Thursday, April 30, 2009

Things I love about Japan





I've lived here for about 13 years total and there's no way I could have if it weren't for the many good points. So here they are not in any particular order. HOT SPRINGS (picture below in Beppu) - The first "onsen" I tried was Japan's oldest and arguably most famous, Dogo Onsen, in Matsuyama; this is also where I lived my first year in Japan and fell in love with this country. It's funny because at that time I just couldn't find the pleasure of sitting in a hot bath with a bunch of naked men. It probably wasn't until I was in my 30's that my "old" body could appreciate the healing and relaxing feeling of it all. KARAOKE (picture above of me and Susan when we entered a karaoke contest - and lost badly) - I actually only go a few times a year but always enjoy it when I do. The sound systems these days can make almost anyone sound like a pro. Plus, singing in English gives me a big advantage whenever I go with students, haha. FESTIVALS (picture of me carrying "mikoshi" taken last week at Odawara Matsuri, pic. on right at summer festival in Okayama when I was a JET) - I particulary enjoy the summer festivals, especially the firework shows. They are so much bigger and better than the ones I've seen back home on the 4th of July. I also love all the festival food (yakisoba, cotton candy, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakitori). So it goes without saying that my love of JAPANESE FOOD makes living here that much easier. A few of my other favorites are: sukiyaki, tempura, karaage (Jap. fried chicken), donburi and shogayaki. Another Japanese invention that is loved by all, especially every winter, is the HEATED TOILET SEAT. Not only does it warm your tush (bottom), it sprays up water to do the cleaning, very environmentally friendly! :) Of course, the "SAFE" feeling I have here is also a huge plus. Not that I feel in danger in my own country but I am constantly aware of it and it's something that you always have to be prepared for. Here I can walk the streets by myself in the middle of the night and not worry about being mugged or robbed. I'm not saying it could never happen but the odds are so slim here that it's not yet a concern for me. I'll finish by saying it's the PEOPLE. I'm almost always treated well here. This is not only by people who know me but also by complete strangers. Generally speaking, Japanese are polite and easy to get along with. I'm very grateful to all the kind people I've encountered and befriended here.


20 comments:

netto said...

Helo!Conrads

I agree with you.I love Japan too...
I`ve lived in japan for two years and a half.I love every season in winter vacation I like to go to ONSEN for relax and eat Japanese food and in spring I go to see cherry blossoms with myfriends in summer I am looking forward to seeing fireworks and wear a yukata and eat.

Best reguards!
Netto

kensuke watanabe said...

Hello!Conrads

I like Japan too.I think you enjoy Japan very much.It's make me happy becouse I have japanese pride.I want you to like Japan more,and i like America very much.

Igawa Yuka said...

Hi!Conrads.

You love Japan!And I love Japan too.
May be you said you sing [NAMIDANO KISS]aren't you?Do you sing any Japnese song?Who is your favorite musician in Japan?

Conrads!
Today is my birth day!
Please say Happy Birth Day! to me for tomorrow.

See you!

ayanakamaru said...

aya nakamaru
Hi!! conrads:)
I feel happy because you love Japan.
ONSEN is good!!
I like ONSEN too. ROTENBURO is very very very good!!!
Last class, you sad "i like NATTO".
I like NATTO too.
I like Japanese food very much.
Especially, OHAGI is very delicious. It's a Japanese sweet recommended by me.
please try to eat!!
aya nakamaru

Anonymous said...

Hello!conrads

Me too. I like japan. especialiy I like onsen. Onsen is most famous thing in Japan. I had never been to DOGO onsen. I want to go there someday.

Arata Ueda

Anonymous said...

hello!Conrad

I like japan too.I like japanese food too,for example...I like Udon and Yakitori and Unagi.They are very delicious.And I like Onsen too.But I have not gone to Onsen recently.Sometime,I want to go to Onsen.

See you!
Akihiro Suzuki

Anonymous said...

Hello! conrad

I like onsen too.
I recommende you to go to IZU NAGAOKA onsen.I used to go there
with my family.
Whenever I go to there, I take a bath about 5 times!!
I have never been to DOGO onsen.so, I want to go there!

see you next class!!
masumi

Chiyoko said...

Hi Conrad,
It was so funny your HOT SPRINGS part. So, now you are comfortable with sitting among bunch of naked men? I, myself, prefer to be in "not-so-crowded" hot spring. The best is to have the distance which barely sees other people through steam. I would not be very happy with placing my OLD BODY among bunch of old bodies... but anyway, hot spring is nice. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

Hello!Conrad!
I'm Mizuki Yoshimoto.

I went to "KUSATSU ONSEN" last year. And I went to HAKONE,too.
I love hotspring.But I have never been to "DOGO ONSEN". I want to go there. If I go there, I will tell you!

Haruka Goto said...

Hello,conrad!

I'm glad you love Japan.
I like ONSEN,too.
These pictures are very nice!
It seems so fun!

Have a good weekend!
See you.

Haruka Goto

Haruka Sugiyama said...

GOODEVENING!

I love hot spring too.
Recently.I went to Atami hot spring with my friend.
Your pictur looks like grad.
I think onsen is unique in JAPAN.
Also,I don't go to Dogo-onsen.
I want to there someday.

I love JAPAN.
SEE YOU!

Haruka Sugiyama

Satoshi Ohkawa said...

Hi!Conrad

I went to "ATAMI ONSEN" and "IZU ONSEN" last summer.
I took a hot spring bath after a long time.
It was very comfortable for me.
I want to take other hot springs.

And,I like the festival fool too.
Especially,I like okonomiyaki.

See you next class.
Satoshi Ohkawa

Chisato Kurihara said...

Hello,conrad!

I love Japan too!
I'm glad you enjoy Japan very much.
Japan has many good things.

I like ONSEN too.
I went to KUSATSU ONSEN last year.
ONSEN is relax me.
These pistures are very nice!

See you next class.
Have a good weekend!

Chisato Kurihara

Anonymous said...

Hello!Conrad.

I'm glad you love japan.
ONSEN,KARAOKE,fireworks...I love japanese culture too.However,there are many culture I haven't experienced yet.I want to meet other japanese culture.

I hope many foreign people like conrad visit japan!

Kaoru

Anonymous said...

Hello! Conrad.
I think you enjoying japanese culture very much.
I like hot spring too. But I haven't gone there for some time. So I want to go to "DOGO ONSEN" someday.

See you next class!!
Rina Shimomura

Ou Tantou said...

good evening!conrad

I`ve read your blog,it`s very interesting and surprise.Here,I saw many pictures about you.it`s so funny!haha..I`m not sure that`s you?when you were a child ,you wore a red skirt like a girl!!That is cute,and you had appareled Bruce Lee?hehe~(^ω^) Then you said you love Japan I love Japan too!the Japanese food,Japanese people, Japanese comic and all of Japan~My faverate Japanese food is "sushi",it`s quite delicious I think!I like the "kimono" it`s beauty!I want to buy one.Japanese festival is interesting ,and something in it I haven`t seen befor,I like joining it and eat the food or dance whith other people.
It was late,so i will stop writing here.this is a good blog and i am very enjoy it!cheer up!~:)


ou tantou

Anonymous said...

Hi!Conrads

I'm very glad that you love Japan.
Because I like my country very much.
Japan has a lot of more nicer place.So,I want you to enjoy Japanese life from now on.

See you next class!
Chihiro Kasuya

Keiko said...

Hello!Conrads.

I like HOT SPRINGS too.I want to go to the Beppu ONSEN very much.I went to the Kamisuwa ONSEN in Nagano prefecture in April. It was so good. I'd love for you to go to there.

See you next class!

Keiko Matsui

AMI HIROSE said...

Hello!conrads.

Japan is very exiting country.
I like Karaoke and Onsen too.
My favorite Onsen spot is Hakone.
The Place Hakone is very fine.
It's make me happy!!
How about a trip to Hakone?

Ayano Oshima said...

Hello Conrad!
I'm Ayano Oshima.

I like Japanese foods. For example, sashimi,natto,and miso-soup. You like tempura,don't you? I like tempura,too. Japanese food is very good.

See you!