Yokosuka 6/28/08
My heart was curious, so I took the train down to Yokosuka on a Saturday night. I met my colleague Marlin, a tall Navy veteran with a deep voice and a wife that is currently in service, outside Yokosuka Chuo station. There we headed for a bite to eat before heading to Hancho or “the Haunch.”
The haunch is a set of side streets filled with bars, restaurants and dance halls. It has a bad reputation because it is frequented by many sailors, who have been known to get drunk and get in fights amongst themselves. In fact, I heard that the reputation for foreigners is so poor that they have been banned from the dance halls. Walking through the streets, I saw more Americans than Japanese.
Marlin showed me into a bar and we sat down to drink and play pool. The bar was filled with male sailors and Japanese women. Besides one Japanese male bartender, I did not see a foreign female or a local male. The speakers were blasting hip-hop and I could have very easily been in any city in the entire world. Marlin and I spoke about life in the Navy, and how it can give a young man discipline and a set of skills that can set him on a fruitful path. He told me about his travels throughout the Mediterranean Sea and the hard 6 hours on/6 hours off, seven days a week work schedule on the ship.
When 11 o’clock came, I left and caught one of the last trains to Oppama. I went and I returned in peace, but I came to the conclusion that such a lifestyle is not for me. The days have been so rich in beauty and learning that I do not wish to sacrifice vitality to the night.
Many people do not awaken until the night, but I have always fallen before I go sleep.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Adventure 1
Kamakura 6/8/08
I had one mission as I set out for Kamakura (a capital of Japan during the age of the Shogun, rife with history and natural beauty): to see Ajisai dera, a temple that grows an abundance of the ajisai flower (hydrangea). I was told that the flower was particularly beautiful and blooms in the month of June. 
The day began with an hour of fiery prayer and meditation and large bowl of rice mixed with natto (a "healthy" fermented bean) and three scrambled eggs. The loneliness of the previous day had left and I headed down the hill to Oppama Station. Seeing all the people and stepping outside the Matty's bubble brought excitement, but quickly turned to distress when I took the wrong train and headed north to Kamiooka. In Kamiooka I was relieved to find a train that had my intended destination posted on its side. This brought a long and peaceful ride of reading, before I changed railway lines and headed to Kamakura.
At the information desk in Kamakura I met a kind smiling woman with light eyes and strong English. She gave me a map, circled Ajisai dera and taught me how
to get there. I headed on a train filled with tourists to the destination and arrived at the temple. Oh how glorious is His Face! The temple sat atop a 150 step staircase filled on both sides with multiple colors of ajisai. The garden's vibrant colors, various ages and sizes, as well as sharp change when the clouds altered the sunlight hit me with a dreamlike clarity that I had not experienced since leaving Bhutan. In awe, I walked through the staircase three times. I do not know how much time I spent.
to get there. I headed on a train filled with tourists to the destination and arrived at the temple. Oh how glorious is His Face! The temple sat atop a 150 step staircase filled on both sides with multiple colors of ajisai. The garden's vibrant colors, various ages and sizes, as well as sharp change when the clouds altered the sunlight hit me with a dreamlike clarity that I had not experienced since leaving Bhutan. In awe, I walked through the staircase three times. I do not know how much time I spent.At one point I watched an epic battle between two ants. One was about a centimeter long and 
the other, a tiny ten milimeter ant, was hanging for its life on its torso. I watched the big ant curl up into a ball, try with all his might to peel it off with his legs, until he finally tucked down hard enough and took the little one's life with a bite from his jaws. It stuck lifeless to his chest and he began to pry the lifeless body off with his legs. The large ant was so focused on this task that it was completley oblivious to the massive human head that was six inches infront of him.
the other, a tiny ten milimeter ant, was hanging for its life on its torso. I watched the big ant curl up into a ball, try with all his might to peel it off with his legs, until he finally tucked down hard enough and took the little one's life with a bite from his jaws. It stuck lifeless to his chest and he began to pry the lifeless body off with his legs. The large ant was so focused on this task that it was completley oblivious to the massive human head that was six inches infront of him.
After I came down, I walked down the hill toward Hasa dera, a temple built on the eyebrow of a tall hill that overlooked the city. There were two ponds with coy fish, orchids floating on square rafts and a waterfall fed through bamboo reeds. I passed a set of small build
ings as I climbed and reached a hillside ajisai garden and views of the Kamakura beachfront.
ings as I climbed and reached a hillside ajisai garden and views of the Kamakura beachfront.Then I took a hike aimlessly through the wild hills up and down multiple seemingly ancient
staircases. After some time, I found my way to Zeniaraibenzaiten Shrine. There I read a post that said the shrine was founded by a man who had a dream in the year of the snake, in the snake month and on the snake day that there was a spring in the mountains that would bring healing. Once found, the spring became the major attraction at the Zeniaraibenzaiten Shrine. 
To get to this shrine one must go through a tunnel through the mountain and under a set of wooden gateways. Within there were springs, shrine buildings, a cave that houses hanging origami sculptures of thousands of small paper cranes connected back to back, and a few sets of young Japanese couples.
staircases. After some time, I found my way to Zeniaraibenzaiten Shrine. There I read a post that said the shrine was founded by a man who had a dream in the year of the snake, in the snake month and on the snake day that there was a spring in the mountains that would bring healing. Once found, the spring became the major attraction at the Zeniaraibenzaiten Shrine. 
To get to this shrine one must go through a tunnel through the mountain and under a set of wooden gateways. Within there were springs, shrine buildings, a cave that houses hanging origami sculptures of thousands of small paper cranes connected back to back, and a few sets of young Japanese couples.After I wandered through thin streets and village shrines, Iarrived at Kamakura Station. On the way back, I stopped in the town of Zushi and hiked to its west-facing beach over Sagami Bay. I have heard that Mt. Fuji can be seen from the beach on a clear day and believe that it will be an ideal sunset spot when the humidity dies down. I then caught the train to Oppama and headed home.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sunrise
On a recent morning I awoke while it was still dark and could not go back to sleep. I decided to head up the mountain to catch the sunrise over Tokyo Bay. The morning was partly cloudy with a mist rising from the bay. I waited and then it rose. A massive red ball cut through the morning haze. It appeared as a living Japanese flag. I do not know if this is the norm of the rising sun in Japan or merely the way it rises through the summer humidity or just on that particular morning, but it was much different than the sunrises that I have seen over the Atlantic Ocean and from mountains in America and India. From those locations, the sun was yellow-orange, much smaller coming over the horizon and speckled the surrounding clouds with colors from the entire spectrum. Not so on this recent morning, it appeared as a big red ball in the white haze.
I plan to see more sunrises in the coming months, I will write of what I see and post pictures.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Arrival
It has been nearly two weeks since I left America and much has come and changed. I have landed and am now settled in a suburb of Yokosuka, Japan named Oppama. It is a unique corner of the Earth and far different than what I had imagined or had experienced before. 
Its landscape is marked by sharp green hills cutting into the sea and valleys whose every inch is filled with houses of multicolored roofs. There are tunnels everywhere, and the roads are nearly always filled with small box-shaped cars. As in the rest of Japan, there are a lot of people and little space (Japan houses over 100 million people on a land mass that is about the size of California with 70% forested mountains). This is compensated for by thin streets, small houses and small gardens. That said, the Japanese are an immensely clean and industrious people and make use of every inch. They also have a great appreciation for flowers, coy fish and all kinds of animals and nature (You can buy an owl in a pet shop).
I arrived on a Monday afternoon, and after a few problems with the passport and learning how to use the phone I met up with Mitsuo Kyokuta, the president and founder (kaicho) of Matty’s English. Mr Kyokuta, a short, white bearded man of 77 years of age, drove me to his home in Hayama (leaf mountain), where I would stay for four days.
Over this time, I was faced with much challenge and much beauty. Although I got very little sleep, I had to adapt to a new culture and learn the Matty’s teaching method. I woke up nearly every morning before sunrise with a sense of serenity and was able to meditate and pray in peace for the first time in a very long time. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I observed another teacher and a set of introductory videos and taught my first set of classes on Friday. I was nervous and struggled, but pulled through and made it to the weekend.
Also, Mr. Kyokuta taught me how to drive in the first week. The Japanese drive on the left side of the road and have different driving habits and laws than in America. One tip is to be sure there is space to drive on the other side of the train tracks before you cross. This is because of the immense traffic of cars and constant passing of trains. So, being caught on the tracks with a train coming is a very real possibility for the uninformed driver.
During this time I was also treated with the greatest of hospitality in Mr. and Mrs. Kyokuta’s beautiful home. Immediately I was set up in a “Japanese-style” room, with thatched floor
, paper windows and a futon bed that I put away in the closet during the day. The house’s living room had a stunning view of Hayama’s houses, sharp green hills and beachfront. It had a small, but diverse garden of red Japanese Maples, roses and a water fountain. The food was delicious and 
served every meal with small portions of wide variety of foods, each in its small plate or bowl.
Living in a Japanese home, I learned a bit of custom. Upon entering there homes, the Japanese take off their shoes and put on slippers. Upon entering a traditional Japanese room with a thatched floor they will then remove their slippers. I like this a lot and feel like the ritual brings a sense of purity to a home and sanctity to a bedroom.
On Sunday I went on a fishing outing in the mountains of the Izu Peninsula (near Hakone) with Mr. Kyokuta. I learned how to use a traditional Japanese fishing rod, and was able catch two fish.
It was difficult but I greatly enjoyed learning the new technique (tenkara) as well as the time in the beautiful scenery and the gushing river. Afterwards I was taken out for sashimi or raw fish. It was delicious and I woke up the next morning without pain. I was quite relieved and hope that painless eating experiences continue throughout my stay in Japan.
In the second week I moved into the Matty’s dorm (which is an average Japanese house with Japanese style rooms and a small garden) and
taught everyday. The classes went much smoother and I ended nearly everyday feeling good about teaching. Each day I spent the mornings preparing the lessons and making props and the afternoons teaching students from two years old to High School. The classroom is English only and I teach common expressions like “Hello, How are you?” and “Today is a sunny day," songs like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Puff the Magic Dragon” and from a textbook. Different ages have different texts, but they basically teach common nouns, adjectives, verbs and sentences.
I have come to like the method very much and believe it produces good results. I watched a very old video and I do not believe the method has changed much since 1971. Because I teach nearly all ages from pre-school to high school, I can see the progression and have noticed that they do learn proper intonation and pronunciation as well as a large vocabulary of English words. I am impressed and hope this attitude and belief in the effectiveness of Matty’s fuels the entire stay in Japan.
So far their has been a wide range of experiences and emotions. I have been down and shaken and have had moments of glory. I have felt distress and loneliness, as well as awe and peace. I hope the extremes have passed and am ready for a season of settling and growth. We shall see what He has in store.
I wish you the best of health and a summer of joy.
Its landscape is marked by sharp green hills cutting into the sea and valleys whose every inch is filled with houses of multicolored roofs. There are tunnels everywhere, and the roads are nearly always filled with small box-shaped cars. As in the rest of Japan, there are a lot of people and little space (Japan houses over 100 million people on a land mass that is about the size of California with 70% forested mountains). This is compensated for by thin streets, small houses and small gardens. That said, the Japanese are an immensely clean and industrious people and make use of every inch. They also have a great appreciation for flowers, coy fish and all kinds of animals and nature (You can buy an owl in a pet shop).I arrived on a Monday afternoon, and after a few problems with the passport and learning how to use the phone I met up with Mitsuo Kyokuta, the president and founder (kaicho) of Matty’s English. Mr Kyokuta, a short, white bearded man of 77 years of age, drove me to his home in Hayama (leaf mountain), where I would stay for four days.
Over this time, I was faced with much challenge and much beauty. Although I got very little sleep, I had to adapt to a new culture and learn the Matty’s teaching method. I woke up nearly every morning before sunrise with a sense of serenity and was able to meditate and pray in peace for the first time in a very long time. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I observed another teacher and a set of introductory videos and taught my first set of classes on Friday. I was nervous and struggled, but pulled through and made it to the weekend.
Also, Mr. Kyokuta taught me how to drive in the first week. The Japanese drive on the left side of the road and have different driving habits and laws than in America. One tip is to be sure there is space to drive on the other side of the train tracks before you cross. This is because of the immense traffic of cars and constant passing of trains. So, being caught on the tracks with a train coming is a very real possibility for the uninformed driver.
During this time I was also treated with the greatest of hospitality in Mr. and Mrs. Kyokuta’s beautiful home. Immediately I was set up in a “Japanese-style” room, with thatched floor
, paper windows and a futon bed that I put away in the closet during the day. The house’s living room had a stunning view of Hayama’s houses, sharp green hills and beachfront. It had a small, but diverse garden of red Japanese Maples, roses and a water fountain. The food was delicious and 
served every meal with small portions of wide variety of foods, each in its small plate or bowl.Living in a Japanese home, I learned a bit of custom. Upon entering there homes, the Japanese take off their shoes and put on slippers. Upon entering a traditional Japanese room with a thatched floor they will then remove their slippers. I like this a lot and feel like the ritual brings a sense of purity to a home and sanctity to a bedroom.
On Sunday I went on a fishing outing in the mountains of the Izu Peninsula (near Hakone) with Mr. Kyokuta. I learned how to use a traditional Japanese fishing rod, and was able catch two fish.
It was difficult but I greatly enjoyed learning the new technique (tenkara) as well as the time in the beautiful scenery and the gushing river. Afterwards I was taken out for sashimi or raw fish. It was delicious and I woke up the next morning without pain. I was quite relieved and hope that painless eating experiences continue throughout my stay in Japan.In the second week I moved into the Matty’s dorm (which is an average Japanese house with Japanese style rooms and a small garden) and
taught everyday. The classes went much smoother and I ended nearly everyday feeling good about teaching. Each day I spent the mornings preparing the lessons and making props and the afternoons teaching students from two years old to High School. The classroom is English only and I teach common expressions like “Hello, How are you?” and “Today is a sunny day," songs like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and “Puff the Magic Dragon” and from a textbook. Different ages have different texts, but they basically teach common nouns, adjectives, verbs and sentences.I have come to like the method very much and believe it produces good results. I watched a very old video and I do not believe the method has changed much since 1971. Because I teach nearly all ages from pre-school to high school, I can see the progression and have noticed that they do learn proper intonation and pronunciation as well as a large vocabulary of English words. I am impressed and hope this attitude and belief in the effectiveness of Matty’s fuels the entire stay in Japan.
So far their has been a wide range of experiences and emotions. I have been down and shaken and have had moments of glory. I have felt distress and loneliness, as well as awe and peace. I hope the extremes have passed and am ready for a season of settling and growth. We shall see what He has in store.
I wish you the best of health and a summer of joy.
(ajisai)
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