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Japan: 18 months in 18 pictures – August 07

Part 1 and explanation of the series here. Read entire series via tags, here.

August in Japan continued to be hot, with the summer heat peaking sometime around the beginning of the month about the same time I was starting to get really tired of air-con salvation but still couldn’t get enough of green tea flavoured Haagen Daas cups. More importantly August is especially important in Japan as it brings the yearly Obon holiday and festival, one of the most important Buddhist holidays of the year.

For the foreigners this means no work for a good ten days or so which I put into good use that year by planning a massive bike ride in nearby Saitama Prefecture. This time I was on my own and I had the heat against me (or with me if you’re a bit of a sadist) so I set off a little late in the day and decided to continue with my freeform approach to discovering the greater Tokyo area and its suburbs. I choose a generic direction and stuck to it until I couldn’t go anymore, at which point I turned back and went into another generic direction until it started getting late and dark and I went looking for the way home.

The ride offered more insights, and some surprises, into Japanese society and Tokyo’s often fascinating suburbs, from the buildings reminiscent of France’s own ‘banlieus’ to the hilarious and random signposts and the beautiful rice fields (pictured above). I wrote about it in more detail at the time. Following the ride I went for a sushi blow out at a small local joint in Kiyose, indulging not only my tastebuds but also my cultural curiosity as I sat alone at the counter and soon enough found myself being questioned by the chef and some old locals who were busy getting drunk and didn’t miss a chance to discuss the benefits of Japanese society with a gaijin.

Being accosted and speaking with locals is a fairly common occurence pretty much anywhere you go in the world, especially if you actively seek it, but in Japan this does take on slightly more surreal tones as the Japanese are generally quite keen to talk to foreigners and discover what makes them ‘tick’ as well as extoll the virtues of their country and society. Some people find this habit of the Japanese annoying as it does have patronising overtones, and while it’s true that in certain situations I’ve also found it a bit of a painful experience, in other instances, such as this one where I was on my own, relaxed and looking for a bit of cultural and social integration, it’s actually really refreshing and one of the few times in which you can feel a sense of being welcomed and taken in. Looking back on my time in the country, I think this is especially true if you’re looking for some cultural insight into Japan and its people. Walk into any small local joint anywhere in Tokyo or the countryside and you will find that the ‘standard’ Japanese approach to foreigners, which generally varies along the lines of wide-eyed fascination, disdain or ignorance, can become much warmer especially if you’re willing to help break down the barriers by speaking what little (or much) Japanese you know, sharing insights about your own culture, eat, drink and generally be merry. It’s similar to playing a game, one where you know the rules in advance and you’re cheating slightly by putting yourself in a situation where you know you’re more likely to be welcomed and looked after.

The rest of August was fairly lazy and my return to teaching consequently proved a little difficult. At the same time, this was the month where I realised just how much I was enjoying the overall experience of being an English teacher in a Japanese conversation school. For all the ups and (more often than not in my case) downs it did provide some great insights into the culture, society and people as well as rekindle my interest in languages and linguistics. Another thing I realised about teaching around that time was just how nice it was to be in a job where human interaction was the focus instead of being stuck in front of a computer all day long.

The summer and the month were nicely ended by the first BTC anniversary at Unit, with a memorable all night session that featured my all-time favourite Tokyo nightlife sight: a girl dancing to dubstep in a traditional kimono (see below).

August bonus shot