A student's life. (学生の生活。)

I have heard many things about the relative discomfort and aggravation of living the life of a student, particularly at the graduate level.

You're always under the supervision of an authority figure, for better or for worse. Your life is not necessarily your own (again, for better or for worse). Provided you're on a government scholarship funded by a recently slashed education budget and conducting some seriously cost-heavy observational research, you're embarrassingly poor and incredibly reluctant to buy anything not immediately relevant to your survival so that you can afford your books (which are clearly priced for top-level executives, and not the poor humble likes of we.)

But then again, at least in Japan...

You get this much food for 210 yen.

That, my friends, is a small bowl of rice, a hearty serving of miso soup, and a pile of tempura. All for me. All for 210 yen. (The tea is free. Ignore the tea. It is inconsequential.)

食堂 (shokudou; cafeteria) are far and away my favorite places to eat. Ever.

And then there's all the 学生割引 (gakusei waribiki; student discount) you find everywhere you look. Honestly, you can't swing a cat around Kyoto and not hit a place that offers some sort of discount for the academically inclined youth. It even got me a free service plan with au--all I pay for is data service, and even that's discounted thanks to an age-based service.

So really, being a student in Japan? It's not bad, my friends, not bad at all.

This is Edo, signing out only wishing that Japanese cafeterias were as close to her bedroom as the ones on her US college campus were.

I had a good reason?（ちゃんとした理由があった？)

Okay, okay, so skipping an entire month is a fundamental "no-no" in the unwritten rules of blogging, I admit. I could argue that, hey, of all the months to skip, at least I picked the short one, but of course I had to do so in a leap year... And then there's the fact that I didn't start up again until March was well underway, and...

Well. Suffice it to say that excuses won't get me far.

But! I did have a good reason.

Now, I didn't say anything before I had official papers in my hand, but waaay back in December, I was upgraded from "alternate" to "provisionally passed" on the MEXT research scholarship.

Unexpected? Yes, but please, you're not focusing on the right part here.

The right part is: WA-HEY! I GOT THE MEXT SCHOLARSHIP!

That's better.

While my consulate has never had a student be "provisionally passed" and then turned down due to a "rare circumstance," I am nothing if not excessively paranoid and thus I felt that celebrating too early would ensure my being the first to fall into that category. Thus, I did not inform you, my adoring public, promptly after being upgraded.

... now, admittedly, that doesn't explain why I didn't blog immediately after getting official confirmation in February... but this time, I can argue that I was busy. With stuff. I do stuff, you know.

And really, with my going back to Japan in a few weeks for two years minimum, I should wind up being a much more interesting blogger, in the long run, so really, this temporary lapse was really for the best for all parties concerned.

...don't think about it too hard, and that explanation solves everything. No, really, just move on, and it'll be fine.

Now, as I am still doing stuff (mainly reading voraciously and attempting to finish a warm and fuzzy scarf to keep me toasty in the non-desert), the step-by-step "Get the MEXT Research Scholarship" guide I was planning on writing will just have to wait. (I also have yet to be struck by inspiration for such a post--trust me, you don't want to force these things. My creative voice doesn't like being rushed, you know.) However, in the interim, I can direct any and all interested parties here, which is, I think, quite a good place to start if you're looking for such information. A good deal of my advice--all that can be done from outside of Japan at least--would essentially be a re-hash of what is stated within that series.

If you are applying for the 2013 scholarship, good luck. If you haven't started working on your application yet, I would recommend doing so--even just a rough draft of your proposal. Mine went through (approximately) 47,000 edits before I was finally satisfied enough to send it in, after all. Best to get a jump on these things.

This is Edo, signing off with her head full of various carry-on options.

Men on trains. (電車に乗る男。)

I really shouldn't start series like I did in that last post, because I know that I'll inevitably get bored with the idea long before its completion.

There's also the fact that this is not, contrary to popular belief, a BUCK-TICK fan blog, and I should try to remember that every now and again for the sake of my adoring audience.

Thus, we return, once again, to that old stand-by...

Movie Review!

... or, well, movie-summary-and-stream-of-consciousness-discussion, but that's about as close as you're ever going to get on this blog, quite frankly.

So what, I hear you cry, is the movie today?

電車男 (でんしゃおとこ, Train Man)


Let me preface this by saying that I really like this movie. I am thus biased, and therefore this will not, by any means, be a fair critique. If you want fancy-pants movie analysis where the thing is picked apart in a cinematic sense by an unbiased judge, you're reading the wrong blog.

If you want someone to briefly summarize and then discuss the possible (and probably idealistic) social ramifications, however, then Google has steered you right at last!

(This blog is not implying in any way shape or form that Google is an inferior search engine--quite the opposite, in fact--but merely trying for a cheap laugh. Please, oh hosting corporation of my blog, forgive me.)

電車男 was a manga, then a television drama, and finally, a movie. While I have not read the manga, I have seen a portion the drama, but my opinion was unfortunately colored by having seen the movie first--it's hard to sit through eleven episodes of something when you've just seen it all condensed into two hours.

Which is not to say that I will not, again, attempt to finish each and every episode. Someday.

BUT, that's not what we're here to discuss.

This movie is cute, makes you feel good, and generally leaves viewers with a positive outlook on life. Being the shallow cheerful type that I am, I tend to prefer movies that don't make me miserable all day, or indeed leave me sobbing uncontrollably through the last twenty minutes (I'm looking at you, Finding Neverland.) This is why I have yet to watch おくりびと (Okuribito, Departures) despite it apparently being an absolutely fantastic movie.

But I digress. Again. Hey, it's what I do.

We begin by meeting our protagonist. He is an otaku in Tokyo who works as some sort of tech support, spends a great deal of time on internet message boards, and crawls Akihabara on a regular basis for anime, manga and video game memorabilia, like you do. Keep that middle bit in mind, it's the entire plot of this movie, kids.

But again, I must digress, because this. Is. Important.


There is currently a rash (yes, a rash) of young people in the US proudly calling themselves "otaku" because of their love for anime and manga and/or what they presume to be the entirety of Japanese pop culture.

Stop. It. Right now.

I don't care what Wikipedia tells you about loan words and all the other nonsense. Being an otaku is not a good thing, nor is it a way of life you should aspire towards. Being an otaku is not the back-bone of Heisei Japan. Being an otaku is CERTAINLY not something that'll score you a ton of points in Heisei Japanese society.

Being an otaku is a bad thing. At least in most social circles. Otaku is thrown around as an insult, as it generally means that the person in question is obsessed to the point of exclusion. Obsessed, and not in the middle-school "oh, I am OBSESSED with the Backstreet Boys!*" obsessed either. Normal, everyday activities are sacrificed for the sake of the obsession. Social relationships suffer. Hygiene tends to suffer, as does proper nutrition. The obsession very nearly takes over their lives. It is not a good thing.

*I refuse to move with the times. 

Admittedly, I partially blame questionable tourism promotion tactics for helping this idea along, but Japan is not the land of otaku. Yes, it's where the word and, arguably, one form of the lifestyle originated, but that's like saying that everyone in the US is a redneck due to the existence of a certain population that, frankly, we'd rather hide from the international sphere in the metaphorical national broom closet. You are taking a small, actually quite unpopular population and generalizing it to an entire country. Worse, you're appropriating its terminology without fully understanding the connotations or consequences therein.

Simply liking anime and/or manga does not make you an otaku. It just means that you like anime and/or manga, and that's fine. I cannot emphasize these things enough.

Simply put: 99 times out of 100, you, kid, are not an otaku. If you were, you wouldn't want to brag about it. You're quite possibly a weeaboo, but that's not something to be proud of. Take a Japanese culture class, punk.

...anger issues much, Edo?

Back to the topic at hand.

Now. Our protagonist is seemingly content with his run-of-the-mill otaku life. One day, he goes shopping in Akihabara, like you do, and has a good time of it. Of course, he is embarrassed to be seen as or thought of as an otaku (hint hint, weeaboos) once outside of his safe and contained social sphere (welcome to Akiba, kids), but such is life. He hides his purchases in a backpack, and generally tries to be inconspicuous. He gets some flack on the train from a randomly rude Tokyo couple when his merchandise falls out of his bag (seriously, do these people just hide until the foreigner leaves? Who says stuff like that? Bet it never happens in Osaka, guys), but is generally unscathed and puts on his handy dandy mp3 player for the ride home.

Until... Belligerent Drunken Salary Man (tm) Attacks!

(I never saw this either, though I find it much easier to believe as I have smelled it.)

As being drunk and disorderly in Japan is commonplace and generally excusable because "well, he had been drinking, he couldn't help it" (no, seriously), it is not surprising when a belligerent drunken salary man (now BDSM... ha, ha, what would Freud say) gets on the train. Oh, bother, thinks our hero, an turns up the volume on his music. BDSM hassles a few chatty middle aged ladies for being (of all things) too loud, then basically continues around the train car, looking for a fight. Up with the music, down with the gaze, oh brave hero.

Don't worry, it gets better.

Unfortunately, BDSM makes his way down to this attractive young lady that our hero has been forlornly eyeing since she boarded the train at his stop. She's trying to read her book, but we know that BDSM won't be having any of that, no siree bob.

Before things can get too hairy with the attractive young lady (AYL), our hero stands valiantly, stuttering in defiance at the belligerent and actually quite intimidating BDSM. BDSM, as you may have guessed, is not a fan of such a ballsy attack on his belligerent and drunken actions, and proceeds to get right in our hero's face. This does, however, succeed in saving AYL from his very, very dubious intentions. We proudly cheer our hero on and hope to Buddha he doesn't get his teeth knocked in and his glasses snapped in half.

Luckily, the train pulls up to the next stop before things get horribly ugly, and policemen race on board to apprehend our BDSM, having been phoned earlier by the poor middle aged ladies. The train is saved, and our hero actually is a hero! Huzzah!

After making their report to the police, both middle aged ladies promptly ask for our hero's contact information, as they want to send him thank-you gifts. (Though I have never seen the custom applied in quite this situation, this would be a very reasonable action in Japan--gift-giving is quite commonplace, whether visiting a person's house for the first time or coming back from vacation. Gifts to the hero of the train? Sounds good.) As he awkwardly stumbles through writing down the information (and who doesn't love an awkward protagonist?) he is shocked and amazed when AYL also asks for his information. In movie-land, we all know: something good is going to happen here.

The story then follows our protagonist's misadventures as he attempts to woo the attractive young lady from the train after he obtains her contact information from the label on the thank-you gift she sends via post. What makes it a good movie, however, is the fact that he bases his approach and actions almost entirely upon the advice of the people on the internet message board he created upon having the confrontation with the belligerent Drunken Salary Man.

(Just so you know, I'm not being that horrible a blogger here by repeatedly not using the hero's name--it's actually pointedly not made a big deal of in the movie, and he is mostly referred to as "電車男." AYL herself is referred to as Hermes after she gives our hero the gift of some fine Hermes-brand crockery, which our hero amusingly has no clue about before his internet friends tell him.)

The interactions online are, of course, in my opinion, the best part of the film, and what make it truly remarkable. We are introduced to a whole slice of society that finds refuge in social interaction online, all for their own reasons and all with their own (in some cases, quite considerable) baggage. We have a broken-hearted and possibly abused nurse, a hikkikomori (or shut-in, a young person who refuses to leave his room even to attend school or even interact with his family...which is a disturbingly common problem in Japan at present), three societal rejects who spend their time in internet cafes, a business man, and a housewife. This is, I admit, where the drama is stronger, as it is able to showcase a much larger variety of "internet people" (being a longer medium, time-wise), but the selection in the movie is still pretty damn good.

While the movie does tend to gloss over some societal problems by having their solutions come a bit too quickly (again, I can be a little forgiving due to time constraints and the general saccharine nature of this sort of movie), it does an excellent job of illustrating a number of reasons why people would find themselves retreating into someone else's life, and through an online message board at that. The movie touches on depression, loveless marriages, (possibly) the recent trend of poor young people basically living in internet cafes (the things you learn in depressing higher level Japanese courses, I tell ya), and of course the shut-in problem, and that's just all I can think of off the top of my head. It humanizes people and problems that tend to be marginalized or even ignored by the larger society, and thus brings the real people in these situations into positions where maybe, just maybe they feel comfortable confiding in someone, anyone, about their situation and what they can possibly do to adjust towards a better life.

... you know, sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have gone into anthropology after all.

...but then I remember the forms you have to fill out to support these kinds of hypotheses with interviews, and how often my personal philosophy tends more towards the misanthropic...

....and I snap out of it again.

Anyway.

I recommend this movie for just about everyone, especially those who want to know a bit more about the underbelly of Japanese society yet stay out of the realm of crime. It's also good for those who mistakenly believe that Japan is populated entirely by anime and manga nuts--while it shows that side of the culture, it also demonstrates just how on the fringe it is to be that deeply focused on... well, anything, really, but that's another post.

Also good for those of you interested in Japanese-language internet speak/common typos and abbreviations--I thought that those little bits of detail were incredibly interesting, linguistic geek that I am. That, of course, is also the reason why I sometimes need to turn on the subtitles--quick-fire chat-room style speak/text is a bit difficult to keep up with. All in the name of a good challenge!

And hey, this one's actually on Netflix, so you really have no excuse.

...I know that by now that some of you must be insisting that I prefer the movie to the drama because in the movie, our hero is actually quite attractive once he cleans himself up a bit whereas in the drama... not so much. Well sir, I say to you...

You have a point. But still, the fact that I saw the movie first is still probably the biggest reason--I'm usually the most heavily influenced by the medium I first come into contact with.

Watch the movie, kids; it's good, amusing, touching, and surprisingly socially conscious.

This is Edo, signing off with the strangest urge to attack the drama once again... and the realization that she should probably be a bit nicer. But then again, there was that whole disclaimer about misanthropy, so...

How about a little democracy? (民主主義ためしてみない？)

I promise that, eventually, I will stop making posts about BUCK-TICK. Exclusively, that is. Asking me to stop entirely would be like asking Haruo Shirane to give up pre and early modern Japanese literature.

... it's not going to happen.

Ahem.

Anyway, in celebration of ditching their old label (or being ditched, and making the best of it... take what news and interpretation you will), BUCK-TICK is releasing a compilation set--two albums, one for 87-99, and the other for 00-10. Considering they've been putting out music since at a rate of roughly one album per year (... ok, give or take), they have a lot of material to choose from.

HOWEVER. Being the trend-setting, hip and groovy band that they are, they've decided that they are not fit to decide on the final line up.

No, they leave that...

To us, the dear, beloved slathering fans.

Oh, democracy.

http://buck-tick.com/25th/special/ranking.html

Go, vote, be merry. One song per album per 24-hour period, mind you, but the sentiment holds.

I do feel like somebody's been abusing the vote, though... rigging IP addresses, hiring friends, hacking websites... I'm not sure, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to have to work hard to get some of my choices on the list.

... What better way than to recruit a blog audience?

... Ok, you're right, it would help if I had a blog audience. Every little bit helps.

So, unless you have some choices of your own (which I would by no means try to talk you out of... unless you're one of those people voting for both versions of ICONOCLASM... I mean, come on, the TABOO version is clearly superior, and, quite frankly, all the ICONOCLASM we need on one compilation album), why not click a few in my corner? I'll even link every title to the song itself, so you can judge for yourself! What a responsible campaign manager I am.

To vote, click on the big button with 投票ページへ (To the Voting Page) written on it, then click the 楽曲をみる (View the Songs) button below the album you want to vote on. Select your song, click 投票する (Vote), then enter your nickname, gender (男性 is guy, 女性 is girl), age (SHOULD be self explanatory) and prefecture. I use 京都府 (Kyoto), of course, but feel free to choose wherever you prefer. Then just click 送信する (Transmit) and you're done! Be sure to click the bottom button (ランキングページへ戻る, Return to the Ranking Page) if you want to vote for another song.

... and I just realized what a massively long undertaking this will be, and thus have deigned to split this post up, following BUCK-TICK's example. But, uh, maybe into more than two sections. Because... wow.

Anyway, starting from the beginning...

SEXUAL XXXX!, 1987 (The Hair Spring!)

You know, since they're using the 1990 version of HURRY UP MODE.

I'm all for either HYPER LOVE or DO THE "I LOVE YOU." Both have good versions on NOT GREATEST HITS, true, but none of them seem to be making the list so far... so.... yea. SISSY BOY is a close third, and ILLUSION squeezes in at fourth.

Next!

SEVENTH HEAVEN, 1988 (Ego, Atsushi, ego.)

I'm going either CAPSULE TEARS -PLASTIC SYNDROME III- or Oriental Love Story on this one. "But Edo!" I hear you cry, "what about VICTIMS OF LOVE?" Yes, well. I adore the song, but not this version. Number one is the live version from RAZZLE DAZZLE, number two is the NOT GREATEST HITS version, and this one is only third by default. I'd rather encourage their progress, thank you.

Continuing on.

TABOO, 1989 (It's definitely an 80's album.)

ICONOCLASM. Full stop. Is there any other choice, really? I admit, it's difficult to see if you haven't been involved in a live performance, but... just trust me on this one.
(And yes, I know, SEX FOR YOU does make me giggle... but... ICONOCLASM. Come on.)

Moving right along.

悪の華 (Evil Blossom), 1990 (The accordion is not actually integral to the plot.)


Originally, I was all for LOVE ME... but, well, NATIONAL MEDIA BOYS is a classic, albeit heavily hyped. I do prefer the live version of LOVE ME from the memento mori tour... but then again this version is superior to the NOT GREATEST HITS version... urgh, decisions.
Well, NATIONAL MEDIA BOYS is already at the top for this half of the compilation, so it doesn't really need our support.

I think one more ought to do it for this post...

HURRY UP MODE (1990 MIX), 1990 (...meh.)


I... have no strong feelings about any song on this album. Probably my least favorite of all their stuff, honestly. What can you do.

... I can't end on that note.

狂った太陽 (Mad Sun), 1991 (B-T's first dabblings in cyberpunk. Also: The Woman Phase continues strong!)


Aaah, there we go. That's some good stuff. Now, since we can't vote for MAD (for good reason, I suppose, given all the hype and air time it gets... but still), I'm all for 太陽ニ殺サレタ (Killed by the Sun). Don't ask me about the gratuitous katakana, I couldn't tell you.

And that's all for today's edition of Gratuitous BUCK-TICK Promotion with Edo, be sure to tune in next time when we discuss passion, betrayal and hopelessness!

This is Edo, signing off with more votes to cast.

A Serious Interlude: On Leaving Japan. (真剣な合間: 日本から帰国について。)

Every now and again, perhaps after seeing a facebook post from a friend living overseas or when remembering a particularly good cup of milk tea, I find that my chest tightens a little over the loss of a life in Japan.

And then I begin to wonder--did I make the right choice, giving up my visa and returning to the land of my birth, especially when I, like so many of my friends, have a difficult time remembering anything but the positive from my ultimately temporary Japanese lifestyle?

Worse still, I return to wondering: am I a coward for boarding that plane at KIX (albeit with a distinct feeling of melancholy, and perhaps even a few tears blurring my vision--this time not for a boyfriend, but for a beloved country, culture, and best friend that I was leaving behind for an indeterminate period of time) instead of sticking it out, as have so many of my friends  with (apparently) nothing but happy results?

Though it is sometimes difficult to come to terms with, especially when I am feeling nostalgic and Japan-sick, the answers to these questions, for me at least, are yes and no, respectively. Mentally, I have come to grips with the fact that Japan, at least long term Japan, is not for me.

I'm actually quite a sensitive person (in the easily offended way, not the touchy-feely way; I mean, come on, blech), despite my common declarations  to the contrary and insistence otherwise, and I take social isolation quite hard when it's forced upon me. Self-induced isolation is another story entirely, as it often is with those of us who fall into the "introverted loner" box so commonly prescribed for us. Being apart from people at your own choosing is one thing--you are in control, and can decide when and where you will end your isolation and refill your social interaction quota. Humans are, after all, social animals, no matter what those novels about lone wolf types say. Sure, those on the fringe with no need for outside human contact exist--hermits are a reality, after all--but they're certainly not in the majority. It would make for very crowded forests, after all.

What I mean to say in my long, drawn-out and rambling way is that, unlike many friends and acquaintances who have better capacities  than I for not taking things too personally, I find it difficult, after long periods of time, to not get angry or upset when greeted by the common reactions to a foreigner and general xenophobic attitude which Japan still finds it necessary to cling. People staring as though I'm some sort of giant, hairy beast (which, I suppose, from certain points of view, I am) at every turn gets old; refusal to trust in my linguistic and cultural knowledge because I am so clearly foreign grates on my psyche. Failure to be recognized as a fellow human being capable of, say, a nice dinner or night on the town due to my failure to conform to local beauty standards (again, the giant hairy beast thing comes into play) eats away at my self-confidence until, eventually, I believe that everyone else has the right of it and I am some sort of repulsive sub-human creature that is best avoided.

Now, like I said, a lot of people learn (or know intuitively, I suppose) how not to take things so personally. A lot of people can laugh things off, and I respect them for it as it belies a deep and profound sense of inner security that I, unfortunately, still lack outside of my intellectual pursuits (and even there, sometimes, I falter.) A lot of people, therefore,  live in Japan long-term, even indefinitely--they don't get my severe pangs of homesickness and self-loathing brought on by life as a foreigner in Japan. Even if they do, they are short-lived and manageable.

I am not aiming to garner sympathy here, though I understand that it may seem that way. To the contrary, I am hoping to demonstrate my own empathy, to anyone in a position similar to mine. As wide as the internet is, I cannot help but feel that there are a number of you out there who, like me, find themselves rapidly leaving the "honeymoon phase" with Japan, despite having sworn to live there forever. I also know that, like me, some of you probably are having doubts, and wondering what it means about you, personally, that you are suddenly having such an intellectual and emotional reversal about something so major in your life.

What it means is that you've grown. This does not mean that growth necessarily leads homeward--for many it is exactly the opposite, and even in our case, returning to one's native soil is not equivalent to running home, despite what some people may tell you. It means that you have, in the general human way, absorbed a number of experiences and, surprise surprise, changed your mind based on those experiences and what they mean to you personally. Some people grow towards Japan, some people grow away. Some people grow towards Azerbaijan, I'm sure, and all of that is perfectly acceptable. None of these paths are inherently better than any other--you are not failing for returning to your home country, nor indeed are your friends or colleagues necessarily succeeding by staying in Japan. Both you and they are doing what feels right at that particular time, and what's "right" differs from time to time, person to person, situation to situation. Think about it: would you want what you thought was "right" at, say, sixteen? I certainly wouldn't--I was pretty stupid back then. But then again, I was pretty stupid at eighteen, nineteen, twenty... Honestly? Sometimes, I think one of the best things to do is to aim everyday to be a little less stupid than you were the day before. But that's a post for another day, when you're not already sick of my cheap philosophizing on some other subject.

If you feel that leaving Japan is right for you, don't worry about what others think (though I suppose that rather invalidates this entire post.) Don't worry about not meeting expectations, or not measuring up--anyone who cares about you will support you no matter where you live, and they'll want to see you happy above all else. Ignore anyone who gives you a hard time, or questions your reasons for leaving (outside of a constructive discussion which you may have instigated to help sort out your thoughts, of course). Unfortunately, the world is full of insecure people who feel the need to belittle those around them, using any and all ammunition they find. The people who scoff at or mock your decision, or indeed you for making it, are not worth your time.

My hope is that this post helps at least one person--that at least one person can avoid the internal turmoil that I suffered (and occasionally still do) regarding my decision to leave Japan, knowing that someone, somewhere, supports and backs their own decision wholeheartedly. I suppose it may seem like we must be few and far between, but I can't help but feel there must be one person out there going through what I did.

I feel like those of us foreigners who live in Japan for any significant length of time share some sort of understanding--tenuous as it may be in some cases--and have, to an extent, developed our own very specialized subculture. With that subculture, of course, comes pressures. Outside expectations weigh down upon us from all sides, and a lot of us constantly troll the internet for personal advice regarding our difficult situations, and then support for decisions that may go against the cultural norm. The subculture itself is divided, encompassing those who understand, those who are ambivalent, and those who absolutely oppose our decisions, no matter what they may be. In some ways it is a cutthroat subculture, like so many are, and often not the kindest to be a part of.

So, know that someone supports you, no matter what you decide in regards to your Japan-life. Whether your decide to stay or leave, pursue a job as an English teacher, translator or hostess, know that someone thinks that you need to do what makes you happy.

As a final note, I want to point out that I still love Japan. I don't regret any of my time there, as a student or otherwise--not a day of it. While I may have gone through some, for me, rough times, and tangled with bouts of depression, I've also had some of the greatest times of my life in Japan, and I will always remember them. I also know that, had I not returned to Japan after graduation, and instead remained in the US from the get-go, I would have always been discontent, wondering whether or not I had made the right choice. Furthermore, Japan and I are not finished--not by a long shot. I am planning on pursuing my PhD in Japanese literature, and spending a number of years research and perhaps teaching in Japan on my path to becoming a professor.

What I mean to say is, just because you're leaving Japan now, it doesn't mean that you can never go back. It doesn't mean that your career won't in fact stick you right back on that plane in a number of years, and possibly even on a funded ticket to boot. If you love Japan, don't worry too much about leaving now. They won't be able to keep you away, and you'll feel much better about it in general once some of the anger/hurt/depression/whatever has melted away.

So, here's to you, kid--whether you're staying or going, as long as it makes you happy? You're making the right choice. As a number of very intelligent people have said to me: nothing is permanent, and you can change your mind later. Be happy, and don't worry so much.

This is Edo, signing off, still a little wistful but ultimately happier and better off for it.

Monsoon and Typhoon, We're Not So Different After All (モンスーンと台風、やっぱりそんなに違ってないな。)

... Well, I mean, really, I guess we are. Typhoons, after all, have a tendency to ravage an entire country, whereas the particular monsoon I'm speaking of (Arizonan Monsoon is a legitimate title!) is an entire season that is slightly more localized to oh, say, the United States southwest.

I mean, I guess you could say that there is a definite typhoon season, and I'm sure that there are any number of typhoons who terrorize Okinawa, never to give the four main islands of Japan a second glance... and Hokkaido, based on my personal experience, is generally lacking in any sort of major typhoon experience, on the whole...

"Typhoon, you say? What on earth is that? By the by, splendid weather we're having, isn't it old boy? Pip pip. Now, what say you open up your country so I'm not forced to blow you to pieces, gentlemen?"

... ok, I am actually quite certain that Commodore Perry did not, in fact, speak with an posh, stuffy English accent*, seeing as he was, in fact, American, but hey. A girl can dream, can't she?

Besides, tell me that this man does not strike you with anything other than an air of general stuffy aloofness:

"Harumph, I say to you sir! Harumph!" - Possibly Commodore Perry

... But I digress.

Anyway, for those of you who didn't take advantage of the useful link I posted above, Wikipedia tells us the following:

The North American monsoon, variously known as the Southwest United States monsoon, the Mexican monsoon, or the Arizona monsoon, is experienced as a pronounced increase in rainfall from an extremely dry June to a rainy July over large areas of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. These summer rains typically last until mid-September when a drier regime is reestablished over the region. Geographically, the NA monsoon precipitation region is centered over the Sierra Madre Occidental in the Mexican states of Sinaloa, Durango, Sonora and Chihuahua.

 Whereas a typhoon is

... a mature tropical cyclone that develops in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean between 180° and 100°E. This region is referred to as the northwest Pacific basin.

... and it also says there is no specific season. Ah ha. Ok, so, um. Maybe we're different.

But hey! Although I was originally inspired by the rather nice monsoon storm we had this evening, what struck me later was the strange phonological similarity between the two words. Oh come now, monsoon, typhoon?

... ok. You're right, I know. This is completely groundless based on the fact that "typhoon" is actually taifuu (台風), and how we managed to tack a random "n" onto the end is absolutely boggling, really... but then these things do go both ways, after all. Look at cabbage (キャベツ, kyabetsu), for crying out loud.

But I digress again.

Etymologically speaking, "monsoon" probably developed from either Portuguese, after (maybe) developing from an Arabic word meaning "season." In comparison, taifuu combines the character for "wind" (風, kaze or fuu) and... uh... the... Um. The character for a pedestal? The... counter... for... machines and vehicles?

... Ok. I'm sure that there's a reason, not to mention some fascinating etymology behind this one, but... well...  It's late and suddenly I've stopped caring all that much.

REGARDLESS, both Japan and America have some potentially very damaging summer(-ish, in the case of Japan) storms to be dealt with. Ok, I guess Japan may have the shorter end of the stick, what with massively destructive winds and all... but then we have microbursts, and that whole flash-flood problem endemic to a desert environment... and I mean, everyone has to deal with power outages... But Japan does have ocean issues to deal with, and....

...

SCREW IT LET'S JUST LOOK AT PICTURES.

Oooo.

Aaah.

Predictions!

Doppler! (Of what's going on right now, no less!)

... WAIT.

I figured out something that only we have.

Haboobs!

We even got on national news with one this year.

... definitely fun trying to explain that one to friends who didn't grow up here, though.

"Do you ever get those big walls of dust in the summer here in California?"
"You mean dust storms?"
"No... Well, yea, dust storms, but..."
"...?"
"You know, walls of dust! They just swallow the city, kind of thing?"
"... what are you talking about?"
"... you know..."
"I do?"
"... haboobs..."
"..."

It's always fun trying to convince them that you're not making the word up... especially when you accidentally  used the diminutive form "haboobie" without thinking. That'll go over well.

And with that final digression, this is Edo, signing off having learned her lesson once and for all about letting the weather inspire blog posts.

*Although that might explain how taifuu got butchered into typhoon. I admit that this is probably unfair, and that I've been somewhat jaded by watching contestants on a certain British quiz show repeatedly butcher Japanese while doing very well with the likes of, say, German. Oh, well. 

Whoops. Again. （しまった。また。）

It appears that I have gone and left you all without a post.

For more than a week.

Which is very, very cruel of me, I know.

... suffice it to say that I'm very busy with all of this moving and grooving and bustling around?

A poor excuse, I know, but better than none at all!

... or is that not how the saying goes.

Oh well.

Have some pictures of springtime rice fields. I think they look cool, although when they really look cool is at night, when it seems as though there are endless lakes stretching away into the darkness, broken only by a dim imagination as they softly reflect the lights of the city and the dim pricks of starlight far above...

... Yeah. They're nice.

Admittedly, they looked a bit cooler before the rice sprouts started coming up, but those were literally nonexistent one day and at the point you see them the next. Fast growing little buggers.

Regardless, still pretty cool, especially when it's everywhere you look.

This is Edo, signing off with a full agenda and a sleepy brain.

Tradition amidst the chaos. (混乱の中で、伝統。)

Really, the title of this post refers to the content in relation to the rest of my blog, and not the content itself. I know, I know, I apologize--you went in to this with such high hopes, didn't you?

Anyway. Chaos, of course, means my regularly scheduled random wanderings among topics. Tradition, of course, can only mean 花見 (hanami, flower viewing), as of course it is that time again.

And because I'm so very busy lately, honestly I wanted to take a break with a bit of picture spam attempt to make up for my neglect with pictures of Kyoto nature at its finest.

Oh, dear. These are in complete backwards order. Curse you, blogger.

Anyway. This is a lovely bamboo-covered path up near 北山 (Kitayama) on the 鴨川 (Kamo river). I basically walked up the 鴨川 from 今出川 (Imadegawa), just pretend I walked the other way and he pictures will seem, for all intents and purposes, in order.

Or. Well. They're in order except for that first one.

... admittedly, the first one is quite nice. A good lead-in, you might say.

Well played, blogger.

Anyway, this is the true beginning of my journey--just after walking down onto the river pathway at Imadegawa. Ah, the sakura-lined 鴨川. Lovely.

I particularly like these willowy ones.

I was trying to get the 大文字 (daimoji, big character) in the background there, but I guess it didn't turn out so well.

Looking down the river towards  三条 (Sanjou...)

Still down, with the lovely lining effect.

And turtles! You can cross the river every now and again on stone paths, occasionally dotted with adorable turtles. Or boats, even. I like the turtles. These guys are at the crossing just north of Imadegawa.

What, non-sakura flowers? Blasphemy!

Ok, ok, that's better.

Ooo, aaah.

(Again, those white flowers. I thought they were nice, ok?)

Aaah, surrounded by blooms.

And then we get Edo's foray into the world of artsy shots.

This one is technically blurry because of a breeze, but I actually really like it.

I for some reason associate "close-up" with "artsy."

Ah, bad lighting. Also "artsy" in my brain.

Some college kids doing the same thing I was, just with better cameras.

At least I didn't have a backpack, so ha.

The falling blossoms. This one actually turned out better than I expected.

A lone tree on the opposite bank. I guess that guy liked it, though.

Nice stone stairway in the background there.

I particularly liked the reflection of these pink sakura in the river, so I had to get a shot.

Ah, there's that bridge again. Lovely.

A better view of the tunnel. Unfortunately, none of my wide views are very pretty.

And another nice close-up to round things off. Ah, sakura in Kyoto. I'm just too good to you readers.

This is Edo, signing off with cleaning to do and professors to e-mail.

If wishes were horses... (願いが馬だったなら。。。)

...then we'd all be eating steak.*

(And if you know where that particular quote is from, you get an automatic, all-expenses-paid trip to a prime location in Edo's Awesome Book.)

*This blog does not condone the eating of horses. The author is in fact quite fond of horses, in a vague and distant sort of way, not to mention all the grief she would get from her grandmother should she in any way suggest cruelty towards our hoofed brethren. 


I'm not really sure how widely known (or used, or even understood) that Japanese translation I used is... Space ALC offered another, but I didn't think it had the same feeling, so I went with direct translation, which we all know is ultimately the doom of translators.

Regardless, what the title of this post should really  be is: "Things Japan Sells as compared to Things Edo Wishes Japan Sold."

Explanatory, but not nearly so pithy. And we all know what's important around here.

What they sell: 1) Masks

You know 'em, you love 'em, you marvel at those wacky Japanese for wearing them every time a bug comes their way. And in a country full of public transportation and close quarters, yea, they're probably a good idea if you're hacking and sneezing a lot.

What I want them to sell: 1) Masks that aren't torturous devices of continuous discomfort

Sure, theoretically these masks are to help you keep your germs to yourself by keeping all those nasty germ-filled liquid droplets you spew from travelling the distance to that innocent bystander with the newspaper. (It doesn't keep you from wiping your nose and touching them, but hey.)

What they really do is force you to cough your sick, fiery dragon-breath directly up into your already sweating eyeballs, creating the most exquisitely irritating self-torture device recently designed by man.

I say recently because I'm sure the corset was pretty bad. But at least you weren't, theoretically, already sick when you were wearing the damn corset.

What they sell: 2) Anti-Pollen Goggles

Supposedly, these fancy things keep the pollen out of your eyes, thus making your allergy-ridden life much less miserable.

Supposedly. I have seen a number of students wearing them, anyway. Only children, oddly enough... hm.

What I wish they sold: 2) Sick-Spotting Goggles

Because try as I might, sometimes I do forget to scrub my hands vigorously after touching something... and hence the predicament of becoming ill myself. Were I to be in possession of a magical pair of goggles such as these, the bright red flashing lights that went off every time I went near someone or something sporting the tiniest bit of sick anywhere upon its surface, I feel my memory would serve me a bit better.

... I would hope, anyway.

...

I will be the first to admit that I intended for this post to be a much longer foray into things that I wish were available here in the wonderful land of Japan, but I admit, I'm feeling a little dry of ideas at the moment, and far be it from me to deprive you all of what hilarity (limited though it may be) I have already committed to the blog page any longer.

... ah ha! Perhaps it shall become a series. There we go.

Just wait kids, part 2 is coming up!

... yea, I saved that nicely.

This is Edo, signing off with a stuffy nose and a cough that just doesn't know when to quit.

Wow. (素晴らしい。)

Wow indeed.

That was the single most intense, involved, incredible live I have ever been privileged enough to take part in.

... someday, I'm sure, my unusual penchant for alliteration will catch up with me. Luckily though, that day does not appear to be today.

Though I must break the flow by adding that it was also the most fun. Goddamn.

(Probably also the hottest and sweatiest... but talk about breaking the flow. Being a fan isn't easy, you know.)

Oh yea. You know who I'm talking about. 


I thought, before going, that it would be your run of the mill live--maybe I would have to learn a few new hand motions, maybe there would be a bit more light show, that's all.


I could not have been more wrong.


This was, as mentioned above, by and far the most involved live I have ever been to, both on the part of the audience and on the part of the band. 


Which of course leads to that third one: intense. Oh, yea. 


Remember those lift-offs I was talking about earlier? Yea, those. 


That's how they come out on stage. Each one of them. 


You know it can't be anything but awesome from that point on.


And the audience? Oh, the audience. For one, they dance along during the lift-offs, having memorized the moves.


And that's just the beginning.


Every single song had a specific set of dances to be done at specific times. The coordination and involvement required was absolutely incredible. Not to mention that during the first MC session, the band gave us a new one to perform, the "N-Formation," which we practiced to their satisfaction before attempting to implement it in the next song. I was pretty impressed with how well we did. 


(The second MC had them debating about how to signal that we begin the N-Formation though, as we sort of gave up after that first song... which led to an amusing series of moves that Angel Taka could do to tell us when to go. Eventually we decided on a move, and tried again... but apparently the N-Formation just doesn't fit the beat of more than a few songs. We did it while waiting for the encore, though, which was amusing as hell.) 


The most impressive dance move, I thought, was the one where everyone started spinning uncontrollably as they bounced around the pit, waving their arms and towels above their heads. This lead to a great number of collisions (especially for one girl who I really think was getting a bit too into it for the good of those around her, as we're not all made of th same titanium-rubber blend she must be) which I think may have been the point, so after my first attempt (with stomped toe) I stood back and settled for waving my arms in the air only, watching the chaos and grinning like a maniac. 


Oh, I forgot the impressive part.


The spinning was controlled to a a certain bar of music, every time, and afterwards? Everyone ran back to the exact spot they had been in before. Which was important, if only for N-Formation time. 


Luckily, I was not the only newbie there, and thus did not feel horrible about my slow uptake on everything. Thank goodness, however, for years of dance and rhythm training--otherwise, I might have been a bit lost. And thank goodness also for the nice girl beside me, who readily involved me in team motions (mainly hand-holding moves, which were fun and surprisingly full of camaraderie) and didn't mind grabbing onto my shoulders for N-Formation. I did get left out of the robot dance, though, simply because there was an odd number of people in my row. Oh well, it was fun to watch. 


Needless to say, I now understand why everyone in the audience began the concert with a round of 「お願いします」(onegaishimasu, roughly translated to mean that you're counting on everyone) and ended with 「ありがとうございます」 (arigatou gozaimasu, thank you). 


Oh, also, the YAMATO Music Challenge. And YAMATO dance. I'm not sure how to describe that segment of the show, other than the fact that it was amazing and awesome and one of the most amusing things I have ever seen. 


(... got you again, alliteration.) 


If only it was on youtube. I could show you. For now, however, you're just going to have to take my garbled word for it. YAMATO is awesome.


And of course, no live is complete without goods.

Let's see, a wristband, two postcards for 500 each that were really for earthquake relief (all proceeds donated), and... what, what's this?

That's right my friends. I caught a pick and a drumstick. Oh yea.


The pick (MASATO's) was completely a surprise--he threw it out when he first picked up his guitar during the second song, and I couldn't even see where it went. Then, however, I felt something land in my outstretched hand...


I think I might start carrying it around as a good-luck charm, that's how strangely amazing it was. 


The drumstick was more intentional. At the very end, all members began chucking things--water bottles, picks, drumsticks. I didn't catch another pick, despite the number being thrown out, but when YAMATO came to my side of the stage and began peering out to see who to throw to, I jumped up and down like the maniac I am. He then pointed at me (or the girl in front of me, but let's go with that first assumption),  and lobbed it out with astonishingly good aim. I say it was iffy who he aimed to, because it bounced off that hands of the girl directly in front of me, and into my waiting grasp. She did not, however, fight me for the stick (merely said うらやましい [urayamashii, I'm jealous] once things settled down), and I wasn't about to give it up. I'm sure there was some concert etiquette keeping her nice about it, but really, that's pretty cool. 


So, yes, this was not only the most amazing concert, it was also the luckiest. How cool is that?


Oh, and one more thing.


叫 (Kyou), the bassist, came out afterwards to hand out the earthquake relief postcards, and shake hands with whoever bought one. Though it took me a while to determine exactly what was going on at the head of the long line, I jumped in and pulled out my thousand yen bill. (I rethought and pulled out more when I saw the wristbands.)


As expected, I wound up being a little bit in awe when I finally reached him, and told him that I was nervous. He asked why, and I told him that the whole experience had been way more amazing than I had expected. He thanked me, and asked me what I wanted. I got my wristband and two cards, and wonder of wonders, he unwrapped the wristband and put it on for me. 


... that was unexpected.


It's likely I started glowing red. 


I shook his hand, grinning like a dork, and he told me to come again. 


Oh, and the best part?


He did not bat an eyelash at the fact that I was (a) a foreigner and (b) likely the only one there. Not a pause, not a "where are you from" not a "oh you're so good at Japanese." Nothing. Just treated me like a regular fan.


And that, my friends, is worth a lot. 


This is Edo, signing off with a sore neck and more great memories than she knows what to do with.