School Intros and Okazaki Castle

Trying to play catch-up!  We'll see how far I get tonight!  Warning: first part is about work and is boring.  If you're in it for the fun stuff, crtl+f "SKIP TO HERE"


Wednesday I had plans to go to Nagoya with some people, but they had to be put aside because my IC texted me on Tuesday (when we were having a horrible typhoon-like storm) and told me that we'd would be going to introduce me at my schools.  Okay, then.  So I got up, put some fancy clothes, on, and met my IC.  We started out at my first school, which I'll be visiting only two days a week. 


KJHS - We got there a bit early, so we waited in the car so we only walked into the school ten minutes early instead of the twenty early when we arrived.  It was rather cold in the school, and after being offered guest slippers, we were ushered into the office with the office ladies, who were nice and gave us tea.  The assistant principal (Kyoto-sensei) and principal (Kocho-sensei) met me there, and we followed them upstairs into the meeting room, which had all of the teachers in it (really, not that many - two dozen, maybe?).  They had everyone look at me and I gave a SUPER-BRIEF intro of myself in Japanese: 'Hi, my name is Katrina.  I studied Japanese and English at Ohio State University.'  Kocho-sensei and Kyoto-sensei (who are referred to by their titles, btw, those aren't their names) were visibly relieved that I could speak Japanese.  My IC went through an introduction of my education and skills, then we left the room.  They seemed to think I was cute or something for the Japanese, so that's good.  :>  


Back downstairs, the secretary took us around on a mini-tour, showing me my shoebox, locker, and desk (which are all labeled with my name in katakana).  She showed me the kitchen-ish area with a fridge and water heaters (for tea) and encouraged me to bring in my own mug.  She asked if I'd be eating the school lunch, and I apologized and my IC explained that I was a vegetarian.  The secretary lady nodded understandingly, saying "There are a lot of those overseas, aren't there!"  She showed me the teacher's bathroom... which is Asian-style only. <____<  It's an old building, but le sigh.  I guess there's no helping it.


We left after only about 20 minutes total, which made us really early for our next appointment, but we drove over there anyway.


OJHS - As we were waiting in the car, we watched the baseball club (everything is a 'club' even sports teams) working on the field, maintaining it, before starting their practice in the rain.  I was impressed.  About ten minutes before our appointment time, we walked into the school and were shown by the secretary where to put our shoes (guests get shoe boxes with an associated pair of slippers), put on our slippers, and were shown into the office, where we were given tea.  We waited around a bit and every once in a while the secretary attempted small-talk.  It was awkward, but he meant well.  This school is really new - four or five years - but was still cold.  T_T#


When the teachers got out of their meeting, the Kocho-sensei and Kyoto-sensei came in and we were shown to the Kocho-sensei's office (where more tea was brought).  So it was the four of us and this guy... I have NO IDEA who he was or why he was there!  It was REALLY AWKWARDDDD.  Business cards were exchanged.  Kocho-sensei basically said 'lol I can't speak English at all, so I'll leave it all to Kyoto-sensei here.'  Kyoto-sensei is also head of the English department, but is new to the school, so that's a bit weird because he's still getting his sea legs with middle school (he was high school before).  We drank tea and Kyoto-sensei talked to me in English.  Then we left and I was shown my desk briefly.


While we were changing our shoes, the baseball team was collecting in front of the school, waiting for a couple of their fellows who had dashed in for a moment.  I wasn't expecting to encounter students.  o.o  Kyoto-sensei went outside and they all greeted him.  One of the English teachers, who had talked to me while we were waiting for Kocho- and Koyto-sensei tried to encourage them to speak instead of just staring at me.  Some of them said 'hi' and I said 'Hello!' rather uncomfortably.  Ugh.  Great first impression.  Then Kyoto-sensei showed me where to park my car and we left.


In the car, my IC explained that the fifth person in the room had been her teacher in middle school and he was the orchestra director or whatever who got her started with cello.  Which didn't explain why he was there in the room.  O_o


She dropped me off at my apartment for lunch, then came back to take me to introduce to the Board of Education.  We went to city hall and apparently our appointments had been confused somewhere along the line - the BoE guys didn't think we were supposed to meet them until 2, instead of 1:30... or something.  So they came in late and didn't stay long.  Business cards were exchanged, some words were spoken (in Japanese) and that was about it.  Work over.


It was early, so I decided to try to adventure to the mall, and invited Nicola.  I got lost going to Hamamatsu, but for some reason though going back would be easier.  No.  I finally got to the castle, where I was to rendez-vouz with Nicola and we started out for the mall.  That didn't go well.  We got lost fairly fast and her crazy GPS eventually got us on track (even though it said 'Turn left' when it showed that we needed to turn right).  We bumbled around the mall and bought sweaters for school and I scored some awesome samurai sword chopsticks (Maeda Keiji and Sanada Yukimura) and a mug with the faces and names of a bunch of famous Sengoku-jidai people.  Dinner at the mall didn't look promising, so we started back.  It took far too long to get back, but in our lost-ness we found a kaiten-zushi place!


Kaiten-zushi is a place where a conveyor-belt conveys various kinds of sushi around the shop (This one was called Kappa-zushi and I got the feeling it's a chain).  You select a plate and pay according to the color of the plate (most plates at this place were 105yen).  If you ordered something fresh, they would send it out on a little shinkansen (bullet train) which came down the middle.  SUPER CUTE.  Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera.  The oddest one I tried was sushi rice with corn in a bit of mayo on top (what IS it with Japanese and corn and mayo?!) and the oddest one Nicola had was sushi rice with little hamburgers on top!  She alleged that these were very yummy and got them twice!  After dinner, we made our way to Hamamatsu station.  This was a bit difficult and I was getting more and more concerned about my ability to make my way home.


Sure enough, it took me two hours to make a 45-minute trip.  I tried to follow the way back that should have worked (my IC told me you should be able to just 'go straight' from Hamamatsu station all the way to Kosai!), but no.  After a long while and signs that were telling me I was in the way wrong place (north, when I needed to be in the west), I stopped at a Circle K and got directions from a helpful customer.  //orz  From that point I managed to take one route waaaay around and get on the bypass (I knew which exit to get off because my IC took the bypass when she drove me to Kosai the first time) but I must have messed up shortly thereafter.  I'm lucky I live so close to the city hall, so I might not have been able to find my way back.  Eventually, I was able to follow signs based on train station names I remembered we in the correct direction, found signs for Kosai, and then the city hall.  It was awful.  I was horribly stressed and headache-y when I got home and went to bed shortly thereafter.  Oh, after a chat with my host mother.  :>  She called me about my getting to the wedding on Sunday (her son's wedding).


THURSDAY, however, was AWESOME!  Picture time!  For those who skipped the boring stuff, STOP SKIPPING NOW! [SKIP TO HERE]


Nicola met me at my train station Thursday morning and we continued to eastern Okazaki City, where we went to a nifty old shrine called Rokusho Jinjya.  This was an important shrine to the family of Tokugawa Ieaysu, who was born nearby in the castle.  I didn't take many pictures because I took a bunch when I visited two years ago, but it was nice to see it again.  It's a very pretty red color.  People were in the midst of cleaning, which sort of ruined to aged mystique that shrines get to them, but it was still nice.  There was a guy sweeping the fallen leaves off the gravel.  It worked amazingly well.  He must have a light, practiced touch.

Entry to Rokusho Shrine.  It's at the top of some REALLY STEEP stairs, making it hard to get a picture of the whole gate. :I

Some of the beautiful painted artwork on the outside of the main building.

As is says, handstamp of Ieyasu.  My hands are a little bit smaller, but Nicola's are the same size.

Along the side of the main shrine building.

Next we tried to see if the Okazaki Animate was open, but it wasn't.  :<  Not sure if they don't open until 11 instead of 10, or if they were closed for the day for some reason.  We went to the river and walked along it, admiring the sakura.  There was a moment of concern in which we saw a cardboard box floating down the river and we wondered if there was anything in it, but as it floated closer to shore, we could see that it was empty.  The old ladies strolling behind us were concerned too, but came to the same conclusion we had.


In case someone doesn't understand my obsession and all the pictures of the flowers, I feel compelled to explain that I have been dreaming of seeing these flowers for almost ten years.  They're unpredictable and fussy and it can be difficult to be in the right area at the tight time.  I'm really lucky to be able to get around and see them in lots of locations this year!

The lantern says 'Okazaki Yozakura' (remember, that means cherry blossoms at night)

You can see people strolling along the opposite bank.

As we got closer to the castle, it became evident that there was a festival of some sort going on - the other side of the shore near the castle and park was lined with colorful food stands selling all kinds of festival food!  We crossed the bridge along with a man who decided to chat with us, beginning with "I'm from Australia?" which meant he was asking if we were Australian.  He must have heard Nicola's accent and mistaken it.  We clarified and chatted with him a bit, then sort of lost him in the crowd on the bridge.  It was sweet of him to tell us to enjoy Japan.  ^_^

Food stalls on the other side of the river.

We were there early in the day and it wasn't very crowded yet, which was lucky!  Stalls like this are called 'yomise' or 'night shops' because they usually only pop up at festivals - many of which are in the evenings.

We wandered slowly up and down the rows of stalls, looking at everything and taking pictures.  There was a man who kept popping up (at least three of the shops!) and talking to us.  I was telling Nicola she should try scooping goldfish, since she wanted to so badly, and the man popped up (for the first time!) telling us they were all you could eat (in Japanese - I don't know if he expected us to understand or not).  We kept walking and he appeared at another goldfish stand, which he appeared to be running.  He called out to us again, and I asked if they were all you can eat, but he said 'No, all you can fry!'  After more meandering, we saw him again!  He commented that we sure were making the rounds and we should get one of his chocolate-covered bananas, which were very colorful and decorated.  We declined, and moved on.  We saw him again when we passed back by him after exploring a dead-end and he wanted to talk again- asking what we were doing in Japan, complementing me on my Japanese, and telling us fun things to do at the castle... and that we should buy a banana.  I actually meant to go back and get one later (I had eaten too much sweet stuff already, I told him!) but we didn't make it back his way before leaving.

Some of the crazy bananas (not at the shop run by our friend)

More bananas.

Goldfish for scooping.  You pay for a small, flat, paper 'scoop' which you use to catch the fish and put them in a bowl.  You go until your scoop breaks and you get to keep the fish.  The large ones are entirely unrealistic for catching and are mostly there for show and to lure suckers.  I tried this game in Kyoto and caught 8 fish - pretty darn good for a beginner!  Then I put them back because I wasn't able to take them home.

The sweet stuff I ate:

Taiyaki - I finally took a picture!  This fish-shaped pancake was filled with caramel.  <3 

Odango are balls of sweet mochi.  This three-colored style is called 'Hanami Dango'  We got the normal size, but they had massive ones where the balls were about this size of my hands clasped together!  O_O

It took us quite a while to actually get to the castle because we were enjoying the food stalls and flowers too much!  

I miss my pets like carzy, so I've started taking pictures of other peoples'.

Bridge to the castle with sakura and lanterns.

Blue tarps associated with hanami and homeless people.

More other-people's-pets with a hint of orange. 

The castle is a reconstruction, but it's still interesting to go in and look at the artifacts, even though most of the signs are in Japanese.  Again, not many pictures because I was here two years ago and it's not like it really changes.  And pictures are prohibited in most areas of the castle.  

Okazaki Castle.

We did take turns being Tokugawa Ieyasu and Honda Tadakatsu, though.

Nicola as Honda Tadakatsu.

Me as the brogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

View from the top of the castle.

Before going to the museum, we went to the gift shop, which was a mistake.  XD  SO MUCH COOL STUFF for a Sengoku-jidai nerd like me and a general nerd like Nicola.  ^o^/  I ended up buying a Tokugawa Ieayasu shirt (with his crest and the years he lived - I wanted Sanada Yukimura and Maeda Keiji... NEXT TIME) and an sword-umbrella with assorted crests on it (because I couldn't decide on a single crest umbrella) and some postcards.  I wanted sooo much more stuff, but had to limit it.  I asked the sales lady about the Bushotai - an acting group of young, fairly good-looking men who dress like the historic figures and mock-battle or dance or something (capitalizing on the influx of Sengoku popularity), but they were out of town for the day, performing in Nagoya, but you had to have tickets in advance to see the show.  DARN.  I'll have to go back. <_< (and buy ALL THE THINGS)


It turns out that the whole first half of the month is the Cherry Blossom Festival (sakura matsuri) with lots of special events on the 8th, which I'd love to go back for, but I'm otherwise engaged.  :I


In the museum, we wandered around, trying to pay attention, but it's hard when you can't read anything.  They gave us a booklet in English which was actually the most comprehensive translation I've ever been offered at any given location (except maybe the Iga ninja village where they had pull-down signs in English), but it was hard to figure out the order in which things were in the book if you didn't follow a prescribed path (which isn't marked).  Nicola tried on the kabuto (hemets) and played with the sword.  I didn't because I was forced to do this during my last visit, so I already have pictures of it.

Tally ho!

Nicola and I enjoyed some okomiyaki with yakisoba in it for lunch.  We sat by the river and enjoyed our lunch and the general atmosphere (and the availability of trash cans - something which are almost impossible to find in public in Japan!)

Making our lunches!  I got one without meat and Nicola got one with.  It was really yummy (except for the burned part I had inside mine) and hot and I couldn't eat it all!

Attempt at a self-taken picture, trying to get the sakura in the background.  It could have been worse.  At least Nicola looks good.

Then we made our way back to the station and caught a train into Nagoya, where we went into the big department store at the station to look around for a while, then searched for Animate.  I knew it was in the immediate vicinity of the station, but I guess we went out the wrong door or something, because we had to walk a ways before we found it.  I bought the new CosMODE (which I submitted my picture to, but I wasn't in it, nor where any of my friends) and some Basara postcards.  I set up an Animate point card.  I hope I never have enough points to make it work my while, but it's not like it takes anything to sign up and I feel more legit having it in my wallet.


Unfortunately, it was getting late, so we just got back on the train and headed home.  Next time, we'll spend more time in Nagoya and make it really worth the trip - see the castle, do more shopping.  Apparently, there's a fabric store (according to my host sister) so I'm intent on looking for that.


On my walk home from the station (which takes about 20-25 minutes if I'm walking at a good clip), I stopped at an Indian restaurant I spied because I was hungry and it sounded so yummy.  It was okay-tasting, but WAY over-priced!  1000yen for a small dish of chanamasala and naan?!  NEVER AGAINNN.  I expected a much larger serving than I got for what I was paying.

Over-priced Indian.  T_T##  Never going back.

Since I've got some time, I'll briefly go over what I did on Friday.  It's not very exciting.


- I wrote and mailed some postcards
- Went grocery shopping with school lunch in mind
- Decided to make tamagoyaki (fried egg - usually sweet and totally normal in packed lunches)
- Realized I had to go back to the store
- Bought sugar, salt, mirin, vegetable oil, and cooking sake
- Made tamagoyaki (it totally wasn't bad!)
- tried out my rice cooker
- packed a lunch to [today] as practice

Rice - the staple of any bento, (burned) tamagoyaki, cherry tomatoes, and some pasta salad I got at the store.

Today I went to see the Ohimesama Dochuu - Princess Road Procession.  It was cool and I took tons of pictures, but this is already a rather long entry, so I'll end it here.  Tomorrow, I'm going to Okazaki for the wedding of my host family's son (whom I have never met).  I'm looking forward to it!!