Japan Files

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Today, as I was sitting on the ramparts of the inner keep of Osaka castle drinking my royal milk cha a strange feeling came over me. As I looked down I saw others sitting on benches overlooking the inner moat, I couldnt help but think of the samurai who must have looked down from the exact same spot. Then, after closer inspection of the wall infront of me (it was severly cracked and broken) I couldnt help but think of those who died in the area I was sitting in. I could see the armies of the Tokugawa spread out below me and hear the sounds of battle as they try to break through the main gate. I also imagnied how it must have been on a peaceful autumn night, with a guard calling down to his friend on the lower rampart. I love going to Osaka castle, I love the fact that I am only a 8 minute bike ride away from it

Regards,

WBK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Shahed]

Wow how long are you staying in Osaka ?
Enjoy it much as you can. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

[Devastatin Dave]

I'd love to switch seats with you. Sounds amazing http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Orda Khan]

How about a nice photograph? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif plzzzzzzzz

.....Orda

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Once I get a digital camera I will try to take some photos aroud Osaka ( the stuff that you wont see in the tourist handbooks)

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Quote[/b] (Sinan @ Oct. 23 2003,11:44)]Wow how long are you staying in Osaka ?
Enjoy it much as you can. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif
I will be staying for at least 2 years on the JET program. After JET I may try to get a job with an environmental company here in Japan, providing my Japanese is up to par for the job

[kris]

What is the JET program?

[Wild Bill Kelso]

JET- Japan Exchange and Teaching programme. Its through the Mombushou (Japanese ministry of Education). I am basically a gaijin for hire in the public school system. The public school system sends me out to differenet schools to be an assistant english teacher with a Japanese teacher of english. I taught english for a year with a private english conversation school (eikaiwa). I must admit that if you want to teach english in Japan, the JET programme is the best way to go

[Quid]

...if you live in a country that supports it... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Quid

[Quid]

...if you live in a country that supports it... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

Quid

Edit: had an inkboeard error thingy hence the doublicated mail...sorry http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif.

[King John II]

I would love to know how much of the old Japanese culture survives - Kabuki theatre, rock gardens, tea ceremony, matsuri and so on. The pace of such things seems so utterly different to the bustle which you see when modern Japanese cities are shown on our screens.

Also we had a season of Sumo wrestling shown on UK TV and it was strangely compelling. I found myself tuning in each time. Although I think someone told me that in Japan the price of a seat at a basho anywhere near the ring is prohibitive.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Most people dont realize this, but Japan is still a very militaristic society under the surface. The military ideals of the bushi class that were instilled upon the lower classes when the bushi lost thier special status during the Meiji restoration are still very prevalent (even if the Japanese themselves dont realize this). Take how thier schools are organized. Every mornign we have a school meeting. First the Koshou sensei (principal) makes any annoucnements, then THe kyotou sensei (vice principle) does, then its passed onto the leaders of each grade (for example Junior High 1st 2nd and 3rd years). Each year is organized together with one teacher bieng the boss. Sounds kind of like a military organization to me As for the Japan of the heian period not much survives in terms of modern Japan. However NO theater is still thriving. I had a chance to watch one in August. I couldnt understand any of the words (as the language is over 800 years old)but none the less it was a very memorable experiance. It was outside, with wodden braizers placed around the stage, the thunder and lightning from the on coming storm, although threatening to cancel the play, added an extra element to the entire experiance

[Gregoshi]

http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif Welcome to the Org Wild Bill Thanks for those few stirring sentences. A chill up the spine and a longing for a view from that seat were the reaction from this reader. Perhaps it is only a false perception, but it is amazing how the past can reach out touch you emotionally when you visit historical sites.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Quote[/b] (Gregoshi @ Oct. 24 2003,23:19)]Perhaps it is only a false perception, but it is amazing how the past can reach out touch you emotionally when you visit historical sites.
Yes, it is amazing visiting those old historical sites. I also liked visiting Horyu-ji (the oldest wooden structure in teh world) found In Nara. Its amazing to think that I was walking on the same ground that Shotokutashi walked in the 9th century (too bad the original buildings burnt down, but hey the rebuilt ones are still around 1200 years old http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif ). Back in Canada before I left, I had some free time to kill one saturday, so I decided to make a stone axe head ( you know the ones with the egg shapped river rocks with a groove running around the middle). It took me about 2 hours to make a sufficeint groove (I only used a hardger rock as my chisel). The next day, encouraged by my success, I took a harder piece of coarse sandstone and began to make another axe head. After 2 hours I was a quarter of the way around. After 3 hours the sandstone broke in half http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif. I was shocked, no way I could glue this thnkg back together http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif . However, I imagined how devestating this would have been for a person making the exact same thing 5000 years ago, for me it was just a thing to do out of my own curiosity, for him it would have been his livelihood. Doing this I really felt in touch with those who have gone before me. You should try it sometime when you have a weekend to kill

[Pindar]

What I remember most about Osaka Castle when I lived there (I used to jog around the castle in the evening) was all the people doing the wild thing in the bushes and sometimes on the benches.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Quote[/b] (Pindar @ Oct. 25 2003,04:38)]What I remember most about Osaka Castle when I lived there (I used to jog around the castle in the evening) was all the people doing the wild thing in the bushes and sometimes on the benches.
Well there is that too. My friends and I like to play airsoft (like paintball except you shoot plastic BB's and the guns look real) occasionally we like to do night games at some of the parks on the manmade islands. Needless to say, all of the couples clear out and go find some other place to copulate while we shoot each other.

[The Wizard]

Well, presuming you aren't Japanese yourself, how is it living there?

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Its pretty nice. My wife is Japanese and I live close to my in-laws (not as bas as it sounds&#33http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif I get a home cooked meal everynight and I am not allowed into the kitchen to help with the dishes ( I have literally been chased out by my mother inlaw on numerous occasions). Cant really complain about too much..

[kris]

Quote[/b] (Wild Bill Kelso @ Oct. 26 2003,12:21)]
Quote[/b] (Pindar @ Oct. 25 2003,04:38)]What I remember most about Osaka Castle when I lived there (I used to jog around the castle in the evening) was all the people doing the wild thing in the bushes and sometimes on the benches.
Well there is that too. My friends and I like to play airsoft (like paintball except you shoot plastic BB's and the guns look real) occasionally we like to do night games at some of the parks on the manmade islands. Needless to say, all of the couples clear out and go find some other place to copulate while we shoot each other.
Airsofting at Osaka castle You don't realise how jealous I am at this moment wildbill. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/mecry.gif

It must be amazing http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[King John II]

Some years ago my wife and I went to a Japanese restaurant in Bath. You knelt down to eat at a low table and we were served by Japanese waitresses dressed very formally.

The food was odd and your kness got to ache but I didn't really notice because I was too busy being amazed at the way the waitresses focused so exclusively on making sure I was happy.

At one point I had finished a course rather quickly and the waitress was worried that I might still be hungry. So without a word to my wife she scooped up her plate and proceeded to transfer some of what she had been eating over to me.

Angela is quite a forthright lass - from Yorkshire. But she was left totally speechless by this. At the time, that is, she found plenty to say to me about it later

Anyway it made me realise how totally different Japanese culture must still be, despite the influence of the US and global communication.

[Papewaio]

Nah mate the waitress was hitting on you http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Quote[/b] (King John II @ Oct. 27 2003,10:10)]At one point I had finished a course rather quickly and the waitress was worried that I might still be hungry. So without a word to my wife she scooped up her plate and proceeded to transfer some of what she had been eating over to me.
hmm.. Are you sure it was a authentic Japanese restuarant? In terms of Japanese culture that would not be a very Japanese thing to do. Japan is a country of dispable items (some could even say people). To transfer food that has already been touched by someone else (even if it is your wife) to a new person is just not done (especially in a restuarant).I honestly cant see a Japanese waitress doing that.

[Quid]

Quote[/b] (King John II @ Oct. 24 2003,18:13)]Also we had a season of Sumo wrestling shown on UK TV and it was strangely compelling. I found myself tuning in each time. Although I think someone told me that in Japan the price of a seat at a basho anywhere near the ring is prohibitive.
I went to an exhibition match in Okinawa once (a full day tournament). My girlfrind at that time managed to get front row seats for my B'day (right behind the huge lumps of flesh and muscle) but they were very expensive ( approx. 400,000 yen each). All the prominent wrestlers were there at that time. It was all worth it If you ever get the chance to see one in real, GO FOR IT Even if the seats are at the back.

(A still very excited) Quid

[the Black Prince]

welcome tothe Org WBK, just don't forget us over at TWCas well you know

glad to hear your enjoying yourself over there, and experiancing the real japan, and not the tourist handbook version. for those of your old firends who don't keep in contact with you by MSN, i'm sure they'd like to hear you stories at TWC as well.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Hey TBP.. I have been posting there as well... Just wanted to start somewhere fresh

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Well, I tried Kendo the other day. Are there any Org members here who plarctice? I have been doing karate for over 12 years now and found Kendo a nice change of pace. I was amazed to see how much from karate crossed over to kendo. However, there are many differences as well. I foud it hard to time the strike with the movement of the feet, I am used to not holding anything and punching, not swinging overhead. I have also tried kyudo (japanese archery) however, it is very differnt from karate (obviously) and I found it very difficult. The great thing is, I did both of these at my school so I dont have to pay anything

Cheers,

WBK

[gaelic cowboy]

I loved Japan when i was there for the world cup whenever we said Ireland people would really open up to us. On more than one ocasion people would buy a plate of sushi for us in the sushi bars we frequented for beer. We always protested saying it was okay but they always insisted saying we must try. Once an old guy started singing the theme tune from The Quiet Man on the tube at rush hour.He told us afterwards he learned a lot of his english from films and television. He then proceeded to go on the tube with us to our destination in the opposite direction to the one he wanted. Then he got two schoolboys to show us where the Senso ji temple. It was amazing they talk about friendly irish were savages compared and everyone spoke english quite well for such a hard language. The match of tournament for me was in Ibaraki the support Ireland had was unreal you had to see it loads of disreputable lookin chaps with union jack tattoos were amongst us roaring like they came from the heart of the west of Ireland. I suspect the german opposition had something to do with it still all welcome all recieved. One last point anyone been to roppongi has to be seen for yourself bar after bar and ladies of the night heheheh.
Without a doubt i will return