A Man Dropped in Japan

Walk to Defeat ALS: Chicago Walk - Saturday, June 6th 2009

2009-04-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

The prodigal son has returned from travels across the vast desert of silicon valley(not literally). Yes, I have been sailing the seas of the Internet, caught up in status updates, picture uploads, grade school classmates, and even in virtual contact with many of you fine folks on this rather archaic(haha!) e-mail list.
Sorry for dropping off and leaving you all hanging on the next adventures of Steve and Erin in Japan.
It's weird, what once was so foreign and new, can easily transform into your "normal" life. So goes our status these past many months still here in Japan. And, just as soon as all seems normal, we are ready to flip our lives upside down once again by returning back to our home sweet home!

Yeah, if you haven't heard, this is our last year in Japan.
We'll be returning to the good ole USA at the end of this summer!

What times we've had here in Japan! We sure will miss it, but in the same breath we are happy to come back to friends and family who we've missed so very much. And, let's not forget about Chicago pizza, hot dogs, Lake Michigan, cheap concerts, cheap movies, and the mass of the population speaking a language you can understand.

One thing that I am grateful to come home to is to see my family. I have been missing them so very much. I did have the great opportunity to travel to the Philippines this past January and meet my cousins, aunts, uncles, and extended family there, which was such an unbelievable experience!(you'll have to read the blog for that story)
But, I am most looking forward to seeing my mom back in Cal City.
While living here in Japan, my mother was diagnosed with ALS. It's been torture for me to know this and not be able to be there to help out. Though, my brothers and sisters and family friends have been utterly supportive and doing an amazing job taking care of my folks. My mother, as humble as she is, has the strength of a lion in her heart, and her unwavering devotion to prayer and spiritual guidance will get her through the challenges that come with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

To do my part in supporting my family and my mom, I've joined my sister's team for the Chicago Walk to Defeat ALS. Though, I cannot be there in June for the walk, I've registered as a virtual walker and am taking donations for this cause. Please check out my personal page here,
http://web.alsa.org/goto/Stephen_Munoz

I know times are tough back home, and money's tight. But if you can find it, any amount would be greatly and graciously appreciated, to show support for my mom, my family, and all those who have been affected by this disease. Please take the time to visit the page and read a little more about my mom and ALS. And, please spread the love and pass this link onto anyone and everyone.

You know, usually I ask and thank you all for your support you've given me throughout my musical career and personal endeavors, but this time I ask for your attention to support my mother, Soly Munoz, and her fight against ALS.

Thanks everyone! Sending you all the love from Japan!

Peace and love,

Steve

Climbing Mount Fuji

2008-09-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Four days into my week-long workshop I was teaching at in Shizuoka Prefecture(which kisses the Southern side of Mount Fuji), I finally had a chance to breathe and reposition my focus on figuring out plans on how to make my way to Gogomae, the fifth station on the Yoshidaguchi Trail at Fujisan where I was to meet Erin, Doc, and his friend Dane, at which point we were to begin our ascent of Japan's most famous mountain, Mt. Fuji. Things before this point has been a whirl, with little time to research let alone plan and prepare for the climb of Fujisan(mountains take the formal ending of "-san", just as you'd use when speaking formally to a person, ie. Yamamoto-san, Munoz-san, Daniel-san, etc.) I had left most of that up to our friend Doc, who took the reigns in organizing this adventure, which served duel duties as his birthday present to himself, and to Erin who had a bit more time to burn this summer, compared to my hectic schedule of teaching engagements.

So, as I sat at my computer that night in my hotel room, I began my research with a train route search to the station which Erin e-mailed to me, which we would meet to catch a bus together to the fifth station. The route comes up, and I'm floored with first, the cost, then second, the time. Here, I thought, I can see Fuji from my hotel window, how can it cost me like 7,000yen(about $70) and take four hours?! This can't be right. I was struck with confusion. I did a bit more researching and learned that I was on the wrong side of the mountain! Well, at least the wrong side to meet at the planned meeting point with Erin and the others. Doh! Hadn't planned for that. That's what you get for growing up in the Midwest with flat lands and hills(and sand dunes in Indiana and Michigan), you don't think of mountains as massive three-dimensional earthen structures that you just can't pop over in a car or bus, or on a day hike with your cub scout troop. Chalk one up to ignorance. So, my mind is flashing options, cost and time-effective solutions, all pulsing with a new fire of stress I've created for myself. I frantically e-mail a flurry of correspondences with Erin, which probably wasn't the best thing to do(since she had her own planning to consider and prepare for), and eventually settle into the task of figuring this out.
With the help of my friend and co-teacher/worker, Nami, I asked her to help me find a more direct route to the station from where we were at. The train route I looked up earlier, because of the railway, had to take me East to Shibuya in Tokyo, then back West to the Northeastern side of Fujisan. We found a bus that was a fraction of the cost and time of the train... hurray! With plans finally set, I finished up the last days of the workshop, had our show, and decided to stay at the hotel one more night to leave in the morning to meet Erin. Poor Erin, she had to take a night bus from Nara to Tokyo(about 6hrs), then a train to the station, Kawaguchiko, where we were to meet at(2hrs), then the bus we would catch to the fifth station on Fujisan(1.5 hrs), then we would start our climb. Upon finally seeing each other after a week of me in Shizuoka, she was bright eyed and pretty cheering(despite the hell ride of night bus she took, broken chair and noisy kids).

We took the bus to the fifth station, a common starting place for climbers(especially amateurs like ourselves). We picked up any last minute supplies, our traditional hexagonal Fujisan walking staffs, and began our hike just before 5pm. The plan was to hike to the past the eighth station, where Doc had booked a place for us at a "hotel", where we would eat and rest for a bit, then wake up early to finish the climb to the top and catch the sunrise. I say "hotel" because, really, it was pretty much a bunk room, with rows of sleeping bags packed like sardines on two levels.
So, off we went. In my pack I had: 1.5 liters of water, cold weather clothes, rain gear, a couple flash lights, some snack foods, a can of oxygen, my camera, an umbrella, my Gerber multi-tool.

The first bit was only a slight incline up a well defined path. We ascended easily and after an hour or so we reached this station hut, where we got our first of several brands on our walking staffs. It's a cool way to adorn your wooden staff, though, at 200yen a pop sure adds up. But, I'm glad I got most of them. Some of the brands indicate the elevation, which I thought was really cool.

We continued our climb and felt the sun set, stopping at each hut to brand our staffs and take a breather. We were above the clouds at this point, and night was falling around us. We put on our headlamps, and
kept on truckin' in the dark. We also met a cool girl from Australia, Lucy, who was climbing by herself and we invited to join us. She's an actress currently living in China(or Korea?) The higher we hiked, the more rocky the terrain became and now we had to, at times, maneuver our way up and between rocks and boulders; in the dark, none the less! The air was definitely thinner up there, and the climate was cold and windy, a far cry from the summer sun and humidity we left at the station we started from. We got the eighth station, but were informed that the place we had booked was still about an hour and half up! Doc and Dane hauled ahead of us, and Erin, Lucy, and I steadily walked in the dark, in mostly silence, passing other climbers, pacing ourselves and our breathing, stopping once and awhile to suck up some pure oxygen and take a drink of water. On our way, we had also met another climber, Johann from France, who joined us. He's a young archaeologist on vacation in Japan with a 1yr daughter and wife who stayed back in the hotel while he was climbing. Randomly, to our surprise in conversation, we learned that he happened to stay with a mutual acquaintance while he and his family stayed around Kansai.

So, we finally made it to our hut-tel by 10pm. We were just about 15mins behind Doc and Dane, who were getting ready to eat our modest dinner of curry, rice, and hamburg. *yes, I meant hamburg, not hamburger. In Japan, a beef patty, usually served on a hot iron skillet is called a hamburg steak or just hamburg, and the latter, hamburger, refers to the thing you get at Micky D's. Though, they'd pronounce it as, "ham-baa-ga" at "mac-u-do-na-ru".... seriously.

After our dinner, we were asked what time we wanted to get up. It was suggested if we wanted to see the sunrise, we should make our way by 1:30am. Not much time to sleep, so we got in our sardine bags and tried to rest for a few hours. It was the most expensive "floor" I slept on, but I did manage to get a bit of sleep. I can't say that was the case with Erin or Doc, but the rest was welcomed.

We got up, geared up, and readied our selves for the final kilometers to the top. As we stepped out of the door, we were greeted by a cavalcade of climbers, all packed and foreheads illuminated by headlamps, crowded front to back like rush hour on the Dan Ryan, focused on seeing the sunrise from the top of Fujisan. We merged into the crowd, and step by step, drudged our way to the top. It was cold and slow, crowded and congested like the morning commuter trains. It took us about three hours to climb those last few kilometers to the top. Thankfully, I was warned that it would be like this, cold and crowded, so it didn't bother me so much. Again, Doc and Dane made it to the top first, and Erin and I stuck together and reached the top together, hand in hand.
Despite the headache I had been nursing for most of the way up(probably mild altitude sickness), I was happy we got to the top, safe and sound, together. We did see the sunrise.

You know all those people we climbed up with, they were all there too... and then some. It was quite cold up there, and Doc and Dane were freezing. I luckily had extra clothes, so we huddled for a few pics, got our staffs stamped, and began our way down the treacherous path. I say treacherous because we had been warned by friends who had climbed and descended Fuji before that the way down is the worst part of the Fuji experience... and they were right.

Imagine sliding down a decent incline with loose rocks and red gravel underfoot tripping and you and providing uncertain ground for your footing. The landscape looked like what you'd see in pictures of Mars. Add to that, groups of other people all negotiating their way down at the same time, the fatigue of the climb you just did up the mountain, and the rapidly changing climate once again. I took a more daring technique and let gravity do most of the work for me, as I skipped and skidded down the path, weaving around people and wearing out the bottoms of my shoes in the process. This was going well for me, expending less energy than trying to fight my way down, but I kept tabs on Erin's slow progress down. She's got pretty bad knees, so she couldn't foot "ski" down the rocky path like me, instead, taking it one step at a time. To lighten her load, I took on her backpack(along with mine) at about a quarter of the way down. This act of kindness did have me alter my descending technique, since my weight distribution was now uneven and top heavy. I continued my way down, a bit slower now and the fatigue was really coming on. I took a few breaks and even managed to take a 15-20min nap, but I tried to stay on course and eventually made it to where we started at the fifth station just before noon. Erin had met up with Lucy, our friend from Australia who we climbed up with, whom she came down with for the last part of the descent. Doc and Dean had already made it down before us, and, tired and exhausted caught a bus and train back.

All in all the climb of Fujisan was a thrilling and great challenge for me. Even before we got to Japan, I had talked to my brother Francis about his climb of Fuji, and also our neighbor, Julius, who climbed the mountain a long, long time ago. It's one thing I really wanted to do in Japan while we were here, and I finally accomplished it. I'm so, so proud of Erin for doing it too. She had reservations about joining the trip, and even the days before the climb I had e-mailed her my concerns if she was up for it. I'm thankful that we reached the top together and came down unscathed other than sore bodies for several days afterwards. Fujisan is the highest and most famous mountain in Japan at 3,776 meters.

Check this link for complete album of pics on Facebook, http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28696&l=f5db3&id=507939118

International Arts and Culture Fest 2008

2008-07-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago I had a performance with a few friends for this International Arts and Culture Fest, hosted by the city of Kawanishi and JET Programme(the company Erin teaches for). I took part in this event last year as well, with some dear friends who no longer live in Japan. So, this year, was a new "band" we put together to perform 4 songs.

The players were Jack G. on electric guitar and backing vocals,
Gillian H. on piano, guitar, mandolin(and bass drum), and backing vocals,
Craig S. on lead vocals and acoustic guitar,
and me on bass, mandolin, harmonica, bass drum, piano, and backing vocals.
*pics taken by Arthur Lim Banes

So, my very good friend Chetan from Cape Town South Africa, took this candid shot of me while we were playing our last number, Let it Bleed by the Stones.
I vaugely remember being in eye shot of Craig, and, as we slowly built up the intensity of the song, I gave him a look and stuck out my tounge in a fun, carefree gesture, as I'm often moved act while performing. You can see Gillian in the foreground concentrating on playing the mando and bass drum simultaneously, a feat that's not very easy to do, especially if you haven't really played much mandolin or drums for that matter. This girl is a natural musician.

So, our whole set:
I Don't Like Mondays by The Boomtown Rats; Gillian on Piano, Craig lead Vox, me on bass, and Jack and me on backing Vox
Karma Police by Radiohead; Gillian on Piano, Craig lead Vox and acoustic guitar, Jack on lead/noise electric guitar, Me on bass and backing vocals
Black Country Woman by Led Zeppelin; Craig on Vox and open G acoustic guitar, Gillian on acoustic guitar, Jack on lead electric guitar, me on mandolin, harmonica, bass drum
Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones; Craig on lead Vox and acoustic guitar, Jack on lead electric guitar, Gillian on mandolin, bass drum and backing vocals, and me on piano and shouting

*pics taken by Chetan Rama and backstage pics by Josy Audigier
It was a great performance and a lot of fun to share music with these guys. Unfortunately, Craig will be returning back home to Vancouver at the end of the summer, but Jack and Gillian will still be here to make more music. I'm glad we had the chance to all play together.

Mr. Potato Man visits Osaka

2008-06-30T01:57:00.001-07:00

So, this past weekend was sparked by an opportunity to play my music for an event at Mad Kafe in Amemura at moment's notice, and ended in a surreal progression of events due to sharin' good music, meeting cool people, drinking too many energy drinks mixed with alcohol, dancing, lack of sleep, rain, acting, and in the end, talking to a potato.

I had played at Mad Kafe once before, with some other friends of mine who set up this show. Pauley and boys of KJ rockin the place out last December, shortly after I came back from our visit in the States. I remember, though, I had a bad first gig there because my sound was for shit and I wasn't gettin' the vibe, so I never expected to come back. Just chalk one up, I thought, but out of the blue the other week I got a contact from the owner of Mad Kafe to see if I wanted to join in on a live event that was happening the upcoming weekend. After a bit of pondering, I agreed, and hoped to redeem myself from my first appearance there.(note, I don't think I played a horrible show the first time, 'cause people were digging it, the negative vibes is just me criticizing myself) Now, whenever I have a gig in Osaka, there comes the inevitable decision of whether or not I can or should pull and all-nighter(since trains stop running by around midnight: our last train to go back home being 11:32pm) Throwing caution to the wind, and it being warm weather, I decided that I'd party all night. One deciding factor was that I had to be back in Osaka on Sunday morning for a film shoot, where I was asked to be an extra before hand by a good friend of mine. So, with plans for Sunday, I figured staying up in Osaka all night till Sunday morning would be the best, and most interesting, course of action.

I got to Mad Kafe about 8:30pm, located in Amemura, a central hub of nightlife in Osaka named after I guess the "American" style which permeates the stores, bars, and shops there. It's short for American village; mura means village in Japanese. They were setting up the sound, and I noticed a drum set, two guitar amps, a few mics on stands, and a highway of cables. Yay, I thought, maybe I'll play some drums tonight too. It's not very often I get to these days in Japan, for lack of space as well as the noise factor. The headlining band, １★狂／ ICHI BANG BOSHI CREW, came in about a half hour later and did their sound check. The whole night was to be arranged around their set, which didn't start till 1am, so I asked Will, the owner, whenever is cool with me. There were also to be various DJs of various styles spinning all night(and eventually morning) in between live acts. I was the first live act to play, my set started at 11pm for about a 30min-40min.

I did a live looping set with my guitar, vocal, portable drum machine, and also jumped on the drum set. It was a great set, I thought, the highlight for me being an improvised jam that was a mix of Middle Eastern, Indian raga style and surf music. Don't ask me where that came from, my fingers just decided that's what they wanted to play. Wish I had a vid or recording of that. Since this small club was geared for dance music, the system was bass heavy, which is not very friendly to acoustic instruments, but I took advantage of this feedback phenomenon and shaped some rather metallic, pulsing sounds through out my set and integrated those into the soundscapes I was creating. I watched the people there, it wasn't a full room yet, eyes watching me, some heads bopping, phones taking pics, and after each song... silence. I think they didn't know how to react to what I was doin' because I probably looked like a man possessed, but after a few seconds cheering and applauding would ensue. So, that was a good sign. Closed the set with an accapella version of Redemption Song I've been known to do, while beating out a rhythm on my guitar. The sound in the room was real nice.

I packed up my gear, and headed out to catch a subway train down to Tennoji. I wanted to catch a friend's band who were playing at Tin's Hall, and also get my pay from my last gig.(I had to leave so quickly last time I played at Tin's, I forgot to get paid!) I was also courting the idea of possibly playing a set at Tin's tonight too, if possible, so I took my guitar with me just in case. I left Mad Kafe a bit after 12am, and got to Tin's just in time to catch the tail end of the last song. Rising Sons are a power trio and perform all their own original material. Nice sounds. I hung out for a bit, talking to the drummer and his brother, ordered a hamburger and drink a few drinks, then talked to the lead singer, Danny, for a bit. Since we're both musicians with our own gigs, we rarely get to see one another because of conflicting schedules, but it was nice to be able to chat with him. He decided to come back with me to Mad Kafe and join in a jam session. We left Tin's around 2am, walked in the rain to catch a taxi back to Amemura.

When we got there another live band was playing; piano, vocals, drums and bass called The Geminaic. Kinda singer songwriter type of music. Then this cat Dan Kane joined them, doin' a few bluesy numbers. He had really good voice, played acoustic, and blew a pretty good harp. I was getting antsy, so I asked Danny if I could borrow his Strat(I only had my acoustic guitar) so I could join in and jam with them. He said go right a head, and I waited to catch the eye of Dan the singer, to see if it was okay if I could jump in with them. Got the green light, so I plugged in Danny's guitar to an amp and we did a few tunes. His Strat was real nice, but his strings were heavier than I'm use to. Good sounds though, and the people were diggin' the music.

After that jam, Dan stayed on and did a few solo original songs. On this last song, a cover that I can't remember at the moment, the piano player joined in, and I grabbed my sticks and brushes and jumped on the drum set. Good times. I stayed behind the drum set and we played a bit more, then it was just me and piano player, Derron, and Danny jumped in and starting playing bass. We got a sorta Medeski, Martin, and Wood groove going on, but I'm so outta practice on the drums my endurance is lacking. I kept it was tight as I could, no doubt. Then, the original Japanese bass player guy grabbed the bass, and Danny picked up the acoustic guitar, and Dan the singer rocked the vocals. It was good jam session, especially since it was the first time we all played together. We didn't even know each other's names at that point.

We got the crowd cookin' and decided to hand it off to the next DJ. Finally, introductions were made, drinks were drunk, and the music pumped on and the room was dancin'. My friend Louis, who also lives in my neighborhood of Goido, showed up with a few friends of his. We happened to take the same train into the city, and I told him where I'd be playing and to stop by. We all danced and drank and had good ole time. Consequently, last time I hung out with Louis in Osaka all night was the night of the yakuza incident which I posted awhile back, Kicked in the by Yakuza.

Hours zipped by like minutes in the non-stop music, as the DJs handed off each set to the next DJ like relay runners passing a baton in a race. Even Will the owner pumped the grooves at one point, bringing the Chicago house flava into the mix. It's an environment I haven't recently found myself in, dance clubs, that is. Not that I don't like dancing or dance clubs, just never went to them on a regular basis. There were those off nights in my younger days we'd head up to Chicago to clubbing. It was great to see people dancing and letting loose, voyeurs and exhibitionists mingling in the electricity generated by bodies jumping, shaking, slithering, and twisting to an ever increasing tempo. I traded my beers for energy drinks, which kept me going strong as the evening progressed to dawn, and dawn turned to morning; all hidden from our senses in this little club, with no windows or clocks. At one point, a few of us were chillin' in the lobby area, taking a break from dancing, and one girl insisted that we NOT tell her what time it was after some else asked the question. You think if Cinderella didn't know it was close to midnight, she could've stayed later and wouldn't have had to go through all the trouble to get the prince? I looked at my watch, nearly 6am. Still over two hours before my meeting at 8:30 for the film shoot. Louie was pretty wasted at this point, but had a trio of very nice English girls taking care of him. The girl who didn't want to know what time is was kept telling Louis she was a Russian spy, or some other kinda of nonsense... hahaha. I went back in, got another drink and talked with Dan the singer for awhile about music. And the DJs played on.

Before I knew it, I checked my watch again and it was 8am. The crowd had dwindled to about half a dozen, but still goin' strong. The music was ever more intense and the DJ was also free styling over the heavy, heavy beats, steadily flowin' a blur of indecipherable words and phrases. It was quite impressive. A Japanese couple, who I noticed had been there for a good portion of the evening, had been trolling the scene for what I deduced a late night lover to take home with them. I didn't know if they were looking for a boy or girl, I wasn't sure, but I saw them leave with a young, Middle Eastern looking guy, that morning. I caught Louis attention, as he was nearly falling asleep on one of the speakers, and told him that I was heading out. He left with me and we headed to the nearest subway station, and was pondering the notion of joining in as an movie extra, but by the time we got Shinsaibashi Station he decided it would be best to just chill out and sleep in one spot. So I left him there just outside of the staton, where he picked a quiet, unobtrusive spot on the sidewalk to sleep. He does this quite well, sleeping in public. It's kinda like his super power. And, fortunately, in Japan it's safe for such behavior. Not many people, other than homeless or drunk people, do it, but it's reassuring to know you can be fairly safe in public slumber.

I got to Fukushima Station, which is just West of Umeda, around 8:45am. I was late, but Shizuka and a guy from the film crew where waiting patiently for me. That short subway ride seemed to drain me, or maybe it was the sun, or all those energy drinks were crashing my will. Whatever it was, the world had that haze you get when you've pushed your body to its limits, everything looked softer and the sounds around you are muted, and your body is a heavy bag of sand. I jumped in the waiting car, and we drove a few blocks to the wine bar cafe where the shoot was taking place.

I met some of the crew, a few other actors, and was briefed on a scene I would take part in. I was to play a chef's assistant, so they gave me a costume(chef's jacket) and informed me that I had a line... well, sorta. I was supposed to mumble "Bochi bochi" over again five times, like I was trying to find the meaning. Which, honestly, is not far off. It means something like, "so so" in Kansai-ben. And, my character, Mike, is supposed to be kinda daydreaming and talking to himself while peeling a potato. Then, they told me to talk to the potato. Mixed with my smoldering fatigue and melting delirium from a night of dancing and music, talking to a potato seemed quite the right thing to do. I guess I nailed it... I honestly don't remember.

I took a very brief nap on a couch, maybe like 15min-20min, and woke up remembering that I had invited a bunch of people to come to the set to also be extras. Erin was suppose to arrive at 1pm with Doc and Emily. I was told my friend Genny was already at the station. So, Shizuka and I walked back to the station and waited around, then went to a nearby deli to get a bite. Erin and crew met up with us, and we were off back to the cafe for the party scene. We walked in the rain and it felt good to me.

The next few hours were spent sitting at made up tables as if we were at a party. It was still very surreal, with all the directions in Japanese, and the crew buzzing around with lights and cameras and mics and big pieces of styrofoam to deflect and control the lighting. My directions were simple, keep day dreaming about the potato... which I did. I was so engrossed in my potato dreams that I made a face with the potato wedges, a mound of mashed potatoes on my plate, and halved cherry tomatoes on the table. Apparently, the director was inspired by the honest channeling of my delirious state of mind into my character that, at the end, he had me talk to my potato based face plate for an improvised shot. Oh, potato man, where are you from?

We left the shoot around 5pm. So, let's see, I worked Saturday afternoon, starting at 2pm. After work, came home to get my gear and went to Mad Kafe by 8:30pm... 12 hours later, I was on a train to Fukushima for the shoot which all ended by 5pm. I think I was up for around 30-35hours. Not my record, but who's counting? I had a good time exploring the Osaka night life, sharing good music, dancing, meeting cool people, and have my debut on film. Even though I'm not as young as I used to be, it's still nice to know I can be from time to time(it just takes me much longer to recuperate).

Myspace Music Blog: Working on a new song

2008-04-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 17, 2008

New Song in the works
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Music

So, here's a new song I just wrote a few days ago. This is just the basic structure, which I'll properly record very soon with a bit more arrangement added. For some reason, I seem to gravitate towards writing sad sounding songs whenever I pick up my mandolin. Go figure. But I think the lyrics are hopeful.

It's a song for my mother, who, since we moved to Japan has been fighting a physical disorder, which has not quite been diagnosed 100% as to what it exactly is, but it's caused her to loose control of her mouth and tongue, making her speech and breathing difficult. And, the killer, is that she can't sing like she used to. Which truly breaks my heart because she has the most beautiful voice, one of only a few in the world that can truly bring me to tears. This is a voice that I grew up with, sang to me as a child, taught me my first words, and introduced me to singing. This song is for her and for anyone that feels like they don't have a voice, whether that's literally or figuratively.

New Song
..

This song also has a part of me in it too. This past winter was a rough one for me, and I've heard from a lot of people across the board the same sentiment about the dreadful winter of '07. I was trying to figure out what I'm doing, trying to write(unsuccessfully), and be productive. But, nothing came out this winter. It was a lesson relearned in how not to try to force your art. It'll come when it comes, the only thing you can do is be prepared for her when she shows up. We're always waiting for something, right? Just gotta make the most of the time in between those moments. So, I've felt like I lost my voice as well. She came back with this song and a bunch of other ideas in the works.

Here's the lyrics(currently):
Eyes to see and ears to hear
The sounds and sights I love so dear
But when my mouth can't open right
The fear inside me seals the light

Away, my voice (has taken leave)(like fallen leaves)
And all those songs I used to sing
Songbird please fly back to me

Perched upon a magnolia tree
I wait for Spring to bring relief
Deep inside my heart I sing for joy
But fate has cause to kill the noise

And a burden that I feared to bear
Sinking down a riverbed
Friends and family remind me so
The voice inside is not yet dead

The voice inside me is not yet dead
I sing for love, I sing for joy

Exploring Kyoto, Part 2 of 3: Kyudo, Ancient Art of Archery

2008-03-10T14:16:00.000-07:00

So, about a week later after Ohara, Erin knew about this annual national Kyudo event taking place in Kyoto at Sanjusangendo, one of my most favorite temples I've visited in Japan(I think I've been there four or five times now). This historic temple has been the site of this yearly archery event, where all of Japan's Kyudoist(practitioners of Japanese archery) come for a day-long competition and celebration of this ancient martial art.

Erin had studied Kyudo in Chicago, before we moved to Japan; so, she's got the experience and understanding of this subtle yet powerful martial art. She started her practice of Kyudo again here in Japan with our friend Doc, also a JET teacher. He, along with our Japanese friend Yoshi, came with us to enjoy this special event.

Kyudo is highly tied to the Japanese philosophical and spiritual practice of Zen, a mindful awareness of the present. There's much more that goes into Zen, but that should be enough to get the gist. Zen is practiced and perfected in not just Japanese martial arts such as Kyudo, Aikido, Judo, Kendo, and many others, but also in everyday "ceremonies" such as Ikebana Kado(the art of flower arranging), Sado(the art of preparing, presenting, and drinking tea), and Shodo(the art of Japanese calligraphy). In particular, Kyudo emphasizes the perfection of form and control through the practice of posture and a particular procedure of motions, after that, which is mastered in both mind and body, comes a moment of beauty and enlightenment, to be pursued with every draw of the bow. At least, that's how I see(even though I never tried myself). It's a very dedicated art, and often referred to as the "purest of all martial arts."

On this particular day, January 13, 2008, over two thousand Kyudo practitioners came from all over Japan to take part in the Toshiya Kyudo Competition, and annual New Year's event held at Sanjusangendo. It was a crisp, windy day, and the sun peaked out now and again through the clouds to warm up the crowds and competitors. Every Kyudoist was given just two shots, and the ages ranged from the old to the young. A row of nine or so archers would line up at the mark with their bows(yumi) and two arrows(ya). They'd all set up and when they were ready, would take their shots at the target, about 60 meters away. This day also coincided with the Japanese national holiday called Seijin no Hi, Coming of Age Day, which is the marked celebration for the young adults of Japan turning the legal age of 20, the age at which they are allowed to legally drink, smoke, and vote(in no particular order). So, at this event there were droves of young Japanese folks dressed to the nines in their best kimonos to shoot arrows and look good doin' it, celebrating their coming of age.

Erin and Doc ran into their Kyudo sensei(teacher) who was preparing to take his shots. The two girls in this picture are also students of the same teacher, and they study at the same Kyudo dojo where Doc and Erin were studying.

It was pretty crowded, so everyone was jocking to get a good look at the competitions going on. We also took some time to stroll through the wonderful temple of Sanjusangendo, and also to visit the outdoor food vendors for some hot goodies to warm us up. Here's our friend Yoshi eating the classic takoyaki, fried octopus filled balls of goodness. Really, they are very delicious! There were many other food vendors, which is quite typical for any Japanese matsuri(festival).

"Men and women take part in the Zen archery contest at Sanjusangendo. This extraordinary building, apart from being the longest wooden structure in the world at 118m (nearly 400ft) has inspired samurai to demonstrate their prowess since 1573. The Toshiya contest features over 2,000 experienced archers and young people who are celebrating their coming of age at the beginning of the new year. Competitors need to hit a target only 50 to 100cm in diameter (20–40in) 60m (200ft) away."- http://www.worldeventsguide.com/event.ehtml?o=1753

"The contest has its origins in the Edo period (1600-1867) when samurai warriors competed by shooting arrows down the 120-meter long, narrow hall. The contest, organized by the Kyoto Prefecture Archery Federation and the temple, is held each year in conjunction with the Coming-of-Age Day."- http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/topics/eng/2004jan/01-18.html

This Taishoya Competition was a excellent experience and a wonderful way to observe a tradition of Japan that is uniquely Japanese. Sure, there's archery throughout the world and in countless cultures, used in hunting, war, competition, and showmanship(wasn't there a story about William Tell shooting an apple on the top of his son's head? whoops, that was a crossbow shot. None-the-less, look at the legend of Robin Hood, that Kostner was one hip shot!). But, like many things either adopted or originated here in Japan, the people and the culture strive for this impossible perfection; and on this day it was pursued through Kyudo. It is in the striving that beauty is glimpsed through the gestures and actions of a true master, and sought after by the students of any particular discipline. The look of concentration and determination that each and every Kyudoist wore on his and her face was focused, but calm, stoic but humble, and undeniably Japanese. This aspect of Japanese culture and life will always and forever amaze me.

In this shot here, I luckily captured this archer's arrow in mid-flight, just after we released. I didn't notice it until I got home, downloaded all my pics onto my computer, and got a closer look. In these last pics too, you can see just how long the bow is that's used in Kyudo.

As things were winding down, we left to get something to eat. And, on a spur of the moment, we decided to find a sento(bath house) that Erin and I had been to last summer to take a bath, relax, and warm ourselves after a day in the chilly winds. We found the neighborhood sento and soaked in the warm waters of the baths, as well as the heat of the sauna(my favorite since our trip to Thailand). Afterwards, we had planned to go to this great little Mexican joint Erin and I also discovered in the summer, though, it was closed, so we opted for some traditional Japanese ramen.

If you probably don't know(I know I sure didn't until I came here to Japan), that ramen in the States, you know, that cheap, prepackaged instant college food staple, is a mere glimpse of a shadow of what REAL ramen is like. Real ramen is served, as we had it here in Kyoto and elsewhere throughout Japan, in large bowls filled with the fresh, homemade, hand-cut noodles, that are drowned in a tasty broth(each broth is distinct depending on regional tastes and flavors, as well as the specialty of that particular ramen shop), some vegetables like bean sprouts, green onions, maybe daikon, and various types of meat or seafood, depending on what you order. It is the quintessential Japanese comfort food.
For the complete set of the photos taken, check out my album on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14498&l=92d47&id=507939118

Exploring Kyoto, Part 1 of 3: Ohara

2008-03-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to crack this massive iceberg that has been blocking my motivation in recent months, I decided to update(finally, right!?) my adventures in Japan.

When last we left our destined hero, he was pulling fisticuffs with the ruffians in the early morning hours with drunk Japanese gangsters on the streets of Osaka. Between now and then, I've traveled the seas to another continent, reacquainted with old cronies and family, and slink ed into a hermit like state of hibernation, escaping the chilly winds of winter. Though, I did find a few things to break my self-imposed monasticism, and brave the real world, only to crawl back in my cave to meditate on past and future events. Here are some things that I did.
Our Ryokan in Ohara

Kyoto, the regal city of traditional Japanese culture, steeped in history and prestige, always provides an interesting perspective of Japan. The first adventure takes us to Ohara, and small village town where Erin and I went for a weekend at the beginning of January. Erin discovered this little place while randomly researching Kyoto to find a place of respite from our daily routines we've grown to know too well. We started off from our place by train to the immense Kyoto Train Station, where we hopped on a bus which took up through the city and out the top. The buildings lessened and the hills began to roll by as dusk set it and our destination drew closer. We were the last stop on this bus route, so by the time we arrived in Ohara it was just us and two other people. We were picked up in a big, warm van by one of the staff members of our ryokan(traditional Japanese guest house). It was a short ride, and we were met with pleasant welcomes as we took off our shoes and signed in and was shown our room.

In a typical ryokan, it's just one big room, the floor is tatami(traditional woven straw) with some basic amenities, including our own yukatas(traditional Japanese robs). As you can see, you have to make your own beds, so there's usually a closet where the beddings are stored. Like the Princess and the Pea.

After we got situated, we took advantage of the wonderful bath at this particular ryokan, which has an outdoor area with a huge iron cast barrel bath. It was great to be outside, soaking in the hot water, mocking the cold air of winter, surrounded by trees and silence. I found a little lizard, though, floating lifelessly in one of the outside baths. I scooped him up and placed him near the rocks on the edge of the bath. Looks like he got too comfortable in the wonderful heat. I'd meet him later, after dinner, when we came back for our second bath before bed.

Dinner was another amazing experience, again taking advantage of the specialty that our ryokan serves, which is Miso Nabe. Nabe is like a brothy stew, cooked right on the table top by adding various vegetables, meat, and seafood to a boiling pot of nabe broth. This broth can vary depending on taste and region, and here in Ohara in our ryokan, they serve a miso-based broth. Miso is a salty, sweet paste made from soybeans that is a staple in Japanese cooking and cuisine.

After dinner we got back to the bath before they closed up for the night, and one last dip outside to relax and steep in the night. Would you believe it, I visited my lizard friend again, and found him, upright but motionless. I guess this little guy was enjoying the baths too, and was in some sorta state of hibernation when I found him floating in the water, though I thought he was dead. I said good night to him and went back to the room for a good night's sleep.

I woke up rather early, and decided to take a few photos of our garden view before an early breakfast of traditional Japanese fair. After breakfast, what did we do but hit the bath one last time before we checked out. We decided to walk to this nearby temple, Jakkoin Temple, which was built in 594! The morning was misty and crisp, with a light drizzle as we walked through the village to the temple.

Climbing the stairs which no doubt felt the footsteps of generations of historical figures, we couldn't help but be inspired by the weight of history this little temple held.
But, the most imposing subject I found in the temple was the 1,000 year old tree(which unfortunately fell victim to a fire in 2000, but was still standing there). It was amazing to walk around the thoughtfully manicured gardens and ponds, and feel the energy of the past lingering on this sacred ground. Erin chatted with the lady in charge of tending to the temple that day, and learned a bit of info on the history and sect of Buddhism that is practiced there. We left, the sun peaking out of the clouds now, and walked to find our way back to the bus stop.

We came back home, relaxed, though agreed that it was not enough time. I think this was our first moment of downtime since we had arrived back to Japan from our whirlwind visit back home. Though our visit home was fantastic and so needed to connect again with friends and family and just be "home" after over a year, it, too, was a short and hectic 10 days. I think, even into the next months we were still reeling from the bittersweet shock of changing environments and gears, from Japan to Chicago and back to Japan, so going to Ohara was our first real chance to catch our breath and reconnect with Japan.

Here is a link to MORE PICTURES!!! from Erin's camera, posted on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=97467&l=bf407&id=701680316

Kicked in the head by Yakuza

2007-10-06T00:08:00.000-07:00

*I had a gig last night in Osaka, my first electric gig at The Blarney Stone near Higashi- Umeda. It was me on lead vocals and guitar/bass and Andy on the Drums. Anyways, we rocked out till nearly 3am(then the place closed). My new friend Louis came out, he lives in the same neighborhood Erin and I live in, so we were both looking at several hours before we could catch the morning train back home to Goido. We decided to walk south, down Midosuji(a main street that cuts Osaka city down the middle from North to South) and make our way to Namba Station, a central train station, were we could catch the early morning train.

*On the map it looked super far, but it only took us about an hour and a half to walk.
So, we arrived near Dotomburi around 5am and decided to cop a squat in the main crossroad of foot traffic of Dotomburi, people watching and just chatting till the trains started up around 6am. We were right in area where the most famous bridge in Osaka is located, also the iconic "Big Crab" was right at our back.

This is the bridge in Dotomburi
The night moved on and turned to morning rather quickly. All the while a constant flow of foot traffic never stopped. The nightlife scene in Osaka is a truly sleepless breed.Gorgeous Japanese girls stumbling around in their short shorts and thigh highs, drunk salary men puking and singing down the road, slick Japanese gigolos and pimps with their alladin lookin' shoes and black suits hustling for customers, drunk foreigners being led on the shoulders and arms of friends, and, on this particular morning, there was me and Louis, two normal dudes just waiting for a train. Not drunk. Not in the sex industry. Not weary, haggard salary men. Not passed out on the bench. Not homeless. And, certainly not looking for a fight.

*It was about 7am and from the distance, maybe about 50meters, I heard shouting and loundness, which, at this point, was not a big surprise considering our location. As they came closer, I noticed it was a group of five 40-something year old Japanese men, in disheveled suits, yelling and stumbling their way down the street, toward our general direction. Their suits were not salary men suits, but nicer. By their swagger and obvious aggressive behavior, these guys were no doubt drunk and not ready to quit. There were a group of young, gigolo-type Japanese guys sitting near me and Louis, minding their own business, when this group of older drunken men started harassing them and jumped them. They grabbed one dude by the hair, and was yelling in his face, while a few of the other men started punching the other three younger guys. One guy was bleeding from the mouth. The young guys did nothing. They did not fight back. This led me to another deduction, these drunk older guys in disheveled suits where more than likely yakuza, which in the name for the Japanese mafia. Only yakuza could act so brazenly in public, in a high traffic area, in Japan, with no regard and no fear of consequences.

After beating the young guys, more yelling and rolling for the r's(this is one characteristic of how yakuza speak, which is a more rough way of talking in Japan) one of the yakuza guys got in our face as we were still sitting on the park bench, shocked at this every un-Japanese display of violence. The one guy was in my face, yelling what I think was "Dare!", which means "anyone" or "who"; I'm assuming they were looking for any takers. I was wearing a towel around my neck, a custom I've adopted while living here, which he grabbed and yelled some more in my face. I was calm, but naturally freaked a bit, this whole time. I still did not feel that I was in any present, unavoidable danger. I kept a cool head and continued to assess the situation. Louis was still next to me. They did not attack him. Then, another yakuza guy gave me a kick to the face. Seriously, a kick to the face! Not much of a kick though, 'cause these guys were totally drunk, so it didn't knock me over and it certainly couldn't do any damage. After that, they left us and went down the street a bit more.

At that point, two police officers came into the scene. What happened then further proved that these guys were definitely above the law. They got right up in the officers' faces, yelling at them, bumping chests with them, still relentlessly acting with aggression. This went on for at least five minutes, even still as we left the scene to catch our train in the subway. The group, police officers and yakuza, drifted onto the famous bridge where you can see the Osaka icon, "the Running Man", and the drunk yakuza guys were still yelling and challenging the officers. The cops did nothing, just like the young guys that got beat up, absolutely nothing. No handcuffs were drawn, batons, nothing. One yakuza guy even picked up a yellow and black pvc pole, maybe about 4-5 feet in length, that was used to section off a construction site nearby, and brought it over to the bridge where they were yelling at the cops and started banging it on the ground and guard rail. It was like watching an aggressive group of gorillas, beating their chests and making loud noises. Louis said that more officers showed up, but still did nothing. It was definitely time to leave.

We made our way onto the train, heading back to the safe, quite comfort of our little town of Goido. Japan is not like this. Just the day before, Louis, Erin and I were discussing how safe it is in Japan, how you can sleep on the street or the train and not worry about someone stealing your stuff. And, definitely violence is a rarity in this group-oriented society of Japan. That's why this spectacle was so utterly shocking; to witness this display of drunken aggression and the untouchable power that the yakuza weilds, let alone be caught in the storm of it, was an eye opening experience. It also made me realize that violence like this, drunken aggression, or any type of violence for that matter, is the same all over the world, and just as pointless no matter who's involved or where it occurs. I've witnessed my share of bar fights and drunken melees in my line of work as a musician playing late-night gigs at bars, and this was no different. I'd actually have to say that these yakuza guys were more talk than fight, just proving their presence, status, and power. I'm glad I made the decision not to fight back, considering the circumstances and the people involved, and keeping a level head in the face of aggression. Though, I know if I had felt more threatened or deemed the situation harmful to by being, I would have had to defend myself. Plus, I'm certain that if we were to challenge these drunken yakuza guys, it would have only escalated what was already a tense situation. I was not hurt, nor was Louis, thankfully, so we're lucky to leave unscathed with our first, and hopefully last, run-in with the Japanese yakuza.
*pics were taken the just before the incident, though I did not get a moment to take any during or after the attack.

Aikido Training in the Mountains, A Long Way from Where I Started

2007-08-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I attended a weekend training camp with my Aikido club in Tenkawa, Yoshino in the central southern mountains of our Nara Prefecture. I had been looking forward to this weekend ever since I signed up for it months ago. Initially, Erin was planned to go to Tokyo for a huge anime convention, which fell through, so I figured it would be a good time for me to travel on my own as well. Even though Erin's plans fell through, she still encouraged me to attend the camp, seeing it as I did, a once in a lifetime experience.

I have been fairly new to martial arts, but it's been in my heart and mind for much longer. When I was young, I discovered a book one day at Cal City Library titled, Zen In The Martial Arts by Joe Hyams, an personal account of Joe's experiences training in several martial art styles, his insights and lessons learned from various teachers including Master Bruce Lee. I must've borrowed this book from the library dozens of times, each time probably wearin' out the pages but the words still fresh in my head with each story, anecdote, and philosophical insight. Sure, back then in the eighties-early nineties, every kid had fantasies of being a Karate Kid(one of my all-time favorite movies) or a ninja, but this book introduced me to the mental and philosophical side of the martial arts. It was in this book that I first read about Aikido, a traditional by fairly new martial art that was created, like many other disciplines, here in Japan. Here's a link for further history and info, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

I fell in love with the principles of Aikido, the seemingly simplistic forms and application and beauty of the art. It was not until moving here to Japan did I have the opportunity to finally begin my training in this tradition Japanese martial art.

Prior to coming to Japan, my martial arts training started just a few years ago at the Degerberg Academy in Chicago, a great facility and staff who introduced me to several disciplines of fighting techniques for almost two years. It was here where I finally began to do what I had always read in books and watched in movies and TV. After my membership ended at Degerberg and the momentum of life was quickly building with our wedding, our moves, and eventual Big Move to Japan, I had to put my martial arts on the back burner, but I promised myself that once we were settled in Japan I would find someplace where I can pick it back up. I am grateful for for finding the school I attend know, Kashiba Aikido Dojo, and for meeting everyone there.

It's been almost a year since I started training at Kashiba Dojo, an easy bike ride from our place, and I've learned so much and at the same time realize that I've got so much still to learn. First off, all the practices are, of course, in Japanese. So, through the language barrier, it's a huge challenge for me to grasp the lessons each week, not just for the actual, kata(the physical forms or "moves"), but to understand the purpose and deeper meaning of aikido, the philosophy. This is no easy task for a person who has, at best, a kindergarten language level of Japanese. So, back to the basics, as with everything I had to do initially upon integrating myself into a Japanese lifestyle. If I can't rely on my ears, then eyes and hands don't fail me now! I also am fortunate to have had my prior martial arts experience and training from Degerberg in Chicago, which had given me confidence and an understanding of body mechanics that is applicable and indispensable to my Aikido training. This would be tested ultimately during the weekend Aikido camp.
*I also found a great book on Aikido many years ago, Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere, which intially fed my interest in Aikido and currently is my personal text book to studying Aikido on my own.

I was a little worried but mostly excited to get to spend a whole weekend with my classmates from Kashiba dojo, discovering a new part of Japan I've never been to, and learning more about Aikido. My worries came from my poor handle of the Japanese language, even after a year of living here, but I knew everyone in the dojo would be more than helpful and friendly throughout the weekend. We met in the morning by Kashiba Sports Center to board the big bus bound for Tenkawa. It was only about two hours away, but a beautiful drive, especially when we got into the mountains.
We arrived and met in the ryokan(traditional Japanese "hotel") for formal introductions and lunch, then dressed in our gi(uniforms) for today's lessons. We hopped on the bus again which took us to the training building, a nearby junior high school across the river about 15 minutes away. The highlight of all the training sessions were the ones we used weapons, my first time. I mean, back home at Degerberg I began learning Filipino stick fighting, Kali, and knife fighting, but this was the first time to practice with a bokken(wooden sword) and Jo(wooden staff) in very traditional and disciplined Japanese manner... it was awesome!

One particular moment I will never forget occurred very early Sunday morning, after a late, late night of drinking and singing during the enkai(drinking party). We all woke up at 5am, some still sleeping, sore, and/or hungover, dressed in our gi for morning training. I was actually feeling pretty good, even though I was one of the last to sleep and drank my fair share of sake and beer(and some liquor from Okinawa that felt hot in your throat n belly). We filed in line and followed our sensei outside, down the road in the misty morning. We walked and came to a suspension foot bridge across the river, which is not the kinda thing a person reasonably scared of heights wants to deal with at 5 in the morning. Gambattene! We crossed the swaying bridge, five men at a time as the sign indicated, which opened up to a baseball field at the base of a mountain. There, we found our sensei sitting seiza(legs folded underneath) facing the mountain, his bokken at his left side. We all followed suit, taking our place on the hard gravely, sandy ground(almost all baseball fields, soccer fields, any sports fields in Japan do NOT have grass). Let me tell you, sitting seiza is not comfortable to begin with, you have to condition yourself for this posture; but, sitting seiza with tiny pebbles under your bear feet and thinly clothed knees leaves an impression, both figuratively and literally. Itaiiii!!! But after awhile, you just push out the pain and focus on the training. We trained with wooden swords under that mountain before the sun came up, our voices echoed back at us, our feet bruised and sanded smooth. Our lesson ended for now, we retired back to the ryokan for a nap before breakfast, and more training that morning and afternoon.

The whole weekend was an amazing experience. Not only because I was able to learn more about Aikido and practice the things I've already learned, but it gave me great insight and understanding into Japanese culture in general. This was the first time I've been in the company of only Japanese people for more than just a few hour.

We ate, drank, trained, and slept in the company of each other, and it was so great to be part of this community, with welcomed acceptence. We shared jokes, thoughts, and cultural differences and interests throughout the weekend.

It just enforces my observations that we are all the same, no matter where in the world we are. Yes, there definitely are differences due to culture and tradition, but it was simple to see that people are people. I think if you can share a laugh with a person or group, there's an understanding there that's beyond language. For me, the same goes with sharing music. We definitely laughed the whole weekend, and even shared music. Aikido is also like this for me to some degree, a measure of personal understanding with those I train with. I guess it's kinda hard to explain, but I know, without words, that I can communicate with my classmates through Aikido.

I'm so happy and fortunate to have this opportunity to train at Kashiba Dojo, with my sensei and all my classmates. I don't know how often, or if ever, they've had a gaijin(foreigner) at Kashiba dojo, but they have treated me with great love and respect, and overwhelming kindness. The weekend in Tenkawa was no different and I feel even closer to everyone after the camp.

Ohanami and playing tour guide

2007-05-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

May is ending here in Japan, and my first spring outside of the States was quite colorful and festive. I had my first experience of the Japanese tradition of the Ohanami, or flower-viewing get-togethers held in parks, river banks, and anywhere the Sakura(Cherry Blossom) trees were blooming. It was great to be in the company of friends, enjoying the warming weather, and seeing all the other families and parties enjoying their ohanami.

I also took the time to walk and bike around our neighborhood in Kashiba, and enjoyed the local sakuras in bloom.

I can't help but reminisce that a year ago Erin and I started our adventures in Door County with our wedding and a magical summer. Now, here we are in Japan, a year later. I think we've settled into our way of living here, day to day, but Japan is still so new and exciting to experience and share. We recently had a couple of out-of-town visitors, our first, and it was so great to show them around and share the things we've learned and seen since our arrival here last August.

Our first visitor was my buddy Mike, who came from Tokyo to experience Kansai for the first time. He's from back home, Lansing more specifically, but living and studying at Sophia Uni in Tokyo till August.
It was great fun to show him around, revisit some of the sights I haven't seen since we first got here, feed him some good food, and also create some new adventures.
We went to Osaka Castle, a Ninja Village and castle in neighboring prefecture of Mie(that's correct, a real Ninja village!!!), a little bit of Nara(where, on our way, we randomly met a great family from DC on vacation who happened to be lost and at our local train station of Goido. I played Nara tour guide to them and Mike for the afternoon, and it was a great twist of fate to have their company for a traditional Japanese lunch at a great little Okanomiyaki place our friend Elaine introduced us to), and a bit of Kyoto before he had to get back to Tokyo.

I forgot, I also had the great opportunity to meet up with kuya Rich, my cousin Corrie's husband(who we stayed with on New Years Eve in Tokyo), while he was visiting Kyoto for a day and a half with a friend. It was great to see him again, and another great chance to visit Kyoto.

And just recently, our friend Shotaro came to Kansai for yasumi(holiday) and I got to show him around and eat some really good food in Nara and Osaka. We actually met Shotaro through Rich and Corrie, he's a family friend who's from the Tokyo region as well. Haven't seen him since our first meeting around New Years Eve, so it was great to reconnect after so many months. Unfortunately, Erin was in Kobe for a JET conference, so she could not partake in the the Kansai sightseeing.

Also, this past month, there was Golden Week, which is a block of holidays at the end of April and beginning of May when many people utilize this precious time off for travel around Japan or abroad, or just relax and not have to worry about work. For us, we had the great fortune of spending a few days of Golden Week with our friends Chetan and Doug from South Africa, in the mountains of Mitsue Village, where Chetan lives. They are both JETs like Erin, and we had great fun. We actually met them up at the Ninja Village I mentioned earlier, but it was packed and late, so we just created our own ninja adventures and enjoyed the atmosphere. On this particular day there was a "Ninja Fiesta" as Erin translated from the banners, and a majority of the people, families, and patrons wore their ninja costumes. So, it was interesting to observe whole families, little toddlers, couples wearing the ancient garb of the ninja... not so sleathy when you're sportin' a pink ninja gi with a fanny pack strapped to your waist, but it's all in good fun.

This month we also met our friend Elaine's visitor, her good friend Nalini, who was coming from Dublin, Ireland to visit Elaine. We all bid her farewell at this great Okanomiyaki place in Nara(the one I later took the DC family and Mike to for lunch) that Elaine suggested. Great food and great company including Elaine, Nalini, Sarah, Jack, Erin and myself.

So that was our first Japanese Spring. I also kept quite busy playing gigs the past several months, but I'll put up another post for that news. The Sakura is definitely beautiful, and I can understand why it's been the subject of many a poem, song, and painting throughout Japanese history. The trees only bloom for a brief few weeks in the Spring, all over Japan, so it is a very special event and cause for celebration each year. I am thankful that we could experience this Japanese tradition with our new friends here.

Thailand

2007-04-04T21:31:00.002-07:00

Just about every night since we came back, I've been dreaming of Thailand in one form or another. So, I figure that this is a sign that Thailand really made an impression on me. Whether that impression is good or bad, will be revealed as you read along.

First, I'd have to address that this was my first experience traveling to a: 1) tropical location,
2) destination that's visited by many travelers and tourists,
3) nation ruled by a king,
4) nation who's economy is largely based on tourism.
All these factors, and a few more I probably am not aware of, played a large part of dictating and coloring our time spent in Thailand. I also have to note that Erin planned this whole trip, so I really was clueless once we got on the plane. It stressed me out to not be in control and personally prepared as I usually am, but that's definitely my own fault.

It was quite hot and humid as we got off the plane and hired a taxi to take us to Bangkok to find a place to stay for the night. Our plan was to get to Bangkok, then in the morning book the rest of our trip through any one of the myriad of travel agencies in town. This advice was given to us by several friends who had already traveled to Thailand.
*Travel note: when traveling in a country that uses different currency, practice converting in your head with the most current exchange rates. It was a bit confusing to convert the Thai baht to Japanese yen to US dollars, so I decided to just think in terms of dollars. But that was still a challenge especially when you're in a time-limited situation, such as paying for something with a line behind you or just trying to haggle with a merchant, or dealing with a pushy tuk-tuk driver. Its always a good idea to internalize the exchange rate of your residing or home country to your travel country, or else you'll lose money or be really frustrated, or more than likely both.

Bangkok is a bustling mecca for street vendors of all types of merchandise from brand named and knock-off designer clothing to food. And there is an undeniable foreigner presence everywhere you look and turn in Bangkok. Actually travelers infest the city like ants at a picnic, except less organized and just as annoying! A dirty, tawdry veil hangs over Bangkok that can be exciting, challenging, scary, intimidating, claustrophobic, stifling, seductive, and real in the raw sense of the word. These aspects of the city we were not fully prepared for. I don't think you can, unless you've been there before, or are a seasoned traveler(which, we are not, but I'm very optimistic for our future travel endeavors!). If we go back to Thailand( I do hope so), I would personally like to bypass or spend as little time in Bangkok as necessary. I am learning that my interests in traveling lie not in the consumerism of tourism but in the exploration of a culture and people in the most genuine and authentic experiences. Money easily corrupts the natural state of being in many cases, and I felt this notion at work in Bangkok. With that said, if you're looking for a shopping bonanza, Bangkok is right up your alley. Other vices can easily be acquired and satiated within Bangkok as well, but that doesn't interest me personally.

As for the look of Bangkok, it's cramped, on the dirty side, but alive and constantly moving, with music everywhere. Not just literal music, by a symphony of street sounds, people singing, tuk-tuks tukking, dogs howling, and food being cooked. There's geckos on the walls or your room and bathroom, flying cockroaches, stray cats and dogs everywhere, children bathing in a basin on the street, tuk-tuk drivers hustling for your money, street food vendors are everywhere, and I even saw a cart at night being pushed through the crowds selling what I guess is a Thai delicacy, insects... for eating! No joke. Bangkok is not for those looking for a relaxing vacation, which is why we limited our stay for a night and day, just enough to get some sorta bearings and move onto our planned destination, the island of Koh Chang, a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand, near the Cambodian border. Most of the island is actual rain forest, but it is fast growing into a tourist hot spot along the coasts.

*Travel note: I mentioned tuk-tuk, which are three wheeled taxis that zip around and through traffic in Thailand, taking passengers from A to B, often times unpredictably to random stops at shops or restaurants which have a deal with the driver to bring patrons to their establishments. We read about this tourist scam in our Lonely Planet Thailand book, but did fall trap to the tuk-tuk scam. Notch 1 for lesson learned. We also learned that these tuk-tuk drivers are actually employed by the government, and earn a regular wage, so the money you give them is really only a tip for their services. If you're ever in Thailand, remember this if a tuk-tuk driver tries to hassle you for money! The king is already paying this guy, don't be fooled.

We got the hell outta Bangkok on a night bus for a five hour ride to our ferry,
which would take us to the island of Koh Chang in the early morning sun. Yet, another adventure awaited us when the bus, having stopped at the ferry dock early, decided to head back to Bangkok or wherever it was going, with us still on it! We were just waking up to a still dark and hazy morning, when our young guide motioned it time to get off the bus. As we gathered our things, the bus started moving with us and two other travelers still on, but thankfully the driver stopped enough to yell at us and drop us off up the road to walk back to the ferry docks. Crisis averted! This was some way to wake a person up! After this little episode I made a conscious decision to stay on my toes until we reached our final destination.

At this point I'd like to pause for a moment and say that my overall experience in Thailand, warts and all, was a positive experience. In this trip I've been reminded that through mistakes and faults we can truly appreciate what we have learned from our experiences. I don't believe that's the only way to learn, but it surely cannot be ignored as a viable learning process. I believe it was James Joyce that said, "Mistakes are the portals for discovery."
Our experience in Thailand did put Joyce's insight to the test, and I'm grateful for that. This trip also helped us to appreciate Japan more, as silly as that might sound. Not that Thailand was horrible, but rather very different to the way that we have grown accustomed to living here in Japan. When we arrived at KIX airport(Osaka) in the morning and took the limo bus into Osaka, a wave of security and familiarity came over us and, in that instance, Japan became more than just a place we're living currently, it became a home. In all my life prior to that moment, I would've never imagined that I would call Japan "My Home." It was an epiphany that will forever widen my scope and perspective on the world and my place in it.

I think this experience in Thailand also gave us a tiny insight of what we might expect for our travels to the Philippines. Though, we'll have the support and guidance of having my family to show us around and take care of us, which I think will make that visit much less stressful than exploring Thailand on our own for the first time.

So, back to the ferry. Our travel agent in Bangkok, who helped us arrange the rest of our trip(she was super nice and funny, but looking back, I wonder if we got duped as well... distracted by kindness) told us from this point on we wouldn't have to worry about anything, or so we thought. Looking for the public bus to take us to our destination, we noticed pick-up truck taxis loaded up the various backpackers right off the ferry to take them to their destinations about the island. Within minutes, we were left, too late to realize there were no public buses. The remaining taxi drivers who couldn't fill their cabs with passengers pounced on our novice mistake like cats toying with a mouse. They were trying to charge us three times the amount of a normal fare, which in part I could understand because they would only be taking two passengers instead of a full load, thus making up for the loss in passengers' fares, but it was a tactless game of haggling that we surely did not want to engage in. This survival type mindset that much of Thai economy revolves is surely not how Japan runs, so naturally we were not prepared, not in the right mindset to constantly be on guard. It was this aspect of traveling in Thailand that made an otherwise beautiful and peaceful trip turn into a stressful, frustrating affair. The rest of the trip, once we got to our final destination, was much as we had intended it to be, lying about in hammocks, enjoying the sun and beach, eating, meeting nice people, and just relaxing.

The island of Koh Chang is beautiful, relatively peaceful(the further south you go), and the locals were extremely friendly and hospitable. The beach near our bungalow hut is called Lonely Beach, and the water was as warm as a bath. The beach was inhabited by almost all foreigners, a majority of the visitors here on Lonely Beach and Bailan were from Sweden, Norway, Austria, and various other European countries. We also heard a lot of Russian people like to frequent Koh Chang recently.
We also had the great fortune of having an amazing herbal sauna near our accommodations, Bailan Herbal Sauna, where we enjoyed massages and sauna treatment several times. It was my first time in a sauna, and this particular sauna was amazing inside, lit up by the outside lighting coming through glass bottle windows. The beams of light pierced through the steamy haze; these bars of light cast soft shadows like a Rembrandt painting in select areas within the sauna, as if the heat were melting any hard lines and blurring any clearly defined shapes. I know my description can't do the experience justice, but it was very memorable not only visually but great for the body as well.

We explored our area of the island some more, and one day we met a local artist, our new friend Panya, who was taking care of another resort called the Mangrove down the road from our bungalow place. He was super cool, spoke English, and very friendly telling us about the island things to do and see. He also graciously lent me a guitar for a few hours while we hung out and talked and ate lunch. Till this point, I had been in music withdrawl, and it was like godsend that Panya offered me access to a great, beat up guitar the kitchen staff keeps in the back to play and sing Thai pop songs during their breaks. I realized, too, on this trip that I will never travel anywhere without some kind of musical instrument. I totally felt incomplete without one.

Once we were able to settle from our transit from Bangkok to Koh Chang, we were able to take in the natural beauty of the island. The sunset was breath taking. Not since living in Door County last summer have I seen such a gorgeous sight. It was truly inspiring to be witness to such natural wonder. Here are some pics that Erin took with her new camera.

Overall, Thailand was a great experience. I do want to go back to explore the natural and historical wonders of Thailand, since we had a short time this trip. It was a great learning experience as well, the kinda experiences you can take with you throughout future travel endeavors or pass onto others in shared knowledge. We did have a fun and really got to relaxing at least for a few days. Traveling in Thailand is super cheap, as far as food, shelter, and shopping goes, and there is an enourmous market of knock-off brand names and "real" brand name merchandise you can buy in Bangkok. The area in Bangkok we stayed around was the famous Ko San Road, good for drinks and shopping and I'm sure just about anything else if you look hard enough.

I'd really like to go back to Koh Chang island to do the things we didn't have time to do, like check out the many waterfalls on the island, go jungle trekking, ride an elephant, and just see more of Thailand. We talked with several of the business owners on the island, both Thai and foreigners, and they voiced their concerns that Koh Chang is developing at a lightning pace, and probably withing the next five to seven years, this little, quiet island will become as bustling and overdeveloped as many other areas in Thailand. Which is a shame. This reminded me of past conversations about over development and the raping of natural resources I had shared with locals when we lived in Door County. These business owners of Koh Chang had decided to start their little ideas there because of the quietness and peacefulness of the island, but it's unfortunate that these aspects may fade with the developing tourist commerce. I hope the best of the island, the businesses, and the people.

Music in Japan

2007-02-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

Okay, you know that my life is pretty much dedicated to these main things, Erin, my family, and friends, and of course MUSIC; listening, playing, making, talking about, etc., so it's about time that I share my musical insights and experiences since I arrived here in Japan. First off, it's not as weird as you might image... okay, yes, there are some weird things and this first picture seems to trump that statement, but seriously, it's not that weird... This guy here in the pic, dressed up like some sorta hula power ranger is one of the guitarists for the band, Zubrowka, a local J-rock band that my friend Kati introduced me to. Actually, the bass player is a student at Kashiba HS(Nao, she rocks btw), and their music is a tight brand of punk/rock/pop/dance. It was cool to finally see a Japanese group that wasn't on tv, and wasn't all image-driven and talentless. These kids were doin' it right, costumes and all, and I had a great time at their show and they seemed to have a blast sharing playin' their music. There were several other acts throughout the evening at this little live house venue in Ikoma, a city directly north of where we live.
Here's Nao, the bad ass bass player. Don't let her cute cuteness catch you off guard, she wails on the bass. That's one thing I'm learning about Japanese people, often times when you first meet someone, they may seem one way initially, but once you get to know them, you'll learn more about them and perhaps they'll show you a different side about them. Japanese people tend to "hide" their skills or interests, unlike Americans who usually just put it all out there in plain view, as loud and as obnoxious as that can tend to be, hahaha. It's very interesting in the sense that you can be constantly learning about a Japanese friend you're whole life, with the many layers to peel back.

Another instance of this aspect of Japanese culture was recently observed when I was invited to a jam session by one of my friends from aikido. He dropped me a mail on my keitai about a monthly Dub/Noise jam goin' on in the near by town of Mamigaoko, and invited me to join since he knew that I played music(as a loud American, I let it be known to everyone that I meet here that I love music). Anyways, I was psyched to partake in a good ol' noise freak out jam, but how would it be in Japan my mind wandered. I met Tsuyoshi by bike, I packed with my arsenal of instruments as effects(at least those that I could carry with me on my bike) and we headed to this Thai curry house where the jam would take place, after hours when the place was closed. Tsuyoshi had with him his didgeridoo, and traditional Australian instrument that comes from the Aboriginal tribes of Australia. When played correctly, it gives a droning, low hum that can be altered in slight pitches and overtones. Very cool. I also learned that he plays guitar and ukulele, which never once came up in previous conversations... hence, the Japanese aspect of hidden talents or skills. Anyways, the jam was awesome and such a wonderful experience to share this type of free expression and improvisation with other people here in Japan. Even though I couldn't verbally communicate with them, since my Japanese is still elementary and their English skills were like my Japanese, but we were still able to make some real cool grooves and share our musical ideas. Music is truly a language of it's own.

To go back to the show in Ikoma, here are acouple more acts that performed that evening. The all girl band also had members who were also schoolgirls from Kashiba HS. And the guy on the right was very good too, only 18 or 19, and he played an Oasis song. Which brings me to the subject of Western influence on Japanese popular culture, namely music for this blog. It is all around, and unfortunate that the mass pop Japanese media has taken to such American devices as Japanese version of "Dancing with the Stars" or J-pop boy bands like Smap, or the countless other image driven musical acts permeate Japanese mass media. I guess the machine of the music industry is the same anywhere in the world, but that will never discourage me to stand even taller against this kind of bastardization of the art form of music, as a music artist myself and an appreciator of said art. But, lately, it has been a breath of fresh air to meet other like minded artists, both Japanese and foreigners alike, as well as attending shows like the one in Ikoma, where there's a definitely DYI sorta attitude, a grassroots way of getting your music out there. I'm having as much fun discovering the ins and outs of the Japanese music scene as I am trying to find MY way into it. I came here with a mountain of obstacles to overcome as far as finding my musical place here, but it's coming along slowly but surely, and with many surprises along the way.

First of all, if you would've told me a year ago I'd have a jazz band in Japan I would've asked you what you've been smokin' and pass it along, but it is funny how life can bring such happy unexpected opportunities. To play with Chiaki and Kazuki Kataokasan has been a great experience. I've been learning so much from them, both outstanding musicians and fantastic friends, as well as experiencing some great live moments as The Ah-Un Trio. I always tickled the thought of playing jazz(preferably a pianist or a drummer, but I'm not nearly skilled for those roles), but now I'm getting a chance to infuse this style with my own. I won't ever fancy myself a jazz musician, but rather a person that can interpret something with a jazz attitude, if that makes any sense. I've played in more jazz clubs here in Japan than I've ever even attempted to play in the States, seriously. I think there's something about the fact that I'm in Japan and a foreigner that gives me the confidence to put it all out there and just do it. I figure my time here is limited, thus my time to experience Japan and to do the things I want to accomplish is limited. If I don't take chances, then I would surely regret those missed opportunities. It is a very special situation I am privileged to here in Japan, since I don't have to work, I have much time to explore not only this land and culture, but to also do what I do, which is music ultimately and test my art in an environment and to an audience that usually only comes to artists who have the money and resources and fame to play in Japan. I'm just some guy from Calumet City with boxes of instruments and crazy ideas, so what do I have to lose, right? Hahaha! It's brilliant! Japan will never know what hit them once my time is up here.

Here's me at the piano at le club Jazz in Kyoto, a club my friend Jack informed me about that I should check out. These guys were cool, and cool enough to let me jam with them. There was a drummer, guitarist, and organ player, and I played guitar for one tune and piano on another. There are certain rules to jammin' jazz, but I always forget them when I play at these sessions, but I really don't care since I'm not a jazz musician you see. So, I just do my thing. This, of course, is not particularly the normal Japanese way, but someone's gotta keep them on their toes. Anyways, I figure, even friends back home have trouble keeping up with me, unless they've played with me before, so why change my ways now... hahaha. Playing music with me is kinda like riding a rollercoaster, first you either like it or you don't, and the first time is usually bumpy and scarey, but by the end of it you wanna go again and again... hahaha. You just gotta hold on, keep your eyes open, scream and yell, and let go of or face any fears.

So, alongside of playing with Ah-Un and jammin' with local cats and other foreigner friends, I'm still chuggin' away at this solo thing. Always have and always will. I figure I started my love of music by myself, just me and a piano then a guitar, then everything else, living here in Japan is no different and just as good an environment to continue my own music. Here I am in our little aparto, see that ladder, go up there and that's where we sleep. And that tiny hallway through the door is our bathroom, kitchen, and front door. Just cozy enough to make some music, albeit not so loud, since the walls are paper thin. Lately, I've been recording videos in our little nest, of ideas of songs and just improvisations I'd come up with and capture with my handheld camera. Check them out on my profile (www.myspace.com/stephenmunoz) Utilizing technology has been a recent practice of mine to promote and just get my music out there, especially to folks back home whom I used to play for on a weekly basis. With a computer and the internet, the world is a lot smaller and more connected than once imaginable. I think this medium of communication is important not only for businesses, but must be used by the artists as well, to reach new audiences, to keep in contact with everyone, and use as a viable forum for expression. Of course there's crap on the internet as well, but as time rolls on and the internet becomes more of an everyday habit, the public learns how to navigate around the crap and wastes of time on here, to find the things they are really looking for, or learn about things and expand their spectrum of information. That's another paradox here in Japan, though they have the technology with computers and cheap highspeed internet, it's still in the minority that Japanese society are savvy to surf the web and live on the internet. It's not nearly as commonplace as it is in the States, where my 10year old niece knows how to navigate the internet, and a lot of young people here only have keitai(cell phone) e-mail addresses. I think moving here has made me more aware of the power of the internet than ever back home, since I'm constantly keeping touch with folks back home or looking up things about Japan, or promoting my music.
Speaking of promoting, check this pic of my friends Keiko and Mika and me. I recently played a gig in Shinsaibashi, Osaka at a posh cafe called Espoir, and my friend Shiraisan made this sweet poster for the show. It's the pic I recently use for my Myspace profile. The owner of the cafe had me sign it for him... rock star, right? I also got my pictures taken for a popular Japanese magazine, Hot Pepper, that night. We'll see if I'll get to be in it. My friend Shiraisan founded the cable station, MJTV(Music Japan Television) and is also a DJ for 765 FM Cocolo, a world music and news radio station that broadcasts around this Kansai region. I've been super fortunate to meet these great people in the music business, and hope to meet more and keep up relations while I continue to pursue my music here in Japan. I'm working hard to do all I can to make my dreams come true, as cheezy as that may sound.

Here's some various shots from a few performances here in Japan and just randomness. The first two are from an open mic hosted by WhyNotJapan a website that promotes international parties, and yes, that is a belly dancing Elvis, just wait for the vids... seriously, belly dancing Elvis. The other two are one shot from my gig at Tin's Hall, me with my fox mask(I plan to wear that to a gig sometime, and playing with Ah-Un at the Sancheri Hotel in Sakurai, Nara.

It's been a lot of work to relearn the business here, as well as making new connections and finding venues and a new audience, and I often think of the folks back home, like Finnegan's and the crew, Midstates, my musical comrades P. Schmitz and S. Larson, our new Door County family especially the Nicks and my boy Fatty, as well as the host of fine musicians I've had the privilege to play and share music with, and all those regulars and audience members who would come out to my gigs and support what I was doing. It's impossible to replace that kinda love that only time and experience has created, but I'm hoping to create at least a little bit of that out here. Though it's still too soon to tell, but I hope as time goes on my experiences here in Japan will prove to be as fruitful and lasting as my experiences and relationships back home.

(Sorry Paul Schmitz, this is the best picture of you I could find)

New Year in Tokyo

2007-01-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

So Erin and I spent ringing in our New Year out East in and near Tokyo. We had such a great time spent with my cousin Corrie, her husband Rich, and there kids James, Luke, and Katrina.
I haven't seen them in over 10 years, as Corrie pointed out, and it was the first time for Erin. But, we fell right into place, as kin do, and they welcomed us with amazing generousity, love, and by the time we left after a few days, I felt as though we've known each other much longer. They also introduced us to a host of their friends, with whom we celebrated the New Year, played card games, laughed, and ate some great food(as usual, you know I'm all about the food).
We also visited a shrine with the family in Narita on the 2nd before we left for Tokyo, and got a taste of the New Year Japanese style, crowds and all. It was very cool, but I'm not a big fan of
crowds, so I took a bunch of pics and kept on the move; so I could enjoy the experience from the comfort of my laptop screen. Perhaps if it were just Erin and me, I would've been a bit more adventureous, but I was more worried about getting lost in the crowd, or one of the kids getting lost. None-the-less, it was a great experience to see and be in the Japanese New Year celebration. There was all this bustle going on in the street shops on the way to the shrine, selling foods like unagi(grilled eel), roasting chestnuts, selling New Year's decors and tokens of good fortune(like the first pic), and just people everywhere.

I can only imagine what it must have been like actually on New Year's Eve and Day, a mad house I'm sure. We walked through the streets and the current of bodies and eventually made it to the shrine, which was pretty
expansive. There was a pagoda at the entrance that was dispensing incense which I think you use to clease yourself before entering the shrine, and Erin went to just just that, but was pushed and shoved around... they were ruthless, like a Christmas shopper in the last hours of Christmas Eve, vying for that thing their kid wants every year. Thank god I don't work retail anymore. Anyways, it was a mad house. We walked around the shrine grounds, and I'd like to research the history of this particular shrine, because it was quite spread out with some very old looking buildings. There was this great alcove area that was all trees

and bushes, and many small statues peppered about the rock face. It was so very Japanese, and

very cool. Please check out my link to Snapfish for the album of much more pics.
After we said our good-byes to the family, Erin and I hopped on the train and headed back to Tokyo, where our night bus had dropped us off at a few days prior to our stay in Chiba. We had booked a hotel in Tokyo for two nights(which we had a little trouble finding, but a very helpful man walked us around and even called the hotel for directions) It was a nice hotel, and room small as usual in Japanese style, but we put on our yukattas(light Japanese robes, different

from the much heavier kimonos most people think of) and relaxed into our new surroundings. Erin and a big day of shopping planned, so we got a late dinner at a diner-style joint around the corner and rested up for our exploration of Tokyo. Here's Erin meal, we ended up eating there the next night too, since we got in late after visiting Ikebukuro, Ueno, and Harajuku for Erin's Tokyo shopping excursions.
In Ueno, we found a Salvador Dali exhibit that was going on(which Erin intitially knew about after spying a poster on the train for the exhibit), but the line was intensely long, so we decided to buy our tickets for the exhibit and check it out the next morning on our way out of Tokyo back home to Nara. We headed to Harajuku, the fashion district shopping area, even Gwen Stefani sang about the fashion here, but I hate to deflate the hype, but it wasn't very special in my opinion. Now, here's where I'll give my commentary on my observations of Tokyo. Movies and music and media sensationalize Tokyo, creating this metropolis of freaks and business men, maid bars and capsule hotels, and such; but my impression of Tokyo reminded me of any other big city. I have one word to describe Tokyo, unimpressive. Now, I'm sure I may be biased, but where we live, the Kansai Area, and Osaka in particular, has way more color, livelyness, and uniqueness than anything I observed in our stay in the city of Tokyo. The people in Osaka are more down to earth, which a typical Japanese person may find a bit informal, but as an American from the city of Big Shoulders, I'm right at home. And, Osakans are way more fashionably daring than what I saw in Harajuku. It said that people in Osaka know how to work hard and play hard, which is Chicago all over. There is a rivalary between the cities/regions of Tokyo and Osaka, and I knew this before going to Tokyo. I have learned that I am definitely Kansai all the way. Though, our stay was short, so I'd still like to see more of Tokyo.
But, in Harajuku, Erin didn't fail to add to her wardrobe, and there were some interesting sights. I found that many of the people we interacted with, sales clerks and such, where not friendly as the workers in Kansai. At first, here in Osaka and Nara, you wonder why everyone has the knee jerk reaction of vocalizing a "sumimasen" for just about any human interaction. It basically means excuse me, or can also mean thank you. You'll hear "sumimasen" everywhere, everyday. But, in Tokyo, I didn't hear it nearly as much. And here in Kasai, when it's said, it's almost sung with a rising intonation, where as in Tokyo, it was flat sounding, when it was offered. I didn't really get excited about any of the food, or lack there of, in Tokyo as well. Osaka is serious about their food, and enjoying the experience of eating; yet, suprisingly enough, not an overweight person in sight. Did I mention that really like Osaka?
So, the next day, we got up fairly earlier to enjoy the Dali exhibit, which was ending that day. We were so lucky to get there early, because we bypassed the crowd that arrived an hour and a half later. It was great to see this exhibit, and inspiring to view these great works. Though, I suggest, if you have the opportunity sometime, to visit the Salvador Dali museum in Clearwater Florida, because it houses several of his masterworks, which are just awe-inspiring in detail, content, and scale. What a mind this man had, not only in his freedom of imagination, but his patience to detail to skillfully create his thoughts and emotions. It was so great to experience this great art.
Here's what the line looked like when we left the exhibit, which you can't see, but it stretches around to the right and curves more... early bird gets the worm.
So, we got back to the the station and I experienced for the first time the Japanese bullet train, shinkansen, for our return home. We took a night bus to Tokyo, but decided to take the train back, and it was fast and smooth. Cost more, but worth the price for speed and comfort. All in all, it was a great trip and a great way to spend our first New Year here in Japan. It was so great to spend some family time, especially around the holidays, and it was interesting to finally see Tokyo and measure the differences and similarities to my other Japanese experiences. Erin and I want to explore as many areas and people of Japan while we live here, and share these experiences with all. There are more pics in the Snapfish account to enjoy, so check that out as well. I plan to put up some of the movies, either on YouTube, Myspace, or Google Video as well. Plus, I have more to blog about. When we got back home, the next day I took an adventure with our friend Kati and finally climbed the mountain that look at everyday from our back window. It was awesome! So, stay tuned for that update.

Christmas in Japan, Haiku(s), and Trapped in Osaka

2006-12-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

There is no snow here.
But, It's raining and colder
Than the summertime.

The lights of Nihon
Shine the same as Stateside lights
When Holiday bells ring.

Fuyu-wa desuka? (Is it winter?)
Yuki-ga futte imasen. (It's not snowing.)
Samui-desu-ne? (Isn't it cold?)

There you go, my attempt at the haiku.

Things here in Nihon(Japan) are well. I feel I am finding my feet and spreading my wings at the same time. I have made it a personal mission to make the best of my times here, to do all I can, and learn as much as I can. Though, rainy days like today give me pause to reflect and plan. I am grateful for the people I have met here, and I hope to continue finding those like minded people. As I was talking to my very good friend Scott yesterday, I mentioned to him how living here has given me a different perspective in human relations, and I have had the great opportunity to observe how similar we all are, no matter race, color, or culture. My friends here remind me of friends back home. I always draw upon personal comparisons when I meet new people, for familiarity to others I know or have met. This has been true for me here in Japan as well. Good souls have no face or race, just open hearts and a generous spirit.

To be able to share music here has given me great joy as well. Since, this is what I do, how I define myself. Whether it's on a stage, in a living room, a classroom, on the street, in my head, or over the internet, music is the blood that keeps me alive. I will have my first solo show, in January at a cool pub called Tin's Hall in Tennoji, Osaka. It's run by a Japanese surfer named "Nori" and has great atmosphere( Hawaiian themed) and very nice people from all over the world.

So I got this gig by playing at an open mic that was being hosted there, go figure, just how I got most my gigs back home. It's nice to know some things can be universal. Tin's Hall has a nice, laid back atmosphere, a great burger(which is hard to find in Japan), and cool people. I actually didn't book the gig that day of the open mic, but unexpectedly ended up at Tin's a few days later when I missed my train home from Osaka and had to catch the first early morning train back home at 5am. Sucks! This was bound to happen sooner or later, since the facts that trains stop running at midnight and I'm a musician don't always dance well together. So, this was my opportunity to venture the streets of Osaka when most everyone sleeps. Here's my Story.

This is my friend Noe. She's a great singer/songwriter I met a few weeks ago through some of my other friends here in Japan. She invited me to a John Lennon Tribute show she was performing at in a little livehouse(music bar/club) called Zecco in Osaka. I met up with her Friday night and hung out in Zecoo, enjoyed the first band that played a variety of reggae and bluesy style: they were pretty cool, and different from the normal Japanese music/band I've encountered. Then another solo guy came up and played, then they invited me up to play, and I did a few tunes. Then Noe jammed out a few Lennon numbers sung in English and Nihongo (Japanese). I kept an eye on my watch, since I felt it getting later, but thought I'd be safe leaving when I did, a bit after 11pm. Unfortunately, I did not estimate my walking time, 'cause once I got on the subway train, I had a sinking feeling that I would miss the last train to Goido. I frantically called Erin, who of course, reprimanded me(rightly so) for losing track of the time and I settled into the idea that I would have to spend my night in Osaka, somewhere. After a slight panic, I gathered my wits and headed to a place where I could chill for awhile and figure out where to go or what to do. That place, convieniently happened to be Tin's Hall, where I had played the open mic a few days prior. I hung out there, talked with Nori(and actually set up my gig for january that night, which was very fortunate) and met a few of his friends and regulars at Tin's, a great bunch of guys and girls. I also had a great hamburger, a real one on a bun (most "american style" burgers in Japan come on a plate of rice with some sorta sauce, almost like salsbury steak) with steak cut fries... it was so good, you don't understand. So, I hung out at Tin's talking with a kid from Germany who's in to Punk Rock, a super cool cat from Mexico , and a Japanese dancer who's into old school pop and lock. I left Tin's at about a quarter to 3am, with guitar on back and compass in hand. I could've stayed around there by the station, and wait for a few hours, but I decided to walk to make the most of the time.
Here's something I saw while I walked. I don't know what it is, but looked so odd and out of place in the greyness of the surrounding buildings. I had decided to walk from Tennoji, north to a station called Tsuruhashi, where I would usually transfer to get home. I figured I had some time to kill, so why not try and walk the distance instead of sittin' around with the sleeping homeless men by the station. I'm glad it wasn't very cold, and it only started raining around 4:30am, which I had to buy an umbrella at a convience store on my trek northward.
One thing that was comforting to know after this adventure, that I was able to walk safely around in the middle of the night through Osaka. Now, I'm not saying this place is a playground, but I didn't feel threatened or fearful while I walked about the sleeping city.
When all was said and done, I walked for about two hours, not sure how many kilometers, and safe and sound. I got home about 6:30am, slept for a few, then had a teaching gig at 9am, and later a playing gig at 7pm. Here I am with our friend Keiko, at a cafe I played at for a charity gig that night.
No rest for the wicked. I suppose this will not be that last time I will wander the streets of Osaka, but at least I know what to expect. Though, I met some great people that night, so maybe next time I won't have to wander around... It's an adventure notheless. Here's one last parting image I captured one day on my phone, while I was walking around our neighborhood.

Filipino Lounge Band, Organically grown veggies, and my first Jazz gig

2006-11-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

So two weeks ago I had my first gig with my friends the Kazuki and Chiake Kataoka-san(husband and wife jazz musicians). It was a great time, though throughout the evening the randomness of the situation was a constant that made the experience that much more memorable.

For the most part, the gig was for a small audience, for a private party. We later found out that the people were bussiness partners of Chiaki-san's father, who was present and in great form throughout the evening. So, it was me, Chiaki, her husband Kazuki, Chiaki's father, and my Japanese teacher, Miwako(who was the link who introduced me to the Kataoka-sans). They picked me up and we drove to the place, which was great to see a different perspective of the area from the window of a car, since most of my mode of transportation is either train, bike, or by foot.

The party was at a sorta boatclub in a harbor in the Sakai region of Osaka. Here's a view out to the water at night. When we arrived the hosts were preparing the food to be grilled for dinner. It was my first experience seeing and eating Japanese BBQ, and it was oishiikatta(delicious)! We were introduced to the hosts and the other guests, and Miwako-san was able to see me exercise the my Japanese language skills that she has been teaching me. I still have much to learn, but I was able to introduce myself in Japanese. The hosts, we found out through conversations, were promoting their organically grown vegatables, and they promote health consciousness through fresh food and stuff. Very cool to meet organic Japanese farmers. It was n extremely relaxed afternoon, but we(our group) still wondered how random this meeting seemed, and when and where we were to perform. We were informed that there will be another group coming to perform as well, a Filipino group of musicians. Hence, the pink jackets you see above.

It was totally random again. We played our set and it was great to perform. They have the inside of the boathouse decked out like a karaoke lounge, and there was a buch of sound equiptment and instruments. We chilled for a bit as the other group set up, and they totally were a Filipino Lounge, pink jackets as all. Totally random. They jammed standards and oldies. I totally felt like I was in that scene in swingers where they were chillin' in the lounge with the Jan and Dean duet... remember that scene? Or back in Chicago at the latenight haunt down the way from the GreenMill, with the houseband of old guys behind the bar. It was great.

They played their first set, rocked out, then took a break. We all played a game called jan-ken, which we know as rock, paper, scissors back home. One note, jan-ken is huge in Japanese culture, for some reason. Kids playit. Adults playit. People use jan-ken as a tie breaker in certain situations. Well, that's how I won my beautiful lettuce plant that is now sitting in my window sill; 'cause of course all the prizes were organically grown veggies... ramdom.
Also, another guest performed some Japanese ballads. This woman I was told had recently recorded her first album at the age of 60-something, quite impressive.

I talked to the band outside and they were totally cool. They have been living in Japan for quite sometime now, and they told me they each have their separate gigs, but get together like this now and again and wing it... much like I've always done back home. They were excited to learn that I was Filipino too, and as they got ready to play their second set, they invited me to jam with them. Of course I couldn't pass up a chance to play music, especially with a Filipino Lounge band, in a karaoke boathouse, on a pier in Osaka Japan, after having won a lettuce plant in a game of rock, paper, scissors... it does sound funny when you say it all together like that, eh?

We rocked out some oldies and standards, then they told me to take the reigns and I introduced them to my renditions Johnny Cash, Otis Redding, and Sam Cooke, and the band followed suite quite easily. It was totally fun, and people were dancing and singing for the rest of the evening.

We packed up, said our good-byes to our new friends, and made our way back to Nara, still a bit dazed and confused by the random events of the night. My only regret was that Erin couldn't make it to enjoy and meet everyone. Next time.

Creole in Kobe, Savanah in Osaka, and I'll be on Japanese TV!!!

2006-10-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Kobe to see my friends' jazz group perform at the Creole Acoustic Live Music club, and then on my way back, stopped in Osaka for an open mic at the Savanah. I thought it was quite amusing that my day in Japan had this Southern U.S. underlying theme. I swear I didn't consciously plan it so.

Kobe looked a lot like the Bay Area in California,: hilly streets, little shops, worldly cuisine options, houses on hills, etc. It was a gorgeous day to be walking in a new city.

Mr. and Mrs. Kataoka are married and are part-time jazz musicians around Nara, Osaka, and Kobe. He's a drummer /percussionist and she plays the flute. I will be performing with them at the end of the month in Osaka. I met them through my wonderful Japanese teacher Miwako, and we hit it off in our initial rehearsal. They invited me to their performance in Kobe to meet their music sensei(teacher), Mr. Shibata. He was very cool, an excellent musician. They played a variety of pieces, but mostly bossa nova. I would have never thought that I would be mingling in a Japanese jazz community when I first arrived here, but that's how the cards are falling.

I'm so glad to finally get some things rollin with music, now that I'm a bit more settled.

The room was great at the Creole Acoustic Live Music club. When I saw a big Keith Jarrette poster hanging on the wall, and his 1996 DVD playing, I knew it was a serious venue. They had a nice grand piano there too.

So after the show at Creole, I hopped on the train back East bound for Osaka. Having lived in the 'burbs my whole life, I never had to rely on public transportation. In fact, I've probably used other cities public transit systems more then I've ever used CTA, South Shore, Metra. or EL. So, it's been a very new experience for me to rely on public transit here in Japan, and it's been an adventure to learn: what lines to take, stops, transfers, tickets(kippu), people watching, etc. It's been fun, but I do have the luxury of time to play with. There's a site, hyperdia.com, we always use, where you can put in your starting and ending points and time of departure, and it calculates the different routes, price, time, transfers, and arrival time. Indespensibly helpful, let me tell you. If you visit Japan, use this site.

I arrived at Osaka, and hopped on the subway to Shinsaibashi in Osaka, where Savanah is located. I got there early to sign-up, ate some Jambalaya(pretty good), met this supercool Japanese guy who actually lives in the States, but is back for a visit to Japan, and patienly waited till the music started. The place got more crowded at the clock turned. I played a short set, though with some technical glitches in my equipment, and I think people dug it. The MC announced everyone, and when I got up there I didn't know what he was asking me, I just wanted to play music. I felt like what racing horses look like when their in their stalls, waiting for the doors to open and then start running. I was a quite anxious to play, so it was a bit sloppy. Nonetheless, you soldier on. I went back up with my friend Elaine to accompany her with guitar. It was a very musical day.

Also, at Savanah, there was a two man video crew filming for a television show to promote the website that sponsored the open mic. I guess it's sorta like Japanese MTV, at least that's what was said. Anyways, I volunteered to give a short interview, along with a bunch of other volunteers, so I'll be on Japanese tv sometime actin' totally goofy, speaking horribly broken Japaninglish. Can I patent that word? I would have never thought that I would be on Japanese tv when I first arrived here. If I see the clip, I'm gonna laugh my ass off, because I was acting totally genki. "Genki" is the word used to describe the happy, cheery, sweetly sick demeanor you might see in anime characters, just about every tv personality, and a majority of retail sales clerks. So, genki was I to fit into the Japanese tv that I watch to emphatically to get my ears accoustomed to the language. I'm sure I probably will look and sound like I'm drunk.

This was a wonderfully productive day, not only for seeing and experiencing more of Japan, and not only for hearing and sharing great music and meeting new people, but more importantly for feeling the potential energy for a fruitful life during our stay here in Japan. We are blessed to be given this opportunity to live here, and I plan to make the most of this blessing by accomplishing my goals as a musical artist, traveling, learning the language and more about Japanese culture, and sharing all these experiences with Erin so when we're old and grey we can look back in our story, and recall our chapter(s) in Japan together.

A Forum for my observations

2006-10-03T22:34:00.000-07:00

So, it took me long enough to finally create this to air my thoughts. Been busy taking Japan all in, sometimes I forget to breathe. It's been a bit over a month since I arrived in Japan, and I feel quite comfortable living here. Other than my inability to communicate in the native tounge, and not having a job to keep me occupied, I can say so far that this experience has been a wonderful change of pace and environment. There's so much to learn, so much I plan to do, and I often get frustrated because things aren't happening as quickly as I would have them. Which is not my usual character. I guess it's time to exercise my patience once again.

Since I've been here, I've seen and discovered a half a dozen Shinto shrines and Buddist Temples, seen even more rice fields, learned how to use the train system(mostly in Japanese Kanji I can't read), visited Osaka about four times, finally had sushi, oishii(delicious!), eaten okanomiyaki(the regional dish of Nara), ride my bike daily, got hooked on Sumo wrestling on TV, cook just about every evening, help judge a Highschool English Speech contest, made friends with a local farmer whom I buy my produce from(though, we can't speak to each other), met some Westerners I've played music with, saw a band, Sharks and Seals, in Osaka, had some of the best Italian food in Nara, learned how to change a bike tire, made friends with my airplane neighbor Jeff, got hooked on my new keitai(cell phone), help teach Erin's classes for two weeks, and learned a little bit of Japanese.

Japanese people put mayonaise on alot of stuff, though the mayonaise here tastes different, more tangy. I've been in the habit of adding mayonaise to my cooking now.

Rice costs more here than in the States, which I think is weird, since there are so many rice fields everywhere. I wonder if there is a hidden store for locals that sells rice dirt cheap.

Most fish at the supermarket still have their heads on, which isn't too weird for me because I grew up eating fish that way. Ocotopus and squid is common food too in the fish section. They also sell tiny, dried fish in bags, like the dilis I used to eat as a kid in our champorado(Filipino chocolate oatmeal) for breakfast.

Most Japanese kids learn 6 years of Enlgish in primary school and junior high.

Soy sauce in Japanese is syoyu, pronounced like "show you". I guess in this area we live in, Kansai, there are more frequently used varies of soy sauce. I wikipedia-ed soy sauce, and Japanese cuisine uses 5 or so different varieties of the originally Chinese condiment.

My keitai(cell phone) can read barcodes, has GPS, is an MP3 player, and supposedly I can purchase things using my phone by just waiving it over a sensor in certain stores, vending machines, and other places.

Tommy Lee Jones advertises a cold coffee drink here called Boss.

Japanese TV is as wild and weird as you might imagine it to be.

My shoe size is 27 1/2.

Little primary school kids wear yellow hats as part of their uniforms. Every student, in primary school to HS, were uniforms. Our friend Keiko told us some private schools even hire designers to make their uniforms. Japanese people are so stylish.

People are pretty serious about their hairstyles here.

Syrup is expensive here. Especially maple.

Fruit is expensive here. I saw a catalope for almost $40. Average is around $8-10.

Japan is not as advanced in computer technology as the US or Europe. I think they spend their technology on more gadgets and personal items, like cell phones that can locate you with GPS and pay for a can of Kit-Kats and the vending machine. , or dancing robots that can sing to you and answer your questions. Creepy.

There's not central heating or air conditioning in almost all the buildings here.

Cards(like greeting cards) with yellow and white on them are for funerals or wakes. Oops!

Japanese people do not use dryers. I guess our shower has a heating vent function where you dry your clothes in the winter. Other than that, it's hanging out the window.

Grilled eel is damn good! Oishii!

There are a lot of pastry and bread stores, also regularly located at the train stops.

A loaf of sliced bread at the supermarket comes in 4, 5 or 6 slices. It makes the best french toast.