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Kanazawa Day 1, part 2

Picking up where I left off!

After looking around the fish market, my husband and I headed over to the 21st Century Museum of Modern Art.

During most of my first day in Kanazawa, I kept wondering where all the people were. I understand that Kanazawa is not as populated as Osaka, but when my husband and I arrived at the museum, it felt like everyone in Kanazawa was there. Just to buy a ticket to get in involved waiting almost 90 minutes.

This museum hosts a variety of modern art pieces, but the most famous one is Leandro Elrich’s “Swimming Pool”. There are two ways to view this piece: the first being outside, so it looks like a regular pool, and a view from underneath. To see the latter part of this piece, we had to wait another 90 minutes because they were only letting 6 people in at a time because of Covid-19 precautions. They weren’t social distancing people in line though, so what’s the point?

It was a pretty neat perspective. I wonder if this is how fish view the human world.

After that, we also checked out some other exhibits which focused on communication through silence.

Despite the waiting time, I liked this museum: art but make it interactive. There were so many families and kids running around, playing with the art pieces. Yes, art can be things that are beautiful, but art can also things that are tangible and can be touched or felt.

After the museum, it was pretty much time to have dinner. My husband and I went to a lovely place called Ishiya. If you’re looking for some great seafood, Kanazawa is where you wanna be, and Ishiya is the best place to go.

The food was so fresh! The shrimp literally melted in my mouth. We even had a dish that was still alive while we cooked it:

Every dish was absolute perfection. The staff was extremely friendly. Overall, this restaurant was well worth the visit!

So that concludes my first day in Kanazawa. Stay tuned for day two!

Ishiya is an 8 minute walk from Kanazawa station

Address: 石川県金沢市彦三町２－８－３

Phone number: 076-255-1357

#21st Century Museum #Kanazawa

Kanazawa (Day 1 part 1)

October 17, 2020

Last weekend, I decided to take advantage of the Go to Travel campaign and head to Kanazawa. Located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa is about 2.5 hours away from Osaka by express train. I had never been to Ishikawa before, so I thought, “Hey why not go there?”

There’s a lot to share so I’ll just cover the first half of the first day. Off we go~~

It was an early start on Sunday morning. My husband and I took the Thunderbird express train from Osaka at 7am. It had been so long since I travelled outside of Kansai, so even though I felt quite sleepy, I was also brimming with excitement.

When we arrived, my first impression of Kanazawa is that it was cold! Much colder than Osaka. I ended up buying a new sweater to wear because the clothes I brought weren’t warm enough.

Unlike Osaka, Kanazawa definitely felt less busy. There were less crowds and the pace felt much slower.

My husband and I got bus passes for the day, dropped off our things at the hotel, and headed to the first place on our itinerary: a museum called KAMU. They had a few art installments, one being “Infinity staircase” by Leandro Erlich.

The museum also featured works from artist, Stephanie Quayle:

And Japanese artist, Takuro Kuwata:

For lunch, we went to a cafe called Curio Espresso Vintage Cafe. The owner is originally from Seattle, and the recommended dish they have is the BBQ pulled- pork sandwich. It was absolutely delicious! When I took the first bite, it felt like I had been transported back to the US. For an energy boost, I also ordered a zesty mocha, which was absolute perfection.

Since Kanazawa is close go the Sea of Japan, one of its specialties is seafood. We stopped by a famous fish market called Omicho Ichiba after lunch, looking at all the various fish and things being sold. Food stands selling fresh fish and shellfish could be seen at every corner. There were also lines of people waiting to get a seat at seafood bowl restaurants.

Anyway, that’s all the time I have for now. Please look forward to the next blog post!

Sports Day

Throughout Japan, all schools have an events called 体育祭 (“taikusai”), or “Sports Day”. In teams, the students participate in various games and relays to earn points.

For my school, Sports Day would normally be in June, but because of Covid-19, it was postponed to October 3rd. This event is one of the bigger events that happen during the school year.

In Japanese schools, students are separated into a 組, or a class. There are seven classes for each year. For Sports day, each class was given a color: pink, orange, red, blue, green, purple, and yellow. I work mostly with the English Course students who are in 3組, and they were the blue team this year.

Before sports day, the classes design their own T-shirt in the given color, and they wear that T-shirt during Sports Day.

With covid-19 precautions set in place, this year’s Sports Day was much shorter because certain programs had to be canceled, the big one being the class dance. Sports Day started with the opening ceremony, followed by some stretches. The schedule of events was as followed:

- Short distance run

- Obstacle course

- Short distance run finals

- Relay race

- Sports Clubs relay race

- Jump rope

- Ball Toss

- School Quiz

- Class relays

So much running. I felt tired just watching the students. Yelling and cheering wasn’t allowed, but the students didn’t pay any attention to this rule. I even broke the rule a few times during the class relays to cheer my students on. OOPS.

An interesting thing about sports day is that winning is not an individual thing, but a group achievement. At the end of it, the orange team won first, followed by the red team. A representative from each team came to the front and received a certificate from the principal.

Sports day is an interesting event that happens in schools throughout Japan. Make sure you wear a hat, wear sunblock, and have fun with your students. How was your school’s sports day this year?

#sports day

Lost and Found

One of the things that I appreciate about Japan is that if you lose something, you’ll most likely get it back. Whether it’s your wallet or your cell phone, you’ll be reunited with your lost items and with all things intact.

(Not that I’m saying that theft doesn’t happen in Japan-- it’s just that the rate of theft is relatively low compared to other countries like the U.S.)

It’s so fascinating! I remember one night, I had lost my cell phone on the walk home. In a panic, I went to the closest police station, and luckily, they had it. Someone had found it on the sidewalk and turned it in to the police.

If you go to a café, you’ll sometimes see people leave their items unattended, like their laptop or their bags. This is such a foreign concept to me, even now. I know that not everyone in America steals, but I definitely would not think “I’ll just leave my things here while I use the restroom. It'll be fine!”

Another thing I’ve seen happen a handful of times is people running after someone who had dropped something without them noticing. One time when I was on the train home, a young man had dropped his cell phone on his way out of the train. Another passenger, after noticing what happened, picked up the phone and rushed out of the train to return it to the young man.

Oftentimes, I see things like keys or a keychain that someone else had found hanging from a fence or set aside so that the owner can find them again.

Interestingly enough, rather than cell phones and wallets, the most stolen items are things like umbrellas and bicycles. I had my bicycle stolen a few months after I arrived in Osaka, and I never saw it again.

Why is it so common to not steal in Japan?

I think part of it stems from the education system. From a young age, people are taught to return things that they found. In schools, there is a lost and found area and when an item has been lost, it will be announced. Children are encouraged to return something that us lose, so it’s become second nature to turn something in to the lost and found.

I once asked a Japanese friend about this and she told me that it’s important to return lost items so as to not cause trouble for the person who lost them. Considering that Japan is a very group based society, putting the feelings and needs of others before one’s self, it makes sense.

What to do if you lost something

If you find yourself in a situation where you lost something, try going to the nearest police office. There, you can submit a missing items report.

If you last saw your item on the train, go to the lost and found office at the station. If the item is found, they’ll contact you.

In Japan, “Finder’s keepers” is definitely not a thought that crosses most people’s minds when they find something that isn’t theirs. How about in your country, what do people do when they come across lost items?

Inuyasha Cafe

My interest in Japanese culture began when I saw an anime called Inuyasha for the first time. Inuyasha is about a girl who accidentally travels back in time and meets a half-dog demon half-human by the name of Inuyasha. The two of them, accompanied by more friends, travel around feudal Japan searching for the shards of a powerful jewel before the enemy can get their hands on them.

I was in high school, and it was a Saturday night. I was flipping through some channels when I came across the show— I was immediately hooked. In a way, it was Inuyasha that led me to pursue a minor in Japanese language and to move to Japan.

When I heard that there was an Inuyasha themed cafe in Shinsaibashi, I just had to go. A friend of mine, who’s also a fan of the show, went with me too. The second we walked into the cafe, I felt like I was in high school all over again. There were Inuyasha posters all over the walls and they had the first episode playing on a projector.

I ordered a sandwich from the Inuyasha themed menu and my friend ordered a curry.

Honestly, for the price the food was mediocre. We were mostly paying for the atmosphere. The parfait wasn’t too bad, and it came with a little cutout of the main character saying her signature line: “Sit boy!”

It was so much fun, reminiscing with my friend about the episodes we liked and characters that we thought were cool. Afterwards, we explored the gift shop, and I ended up spending way too much money.

Although I don’t watch anime much anymore (which is probably a good thing for my wallet), Inuyasha will always have a special place in my heart. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had never come across Inuyasha. Would my life have turned out differently?

The cafe is located in Shinsaibashi and will be held until September 22nd, 2020.

Address:

THE GUEST cafe&diner（心斎橋161　2F）

大阪市中央区心斎橋筋1-6-1

#犬夜叉 #Inuyasha cafe

Japanese phrases you should know: なんでやねん！(”nandeyanen!”)

When I was in university, I minored in Japanese Language and Culture. In Japanese class, we learned what is called “standard Japanese”, which is spoken in Tokyo. Coming to Osaka, however, I was sooo confused. I couldn’t understand what people were saying-- they were using all these different words that I hadn’t learned in my Japanese class.

Similar to how the U.S. has region dialects and accents, different areas in Japan have their own dialects. In areas in the Kansai region, like Osaka, Kyoto, and Hyogo, people speak 関西弁 (”kansai-ben”), or Kansai dialect. Out of all the dialects in Japan, Kansai-ben is perhaps the most well-known.

If you visit Osaka, you’ll hear a lot of Osaka-ben, like the word なんでやねん (”nandeyanen”). This word is pretty well-known and you may hear it in a comedy routine. It means something like “Why?”, “What are ya talking about?”, or “What the heck??”. Although it may sound harsh, the nuance is pretty light.

Here’s an example conversation:

A: Thanks for buying me dinner. How much was it?

B: I got it for free!

A: Nandeyanen!

There are so many different words in Kansai-ben. Enjoy learning!

Staying safe during typhoon season

It is now typhoon season in Japan, and currently typhoon #10 has hit Kagoshima prefecture. Although typhoons can be very scary, with enough preparation, you’ll be just fine.

When is typhoon season?

Typhoon season is usually from July- October. Although there are more than a dozen typhoons that form during this time, only about half of them make it to Japan. Each year, typhoons grow in intensity and strength.

How to prepare yourself for a typhoon

Japan takes a lot of precautions when it comes to typhoons. One thing you can do is check for information about an approaching typhoon. A good website for this is the Japan Meteorological Agency. Here, you can track where the typhoon is headed, as well as the speed and intensity of the wind.

https://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/

Japan Meteorological Agency | Tropical Cyclone Information

In regards to getting around during a typhoon, trains will either stop running or will be running at a reduced schedule. Taxis will probably be available, but at a much higher rate than usual.

During a typhoon, all schools will be closed. If you’re working in Japan, it’s best to make sure if you have to go to work (yes, people will still try to go to work even if there’s a typhoon). For those going to school, make sure you check your school’s website for updates.

There’s a possibility of the electricity going out, so make sure you have a spare battery for your phone, as well as candles and flashlights. Prepare some canned food and bottled water just in case.

Put all potted plants, laundry, and your laundry pole inside. Same thing goes for pets. If you have a bicycle, make sure that it is secured.

You should also check where your nearest evacuation center, which is called 避難所 (“hinanjo”), is located.

During and after the typhoon

Whatever you do, don’t go outside during a typhoon. It can get pretty crazy with the intense winds and heavy rain.

Make sure to keep away from windows, and to keep the curtains closed in case something shatters your window.

After the typhoon passes, make sure it’s safe before going outside. Avoid areas like beaches and rivers, and be careful of fallen trees, branches, and poles.

Stay safe, everyone.

#typhoon season

First week back mishaps

The first week back from summer vacation mostly went by in a blur. The schedule was a bit irregular, and there were some changes that happened without my knowing. The schedule on Tuesday had changed, so the order of classes got a little mixed up. At the start of 2nd period, I was surprised to hear the Japanese English teachers come into the room and say, “Um, we have a class right now”. Me, and the other AETs, rushed to our classes.

Class went terribly. I hadn’t read the lesson plan yet (because I thought the class would be at 4th period), so I had to keep checking the lesson plan every 20 seconds. In short, definitely not my best lesson, but the students were good sports about it and cooperated anyway.

Then, a class that I thought I wouldn’t have that day turned out to be during 4th period. Luckily, I already had an idea what to do so I just had to copy some materials. I was late for the class, but it went okay despite me not being completely prepared for it.

If this is your first year at teaching, one word of advice is to always take the initiative when it comes to checking your schedule. Your school should give you a yearly school calendar, but to avoid any mishaps, make sure you keep up to date with any changes. This is especially important if you teach at more than one school. Lost in their own busyness, the teachers at your school might forget to tell you about these changes and you’ll be met with the question, “Wait, you didn’t know??”

Being active and keeping up to date with what’s going on at your school(s) is one way to help year go by smoothly. Happy second semester!

Drinking Party Etiquette

While working in Japan, you may be invited to a 飲み会 (nomikai), which is a “drinking party”, with your colleagues. Although no one will make you go, if invited, you should take the invitation. Even if you’re not a big drinker, this is a good opportunity to communicate and to get to know your colleagues outside of work.

If this is your first time attending a drinking party, here is some advice on what you should and shouldn’t do.

The types of drinking parties

Before I get into the etiquette of drinking parties in Japan, here are some examples of drinking parties you might be invited to.

忘年会 (”bounenkai”)

Bounenkai is the end of the year party, which happens sometime in December. The purpose of this party is to forget the woes of the year and prepare for the next year.

新年会　(”shinnenkai”)

This means “new year party”. Companies may use these as an opportunity to set rules for the new year.

歓送迎会 (”kansougeikai)

This literally translates into “Welcome and goodbye party”. Every year, in schools and companies, people are transferred to a new school or company and new people come in to replace them. At the “kansougeikai”, those who have transferred say goodbye and those who are new are welcomed. This type of drinking party will usually happen after the start of the school year/business year.

At all of these types of parties, it will be 飲み放題 (”nomihoudai”), which means “ all you can drink”. There’s usually a set menu of drinks that you can order from, and you can order as much as you want for a set amount of time, which is usually about 120 minutes.

Etiquette: The Do’s

Be prepared to listen to (a lot) of speeches

Especially at the end of the year party and the welcome and goodbye party, expect to hear a lot of speeches. Staff who left your school or company and the staff who joined will all give a speech. Depending on the number of people who have left and joined, it could take a while before you start eating and drinking.

Refill empty glasses

If you see a colleague with an empty glass, you should go up to them and refill their glass, keeping the bottle label facing up as you do so. Expect that others will pour you a drink when your glass is empty too. Also, try to especially refill the principal’s or the boss’s glass when you can.

Move around and try to talk to everyone

After all the speeches are finished and drinks have been pouring in, you should try to communicate with your colleagues. Take a bottle of beer (or wine) and pour a colleague’s empty glass. While you’re at it, take the time to talk to them for a bit.

Etiquette: The Dont’s

Don’t start drinking before the first “kanpai”

It is considered rude to drink before everyone has gotten their drinks and before the group “kanpai” or “cheers”. You may have to wait a while, so be patient.

Don’t pour your own drink

I made this mistake once of pouring myself a glass of beer at my first drinking party, and the teacher sitting next to me immediately told me that I shouldn’t do that. If your glass is empty, take a bottle of beer (or wine) and find someone to pour a glass for and they will reciprocate the action. Always hold your glass up so that they can pour you a drink.

Don’t refuse a drink

If you feel like you’ve had enough to drink, just keep your glass full so that no one will refill it for you. People will take the clue and see that you’re done for the night.

Don’t just sit where you want

What I’ve noticed about Japan is that people seem to be more hesitant to chose where they sit, especially at a work-related drinking party. Usually at a “bounenkai” or “kansougeikai”, there may already be a seating arrangement.

Don’t leave before the drinking party is over

You’ll stand out like a sore thumb if you leave before the drinking party ends. Wait until the host of the party officially says it’s over before heading home. There may be an after-party called 二次会 (”nijikai”), which is optional to attend.

So there you have it. Drinking parties are a nice way to let your hair down and get to know you colleagues. If you find yourself in a situation where you’re not sure what you should be doing, follow the golden rule: Do as the Romans do. Just be aware of what others are doing around you and follow suit.

Cheers!

Surviving Summer in Japan

There is no denying that summer is hot pretty much everywhere in the world, but summer in Japan is on another level. Perhaps it’s the combination of heat and humidity, and also the fact that I have to walk everywhere that it feels unbearable. Or maybe I was just spoiled by the dry Southern California summers. In this post, I’d like to share some tips on how to survive the hot summers in Japan.

Watch out for heatstroke

It’s important during this time of the year to take precautions to avoid heat stroke, which in Japanese is called 熱中症 (”necchuushou”). This is a fatal medical issue that is caused by the overexposure to intense heat/humidity. Symptoms include: high fever, dizziness, feeling faint or light-headed, an altered mental state, nausea, headaches, and shallow breathing.

Summer survival tip #1: Get out of the heat

I recommend staying indoors as often as you can in an air conditioned room. However, if you’re out and about and you’re starting to think, “I’m really hot, I’m starting to feel sick...”, that’s a sign to get out of the heat. Go to a shady area, and take a rest. If you can, head to the nearest convenience store to cool down.

If you’re thinking of going out, I recommend checking out NHK’s heatstroke risk information before doing so: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/heatstroke/tokyo.html

Yesterday was a scorcher. Photo courtesy of the NHK website

Survival tip #2: Stay hydrated

Hydration, hydration, hydration. It’s important to drink enough water, especially when you’ll be sweating A LOT. Luckily in Japan, vending machines can be found virtually everywhere, so take advantage of that. In addition to water, there are sports drinks like Aquarius to help you replenish your electrolytes.

Survival tip #3: Use summer accessories

I used to think it was a weird thing to see people, women in particular, wearing summer gear: things like parasols, arm covers, UV face covers, etc. Eventually though, I found that these things can help alleviate the summer heat by just helping me stay out of the sun.

For men, there are parasols for men available, but if you’re feeling too shy about using that, I recommend wearing hats/caps.

Interestingly enough, Japanese people don’t often use sunglasses, but don’t let that stop you from using them.

There’s also portable electric fans and hand fans that you can buy at most stores. I also recommend body wipes that give a cooling effect when you use them, making you feel fresh and smell nice too.

Also, wear sunblock! You’ll be out in the sun to get to places, so make sure you protect your skin from those harmful UV rays.

Survival tip #4: Eat salt candy

In addition to water, you should make sure you’re getting enough salt. One way you can do that is by eating salt candy. There are many types and flavors of salt candy out there, but make sure you see that Chinese character for salt, written as 塩 (pronounced as “shio”) before you buy a pack.

These are some survival tips for summer in Japan. Enjoy your summer but also be aware of your health. Stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay out of the sun as much as you can.

#summer in Japan

Obon Holiday in Japan

The cicadas are buzzing in the trees, the air is heavy with humidity.

The students are out of school, summer vacation is finally here.

In Japan, there is something called Obon (written as “お盆”). Obon is a Buddhist event where people welcome back their ancestors who have already passed. It is believed that at this time, the spirits of ancestors come to visit their relatives in the living world. Obon is observed during the four days between August 13 and 16. During this time, people visit their hometown and spend time with their families. They also visit the cemetery to clean their family grave.

Different regions throughout Japan have their own way of celebrating the Obon holiday, but a commonality between them is the use of fire. During Obon, people will light a welcoming fire, called mukaebi (迎え火). This can either be a small fire outside the home or a pathway of lanterns, which are said to help guide the loved ones from the spiritual world to home.

Another thing you might see during Obon is Bon Odori, which literally translates into “lantern dancing”. Bon odori is a dance to welcome the spirits the spirits of the dead. You’ll see people wearing yukata, a summer version of a kimono, others wearing their regular clothes. Bon odori is performed around a raised platform called a “yagura”. On this platform, people play traditional instruments, while people move in a large circle around the platform, clapping and stepping as they do so. The movements are pretty simple so anyone can join the dance.

Different regions throughout Japan have their own bon odori, so there are many variations and styles of the dance.

Here’s a video if you’re curious to see what bon odori looks like:

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many bon odori have been cancelled. However, there are still other obon events that you can join so be sure to check out what the locals are doing in your area.

#obon

Japanese phrases you should learn: お疲れ様です (“Otsukaresama desu”)

Welcome to another installment of Japanese phrases that are difficult to translate. In this post, I’d like to focus on the phrase “otsukaresama desu”.

What does it mean?

“Otsukaresama” comes from the verb “tsukareru” (written as 疲れる), which means “to be tired”. When you say “Otsukaresama desu” or “otsukaresama deshita”, the past tense, it means something like “You are tired.”

It may sound a little strange to tell someone “You are tired,” but in Japanese culture, acknowledging that someone is tired means something more along the lines of “Thank you for your hard work.” In Japan, being tired is seen as a good thing as it shows how diligent and hard-working a person has been.

When do you use it?

“Otsukaresama desu” can be used as a greeting. For example, when you meet a co-worker in the hallway, or when you arrive at work in the morning, you could say “Otsukaresama desu.” It could also be used throughout the day, like at the start or the end of a meeting or at the end of a event. In whichever case, the phrase is used to acknowledge a person’s hard work.

At a drinking party, you might “otsukaresama desu!”, followed by the clinking of glasses filled with beer. In this case, “otsukaresama desu” means “Cheers!”.

Before leaving work, if you’re the first to leave before your co-workers, you should say “お先に失礼します,” (osaki ni shitsureishimasu”), which means “Please excuse my leaving earlier”. In some workplaces, it may be considered rude to leave before your superiors. So just saying “Otsukaresama desu” may be seen as mockery by those who have to stay at work longer. After saying “osaki no shitsureishimasu,” you will hear “otsukaresama desu” in return.

So whenever you meet with co-workers or even friends, don’t forget to acknowledge the hard work they did with “otsukaresama desu”.

Go To Travel Campaign: Would you “Go to”?

One thing I really miss doing in traveling. 2020 has been a year of cancelled trips, my passport collecting dust.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japanese government is trying to promote domestic tourism with a campaign called “Go to Travel” in hopes of helping local business and boosting the economy. This campaign will provide subsidies up to 50% off on your cost of transportation, accommodations, restaurants, tourists attractions, and shopping within Japan.

A “Go to Travel” campaign poster for Okinawa. Source: https://feeljapan.net/okinawa/article/2020-07-14-14338/

This campaign started on July 22nd and until August 31st, participants can receive the 50% subsidiary. From September 1st, participants will receive a 35% subsidiary, but considering how expensive it can be to travel within Japan, I think it’s still a good deal.

Tokyo, which is now level four coronavirus alert, is exempt from this campaign at the time being. Those residing in Tokyo are urged to not to participate in this campaign for now.

To receive the benefits of this campaign, all you have to do is book your trip with travel agencies that are registered with the campaign.

Sounds pretty cool, right?

Despite this pretty sweet deal, the “Go to Travel” campaign was met with some skepticism. Some criticized leaving Tokyo out of the campaign, stating that Tokyo residents are the ones with the highest income. Moreover, places like Nara have benefited from school trips by those from the Kanto region, so others think that it is unfair to leave out Tokyoites from the campaign. Without this group of people spending money, will the campaign be profitable?

Another qualm about the campaign is the spread of the coronavirus. In Japan, there are some areas that miraculously have had zero cases of the virus, and people from these regions have expressed concern about tourists visiting from different prefectures. It could be that tourists will be met with hostility in these areas. People tweeted “please don’t come here” in response to the government’s push for this campaign.

So while there seems to be some nice benefits from the “Go to Travel” campaign, there are some major concerns to seriously consider before participating.

What do you think? Would you “Go to” or just stay home?

A small haven in Ikoma

If you’re ever in Nara, there’s a little haven called Lucky Garden hidden in the mountains of Ikoma.

Lucky Garden is a Sri Lankan restaurant that serves Sri Lankan cuisine, drinks, and desserts.

The food: 4.5/5

Sooo good. I recommend the curry plate. It was a lovely mix of flavor and spices, and really filling. The view from the terrace was lovely too.

I also ordered a mango pudding that had bits of dragon fruit in it. It was really refreshing on such a hot day.

Atmosphere: 5/5

The atmosphere is very comfortable, and the setup is very quaint. Think of a little cabin in the woods. It’s a great place to relax and enjoy a delicious meal with a beautiful view. Outdoor seating is available, while a reservation is required for indoor seating (However, due to the coronavirus, indoor seating is unavailable).

This place is pet friendly. Dogs are welcome, and there are also two goats that the restaurant owns. You can feed them and pet them if you’d like.

Location: 3/5

Lucky Garden isn’t exactly in the most convenient location. The easiest way to get to Lucky Garden is by car, and the road is very narrow.

Another option is to take a taxi from Ikoma station (taxis in Japan are very expensive, so unless you don’t mind paying for it, I don’t really recommend this method).

If you aren’t able to drive there, you’ll have to walk 40 minutes from Kintetsu Ichibu station, or walk 30 minutes from Touzanji station. The walk is a bit steep at places, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Overall score: 4/5

Lucky Garden is still one of my favorite restaurants in Japan. If you’re in the area or are wondering what you can do in Nara, I recommend checking this place out. It may be in the middle of nowhere, but you’ll see that it was worth the journey.

Address: 168 Onitoricho, Ikoma 630-0237 Nara Prefecture

Hours: from 10am-10pm

Closed on Mondays

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Website: http://www.luckygarden.jp/

Company Trips

The work culture in the US and Japan vary in a plethora of ways, one of them being the company trip with all the employees.

The everyday workplace in Japan is BUSY, so it can be difficult to get to know your co-workers. So the purpose of the 社員旅行 (“shain ryokou”), or the company trip, is to build and strengthen the communication and relationships between the company employees. I personally haven’t been on one, but this is perhaps because I work at a school rather than at a company. When I worked at elementary school, I went with the teachers on a one day trip to Kyoto to go river rafting.

Usually, company trips last from around 1-4 days, depending on where the company decides to go. Some companies go abroad to a nearby county, like South Korea or Taiwan, while other companies may decide to travel to another prefecture within Japan. Considering the cornavirus, it is very likely that companies will stick to traveling domestically this year.

Trips are scheduled to a tee. From what I’ve noticed is that Japanese people are very detailed with their planning. From the time you wake up, to the time you finish up for dinner, everything is planned out. The itinerary usually includes sightseeing (sometimes in separate groups), a team building activity of some sort, and dinner with all the company employees. There’s also a few hours allotted for free time, so there’s a bit of time to just relax or do whatever you want.

If staying at a hotel or a “ryokan” (a Japanese style hotel) don’t expect to have your own room— you’ll most likely be sharing with one or a few co-workers. Also, if the place you're staying at has an “onsen”, or hot spring, you bet you’ll be going there with your coworkers (men and women are separated). It’s the weirdest thing getting naked and bathing in hot springs with people you work with, but don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.

Sounds fun, but who pays for everything? Well, the company pays for everyone’s lodging and transportation. The only thing one has to worry about is having money for souvenirs and for when you eat out.

Although going on the company trip isn’t mandatory, most people opt to go. In a group oriented society like Japan, it is especially important to be able to work together harmoniously as a team. Moreover, I suppose it is a nice way to know one’s co-workers in a relaxed environment. It’s a good opportunity to talk to people one hasn’t had the chance to talk to during work hours.

If it’s your first time going on a company trip, don’t worry about it. Just go with the flow, and when in doubt, just follow with whatever everyone else is doing.

Japanese phrases that are difficult to translate: 仕方がない (Shikata ga nai)

In Japanese, there are a myriad of words and phrases that are difficult to translate into English. In this blog post, I’d like to explain the phrase 仕方がない, “shikata ga nai”.

What does it mean?

When literally translated, “shikata ga nai” means “There is no way.” But the way it is used in everyday life, it’s more of like “It can’t be helped,” or, “It is what it is.”

When is it used?

It’s used in situations where things can’t be controlled. Take for instance, a concert you wanted to go to was cancelled because of the coronavirus. You’re bummed out, but this kind of thing is out of anyone’s control, so you could say, “Oh well, shikata ga nai.”

Or, for example, you're driving in LA and you’re stuck in traffic. Instead of wasting energy and getting angry at the fact, you just think “Shikata ga nai. There’s always traffic in LA, so it is what it is.”

Whenever this phrase is said, it cancels out all complaints. In a way, this phrase takes away attention from the negativity and helps you get over the inevitability of things out of your control. Just do what you can in the situation and make the best out of it.

Passivity of shikata ga nai

Living in Japan, I have heard “shikata ga nai” used in situations when it was possible to do something, but people just passively accepted their fate or the situation without questioning anything.

Last year, the senior class English course students had to give a presentation on a world issue and what can be done to solve it. One group had the topic gender inequality. They asked me for advice about what can be done to tackle the problem, and I asked them, “Well, what about electing more women politicians who support gender equality?” We talked a bit about how low Japan ranked in terms of gender equality, but the students just sighed, “Shikata ga nai.”

I’ve also heard this used in a sexual assault situation where a man sexually assaulting a female co-worker is just a part of who he is: “Men are men. Shikata ga nai.”

It’s always frustrating when I hear people use “shikata ga nai” in such situations because it feels like the real problem at hand is just being brushed under the rug with a passive shrug.

All in all, “shikata ga nai” is a useful phrase to help people get through situations they cannot change. In my opinion, this should not apply to all situations, especially ones that can be changed if enough effort is put in. Indeed, some things are inevitable, but that doesn’t mean we should passively accept our fate without question.

Entrance Ceremony

6.27.2020

Japan really likes ceremonies. In the school year, there are four different types of ceremonies that happen throughout the year.

Ones that happen at the beginning and end of each semester:

- Opening Ceremony, 始業式 (Shigyoushiki)

- Closing Ceremony、終業式 (Shuugyoushiki)

And ones that happen once a year:

- Entrance Ceremony, which is only for the First years、入学式 (Nyuugakushiki)

- Graduation、卒業式 (Sotsugyoushiki)

Usually, the entrance ceremony is held at the beginning of the term in April for the first years. But because of coronavirus, it was postponed until June 27th. The students had already been in school for almost a month now, so it felt a little out of place to have the ceremony in the first place. Moreover, the parents weren't even allowed to attend, just the students, teachers, and honorable guests. The school practised precautions. Everyone in attendance had to wear a mask, and the seats were spaced apart.

These ceremonies are taken rather seriously. The dress code is formal, so the teachers are expected to wear a suit, usually dark blue, grey, or black with a white top (other colors are a big no). If women wear a skirt, they have to wear stockings. As for men, if they wear a tie, it must be white. The ceremony takes place in the school gym, which has no AC or heating, so it can be very hot or very cold.

There is a lot of standing up, bowing, and sitting back down during the ceremony. The order of events for the entrance ceremony are as follows:

1. Procession

There are seven classes for each grade at my school, and each class is assigned a homeroom teacher and a vice-homeroom teacher. At the entrance ceremony, the homeroom teacher leads their class into the gym to where they are supposed to sit. While this is happening, the teachers (and parents) applaud them, and the brass band plays some music (but this year, the school decided to just play some music over the speakers instead of having the brass band play).

Once everyone is settled, they sing the national anthem and the school song.

2. (So many) Speeches

Next comes an array of speeches. The first is by the Principal, followed by the city Mayor, and the head of the PTA. Their speeches usually follow the same theme, welcoming the students and asking them what they want to accomplish during their time in high school. This is perhaps the longest part of the ceremony.

3. Introduction of the guests and teachers

After all the speeches are done, the guests, who are usually from the Board of Education, are introduced, as well as all of the first year homeroom teachers and the heads of various departments at school.

4. Oath from a student representative

One student, who has been selected to be the first year representative, comes to the stage with the Principal and reads a letter to the Principal. The letter is like an oath and usually goes along the lines of, “On behalf of all the first year students, we promise to do our best”. They then fold the letter back up and hand it over to the Principal.

5. Exit

Finally, the students leave the gym the same way they entered, following their homeroom teacher back to their homeroom classroom, where they talk about expectations about the new school year.

All in all, the entrance ceremony lasts about an hour. Although this year’s ceremony comes at the end of June, it’s better late than never, I suppose. Here’s to a great school year!

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