T.G.I.F: Australia Day

Image Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/australia-day-celebrate-our-big-day-in-style/story-e6frewyr-1226557404048

This year, Australia Day falls on a Saturday--this Saturday January 26th in fact! Despite the lack of hot, sunny weather, we will be celebrating with an Australia Day party at the Taproom in Numazu from 12pm until 2pm. The party, of course, will continue after 2pm (2pm is the point where the Taproom opens to the public). So if you are a Shizuoka resident, why not come join us and enjoy some Tim Tams, Vegemite, beer and ANZAC bikkies with your Aussie brethren this weekend? Happy Australia Day!

Travel Log: Roaming in Southeast Asia (Part 5)

This has been a long time coming... Now is time for the final installment of the "Roaming in Southeast Asia" series.

Tops Tuesdays: Final Exams

Image Source: http://savingjapan.net/category/features/

The school year is winding down for a lot of 3rd years who at my school are only required to attend a half day of school from now on. Last weekend, many students took their final entrance exam for university. Despite the fact that a few have already confirmed their attendance at certain colleges around the country, a large portion of the student body is still relying on the outcome of this exam to shape their future. All the stress of end-of-year exams (which can for some teens drive them to the edge of reason) has finally abated and students are beginning to relax before their first university classes begin in April. 

It also means I have to say goodbye to a great bunch of girls that I have gotten to know over the past couple of years. Every day for the past year, I have eaten my lunch with a small group of 3rd year students who wanted to improve their English speaking ability. These girls will be moving on to bigger and better things after the school year ends. I was able to get to know each of them a little better and I appreciate the small about of insight into the Japanese teenage experience I managed to glean from them. 

Now that this small "lunch club" is breaking up (because the 3rd year students usually leave school before lunch time now), I want to wish all of my students good luck on their final exam result, and to my girls: I hope we will have a chance to meet again one day.

T.G.I.F.: Bonden Festival

Throughout Akita Prefecture, the Bonden Festival is being celebrated with parades of colourful "wands" through local townships. Of particular interest is the celebration at the shrine on Mount Taiheizan near Akita Station. Men race up the mountain to be the first to offer their Bonden prayer at the shrine, often with violent physical altercations resulting from the frenzy to be first, known as "Bonden fighting."

Click the image below to find out more. 

Image Source: http://www.houseofjapan.com/festivals/bonden-sai-festival

Tops Tuesdays: Dondoyaki

On the weekend nearest January 15th, the people of Japan like to gather around bonfires in rural areas to burn their New Year's decorations (usually constructed of reads, paper and fruit) in a kind of religious sacrifice to welcome in the New Year. This custom is called 'Dondoyaki' and daruma dolls are usually sacrificed to the flames simultaneously as symbols of endurance and luck. Attendees and also permitted to make wishes at the bonfire and partake of amazaki (a kind of sake) and mochi (chewy rice cakes). This ritual marks the end of all New Years celebrations.

This is a picture of the bonfire setup the day before the burning. The red decorations are daruma dolls. My local township set up several of these bonfires along the nearby river. 

Wishing you a happy and productive 2013!