Kimono 101 Dating the Yakuza Hong Kong Ramen - HyogoAJET

HYOGO TIMES486June 2010ContentsMessagesfrom the Editors .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3HT Online. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4from the PR.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Regular FeaturesAwaji Dispatch .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Book Discoveries.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Love and Relationships. . . . . . . . . 8Japanese Riddle of the Month.. . 9Maigo in Hyogo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Culture: Kimono 101.. . . . . . . . . . . 10Photography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Travel Japan.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Getting to know Random JETs.. 24I Heart T-Points .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Ramentary .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Recipe: Madeleines. . . . . . . . . . . . 29English Sensei Spirit .. . . . . . . . . . 30Features40th Kobe Matsuri.. . . . . . . . . . . . 16Inside JET.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18A Perfect Day for PEPY. . . . . . . . . 20Focus on This Play, This Moment. . 22Hyogo Times StaffEditors: Esperanza Urbaezand Emily LemmonDesign Editor:Jaclyn ThreadgillCover: Esperanza UrbaezContributors:Jonathan Cooper, Caitlin Orr,Rika Sawatsky, Paul Schuble,Raena Mina, Noelle Hollister,Lauren McRae, Anipare, ShellieBee, Emma Nicoletti, Ryan Parker,Len Krygsman IV, Eric Lord, LydiaEberly, Alvin Q.T. Tran, Travis Love,J J Cappa, Andrew Tamashiro,Matthew Stott, Alvin TranAll JETs in Hyogo areencouraged to send inarticles, musings, poetry,prose and any ideas toimprove the Hyogo Timesfor the betterment of theHyogo JET community.Submit by the 15th of eachmonth to: publications@hyogo.ajet.nethttp://hyogoajet.net/wiki/Hyogo_TimesWe’re also on Facebook!Dear Hyogo,MESSAGE FROm THE EDITORSDear faithful HyogoTimes fans,It’s already summer! I hopeyou are enjoying every minuteof 2010. For those not-so-wonderfulmoments please readand enjoy this issue. I am sureit will cheer you up!For a good chuckle read Paul’sgreat riddle. Feeling bored?Pick up a new book and/or movie recommended byJJ and Caitlin. Need a new adventure? Try Lauren’stravel tips for Tokyo or be lured to Awaji by Jonathanwith his love for pinsuyaki. For those who seek adventurein love, Rika has the scoop on dating the Yakuza.Are your taste buds craving and not raving? Be a palto your buds, try Travis’ delectable dishes or noodlethrough Hong Kong like Andrew did this past GoldenI’m not obsessed with the weather, really, I’m not.It’s just that I live in what amounts to a very sturdytent, and I have to walk to and wait on buses, and theweather gets into my life. Also, I am turning Japanese,and must open any correspondence with my reflectionon the current season.“It’s hot, isn’t it!” said the checkout lady at JUSCO as Icounted my coins. A week ago, everyone was saying“It’s cold!” I missed out on the “It’s pleasantly cool,don’t you think?” and the “It’s getting warm at last!”“Yeah, it feels like summer,” I stated, which was true.She agreed, then took it back.“No.. first comes the rain. Then it will be summer.”The rain?I have been told that Japan has four seasons (no, really).Others have said five. “The month of June has alot of rain,” my VP told me (in English). “I don’t like itbecause the floors get all wet and dirty.”My first thoughts when three straight days of rainlast August had my VP calling my house and tellingme to stay home from some of my first days of workwere, isn’t there a whole rainy season? How does threedays of rain wreak this much havoc?Week. Need some new digs and lesson plans? Go traditionaland work the kimono as suggested by Raenaand try out a new activity provided by Matt. Youshould wear a kimono while teaching!We also reminisce about the awesome events we haveorganized and participated in like the Hyogo PEPYride, the Tigers game, and the Kobe festival. Be sureto check out the amazing photography by Jaclyn andNoelle.Please enjoy all we have to offer and if you haveanything to offer us our Hyogo Times hands are wideopen.Ever genki,EpiThen, last week, classes were cancelled for ‘too muchrain.’ As much as I enjoy gazing upon the overfilledrivers, the verdant green of the well-fed mountainsidefoliage, and free time at my desk without internet,I’m not sure how to feel about this impendingrainy season.I hope you are without roof leaks or window issues.But outside of that, I find myself wondering whatthere is to do. My best guess is to reach for a goodbook (see page 9 ) or rent a few good movies (page 27),or just kick back and read the Times. On those raredays of sunshine, be sure to get your doses of bothexploration/travel and vitamin D.Far as I can see, it’s already begun. But that’s enabledme to spend some time chilling out at home or in mywork desk, just editing articles, happy as a little snailmunching on someone’s garden plants.Speaking of which… If anyone knows a way to deterthose little buggers, please write in and let me know.I am overcome with murderous rage and the desireto CRUSH SNAIL every time I peel one off my patheticlittle garden. Murderous rage can’t be a healthy thingto feel so frequently, even (especially?) in a month fullof rain and short on national holidays. がまんしよう!Assuredly,Lemmon2 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 3

HT ONLINEMESSAGE FROm THE PRLetter from theOnline EditorHey everyone, I’m JonathanShalfi, and I’m the newOnline Editor for the HyogoTimes! As Online Editor I willbe in charge of everything thathas to do with the web - websites,postings, PDFs, and someassorted small stuff. I’d like totell you a little about what I’mworking on and some of thechanges going on with HyogoTimes and National AJET.Right now, Hyogo Times existsas a PDF file emailed to membersof a group list each month.What this means is that fewpeople outside the Hyogo JETcommunity are reading it, andeven some members withinaren’t because they don’t havethe time to browse through anentire PDF. The Hyogo Timesis full of great articles, stories,and photos, so it’s a shamethat so few people are readingit. This is why we decided tobuild a real website for HyogoTimes - Hyogo Times online,if you will! There are manybenefits which will come outof this. First and foremost, byhaving content at an easy tofind and easy to use website,more people will be readingour paper. Instead of having toread through a PDF, you’ll beable to browse quickly throughwhatever articles strike yourinterest. Or let’s say there’san article you’d like to sharewith a friend - this way you’llbe able to send a link, easy asthat. Blogs will be able to linkto or feature our content, andsearch engines will pick up ourarticles for all to find. Beyondthis, there are a lot of practicalitieswhich may not be soapparent. The Hyogo Times isa great resource in its teachingadvice, travel columns, recipes,etc, so by having all our back issuesindexed on a website it’llbe easy to find useful information.Let’s say you’re looking fora place to travel to or an ideafor ESS - all you’ll have to do isclick the appropriate categoryto get a list of the articles youwant. Or do a search. I’ve onlyjust started working on the siteso there’s not much to see now,but I’ll give you an update innext month’s issue.I’d like to stress one thingthough, which is that the newwebsite is not intended toreplace our current format ofproducing PDFs. A big part ofwhat makes Hyogo Times sogreat is its beautiful layout -the cover art, illustrations andpage design, which cannot betransferred to a website.The second big thing going onhas to do with National AJET.As of now, each prefecture’sAJET chapter is doing theirown thing with their magazines.That’s why NationalAJET is putting together a sortof portal website to help JETs(and anyone, for that matter)access content from everypublication. It’ll be like a bestof, a single place to catch up onwhat’s going on in other areas,and to read articles written byJETs all over Japan. The site isin its infancy now, and neitherthe name of it nor its formathave been decided upon. I’llkeep you posted.The new Hyogo Times andNational AJET sites are still awhile away, but in the meantimeyou can check out the redesignedHyogo Times page onthe wiki (http://www.hyogoajet.net/wiki/Hyogo_Times)todownload back issues. Rightnow we have issues postedback to March 2007, but I’ll beuploading a few more sooncourtesy of Jeff Krengel, a formerHyogo JET who very nicelysent me some old issues he hadstashed on his computer.Before I go, I’d like to make onerequest. Let’s not forget thatthe best way to share things ispersonally, through the peoplewe know. Make it a goal thismonth to find one person suchas a JTE or friend who’s interestedin reading the HyogoTimes, and send them a PDF ora link to the wiki site. It won’ttake more than a minute!Hi.Goran gave me and SarahLewis a nice welcome to thePR seat last month, but I’d liketo note that since then DavidNam has been added to ourgroup to complete the HyogoAJET PR trifecta. Applause, applause.Showering applause.And, Eric Lord has been giventhe title of events coordinator.And, Sarah or Len is the treasurer,I think.Some things seem like theydon’t really have a concreteform in the AJET world andhave yet to be decided orwhatever. But we would liketo, I think, get some moreinvolvement and stuff going,create a billion positions, andget Hyogo together more: JETshanging out with JETs, Japanesepeople, or other foreigntypes around here. Will youemail us? If you want to, pleaseemail us, participate freely.For one thing, we’d like to hearany thoughts you have on improvingthe mid-year seminar.We have some time to prepareand present our thoughts in advancethis year. We’re discussingpolls, questionnaires andwhatever to distribute betweenus now, but really any inputyou have is very much valued.If you have anything to say I reallyam interested in hearing itso email us or contact us in anyother way with any commentsor ideas that you have. I justwant to put that out there now.Anyway, soon July will be here,and there are some prettycool things I am just going tolist off briefly, Taj Ultimate(teams have been decided.Sarah is playing with Nara.You can/ should go as a spectator),and on the same July 4 thweekend there is this beachparty in Tottori that peoplekeep saying they are going tonever do again and maybe theynever will do it again, or maybethey’ll do it next year! AnywayI want to go.But after that, we’re hostingour first event ourselves asAJET PR people…July 18 th , atSuma Beach, we want to haveour own beach party. Pleasecome with us and have fun.There is a Facebook page.Weren’t you invited? You wereinvited. Please buy Sarah awatermelon.Peace out.AndrewBrasher4 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 5

Awaji DISPATCHBy Jonathan “Ruggles” CooperJuly’s Reason Awaji Kicks Ass (Festive Edition):Summer. The plants are greenagain, the air is startingto thicken with moisture toa Jello-like consistency, giantbugs are being lured back to theisland by the siren song of 6inch tall Polynesian girls. Yep,summer. When a young man’sfancy lightly turns to thoughtsof matsuri.I’m sure matsuri are prettynice all across this great nation.Various fried foods,goldfish with 6 hour life spans,public intoxication. But y’allare missing out on the thingthat makes matsuri so veryspecial here on the ‘waj. Pinsuyaki.It’s like if gushers were apastry. The way the uncookedbatter explodes to burn theinsides of your mouth, theway the lines are irritatinglylong, the irrational sense ofpride we Awajians take in oursignature confection. Yes folks,pinsuyaki.To put it simply, pinsuyakiis deliberately undercookedbaby castella, those boringPinsuyakilittle cakes that come out ofa thing that looks like a gianttakoyaki grill with a lid. Butthey become anything butboring when they are full ofhot, custard-y batter. Man ohman… pinsuyaki. This batterissue doesn’t seem like muchof a distinction, you may besaying to yourselves. I can’t seehow something so terrible andboring can become somethingso delicious just by adjustingthe cooking time. To you I sayplease, come dine with me… inyour mind…Let’s say we are going to afancy steak restaurant (ofwhich we have no shortagehere, but that’s not the pointright now). You order a niceAwaji porterhouse with sidesof scalloped potatoes and hollandaisesauced asparagus.And you order it well done.You see the waiter flinch, theother patrons turn up theirnoses. Because really, who ordersa fine steak cooked welldone? You’ve just ruined it. Itwill be dry, lifeless… boring.That steak is your mainlandbaby castella. Where’s theflavor? Where’s the sense ofadventure? If, however, youare the kind of person whoknows how steak is done (andnot with A1) you’d be orderingit rare. Still moving rare.Rare like pinsuyaki rare.Don’t call it a lack of patiencethat leads us to undercook ourbaby castella. We’ve got patiencein abundance. after all,things move at a slower paceon the island. Think of it moreas divine inspiration. Like ifMoses came down from MtRokko with two sheets of metalliberally sprinkled with divots.We all know what the bestpart of baking a cake is, right?Not the finished product, butthe snuck batter- licks duringthe process. It’s the journey,folks, not the destination! Andwhat’s a better leisurely strollthan a baby castella filled withhot batter!So at your next mainland matsuri,when you take a bite outof a baby castella and questionthe will of a god who wouldput such a boring and stupidtreat on the face of the Earth,just remember that you aren’tthat far from a better place. Aland of sublime beauty, of storiedhistory, and of great summertimematsuri treats. Yes,friends. That place is Awaji.Where the grass truly is alwaysgreener and the snacks trulyare runnier.•Jonathan Ruggles ReportingLittle, BigBy John CrowleyIt was not so much a book as anatmosphere. I was completelyenveloped in the world of thisnovel; sometimes I couldn’t tellwhat was ‘real’ and what was‘imaginary’. This was until Istopped trying to find a separationand just marinated in the book.It became, in this way, quite anexistential read. Surrendering theurge to define what’s “really happening”and what’s going on in the“dream world” was quite provocativeand ultimately rewarding as areader, you begin to discover thatthere may not be that large of aseparation at all.I must be very forthright: I haveyet to finish this book. I havepurposefully set it aside to read afew pages at times when I need toimmerse myself in simple imagination.It was not for any reasonother than that I truly didn’t wantthis book to end. So, I am stretchingit out with me into the monthsahead, a few pages here and there.Of course, the time will comewhen I will have to set it downafter its conclusion, but I thinkI may just smile, fulfilled, andturn it back to its cover and startagain.Little, Big is first and foremost afantasy; an epic story that blursthe lines wherever it can, perhapsnot always on purpose. It hasbeen described as a 20 th centuryfairytale and I do believe it is justthat. The story follows generationsof the Drinkwater family andtheir connection to their countryhome, Edgewood. There are cities,faeries, love, death, magic, tarotcards, a talking fish…..and theBook DiscoveriesBy Caitlin Orrmagic only just begins there. Itfollows the family Drinkwaterthrough their lives at Edgewood,with sons and daughters beingmentioned and then becomingparents themselves. The homeitself could have an entire noveldedicated to describing its eccentricities;essentially it is a singlehouse made up of several differentlystyled homes. It was createdas an all-in-one masterpiece, withseveral “front doors” that all mergetogether to form Edgewood.I have read up on other reviewsof this book, finding out about theallegories and inspiration for someof the happenings, but I will leavethat to your own discretion if youwant to discover more within thebook. Its layers are truly profound– it has been considered by manyauthors to be an unsung masterpiece.I think what you most needfor equipment when it comes toLittle, Big is openness, a sense ofawe, and the family tree on thefirst page (trust me, this will comein handy). I often flipped back tofind out how people were relatedto each other, and I suspect thatthere is an underlying theme tothese connections and what playsout in each character’s’ life, correspondingto their heritage.There were so manydelightful characters to play withtoo; many of them had these reallyquirky names like Auberon, AuntCloud, Smoky, and Daily Alice.There is also the sense that nothingis wasted, there is a purposefor each part of the story youunfold. The book’s layout is alsounique, some chapters lasting forpages and others just a paragraph.One chapter in particularmade me smile. It was titled “TheFolding Bedroom” and was just afew pages long. My assumptionsabout the chapter titles at thispoint were almost involuntaryand I quickly imagined a magicalbedroom that would just fold itselfup at your whim as if to fit intoMary Poppin’s purse. If you get tothis chapter, I hope you too willpay special attention to what “TheFolding Bedroom” reveals, as itmade me smile when I discoveredthe magic of a play on words.Essentially, Little, Big is a book thatfills you with a kind of pleasantlonging. For me, it was a yearningfor the magic I sometimes can feelaround me, but often rememberas being an essential part of mychildhood.I appreciated that the book wasn’ta commentary on the loss of innocence,but rather the manifestationof these characters acceptedtruths in life. If I were in chargeof the world, I would put Little,Big on my ‘must read’ list. Sincethis is not the way of the times, Iwill instead consider it a presentto anyone who needs a little moresparkle in their life.•6 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 7

Love and RelationshipsDating theYakuzaBy Rika Sawatskyhave a couple of friends whoI were involved with the Yakuzain the past—one who dated amiddle-rank member of an inakagang and another who dated oneof the higher-ups in Osaka. Theseare some of their memories.The women who are not scaredoff by the fleets of black RollsRoyces, intricate tattoos, and theoccasional missing fingers quicklybecome addicted to the Yakuza.The adrenaline rush of being partof something so risqué, wheremoney overflows and everybodyshows you the utmost respect, isintoxicating. If you date a higherranking man, the younger memberswill rush forward to greet you(addressing you as neesan) andwill invariably compete to holdyour purse and bring you a drink.The money is not so readily availablenow, what with the policegaining power over the organization,but there was a golden age.Most girlfriends, however, wouldrather not know what sustainedthis era. In fact, hardly any of thegirlfriends asked questions forfear that they might later be interrogatedby police. They were blissfullyignorant of where the moneycame from and simply enjoyedthe haute couture it provided. Ifthey were to make a guess, theseboyfriends worked as protectorsof izakayas, pimps, drug dealers(even though drugs were technicallycause for dismissal), organizersof major money transfers, andthe support behind the rise ofcelebrities and politicians.So, what were these guys likeas boyfriends? According to myfriends, they were “pretty normal,”although I doubt that designer labels,five diamond hotels, gourmetfood, lavish parties, and expensivecars constitute the normativeJapanese relationship. TheYakuza struggled with ostensiblyconventional social activities aswell. For example, they had theirown baseball team but could notfind other teams that were willingto play against them. Likewise, allsocial events took place at kashikirivenues because no regular personwould approach a beach packedwith tattoos or an establishmentsurrounded by formidable cars.Materialism aside, the Yakuza mendiffered from the purportedly weakippanjin (see last month’s column)in that they were fearless, powerful,chivalrous, commanded respect,and took good care of others. Thesex was also different. Many woulduse drugs to enhance the experience,using anything from ecstasyto topical creams, to the pointwhere sober sex became entirelyunremarkable. My friend told meshe found her following normalrelationship boring, but then againshe “had had enough sex to last alifetime.”And what were the other girlfriendslike? With this kind of powerunfortunately came loneliness andisolation, so most Yakuza girlfriendshad only each other as friends.They were identifiable by theirblonde or brown hair, Hermes bags,Chanel clothes, expensive jewelry,and heavy makeup. And, thisostentatious appearance concealedtheir overwhelming lack of selfconfidence.My friends conjecturethat most girls who are attracted tothe Yakuza are rather insecure tobegin with, believing that materialwealth might give them a muchneededboost of confidence. True,dating the Yakuza helped developthis façade, but it also exacerbatedthe women’s insecurities. BecauseYakuza girlfriends played no rolein the organization, they were justas dispensable as their boyfriends’other possessions. But, they rarelysuffered any physical harm. Shabuzakewas the only significant threat.This meant forcibly injecting a girlwith heroin so that she would behooked and therefore unable toleave the Yakuza. The men wouldkeep her around until they couldput her to use, often in a tradeoffwith an enemy gang. Thus standsthe typical Yakuza girlfriend--beautiful,lonely, and insecure.So why did my friends decide toend their relationships with theYakuza? Louis Vuitton just didn’tdo it for them. Their only futuresin the gang were to become trophywives (if they even lasted thatlong) with all the material wealthin the world, but shunned byfriends, family, and society.“But, it was fun while it lasted.”Next month: My experiencewith Goukon—Japanese speedblinddating•Do you have any questions youwant addressed regarding love& relationships with a Japaneseperson? Send them to rika.sawatsky@gmail.com to havethem answered by Japanesepeople in next month’s column.Maigo in HyogoHow many licks does it take to get to the center of aTootsie Roll pop? No clue? How about this one: Wherein Hyogo can this World Cup sign be found? Post youranswers on the discussion board on the Hyogo TimesFacebook Group page.“Maigo in Hyogo” needs your photos! Send them topublications@hyogo.ajet.net, and type “Maigo in Hyogo” inthe subject line.We Want Your Stories!...and pictures, and opinions, and poems,and artwork, and essays, and....Submit by the 20th of each month to:publications@hyogo.ajet.netJapaneseRiddle ofthe MonthBy Paul Schubleいつも 文 句 を 言 っている 動 物 は 何 でしょうか?(いつももんくをいっているどうぶつはなんでしょうか?)Answer andexplanation:牛 (うし, cow)So this one is asking “Whatanimal is always complaining?”In English, cows say “Moo.”In Japanese, they say “もう,”which also happens to be thesound people make when theygroan or complain.8 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 9

CULTUREBy Raena Minalove the kimono custom, and evenI though they are not the most comfortablethings to wear. I think theyare a beautiful reflection of Japanesetradition. I’m sure there are manxyladies out there who have tried ona kimono at least once during theirKIMONO 101stint in Japan, maybe some haveeven gone a step further and dishedout the money to dress up like Maikoin Kyoto. I’m also sure you’ve allseen the furisode kimonos worn bythe girls during Coming-of-Age day.For most people, the best part of thekimono is the obi, and the variouselaborate ways you can tie them.Obi musubi (tying the sash) is an artform, like doing grand scale origamiwith heavy, thick, silk tapestry on alive person. During my kistuke ( 着 付け) lessons, many ladies practice hardrepeatedly to perfect their techniquein the various styles of musubi.With summer just around the cornerand its endless matsuri and opportunitiesto wear yukata and summerkimono (and before I write anarticle on “How to wear Yukata”), Ithought it would be interesting tostart off with a simple Kimono 101and kitsuke, for those who may beinterested in joining the tradition.I’ve only been studying for 9 monthsand am halfway through the kitsukecourse, but I will attempt to lay outthe basics of wearing Kimono.Kimonos are without a doubt very expensive– let’s just say we can comparetheir prices to those of k-cars. Thereare various types and styles, makingthe practice of wearing kimono verypricey. There are many parts involved;even just for one kimono, you need:• hada jyuban - white cotton Japaneseslip, or any regular comfortableunderwear (sports bra, orelse no bra – gotta keep the curveswell hidden), or a western slip• naga jyuban – the garment underthe main kimono, without which thekimono cannot be properly worn, as itforms the basis and shape• zoori – thonged, wedge-like slippers• tabi – white ankle socks with claspson the inner side, divided onlybetween the big toe and second toe• obi – decorative sash• plus all the hoopla accessories,that are used to wear and tie akimono properly:o koshi himo - a long cloth ropeused as belts at the waist, or tohelp with tying the obi ( 三 本 )o date jime - wide sash wornunder the bust to keep thecollar in place 二 本 ,o eri shin - a long thin plasticsheet inserted into the nagajyuban collar to make it stiff;important for the shape atthe nape of the necko korin belt - thin elasticwaistband with clasps on thesides to help smooth out thekimono and keep the collarand front folds in placeo obi ita - stiff board worn underthe obi to keep it in placeand to keep it smootho makura - the “pillow” shapedtool used to help wear the obisash; also for volume and shapeo obi age - decorative scarf tocover the makura and to keepthe obi musubi in placeo obi jime - decorative cord tokeep the obi in placeOne kimono typically cannot be wornall year; there are seasonal kimonos.Winter kimono, which are typicallymade from wool if they are one layer,or the awase lined kimonos, can beworn from late fall until early spring,depending on the weather. In thewinter, the practice of wearing haori(short coats for over the kimono, wornloosely open or with a loose bow tiedin the middle at the opening) is slowlydisappearing, giving way to shawlsand fur stoles. Many girls also opt towear extra layers under their nagajyuban for optimal heat.In the spring to early summer season,there are hitoe kimono; thin, unlinedkimono which can also be worn inSeptember and October. The naga jyubanalso changes, often made of a verythin, almost transparent fabric. Nagajyuban are really essential to wearingkimono and those who have had theopportunity to wear one know that itcan get quite hot with all those layers.There is also the summer kimono,ro which is basically a transparentweave-like thin kimono, also wornwith the summer naga jyuban. Getacan be worn in the summer. Of courseduring Matsuri season, girls preferyukata, because it’s often too damnhot to wear a naga jyuban. There iseven summer obi; usually a thin, airyweave. Many girls like to use han-habaobi – half the width, simpler and lessbulky, more relaxing and quite cute.Typically these are worn with yukata.Besides the seasonal kimono, there arecategories of kimono worn for certainoccasions, for example, weddings callfor tomisode – usually a black, formalkimono with a design below the waist,worn by married women related tothe bride and groom, and the uchikake– a long tailed brocade coat wornover the kimono by the bride. Thereare special kimono for tea ceremony,asobi, and casual wear as well. Mostof them are classified based on thepattern, a subtle one or iromuji is bestfor tea ceremony. Komon or “all-over”print kimonos are best describedas the “jeans” of the kimono world.Honmongi are for formal parties witha characteristic asymmetric pattern ofhaving print on one shoulder, and atthe bottom hem on the opposite side.Similarly, parties or special ceremoniesrequire the long sleeve furisode, wornby unmarried women only. Theseare typically really expensive withelaborate patterns and materials. Afurisode requires its own long sleevenaga jyuban.There are also various styles of obi, andthey vary depending on what kimonoyou will wear and for what occasion.Maru obi is the most formal, followedby fukuro obi, then nagoya obi. Fukuroobi can be worn with the furisode andhas essentially replaced maru obi,while nagoya obi is more widely worn,generally for less formal occasions; ittoo has various levels of formal styles.When tied, it is difficult to tell whetheran obi is fukuro or maru. Both are longer,heavier and have more elaboratedecorative musubi kata (methods oftying the bow) than nagoya obi..• Maru obi is made of heavy brocade• Fukoro obi is similar to maru obiand is just as long but not as heavy• Nagoya obi is shorter, usuallymade out of lighter fabrics and istherefore much easier to tie, withthe end part pre folded. It can usuallybe tied in the basic drum-likeO-taiko musubiThe obi must be wisely chosen, as it’s oneof the most important parts to wearingkimono; with it, you can express yourkawaii-ness using any of the variousmusubi kata. The formality level alsodepends on the fabric and design.These days, although kitsuke is a common“hobby,” if you will, the coursetakes a long time to complete and costsa lot of money. Many women do notknow how to tie an obi in a decorativeway, as it’s actually kind of complicatedand requires even more accessoriesto tie it on oneself. It is commonfor girls to pay to get it done, upwardsof 5000 yen, unless they have a motheror obaa-chan who will kindly tie it forthem. A kitsuke course can be around 3months long, once a week, with a testbetween each course. Usually there is amonthly fee (around 4000 yen), as wellas a test fee (3000 yen). It costs more ifyou plan on getting a license (6000 yenor more). Graduating can take up totwo years. Inquire at your local kimonoshop about classes: you can take themeven if you just want to know how towear the most basic kind of kimonowith the most basic obi musubi, andonly how to wear it yourself.It sounds complicated, and kind of apain in the ass, especially with all therules on how and where to wear them.It’s sadly a dying practice because ofthe price and high maintenance, butI believe it’s a beautiful art form. Ifyou’re going to be living in Japan, Ithink it would be a shame not to weara proper kimono at least once, and justto have a traditional one if only as amemorable token of Japanese culture.More to come on this topic, as I haven’teven scratched the surface on kimonoculture. Stay tuned for next month’sissue on wearing a yukata or summerkimono, and also for upcoming articleson the Kimono and modern Japan.•10 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 11

Photography廃 墟HaikyoPhotos by Noelle Hollisterand Jaclyn Threadgill12 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 13

TRAVEL JAPANBy Lauren McRaeTOKYODuring Golden week I spent the location where Asahi has been Shrine where you can often seefour wonderful days exploringTokyo. It was not the firstNext to Meiji Shrine is Yoyogi Koenmaking beer for over a century. weddings on Sundays or holidays.time for me to visit the bustlingGinza(park) where again it is easy tocapital but each visit brings withDesigner brand name stores,forget you are in the centre of oneit new experiences and adventures.Tokyo is a great city to visitdepartment stores and exclusiveboutiques line the streetsof the biggest cities in the world.It is a spacious park and when thein any season and there is alwaysof Ginza. If your budget doesn’tweather is fine there are people usingthe park for practicing dancingso much happening. From the ancientand traditional to high techstretch to allow shopping in thisarea it is worth it just for a look,or musical instruments, exercise,and modern, Tokyo has it all.and there are some well pricedsports or just relaxing. You arerestaurants here too.always bound to find somethingAkihabarainteresting going on. Also in Harajukuthere is an amazing MexicanThis is the major electronicdistrict of Tokyo. It is also knownrestaurant – Fonda De La Madrugada- http://www.fonda-m.com/for its maid cafés. These range inprice and ‘services’. I visited onejust for the experience but I thinkyou need to have a high ‘kawaii’tolerance!AsakusaSenso-ji (temple) offers visitorsan insight into the traditionalside of Tokyo. The craft andsouvenir stalls are often crowdedbut offer some good bargains.Currently, part of the maintemple is under construction butyou can still enter. The Asahi BeerHall (“the Golden Poo”) is a uniquebuilding. It houses the Asahi BeerHall and restaurant and marksHarajukuHere is the fashion centre of Tokyo– whether it is on Takeshita-dori,which is lined with accessory,fashion, and cosplay stores, oron the bridge heading towardsMeiji Shrine. I recommend visitingHarajuku on a Sunday as this is theday when many different peoplecome out and express themselves.You will see many different peoplein cosplay or other costumes onthe bridge and you might evenscore yourself a ‘free hug’! Onceover the bridge you enter anotherworld heading to Meiji Shrine.The path winds through a forestand you soon forget you are inthe middle of Tokyo. Meiji Shrinedates from 1920 and is a beautifulIkebukuroSunshine City is one of the biggestshopping malls in Tokyo with over200 stores and everything from anaquarium to a 240 metre observatory.It also has many restaurantsincluding an El Toritos.ShibuyaJust outside Shibuya station isone of the busiest intersectionsin the world. Hundreds of peoplecross the road at each changeof lights. The best view can befound in Starbucks across fromthe station on the second floor. Ifyou are prepared to wait a littleyou might even be lucky enoughto get a window seat. Shibuyastation is also home to Hachiko.This is the statue of Hachi (thedog) who waited faithfully for hismaster everyday even after hismaster had passed away. A moviewas made about him a few yearsago. Shibuya has streets linedwith interesting shops, departmentstores and restaurants.There is an Outback Steakhouserestaurant here, and a deliciousIndian Buffet restaurant.ShinjukuShinjuku has everything - bars,clubs, restaurants and shopping.There is a Sizzler, Dubliners (IrishPub), Hub (English Pub), BurgerKing, amazing burgers at JournalStandard, and many themedbars. The Tokyo MetropolitanGovernment building has greatviews from the 45 th floor and on aclear winter’s day you may evenbe able to see Mt Fuji.•Places to stayI always stay in Shinjuku at the Kabuki-cho Toyoko Innbut there are plenty more budget and of course high endaccommodation.http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/index.html (Toyoko Inn)Sakura House is another budget style accommodation withprivate and dormitory rooms.http://www.sakura-hotel-ikebukuro.com/index.phpGetting thereThe Keio overnight bus leaves Himeji Station at 9:30pm andarrives in Shinjuku at 7:30am. The prices vary from ¥6000to ¥9500 depending on the comfort level of the bus. Theovernight bus can be booked through JTB travel agencies.The shinkansen is obviously the fastest way to travel anddiscount tickets can be bought from discount ticket shopsand then you can reserve your seat at the JR station. This willsave you about ¥4000. Round trip from Himeji to Tokyo costsaround ¥32000 and takes about 3 hours each way.14 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 15

FEATUREInside JET:the Outside-insidersand Inside-outsidersBy Emma NicolettiIllustrations by Ryan Parker[Editor’s note: This is the finalinstallment in a three-part series.You can read Parts One and Two inthe April and May 2010 issues ofthe Hyogo Times.]The outside-insider. Like theinside-insider, the outside-insiderknows the rules of their owngroup: among their own, they arecool. But like the outside-outsider,the outside-insider unwittinglyfails to grasp the rules when theyare no longer in their group: whatmakes them cool in their owngroup marks them as strange anduncool in their new environment.They are the young office newbiewho wears her clubbing high heelsand plunging neckline to theChristmas BBQ at “family man”Steve’s house. They’re obviouslycool somewhere, but they don’trecognize that the rules aren’t thesame everywhere.Goran: The case of theoutside-insider lookingout for his mates.A day or so had passed sincethe new JETs from Perth arrivedat Tokyo orientation, and wedecided to explore Akihabara.Making our way through thecrowded Tokyo station, we gotseparated somewhere betweenthe ticket machine and theplatform. Goran—who at 193cmwould struggle not to stand outfrom the Japanese—was amongthe first to reach the platformand jumped on the train thathad just pulled in. Out of considerationfor the slowcoaches,he positioned himself betweenthe doors to stop the train fromleaving. It works a treat in Perth,where the doors have sensorsthat stop them closing if anobject is in the way, and this usuallybuys your friends enoughtime to make the train. In Japan,however, the doors are operatedmanually by the conductor. Sowhile Goran was boisterouslybeckoning us to hurry up, theconductor was gesticulating forGoran to move out of the way. Todrive home his point, he closedthe doors on Goran, forcing himout of the train. We all caught thenext train together.Two and half years later: Saturdaynight, Tarumi Station. Onthe platform we met some otherforeigners, and an inebriatedand jolly member of the groupstruck up a loud and jocularconversation with Goran. Thetrain arrived, and we enteredthe quiet carriage together.Goran took a seat while his newfriend hung from an adjacenthand ring with a chuuhai inhand. Charming, funny, personable:the kind of guy Gorancould easily be friends with.But his gestures and loud voicewere earning him derisive looksfrom the other passengers.Goran remained congenial,but didn’t match his volume orexcitement, and sat with therepose of a teacher placatinga monster parent. Our drunkacquaintance got off a fewstops later. The doors closed;the last ring of his voice wasgone. Goran nodded at anotherpassenger whose scowl wasquickly disappearing.The inside-outsider“Barthes encountered a largeman, evidently a foreigner,wearing a dirty turtleneck anddesert boots. He had glassesand an unkempt beard withconsiderable gray in it. Over oneshoulder he carried (a pure gestureof style) an elegant leatherpurse. Barthes stopped to stare,and the man returned the stare.Quite rapidly, the man’s costumedisappeared and his flesh beganto melt. A human being is a systemof signs, a nexus of semes,cooperative and combative, thatillude him.” (Wilson 48) 1The cultural theorist MichelFoucault often talks about thenotion of discourse. Let meexplain it this way. In everydaydiscourse, we talk and thinkabout the body in very commonsenseways: it has a head,torso and limbs, and it enablesus to get around and do things.However, in the discourse offashion, the body is a canvas,something upon which fabricscan be draped, or which canbe painted with make-up. Inbiology, the body is a series ofchemical processes, a particularassemblage of DNA and cells.The same entity, then, can havedifferent meanings (canvas,chemical processes) in differentcontexts (fashion, biology).Moreover, we operate in differentdiscourses simultaneously,and under different discourseswield more or less power. MileyCyrus, for example, earns $25million a year, but she is not yetold enough to vote.Like the foreigner Barthes meton the Champs Elysees, we areall in some contexts outsideinsiders:always a little foreign,always not fitting quite perfectlyinto any situation, a littledisempowered. Can we evertruly belong in our own culture,much less other cultures? Butthere is one more category toconsider, that of the insideoutsider.The inside-outsider is the reverseof the outside-insider. Theirname or appearance makesit obvious that they didn’toriginally belong to that group;nonetheless, they seem to haveunderstood and mastered itsrules. They are the foreigner givingdirections to the local HighSchool student, the grandmotherperforming a one-handed airfreeze in a break dancing competition,the body builder deftlychanging the baby’s nappy. Theydon’t look like they fit, but theyact like they do.In fact, we have met the insideoutsiderat every stage of thisjourney. The inside-outsideris the girl who came hereawkward and afraid, but whomade fast friends with nativeand foreign inhabitants alike.It is Mikage-sensei’s motherwho now enjoys telling herfriends how she made tea witha smiling foreigner. It is theAustralian adult teaching theJapanese student how to foldthe fukusa, or the once frustratedteenage girl deftly turningphrase in flirtatious emails. Itis the tall foreigner noddingto his fellow train passengersthat he too is glad the noise hassubsided. Through interaction,communication and time, wedevelop the skills necessary tofunction in new discourses. Atsome point in our lives we willall experience being an outsideoutsider,an inside-insider andan outside-insider, but no matterour situation, with experience,patience, and communicationwe can all become thatrare and empowered individual,the inside-outsider.1•Wilson, R. Rawdon. In Palamedes’Shadow: Explorations in Play, Gameand Narrative Theory. Boston: NortheasternUniversity Press, 1990.18 • Hyogo Times • June 2010

Getting to Know Random JETsThe BasicsName: Alvin Q.T. Tran.Please call me: Alvin.School and Location in Hyogo:Kinosaki JHS; Kinosaki.How we know you: Vicariouslythrough my food; I’m the onewho brought éclairs to Hanami inHimeji.Birthday: August 7, 1985.Born and raised: National CapitalRegion, Canada.Family: Parents, older brother,older sister, and an (occasionallyevil) twin.University and Degree: CarletonUniversity, Bachelor of Commerce –Information Systems.Other jobs that you have had:Private tutor, office administrator,web programmer, databaseadministrator, short order cook,assistant event planner, customerservice rep...Travels: Boston, MA; Salem, MA;Los Angeles, CA; Las Vegas, NV;Mexico; Montreal, QC; Quebec, QC;Greater Toronto Area, ON; Osaka;Himeji;Hobbies: Reading, hiking, cycling,cooking, baking, listening to music,swimming, gardening, volleyball,learning languages.Staying another year? YesFavoritesFood: Dessert. Just ask Epi aboutthe time we went to Sushiro for asnack and I…err, nevermind.Sports: If I have to pick, I’d be obligatedto say Hockey. I am Canadianafter all.Music: Pretty much anything, but Ihave a weird thing for soundtracks.Shop: Doguyasuji in OsakaTV Show: at the moment, Dexter.Movie: Anything not involvingsparkly people.Random TriviaMost Proud Achievement: Survivinglife. So far, so good. I hope Ididn’t just jinx it.Best life experience: I won’t knowuntil it’s over.Motto to live by: Let it be.I remember when… I didn’t haveanything to worry about.What are you drinking? Whatever’sin front of me.Who would you like to meet?Someone to pass the time with.Why should we elect you Presidentof the World? You shouldn’t.Best thing about Japan so far? Theinaka. Coincidentally, that’d also bemy answer for the opposite question.If it was my last day on earth Iwould… spend all my nenkyuu to cookfor the people I leave behind and haveweek-long, all-night parties on thebeach leading up to the day.Interesting Fact about me: I can’tpronounce my own middle name.Teaching:My top tip for teaching: don’tsweat the small stuff.When the class is TOO QUIET I… it’snever happened.Bribery for students.. YAY or NAY?Is there anyone who gets by withoutit?Funniest Story involving a student:One of my students came up to meto talk about three-ways. It took mea few minutes to figure out he wastalking about a kind of bag you canwear three different ways.The BasicsName: Travis LovePlease call me: Travis, or Trav.School and Location in Hyogo:Living in Aioi, working at KamigoriSHS / Sayo SHSHow we know you: I write thefood column! I also have a fondnessfor hats.Birthday: August 6.Born and raised: near Detroit,MI, USA.Family: Father Mark, 53, Novelist,Mother Kim, 56, housewife,Brother Cameron, 19, annoyance/ Firefighter in trainingUniversity and Degree: HopeCollege, B.S. (hon) ComputerScience, B.A. (hon) English witha Creative Writing Emphasis /Japanese StudiesOther jobs that you have had:I’ve worked in IT in some waysince my freshman year of college,and quit a full-time programminggig after six weekson the job to come on JET. I alsoused to be a copy editor and awaiter/bartender.Travels: Around Honshu, partsof America and Canada. So far.Hobbies: Cooking, eating, writing.Occasionally ballroomdance.Staying another year? Yes. Idon’t think one year gives theprogram enough of a chance,and I don’t think it gives you achance to settle into the work.FavoritesFood: Jambalaya, with succulentshrimp, spicy andouille sausage,and fresh tomatoes. If you’venever had it, let me know. We’lldo lunch.Sports: Not competitively, but Ienjoy running and cycling.Music: On any given day, my MP3player is about half Jazz, half Rock& Roll. Today’s selections includeRachael Price, Django Reinhardt,Bob Seger, and Billy Bragg. Alsosome underground hip-hop.Book: John D. MacDonald, BrightOrange for the Shroud. If you havenever heard of MacDonald, andlike mystery/suspense/crime, Isuggest you do some research.Usually, though, you can catchme reading something pulpy.Genre fiction. Lots of fantasy andscience fiction as well.TV Show: I’m a sucker for JossWhedon shows, particularly Firefly.I also will forever have a softspot for Pinky & the Brain.Movie: Breakfast at Tiffany’s,Casablanca, and anything by MelBrooks.Random TriviaMost Proud Achievement: Nothaving lost my sense of humoryet. There’s a whole lot of hardshipin this world, but if youcan manage to laugh at yourselfwhen you rush through shavingand miss half your face, you’llsurvive anything.Best life experience: StudyingEnglish from a writer’s perspective.Studying in detail howpeople depict other people is thesort of thing that changes howyou see the world. That, and ittaught me how to tell storiesabout it, some of which are tentimes better than you’d think.Motto to live by: “Hello, babies.Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in thesummer and cold in the winter.It’s round and wet and crowded.At the outside, babies, you’vegot about a hundred years here.There’s only one rule that Iknow of, babies—God damn it,you’ve got to be kind.” – KurtVonnegut, Jr. God Bless You, Mr.Rosewater.I remember when…I climbed Mt.Fuji and discovered at the topthat I’m acrophobic. That wasgreat. Our editor once comparedclimbing down Fuji to travelingMordor. I completely agree.What are you drinking? EarlGray or Jasmine tea. Or gin onice. Depends on the setting.Who would you like to meet?Terry Pratchett, while he’s stillalive.Why should we elect you Presidentof the World? I can fix yourcomputer even if it’s runningJapanese Windows. Oh, andI rigged the electronic votingmachines. I could also just bribeyou with pie.Best thing about Japan so far?Has been and will always bethe trains. A good mass transitsystem is a beautiful thing.If it was my last day on earth Iwould… just go for a walk. Makea sandwich. Let the dishes go alittle longer. Find a bar wherethere’s live music and goodpeople and the air is clear, andsing and dance and laugh andtell stories.Interesting fact about me: Iused to write song parodies.Still do, occasionally. Someof them are good. Some ofthem are not.Teaching:My top tip for teaching:Pit your children againsteach other. If I tell them todo anything conventional,they usually get bored andfall asleep, but if I make itinto a competition? They’llquietly copy sentencesinto their notebooks justto see who is fastest.When the class is TOOQUIET I… Start talking infunny voices. Once theylaugh, it’s easy to regaincontrol. The problem isusually when they’re tooloud.Bribery for students.. YAY orNAY? Sometimes the funniestthings count as bribery. Myall-boys agricultural class reallyloves getting called up to writeon the board. It’s useful. Andhaving an extrinsic motivatorfor those intolerable few neverhurts. Stickers really do workwonders. That and the promiseof candy.Funniest Story involving a student:(Clean story) During myself-introduction, one studentasked how much money I had.I pulled the change out of mypocket, glanced down, and toldhim. 87 yen.(Dirty story) One of my studentsdecided his New Year’sResolution was to “cut back theamount of masutelubeshon,”so that’s what he wrote on thehandout. I saw what he hadwritten on his paper, cracked up,and my JTE came over and correctedhis spelling. This beingthe all-boys class, he actuallypresented and got away with it.24 • Hyogo Times • June February 2010 201025

I HEART T-POINTSBy J J CappaMinna NoNihongo5 films you need to seeEvery week for the past sixmonths I have scoured shelfafter shelf of Japanese films insearch of outstanding movies withEnglish subtitles. The selectionat TSUTAYA always delivers, butthe most frustrating thing aboutthese reviews is finding the perfectmovies—in Japanese only. I havecome across some great films thatI have had to pass up because theywould be incomprehensible to theJapanese-impaired. This month,however, I will no longer let thisinjustice continue; for your consideration,here are five mini-reviewsof films you need to see.(Note: I highly recommend youlook up a synopsis before watchingthese films and watch themwith Japanese subtitles turnedon. Most of these films can beobtained legally in English, justnot here, so there are detailedsummaries on the internet.)Departures (おくりびと 2008)cleaned up at the Japanese AcademyAwards and won the AcademyAward for Best Foreign LanguageFilm, deserving every honor it received.I love Departures so muchthat I spent Golden Week goingto the actual filming sights inYamagata Prefecture. Departuresis a challenge to describe both accuratelyand briefly; perhaps thatis why I am moved to tears everytime I see it. The main characterdesperately takes a job withoutany knowledge of the position.Through this mystery job he learnshow to prepare people to “moveon” after they have died, but moreimportantly, his job helps the livingcope with loss and make peacewith the deceased. I have heardthat some TSUTAYA stores carry asubtitled version, but either wayyou should rent whatever is availableor glue your eyes to the televisionwhen Departures airs again.Train Man ( 電 車 男 2005) is a greatdate movie, especially if one orboth involved are geeks. First,imagine being so socially ineptthat even women giving out tissueson the street avoid you. Next,imagine that you muster the courageto save some cute women froma drunken idiot on the subway.Finally, imagine that one of thosewomen is hot, rich, and wants todate you. Add in a makeover anda 2-channel support group to helpout along the way, and you haveTrain Man (and a geek fantasycome true). The film follows theindustry standard chick flickformula and is therefore hopefullyeasy to follow; guy meets girl, theyget together, guy screws up, theybreak up, but finally they workthings out and presumably makesome babies for Train Man 2: ThirdRail Boogaloo.Detroit Metal City (デトロイト・メタル・シティ 2008) is awesome ifyou like metal, and I love metal;therefore, the film is super awesome.DMC is about a wimpnamed Nigishi who aspires tobe a pop star. He is no Hirai Ken,however, and instead becomesthe front man of a death metalgroup. Nigishi attempts to keephis personal life and professionallife separate, but his King Diamond/GeneSimmons personarears its ugly head at the worst(for him, best for us) moments.The music is entertaining onmany levels and by mangaturned-filmstandards, DMC hasa pretty good script. I recommenda DMC twofer at your nextkaraoke outing: “SATSUGAI”(MURDER) followed up by “ 甘 い 恋人 ” (Sweet Baby).Kamikaze Girls ( 下 妻 物 語 2004) isthe funniest Japanese movie I haveever seen. Japanese girl culturewas not an interest of mine before Iwatched this film; previously, I hadonly experienced androgynous balletmanga and a film about playingjanken. When I first watched KamikazeGirls in college, therefore, theword “Girls” in the title shot warningmessages into my brain. However,as I witnessed a girl dressed likea doll fly through the air after beinghit by a car in the opening scene, myfears quickly morphed into almostpainful bouts of laughter thatrarely ever let up. Kamikaze Girls isabout two lonely girls that becomeunorthodox friends. One is obsessedwith Lolita clothing and the otheris a biker chick; the cultural dividebetween them is the primary sourceof humor (and punching). KamikazeGirls is also about JUSCO.The Otoko wa Tsurai yo series ( 男はつらいよ 1969-1995) was recommendedto me by a volunteerJapanese teacher. Her suggestionwas to watch each of the films inorder because, as a series spanningfour decades, it shows the evolutionof Japanese culture since thelate sixties. If that interests you aswell, then I highly encourage youto pick up at least a few entries.They do contain challenging Japanese,but they are also rather easyto understand because each filmfollows the same basic plot. Tora,a traveling salesman played by AtsumiKiyoshi, excitedly returns tohis family in Tokyo only to stormoff again shortly thereafter thanksto some petty argument. Whileworking odd-jobs somewherefar away, he meets a beautifulcontemporary actress, falls inlove with her and is subsequentlyheartbroken. Tora then returns tohis family in Tokyo, and they livehappily until the next installment.Tora-san’s travels are a good way tovicariously “see” the country andthe films show Japanese life froma simple yet charming perspective.The “Tora” character was suchan important cultural icon thatwhen Atsumi Kiyoshi, died peoplemourned “Tora-san” instead of theactor himself.Thanks for watching!•26 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 27

RAMENTARYRECIPESNoodlin’Through HKBy Andrew Tamashirosliced• 1 cucumber• 2 eggs• 1 tsp sugarFor Dressing:My destination this GoldenWeek was the homelandof ramen, and basically allnoodles: China. Yet for sucha short holiday, and one thatcoincided so conveniently withwhat would surely be enormouscrowds in Shanghai forthe World Expo, we opted forHong Kong. Still only a decadeinto “one country, two systems,”the sightseeing, shopping,and of course, food, wereall highlights.I’ll spare you some of the gorierdetails of my trip and get downto business. I had noodlesno less than 6 times in my 5days spent on Kowloon andthe Hong Kong islands. Some,like the Hong Kong style chowmein, were very much reminiscentof the dishes I used to enjoyliving in Chinatown in LAafter college. Heaping, steamingpiles of thin strands of eggnoodles or the broad, flat, ricebornchow fun were toppedwith our choice of pork/beef/chicken/seafood along withplenty of veggies (though, aswere told at one joint, we onlyhave 3 veggies: Chinese broccoli,cabbage, and bok choy).Cheap, filling, and most of alldelicious, there were occasionswhere I am sorry to say we leftfood on the table. This is notJapan, where 遠 慮 enryo, asksyou to leave that last chunkon the plate. I was sad to seeit left, but at the same timeknew it impossible to force anymore into my swollen belly.We also had to deal with thenon-tapered ancestor to whatI consider the superior Japanesechopstick (if you’re notused to the difference betweenChinese and Japanese chopsticks,let’s just say you needbetter control with the Chineseversion, despite the fact thatdishes absolutely SMOTHEREDin sauce are far more prevalentin China).Our first night had me eatingwhat I can only assume to bea Chinese style ramen:, a fatty,beefy concoction containedwithin a rather large bowl.It included the requisite eggnoodles, but also boasted hugeportions of tender boiled beef,soft enough to shred withthose bulky chopsticks. It alsocontained almost an entiredaikon, cut in half and alsoeasily torn asunder. This was afantastic bowl, far better thanthe hot n’ sour soup, gyoza, oroyster and rice noodle dish wealso ordered.The highlights of my noodlin’through HK include a Japaneseplace as well. Ajisen Ramen,味 千 ラーメン, is a chain basedout of Kumamoto in Kyushu,and boasts some rather sturdystuff. I got the spicy Ajisenramen, and my companion ordereda tender beef ramen. Thestyles available in Hong Kongwere unlike any I have seen inJapan, with a greater emphasison unusual toppings like beeftendon. Despite the favorableexchange rate and generalinexpensive nature of ramen,this stuff was pricey. It wasalso good, mediocre noodlesbeing covered for by a thick,porky, flavorful broth and aspicy ground beef mixture thathad me sweating and grabbingfor tissue.Obviously, Chinese food extendswell beyond noodles, but I can’thelp but be drawn towards thestuff. Hong Kong is a fantasticdestination for food-orientedfolks of all kinds.•Kicchiri KitchenHiyashi Chukaand Hiya-YakkoBy Travis LoveIt’s getting far too close tosummertime for comfort, andwhile a glass of lemonade orsomething made with Pimm’scan certainly take the edge off,lemons are getting expensive,and Pimm’s is rare. Rather thaneat ice cream all day, try one ofthese classic Japanese summertreats while chugging downgallons of iced mugicha.This first one is dead simple.Hiya-Yakko is raw tofu withthings on top. It’s best if you getgood fresh tofu, but if you don’tlive in the inaka, the best in thesupermarket is Otoko-doufu,which has little man-faces onthe lid and comes in packs ofthree. Silky smooth and individuallysized. Of course, any tofuworks just fine.1. Put tofu in a bowl.2. Sprinkle with any of thefollowing: grated ginger,chopped green onion, katsuoflakes, sea salt, olive oil, orsoy sauce to taste.3. Eat the tofu with a spoon.Hey, I said it was simple. Thisis the sort of thing a hungoversamurai probably invented oneAugust morning, but it’s fantastic.I enjoy my tofu with sea salt andolive oil, but you can use whatevertoppings you like. Other herbs,goma salad dressing, cinnamonsugar,whatever. Okay, maybe notthe cinnamon-sugar.If that was too easy for you, try HiyashiChuka! This recipe uses thewildly uncommon Chuka Soba (中 華 そば), literally Chinese Soba,which is found in your supermarket’srefrigerated section. I’m sureyou could use any noodles for thisif you wanted to, though. Feel freeto adjust the toppings to taste aswell. Remember, this is cooking,not alchemy.• 4 packages Chuka Soba ( 中 華そば)• 100 g boiled chicken breast,• 1/3 c. water• 3 Tbsp. Rice wine vinegar• 2 Tbsp. Soy sauce• 3 Tbsp. Sugar• 1 tsp. Sesame oil (ごま 油 )1. Beat eggs in a bowl. Addsugar and mix well. Heat afrying pan on low heat.2. Mix all of the dressing ingredientstogether in a small bowl.3. Heat some oil in a frying panand pour about one quarter ofthe egg mixture over the pan.Spread the egg thinly and fryfor one minute. In this way,make four thin and roundomelets like crepes.4. Slice the omelets into thinstrips. Cut the cucumber intothin strips.5. Boil lots of water in a large potand add chuka noodles. Boil for2-3 minutes.6. Drain noodles and run coldwater over them to cool them.Put the cold noodles on a plate.7. Top the noodles with all ofthe slices, arranged in a prettyJapanese fashion. Garnishwith that red pickled ginger,beni shoga ( 紅 しょうが). Pourthe dressing over noodles justbefore serving.Serves 4.•Questions? Comments?Suggestions for future dishes?Send them to Travis Love –dr.t.love at gmail.com28 • Hyogo Times • June 2010 29

RESOURCESEnglish Sensei Spirit:Picture DictationBy Matthew StottWorking in pairs, studentsdescribe a picture to theirpartner, who in turn, withoutlooking at the image,attempts to reproduce itaccurately according to thedescription.A long, long time ago in a galaxyfar, far away, I was in an inputsession at Tokyo Orientationdoing an activity very similar tothe one I’m about to describe toyou. The seminar leader put usinto pairs with the people sittingat the desks directly behind us,and gave each of us a sheet withan array of lines and shapes.Without showing her the pictureI’d been given, I had to describeit in careful detail to my partner;she, following my instructions,had to try and draw the sameimage on a blank sheet of paper.Since then I’d always wanted touse that activity in my classes,and have in fact been able to doso successfully with 3 rd year OralCommunication classes, with acouple of significant changes.First, while native speakers willbring to an activity such as thisa ready store of detailed questionsand (one would hope) alarge vocabulary, if you want toimplement this in a Japanesehigh school classroom you’ll needto address their language needs.I use a worksheet adapted fromsets of preposition flashcards Ifound on Lanternfish (http://bogglesworldesl.com/prepositions.htm), and on the whiteboard Idraw a series of geometric figureswhich I have the students identify(“square,” “line,” “circle,” etc.). Ialso draw a picture of an outdoorscene, divide into nine squares,and have the students call out thepositions on the picture (“centre,”“middle left,” “middle right,” “bottomleft”, and so on). I might alsodraw pictures in various postures(“facing us,” “facing left,” etc.).Teaching them the difference between“portrait” and “landscape”is not a bad idea either.Next, I demonstrate what thestudents have to do. The mostefficient way to do this—I nowrealize—would be to have the JTEact as my “partner,” listening anddrawing as I begin to describe apicture she cannot see (but whichthe students may see). What I’veactually done hitherto is brieflydescribe a picture to the students,have them draw along with theinstructions, and then show themwhat the picture actually lookslike. It’s a good listening activity,and it drives home the need tophrase and parse instructionscarefully, but the demonstrationwith the JTE might inspire moreconfidence in the students thatthey will be able to perform thetask themselves. Why not do both,if you have the time?Finally, the best part. Here’swhere I put the students intopairs, and completely messwith their heads by giving themactual paintings and photographsto work with—not justcircles and squiggly lines. Criesof “Muri!” inevitably peal acrossthe room, but if I’ve addressedtheir language needs sufficiently,they actually seem to appreciatethe upping of the ante. Ithelps, I find, if they understandthat even if they don’t know thename of an object in English,they can at least describe theshape. After 5 minutes, have thepartners switch roles.Notes• When you’re distributing theimages, make sure you do itin such a way as to preventthe listener glancing overat another pair of studentsand inadvertently seeing thesame picture he or she is supposedto be drawing.• You also want to prevent bothmembers of the same pairdescribing the same image toeach other (then again, thatmight be interesting). I tendto give the painting to StudentA, and the photograph toStudent B.• Landscapes or portraits arefine, but try to avoid imageswith too much activity. Ifyou like Breugel’s work, gofor something like The Peasantand the Birdnester overThe Triumph of Death.• This is important. Beforeyou get the partners toswitch roles, give them afew moments to comparetheir drawing to the originalimage. It will help convey tothe students the point of theactivity, and give it a senseof closure. I’ll say it again,this is important, so yourtiming for the whole lessonwill be crucial.•30 • Hyogo Times • June 2010