Happy Chaos: Innoshima

四国と神戸・Shikoku and Kobe

Golden week didn't end there.  Within a few hours of Amy leaving, Holly arrived to Innoshima with her mother and grandmother from Hawaii.  Her family had come for a week or so to see Japan.  Holly's mother and Grandmother are Japanese American.  It wasnt their first trip to Japan, but it was their first time to Innoshima (it usually is everyones first time when they come).  When they arrived we were still having a barbeque since when Amy had been there.   That night the five of us stayed at Misako's house.  (At this point of Golden Week it is Friday night.)  Come Saturday morning, we pile in to Misako's fathers car (without her father) and head over the bridges (in the wrong direction at first).  The weather was completely overcast.  Holly's mother was in the front seat, and I sat with Holly and B (Holly's Grandmother: Obaachan...Baachan...B). I was the navigator for the trip, since I had driven to Shikoku before.  The only problem was, that Shikoku is poorly labeled when it comes to street signs.  And of course we were driving into the super inaka, where there are no signs, street names, and barely streets.  As we were driving along a relatively populated street, Holly started screaming a word in Hawaiin that she saw on a building sign.  Misako, thinking we were drivining passed our destination, whipped the car into the sidewalk and stopped.  Meanwhile Holly was like, oh no.  I just saw a word I knew.  Luckily no one was injured, and the rest of us screamed the word for the rest of the road trip.

We made it to our first destination:  Ozu.  Ozu is more on the left side of Shikoku.  We went to visit a small area that is famous for being an old-fasioned japanese town, used in films, Pokopen Town.  It was a really cute tourist destination, with stores and merchandise from at least the 40s.  There was also food, and everything felt really old fasioned.  So mission accomplished.  Next stop.  The other side of Shikoku: Takamatsu.  I had visited there in November.   I had remembered a lot of good things about Takamatsu.  I forgot that it was really hard to find a restaurant, although it is a city.  We walked for at least an hour or so trying to find a restaurant.  It was saturday night and nothing was open past 8.  But we did find a restaurant, and made it back to our hotel.  Holly and her family had a triple and it was HUGE.  So we played poker and drank umeshu.  I had really good beginners luck. 

We got up early in the morning and headed to our final destination: NARUTO, famous for whirlpools in the ocean.  Because of the way the currents run in that part of the seto-inland sea, at certain times of the day, there are constant whirlpools forming and reforming in the ocean, under the bridge connecting Shikoku to Okayama-prefecture.  The weather was extremely cloudy and rainy and ming.  Making it hard to see too far anywhere.  But we did manange to get on a boat tour.  First we ate and walked under the bridge to glass bottom areas and saw (cement tripods and) whirlpools below us in the water.  We arrived at our boat tour of the whirlpools, in the special glass bottim boat package.  Being from Florida, I imagined a glass bottom boat, where the bottom would be glass, and I would see all kinds of things.  Instead, we were put into a tiny room with glass windows on the side and all we saw was green water.  So we left the room and went up to the top of the boat.  The boat took us right to the whirlpools.  We were all but in them.  They were everywhere, unpredictable, and there we were in stormy weather right inside the whirlpools.  It was awesome.  After that, we drove back to Fukuyama, via the Okayama bridge, had dinner, and brought Holly back to the parking lot where she left her car.  But....she had lost her parking ticket....and without it, it was going to cost over $100 to get her car out of an otherwise free parking lot.  But its Japan.  And after calling a special number, and talking to a special man, we were told where they keep some tickets hidden in a special place, just in case something like this should happen.  After that we said goodbye to Holly's family and headed back to Innoshima. 

At the end of May, all of the recontracting JETs had a recontracting conference, and mine was scheduled in Kobe (you may have heard of Kobe Beef...or Kobe Steak House....or Kobe the basketball player).  Anyway, it is a major city in Japan.  So Scottish Jen and I decided to head up a few days before the conference.  Now I must preface the rest of this with some recent research.  Under the reccomendation of Holly, Jen and I had recently read a book called "Dogs and Demons, the Fall of Modern Japan," written by (my new hero) Alex Kerr.  Pretty much this book has jaded the rest of our experiences with Japan, especially that of our time in Kobe. 
Summary:
Alex Kerr began his interest in Japan when he was very young, and has lived in Japan for many years, has done a lot f research, and can call himself an expert on Japan.  After reading his book, I was left with th feeling that I feel bad for the future of japan...かわいそうな感じ。When people think of Japan...what is the first thing that comes to mind....?  Technology, Tokyo, Trains, Clean, New, Lights, Fast, Business...etc.  But, in fact Japan is more than just that.  I am guilty of thinking Japan as being limited to Tokyo and Kyoto.  I am guiltiy of being dazzled by the lights and cameras and cell phone decorations.  Imagine saying that America was only New York and McDonalds.....clearly wrong.  What about Louisanna?  What about Colorado....what about Hawaii?  What about the midwest?  What about Chipole?  What about Subway and farmers markets and lemonade stands?  American is more than bright lights, broadway and fast food.  And Japan is not either.  In fact Japan is everything but what one would think of Japan being.  And from Alex Kerr, it was pointed out to me.  I guess i had already known this, but he just made it clear in my head as to WHY. 
Why:
According to Kerr.....Japan is controlled by a group of bureaucrats who, for their own intents and purposes, are destroying this country.  For example.  Prefectures/cities/towns are granted a certain amout of money for public works projects etc such as new highways, cementing mountain sides, new parks, new monuments etc.  Back when Japan was rebuilding and establishing itself, this system worked.  But now it is not the case and since Japan has not changed a lot of its legislation since the 60s or 70s, and since the bureaucrats are greedy, the country is going to shit pretty fast.  Now, even if the city or area does not need a new highway....it worries that the government will not offer the money again, so they use it toward unnecessary things.  As a result, everywhere you go in Japan, it looks the same.  Almost all of Japans rivers and streams have been encased in cement.  Almost everywhere, mountains are covered in cement (to prevent landslides which dont happen).  Most beaches and shores are lined with cement tripods (see photo) said to protect from errosion (although it makes it worse).  Allergenic ceder trees have replaces the once beautiful natural scenery.  Monuments are being built just for the sake of being built.  Eyesores rised above the once traditional and natural cities.  Such as Kyoto.  Old is being torn down to make way for big block buildings.  Parks are being created with no nature...with a cement something or other....Things are being built it no rhyme or reason.  Just so the bureaucrats get money.  But Japan is deteriorating.  And its really sad to see. (Please refer to "Dogs and Demons")

So.  Jen and I went to Kobe.  And it looked like Hiroshima.  It looked like Yamaguchi.  It looked like Fukuyama.  It looked like Okayama.  It looked like we were driving in a circle to the same city we had left from.  If we turned left, there was a cement mountain or stream.  If we looked right, there was a giant fish statue made out of some horrible metal, or a large red tower with no purpose.  So what did we do.....We went to Starbucks 4 times in two days, and went to the book store most of the time.  In other words, we were very disappointed.  And what is the purpose of eating the famous Kobe beef, when the cows are raised in Hokkaido?  I can get kobe beef back home.  (anyway we had some really good Takamatsu beef....)  When the conference started, we stayed on Port Island...and island made out of garbage many many years ago.  Another project the government created.  When I lived in Odaiba, it was a simliar situation.  An island made out of reclaimed waste and garbage.  Only then I was in awe of the excellence of the places...its newness.  Its grandeur.  But post Kerr, I look at these islands and it makes me sad.  I look at the red towers and the fish monument, and Im sad.  I see every cement hill.  I notice every encased stream.  Nature in Japan, is no longer natural.  Its what the government says should be natural.  Its what is created as natural.  Its like some sort of project playing the role of nature.  (On a side note, I found out recently that the faous fish market in Tokyo, sukiji, will be closing down to make room for a new building....arses)

I was so happy to be back to Innoshima after Kobe.  Why....because Innoshima, although hills are cemented, still remains somewhat of what Japan should be.  Nature still plays the role of itself.  Parks are parks.  I can look lefy and see a temple that is untouched.  Innoshima still has a natural traditional beauty.  And for that I am thankful.  But, I only give it a few more years, because since the merge with Onomichi City, Innoshima too is falling at the hands of the bureaucrats.

ゴールデンウィーク＋ ・ Golden Week +

The last few months have been pretty busy. Various trips, DMV 3 Angela 0, conference, etc.  So I will start back in April, when my landlord changed our garbage rules at the apartment.  In Japan, everything gets recycled.  Burnables, nonburnables, PET bottles, cans, battery like things, natural earth like things...etc. (Note: You have to wash the garbage before you throw it out.  Its kind of like cleaning the house before the cleaning people come.) Each of them have to be thrown our on different days, according to the town you live in.  For example, I can throw away burnables on Mondays and Thursdays, and non burnables on Fridays.  But I can only throw away PET bottles on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.  To elimate any confusion, everyone is given a highly complicated guide page with cartoon drawings, that map out exactly the days in which certain items can be thrown out.  Before my landlord changed the rules, we could throw out our separated garbage any day, and she would take care of it (from what I understood). One day I threw away my garbage, but the lid outside didnt quite close.  I thought to myself....hmm thats fine.  There are no racoons.... The next morning, all the garbage was all over the parking lot and about 1/4 km down the road.  The crows had decided to take it out during the night.  So, since then, I have to follow my cartoon guide to garbage everyday.  Now, the garbage place is not large, and its kind of hidden.  There are random little designated garbage huts around my town, so I found the closest one to me, and that is what I have been using since the crows attacked and made things difficult. 

That being said. I try to follow the rules (I admit, I dont wash all my garbage, but that is my own little protest about the absurdity of it all).  A day or two before plastics day, I decided it was time to throw out the plastics.  Because I hadnt been home in a while and the garbage was old.  I only thought it would be okay because I had noticed that someone else had thrown out plastics earlier. So I made a special trip to the garbage hut.  (Note again: It wasnt plastics day.)  I got to the hut and a woman was sitting inside of it, taking up all the space, with a buch of plastics garbage.  And she was separating it.  I waited, as she separated her plastics. (Note again part 2: She was separating plastics in the garbage hut, on a non-plastics day.)  Finally, I said excuse me, and made the motions to place my garbage in the hut.  BUT.  This woman in the hut turned to me and said, "No no.  Its not plastics day, you can't throw that out."  Normally in this situation I would have done the right thing and thrown my garbage out regardless of what she had said.  But, I thought, maybe she runs the hut.  Maybe she takes care of the garbage, and works here. So I walked away confused.  About 30 seconds later it occured to me that there was no way she worked there.  She was just throwing away her garbage, and that she was a racist bitch.  Anyway, I snuck back later and threw my garbage out, only to find her plastics carefully lined up in the garbage hut.

At the end of April/Beginning of May, there is a holiday arrangement called Golden Week.  During this time, Miss Amy Lynd and I decided to make the pilgrimage to Ozuki.  The two of us worked at Ozuki Salon in DC (great place) and decided we needed see the original town/city, whatever it may have been.  One of the owners of the Salon, Iku, is from Ozuki, which is why it takes that name.  While we made the pilmgrimage, we also thought that we would try to find his friends and family.....

As it turns out, Ozuki was only a 4 ish hour drive from where I lived, in Yamaguchi Prefecture.  (Right next to Hiroshima-Prefecture.) So we hopped in the car and took off.  The week before I took a lot of time preparting maps of all the places we were going.  In japan, no one really does road trips.  And a six hour drive is so far to them, that it is almost unheard of.  So when I told some people, they laughed and said..."Oh wow, maybe your engine is going to explode." Well, I sure hope it doesnt.  We arrived in Ube City, the clostest place to stay near Ozuki.  Note:  Ozuki is so inaka there are no hotels....After about 10 mins driving around the station not finding our hotel, it happened that we were at the wrong station completely, and then went on our way to the right location.  Our hotel was really nice and as it turns out it was a hotel/ryokan.  Meaning...that we had to share a shower with other people.  Luckily there was a lock on the shower room, and we took turns not letting other people in.  The time came for the pilgrimage, and we boarded the train to Ozuki.  Upon arrival, we spent at least 10-15 minutes taking photos in the station (note: the station was about the size of a 7-11.)  And then made our way out.  Determinded to find Iku's family and friends, we stopped at several hair salons throughout the town, inquiring about Iku. "Excuse me, do you know Iku?  He has a salon in DC called Ozuki...?"  etc.  After several failed attempts, we knew we would have to search deeper into the town to find him.  So we walked around, and picked houses that we decided belonged to him and his family.  We did come across a small karaoke snack bar that we hung out in (no, they didnt know Iku either).  We left Ozuki that day, content, having accomplished our pilgrimage.

Usually a trip ends after the pilgrimage is completed, but being that was only Day 1, we still had a week to go.  So we drove to Kyushu, another main Island of Japan, and stayed a night in Fukuoka.

Day 2: Arrival in Fukuoka. 12:30ish pm. We arrived at the hotel, to find a nice almost empty parking lot, only to discover that in fact despite the lack of cars, it was actually full.  (I thought I had reserved a space when I booked the hotel).  So we parked in a spot across the street.  1:30pm  I wondered where my sunglasses were.  I hadnt seen them since I arrived at the hotel.  No big deal, maybe I had left them in the car.  With the whole day ahead of us, we decided to eat and then head out to 二見が浦　（Futamigaura), which couldnt have been further from Fukuoka without leaving Kyushu, so it seemed.  We took a train to an inaka area, and searched for the obscure bus stop.  As it turned out, the bus was running at least 30-45 minutes late.  Note: No transporation is ever late in Japan.  The reason we were going to Futamigaura, was because I had seen some pictures of it from when Misako went, and I remembered it being interesting, and asked her about it.  Anyway, we had no real idea of how to get there, and not many people in Fukuoka did either, but somehow we managed to get onto the bus.  According to the time schedule, we had about 45 minutes to stay once we got to the area, in order to catch the bus back on time.  When we arrived at our location, the only thing in sight was a field and port-o-potty.  As always, there was an obaachan, and we asked her for directions to whatever it was we came to see.  On that note, we didnt really know what we came to see.  We just came.  So we began walking.  And there was nothing that resembled Misakos photos.  In the distance we saw (concrete in the ocean) and a few cars parked along the side. I ran to the first car and asked the two women inside, if we were headed in the right direction to something interesting. They looked at eachother.  Asked me who I was with. I said Amy (they didnt know her.)  And then they said they would drive us down the street because there was no way we would make it on time if we walked.  So they drove us.  Note:  Amy and I were aware that it is never good to get into the car with strangers.  Especially in remote locations.  That being said...When we arrived at the location, we realized what we had came to see.  Cute random cafes along the ocean, a white Tori in the water, and if we waited another half hour or so, we could see the sunset.  The ladies, Hiroko and Yukiyo, parked the car.  They realized that we would never make the bus in time, and that the bus was inconvenient, so they decided that we would watch the sunset together, have a nice dinner together, and then they would drive us to the train station, so we wouldnt have to be inconvenienced.  The sunset was so beautiful.  I wish we had gotten to the beach earlier and spent more of the day there.  Hiroko and Yukiyo were awesome.  Yukiyo was an artist, had lived in France.  I think Hiroko was involved is some sort of chorus thing like Gilda.  And I would definately get into a car with Gilda.  So after a few hours, we were back at the station after spending a lovely evening.  With another pilgrimage under our belt, we retreated back to the hotel.  10:40pm.  (9 hours later).  We decided to check the car for anything we would need.  And there, on top of my car, on the OUTSIDE, sat my sunglasses. They were there untouched all day.  (Unless someone used them and brought them back.)  Unbelievable.

Day 3.  We couldnt leave Fukuoka without having the famous Fukuoka Ramen.  So we drove down to a shopping center and found Ramen Stadium.  After waiting in the longest line we could find, we had the best ramen (it took them longer to pour Amy's juice than it took for them to make both of our ramens).  Back in the car, we headed further into Kyushu until we arrived in Nagasaki!  I was really impressed with the atmosphere of Nagasaki. Although the 2nd atomic bomb devasted the city, the air was very lively.  Whereas in Hiroshima city, there is always a feeling of sadness lingering in the air.  Of course we did visit the Peace Park, and the Atomic Bomb memorial museum (note, my purse fell on the floor of the bathroom and caused discomfort for the rest of the day).  On our way to the park and museum, we stopped at the One-legged Tori, a gate that had been severed in half by the power of the bomb.  Its one of the places that the tour book directed us to.  No one was there as we climbed the steps, but all of a sudden I turned around and Amy was talking to an old man who approached her. He was a ひばくしゃ、Atomic Bomb survivor, and he proceded to explain everything about the Tori, and tell us about his experience.  He pointed out the things about the Tori that the guidebook doesnt say.  He was really proud that he could stand there and talk to us about this.  And it was really amazing for us to have this man approach us without hesitation, and tell us something that not many other people get to hear. 

We spent a lot of time walking around the city.  Nagasaki is definately lacks night life.  But we were able to find some random music bar, where a japanese band (including a female drummer) rocked out with American and Brittish songs.  For several days we tried to eat at a place near our hotel that hosted an ET Keg, but unfortunately we never made it there.  One day in Nagasaki we headed to the Dutch slopes area.  Nagasaki was once a trading port for the Dutch , so there is a lot of western influence on some of the architecture.  In my guidbook we found a cute waffle cafe that we wanted to go to, but there was no way we were going to find it (there are no street names in Japan, and there are millions of streets). So instead we set out to find something else to eat.  We came across a really cool, old English style place, and it turned out to be the waffle place.  Pilgrimage accomplished without even being attempted.  Every night before bed we stayed up watching a different Jonny Depp film, so we ended our time in Nagasaki with JD.  Also, we think that the man next door in the hotel room ordered some sort of hostess.  Because we arrived at the same time as the woman did, and the man arrived right after us, and didnt know who she was, but realized she was there for him.  And then there was chatter in the next room for a few hours. 

Day 6:  We drove back to Innoshima.  The first thing we did upon arrival, was karaoke with Misako, Yukari, and their friend Yuki from Osaka! And the next day my little Amy went back to Tokyo.  I must note now, that I almost had a money crisis.  On every holiday (usually long onces like golden week and new years) all the ATMs close down.  So even if God came with a debit card and a password, he could not get money.  I went to every ATM on the island (just about) before I was finally able to withdraw money at the last minute before the banks closed for the holiday weekend.  I wasnt surprised.  It just gave me flashbacks from when Meghan and I lived in Tokyo and we were always in that kind of problem.