August, 2013 (Summer Issue)

YomoYama

NAGANO 2013 August 01

in k cool dr a d n a an grab a f

and kick back with yomoyama ' s

summer re c ip e s page 37

brought to you by: S TA F F Sabbi Topal John Auerba ch Oisin Collins C O V E R P H O T O Summer After noons Daniel Topal C O N T R I B U T O R S Kevin Bowen Natalie Collar James Garza Helen von Gohren Micah Hentschel Amanda Horton Derek Hurst Bianca Jones Tonya Kneff Ray Leak Neal Murugan

Rus Newcombe Peter Ninnes Jimmy Ngyuen Emma Pierce Erin Street Matthew Tur ner Katie Jo Whisenant Dan Whitehead and ... Anonymous

contents Seasonal Thoughts 4 Dating in Japan 6 Sights and Sites 9 YomoYama Special Feature Driving in Nagano 18 Super CoolBiz 32 Summer Pest Control 34 Food and Recipes 37 CounterPOINT 42 School Life 43 Education Tips 45 Osusume Musume 48 Entertainment 50 Travel 56 Events 68 After Nagano 73 Welcome to our fantastic summer issue, lovingly dedicated to the tempations of Nagano. After a whole year in the making, this magazine is chock-full of sites, sounds, and recommendations to get you through the heat of August, the trials of September, and the long-awaited chill of October. So whether you’re picking YomoYama up for the first time ever or if you’re a seasoned, returning reader we hope you find our humble offering entertaining and informative...

Oh, who am I kidding. Let’s just get to the good stuff, yeah? Stop reading this and turn the page already!

Summer thoughts on the season Yay! Finally! A subject I can be positive about. You see, in my four and a bit years in Nagano, I’ve written the odd thing for Yomoyama; but, because I’m British, and because being British brings with it a certain inclination for a) complaining and b) complaining about the weather, the things I’ve written for this magazine have usually been a) complaints and b) complaints about the weather. So it’s actually very nice to finally have the chance to write about something I like for a change, albeit sticking conservatively to the whole weather/season theme.

Sum m e r.

Isn’t it a welcome relief after winter?

I don’t know about you, but if the only piece of ice I ever saw was the stuff that grows out of control on the inside of my freezer, I'd be a happy man. I love summer, and as far as I can see there are only two possible drawbacks to it: 1) mosquitos, and 2) embarrassing sweat patches under the arms.

Many moons ago, when this magazine was still called Yamagomi and was still available in hard copy, I wrote quite a number of words complaining—yes, I know, complaining—about mosquitos, and I realise now I shouldn’t have wasted the paper. What I should have done is simply dispense the following glaringly obvious advice: if you see a mosquito within a hundred yards of yourself during summer, smear the little bugger into the tatami with the nearest available magazine and then crack open a beer.

Once you’ve dealt succinctly with any bloodsucking creatures hovering within swatting distance, the only other thing standing between you and a successful summer is the sweat. This is a bit of a tricky one because in my experience most so-called ‘twenty-four

4 Nagano’s Summer

by Dan Whitehead hour’ antiperspirants make claims about their efficacy that, by a margin of about twenty-three and a half hours, they fail to live up to. I don’t know, maybe you’re a naturally dry person, but if you’re not, perhaps you’ll be familiar with the following situation: You’re in class on a hot, humid day, ALTing to the best of your ability, when suddenly your armpits begin to feel a touch moist. You start to get paranoid. Surely someone will see? Surely someone will point out this embarrassing predicament to the class?

And you would be right. Someone does see. A young, insouciant little tyke in the front row, who normally spends his time in class looking as though his forehead has been super-glued to the desk, has inexplicably roused himself from his slumber and is staring right at you. His eyes zero in on your underarms, his face breaks out into a grin and then, with exquisite comic timing, he turns in his seat and instructs the entire class to watch carefully because ALT-san is about to give everyone a ‘banzai’.

But, I suppose, if that’s the worst thing that happens during any given season, it’s a result, and I’m willing to accept this small inconvenience because everything else about summer is great—even the insects. The ones I particularly like are the cicadas. I know they’re never going to win any beauty contests or anything, but when I see, or rather hear, the first cicada of the year it’s always a thrill. What I like most about them is how pleased they get during summer. They don’t mess around: as soon as the temperature gets high enough they climb out the ground, shin up the nearest tree and start going nuts. That’s love for you. I mean, can you think of another creature alive that so covets any other season? I can’t. And if one did exist, I doubt it would covet it with such enthusiasm. One species of cicada, for

example, gets so excited during summer it can make a noise loud enough, around 120 decibels, to deafen a human being at close range.

And I suppose that’s what I love about summer—not the potential deafening you understand—just the fact that the whole world takes on a kind of vitality that doesn't exist at any other time of year: trees become green, frogs copulate loudly in rice fields, ice cream salespeople emerge, insect-like, from their winter chrysalises. Nagano is particularly stunning in summer: the mountains are gorgeous, the sky is blue; it’s like living inside some giant poster campaign advertising the beauty of summer.

So it only seems fair that we should honour this great season by doing as many summery activities as possible. In fact, let’s all make a pact right now to do just that: let’s all go swimming, let’s all have a barbeque, let’s all lie out in the blazing heat until we come down with sunstroke so acute we have to sleep with packets of frozen peas balanced on our foreheads.

But whatever we do, let’s make the most of it, because before we know it the cicadas will have stopped singing, the leaves will have fallen and the frozen desolate wastes of winter will be upon us once more. Then we all really will have something to complain about.

Keep your head: don’t steal the rice!

Interview With a Vampire: Memoirs of A Fifth-Year Dokushin by an Anonymous Fifth-Year JET Participant Dokushin: Single. One who is unmarried or otherwise romantically unattached. Echoing Japan’s declining birthrate, this phenomenon is increasingly common.

It is in researching this article that I decided to track down one such lonely heart. Nagano’s only fifth-year JET participant is a phantom. After a beleaguering chain of dating experiences in Nagano, he retreated from society. For three months, I attempted to contact him for an interview. He finally agreed to meet me in his mountain home.

He explained a long list of rules before we met. For example, I was not to mention his name.

Without social interaction, he explained, names were useless. Also, I was not to bring any visual representations of women into his presence. This was to include fashion magazines, adult media, car ads, or stick figures featuring concentric circle breasts. The opposite sex no longer had a place in his life.

Here, on an unusually chilly day, we sat in his shack in silence as he gently stoked a fire of ladies’ fashion magazines with the cover models’ faces blacked out. After some hours of sipping tea with only the sound of birds in the rafters, he broke the silence with a raspy “I’m ready.”

So we thought some of our incoming residents could use some insight on dating in Nagano.

What made you interested in Japanese women? Do you date non-Japanese women?

Like many foreigners who come to Japan, I found myself becoming mysteriously attracted almost exclusively to Asian women. During the first year, my interest was fairly balanced. But as time passed, my interest in Asian women became pretty strong.

What was easy about dating people in Nagano?

He snickered. Not much. I guess it helps that most people here are nice. You won’t get laughed at, and you won’t get growled at. Also, foreign people are often seen as a mystery. It’s a pretty good conversation starter.

6 Nagano Living

What was difficult?

Where to start… First, it was hard to get over the foreigner bubble. Being non-Japanese is pretty isolating. Many people are noticeably afraid of foreigners. They feel communication would be difficult, and it makes them nervous. Of course, by my second year, some well- pronounced Nihongo usually relieved most people and made them curious. However, there was still a barrier. If a Japanese person’s limited knowledge of Western culture and your limited knowledge of Japanese culture don’t mesh, it’s as if two people have no interests in common. I’ve had many a forced conversation about random J-Pop groups.

A woman carrying a child appeared beyond the cracked window. The fifth-year snarled at her and she hurried past.

Do you have any recommendations in terms of good places for dates?

Dinner and a romp about town seems as good a start as any. In Nagano you can also get away with snowboarding or hiking. Some girls I’ve talked to appreciate group dates. A good four-person karaoke booth makes for a fun night. Just be careful with how you word it. Rumor has it that the karaoke booth invites some salacious behavior among certain groups.

Do people in Nagano prefer to start off in the “friend zone?”

It really depends on the person. A lot of people like to take it slow and get to know you. Some will end up in said karaoke booth at the end of the night. They’ll love you and leave you like so many rented Hollywood DVDs. The fifth-year stared off into the distance, as if he was looking into the past. I had to recapture his attention for the next question.

Sorry, Mr. Vampire, can we continue? What about Gokon?

Oh, yeah. Right, sorry. No problems with gokon. There are two basic versions: a private group date organized among friends or a massive party. The parties can be pretty expensive, but in either case the group dynamic relieves pressure and you know everyone’s there for the same reason.

You’re not going to hear, “Why do these guys keep bothering me? I’m just here to dance!” in a group date. You just have to buckle down and commit to talking with as many people as you can.

Get lots of numbers and see where it goes from there. I remember it like yesterday… The only woman who ever loved me…

It took a full five minutes to draw his attention attention again.

Nobody will ever tell you they are dating someone.

Excuse me? Hey, are you still with us? Just one last question.

Is there any general dating etiquette worth worrying about?

Nobody will ever tell you they are dating someone. If they are young and interested in hanging out, you can go on multiple “dates” before you discover they’re attached. Even indirect inquiry may fall flat. Sometimes if you do some detective work and ask if they spent Valentine’s Day with anyone, they’ll say no without mentioning that was because their boyfriend was on a business trip.

Ask them if that necklace they’re wearing is from somebody special, and they’ll avoid the subject.

Also, directly and blatantly cheating is not uncommon, so ask early and directly if you want to know if they're attached.

Another good way to see if they are interested is through physical cues. For example, try holding their hand. Chances are, if they don't mind some casual contact, she's interested. Not that I would know...

Anyway, it’s also common and acceptable to go halves on a date. I’ve never been asked to pay, though I have felt generous on more than one occasion. The flip side is, since friends often alternately pay for nights out, just because you pay doesn’t mean they will assume it’s a date.

They’ll take you for a ride and then romp away happily with their boyfriends… Happily ever after…

You’ll never see them again…

The fifth-year became unreachable. His glazed eyes stared into the distance beyond the tattered shoji. Feeling no need for farewells, I put down my teacup and walked out. This place of broken dreams threatened to invade my psyche and drag me down with it. When I opened the door, the radiant glow of the spring sun washed over my face. I reached my car, and a family walked past me.

A small girl—maybe five years-old—led a thirty-something Japanese woman down the sidewalk.

Next to the woman walked a man of European descent, smiling contentedly.

Nagano Living 7

Fanciable Unicorns in Wonderland

by Matthew Turner Photo by John Auerbach

Legend tells of a magical place in our little corner of the world; a mythical place of dragons, princesses, mountains, and invasive black bass providing solace for weary travelers who for some reason still have not discovered air conditioning. Stories of this little niche in the mountains and rumors that its waters exceed 0.9 meters deep have left hundreds of children too terrified to sleep and piqued the interest of many a brazen adventurer. It is a place that cannot be found except by those who already know where it is.

Fortunately, there are a select few among us, brave souls indeed, whose wanderlust and curiosity could not be satiated until the mystery of this place was uncovered.

I am convinced that I have the best placement in the entire prefecture, so long as you like the snow.

Shinano-machi, the magical place I alluded to above, has become my furusato (hometown) here in Japan, and boasts just enough assets to make it appealing to virtually anyone. In addition to mountain climbing and excellent skiing in the winter, one of the most well-known and appreciated parts of this little town is Lake Nojiri. As this place is tucked away almost as far north in Nagano-ken as you can get, it stays a bit cooler here in the summer than it does throughout the rest of the prefecture, making it an ideal spot for a weekend getaway.

So, what exactly is there to do here? Well, do you like swimming? Lake Nojiri is exceptionally clean and if you’re lucky, you may even catch a fleeting glimpse of the monster that lives in the deeper parts of the lake. Like hiking? The different mountains nearby offer varying levels of hiking difficulty, from “So easy an overweight WOW nerd can will their way through it,” to “Don’t misstep or you’re probably going to die... seriously.”

Now, if “doing stuff” sounds terrifying and you’d rather just pay someone else to feed you for an afternoon or evening, there are a number of excellent local restaurants to enjoy. Input the Japanese names into Google maps to find out more information. “カピタンファンタジー” (The Captain): a small Italian and curry place known locally for their

blueberry pizza. I think they’re only open for lunch.

This restaurant is along the northern side of Lake Nojiri. Follow route 504 north, and look for it when you pass Route 360. “奥社前食堂” (Okusha Zen Shokudou): Shinano-machi is known for its soba, and there is a very well renowned soba restaurant on the premises of the ninja museum. ‘Renowned,’ as in I’m pretty sure it has been featured on NHK. If you even remotely like soba, this is the place to go. There are several other soba places around town I can also recommend. This place is technically in Togakushi, but still very close to Shinano! “レストランルック” (The Look): a local favorite known for its yaki-curry — a kind of rice and cheese curry served in a fresh-out-of-the-oven iron skillet.

The apple juice is particularly tasty as well and they also have quite a selection of exceptional desserts. “さかえや飯店” (Sakaeya Hanten): A local Chinese restaurant with excellent ramen and gyoza.

This restaurant is not listed on google maps, but it’s about a quarter-mile north from The Look on Route 18. You can see it on Google Map’s street view. It is a small restaurant with a big red sign. “樹林” (Jyurin): They have a variety of curry and katsu options, but I highly, highly recommend the miso-katsu. I recently had a chance to try miso-katsu in Nagoya, which is supposed to be famous for its miso-katsu, and found that I liked the katsu at this place much better. Also worth trying is the unique (and delicious) cream soda. “イタリア料理テルラ” (The Terla): One of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to. You can literally point to anything on the menu, which you may have to do since it’s in Japanese, and whatever comes will be amazing. Seriously, I’ve done it many times. I’ve been to Italy, but this place has the best Italian food I’ve had in my life. It’s run by a Japanese guy who moved to Italy for a few years just to learn the cooking. A bit on the expensive side, but it’s absolutely worth it.

Well, this about wraps up everything I wanted to talk about. Congratulations on reading all the way to end! Should you ever wish swing by and see whether or not all that I’ve talked about is real, feel free to contact either myself or John Auerbach and we’d be more than happy to show off our town in-person; and for the Redditors / lazy out there…

TL;DR: Shinano-machi > your town. You should probably visit.

Sights and Sites 9

A Hint of Heaven

by Natalie Collar

Whether you’re overlooking the highlands of Fujimidai after a morning hike, enjoying an afternoon walk in the Apple Village looking at vibrant pink and red hana-momo trees, or putting your feet up under “Japan’s Best Night Sky,” the atmosphere at Heavens Sonohara leaves you feeling quite peaceful.

Located just five minutes from the Sonohara IC Exit in Achi Village and one hour from Nagoya, Heavens Sonohara is a bit far from folks in northern Nanshin—not to mention those in northern Nagano—and consequently remains unvisited. However, with a variety of unique activities and year-round events, Heavens continues to thrive quietly and remains a popular destination among those whom know about it.

Upon arriving at Heavens by car, guests take a 10-minute ropeway ride up to the main area, featuring restaurants, what seems like a zillion types of flowers, a tandem lift, walking and hiking paths, and ski courses, all varying with the season. Unless visitors are residents of Achi Village, most opt for an overnight stay at one of several nearby onsen resorts in Sonohara or Hirugami. Here are a few seasonal recommendations for your next weekend adventure!

Traipse all through Summer

From June to September, catch sight of this scenic, 360-degree view of the Southern Alps, as seen from Fujimidai Highlands (富士見台高原), situated on the border of Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. Visitors have access to more than six different routes originating in the Heavens’ area and connecting to mountains in Gifu Prefecture. Overflowing with lush greenery, these highlands ought not to be missed!

10 Sights and Sites

Wander into Fall

From early October until accumulated snowfall in early December, hikers enjoy crisp autumn air and shades of red, orange, and yellow, while trekking or hiking on the summer courses.

Weave through Winter As snow accumulates, Heavens changes from a hiking paradise to snow world. With courses for all skill levels, skiers can enjoy a day on the slopes, followed by a night soaking in an onsen. Sadly, snowboarders are out of luck, as the courses at Heavens are limited to skiers. Achi Village has two additional resorts nearby that are boarder-friendly though!

The Japanese love their flowers, and Heavens is especially known for their hana-momo, which bloom in May, slightly after the standard spring cherry blossoms. As seen here, one tree blooms up to six variations of colored flowers, all in shades of pink, red, and white. Very few pictures do the valentine-like trees justice.

Splash into Spring

Official Site (Japanese only) http://mt-heavens.com/ Photos courtesy J Mountains Ltd; reprinted here with permission.

Sights and Sites 11

With the hot weather comes some of the year’s most exciting festivals.

Whether they’re at schools, in the streets, or along river banks, Nagano’s traditional celebrations are waiting to tempt the eye.

Photos by Sabbi Topal

Nagano's

Summer Stage

Night Moves

Clockwise from top left.

Yattai sell festival food along a field path at a fireworks festival.

A neighborhood drummer welcomes home the living and the dead for Obon Matsuri.

Local sake waiting to be shared.

Fireworks explode overhead at the Ueda City fireworks festival.

Neighborhood residents dance around a drum tower during Obon Matsuri.

14 Sites and Sights

This page, above.

Students at high school ‘culture festivals’ perfom for each other in class groups and in club groups.

Left

A student cooks okonomiyaki during the festival’s visitor days for his school to sell during the lunch hour.

Above Left

Top

Above Right

Residental cooks come out to make yakitori for hungry festival goers.

Only 50 yen and some friendly joking a stick!

Locals carry a mikoshi through the streets, pausing to bless neighborhood businesses and children during Gion.

This year’s shrine maidens wait for their turn to perform their blessings for the town’s health in the new year.

learning to celebrate Local Sites and Sights 17

YomoYama Driving in Nagano

Special feature

Caution!

Practical advice, real experience, a guide to all those mysterious road signs, driving school recaps, and all those quirky Japanese driving habits they’ll never cover on the practical exam— YomoYama’s got all this and more, right here, just for you.

A Shinonoi Account

by John Auerbach I recently took the foreign license transfer test in the Touhokushin area at the Shinonoi Dream driving school. I wanted to share my experience while it was still fresh in my mind to help anyone in need. First, you should check this link: http://bit.ly/19DwO6E. This google docs folder contains my notes and maps, and it will be very useful to someone preparing for the Shinonoi test. If you plan to get your license somewhere else, these document may help you too, but the maps won’t apply to you. The following story recounts the three trips I made to the Dream School and the acquisition of my Japanese license.

Whirlwind of Paperwork

I needed a license translation. This was not difficult. Simply fill out the forms and send them in.

Visit the link above for information about the application. If my work has survived 70 years into the future and you’re reading this in 2083, then those documents might be outdated and you may just want to Google, “japan automobile federation license translation.” Also, hello from the past!

I went to the BoE for help. My Japanese was so bad that I could only communicate with them using gestures and grunts. So, I decided to take the Japanese and English translation documents to my BoE supervisors. This helped them understand the meaning behind my ridiculous waving and vocalizations. I also brought my calendar to show them which days and times I was free, which saved me from speaking Japanese.

As I left the BoE, I repeated a recently developed mantra to myself: “Don’t freak out.” Sometimes, I got upset. I beat myself up over failures. When I sensed impending pain, I freaked out. I stopped studying and self-sabotaged. I had a long history of procrastination and downward spirals, but it was behavior I had weaned away in the previous four or five years. When I freaked out, I avoided obstacles compulsively.

I had read the horror stories online. The amount of times it took people to pass the test increased each week. “I took the test eleven times and they only let me pass because I wore a kimono and handed out free Shiba Inus.” My friends made the test seem harder than becoming a freestyle rapper. It was obvious failure loomed in my future. Rather than freaking out, I tried to embrace it. I worked hard to covince myself I would fail the first, second, and even

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third attempts. I thought having this knowledge would protect me. If I believed I would pass, then I would suffer crushing disappointment. But if I believed I would fail, then I wouldn’t freak out when the failure actually happened. Expecting to fail also took the pressure off. I didn’t have to pass, I just needed to experience it and learn.

Trusty Companions

It was the day of the test. My new supervisor from the BoE picked me up from work. She had just transferred in the week before, and it was the first time we had ever been in the same small, enclosed space together. She was young, about my age. While she chauffeured me to the Dream School, we talked with great difficulty. She had trained to be a nurse, she enjoyed horror movies more than romantic comedies, and she had no pets. I thought. Or her pets were dead. I nodded and flashed sympathetic eyes.

When I had studied for the test, I had read that I must, “Try not to appear like a burden on Japanese society.” This advice had given me pause. What does that even mean? Do I normally look like a burden? In general, when I need to be sociable, I imagine I’m at a party and surrounded by my best friends. I had prepared myself to smile a lot and wear nice clothing.

Now, I maintained a mindset that the driving test was fun, and I was happy to learn. I decided the people in the waiting room would like me if they just got to know me. When one of the Dream School employees struggled to get something from the vending machine and began banging on it, I laughed with her and not at her. She laughed too. We shared a moment.

My Supervisor and I had just finished eating lunch when an older gentleman slid open the ‘gaijin-get-your-license-here’ window. I mentally dubbed him ‘The Keymaster,’ but I tried to think of him as a warm and caring father figure to ease the tension. We handed him the proper documents and he looked them over carefully. He said, “Hai, OK desu.” I thanked him. I thanked her. I bowed to everyone. Then he shut the window, and we sat in the waiting room for thirty minutes. Everything is going swimmingly, my brain thought stupidly. The window opened and he called us back to the counter.

My Supervisor and The Keymaster chatted for two or three minutes, then she asked me a seemingly strange question: “When did you originally get your license?” I said 2003. “Did you take a test?” Yes. “What kind of test?” This line of questioning continued for more than an hour.They wanted to know the most inconsequential details about my

The Shinonoi Course with the foreign license transfer practical test explained.

entire driving history. I had not been prepared to answer many of these questions: “Who announced your test results? Who did you take the test with?

Was the test on a course or a public road?” A lot of the questions presumed the U.S. driving customs functioned similarly to Japan’s. For example, they wanted to know what school gave me the driving test. I did not go to driving school in the U.S., I replied truthfully, and he made some notes.

These questions were about a day I could barely recall, let alone expound upon. I panicked and began fabricating events. I said the written portion had been “ten ques-… no, twenty questions.” I said I had been to a driving school for a year, but then I wondered if my weekly high school driver’s education class had only been six months. Then I noticed The Keymaster was actually drawing diagrams and timelines. After thirty minutes, I sensed the full weight of a disappointed father figure.

The Keymaster explained things rapidly. My Supervisor followed along intensely. One and a half hours after the conversation began, I was frustrated and downtrodden. There would obviously be no test.

I wanted to turn back time. Obviously, we had gotten off on the wrong foot. I’m wearing my new pants from Uniqlo. I’ve never been in an accident. I studied for two days! Surely, I can take the test. But the two of them continued to chat in Japanese with dismayed looks. I stood beside them dumbly, helplessly. Finally, everyone said thank you and bowed. My Supervisor

walked me back to the waiting area. She looked exhausted. Her sweaty palms gripped a new digital Japanese to English dictionary.

I asked her if we would take the test. Her head leaned to the side. She bit her lip and uttered what I already knew: “Mmmmmm, today, no test.” I called the Prefectural Advisor’s office. Surely they will do me justice. I explained my predicament to an advisor I had never met: I needed documents showing when I originally received my license in 2003. My license, which showed I had been driving in America for 7 months before I came to Japan, was not good enough. They wanted to see a license that had expired 5 years ago. “But I don’t even know if I have my original license. I’m not sure where I can get proof!” I whined.

The calm voice on the other end replied, “Well, it seems you have no choice.”

As we left the Dream School, I was tense and quiet in the passenger seat. I watched the strip malls and homes glide past. If my Supervisor was equally disappointed, she did not show it; she kept her attention on the road. I began to feel anger. For the first time, I had a truly resentful thought about Japanese culture. Such needless paperwork and lengthy explanations. And everything is so vague.

They never directly explain anything, but they expect you to know. Why do they have so many questions about me? Just let me get my license. I’m a good freaking driver!

Driving in Nagano 21

The Shinonoi Course in all its blank, intimidating glory.

We hadn’t said anything for ten minutes. It was no one’s fault, but I was angry. It wasn’t her fault, or the proctor’s, or even Japan’s. Was it my fault? I had done everything I could. No one passes the first time.

No, it was no one’s fault, but it sucked. The car exited Nagano City and crossed into the mountainous inaka region. I glanced at my Supervisor; I felt she would collapse into a ball of embarrassment for me if I didn’t temper the mood. “Kyo wa kirei desu ne?” She smiled and agreed. I told her that next time, I would come prepared with the necessary documents. She understood. “Ganbatte.” I took a deep breath and cracked my knuckles. The windows were down and the fresh air flowed through the windows. My Supervisor was on my side. She said she would help me out. There is always another opportunity. You knew you would fail, anyway.

Dream School

During the next three weeks, I requested a certified, full driver’s history from Pennsylvania. My parents mailed my original licenses to me. I went to the BoE and showed my Supervisor the newly acquired documents. We discussed the answers to all of the questions the Keymaster had asked us. We wrote out a timeline of events. I asked her if it was enough. She tilted her head and bit her lip, “Mmmmmm, maybe.”

By the time we arrived at the Dream School, I

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had beat back any swell of confidence. I told my Supervisor I would probably fail. I wondered what other documents I could get once they turned me away. I figured the advisors’ office wouldn’t remember my situation and be unable and unwilling to help. I convinced myself the worst was yet to come. The gaijin counter window opened. It reminded me of The Wizard of OZ, when Dorothy rings the bell to the Emerald City and the cranky gatekeeper slides open the viewing window. I remembered Dorothy verging on tears when she was nearly barred from even speaking with the Wizard.

The Keymaster wore the same suit he had worn three weeks earlier. We repeated our previous meeting—the handing of the documents, waiting, discussing, diagraming. My Supervisor and the Keymaster talked furiously. He studied the timelines.

She talked more than him. I smiled and said, “Un un unnnn.” My Supervisor looked determined. The Keymaster seemed calm and receptive. Finally, he asked us to wait in the lobby. We walked away, and I said. “Test today?” “Test,” she exhaled, and smiled.

“Otsukure sama!” I declared.

After waiting, the Keymaster announced it was time. He led me to a tiny room with school desks.

First, I took the eye test. I was very happy to have had an eye exam the week before, otherwise I would have been extremely confused.

For people who haven’t taken a Japanese eye test before: There will be about two dozen half-circles on a white backdrop—actually more like the letters “U” or “C” than half-circles—decreasing in size. You have to determine where the break in the circle is: up, left, down, or right. You should know the Japanese for these words, but if you don’t know them, then you

can point to the direction of the break in the circles.

After this, he asked me to sit at a desk for the written test. He explained in Japanese that the test is ten minutes long, that it is a true/false test, and that it has ten questions. He handed me the exam and I flipped through it. I was shocked to find each question written in English that ranged from moderately to barely comprehensible. However, I soon realized the content of the questions contained no surprises: street signs, ambulances, crosswalks, traffic lights, parking, lane changes, and speed limits were all covered. I struggled through the broken English by piecing recognizable fragments together.

Everything is coming up John, I echoed The Simpsons cliché mentally. Oddly, when I tried to turn in my test three minutes early, he asked me to wait until the timer ran out. During this free time, I did my best to look honest and unburdensome. I never found out the exact results of my test, but when we approached him at the gaijin window thirty minutes later, he simply said, “Pass.” He led my Supervisor and me to a viewing window on the second floor, and I got my first real look at the driving course.

If you see drivers on the course following a different route than what you had planned, that doesn’t mean you should second guess yourself.

Japanese drivers and drivers of commercial or utility vehicles (e.g. buses, tractors) have different routes.

Some of the drivers are repeatedly practicing specific sections of the course.

The Keymaster, as it turned out, would also be my test proctor. He explained that he would meet me at the first of three poles in the parking lot. He said many other things that I did not understand, but I’m pretty sure the things he said are explained in my folder with maps and notes (bit.ly/19DwO6E). My Supervisor had to stay in the waiting room and could not accompany me any further. I was on my own. I walked outside, around the course, and into a tiny one-room building that was nothing more than another waiting area. I shuffled into a corner of the room on a couch and clutched my backpack. I tried to not freak out.

The test’s in-depth details are documented in my notes. For more detailed and specific information and advice, look there. But if you’re interested in how I was feeling, what it all meant, then read on. Also, keep in mind that when the proctor pulls up and parks the car, that is when the driving portion of the test begins (make sure you look both ways before walking to the car, even though no one is around and you’re in a parking lot!)

When I got in the car, the proctor seemed far more relaxed than I had anticipated. I had built up a mental image of a terse authoritarian, emotionally distant and impossible to please. Yet, he maintained a calm and easygoing disposition—his shoulders were slumped as he sat in the passenger seat and laughed at my spazztastic body movements—but the chatter had died down. It quickly became apparent

he was following a script of his own, one in which he revealed very little information about the test unless I asked for it or made a mistake. However, his silent script changed over the course of the test.

I had not realized I made any mistakes until I hit a curb on the tetris-block shaped road. Instead of backing up, I drove forward to get off the curb. “Stop, stop, stop!” he blurted. Don’t freak out. My voice began to rattle. I sighed inadvertently and said, “OK, OK, OK.” A few turns later, I was horror-struck; I had neglected the intersection diamonds entirely. My Japanese regressed into mumbly gibberish: “Hidari, hidari, higi, suki.” My mouth had been injected with novacaine. The ability to construct coherent thoughts escaped me.

Finally, I parked the car and glance at him sheepishly. Would he indulge me a sign of light-hearted sympathy? But nay, he wouldn’t. He held a clipboard before him—the papers fluttered among the air conditioned breeze—and he quietly waited. I turned off the car and he pointed to the Dream School. I exited and walked briskly, head hanging, cursing myself. A bright red sun threw my dark shadow onto the white, sidewalk cement. But then I said to myself something novel: “At least you took the test. From here on out, you just need to go through the motions. Try your best, expect the worst.” Don’t freak out, I thought. “Tomorrow’s another day.”

If you see drivers on the course following a different route than what you had planned, that doesn’t mean you should second guess yourself.

The Keymaster and my Supervisor explained in Japanese and broken English what I had done wrong.

My biggest offenses were the ones I hadn’t noticed: I had been too far from the curb while driving; I forgot to look over my shoulder for bikers (he knew exactly on which turns I had forgotten); I needed to know the course. He grabbed a small car toy from his desk and rolled it around the counter. I imagined smashing it with my fists. We schedule another test for the next week.

But on the drive back, my Supervisor and I chatted about horror movies. I began to feel cheery.

All I have to do now is take the test again and again. I may keep failing, but at least the test is the only roadblock between me and my license. Then I asked my Supervisor when she would pick me up for the next test. She explained there was no reason for her to come again. I wondered who would guide me through the Japanese, who would help me understand, who I would talk with after I failed. I couldn’t express it to her, but I was disappointed. I thought telling her so would betray our efforts thus far. And I was embarrassed. I was on my own.

Driving in Nagano 23

OZ

The car jerked. The ground before us tilted. The New Proctor—younger and friendlier than the first—cried “Stop!” I couldn’t believe it. I hit the curb.

I hit the freaking curb again. But my studying and preparation kicked in. This time, I looked in the rearview mirror and threw the car into reverse. It’s OK, I thought, you knew you weren’t going to pass on your second try either. The car slipped off the curb and the ground straightened. The Proctor was silent.

The clipboard rested in his lap. I drove onward.

I was so jarred, I had forgotten where to turn next. He motioned for me to take a left. Oh no, I thought, you’re not freaking out this time. My Japanese sounded… OK. “Hai, OK desu, arigato gozaimasu.” Still coherent. I made sure to leave my turn signal on nearly the entire test. I said, “Hai, migi, go-ban. Hai, hidari, jyuu-san-ban.” I kept close to the curb while driving. I maneuvered from one side of the lane to the other expertly. I pumped the brakes right on time.

But I knew I had failed. I walked back to the waiting room and sat with two other foreigners who had taken the test. Neither girl spoke English, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway; I was too concerned with the results to talk with someone new. I missed my Supervisor. I went over the test in my head.

How had I hit the curb again? Why? I don’t know when I even have time to take the test again. I had vacations coming up, important things to do. I will have to stop driving for at least a month. I should have started this whole process months ago. I procrastinate so much. It’s no surprise that I failed again, really. My mistake was thinking I could pass.

The Proctor opened the window and motioned us forward. The three of us cautiously approached him. I wondered who he wanted to speak with first, but the Proctor was unabashed. He addressed us as a group.

He pointed to the first girl and said, “Hai, OK desu.”

She clapped and jumped excitedly. He pointed to the second girl. I heard, “Hai, OK desu.” She said “Yayyy!” and pumped her fists in the air.

This is so embarrassing. Does he really need to announce my being the only one that failed in front of everyone? Why does he insist on humiliating me?

“Hai, John-sama, OK desu.” I stared at him and didn’t move. The girls turned to me with big smiles, waiting for me to celebrate. “No? No OK?” he taunted. I said nothing, feeling certain he’d made a mistake. “OK” means I passed. Remember? I’m the awkward gaijin who can’t drive? You meant to say, “Gomenasai”… Just leave now and don’t freak out.

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enrolling

by Oisin Collins You’ve probably seen those weird-looking driving courses around the prefecture—those tracks with people slowly cruising round in white cars, sometimes with air control towers overlooking them. Usually they have friendly English words like ‘Smile’ and ‘Tomorrow’ or ‘Rainbow’ painted on their signs. These courses are for Japanese driving schools.

For most Japanese people (and some lucky foreigners), in order to get a driver’s licence in Japan, you have to enrol in the courses offered by these schools. Here they will teach you the secrets of Japanese driving. I say Japanese driving, because there really does seem to be a big difference in what is taught here when compared to other countries.

For instance: driving theory. Theory, theory, theory! You thought learning to drive was mainly about operating the machine in a safe way and learning road rules? Not here my friend. You can safely expect to spend hour upon hour “in class” listening to lecturers drone on. The highlight of these classes was definitely the videos from a DVD that are shown to illustrate specific driving points. Actually, the videos are quite good, with reasonable acting and instructions narrated very clearly. One has to wonder whether it would be possible to just buy the materials separately and study by yourself to pass the tests.

The practical side of learning to drive at a school is also pretty interesting. There are two stages, the first being entirely conducted in-house on the driving course. Once you've passed stage 1 (manipulating gears, basic mirror skills, braking/accelerating, etc.) then you move to stage 2, and you drive on the real road in a variety of situations. These include exercises in driving on the expressway and learning where and how to stop safely—to those who are wondering, the whole “I’m going to stop on the side of the road whenever I want” technique is taught in Japanese driving schools, which probably explains a lot. At the end of all this (including the theory), you are issued a “Learner License.”

in japanese driving school I definitely found some of the practical techniques that were demanded of students odd. Reverence for “brake pumping,” accelerating right up to a corner then slowing down quickly to turn around it instead of smoothly gearing down, and actually being told to cross my arms when turning were not what I was expecting to learn.

The Other Students Who else runs the gauntlet with you? It's mostly university students, but in the quieter seasons there is a whole range of colourful characters. One lady I met had to completely retest and study all over again because she had lost her license. When I did my practical test for my learner's license, one of the other students who tested at the same time turned out to be a trainee jockey who was going to use her license to eventually transport horses. And then there was a small clutch of very awkward and embarrassed former students of mine…

Though I still can’t work out why they were so embarrassed.

The Instructors You think school teachers are weird? Try driving instructors. I suppose it takes all sorts, but I'd be very surprised if there isn't a manga out there with some of the characters I met at driving school. There was the cool younger guy who talked about soccer and generally gave you an easier time, the older guys who demanded millimetre-perfect turns and stops, and a guy who sounded like a cross between C-3PO, a bored checkout chick, and a really annoying librarian. Hey, I love librarians, but this guy could drive anyone up the wall within 5 minutes.

Time & Cost So how much time does it take to complete driving school? There were around 26 theory “lessons” (read: boring lectures interrupted with exciting DVDs), plus plenty of retests. That could be about 40 hours of in-house “study,” plus whatever you do on your own. Then there’s that time again spent with practical lessons. The real pain was that despite stating

early on that I could really only attend lessons after work, I was later told that the only way to undertake certain lessons (and by doing so complete the course) was to take time off and come in on certain days. Meaning that I had to take paid leave… Grr. The financial cost? A cool 300,000 yen. No, that's not a mistake. There are that many zeroes. When you total all the lessons, the costs of making practice tests and supervising them, staff wages, textbook costs, upkeep, and fees for the shuttle buses… It still doesn't make sense that it costs that much. But if you really want a license in a hurry (at least faster than in Australia) then shelling out the big bucks in Japan could be worth it.

The Language Factor At the time I enrolled, I was told there were no English tests available, so I studied driving theory in Japanese. When I actually went to take the test however, they did offer me an English test. I'm not sure how good the English one is so I opted for the Japanese version.

Because the ratio of foreigners who speak English studying for a full license is so low, it's hard to imagine any of the driving schools in Nagano offering tuition in English. But you never know…

The Final Tests “So once you're done with driving school, you're set, right?” Nup. Not really. As is often the case in Japan, there is a ridiculously test-based-test to achieve any major qualification. Once you’re done with driving school lessons and have your learner’s license, you then have to pass the Spartan final driving theory test. Yes—even after passing plenty of other theory tests, and a major practical one that lets you drive on the road with a supervising driver—the thing that finally decides whether or not you can permanently drive in Japan is a theory test. Fifty minutes to achieve at least a 90/95, or you fail and have to repeat. Did I mention it’s run by the police, and you have to pay over 3000 yen each time you take the test?

Driving in Nagano 25

driving lessons

by Micah Hentschel The Japanese driving test’s reputation as a trial of men’s souls is well deserved. Between the odious paperwork requirements, the often rude bureaucrats, the long waits, and finally the utterly nonsensical but horribly strict practical test, takers could very well start comparing themselves to Dante and his travels through Purgatory. Fortunately, like most purgatories in human history, there is a way to lessen your time spent there – the Indulgence driving school! Like the Indulgences of the 15th century*, the cost of these classes is going to make you want to nail your 95 Theses* to the closest religious center. While driving school is not a requirement for passing the test, taking it appears to change the attitude of the test proctor.

Signing up for classes is reasonably straightforward. I took my classes at the Dream School next to the Shinonoi Driving Center. The testing center is (surprise surprise!) owned by the Dream School. The cost is about ¥6500 for a 50 minute class, and Saturday morning classes are available. You will be able to practice on the actual driving test course, and the teachers will show you how to drive for the test. Unfortunately, none of the teachers at the school speak English, but I was fine with basic time and directional vocabulary. It should be noted that the Dream school will not allow you to take a class without first failing your test.

After you fail the first time, gather your paperwork and lamentations, and head around the back of the testing center to where the rainbow marked cars are parked. Inside, show your paperwork to the lady at the front desk and ask for a yoyaku (appointment). You will pay a registration fee of ¥1000, and fill out some basic paperwork. They will help you write things in Japanese if you need it. I recommend scheduling your class for the morning before your test.

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During the class itself, you will first ride along with an ‘experienced’ teacher, who may very well be younger than you are. They will tell you to pay strict attention to the car’s speed and to the way your eyes and head move as you look around. They will also strongly encourage you to memorize the course. You will also get to drive the course, and they will point out where you make mistakes and places to be extra cautious. My instructors were patient and didn’t mind rephrasing their instructions to make the language barrier less intimidating.

Before your second test, tell the registrar at the driving center that you took the Dream School’s class. While one class seems to be insufficient, taking three classes (or claiming to have done so) appears to be impress them.

After two classes, three driving tests, and other assorted fees, the bill for my Japanese license came to around ¥35,000. I wish all of you the best of luck in your tests, and I hope you will soon be joining me in Purgatory.

Traveling the Paradiso of Nagano’s countryside is well worth every yen paid. *The “Indugences” and “95 Theses” refer to The Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences, which is a criticism of the early 16th century Catholic Church selling “indulgences” (acts that relieve the temporal punishment resulting from the effect of sin). They were written by Martin Luther and posted to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg.

Y U No let me pass the test without taking classes?!

Japanese Drivers

by John Auerbach We all know them. We all see them on the road and think, “What the hell?” Unless you don’t drive, you probably ARE one of them. Drivers have a tendency to slip into bad habits. These habits become patterns, and then they become stereotypes. If you have lived in Japan for any length of time, you have probably heard your friends complain about at least one of these drivers. Then you think to yourself, “Shut up John. You’re just as bad as any of them.” Here is the list of complaints, from funniest to most dangerous.

1. The person who stares at you because you are a foreigner.

Hey motorbike, where you from?

One time, I was walking home from a small train station, and a dude on a motorcycle looked at me and just started laughing. As he waited for his light to turn green, he caught his breath and yelled to me, “Where do you live?” I yelled back that I live here. “Welcome to Japan!” he shouted. Then he drove off and left me brooding. I had been living here for months. I tried to think of the best responses I could have given him, such as: “With your mom.” Or I should have just hopped on his motorcycle and said, “Andale!”

Bitter ruminations aside, this driver is absolutely floored to see a non-Japanese person. They stare for a ridiculous amount of time, unaware that some foreigners are hyper-conscious of their appearance, especially the mole on his right cheek. While intimidating, do not be alarmed. Staring is normally an act of aggression, but he means you no harm; he is just wondering how many guns you have.

2. The people who drive across four lanes of traffic to save 30 seconds.

Don’t let their polite demeanor fool you. When a Starbucks sign appears, this driver’s eyes glaze over and bares his teeth. He needs his caffeine, and he needs it now. He’ll risk the life of his mother—holding on for dear life in the passenger seat—to purchase 16 ounces of that uncut foo-foo-dust, more widely known as a double-shot latte. There may be a huge line in the parking lot, but their inability to foresee more than four seconds from the present moment often strands them in the oncoming lane.

The coffee shop logo is actually a target, you see...

3. K-trucks going too fast or too slow.

Among Japan’s drivers, the most aggressive drive tiny, white flatbeds. They tailgate, race through reds, speed on country roads, neglect turn signals, and never wait their turn. Farming equipment precariously jostles around the truck bed, and you pray a hoe won’t pop out and impale you through the face. Conversely, the slowest drivers also drive these K-trucks. My theory is that K-trucks have no gas pedal. They speed to build up kinetic energy, and then they drive for as long as possible until friction brings them to a crawl, at which point they are powered forward by the breeze.

4. Gaijin driving on the wrong side of the road.

Nothing to wake you up like a car casually rolling into your lane head on. If you look carefully, you can spot the driver’s friend’s screaming at him to veer left. Honestly, I’ve never seen this driver… but I AM this driver. Or I was on two occasions. Gaijin S e cr e tl y m o re d an are the most dangerous drivers of all because at any moment, they g e ro u s th an A ru ku m a. can snap back into their native habits. In one minute, they’re driving along and waving at children politely. The next thing you know, they gun it over railroad tracks to see how much air they can get. These drivers have nothing to lose. If they get in a wreck, they simply cry or look confused until the police get bored and leave.

Driving in Nagano 27

More like guidelines

by Sabbi Topal A friendly little Q&A about all those little quirks people stick to when driving in Japan. Remember, if you can do it without wrecking your car, you’re probably okay!

You know those short medians in the middle of the road?

Oh right, those things. Yeah, if your car fits over them, you can totally drive over them, and be aware, people do!

Have you ever wanted to drive around with flashing emergency lights on your car just for shits and giggles?

The Japanese police have, and they do it all the time! Unless a police car has a siren on or is yelling at you through a loudspeaker, don’t panic when you see those lights. Just keep on driving normally like everyone else. Watch out for police officers on foot jumping out in front of your car with a giant stick to whack you with---they’re working speed traps.

How about turning into that lane over there when joining a two-lane road?

While it’s standard practice in many countries to turn into the lane that is generally in line with yours while joining a two-lane road, in Japan you’re welcome to turn into whichever lane you want to join. In fact, you must make one of these turns during your driving test, even though it screams of being side-swiped to American drivers. Make a note, and remember to let that person turning left into the road to go first before you make your right into the space they’re moving into.

What are these motorbikes doing, driving up past my car at intersections?

Japanese drivers like to stop right at the edge of their lane when at stop signs or stop lights to generally be ‘safer’ by blocking or allowing bicycles, mopeds, and motorbikes on one side of their car. Make a note of the ditch, and then follow their example to allow motorbikes to pull alongside and in front of

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your car at intersections; blocking their path only makes it more difficult to keep track of where their speedy little bums are.

Can you really park wherever you want, whenever you want?

Contrary to the strange English on the Japanese license transfer written test, in Japan drivers will often park wherever they want whenever they want, whether on the side of a busy shopping street or up on the sidewalk in front of your apartment complex’s entranceway.

There are a few road signs that designate ‘No Stopping’ and ‘No Parking’ areas which are not illustrated in a common-sense manner that you ought to look out for. Check our driving signs list to make sure you know what’s what.

Can you drive more than two kilometers in the passing lane on the highway?

Passing lane? Oh right, it’s the right lane!

When on the expressway, you’re allowed to pass people, but you are legally limited to being in the passing lane for 2 km or less. This applies to bridges, tunnels, and other areas some other countries identify as ‘hazard zones’, so make a note of your odometer when you pull over into the passing lane. Tickets have been awarded to Nagano residents who exceeded the 2 km distance when ‘passing’.

Wait, red means don’t go?!

Unlike in some other countries, once you’ve stopped for a red light, you need to stay stopped at the light until it turns green. No turns are allowed on red lights.

So when it’s green, we’re good to go?

We’re almost good to go. Most Japanese drivers think ‘yellow’ means “HURRY GRANDMA SANTA’s COMING LET’s GO!” and will still be in the intersection when the light turns green for opposing traffic. Be aware, check both ways, and then proceed when you get a green light.

ROad Signs They’re trying to tell us something, we know it! Take our quiz and see if you can interpret all of the following road signs correctly. It’s not like they’re in Japanese or something silly like that!

(Answers are listed upside-down at the end of the quiz. Yeah, you can totally look silly at work turning your head sideways to check them.)

1.

2.

3.

4.

A) Stop B) Go! C) Dance Break

A) Other Stop B) Yield C) Slowly Proceed

A) No Stopping B) No Parking C) Closed to All Vehicles

8.

A) No Scrubs B) No Stopping or Parking C) No Parking

9.

A) No Stopping B) No Parking C) No Entry

10.

A) Speed Limit B) Speed Camera Enforced C) Minimum Speed (continued on next page)

A) No Joining Traffic B) No Right Turn C) No Right on Red How fast are you going in MPH?

5.

6.

7.

A) No Hazardous Cargo B) No Nukes C) No Hippies Allowed

A) No Hitting People B) No Crossing the Street C) No Pedestrians

A) No Larger Cars B) No Passing C) No Swerving

KMH

MPH

20 30 40 50 60 80 100 120

12 19 25 31 37 50 62 75 Driving in Nagano 29

11.

12. wite

13.

14.

15.

A) Narrow Road B) Maximum Height C) Affected Traffic Zone

A) Peds and Bikes Only B) Peds and Bikes Xing C) That kid is gonna learn wr how to ride that bike.

16.

17.

18.

A) Air Raid Sirens B) Sound Horn C) Noise Zone

A) Highway Bus Stop B) Preferred Bus Lane C) Buses Only Lane

A) Raccoons!!

B) Animals!

C) No, that’s a kamoshika.

19.

20.

A) SNAAAAAAAKE B) Caution C) Construction

A) Call Your Mom! B) Mobile Phone Use OK C) Emergency Phone

A) Old Driver B) Girl Scout Bus C) New Driver

A) Diesel Fuel Only B) Old Driver C) New Driver

A) School Bus B) Handicapped Sign C) Baby in Car

Road Signs Quiz Answers: 1-A, 2-C, 3-C, 4-B, 5-A, 6-C, 7-B, 8-B, 9-B, 10-C, 11-A, 12-A, 13-B, 14-C, 15-A, 16-B, 17-C, 18-C, 19-B, 20-B

If you're in an accident...

DON’T panic! Accidents happen to everyone, even in Japan where cars regularly dodge each other by a fraction of a centimeter. You are not the first or last person to have an accident.

DO call for help. Even if you speak Japanese, you’ve been in a car accident. It’s a stressful time. If you’re a public school teacher, it’s an even more stressful time because you’ve just hit someone while being employed by the state. Call one of your coworkers or even a ‘boss’ type person at your Board of Education so you can have some support while you deal with the police and your insurance, and remember, it’s as if your workplace was driving your car when the accident happened. This is one time when your workplace plays a role in your private life, especially if you were driving to a work function when the accident happened.

DO be polite. If the other person hit you, be patient and calm, and wait for your insurance to figure things out. If you hit the other person, be ready to go and apolgize to them with a gift later that day, even if it was only a small bump. This may seem weird to your cultural sensibilities, but when in Rome...

Apologies not only keep your personal record clean, but they also keep your work and group relationships on good terms.

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by Rus Newcombe EDs' Note: We removed the cursing from this article in an attempt to avoid our publisher’s filtering system. Please insert your own curses for the article’s intended reading experience.

I have to get to a barbecue across the prefecture.

Great. Do you have 5 hours or 5000yen?

I’ve only got 1500yen. Is that ok? And why 5 hours?!

It’s only 30 km!

You’re new to driving here, aren’t you? Main routes and the Expressway are out. Better take the mountain roads!

But I’ve never taken mountain roads before. Are they safe?

Yes… Mostly… You stand a good chance of not dying… It’s quicker! Trust me, it’ll be better. First, do you have a map? It might be useful.

I have a smart-phone with Google Maps!

That’ll do… You probably won’t even need it anyway! Let’s go!

Getting out of town is taking ages… Are you sure it isn’t quicker just to take the main routes?

Don’t panic, this is the slow part. As soon as you hit the mountains you’ll be home free.

OK I’ve made it to the inaka but now there’s a big truck holding me up… Should I overtake him?

Nah, there’s a yellow line. Play it safe. He’s probably not going your way anyway.

It’s been an hour… He’s still there… He’s going at 30kmh, and it’s a 40kmh road…

What are you, some kind of speed freak?! Wanna embed yourself into the front of a Kei-truck?! Just stick with him!

We’re starting to go uphill… And he’s slowed down to 20kmh…

Oh man, OK! I have an idea! Honk your horn and flash at him! Truck drivers respond well to that here.

It’s a cultural thing.

Fine… I’ll give it a go… Great, now he’s slowed down to 15kmh! I don’t think he liked it.

Alright, we’ll show this asset. At the next straight, overtake him!

I don’t know… The road looks pretty bendy.

Wait for a corner you can see around then.

Here’s one!

GO! Do it! Put your foot down!

What? OK… AARGH! A Car!!! Are you trying to kill me?! I lost my damn wing mirror!

It’s fine. Wing mirrors are overrated. Try again!

OK! I made it! Oh shitake mushrooms… There are six more trucks. SIX! You said this would be fast! I was supposed to be eating meat by now!

It’s not my fault you joined a convoy… Wait, I have an idea. Take the next turn you see! These roads all go in roughly the same direction.

Are you sure? That doesn’t sound right…

Would you rather sit behind these trucks?

I guess not. There’s a road coming up but it looks sketchy… And narrow… And poorly maintained.

Chicken! Do you want to get the barbecue or not?

Yes… OK! Fine, I’m turning!

Great!

It’s been 45 minutes. Where am I? I’m low on fuel and this road is barely wide enough.

It’s good you lost that wing mirror earlier then! Try using your map.

I can’t… I don’t have a signal. Wait, there are some signs coming up!

Great! It means you’re almost back in civilization!

But you should really have bought a proper map…

“Inaccessible”. “Road closed.” “Danger.”

Yeah, that happens. Oh well, just go back to the main road!

You suck! I knew I should have taken the major roads. Shaving cream. I can’t turn around. The road is too narrow.

Your car has a reverse gear for a reason you know!

Monkey’s uncle! I reversed into the gutter! Rubber chicken! Why isn’t it covered?!… Oh kamoshika…

I think I broke the axle… Sunshine and daisies!

They don’t call them gaijin traps for nothing.

Anyway it looks like I’ve helped you as much as I can.

What?! You’re leaving me here?! You caused this mess! Curse you!… It’s getting dark!

I can’t help you once you leave the vehicle, call JAA or something! Those trucks are probably in Niigata by now, you shoulda stuck with them.

I don’t have a phone signal… Buttercups! You can’t stop now!… What was that noi-OH ARUKUMA!!! Argh!

Thank you for using our product, “So, you want to drive in Nagano.” Also available: “So, you’re lost in the mountains: Help! A bear!”

Rus.N wrote this. He likes ‘Cracked’ and driving fast.

Driving in Nagano 31

* SUPER

* COOLBIZ

by Sabbi Topal

While most Nagano residents will tell you that they come from the land of the ice and snow, from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow, they will also admit that the prefecture gets pretty frickin’ hot in the summer. How hot is hot? Let’s just say it’s not quite as hot as some of the lower-lying prefectures, but it’s hot enough to shake a stick at it. As the summer heat hits full stride and your coworkers start to grumble about hottest temperatures on record, dress smart with Super CoolBiz. That’s right, the Japanese government is no longer talking CoolBiz, but Super CoolBiz. Just what does this super bit entail? The ‘CoolBiz’ phenomena was started by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment (MOE) in 2005 to encourage Japanese citizens to save electricity by keeping their air conditioning units at 28°C from May through September. CoolBiz style guidelines promoted wearing short-sleeved, button-down shirts without jackets and ties. These guidelines were strong suggestions for all government workers, but they didn’t really catch on until then-Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, was frequently seen working without his own tie or jacket.

But all that was CoolBiz, which was so last decade. Many predicted that the Japanese business dress code would become more and more informal, but even those with crystal balls couldn’t have predicted the suggestions for SUPER CoolBiz! In 2011, after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, all of the nation’s nuclear power plant operations were suspended, energy prices skyrocketed, and business employees were left sweltering as the summer began. MOE, being the smart kids that they are, introduced a new standard for business dress: Super CoolBiz. This standard is supposed to ‘encourage workers to wear outfits appropriate for the office yet cool enough to endure the summer heat.’ New suggested fashion pieces included polo shirts, khakis, sneakers, and even Okinawa *kariyushi shirts. After two years, it seems like the ‘Super’ in Super CoolBiz is here to stay.

Some complain that the government will have workers dressing in monkey suits next, while others are reveling in their newly created work fashion choices—whatever your opinion on the habit of dressing down at work, next time you see Prime Minister Abe show up to work looking like he’s just gotten back from a tropical vacation, you can chalk it up to him being super.

32 Summer Fashion

*

*

Former Prime Minister

Junichiro Koizumi,

who is also known as Japan’s ‘popstar’ PM, got the ball rolling by promoting CoolBiz fashion standards back in 2005.

Former Representative/LDP Politician

Shinya Ono

You can find this particularly genius blog entry at

http://iratan.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2011/05/post-a704.html

From CoolBiz to

Super CoolBiz This 2011 chart illustrates the changes from normal to SUPER. Polos, ‘Aloha Shirts’, and Sneakers are now okay, while tanktops and shorts are still a no go.

Certain sandals, T-shirts, and Jeans are okay for casual Fridays!

Summer Fashion 33

bug fighters Hasta la vista ants!

by Amanda Horton

Bug season is upon us, and at some point

a critter or two (or dozen) will make it into your home, no matter how well you attempt to seal it up, so here are some cheap, easy, and completely natural pest control methods which don't kill any invaders you might find. In my experience, I find that these methods have proven to be much more effective than commercial poisons, and as an added bonus all are pet and child friendly too.

Ants

Ants have a strong sense of smell. Place a strong spice near their point of entrance, such as cinnamon, garlic, mint, coffee grounds, lemon juice, or even cucumber. A powder works better in the summer heat. With a natural aversion to your barrier, the ants will not cross it and will find a new food source away from your house. Of course, removing the attractant is also necessary, so make sure you scrub your kitchen or other offending areas with white vinegar to wash away the scent trails the ants left and as well as any food smells. If you find an ant colony outside but near your door, a line

See ya later centipede!

34 Summer Living

of powdered cinnamon (or one of the other things listed earlier) along the bottom of the door frame will keep them out and still allow you to use the door as usual.

Back home, my house had an ant problem once. We put down poison, but the ants just found new entry points. When we washed the floor with white vinegar instead of the usual cleaning products, the ants went away. Here in Japan, I found a scout ant in my house. I followed it back to the entry point, put down cinnamon, and never saw another ant after that. Replace the cinnamon every 2-3 weeks for the best results. Once cut off, the ants are likely not to return.

Centipedes

Centipedes are great pest control agents themselves, as they eat other pests like spiders, mosquitoes, and cockroaches, and they rarely bite humans. Like ants, centipedes have a strong sense of smell. They really hate tea tree oil. Add around 25 drops of pure tea tree oil to 30ml of water and spray on door frames, window frames, cracks and other openings into your house. Mint and garlic can also deter centipedes. For an infestation (or if you really hate centipedes), use undiluted tea tree oil. Centipedes have a pretty good senses of direction, so if you take one outside, take it far away and spray the nearest entrance to your house with tea tree oil.

The dreaded Mukade, a huge, black, Japanese centipede more common in the south of Japan, is dangerous to humans. In

their case, the bigger they are, the more worried you should be. The more the bite hurts, the bigger the Mukade. Small Mukade bites tend to be itchy and sore for about 24 hours and then heal without problems. If you are

vacuum well, and take out the rubbish regularly.

Cockroaches can live without food, but need water and warmth to survive, so reducing their access to water is the key to keeping them out of your house. Avoid soaking dishes overnight

seek medical help.

House centipedes, the small brown ones with legs coming out from everywhere and no obvious head, are incapable of piercing human skin. They are really just creepy and fast and maybe not something you want falling on you in your sleep, but overall they are utterly harmless.

leaky pipes.

Spiders

Personally, I prefer to leave spiders be or put any spiders disconcertingly close to my bed outside the window, since they really don't catching abilities. However, if the thought of having one as peppermint oil, lavender, garlic, and orange peels are good spider deterrents.

Just make a solution in a spray bottle and spray as liberally as you like, especially around the entrance to your room.

Say

ra ona

spid

er!

Mosquitoes

Of course there are hundreds of mosquito repellents sold in stores, but the little buggers always seem to get in, despite the fact you’ve been burning incense at the door all evening All is not lost, however. Mosquitoes hate citronella and garlic. Citronella candles in the evening should deter them, and spraying your bugs from entering.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches hate catnip, bay leaves, and cypress, so placing either of these by doors and cracks is an effective deterrent. Avoid placing cat nip outside if you live on the ground neighbourhood cats will start paying you a visit.

For cockroaches, the best things you can do are:

Drain Flies like mini moths. They appear randomly in large short life cycle; they can randomly disappear and reappear again within a few days. Simply trying to wash them away won't work. The best thing you can do is clean your drains thoroughly. Get a sponge on a long stick from a 100-yen shop and scrub as far down as you can go. Also, buy some of those blue nets for your sink to catch all the food, and make sure to change it regularly (at least once a week in summer). If you do this, they will stop reproducing in the area, and the problem will be solved. the food and debris that clings to your drain, so they are actually very effective drain cleaners. Although they are harmless, they reproduce in large numbers. They can go from 1 to 30 in a matter of hours, which can be irksome.

Hornets

Treat hornets with extreme caution and respect. The Japanese giant hornet and Asian giant hornet are the most deadly animals in Japan. More people die per year in Japan from Japanese hornet stings than from any other wild animal attack, including bears and snakes.

Hornets are generally nonaggressive unless provoked and are unlikely to invade your home in great numbers; the worst you’re likely to get is a nest on the outside of your building nearby a door. Hornets, like other bugs, dislike mint and peppermint. Citronella may also work, as it works to deter wasps, which are basically the same thing. A combination of 7ml citronella oil, 4ml lavender oil, 7ml tea tree oil, and 4ml pennyroyal oil as a spray can deter hornets and wasps. Spray the solution around the door and other areas you don't want them to nest.

You can also make yourself a fake nest, which will deter hornets from nesting nearby.

Summer Living 35

Scrunch some newspaper into balls, place it into a plastic bag, and tie the top. Put this into a brown paper bag and hang it outside your door. Hornets think it is a real nest and stay away. It looks crude to us, but it works. Do try to keep the size realistic.

If you do get a nest, the best thing to do would be to use the remedies above while the nest is small. Once it gets too big, the bees will be more unwilling to move on. Trying to remove a nest yourself is extremely dangerous and likely to cause the hornets to attack. Do not provoke them by destroying their nest or killing any hornets nearby the nest. If you find a nest, do not go near it and absolutely never walk in their flight path (you can watch them for a few minutes and see the route they use to leave and approach the nest). Deter them from entering your house, but otherwise, let them do their thing. If you really must get rid of the nest for whatever reason, hire a professional exterminator to do it. Absolutely no amount of money you will save by trying to get rid of a nest yourself is worth the risk to your life.

If a hornet lands on you don't panic or run, just gently blow on it, and it will fly away.

Whatever you do, do not attempt to hit it. It will sting you, and then you'll need to go to the

hospital to get checked out. I cannot stress enough how dangerous Japanese hornet stings are. About 40 people a year die of anaphylactic shock from being stung. This is because the Japanese hornet's sheer size allows it to inject a large amount of toxin into their victims, so their stings are extremely painful and require hospital treatment. The safest thing to do is to just avoid giant hornets whenever possible.

In summary,

bugs are like vampires; they hate garlic. Mint also works well and smells better. For a general anti-bug, garlic solution, put 20ml of garlic in 500ml of water (or alternatively just grate some garlic cloves into the water) and spray around the entries to your home. Mint needs just 10 drops of concentrated mint oil in 500ml of water.

If you take the approach that bugs are your friends, and not flesh-eating monsters intent on invasion of human dwellings, keeping them out of your house should work just fine.

Amanda is a current resident of Yamagata Prefecture, but her advice is perfectly suited for the creepy crawlies that like to share our indoor spaces during Nagano’s summers. Her Facebook posts of wisdom are reprinted here thanks to her kindness.

BonuS : MOULD FIGHTERS

me Go ho

hor ne

t!

For fighting mould, I find there are a few options that work best: white vinegar, baking soda, bleach, and tea tree oil. Baking soda and tea tree oil are your best bets because white vinegar is hard to find in Japan, and bleach is only good on non-porous surfaces. I've included instructions for all 4 below.

Spray undiluted vinegar onto the mould, leave for an hour and wipe clean with water. White vinegar in general is a great cleaning product as it kills most things and deters pests. Baking soda is also a good household cleaning product, and it’s easier to find. Add a quarter of a tablespoon to a spray bottle of water, shake it, then spray the solution onto the mould. Scrub the mould off, rinse, and spray again. You can also use a cloth if you don't have a spray bottle; just add the baking soda after soaking the cloth in water. Bleach will also do a good job, but it cannot penetrate into the surface of porous materials, so it is only really effective in bathrooms, on tiles, etc.

Tea tree oil is by far the most effective natural killer of mould. It is a very effective antifungal and antibacterial agent, and is completely safe. The Body Shop sells a good 10ml bottle of concentrated tea tree oil. Be careful buying it from other places—sometimes cheap tea tree oil is not actually derived from the Melaleuca Alternifolia (the tea tree), so it is useless. Make a solution with a ratio of 1 teaspoon of oil per 250ml of water and apply it to the mould. There’s no need to rinse the solution away since the tea tree oil will just kill all of the mould on the surface. Tea tree oil also keeps its potency, so the solution can be kept and used for a long time after you mix it.

36 Summer Living

Here, Eat Some Bugs!

by Helen von Gohren You know how when you move to a new place, the locals all insist that you try this traditional dish, that restaurant’s specialty, that other person’s homebrewed liqueur, etc.? You’ll definitely get the same treatment here in Nagano! No matter how long you have been in the prefecture, not only will you get repeated suggestions for the local staples (Oyaki, anyone? Nozawana pickles? How about some soba?) but you will also periodically find yourself on the receiving end of bags of cucumbers, piles of apples, and hordes of fried grasshoppers.

Wait. You weren’t expecting the grasshoppers? The farther out into the boonies you live, the more likely you are to be served a bowl of crispy, creepy crawlies at some point during your stay.

Okay, granted, the consumption of insects in landlocked Nagano Prefecture has decreased over the last century as other sources of protein have become more accessible and affordable. In the old days, though, serving up some bugs for the evening meal was a common occurrence at tables throughout Shinshu. Besides locusts, other regularly consumed insects (often now considered rare delicacies) include silkworm larvae, bee larvae, stonefly larvae, and rhinoceros beetle larvae. Mmm, larvae. Go ahead and do an image search on those. Appetizing-looking little things, aren’t they!

Entomophagy—the eating of insects—is not scary at all. Not only are they pretty tasty, like I mentioned before, they are an excellent source of protein, and if we’re talking about grasshoppers, they’re harvested as pests from local rice fields. They eat the grain, and we eat them! It’s the circle of life. How majestic.

It is fantastically easy to catch them yourself, too, if you’re the kind of person who likes to eat locally and know exactly where their food comes from. Here’s what you do: go out to some rice fields and walk along the borders, but don’t go into a farmers’ fields! Stay on the raised paths and gently scoop the bugs up with a net, taking care not to damage the rice crop. Gather a few dozen and get ready to fry them up!

INAGO

Not up to making your own? Check your local supermarket or buy some online at tsukahara-chinmi.com

To make your own crunchy snack, you’ll need: 200 grams of grasshoppers 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of sugar 1 tablespoon of sake 1 tablespoon of mirin water as needed Parboil the grasshoppers in a large pot, preferably with a lid so they don’t jump out.

Empty the partially-cooked grasshoppers into a deep-sided frying pan or pot. Mix in all of the seasonings, and then add just enough water to cover the grasshoppers. Set the burner on low and watch carefully as the broth simmers down

to a thick, sweet, salty coating.

Alternatively, you can dry the bugs thoroughly after parboiling them and then fry them in oil for a different flavor.

The final step: enjoy your environmentally friendly, responsibly sourced protein! Maybe get a toothpick or two though, just in case. No one needs grasshopper legs stuck in their teeth.

be sure to cook thoroughly!!!

Vocabulary for hunting down your own slimy-yet-satisfying side dishes: はちのこ bee larvae かいこ silkworm larvae いなご grasshopper

ざざむし stonefly larvae かぶとむし rhinoceros beetle

Food and Recipes 37

thE

by Bianca Jones

Mug Brownie

It’s late, and you know it’s not the most appropriate time, but your desire is peaked.

While your body is yearning for something rich, hot and chocolaty, your mind is telling you “Nope, nuh-uh, don’t you do it!” because, for whatever reason, you’ve decided to be healthy and make wise choices about your eating habits. But the craving persists and starts tormenting you with images of dark, sweet, and gooey goodness. “Stupid 12 am brownie craving. Every freakin’ time!” Ah, but making them from scratch takes too long, so you think you’re off the hook.

WRONG! Thanks to the Internet, I’ve discovered how to make yummy brownies in a mug with minimal ingredients and time. It takes less than 5 minutes. And it’s veganfriendly!

Ingredients 2 Tbs water 2 Tbs oil (vegetable, canola) Vanilla extract Salt 2 Tbs cocoa powder (plain, no sugar) 2-3 Tbs of sugar 2 Tbs of all-purpose flour Cinnamon (optional) Chili powder (optional)

Directions 1. In a coffee mug, add water and oil together.

Add a few drops/sprinkles of vanilla extract.

Whisk/stir together well.

2. Add a pinch of salt and the 2 Tbs of cocoa powder. Again, whisk/stir everything together. (Make sure you get all the powder along the sides!)

3. Add the sugar. I would recommend adding only 2 Tbs and tasting to see if the 3rd is needed. Whisk/stir.

4. Finally, add the flour and stir everything until it’s smooth. I like to get creative here and add cinnamon and chili powder (Hey, I like spicy chocolate!). Just a dash of each.

5. Microwave the mixture for about 70-80 seconds. At 70 seconds, it’s like a lava cake, while at 80 seconds it should be cooked all the way through – I’ve only done this in a 500w microwave, so please adjust time expectations if yours is stronger or weaker. I would not recommend adding nuts into the mix as it messes up the cooking time and it just doesn’t turn out as well. I do recommend adding ice cream on top after it’s finished.

When I discovered this recipe, I swear I made it every day for a week. Good luck trying to have self control after you taste this!

38 Food and Recipes

Mmm matsutake...

Nagano, a place for...

Vegetables?

by Ray Leak

Nagano is well known for its apples, but many do not know that Nagano Prefecture is also a leading domestic exporter of several vegetables. Nagano Prefecture ranks number one in enoki (long thin white mushrooms), shimeji mushrooms , nameko (small brown mushrooms), matsutake (expensive and slightly spicy mushrooms), lettuce, and celery. It is also the second largest producer and exporter for several vegetables. Asparagus and hakusai (Chinese cabbage) are two that quickly come to mind.

At the time of writing this article, summer is just around the corner and the rainy season fully underway. Many shades of green are sure to arrive soon along with a wide variety of fresh produce.

It is a common sight to see many a household with a small garden. Vegetable sharing is also not an unusual practice. People are generous with their harvests, and with an abundance of produce, it’s a waste to not pass it around.

In Nagano, you can often find a section for locally grown vegetables in just about any supermarket as well. In the workplace, you can sometimes see people selling fresh vegetables from their desks too. I have been gifted vegetables in the past with the explanation that they would simply go to waste because they could not finish eating them. Roadside vegetable stands are also particular to agricultural prefectures like Nagano and are another fantastic place to come up on some great deals on organic produce!

Throughout Nagano Prefecture, you can see small plant and seed vendors from as early as March. A young sapling will generally cost you anywhere from 30 yen for a low end small

plant to 500 yen for the upper end healthy plant that looks near ready to start bearing greens. If you are fortunate to have space around your house, you can put it straight in the ground or in a pot or planter. Eating and growing your own produce can give you a true sense of satisfaction and tending your garden can give you peace of mind.

Nagano Prefecture, being a mountainous region, is also a great place for sansai (mountain vegetables). With the onset of spring, locals are quick to take to the mountain in their ith an hunt for sansai classics such as abundance of fukinoto (butterbur sprouts) and warabi produce, it’s a (the coiled fronds waste to not of young bracken pass it around. ferns). But the real pleaser is fresh koshiabura (a wild tree sprout) and taranome, also known as the kings of sansai. Come autumn, and the same mountain goers will take to the mountains again in search of the highly desired matsutake, the king of Nagano’s top exported mushrooms.

In other countries, some people have pushed for organic produce and felt a need to increase production, but it seems the answer may just lie in front of us. Perhaps it is time to tear out the lawns and plant a garden. There are many low maintenance vegetables that only require a sprinkling every so often.

So with the arrival of summer, find yourself some new joy in starting your own garden or go visit a nearby supermarket for some locally grown veggies!

w

Food and Recipes 39

by Erin Street

and James Garza

It’s summer again, and after six months of hibernation you want something to eat. Well, put on some shorts and grab a water bottle -- we’re going shopping. You’ll find everything you need for these three tasty recipes at your local supermarket or produce stand.

Peach Cobbler

What follows a light summer salad better than a rich buttery cobbler? Peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums and berries are all in season and if you listen closely, you can hear them saying, “Put me in a cobbler.” Nectarines and blueberries may not be an obvious combination, but give them a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients 1/4 cup melted butter 1 cup flour 3/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup milk 5-6 peaches peeled and cut (or any other fruit) 1/4 cup sugar Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 2. Pour melted butter in pan 3. To make the batter: whisk together flour, milk, baking powder and ¾ cup of sugar.

4. Pour the batter over the butter.

5. Cover the batter with fruit.

6. Sprinkle the fruit and batter with 1/4 cup of sugar 7. Bake until batter rises and becomes golden brown. It could take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour depending on how well your oven works.

Calabacitas

A flavorful and healthy summer dish from the American southwest. Delicious as a side or a main.

Best served in a warm tortilla.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 zucchinis, cut into medium chunks 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 cup of corn kernels (canned/frozen ok) 2 large tomatoes, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped (canned chilies or salsa are also ok) Cheddar cheese Salt and pepper Cilantro (optional) [*“Coriander” outside North America]

40 Food and Recipes

Directions 1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for five minutes or until transparent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

2. Add zucchini and cook until slightly softened, for about three minutes. Add green pepper and tomatoes, bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Let simmer for five minutes. Add corn and cook until the corn is warmed through.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle some cheese on top and serve warm!

Restaurant Review

by Neal Murugan

Khelang Thai Dining

Summer Quiche

Quiche is the perfect anytime food. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, quiche has the flexibility to accommodate whatever special ingredient you’re craving. Have some kabocha (pumpkin)? Toss it in. Have some broccoli?

Toss it in. Have some daikon (radish)? Toss it -wait, don’t toss that in, make some pickles with it instead.

Ingredients for crust 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup very cold water 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup flour Ingredients for filling 2/3 cup milk 4 eggs 3 cloves garlic fresh cracked pepper 10 cherry tomatoes, halved 1 small zucchini, sliced 1/2 onion, chopped cheese Directions 1. To make the crust: mix oil and water with a fork until combined, add the salt and flour and mix well. Press dough into a pie pan or glass baking dish. Pre-bake for ten minutes at 180C. 2. For the filling: whisk together milk, eggs, garlic and cracked pepper.

3. Saute zucchini and onion in a little olive oil until soft.

4. Sprinkle some cheese on the crust and spread the zucchini and onions on top.

Pour in the filling and top with halved tomatoes and a sprinkle of cheese.

5. Bake at 180C for 45 minutes or until set.

690 Shimauchi, Matsumoto City (0263) 40 – 0270

Matsumoto has an abundance of great food, but Khelang is one of the hidden gems of the area. A family run restaurant, it is a perennial favorite amongst locals and visitors alike. It is probably the most authentic and tasty Thai food you’re likely to find short of a visit to Thailand. The chef is Thai and was trained by his father as a renowned chef in Thailand. His Japanese wife is the restaurant’s sole server and manager and the service is extremely polite and efficient.

There is a large variety of dishes on offer.

The Pad Thai comes in generous sufficient portions and the restaurant encourages people to order a variety of dishes for sharing.

If you have a delicate constitution for spicy food, it might be wise to tell them beforehand.

The food’s spiciness is comparable to authentic Thai food, and it greatly exceed Japan’s “spicy” food.

Another popular but seasonal dish is the soft shell crab, which is served in a curry base. Great side dishes are the papaya salad and the hot squid salad. Tom yung kung, green and red curries are also available.

The restaurant is conveniently located near Nagisa Life Square---just off the IC. Parking is available. The restaurant is open every day, except Mondays, from 11:30am to 2pm and from 5:30pm to 9pm. The restaurant---quaintly furnished in the Thai style with plenty of wooden ornamentation and Thai paintings---is well worth a visit. The food is very reasonably priced for Japan.

Food and Recipes 41

The Temptation: Giant Parfaits

What’s that I hear you say? Giant parfaits are totally lame? Hmm, I can see the denial in your eyes…Oh yes, you’re backing away and trying to ignore the tall glass I’ve placed in front of you.

I know that you love the delicious, sweet, chilling sensation of eating icecream. I also know that you love to eat fruits and chocolate as dessert. Possibly just a little too much? That’s okay, I’m not going to tell anyone. Why would I do that? I’m your friend!

Those other people, they raise their eyebrows…but I won’t judge you at all. I am simply going to watch you eat this parfait.

Come now, there’s no need to be shy. We’ve all heard that people actually *need* fat and sugar in their diet – without it they are less healthy. You don’t want to be less healthy do you? That’s right, I didn’t think so.

Hang on, you say you’d prefer to just have a little ice cream or fruit on the side? Not the whole glorious, unified, sumptuous combination of a parfait? Oh ho ho, playing coy won’t save you. Not when you can see crown of this magnificent creation towering high over the glass, splendid in its creamy frozen splendor.

Not when you can see the luscious play of light on the preserved fruits. And especially not when you see the cheeky heaping of cereal winking at you from the bottom of the glass. At first we all denied it: “Cereal??? WTF?” Now however, it is a different story. You are a convert, a fully-ordained disciple who has knelt at the altar of desserts and offered up breathless praise - for the perfect pleasure of parfaits.

Making a parfait bigger…is simply making it better. Why else would you be salivating at the tantalising fragrance of this grand empress of desserts?

Here’s your spoon.

42 Humor

Don’t Eat the Parfait!

Are you looking at that thing? I mean, are your eyes actually open and sending impulses to your brain so you can comprehend what a bad idea the giant parfait in front of you is? How can you even be tempted by it!?

Let’s be honest, I am totally judging you right now. I’m positive peer pressure, the dodgy guy across the table from you is definitely the negative peer pressure in this instance. Don’t listen to him.

There is no way you can consume the whole glass, even with his help. It’s like the Godzilla of ice creams!

It could take out Tokyo and then probably battle a few giant bugs for good laughs! If not giant bugs, then small children. A small child could definitely disappear into that thing.

And don’t get me started on the actual dietary content. Cheap maybe-dairy product, crappy cornflakes, and some old fruit does not suddenly become better for you when you douse it all in chocolate-flavoured syrup. Didn’t you just eat that whole, “nutritiously” fried Japanese meal? Wouldn’t you be happier with some kakigori to cool down with?

Really, truly, you do not want to eat that much ice cream and possibly past-their-prime fruit slices. There is nothing coy about your denial or magnificent about the parfait in front of you; there’s only failure and a possibly upset stomach waiting to make you feel lonely and awful later this evening. You can try to trick yourself into thinking that this will be the crowning moment of the meal with the most luscious, opulent dessert on the menu, but really, we all know it’s a yen trap just waiting to bite you in the— …Aww, who am I kidding, you totally want it.

Pick that spoon up, and make sure you get the majority of the corn flakes.

Lunchroom Chatter

by John Auerbach

A few months after I arrived in Japan, I was still unsure how to posture myself. I stood in a fifth grade classroom and leaned against the wall. The students wore bleach-white aprons and white hair caps. Some students donned face masks as well, which I found unsettling. It forced me to read their eyes closely. Some students squinted between their apparel, and as I squinted back when our eyes met, I tried to calm myself. Fourth period before lunch had turned into a miserable lesson that ended with two seven year old girls crying because they lost a game. Usually, when I make kids cry, I’m sent into a contemplative state. I’m reminded of my inability to communicate and my lack of control over most situations.

My mind had sunk to the depths of anxiety when a student, a short boy with a white eyelash, approached me. “Yay, John,” he said.

He held up his hand and waited for a customary high five. I obliged. These were the connections I came to Japan for, I thought. But a high-five is just so… Unsatisfying. He grabbed my wrist and tugged me toward the table. Luke-warm school food awaited me in small plastic dishes. Three students sat at my table: White Eyelash boy, a shy girl with glasses, and a third student doling out leftover food. White Eyelash Boy and Glasses Girl spoke Japanese among themselves occasionally as we waited for the meal to start.

I, of course, stared into space, my attention dipping in and out of the commotion around me. Perhaps one could perceive my otherness, my distance, simply from observing my glazed eyes or the way I curiously scanned the grounds outside the window nearby. The classroom was chaotic until a girl stood before us and told us to sit. Here we go, and my attention snapped into place. Time to eat…

Suddenly, the third student at our table dashed by me and slipped into his empty seat. His blue sweat pants engulfed the lower

half of his torso, climbing nearly up to his chest.

I recognized him from class. He was one of the talkative, genki types: always distracted and distracting others, but never rude or disrespectful. ‘Genki’ had entered my vocabulary this past year. It looks like I’m becoming bicultural after all. Am I still suffering from culture shock? The boy glanced at me.

Finally, we said, ‘ittedakimasu.’ Chopsticks in hand, I shoveled rice into my mouth. I heard a student say a bunch of Japanese, including the words “John-sensei” and “hayai”. They have this discussion every day, I bleated internally. We all know I eat fast. That hasn’t changed. A dozen little heads turned to me, their eyes gleaming with disbelief. I cringed.

Why am I such a freak to them? I see them take large bites of their food all the time, so why are the things I do so outlandish? A momentary vision appeared: a sobbing John standing up and racing out of the classroom. *Not yo ur Japa nese school lu n c h .

Eyelash Kid next to me said, “John-sensei, slow. Tabete slow.” I began to calm down a little. It felt good to be told what to do. The chatter about my eating died down sooner than usual, it seemed, although I could never truly know.

But something new was taking place. The boy in front of me, Sweat Pants, stared at me. I looked at him and he turned away. He was being furtive, secret. As we ate, I felt his brown eyes pass over me again.

Suddenly, he giggled, which revealed his intention to talk with me. He wanted to talk.

Noooo, I whined in my head, just let me eat my lunch.

Of course, neither my thoughts nor my demeanor even nudged this rapidly approaching catastrophe. I knew that I would have to neglect my meal for a moment to chat with this child about God knows what. That’s what I’m here for, right? He suddenly chattered and it shocked me to my senses.

Maybe I was beaming.

I had communicated something to him.

“John-sensei!… Anime wo mimasu ka?”

The chopsticks in his hand clenched a juicy tofu cube. He rested his elbows on the table.

Eyelash Kid and Glasses Girl seemed to be on a distant planet and entirely unperturbed, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

But Sweat Pants Boy looked so excited to have asked me this question. His mouth hung open, and his question lingered in the air. I smiled.

Not at him. I just grinned, I guess. The uneasiness that had been welling within me had consumed my conscious mind, so I was surprised to hear Japanese tumble from my mouth.

“Anime wo suki,” I uttered. Perhaps one could interpret the twist my mouth made as a smirk, but if I had been asked in that moment, I would have described it as a mere constriction of face muscles, nothing more than habit.

“Nani anime wo mimasu ka?”

Dammit, I thought, a follow up. He heard me say I liked anime. I had hoped we could dwell on this idea for a moment, hoped he would be satisfied. But he asked a follow-up. I

44 School Life

hated follow-ups. They indicated that the conversation had an indefinite end. The speaker may have a third, fourth, or even fifth question, all preventing me from putting food in my belly and pacifying a burgeoning headache.

I was barely familiar with the first tier of Japanese, the help-me-I’m-lost survival stuff.

“Nan desu ka? Doko desu ka? John desu.”

Further discussion became complex and reliant on gestures, translators, experienced ALTs, or Japanese friends who remembered English from high school. Awkward pauses were inevitable. Not for the first time, I began to miss home.

“Nani anime wo mimasu ka,” he repeated.

My head tilted sideways to convey a lack of understanding. He repeated himself again, then “Wakarani?” I put the words together in my mind slowly. To see… question… what… anime? ……….. What anime do you watch?

What anime do you watch!

“Oh… Ruroni Kenshin. Do you know?

Shiteru? Ruroni Kenshin.”

“Eh?” He tilted his head.

“Or… Kamehameha!” I brought my hands together and launched a pretend fireball at him.

He laughed, but glanced at Eyelash Kid and Glasses Girl nervously, and they offered him no support. Sweat Pants kid tilted his head and uttered Japanese not meant for me. He was alone in this moment, but perhaps pretending to launch a kamehameha stimulated my blood flow. Either way, I felt great! All of the old animes I used to watch suddenly came to mind.

Kenshin, Dragonball… Big O? InuYasha?

Trigun!

“You know, Gohan, Goku, Doraganbaru.

Shiteru.”

“Ohhh. Doragan Baru! Shiteru.” He nodded.

He grasped that and revealed a few missing teeth with an awkward smile.

Maybe I was beaming. I had communicated something to him. My mind raced. What else can I tell him about myself? What more can I say? Should I speak English or try my Japanese? But his attention had already shifted to his food and he resumed picking at his tofu.

The other children looked at their plates as well.

I glanced at them excitedly, from one student to the next, but their attention diverted from me to one another. I felt so tall in the tiny desk seat.

No one seemed to notice me return to eating tofu, which had cooled entirely.

Creating a

Communicative Language Classroom

by Tonya Kneff

My time in Japan was spent as a language teacher in various capacities. I began as a JET placed in middle schools and switched after three years to a high school ALT and Prefectural Advisor at the Nagano Prefectural Board of Education. Through my work as an ALT and a PA, I became increasingly involved in research-based practice. As I tried to help prepare new ALTs for their roles in the classroom, as well as explore my own, I delved into topics such as teaching in the target language, learning spaces and its influence on pedagogy, and how to create communicative classrooms. The latter was the culmination of my action research at the high school where I worked. Increasingly frustrated by the (dis)use of space during my lessons, as well as by the students’ attitudes toward learning English, I wanted to do something to engage my students and foster a positive attitude toward the language. Moreover, I wanted focus on the communicative aspect of English and create a safe space where the students would actually speak English.

I decided to blend experience with research on physical learning environments and language teaching and learning to design and implement what I called a communicative classroom. Basically, I transformed an old language lab into a fun, student-centered language learning space. Over the course of a year, I collected and coded data about the students’ and my reactions to the space, the lessons, and learning English through daily student and personal journals. I presented my findings at the 2011 Pan-SIG Conference and wrote a paper for publication in the Conference Proceedings.

What follows are various excerpts from the article, but the article in its entirety can be found here: http://www.pansig.org/proceedings/2011PanSIGProc-FINAL.pdf.

Excerpted from: Kneff, T.M. (2012). Language learning spaces: Creating a communicative classroom.

In K. Bradford-Watts, R. Chartrand, & E. Skier (Eds.), The 2011 Pan-SIG Conference Proceedings. Matsumoto: JALT, pp. 128-148.

Abstract Though learning can occur in any spatial situation, research on school environments suggests a strong relationship between learning and learning spaces. Yet, this relationship is often overlooked when designing a classroom. Conventional classrooms tend to support a teacher-centered approach, with an emphasis on teaching rather than learning, and do not encourage much student-to-student interaction. Using research from a myriad of academic disciplines, along with learner-centered models of classroom design, a communicative classroom was created for first-year, senior high school oral communication classes. The purpose of this classroom was to provide a positive learning environment that promoted student-to-student interaction and communication. In addition to a research review on learning and the physical environment, this paper explains the design and implementation of this classroom and provides an analysis of student reflections on their time in it.

Education 45

Introduction When you think of a traditional high school classroom space, what comes to mind? It’s likely that many of us imagine students sitting in rows of desks, facing a chalkboard, and listening intently to the teacher’s lecture. Yet, the way we think about learning spaces is evolving. Many researchers, academics, and teachers are questioning the notion that a traditional classroom is the best means of facilitating learning.

Prior to the creation of the communicative classroom discussed in this paper, the school’s English oral communication (OC) classes were held in the traditional classrooms. These rooms were always laid out in standard rows, with students facing front and appearing ready to listen to the teacher’s lecture. OC classes are not as frequent as other English classes (writing and reading, for example), and as the OC instructor, there was often a feeling of unfamiliarity with the environment.

Upon walking into the classroom, there was a sense of entering borrowed space, in which its own rules and expectations prevailed. Trying to convince students that OC classes were different and that student-to-student interaction was valued meant challenging the students’ prior beliefs about English learning, as well as their roles in the learning process.

As Marchese (1998) points out, “the existence of prior beliefs can be a major impediment to subsequent learning,” and these beliefs “turn out to be especially impervious to classroom-based instruction” (p. 8). In order to provide an opportunity to reform learners’ beliefs about classroom space, and to remove this personal sense of intrusion, a learning space for the sole purpose of oral communication was created. The intention was to provide a learning space situated outside the conventional classroom that used design and layout to encourage students to speak, provided a variety of readily available tools, and felt more comfortable than the traditional classroom.

The Impact of the Physical Environment Research on learning spaces suggests that classroom space is more than just a room to house students. In the field of education, Strange and Banning (2001) suggest “although features of the physical environment lend themselves theoretically to all possibilities, the layout, location, and arrangement of space and facilities render some behaviors much more likely, and thus more probable than others” (p. 15). Environmental psychologists also espouse the notion that space impacts behavior and can lead to feelings both positive and negative (Graetz & Goliber, 2002; Tanner, 2008). Barker and Wright (1951) observed children in specific environmental conditions and from this study, they concluded that behavior could be predicted more accurately from knowing the environmental setting than from knowing the characteristics of the individual…

Research on Physical Environments and Learning Research indicates that classroom design affects students’ general behavior and attitudes (Horowitz & Otto, 1973; Sommer & Olsen, 1980; Weinstein, 1977). In her review of research of the physical environment of the school, Weinstein (1979) concludes that while “the physical environment of the conventional classroom has little impact on achievement…there is considerable evidence that the classroom environment can affect nonachievement behaviors and attitudes” (p. 598). Such behaviors include satisfaction, social interaction, attendance, participation, and positive attitudes. In a more recent study, Tanner (2008) concludes that design variables (movement and circulation, large group meeting places, day lighting and views, and instructional neighborhoods) do correlate with student achievement; however, these variables apply to the school facility at large, not only the classroom environment…

46 Education

Learning Spaces A new way of thinking about learning spaces emerged through “built pedagogy” or “architectural embodiments of educational philosophies” (Monahan, 2002). Built pedagogy suggests that space and pedagogy are interrelated. Graetz (2006) explains that physical environments can have strong emotional impacts on learners, affecting both cognition and behavior. He states, Environments that elicit positive emotional responses may lead not only to enhanced learning but also to a powerful, emotional attachment to that space. It may become a place where students love to learn, a place they seek out when they wish to learn, and a place they remember fondly when they reflect on their learning experiences. (Graetz, 2006, p. 6.2) …

Applying New Thinking to the Conventional Classroom Changing the classroom environment allows the possibility of different rules. A learner-centered environment that provides for student-to-student interaction through classroom arrangement presents a different approach to language teaching. It’s a more communicative approach where students are encouraged to cooperate and collaborate (for an overview of cooperative and collaborative language learning, see Oxford, 1997), and where the teacher’s primary role is more of a facilitator. This change in environment can lead to a change in student and teacher expectations, as well as to a change in attitudes and feelings toward the subject. Of course, as Sommer and Olsen (1980) point out, “Introducing a new physical form requires people to change established patterns of behavior. Within an academic institution, it is easier to plan a city on the moon than to change a single classroom” (p. 3). The creation of a communicative classroom is an attempt to challenge the established patterns of behavior…

Conclusion The physical environment is an important part of both learning and teaching. The environment can have an impact on students with respect to motivation, learning styles, comfort, and anxiety.

Moreover, space and pedagogy are connected as the classroom can affect teachers with respect to pedagogical choices and limitations.

As Taylor (2009) found in her study of how studio space affects teaching and learning, even the teacher who preferred lecture-based, teacher-centered traditional lessons found herself adapting to a non-conventional classroom space and using the resources available. This study does not suggest that all teachers will change their teaching style if the classroom space permits it, but it does suggest that teachers, even those who are comfortable maintaining the teacher-centered approach, can adapt. In addition, it is important to point out that just because the space supports a teacher-centered approach, does not mean that teachers cannot manipulate the space to serve their pedagogical needs. On the contrary, teachers can easily modify the space by changing the layout during class time. Adapting whatever space one has to encourage more communication and student-to-student interaction may be the key to a more communicative classroom. In addition, it could make the classroom a better learning environment by promoting positive feelings toward English, thereby increasing student motivation. More importantly, it could give the students a real opportunity to use the language, making English more meaningful, rather than just another subject to study.

Please see http://www.pansig.org/proceedings/2011PanSIGProc-FINAL.pdf, pp. 145-148 for a complete list of references.

Education 47

Why not ask...

Got a question?

re ce extraordinai Yomoyama's advi

I cannot speak a lick of Japanese, and I’m having no luck finding a doctor that speaks English in my area. I really don’t want to take one of my co-workers to the doctor with me. Are there any other alternatives?

- Sick of Office “Friends” This might sound crazy, but most areas in Nagano actually DO have doctors who can speak English (at least to some extent). Still, it can be hard to figure out where they are. To help you out, Japan Healthcare info (http://japanhealthinfo.com/) provides free searches for English speaking physicians in any specialty based on their proximity to you.

They can even set up appointments and provide translation services (for a fee).

Your PAs and Block Leaders are also useful resources. They may not be able to go to the doctor with you, but they can certainly recommend English-friendly places, or ask other foreigners in your area for some insider advice—without mentioning your name, of course.

Where are these monkeys I keep hearing about, and are they worth all the hype?

- Don’t Monkeys Throw Poo? You can find the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Park, a famous tourist attraction in Hokushin’s Yamanouchi Town. It’s located about an hour north of Nagano city on the ancient Nagano Dentetsu line. (Bonus points if you’re into “classic” trains!)

If you’re planning to have any friends or family outside of Nagano visit you, wait for them first. The reason is if your friends know anything about Nagano, they will definitely want to visit the monkey park. Even though the monkeys are cute (especially if you go when new babies make their debut in spring), the park itself is quite small. So it’s worth at least one visit… But probably only one.

You should also know in advance that you can’t actually get into the onsen (hot springs) with the monkeys. Disappointing, right? There are several very nice people-oriented onsen in Yamanouchi, though.

I’m going to visit a Japanese family in another prefecture soon. What type of omiyage should I bring them from Nagano?

- Bear of Gifts

As a general rule of thumb, I only bring edible omiyage. So with that in mind…

KITKATS. There are three Shinshu-specialty flavors: apple, shichimi (seven-spice), and blueberry cheesecake. Almost everyone I know is really psyched to try them. They can be quite tricky to get outside of this area, so your Japanese hosts may not have ever seen or eaten them. I’ve also had a lot of success with jams made from locally grown fruit (particularly apple and blueberry).

48 Advice

I keep hearing ‘Shinano’ and ‘Shinshu’, but we live in Nagano, right? What do these names mean?

- Locationally Confused Nagano is actually a pretty recent name, if you consider the long history of the region. Our home prefecture was known as Shinano Province until 1871, when it was split down the middle, separated into Nagano and Shinano Prefectures. A few years later in 1876, the two halves were put back together, forming modern day Nagano.

The Shinano name lives on in Japan’s longest river… which just so happens to run right through our prefecture. It’s known as the Chikuma River in Nagano, but it’s called the Shinano River everywhere else.

The name Shinshu can be traced to ancient naming customs, which took the first character of a place name (like 信濃/Shinano) and added 州(shu)—meaning a state or country—to the end. Despite the prefecture’s renaming to Nagano, you can still enjoy Shinshu soba, cheer on the Shinshu Brave Warriors, or enroll at Shinshu University.

I saw some ladies dressed as ‘maids’ the other day in Nagano-shi, handing out fliers about a ‘Maid Cafe.’ Will they clean my house or is a French hotel outsourcing?

- Cleaning Curious If by “clean my house” you mean “flirt with me while I eat an overpriced parfait”…

Then yes! They will certainly do that for you.

“Maid Cafes” help you to forget the stresses of everyday life with a variety of animal shaped desserts and cute girls at your beck and call… Which tends to draw a fairly awkward clientele of regular customers. Even so, they’re worth a visit, if only so you can try yelling “nyan nyan” instead of “sumimasen” to get a refill of water. I’ve never been to one in Nagano, but check out Akihabara on a weekend and you’ll have too many options to choose from.

Ask for an

Osusume Have a question you want answered, need advice, or just feel like writing to someone? No worries! Osusume Musume is here for you to write to!

Submit questions by emailing yomoyamamagazine@gmail.com.

We’ll choose a few of the best for Musume to answer and print in our next issue. Emails away!

Advice 49

Here, have something to read...

Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan Bruce Feiler

Perennial, Reprint 2004 / HarperCollins e-books, 2009 Paperback: ISBN-10 0060577207 / Digital: ISBN 0060577207

While living abroad in Japan, I’ve often struggled to describe certain events or feelings to friends and family back home. This may come as a shock, but I am too lazy to keep a blog updated and not nearly dedicated enough to take pictures of my everyday experiences no matter how many times my mother asks for them. My horrible behavior as a daughter aside, I picked up this book before I started my time on the JET Program and then recently picked it up again as a three year review, because it’s the memoirs of one of the earliest JET Program participants, Bruce Feiler.

My initial reading was meant to give me some cultural background information about the Japanese school system, which, for junior high school, it did.

Feiler doesn’t get into the classroom details so much (only three or four English lesson experiences are included in the book), however, he does talk a lot about school culture and its implications in the greater experience of Japanese culture. There are a few Japanese concepts which he explains incorrectly, but for a man who was only on the Program for one year, he seems to have learned and experienced quite a lot.

It’s not a perfect account of Japan today, because, granted, this book was published in 1991 about a year spent in rural Tochigi in the late 1980s.

Despite its age though, it was fascinating to see where Feiler’s experiences overlapped or varied from my own as a current JET ALT. The book is by no means and be-all, end-all on ALTs’ experiences in Japan, although reading it could help your friends and family back home have a slightly better grasp on what you’re facing on a day-to-day basis, or at least help them translate your Japanglish gargon with its decently comprehensive glossary.

Reviewed by Sabbi Topal

Nagano Onsen Guide: The Top 100 Day-Use Hot Springs

Peter Ninnes CreateSpace, 2013 ISBN-10 1481214047

Onsen, or hot spring-fed baths, are one of my favorite things in Japan. It’s lucky for me that Nagano Prefecture is blessed with an abundance of natural springs. Yet until this book was published, I had only been to a few of the ones in my area. Why? Well, I just couldn’t find them!

I would hear of an onsen or see a sign for one on the road, and I would inevitably drive in circles without ever reaching my destination. As a smart phone-less, GPS-deficient traveler, I was not getting the best onsen experience possible out of my stay here in Japan.

However, Ninnes has taken a lot of the guesswork out of finding onsen in Nagano. Each of the entries (and there are actually 112 if you count the Honorable Mentions) includes a map reference to the front of the book, the onsen’s address, GPS coordinates, straightforward driving instructions, and alternative public transport routes. Nearby parking and, more importantly, the occasional lack of nearby parking are also clearly identified in their own section for every bath.

Additional information listed under each entry includes contact information, business hours and holidays, entry prices, bath types (indoor, outdoor, etc.), water qualities, and trivia about each onsen.

Each entry also includes an accompanying photograph of the onsen buildings or the baths themselves. The only things missing are some technical details concerning the some of the baths.

Temperatures are sometimes, though not always noted and whether or not the water is cooled, heated, cleaned, or recycled is also left unmentioned.

I used the book to help find two onsen before I started this review. The first outing I made was to

Furusato no Yu in Nozawa Onsen village. I chose it because I was looking for springs nearby with sulfur in the water. Ninnes has made note of each spring’s mineral content under “water qualities,” so it is easy to check if the spring you are looking at has the kind of water you want to bathe in. Furusato no Yu is marked as a “weak alkaline sulfur spring,” which sounded great.

I followed the driving directions all the way to the main street of Nozawa Onsen before I encountered a problem. It’s not an issue with the book as much as it is a reality of rural signage in Japan. Nozawa Onsen doesn’t bother much with English or romaji signs for the onsen in town.

Instead, it prefers to hand out translated maps to tourists. All of the admittedly thorough signage in the area is in Japanese. In an effort to help English speakers in this situation, Ninnes has also included the kanji for bath names directly under the romaji header of each entry in the guide.

Furusato no Yu is everything that the Nagano Onsen Guide promises. From the summary, I was expecting a “brand new…building constructed in the old style, with elegant marble and granite indoor baths, and a stone paved outdoor bath,” and that’s exactly what I found. There were two indoor baths as well, hot and not-as-hot, just as Ninnes wrote under the “bath types” subheading. For anyone unfamiliar with Nozawa Onsen springs, that not-as-hot option was another reason I chose Furusato no Yu. Knowing that I would be less likely to scald myself made me more excited to give it a try, and I wouldn’t have known about it if I hadn’t read the guide.

Feeling refreshed from my not-too-hot bath in Nozawa and ready for another challenge, I drove back down the mountain to Kijimadaira to hunt for Maguse Onsen, another sulfurous spring. I was more prepared to keep an eye out for the signs in Japanese this time, and made it to the parking lot of Boukyou no Yu with no trouble at all. The written directions in the guide were precise, with turns after 340m, 2.2km, and 2km, with a final stretch of 450m to the doors of the main building. It was easy to keep track with my odometer, so even without signs, I would have been fine.

Ninnes’s description of the outdoor baths

intrigued me – “The outdoor baths have a separate [changing] area…to the right of the ticket window, down the hill.” I had never been to an onsen that put the indoor and outdoor baths in separate places before. Boukyou no Yu’s outdoor bath has a breathtaking view, and it’s a good thing that I read the entry first instead of assuming I could reach it from the same area as the indoor baths. It was a great way to end a very clean and restful afternoon.

I’ve been reading through the book off and on since making my trip to these two onsen, and it is sprouting sticky notes out of the top like weeds at this point. There are so many interesting, beautiful, and relaxing springs in Nagano, and using the Nagano Onsen Guide has encouraged me to find them. In the future, I will definitely be using it more.

I highly recommend this book to local Nagano residents, and I think it would make a great resource for any hotel or ryokan hosting English-speaking guests. That being said, it may not be the best option for novice travelers to Japan simply due to the rural nature of the prefecture.

Roads are narrow and winding, signs are in kanji, and asking someone for help takes confidence in your ability to communicate in a foreign language.

Even so, this book is the most comprehensive English guide (maybe even the only English guide?) to onsens in Nagano that you will find. So if you want to know more about the hot springs in this prefecture, you really should give it a try.

If you are interested in purchasing the Nagano Onsen Guide, it is currently on sale at: Heiando book stores in Nagano, Chikuma, and Suwa, Iida, and Ueda; Caffe Terra inNagano City; Kamesei Ryokan in Togura; Nishizawa Shoten Book Shop in Yashiro; and the Chikuma Yashiro Station Welcome Shop. It is also available online at Amazon and CreateSpace.

For details about direct orders, please write to Peter Ninnes at peter.ninnes@gmail.com. A discount price is available for ALTs who make direct orders (1400 yen including postage or 1200 yen without postage).

Reviewed by Helen von Gohren

Entertainment 51

aN EXCERPT FROM THE nAGANO ONSEN GUIDE

Quirky Onsen 5 in Nagano Prefecture

by Peter Ninnes

Katakurakan Suwa City

Is it a church? Is it a college at Oxford? No, it’s the Katakurakan, a fabulous stone building with a mish mash of styles and a hexagonal tower to top it all off. If the Romans had ever extended their empire all the way to Japan, they would have built baths like this. The large rectangular indoor bath is about a meter deep, and the bottom is covered with round black pebbles. Statues stare dead-eyed from alcoves in the wall.

Steam wafts up into the great vaulted roof. A side room has jet baths where you can get wet, too, Brutus.

Address 4-1-43 Kogandori, Suwa City Cost Adults: 600; Elementary students:

400; private baths 2200 for 2 people or 800 each for 3 or more people.

Hours 10:00-21:00 (Last entry 20:30) WEB www.katakurakan.or.jp (日本語)

Redwood Inn

Okuyamada Onsen

Way up the top end of Takayama Village opposite the Okuyamada Farm and Ski Slopes, the Redwood Inn boasts outdoor baths made of the hollowed-out trunks of ancient redwood trees from California. Now why didn’t I think of that?

Address Yamada Bokujo, Kamitakai, Takayama Cost Adults: 500; Children: 300

Unjo no Yu

Honzawa Onsen Hike for two hours up to an elevation of 2,150m, then try to get undressed elegantly for a dip in this mixed outdoor bath perched on a totally-bare-for-milesaround rocky slope below sulfurous Mt. Io. There is only room for about three people, so be prepared to make some close friends. Ladies, take a yukata to use as a portable change room, or undress in the hostel 200m back along the track. There are also a couple of indoor baths in the hostel.

Address Umijiri, Minamimaki Village Cost Outdoor bath: 600

aN EXCERPT FROM THE nAGANO ONSEN GUIDE Manyou Supersonic Wave Bathhouse Shin Togura Onsen

It’s a great name and it sounds even better in Japanese, even though nobody knows to what it refers. This is a real old-style local bathhouse. A window near the entrance displays a changing room with pre-plastic era, galvanized, iron fittings and enough steam to make Thomas the Tank Engine happy. All that steam really softens up the whiskers, so shavers, take your razor for a really smooth shave. It opens at 4AM, which is perfect for you early goers.

Address 1125 Isobe, Chikuma City Cost Adults: 300; Elementary students: 120 Hours 04:00-23:00, footbath: 0800-2100 WEB www.manyoonsen.com (日本語)

Amakazari Lodge Otari Onsen Oku no Yu Outdoor Bath

Hidden deep in the mountains in Otari Village north of Hakuba, this outdoor bath is only open in the warmer months.

A screen separates the men’s side from the women’s, and each side is completely enclosed in a lush, deciduous forest. You won’t find a change room, just an open shed the size of a bus shelter to place your gear. Also, there is no fixed entry fee—just put a donation in the box.

by Emma Pierce I stare at the crack in a boulder, chalk dusts the thickest edges: handholds. With two feet still planted on the ground, I feel the granite, the chalk smooth between the grooves. Harmless. I’m not courageous, anyhow. For most climbs – even mere 5.10s on rope – head-game hits me like a brick. I buckle at my own lack of confidence to reach for the next clip, yelling “tension!” Eventually my belayer lowers me to the ground to relieve his harness wedgie caused by my failed attempts to psyche myself up again. It’s pathetic, really. I can barely handle slipping a meter back to my last anchor. A farther whipper is out of the question.

So this – a few moves in on a boulder, only feet above my portable cushion – is nothing. Children risk more on jungle gyms. A few more holds and I’ll surely fall to the crash-pad in my usual wussy fashion.

I shift my frame, move my left hand to match my right, and then wedge that hand against an edge.

Interesting… I feel my weight fall onto my arm beneath me now, mantling. This frees up my other hand. I shake it out, remembering to breathe. It’s getting creative now. I see a ledge farther up and reach for it, but it surpasses my fingertips by several inches. Bump. I bump my right hand up, keeping my weight low. Slowly I move my foot up with careful balance… just a little more… a little more… expecting to slip any moment now. My knee is at my chest, but it needs to go higher. Finally my toe feels an edge. I shift my weight, step-up, bam! Breathe, I’ve got it.

My left hand hangs from a secure hold, I shake out my right.

New confidence bursts from me like a bubble popping. I see the way, a line of moves in the rock’s surface as easy as a stroll down the sidewalk. Rarely used adrenaline pours through my veins as I surge three power-moves in a row, seizing the chance inertia provides. This is the way we’re supposed to climb, I think to myself proudly. Your body acts before your mind, my friend had told me once. I push up again, reaching for what looks like a deep pocket, a chance to hang and shake-out, a chance to rest and breathe. My hand glides over the small bump of chalk-covered rock. No pocket…

I look down. Oops.

Self preservation kicks in. Too high for no rope… too high for no rope. I get violent ‘Elvis-leg’ and my friends below see me shaking. You see, I know I’m a coward, and cowards aren’t supposed to climb themselves out of this predicament.

I’m supposed to fall. I fall and it’s all over; it can’t be helped. The natural consequence makes perfect sense. I feel the burn in my forearms, the strain. I’m just putting off the inevitable until muscle failure kicks in.

“I’m gonna fall!” I whine between panicky breaths. “Is it clear? You got me okay?”

“You’re all clear, we’ve got you!” yells my spotter. “Just keep going!” In my gut, I know it’s a lie, but I convince myself I’m insane with fear. A good spotter would say nothing different, even at death-drop heights. But he’s laughing at my panic over mere inches, I tell myself. My depth perception is broken.

Fine, then. I’m dreaming. I can fly if I want. I spring up on my left leg with force, my hand soaring aimlessly for the top ledge. It is the most foolish and yet smartest leap of my life. Some uncontrollable drive for survival makes my hand clamp-down hard, because there’s no other way I’d let my body snap against that face otherwise.

“Nice, you got it – now TOP OUT!” I can tell from the tone below that shit’s gotten serious, yet I’m frozen in bewilderment. I’m still on the wall; I’m still here! I half-scramble, half-flop myself over the top ledge and collapse into nervous laughter.

Sounds of relief also come from below as I peer over the edge to examine the full situation: six meters, give or take, with the crux – the killer move – at the last point.

“I’m not going to lie, you had me a little worried,” the confessions pour out now.

I just stare downward in shock. Amazing. Given any other situation, there’s no way I’d have the guts to act as I did. I’m a wimp, a cop-out, someone who usually watches from the sidelines. Yet the rock forced me to be a winner today. The granite, both smooth and sharp, has that subtle temptation. It led me on. I was lured into proving myself against my mind today. Deceptive bravery; this is how temptation becomes addiction.

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Jimmy’s Picks Rishiri and Rebun Hokkaido is already the cream of the crop in terms of beautiful places in Japan. Rishiri and Rebun are the cream of the cream of the crop. They are a pure indulgence of the senses.

There, one finds simple moments of perfection.

We asked Nagano’s resident travel ninja to share some last bits of wonderous trip wisdom with us, as a parting favor. Here are his top three sites and top three events within Japan which everyone should see before they leave the country for their next adventures.

Photos and Captions by James Ngyuen

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58 Travel

Wakayama

Japan’s best kept secret.

Everything about it is mystical: Koyasan’s fog, Kumano Kodo’s reverence, Hashigui-iwa’s presence, Nachi-no-taki’s power…

The spirits are definitely here.

Yakushima

This one small island has so many unforgettable sights and sounds.

One end of the island has one of the most beautiful beaches in Japan. The other end has one of the best waterfalls. And in the middle are the resting places of the gods. A nature lover's delight.

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Nagaoka Fireworks

Lying on a tarp and drinking chuhai is usually awesome by itself. Add grand multi-colored fireworks that cover 180 degrees, and you've got yourself surround sound entertainment.

Aomori Nebuta Matsuri

As a toss up between this or Akita Kanto Matsuri, you can’t go wrong with either. The crowds, the passionate dancers, the looming vibrant floats, the whole vibe just screams Tohoku culture.

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Nachi no Hi Matsuri

Rather commonplace at first, with the rituals and the waiting, then a fiery trail of screaming, bashing, and flame waving starts. It’s all over too quickly, but for that brief time, it’s intense and goes out hard and bright.

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SUmmer Event Recaps NECL ENGLISH CAMP

The Nagano English Club League held its 10th annual English Camp for senior high school students on June 1st and 2nd, 2013. The camp was attended by 246 students, 33 native English speaking assistant language teachers (ALTs), and 36 Japanese teachers of English (JTEs) from 24 prefectural and private senior high schools.

This year’s camp theme was ‘There Once was a Story: English and Storytelling.’ All of the camp activities encouraged students to think creatively about telling stories and communicating with different kinds of people in English. Students from school groups were mixed and divided into 24 teams, each with an ALT leader that accompanied the team through communicative activity challenges. The activities included teamwork tasks for: describing things, reporting clues to solve a mystery, giving directions to a blindfolded person, creating crossword puzzles, guessing the price for everyday items, and ranking hobbies, sports, and items by popularity.

The presentation contest featured 23 original movies made by the attending school groups. The movies were held to a 3 minute time limit and displayed amazing creativity. Some of the movies featured wonderful stories about (but not limited to) aliens, koalas, boys’ macho competitions, Santa Claus, and time machines. A six-judge panel evaluated each movie on students’ English efforts, the presentation’s creativity, and the story originality. Ueda Senior High School, Ueda Someyaoka Senior High School, and Nozawa Minami Senior High School’s movie presentations won Second Runner Up, First Runner Up, and Grand Prize respectively.

The NECL would like to thank all of the teacher volunteers who dedicated their time and efforts to making this year’s camp a success. The students who attended the camp should also be commended and congratulated for their hard work, enthusiasm, and love of English, as they were truly a joy to spend the weekend with! We hope to see all of the students participate in the NECL’s recitation contest and English debate events this year. If you have any questions about this year or next year’s camp, please contact the NECL Camp organizers at neclcamp@gmail.com.

NAGANO AJET GEISHA NIGHT Nagano AJET hosted an evening’s stay at Kamesei Ryokan in Togura on July 6th complete with onsen, yukata, and two geisha entertainers for the group dinner. Much merriment and fun was had by all, playing ‘Tora-Tora’, watching Rus dance about as a dragon, chatting about kimono, and admiring Rob’s cup-tapping abilities as he outwit his geisha opponent to make her down three drinks to his two.

The group plans to hold a similar event again next year.

upcoming Events Bored? Looking for adventure? Here’s a look at the major festivals and events happening in Nagano and around the country for the next three months.

Aug 2nd-7th - Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, Aomori Prefecture August 3rd - Nagano Binzuru Festival, Nagano August 3rd and 4th - Great Japan Beer Festival 2013, Nagoya

What Japanese festival would be complete without alcohol? This one takes it that little bit further: it’s all about the demon drink. If you want to try beers from other countries and all around Japan for a fraction of the price, then this is the event for you. Drinking beer and eating beer-compatible snacks all day in a large room full of people with exactly the same objective as you – welcome to the Great Japan Beer Festival.

Tanabata (Lunar Calendar Version)

Tanabata is the Japanese festival that celebrates the meeting of two star-crossed lovers separated by a cruel twist of fate, only allowed to be reunited once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.

Originally people celebrated Tanabata through decorations and writing wishes on strips of paper. This is still the case, but these days the festival also involves people walking around wearing yukata, eating festival food, and watching fireworks. It’s a big date night as well, with a few couples even exchanging ‘Valentines’ at the festival. Here are a few different Tanabata festivals around the country, should you be tempted to hit the road and explore.

Aug 6th-8th Sendai Tanabata Matsuri, Miyagi Prefecture Aug 6th-7th Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival, Yamaguchi Prefecture Aug 3rd-12th Kyo no Tanabata, Kyoto

August 8th - Torchlight Noh, Matsumoto Castle August 10th-11th - Summer Sonic Music Festival, Tokyo and Osaka August 10th-12th - Comiket (Comic Market), Tokyo Big Sight August 11th - Miyajima Water Fireworks Display, Hiroshima Prefecture August 13th-15th - Obon Matsuri (The Festival of the Ancestors)

This is the famous Obon holiday that happens all around Japan. It’s not a great time to travel, so watch out for spikes in accommodation and transport costs. On the plus side, there is a party pretty much everywhere as everyone returns to their hometowns and neighborhoods, with lots of dancing, singing, eating and drinking to accompany the more solemn side of things.

August 14th - Nagano Orientation for JET Participants, Nagano August 14th - Nagano AJET Welcome Party, Nagano

(RSVP by Aug 11)

August 15th - Lake Suwa Fireworks Festival, Suwa Events 69

upcoming Events

(cont.)

August 15th - Shoro Nagashi, Nagasaki Prefecture August 15th-16th - Yamaga Toro Matsuri , Kumamoto Prefecture August 16th - Daimonji Gozan Okuribi, Kyoto Prefecture August 16th - Patty is coming back to visit Nagano!! (Woo!)

August 23rd-25th - Sado Earth Celebration, Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture August 26th-30th - Autumn Term Begins, Schools Everywhere Best of luck to all of the new ALTs during their first week of classes!

Mid-Late August - Nagano Block Welcome Parties (Watch for announcements!)

-----

September 1st - Nagano AJET General Meeting and Barbecue, Matsumoto September 7th - Sanada Yukimura Shutsujin Neputa Float Festival, Ueda September 7th - Nagano AJET presents Suwa Fireworks Test Display, Suwa September 8th - Senior High School Debate NECL Judges’ Seminar, Matsumoto September 14th and 15th - Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri, Osaka

Danjiri are like Gion Matsuri’s omikoshi, or portable shrines, but they’re more carts on wheels. Pullers of these sacred shrines enter the festival area, are blessed by Shinto priests, then run full pelt at crossroads/corners. Then they turn 90 degrees just as they reach the turn, resulting in chaos/calamity/carnage.

September 15th-29th - Tokyo Sumo Tournament, Ryogoku Kokugikan Tokyo

It’s that time again! The huge mountains of muscle known as sumo will clash in what will be one of the three annual Tokyo Grand Sumo Tournaments. If you have never seen sumo, you need to see sumo! For the high-rollers, you can buy ringside seats for around ￥14,300 each, revelling in the sweat, salt, and constant risk of being crushed by falling sumo. For the more budget-conscious, actual chair arena seats (none of this floor cushion nonsense) are available starting at ￥2,100 at the box office on tournament days.

September 16th - Respect for the Aged Day (Three day weekend!)

September 23rd - Autumn Equinox Day (Another three day weekend!)

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October 1st-5th - CEATEC, Chiba Prefecture

Love your gadgets and gizmos? The Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies (commonly known as CEATEC) will be held at the Makuhari Messe centre in Chiba (just outside of Tokyo), and could be your ticket to geeky heaven. This is the biggest exhibition and unveiling of new technologies and prototypes by Japanese companies in Japan, and after the first day it is opened up to the public. On the last day it is free as well! International companies feature as well, and if testing new tech toys, learning new stuff through workshops and seminars wasn’t enough, the finals of the All Japan High School Robot Sumo Competition will be held here as well. That’s right, sumo in September AND October.

October 5th-6th - ALT Soccer Tournament, Sugadaira

October 6th - Annual Japan Scottish Highland Games, Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture Like a normal Scottish Highland Games, but in Japan.

See Japanese people toss logs and other heavy objects in kilts in the heavy events, partake in fine Scottish dining (yes, they have haggis), and yak it up with the Scottish expat community of the Greater Tokyo area. Oh yeah, did we mention there are bagpipes?

October 11th-13th - The Annual Suzuka Formula 1 Grand Prix, Mie Prefecture Expect the world’s best drivers in some of the world’s most expensive and technologically advanced cars showing that they really do care about greenhouse emissions and global warming… Er… Well, maybe not, but they’re gonna drive really fast! Yeah!

So all you motorheads and Grand Prix fans, make sure you jump on the internet and grab your tickets before it’s too late. There are practice sessions on Friday, practice and qualifications on Saturday, and the final race on Sunday.

October 14th - Health and Sports Day October 26th - Shiojiri Halloween Party, Shiojiri City Late October - Kaikoen Autumn Leaves Festival, Komoro Starting in October - Cruise by Train in Kyushu

A new luxury way to travel will roll out in Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. The Seven Star Cruising Train will travel past some of the best sights of Kyushu all the while offering luxury moving accommodations and a way to experience the countryside at a relaxing pace. On this train "cruise" around Kyushu passengers will encounter the local cuisine, hot springs, natural scenery, history, culture and sights.

Events 71

The AJET Monkeys are already working away to make sure that next year’s events are better than ever! Below, you’ll find a list of the big things on the Nagano AJET calendar for this year.

AUG 14th - The Welcome Party!

We’ll welcome the new arrivals to our prefecture in the usual style: all you can drink and eat with a buffet at one of Nagano city’s fine venues and then off into the night! At the peak of summer, it’s a good time to get together, catch up with the prefecture’s regulars, meet new people, and let your hair down.

SEP 7th - Suwa Fireworks Test Display BOOM! CRACKLE! “Ooooooooh!” Suwa’s fireworks are arguably the best fireworks in Japan and possibly even the best display you’ll ever see (unless you’ve been before). We’ll reserve some space in the crowds, so bring something to drink, and soak up the atmosphere of two hours of beautiful explosions over Nagano’s biggest lake.

NOV -Thanksgiving and Charity Skills Auction A Nagano tradition held at the end of November that roughly coincides with Japan’s “Labour Thanksgiving Day,” this is Nagano’s biggest and busiest event of the year. We’ll roast some turkeys and provide the venue and entertainment; you bring the rest, at this pot-luck style dinner. It’s delicious and we’re already looking forward to it! We also use the gathering opportunity to hold our annual charity skills auction. Raise money for worthy causes by selling nothing more than a little of your time or knowledge to someone who wants it! Also it’s funny, and you can get cakes!

JAN - The AJET Ski Trip Another well-loved Nagano tradition is the yearly ski trip. For a chance to hit the slopes with friends from all across the prefecture, we dedicate our weekend to snow and get down and nasty with it! For the past two years the trip has taken us out of the prefecture to Myoko-Kogen in Niigata, where we can enjoy locally brewed beer at the beer hall, as well as some world-renowned, unfamiliar slopes.

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APR - Hanami and Pub Quiz Spring means one thing in Japan, and that thing is hanami! Check out the cherry blossoms at one of Nagano’s best locations and enjoy a picnic under the iconic falling petals. As an annual tradition started last year, this year we’ll also be jazzing up the whole picnic thing with a pub-style quiz! So bring your brains along with the beer for this special event.

JUN - The Leavers’ Party This event is held in the evening after the JET leaver’s conference. The prefectures’ international denizens will gather at one of Nagano City’s fine venues for one last large party. This time, rather than welcome new friends, we will bid farewell to old ones. Even so, this event always promises to hold good times and plenty of memories!

TBA - Geisha Experience This event sparked great interest last June, so we’re doing it again next year! Spend a night at an onsen ryokan and attend a banquet hosted by some lovely geisha. Learn party games and create some memorable moments with some of Japan’s most famous, living cultural assets.

TBA - Zaza Talent Show AJET and Nagano’s very own arts festival!

Once a year, people stick their necks out to entertain each other at this additional charity fundraiser. If you like to sing, dance, or express yourself in any other way that you don’t mind sharing, this event is right up your street.

Likewise, if you enjoy watching any of those things, it’ll be equally up your street!

AJET Recommends!

As if all these weren’t enough, there are several events put on by other groups which we’ll tell you about periodically on our website.

Search the internet for “Nagano AJET” to find our social media pages, event info, and more!

by Katie Jo Whisenant As I sit here listening to the rainy season beating against my window, I can’t help but reminisce on the abundance of lessons learned during my short life in Japan. I moved to this magical country a little over a year ago with a dreamer’s anticipation of living out a scene from “Memoirs of a Geisha.” I wanted a new adventure to replace the mundane “American Dream” I’d been living. I was hoping to absorb a new culture, lose myself in travels, find myself in travels, repair a broken heart, and hopefully leave a positive fingerprint on at least one life. I realized quickly that if your eyes and heart are open, Japan will provide enlightenment in the subtlest of ways. Significant moments of self-discovery were unexpectedly achieved running through the mountains, exploring the overflowing streets of Tokyo, attending traditional Japanese festivals, and chatting for hours with girlfriends over coffee. The passion, the strength, the laughter, and the inimitable friendships are all something I will carry with me as I leap onto the next uncharted path.

While I prepare to leave this country behind, I find peace remembering all that Japan has provided me with in the past year.

I now know that choosing happiness is important, but receiving a toothless smile from an old man always makes it a bit easier.

I learned that Japan has the power to help heal a broken heart by filling those cracks with the open arms and love a Japanese family gives when they repeatedly invited me into their home for dinner and eventually decided that their 3 year old child will be spending her high school career in America with me.

Not a day passed by that I wasn’t shown an example of pure love, by little arms wrapping around my body in sweet hugs refusing to let go.

While watching the sunrise over Japan from the frigid summit of Mt. Fuji, I was reminded that every effort and pain is rewarded in the end.

As I stood in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, I painfully admitted that peace and

war are mirror images. One will never exist without the other and both are natural occurrences destined to cycle through our personal lives.

My students have taught me that it’s necessary to make my own rules in life… It works quite well for my elementary kids during our vocabulary review games!

As the sakura disappear so quickly after their celebrated arrival, I humbly accepted that nothing in life is guaranteed permanence, so I enjoy the fresh smells and beautiful company while they are available and greet them with the same joyful hope the next time they arrive.

Sometimes all it takes is a little hot sake and “Just Dance” on the Xbox to break through that shy, stone exterior and reveal a shining personality that exists hidden beneath.

After walking for hours through Fushimi-Inari in Kyoto and still not seeing every torii gate, I found a greater understanding of Hemingway when he said, “It’s good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” I would like to add that each person traveling alongside is just as noteworthy as the journey itself. Visiting old friends and developing new friendships are gifts given to enhance my experience. They were sent to teach me that it’s not a sacrifice of independence to have the unconditional support of a true friend.

Through meditating with a Buddhist monk every morning, I realized that some answers can only be discovered in the silence of the mind and stillness of the soul.

And I learned that despite all of its healthy benefits, natto will never be a dish that I’ll enjoy.

Japan provides an endless supply of natural beauty to inspire and practice reflection from within. I encourage you to find reasoning behind your experiences here. Some may seem like great epiphanies, while others currently hold minute significance, but in the end each contribution formulates into one magnificent masterpiece. Your journey.

After Nagano 73

life beyond the 'Ken

Kevin Bowen

Questions by John Auerbach Kevin Bowen was an ALT for one year in Shinano-machi, Nagano-ken. He left us in August of 2012. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan. His hobbies include “skiing, climbing, wakeboarding, camping, and traveling.” He is currently pursuing his dream “working as a peon in the coal mines of Detroit’s automotive industry so that 16 year old Bridget can have her dream Camaro with a sunroof and tan cowhide interior which she will most likely run off the road in 15-20 days anyways…but hey, that’s okay. That’s what parents are for. Hope you have a super sweet 16, Bridget, you over-privileged, conniving hussy!”

What have you been up to since you left Japan?

Since returning to the land of the free, I have invested the majority of my time finding a fitting mate (still to no avail) and doing this thing that some may refer to as a “career.” Some of you may be happy to know that I am still up to my drunken-outdoors lifestyle (minus the mountains, plus higher crime rates), and I have taken up sailboat racing… Because that’s what rich white people do apparently. I haven’t taken any free rescue helicopter rides lately though.’

What continues to be your best memory from your time here?

I can’t really say that there is one memory that sticks out in front of all the others. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Nagano. I still hold dear all of the relationships that I made at my school as well as with the foreign and Japanese friends I met throughout my short 1-year tenure. Every now and again I’ll be reminded of some sort of silly anecdote about someone or an experience I had the pleasure of sharing with others and it usually puts a grandiose smile on my face.

What pieces of Japan have stuck with you?

It’s safe to say that Japanese people are a lot more humble than my fellow countryman (don’t get me wrong, a little ‘MERICAN patriotism and whoop-ass is very necessary at times), but I have noticed myself being more empathetic and aware of my surroundings. I truly appreciated how sincere Japanese people were about holding true to their values and preserving the sanctity of nature.

What was the most difficult part of surviving for a

74 After Nagano

year in Nagano? What is something that you don’t miss?

I happen to be a pretty personable and extroverted individual. Combine that with living in a tiny mountain town where I was unable to communicate with pretty much everyone else, and it made for a rough experience at first. Something that I don’t miss would have to be those massive scary hornets. I would question the sanity of anyone who misses those things.

What is one thing you would have done differently with your time in Japan?

I thought of writing, “Actually take the time to study,” which I promptly erased it and thought “HA! Yeah, like that would ever happen.” Everyone goes abroad for their own reasons, and to be honest, I don’t think I would’ve changed how I spent my time in Japan. Yes, I could have perfected my language skills more, but then I would have probably missed out on so many adventures and drunken heart-to-hearts with some of you slobs. You know who you are.

Before I came to Japan, I asked you for a final piece of advice, and you told me to, “Never stop exploring.” Has this advice helped to shape your path and the decisions you have made since you left Japan?

Definitely. This phrase became my mantra when I first started traveling and I still try to remind myself of it every day. To me, it means being open-minded, flexible, and most important, curious. Yes, I know that from the sounds of it, going from a very adventurous lifestyle in a beautiful setting such as Nagano to a 9-5 job in an industrial monstrosity such as Detroit is a horrible life decision… But things are what you make them. I am still playing soccer, climbing, wakeboarding, meeting people from different walks of life and exploring foreign territories…they just happen to be in a more familiar land for the time being.

Did you find yourself feeling reverse culture shock? How have you handled it?

The first two things that I noticed right away is that I was once again able to understand EVERY menial conversation happening around me, the other was that the there is a much greater percentage of overweight people here. These both scared me and to this day still do. To circumvent my anxiety related to these I tended to stray away from malls and fast food restaurants for quite some time.

Also, is there a way that you can incorporate this music video into my response? [Link NSFW] http://bit.ly/1auSfEI

There and Back Again and Better for Having Been

by Derek Hurst As I stood in Narita Airport back in March 2012, drenched in sweat under a thick trench coat with three suitcases in tow, I wondered where the hell I would be going next. I felt lost, powerless, and hopeless. It seemed, at that time at least, very little had turned out for the best. But let me back up a bit.

Let’s start from the beginning.

July, 2008. I was twenty-two. I had just arrived in Nagano for the first time ever. I was as excited as a child on Christmas morning to finally be living in Japan and teaching English in the exact kind of place I had hoped to be, Shinano-machi. Everything was perfect. I instantly fell in love with Shinano, with Japan, with a girl. For three years I stayed in that small town and loved almost every minute. I recorded some music, composed a ton of songs and decided, or rather remembered, I wanted to be a musician. I figured it was time to hunker down and start working hard for my dream.

So in July of 2011, I left Shinano and moved to Tokyo. After all, if I was serious about getting into music, Tokyo was the place to be (if I wanted to stay in Japan, which I did). Despite hating big cities and knowing full-well I didn't want to live in one, I moved there. I thought it's what I had to do in order to make the music happen. That’s what everyone told me. I figured I would get over my dislike of the city and learn to love it because I loved what I would be doing. I thought that I would arrive in Tokyo and within a few weeks, I would be sipping champagne with record executives from Sony, or Avex, or some other Japanese record label after having signed some huge contract. So I took the plunge. And I regretted the decision almost immediately.

Rent is expensive in Tokyo proper, so I had to live out in Saitama. I took a part-time teaching job in Kita-ku, which meant I had to commute three days a week for three hours each day. I was barely making enough money to survive, let alone thrive, and my music was going nowhere. Within three months I had lost almost thirty pounds, mostly from not having enough money for proper food, sickness, and depression. But I stuck it out and made the best of things. I played music at a nearby hotel for free lunches, and, when I was able, I played in Shibuya at a wonderful place called the Pink Cow, where I made some great friends. But, I knew the second I could, I was going to leave.

March came around and the school year ended. I packed my bags and left for home, Boulder, Colorado. Some things got a bit better and some things got a bit worse. The pressure was off, but I still felt lost. I wanted to be back in the Japanese countryside, but my logic, friends, and family said, “Stay here and make this work.” Fast forward to last

November. I finally got an interview at a biotech company and I was told to come in the next day and start work. When I came in, I discovered the guy who hired me had been let go earlier that morning, so my job offer was gone as well. I took it as a sign from the Universe that I needed to start following my heart instead of my head.

I took my pension refund (which I had dutifully been saving), bought a plane ticket to Japan, and lived in Shinano for three months with my friend Matthew. I had no other goal than to have a fantastic time, no strings attached. I ended up substituting for a class near Ina over Christmas, and I was subsequently hired as an ALT again. After returning to the US to get a new Visa, I came back to Japan in March.

I have been living here in Nanshin, Nagano since then, and I have loved every minute. I am playing more music, and I am happier than ever before. So why am I telling you all of this?

I wanted to tell you what I have come to learn: Happiness is not a side-effect; it is a personal choice.

You can't expect your world to change until you change yourself and your own thinking. Decide to be happy, no matter what, and your world will change around you in amazing ways. Follow your heart and trust your intuition. They will lead you to where you want to be more quickly and seamlessly than you could have imagined.

Other people’s opinions about your life don’t matter. They have nothing to do with you. If they don’t like what you’re doing or how you’re doing it, tough shit. Chances are they don’t care half as much as you think, so you ought to just do what you want, since the people who really matter will love you no matter what. On a related note, don’t do anything primarily for someone else’s sake. It is a noble sentiment, but you do yourself a disservice by not doing things for your own fulfillment and happiness, first and foremost. I know this sounds selfish, but your own glass must be full before you can give water to another. Love will always find a way.

The way forward will present itself to you naturally.

When the time comes, you will feel it and nothing will be able to stop you from doing it. And if you’re not quite at that point yet, it’s alright. You do not have to suffer before good stuff happens. Good things are supposed to happen and life is supposed to be easy, I know that now.

And finally, stop taking everything so damn seriously. Things will work out and fall into place perfectly if you simply relax and enjoy the ride.

Good night and good luck.

After Nagano 75

CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY!! ... or at least to YomoYama.

YomoYama is a community publication that fosters an appreciation for the importance of local media and expression with a focus on reader submissions.

AKA you don’t submit things, we don’t have a magazine!

Don’t let us go without a fall issue! We want your stories, pictures, and experiences. Tell us about anything and everything that interests you. Fiction, true facts, travel, excitement, books, fashion---anyone, anywhere, in any format, and of any medium.

Share what makes your life in Nagano special!

Though fundamentally an English language publication, we accept submissions in any language and do not limit our understanding of community to native English speakers or those from English speaking countries. Ask your Japanese friends to chip in!

SUBMISSIONS FOR OUR AUTUMN ISSUE ARE DUE

September 25th BUT, THE SOONER THE BETTER! EMAIL US with your ideas, hopes, and dreams!

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