what typhoon? what earthquake?

apparently, we had a typhoon and a small earthquake last week. i'm always the last one to find these things out. i guess they were too small to register. anyway, i will supposedly be getting broadband this week - keep your fingers crossed. some things take longer than usual. well, i posted some pics below of my cormorant fishing trip in inuyama and a couple of the sushi party i went to a couple of weeks ago. see below.

i've been having fun with my students. i found the local head shop here in okazaki - referred by one of my students. i found all sorts of neat stuff. trinkets, etc... i haven't joined any clubs yet, even though i keep meaning to. i've looked into ballroom dance and japanese lessons. i'd like to start karate or some other type of sport. lofty ideas that keep falling by the wayside due to work. it turns out i might be a night person here - i don't go to bed until midnight or 1 every night, and wake up at 9:30 or 10. so, getting things done in the morning is tough. but, i'm able to get out and run or take a bike ride every morning.

the fireworks festival - supposedly one of the best in japan - is next weekend. i bought my yukata - summer kimono - and still need to find some wooden shoes that fit. one size fits all does not really include western ski-sized feet. so, i'll do some more shopping tomorrow. we get to wear our yukatas to work, then end early - at 6 - and we'll all head down to the riverside to watch the show.

we get a short summer vacation (o-bon), from the 10th to the 16th. i'm not exactly sure what i will do during this time - definitely make a trip to tokyo to visit some friends, then, maybe head over to toba or shigoku or take a two day trip to a traditional japanese inn with hot springs. i'll figure it all out this week.

well, i hope everyone out there is doing well. take care. miss you.

here's the boat 

here's the cormorant fishing place on the river. about a 3 minute walk from the train station in inuyama. one of the teachers from my training group lives here. she really loves it. 

that's our boat down there - number 255. 

inuyama river. big rock on the left. 

these guys were so funny. 

most of this was delicious. some of the things i couldn't identify, but i tried it all. sashimi is on the left. rice at the top. tempura shrimp and eggroll and other strangely prepared fish on the left. in the middle were some pickled veggies. 

ive got a bit of sunburn. here's my delicious dinner. 

dancing lady boat 

dancing ladies. this boat parked next to us while we were eating dinner 

cute cute cute. i need a new word 

we met a family from nebraska on the boat. the 13 year old daughter is playing some kind of string game with the kids. 

more cute kids - i took a bunch of pictures of this family - they were so sweet 

inuyama castle in the distance 

our trusty captains 

another boat on the river - they were having a summer party with sparklers 

girl on the boat 

cute girl on the boat. 

more of the cute kids on our boat. 

4 boats on fire preparing to head out. they beat the sides of the boat when they were ready - pretty unnerving. 

hi fisherman. 

up-close cormorant fishing. see the bird in the water. kind of cruel tradition. 

fishing 

another sushi party pic. 

sushi party at adam's house 

you know those killer hornets in japan...

well, they were flying all over the place during my welcome barbecue a few weekends ago. they were huge and nobody seemed to care - so i just drank more beer. anyway, the barbecue was a lot of fun - see some pics below.

the next day, i went to a sumo tournament in nagoya (also pics below) - with kit and my manager and another student. surprisingly, it was a lot of fun. we were yelling all sorts of things to cheer on our favorites. i just asked my manager who should be my favorite, then i would yell "kick his ass!!" or "gambatte" (good luck). we sat in these neat little areas with cushions. if people get pissed off enough at the match, they will throw their cushions at the stage. most of the tournament is consumed with ceremony and a little singing - wrestling only makes up about 10 percent of the whole affair. nevertheless, it was enjoyable, and something you have to do at least once.

so, i'm officially a foreigner - i got my alien registration card last week and my bank account and cell phone yesterday. internet will be coming soon - so, i can update this thing a bit more often.

i emailed most of you my new phone number and my phone's email address - if you didn't get it - email me and i will send it.

well, i miss everyone. i'm really enjoying myself in okazaki - going for an hour bike ride every morning, and getting myself lost and then found again. i find new great food everyday. and, stephanie will be here soon - in fukui city. i have a bit of a break coming up in august and i'm thinking of going to tokyo for a few days to visit friends, then going to a hot bath resort for a day or two. this weekend, i'm going cormorant fishing and maybe to a water park on monday - like splashtown or waterworld. i'll take pics. take care everyone.

here's a sumo champ from a couple years back.