whatever one more time
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
The ultimate moshpit experience
This is what Hadaka Matsuri is all about.
To keep things short since you can look at Ashley's Blog too for information about it (as well as info and pictures on Thailand, she was one of the 7 of our group trip), I will just post my personal thoughts and a link.
This year I was a "veteran", having ran last year. This year my goal was to get my picture in the paper, and have a go at touching the stick at least (before surely getting it wrestled away from me or pummelled). I did get in the picture, but the angle made it so that you can unfortunately only see my arm, not my face. Bummer. I'm hoping to get online pictures that I can edit to show you where I was.
As for how things were this year: Well, being part of Okayama AJET, I actually was far more involved in dealing with how things went than just being a spectator on the crowd. The latter is far easier. I don't think we lost anybody during the 15 minute walk from the buses to the changing tent, although that is highly possible considering everyone's intoxicated state and the difficulty to see our signs and follow everybody, although gaijin usually aren't too hard to spot.
At the tent it was, as usual, a free for all. This year I avoided the 1000yen charge to get your fundooshi wrapped by one of the guys in charge, instead opting to make friends with a Japanese guy who was tying other peoples and ask him to tie mine. Interesting how in less than five minutes you can go from chatting to have somebody wrap your naked, cold body with a cloth diaper.
Then it was off and running, although this team I only did the loop once. This is because I didn't hitch up with a Japanese team like I did last year which made the suggested (required if you follow culture) 3 loops around the temple. I did manage to drag a newly made Japanese friend all the way around the cold cleaning pool, and boy was it cold. An interesting difference this year was that there were no photographers shooting pictures at the far end of the pool, instead a make-shift wall was put up. I'm really curious to know if this has anything to do with my (and others perhaps), back flopping and splashing (both intentionally and unintentionally) of the cameramen last year.... Who knows.
So what's it like way in the middle. Well, a little bit more violent than the outsides. There is a lot more jousting for space rather than just trying to stay on the platform since once you're in the middle, chances of you getting forced off an edge are slim to basically none. Therefore most of the time you're just making sure you get as close to the front wall and solidify your position as possible. It's quite a painful and laborious process, lasting about an hour and half or so until finally midnight when the melee begins.
The lights go off, flashes from pictures being taken strobe light the scene, and then you start to scene picking kicking into overdrive, smelling the nutmeg/sage like scent of the sticks. I didn't get close to one this year or touch one, but I had honestly had enough, and was more than happy to wade my way slowly off the platform.
Things that I incurred: Several scratches, as well as bruises from elbows most likely on my back and shoulders, very sore feet with cuts on my left foot (I lost my left foot tabi, or shoe: my foot got stepped on, and rule number one when that happens is remove your foot as quickly as possible, and in doing so, I lost my tabi), and overall soreness from constant pressure/activity.
Overall, a total success, although there were some tough parts with the organizing: i.e. people still managed to get on the buses for free, and the buses left late since people got lost or were late. Not easy, but things worked out in the end. The after party at Ultra Blue blazed on until about 5:30am when they shut things down, so a great time.
Here is a link to the Hadaka Matsuri in Saidaiji website. Goto the bottom of the page and click on the link next to the camera: This is a link for a video of the Matsuri. You will see just how crowded it is and how people move like waves of the ocean, ebbing and flowing, and always pressed for room. It really is amazing to think that I was in that for over an hour...
Saidaiji Hadaka Matsuri Video Page
To keep things short since you can look at Ashley's Blog too for information about it (as well as info and pictures on Thailand, she was one of the 7 of our group trip), I will just post my personal thoughts and a link.
This year I was a "veteran", having ran last year. This year my goal was to get my picture in the paper, and have a go at touching the stick at least (before surely getting it wrestled away from me or pummelled). I did get in the picture, but the angle made it so that you can unfortunately only see my arm, not my face. Bummer. I'm hoping to get online pictures that I can edit to show you where I was.
As for how things were this year: Well, being part of Okayama AJET, I actually was far more involved in dealing with how things went than just being a spectator on the crowd. The latter is far easier. I don't think we lost anybody during the 15 minute walk from the buses to the changing tent, although that is highly possible considering everyone's intoxicated state and the difficulty to see our signs and follow everybody, although gaijin usually aren't too hard to spot.
At the tent it was, as usual, a free for all. This year I avoided the 1000yen charge to get your fundooshi wrapped by one of the guys in charge, instead opting to make friends with a Japanese guy who was tying other peoples and ask him to tie mine. Interesting how in less than five minutes you can go from chatting to have somebody wrap your naked, cold body with a cloth diaper.
Then it was off and running, although this team I only did the loop once. This is because I didn't hitch up with a Japanese team like I did last year which made the suggested (required if you follow culture) 3 loops around the temple. I did manage to drag a newly made Japanese friend all the way around the cold cleaning pool, and boy was it cold. An interesting difference this year was that there were no photographers shooting pictures at the far end of the pool, instead a make-shift wall was put up. I'm really curious to know if this has anything to do with my (and others perhaps), back flopping and splashing (both intentionally and unintentionally) of the cameramen last year.... Who knows.
So what's it like way in the middle. Well, a little bit more violent than the outsides. There is a lot more jousting for space rather than just trying to stay on the platform since once you're in the middle, chances of you getting forced off an edge are slim to basically none. Therefore most of the time you're just making sure you get as close to the front wall and solidify your position as possible. It's quite a painful and laborious process, lasting about an hour and half or so until finally midnight when the melee begins.
The lights go off, flashes from pictures being taken strobe light the scene, and then you start to scene picking kicking into overdrive, smelling the nutmeg/sage like scent of the sticks. I didn't get close to one this year or touch one, but I had honestly had enough, and was more than happy to wade my way slowly off the platform.
Things that I incurred: Several scratches, as well as bruises from elbows most likely on my back and shoulders, very sore feet with cuts on my left foot (I lost my left foot tabi, or shoe: my foot got stepped on, and rule number one when that happens is remove your foot as quickly as possible, and in doing so, I lost my tabi), and overall soreness from constant pressure/activity.
Overall, a total success, although there were some tough parts with the organizing: i.e. people still managed to get on the buses for free, and the buses left late since people got lost or were late. Not easy, but things worked out in the end. The after party at Ultra Blue blazed on until about 5:30am when they shut things down, so a great time.
Here is a link to the Hadaka Matsuri in Saidaiji website. Goto the bottom of the page and click on the link next to the camera: This is a link for a video of the Matsuri. You will see just how crowded it is and how people move like waves of the ocean, ebbing and flowing, and always pressed for room. It really is amazing to think that I was in that for over an hour...
Saidaiji Hadaka Matsuri Video Page
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Can I have ....
So the computers here at the high school at for everybody (unless you bring your own and link up at your desk). Most people do that, though some use the public ones.
Whenever you signup into hotmail, it gives you the option of remember your login, login and password, or nothing. The person before me chose to have their login remembered. The login was:
can_i_have_69@hotmail.com
No students use this computer AT ALL, under ANY circumstances. Therefore, the real question becomes then: Which teacher does this e-mail correspond to? Wowsers, what a fun guessing game to play!
Whenever you signup into hotmail, it gives you the option of remember your login, login and password, or nothing. The person before me chose to have their login remembered. The login was:
can_i_have_69@hotmail.com
No students use this computer AT ALL, under ANY circumstances. Therefore, the real question becomes then: Which teacher does this e-mail correspond to? Wowsers, what a fun guessing game to play!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Cuteness
Thanks to previous cool Okayama JET Carolyn (or Cho), I bring to you cuteness to the max.
For more cuteness, go to:
Cute Overload
or
Adorablog
For more cuteness, go to:Cute Overload
or
Adorablog
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Denied Drive-Through
So the other day in Okayama I attempted to go through the drive in at McDonald's on my bike (yes, my once in a couple of months itch), but to my surprise I was rejected. I was told bikes couldn't be served.
I was quite annoyed and attempted to reason with the voice from the speaker that I was a 駐輪 or wheeled-vehicle that I should be let through. This didn't work. I then explained that I use the roads and go as fast as scooters, therefore shouldn't be denied. Didn't work. Then I say there's no way I'm going into the store so it's either this or no go. Well, no go.
I debated coming back a minute later and being sure to put my hand over the little camera next to the speaker (used to identify the person/vehicle for sure), but figured that that was too much effort for it to be worthwhile. I left.
This weekend I also passed 12,000km, or roughly 7,500miles on my bike. Only another 4,000 to go before I hit my goal for the year, so right on par.
This weekend is Hadaka Matsuri, or Okayama's famous naked man festival. I will be attempting this year to go in with a disposable camera strapped to my arm (first taped to the underside of my fundooshi since I think the cops will confiscate it, but after going through their legions and entering the platform I will transfer it to my arm/hand) and get some super close and exciting shots.
I was quite annoyed and attempted to reason with the voice from the speaker that I was a 駐輪 or wheeled-vehicle that I should be let through. This didn't work. I then explained that I use the roads and go as fast as scooters, therefore shouldn't be denied. Didn't work. Then I say there's no way I'm going into the store so it's either this or no go. Well, no go.
I debated coming back a minute later and being sure to put my hand over the little camera next to the speaker (used to identify the person/vehicle for sure), but figured that that was too much effort for it to be worthwhile. I left.
This weekend I also passed 12,000km, or roughly 7,500miles on my bike. Only another 4,000 to go before I hit my goal for the year, so right on par.
This weekend is Hadaka Matsuri, or Okayama's famous naked man festival. I will be attempting this year to go in with a disposable camera strapped to my arm (first taped to the underside of my fundooshi since I think the cops will confiscate it, but after going through their legions and entering the platform I will transfer it to my arm/hand) and get some super close and exciting shots.
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