I haven't exactly been busy, but there have been several events during the past few days. First of all, on Saturday the 19th Misaki-chan, my friend (and for those who met her, she came to America with my cousin a couple summers ago) came with her mother to come pick me up from the farm and take me home for the weekend. They have a navigation system, bu it led them not on the main roads which are a lot easier to use, but on to the tiny little mountain roads which are practically impossible to work through if you don't know the way already. So, because of that, they ended up stopping at an intersection and Hitomi-san drove me there after they talked on the phone. We went to their house and waited for Misaki's father to come home. Soon after he got home we went out to dinner at a "viking" restaurant. Basically they have everything that you could possibly want and you have an hour and a half to eat as much as you want! So I had sushi, curry, grilled meat and onion, ice cream, salad and ginger ale! Hoorah! After that we relaxed at the house and Misaki and I tried this moisturizing mask from Korea made with snail slime. I had never tried a mask before, I guess it felt very nice, but the snail slime thing was definitely a new experience! After that Misaki and I chatted and looked at her "Memory Books" that everyone receives when they graduate from that school. It was interesting to look at in comparison to my year books. First of all, everyone wears uniforms and there are really strict rules about hairstyles and jewelry...so really, everyone looks very similar. It's pretty different from the variety that Oberlin High School has.
The next day we went shopping in the morning (I bought some more warm clothes since I was getting pretty chilled) and then in the afternoon we drove a little ways to the Kumamoto Roasso soccer stadium. I'd never been to a soccer game that wasn't a high school game or college game, this was Kumamoto against Yokohama! Misaki and her mom are HUGE fans. They have posters and calendars, team shirts (signed), pictures with the players, scarves with the mascot and blankets too! Before we left, Misaki had written a card and prepared a present for her favorite player, Fukuo (number 6, center defender). But apparently the coach hadn't been playing him recently, so they were pretty bummed, but they got to see him since he wasn't playing so I guess it worked out. On one end of the stadium were the crazy Kumamoto Roassa fans. They had brought banners, flags, umbrellas, jerseys, hats, drums, towels to wave around- you name it! The cheered and jumped around the entire game! It was really quite beautiful because it was organized. They waved the flags in a pattern, spun the umbrellas, and jumped around the banners running up and down the stands. Wow! Plus the cheers were really fun and catchy and had wonderful melodies. It was really fun! Plus we got to eat fun food like Takoyaki, dungojiro and sushi:) In the end, Roasso lost 0-1, but it was fun and the game was interesting. It was also really cold, but cheering made you warm up a little so it worked out.
After the game, they drove me all the way back to Yamaai Mura in kikuchi which is a little over an hour away. This time, though, I told them to take the main road because I knew how to get back if they went through Kikuchi on the main road. We almost missed the turn, but we made it! Muto-san and Ryosuke (the other WWOOFer) were there watching TV and enjoying chocolate from Taiwan that Muto-san's daughter's husband had brought back from Taiwan.
The next day Muto-san and I left for the Aso area for the "Green to Rhythm" グリーンツーリズム convention. I didn't really know what it was. We were supposed to leave 11, so I helped Hiro with feeding the pigs again (the truck got stuck pretty far from the pigs...so we had to carry the buckets...it was a little tough I'm going to admit, and the next two days had big knots in my shoulders. I think i will ask to feed the pigs more often, it's obviously the fastest way to get strong!). Hiro said at 10:45 that I should go back to the house and get ready, so I did. But Muto-san wasn't ready till 12! But we were fine.
The convention was interesting. Monday afternoon we were grouped with about 40 other people and rode on a few buses to different areas in Southern Aso region. We visited a traditional little restaurant which I believe only makes food that is seasonal and local. We got to taste little samples. I had no idea what it was, but it tasted pretty good. I'm used to just eating things, even though I don't know what it is. If it looks especially questionable, then I ask. We visited a little spring as well before going to the giant outdoor stage in the mountains called "Aspecta". We got to walk around the stage before going inside the building beneath it for a meeting. The meeting was interesting, to some extent. In the beginning I really tried to follow along and understand but after about 20 minutes I got really tired, not to mention I'd lost track of what they were talking about...but what I did understand is that this convention was about showing the culture of this region. After that, I just wrote in my journal until it was over.
The people who came were from all over Japan. Each year, this Green to Rhythm thing happens in a different place, I see it as revealing the secrets and treasures of the area to people who might overlook it otherwise. For dinner that night we all ate together at what I think was a tourist center, but it was closed and opened only for us. There was a lot of food that we could choose from, all made there and with local produce. There was also a middle school group who played taiko for us, I thought they were good. It was fun with all the food, taiko, beer and people! After people had finished eating, everyone was trading business cards (that is SO common in Japan, everyone has their own card that they hand out to people all the time). I don't have one, but a few people gave me theirs. One person brought me their business card and asked if I had understood the meeting that day and I said a tiny bit, and he said "I was impressed that I saw you writing all those notes!" Notes? I thought, then I realized he must have seen me writing in my journal....but I think too slowly in Japanese so I just nodded and smiled and accepted the card. Then two younger guys who work together and sat near to us during dinner came and brought their card, there was a mountain on it and they informed me it was Fuji. After that they also informed me that they were young, in English. It was kind of funny because I didn't know what to say to that, so I said, yes, you right! Stupid...Afterwards we split into little groups of 4 or 5 and we got taken by locals to their homes to spend the night. I think we got lucky:) Muto-san and I were with a middle aged man and older woman. We were taken to a Guest House, kind of like a hostel. I got my own room and a bed that was cushy and off the floor! I don't mind futon at all, but it was nice to have a bed. We went to onsen that was like a three minute walk from the house (awesome, right?) and I went to the outside pool. No one else was there so it was super relaxing. The trees above me were lit up a little, but the leaves were yellow and one had bunches of little red berries and beyond them I could see the stars. With the steam floating around and staring up at the sky it was probably one of the most relaxing and dreamy moments I've had so far! I want an onsen in my house...
After that we went back to the house where we drank coffee (my stomach was probably wondering what the heck I was doing, I don't drink coffee, but that night I did, and I don't drink beer, but for dinner I had a little for KANPAI!) and we ate Aso apple and Fukuoka persimmons. There is a couple that run the guest house with their son. Their friend, daughter and her daughter were also there, though. The granddaughter was adorable. Not shy one bit, when I asked if I could take her photo she put on the cutest face and posed for me! Then she introduced me to all of her toys:) The friend came out into the hall where I was and he showed me a beautiful doll and informed that the wife here made it! I was stunned. It was made of clay with a red kimono, blue eyes and golden hair. All the parts moved, she had wrists that bent and waist, ankle, shoulders, elbows, knees- it was incredible. They showed me one that was in the process, just a head, body and arms and legs not all set together yet. She said it takes a year to finish. How incredible. I've seen dolls like that before, but I never thought about how it was made...incredible. The son is a photographer and we got to see his photos, which were beautiful- i guess it helps that Japan is so exquisite, but the photographs were really wonderful. It was a house full of art and artists! I slept really well and woke up right 6:30. I looked outside and saw that the sun was starting rise, not yet over the mountains so I snatched my camera and went to take photos. Outside it was all frosty. First frost for me at least. Coooooold. The friend then took me and the other woman up into the mountain to a place where we could take photos. The clouds were really low and in the valley, a sea of clouds. The sun slowly came and peeped out over the mountains...magical. The tops of the mountains behind us first glowed a little golden before the sunlight flooded into the valley too. It has been a while since I have seen a sunrise. And I got to see one at Aso! Awesome...
When we got back Muto-san and the other man were out taking photos, but when they returned we ate breakfast. Salad and toast:)
Then we did a little more sightseeing with the group of about 40 people. After that we went to a sports center where the big convention was going to take place. All in all there were probably 300 people who showed up from different places in Aso. This, I really didn't understand. With all the many speakers and the echo I didn't understand...but after the speakers had finished we all got to eat a local food lunch again. Before you eat in Japan you always say "itadakimasu". It's like saying grace or simply "let's eat", but more polite. The guy who organized the meeting new Muto-san and therefore knew of me and asked me to say "itadakimasu" in front of everyone since I am the person from the farthest place. But I was so embarrassed because first of all, my Japanese sucks and secondly I didn't understand the meeting at all! But I could refuse...so after I accepted, of course he added that it would be fun if I could say something else too. What?? So I said " Green to Rhythm has been fun. Aso is very beautiful. I really like Japan, thank you, itadakimasu". I probably sounded like an idiot but everyone was busy eating already so it wasn't as bad as I had imagined...it never is, though. The food was good, dangojiro (my favorite), ongiri (rice balls), sweet beans, grilled eggplant, cabbage koroke and stuff like that. After that, Kumamon came! I didn't know but Kumamon (Kumamoto's mascot) is the most famous in Japan! Cool! I waved at Kumamon and he waved back to me. Awesome:D
After that, Muto-san and I left and climbed a little mountain where there was an incredible rock formation at the top surrounded by tsuzuki grass, which is the most beautiful grass ever! Just fields and fields of it, it was so happy... I could have stayed for a day and explored and enjoyed the mountain...but we left and went a different town called Takachiho. There we went to a famous gorge. This too, was amazing. The gorge was unlike anything I'd seen before. When we looked down from a bridge there were boats that people were rowing. Muto-san asked me if I wanted to rent a boat, at first I didn't want to because I don't like boats a whole lot...but he convinced me of it, and I'm so glad he did because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to see the gorge like we did. There were little waterfalls and the rock walls were crazy, I can't really describe it, but I guess they looked like fingers...bad description...I'll post a photo!
It was mystical, with ferns and moss, the waterfalls, the blue water, the fall colors...all of it. I can't get enough of it and Japan has so much of it! We walked around for a while too, the Japanese maples were beautiful and turning bright red...
I think Takachiho would be the perfect date. There were young couples everywhere, so I guess I'm not the only to think that! Muto-san said he brought his wife, Hitomi, there 35 years ago when they were dating...cute! I told him that he should bring her again, wouldn't that be nice?
After that, Muto-san took me to Mashiki which is right outside of Kumamoto where Keichan and Hiroko-obachan live (Hiroko is mom's friend from high school and for those who remember, they came for my graduation in the summer). Before that, we went to a restaurant where I ate Japanese style American chicken! It was pretty good...but not as good as homemade chicken dinner. The chicken made me think of Thanksgiving turkey...wah! Family! Soon I will be home and will wonder where the time went...
After that Muto-san dropped me off at the house. It's nice to see everyone again! Today I got to go with Hiroko-obachan and Keiichan to a kimono shop. Their daughter is getting married on the 27th, and Hiroko-obachan is wearing the kimono that her mother wore to her wedding. It's black with a golden design, hand sewn and some of it with real gold thread! However the under kimono is pink and Hiroko-obachan doesn't like that so we went to the kimono shop to get a white one. I was looking around and I saw a kimono for $5,000 and a handbag shoe set for $800...wow. But it was all so beautiful!
After that we went to the mall for a little bit to see a different Kimono store. Tomorrow I get to see bunraku! I'm very excited:) It's rare to see and I didn't know until today that Keiichan was going to take me! Soon I will also help in the garden here. They are taking very good care of me so it is the least I can do. Plus, now I have a lot of practice weeding, I'll be fast.
Yuka-chan, the daughter who is getting married, is taking me dress shopping on Friday. It's going to be difficult, I think. A dress that I like, that is simple, that is EXTRA HUGE JUNGOMUNGA LARGE and isn't four million trillion dollars...okay...let's do it.
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