Hanami

It is cherry blossom time in Japan. The start of spring. The end of winter. The excuse to party it up and drink outside. It was Hanami time on Saturday! (Editors note: And I am a moron, because our party was on Sunday.) (Second Editors note: Get an Editor)

Geos Tsuruga (myself and Kaori) decided to try to have a school Hanami party. The cherry blossoms were supposed to be fully open on March 31st, and last for maybe two weeks after that, so it was decided that Sunday the 5th would be the best day for the party, as long as it wasn't raining. And that is always an iffy proposition in Tsuruga.

This past week it rained four days in a row, and the other two were grey and cold. Our manager, Mizuguchi (first name, Haruka, which I JUST learned this week, after having her manage the school for basically the last month. Alex Trout, people person), suggested we make "Teruterubosu" or good weather dolls to hopefully bring us good Hanami weather.

Not Halloween time, Teruterubos (I drop the u because no one in Japan, or at least in Tsuruga, ever says the last u in words)


Well it worked! Sunday was simply beautiful. It couldn't have been a nicer day. Super sunny, which is rare in Tsuruga, warm(ish), and not windy.

The proposed plan was to bring a lunch, and drinks, and get together and hang out under the trees. We met at Geos and proceeded to go across the street to McDonalds. Not because we all wanted to eat McDonalds (I did), but because I had said that I thought the manager of McDonalds was pretty and all of my "friends" wanted to go over there and embarrass me in front of her. I think the real reason I have a crush on her is because she feeds me hamburgers and smells like french fries. Sounds like the perfect woman to me.

Luckily, she wasn't there. And there was about 30 people in line so we headed to 7-11 for lunch food. Mamoru had a bunch of 7-11 gift certificates so we could get a discount lunch. We gathered $80 worth of food and drink, and Mamoru had...$80 worth of coupons! I am sure the 7-11 people hated us.


And we made our way to the shrine.


Marijuana leaf air freshener. Cuz nothing smells better than pot!



Hawks flying low around the mountain. You can't really get the sense from this picture, but those were some BIG birds.

The gate
Not too many people there. Just some ladies in Kimonos...and a couple of tour buses...wait, how many people are going to be at this shrine?


Oh, that many. The shrine is at the top of a mountain, and here are the steps leading up to it. Notice the cherry blossoms and lanterns hanging in the trees. So pretty. Couldn't stop to take pictures though. Had to keep moving. It was like being in a river of people.

Saw a couple of my students coming down the other way. Couldn't stop to say hi, too many people!


The view from the top of the mountain.



That is most of Tsuruga laid out in the hazy distance there. And I love the Western style house in the foreground. At night, it is lit up super bright for some reason. Because the Japanese love America I guess.


Here is the view to the other side, out into the ocean. Ferry terminal jutting out into the water in the middle ground. Concrete plant to the right. Mountains in the distance to the left.



Here I am in front of the rail, proving I was there! That is what you do in Japan, take a picture of yourself wherever you are to show that you were there. Also, you are required to throw up the peace sign. And wear houndstooth camofloague...camouflauge...camouflauoge...How the hell do you spell that?...And wear houndstooth camo!



Also, what is the difference between a hill and a mountain?



(googling)


Oh, according to wikipedia:

There is no universally-accepted definition of mountain. Often, whether something is called a mountain depends on usage among the local people. One more objective definition is that mountains are land areas that are greater than 2,500m in height, or 1500-2499m if their slope is greater than 2 degrees, or 1000-1499m if their slope is greater than 5 degrees and local (radius 7km) elevation is greater than 300m, or 300-999m if their local (radius 7km) elevation is greater than 300m


Well, I don't think it was taller than 2,500 meters, but it was steeper than 5 degrees, so maybe we were on a mountain.



Back to Hanami!








So pretty. Just surrounded by beautiful pink blossoms. And people. Tons of people.


Here I am getting caught taking a picture of old ladies in their matching Kimonos. Whoops!

They are all sitting on their knees, legs folded up underneath them. I have no idea how people do this, and for hours at a time. Ouch!

But even with all of the people around, there was still some space to move and set out a lunch. You just had to find the right spot.

Saw some white people. Was asked "Do you know them?" Why? Cuz all white people know each other? Bunch of racists I hang out with. (Sadly, I did know them. Damn)

We walked around for a bit till we found a seating area and set up our lunch.



Here is our table and bounty of beverages. Mizuguchi (the woman standing up) said, "Oh, picture!" And I didn't have the heart to tell her that I just wanted to take a picture of the food.

So, here she is smiling for the camera


Hanging out ready to eat lunch. Tomoya passing out cups to commence the drinking. Ayumi listening intently. I assume it is to something profound that I just said. I have to put names to faces so Mom can identify people when she comes. In three weeks!


Ayumi and a tree wearing a jacket. Please choose your favorite bad joke about this picture:
1) Ayumi's new boyfriend was a little wooden.
2) That guy's a real stick in the mud.
3) Even the tree was chilly.

Or none of the above because they are all horrendous.



Here is Kaori and her friend Saio acting like gypsys. Mamoru in the background looking equally perplexed. They weren't cold, it was just too sunny out. And JAPANESE PEOPLE DON'T WEAR SUNGLASSES! So they have to do this instead. Why no sunglasses, because "they are scary" I was told. However, I feel like a giant douche when I am walking around squinting all the time because it is too sunny and I shouldn't be wearing sunglasses. What is worse, wearing sunglasses and scaring people, or being squinty and probably offending everyone who looks at me?

Here is our other table full of food, under a pavilion.




Or, what is left of the food.

Wiener dog!


And here I am getting caught again.


Yeah, trying to act like I was taking a picture of the food. But that guy knew better. Come on! I just miss my dogs.

Sometimes I feel good about myself and think I don't look half bad...

...and then I see a picture like this. Kaori, Big fatty, and Kazu. Also, my sideburns are too short, I messed up shaving this week and had to cut them short to even them out. D'oh!


If I am going to take pictures, I guess they should be of both people and cherry blossoms



Even if Kazu had to pull half the tree down to get a branch in the shot.


Here is Ayumi refusing to have her picture taken



(Reminds me of someone else I know:

)


Here is one for Mom and Dad, Lions club sign at the top of the mountain.


Bottom right of the sign, the Katakana is how they spell Lions club in Japan: Ra-i-o-n-su Ku-ra-bu. Pretty close. Closer than A-re---(long re)-ku-su.

After we finished the Hanami, we decided to go bowling. And luck would have it that USA (the name of the pachinko/arcade/bowling place) wasn't having a tournament and we got to bowl.

I did good the first game (173) and then sobered up a bit (no drinking in Japanese bowling alleys. Seriously, what are they thinking?) and only got a 151 the second game.

Here is the happy bowling crew:

Well, some of them were happy. Maybe not Kazu. He just missed bowling 200 by one lousy missed spare pickup.

Back row: Mizuguchi (I mean, Haruka), Mamoru, Kaori, Tomoya
Front row: Kazu, Ayumi, Hideki and his son Jun (who was the funniest bowler ever. He started behind the scorer's table and would run all the way up to the line and just THROW the ball down the lane. I couldn't bowl anywhere near when he did I was laughing so hard.)

All in all, a great day. Trying to get back to the shrine at night sometime this week to take pictures of the blossoms at night with the lanterns all lit up. It is beautiful. And of course I forgot my camera when I went at night.