May 5th

May 5th is a very important date for me. On this, the Hojo Matsuri (festival) is held in Odawara. This year I carried the big mikoshi (portable shrine) into the sea. It doesn't look so big nor heavy but it weighed a couple of tons and felt like even more! My parents were here visiting during this time, so they got to see the festival. It was so fun to show them one of my favorite parts of Japanese culture, the matsuris. What made it even more special was that it was Taiga's first matsuri （初節句 Hatsuzekku) and his first Children's Day (formerly called Boy's Day). I love how the whole community comes together and helps out. Some carry the mikoshi, others direct traffic, while others are back at the make-shift base camp preparing curry, onigiri, yakisoba and keeping the beer on ice. And this all couldn't be done without the generous donations from the local businesses and townspeople. Every one chips in and this matsuri tradition that started about 500 years ago in Odawara lives on.

But the main reason May 5th holds such importance to me is that it's the day I met Aki. It was during Golden Week in 2001 while I was hanging out with my buddy Ari (from NY). She was with her friend Hitomi and our paths crossed and I've never looked back. On a side note, when we met way back then, Aki's English was at the beginner level. In fact, my Japanese was even better than her English! I know that's hard to believe now and my Japanese hasn't really improved (maybe this was because I was too busy teaching her English, haha JK). She's far from being a true bilingual but can communicate fairly fluently and naturally in English. This shows that with a lot of hard work (as she did), you can also improve your English to a high level. Keep studying hard and keep having fun!

Pavement performs in Japan

Earlier this month, I got to see my childhood friends (from Morada) perform in Tokyo. What made it even more special was to hang out with them before, watch them from backstage and then chat with them a bit after their show finished. Thanks Scott and Steve! I got the same royal treatment the last time they were here back in '99, right before they split up. They were good then, but Pavement's reunion tour was awesome. I have to admit, I don't really know their music and mainly know them because these guys were my best buds back in grade school through junior high. We branched out in high school but would still always stop and chat when we ran into each other.

I think it was for my 10th birthday that my dad drove me and a few of my friends, including Scott & Steve to a Golden State Warriors game (no Sac Kings back then). I remember those guys talking in the van about what they'd call their rock band if they had one. I can clearly remember them saying names like "Concrete" for hard rock and I'm pretty sure they even mentioned the name "Pavement" that night too. Of course, this could just be wishful thinking on my part. :)

Suddenly all these old memories start popping up in my head. One has to do with Scott's dad. He along with Mr. Platt coached our local soccer team for several years. On top of that thankless job, he drove us to a skateboard park an hour away on several occasions. I took for granted that type of generous giving of one's time back then. "So Mr. Kannberg, thank you very much for driving us little rascals around"! BTW, I think I was the only rascal, LOL!

I also remember one time in jr. high when Mrs. Malkmus drove us to Tower Records. One of them bought a Beatles album and I bought "The Sugar Hill Gang". That was right about the time when our musical tastes started to diverge. It's also interesting how upon entering high school, music often pulls you to "belong" to a certain clique.

I can still remember playing one on one with Steve at his house and slam-dunking at my house with Scott (got pics. to prove it too, oh yeah, we were jumping off something, hehe). During those days, I was taller than both of them. Now Scott is near 6 foot and Steve's around 6 foot 2. Me? ummm...5' 8".

Anyway, I've got countless memories of childhood youth spent with those guys. It's funny how when you know a guy when you're 10, you already know their character. They may become famous and change a bit but they're still the same good ol guys that you knew when you were 10. :)

ps After the comment left by "anonymous", I searched for some "old school" pics. and found some gems. Can you find Scott and Steve?

A father's (random) thoughts

Today our son is 6 weeks old. Sometimes I want him to stay this way forever, small & cute. I want to hold him in my arms always. OTOH, I think about when he grows up and what he will be like and what he will do. Will he love sports? Will he love reading? Will he want to do ballet? I remember back in college when a girl I was dating asked me, "What if your son wants to do ballet?" I remember immediately answering, "no way"! I've changed. If my son wants to do ballet, fine. (But Taiga, when you're old enough to read this, I hope you'll pick another activity, like basketball, haha). But to be honest, my wife and I just want to raise a boy with a big heart and a little bit smart would be nice too. :) OK, I admit I am "oyabaka" which literally translates to "fool parent". Hopefully I'm not a fool but I guess I am a "doting daddy".
I remember another question that my good friend David once asked me about 20 years ago: "Would you rather have your son get an athletic scholarship or an academic scholarship"? I remember answering, "athletic scholarship for sure". At that time, I think I was thinking more of my own pride. Not that I wouldn't love for him to get one, but an academic scholarship would be my answer today. Actually, I would be happy with any kind of scholarship! I say this realizing that I'll be in my 60's when he gets to be that age, LOL! For some reason I just had a flashback to when I was a kid, maybe 8 or 9 years old. I remember asking my dad, "What if I got a football scholarship to Stanford"? (we must have been watching a Stanford game on TV) His answer was, "I'll buy you a Porsche" (my dream car). I remember thinking to myself that I might actually be playing football at Stanford and driving a Porsche. Well, nothing wrong with letting your kid dream! :)

Here's a list of things I have learned so far:1) How many diapers a baby can go through in one day
2) How much milk a baby can drink in one day
3) How much milk a mother can make in one day (and how big her milk tanks can get) hehe
4) How loud (and funny) a baby's fart can be
5) How good it feels when my baby falls asleep on top of me

Here's something I still wonder about:
What's he thinking about when he spends all that time staring up at the ceiling?

Here a couple of pictures from our visit to the shrine to celebrate "omiyamairi". This is similar to a Christian Baptism. It takes place one month (or thereabouts) after the baby's birth. The purpose is to pray for the baby's health. BTW, I promise this Blog won't turn into a "My Baby Blog" but then again, I am "oyabaka", haha!

Baby News!

1440 minutes! This is how long Aki was in labor, yes one full day! I have even more respect for mothers after having witnessed what they go through. After checking in around 7pm on Monday, Feb. 8, he finally came out around 7pm on Tuesday, February 9. It was a sleepless night & day spent mainly rubbing Aki's lower back. :)

About 18 hours into it, the doctors told us they may have to deliver by C-section. This is done in less than 10% of births here in Japan (compared to over 20% in the USA). Fortunately, we were able to avoid this. But in the end, they did have to bring out the forceps (coincidentally, they were needed in my delivery as well, my mom thinks this may have lead to my crooked head).

This was a slow day at Odawara City Hospital and at times there were around 10 doctors/nurses assisting with or observing the delivery. On a busy day, they deliver a half a dozen babies. We were so happy with all of them. But I noticed one interesting thing. Whenever Aki made a loud noise (I didn't think it was loud), one doctor would sternly say, "Don't make any loud noises". I wanted to say, "Go ahead Aki, scream", but I kept my mouth shut. During one of those slow moments, I did attempt an "oyaji gag" (old man's joke). I said, "You need patience (patients) to do your job". No one laughed.

Taiga Calvin Matsumoto
Height: 18.7 inches (47.5 cms)
Weight: 6.7 lbs (3040 grams)
History behind his name: This Year, 2010, is the Year of the Tiger. Taiga (pronounced like Tiger) is easy for people to pronounce whether we are in Japan or the states, and it's a little bit different (like his dad's). Coincidentally, February is also the month of the Tiger and the 9th of February is also the day of the Tiger (according to the Chinese zodiac). So our boy was born on a very STRONG "Tiger" day! BTW, "Tiger" people are said to be sensitive, deep thinkers and capable of great sympathy. Many Japanese ask about the kanji (Chinese characters) for Taiga. "Tai" means big or strong. "Ga" means noble or right. We gave him his middle name, Calvin, after his grandfather in California. In Japan, it is not a custom to be named after a family member. You don't meet any Jr's here. So when Aki brought up my dad's name as a possible choice for our "English" name, I jumped at it. It's not possible to have a middle name here, so actually his name will read TaigaCalvin (one long name) on his official documents in Japan. For his American passport, the names will be separated.

One more interesting thing happened on this day. The days before Taiga's birth were quite cold, average highs around 10 degrees celsius (50 F). But February 9th was an unusually warm and sunny 20 degrees celsius (almost 70 F). His birth brought warmth, relief and tears of joy to us. We waited 5 long years, but he was all worth it! :)

Aki will spend the next week in the hospital. This is normal here as it gives the mom & baby time to bond. Nurses and doctors are always right there to answer questions, give "How to..." lessons, and in case of any emergencies. Aki's genki. She only gained 17.6 lbs. (8 kgs). The doctors were very strict about weight; I think she was allowed to gain a max. of 2 lbs/week. Thank you Aki for taking such good care of yourself and being so strong during the delivery. Yes, our new life has just begun!
Top left picture - Just 30 minutes after birth!
Top right picture - Day 2!
Bottom left picture - Day 4!
Bottom right picture - One week!

Coming of Age Day in Japan

Today is Coming of Age Day in Japan (Seijin no hi). It is held annually on the second Monday in January. It is held to congratulate all those who have officially become adults by reaching the age of 20. Big ceremonies are held at city halls. After-parties are popular and alcohol is usually flowing as it's the first time they can legally drink (smoke and vote).

In comparison, the legal age for an adult in the United States is 18. But we must wait until we are 21 before we can legally drink alcohol. Another big difference is that bars in America are very strict about letting anyone enter who is under 21. They generally "card" (check ID) anyone who looks under 30. So I was getting carded until just a few years ago, JK! :)

In Japan, many women celebrate by wearing a kimono with long sleeves. Properly putting on a kimono is an art that must be studied and most young women must visit a beauty salon to dress and to set their hair.

I like this day because it's fun to see young people wearing kimono and having a good time. The main reason I like this day though is because it's a national holiday. Here are pictures of my student Ri-chan y Senorita Wakana.

Highlights of 2009

Lots of things to like about 2009. Here are just a handful of them:
On our annual visit home to California, this time we also got to take a trip with my brother Kevin, his wife Cheryl and our cousin Ann.
Aki really liked the Grand Canyon and I really enjoyed Las Vegas! :)
Going to Yosemite is always one of our favorite places too.

I also had the pleasure of visiting Bruce in Krabi,Thailand. He took me kayaking to one of his secret spots. The food, the Thai massages, the smiles, I just love that country.

My passion for teaching English is still strong. Along with teaching the adults & kids at my school,

I also started teaching at Tokai University.

Winning the "Over 40" Shonan Basketball tournament was very exciting. I'm lucky to be on a team with some former (Japanese) college players and one who even played semi-pro ball (company league). We are also quite tall for a Japanese team. Our starting 5 (which I'm not) averages over 6 feet tall.Going back for my 25-year high school reunion was also very special to me. I hadn't seen most of the guys & gals for 20 years plus. It felt really good to see the old familiar faces again. (pictures on my October Blog)


But the biggest and best news of 2009 was Aki becoming pregnant!
We're expecting our first baby (a boy!) in Feb. 2010! Everybody look out for the Year of the "Taiga" (Tiger).

On a sad note, we saw the passing of our dear Grandpa Henry. We were all hoping he'd make it to the century mark and he almost did. He lived life to its fullest and I will strive to do the same.

"Shichi-go-san"（七五三） & "Koyo"（紅葉）

November 15 is "shichi-go-san.（七五三）" It is the event where parents celebrate a child's growth. "Shichi-go-san" means "seven-five-three." Three or seven year-old girls and five-year old boys are taken to a temple or shrine and the parents pray for their future health and happiness. Children usually wear traditional kimonos and take pictures at a professional studio.

We enjoyed being a part of our (Aki's) nieces celebration this past month. Here are some pictures of lovely Nana-chan (7) and Hana-chan (3).




November is also the best month of the year to see and enjoy the beautiful "koyo（紅葉）" (colorful leaves). I am sometimes asked if the leaves change colors in California or if we have 4 seasons (Yes, we do!). Many think that California has just one season, summer! The leaves do change colors in California albeit you cannot see such brilliant shades of reds, oranges and yellows as you do here in Japan. Here are some pictures of my recent trip to Kyoto（京都）/Arashiyama（嵐山）.

25-year high school reunion

I can't believe it's been 25 years since I've graduated from Tokay High School in Lodi, CA. Reconnecting with my old high school friends was definitely worth the 10,000 mile (16,000 Kms) round-trip between Tokyo and San Francisco. I haven't really seen nor kept in touch with most of these friends since high school. But recently, thanks to Facebook, I've been back in touch. In fact, the whole event was organized through Facebook. I have to admit, I was feeling a little nervous going back and seeing my old pals that I hadn't seen in such a long time. It really helped that Sean (AKA Rusty) hosted poker at his house the night before and I could hangout with some of the boys. One of the highlights was seeing some of the old Morada gang (friends from my neighborhood). We went to school together from elementary through high school. They all looked great. And my first girlfriend (when I was 10) was informally voted "Ms. Reunion Queen", haha.

It was interesting to see how the football studs and the cheerleaders/drill team dancers were still the life of the party (the water polo guys fared pretty well too, hehe). The nice thing was that we all weren't as "clickish" as we were back in high school. People mingled about freely and everyone seemed to be happy and content as we enter midlife. It was also great to hear how successful many of our classmates are: New York Life Insurance Co. pres., pilot, fire fighter, teacher, UPS driver, etc. The biggest surprise was a former teammate on my JV basketball team becoming a doctor, JK Carlos! :) Maybe the most successful was Rick Sayre. He became Pixar Animation Studio's Supervising Technical Director. Even back at Davis Elementary School we knew he was way smart and would become a famous scientist (or animation director).

My claim to fame back in high school was to have played on the most different sports teams (basketball, football, soccer, swimming & water polo). Too bad I'm the only one who knows about this! haha The good thing about playing many different sports was that I got to be friends with guys from various sports teams. Those are the guys who made my high school days so much fun.

One difference between high school reunions in Japan and the US is that in the US, our reunions are held every 5 (or 10) years after graduating. They also include the entire class that graduated that year. There were nearly 500 students who graduated from my high school as the "Class of 1984". Japanese high schools are generally much smaller (one reason is that there are only 3 grades, 10th-12th). In contrast, I've heard many of my students in Japan talk about their junior high (or even elementary school) reunions. These usually just include their homeroom class. Husbands/wives also never attend the reunions with their spouses in Japan. This also holds true for company parties too. My wife didn't make it to my 25-year reunion but maybe she will to the next. Come to think of it, she'd probably be bored stiff so we'll see. Either way, I look forward to the next one which some people are already planning! :)

What I miss about America

Of course what I miss most about America are my family and friends. But besides them, these are the things I miss the most. I miss the friendly people and spontaneous conversation that pops up almost anywhere you go. These are things that I would have never even thought I liked until now. For example, when I was shopping at Costco in Stockton the last time I was home, I only had a few items in my cart, the person in front of me said, "Oh, please go ahead". Then the next person in front of me said the same thing! Speaking of Costco, I miss not being able to go there at the spur of the moment and the drive taking only 10 minutes (from my parents' house). When we go to Costco here, it takes us 90 minutes to drive to Yokohama. And it costs over $50 bucks just on highway tolls and gas!

Let's talk food. Many people make fun of "American" food and say how lousy it is. I can't really argue against that but what I can argue about is that we have a huge variety of cuisines to choose from. My hometown is just slightly larger than Odawara but we have a wide variety of ethnic foods and some of the best Mexican, Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. And until a few years ago, my friend, James, ran a restaurant called Yonedas that served some of the best Japanese food found in California. I also miss "mall food" such as "Cinnabon", "Mrs. Fields Cookies" and "Auntie Anne's Pretzels". Oh, and I miss "Jamba Juice"!

I miss being able to go out with $40 bucks (4000 yen) and not feel so poor. OK, that was awhile ago but it does go much further than it will here. I also used to love to go to the local park/school (or even in my backyard) and play basketball, for free! Here if you don't belong to a team (luckily I do), it's nearly impossible to play. This is the same for tennis. Back home, you can play tennis for free at the neighborhood park. Here you have to join a club (usually $100/month) or make a reservation to use the city facilities ($6/hour).

Finally, I miss the diversity of people we have in the states and the abundance of beautiful nature. Snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada, uncrowded clean beaches and the big blue sky are all in my state, the "Golden State" of California. Someday I'd like to return to my home country. But right now, I'm very very happy to be here. :)