Samurai Jews

There was a very interesting grave at the second waterfall we went to. All around the grave were samurai swords.

(PICTURE: I want a sword by my grave one day!)

On top of the tombstone was this image.

Yuya told me it was a god. Apparently they have a bunch of gods.


One thing I found really interesting though was that on top of a tree stump next to the grave was a pile of rocks.

This reminded me of Jewish cemeteries. For those of who you don't know the tradition, Jews place rocks on the top of headstones to show that they had been there and were thinking of the deceased. I'm pretty sure that is why we do it...and because rocks are cheaper than flowers.

I asked Yuya why people placed rocks on the tree and he said it was a way to make a wish. I thought that was pretty cool. Who would have thought Jews and Samurais have similar traditions?

Bears, Bears, Bears

(PICTURE: This picture would be really ironic if I get mauled by a bear.)

One of the first things Yuya ever told me was to wear a bell when I go hiking. He said that almost every day someone gets mauled by a bear. Frankly, I don't like those numbers and I'd be pretty bummed out if a bear ripped my limbs off. I think that would put a damper on my Japan experience.

Yuya also told me recently that, "This is the most dangerous time for bears because they are hunting before they start hibernating." Okay, I know I'm no zoologist but if I was a bear I would keep my ear out for bells to help fill up before winter.

Waterfalls

(PICTURE: Yes, Yuya is wearing full cameo as he points to where we are gonna hike.)

Koryama isn't exactly Tokyo but it has a ton of gorgeous nature right outside the city. Recently Paula and Yuya took me on hikes to two different waterfalls:


(PICTURE: The first waterfall. Man, my hair looks good.)

Just to reconfirm how beautiful Fukushima is, the authorities posted this sign by the first waterfall:

The sign says that this waterfall made the "Top 30 Waterfall List of Fukushima." Really? Top 30? That's a lot of waterfalls in a small area.

Uyoku Dantai

(PICTURE: A Uyoku Dantai vehicle.)

Paula and I were walking near the station recently and heard the Japanese national anthem blasting from a black minivan decked out in Japanese flags and writing. Paula explained to me that this was a common occurrence in Japan. She wasn't exaggerating because about twenty minutes later, on the other side of town, we saw/heard another black minivan blasting the national anthem.

Turns out these vans are part of an extreme right wing Nationalist group called the Uyoke Dantai. Rather than try to explain about them -- since I would just be quoting Wikipedia anyway -- I'll cut and copy part of the Wikipedia entry here:

Uyoku dantai are well known for their highly visible propaganda vehicles, known as gaisensha (街宣車)--converted vans, trucks and buses fitted with loudspeakers and prominently marked with the name of the group and propaganda slogans. The vehicles are usually black, khaki or olive drab, and are decorated with the Imperial Seal, the flag of Japan and the Japanese military flag. They are primarily used to stage protests outside organizations such as the Chinese, Korean or Russian embassies, Chongryon facilities and media organizations, where propaganda (both taped and live) is broadcast through their loudspeakers. They can sometimes be seen driving around cities or parked in busy shopping areas, broadcasting propaganda, military music or Kimigayo, the national anthem.

Birds, Birds, Birds...

As I said yesterday, Matsushima is considered one of the three great sites in Japan. Apparently though I wasn't the only one who wasn't impressed with the natural beauty because EVERYONE around me on the boat paid more attention to a bunch of seagulls that were trailing our boat then they did to the little islands. I was amazed at home mesmerized everyone was at feeding the birds...until I fed them myself. Yeah, it was pretty cool:

Nihon Sankei

(PICTURE: The tourist welcome site at Matsushima.)

Nihon Sankei means "Three Great Sights of Japan." In Japan, like the title, there are three places that supposedly stand out above all the others. The three places are:
1. Matsushima.
2. The floating torii of Miyajima island.
3. The sand0spit at Amanohashidate.

Recently I checked off one of the three sites by visiting Matshushima. Matsushima Bay is sort of like Halong Bay in Vietnam. The Japanese version has 250 pine-covered islands that have been moulded by wind and rock formations. I know I'm going to sounds like an annoying high school girl bragging about her boyfriend but...Halong Bay is about ten times cooler than Matsushima. In fact, I wasn't really a fan of Matsushima at all and it has disuaded me from seeing the other two "great sights."

The problem with Matsushima is that I felt like I was in a tourist trap. Hundreds of tourists were wrangled onto giant ferries and taken on a fifty minute boat ride around a bunch of islands. It was picturesque but doesn't even rank with the beauty of some of the local places Paula and Yuya have take me to.

(PICTURE: One of the islands of Matsushima Bay.)

Kamikaze

(PICTURE: A kamikaze pilot during WWII.)

I was talking to Paula's husband Yuya the other day and WWII came up. Yuya started to talk about Japanese fighter pilots who would commit suicide by smashing their planes into ships. I said, "Oh you mean kamikaze pilots." When I said kamikaze he started to laugh and asked me to repeat what I said. I said, "Kamikaze?" Again he started to laugh and said, "It is pronounced kami-kaze." I then said, "No, it's definitely pronounced kamikaze." It then dawned on me: I was telling a Japanese person how to say a Japanese word.

There are so many words in English that are really from other languages. It never actually occurred to me before that this wasn't an English word. The English teacher in me immediately wanted to correct his pronunciation...although I was clearly the one who needed to be corrected.