Happy New Year of the Ram!

2015 is officially here! What adventures will we have? Who will we meet? Where will we go? I smell a lesson plan brewing...

For my first day, I did my series of firsts.

First, I went for a walk to the Contemporary Poetry Park to take some pictures of the first snow. In light of that, I bring you "Ari no, mama no" or "Let it Go."

降り 始めて　雪は 足あと　 消して。 ましろ の 世界 に 一人 を 私。
Furi hajimete　yuki wa ashiato keshite. Mashiro no sekai ni hitori wo watashi.
The first fallen snow has no footsteps. A lonely world and I'm alone.

Sound familiar? Anyway, I walked around and snapped a couple pictures but mostly just enjoyed the quiet atmosphere as 2014 faded away. Then, I could hear voices counting and from the highest point of the park, I looked south and saw fireworks in the sky and heard people screaming and shouting! At the same time, under all that noise, I could faintly hear a temple bell being struck again and again like a heartbeat.

I went home to take a quick nap, but woke up again at 6am to go watch the first sunrise. It was cold and cloudy, but a few minutes before 7, the sky started getting brighter and the first rays came up over the eastern hills. It was a gentle sunrise, nothing triumphant or dynamic, but beautiful.

After that, it was time for the hatsumode, or first shrine visit. There was already a line outside Suwajinja, but I huddled there with everyone else, smelling the vendor stands as they heated up the takoyaki grills and started melting sugar for candied strawberries.

Inside the shrine, people clapped, bowed, threw coins and tossed their old charms onto the big bonfire.

In need of some caffeine, I went back home again and java'd myself back to life. After some ablutions, I grabbed my camera and ventured out into 2015. All day, it snowed on and off with periods of bright sunshine now and then. If I have any skills at reading weather fortunes, it's going to be an exciting but positive year.

Call me an optimist.

I started by checking out the Lucky Bag sales at Sakurano, hoping to find some coffee bags. I wasn't particularly inspired, but maybe I'll go back tomorrow. Honestly, I was just looking for instant, but mostly it was whole beans or grounds. We'll see if I feel high maintenance tomorrow.

I doubt it's a thing, but I went for a first stroll about town. All over, business are closed for a few days to celebrate the new year with family. A signature symbol of the new year is the kadomatsu, a bamboo stand set by the door, but both businesses and families also hang shimekazari.

Typically made from bamboo, wood, paper, pine or rice stalks, they come in all shapes and sizes are bring good luck and happiness to the building where they hang. No matter what the make or size, they're usually very beautiful. I could definitely see a market for them at American Christmas Bazaars!

A Year in Review

I can't believe it's the end of 2014. What happened? A lot happened, that's what! Both here and back home in the states, it's been a very interesting year. I'm taking a break from scouring the last particles of 2014 out of my apartment, and waiting for my friend to get back to me about a Japanese traditions question, so I'll take a look back on the year.

January:

I was buried ear-deep in snow: a true culture shock to an East coast baby like myself where New Year is a balmy 50 degrees.

I watched the local swans at the sports park.

I was at wit's end with a very toxic relationship...with a Japanese teacher who just can't get his act together. He still hasn't pulled it together, but I finally learned to be a swan and let it flow off my back.

Never Forget Mo

I gave birth to a papier mache stag head! At the same time, I decided that the white deer is rather significant for me and nuts to people who think I'm a hippie dippie for thinking so!

I enjoyed my first Japanese New Year traditions of "firsts" including the hatsumoude (first shrine visit) to Chuusonji, hatsuyume (first dream), and hatsuuri (first shopping).

I broke up with my French Canadian boyfriend and JET who was living in Kesennuma. The one thing I've missed most about that relationship? Pancakes at Ken Watanabe's cafe.

February:

I said goodbye to some of my schools. I cried, turned bright akairo and endured a lot of awkward clapping.

Some students at one school gave me a parting gift by translating my name into kanji...because "log" is not a pretty name. They bequeathed me with names involving

Maru Ta   丸田　Round rice field

Ma Ru Ta  真流多　True flow many  or  Many flowing truths

Ma(i) Ru Ta  舞ルタ　Dance "ru ta"

Ma Ru Ta   魔ルタ　　Devil "ru ta"

  

March:

With my new-found independence, I decided to take more roadtrips whenever the hell I wanted instead of worrying about working around some jerk's schedule. I went out to Goishi Kaigan and saw the Pacific Ocean and enjoyed one of Japan's best soundscapes.

I passed the Japanese driver's test in only 3 attempts after much angst, confusion and driving into an obstacle.

My students at another school said goodbye to me and gave me their personal messages:

Do your best.
Never give up!!
Fall 7 times, get up 8.
Try again.
Don't forget smile.
You'll be alright.
Fight!!!!!!
Keeping work is a power. (Continuance is its own power.)
Everyone makes mistakes.
Dream doesn't finish.
Life lasts forever.

I celebrated Hina Matsuri, Girl's Festival, with the vice principal and his family. I'll miss those dinners: it's where I learned how to drink matcha in chadou (tea ceremony), how I learned the "proper" way of eating, and I watched Tom and Jerry cartoons and translated the French parts for them.

April:

I chased the sakura! I enjoyed hanami in Sendai, Kitakami, Hanamaki, Morioka, and Aomori! 

I enjoyed yozakura and joushikai with my friend, Harue. 

Me, not being a "June Bride"

I also met a hairstylist friend of Harue's who wanted me to be a hair model for a bridal shoot. (We got as far as me wearing the dresses and her testing some styles but nothing came of it. I don't think I quite fit the bill as a model.)

I got to participate in Sports Day at a new school! It also meant I bought my first tracksuit: a white ensemble. Very nice!

I flexed my new camera muscle in Akita and at the Sea of Japan.

May:

I ran into some old demons when a real piece of work at one of my new schools pointed out how much I eat at school. His intentions never became clear to me, but sometimes you can just read a person and get a feel for them. And this guy is shady, and sort of gross. Given that, I should have just ignored him, but his words and my newly single sensitivities were feeling vulnerable. I got over it, but it showed me I had a lot of growing still to do.

I declared I wanted to be a teacher! I have since back-peddled on that.

June:

I climbed a nearby mountain! By myself! And ran into a mama bear and her cubs! And took pictures! And ran like a scaredy cat!

The return of summer also saw the return of festivals, beginning with Chaguchagu Umako.

July:

HonkyTonk: great if you like overpriced beer and jazz

I got better acquainted with the Japanese nightlife around Kitakami including finding a tiny and pricey bar called HonkyTonk and being abducted by a crude drunk and his female friend, Miki whose birthday is the same as my father's.

I enjoyed some Hanamaki kagura.

August:

My parents came to Japan! I showed them my life in Kitakami. We went to Goishi Kaigan and Ofunato, we saw an iron teapot foundry, and we enjoyed the Kitakami Michinoku Matsuri.

Together, we explored Kyoto and Nara,...

Brown eyes and crackers

had a sake brewery tour and tasted amazing sake,...

My heart belongs to Momoyama

gaped at Kinkakuji,...

saw the Fushimi Inari shrine and famous red gates,...

and swam through a typhoon to get out of town! 

On my own, I explored Gion, saw the bamboo forest, saw fake geisha and the roots of Japanese Buddhism.

Ya think you're slick....

We traveled to Hakata and ate delicious Hakata ramen and met a nomadic bard. 

Live out loud!

We went all the way to Sasebo and for the first time in forever (shameless "Frozen" plug because that was a thing this year, too), Mom and I saw our roots. The fact that we did it together was extremely moving. I didn't tell them, but that first night, I cried because I was so happy and anxious about being there. 

We ate Sasebo burgers, was turned away from the Navy base, and hiked up to where Haruko Masuda lived in a rented room after the bombs dropped. We talked to a historian at the maritime museum and got a little helpful information...though a lot of gaps were still very wide. 

We saw Himeji castle and enjoyed a tea ceremony together. Poor Dad was given a little stool so he didn't have to kneel on the tatami. 

I explored Shinjuku at night...a crazy experience for anyone from every walk of life!

September:

Hanamaki Matsuri!

Hiking!

Tono Yabusame (Horseback Archery) Matsuri!

October:

Japanese Halloween! I was getting very sick, but by Halloween, I was determined to dress up and go out. There was a party at a Tex Mex bar in Morioka and a night club upstairs was having a party so off to the Daiso I went to get what I needed. I kept it simple and was a glamorous skeleton. 

November:

I celebrated Will's birthday at an Italian restaurant in Morioka and met some new friends.

We later had a Thanksgiving pot luck with some of those friends in Will's apartment. One of those friends is helping me get information about Haruko!

December:

The snow started getting serious. I can't jog anymore, but my latest forms of exercise come in Shoveling, Yoga, Tabata, and Snowboarding.

Christmas may be for lovers, but I love myself so Myself and I went to Sendai to enjoy the Starlight Pageant. We had a great time.

I also enjoyed Christmas dinner with Will's and my mutual friends. The food was great, including the traditional KFC. Will, however, killed the mood towards the end of the night by bringing up some controversial race topics and turning off the Cajun Christmas music in lieu of soccer.

Thankfully, Christmas was salvaged by a bonenkai with the teachers from my favorite school and a Skype date with my family.

And that's about it. It's been a wonderful year and I can't wait to close it out with the love and respect it's due.

Mountee Redux

Oh, by the way, my friend Junya finished remodeling his Italian restaurant, Italian Kitchen Mountee! They knocked out the back wall and made a larger family style dining room! It's simply beautiful, warm and elegant...and it comes with the same delicious food as ever!