This week I had a welcome enkai with the teachers from Asahi Junior High School. It was great fun, the food was great and the drinks kept flowing. At these enkais you usually sit on the floor at your own, little, individual table in a big tatami mat room. Your table usually has lots of small dishes on it, often at least one hot dish with a paraffin heater underneath. There is usually more than enough food on the table, but as soon as the Kampai (Cheers) is said and people start eating and drinking, more dishes are always brought in. It is also customary not to poor your own drinks, but at the same time not to let anybody’s drinks around you get anywhere near empty. I often seem to almost take this as a competition to see if I can finish my drink before someone can fill it up, so I often drink quite a bit, but it’s always nomihodai (all you can drink) at enkais so there is no need to worry about the cost. Anyway the party was very enjoyable and after it had finished some of the teachers and I went to the Karaoke for a 2nd enkai, which is also very common. We sang and drank till about midnight which was great fun, but made it difficult to get up for work the next morning!
Me and Asahi Chu Kocho Sensei
Me and Honda-Sensei
Me and the ladies from Asahi Chu at the Karaoke
Me teaching the teachers the YMCA at Karaoke
Me and Muroi-Sensei singing a duet of Wonderwall
Asahi Chu-gakko's comedy duo - obviously finding themselves very funny!!
Me, Tomotake-sensei and Muroi-sensei enjoying karaoke!
This weekend I didn’t have too much planned and actually spent my first Friday night in my apartment, which made for a relaxing change. I had a nice long lie in on Saturday morning too, and was just beginning to get a little bored in my apartment in the afternoon when Mike (A 2nd Year JET in Tajima) called and invited me to a party at some of his Japanese friends’ house. I went along with Mike, Meredith and Rich, and we arrived at a huge old traditional Japanese house where a couple of DJs were spinning. It the most international party I’ve ever been to, with people from Britain, France, Austria, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, South Africa and of course Japan! I also met a girl called Joanne who was the JET in Tadami about 4 years ago, so it was very interesting chatting to her and hearing about her experiences. There was plenty of booze going round and some great traditional Japanese food as well as a BBQ. We all stayed up eating, drinking, chatting and dancing till the early hours before going to bed round the indoor open log fire! It was a great party and such a unique mix of people! Unfortunately though I left my camera in the car and didn’t take many photos!
The Big, Very Old Japanese House!
Mike Packing up his futon, where we slept round the fire pit!
The next morning we got up pretty early, packed away our bedding and a big group of us headed out to climb a nearby mountain. It was pretty small and only took about 45 minutes to climb to the top, so not sure if it can really be called a mountain, but it was a very pleasant climb and the views at the top of Tajima were really nice. The mountain also has a big shrine at the top, and is regarded as a holy mountain. This means you are not meant to damage any plants on it and you are supposed to wash your hands before climbing, to purify your soul. I really enjoyed the climb and it certainly inspired me to try and climb some of the bigger mountains around here in the future.
Mike Cleansing his soul before climbing the mountain
Mike, Rich and some German Guy at the Gaurd to the Shrine
The guard to the shrine - scary!
Me at the top of the mountain, looking over Tajima
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