Happy New Year!

Better late than never, right? Today’s word is actually a phrase, “明けましておめでとうございます！”　or in English, “Ah-kay-mah-she-teh-oh-mede-toe-go-zai-mah-su!” All of this basically means Happy New Year!

Everyday is a bit of a journey for me, so it’s really hard to reflect on this past year. I think I did most of that before I left for Tokyo because the first half was such a whirlwind, and the culmination of those first six months manifested in the next six.

But it’s all good. 2009 was great, 2010 will be even better! Here’s how I celebrated the End of the Year:

My amazing host family took me on their annual family trip to the mountains in Yamanashi-ken (Literally, Mountain Pear Prefecture) where we indulged in both modern and antiquated interpretations of Japan’s most beloved pasttime, bathing. We went first to a membership resort nestled in the side of the mountain facing Mt. Fuji. The rooms were ridiculous. I felt like I was in a movie. From the bathtub, I watched the sun rise and fall behind Fuji-san’s symmetrical silhouette. My host family (and my real family) teased me a lot this winter break, “You’re such a grandma!” They all said. Why? Because I lingered in the geothermic springs like an old woman, cooing and sighing over my aching muscles and how good the hinoki (Japanese cypress) smelled. We spent the end of Christmas and my host family’s youngest daughter’s birthday there. So we celebrated appropriately: getting drunk, taking too many pictures, and stuffing ourselves.

After that, I went straight away to Kyoto, to spend New Year’s with my family – Grandma, Aunt, Uncle, Cousin’s and Cousin’s kids (in the US, we’d say 2nd cousins, but in Japan they’re my nieces and nephews). I am so grateful to be able to see my family after such a long time and so often! We had a wonderful time together – we went to another onsen, my favorite, (もう、江梨加チャンはやっぱりおばあちゃんみたい、本当だろう！), I got to dress up in kimono (the proper way to celebrate the first day of the New Year), and we all reminisced about my mom and her Osaka-ben (or her waruikutchi “bad mouth” as my aunt and cousins say). My family lives in Kyoto, which is in central-eastern Honshu, and they speak the regional dialect, Kansai-ben. But my mother was raised in another part of Honshu, Osaka, and speaks the local dialect of that region, Osaka-ben. Well, she normally speaks standardized Japanese, but when she’s flustered or mad at me, the Osaka-ben comes out 🙂 She’s reading this too I bet, haha. She knows what I mean. Anyhow, she’s coming at the end of the month and I can’t wait! Anyway back to the kimono. My uncle made it – my family used to have a kimono and silks business – and my cousins have worn this robe for their seijinshiki (Coming of Age) celebrations. I missed mine because I was in Uganda at the time, so I made up for it in a big way this year. My aunt did my hair and dressed me up – Kimono is such a complex ritual that it requires a license, which my aunt has.  I was so stoked about it!

We celebrated by eating ozouni, a miso soup with mochi (rice cake) and vegetables in it, and watching Kouhaku Uta Gassen, the annual singing competition that pits the top female artists (akagumi or red team) against the top male artists (shirogumi or white team). Shirogumi won but it should have gone to the ladies.  Japan is notorious for their horrible pop music. The guy’s team demonstrated the truth behind this notorious opinion to an undeniable degree. I blame SMAP. Anyhow, Susan Boyle was the special guest for the akagumi, come on! That should have been a shoe-in. Oh well. Here’s to the New Year! Usually people go a temple to pay their respects and pray for blessings in the New Year, but because my family is Christian and I kind of had my fill of temples in Yamanashi, I paid my respects to the gods of commerce by going shopping in the famous Nishiki-dori.

But now I’m back in Tokyo, finishing homework I should have done earlier, getting ready for school and work tomorrow and thinking about what to do with the rest of my life. Once I start turning that wheel, I know my vacation has come to an end.  Winter break is definitely over, but it was a good one!

Apparently I’ve sold my soul to the devil

Today’s word is  冗談  (じょうだん) pronounced, “Joe-dawn.” In English, “joke.”

Sorry it’s been a while. I’ve been sick, busy, etc. Basically, I’ve been living up the most mundane aspects of life on the regular. I was talking to my friend Zach about this, and we concluded that people on the outside looking in don’t realize that very quickly on, when one lives abroad for an extended period of time, the everyday mirrors the everyday of home. Just in a different place, a different tongue, and in my case, a different time zone (Yes, I have seen the future, and the future looks bright!).  I was sick for two and a half weeks, in fact I still feel a tickle in the back of my throat, and I encountered the Japanese health care system for the first time. As we in the States struggle with the passage of decent health care legislation, I couldn’t help but think how felicitous it is to live in a country with nationalized health care. Like I said, America, I have seen the future – it’s called socialism! While Japanese national health care has a little bit more protectionism worked in than the average socialized country, my visit was still vastly cheaper and more convenient than any visit I’ve had in my past four years of college. It also made me realize how much I’ve taken my personal health for granted.

I walked home from Shibuya after an exciting day full of unexpectedly good conversations with interesting people, such as the Daily Show-featured reporter, Jake Adelstein, in a deliriously jovial mood. But all of that dissipated as I walked to the east end of Tokyo University, my usual short-cut, to find the gate locked and the streetlights out. I peered down a dark pathway that I often walked, Ryuu-chan’s leash in hand, assisted by light. But that night, it was dark, foreboding. The campus was eerily silent and the wind rustled fall leaves around my feet. I rationalized, this is Japan, one of the safest countries in the world. Walk through. You have nothing to fear. And then I remembered all of those restless, nicotine and caffeine-fueled nights roaming the streets of Seattle’s central district, usually at the inappropriately late (or early, depending on your persuasion) hour of 3am. What the hell was I thinking? Especially as news comes of increased robberies, murders, even the street executions of cops in the seemingly quaint city of Seattle, I can’t help but think of all the times I unwittingly beat the odds.  Actually, I thought of a lot of things that I’ve done that looking back displayed a flagrant disrespect for life. At the time, I probably justified it as proof of life, but I’ve only just begun and there was nothing to prove.

I realize there’s so much more when I have days like yesterday, when Mii-chan and Sera and I eat taiyaki in the middle of Shibuya, when we dance on the roof of Costa Latina praising the existence of South American food in Tokyo, when I scratch on Kouta’s turntables, and when we pour our hearts out over tequila. I’ve seen so much, and nothing at all; whenever I am reminded of this; I can’t help but feel regret for all the times I wished it would be over. But more than anything, I rejoice that my wishes weren’t granted.  Thank you, Tokyo, for the gift of life.

I should be writing up notes for a presentation, or maybe sleeping, but I missed this. I needed this. I’ve become so connected to the Internet in my time here, more so than I have ever been before, even more than the middle school days of AIM and Napster. I just read an article that announced a recent study shows that loneliness increases your risk for breast cancer by three times. Hopefully, all the Facebooking, emailing, tweeting and Youtube-viewing I’ve done in these three months pays off. At first I was weary of my growing connectedness, but now I embrace it. I have to. I think we all do.

But what does this all have to do with my Faustian title? Nothing, really. Someone in my Japanese class accused me of this when I explained my current job… Haha. Don’t get excited.

In the middle…

Today’s word is 真ん中 【まんなか】mannaka, (maw-naw-kuh) or “middle”

It’s just passed the two month mark – I got here September 17th and it is now November 23rd – and I am at the halfway point… possibly. I’m considering staying here for a bit longer, through March. I like it here enough to want to know it.

I’m such a centrist. I like to play devil’s advocate with myself, which often leads to agonizing indecision and a last-minute coin-toss. Or, at best, feigned indifference. Okay, I’m going to admit that what it really means is that I hate being wrong, which inevitably happens a lot. It also means I have yet to buy my plane ticket to anywhere, cement plans to anywhere, or give anyone a firm “yes” in a long time.

 

As I blipped on my Facebook page, here’s a recap of the past week/and a half:  I got a job, joined an environmental social group, saw the opera “Wozzeck” (incredible interpretation, more on this in a sec), went to “our spot” Casa del Bueno,  joined the political science club, mc’d an event with a leading Japanese politician, got lost in a cemetery, edited a paper for publication (hopefully!!), got sick (but no swine!), and made new friends!

Green Drinks is a worldwide network that seeks to inculcate environmental activism through social networking, good food, and a good buzz. Companies, non-profits, artists, community members, travelers, anyone is welcome to join or launch a chapter in their city. Tokyo has a Green Drinks chapter (but with a Z) and I joined this month. The event was held at a graphic design firm’s office – a sleek building of glass and steel with trees growing along the stairwell. Canadian Green Party deputy leader Melanie Mullen spoke to us about her green artist community campaign. An awesome endeavor, basically it’s a project that seeks to retain the affordability of up-and-coming neighborhoods, usually artist communes or areas subject to gentrification, while improving the eco-efficiency and sustainability of the buildings. It’s been really successful near Niagara Falls and Mullen hopes that the idea will take hold in places like Tokyo. I hope so too. There are so many cool little artist enclaves in Tokyo, neighborhoods like Naka-meguro, Shimokitazawa, and Yoyogiuehara that are home to artists of all stripes, delicious hole-in-the-walls, cleverly-themed bars and funky-super-cheap boutiques. There’s a boutique in Shimokitazawa, for instance, where you can watch the designer make her clothes in the window of her storefront. The hipsters in Seattle would go crazy. We need a Melanie Mullen to protect places like these.  Oh, I got lost on the way there (in a cemetery!) thanks to a policeman’s horrible directions (he told me they would be bad, but I figured his guess would be better than mine – wrong), and there I met a blogger for National Revolution- Japan and an architect whose husband was lead singer of Sugarbomb . National Revolution sponsored the event, hence the blogger dude, and the architect was there to learn about green architecture. The buffet was all local organic – sooo delicious!!! I felt awkward taking pictures, so I’ll just let your imagination run wild.

“Wozzeck” was incredible. This German/Austrian opera, the first to be dubbed, “avant-garde,”written in 1920, explores the pathology of poverty in post-war recovery/stagnation. A soldier for an unnamed but obviously defeated army is subject to ridicule, public shaming, paranoia and even medical experimentation because of his low financial and social position. He responds/revolts/gives in to the situation by killing the mother of his child and then himself. In light of all the fluff in Japanese media, including some of their opera and ballet productions, I was expecting a superficial interpretation of this intense thinking piece. I was pleased to discover the opposite. It was visceral and yet spiritual, the subject matter intense but its motifs effectively subdued. Perfect metaphor for the state of the world today. Check it.

To return to the “middle” theme,  I have midterms this and next week. That I’m taking five classes has finally sunk in. Wish me luck, or as they say in Japanese, “Ganbatte!”

Shakespeare via Verde in Japanese

Today’s word is 狂言: “ki-oh-gen” literally “crazy talk” but means comedic Japanese theater.

Last night, Yukosan took me, Kyungbun and Jun to a traditional Japanese Opera at the Yoyogi No Butai Theater. We saw, “Falstaff.” It was hilarious, even though I barely understood what was going on.

Falstaff is a comedic opera by Guiseppe Verdi adapted from Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. Basic storyline goes as follows: fat, drunk knight, Falstaff, tries to extort money from two rich married women’s husbands by writing them identical love letters. The women easily recover his plot and avenge his scheming by making a fool of him: first they dump him in the laundry, and then they and their husbands lure him into the forest at night to scare him. Falstaff apologizes, there’s a bit about mistaken identity, some people get married, all is forgiven, and the famous line, “All the world’s a folly and all are figures of fun.”

Drunken jokes are universal. The original play is set in Windsor but, thanks to a brilliant adaptation, carries on quite well in a medieval Japanese setting.  The costumes were gorgeous, the set sparse, and the instrumentation imaginative. According to Wikipedia, “Verdi scored Falstaff for 3 flutes (third doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (triangle, cymbals, bass drum), harp, and strings. In addition, a guitar, natural horn, and bell are heard from offstage.” There were only two instruments used in this interpretation: a traditional Japanese flute, shakuhachi, and some sort of drum-box (we couldn’t figure out the name of the instrument or the artist – he went by OZAZA).

After that, we all went out to a Korean restaurant for dinner and drinks. Kyungbun’s friend, a Canadian PhD candidate named Jonah, joined us and he was delightful. He’s 33, goes to Harvard, and is here for a year researching Japanese music during the Meiji Era. He speaks excellent Japanese, as he lived here for three years before, working with the JET program. Originally from Vancouver, BC, we bonded over the PNW – the mountains, the nightlife, the liberal-ness. Yay for new friends!

We got home close to midnight. So much for school night! I thanked Yuko profusely per usual, “いつも、いつも　おせいわになりました”　which means, “You always take such good care of me!” I have said this numerous times before, but, man I lucked out.

President Obama’s coming!!!!!

Today, we get two words of the day (because I forgot to do it last time) in honor of our President’s visit: 1)楽しみ or “taw-no-she-me” which means I’m excited and　２）オバむ “Obamu” I kid you not, this means “to Obama”. It is a verb, it’s like to “yes” it (holla!)! The following is taken from The Atlantic, which took this from the blog, Black in Japan:

“obamu: (v.) To ignore inexpedient and inconvenient facts or realities, think “Yes we can, Yes we can,” and proceed with optimism using those facts as an inspiration (literally, as fuel). It is used to elicit success in a personal endeavor. One explanation holds that it is the opposite of kobamu. (拒む, which means to refuse, reject, or oppose).

“[Japanese bloggers] give the following example:

:ほら、何落ち込んでいるんだよ。オバめよ、オバめ。

“Or, “Hey, why are you so down in the dumps? Cheer up, cheer up!”…

“One more Japanese-language citation is from a Twitter tweet, which defines it simply as believing you can accomplish something.

“Those familiar with the language will understand immediately that such a coinage would sound very natural, and that it is typical of Japanese creativity and their sense of humor.”

Word has it POTUS is staying at the hotel right next to my school!!!! Now I will have a reason to drool/daydream looking out the window during third period. Definitely sitting by the window next class.

I could tell something was up when I saw all the police officers combing the station. The President was supposed to arrive tomorrow for a ten day tour of East Asia but due to the tragedy at Fort Hood, he will probably come on the 11th or 12th. He will be making public appearances in Tokyo on the 12th and 13th. Wouldn’t it be crazy if I get to meet Obama in Tokyo? I had a chance to meet him in Seattle before the Presidency but stupidly passed it up. Maybe I’ll be able to make up for it in Tokyo!

I joined the Political Science club today at school. We have an event on the 17th: a leading politician from the ruling DPJ party, a woman at that! So excited. It took me a month and a half, but I’m getting involved! Now if only I could late-audition for the choir…

Weeks go by like days

I used a date calculator to find out how many days I have left here: 2 months and 29 days. Wow.

I can’t believe I’ve been here almost two months.

Here’s to two (almost three) more months of adventures!

 

Thank God for ex-boyfriend’s cashmere socks

Today’s word is: 寒い, さむい　or “cold” in English.

Memorabilia from past relationships are allowable only if they fulfill two criteria: 1) all amorous attachment is gone and 2) they serve a useful purpose. Mizuki has a durable messenger bag to show for hers. As for me, see title.

Cashmere socks are perfect for nights like tonight in Tokyo. It is so cold! In fact, in some parts of the area, it is snowing! Global climate change is real, people. I doubt, however, that I will have to convince any of the readers of this site.

This week I: joined the Political Science club, went to Fussa and spent the whole weekend with Ying, went to the opera with my host mom to see Mozart’s the Magic Flute, explored Shimokitazawa, and celebrated my host sister’s birthday.

The opera was incredible. I love going to the opera, and thanks to Seattle and Seattle U’s perspective of the arts as public service, I’ve had the privilege to attend many an opera for free or at a very reduced rate. However, nothing beats a metropolitan company’s production like the Tokyo Palace Opera House. Sitting seven rows from the orchestra helps, of course. The realm of the Magic Flute came to life in a fantastic and ethereal way. The set was magical, its design extremely intricate and yet playful, the singer’s performance’s equally so. My host mom surprised me with tickets the night of the performance. “What are you doing this afternoon?” She asked as I walked in the door from school. “Oh, nothing except homework of course, ” I responded. “Would you like to go the opera? I have an extra ticket.” Mottai-nai, ne (waste not, right)?

It’s been a full and busy week. It’s also been an emotionally complex week for me. Any change in weather elicits a visceral response inside of me. Sometimes it’s a joyful anxiousness in the pit of my stomach, a feeling normally experienced during sunrises. Sometimes its the airy-insides feel of too much coffee and a deadline approaching. Other times, its a marked depression. These past couple days, I felt the latter. Maybe due to too many years of endless summers taken for granted during my California childhood, or maybe due to too many Seattle’s bleak and weary winters, I don’t know. The Indian summer in Tokyo ended on Sunday, November 1st. I slept through the majority of that day and the 2nd. I started and finished two television series up to the current episode. I didn’t shower for two days. I even cried last night. I was a little afraid of what that meant, but today I woke up early and refreshed. I walked with my host dad and host sister to Yoyogi park; I studied for tomorrow’s Japanese test; I have yet to complete my Econ paper, but I’m confident that it will be done sometime tonight. So basically, I’m all better! I just needed a couple days to mourn the end of sunshine.

As we approached Yoyogi park today, from the overpass, we saw a huge assemblage of people dressed in thick but ragged outerwear. When we reached the park, we found that it was a church-sponsored bread line for the city’s homeless. For most people, Tokyo conjures visions of futuristic skyscrapers, high fashion and homogenous crowds. From my month of living in the center of this megalopolis, looking past the skyline and the immaculately dressed throngs of its inhabitants, I’ve noticed so many layers of society that often go ignored, especially the homeless. I glorified many aspects of Japanese culture and perspective due to sheer affinity, for obvious reason.  I was completely oblivious and willingly ignorant of many of Japan’s social failings, in terms of social welfare that is. However, being here has forced me to shed those views.  When I went to Shinjuku a couple weeks ago, I visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office. It was a monument of everything Tokyo projects – it was huge, beautiful, innovatively designed, built of glass, concrete, steel. Just across the street, though, there was a makeshift tent city, with dwellings scattered between the rows of manicured trees in the park.  A mentally-disabled woman muttered to herself as she circled the park and then entered her tarp-erected tent.

Then today in Yoyogi park. Most of the homeless were elderly, either physically or mentally disabled, and dark skinned. They sat down in front of the overpass entrance, quietly but tensely sitting through the religious service, observance of which served as requisite to receiving the food and clothing contained in bins along the walls of the park.

As I stood in the park today, watching the assembly, I wondered if this is what religion is for most people. If so, then in a sense,  most of us are homeless.

It also reminded me of Seattle. At least in Seattle, though, we talk about it.

 

Earthdays, birthdays, and a little S&M…

Today’s word is: 気持ち, きもち (kee mow chee) or “feeling”

This week I: went to a museum, saw a very good friend from Seattle U, stood in the “center” of Japan, celebrated the International Day of Climate Action, celebrated Mizuki’s birthday, and went to Tokyo Festa! Packed week. I’m quite exhausted but exuberant!

My good friend Katie interned with the Shinnyo-en Foundation, a lay Buddhist order non-profit that works to sow the seeds of peace around the world. They are based in Kyoto and San Francisco and organized a delegation to Kyoto, which Katie attended. It was so incredible to see one of my closest friends from home in my new “home” in Tokyo, even if it was just for a night. My friends Jun and Takuro came with me and showed Katie a good time. We had dinner in Shinjuku and walked around the city. I was so excited and happy to see her, I thought I was going to cry! Katie is an incredible person, yes, a sheer force of nature – full of light, joy, and serenity. I was especially happy to see Katie because for the first time since I’ve been here I could touch someone, a good friend at that! It was so wonderful to be able to affirm my greetings with a hug, emphasize my statements with a squeeze of the arm, and say goodbye with kisses on the cheek. I am learning so much here, loving so much here, but I am missing so much here. I miss the warmth of a hand in mine, an arm across the shoulders, and the brush of lips on my face.

Customarily in Japan, one does not touch. The greatest deference is demonstrated through distance. I have yet to hug my host mom. When I am especially grateful, I back away, avert my eyes, tilt my head down to the side, and bow deeply, my voice high  and full of thanks.

I wish I could say thank you with a hug.

But that would be too easy, too obvious, too… thoughtless.  To show thanks, to show respect, to demonstrate the important things in life, one must struggle to find a way. There must be a display of practice, meditation, gravity. There is a separation between what we think and how we feel. I am careful not to mix the two.

But I couldn’t help it on Saturday in Yoyogi Park. I read about the International Day of Climate Action on 350.org‘s website and, being the committed ecocitizen that I am, I signed up for an event in my area, Tokyo! I embarked on the unnecessarily long journey to Yoyogi Park (normally it takes twenty minutes; on Saturday, it took 1hr20). I got lost, which was totally worth it because I discovered some awesome hole-in-the-wall bars and stores and even found a mosque (see below)! To my great surprise I found the Yoyogi Stadium grounds brimming with a commotion akin to Folklife in Seattle. I was in heaven!!! I heard the sounds of fiddles, digiridoos, smelled incense, and saw dancing hippies. Tokyo was celebrating the International Day of Climate Action in a big way!

Every week Yoyogi Stadium hosts a matsuri, or festival, with a theme. October 24th was “Earth Garden.” There were stalls galore selling hemp products, from food to clothes, bamboo products, music and musicians, hand-crafted art, organic fruits and vegetables, additive and alcohol free beer, I even saw a Cannabis stand! In the center of the festival, on the main stage, a huge banner with the words, “Natural High” waved in the breeze. The band, No Entry, rocked out to a joyful crowd that yelled things like, “I love the Earth!” and “You’re hot!” There were children dancing and adults too. The whole thing reminded me so much of Seattle that a few tears welled in my eyes as I hopped and vibed to No Entry.

Satisfied, I ventured towards the park, waved to some friendly festival-goers who smiled at me, and found the 350.org picnic. There, I met a bunch of expats and travelers, most from the Bay Area! We talked about life in the Bay, California, the economy sucking, and green events in Tokyo. There is a dinner and drinks group that meets every Thursday and every first Monday that hosts heads of companies interested in “going green” and environmental activists; I was even invited to speak! Had to turn it down, unfortunately, because of my late Monday class, but it was still awesome to be asked! I made some new friends and revitalized my passion. One of the best days I’ve had so far, definitely.

Because of my eco-day, I’ve decided to add some pages to this blog. There will be a Sustainability page, which will feature photos and news articles about sustainable and ecologically-considerate stuff I see in Tokyo. I’m also going to add a Food page and a Fashion page, for obvious reasons.

After that, I met up with Mizuki in Shibuya to celebrate her 21st Birthday! We went to our favorite bar, Casa Del Bueno, and cheered ourselves the whole night long. The staff blared a ridiculously cheesy birthday song over the sound system, lit the candles on our Darioleur cake, and even danced for her. The table next to ours also celebrated a birthday, a 32nd instead of a 21st, and so we made some new friends. Even though I’ve only been here (just over) a month, I  have already found a lifelong friend. Last night was a wonderful celebration.

Today, I went to the Tokyo Festa Design Show,  part of Tokyo’s Communication Festival of all things media. I took tons of pictures on my phone, which I will soon figure out how to upload, but overall it was sensory overload. In this huge, futuristic compound-looking building near Odaiba, there were literally thousands of artists, dancers, gamers, cosplayers, and festival goers. We saw some interesting choreographed dance routines, art exhibits, bought t-shirts out of a vending machine, and even stumbled upon a bondage show. We came across a woman in a white latex jumpsuit tying up a man with several knotted ropes as a woman in a black latex jumpsuit looked on. Then a man dressed in all black with a whip in his hand came from the side of the tent and proceeded to spank the dude tied in rope. When I asked my host sister what was going on, she paused, then replied, “Art.”

Never a dull moment.

No Entry on a Natural High

Cannabis Stand

Roses Bloom in Yoyogi

Earth Garden

Umbrellas in Harajuku

Trees in Yoyogi

Happy Birthday, Mizuki!

Dancing Servers!

Tokyo Festa in the Tokyo Big Site

A Mosque in Tokyo!

You are a different person in a different language

Today’s word is 言葉: “kotoba” in Japanese, “language” in English.

That bit of profundity comes from my dear friend Zach who is completing a Fulbright in Belgium. Dude’s on his third language. He has English and French down, up next: Dutch! Brilliant.

So to get a feel for what Zach experiences as he immerses himself in Dutch, I took the presumable course of action and… youtubed (21st century verbage!) “Dutch tv in Dutch.”

Here’s what I got:

Laughter requires no language.

Who am I… in Japanese? I barely understand who I am in English, let alone my reclaimed mother tongue. From what I’ve surmised, it’s like this. At least so far. Japanese Aerica loves food… because that is one area of the language she has mastered. Japanese Aerica loves her family… for the same reason she loves food. Japanese Aerica is not very opinionated… because she has yet to develop a political vocabulary. Japanese Aerica likes fashion… because she can talk about size, style, cut, and color with ease. Japanese Aerica is more humble, more careful, more shy because she approaches the language with trepidation.

As a child, I remember distinctly the shift from pride in speaking Japanese to shame. It occured when my mother told me I had an American accent. I felt like I had trespassed on something sacred. The boundary of language, of custom, of culture, could only be traversed by a full-blooded native. Or so I thought. I clung to this notion, and I am slowly beginning to let go.

I let go because when I am introduced to my host family’s friends, the first thing Yuko mentions is that my mother is from Osaka. I let go because when I walk the dog, strangers ask me for directions. I let go because when I visit the Yokota Air Force Base, the guards refer to me as Shimizu-san. I let go because I have Mizuki-chan with me to comisserate. I let go because I can, and how I choose to relate or engage with this part of myself is up to me. Even if I spoke no Japanese, had no curve to my eyes, had no flecks of gold in my skin…

I had coffee with my friend, Kelly, the other day which was really nice because outside of class we haven’t had a chance to talk. Kelly is nineteen, half Japanese and half Anglo, transferred to Sophia from UW-Seattle. Like me, she misses the PNW (Pacific Northwest for the uninitiated); like me, Japanese was her first language but, also like me, she decided as a child to stop speaking for fear of playground excommunication. We talked about the transition, what its like to be mixed here, how lonely it can be, but how empowering as well.

I realize that with the few friends I’ve made here, we have very specific experiences that have drawn us together. I didn’t expect my friendships here to be so intentional! With a month gone, and roughly four to go, I am already bracing for the pain… but not really. I’m just breaking into the Tokyo social scene, so if anything I am in revel mode.

This foray was inaugurated by last week’s Shibuya night at Casa del Bueno, where I will host Mizuki’s 21st birthday this weekend! Furthered by my trip to Fussa last night. Mizuki and I went to see Ying at Yokota Air Force Base. Man, that was a trip. I have never been on base before, so that was an interesting experience. It was like Little America – the signs were in English, there was a Chilli’s, I heard Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em. Weird.

Anyway, we went to see Bruce Bruce, the comedian made famous by BET’s Comicview, perform for the troops at the Enlisted Club. Bruce Bruce was hilarious but his opening act, DeLay, insisted on making derogatory jokes about Japanese women, gay men, and interracial dating.

I have a sense of humor. Really, I do. I have a very lenient and broad definition of humor. Usually.

But I’m sorry, the “me love you long time”  and “have you ever been with a black man before” jokes are old. Tired. Passé. Downright fucked up.  And please, audience awareness? He was making the wrong kind of jokes about don’t ask don’t tell to the wrong crowd.

I tried to explain to my friend Jun the type of comedy that Bruce Bruce performs, but it was hard to translate into Japanese. “Um, well, in someways it’s very community-specific,” ie Black community-specific. Yeah, I didn’t try.

Anyhow, it was an interesting experience. Lots of fun. Always fun with Ying. Being in Japan together has given us the opportunity to become closer than we could at home. I’m looking forward to spending the Halloween weekend on base with her!

I am absolutely in love with my Issues in Economic Development class and my Politics and Media class. So in love that I’m going to sign off now to write my IED paper. It is such an honor to be taught by professionals in the field. My IED professor, John West, is a senior consultant with the Asian Development Bank Institute and I think I cooed over David McNeill in a previous post.

After that, I’m off to see my friend Katie from Seattle U in Minato! Katie’s here with a delegation from the Shinnyo-En Foundation. So excited!

So I Lied

About the pictures, that is. I posted some here. Everything else I’ve written is true as blue.

Today’s word is 両親: ryoushin or “parents” in English.

I sign with my mother’s name now. Somehow, it makes things easier.

It is confirmation. It is reason. At least, in the eyes of teachers, station agents, librarians and store clerks. Being here, being confronted with total Japan-ness has allowed me to accept and embrace my half-ness. No more tug of war.

Yukosan took me and Kyung-bun to a concert, a clarinet and piano concert featuring the principal clarinetist of the Berlin Symphony, Wenzel Fuchs, and pianist Jonathan…Something (sorry, Jonathan).  Johnny was holding back, which is understandable considering the eminence of Fuchs. It was definitely his show and the piano was mere accompaniment. I never thought I’d get excited by a clarinet… heck, I didn’t realize clarinets had any import past high school band. My old music teacher used to say that clarinets were budget cuts’ answer to violins. He had obviously never heard of Wenzel Fuchs.

The next day, we went to the Opera Palace of Tokyo to see the dress rehearsal of the ballet adaptation of Don Quixote. The opera house was incredible – a monument to performance art. Mizuki came along and we both fell in love with the place. We’ve agreed to see at least one more ballet before we leave. Don Quixote was alright. The costumes were sumptuous and impeccably accurate. The sets were lavish and whimsical. Unfortunately, the choreography was a bit tired. It’s hard, I imagine to adapt a novel into a ballet, especially an epic novel like Don Quixote. Overall though, the space, the costumes and the set design made it completely worthwhile.

That night, Kyung-bun made a Korean banquet for us. It was so delicious! To dip into my “California lilt,” for a moment, I ate hella.  My host sisters have warned me that every exchange student they’ve hosted has gained weight during their stay. I can see why – every night is a feast!

Monday, Mizuki and I played hookie (kind of, it was a national holiday after all) and went to Ginza and Harajuku. Ginza’s central intersection reminded us of Times Square, with its pedestrian only traffic and huge lcd-lighted advertisements. I’m pretty sure I saw some lawn chairs unfolded on the median. Harajuku’s always a trip. There’s a massive Abercrombie and Fitch opening up. I think it’s fifteen stories. To its left is Top Shop and on the right, Forever 21. We couldn’t help but venture into the Top Shop, but we resisted Forever 21. Due to cheapness alone has Forever 21 proliferated in the US. And it is that principle of low-cost that is being subverted by the Japanese flagship store. Without the low prices, to me, Forever 21 is useless. Everything in there will be at least twice as expensive as in the states. Do the Japanese know the score?

Anyway, so over the weekend we found a favorite bar – Casa del Bueno. Cozy, authentic-seeming Spanish bar where they serve grapes for appetizers. We have also found a favorite cafe – Wired Cafe. The cafe features free wifi and a dj. There’s a garden that encircles the cafe and a nifty DIY-looking chandelier hanging from the atrium.

I’ve been having too much fun this past… month (on Sunday). Reflections to come – I have another weekend to let it all sink in. I wonder if it will calm down… if not, that’s cool too!

PS – I found Robert Indiana’s Love sculpture in Shinjuku this weekend. I looked all over Philly for it and couldn’t find it, but there it was… in Tokyo.

Shinjuku is for Lovers

Shinjuku Station Wall Art

View of Tokyo Government Office

Rainbow Bridge

Skyscraper City

Casa del Bueno