Our Very Japanesey Day

I know that by living in Japan, it should mean that every day is a very "Japanesey" day, but it doesn't seem so as much lately.  The days go by and daily life is just, well, just daily life.  But when it's cherry blossom season, the Japaneseness of Japan just comes blooming out all around.  And today was just one of those days filled with Japanese things.  

We started off at Tenjin Temple in Takatsuki, enjoying a small tea ceremony.  Peaceful and beautiful under this blooming cherry.

Adding to the "Japaneseness" of my day, I learned how to use a new function on our camera that can take three shots and arrange them like this one.  (Furthermore, my subject for this experiment was the temple cat, about which I'm sure I squealed,  "So cute!"  in proper Japanese fashion..."Kawaii!"
We then headed to Osaka to visit a small art gallery where my former pottery teacher was finishing a special exhibit.   We got an invitation postcard in the mail last week:

I took pottery lessons from this kind and very talented potter for the 5 years I lived in Koga.  What a pleasure to see them and their beautiful Japanese pottery!  It made we want to get my hands on clay again, for sure!  (This picture Masashi took while we were getting ready to pose for a picture - it catches the moment nicer than the posed version.)

Finally, we strolled around Osaka Castle and took in the sights, sounds and smells there.  

The cherry trees were in full bloom, the vendors were out in full force, and there were several music groups to encounter from jazz to drum groups, guitarists to....

good ole' American 50's music just as we were walking out of the park.  A crowd had gathered and as I approached I realized it was a group of dancers - leather jacket, tight jeans, pointy sleek shoes for the guy... poodle skirts and cardigans, etc. for the girls - twistin' the day away.  It was a unique sight - a group of Japanese dancin' American, and this American being Japanese taking their picture.  

We finished with a nice dinner for two in Umeda.  A pretty good day in our lives in Japan.  More to come as the weather warms up and we venture out and about.

Kyoko's Wedding Party

My host sister and her husband had their official wedding ceremony last year, a private ceremony at a church in Paris last month, and finally a party with friends last weekend which we happily attended.   

I stayed with this host family when I studied Japanese in Shiga many years ago when their daughters were still students.  They own and run a fantastic mediterranean restaurant in Hikone called Milk House.  (http://www.milk-house.com)  Now, the older daughter is expecting her first child, and the younger is a full-time chef in the family restaurant.  The parents still work as hard as ever.

The party was at the family restaurant and my host sister reportedly did most of the food preparation herself before slipping into her beautiful wedding dress and being greeted by a room full of friends.  

My host mother made their wedding cake and brought it in from the kitchen.  Covered with a layer of beautiful fresh fruit...light and delicious!

  
She even prepared a special plate to present their portions on with extra homemade desserts on the side.  Their friends, some from their high school sports clubs, made special presentations of gifts for them, adding to the festivities.  We enjoyed hanging out with their young friends who, though we're years ahead, made us feel young.  (The wine helped a little, too.)  It was a beautiful and yummy evening indeed!

St. Valentine's Day ②

先週の土曜日は、バレンタインデー♡
でしたね！

みなさま、どんなバレンタインデーを過ごしましたか？？？

僕はというと・・・
毎年チョコレートをくれる
H&Mちゃん姉妹がいつものように！
くれました（V＾－°）

手作りのチョコレート

こちらは金曜日クラスのMちゃんが持ってきてくれたイチゴチョコレート。

木曜日クラスのNちゃんからの手作りクッキー。

子供たちが作ってくれたと思うとなおさらうれしいです(＾＾)

こちらは大人クラスのTさんから頂きました。

本当にうれしかったです。

皆さんありがとうございます。

ついでに・・・

今僕たちが行っているジム（ZAVAS SPORT CLUB DELTA）

の帰り、チェックアウト？をした時に↓を手渡れました。

“今日は男性の方にチョコレートをプレゼントしています♡　”

とのこと。

さすが、明治製菓が経営しているジムです。

入口を出た後、Lisaを待つ為に少し待っていると、

出てくる男性陣のお顔は心なしか・・・　にやけていました。

あぁ、僕もこんな顔して出てきたんだなー(^^ゞ

でその後ですが、散髪にいつも行っている

Hair Timeに行くと、なんと帰りの際↓を頂きました。

最近はどこもすごいですねー！

もちろんLisaからも(＾＾)

皆様本当にありがとうございました！

We should glue what?

Just finished my Tuesday night private class with a high-school senior.  He's very bright and getting better and better at English, of course, but in this evening's class we both just had to laugh at his little English blunders.  

Our textbook provides an outline conversation for discussing plans and we worked together to make suggestions on what needs to get done.  So, we picked two plans - one is to travel abroad, the other to try to be more eco-friendly.

First, travel abroad discussion...

Me: We should decide where we want to go.

Student:  Yeah.  That's important.  

Me: So, where do you want to go?

Student: How about America?

Me: Great!  But, America is a big place.  Is there anything you really want to see?

Student: (long pause with pensive face) Angel.

Me: (trying hard to be funny....) Oh.  You want to see an angel?  I don't think America is a good choice then.

Student: (courtesy laugh)  (thinking) ummm....

Me: (bright look on face of instant realization and sheer confidence) OH!  You mean Los Angeles!!

Student: (laughing) No....  (thinking)   Angel.....angel....(bright look on face) The Angel of Liberty!

Me: OH!!!  Her!!  Yeah...we can see her.  New York City it is!

Next plan....let's be more eco-friendly

Me: We should try to remember to take our own bags when we go shopping.

Student: Yeah. That's a good idea.

Me: Do you have any ideas?

Student: We should ....(thinking) plans.....hmmm... g...g...glue

Me: glue?

Student: hmmm...glue ....glue (bright look on face) glue planets!

Me. ....???  glue planets...(gesturing and wondering and trying to get it)

       AAAHHH!  Grow plants!!  (laughing)

Student: (confused face)/ Me: (explaining what glue planets means)

Both: (laughing)

Me: I think that even though you just passed the test and got your driver's license this week, you should NOT drive and only ride your bike, walk, use public transportation...

Student: We don't need that.  (half smirking)

Me: (trying to remember how exciting it was to be able to drive) Yeah...I was just joking.

See you next week.

St. Valentine's Day

早くももう２月・・・
そう！今月はバレンタインズデー！

今月からクラスルームも

こんな感じにバレンタインです。

そろそろ女の子たちはチョコレートの話で盛り上がりぎみ！ですが・・・

今年は“逆チョコ”なる言葉も見かけることもありますが、
本来のバレンタインデーは特に女性→男性というわけではなく、
女性⇔男性。

しいて言えば
“愛の日♡”
とでもいうのでしょうか。

アメリカではこの日になると通りにお花屋さんが並び、
仕事帰りなどの男性が彼女・奥さんにそのお花を買って帰ります。

どうでしょう！日本の男性陣も、愛の告白♡・日ごろの感謝♡のしるしに
女性に何かちょっとしたものをプレゼントしてみては？！