About a month ago a friend of my host father came over for dinner. He had been to America under a homestay program, and so he spoke English very well (a pretty rare talent for Nihon-jin). He came with tortilla chips and salsa, so he deserves a medal. During the course of the meal he suggested that my host parents have a Birthday party for me. Birthdays here do not mean much. Many people consider New Years to be their marker day for how old they are. If I did this I would be 19 on Jan 1st. The suggestion was made, next step is planning. In Japan everything must be planned extensively (to death).
"What do you at parties in America?"
"We sit around and talk, listen to music, eat pizza..."
"But what do you do?"
"Uh... well... there is always Twister..."
October 10th five of my classmates, plus my teacher and his family, came over for lunch. My classmates gave me traditional Japanese toys. Many of which were very familiar, as Appalachian folk toys. A flying whimsy-doodle, a whirly-gig, a spinning-top... I wonder which area of the world came up with these things first. My classmates also gave me food, like Cocque D'Asses cookies and a single giant cheese-flavored Styrofoam block (exactly like a chee-to). The chee-to was indorsed by Drymon, the robot cat with a magic pocket.
My host parents gave me some workman's pants. Japan is letting some of the world's coolest fashion go to the carpenters and construction workers. Nikaaboka (knickerbockers) and jika-tabi are the two articles I have in mind. Nikaaboka are wide-leg pants with pleats and cuffs on the bottom. Jika-tabi are shoes that go to the mid-shin. They have thin rubber soles, and the big toe is separated from the rest of the toes.
Whenever I try to explain how cool these clothes are, I get laughed at. I guess if these ever catch on in the USA, it will be comparable to the tenga-lahn fashion statement here. "Tenga-lahn" is Japanese-English for "ten-gallon," a cowboy hat. Cowboy hats are very popular accessories for walking around shopping (and being seen).
I also got something from the host parents I had forgotten to pack... a belt. What kind of belt, you ask? Well, the buckle has a gold rabbit's head on it. And the rabbit has a bowtie. Yes, this emblem is one of the most popular American icons: the Playboy Bunny. So now I posses one belt, and it has "Playboy Classic" emblazoned on it. It's a very nice belt.
I was toasted with champagne and sung to. "Happy Birthday" is sung in English. I think that the sentiment, rather than the words, is not translatable. There was a cake with eighteen candles. I blew them all out on the first breath, along with blowing the powdered sugar from the top of the cake. I was distracted by everything going on around me, and forgot to make a wish. Oh well.
After lunch (tortilla chips and salsa, no pizza, but plenty of pizza Pringles) we played twister. Okasan had found the game at SOGO, the eight-story depaato (department store). My long legs helped make me the "kokusai chanpion (international champion)."
That afternoon I met some fellow expatriates in front of SOGO. We decided to get to the highest altitude possible and look out at the city. Rhega Royal (hotel) is near SOGO, so we got into the elevator and pressed 34. We ended up at the restaurant, where the bill for a coffee and a tea is rumored to be 5000 yen ($50). We were content to look out of the windows at Hiroshima-shi. A wait-person even took our picture for us.
I had the chance to make my wish at a temple yesterday. This particular ritual is as follows: write your prayer and name on a bamboo sheet, throw a coin in the box, clap twice, light a candle, spin the clacker, and make your prayer. The clacker is a big pulley with 109 tennis-ball sized wooden balls strung like a necklace. When you pull it they drop on each other and make a clacking sound. I guess you have to see it to understand. This apparatus (as well as clapping) are how you get the attention of the superior being(s) you are praying to.
Be safe, spread the wealth, and give the dogs a kiss for me,
forrest