I See Japanese People (and the Miyagase Dam)

Let me begin, by saying, "A few weeks ago..."

Yokosuka City Hall organized a free field trip. They were going to use a lottery system to pick forty lucky citizens to travel to the Miyagase Dam and see firsthand, where the water they drink comes from. Noriko mailed in my application card and we sat back to wait for the drawing.

The next day, J-Pop told a coworker to put me on the list. J-Pop is an engineer and section chief at city hall (in the waterworks department!). I'm glad to see systems like the lotto being abused. The poor guy whose job was to make sure I made it back to the bus at appointed times seemed pretty nervous and stressed when he'd have to rush after me pointing to his departure schedules.

I joined my fellow senior citizens outside city hall and took my place on the bus.

We had a pretty swanky bus. They pulled out all the stops. There were chandeliers and multicolored track lighting. It was about a two hour ride.

Our first stop, for lunch, was at the Miyagase Park. This park (flood plain?) is located below the dam and is a pretty large park. I pieced together this panoramic. I need more practice.

Here is a view looking back across the open flood plain. That large staircase with the mosaic tree is where I took the panoramic shot.

There was also a little area near the top of the stairs with a stream and some shops.

At the dam, before they turned us loose, we had to suffer through a thirty minute video presentation put on by the front desk person. They are really big on uniforms in Japan. In the Pokemon cartoons (I watched them when I was younger, about 28), all the women that work at desks or in a civic role (nurses, police, etc.) are drawn identically. I used to think it was just some Pokemon thing. But after going into department stores and museums, I saw everyone wearing the same uniform, unique to that particular store. So with all of the women with the same hair, same clothes, and same features, I could see where Pokemon drew its parody. Or maybe that's why you shouldn't watch things like Pokemon as an adult. I'm going to stick to Inuyasha.

Dam Specs: Height: 156m, Crest Length: ~400m, Catchment Area: 213.9km-km

(I have more specs available. Email me if you want them! haha.)

I don't know if I was the only one that was a little nervous about being at the foot of a dam in a country with so many earthquakes. Some of my first impressions of the dam was that it looked like something out of Halo(tm). I probably was the only one thinking that, though.

In the walkway at the base of the dam. Again, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if a quake hit. The "ghost" in the picture was trying to get out of my shot. I think it's funny how most people will run and sprint from a camera flash. I think it's not funny how some people will walk right into a camera shot (foreshadowing).

Here's a shot looking up the staircase (I wanted to use them but the gate was locked). There's also a cable car track on the left. It's 200 yen one way. I saved my money for the cafe au lait vending machines. Again, I'm pretty much just walking around thinking about playing Halo.

A shot of the reservoir.

A shot looking downstream.

I live in a large metropolitan suburb of Tokyo. It's famous for hosting a huge US Navy base. That means there are tons of Navy people roaming around. That means there are tons of ex-Navy people roaming around. I must be off the beaten path. I'm always surprised that during most of my excursions, I'm the only foreigner. It's nice in the sense that I can get a small feeling for being a stranger in a strange land. Of course, I can head down to Dobuita Street and see all the swaggering, drunk sailors I want. I usually shy away from that part of town. Actually, that's the only time in Japan I've been looked at menacingly. It was by some young punk sailor! I'm too old for that so I just chuckled.

Catsup

Kasagake offials

Here I am playing catch up (again!). While I'm on the subject, the Japanese love to put ketchup on their eggs. Do Americans like to do that, too? Spaniards? Anyone else? I know that I don't, so I was able to save some of my scrambled eggs from being ruined the other morning, by catching the cooks in time. I have to go into my "upcoming entries" folder and pick out whatever set of photos keeps me from being current. Right now, "current" is that we just returned from Kanazawa (my 3rd time!) where I was witness to many new things.

Back to my game of catch up and what sounds like a broken record to me. A couple of weeks ago...

As a refresher:
http://muskogeeyokie.blogspot.com/2006/05/flash-cause-horse-to-be-very-frighten.html.

This time, we headed to the seashore in Miura. This particular demonstration of horseback archery is called kasagake. The previous entry was about yabusame. Yabusame is a mixture of demonstrated skill and a ceremonial prayer, while kasagake is more of demonstration and competitive event.

While the yabusame was done in a straight line, the kasagake was done along the bend in a section of beach. I only have a few pictures, at this time, as I borrowed J-Pop's digital camcorder and have a ton of video.

Waiting for their turn

Sideview of the Kasagake officials

Lone horseman

We took a walk along the ocean after the demonstration.

Here's a photo of a dead thing I found.

Return to Kanazawa

We're heading to Kanazawa tomorrow. We have to go through the final motions of putting Noriko's uncle and grandfather to rest. Their bones have been in the house for 40ish days and it's time to take them to their final resting place. I'm positive it will be another learning experience for me.

In the meantime, all of my viewers and visitors (I KNOW YOU ARE OUT THERE. MY SITECOUNTER SHOWS AN AVERAGE OF 22 PER DAY!) can take a look at the following blog:

http://321letsgo.blogspot.com/

It's mainly of a scifi or comic book slant and the writer has put together 4 podcasts. He's in Spain and uses them to practice his English. If you don't like comics or scifi, you're on your own.

More about some of my visitors:

One visitor arrived from this link: http://arigatous.livejournal.com/400413.html
"five arigatous and i finally made it."

I've had visitors from New Zealand, Russia (surely related to the link above), Malaysia, Vietnam, Canada, and all over the U.S.

So, while I'm away, at least send me a link to your blog (if that's from whence you came) or say hello.

Gracias! ありがとう！Спасибо! Terima kasih! Cam on! Thanks!
(if you can't find your language, go here: http://www.travlang.com/wordofday/159.html.

Kinugasa Castle

Noriko and I have been trying to spend some "dating" time, as she calls it, together. So, if she has the day off, we might go spend a couple of hours in a karaoke booth or if it's a nice day, we might take a stroll. For a few months, I've been seeing a sign that says "Kinugasa Castle Ruins- .8 km." Next to that is the sign for Kinugasa Park. There's also a Kinugasa train station and a Kinugasa bus stop.

For a complete write up on the area, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokosuka,_Kanagawa.

The short version and the part that applies to Kinugasa is quoted, thusly:
"Heian period- In 1063, Muraoka Tamemichi established Kinugasa Castle in what is now Yokosuka. He took the surname Miura. The castle fell during the Battle of Kinugasa in 1187."

That's about all for the history of the area, that I can find in English. There's a good sized sign at the site that probably tell the rest of the story.

Noriko, on the steps to the temple near the top of Kinugasa Mountain.

All that's left of Kinugasa Castle is a wooded hill. There's a little clearing at the top with a couple of benches (we had a picnic). A little dirt path takes one from the street (Kinugasa bus stop), up the mountain to a temple (undoubtedly it served this castle and nearby samurai- still functioning), and then on up to the top of the hill. Strategically, it's easy to see why somebody might put a castle up there. The trail goes on from there to Kinugasa Park (next time) and then on to Kinugasa Station.

It's hard to imagine that samurai used to run around all over the place. Well, actually, it's kind of easy to imagine since I've seen so many samurai movies, but I'm just used to being in the U.S.A. and taking hikes, thinking "This looks like a place where samurai would run around."

Noriko on the far side of Kinugasa Mountain.

The view from the top. One of the only views I've seen, still untouched by electrical towers and apartment buildings.

On the way back, I spotted a snake! I've emailed a guy about what kind is it, but he has yet to respond. It was stuck inside somebody's garden. I herded it down the fenceline until it found a hole.

Here's a closer look at its markings, for identification purposes.

Within seconds of continuing, I spotted another snake on the path! I couldn't believe it. I love to find snakes! This makes the third snake I've seen since being in Japan.

Green Uraga and Ham.

I had my last hike with the Uraga people. These trips have all been pretty similar. The same group leader identifies local flora and sometimes tells a related anecdote or some trivia. There was a new group co-leader on this one. As always, with a new group, since I'm the token white guy, I have to say that I'm from America and that's I'm very happy to meet everybody. As this was the fourth time with this group, I felt kind of silly going through it all again. The new guy pointed to a dandelion and asked me, "What is this?" I said, "Tampopo?" He said, "No! No! In English!" I said "Dandelion." He agreed and said something about French people using the leaves to clean their teeth (maybe). He ended our act by delighting that the walking group was now international.

I heard the word for "bug" during this identification. Some kind of insect is born inside this "fruit/seed" and eats its way out.

I heard something about a toothbrush and from watching some people mime, these little cone things can be used as a primitive toothbrush (I think!).

This scene is typical. Our leader scampers up a rock to identify a sprout of green and the rest of us take notes.

Here's a picture of tsurana. It has a naturally salty flavor and during my first Uraga hike we ate it, tempura style.

We took our lunch break and the little groups and loners all did their own thing.

What's my thing? I roam around the rocks peeking into all the nooks and crannies. Does anybody know what exactly the thing in this picture is? It looks like it could be pried off the rocks with a sharp knife (which I don't have in Japan).

View from the hike.

Part of the trail.

During lunch, they passed out some kind of questionnaire. They'll never know what I think of their program!

Along the shore. There are always people out clamming and seaweeding. I think they can also find octopus and sea urchins.

These trees and rock features reminded me of Dr. Seuss illustrations. Or is it Mr. Seuss? I always get Dr. Spock, Mr. Spock, and Dr. Seuss mixed up.