The Musical Floats to Sado

Not everyone was completely happy about taking the musical on a boat to The Sado Island.  As it turns out though, this was THE most fun we’ve had as a group yet!!  Due to stubbornly getting a little bit lost, and loads of traffic, there were a couple minutes that I had my car believe that we were going to miss the ferry.  Nope, we made it!!  The sea was full of swells that brought on seasickness to some, and loads of fun to others!!  Walking through the cabins, we discovered early on that if we skipped with high knees, eventually the boat would drop and we would fly!!  We had so much fun acting like our elementary school students skipping and jumping on the bottom, side, and top decks.  Eventually Christian and his Spiderman abilities ran up a slightly angled wall.  Monkey see, monkey do; we all saw and HAD to do too. 

With there being a 3-year gap between The Musical being performed on Sado, Saturday night was a BIG deal.  There was a pretty good turnout including friends, students, colleagues, and the MAYOR.  A video man came to tape the whole show so that they could show it on TV later that week!!

We were able to rent futons and a house for everyone to stay in on Saturday night.  I had TOO much fun playing Slap Happy, one round of Texas Hold ‘Em (no chips), and Circle of Death.  Jenelle convinced me to go on a walk into the darkness, and when we returned everyone was asleep and we had no futons!!  Luckily she’s a relentless detective and caught the futon thief red handed!! 

The ferry ride back was less wavy but still nice.  A hawk joined the seagulls that normally follow the boats from the mainland to the island and back this time.

I stopped by Obaachan’s before heading back to Murakami.  The weather was perfect, so I dragged her out of the house to go on a walk to the beach. 

Ohinamatsuri

Kawamura-sensei invited me over to see his dolls, and eat dinner with his family again.  The month of March, in Japan is known as ‘girl’s month,’ especially March 3^rd, ‘Girl’s Day,’ or ‘Ohinamatsuri.’  The Kawamura family explained to me that when a family has a baby girl, they buy a massive Ohinasama set.  Every year, it’s brought out during the month of March to celebrate the growth and happiness of their daughter.  The first platform (top) seats the imperial dolls, representing the Emperor and Empress.  The second platform holds three court ladies, or sake bearers.  The third platform holds five male musicians.  The fourth platform displays two ministers of completely different ages.  The fifth platform holds three samurai who protect the Emperor and Empress.  The sixth and seventh platforms hold a variety of furniture, tools, and carriages.  If the dolls are displayed past April 6^th in Murakami, they risk the chances of their daughter getting married!!

Murakami Musical Weekend

The doors were open to a more convenient weekend as the musical finally came to MY stomping grounds.  My current Vice Principal at Iwafuna-sho was also once a VP at one of Jenelle’s elementary schools.  She’s one of the coolest VPs out there, and invited us over for mochi, dinner, and drinks on the Friday night before the next day’s performance.    Her husband is coincidentally a principal at another elementary school in the area.  As we talked and talked, we learned that they had grown up next door to each other, and actually still live in the VP’s childhood home.  They had no idea who the other one was, due to a 6-year age difference, just missing one another in the 6-year elementary school system.  Apparently their marriage was arranged, and yet they seem perfect for each other.  Their story is fascinating, and Japan continues to widen my eyes.

Because there was a tiny bit of alcohol involved, we spent the night, but made sure to wake up early the next morning to get some snowboarding in before Saturday night’s performance.  Aimee, Jennelle, and I got a solid 2.5 hours in before going to one of the Senami onsens that had a waterfall, and then straight to the Joho Center to start setting up for Prince Snow White and the Seven Samurai. 

In my opinion, and I might be a BIT bias, the Murakami Musical was the BEST one yet.  A couple hilarious mishaps happened and were brilliantly and just as hilariously overcome, the audience was fully engaged and responsive, and most of them were people I know!!  We had our largest audience yet, and everything for the most part went smoothly.  Even with my tiny ninja role, friends, students, and colleagues were so nice and gave me 4 bouquets of flowers and Murakami beef curry!!  LOVE flowers!!

Of course, Sunday Courtney, Jenelle, Casanova, Futoshi, Ru, and I went back to Wakabuna.  The slush snow was a bit better than the ice from yesterday.  I did a BOX … TWICE!!!

Kamikaifu's 6th grade send off Party (Friday, February 27, 2008)

The school year in Japan runs from April to March, which means it’s graduation season!!  Once again, Kamikaifu was thoughtful enough to invite me to their 6^th grader’s send off party.  The program was comprised of dances, instrumentals, singing, presentations, and a hilarious play by the 1^st through 5^th graders and teachers.  It’s remarkable to see how much a small school can accomplish with the flexibility and individual attention teachers can offer to each student.  The five graduating 6^th graders each had an impact on the other students and will be missed very much at Kamikaifu as they move onto middle school.  

ナイタ →Naita → Nighter at Tainai

One of the only things I talk about with the head teacher at Minami is snowboarding and skiing, the best places around here, and the times that they’re open.  He mentioned something about how the teachers often get together after school to go to a ‘nighter’ at Tainai and I demanded to be invited the next time out.  That next time was last night!!  The snow around here is quickly vanishing, and even though the conditions were quite icy and painful, I have to cherish every moment in the mountains – unfortunately I can’t live like this forever.   

We were supposed to go to the Tokamachi Winter Festival, but went snowboarding instead ...

Japan is a country that prides itself on having the number one this and that, and tends to rank anything and everything that can be put in order.  For example in Japan, the #1 most delicious beef is raised in Kobe, the #1 tallest mountain is Mt. Fuji, and #1 best rice comes from Niigata.  Japan has the #1 best snow powder in the world.  Within Japan, Hokkaido’s Niseko Ski-jo is the best.    Hokkaido also has the #1 best Snow Festival, followed by Tokamachi’s yuki-matsuri.  In an effort to save $1000, I opted out of the trip to the northern most island of the country, and instead drove a couple hours southeast to Tokamachi.   Since we were so close to Nagano and the Joetsu mountains, might as well snowboard while we were there, right?!?!

After my hip hop dance class, and the debut of my  #1 favorite super sweet purple and black and white cow print Nike shoes, I met Jenelle in the city, and we road tripped it to Tokamachi.  We hadn’t even escaped the city limits when we found ourselves in adventure #1.  Some ‘yankee’ or ‘young trouble maker’ blocked us in the 7/11 parkinglot.  When Jenelle gave him a dirty look, he reluctantly backed up to let us out, but then proceeded to follow us out of the lot, onto the road, then onto the bypass, and nearly on the expressway!!  There was no doubt about the fact that he was tailing us, changing speeds and lanes just as Jenelle did.  If it weren’t for some tricky thinking when the bypass and expressway split, he probably would have followed us all the way to Tokamachi!!

Marshall graciously let us, Laura, and Mark crash at his place on Friday and Saturday night so that we could get up and out early.  I had been looking forward to Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort in Nagano ALL week, and it did not dissapoint!!  We couldn’t have asked for better weather with powder snow falling in the morning, and the sun shining through after noon.  It felt like a Christmas Winter Wonderland with snow covered trees and mountains all around.  Marshall couldn’t wait to show us his favorite ‘natural half pipe’ powder run ~ a run through a tree-filled ravine that, despite being roped off was fairly popular among the skiers and snowboarders who were equip with the right kind of powder-specific gear.  The powder was REDICULOUS!!  It HAD to have been well above my height of 63cm.  The first bit was wicked fun, bumping and jumping, having virtually no control and narrowly missing collisions with trees until I fell … and sunk.  Marshall and Mark had a bit more control over the powder while the powder had complete control over Jenelle and I.  Trying to just stand up in that much powder was near impossible as my arms went straight down, rolling around sunk my body in further, and even if when I did find a way to beat the odds and get up, my board was completely covered that I’d fall and have to start the whole process all over again.  Jenelle struggled through the powder that was directly under the lift and had to deal with the applauses and laughs from the audience above, while I slowly slid and rolled to the bottom of the ravine.  There were points that I really thought I was going to suffocate and perish.  I never thought I would be so happy to feel hard snow under my board until I miraculously made it out of the quicksand-like snow trap.  It was a great experience that I never want to experience again.  After a necessary lunch maybe-free coffee, we goofed around on a few more runs, onsen-ed in Nozawa, and slowly made our way back to the end of the snow festival.

Whoah, back up!!  When I dropped my car off at Ruu and Futoshi’s, they completely shocked me with an early birthday present – a PERFECT pair of orange-lensed, anti-fog snowboard goggles!!  The whole world looked clearer and brighter with the goggles ~ THANK YOU THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!  No more tears ;)

The Tokamachi Snow Festival, from what we heard from people who actually watched the show was ‘wicked.’  We were still able to see the sculptures and the empty stage, eat winter matsuri food, Korean BBQ, and meet up with friends later so it was alllllll good.  The streets were super slick, and at one point Jenelle slipped and fell, Mark went to help her and fell, then I laughed and fell.  We all fell the same exact way, loosing traction in the feet, trying to run in place to get a grip until plopping on the behind. 

  After sleeping in a little, and enjoying Marshall’s home cooking, we met Ruu, Murayama, Casanova, and Dave at Joetsu Kokusai for MORE boarding!!!  The weather was unusually warm, and the views from all around the mountain were gorgeous.

  That, and we had to go on another adventure to relocate Jenelle’s lost phone.  We went back to the Korean BBQ place, and as Jenelle was inside looking for it, I was outside calling it.  The first try didn’t go through, but a man answered the second call.  ‘Huh?  Um…where is this phone?”  “It’s at the police station.”  You know you’re in Japan when you loose a phone in the street, and someone brings it to the police station.  Furthermore, you know you’re in Japan when the description we gave of where it was lost (maybe where we fell on the ice) didn’t at all match up with the report, but were still able to get it back, no problem. 

Dinner was delicious and hilarious as usual.  Futoshi prepared nabe, cobb salad, sweet soy sauce potatoes, amazing fish, sashimi, beef, and vegetables while we were on our way back.  Jenelle and I picked up a chocolate chiffon cake that later went perfectly with the Godiva Coffee - which helped keep me awake for the drive home.   

Dinner at Masami-san's (Thursday, February 19, 2009)

Since arriving in Murakami, I’ve been hearing about the wonderful Masami-san and finally had the privilege of meeting her!!  From the moment I spoke to her on the phone, I knew she was as great as everyone had said because both of us for some reason couldn’t stop giggling.  Over the years, she’s been a tremendous help to ALTs in Murakami, helping with Japanese, doctors, cars, and anything under the sun.  She cooked Reed and I a huge chicken, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, salad, cake and tim-tam meal.  The conversation was great fun, and we ended up staying much later than we thought we would.