Hello Friends,
Disclaimer – This is possibly the longest email ever written, You’ve been warned!!
Hope all is well! It’s been a while now since I sent out one of these group emails, but just to let you know that Bryn is still alive and well in Japan. It’s been quite a busy time for me recently though, and unfortunately I still don’t have the internet at my apartment. My supervisor here speaks very little English and my Japanese is even worse, so communication about such issues can prove to be a little difficult, so I’m still not too sure when I will be able to connect at home yet! (Though I think he said it would be sometime this week) Anyway other than not having the internet (which is a little frustrating) life here in Japan is still treating me pretty kindly. Lots has happened since my last group email, infact I can’t remember what I wrote in my last group email so forgive me for any repetition!
Anyway a few weeks ago I went to a fire festival in a place called Sukugawa. It took about 3 hours to get to from my town but was well worth the trip, it was one of the highlights of my time here in Japan so far. Basically hundreds of men and women carry these huge torches, which weigh about 3 tonnes, through the town, only stopping for essential regular breaks to drink copious amounts of sake. These torches are then carried to the top of a big hill where they are ceremoniously lit and burnt. It is a very old festival which is held every year to comemorate a battle when the castle was burnt down. Lots of other JETs got involved and helped carry the torches to the top of the hill, unfortunately my friends and I from my area arrived after the procession of the torches through the town, so we just joined in with the kids carrying little balls of fire up the hill and then watched the torches being lit and burnt. There were about 50 or so of these torches at the top of the hill and when they were all on fire it was pretty awesome. It was like how I imagine it to be in a war zone or a volcano or something. Anyway I’ve put some photos of this below but I’m not sure if they quite do it justice. After the festival most of us JETs headed off to the Karaoke (not an uncommon occurrence!!) to sing like fools and drink the night away.
Some of the JETs who helped carry the torches
On of the Huge torches being carried!
The Torches at the top of the Hill before they were lit
A Massive phallic symbol being errected!
Some JETs struggling to get it errect, ha ha!
Some children carrying the fire balls
The fire balls I helped carry up the hill - Not quite as hard as the torches
The Torches Being Lit
The fire festival in full blaze!!
A Symbol of the Castle on Fire, The reason for the festival!
When I arrived back in Tajima (Near Tadami), on my birthday, I was greeted by I was greeted by the first snow since I have been here. Here is a couple of pictures of Matt and I enjoying the first snow. I have been told to expect a lot more though!
The next week I met up with my good friend Rich Humphries in Tokyo. He’s been travelling around the world and stayed in Japan for about 3 weeks. I met him on Friday night which was a night of excesses. We hit a few bars one of which served us some polish spirit claiming to be 96% alcohol by volume. Not sure if it was 96% but it was certainly strong stuff. We ended up in a place called Club Asia and unfortunately that’s where I lose track. Apparently I bought a bottle of Champagne “for someone’s birthday” god knows how much it cost and my wallet didn’t thank me for it in the morning but I’m sure we all enjoyed drinking it at the time. At the end of the night me and Rich caught the Booze Taxi Home (other wise known as Rich’s travelling companion Rob) It was a good job Rob was with us cos I’m not sure where we would’ve ended up other wise, but he managed to guide us all safely back to the hostel at about 7 in the morning. The Saturday was pretty much written off as we all woke up with hangovers at about 5 in the afternoon, but on Sunday we went and saw a few sights of Tokyo as well as visiting the National Science museum, and then I headed back up to Tadami.
Photos of me and Rich and Rob in Tokyo:
Me, Rob and Humphries having some yakiniku.
The dodgy polish spirit!! 
Us about to drink that spirit! It's all down hill from here!
Me and Humphries feeling pretty Merry 
Let's get some random Japanese people in our photo!!
Can you believe Rob was the most sober one who managed to guide us home?!
Rich came and visited me in Tadami on the Tuesday. It was great to show a friend from home my new town and introduce him to some of my new friends. He met some people from my adult English classes and we all went out for some traditional Japanese “nabe” (A bit like a big stew). He also came to one of my elementary schools with me which was good fun. I think the kids enjoyed it almost as much of Rich. We had a big game of football at “playtime” unfortunately Rich’s team hammered mine about 6-3 but I did score a LeTissier esque volley passed Humphries right at the end. (The competitive spirit still there even though we were playing with 7 and 8 year old kids ha ha!!) Rich also came with me to my first ever Thanksgiving dinner too. As 3 of the other 5 JETs in my area are American, one of them hosted the event and even ordered in traditional food off the internet. The meal mainly consisted of turkey, vegetables and “candied yams” (Mashed Sweet potato covered in marshmallows and grilled) Only in America would marshmallows be part of a main meal! The candied yams tasted nice enough although I personally wouldn’t put it together with turkey and gravy myself! Apparently it’s also traditional to play American Football on thanksgiving but as we didn’t have an american football we had to make do with a game of Frisbee which some of the local children came and joined in with!
Humphries, Arriving at my Apartment - We all know he likes to dress up! 
Me, Humphries and some of my Adult English Class. These are some of my best Japanese friends. They are some of the kindest people I have ever met and have helped me soo much since I have come here. (From left to right - Satoko, Emiko, Banga, and Tatsuko) 
Me and Humphries posing at Tadami Dam
Me and Humphries with the Elementary School Kids
Our Thanks Giving Dinner
Everyone Enjoying the meal!
Humphries playing frisbee with some kids!
Rich - The Human Climbing Frame!
Oh dear time for bed for Bryn, all that eating and playing has taken its toll!!
At the weekend Rich and I visited the nearest city Aizuwakamtsu, we caught the train from the very quaint station in Yunikami-Onsen. But before we did we had a bit of a walk around the area and took some nice photos. We got to Wakamatsu a little late and it was starting to get dark so we went up to the castle and got some photos of it at dusk. That night we met up with some friends of mine for a leaving party for a girl called Eboni. We played some ridicuolous drinking games and then went to a local arcade to take some photos in the Pulikula! Pulikula is basically a game the Japanese have made out of photo booths. You get a group of friends and go in one of the special booths and it takes lots of photos too music at different angles and things. The idea is to get in strange and funny positions! It's is a good laugh, especially if a few beers have been involved, and we got some great photos, unfortuneately I didn't email them to myself so I can't show you I'm afraid. Maybe next time! We went back to Eboni's apartment for a few more drinking games before I crashing out. I thought the photos were a good leaving pressent for Eboni but Humphries obiously didn't agree cos he had one more gift to give her!! Ha ha!!
What a view!! (In the Mirror!)
Me Jumping in front of an old Japanese building
Humphries can do that too!!
He can pose on the steps as well!
Yunikami-Onsen Train Station
Aizuwakamatsu Castle
Don't forget to pose for the camera Rich!!
Drinks for Eboni's last weekend!
Stupid Drinking Games!
The next day we woke up with pretty shocking hangovers, we met up in a little cafe fo a hangover cure and went to visit the famous wakamatsu shrine on top of a hill over looking the city. This is where a group of Samurai called the White Tigers, thought they saw their castle on fire and feeling defeated decide to comit sepuku (ritial suicide!) in fact it was the houses around the castle that were on fire and the castle didn't get defeated for some time, but it was a bit late for the white tigers! After this we caught the train back to Yunikami-onsen and found an awesome outdoor natural onsen for a long relaxing soak!
Me posing by a statue.
Humphries overlookin Aizuwakamatsu
The White Tigers' Shrine
The river where we found the onsen
Me Relaxing in the onsen!
Humphries soaking it up!
I said good bye to Rich on Monday and headed to the Mid-Year JET conference for my prefecture, in Fukushima City. I can’t believe a mid year conference has come already, the time here is flying. The actual conference was unsurprisingly a bit dull but the JETs in the city had organised a great night at a local “beer garden” I think this is what they call a micro brewery here. We had Yakiniku (Korean style indoor BBQ) and it was Tabehodai (all you can eat) Nomihodai (all you can drink). Nomihodai is pretty common here and I think it is saving me a lot of money but I’m not sure my liver is thanking me for it! Again I got more than slightly merry, it was a great night and really nice to meet up with all the other JETs in the prefecture.
Phil, Paul and Meredith Enjoying the Party
Matt, Tracy, Matt, Mark and Alison Having Fun
I can only think we were having a competition to see who could open their mouth widest! - I definitely win though!!
Alison and Mark - Say YEAH!!!
The Minamiaizu JETs know who's the Boss!!
Last weekend I made a conscious decision to stay off the alcohol as it had been a heavy couple of weeks. We had quite a lot of snow too, so some friends and I decided to go to the nearest city, Aizu-Wakamatsu, and get fully kitted up with snowboard gear. It was very tough trying to find anything in my size but I eventually managed it after a short period of the shop assistants shouting “Giant Feet”. Most of the snow unfortunately melted this week but I am told it will return with a vengeance and I should be able to hit the slopes soon.
Its less than 2 weeks now till I head off to Sydney for Christmas so really looking forward to that. I have another busy couple of weeks with each of my schools plus my board of education holding a big Bonenkai (end of year party). We’re heading off to other towns and staying at hotels for all of these. Also when I return from Sydney each school will then hold a Shinenkai (New Year Party) to celebrate returning to work! This is a tradition that we don’t really have in England but I think it will be one I like!!
Ok if you made it to the end of this email you deserve a medal, but instead you will just got some of my pictures. Also a few people have asked me for my contact details here so they are all below. I will try and send some personal emails in the next couple of weeks but in case I don’t have a great Christmas and New Year. It’ll be strange having my first Christmas abroad and although I am really looking forward to Australia I will definitely miss being at home with all my friends and family too!!
Take care, and stay in touch,
Bryn
Japan Contact Details:
Address:
Bryn Emans
703 Hara Tadami
Tadami-Machi
Minami-Aizu-Gun
Fukushima-Ken
68-0421
JAPAN
My Apartment Telephone Number: (0241) 82-3170 (Not sure what the code for Japan is but I’m sure it’s on the internet.)
Mobile Telephone Number: 080016876300 (Use it wisely!)
Mobile Email: bryn-emans@docomo.ne.jp (They don’t really use SMS texts in Japan but you can send an email straight to my phone, the same as any email address!)
