 I had myself a busy week with celebrating my 25th birthday, hanging out with geishas and getting my Halloween groove on in my cozy onesie.
The highlight of the week was the geisha event that I attended. It was a private lunch that is part of a cultural celebration that Niigata is holding to increase awareness of the historical and current cultural richness of the city. For three weeks you can buy tickets to these small intimate lunches where the rare geishas of Niigata perform traditional nihon-buyo (Japanese dancing), play instruments, and have conversations with you. The geisha lunch was held in a quaint Japanese restaurant in the district of Furumachi. I learned that Furumachi is considered to be one of the most prestigious areas in Japan to see geishas, along with Kyoto and Tokyo. For over 200 years geishas have been an elegant and traditional symbol of Niigata as a vibrant port town. During the Edo period, Niigata was the most frequented port city in Japan and during its peak of prosperity and popularity there were over 300 geishas in the Furumachi district. In Niigata they call geishas "geigi" and the job of the Furumachi Geigi is to welcome visitors to the city and show them the cultural treasures that exist here. Now the geisha community consists of only 24 people, only nine of which are actually geishas that do the full makeup and kimono, the others play the instruments during the dances and train the geishas. I was told that this event is extremely rare and that us (as foreigners) are lucky to see such a special event. Apparently, not many foreigners attend events like this because they are not advertised in English and most people know about it only through word of mouth or those who are familiar with the geisha community. I heard about this event through a lovely Japanese lady who is deeply involved in the art and culture community in Niigata. Luckily Suzuki-san speaks English and loves to meet foreigners and get them involved too! I told a bunch of my ALT friends about it and they jumped on board and the 5 of us made up the largest group of foreigners to attend this type of event that the coordinators had ever seen. The geishas were incredibly beautiful and graceful. Their poise seemed so controlled and yet so effortless. Their fluid movements boasted an elegance of the past, a quiet seduction, and a powerful demurity. They had an esoteric charm that hypnotized us and held our interest until the very last bow. When they came to talk to us I was disappointed but not surprised that they did not speak any English but luckily my friend translated for us. We were able to ask her questions but it was disheartening that we could not carry on a conversation with them because I am sure that is where they really engage with people. They are skilled in the art of conversation and it would be interesting to have understood them. Moments like those make me wish I learned Japanese before coming here. I could pick up some words but I still can't string enough together for full understanding especially when they are talking about more complex things like education and culture. Hopefully the next time I meet a geisha, I will find my Japanese much improved. There are moments when I am caught up in the day-to-day aspects of living and I forget that I am in Japan. Then I experience these wonderful traditional and truly Japanese things and I remember why I came here and re-realize how lucky I am. I love Japan and how there are geishas, temples, and holy mountains just around the corner just waiting to be seen and appreciated.
 There were also Halloween festivities this weekend. A couple of friends and I bought adult sized furry onesies! I found a gizmo costume which I was ecstatic about because Gremlins is my favourite Halloween movie that I watch every year. We found a really cool old school American diner that was having a party and wore our costumes to dinner. We then went out to a few clubs in the Furumachi and Bandai area and got our fuzzy dance on. I loved being warm and cozy because it was a chilly and windy night. I love fun times with friends! My first Halloween in Japan was a success.
 I also celebrated my 25th birthday this week. I have been so busy lately that time has been flying by and I didn't even realize that it was coming up. Usually at home I plan something with friends quite far in advance and look forward to celebrating with everyone but this year I knew would be different. I actually had to work late on my birthday so I moved my birthday dinner to Friday when everyone was free to come into town. My friend who lives in the city, dragged me out for a quick dinner on the actual day but I needed to run home and get marking and planning done for the next day. My students are super sweet and every class that I taught surprised me with a cute birthday message on the board and they all sang Happy Birthday. I even got a bunch of presents! Oh, the perks of being a teacher :) I'm not sure how I feel about this "getting old" thing that keeps happening every year, but I do know that I am doing something that I've always wanted to do and in this moment I am happy. I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting year that is full of adventure and as a restless and wandering soul, unknown globetrotting adventure is all I can wish for. I also realized that I have made some really great friends and that I wasn't alone like I had anticipated I would be. They came from all over the prefecture to celebrate my day with me and made me feel like I was a part of an awesome group of people. I can't wait to see what 25 has in store! I'll likely have a quarter-life-crisis so stay tuned for that.
 I have been missing the beauty of Canadian mountains and the peaceful feeling of freedom that only comes from breathing fresh mountain air so I decided to hike up Yahiko Mountain this weekend.
Mount Yahiko is an important part of Niigata`s historical and natural landscape. It is located near the village of Yahiko and is home to one of the oldest shrines in Niigata. On a short train ride you are transported from the city to the quaint and quiet countryside. I love watching the tall buildings disappear and the fields between houses become vast and green. Bright yellow flowers and reeds followed the train tracks and signaled the presence of autumn. When we stepped off of the train, the sounds of the city were distantly silent and only the wind and the birds were left to converse in whispers. The breeze was cooler than the city air so I was glad I bundled up in a big scarf and a chunky sweater.
We walked through Yahiko Village which reminded me a lot of Banff, on every corner there were shops selling souvenirs and restaurants featuring famous local dishes. The omiyagi (gifts/souvenirs) consisted of the standard phone trinkets, postcards, handbags, and sweets. I have learned that sweets in Japan are very important and there are different ones that mark special occasions, seasons, and celebrate significant historical moments for that particular local area. Every area in Japan has a different type of sweet treat that they are famous for. In Niigata all of the famous sweets are rice based because Niigata`s rice is renowned for its delicious taste. In Yahiko, all of the sweets are crushed mochi balls (sweet rice) shaped like rabbits and are called Tama Usagi which means rabbit. They are many stories about the God of Yahiko and how he tamed the rabbits that once overran the mountain but I am not sure of the exact myth. The stores are filled with these rabbit shaped rice cakes in all colours and sizes. There are also sweet crackers that have pictures of the shrine and the Shinto gates that welcome visitors into this holy sanctuary.
Sabina and I stopped to have a bowl of ramen before we started our hike. The broth warmed our bodies from the chilly mountain air and we were satisfied and set to wander. We walked through Yahiko park which is lined with gigantic cedar and bamboo trees. Everything was still very green because the leaves have only just begun to change colours. There was a small deer park along the way, we stopped to feed them and chuckled at their whiny soft cooing sounds. The shrine was incredibly beautiful, it wasn`t ornate and gold covered like temples in Thailand. Rather its intricate wooden structure looked strong and steeped in the mythology of the mountains that stood high beyond it. We walked around the park a little longer but then decided to venture up the mountain. Although this mountain does not compare to Canadian mountains in terms of difficulty and altitude the hike can still be a bit tricky and challenging because it is quite steep the whole way up. For those who do not want to hike, they can take the rope way up and enjoy the view. I was out of practice and clearly out of shape and found myself breathing heavily all the way up to the top where I collapsed in dramatic exhaustion. I was thankful for the cool breeze and the many gorgeous views along the way because that meant I could stop to take a picture and catch my breath. At the top of the mountain there are various smaller hills that you can climb to get a different view of the sea and the town of Yahiko. There is a restaurant that serves local dishes such as Oden (mushroom noodle soup), jumbo shiitake mushrooms, curry beans, and fresh seafood. The top of the mountain buzzed with the sound of mating dragonflies and people snapping pictures of the spectacular view.
Sabina and I climbed a smaller hill and found a peaceful viewpoint and just sat for awhile enjoying each other`s company in silent contentment (and from the exhausted feeling of accomplishment from completing our hike). We lost ourselves in the natural beauty and the endless distance of the horizon and ended up missing the train we wanted to catch. The next train wasn`t for another hour so we lazily made our way down the mountain (we took the rope way because we were tired and had to get back to the city in time for our dinner plans). We took our time looking through shops and taking pictures of the town. Once we were on the train, the adrenaline drained from our bodies and we were both almost lulled to sleep by the quiet rattle of the train vibrations.
Luckily we had our pay-day tradition of tabehoudai (all-you-can-eat) Yakiniku (BBQ) to look forward to. We finished our day with a dinner with a bunch of friends that came in to the city and had a few drinks at a local bar that has some amazing draft beers. At around midnight we got back to my place where our tired muscles ached for sleep.
I loved climbing Yahiko mountain, it was challenging, rewarding, beautiful, and one more thing to add to the list of things I love about Niigata. We decided we are going to go back to Yahiko in mid-November when all of the leaves turn a fiery red and visit Momoji Park which is filled with maple trees and is famous for koyo (red leaves).
This upcoming weekend we are going to have lunch with Geisha`s and then go out for Halloween. My friend Will is coming in from Sado Island, Morwa is coming from Sanjo, Shaun and Luke are coming from Niitsu, and Sabina is coming in from Kamo. It is going to be an amazing weekend. Oh, it is also my 25th birthday on Wednesday! Yikes...
 Last weekend Sabina and I decided to spend our long weekend in Tokyo. We had only been there once before when we first arrived in Japan but did not get to explore extensively as most of our time was taken up by seminars.
On the Shinkansen (bullet train) it only takes 2 hours to get to Tokyo Station. It is the more expensive option, but much faster than the overnight bus and in my opinion more convenient. If we were to take the overnight bus we would have arrived at 5am when nothing is open and you can`t even check into your hotel. This way we could arrive in Tokyo around 1030am and explore the entire day without being exhausted from the tedious bus ride. I think the overnight bus is a better option when you have connecting trains or flights from Tokyo Station early in the morning.
Okay, back to Tokyo. I remembered the first time I was on the Shinkansen, I was on my way to Niigata, nervous to start my new life and emotionally exhausted from homesickness. This time around, I was energized by the excitement of exploration and was confident in my ability to navigate through the city. The first time I walked through Tokyo Station it was a blur of people and everything was unfamiliar, but now we had a plan, we knew where we needed to go, and I realized that most things are written in Romaji or English. It was incredibly easy to use Tokyo`s metro and bus system because everything is in English and you can map out your route online with up to date schedules for transport times. I half expected us to get lost at least once but we found our way without any stress at all. Awesome!
As self-proclaimed shopping addicts, our first stop was the retail heaven district of Harajuku. Once we stepped off the platform we were immediately faced with hundreds of young Japanese kids in punk outfits, cosplay get-ups, and girls plastered in doll makeup. We knew we were in the right place. We headed down to Takeshita-Dori which is renowned for its shops and done up Harajuku girls. The stores were small and narrow, packed full of people trying to get a look at the goods. There were many stores we have in Canada like Forever 21 and H&M except these were 6 stories high and absolutely decked out. I was honestly too overwhelmed with all of the people that I didn`t feel like trying stuff on. I just people watched, which sounds creepy but there was just so much to see! I knew that there would be a lot of people but being in the middle of it all was a jolting experience. Personal space diminishes to skin to skin contact and everyone pushes and shoves to get through and politeness goes out the window as well. If someone bumps into you in Niigata, you are met with a thousand profuse apologies, sumimasen`s (excuse me), and gomen-nasai`s (sorry). In Tokyo, if you don`t move out of the way then you deserve to be trampled. There is also a lack of fresh air, it felt like the only air I could breathe was other people`s breath, it was stifling and uncomfortable.
Another thing that caught me by surprise was the presence of so many foreigners. After being in Niigata for so long it was odd to hear English conversations. In Niigata I am a novelty, people are always shocked when they find out I am a foreigner, in Tokyo they expect you to be a foreigner and no one speaks Japanese to you. There were moments when I forgot I was in Japan, I was surrounded by English speakers, shopping in Forever 21, and everything was written in English. I could have been in any big city. After awhile I needed a break from the shopping and the crowds. We decided to visit the Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park. In the middle of this bustling city there is a beautiful park filled with dense forests of bamboo and cherry trees and a gigantic shrine. When we turned the corner off of the busy street, we immediately felt calmed by the coolness of the shady trees and the quiet silence reserved for holy places. There were still a lot of people but no one was talking or pushing to get somewhere in a hurry. It was a lovely quiet moment and a serene reminder that we were in Japan. Afterwards, we decided to walk to the Shinjuku area but we found much of the same in terms of shopping and were growing tired of the crowds. We decided to check into our hotel around 5 and take a rejuvenating nap before we explored some more.
Our hotel was in the nightlife district of Roppongi. Once we had recharged our batteries we ventured out to find a place for dinner. Again we found that everyone spoke English and they were all trying to persuade us to eat at their restaurants. It was strange to be approached so much, when at home many people are too shy to talk to foreigners and most people don`t bother to compete for our business. We decided to follow our noises because that method has never failed us before. We stumbled upon a Vietnamese restaurant that was not only authentic but some of the most scrumptious Vietnamese fare that I have had in Japan. We delightfully filled our bellies, we were so hungry that when the food came we immediately ceased all conversation to eat. Can`t talk, must eat everything!
We walked around Roppongi but it was too early for the night clubs to start up so we decided to retire back to our hotel room after a long walk around our area. We felt like grannies going to bed at 1030pm on a Saturday night but we were absolutely pooped and we wanted to get an early start so we could have another full day of exploring.
The next morning we decided to check out the Shibuya area because we had read that it has many vintage shops and good tourist sites. It was raining so it was a bit cooler and less crowded than we expected. We visited the scramble crossing which is one of the top 10 things to see when you are in Japan. It was cool to see so many people converge onto a street at once and it was especially beautiful with all of the umbrellas. We visited a ton of vintage shops that were hidden on side streets and small upper floors of shady looking buildings. There are some amazing stores filled with truly vintage items, everything was super expensive because they were more antiques than typical vintage finds. I didn`t buy anything but it was so neat to check out what they had. The highlight of the day was when we went to a Cat Cafe. This one was so much nicer than the one in Niigata and the cats seemed so happy and energetic. We instantly felt calm and relaxed in the presence of our new furry friends and it was the perfect way to end the day. One thing that I found a bit irritating was that it was so busy in Tokyo that finding a place to eat lunch quickly is nearly impossible. Everywhere that looked interesting or even decent was lined up around the block. The only place we could go was McDonald`s and although neither of us wanted to eat it, that was our only option besides waiting over an hour for Japanese fare.
We boarded the Shinkansen back to Niigata and got back home around 10pm. The moment we got back we both noticed how fresh the air was, how much space there was, how wonderful the breeze felt, and how delicious the Japanese food was. We were so thankful to be home and were instantly energized by our new found appreciation for Niigata. We spent our holiday Monday having lunch with a bunch of friends, walking along the river and lazily enjoying the last days of the summer warmth. It was a perfect reminder of why we are lucky to call Niigata home.
Although Tokyo is an incredible metropolitan city filled with so many amazing sights, I am glad that I wasn`t placed there. I think it would be consuming and exhausting having to exist anonymously alone among masses of people. Part of why I love living in Niigata is that people know who I am or want to know who I am, and I can become part of a community and feel like I belong. I will always be fascinated by Tokyo and will frequently visit for concerts and big city events that I can`t get here, but I will always be grateful to come home to Niigata where life is slower and more peaceful.
I plan to visit Tokyo again for an amazing weekend indie rock show at the beginning of November. I am beyond excited to see some of my favourite bands perform. My next big trip after that will be to Kyoto at the end of November. We are planning to see the fantastic autumn foliage and go geisha sighting. This Tokyo trip was just the beginning of our Japan adventures!
 It has been a little over two months since I arrived in Japan, and as was expected, this time has been filled with a flurry of new information and experiences. This post will focus mainly on my growing love of Niigata because trying to fit in teaching, travel, and cultural experiences would be way too long.
Upon arriving in Niigata, I was surprised to see how industrial it is. For the most part the buildings are boxy and plain, and some are dilapidated and neglected with overgrown vines and rusty metal roofs. This was not the Japan that I had envisioned. In my mind, there would be quaint Japanese style houses with bonsai trees, beautiful gardens, and temples on every corner. I thought I would be able to go monk-spotting and geisha-watching on the weekends and look out onto vast green rice paddies in the evenings. Then I remembered that I asked to be placed in a city and that after a few days I would probably go mad from the silence and space of country living. I was hesitant to stray too far from home on my first attempts at exploring. I walked around my house and found nothing of great interest. I was a little disheartened because this seemed like an empty forgotten city filled with workers and offices instead of culture and community. Then one evening, I took my bike out for a ride to test the distance from my house to my main school. Along the way I discovered beautiful gardens, parks, and unexpected pockets of greenery that I had not seen through a bus or car window. That bike ride changed everything and I decided that every week on my half-day Fridays that I would ride my bike to a part of the city that I had never been to before. I found beautiful shrines, interesting art exhibits, a cat cafe, amazing restaurants, a peaceful river, a beach 10 minutes away from my house, and so much more, all on the seat of my bike.
I did some research and found that Niigata has a vibrant arts and culture scene and they are constantly holding events, and creating opportunities for artists in Niigata and Japan to showcase their work in museums and around the city. As part of an art initiative, the city commissioned art pieces to be built along the Shinano River to celebrate important landmarks of Niigata (the Shinano River and the Bandai Bridge). They created a gigantic bamboo hut that is every kid`s tree house dream, a multi-coloured glass gazebo called `the heart washer`, and there are more that I have yet to visit. The art museum brings in new exhibits every season, and the center for Performing Arts is an impressive building surrounded by cherry trees and serene sitting areas. Everywhere I ride there is something interesting to be discovered about this city. I like that its beauty is understated and places of interest are a little bit harder to find, it feels rewarding and surprisingly joyful when I stumble upon new discoveries and learn something new not only about Niigata but also how it is connected to the traditional Japanese culture that is treasured here.
 I was also looking for places to go see live music. I don`t know anything about Japanese music and wanted to see if there were places I could go to listen to local bands. Although I am stoked to go to Tokyo for those amazing indie rock shows I wanted to get my fill for live music so I don`t have to wait months until my next show. On my way to find a live house I stumbled upon a few bands playing outside of the train station in an open seating park. I decided to sit for awhile because the crowd was quite large so I thought it would be worth checking out. The bands were awesome and ranged from acoustic acts to full on rock bands! The atmosphere was relaxing and everyone was having a great time. The crowd became back up singers for the band and each band stayed to watch the next performers and chatted with the crowd. It was really cool. If I am ever bored on a weeknight, I can pop down to the station and sit in the park and listen to music, PERFECT! Apparently it is common for up and coming bands to put on impromptu shows outside the station every week.
 I also found this awesome district called Furumachi which is filled with cool vintage (furugiya) stores, restaurants and cafes. This area used to be the city`s vibrant hub but the youths have moved on to the Bandai area with all of the new fancy department stores and bars that opened up. Although I enjoy the shopping and nightlife of Bandai, Furumachi has an old city feel that compels curiosity. If you were to drive by, it would look like nothing more than a bunch of junk-tique shops, small restaurants and apartment buildings, but on foot or bicycle Furumachi transforms into a fantastic village of vintage style and forgotten history. There are shrines tucked away on side streets and hidden record stores in underground malls. I love it there!
 Some of the perks of living in the city is that I have lots of movie theaters, malls, karaoke bars and restaurants to try so I am never bored. Many of the other ALT`s come to visit the city to get away from rural living so I get a ton of visitors and its always an easy sell for them to come to me. My friend Sabina comes every weekend to get a taste for city life. I plan on visiting her in the country in a couple of weeks. We are going to go to the one Korean BBQ restaurant, the squirrel park, and a popular onsen. I am excited to see what her life is like in Kamo.
I thought that it would be difficult to meet people here because I do not speak Japanese and although I do spend most of my time with other foreigners I have found that the younger population are excited and willing to try to speak to me. Several times I have been out and when people realize I am not Japanese (even they can`t tell that I am not Japanese at first) they become very interested in me. I`ve gotta say, I feel pretty popular, the way people react to the things I tell them about myself, you would think I am the single most interesting person on the planet. I also often see my students out and about and they love chatting me up (even though they always pretend not to know English in class!). I have realized that I never have to feel alone, this city is full of people who I can talk to :)
Niigata has great cultural and art events as well as an interesting community and although it is a bit more difficult to get involved because I don`t speak Japanese I can still be a part of it through discovery and enjoyment. There are so many wicked places to be found here and each week Niigata seems a little bit smaller and more familiar. I am lucky to be here and I know it.
I am aware it has been awhile since my last post. There are a few reasons for my absence: 1) Teaching has picked up and I find myself with loads of marking and nights filled with creating games and activities by hand (because there is ZERO technology in the schools) 2) I have dedicated my weekends and evenings to making new friends and trying new things and 3) I found that when I was able to connect with people back home everyday via text, Instagram, and video chat, I became extremely homesick at first and I was overwhelmed by the incomplete feeling of being connected without the tangible fulfillment of actually experiencing things with loved ones. After I got my phone I was in a strange limbo between both Calgary and Japan but I was not truly living in either. Instead of blogging, I checked Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to see what was happening in Calgary and at first it felt comforting but it quickly turned to yearning. When I first arrived in Japan, I wrote everyday because I was all alone, disconnected, and forced to really live this life. I didn`t realize it at first, but I was getting used to the disconnect and was starting to find enriching ways to create a life here. When I first got my phone I suppose I didn`t feel like writing because I wasn`t fully experiencing this life anymore, and it is hard to write about something that your heart isn`t really into (at least it is for me).
Now, I am finding a balance between being connected to people at home and focusing on building my life here. My excuse for not writing has changed from avoidance to just being busy. I am happy to say that I am settling in quite nicely and the more that I explore this city the more I am falling in love with it. Niigata is the perfect city for me in so many ways (which I will talk about in my next few posts). I have found a wonderful group of friends, I am making a ton of travel plans, I am getting involved in Japanese hobbies, and I am learning to make space in my heart for both homes.
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