Which Bin?

Garbage bins - each for different items

Throwing garbage away in Japan is not as simple as just lifting the lid on a garage can and throwing it away. Japan has complex method of handling garbage due to many people living in such a small area. The house I stayed in close to Tokyo had a large book 72 pages in length explaining how to sort the garbage as well as the packaging and pick up days.

Garbage in Japan is divided into three categories – combustible garbage (moeru gomi), non-combustible garbage (moenai gomi) and recyclable garbage (shigen gomen). Approximately 80% of Japan's garbage is incinerated. These categories are further broken down into sub-categories. The definition of the different categories can change from region to region as well as the collection days.

Sorting garbage is not easy, it is no wonder there is a guide – lipstick itself can go in the combustible pile but the container and tube once it is empty needs to go in the plastic or small metal bin. If a metal items is smaller, it can go in the small metals but if it is larger they are classified a bulky refuse. Plastics must to be washed and cleaned prior to disposal. If you are throwing away one sock, it would go in the burnable bin but if there are two socks, matching, with no holes and they are clean, they can go in the used cloth bag.

Due to the complex nature of handling garbage in Japan, you do not see many public garbage cans available on the street or in public places. Most garbage is carried and disposed of at home.

Vending Machines

Wherever you go in Japan you will encounter vending machines. They seem to sell almost everything under the sun including hot and cold canned drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, food items and even small clothing items. Vending machines grace almost every corner as you are walking or driving around.

The Japanese people seem to enjoy their snacks and although they are many traditional snacks and foods available, many North American stores and chains have made it to Japan. You will often come across MacDonalds, Starbucks and 7-11. Although at those locations you might find foods similar to what you would order in North America like french fries, each chain has added Japanese style foods and snacks to their menus.

I walked into a 7-11 the other day after visiting a tourist area near the Pacific Ocean. Not only does 7-11 here sell many of the items we would expect to see in a convenience store (drinks, chips, chocolate etc) they also sell many traditional foods. This includes dried quid and fish, alcohol, Japanese candy and sweets, and raw fish.

Probably the strangest items the Japanese have seen in a vending machine would be a car. In 2008, a Smart Car vender put a Smart Car in a vending machine at the Shibuya Station (a station in Tokyo). The vending machine held a full-sized car with two choices, coupe or cabrio. It was not a true vending machine in the sense that you could purchase a car from it on the spot but was used as a marketing tool to promote the car. Pushing the button on the machine provided you with a tube containing information and pamphlets on the models, available features and colours as well as purchasing information such as dealers.

I am not sure if purchasing a car from an venting machine will become become an option in Japan but with the number of other items you can already purchase through this method, I would not be surprised if it will be seen in the future!

Nice to Meet You! Douzo Yoroshiiku!

Greetings and Expressions....

When meeting someone in Japan, shaking hands is very unusual instead people bow. It is called ojigi and is a way of showing respect and affection. The degree of the bow, from just a little nod of the head to deep and low, depends on the relationship between the two people and the situation. People bow all the time from coming in and out of stores to while driving as well as to thank someone for stopping.

Banzai is a form of celebration in Japan. It is similar to us saying “hip-hip-hurry” three times. Banzai literally means “ten thousand years:. It is done by raising both your arms straight above your head and shouting “BANZAI”. It is generally done three times.

Kashiwade is done when visiting a shrine. It is clapping your hands clapping your hands together prior to entering or at the main area of the shine. It is done to get the gods' attention as well as to focus your own mind.

In North America if we are taking about ourselves, we might place our hand or finger on our chest. In Japan, when people are talking about themselves, they place their finger on the tip of their nose. Also, in North America when we are calling for someone to come to us, we place our palm up and bringing our fingers up and towards us, motioning them to come here. When the Japanese are calling for someone to come, the place their hand out but place the palm of the hand down and then bring the fingers down towards the feet and to the body to tell someone to come.

Labo and Labo Summer Camp

While staying in Japan we are under the Labo organization. Labo is a youth organization that is available to children as young as 2 until the age of 18. There are also many college and university students involved in the program assisting as college mates. Labo is our sister organization for the exchange program and hosts us while in Japan.

The mission of Labo is to provide Japanese youth with a place to improve their English language stills as well as learn about other cultures and gain an international understanding. Language learning is done through songs, stories and drama.

A Labo tutor hosts a Labo party. Labo parties can be held in the tutor's home or at a community hall or location. Tutors may have one or more group they are looking after in different locations. At the host I am currently staying, the host mother is a Labo tutor. In my fourteen day stay at their home, there is only two days that she is not overseeing a Labo group or activity. This time of the year is especially busy for the Labo tutors as there are send off parties for those students going to Canada, America and Australia for exchange as well as many parties hosting a special day. This special day is like a party were the students demonstrate what they have been doing and learning. This often includes the students acting out a story they have learned. There are no props but the students themselves act out any props they might need such as a tree, house etc.

During the summer time, Labo students also have the opportunity to attend Labo Summer Camp. Labo has five different camps located throughout Japan. All the students in Japan with me this summer will be attending one of these camps with their host sister or brother. I will be also attending a camp. The camps are four days in length.

Camps

Niseko – this camp is located on Hokkaido island.

Zeo – this camp is usually held at a mountain ski lodge.

Kurohime – this is the main camp and can host over 1,000 students per session. Many of the students on exchange this summer will attend one of the sessions at Kurohime.

Daisen – this camp is located in the Chugoku region and is held at a ski resort.

Yutsubo – this camp is located at the foot of Mt. Kujyu, a live but mostly dormant volcano.

The Japanese do not view camp as a time to relax and have free time but to stay busy and make the most of their camp experience. Attending summer camp is very expense so they want to have many different experiences. Camp is very busy with a strict schedule. Some of the activities we will be enjoying while at camp includes mountain climbing and nature hikes, crafts, looking at the wildflowers and local historic attractions.

While staying at camp, everyone will be placed in a lodge. We will also be taking part in lodge based activities.

Camp lodge

In each lodge, there are about 20 to 30 children. All meals are eaten in the lodge. Everyone helps with duties including getting the food, cleaning up and keeping the lodge neat. Sleeping in the lodge is on futons. These are pulled out of the closest in the evening and placed on the tatami mats (the room we sleep in is our activity area during the day). Bathing at the camp is using the public bath with time set aside for different groups to access the bath.

Camp can be an interesting experience for those on exchange but will provide some great memories of the activities they did and people they met. This summer I will be attending the main Labo camp, Kurohime, from July 25^th through to July 28^th.

Kore wa nan desu ka? What is this?

Probably one of the biggest changes for the students visiting Japan this summer is the food. As I had mentioned in a previous blog, meals are generally eaten at the same time each day and consist of many small dishes. Generally there is always rice and a type of soup served with the meal. The types of foods eaten at a meal can vary depending on the region you are visiting. Here are some typical Japanese dishes:

Rice Based

Domburi

Rice – rice is the base to all meals. It is often served in the morning with a raw egg and soya sauce. For lunch, cold rice will be packed for lunch.

Sushi – this is a rice based dish that uses rice cooked in a sushi vinegar. There are many different ways of making sushi and different toppings.

Domburi – this is a bowl of rice with other cooked foods placed on top. Toppings might be tempura, egg and chicken (oyakodon, also know and mother and chick), or beef.

Onigiri – This is something that you often find at convenience stores and people purchase for a quick snack. Onigiri are rice balls made with cooked rice that are then wrapped in nori seaweed. The center of the rice ball generally contains another food such as umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum), tuna or salmon.

Kara Raisu – Curry is very popular in Japan. Kara Raisu is a curried rice. Curry is not a spice that is native to Japan but has become a part of their diet. Kare Raisu can be served with additional toppings.

One Pot Dishes



Shabu-Shabu

 These types of dishes are call nabe and are often cooked and served in the winter months. They are often cooked and served right at the table. Typical ingredients used in nabe include negi (Japanese leek), hakusai (Chinese cabbage) as well as mushrooms and meat.

Oden – this dish often contains fish cakes, boiled eggs, seaweed and boiled in a soya sauce based soup.

Sukiyaki – this dish contains thinly sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, tofu and konyaku noodles. Prior to eating, the foods are dipped into a raw egg

Shabu-Shabu – this is like a fondue, Japanese style. Thinly sliced meats, vegetables, mushrooms and tofu are served. Each item is then dipped into a hot soup and then a vinegar or sesame sauce prior to being eaten.

Noodle Dishes

Omuraisu

Noodles are very popular in Japan and many meals will contain some type of noodle.

Soba – Soba noodles are a traditional Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour. Soba noodles are thick and can be eaten hot or cold with a variety of toppings.

Udon – Udon noodles are a Japanese noodle made from wheat flour. Udon noodles are thicker than soba noodles and can also be served hot or cold with a variety of other foods and toppings.

Ramen -Ramen uses a Chinese type noodle that is cooked in a soup. It can be served with different toppings. Although ramen was traditionally a Chinese based dish, it has been adopted by the Japanese and very popular.

Somen – Somen are also a Japanese noodle made from wheat flower but thinner. This type of noodle is generally eaten cold and served in the summer time.

Yakisoba – Yakisoba is a deep fried or fried Chinese noodle that is ofter served with meat, vegetables and ginger.

Meat Dishes

Meat is generally a part of each meal but only in small amounts. Popular meats include pork, chicken and seafood. Beef is served but is very expensive.

Yakitori

Yakitori – this is grilled chicken pieces on skewers. Most parts of the chicken are used.

Tonkatus – Tonkatsu are deep fried pork cutlets. It is over served with shredded cabbage and topped with cooked rice or curry.

Nikijaga – this is a popular way of cooking meat and potatoes.

Other Dishes

Miso Soup – this soap is served with most meals. It is made by dissolving miso paste into hot water and adding other ingredients such as seaweed and tofu.

Omuraisu – this is like a omelet. Cooked rice is wrapped in a thin omelet and then generally served with gravy sauce or ketchup.

Hayashi Raisu – this is a type of beef stew. The beef is sliced very thin and cooked with onions in a sauce and served over rice.

Okonmiyaki

Hamubagu – this is the Japanese version of a North American hamburger. The burger patty is cooked and served on a plate with a sauce and vegetables. There is no bun.

Tempura – This is a deep fried dish. Piece of seafood, vegetables and mushrooms are coated with the tempura batter and then deep fried. Tempura was not a dish native to Japan but is very popular.

Okonomiyaki – This dish is one children often learn to make. It is a mixture between a pancake and a pizza. Pork, cabbage and seafood are mixed together with a type of dough. The mixture is then spooned into a pan and fried.

Gyoza – Gyoza are dumplings that fried. They contain mined vegetables and generally some type of ground meat.

Chawanmushi

Chawanmushi – This is a steamed egg custard that generally contains pieces of seafood, chicken and ginko nut mixed inside.

Tsukemono – these are Japanese pickles. There are lots of different kinds of pickles. This dish is generally served as a side dish with meals.

Freedom

Coming to Japan this time I thought my transition into Japanese culture and life would be easy. I had lived in Japan previously and was knowledgeable and comfortable with both Japanese culture and daily life. Although my Japanese language knowledge was burned deep in my brain, day by day it started to emerge with words and phrases beginning to make sense. The one thing I was not quite prepared for however was my lack of freedom and almost total dependance on those around me.

While in Japan I have no cell phone, no access to vehicle (not that I would even try driving here), not even my own schedule. Where I go, what I do, what and when I eat is all decided by someone. This has been a bit of an adjustment for me. In Canada I work, volunteer in the community and oversee a busy household of three children and numerous pets. I am always busy, packing as much as possible into each day. I have access to a truck and many times decide what I doing with my day and where I go. I am able to make decisions for myself. If I am hungry, I can make a snack, if I want to go out, I can go. While in Japan I have surrender myself to those around me, very much like a young child again, allowing them to decide where, when, who and how.

You might say this trip to Japan as forced me to relax and slow down. To relay on others in a way I have not done for years. It has taught me that it is all right to give up control and allow others to decisions for you. Have I missed my freedom – of course but I am here to learn and experience the life and culture. To do this, I also must surrender I bit of who I am in Canada and accept each day as a new adventure just waiting to happen.

Gohan desu yu! It's time to eat!

Meals in Japan are eaten on a regular schedule. It is said that “in order to increase one's energy, one must eat meals regularly.” In Japan, young people are not often given a choice of what to eat. At meals, the mother serves the children what she has cooked, including what they drink. It is considered polite to not give you a choice but instead provide you with what has been prepared. In North America if we are hungry or thirsty we would simply go to the cupboard or fridge and get what we would like to eat. In Japan this would be considered very rude. Children almost never help themselves to something to eat but instead wait and eat only what was prepared and served.

Since I am visiting Japan in the summer time, much of the food is served cold since it is very hot in the summer (often in the mid 30's with high humidity). This includes cold rice, tea, soup, meat and noodles. A typical meal would have a number of items served including rice, a soup, a meat that might be chicken, pork, fish or beef (beef is very expensive) and then different vegetables, fruit and other smaller dishes. Everything is eaten with chopsticks. Chopsticks are used for picking up food from communal serving bowls on the table and for pulling food apart. Rice is served at lunch and supper and can also be served at breakfast.

Since arriving in Japan last week I have been eating a lot of vegetables. Twice we have ate meals that consisted of only vegetables. Early in the week we visited Karakura. Karakura is located about an hour outside of Tokyo. We ate at a vegetarian restaurant and our lunch had eight different courses, all vegetable based. We started with a tomato based soup, then a plate of seasoned cucumbers, then seasoned spinach. Next was a HUGE plate full of big and small tomatoes (not my favourite food!). After this we had some small dark green hot peppers, then squash, sweet potatoes and mushrooms. This was followed by a flat bread with basil leaves and tomatoes. Dessert was a melon slice. You can see why the Japanese people are generally healthy and thin. You hardly ever see an individual that overweight or on the heavy side. This is probably due to the healthy diet they eat and the amount of exercise they get on a daily base. Since most people walk or bike to the local train station, they are always on the move.

Prior to eating your meal you say “itadaki-masu” which means “I gratefully receive this food” and after eating say “gochi-sou-sama dishita” which means “thank you for the delicious meal”. This is said before and after each meal, even when eating out.

I have been in Japan for over a week now. We have yet to go to a grocery store. Most foods are delivered directly to the home. The family I am currently staying with is also a part of a cooperative buying group. There are seven families in this coop. On Mondays, all the food is delivered to my host families home and placed in the carport (one of the cars had to be moved down the street to provide enough room). All the food and products were in bins and coolers. There was even a scale for weighing amounts of vegetables and products they are taking.

Throughout the day, families involved in the food cooperative stopped by with their shopping basket and picked up the items they had ordered, sorting these the buns and weighing things on the scale. The food included everything from fresh meat, frozen products, vegetables and eggs. There was also a lot of visiting that took place as the neighbours came by to pick up their groceries. One of the neighbours was a single gentlemen. He said I was very beautiful and asked if I was available. Upon leaving with his food, he forgot to take his order form for the next weeks delivery. My host mother had to call him later that evening asking him to swing around. She laughed and said that he had probably forgotten it on purpose so he come back and see me again. I just smiled and continued cleaning up and putting the bins away.

In the Kitchen

Kitchens in Japan are not equip with an stove top and oven like you would find in North America. Instead they generally consist of a two burner gas stove top, a small rack under the burners for grilling fish or meat, a rice cooker, microwave and fridge. Most meals are cooked on the stove top with meal grilled.

There a a few different ways food to prepared here -  grilling, frying, deep frying, simmering, steaming, dressing, pickling and then raw. With it being summer, most of the food is cooked and then cooled, so you are eating is cold or cooler. Some items are still served hot.



Rice cooker



The majority of the food is cooked on the burner stove top. Rice is made daily in the rice cooker and left over rice is rolled into individual rice balls and wrapped. These can then be eaten cold or warmed up for another meal.

A typical Japanese refrigerator is different than what you would find in North America. It has six doors: two French doors for the regular fridge compartment on top, two small drawers, one for ice cubes and a fast-freezing drawer for fish, a large zero-degree vegetable drawer and, on the bottom, the freezer drawer.

The kitchen are is generally very small. All the storage and appliances in the kitchen are compact, making the most of the small space.

fridge

stove

Why Am I Here



Exchange Group - 2010



For those of you who have just started following the blog or maybe came across it through another network, I thought I would provide some background on why I am in Japan and what I am doing this summer.

In Japan there is a youth organization called Labo. Labo is open to all children starting at a very young age (around the age of 2) right up to college students. The mission of the organization is to allow Japanese children to improve their English-language ability as well as to learn about other cultures. They do this through bilingual songs, plays and stories from around the world. Children involved in Labo generally meet weekly at a Labo Party and in the summer time are able to attend one of the five Labo Camps found throughout Japan (camp is very different here than in Canada). Women (often mothers) are Labo tutors and run the Labo Party from their homes. One component to the Labo program is exchange. Each year, hundred of children from across Japan travel to Canada, American, Australia and New Zealand for a home-stay program. This year there are 700 students heading overseas in a few weeks.

Labo offers the opportunity for students from around the world to come and experience Japanese culture through a similar summer program. In Canada, many of the provinces run the Canadian component of the exchange program through their provincial 4-H office. Students going on the exchange however to not have to be involved in 4-H or 4-H members. Many times Canadian students become involved in the exchange due to hosting Japanese student a previous summer and then head to Japan to stay with their host sister or brother the next year.

Each year, students from across Canada between the ages of 12 and 18 can travel to Japan for up to two months. If students come to Japan in June, the stay in Tokyo for the first month attending language school while on home-stay with a family in the Tokyo area. If students come in July, they participate in just the home-stay portion of the program and can be hosted anywhere in Japan. Students have the option in participating in one or both programs.

This year I was chosen as the Canadian chaperon for those students traveling to Japan this summer. Prior to the trip I assisted with the planning, answering any questions and preparing the students (and their families) for the exchange. I then get the opportunity to travel with the students to Japan, check up on them during the home-stay portion of their program and finally see them safely back to Canada and on their flights home. This year, planning for the program was already in place prior to the earthquake and tsunami hitting. As a result of the events in March, a number of families were not comfortable sending their children to Japan. Students involved in the program this year is a little less then previous years with a total of 14 students from Ontario and Alberta currently in Japan with me. For the five weeks of their program they are immersed in Japanese culture and language.

It is a wonderful opportunity to explore and discover this ancient culture, rich in traditions, ceremonies and history. Although during the exchange they may have days when they wonder why they are here, it will truly be a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.

Travel day – Two

Yesterday – what a day! The group of 14 heading to Japan finally came together for the first time with students flying into Vancouver from all over Canada. After months of chatting on-line, sharing photos, posting on facebook and using a secure wiki site to share documents and discussions – we finally got to meet in person. It was also a day of first flights. A number of students had never been on a plane before. Well, once this trip is complete, they will be old pros. Some of the students were on two planes yesterday and today is the long 11 hour flight from Vancouver to Tokyo. For some, there will be one more flight tomorrow before reaching their final destination for the five week stay.

Considering we had never met, the group came together really well. It was wonderful to sit and watch the students last night at supper laughing and sharing as we ate. They made a wild and crazy cocktail (I think they named it the “Chaperone Cocktail”) that was a combination of all the things they did not eat – some cheese, pizza sauce, ice cream, salt, pepper, other unknown sauces and who knows what else. They did give it to me to smell but I figured if I did not want to spend the night on the bathroom floor, I would pass the offer to taste.

Yesterday went smoothly with only a few small bumps on the road. It appears the meeting spot I arranged for the students and their parents flying from Toronto to meet was actually through security instead of prior to security like the airport map showed (oops!). Thank goodness everyone meeting in Toronto were able to work it out and find each other (the matching tees certainly helped!). The only other hiccup was flight delays from Edmonton. Due to mechanical issues with the plane, the two students flying from Edmonton were delayed over 5 hours, making it just in time to join us for late supper. The flight was not delayed until just prior to boarding so their parents were long gone from the airport. The two girls amused themselves as best they could and probably know the Edmonton airport inside and out now.

Last night we went through a brief orientation session and then the students had some much needed down time. Some went swimming while others headed straight for bed. All passports were checked and traveling papers were in order. I then sat downstairs at the hotel computer and printed everyone's boarding passes so the check in process would be much faster in the morning. Today is the BIG day! Shortly we will be heading to the airport to get everyone checked and bucketed in for a long day ahead that will not end until sometime tomorrow. I can hardly wait to be on the ground in Japan and experience not only my own first impressions but those of the students as their five week adventure truly begins.

Time to Go!!

Well, after months of planning the big day has finally arrived.  Today it is off to Vancouver and tomorrow Tokyo for five weeks of exploring a country and city that I fell in love with over twenty years ago.  I am grateful for the opportunity to travel there again.

This past week has been crazy with so many last minute things – finishing up a university course (did not want to take school books with me), getting my own kids organized for me being gone, training someone to look after the business while away and check lists for the house and animals.  I honestly think it will be better once I get on the plane and there will be nothing else to worry about but the students and the adventure ahead.

Packing has been interesting but is almost complete.  I knew I was in trouble last night when I just packed my gifts and the suitcase was already just under the allowable weight.  At that time I had not packed any of my personal items including clothes, shoes, toiletries etc.  Today I added my clothes and personal items and the suitcase weighed 65 lbs, not great when you can only check 50 lbs.  So, out came what seems like 10 lbs in maple syrup, a bag full on pencils and pins (gifts), my shoes, and some books.  I also removed some t-shirts, all my shampoo and conditioner, make-up bag and some other smaller personal items.  The suitcase now weighs 47 lbs so hoping the scale at the airport comes up the same!!  The gifts and maple syrup has been transferred to my carry-on bag.  The rest I will do without.

I am sure the next five weeks will be busy and full of new sites, smells and adventures.  I am not doing this adventure alone but taking along with me fourteen amazing young adults from Ontario and Alberta.  It has been a long time in the planning stages with the past four months busy with emails back and forth with them and their family.  I am sure they are as excited as I am that we are finally leaving.  After months of planning and chatting, it seemed like this day at times would never arrive.

Heading to and exploring a new country and be both exciting and scary.  I can still remember the day I stepped on a plane to travel halfway around the world by myself over twenty years ago.  I managed to keep it together for the first long flight but after switching planes to fly from Tokyo to Kyoto, the reality of the whole situation hit me.  Here I was on a plane all by myself, in a country were the dogs could understand more of the language than I could.  What did I think I was doing?  I think I cried for most of the flight.  The fear of being in a strange country by myself for a year quickly disappeared as I realized the amazing adventure I had before me.

Well, that is it for now – still have some last minute packing to do and have to head to the airport in less than an hour.  I hope to post from time to time while traveling, sharing my experiences and thoughts on this far away adventure.

The "gift" side of my suitcase!