Its been a long time since my last post... Gonna do my best to remember.

In early May, Japan has a national holiday called Golden Week that celebrates the emperor's birthday, the writing of the constitution and that kind stuff. Schools and some offices in the whole country are closed for a couple days, and pretty much everyone goes somewhere to travel. Me and three guys from Sophia, my school here, decided to go Okinawa, Japan for Golden Week. Okinawa is a series of islands way south of Japan, and it is pretty much beers on the beach, fresh fruit, beach volleyball and that all good stuff Jimmy Buffett sings about. We did some of the touristy stuff, as in visit an Okinawan beer brewery, did some cave spelunking, paid to go see a mongoose vs. cobra fight, and drank sake that was made with snake venom or something. So college student touristy stuff... One night we decided to take a journey to the US army base, which is located in Okinawa, it was one of the strangest experiences of my life, and I can see why the Okinawans don't want American troops there.... stories from that night are not exactly blog friendly. It was a great little break though we got some sun, some sand, and plenty of raw fish, pineapple, and beer. Nothing better.

A little later in May I made a trip over to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. This is the most famous fish market in Tokyo. It handles over 400 different types of seafood, from tiny sardines to 600lb tuna, from cheap seaweed to the most expensive caviar. I was able to see a fish auction where cooks and restaurant managers from around Tokyo come to bid on the biggest and best fish and other seafood. These auctions start around 5:00 am, so it was an early day. I kind of felt bad because this is a wholesaler market, that is the workplace for over 10,000 Japanese fishermen and wholesalesmen, and there are a bunch of Gaijin tourists walking around with their giant cameras getting in the way of trucks, carts, and forklifts. Here were plenty of Japanese workers who work everyday gutting and cleaning, and selling these fish, and then these tourists walk up and get in the way of everything, trying to get an artistic shot of the fish... of course I was one of these tourists, I tried to stay out of the way though.

After Tsukiji, I made my way over to the Ryugoku Sumo Stadium and bought my self and some friends tickets to the May sumo tournament. There are I think five sumo tournaments in Japan throughout the year. Two in Tokyo, one in Kyoto, and the other two move around Japan. Each tournament last 15 days, where each day all the wrestlers fight a different opponent. The matches usually start around 11:00 am with the amateur fighters. We got there early enough to get ringside seats for the amateur fighters. We close enough that you could see the fat rolls... lovely, and when the wrestlers were pushed off the stage, they almost fell on top of us. The amateurs were all sizes and the weight limit is actually only 67kg... I am 71kg right now so technically I could be a amateur sumo wrestler. Don't think that would go over to well back home if I dropped everything and decided to chase my dream of being a sumo wrestler.

After the amateurs finished it was time for the professional wrestlers to start. Unfortunately we lost our good seats, but it was still awesome. The champion Hakuho, was already decided by that day so we got to see his championship ceremony as well.

I've been in Japan for about a month now. Classes have begun, and I am starting to get settled into everything. I still have not gotten used to the trains in the morning though. Unfortunately I usually go to school during rush hour and it is pretty miserable. Every single part of your body is in contact with someone else, people throw elbows and cram themselves into the smallest nooks on the train, and its HOT in there. It takes all my effort not to get pissed off every morning... other than that Tokyo's great.

After a month of living in Japan, I must admit that I still have no idea what most people are ever saying to me, but I have gotten damn good at acting like I do. I have all the sounds and expressions down, I just don't really know what they mean... In all honesty though I definetly have seen an improvement in my Japanese, and I am beginning to be able to converse with my host mother fairly well, which is exciting.

Classes are good but they are pretty easy, they kind of remind me of high school lecture classes, and although my department is an English speaking department. Its hard to call what some of the professors and students speak as English. I am actually taking a Japanese History class, in English, and taught by a German professor, who spent most of his time studying in Russia... ya I know.

I have been playing lacrosse with the Sophia University lax team for the past couple weeks and its been really fun to play again. I am the only "gaijin" white person on the team, and only a couple of the guys speak English so its definitely different but its been fun. I am also really big here which is awesome, I mean really big. Im only a little taller than average, but all the Japanese guys are skinny, and they ask me for training tips, and all that sort of questions its really funny. I was actually working out at a public gym near my house about a week ago. After I got done lifting these two about 16 year old girls and their MOMs came up and I asked for my autograph, I obliged... I cant dissapoint my fans... remind me why I am going back to America?

I actually do miss the US, I had my first McDonalds today, I was craving a burger, and I miss you all and hope you're all doing great. Cant wait to see you again.


Kyle

School doesn't start for another week now, so I've been spending the last week or so getting settled into my host family's home, enjoying the Tokyo nightlife, and doing some sight seeing around the area. I took a little day trip to Kawasaki Temple which is a Buddhist temple in Kawasaki. I went by myself and its in a little old city where absolutely noone spoke English.

I ended up getting completely lost, and the only person I could find was this old man on a bicycle. I asked him for directions and of course he responded in Japanese so I had no idea what he said. He realized I had no clue what he saying so he ended up having me stand on the back of his bike and he biked me there for about a mile, dropped me off, and then went on his way without the slightest air of inconvenience. It was pretty cool.

We also took a group trip to Kamakura which is an ancient city that was the center of politics in Japan in the 12th-13th century when the country was ruled by the Samurai. We went to both a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple and then made a stop at Daibutsu, which is "Big Buddha." The name should describe the picture.

One of the most infamous and celebrated Japanese traditions is the Spring Hanami (はなみ). When the Sakura

(cherry blossom) trees bloom in late March early April, the Japanese love to have picnics under the Sakura trees and spend time with their friends and family. They eat food, sing songs, play games, and get absolutely blasted. Its a damn good time. About seven of us from my school went out and partook in this Japanese tradition. One of the greatest things I have ever witnessed and participated in. We got there in the morning and set up our little spot and started eating and drinking lightly. At first at the Japanese would walk by and secretly snap pictures of us, because for some reason a group of seven white people is really interesting.

About midday is where things started to get interesting and as the sake started flowing the true meaning of the Hanami started to come out.

We had native Japanese people stopping by our picnics, taking shots with us, singing American songs, Japanese songs, and playing drinking games. I still do not know the rules of any of the games we played and had no idea what I was doing, but language doesn't matter when you've got beer and laughter. We met some real characters. This little old lady was at least 80 years old. She could barley walk and had only two teeth left, but she was pounding the plum wine and singing old Japanese drinking songs all morning. We also met this group of four Japanese women, who at first were sitting next to us, but were soon dragging their tarps over to ours, pouring drinks into our cups, and sitting in our laps (the looove the American boys). I have never seen a group of women drink like that, ever. They averaged 5'3" 110lbs, and drank everyone else under the table. They were definitely the most fun there.

By the end of the night everyone's feeling good and all the Japanese faces are bright red. The songs become less coherent, but also louder and more frequent; for some reason we sang We Are the Champions, in both English and Japanese multiple times. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done, and one of the most fun. To be in a culture so different with people who are so different, but by the end of the day these people who don't even speak your language are just like your college drinking buddies. If you ever in Japan and have the chance to participate in the spring Hanami, don't even hesitate about it, and call me up... I'll meet you there.

Until next time,

じゃあ、また

こんにちは、

きょうは　金曜日　２０１０／３／２６。

finally in 日本(Japan). Already met some great friends from all over the US, and a couple 日本人(Japanese people). I am still not sure how I made it out of the airport, through the subway, and walked around parts of Tokyo still yet to be lost. The city is unbelievably big, complicated, and crowded, but still so much fun. Our first night here we managed to find a little karaoke bar in Yostuya and took on Tokyo head first. I spent way too much on sake and singing neil diamond and michael jackson songs, but it was our first night so it was worth it.

I moved in with my host family yesterday, they live about 40 minutes from the city which is actually very close compared to most students. The 原田(Harada) family is great. It is a mom and dad, かなさん(Kannasan）

ひさしさん and Hisashisan, and a three year old boy しゅちゃん(Shuchan). They are young and so nice and a little more Westernized than some families which makes it a little easier on me. They also speak a little English. There is also a French exchange student that will be moving in with us on Wednesday. Kannasan cooks and the food has been really good. Tonight we had raw fish which was a first for me. I usually do not know what I am eating but is disrespectful to not finish your plate, so I eat it anyway. They do not have garbage disposals here, so everyone in the family is the garbage disposal.

The one thing I have noticed is not only how bad my Japanese is, but how good my Spanish is. I have converted my mind out of English, but its not in Japanese mode. I find myself thinking and sometimes speaking in Spanish a lot. Luckily noone here speaks Spanish so they just think its a English word theyve never heard.

The culture is fascinating, the first day I got here, Tokyo seemed somewhat similar to New York or L.A., but the more time I spend in it, the weirder it gets. People walk as an endless sea of suits and umbrellas. Schools girls walk around in skirts that can't get any shorter, but somehow do. Everyday is an adventure.

My cellphone number is 080-4156-7674, feel free to call me because I receive free calls. Just know you will pay international fees, so make sures its from an international phone.

More to come

じゃあ、また

Kyle

日本

Ichigaya-ku

Where we did karaoke our first night on the town

My room in the Harada family house.

Our apartment in Kawasaki City

Mizounuchi Station in Kawasaki City.

This is where I get on the Tokyo Metro Subway