Day off Shenanigans

So I’ve been here for about a month now, and have gotten a couple days off here and there to check out a few things.  Some sweet restaurants, uber stylish clothing stores and crazy stores like Doncoyoties that contain everything from wedding rings to groceries, and electrics to butt pillows!

The other day we went to an old traditional Japanese village called Takayama. We got lost in the maze of old shops, went to a Kimono tailor shop (I resists the urge to get one since I still haven’t yet worn my tailor made suit from Thailand), saw the amour from an ancient Samurai, learned traditional saki (rice wine) making techniques and checked out a few snow covered temples. On the way home, we stopped for dinner at a very classy authentic restaurant. Unfortunately we didn’t have anyone Japanese with us and couldn’t read the menu, so were stuck deciding using the 5cm2 pictures and the few numbers that we knew in Japanese to figure out the price. Thinking we all found an affordable and decent looking option; we were all very original and ordered the same thing! And since we were dining at such a nice establishment we decided to get splurge and get a couple bottles of saki!  Finally the meal came out and we realized that we all order kids meals! So there we sat; loads of saki to go with miniaturized meal, bag of chips and Jell-O pudding for dessert! Well done team!

Mike's still hungery! Watch out!  

Coffee Time!

For those of you who know my family or perhaps just know anyone dutch, you know that we like our coffee! So much in fact that we drink it at least 4 times a day and at exactly 10 am, 3 pm and 8 pm aka "coffee time." Luckily here in Japan I've been able to get my coffee fix with a nice hot CAN-O-COFFEE! Yup, hot coffee straight out of a vending machine! No Tim Horton's but just like in Canada in can be found on most street corners.

Engrish Lessons

The other morning while setting up for breakfast, B and I decided to teach Michie our Japanese co-worker a few Canadian expressions! She wrote them down on a post-it note just so she wouldn't forget! She's amazing and actually speaks very good English, but like most struggles with the r and l sound, often mixing them up which can get pretty hilarious especially when your telling someone to CRAP your hands!

Sign of the day!

One of my favorite things about Japan so far are their signs! Street signs, caution signs, instructional signs (ie.-ofur bath sign)... all so funny! Most signs are either flashing multicoloured lights or display stuff with carton character and to be honest it's a little hard to take them seriously! I past this one everyday at the construction site that I pass on my walk to work!

Abunai!! Danger!



Safety first!?



Look out!! Coming through!!

Japan’s driving conditions just got increasingly dangerous (abunai in japanese) because I am now officially allowed to drive in this country!  Whoo hoo!! Anyone that knows my driving skills is probably shaking their heads thinking, “oh dear.” In fact, just the other week before leaving I somehow managed to get stuck on an “unimproved” road with a van full of flowers to be delivered. Why I was on an unimproved road aka 4 wheel track, I still don’t know. But hey, for as many tickets, flat tires and crazy situations I get myself into, I somehow manage to get myself out! The windy snow covered mountain roads, driving on the opposite side, using mirrors to see around the corners, and the language barrier are only minor details! HA

Ho Ho Ho!!

Santa had a very busy week here in Japan and was seen numerous times around the Norikura Village;

Santa delivering presents and singing Karaoke at the Old Folks home!

Santa hanging out with the children at Northstar’s family Christmas party.

Santa shredding the gnar at Mount Norikura!!  Rippin’ some pow!

Merry Christmas!!!

Rub-a-dub-dub 3 men in a tub!

Before leaving I was trying to get basic idea of the Japanese culture. My one friend who lived in Japan for a few years filled me in on a couple things. One of the most notable for me was about serving beer; first you serve everyone at the table, then someone serves you, then when everyone is ready, you drink together. She went on to talk about how it differs from the independent, self-driven North American culture, and that everything is done in community. Little did I know that meant showering too……

Ah yes... the Ofuro! The ofuro is a traditional Japanese bath. The bath is dividing into two section- the changing room, and the bathing room. The changing room is your typical locker room- I like to think of this one as the YMCA membership plus edition!  The bathing area has showers to rise off with, buckets to sit on, mirrors and of course the ofuro (tub ) itself.  The bath holds 3 or 4, is much deeper and the water is a lot hotter. Basic rules are that you clean yourself, then go soak, and hang out- just like a hot tub! At first I felt like I was going swimming at a public pool. Actually much of the same rules apply… must rise off first, no jumping in and slippery when wet!  See hilarious carton depiction of rules- I’m not sure what the bottom left one is... no farting in the tub?! (Hahahahahahah)  

I found this description and kept getting awful images of a business trip gone wrong;

“Japanese people look at bathing as a social activity.  Many parents bathe with their children, enjoying the experience and feeling it builds better relationships between family members.  Even co-workers might bathe together when they go to an onsen resort on a company junket, or when they visit a hotel's sento public bath during a business trip.”

Hmmm….Personally I’m still not exactly sure how I feel about it but I must say that it is pretty sweet after a long day of riding!