Classes
I am taking 15 credits of classes this semester, which is an average number all around. What is surprising, though, is that those 15 credits comprise only four classes! The classes I am taking are: Elementary Japanese Language, Japanese Politics, Japanese Traditional Performing Arts, and "Samurai and the Sacred."
The Japanese Language course is a whopping 6 credits, and does in fact meet for 6 hours a week (two on Monday and Thursday, one on Tuesday and Friday, and Wednesday is a break). It's a lot of hours, but I would rather it be this way anyway. It means practicing and learning the language that much faster. I am enjoying it immensely, and have been steadily improving conversation skills. My teacher is really fantastic and doesn't mind fielding random cultural questions that come up in our lessons about the language or other customs. It is also easy to retain what I learn because I can put what I learn directly into practice all day. I am trying to use as much Japanese as possible every day. As of today, I can give a brief overview of my background (where I'm from, what my major is, how old I am), as well as comment on the weather, tell time, and count to ten-thousand (in addition to the word for thousand - sen - Japanese has a label for units of ten-thousand - man - but not for a million. A million is hyakuman, or 100 "ten-thousands."). I have started to garner a reputation for greeting everyone I see with enthusiasm, which has earned me some good-natured laughs and jokes, but I know it works. I can also read and write all of the hiragana, and am starting to learn katakana. This is convenient because now I can, at the very least, write and communicate to other Japanese in hiragana, even if I don't know any kanji yet. See my second post for more information on the Japanese script.
My politics class is interesting, if a little slow. My professor is (amazingly) an 80 year old (exactly) Japanese man who currently is President of the Institute for Political Studies in Japan (based in Tokyo). He is known internationally as a facilitator in democratic movements, especially elections. He was recently one of the members overseeing the development of Nepal's first democratic election (which took place recently). He is really nice, though his speech is a bit more...pedestrian (i.e. slow), ha ha. I am really interested in comparing Japanese political structure and environment to the US structure and environment, especially since the Japanese constitution was drafted by the US government at the end of WW II.
The Performing Arts class examines all the traditional art forms in Japan: bunraku, No, gagaku, kabuki, etc. My professor is from England and has been living in Japan for quite some time now. He is very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, and has an almost theatrical way of presenting the material. The material itself is very interesting, making a lot of connections to Japanese religious traditions and myths. It is all very different from what I have been exposed to in the Western traditions, and I am finding it refreshing and exhilarating.
The last class, "Samurai and the Sacred," feels like it was tailored crafted for my specific interests in Japan. Since I first began looking into Japan, both the samurai and Shinto/Buddhism have been the driving interests, and this class examines both (specifically, how religious traditions mingle with ancient samurai culture and ethics). Right now we are delving into Shinto, which I find fascinating. I will talk at more length about Shinto in future writings. The class itself is full of energy (my professor is also from England and quite eccentric) and the readings are relatively light but interesting. It is tied with my language class as my favorite.
The Japanese Language course is a whopping 6 credits, and does in fact meet for 6 hours a week (two on Monday and Thursday, one on Tuesday and Friday, and Wednesday is a break). It's a lot of hours, but I would rather it be this way anyway. It means practicing and learning the language that much faster. I am enjoying it immensely, and have been steadily improving conversation skills. My teacher is really fantastic and doesn't mind fielding random cultural questions that come up in our lessons about the language or other customs. It is also easy to retain what I learn because I can put what I learn directly into practice all day. I am trying to use as much Japanese as possible every day. As of today, I can give a brief overview of my background (where I'm from, what my major is, how old I am), as well as comment on the weather, tell time, and count to ten-thousand (in addition to the word for thousand - sen - Japanese has a label for units of ten-thousand - man - but not for a million. A million is hyakuman, or 100 "ten-thousands."). I have started to garner a reputation for greeting everyone I see with enthusiasm, which has earned me some good-natured laughs and jokes, but I know it works. I can also read and write all of the hiragana, and am starting to learn katakana. This is convenient because now I can, at the very least, write and communicate to other Japanese in hiragana, even if I don't know any kanji yet. See my second post for more information on the Japanese script.
My politics class is interesting, if a little slow. My professor is (amazingly) an 80 year old (exactly) Japanese man who currently is President of the Institute for Political Studies in Japan (based in Tokyo). He is known internationally as a facilitator in democratic movements, especially elections. He was recently one of the members overseeing the development of Nepal's first democratic election (which took place recently). He is really nice, though his speech is a bit more...pedestrian (i.e. slow), ha ha. I am really interested in comparing Japanese political structure and environment to the US structure and environment, especially since the Japanese constitution was drafted by the US government at the end of WW II.
The Performing Arts class examines all the traditional art forms in Japan: bunraku, No, gagaku, kabuki, etc. My professor is from England and has been living in Japan for quite some time now. He is very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, and has an almost theatrical way of presenting the material. The material itself is very interesting, making a lot of connections to Japanese religious traditions and myths. It is all very different from what I have been exposed to in the Western traditions, and I am finding it refreshing and exhilarating.
The last class, "Samurai and the Sacred," feels like it was tailored crafted for my specific interests in Japan. Since I first began looking into Japan, both the samurai and Shinto/Buddhism have been the driving interests, and this class examines both (specifically, how religious traditions mingle with ancient samurai culture and ethics). Right now we are delving into Shinto, which I find fascinating. I will talk at more length about Shinto in future writings. The class itself is full of energy (my professor is also from England and quite eccentric) and the readings are relatively light but interesting. It is tied with my language class as my favorite.
Activities
In addition to my academics, I've joined three different clubs on campus, which have been great ways to meet Japanese students. They are: sado, shodo, and aikido. Sado is the Japanese traditional tea ceremony. The club meets once a week and we practice different types of tea ceremony, though I usually handle serving and will probably not have to learn to do the preparation. The practices are mainly in preparation for a large formal tea party in Senshu-koen that will take place on June 1. I signed up to participate, and will therefore be able to wear a kimono (on loan) and serve tea to the guests (at not charge). I am really excited. The ceremony itself is quite different from anything I've ever seen or experienced. Here's a wikipedia article on the ceremony for more information (also on the sidebar).
Shodo is the Japanese word for calligraphy. It is a lot harder to do than you think. I am far from graceful, but am practicing hard. I thought it was a good idea because once I'm good enough it can be used for cheap but very cool gifts and souvenirs. Calligraphy also meets once a week. Hopefully, once I get better at it, I will share pictures (or actual pieces!) of my calligraphy work with you.
By far, the most exciting activity I am participating in is aikido. Aikido is a Japanese school of martial arts, relatively new (in that it is less than a hundred years old). I had known about aikido back at home, and what has really drawn me to this particular school is the fact that it is the only practice I have encountered that is not only non-confrontational, but also the least harmful to both the practitioner and the opponent. Though almost all martial arts forms are taught primarily as self-defense (that is, not as a way to force people to do what you want), aikido is the least violent (but still incredibly effective) I have seen. The philosophy of the practice is not to defeat or overcome your opponent, but rather to harmonize with your opponent's actions and redirect it into a non-harmful manner. It involves a lot of joint locks, pressure points, pins and grapples/throws. There are (generally speaking) no actual attacks (i.e. there are no punches or kicks or anything like that). In order to practice, you need a partner who will emulate an attack (i.e. try to punch or grab you) so that you can practice a particular technique. It is a lot of fun and very effective. The sensei (teacher or master) is very good (a young Japanese man who appears to be in his early thirties) and is very patient with us. Here is a link to more information on aikido.
Shodo is the Japanese word for calligraphy. It is a lot harder to do than you think. I am far from graceful, but am practicing hard. I thought it was a good idea because once I'm good enough it can be used for cheap but very cool gifts and souvenirs. Calligraphy also meets once a week. Hopefully, once I get better at it, I will share pictures (or actual pieces!) of my calligraphy work with you.
By far, the most exciting activity I am participating in is aikido. Aikido is a Japanese school of martial arts, relatively new (in that it is less than a hundred years old). I had known about aikido back at home, and what has really drawn me to this particular school is the fact that it is the only practice I have encountered that is not only non-confrontational, but also the least harmful to both the practitioner and the opponent. Though almost all martial arts forms are taught primarily as self-defense (that is, not as a way to force people to do what you want), aikido is the least violent (but still incredibly effective) I have seen. The philosophy of the practice is not to defeat or overcome your opponent, but rather to harmonize with your opponent's actions and redirect it into a non-harmful manner. It involves a lot of joint locks, pressure points, pins and grapples/throws. There are (generally speaking) no actual attacks (i.e. there are no punches or kicks or anything like that). In order to practice, you need a partner who will emulate an attack (i.e. try to punch or grab you) so that you can practice a particular technique. It is a lot of fun and very effective. The sensei (teacher or master) is very good (a young Japanese man who appears to be in his early thirties) and is very patient with us. Here is a link to more information on aikido.
Other Activities
Aside from academics and clubs, I have been having fun taking advantage of the library and reading more about Japanese culture and history, as well as books on other topics I am interested in. I am also excited for the library of DVD's and anime that is available, which includes such famous films as Seven Samurai and Shogun, as well as anime by famous directors like Hayao Miyazaki (director of Spirited Away).
I have also enjoyed talking with the other international students, either at meals or on trips to the mall or the city, or just hanging out in the evenings and on the weekends. Akita-shi (Akita city) is a popular excursion destination on the weekends, as it is only thirty minutes away by bus and train (and costs about eight dollars for the round trip). I have been to the city almost every weekend I've been here, and have experienced some of the night life, as well as the park and a random shrine festival taking place in the streets near the train station. Below are some pictures of my friends and some of the trips to the city.
From the left: Hans Petter (Norway), Conny (Germany). The expressions on their faces are priceless (I love candid shots). 
From the left: Hans Petter, Conny, Dylan (New Zealand), Maggie (originally Hong Kong, now lives in New Zealand)
From left: Conny, Dylan, Maggie
From left: Maggie, Martin (Korean by birth, but grew up and lives in Denmark), Leo (Austria)
A Night on the Town
A few weeks ago, I went into the city with Hans Petter, Martin and Dylan for a night in the city, which included dinner, a peek into a random concert, and then a trip to the bars. When we were looking for a place to eat, we finally settled on a bar/restaurant mix that looked promising. The establishment served small snack-sized portions grilled meat and other dishes, very much like a Spanish Tapas. Since the menu was all in Japanese, we didn't know what we were ordering exactly, but it turned out to work out quite well. Here are a few pictures:
Restaurant exterior.
The interior was decorated in 1950's era Japanese advertisements and films posters.
Restaurant counter.
Martin had no qualms of finishing it off for me, though...
We thought this dish was going to be squid, but it turned out to be kielbasa sausage cut to look like squid with coleslaw and sparklers...pretty hilarious, actually.
Hans Petter and Dylan across the table.
My right-hand man Martin (eater of fish heads).
Hans Petter attempting (unsuccessfully) to assume a serious pose.
We got a waiter to take a picture of the whole gang outside the restaurant. From left to right: Hans Petter, Martin, Tsuji, Makoto, Kumako, Dylan, Me.
The kielbasa octopuses came back with a vengeance...
Makoto (bass guitarist) and Kumako (drummer) explaining the intricacies of Japanese language to an enthralled Dylan.
Hans Petter looking stylish in Tsuji's (lead singer) sunglasses.
The Tokyo band, CAMELMAC (Tsuji, Kumako, Makoto).
This past weekend, I was in Akita-shi with Hans Petter and Leo for some errands, and in the streets just past the major city train station, we almost literally ran into a Shinto procession, for some festival I was not aware of celebrated by one of the dozens of shrines in the city. Here are some pictures:
And finally, one of the last perks of making a visit to the city is grabbing a dinner of sushi!
I have also enjoyed talking with the other international students, either at meals or on trips to the mall or the city, or just hanging out in the evenings and on the weekends. Akita-shi (Akita city) is a popular excursion destination on the weekends, as it is only thirty minutes away by bus and train (and costs about eight dollars for the round trip). I have been to the city almost every weekend I've been here, and have experienced some of the night life, as well as the park and a random shrine festival taking place in the streets near the train station. Below are some pictures of my friends and some of the trips to the city.
Hanging Out on a Saturday Evening
From the left: Hans Petter (Norway), Conny (Germany). The expressions on their faces are priceless (I love candid shots). 
From the left: Hans Petter, Conny, Dylan (New Zealand), Maggie (originally Hong Kong, now lives in New Zealand)
From left: Conny, Dylan, Maggie
From left: Maggie, Martin (Korean by birth, but grew up and lives in Denmark), Leo (Austria)A Night on the Town
A few weeks ago, I went into the city with Hans Petter, Martin and Dylan for a night in the city, which included dinner, a peek into a random concert, and then a trip to the bars. When we were looking for a place to eat, we finally settled on a bar/restaurant mix that looked promising. The establishment served small snack-sized portions grilled meat and other dishes, very much like a Spanish Tapas. Since the menu was all in Japanese, we didn't know what we were ordering exactly, but it turned out to work out quite well. Here are a few pictures:
Restaurant exterior.
The interior was decorated in 1950's era Japanese advertisements and films posters.
Restaurant counter.
What we thought was grilled fished turned out to be, literally, grilled fish. It wasn't too bad, actually, if a bit salty, though I couldn't bring myself to eat the head, as evidenced by the next picture:
Martin had no qualms of finishing it off for me, though...
We thought this dish was going to be squid, but it turned out to be kielbasa sausage cut to look like squid with coleslaw and sparklers...pretty hilarious, actually.
Hans Petter and Dylan across the table.
My right-hand man Martin (eater of fish heads).
Hans Petter attempting (unsuccessfully) to assume a serious pose.After dinner we decided to check out a live band concert that we saw advertised in the city. When we arrived (around 9:30) we saw the last half of the final number of the final band (it had started around 6:00pm). We found this to be a bit surprising and funny, but ended up talking with the band members as they greeted their fans. They were all in their early 30's, and are based out of Tokyo. Their English wasn't that great, and our Japanese wasn't any better, but we hit it off right away and decided to go for drinks afterwards. We ended up going to the same restaurant as before; again, pretty hilarious. We had some more food, some more beer (I chose water this round) and warm sake (I did choose to partake):
We got a waiter to take a picture of the whole gang outside the restaurant. From left to right: Hans Petter, Martin, Tsuji, Makoto, Kumako, Dylan, Me.
The kielbasa octopuses came back with a vengeance...
Makoto (bass guitarist) and Kumako (drummer) explaining the intricacies of Japanese language to an enthralled Dylan.
Hans Petter looking stylish in Tsuji's (lead singer) sunglasses.
The Tokyo band, CAMELMAC (Tsuji, Kumako, Makoto).This past weekend, I was in Akita-shi with Hans Petter and Leo for some errands, and in the streets just past the major city train station, we almost literally ran into a Shinto procession, for some festival I was not aware of celebrated by one of the dozens of shrines in the city. Here are some pictures:
And finally, one of the last perks of making a visit to the city is grabbing a dinner of sushi!
At the ridiculously good price of 680 yen (about $6.80) this "bento box" was one of the best meals I've had in a long time.
Wrap Up
That's about it for today. On the sidebar you will see the addition of two more albums, Akita Friends and Akita-shi Excursion 4-12. I will be continuously adding pictures to the Akita Friends Album as the weeks go on (I will let you know when I update it). Right now it's hard because a lot of our plans are kind of spur of the moment, and I've only had my camera on me for a few occasions. I am trying to get more and more pictures, so stay tuned.
This week is "Golden Week" in Japan. There are a couple of national holidays in quick succession of each other, so most Japanese have the whole week off as vacation, and our school is no exception. Because there is so much traveling and sight-seeing taking place, prices for accommodations and travel are a bit more expensive. Instead of heading south to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka or Okinawa as is very popular, a group of seven of us are heading north to Hokkaido to visit Sapporo for a few days. I may or may not put a post up this Wednesday, it depends on how things are going. I will definitely post again in a week's time with an update on the trip, and hopefully many pictures.
In the mean time, I wish you all the best, and look forward to sharing with you my adventures up North!
This week is "Golden Week" in Japan. There are a couple of national holidays in quick succession of each other, so most Japanese have the whole week off as vacation, and our school is no exception. Because there is so much traveling and sight-seeing taking place, prices for accommodations and travel are a bit more expensive. Instead of heading south to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka or Okinawa as is very popular, a group of seven of us are heading north to Hokkaido to visit Sapporo for a few days. I may or may not put a post up this Wednesday, it depends on how things are going. I will definitely post again in a week's time with an update on the trip, and hopefully many pictures.
In the mean time, I wish you all the best, and look forward to sharing with you my adventures up North!
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