Visiting Michael in Mishima, Shizuoka

First published: 15 May 2013

Michael by the rice-paddies near his home in Mishima.

So much rice!

One weekend in June, I finally made my way to see Michael in Mishima, Shizouka.

Michael Upsher is one of my travel companions and good friends from the JET orientation in London, who I had travelled to Osaka with in December the previous year (along with another good friend, Alasdair Adams). An Englishman and literary enthusiast, he is always an interesting man to talk to for his vast knowledge of British history and literature. I had previously missed a meeting with him and Alasdair a few weeks prior due to a scheduling conflict, so we agreed to meet in June to make up for lost time.

Interestingly, the word for a water-filled rice paddy in Japanese is 水田 (Suiden)

(pronounced almost like 'Sweden').

As for Mishima itself, it is famously close to Mt. Fuji and is said to provide stunning views of the mountain on clear days. I have read that it is known as the "city of water", though Michael has said he hasn't often heard it referred to as such by the local residents. The tap water flows from Mt. Fuji, which is obviously quite an attraction in of itself, though supposedly the water is not as abundant as it used to due to man-made infrastructure using much of it for various purposes. Our plan was to have a relaxing day in the area near Michael's home on the Saturday, followed by an exploration in town on the Sunday.

On the streets of Mishima.

Unfortunately, travel was delayed somewhat! I was unable to leave Takamatsu until much later than I had initially hoped, and did not manage to arrive in Mishima until around four in the afternoon. Furthermore, the weather was not particularly kind to us, as rain sporadically came and went frequently under an overcast sky. 

Meeting Michael in the station, I felt that the water city was certainly living up to it's name! Regardless, we sat and enjoyed coffee and chocolate cake for a good hour while we caught up the time since we'd last seen one another. Taking the bus to Michael's part of town, the weather settled somewhat, but remained overcast. As we walked to Michael's house, I learned that the path we were walking offered a perfectly clear view of Mt. Fuji... except that the clouds were in the way. Oh well.

Smiling in the rain.

We spent a fair bit of time at Michael's home, simply chatting away with a cup of  tea (whilst checking out Michael's enviable de-humidifier). Despite the inability to see Mt. Fuji, the truth was that I was here for the company more than anything else, and it was great just to be able to catch up again. We actually spent most of our time talking about classic British literature and the history of the British monarchy.

After almost losing track of time completely, we made our way back into town to try dinner at a recommended little restaurant of his to have a traditional Japanese meal - centered around a Japanese delicacy which had previously escaped me; eel (unagi).

Eel (unagi) for dinner.

Surprisingly tender and a personal recommendation.

I'm not going to lie; I was initially apprehensive (particularly about the the texture), but all it took was one bite to make me a convert. It's absolutely delicious - and tastes quite like a very smooth chicken! If you happen to be in Japan, make sure eel is on the menu.

Not much to look at from the outside...

...but on the inside, quite the setting.

We spent the rest of the evening in a quiet bar hidden away in a small building in the city. From the outside, it appeared to be an old and empty relic, yet despite this deceptive exterior the interior was sublime. Stacked with spirits and cocktails, Michael and I enjoyed our drinks with a plate of assorted chocolates and nuts. The classy, quiet atmosphere was the perfect way to end a day of enduring the rain.

Chilling in the bar.

Michael made pancakes for breakfast!

A very welcome gesture.

The following day was our opportunity to explore a little more of Mishima. With the weather finally on our side (as we enjoyed a warm, sunny day), I was determined to make the most of the sight-seeing, I whipped out my Canon 60D and began snapping almost everything that came my way - much to the chagrin of Michael, mind you! Michael isn't particularly fond of having his photograph taken, so I have to give him much credit for having so much patience to put up with my need to photograph almost everything that I see.

A moment's pause to take a photo of a peculiar building.

Good news for anyone.

We made our way to the famous Mishima Taisha shrine. A common complaint I've heard about both Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan is often that "if you've seen one, you've seen them all". This particular shrine, however, was quite something.

At Mishima Taisha shrine.

I like turtles.

Walking through the Toori gate, I was led through the courtyard into a narrow path above a pool of water filled with turtles gently swimming on either side. Aesthetically, this shrine was particularly pleasant, especially with a row of lanterns and two big structures in the park. There were also plenty of statues of horses, which I believe to be connected to an annual event where riders shoot arrows on horseback at the shrine - though there may be another connection which I have been unable to discover.

 With two grand structures and a spectacular array of buildings filled with artifacts (which, sadly, we didn't have time to explore), I'd recommend this as a particularly good shrine worth visiting for those interested in Japan's Shinto beliefs.

We made our way to Mishima Station, picking up ice cream at the vending machine inside (we met one of Michael's high school students on the way in, who greeted us with a smile and a loud "Going shopping!"). It was our plan to head into the city of Shizuoka around Shizuoka Station, as it was conveniently located on the way home for me.

Shizouka City.

The train took an hour or so, during which time I inadvertently loudly discussed the correlation between sex  and sport with Michael - without realising the presence of two American ALTs sitting directly opposite us. Upon noticing them, I whispered to Michael; "I wonder if they heard any of that?", which was met with a firm; "Yes, we did." Whoops. Friendly folk, though, and we had a nice chat with them anyway,

By the time we got to Shizuoka, the day had started to get away from us. I'd have to leave very soon, and so we opted simply to spend our time in in Starbucks drinking coffee.

Scary eyes and latte.

Naturally, our time together came to an end. I had to leave very early in the afternoon in order to make it home in time, and while I would have liked to have spent a little bit more time with Michael, it had been a good weekend despite the weather. Luckily, Michael was already planning to visit me in Takamatsu, anyway, so I was sure I would be seeing him before too long!

Once again, this was another example of a trip in Japan where the company was more important than the sight-seeing. I'm certain that there was plenty I missed in Mishima and Shizuoka - and the weather certainly didn't help - but that really wasn't what this weekend was about. It was a trip about spending time catching up with a good friend, and accordingly, it was a good one.

AJET Charity Ball

First published: 1 May 2013

Classy.

In June, our local AJET group ran a Charity Ball to raise more funds for the victims of last year's earthquake and tsunami disaster in Tohoku. JETs from all across Kagawa (and some of the other Shikoku prefectures) popped over to the Sunport Tower in Takamatsu for some ballroom dancing.

I was lucky enough to be offered a kilt for the evening by fellow Scotsman Richard. As I don't have a kilt with my in Japan, it was gratefully received, and I managed to go to the event in the traditional Scottish style! Sadly, there was no ceilidh dancing on the itinerary, and I'm afraid my dancing skills may have left much to be desired. Still, it was a fun evening, and we all had a great time.

Here's a selection of photographs from the evening.

Representing Scotland with some shameful footwork.

For anyone interested, AJET is an organisation run by JETs which primarily aims to create social events on the local level and communicate directly with the big bosses of the program at CLAIR and MEXT at annual conferences. I don't know much about what specific campiagns or aims they may or may not have, though... However, the local AJET contingent certainly do a good job setting up social events!

Summer Fireworks and a Barbecue

First published: 14 Jun 2013

Local friends in Takamatsu.

One of the most rewarding things about living in Takamatsu has been getting to know some of the local families that live in the area. I've made a lot of great new friends this way, who have all made me feel very welcome and part of the community. In part I have gotten to know people through my English club, but there  are many people whose English is not so good yet have still gone out of their way to befriend and spend time with me.

Ka-boom!

Last Summer, I had a couple of great opportunities to spend time with some of the families I know. My good friend Hiroko Tomozawa invited me along with some of her friends to the fireworks display that was being held by her husband's water company. A curious little difference in Japan is that fireworks are traditionally thought of as a summer activity, with displays most frequently held in the Summer months from June onwards. This is a direct contrast to those of us in Britain who enjoy our fireworks mostly in the Winter months and particularly at New Year's.

Locals gather for the fireworks display.

A little bit of live music to kick things off.

Always keen for a festival, I popped along. Not too far from my house, the site was full of students from nearby schools who all recognised me and fancied a chat. Live music was played on stage and we enjoyed a little picnic while we waited for the event to start. Candy-floss was also in abundant supply.

 Some of the local kids pop along to say hello.

Onigiri picnic!

The fireworks themselves were quite something. Lasting for a good thirty minutes or so, these fireworks were shot mostly one after another, akin to a Guy Fawkes evening rather than an overwhelming of the senses a la Hogmanay in Edinburgh. The fireworks often created quirky images (such as a smiling face). It was a very peculiar experience to be enjoying fireworks so early into the year, and yet here we were.

I'd post a few more pictures but they're mostly blurry.

I'm sure you know what fireworks look like!

The festivities were followed up the following day with a trip to my friend Junko Sato Miya to her in-law's house for a barbecue.

A gathering of family and friends.

Junko's father-in-law, Miya-san.

More than generous with his home.

Driving along with Hiroko and her family again, we made our way to Sakaide where the relatives lived for a small tour of the house and a barbecue in the early evening. Luckily, I hadn't had too much to drink on the previous evening, so I was in fine condition for a few more drinks on this day!

Epic meal time.

The home itself was particularly interesting, and I was surprised with the degree to which I was allowed to freely explore this traditional Japanese house. Tatami floors and sliding doors were abundant, all of which allowed me to take an intimate look at the iconic Japanese interior aesthetic. The house also be happened to situated to some traditional Japanese toori gates, and had plenty of room outside for the kids to run around and play (which they did so quite merrily!).

The kids enjoy some pre-barbecue games. 

Junko and the kids enjoy stretching across the gap.

Most interesting of all was the rear of the house and the upstairs area. Junko's father-in-law was actually quite the craftsman, with his own workshop in the rear of the house. The upstairs had been turned into something of a ceramic showroom, where much of the sculptures and ceramics that he'd personally made were on display. It was quite an unexpected feature!

Junko's talented father-in-law in his workshop. 

Intricate detail on impressive, small sculptures.

There were hundreds of these around, some made by Miya-san's students.

The barbecue itself was quite the feast! With the whole family chipping in to cooking the meal, a spread of strawberries, sausages, rice balls and veg was on offer, with a healthy supply of beer to boot. The dishes were served with a beautiful dipping sauce that I wish I knew the name of. We all received highly distinctive ceramic individual plates, mine featuring a cute little illustration of a rabbit!

Customised plates for dipping in sauce.

Ridiculously cute.

Junko's husband and mother-in-law get in on the cooking. 

It's great to know the concept of barbecue is just as popular

in Japan as it is back home...

After dinner, we all relaxed in the workshop while and took it in turn to try our hand at kendama, a traditional Japanese game. Some of you may be familiar with the common ball-and-cup game, where a ball on a string is attached to a cup and the player must swing their arm in a motion to land the ball inside it. Kendama is a bit like a harder version of that, as there are two curved surfaces for the ball to land on along with a spike which the player has to try and hook the ball onto. It's incredibly difficult for first timers and takes quite a lot of perseverance to get good at. Needless to say, I was a tad useless! I got one of my own as a birthday present from a class at Tsuru-Uchi Elementary, mind you, so I've been practising.

 Ao (left) and her mother Hiroko (right) proved to be significantly better than myself!

I was quite content to spend my time taking pictures, mind you!

One of the really nice things about this trip was that I was given a late birthday present from Junko's father in-law; an old wooden kendo practice sword he had used in his training! For those of you who don't know, kendo is a Japanese sword-fighting sport that is wildly popular in the high-schools around Japan. It bears a little bit of a resemblance to fencing, which I did for a brief time in my youth, though I've never attempted kendo. It makes a wonderful decoration and conversation piece in my house, though, and I intend to keep it when I return to Scotland!

Attempting to look bad-ass.

Probably shouldn't have my shirt tucked in for this.

The kids practice their kendo skills into the early evening.

Overall, a pretty nice start to June! Perhaps most notable of all, I was also gifted with a traditional Japanese fan - an uchiwa - which Hiroko's daughter, Ao, had customised herself - most notably by having written "Friend".

Some things really do tug at the heart-strings.