and now one from Omuta, Fukuoka prefecture
Yesterday was a travel day, flying from Tokyo to the Kumamoto airport. Observations about Japan: all the airports, big and small, are really clean, well maintained, and well-staffed. They also don't mind flying big planes, such as a Boeing 777, the same equipment used for the SFO to Tokyo flight, for 2 hour flights, more than half empty. It was really nice, don't get me wrong, to be able to walk around the plane for nearly the entire flight, but it seems a bit wasteful.
Last night we went out in Omuta to find a place to eat. This is a great little town...has the feel of a Providence or Baltimore in some ways...small, lots of residential areas. We found a great little restaurant: leave shoes at the steps, no one speaks English (lots of saying single words like 'vegetable,' 'tuna, 'chicken' in Japanese, and wait for the waitress to a) indicate she had no idea what we were talking about, b) nod wildly and say something really positive (i think), or c) make a little 'X' with her index fingers, shake her head, and frown. Not the most efficient communication in the world, but it worked. Had a dinner of miso soup, chicken skewers, raw tuna (sashimi - prepared without rice), and a wonderful seafood salad.
In two hours we depart via bus for Arao in the Kumamoto prefecture. Today we're meeting our host families for 90 minutes, and in 5 days we go to stay with them. We also get to make some pottery later today. The next few days include meeting with the Arao mayor, visiting 3 schools of different grade levels, and then a home stay for two days and one night (which is causing me a bit of anxiety), a stay in a ryokan, and then back to Tokyo. In Tokyo we present for 15 minutes on our experience in Arao, and listen to everyone else present about their own host cities. We have two nights left in Tokyo... I have a number of places to get to/get back to there. I have a real desire to go out to a Japanese house/trance club to go dancing....
And now it's breakfast time. Internet will be sporadic at best from here on out....but posts will be coming, as well as photos. i've got a ton of stuff from the last few days, but travel days are hard days to get stuff sorted and up.
With that I leave you, headed for nutrients and sustenance.
Peace-
Kippu
Last night we went out in Omuta to find a place to eat. This is a great little town...has the feel of a Providence or Baltimore in some ways...small, lots of residential areas. We found a great little restaurant: leave shoes at the steps, no one speaks English (lots of saying single words like 'vegetable,' 'tuna, 'chicken' in Japanese, and wait for the waitress to a) indicate she had no idea what we were talking about, b) nod wildly and say something really positive (i think), or c) make a little 'X' with her index fingers, shake her head, and frown. Not the most efficient communication in the world, but it worked. Had a dinner of miso soup, chicken skewers, raw tuna (sashimi - prepared without rice), and a wonderful seafood salad.
In two hours we depart via bus for Arao in the Kumamoto prefecture. Today we're meeting our host families for 90 minutes, and in 5 days we go to stay with them. We also get to make some pottery later today. The next few days include meeting with the Arao mayor, visiting 3 schools of different grade levels, and then a home stay for two days and one night (which is causing me a bit of anxiety), a stay in a ryokan, and then back to Tokyo. In Tokyo we present for 15 minutes on our experience in Arao, and listen to everyone else present about their own host cities. We have two nights left in Tokyo... I have a number of places to get to/get back to there. I have a real desire to go out to a Japanese house/trance club to go dancing....
And now it's breakfast time. Internet will be sporadic at best from here on out....but posts will be coming, as well as photos. i've got a ton of stuff from the last few days, but travel days are hard days to get stuff sorted and up.
With that I leave you, headed for nutrients and sustenance.
Peace-
Kippu
posted by kip at 18:03
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