Hockey game and Tarumae Sun Festival (Finally!)
I`ve decided to tackle the weekend of September 4th and 5th in one long post! Or something like that. The keyboard at work is Japanese key layout where punctuation is entirely less necessary so I`ll probably get frustrated half way through trying for the thousandth time to find the apostraphe key and throw it out the window (everything, they`ll think me mad!).
Friday I went to badminton with plans to go to Hide-chan for supper after. Kiwi Josh showed up (but I guess now he`s the only Josh but to avoid confusion with our familiar Canuck Josh, I`ll continue to label him so) and decided he would join me on my Hide-chan adventure. Duncan, the other ALT from Shiraoi (there`s only two of us in our awesome town of awesomeness) is always at Hide-chan on Fridays so we met up with him as well. Afterwards, Kiwi Josh, Duncan, Ken (from badminton) and myself all set out to Sumie`s birthday which was taking place at another bar elsewhere (I really had no idea, I was just following along).
On the way to the destination bar, we decided to stop and have a drink (cola for me!) in this small alley lined with tiny one-table restaurants – it was nifty and cute with a really good atmosphere! While we waited for Duncan`s awesome friend Izumi to show up, I had oden for the first time! As you can see, I had half way eaten the oden before I remembered to take a picture. I also forgot to take a picture of the cool alleyway/street thing we were sitting, but I`ll be back there I am sure.
It was getting late so Ken made his way to our original destination, and I meant to follow but I was entertain by drunk Japanese and Kiwis playing a New Zealand drinking game – Wizz Boing Game – I think it was called. (there`s no quotation marks on this keyboard btw). After we headed to a bar called Secret Garden which had a nice comfy atmosphere. I spoke in mostly terrible Japanese all night about Japanese history and other random topics with Izumi and a couple girls whose names I can`t remember. (Duncan was passed out on the couch during this final part, I never asked him how he got home.) (Correction: I did – he doesn’t remember the latter half of that night!)
Those of us who went to Secret Garden that night.
So I never made it to Sumie`s birthday – which I feel a little bit guilty about, but I honestly wouldn`t change that night for the world! I saw my first Japanese sunrise as I drove home at four in the morning.
The next day, I picked up Josh and we headed to a hockey game – late though, I`m chronically late for mostly everything, and by late, I mean I arrive right on time, but I`ve been informed that in Japan that five minutes early is best.
I don`t care was anyone says, Japanese hockey is no more less violent than your average hockey game (not including NHL) – if you put a bunch of dudes in heated competition against each other, they`re going to start playing dirty. Especially with the huge difference in skill between the two teams I saw. Makiko-san, the woman who organized this whole outing is very…enthusiastic…about hockey. She sat us right behind the Oji Eagles` bench and even hushed me when I was talking to Dan and Mel because it would `distract the players` – first of all: it won`t – they can`t hear us. Second of all: They probaby don`t care. After that, she stopped harassing me to join their fanclub – so maybe it wasn`t all that bad. Don`t get me wrong, Makiko-san is very nice – but a little too clingy and overzealously accomodating (if that even makes sense).
Only picture I got of the game – Japanese hockey looks like Canadian hockey.
We had supper at Lumbini, a Nepalese/Indian restaurant
The next day was seriously cool – I went to the Tarumae Sun Festival with Duncan and his crew – all Japanese except one French guy. That`s good for my practice! Still feeling like my Japanese isn`t great – but I`ve started studying for at least an hour a day (any more and I get a headache).
ANYWAYS, I digress. At the Tarumae Sun Festival – I saw neither Tarumaesan nor the sun! Photographic evidence!
That is where my volcanic neighbour should be
Lots of nifty stands on the festival ground
But it was still warm – ridiculously warm! We barbequed on small charcoal grills they would give to each group. Um, the can in the picture is filled with tasty cheese that we decided would be more tasty if it was melted…in a beer can. How classy!
Meat on a charcoal grill! So tasty!
It had lots of stands with food – I only partook in chocolate-covered banana and ageimo – a sweet potato (flavour-wise it was sweet but it wasn`t a sweet potato) on a stick, fried. No picture sadly, I was actually eating someone`s leftovers!
All the while, there were shows going on. Amateur (I think) junior high-aged girls singing pop music and wearing matching outfits (one group wore skirts that were way to short to be parading in front a crowd like that!). That part was mind-numbing – I`m not a fan of Japanese main stream music so much. It`s more showmanship than talent and not terribly unique in my opinion! Hope that`s not too offensive. The less mainstream stuff is pretty awesome – the Japanese indie/underground (?) scene is pretty awesome.
Next weekend should be pretty exciting! Not much going on this week though.