Things that have been going on...
snowboarding.. lots and lots of snowboarding. I mean, in no way do you think this should imply that I am really good at this point. I get down the hill ok...most of the time. But it's really fun and gets me outdoors (hence out of the indoor cold depression/blues) so I've been going about every chance I have. Not to make all you snowbums jealous but I've prob been between 10-12 times already... yea..this is the place for you guys.. cheap tickets during the day for pure powder and pretty empty slopes and then following it up with outside hot springs and big dinners.. ii na!
another issue of jealousy.. IM GOING TO RED SOX! how you ask? Tokyo Dome! March 22nd! Its gonna be a trip..ill let you know how it is.
weekends have been a bit less epic..snowboarding all the time cuts down on crazy adventures to places..but here were a couple of good ones:
Naked Man Run.. ok they weren't entirely naked, they were wearing tiny fundoshis (traditional Japanese underwear), but it was 5 am and freezing cold. It was a traditional festival in a nearby town. There are two teams. They first run to somewhere to pray to the gods. Then run back to the hot springs, onsen, (which are divided into two different sides). Each man, equipped with a wooden bucket, runs back and forth from the onsen to the main stage throw water on the opposing team, and then back to the onsen. At the end, each team tried to break large balls hanging in the air. When they did, confetti and the occasional chicken fell out. it was a bit of a surprise to say the least. Anyway, good times had all around (well, possibly not for the chickens and a reporter who was taking a watery beating for his "in the action" reporting).
The Opening Ceremony
Running...
Sake at 5am
A Reporter
Cross country ski relay... so the kids in my town start cross country skiing at grade 1. Literally, each school, from elementary to high school, owns a snow mobile to be used for making cross country ski tracks in the playgrounds/track when winter comes. A couple of weeks ago the junior high had a school wide relay. Fun, but humbling as soon as I gave it a go.. its waay harder than it looks!
Opening Ceremony
The Starting Line
The Fans
... and silliness ensues with the ever-popular green glasses...
... oh yea.. the one on the right is a teacher.
Tokyo/Yokohama.. visited the big city with a friend. We ice skated, went to chinatown, did some purikura, bought some shoes, saw some big ferris wheels.
Shibuya.. yes its as fun to be there as it is to say
Yokohama
Skating.. it had been a while but i managed not to fall (ok.. lie.. at least not to take out many people when i did fall)
Playing in fun lights
big ferris wheel
Purikura.. look it up, its mind blowing.
Chinatown + Pandas
new kicks.
AND THE BIG NEWS!! I have decided to stay a second year in Katashina!! It was difficult, of course, with such amazing friends/family waiting at home, and a desire to start a "real life job", but 1 year is not enough in Japan. There is soooo much more to explore, Japanese to learn, teaching to be improved, friends to make, etc... Although the wintery blues set in from time to time (ski resorts close in mid-May here.. snow won't be totally gone until June), I am really happy here and enjoying my ongoing adventure. I will be back in August for two weeks and hope to pack in that time with seeing as many amazing faces as I can. I miss you all soo much!!
So thats the news for now... im off to the onsens for a night time dip...
