When It Rains, it rains for months at a time . . .

Good Evening Everyone
I am in my room, trapped by the rain and looking at an extended forecast that reads 100% chance of precipitation for the next four days. It starts now. The raining season in Japan, 梅雨時 pronounced tsuyudoki, has begun. Don’t get me wrong, I love the rain and seeing as I am a Seattleite, I have my fair share of rainy day experiences. Yet, living in Japan does change the way one looks at the supposedly normal rainy day.

First of all, the smells…whoa. As a frequent traveler, for the sake of remembering my adventures, I try my best to take in as much as I can from any given place that I may visit, including the way it smells. It may sound strange, but smell and memory have a strong connection, in my opinion. With that said, Japan has a very unique smell when its dense foliage becomes saturated with rain originating mostly from continental Asia. The slight essence of bamboo and pine trees is something that I wish I could bottle up and sell to, well, those who are into smelling for the sake of memory.

To continue the trend of our senses, the sound of rain in Japan is quite different in both an audible and, strangely enough, linguistically. Appropriately, there much onomatopoeia to corresponds to the various types of rainfall. For instance, when the size of the raindrops is quite large one would say, ame ga (the rain is) しとしと（している）shitoshito (falling in such a way). At the first sign of a rain shower one would say, ぱらぱら（している）parapara (shiteiru). Additionally, when the rain is falling like cats and dogs, as we say in the West, one would describe such a shower as, ざあああzaaaa. I am experiencing and listening closely to a rainfall of the ZAaaaa variety.

Finally, Japan, the country of excessive accessories, seems to become enveloped in one continuous string of umbrellas. Men and women can be seen toting any colour, design and size of umbrella at the first sign of any parapara, if you will. Coincidentally, every single one of these umbrellas happen to be held at the same level as my eyes, which contributes to one of the only dangerous aspects about my living in Japan. Worry not, for I still see clearly with both my eyes, thanks to my cat like reflexes, speed and regular consumption of over-sized Japanese carrots.

Speaking of eyesight, I had the pleasure, last weekend, to gaze upon the numerous and various artifacts housed at the Kyoto National Museum. In weather far sunnier that today, the Ritsumeikan Cycling Club (RCC) and I took a nice forty-minute bike ride to the museum, parked and proceed to ogle at pottery from the Jomon Period (14000-400 BC) with its characteristic chorded pattern (the literal translation of the word jomon); bronze cast bells from the Yayoi Period (400 BC-AD 250) whose designs and craftsmanship were all heavily influenced by Korea; Buddhist art from various south east Asian nations all from the Yayoi Period; and bronze cast mirrors, lacquer ware, Kimono, emaki (scroll paintings) and poetry all from the Edo Period (AD 1603-1868). It was pleasure to see such a display of aesthetics and history with the company that I had. Japanese people. I have never been through a museum that fast in my life. When I was a child visits to museums always seemed long and now that I have grown up and found interest in the diverse histories of the world I actually do take time in museums. That being the case, I was quite surprised at the pace with which the RCC members unknowingly whisked past over 16000 years of their own people’s history.


At the Museum, pondering the Ponderer


Shout out to my Father. I wish you the safest recovery from your long awaited surgery. I can’t wait to see you stand tall. Mom, way to hang in there.

Until Next Time

Bikes, Animals and Music

Can you feel the heat?

The nice weather may have helped, but with the assistance of the Ritsumeikan Cycling Circle (RCC) I have seen more of the Kansai area in the past two weeks than ever before. Since joining three weeks ago I have put roughly 150km on my white and blue Bridgestone, Roadman road bike. Speaking of my slightly small, yet sleek road bike, it wasn’t until recently that I had found out that Bridgestone was a Japanese company. I found this out from one of my fellow RCC members as he explained the meanings of the two kanji (Chinese characters) that the English name originates from. Bridgestone, in its earliest days was known as 石橋 (ishihashi), literally meaning stone bridge. So, if we combine our brainpower we can obviously see how the new, more marketable name was developed. The Roadman is a fabulous bike, really.

This past few weeks the RCC went on one exciting trip after another, after another, which would make three trips, in total, all of which were exciting…and I will tell you about them, now. First, was the long haul out to Lake Biwa Campus (biwako kounai, BKC). From my previous experience, I have only heard of people riding trains to BKC, so when I was told we were to bike to Shiga-ken (Kyoto’s neighbouring prefecture) I was had no choice but to put my game face on-followed by my helmet and backpack. After two sets of small mountainous hills, some amazing scenery, countless invigorated taxi drivers and 2 hours of biking through amazing foliage we arrived at BKC for the First Years’ Festival.

BKC’s festival was no different from the one held at the Kinugasa Campus (in Kyoto) late last year, but the size of BKC, the number of freshman and the recruiting tenacity of all the clubs and student associations made it a much more hilarious experience. Upon entering the campus we were greeted by the Rits big band performing some great jazz standards. After that we follow the crowds through the maze of small food stands selling everything from fried ice cream (ageaisu), fried chicken, fried octopus, fried mochi and slim fast shakes, not. All the fried food made the 30km ride back to campus much more euphoric.

BKC and the RCC


Starting on Friday, Japan has been experiencing its ever-famous “Golden Week”. What is Golden Week? It is another name for the four-day weekend that salary men, school children and exchange students look forward too; the weekend that housewives dread; the weekend when I went to the Kyoto Municipal Prison, I mean Zoo, slightly different from the cozier and spacious prefectural penitentiary. What I am trying to say is that despite the extreme hospitality of the RCC’s senior members by taking us to the Zoo free of charge, it did not soften the blow of the shocking condition in which the animals were living. Yeah, I saw three Giraffes, Grizzly and Polar bears, a Baboon, Silverback Gorilla, Zebra, Ostrich, Sea Lion and a gang of feces flinging Akagezaru monkeys, but the fact of the matter is that they were all within a 150 meter radius. Polar bears look so bummed out when they can only see children and not eat them, right? I suppose a Zoo will always tend to have that sort of effect on me, but kids were sure happy.


The domestic Fence, closed in by Giraffe

Zoo


Sunday was, without question, the shining jewel in my Golden Week-that is if Golden Week were some metaphorical crown that Japan wears for 96 hours out of the year. Ah yes, Sunday. This past Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of Osaka’s Takatsuki Jazz Street Festival. Over 1,000 jazz musicians gathered this weekend to play their swinging hearts out to rhythm hungry citizens of Japan and of course the jet-lagged, map-flipping patrons of Western nations. I was looking for sustenance that evening and was amazed and the bounty of grooving, laid back and innovative jazz that Takatsuki had to offer. Out of the ten or so groups I was able to see, there are two that I distinctly remember. One whose name I can’t recall, but whose sound was incredible were these two musicians who played in a small conference hall. There was a Japanese man playing both tenor and soprano saxophones who was backed up by this stunning Japanese woman who was playing the Japanese Goto, a very long and broad string instrument that lays on the ground. The soothing sound of the sax harmonized beautifully with the full and penetrating sounds of the Goto. In fact the two innovative musicians communicated the connection of the their wildly different instruments so well that by the end of the set many audience members were brought to tears. I was indeed moved by the unique harmonies produced by the two instruments whose origins and sounds are of such different natures.

Latin Bit, playing at the RUSH Bar


Sax and Goto


As we, Bob (Pittsburgh), Vanessa (Miami), Harry (England), Erik (Kalamazoo) and SoSei (Chong Ching), were about to catch a train back to Kyoto, we decided to make one last stop at a small bar, the Allure, to see one last concert. Hyper Sonic, who has been playing Jazz Street since its first year and long before that, was so good. Improvisation, communication, balance of sounds and an all-together understanding between the pianist, bassist, guitarist and drummer created just the right atmosphere for a close-quarters jazz concert. It was a great was to end the day and only reassured me that I will have to seek out more jazz before I head back home…in three months…yikes.

Hyper Sonic


Shout out to Daniel Norton, whose bike I have ridden and will continue to ride in good health. Hope all is well in Canada Dan, I see you in the fall.

Listen to Jazz.

Until Next Time.