Dean's Reception and Yasukuni Shrine

The last few days. Woo. How tiring. Wednesday I all but passed out. Thursday, I went home after class and vegetated before going out to Shinjuku to tutor my first, permanent student (for now). Then I came back home and vegetated some more. I was sore as hell. The biking has been working my legs hard and all the walking around I have to do...woo. I've lost like...3 kilograms since I arrived, no lie.

Friday was one of those days. I had my second major Japanese test and afterwards I high tailed it to the library to forward my annotated bibliography to myself so I could print it off for my History class later in the day as well as renting out books for my other History class' research paper on Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After classes, it was straight to the Festival Committee Workshop to paint and socialize. Rena and Maya were very talkative and Yuka was a new face. The four of us were on the inside of the workshop cutting out foam letters and numbers and painting them black. Yuka was a major help as she forced me to talk in Japan and actively engaged me in conversation instead of ignoring me like everyone else.

I also ordered my commemorative festival 2008 hoodie and happi, so when I come back home I will have some special items to remind me of my time in the committee.

After painting in the workshop, it was time for the Dean's Reception. This was basically another forced get together for all us September students to get together, get a free dinner (Mmm, curry and dim sum? Yes plz.) When there I was given a bamboo flower vase that was cut that day (Thanks to Maria, from Spain!). Free food aside, it was a fun shindig. Then it was the long bike ride home. I promptly fell asleep.

Today I was up at my normal time (6:30-7:00) and started to get ready for my trip to Yasukuni. Takeyoshi was kind enough to suggest hanging out and going to the Shrine was a good way to kill two birds with one stone. I'd get to go to the Shrine for my project and I'd have a native speaker to help me find my way around the craziness that is Shinjuku station.

The Shrine was beautiful for something so controversial. For those uninformed, Yasukuni Shrine is where the souls of Japan's war dead are enshrined as kami. This includes everyone from the lowest peon soldier to those who were found guilty of Class A War Crimes (I.e. Hideki Tojo). The reason the shrine is so controversial is when Japanese leaders, such as Prime Ministers and the heads of Government Ministries visit it. The rest of Asia is not quite happy with how those in power seem to be glorifying Japan's war past (vis a vis the worshipping of the souls there, including the Class A Criminals). Yasukuni is in a way to Japan like our War Memorials are to us back home.

We ended up going to the museum attached to the Shrine (the Yushukan) so I could inspect the exhibits to see from what scope they were presenting their own history, as was to be expected, it never once cast Japan's aggression in the Pacific in the negative light. Everything was, "Japan was fighting against evil Imperialist forces to protect their Asian brothers." Heck, it even white washed older Japanese history (ie. Hideyoshi's aggression in Korea in the late 16th century). It was not surprising, all things considered. I did write my Senior Thesis on how Japan's government actively tries to re-write history...

Throughout the museum, Takeyoshi was lightly ribbing me. I think he has a crush on me, because when we were looking at the amulets the miko (Shrine Priestess') were selling, he pointing out the one for finding boyfriends. Starting inquiring if I had a boyfriend, etc, etc. He's called me cute on several occasions and likes my Japanese pronunciation...

He wanted me to go home with him after the museum to watch a movie but I opted out of it, you know...just in case my favorite mild mannered Osakan was really a crazy repressed Japanese guy who would potentially harm a small white chick ^_^;...

I bought a few Hinomaru (The name of Japan's flag) stickers, a cellphone strap, a metal komon sticker (Family Crest. Oddly enough, it looks like the same crest used in L5R for the Imperial family...whichever one is sitting on the throne, that is). I got my brother something I know he will love, that crazy goof. I hope he likes it.

There'll be a photo update on my blog shortly :D

Love you all~