Today and tomorrow we are taking my oldest daughter to look at a few high schools to help us decide which one she should go to next Spring (she’ll start 高校一年 (10th grade (first year of high school in Japan)) in April).
In December, she’ll begin taking high school entrance exams! (Next year, my 2nd daughter will do the same…then the youngest after that!)
They grow up too fast!
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Yesterday we went to 銀座 (Ginza) and 上野 (Ueno).
Near 銀座 (Ginza), I saw this 新幹線 (Bullet train) pass by (it was going past a train station, so it wasn’t moving so fast at the time):
And at 上野 (Ueno), we went to a junk-food store that sold ラムネ (Ramune), which is a popular (especially in the summer) carbonated drink in Japan.
It has a distinctive bottle with a marble in the neck.
It usually has a lemon flavor…but this store had many odd flavors and there was a sign that said 「まずいラムネランキング」 (“Top Ten Worst Ramune Flavors”)!
Some of the まずいラムネ (Worst Ramune Flavors) included
“Wasabi Ramune“, “Curry Ramune“, and “Takoyaki Ramune“…but the “#1 Worst Flavor” was 「キムチ・ラムネ」 (“Kimchee Ramune”)!
So I had to buy it!
I’ve haven’t tried it yet. I’ll let you know how it is.
(Actually, I really like 「キムチ」 (Kimchee)…(spicy, Korean cabbage). So I’m wondering how this drink tastes.)
From there, we went to a カラオケボックス (“Karaoke Box”), which is a private room for singing Karaoke (you can also order food and drinks from a menu and they’re brought up to the room you’re in).
I’m a terrible singer…but my kids enjoy it.
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In the news,
- A wild monkey got into busy 渋谷駅 (Shibuya Train Station) in Tokyo. Over thirty police officers attempted to capture it, but the monkey managed to flee the train station.There are wild 日本猿 (Japanese monkeys) in the countryside but in the city they’re usually only seen in the zoos.
- The American Navy’s nuclear aircraft carrier, U.S.S George Washington, will be stationed in 神奈川県横須賀市 (Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture) soon. There are a number of Japanese people who are against the ship coming here, mainly because it’ll be the first nuclear-powered ship to be stationed in Japan.The fact that there was a fire onboard the carrier last Spring compounded their worries.
(You can read my earlier post about the USS George Washington coming to Japan).And now, it’s been reported, two sailors from the ship have been arrested last weekend in California, USA for murder!
Tokyo Five 
Do you wanna try Ramune (not the Kimchi flavor…but a good one)?
http://www3.ocn.ne.jp/~tokyo5/books.html#snack
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Mom…
I’ll reply to your latest three comments here.
>I wish I had the nerve to try anything like that. if it smells or looks bad in my sight than that is enough for me not to try it unfortunately. Dad is the same way, I think.
You miss out on alot of great food. You gotta try everything with an open mind. In my opinion, eating becomes more enjoyable that way.
>he was supposed to get down here and send you a msg last night
He emailed me. Thanks.
>democratic convention
In America, they seem to start campaigning very early.
>I can understand why so many Japanese don’t want the USS George Washington docking anywhere close to their country.
Actually, it has always been illegal in Japan for any nuclear vessels (nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered) to enter Japanese waters.
But it seems that America no longer uses diesel-fueled ships…they’re all nuclear-powered. So it seems America convinced Japan to change their law.
It upset many people who live near the US Navy base (And some who don’t).
>I don’t want to get into the politics
Yes. I try to keep my blog uncontroversal.
>do you have any idea of the percentage of foreigners that are now living in Japan?
It has increased alot since I first came to Japan. But the percentage of the population in Japan that are foreigners is still less than 2% (the vast majority are Asian).
>I know a couple…the wife is from Japan…she is not very happy living in the states
Is she from Tokyo or Osaka or another big city in Japan? Maybe she’d feel more comfortable if they lived in a big city in America (like NYC).
>how did you all like the new school?
We’re still deciding which one she’ll go to.
>I meant to ask you about the festival that you were in, the one where you helped to carry a shrine?
You mean this one:
https://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/fukagawa-hachiman/
>it looked like there were lots of people there
Yes. Many.
>which I guess is not unusual.
Not in Tokyo, it isn’t.
> I can only imagine how heavy that shrine must be. do you have any idea?
2 tons. Actually the 神輿 (portable shrines) at this festival are supposedly the heaviest in Japan. They were big.
>how many men helped to carry it?
Each group had about 70 or so people. About half carried it at a time. We’d trade places as we became tired.
>are woman allowed to carry it?
Yes, some did. And a couple times, they said 「女だけ！！」 (“Women only!!”) and all the men would hand it over to the women. The women only carried it for a while and didn’t toss it up or anything.
>what does it celebrate?
It’s a centuries old festival. It’s a Shinto festival and would be hard to explain in detail. In modern Japan, festivals are for fun (as in most countries).
>I love the look of the temples in Japan.
Temples are Buddhist. Shrines are Shinto. Japan has both.
>There is one monument (I believe that is what it is) it’s red and stands out in the middle of a large body of water and it has been there a long time, I believe. do you know what I mean?
Yes. It’s a famous 鳥居 (Torii gate). They are at the entrance to every shrine.
The one you’re thinking of is probably the most famous in Japan. It’s in the water and it’s the Torii at the entrance of 厳島神社 (Itsukushima Shrine) in Hiroshima. The shrine itself is also in the water. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
>have you celebrated the Suneori-Amagoi Festival?
You mean this one:
https://tokyo5.wordpress.com/festivals-in-tokyo/#suneori
>that is the one where men carry the large dragon into a body of water where it is supposed to bring rain to the area, right? and you wrote that it is celebrated every 4 yrs, and 2008 is one of the years in August. do I have that right?
That’s correct.
>it looks very interesting, have you seen it?
It does look fun. And four years ago, I missed it and I told myself that I would see the next time (this year (2008)). But I didn’t remember it until it was over and they mentioned it on TV 😦
I’ll definitely go and see it the next time (2012)!
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one last question. have you celebrated the Suneori-Amagoi Festival? that is the one where men carry the large dragon into a body of water where it is supposed to bring rain to the area, right? and you wrote that it is celebrated every 4 yrs, and 2008 is one of the years in August. do I have that right? it looks very interesting, have you seen it?
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I meant to ask you about the festival that you were in, the one where you helped to carry a shrine? it looked like there were lots of people there, which I guess is not unusual. I can only imagine how heavy that shrine must be. do you have any idea? how many men helped to carry it? are woman allowed to carry it? what does it celebrate? I love the look of the temples in Japan. and there is one monument (I believe that is what it is) it’s red and stands out in the middle of a large body of water and it has been there a long time, I believe. do you know what I mean?
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I wish I had the nerve to try anything like that. if it smells or looks bad in my sight than that is enough for me not to try it unfortunately. Dad is the same way, I think. speaking of him, he was supposed to get down here and send you a msg last night but he fell asleep in his easy chair last night and once that happens he is out. He will probably send you one tonight because he talked about wanting to over the wkend quite a bit.
we are having our democratic convention this week and that is all we hear about on the news. it does get a little tiring to me anyway. I think just about everyone has their mind made up about who they are going to vote for by now.
I can understand why so many Japanese don’t want the US George Washington docking anywhere close to their country. it is unfortunate that we can not live in a peaceful world without the threat of war at all! I don’t want to get into the politics of it, but I hope that it doesn’t make your life uncomfortable. do you have any idea of the percentage of foreigners that are now living in Japan? I know a couple from our church where the wife is from Japan and he was in the service, although I don’t remember what branch he said he was in. his name is Jerry and he comes to church without his wife, but just with his 2yr old son. she came once and felt very uncomfortable. apparently she is not very happy living in the states and hardly goes out, this is what he told me. he reminds me a lot of you. really nice guy and I think his wife is too, if only she would let people get to know her more. I don’t think they have any intention of going back to Japan though. I do feel bad for her and wish there was a way I could get to know her without intruding.
well, I need to go for now. look for Dad’s comments later tonight. love Mom
ps how did you all like the new school?
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Mom…
I’m glad you wrote a comment. Write more often! (And Dad, too).
>That is one scary group! I like my music with a little less drama. actually the music isn’t bad, it’s the costumes that are scary.
I guess you’re referring to the band on this post:
https://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2008/08/22/detroit-metal-city/
I like that kind of music / show…but I don’t think it’d appeal to you.
>that is funny about the monkey. I wonder where he went to from the train station. did you hear any more about where or if they ever caught him?
No. I don’t know where he went.
>I don’t know where that talent for eating whatever came from-do you think you inherited it from anyone? probably not because I cannot think of anyone in our family who has that kind of nerve.
I don’t know why. But I enjoy trying anything…and there’s very few foods that I don’t like.
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That is one scarey group! I like my music with a little less drama. actually the music isn’t bad, it’s the customes that are scarey.
that is funny about the monkey. I wonder where he went to from the train station. did you hear any more about where or if they ever caught him?
well I can understand why the Japanese might be upset about the ship that will be making port there. I would feel the same way if things were reversed.
I don’t know where that talent for eating whatever came from-do you think you inherited it from anyone? probably not because I cannot think of anyone in our family who has that kind of nerve.
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Uh, vanilla … lol. I’m not adventurous at all!
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>You certainly are adventurous!
With food, sure! I’ve eaten horse, whale, scorpion, octopus, squid, pig’s ears / feet / tongue, cow tongue, etc, etc…(all are delicious, btw).
>Then you must try Cow Tongue, Snake, Curry, etc. ice creams in Ice Cream City in Sunshine City
Which do you recommend?
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You certainly are adventurous! Then you must try Cow Tongue, Snake, Curry, etc. ice creams in Ice Cream City in Sunshine City, Ikebukuro 🙂 maybe they have kimchee ice cream.
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I just tried that “Kimchee Ramune”.
They weren’t kidding! It was the “worst flavor”! (And, as I said, I like kimchee).
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