Mount Iwawaki

I didn’t realize it until Papa Kazuhiro said it, but I’ve been in Japan for just about a month. On Monday I will have my one month anniversary with Japan. That’s also one month away from my parents, Annika, Northfield, home. It’s really incredible how fast time flies. I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced this speed before. It’s rather terrifying, but a lot of fun! I’m making friends and my Japanese is improving. Everyday I pick up new words and phrases. It’s such a great feeling being able to communicate with people! This morning I was reading through the binder that Rotary supplies the exchange students with as a source of information and I came across several quotes from students that were outbounds in 2011-2012. One in particular stuck out to me. It may have been because the student was actually in Japan, but I think it was more the content that clicked with me. She talked about how to really get involved and learn your host countries language. Part of that was the fact thata English should not be spoken. Today I tried as hard as possible to not speak English and I think it worked! I found that I was able to communicate as much as I needed without using English. For me, this also includes using my dictionary when either side needs help explaining. The biggest problem I have is that when I speak to someone in Japanese, they speak back to me in English! How confusing! There are many times when I have asked for the Japanese instead. It can sometimes even be easier because I know a vocab word in Japanese that they don’t know in English.

My host family is very easy to communicate with. I understand their accents very well and have gotten used to it. This has been a big help in planning various things that I do.

Last Saturday, Papa Kazuhiro and I hiked up Mount Iwawaki. The top of it is visible if you walk 50 feet down the road from our house! When we started out, it was raining slightly and we were in clouds. 

They eventually thinned out and we were able to see other peaks. The climb took about 45 minutes and was well worth it. We could see all of Kawachinagano-shi, as well as Osaka and KIX airport. To the north-east was Mount Koya, the tallest mountain in Osaka Prefecture. Down below us we could see Takihata Dam, which is right next to the house. We could also see the PL tower, which I did some research on and I said I would follow up on (Check out this link for more info on the PL religion).

The top of Mount Iwawaki is covered in Suzuki grass which is used to make grass roofs. In the fall, the entire mountain-top turns brown and workers harvest the grass. The mountain is then burned so the next season’s grass grows well. It’s very impressive that people can harvest the grass when it is growing on such a steep incline. It had to be more than 45 degrees!

There is very little space on top of the mountain and the only larger flat area has benches and a large stone marker with maps about the surrounding areas. Papa Kazuhiro and I ate a small snack and took pictures. Then, we hiked down. We took a different route than when we came up. Instead of heading back to the visitors center, we hiked down towards Takihata, where the trail also pops out. On the way down, we went past a snake which Kazuhiro said is poisonous to humans. Do the biologists out there have any idea what kind it is?

We went through many dark woods made up of cedar trees. They are planted to be logged and they create a much different environment from that of the native. The native has many deciduous trees that allow for an understory of ferns, grasses, and shrubs. The cedar trees allow very little light through and  moss doesn’t even grow under them.

When we reached to bottom after winding downward for about an hour on a narrow track, Mama Akane came to pick us up. We came out near the opposite end of Takihata Dam from where the house is. There were many Osakans at a large park picnicking. Kazuhiro says many come out on the weekends. I guess Kawachinagano is Osaka’s playground.

That night, the family had a barbecue. There was Obaasan, Kazuhiro, Akane, Mitsuki, Nanako, Rankin (Nanako’s friend) and Kazuhiro’s brother and his daughter. Ojiisan was out golfing and Yoshino was at a friend’s house. There was so much food! We had beef , pork, chicken, shrimp, green peppers, and corn. There was also a smoker that was made out of a cardboard box. We had smoked cheese, eggs, and Japanese radish pickles. It was delicious! I later taught everyone how to make a banana boat (banana, chocolate chips, marshmallows all melted together). We also had grilled orange slices and pieces of pineapple. I had never had hot pineapple before but it was actually really good!

When we were done with dinner and had walked the dogs, we set off small fireworks. Most were sparklers of all different kinds. There were a couple that spun as well as some fountains. It was a lot of fun and all the kids enjoyed it.

This week has just been school but we are preparing for the school cultural festival on Saturday. I’m gaining more and more information about it everyday. It sounds like there will be food, displays, and performances of different kinds. I will be performing in the band and with my class in a small performance of some sort. There will be a lot of pictures taken, so I will be able to better explain it this weekend.

Today was my friend Kei’s birthday, so some girls in our class bought him his favorite drink from the school coffee shop. He didn’t really know what to make of it!

I feel like I’m really starting to fit in with my class. They are more willing to talk to me now that I have a slightly better grasp on the language. The English teachers at Nagano High School have been a tremendous help. Whenever there is something I don’t understand or someone is trying to ask me something, they are always willing to lend an ear. It would be very difficult for my classmates and I to understand what the other was asking in some situations!

I’m looking forward to seeing great performances and eating good food this weekend!

Have a great weekend!

Wes