Japanese Onsen

I thought it was about time for me to introduce you to Japanese onsen. As mentioned previously, an onsen is a Japanese style communal public bath (not swimming pool) and is usually heated by geothermal energy. Shimogo is famous for its onsens and people come from far and wide to soak in them.

Today I went to the public onsen in Shimogo in order to try and lessen the discomfort in my neck caused by my skiing accident on Friday. Although the water was not at its usual boiling temperature, my neck and the rest of my body seem to feel a bit better. The Shimogo public bath is quite small and the men's area was full when I arrived (7 people). I seem to have scared away the other customers, however, as 15 minutes after I immersed myself in the water, all other customers had done a runner. Perhaps the sight of a pale and skinny white gaijin body was too much for them.

I have added some pictures (not my own) which show the typical set up of a Japanese onsen. If you ever visit Japan, taking an onsen is a highly recommended experience.

I'll post another blog entry later in the week. Tomorrow I have a busy day at Narahara Elementary School (5 classes) and then a normal few days in Shimogo JHS. On Thursday night there will be a small wedding party for one of the teachers at Shimogo JHS. On Friday I am going to karaoke with one of the teachers from elementary school. Saturday night will see another night out in a city called Aizu-Wakamatsu. Wish me luck!!

Ouch!!!!

Not much to report this week really. Had a great day skiing on Friday but towards the end of the day, I had my first big fall of the season (and hopefully my last). I think I was getting a bit overconfident and with conditions deteriorating, it was a recipe for disaster. I came off my skis at a moderate pace and managed to land on the side of my head. Fortunately, I was wearing a ski helmet which took most of the impact. I still have a slight headache, but without the helmet it would surely feel much worse. My neck is badly bruised but I hope it will be fine by next weekend. I don't plan to ski on Sunday because rain is forecast and I think I should let my neck regain its strength.

Wear a ski helmet. Not only do they protect against head injuries, they also prevent people from recognising you when you're lying prostrate on the ski slope. A valuable piece of kit.

Skiing and Beer

This weekend has been very enjoyable. On Friday I decided to visit the local ramen (noodle) shop which is called Kunyan. In Kunyan I had some very nice fried Chinese dumplings called gyoza. The dumplings were washed down with several glasses of Sapporo beer and by the end of the evening, I was well fortified for the 15 minute walk home.

Saturday saw me get up at about 9am, wax my skis, and then jump in the car for the 30 minute drive to Daikurayama. I guess I was on the slopes by around 11.30am and spent the next 5 hours trying not to ski into a tree. Feeling good about the world, I returned to Shimogo with my lungs full of fresh mountain air. After dinner, I received a call inviting me to a nearby restaurant called Wakatsuki. Wakatsuki is only 5 minutes walk from the house and is an excellent place to sit and chat to the customers who come and go. All in all, an excellent nights entertainment.

Sunday saw another trip to Daikurayama. I really enjoyed today (just like every other day). The snow was hard and icy in places but I coped fairly well. Feeling a bit reckless, I upped the speed level slightly and this proved to be an enjoyable break from the overly cautious approach I often take. The extra speed almost resulted in a few collisions with other skiers. I very nearly came off at speed today but somehow I managed to keep my balance and avoid a trip to the local hospital.

What do I have planned for the week ahead?? I'm fairly busy this week and will visit Elementary school on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Thursday will see me return to Shimogo JHS and Friday will be another chance to renew my love affair with the slopes of Daikurayama. Bye for now.

Yokohama JET Meeting

That's me back in Shimogo after a busy few days in Yokohama. The purpose of the meeting was to help and inspire JETS in their search for future employment when their contracts end this July. I feel suitably inspired and confident that my next perfect job is just around the corner. Whether this optimism will bear fruit is another matter altogether - fingers crossed.

Obviously there was also time for a bit of entertainment whilst in Tokyo. I managed to meet up with a few other teachers for some beers in Shinjuku on Monday night. However, it's nice to be back in Shimogo and hopefully I'll get a bit more skiing done before the snow finally retreats.

I'm looking forward to school tomorrow and then I'm away again on Friday for a meeting in Fukushima City. I don't really want to go to this meeting but it's not often that I show my face in Fukushima Prefecture so I decided that Friday is the day for me to make a small effort.

As usual, my weekend will consist mostly of skiiing and perhaps an onsen on Sunday. I'm also mulling the idea of having a few beers on Friday or Saturday night. We shall see.

Shimogo JHS Ski Day

Yesterday (Feb 8th) was when Shimogo JHS made their annual pilgrimage to the slopes of Daikurayama. Only 1st and 2nd grade students attended while 3rd grade continued to study hard for their high school entrance examinations in March.

We started skiing from about 10.30 and it seemed obvious that most of the students were much better than I. Some of the students started skiing when they were 3 or 4 years old and were able zip down the slopes effortlessly. However, I persevered and feel that I have learnt some good lessons which should help my skiing develop further.

Lunch consisted of a very nice plate of Japanese curry accompanied by miso soup. There was a brief photo-call outside the restaurant before the afternoon skiing lessons began. It dawned on me that I find skiing at high speed easier than low speed skiing - strange!

All in all, the Shimogo JHS day at Daikura was an enjoyable break from the classroom. On return to Shimogo, I met up with the ski instructors for a small party and managed to consume rather a lot of Asahi Lager. The weekend is now coming up and I will firmly grasp the opportunity for more skiing on the fresh snow that has just fallen. Three days skiing should prepare me for a busy week ahead which will see me going to a 3 day conference in Yokohama.

Natto

Everyone that knows me probably realises that I'm extremely fussy and cautious when it comes to food. One of the most infamous Japanese dishes is called natto - fermented / rotten soya beans. Japanese people have eaten natto for over 1,000 years. Natto has a very strong smell which many people (especially foreigners in Japan) don't like. Perhaps the most unusual thing about natto is its stringy texture.

I have avoided natto ever since I arrived in Japan, mainly because of the smell. This week however, I decided to take the plunge and try natto for the first time. How was it? I can say that it was surprisingly nice and now I feel able to add natto to the short list of Japanese foods which I can eat. This may not seem very impressive to most of you, but I can say that eating natto is perhaps one of the biggest challenges that a foreigner can face in Japan. There is no comparable culinary experience in Great Britain.

I am told that natto is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Apparently it helps to prevent heart attacks, strokes, cancer, intestinal diseases, and obesity i.e. perfect medicine for the average Scot.

Skiing

The Fukushima area of Japan gets a lot of snow during the winter months and as a result, there are a lot of ski resorts close to Shimogo Town. I've purchased a season pass for a ski area called Daikura and have been making an effort to go skiing at least once a week. The season pass only costs 20,000 yen (about 100 pounds) and is well worth the money.

This week I've been 3 times and my legs are now aching. Drinking a couple of beers midway through the day also doesn't help!!! I think I'll drink AFTER skiing next time. I'll go skiing again on Wednesday with Shimogo JHS by which time I hope my legs have regained their strength.

I've had a really good week on the slopes. After a long time with no visible sign of improvement, I decided to change my skiing style on Friday. The minor changes that I made have paid off. I feel that my skiing has reached the next level (although I'm still no Franz Klammer / Pierman Zubriggen). I didn't ski well today but I think that was because my legs were too tired.

I'll miss the skiing when we move to Tokyo. When the snow melts I'll pack my skis away and get the mountain bike onto the road again. I'm trying to get as much exercise and fresh air as possible before we move to Tokyo in July. I'm sure I'll be busy in Tokyo and will not have as much time to exercise.

Well, that's what I've been doing for the past few days. Tomorrow I'm working at an elementary school in the morning and then I'll go to the Board of Education in the afternoon. I'll try and post another blog during the week.