My Name is Kebin - part 三 (san)

After dinner we headed off to find the lights. The atmosphere outside had changed. There had been an almost party like mood in the air when we had entered the restaurant.
The rock band that had been performing an impromptu concert on a street corner was now cleaning up their equipment. The crowds of people were drifting like the tide to the other side of the station. We retraced out path, minus the uncertainty and map checking, this brought us back to the station where we would set forth to find the illuminare.

I am not sure how we managed to do it, but we managed to once again be unsure of where we were going. I would love to say that we simply followed the crowds but that was difficult because it was all one big crowd that seemed to be moving everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. There were giant signs that pointed the way and we managed to follow the arrows that signaled the direction. Thank goodness for wordless communication. There was only one real time where we were afraid that we might be going the wrong direction and that was the point where we could not tell where the arrow was pointing. There were two of them and we could not tell if they were directing us to go further down the street or if we were supposed to make a left at a side street. It is a good thing that we continued on straight because all became clear a few moments later when we saw the cattle run.

That truly is the best and only way to describe what we were being driven towards. There were two large fences that pulled the crowd into a nice big line. We were being herded forward like cattle to the train. The fences wound their way through the city streets leading us ever forward. We merged in with the rest of the crowd and began the forward progress. We trekked and trudged along the street in a never-ending river of people. The current of people moved along the path with a friendly demeanor and a pleasant pace. Logan started the journey walking and soon moved to a piggy-back ride because of all of the people. We began to wonder if we would ever make it to the advertised lights when Logan made his announcement.

“I have to go to the bathroom.” He stated as matter of factly as possible. What were we to do? He we were half way along a unidirectional path with no bathroom options until we get closer to the end. “Amazing,” I thought to my self. “Down town, big city, stores lining both sides of the streets, and we can’t get to any of them.” Yes the fence that helped mark the walking path also kept us hemmed in and would not let us out. But that was not the only detractor from visiting the stores that flanked us on each side. The real reason we could not sneak in and use the facilities was that most all of the stores were closed at this late hour of 8:30 in the evening. We continued on in the one direction we could move. Go with the flow was all I could think of at this point, with Logan reminding us that he had to pee every thirty seconds. We finally spotted a department store still open to business at this late hour and decided that it would be our best option. This is when we were confronted with two obstacles to overcome. The first was the chest high fence that contained the crowd and provided us with direction in our walk. The other was the myriad of police officers who were watching the crowd and making sure that there was law and order to accompany that direction. Would we be able to find a way to the other side of that fence that did not involve climbing over it? Would the police officers help us find our way around the fence, and more importantly would they let us rejoin the crowd or would they send us back to the beginning to have to start the long walk all over.

We found a link in the fence and saw that the whole section was on wheels. We began to move the fence to the side a bit in order to sneak through. The officer shot us a glance but when I pointed at Logan and said, “toilet” he waved us on through. We wandered over to the department store and promptly found a bathroom for Logan to use. I was going to go too, but found myself unable to. The reason being that this was a woman’s store and there was no men’s room for me to use. I would just have to hold it. Logan and Jenny came out of the restroom and we headed off to try and rejoin the crush.

We walked back to the same spot we exited from. I began to worry. Would the officer remember the big two-meter giant, his beautiful gaijin wife and his cute darling son? What if he sent us back tot he beginning of the track and we had to start all over. Would all this be worth it? My worry turned out to be all for naught. The police man came over and helped open the gate for us and we soon found ourselves moving along with the human current.

It was not far from the department store to the lights. With in two or three blocks we began to see the lights. The closer we got to them the more impressive them became. We saw that the millions of colored bulbs were arranged in intricate patterns creating a mosaic of light. The entirety formed a tunnel that we walked through. It was magestic and fantastic. It was amazing to walk through these giant arches of lights. We continued along walking through the lights until we came to the end of the tunnel. We then followed the crowd to the next area of illumination. There was a giant park in the city center that was now corralled by lights. They formed a giant uncovered gazebo where people congregated and admired the lights. In the center of this pavilion was another gazebo, this one covered, again created entirely from lights. We were in awe of the lights. They were truly beautiful and it capped off the night perfectly. We wandered around the area looking at the lights and the people for a time.

Then it was off to the train station to return home. We kept our eyes open for a cake shop to get some desert and a cup of coffee or tea before getting on the train but we had no luck. Every time we saw a cake shop it was either closed or closing. We might have been tempted to go into one that was closing but the selection of cake was limited. We did however find a nice alternative to cake at the station. As we were walking to find the ticket machine we happened upon a waffle shop. We bought a half dozen Belgian waffles that were about the size of a donut.

We headed to the train and were able to find a seat on the next homeward bound train. We sat in our seats, ate our waffles and drank our hot bottles of tea we bought from a vending machine. We made it home from the lights and steak in Kobe. What a fantastic night. We saw an amazing array of lights, and had one of the top steak experiences in the world all in one evening. There was definitely a sense of accomplishment as we crossed it off the list before we headed off to bed that night.

Number 163: eat steak in Kobe. Done.


Just to note this all took place in late December, even before Christmas. Sorry about the delay and wait. We have also posted a ton of new pictures on the photo site. -kevin

My Name is Kebin - part 二 (ni)

We arrived in Kobe about dinnertime. All we had to do was to find the restaurant our trust ol’ guidebook recommended and we would be all set for a nice steak dinner. We wandered around the area of the restaurant, our eyes alternated between our map, compass, and the various signs trying vainly to get a clue. It was then that we heard the voice. “Excuse me, where are you trying to go?” We were so engrossed in studying our map we did not notice the middle aged man approach us. We showed him our map and he attempted to give us directions. He turned the map this way and that. Pointing at various street signs. It was then that he realized that any directions he might give would perhaps be in vain as we might find our selves once again lost in an unfamiliar city. He simply said, “Follow me.” We walked down the street as this very kind man showed us right to the door of the restaurant. He took time from his day and went out of his way to help us. The restaurant was not far from where he encountered us but I would say that he truly went “the extra mile.”

The restaurant was dimly lit and had the feel of a small pub. The walls were dark wood and darker brick. A row of sturdy wood tables sat next to the wall. Between the tables and the kitchen was a high bar counter with stools lined up along its length. We took a seat at one of the three tables along the wall. The menu was tacked up on the wall above the bar and we took a moment to read it over. There was a vast array of four choices. There were two different cuts of steak and we could order as a meal set or a-la-carte. The price for eating Kobe beef ranged from about fifty dollars to around one hundred bucks. As I mentioned Kobe is famous the world round for its beef. And famous beef ain’t cheap.

The restaurant may not have seemed like it was much of an establishment when we first entered but I am glad we chose it. The full experience of the meal was well worth the price. It was fun because only the bar separated the eating area and the kitchen we were able to view them as they cooked our food. One of the two employees came over to our table and we place our order. Jenny and I both ordered steak, which came with a salad. We also ordered a side of garlic rice and of course beer to drink for me, tea for Jenny, and juice for Logan.

They began by preparing our salad, which was fixed in the standard way of placing the ingredients in a bowl and tossing to coat them with the dressing. Then the real fun started. They began to cook the steak. They pulled two large thick steaks out of the refrigerator and placed them onto two metal skewers. The skewers of meat were then placed over a charcoal brazier that was located next to the stove and allowed to cook. After the steak had cooked for a time they began to prepare our plates. The plates were cast iron steak plates. The chef placed them onto the burner of the stove and allowed the plates to heat up. It was amazing to watch the plates heat to a glowing red. Once the plate was hot the cook placed some slices of garlic and onion and about five nice big fried potato wedges onto the plate. Then the steak was placed on the plate. More onions and garlic were loaded on top. This is when the fun started. The chef reached above the bar and brought down a big bottle of sherry or port and began to pour it all over the steaks. The moment the alcohol hit the scalding hot plates it ignited. The flames towered up into the range hood.

The plates were then brought to our table. We tied on our paper bibs that protected our clothes from the grease that spattered off the still hot plates. I could hear the meat and onions sizzle on the plate as they continued to cook. Our food was a perfect example of a steak cooked rare. The center of the steak was a shining crimson red that moved to a soft muted pink on the outer edge. The outside of the steak was perfectly seared, a crisp coating to the brown edged meat. I must say that it tasted as good as it looked. The meat was tender and juicy. Jenny and I each gave Logan a slice of ours to eat. He got meat from the edge that was closer to being well done. I am not sure why but he claimed to like the potatoes better. We clapped our hand together, said “itadakimasu,” picked up our chopsticks, and began to eat. As we did so the meat and veggies continued to cook on the plate. The steak progressed through the stages of being rare ending up at medium. The onions lost their crunch and sweetened to the point of being a great accompaniment to the meat. Each bite was as good as the previous.

My Name is Kebin - part 一 (ichi)

You know the kind of guy whose head sticks up above the crowd and then wonders why no one sits by him on the train. You know; the kind of guy who points at the pictures on the menu rather than using the words. That was me. Every time something fun happened to me, something boring was always waiting around the corner. Excitement. That’s when I realized I had to change. So, I made a list of everything fun I’ve ever wanted to do in Japan and one by one I’m gonna cross them off my list. I’m just trying to have a funner life. My name is Kebin.

Number 163: eat steak in Kobe.

About ten years ago an earthquake devastated the city of Kobe. The event scarred and transformed the city. The city holds an annual remembrance in memorial of all those who lost their lives. The downtown area is transformed into a festival of lights. Last year we missed the illumination.

This year we decided to visit the city and view the lights. We also wanted to cross eat steak in Kobe off our list of things to do in Japan. We want to do as much as we can here in Japan before we head back to the states and one item on the list is eating world famous Kobe beef. Here was an opportunity to use one stone and kill two birds.

We left after I got off of work on a Friday afternoon. I rode straight from school to the train station, making the fifteen-minute bike ride in about seven. The trip to Kobe should have taken about two hours and would have if it had not been for the over powering smell of cologne man. We were riding the rails around rush hour and when we boarded in Omihachiman the train was already crowded and after a few stops we managed to get a seat to rest our body on. The stretch between Kyoto and Osaka is usually a tranquil area with few passengers and fewer stops. It was not true on this day and the train was relatively full. We were unfortunate enough to have a gentleman sit down near us who must have fallen into a vat of Old Spice. He reeked of cologne. There was little we could do. There were no seats available to move to. Our choice was to remain in our seat or get up and stand. It was a difficult choice because even if we moved there was no guarantee that we would be able to move far enough from the man to avoid the smell. We chose to remain in our seat. The smell grew stronger and stronger gradually overpowering everything else. Jenny made a comment about how she was beginning to get nauseas from the smell. I guess that Logan must have been feeling the same way because a few moments later his face turned green and he lost his lunch all over the front of Jenny’s coat. Well at least he would be hungry for dinner now.

Fighting the Forces of Evil with Soy pt. 2

With the forces of evil vanquished from our home and good luck welcomed in it was time to head off to Kyoto. Last year we had the awesome opportunity of watching geisha perform their traditional dances. As much as we wanted to return and witness this rare spectacle again we knew we must view something new. After the cultural experience at the international center we headed off to find Rozan-ji, a small shrine near the former imperial palace. We decided to visit as an afterthought. Sort of a, “Well we better just max out the day. We are going to Kyoto anyway. Once in a lifetime opportunity after all.” rationalization. We worried that we might be too late because we overshot the shrine and had walked too far. We took a shortcut through a temple complex. Here we were three strangers in a strange temple sneaking through the alleys and paths of this place in search of a specific shrine. I must admit I was nervous that someone would come out of a building and discover us. Then I imagined we would be escorted back to where we entered and given the old heave-ho. We came out of the entrance to the temple and lo and behold to our left we could see the crowd that signaled our destination. Much like when looking for pirate treasure X marks the spot; in Japan X-tremely large gatherings of people marks the spot.

We strolled up to the gate leading into the shrine and mashed our way into the crowd. Last year we got to the shrine we visited nice and early. We found a wonderful spot to view the dancing geishas. This year we found ourselves at the back of the crowd on the outside of an open doorway. We could barely see into the shrine. We feared we might be unable to see the show. We had read that this would be a particularly entertaining event. There would be men dressed in giant oni costumes dancing on a stage. We would be seeing three demons dance while carrying weapons in their hands. The Black demon wielding a sword represented greed. The green devil brandishing an ax is the personification of anger. And the red oni with hammer and a flaming torch symbolized discontent.


It turned out that we were just in time. Soon after we arrived the crowd began to push its way farther into the interior of the shrine. I prepared the camera and Jenny popped Logan up onto her back so he could see over the crowd. We then heard the drums begin to beat and the music began to play. It was not long before the first of the giant oni came out to perform their dance. It looked like a giant stuffed toy. It was a cross between a toy and a poorly made theater fat suit. Hardly the horrid, frightening image I had in my mind. Still it was fun. When the oni had completed their dance then it was once again time for the beans to be thrown. About six or so people came out and began to throw beans.
I count myself lucky that we were not seriously injured. The projectiles launched at us were not the same as the beans Logan and I threw this morning. Now here were the magic missiles that I had been expecting. Every one that bounced off my coat or my unprotected head stung. These beans were covered in a thick sugar coating and colored pink and white. We tried to catch them as doing so is considered lucky, but every one that we caught slipped through the fingers of our gloves onto the wet ground.
We ended up purchasing a full bag of them. When we did have an opportunity to try them they were not what I expected. Judging by their size I was expecting something similar to an almond M&M. It had more in common, however, with a gobstopper. The sugar coating was hard as a rock and thick as… well let’s just figure it was all rock hard sugar candy. I am a bit worried about the luck we ushered into our lives. Once the oni did take the stage the batteries on my camera died and I had to scramble to replace them before it was all over. We finished with a walk through the imperial palace garden park on our way back to the subway. Then it was back to Kyoto Station were we grabbed a few of the only variety of beer we can not find here in Omihachiman, root beer, before we headed home.

Fighting the Forces of Evil with Soy pt. 1

Who knew having a three year old pelt you with roasted soy beans while screaming, “Demons out. Good Luck in” could be so much fun. We celebrated the holiday of setsubun with a flair that can only be described as Kevin style. We also enjoyed it in the true Japanese style, but more about that later.

Setsubun marks the traditional first day of spring. The focus of the day is driving out of evil spirits called oni. If the oni are driven out of the home it allows good luck to enter. Now with all my experience watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and playing video games I would have thought a big crucifix and a sharp sword would be the weapons of choice, failing that maybe a sawed off shotgun and a vial of holy water. Imagine my consternation when the weapon I was handed was a small packet of roasted soybeans. I scrutinized the package. “Are they magic beans?” I asked. “No, they are made in a factory,” was the reply. So I am to fight the forces of evil with soy nuts. I couldn’t help but wonder if Flamin’ Hot BBQ flavor might not be a better choice. I imagined the demons bursting into flames from the spicy hot flavor. Then again maybe cool ranch might be more effective against the fiery hoards of Hell. Okay maybe I am getting too imaginative with my description. Setsubun is less about fighting evil and more about filling your home with good luck.

In the morning, just like last year I played the part of the oni. Logan was to be armed with the magic soy nuts. First we had to locate the holy beans. As it always seems to happen when faced with apocalyptic evil the special weapon was nowhere to be found. After searching the cupboard by dragging everything out onto the table we did what anyone else would do. We dredged the depths of the freezer. The beans were nowhere to be found. I should have thought to look under the packet of dried seaweed on the top shelf of the cupboard because the beans were strategically hidden underneath it. I had thought to look with the other holy snack food armaments but not under the seaweed on the top shelf.

Logan insisted on wearing the oni mask he made at school. So we ended up with a demon vs. demon grudge match. Logan threw beans wearing his paper oni mask with eyelashes. I wore the plastic mask with no eyelashes that we bought last year. Apparently it was very important to Logan that his oni have eyelashes. We threw beans at each other chanting, “Oni wa soto. Fuku wa uchi.”

Beans bounced around the room. When the cup was empty it was time to eat. We each had to eat beans equal to our age plus one for good luck. I ate my thirty-four, Jenny ate her twenty-six, and Logan must have eaten two hundred one. Well he started with four and kept eating and eating.
to be continued...

I Hate Monday but Sunday was Kinda Fun

Well another Monday is over. Tuesday here we come. We had a fun weekend. It was setsubun yesterday and we had an exciting full day yesterday. We had two adventures yesterday and I will take a moment to tell about one of them. Yesterday the Kyoto International Center hosted a Japanese cultural fair. We headed off to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the country in which we live. We were able to try our hand at writing kanji with a brush and various other things. I was unsuccessful at guessing the correct incense smell in the incense game. I though that Jenny would do better at it but she talked me into doing it. Jenny also almost tried on a kimono but the line was quite long and she figured that if she wanted she could wear hers around the house. Our favorite activity that we tried was the tea ceremony. It was fun mixing the matcha tea with the little bamboo whisk. Logan had a great time helping me. Most of the people were surprised to discover that Logan loves the taste of the strongest of the green teas. From the very beginning of our time here Logan has been a big fan of the flavor of matcha tea. Any time we get ice cream he always wants green tea flavor. Yesterday he and I worked together to mix and drink the tea. I took a little sip after giving the tea bowl the requisite quarter turn in a clockwise direction. Then Logan took a large quaff of tea. The hosts of the area were very shocked to see him enjoy the frothy thick tea. When he exclaimed in a very loud voice, "Oishiiiii!!" (delicious) they began to laugh with excitement. We finished the tea and Logan tried to drain the last few drops from the bowls. He came close to trying to lick the bottom of the bowl. I laughed because the hosts were afraid that the tea would be too bitter for him. It was only a small part of our day but it was fun. I will tell more about it later.

Hiking

Today was the day of my elementary school visit. I enjoy my weekly visits to the little schools and their pint sized inhabitants. I am still a K-6 teacher at heart, and while I enjoy teaching the middle school students Monday through Thursday, it is Friday that I look forward to. I am given the opportunity to play games and really be myself. After the fun commute last week I was expecting another morning of rotten weather. I was pleasantly surprised when I looked outside to see peaceful and soft snowflakes drifting down towards the ground.

I could tell that it was plenty cold outside so I began to bundle up. I suppose that one nice thing about not having central heating or insulation in the walls is that it is plenty easy to tell how cold it is outside. When I finally did fire up the ol' kerosene heater this morning the thermostat read a chilly eight degrees and if the temperature inside was eight after a night of having the heat turned off, the temperature outside would be even lower. I pulled on an extra sweater and headed off for Shima Elementary School.

Last week I had to travel about twenty minutes to get to the school I was visiting. Today the school I was heading to is the farthest I am willing to travel by myself. I figure that a half hour bike ride is about the limit of my willingness to commute by bicycle. I hopped on my bike and began to ride. It is a pleasant ride through the briskly cold morning, and I was glad that I wore the extra layer. Thirty minutes later I was approaching the school. I noticed a softness to the rear tire as I was nearing the entrance. The security guard met me at the gate and helped me find a place to park my bike. I confirmed that the tire was low as I parked my bike under the eaves of the school. I hoped for the best and headed off to teach the morning away.

I had fun teaching the third grade though sixth. The fifth and sixth graders were working on the months of the year. We made a month mini-book and identified our birthdays. In third and fourth grades we practiced colors and I read the book "Green Eggs and Ham." I ate lunch with the third grade students in their classroom. We had soup, rice, salad and fried fish. I thought that the fish was so-so, but many of the students told me that they did not like it. We also had a small packet of roasted soy beans in celebration of setsubun.

My heart sank when I left for the afternoon. When I went into school in the morning I noticed that the rear tire of my bike was low, but now it was completely flat. Here I was clear out by the lake and I would have to walk home. I began to hike. I figure that it must have been close to four or five miles home. The silver lining is that not only did I bundle up this morning but now it turned out to be fairly nice for a cold winter day.

I started walking and about an hour later I found myself at home. A pleasant day of teaching and a nice long walk all on the same day. The only thing that would have made my walk better is if I did not have to drag my old granny bike (mama-chari) along with me.

As I am sure that you have noticed I have figured out how to embed links in the post. A few people have mentioned that they were curious about my infatuation with the character of tanuki. I have included a link to an article here.. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!