AKITA JET QUARTERLY
THE AKITAN
Winter ISSUE
19.03.22
THE AKITAN WINTER 2022
We are always looking for new content and ideas for The Akitan. Don’t hesitate to contact us at akitajoho@gmail.com if you might be interested in becoming an Akitan contributor!
Cover by Brooke Dalgleish
CONTENTS Farewell............................................................................p.14 My Spring/Summer Uniqlo Guide.....................................p.18 Onsen by the Sea...............................................................p.24 Christmas Cards in Japan.................................................p.34 New Arrival Impressions....................................................p.38 Film Review: Drive My Car................................................p.46 Appi Kogen Ski Resort......................................................p.52 Music Review: From K-pop to Enka....................................p.58 Haiku: I Snow You Like It..................................................p.64 Poetry: Cold Window.........................................................p.68 Book Recs..........................................................................p.72
Meet the PRC team
Meet the PRC team brooke dalgleish and kim bartos Social Media Managers Hi! We are your Akita PRC social media managers! Kim: I’m the JHS and ES ALT in Kosaka. I enjoy drawing, animating, and learning languages. I also play D&D and often read about ghosts and the like in my free time.
Brooke: I’m the Kazuno and Kosaka High school ALT. I’m obsessed with flowers and coffee and spend most of my free time adventuring outdoors capturing Akita’s natural beauty.
Philip Vyas Creative director & Editor of the Akitan Hi, I’m Philip! I’m a third-year ALT living up in Odate. I’m from South Africa. I enjoy life...in general... nothing too specific. Hope you enjoy this edition!
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join the prc The Akita JET Public Relations Committee
The PRC The Akita JET PRC committee is a group of individuals motivated to foster a more socially cohesive community amongst Akita JETs. We are also committed to boosting the public profile of Akita JET. We do this through managing social media pages, creating a news letter and the Akitan. If you are interested in joining, feel free to contact us.
Open positions We are currently looking for: Social Media Managers The social media managers are responsible for managing the various socila media pages of Akita JET namely the instagram profile. People with an interest for taking pictures and creating engaging content will enjoy this position. Newsletter administrators This position requires individuals who are willing to liase with the various PAs and BAs in Akita to compile a newsletter regarding events and useful information across blocks. This newsletter strives to keep all Akita JETs up-to-date and is a wonderful way to explore outside of your block or city. If you are interested shoot us an email at: akitajoho@gmail.com 5
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Akitan contributors
Akitan con
Peter Bond Movie reviewer I’m Peter, I’m a 3rd year JET in Yurihonjo City. When I’m not hiking or reading, I’m watching movies. Classic Japanese Cinema, Japanese New Wave, and of course NonJapanese movies as well. Some favorite films of mine are : Mistress America, In the Mood for Love, Ran, Vertigo, The Act of Killing. Hit me up with any movie suggestions, always looking for more.
Ethan Robinson Music reviewer and creative writer I’m Ethan Robinson, the new Colorado guy in Mitane! I grew up for five years in Sapporo so, I’m very happy to be back in Japan. It’s been amazing to reunite with tuna mayo onigiri and nikuman. I’m into writing, music, and gaming. I’m super excited to explore all of Akita.
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ntributors
Catherine Johnson Book reviewer Hey, I'm CJ! A 5th year ALT from Minnesota placed in Yurihonjo who loves books. My reading habits are as chaotic as my Aries sun and moon with a tendency to gravitate toward magical realism and darker moods. When I'm not reading, I'm binging Netflix, watching cooking videos on YouTube, or exploring Akita's cafes and nature. Let's enjoy reading together~
Jacob Delgado Fashionista Hey, I’m Jacob. I’m a 3rd year ALT living in Mitane. My main interests are clothing and fashion. I like playing games if I have the time. I’m also a very bad skateboarder. Peace
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Jacob Delgado
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Philip Vyas, Ski peeps, Appi Ski Kogen
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Jacob Delgado
Charity Akita チャリティ秋⽥ About Us We are an unincorporated non-profit voluntary association that works to strengthen the expat and Japanese community by providing opportunities for people to connect, and to pass on the legacy of volunteerism in Akita prefecture.
Hosted events Beach Cleanup English Cafe Appi ski trip Christmas Carolling Sumo Tournament ...and more!
Follow us! http://www.charityakita.com
charityakita@gmail.com facebook.com/charityakita twitter.com/charityakita instagram.com/charityakita 12
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Brooke Dalgleish, Far Away Wind Turbines
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Farewell
Farewell And so, it has come. My time on JET is coming to an end this summer and my time as the Akitan editor is coming to an end now. I never intended to be the editor. In a mood to flex my writing muscle I messaged the previous editor of the Akitan about what sort of article I could write for the next edition. Her response was that no one was going to make it and that if I wanted to take over I could do it. I seemingly did not hesitate and took the position. I always enjoyed filling vacant roles, more freedom that way. I felt out of my depth being one who never really read magazines or paid attention to design or was even in the habit of taking pictures. But I decided to give it the ol’ college try. My time as the editor has been full of ups and downs. All the sleepless nights editing, testing friendships by asking for articles and just dealing with the stress have all been a challenge, but it was all worth it. I gained so much in return. To have a glance into magazine design. Choosing themes, picking pictures, deciding how to lay out everything is truly an amazing art. To be able to contribute to The Akita JET community in some way has been really fulfilling. To a program that has given me so much, it was a pleasure to be able to give back. I have zero regrets and, in the end, made memories in magazine form that will last forever. Thank you to all the readers and contributors. This would have not been possible or worthwhile without you.
Philip Vyas
Editor and Creative Director
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Philip Vyas, Frozen Lake, Mt. Ho-oh Odate
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Philip Vyas
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Amy Lin, View From Selion Tower, Akita City THE AKITAN
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My Spring/Summer Uniqlo Guide
My Spring/Summer Uniqlo Guide Jacob Delgado
I’ve been tasked with writing a fashion piece for the Akitan. I want to make this accessible to everyone so I’m going to talk about the upcoming spring/summer lineup at Uniqlo. Every item I’m talking about can be worn unisex or has a women’s sizing option. This winter was pretty rough, so I assume we’re all excited to not have to bundle up every time we leave our houses. Here are my 5 recommended pieces from Uniqlo for this spring.
I love a good solid color t-shirt with no graphics. So, the first item I want to highlight is the Cool Neck t-shirt (クルーネ ックTシャツ) from the Uniqlo U line. These are my favorite t-shirts and I wear them all the time. Quality build and good shape on a 1,000円 T-shirt. They come in many colors and are sold year-round. These are a unisex item and a big recommendation from me.
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Everybody loves jeans! For the past two years I’ve only worn one pair of jeans, but I recently added one more pair to my collection. These are the wide fit jeans( ワイドフィットジーンズ). This shape is new for this new season of Uniqlo. The wide slightly tapered silhouette is really nice and resembles some more expensive options from “fancy” Japanese brands. They come in a light, medium, and dark wash which are all great. Also, please note that it is 2022 and the age of the skinny jean is over fellas. These are about 4,000円 and come in a wide variety of waist sizes wearable by men and women.
Some of my favorite pants are the Uniqlo ankle pants(アンクルパンツ). These pants have been around for years and have always been my go to for work. Every season they come in a variety of colors and fabrics. I prefer the cotton one’s myself but they also come in a very stretchy synthetic option which could be good for the active ALT. These are also about 4,000円, but they go on sale all the time. Men’s and women’s options are available. 19
My Spring/Summer Uniqlo Guide
My Spring/Summer Uniqlo Guide
One of the best things about spring is of course light outerwear, so I’d like to highlight a jacket as well. The piece I want to talk about is the denim work jacket (デニムワー クジャケット). This is a classically designed chore coat, made in a nice indigo blue with white pinstripes. Perfect for casual wear in spring. Once again this is about 4,000 円. This jacket is offered in men’s sizing but could be styled easily by women as well.
A new item this season that caught my eye was this polo(ラガーポロシャツ）. It’s a short sleeve striped polo with a white rugby collar. This is a good example of something you could wear at work during cool biz and in your personal life. This is a great Unisex polo from Uniqlo. The dark green colorway is what I would go for, and it comes in at 1,995円.
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Pictures sourced from: https://www.uniqlo.com
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Brooke Dalgleish, Comfy Cafe
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Brooke Dalgleish, Icy River
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Brooke Dalgleish, Meander
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Onsen
Onsen by the Sea
Onsen by the Sea In the mood for some respite from the cold. I decided to head up to Furofushi Onsen, to once again enjoy a beautiful ocean view while relaxing in an onsen. I met up with my Onsen friends for the day at the usual Aeon parking lot in Noshiro. We gathered into one car and off we went up the coast of Akita bordering the Sea of Japan, past Happo town and further north, over the border into Aomori and up close near the town of Fukaura famous for carrots, then we arrived at Furofushi onsen. Important to note that this trail is littered with Michinoekis boasting various and interesting flavors of ice cream one of which I regard as the best. More on that later. The Onsen is connected to a hotel and costs 500\. Towel rental is possible. The lobby staff were very friendly particularly one man who could speak English. He instructed us that we first need to shower at the 24
Philip Vyas
hotel, before venturing out toward the outdoor bath. The hotel complex features a regular Onsen attached to the hotel where one is able to shower. Soap and shampoo are provided. This part of the Onsen also includes an elevated outdoor bath which has a spectacular view of the ocean. However, we were looking for the true smell, sound and feel of the ocean, so onward we went out onto the coast side. The walk to the outdoor bath from the hotel takes about 15 minutes and includes a short elevator ride. Once we got outside, we were greeted by a fresh cold blast of coastal wind. We headed toward the baths eagerly down a long narrow concrete path. The outdoor baths are separated into two. One mixed side and one female only side. Upon entering the mixed side there is a small section where shelves and baskets are provided for
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your clothes and belongings. In, we went. The water is an earthy light brown, with the trimmings of the bath being calcified minerals. The ocean view, sound and smell truly provide a spectacle as long periods of silence ensued as everyone meditated on the ocean waves. The temperature of the water on the mixed side was perfect that day. We heard from our friend that the women’s side was too hot. Each to their own, however as the water is brown and not at all transparent, I feel that the mixed
bathing section is not too awkward. On the way back we enjoyed a hot meal at one of the many Michinoekis followed by my favourite sesame seed ice cream. A great trip as a whole, I would highly recommend it for anyone seeking a good Onsen to visit. The drive and Onsen combine to provide a lovely experience. The road is a coastal road and provides views of the snowy Shirakami mountains. Oh yes! I nearly forgot. We saw wild Japansese macaques too!
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Towada Illumination
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Onsen
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Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards in Japan
Brooke Dalgleish
Do you enjoy some old fashioned snail mail? Well I sure do, and it’s a great way to connect with family and friends from afar. This year, like many of us, I wasn’t able to go home and celebrate the holidays. I decided I would send some holiday cheer through cute cards that I found throughout Akita.
sending cards to the US, but it seems like stamps were only about ¥100-200 per card depending on the size. I found most of these cards either at the post office or in local bookstores like Books Moa. Most of my friends and family members that received a card got it within 10-14 days and loved them. Many still have their cards displayed because of the Even though Japanese people beautiful and aesthetic designs. All focus their attention more on New in all, it brought me joy to pick and Year’s, Japan has other endearing choose what card to send to who and creative holiday designs! From and then wait to see their response. Santa-san enjoying sushi or relaxing Basically, a win-win situation at an onsen, to the majestic views thanks to the adorable Sanrio and of Mt. Fuji, cards from Japan often Hallmark cards of Japan. delight and surprise people. There is plenty of variety, such as cards If you’re looking for a nice keepsake with 3D designs or intricate cutouts. for people back home, maybe send I will say that they can be fairly them a card or two. I bet they will expensive and the bigger they are, appreciate the effort and be grateful the bigger the stamp price. for the long journey that the card has taken to reach their hands. As However, I was able to find some an FYI, the cards for spring are now fun cards within the ¥200-¥500 on sale and are just as fun! price range. I can only speak for 34
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Ritsuko Kondo, Odate street lights
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Ritsuko Kondo, Shining Street
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New Arrival Impressions: Omicron and a Beatles Bonenkai
New Arrival Impressions: Omicron Ethan Robinson and a Beatles Bonenkai
The view out of my hotel window looked out to an office building, where for two weeks I enjoyed a cut-out view of the daily life of a typical Tokyo salaryman. Every morning at 7:15 the doorbell to my room rang and there was a knock at my door. I brought in my bagged breakfast, and promptly at 7:30am, the lights came on in the office building, where workers ushered into the large open office spaces. The sun always set at 5:00pm, and all of the salary workers had mostly cleared out of the offices by 7:00, a few staying until as late as 9:30. It was easy to feel disassociated from the outside world, as each day Tokyo felt more like a set piece than reality, a city behind glass that I could see but not touch.
wake of the new omicron variant of COVID-19.
I’m sure the dozens of other quarantined JETs felt the same, and least to say, I was relieved to finally arrive in Akita. Exactly a week later, Japan’s borders were closed in the
A quick glance at the JET reddit page and you’ll see that many lost their jobs, their savings, or even their apartments after months of delays and scheduled arrivals being abruptly
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Those of us that arrived in November are incredibly lucky, as countless other JETs who were slated to arrive in December were left behind, some of whom have been waiting since Spring 2020. After nearly two years of waiting on borders to open and our arrival in Japan to even be remotely possible, the entry of omicron was a harsh reminder that our lives are totally at the mercy of a global pandemic. I am very conscious of my own luck and am blessed to be in Japan, having applied to the JET program after my graduation in December 2020. But countless other JETs are not so lucky.
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New Arrival Impressions: Omicron and a Beatles Bonenkai
canceled. For many the JET program is nothing more than a pipe dream, and some have major complaints about how the program has handled its communications. While the delays are hugely unfortunate and many complaints have good reason, I think blaming the program or Japan’s strict COVID policies is ultimately futile. We all want the satisfaction of something singular to blame when huge global forces beyond our control throw our lives off course.
recognized me and ushered me to join them. Having spent part of my life in the rural United States, I think you would be hard-pressed to find an American small town today that treats its foreigners with the same amount of kindness. Every country has its bad examples, but Japanese culture broadly has a genuine sense of civic duty and community, qualities that I think the United States in particular could learn from amidst a pandemic and increasing global crises.
Ever since my arrival in Mitane, the people in the community frequently ask if I’m keeping warm, if I’m eating enough and if I’m settling well into my new home. On Christmas eve, I went to the local izakaya expecting just to have a donburi and a beer, but some locals and parents of my students immediately 40
In the middle of 2021, travel had only just begun to be a possibility again. After two years of isolation, vaccinations and relaxing restrictions gave us some hope of enjoying vacations and global travel. We are a globalist world connected through the internet and social media, but
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Covid-19 showed us how isolating and narrow-minded our daily lives can be. Like a toddler forgetting an object is there when you throw a blanket over it, we forget that other people exist in the world, that there are real people and whole other societies outside our limited locus of attention. Meeting the people in Mitane has shown me this and has been a true lesson in human connection after two years of coronavirus. People are not objects that suddenly exist when you see them. Everyone in the world has been living with the same shared struggles, the same wants and desires. As many of us in Akita are foreigners outside our home countries, I think we have a unique opportunity to strive towards mindfulness and social empathy, qualities that I think have become increasingly important. In the middle of December, my junior high school held a bonenkai, which was their first enkai since before the
pandemic. With all of the customary speeches and jokes and drinking, I got the distinct impression of relief from my coworkers, that this bonenkai was more than just a closer to the school year but a well-deserved respite from the difficulties and restrictions of Covid-19. Of course, our ability to celebrate together was a luxury compared to the rest of the world’s continuing struggle. But if 2021 was a lesson in anything, it was to take the good with the bad, to accept the ebb and flow and contradictions. At the bonenkai I was also invited to play the guitar with my science teacher, who loves heavy metal. We combined our skills– I sang “Hey Jude” and played acoustic, while he belted out a solo on his Flying V electric guitar. Everyone loved it. We bowed, and my science teacher said band name was “OMICRON”, a name we agreed was the most hardcore heavy metal band name. But as the semester ends, OMICRON will probably not be having
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New Arrival Impressions: Omicron and a Beatles Bonenkai
a second concert, as the real omicron variant makes a massive surge in Japan. Not all heavy metal band names are in good taste, but our musical debut certainly was freeing, and damn fun while it lasted.
spectacular valley vistas–all of these contradict the mainstream aesthetic of Japan as a techno metropolis. In December, I only recently discovered michi no eki, a countryside staple that I never encountered during my time in Sapporo. Japan contains I’ve frequently heard Akita referred multitudes and contradictions beyond to as the “Real Japan” and I wonder the neon skyscrapers of Tokyo. From what people mean by this. What does michi no eki and towering office the “real” Japan look like? I spent five blocks, to Christmas eve izakayas and years of my childhood in Sapporo, from Beatles bonenkais. All of Japan is the ages eleven to sixteen, so I understand real Japan, and I am truly excited to the unique feelings and images that discover the unique gifts that Akita has the inaka presents to city dwellers. The to offer. May our unique times in Akita tanbo rice fields, the ubiquitous and be the best times of 2022! quiet shrines, and mountain trails on *Photos courtesy of Ethan Robinson
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Drive My Car
Drive My Car Peter Bond
Late in Uncle Vanya, you hear “The truth, whatever it is, is not as frightening as uncertainty.” I do not like sitting in uncertainty, it is far more difficult than sitting in truth. The blur, the mess, the way some things just are, defies me. Some 46
things are beyond our judgment and understanding, and we are forced to sit without knowing. Sit in the silence, and find peace. Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s recent Haruki Murakami adaptation, has been drawing attention overseas,
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and some late season awards buzz. The director previously worked on the sprawling Happy Hour, Asako I & II , and last year’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy. Here he takes on the work of one of Japan’s most famous modern writers. The dreamy interiority of Murakami’s writing is grafted on screen here as we follow a grieving theater director tackling an adaptation of Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima. When he arrives, he is mandated to have a driver chauffeur him. At first, he declines, but he relents and the young woman Misaki takes the driver’s seat while he is left in the back. Women throughout Murakami’s stories can appear as flat dreamy mysteries, but here they are given life but held at a distance at the same time. In the back seat, Yuusuke grapples with the memory of his wife and his adaptation of Uncle Vanya. He’s stoic, yet seething with a clenched fury. Grief, with anger flashing through it.
We cannot have grief without love, and Yuusuke’s love for his wife burns bright. We see them early on, and he is enthralled with her. Yet, they are parts of her he cannot come to face. Parts of his wife that are flattened, ignored, excused. Is he seeing what he only wants to see in her? What do we do when we are shown what we don’t want to see? This question hangs over his grief as he contemplates who his wife was, and what that means for the love they had. In the source material, Murakami frames it as “Can any of us ever perfectly understand another person? However much we may love them?” This is the aching question that sits at the heart of the movie. How does our love intersect with uncertainty? Misaki prods Yuusuke, not verbally but by her own memories. Speaking of her past and a loss in her life. Together they start to find some idea of how to move on together. To sit with grief, to remember the ones we love, and sit in the silent unknowing and find peace. One of the more remarkable sections of this movie is it’s use of Korean Sign Language throughout and in the production of Uncle Vanya. The scenes of Uncle Vanya performed 47
Drive My Car
resonate, and the characters speak of them almost as Sutras. A type of emotional knowledge and truth that transcend language, and are communicated purely by the character’s will and self-knowledge. The truths of great art transcend
language, both for Chekov and for this adaptation. Drive My Car has been rereleased nationwide in preparation for the Academy Awards in the United States.
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Ritsuko Kondo, On Scene, Odate, Shining Street
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Ritsuko Kondo, On Scene, Odate, Shining Street
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51 Brooke Dalgleish, German mining office, Kosaka
Appi
Appi Kogen Ski Resort Philip Vyas
Having recently picked up skiing and found it to be quite enjoyable I decided to be a little adventurous and go outside of Akita to check the slopes at Appi Kogen in Iwate. Appi-Kogen is near the Hachimantai mountain range which is in-between Akita and Iwate. It is an hour drive away from Odate. If you live in and around Akita city the drive will be closer to three hours. The ski Lodge itself has two entrances. One main entrance and one rental entrance. The main entrance area is quite cool looking with a few curio shops and a café nearby. As I do not possess my own ski gear, I had to rent some. I found the rental process to be a bit complicated. I 52
was not able to rent gear in person but had to scan a QR code and do it online. The rental options were quite slim with the shop not offering goggles or gloves. Renting a helmet also costs extra. In all, it was a complicated process and a bit on the pricey side. Appi has a wide variety of slopes on offer. Being a beginner, I stuck to the easy slopes and was thoroughly entertained. With various
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meandering paths, tree lined slopes and trees in the middle, I had a great time. Patrons are also able to take a cable car or “gondola” as it is referred to in Japan to the top of the mountain and ski down. I became a little frustrated with skiing with all the waits for and on chair lifts however the trail from the top of the mountain to the bottom is so long and exciting that I forgot the 25min ride it took to get up there. The main slope is very wide and a bit steep proving to be a great practice spot. It is also overlooked by the onsite hotel which has an odd 1990s sci-fi look to it, which had me feeling nostalgic.
want to go back to Appi next ski season.
My one tip for skiing On a final note, my one ski tip for those of you thinking of starting next season: is to get good gloves. Skiing is a winter sport and it is very cold. As a beginner you will fall a lot and use your hands to get back up again. Having thick water proof gloves makes a huge difference. My first time I used my regular gloves. They soon became soaked and my hands got painfully cold. Having a good pair of gloves makes all the difference. 忘れないで！
Although a bit pricey the slopes and facilities were well worth it. I definitely
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Jody Frye, Appi Kogen Inspiration 55
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Brooke Dalgleish, lit-up tree
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Philip Vyas, Into the Night, Lake Towada
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From K-pop to Enka
From K-pop to Enka
Ethan Robinson
I’ d like to call myself a music geek, but a big reason why I love music so much is that there are still a million artists that I don’t know about and entire genres that I’ve yet to explore. So being the totally ignorant and unhip foreigner that I am, I decided to ask my students what the most current and coolest music is. Keep in mind that my sample size was quite small and confined to Kotooka Junior High in Mitane, but I think this provides a quick snapshot of what’s popular if you’re an uncultured listener like me who’s totally new to K-pop and J-pop. So take notes!
Here are the top three tracks I heard: BTS “MIC Drop” Of course you know BTS, how could you not? “MIC Drop” was recorded in both Korean and Japanese by BTS and produced by Pdogg, the remix produced by Japanese American DJ Steve Aoki. Not only is Aoki heir to the Benihana restaurant franchise fortune, but it turns out he also makes sick beats. If you really wanna get down with the cool kids, then this is the perfect K-Pop song for you. 58
King Gnu “Hikoutei” King Gnu is a J-pop group that hasn’t released a new album since 2019, but they were still one of my students’ top choices, specifically the song “Hikoutei”. King Gnu has a very energetic sound that very much fits into the anime theme genre, but they also have indie pop, alternative, nu jazz and even classical influences. “Hikoutei” opens with an unmistakable bluesy guitar riff and hooks you all the way to the end and has you pressing repeat. 10/10 recommend if you want to play it during your morning routine and feel like a badass anime protagonist.
Hirai Ken “Nonfiction” Ken Hirai has been in the J-pop game for over 20 years. And while his style is definitely more 90s era, Hirai has toured overseas and across East Asia and continues to release. “Nonfiction” is the perfect fit for you romantics out there, and I especially recommend Hirai’s whole discography if you’re looking for less flashy J-pop and simply great R&B songs. Out of all my students’ picks, he’s my personal favorite!
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From K-pop to Enka
On the other side of the spectrum, I’m a big fan of enka and generally any Japanese pop and rock from the Showa period from the 50s to 80s. Enka is a genre that resembles traditional Japanese singing and often features sentimental ballads, while modern enka has some elements of blues, rockabilly and jazz. Interestingly, the musical scales in enka resemble the pentatonic blues scale, which was the foundation of American roots music, blues and rock. You might know the song “Sukiyaki” by Sakamoto Kyu, which is super famous outside Japan! Since moving here I have made many new enka discoveries, whether from buying random records at Mansaido or asking the people at my schools for recommendations. Here are two of my favorites!
Fuji Keiko “Keiko no Yumei wa Yoru Hiraku” In 1969 Fuji Keiko revived the usage of the word “enka” itself, after it wasn’t used at all during the post-war period. This song is a forlorn ballad with soft jazzy guitar, saxophone and accordion, and Keiko’s voice makes me think of her as the Japanese Nancy Sinatra. Interestingly, Fuji Keiko’s daughter Hikaru Utada is a super successful J-pop artist too, and has done soundtrack work for Evangelion and Kingdom Hearts.
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Kawashima Eigo “Jidai Okure” Kawashima came out a little later in the 70s and 80s, and may not be considered enka, but he is definitely seen as Showa pop. In fact, “Jidai Okure” means old fashioned but is still a very popular karaoke song today. Soulful and passionate, Kawashima also has a song about crying into your sake that I also recommend for those lonely nights, called “Sake to namida to otoko to onna”.
So there you go! Now you can impress your students with your K-pop knowledge and break out into singing enka with your local oyaji-sans at the izakaya. There are still a plethora of deep cut J-pop and enka I have to uncover, so feel free to share your discoveries with me!
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Philip Vyas, Hirosaki castle
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I snow you like it the wind in your hair, gliding we are the mountain - Nina Wine
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Bryce Fowler, A picture of winter friends, Tazawako Ski Resort
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Brooke Dalgleish, Gondola Ride, Moriyoshi
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Ethan Robinson “Cold Window” Persimmons remain on the tree outside my window, caved in like collapsed faces of jack o’ lanterns. They will not to be harvested or eaten but left on naked branches, dead leftovers of the commonplace. They are found by every house and every road. I sit in the kotatsu each afternoon winnowing time in fading light, counting moments, what was left on the branch or in the sky where two hawks dash and intersect, their wings wide, unseen and forgotten if I hadn’t looked. Little boy spins the beigoma top wrapping string and tossing it, shoving laminate paper underneath spinning and hopping it onto my hand where it spins for a few more revolutions, and then falls. Another teacher wraps the string and throws the top, it slams into the wall and the little boy laughs. Children beg for me to raise my hand for them to jump and touch, higher and higher than the last, until I can’t anymore. The game is always asked for, each day the space between our hands is filled and taken away. When will the game lose its simple wonder– the boy forgets to toss the top, and children too tall to jump, the hawks outside my window fly over the highway, and the last persimmon remains.
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Brooke’s Snow Corner: Carving Out a Piece of Paradise *All photos courtesy of Brooke
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Book Recs
Book Recs
Catherine Johnson
If there’s one thing I DON’T want when I’m reading this season, it’s to read about cold and dreary winters. We have enough of that here in Akita. What I DO want is to forget about my toes feeling like they’re frozen solid and escape to somewhere HOT (even if it’s just in my mind). So here are some “HOT” reads to tie you over in the final weeks of cold weather.
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Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 303 pgs. I’d say the sun is.. pretty hot. This book is told through Klara’s perspective, an artificial friend or AF. Being a solar powered android, the sun is very important to her, so much so she thinks of it as an omnipotent entity. She spends her time talking with other AFs, the manager of the store, and learning about the world by looking out the shop window. Then, she’s brought home with Josie, a 14 year old girl with an illness. Klara then has to learn how to navigate her role as an AF to Josie through family, friendships, illness, and a dystopian world. I loved Klara’s observations when she was in the shop and felt for her as she was learning how to be a friend to Josie. I was absolutely hooked until the last few chapters, which is something that always happens to me when I read Ishiguro’s works. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this dystopian world with Klara. There’s definitely darkness since this is a sci-fi/dystopia, but within that are some insightful musings about the world with descriptions of Klara basking in warm sunlight.
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Book Recs
Nothing to see here by Kevin Wilson 288 pgs. Spontaneous combustion sure sounds like it would be hot.
Not gonna lie, the premise of this book sounded ridiculous, but I ended up so atta the characters that I had tears rolling down my face when I was finishing it. Lillia like her life has come to a dead-end, but then she receives a letter from Madison, roommate. Madison has just married an important politician and asks Lillian to b caretaker of her two 10 year old step kids who, when stressed or excited… spontan combust… Lillian’s voice as a narrator is dark, humorous, honest, and becomes m emotional as she and the twins learn to trust each other. The story takes place ove course of one sweltering summer which combined with the high emotional tensio spontaneous combustion should make you forget all about the stubborn piles of sn
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Se by Ali Wong 240 pgs. Something to make you laugh like a
You may have heard of Ali Wong from her com films like her leading role in Always Be My May and Bertie and Big Mouth respectively. If you lo Ali has written as a kind of life guide for her da and she gets into the nitty gritty of dating, work childbirth, and her experience as an Asian Am by Ali herself to get the full experience of what descriptions of bodily functions (or dysfunction this one. Ali really knows how to paint a pictur real it’s hilarious. 74
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ached to an feels her former be the neously more er the ons and now outside.
ecrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life
lunatic and warm up your spirit.
medy Netflix special Baby Cobra, her appearances in ybe, OR as the voices of Bertie and Ali from Tuca oved any of those, you’ll likely love this book that aughters when they’re adults. It’s funny, it’s messy, king in a male-dominated field, motherhood, erican. Top tip, listen to the audiobook narrated t this book has to offer. But also a warning, if ns) of any kind bother you, I recommend avoiding re, but that’s what makes her work so shockingly
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Book Recs
Littke Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 338 pgs. Literal fire, metaphorical fire, hot hot hot.
This book begins with a house on fire. Before we learn more, we are taken back to t the events leading up to the fire. The Richardsons are an affluent family of six and l Shaker Heights, a seemingly perfect suburb of Cleveland. Then there’s artist Mia W Pearl who are frequently moving from place to place and are setting temporary root of the two families, Elena Richardson and Mia Warren, are drastically different in t personalities, etc. As the relationships between these families unfold, the story slow like social class, family dynamics, sexuality, poverty, immigration, privilege, and mo what makes a “good” mother and American suburbia. Loved the writing of this book Celeste Ng’s debut Everything I Never Told You which did not disappoint. (Btw, Litt adapted into an excellent show starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See 384 pgs. Nothing like travelling the world w make you tear up.
The story follows Li-yan who is from a small was adopted into a loving family in sunny Ca closed off from most of the world until a stra but things take a turn when she gets pregna orphanage with a teacake. Li-yan and Haley’ each other through tea. I never would have t information and description of tea, but it is a this emotional family saga centered around m 76
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the near past to witness long-time residents of Warren and her daughter ts in town. The mothers heir backgrounds, beliefs, wly gets deeper into themes ore. It’s an exploration of k so much I had to read tle Fires Everywhere was if you want more FIRE.)
ne
with a hot cup of tea to warm you up and a story to
l village of Akha people in China and her daughter Haley who alifornia. Li-yan’s family has been farming tea for generations, anger arrives. Doors are opened for Li-yan to receive an education, ant out of wedlock. When her baby is born, she leaves her at an ’s lives begin to parallel as they both search for meaning and thought that I could be so engrossed in a novel that has so much all so beautifully interwoven into the plot! Sipping tea and reading mothers and daughters got me through my second winter in Akita. 77
Book Recs
Quick Recs (some nature, some self discovery, som
Untamed by Glennon Doyle 333 pgs. A memoir about relationships, discovering sexuality later in life, and learning to live for yourself instead of only for others.
Call Us What by Amanda G 228 pgs. Return Flight by Jennifer Huang 96 pgs. Queer Asian American poet writing on history, trauma, healing, and folklore? Yes, please~
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Collection of po youngest US ina in history who y from her poem Climb.
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me poetry tbr for spring) Slug and Other Stories by Megan Milks 240 pgs. Tbh I liked this one because of the cover, and upon further research found out it’s a collection of short stories of varying genres covering gender and queer identity. Heck yeah.
t We Carry Gorman
oetry by the augural poet you may know The Hill We
Joan Is Okay by Weike Wang 212 pgs. Women in STEM, ChineseAmerican identity, familial expectations, staying true to who you are, and more. Takes place right before and at the start of the pandemic.
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Book Recs
For the Kiddos We Are All Under One Wide Sky by Deborah Wiles 32 pgs.
Count from 1 to 10 and back again while exploring illustrations of children and their fam around the world.
Froggy Gets Dressed by Jonathan London 32 pgs.
It’s winter time and Froggy isn’t sleepy! He goes outside but Froggy’s mom yells for him “FROGGY! You forgot something!”. Lots of clothing vocab in this one.
Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer (58 pgs.)
A hilarious book even to a grinch like me. Olivia is SO EXCITED for Christmas! She do best to help with some… creative, dare I even say chaotic, solutions.
Two f or Me , O ne f or You by J ö rg M ü h le (32 pgs.) Bear finds three delicious mushrooms, Weasel cooks them, but… who should get more? they stop arguing over the third mushroom!?
Bye, Penguin by Seou Lee (40 pgs.)
Travel around the world with a penguin through colorful illustrations. Love books like th don’t have words so the kids can make up their own story~ 80
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milies
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Happy reading everyone~
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Further Photo Credits
Further Photo Credits Pg. 29 Towada Illuminations Center bottom, Brooke Dalgleish, Glowing Tree. Pg. 44 Top left, Brooke Dalgleish, Kosaka Illuminations. Top right, Brooke Dalgleish, Balcony scene. Pg. 60-61 Bottom trimming, Brad Bowden, Snow Covered Forest Pg. 69 Right side photo, Philip Vyas, Through The Glass Pg. 75 Right side trimming, Brooke Dalgleish, Greenhouse Tree
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83 Amy Lin, Extinguishing the Bonfire, Namahage Sedo Matsuri
Thank You So Much For Reading The Akitan!
Thank You So Much For Reading The Akitan! This publication simply would not be possible without your amazing submissions. Thank you all for the pictures and amazing articles. It truly made a great edition. We hope we can continue to make this publication with your support. . A huge thanks to all the writers, photographers, fashionistas poets, and book worms!
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85 Brooke Dalgleish, Bonfire, Kazuno
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