Okay, so at this point, I have been five times so far; one time in January and Sat/Sun of the first two weekends of February. This weekend will only be Sunday because the Naked Man Festival in Okayama is going down - 9,000 guys in loin clothes fighting over blessed sticks. Can`t miss it ;)
But, what I wanted to comment on now is the Mascots of the ski-jou(s). On the way back from Snowboarding one day, I saw the sign for all the ski-jou at Hachibuse. Next to all the names were pictures of animals. I didn`t quite get it until I saw a skier dressed in a huge frog costume over on Tohachi. I actually got a picture with the frog. And then last weekend, I saw another skier in a tiger costume on the Sky Valley side. The same day I also saw a snowboarder in a Gundam suit, which was definitely the coolest of the three. He had the shield on his left arm and a big toy gun on his right. And then he crashed, lol. Funny thing is, I think the Gundam guy was not part of either ski-jou but just some random person who goes snowboarding in full-out Halloween costume....
Only in Japan
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Sasayama Boar Festival
ささやま いのしし まつり
One of the more recently created yearly festivals (only 7 years old or so), the Sasayama wild boar matsuri is definitely a must-go if you live in Hyogo. Traveling from further away is maybe not worth it, unless you really enjoy いのしし. This year it was held during the last weekend in January and I assume it is usually around the same time every year. The event was on Sasayama castle grounds and there was plenty of parking (200Y).
What to do:
Eat Wild Boar
-There are many stands set up that sell a variety of wild boar dishes, including boar onigiri, oden, burger, croquettes and straight-up barbecued boar meat.
-Maybe your only opportunity to see a whole boar being roasted on a spit in Kansai area.
-There are also many boar shaped cookies and other souvenir type snacks.
Watch いのしし Race
- During the day, there are three races. This year, I think they were at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
- Three smaller boars are put into a 50-meter stretch of "track" and first one to the end wins.
- Bets open 30 mins before each race.
Interesting Notes:
- The タンバーガー (たんば + バーガー) is the wild boar burger that is the specialty. I guess it was all the rage last year and the 1,000 available burgers sold out quickly. However, the boar roast I guess was new and attracted the majority of the crowd this year.
- After the meat is all gone from the roasted boars, the bones are given away for free (some still have good amounts of meat on them...)
- I think the two losing boars subsequently get roasted because there were two boars on the spit after the first race...
- If you are an animal activist or member of PETA, you might not like what you see.
Overall, a fun stop-through. Definitely not an entire day`s worth of adventure, but definitely worth enjoying for an hour or two. The food was really really good. I had the boar oden and タンバーガー, as well as buying some boar cookies and break shaped like boar for my host family in Hirakata. Watch out for the bread though. It was supposed to be filled with black bean paste, but only had one black bean as an eye (Tamba area is known for the sweet black beans, also very good).
Oh, yea. And I walked away with a souvenir of my own: the left over roasted boar`s head. Maybe I will boil it and mount it to the grill of my car...
Only in Japan
One of the more recently created yearly festivals (only 7 years old or so), the Sasayama wild boar matsuri is definitely a must-go if you live in Hyogo. Traveling from further away is maybe not worth it, unless you really enjoy いのしし. This year it was held during the last weekend in January and I assume it is usually around the same time every year. The event was on Sasayama castle grounds and there was plenty of parking (200Y).
What to do:
Eat Wild Boar
-There are many stands set up that sell a variety of wild boar dishes, including boar onigiri, oden, burger, croquettes and straight-up barbecued boar meat.
-Maybe your only opportunity to see a whole boar being roasted on a spit in Kansai area.
-There are also many boar shaped cookies and other souvenir type snacks.
Watch いのしし Race
- During the day, there are three races. This year, I think they were at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
- Three smaller boars are put into a 50-meter stretch of "track" and first one to the end wins.
- Bets open 30 mins before each race.
Interesting Notes:
- The タンバーガー (たんば + バーガー) is the wild boar burger that is the specialty. I guess it was all the rage last year and the 1,000 available burgers sold out quickly. However, the boar roast I guess was new and attracted the majority of the crowd this year.
- After the meat is all gone from the roasted boars, the bones are given away for free (some still have good amounts of meat on them...)
- I think the two losing boars subsequently get roasted because there were two boars on the spit after the first race...
- If you are an animal activist or member of PETA, you might not like what you see.
Overall, a fun stop-through. Definitely not an entire day`s worth of adventure, but definitely worth enjoying for an hour or two. The food was really really good. I had the boar oden and タンバーガー, as well as buying some boar cookies and break shaped like boar for my host family in Hirakata. Watch out for the bread though. It was supposed to be filled with black bean paste, but only had one black bean as an eye (Tamba area is known for the sweet black beans, also very good).
Oh, yea. And I walked away with a souvenir of my own: the left over roasted boar`s head. Maybe I will boil it and mount it to the grill of my car...
Only in Japan
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| Tamba-ga |
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| Inoshishi Oden |
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| Boar cookies - omiyage |
Teacher Work Schedule
One thing that is confusing to many foreigners is the Japanese work schedule. Not only in the school system, but in other occupations as well, it seems that ALL Japanese people are workaholics. Putting other occupations aside at the moment, let me explain something I learned this week over lunch at one of my favorite restaurants (Kappa Sushi) about why teachers "work" so much.
First of all, Japanese teachers DO have regularly set 40-hour work weeks. For instance, teachers at my one school are required to be at school at 8:30am and may leave at 5pm. There is a 45 minute lunch break. Hence, a 7 hour 45 minute working day (multiplied by 5 days per week = ~ 40hr work week). At my other school, I believe the day begins at 8:10am and "finishes" at 4:40pm. However, I cannot be sure because NO teacher leaves at that time.
Teachers do not leave school at the end of the work day because of club activities. I knew from earlier this year that club activities took up as much time as actually teaching, but I never understood the requirement or reason for being a club adviser until now.
So, at the end of the year, a paper is given to every teacher to make year-end comments and write down vacation days, etc. On this sheet, there is a place to put what club a teacher would like to volunteer to advise. The teacher writes his top three choices for the club(s) he wants to volunteer to advise. Now, the key word is "volunteer", which I actually do not think exists in the Japanese vocabulary or there must be some kind of translation error. If the teacher does not want to volunteer and leaves that section blank, the paper is returned with the vice-principal saying, "You forgot to fill out this section...".
Okay, so to volunteer to be a club adviser is mandatory, but does that mean the teacher MUST stay after the scheduled work day? Technically, no. However, there are several reasons as to why a teacher would "volunteer" to stay at school. First, at some level in every person, there is a sense of responsibility to the community and the students. The advisers are not only coaches but mentors, and often students will join the club activity that his/her homeroom teacher advises. However, even if the teacher does not have a sense moral responsibility, he could be held responsible if anything happens to the students; this pertains mostly to the sports clubs. For example, if the students are practicing and someone breaks a leg but the coach is not there to help him, he will be accountable later. The VP or Principle might say, "Why were you not watching over the students` activities? You did write that you wanted to volunteer to advise, right?" I am not sure as to the level of punishment for an absent teacher (being fired?), but, in Japan, shame itself governs as the whip.
In the end, aside from the 40-hr teaching work week, many teachers end up staying at school until 6:30-7pm every day (+10-15 hrs/week) as well as sometimes having to commit Saturdays and Sundays to club activities as well. Sometimes daikyuu is given for working during the weekend, but exactly when and how daikyuu is accumulated and able to be used by Japanese teachers is still unknown to me...that will be my next research project, lol.
Forced volunteerism, which could extend the work week from 40 to upwards of 60 hours per week....
Only in Japan
First of all, Japanese teachers DO have regularly set 40-hour work weeks. For instance, teachers at my one school are required to be at school at 8:30am and may leave at 5pm. There is a 45 minute lunch break. Hence, a 7 hour 45 minute working day (multiplied by 5 days per week = ~ 40hr work week). At my other school, I believe the day begins at 8:10am and "finishes" at 4:40pm. However, I cannot be sure because NO teacher leaves at that time.
Teachers do not leave school at the end of the work day because of club activities. I knew from earlier this year that club activities took up as much time as actually teaching, but I never understood the requirement or reason for being a club adviser until now.
So, at the end of the year, a paper is given to every teacher to make year-end comments and write down vacation days, etc. On this sheet, there is a place to put what club a teacher would like to volunteer to advise. The teacher writes his top three choices for the club(s) he wants to volunteer to advise. Now, the key word is "volunteer", which I actually do not think exists in the Japanese vocabulary or there must be some kind of translation error. If the teacher does not want to volunteer and leaves that section blank, the paper is returned with the vice-principal saying, "You forgot to fill out this section...".
Okay, so to volunteer to be a club adviser is mandatory, but does that mean the teacher MUST stay after the scheduled work day? Technically, no. However, there are several reasons as to why a teacher would "volunteer" to stay at school. First, at some level in every person, there is a sense of responsibility to the community and the students. The advisers are not only coaches but mentors, and often students will join the club activity that his/her homeroom teacher advises. However, even if the teacher does not have a sense moral responsibility, he could be held responsible if anything happens to the students; this pertains mostly to the sports clubs. For example, if the students are practicing and someone breaks a leg but the coach is not there to help him, he will be accountable later. The VP or Principle might say, "Why were you not watching over the students` activities? You did write that you wanted to volunteer to advise, right?" I am not sure as to the level of punishment for an absent teacher (being fired?), but, in Japan, shame itself governs as the whip.
In the end, aside from the 40-hr teaching work week, many teachers end up staying at school until 6:30-7pm every day (+10-15 hrs/week) as well as sometimes having to commit Saturdays and Sundays to club activities as well. Sometimes daikyuu is given for working during the weekend, but exactly when and how daikyuu is accumulated and able to be used by Japanese teachers is still unknown to me...that will be my next research project, lol.
Forced volunteerism, which could extend the work week from 40 to upwards of 60 hours per week....
Only in Japan
All-school Marathon
This happened last Friday. Keep in mind, it is the middle of winter. Normal day activities were keeping me busy at work when I noticed that all the teachers were eating lunch about 1.5 hours earlier than normal. So I asked a JTE what was going on. He told me that everyone was getting ready for the marathon. Of course, being left out of the loop until last minute as usual (not that I mind), I was unsure what he meant. He told me that the students would be running in the annual school marathon.
Still not sure what he really meant by THE students, I went home quickly to grab my lunch (and my camera) and then back to school. By the time I got back, the teachers and students were all gone except for a few 3rd grade teachers. The 3rd grade students have already finished school and are at home "preparing" for college entrance exams and graduation in March. Anyhow, I got a ride from a 3rd grade teacher over to Mori Kouen, where the marathon was to take place.
When I arrived, I see ALL the students in their gym clothes. Luckily, for them, it was actually a nice day. There was heavy snow the day before, but the sun was out now and the snow on the roads had melted. So, ALL the 1st & 2nd year students (~500 students) were in shorts and t-shirts and waiting (IN WINTER) to start the marathon. The run was supposed to be 7.2 kilometers, which I can imagine wouldn`t be a problem for the more athletic kids, but what about guitar club and cooking club people?
I was asked if I wanted to join. Of course I said, "No sank you."
The boys and girls were separated and the boys took off first, with the girls following a couple mins after. I have a video (I think I will put it on youtube), so check it out if you want to see a flood of Japanese students being forced to run over 4 miles.
Some interesting notes:
- The first boy out of the gate and around the turn is on the T&F team. He finished 124th. Afterward, I asked him what happened. He responded 「まちがいった」, which means "I made a mistake." P.S. He is a sprinter.
- The T&F distance runners (boys and girls) all came in the first several spots.
- I called out, in my head, which boy would be last. I was right. Until the end. Somehow he got up to 2nd to last.
- EVERY student made it to the end.
Can you imagine this taking place in the U.S.? At my high school, there would have been a student body uprising and we, in turn, would have forced the teachers to run in our stead. And, if the students were made to run, half of us would not make it to the end.
The emphasis on discipline and conformity in education here continues to amaze me...
Only in Japan
Still not sure what he really meant by THE students, I went home quickly to grab my lunch (and my camera) and then back to school. By the time I got back, the teachers and students were all gone except for a few 3rd grade teachers. The 3rd grade students have already finished school and are at home "preparing" for college entrance exams and graduation in March. Anyhow, I got a ride from a 3rd grade teacher over to Mori Kouen, where the marathon was to take place.
When I arrived, I see ALL the students in their gym clothes. Luckily, for them, it was actually a nice day. There was heavy snow the day before, but the sun was out now and the snow on the roads had melted. So, ALL the 1st & 2nd year students (~500 students) were in shorts and t-shirts and waiting (IN WINTER) to start the marathon. The run was supposed to be 7.2 kilometers, which I can imagine wouldn`t be a problem for the more athletic kids, but what about guitar club and cooking club people?
I was asked if I wanted to join. Of course I said, "No sank you."
The boys and girls were separated and the boys took off first, with the girls following a couple mins after. I have a video (I think I will put it on youtube), so check it out if you want to see a flood of Japanese students being forced to run over 4 miles.
Some interesting notes:
- The first boy out of the gate and around the turn is on the T&F team. He finished 124th. Afterward, I asked him what happened. He responded 「まちがいった」, which means "I made a mistake." P.S. He is a sprinter.
- The T&F distance runners (boys and girls) all came in the first several spots.
- I called out, in my head, which boy would be last. I was right. Until the end. Somehow he got up to 2nd to last.
- EVERY student made it to the end.
Can you imagine this taking place in the U.S.? At my high school, there would have been a student body uprising and we, in turn, would have forced the teachers to run in our stead. And, if the students were made to run, half of us would not make it to the end.
The emphasis on discipline and conformity in education here continues to amaze me...
Only in Japan
Sky Valley and Tohachi Hyperbowl Overview - Hyogo Prefecture
Location: Sky Valley / Tohachi Hyperbowl (Hyogo Prefecture, Hachibuse mountain)
About two hours north-west of Tamba is Hachibuse mountain. Sky Valley (SV) and Tohachi Hyperbowl (TH) are two separate ski slopes that are connected. Purchasing a ticket to either ski-jo will give access to both. There are also many other "resorts" on Hachibuse, Hachi-Kita / Hachi-Kogen being the most well-known, but, at this time, I only know SV / TH. From Tamba, a short stretch of highway (300Y) and then normal roads are used; though if you are good with a GPS, a series of non-main roads can be taken to bypass the traffic. Make sure to get to the slopes early to find parking (1000Y M-F / 1500Y S&S @ SV).
Sky Valley: SV hours of operation are 8am to 4pm, though lifts run usually up until 4:30pm. There are a variety of slopes (maybe 10 runs in total), a half-pipe, and a small terrain park (one box, one rail, and three jumps). With maybe 5-6 lifts, it takes three to get to the top-top. To go from the highest point back down to the very bottom might take 10-15 minutes without stopping. The only "difficult" runs are the two leading down from the top - these can be used to take refuge from the congestion of beginner boarders...
Tohachi Hyperbowl: TH hours of operation are normally the same as SV, though an early morning ticket, as well as night skiing is offered for extra (I am not sure of prices or times). TH is about the same size as SV, though, at a glance, it seems larger. In the upper-half, all of the wooded areas have since been cleared away and, I assume, the ski-jo gets its name from a large bowl-shaped concave that forms the area right below the very top (people that have been there, please use your imaginations...). Being so open, the upper runs seem not to be crowded, but the presence of the crowd is felt towards the very bottom, where the runs split off to reach the bottom-right and bottom-left lifts. In total, I think there are again 5-6 lifts and maybe 10 runs or so, which connect the top to bottom in about 10 minutes without stops. Though there is not a terrain park, there are many (more than SV) opportunities for jumps and off-course runs (just have to find them or make them yourself...). Last thing I want to note about TH, and probably the coolest, is that much of the upper-half of the area is not groomed. So, even though it is not Nagano, after a good snow, open areas of fresh powder are available.
Prices, and other info, can be seen on the main web pages here below:
Sky Valley http://www.skyvalley.jp/
Tohachi Hyperbowl http://www.tohachi.jp/
Overall, SV & TH are decent slopes and more than what I expected from Hyogo prefecture. Definitely more than what is available in Ohio, but not quite as large when compared to other ski resorts I have been to in Nagano, West Virginia, NY or Vermont. So far, I have been once in Jan. 2012 and twice in Feb., but I bought a one month pass for this month, so I expect to go every weekend here on out :)
Only in Japan
About two hours north-west of Tamba is Hachibuse mountain. Sky Valley (SV) and Tohachi Hyperbowl (TH) are two separate ski slopes that are connected. Purchasing a ticket to either ski-jo will give access to both. There are also many other "resorts" on Hachibuse, Hachi-Kita / Hachi-Kogen being the most well-known, but, at this time, I only know SV / TH. From Tamba, a short stretch of highway (300Y) and then normal roads are used; though if you are good with a GPS, a series of non-main roads can be taken to bypass the traffic. Make sure to get to the slopes early to find parking (1000Y M-F / 1500Y S&S @ SV).
Sky Valley: SV hours of operation are 8am to 4pm, though lifts run usually up until 4:30pm. There are a variety of slopes (maybe 10 runs in total), a half-pipe, and a small terrain park (one box, one rail, and three jumps). With maybe 5-6 lifts, it takes three to get to the top-top. To go from the highest point back down to the very bottom might take 10-15 minutes without stopping. The only "difficult" runs are the two leading down from the top - these can be used to take refuge from the congestion of beginner boarders...
Tohachi Hyperbowl: TH hours of operation are normally the same as SV, though an early morning ticket, as well as night skiing is offered for extra (I am not sure of prices or times). TH is about the same size as SV, though, at a glance, it seems larger. In the upper-half, all of the wooded areas have since been cleared away and, I assume, the ski-jo gets its name from a large bowl-shaped concave that forms the area right below the very top (people that have been there, please use your imaginations...). Being so open, the upper runs seem not to be crowded, but the presence of the crowd is felt towards the very bottom, where the runs split off to reach the bottom-right and bottom-left lifts. In total, I think there are again 5-6 lifts and maybe 10 runs or so, which connect the top to bottom in about 10 minutes without stops. Though there is not a terrain park, there are many (more than SV) opportunities for jumps and off-course runs (just have to find them or make them yourself...). Last thing I want to note about TH, and probably the coolest, is that much of the upper-half of the area is not groomed. So, even though it is not Nagano, after a good snow, open areas of fresh powder are available.
Prices, and other info, can be seen on the main web pages here below:
Sky Valley http://www.skyvalley.jp/
Tohachi Hyperbowl http://www.tohachi.jp/
Overall, SV & TH are decent slopes and more than what I expected from Hyogo prefecture. Definitely more than what is available in Ohio, but not quite as large when compared to other ski resorts I have been to in Nagano, West Virginia, NY or Vermont. So far, I have been once in Jan. 2012 and twice in Feb., but I bought a one month pass for this month, so I expect to go every weekend here on out :)
Only in Japan
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