The Famous Yodogawa Firework Exhibition

A bouquet of fire flowers illuminates the night sky.

Osaka's fire flowers were in full bloom last weekend as two teams of pyrotechnic geniouses went all out in a battle of bling and boom: The Yodogawa Fireworks Competion.

Each team shot up 5,000 fireworks (for a total of 10,000) from eight pontoons anchored along the banks of the Yodogawa River, the bright lights of Umeda sparkling in the background.

As I said in my previous post, the PL fireworks display in Tondabayshi is the biggest in the world, but Yodogawa blew it away! PL may have the quantity down (120,000 blossoming explosives), but is lacking in the quality department. Of course this is all coming from a born again fireworks fanatic, spoiled by my recent enlightenment of Hanabi-do, the way of Japanese fireworks. Nothing I have ever seen in America, including the Macy's 4th of July extravaganza in New York, even comes close to what I've seen in Osaka.

First of all, PL is held on a golf course, with very little air movement. Only PL members are allowed into the compound, while other spectators are forced to sit outside it on hot cement in the stale summer night. With little to no breeze, the smoke of the explosions amasses into great, stationary clouds that block most of the displays and obscure the rest of them.

Yodogawa, however, is fireworks in their finest form. Launched over a river, the cool breeze clears the starry canvas of smoke and keeps the crowds cheerful, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over each and every piece of pyrotechnic magic. Sparkling streams of falling fire reflecting on the river's rippled surface, cool grass ticking your feet, and sounds of anticipation and delight provided by the enthusiastic Japanese crowds. Thunderous explosions of light and color filled me with awe and wonder as the ground shook beneath me. It was as if I was seeing the creation of the universe before my very eyes.

Word of the greatness of Yodogawa has spread far and wide, drawing flocks of hundreds of thousand of people to flank both banks of the Yodogawa River for a chance to see the spectical up close. The first firework was shot off at 8:00PM, but when Yuko, her mother, sister, and I arrived in the city, every available parking spot was taken. It was only 3PM, and the sidewalks and narrow sidestreets were already filling with brightly colored yukatas, tropical flowered up-dos and trendy Japanese youngsters too cool for tradtional clothing, all heading for the river.

Although we had to wait 4 hours for the show to begin, I do not hesitate to say that it was worth every minute, and I will gladly do it again next year! Thank you Yuko! I will never forget it! Especially the part where everyone started climbing the 10 foot wall in yukata to escape the massive crowds filing out through two narrow staircases! Or the crazy lightning that split the sky from one horizon to the other and continued the amazing display of light in the heavens almost one cue, as soon as the fireworks had ended.

And now for something completely different...

Obon: Dancing with the Dead

The festival ground in Nakanoho, a small mountain village with terraced rice paddies and a tiny population. On Saturday night the site of the old junior high (back when there were enough residents to necessitate one) was transformed into the original Japanese disco, minus the disco and plus the many yukata-clad dancers cirlcing a red and white striped yagura, as singers yodeled traditional songs to the beat of a taiko. It is widely believed that as they dace beneath the lanterns, the spirits of their ancetors are dancing along with them.

Obon, the annual Buddhist ritual of welcoming ancestral spirits back to the world of the living, is one of the three major Japanese holidays. Usually celebrated August 13 thru the 17th, many employees are given mandatory paid leave to return to their ancestral abodes to pray for the repose of their forefathers, visit their graves, and guide their spirits back home with fire, lanterns, and prominent displays of the family crest.

Two of my elementary school students in their brand-spankin' new, stylin' yukatas, complete with huge glowing hoop earrings.

Of course these days Obon is often seen as an excuse to celebrate the cool nights and lazy days of summer, show off the latest yukata fashions, and see old friends. "This festival is just summer, no god." My friend explained to me as we drove along the narrow winding roads that lead up from the Kiso River into the mountain cleft of Nakanoho.

More of my super cute elemenary kids in yukata.

The truth is that Obon finds its Buddhist roots in the Ura-Bon-Sutra, which recounts the legend of Moku-ren, a Buddhist monk distressed over a vision of his mother suffering in hell. Desperate to rescue her from the Hunger Devil, the Buddha suggests he ask the local monks to make generous offerings of food, thus easing her pain for seven generations. Mokuren was so relieved that he had alleviated his dead mother's suffering that he danced. The tale represents the need to change resentments and regrets about our parents and ancestors into appreciation for what they did to make our present life possible.

The Ena Kyo Odori Crew dance around the Yagura, a boat shaped pavillion where the singers and musicians lead each dance with traditional festival music.

The event also reflects an older, pre-Buddhist, Japanese belief that the spirits of dead come home each year to visit their families. In early times, on the first evening of the festival, fires were lit in people's yards and on nearby hills to guide the souls home. The next evening a neighborhood dance (odori) was performed, using tunes and steps drawn from community tradition, handed down thru the generations. On the third day the families sent the souls of their relatives back to the spirit world by lighting the way with roadside torches or floating lanterns, which drifted down the river or out to sea on the tide. It also embodies the Japanese custom of venerating their ancestors, honoring departed parents for the "debt that can never be repaid."

Nishi Junior High girls in their stylin' yukata!

This year the rain put a quick stop to all the dancing, but last year, fresh off the airplane and sporting yukata, I quickly made friends with the odori sensei!

My friend Keiko and I, in the yukata she gave me, and her little dog too! 

Pow Wow: Getting Back to My Roots

Summer is Matusuri season here in Japan, but back home its Pow Wow season! I know a lot of you check this blog to see what's going on in Japan, but August 1st marked my one year anniversary of coming here (although at times I feel as though I've been here infinately longer), and I'm starting to find it difficult to remember what my life was like back home consisted of. The answer: Pow Wows!

Fancy Dancers, including my favorite, Thunder Lovitt (left).

If you're stuck stateside feeling sorry for the lack of cultural adventures available to you, and you've never been to a pow wow, I highly recommend you find one and go! The color and pageantry of the dancers, in full regalia, rhythmically moving to the beat of the tribal drum as their jingling bells mix with the and passionate song of the drum circle singers is something that will fill you with awe, admiration and inspiration for the Native culture of the Americas.

Girl's Fancy dancer, lost in the music.

If, like me, you have native ancestors and feel drawn to know more about them, Pow Wows are the place to meet the people that can clue you in.

Northern Traditional dancer

The best part about Pow Wow's is the dancing! Click here to see one of the best dancers on the Pow Wow circuit, Wade Baker, tearin' it up with the grass dance at the National Pow Wow in D.C.

Gatherings

A PowWow is an American Indian gathering focusing on dance, song and family celebration. Traditionally, it is a celebration presented by one tribe or band to welcome and honor others. PowWows are usually three day weekend events, and people may travel great distances to attend. The main PowWow season is summer, and thanks to a resurgence of PowWows in the last decade, it is possible to Powwow every weekend, year round, in North America. All people (including non-Indian people) are welcome and are encouraged to attend. Experiencing a PowWow can be a valuable and fascinating cultural experience for those unfamiliar with our native peoples.

THE DANCES

MEN'S GRASS DANCE

There are maby stories about the beginnings of the grass. One tells traces the roots of the grass dance back to the movements early scouts, secretly searching thru tall grass, yet untrodden by any moccasin. Dancing to flatten the grass and make it acceptable for a new camp or meeting site, their movements were immortalized in the grass dance.

The movements also reflect those of a warrior stalking game or fighting an enemy (including a movement representing one of the warrior's legs being staked by his opponent, unable to move, yet continuing to battle with this leg held in position).

This dance reflects the need for balance in life; each movement danced on one side must be repeated on the other side. Some people talk of the grass dance as a gift from the Creator to celebrate joy. There is rich lore surrounding this dance. The regalia for the dance is comprised of long strands of yarn, ribbon or fabric attached to a base outfit to represent grass or in some theories the scalps of enemies. A headdress called a roach is worn with two feathers attached so that they rock or twirl as the dancer moves. As in all the dances, the dancer must move with the beats of the drum ending with both feet on the ground on the final beat.

MEN'S TRADITIONAL DANCE

The oldest form of dance in the Indian culture, traditional regalia is often thought to represent the animals that the Creator put on the earth. The movements recall the warrior hunting, stalking his game, and battling an enemy.

The regalia is a very per onal expression of creativity and artistry. Several elements might reflect items worn by early warriors: a breast plate made of animal bones or shell for protection against arrows; a neck choker for protection against knives; ankle bells or jingling hooves; or a shield made of hide and decorated with important tribal symbols.

Often a traditional dancer will wear a single bustle containing eagle feathers, which are considered sacred to the Indian people. The eagle flies the highest and carries the prayers of the people to the Creator. Eagle feathers are traditionally awarded for feats of bravery or accomplishment.

WOMEN'S TRADITIONAL DANCE

Woman's traditional dance requires enormous stamina, concentration and grace. The movements are very focused. Women move their feet in time with the drum keeping them close to the ground. As the drum plays "honor beats," women raise their fans to honor th e drum and their male relatives. An important element of women's traditional dance is the regalia. Women's traditional regalia will usually include a fringed shawl held gracefully folded over one arm, an awl and knife case on the belt and a feather (often eagle ) fan.

Southern or Oklahoma style women's traditional often feature buckskin or cloth outfits to go with their more overt rhythmic dance movement. The regalia will feature beautiful beadwork (usually created by the woman dancer) in patterns and colors that reflect tribal and family affiliation. Dakota patterns, for instance, often are in rainbow colors and geometric in shape, representing the colors and patterns of their homeland on the plains. The Ojibwe or Winnebago ragalia often reflect floral patterns and woodland colors showing the woodland Indian influence.


WOMEN'S JINGLE DRESS

This dance has its origins in northern Minnesota and was introduced to the Pan-Indian community by the Ojibwe people. As the story goes, a medicine man's granddaughter was very ill. He had a dream in which a spirit wearing the jingle dress came to him and told him to make one of these dresses and put it on his daughter to cure her. When he awoke, he and his wife proceeded to assemble the dress as described by the spirit of his dream. When finished, they and others brought his granddaughter to the dance ha ll and she put on the dress. During the first circle around the room, she needed to be carried. During the second circle around the room, she could barely walk and needed the assistance of several women. The third circle around the room she found she coul d walk without assistance and during the fourth circle around the room, she danced.

The jingle dress is made of a cloth, velvet or leather base adorned with jingles made out of a shiny metal. Traditionally and still common today, the jingles are made from the lids of snuff cans. These are bent and molded into triangular bell shapes and attached to the dress with ribbon or fabric in a pattern designed by the dancer. It takes between 400 and 700 jingles to make an adult jingle dress. The dance itself is designed to incorporate the sound of the jingles by allowing them to move, jingle, or be made "happy." The steps are controlled and do not invlove high kicking or twirls. Often the steps are in a zigzag pattern t o reflect the zigzagging involved in the journey of life. Similar to Men's Grass dancing, the feet often do parallel movements.

Similar to a Women's Traditional dancer, the Jingle Dress dancer also raises her fan when the "honor beats" are played on the d rum. As in all dances, the Jingle Dress dancer must stay in time with the drum beat and stop with both feet on the ground on the final beat.

MEN'S FANCY DANCE

One of the more modern dances in the PowWow, Men's Fancy dance is the most strenuous and athletic. To be good at this dance, the dancer must train for stamina and agility.

The dance is fast and features jumps and twirling. The regalia is said to represent the rainbow spirits in its bright colors and flying feathers and ribbons. The Men's Fancy dancer typically wears two bustles of bright colored feathers with added ribbon, feather or horse hair hackles and bright arm and head bands repeating the colors and patterns. The dancer also wears a headdress roach trimmed in colored horsehair and featuring two eagle feathers.

The roach is designed to keep the feathers either spinning or rocking in movement. It is part of the dance to keep the feathers moving constantly throughout the song. Dancers also carry coup sticks which are highly decorated with ribbons or feathers. The coup stick was originally a small stick carried into battle by a warrior. It was considered a great sign of bravery if you were able to touch your enemy with your coup stick (much more brave than killing your enemy).

WOMEN'S FANCY SHAWL DANCE

This is the most modern of the women's dances. Some say it was originally called the blanket dance and women danced with a blanket or shawl covering their heads. It was called Graceful Shawl dance in the '60s and the dance steps were closer to the ground and smaller than what is performed today.

This is an extremely athletic and strenuous dance involving kicks and twirls and fast movement. It parallels the Men's Fancy Bustle dance in speed and style. Women dance with beautifully decorated shawls often with long ribbon or fabric fringe. The regalia of this dance also includes beaded high moccasins. The symbols and colors beaded on the moccasins have tribal and or personal significance to the dancer.

Most importantly, PowWows are keeping the old ways alive, preserving and passing them on to future generations.

A father and his son.

An elder and a teenager share the bond of their native cultures.

Halleluia! I Can Drive - Legally!

Japanese people across Japan celebrate with fireworks as Melissa, Ena City's best ALT ever, recieves her Japanese Driver's License.

For the city-slickers in Japan, with easy access to fun, food and public transportation, and everyone else who has no idea what an ordeal securing a Japanese driver's license can be, I say to you, be thankful, and beware! The Japanese government seems to frown upon gaijin getting their driver's license without paying a hefty fee. How much, ye ask?

First, you must have your national driver's license translated by JAF, which costs about 3900 Yen ($39). Foreign residents of Gifu must take the test at Gifu City's infamous DMV: Mitabora. Train and bus fare alone is 4200 Yen ($42) roundtrip. The actual cost of taking the test is 3600 Yen ($36), not to mention the fact that the test can only be taken during the week, between 8 AM and 3 PM (thats how long the process takes), therefore requiring most people to take a day of vacation as well. Thats already $147...and we haven't even started yet!

For a foreigner to be granted a Japanese License on their first attempt is extremely rare. I know of only one person who was able to pass the test his first time, and even then it was because another JET took him on private lessons, teaching him the esoteric knowledge necessary to succeed. At the urging of one of my JTEs (Japanese English Teachers), I took 2 completely useless lessons that lasted about 10 minutes each, costing me a ridiculous 8,000 yen ($80). Despite the fact that I was one of only two people (out of 8) to finish the course (the other 6 people were not allowed to finish because the instructor felt he was in danger), I did not pass.

Initially my instructor told me I had done a good job, and many of the other testees were also sure that I would pass. When the last test-taker, who had been practicing at the DMV school, finished the course, he was told that he would pass, and I was informed that I would not. "Your driver said that you turned left too slowly," the Brazilian interpreter told me in Japanese, after all the other drivers had finished. He had told everyone else immediately after their test what their weaknesses were, and seemed to be searching way to explain my failure. "Oh, yeah, I failed for that reason, 3 times!" and Indian man waiting for his wife chimed in. "Plus, only one gaijin can pass at a time, and this is your first time. There's no way you can pass!"

At my adult conversation class later that night, my students asked if I had passed. When I wimpered that I had "fallen" (as it translates in Japanese), they were not suprised. "Well ofcourse! You're American," they informed me, "so you will have to take it at least twice. The French have to try 3 times...Just be glad you're not Phillipino. They fail like 6 times!"

After a month of being confined to my apartment, apart from my illegal missions into the neighboring town so that I could acquire edibles under the cloak of anonomity, I was desperate and determined to pass my second time around. Another 10,000 Yen ($100) was invested into a 2 hour driving lesson, the first half of which consisted of my driving in circles around the course as my Japanese instructor thrilled me with his incredible conversational skill (in Japanese):

"So you're American? Wow, Marilyn Monroe, she was something, wasn't she? What do you think about Marilyn Monroe? Do you think she was killed? Who do you think killed her? Maybe Jackie was jealous. And what about Princess Diana? Do you think it was an accident? Maybe she was killed. Oh look! A rainbow! Do you have rainbows in America? My daughter went to America, you know. She can speak English. She wants to go back yet, but she's not married and she's 31! I hope she can get married. Are you married? Do you like Japanese guys? What kind of guy do you want to marry? Are all the women in America beautiful, like you? OK! Times up. Number 2 (the place where I should stop the car)."

So that was helpful.

My instructor for the second hour was not interested in Marylin or rainbows. He guided me through the course along the same path I would take for the Gifu test, correcting minor problems and building up my confidence. "Don't worry. If you drive like this during the test, you will definately pass. You're one of the best students I've ever had!" I wanted to tell him "Well I should be... I've been driving since I was 15!" But I just smiled and said "Ganbarimasu!" (I will try my best!)

The point is I have finally passed, and I sincerely hope and pray that none of you will ever have to experience the pain and confusion of this process...I can only imagine how much worse it must be for people who don't speak or understand Japanese.

After paying another 2600 yen ($26) I recieved my serious-faced Japanese license. ("Smile-No!" The photo man told me. "In Japan, picture, smile, NO!") Walking back to the bus stop as I embarked on my long journey home, a young mother drove past me with her infant child in her lap as she chatted on her cell phone.