Konnichiwa
It is Monday "getsu-yoobi" morning "asa" here and I have many stories "hanashi" to share with all of you from this past weekend "shuu-matsu". I too, am going to try to work on my JAPANESE "nihongo" Vocabulary this week "kon-shuu" and so will include words in quotes that I want to try and remember after the english word. Think of me as your new "atarashii" japanese "nihonjin" teacher "sensei".
CJ and I had a WONDERFUL 'subarashii" 2 days of exploration "tanken suru". Saturday "do-yoobi" morning we slept in and then decided to take a train "ressha" down to the ancient city of Kamakura to see summer "natsu" beach "hama" action and then look at a few of the 65 Buddhist Temples and 19 Shinto Shrines they have there as well.
CJ gave me a directions "hoko" test "tesuto" and I had to get us to the Yokohama RR station to catch our other train south to Kamakura. I did it! YES!
On the train it was very interesting "omoshiroi" to watch "miru" a lady across the aisle literally give herself a sponge bath right there in her train seat. She was very discreet "shiryobukai" as she wiped "fuku" her face "kao", armpits " waki no shita", down her back then up under the front "mae" and back of her shirt with her hankie or sweat towel"taoru" as I like to call it. She then placed that towel under her thighs "futomomo" as she was wearing shorts "han-zubon" to soak up the moisture "shikke" on the back "ura" of her legs "ashi" I guess? She then took out a moist wet wipe and did the whole ritual again. Thirdly, she took another dry towel I assumed and wiped "fuku" all her parts once more. After the 3 step washing process was completed, she sprayed herself with perfume "kosui" or some kind of deoderized body spray. Very entertaining I must say. Another thing I noticed is the women "josei" anywhere and everywhere, are always checking themselves out in their hand compact mirrors "konpakuto mira". They are very conscious "ishiki-teki" about the way they look "mikake".
On the southbound "minami" train to Kamakura, we got off on the wrong stop (1 too early) and while waiting "matsu" for the next "tsugi" train, we noticed a Mint Julip Soda in the vending machine and thought "kangae" that sounded quite tasty and we were beginning to get a bit thirsty "kawaki". We sadly "kanashii" did not have time to buy "kau" one there, as our train came too quickly "hayai" and so I spent the rest of the day checking out all the vending machines as we walked past them, but to no avail. I guess I will have to look "miru koto" for it in the grocery stores "shokuryohinten" next time I go.
We arrived in Kamakura a seaside "kaigan" town with wooded hills and one that felt a bit more rural than anything I have seen so far here in Japan. It had some touristy spots and we started seeing more foreigners "gaikokujin" too.
It was now an overcast day and one perfect for walking "aruki", but not so great for all the folks who were gathered "atsumaru" at the Yuigahama Beach to soak up the sun "nikko". It was a semi crowded and colorful beach with all the umbrellas "kasa", tents, swimsuits "mizugi" and reminded me of the New Jersey shore at the peak of summer. Actually, the beach was not as crowded as I would have thought it to be with all the "billions" of people supposedly living here in Japan. I have happily NOT found it to be wall to wall people like they say. The water felt very warm "atatakai" on my feet "ashi" and the sand was a dirty brownish black color. We walked in the sand "suna" a little ways while soaking up that fragrant fish "sakana" smell "nioi" and I found my first 2 japanese sea shells "kaigara". A little white one and a black one...my Yin Yang shells :-)
We were trying to take a self portrait of ourselves on the beach "hama"and then an older gentlemen ran up to us and asked if he could take our photo for us. He was VERY happy to see I had a Canon camera and I told him I love them, and that this was the 7th one I have had over the years. CJ then showed him he had a Canon too, and he THANKED us "Arigato gusimus" for buying them as that is the company he works for. Of course I joked "jodan" with him about getting me a job "shigoto" me to work for them, so they could supply me with more cameras, but he did not know what I was talking about or at least pretended not to understand "wakaru" me. haha
We stopped for some photos "shashin" with the manga character statues along the beach and watched as many excited children "ko" stamped some kind of special manga brochure they had with the different faced character rubber stamps "sutanpu".
Now headed toward the the shrines I first had to go get a boat "boto" picture as we were not coming back this way later. I saw a man "otoko" sitting under a tin roof shack in the distance and he looked to be busy sewing his red fishing nets "netto" and then I crossed the street and popped my head into a little corner shrine with old cement statues, pagodas and grave stones.
Met up with CJ down the road "michi" who was looking over the map "chizu" and we then bought 3 bananas for y100 at a little fruit stand and enjoyed them as we walked along to the first temple. Oops we did it again, and walked while eating. ;-( We keep forgetting "wasureru"! When we arrived at the first little temple on the hillside, the stairway and out front along the roadside were lined with white banners "hata" with black kangi characters on them. I wonder what they all said? Perhaps they were wishes "negai" or prayers "inori" people wrote? We were all alone there as we looked around, rang the gong, snapped a few pics of the little white buddha statue and then we ventured off to find the next one. It was very peaceful walking along the little narrow alley ways and looking at the colorful flowers "hana"in bloom in all the potted gardens people have. We waited for a train to cross the tracks "senro" and then passed under the Shrine Gates "Tori'i" to enter our 1st Shinto Shrine. We washed our hands in the font "Termizuya" on the right "migi", and then looked at the alter area on the left "hidari" with what looked like Fox figurines to me. I have to find out what that represents. I don't remember reading about that back home in MN. Then I went up the steps to the main shrine building and observed a father and daughter who came to visit the shrine and pay there respects. They first dropped some coins into the offeratory box and then stood in front of the alter and bowed "ojigi" 2 times, clapped "hakushu suru" their hands 2 times and then bowed once more, before they left.
We then exited as well, and continued meandering through the narrow "semai" streets to the next BIG Hase-dera Temple. We did not go into this one as it was y300 fee and I wanted to save some for the next time I come with visitors. We took some pics of the entry with the big Bonsai tree and red Japanese paper "kami" lantern "Chochin" and then headed for the Great Buddha "Daibutsu".
On the way, we passed a little shop where a lady was baking "yaku" some round "Marui mono" dough on a mesh grill and then dipped them in soy sauce and wrapped it in a sheet of seaweed when she handed it to you. So we stopped and had a rice cracker "senbei" snack for
y100. We sat on the little stools in the center of the shop(I remembered this time) and another lady then offered us a tiny cup of tea "(o)cha" to go along with it. It was very tasty and I noticed they had packages of a variety of different flavors as well. Just like our many choices in crackers or potatoe chips back home.
After our snack "sunakku" we ventured left and up the road to the most famous sight here..BIG Buddha with a y200 entrance fee. (I am telling you how much things cost,only to give you a perspective on prices here and how much money you will need when you come to visit us :-). WOW ...was I ever surprised and delighted how BIG the statue really was. Cool! You can see how it dwarfed the pyramid shaped pile of yellow grapefruit "gureepu-furuutsu" at the base. I of course took many photos from different angles and was just as intrigued by the lotus blossom flower statue in front as I was of the Buddha and incense "senko" globe. This is a bronze "buronzo" statue of Amida Buddha and was cast in 1252. It is 13.5 m (44ft)tall and has survived tidal waves "tsunami", fires "kaji", earthquakes "jishin", and typhoons "taifu". It now has shock absorbers in it's base and you can walk up and inside it for y20 I think it was. We skipped that as CJ did it 19 years ago when he was here and it was just dark steps and there really was nothing to see from there except tree tops. I purchased a pretty sounding green "midori" metal "metaru" bell "suzu" wind chime "chiamu" to remind me of this tranquil "heiwa (na)" city.
While there, we also met and had a nice chat with a young guy Mike from Germany when I offered to take his photo with Buddha and then he took ours. He is living in Tokyo and working for a company doing logistics "keikaku". He moved "ugoki" here the same time as we did and is enjoying life here as well. I can't remember how long he said he was here for.
We bid Mike farewell and then we were off to the BIG Shinto Shrine where CJ had read there was summer "Bon" festival(to worship ones' ancestors)taking place now. We walked 1/2 way across the city I think to get there passing many more fruit and veggie shops where we got 4 very juicy summer oranges "natsu-mikan" for y250, past a roof tile "kawara" shop, man carving bronze bells, two men sharpening knives "naifu" in their shop windows, and more fertlilty statues with red bibs around their necks, colorful wooden happy cat figurines for sale, lots of cool kids japan scenery art work on display in a tunnel and then down through a pedestrian only shopping street where we saw tons of Yukatas on sale, many people literally going NUTS buying many different types in one small shop.
While waiting to cross the light to the Hachiman-gu Shrine I spotted a cute older couple sitting outside a gift shop and then in the other direction a darling little old man clad in red hat,yukata robe and he was sporting a little white goatee beard "ago hige" and wire rim glasses. I watched him shuffle "ashi o hikizuru" his way under the HUGE Torri gate and across the left side of the entrance to the little red "aka" arched bridge going over to the lotus pond "ike". He sat himself on the edge of the bridge "hashi" and so I went over and introduced myself and asked him if I could take his photo. His name "namae" was Sengawa-san and he was so darn cute. He too,had the tiniest feet and if he was a Chinese women I would have thought he might have been from the era where they bound them. CJ came along just then and also got a photo of the 2 of us together. So already, my day was made with that personal encounter. As I walked away I noticed a few others who were asking him for a photo op as well. He was as you can see from my photo, a cool looking little Japanese man. Fun!
The Hachiman shrines are dedicated "sasageru" to the god "kami" of war; this one is also the guardian shrine of the Minamoto (Genji)clan and was built in 1063 by the sea and then moved to this location in 1191. It has lotus ponds on either side of the entrance and then a walkway up the middle to the Mai-den Stage where they do dances and play music. The Genjio pond has 3 islands (san means both life and 3 in Japanese)while the Heike Pond named for the rival clan has 4 islands. shi means 4 or death in Japanese)
The approach to that stage and ultimately the main Shrine building which was reconstructed in Edo style in 1828 that is at the top of the steps "kaidan" was lined on both sides of the walkway with paper lanterns hung on wood poles. Each of the lanterns "chochin" had a Japanese artists "achisuto" painting "kaiga" on the front of it. At night when the sun goes down then they are all illuminated "akari o tsukeru" and the whole place supposedly takes on a very heavenly "tengoku" glow. Sad to say when I got about half way up the walk,it started to drizzle "kirisame" and then out of no where men and women in white blouses and big pantaloon pants of bright orangeered "shu-iro", teal, turquoise "toruko-ishi" and purple "murasaki" came running "hashiru" towards me. I thought they were getting ready for the Bon program, but what they were doing is quickly removing "utsusu" the lanterns and taking them inside so the artwork would not get ruined from the rain. The artwork was very nice and we were hoping to see the pretty light show. Darn!
At the end of the walkway of course there is the font for washing hands before entering, so I stopped "teishi" to do that. There was a wall of decorated Japanese rice containers off in the distance on the left and before that displays of Japanese flower arrangements "ikebana" on both sides of the walkway. They were very pretty. On the left there was also the vertical looking abacus like structure with all the paper prayers tied to the vertical strings, more gift shops, cafeteria...
We walked past the closed up stage and then headed up long and steep set of steps to the Main Shrine and at the base to the left of the doors hung many wood prayer plaques with written requests and drawings by hundreds of different people who have visited earlier. The painting of the roof overhangs and corners were very colorful and intricate architecture. There was another little shrine up on a wood hill to the left of the main building and so CJ and I climbed up more steps and through numerous red Torri gates and banners flying in the breeze. Of course there were more of those fox like creatures on either side of the alter area. Back down and through the gates and then over to the cafeteria to have 1 mango and 1 green tea ice cream cone "aisukurimu-ire" . The ladies "funjin" did not seem too happy "shiawase" when we asked them for a napkin "napukin" to wipe up the mess from our very juicy "shiruke ga oi" orange we ate after. I guess perhaps, they didn't like us bringing "mottekuru" our own food in. :-( We bought something from them, so I am not sure exactly what the deal is there? Seems they let you bring your own stuff in other places and so we thought it ok here as well ? Another question "shitsumon" for CJ to ask Tad.
You need to know too, there are not any garbage "gomi" cans "kan" around anywhere,only recycle "risaikuru suru" bins for bottle and the paper trays they served your food on. So where ever people go here,it seems they must be bringing their own garbage bags to haul out their own refuse. You too should always carry your own little packet of kleenex "tisshu" to use in the restrooms "(o)tearai", or to dab up the perspiration "ase" running down your temples,neck,arms back... By the way I too, have been getting lots of practice "renshu" with Japanese style squatty "zunguri" potties here and have not soaked "tsukeru" my ankles "kurubushi" too bad so far, so I must be doing it correctly "tadashii" or I am more limber "junan" and can now squat lower than when I was visiting China and India a few years ago. haha
After the ice cream break we made our way to peek at the white and pink lotus pond and another little shrine to the right of the entrance. Here there were all those white banners again with the black characters. We then crossed the street and walked down the center walkway of Wakamiya-oji, which is the main street of Kamakura. This is a tree covered boulevard which is lined on both sides with cherry trees "sakura" and by photos we saw is absolutely gorgeous in March "san-gatsu" and April "shi-gatsu" when all the cherry "sakuranbo" blossoms "hana" are in bloom "kaika". Today when I walked through there, a few store personnel were hanging lanterns with art work done by one their employees I am assuming. My guess is this whole lane would have been all in lights "akari" as well if it hadn't been for the light drizzle they had earlier in the afternoon "hiru". I met up with a darling little 1 1/2 year old girl Uni who was so precious "kicho" in her navy and white polka dot dress. She was fine when I took her photo and then got bashful "hazukashii" when I showed her the pretty little girl in the camera.
CJ and I then headed back on a few different train routes and to the COSTCO store to see what they carry here and hopefully some oatmeal. We were delighted to find blueberries and grapes "budoo" and also bought some frozen mini pizzas and a big bag of pot stickers. I too found another good Japanese/English Point and Speak dictionary with pictures and words in chinese characters used in writing Japanese "Kangi", Japanese syllabary for foreign words, "katakana",English and Japanese syllabary for for native words "Hiragana". Yahoo!
When we were in the check out line this aggressive/assertive but friendly "aiso ga ii" couple Maggie and Taru asked us if we could help them check out with our card. So we said sure and I told them we would be right back as we had to get cash from the ATM and I also wanted to check with a clerk to see if it was ok. When we came back we had a nice visit with them in line and out in the parking lot after we were done. They too had a very cute little daughter "musume" named Umi who is kindergarten "yochien". Maggie is from Shanghai,China and works for a company that makes sun roofs for cars. She speaks 4 languages and is very straight forward. I told CJ he could use her at Graco KK and I too felt like I perhaps met my twin sister from a different mother :-). Taru works for a shipping "fune" company. Maggie also has a sister in Shanghai and I wil be going there for a week with CJ come early September and so she said she could hook me up with her sister and she could possibly take me around? So who knows who one you will meet at Costco? We swapped business cards and Emails and she wants to get together this Wednesday "sui-yoobi"as this is her vacation "yasumi" week off of work. She asked me to meet her at Yokohama station and to go shopping "shoppingu" with her. So I might, even thought I told her I can't buy anything here because I am too BIG. She said, "Oh but you have to come, the sales "seru" are on till August 18th and everything is so cheap "Yasui" "You can buy a bag or something"? :-)
So we bid them farewell "wakare" and walked back to get on the train with our load of bulk items. They offered "hikiukeru" to take us to the RR station, but CJ said, "He was fine since he had his pack mule with him". I am SO GLAD I brought my two big cloth beach bags to haul stuff home in.
Back home and pooped from another very long day of walking. We made salad "sarada" to go with our pizzas and did they ever hit the spot. Um Um Good !! Watched "miro" a bit of Olympics coverage and judo but still don't know what is really going on with all the other countries. Can someone clue me in? Showered and to bed so we will be ready for Tokyo tomorrow.
May Peace "heiwa" Prevail "katsu" on Earth "chikyu" .................On a sign "kanban" outside "soto" Shinto Shrine
Karla and CJ
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