NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

Happy New Year!

Hey there everyone! I haven't posted in a while and I thought this is as good a time as any to start up again. 

I've been trying to think of things to say all day and exactly how I would say them but as I wrote them down I noticed I was trying too hard to be sentimental. I wanted to say something profound and enlightening, but it all came out as cliche and goofy. Anyway for those of you making New Year's resolutions then put some time and effort into them. You want to get fit and lose some weight? Then you do it. You want to travel? Then get on a bus and go somewhere. "B-B-But" NO BUTS. If you can't do it now then make a plan. Save some money and do it later. Be active and be decisive. You'll be a lot happier.

I'll leave you with my New Year's resolutions. Pick something and strive for it. Whatever it may be.

1. My first one may seem strange or silly to you but I want to achieve Platinum rank in the video game Starcraft II. It goes Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Masters and Grandmasters. Right now I am in Bronze and Platinum is my goal. 
2. This next one might hit closer to home for a lot of you. Pay off 3/4th of my loans from college. It's a bit of a challenge but one that I think it is achievable. 
3. Continue rock climbing. I went rock climbing recently and I must say I am hooked. I want to continue to learn and practice. 
4. Lastly there is test in Japan known as the JLPT. It is the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. There are 5 levels; N1, N2, N3, N4 and N5 with N1 being the hardest. I want to take and pass N4 and N5 by the end of next year. 

Those are my 4 resolutions and I'm looking forward to. Remember to have fun with your goals. You'll have good days and bad days but continue on. Good luck. What resolutions do you have? Let me know through facebook or on this post.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

-Brian

おいしい Yakisoba!!

So you're in Japan. There's ten billion new things for you to see and not enough time in the day to see them all. But before you can even start on your epic adventure you're probably paralyzed with hunger. So if you're like me and a cheap ass then you can try to cook yourself some delicious foods. Because let's be honest...bento can get damn expensive after a few days. So here's my sure fire guide to cooking in Japan. Today we'll be cooking YAKISOBA.

What you'll need:

Carrots

Broccoli 

Negi Onion

Garlic

Yakisoba Noodles

Worcestershire sauce/Tonkatsu sauce

Thinly sliced Pork

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

First we need a knife and a cutting board, because unless your hands are blades you'll have some trouble

Carrots.

Cut those carrots with your newly acquired samurai sword.

Brock-oli

Delicious green afros.

Next you need that oh so iconic Negi (green onion).

Now sharpen and create a spear. You're ready to start hunting Boars.

All set.

Bean sprouts are essential.

Don't forget the noodles.

 Our yakisoba Worcestershire sauce. Made from real bull dogs.

Noodles and some thinly sliced pork. You know from that boar we slayed earlier with our Negi spear? 

 Fry it up. Add the vegetables and sauce and a touch of garlic.

I added a this fried potato to the mix. 

Bean sprouts are near the end to keep their crunch.

Annnnd you're done. Delicious Yakisoba. おいしい!!!

Arcade Day

Here's a few pictures and videos from an Arcade I went to in Kawasaki.

A few arcade games

 Kid playing the drum game called Taiko no Tatsujin

 Some more crane games

 Air hockey

 Toy Story Crane game

 Pokemon <3

 More of the Pokemans

 Random crane game

 Mario Kart arcade

 Welcome to the Horse Races

 1st Place with the one and only Yoshi. Yatta!!

Some video of the Arcade

Japan so Far

Hey everyone,

It's been about a month since I've arrived in Japan and I must say, I'm adapting well. I know it's been awhile since my last post but to tell you the truth, there hasn't been too much happening. I'm in that stage where I want to take the trains or buy useless Japanese things but I just don't have the resources at the moment. However I have been able to do a few things, so in no particular order here's a few things I've done and my thoughts.

1. The other day I traveled to a city called Ginza. Ginza is district located in Chuo, Tokyo. It's one of the 23 wards that make up the Tokyo area. I went there to attend an International party/meet up with a few buddies from work. Ginza is enormous and we spent 30 to 45 minutes searching for the venue, which was no more than a block from our train station. Ginza had some of the biggest buildings I've seen yet and since we were there at night it was extremely busy. According to one of my students, Ginza is a place for adults. Why you might ask? Is it one of those red light districts? No, it's just so damn expensive. He said you have to have a lot of money to shop in Ginza and that he was still a child because he had no money. I agreed with him and we decided that we were both, in fact, children.

2. I went to my first stand up bar the other day. It was a nice little hole in the wall place (what isn't around here?). For those of you who don't know a standing bar only restaurant has no chairs or places to sit. It's exactly what it sounds like. Anyway I'm used to having a menu with a few pictures but no. Not here. Everything was Japanese and while I could read some of it, it did not mean I understood it. So we did what any person would do. We just guessed. We had absolutely no idea what we were ordering. I think we ended up ordering some kind of BBQ'd fat. It was a fun experience and I'm sure there will be many more like it.

3. So a quick story about some of my students. So far I think my favorite students are a couple called Hideo and Miho. They're studying English because they'll be traveling to Ohio (of all places) in April and wanted some basic English skills. Anyway, it's so much fun teaching them because it's always a celebration when they get something right. However, they aren't the only ones that come in. They bring their 2 year daughter Ia*. She is restless and runs about the room while I'm trying to teach. The other day she threw a temper tantrum on top of the table where I was trying to teach. However, no one was phased. We continued as though she was not there. I was rolling with laughter on the inside. It was quite the sight.

Some quick tips
1. Watch the vending machines...They eat your money faster than Kobayashi can eat a hotdog.
2. Trains are freaking expensive.
3. Food is freaking expensive.

4. This dog is everywhere.









That's it for today. I'll leave you with a few pictures and hopefully I'll be able to get some Cherry Blossom pictures soon. I'll be heading to a placed called Ueno on Saturday where I might be able to see some.

Omiya Park

Today I ventured out to Omiya Park. About a 20-25 minute walk from my apartment, I was very pleased with what I found. Omiya park is a wonderment to behold. It has everything from a baseball stadium to a zoo. With winding paths, flower gardens and kyo ponds I enjoyed a peaceful stroll through its maze like set up. Crows are abundant here in Japan, especially in the cities. However, the park has much more to offer. There are many types of birds and sounds that I have never seen or heard before. I hope the summer will bring even more animals to the park. The ponds are full of kyo fish. It's fun to watch their heads bob up and down along the shore hoping for a bite to eat.
There are so many people walking through the park as well. Mainly the elderly or middle aged women who don't work. They're all being active in some way or other. People doing aerobics, walking, running and biking. Some come, I assume, to just sit and listen to the crows bickering at each other. Others come for the sites. Photographers waiting for that one bird or perfect lighting. Yet even more come to visit the temples. The temples were beautiful and well kept. You can witness tons of people walking up to the temple shrines to offer their prayers. I was nervous to approach the temples or even enter them because I didn't want to appear disrespectful. I know very little about the customs and rituals, which makes going in very nerve racking. I eventually made my way in out of pure curiosity. I didn't take pictures because it seemed inappropriate. Many people were reaching out to the trees in the courtyard. From what I know, the Japanese have a great respect for nature and believe it has a strong spiritual presence. They strongly believe in their traditions, culture and nature. I can't wait to learn more.
I enjoyed visiting Omiya park and I can't wait to go back. Hopefully I'll be able to see some baseball games or visit the zoo. I think the park will be exciting during the summer months and I look forward to it.

Brian

Finally!

Hey there everyone,

I know a few of you might be worried about me, but fear not for I have come out unscathed. Well mostly unscathed. I am mostly settled into my new apartment and today I finished getting a bank account, a phone and you guessed it. Internet. It's been hard communicating exactly what I need but everyone that has helped me has been incredibly patient and kind. It helps that I know a bit of Japanese, such as "could you say it one more time", "I don't understand" or "Yes, that's right", but every time I get into a conversation I pray they know a little bit of English.

I've been able to get a bit of food and I finally have a futon. I'm slowly getting it together and after my first paycheck I think I'll be much better off. I'm trying to get some pictures uploaded but it's taking blogger forever to upload a single photo. I'll look into other ways of getting my photos up. For now, just know I'm doing well and I'll update regularly from now on.

Brian

Apartment Tour

Hey there guys. This is just a quick tour video through my apartment. Not great or anything but gives you an idea about what I'm living in. I'll try to get more videos and pictures uploaded later. Enjoy!

Brian

Dawn of the Final Day: 24 Hours Remain

Well not exactly 24 hours, but close enough. Man oh man, the day has finally arrived. I'll be headed out to Japan tomorrow morning and I am just a mixture of excited, nervous, scared and anxious. I'll be flying out of Grand Rapids at 8:10 where I'll take a brief stop in Detroit to board my next plane. Then from there it's a non-stop flight to Narita International Airport. From Narita Airport I'll then have to make an hour and a half train ride into Omiya Station where I will be picked up and taken to my apartment. I'm certainly nervous about making my way to Omiya by myself. However, it'll be an experience that I'm ready to handle. 

It'll be awhile before I might have Internet, so I'll update as soon as I can with pictures and video of what's going on. I know I posted it on facebook already but I'll say it again. Please do not call or text my phone. The fees are insane and I do not want to have to pay for them. If you want to contact me please do it through Facebook or email. I will eventually get back to you. 

Awhile ago I was very worried as to whether or not I should be taking this trip. I was worried about whether it was the right move. And even now I don't know. However, and it may seem silly, but I eventually made my decision after I saw this scene from "The Hobbit". 

Gandalf and Bilbo

I still don't know if this is the best choice, but I do know that when I get back I'll have a story to tell and it will be my own. I'm looking forward to sharing my story with you. Adventure awaits!
Brian
x

Kabuki

Today I wanted to talk about Kabuki. Many of you may have heard of it, but have no idea what it actually is. I'll try to break it down so you can get a better understanding.

Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a traditional Japanese dance drama similar to a play.  Its characters are roughly translated to (歌)sing, (舞)dance, and (伎)skill. Kabuki started its origins with Izumo no Okuni who began performing dances in the riverbeds of Kyoto during the 17th century.

Kabuki began during the Edo Period. Quick history lesson here.

• The Edo period was headed by the Tokugawa Shogunate (a military government run by the shoguns).
• The Tokugawa clan ruled from the Edo castle located in Edo which is now present day Tokyo.

Kabuki first began with women who played both the roles of men and women. It's new way of telling stories with drama and dance brought the style to popularity. However, it's suggestive themes and raunchiness caused it to explode in the red-light districts. Many of the actresses were also subjected to prostitution which played in part to its eventual ban by the shoguns. Kabuki eventually fell in the hands of adult males who now had to perform both parts of men and women, this style is known as yaro-kabuki. 

Kabuki went through many changes through the years but drastically changed around 1868 when the Meiji Period began. Europe and the West started to take interest and greatly influenced the Kabuki theater with new ideas. After WWII Kabuki had a difficult time finding itself but had a rebirth in the Kansai region. Today many Kabuki actors show up on the stage and play pivotal roles in Television dramas. 

Thought I was done eh? Well no. There are a few more things to know about the structure of a Kabuki play. So next time you're at that party trying to impress your crush, you can bust out some Kabuki knowledge and really seal the deal. 

THE STAGE

The stage uses a structure known as the Hanamichi or flower path. The stage extends into the audience with pathways and walkways. This helps the actors to create dramatic entrances and create an overall immersive experience. You can see the Hanamichi here on the left of the picture.

Three Types of Plays

1. Jidaimono or History plays. These plays are usually about major events in Japanese history. Who would have knew? History plays about history? Get out of town.
2. Sewamono or domestic plays. These plays involved commoners.
3. Shosagoto or dance pieces. 

Length

Kabuki theater isn't your typical 2 or 3 hour play. Usually traditional theater is a whole day experience and can differ depending on the actors. Some plays may include scenes that are completely irrelevant to the story and are there to showcase the actor themselves. You had better clear your schedule if you want to watch one of these plays. 

Well I'm done talking...writing? Yeah. I hope you guys learned a few things. I know I did while reading wikipedia...I mean browsing endless upon endless books and historical references to get you the most accurate information possible. Yup, I'm that dedicated. Anyway here's a few photos of Kabuki makeup, actors and performances.