Creative Issue | Spring Edition 2023

CREATIVE EDITION |SPRING 2023 1

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What's up, Toyohotties?

School has started back up, Golden Week has come and gone, and for some the thrill of exploring Japan is still fresh. Some are probably finding it hard to get back into the groove of things and stay the upbeat, genki English teacher, but you know what? We live in Japan, and thousands wish they were in our shoes! So, YOLO and live in the moments you create!

I know sometimes we can feel anxious, underworked, and under appreciated, but hopefully the Toyama community makes the JET experience a little better than without. Our region is truly special from the amount of events we hold to the support we give each other! The JET Programme is a write off for some people, and a challenge for others. But us in Toyama? I consider all of us extremely lucky we got placed here.

If you had the time to explore and meet up with other prefectural ALTs, you’ll see how the community we have here is actually one of the best. Just like spring and the rain it brings for various small living things, if we don’t nurture our community and all chip in, it wont flourish! If you’re ever wondering what a person in a different city is doing, just hit them up! If you want to join that club, but there are no English speakers? Just join! Use the JET years you have as the time to go after what you want– or don’t go after things because it is your time of rest. Just use your time wisely!

Make sure you always put yourself out there for everyone in the JET and local community to see!

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Cheers, Phoebe J, Alexia, Phoebe V.

Staying Sane in Pandemic by Crocheting

It's interesting to look at someone crochet and ask myself, “Can I do that? It seems difficult.” Then I saw myself with gray hair and wrinkled skin sitting on a rocking chair and enjoying crocheting things for my grandchildren while looking out the window and thinking back about my life. That’s the picture I saw. Just my future flashed right in front of me.

Unfortunately, the pandemic happened. Schools were closed. Everyone panicked about not catching the virus. Everyone stayed home. As a workaholic person adjusting to the new dull life at home, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t sleep well, I couldn’t eat. I want to teach and see my students again.

I started thinking, “I have to stay sane!” So one day, I went shopping at one of my favorite shops, Daiso. I forgot how long I was standing in front of the crochet needles wondering if I would go down that road. “It wouldn’t kill you, Elaine. Buy it,” that small voice said somewhere in my head. There was some hesitation. I am interested but I am not really interested. It’s like the modern dating world.

by Elaine Joy Sanao

I took it and grabbed any yarn I could find. Oh, boy. When I got home I felt like a child opening a new box of toys my mom got me. I was excited. I unwrapped the needle, took my yarn, opened Youtube, and searched, “How to crochet as a beginner”. But then, I was overwhelmed. I had no idea what to make.

I decided to make something for myself as a start, so when it wouldn’t turn out well, at least it reminded me of how I started. So I made a headband, which by the way I’ve been using for almost 4 years now.

Crocheting at first was challenging. It took hours to finish an easy pattern and my hand hurt. And yet it didn’t stop me. There is something about crocheting that makes me feel safe and at peace. I feel like every time I crochet, I sink into a world of the unknown and come back to reality and realize that I have been crocheting for more than five hours.

When I’m sad, I crochet. When I’m overwhelmed, I crochet. When I’m stressed, I crochet. It gives me a level of comfort I have never felt before.

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By crocheting, I then realized that my love language is giving gifts. So I started to crochet for other people. One December, I crocheted Christmas coasters for my teachers at school. Everyone was surprised and asked me how long it took me to finish more than 30 coasters. They were happy and I was happy too. After that, other things followed. I crocheted Jack-o-Lantern keychains for my English club members, purse, and heart keychains. I also made a winter cardigan for my supervisor which made her so impressed by the pattern I used and glad to receive a present on her birthday. I also made a baby blanket for my Japanese friend who just had a baby.

Bags, scarf, and purses are a work in progress now. I made a few bags for some teachers in school too. It’s been four years now since I began crocheting and it still amazes me everytime I finish a project. I love learning new patterns and making presents for other people. My family and friends told me that I could start a business with it. That’s a wonderful compliment. Maybe one day, who knows?

Crocheting didn’t just help me with my sanity during the pandemic, but it also helped me grow closer and have stronger connections with my friends and colleagues. I thought I wasn’t ready to try something I was really interested in doing, but now I am obsessed and even love it more. In life, we may say, “It looks or sounds difficult. Can I do that?” You wouldn’t know unless you try. There is no right time for everything. So give yourself a challenge and have fun. It’s like, now or never. So cliched but it works.

For those interested in starting crocheting or have been crocheting, please let me know. I would love to talk to you about it!

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Fairytales Are For Children

I was so proud of my maturity I wasn’t like the other kids my age They were children

I skipped the big kids table and sat with the adults You’re so mature for your age

I understood grown up things

The rent is due next week

Maybe if I’m good enough, I can take away their bad mood I don’t want anything, we need to save money

I’m afraid that my mother will die and I will have to take care of my family

I can take care of myself.

I don’t need to bother anyone with my problems

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Who am I If I’m not fixing other’s problems

Who am I If I’m not taking care of others

But now I realize I want to be taken care of Tucked into bed Read a bedtime story And kissed good night Like the child I couldn’t be

- Kabi G

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AJET Spring AJET Spring

Haikus Haikus

Sakura please don't go

You come gracefully. Your essence is enchanting. Please stay forever.

Spring cleaning

To dust is To clean is to So dust until

-Claudia G. -Ms. Diamond

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is to clean to renew life until death

I wanna go home

staring off in space. I don't have any nenkyuu. The desk is too warm.

-Anonymous ぼーっどし,

I wanna go home

-Anonymous

cleaning

Diamond

年休がない

デスク熱

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Spring Spring

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I want holding hands during movies

I want aquarium dates

I want cooking and baking together I want laying together and stargazing

I want love letters and written notes I want poetry about my smile and eyes

I want cheesy pick up lines

I want “this is our song”

I want “I miss you” texts

I want “I saw this and it reminded me of you” texts

I want “I can’t wait to see you again” texts

I want “I was thinking of you” texts

I want. I want. I want. But oh darlin’

I don’t know how to have. I don’t know how to keep. And I don’t know how to let myself be loved.

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Mexican

By Claudia Gonzalez

I have been craving Mexican food since coming to Japan, so I started cooking more at home to get my Mexican fix on. I am sharing some of my family's recipes, and I have made them using Japanese ingredients. So you can find them at your local grocery stores or nearest international store. I tried to be mindful of people who don't eat meat. Please follow the ** symbol to substitute to your liking. This meal is made to make tacos, because who doesn't like tacos? Pico de gallo is a nice side salad pretty much with anything.

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Tacos [takos]

Ingredient

1 lb of your choice of protein ** (meat, chicken, pork, shrimp, hard tofu, veggies).

1 tbsp of spices for marinade adobo (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, & turmeric)

1 lime- save 2 slices for your tacos.

1/2 tsp of olive oil**

Corn Tortillas (but whatever is available, store bought or hand made). You can double the tortilla. 2-4 tortillas

Garnish:

1 bunch of finely chopped cilantro (in Japan コリアン

ダー),

1/4 cup of finely chopped onions

Optional*

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Directions

Clean your protein, dry and set aside. Make the marinade by combining 1/2 tsp of salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and turmeric. Add the lime juice. Slather that marinade all over your protein. (it is preferred to have the marinade for 4-6 hours, but the besttasting result is leaving it overnight. If you're starving you can cook it right away).

In a pan or skillet add the olive oil. Once it is hot enough, add your protein and cook until done. Remove from direct heat and chop up the protein.

Cook the tortillas in the same pan/skillet to absorb the leftover protein juices. When done, put the tortilla on a serving dish and add your protein (be careful to not add so much because all the meat will fall off when you eat it).

Sprinkle the cilantro and onion garnish. Squeeze lime juice and ENJOY!

Notes: I brought adobo from home, so I gave you a homemade version of it. I literally adobo on all of my food. I recommend you make a lot of it and store it in an airtight container. If you can't find tortillas, substitute it with flour tortillas for burritos, or tortilla chips for nachos. This pairs well with the pico de gallo. If you want you can also have a burrito bowl. You can cook up some black or red kidney canned beans, and or some white rice. For shrimp or seafood, serve with shredded cabbage for garnish.

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Pico de Gallo [pi'ko de gayo]

Ingredient

1-2 tomatoes, diced

Half or 1 small onion, diced

½ bunch of finely chopped cilantro

freshly squeezed lime. half of it or a whole

Pinch of salt and or pepper

Options to add chopped: avocado, cucumber, mango, pineapple, serrano pepper, jalape

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and add salt, pepper and lime to your liking. Cover in and refrigerate for about 30 min to an hour.

Notes: I would make this first and keep it in the fridge until the meat is done cooking. This is good with practically anything. Have it with just chips, put some on your egg, or put some on your cooked steak. It's a nice summer side dish.

ño

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Horchata [orchata] (rice milk)

1 cup of rice

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp of vanilla extract

4 cups of water or 1 liter

1 can of condensed milk milk**

Ice cubes

Ingredient Directions

Briefly rinse your rice. In a container add the rice, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water. Cover it and leave it out for 4 hours or overnight (best overnight).

Mix the rice mixture in a blender. Blend as finely as you can. In a jar or jug, strain the mixture with a fine strainer. And pour 3 cups of water through the strainer. So that you can get as much of the remaining rice and cinnamon flavor. Add the vanilla extract, the condensed milk, pour the milk** to the can to get the rest of the sweetness out. Mix well with a spoon.

Serve with ice and ENJOY!

Notes: If you want to make it more sweeter you can add sugar. I’ m lactose intolerant and I have substituted it with almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, and oatmilk. If you want to give it a little something something add Rumchata or spiced rum, or coffee.

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Arroz con Leche [arros kon lehche] (rice pudding)

Ingredient

1 cup of rice

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp of vanilla extract

2-4 cups of water

1 can of condensed milk

1 can of milk**

Cinnamon powder

Directions

Cook the rice with water, and cinnamon stick.

becomes vanilla

Notes: Be careful when milk is boiling it will quickly overflow and make a mess. If you want it sweeter, you can add sugar to it.

Stir boil a small

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THE FALL-MOOD PLAYLIST THE FALL-MOOD PLAYLIST

BY: WILLIAM BLAKE BY: WILLIAM BLAKE

Playing Next

"" Someone Great x LCD" Someone Great x LCD" x Soundsystem x Soundsystem

"" Loro" Loro" x Pinback x Pinback

"In Circles" "In Circles" x Sunday Day Real Estate x Sunday Day Real Estate

"Where Do You Run To" "Where Do You Run To" x Vivian Girls x Vivian Girls

"So Tired" "So Tired" x Crumb x Crumb

"Specialist" "Specialist" x Interpol x Interpol

"666Bus" "666Bus" x Reptaliens x Reptaliens

"Without Me" "Without Me" x Mac DeMarco x Mac DeMarco

"One More Hour" "One More Hour" x Sleater-Kinney x Sleater-Kinney

"Like Dylan In the Movies" "Like Dylan In the Movies" x Belle and Sebastian x Belle and Sebastian

"Falling Into Me" "Falling Into Me" x Let's Eat Grandma x Let's Eat Grandma

"Hurry Up Let's Go" "Hurry Up Let's Go" x Shout Out Louds x Shout Out Louds

"I Bet You Look Good On the Dance floor" "I Bet You Look Good On the Dance floor" x Arctic Monkeys x Arctic Monkeys

"Crashed Out" "Crashed Out" x Beach Fossils x Beach Fossils

"Breakthrough" "Breakthrough" x Modest Mouse x Modest Mouse

"I Don't Owe You Anything" "I Don't Owe You Anything" x The Smiths x The Smiths

"How It Ended" "How It Ended" x The Drums x The Drums

"In My Room" "In My Room" x The Beach Boys x The Beach Boys

"The Look You Give That Guy" "The Look You Give That Guy" x Eels x Eels

"Angelene" "Angelene" x PJ Harvey x PJ Harvey

"2:45 AM" "2:45 AM" x Elliot Smith x Elliot Smith

"Fade Into You" "Fade Into You" x Mazzy Star x Mazzy Star

"Visions" "Visions" x Stevie Wonder x Stevie Wonder

"Autumn Sweater" "Autumn Sweater" x Yo La Tengo x Yo La Tengo

"We Looked Like Giants" "We Looked Like Giants" x Death Cab for Cutie x Death Cab for Cutie

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an exploration of

HARUKI MURAKAMI

by: Georgia Rose

I once said to an exboyfriend of mine that to me, everything was a metaphor. I didn’t really know what I meant at the time, but I knew it felt right to say it. Said exboyfriend didn’t like that at all. He screwed up his face and sneered, ‘that’s ridiculous, not everything is a metaphor Georgia, some things just Are’. He had a disdain for anything he viewed as excess. Upon reading, then, on page 95 of Murakami Haruki’s Kafka on the Shore, the exact phrase I had said, ‘Everything is a metaphor’ (Oshima says to Kafka), I knew Murakami and I were going to get along.

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Murakami’s fiction is a metaphor. His plots are metaphors, his characters are metaphors, even the metaphors are metaphors. Metaphorically speaking, it’s metaphors all the way down. You get the feeling when reading his novels that Murakami fails to bury himself very deep within his writing. Characters go on sprawling monologues; not quite out of character enough for it to feel jarring or disjointed, but enough to understand that these characters are merely mouthpieces for Murakami to, essentially, ‘go off on one’.

In a similar vein, his characters don’t really exist, either. Nothing really exists in Murakami’s books. After you’re finished with one of his novels, it feels that maybe, even beyond the idea of fiction, nothing in the book was really real. The whole plot, premise, location, the characters, were all illusionary, layers of pure aestheticism to portray messages, meanings, and philosophies. It’s no wonder then, that a common criticism Murakami faces is weak characterisation. In NW and KOTS, Kafka and Toru are essentially the same person, and when that happens it’s not hard to imagine that those two people are probably just the author. I’ve always been drawn to writing that fails in any way to hide the creator within it, however. What skill is it to write about other people? Writing about yourself is where the struggle really lies.

What I gather, from these two books then, is that Murakami is one weird dude. He likes to drink milk, like a lot. He yearns for a love that spiritually completes him, one that is found in childhood; but maybe contents himself with the idea that it is impossible to hold on to (in fact, it permanently damages you). He likes cats and pale women. He is panicked, philosophically. He doesn’t know who he is, what lies within him, or what his purpose is.

He’s not sure about fate and destiny but he’ll write about it as if he is, possibly to gain some sense of fleeting control over the concepts.

The resounding thing that shines through both books is the idea of discovering the self through others. Murakami quotes Hegel in KOTS, having a prostitute tell a character that the only way to really know the self is to know other people. That only by projecting your ‘self’ onto the Other, do you gain an understanding of your own consciousness. What really illustrates this, however, is how the main characters of Murakami’s books do not tend to stand out, that it is always the supporting cast that does the metaphorical heavy work. ‘Hell is other people’, Jean-Paul Sartre said. Murakami, I think, would not agree. The reliance on others is a central theme in both KOTS and NW. It almost becomes a bit of a deus ex machina. In KOTS, it is made very clear that both characters could not have done any of the things they were able to do, had it not been for the incredible kindness of the people around them. Total strangers offer them places to stay, food to eat, and essentially follow them around like disciples, opening their horizons to all that fate was offering up to them. You feel that these types of stories could not have been written by anyone who wasn’t Japanese. The fact that an elderly disabled old man managed to hitchhike across the country relying purely on the kindness of strangers would be genuinely unbelievable in any country that wasn’t Japan.

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Мир зеркал

World of Mirrors

Анатолий Каа Anatolii Kaa

Translation by Tatiana Borduleva

Безмолвность обаяния в экране того мира,

On the screen of the other world, there is a silent charm,

Не принесет желанного тепла, Где терабайты чувств сплоченных воедино

But it won’t give you the warmth you desire

И миллионы предложений дружбы

The millions of friend requests and

The terabytes of feelings, linked together,

На крыльях волн онлайн эфира,

Carry the deception of catchphrases

Несут в себе обман крылатых фраз.

On top of the waves of an online broadcast

И миллиарды привет, и как дела?!

The billions of Hi-s and How-are-you's

Им не заменят настоящего общения, И не подарят сердечного тепла.

Cannot replace real communication,

And cannot carry the warmth of a heart

Там толпы одиноких половинок И днем и ночью, сквозь временные пояса,

Masses of lonely hearts

Там нет прикосновений - там лишь тени

There are no touches, only shadows

Long to find a notification

Полны стремленья найти уведомления,

That they have found their fated one

О том, что их судьба онлайн.

All day and night, across time.

Закрытые под маской сообщений,

Hiding behind the mask of messages, Through which your destiny is seemingly built.

Deep inside you, a spark of longing burns

Waiting for the one that you have been looking for, But it is all just an illusion

В которых строится их мнимая судьба. И где то в глубине горит желание, Там, повстречать ту самую, которую всегда искал, Но это, всего лишь заблуждение, Ведь там холодный мир зеркал.

Because this is a cold world of mirrors

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