Hong Kong, then to Narita, to Tokyo, then Tsubame-Sanjo, and a walk to my car in the heat with all my lugguage. Just hoping that my car is still there. Man... you gotta love travelling eh?