EARTHQUAKE!!!

Well, now I suppose I have your attention. We did suffer an earthquake earlier this week, but I feel that the capitalization and triple exclamation mark in the title made it seem much more than it really was. It was M=4 on the Richter scale, so we just felt the walls and windows shake. When it happened we at first were really confused, then all got excited when we realized we had just made it through our first Japanese earthquake.

This past weekend was, as anticipated, really great. I took my Japanese quiz early and went with the guys on Friday to Kamakura, to check out a festival going on there. We were searching for the right place, and we followed a stone path into the woods. Suddenly, we walked into an opening filled with people. It felt very Secret Garden discovering this hidden majesty. After waiting for quite some time, the festival started. We quickly realized that it was well worth the trip (and the day off of school). The festival involved Shinto priests riding on horseback, shooting arrows at wooden targets. They would ride swiftly by with the target on their left-hand side, and without looking they would string their bow, take aim and smash the target. I don't think I fully realize how difficult it all is - riding the horse at full speed with no hands, not looking the target, and actually hitting it.

After the archery, we headed into the shrine, where we chilled with some of the priests. If you enlarge the picture by clicking on it, you can see papers tied to string in the back - something that is seen often, for good luck. We checked out the shrine, and after some time we headed on into the city of Kamakura, where surprises waited...

Barrels of sake (and other alcohol) given as offerings

Inside the shrine; on the right hand side are wishes written by visitors

At the top of the shrine steps

Different shrine, on the same grounds

Water lily pond; man on the right is feeding the turtles

Percussionists just outside the temple ground; we had to restrain ourselves from dancing - the beat was intoxicating

It turns out that the Miss World contestants were in Kamakura for that day. Not really sure what brought them there, but they certainly complemented the scenery. We went and got dinner in the town, and the Miss World ladies were causing quite a stir. They weren't too friendly, unlike my new, much more receptive friend, who simply goes by "The Colonel."

Miss Worlds draw a crowd

Crazy Kamakura Crosswalk

After eating dinner, we headed to the beach and caught the sunset. It was beautiful. We decided to get into the water, because its not every day one can swim in the Pacific Ocean. The idea was quickly challenged when 50% of our swimmers were stung by jellyfish. I was one of the lucky two to escape unscathed.

Happy beach collage

Saturday we traveled to Yokohama for a baseball game. Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan. The baseball game was a lot of fun. The atmosphere is much different from baseball games in the US. An adequate description is that it was a baseball game with a college football atmosphere. It was more impressive, because there was no set band or cheerleaders. The fans all knew the cheers and some had brought their own instruments.

On the boat taxi to Yokohama; this building had a grass park on its roof

After each game, the MVP is awarded

We headed to the largest Chinatown in Japan, and got some dinner. It was nice walking around, though Gary was really disappointed that we didn't find any fireworks.

China town

Just goes to show you have trustworthy the Japanese are - nobody will touch stuff that is not theirs

Sunday was a festival day (thanking the fox god for a good harvest?) by Temple University. An old man had come to ask one of the faculty at TUJ to provide some strapping young lads to help carry a shrine. It was exciting because none of them spoke English, and there was not going to be any university representative present. We were given headbands, robes and two-toed shoes to wear. We got dressed, and he tied our waistbands extra tight, perhaps to prevent hernias. We all carried this heavy shrine on our shoulders, and this would not have been to bad, except we were dancing on our toes the whole way. We chanted as we went, and I know that that was the slowest that I had ever moved to get anywhere. We took about three hours to cover a (estimated) mile. We took breaks along the way for water, but it was really enjoyable. Our shoulders were really torn up by the end of the day. After we finished the carrying, we sat down to some food. Food and drink were forced upon us, and we had a great time conversing with people that couldn't understand us. I was flattered when I said "Temple daigaku no gaksee" (Temple University student) and was mistaken for a Japanese speaker. When we told the guy who we were talking to that I did not speak Japanese, he was quite disappointed, and didn't talk to us for the rest of the night. I guess it's the thought that counts.

Aerial shot of the procession

Monday was another national holiday. We headed to the Edo-Tokyo museum in Ryogoku. Afterward, we headed to the Grand Sumo Championship. For some basic info, click here. I found that sumo is much more ritual than action, but one can easily get into the atmosphere. The crowd went crazy when one of the wrestlers tossed a huge pile of salt onto the ring (the wrestlers throw salt to purify the ring - but this guy used an exorbitant amount). The matches were exciting to watch, and we got to see the current Yokozuna wrestle.

The Edo Period museum

Edo period printing

"Who's winning the match?"

Those percussionists again - after the tournament, there was a drummer in the top of this tower

We concluded the long weekend searching for sumo stew - all to no avail (we did find it, but not for less than ¥2500 - about $25). A day or two later, we had the earthquake. Here we end our tale, right where we began.