Iwata's Hadaka Matsuri and other ponderings
September 28, 2006
I forced myself to go to Mal’s tonight. It seems to often be that situation. And I always end up having a rewarding evening, meeting some new people and having a good chat over nama biru. Well this evening I was prepared to right it off. Once again, there were an overwhelming number of American men, many from Corning (an American LED company stationed in Kakegawa). I tend to have little to say to this group. Our interests are far removed.
I was ready to leave when the two Japanese girls next to me started to talk to me. They asked me if I was Japanese and wondered if I was half. They were marveling at my English. Anyways, I spent the evening chatting with Natsumi and Kayo. It is important for me to note these details, cuz once again I have invited to give them a tour of Vancouver, should they arrive there. So I should keep track of these girls. The other one was Yuko. Anyway, I chatted mostly with Natsumi about Canada and the wildlife. She is really into nature. I can’t wait to see a Japanese tanuki, different from a raccoon, apparently all brown and without the mask and ring around the tail. Seems like tanuki’s are also a problem in Japan.
Natsumi mentioned something very interesting, in terms of my matsuri research. Who would believe that a foreigner's bar could lead to such a treasure chest of ethnomusical tinkerings. What she had to tell me is pretty major, which will enable me to categorize and analyze variations. Yippee. It helps to out drinking now and again, eh?
As I write, I wonder if the groping is underway at the hadaka matsuri in Iwata, which I reluctantly passed aside today. I feel like a wimp. I should have forged ahead and gone through with it as tomorrow may prove to be a difficult feat. Natsumi warns me that a lot of perverts attend the hadaka (naked men) matsuri and will try to grope you later in the evening. That is enough to put me off. I did find someone's blog about participating in the Iwata hadaka matsuri, so mayber I can mention excerpts from that or post a link. Nothing like an insider's perspective.
In Iwata today, I had two Brazilians stop to ask me for help in Portuguese. I must be a dead ringer. I heard that Iwata had a really high Brazilian population, which I really noticed as I left the city, around the train station. My Japanese tends to be better than most Brazilians that I have come across. I would love to be Brazilian and have this rich cultural community that I could tap into. Perhaps I should start to learn some Portuguese.
I forced myself to go to Mal’s tonight. It seems to often be that situation. And I always end up having a rewarding evening, meeting some new people and having a good chat over nama biru. Well this evening I was prepared to right it off. Once again, there were an overwhelming number of American men, many from Corning (an American LED company stationed in Kakegawa). I tend to have little to say to this group. Our interests are far removed.
I was ready to leave when the two Japanese girls next to me started to talk to me. They asked me if I was Japanese and wondered if I was half. They were marveling at my English. Anyways, I spent the evening chatting with Natsumi and Kayo. It is important for me to note these details, cuz once again I have invited to give them a tour of Vancouver, should they arrive there. So I should keep track of these girls. The other one was Yuko. Anyway, I chatted mostly with Natsumi about Canada and the wildlife. She is really into nature. I can’t wait to see a Japanese tanuki, different from a raccoon, apparently all brown and without the mask and ring around the tail. Seems like tanuki’s are also a problem in Japan.
Natsumi mentioned something very interesting, in terms of my matsuri research. Who would believe that a foreigner's bar could lead to such a treasure chest of ethnomusical tinkerings. What she had to tell me is pretty major, which will enable me to categorize and analyze variations. Yippee. It helps to out drinking now and again, eh?
As I write, I wonder if the groping is underway at the hadaka matsuri in Iwata, which I reluctantly passed aside today. I feel like a wimp. I should have forged ahead and gone through with it as tomorrow may prove to be a difficult feat. Natsumi warns me that a lot of perverts attend the hadaka (naked men) matsuri and will try to grope you later in the evening. That is enough to put me off. I did find someone's blog about participating in the Iwata hadaka matsuri, so mayber I can mention excerpts from that or post a link. Nothing like an insider's perspective.
In Iwata today, I had two Brazilians stop to ask me for help in Portuguese. I must be a dead ringer. I heard that Iwata had a really high Brazilian population, which I really noticed as I left the city, around the train station. My Japanese tends to be better than most Brazilians that I have come across. I would love to be Brazilian and have this rich cultural community that I could tap into. Perhaps I should start to learn some Portuguese.
posted by Mahoo @ 5:46 AM
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