大山 [oo-yama] - Part 3

...a hike down one of Kanagawa's famous mountains, Ooyama, continues....

Off to the left of the mid-point temple was a gate and more stairs. From this point, hikers could travel another one hour to reach the summit of Ooyama. As it was getting late, we agreed to save that trek for another day.

cutenekko at the gate:

stairs leading up to the summit of the mountain:

Japanese temples often have places where people can write their prayers on wooden tablets. These are hung in the open. I enjoyed looking and reading some of the prayers of others. Many said: "good health", "happiness for my friends and family" or "to pass the test".

Prayer board:

During the hike down, we encountered something special -- wild deer! They were a family of 3 -- two parents and their child "Bambi".

We continued to hike down the mountain, using the "men's trail". The stairs were all made of stone and quite steep....

stairs going up....


....stairs going down.

Once reaching the bottom, we passed through the small shops area, where all the shops were shuttered for the night. It was like walking through a ghost town....

When the shops are open, the area is famous for tofu, wild deer stew and wild boar stew. I laughed that the wild deer we saw earlier just might be on our plates next time!! Gaahhh!! [o_o]

I'll be sure to visit Ooyama again to climb to the summit. I hope you enjoyed hiking a mountain in Japan!

Ooyama information, maps and video is HERE. Shrine information is HERE. 

大山 [oo-yama] - Part 2

...a hike up Ooyama, in central Kanagawa, continues.

As mentioned in yesterday's post, halfway up Ooyama, is a temple. My friend and I prayed here before enjoying the beautiful views from the mid point.

Temple and grounds:

View from the temple:

After completing prayers, my friend whispered this temple had a secret and would I like to see it? Of course! To the right of the temple, was an entrance way, which dipped into the ground. Below the temple was a spring -- full of pure, mountain water.

The spring:

Close up of the dragon's head:

This water is said to cure drinkers of their illnesses and make their (ahem) private parts stronger. I drank from the spring and found the water to be very cold and tasty. Bottles were available to purchase too (¥300), for visitors to carry the water home.

There was one more secret. Walking deeper into the underground passage, we noticed bottles of sake along the wall. This temple produced traditional, Japanese rice wine. Sake is best made with clean water -- perfectly provided by the spring. Visitors were free to try some of the sake. I don't drink alcohol anymore, but my friend coerced me into taking a sip.

Sake bottle and cups -- free to sample:

The taste was crisp and sharp. 

There were also candles flickering along the damp, stone walls. My friend explained candles could be purchased, lit, and placed on certain shelves. Each shelf represented a wish requested by the candle's owner -- good health, good luck, etc. My friend suggested we light a candle. After placing it on the shelf, I got a photo:

Our candle (in the center):

We explored a little more around the temple and then hiked down, where we encountered something very special. Be sure to check in again tomorrow. ^_^

Ooyama Afuri Jinja Shrine is located at the mid-point of Ooyama. Scroll down the website HERE to see information. 

大山 [oo-yama] - Part 1

Ooyama in central Kanagawa prefecture is a rural hiking spot. The mountain is about 1,200 meters high and offers great views to the sea once reaching the top. I wasn't busy on a Saturday, and headed out for a quick hike to the half way point on this mountain.

At the base of the mountain, lie numerous shops featuring food famous in the vicinity -- deer / wild boar stew, tofu, mushrooms. In addition, small wooden tops for spinning are also built in this tiny town.

Ooyama entrance sign:

Walkway showing the spinning tops -- a famous toy in this area:

Passing through the shop area, I followed the sound of a river, over a bridge, making my way closer to the mountain. The photo shows the river:

My friend said: "Okay cutenekko, you take the cable car to the temple, I'll meet you there."
I asked: "You're not taking the cable car? Aren't you coming up the mountain too?"
My friend: "I'm going to run (up the mountain). I'll meet you at the temple." o_O O...K....

I made my way to the cable car. The ticket was really expensive! ¥420 ONE WAY!! Once I got in, and realized how steep the mountain was, taking the cable car was much better....I wonder how my crazy running friend was doing....

Inside the cable car:

 Cable car station sign:

 After arriving at the end station (about half way up the mountain), there is a nice temple. I took a photo of the stone lanterns and path which lead up to the temple itself:

 Halfway down the temple path, I came across a map which showed my current location, the cable car, and surrounding hiking trails. There are many things to do and see on Ooyama!

Map:

I reached the stairs to see my friend waiting for me. Holy sheep!
"How long were you waiting?" I asked. He said: "About 5 minutes." I applauded his amazing strength and handed him a bottle of water (which I picked up before boarding the cable car).

The temple had a secret, my friend said, and offered to show me. Do you want to know the temple's secret? I'll share that with you tomorrow. ^_^

The Ooyama wiki page is HERE. From the map above, the path my friend ran took about 30 minutes.  The cable car took 15 minutes, but doesn't leave the base station very frequently. I had to wait 20 minutes after buying a ticket until the departure time. There are also two paths up: one for women and one for men. The women's path has stairs which are not as wide and steep. The men's path is steeper and the steps are a wider distance apart. 

High School Baseball

When we think of sport in Japan, many readers automatically assume Sumo is number one. Surprisingly, it is baseball that is the sport of choice among the Japanese.

The high school baseball tournament, called "Koshien"(ko-she-en), is held every summer, and is followed obsessively in the news. High school players are often drafted by professional teams here, so there can be big rewards for these young athletes.

I was invited by a friend to one of Kanagawa's "best 8" matches. This was only my second time to enjoy a ball game in Japan. I thought I would share some unique features of ball tournaments here.

The game was held in Yokohama Stadium, which is home to the professional league team DeNA Baystars. The stadium itself is quite large and quite a few fans came out to watch the high school boys.

cutenekko at the main gate:

 The view from inside the stadium:

 Scoreboard. The sign says this is the 94th annual high school baseball tournament. 

It also warned fans that the weather was very hot 

and to be careful regarding heat stroke or sunburns. 

 The team I came to see -- Yokohama Shonandai. Pre-game, they had a little prayer.

Before every game, the two teams line up near home plate and bow to each other, then to the umpires. I snapped this photo as they had just finished their bows.

The game began and we enjoyed cheering for our team:

In between innings, high school boys came around with clear bags, collecting garbage from fans. I was impressed. Fans leave the stands very clean in Japan!

The back of his vest says: "Be careful of foul balls."
Safety is always first in Japan. ^_^

By the end of the 5th inning, a grounds crew came out to tidy up the field:

The biggest difference between MLB in America and baseball in Japan? The cheering.
The main rules in Japan are:

• When your team is up at bat, you are free to cheer. If your team is pitching, you only clap at strikes, or when a batter is ruled out.
• Cheers are different for each batter. Fans often add the batter's name to the cheer.
• A cheer leader will hold up a sign, which designates which cheer will be used. The names are often based on popular songs. One high school team's cheer was called "Atom" and the music was based on the "Atom Boy" animated series.
• Finally, in the first and seventh innings, schools sing their school song. It's a tradition for high school baseball tournaments.

Okay, onto the videos which show how well organized these cheer groups are. The opposing team:

The next video shows the team I was rooting for, cheering on their high school seniors:

I hope you could get a taste of the boys of summer in Japan. The Kanagawa tournament finishes up this Sunday. The next tournament will be held in Osaka, and is the for the winning teams from each prefecture in Japan. It will begin in August. Games are usually only ¥500 ($5/ 200 baht) per ticket. Seats are non-reserved. 

Yokohama stadium information and how to access the site, is HERE.　日本語の情報とアクセスはココです。

風鈴 祭り (Wind Chime Festival) - Part 1

Summer is festival season in Japan. There isn't a day that goes by without some event, local or large, being held. I often check various Kanagawa websites in search of some interesting festivals. It was this unique one -- a wind chime festival -- that I hurried off to in between my working hours.

The festival was located in Kawasaki Daishi -- a temple town famous for Daruma dolls. The doll's head is slightly round, with two white eyes. People make a wish and paint one eye black. When their wish comes true, they color in the other eye. Many shops lined the route to the temple, filled with these daruma dolls:

Kawasaki Daishi is also famous for old fashioned, hand made candy. The street directly in front of the temple was lined on either side with confectionary shops, each one displaying how they make the candy. I took numerous photos...

Candy street:

A confectionary artist stretches the taffy like candy...

Then chops it up to a unique rhythm, by hitting his knife against a wooden board. His partner, also tapping a knife on the board, providing a drum-like harmony:

Tearing myself away from all that candy (including many free samples) was tough, but I finally made it to the temple grounds. As this was a festival, I saw several young women in ゆかた (yu-ka-ta = summer kimono). This style of kimono can be seen at summer festivals in Japan:

The temple gate was enormous. It's interesting to see such a traditional structure in a factory town. (Kawasaki is home to many large factories):

After praying inside the temple, it was time to enjoy the festival! The area was quite crowded...

...but lucky me! I'm quite small and compact, so I could weave my way through the crowds and into the main viewing area. The very first wind chime I came across was a mini version of a Daruma doll.

Very cute!

The viewing area had been divided into booths. Each booth contained wind chimes from the various prefectures in Japan. It was fun to walk through and see the unique chimes created in Japan.

This booth contained traditional images in Japan -- a mosquito coil burner (foreground - the pig), a watermelon, a lucky cat (Used in businesses in Japan. The outstretched paw is to attract customers and their money):

These wind chimes were made of copper and metal. Their look resembled traditional Japanese garden lanterns:

There are more photos from this festival to share. Please check in again tomorrow for more.

Kawasaki Daishi Temple is located HERE. A visit to the temple and candy street is highly recommended, especially if you have children. Shop owners give out lots of free samples and your kids will enjoy watching how the candy is made. This festival is held every year, in July. The dates for this year's festival was: July 18 ~ 22, 2012. 

Yokohama Immigration Office

I'm kind of a pro when it comes to immigration procedures-- filling out paperwork, waiting and such.

I ventured to the immigration office for Kanagawa residents to report a change in my passport and receive the new Resident Card in Japan. For those who have not yet visited, the location is quite far from Yokohama. You must take a train and then a bus. Here's how to get there:

At Yokohama station, go to the JR Keihin Tohoku line gate. You must take the Negishi Line (blue). After speaking with JR staff, I was informed this train departs from Platform 3.

Get on the train bound for Ofuna （大船）：

Get off at Shin Sugita Station (about 20 minutes from Yokohama station):

At the station, you'll need to change to a bus. Follow the signs inside the station, walking through a shopping mall. There are many signs, so it's quite easy. The walk to the bus terminal takes about 5 minutes.

After getting on the bus, the immigration office will be the last stop. The fare, one-way is: ¥210.  Pasmo and Suica cards are accepted on the bus.

From the bus terminal, follow the people to the building's front entrance:

Inside, turn right and go up the stairs. The immigration area is on the second floor (2F). There are many chairs, a play area for children and a nursing station for mothers. 

When you first enter, visit the "Information Center". They will give you the proper forms you need to complete your procedure. Staff can speak Mandarin and Japanese. Because I spoke in Japanese, I'm not sure if English is available or not. 

Once you complete your paperwork, take it to the counter/window the staff the Information Center recommended. These counters are well marked.

Windows 4 and 5:

I had the middle name in my passport shortened, so I had to report this.

If you need to report a change in your name in Japan, you will need to do these things:

1) Get a new passport showing your new name. Immigration will not change anything unless that is shown in your passport. 

2) Register that new passport at the nearest immigration office. The cost is free. You'll need to fill out several forms:

i) Form "Change or altercation to Immigration Record". (at least 2 forms -- one for the new passport number, another to show your new name). I could not find these forms online. These forms are available at the immigration office.

ii) Bring a photo, 30 mm X 40 mm (color or black and white). This photo will be used on your new Resident Card.

3) After receiving your resident card with your new name, you'll need to visit your local city office to do the following things:

i) If you are a member of the National Health Insurance, you'll need to get a new heath card with your new name. Simple visit the window 保険 (ho-ken = insurance) at city office, show your resident card and old insurance card. They will ask you fill out a form with your name, phone number and signature.

ii) Get a new pension record. To do this, visit the 年金 (nen-kin = pension) window at city office. Again, show your residence card, and old pension (blue) book. They will print off a new card for you. Place this inside your blue pension book.

4) If you have any credit cards, banks accounts, etc, inform them of your name change too. Be sure to bring your resident card and passport.

Due to the new immigration procedures in Japan, it is NOT necessary to report your name change at the　外国人 (gai-koku-jin = foreigner) counter at your local city office. The only thing you need to report at this window is: a change of address (moving out/ moving in).

The new resident card looks like this, which has an IC chip and contains your visa. A visa stamp in your passport will no longer appear.

(Image is a government provided sample):

The whole procedure took only an hour and a half. I asked the immigration office which days are they most busy? Their answer: Mondays and Fridays. If you visit on these two days, expect longer waiting times. My advice: always bring a book and some snacks. You never know how long you'll be waiting.

The Immigration Bureau of Japan site is HERE.  Forms are available for download too.

A map and directions to Yokohama Regional Immigration office is HERE. 

A comprehensive list of other Immigration Offices in Japan is HERE. (photos too!)

Banana Bread

My apartment in Japan has a nice oven,  which was a moving gift from a friend. I have been putting it to good use by baking on my days off.

After speaking with my mother on Skype, I decided to try Banana Bread. It's a simple, fairly healthy recipe and could be completed in less than an hour. I researched on the internet and found a great recipe from a bread enthusiast's website.

After mixing everything together by hand, and waiting 30 minutes for it to bake, I was very pleased with the final result!

My bread:

The inside:

One thing to note about baking in Japan -- I couldn't find baking soda here. The reason? It's written in kanji (Chinese characters). I had to ask a Japanese friend to point it out to me in the supermarket. For those ex-pats living in Japan and wondering what baking soda looks like, here is a photo...

baking soda in Japan:

Thanks to my friend for helping me! If you are living overseas and baking soda is hard to find, you can do two things:

1) Go to the pharmacist and ask for NaHCO3 (this is the chemical equivalent of bicarbonato, or baking soda) OR,

2)  Substitute 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 0.5 teaspoon of baking soda.

Happy baking! ^_^

If you'd like to make this banana bread, visit HERE for the recipe.