Vending

I think I may mentioned vending machines before, but after seeing some peculiar items in recent weeks, I figured I would give an update. I tend to think vending machines exist for on-the-go, convenient, impulse buys. You see the product looking so refreshing, and you want it now. Now I am not so sure:

2 liter bottles of Coke. Never once have I said "Man a two liter would really hit the spot right now." Its too much Coke for one person, and sharing a bottle that size amongst friends in the car or as you walk down the street just seems strange.

Batteries. This wasnt just a vending machine selling different products and batteries happened to be one of them. This was a vending machine, JUST for batteries. And it was in front of a convenience store. Who doesnt have the time to go inside?

Eggs. This is the real stumper. So many questions. Are they fresh? How often do they change them? Who would buy eggs from a machine? How do the eggs not break when they drop? If you need eggs, you probably need something else, so why not just go to the store?

On the other hand, the beer (from 8oz cans to 2 liter bottles) machines, strategically placed at or directly outside the bath houses are genius. Also, the Haagen-Daaz machine was a damn good idea as well.

Not just a trim

I havent been to a salon for a haircut since I was 5. I may have been to a barber a handful of times, but for about as long as I can remember, my hair was cut by A) my mother B)my friends or C) myself.

Past the point of calling it shaggy (you couldnt see my ears), I finally decided it was time for a real haircut. My co-English teacher concurred and agreed to take me to her stylist this past Saturday. I now know why women like to go to the salon so often. They dont care that much about changing their look, they just want to be pampered.

From the moment I walked in, I felt moderately famous. Two stylists began fawning over me from the get-go, discussing possible "looks", and repeatedly telling me how handsome I was. One of them, Koko, led me to the reclining chair by the sink, put a towel over my face, and then shampooed by hair, not once but twice. Each time she would move my head a bit, or rinse, she would say "Shitsurei shimasu", which if you recall means "I am about to be rude". Makes me chuckle everytime. All the while, she kept making sure I was comfortable and, of course, telling how good-looking I am. Like I need more ego.

After a 20-minute hair washing, she took me to a different chair where I received an incredible scalp massage and then a neck / shoulder massage. Another stylist, Yuki, came over, and after deciding on a style together, took me to her haircutting-chair. She too, began by apologizing for being rude and began to cut my hair. We chit-chatted in simple Japanese, though mostly she just told me how good-looking I am and flashed me smiles in the mirror. After getting the look just right, I told her it was perfect, thanked her profusely and complimented her on her ability. Koko called over and said "She has the hand of God". Yuki then, I am not kidding, thanked me for my effort (sitting?), and sent me off with Koko, who took me back to the hair washing chair for another shampoo (goodness I thought, how dirty was my hair? have I been doing this wrong all these years?). After one last rinse and some styling wax, they assured me how cool my look was, and apologized for how long it took (1 hour 15min). Yeah, whatever, I would have let them cut my hair all day had they the notion (and I the money). I walked out feeling beautiful and vain, and resisted putting on my knit cap, though it was about 15 degrees F outside.

Thanks boss

Though classes wont start again until the 10th, my contract required that I "work" several days at the Board of Education office during the winter break. I say "work", as I have nothing to do except sit at a desk and put in face time. Wednesday I attempted to do some studying and write some letters, but the internet kept distracting me (for seven hours straight? is this possible?). It wouldn't be so terrible, but the BOE employees are not exactly what I call engaging / warm / friendly. Oh sure a few of the women serve me tea and coffee and ask what I will have for lunch (always a point of curiosity at my schools as well) but most (especially my direct supervisor and the head boss/superintendent) are cold and quiet. The boss has spoken a total of perhaps 4 words to me since our initial meeting in August (and we played 18 holes of golf together!).

Last Wednesday, shortly before I fulfilled my face time quota for the day, my supervisor invited me to the BOE 2006 New Year Party, to be held that evening. I begrudgingly accepted, expecting a rather boring evening, but feeling rather obligated to attend. Yet, the "enkai", or office/work group party, is where Japanese let their hair down a bit, so I supposed it might be a chance to get to know some of them better.

In fact, my expectations were correct and I spent the most of the evening ignored by the others. With the exception of the tea/coffee-pouring-office lady sitting next to me, who was kind enough to talk to me about all 14 of the courses in front of us, and the pre-school teacher who thanked me for playing Santa Claus, for most of the meal no one said much to me. Not one to waste an opportunity, I feasted continuously for about 90 minutes, deftly managing my chopsticks with sashimi, nabe, tempura, oysters, fish, osechi, Japanese pudding (Ive forgotten the name), rice, miso soup, and more.

As the winter weather was quite severe and many had to drive home, the party ended, thankfully, quite early. Near the end though, one spirited gentleman came over to say Happy New Year and pour me some sake. I of course accepted, we chatted briefly, and then he went back to his seat. Minutes later, I decided to return the favor (the custom in Japan is to never pour for yourself, as it makes others feel bad for not noticing your glass is empty; when you've had enough, you leave your glass no less than 3/4 full). After I had filled his cup several times, our talk turned to fishing and he got very excited, and quite friendly. Assuming I had had as much as him, he said "tomorrow, hangover eh?". I replied that I was in good shape and that tomorrow would be work as usual for me. I am not sure of his position, but he must carry some weight, because he immediate called over to the superintendet, also drinking heavily, and said matter of factly, "Hey, Mr. Michael is taking the day off tomorrow." The boss, without really agknowledging me, agreed to it and went about his sake. Arigatou Gozaimasu.

Anyway, the next day I spent holed up in my apartment surfing the internet.

A Note About Mochi

Mochi, if you recall from a previous missive, is a sweet, sticky, rice cake with a play-doh like texture (strangely delicious!). Miyagi is famous, at least nationally, for zunda-mochi, which is mochi covered in a green soy-bean paste/sauce (even more strangely delicious). On Friday, at dinner at a Japanese friend's house, I had natto-mochi, which is the stickiest thing on earth. Natto, is fermented soy beans (though different than the soy beans used to make zunda). I cant describe the taste, but the texture is like eating beans smothered in Elmer's glue. I am rather indifferent to it (not nearly as terrible as it sounds, yet its not delicous either), but I eat it merely for the praise it brings me. Japanese automatically think better of you if you can eat natto. Japanese often eat natto with rice for breakfast, sometimes mixed with karashi/Japanese mustard.

So, here we have a sweetish play-doh like subtance covered with beans covered with Elmers glue, and I ate it willingly. And I would eat it again. Inexplicable.

New Year's Day

My first experience at a unisex bathhouse today.

I almost didnt leave the apartment at all, due to laziness and bit of loneliness after a rather sad NYE. But, I decided what better way to open the new year than with a long, refreshing bath.

It was my first time to Onuma-sen, just two blocks from my apartment. It had been recommended to me by a Japanese friend. Turns out I knew the proprietor already; we met at a festival several months back in Higashi Naruko while carrying a shrine and drinking homemade sake in the streets. Anyway, he recognized me immediately, invited me into his office and poured me some wicked strong green tea (he appeared to make it from some paste, which I hadnt seen before; Delicious). After chatting briefly and discussing the possibility of private English lessons for him and his mother (how much? he wanted to know), he showed me to the bath.

While the bath is unisex, men and women have seperate changing rooms (which have heated floors!) and enter the bath through seperate doors. Had the place to myself for about 10 minutes, before two elder couples joined me. The bath was quite steamy so it still felt semi-private. One old guy plopped down right beside me and when his naked wife came in, she brought him a beer. Is that as good as it gets or what? Anyway, they made no notice of the gaijin and left me to my relaxation. While in the bath, I began thinking of the hundreds of cold showers I took in Panama, and suddenly felt even warmer.

After my long soak, I dressed and went to thank the owner/bid Happy New Year/ pay. He, of course, wouldnt accept any money and told me to come anytime. I immediately offered free English lessons for free baths; he accepted, though promising dinner as well. The conversation inevitably led to more invitations, including rice-planting and harvesting in the coming year, as well as mochi-making at the end of this month. Needless to say, I am certainly glad I went out!

The last week of 2005

A few photos from the last week of 2005


A Christmas party in my apartment with friends and co-teachers. Nice East-West menu--I made French Onion soup (Woodard Christmas Eve tradition) and served sushi along with it...



A wonderful rotenburo/outdoor bath in Yamagata prefecture (to the west of Miyagi), about an hour from Naruko. While we are getting plenty of snow, the West coast of Japan gets plenty more. There was well over a meter on the ground and it was snowing the entire afternoon that I was there.



The town of Obanazawa (in Yamagata), which defines the word quaint. An old silver-mining town, now just for tourists and onsen-goers. Absolutely buried in snow the day I went. If you look closely, you can see a man shovelling shoulder/head high snow off the roof of his house/inn.