The calm before the storm

Recently it has been rather relaxing around Miyazaki. I am done with classes until March and the weather is getting nicer. Anthony and I are planning to use this time do to some traveling through Kyushu. But that will come next week!

On Wednesday we met up with Kaori and headed to Udo jingu. While it has been the third time for me to visit, I still find it most spectacular and inspiring. The weather was gorgeous and the birds were chirping in the bushes. We visited and prayed at the shrines as well as tried to throw the clay balls into a small pool of water, I have yet to succeeded at this but I hope to have more chances.

This relaxing time is the calm before the storm of traveling set up for upcoming weeks. I will blog about that more once it happens!

A summary and reflection of my time, so far, in Miyazaki

This is a quick over view of my experiences and thoughts of Japan so far. Please enjoy~~

I arrived at Miyazaki airport around 10pm on October 4^th, after a good 17 hours of traveling. It was dark but rather warm and humid. Kaori, Hirase-sensei, and Iwamoto-sensei were all at the airport to meet me. My first experience of Miyazaki was driving from the airport to the university, noticing how dark it was. There was just open expanse of darkness, no light of buildings or street lights. The hills and fields were dark. It was so unlike anything I had seen around the Seattle/Olympia area. There, one can always see the lights of houses in the hills or buildings. Once we dropped off my luggage at the dorm, Kaori and I went to the nearby Joyfull. Once I ate and returned to the dorm, I unpacked some of my items and settled down for my first night at Miyazaki.

My first few months were full of new experiences, sights, sounds, and smells. It was a little hard to adjust all of it at first, but after about a month I felt as though I had gotten used to my surroundings. I was able to meet my tutor, who helped me set up accounts, apply for alien registration, purchase a cellular phone, and just be an all around great friend. I decided from the very beginning that I am going to make my experience the best it can be. Miyazaki and Japan are new and different places. Life here has its own rhythm it follows. I take things as they come, always working toward my goals, and experiencing life here to the fullest.

After meeting with Hirase-sensei, the professor in charge of the exchange students, I set up a class schedule for my Japanese language study and environmental studies. I decided to take all of the elementary level and one of the beginner Japanese courses, a total six Japanese language/culture studies classes. For environmental science, I was able to work with my professor, Iwamoto-sensei, and his students on field studies and an environmental conservation class. The environmental class was in English and was comprised of other international students. During the last month of the quarter, the environmental conservation class turned to Japanese, which was a good challenge for me and my Japanese language skills. Even in Japanese I was able to understand most of the class, with my trusty electronic dictionary next to me for the difficult times.

Outside of class, I have met many of the other exchange students and Japanese students, participated in Japanese cultural events, and visited many sightseeing areas. The students living on the same floor as me (the fourth floor) have all been very kind and understanding. They helped explain how to clean on the group cleaning days, and how to sort and take out the trash. I always enjoy learning and talking to people while making dinner and lunch in the communal kitchen on the fourth floor. As for events, I attended a Kimono festival with exchange students from China and Korea. We were taught how to wear a Kimono and had the opportunity to wear one in a contest. Another community event I was invited to join by my Tutor and her family was a soba wheat harvesting festival. It was a great community event in a little town north of Miyazaki city. People came from many areas to assist in harvesting the soba grains. The tools used were tools invented back in the Edo period, but still work extremely efficiently. There was no need for gas powered machines or extension cords, the tools were powered by the people using them, and used simple things such as wind and gravity. After the harvest, we gathered in the community center and shared our thoughts and gave thanks to those who helped and gave their guidance. Throughout all these events and meetings with people, I have noticed a flow of information, whether it being a person wondering how to speak another language or someone being curious about the world around them. I am glad I can be a part of this flow of information. I am happy to share my experiences and thoughts about America as well as absorb information and knowledge about Japan as well.

Traveling has been another part of my experience in Japan. I have traveled to Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, and Kagoshima. Each city has its own unique personality consisting of the people who live there, the architecture, and the surrounding landscape. Through the books I have been reading and the documentaries I have watched, I have been noticing the great impact that the natural environment has on the people of Japan. It is so deeply rooted in their culture, but as large cities and industrialization happen, I am afraid that this respect and awe for nature may be shunted into the background. But one can always see little bits of it pop up in modern culture. Take Hayao Miyazaki’s movies for instance. Many of them have environmental messages which are trying to be conveyed to people today. I believe there is still hope for the environment and nature in this ever growing world.

I will continue to do my best throughout my remaining time here in Japan. I am planning to do an independent research project on the bird populations in different ages of forest surrounding Miyazaki. I will continue to enjoy myself while I am here as well, since I believe that enjoying oneself is an important part in gaining the most out of an experience.

The Trip to Kagoshima

(Above: Mt. Sakurajima)
Today was the day Anthony and I made our little day trip to Kagoshima, on the southern tip of Kyushu island. We had been planing this trip for about a week, and decided that today was the day to go. We struck out on our all day adventure around 6:20 in the morning, after giving a rather energetic Shiva his breakfast and medicine. The train brought us to Minami Miyazaki station where we would catch the highway bus to Kagoshima city. We were hoping that the Mister Donuts near by would supply us with our rations for the adventure, but sadly they did not open in time. Once we boarded the bus, we settled down for the two and a half hour bus ride and prepared to rest for the busy day a head.
Once we arrived at our destination, we sought out the Kagoshima visitor information center for directions. After receiving some pamphlets and an all day city bus ticket for only 600yen (including discounts to many major museums visitor sights, we used our poor sense heading skills to try to find the first museum we wanted to visit. After a few moments we decided to give up walking to a museum and took the bus instead, upon which we found we were walking in the opposite direction. Our first destination was the Museum of Meiji Restoration, or the Saigo Takamori Museum. It was a very interactive museum, with lots of information about the beginning of the Meiji restoration. They had a "videogame" where one would walk around in Kagoshima city back in the mid 19th century as a young boy training to become a samurai. They also had a drama/history presentation which talked about Saigo Takamori's history and the other major people in the Meiji restoration. The museum seemed to put a lot of thought into the different displays to make them informative and interesting to many people.
(Below: Anthony with Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi)


After we explored the museum, we headed to our next destination. It had started to drizzle by this point but because we are good seattlites we paid no heed, at first. We took a picture of the Saigo Takamori statue at our next stop, then headed off to find some nutritional foods. We found a yummy ramen shop to rest in and fill our bellies. When we prepared to leave how ever, we noticed the rain had increased in intensity. We took refuge in a little gazebo in a park near by until the let up a bit and our was about to arrive. We rode the bus to the cave where Saigo Takamori hid. It was a bit smaller then I had imagined it to be... but still neat!


Then after I hopped off at the wrong bus stop, Anthony and I wandered around looking for the Saigo Takamori memorial park. Anthony asked for directions from some people so we were able to find the memorial with out too much problem. The memorial was for all the samurai who had died in the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. It was a beautiful park over looked by Mt. Sakurajima. It also had this nifty looking phone booth!


After we visited the memorial we headed off to the Kagoshima City Aquarium. I must say, Japan has really good museums and aquariums. I have been reading a book lately, and it mentioned that many of the large companies give money to create and build these attractions. Anyway, back to the aquarium! The Aquarium was four stories high, with a fifth smaller landing which served as a place to rest and had a nice view of Mt. Sakurajima. The exhibits all had very informative explanations and a list of species with their names and pictures next to each tank. Through out the aquarium there were also little bits of environmentally conscious writings. It was really moving to see these sorts of things, and they were all conveniently translated into English for us :) They seemed to be aimed at adults to help inform them of current environmental issues, in a nice subtle way.


<---This one was probably my favorite. (bellow: red sea turtle)

And here are some really cute fishies! It was fun to see how excited all the kids were to see the animals.











(bellow: Some cute fishies in the sea annenamies)















(bellow: very large crabs)


After buying Omeyage for everyone, we started off back to the bus station to catch the bus back to Miyazaki. When we arrived at Minami Miyazaki, we grabbed some dinner, and then headed back to the college. After such a long day, I am going to snuggle up with a sleepy Shiva and sleep soundly.

P.S Shiva has figured out how to clime all the way up the screen door and hop on top of my dresser and then walk across the curtain rods... He is a very talented kitten.