IrishOboe

Oh, I shouldn’t have let so much time pass before writing all of my Japan experiences up.  Ah well, I’ll do the best I can before I head to Switzerland!

After my lovely night out with the basketball crew I spent the night at Miwako’s house.  I met her folks and sister (who set me up with some Japanese DVDs) and had a great time at their old house.  They fixed me a tasty Japanese breakfast of fish and other little dishes that I can’t remember now, but were very good.  I wish I’d had more of those “real people” Japanese meals, but I’m grateful for the ones I got.  The TV was on during breakfast and I did my best to understand a show about various musicians.  One was Togi, and I loved the sound.  So, after spending some morning time with the family, Miwako took me CD shopping so I could get Togi and some Japanese pop for memory’s sake.  We went to a few places and also did some omiyage shopping for gifts to bring home.  Sadly, despite a lengthy search over two months and of stores from the Kofu valley to Tokyo, I was unable to find a map of Japan puzzle suitable for my nephews.  Hokkaido doesn’t go in the Sea of Japan!

I treated Miwako to cheep ice cream at the Chateraise and we had a lovely afternoon.  I can’t remember if we did anything else, but I’m sure it was lovely.  BTW, the Togi CD was disappointing, though still interesting, and I love my SMAP and Kat-Tun Signal CDs (one of these CD’s niko bought for me later, but I can’t remember which one, SMAP I think).  It’s so Japanese and natsukashi (nostalgic)!  This You Tube of Kat-Tun is a great example of crazy Japanese imitation styles with random English and crazy group dancing.  Check it out!  

Miwako dropped me off at Niko’s place so I could have an evening and a morning with her.  It was very sad to say goodbye, but we had a lovely time.  Sadly, I can’t remember what we did for dinner, but we did watch a show on the different styles of making okonimiyaki.  I’ve made it for the Daley’s and for my folks, and it’s fun and easy.  Mom loves it!  I haven’t figured out how to be consistent with it yet, sometimes it’s great and sometimes it’s soggy.  I guess that’s what happens when you can’t read the instructions and never measure anything . . .

 Niko took me to a nice place for lunch and some of my former students were working their on their internship!  I think I mentioned before that in the 2^nd year (Junior) Shirane has this great “opportunity”  (it’s mandatory) for it’s students: they get to work for a week in any number of jobs teenagers would normally hold in America, only high school kids are not allowed to work so this is a special internship opportunity they sell as valuable experience.  How many “opportunities” do we have in America that appear so great but are only a structured correction for problems caused by the structure itself!  Anyway . . .

In the afternoon Niko dropped me off at the AU store so I could meet Naito sensei and close my cell phone account.  We then picked up Julie (my successor) and Matt and went to Fujiwara sensei’s house for dinner.  It was a lovely time.  Her kids were delightful as usual and I got an ego massage as I was able to compare an image of the “old me” in the figure of Julie to the “new me” in the figure, of course, of myself.  As the newbie, Julie knew little of Japanese culture and language, and though Matt had studied, didn’t have much communication skills (though quite good for one who hasn’t lived in Japan long!)  This is no bash against either of them – I was most certainly less educated before I came – but it gave me a chance to see just how far I’d come.  I was laughing and talking and translating and explaining.  I felt so comfortable and at home in the language, the food, the people.  I’m far from perfect, though, as one joke of the evening revealed.  Though I’ve been saying “hello” correctly on the phone (nobody has laughed), as usual, I learned the phrase by ear, so I wasn’t sure how to spell it.  The “o” and “u” sound can sometimes be close so I wasn’t sure whether it was “moshi moshi” or “mushi mushi.”  As soon as I asked, the “mushi mushi” didn’t seem right, but it was too late.  It was met with guffaws of laughter by the kids.  Imagine picking up the phone and saying “bug bug!

After a lovely barbeque and sushi feast, talked, kicked a soccer ball around, then we set to playing music.  I played my baroque oboe for them, the kids played their concertos (violin and cello) and Julie and Matt dug some piano pieces out.  After Naito sensei took Julie and Matt home I spent the night with the Fujiwara’s.  Sadly we all had to be up and away early in the morning, but it was lovely, lovely time.

That morning Fujiwara sensei dropped us all at the Ryuo train station before heading to work (on a Saturday, which is sadly common).  The kids took the train to Tokyo for their music lessons, and I walked to my old apartment.  Now not mine all.  I’d planned to take Julie and Matt into Kofu, showing them how to use the trains and get around, have lunch with Adden and Alex, then go to Hippo, and then to church, of course dispensing introductions all around, but sadly, they were feeling a little sick and chose to skip out and rest.  I understand the motive, even though I think it was a mistake.  Oh well, their loss.  I went into Kofu myself and had a lovely light lunch with Alex and Adden then Alex and I went to Hippo and I enjoyed my last day very much.  How I miss the fun and family!

Church was also good, but sad.  They prayed for my send off, and I enjoyed my last evening in Japan.  I spent the night at Naito sensei’s, which seemed appropriate since she’s been the most dearly helpful of all my wonderful Japanese friends.  I’m sure I’ve left out all sorts of sweet goodbyes.  I said goodbye to the owner of the little produce shop near my apartment and they gave me a cute trinket and were very sweet.  I got lots of cards and letters from folks at Hippo and elsewhere.  It was all so sweet and sad!  I had to tell myself and everybody that I’d be coming back again – not to Tokyo, not to Kyoto, not to Hiroshima, but to Kofu!

Naito sensei fixed a royal breakfast for me then took me to the bus station Sunday August 6^th, 2006 after 377 days of exciting days living in Japan.  Shimizu sensei met us at the station and they both waited with me until I rode away on the bus.  What sweet people.  Shimizu sensei brought the sad news that Ryuo station had just started running again after a desperate person ended his (or her) life on the tracks of my home town station.  Yes, it’s been a wonderful year with great adventure, dear friends, and precious memories, but part of my heart remains in Japan because of its problems as well.

The bus ride and flight were times of deep reflection and a last embrace before saying “ja ne!

I’m sure I had adventure on the trip, but it’s not important now.  No, I’ll never forget Japan.  I LOVE YOU AND I MISS YOU ALL!