Sports Festival

A couple of weeks ago, both of my schools had their annual Sports Festival. This festival lasts all day where students compete against each other in different events and games. It is basically like a track and field meet. Students can partake in relays, long jump, high jump, handball, you name it. Everyone in the school competes, even the teachers. I was able to participate in the teacher's relay and also tug-of-war.

At Nishi Junior High School, the Sports Festival was held at the city grounds. To mark the beginning of the ceremony, a student carried a flaming torch.

Every class designed their own flag that they used in the introduction ceremony and to cheer on their team throughout the day.

This is one of the san-nensei's flags. It has an Olympic theme.

This is a picture of the trophies along with the names of previous students who won certain events.

The entire school took part in a choreographed dance. I especially liked it when they did pyramids as seen here.

This is a picture of the students concluding their dance routine.

At Inae Junior High School, the Sports Festival was held at the school. They ran outside on their track (gravel with chalk lines drawn on it). This track also serves as their tennis courts and baseball field. How would you like to play on that Kiki?

Here a student successfully clears his jump in the high jump competition.

In this picture, over 20 students are jumping rope at once. Students from different classes compete against each other to see how many times they can jump rope without stopping.

Here's me trying to help my team in tug-of-war.

Runners take your mark.

GO!!!

The Nagahama Lantern Festival

One weekend I traveled to Nagahama to see their annual lantern festival. Lanterns were put on display throughout a covered walkway. The lanterns were made out of glass, paper, straws, you name it. It was really interesting to see the different shapes and designs. While at the lantern festival, I also attended a jazz performance and had dinner with some JHS students. After the festival, a bunch of other JET's and I went bowling. It was a little difficult for me since I was wearing a skirt! I think I bowled the worst game of my life that night. On top of that I missed the last train back to Hikone. I ended up crashing at Arica's apartment. All in all though it was a fun night.

These were two of the JHS students I had dinner with. They are wearing yukatas.

This was one of my favorite lanterns. It is made all from paper. I love the silhouette of the man fishing in the background.

This is a close up of the previous photo. I think Japanese writing is so cool...I just wish I could read it!

It's the eye of the tiger. A lot of my students can relate to Detroit's baseball team because there is also a baseball team called the Tigers in Japan that they root for.

This lantern is made from twisted glass.

This lantern is made from ordinary drinking straws.

This lantern was made by one of Nagahama's JHS. It is built out of water bottles. Cass you would love this! It's recycling at its best.

This lantern contains the artwork of Elementary students. :) In the background, you can see other lanterns in the exhibit.

This lantern is made out of straw and bamboo.

One of the many lanterns on display.

Souls Festival

This summer Hikone had a Souls Festival. Lanterns were hung to remember the soldiers that lost their lives in World War II. Each lantern represented a soldier's soul whose life was taken during combat. Over 200,000 lanterns were hung up. The lanterns marked out a trail and at the end of the path there was a shrine for people to pray.

This is a picture of Hikone where the city is setting up for the festival.

Here is a picture of the path leading up to the shrine.

A close up of the paper lanterns.

A different view of the lanterns.

Here is me posing for a picture. :)

Earthquake part II

So it is a little after midnight here and I am getting my lessons and materials ready for tomorrow when all of sudden my whole apartment just started shaking. This earthquake was definitely a little scarier than the one I felt earlier this evening because my entire china cabinet was shaking and rocking back and forth full with all of my dishes. I didn't know if the whole thing would come crashing down. Luckily it didn't, but I did have a picture frame that got knocked over.

The Hikone Dance Festival

From Otsu, I traveled by train to my final destination...Hikone. Hikone is located in the Shiga prefecture. It is basically right in the middle of Japan on the main island of Honshu. Hikone is also near the largest inland lake in Japan...Lake Biwa. During my first week in Hikone, I was invited to partake in the Hikone Dance Festival. I was given a green robe and a paper fan. I was also instructed to select a mask. I chose Hello Kitty of course. :) I then proceeded to dance on the streets of Hikone repeating a simple dance number. It was amazing to me that within a weeks time I was 1.) in Japan and 2.) was not only able to view some of the Japanese culture, but that I was actually participating in it!

Another group performing in the festival.

John, me, Eric, Rachel, and Doug all pose for a picture with the princesses of Hikone castle.

Here is me with the superintendent.

From left to right: Doug, Rachel, me, and John. Doug also lives in my apartment complex, but he is a second year ALT. I usually end up asking him a lot of questions since he knows the ropes and it also helps that he can speak Japanese. He graduated from MSU...boo! Rachel is also from Michigan, but lives with her fiance Eric in a much larger apartment complex.

It is Pooh san and Hello Kitty. :)

Here is a picture of John and I just before the festival began. John lives directly below me in my apartment complex. He also graduated from the University of Michigan and taught for three years in New Orleans doing Teach for America.

The Shinkansen

After departing Tokyo, I took the Shinkansen (a.k.a. the bullet train) to Otsu. The Shinkansen is extremely fast. It took only 2 and a half hours to get to Otsu, whereas if I would have taken the Express train it would have taken over 8 hours. The Shinkansen is also very expensive! For my one way trip, it cost $150.00. Luckily, I didn't have to pay for it. My contracting organization did. Like all trains here, the Shinkansen is also very reliable. We only had one minute to get off the train before it took off for its next stop. This posed somewhat of a problem since everyone had their luggage. Ten minutes before we were about to get off, we carried our luggage to the front of the train. Then when the train stopped, we literally had people throwing our suitcases onto the train platform. Everyone was able to get off in time and then they went to collect their luggage.

This is a picture of the Shinkansen station in Tokyo.

This picture was taken while I was riding the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Otsu. In the background (behind the clouds) is Mt. Fuji. It is the tallest mountain in Japan. I plan on climbing it while I am here.