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Yomoyama The Summer Issue 2011
Editor-In-Chief Molly Conner
Layout and Design Daniel Pierce
Associate Editors Shannon Lough and Tonya Kneff
Cover Photo Daniel Pierce
Events Photo Daniel Pierce
Contributors
Ashley Alexander Nicole Arnold Katrina Barrie Sam Buchannan Anthony Ciero Molly Conner Christopher Dettloff Patricia Dorsher Justin K. Ellis Charlotte Ford Rich Gomes Zach Hoel Erin King Tonya Kneff Shannon Lough Marion Loyd Paul Marshall Neal Murugan Daniel Pierce Emma Pierce Tom Read Michelle Redler Wes Robertson Thirim Son Craig Stewart
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O
ne of my favorite quotes on the season: “Ah, summer. What power you have to make us suffer and like it.” As a season, summer is terrible. It’s unrelentingly hot. It’s a mosquito fest. It’s time to wear a swimsuit, and you haven’t done crunches since high school. In the city, it smells. The heat rises up and brings sewage with it, hitting you in the face with a pungent aroma of, “go to hell, that’s why.” And yet, I can’t think of a single, hellish summer that’s passed without at least a twinge of a smile. The fact that it was hard made the memory worth having. I didn’t know that there was a word for all of this until I got to Japan. Natsukashii. The direct translation is “nostalgic,” but anyone who’s ever used the phrase knows that’s not quite right. It’s a wistful longing for days gone past. It’s a sunburn that stung for weeks; but how like a would-be conquistador did you feel at the end of the day? All sweaty and sandy and covered in the remnants of melted popsicles. It’s fireflies and mosquitoes, crystal blue water and pond scum. It’s all of the agony and ecstasy that makes summer memorable. And, appropriately enough, it’s the theme of our summer issue. Pun fully intended. This issue examines summer living in Japan – the good, the bad, and everything in between. Break out the western-style sunscreen (trust me) and get ready. Summer’s here and we’re going to lovingly suffer through it together. Thanks for sticking with us, Molly Conner, Editor in Chief
Contents
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Special Features A New JET Year I should have told them...........................................................05 An Honest Orientation.................……...........................……..06 How to Avoid the Second Year Slump by Molly Conner……...09 Senioritis: Advice for Continuing JETs....................................12
Saying goodbye Leaving Japan.........................................................................14 Reflections of a Toppled Dictator by Tom Read......................16
Yama History History of the Mountain by Tonya Kneff.................................18
22 28 32 35
Travel Tokyo Island Getaway by Emma Pierce…...........……………..22 Cleaning up the Aftermath by Shannon Lough......................25
Work Do Nothing Days..............................…………………...............28
Summer Fashion DIY T-shirt madness by Ashley Alexander........................…...32
Creative Writing Nagano Binzuru by Sam Buchanan.....……………..............…35 Yamamoto Girl by Anthony Ciero.…………………..............…36 The Thunderhead by Justin K. Ellis.....………….................…37 [On Poems, 22] by Molly Conner......………………….............38
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Gourmet A Taste of Home.......................................………….............…39
Events
Donchan Matsuri!
When: Saturday, August 6th Where: Nakagawa Village What: An amazing festival in one of Nagano’s lesser known villages! The day will involve food and games, taiko watching, shrine carrying and alcohol everywhere. Crash space is available. For further details, contact sinblockevents@gmail.com.
Nagano Binzuru
When: Saturday, August 6th Where: Nagano City What: Dance in the streets of Nagano during Nagano Binzuru with your fellow international residents! Uniforms and drinks are provided, and participation is free! One of the best festivals of the year, any who RSVPs before July 25th are welcome. For contact details and further information, check out the event page on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=235575663139708
AJET Welcome Party!
When: Friday, August 12th, 6-9 p.m. (the same day as the incomers’ orientation) Where: The Winds Bar/Restaurant in Nagano City, in front of Nagano StationCost: 3500 Yen for dinner and five drinks! What: The first big party of the year! Come on out and meet the newbies. Please RSVP by email to naganoajet@gmail.com ASAP with your name and location. Reservations are by email only. For further information, check out the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=218484691529142
Naga-Yes
When: Saturday, September 10th, 1-4 p.m (volleyball only) to Sunday, September 11th (camping). Where: Komagane Kogen, Komagane City. Cost: 500 yen per block for the volleyball courts; 1,400 yen per person for the optional treehouse accommodations. What: Treehouse Madness, Volleyball Showdown! We are going to start the new JET year off in style: with an epic block vs. block soft volleyball tournament! Afterwards, those who wish it can spend the night in a treehouse in Komagene Kogen, a beautiful park at the foothills of Mt. Komagatake. Each treehouse comes with a delightful Japanese BBQ set up. There are enough spaces for 35 lucky people. To reserve a space for yourself, email sinblockevents@gmail.com by August 29th with the following information:1. “I, (your full name), would like to reserve a spot in a treehouse, and I hold myself responsible for the 1.400 yen fee.”2. [Optional] The names of people, up to 4 others, who you wish to bunk with in the same treehouse. Note that these people must also email us themselves claiming responsibility for a treehouse space.
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I Should Have Told Them… Compiled by Molly Conner
One tenant of writing: what a character doesn’t say is just as important as what they do. I wanted to know you, Nagano, through the things you hadn’t said. So I posted the following on our website: “Everyone’s had a time in their life when they’ve kept quiet. What’s something you should have said, could have said, but didn’t? Finish the sentence: ‘I should have told her/him…”
Here are some of the responses:
I should have told him I thought it was something more so he could of informed me that, in his eyes, it was not. I would not have wasted my time. I should have told her that she was beautiful when I had the chance. Someone else got there first. I should have told him that I wasn’t interested in seeing *him* and not that I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend right now. It would have been better for everyone. I should have told her that I only liked her as friend. It’s a lie, but I still should have told her. I should have told him that I bought the plane ticket after we got together. I lied and pretended that it was out of my hands. I should have told her it wasn’t a rash that was going to simply go away with some topical cream. 5
An Honest Orientation Compiled by Molly Conner
Part I: What they don’t tell you in Tokyo I wrote to ALTs and CIRs around Nagano with the following question: “If you could give the incoming group of JETs one piece of brutally honest advice, what would it be?” Here are the results – take them to heart, because I don’t remember any of this being covered at Tokyo orientation.
On Food “DO NOT eat raw chicken. EVER.” -Emma Pierce
On Work: “Don't come here expecting to walk in and start teaching whatever you want. Each school is different. Some schools will let you plan all your lessons, others will make you a human parrot. Just realize that it's all part of the job. I know quite a few JETs who complain about the amount of work they get, or the lack of work...just accept it and it'll make things easier for you and your co-workers. Trust me.” -Daniel Pierce 6
“Become an ardent researcher. Look up anything you don't know, be proactive and get conversational on a myriad of topics. Your teachers will ask you many kinds of questions.” -Craig Stewart “The Kancho! It happens to us all, but how often is in your control. First look for the signs, like students’ hands clasped in the kancho position. Next, when the kids start to swarm, move your back against a wall or sit down. And when it finally does happen try not to make a big reaction. The kids lose interest if you don’t do anything. Good luck and safe hinnies!” -Sam Buchanan “Don't be frustrated if your plans for revolutionizing the school system/world dominance don't go through right away. Idealism is a wonderful thing but start with small victories and small changes. Working within the system (honey) works better for catching flies than causing waves and both you and your teachers will feel more relieved.” -Ashley Alexander
On Language: “Learn enough Japanese to get through your daily routine. Life will become so much easier, you'll be seen as more independent, and you don't have to keep asking your supervisor to come with you when you do paper work (such as getting your driver’s license). FYI, I still ask my co-workers to help me read my mail, sometimes :P” -Rich Gomes
On All of It, Advice from your Former PAs: “Listen to your PAs! They're smart AND pretty. Buy a pair of ‘My Hashi’ early on - I bet you could save a whole tree in your time here! Study Japanese. It will add so much depth to your experience. Join a club or group. Japan's society is based on the in-group and the out-group, and becoming part of one will change your relationship with those people.” -Patricia Dorsher 7
“Patience patience patience. Language barriers and cultural differences really slow down a lot of what you might assume to be quick and simple - resulting in frustration. Take a deep breath, remind yourself that people have your best interests in mind, get a cool drink and a fan. And smile.” -Erin King
Part II: Sex and Vodka: Anonymous Advice from your Nagano Sempai Don't get involved with other JETs. Too much drama, too much work, too much in your business. Stay in a love hotel sometime. They're fun. Don't drink too much. Really, this isn't college any more. Be honest with yourself about what you’re like when you’re drunk. Brutally honest. If you’re an ass when you drink, then take it easy. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re an ass when you’re drunk, just look around. Do people hang out with you when you’re drunk, or do they avoid you? Do you get in fights when you’re drinking? Do people hold things against you the next day? Do you hit on women/men/objects that are clearly uninterested? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, then chill the f out. Don’t treat the JET programme like it’s college. When you’re at orientation, MYC, block meetings, etc, wait until the work day is over to talk about how drunk you got last weekend. You’re an adult now, and these people aren’t your flatmates, they’re your colleagues. Unless the relationship is serious, keep your dating life and hookups private. Word travels fast around here. Ladies: don’t stay with someone that you’re not really into just because the dating pool out here is a bit thin. It’s not fair to you and it’s not fair to the person you’re leading on. Gentlemen: don’t brag to your female friends about how much play you’re getting. Dating out here is hard for women, and at best you’re just reminding them that it’s been months since they got laid. Ladies and Gentlemen: As bad an idea as friends with benefits is back home, it’s an even worse idea out here. Don’t do it.
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Avoiding the SecondYearSlump By Molly Conner
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our first year teaching in Japan is just that: a year of firsts. No matter how much Japanese you speak or how many times you’ve been to Japan before, living and working in the culture itself presents a new set of challenges for everyone to overcome. When I think back to my first year on the program, I’m struck by how new everything was. Every day, there was something different to navigate. Kyushoku, the extremes of Nagano weather, dodging boob-grabs from curious san-nensei girls…it all took some figuring out. Most JETs recall their first year on the program as the most challenging, and for good reason. Then, the second year hits. Or the third year. Or the fourth, fifth, tenth…the timing is different for everyone, but at some point you’re going to find yourself in a slump. Ours can be an easy job to coast through once you’ve got the motions down, but the biggest piece of advice that I can give to any ALT is to avoid that at all costs. Otherwise, you may find yourself attempting to look busy by reading Wikipedia all day, replacing brain space that could have been used building memories with random factoids about the dietary habits of 13th century Wallachians. Yeah. I’ve been there. I still slip up sometimes. But here are a few tips that I have on avoiding that second year slump – some may work for you, some may not. Everyone has to find their own way to stay engaged.
Tip 1: Change up your lesson plans.
One of the first ways that ALTs start to coast at work is to recycle lessons plans. And fundamentally, there’s nothing wrong with that. If you had a successful lesson last year centered on a certain grammar point, there’s no reason not use it again, particularly if you’re in a time crunch. But if you’ve got some free periods on your hands, why not change things up? I saw myself most often recycling the same review games, in part because teachers specifically requested them. Initially happy for the confirmation that JTEs found an activity 9
useful, I’d run into weeks before tests where I was playing Mario Kart Review for fifteen periods in a row. I love Mario as much as (possibly more than) the next girl, but repetition is the enemy of a creative mind. I asked the JTEs that I have a good working relationship with if they minded that I try some new games. They didn’t, and now I find all-review periods to be some of the most dynamic and engaging lesson planning days of the year. Don’t let complacency or fear of displeasing your JTEs hinder your own potential development as an educator.
Tip Two: Reconsider what “outside of the classroom” means.
There are weeks when, due to testing, I barely see my students. As they’re my favorite part of this job, that can lead to the feeling that I’m not doing my part in the cultural exchange component of the program. Tackle this problem by finding a way to communicate with your students outside of classes. For some ALTs, that means getting involved with a school sports team. For others, it means leading an English club. Neither of those avenues worked out for me. What did work was using my English billboard as a way to communicate with the students. My billboard has a mailbox that students can use to write messages, a calendar of holidays for the month, and weekly contests where students can win prizes by figuring out English puzzles. If they want their prize, they have to come and talk to me. It’s been a great way to communicate with students who are otherwise a bit quieter in class, and to stay in touch with students at my once-a-week/month visit schools. Every school is going to have its own idea of what is and isn’t appropriate for the ALT to get involved in. If you can work within those boundaries to be there for your kids in a way that extends beyond the classroom, you are going to have an infinitely more fulfilling teaching experience.
Tip Three: Step up around the block.
Congratulations, former first years! Come August, you are officially sempai to a new crop of JETs. Hopefully, when you first came to Nagano there were people here that stepped up to show you around. Now, it’s your turn to do the same. You don’t have to be a block leader to help the incomers – the guy that showed me the ropes my first few months in Japan wasn’t. He was just an amazingly helpful person. And that’s the guy you want to be. Offer to help your block leaders show the newbies what’s what. Pass around your contact info. Host a dinner, a movie night, show these new kids how Japanese-style BBQ is 10
done. Remember all of the small things that people did to make you feel welcome in your new home, and pay that shit forward. The most rewarding part of my second year on JET was the chance to show off my favorite spots in the block to newcomers. For a minute, it felt like I’d actually learned a thing or two over the past year.
Tip Four: Find outside projects and foster long-term interests.
When I first got to Japan, I was a bit overloaded with cultural exchange opportunities. Kendo! Taiko! Tea! Calligraphy! I was grateful to try new things, but very few of them ultimately stuck. Don’t feel bad if you don’t find yourself continuing to interact with Japanese culture the same way that you did your first year in Japan. Now’s the time to really focus on what activities fit with you as a person living and working in Japan, and not just as a person whose first time in Japan it is. For me, what ultimately stuck was working on the magazine (holla!), cooking, and studying Japanese. Consider your interests and set goals for them. For example, my goals for today are to finish this article, compile a set of flashcards, and try a new recipe for oven-roasted chicken and potatoes. [Ed. They turned out amazing, by the way.] Eventually, I am going to leave Japan with fond memories of the things that I got to try. But I am also going to leave with tangible skill sets that I put my time into developing. Both are valuable in their own right, and both are an intrinsic part of a fully enriching experience in Japan. Which brings us to my final tip!
Tip Five: Keep trying new things.
Every week, every day. Your time here is limited. Once it’s over, you may not have another chance to try out all the new things you’ve taken for granted. These experiences don’t have to be expensive – just be aware of what’s available to you and give it a chance. Go to cultural exchange events. Play on a sports team with your fellow villagers. Check out local festivals. Try a home stay. Go to the wasabi farm, go to Kiso, go to Hakuba in summer. Ski one time. Get dragged along on a group date. Grab a random Cook-Do from the prepared foods section of your grocery store and try to make it. Eat natto. Ten years from now, you’re not going to remember the nights that you stayed home and played World of Warcraft. You’re going to remember the nights that you went out there with your friends and tried something new.
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Senioritis: Advice for Continuing JETs
Compiled by Molly Conner
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n the previous article, I shared some of my tips for staying engaged in your second year on the JET program. However, different things work for different people. I emailed other senior ALTs and CIRs and solicited their advice in getting the most out of your second year.
On Saying Goodbye to the Leavers “Stay in touch with the people you've met that are leaving, and make a serious effort if you have developed a friendship over the year(s). Everyone says to ‘Keep in touch,’ but no one gets contact info, talks about actually visiting one another and uses Skype to stay connected.” -Rich Gomes “People are busy and it's hard to say a meaningful goodbye to everyone. DON'T take it personally. DO take the chance to go to group farewells and tell that leaving friend how much they'll be missed. It'll mean a lot to your friend and it requires only a few minutes.” -Erin King 12
On Getting Involved in the Block “Once those leavers are out of the picture you are one year higher on the ladder of JET stardom. So…don't be a hermit! Work it! Go to the welcome parties! Go to NagaYes and AJET events. You may be surprised at the range of experiences and ages of our newbies. Give 'em a chance! And just because you've been around longer than the newbies, don't feel like you have to be the helping crutch - help when you want to, not when you don't.” -Erin King “Hermitude is not the answer. If you want to make new friends, stay in touch with leavers, or gain new experiences then you will have to be the person that makes it happen!” -Ashley Alexander
On Leading A Heartful Japan Life “Take advantage of new events and volunteer opportunities; it's an easy way to stay connected in the constantly rotating community.” -Emma Pierce
On Recontracting Considerations “Have a default attitude, you've only been here a year and are really just becoming proficient at your job and life in Japan. Look to see if there are circumstances either here or back in the home country that would truly compel you to return. If not then stick it out one more year, and you'll find it goes by quickly and easily.” -Craig Stewart I’d like to close this thing out with my own two cents on recontracting: be truly honest with yourself in regards to what your priorities are at this moment in your life, and what they may be a year from now. Don’t be embarrassed if traveling, paying down loans and credit cards, or living in Japan is more important to you than building a career or being with your family right now – but don’t be embarrassed if the opposite is true as well. It’s fine to solicit advice from others, but it’s impossible to get unbiased advice about recontracting and at the end of the day you’re the one living your own life.
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Leaving Japan We asked JETs who have opted to leave Japan this summer to reflect on what’s happening next.
Name: Paul Marshall Village: Takagi-mura Years in Japan: 2 Any post JET plans? Naturally. Enjoying all the things I’ve missed and making plans for the next adventure. I’ll miss Japan because..: I’ve met some really great people here. I’ll miss my taiko and karate groups, my eikaiwa, the wonderful food, the beautiful scenery, snowboarding in winter, hiking mountains in summer, my lovely house in the village. But I’m happy to say goodbye to...: Thankfully, very little. I’m sad to be leaving Japan, but happy to be going home.
Name: Wes Robertson City: Ueda Years in Japan: Three. Any post-JET plans? Going to graduate school in Australia. I’ll miss Japan because...: I’ve honestly, straight up enjoyed my time here. But I am happy to say goodbye to...: Always feeling a little left out about what’s going on at my school.
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Name: ERIN KINGU City: Matsumoto (3yrs), Shiojiri (1yr), Nagano City (1yr) Years in Japan: 5 Any post-JET plans? Move to Gunma, become a TV タレ ント. Or a jungle guide on Iriomote Island! I’ll miss Japan because…: I’ll miss NAGANO because it is one of the best, most beautiful prefectures in Japan and it has oyaki, mountain biking trails and people I know and love. But I am happy to say goodbye to…: Having my school know when I forgot to pay my rent or if I have a boyfriend. Name: Michelle City:Tatsuno Years in Japan: 3 Any post-JET plans? Return home, find a job. I’ll miss Japan because…: I’ve made some really great friends here. Also, I’ve never lived in such a quiet, clean place before. Sure this town is smaller than I’m used to, but the mountains are beautiful, and the air is so fresh, and we have an awesome festival in June to celebrate our gigantic fireflies. I will miss roaming the streets during a summer matsuri, wearing a happi coat, eating festival food, dancing in the odori taikai, and shouting “Hello!” to my students running around in their cute yukata or jinbei. But I am happy to say goodbye to…: The garbage-collection rules (insanity!). And the hundred or so layers of plastic to get to any packaged food. Name: Craig Stewart City: Suwa Years in Japan: 3 Any post-JET plans? School/Military I'll miss Japan because…: Of the dynamic mountains and onsen. But I won't miss…: Japanese roads and limited grocery options.
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Reflections of a Toppled Dictator
or two years I have moonlighted as the AJET pres. It’s been fun, for sure. It’s been a reet-pain, too, but you know, rough and smooth. For the most part though, it’s not been a big part of my life at all. I won’t miss it, though I’ll miss seeing you all at our gatherings. The wondrous ALTs of Nagano, in all their guises. I think we are greater than the sum of our parts and I think that is why AJET is important. Mostly though, I did what you do (or are about to do): teach. I’ve spent hours this past week in torment as to how to describe the feeling of leaving the little buggers, but I can’t. So instead I’ll write my reflections and
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hope you get the gist, so if you’re interested, read on. It’s a very hot September in 2008. My self-intros are crap and all I hear about is Abby. She was like an angel. My teacher tells me that if I need to make some money I should auction any stuff she left to the teachers. I see the men pricking up their ears around the office at the mention of her name. He roars with laughter, then stops: “no, seriously,” he says. In the afternoon I take one of my tours around the school as I have little to do, anything to avoid my desk in front of Kyoto-sensei. I have already fallen in love with Japan, more specifically Nagano. School though, that’s a little trickier. I just don’t quite fit, I’m just not Abby and everyone knows it. Especially me. I wander into the gym, drawn by the sound of singing. The students are standing in rows and as I slide back the heavy door I become enveloped by the sound of a 150 strong choir. I’ve never heard anything like it before. It’s beautiful. I stand there as they rehearse and I’m completely taken in. It’s the first connection I make with my school and nobody knows but me. I fall in love with all of them and this moment, of all the fantastic things I’ve seen, remains my favourite moment in Japan. The second is with two of my speech contest students. After months of practice, night after night, I decide not to go to the prefectural final to witness one of the ALTs ridicule my student and her speech in front of her face, just before she goes on stage, her confidence is shot to pieces. She tells me what happens the following day at
school. This brilliant confident girl looked fit to cry, like she had let me down. I’ve never forgiven myself for not going, but from then on my view of my job changed. All my prating around had meant something to this girl.
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Mostly
ery week. I’ll miss the folks I share all this with and the parties, the enkais and kyushoku and daily rubbish collections. I’ll miss our meetings, camping and carpooling and my mighty Mini Pajero. I’ll miss being home here in the mountains. though, I’ll
By far, my students are just miss being around But though it makes me the people I will miss most from Japan. Liter- them, their jokes and sad that they will never ally every day they have jibes, the “Hey Tomu!” know how much they cheered me up, made meant to me, my heart or “Kyanaifakuyu? me laugh. Sometimes, and lasting memories I’ll admit, they have will always be with my made me cry. Stories of bereavement and school, where my students taught this wartime infanticide are hard to cope with, bumbling, worrying, nervous Englishman yet they always seemed to cope better how to live in Japan, how to teach, and than me, with their brave smiles and genki how to be me. spirit. With that, I wish all the leavers the very Mostly though, I’ll just miss being around best with their new adventures. I wish all them, their jokes and jibes, the “Hey the new arrivals the very best with their Tomu!” or “Kyanaifakuyu?” (Not today, new jobs. Trust me, it can take time to my friend). I’ll miss my JTE asking me if get settled, but keep plugging away. No I like something like “JK” to a class-full matter how much you think your kyotoof students and I’ll miss their reaction sensei thinks you’re a waste of space, she when I unwittingly say yes. I’ll miss hidprobably doesn’t. Just look busy and don’t ing the 2nd years’ shoes when they invari- ask permission for everything, they’ll say ably fail to put them in the shoe lockers, no. For those that are staying, make the preferring them to be strewn around on new guys feel welcome and remember the floor. I’ll miss their cries of “あ！トwhat it was like. To Ashley, Rich, Ben and ム！めんどくさい！” as I chuckle to myself Crystal, and of course Molly, Daniel and on the way back to coffee and omiyage. Shannon: thank you. And to Sam, Aaron, I’ll miss the way little eyes pop out from Rus, Crystal, Ben, Amy and Vanessa: every where as I arrive at my elementary Good luck with AJET. I’m sure you’ll do school and how they attack like lions dea much better job than this ragamuffin scending on an unsuspecting wildebeast. Englishman could do.
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For sure, I’ll miss the view from my apartment as I sit in my lonely flat in Sweden. I’ll miss swimming in the lakes and snowboarding twice a week, ev-
Goodbye, Nagano. See you! -Tom Old-man head of the monkeys.
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A Tale of Trashy Turned ClaSSy:
How the Yama Lost its Gomi YAMAGOMI
the Nagano AJET Magazine
Food for Thought
“The sun is out, birds are singing, bees are trying to have sex with them -- as is my understanding.” -Bart Simpson
T March/April 2008
Perspectives Travel Gossip In the Life and MORE!
his August, get ready to celebrate the fifth birthday of Yomo Yama. Of course, it wasn’t always known as Yomo Yama; five years ago it was known as Yama Gomi. A a lot has changed in its 5 years—the Yama has been though 3 editors in chief, 3 graphic designers, and a slightly contested name change. And up until one year ago, this magazine was a tangible publication delivered to its readers. Some of the changes made the publication better, while some made it a better fit for its managing staff. Perhaps the most significant change, however, is the readership. The magazine started primarily as a Nagano JET publication (with about 100 readers) and has since expanded to anyone with web access (at last count there were over 300).
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Like any publication, the Yama’s history is dotted with drama. Prior to its inception, previous AJET officials left Nagano AJET in such a state that AJET membership was
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dwindling and many of those remaining seemed both jaded and frustrated. Enter Erika Pyle—motivated, enthusiastic and organized—who took over as the Nagano AJET President. The first item of business was AJET reform. AJET needed a new image, and she figured that a magazine published under the auspices of Nagano AJET would be a great way to reach those living in Nagano (and entice JETs to join AJET). In the past, there was a published newsletter called The Jetsetter that apparently predated the One List. Soon after I arrived in 2005, however, it was no longer in publication. An online newsletter, Feed the Monkeys, succeeded this publication, but it was short-lived, lasting only a year. As soon as I heard that AJET was in need of a magazine, I volunteered to take on the project and became the editor-in-chief. Erika and I agreed that it should be a physical magazine, published bimonthly. As I had no experience, the first issue I
put out looked a bit like a high school project; it vaguely resembled a magazine, but it was childish and lacking in sophistication. Keeping my creativity to a minimum, I stuck to the obvious and themed the launch issue “Firsts.” I also tentatively named it Naga-News; however, when the first submission I received described how the author lost her virginity, I knew that Naga-News was not befitting Nagano’s colorful inhabitants. Luckily, two of Nagano’s finest brains, those of Belinda Wolstencroft and Ben Raven, went to work and coined a more suitable name before the second issue went to print: Yama Gomi (Mountain Trash). Now, a note about the magazine going to print—this was a completely grassroots ordeal that couldn’t have been accomplished without the help of a friend’s printer and a 7-11 copier. Initially, I also served as the graphic designer (for which I have little training and even less talent) using my National Geographic magazines for inspiration. Fortunately, my humble and amateurish efforts were enough to catch the eyes of two brilliant men, Jon Reimer and Matt Little, who joined Yama Gomi as the graphic designer and assistant editor, respectively. The three of us made a great team; we turned Jon’s Iijima apartment into our smoke-filled, coffeestained headquarters, where we could
be found working all hours of the night. Yama Gomi soon transformed into a quality publication; though the covers were still printed at home, it now looked like a legitimate magazine. That April, Yama Gomi won the National AJET award for Best Newsletter, and this is out of all the prefectures, special interest groups, and affiliates of National AJET in Japan. One of my favorite aspects of the magazine, and this is something that has persisted, is that each issue has a theme. Jon Stewart of the Daily Show once said something to the effect of “Give someone parameters and creativity will flow. Give them complete freedom and they’ll have nowhere to go.” Ok, so the rhyme is mine, but you get the idea. It can be really difficult to decide what to write when there are infinite options, especially for those of us who are not writers per say. Having a theme gave people a starting point; how they interpreted the theme was entirely up to them. Besides the content, we also incorporated the theme visually, specifically with respect to the covers. The covers were printed in full-color, and were a showcase of local art and photography. Theming the issue was always fun, and while seasonal themes were the easiest, I usually endeavored for something a bit more titillating, such as Steamy, The Birds and the Bees, High, and Taboo. 19
As we all know, our positions as JETs and ALTs are transitory and so in the summer of 2007, Jon, author, graphic designer, publicist, editor, and my best friend, moved to Tokyo. Yama Gomi had become a part of our community, and I wanted to keep it going, but knew that I didn’t have the skills to design it. Thankfully, whilst enjoying a BBQ in Ueda, I met Sam Pritchard, a photographer and graphic designer, who agreed to take on this crucial role. His style was totally different from Jon’s—he brought an urban element that completely changed the look of Yama Gomi, and in a way, the change paid a fitting tribute to our impermanence. For the next year, Sam and I worked together to put out six great issues: Fresh, High, Black & White, Taboo, Travel, and Raw. Our efforts did not go unnoticed as once again, Yama Gomi won the award for Best Newsletter. When I became PA in the summer of 2009, I gave up my position as editor-in-chief in order to focus on my new job. Taking over as the co-editors-in-chief were Whitney Conti and Krissy Werner, both of whom brought new levels of creativity and passion to the Yama. Moreover, they also brought a new vision, which completely differed from mine. While my vision was one of entertainment and enjoyment, Whitney saw the potential for Yama Gomi to become THE resource for 20
people living in Nagano. She wanted to see the magazine properly published (as opposed to my primitive printing methods), but in order to afford this, Yama Gomi needed advertisers. Advertising was something I had avoided as editor-in-chief as I didn’t have the time, and I didn’t want to be accountable to anyone but the readers. For me, Yama Gomi was a community magazine, by and for the foreigners in Nagano. Some of the content was racy, raunchy, and meant for adult eyes only. But that was what we sought to create: a forum for all voices of the prefecture, be they fun, serious, sexy, or disturbing. Whitney’s energy and talent was unfaltering, and it wasn’t long before she had restaurants, pensions, and sports shops sponsoring the magazine. However, she found that in order to get sponsorship, she had to change the name. She tried explaining that the title was meant as a joke, a play on words, but it apparently just didn’t make sense to people (ironic how it’s not so funny when Japanese is used in strange ways, yet it’s fine when English is tossed around like detritus in a tornado). After a lot of consideration, Whitney decided to change the name to Yomo Yama, a much more pleasant and politically correct name that had better appeal for advertisers. Though I protested the name change (the magazine was for us, not for the
advertisers), it was Whitney’s decision to make. With the new name, Whitney managed to gather enough sponsors to pay for a beautiful, full-color magazine. By this time, the talented Daniel Pierce had taken over as the graphic designer and the resulting issues were visually stunning. Not only did she and the Yama team create a fabulous and tangible magazine, she also set up the website yomoyamamagazine.com. Whitney wanted to make sure that people had access to the articles and resources even if they weren’t in possession of the magazine (though hard copies could also be found in cafes, shops and hotels all around Nagano). In the space of less than a year, Whitney’s vision came to fruition as Nagano’s premier resource. During this time the Yama flourished, with themes covering the range of senses.
having something physical, there are a lot of benefits of having an e-mag: it’s free, it’s easily accessible, it saves trees, etc.
In the summer of 2010, both Whitney and Krissy decided to leave Japan. Fortunately, Daniel had a new JET post and was staying on. Thus commenced the search for a new editor; it didn’t go far, though, as one of the new JETs, the lovely Molly Connor, was not only interested in the position, she was also an experienced editor and a terrific writer. Molly decided to make the magazine an online publication or e-magazine, which could be read online (complete with a flipping page feature) or downloaded and printed. Though I am a fan of
Our community is diverse, colorful, and yes, even at times, trashy. I am all for bringing back the trash. And before anyone gets offended and thinks that trashy is not a befitting description, know that I’ve been to the parties and I’ve seen you in action. Yep, you’re trashy all right, and I’m pretty sure that’s why we’re friends.
Someone once told me that each year is a new barrel of monkeys. People come and go, and each group adds a different element to the overall dynamic. The same applies to the Yama; each editor has her own vision that when coupled with the talents of a graphic designer, is realized in the physical and visual manifestation of the magazine. Yet, no matter its physical form, the Yama is still a locally produced magazine that promotes community and keeps us connected. It’s a censor-free forum for expression regardless of one’s background or beliefs, and being a part of its legacy is something I will always be proud of.
-Tonya Kneff Founder, Yama Gomi Magazine and Chief Editor Monkey 2007-2009 21
Tokyo The Island Getaway
Photo and text By Emma Pierce It’s muggy mid-summer in Tokyo. I’m on the Yamanote line, and the air in the train isn’t moving (as a result of recent energy conservation). Sweaty bodies smash together into the car, tighter and tighter….Morning commute? No. At Hamamatsucho station, I get off the train, exit to the north, and turn right. A few blocks’ walk and I’m at Takeshiba port, then on a ferry. 3 hours later, I step off the boat. The sky is clear and there is a beach to my left. I’m on vacation!
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iijima and Shikinejima are islands in the Philippine Sea, about 3 hours south of Tokyo by ferry. Niijima village, consisting of the two islands combined, is considered part of Tokyo, with a population of roughly 3,000. However, at one glance it’s clear they aren’t “Tokyo” at all. My husband and I visited these islands during the last week of June and the end of “off-season”. We discovered them by accident, when our Okinawa plans were blown-away with Typhoon #5. With five days holiday already booked, and nothing but cancelled plane tickets and a blank slate, I checked the gloomy weather forecast for Japan. Hiroshima: rainy. Osaka: rainy. Hokkaido: overcast, and maybe rainy. Click, click…and click, what’s this? The Izu archipelago? Forecast: sunny. Unlike the Ogasawara islands, much further out in the sea, these little specks were closer and more affordable. We gave it a shot, and here is how we might sum up the two islands. 22
Niijima It’s an island with white-sand cliffs, surfers, beaches, but it still has a small village feel. Unless you’re a surfer or a glass-blower, one or two nights on this island is probably enough to see one’s fill. Even though the busy season has more stores and bars open than when we were there, it’s not the kind of place to expect to party all night. There is more luck in finding an un-crowded section of beach with wide, rolling waves crashing on the shore. The beach with the most aesthetic appeal is on the east side of the island, the 6.5k long Habushiura coast. Surfers flock here, because the waves roll-in strong along this stretch. The west-side beaches, like Maehama near the port are calmer and better for swimming, but the sand is course and dark. Into surfing? Surf competitions are held in the busy months of July and August, and there were still plenty of waves to be had in late June as well (and less crowds). Also, for those interested in fine arts, the Niijima glass center holds an annual international glass art festival every fall. The center also has workshops where you can try crafting your own piece. Other than that, there are a handful of onsens on the island and historical sites that you might find worth a visit of an hour or two, but that about sums up the island! Although rental cars are available, the island is small enough where a rental bicycle and a healthy set of legs should be enough to propel you around.
Shikinejima Only a 10-minute boat ride from Niijima’s port, it is hard to believe how different this island feels. Unlike Niijima, the coast is lined with little coves and bays, a paradise for the diver, kayaker, snorkeler, fisher, or marine-curious ocean rock-hopper. Expect to find secluded beaches, an endless rocky coast, and loads of quiet time to relax or explore. The population of this island is only around 600, and during our visit there were only 3 convenience-style stores open to buy a lunch bento, maybe one restaurant. Although a few more shops and services are available during the “busy-season”, the activity on the island is fairly quiet compared to other destinations. The entire island can be traversed from north to south in 30-40 minutes on foot. Despite this, there is plenty that can fill your daytime hours if you stay on the island for up to 2-3 days in decent weather. On the north coast near Nobushi port, there is a cove that holds the island’s most popular beach, Tomari, which is clear and good for swimming. The next bay over, Oura beach is rockier for swimming, but the starting point 23
for a guided half-day sea-kayak experience that can be arranged by a phone call and 6,000 yen. The tour provides all equipment and gear for kayaking and snorkeling in the nearby bays. If the guide is feeling as hard-core as when we went, he’ll even pry clams and sea urchins off rocks and cut them up on driftwood for you to try the ‘fresh’ sashimi. Mmmm. For snorkeling on one’s own, Nakanoura bay is a good area that can be accessed fairly easily by foot. The entire west side of the island consists of hiking trails, which can be explored in a half-day by the energetic type, or a little longer if taken slowly. Also, on the southern coast, there are a couple natural onsens the come right up to the edge of the ocean; Jinata onsen, between high cliffs, is a place to see. One local told us that it looks as if the hands of the gods had smashed down on upon it, cutting a deep crack. Altogether, Niijima and Shikinejima are good places to go for a quieter subtropical island trip that is closer to home. For the social-types, bring lots of friends; both islands have campgrounds open in the summer months that can make your trip more affordable. The ferry itself to the islands is about 9,500 yen one-way normal price from Tokyo, and less (under 7,000 yen) if you depart from Shimoda port in Shizuoka prefecture. Although the islands have seen their share of foreign tourists, it’s wise to bring a Japanese-speaker for those who don’t quite know enough of the language (yet) to get by. I only say this because most of my reservation-making and conversations were in Japanese, despite my own shaky speaking abilities. Other than that, it’s an easy get-away to the ocean, beaches, and extra-fresh seafood we don’t get in Nagano (although we are spoiled with everything else!) 24
Cleaning up the
Aftermath of the Tohoku Earthquake
O
By Shannon Lough
n March 11th, Japan trembled from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in the Tohoku region. I was sitting at my desk in Nagano, when the staff room began to shake, and the entire Junior High School that I work at made an emergency evacuation. From the teacher’s staff room we watched as the subsequent tsunami swallowed northeastern Japan. In the next month, daily aftershocks were felt throughout Japan as a constant reminder of how much worse things remained in the Tohoku region. “Golden Week” in Japan, gave over a thousand volunteers the time off work needed to visit the Tohoku region. I chose to work with Peace Boat, a Japanese NGO (nongovernmental organization). In the pre-departure meeting I was informed of the realities of being a volunteer in Ishinomaki. We would camp at Senshu University, without showers. Our main goal was to clean up the debris and toxic sludge from the city
before it dries and becomes airborne. With all this in mind, I was persuaded to help. After an intense game of rockpaper-scissors to decide who would join the international team, I was bound for the April 29th departure. Peace Boat coordinated 480 volunteers to work in Ishinomaki, a hankai “half damaged” city in Miyagi struggling to support residents in evacuation centers, with an aging population that is unable to do most of the physical labour needed to remove the sludge. The streets of Ishinomaki are like a manga-imagined post-apocalypse. The city center, or “i-Plaza,” is the coordinating point for volunteers, which is marked by a mangled car beside the polished green statue of the sci-fi character Kamen Rider. There are boats resting on sidewalks, cars crushed against buildings, improvised garbage dumps around the city, damaged shrines, and a stair-
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case that leads to the heavens along the oceanfront. Volunteers equipped in dust masks, helmets, goggles, and rain suits, populated the streets in blue Peace Boat jerseys with shovels in hand to rid the city of toxic sludge.
rotting fish as we approached the task area. We were sent out with bags, wheel barrows, and oil-proof gloves. No amount of eucalyptus oil applied under a dust mask could disguise the smell. The dried fish, curled under Teams of six were sent out on the heat of the sun, were easiest to projects, and bag. The fish The people of Tohoku bore that clustered my team’s first job was to clean amongst the their struggles with a smile. an adult cinema debris, or in the snack bar remained in district. All establishments and homes tattered bags, were the worst. Infested were given equal status under the mu- with maggots and a black tar-like oil nicipal rule that volunteers could only that stained our suits and left a lingerassist for two days maximum. Even ing scent for the rest of the week. The Japan’s dirty laundry needed to be following day, five groups re-voluncleaned by outsiders. From inside the teered to return, mine included. We theater, the stench of mold, dampness, accomplished the removal of 18 tons and putrid sea matter clung to the air. of fish. The month long fermented sludge was caked between leopard-print seats, The Japanese way is everwhich the owner was adamant to present within the disaster area. The salvage. The walls were marked by a overarching sense of respect prevailed, five meter high stain from where the as there is no looting or disorder. The tsunami reached its limit within the streets and sidewalks are controlled cinema. by traffic police. There is a washing station along the port, where those After the first day, Peace Boat in sludge covered rain suits got their asked if some volunteer teams would daily “shower” by getting sprayed by participate in the “Fish Retrieval a pressure hose. Project” in the port town of Ibarazu. The tsunami damaged a fish process Volunteer groups experiing factory, which scattered bags enced an overwhelming response of and packages of fish throughout the gratitude. Homeowners gave items of residential area. About 90 volunteers thanks: bottles of sake, trays of sushi, agreed to help, my team included. We and onigiri rice balls, to mention a were welcomed by the waft of few. After work, the local man who 26
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spirits, because everyone was working together. Another family, who had remained on the second floor of their house for five days while they waited for the water to drain from below, invited conversations about travel and scuba diving as we cleared their house of moldy tatami mats. Many bowed, and thanked us throughout the streets, while they returned to what is left of their homes.
stood in charge of i-Plaza offered hot drinks to volunteers. One day, two local shamisen musicians performed a show using shovels, inviting volunteers to join. A tent city formed on the Senshu campus. Each morning the volunteers participated in radio taisou exercises, followed by a meeting. Most nights, volunteers were welcomed back with a warm meal or a bento box, donated by generous restaurant owners. The people of Tohoku bore their struggles with a smile. One woman who lost members of her family claimed to be genki, or in good
At the end of the week, Peace Boat leaders informed the “mud busters” that we had cleared 90 per cent of the city’s sludge, mainly by cleaning out 1,798 meters of sewers along with 107 buildings. A lot was accomplished, yet the destruction and debris seems endless, as the numbers of volunteers able or interested to participate dwindle. Peace Boat estimates that outside support is necessary to continue the cleaning operation for the next two years. Overseas panic about radiation shifted the focus from the people in Tohoku to the potential nuclear disaster in Fukushima. The people left in the tsunami’s wake seem forgotten. There is also a sense that Japan as a wealthy nation doesn’t need help. However, the affected areas are poor regions of Japan with an aging population. Once the Japanese Defense Forces move out, the weight of the relief work is left to NGOs and the local residents. 27
Do Nothing Days Compiled by Molly Conner
The advent of summer leads to a lot of hot, classless days spent wasting away in the teachers’ room. We asked ALTs across the ken what they do to occupy their time on days with a light class load. It turns out that Nagano ALTs are 80% less lazy than we thought!
Charlotte Ford
Class load on a heavy day? 5 (This is normal) Class load on a light day? 0-2 What do you do to pass the time during a class-free day? I don’t usually have free time unless it’s exam time or there’s a school event. If I do have free time, I make displays for the English lab, think of new ideas, browse the Englipedia site, write to my students (some 3rd grade girls write in books to me) or when there’s no teachers around, I surf the net (not Facebook or hotmail; informative sites that can loosely relate to my teachings, ie news and health websites). If I have spare time next week, I’m going to write a proposal for an English radio show!
Christopher Dettloff
Class load on a heavy day? 5 classes Class load on a light day? 1 or 2 classes What do you do to pass the time? Well, to be honest, my time-passing strategy has changed over the years. In the beginning, I found that if I had some free time, and had already prepared for future classes, I would most likely be wandering around my schools. My older ones have old, creaky, miscellaneous hallways, and creepy, dusty, little rooms. My newer ones have all sorts of cool rooms which I never knew about. Like a Japanese room with full tatami, a crazily hidden, bomb-shelteresque room under the stairs that held over 150 abandoned umbrellas, not to mention the space behind the stage that is full of all sorts of good doo-dads. But recently, after becoming a Block Leader, and studying for Japanese whenever possible, I find that if I do have any free time, it is being spent locked in a bathroom, watching an episode of "Mythbusters" on my ipod. WOOT! :) 28
Thirim Son
Class load on a heavy day? 5-6 Class load on a light day? 0-2 What do you do to pass the time during a class free day? I usually do a combination of the following: - read things on the internet (newspapers from home, blogs) - prepare materials for upcoming classes that I haven't finished - plan elementary school lessons - study Japanese - organise my desk -check my email and acquiesce to the Yomoyama editor's submission requests [Ed: that’s usually a good survival strategy for life in general] - snack and drink tea - try not to die of boredom [Ed: that too]
Ashley Alexander
Class load on a heavy day: 3 Class load on a light day: 0 and sometimes several days or weeks in a row (don't hate, it destroys my ego to be so useless :p) To pass the time I... -Make an English board with whatever seasonal topic I want or even something like pirates, punctuation, weddings, high school life, etc. -Get magnet sheets and make a huge "fridge poem" set for my English board or LL room. -Make a folder with factoids about countries in English or even better, little flip books to distribute. -Clean my desk. -Learn a new language (my favorites are different sign languages). -Make an "ALT postbox" and put stickies next to it outside the English office so students can leave you notes. -Download informational videos from youtube (National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Witness, etc) and put English subtitles to them using free downloadable programs such as Subs Factory. -Go to the home ec room and make something. -Go to the LL room and use either the Nike Training or Jillian Michaels Slim Down free apps to get a workout in during lunch. -Facebook! 29
Michelle Redler
Class load on a heavy day? 5 Class load on a light day? 1-2 What do you do to pass the time during a class free day? There are a few things I usually do: -Read an online newspaper (or two, or several)! As a kind of international ambassador, I think it's a good idea to stay informed about current events in the U.S., Japan and worldwide. Also, keeping up with the trends and debates going on in the States helps me feel like I'm not losing touch with my own culture. -Plan classes! I do elementary visits a few times a month, and it's always helpful to plan my lessons ahead of time. I can also go through the next few lessons in each junior high textbook and try to have a few games or activities on hand in case I'm asked to prepare something right before class. -Clean and organize my desk! There's still a mess of things in my bottom drawer from three ALTs ago. I want to leave a tidy workspace for my successor. -Facebook...Yeah, it happens. (Shame on me!) -Study Japanese. Coworkers always seem impressed with any effort to better understand Japanese, so grammar practice, reading workbooks, and kanji flashcards are always a good productive use of time.
Hello, my name is Zach, nice to meet you!
Class load on a heavy day? A class load on a heavy day is around five classes. This means that every moment I am in school I am constantly grabbing my stuff from my desk and walking to the next class. The day is over very quickly on these days and my lunch somehow tastes that much more deserving. I get to school around eight so if I time it right I can prep for the classes before they start because most of them are repeats of the same grade. On some days though I get a lot of classes when I previously thought that I had none or a just few. Usually my teachers will tell me five minutes before the class and then realize they forgot to tell me in advance and apologize when I give them the, “hey man”, I’ve been sitting around drawing stick figures in funny hats for the last 40 minutes and you tell me now?” look. I always have easy back up games or activities prepared when this happens. The day flies by when you have a lot of classes and you actually feel like you deserve to sit for a second at your desk. 30
Light Days? When there are a few classes I spend some time preparing for them and then catch up on world events through the internets. The day runs at a nice pace and doesn’t overwhelm me unless my teacher surprises me with a class.
Nicole Arnold
Class load on a heavy day? 4 or 2-3 with work after school hours. Class load on a light day? 0-2 What do you do to pass the time during a class free day? We do a lot of essay/thesis corrections, but when there’s no work to be done, I usually study Japanese.
AJET needs a new LOGO! We know that the ken is full of excellent artists, or people with excellent ideas who aren't particularly good artists. Either way, send us your rough sketches, concepts, and scribbles! We'll get some of the monkeys to do the hard bit for you if your idea is a winner. You have until Wednesday before we put the submissions to the vote, so unless you want my Nagano-poo monkey to win then you'll have to get submitting. Send any ideas to www.naganoajet@gmail.com with the subject 'LOGO' Cheers. Rus and the Monkeys. 31
DIY T-shirt madness! For when you want things. Hey gang, Ashley Alexander calling in. Iʼm a novice DIY-er and today Iʼm going to show you how to make a summer dress out of an old t-shirt. Things you need: Sewing machine (totally optional but a time-saver) OR Thread and needle Scissors Pins (not pictured) Seam-ripper Inspiration Old but not ratty, slightly large t-shirt The trick to doing anything DIY is to not be afraid to make mistakes. That is what a seam-ripper is for! Projects are as ambitious as you want to make them! Step 1. Select a t-shirt that you like enough to make into something else but donʼt mind turning into a pillow if things donʼt work out. Cut it along the arm holes and along the neckline about four inches down. This piece will become the length of the dress from under your bustline down so more modest ladies can take it from right under the neckline or if youʼre looking to make a tank top you can cut across right under the armpit. Itʼll look something like this when youʼre done. Take the two sleeve pieces and cut a slight curve. You might want to put both of them on top of each other so you can be sure to get even pieces (unless one of your boobs is substantially larger than the other to which I can only say, “make it work.”) The end of your sleeve is going to become the part that attaches to the skirt piece. ADVICE: Donʼt get too skank with the curve, what has been cut away can not easily be put back on and youʼll need some seam allowance so that your edges can look nice and clean (and also so your outfit lasts longer).
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Last cut before the home stretch of sewing begins! Remember that neckline piece? Use that to make a strap. Cut a thick, lengthwise piece out of it. ADVICE: depending on what kind of neckline you want (for the sake of argument here Iʼm using a halter neckline) you might want one cut or several. Also, depending on how thick you want your neck strap, you will have to cut something slightly larger. How about different fabrics? Decisions decisions. I cut my strap 4” wide so that when I fold the fabric I can be lazy and use a straight stitch down the middle.
SEWING TIP: Your edges will look cleaner if you sew the pieces right sides together. That means folding things inside out! The amount of space that you leave is called your seam allowance. This means how far away from the edge youʼre going to sew. This is entirely free form though so do what you want! I tend to use an half-inch allowance. Now, I was tricky and decided for a halter top, so if youʼre not scared yet take a look below. The strap comes from the inside of the boobage pieces. Sew along the curve of the boob and itʼll look like this when itʼs turned out!
The boob pieces are inside out but the strap is right side (view side) up. Lastly, sew your boob pieces to the skirt piece, remember to sew right sides together!
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Youʼll have to make adjustments as you go along (so make your piece with it!) but with a little practice and some ingenuity you can make your own pieces in no time at all!
Go from left to right! (ps, I used the back of the shirt as the front of the dress because I just like it that way mʼkay?) Piece out my thread-people!
Yomoyama calls on you to submit! Articles, Essays, Poetry, Photography…you want to share? Well we want to publish. Contact us at yomoyamamagazine@gmail.com
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[Ed: New JETs arrive in Nagano at the height of festival season. In Nagano, Binzuru is one of the best. Sam was kind enough to share his memories of the event in verse.]
I
Nagano Binzuru!
arrived early and strolled through the throbbing crowds, sampling the food and drinks; nothing turned down! I snapped pictures, and made small talk with the locals. My life in Japan looked bright and hopeful! Then I found the gaijin group and dawned a yellow t-shirt. Proud we stood, “We are diverse!” We danced for about 15 minutes, and then we stopped. “It can’t be finished…no way!” I thought. But then what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a giant cooler filled with endless cans of beer! We chugged and we glugged for about 5 minutes straight, Before we were off to dance until late. We twirled and smacked our rice paddles together, My feet grew lively and I danced like a feather. Then we drank and we dance, and we did it once more. How many times more, no one is certain for sure. After friendships and tears, it came to a stop. One thing for sure, now I was lost.
I found a man named, “Joey” or so he said. All I know for sure is that his beard was red. We ventured off with drinks in hand. We sang in the plaza, we started a band! Then, he said “It’s time for the train!” And rushed off and left me with only his name. I called on an Angel, or Ashley it was. Again, who knows, oh what a buzz! She said, “Buy a ticket and get on a train. If you hurry, you’ll make it and will have a place to stay.” I did as I was told, or the first half. But then I heard singing and joined the pack. A group of young drunks were singing with guitars, so I torn up my ticket, “I’ll sleep under the stars!” But my angel did protest and came right quick. And let me into her car without even a slap on the wrist. So to those who dance in lands unknown, It helps to have an angel to help you get home. -Sam Buchanan 35
Yamato Girl Yamato Gal She sits across from me, straight black hair and cream skin, clinging cocktail dress. A picture of beauty, her eyes start to close, mouth opens gently. her scent, it fills the air. wraps around my mind, A perfume of tobacco and beer. Her tongue begins to loll, I can't avert my stare. Corners of her mouth start to glisten. Her body undulates precariously, Occasional hiccoughing gasps. At least I know she's still breathing. Is this bohemian beauty, or modern life's backlash? Through a transient world, Our Yamato Nadeshiko. -Anthony Ciero Glossary: Yamato Nadeshiko - The concept of the traditional Japanese woman: Demure, subservient, the “perfect” woman. Gal - A stereotype or subculture defined by youth, hedonism, and materialism over the mundane career-driven adult world.
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The Thunderhead There is a brooding storm cloud That sails the pale blue seas Of seamless sky above the hills, Above the streams and trees. It gathers round a might fleet Of plumes much like its own Unfurls its sails on billowing masts Upon the azure dome. Once when mighty Jove veiled himself in mist And stole upon gentle the Io Whose tender lips he kissed He thought also Of the mortal girl, young Semele Who pulled from Zeus one single vow Before in love they lay; Jove did allow In ignorance of the mortal girl's request, Her prayer to see His own godhead With power unsuppressed, Aspects unsaid, And with a heavy heart, the god revealed Himself as He is in Himself. See, as if in a starless sky in the ink of the night The noonday exposed itself, discharging all its light, Such was the blaze of Jupiter, the one who marshals storms, Who feeds the sea and turns the sky and gives all things their forms— How could the girls but yield Her helpless self To those flames that took her flesh As fire takes the leaves Dry and crisp in autumn air. Does Jupiter still grieve? And so the bulging thunderhead Moves darkly, slow and high Above the heads of mortal beings Whose coils it may untie. -Justin K Ellis
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[On Poems, 22] And picture a silhouette, wherein (There was always a person here) We relearn the space (You never had an older sister, did you? Someone to show you how to put on lipstick At two in the morning, the girls sneak into the kitchen Sweat clings to her upper lip as they open the lid to the icebox There are six beers hidden under the bags of frozen broccoli They take one to split, forget the can opener She finds it two months later under her bed, warm and ready to burst) between where she is
(You never had an older sister, did you? Someone to show you how to put on lipstick)
and never wanted to be (There was always a person here) Strip the concept of she (Sweat clings to her upper lip) Strip the concept of person (Someone to show you how to put on) But both can’t remain (a person here.) -Molly Conner 38
A Taste of Home Compiled by Molly Conner
What better way to celebrate natsukashii than with a taste of your favorite foods from home? I asked culinary-minded foreigners across the ken to submit a recipe that reminds them of their hometowns. Warning: trying to consume all of these things at once will absolutely give you a heart attack. Where I come from, that just means the meal is done right‌
Shrimp Etouffee The Cook: Marion Loyd The Region: Southern Louisiana, U.S.A.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (or vegetable oil, NOT olive oil) 1/2 cup flour About 2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and de-veined 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped (you can chop some of the leaves as well, they taste great) 1 large bell pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic or more to taste, minced (I use a lot of garlic) 1 can or bottle tomato juice/puree About 1 1/2 to 2 cups water 1 bay leaf (do not eat) Tabasco/habanero pepper to taste Salt and pepper to taste Hot cooked rice
The Recipe: First you make a roux: Melt butter on med to med-high heat and gradually whisk in flour one spoonful at a time. **You MUST constantly whisk until the color is golden brown or slightly darker without smelling burnt.** Add onions and water and cook until onions are tender. Add tomato juice/pu39
ree, garlic, celery, bell pepper, and bay leaf. Cook for about 30 min., stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and tabasco/habanero pepper, salt, and pepper and cook about 25 minutes. Serve on cooked rice. What is it about this recipe that makes it your taste of home? Etouffee is a basic Cajun dish eaten primarily in southern Louisiana. The staples of Cajun cooking are seafood, rice, and the trinity: bell pepper, celery, and onion, all of which this recipe contains. Etouffee is usually made with shrimp or crawfish (I haven't had any other kind) and is fattening and delicious. You really can't get more Louisiana than this!
Chocolate Cheesecake The Cook: Erin King The Region: Erin's House, Colorado, America (or Nagano City) Ingredients:
12 wafers (I like Anne's in any flavor, Coconut Biscuits work well, too) 1/8 tsp cinnamon 340g cream cheese 1 egg 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/8 C butter (30ish ml melted) 160g semi-sweet chocolate (I use Ghana or Meiji (black) bars broken up) 165 ml white sugar 1 tsp cocoa (not the drink mix!) 170ish ml sour cream
The Recipe: Crush your wafers/cookies and mix with melted butter and cinnamon. Press mixture over bottom of your cake pan* and chill. Melt chocolate. 40
In a larger bowl beat softened cream cheese. Beat in sugar and add the egg. Beat in chocolate, cocoa, vanilla and sour cream. Pour into your prepared pan. Bake* (if you have the spring-form) 45 min at 175C. Cool at room temperature for an hour and then refrigerate for 5-6 hours (or overnight) * Although I use a spring-form pan (purchased at a baking specialty store near Matsumoto Station for under 1000 yen) this can be baked in any pan you would bake a cake in. **If you have a regular (shallow) cake pan, aim for 30min. Keep watch! Take it out before the top starts browning.
Keep in mind that when you take the cheesecake out of the oven, the center will wiggle and jiggle - and that's OK! I like to heat up frozen blueberries in a saucepan, add a little water and maybe a bit of sugar to make a super delicious sauce!
Broccoli Chicken Casserole The Cook: Ashley Alexander: The Region: Poland (apparently) and my mom's house Ingredients:
Casserole: 2 chicken breasts (boiled and diced no skin), 1 head of broccoli (chopped), 2 cans of Cream of soups (Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Chicken, Cream of Mushroom being good picks), 2 cups of soy milk, vegan cheese, breadcrumbs Vegan Cheese: 2 boxes of Ceci/Garbanzo/Hiyokomame or 2 cups cashew nuts (ground into dust!), 1 cup soymilk, juice of .5 a lemon, one small tomato
The Recipe: Boil the chicken, cut all your veggies, blend all the ingredients of the vegan cheese into a blender and put all the ingredients together in a large pot or casserole dishes. If you don't have an oven-like device, putting everything on the stovetop (except for the crumbs! toast them on a little tinfoil in your fish fryer to add on top after spooning it out) on medium heat until it smells good (approx 30 41
minutes) is fine. If you have an oven, put everything in the dish or two dishes, sprinkle the crumbs on top and then bake at 200 degrees C until it smells good (approx 20-30 minutes). What is it about this recipe that makes it your taste of home? It's a recipe that has been handed down from my aunts and since I can remember it's always been the "special event" food in my house for birthdays, awards, hard week's work, etc. So whenever I eat it I can associate it with all the celebrations that this tasty dish has seen. *You can replace the soymilk with regular milk and the vegan cheese with real cheese but I wouldn't. :p
ANZAC The Cook: Thirim Son The Region: Australia (and New Zealand, probably)
Ingredients:
1 cup self-rising flour 1½ cup rolled oats 1 cup desiccated coconut 3/4 cup brown sugar 150g butter 2 tbs. honey (golden syrup is traditionally used, but it's hard to get in Japan)
The Recipe: 1. Preheat to 180°C. 2. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar. 3. Put the butter, honey and 2 tbs. water in a small saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until melted. 4. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and combine. 42
5. Roll into balls and place on the tray, about 5cm apart. 6. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. What is it about this recipe that makes it your taste of home? ANZAC stands for "Australian and New Zealand Army Corps" and is in reference to the Australian and New Zealand solders who saw combat during WWI and WWII. They remind me of home because my sister and I used to bake them a lot and eat them.
Caesar Salad Dressing The Cook: Katrina Barrie The Region: Victoria, BC
Notes: Makes a large quantity. I suppose this could be a bit tricky to make in Japan, but I've managed to do it before. I love salads in Japan and usually find Japanese dressings to be very good, but sometimes I want a nice caesar salad and I've yet to find that from any ready-made stuff here so far. Ingredients/Directions:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil Just under 1/4 cup vinegar (white wine is best) 1 egg yolk 2 cloves crushed garlic Dash of Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp mustard 1-2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp parmesan Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients with a hand mixer/blender until creamy.
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Creamy Apple and Sweet Potato Chicken Notes: I thought what with the apples and the sweet potatoes, this is a good one for us Nagano dwellers. The season is gone now, but there's always next year. Ingredients/Directions:
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided 1/2 tsp pepper, divided 1 1/2 tsp thyme, divided (If you can't find thyme, rosemary is lovely in this recipe, too.) 2 small or medium chicken breasts 3 tbsp butter, divided 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced to 1/2 a centimeter thick. 1 onion, chopped 1 large sweet potato, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise 1/2 a centimeter thick 1/2 cup apple juice 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (optional)
Combine 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp thyme and sprinkle over both sides of the chicken. In a pan, melt 1 tbsp butter on medium heat. Add the apples and 1/4 tsp salt; cook, turning occasionally, until browned (4-5 min). Remove apples from pan, and add another tbsp of butter and brown the chicken. Then, remove it, and still in the same pan, melt the remaining butter and add the sweet potato, onion, and remain spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned (3-4 min). Add juice and bring to a boil, then add the broth and cover it. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 min. Stir in the cream, and add the reserved apples and chicken. Cook until chicken is done and the potatoes are tender. Optional: once everything's cooked, remove the chicken and vegetables from the sauce and turn the heat to high. Cook until the sauce has reduced. Sprinkle parsley on top :) 44
Bacon and Cheese Muffins Notes: These are the best thing on the planet. Unless you are a vegetarian (in which case, just leave out the bacon, and they remain the best thing on the planet). They are easy, and when eaten freshly baked for breakfast, have been known to make people explode with happiness because they are so good. Ingredients/Directions:
2 c flour (I usually use 1 c of white and 1 c of whole wheat) 1 c milk, warmed ½ -- 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp baking powder 1 egg, lightly beaten ¼ tsp salt ¼ c bacon fat (use the fat that occurs when you cook the bacon, just let it cool slightly) ¾ c grated cheese 5 slices cooked, crisp bacon, chopped
Preheat oven to 200 C In a large bowl, add and mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cheese, and bacon. In a separate bowl, mix the milk and the honey, then the egg. Be careful that your milk is not hot or it will cook the egg. Add the liquids to the dry, and just barely mix. Then, add the bacon fat, and mix again until the flour is just barely incorporated into the liquids (over-mixing muffins makes them peaky). Bake for 20-25 min. What makes these your taste of home? When I try to think about distinctly “Canadian food,” I kind of struggle. I think that Canadian food sits somewhere in between British and American cuisine, perhaps using less canned vegetables than the former, and having a bit more caloric moderation than the latter. So, I hope the following recipes are okay--instead of being “Canadian” they’re just things that remind me of “Katrina’s house in Canada.”
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Irish Stew The Cook: Tom Read The Region: Ireland (where most northern Brits' ancestry comes from, if we were to care),
Ingredients:
Chunk beef (in Japan カレー beef is perfect), about a pound (not the coin) A bit of flour Butter Potatoes, 3 or 4, chop them a bit, peel if they are dirty An onion or 2, cut them like you are lazy. 2 oxo cubes (beef stock, about 1 liter) Carrots, about 2, chunked up Guinness or Kirin/Yebisu stout. 2 cans: one for you, one for me. Seasoning.
Directions: Get a big pan and a bowl. In the bowl put the meat. Coat it with flour by putting flour on it and mixing it all up a bit. This will create the thick-ish sauce down the road. Discard any free flour, it will only make lumps. "Brown" the meat in the pan with butter (cook it a bit). Then add the onions. Brown them, too. Add the beef stock. Don't worry, it will look like a badly made soup right now. Then boil it up for about 20-40 mins. Add the carrots, potatoes, a can Guinness, S+P. Continue to boil it for about 90 mins to 2 hours over a low heat. Stir it if you don't like cleaning pans with wire-wool. If you decide you can't wait, be prepared to chew on the meat for the remaining time you should have been cooking it for. 46
Eat it with thick bread, dumplings, Guinness or whatever you want.
English Breakfast Ingredients/Directions: Fry up everything in your fridge in a giant frying pan. Eggs, tomatoes, sausages, bacon, bread, mushrooms. Scrabble about in your cupboard for that tin of baked beans. Heat them up.
Dig in. (Hint, put the eggs in last. If you only have a small frying pan, keep the cooked things warm while you do the rest. Nothing worse than cold fry up, nothing better than a hot one.)
Koeksusters The Cook: Neal Murugan The Region: South Africa
Doughnut Ingredients for 6-8 ppl):
3 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 1 (10 g) packet dried yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons dried orange peel (optional) 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 egg 75 g butter or margarine Lukewarm milk (and water mixed, enough to make a soft dough as for bread) Oil (for deep frying) 1/2 cup flaked coconut (or more)
Syrup Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 cup boiling water 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
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Directions: Sift flour and spices into a bowl. Add salt and sugar. Add yeast mix to combine. Beat egg. Add egg and butter/margarine and rub into flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough milk/water mixture to make soft pliable dough, like for bread or doughnuts. Knead for 10 minutes (this can be done in mixer or bread machine. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until double in bulk. After rising knock down and roll dough in to long log. Cut dough into 5 cm pieces and shape in to an oblong shape. Or make into balls. Put onto a greased tray and let rise for 20 minutes or double in size. Deep fry in oil as you would for doughnuts until brown. Put some coconut on a plate. Prepare syrup: Put sugar in saucepan, add water and stir till sugar has dissolved. Add whole spices if using and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Bring syrup to a simmer and add doughnuts one or two at a time. Let them simmer on each side for 30 seconds up to a minute. Take out and immediately roll into some coconut. Place into a clean platter and serve. These are spicy syrup donuts (which are twisted or braided) that have their origins in the Malay community in Cape Town, South Africa. Every family has its own version and Sunday mornings are not Sunday mornings if there are not warm koeksusters with coffee on the table. The name “Koek” means cake and “Suster” means sister. This refers to the combining two braids of dough to make the final doughnut. It’s a treat that is as strange and delightful as the country that came up with it.
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