Kamakura

The day after Christmas, my roommate Moe and I had decided to visit Kamakura together. As said before in my blog, my roommate is going to Canada (specifically to Vancouver) to study English at University of British Columbia. She'll be leaving at the beginning of January so before she leaves, we wanted to spend a little time together.

The morning of, I left for the station and took the train to Shinyurigaoka. The night before, Kenzo (one of the Iwasa's sons) had explained to me which trains I should take in order to get to Fujisawa. After arriving at Shinyurigaoka I checked the screen for the 9:20 train which I had been told to take. The only train at that time was the Limited Express Romance Car. So I imagined that was the train Kenzo had meant for me to take. So I boarded the Romance Car. The Romance Car is the Odakyu line's fastest express train. And the most comfortable as well. Not long after we left the station, a man in uniform came walking through the alley to verify our tickets. Uh-oh... I didn't have a ticket. So I explained to him that I had made a mistake and that I had boarded the wrong kind of train. He understood right away but then asked me to pay 700 yen (about 8 $) for a ticket.

Then, when we arrived at Sagami-Ono, they announced that the train would be separated. Cars 1 through 6 would be going to Hakone, and cars 7 through 10 to Katase-Enoshima (the direction I wanted to go). At that time, I was sitting in car number 2. So I had to walk all the way to car number 7. Ouf! I'm just glad I paid attention to the announcements. Usually, I just tune it all out because it's information I already know. But if I hadn't listened to it that day, I would have gone in a complete different direction.

So, I met up with Moe in Fujisawa, where we took another train to get to Kamakura, our final destination. And in Kamakura, we spent the whole day walking around, visiting various shrines, taking pictures (see below) and climbing lots and lots of stairs. One day is definitely not enough to see everything there is to see. And in the spring and summer, it's even more beautiful to see because all the flowers are blooming so I'm planning to go back around that time.

Here are some pictures, but of course, I couldn't upload them all.

the train station in Fujisawa

The two upper middle masks (the geisha mask and funny looking man mask) are the exact same masks
that we have hanging on a wall back home so I had to take a picture

o-mamori: people write down their prayers or wishes on these pieces of wood (many of the people hoped for a successful entrance examination, which is very important in Japan to enter university)

The Great Buddha of Kamakura: very impressive. We were able to see the interior as well because there is a hollow part on the side from which people can enter.

I'm not exactly sure whose shoes these are...

That was my last time seeing Moe before she goes to Canada. Good luck in Canada Moe! : D

My first Christmas away from home...

... was good. : ) Of course, it never replaces spending Christmas at home with your family, but I still had a really great time, thanks to my family here in Japan. We ate a delicious meal and some cake, talked, and opened some presents.

From left: Kenzo (their son), Reiko, and me

My Japanese parents: Reiko (left) and Shigenori

I'm looking forward to New Years Day. My Japanese family and me are going to Kyoto to celebrate. I've never been there yet. And I'm curious to experience how Japanese celebrate New Years. I've been told that Christmas in North America is pretty much equivalent to New Years in Japan so it'll be quite interesting to see.

Merry Christmas to all!

Finally, Christmas is here! The week seemed to drag by so slowly... both classes and judo. Now, I get to rest a bit. But of course, our teachers gave us some homework to do over the holidays. It seems they don't really understand the definition of "holiday" or "winter break". So we have some reading, listening, writing, and grammar homework to do. What a nice present ; )

It doesn't really feel like Christmas to me. Usually, I get so excited during this time of year because I've bought some presents I know the receivers will love and I can't wait to see their reactions when they open them. And of course, I like to open my own presents. But more than that, no matter what's going on around us, my family always spends Christmas together. We go to church at midnight, we eat some delicious hors-d'oeuvres, and then we open our presents. I do feel a bit homesick. I wish I could be back home right now. I hope the tree has been put up by now. Every year, I'm usually the one who finally decides to take the time to put up and decorate the tree in our living room. And last I heard, it hadn't been put up yet. Vincent, get on it! : P

But thankfully, I won't be alone on Christmas day. Tomorrow, I'm going over to my Japanese family's home, where I'll be spending the holidays. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. It's been a long time. We have a lot to catch up on. And now that my Japanese has improved a lot, conversations should be a bit more interesting.

So to everyone reading, I wish you a Merry Christmas. Drive safely and enjoy this special time with the most important people in your life. And to my family: JOYEUX NOËL! JE VOUS EMBRASSE FORT! XOX

Kareoke and getting a haircut in Japan

Yesterday, three friends and I went to Hon-Atsugi for some kareoke. We sang for about 2 hours I think. I finally sang my first song in Japanese. But I'm afraid it isn't really a recent song... It's a song I listened to in the car when my dad drove us to Winnipeg for judo. And no offense to my dad's music taste (I think he has great taste), but the Japanese people my age have never heard of it. I'm going to have to learn a couple more recent songs. That's something I haven't done yet, immerse myself in the pop culture. I've been given some names of popular artists but I haven't had the time yet to look them up on the Internet.

Zara (left) and Kaya singing

After kareoke, Natsumi and I went to a hair salon to get a haircut. It was very different from in Canada.

Firstly, because we were new clients, we had to fill out a form about our hair's history. Did you ever color your hair? How often do you visit a hair salon? Then there were also questions about what we wanted done to our hair that day. What kind of cut do you want? Do you want your hairstylist to give you some advice? And then, more specifically, what kind of hairstylist we wanted for our haircut. Do you want a hairstylist who does the job quickly? Someone with great skill? Do you prefer someone who talks a lot or someone who works quietly? It was a bit overwhelming lol. I'm not used to having to answer those questions. In a way, I think it's a good idea. It helps to make a better match between the hairstylist and the client. I've had my share of hairstylists and there were times when we just didn't click or I didn't like the hairstylist's method. So I do find it useful. It is consistent with the Japanese culture of wanting to satisfy the client's needs.

And I am happy with the haircut. I wanted to cut it a bit shorter, make it lighter, but still keep some length to be able to put my hair up in a ponytail for judo. After the cut, I was even given a little hair treatment, a short neck and shoulder massage, and they straightened my hair. It was a lot more expensive than what I'm used to paying in Canada. In Canada, in my small town, you can get a haircut for as little as 10-15$.  But I think the 35 $ I paid yesterday was worth it.

Natsumi

Yakiniku

On Saturday, the girls' judo team went to a yakiniku restaurant in Miitaka, Tokyo. Apparently, this is something they do every year, as a kind of year-end party. The coaches say a few motivational words, the team's managers also say a few words, and then... we eat! And it was free because the team's manager paid for all of it. So plates of meat just kept coming to our table, one after the other.

For those who don't know what yakiniku is, yaki means grilled, and niku means meat. So we were about 3 per table and in the center of each table there's a kind of grid under which a fire is lit. It's up to us to cook the raw meat that is served to us. It was delicious. But I've also never eaten so much meat in such a little span of time. lol I think I ate enough meat for a whole week!

plate of meat: beautiful isn't it?

group picture (sorry, I'm not going to try to name everyone)

the first-year students, welcoming the guests at the restaurant

Becoming a part of the Tokai judo club

Today's evening judo practice was very significant. As of today, I am now part of the Tokai judo team.
Normally, when we bow at the beginning and end of practice, the gaikokujin (foreigners) sit separately from the Tokai students. The students form a line and the foreigners sit perpendicular to the students. However, today I was told by one of the teachers that from now on, I am to sit among the Tokai students. I get to sit with the second-year students. I feel honored. It's not easy to enter the judo club's inner circle. My dad warned me that I might always be considered separate from the students even though I'm following the same regimen. But now, I've taken one step closer to being part of the team.

It really helps that I'm learning Japanese. Every day, I can speak a little more and understand a little more. Compared to the other foreigners who come to practice, I can interact with the judo girls. We talk after practice or I teach them how to do back handsprings. Slowly but surely, a sense of camaraderie has formed between me and the girls. They might not tell me everything and I don't understand everything yet, but they consider me their friend and fellow teammate.

10 things I miss from Canada

1. My family
2. The friends and people I'm used to having in my daily life (teammates, classmates, trainers, coaches, etc)
3. Certain food products which I can't find in Japan (for example, oatmeal, sour cream, chocolate milk)
4. My mom's delicious cooking
5. My piano (the piano here is not tuned...)
6. Being able to take the car to go somewhere instead of having to bike or take crowded trains
7. Having everything handy in the pantry or fridge whenever I want to cook something
8. The space
9. Handpaper (about 99% of the time, there is no handpaper in washrooms in Japan)
10. Some free time (I used to think I didn't have any free time back in Canada but compared to now, I actually had plenty of spare time to draw, read, etc.)

Kendo

The other day, all the international students had the opportunity to try either judo or kendo. Of course, since I do judo every day, I opted for kendo. The kendo club trains in the same place as judo so I often watch them practice and it's quite interesting to watch.

After watching the students practice a bit, we were taught how to hold the sword (shinai) correctly. Whether you're right or left-handed, the right hand is always the upper hand. Then we learned how to step and strike the head. I don't understand all the rules but from what I understood, there are four areas where you can strike to obtain points. Men (the top or sides of the head), Kote (the padding on the left or right wrist), Do (on the opponent's right or left side of the armour that protects their torso), and Tsuki (on the side of the neck).

Then, during third period, some of the students took it upon themselves to celebrate one our classmate's birthday. One of them went to the store and brought back some beverages and a cake. It was a bit funny because nobody had notified the teacher beforehand. And the teacher that day is the strictest one out of our teachers. But surprisingly she went with it. So we got to eat some cake and sing Happy Birthday in about four different languages.

The birthday girl, Minji (from Korea)

Perks of being in Japan

There are a lot of perks to living in Japan. It's the best place to be for learning Japanese. I get to train with some of the country's possible future Olympians. And I get the chance to go watch high caliber tournaments in Japan, such as the Tokyo Grand Slam last weekend.

It was great to be there. Judo is really a spectacular sport to watch. Even though I've seen so many fights in my life, judo never ceases to amaze me. It was also great to be able to put faces to some of the people in my division. I've seen their names written on the world ranking list but until now, I didn't really have a clue who they were. I also got to talk with some fellow Canadian athletes. Seeing a familiar face is always comforting when you're living alone in a foreign country.

The tournament was long however, going till about 7 o'clock both Saturday and Sunday. I had to commute every day, which took about one hour and a half one-way. So it was tiring but definitely worth it. It's not every day you get the chance to watch a tournament of this caliber.

Taking a little rest between matches : p

The judo trainers

When I got back to school on Monday, I found out my voice had pretty much deserted me, the result of 1) my allergies (they really act up when the seasons are changing) 2) a cold and 3) cheering on the fighters during the weekend. It's something I knew I would have to deal with eventually. Getting sick in a foreign country can be difficult. My mom isn't here to take care of me. I can't just skip class and sleep during the day. And the medicine here isn't the same as in Canada. There's no Benylin or any of the other familiar cold medicines I normally take when I'm sick.

I'm feeling better now. My voice is slowly coming back. I'm trying to speak as little as possible because I'm supposed to go to kareoke on the weekend... so I need my voice in top shape for that ; )

Since I'm in Japan, I've also had the chance to buy some new gis. I needed new gis for the competition in Korea. Because of the new rules, all judogis must now have the "IJF approved logo" on them and can only be made by certain companies such as Mizuno and GreenHill. And since I'm in Japan, I was able to get my name written in Japanese on both of my gis and on my new belt as well. See for yourself. It reads "Blais-Shokawa" in Japanese characters.

My patch for Korea

I'm back... back again

The only reason I'm able to write in my blog today is because tomorrow's test has been moved to Thursday. So even though I'll be studying tonight, I'm able to spare a little time to get you all up to date. : )

My trip to Korea was a really good experience. It's probably one of the shortest flights I've ever taken: a 2 hour and a half flight to Seoul, and then a 1 hour flight to Jeju Island. And it's the first trip I've done where I didn't need to adjust the time on my watch because Japan and Korea are in the same time zone. That's not to say the trip was easy. In Japan, nothing is really easy.

To get to the airport on Wednesday morning, I rode to the station on my bike, with my backpack in the front basket and my huge judo bag on my shoulders. From there, I took a train to Hon-Atsugi. I met my grandaunt at the platform and together we took a one hour bus ride to Haneda Airport.

Then, arriving in Seoul, Korea, I went to check in my baggage for my connecting flight only to be told I had to take a bus to get to the domestic terminal. In Winnipeg, there is only one terminal, and the one terminal we have is smaller than the domestic terminal in Seoul. Anyhow, thank goodness airport layouts are fairly the same in any country so I was able to find my gate without any problem.

Airport in Seoul

I arrive in Jeju... and it's raining. In fact, it rained every day we were there.

The competition went well. I lost my first and only fight to Concepcion Bellorin from Spain, currently ranked 17th in the world. But I'm happy with my performance. Until the last 30 seconds of the fight, there was no score. In the last 30 seconds, she managed to throw for a yuko score and then pinned me for 25 seconds for the ippon.

In the past, at this level of competition, I usually felt a big difference in skill level between my opponents and me. This time however, I barely felt that. I felt like I belonged there. For sure, I still need to work a lot more on my gripping and my positioning to enter for throws. But I felt good out there. And I wasn't even tired! Since I've been in Japan, we've been doing rounds after rounds of randoris without any break in between so I feel like my stamina has really improved since my arrival here. So it definitely helped me in the fight because I didn't even have to think about being exhausted.

The tournament site

The beautiful ceiling

Korea is an interesting country. In many ways, I felt like I was in Japan. It rained every day. The ingredients used in their cuisine are quite similar to Japanese food. They have little convenience stores at almost every street corner. Lots of shop names are also written in Japanese characters. And of course, everyone has Asian facial features. But I found the Koreans to be a bit more rude than Japanese. When we landed in Korea, instead of waiting their turn to get off the plane, everyone just stood up and started shoving each other to exit the plane as quickly as possible. And for me, personally, I find Korean a bit hard on the ears. After listening to it for a while, my head hurts and I just want to cover my ears. I'm not sure why. Maybe because certain words have harsher pronunciations compared to Japanese where syllables seem to melt together.

The streets in front of our hotel

A familiar landmark : p

Our hotel

Jeju: I was surprised by how commercial Jeju Island is. Along the streets, that's almost all there was, store after store, selling popular brand name products.

Now I'm back in school and back into my routine. At Tokai University now, there are many athletes from other countries who are there to prepare for the upcoming tournament this weekend, Grand Slam. I'll be going to watch the tournament on Saturday and Sunday. My teachers aren't too impressed with me missing classes. They don't think judo is a valid enough reason. Well... too bad. I'm going to see the tournament anyways. How many times in my life will I get to go see a competition of this caliber?

At the end of the month, I'll get to have a short break from classes and judo. I'll be going to spend some time with my Japanese family in Kyoto. I'm looking forward to it. I just learned today that we have judo on December 25th!!! Christmas Day!!! I couldn't believe it! lol Christmas in Japan is pretty much nonexistent. New Years is what really counts here. So, not only will I be spending Christmas Day alone in Japan, I'll also be doing judo that day. Sounds like fun ; )